Reading: Luke 11:33-44
Aim: To encourage the congregation to face life’s problems by becoming open-minded, ready to give as well as receive, in order to help others, whoever they are.
Resources: A complex puzzle, e.g. Rubik’s Cube
What do we have to do to solve a complicated puzzle?
A very good way to tackle a puzzle is to do it in reverse. Then we can understand how it works. The trouble with that is we might get distracted along the way and forget where we got to. So now we’ve not only got the original puzzle, but, also, lots of new problems that we’ve created by getting lost.
What we need to do is fragment the puzzle into ‘bite-sized’ solutions which give us time to reflect on what we have achieved and how to continue to make progress. So with perseverance, we will solve the puzzle . . . . . . . we hope!!!
Many problems in life can be like a puzzle with no obvious solution; we can try as hard as we like to make things better, but we only end up getting in a bigger mess. Does that sound familiar?
How many of us have been fed with so many half truths that we become confused with who we are and we feel as though we have no identity? People claim how wonderful we are, then, in the next breath they condemn us.
How many of us feel as though we are on an emotional rollercoaster: one moment ecstatically happy; the next plunged into the depths of despair? Then nobody wants to know us because we are so inconsistent.
How many of us have risen to face a busy day and rushed around from morning to night only to become so worn out that there is no energy left for family and friends? Perhaps you’re suffering, or have suffered from some kind of illness. Whether it’s a cold or cancer, we still feel as though no one understands our pain.
How many of us feel an aching in our hearts. Maybe we feel as though we’ve let God down; or, even, God has let us down!!!!
What a tangled confused mess we must be!
The problems and tangles of our lives are an outward sign of what the bible calls sin. And as we struggle to sort out our own little mess, we very often forget that everyone else is in the same boat.
Jesus’ main concern was people: whoever they were or whatever their circumstance. Rich or poor, good or bad; Jesus loved them. He loved the Pharisees as much as he loved his disciples. He loved Judas Iscariot as much as he loved his own mother. But most importantly he loved those alienated from God by sin, as much as he loves his chosen servants. Where ever Jesus spoke he gave people hope. He didn’t preach at them as though they were objects. He understood their hopes and fears.
Luke quotes Jesus saying, “When your eyes are good, your whole body is also full of light, but when they are bad, your body is also full of darkness.” It seems our eyes are like the windows in our houses. At night the light from our room spreads into the darkness, illuminating a small area outside. Yet in the daytime we don’t need our puny light bulbs because the greater light from the sun floods through our windows, filling our room with a greater light. However, if we chose to close our curtains, none of our light can reach out into the darkness at night, nor can the sun penetrate the shutters into our private little world. If we try to see the whole picture, instead of being blinkered by appearances or social status, maybe we’ll see past the mask of protection that protects us from being hurt. Prejudice is a crime we all suffer from. Offering a listening ear to some one who we are afraid to talk to or don’t want to associate with may help us realise that they are just as confused as we are, just with different priorities. Then by opening our eyes, we may be able to shine a little goodness to a world that certainly needs it. Who know, we may even smooth off a few of the rough edges of our own puzzle of life. But if we shut our eyes from what we see, we’ll soon be back to square one; but this time the selfish ‘I don’t’ want to know’ attitude will add a new set of even more complicated problems. Soon they will snowball out of control and start to roll in the wrong direction.
If we think of people as being like the bowl described in the reading from Luke, we begin to understand how important it is to not only receive God’s grace, but, also, to give grace to others. When Jesus hung on the cross, he was sentenced to a villain’s death and would have looked as vile and wretched as the thieves either side of him. Though Jesus made his message graphically clear in the manner which he lived and died, he never chose to glorify himself. Even as the most monumentally important person to have ever walked this earth, he had the humility to wash his followers’ feet. He recognised our need and knew what the solution was. To discover God for ourselves!
All of us are the dish that Luke recalls. We cover our innermost feelings and put on a brave face, when deep inside we want to cry out, “It’s me! I’m here! I have needs too!” If we are to begin to tackle our own problems we’ve got to see Jesus for who he really is and what he stands for. We need to see past the hardened exterior of people to discover their hidden needs. Let’s remember that everyone is a fellow human being regardless of race, colour, creed or political persuasion. It’s our job to treat them the same we as we would like to be treated. We should reach out to those around us; not only within our families and friends, but also within the church and the greater community in which we live. The church is hungry for this kind of fellowship. The church as a body of people should aim to become the heartbeat and conscience of our community. How else can we perpetuate this great commission?
Do we talk to God? Do we share our innermost thoughts, needs and actions with him? Regular communication with our creator will help us to know his desire for us. By daily reading and studying his word and constant prayer we will draw closer to God. When was the last time you rejoiced with God when sharing good news. When was the last time you cried before him because your heart was broken at the loss of a loved one? By having a humble heart we too can become transmitters of life as well as receivers. Only then can we start to nourish others with all the good inside us.
The overwhelming puzzle of life may seem impossible to solve, but as long as we keep chipping away at it and learn from our mistakes, we will be able to draw closer to God.
Are we prepared to share ourselves with others?
If we revealed the contents of our lives through our eyes, would we like what we saw?
Do we harbour love or bitterness in our hearts?
Do we get so wrapped up in our own problems that we shut out people who need our special talents?
When life gets tough and the problem seems to have no solution, why not consider this statement: