Being a People of the Edge
Gate
Pa – Year B 14th Sunday of
Ordinary Time,
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm 48
First
Reading:
2 Samuel 5:1-5,
9-10
Second
Reading: 2 Corinthians
12:2-10
Gospel: Mark
6:1-13
What
I want to say:
I
want to explore how the ways of God are not what is expected, and in light of
that my reflections on things noticed while away; particularly the gift of our
prayer book and the story of Jack Winslow
What
I want to happen:
What gifts do we not notice because they do
not meet our assumptions and expectations?
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
last meeting in
London was with Bishop Chelmsford
squeezed into his
dairy before he had to be at the House of Lords
He like some
other C of E bishops are active in heart of British establishment
have voice
seen as important
very different from
here in Aotearoa
remember when I
was ordained Anglican church pretty important
synods had press
gallery – poorly reported in papers
when spoke people
listened
now
last GSTHW while
was press gallery – only churches press present
released press
releases on issues they thought national press might pick up
·
blessing
same gender marriage
·
apology
to Ngati Tapu and Ngaitamarawaho
in part a lack of
reporters
mostly we don’t
fit in the centre of our society anymore
we are not that
important anymore
some/many mourn
that
I am not sure we
ever really belonged in that place of honour
heard this
morning Paul’s autobiographical comments
for many he did
not conform to what apostle looked like, sounded like, acted like or taught
he didn’t fit
their expectations
Ü rejected by many within the church and by most
in Judaism
Ü executed by Roman state as pest
Jesus went home –
family and neighbours were outraged at the shame he brought on his family by
his behaving outside the limits of his birth.
he didn’t fit
their expectations
Ü rejected
Ü that rejection culminated with his death on
the cross
so maybe to be
faithful to the way of God lived in Jesus we shouldn’t meet others expectations
maybe we don’t
belong at the centre in places of honour
maybe being
followers in the way of Christ is to be rejected
to be a voice
from the edge.
2.
prayer book
long time ago
read some reflections on philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein
philosophy of
language and communication
one thigs said
was that words we use shape our understanding
normally have it
other way around
both ways are
true
if he is right we
need to pay attention to the words we use
For example- if we constantly use male words in reference
to God
easily end up
thinking that God is male
which lots people do
but its really
theological nonsense
God is beyond gender
if Wittgenstein
is right – the words we use in our liturgies are important in helping us form
understanding of God and who we are in light of that
words liturgy
really important in helping us understand our place in society.
while I was away
I struck by what an amazing gift our prayer book is.
I am in awe that
we have this book and the words contained in it.
spent week in
Australia in liturgies with nearly all male imagery for God in liturgies and
music
humanity called
“men”
felt oppressive
limiting
made me ask how
did we get our book?
its 30 years old
much later
revisions are much more conservative than ours
much more male
driven
church focussed
when church is at
the centre of power church becomes the point
when church is on
edge, world,
-
society
is point
-
and
church becomes vessel of God’s generosity, hospitality, justice, love
words we use to
pray shape how we see all that.
two examples
creed – For us and for our salvation he came down
from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the
Virgin Mary
-
and was made man.
-
or
made fully human
explore
importance of that
night prayer –
Australia and England still
My brothers and
sisters,
our help is in
the name of the eternal God,
who made heaven
and earth
past tense
God has finished
with it
all on us now to
use and abuse or to nurture and protect as we wish
and what happens
to this world is not so important
cf– our prayer
book using Jim Cotter –
who is making the
heavens and the earth.
God has not
finished yet
work creation
continues
we are invited
into that work
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