Sufficient Success?!
Gate
Pa – Year B 10th Sunday of
Ordinary Time,
Readings:
Psalm Psalm 138
First
Reading: 1 Samuel
8:4-11,16-20
Second
Reading: 2 Cor
4:13-5:1
Gospel: Mark 3:20-35
What
I want to say:
I want to look at what we think sufficient success on earth is and
compare that to what it might have looked like for Jesus. In his story it meant
being accused of being possessed by the evil one, described as out of his mind
by his family, people leaving him because if got too hard, and then
crucifixion. So what is sufficient success on earth for us?
What I want to happen:
People to talk about what is sufficient success on earth for us is?
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
colleague posted on Facebook last week
using prayer from TSSF daily obedience
“"give your laborers . . .
sufficient success on earth."
asked if people had any idea what
constitutes sufficient success on earth?”
number of really interesting answers –
surprising answers
wondered what we think success might
be
-
talk neighbour moment
-> plenary
2. Successful Church
what is success for a church?
-
survival?
-
growth?
-
Sunday school and
youth ministry?
-
many people who
replied to post talked about success as having enough money to get by
-> is it the same for church?
while ago there was a posting on Facebook
a story about church planter/pastor in USA
how church quickly grew
preached gospel relevant and that
connected with people’s needs and desires
began to question his understanding of
success when compared with gospels
what might that look like?
3. Mark
so what does success look like in
todays gospel reading?
-
people are healed
-
demons are cast
out
-
crowds come to
hear Jesus
-> often stop there – feels good
but wait there is more
people healed restored to their
families and communities
relationships
are changed
economics
of those communities are changed
healing is offered free
and
to anyone
at
any time - even on Sabbath
he announced that the centre for the forgiveness
of sin had moved from the temple to him
he declared the Kingdom of God had
come among them
both of which were seen as direct threat
to the temple leadership
all that had political and military ramifications
both Pharisees and Herodian’s were
deeply unhappy
lots of people were not happy.
success was people being healed
people restored to family and
community
outcasts were recognised – honoured and
blessed
God’s radical reign of love being established
success was the response of groups
like the religious leadership
-
accusing his of
being possessed by evil one
-
publically shame
him into silence
family thought he was out of his mind
and came to take him in hand
-
prevent further
shame being piled on the family
eventually his success would lead to many
of his followers leaving him when it all got too hard, or his teaching got too
hard
it would lead to his betrayal
his death
success was always about death
Jesus said – success is when we take
up our cross and follow him.
4. Back to Church
so back to the church I was talking
about
he started preaching more in line with
story we heard today
about Jesus being among the poorest
honouring and blessing the outcast
about living God’s radical love as
Jesus lived that love
a love for all people
-
not just the deserving
-
not just the people
like us
and the people left in their droves
and now?
and now he says he has a successful church
small
struggling
people are living out God’s love
taking a lot of flack for it
5. Planning Day
What is a successful church for us?
in what ways are we successful?
talk to neighbour
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