THE PARISH CHURCHES of
NORTH MARSTON and GRANBOROUGH
SERMON FOR THIS WEEK​
Sunday 6th October
2024
Trinity 19
Jesus and the children; St. John Abbey, Müstair, Graubünden, Switzerland, c. 825.
‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
(Mark 10:14)
Sermon for Sunday 6th October 2024
preached at St John the Baptist Church, Granborough.
Trinity 19
By Rev Petra Elsmore
GOSPEL READING
Mark 10:2-16
2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, ‘Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?’
3 ‘What did Moses command you?’ he replied.
4 They said, ‘Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.’
5 ‘It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,’ Jesus replied. 6 ‘But at the beginning of creation God “made them male and female”.7 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,8 and the two will become one flesh.”So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’
10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.’
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
​
SERMON
Somebody once told me, that little children were like little Zen Masters, not only because of the resemblance, at that early age, with very little hair and genuine smile on their lips…., but because they were a great source of learning for us. Would you agree with me? About the learning? Is there something you can recall you have learned from children, that perhaps took you by surprise?
Jesus makes a big statement about the children when the disciples try to stop them coming to him.
He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
In the Bible this just follows the story where Jesus discusses with the Pharisees the teaching on divorce where his position shows, as it did so many times before, concern for the most vulnerable, here in this context the women and the children.
He takes the child, one of the most vulnerable creature into his hands, and says, we have to look at the world with child’s eyes, with child’s hearts. That would mean looking at our world with honesty, with innocence, with sincerity, with enthusiasm, because that’s the way into the kingdom of God, that’s the way to come close to our God.
Jesus’ has been challenged again and again by the Pharisees, and it wasn’t different at this time, when they asked him about divorce. Did they tried to catch him out? Were they hoping he might say something that could lead to his arrest, perhaps to get into similar troubles as John the Baptist did when he criticised Herod, and then was beheaded?
What attitude was in all these questions from the Pharisees? Was it honesty and innocence and sincerity? It wasn’t, really, it seems to me. The Pharisees tried to trick him, there was calculation and speculation in their attitude, although they might have thought that they had a righteous interest and zeal to prove that Jesus was a dangerous man.
When looking into this passage, when trying to understand Jesus’ teaching about divorce, we need to understand that in the first century Palestine, marriage and divorce were part of the patriarchal society, where women and children had not much of a voice or rights, they were considered the property of men. Also the teaching of Moses on divorce, as written in Deuteronomy, had a quite broad understanding of what were the grounds for divorce, alongside adultery. If the man thought there was something objectionable about his wife, if she wasn’t pleasing to him, he was free to seek divorce, a right which was mostly denied to women at that time. This, of course, put women and children into a very difficult position. So, what was the question regarding divorce really about? What was Jesus expected to answer? Jesus speaks of God’s intention for marriage, which was about becoming “one flesh,” two people who cared deeply for each other that they would choose to become one, and they cannot be separated. But he also points out that the commandments given by Moses was given because of the hardness of hearts of the people….. It seems that Jesus understands that we live the tension between God’s intention for humankind and the reality of our lives. As with may things, not just divorce, we fall short of the ideal that God had in mind for us. We may aspire to come close to God’s intention, but the reality is, that it does not sometime happens, despite best intentions.
Jesus speaks indeed about God’s ideal, but he also brings into light the law of Moses with the problematic ideas about divorce and the attitude, the harden hearts, which surrounded that teaching.
And perhaps we need to examine ourselves, when we come to the passages like that, how do we go on interpreting it? Do we see Jesus as one who condemns or as the one who understands? One who puts blame on those who find themselves in a difficult situation, or the one who shows compassion and love? And what do we do in similar situation? Do we go on insisting on ideals who might be for some impossible to meet, with consequences that could put people in difficult and at times dangerous situations, or do we find in ourselves compassion for those who struggle?
Striving to fulfil God’s ideal for marriage, one has to consciously invest into the relationship, treat the other person with love and care. I can see Jesus looking at the Pharisees, thinking, “if you, instead of testing me, found in your heart deep concern for those who suffer most in our society, who are most vulnerable, would you be asking me this question?”
Jesus takes the little children, he is really driving his point home… and tells us that we need to find a way to be honest, innocent and sincere just as these little children. Look at the world with a child’s attitude, then the Kingdom of God would be ours.
Amen.
Sermon for 6th October 2024,
Preached by David Heffer at St Mary’s Church, North Marston
With young people in mind
Mark 10 verse 13 “People were bringing little children to Jesus”
I want to start with a story. When I was a small child we had a little box
with all kinds of needles inside, and I want you to imagine that these needles were having a very lively discussion. There was a big needle with a big eye, and he wanted everyone to think he was the best, a bodkin. A pin with a bead for a head, said that without him to hold material steady the needle would be useless. Another very fine needle thought himself above the others because of the delicate work he was able to achieve. Other pins and needles put their case and the quarrelling went on. There was one needle they all laughed at; he had no head and was thicker than all the others. “What use was a needle without an eye “they mocked, and pretty thick too; and no one would talk to him. Now one day My Mother opened the box and all the pins and needles blew out their chests and began to show off “Choose me, choose me, they all said; but my Mother did no choose any of them, instead she chose the fat needle without a head. What a surprise! How could she, when they had so much to offer. Soon, however they heard the most beautiful music, and do you know why? Well, the needle they had all laughed at was a gramophone needle. It was the only needle that could work in that old fashioned machine. (If you don’t know what a gramophone is ask your Mum!)
Now in our reading, mothers brought little children to Jesus, so that he could bless them, and when he welcomed them, do you know it was a great shock. Women and children were considered to be very unimportant in society in those days. The disciples tried to push them away, but Jesus taught them a very meaningful lesson, simple words, heavy with meaning “Forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven”. What a shock for those in authority; that Jesus set at naught, their displays of scholarship and showy wisdom and placed them at the bottom of the pile and put little children at the top; for their qualities of joy, forgiveness, eagerness and trust. It is a lesson to us all is it not? When life puts us in our place and demands a humility ( which was more convenient to forget) then this is what Our Lord requires of us., as it says in Proverbs “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” Selina Scott a television personality was addressed in the street by a passer by “I Know who you are,” she said “Oh Yes,” Selina replied preening herself a little. “Yes, you’re the lassie who serves behind the fish counter at the Co-Op! “
Now although Our Lord teaches humility on so many occasions notably when James and John (perhaps encouraged by their mother, who knows) wanted the highest places in His Kingdom and were gently reminded of the sacrifice required; or when the rich young ruler was prompted to sell all he had and went away sad because he was loath to give away his money; or when the Pharisee and the tax collector prayed at the altar and the pompous Pharisee thought all he had to do was to remind God how important he was. It was the humble tax collector who admitted his sin who was commended and justified by Jesus. The Apostle Paul calls to mind “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
But now comes the best bit: For as much as humility is required of us in our walk with God, the reading from Hebrews raises us to a level that in itself is very humbling. The question is posed, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them or mortals that you care for them?” Looking at the world and its sin and the mistakes we make, it does make you wonder. But the amazing thing is the next line: “You have made them a little lower than the angels; You have crowned them with glory and honour subjecting all things under their feet WOW!
The Psalmist and Paul, the Apostle, are talking about us! What a commendation, what an honour what a responsibility, what promotion! -----What a requirement to be the servant of all, to realise the need to kneel---- and be prepared to wash feet. To accept with cheerfulness what Shakespeare calls: “The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” and with Our Lord tread the path of love and service. As the hymn says; “They who tread the path of labour, follow where my feet have trod, They who work without complaining do the Holy will of God.”
“Never more thou needest seek me, I am with you everywhere. Raise the stone and thou shalt find me, cleave the wood and I am there.“ With such adjacent attendance of our Father God how can we not be uplifted and encouraged.
Oh, by the way, I understand that Amateurs built the Ark---Professionals built the Titanic. Amen.
