A Unique Interconnectedness

From Wellington Cathedral of St Paul

13 June 2010, pm

The Venerable Danny Te Hiko (Archdeacon for Mission)

• Psalm 52
• Genesis 13
• Mark 4:21-41

(New Living Translation)

The God we worship is a very “practical” God. I believe that sometimes we can too easily overcomplicate the way we believe that God wants us to live our lives. I strive to use the KISS principle in my own life – Keep It Simple Saints! You see, God is always looking out for us, wanting the very best for us. The wonderful thing about the Word of God is that it speaks to our human condition in down-to-earth ways. Jesus used simple common language with illustrations from the everyday things of life to explain spiritual principles and ways of living. So what “practical” observations and learnings can we draw from God’s Word to us this evening?

Certain aspects of our readings this evening speak about our relationships, our physical health, and our financial and material resources. I believe that all three of these human conditions are uniquely interconnected.

The reason I am here is because my Mother and my Father loved each other very much! One way they expressed that love was through having children, in particular, me! (I am the 5th of six children.)

The reason I am married is because in 1978 I fell in love with a gorgeous young woman named Linda, and I wanted to express my love for Linda by sharing the rest of my life with her in marriage. Thankfully she agreed and she is still by my side today.

The reason I chose to make a dramatic change-in-direction in my life working as a Civil and Structural Design Engineer to becoming a fulltime priest is because I fell in love with God. In so doing, God stirred my heart and gave me a deep love for the people whom He loves.

These reasons speak about the vital importance of relationship.

In order to live a rewarding, satisfying, and fruitful life, as God intended, God encourages us to foster and nurture a healthy relationship with God, and with others.

The reason I live and breathe is by the grace of God alone. God’s life-giving and sustaining power flows 24/7 through every cell, every muscle, every fibre of my being. I can help that life-giving process by being wise in the way I look after my physical body.

In order to live a rewarding, satisfying, and fruitful life as God intended, God encourages us to look after our physical health.

The reason I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, clothes on my back, a family who feels cared for, and other people who can benefit from what I have is because I have some financial and material resources that I can use for my own benefit, and also to benefit others.

In order to live a rewarding, satisfying, and fruitful life as God intended,God encourages us to be wise and discerning in the use of whatever financial and material resources we have.

Genesis 13 gives us a picture of two very prosperous, physically healthy, and wealthy households who understand the value of strong relationships with each other, and with God. Abraham and Lot were extremely wealthy with livestock, silver, gold, land holdings, and various goods (vv 2, 5, 9, 10, 12, 15-17). They spoke of being very “close relatives” (v 8), of having a kindred-bond. They honoured God, and through Abraham, they were being totally obedient to God’s call upon their lives (vv4, 14-18). As a result, they were prosperous in every way.

In contrast, compare what the Psalmist (Psalm 52) describes:

• people who trust their wealth rather than trust God;
• people who do not care for building relationships but more for destroying them;
• people who have no love or care for God, or other people,but are focused only on their own gain....as a result, they do not prosper. In fact, ultimately their dark deeds are exposed.

The gospel writer Mark, reminds us of the way Jesus put it when Jesus used the illustration of a lamp (Mark 4:21-22): “Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.”

We know too well the truth of those words in light of what has been revealed in recent days about the credit card spending habits of our some of our central government MPs. However, we are not here to judge them, or anyone else. On the contrary, God calls us to do the exact opposite.

How does our Book of Common Prayer put it? “...let your light so shine before all people that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven!”

You see, at the end of the day God wants us to shine!... To shine through the way we live our lives...

• to shine like big, bold, flashing neon lights capturing people’s attention!
• to shine like sparkling, magical glow worms in blackened caves awakening people’s fascination!
• to shine like distant diamond-like stars, glistening in a vast deep and dark sky, stirring people’s imaginations!

When we shine like this, we are in fact sowing seeds of hope around us. Expect some of those seeds of hope to fall on the fertile soil of someone’s life. You may, or may not know the person on whose life the seed falls.... But God does. And that’s when God’s “all-by-itself principle” will kick in.

In Mark 4 again (Mark 4: 26-28): Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while the farmer is asleep, or even awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own - all by itself!”

That’s the wonder of our ever-creating and transforming God! God asks us to do only what we can do - to be sowers of seeds. And as the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 to also water the seed, trusting that ultimately, God is the one who will make the seed sprout and grow.

So what then is the unique interconnectedness of relationship, physical health, and money? Let me finish by explaining the interconnectedness in terms of what Jesus said in John 10:10. Jesus said, "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them (people, you and me) a rich and satisfying life!”

Jesus said, the “thief”, the enemy of our soul, wants to steal. Steal what? What else does one steal if it’s not money?! I suggest that the “thief” wants to steal the financial and the material resources that God knows we need to live prosperous and healthy lives, lives in which we are helping ourselves, as well as helping many other people.

I urge you to be wise and faithful stewards of all that God has blessed you with. Be a cheerful and thankful giver to God, of your wealth, proportionally giving out of the little, or the much, that you may have. When we use our financial and material resources for God’s purposes we will be able to enjoy the rich and satisfying life that Jesus wants us to have! Remember, it is not for us to worry about how that will happen – trust that God will give the increase. Remember also the warning of the Psalmist (Psalm 52) about the person who trusted their wealth rather than trusting God.

Secondly, Jesus said, the “thief”, the enemy of our soul, wants to kill. Kill what? I suggest the “thief” wants to literally, kill us, you and me! If we are dead, we are not going to be capable of shining our light are we! I implore you to look after your physical health! If we are physically well it will enable us to enjoy the rich and satisfying life that Jesus wants us to have! We will be so much more effective in fulfilling God’s purposes in our lives.

Finally, Jesus said, the “thief”, the enemy of our soul, wants to destroy. Destroy what? The worst thing in our lives that could be destroyed are our relationships. What better way to stop your light shining brightly than to destroy all your relationships.

Therefore, sow seeds that foster, nurture, and build life-giving relationships. Work hard on all your relationships in the workplace, in the church community, on the sports field, in the classroom or lecture theatre, in the wider community, and especially at home.

Across New Zealand and around the world too many people are hurting. Lives are being stolen, people are dying, lives are being slowly destroyed. They may too self-absorbed on their wealth, or their lack of it; they may be struggling with personal health issues; they may be going through a breakdown in their relationships.

What does this all mean for you when it comes to your relationships, your health, and your resources? Do you need to surrender these issues to God and ask Him for some wisdom and guidance at this time? Do you need to seek advice and help from those you can trust? Do you need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you shine your light through the way you behave by striving always to be a person of integrity and honour?

As Jesus has always intended, may you live rich, rewarding, and fulfilling lives at the heart of which are God’s purposes. May you prosper in your relationships, in your physical health, and in the stewardship of all that God has blessed you with.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, may we your Church walk in the light of your Word, and walk with such wisdom that we will fulfil your purposes throughout the earth.

May we your Church set an example of Godliness and integrity so that the curse of corruption and destruction can be broken throughout cities, nations, economies, communities, homes, and individual lives.

Heavenly Father, may we take up our lives in faith and trust in you. May all that we offer to this moment, be expanded and renewed by your amazing love, and by the courage of your Son Jesus Christ, and the freedom of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.