Sunday's Sermon - "No Looking Back" (Luke 9:51-62)

This is the message that we began with at our first community worship service on Sunday 29th January 2012. As well as this we had some good singing, heartfelt prayer and good community-building fellowship.

“No Looking Back” (Luke 9:51-62)

Introduction

-         We are studying Jesus’ journey to the cross

-         God loves us so much that he was going to take extreme measures to bring about reconciliation with people, and the possibility of social transformation

-         Peoples’ lives then, as now, were caught up in hopelessness and tragedy; these were desperate times ... living under Roman oppression; yet in some quarters there was a spiritual openness ... a real desire to connect with life’s real purpose

-         These measures began with the incarnation; you might even say that these measures lay in the heart of God from the very creation of the universe

-         In the fullness of time God sent Jesus to earth in human form to interact with the world and reveal the true nature of God

-         The cross would be an ultimate love-offering to all people

-         Whether it be past and continuing sin, resultant guilt, selfish motivations, complete turmoil, or a sense of shame – Jesus would deal with this on the cross, to open up fresh access to God

-         God would then raise the completely innocent Jesus from the dead to lead his followers into newness of life.

Questions to Ask

-         What strikes you in this passage?

-         What did it mean for Jesus to “set his face to Jerusalem?

-         What relationship does this have to the verses that follow (concerning following Jesus)?

Setting his face

At Luke chapter 9 and verse 51 (and similar stages of the other Gospel books), we read that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem”! This phrase “set his face to” means that Jesus made a firm decision with resolve and steely determination. Jesus would go to Jerusalem and look all opposition in the    face ... all opposition – political, spiritual and human opposition. Jesus did so knowing that any suffering ahead was an inevitable part of God’s plan of offering reconciliation and salvation.

Despite Jesus being God incarnate, this was still not an easy decision for the fully human Jesus to make, for he knew what Roman punishment involved. This concern [shall we say, this fear], was still evident later in the Garden of Gethsemane; yet both there and here, Jesus commits to going forward to the cross ... without looking back. Yet resolve and courage would be needed, when such rampant rejection and misunderstanding lay ahead!

Jesus could have looked back to a quieter and safer life in the family carpentry business. Jesus could have looked sideways toward the temptation of taking up a position of power on earth (as put forward by Satan) or given in to the temptation of avoiding the cross altogether (as put forward by his own disciple Peter); yet Jesus did firmly “set his face” toward the cross at Jerusalem.

Earlier in chapter 9 (v.22), Jesus had said to his disciples, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised”. The disciples were gobsmacked at this, thinking and saying “Surely not”; yet they did not yet understand the cost of setting humankind right, and how deep the problem was imbedded. These disciples were also not ready to hear that, being Jesus’ followers, they too may be required to face persecution and death (in the name of Jesus).

The Nature of Discipleship

When the disciples James and John wanted to punish the Samaritans for not welcoming Jesus (v.54-5), Jesus rebuked them, as if to say, “That is a ridiculous suggestion”! Not just ridiculous, downright harmful, and not representative of God at all. What was this all about? By sending disciples ahead of him to try to arrange some accommodation, Jesus hoped to be able to spend a little time in this Samaritan village, despite the hostility that existed between Jews and Samaritans. Whereas it was regrettable that the Samaritans there were unwilling to welcome Jesus, because of their animosity towards Jews and Jerusalem, this should not cause the type of retributive response proposed by James and John (who should have known better).

For, there might well be another day when such people will be more open. This is the Jesus, who from the cross forgave everyone who had contributed to put him there! And of course Jesus would continue to be a champion of reaching out beyond the existing boundaries. For, it won’t be long before Jesus tells the parable of the “Good Samaritan”, allowing this Samaritan to be cast as the ideal neighbour. We often encounter people who are closed to our message of light and hope at a particular time, like Jesus was here, but this has to be seen as a matter of timing which wasn’t quite right. We might move on, but we don’t write them off!

The disciples are called to broadly share the gospel message – not to judge those who reject it! This is a very important thing to remember in regard to the broad application of the Easter story. Jesus died for all people ... and certainly for the people that currently seem closed and resistant ... and certainly for the people we find difficult or inconvenient, and also certainly for the people who have annoyed us or even hurt us. We can feel frustration or even resentment for people who blaspheme God or persecute Christians, yet Jesus died that even they might be reconciled to God, and who are we to interrupt this outpouring of grace!

The Cost of Discipleship

When certain people attracted to Jesus thought that it would be easy to follow Jesus, and that they could do so at their own convenience, Jesus put some significant challenges to them (v.57-62). This was not to send them away nor scare them off, but rather to point out the seriousness of such a commitment, and that they needed to be fully focussed if they were going to be able to stay on the journey. Yet what a great and significant commitment to make! For, it really means something!!

Conclusion

Jesus did not look back when he had “set his face to go to Jerusalem”. Nothing was going to get in the way of bringing salvation, hope and purpose to humankind. There was nothing more important than people being reconciled with God, and learning to live in God’s way. And necessarily Jesus’ followers would have to understand the real nature of taking up this cause. The lot of his disciples is tied in with Jesus’ own lot. It is at this moment that people have to decide if they are joining Jesus in “setting his face” toward the cross and a mission toward all humanity. The true people of God are being formed around Jesus himself (this concept from Luke Johnson cited by R.B. Hays).

Jesus put his own hand to the plough and brought in the Kingdom of God. Jesus first left the glory of heaven, and then his human family and home for our sake. Jesus spent his days with people who were blind, suffering from leprosy and riddled with demons of various kinds, people who had been well and truly rejected by mainstream society. Jesus constantly faced the reality of opposition and the prospect of death. And Jesus promoted “good news” that needed to reach the Samaritans and the Gentiles and the people of all the nations of the world.

Sharing my vision - the Way of God

Today, I will have the opportunity to share my vision in church planting with the folks at the Port Philip Retirement Village in Altona. Here is what I'm going to say.

The ancient people of Israel had been defeated by the Babylonians, and many of them were taken into exile far north from their homeland into Babylon. Of course they would not be happy about this, and they would continually long for home. They would have prayed night and day to be free to go home. And there were false prophets who said that they would be able to go home soon.

But this was not the message they received from God through the true and great prophet Jeremiah. They would have to stay put for many years to come, actually generations would pass by while they were still there in Babylon ... seventy years they would remain there. These people would, for their own well-being need to listen to the reality that God was putting before them.

Would they need to stay because of their previous ambivalence toward God’s ways and their reckless living? Would they need to stay in Babylon because it would be good for their personal and spiritual development? Would they need to stay because there was a job to do? Probably it was a bit of all of these, but one thing for sure, this was their basic reality, and it was time to make the best of it.

It was time to attune themselves afresh to God. “Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat what they produce [etcetera etcetera]”, said God through the prophet – in other words: ‘settle down and invest your lives in this new place; make the best of it’. These Israelites were to seek the welfare ... seek the best interests ... seek the well-being of their new city and all its inhabitants, despite them being very different to themselves. They would need to deal with any tension in creative and growthful ways. For there is a connection between how our lives turn out, and what we actually invest into our living environment! At the very least they should “pray to the Lord on the [community’s] behalf”! We can all pray for those in need.

And so we pray as Jesus taught us, and I earlier emphasised this bit: “Your Kingdom come; Your Will be done ... on earth as it [already] is in heaven”. We pray this, but part of effective prayer is a willingness to be a part of the answer. So in praying this, “God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven”, the answer will come as we personally and collectively seek to live the life of God in everyday life. How do we do this? We learn about Jesus, believe in him, and seek to follow his example of love, peace, servant-hood and sacrifice. We indeed have a purpose for wherever we live! The way of God is caring for others and transforming communities to the good.

Recently I read a book entitled “Fear no evil”, which suggested that we write down those important statements that define who we are and what we stand for. Here was what I wrote down: “The Jesus-following life necessarily means initiating and participating in causes and activities that encourage the world to be more reflective about the Kingdom of God as per Jesus’ great prayer, ‘Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’”.

Now as we allow God to work in our lives, and as we seek to follow Jesus, a good aroma can develop about us. This good aroma travels with us and spreads around us; the more people who experience this good aroma ... the wider it spreads and the more places it enters. The reading from 2 Corinthians points this out. There is a picture there of a Roman military procession following a great victory progressing through the city with a big crowd on either side. The crowd is applauding and burning incense and spices and lavishly sprinkling perfume (in thanksgiving for the army’s victory). There is also in view the defeated captives ... trailing in chains at the rear. We could actually be at either end of that procession at different times – we could be part of the victory dance at the front, or part of the anguish and suffering at the rear. But if we know God, there can be an aroma of joy emanating whatever our circumstances – ease or hardship. The aroma of hope can be infectious and spread as life is lived with integrity. We would have to say that this beautiful spiritual aroma doesn’t work for everyone; but it is available to everyone.

So in my new work of planting a church ministry in the growing area of Tarneit, these are the thoughts I take with me. Myself, and the people I am working with, will have to invest their lives in that local area, seek its general welfare, care for people, help those in need, stand up for fairness, walk humbly with God, and pray for all the residents.

But these passages apply to everyone no matter where they are – the truths are timeless: (i) God does have a purpose for our lives right throughout; (ii)  and part of this is certainly a prayerful and practical concern for others; (iii) acting kindly is central; (iv) together with developing an aroma that strongly suggests that we have been with Jesus.

Where is the motivation to be thinking like this? The motivation comes from the gracious and graceful God, who has spared nothing and held nothing back in loving us and seeking to have a relationship with us. Through Jesus, God has forgiven our sins, and given our lives hope and meaning. I’m motivated that others might experience God in this way. Amen.

Gathering in Prayer

Happy new year! Those interested in our new church plant in Tarneit gathered for prayer last Sunday night (with some away on holidays) to pray concerning the future direction of this ministry. Certainly as we read from Matthew 6, we were seeking God's Kingdom and will to come to earth just as it is already operating in heaven. Diane was led to Acts 2:46, and reflected upon the hospitality that we would need to share with one another.

We will also need to have a clear and focussed care for the local Tarneit community, despite all the reservations we could possibly list. Yes people can find ways of annoying each other, yet ultimately these little niggly issues become insignificant in the light of God's offer of transforming love to all. In Jeremiah 29:1-9, there is a clear message about how we should react to the community in which we live, even if we live there in some tension.

We live where we live for a reason, and some of us may be able to concede that this is a God-ordained 'placement'. We are to live in our neighbourhoods with a sense of purpose and joy; and this is never for our benefit primarily, but rather for the benefit of all residents. Yet we may ultimately find that Jeremiah 29:7 is correct where it suggests that our personal welfare is intrinsically tied into the general welfare of our region.

So in our next prayer gathering this Sunday night coming, we should pray concertedly for the local community, its needs and aspiration - while at the same time listening and reflecting for ways to practically help realise and maximise this sense of wholistic well-being.

Foundations

I've been reading a book entitled "Fear No Evil" by American pastor Brady Boyd which was lent to me by a friend when returning a book I lent to them. In this book, pastors and others are encouraged to develop a better understanding of who they are and what they stand for, through writing down statements that then can become guiding principles for their decision-making and their responses to certain happenings. This is especially important for when you are put on the spot or find yourself suddenly out of your comfort zone. So here goes ... this is what I wrote down for myself as a foundational statement for my life and ministry: "The Jesus-following life necessarily means initiating and participating in causes and activities that make the world more reflective of the Kingdom of God as per Jesus' great prayer 'Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'". 

A Fragrance on the Breeze

Here is the written form of the devotion shared at our Tarneit dinner together last Sunday evening. It is based on the biblical text 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 (emphasising vs.14-16). Here is the text of those three verses from the New Revised Standard Version, where the Apostle Paul writes: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life."

Verse 14 offers a picture of a Roman general leading his victorious troops in procession through the city before a crowd that is applauding and burning incense & spices and lavishly sprinkling perfume (in thanksgiving to the gods who gave them victory) ... bringing with them their captured prisoners (from the defeated army) facing public ridicule and enslavement or death. So, which part of the procession are we in? With the victors? With the captives? Either at different times? Who are more impressive – those victors in the way they handle their success, or those captive in the way they handle their suffering?

Verses 14-15 have the emphasis on the fragrance or aroma that is smelt publically by all in the city. This is a fragrance gained not from a bottle but rather from knowing God through Jesus. Perhaps we could also sense that it is the crowd that sets the fragrance going in response to an experience of joy ... or as a response to meeting Jesus in others. Yet, as we see, this fragrance doesn’t necessarily work for everyone; but it certainly is available to everyone!

On verses 15-16 Larry Richards writes: “The Gospel message stimulates conflicting reactions. Some who hear respond like a child who smells his mother’s chocolate chip cookies baking. Some who hear react with wrinkled noses and expressions of disgust, as though a skunk had just passed by.” Some people will remain in their experience of death, while others will be illuminated in their experience of life.

Are we bringing the aroma of Jesus everywhere we go? This remains a challenge both when things are going well and when things are not going well, and also every time in between!

Community Engagement - definitions & principles

So having discussed the theological, biblical and practical basis of community engagement in my earlier posts, here are some ways of defining community engagement - between an outward looking church community or a group of missional-thinking Jesus-followers and their respective local neighbourhoods:
(1) where community needs and aspirations meet spiritual faith and resources;
(2) bringing people together (with transformative intent);
(3) entering the rhythms of community life [this one comes from Alan Hirsch];
(4) "playing away" - engaging with people in their own context [Stuart Murray];
(5) people of good faith partnering with people of goodwill around things of common concern.

Now I can list some of the principles of community engagement that I have discovered in my experience and reading:
(1) love your community, and get to know it well by frequenting the various places of gathering and listening to the voices of the neighbourhood;
(2) there are good, motivated and compassionate people working to help others and build community who may not have any church allegiance who we can form partnerships with;
(3) be adventurous and follow the promptings of God in walking through open doors and (gently) knocking on not yet open doors;
(4) imagine what the local community could look like if comprehensive and cohesive contributions were made by committed people;
(5) be truly local by allowing the local neighbourhood to reflect back into the worship of the church;
(6) pray for people and places - Dave Andrews says that community development cannot have value unless prayer is seen as indispensible and central;
(7) walk humbly, share life gently, build relationships patiently, become co-travellers, engage with the agendas of others while discovering gospel connections;
(8) be ready to make practical contributions - large and small, and fully follow through any commitments made (yet "good deeds" are only truly "good" if they are viewed that way by the recipient in terms of what their needs are);
(9) seek to increasingly involve more people to spread the load;
(10) be completely honest about where you are coming from and have no hidden agendas - Steve Addison promotes "medium-tension" activity i.e. fully connecting while remaining a distinct entity that does not deny or lessen one's central focus;
(11) be willing to lose debates without withdrawing, thus embracing consensus decision-making;
(12) watch for signs of manipulation or being boxed into a corner or pushed towards a party parochial position - promote enjoying people rather than using them;
(13) be in a position to always be available as the peace-maker, conflict resolver and reconciler;
(14) relationships forged during community engagement are of great value in and of themselves, irrespective of other outcomes; 
(15) people who experience God's love in the context of community engagement are already embedded in the culture of mutual service and thus well-positioned to serve others;
(16) have a long term view, and continually consider how God may be active.

Enjoy, not use

Another important point raised in the book that I was reading and commenting on last week - "Living without enemies", is that when working and interacting with people, we should carefully guard against 'using' others to meet our own ends, rather than simply 'enjoying' them for their uniqueness and intrinsic worth. I was reminded of this yesterday at the NOVO coaching course I was at, when in being in the role of a 'coachee', I was coached to consider ways of practically avoiding such behaviour in the context of my enthusiastic efforts toward planting our new church in Tarneit. So here are some possible responses: (1) Get to know people well by being interested in what they are interested in and through asking good questions; (2) Seek to forge mutual friendships, not just working relationships; (3) Pray for people's personal daily needs; (4) Listen carefully to what people want to contribute moreso than telling them what you need; (5) Thank people enthusiastically for whatever they are doing to help others.