Tuesday Morning St Oswald’s Rugby
Romans 8: 18-27
Last Saturday we went for a picnic to Swift Valley with our twin grandchildren, James and William who are just turned 2 years old, along with their mum and dad.
My son-in-law Peter is a runner like me and together we were fascinated by the various paths and where they led during our walk. I had cycled, walked, and run around some of Swift Valley before, but on Saturday I made all sorts of new connections, one of those moments of, ‘ah, now I see, that’s interesting’ - seeing the connections for the first time so that in the future we could both explore and discover yet more of Swift Valley.
Writing in the 1st
century, the time the letter to the Romans was written, was an expensive and
time-consuming labour. It is worth remembering that as we read these letters
today. Paul, and other authors, did not
have the luxury of adding in anything frivolous or superfluous. Everything is
written for a purpose and has a meaning.
This passage we heard today
from Romans is one such passage that is not Paul using up pen and scroll and a scribe’s
time. Rather it is pivotal to
understanding the broad sweep of the whole of Scripture. To understanding God’s
plans and purposes for the redemption and the renewal of the whole of the
created order, the whole of the cosmos.
If we took the time to study this section carefully within the context of the whole of the Letter, we could begin to see all sorts of connections. New areas to explore, new pathways to understanding and fresh insights.
Sadly, we do not have the
time this morning and I can only give you a few signs, the briefest of outlines
that I hope will whet your appetite to go and explore more.
Again, it maybe stating the
obvious, but Paul was a solid monotheistic 1st century Jew. As such
he would have known and understood and had his life and faith built on the
Story of Israel. Or better to say, the Story of God in which the Israelites
were to play a key role as God’s chosen instrument to bring about the
redemption of the cosmos and the glory and the blessings of God to the whole of
the created order.
This passage from Romans 8 leads
us down a direct path to the creation narratives in Genesis 1-3.
Humans were placed in the
temple space, the Garden of Eden, to represent God, to partner with God and to
work with God to bring the rest of creation out of chaos and into order and
beauty, fruitfulness, and fullness.
However, God did not want
automatons, mere robots, because God is love he creates seeking a responsive
love. That means that God’s love and care can be rejected and the image bearing
humans can chose their own path of self-determination.
We are told that is exactly
what happened – and quite literally all hell broke loose.
God did not say, o dear, that
did not work, let’s try Plan B. Rather
he worked at seeking out faithful image bearing humans who would love him and
work with him in fulfilling the original plans and purposes, to banish chaos
and bring in order and beauty reflecting God’s glory, much like the moon
reflects the brilliance of the sun.
The Biblical narrative
continues with many twists and turns, false paths and some promising paths that
disappointingly end in a cul-de-sac. At last, the story brings us to Abram, to
become Abraham and the true founding Father of Faith.
Yet all was not
straightforward and once more the Biblical narrative takes us down first this
path and then another and often brining us full circle and utterly lost and
confused.
‘…in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness
of sins. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All
things were created through Him and for Him.…
Jesus is God’s perfect plan of redemption for the whole of the cosmos,
For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not
perish but have eternal life.
What we often miss noticing
in this well-known verse is the phrase, ‘God so loved the world…’
Jesus’ death and resurrection
has brought about a new creation, of which we are the first fruits.
However, as Paul mentions in
this passage in Roman’s the created order knows that things are not as they
ought to be, and is eagerly awaiting, standing on tip toe, to see the full and
final redemption of all of God’s people.
That great and glorious day
of which we read in Revelation 21, when heaven comes to earth, using the extraordinarily
rich metaphor of a Wedding Banquet.
Meanwhile, as God’s people,
we are called to be signposts to the fulfilment of the created order that we
find in Genesis 1-3. As image bearers of God, we reflect God’s glory, in our
lives, in the way we care for the planet, in all our relationships – God in my
everything.
When people see us either
individually or together, they ought to be able to say, now we have seen a true
reflection of God. Of God at work and active in his world bringing everything
around to good order.
Out of the mess and muddle of
life we are to be busy clearing away brambles and weeds, building bridges over
rivers, connecting pathways, bringing people together. Offering places of
refreshment along the way. Walking alongside those who have become sore
footed. Rejoicing with those who
rejoice, and weeping with those who weep. Bearing the pain of the world not yet
fully redeemed.
A battle won at Calvary but a
war still being waged, but whose outcome of victory of our God and King is
assured.
And we walk with people until
the path ends – apparently, for we are people of hope that the path does not
end, merely disappears this side of our own bodily resurrection.
As we work, we pray – for as
John Wesley said, ‘Prayer is where the action is.’
This leads us to the final verses from Roman’s 8 we have been reflecting upon.
In
the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought
to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through
wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with
the will of God.
A question that I will leave
you to ponder and reflect upon…
‘Just what upon earth am I
doing for God’s sake.’
Let us pray…
Living God, you call us to be
good stewards of this earthly home, strengthen us to care for your creation;
forgive us when, through our greed and indifference we abuse its beauty and
damage its potential. Empower us, through your Spirit to so nurture and love
the world, that all creation sings to your glory. Make us fervent in prayer and
diligent in action until that great and glorious day when heaven descends to
earth, and we celebrate the Wedding Banquet of the Lamb. Amen.
