Mothers Day, Families and Jesus
Can be listened to here
Gate Pa – Year B 6th Sunday of Easter,
Readings:
Psalm Psalm
98
First Reading:
Acts
10:44-48
Second Reading:
1 John
5:1-6
Gospel:
John 15:9-17
What I want to say:
explore different kinds of family,
and what Jesus teaches us through these about our priorities and about God’s
love
What I want to happen:
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
Today is Mother’s Day
day celebrate mothers
most – fairly easy thing to do
today is good day for many of us
others – today is hard day for all sorts of
reasons
day of grief
acknowledging that
happy mother’s day to mothers.
On this mother’s day wonder we can take moment
to reflect on families and mothers
so I have three questions
Ü how would you describe a family?
Ü what do families offer us and what do we offer
families?
Ü what is the role of mothers in families?
Plenary
2. TMA
on Wednesday I was at a clergy meeting
one pastors said that families were primary
image of Kingdom of God
really interesting statement
for two reasons
firstly wondered what meant by family
-
probably
mum, dad and some children
not norm for today
story of youth group 30 years ago
3. Families
bears no resemblance to what Jesus would
called family
idea mum and ad and some kids could be a family
would
and would still be shocking
family – dad and um and children, and dads brothers
and their wives and their children, and dad’s parents, and maybe their brothers
and families, and maybe their parents
ALL the cuzzy bros
this family was all important
defined who you were and your place in life
functioned much same as whanau and hapu does
today in traditional Maori communities
Maori pepeha
-
role
in life was uphold the honour or mana of your family
o in Maori families there is that sense of shame
or whakamā on whole whanau when one person does something wrong.
-
first
loyalty it to these people and supporting these people
o used teach course at Polytech about community
groups
o one sessions was on culture
o ask the class what they would do if they won
lotto
o Maori and PI – all about what do for whanau
§ of any left what like for themselves
o for Pakeha it was all about what they wanted
§ and then give some away for family with left
over
all of which sounds great
also can be very inward looking
only need to see and help that part of your
family, those associate with your family
Jesus offering something different
story of good Samaritan
who is my neighbour?
looking for particular answer
-
your
family and those associated with your family
-
won
toks
è Jesus tells story where Samaritan acts as
neighbour
-
person
not be on anyone’s list of possible neighbours
-
unless
you were Samaritan
so as Jesus experienced families
very clear that Jesus would not agree with
statement that family’s primary picture of kingdom of god
in fact opposite is almost true
4. Today’s Gospel
brings us to today’s gospel reading
part of Jesus last time with disciples
knows about to be arrested and then die horrific
death
wants them to hang on to everything he has
taught them
offering last teaching
In Jesus world number of different
relationship
a. family
b. patron client – like mafia don
c. servant/slave
d. rabbi(teacher) and disciple
–
where disciples lived with rabbi
–
listening
to what teaching
–
eating,
sleeping, abluting with rabbi
–
learnt
how to live out teaching
Jesus disciples spent 3 years learning the
life
get feeling that Jesus worried when dies
-
shock
of it will send them back to families
-
old
ways of living
-
offers
an alternative
when gather washes their feet – beginning of
his teaching
last week says he is vine and they are
branches – and they are to abide in him
this week calls them friends
-
no
longer servants/slaves
-
no
longer disciples
-
they
are friends
-
these
friends will replace their families
o identity
o loyalty
-
friends
wash each other’s feet
-
see
themselves as abiding in love God through Jesus
-
rather
than just being concerned with themselves and their own group
-
means
by which God’s concern and love for all is lived out.
5. Rejoice In Feminists
one gifts of last 50 or so years is rise women
helped us se stories of women in bible
helped us see the places in scripture where
god is described as mother
helped us think about what that means for our
understanding of god
how we live out this love we abide in
so on this mother’s day –
as we reflect on Jesus invitation to abide in
love
as we hear his command to love one another by
washing each other’s feet
invited to reflect on nature of this love we
are to abide in
what have you learnt about love of God from love
you received from your mothers?
what have you learnt about love of God from being
a mother?
how might we abide in this mothers love here
at St. Georges?
and as friends of crucified and risen Christ –
how are we to love?
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