'Resilience' series conclusion - "Mary & Martha: there is need of only one thing" (Luke 10:38-11:4)

(1) Where do you see ‘resilience’ here (in Luke 10:38-42 with Mary and Martha)?

Resilience =

·        the capacity to withstand and bounce back

·        absorbing setbacks and continuing to function well

·        to readily recover

·        to keep moving through difficult circumstances

·        making a difference despite setbacks

·        taking on challenges

·        to remain connected and open-hearted

·        growing.

What might help the building of ‘resilience’ from this passage?

·        Jesus was welcomed into their home (by Martha!)

·        Mary being attentive to Jesus … “who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying”

·        Mary choosing “the better part” which will not be taken away

What about a negative example?

·        Martha was worried and distracted “by many things”. This was understandable with all these disciples to feed; however if Martha was unwilling to sit at Jesus’ feet, then the result may well be a lack of ‘resilience’. Also, Martha thought nothing of seeking to interrupt Mary from sitting at Jesus’ feet … “Tell her then to help me” (v.40).

We might think on the surface that Jesus commended being passive over and above being active in this incident with Mary and Martha, but the context would suggest otherwise: at the beginning of chapter 10 there is the call to active mission (that Steve Stubbings talked about) … the sending out of the seventy (out of their comfort zones into ‘third places’); which is followed by the call toward active neighbourliness in the parable of the ‘good Samaritan’ … the challenge to be good neighbours (to people who may not even be our first choices). Steve Stubbings emphasised one very important word … a small word … perhaps what we might come to see as the end point and climax of our ‘resilience’ … “go”!

So the problem with Martha was NOT that she was active and motivated, rather it was that she was … “worried and distracted”. She had lost perspective, maybe she had even gone off track completely. Worries and distractions can be very pervasive and noisy, and block our minds from more productive endeavours. Jesus tried to return Martha back to basics by saying to her, “there is need of only one thing” (v.42a). That one thing was what Mary was displaying – the centrality of a devoted relationship with Jesus.

Our level of ‘resilience’ is ultimately connected to our response to one person – to the depth of our relationship with one person … Jesus!

When the seventy on mission came back and reported their incredible success to Jesus … “even the demons submit to us” (10:17), Jesus said back to them, “Do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (10:20)! Thus everything that is good in our present and in our future, stems from our relationship with Jesus. So what counts most is the relationship that fuels the best outcomes. This is where ‘resilience’ springs from!

(2) Why is it that we get worried and distracted?

·        We take our eyes off Jesus

·        We let little things take too big a priority

·        We concentrate on the negative rather than the positive

·        We become too self-interested

·        We are too concerned how others might see us

·        Even maybe, a misguided sense of justice. You may think that Martha was just interested in a fair distribution of the work; or rather, had she allowed a chip to form on her shoulder about how hard she worked compared with everyone else?!? “Lord, do you not care … tell her to help me” (v.40)!!!

·        Sometimes our perspective is just a little off. Martha was acting purely out of the perspective that Jesus was her guest, thereby missing the point that in this scene of hospitality, she was really Jesus’ guest. Jesus was in her house not to be served, but rather to serve. Sometimes, as much as we are called to serve others in the name of Jesus, we need to receive from Jesus. The repeated “Martha, Martha” of verse 41 seems to have a very compassionate tone to it … for she was missing out.

So Martha was not wrong in being active, it’s just that she lacked grounding, and therefore became easily worried and distracted. To be ‘resilient’ is to have what we do firmly grounded in who we believe in.

(3) Mary, listening and learning

Mary at the feet of Jesus, listening attentively, was ready to hear what was needed to be heard. This is NOT a text about a choice being contemplative on the one hand or active on the other, or even about life balance; it is a text about what is primary and should come first. Martha needed to be where Mary was, so that when she returned to her various activities … it would be the right sort of activities carried out in the right sort of way.

Throughout the history of Judaism, one of the most honoured positions for a Jew was the privilege of becoming a follower of the local rabbi and to be able to sit at their feet while they taught. Such followers would also study the rabbi’s words, watch how he acted and reacted to life and others – being determined to become like him. Mary correctly identified Jesus as the one she should follow in such a way as this!

Where do we need to be?

Why at Jesus’ feet?

This is the place of love, grace and … learning!

What might we need to learn?

We have been blessed and challenged by messages in our ‘resilience’ series, that have dealt with this concept in a number of ways. I believe, in a strong sense, that we have been sitting at Jesus’ feet as we have been listening to these profound messages about where we find and see ‘resilience’.

Glenn Arnott challenged us to strengthen our faith so that we would be in an increasingly better position to cope with the adverse winds and unsettled seas (Mark 6:45-52). Jesus will always be there for us … for when it came to the crunch he got into the boat; but Jesus does want us to be able to build our own resolve without resorting to worry and fear – so scared were the disciples on that occasion that they did not even recognise Jesus when he came past them walking on the water. That’s why he sent them out in the boat in the first place, and why he was going to originally just pass them by! Jesus tests our metal … this is part of us becoming who we are meant to be.

Andy Sparkes told us many stories about refugees who had built ‘resilience’ through all the difficult circumstances they had encountered. Some did this through faith in a God who would travel with them and carry them through no matter how bad things got. But this didn’t happen as their difficulties reduced, quite the opposite. Resilience built as they did everything they could to give their families a better life in a better place.

We all have to face up to changed environmental situations – longer hotter summers. But as John Atkins said to us, we also have to respond to the attitudes and decisions that got us here. God has given us plentiful resources. If we have neglected our stewardship of creation, and, if, because of greed, we have short-changed any other people or whole countries into poverty, then we need to respond to opportunities of practically helping. This is simply the beginning point of communal repentance. Jesus has taught us to help those who have been neglected and left behind.

When it comes to ‘resilience’ in our family life, Brett Ryan last week gave us very practical advice about spending time eating together around the table, undistracted by anything that would reduce the possibility of growing relationships. And then we have the opportunity of acknowledging Jesus as the extra person at our table at each and every meal. Would that change how we behaved?

When I spoke about ‘church resilience’, we saw that we will be able to take on what might seem the most incredible challenges because Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit through which to be effective in his name. Against all odds we can be a devoted, vital, generous and worshipping people that results in a growing Kingdom of God.

What else might we learn at Jesus’ feet?

The answers to all sorts of questions:

Big questions –

·        What do we see ourselves doing with our life?

Daily questions –

·        Who can we bless today?

·        What person or cause can we serve today?

Where might his take us?

Where we become such good listeners that we can naturally respond to God’s gentle directions.

Jesus concludes his commendation of Mary (in verse 42) with the words, “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”. What does this mean? Mary’s learnings at the feet of Jesus are treasures in heaven of eternal value. The resources gained will surely stand Mary in very good stead.

Now Mary might just get a bit active and serve some pavlova for dessert; and Martha … she may just leave the dishes until after Jesus leaves.

(4) A Prayer that is a Lifestyle

If we come to sit at Jesus’ feet, then we enter a relationship built on the simple basic trust of the next verses. This is not only a model prayer, but also a statement of ‘resilience’. If we adopt Jesus’ model prayer as a lifestyle, this will certainly bring ‘resilience’. This prayer can define the nature of our relationship with both God and the World.

In this way we have a unique contribution to make to the whole area of ‘resilience’ in our community.

We have a heavenly father who generously loves us, One that we can love in return, worship, and bear witness to. We have God-given purpose and vision revolving around God’s Kingdom being revealed on earth. We trust God for our daily needs without worrying. We maintain all of our relationships through the practice of forgiveness, and in so doing receive forgiveness ourselves. We are honest about our own transgressions. We trust that God always has our best interests at heart.

(5) Jesus brings ‘resilience’ – the ultimate capacity to bounce back.

Jesus himself rose from death to life. When we were dead in our sins … Jesus took our burden upon himself and died that we might live. When we were lost seemingly without hope … Jesus invited us into a relationship of love and freedom. When we were lonely and friendless … Jesus declared that he would be our friend. When we were scared and had nowhere else to turn … Jesus offered us his company, walking with us day by day. When we were busy but not actually achieving anything … Jesus invited us to sit at his feet and rest for a while. When we were wondering what life means for us … Jesus gently teaches us what we need to know.

"Hope Springs Eternal" (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Matthew 19:13-15)

God ‘s people in Israel had found themselves in exile. The prophets tell us that this was largely this people’s own fault. They had taken God for granted and neglected God’s ways. Because their lives were not as they should have been, they were a sitting duck for the invading military might of Babylon. Being taken north into exile … all seemed lost! Loss of land, social and spiritual connections; restricted freedom; living within a totally different culture – all hope seemed gone!!

Sometimes, because of the circumstances we face, we might think that all hope is gone. At other times, it is people close to us that we feel deeply for, as they go through struggles, and we sense that their hope is diminishing. There are so many people in desperate situations. We can even feel like we are in ‘exile’ in this world with all that is going on – so much evil happening in various parts of the world.

The prophet Jeremiah at the time might have said something like: “she’ll be right – you’ll be back home in no time”! But this would not be true – the situation the people were in was not going to be resolved so easily nor quickly. This would have been “false hope”, for it was not based in reality. Jeremiah was a ‘true’ prophet, and he was going to accurately reflect God’s take on the situation. This political situation will take seventy years to resolve. Get used to the idea, and settle down into some semblance of normal living.

So where was hope to be found? God would be with his people in this exile, and in their struggle (to adjust)! God would not leave his people to flounder in their difficulty and in their feelings of lostness! God remained available to them; while it is true that they couldn’t worship in the places of their choosing, God was still intimately close to them. This might be of encouragement to those we know, who in later years have moved into facilities where they would prefer not to be. God is mobile … not restricted to any place.

As God’s people began to carve out a new life for themselves in Babylon, and did so with integrity in terms of their relationships with all people, God would look after these people’s ultimate well-being – for surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Hope for these people would not be found in their surroundings (whether good or bad), not in their material resources (whether lots or little), not be found in physical places of worship (whether lavish or meagre), but rather purely in a relationship with God.

And for God to have “plans” for us, means that God really knows us well, and surely this suggests an enormous amount of loving intent. So when we cry out in despair, we know for sure that God hears us, and desires the best for us. There is a sense in this Jeremiah passage we have read, that when we come to terms with what matters most … our relationship with God (and through our relationship with God our relationship with our neighbour) … our future will be better than either the past or the present.

Seeking God with all our heart is the road to experiencing hope!! There is no barrier left to finding God – God certainly doesn’t put up any walls of separation – I will let you find me, says the Lord. And thus we can be refashioned and reformed … being prepared for eternity.

Now if this still seems a little illusive, then we can personalise this even more through our New Testament reading. You couldn’t have children disrupting Jesus could you!?! Jesus had more important things to do!?! Even his disciples, who should have known better, were party to stopping these children running up to Jesus. [These disciples had heard Jesus teaching on the need for humility (like you naturally see represented in children) just one chapter earlier.]

Here is a real downer … the natural and beautiful excitement of children being squashed by adults with misplaced priorities. Children had very low status in the society of that time, and Jesus would want to counteract that thinking, but also went on to elevate children as the ones we would have to emulate if we want to be fit for God’s kingdom. We don’t want to be repressing children and destroying their optimism. We know that a lot worse has been done to children that requires so much repentance and reparation.

Jesus of course senses better than anyone else what is at stake here: Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them. Jesus will not let hope be taken away! And not only that – Jesus presents an invitation to come to him that we can all respond to. Despite all the baggage and hurt that we have accumulated during winter, now that spring has arrived and Jesus is present, we can come to Jesus with all the humility and innocence of a child – it is to such as these [children] that the kingdom of heaven belongs. I’m sure Jesus touched every one of these children that were brought to him that day.

So much hope is lost through finding out that what we had invested most in turned out to be not worth as much as we had thought … things like work, achievement, status, material gain. So much hope is lost when some seem to rise while others get left behind. So much hope is lost through disappointment in other people. Yet hope is regained through a little trust and a bit of openness toward Jesus – a beautiful friend, wonderful Saviour, and the Lord of lords.

What a tremendous amount of hope there is in these scriptures. No matter how grim the winter has been, God is there, close available for the finding; bringing renewed opportunities of life and love. Spring comes around each year without any help from us! The same God that has set the seasons in place offers us new hope. We can allow the troubles of winter to dominate our spring, or embrace anew the hope that is in God.

And when other things and other people have tended to get in the way, Jesus makes way for us to come to him, and then places his hands gently upon us … such that hope springs eternal!

Church Resilience (Acts 2:42-47)

(A) DEFINING RESILIENCE

To be ‘resilient’, according to the dictionary, is to be able to ‘spring back’ or ‘readily recover’.

This suggests that certain testing or difficult things have happened, and a person or a group has found a way of recovering.

‘Resilience’ is about being ready, or having grown into a state which can absorb setbacks and difficulties and still function well.

Another good word could be “buoyant”, because to be “buoyant” means to be able to stay on top of the water.

Craig Lapsley, when he spoke at Harrietville last Wednesday, talked about ‘resilience’ in terms of health and well-being.

Communities, like Harrietville, and indeed within the whole Alpine region, are seeking to be proactively resilient – in the face of any fire or other disaster.

Craig also talked about resilience being required in, through and beyond times of change. In a broad environmental context this means climate change.

But in the context of a church, this means dealing with change brought about by “post-Christendom” – which refers to the church no longer being seen as relevant, and no longer in the centre of community thinking (as it once was).

Surely the Church, given its resources, can be an example of ‘resilience’, and make a unique contribution to community resilience.

How so?? The Holy Spirit, given to each of us, will provide all the giftedness and effectiveness required, if we are up for receiving this!!

We can go to the earliest record of church functioning in the Book of Acts – chapter 2:42-47 (and see what the Holy Spirit was up to).

Some may see this as idealistic, but surely this rings true as something worth aspiring to.

This is what happened in the early days of the church after they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

(B) AREAS OF CHURCH RESILIENCE (Acts 2:42-47)

We could just use the general term LOVE or CARING here, but we could also split this up a little bit and use some other words.

If we were to embrace these concepts, then we certainly would have a unique, special and effective contribution to make!

[Do you see a very important word in verse 42??? “They …”! The collective!!]

(1) DEVOTION = whole-hearted; not double-minded (v.42)

Ø Teaching – the how to of the Christian faith – the early believers knew that they needed to learn the basics of their faith, if they were to survive the rigours and challenges of their society, and then grow and flourish. Part of this learning would be to flesh out together how to effectively live out their faith in everyday life. What does it mean in real everyday life to be a follower of Jesus? How did Jesus live, and what did Jesus teach? What effect did this have? So the “apostles’ teaching” would have been all about Jesus, and what were the unique blessings that Jesus was bringing to people’s lives. In this way also, new people would be able to quickly appreciate what becoming an adherent of Jesus was all about. Central to this teaching would be the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

Ø Gathering – the actual word in the English text is “fellowship”, but the Greek word used is far more comprehensive than that … koinonia. This is far more than sharing a cuppa after services … this was about deep sharing, close relationship, real caring and spiritual communion. The early believers gained great support and strength from ‘gathering’ together often, sharing their burdens and their joys, and receiving encouragement when faced with disappointment or loss. This ‘gathering’ was not seen as a duty, but rather a pleasure and a lifeline. They still gathered, in those early days, in the temple in Jerusalem (before it became impossible) and then also in each other’s homes (near to where they lived) during other times of the week. You get the impression from this Acts passage of continued interaction. Verse 46 restates this desire to gather along with the hospitality involved.

Ø Hospitality – the connection these early believers had was not only in words but in reality. They shared with one another and were intent on building relationships. The sharing of meals in one another’s homes was, culturally speaking, the most intimate and friendly of activities. This natural hospitality would have included sharing communion with one another (the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper). Just like God’s hospitality to all of us, this hospitality and sharing would have crossed through societal barriers (like ethnicity and economic status) and embraced difference and diversity. Eating together is a great community builder, and sharing communion focusses this fellowship back to the source of all love.

Ø Prayer – i.e. “the prayers” … not just casual praying when it is convenient, this would refer to the set times of prayer that the early believers would engage in together. The early believers clearly believed in prayer, not only as an act of worship, but also as a means of activating God’s will upon situations and communities. We recently read in Acts 12, how the praying people of God brought about a complete change in the situation that Peter faced. One minute Peter faced execution, the next he was returned to ministry and leadership. Why wouldn’t you pray when it brought about outcomes like that!

(2) VITALITY – verse 43 – the early believers experienced many wonderful outcomes of their faith; God was working amongst them in mighty ways. It should be exciting to be part of the church. Of course this excitement is not only measured by what we get out of it personally, but also (and maybe more so) how others are benefitting. These “wonders and signs" likely extended to more than ‘supernatural’ events, which would be outstanding enough … but also rare and unusual happenings (from a human standpoint) i.e. occurrences of generosity, unity and neighbourly care. If people can get past their selfish inclinations and act in remarkably outgoing ways toward each other, then God must be at work – this all helping to explain the “awe” that came upon everyone. Church indeed should be exciting – we should come expecting something [having high expectations even], and return having experienced something significant!

(3) GENEROSITY – verses 44-45 – the early believers truly cared for one another and their lot in life. They were not selfish with their possessions or resources, nor were they over-envious with their time. They brought all their resources to the common need. This is way different from communism, because they did this by choice as a practical expression of their faith. There is an admission here that individually we are limited, but together we are whole. Here then is a decisive move from separation to overlap, from security to availability, from protection to vulnerability (Dan White Jnr – Syracuse NY). With this generosity came an openness, honesty and vulnerability [e.g. James 5:16] that allowed the general community to see that these people were real!

THIS CAN BE SCARY STUFF, BUT IT IS THE STUFF OF RESILIENCE!

(4) WORSHIP – verse 47 – “praising God” – these early believers were great worshippers … they knew where their salvation and welfare came from, and they were keen to publicly proclaim it. And this “praise” clearly infiltrated the local environment. If things were going well, they were willing to point to God as the source; if things were not going well, they were willing to seek out God for forgiveness and direction. They must have had integrity in all this – their words and actions must have stacked up well, because … why??? … they had the “goodwill of all the people”. We know from various historical reports, that Christians became highly renowned for not only looking after the sick, dying and dead of their own number, but of all the rest of the community as well. This all pointed towards great hope for those who were broken-hearted.

If we look at the outcome of these particular resilient attitudes (i.e. “goodwill” and numbers being “added”), then I think we can deduce some important other dynamics happening:

(5) EXTERNAL FOCUS – I think, by the results we read about in verse 47, that these early believers were missional … they were at least as externally focussed as much as they were considerate of each other. But then again, we have seen how these are likely connected and go together. You can’t really separate the two and expect good results. However, it is true, that the church was never meant to be a club, but rather a missional movement. The church is not essentially about ourselves, but rather about those who are yet to know Jesus. The ‘resilience’ of a church community may be assessed in terms of its growth … in effectiveness (Holy Spirit’s leading), in numbers, and in (good) reputation.

(6) BALANCE – Church life can be a bit tricky. We have to balance a lot of dynamics. We have to balance the internal needs of our congregation with our cause (mission). We have to value our being as much as our doing, and our doing as much as our being. Our desire and need to grow into the image of Jesus ourselves has to be balanced with our call to take the name of Jesus to the ends of the earth. We have to highly value relationships at the same time as valuing methods and processes to take us forward and make an impact (and help us embrace change). We have to balance relationships and progress. The ‘resilient’ church will balance all these (sometimes competing) dynamics very well. And, in balancing well, we will become more resilient!

Repairing brokenness (Jeremiah 18:1-12)

The prophet Jeremiah lived around 600 years before Jesus. He was called by God to be a prophet to his people – the people of Israel. To be a prophet was to have a dual understanding of the state of the world and the message that God wanted to bring to its people. So prophets like Jeremiah pronounced both judgements and blessings – the blessings were often well heard, while the judgements were often ignored.

Such judgements (or critiques) were always brought offering a way out and a way forward. This would be to do with the people reforming their ways and returning to the ways of God. Any negative outcome of such judgements could always be contained or counteracted by new possibilities of walking with God.

Prophets like Jeremiah would have to observe well and be well attuned to the voice and leading of God, if they were to be accurate and effective with their messages. God often would give such prophets visions or visual concepts that would help them both understand and explain what God was seeking to communicate.

In the case of this passage, there is a rich metaphor of God’s desire and availability to remake people. In the first instance this is about the ravages of sin, and in mind might be those behaviour patterns and actions that we entered into ourselves. From here we need both forgiveness and rebuilding. But there is also the wider implications of sin and evil – behaviour patterns and actions that have brought brokenness to (often innocent) others. This is because of the violence and abuse and hurt that comes out of dark hearts. God is also desirous and available to rebuild in these circumstances. God is not willing to allow such crimes to have the final word.

Some of us carry on continually defeated by guilt and shame or stuck in certain habits, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Even complete failure can be turned around; case in point – Peter.

What is required of us?? It is one thing for God to be available and effective, but another for us to be ready and receptive!!

Let us say again that God is magnificent in what he is able to bring about! God gives Jeremiah this visual of a potting shed. There the potter was working at his wheel. This picture is of the traditional potting-wheel, with the two stone circles rotating on a single vertical axis, the bottom circular plate being spun by the feet, while the hands work the clay up top. There was a clay vessel on the spinning wheel that was currently imperfect and cracked, but that was being carefully reworked into something beautiful. There had been nothing wrong with the potter’s skill or creativity, the fault lay within the raw material. What a beautiful vision of what God can do for each and every human being! The “clay” will not be abandoned just because there is a couple of imperfections.

Are we truly appreciative of this great offer … this possible new reality??

It gets better!! Two further points of interest from verse 4. The Potter reworked the clay into “another vessel” – meaning that the new vessel looked nothing like the original marred version!! And this reworking was done “as seemed good” to the Potter – meaning that God was working out of his perfect unlimited creativity toward the best outcome for this individual piece of clay.

Now the context suggests more of a collective than an individual – the need for the whole nation to be transformed if it was going to avoid disaster. Unless Israel showed a willingness to obey God, then there would be an inevitability about their destruction at the hands of foreign powers. But I think we can extrapolate quite easily back to individual brokenness here, because for any nation to be transformed it will start with individuals being willing to heed the call. This reminds me that when we see something in our community, church, nation or world that we don’t like, any possibility of change may actually start with us. God may still have reworking to do on the clay of our lives … if we are to be part of the solution.

Verses 7 to 10 of our passage speak about actions and consequences. In the way these verses are expressed, we have to factor in the Hebrew mindset of God determining everything. However, we know very well about our God-given freewill, and the resultant connection between actions and consequences. Our actions are never neutral or devoid of consequences. If we act in certain positive ways … we might call these ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ – then encouragement and goodness are the likely consequences. However, if we act in less appropriate ways (contrary to the ‘fruit of the Spirit’) … then the consequences are likely to be far less happy. This is where we have to look deeply into ourselves to see what effect our various behaviour patterns have. It is part of the way God has set up the world, that if we abuse, rather than care for, any facet of God’s creation, then we will all suffer for this. As verse 11 poignantly points out, if we want to avoid disaster then we need to be open to a reformation – “amend your ways and your doings”! Sometimes we have to rise above just accepting our faults as “just [a matter of] who we are”.

But again there is also the times where we have been victims. This passage is of the greatest encouragement to us, because whatever abuse we have suffered is never the end for us and cannot entirely define our future. We have sometimes be marred by the actions and attitudes of others – but God the great Potter will place his fingers upon the clay of our lives and gently remould us. This doesn’t remove or deny the offence done to us, but does allow for a new freedom and a new future. In this way we can release all bitterness … that would otherwise turn in on itself and destroy us. Have you ever seen the change in someone when they have let their bitterness go?!?

So what do we need to bring to this???

·        Trust; that God is faithful and will do what he has promised.

·        Patience; big change may not happen overnight … it may take an extended period, there may be a process of continual reshaping involved. Often problems created over a long period, will also take a long period to fully resolve.

·        Openness; that God’s best outcomes for us may be different to what we would have chosen for ourselves.

I would say also that we have to be prepared to meet God halfway. What does this mean? We have to, at the same time as seeking personal healing, be open to treat other people as God would have them treated (and as we would like to be treated ourselves). We have to, as well, understand that the world does not revolve around us, and that God works with a big picture in mind. To get a good balance about this, I like to think in terms of a jigsaw puzzle. We are just one piece of a jigsaw puzzle that has so many, maybe thousands of, complex and unique pieces. Yet, at the same time, without the piece that is ourselves, the whole will never be complete.

Unfortunately this passage has a very sad footnote (read verse 12). Let us not be like these hearers of the prophet’s message, and completely ignore Jeremiah to their own detriment. In Jeremiah’s time this meant political and military defeat for Israel and the people of God being taken into exile (with the resultant loss of land, community and spiritual connectedness). But, it didn’t have to go down this way!!

Imagine … just imagine … you yourself going down to the Potter’s house, and allowing the Great Potter to use his loving re-creative fingers to work in some of the broken places of your life. Here we will likely find emotional healing, a new sense of well-being, and all sorts of new possibilities opening up. Each one of us is so valuable to God, that no matter how many queue up at the Potter’s door, there will be room for us. Sometimes we may be a little dubious as to what the results will be, however possibilities never before thought of may actually be unleashed.

I can’t quite believe that someone like me gets the opportunity to speak with you about this … but then, I’ve been to the Potter’s house (and hope to continue to find encouragement, nurture, healing and growth there).

If we go the Potter’s house, this will be a good thing, not only for us, but for our close friends and family, and also for our church as we seek to connect with our community and show them the light. It was when Israel listened to her true prophets and obeyed the will of God, that this nation got back on track, enjoyed good pasture, and were the envy of their neighbours.

Effective faith (Mark 2:1-12)

1.     Community faith

Normally it is one’s own faith that makes the difference.

We have in Mark 2 somewhat of a unique passage that reflects on the effectiveness of community (or proxy) faith.

Verse 5: When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven”.

So obviously there is a special point being made for us to capture.

The paralysed man himself may have had faith, but this was NOT mentioned (apart from his immediate response in standing and walking at the end of the narrative)!

2.     The Kingdom of God is near

Jesus was being mobbed by people in and around the home in which he was staying in Capernaum.

This was early in Jesus’ ministry, and he had just become well-known for his acts of healing.

Jesus wasn’t just about physical healing, for these healings were to be interpreted as signs of something more.

This narrative makes this point clear as well. There was much more to Jesus than just a healer.

It seems from what we read in Mark chapter 1, that Jesus didn’t want to be typecast as a healer, but rather more as a preacher of the good news. This is summed up right at the start of Mark’s Gospel (1:15), where Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news”. But, at the same time, Jesus found it impossible to resist the needs that presented to him.

From wherever Jesus was situated within the house, we read that Jesus was “speaking the word to them”.

This would be another attempt at bringing more understanding to what lay behind the healings that Jesus was doing.

3.     Four party-crashers

Now entering the scene were some people, and it seems there were four particular people that were most prominent, bringing with them a paralysed friend.

They clearly had in mind, what so many others had in mind, healing for their friend.

A paralysed person in that society would be in the most desperate of circumstances, and have very little opportunity of seeking help for themselves.

So likely this man’s friends had their ears and eyes open for some opportunity to bring some practical help.

Yet why Jesus … we might think that perhaps they had heard enough about Jesus for this to at least be worth a try.

Yet, how we see that this was more than wishful thinking, was in what happened next.

It seems they really believed that if only they could get their friend to Jesus, then there was sure to be a good outcome.

There was a lot of compassion and kindness seen here, yet the more significant dynamic is faith.

For Jesus interpreted their actions precisely as faith!

How so???

(a)  They took decisive action – once they had determined a solution, they went for it!

(b) They refused to be denied – they were not deterred by the massive crowd!!!! The entrance to the house was even completely blocked with other people intent on meeting Jesus. They may had asked the gathered crowd to “Make way” for them, to no avail, but were not deterred by this.

(c)  They went the extra mile – they took radical action to make sure their friend met Jesus. These four party-crashers ruined a perfectly good roof to make sure their needy friend was able to meet Jesus.

(d) They were prepared to work together – none of these could have achieved any of this on their own; it was united effort that worked towards a good outcome.

(e)  They had a singular purpose – they would have taken the stretcher their friend was on, and climbed up the side stairs to the flat roof above. Then they dug through the thatch and mud roof, making a big enough hole through which to fit a stretcher. Then they worked out a system by which they could lower their friend down with ropes right in front of Jesus. They were not deterred by any voices of disdain. You could imagine some of the things that might have been said.

4.     Forgiveness

What was the result???

What is the most pressing human need???

Jesus, with his major message of the good news front and centre, gave this man forgiveness.

Now this man (and his four friends) were just looking for the sort of healing that would allow him to re-enter society and have an improved quality of life. But given that Jesus was not only a healer but actually the ‘Saviour’, Jesus gave him a lot more – a spiritual rebirth. This is the ultimate outcome of anyone’s faith – spiritual rebirth.

Forgiveness is at the centre of our human need!

This of course opened a whole new can of worms for some of the crowd. People described as ‘scribes’ (experts in the Jewish law), who were present that day, took great offence to what Jesus said and did. Why was this so??? Only God could forgive sins! If Jesus claimed to forgive sins, then he was in effect saying that he was God!! Exactly, we say; but many such people were not ready to see nor accept this. Again Jesus was pushing his theme – “the Kingdom of God has come near” … through him!

We go on to see that the man in question received healing anyway. Because people of this time believed there was a direct connection between sin and disability, Jesus was going to take away the disability to prove that this gift of forgiveness was real. Thus the faith of the four friends led to both forgiveness and healing. It is only through Jesus that we can gain the whole package of forgiveness and healing, lifting Jesus way beyond the status of any other healers or prophets.

5.     Glorifying God

So no wonder the closing comment of many observers is, “We have never seen anything like this”! What a scene they had witnessed. Four faith-filled friends who let nothing stand in the way to someone else getting to see Jesus. Jesus then in turn provided a total and complete ministry to this previously desperate individual, which included his sins being forgiven i.e. salvation, as well as physical healing such that he picked up his stretcher and walked off! Now that really is ‘awesome’!! This was not only good news, but also big news! And they “glorified God”!

Can such amazement and awe happen again??

The practical application of our faith leads to salvation for others!!

What possibilities might come up for us where our faith can be expressed practically with the sort of outcome we have here??

What sort of activity should our faith lead us to???

The Church at Prayer (Acts 12:1-17)

1.     The Problem (v.1-4)

The Gospel was spreading, the Christian church was growing, and this was seen to be a threat to the ruling authorities. Why? This was causing a stir, thus upsetting the peace, and was questioning the status quo with the good news of Jesus (which was certainly counter-cultural)! Peter had recently led an important Roman officer named Cornelius (and his whole family) to follow Jesus.

So, we see that there was serious violent intent against the leaders of the Jesus movement – the disciple James (son of Zebedee) had already been executed. Now Peter was their target. If Herod is able to get rid of Peter, this might bring an end to this Jesus movement. This is where persecution, although in itself a bad thing, can be seen as a compliment … because something significant is happening!

Persecution can be inevitable for those who stand out against an unsympathetic majority when they  challenge the status quo. Facing up to Herod was full on – he was a pragmatist who was quite prepared to execute Christians if that would gain him popularity. And what a family legacy! His uncle was Herod Antipas who was responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist. His grandfather was ‘Herod the Great’ who sought the whereabouts of Jesus when he was born through the ‘wise men’, and when this failed, slaughtered all the children of Bethlehem under two years old.

The comments about waiting until after the Passover until Peter is brought out (v.4), suggests that he too is facing execution in a few days’ time; and probably publicly too, as a warning to others. To highlight both the seriousness of the situation and the greatness of the miracle that occurs, we read in verses 4 & 6, that Peter was heavily guarded – by twice the normal number of guards, meaning there was very little chance of escape. Verse 6 clearly states the dire situation Peter was in. This was a crisis of some magnitude for the Christian community. Was it all to end here for Peter?

Now there would be obvious concern for Peter’s personal well-being. But what was also at stake? God’s ongoing mission and Peter’s major leadership role within it! Probably also at stake was the fledgling Christian community’s faith in the God who was leading them in mission and in the Jesus who said he would be with them always. There was probably some confusion concerning why Peter would be in such a situation, given that God had brought him so far and there were so many opportunities up ahead – why had God allowed this to happen?

2.     The Response (v.5)

So when the church, which would have meant a collection of house churches, heard about this what did they do??

While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

And what sort of prayer was it??

(a)  Collective – this was an occasion for coordinated effort.

(b) “Fervent” – to pray “fervently” means what?? Earnest, intense, heartfelt, passionate, committed, faithful, persistent, ongoing, united. Later, after his escape, when Peter arrived at Mary’s house (v.12), we note that many people were still praying! So we can certainly conclude that God worked this ‘great escape’ while the church people were praying.

(c)  Focussed (on God) – such praying was not just a talk-fest, it was completely focussed on God. These church groups didn’t just talk about prayer – they actually prayed! This shows that they understood where their hope lay, and where Peter’s safety ultimately depended. When we pray, our ultimate reference point is the ‘Lord’s Prayer’, especially where it says, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. In this way, we can come to accept that God’s answer may be different to what we asked or expected.

(d) Targeted (on Peter) – the praying was targeted on the crisis of the moment … there was a definite subject for their praying … the prayers were for Peter.

The church could have been deterred or distracted by their confusion or fear, but it seems they were not!

We should always remember, that when things seem very dire, we don’t have to feel helpless, but rather we have the great resource of prayer. This, of course, as we see in this passage, is not only for individual situations, but also, and very significantly, a resource for the whole church collectively, as it faces certain corporate challenges.

So … Peter’s fate was NOT wholly in Herod’s evil hands (as Herod may have thought).

3.     The Outcome (v.7-10)

The outcome was simply miraculous and extraordinary. The situation was really dire, but not anymore! Peter was able to escape and return to his friends. The chains securing Peter to the guards fell off his wrists, and those guards were powerless to stop events unfolding. Having got dressed, Peter was able to slip past the other guards, walking through a previously locked iron gate that “opened of its own accord”. Peter was free.

When he finally came to his senses, Peter’s faith was strengthened in the full realisation of what had happened. And with God like this on their side, all of the remaining disciples and Jesus-followers would have been enlivened in their faith going forward. Such was God’s presence with Peter while in jail, and such was God’s identification with his plight, that we read, “[The gate] opened for them of it own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane” (v.10). The “angel of the Lord” here represents the very presence of God in this situation and liberation.

It is interesting that this great outcome was not dependent on Peter’s own prayers for himself (for this isn’t mentioned), neither was this outcome dependent on Peter’s obedience (for it seems that Peter is just carried along as if in a dream). This ‘great escape’ is conveyed as God’s response to the church’s prayer!! There was no other possible explanation than that God had acted.

4.     The Curiosity (v.15)

Do you notice something curious though???

Those who were praying were NOT actually expecting the answer they got!

When the maid Rhoda went and reported that Peter was at the gate (v.13-15), the people there said to her, “You are out of your mind”! When Rhoda insisted, the people suggested that it must be “his angel”, perhaps thinking of some sort of ‘ghostlike’ appearance (which would indicate that they thought Peter had already been executed). When they actually saw him for themselves (v.16), they were “amazed”.

What is the point of mentioning this??

(a)  The need for us to be expectant that our prayers will be answered, and to be attentive to how God may be working.

i.                    If these pray-ers were not expecting Peter’s release, then what had they been praying for?

Something less perhaps … like God being with Peter, or that Peter might be able to endure his suffering, or that his suffering would be minimal, or even maybe (if they were honest) that they themselves wouldn’t be next!!!

Whereas these might be normal sincere prayer options, maybe sometimes our prayers are too small (or limited) – our vision is not big enough.

Did this church community actually doubt God’s power!?! Did the problem seem too big?

ii.                  If indeed they were praying for Peter’s release, then they couldn’t have truly believed that God could do it! They still harboured doubts (with the exception of Rhoda the maid).

At the very least, they were surprised about the speed and decisiveness of God’s response!

Do we sometimes pray simply because it seems the right thing to do, while at the same time dismissing the possibility that God will actually bring about the impossible?

Maybe this early church community was just learning what God could do!?!

In any case, it is reassuring, we see that God acted far above and beyond what was expected.

(b) But maybe this was not judgemental about their praying after all – rather just highlighting that God responds to honest sincere pray-ers no matter how much insight they have into either the problem or the solution. God just wants a praying people, and He will do the rest. So the church people had no idea that it would turn out this way for Peter, but their simple commitment to prayer allowed God to act in whatever way was best!

5.     The Call to Prayer

Even though faith may be shaky, and words might feel inadequate, there is a clear call in this passage to pray with high expectations. We don’t have to have answers before we come to pray, indeed it is our lack of ideas that draws us to prayer. We might start to consider some of the barriers that the local church faces and pray about these. Clearly we should pray for any on the front-line, in terms of the blockages they might encounter. We might also think about some of the local community’s issues and start praying about those things [hospital funding, high-care needs], so that ultimately God may receive the glory. Not to mention current world events! It is the biblical teaching, that prayer unleashes the resources of God in the direction of our concerns.

God protects and advances the spread of the good news of Jesus. Just a few verses later we read, “The word of the Lord continued to advance and gain adherents” (12:24). The Herod of each generation would not win!! Yet some prayers do seem to go unanswered. But then, perhaps they have been answered in a way that we are yet to recognise and understand. Sometimes we are unable to see the big picture, that only God really sees. Sometimes we have to wait for God’s right timing. Sometimes the freewill of individuals expressed stubbornly means that there is a significant waiting period involved. Part of our faithfulness in prayer will involve continuing to trust God through disappointment and uncertainty! In this we are personally bound to grow!!

Prayer is the first way in which we can partner with God in what he wants to achieve in the church, community and world. Prayer exhibits our faithfulness to God’s cause. And there are no limitations to the possibilities of how God might answer prayer. Prayer indeed opens previously closed doors! Rhoda, the ‘maid’, is a very important character in this narrative, for she represents those of us who can be fully expectant concerning God’s answer (recognising and not doubting that she heard Peter’s voice v.14). But also, involved in this great outcome, were all those church members who simply prayed, even though they may have been unsure in their praying. Their commitment to pray was enough to see a major threat against Christian mission averted.

Psalm 34 - Developing our Relationship with God

Introduction

Relationship with God is central to life. We were designed with a space that can only be filled by our loving Creator God. To try to fill this space with things other than God will never cut it! We can attempt to fill this space with material things, chemical things, busy activities, or even people, but they will never ultimately bring the fulfilment and eternal blessing that God will. The more we trust in things other than God, the deeper we may tumble.

But the good news is this – God offers us such grace (such love and mercy) that any degree of separation from him can be reduced to nothing. God will come and fill the space that was creatively placed within us … that place in which God should dwell. In this way, ‘space’ is turned into ‘place’. We are actually unable to achieve this on our own, apart from an openness for it to happen. When we were lost and needing a way out, God sent his Son Jesus to take away our sin. The cross (on which Jesus died) bridges the gap of separation, and allows God to take up residence within us.

“God proves his loves for us, in that while we still were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).

Like any relationship we can think of, if it is to survive, let alone grow, it has to be worked on. Good relationships don’t just happen, they are a product of effort. Whereas we enter a relationship with God freely through God’s marvellous offerings of grace, if this relationship is actually going to mean anything, we have to take it seriously. This is why Jesus, when he gave his great commission, talked about making “disciples” (Matthew 28:19). This is because disciples not only respond to grace once, but are open and committed to travelling with and learning from Jesus on a daily basis.

Psalm 34 is an expression of relationship. The psalmist (in this case David), wrestled with what it means to develop a relationship with God. As is often the case, this search for a deeper stronger relationship occurs in the context of the psalmist’s failure. We read the psalms because they are deeply human responses to life and faith, trial and error, hope and trust. Such psalms are often raw in their emotional outbursts, but can also be majestic in their expressions about God. Such was the depth of insight of such psalms, they were set to music and regularly sung as acts of worship, and subsequently preserves as Scripture. 

Outline of Psalm 34

(a)  Worship, praise & thanksgiving – verses 1-3 (the allegiance we have)

(b) Prayer – verses 4-10 (the desire we bring)

(c)  Lifestyle – verses 11-14 (the attitudes we show)

(d) Blessing – verses 15-22 (God’s response in our daily lives)

These are all areas of developing a deeper stronger relationship with God!! 

Worship (v.1-3)

How great it would be to have the praise of God continually coming out of our mouth (v.1)!! Yet life just keeps getting in the way! Frustrating happenings; annoying people; severe disappointments. Yet is God less great? Is God less available? Has God’s grace diminished? If we can learn to praise and worship God in the tougher times, this is how we will be on the path of growth. We will come to understand that God suffers with our suffering, as well as rejoicing with our rejoicing. We will come to know that many of our trials are temporary, and they will pass; and when they don't pass ... we know that God will travel with us through these trials.

God’s praise being continually in my mouth! Some people will only praise and worship God when things are going well, and then sort of try to punish God when things are not going well (by deliberately not worshipping). Conversely, other people seek God when things are going badly, but when situations resolve themselves they halt communications with God. It is developing consistency (in worship) that will deepen our relationship with God. No matter the ups and downs, God’s praise will continually be in my mouth!!

What might it mean to boast in the Lord – “my soul makes its boast in the Lord” (verse 2)?? This is to say … God means everything to me, and that … God is truly active in my life. By definition, to “boast” means a public declaration; but note, this is about God … not us!

Our worship also grows our relationship with God because much of this worship is done publicly. As we witness in worship to how we feel about God (and how much we trust God), this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of where our relationship actually stands. We begin to live up to our public proclamation … or that should be the case (if we are sincere)! And as our worship draws others into worship, we become encouraged and grow further. Verse 3 is almost an invitation to come and join me as I participate in the worship of God!!!

What does it mean to “magnify” the Lord??

To make God appear bigger to those with little understanding of God.

To allow God to be seen in a clearer way (under the magnifying glass).

To increase God’s reputation. 

Prayer (v.4-10)

Like the psalmist, the first thing I would pray to God about are my areas of fear. What worries me most? What is it that upsets my faith? What is getting in the way of my spiritual growth? This is what we need to pray about. Is it fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of death, fear of life, fear of the future, fear of the opinions of other people??

Prior to writing this psalm, David had found himself in a situation of great fear which led him to act irrationally (1 Samuel 21:10-15). David was completely thrown by the situation he was in, leading to him not being true to himself. He just tried to escape the situation in the easiest possible way. With this experience in mind, when David faced such fears and prayed about them, what was his testimony – verse 4 – God answered him, and delivered him from those fears. What does that mean?? It means that such fears, if not gone completely, will no longer disrupt David’s faith (and service).

The same process is applied to life’s troubles in verse 6. Prayer followed by deliverance. [This not only relates to existing trouble, but also potential trouble that would have manifested itself if one hadn’t paused to pray.] This doesn’t mean that life will ever be completely without trauma, but rather that both coping mechanisms and faith itself have grown to greater capacity. A developing faith relationship brings with it a sense of God’s closeness. And there is also an increasing surety, that when it comes to life’s greatest necessities, the Lord will provide. This sort of surety, though, doesn’t just come by accident – it comes as a result of consciously approaching and embracing God.

Verse 8 is crucial here. To “taste” and to “see” is much more than an intellectual search (where we might understand more and argue better) … this is an experiential discovery. We cannot really appreciate good food by simply reading the recipe … we need to see the reality of it fully cooked and put on the table, and get stuck in with a knife and fork. Also, we cannot just borrow someone’s else faith, we need to delve into God ourselves.

When we begin to “taste and see” all that God is, we really experience the centrality of relationship. God exists in a community, a trinity, and it was through this relational community or trinity that this world (and everything in it) was created. The world is a relational place, and we are relational beings. The greatest dynamic operating within the community of God is love, and it was the mutual love within the trinity that outworked into the creation of the world and all its features and inhabitants. So the energy of God is the relationship that exists between Father, Son and Spirit, and the output of these mutual relationships is love. So to “taste and see that the Lord is good” is literally to join the party – a party that has always been going on (within the community of God), a party to which we have been invited, and a party that takes us to the very purpose of life … loving relationship.

We should note that taking “refuge” (v.8b) in God is not about secluding or isolating ourselves from others. It is rather about living within society in a different way – a way which illustrates that it is possible to live with challenges and problems but still survive and flourish. The end-point of all this is carrying a sort of “radiance” (verse 5): we look to God and somehow shine in a way that points everyone back to God (as the source of all hope). We are “radiant” as we show friendliness and hospitality to others, just as God has shown this to us! 

Lifestyle (v.11-14)

In developing our relationship with God, there are certain biblical teachings that we need to apply. As followers of Jesus, we have ample opportunity to discover how Jesus lived, what Jesus taught, where our priorities should lie, and what our responsibilities are. The psalmist here covers (in brief terms) two very crucial areas of our behaviour (refer verses 13-14). Do you see them?? What we say – destructive words versus graceful words. What we do – destructive acts versus peacemaking acts.

In everything we do, we must be seeking to be encouraging and uplifting to others. Even when we have been hurt, we should be aiming towards reconciliation (acknowledging that sometimes this will be a long process, and the outcomes are often out of our control). Jesus banned vengeance and revenge and promoted love of enemies. Now this concept can be sorely tested … who doesn’t want to see justice for recent acts of terror! But these verses are digging deep down into our very hearts to see what resides there.

Do we want people to know Jesus and be forgiven, or would we prefer them to suffer damnation? Do we like to hang onto antagonisms? What goes on inside us will eventually spill out, and sometimes when we least expect it or when we would have preferred this to be contained. So we need to be proactive and seek to develop God-like grace-filled attitudes now, so that all of our social interactions will be encouraging and peace-promoting. 

Blessing (v.15-22)

The final part of this psalm spells out some of the blessings and benefits of a developing relationship with God. There is God’s attentiveness – God’s eyes are upon us, his ears attuned to our cries. There is special mention here for the “broken-hearted” – those for whom life has been very cruel (verse 18)!!! God encircles our human fragility. [Our concern, care and prayers should also be with these!] God’s face too is turned towards those who are seeking his Kingdom and involved in his mission, and against those who seek to kill and destroy (v.21). There is a sense of both preservation and vindication for those who the bible calls the “righteous”. Who are the “righteous” (v.15,17,19,21)?? The ones that God, through Jesus, have set on the path of right-living!

Verse 22 foresees the destiny of the “righteous” – those who follow in God’s way … in a new testament sense – those who have accepted Jesus and follow him through daily life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our life has been redeemed, and through taking our refuge in God, in trusting God for all of life’s challenges, we are on the path to a glorious eternity. Paul puts it this way: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).