Rev. John began by bringing to our
attention God’s knowing everything about us, even before it happens, before we
do it or before we say it.
This brought to mind
other thoughts:
Why do we try to run our own lives when God is the author of everything and
even knows when we are going to depart from his ways… and the consequences of
such actions? This in turn jogged my memory about: “When all else fails,
follow the instructions.” The maker knows best how creation, including us,
should operate.
I was also reminded
of jokes such as ones about people trying to push the “pull” door and
getting nowhere, all leading to a total lack of effective result. But we
still continue doing the wrong thing, no matter how often the result of such
action ends badly.
Then there is our
almost laughable habit of trying to hide our sins, silliness, and mistakes from God.
Really! This is so silly, firstly because God knows everything about us and
secondly, because God loves us fiercely anyway because God is love and can do
no other.
Almost immediately another
thought sprang up. Not only does God know everything about me and loves me
but God knows everything about everyone and fiercely loves them too. Even
people I don't like. Even people I disapprove of. Even people who I would judge
are breaking God’s laws. The corollary to this is that if God loves these
people then I should too. They may irritate me. I might irritate them. But we
need to love one another. And not just because God demands that we do, but
because the world works best that way.
It is said that we
are the children of God. Think about how we love the children we know. We love
them despite their errors and mistakes. That's how God loves us, only times a
million trillion.
We are to love others…not
because of anything about them but because all people are worthy of love as demonstrated
by Jesus’ attitude and actions to people during his earthly ministry.
That not only makes a
better and happier world but it makes a better and happier life for the people we love and not so
amazingly, it makes a better and happier us.
All those thoughts
came to me because of Rev. John’s introduction but then when we sang, a further
aspect was added: “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy”. God’s
mercy, his forgiving love for us is not just wide but beyond “the measures of
the mind”. Our minds are capable of imagining or inventing anything and
everything but God’s merciful love is beyond even that; beyond any
limit.
That merciful love
was demonstrated when Jesus, setting his face to Jerusalem and facing
certain death, continued to spread the message of God’s kingdom. In some parts
of the world ordinary Christians can be in the same position.
In Australia, we
are not likely to be killed for continuing to spread the Word of God, although
if in doing so we offend desperate people we could lose our lives, as some
have. But for most of us the worst that is likely to happen is that we may be
judged fools or miss out on a promotion because we are unwilling “to play the
game”.
However, regardless
of the cost of following the command of our God, we cannot do anything else. We can hardly deny
the truth we know because it lands us in a difficult position. When torture and
death have been the outcome of staying true, many have denied their faith and
we all understand the dreadful fear they experienced, but on the other hand we
also know that under the surface they knew the truth is still the truth.
Jesus and others did
not turn away and it was Jesus’ love for us that motivated his courageous
strength.
It was that love which was celebrated in the part of our service that followed.
It was that love we remembered and celebrated as we broke the bread and drank
the wine…a ceremony that strengthens the bonds between us and our Lord and
between each other, building the church and in doing so, God’s kingdom.
As Rev. John said
after the Communion: “This has been no ordinary meal. It has been
one in which we have been fed and nourished with the life of Jesus, our
crucified and risen Lord. May we go from this table, refreshed and eager, to
share that life with others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen”
Rev. John’s sermon
was about the value of the Sabbath and how it isn't something about
which to make difficult-to-follow rules but a day like all others when we are
to do good. It is a time, like all others, when our actions are to lead to
healing not to harm. As Rev. John said:
“Our gracious God
values life and has set apart a day each week for doing that which “saves life.”
I hope we can come to know what this means for us and our life. I hope and pray
we are able to learn how to think about the Sabbath as a day for saving life,
to come to know how we might faithfully honour the purpose of the Sabbath,
without falling into a legalism that extinguishes the very life of the Sabbath.
May we be someone who “saves life,” not just in special times, but in all
times. May we be a channel of our God’s healing power in every aspect of
life. Amen.”
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