Maughan Uniting Church

Do you remember the words: ‘the devil made me do it’?  The phrase: ‘the devil made me do it’ were the words of the South African cricket captain – Hansie Cronje, who was found guilty of match-fixing.  Have you ever felt tempted to say words to that effect? 

What do you think when a person uses a phrase like that?  How much are you in control of what you do?  Who is to blame when things go wrong?  When you are tempted or tested, do you see it as a challenge or do you feel attacked??

Today we read about the temptation of Jesus and I wonder if you feel like the person who said: “I can say no to anything, except temptation!?”

The sermon today will address 3 things:

• How was Jesus tempted;
• how did Jesus respond?, and:
• how will we find hope?

How was Jesus tempted?

There are several points in the reading of today to serve as reminders that Jesus’ time in the dessert was challenging in several ways: on a physical level; an emotional level and on a political level.  

On a physical level, the length of time, forty days, being tempted by the devil, was a long time.  The place of temptation, the wilderness – a place of wild animals and isolation made it harder to endure; the time without food or company – all this was very tough for a human being,

On an emotional level: the timing of being tempted – one minute he is the beloved child of God; the next minute Jesus is an outcast!  

It does seem ironic that Jesus was tempted straight after he was baptised.  Imagine being affirmed; anointed; acknowledged and accepted by God, who said: you are my beloved child – and suddenly you are bewildered in the wilderness..! 

The joy in the heart of Jesus during the baptism, was now pushed aside by feelings of being lonely, cast aside and hungry!

On a political level: Some scholars think that the temptations from the devil were to foreshadow the political temptations Jesus would face:

• right after the miracle of the loaves and fish was performed, the hungry crowds wanted to make Jesus king – how tempting was that – a chance to achieve something meaningful?
• when Jesus cleansed the Temple, it could have been the perfect time for Jesus to start a political movement as he already had shored up enough political and moral support from the crowds – a moment of great possibilities!.
• the night at Gethsemane when Jesus mentioned that he could call on twelve legions of angels to stop his arrest – a holy war could have been initiated and a spectacular delivery would have been the talk of the town!

On which level do you cope best with temptation?  Do you go weak when you are physically stretched and your sense of comfort is challenged; is it tough when you feel emotionally down, or, is the time of temptation for you when great opportunities make you feel you can win every war?

Jesus was tempted in many ways – can you indentify some of the ways you have been tempted?

How did Jesus respond?

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Luke 4:14-21

Nehemiah 8:1-8

Sermon

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way (A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens)

How would you describe the times we are living in – the best of times or the worst of times? Are we living in the spring of hope or the winter of despair?  And, is your image of God shaped by the times we live in or is it shaped by something else?   Most important question: in what way is the way we see Jesus and God influencing our actions; our life?

Today we are considering the times and tales of two cities, one city is Jerusalem, the heart-land of God’s people in the times of the Old Testament and the other, Nazareth, the place where Jesus grew up.

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Revelation 1:4-8

John 18:33-40

Today the sermon will cover three aspects:  Power from the inside; power from the outside and the power of a volunteer, alongside the image of the quintessential volunteer – Jesus!

The Gospel reading sketches a dramatic unfolding of the conversation between  Governor and Judge Pontius and the prisoner, Jesus.  A powerful Pontius Pilate versus a powerless Jesus.  Interrogator versus defendant.  Judge versus victim.  Free versus captive.  Powerful versus powerless.     

These two people seem to represent such different motivations for their positions – one is beholden to an external power – the Roman empire, the other committed to a choice from within.  Both men have power.

Power is a strange thing – it is beguiling and seems to promise so much.  Power can be a very good thing – and power used to protect; grow; facilitate or enhance is good.  Power used to belittle; detract; threaten or diminish makes the world a sad and bad place.  Power in the hands of William Wilberforce set the slaves free and gave people hope.  In the hands of Hitler……well, that is a different story.

According to a sociologist, Brian Maddern, power can have largely two very different effects:  He talks about the process of blessing – identity – power.  It goes like this: a child received and wanted by parents yearning for a child is blessed because of this.  This blessing then creates a sense of identity.  And this blessed and positive identity then creates a sense of positive power for the person.  And for the person who belongs, power of place is given.   And lo and behold: this power becomes a blessing in return.  A child arriving into an eager family awaiting the arrival has an incredible advantage above children who knows or feels that they do not belong. 

Does this blessing – identity – power formula work for Jesus – I think so!  At his baptism, Jesus was affirmed and blessed by the words of God, his father who said “this is my beloved child, with whom I am well pleased”.  This highlighted the identity of Jesus and gave him power to act in the way his heart called him to act.  Jesus lived out his identity in a powerful way, as a free choice, and as a blessing to the whole world.    Jesus lived out a power fuelled from the inside.  Jesus lived by the internal power of this truth – whatever the cost.

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The ups and downs of servant leadership: commitment; competition and crucifixion.

Mark 10:35-45

This passage contains a strange non-linear  sequence of events:  Jesus predicts his death; but: the disciples do not pay attention and err as they focus on their own agenda’s and then, Jesus teaches them about discipleship.   

It is a bit like sharing lunch with a close friend – and just when you want to tell them about a worrying Cat-scan you had, they get fidgety and ask what would you like for dessert?    In our disappointment we would feel like leaving, crying or withdrawing!

But Jesus persists with the lesson : how to be a disciple.

To be a disciple one needs to know about following.  However, the word disciple means far more than just follower.   The word disciple also means to be a learner – so to be a disciple of Christ is to be a life-long learner; to persistently gain new knowledge with the focus on Jesus. 

How is your learning and your yearning sculpted to love Christ more dearly; to follow Christ more nearly?

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Sermon  11 October 2009

Mark 10:17-30

Rev Dr Elizabeth Vreugdenhil

I have struggled and struggled this week, working out what to say about this very well known story of the rich man. Am I seriously going to stand up here and suggest that we should all sell our houses and our possessions and empty out our bank accounts?  Well I don’t think so.  I’m certainly not going to do that.  Yet even as I say this I am aware of some people who live by faith with no regular income, who manage very well. 

This story challenges us in western society to look carefully at our stuff, our possessions and our wealth, and think about how this affects our relationship with God and with others.

I wouldn’t call myself wealthy, but compared to the people of third world countries, I am extremely rich.  And so are you.  It’s all a matter of degree isn’t it.  I read a book recently by Cate Kennedy 1  who worked as a community development worker in Mexico. (Sing and Don’t Cry: a Mexican Journal).   She was immensely affected by  how little the Mexican people had – just a few clothes, blankets, some pots and pans and mats to sleep on;  yet how rich their family and community life was compared to us in Australia. 

In the bible story the rich man comes to Jesus to ask about eternal life.  Eternal life is another name for the Kingdom of God.2  He wants to know about the afterlife.  Is he going to Heaven?  Can he reserve a place?   But it is clear from the bible that the Kingdom of God also refers to the here and now.  Heaven starts on earth.  So the Kingdom of God, or eternal life, is both now and not yet.   Today, I am going to concentrate on the Kingdom of God which is here now.   

The man was extremely rich.  He had many properties.  That means that he had inherited much.  In those days the most common way that rich people acquired more property was from their impoverished neighbours. 3 There were so many taxes in those days and poor people often couldn’t make the land produce enough to feed themselves and their families and meet their taxation obligations.  So they needed to borrow money from their richer neighbours with their land as security.  When they defaulted on their debts the rich neighbour acquired their property.  This practice had been well established for centuries.  In Isaiah 5:8 we read “Woe to you who join house to house and add field to field until there is room for no-one but you and you are left to live alone in the midst of the land.” 

It is clear that the rich man’s family had become rich by taking advantage of their poorer neighbours.  When Jesus recites the commandments, an interesting thing happens.  He alters one of the commandments.  In Exodus 20:17 the usual commandment is “You shall not covet …..”,   But Jesus says, “You shall not  defraud”.  Jesus knew that this man’s wealth had grown by his family defrauding their poorer neighbours.  Perhaps Jesus was inviting the rich man to redress these wrongs by selling all that he had and giving it to the poor.  4

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Rev Dr Elizabeth Vreugdenhil

“Be doers of the Word, not hearers only”

James 1:17-27

The Epistle of James is one of the oldest letters in the New Testament and is full of wisdom.  The passage for today begins with a comment that relates to good stewardship.  James writes  “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights …..”  James 1:17  That means that every gift that we have to give, and every act of generosity, comes from God.  We are not the author of our own generosity and we do not own our own gifts to do with as we wish.  We are just looking after them for God. 

There are four types of gifts.  The first two are money and talents.  The second two are related and are  time and presence.   “Presence” means turning up.  Being present is vitally important so that the  event or worship service works.  It would not be any use my preparing a service for today if no-one came.  Some of you may feel that all you can do is come along to church or to different functions.  That is a very great gift and you are a steward of that gift.  

Being a good steward does not mean working for the Church to the point of exhaustion and burnout.  Being a good Steward involves taking good care of our mental and physical well being.”   I read recently this saying,   “If everyone does a little, no-one does too much”.  All our projects belong to God and they are all in God’s hands.  We are given the strength and energy to do what God calls us to do, not more and not less.  A good rule of thumb for deciding if God is calling us to something, is the degree of energy that we have.  Somehow or other, in our busy lives, we need to build in regular periods of rest because that is how God made us.  

As well as rest, we are called to give sacrificially of our money, talents, time and presence.  That is something to prayerfully consider.  We need to ask God how we are to use these aspects of our lives. 

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Rev Liellie McLaughlin

Mark 15:33-39

The Death of Jesus

Imagine you are in Jerusalem on Friday, the day of the crucifixion.  You realise that there are two different crowds in Jerusalem.  One crowd defiant: shouting those terrible words: “Crucify him, crucify him!!!”  The other crowd – sad, fearful and bewildered.  On the hill you see one crowd rushing the Roman soldiers to complete a task which allows no reasoning; no questions.  Jesus is hanging on the cross – you look up and you see the signs of pain etched into his muscles, pulling at his face.

An eerie stillness and suddenly it is incredibly dark.  It stays dark and the earth tremble and shakes.  The emotions of the crowds change – the jubilant mob has gone quiet, fretfully looking for anything which could explain this darkness.  But the darkness endures – with no explanation.  This darkness feels like forever and unforgiving.  Will the sun ever shine again?

And with this darkness – all sense of sureness about today and tomorrow has gone.  Two crowds – One darkness!  The once jubilant mob had lost its vengeful energy, is now fearful and desperate, the other crowd still watching and waiting: what does the darkness mean?

According to the Christian synoptic gospels, on the day Jesus was crucified, darkness covered the land for hours, an event which later came to be referred to as the “crucifixion eclipse“.

Jesus’ crucifixion took place around Passover, the middle of the lunar month and the time of a full moon.  Solar eclipses take place only at the time of the new moon.  For this reason, medieval commentators viewed the darkness as a miraculous event rather than a natural one.  A lunar eclipse, a solar eclipse or what?

It is not possible for us to say why or what this darkness was.  Also, there is not a scientific explanation which could minimise the awful foreboding feeling people may have had that the sun may never shine again.

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Sermon – “How do we turn from the darkness of evil and walk in the light of Christ?”      

Rev Dr Elizabeth Vreugdenhil

Sunday 23rd August  2009

Ephesians 6:10-20

Note:  This sermon was preached in conjunction with an infant baptism.  

We want to do the very best for our children – don’t we?  We want them to grow up to happy and healthy to lead fulfilling lives.  We want them to know that they are loved and are capable of loving others.  We want them to lead good lives and to help other people and, as my father used to say, make their contribution to society. 

Today’s topic may sound a little odd in the light of these feelings and ideas and yet I believe that it fits very well.  I am going to talk about evil.  In today’s world we don’t mention evil much.  But I think it is important especially as we are thinking about the welfare of children as well as ourselves.  

Our children need to be protected from evil.  Here is a selection from the ABC News headlines over the past few days.

• Asbestos driveway killed my Mum. 
• Murderer captured after fleeing prison farm. 
• US soldier sorry for Vietnam massacre.  
• Domestic violence arrests up 9.5%. 

It seems that even a cursory glance at the news shows us that evil is interwoven into our lives.  It is everywhere. 

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Sermon – Forgiveness – The Rev Liellie McLaughlin

Sunday 9 August 2009

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Do you know the word ‘akrasia’?  I have heard this word last week for the first time – but I’m sure that we all have been familiar with the concept for a long time.  Akrasia means to do the opposite of what one intends to achieve – while knowing full well that the actions we have now chosen will not take us towards reaching the goal.  I commit akrasia every time I have to write an exam because instead of studying I give in to an overwhelming urge to dust the pot plants – an urge which I never suffer at any other time.  And I dust the pot plants with the full knowledge that the shiny and beautiful leaves will not improve my knowledge one bit – but I do it. 

Another striking way of committing akrasia is to decide to lose weight – at least 5 kilo’s… and then to celebrate the mere intention with a cream bun and an ice coffee – at least 3 times a day….!

And now we have to ask – did David, King David who was also dad David, commit akrasia wanting to be a good parent but then acting not in accordance with this yearning?  He invited his son Absalom to live close to him, but blocked all opportunities to see him?   Dad David avoided spending time with his son Absalom for 7 years.  Seven years of empty seats at the table on Christmas-days; birthdays and father’s days.  Was this a deliberate act of akrasia, of putting something off or did he just get so busy with being king that being a dad just did not rate anymore?   Things went pear-shaped between Absalom and David when his sister,  Tamar, was abused.   Tamar was Kind David’s first-born daughter and the sister of Absalom.  Amnon, an older brother of Tamar was the abuser.  Absalom was the one who felt the injustice of the abuse of his sister Tamar and  Absalom was the one took his desolate sister  into his house.  And maybe Absalom, of all the sons,  wondered the most  why the King was furious, but did not do anything about the abuse his first-born daughter had suffered.

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Psalm 14:1-7
2 Samuel 11:1-15
King David…Courageous victor over the giant, Goliath…
King David…Anointed by God as King of Israel …
and, as we read to day…
King David…the murderous and adulterous seducer of Bathsheba.
To say the least, David’s…is an interesting life.
A Big Life.
Big enough for a great biography; perhaps…a life big enough for two biographies?
Who enjoys reading biographies?
A biography about an interesting figure, and one that’s well written, can be enthralling.
But, there are two types of biographies, aren’t there?: authorized and unauthorized.
If the subject is someone you admire and you want to be inspired by their life, then the authorized biography makes for a good read. You hear about the person’s great achievements, their vision, their positive qualities. But, their failures, their embarrassing moments, their character flaws, and any shameful events are generally spun into something more positive, or else ignored altogether. What we read is what the subject wants us to read.
In contrast, the unauthorized biography presents information that the subject of the biography doesn’t want us to know – including the shameful episodes, including the character flaws.
The Old Testament contains within it…two biographies of the life of David, sitting side-by-side: what could be termed the authorized and the unauthorized biographies of King David.
Reading these two biographies you could be forgiven for wondering if they’re talking about the same person!
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