Parables for Bradford, Week 5: Where True Wealth Lies
Service Sheet (pdf)
Welcome and Call to Worship
Ps 84:1-4Hymn:
Jesus is Lord! Creation’s voice proclaims it (StF 353; H&P 260)
The theme for this morning’s services is ‘Where true wealth lies.’ I wonder if you can guess which of Jesus’ parables we are going to be thinking about today? I’ll give you a clue. It involves ‘Bigger Barns’!
Children’s address:
Over recent weeks, here in Bradford we have been looking at the parables Jesus told, those special stories about everyday people, things and situations that Jesus used to challenge his listeners to really think about the points he was making.The theme for this morning’s services is ‘Where true wealth lies.’ I wonder if you can guess which of Jesus’ parables we are going to be thinking about today? I’ll give you a clue. It involves ‘Bigger Barns’!
Reading:
Luke 12:13-34 Read by Elliott and Naomi Cahill.
Intro to story:
Warnings are often unpopular. We don’t see them as loving: they limit our freedom (real or imagined), and we don’t like that. But think of warning signs at a cliff edge – they may spoil the view but save us from disaster. So, was Jesus being loving with his warnings here, about God choosing a sudden moment of our death, and about how anxieties can spoil our life? Have a listen to this story and think how you might have reacted.
One day some years ago, I slung my camera over my shoulder and went for a walk round Buck woods, my dog scampering along with me. My path ran through the woods and back along the canal towpath. At one place three oldish lads were having some target practice with an airgun over on the other side of the canal in an open field. They were lying in the grass taking it in turn to try and hit some mark on a wall that ran away from the canal at right angles. Thus their line of fire was parallel to the towpath where I was walking, but as I approached a pellet ricocheted off the stone wall. I heard it whining in the air and saw it bounce off the water. As far as I could tell, it passed not more than a few feet from my head.
My first reaction was thankfulness, and I was intending to pass on without comment, startled though I was. But then I felt I ought to say something, for the sake of other walkers if not for the lads themselves. There could have been a nasty accident. But even if my motive was good, I certainly did not handle things well.
“Were you aware,” I called across the canal, “that one of your pellets narrowly missed me back there?”
“What pellet?”
Nettled, I said, “Don’t be silly! One of those pellets you were firing bounced off the wall, hit the water and nearly hit me.”
They looked at one another in patent disbelief.
“We weren’t shooting anywhere near the water.”
I went on, still imagining I was doing them a good turn.
“Now look, I’m telling you what happened. There was nearly an accident. And if there had been, and someone had got hurt, people would blame you. If you play with dangerous toys and something goes wrong, it’s you that gets into trouble. I’m just warning you, that’s all.”
Perhaps I ought to explain that in my youth I had done a lot of rabbit shooting with a rifle, so I felt I knew what I was talking about, not that they were to know that. The one that was holding the gun was a big rough youth with a mop of blond hair. He got annoyed with me.
“Go on, clear off!” he shouted. “We didn’t shoot anywhere near you.”
And I said, “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Even if you didn’t shoot anywhere near me, the pellet came off that wall and nearly hit me. I’m warning you, you want to watch what you’re doing with that gun.”
That was too much. He sprang to his feet.
“Don’t you try and tell me how to use a gun, mate,” he said, striding forwards. “Any more of that and I’ll let you have a pellet up the backside and see how you like that!”
Here was where my nettled firmness sank to the level of brash stupidity.
Feeling quite astonishingly calm under the threat, I said, “ Go on then, and see what good that’ll do you.” And I stood my ground. We stood facing one another across the water. He began to raise the gun, but then one of his companions scrambled to his feet and began pulling him away from the bank, telling him not to do it. The mop-haired youth allowed better sense to prevail, contenting himself with a continued fusillade of abuse across the water.
I resumed my walk and reflected. What a terrible way I had handled that encounter! I still thought I was right to have tried to say something, but I could see I had not found the right words. I prayed as I walked.
“Lord,” I said, “what should I have done?”
I turned it all over in my mind, especially those explosive words: Don’t you try and tell me how to use a gun, mate! Of all the things to say! It was the very point on which I felt I did have something to tell him. Quite apart from my own experience of rifles, I had seen and heard the evidence of their misuse, and nearly felt it too. What should I have done?
The Lord didn’t tell me what I should have done. He doesn’t dwell much on past problems. But he did answer me. Suddenly there came into my head a realisation of words, so clearly they were almost spoken.
“Now you know how I felt when people said to me, ‘Don’t you try and tell us how to live, mate!’”
Of course, of course! Jesus could see the dangerous outcome of wrongly handled lives. And he knew and taught perfectly how to live. But people wouldn’t have it. Don’t you try and tell us how to live, mate! I began to realise the significance. As then, so now. We reckon we know how to live, and we don’t want any guidance from him, thanks. We don’t want to spoil the fun we’re having, and never mind the danger. We reckon that we know and he doesn’t. But we’re wrong: he does know. And we should listen to all he says about how to live, whether we understanding it all or not. A wrongly pointed life is far more dangerous and damaging than a mere airgun.
There is one more little episode in this story. In spite of the privilege of hearing Jesus speak to me like that, I was deeply conscious of how stupid I’d been and felt very put off that particular part of the canal. But some months later I had to go to a meeting (one that I didn’t much look forward to, as it happens) near Apperley Bridge, and I felt I should walk there. I could seek calmness of spirit on the way, as well as fresh air, but the walk led me past the place of that encounter.
It was a lovely in the early morning, peaceful and quiet, sunny but fresh, and as I reached that spot God gave me an added bonus of healing. That whole field where the lads had been was filled with golden light of quite wonderful beauty. Shadows of trees lay across the dew-covered grass, and beams of light penetrated the slight trails of mist and reflected in the still water. I really felt as if God had prepared it specially for me, to show that the past was past and that I should be at peace with it. I felt healed by the sight, and strengthened by the whole experience. I was confident, too, that the future lay in God’s hands.
In Christ alone my strength is found (StF 351)
Don’t you try and tell me how to use a gun, mate!
My first reaction was thankfulness, and I was intending to pass on without comment, startled though I was. But then I felt I ought to say something, for the sake of other walkers if not for the lads themselves. There could have been a nasty accident. But even if my motive was good, I certainly did not handle things well.
“Were you aware,” I called across the canal, “that one of your pellets narrowly missed me back there?”
“What pellet?”
Nettled, I said, “Don’t be silly! One of those pellets you were firing bounced off the wall, hit the water and nearly hit me.”
They looked at one another in patent disbelief.
“We weren’t shooting anywhere near the water.”
I went on, still imagining I was doing them a good turn.
“Now look, I’m telling you what happened. There was nearly an accident. And if there had been, and someone had got hurt, people would blame you. If you play with dangerous toys and something goes wrong, it’s you that gets into trouble. I’m just warning you, that’s all.”
Perhaps I ought to explain that in my youth I had done a lot of rabbit shooting with a rifle, so I felt I knew what I was talking about, not that they were to know that. The one that was holding the gun was a big rough youth with a mop of blond hair. He got annoyed with me.
“Go on, clear off!” he shouted. “We didn’t shoot anywhere near you.”
And I said, “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Even if you didn’t shoot anywhere near me, the pellet came off that wall and nearly hit me. I’m warning you, you want to watch what you’re doing with that gun.”
That was too much. He sprang to his feet.
“Don’t you try and tell me how to use a gun, mate,” he said, striding forwards. “Any more of that and I’ll let you have a pellet up the backside and see how you like that!”
Here was where my nettled firmness sank to the level of brash stupidity.
Feeling quite astonishingly calm under the threat, I said, “ Go on then, and see what good that’ll do you.” And I stood my ground. We stood facing one another across the water. He began to raise the gun, but then one of his companions scrambled to his feet and began pulling him away from the bank, telling him not to do it. The mop-haired youth allowed better sense to prevail, contenting himself with a continued fusillade of abuse across the water.
I resumed my walk and reflected. What a terrible way I had handled that encounter! I still thought I was right to have tried to say something, but I could see I had not found the right words. I prayed as I walked.
“Lord,” I said, “what should I have done?”
I turned it all over in my mind, especially those explosive words: Don’t you try and tell me how to use a gun, mate! Of all the things to say! It was the very point on which I felt I did have something to tell him. Quite apart from my own experience of rifles, I had seen and heard the evidence of their misuse, and nearly felt it too. What should I have done?
The Lord didn’t tell me what I should have done. He doesn’t dwell much on past problems. But he did answer me. Suddenly there came into my head a realisation of words, so clearly they were almost spoken.
“Now you know how I felt when people said to me, ‘Don’t you try and tell us how to live, mate!’”
Of course, of course! Jesus could see the dangerous outcome of wrongly handled lives. And he knew and taught perfectly how to live. But people wouldn’t have it. Don’t you try and tell us how to live, mate! I began to realise the significance. As then, so now. We reckon we know how to live, and we don’t want any guidance from him, thanks. We don’t want to spoil the fun we’re having, and never mind the danger. We reckon that we know and he doesn’t. But we’re wrong: he does know. And we should listen to all he says about how to live, whether we understanding it all or not. A wrongly pointed life is far more dangerous and damaging than a mere airgun.
There is one more little episode in this story. In spite of the privilege of hearing Jesus speak to me like that, I was deeply conscious of how stupid I’d been and felt very put off that particular part of the canal. But some months later I had to go to a meeting (one that I didn’t much look forward to, as it happens) near Apperley Bridge, and I felt I should walk there. I could seek calmness of spirit on the way, as well as fresh air, but the walk led me past the place of that encounter.
It was a lovely in the early morning, peaceful and quiet, sunny but fresh, and as I reached that spot God gave me an added bonus of healing. That whole field where the lads had been was filled with golden light of quite wonderful beauty. Shadows of trees lay across the dew-covered grass, and beams of light penetrated the slight trails of mist and reflected in the still water. I really felt as if God had prepared it specially for me, to show that the past was past and that I should be at peace with it. I felt healed by the sight, and strengthened by the whole experience. I was confident, too, that the future lay in God’s hands.
Hymn:
It seems fitting to follow that story, and that picture of reassurance, with a hymn about the supremacy of Jesus. In Christ alone my strength is found, here sung by Bree and Charm, members of the Asidor family. And after that we have our second Bible reading, which is part of the story of Paul on trial in Athens for his strikingly original insight into the nature of their “unknown god”.In Christ alone my strength is found (StF 351)
Reading:
Acts 17:22-28 Read by Ruth Whitfield
Reflection: The Giver, not the gifts
Priorities – what are yours? What are the things that occupy your thoughts and on which you spend the majority of your time, effort and resources? Bearing in mind that ‘The best things in life are not things,’ as the saying goes, I imagine family and friends – loved ones, are what spring to mind first for many of us. Which makes it particularly interesting that Jesus told the Parable of the Rich Fool in response to a request to intervene in an argument about the division of an inheritance between two brothers – a family divided by a squabble over material things. Jesus then goes on to speak of God as Father, a Father who knows what his infinitely loved and valued children need and supplies those needs with abundant and beautiful gifts.
There is often real pleasure in giving, isn’t there? Our little grandson, Asher, will be three next month and for his birthday present, my husband Chris and I have bought him a course of swimming lessons. As he is so young, he will need an adult in the water with him and we are so looking forward to taking our turns with his mummy and daddy, of seeing him enjoying the water – he already loves going to the swimming pool – and having the satisfaction of knowing he is learning a useful life skill. But we are also trying to think of a little something to give him on his actual birthday, because the concept of a gift of something nice happening in the future is beyond the understanding of a three-year-old, who is expecting a present to come wrapped in brightly coloured paper, preferably depicting dinosaurs or Paw Patrol characters!
There’s a Marshall family fable about Asher’s daddy, our son Alastair, when he was around the same age as Asher is now, where that lack of maturity about receiving presents caused real offence to a gift giver, namely my sister. Around that time, Alastair had been very keen on Thomas the Tank Engine. He had books, toys, t-shirts – even his bedding and bedroom wallpaper – with a Thomas theme and he loved the cheery blue steam engine. So, my sister had carefully chosen a Thomas colouring set for Alastair’s birthday. He excitedly ripped off the wrapping paper, looked at the present and announced in a loud, clear voice “I don’t like Thomas anymore.” I honestly wished the ground could have opened and swallowed me! Alastair was reminiscing about the event recently, saying that now his own son is at that stage, he really understands the degree of mortification Chris and I suffered…
If we can experience pleasure and find it gratifying to give a good gift, to be thanked for it and then see it being properly and appropriately used, how much more must our Father God rejoice when we do the same with his gifts?
Conversely, how disappointed and offended must God be by ingratitude, by being ignored or even denied as the giver, by the occasions his gifts are selfishly squandered, thoughtlessly misused, wilfully abused or coveted and hoarded, the gifts taking up so much of the attention of the recipient, they become an end in themselves – a ‘god,’ with a small ‘g.’
Such gods can become demanding, cruel and imperious – think of the drug addict, the alcoholic, the workaholic. I am sure you can think of more subtle examples too, those things that absorb dispropor-tionate amounts of our time, energy and resources to the detriment of our loving relationships with God and with each other.
Jesus prefaced his parable by saying “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
It’s a bitterly sad reflection that, over two thousand years later, developed countries are still building ‘Bigger Barns’ both figuratively and physically, as poorer nations hunger for food, clean water, vaccines, medicines, education, opportunity, for justice and peace. Somehow, it has become accepted as the norm that, in the western world huge numbers of adults die from obesity related diseases, whilst malnutrition kills countless children in Africa and India, each adult and each child a member of the same human family.
In our reading from Acts, St Paul had become distressed by evidence all around Athens of worship of multiple gods – the Athenians prided themselves on their philosophical outlook and liked to feel they covered all religious bases. Paul, being no slouch as a debater himself, points out to them the truth; there is one God and “he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”
Everything else. We have nothing that God has not first given us, starting with our very existence, so he, the Giver, should be our constant focus, not his Gifts - it makes absolutely no sense the other way around!
Paul also enlightened the Athenians about God’s purpose in creating us. “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and breathe and have our being.”
Reflection: The Giver, not the gifts
Priorities – what are yours? What are the things that occupy your thoughts and on which you spend the majority of your time, effort and resources? Bearing in mind that ‘The best things in life are not things,’ as the saying goes, I imagine family and friends – loved ones, are what spring to mind first for many of us. Which makes it particularly interesting that Jesus told the Parable of the Rich Fool in response to a request to intervene in an argument about the division of an inheritance between two brothers – a family divided by a squabble over material things. Jesus then goes on to speak of God as Father, a Father who knows what his infinitely loved and valued children need and supplies those needs with abundant and beautiful gifts.
There is often real pleasure in giving, isn’t there? Our little grandson, Asher, will be three next month and for his birthday present, my husband Chris and I have bought him a course of swimming lessons. As he is so young, he will need an adult in the water with him and we are so looking forward to taking our turns with his mummy and daddy, of seeing him enjoying the water – he already loves going to the swimming pool – and having the satisfaction of knowing he is learning a useful life skill. But we are also trying to think of a little something to give him on his actual birthday, because the concept of a gift of something nice happening in the future is beyond the understanding of a three-year-old, who is expecting a present to come wrapped in brightly coloured paper, preferably depicting dinosaurs or Paw Patrol characters!
There’s a Marshall family fable about Asher’s daddy, our son Alastair, when he was around the same age as Asher is now, where that lack of maturity about receiving presents caused real offence to a gift giver, namely my sister. Around that time, Alastair had been very keen on Thomas the Tank Engine. He had books, toys, t-shirts – even his bedding and bedroom wallpaper – with a Thomas theme and he loved the cheery blue steam engine. So, my sister had carefully chosen a Thomas colouring set for Alastair’s birthday. He excitedly ripped off the wrapping paper, looked at the present and announced in a loud, clear voice “I don’t like Thomas anymore.” I honestly wished the ground could have opened and swallowed me! Alastair was reminiscing about the event recently, saying that now his own son is at that stage, he really understands the degree of mortification Chris and I suffered…
If we can experience pleasure and find it gratifying to give a good gift, to be thanked for it and then see it being properly and appropriately used, how much more must our Father God rejoice when we do the same with his gifts?
Conversely, how disappointed and offended must God be by ingratitude, by being ignored or even denied as the giver, by the occasions his gifts are selfishly squandered, thoughtlessly misused, wilfully abused or coveted and hoarded, the gifts taking up so much of the attention of the recipient, they become an end in themselves – a ‘god,’ with a small ‘g.’
Such gods can become demanding, cruel and imperious – think of the drug addict, the alcoholic, the workaholic. I am sure you can think of more subtle examples too, those things that absorb dispropor-tionate amounts of our time, energy and resources to the detriment of our loving relationships with God and with each other.
Jesus prefaced his parable by saying “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
It’s a bitterly sad reflection that, over two thousand years later, developed countries are still building ‘Bigger Barns’ both figuratively and physically, as poorer nations hunger for food, clean water, vaccines, medicines, education, opportunity, for justice and peace. Somehow, it has become accepted as the norm that, in the western world huge numbers of adults die from obesity related diseases, whilst malnutrition kills countless children in Africa and India, each adult and each child a member of the same human family.
In our reading from Acts, St Paul had become distressed by evidence all around Athens of worship of multiple gods – the Athenians prided themselves on their philosophical outlook and liked to feel they covered all religious bases. Paul, being no slouch as a debater himself, points out to them the truth; there is one God and “he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”
Everything else. We have nothing that God has not first given us, starting with our very existence, so he, the Giver, should be our constant focus, not his Gifts - it makes absolutely no sense the other way around!
Paul also enlightened the Athenians about God’s purpose in creating us. “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and breathe and have our being.”
Relationship.
God’s greatest, costliest gift, heaven’s treasure, bought with Jesus’ self-sacrifice and maintained by his Holy Spirit, the gift our Father God yearns for us to gratefully receive. A loving, eternal relationship, where, because he is our first priority, everything else falls into place. We learn to recognise him in the world around us and how to appreciate, use and share his gifts in ways that please him – and in turn find delight in doing so. Wherever he is King, his kingdom comes – his kingdom of peace, justice, joy, mercy, grace and above all, love.
God is not far. Anywhere we mindfully spend time with him can be holy ground and any of his good gifts can become sacred when offered back to him. As we lead into our time of prayer, let’s take a few moments to rest in his loving presence as we listen to a blend of two much loved secular songs and see some beautiful images of rainbows, that biblical symbol of promise that has become so culturally relevant again over recent months.
God is not far. Anywhere we mindfully spend time with him can be holy ground and any of his good gifts can become sacred when offered back to him. As we lead into our time of prayer, let’s take a few moments to rest in his loving presence as we listen to a blend of two much loved secular songs and see some beautiful images of rainbows, that biblical symbol of promise that has become so culturally relevant again over recent months.
Meditation
Meditation with music: Somewhere over the rainbow
For those who can’t watch this video, it is a gentle rendering by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole of the famous song, against a pageant of still photos of rainbows: single, double, or reversed; with numerous unusual sky shots over land and sea; some with startling natural lighting effects.
Heavenly Father, caring Creator of all that is, and holding our future in your safe hands, we praise you – both for the greatness of your grasp, and for the detail of your knowledge and love for each one of us.
But we praise you also, Lord, that you have called us to relate to you as Father in greater depth and intimacy through Jesus Christ: whoever we are, wherever we’re from, and whatever we’re like.
In you we live and move and have our being, so please help us to respond to you as we should: worshipping you in spirit and in truth; trusting and obeying you in our everyday lives.
Lord, all too often we have forgotten your call to be fruitful. And such fruit as we have borne we have often hoarded rather than shared. Please forgive us and help us to do better in future, much better, as we work with you.
What, then, do we have that you want us to share, or use in some way for others, or with others?
None of this is easy, Lord. It’s hard to see what to do. It’s hard to get motivated, or to persevere once we’ve started – especially when others try to discourage our resolve, which sometimes they do.
So please help us now:
May they be restored to fullness of life, in themselves and towards others. Or have strength to endure if healing is not your immediate will for them.
All these things we lift up to you in the name of Jesus our Lord, for your glory. Amen.
Let’s close our time of prayer by joining with others worshipping all over the world as we say the collect for today, and then the prayer that Jesus taught us.
For those who can’t watch this video, it is a gentle rendering by Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole of the famous song, against a pageant of still photos of rainbows: single, double, or reversed; with numerous unusual sky shots over land and sea; some with startling natural lighting effects.
Prayers
But we praise you also, Lord, that you have called us to relate to you as Father in greater depth and intimacy through Jesus Christ: whoever we are, wherever we’re from, and whatever we’re like.
In you we live and move and have our being, so please help us to respond to you as we should: worshipping you in spirit and in truth; trusting and obeying you in our everyday lives.
Lord, all too often we have forgotten your call to be fruitful. And such fruit as we have borne we have often hoarded rather than shared. Please forgive us and help us to do better in future, much better, as we work with you.
What, then, do we have that you want us to share, or use in some way for others, or with others?
- Things; stuff; money; wealth all its forms?
- Abilities, or hobbies – idle, or under-used?
- Time: which could be better employed?
None of this is easy, Lord. It’s hard to see what to do. It’s hard to get motivated, or to persevere once we’ve started – especially when others try to discourage our resolve, which sometimes they do.
So please help us now:
- In our weaknesses, difficulties, or anxiety.
- Especially... (what we name before you).
May they be restored to fullness of life, in themselves and towards others. Or have strength to endure if healing is not your immediate will for them.
All these things we lift up to you in the name of Jesus our Lord, for your glory. Amen.
Let’s close our time of prayer by joining with others worshipping all over the world as we say the collect for today, and then the prayer that Jesus taught us.
Collect:
Lord of all wealth, I freely offer all my possessions in your service: please help me to achieve independence from worldly things, and to build treasure in heaven. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
We pray because we want things put right, and our final hymn is a great encouragement to urgent prayer: Heaven shall not wait for the world’s eventual and partial fix. Jesus is Lord of the now as well as the future, and our prayers join him in working the Father’s will on earth.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
We pray because we want things put right, and our final hymn is a great encouragement to urgent prayer: Heaven shall not wait for the world’s eventual and partial fix. Jesus is Lord of the now as well as the future, and our prayers join him in working the Father’s will on earth.
Hymn:
Heaven shall not wait (StF 701)
The Grace
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all. Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)Service prepared by
Jackie Marshall and Roy Lorrain-Smith
Comments
Post a Comment