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8th
September 2013 - Proper 18 - Revd. Preb Maureen Hobbs |
Sermon
for Proper 18, Trinity 15
Deuteronomy 30.15-20
Luke 14.25-33
Left, Right or Centre?
For those waking in Australia this morning, it would seem that
the political horizon has shifted significantly towards the right.
Now I do not pretend to have a clue about Australian politics,
which is probably just as well .... I am just an interested onlooker.
By nature, I am one who dislikes extremes - so I tend to vere
towards the middle ground. I am, after all, an Anglican - both
by upbringing and inclination. A follower of the via media, the
middle way .... neither too protestant, nor too catholic.
Left, right or centre? By nature probably most of us would shy
away from being thought extremist; we are reasonable people who
have learned to see both sides of any question or argument -
aren't we? We have a preference for the centre - the middle way.
Unfortunately, according to Moses, Jesus and ultimately God,
there is no middle way.
So we are forced into a choice - and that can be an uncomfortable
place to be.
Choice is not always the privilege that the politicians claim;
it is however, the mark of a human being created from the dust.
My recent studies have confirmed that .... God creates the first
human being - Adam from the adama the dust or clay of the earth
(oh, and the first male only comes into existence when the first
female appears ... ish and isha) But the Adam is created in God's
image and therefore free to choose character and destiny.
Life or death? Blessing or curse? Upright or scoffer?
It seems so obvious, doesn't it? Who in their right mind would
choose death and destruction, when blessing and life are on offer?
But what about a broad and easy road leading to destruction,
while a narrow and difficult path leads to eternal life? You
see, in practise, it just is not that easy to know which is the
best option to choose.
We have seen that only too well in the world of international
affairs this week...
Almost everyone - all the leaders of the great nations, are united
in condemning the use of chemical weapons in any conflict ...
but it is not easy to agree what the best course of action is.
And I don't know the answer - I don't suppose you do either!
Moses spoke to a nation who, having chosen wrongly, lost an entire
generation in the wilderness.
Jesus spoke to a great multitude, of whom one might suppose,
less, rather than more, would end up squeezing through the narrow
door.
The right road can appear horribly wrong with no blessings in
sight, while the wrong road seems to be sunny and maybe just
and beguilingly right.
And much of the time the road just seems indeterminate; neither
right, nor wrong. Grey and sort of OK, but sort of not OK too!
I feel deeply sorry for President Obama, and president Hollande,
and Prime Minister Cameron; I am even more sorry for the people
of Syria - those displaced from their homes and livelihoods;
those caught up in the fighting and the violence and the bombs
and the dying. I am sorry for those neighbouring countries, forced
to cope somehow with a never-ending stream of refugees fleeing
the violence and danger.
And I honestly do not know what the right course of action or
inaction would be! I only know that sooner or later warring factions
will have to be made to come to a conference table and to agree
things rationally and peaceably ... or else there simply won't
be any country left to fight over and enjoy.
"Choose life!" We are told. "Put your eggs in
the Moses basket! -
Love God, listen to him, walk in his way and you will have blessings"
Jesus said there was only one way and he never said it would
be easy - in fact quite the opposite.
Don't start something, he said, unless you intend to finish.
Count the cost. How much do you want life, real life, eternal
life?
Coming back into this community after a few weeks away, I cannot
help but be struck by the arguments and anger being expressed
about property and planning. It is not a pretty sight. It is
not good that anyone should feel intimidated and upset.
And I can appreciate that both sides have powerful arguments
to make. And I honestly do not know what the right course of
action or inaction would be! But count the cost to our unity
and peace! And sooner or later all those who presently disagree
will need to be reconciled and talk things over rationally and
peaceably .... or there will not be any community left to enjoy!
And those of us who claim to follow Jesus must look to him and
trust that he alone knows the road, the way ahead. And those
of us who seek to follow Christ, know we cannot deny the other;
we must respect other arguments. But if we see Christ's claim
as absurd, the promises as empty, His offer an insult to our
pride, the way restrictive and irksome - well, we still have
the choice, - left or right; broad or narrow. But be very aware
of the consequences of that choice - death, or life?
Lord, help me, help us all, in the days and weeks ahead to choose
well;
To be born again and laid this time, not in the Moses basket,
but in your arms.
Amen. |
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