The Big Picture Maybe?

This sermon can be listened to here 

Gate Pa – 3rd Sunday in Epiphany - Year A - 2020

Readings:
Psalm -                        Psalm: 27:1,4-9 
First Reading -            Isa 9:1-4 
Second Reading -        1 Cor 1:10-18 
Gospel -                       Matthew 4:12-25 
What I want to say:
To explore epiphany as time of intentionally seeing the world differently (repentance) and living that out (call).
What I want to happen:
People to reflect on what has changed in how they see God, the world and themselves, and how they have responded to that

The Sermon

       1.      Introduction:

For last few weeks been in season Epiphany - 6 January
Begins with surprising story Persian Magi
-          Astrologers (strictly forbidden under Torah)
Come from Persia into enemy territory
In search new king
Find amongst poor of Bethlehem
-          Small town outside Jerusalem
è Unleashes violent reaction Herod the Great
è Untold misery on people Bethlehem
So what is Epiphany as season all about
-          Advent is preparing Christ in history, mystery and majesty
-          Lent is time preparing for story Good Friday and Easter Sunday
What is Epiphany?
Talk neighbours for moment
For you – what is season epiphany all about?
      ->Plenary
Officially - the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12).
-              a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.
God’s gracious love breaking into the darkness of this world.
-          Isaiah reading speaks of that
Me –
-          God is with us
-          God is with us all
-          God is with all

       2.      Matthew

Help us into these themes we have been given Matthew 4: 12-25
-          Added couple verses
John Baptiser is arrested
Spooks Jesus
Returns Galilee time in wilderness near Jordan
Ends up small lakeside village of Capernaum
Begins preach “repent, kingdom of heaven is near”
One day going walk along lake side passed all fisherman returned with catches
-          Doing maintenance on boats and nets
-          Ready for next day
Recognises some of them
-          Listening to him
-          Asking questions
So, says to them "Come with me. I'll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I'll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass."
-          They didn't ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
-          While father and brothers and brothers in law stood gobsmacked as they walked away all they were
Recognises some others
-          Says same
-          They too down nets and follow
-          This time with their father offering a blessing while weeping.
Using Capernaum as base Jesus sets out to neighbouring towns all over Galilee
Kingdom of heaven was now
Here in their midst
People came from all over
Jews
Gentiles
Recent arrivals
People of all kinds of religions wanting to hear and see
Poor
Invalid
Cripple
Tax collectors
Sinners
Outcasts
Together with Jesus
Kingdom of heaven has come.

       3.      Repent

Key word in all this is repent
“repent, kingdom of heaven is near”
Said before sometimes translated as some kind of moral action
-          Turning from immoral life to moral or righteous life
Also a conversion word
-          Turn away from set beliefs to another
-          one life to another
Is debate among scholars about this
Many suggest that is not good translation of Greek
Metanoeō in Biblical Greek - (μετανοέω) literally means bigger mind
One commentator says means
-          “Be of a new mind!” Or, perhaps as “Change your way of thinking!” Or most simply, “Wrap your mind around this!”
Bigger mind
Bigger understanding of God
-          who we are
-          This world
-          Our place in it
Those three questions I refer to every now and again
-          Whose are we?
-          Who are we?
o   Individuals
o   Church
o   Humanity
o   planet
-          What is ours to do?
That is what is happening here
Jesus offering much bigger picture of God
-          God not just Jews
-          All those who come
Much bigger understanding of God’s community
-          Not just righteous Jew
-          All those who gather
Saying –
-          “Wrap your mind around this!”
Then saying Peter and Andrew, James and John
-          Bigger picture of their family
-          Of their lives
-          Of their place and purpose in the world
-          “Wrap your mind around this!”
That is scary
And it is costly
Let go of our certainties and all that defines us
“repent, kingdom of heaven is near”

       4.      I Wonder

I wonder
-          what has changed in how they see God over the years
-          what has changed in how you see the world and your place in it,
-          how you have responded to that
-          what has been the joy of that
-          what has been the cost of that

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