Reuben's Theme: "Are you a disciple of Christ?"
(Trinity 4) - MORNING MASS
0800hrs. and 0930hrs at Saint George's Parish Church - Cullercoats.
Sunday, 23rd. June 2002 Anno Domini.
Morning Mass: Genesis: 21.8-21 Ps: 86.1-10 [16-17] Romans: 6.1b-11 Matthew: 10.24-39

June 23, 2002 Cycle A Trinity 4 - Pentecost 5 (Proper 7).

FIRST READING

Genesis: 21.8-21

A reading from the book of Genesis.
8 The child Isaac grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.
10 So she said to Abraham, 'Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.'
11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.
12 But God said to Abraham, 'Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you.
13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.'
14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes.
16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, 'Do not let me look on the death of the child.' And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, 'What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.'
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.
21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.


PSALM

Psalm: 86.1-10, 16-17

R You, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion.

1 Bow down your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and in misery.
2 Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; save your servant who trusts in you.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, for you are my God; I call upon you all the day long. R
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, and great is your love towards all who call upon you. R
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, for you will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord, nor anything like your works. R
9 All nations you have made will come and worship you, O Lord, and glorify your name.
10 For you are great; you do wondrous things; and you alone are God. R
16 Turn to me and have mercy upon me; give your strength to your servant; and save the child of your handmaid.
17 Show me a sign of your favour, so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me. R


SECOND READING

Romans: 6.1b-11

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
1 Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.
7 For whoever has died is freed from sin.
8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
10 The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.


GOSPEL

Matthew 10.24-39

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Jesus summoned the twelve and sent them out with the following instruction:
24 'A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master;
25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
26 So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.
27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.
28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father.
30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted.
31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven;
33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
34 Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and one's foes will be members of one's own household.
37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.'

Reuben's Sermon:

Reuben's Theme: "Are you a disciple of Christ?"

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

'A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!'

Today's Gospel virtually continues from last week's.

Jesus is giving instruction to the disciples, not just the twelve apostles as some translations of the bible suggest, but here he speaks to all His disciples.

This is very important because this could mean YOU!

This is very important because this may not mean YOU!

Confused?

                        You will be...

Last week, Jesus (physically overwhelmed by the number of people requiring His ministry) gives authority to The Twelve (the apostles). 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.'

Jesus gave the apostles authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

The apostles are named.

They are given instruction.

This week, as Jesus continues, we pick up well into where we are hearing the warnings and advice that Jesus is giving (not just to The Twelve) but to all the disciples who were there and all who will hear His words; as the Gospels proclaim the word of God throughout all time.

Sorry, I get very 'wordy' when I think of how important this all is, but it is vitally important to remember that Jesus is speaking to US! ALL OF US!!!

What is Jesus telling us today?
A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master.

Well that makes it sound a little easier.

It isn't!

We've got to be like Jesus!

That should be what we strive for each and every day of our lives... ...and it's very hard.

If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
If anyone speaks out against Jesus - how much more they will speak out against YOU!
If anyone hates Jesus - how much more will they hate YOU!
If anyone fights against Jesus - how much more will they fight against YOU!

Jesus tells us to have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.
Openness! Why are we all worried about being open?

Truth! Why are we all frightened of the truth?

It can be hazardous to be open.

It can be dangerous to tell the truth.

We all have secrets.

How would we feel if all our secrets were known by everyone?

The truth wouldn't hurt us.

The reaction of others is what we really fear...
...and it's the reaction of others that could be wicked or evil.
Judge not... ...lest ye be judged!

How many times have you heard someone say, "I'm glad the truth is out! It's like a great weight lifted from me!"

The truth is not always what people want to hear.

Part in Blue not used at the 0800 service

Ask Jo Moore.

She told the truth.

On 11th. September 2001, as as thousands of people died in New York she said, in that now infamous e-mail, "Today would be a good day to bury bad news."

The truth!

Nothing wrong telling the truth!

What would be wrong would be distorting and twisting the truth, turning it into lies and deceit. Which is the job of every "Spin-doctor".

What would be wrong, would be actually acting on such information and using the horrific deaths of thousands of innocent people to actually hide bad news.

Joe Moore lost her job because she told the truth.

The thing is, although everyone will have you believe that what she said was wrong, all she did was tell the truth.

It was her job to give such advice.

It was her job that is wicked.

By losing her job she was saved.

Saved from a job of distorting and twisting the truth.

Saved from a career wickedness and evil...

...because she told the truth.

How wonderful!

Part in Blue not used at the 0800 service

Anyway, Jesus goes on with His advice and warnings...

What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.

Our openness and honesty in all things is of paramount importance.

We are Christians!

We have nothing to hide because the truth cannot hurt us!

Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus is telling us we must not, or to put it a better way, we need not be frightened of anything that can harm us here on earth. We only need to fear Evil itself him who can destroy both soul and body in hell - lies, deceit, wickedness 'the Devil'.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father.
And even the hairs of your head are all counted.

God knows all, sees all.

So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
No matter how insignificant you may think you are, you are of unlimited value to God our Father who loves us more than we can ever imagine.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

Jesus is telling us we must stand up...

in our community...

in our daily lives...

and in the sight of all the world and proclaim that we are Christians.

That we are disciples of Christ.

That Jesus is Lord.

If we cannot do this.

If we deny that we are Christians to others.

If we turn away from Christ.

If we reject Jesus.

He will abandon us before God in heaven.

We will be on our own... ...literally!

To make it even worse, Jesus is telling us of all the problems we will have.

All the hurt.

All the anguish.

All the despair.

As He says...
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth;
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

We must love Jesus more than anything or anyone!

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;

I have great difficulty with this.

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

How can I love Jesus more than my mother and father?

How can I love Jesus more than my own children?

and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Is it possible?

Could any of us do all this?

Could I do all these things?

My God in heaven - I'm only human! Do you know how hard it will be for me to do these things?

Of course He knows.

He did it for us all...

about 2000 years ago.

So...       if we worry about earthly things:

What other people may think of us...

or care more about our life here on earth than Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour,

or find ANYTHING more important than our Christian obligations...

we have been told:

Those who find their life will lose it.

And to those who chose to be disciples of Christ:

Following in His footsteps.

Trying our very best to be like Him.

Giving up all earthly things for His sake.

Proclaiming Jesus is Lord.

and even suffering for Him...

In other words, being a Christian...

Jesus tells us: and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

We who are Christians, and I hope this includes you, have a flame burning inside us.

A flame of truth.

A flame of hope.

A flame of Love.

Here's your chance to give up earthly things for Jesus.

Here's your chance to give up earthly things for only five evenings.

I invite you all to be disciples of Christ.

I invite you all to be Christians.

Next Sunday night at 6.30

and the following four nights at 7.30

when we will "Fan that Flame" that burns within us.

Are you a disciple of Christ?

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

© Reuben Condie June 2002
©Bible texts: Morning Mass - NRSV