Pentecost 5, 23rd June 2024, 五旬節 5 2024 年 6 月 23 日，2024 年 5 月 23 日，Пятидесятница 4, 23 июня 2024 г.,

God who sets us on a journey
To discover, dream and grow,
Lead us as you led your people
In the desert long ago.

Song  “Spirit of God unseen as the Wind” https://youtu.be/v4uPDddZ7yw?feature=shared

Loving God
You knew what it was to be a refugee
when your parents fled from Herod
You knew what it was to be homeless
with nowhere to lay your head
You knew what it was to be friendless
when those you loved betrayed you
You knew what it was to be utterly derelict
as you cried from the cross

Silence

Soften our hearts to those who are suffering, open our minds and teach us to love as you loved. Amen

We say the Lords Prayer in our own language

Reading Mark 4v35-41 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%204%3A35-41&version=NASB

 

Song  “The Spirit lives to set us free” https://youtu.be/SDcbYk-9C-Y?feature=shared

Reflection

Refugees are as old as the hills. The story of the people of God is largely one of being refugees, in exile.  But people in general have always been on the move; to new pastures or sources of food, for new markets, because of famine, because of tyranny, or occupation. So being a refugee or a migrant is not new to us or our cultures. In fact many of us carry genes from many different races and cultures. What is in your DNA? 

The Old Testament has three different words which can be described as stranger/alien, foreigner and sojourner.

Stranger-this is the person who does not belong and it can carry the implication of usurping a position. Often it relates to Israel's enemies.

The foreigner (no k ri) -Someone who's stay is temporary though there is a religious implication in that many of them would have worshipped false gods. This led to the prohibition on intermarriage which became particularly marked after the exile.

Sojourner (gûr )-The Israelites were sojourners in Egypt. The need to live in a foreign country for a considerable period of time but they long for their homeland. They give their loyalty to their new home but never quite belong. The sojourner had many privileges.

The Israelites must not oppress the sojourner (Ex.12). Indeed, they are to go further and love them (Dt. 10. 19). One reason given for the observance of the Sabbath is that the sojourner may be refreshed (Ex.23). The gleanings of the vineyard and the harvest fields are to be left for them (Lv.19). The sojourner is included in the provision made in the cities of refuge (Nu.25) and is ranked with the fatherless and widow as being defenceless. God is their defence and will judge their oppressors (Ps.94).

The Jewish-Christian traditions are built on the stories of wandering and persecuted peoples. 

Today between 60 and 70 million displaced peoples are wandering around our world. Refugee Week started in 1998 as a direct reaction to growing hostility towards refugees and asylum seekers. 

The gospel story in Mark 4 is about confronting the powers. At that time they believed that destructive powers lived in the sea/water. It is like the temptations. Jesus has to confront the destructive powers. In our lives there are times when life kicks up a storm and we are afraid. We are very afraid and Jesus is telling us to do two things. 

 1.Take command of what is destructive in your life. Recognize it and control it!

 2. Trust that God is with you! 

Part of what is wrong with our countries at the moment is nationalism and xenophobia. Jesus has nothing to do with either. We must confront these demonic powers as Jesus confronted the storm. We must do as God commanded and welcome the stranger as an angel unaware. Amen

Song “Praise and thanksgiving” https://youtu.be/zjRf3_QZQWE?feature=shared

Give us your vision that we lack 
Help us to cherish only what we really need
Choosing treasure that will last. Amen

 

神帶領我們踏上旅程

去發現、去夢想、成長，

領導我們就像領導你的人民一樣

很久以前，在沙漠裡。

 

歌曲《上帝的靈像風一樣看不見》

https://youtu.be/v4uPDddZ7yw?feature=shared

 

愛神

你知道成為難民意味著什麼

當你的父母逃離希律王時

你知道無家可歸是什麼感覺

無處可枕

你知道沒有朋友意味著什麼

當你所愛的人背叛你時

你知道徹底被遺棄意味著什麼

當你在十字架上哭泣時

安靜

 

軟化我們對那些受苦的人的心，開放我們的思想，教導我們像您所愛的那樣去愛。阿門

我們用自己的語言念主禱文

 

閱讀馬可福音 4v35-41

 

歌曲「聖靈活著是為了讓我們自由」 https://youtu.be/SDcbYk-9C-Y?feature=shared

 

講道“流放中的生活”

難民與山一樣古老。上帝子民的故事主要是流放難民的故事。 但一般來說，人們總是在流動。由於飢荒、暴政或占領，人們不得不尋找新的牧場或食物來源、新的市場。因此，成為難民或移民對我們或我們的文化來說並不新鮮。事實上，我們許多人都攜帶來自許多不同種族和文化的基因。你的 DNA 裡有什麼？

舊約中有三個不同的詞，可以描述為陌生人/外僑、外國人和寄居者。

1.陌生人－這是不屬於自己的人，可能帶有篡位的意思。它通常與以色列的敵人有關。

2. 外國人 (no k ri) - 暫時居留的人，儘管其中有宗教含義，因為他們中的許多人崇拜假神。這導致了對異族通婚的禁止，這一點在流亡後變得特別明顯。

3. 寄居者 (gûr )－以色列人是埃及的寄居者。需要在異國生活相當長一段時間，但又思念自己的祖國。他們對新家忠誠，但從未完全歸屬。寄居者有許多特權。

以色列人不可欺壓寄居者（出12）。事實上，他們應該走得更遠並愛他們（申命記 10. 19）。遵守安息日的原因之一是使寄居的人可以恢復活力（出23）。葡萄園和田裡所遺落的果子要留給他們（19節）。寄居者包含在避難城（Nu.25）的規定中，與孤兒寡婦一起被列為無自衛能力。上帝是他們的保護者，並將審判他們的壓迫者（詩篇 94）。

猶太基督教的傳統是建立在流浪和受迫害民族的故事之上的。

如今，世界各地有 6,000 至 7,000 萬流離失所者流浪。難民週始於 1998 年，是對難民和尋求庇護者日益增長的敵意的直接反應。

馬可福音第四章的福音故事是關於對抗權力的。那時他們相信破壞性的力量存在於大海/水中。這就像誘惑。耶穌必須面對破壞性的力量。在我們的生活中，有時生活會掀起風暴，我們會感到害怕。我們非常害怕，耶穌告訴我們要做兩件事。

 1.掌控對你生活有破壞性的事。認識它並控制它！

 2.相信神與你同在！

目前我們國家的部分問題是民族主義和仇外心理。耶穌與這兩件事都沒有關係。我們必須像耶穌面對風暴一樣面對這些魔鬼的力量。我們必須照上帝的命令去做，像天使一樣在不知不覺中歡迎陌生人。阿門

 

歌曲《讚美與感恩》 https://youtu.be/zjRf3_QZQWE?feature=shared

 

給我們您所缺乏的願景

幫助我們只珍惜我們真正需要的

選擇永恆的寶藏。阿門

 

 

Бог, отправляющий нас в путешествие

Открывать, мечтать и расти,

Веди нас, как ты вел свой народ

В пустыне давным-давно

.

Песня «Дух Божий, невидимый как ветер» https://youtu.be/v4uPDddZ7yw?feature=shared

 

Любящий Бог

Вы знали, что значит быть беженцем

когда твои родители бежали от Ирода

Ты знал, что значит быть бездомным

негде приклонить голову

Ты знал, что значит быть без друзей

когда те, кого ты любил, предали тебя

Вы знали, что значит быть совершенно заброшенным

как ты плакал с креста

Тишина

 

Смягчите наши сердца к тем, кто страдает, откройте наш разум и научите нас любить так, как любили Вы. Аминь

Мы произносим Молитву Господню на своем родном языке

 

Чтение Марка 4:35-41 

 

Песня «Дух жив, чтобы освободить нас» https://youtu.be/SDcbYk-9C-Y?feature=shared

 

Проповедь «Жизнь в изгнании»

Беженцы стары как мир. История народа Божьего – это, главным образом, история беженцев, находящихся в изгнании. Но люди в целом всегда были в движении; к новым пастбищам или источникам пищи, к новым рынкам, из-за голода, тирании или оккупации. Таким образом, быть беженцем или мигрантом не ново для нас и нашей культуры. На самом деле многие из нас несут гены разных рас и культур. Что у тебя в ДНК?

В Ветхом Завете есть три разных слова, которые можно описать как «чужеземец/иностранец», «иностранец» и «пришельец».

1. Незнакомец - это человек, которому не принадлежит и это может нести в себе подтекст узурпации должности. Часто это касается врагов Израиля.

2. Иностранец (но кри) – Тот, чье пребывание носит временный характер, хотя есть религиозный смысл в том, что многие из них поклонялись ложным богам. Это привело к запрету смешанных браков, который стал особенно заметен после ссылки.

3. Пришельец (гур) – Израильтяне были пришельцами в Египте. Необходимость жить в чужой стране значительный период времени, но они тоскуют по Родине. Они отдают свою преданность своему новому дому, но никогда не принадлежат ему полностью. У пришельца было много привилегий.

Израильтяне не должны притеснять пришельца (Исх.12). Действительно, они должны идти дальше и любить их (Вт. 10:19). Одна из причин соблюдения субботы заключается в том, что странник может освежиться (Исх.23). Остатки виноградника и поля жатвы должны быть оставлены им (Лев.19). Пришельец включен в положение, предусмотренное в городах-убежищах (Числ.25), и причисляется к сиротам и вдовам как беззащитным. Бог — их защита и будет судить их угнетателей (Пс.94).

Иудейско-христианские традиции построены на историях странствующих и гонимых народов.

Сегодня по всему миру бродят от 60 до 70 миллионов перемещенных лиц. Неделя беженцев началась в 1998 году как прямая реакция на растущую враждебность по отношению к беженцам и просителям убежища.

Евангельская история в четвертой главе Евангелия от Марка рассказывает о противостоянии силам. В то время верили, что в море/воде живут разрушительные силы. Это похоже на искушения. Иисусу приходится противостоять разрушительным силам. В нашей жизни бывают моменты, когда жизнь поднимает бурю, и мы боимся. Мы очень боимся, и Иисус говорит нам сделать две вещи.

 1. Возьмите под контроль то, что разрушительно в вашей жизни. Осознайте это и контролируйте!

 2. Верьте, что Бог с вами!

Часть того, что сейчас не так с нашими странами, — это национализм и ксенофобия. Иисус не имеет никакого отношения ни к тому, ни к другому. Мы должны противостоять этим демоническим силам, как Иисус противостоял буре. Мы должны поступить так, как повелел Бог, и приветствовать незнакомца, как неведомого ангела. Аминь

 

Песня «Хвала и благодарение» https://youtu.be/zjRf3_QZQWE?feature=shared

 

Поделитесь с нами своим видением, которого нам не хватает

Помогите нам ценить только то, что нам действительно нужно

Выбираем сокровище, которое прослужит долго. Аминь

 

         

 

Pentecost 5, Mark 5:21-43, The healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and Jairus' daughter

Mark is continuing his description of Jesus confronting the powers this time over death. The story appears in all three synoptic gospels and indicates that an eyewitness is behind the account.

The story begins with Jairus, an official in the local synagogue, confronting Jesus and pleading with him to come and heal his daughter. He was by the lake when the leader of the synagogue approached him. He fell at Jesus feet to beg him to heal his daughter. His daughter was almost dead and he was desperate. He wants Jesus to lay hands on her and heal her.

The crowd are pushing in on him and the woman with the

hemorrhage is healed suddenly and dramatically. She has had this ondition for 12 years and spent all her money on doctors. The word “healed" is used fourteen times by Mark and here means deliverance form the enemies of life that threaten authentic existence! So it is a deep healing!

 

Jesus knows that power has gone out of him so he turned around to the crowd and asked.who touched his clothes? 

The woman is frightened and trembling so she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth almost in a judicial sense.

Jesus has compassion on her and calls her daughter, a term of endearment meaning she is part of the family.

He tells her that her faith has healed her, saved her and tells her to go in peace, go in wellbeing, be freed from your suffering.

While Jesus was speaking servants arrive from Jairus house and tell him not to bother coming for his daughter because she has already died.

Jesus tells the father to ignore them. Do not be afraid but believe. He took just the three disciples with him to provide witnesses and went into the house and talked to the crowd there. There is a terrible commotion,  people are crying and wailing. He asks them “Why are you crying and carrying on like this?" Then he went into the room and said that the child was not dead but just sleeping.  She is actually 12 years old,

The mob says she is dead; Jesus says she is alive.

"So hey laughed at him and he threw them all out!

Then he took by the hand and using Aramaic he took her by the hand hand and told her to get up.

She immediately got up and began walking around.

They were completely astonished] and he told them to tell no one what had happened and gave orders for her to be fed by her parents to normalize the situation. 

Pentecost 5, Matthew 13:1-23, The Sower

There are two types of parables: there are teaching parables and there are kingdom parables. The kingdom parables usually begin with  "The kingdom of God/heaven". Matthew chapter 13 consists of kingdom parables and Jesus' words in v10-17 are about these kind of parables. They teach the presentness of the kingdom and its immediacy. In the Old Testament they are, in Hebrew, masal, an obscure saying or riddle. So Jesus tells parables about weeds and wheat, mustard seeds, yeast. Even the disciples were unable to understand the meaning of these riddles. 

When the poor Palestinian farmer went out to sow his seed, he did so in a kind of mindless fashion, chucking it into small corners of rocks and crevices, in poor soil, amongst weeds and finally some was thrown on good soil. Indeed it would seem he did so not heeding the consequences of his actions. He went out to sow seed, in the field, on the paths, on rocks among thorns  whether birds were present or not. The implication seems to be that we should also be sowing the gospel, the good seed everywhere we not just where we would expect it to grow, certainly not just in church buildings or church meetings but in the pub, the club, at the school gate, in the office, at the football match. Its not our problem to worry about the yield. Our job is just to sow. Like the mustard seed large plants can grow from small beginnings.

Other parables however talk about the yield of the sowing, the harvest. And the responsibility for the harvest seems to rely on the person who has received the good news, the seed, the Word of God. In the parable of the talents the man who multiplied what had been given to him is praised while the one who hides it away is condemned. Like yeast Gods gifts just go moldy if not mixed with flour and multiplied. Like salt it is useless unless used as a flavouring for a meal. The harvest of the good seed, the gospel/the good news is our responsibility. You cannot keep it to yourself or it will go bad within you and be useless. It needs to be shared. 

We forget that it is God that gives the growth, that our role is simply to sow the seed, to sow it lovingly, lavishly, generously. 

The seeds we are called to sow are seeds of hope, faith, and love

We can never tell how the seed will fall or where it might take root. Our job is to plant the seeds and trust God to give the growth. 

We are not the seed. The seed is the word of God, which grows in us. We will not necessarily see the fruits of our labour but we are called to be faithful, (not necessarily successful) in the sowing.   

Jesus begins and ends the parable of the sower with a command to listen. 

Did Jesus ever fail in his sowing? 

Unless the churches share the gospel and reap a harvest they will go moldy and die.  

We have all sown the gospel. Some of it has produced good growth/good harvest like vegetables in your garden. Some has produced bad fruit. What have sown and harvested this year?

In our world we have sown the growing disaffection of Muslims at American foreign policy that has become our own. And so we have increasingly divided communities. We have allowed destructive ideologies to flourish even in our own back yards and in our governments and we have nurtured ideologies of hatred and created a world where the poor have knowledge of material wellbeing but cannot grasp it for themselves. We have sown destruction of our environment.

The gospel is uncomfortable even shocking. It forces us to go places we don’t want to go the rocky soil. But we have a heavenly mandate, a vision. We are not tied down by ordinary human prejudices or the behaviour of people around us. We are called to move out to those on the edge because we are called to sow and harvest love even though this is no easy task. It’s a hard calling.

July 17th 2011, Pentecost 5, Ordinary 16, Wheat and Tares Matthew 13:24-43

There are two types of parables: there are teaching parables  (often using metaphors or similes) and there are kingdom parables. The kingdom parables usually begin with  "The kingdom of God/heaven...." Matthew chapter 13 consists of kingdom parables and Jesus' words in v10-17 are about these kind of parables. The kingdom parables are "designed to capture the listener and make him a participant, overturning his world-view and leading him to call in question basic values. They teach the presentness of the kingdom and the immediacy of the kingdom of God.In the Old Testament in the Hebrew masal, they were an obscure saying or riddle. The crowds hear the riddle and go home entertained - they hear and do not understand. Those who want to follow God will want to know what it means.

The parables are for the crowds. In this particular parable, unique to Matthew's gospel, the kingdom of God is at hand. It is impacting upon us at this very moment. In the parable of the weeds we are told of a kingdom at hand, but also of a final judgment that is still in the future. The kingdom which is to come, as foreseen by the prophets, has in fact entered the world in advance, in a hidden form to work within and among us.

Speaking with the crowds, Jesus proclaims that the coming of the kingdom of heaven can be compared to that of a farmer who has completed his planting and now waits for the harvest. An enemy, or hostile person has planted bearded darnel (it looks like wheat but is poisonous). As the heads of grain appear on the wheat, the servants can identify the weeds, now intertwined with the wheat. The farmer (or master) tells his workers to leave both weeds and wheat together. At the harvest, the two will be separated and the  the weeds burnt.

Jesus leaves the mystery with the crowd and withdraws. The disciples are mystified. So Jesus explains the parable to them. The Son of Man, sows the seed and directs the harvest. This takes place in the field, which is the world.  From the Early Church Fathers, through Augustine, and up to the Reformers, the field was seen as the church. But Jesus is saying the field is the inhabited earth, the world, the kingdom is somewhere in it (sometimes!). The righteous are alongside the lawless, but only for a time.

Jesus says "he who has ears, let him hear,” and  identifies those who face judgment as the ones who cause offence (stumbling-blocks are a trap, something that causes a trip or fall). The lawless, those who defy God's law, are in the world and  they have much in common with the wheat, but they are children of darkness. In the present time they coexist, but the day is coming when they will be weeded out and cast into the fiery furnace. This is a place of "tears and bitter regret."

The Pharisees in Jesus' day sought to be good "weeders". They considered Jesus and his followers as weeds.

 The Kingdom is messy, a mixed up garden where the good stuff and the bad stuff is so intermingled it's not safe to separate them! The kingdom is like the present we live in right now.

In one of the first crusades, knights from western Europe blew through an Arab town on their way to the Holy Land and killed everyone in sight. It was not until later, when they turned the bodies over, that they found crosses around most of their victims’ necks. It never occurred to them that Christians came in brown as well as white.” We often can’t tell the wheat from the weeds.

 Jung explored the nature of the unconscious “shadow” that lives in each soul.  The shadow gets filled with all the things that we repress because we don’t want to know about them.  This rubbish rots and pollutes and unconsciously drives our actions.  We think we have rid ourselves of our rubbish, but it controls us behind the scenes of our conscious thought.  Jung believed that by acknowledging our rubbish and knowing it is always there, we are better able to understand ourselves and others.  Perhaps is a modern translation of wheat and tares