Re - Rooting our Lives
Can be listened to here
Gate Pa – Year A th Sunday of Ordinary Time,
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm: 72:1-7, 18-19
First
Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10
Second
Reading: Romans
15:4-13
Gospel:
Matthew
3:1-12
What I want to
say:
explore
the relationship between John and Jesus
talk
about taking the axe to the roots being about our identity – what shapes our
lives and give our lives meaning – we need to be rid of those elements that
lead us away from God’s generosity, peace and goodness.
What I want to
happen:
take time at the end of each day to
give thanks for ways God brought peace and hope into your day, and to
reflect on the roots that might help you to live peace.
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
In our advent walk
today we encounter John the Baptist
traditionally described as the forerunner to Jesus
their relationship clearly really important
one of few topics all four gospels talk about
nearly agree about
given
they don’t about birth Jesus or resurrection
shows
how much care they took with this
all four gospels tell very similar story
important story
suspect more important than we realise
2. Why is it so important?
in Jesus world – the one who came first is
most important
John
comes first
increasing speculation that Jesus was disciple
of John
if
that is true
again
John would be seen as the most important
the
one that would take priority
remember still communities of Johns disciples
around at time gospels were being written
those communities would have been pretty clear
that John was teacher
most
important
not
at all happy that this upstart disciple being described as the one people
should follow instead of John
more so because Jesus changes John’s teaching
So all four gospels are at pains to show how
John understood himself as preparing the way
Yes John comes first
yes John is older
that is why number of commentators think that
the gospels leave out that John was the teacher and Jesus the disciple
why they make it really clear that even he,
John, understood that Jesus would supplant him
These carefully crafted stories are written to
counter the claim that
John
is superior
that his message was superior.
ð They are crafted to meet the opposition both
from John’s disciples and from others who knew the story
They are also carefully crafted to show how Jesus
stood in the tradition of Johns message of repentance
3. Repent
what is repentance?
most of us probably think repentance is about me
and thinks I do wrong
Dictionary.com define repentance as
noun
1. deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for
a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.
2. regret for any past action. [1]
problems with that
first is - never be just bout individuals
our
concept of individual just doesn’t exist in those times
smallest
unit not individual – but the extended family
understand John and Jesus use of that word repentance
need to see how used in first testament is
The
Hebrew word shûb (pronounced
shoove) occurs 1058 times in the Old Testament. It simply means to turn, either
literally changing direction (returning) or as a metaphor for a radical change
in lifestyle and behaviour. It is not used of a mere change of intention,
unconnected with behaviour.
Another
point to note is that whenever you turn,
you turn from one thing and turn to another.
The
constant refrain of the prophets is calling Israel to repent from their idolatry and return to their God. Here is an example from
Jeremiah 4:[2]
repentance
is communal
John stands in prophetic tradition
which
calls for a turning from one way see world
to
another which places God in centre
and
calls for a living out of Torah as way of living in presence of Living God
returning
to idea of how communities work
all have place
all cared for
4. Pharisees and Sadducees
enter the Pharisees and Sadducees
Interesting that in this story they are placed
together
generally – Sadducees – ruling elite ->
centred on temple and maintain ceremonial and ritual laws around temple the ritual
-
Pharisees are intellectual
reformers – calling for much bigger understanding of Torah
clearly for John
and
for Jesus
calls
for reform did not go far enough
understanding
of what looked like to live in presence of God
live Torah
was still too watered down
so John gives them a bit of a bollocking
accusing them of being too lax because they believed
that because they were descendants Abraham
God was on their side
John reminding them none that was true
social aspect law was as important if not more
until they take that seriously
Identity
as children Abraham – worthless
5. Axe to trees
great line about axes to roots
dramatic
not only tree chopped down
roots ripped out as well
calls into question where their roots lay
- images God shaped lives
- what shaped their priorities
- values
- where their source of their sense of self-worth
lies
6. the priority of Jesus
come to the crunch
the priority of Jesus
this is why this whole story is told
ð Jesus is the true teacher
ð Jesus carries on teaching and the work of
John.
Message paraphrases it like this
“The real
action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I'm a mere
stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy
Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. 12 He's
going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything
true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the
trash to be burned."[3]
I suspect most of us feel pretty uncomfortable
with the last line of this reading this morning
His
winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will
gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable
fire
feels really judgemental
and was described as such on Tuesday
Jesus judging between us
condemning some to eternal fire
and others to life
not an image many of us know what to do with
again there are problems with this
first is
not
just about individuals
that
is not how this culture operates
while we can read it as being about
individuals
also
about whole communities
and it is about the aspects of those within us
and within communities that are
as message puts it
“He'll
place everything true in its proper place before God;
everything
false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."
we are back with an axe at the roots.
7. so what are we to do with this?
we are the people John is speaking to today
like John – preparing the way
story of fruit salad plant
wonder – where are our roots?
what
roots need to be chopped out
-
what images God
lead us away from God who loves us first
o
who forgives us
before we even work out we need forgiveness
o
who invites us to
live same love and compassion
-
what values lead
us astray – hindering us being people of generosity, joy and peace
-
what priorities
prevent us being a people of hope
as i said in pew sheet
take time at the end of each day to give
thanks for ways God brought peace and hope into your day, and to reflect
on the roots that might help you to live peace.
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