I
desire mercy, not religion – come follow me
When Jesus is opposed, he tends to
reveal more of the love that generates his gravitational pull. Chapter 9 takes
us into another series of encounters with those who are on the edge of society.
These are outsiders either because of illness or their work. And the attentiveness Jesus gives them generates hostile questions.
What does Jesus say to those who criticise
him for who he heals or forgives or who he eats with? He says: ‘I am after
mercy, not religion’ (The Message translation). In the NRSV, the bible we use
mostly in church, the translation puts it this way: ‘I DESIRE mercy, not
sacrifice.’ This is a direct quote from Hosea 6.6 – where the prophet
passionately reveals the wooing heart of God for a wayward people, with the
words: ‘I am after love that lasts (steadfast love), not more religion (or sacrifice).’
Hosea is the prophet of passionate pleading.
And Jesus points his detractors straight to a God who desires mercy not outward
show or a deathly kind of religion which kills rather than brings life. I want
to say here that religion is not bad: but there is such a thing as bad
religion. Religion that gives life and helps hold people together, like ligaments
hold bones, is not what Jesus is against. He was a religious person, he upheld
the law and the prophets of Judaism. He loved the Scriptures of his people. He
spoke in their places of worship. In Matthew’s Gospel he is always portrayed as
the one who ‘fulfills’ the law and the prophets.
In the photograph I have chosen to
illustrate this chapter, we see a strangely anachronistic image of a 1st
Century Jesus calling a 21st Century businessman. He is seen
dropping his briefcase as he responds to Jesus’ call to follow him. It looks
like Colmore Row. It could be that this businessman is on his way to an
important meeting and Jesus has diverted him into Costa for a coffee and a chat
where a suddenly a whole load more bankers turn up. The coffee and cake and
chat then moves to the businessman’s penthouse flat in The Cube. But as they
all head that way passed the cathedral, the Dean and chapter and some of the
Diocesan officers (and a few vicars) trail along and critique Jesus’ decision to
share hospitality with bankers rather than those at a food bank. (I know this is all a little clichéd! – but it is the best I
can come up with!)
The deep desire of Jesus is for mercy,
not rule-keeping. The deep desire of Jesus is for a joyful celebration of life
because the Kingdom is Come. The deep desire of Jesus is that the outsider is drawn
in and a new centre of gravity formed based on lives of mercy. As we reach the
end of Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy, I wonder if we have even begun to live this
merciful way of life. I wonder how it would seem if we were to ask for mercy
from others more often as we realise our own lack? I wonder how we can plant seeds
of mercy that can be harvested in years to come?
This year ‘I am a Celebrity
Get Me Out of Here’ has been a very different kettle of fish to the usual fare.
Compared to the usual nasty character assassination that happened when people became very hungry, this year the
celebs behaved with a huge amount of courage and compassion and mercy for each other. The ‘winner’
was Scarlet, a kind-hearted Geordie who seemed to win the hearts of those who
watched because she showed mercy rather than run others down.
Mercy is very
attractive. I wonder how many people will now ‘follow’ Scarlet on Twitter.
Matthew followed Jesus because of mercy rather than religion.
As a google fan I asked this question….
ReplyDeleteQuestion: "What is the difference between mercy and grace?"
Answer: Mercy and grace are often confused. While the terms have similar meanings, grace and mercy are not the same. To summarize the difference: mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we do not deserve it. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy.
If Mercy is as described above, then I would never be in a place to be merciful because we are taught not to judge, but I’m sure at times we do it unintentionally. I’m certain there are and have been times when others find they are being merciful, I’m thinking of law courts and during wars and where there’s violence and killings and hate.
If God wasn’t merciful there would be no hope for any of us.
Just for a second I found myself judging…. My days are getting manic now and I’m tired. I had been to the Saturday night quiz and had still got to prepare notes for the next Mondays Cameo so it seemed a good idea to have a restful Sunday morning getting my things together. So that day I went to the Sunday evening service. It was like a breath of fresh air to at last after a good few years get back to something so simple and basic yet just as rich and meaningful as the long morning services.
I wonder what Jesus would think if he walked into St Hilda’s today, would he be a morning or evening member?
I've just encountered mercy as I walked through Warley Woods. She was a Scottish terrier (I think), called Mercy, who ran with boundless energy and life, having a near collision with her doggy friend. Enjoying the freedom of space to run, she wasn't for listening to her walker's shout to come back so at least her lead could be removed. Mercy was alive and free. Mercy brought a big smile to my face. How can I now show mercy and bring a healing smile to others?
ReplyDeleteWhen we encounter the mercy of God in the face of Jesus Christ it compels us to show mercy.
Micah 6v.8
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.
The main theme of chapter 9 continues to be the healing, live-giving nature of Jesus. A paralytic is brought by his friends to be healed, and Jesus tells him ‘Your sins are forgiven’. This reflects the assumption of the time that sickness was the result of sin, either by the sick person or by their ancestors. In John 9, 2 the question is directly asked of Jesus when he encounters a man who had been born blind, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?’. Jesus is accused of blasphemy by the religious teachers for daring to forgive sins, but the common people are in awe when the man walks away.
ReplyDeleteHe goes on to heal a girl who was given up for dead, and the woman with a haemorrhage who had just touched the hem of his clothes. Then he restores two blind men and a mute. In these events there are two common elements: the love and compassion of Jesus, and the faith of the sufferer or someone close to them. Jesus often asks, in effect, ‘Do you believe you can be healed? Do you have the faith?’. It is as if the healing was drawn out of their faith and belief, through the mediation of Jesus’ compassion. Perhaps we too can deliver healing if our compassion and belief strong enough.
In the midst of these healing stories, we get the call of Matthew, the tax-collector, to be a disciple. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi, and Mark says he is the son of Alphaeus. [In the next chapter Matthew describes the disciple James as 'son on Alphaeus'. Were Matthew and James another pair of brothers in the disciples?]. The tax collectors for the Romans were not the faceless men of our Inland Revenue, who send out assessments and demands anonymously. Everyone knew who the tax-collectors were in their community, they sat in the market place in a booth. Matthew was not the only tax man to be attracted to Jesus’s teaching, Luke tells us (19,2) about Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax-collector in Jericho. After his encounter with Jesus, he repented and offered to recompense any he had cheated.
Like the fishermen earlier who had abandoned their nets at Jesus’ call, Matthew simply walked out of his tax-booth, presumably abandoning what he had collected that day, and went off to be a disciple. Whether this gospel was really written by Matthew the tax-collector-turned-disciple is a point of debate among scholars, but it certainly reads like history from an eye-witness.
Jesus is asked about why his disciples didn’t fast as required by Jewish tradition, and he takes the opportunity to tell them that he is bringing something new to their faith. He is not trying to repair and patch up their religion, but to reveal the truth it contains in a new way, a new wine-skin for the new wine.
By now, Matthew has made his point about the compassion of Jesus expressed in healing. He ends the chapter with the implication that what he has told us is the tip of the iceberg, ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness’. And when he saw the harassed and helpless crowds, he had compassion on them. What a wonderful summary of Jesus’ wandering mission among his people, making them whole, raising them up and lifting their spirits.
It is advent; for millions of Christians in India, a time of fasting and penance. This practice has confused me all my adult life. As a child, I thought of fasting as,
ReplyDelete" I starve myself of something I love, and God gives me in return what I am asking him for."
My gift to him and his gift to me. As an adult, i figured that couldn't be. Everything belongs to God, so what could I give him. Fasting seemed quite pathetic; it is not as though God eats the food that I don't.
Why,also, did Jesus appear to contradict himself. In this passage, he says his disciples should not fast, but in another one, he says that they are unable to heal and drive out evil spiriits because such deeds are only possible by prayer and fasting.
This is part of the answer I found as to why he defended his disciples not fasting:
"The point Jesus makes is simple to understand. This is like a wedding, not a funeral. This is not the proper time for fasting. This is a time for feasting. The groom is present with His attendants. (In the weddings I’ve been a part of the groom and his attendants are always the most celebratory group!) This is a celebration!
The implication is clear that fasting in the Old Covenant was associated with mourning and yearning. Both of these would be inappropriate when Jesus was in their midst. Both of these would be an insult to the bridegroom."
So when will they fast.. Jesus says his disciples will fast when he is no longer with them. As for why we should fast, the following points were stated :
1. A powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. Jesus fasted for 40 days. Jesus knew the need to draw upon God's power through fasting.
2: Fasting opens our spiritual ears to hear God's voice. We must have the Spirit fill our hearts and not be consumed with food filling our bellies.
3. Fasting reveals our true God -our stomach . Our appetite reveals what is in our heart. Num21:5,1Cor10:10, or do we live on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
4. Fasting teaches self control and self discipline.
5. Fasting sharpens and intensifies our prayers.
Abbreviated from www.jerseygrace.org. I suppose these are American , evangelical views, but it can't be denied that Jesus fasted, he said his disciples would fast when he left and that he did indeed advocate fasting.