Reframing the Picture
You can listen to this sermon here
Gate Pa – Lent 5 2024
Readings:
Hebrew Scripture:
Jeremiah 31: 31-34
Psalm: 51:1-12
Epistle: Hebrews 5: 5-10
Gospel: John 12: 2-35
Psalm: 51:1-12
Epistle: Hebrews 5: 5-10
Gospel: John 12: 2-35
What I want to say:
Explore how John and Jeremiah reframe what is going on to find hope in
the midst of despair.
As we approach an interregnum and gather for our AGM how might we reframe the story of Anglican Parish of Gate Pa?
What might the parable fo the seed dying to bear fruit offer us in these fragile times?
As we approach an interregnum and gather for our AGM how might we reframe the story of Anglican Parish of Gate Pa?
What might the parable fo the seed dying to bear fruit offer us in these fragile times?
What I want to
happen:
How does John help us reflect on:
- What do we need to reframe as Anglican Parish of Gate Pa
- As we come to our AGM
- As we come to uncertain future with my retirement
- How does this morning’s reading from John help us be that seed
- Help us be vehicle for new life
- find hope.
The Sermon
1.
Introduction
That was a crazy little story
Greeks want to see Jesus
Go to Phillip
He goes to Andrew
- Both from Greek speaking area of Bethsaida
He says “The time has come for the Human One[a] to be glorified. 24 I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit….”
- Who are these Greeks?
- but theology using story of Jesus
- This is it
Greeks want to see Jesus
Go to Phillip
He goes to Andrew
- Both from Greek speaking area of Bethsaida
He says “The time has come for the Human One[a] to be glorified. 24 I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit….”
- Who are these Greeks?
- but theology using story of Jesus
- This is it
2.
Starting
again
Lets put all this back into John
Jesus goes to Bethany and raises Lazarus from dead
People are pretty impressed
Those that saw this tell other people
Then Jesus rides donkey into Jerusalem
- the crowd came to meet him,
really annoys the Pharisees
- Say to each other, “See! You’ve accomplished nothing! Look! The whole world is following him!”
Feels a bit of an exaggeration
Until in the next verse
“Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
- Depends on commentary you are reading
No!
They represent “the world”
And that means it is game on!
Up to this point Jesus says “My time hasn’t come yet.” (John 2:4)
In response to all this Jesus says
- “The time has come for the Human One[a] to be glorified”
Here is when it gets interesting
Except we are so used to all this we miss it.
Jesus goes to Bethany and raises Lazarus from dead
People are pretty impressed
Those that saw this tell other people
Then Jesus rides donkey into Jerusalem
- the crowd came to meet him,
really annoys the Pharisees
- Say to each other, “See! You’ve accomplished nothing! Look! The whole world is following him!”
Feels a bit of an exaggeration
Until in the next verse
“Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.”
- Depends on commentary you are reading
No!
They represent “the world”
And that means it is game on!
Up to this point Jesus says “My time hasn’t come yet.” (John 2:4)
In response to all this Jesus says
- “The time has come for the Human One[a] to be glorified”
Here is when it gets interesting
Except we are so used to all this we miss it.
3.
The
cross
- The cross!!!
- Humiliating
- John in particular
- The moment when God’s glory and presence is made manifest
God is not defeated on the cross
In fact he reframes and reverses it all
Powers of death and decay
- Shown in the violence and brutality of crucifixion
- Utterly defeated
- to the turning point history,
Creation is freed
God’s life can flourish
4.
John
and us
John was writing for community under pressure
- Calamity of temple’s destruction
Let go of need for certainty
- Safety
Become a seed
Join the Greeks seeing Jesus now on a cross
See God’s glory and presence in that moment.
Trust that glory and presence
In that moment of defeat comes new life
- Comes hope
- and they would begin to see the world and their place in it in a new light,
Invites us to know that too.
- Calamity of temple’s destruction
Let go of need for certainty
- Safety
Become a seed
Join the Greeks seeing Jesus now on a cross
See God’s glory and presence in that moment.
Trust that glory and presence
In that moment of defeat comes new life
- Comes hope
- and they would begin to see the world and their place in it in a new light,
Invites us to know that too.
5.
AGM’s
and Such @@@
If we have courage and look around
On precipice
Church as we know it is struggling
Dying in some places
Fear for our future
Fear for future this diocese
Fear for future Anglican church In this country
And yet I have hope
25 years ago preached sermon at Mount
- Turning 40
Invited to reframe the story
Just as John reframed the story of the crucifixion
Found God present in the midst of all that is happening
Invited to trust
Invited hope
Invited to find courage to live God’s promise of renewal and life
For all people and all creation
Invite you reflect on:
- What do we need to reframe as Anglican Parish of Gate Pa
- As we come to our AGM
- As we come to uncertain future with my retirement
- How does this morning’s reading from John help us be that seed
- Help us be vehicle for new life
- find hope.
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