Life As Fire

I often think one of the goals of a sermon is to be as radical as possible.  In the end I always find it impossible to be more radical than the ministry of Jesus.  Often when I am working on a message I allow my self to be distracted.  This concept of life as fire is something that I recently came across.  This idea that life has many similarities to fire.  

Both require fuel.  Both can burn themselves out.  They can last long or end abruptly.

Time is after thought

Long and short are judgement

Before is a fire already burning

We have this theory of entropy that seems to hold true in most case.  It is a measure of chaos.  We find it always seems to increase within a closed system.  The milk spilled and glass broken do not go back as they were.  The largest things we can see in the universe seem to show an increase in order that we find hard to explain.

Much is after little

The super galaxy cluster not heard of entropy

Our theories of little concern

Plenty of room for God within our understanding of the universe.

Jeremiah 2:13 from Amplified Bible point us in a direction

“For My people have committed two evils: They have abandoned (rejected) Me, The fountain of living water, And they have carved out their own cisterns, Broken cisterns That cannot hold water."

People often think God is about the first evil.  God seems petty to many people.  So much so they see different Gods in our testaments.  There were times I wondered myself.  The prophets speak of this God that doesn't want us to fail.  Not that we choose the wrong thing, but we don't see that there is only one way.  It makes God motivated it seems to me to value each of his creations and come the long way.

This verse I come upon because of our liturgical calendar which we share with many others.  The web page I check also contains references to other books,  Today many will read from the book of Sirach.  This I was distracted to be sure.

Sirach is accepted as part of the Canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most of Oriental Orthodox Christians. The Anglican tradition, from which we come, considers Sirach among the apocryphal books, and read them "for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet [do] not apply them to establish any doctrine."

Sirach is not part of the old testament it seems due to its late authorship, although it is not clear that the canon was completely closed at the time of Ben Sira.  Others have suggested that Ben Sira's self-identification as the author is what stopped it from attaining canonical status, which was reserved for works that were attributed to the prophets, but we know it was embraced by the early Christian community.

According to the Greek version, the author traveled extensively and was frequently in danger of death.  He speaks of the perils of all sorts from which God had delivered him, although this is probably only a poetic theme in imitation of the Psalms.  The only fact known with certainty, drawn from the text itself, is that Ben Sira was a scholar, and a scribe thoroughly versed in the Law, and especially in the "Books of Wisdom."

Sirach 10:12-13 from  the New Revised Standard Version, because there is no amplified version:

12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.  13a For the beginning of pride is sin,

    

Now fully distracted I found it interesting to contemplate this remnant of of our Anglican history.  This book much respected for its practical guide to living.  Turns out this is the only part of the bible, if you will allow the term or how you might define that term, that actually recommends you go to the doctor.  Something resonated with me and the many prayers I have heard in this congregation.  So a little interlude if you will allow.  A tangent from our liturgical calendar.

From chapter 38: Give doctors the honor they deserve, for the Lord gave them their work to do. 2 Their skill came from the Most High, and kings reward them for it. 3 Their knowledge gives them a position of importance, and powerful people hold them in high regard.

4 The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible person will not hesitate to use them. 5 Didn't a tree once make bitter water fit to drink, so that the Lord's power might be known? 6 He gave medical knowledge to human beings, so that we would praise him for the miracles he performs. 7-8 The druggist mixes these medicines, and the doctor will use them to cure diseases and ease pain. There is no end to the activities of the Lord, who gives health to the people of the world.

9 My child, when you get sick, don't ignore it. Pray to the Lord, and he will make you well. 10 Confess all your sins and determine that in the future you will live a righteous life. 11 Offer incense and a grain offering, as fine as you can afford. 12 Then call the doctor—for the Lord created him—and keep him at your side; you need him. 13 There are times when you have to depend on his skill. 14 The doctor's prayer is that the Lord will make him able to ease his patients' pain and make them well again. 15 As for the person who sins against his Creator, he deserves to be sick

I hope that you find some practical advise there as we turn back to this message of our liturgical calendar this week.  A couple verses, Proverbs 25:6-7 from the Amplified Bible put us back on track: 6 Do not be boastfully ambitious and claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; 7 For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.

For the beginning of pride is sin.  We come to our gospel message distracted.  Verses from Luke 14:1 & 7-14 I read from the Amplified Bible

14 It happened one Sabbath, when He went for a meal at the house of one of the ruling Pharisees, that they were watching Him closely and carefully [hoping to entrap Him].

Time is after thought

Long and short are judgement

Before is a fire already burning

Jesus this fire of life that so many wanted to burn.  Hoping to entrap him.  We take this as it is because we are so used to this story.   Adversarial  Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.

7 Now Jesus began telling a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been selecting the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down [to eat] at the place of honor, since a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by the host, 9 and he who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place,’ and then, in disgrace you proceed to take the last place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down [to eat] at the last place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; and then you will be honored in the presence of all who are at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled [before others], and he who habitually humbles himself (keeps a realistic self-view) will be exalted.”

In understanding our limited nature.  Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.  We can find our strength.  We have not only the idea to avoid the exalted position but to also seek the lowly one.  This virtue of humility is what Jesus is pointing us to and what is lacking in this world.

These high places and low places were obvious to the people of Jesus' time.  The virtue of humility is forged in fire.  The high places and low places are obvious to us.  We are taught here to not only avoid the high but seek the low.  Seems hard to imagine something that could be as opposed to human nature.  In here we have the real limitations of our free will.  We can choose right or we can choose wrong, but we can not make the wrong choice right.  Broken cisterns cannot hold water

12 Jesus also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or wealthy neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 13 But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind, 14 and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (the just, the upright).”

It is hard to get past this idea of Jesus that we need to end the system of giving to people who can repay us.  This had been the basis of everything that had ever been.  We used to think that towns brought religion, but currently we believe religion brought towns.  Reciprocation was what the world was founded upon.  Jesus had arrived to take us beyond.  

In understanding our unlimited nature. Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.  We find our weakness,  there are some fiercer sounding verses but I will submit to you now that 13 and 14 are the single two hardest verses to follow.  There are things I do that I will never get repaid for but they are more from what the grace of God brought me than any decision I have ever met.  Who do you know that regularly follows verse 13 and 14?  We don't listen enough and we argue.  If half of us would I'd say it would be enough.  Maybe we could take turns?

But still some worry

About things to be worried about

Anxiety's opposite

This planet already caught in the fire of our sun

Solar winds but a prelude

Red giant contamination we may only be

I don't know if we will make it past

I know most would not

Life as fire

From Luke 14:23 Then the master told the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled [with guests].

We have carved out our own cisterns, Broken cisterns That cannot hold water.  We need their help.  

Time is after thought

Long and short are judgement

Before is a fire already burning

Let us pray......

Our dear Heavenly Father---  Father and Mother of all creation, whose being is from the beginning of time, speak to us.  Raise us above the storms of our generation and above the barriers with which we seek to surround ourselves.  Fill us with the love and understanding that embraces all people and is not bound by nation, race, or creed.  Forgive us our little goals and narrow visions.  Lead us to dedicate ourselves to the work of thy kingdom.  Make us willing to be disciples of Jesus Christ.  Though our minds cannot fully grasp His Call to us give us the will to follow Him,  accepting Him as the Savior of man and the hope of the world.

Amen......

Benediction

Now may the Grace of our Lord Jesus, the Love of God, the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and remain with you always.

Amen

Nottingham UMC 8/28/2022