The Trust Fall Lent 2 B 2024
10 Minute Message
Focus Readings Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8:31-38 Trust Fall Have you ever done a trust fall. I can remember right back to my days at youth group and Year 12 when I lived on the South Side of Brisbane. We were introduced to “new games”. They included things like parachutes and earth balls, but they also included trust activities involving blindfolds and placing yourself in the hands of of others. The iconic activity of this sort was the trust fall. A person would stand on a table with their eyes closed and then fall backwards onto a group of colleagues standing in a line....
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By the Mercies of God - A message on Romans 12:1-8
10 Minute Message
Key text: In many of Paul’s letters he begins after a general greetingby dealing with the issues that are causing problems in a church. He then goes on to deal with how we live out our faith in our daily life or ethics. Paul is talking about how we lives which witness or reflect God’s love and how we can serve others. This is exactly what he does in Romans. After his greeting he introduces himself to the church in Rome. Often Paul writes to one of the churches he founded to tell them how to deal with some of the problems or division in them. He didn’t start the church at...
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Go God’s “Love going” Way
10 Minute Message
1. Readings a. First Reading Amos 7: 7 - 8 b. Second Reading Matt. 23:23 c. Third Reading Deut.16: 18 -20 d. Gospel Luke 13:...
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What is the church? Acts 2:42
10 Minute Message
Today I want to speak as briefly as I can on a huge topic. What is the church? These six verses Acts 2:42-27 describe the church, as it was when it first began 2000 years ago and as it shall be through all eternity and as it is now. In one sentence the church is about teaching the Gospel, gathering in genuine community, breaking bread together and worship. From this, flows care and provision for those in need, signs and wonders, and growth. In short the church at its best is the embodiment of the Good Life, and this side of the new creation it is the closest thing to life in all its fullness....
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An Easter art Experience - Stations of the Cross 2023
10 Minute Message
Local Rockhampton artists are combining to tell the story of the first Easter through 15 artworks to be displayed at the South Rockhampton Uniting church in Campbell Street from the 4th to the 8th of April. The artworks including paintings, collages and even a story book will be arranged in order, to tell the story of the first Easter from Thursday night through to Easter Sunday. There will be a booklet with artists reflections on each piece, a reading, and a prayer. Admission is free and visitors can use the booklet to follow the story, reflect and pray or just wander through and...
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Carols on the Lawn - South Rockhampton Unitng Church
10 Minute Message
Christmas is all about restored comminity, making personal, family, social and Spiritual connections. 6pm-8 pm 17th December 2022 at South Rockhampton Uniting Church. 312 Campbell Street (Band starts at 6, Carols at 6.30) Join us, celebrating community and the first Christmas with contemporary Christmas songs and carols. Bring Christmas hats and t-shirst, glowsticks, battery candles, picnic rugs and folding chairs. Some free glow sticks provided. Featuring soloists, U3A Choir and more. Supper to follow. Wet weather venue in the church hall. Message us on Facebook or...
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Jesus carries us accross the line
10 Minute Message
Heb 11:29-12:2 Sermon Jesus Carries us across the line The Story of Derek Redman See Derek Redman was a contender to win a medal in the 400m sprint at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. He had easily made the semi-finals winning both his heats, but in that semi-final 150 metres from the end, his hamstring tore. The Olympic creed is a quotation from the founder of the modern Olympics. It says “The important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part, just as in life, what counts is not the victory but the struggle.” In an act which embodies the Olympic creed,...
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The Experience of God - Trinity Sunday c 2022
10 Minute Message
Key Bible passages: Proverbs 8:1–4, 22-31, Romans 5:1–5, John 16:12–15 The experience of God (Trinity) Today is Trinity Sunday. From our tradition and in our history the church has usually named God as Trinity. God is One but at the same time God is Three - Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Today, I’m going to talk about how God is experienced and how in that experience, as God is revealed to us, we come to know God as three and as one. This understanding of God as Trinity comes from the experience of God by the people of Israel, in the early church, and in our personal...
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Jacob Wrestling with God - A narrative sermon
10 Minute Message
A narrative sermon based on Genesis 32: 25-32 and Matthew 26: 36-46 My name is Jacob. I’m a twin. They say that even when I was in my mother’s womb I struggled with my brother. I came out holding onto his heal so they gave me the name grasper or grabber. The name sort of fits because for the first part of my life that’s just what I was like. I knew that the only way to get ahead in life was to make your own way and your own luck. If a situation presented itself then you should grab it with both hands and never let go. Keep your wits about you and if other people give you a tiny...
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Rebuilding Community Pentecost Day 2022
10 Minute Message
Focus Readings: Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; John 14:8-17 In Douglas Adam's Science Fiction series, the Hitch Hikers' Guide to the Galaxy there is a fish called the Babel fish which can be inserted into the ear and which translates whatever is being said in any language instantly to your own. He writes "by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation." - Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy It's meant to be a funny line because often people argue that if...
info_outlineFocus readings : Isaiah 55:1-9, Luke 13:1-9
Message summary
The picture of God in today's Gospel reading (Luke 13:6-9) could be a picture of a severe judge ready to cut down any tree that does not bear fruit and burn it in the fire. The parable is a call to repentance. To repent, literally means to turn around. Jesus is calling us all to turn from our selfish ways, and turn to God. The parable and the picuture of God it paints may not be as severe as we might first think.
First, even though we may not bear fruit, God is offering us the opportunity to repent. Second, the tree is not cut down, it is given fertilizer and another chance. Third, this is not the first time the owner has come and seen no fruit. Time and time again, year after year, the tree has been spared. God's love and mercy is enormous and so while we are living, it is never too late to accept God's offer of a new life, a life turned round, and turned to God.
Questions for discussion or reflection.
Has your life been a fruitful one? Are the fruit of the Spirit growing in you? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.)
What images of God do you relate to best the ones from Isaiah 55:1-9, or those from Luke 13:6-9?
Do you need to accept God's offer of a new life, and turn (or be turned) to God?
************ SERMON TEXT ************
The conventional view of the New Testament is that it’s about God as love - Grace & kindness while the Old Testament about following rules, God as a severe Judge, & being Good.
Today’s readings seem to stand these understandings on their heads.
The Old Testament words we heard read were first heard in either exile or siege in a setting of hunger, hardship, and perhaps working hard for a foreign government in exile. It is a picture of abundance of God’s free provision- v1 Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. It’s not a call to repentance or words of judgement but words of invitation to experience God’s freely given love. It’s a picture both of a future time of abundance and of God’s provision now. “I have and I will provide everything” god is saying so “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,and your labour for that which does not satisfy?” Verse 2
These words must have sounded the exiles like Daniel working for King Nebuchadnesser in Babylon. They were labouring for position, power, money, possessions, but none of these will fill the stomach. They also knew that God provided for them and protected them even when they were forcibly dragged off to a foreign land. They knew that all that is necessary for life, God provides.
I wonder if we have that confidence. It’s easy not to trust God and spend money for that which is not bread,
and labour for that which does not satisfy? Verse 2
What are we working for? - Brand names? (Shoes) Position. Gadgets. Luxury items. Financial security. These won’t fill us if we are hungry or shelter us when it is raining. At the moment those in Ukrane are almost certainly not concerned about designer shoes or prestige motor cars.
For us, for them, for the besieged and exiled in ancient Israel and Babylon that question from the Old Testament is very powerful. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Verse 2
It is especially powerful because God in this reading invites us to a great banquet freely given and this banquet is not just for us, this wonderful blessing will be spread to all nations. “See” the reading says:
“5 ...you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,”
So that’s the Old Testament reading for today. A promise of God’s abundant provision not just for us, but for the whole world. It tells us to come and freely receive, and asks why we labour for things we don’t need especially given God’s overwhelming generosity.
This wonderful picture of God’s abundant love, a banquet for all the nations is contrasted with Jesus in today’s Gospel reading.
You’re all sinners, Jesus says and you all need to repent. No one is better or worse than anyone else.
The same fate awaits us all if we don’t repent. All of us will die. Specific sin may not lead to specific judgement, but because we are all sinners we all face the Judgement. To quote Paul “The wages of Sin is death...” If we don’t repent we will be damned.
And repentance is not just saying “I’m sorry” and it isn’t even a change in behaviour - it’s a change in life; a change from a life dedicated to ourselves and getting for ourselves that which is not bread, to a life dedicated to God and others. A tall order, even impossible but it’s a change God has done everything to make possible.
The people of Israel, the disciples and you and me are all like the fig tree.
We have been placed in the Garden watered and cared for.
Everything has been done for us- nothing else is needed for us to bear fruit!
The people of Israel believed that they were the children of the promise to Abraham, that they were rescued from slavery in Egypt, and later when they are conquered and carried off to Babylon God returns from exile and restores them to their home.
As Christians we have an even greater gift. We have the gift of Jesus. God become one of us. God who died for us. God who was raised for us. God who revealed to us that he is like a loving Father and a loyal Son who shares a perfect relationship; who shares that relationship with us as a gift.
We have been nurtured and cared for like the Fig Tree and yet some of us have not borne fruit. We taken all that we have been given and chosen to spend it on that which does not satisfy so our life and growth are stunted.
So our Old Testament reading tells us that God has so abundantly blessed us that, that blessing like a light or a beacon will draw the whole world to us but the New Testament suggests we have wasted that blessing. We are like a well cared for fruit tree which does not bear fruit. Or we are like a light hidden in a basket.
You and I are all sinners, who time and time again fail to repent and there is a warning of judgement here! Next year we may be pulled out and burnt in the fire, BUT this year God has not abandoned us.
Think about the fig tree. The owner (God) has planted it. Year after year the owner provided for it, visited it and even after all those years of no fruit the owner had not destroyed it. He gives it at least one more year. Perhaps if we do not fruit next year he will give us another year. I don’t know. God is abundant in mercy and steadfast in love and also just. Will that mercy last forever? Will we put God to the test and keep wasting God’s generous care and provision?
This too, was the story of the people of Israel, they did face judgement, yet time and time again God rescued them, called them back and healed them.
This was the story of the first followers of Jesus. They misunderstood him fought about who was the greatest, abandoned, betrayed and denied, him when he faced death and trial. Yet Jesus did not abandon them. From the cross he cries out “forgive them”. In the end he re-commissions them.
I believe it is your story too, (I know it’s mine) there are times when you and I are selfish and waste the blessing. When we hide our light in the basket, instead of setting it on the hill.
God is the great and just judge who will set things right and rightly condemns your sin and mine. God is also Mercy and Love
It is in this wonderful context of God’s love, Grace and forgiveness that you and I, are called to repent - to a change of Life.
This is true in the OT and the NT. God promises a Banquet big enough for the whole world and is prepared to give the Fig Tree one more year even after many years of no fruit.
So in the wonderful light of God’s mercy and love, have you heard God’s call to the banquet, Christ’s call that you should live fruitful lives, his call to turn from a life dedicated to ourselves, to a life dedicated to God. Are you ready to stop spending your money on that which is not bread and labouring for that which does not satisfy? Are you ready to turn, and be turned to him? Are you ready to shine the light, and be a beacon of hope for your community.
Take a few moments of silence now to think about your lives, God’s love and mercy and God’s desire that your lives should be fruitful.