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By Moya Lethbridge
Jer. 8:18-9:1,
1 Tim.2:1-7
Broken people and broken world.
Last week heard of family marriage breakups and major surgery. Thought “broken people” – world and us
See it in Jeremiah absolute sorrow for people “Summer is past, harvest is over and gone and we are not saved”. (v20)
“crushed”, “mourning”, “crying day and night”
Why? – sin of people – dishonesty, deceit, slander, violence, rejection of God.
Sound familiar? - our society – more and more broken people
Teens’ opinions: “Marriage is highly over-rated”, “don’t want children”. Disillusioned, unhappy, suicide rate up.. Generational.
Book “Money, Sex and Power” by Richard Foster – the gods of our age. Jesus says in gospel (Luke 16:1-13) “cannot serve God and money”.
Jeremiah: “Is there no balm in Gilead, is there no physician there?”
YES! - the presence of the Lord. For us the cross of Christ – his brokenness absorbed our every sin. The risen Jesus contains in self ALL we need. He IS the Balm, he IS the Doctor!
Know this to be true more and more as trust in him.
But Timothy reading says meant to share this truth. “God wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:3) – the truth of Jesus on the cross – “one mediator between God and man” (1 Tim.2:5)
How share it? Come back to us – also “broken people” (me too). Affected by pain, grief, depression, family troubles, financial troubles – just like rest of world. BUT what do we do with our brokenness – cry out to Jesus. Share sorrows with him and each other in community. Not hide weaknesses with safe people. “I glory in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9)
Wendy, small woman in trouble went to Iona Monastery (Island of St Columba in Scotland), friends said would hear from God. Several days retreat – nothing. Had boat trip along with a couple and IHC son – 30’s, very tall but mental age of 5-6 - to small retreat island with cave for monks. No word from God. At end getting into boat with struggle, a big arm came and lifted her in. The IHC man – She said “Thank you for helping me”. He ran to other end of boat shouting, “Mummy, Daddy that lady thanked me for helping her”. God’s word to her!
Be ourselves, weak as we are, and spread abroad the fragrance of Christ in who we are and what we say and do in our sorrows. (2 Cor. 2:14-17) Share the comfort God gives us with others (2 Cor. 1:4). God can use broken people if we are willing.
By Rob Thomas
Jeremiah 8:18-9v1.
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13.
Happiness in serving God not Money.
You may remember, last month I spoke about Jeremiah’s message about worshipping false Gods.
I say “may remember” rather than “will remember” because if your memory is anything like mine there are probably times when you can’t even remember what you had for breakfast.
The most common “false god” we can be trapped into worshipping is money, or the products of it - that is, material possessions - and, as I pointed out last month, it’s easy to fall into that trap. We are certainly warned against this and I’ll read again what Jesus told his followers, as recorded in Matthew 6; 19-21: “Do not store up riches for yourself here on earth where moths and rust destroy and robbers break in and steal. Instead, store up riches for yourself in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy and robbers cannot break in and steal. For your heart will always be where your riches are.”
In today’s Gospel reading we hear the parable of the shrewd manager which concludes with a similar message,(Luke 16: 13); “No servant can be the slave of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” or, as many of us of the “old school” will remember; “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.”
How true that is, yet we can succumb to the constant bombardment of messages encouraging us to buy this, buy that, no deposit and no interest for 3 years, or similar sorts of enticements. Now, I know that that’s not exactly storing up riches, in fact it seems to me to be the ultimate antithesis as it’s really encouraging many people into a life of perpetual debt, however, it is still placing that continuing emphasis on material possessions which many come to believe are the essentials of a happy life. Some may even say it’s an indication of a prosperous life but I fail to see how such indebtedness can be confused with prosperity or wealth. Credit cards used to their maximum limit to obtain a new car or television set, or overseas travel while still paying off a hire-purchase agreement or mortgage doesn’t sound like a path to real happiness.
I know it’s probably become cliche but I have to say that real wealth, real riches, real happiness doesn’t lie in the accumulation of material possessions but lies in good health, good friends and the willingness to be a good friend and good neighbour. Being a faithful Christian.
There are many more cliches: Love thy neighbour; do unto others, etc.,and it’s a fact, we get out what we put in, or another way of saying that is; we get back what we give out. You know what’s said about modern technology - computers etc; “Rubbish in, rubbish out.” So it is with our own lives.
I say the same thing to the men I deal with about their family relationships; “You’ll get back what you give out,” and very often the almost immediate response is something like “But what about her? She’s just as bad,” or “she started it,” which, if you think about it, actually proves the point! Just because someone is being rude or abusive towards us does not give us the right to be rude or abusive in reply. Admittedly it can often be tempting and perhaps an automatic response, but nonetheless it is a bad response and does not end up by giving us what we want. Surely we all want a happy and stress free life, and, let’s face it, (another cliche); Two wrongs don’t make a right!
Most of what I’ve said so far is what we’ve all heard before and what we would all probably say is really all a matter of common sense. All I can say is that I believe it certainly is sense but, unfortunately, it’s not as common as is should be.
So, how do we achieve that heartfelt happiness that we all desire?
Well, I’m sure it will differ for each and every one of us but to use a paraphrase of what I said earlier perhaps a good way to start would be; “Happiness in, happiness out.”
If we can give happiness to others we will get happiness back.
By giving of ourselves, our concern, our empathy, our time, our understanding, our money, but most of all our love, I’m sure that the response will be love returned and I certainly hope we all know what it feels like to be truly understood, cared about and loved.
It’s the simple things in life that give us all the greatest rewards - and I’m certainly not suggesting that we should be doing anything in the expectation of a tangible reward - simply the reward of seeing that smile on another face as a result of that act of kindness. As the old song goes; “Little things mean a lot.”
It may not be a great example but I’m sure most of us have seen the smile on a young child’s face, maybe your grandchild or some other close friend’s or relative’s child, when you arrive unexpectedly and they run out to greet you with arms outstretched for a hug and cuddle. That’s what we all need from time to time, an unexpected visit or call or contact from someone we know cares about us and is prepared to share some caring, loving time with us. Who knows, we may even get a hug and a cuddle! Surely that would brings a smile to all our faces!
The riches we build up in heaven as a result of our love toward each other are so much more satisfying than any earth-bound, material riches and if we are prepared to share our riches, our talents, with others how much richer we will all be!
Amen.
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