Determinedly Committed to Hope



Gate Pa – Year C  2nd Sunday in Lent, 2019



Readings:

Psalm                          Psalm: 27                                               

First Reading:             Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18                     

Second Reading:        Phil 3:17-4:1                                        

Gospel:                        Luke 13:31-35                                     



What I want to say:

explore Jesus commitment to hope expressed in his determination for follow his call to Jerusalem. What did/does Jerusalem represent then and now? How does all this help us recognise “our true being which brims over into true words and deeds”?

What I want to happen:

People to continue to reflect on their identity as beloved daughters and sons of God:

as we ponder our true selves as people blessed to be a blessing

in what ways are we blessed?

what are we determinedly committed to?

for what might we join Jesus’ lament?



 The Sermon


       1.     Introduction:


many years ago Bonnie and I did the Bethel Bible Study course

at heart summary of Genesis 12 – first time Abram and Sarai hear promise of children

that they were to be blessed to be a blessing

theme of whole course

suggested biblical story could be understood in light of that

which suspect profound influence my understanding biblical story

come though more sermons than realised.

blessed to be blessing

reiterated again today in reading Genesis

promise/covenant reaffirmed

action is all God’s

-         Abram smokes too much from fiery pot – falls terrifyingly deep sleep

-         - what was in that pot?

-         in sleep Abram hears God affirm the covenant – without this time much about being a blessing



       2.     God’s Covenant


this covenant is at heart what happens next

right though to story of Jesus

right through to events of Jerusalem

right through to today

Blessed to be a blessing

not how we usually like it or describe it

we talk about being blessed because we are blessing

or just blessed.



       3.      Your true being brims over into true words and deeds


Last week we looked at Jesus time in wilderness

used line from previous weeks reading in Message paraphrase

“It's who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.” (Luke 6: 45, The Message)

talked about it as time of testing

Jesus discovering and deepening his sense of his true self as Son of God

where answer the big question

-         what kind of son of God would he be?

as Devil tested his resolve

-         > offering ways of Rome, or Herod or High Priesthood

o   held firm in his understanding

o   that as son he lived compassion, generosity, justice and love of God

think we need to hold that phrase again this week

-         where we have this wonderfully weird reading from Luke

scholars can’t even agree on how works

can agree that to have any hope understanding it need to go back to Luke 9:51

-         Jesus sets his face to Jerusalem

in wilderness we see Jesus being determined to live his true self

we see it again here

Pharisees might or might not be genuinely trying to help

-         scholars divided

but by trying to warn Jesus

effect is to distract him from hi focus on Jerusalem

saying – be careful.

o   look out.

o   don’t stay here too long

then might say – don’t go to Jerusalem – it’s too dangerous

but Jesus is determinedly committed to Jerusalem

his sense of his true self demands he go there

demands he die there



       4.     Jerusalem


Jerusalem is more than a place here

it is important for what it represents

place where heaven and earth kiss in the temple

where God’s will is done on earth as in heaven

The thin place

symbolising God’s determined commitment to humanity

expressed in the covenant with Abram

god’s commitment to hope

where people of God live out “blessed to be a blessing”

also symbol of humanities deep reluctance

to desire anything more than the blessing

which leads to heartfelt lament

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killer of prophets,

          abuser of the messengers of God!

       How often I've longed to gather your children,

          gather your children like a hen,

       Her brood safe under her wings—

          but you refused and turned away!”

easy for us to wag our finger

but we are no better

our true selves are found when we realise that we too are blessed to be a blessing

As new temples

we too are thin places

where heaven and earth kiss

and God’s will is done on earth as in heaven

symbolising God’s determined commitment to humanity

expressed in the covenant with Abram

We too live God’s commitment to hope.

but we also struggle

it is hard living our true selves

we struggle to be as determinedly committed to hope as Jesus is

and that is fine

God remains deeply committed

As Jesus shows in this story

God will not relent

we can trust that at least



       5.     final question


As we reflect on our identity as beloved daughters and sons of God:

as we ponder our true selves as people blessed to be a blessing

in what ways are we blessed?

what are we determinedly committed to?

for what might we join Jesus’ lament?


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