Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 26 January 2020

Rev. John’s service began today with an acknowledgement of the First Peoples and the debt we owe them - past, present and future. It is only fitting that we acknowledge the care they gave the land we now call home. Gratitude is always a reflection of our attitude towards God and the gifts we are given which is invariably through other people.

Today was Australia Day and while the sermon did not specifically address that, references were made through other parts of the service. We must learn how to care for the precious gift we have in this country, which with its people has suffered so dreadfully from drought, fires and flood over the last months.

These events have brought to mind the preciousness of our environment and our responsibility to show care, looking at its special needs which are quite different from those of the many countries from which we or our ancestors have come. We are wrong to make assumptions and must think carefully about our stewardship of this marvellous gift, our home.

We may wonder where we can acquire the wisdom needed to change track. Rev. John’s words about the light conferred upon anyone who seeks it from the Spirit of God who is the author of all creation will guide us and illuminate our thinking as we look for ways and means to deal with the environmental issues which beset our home at this time.

 

As Rev. John alluded to, these solutions will probably not be found in a church or any religious setting, after all Jesus spent most of his time out and about dealing with the ills, physical or spiritual, wherever they occurred. The disciples were never in a religious setting when they were called and so, it is most likely that we will find the solutions we need to address the brokenness of our land out where they are occurring.

Rev. John also spoke of being “fishers of people”. It is highly unlikely that anyone seeking healing for their bodies, minds or souls will come to church out of the blue to find it. They are far more likely to look at the people around them who seem to them to be living as though they are healed or being healed.

It could be that the deep yearning or spiritual hunger someone feels will motivate them to seek answers from a person who appears to be finding their hunger and yearning met but not by means of a large house or car or other conspicuous means. We have been commissioned to be fishers of people. Not for our benefit but to share the news of that enlivening spirit that has brought new meaning to our lives.

Which can bring new meaning and new life to all.