Use it or lose it? Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11-27  Gospel reading for Sunday 21st November 2010

We have been jumping around a bit with the readings sequence in recent weeks. Note that in Luke's Gospel this parable fits in between two key stories. It follows immediately after the Zaccheus account and is the last recorded event before Jesus makes his final entry into Jerusalem.

[With regard to culture and context, an interesting piece of trivia is that it seems Jesus used a historical incident that would have happened when he was a boy, as the basis for this parable:
“The historical background for the parable was the visit of Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, to Rome to secure permission to reign as a so-called client king, i.e., over a territory actually subject to Rome. This petition was opposed by a delegation of Archelaus’ own subjects.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary.) Therefore the people would have had a very real picture in their minds of what Jesus was describing.]

Note that there is also a similar story in Matthew's Gospel, but probably different enough to suggest that it is not just another Gospel writer's account of the same parable. (See Matthew 25:14-30). I mention that because in Matthew, the parable is (unfortunately) given the name of the Parable of the Talents. Unfortunate because the link with that name has been responsible for sending many people over the years down an interpretation pathway that may well be totally up the creek!

A common message derived from this story at a simple level is ... God has given us a wide range of talents ... we need to use them or lose them. That's OK if we are operating under an image of a task-master God, where we are conned into believing that we can earn points by using our talents and "doing stuff", but it is more than likely that this is a bit off the track from what Jesus had in mind. Besides ... that's not the God we know.

So this story is probably not about talents or wise use of money, possessions or assets. If we substitute THE GOSPEL for the minas (or talents) that puts us in a good place to see this story from a different perspective. Coming immediately on the back of the Zaccheus acted parable, that line of thinking seems to fit.

Everyone has been given the Gospel. The question is what have we done with that? Have we accepted it? Have we taken it on board and been entrepreneurial with our opportunity? Have we taken the information that we have about Jesus and used it in our family and in our community in such a way that it has brought substantial return? Or have we despite having the gospel placed before us and available to us, done nothing with it, let it sit there, even buried it away out of sight and in effect rejected it? (The key point that Jesus was trying to make to the people was probably not so much about productivity, but rather about the significance of simply saying YES or NO to the Gospel.)

As we in Lutheran Schools wait for the King to return, how effective have we been with the Gospel? That may seem to be a reasonable question ... but in some ways it is also a dangerous question. On no account should we read into it any fear of punishment, judgement or rejection because we already know that we have inherited the kingdom ... and what an inheritance that is!
It is quite profound that Jesus paints the picture of  the HUGE reward (five cities and ten cities) waiting for us. It also helps us make sense of verse 26 which we can now paraphrase as:

... to all of us who have accepted the Gospel of Jesus, our reward will be mega by earthly comparison to what we have now, but if anyone defiantly says NO to Jesus (having had Jesus placed before them), everything they have now will also be lost.

Having said all that, from a vocational and community building perspective, we could do worse than make the link to the Luther line of thinking that everyone in our school community is "called to their station" and has an equally important role to play in whatever their calling. It is often the people behind the scenes who quietly "show people Jesus" by simply going about their work in dedicated service, using what they may see as their humble talents to simply BE the Gospel in action.

 Nev

Last days for Lutheran Schools. Luke 21:5-19

Luke 21:5-19  Gospel reading for Sunday 14th November

Some random ramblings for this week's reflections ...

The exchange in Luke 21 from verse 5, follows on directly from Jesus' comments on the widow's offering. What makes it immediately interesting is what is NOT said. There is absolutely no (recorded) response to the offering story. It is almost like water off a duck's back ... as if the disciples weren't listening. They go on a completely different thread of thinking ... hey boss ...isn't this a great building ... just look at that stonework!

Scene: A Lutheran Church or School near us? :

Lutheran School leader  ... "Hey isn't our school looking great (v5) ... (thanks to all that Kev money)

Jesus responds ... but one day all of your schools and churches will fall apart  (v6) ... but note that this is not going to happen right away (v9) ... so don't just sit around twiddling your thumbs ... there's work to do (v12).
You are still my witnesses (v 13) ... I know that it is going to be tough ... but that's what my schools (LSA schools) are here for ... to tell my story ... and yeah, you can expect a few knocks ... but don't give up, I'll be plugging for you (and even give you the words to say). Stick at the job ... by hanging in there (with me) you will gain life."

Scene: The breakfast table
What if we are invited to a final breakfast with Jesus one day this week? Sort of like the AFL Grand-final breakfast before the big event. But this is no ordinary breakfast ... a special last meal (just for us personally 1 on 1),  full-smorgasbord buffet breakfast, everything laid on, as a celebration and culmination to our life here on earth. What would we do in the lead up to that, knowing that our time on earth is about to end? Maybe we'd want to be in touch with loved ones ... maybe we would want to show special love to those around us.
Isn't this what we are called to do right now in our life? To show that special love of Jesus to those around us? (Not to sit around twiddling our thumbs ... but taking every opportunity to show people Jesus by our actions)

Addendum: When we read on (v20-28)we note something very interesting chronologically ... given that Luke's Gospel could not have been written before 80 A.D at the earliest of estimates, the destruction of Jerusalem that Jesus refers to would have already happened! So the people of the early church would have understandably been paranoid, pre-occupied and focused on thinking about the last days.

So what do we make of all that?

May we be blessed as we experience the presence of God and his coming to us in a personal way as we reflect on his words to us this week.

Blessings,
Nev

The resurrection and marriage Luke 20:27-38

Luke 20:27-38 Gospel reflections for Sunday 7th November 2010

Well, a lot can happen in a week! (We've suddenly plunged into a fairly "heavy" reading here.) I think it is important for us to fill in the gaps between the Luke 19 Zaccheus Story of last week and this story. Luke follows the Zaccheus incident with

• the parable of the talents
• the massive triumphal entry scene
• Jesus throwing his weight around in the temple cleansing
• Jesus' authority being questioned
• another vineyard parable
• the Pharisees paying taxes to Caesar trap

... we get the impression that this probably all takes place in the space of less than a week ... and now Jesus is set to take on this new group of opponents the Sadducees. (not previously mentioned in Luke's Gospel.)

The Sadducees were a powerful group of people in Jewish Society, but very conservative in their religious views (or perhaps old-fashioned is a better term). They were not really part of main-stream Jewish religion. For them, their world of religious belief was dictated to purely by the Torah - the first five books of the Old Testament. Unless a doctrinal point could be supported by the law of Moses and those five books, it had no basis. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection because there is no basis for it in the Torah.

 (It is interesting that the Pharisees who are perhaps taking a breather and recovering from being put in their place by Jesus are smugly sitting in the wings here, planning their next move, while they enjoy observing Jesus take apart these "new" opponents (see v 39 that follows.)

So what's the point here? Well it seems to me that this passage is about setting the Sadducees straight. The passage is also significant because Jesus is speaking about life after death without using a parable, so we are given a glimpse here of what we are in for. The eye-opening thing is that we are talking a new age way beyond average human comprehension. Jesus clearly gives us a clue that heaven will be nothing like life as we know it here on earth.

For me, I'm happy to let this little battle with the Pharisees and Sadducees slide on through to the keeper ... and rather take some reassurance in a couple of key phrases:

1. ... those who are considered worth of taking part in that age (v 35 ... that's us - we can feel very confident about that as we view things from the opposite side of the cross.)
2. "He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for to him all are alive" (v38)

As we try to put this latest episode into some sort of perspective, can we imagine what emotional turmoil Jesus must have been going through in this sequence of events over the past week (also mindful if what lies ahead for him in the next few days)?

For us today? Not a bad foundation on whom to build our daily life ... someone who walks beside us, provides our source of strength, wisdom and courage to engage with the Pharisees and Sadducees of the 21st Century.

 Have a good week!

Nev