Sun. Sept. 28, 2008 (J. Evan Kreider)

Last Sunday Evan Kreider described a tumultuous time of military activity and catastrophe in Israel. Nebuchadnezer conquered Jerusalem and the Israelites were taken into Babylonian captivity. In this setting Ezekiel, also in captivity, receives the call to become a prophet. Options, hope, personal responsibility, and the invitation to “turn and live” are the themes in Ezekiel 18. The prophet tells his people they are not in slavery because of their parents’ sin and behaviour, though there might well be generations-long consequences from that parental behaviour. Most of the prophet’s message centres on money and ethics: be fair to those who borrow money, don’t lend at extravagant interest rates, live honestly and equitably. This message is in sharp contrast to our current financial crisis that is driven by legal loopholes and greed. Even though the Israelites are enslaved, Ezekiel encourages them to turn and live. No matter how dismal the future, we are free to set out on a new way of life and thinking. Break the cycle; turn and live. [HN] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday Sept. 28th, 2008 using your browser's preferred media player.

September 21, 2008 (Karl Brown)

Karl spoke on two of the morning's lectionary texts. Exodus 16 (and Numbers 11) tells of the wandering Jews being provided quails (blown off course while migrating) and manna, which tasted much like sweetened coriander seed. The passage from Matthew 20 gives the parable about vineyard workers each receiving the same day's wage even though some men worked all day and others only a partial day. Unfortunately, this puzzling parable is one for which we lack Jesus' explanation. Some people have suggested this is about last-minute conversions, others feel it describes a generous God. Both stories (Exodus and Matthew) conclude with people complaining, in spite of receiving good things. In Exodus, people complained about having the same thing to eat all the time (and not the garlic and spices they learned to love after being in Egypt for 20 generations). In the parable from Matthew, workers complained even though they had received work in the midst of a depressed labour market, and even though the wages paid were ostensibly fair for a full day's work. Karl suggested that we look at these two stories as illustrating God's gifts to us. Every meal, every penny, every minute of life is from God. Some people live long, some only a few years, but all are sustained by the same generous God. We, like the Jews in these ancient stories, may (and will) complain, but these stories remind us that God loves and sustains us. [JEK] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday Sept. 21st, 2008 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sept. 14, 2008 (Ken Friesen)

We welcomed students to the Menno Simons Centre for the new school year. Ken Friesen, Chair of the Pacific Centre for Discipleship, spoke about living in Christian community. In Romans 14 St. Paul focuses on the weak and the strong in the early church. Ken noted that the church of Paul’s day was new and too young to have many established traditions. Today, as in Biblical times it’s easy for issues, even seemingly (to us) trivial issues, like sports on Sundays, can divide a church. Ken used an example from his law practice of a dispute within a local church that seems irresolvable and reflects a problem within the worldwide Ethiopian Orthodox church regarding which patriarch to follow. Despite reconciliation efforts the matter is not resolved and affects many churches. Ken noted that as judgmental behaviour develops hatred is fostered and outsiders wonder why anyone would want to be involved with the church. Ken focused on the dangers of judging based on human desire to define God, to place God in a box - and we think we know what the box should look like. God will judge and will do so by God’s standards, not by ours. Christians can be more effective as peacemakers than as judges; if we judge, we better be right, because we’ll be judged by the same standards. (HN) Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday Sept. 14th, 2008 using your browser's preferred media player.

Sept. 7, 2008 (J. Evan Kreider)

Evan Kreider, in his message on Matthew 18:15-22 quoted Scottish minister William Barclay, who insisted that these difficult and legalistic words are almost certainly not Jesus’ original words. For instance, Jesus could not have said “Take it to the church” (v. 17), because there was no church as yet. Barclay notes Jesus’ words sets tax collectors and Gentiles aside as unredeemable, but later passages in Matthew note that these are exactly the people Jesus was called to save. Critically, Barclay states this passage implies limits to forgiveness. Evan, in examining discipline in the church, nevertheless found his faith strengthened in the wisdom of some of the added words. He pointed out that limits to forgiveness exist only in people’s minds and our social constructions, not in faith. Using examples from his university, Evan contrasted secular practice with the wisdom in the text. The wisdom of the added text suggests that when you are angry, first put your complaint into words rather than brooding about it. Then meet face-to-face to resolve it. Last, take an elder (read: mature) person with you, not to bear witness against someone (Deut. 19:15), but to help you to listen, to discuss what was heard, and for support. Evan pointed out that the Deuternomic model destroys secular institutions, and would destroy the church if we allowed it in. He further notes that the last suggestion - to “take it before the whole church” - should rarely be used, and only for major sin that affects the whole church, not just a few individuals. Jesus argued against legalism. Let the Holy Spirit help us not to bring it into the church with us in the guise of the words of Jesus. [AP] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday Sept. 7th, 2008 using your browser's preferred media player.