Aim: to explore the difference between being a slave to sin and new life in Jesus

Transcription

1 PROPER 9 readings: Romans 7:15 25a; Matthew 11:16 19,25 30 Zechariah 9:9 12; Psalm 145:8 14 Bible foundations Aim: to explore the difference between being a slave to sin and new life in Jesus Romans 7:7 25 is one of the most controversial chapters in the New Testament. For many people, both ordinary Christians as well as top class scholars, it appears to be describing the common experience of believers. For them, it describes the despair that many of us seem to feel about our inability to triumph over sin. But is this the best reading? Paul has actually already told the Roman Christians that they need no longer be enslaved to sin (Romans 6:6 10). As Christians they share in Christ s death and are effectively dead to sin. Of course they must work hard to ensure that this remains a reality for them and not slip back into the old patterns of enslavement. As is sometimes said, You can take the prisoner out of prison; it is harder to take the prison out of the prisoner. This struggle between the flesh and the Spirit is dealt with in Romans 8. In Romans 7:7 25 Paul seems to be describing how he struggled with sin before he became a Christian. It is all about how, though he loved God s Law, it merely served to condemn him and drive him to despair. He is not describing his experience as a Christian at all. Indeed, unlike chapter 8, Romans 7 has no mention of the Spirit, but plenty about the Law! In Matthew 11 Jesus criticises the Jewish people of his own day. They have criticised both John the Baptist and Jesus for their different approaches to holiness. John was thought to be too ascetic and severe; Jesus was thought to be too liberal. In Matthew 11:25 30 Jesus points to a new way. This new way is revealed through him and involves becoming his close follower. In one sense it is not complicated or difficult, as the scribes and Pharisees made it. You could say that their minds resemble that of Romans 7. But for the Christian it is all about relationship to Jesus and taking on his way of life. Romans chapter 8 also says plenty about that see next Sunday! 198

2 Beginning the service Introduce the theme by showing a neutral picture of an animal wearing a yoke. Ask the congregation whether they think the animal is happy or sad, comfortable or uncomfortable. Does it like its master? Is it well rested and well fed? Is it possible to tell just by looking at the picture? Explain that today we are exploring the difference between being a slave to sin and a servant of Christ, and discovering the way that obedience can mean two very different things depending on who the master is. Bible reading Romans 7:15 24 is a catalogue of woe and frustration that climaxes with verse 25a. This final verse could be shouted out by several readers or even introduced by a loud gong or concluded with a round of applause! You may wish to suggest that Paul may either have been talking about what life was like before he came to follow Christ or may be talking about the struggle all followers of Christ still face see Bible foundations. Introduce Matthew 11:16 19, by explaining that Jesus was under constant criticism. Here is how he once responded. Bible talk With: images of yokes on oxen either from the Internet or images (YearA. Proper9_1) available from lightdownloads Ask what it might mean to be a slave. You may wish to explore or answer this by reading a story (see Notes and comments), listening to a song (see Music and song ideas) or by asking people to share their thoughts out loud. Alternatively, go straight on to the following activity. Two masters Ask a child or teenager to stand at the front between two people who will have been forewarned! Tell the child that one of the people is their master and they must do whatever the master says, whatever anyone else might try to tell them. The master gives some physical instructions, such as Touch your head!, Sit down! or Do a star jump! Next, the child must continue to follow instructions from the master, but now the other person gives alternative instructions, which are more appealing, such as Eat this chocolate!, Sit down! or Have a rest! But the child must only follow the instructions of the master. Afterwards, ask the child how easy or difficult it was to keep following the master. Did they wish they could follow some of the instructions from the other person? Explain that in the passage from Romans, Paul describes himself as a slave to sin and complains that what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate, I do (verse 15). In verses 21 23, he says that he feels as if his body is at war with his mind just as the child longed to follow the alternative instructions. Paul was caught between two conflicting masters : he wanted to follow God, but in his body and his sinful human nature he was stuck as a prisoner of the law of sin. With reference to Bible foundations, you may wish to apply this either to how we were before we 199

3 came to Christ or as part of the struggle we experience now. What is important is that we live as people who know we are joyfully saved by Christ. Wearing a yoke The reading from Romans finished with Paul thanking God through Jesus Christ. Remind people of this, if you followed the dramatic suggestion above. But what was there to thank God for? Compare Romans 7:15 25a with Matthew 11:30 where Jesus says, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Show some pictures of yokes and explain what they are and how they work. A good yoke is made to fit the measurements of the animals that use it, to help them pull the load evenly and with maximum power. It is not meant to be a burden. To illustrate this, ask some mixed-age members of the congregation to have a go at lifting heavy (not too heavy!) buckets with different handles a rope one, a metal one and a padded one. (The weight is much easier and more pleasant to lift with the padding to spread the load, even if all the buckets weigh the same.) Jesus yoke is easy because his commandments are made lovingly and fittingly, with our best interests at heart. Jews at the time thought of the Old Testament law as a yoke. But the yoke of Jesus was not heavy and demanding quite the opposite! Jesus yoke is liberating You could finish here, or go on to point out that the image of the easy yoke does not always mean that life following Jesus will be easy, or that we will want to do everything he asks us to do. (You could refer back to what has been observed in previous weeks.) 200 Give the example of a child following the rules at school. Ask for suggestions. It s not always easy, and it certainly isn t always what you want to do! But making the right choices is also about recognising who is in charge and deciding whether we trust them to make the right decisions for us. If we do, then we should follow them even when it gets tough. If possible, invite someone to share how the yoke of Jesus, far from being burdensome, has been liberating. You will need to ensure that their language is jargon-free, using tangible examples that connect with children and young people. Prayers of intercession Use the following response after each bidding: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Father, we pray for your world, and today we pray for those who can t choose how to live their lives because of slavery, poverty, war or oppression. We thank you for the people who are working to free them, especially... Father, we pray for our community. We thank you that we are free to choose to follow you. We thank you for people who look after us in our schools and at church, especially... Father, we pray for people who are slaves to sin because they have not yet heard about the new life that you offer. (Ask the congregation to name people silently.) Help us to tell them about your light and easy yoke. We thank you for rescuing us from our slavery and giving us the freedom of serving you.

4 Father, we pray for the sick, the weary and for those who are sad, especially... Help us to share their burdens in the way that you do. Thank you for your promise of rest for the weary and heavy burdened. Use the spaces prayerfully to name people or groups of people belonging to the community, events taking place in the news or places and people close to the hearts of your church. You could prepare lists of appropriate topics to give to those reading the intercessions; or invite the congregation either to call out names or name people silently, before beginning each response. Prayer of confession Use the following response: Jesus, break these chains holding me. In serving you I will be free. A leader (or several people of mixed ages scattered around the church building) say the first line, followed by the response. The response could be accompanied by an action that symbolises freedom, such as joined wrists being forcefully separated. The final reading of Matthew 11:28 and 29 could be used as an absolution or, together with an absolution from the liturgy, would be most appropriately spoken by the service leader. (The first part of the response is reminiscent of a line from the song I wish I knew how, recommended in the Music and song ideas. You could listen to it reflectively before or after these prayers.) own hopes and wishes. We follow the things that we want, and ignore your plan for us. pride. We deny you and follow others when it makes us look better. bodies. We listen to our own appetites and weaknesses more than we listen to your Word. Father, we confess that we are slaves to this world. We care more about our possessions and our lifestyles than we do about following you. Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Leave silence for the congregation to consider Jesus invitation in the light of their confession. Ending the service Make some simple yokes out of paper a picture printed on a square of paper would do, or a cut-out shape. On the shape print Matthew 11:29a or verse 30. Place the yokes by the door and invite people to pick one up on their way out as a symbol of their choice to pick up Jesus yoke over the following week. Encourage them to put it where they will often see it and read the verse this week as a reminder on the fridge, or the bed, or use it as a bookmark. Helpful extras Music and song ideas Appropriate songs include: Teach me, my 201

5 God and King ; And can it be ; I heard the voice of Jesus say ; I am a new creation ; Amazing Grace ; O let the Son of God enfold you. If you have used Psalm 145, set for today, or wish to replace it with a song, try The Lord is gracious and compassionate (from Psalm 145:8) by Graham Ord. Nina Simone s song I wish I knew how it would feel to be free is a powerful song about slavery and longing for physical and spiritual freedom. It could be listened to reflectively, for example at the beginning of the Bible talk, before or as part of the Prayer of confession, or as a voluntary at Beginning or Ending the service. Ask people to listen to the words as the singer imagines freedom. As Christians, do we know how it feels to be free? What could we say about it to others? Notes and comments The topic for this session is ideal for an exploration of the theme of slavery and what we can do to help stop the slavery that continues today. You may need to explain the concept of slavery at the beginning of the Bible talk. The website org has some excellent resources including facts and figures, videos and media and suggested projects. Bob Hartman s story Chaga and the Chocolate Factory can be downloaded from and may help to explain in child-friendly terms something about what slavery is like. In the Prayers of intercession, include prayers for charities such as Amnesty International. You could take up a special collection for an appropriate charity. An invitation to Holy Communion could be linked to the Gospel reading, in particular verses For a baptism, specific mention could be made in the Bible talk of an adult candidate s movement from being a slave to sin, to becoming a servant of Christ. At an infant baptism, you could explain that although the child is too young to make this choice for themself, parents are making it on the child s behalf, in the child s best interests. But we pray that one day the child will make the choice for themselves, because Jesus yoke is one to be chosen and taken on every day. Alternative online options Visit for additional activities for children, young people and adults. 202