Getting off the Fence

Can be listened to here.

Gate Pa – Pentecost 17 – 25^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

20^th September 2015

Readings:

Psalm                                   Psalm 1                                              

First Reading:                        Prov 31:10-31                         

Second Reading:                   James 3: 13 – 4:3, 7-8            

Gospel:                                   Mark 9:30-37   

What I want to say:

That how we read scripture shaped by where we stand

Explore Proverbs and Gospel from that point of view

Proverbs offers very

What I want to happen:

children will be a big prioirty

The Sermon

      1.     Introduction:

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.
'One for you, one for me, one for you, one for me,' said one boy. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence.
Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate.
Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me, one for you, one for me...' He just knew what it was.
He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along.
'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls!'
The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.' When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery. Standing by the fence they heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'
The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord....
Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord.
At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now... let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done....
They say the old man had the lead for a good half-mile, before the kid on the bike passed him.

      2.     A Good Wife

I remember this Sunday’s set of readings from 3 years ago

4^th Sunday

Team D

Hannah Mollison had been asked to read the first reading

            Proverbs 31:1031 – the Capable Wife

she was not happy

made her anyway

talked about it

how we understand that reading

any reading

really does depend on where we are standing

often like boy and old man standing at cemetery fence

we think we know what is being talked about

I suspect too often like those two

completely miss what really being talked about

should we try?

would say yes

need to not stand in fear at fence

but actually get into the cemetery and see what is happening.

what was first reaction when heard that reading?

            from modern perspective

            people might pull back

                        as Hannah did

This was written in very patriarchal time

            all about the man

from that perspective

extraordinary description

I would say – be wise in your choice of a wife

            do not be fooled by beauty or charm

look instead for someone who fears the Lord

which is seen in the following qualities

            not self-centred

            trustworthy

            hard working

           

            runs good household

            works for wellbeing everyone in that household

            plans ahead

            runs good business

                        – she is a merchant as well

            generous – giving to poor and needy

            wise

            happy

wonder what such a woman would look like today?

who are those women?

a lot media time focussed on so called celebrities

wonder how they measure up to this list

if not who are the women we should then be paying attention to?

      3.     Mark and Greatness

see that same thing happening with disciples in story

Jesus was talking about one thing

they were at fence

            not understanding

            like man and boy in story - too afraid to ask

                        nothing Jesus was talking about made any sense to their expectations

God is on side winners

God is all powerful

Those nearest to God will be rewarded with

            most honour

            be greatest

            still all about what they will get out of all this

            still thought that in end about honour and status

because status and honour are what count

            - up for as much as they could get

people of status and power are the ones who are values the most

in turn means if want to know what God looks like

look to people of power and honour

pretty much like today

            worship celebrities

                        wealthy

                       

can’t hear Jesus teaching about another way

I am not sure we can either really

Hymns are still all about God powerful

            so much Christian art used powerful and wealthy as their models

Model God presented by Jesus almost exact opposite

Jesus dies on cross

-         expression of Gods vulnerability

-         powerlessness

as way showing what he means

same way prophets of old acted out teaching

Jesus puts child in their midst

says really interesting things

“whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me”

what is really interesting is how we do not hear that:

            become – God will receive those who receive a child

this is a saying about where we should look for our images of God

become what we must do to be received by God

            often God we want to be received by is all powerful God

Mark is saying

that when we receive a child

we receive God