Why Worry

Can be listened to here


Gate Pa – Year A 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Parish AGM

Readings:
Psalm                          Psalm: 131                                                                 
First Reading:                         Isa 49:8-16                 
Second Reading:                    1 Cor 4:1-5                 
Gospel:                        Matt 6:24-34     
What I want to say:
What do we live for? What is it all about? What distracts us from being perfect?

What I want to happen:
People to use lent to become more righteous, more perfect, unhindered

The Sermon

     1.     Introduction:

Start with a confession
While re-reading my report about Centrepoint
            Noted that I seem to have left out the fact that our tenants upstairs have left – for variety of reasons
            Currently negotiating with Ministry of Education for a class from the Tauranga Special School to go up there
And that this is taking a lot longer than either Tauranga Special School or we would like
And that this is causing a few moments of anxiety for both Management Committee and for Vestry
            Reality is without tenants paying rent, our ability to have full time vicar is greatly diminished
So now number you might be feeling anxious as well.
Lucky we have today’s gospel reading
Essentially – Jesus seems to be saying – Don’t worry, be happy.

     2.     Gospel

Todays reading can operate at number of levels
At very basic level Jesus is saying stop being anxious
Greek here is bit more intense than worry
            Angsting – probably the closest we can get
                        If that were a word
If you are like me – we can spend lot time angsting over things that have not, might not, maybe probably will not happen
When first got lease document from MoE for Chadwick Rd – talked about special class (not Tauranga Special School)
Some of those involved in Centrepoint got extremely concerned.
            They made up all kinds of terrible scenarios
            Wanted to know what we could do to prevent them
            Knickers were being twisted at great knot
Not very happy when all I said was
Most of this probably will not happen
We don’t know who will go up there.
Lets wait to find out who it is and what the issues are
Then we can get really angsty about the real issues
And we will deal with those issues
But let’s face it – where is the fun in that.
Jesus is not saying don’t plan
Is saying – be careful what you spend your time angsting about
-         So what is it that you are anxious about
o   If you can’t change it?
o   that maybe this lent you could try to let go of?
-         Spend that time and energy on something more productive?

     3.     Being Perfect

there is more
This is not a stand-alone piece scripture we can just use for helpful life lessons
Which will help you and I live life better.
this is part of chunk teaching we call - Sermon on Mount
which we have been listening to for the last few weeks
Begins with description of who people greatest honour are (beatitudes)
            List looks nothing like list most important people in his time, or our time
Finishes with story about people who hear but fail to act – who are like those who build on sand
As opposed to those who hear and act – who are like those who build on rock.
This whole block is about what are lives are based on and how we live that out
-         Individuals
-         Community here at St. George’s
Asks – what are our lives based on
Last few weeks hearing about being righteous and being perfect
Which is (ask)
When we live as bearers of the image of God
            Reflecting God’s compassion, generosity, mercy, justice and love
Same compassion, generosity, mercy, justice and love we see being lived out by Jesus
Vs 33: But strive first for the kingdom of God[a] and his[b] righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
What is it we strive for?
What gets us out of bed in the morning?
Keeps us going through the day?
What is it that you hope for in your life and for this world?
Today – on our AGM
What is it that we strive for here?
            What is it we hope for St. Georges?
For me
Most of the time
It has nothing to do with God’s compassion, generosity, mercy, justice and love
Way more mundane than that
Most of the time it is about keeping this parish going
            Making sure that we have enough money
            Worrying about the future
            Wondering how to attract more people to belong
When real question is – in what ways are we being image bearers?
How do we enflesh God’s compassion, generosity, mercy, justice and love?
Imagine if our reports simply talked about that?
Because – that is the point.
That is what should consume us
That is what we should worry about
Jesus is saying this morning
everything else just distracts us.
Discuss -

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good stuff John . If I wasn't a humanist I'd join your church !
9:54 pm
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