What do you want?

John 1:29-42

Imagine John standing teaching his disciples and another man, Jesus, walks past and John declares “Look, here is the lamb of God.” I mean this is not the way people normally talk and obviously the words trigger great interest in the two of John’s devotees who follow Jesus.

When Jesus notices that he is being followed he turns and asks them, “What are you looking for?” The weight of this question could be lost on us because Jesus’s question is an existential one. Some translations read “What do you want?”

The weight of the question is that it is a question which lies at the heart of every person’s life. What are you looking for in life? What gives you meaning and purpose? What do you want to know and understand? 

The disciple’s respond by naming Jesus with an honorific title “Rabbi” which we general translate as simply teacher but can be translated as great one. It is a title of respect and a recognition by the disciples of Jesus’s importance. But rather than got to the heart of the matter, which was their curiosity about John’s statement about Jesus being the Lamb of God they simply ask, “Where are you staying?”

Maybe they simply did not know how to articulate their question. Maybe they were embarrassed. Maybe they were now ready to go deeper into the relationship yet. We are left to ponder.

Nevertheless, Jesus responds with an invitation not an address. “Come and see.” And so, these two disciples of John take their first steps in growing as lifelong disciples of Christ. “Come and see.”

I wonder whether the question that Jesus asked the disciples resonates with why you came to church this morning. “What do you want?”

What is it that you want to understand about what it means to be a person? What is the purpose of life? What answers and questions are you curious about and want to learn more about?

By coming into this space, I wonder if you are responding to that invitation of Jesus to “come and see”. Come and see Jesus, come and listen for his teaching, come and find that you already belong in God’s family and God’s kingdom. “Come and see”. Last year we had a consultation with the presbytery and through that process of discernment we answered the question “What do you want?” or “What are your looking for?” We said, “the congregation requires renewal and growth in members.”

The growth in members here should be understood in a twofold way. Growth in the spiritual maturity and the meaningful relationships of the members of the congregation. And a growth in numbers – new memberships. Both concepts involve change which brings me to the word renewal which is one of those jargon terms which does need to be unpacked.

During the week I read a helpful article about renewal written by a colleague in South Australia Rev Dr Tim Hein. He uses a helpful analogy to unpack for us how something can be new again.

“Next to our church on Cambridge Terrace in Malvern is a century-old home that had fallen into disrepair, barely habitable. The owners had three options:

1. They could demolish it and build a new home.

2. They could do a restoration.

3. They could do a renewal.

What is the difference between options 2 and 3, I hear you ask? Well, a restoration would mean taking it back to the way it was when it was built. You may think that sounds great – until you had to live in it. Consider the kitchen, and the cooling, and the electrical wiring. A restored home would be for nostalgic value only – like those perfectly preserved 1960s houses, with orange and green cupboards. You don’t really want a literal restoration.

The owners instead did a renewal. They restored the best of the old stonework and floorboards but also introduced new appliances, wiring, plumbing plus a massive new pool. It’s an old house, but also a new house – again!

[Hein goes on to say] God is in the renewal business. The entire trajectory of God’s plans is the re-creation, re-demption, and re-conciliation of all things – renewal for individual people, and for the whole cosmos. Indeed, the Basis of Union says it is the “end in view for the whole creation”. God’s plan is renewal… 

[Hein remarks of congregations in terms of renewal that] too often, we say we want renewal, when in our hearts, we’re hoping for a restoration – to take us back to how it was when we first fell in love with it. But God wants to do something new with old things.”

Renewal in this case is not taking back to how it was in the past but drawing us forward to reconciliation and renewal of all things in Christ and Hein is very clear about the origins for us in terms of renewal. Renewal in our context is not about what we are doing.

Hein reminds us of what is says in the Basis of Union. “Jesus Christ who renews the church, in “his own strange way” … “through the

news of his completed work”. As Hein says “Jesus renews the church through the gospel. It’s strange because new life comes through death. It is Christ who ‘acquits the guilty, gives life to the dead and who brings into being what otherwise could not exist’.” 

I have leaned into Hein’s words heavily here because they take us to the centre of our faith. It is Christ who renews us personally and communally. In answer to the question, “What do you want?” this congregation has said renewal and growth. Are we ready for the work that Christ will do within us and among us?

Just as we have responded to the question of Jesus as a community so too, we are invited to respond to Jesus’s question personally. I wonder what worries and concerns you might have in your life at the moment. What are circumstances? What is the context that is shaping your answer to Jesus’ question? “What are you looking for?”

The answer to the question is shaped by our age and stage in life. It is shaped by our vision of our personal and global context. As we meet today some of you may be carrying anxiety and worry about what is occurring or has occurred in the world: in Palestine, in Bondi, in Iran, in Ukraine, in Venezuela, in the bushfires in Victoria, in the cyclone in North Queensland, in the USA and the list goes on. But for some of you the world issues are beyond your personal care because of your own health concerns or worries about your own situation in life or of the ones that you love. “What are you looking for?” Whatever your answer might be, Jesus says to you and me “Come and see.” “Come and see”

(Sermon Song Break - "Refresh my heart")

The response of curiosity in faith to “come and see” as we come to church reflects our steps on the journey of faith but as many of you will have heard “God’s mercies are new every morning” and we are growing as lifelong disciples of Christ. When we come into this space we open ourselves up to the possibility of change but in being committed to growing the expectation is that we may indeed encounter new people in our midst and be invited to share with them why we “come and see” and seek Jesus in this place. 

In thinking about this it is important in out personal renewal of faith to learn to speak openly and clearly about our own response of discipleship. So, when exploring that central question of what people are looking for, we might be able to have a response that makes sense.

People may not initially answer that they are looking for Jesus but here are some answers they might give. 

1. Meaning & purpose. A sense that their life matters—that what they do has value beyond just getting through the day.

2. Connection & love. To be seen, understood, and accepted. This includes friendships, family, romantic love, and belonging to a community.

3. Happiness or peace. Not constant pleasure, but a stable sense of well-being, contentment, or inner calm.

4. Security. Physical safety, financial stability, and emotional safety—the feeling that life won’t collapse at any moment.

5. Growth & self-expression. To become more fully themselves: learning, creating, improving, and expressing who they are.

6. Freedom & autonomy. The ability to make choices about their own life and live in alignment with their values.

7. Recognition & dignity. To feel respected and that their efforts are acknowledged.

8. Hope. Something to look forward to—a belief that the future can be better than the present.

These ideas were given to me by Artificial Intelligence and of course there are others, but I felt that many of these would resonate with you as they do with me.

We are going to do that thing where we choose what I say next because I want to briefly add a little bit to each of these ideas which might enable you to have conversation that help people see Jesus in the context of those topics. One person from each section can choose one of the topics. I will be brief.

1. Meaning & purpose. A sense that their life matters—that what they do has value beyond just getting through the day.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Your life isn’t random. You were made with intention, and what you do can genuinely make a difference. There is a sense that your life is meant to contribute something good to the world, not just get through each day.

2. Connection & love. To be seen, understood, and accepted. This includes friendships, family, romantic love, and belonging to a community.

“Nothing… will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

There is a kind of love that doesn’t disappear when you fail, change, or struggle. It isn’t fragile or conditional. You are fully seen and still held onto.

3. Happiness or peace. Not constant pleasure, but a stable sense of well-being, contentment, or inner calm.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 7:7-8

Even when life feels overwhelming, it’s possible to experience a deep calm that isn’t based on having everything sorted out. It’s a steadiness that protects you inside, even when things outside are unsettled.

4. Security. Physical safety, financial stability, and emotional safety—the feeling that life won’t collapse at any moment.

“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1–2

There is a sense of safety that goes beyond money, health, or circumstances—a feeling of being held and protected, even when life feels uncertain or fragile.

5. Growth & self-expression. To become more fully themselves: learning, creating, improving, and expressing who they are.

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” Philippians 1:6

You are a work in progress, and that’s okay. The growth happening in your life isn’t wasted or unfinished—it’s part of something still unfolding, even when you can’t yet see the end result.

6. Freedom & autonomy. The ability to make choices about their own life and live in alignment with their values.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Galatians 5:1

True freedom isn’t just doing whatever you want. It’s being released from what traps or controls you, so you can live honestly, make real choices, and become who you’re meant to be.

7. Recognition & dignity. To feel respected and that their efforts are acknowledged.

“What are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour.” Psalm 8:4-5

Human life has deep value. Even though we’re small in a vast universe, each person carries dignity and worth. You matter—not because of what you achieve, but because of who you are.

8. Hope. Something to look forward to—a belief that the future can be better than the present.

“For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

Right now, we don’t see the full picture. Life can feel confusing or incomplete. But there’s reason to believe that understanding, clarity, and wholeness lie ahead—that this isn’t the end of the story.

As people seeking renewal and seeking to be lifelong disciples we are not meant to have all the answers but to live deeply into the mystery of God’s love with a sense of wonder. There is great wisdom in the lyrics of the U2 song which should help shape our sense of renewal, “I Still haven’t found what I am looking for”. These words express humility before the mystery and beauty of God’s love for us as we hear Jesus’ question resonating in the lives around “What are you looking for?” and as we invite others like Andrew did with Peter to “come and see”.

Advent 1 Hope

Psalm 122, Matthew 24:36-44

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

I wonder when you leapt out of bed this morning the first thing that came into your mind was something like

“I was so happy and joyous because I was coming to church today.”

Or, maybe,

“Oh, yeah baby, there is nothing that I would be gladder to do that pop off to spend an hour in worship this morning.”

If you were thinking like this then maybe, you are reflecting something of the words of Psalm 122.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Or maybe at last week’s congregation meeting you took to heart that the strategic priority of Growing our Worship means that, “Worship is entered into with joy and expectation.”

To me joy does not always mean happiness or fun but can include the challenging times when we are called to rejoice in the Lord always even if things are tough.

That being by the by, I wonder what hopes you carried with you this morning as you came into worship.

Were they positive faith filled hopes?

I hope God speaks to me on this day.

·       I hope that I will see all my friends at church.

·       I hope we have some new people join us for the service.

·       I hope that I am challenged to grow in my faith.

·       I hope that I can sense God’s Spirit in worship today.

Or were they more pragmatic mundane, even negative, hopes?

I hope the service finishes on time.

·      I hope that the service is interesting, maybe even entertaining.

·       I hope that don’t have to sing any modern songs.

·       I hope that we don’t sing any old hymns.

·       I hope that no one sits in my seat.

Whether our hopes about coming to church this morning were in a more positive or a more negative mindset the simple fact that you have given this time to worship God and engage is a sign of the hope that you have that growing as a lifelong disciple of Christ is worthwhile. But our hope in Christ has an edge to it as well.

The reading from Matthew’s gospel is a style of ancient writing that we now call apocalyptic literature. It carries exaggerated images of the dire consequences that will occur on the day of the Lord. This difficult passage should be read through the lens of ancient eyes and heard as a warning to stay in our relationship with God and the mystery and hiddenness of his coming.

The warning that Jesus issues “Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” This warning is all about rectitude. Doing the right thing whether you think anyone is watching or not. But what is the right thing?

The right thing is to begin with the understanding that it is in and through Jesus that the consequences of those who sleep and the joy of these who stay awake collide and coalesce in his person. He is the risen crucified one who lights our way before us. Earlier in his ministry Jesus claimed that he had been chosen to fulfil Isaiah’s words for “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light” (Matt 4:16).” We look to Jesus as the one who breaks into our reality as the light of at the world. He is the light who shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it. This is the one that we have met, that is present with us now and for whom we wait for in Advent with hope.

In his book What Can Love Hope For? Bill Loader reflects on how the hopes of the early Christians, and the people of Jesus time were different to ours. Hope was tangible for Jesus audience. It was hope for healing. It was hope for sustenance – for food. It was hope for peace. It was hope for inclusion in community. But this was not a privatised and individualised hope but a much larger and more encompassing vision.

In our culture of abundance, where most of us rarely think about the risk of whether we will be able to afford the next meal the red bags that we have gathered are a stark reminder that there are so many others that do not have an equal share in the abundance that we celebrate. In his book Loader reminds us of the strength of the Biblical image of the great feats of end times. A fest which is not only about food but bringing people in harmony and celebration, involving the inclusion of all – not just those who have the privilege of wealth in this life.

Hope for a radical change in the world, in the redistribution of wealth, of altered economic and governance systems, of inclusion and community for all people. Paul later writes that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” Our anticipation and expectation in Advent in in our faith is not simple a self-centred and personal hope but a hope for the fulfilment of the promise that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself.”

I wondrous hopeful vision that encompasses all peoples. This is what we come to celebrate in worship; this is what we come to hope for. If this is what shapes us and draws us here it is little wonder that we might say

I was glad when they said to me,

“Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Or, oh yeah baby it’s worship time! 

But as we stay awake and we wait we who have already encountered our risen Lord are also driven to contemplate what it means that God is “entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”

A message of hope not just for us but for others as well.  I hope that drives us out from worship to be peacemakers and agents of hope in the world living not for our own sake but for others. Or as Psalm 122 says,

“For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

 

Praise as Participation in Philanthropy

Psalm 66, Luke 17:11-19

“One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice.”

The story that we just heard from Luke gives to us a vision of what it means to show gratitude to God for something that is done. Whilst it is unclear what aspect of his faith has made him well there are two things that stand out for us from this story. One is to say that the person who returned was a foreigner, not a part of the Jewish people. And the other is to say that all ten were healed but only the one came back to give thanks.

The importance of gratitude as an aspect of our faith is something that links well with the Psalm that we used at the beginning of our service.

“Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise.” (Psalm 66:1)

There is a universal claim made in the first verse of Psalm 66 that points to the whole creation participating in the praise of God. This universal claim is also paralleled by the entirely person claim made in the last verse of the Psalm.

"Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.” (Psalm 66:20)

There is an overlap between gratitude and praise found in the two Bible readings, however there are subtle and important differences. 

I have given the sermon the title Praise as Participation in Philanthropy to offer a signal to the direction I am heading with this reflection. But to get there I want to unpack the notion of gratitude a little bit more, including offering a critique about our approach to being grateful. I will then move us into the notion of praise and how it connects then to philanthropy.

The importance of gratitude within our culture and its positive effect on us is something that I learned as a teacher over 35 years ago and also reflected on as a chaplain within a school over the last decade. When I first began teaching, I was given responsibility for running what was called Human Relationship Education which has a clear understanding of the importance of people having a positive self-image and the place of gratitude for self and others. 

I can remember a particular activity where we practised gratitude by inviting a student to the front to classroom and each other member of the class was invited to share something positive about that person. The person’s response were simply the words “Thank you”. It is an activity that maybe carried a little bit too much vulnerability and it did not always work well but it highlighted the need to help people develop a capacity to express positive regard for another person and for people to accept praise with gratitude in a reasonable way. 

This morning, we began the service with a similar activity of expressing gratitude to God for our spiritual journey, the creation, our community, and our growth and learning. In pushing you to think of giving thanks for different aspects of our journey in life we were drawn into contemplating what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thess 5:16-19

The constant invitation to gratitude within the scriptures links to not simply living faithfully in the world but to our flourishing and wellbeing as human beings.  

The work that has been done in developing Positive Psychology and the contemporary interest and focus on wellbeing affirm how important expressing gratitude is as part of our human existence. 

For example, in the model of wellbeing developed by Martin Seligman which is known by the acronym PERMA the P stands for “Positive Emotion”. In its definition of this concept the Positive Psychology Centre says:

“Within limits, we can increase our positive emotion about the past (e.g., by cultivating gratitude and forgiveness), our positive emotion about the present (e.g., by savouring physical pleasures and mindfulness) and our positive emotion about the future (e.g., by building hope and optimism).” (link)

Here is a deep and abiding connection between contemporary understandings within psychology and the church as a place that has at its core cultivating gratitude and forgiveness!

In addition to this, research in neuroscience has affirmed the directions of positive psychology and wellbeing and the emphasis that they give to practicing gratitude. In the online article “The Neuroscience of Gratitude & Its Effects on the Brain” Melissa Madeson shares some of her research. I will mention just a few insights:

“As researchers explore the neurological underpinnings of gratitude, they’re discovering that this simple practice can lead to profound positive changes in mood, resilience, and overall wellbeing.” (Russell & Fosha, 2008).

“Thanking others, thanking ourselves, Mother Nature, or a divine power — gratitude in any form can enlighten the mind and make us feel happier. It has a healing effect on us.” (Russell & Fosha, 2008).

“Research examining specific areas of the brain found that individuals who experience higher levels of gratitude had increased grey matter volume.” (Zahn et al., 2014). 

“Gratitude can change neural structures in the brain, making individuals feel happier and more content.” (Zahn et al., 2008).

Gratitude is good for us, the invitation and command in scripture is affirmed by contemporary research and scholarship. If we are to love our neighbour as ourselves, we do actually need to love ourselves as well!

However, when gratitude is just expressed to achieve personal wellbeing or gratitude expressed when it comes at the expense of another then we might question its communal benefit. Gratitude needs to be accompanied by a wider understanding of life in the world.

Taking us back to Psalm 66 there are a few difficult phrases for us to examine here in terms of why the Psalmist is expressing praise and gratitude to God.

“Because of your great power, 

your enemies cringe before you.”

“He turned the sea into dry land;

they passed through the river on foot.”

The first of these phrases implies that God has enemies, whilst the second of these phrases about the sea being into dry land might have two connections. Scholars do not seem to agree whether the Psalmist is referring to the flight of the Israelite people through the Red Sea from exile in Egypt or whether it may connect to the crossing of the Jordan by the Israelites when the entered the promised land. Both stories portray the violence of God against another people. Something that as followers of Jesus we should find disturbing.

In her commentary of this passage the Old Testament scholar Casey Thornburgh Sigmon is cautious about the promotion of any notion of what is called exceptionalism which is “the belief that a nation, group, or ideology is an exception to a usual rule or trend or is exceptional in relation to others of the same kind.” Sigmon is wary of any interpretation of the Christian faith that is associated with the idea of a Christian nation and it is helpful to be reminded that the concept of modern nation-state only developed after the treaty of Westphalia in 1648.

In contrast the cosmic action of God in Christ serves as a corrective to the violence of God which is portrayed in the Old Testament. Jesus commands his followers to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-28). The response of Jesus’ life to the violence of humanity is not to take up arms but to yield to the violence perpetrated on him by human beings at the cross. 

Giving thanks is good for us, we know this psychologically and spiritually, but our giving of thanks should be weighed up in the broader context of understanding God’s love for all things and all people –my wellbeing should not come at the cost of someone else’s wellbeing or at the most extreme their life.

This brings me to explore the difference between gratitude and praise and whilst there are overlaps there are differences. 

Put simply, praise, unlike gratitude, focuses not on what we have received but on who God is, God’s character and attributes. Whilst praise may include acknowledging what God has done God’s worthiness of being praised transcends our personal experience of God.

We praise God because God is worthy to be praised not because I got what I wanted from God or what I think God owed me. The universality of the praise of the creation is something that we are all drawn into simply because we exist. As Jesus reminds his disciples, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!” The praise of God is present in all things and all peoples, and it is present in each of us.  “Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.”  

When we understand that our praise of God is not simply the articulation of our praise and blessing of God in the context of worship but has this universal scope, we are called to consider how we live a life of praise. 

Looking back to the establishment of the Festival of First Fruits in the book of Deuteronomy the people are instructed to offer the first fruits of their harvest and called to recite these words “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor” as reminder of their time as refugees who had no permanent home, who wandered the land. The first fruits of the harvest are then distributed in a very specific way 

“When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year (which is the year of the tithe), giving it to the Levites, the aliens, the orphans, and the widows, so that they may eat their fill within your towns.”

The praise of God in this liturgy and ritual involves “giving it to the Levites, the aliens, the orphans, and the widows.” When Jesus says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) The abundance is to be shared with all peoples. 

As an aside the Old Testament reading which was also set down for today came from the time of the Babylonian exile where the people were encouraged with these words. “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29: 7) Yet another echo of God’s concern for the welfare of all peoples.

This draws us to consider again the title of the sermon “Praise as Participation in Philanthropy”. The word philanthropy comes from two Greek words Philo’s (love) + anthropos (human) → “love of humanity.” When we express praise of God, I believe we are expressing our love for God. This love is expressed because we understand that God first loved us and this love of God that we have encountered and respond to by loving our neighbour. Our primary task according to Jesus, as he quotes from the Old Testament, is to love God and love our neighbour. To do both involve praise and showing gratitude.

Increase our faith

Luke 17:5–10 

“Increase our faith” is the cry of the apostles. Part of me wonders whether when Jesus heard it, it sounded a bit like kids in the backseat asking the question, “Are we there yet?” “Increase our faith” “Are we there yet?”

Our congregation vision is “Growing lifelong disciples of Christ” so the answer to are we there yet is “no, not yet” and the cry of disciples to “increase our faith” has a place on our own lips.

But as we think about the reading, I wonder what the apostles were actually asking for and why. And, what does increasing our faith look like for us now. 

When we dig into the Greek word for faith, pistis, we are looking at a verb not a noun. A verb which means hearing and obedience. Faith has an element of our intellectual and emotional assent to some kind of concept of who God is, but it primarily involves these actions of hearing and obedience.

In terms of hearing, the Aboriginal concept of dadirri, or deep listening, that comes to us from the Northern Territory provides an insight for us. We listen for God with our whole being – the inner voice, the silence after the storm, the words of wisdom within the scripture, and our learning and listening from those who carry wisdom in the world around us. 

There is a connection in this concept of dadirri to the theological methodology known as the Wesleyan Quadrilateral for developing understanding which involves deep listening to the scriptures, to the tradition of the church, to reason, and to our experience.

This listening element of faith has both a contemplative and active element, but it also leads us into obedience which is to act. Faith is faithfulness, it is about what we say and do as we live in the world. But faith does not sit alone as we seek its increase.

I went to Newington College in Sydney for my first two years of High School which had the motto. In fide scientiam ‘To your faith, add knowledge’. This motto was based on the words of 2 Peter 1:5–8 (NIV).

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  2 Peter 1:5–8 NIV

Increasing faith means considering the layers of meaning that are connected to the word. 

At the time of the Reformation the slogan sola fide or by faith alone developed. Paradoxically by faith alone was one of five solas or “alones”.

Sola scriptura – by scripture (God’s Word) alone

Solus Christus – By Christ alone

Sola fide – by faith alone

Sola gratia – by grace alone

Sola Deo Gloria – to God’s glory alone

The cry to “increase our faith” is a cry that reverberates into all aspects of our journey with God. 

Tomáš Halík in his book The Afternoon of Christianity reminds us of this meaning of faith as journey when he writes, “Faith in Christ is a journey of trust and courage, of love and faithfulness; it is a movement toward the future that Christ inaugurated and to which he extends an invitation.” Tomáš Halík 3

We are invited into Christ’s future as we follow him in the present that we find ourselves no matter how young or old we are. And getting older is a gift which brings with it great possibilities in our faith. A key theme in this service is the recognition older persons.

In his book Halik references the work of the founder of analytical psychology Carl Jung, who compared the span of a human life to the hours of a single day.

The morning of our life is our childhood and transition into adulthood. It is “the time when people are developing the basic features of their personality … They create an image of themselves - an idea they want others to have of them, a mask … that is their ‘outer face’.”

According to Jung this morning is followed by “the noonday crisis. It is a time of fatigue, of sleepiness; people cease to enjoy all the things that used that used to satisfy them … It is a loss of energy and zest for life, a spiritual malaise, a dullness … A crisis can affect our health, our careers, a marital and family relationships, our faith and spiritual life.” Halik 28

Halik points out that “it is only when one has passed the test of the noonday crisis - for example, when one is able to accept and integrate what one did not want to know about oneself and did not want to admit it to oneself - that one is ready to embark on the journey of the afternoon life.” In acknowledging this possibility of moving on Jung also notes that some people fall back into the quest of the morning seeking identity in creating other masks after their noonday crisis. There is a difference between getting older and become wiser.

Moving beyond the self-centredness of the morning the afternoon of life provides new opportunities. Halik summarises it this way: “The afternoon life - mature age and old age - has a different and more important task than the morning life - a spiritual journey, a descent into the depths. The afternoon of life is Kairos, a time appropriate for the development of spiritual life, an opportunity to complete the lifelong process of maturing.” It is a time of crying “increase our faith Lord” with a new zest and new desire.

Halik reminds us that “God comes to us not only as an answer but also as a question. God comes in the desire to understand, a desire that transcends every partial answer and constantly revisits it with new questions, instigating a fresh search; God imparts a Pilgrim character to our existence.” Halik 28

But in response to the cry of the apostles Jesus’ answer is uncomfortable for we who live in the 21st century to hear and contemplate. So, we need to bring some wisdom of the afternoon of our faith to our considerations of what this means for us.

Jesus’ answer speaks of faith the size of mustard seeds enabling the apostles to tell mulberry trees to throw themselves in the ocean. In other words, the tiniest of faiths can make the hugest of differences. But then Jesus goes on to speak about slaves and their task. The slave does what they have to do not for any reward but because it is their role in life.

We should be careful of imposing first world societal understandings on our society or seeing these words of Jesus affirming slavery. However, Jesus’s listeners lived in a world of slaves, and many had slaves, and the slave knew their place. The shock for Jesus’s listeners of this story, and us comes at the end of the reading that we heard. 

“So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

Jesus puts his apostles and anyone else listening into the role of slaves and basically says there is no reward and affirmation for simply living as you should. This is a stark contrast to the oft-quoted verse from Matthew 25, “Well done good and faithful servant”. No instead, “We are worthless slaves!” 

As I struggled with this passage, I was led to read Bill Loader’s comments about it. Loader emphasizes the idea that at the heart of what Jesus is saying is that it is not our actions, not our faith, that is determinative in our relationship with God. No, it is God’s love for us.

He says, “We are valued because of who we are. The more we become convinced of that, the less we need to play the other game and the less it will matter. Then, the less we are preoccupied with making ourselves deserving, the more value we can give to others, the more energy and time we have for others.” Bill Loader

“The less we are preoccupied with making ourselves deserving, the more value we can give to others.”  I wonder what this could mean for us as lifelong disciples of Christ on older person’s Sunday. How does this idea of increasing our faith as we bring it together with the wisdom of the afternoon of our lives?

The first thing is to say that we have already arrived at the fullness of faith and life with God in and through Christ. We will remember and celebrate this as we share in bread and wine today. But being set free from the need to justify ourselves we are set free to grow.

Before the service we asked to collect your age as you walked in. I did that deliberately because I wanted to find out this statistic. In this room are close to 6777 years of Christian experience. What do we do to share that experience and grow that experience?

At the end of each sermon, I invite you to contemplate what Is the one thing that is standing out for you from the sermon. However, I have also asked you to consider who you will share your insight with. The way that we grow in our faith is that we act up on in conversation and in good works. We listen deeply to each other with humility expecting the possibility that there is more for us to learn and know.

Just before I went away on my leave you were invited to consider the concept of belonging and how you connected to this congregation. By engaging in that process, I have been approached by at least two people in the congregation who wish to explore confirming their membership. 

These are some internal opportunities that we have. But I'm interested also in the people that lie just beyond these windows around us in the suburb of The Gap. Did you know that at the last census 732 people in just this suburb identified as being Uniting Church? If just one third of these people came to church, there would nearly 220 people here today. What might we need to learn from them about their faith and why they may be going to a different suburb for church or more than likely not at all? How can the 6777 years or Christian life in this room connect with these people?

This may be a challenge because the average age of the 82 people in church this morning our average age is 83! This means we are not reflective of the suburb around us. At the last census the median age for residents of The Gap was 42, with nearly 65% of households identifying as being a couple, or single parent, with children at home. I wonder how many of these families identify with the Uniting Church.

Beyond that, of the approximately 17 000 people who live in the suburb more than 50% do not identify with any religion. Every second person you walk past at the shop could be an opportunity to bring to bear the wisdom and fullness of life that you have from knowing Jesus and share with them why you come here as you listen and are curious about who they are and what they believe.

“Increase our faith”. October 1st was the International Day for the recognition of older persons. António Guterres, the Secretary-General UN in his reflection on this year’s theme said that “older persons are powerful agents of change”. 

As a community committed to Growing Lifelong disciples of Christ we are not there yet. We are committed to increasing our faith we are seeking constant renewal. We have a prayer group led by Glenda who is committed to just that purpose that you are welcome to join. If we take seriously the afternoon stage of our lives as an opportunity to grow spiritually then change is inevitable.  

Removing the Blind Fold

Luke 16:19-31

About 15 years ago, I developed a habit of meeting each month with a group of people from the congregation I was with at the time. The group changed month by month, but our task was always the same, to plan what we would probably call an intergenerational service. I distinctly recall on one occasion having a year 8 student as part of the group. As we discussed the readings, she made a comment about her understanding of the Christian faith which I think is problematic.

What she said was something like this, “Our life is a test about where we will go after we die.” This kind of understanding of Christianity removes the concept of grace and replaces it with a different story, the story of our good works as the mechanism for our salvation. When we hear or use the phrase, “well done good and faithful servant”, we can be easily drawn into thinking about our self-righteousness rather than thinking about the good news of God’s unconditional grace.

This little story is important because the Jesus’s parable that we shared from Luke's gospel could easily draw us into thinking that what Jesus is talking about is this idea of how we behave determining how our afterlife will be.

The oversimplification of this parable in this way ignores the broader context of the ongoing conversation that Jesus was having with the Pharisees and scribes that I outlined in last week’s sermon. His concern was how they were using their wealth and power then and there. 

Given this, I suspect Jesus’s words here are more about how people with wealth behave during their life and challenging them to change those behaviours. The mention of afterlife consequences may be a bit of hyperbole on Jesus’s part. At the heart of his debate is how we should live in this life. But getting people to shift their world view and change their behaviour is hard work because it involves admitting the possibility that maybe we are wrong.

Kathryn Schulz in her TED talk “Being wrong” highlights the reticence that people have, to admitting that they are wrong. Borrowing from the beginning of her talk, she asks, “How does it feel to be wrong?”  “How does it feel to be wrong?" She points out that the audience have answered a different question “How does it feel to know that you are wrong?" The answer to the question “How does it feel to be wrong?”  is that it feels like being right. To put it another way we don’t know what we don’t know.

So, how does all this relate to Jesus’s parable. In my suitcase I have a simple object. A piece of purple cloth. This simple piece of purple cloth may not mean much to any of you.  But 2000 years ago, when Jesus was telling his story, this purple cloth was hard to come by.  It was an extravagance. It was a display of wealth. It was a symbol of power.

We have different kinds of purple cloth in these days. Our wealth might be symbolised by the kind of car we drive, the size of our portfolio, or the size of our house. Our wealth might be demonstrated by our position on the corporate rung or the number of letters before, or after our name.  The purple cloth symbolises the privilege of education, power, authority and money. And any of these can act as much as a blindfold to the plight of others as the rich man in Jesus’s parable.

The purple cloth, the symbol of power and wealth, had become a blindfold for the rich man to the needs of others.  The access he had to be able to live a life of leisure meant that as he came and went from his home, he was blind to Lazarus, the suffering man at his door. 

In one of the commentaries that I read the commentator encouraged preachers to ask the question whether they or their congregations could name a person who was as poor as Lazarus by name. I found this an uncomfortable question. Whereas once I did know people living in boarding houses and classified as homeless by name this is not currently the case. Our suburban sprawl has added to our blindness as our wealth and social status means we tend to live in homogenous communities of like-minded people.

What Jesus parable does is tries to add a level of shock value for his opponents for whom the message about wealth simply does not seem to be getting through. In the parable, the rich man’s fate is not determined by anything other than his refusal to see and help the poor man. It is clear that the rich man knows him because he names him as Lazarus but even this personal knowledge had not led him towards generosity.

We can find numerous stories which involve tumultuous events changing a person’s perspective in life. Today we sung Amazing Grace and many of you would know the story of the writer John Newton who went from slave trader to priest to abolitionist in the late eighteenth century. There is an even recorded of Newton almost drowning in a shipwreck that is sometimes attributed as the most significant turning point. Newton influenced the young politician William Wilberforce who very much drove the abolitionist movement and influence his friend and prime minister William Pitt. The words of the hymn ring true now as they ever did “I once was blind but now I see” as we ask where our blind spots are.

Victo Hugo’s tale of Jean Valjean in Les Miserable provides another example of how significant events shift a person’s life trajectory. The story now immortalised in the musical has a significant moment when Valjean steals some silver after being hosted by a bishop. When captured by the police and brought back to the bishop for confirmation rather than condemn him the bishop says that he had given him the items and then adds the silver candlesticks. The moment is a turning point for Valjean who goes on to become both wealthy and kind to the point of self-sacrifice.

The story Jesus told, and these others remind us that the shift from the tyranny of our own ego and self-centredness often requires a sever jolt to occur. In Jesus parable, the rich man pleads with Abraham to go and let his five brothers know so that they might act generously in their lives and not bear any of the consequences that he is.

Abraham’s refusal to do so is resolute and as an outside observer this appears harsh. There are no ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas Present, and Christ Yet to Come as were afforded Ebenezer Scrouge, in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Abraham points to the teachings of the law and prophets of containing all that is necessary to understand that prioritising the poor is central to God’s will.

At the end of the parable Jesus makes this pointed comment to his audience, “‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Whether this is Luke’s insertion or Jesus’s actual words anticipating his own death and resurrection the message remains for us that Jesus’s resurrection should be enough for us to think about what it means to live a good life and live well in the world.

As hearers of this story, we are not Jesus’s direct audience, but the story is asking us the same question about how we will live in this world with what we have. To make the story about good works as an entry into a better afterlife is to miss Jesus’s point. It is interesting that there is no piety on Lazarus’ part that has earned his place but rather the only reason given is that in his life Lazarus received evil things in life so is now being comforted.

The problem of the great chasm in the afterlife is similar to the purple blindfold. These are the gaps which appear to be unable to be crossed to create the change that is needed so that all people might live well in this life. The momentous events that change us can only work on us if we have the ability not simply know that we are wrong about something but also allow that realisation to work on us.

In her talk about being wrong Schulz reminds us that twelve hundred years before René Descartes penned his famous “I think, therefore I am,” the philosopher and theologian Augustine wrote “fallor ergo sum”: I err, therefore I am. In this formulation, the capacity to get things wrong is not only part of being alive, but in some sense proof of it. I think Jesus was saying to his audience and maybe us as well that we need a bit more humility to be able to see the world in a whole new light and to see and know others are as much part of God’s love as we are.

To return to where I began and the reflection of my Year 8 friend in the meeting, I don’t think life is a test for us about what happens after this life. And neither do I think that Jesus was making responding to the poor as the way to earn our way. The grace of God is a complex mystery that encompasses all, both rich and poor. Yet, as people who may have had an encounter with that grace we are invited to consider again and again how we live in the world.

Paul writing to Timothy

As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches but rather on God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. (1 Timothy 6:6-19)

Let us take hold of life that is really life now as we remove the blindfold and live towards others with generosity.