Who are we?

This sermon can be listened to here.


Gate Pa – Year A, 1st Sunday in Lent

Readings:
Psalm                          Psalm: 32
First Reading:                         Gen  2:15-17, 3:1-7    
Second Reading:                    Rom 5:12-19              
Gospel:                                    Matt 4:1-11                
What I want to say:
Jesus spent 40 days determining what it meant to be “Son of God” and how he would live that out – what values he would live out, how others would see him, what his legacy would be. He invites us this lent to do the same – what does it mean for us to be “Sons and Daughters of God – followers of Jesus the Beloved”?
What I want to happen:
People to reflect on what Lent offers them this year

The Sermon

       1.      Introduction:

In pairs – take it in turns to ask “Who are you?”
Thoughts or observations?
That question is really what todays gospel is about
And what lent is about

       2.      “You are my son, the Beloved”

What heard this morning comes straight after
And should be read in conjunction with
His Baptism
Where voice says
“This is my Son, the beloved, My favour rests on him”
Presumably this is God speaking
Wonder
-          What do we understand that phrase to mean when hear – this is my son?
(responses)
What do you think people of his time would have understood?
Way to explore that is to ask
-          who else carried title “son of God”?
(responses)
ü  - title of Caesar Tiberius – son of God
So for Jesus to be called “son of God is dangerous
            Treasonous
            Speaks of rebellion – armed uprising.
            It is a subversive title
-          Who else?
ü  Davidic Kings were all “sons of God”
Carries with it hope and expectations of
Overthrow Rome
            Re-establishment of Davidic Kings
            Re-establishment Golden age of David and Solomon
                        (although to be fair – real question marks over how golden Solomon really was)
ü  Few notable others
All these uses title carried with them huge expectations
how Jesus would act,
how he would respond to groups like Romans,
whole raft assumptions about who he was


       3.      Driven to the Desert

Immediately taken by Spirit of God into the wilderness – desert
Traditional place where throughout bible people went to anchor themselves in who God said they were
            Moses
            Hebrew people
            Prophets
            John the Baptist.
Jesus goes place
Live out of that identity
There he wrestles with what it means to be son of God, the beloved, on whom God’s favour rests.
At Lent we are invited to join Jesus in this time of wrestling and reflection
Who are we?
Who are we as sons and daughters of God?
What are our priorities?
            What is our agenda?
            How much time and energy do we devote to this
In our answering the question “who are you”
Where does child of God, follower of Jesus the beloved come?

       4.      The Test

End of that time the Devil tests him.
often say tempted
-          Not tempting like not eating chocolate cake
This is testing of his identity
            What he understands by that
            Which of above expressions he will take to himself
Usually read Devils opening line as – “if you are the Son of God”
But the Greek here is translated in other places as “since”
The test is not whether Jesus is Son of God
It is since you are – how to do understand that
Which model of being son of God will you operate of
o   Rome – all their power, military might
o   Davidic kings in all their splendour
            What are your priorities?
            What is your agenda?
            How will you achieve this?
Big questions
Whole lot of ways you can read this story
Think each commentaries had different take
What can see is that Jesus is being tested to assume one of the common understandings of title – son of God
            With all their expectations and assumptions
He rejects them all
-          Rejects way of grand signs and wonders  that dazzle and amaze people
-          Rejects use military force and imperial power
-          Rejects kingly authority as expressed by every king in Davidic line
-          Rejects displays of wealth and power
Jesus is living out new understanding of Son of God
Not based on power, might, force, wealth, prestige
New Identity that some have called an identity of protest
            His ministry is marked by protest against the norms of his time
            Traditional understandings of God
            What means to be sons and daughters of God
We can see that in his first teaching
After this Jesus picks first disciples,
minsters in Galilee
offers his first block of teaching which begins with Beatitudes
protest against how society operates
who the most important people are
blessed, honoured no longer wealthy, powerful and pious
blessed, honoured become the poor in spirit,           
those who mourn,
the meek,
those who hunger and thirst for God’s justice,
the pure in heart,
the peacemakers,
What happens in the wilderness sets the tone for the rest of his ministry.
Where he lives out God’s compassion, generosity, justice, aroha

       5.      What about us?

Lent is time for us to join Jesus in this task
what does it mean for us to be “Sons and Daughters of God – followers of Jesus the Beloved”?
May you spend this Lent praying, wrestling, through this
*      What need to anchor ourselves in this identity
*      How does it affect our priorities

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