Jesus the Home Invader

You can listen to this sermon here.

Gate Pa – Year B  10th Sunday of Ordinary Time,
Te Pouhere Sunday
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:
A quick look at the assumptions we make around Trinity – hierarchical or mutual and caring and how that impacts how we see God and the world.
Today celebrate our constitution – Te Pouhere – a gift of God, built on theological understanding of the Trinitarian God non-hierarchical relationship of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha.
Remind people of big themes of Mark – looking again at Mark 1: 14-15 (“Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” ) – and apply that to the image of the strong person in this reading. God’s kingdom has come because the strong powers that have ruled this world are being tied up. So what are some of those powers?
How does that help us have something to offer to some conversations happening today
-          Maori Wards
-          Greerton

What I want to happen:
People to talk about what is sufficient success on earth for us is?

The Sermon

       1.     Introduction:

Last week spent  some time looking at and celebrating gift of Trinity Sunday
In discussions some said something like – not really have to think too much about nature God
-         Mystery and leave it at that
Many ways very true
Many ways not true
Because we are already making assumptions about God
And that affects how live lives
e.g.
some =who consciously or unconsciously see relationship within and between persons of Trinity as hierarchical
-         God the father in charge
-         and sending out God and Son and God Spirit
plays out all areas of life
è divine right of kings
è Trump loyalists
è Ex Prime Minister of Samoa
-         church leaders – appointed by God
è like God Father are in charge
-         homes with father being boss

       2.     Non-Hierarchical

all built on really bad theology
happens because lots of people never look at their assumptions about the nature of God
it is a mystery so why bother?
Within orthodox Theology nature of relationship within God in non-hierarchical
-         equals
as talked about in other years
Relationship within God Lover, Beloved and Love Between is non-hierarchical
-         relationship of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha
what then does that look like in churches
-         Quakers
In government
In family?
It is important to pay attention to our assumptions about the nature of God

       3.     Te Pouhere

31 years ago General Synod met in Suva to approve new constitution for our church
New way of being together
Up to that point assumed that pakeha way doing things
-         Right way
-         Only real way
-         Everyone should order their life like us
At General Synod were representatives from 7 Dioceses in NZ, Diocese of Polynesia,
10 years earlier let Maori be at the decision making table when Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa was acknowledged and given space as Diocese
Very hard for concerns of Maori or Polynesia to get much air time
We still controlled the table
Realised as met in Suva
Needed a new table to meet around
One built on good Trinitarian theology
-         relationship of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha
Spirit of God was at work
Te Pou Here was created
Pou or Pole
To which we tie our three waka,
-         ndrua, ‘alia, kalia[1],
-          ships
Allows each to live reign of God in way makes sense in their cultural setting
Provides place for three partners to gather in place where meet in ways that honour tikanga of all three partners
Truly wonderful thing to be part of
One of my sadness’s is that most church never experiences what really means to be Anglican in this part of the world.

       4.     Finding Mark


This week we return to Mark after long break
-         Reminder that whole of Mark’s gospel is an account of the ongoing story of the good news about Jesus Christ.
-         That story continues today with you and me.
-         That Mark 1: 14-15 sets theme for gospel
o   “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
In todays reading from 3: 20-35
-         Jesus family think he has gone mad and have come claim him back fearing consequences for him and their family honour (and lives)
-         Jerusalem religious leaders also fear consequences of this teaching from Rome and are trying to discredit him,
o   Accusing him of doing what he does by power Beelzebub (Satan)
To which Jesus tells short parable of home invasion
Where strong person is tied up and house plundered
Jesus is the one tying up strong powers that rule this world
God’s kingdom comes when those powers loose their grip
Build our relationships not on hierarchy and power
-         But on relationships of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha
o   We are invited to let that “change our hearts and lives, and to trust this good news!”
What then are the ways we see the “strong person” at work in our world today?

       5.     Tauranga in the news

Over last week our city has been in national news again for all the wrong reasons
Appalling behaviour of some launch of Tauranga Ratepayers Alliance
After very public campaign to stop Maori Wards for local council
Opposition to creation stand alone Maori Health Authority deal crisis in Maori health
And beginnings of campaign change name of Greerton – got very strong backlash
I wonder what we might say to this?
What might we as Anglicans
-         Trinitarian theology describes relationships within God as relationships of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha
-          Bring particular understanding of treaty Waitangi (treaty that we helped create, write, negotiate and encourage Rangatira to sign)
o   Recognised Maori ongoing responsibility to look after own affairs
o   Gave more recent immigrants –a place under authority of Britain
In light of that decided to not only have Maori and Pasefika at the table, but to build a new table
To not only honour story of our European forebears
-         Honour and tell stories of all our forebears – because all stories are important
What does our Trinitarian theology of mutuality offer
What does our experience of Te Pouhere offer
Where is God’s kingdom in all this?
What might we want to say about changing name of Greerton?

[1] Fijian, Samoan, and Tongan for canoe

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Simply Sent

Image
  Gate Pa –   11 th Sunday in Ordinary Time- Year A -2023 Readings: Psalm -                      Psalm 116:9-17                         First Reading -         Genesis 18:1-15         Second Reading -      Romans 5:1-8             Gospel   -                   Matthew 9:35-10:23                      What I want to say: I want to talk about some of the themes from Phoenix Then explore the importance of Matthew 10:5-8 for Franciscans and in light of that what is living simply   What I want to happen: We are today's “sent ones”/apostles. wonder what Jesus instructions offer us in our understanding of living the gospel?   The Sermon      1.     Introduction: Some of you know I was in Phoenix at TSSF Convocation -         Why I missed two Sundays Hot – top temp each day was between 36 -40 – but very dry heat + David Rice – bishop who appointed me to be your vicar was there as Bishop Protector -         Great to spend time with him -         Took op
Read more

Youth Camp

I went on a youth camp over new years. ( This bit is new) It was overall a good camp. The young people who organised it did a really good job, and I had a good time all in all. While I will go on to question one of the speakers in particular, mostly the others were good. One used Nooma dvd's and another retold bible stories to great affect. But I want to make some comments about it that arise not only out of this event but also other events I have been on. They are observations of what we offer young people which arise out of the question, is what we offer young people at such events the best we can do? Original posting continues... I have to say the music wears me down. It is all about Jesus and me, hardly ever us. And when how to stay on the Christian journey is talked about it is in terms of my devotional life, and never about our life as a church, and even being part of a community. It is very individualistic, and is so deeply deeply flawed. And it is so not Anglican!!! Anglica
Read more

The Way

Image
Here we are in the fifth Sunday of Easter, and we no longer get rousing stories of Jesus resurrection. Instead, we are listening to part of Jesus’ final pep talk to the disciples as they and he prepare for the horrors that lies ahead. And we hear of Stephen being stoned. It somehow seems wrong. And it is also more real. The season of Easter is a time to pay attention to how the risen Christ is among us now and active in our world today. How do our readings help us in this work? There is a lot of confusion in both John and Acts. The disciples are confused by what Jesus is talking about. They are afraid and want straightforward answers. Where is Jesus going and how can they follow? What is the way? And Jesus does not give straightforward answers. And yet so often we read this as if he is. Believe certain things about Jesus and you get into heaven. “Way” can be read in many ways, not just route. Another reading is that Jesus is talking about the way of life he has lived, a way of life t
Read more