Not losing heart 4 Nov 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Not losing heart
A few weeks ago we were waiting for a book to arrive that had been ordered from the eastern states. It was ordered on a Monday and had to be here by Friday to meet a certain deadline. By the Thursday it had not arrived, so a back-up plan was prepared – a different book on hold at the local bookshop. Telephone calls revealed that it had been posted on the Monday. By our 1pm Friday deadline it still had not arrived, so I went to the bookshop, bought the back-up book and delivered it. And when I got home the original book was there on the door step.
So what was the problem? Slow transport? Got lost in the sorting room? Too many stops on the way? Mondays and Fridays are not good days to get things done? Bad expectations? Parcel post is not like email? Impatience?
I thought it was a bit like praying. Sometimes it seems that we pray and nothing happens for some time. Perhaps the prayer has gone astray in the mail. Perhaps the answer has been held up. Perhaps there is no answer, we wonder.
8. Shrewd Investing Luke 16.1-15
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Luke
{podcast id=206}
Shrewd Investing Luke 16.1-15
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 28 October 2012
Jesus teaches disciples to be shrewd with the wealth they have so as to gain friends in heaven who are there because of what we did with the money God gave us.
Throwing money away? 28 Oct 12
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- Written by: Dale
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Throwing money away?
Do you scatter your money? Well yes, of course. Unless all of it is kept safe from traders and relatives and people who send you bills. The better question is where you scatter your money. Perhaps scatter implies lack of thought. What about distribute?
And why are we talking about this? Because last week’s story of the father and his sons (Luke 15) referred twice to the younger son scattering his money. Although our translations said squandering. And this week’s story (Luke 16) uses the same word about the steward, except our translation says wasted.
Surely, scattering, squandering, wasting and distributing just reflect different value judgments on the use of money. The Psalmist (in Ps 112) says those who fear the Lord scatter abroad their gifts to the poor (although the NRSV says distribute – sounds a bit more buttoned up don’t you think?). Paul even implies that God acts like that (2 Cor 9).
How to use uranium 21 Oct 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
How to use uranium
The recent discussion about selling uranium to India raises a prior question. If uranium has such dark uses, why did God put it in the earth in the first place? Or more generally, why did God put humans on such a dangerous planet? Because it is not just uranium that is a problem.
Although, I suppose that, left to itself the planet would carry on pretty much undisturbed, except for the occasional earthquake. Perhaps the question is why did God put such dangerous creatures on the earth? Humans I mean, not the usual dangerous animals.
To be fair to God, the original humans were meant to enjoy the earth in the company of God himself. Presumably with that kind of mentor, not too much would go wrong. But with the attempted coup against God, humans were pushed out into a world of difficulties. Made more difficult because of their estrangement from the one person who could help them.
Search and rescue 14 Oct 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Search and rescue
Have you ever lost a person in a crowd? Sometimes it is another adult who is in no danger but it is just annoying that you have to spend all that time finding them again. More annoying if they are the wandering type who don’t tell you where they are going.
It is a quite different matter to mislay a child in a crowd, horrifying if it is in a strange country. The emotion that surges both in the search and then in the finding is very powerful. The anger and fear that stirred up thoughts such as “I’ll murder the little blighter” turn to joy and relief when the lost is found, more so when the child is afraid and upset.
The intensity of feeling comes from the loving relationship we have with the lost person. We dearly want them back. We fear for their safety. We bend every effort to find them. We make unrealistic demands on others to help us, All for love.
Are you coming? 7 Oct 12
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- Category: Weekly Reflections
Are you coming?
Was Jesus angry when he told the story of the great feast? He was at lunch on the Sabbath at the home of a Pharisee. He had already given a couple of pieces of advice about pride, status and self-interest. He seemed a bit unhappy with the general behaviour at the dinner.
His reference to the resurrection of the righteous, evoked an bit of enthusiasm from one of the guests: “Won’t it be great to be at the feast in the kingdom of God?!” Indeed. But what if you refuse the invitation?
Someone asked me this week about whether unbelievers who had died could be saved by the faith of the living. The unhappy truth is that people need to respond to what they hear when they hear it.
Jesus’ story is about this.
Do the greedy get rich? 30 Sep 12
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Do the greedy get rich?
Do the greedy get rich? Is there a link between greed and wealth? Is it only wealthy people who are greedy? And what is greed anyway?
It does seem that some greedy people get rich. And they get rich because they are greedy. But not all greedy people get rich. There are lots of poor greedy people. Or are we just talking about wanting more? Or wanting what others have? Or just wanting what is available.
“Would it spoil some vast eternal plan, if I were a rich man?” Or if I had an iPhone 5? If you want something and can’t afford it life is a bit more stressful than if you want something and you can afford it.
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