The Value of Relationship.

Mark 2:1-12

Last week, I preached on “Love in Action” and it occurred to me during the week, that often, in order to make it happen, we need others around us. We need to be in relationship with each other and so I have titled this morning’s sermon, “The Value of Relationship.”

I wonder if for many of you ladies, as you watched the Royal Wedding recently, it stirred up secret yearnings to be in Kate Middleton’s shoes? To be a royal princess and have people wait on you, hand and foot? I wonder how many of you men have ever secretly wished you were a famous film or rock star, with women falling at your feet? Sounds great, doesn’t it, even if a little surreal. However for all their glamorous lives there is a huge downside, because when you read of their lives it soon becomes apparent that they can’t go anywhere without being swamped by reporters and fans forever in their faces and instead it rather makes you glad that you’re just you, doesn’t it?

Well, I believe, this is what it was like for Jesus; Jesus Christ, Superstar. Everywhere he went, the crowds followed. Occasionally he managed to get away into the hills, away from the demands of the crowds to spend time in prayer with his father, but it wasn’t easy.

So it is, in our Gospel reading this morning. Mark tells us that a few days after Jesus re-entered the town of Capernaum, the crowds got wind of his presence there and showed up in their droves. Soon the house was filled to overflowing with people; and people even spilled out into the streets. We can’t quite imagine this as our homes are our sanctuary, not open to all and sundry.

Well, into this crowd came four men, carrying on a stretcher, a friend of theirs who was paralysed. So jammed was the narrow street that they could not get through. However, they were as resourceful, as they were determined and so we read that they climbed on top of the house and cut a hole through the roof and lowered their crippled friend down. ( Somehow, I can’t imagine council members at CPAC being thrilled at the idea of someone cutting a hole in the new roof at church house, so I can’t help wondering what was going on in the mind of that house owner, but I digress!)

This morning I would like to look at this story from a different angle. I would like us to explore the dynamics of this story by taking a look at the principal characters involved.

The first thing I noted in this story was the intercession of his friends. Most people had forgotten about this paralysed man as they raced to see and hear Jesus, but there were four who had not! They took the time and they made the effort to go out and get him and bring him to Jesus. I wish that we knew their names, but I get the sense that they did what they did, not for recognition, but because they cared. They not only desired to see Jesus for themselves, they wanted others to see him. Thus, they became co-participants in the miracle that was about to take place.

And so, thanks be to God, this unfortunate cripple had friends who genuinely cared and felt for him. It causes me to ask the questions, just how important are friendships and relationships to you? How does what you do for your friends and neighbours, impact on their lives?

If you read the story closely you will discover that this man’s forgiveness and his healing was based on faith, but not his own faith. He was forgiven and healed because of the faith of these friends. Quite an encouragement for those of us who are praying for others, isn’t it! And what would we do without family and friends who care and who under-gird us with strength when we need it. No, they cannot perform a miracle and make us well again when we are sick. No, they cannot bring back a loved one who has died, but friends and family can offer a ministry of presence. They can be there when we need them, and that means a lot. This cripple could not have received healing without the faith of his friends. What never ceases to amaze me, as new believers tell me their stories, is how often I discover there was people in the background who had been praying for these persons for years and years! Something to think about, wouldn’t you agree?

The second personality in the story was the crowd who prevented the cripple from seeing Jesus. They actually kept this poor unfortunate from getting to Jesus. I can’t help wondering if we, like the crowd in the story, unintentionally have become a barrier to people coming to Jesus, for often our own complacency and lack of enthusiasm for our beliefs create a barrier for others. I believe we constantly need to ask ourselves, are we reaching others for Christ or are we simply meeting one another’s agenda? We somehow have to get beyond routine and maintenance, to let people know that we care about them as persons and that we care about their souls. In other words, we are called, as Christians, to go the extra mile.

Oh yes, the paralysed man did see Jesus. A hole was cut through the roof of the house and he was lowered in. But we dare not forget that he saw Jesus despite of, and not because of, the help of the crowd, which tragically so often represents the church.

The third personality in the story is the cripple. To understand his plight, we must first realize that in Jesus’ time health and theology were viewed as inseparable. If you were sick it was because God was angry with you because of some sin you must have committed. The people of that day thought this man was crippled because he had done something to invoke the wrath of God. After hearing that for years, the man himself perhaps began to believe it too, for wouldn’t you? Many of us in today’s world carry stuff all through our lives because someone significant to us has told us over and over again, that we are useless, or worthless, or stupid. And although we try not to believe it, unless handed over to Jesus for healing of memories, it can surface from time to time as an immobilizing force in our lives. I wonder, what criticism have you carried as a burden on your shoulders all through your life that has hindered the way you operate. Is it something you need to get rid of once and for all? This cripple may not have been even sure what he did, but he would be convinced that it must have been something pretty bad because he sure was paying for it now!

I’m sure there were those in the crowd that day who would have thought, “He made his bed, let him lie in it.” It is so easy to criticise those in a state that we are not in, even today. We are still very capable of making the same assumptions and moral judgements:

· All those homeless people…they’re out there on the streets by choice you know.

· Well, I’ve got no time for solo mums. I reckon they all got themselves into that predicament just so they didn’t have to go to work, and could stay at home and collect the domestic purposes benefit.

· Our government is too slack. We should be a lot harder on those that break the law. I say lock them all up and throw away the key.

No doubt you’ve all heard similar comments from the self righteous among us in our communities.

I believe this crippled man represents the disenfranchised people in today’s society. The people we would just as soon not deal with. But notice that, even if this man had done something to bring his condition upon himself, Jesus did not condemn him. Jesus realises that this man’s condition is more self-imposed than medical. He did not take advantage of this captive man to lecture him on the virtue of taking control of his life, of making something of himself, of doing the right thing. (Now that is really worth taking note of!)

No, he didn’t do any of those things. Instead, he says, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” In these words we can discern the root of the man’s illness, and of our own. He, like ourselves, was paralysed by sin. His first paralysis is not physical but spiritual. So, Jesus offers him forgiveness. Afterwards he is healed and walks, but only afterwards. While the physical healing was a miracle, it was the healing of the man’s relationship with God that becomes the lesson for this morning.

I pray that God will use us to share our faith with others and give us the courage to speak His words of life and healing into the lives of others that they too may experience the love and peace of Christ; that they too may be made whole.

And, I pray that we will put love into action, no matter how hard, how inconvenient or how difficult, knowing that we can only accomplish it by being in relationship with Christ and with one another.

Love in Action

Love in Action.

John 13:31-35.

Last Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day; a day set aside to show our love and appreciation for all mothers and women in our society; a day to give thanks for all they mean to us; a day in which to honour them. And honour them we did here at CPAC thanks to the men in our church! And a very special thanks to Peter Bishop who organised that very special service. As women we were truly affirmed!

As I thought about how wonderfully affirmed we were as women, it got me thinking how do we affirm God? One of the ways we do, as Christians, is by setting aside one day a week, to celebrate God’s love for us. As we gather in worship this morning we affirm that the greatest blessing that God has given us, is God’s love for us; God’s love that forgives us our sins and makes us children of God; God’s love that brings us together into a fellowship with one another, and God’s love that sends us forth to proclaim the death and resurrection of Jesus, our Saviour. As God’s people we gather together in this congregation to affirm to one another, what is most important to us: God’s love.

As Jesus says this morning, “A new commandment I give to you; that you should love one another, even as I have loved you, you should love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Let’s be very clear about this. This is not a request or a “if you wouldn’t mind” kind of instruction. It is very clearly a command! Most of all, first and foremost, what God desires of us is that we love one another. We may tithe. We may teach. We may sing or serve or sacrifice. We may visit on behalf of our congregation, preach the gospel, set up for the church on Sundays, serve in the kitchen, bake for the morning teas, organise the sound desk, run the power point, select the music, teach King’s Kids, organise youth activities, pick up parishioners, take a home group, serve on council, be involved in outreach, Drug Arm, Prison Ministry, visit the elderly, lead a hospital ministry, teach CRE or even be involved in ALPHA. (Have I left anything out?) And, of course, all of these things are of vital importance to our congregation and our life together. However, if we do not do them out of love for God, if we do not love one another, we miss what God desires most of us.

I am reminded of a Charlie Brown cartoon. Lucy stands with her arms folded and a resolute expression on her face, while Charlie Brown pleads with her, “Lucy,” he says, “You must be more loving. The world needs love. Make this world a better place, Lucy, by loving someone else.” At that Lucy twirls around angrily. “Look you blockhead,” Lucy screams. “The world I love. It’s the people I can’t stand!” And I think that sometimes we can identify with that remark. It’s easy to love in the abstract---the world, people in general. We have no problem with that. It’s people around us that drive us crazy. And yet it is precisely those people around us, people nearest to us, with whom we work and go to school, neighbours next door, and the people we sit next to in church, and, heaven forbid, the members of our family that Jesus calls us to love.

Love in action. That’s what we are talking about this morning; Love which finds expression in kindness, courtesy, tolerance, and acceptance of those around us; the kind of love Sharon and Daniel are soon to experience and live out in through marriage. Jesus calls us to love one another and to bring that love to light, in the way that we treat those around us. It’s easy to love people in general, to affirm that love is a good thing and something we all need. But it’s another thing altogether to put that love into action, to make love concrete in our attitudes and actions toward others. Someone once said, “We are judged by our actions, not our intentions. We may have a heart of gold, but then, so does a hard-boiled egg!”

I don’t know about you, but often it is my family that I have the most difficulty putting that love into action. Before my brother and sister-in-law went off to work in Thailand at the end of last year to I had a family dinner with my brother and his family. All profess to have no faith in God and I spent an evening listening to all their inter-lecturizing about why, what I believe is all rubbish; that God doesn’t exist. I was ready to get up on my high horse and tell them a thing or two when at that instance realised all God wanted me to do was to just love them! I realised it would have been a complete waste of time confronting them, because as Jesus discovered when he was on trial, when peoples’ hearts are so hardened words and confrontation will not make a scrap of difference

Love one another. As a congregation of God’s people, we are called to care for one another, to set aside our preconceived notions of who is and who is not acceptable to God. You know, the interesting thing is that the ground at the foot of the cross is level. Ever thought about that? Well, it’s true because we are all sinners. We have all fallen short of the glory that God expects of us and we are all received into God’s goodness only by God’s grace, not by our own doing.

Have you ever thought that it is only God’s love that unites us. Have a look around you! We are all so different. If it wasn’t for God’s love, would we actually gravitate to one another naturally? Well some of us would, but honestly, there are probably only a small number that you probably have a lot in common with normally. It is God’s love that unites us in a new way and it is God’s love that we are called to share with one another. That means that our lives must be characterized by love in action. For I am convinced that love in God’s language and understanding, is a verb; it’s a doing word! It is what we as Christians are called upon to put into action every day of our lives. Not just on Sundays.

Jesus says, “As I have loved you, love one another.” The truth is that we love because he first loved us. We enjoy the benefits of this congregation because others experienced God’s love and decided to share that love with us. They experienced God’s love for themselves and sacrificed, by meeting initially in a classroom. Anne Allan tells me that the guys even had to drive over every week to St. John’s, load up the trailer and then drive here to Churton Park, unload the trailer and then set up. Afterwards the chairs had to be loaded back onto the trailer and returned to St. John’s. Not just one Sunday but EVERY Sunday!! And they did this to make God’s love the foundation of this congregation, and now it is our turn. It is our time to experience God’s love and action in our lives and to sacrifice and to make it real for others.

We live in a world that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith, a world that grows more and more self-centred every day, a world that has lost the meaning of the word “sacrifice,” that does not understand the commitment of faith. This is the world in which we are called to share God’s love, but we also admit that we are part of this world. We are among those who find it difficult to love others. We are among those whose time is limited and who find it difficult to make time for church. We are among those who often fail to share God’s love with others. And we are among those whose offerings for the church are often far from “sacrificial.” How often does your gift to God depend upon the amount of change you have in your purse or pockets on Sunday?

Let’s be very clear. Our Christian discipleship, living as faithful members of the church, is not just a matter of will power. It is not just deciding we will do it, that we will love others. It is also not about feelings, because as we all know feelings blow hot and cold. It just doesn’t happen that way. It happens far more simply than that.

Sharing God’s love, living God’s love, loving one another, happens only when we are connected to God’s love, when we allow God’s love to surround us, to shape and mould our lives in Jesus’ image. How do we connect with God’s love? It happens when we invite his Son Jesus Christ into our lives and real transformation happens only when we give him permission to be the Lord of our lives; handing over every area of our lives to him.

In a world all too often filled with people concerned about themselves first, we are called to witness to something far more important----love that gives itself for others; love that cares about others; love that makes our lives meaningful and significant; unconditional love. By this all men will know we truly are Christ’s disciples.

Love in Action 15 May 2011

As I was praying about what I should write for this week to tie in with my sermon, “Love in Action,” I recalled the funeral I took at my last church of a member of our congregation. As I stood greeting people on the day of his funeral, I found my eyes brimming over with tears. Strange as it might seem, they were not tears of sadness but rather tears of joy and wonder that, among the many mourners, there was such a large number of people from our church. I realized that I was actually overcome by their love for Warren who, mentally disabled from birth, due to a medical misadventure, was not like the rest of us.

Warren’s whole life had been one of struggle. A faithful attendee, he nevertheless, at times, had been the recipient of intolerant criticism from our own church members. However, I believe this man was a gift to this world and certainly to our church: an incredible gift that taught us about love; not love as the world defines it, but love as defined in scripture, love as defined in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians; God’s love.

I am convinced that love, in God’s language, is a verb, a doing word. We are charged to put love into action; not just on Sunday; not just when we feel like it; not just to people we are drawn to, but to those we come into contact with throughout our daily lives, whether they are like us or not. I don’t know about you, but for me I was certainly lead to Christ through the love and action of others!

The challenge then for us, I believe, is to read and meditate on 1 Corinthians 13 :4-7 during the coming week and to ask God’s Spirit to reveal the areas where we fall short, where our love for others is wanting, in order that, with God’s help, our lives might truthfully display love in action; that we might display Christ’s love in the world.

Yours in Christ,

Jinny.

Mother’s Day

MOTHERS DAY Sun 8^th May 2011

Scriptures: Proverbs 31:10-end The good wife

Acts 18; 24-26 Women in the early church

John 20 : 11-18 Mary Magdalene honoured by Jesus

Intro: This service is arranged today by the men of CPAC to honour our mothers and all women as Jesus did. So we are giving Jinny our Vicar a break and seeking to bless her aswell!

(1) What the Bible says about women

- God created man and woman together in his image. Genesis 1:26-end

-It was his idea to create us like him so we could have fellowship with Him and with one another.

-together we bear the image of God

-together we are given the commission to be fruitful and multiply

-together we are given dominion over the earth

-God created man and woman to complete each other Gen 2:18-end

-But in Gen 3 they both sinned and fell in disobedience to God and were expelled from the garden. So God had to start again with Abraham and Sarai to build a people who could live in covenant with Him and each other(Gen 12-28)

In Exodus 20 the 4^th Commandment is for children to honour their father and their mother equally. This is the first commandment with a promise, ”that all may go well with you…”

- There are many great women in the OT like faithful Sarah, rejoicing Miriam, believing Hannah, loyal Ruth, trusting Rahab, strong Deborah and courageous Esther.

(2) Women have been treated badly and still are:

Eg by the Pharisees and by the church and by male dominated society who have treated women as inferior to men and blamed women for the fall and many of the ills of society.

So women have been restricted in their access to education and to justice, the vote and positions of responsibility in society. Many women still are oppressed as shown by ‘Rape Crisis’ collecting around the city yesterday and ‘Women’s Refuge’ who run safe houses for women and children abused by men.

Eg. The 100,000 plus solo mothers raising children on their own.

We men have often treated women as

Ÿ a. the problem in society so marginalized them and

Ÿ b. merely as sexual objects to be used and discarded.

Women often have been abused physically, oppressed spiritually and despised mentally.

I must confess that when I think of the shame in our country of our high abortion and solo parent numbers I have in the past thought that women were to blame for these blights upon our land. But the truth is “it takes two to tango” and so irresponsible men are at least equally to blame. Remember when you point a finger at someone 4 fingers are pointing back at you.

The 20^th Century Women’s movement was necessary to bring back a balance to society and in the developing world I have been privileged to work with World Vision and UNICEF who are uplifting women and girls by for instance getting girls into education and 50% women on village development committees.

(3) Jesus uplifted women and freed them to be fulfilled and still does:

In Luke and Acts particularly we see the important role that women played in Jesus ministry and the early church eg Luke 8:1-3 The women set free by Jesus followed Him and provided for the disciples out of their resources; Luke 23:49 describes the women who had followed him from Galilee at the cross.

I particularly want us to look at Jesus and Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb as recorded in John 20. She was the first person Jesus revealed himself to when he was resurrected and he commissioned her to tell the disciples that he was ascending to the Father.

1. Just as she recognised him when she was so desperately looking for him when he called her by name so Jesus calls each of us by name… John, Marg, Carol, Jinny…. He knows and loves each of us so much and has a purpose and plan for each of us to fulfill and be fulfilled in. She acknowledged him as ‘raboni’ teacher.

2. The resurrection encounter of Mary was the ultimate way of Jesus affirming women. He not only healed women like Peter’s mother in law of fever and the women who touched his garment and the Phoenician woman’s child; he saved the woman from stoning who was accused of adultery and lifted condemnation off her and he accepted the adoration and precious ointment from the woman before he was crucified, he also honoured his mother at the cross. Jesus was revolutionary in his uplifting and honouring of women for his time.

3. The important message he entrusted Mary Magdalene to take to his disciples affirms women’s vital role as sharers of the gospel. A famous NZ Evangelist Frank Houston went as far as to say that the 3 best ways to get the message out were, ‘television, telephone and tell a woman.’ By that he acknowledged that women often are better at sharing the good news with their families and friends than men. It was through his ministry that Daphne was delivered of a childhood fearful experience and came into greater freedom in the Spirit. When men and women together witness the gospel it is most convincing and effective.

(4) The importance of mothers and Christian women today

One of the most important things our mothers do for us is believe in us. Eg UNICEF campaign saying, ‘Your Mum believed you could change the world. You can.’ this affirms us so much and is such a godly thing. I was praying with a pastor one day and he thanked the Lord that He believed in us. So often we think it’s all up to us to believe in God but realising how much He believes in you and that Jesus chose you is transformative. When we see the Lord’s plan and purpose for each other and share it then heavens power to fulfil that plan happens.

Strong Christian women have been a great help to me in my Christian life: the first prayer meeting I went to I was so awed I couldn’t pray as everyone else did. In my embarrassment I said to the lady next to me, ‘I’m new to this’ and she so graciously empathised with me and said, ‘We’re all learning.’ Valerie Underhill was the wife of the Dean of ChCh and a spiritual friend of Daphne’s mother. She encouraged Daphne to come to the prayer meeting which lead eventually to our marriage. Valerie’s prayers led to a spiritual revival movement centred on the Christchurch Cathedral crypt during the 1970s.

Daphne’s mother Aileen was only 5 ft high but she was a mighty prayer warier who saw all her family come to Christ. Her husband Mo was the toughest nut to crack and in desperate prayer after 16 yrs waiting for him she hit the wall in her cry to God for him. Shortly after a Catholic Sister asked Mo to attend a ‘Life in the Spirit’ Seminar and he was gloriously saved from alcohol to Christ.

Conclusion:

Today I’m believing for a special encouragement from God for the women of CPAC. God believes in you and wants you to shine out for him. Some of you have been held back by various spiritual fears and physical afflictions.(sometimes caused by men who you must forgive; as we men ask forgiveness on their behalf) A little song says, ‘Jesus took my burdens and rolled them in the sea, never to remember anymore.’ today as we pray for you and honour you let any burdens you’re carrying go and let Jesus set you free to be the woman of God he has called you to be. He calls you by name and you can call Him ‘raboni teacher’ as Mary Magdalene did.

Prayer for the women of CPAC. They can stand as those around bless them and John prays.

‘Set your women free today O Lord

From hurts and fears of the past.. condemnation; rejection; physical pain; infertility

Let all affliction Go and let deliverance FLOW

Touch our sisters today with your mighty love

As we bless them in your lovely Name JESUS’

Amen