Sunday Reflections
Robin presents a video service each week where he combines his latest thoughts with readings, music and pictures. The latest reflections are at the top of the page or you can scroll down for earlier dates.Reflections for 18th October 2020
| Reflections for Sunday 18th October 2020 |
Reflections for 11th October 2020
| Reflections for Sunday 11th October 2020 |
Welcome
Intimations:
CH4 (1) 245 It’s a world of sunshine
Today is a ‘’kind of’, harvest service. Over the past few years, we have done two things. Donated food to Kirkcaldy Foodbank, and taken an offering for the work of Jenny Featherstone in Zambia. Practically it is just too difficult to organise donations for the Food bank, but please look out for their donation points. You can find them listed on their website. I will put it on the church website, and on the left, click ‘donation points’. See FoodBank I encourage you to do that.
Now to Jenny. I got Jenny to record a short video message for us. We will watch that in just a moment. It will also be on the website. You can donate to Jenny, direct, via her donor bank account. If you wish to do that, details will be on the church web site, or please contact myself.
| Donor account | 44044068 |
| Sort code | 07 01 16 |
| Name | Ms J A FEATHERSTONE |
| Bank | Nationwide Building society |
| Account type | flex account |
Video: Jenny from Zambia
1st Prayers
Readings (1): Luke 12:16-21
16 Then Jesus told them this parable: “There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. 17 He began to think to himself, ‘I don't have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? 18 This is what I will do,’ he told himself; ‘I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. 19 Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?’”
21 And Jesus concluded, “This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight.”
Comment (1)
The meaning of Jesus story is obvious and requires little comment. I have told you this story before, but I am going to tell you it again. It goes like this. A man was asked, if you had two houses, what would you do. He said, I would keep one, and give the other away. How generous of you, the other person said. If you had two cars, what would you do. He answered, that is easy, I would keep one, and give the other away. The questioner was amazed at the man’s generosity. Let me ask you one final question. If you had two chickens, what would you do. The mans answered, I would keep both of them. The questioner was now puzzled. Why would you do that? You would give away a house and car but keep a chicken. The man answered, I have two chickens. It is easy, to give away what you do not have, and to hold onto, what you do. The human instinct is to want more, like the man who built bigger barns.
I am sure we have all heard of certain billionaires who give away most of their money to good causes. Much good in the world is done through that money. For example, The Gates foundation seeking to eradicate polio and malaria in Africa. Go to their website and it says this, All lives have equal value. We are impatient optimists working to reduce inequality. Money is required and does help the world go round. But what if you are not Bill Gates? We will hear more of the words of Jesus, in just a moment.
Silence for our own prayers – help us to listen.
Video: Harvest samba
Reading (2): Luke 12: 22-30
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “And so I tell you not to worry about the food you need to stay alive or about the clothes you need for your body. 23 Life is much more important than food, and the body much more important than clothes. 24 Look at the crows: they don't plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don't have storage rooms or barns; God feeds them! You are worth so much more than birds! 25 Can any of you live a bit longer[a] by worrying about it? 26 If you can't manage even such a small thing, why worry about the other things? 27 Look how the wild flowers grow: they don't work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. 28 It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have!
29 “So don't be all upset, always concerned about what you will eat and drink. 30 (For the pagans of this world are always concerned about all these things.) Your Father knows that you need these things.
Comment (2)
Tell that to the people who have nothing. Don’t worry if you don’t have any food or clothes. If God knows, why does he not provide? Is there anyone else honest enough to say, that is what I was thinking? Looking around the world in need, we could get easily get depressed. So, what are these words of Jesus all about.
This is a wee story about faith. It doesn’t matter what situation we find ourselves in, rich or poor. Bill Gates or Robin McAlpine. We all worry about the future. For ourselves and for our families. We are built to worry. Some of us more than others. Now, if you have money, it does help. It opens up choices that other people do not have. But it does not, of itself, lead to a life of faith. In Jesus story of the rich man, his faith was in bigger barns and the bigger the better. Somewhere in all of us, is that rich man. If only we had a wee bit more.
There are moments in life, when you just cannot see the future working out, either as you hoped or would have liked. Those moments when trust in God seems to ebb away. Maybe you are in that moment today. Yet, can we grasp a broader understanding of these words and believe, it does not matter where you are, or how you are feeling or how much money you have, the compassion of God is always there. Jesus says, we are worth more than the birds of the air and they don’t need to build barns, and the wildflowers in all their glory, is greater splendour, than king Solomon in all his finery.
The little phrase that I like, is the bit about, you cannot live any longer by worrying about it. We know that’s true, yet not to worry, easier said than done! We can be worry factories churning out our fears. God says, don’t let fear control your life. Our hope in the future, starting now, is built upon the solid rock of our trust in God. In those moments, and especially in those moments, when there seems to be no hope, may be hold onto and grasp, the promises of God in the words of Jesus.
The words, give us this day our daily bread, are familiar to us. In trust, and with hope, we share these words.
LORDS PRAYER
Maybe God works through such organisations as the Gates Foundation and for good works in the world, there needs to be some people, with awful big barns!
Where am I?
CH4 (2) 237 Look forward in faith
Blessing
Reflections for 4th October 2020
| Reflections for Sunday 4th October 2020 |
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