"Preparing the Soil" (Mark 4:1-20)

The two big areas of interpretation in this text are:

(1) Why Jesus spoke in parables, and what response was he seeking?

(2) What can we learn through the parable of the sower, seeds and soil?

(1) Again there was a large crowd following Jesus. We know from the incidents of healing earlier in this gospel, that some people understood the significance behind the healings, but other people were just following Jesus (as a miracle-worker) for what they could get. Some people were open to God working in their lives, while others were closed off … only having their own agendas. Everything about what God was doing in Jesus was not going to be spelled out in complete detail, but sufficient information would be made available for those with the eyes to see and the ears to hear. This is because people needed to be able to come to faith (an active belief) in Jesus (and in what God was really doing), not just follow a crowd because this seemed a popular thing to do. This is part of entering a relationship by choice, rather than being compelled into relationship because there is obviously no other choice.

So God presents himself in Jesus – a graceful, positive, hopeful, forgiving identity; and asks the question will you enter relationship with me! A crowd gathers because of what Jesus has physically achieved in the lives of many, yet will they commit their lives to the Jesus cause! Will they enter the boat on the sea (which represents Jesus on mission) or will they stay on the land (as they are)? So Jesus says, “Listen” – which doesn’t mean listen a little while you’re still reading the paper or eating a meal, it means really listen … give complete attention to this! At the conclusion of the first parable (verse 9) Jesus says, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen” – meaning … really take this teaching on board, reflect on it, see how it applies to you. It also suggests that there are many who apparently have ears but act as if they haven’t, or can actually hear but act as if they are completely deaf.

God is always turning his mind to us, but we have to be prepared to turn a concentrated listening ear, preferably both ears, back to God. In his own time, Jesus will speak clearly to those who have gathered around him, but to the crowds, he will speak in parables. They will have to be open and humble and ready enough, especially in the area of self-examination, before the light will dawn for them. When these turn for forgiveness, they will have really discovered the depth and purpose of God’s grace, and not just take this casually. Yet, from this first parable itself, we learn that God the “sower” sows generously, and all people should get a fair opportunity to respond affirmatively.

But with Jesus speaking in parables, there is the further chance that even the disciples and those closest to Jesus won’t get them either. This again shows the human side of the disciples which later causes them to misunderstand, become afraid and flee. Even those closest to Jesus can miss the point at times, and have to have things quietly explained to them. Jesus again shows his patience at this point, and takes time to explain to his disciples the meaning of this the first parable in Mark’s gospel. Then the disciples and all later readers will have to spend their own time searching out for meaning and applications. Following Jesus is a very active campaign, always seeking for more truth, and a closer walk with him. Jesus spoke in parables so that people would make very obvious choices for themselves, either for him or against him. Were they insiders or outsiders?

Being able to respond to a parable with understanding will define those who are really followers of Jesus! In the case of the so-called ‘parable of the sower’ it will be people’s readiness to see themselves in the various ‘soils’ that will determine we’re they’re at!!

(2) Because of the explanation offered in verses 14-20, it is very easy for us to understand and apply the parable in verses 3-8. However if we were there listening to Jesus speaking from the boat, would we have easily understood it and saw ourselves in it? I guess it would have been easier if we had agricultural minds – if Jesus wanted to make the same point now he would have used different images … maybe the umpire bouncing the ball at the “G” and how hard or not the players went after it … or maybe the coaches instructions and how well or not the players followed these.

As it happens we have the inherent difficulties experienced by the Galilean farmer used to describe the difficulties of faith in the early church: temptation, persecution and worldly interests. God or Jesus as the “Sower” throws out liberally the seeds of the gospel message. There are no ‘bad seeds’, just good seeds, and a benevolent ‘Sower’, thus any problems derive from the environment or the soil.

We have these various surfaces that the seeds land on: the path, the rocky ground, the thorn-infested place, and finally the good rich soil. What do these represent???
· Our lives … and how we respond to the gospel message!!! What sort of soil do we bring to Jesus? Has this soil been adequately prepared to receive all of what Jesus has to give us (for the long haul of life)?

The “path” (v.4, 15) would be that part of the land that has been set aside for walking on to get around the garden. It has become hard and unsuitable for plants. In my new front landscaping this path is made of ‘Tuscan stone’, pavers and concrete. It has not at all been designed for flourishing plants. The good soil for plant growth is elsewhere. Any seeds that land on this path are just food for the passing birds, because there is no hope that the seeds will penetrate the hard exterior.

There are people who are completely closed off to the Word of God, either feeling content in the way they are (and not realistic enough to know their own need), or so hurt that they can’t trust anyone or anything outside themselves. The first of these is so regrettable, and the second … so tragic – because the ‘seed’ of God’s Word escapes them.

We ourselves should be careful that our discipleship doesn’t wander from the garden of good soil onto a dead ‘path’, and we miss out on all the new blessings God wants to bring us. Responding to Jesus is not a one off act, but rather a continuing journey – a journey that can involve all sorts of surprises [like the plants that spring up in the ‘good soil’ that you never even knew had been planted].

It’s a pretty tough call (in Mark’s gospel) that those who have initially responded to Jesus positively, but have then refused to be involved with producing fruit, are being numbered alongside the “outsiders” who (because of their outright rejection of Jesus) are missing “the secret of the Kingdom” – but that indeed leads us to the “rocky ground”.

The “rocky ground” (v.5-6, 16-17) is also not conducive to good plant growth. The seed falls there and finds some shallow soil … and does spring up into life just a little, but doesn’t really take root, so that when difficult climatic conditions occur (like scorching sun), it can’t survive and withers away.

These are people who like what they hear in the gospel message, and even seem to take it on board and make a commitment to it, yet really they are only playing games, perhaps saying the words they think others want to hear! They want the good bits of the gospel message like salvation and personal forgiveness, but are not prepared to embrace the implications of following Jesus. This is too inconvenient, or too much change is required, or, just like the rich young ruler (that spoke to Jesus), there is too much to have to give up.

So when things get tough in life (for whatever reason), their faith in Jesus and God’s Word is too shallow or has not taken root well enough, and they fall away, with the inevitable result of faith and life withering and dying. Persecution was a reality for Mark’s Christian community in Rome around 70CE. The notion of the ‘seed’ falling on “rocky ground” was a real challenge to them about how deeply their faith was ‘rooted’, and whether they would stand against all the trials they were experiencing.

When I read about the thorn-infested areas (in v.7, 18-19), I think of those rambling blackberry bushes that for a few weeks each year might produce some good berries, but actually accessing and picking them is a bit of a nightmare. Your hands get scratched, and the thorns reach out and grab your clothes! The rest of the year they are just useless weedy ugliness, where no other plants have space to take root and grow.

Here there is certainly the potential for productive soil, but the actual presence of these ‘thorn-bushes’ [resist or] defy any such potential. They represent all those things that get in the way of fulfilling life, those distractions that separate us from God and God’s purposes for our lives. We might like to start thinking about what those would be for ourselves! What are the thorn-bushes in our lives? What things tend to reach out and grab us and take away our joy? We might really desire God’s best for us, but this is so often choked away from us.

{This could also involve our negative-thinking at times. We might be putting for victory on the 18th hole, just needing a clear head to complete this good round with a straight two-metre putt. But there are so many distractions in our head – the people who don’t believe we can succeed, the people who occasionally laugh at us, all the doubts of missed putts in the past.}

The embryonic growing plant that is our spiritual lives can also be so easily choked by competing priorities, where we haven’t established our daily spiritual walk with God as our number one priority. Where our journey with Jesus is only seen as one part of equally competing aspects of life, rather than the glue that holds everything else together, then we are a sitting duck to be choked in the ‘thorny ground’.

So how can we prepare the soil of our lives into being the sort of “good soil” in which life can flourish? There is great hope for the ‘seed’ that falls into ‘good soil’ (v.8, 20). It can result in abundant fruit – a magnificent harvest! Good soil will be receptive to the seed sower, ready to be a good environment in which such seed can take strong root, and produce plants that will feed the whole community.

a. Unlike the hard “path”, we can be humble and open to what God can do in our lives, making sure we don’t set up a hard concrete like surface around ourselves (without any opening for new growth). This will require being communicative, relational and honest with others (as well as with God); so new opportunities of growth aren’t plucked away from us.

b. Unlike the “rocky ground”, we can make sure that the seed that touches us can work its way down deep, so that our faith is not a dispensable commodity, but rather the centre of who we are (and is thus able to stand up to any difficulty). This will require the hard disciplines of prayer, bible study, church involvement and missional activity; without such a disciplined approach to our faith … it will inevitably wither (in the hot sun).

c. Unlike the ‘thorny place’, we can make sure that we centre our attention on God, so that we don’t get distracted by things that will tend to take away our opportunities to really thrive. This will require some memory exercises about how much God loves us, how much God has sacrificed for us, how much Jesus wants to be our Saviour and Friend, how faithful God has been to us in the past; thus defeating some of the negative-thinking that holds us back. Thorns annoy, cut skin and draw blood, while good soils produce nutrients that promote health, well-being and hopeful outcomes.

Post-Easter Reflection (from Mark's Gospel)

People can let us down. This can hurt us a lot. They said they would help us, but then when it came to the crunch, they didn’t. We can get really stuck here, and such feelings can really dominate our thoughts. Jesus also experienced this many times. Jesus was praying passionately in the ‘Garden of Gethsemane’ just prior to his crucifixion, feeling the heavy weight of what was going to happen to him, and he just wanted his friends, three of his disciples, to stay awake and support him at this difficult time … but they just didn’t fulfil these expectations.

We could perhaps excuse these friends of Jesus, because they didn’t really know what to do, how to help, what they could possibly do to support Jesus in his distress. On the other hand, they could have found some way of staying awake, just to be there for Jesus.

Things got more scary for these disciples when people came with swords and other weapons to arrest Jesus. This was not the outcome the disciples expected when they signed on to follow Jesus. And so they fled far and wide.

A lit later we have the scene of Peter being questioned. Peter, who was no doubt trying to keep a low profile, just warming himself by a fire, was recognised by a servant girl, as one who had been keeping company with Jesus. First this girl, and then others, confronted Peter about being a follower of Jesus, and three times Peter denied this to be the case. The pressure had built up so much on Peter that he had begun to curse and swear; and then the result of his actions caused him to break down and weep.

We might understand this pressure Peter was under, he may have been arrested as well; yet he had disowned the person he had spent close to every day with for the previous three years. Peter had refuted even knowing his best friend. Would this be the end of a wonderful friendship? Would Jesus forever hold this against Peter? Under normal circumstances, where one person, was sentenced to death, like Jesus was, there would be no opportunity to re-establish such a friendship – it would all be over! However, this case was different, because Jesus would rise from the dead, and as we see, seek to draw his friends back to him.

The young man dressed in white speaking to the women at the tomb (representing the voice of God), said that these women should let the disciples know to meet Jesus in Galilee. As we know these disciples had fled a few days previous, leaving Jesus to his fate on his own. Yet Jesus was not going to hold this against them; Jesus would not give up on these friends; after all, Jesus was going to build the whole new Christian movement on the lives of these people! Peter was singled out for a special mention, and we know why. He would have felt the most guilty, the most ashamed, and the most unworthy of forgiveness.

Yet Jesus would certainly forgive Peter, and recommission Peter for the most significant roles in the future Kingdom of God. Initially the women themselves, from the tomb scene, were amazed, and were also afraid, and initially fled too. Yet we know that Jesus did meet up with his disciples again, and that he gave them his trust, and that the Holy Spirit came upon them, and the Church was born.

These texts are tinged with failure! The failure of Peter, James & John to stay awake while Jesus prayed in the Garden; the failure of Peter to own up to being a follower of Jesus; the failure of the women to immediately pass on the message they were given. Such failure derived from fear, and fear is the great enemy of faith!! Yet, failure is not the end! This Gospel message is also tinged with hope – hope that forgiveness will overwhelm any sense or impact of such failure.

Personal failure is not the end, far from it, just part of life and a bump in the road. There is ample opportunity to learn lessons, and be drawn back onto the track of spiritual fulfilment. We may at times, like his disciples, desert Jesus, but Jesus will not desert us! The fear of failure itself can mean that we aren’t prepared to take risks and follow Jesus at challenging times. However faith accepts that the one who fails in their endeavours can still be restored by Jesus. Peter’s tears of failure were transformed into unprecedented ministry. Even a fallible person can come to live the gospel with integrity. Jesus is alive and waiting for we fallible people to join him!

It could be that we have been recently let down by someone, they might have failed us (not living up to our expectations of them); and we might feel really aggrieved by this. It may be that we have to follow Jesus’ example, and reach out to forgive them, and be prepared to trust again. It could be that we have to find it within us to come back to Jesus, so that we might be in his company again; so that Jesus might wrap his arms around us, and tell us that he loves us.

Jesus regathered his disciples at Galilee, forgave them, blessed them, and assured them that his love and presence would go with them as they headed off into their life and mission in the world.

Resurrection Sunday Message from Mark 16:1-8 - "Jesus, Alive & Waiting"

Jesus took his last breath, died, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Access to God was now, not through the temple, not through the law, but through Jesus. It would be an identification with Jesus – with his death on the cross for all humankind, and a burgeoning relationship with him, that would allow us to reach our spiritual heights. Grace has come down from heaven to meet the needs of every human being born.

Jesus was presumably in the tomb, where Joseph had laid his body, covering the entrance with a great stone. So, as Mark relates the story, Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James) and Salome, who had each followed Jesus to Jerusalem and observed the scene of the cross, were now at the tomb, mourning and wanting to anoint Jesus’ body with spices (according to custom). Then the surprise!

That they were discussing how they could possibly get the stone removed from the entrance to the tomb, shows that they had no real expectation of Jesus’ resurrection, despite what Jesus had told his followers on at least three occasions. 8:31 >

"Then [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again."

Such words were repeated at 9:31 and 10:34. I guess we could excuse these women and all the disciples for not getting it, yet are we being challenged here concerning our own readiness to accept the wondrous things Jesus can do … in our lives and the lives of others? Do we stay the way we are, or limit what God can do through us, by not really taking Jesus’ words seriously?

Less than a week ago, Jesus had talked about the person of faith being able … through prayer … to not only move but completely eradicate the mountains that get in the way of experiencing life in all its fullness. We can indeed participate in the new movement founded by Jesus to transform the world and deal with injustice.

Yet, having received the message (that was undoubtedly from God through the figure dressed in white) to tell Peter and the other disciples that Jesus had risen, and that Jesus is going ahead of them to Galilee, and that they should meet him there – what did the women do?? They fled in fear and remained silent!

This is a very uncomfortable ending to Mark’s Gospel. So uncomfortable … that much later other endings were written and added to the end of this gospel. But I believe Mark deliberately left his gospel with such an uneasy ending to provoke a response in his readers. What would we have done? Gone to be with Jesus in Galilee, or fled?

Again, we could probably excuse the women here for letting their grief, confusion and fear get the better of them. Feeling under pressure, the disciples had already fled when Jesus was arrested (14:50). Then we have the scene of Peter denying even knowing Jesus (14:66-72) when he was given the chance to speak up. We shall see as we continue in Mark’s Gospel, that fear, although understandable, is the great enemy of faith.

These women had just witnessed their friend, leader and inspiration in life crucified on a Roman cross. Perhaps no words of expectation and reassurance could prepare anyone for that. It would not have been easy for any follower of Jesus, being ridiculed by some, carefully watched by others.

It would not have been easy for the Jesus followers in Rome in the year 70CE (where and when this Gospel was addressed), being a such a minority movement, and one that challenged traditional religions and societal norms. Some would have been opposed or disowned by their own families. Some would have suffered mistreatment; and also vivid in the memory would have been Roman Emperor Nero’s intense persecution of Christians following the big fire in the year 64.

Yet these Jesus followers were being challenged nonetheless, when it came to the crunch, would they go with Jesus wherever he led them. The football commentators or the hardened coaches talk about – ‘when it’s you’re time to go, you’ve got to go’! Meaning, when it’s your turn to put your body on the line for the sake of the team, you have to do so!!

This is how our spiritual ‘coach’ Mark concludes his gospel – asking the question whether (or not) we will go to meet with Jesus in Galilee … to be charged with the mission of taking the gospel to the world.

There are no resurrection appearances in Mark’s Gospel. The reason for this is twofold:

1. It will be those who metaphorically gather in Galilee with Jesus who provide proof of the resurrection. The reality of Jesus’ resurrection is shown in the lives of his followers.

2. It is the cross that remains centre-stage in Mark’s gospel. This is where the transformation happens between darkness and light. The cross though also reminds us about the suffering that is involved in bringing about salvation. Such suffering may well be normative in the sharing of the gospel in any age. This is not to commend suffering in itself, nor accept injustice in any way, but rather to acknowledge this reality. We read Jesus words in 8:34 > "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me".

Yet we know that Jesus endured that suffering, experiencing feelings of abandonment by God (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me’), and died there on the cross – but was brought back to new life! Jesus knows what it is to be tempted to go in a different direction – to be caught between possibilities (remember his temptation at the hands of the devil, and his own inner yearnings in the Garden of Gethsemane).

Are we serious enough about Jesus to stick our necks out? Would we rather just claim the forgiveness offered through the cross, without the responsibility that goes with it? The risen Jesus is waiting for us! Jesus wants to rescue us, commune with us, and guide us in life; but Jesus also wants to empower us with the Holy Spirit, and send us to the world. Are we ready … no matter the cost?

In the context of its time, Mark’s Gospel is concerned for the salvation of the Gentile peoples. In the context of our time, Mark’s Gospel promotes a concern for all those who have not previously had the opportunity of experiencing God’s grace. Whether that’s been as a result of hardheartedness or material distraction, or whether that’s been the result of abuse and growing mistrust, or whether that’s been because of never seeing the life of Jesus lived out – Mark challenges us to cross over to the other side with the love and grace of Jesus.

There’s one further aspect of this text to consider. God, through the messenger dressed in white, asks the women to gather together all the disciples, especially mentioning Peter, and tell them to head over to Galilee to meet up again with Jesus. Do you see a further significant point here??

God had not given up on the remaining eleven disciples despite the fact that they had fled at Jesus’ most difficult hour; not even giving up on Peter who had disowned Jesus. There would be no doubt that these disciples, for all their earlier commitment to following Jesus, had failed. Part of this failure had derived from not quite understanding the full depth of Jesus’ mission; part simply deriving from fear. However Jesus would regather these disciples at Galilee, and forgive them, and bless them, and assure them that his love and presence would go with them as they headed off in their mission to the world.

Personal failure is not the end, far from it, just a bump in the road. There is ample opportunity to learn lessons, and be drawn back onto the track of spiritual fulfilment. We may at times desert Jesus, but Jesus will not desert us! The fear of failure itself can mean that we aren’t prepared to take risks. However faith accepts that the one who fails in their endeavours can still be restored by Jesus. Peter’s tears of failure were transformed into unprecedented ministry. Even a fallible person can come to live the gospel with integrity.

Jesus is alive and waiting for we fallible people to join him!

“The Day the Fig Tree Took a Hit” (Mark 11:1-25)

We know well the scene of Jesus entering Jerusalem for the last time riding on a colt or a donkey (marking the beginning of ‘passion week’), being honoured with cloaks and leafy branches being spread before him. Jesus would ride in as a ‘king’, but a different type of ‘king’ than many would imagine. Some would be offering Jesus the ‘red-carpet’ treatment – but how long will it last? Some would be crying out “Hosanna” – “Save Now”, but what were they really seeking, because it wouldn’t be too long before we hear “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”!

This was not the scene of a political ‘king’ entering Jerusalem to take authority from the Romans, nor a military leader charging into a city in conquest, but rather the scene of the ‘Prince of Peace’ humbly riding into the heart of religious life to make the ultimate sacrifice for humankind – this Jesus was a ‘servant king’. This was an event centuries in the making, as we shall see through Jesus’ action in the temple, and his resultant death on the cross.

Jesus was greeted with “Hosanna”, then it was that “he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple (verses 9-10 transitioning into verse 11). Jesus had gained followers and adherents around Palestine, but it was to be in the big city of Jerusalem, that he was going to have his final stand-off with the authorities who had stalked him and opposed him throughout his whole three-year ministry.

The Gospel of Mark gathers to a crescendo as Jesus approaches Jerusalem for the last time … and enters the temple. This “temple” should have shown itself to be the great symbol of a people’s intimate relationship with God, a place that showed the nation was attuned to God’s ways and purposes. Jesus had a good look around (v.11), and we know through what happened later, what he thought of what he saw!

Tomorrow was going to be a difficult, decisive day, and it was time to withdraw 3 kilometres to the SE to Bethany with his twelve disciples for the night. Next morning, Jesus again set his mind on the temple and thus headed for Jerusalem. With no McDonalds in sight to ease his hunger, Jesus noticed a fig-tree ahead of him. He was hopeful of finding some fruit to eat because of the existence of leaves on this fig-tree. [Of course Jesus’ hunger was for much more than simply food – he had a hunger for people to be truly seeking righteousness.]

There seemed on the surface to be some potential in this fig-tree for nourishment. However, when Jesus got to the fig-tree, he was extremely disappointed because there was no fruit. Even though this was not the prime season to have expected a flourishing crop (that was probably 2-3 months away), one would have thought that there would be something worth eating, or at least some sign of hope to go with the potential seen in the leaves! Alas!

Questions remain!
· Why was the comment made about this not being the season for figs, if Jesus was expecting there to be fruit?
· If it wasn’t really the season for fruit why did Jesus curse the fig-tree, potentially bringing it to its death?
· Why was such a small seemingly irrelevant incident given such prominence in the Gospel text? Is there more here than immediately meets the eye?

Jesus leaves his disciples wondering about this while he continues to head to Jerusalem. Here Jesus will take firm action concerning what he noticed the day before. In verse 15, we see Jesus driving out of the temple precincts those who were trading there (buying and selling the animals used for sacrifices under the ‘Law of Moses); overturning the seats of those selling “doves” specially mentioned. We see Jesus also overturning the tables of the money-changers [at the American Express type office]. Then Jesus started to stop people carrying their goods through the temple area. It would have been magnificent to have been there to see such proactive prophetic action! This was not a protest against Sabbath/Sunday trading … this was far more significant than that!!

What was at stake here? Two basic things!

1. There was injustice in the selling of the sacrificial animals – people were being ripped off – their need to present sacrifices (according to the Law of Moses) to feel religiously pure was being taken advantage of. They were being sold goods at inflated prices. “Doves” were specifically mentioned … why??? “Doves” were the much less expensive item that the poor were allowed to purchase for their sacrifices. So the offence here to Jesus reached its height with those who could afford it least being ripped off! The “money-changers”, there to exchange currencies into the currency required for the temple purchases, would also take advantage and rip off their customers. Jesus’ demonstrative condemnation of this corrupted trade was of course mostly aimed at those officials who let it happen and also profited from it.

2. It would seem that where these market activities were occurring was in the outer most area of the temple complex. However, this was still a major problem, because this was the only place that non-Jews were allowed to pray. Many Gentiles had been attracted towards the mono-theistic religion of the Jews; there was much to appreciate in their practice of spirituality. However, these non-Jews would be kept on the outer (due to their perceived religious uncleanness); and now the only place they were allowed to pray was completely taken up by the noise and hustle and bustle of trading.

This was all clearly NOT what God had in mind for the temple, representing the heart of religion as it did. This of course was the ‘second temple’ in Jerusalem, built on the site of Solomon’s original temple after the return from exile in Babylon during the 6th century BCE. The first temple had been destroyed by the Babylonians when, as prophets like Jeremiah saw it, the people had turned away from God, not dealing with injustice and following after other gods. Now the ‘second temple’, rather than being representative of God’s ways, was again representative of the people’s godlessness. And this ‘second temple’ was of course destined for destruction at the hands of the Romans in 70CE.

Following Jesus’ proactive action in the temple area, he confidently and courageously reminded all present of the message of their nation’s own scriptures that had at least once before been ignored (refer verse 17). This was a combination of words from Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11, which highlighted that the intention of the temple, as a symbol of the Kingdom of God, was a place of prayer for ALL people (Gentiles absolutely included), as opposed to a place where injustice dwelt and where people were robbed of the chance of fully experiencing God. Isaiah 56 (following the earlier sentiments of Solomon – 1 Kings 8:41-3) makes clear that God’s plan of salvation had always included people from all nations; and to block this plan was wholly blasphemous! The Gospel of Mark, as it developed, had shown that the mission of God was heading towards the Gentiles, and by the time this Gospel was written and read, there were countless Gentiles participating in the worshipping communities of places like Rome.

Jesus’ condemning of the temple was good news for some – the poor and the Gentile – and they were spellbound by Jesus’ teaching. But this was all very bad news for those with a vested interest in the status quo, those who could not tolerate the thought of the temple being displaced, those who refused to even consider the claims of Jesus as Son of God. Jesus’ fate is confirmed!

But what of the fig-tree – and what did that mean? Next morning, Jesus and his disciples went past that fig-tree again. And as we might have expected Jesus’ curse had led the fig-tree to be “withered away to its roots” – v. 20 (a faster result than zero weed-killer can produce). When Peter remarked upon this, Jesus responded – “Have faith in God” (v.22). Let’s revisit our earlier questions:

· Why was the comment made about this not being the season for figs, if Jesus was expecting there to be fruit, and
· If it wasn’t really the season for fruit why did Jesus curse the fig-tree, potentially bringing it to death?
· Why was such a small seemingly irrelevant incident given such prominence in the Gospel text? Is there more here than immediately meets the eye?

Jesus’ comment “for it was not the season for figs” (v.13) and his subsequent cursing, encourages the comparison between the fruitless fig-tree and the fruitless temple. In this symbolic act (and associated words), Jesus would indicate God’s displeasure with certain temple activities, and the leadership that allowed it to continue (all year round). Religious organisation that doesn’t produce good fruit (in and out of season) has the same future as the fruit tree that produces nothing of value.

There was now no hope of any serious fruit even in the right season. The time of the old temple system had passed … God had moved on. Despite its activity {the presence of leaves, if you like} which presumably indicates life, what actually occurs is completely disappointing and unfulfilling. It might as well wither away!

It is now the time of Jesus and the fruitfulness that comes through him. Now the centre-piece of religion (or, of God’s drive for relationship with people) will be Jesus himself. Jesus has shown his mastery over the temple and ritual practice, and provided true interpretation of the Scriptures. Jesus in himself represents the presence of God, the focus of redemption and salvation, and the cornerstone for the future church.

So, to “have faith in God”, as Jesus commends to Peter, will centre not on a place of observance, but rather on a person. Faith won’t just be an attitude, but rather take the form of a relationship with Jesus. Our total person is attuned to God. And just as Jesus has dealt with the fig-tree as a symbol of the end of the prominence of the temple (and Jewish exclusiveness), Jesus’ disciples can (in faith) have that sort of dramatic influence on the society around them. They will challenge injustice, they will reach out to all peoples, they will provide a spiritual home for the outcasts, and their meetings will be places of prayer.

If they were to think, as we might think, that a particular mountain is just too big to climb, or too vast to move, that the job is too hard, then they would be reminded that the prayer of faith can see that mountain not just moved but thrown into the sea. Just believe that it can be so!! There are circumstances around us that may seem as immovable as mountains … however we should not feel that they are beyond the resources and power of prayer! We pray believing in the capacity of Jesus to work around us [and through us] in totally removing mountains.

What would it look like for you if that mountain was removed? Pray, believing that God can move that mountain out of the way, and bring you to the other side!

In the context of this whole passage, we should be praying for our fruitfulness, that we will be productive for God, and that we will wisely use the collective gifts, abilities & resources we have been given, thus providing the community around us with light and hope; praying that we don’t ever look like a withered fig-tree! Faith that leads to confident prayer, also leads to fruitfulness.

"The Need for Hope" - a Sermon inspired by Gary Bouma (and his book "Australian Soul") & Lamentations 3:1-36

In reading the book “Australian Soul” by Gary Bouma – which looks at Spirituality in 21st Century Australia – I discovered that one of the greatest needs of Australians, if not the greatest need of all, is for a sense of hope. At the same time, Gary Bouma suggests that it is the Church – the Christian community – which should be well-placed to offer that sense of hope to society. If I’m asked now where we should start in our mission to the community and world, I’m likely to answer that the place to begin is in helping people discover and be nurtured in hope.

We know about those things that happen in life that tend to diminish hope. Interest rate rises, increased work pressures, ever-present bills, relational difficulties, alcohol abuse, gambling addictions, violence and crime, cancer, diabetes and other illnesses, congested roads, school and university stresses, and the whole complex area of bringing up children. Life can be really, really tough! People need to be able to see, feel and experience hope. Hope … that the future will be better! Hope … that there is some sense to be found within the difficulties of the present! Hope … that we are not forever bound by the mistakes of the past!

What is hope? Hope is expectation and desire combined. We need something and believe it will happen. We sense the strong possibility that what we desire to be the case will be so. Say that there is a really difficult troubling situation at work – to have hope is to see that there must be a solution and that solution will in time come to be. Hope is expectation and desire combined.

The Church should of course be well-placed to offer hope to society. Those that become Jesus followers should be able to model the reality of hope. Why??
· Because our life has been turned around
· Despite being subject to all the same strains and difficulties as everyone else, there is an implanted ability to cope and experience inner peace in the midst of turmoil
· We have certain promises about God’s availability to us, and increasingly we have testimonies of how God has met us at our point of need – we have trusted, and not been disappointed
· We know about and practice prayer
· We don’t have to live continually with guilt and shame, because we have been embraced by God’s re-creative grace.

Somehow, we have to translate what has become a reality in our lives, into something that can be recognised and adopted by those others who still struggle without hope. Gary Bouma writes “…hope is essential to all human life”. He goes on, “Without hope we wither and die”. Hopelessness leads to depression, to being debilitated mentally, physically and socially. A lack of hope leads to destructive behaviours. If there’s no hope then nothing really matters any more. Your own well-being doesn’t matter, and neither does the well-being of any of those around you.

How can this missing hope be found? We could easily just say ‘they need Jesus’, but what they really need are demonstrations that believing in Jesus actually works. The only thing that can cure hopelessness is hope itself. And while a person, no matter how depressed, actually takes another breath, or takes the trouble to get up in the morning, there remains a flicker of hope that can be fanned into flame. Human beings generally have the capacity to endure severe suffering and still go forward – in this there is great hope in itself!

The Book of Lamentations from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) contains raw expressions of despair, grief and mourning. These date from the 6th Century BCE when God’s People (from Judah) bewail the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. They would be written, collated, and repeatedly spoken, to express the people’s torrential emotions about their plight. Their city had been taken, the temple destroyed, people killed, and many taken into exile. These laments were representative of a whole nation of people mourning for lost nationhood, for lost lives, for lost homes, for lost livelihoods, for lost spirituality, for the loss of God.

In typical Hebrew thought processes, we see that this nation of people interpreted their perilous situation as a judgement of God against them; they would belatedly come to understand the repercussions of God’s people ignoring God and going their own way. These people had repeatedly put on the appearances of religious practices whilst treating their neighbour unjustly. The OT “Prophets” are full of examples of this type of behaviour. The scriptures are clear on where the responsibility often lies when things go off track in life.

But we also know that bad things happen to those seeking to do good just as easily as to those only serving themselves. This is because we live in a world that generally operates in ways that don’t follow God’s ways, and everyone suffers accordingly. Everyone is subject to economic injustice, disease and violence. We cannot really know that because someone is doing it tough that they deserve this to be so – it may well be quite the opposite. They may well have been oppressed for doing right as much as for doing wrong. And so we don’t judge, we just love! And so we don’t remain apathetic, but seek to end injustice. And even those we know to have offended against others or even against ourselves personally, we hope that they can turn their life around. For these are the attitudes of Jesus – check them out in Matthew’s Gospel starting at chapter 5.

The emotions or feelings expressed in the early verses of Lamentations 3 include: darkness, isolation, imprisonment, sickness, peril, bitterness, fear, confusion, worthlessness and self-pity. We then see in the verses 16-18 expressions of being at the lowest point possible in life … crawling around in the ashes of one’s own life, grinding one’s teeth on the hard ground, anxious, completely unhappy, loss of any sense of self or meaning in life, all hope gone! Verses 19-20 express that such desperate feelings are continuous and totally debilitating … “wormwood” is a bitter herb, and “gall” is bile, indicating being sick to the stomach, or having a bitter taste in your mouth.

But then … something comes forward in the memory – verse 21! This bitterness and hopelessness now intersects with truth. I really do know something that will get me out of this! Would you read these words from verses 22-24 with me >

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’"

Fortunately these people had been schooled in the truth [which reminds us about the great value of Christian Religious Education in schools today] that they were able to strongly fall back on. They also had witnessed the reality of this truth in former days.

I’m sure we have found words like these comforting, reassuring and hope-giving in our journey as well. When we are at our lowest for whatever reason, we are assured that God is still there for us. Whenever we fall short, God’s mercy intersects with us. Indeed God’s mercies lift us from the failings of yesterday toward positive thoughts about the possibilities of today. God’s faithfulness to us never diminishes. God always has our best interests at heart. We read, “The Lord is my portion” (v.24), meaning the Lord is everything to me – which leads to feelings of great “hope”.

In the verses that follow we enter an acknowledgement that God is ready to respond to those who seek Him and bring them salvation. Sometimes our long term benefit is served by enduring difficulty and turbulence, seeing how God can bring us through such times as better people. Don’t ever think that God has forgotten you! Don’t ever think God has given up on His world! God sees everything, God notes all injustice, and God is compassion! Reflect on verses 34-36. God draws close to the afflicted, and God will raise up people to speak for them and address their needs.

For so many people today however, such sentiments are far removed from them. When the bottom falls out for such people, there seems to be just about nothing left. So it is the Church, the Christian community, the Jesus followers, who have to offer what we have had the privilege of coming to know, experience, and value so highly.

But even saying ‘just put your trust in God’ is not enough – in fact this can be seen as a pious platitude. This is because so many people have no framework in which to understand trust. As Gary Bouma says, “Our images of trust in God derive from our experiences [of] trustable relationships with others”. This would include: parents, elder figures, teachers, doctors, community leaders and pastors. For some, any trust they might have had in others has been thrown back in their face in the form of abuse. They may only know distrust. And such mistrust may have been turned toward God, even though it was only other humans at fault. We have to admit that various agencies of church in the past have been culpable in actually violating and destroying trust themselves. We have to acknowledge this, repent of this, apologise for this, be cleansed of this, and rise above such past misdemeanours to re-establish ourselves as conveyors of hope!

If you haven’t ever experienced a relationship of trust it would be hard to know where to start in trusting God. So many people need to see ‘trust’ not just talked about, but actually lived out, if they are ever to experience ‘hope’. And so it is that the community around us need us to be modelling how we effectively put our trust in another, completely confident of beneficial outcomes … thereby living out the reality of our hope in God. Again Gary Bouma writes, “If you want to peddle trust in God you must provide a trustworthy community”.

Many people around us are struggling; many feel isolated and live in fear. A lot of Australians are materially well off, but still far from happy. Some are bitter over broken relationships and lost opportunities. Our testimony should be that, despite everything that comes upon our path, God loves us. We show the reality of God’s love by exhibiting a level of peace within an anxious society. We are not removed from the difficulties of life, for if there was no darkness around us, how would our light shine out. We show this light by addressing the spiritual side of life as a greater priority than the material side. Each one of us should be doing this relationally with those around us. Also collectively we can offer opportunities for people to come into contact with trusting, hopeful people, and thereby learn about God.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead …" (1 Peter 1:3).