Broken Windows

Readings:

Hebrew Scripture:     2 Samuel 5: 1-5, 9-10

Psalm:                         48

Epistle:                        2 Corinthians 12: 2-10           

Gospel:                        Mark 6: 1-13  

What I want to say:

use todays readings to explore our reaction to the broken windows

What I want to happen:

People to consider what symbol we offer in our reaction to what happens to our building

The Sermon

1.      Introduction: David

Pretty interesting readings this morning

what is interesting for me 2 Samuel reading

is what is left out rather than what is there

last week Saul dies

seem have story David’s seamless coronation as King

            whole heap verses and 7 ½ years missing

                        missed out very bloody, slow process

that is full treachery, betrayal, murder and execution, and the odd civil war.

could be left what lectionary writers have given us

with impression that because David was God’s anointed all went swimmingly, - but didn’t

long slow process.

also number people today think because Christian life should all go swimmingly.

like David, it doesn’t

also interested that this morning left out verses heard 2 Sam

which deal with David’s taking of Jerusalem from Jebusites

what is interesting

            both left out

            so few verses given describe this event, given how important Jerusalem was to become.

nothing religious about this act

nothing to do with God and this being God’s city (Psalm describes it)

just very strategic move

            not in any tribes land

            between two kingdoms, -

act neutral ground

like Canberra in Australia or Washington DC in USA

2.      Psalm and Jerusalem

not get that idea from Psalm read

one group Psalms acclaim Jerusalem as City of God

            Samuel it is city of David

                        his city then

still city David today

despite what psalm says – wasn’t particularly big, or rich, or even impressive

                        small regional city

for David all about strategic importance,

both politics Israel and in local area

what Psalm tells us is that city important political and military reasons

became important religious symbol 

            symbol God’s presence with Hebrew people

God’s faithfulness, eternal love, and strength

problem is when symbol got confused with things it symbolised

            city became all important

people thought that because temple in city, they could not loose

began trust in symbol rather than in God

            hard lesson

Jerusalem also symbolised different things to different groups of people

Despite original neutral position

            became associated with David and his line

                        became associated with southern tribes and kingdom

            for northern tribes – became symbol of their oppression under David’s grandson

symbol political and religious domination by line David

became important to sever all ties, political and religious with this symbol

today Jerusalem is just as fraught a symbol

3.      This church is a symbol

Just as Jerusalem is and was a symbol for people of God

this church is a symbol

wonder what it symbolises for us?

what does it symbolise for us? ask

            mixed symbol

symbol of colonial greed

symbol of lost mana and economic self determination

                        others of something like forget about

            much no idea it is here

We, like Israelites have to be careful not to confuse this symbol with reality of God

really hard windows are being broken

what is it we would like to symbolise with our response?

4.      Marks Gospel

Marks Gospel is pretty crunchy

first part flies face all want Christianity to be “family based”

After stunning stories last week Jesus goes home

his small poor village Nazareth

            200 people

live in caves

            all related in some way

            all have place

            determined by their family

Jesus is well known

place is carpenter/stone mason

probably means had leave for work big building projects

maybe – able send money home

that was his place

returns

no longer carpenter

no longer in his place

already had run in family

rescue him

            thought mad

take home

return him place and role in life among whanau

Jesus response is to again challenge social system on which everything is based

that of family

offers revolutionary thought

new social structure

new way building community

of not excluding people

all seen as important as your family, even those traditionally hate.

what does that say to us as we look at our windows?

5.      Sending out disciples

then sends out disciples

this piece most difficult for me as a Franciscan

            this one passages really excited Francis

            Luke or Matthew versions did

                        no sandals

                        no staff

invited Francis embrace poverty

take literally Jesus command to sell all you have

and give to the poor.

follow

why would Jesus do that?

what is wrong with comfort?

1:  easier to travel

unencumbered by property

2:  St. Dominic at time of Francis as he established Order of Preachers (or Dominicans as we know them)

realised difficult preach and live out gospel among to the poorest society

                        majority

when come position of relative power and wealth

3:  property creates a barrier

            between people

            between us and God

defend it

become suspicious of others and their intentions towards our property

                        see that all time politics

creates an us and them

we look at those who gather outside this symbol and wonder what their intent

we want (and rightly so) to defend this place and maintain it

barriers are forms

struggle to see risen Christ in others

6.      Struggle

to be honest I struggle with this. 

But I can't ignore it.

I struggle with my response to the broken windows

            anger

            fear

powerlessness

desire retribution

            hope it will stop

for me this church is a place of peace and hope

            under threat when windows are broken

today’s readings invite me to keep struggling

            ask where is real source of peace and hope

I have no easy answers

I wish I did

let’s pause

be still

pray those who do this

pray that this will not be a barrier

that we will see risen Christ in all, even those who break these windows

pray for us in our struggle