Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 28 November 2021
Real People, Real Plans, Real Grace
Scripture References: Titus 3:12-15, Acts 18:24-28, Acts 20:1-4, Ephesians 2:1-10
Gathering Growing Going
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CloseOne of the delightful features of Paul’s letters is the way they exhibit such personal details, painting a picture of God’s household which was dispersed but lived grace in their relationships. This close is like so many of Paul’s letters – personal details interspersed with reminders of key points from his letter. The names mentioned here are not unfamiliar (although Zenas and Artemas are not mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament). Tychicus was a close friend of Paul, the deliverer of the letters to Ephesus and Colossae (and possibly the correspondence named Philemon). Apollos was a well-known Christian leader. Their place in God’s household, and their mission, allowed an opportunity to display the great grace of God in good deeds. Moreover, the way in which this command is restated should cast the mind of every reader of this letter (‘all of you’) back over the whole letter – the content of these good deeds (which is grace), the nature of that grace (God our Saviour), the things consistent with this nature (sound teaching in sound behaviour), the threat to that grace (false teachers), and those entrusted with leading God’s household (elders). In summary, this has been a letter about the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, from go to woe!
Scripture References: Titus 3:12-15, Acts 18:24-28, Acts 20:1-4, Ephesians 2:1-10
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Jesus has finally made it to Jerusalem. As Matthew prepares us for His entry into Jerusalem, he helps us confront Jesus’ authority, and the way in which it restores the concern of God for the outsider, and confronts the insider. This is the start of the Passover week. Jerusalem is a roiling maelstrom of religious and political fervour. And Matthew organises the narrative of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem around displays of His authority, rooted in recognition of His ‘old power’ – four Old Testament quotations structure the passage. As we come face-to-face with Jesus’ authority, three truths stand out. First, Jesus’ authority is extensive and all-encompassing. Second, Jesus’ authority is for the outsider, and rooted in God’s deep commitment to bring the outsider inside His kingdom. And, third, Jesus authority confronts the insider, and urges them to repentance. Come and meet Jesus, the King, in all His authority, as He enters Jerusalem!
What is greatness? In particular, what is greatness in the kingdom of God? That is the question addressed in the passage from Matthew today. Jesus is approached by two different groups. First, the family of Zebedee: James and John and their mother. Second, two blind men. Jesus asks both groups the same question “What do you want me to do for you?” What they request is quite revealing. And so is Jesus’ response to their requests. The Zebedees request position, status, reward for effort. The blind men request mercy, for their eyes to be open. Which request lines up with Jesus’ teaching previously? Which request do we tend to go to ourselves?
The Department of Home Affairs has an Australian Values Statement on its website. Visa applicants for residency/citizenship must sign this. And one of its key principles is that we are a ‘fair-go’ country. We would all agree with that. I suspect, too, that we would summarise our ‘fair go’ culture by stating that ‘you get what you deserve/what you work for’. In fact, many of us have established our relational, social and work ethics on this very principle. But is that what the ‘kingdom of heaven is like’? What is its value statement? What is the hallmark of such a kingdom, and its ruler, even its citizenship? Today, after Jesus has assured his disciples that the dependent will be provided for by their king, he now uses the same ideas to issue with them a warning not to abuse, misuse, ignore or become entitled in the face of the kingdom of heaven hallmark—which is grace.
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