Readings:
Gen 17.1-7, 15-16; Ps 22.24-32; Rom 4.13-25; Mark 8.31-38
May I speak in the name of God, always Creating, Redeeming, Sanctifying.
Our God loves to partner with humanity and all creation to achieve life in abundance and realisation of God’s Kingdom. We are co-creators with God.
Last week we looked at God’s covenant with all creation following the great flood that destroyed all life on earth other than that which was safe on the ark. In this story of a God who creates all things and then brings an extra-ordinary flood, it makes no sense that God would rely on the work of a human to build an enormous ark and then to round up every living creature, and gather every kind of vegetation to store in the ark for the period of time it rained, was flooded, then care for everything in the aftermath. Surely God could do all that without the help of Noah?
What about Abram and Sarai? Surely, once God has noticed Abram to be special and has chosen him, surely God could have created a son or daughter to be born without the need for a 70+ yr old woman to conceive, carry, and then deliver a child? Having had to do that in my late 20s, I can tell you it is not something I would ever wish on someone over 40! I don’t think ‘joy’ would be my overriding sense, but rather, fear. But here we are, God will not do this thing without the cooperation of humanity. God partners with humanity, and all creation.
We are always invited to join in with God! Find out where God is working in the world and jump in, both feet together, in the deep end. It might be dangerous! Especially if that work goes against the sensibilities of our families or friends. Especially if that work goes against the sensibilities of the world around us.
We can hear Peter’s fear when Jesus teaches everyone in no uncertain terms that he must undergo suffering, must be rejected by the religious leaders, must be killed(!), and then, only after three days of being dead, rise again. Peter tells him, “No. There has to be another way.”
But it is a temptation! That is why Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan.” Peter is thinking of his own needs, not the path that God is leading Jesus down. A dangerous path, but one that God cannot complete without Jesus’ partnership, without the partnership of Judas, the scribes, the pharisees, Pilate, the centurions, and so on and so forth. God will work in the hardship, the wars, the difficult times to bring about the best good, the best bit of God’s Kingdom to that part of the world.
Rev’d Dr Margaret Wesley says, “Jesus publicly declares that not only will he suffer, but anyone who follows him will be his partner in suffering. Somehow, though, Jesus makes even this daunting call sound inviting. This is a path worth following because:
1. Fellowship with Christ, who is our life and our hope, is better than anything we might be called to sacrifice.
2. The path Jesus is walking leads to justice, truth, love, and peace. It is an incredibly hard path, but why would we walk in any other direction?”
We are called to this partnership through our faith in God, the God of Noah, and of Abraham, with whom we share the covenant first promised with Noah, then Abram and his descendants.
As we prepare for our annual meeting this morning, I ask you, “what is God calling us into? How are we to partner with God to bring about a little piece of God’s Kingdom to the Centenary Suburbs that is our community?”
Let us pray:
Almighty and loving God,
We give you thanks for your promise to be always with us. We give thanks that we have the stories of the partnerships you had with Noah, Abraham, and all the prophets and disciples through the ages which enliven and animate our own faith. We give thanks for the work you brought about through the life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Give us eyes and ears to discern you will for this parish in 2024. Give us courage to partner with you in what that discernment brings, especially when we are fearful of what it might cost us.
Amen.