WISE UP – Homily by Geoff Serpell
HOMILY AT LEIGHMOOR 19 AUGUST 2018
Ephesians 5: 15-20
In today’s first reading, from the Old Testament Kings, the story of King David has come to an end. He reigned as king for forty years. Solomon, now rules in his father’s place, offering lavish sacrifices at the high places of worship. Early in his reign, God appears to him in a dream and tells him to request whatever he desires. Solomon confesses his inadequacy for the task of being the king and asks the Lord for wisdom, that he might discharge his duties justly. God is pleased with this request and grants Solomon more than he requests; in addition to wisdom, he bestows wealth and fame. One observation to make is how Solomon kept his realm at peace by the technique of him marrying all the daughters of surrounding chieftains who otherwise would be taking up arms against the wealthy Solomon. 1 Kings 11-3 tells us he married 700 princesses and in addition, had 300 concubines.
Our Psalm today holds the gem in verse 10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.
In our passage today in Ephesians, the focus falls first on wisdom. Both in 5:15 and 5:17, comes the emphasis on wisdom. Why? Earlier in Ephesians, mention is made of unfruitful works such as darkness, hidden, shameful behaviour. There is comment on false teachers going astray in mind and deeds.
Paul gives warnings in general, to be alert, and have wisdom and understanding. Thus the need to discern between froth and bubble and what is authentically Christian. Ephesians said that its days were ‘evil’ and that people should exercise good time management [5:16] and use every opportunity in the life of faith, and that is no less true today.
Allow me to share possibly again something about use of time:-
“The magic bank account”:- Imagine you won this prize in a contest; each morning your bank deposited $86,400 into your bank account. Rules apply:-
- You lose everything not spent each day
- You may not transfer the money into another account
- You may only spend it.
- Each morning upon waking, the bank opens your account with another $86,400
- The bank can end the game without warning; It can say “Game over”. It can close the account
.What would you do? You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right? Not only for yourself but for family and friends you love and care for. Maybe even for those you don’t know because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
Actually the game is real. Each of us is already the winner of this prize. The prize is not money, it is time. Each day we receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life. When we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not held in the account but lost forever. Yesterday is gone. Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve the account at any time without notice or warning. So what do we all do with our precious 86,400 seconds each day?
Reflection:-Worth more than mere money, those seconds can be used for much good, and as we are aware, time flies quicker than you think. We shouldn’t complain about growing old. So many people do not get the privilege. Find time for others. Find time for God.
Do you find you just can’t find the Time? From Graeme Smith, a professional artist, comes this:-
How do you busy people find the time to take on something new?
The main reason people fail when they start a career or new vocation is they have no clear direction.
Ideally your goals should be measurable.
Set annual goals
Reduce the list to the five top priorities
Set daily goals
You will be the only person holding you accountable
Do you have all the right skills for the tasks?
I applied a fair bit of the above principles whilst writing our family history. I had horded a wealth of personal information about the olds and tapped into a wonderful person at State Library Victoria. Then I found via my daughter in law a facilitator who took my writings and fashioned the words and photos into a book printed via on line in USA. Within a week of completion I had delivered twenty five copies which are primarily aimed as letters to our great grandchildren.
Why were the letters aimed to people I may never meet? One reason, a strong reason is that I hold the hope that they will embrace the gospel enunciated by my great grandfather in his memoirs written in 1914 just before he died in 1915. I quoted his words at the start of my book and also at the conclusion. Here is hoping the words make an impact with that generation, long after I am pushing up daisies.
The early Christians needed to understand or wise up, to what the will of the Lord really is [5:17] Love and the dignity of all peoples are paramount to the Ephesians, above national or sectional interests. Anything which discounts other human beings, both those alive now and those of future generations who will inherit our planet and whose welfare we affect by our stewardship of it, is contrary to love.
5:18 has a playful contrast between wine and spirit. If we are to get excited and ecstatic, let it not be alcohol induced, but arise from the joy of the Spirit in the community. Wine is not under attack but drunkenness is.
Paul warns against being filled with alcoholic spirits, which can lead to debauchery and drunkenness. Being full of booze causes one to act in a foolish and destructive manner. On the Insight SBS TV show on 24thJuly program it was stated that drinking by women over one glass per day can lead to up to a 60% increased chance of breast cancer. We need to be filled rather with God’s Spirit, which draws songs of thanksgiving from our hearts to our lips.
Ephesians assumes enjoyment which arises from sharing the life of God together. It affirms music and song. It gives praise to God, so that the integrity arises from a shared relationship with God and with one another. Music engages our hearts as well as our heads. Emotional responses belong.
As an aside, you do not need me to tell you how utterly fortunate we all are with music in our Leighmoor church. Leunig in a prayer says and I quote,” We give thanks for the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Let us celebrate and praise all those musicians and composers who give their hands and hearts and voices to the expression of life’s mystery and joy. We nourish our heart in its yearning. Who dignify our soul in its struggling. Who harmonize our grief and gladness. Who make melody from the fragments of chaos. Who align our spirit with creation. Who reveal to us the grace of God. Who calm us and delight us and set us free to love and forgive. Let us give thanks and rejoice. Amen”
The story of the Rice Cake>
Ultimately Ephesians has as its theme: coming together in wholeness in which, we, connected to Jesus as one body, seek to fill the whole of reality with God’s goodness. The Ephesians would want to see our worship as our open and deep and joyful acknowledgement of the God of Jesus who both draws us close and takes us out in company into the world in which we live.
Prayer:
Loving God, present amid the confusion and strife of the world, speak your healing word of love to those whose troubles are known only to you; and by your encouraging Spirit sustain those whom we name on our lips and in the silence of our hearts…. Hear our Prayer, in Jesus’ name.
Loving God, you have told us how to act like people with good sense. Help us to take the first step of faith
-to trust you
-to learn more about you
-to make new friends
-to be kind to others, because you have been so kind to us.
When we hang back, keep us moving, Lord.
Help us to make every minute count.
We have wasted time, but you are patient. You give us more time, a chance to make up for the past and to make good in the future.
Help us find out what you want us to do, Lord.
We already know some things you want. But you invite us to be inquisitive, to ask questions, to look for new ways, to discover the new world you are making with us.
Help us praise you with all our heart.
We have been half-hearted but you fill our life with good things. So in the name of Jesus, who gave himself fully to follow your way, we thank you for everything. Lord, we belong to you. Amen Lord’s Prayer[alternate]
