Epiphany 5 year A 10 Sermon Jesus YokeTitle slide
Ok… it’s still the first century…deep in the Roman Empire…in the Jewish quarter of the huge metropolis of Alexandria in Egypt…sometime after Paul’s letters have been written…
Jews across the Empire…
have received word…the Temple in Jerusalem is in ruins …destroyed by the Romans…and thousands killed …they’re looking for any sign of hope…
that God hasn’t abandoned them
Jews across the Empire…
have received word…the Temple in Jerusalem is in ruins …destroyed by the Romans…and thousands killed …they’re looking for any sign of hope…
that God hasn’t abandoned them
Slide words Me!
My name is Amos like the prophet…
if you haven’t met me before… and though I’m only ten
I dream of following a famous rabbi when I’m older …
taking on his yoke… becoming a great teacher myself.
my grandpa…my Sabba… has been reading to us from some illegal writings he’s smuggled in…about the life and teaching… of a rabbi… called Jesus of Nazareth…
it’s scary but fun…to know we have to read it in secret
and until a group of Jesus’ followers were kicked out
of our synagogue… we’d never heard of him before.
if you haven’t met me before… and though I’m only ten
I dream of following a famous rabbi when I’m older …
taking on his yoke… becoming a great teacher myself.
my grandpa…my Sabba… has been reading to us from some illegal writings he’s smuggled in…about the life and teaching… of a rabbi… called Jesus of Nazareth…
it’s scary but fun…to know we have to read it in secret
and until a group of Jesus’ followers were kicked out
of our synagogue… we’d never heard of him before.
I love to play rabbi when my Sabba isn’t looking…
Tallit slide
I love to put on the Tallit…my big brother’s prayer shawl…and I count the tassels and remember the commandments of God just like it says in the book of Numbers…
which I’m very proud to have memorised already…
which I’m very proud to have memorised already…
And God spoke to Moses: "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them from now on… they’re to make tassels on the corners of their garments and mark each
corner tassel… with a blue thread.
‘When you look at these tassels… you'll remember and keep… all the commandments of God to live a holy life.
you can see the Atara... across the top …Atara’s our Hebrew word for yoke or crown. we put the yoke over our heads when we pray…
And see the words on the yoke…well every rabbi his own list of what is permitted or forbidden…how he interprets the Law of Moses…and these teachings are embroidered onto the yokes of their tallits…
and his students say they’ve taken up their rabbi’s yoke.
I will choose my rabbi
because I believe his interpretation of scripture…
his yoke… is the closest…to what God intends for us.
And see the words on the yoke…well every rabbi his own list of what is permitted or forbidden…how he interprets the Law of Moses…and these teachings are embroidered onto the yokes of their tallits…
and his students say they’ve taken up their rabbi’s yoke.
I will choose my rabbi
because I believe his interpretation of scripture…
his yoke… is the closest…to what God intends for us.
Fishermen and nets slide
I was excited when Grandpa read the story of how this rabbi Jesus called his disciples from their boats…just ordinary fishermen not the best students…and I asked my grandpa… if maybe I could be Jesus’ disciple
But my Sabba looked worried… he wasn’t so sure…
he said… Amos we don’t even know yet what it would mean to follow this rabbi…to take on his yoke…
and live out his understanding of the Law and the Prophets. We don’t even know what his yoke is yet..
he said… Amos we don’t even know yet what it would mean to follow this rabbi…to take on his yoke…
and live out his understanding of the Law and the Prophets. We don’t even know what his yoke is yet..
But today my Sabba’s going to read us the next part of the story…where Jesus begins to teach his understanding of the scriptures and what his followers must do to be his disciples…
And I have promised my Sabba that I’ll try to keep quiet and just listen…
That’s right Amos good boy…Now this story happened maybe forty years ago in the north near Jerusalem…
you can see it on this map
Map slide
you can see it on this map
Map slide
Now this Matthew writes…large crowds began to follow Jesus…people from Galilee, Jerusalem Judea and even the Greek speaking cities of the Decapolis
and the regions beyond the Jordan.
and the regions beyond the Jordan.
Jesus slide 1
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; he sat down to teach and his disciples gathered round him. Jesus said: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Amos slide 1
Hey grandpa…Jesus went up a mountain like Moses…
and spoke our prayer of adoration Baruch Atah Adonai Blessed is the Lord…I know the words by heart…
and spoke our prayer of adoration Baruch Atah Adonai Blessed is the Lord…I know the words by heart…
Yes my noisy grandson…but you aren’t listening…
this is about the people being blessed by God…tenderly held and loved by God… I’ve just started the story and already you’ve interrupted…
this is about the people being blessed by God…tenderly held and loved by God… I’ve just started the story and already you’ve interrupted…
Herumph…I will begin this story again…
Jesus slide 2
Jesus slide 2
Jesus said…Adored…"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they’ll be comforted.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they’ll be comforted.
Oh Grandpa we’re mourning Jerusalem aren’t we…
and all those who died …
Yes Amos but be still!…
Jesus continues his yoke…Adored…blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. And those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy and the pure in heart…for they will see God.
[finger to lips] There is more Amos…
Adored…blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake or ridiculed or lied about for my sake…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[finger to lips] There is more Amos…
Adored…blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake or ridiculed or lied about for my sake…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Amos and Sabba slide 2
Oh Grandpa…this could be good news for the families who were kicked out of our synagogue…because they chose to follow in the name… of this rabbi Jesus?
[Sighing] I suppose you’re right Amos my inquisitive grandson…and here’s more good news for them
Jesus slide 3
Rejoice and be glad Jesus tells them…your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way…
they persecuted the prophets who went before you. Don’t’ you realise you’re the salt of the earth…
But if salt loses its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It’s no longer good for anything,
and thrown out to be trampled underfoot.
they persecuted the prophets who went before you. Don’t’ you realise you’re the salt of the earth…
But if salt loses its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It’s no longer good for anything,
and thrown out to be trampled underfoot.
Amos and Sabba slide 3
Uh excuse me grandpa… do you think what Jesus means is like what we had to memorise from the prophet Micah?
I can repeat every word…
‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Does Jesus mean if we’re not doing those things
then we kind of lose our saltiness?
I can repeat every word…
‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Does Jesus mean if we’re not doing those things
then we kind of lose our saltiness?
Amos my grandson…you show remarkable understanding for a ten year old…maybe you’ll make a good student after all. But let me finish reading
this teaching of the Rabbi Jesus…
this teaching of the Rabbi Jesus…
Jesus slide 4
You’re not only the salt of the earth…Jesus says to his followers…you’re the light of the world. At night it’s impossible to hide a city built on a hill. And no one lights a lamp then hides it under a basket. They put it on a lampstand…and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way…let your light shine before others,
so they can see the good you do
and praise God because of it.
so they can see the good you do
and praise God because of it.
Amos slide 4
Didn’t the prophet Isaiah say…If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, and offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted instead… then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn…
Yes my grandson…we Israel are meant to be a light to the nations…and Jesus is telling his followers they are the light of the world…next Jesus says…He’s come to fulfil the Law …not to abolish it or the prophets…
But Grandpa what could it possibly mean to fulfil the law and how could anyone abolish it!
When you are older Amos… you will understand…
No Grandpa I want to understand now!
All right all right I’ll tell you… but such a thing is only said between a Rabbi and his followers…
Jesus slide 5
Amos have you noticed how our Rabbi spends hours and hours discussing and debating with the older boys?
Well they’re usually arguing about what it means
to live out a certain text in scripture.
Well they’re usually arguing about what it means
to live out a certain text in scripture.
When a student makes a suggestion… and the rabbi thinks he’s totally missed the point… the rabbi will say to him…. ‘You have abolished the Torah’ ‘you have abolished the Law’… because in the rabbi’s opinion…
the student wasn’t even close to what God wants.
But when one of the boys gets it right
When the rabbi thinks they really understand what God
is looking for in living out the Law…the rabbi says … ‘congratulations you have fulfilled the Torah’…
‘You have fulfilled the Law’
‘You have fulfilled the Law’
That’s why Jesus choose just those words
slide words
slide words
Don’t think that I’ve come to abolish
the Law or the Prophets; I haven’t come to abolish … but to fulfil them.
Amos I think Jesus is saying ‘He never meant to do away with the Law; but to show us what it looks like …when the Law is lived out perfectly…’
blank slide
And Jesus goes on here to tell his followers to teach others to do the same…to live it out…
to make more disciples in his name …
more people to take on Jesus’ yoke.
to make more disciples in his name …
more people to take on Jesus’ yoke.
[pause]
Wanaka slide
And here we are… not Jews living in first century Egypt … but 21st century Christians… living and worshipping in Jesus name… beside a sparkling lake in the shadow of mighty mountains...
We’re here because Jesus followers were obedient to his call… because they went to the ends of the earth baptising in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and making disciples to carry out his teaching.
We’re here because Jesus followers were obedient to his call… because they went to the ends of the earth baptising in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and making disciples to carry out his teaching.
Here in our land on this Waitangi Day… we remember the great Maori disciple of Jesus…Te Whiti
who tried to live out God’s will at great cost…
who was a peacemaker… and for that…
persecuted and imprisoned in Jesus name.
Te Whiti tried to plant the seeds of peace through passive resistance…in the Taranaki village of Parihaka… He corresponded with Mahatma Gandhi doing the same in India…
who tried to live out God’s will at great cost…
who was a peacemaker… and for that…
persecuted and imprisoned in Jesus name.
Te Whiti tried to plant the seeds of peace through passive resistance…in the Taranaki village of Parihaka… He corresponded with Mahatma Gandhi doing the same in India…
Taranaki slide
In 1881 when the government lost its patience with
the people’s passive resistance…it planned an armed invasion of Parihaka to close the village down. Finally at dawn on November 5th 1600 government soldiers stormed the village…
But instead of violence, the soldiers were greeted with hundreds of skipping and singing children… offering them food. Because of this no lives were lost…
but Te Whiti was imprisoned and most of Parihaka’s people were expelled from their homes…
the people’s passive resistance…it planned an armed invasion of Parihaka to close the village down. Finally at dawn on November 5th 1600 government soldiers stormed the village…
But instead of violence, the soldiers were greeted with hundreds of skipping and singing children… offering them food. Because of this no lives were lost…
but Te Whiti was imprisoned and most of Parihaka’s people were expelled from their homes…
Soldiers looted and destroyed most of the settlement.
But the yoke of Jesus had been demonstrated and the story of Te Whiti is still taught today at Mount Aspiring College and high schools throughout New Zealand.
Book slide
And we have a book in our own library called Ask that mountain about what our Christian brother Te Whiti did.
Local slide
It’s not easy to be a follower of Jesus…it’s not easy to face contempt and ridicule with mercy and humility…
It’s hard to be a peacemaker when soldiers ride their horses through your veggie garden…or boy racers ruin drive their cars over your lawn…its even harder when someone you know is hurt or when you are being trampled underfoot…
it’s tempting to pick up a stone and throw it…its tempting to shout some cutting words…
but if we want to be called the children of God then has told us what must be done…how we must live…
But how can we make more disciples of Jesus if we can’t even carry his yoke and do what he did…and Amos doesn’t even know yet what cross Jesus would have to bear.
Let us stand and pray together.
