Peter Lockhart
I've just been watching a video of a lecture by Jeremy Jackson found on Byron Smith's blog, here. After preaching on the destruction on the oceans last year this was how I finished my sermon.
As we wait and we witness our own folly as God’s stewards we are reassured by God’s gracious word to us from Paul’s letter to the Romans, “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It is the peace with God that can inspire us to consider again our place as witnesses to the future we hope in by the way we live as citizens of the coming kingdom now.
Maybe this is what John Calvin was on about when he wrote: “The custody of the garden was given in charge to Adam, to show that we possess the things which God has committed to our hands, on the condition, that being content with frugal and moderate use of them, we should take care of what shall remain... Moreover, that this economy and this diligence, with respect to those good things which God has given us to enjoy, may flourish among us; let everyone regard himself as the steward of God in all things which he possesses. Then he will neither conduct himself dissolutely, nor corrupt by abuse those things which God requires to be preserved.”
(John Calvin: Commentary on Genesis 2:15)
Despite our inability to respond to the wonder of creation appropriately, despite our destructive interpretation of 'dominion', despite our hurt of nature and each other the empty tomb reminds us that God chooses to love us and forgive us and invites us to a future yet to be fully understood or seen: a future in which God promises not simply to save human beings but renew the whole creation.
God’s grace comes and echoes in our lives like the distant crashing of waves against the shore, a comforting sound as the Spirit moves within us and draws into God’s life and God’s future. When we taste of the bread and wine our hope is that one day the renewal of the whole creation will occur and we will be blessed as we see the reflection of God’s glory and live as God’s people.
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Wednesday, 8 June 2011
Pentecost: Living right to the end of life!
Peter Lockhart
The following was used as a devotional reflection in a retirement complex.
The pouring out of the Holy Spirit described in the book of Acts is an amazing thing: the sound of a rushing wind; tongues of fire; the ability to hear other languages and understand. So perplexing is the behaviour of those gathered that they are accused of as being drunk.
The Holy Spirit comes in power to give the disciples the strength and support to move forward in faith sharing the good news of Jesus with other people. This is a story of hope and purpose and direction in life.
And when we speak of the Holy Spirit we usually use words which describe life and movement.
The Holy Spirit is poured out, it is rushing wind, tongues of fire, bringer of gifts, giver of life, guide, comforter, inspirer and so on.
Tomorrow I am conducting a funeral and it has caused me to pause and think about how we understand this story of the coming of the Spirit and its place in our lives as we get older.
I suppose I can’t really speak from personal experience too deeply yet but I think one thing that maybe some think when they hear about the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is that it just sounds tiring.
The Holy Spirit comes to give life and movement but as you get older life and movement are just that little bit harder.
I imagine it’s far easier to speak of dance of the Holy Spirit if you don’t have arthritis or you don’t have a bung knee or a gammy leg.
I imagine it’s far easier to speak of the Holy Spirit as guide if you’re not stuck without a licence anymore or you’re not living in a retirement village or nursing home.
Yet it could also be far easier when we begin to think this way to write ourselves off as if there is nothing left to contribute and life has just become a waiting game, waiting for the only thing left, which we don’t really want to think about too much: death.
But when I read the story from the book of Acts I am always struck by the phrase “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”. Your old men shall dream dreams!
This is no less important than the young men who have visions. To take this point a little further, I would argue that the Spirit comes with different gifts for our age and stage in life. Your old men will dream dreams is an example contained within a prophecy.
I want to share a story I heard yesterday about a man who has terminal cancer. After being discharged from hospital he went home but when he got there he went straight to bed and was refusing to come out.
A young woman, a social worker, went and encouraged him step by step to reengage with life. To move out of waiting for death into living what he had left. The first step was simple to get up and to have a shower.
Step by step the man reengaged in living as best he could and gradually he became involved in supporting other people with cancer. He got involved so fully that last year he ran a Cancer Council Morning Tea in his home.
Not only was he living but he was living for others.
The vision of the young woman to help the man rediscover life turned into a dream for the man, a dream which became fulfilling not only for him but for others.
The Holy Spirit brings new life, helps us discover new gifts and passions and within the context of community young and old, male and female, rich and poor God empowers us to witness to Jesus who promised to send the Spirit to help us live our lives and live them abundantly, right to the end. Amen.
The following was used as a devotional reflection in a retirement complex.
The pouring out of the Holy Spirit described in the book of Acts is an amazing thing: the sound of a rushing wind; tongues of fire; the ability to hear other languages and understand. So perplexing is the behaviour of those gathered that they are accused of as being drunk.
The Holy Spirit comes in power to give the disciples the strength and support to move forward in faith sharing the good news of Jesus with other people. This is a story of hope and purpose and direction in life.
And when we speak of the Holy Spirit we usually use words which describe life and movement.
The Holy Spirit is poured out, it is rushing wind, tongues of fire, bringer of gifts, giver of life, guide, comforter, inspirer and so on.
Tomorrow I am conducting a funeral and it has caused me to pause and think about how we understand this story of the coming of the Spirit and its place in our lives as we get older.
I suppose I can’t really speak from personal experience too deeply yet but I think one thing that maybe some think when they hear about the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is that it just sounds tiring.
The Holy Spirit comes to give life and movement but as you get older life and movement are just that little bit harder.
I imagine it’s far easier to speak of dance of the Holy Spirit if you don’t have arthritis or you don’t have a bung knee or a gammy leg.
I imagine it’s far easier to speak of the Holy Spirit as guide if you’re not stuck without a licence anymore or you’re not living in a retirement village or nursing home.
Yet it could also be far easier when we begin to think this way to write ourselves off as if there is nothing left to contribute and life has just become a waiting game, waiting for the only thing left, which we don’t really want to think about too much: death.
But when I read the story from the book of Acts I am always struck by the phrase “your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”. Your old men shall dream dreams!
This is no less important than the young men who have visions. To take this point a little further, I would argue that the Spirit comes with different gifts for our age and stage in life. Your old men will dream dreams is an example contained within a prophecy.
I want to share a story I heard yesterday about a man who has terminal cancer. After being discharged from hospital he went home but when he got there he went straight to bed and was refusing to come out.
A young woman, a social worker, went and encouraged him step by step to reengage with life. To move out of waiting for death into living what he had left. The first step was simple to get up and to have a shower.
Step by step the man reengaged in living as best he could and gradually he became involved in supporting other people with cancer. He got involved so fully that last year he ran a Cancer Council Morning Tea in his home.
Not only was he living but he was living for others.
The vision of the young woman to help the man rediscover life turned into a dream for the man, a dream which became fulfilling not only for him but for others.
The Holy Spirit brings new life, helps us discover new gifts and passions and within the context of community young and old, male and female, rich and poor God empowers us to witness to Jesus who promised to send the Spirit to help us live our lives and live them abundantly, right to the end. Amen.
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Ascension Day: Sky Gazing
Peter Lockhart
The image of the disciples, standing around staring into the sky like a bunch of stunned mullet, after Jesus ascension is a strong one.
Jesus had died! Jesus was risen! But Jesus is gone again!
The sky gazing disciples, having once again missed the mark with their question about the restoration of Israel, are in the quagmire of asking, "What do we do now?"
The answer to this question of "What now? What next?" is helped along the way by the appearance of 2 men who ask the disciples what they are looking up at the sky. In their words we hear the reassurance that although Jesus has gone, Jesus will come back, in his own time, so off with you now and be about the task Jesus has left you with, become witnesses!
The rest of the book of Acts is the unfolding of what the disciples did next as the Holy Spirit was poured out on them and as they grew into the apostles Jesus had sent them to be.
There are times when I think many of us are still standing with mouths agape looking at the sky waiting for Jesus to come back, for Jesus to do something more. As followers of Jesus and as people sent into the world to witness to God's love revealed in Jesus I think we need to hear that same question "What are you doing standing here staring into the sky?"
It is the question which gives us the nudge to act and so not to simply wait for Jesus to do something else but in faith to go forward as witnesses to our risen and ascended Lord.
The image of the disciples, standing around staring into the sky like a bunch of stunned mullet, after Jesus ascension is a strong one.
Jesus had died! Jesus was risen! But Jesus is gone again!
The sky gazing disciples, having once again missed the mark with their question about the restoration of Israel, are in the quagmire of asking, "What do we do now?"
The answer to this question of "What now? What next?" is helped along the way by the appearance of 2 men who ask the disciples what they are looking up at the sky. In their words we hear the reassurance that although Jesus has gone, Jesus will come back, in his own time, so off with you now and be about the task Jesus has left you with, become witnesses!
The rest of the book of Acts is the unfolding of what the disciples did next as the Holy Spirit was poured out on them and as they grew into the apostles Jesus had sent them to be.
There are times when I think many of us are still standing with mouths agape looking at the sky waiting for Jesus to come back, for Jesus to do something more. As followers of Jesus and as people sent into the world to witness to God's love revealed in Jesus I think we need to hear that same question "What are you doing standing here staring into the sky?"
It is the question which gives us the nudge to act and so not to simply wait for Jesus to do something else but in faith to go forward as witnesses to our risen and ascended Lord.
Friday, 3 June 2011
Ascension Day: The importance of names
I was blest on the morning of Ascension Day to attend Morning Prayer and to hear the passage of the ascension read from Acts as a living word from God. It is not always that we hear the scriptures read in such a way but occasionally the words are said with such deliberate love that the simply live for us.
What struck me was the way in which our worship leader, Gerda, named the list of disciples. Each name given the dignity of presence as the reader paused after each one, a moment to savour these people to whom Jesus had appeared and who went away to devote themselves in prayer.
Peter, and John, and James,
and Andrew, Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus,
and Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
It may be that we don’t know these people but the recording of their names and their careful articulation in love continues the witness to Jesus, with which they were entrusted.
As I revelled in their faith the livingness of the scriptures continued in my mind to include the names of those with whom I worshipped and who had inspired me in the faith.
Faithful people like the ones who shared in the Morning Worship: Gerda, Mano, Lynne, Alan & Merle, Jason, Yvonne, Stephen, Harley.
And faithful friends and mentors who have and who continue to witness to Jesus love for me: my Dad, Sandra, Terry, Bob & Grace, David, Gordon & Geoff, Don & Pam, Alan, John, Andrew, Murray & Wendi, Ray, Shirley, Michael.
And people of Faith through the ages whom my contact has been only through texts and stories handed down: Halik, Zizioulas, McGrath, Moltmann, Bonhoeffer & Barth, Calvin & Luther & Zwingli, Gregory of Nazianzus.
Maybe at times we fail to name the influences because we might miss someone out. Maybe we are afraid of the intimacy of declaring our need of others. Maybe we are afraid of pirvacy laws and confidentialites. And maybe at times we simply forget to name those, whose witness shapes and support us, and remind us of the Jesus who ascended in mystery and for whose promised return we wait together in anticipation.
The way Gerda read the names reminded me of how tied our identity is to our own names and how it is important for our names to be said. Yet not only that, but that in hearing each others names in the context of the bigger story of God's love and of Jesus Christ, our faith is affirmed and the witness with which we have been entrusted is shared.
What struck me was the way in which our worship leader, Gerda, named the list of disciples. Each name given the dignity of presence as the reader paused after each one, a moment to savour these people to whom Jesus had appeared and who went away to devote themselves in prayer.
Peter, and John, and James,
and Andrew, Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus,
and Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
It may be that we don’t know these people but the recording of their names and their careful articulation in love continues the witness to Jesus, with which they were entrusted.
As I revelled in their faith the livingness of the scriptures continued in my mind to include the names of those with whom I worshipped and who had inspired me in the faith.
Faithful people like the ones who shared in the Morning Worship: Gerda, Mano, Lynne, Alan & Merle, Jason, Yvonne, Stephen, Harley.
And faithful friends and mentors who have and who continue to witness to Jesus love for me: my Dad, Sandra, Terry, Bob & Grace, David, Gordon & Geoff, Don & Pam, Alan, John, Andrew, Murray & Wendi, Ray, Shirley, Michael.
And people of Faith through the ages whom my contact has been only through texts and stories handed down: Halik, Zizioulas, McGrath, Moltmann, Bonhoeffer & Barth, Calvin & Luther & Zwingli, Gregory of Nazianzus.
Maybe at times we fail to name the influences because we might miss someone out. Maybe we are afraid of the intimacy of declaring our need of others. Maybe we are afraid of pirvacy laws and confidentialites. And maybe at times we simply forget to name those, whose witness shapes and support us, and remind us of the Jesus who ascended in mystery and for whose promised return we wait together in anticipation.
The way Gerda read the names reminded me of how tied our identity is to our own names and how it is important for our names to be said. Yet not only that, but that in hearing each others names in the context of the bigger story of God's love and of Jesus Christ, our faith is affirmed and the witness with which we have been entrusted is shared.
The Blessing of Retreat
by Peter Lockhart
There may be all sorts of images that come to mind when people speak about 'retreats'. In my 13 years in ministry I have always attended the Presbytery Retreats and as I reflect about it here are a few reasons why.
1. The opportunity to share in daily Eucharistic worship.
2. Rising for morning prayer shared with close friend and colleagues
3. Meeting and getting to know my colleagues in ministry in the Presbytery whom I don't yet know so well
4. Experiencing the support of my colleagues in ministry
5. Being reminded of a variety of spiritual disciplines and resources for them
6. Refuelling through relaxing and enjoying the company of friends in ministry
7. Being challenged with new ideas
8. Remembering God's love: for me, for others, for the world
'Retreat' is like taking a deep breath in before throwing myself in to the fray once more. I would always recommend such opportunities for refreshment and renewal whether it be a church camp, "A day apart", a weekly prayer gathering or home group, or even worship on Sunday. It is from these places of encounter with God that we are inspired for our encounters with God and others in the world in our daily lives.
There may be all sorts of images that come to mind when people speak about 'retreats'. In my 13 years in ministry I have always attended the Presbytery Retreats and as I reflect about it here are a few reasons why.
1. The opportunity to share in daily Eucharistic worship.
2. Rising for morning prayer shared with close friend and colleagues
3. Meeting and getting to know my colleagues in ministry in the Presbytery whom I don't yet know so well
4. Experiencing the support of my colleagues in ministry
5. Being reminded of a variety of spiritual disciplines and resources for them
6. Refuelling through relaxing and enjoying the company of friends in ministry
7. Being challenged with new ideas
8. Remembering God's love: for me, for others, for the world
'Retreat' is like taking a deep breath in before throwing myself in to the fray once more. I would always recommend such opportunities for refreshment and renewal whether it be a church camp, "A day apart", a weekly prayer gathering or home group, or even worship on Sunday. It is from these places of encounter with God that we are inspired for our encounters with God and others in the world in our daily lives.
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