10th October, 2010
20th Sunday After Pentecost
Preacher: Revd Isaac Etuah Jackson
Bible Readings
2Kings 5:1-3, 7-17 2Tim2:8-15 Luke 17:11-19
Text: 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
Beloved in the Lord, today is 20th Sunday after Pentecost and we are 11 Sundays to the end of the year. The theme for today is apt for us to consider how thankful we have been to God; in our joys and in our sorrows.
At times we make the sad mistake in thinking that it is God’s duty to protect and provide for us.
In the First Reading from 2Kings, we saw Naaman, a Pagan commander of the King of Aram who was suffering from an incurable skin disease – usually referred to in Old Testament times as Leprosy. A slave-girl captured in one of Naaman’s raids and who served his wife suggested that his master sees the Prophet who lived in Samaria. This was the Prophet Elisha.
The Prophet told Naaman to go wash himself seven times in the river Jordan. But Naaman reasoned that if he had to take a bath in a river in order to be healed, then there are better and bigger rivers in Damascus. 2Ki 5:12 "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. Sometimes we too want to design God’s salvation to suit us. Naaman would not have been healed if he had washed in another river. He left in a rage because he thought the process for the cure of his disease was too simple. 1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Full of pride and self-will, he could not accept the simple cure of faith. Fortunately, he accepted the advice of his servants and did as the Man of God had instructed and then he received his healing.
2Ki 5:13 But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, if the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Naaman, who thought that the God of Israel was only one among many gods, now could say there is no god in all the world except in Israel... 2Ki 5:15 ¶ Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him; and he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant."...he was full of gratitude and offered Elisha rich gifts. But Elisha refused the gifts to show that God’s favour cannot be purchased. That was the mark of a true man of God; that he was not out to make money or acquire possessions but one who seeks the welfare of others.
Beloved in the Lord, in the 3rd Reading, Jesus healed 10 men who had leprosy. Among the ten was a Samaritan. In those days, Israelites and Samaritans had nothing in common, but here we see a common sickness or misfortune had broken down the racial and religious barriers. They only remembered that they were sick people who were in need and together they shouted with one voice. Lu 17:11 And as He went to Jerusalem, it happened that he went through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as He entered into a certain village, ten leprous men met Him, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted voice and said, Jesus, Master, pity us!
They stood afar off: Lev 13:46 All the days in which the plague (Leprosy) is in him he shall be defiled. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Jesus asked them to go and show themselves to the priest – a very simple process of healing- and on their way they were healed, but only one, the Samaritan, came back to thank his benefactor. This pleased the Lord and led him to remark on the ingratitude of the others: Lu 17:15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
17 Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
Beloved, before we comment on the actions of the nine, let us wait for a moment and ask ourselves how many of us return thanks to God for our lives. Many of us seek God only when we are in difficulty – like the lepers. While things are going on well – no sickness in our home, business is booming and when there is peace all around us, we forget to thank God; but as soon as trouble strikes we rush to Him and implore Him to have pity on us.
Naaman - a pagan army commander - sought God for healing, likewise the 10 lepers; but Naaman and the Samaritan both strangers to the Jewish religion saw the need to come back and thank their benefactors. We too must always come back to God and thank Him for the many blessings and mercies He shows us. David knew how to praise God - Ps 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The forthcoming Harvest is another opportunity for us to show or gratitude to God.
Please read also MHB 963: 1 & 3
Let us give thanks to God in all situations we find ourselves.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Wise Use of Our Resources
18th Sunday After Pentecost
26th September 2010 - First Service
Readings: Amos 6:1-7/1Tim 6:6-19/Luke 16 :19-31
In the Book of Genesis we learn that we were all created in the image of God and given the mandate to subdue the earth as well as enjoy it. God therefore gave us the ability to be resourced.
‘Resources’ are the qualities and skills one has and can use to solve problems. Therefore when the people in Amos’ time were complacent and abused the prosperity and resources God gave to His people, he threatened them with a curse as in Amos 6:1
Am 6:1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!
In the third Reading, the rich man, with all the blessings and prosperity he enjoyed on earth, failed to prepare for eternity. Whatever our status on earth we must remember that death comes to both the rich and the poor; and so we must prepare for eternity.
Preparing for eternity involves sharing our resources or riches and giving to God’s work; and there are a lot of opportunities around us to enable us to do these. For example, the story is told of a tomato seller who earns very little income and yet decided to help train a Catholic Priest; and she did, consistently with her little contributions. Many of us have clothes we have never worn and which can be given out to Charity but which we are holding onto. Opportunities exist in the Seminary and in the Church to offer such things as our contribution to the training of Ministers of the Gospel and the support of less endowed brothers and sisters in the Church.
In the Second Reading, 1Tim 6:6-12
6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses; the Apostle Paul instructs us as follows:
1. We must Flee: foolish and hurtful lusts; the love of money
2. We must pursue: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
3. We must Fight: the good fight of the faith.
4. We must lay hold on eternal life
He further instructs us to
1. Keep these commandment, without spot, without reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2. He warns the rich not to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches; but on God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
May God grant us the grace to manage our resources wisely and to seek eternity in whatever we do.
Revd Martin Obeng is a Lecturer in Old Testament at Trinity Theological Seminary
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