Staying Awake
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Gate Pa 9 November - Pentecost 22, Proper 27, Ordinary Time 32
Readings:
Psalm Psalm
78:1-7
NZPB
Page 285
First
Reading: Joshua
24:1-3,
14-25
Bible Page 187
Second Reading: 1 John
4:13-18
Bible Page 991
Gospel:
Matthew
25:1-13
Bible Page 806
What I want to say:
I want to explore the gospel
as a suggestion that we need to build lives of resilient faith that will
continue to keep us in the long haul
What I want to happen:
people to think about their practices that sustain their
faith
ask what new practices they might be invited to
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
Last Wednesday attended Tauranga Ministers Association
as part of the conversation about being a
pastor
-one
pastors stated
that
we are running headlong towards coming Jesus
interesting statement
one level – agree
but running headlong for last 2000
years
not really on my agenda as more
urgent than has been
already
begun reading for this week’s sermon
passage
seems to be all about this urgency
2. Matthew
Thought by many that Matthew writing to Jewish
Christian community
who
had thought they rushing towards final judgement and Jesus return
now well over 30 years since Jesus died, maybe
40 or 50
still not back
even though Jerusalem fallen and had been destroyed
if
there was ever an event pointing to return Jesus and final judgement
surely that was it
Matthew trying make sense of that.
As I said in pew sheet
theme
of final judgement, Jesus return, establishment reign God on earth – is really
big theme for Matthew
much bigger than any other gospel writer
what heard this morning part cluster 4
parables on this theme
Jesus
final block teaching in Matthew
set within two chapters all about this theme.
in particular being ready
and
what is involved in that
so we have this story about wedding
3. the wedding
this is how weddings worked
groom would leave parents place
go brides family
return home parents with new wife
bridesmaids – really virgins
their job – i understand
was to wait to welcome groom when he returned
home
if it was dark – were to light the way.
now was time frame all this normally happened
never guarantee things go to plan
as
can’t today
so best virgins prepared
in this story –
5
weren’t prepared
-
expecting
things happen in their anticipated time frame
-
caught
short when things not happen
-
Here
is first lesson
-
we don’t determine the timing
-
God does
-
so don’t give up
5 prepared – had extra oil
making no assumptions
second lesson - be prepared
4. The Long Haul
two lessons - here
make
no assumptions about time frames (in this story)
we
are in this for long haul
as I look around
make my own assumption
that I am aomong people who have been doing
this faith thing for a long time
you have been in it for the long
haul.
how do we sustain our lives of faith for long haul?
what your practices?
talk neighbour moment any like share
plenary
5. Our context this week
Last week remembered event Parihaka –
1600
troops and cavalry entered the village at dawn on 5 November 1881.
arrested prophets Te Whiti Rongomai
and Tohu Kākahi arrested –
Tuesday – remember end WWI 1918
war to end all wars
decisions
made afterwards sowed seeds
led to WWII,
current problems in middle east
war
over 100,000 men and women from this land – over 10% population went to fight
for King and Empire
casualty rate around 59% when deaths
over next 5 years counted
Wonder what this story has to say about that
wonder what lives of faith lived for long haul
have to offer to these two commemorations
invite you to reflect on that over next week
or so.
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