Kairos #1 - spiritual health check
My first sermon of the year, so I’m going to start it in my favourite way… with a pop quiz!
Our gospel reading started by telling us that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, returned to Galilee, and that a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
It’s a pretty familiar text - but what happened in the verses just before it? Where had Jesus come from?
In the verses just before our Gospel reading today we find Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil - offering him sustenance, power, and questioning his identity. As we know, Jesus used the word of God to mark his authority. Then he returns to Galilee, where our gospel reading picked up, and when he reaches Nazareth he proclaims the words of the prophet Isaiah.
Luke 4:18–19
NRSV
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
It’s worth pausing and considering how we react when we are tempted by the flesh, the world, or the devil - do we arm ourselves with truths about God and come through it stronger? Are we able to both trust these words Jesus proclaimed, and even begin to partner with him in this mission?
Psalm 46
The pressures of the world can shape us, often in unhelpful ways. The cost of living, natural disasters, political unrest, international turmoil - it can feel utterly overwhelming. Thankfully we are by no means the first generation to live through challenging times.
In our psalm today, we first heard a declaration:
Psalm 46:1–3
NIVUK84
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
The sea imagery is generally thought to be a poetic way of depicting the rage of the nations that besieged Jerusalem. In their eyes, this is like the end of the world.
The psalm continues to describe the city of God - that it cannot be destroyed - while highlighting the chaos of the nations, and the crumbling kingdoms.
But then, then comes what is one of the most famously beautiful verses in the psalms:
Psalm 46:10
NIVUK84
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Be still, and know that I am God.
Except this is not a call to passivity. It’s a call to action.
Be still. It’s the Hebrew word rafah - which means to drop your hands, or to release, or let go.
In the pressures of your life - in the chaos of the world - can you rafah? Can you let go of the things you cling to, or control, and exalt God among the nations?
That’s our aim over the next four weeks - to look deep at ourselves, to lean into God, to listen to what he might be saying and act in faith in response. Let us be known by the way we love God, the way we love ourselves, and the way we love the people right in front of us.
Can we declare the words of Psalm 46:7?
Psalm 46:7
NIVUK84
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
So now we’re going to pause and take a deep look at ourselves. The reflection we’re going to work through starts on page 5 of your booklet - it’s designed for you to observe and notice the dynamics of your spiritual life. It is not designed for a grade or a score - but rather is intended to help you notice what God might be calling you to adjust in your life as an invitation to grow deeper in relationship with Him. This is quite a detailed exercise - so don’t panic if you’re new to faith, questioning your faith, or just find it all a bit overwhelming - if you need to, then just focus on the questions that stand out to you - there’s no pressure.
No one else needs to see how you respond - this is just between you and God.
We’ll put some quiet music on, and give you five or so minutes to work your way through the questions - I encourage you not to overthink your responses, or try to justify how you’re responding - just go with your gut instinct.
—-
When you’ve finished, take a moment to look through your responses. Which statements did you strongly agree with? Which did you strongly disagree with? Can you sense an invitation from God in those? We’ll take a few minutes in silence for you to do this now.
—-
Now, on page 9 - make a brief note of what has stood out to you - whether in the service, or in the reflective exercise - what might God be saying to you?
PAUSE
Now, have a think and pray - what are you going to do this week in response?
PAUSE
Finally - and possibly most importantly - who are you going to share this with to help you keep accountable? A family member? A friend? Do feel free to share it with me, Rebecca, or Hera - we’ll keep it confidential and check in with you during the week..
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Let me pray.
Loving Jesus, thank you that you walked this earth,
and that you sent your Spirit to be with us now.
Thank you that you speak,
and that your promises are so so good.
Thank you for being with us as we take an honest look at our lives.
For those of us who found this confronting,
grant us your peace and gift us with your grace.
Give us the hope to turn our eyes again, and again, to you. Amen.
