This week we took a break from Acts as, along with Methodist congregations all across the island, we reflected on this year’s theme for Home Missions Sunday – “Unforced”. What we’d suggest is that you stop and watch the video produced by Home Missions, and then listen in or catch the drift of our Sunday morning reflections on it and the passage it draws on – Matthew 11: 25-36…
in summary though here’s the outline of all that was shared…
First up – why does a church have a Home Missions Department? If there is a department that is going home mission, then what is the rest of the home church about? Surely the whole church is all about God’s mission and if so, then maybe the goal of a Home Missions Department is to no longer exist? Yet, it does exist, precisely because the church can lose sight of its calling to be God’s missional people in the world. What if a Home Missions department is set up within the church to bang the drum and keep the church on track when it starts to become consumed about lots of other things other than being God’s missional people in the world….
Unforced.
Second, what is Jesus getting at in Matthew 11? Straight up – it’s dead, worn out, legalistic, religion that has (mis)interpreted the law that God gave His people that Jesus came to write on their hearts – with endless rules and regulations. We can do the same in our churches today – and it isn’t always death by committee and administration and institutionalism. What happens when we fall into the trap of thinking mission is something we organise – our program, event, conference, festival (complete with speakers, lights, sounds and songs that we like… after all, it’s our plan…)? What happens when a pandemic strips all of that away? What are we left with then? We’re left with our relationship with Jesus. Our walking, working, living with Jesus in the place we are planted, doing life and bearing witness for Him.
Unforced.
Third – so it’s all going to fit us then? The yoke that Jesus places us on us is made to measure. Well, yes, and no. Made to measure because it is made by the creator who designed us in the first place, created us for Himself to live and walk and work with Him. But that’s not what we look like now. Made to measure in that it is Jesus’ yoke. It fits the one true perfected image of God in human form, and as we learn from Him, listen to Him, walk with Him, work with Him, we become shaped and moulded into who we are being renewed and transformed into in and through Him. So, it’ll take a while. But that’s ok. Our Master is gentle and humble, and patient with us as we go.
Fourth, if it’s unforced it’s going to be easy then? Easy to do, easy to live out, and easy answers with easy wins. Well, yes and no. Jesus who yolks Himself to us bids us rest in Him, because He has come to turn our lives and world the right way up, in turning it upside down. We ‘come to Him’ which means we leave all behind. We take up our cross. We are blessed when others oppose and persecute us for following Him. He lived, and walked, and worked, and was killed for his troubles. Unforced yes, but that does not mean we will not be met (at times) with force. Our rest though is being brought into the relationship with Jesus that He has in turn with His Father in that wonderful prayer just before He bids us come to Him. He sets the agenda, and we live in it. Our rest in Jesus is not dependant on our circumstances. In our walk, in our work, in our daily witness lived out of relationship with Jesus
Living ‘unforced’ with Jesus will challenge everything about us to keep us bang on track in right relationship with God… and so maybe Home Missions are doing their job well, reminding us of whose we are, and how we are to live.
I arise today,
with God’s strong hand to guard me
I arise today,
with God’s way to lay before me
I arise today, with God’s shield to protect me
I arise today, through a mighty strengthI arise today,
with God’s eye to watch over me
I arise today, with God’s ear to listen to me
I arise today, with God’s words to speak for me
I arise today, through a mighty strength
Christ is with me,
before me and behind me
Christ is in me, beneath me and above me
Christ when I lie down,
when I sit or when I wake
and Christ in every heart, who thinks of me.I arise today,
in the faith of sins vanquished
I arise today,
in the hope of resurrection
I arise today,
with a love that knows no limits
I arise today,
through a mighty strength
Christ is with me, before me and behind me
Christ is in me, beneath me and above me
Christ when I lie down,
when I sit or when I wake
and Christ in every heart, who thinks of me