Its
very tempting to read this afternoons New Testament lesson, weighing
in as it does to those who start building or go into battle without
proper preparation, as a direct and timely comment on our current political situation! Back in 2016, there
had been so little expectation of a Brexit decision, there was
absolutely no plan for how we would reach that end point, what it
might cost in financial, human or reputational terms. There wasn’t
even a rough map, so getting lost was almost inevitable and however we voted, I think its fair to say that the
widespread confusion of the national landscape has not reflected well
on the country nor inspired anyone with hope in recent days. So,
today's Scripture might indeed speak into such a time as this, - a word
to the wise to be prepared but the advice to rulers from Jeremiah
holds good for all time, all places
3
This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from
the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or
violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not
shed innocent blood in this place
in
contrast to our Deal or No Deal scenario, that's the kind of country
I want to live in, the sort of manifesto I would get behind no matter
what, - and tragically, it’s one which has been pushed yet further
from our present reality by the events in Christchurch on Friday.
There’s not much doubt about what we must NOT do. God’s words are
no open to interpretation here “DO NO WRONG OR VIOLENCE TO THE
FOREIGNER. DO NOT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD”
Later God makes it even more clear..."Is not this - obedience to these commands - Is not THIS to know me?"
Later God makes it even more clear..."Is not this - obedience to these commands - Is not THIS to know me?"
That
anyone, anywhere, could imagine that in turning on a community at
prayer they were doing right is as baffling as it is chilling, but
thankfully in this as in all else the ultimate judgement rests not
with you and me but with a God who is truly our compassionate and
merciful Father.
So,
for now, if we want to know God, let’s just do all that we can to carry on obeying God’s
commands: to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly – and we will
probably be OK.
Meanwhile,
I think there's even more by way of challenge going on in our New
Testament reading as Jesus invites us to carry the cross and to give
up all our possessions.
It’s
not a great sales pitch, is it?
We’d
rather have the kind of Saviour who invites us to follow his
triumphant procession, caught up in the slipstream of his glory,
cheered on by adoring crowds.
I
can’t imagine that carrying crosses was on anyone’s wish list for
a happy outing, not then and not now. – certainly not mine.
But
we can’t say that Jesus didn’t warn us. He didn’t promise an
easy ride in any way.
We’re
going to have to change, you see.
Because
broken sinful humanity is as it is, we won't find ourselves truly
living in a country that operates in accordance with God's love and
God's justice, until we've made a long hard journey…
I
think perhaps the subtitle for the New Testament reading might be
“Know your Ts & Cs”, terms and conditions.
Or
as a far better theologian than I put it “The cost of discipleship”
You see there is a cost. Not a charge,
but a cost nonetheless.
Yes,
it's easy to get carried away, to build castles in the air about
changing the world for God but there are important things to
remember. This journey of grace costs us nothing in some
respects...God's love is truly an unconditional free gift, his
amazing welcome open to us all, no matter who we are or where we come
from.
But....it's a journey that will change us.
You can't fall in love and
expect to have every other area of your life left untouched.
You
can't opt to follow Jesus and be unchanged by your decision, not
because he demands it but simply because that's the way things are.
To
follow Jesus means longing to be more like him,and that
transformation will involve many choices that feel distinctly
uncomfortable as our egos are manoeuvred into second place.
I
don’t know what your cross might look like – what your struggles
might entail – but I’m sure they’ll be real and hard. We are
asked to pick up something we DONT imagine we want – that
personally tailored, individually crafted cross – and to let go of
things that we have valued so much that there’s a real risk that
those possessions have come to possess us.
That’s not the easiest
of exchanges, I’m afraid.
On the whole, when it comes to
possessions, I don’t think material things are likely to be the
big issue. It’s more about those ideas that form our world view,
opinions that have become facts to us, sweeping generalisations that we take on trust, or maybe even that unconscious
privilege which means we no longer notice the lens through which we
view reality.
The
point is that serious discipleship does involve submitting to
discipline.
The clue is in the word. God loves us far too much to
leave us as we are. We are invited to risk a radical transformation,
to give up whatever might impede us– to honestly work at following
Jesus, and allowing his way to become ours.
Can I invite you to consider your own inner landscape afresh. Ask God to help you to identify those habits of heart and mind, those ways of being that we hold so tightly they dominate and distort everything. Then ask for the grace to let go - to leave your hands free to bear the weight of whatever your cross might be.
Jesus doesn’t promise us an easy ride, - that's all too true. But the rewards are out of this world and this is, truly, the journey of a lifetime.
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