 “What the heart loves, the will chooses, On first reading, Jesus response to those who are challenged to follow him in our gospel reading this morning, seems a little harsh. But Jesus is unapologetic. It’s no good putting off the decision to follow him until a rainy day. Jesus wants his followers to be willing to give their all to him. It’s no good being half hearted about it, for Jesus it’s all or nothing.
..In John 15:13 Jesus tells us that, “there is no greater love than to lay down ones life for a friend.” Jesus is on the way up to Jerusalem to do exactly that for all humanity and he wants us to be willing to love others in the same way. Because Jesus knows us so well, he knows that left to ourselves there will always be one more excuse. Because he loves us and wants the best for us, he wants us to know the fullness of life and the blessing that can only come from accepting his love for us. So the question remains, just how much do we love Jesus? Does he occupy first place on the throne of our heart or are their other things that we love more? Something to pray about I think. Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 Psalm 77 Galatians 5:1, 13-25 Luke 9:51-62 DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET PDF  Freedom vs Fear. In our Gospel lesson this week, we find both of these factors in play. Jesus and the disciples have crossed Galilee in their boat and have put ashore in the country of the Gerasenes. As they set foot on the shore they come across a man who has been possessed by a whole legion of demons and whose life has been destroyed. On meeting Jesus, the demons are filled with fear and beg Jesus not to send them back to the abyss. Instead they ask Jesus to allow them to leave the man and enter into a nearby herd of pigs, who promptly run down the hillside and drown themselves in the lake. In the presence of the Holy One of God, evil flees and the man is set free. With the possible exception of the pigs and the pig herders, you might expect those who witnessed this extraordinary event to be filled with joy, but Luke tells us that exactly the opposite happens. Instead of rejoicing they are filled with fear and ask Jesus to leave them. Confronted with holiness, the ungodliness ruling their own lives causes them to be afraid. Rather than accept the One who could set them free from all of their fears, they choose to remain in darkness and are unable to face the light. For the one who has been set free, life has begun again and he begs to stay with Jesus for ever. But the light that Jesus gives is light that he wants us to share and he sends the reborn man on his way. ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ Luke 8:39. What will you choose to do with the freedom Jesus has won for you? Will your response be one of fear or will you hold it up for all to see? Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; 1 Kings 19:1-15 Psalm 42 Galatians 3:10-14, 23-29 Luke 8:26-39 DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET  Imagine what it would be like to have all your debts cancelled. In our Gospel reading this week Jesus asks one of the Pharisees to imagine exactly that. Jesus is a Guest at the home of a Pharisee named Simon. His fellow guests are shocked when Jesus allows a woman of dubious reputation to lavish extravagant attention on him as she washes his feet with her tears and her hair and then proceeds to massage them with fragrant ointment.
The muttering behind Jesus’ back is hard to miss. ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’ Luke 7:39 Jesus is quick to counter their jibes with a question. ‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon answers him, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ ‘You have judged rightly.’ Jesus says to him. With that he turns to the woman and declares to her that her many sins are forgiven. Once again Jesus has turned the world upside down. In contrast to the religious pride and pomposity of his host Jesus applauds the honesty and humility of he woman. A woman who understands that only Jesus in his infinite love and mercy can set her free from all that is wrong in her life. This the exact opposite of the pride of their host who is so impressed with his own piety that he even dares to look down his nose at Jesus. The contrast between his rudeness and the woman’s gratitude couldn't be greater. Like the woman, we too have been forgiven much. How will you respond? Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; 1 Kings 21:1-10, 15-21a, Psalm 5:1-7, Galatians 2:15-21, Luke 7:36-8:3 Download this week's Sermon Download this week's pew sheet pdf  A great prophet has arisen among us. God has visited his people! Luke 7:16 Continuing on his journey Jesus comes to a town called Nain which lies about 4 miles from Tabor and 25 southwest of Capernaum. As he approaches the gate of the town, and with a large crowd following him, Jesus comes across a funeral procession.
A widow is about to bury her only son. Her grief is intense for not only has she lost her only son but also her only livelihood and source of security. But in just a moment everything is about to change. Filled with compassion Jesus demonstrates the power of God’s love and her son is raised back to life. The miracle is unexpected, unrequested and comes not as a result of the woman’s faith but as a demonstration of the power of God’s love. The miracle points those watching to the fact that in Jesus, God has come amongst them and that his love changes everything. The raising of the widows son is not the only miracle that day, for Jesus has also opened the eyes of the crowd and helped them to see. And what do they see? They see that God’s love and compassion are for everyone and not just a privileged few. They see that God is not distant and uncaring and that he is actively at work, in and among us, to bring his love and healing to a broken world. They see that Jesus has the power to change everything. They see a glimpse of what heaven will be like when suffering and death will be no more. and they see the one who, ultimately through his own death and resurrection, will conquer sin so that we too might be raised with him and receive the gift of eternal life. Till next time. Andrew This week's readings; 1 Kings 17:8-24, Psalm 146, Galatians 1:11-24, Luke 7:11-17 DOWN LOAD THIS WEEK'S SERMON DOWNLOAD THIS WEEK'S PEW SHEET PDF |
Rev. Andrew SmithVicar of Light in the Hills |