The title of this sermon, ‘Being confident in what makes us different has real power,’ comes from words I saw on the Tube that belong to a person whose job title is ‘Head of Group Strategy’ for the company by which he is employed. I can understand that an essential task for a head of strategy is to ensure that employees have good working relationships with one another and to understand that each employee is unique and contributes to the success of the company.

PARABLE

In the passage from Luke, Jesus gives us a parable. The wonderful thing about a parable is that it allows you and me to confront our ‘blind spots’. A parable can be seen as operating like a dressing mirror, for just as you and I would use a mirror to see if we look presentable, a parable allows us to make the changes and adjustments we need to our personal lives: allowing us to think biblically, theologically and practically.

Consider a few lines of some of the parables Jesus uses in this passage: ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?’ ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’ ‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.’

WHAT IS THE PARABLE DOING?

We all need to be reading this parable of Jesus and to let it ‘be doing something to us’; in other words, allowing the parable to speak to us and to be transformative, real and meaningful for us. My understanding is that this parable tells me that when I comment on and judge the behaviour of others, my own behaviour will also be commented upon and judged.

COMMUNITY READING OF THE PARABLE

This parable is worthy of reading by everyone – Members of Parliament, legislators, judges, religious leaders, the general public – for in this parable lies the answer to problems within our politics and diversity, and how we can live in harmony with people, places and planet and at peace with God.

BEING DIFFERENT

We are all ‘ignorant’, but in different areas. We are all ‘blind’, but in different areas. We are all ‘judgemental’, but in different areas. We have all ‘compromised’ to some extent, if in different areas. Romans 3:23 reads, ‘For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.’

REAL POWER

Real power is achieved by embracing our differences and acknowledging that we are all in need of workmanship, similarly to how a carpenter will smooth down a piece of wood using the tool of a plane. We need the mighty hand of God through his beloved Son Jesus and the agency of the Holy Spirit to smooth those rough areas of our personality and life so that God may bring us into his glorious perfection. Ephesians 2:10 reads, ‘For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.’

BEING CONFIDENT IN CHRIST OUR LORD

Jesus uses the closing parable as an illustration (verses 47–49), ‘As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.’ Jesus draws on his profession as a ‘tekton’ (the ancient Greek noun tekton is a common term for an artisan/craftsman, in particular a carpenter/woodworker). The person who accepts the teachings of Jesus and his words of wisdom, grace and truth is likened to one who builds his/her house ‘on a rock’ and not ‘on sand’, so that when the storms come that house will remain firm and stable.

CONCLUSION

Jesus takes our imperfections, our differences and our weaknesses. Using them like raw materials, he makes us new through his craftsmanship of grace. Despite our differences and weaknesses, we are made strong by his grace. David Ware helps us to reflect on this parable of Jesus through the song ‘Cornerstone’. Selected lines read, ‘My hope is built on nothing less / Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness / Christ alone / Cornerstone / Weak made strong / In the Saviour’s love / Through the storm / He is Lord / Lord of all.’ (Copyright: 2011 Hillsong Music Publishing)

Abundant Grace – Ubuntu!