A Matter of Trust

by Pat Lee

(Based on Matt 19:23-30; Jeremiah 1:4-10; Acts 9:1-22)

God tells Jeremiah that before he was born, he had been set apart and chosen to be his prophet. Jeremiah found this piece of news rather alarming, as he thought he was far too young for such as an important task. But God doesn’t take his protest as an answer, and tells Jeremiah that he needn’t be afraid. He gives him the assurance that he needs and tells him that he will have his protection; and then gives him his instructions for the task ahead.
I think Jeremiah might have found all this rather overwhelming. I know I would have. However, God does not call anyone to a task he/she cannot do, because he equips us with all we need to accomplish it. It’s just a matter of trust.

On to the passage from Acts.
First, a little background on Paul, or Saul, as he was originally known. The Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) came from a devout, prominent Jewish family in Tarsus, the capital of a small Roman district (now in modern Turkey). He was of the tribe of Benjamin and was the holder of rare Roman citizenship from birth, which gave him significant legal rights. Raised strictly observant, he became a zealous Pharisee, trained under Gamaliel in Jerusalem, and was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” with deep knowledge of Jewish law. (Which prepared him uniquely for his subsequent mission to the Gentiles.)

When Paul set out for Damascus that day he had only one plan on his mind.
He had been to the high priest to get letters to take with him, intending to take them to the synagogues in Damascus to get their cooperation to arrest any of the followers of ‘the Way’, as Christians, or Believers, were referred to at that time. He just wanted to get rid of them. Remember, this was the same man who witnessed the stoning of Stephen, as written in the previous chapter of Acts, agreeing with his killing. You can almost imagine Paul standing there grinning with satisfaction as he watched on.

However, God had a different plan for Paul. So, as he was approaching Damascus, set on his mission, he experienced an amazing event. A light appeared and a voice spoke to him, Jesus’s voice. Jesus asked him, “Why are you persecuting me?” Paul did not know who was speaking to him, but Jesus told him who he was and what he needed him to do. His companions also heard the voice but didn’t see anyone, and they were speechless.

When Paul got up he couldn’t see, so his companions had to lead him to Damascus where he stayed for three days without eating or drinking. I can’t help wondering what was going on in Paul’s mind during that time. Did he wonder if Jesus was going to help him accomplish his lettered task? Well, if he was thinking that, he was certainly in for a surprise, because that plan was going to invert dramatically. He was about to change direction completely.

Someone else was about to have his plans changed as well. The Scripture tells us about Ananias, already a believer. In spite of having no mobile phone, social media or anything remotely similar, word about Paul had reached him. He knew that Paul had done terrible things to believers in Jerusalem, and that he was authorised to arrest anyone who called on the name of Jesus. Put yourself in Ananias’s shoes. How would you have reacted to being asked to go to this man and lay hands on him, to make him see again?

Once again we see that when called to a task, we will be supported and protected, and equipped to carry it out. Ananias did as he had been asked, trusting that Jesus would be on his side. He laid hands on Paul and affirmed to him that he had been sent by Jesus, so that Paul would regain his sight. And he did. Then Paul was baptised. Now that was definitely not in Paul’s original plan; nor was what followed a few days later when he started preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

What a dramatic change of plan that was.

It’s no wonder that all who heard him were amazed, because they also knew of Paul’s reputation, and that he had come to Damascus to arrest them, chain them, and take them back to the priests in Jerusalem.

God calls each of us to become believers in a way that best suits each individual. There is no right or wrong way, just God’s way.

My conversion was dramatic too, but not the same as Paul’s. I needed a metaphorical hit on the head with a four-by-two to get my attention. One beautiful May morning while sitting on my back porch having a cup of tea with a friend, my life changed completely and I made an about turn.

When I look back to that day, I can see how much I have changed from then until now.
I started a journey that I had know idea where it would lead, but I trusted that God would take me where he wanted me to be. It hasn’t been plain sailing and I know I’m still far from perfect, but my journey goes on.

My husband, Michael, knew when he came home from work that day that something had happened to me. He didn’t want a bar of it.
Those next few months were very difficult to say the least, but I hung in there. I believed that God would change his heart too, but didn’t know how long it was going to take.

Michael was transferred to another town with his work while I stayed back with the children to finish the school year. That gave him time to gather all the books he could find, including a Bible, to prove that my experience was not valid. He was an avid reader. God used that to show Michael that what had happened to me was definitely valid, and he too became a believer. That was the start of a completely new plan for his life, as well as mine.

Today’s Gospel reading follows on from the passage about a rich young ruler who wanted to know what good deed he needed to do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell all his possessions and follow him. The rich young man went away sad because he had many possessions. Jesus’s response to his disciples was to say that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.
Incidentally, the Eye of the Needle is a narrow passageway through the Jerusalem wall that was used after the city gates were closed for the night. Camels did not like going in through this very narrow, confined space.

So, the disciples asked, “Then who in the world can be saved?” Jesus answered, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Jeremiah thought it was impossible for him to become a prophet. The people of Damascus thought it was impossible for Paul to become a believer. Ananias thought it was impossible for him to go to Paul and lay hands on him without his being arrested and put in chains. Once I became a believer, I thought it was impossible for my husband to become one too. But as we all know, these things did happen because nothing is impossible for God. God can change anyone, and he can change our hearts toward anyone, and can do anything else if it is his will.

Some seemingly impossible tasks in the Bible include: God creating the whole universe and everything in it in six days, Moses building the Ark on dry land miles from any large area of water and with no rain in sight. The Israelites leaving Egypt, where they were slaves. A shepherd boy becoming king. A virgin giving birth to the Son of God. Ordinary people like you and me giving up their jobs to become the disciples of Jesus and, becoming his close friends. Jesus feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two small fish. Thousands of people being healed of their afflictions. The Bible is full of examples.

If you have not already chosen to follow Jesus because you think it’s too hard, think again. Anyone can, because God gives you the ability to do so and will support and equip you through anything he asks you to do. Just trust him. He won’t let you down.

Heavenly Father, we all don’t just become first-rate followers when you call us. We don’t always understand where you are leading us or how we are going to get there. But we know that no matter how many times we fail, you are always ready to give us another chance. Thank you for entrusting us in the ongoing work you have for each of us. Help us to remember that whatever the task is, you will enable us to complete it, because nothing is impossible for you. Amen.

Thoughts on Trust – and Childhood

by Liz Young

(Based on John 1:29-42; Isa 49:1-7; Ps 40:1-14; 1 Cor 1:1-9)

In Chapter 49 Isaiah writes, “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation shall reach to the end of the earth.”
In Psalm 40 the psalmist sings, “I waited patiently for the Lord … He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to my God. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.”
And in 1 Corinthians Paul writes, “God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord.”
Paul is writing to a group of friends who probably had to meet semi-surreptitiously, but this had not stopped them from helping Paul when he was overwhelmed by trouble.  And he admits that he had had a sense of impending disaster, but that he used that time and that fear, to learn to trust not in himself, but in God, a God who could raise the dead.

Do we have that trust? That faith that he, God, will provide the right answer, and the strength to overcome fear, and the wisdom to do what is right?

What other messages do we get from these readings? Both the Psalmist and Isaiah ask the Lord, give us a vision to hold on to, a vision that gives us hope for the future. As so often, and as in past times, today we seem surrounded by wars and greed – greed for power, greed for money. Let us in our worship today hope for a future where truth is honoured and not distorted; where we expect to receive and give kindness; where we trust in the Lord.

Apart from the visit to the Temple there are few stories of Jesus’s childhood: those years when children develop their moral compass, their understanding, their ability to share. In the Gospel story we are taken straight from infancy to manhood.
Many in this congregation have been teachers, who’ve had thirty different personalities to guide each year through ages 4-18, helping each child reach his or her full potential. What would you have felt if you had a Jesus child in your class?! Would you have realised his potential? How would you have nurtured him?
How easy is it to recognise a child’s adult potential in our own children?

John baptises Jesus in the river Jordan, a symbolic cleansing with water, and then says, “It is true I have not recognised him, but now I realise that here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he was before me’”.
It must have been odd for John to suddenly recognise Jesus, his cousin and probably his childhood play mate, as a teacher greater than him, and potentially the Messiah. Or perhaps he’d had inklings, even as a child.  I think I might have realised that Jesus was special, but I would have been too self- absorbed, to value him.  How often do we recognise a person’s adult potential, when we and they are children? When I think back on my happy childhood and playmates, it was not until I was fifteen or so that I made friends that I have valued, and who have lasted my lifetime.

One commentary I read focused on Jesus being the Lamb of God, a symbol of sacrifice, rather than a lion, the symbol of strength that we understand the Jews were hoping for at that time. The Lamb was a symbol of sacrifice, a foretelling of Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice for us on the cross. Three years seems such a short time, to make such a lasting impression. We wonder at how much love he showed to his friends, the disciples, nurturing them, while at the same time, healing the sick, the mentally traumatised, the ignored and the downtrodden over the three years of his ministry.

Paul must have studied Jesus’s life closely as he was persecuting his followers. (It’s important to know your enemy.) How frustrating it must have been for Paul to only hear stories of good. How was his subconscious reacting to these stories, preparing him for his conversion? That moment when his views of Jesus and his followers turned upside down?

Paul was called, invited or appointed to be an apostle, and he reminds us that not only was he called, but so are the non-Jewish Corinthians and spiritually hungry others, then and over the next two thousand years.

Fellowship here at St Francis, our little church, means trusting that our friends support us in our worship – when we swap rosters, when we preach in different styles, use different versions of the Bible – and that we trust our friends will support us when we are grieving, unwell or forgetful; but also when we share the joys of hospitality and happy conversations.
And we will continue to trust that God will empower us to follow his will … and to trust that children using the pontoon [in our local estuary – Ed] will look before they leap!

A Proclamation and a Pooh-like Response

[Attribution: Pooh Bear in Playhouse Disney Live at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by Jeff Christiansen]

by Barry Pollard

(Based on Matt 1:18-25; Isa 7:10-16; Ro 1:1-7)

We have journeyed through Advent reflecting on the hope, peace and joy that comes with Jesus. Today our attention turns to God’s love for us, particularly demonstrated by the gift of his Son, as our saviour and reconciler.
And don’t we love the Advent season! It is mystical and absorbing. Excitement builds as we contemplate the signs and wonders heralding the birth of Jesus. Our readings over the season have revealed the promises that God has made to us through his prophets and gospellers, creating a pattern of promise, followed by fulfilment, followed by proclamation.

Our readings today show that pattern of promise, fulfilment and proclamation in a nutshell. Our first reading from the prophet Isaiah is a major revelation in the Jesus story. In it, Isaiah foretells to King Ahaz (of the royal line of David), “the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” When Scripture says ‘God will,’ a promise is made.

In the second reading, from Romans, this promise is confirmed by Paul’s declaring, “God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line.”

And Matthew’s Gospel gives us the details of how Jesus was conceived and how the earthly situation of his earthly parents was reconciled. This points us to the impending fulfilment, the arrival of Jesus among us.

And, then, back to the Romans reading for the proclamation! “He was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”

God’s promised Saviour, Jesus, was foretold by the prophets, fulfilled in his birth and proclaimed in the Gospel. Theologically, this pattern is neat and tidy and deals with the nuts and bolts of the readings today. But let’s look deeper into what was going on and what it ultimately tells us about our God, and what this means for how our lives can be transformed today, two thousand odd years after the fact.

If we start again with Isaiah: King Ahaz was king of Judah, at the time when Israel and Judah were enemies and at war. Ahaz had heard the rumours that the kings of Israel and Syria were forming a coalition against Judah with the plan to install the Syrian king’s son on Judah’s throne. God’s prophet Isaiah was given explicit instructions to take a message to Ahaz, to explain that the perceived threat would come to nothing; but Ahaz was not convinced. Isaiah, in an effort to ease Ahaz’s fears, invites him to test the Lord on the accuracy of Isaiah’s prophesy by asking God for a sign. Ahaz refuses to put God to such a test, so Isaiah (and, I perceived, exasperatedly) tells Ahaz that God will provide a sign anyway – the sign will be a baby born to a virgin in the line of David’s royal family, Ahaz’s family. And the child will be called Immanuel (God is with us).

Despite fear and lack of faith, God reveals his faithfulness – he is promising to be with his people through thick and thin!
The prophesy had instant meaning for Ahaz – and Judah – but it also pointed to events yet to come.

Matthew provides details for the birth of Jesus. In a very straight forward manner, he outlines the predicament that Joseph and Mary find themselves in. An honourable man, Joseph finds his fiancé pregnant (by the power of the Holy Spirit) and doesn’t want to publicly shame her. He is working through breaking off the engagement when he is visited in a dream by an angel who explains that he has a part to play in God’s plan to give us a Saviour.

Emphasising the fulfilment of God’s earlier promise, Matthew records Isaiah’s prophesy, and concludes his account with Joseph awakening from the dream convinced to play his part in full.

Jesus is the “Immanuel” Isaiah had foreseen! He is God’s promised presence, made flesh.
His name, Jesus, means “the Lord saves”. He came to save his people from sin. Immanuel, “God is with us”, is no longer a distant God, but is God here among us, now. This is Good News!

So, Paul’s letter to the Romans deals with proclamation. It outlines plainly God’s plan for us, from the beginning. It goes like this:
1. God promised the Good News (Jesus) long ago
2. The Good News is his Son
3. His Son was born into King David’s royal line – fully human
4. He was shown to be God when he was raised from the dead – fully God
5. He is Jesus Christ, our Lord
6. God wants to spread this Good News to everyone
7. Because God loves us he calls us his ‘holy people’, making us his earthly family. (It is like joining the family business.)
8. He gives us grace and peace

What does it all mean for us today?
God has called us his holy people, his earthly family. As such, we are to take the Good News out into the world, by thought, word and deed. We have been equipped to do so by the character and gifts we have been given, and the grace we have received from God.

Notice, God never hinted that this will be easy. But think about the examples we heard from Scripture today. King Ahaz was fearful and God showed he is with us, even when we lack courage. Joseph was confused and uncertain and God showed guidance and purpose. And when we feel unworthy, weak or distant, God calls us to belong to Jesus. God wants us to trust his promises, welcome his presence, and receive his salvation!

God, who promised to come, has come: Jesus is Immanuel. The God who came is with us still, through the Holy Spirit. The God who is with us will come again, to make all things new! This is the Advent story!

Remember, I said at the beginning that many of us love the Advent season; that it is mystical, absorbing, and exciting.
Well, I find it also has a flip side. It can be unsettling, doubt-filled, even arresting. By way of example I’ll make a personal admission here: I love the Christmas carol, “The Little Drummer Boy”. But I have a problem singing it. I’m usually okay until I get to the lines, I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum, I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum, That’s fit to give the King . . . and then I cry!
I have spent time trying to work out whether I am overwhelmed by the majesty of our King, or by the inadequacies I perceive in my gift. Or, am I just feeling sorry about the whole situation that Jesus had to be born and nursed in squalor. I’m still working it out. And because I’m still not sorted on it, I doubt my effectiveness to do my bit spreading the Good News, to play my part.

So what can we practically do to share the Good News?
Attending a Sunday service, looking devout (you’ll remember, I have spoken before on those “Sunday Faces”), dropping a few dollars in the collection, and smiling as you enjoy a cake and coffee afterwards, isn’t quite what God has in mind for us.
To share the Good News, to proclaim Jesus to the world, is to move from a personal inwardly facing life to an outwardly facing one. It has to do with the big wide world. It is to be realistic, live sustainably (body, mind and spirit), and be faithful to the Gospel’s spirit, not just its words.

To help compile a list of actions we can take, I enlisted the services of AI. Asking ChatGPT, ‘What can we practically do to share the Good News’, I was offered ten things. I have selected a few from the list that I think are well within the grasp of all of us here today.

So, although the following words are largely artificially generated, the sentiments they express are very much in line with Scripture and our humanity, so bear with them!

The first is one of the most important and, in a way, the easiest. That is, to pray. Mission begins with prayer. Pray intentionally for yourself and others. Pray regularly for specific people, by name. Ask God for openness, timing, and courage. Pray with people when appropriate, not just for them.
Second, learn to explain why faith matters to you personally. Be ready to speak, simply and honestly. When opportunities arise, clarity matters more than cleverness. Use everyday language, not church jargon. A suggested simple pattern is to talk about what your life was like, how you encountered Jesus, and what has changed since.
Third, live the Good News visibly. Probably the most powerful witness to the Good News is a life shaped by Christ. Show kindness, patience, honesty and forgiveness in ordinary situations. Listen well and treat all people with dignity. Let your hope and peace in difficult times prompt natural questions. As the message of our patron, St Francis, is often paraphrased: “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

Now, before I offer the fourth suggestion, I would like to digress a little into a child’s realm – that of Winnie the Pooh.

I came across an internet snippet recently explaining A.A. Milne’s description of Winnie the Pooh as a “bear of very little brain”. This phrase is used repeatedly throughout his stories, highlighting Pooh’s simple and natural character, as well as his tendency to fall into “ludicrous errors of judgement and comprehension”. The commentator suggested however that the Pooh stories actually present a wonderful contrast between brain (intellect) and a deeper, more intuitive form of wisdom. 
Pooh is aware of his own limitations, often stating, “For I am a bear of very little brain, and long words bother me”. But despite his lack of formal intellect, Pooh often exhibits profound emotional intelligence and an uncomplicated understanding of life, friendship, and happiness. His simple way of thinking often leads to surprisingly effective solutions in emergencies. (One such effective solution was when he helped rescue Roo from the river.)

Milne often contrasts Pooh’s ‘fluff’ with the supposed ‘brains’ of characters like Rabbit and Owl. In one notable exchange, Pooh observes that Rabbit’s intelligence might actually be a hindrance to understanding. In one such pondering, “‘Rabbit’s clever,’ said Pooh thoughtfully. ‘Yes,’ said Piglet, ‘Rabbit’s clever.’ ‘And he has Brain.’ ‘Yes,’ said Piglet, ‘Rabbit has Brain.’ There was a long silence. ‘I suppose,’ said Pooh, ‘that that’s why he never understands anything.'”

The essence of this is, while Pooh may lack what we would call conventional intelligence, he possesses an innate wisdom and heart that are ultimately more valuable. The stories imply that wisdom doesn’t always come from the most intelligent people, but rather from those who are humble and considerate. Perhaps we should take more than a little heart in this. Perhaps we shouldn’t regret being a little, or a lot, Pooh-like! God can use us all just the same.

And so, the fourth step: trust God. The Gospel story, the Good News, is likely best told by those who are humble and considerate, Pooh-like. The plan really is as simple as, give it a good and sincere go, and then trust God with the results. If we are taking up the challenge then our role is faithfulness, not control. As we are reminded in Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:6), while we sow, God gives the growth.

Small acts done in love matter!

Joys – Simple and Profound

by Liz Young

(Based on Matt 11:2-11; Isa 35:1-10; James 5:7-10)

Taking our lead from our three readings, Isaiah said, “The wilderness and the desert will be glad, and blossom … The way will be made clear … and everlasting joy will be upon their heads.”
James wrote, “Be patient till the coming of the Lord.”
And in the Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus answered John’s disciples with the words, “Go and tell John what you have heard and seen: ‘the blind receive their sight, the lepers are cleansed and the poor have good news bought to them.'” What joy those miracles brought.

“Desert Flowers” by ex_magician is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Our candlelight theme for today is Joy, and Isaiah’s words always remind me of the joy brought by the wild flowers that bloom in the Australian desert, when it rains, sometimes after ten years of drought. James asks us to be patient, a reminder appropriate for us all at many times in our lives, patience for God to reveal his purposes; and patience will give us time to reflect before reacting, either in speech or action. And, in the Gospel reading, Jesus tells John’s followers to reassure John, that he, Jesus, John’s cousin, has been able to perform all in God’s Name; to tell him of these miracles he, Jesus, has been able to perform, and in doing so to bring joy to the needy and the poor.  Jesus’s first miracle was turning water into wine, an appropriate miracle to remember at this time of celebration! Wine was the disinfectant of that time. (I wonder how many of the local water supplies were safe to drink, unless they were mountain springs. Now, with guaranteed safe drinking water, and as we receive more and more messages of the harm alcohol can do, most of us will be celebrating this season drinking fruit juice or safe water. I wish you joy drinking toasts to each other.)

When I look back at my life, my earliest joyful memory is sitting on a mossy bank at the age of four, just enjoying looking at the grass. The property was a 16th century out reach from Glastonbury Abbey, planted with – among others – a sequoia, a huge bay tree, and a large walnut tree, and gave me a lifelong love of trees. It was a slight shock to come to New Zealand and find I had to learn the names of a hundred new trees.
When my mother died, we were living on a 1¼ acre property, with fifty seventy-year-old apple trees, with a variety of diseases, and as I took over responsibility for looking after the garden, my love of gardening started. Gardening gives many of us hours of joy.
I created a garden from scratch at my next place, with twenty native trees I bought in Wellington, and they now surround and shelter the property.
Our Pat enjoys doing most of the church garden, and our Alison has enjoyed doing the flowers for this morning.

“Gapers Block Book Club: Water for Elephants” by danxoneil is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Another of my joys that I share with friends in Tairua is reading. Did you know there are three very social book clubs in Tairua? I didn’t start reading till I was seven, but once I could, my nose was rarely out of a book. Sharing ideas and interests by reading and talking about books is one of the joys of life for those whose brains are visually dominant. Others love music and enjoy listening, and yet others enjoy making things with their hands. When we were young, we enjoyed playing, running around. As I couldn’t hop or skip, I preferred playing soccer with the boys in their playground. Later, when I went to all-girls’ schools, I played goalie. When I was a child no-one stopped us climbing trees. I was horrified when I heard the story of the tree in my grandson’s playground, which was first pruned and then cut down for ‘health and safety reasons’. No, don’t let caution deny exploration; let children enjoy, and joyfully play. If you are constantly warning children of potential hazards, you get anxious children.             

These days most of us enjoy daily walks, and at this time of year I enjoy swimming, and there are hardy folks here, who enjoy dawn swimming here all the year round. So, as well as daily exercise, try something new regularly, and share enjoyment with others, all the while praising God – silently or aloud – and always giving thanks. 

Lars and Lucas in the operating theatre, by Lars Plougmann, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

 At Christmas time we celebrate the birth of Christ. I’ve attended about 500 births, as a paediatrician, and each time it was very special. The whole room hums with joyous energy as the baby is born.

And, as we celebrate Christ’s birth, let us spare a moment to think of, and pray for, all those women who are worried about giving birth at this time; those pregnant as a result of rape; those mothers in dire economic circumstances. Pray that someone will step up and help them.

And, having prayed for others, let’s return to thinking about Joy. And the joy of giving … we all enjoy giving pleasure to others. Let’s hope we’ve all chosen well and that our gifts will be enjoyed by their recipients. I hope that our children and grandchildren will have a day of joy and wonder. While remembering we’re celebrating Christ’s birth, we will continue to ask ourselves, what can we do to bring joy into the lives of others.

Amen