communicating aspects of the kingdom of God. Parables consist of short narratives to illustrate a point. Sometimes the elements in the narrative are explicitly identified as pictures of, or metaphors for, something that helps us understand the meaning. Sometimes the meanings are explained, while at other times they are not spelt out. For example, several of these parables concern seeds, but the picture language, or metaphor, of a seed is used in varying ways in the different parables. For this reason, it is important to take each parable as a whole to determine its meaning, rather than focusing on single words or taking the metaphors too far.”

Those that have attended church when I have lead a service will be very aware that I find the use of props very useful to me, I have an art background – so I like the idea of using story boards to light up my sermon, words sometimes get lost in the message – but a picture well that’s another matter altogether. Many of our Ministers & visiting lay preachers over the years have brought seeds in, some have allowed us to take them home to see how they germinate.

The first half of this week’s reading presents the picture, familiar to Jesus’ audience, of someone sowing seed, probably throwing it across each side of the ground as they walked along a path of beaten earth through a field. Jesus notes reasons, within the story, why the seed falling in each of four different places might be more or less productive. He then calls on the crowd to listen (v.9).

“The second half of the reading jumps a few verses to where, having answered the disciples’ question about why he uses parables, Jesus calls them to ‘hear’ the parable (it is the same root word as that translated ‘listen’ in v.9) and he proceeds to explain it. This is where our tidy categories of meaning fail us; it is meaningless to argue whether the germinating seed (v.21) or the soil type (v.19) represent the person. The wording is ambiguous but the meaning is clear. The different growing situations are metaphors for different responses to the word of the kingdom. As such, they help explain why Jesus’ message is not received with acclaim by all of Israel. Various factors affected how the same ‘seed’ of God’s word fared in different circumstances in Jesus’ time: distraction by forces against God, by hostility from others, by worries of life and concern for wealth. Beyond that, we may find that the parable helps us understand why people outside the Church today respond in varying ways to the gospel, and it may also reflect how Christians feel that they respond to the ongoing call of God on their lives. This range of potential applicability reflects the power of a good parable. It can speak to various situations in differing ways – but all may be fruitful.”

There can be no better example of how we should act as Christians if we use the example of the seed. But also that image of Jesus having to get into a boat – because so many people were there, like the image above reminds us of the climate affecting how we worship moving forward, we will have some form of social distancing, there will be many changes in the short to medium term but whatever our Church looks like as we move forward we must all remember we are the “seeds” we have to grow our Church, it’s just that we may have to find new ways of doing that.

The links between the readings
We use pictures to communicate ideas all the time. Isaiah and the psalmist both make poetic use of pictures to speak of abstract concepts, such as God’s word, or to express the way in which they saw the whole of creation giving praise to God. Paul uses metaphors of walking and dwelling to speak of the ways in which believers’ lives are bound up with the Spirit of God. Jesus, the master storyteller, conjures up pictures to communicate deep truths about people and about the work of God. We shall see more over the next two weeks.

Part 3 will be posted on Saturday

The Gospel reading I am looking at today is taken from Mathew 10: 40-42, other lectionary readings that you may want to look at are as follows: Jeremiah 28: 5-9, Psalm 89: 1-4, 15-18. Romans 6: 12-23.

​Gospel Matthew 10. 40 -42
“This short excerpt, which closes the block of Jesus’ teaching on mission in Matthew’s Gospel, mirrors the beginning of last week’s Gospel reading (10.24-39). That passage began (10.24-25) by discussing how those who reject Jesus will act the same way towards his followers. This week’s verses discuss how those who respond positively to the disciples will be understood to have welcomed Jesus. Moreover, in a line that demonstrates a high view of Christ, those who welcome Jesus are understood to be welcoming the one who sent him; that is, God the Father. Jesus is God’s mediator.

If the welcome is made on the basis that the one received is a prophet or a righteous person, then the host might expect a reward; it is not clear if that is the reward due to a prophet/righteous person themselves, or that which a prophet might give to those who receive them (as seen in some Old Testament stories – e.g. 1 Kings 17.8-24; 2 Kings 4.8-37). Either way, it is a promise of reward and this is probably intended in the sense of a consequence at the end of the age.
The passage highlights again the importance, in that culture, of offering hospitality. The reference to giving water, which was the basic requirement of hospitality then as now (and for which no reward would be expected), is echoed in Matthew 25.35-40, speaking of the time ‘when the Son of Man comes in his glory’. Jesus welcomes and rewards those who, in giving a drink to one of his ‘brothers’, are viewed as having ministered to Jesus himself.”
 
The links between the readings
The Gospel and Old Testament readings are both concerned with the ways in which the people of God who bring the message of God are received by others. As such, they demonstrate that the reception is not always positive, but, at the end of the age, there will be profound consequences for the recipients. The Romans’ passage discusses the response of the believer to their new status in Christ; should they continue to live as they used to, effectively remaining slaves to sin? Or should they act in the way appropriate to their new status and consider themselves slaves of righteousness? Each of these options will also have consequences at the end-time.

Source: © ROOTS for Churches Ltd. Reproduced with permission.

“‘Lifestyle choices’. What kind of consequences do the choices have – good or not so good? Do you stick with some choices even though there are not so good, or even bad, consequences? Advertising for lifestyle choices certainly tells you about the good things – does it ever tell about the not so good?”

So now let’s talk about the Huguenots who lived in Spitalfields, they were not there out of choice, most were driven there because they were excluded from worshiping in the way they deemed correct, some came for economic reasons but the vast early majority came to escape from faith tyranny They believed that God would watch over their lives, that God would keep them safe, they were on the whole very different from the London norm of the time, they grew plants in there cramped houses, they loved the sound of captive song birds, mimicking the clatter of the looms. Some kept to their faith, some drifted out of faith but for the majority their faith kept them grounded it was a relatively short period in history, but just as we reflect on the time of Jesus and are sometimes perplexed having more questions than answers, so might we be as we look at the History of the Huguenots across Europe.

“To be a follower of Jesus is a lifestyle choice. Jesus spelt out the challenging realities of being his disciple with both good and not so good news. The good news is that we are hugely valued by God, and God knows every detail of our lives. So, never be afraid, Jesus says – God loves you. On the other hand, the not so good news, he says, is that it is not easy to be a disciple. What do you think some of the risks and dangers are?”

But when we reflect on History and that will include the current pandemic, do we have the thought at the forefront of our mind that Jesus keeps us safe, do we question our faith, I think we all need someone to help us get up and over the obstacles that are put in our way just as the picture in part 1 identifies.

“Jesus’ advert is realistic: he doesn’t offer a life without problems. Rather he promises to help us through the difficulties we will meet. We are not immune from the problems everyone has to face (for example, health issues and death/loss). And there are additional challenges created by living out our faith. Jesus encourages us to recognise them – to be forewarned – and to face them with a resilience that comes from an assurance of our value in God’s sight.”​

So maybe we are a little like pencils, maybe we need to reflect on that and how we write our own pencil story, we are living in very difficult times but we have to keep our Faith, the lead in our pencil should be for writing good, for being understanding and for forgiving, one final referral to my Huguenot ancestors, weaving went through highs and lows ( some Golden periods) but at the end the 19th Century nearly everything was gone, most descended into poverty in both wealth and faith terms, we have to endure to keep our faith and climb those obstacles.

May you have discernment to see whom to serve.
May you have wisdom to know how to serve.
May you have strength to serve as a faithful disciple of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen.




© ROOTS for Churches Ltd www.rootsontheweb.com Reproduced with permission

"Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray Him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." - John XII, 4-6

Judas protested at the lovely action of Mary, who anointed the feet of Jesus with costly ointment and wiped them with her hair. He protested in the name of charity, in the name of the needy, and the destitute and he protested in the presence of One who had said "Blessed are the poor," and, to the lawyer who heard the story of the Good Samaritan, "Go, and do thou likewise."

Now generosity is a Christian virtue, but the generosity of Judas, so Christian in appearance, is nevertheless only a mask for his own greed. Perhaps he himself is not aware of this. Possibly his voice has a ring of sincere conviction in it when he condemns useless extravagance. But, nevertheless, the Evangelist is at pains to tell us, the sentiment does not move from a Christian centre.

There are other stories in the New Testament which show how Christian virtue can be a mask, behind which Christ recognises an enemy. No doubt Peter felt within himself that he was moved by pure friendship when he rebuked Jesus for speaking of His approaching passion and death. "Be it far from Thee Lord; this shall not be unto Thee." Love, the supreme Christian value, seems to prompt him, and one can almost imagine the disciple slipping an affectionate hand through his Master's arm as he speaks. "But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; thou art an offence unto Me." Evidently Peter's "love" was very painful to our Lord at this moment. Christian in appearance it concealed a refusal to accept the Cross. So it was a mask on the face of an enemy.

On the night of Christ's betrayal and arrest, however, Peter finds the courage to draw a sword and wound a servant of the High Priest. Not always did he feel so brave. But with his Master by his side he does not fear to risk his life. 

Courage is a Christian quality. Most of us fail sadly for lack of it from time to time. Nevertheless our Lord again rebukes Peter. Perhaps He sees behind the mask of courage the face of hatred and fear. It is by love that Christ must conquer or not at all.

You will remember the story of the Prodigal son, and how the elder brother complains that he has been unfairly treated. Is it just, he says, that one who has served faithfully for so long should be treated with less favour than a reckless, pleasure-loving lad, who has "wasted his living with harlots?" If this is a plea for justice and fair play, a protest against privilege and favouritism, it has a Christian ring about it. But the father in the story knows his son. He recognises, behind the mask of justice, the face of envy. He gently chides him: "It was meet that we should make merry and be glad; for this thy brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found."

Were the disciples pleased with themselves, I wonder, when John reported to the Master, "We saw one casting out devils in Thy name, and he followeth not with us: and we forbad him because he followeth not us." They were trying to express their loyalty to Christ by this action, and loyalty is a Christian virtue. But on this occasion our Lord does not accept it. "Forbid him not ... he that is not against us is on our part." May it be that behind the mask of loyalty is the face of jealousy? Did the disciples secretly resent the success of this unorthodox stranger who "followeth not with us"? Perhaps a measure of our denominational zeal hides the same sin. 

A good deal of apparently Christian behaviour fails to be Christian became it does not find its source in Christ. It was not devotion to Christ which moved Judas to advocate the Christian grace of charity; nor was it Christ who inspired Peter's courage in the garden of Agony. We must not identify Christianity too easily with an appearance of Christian virtue. Christianity points beyond virtue, beyond all morality even.

The Gospel bids us look behind behaviour to the source of inspiration before we decide what belongs to Christ and what does not. Is Mary, wastefully anointing the feet of the Lord, a better symbol for Christianity than are the benefits of a Welfare State? Perhaps. Certainly the mask of Christian virtue may conceal hostility to the true purpose of Christ. One can be virtuous without being good. One can be religious without having faith. It may be that the best refuge from faith is a religion, and the best refuge from Christ a Christian ideal.

Religion itself can conceal atheism, like a blind drawn in an empty house.