Welcome to our Service for Sunday the 21st of July

Our worship is being led today by Gary Johnstone

The Sunday morning service is at 10 am at Clevedon. You watch the live stream on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxBzxjBb3xU8ra2NHwvD_9A(The service can also be viewed at any time afterwards.)

The reading for the service, and Gary's sermon notes, can be found below.

 ¹⁷ On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁹ and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

²¹ “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

²⁴ Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

²⁷ “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

²⁸ After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” ²⁹ When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

³² When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴ “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵ Jesus wept.

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

³⁷ But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹ “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

⁴⁰ Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

⁴¹ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

⁴³ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.

The Kawakawa prefers the shade and is quite a hardy plant. It grows to be a bush of around 3 meters. It’s not particularly attractive. The pants are either male or female. Its leaves have a bitter taste, and it is often called NZ pepper. The leaves add flavour when tossed in a salad. The kawaka moth eats holes in the leaf. When this happens the flavour of the leaf is strong. The Kawakawa has anti-microbial properties which inhibit the growth of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is useful in treating a range of conditions, including infections and inflammation, while its analgesic properties help relieve pain and soothe sore muscles. You can buy Kawakawa balm from craft shops It is made from infused Kawakawa leaves, mixed with sweet almond oil, mānuka oil and beeswax. Kawakawa plants like their space and can survive on their own

The rengarenga lily favours the sun but is just as comfortable in the shade or part shade – copes with any environment. Non-poisonous.

 Nice white flowers, attractive to birds and bees so best to put it where it can be seen. Rengarenga plants are best planted together – there is a rengarenga lily planting just outside the church entrance

The Rengarenga Lily is a Medicinal plant. Some think that the White lily applied directly to the skin is good for and burns. Tradition has it that the lower end of the leaves were pounded into a pulp and applied to the body as a poultice to treat ulcers and sores.

Today's message is about Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus. The family gets mentioned at least 3 times in scripture - once in Luke's Gospel and a couple of times in John's.

The characters appear to be wealthy; they have a large house capable of hosting great numbers of people. Martha is head of the household which implies that Lazarus is quite young and unable to take charge as was the custom. However, it is also written that Lazarus reclined at the table with the men and appears to be an adult when he comes out of the tomb - so there is some non-disclosure going on, something that John doesn't want the reader to know about. It was unusual for that era and place, that the sisters were not married. The father and mother are not mentioned which indicates Martha may be relatively old. Perhaps Martha was a widow.

John 10:5 reads; “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.” John's gospel account carefully prioritises the pecking order of the family as he knows Jesus would have it, by naming Martha first. To emphasise the point, John names Lazarus but leaves Mary unnamed. Martha is firmly signalled as the one in charge.

Mary is the popular one and John records in his Gospel on two occasions that many   Jews had come to visit her. She is probably of age to be married.

The Gospels detail three separate occasions in which Jesus is present with this family. On two of those occasions, Martha seems to get the bad press in comparison to her sister. In Luke’s account, Martha and Mary are visited by Jesus. Martha objects to doing the housework alone as Mary chats with Jesus. Jesus tells Martha not to stress but to focus on what is important. The comment from Jesus was about Martha’s worrying, and not about her serving or her being occupied with housework.

In John’s account (John 11:1-46), he details the circumstances when Lazarus becomes sick and dies. The sisters call for Jesus. Martha greets Jesus on His arrival while Mary remains in the house weeping  with the grieving visitors. We learn that it was Martha's revelation of who Jesus is, which stuns Jesus. Martha says, “Yes Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world”. The one chosen to receive God’s advance revelation and understanding of Jesus was Martha, not Mary.

We remember that Peter had a similar revelation. This pre-death revelation of Jesus being the Christ is recorded in the gospels as been given to only two people.  Peter and Martha. One man. One woman. I think this is hugely significant ladies. It means the men don’t have a monopoly on access or favour to God. We are different yes in function but equal in status before God.

Then Martha calls secretly for Mary with the news the Jesus has arrived. When Mary hears of His arrival, she runs from the house and falls at the feet of Jesus. This outpouring of emotion affects Jesus deeply. In fact, Jesus begins to weep and being greatly moved, Jesus commands Lazarus back to life.

In John’s next account (John 12; 1-8), Jesus again visits Martha, Mary, and the raised Lazarus. Martha is again serving the meal and Lazarus is reclining at the table enjoying the meal.  Mary opens a very expensive bottle of perfume and anoints the feet of Jesus and wipes His feet with her hair. Judas objects but Jesus again defends Mary’s actions.

Martha and Mary represent the life and faith of a vibrant and healthy church. Who are the Martha’s and who are the Marys at this church.

It appears that younger sister Mary is beautiful, impulsive, and emotional, seemingly without the weight of any responsibility for the family household. Mary touched the heart of Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus and initiated a miracle.

We may likewise perceive the older sister Martha as being sensible, practical, and dependable with the weight and responsibility of the household on her shoulders. It was Martha who received revelation of who God was.

So - who would you rather be?

A Rengarenga Lily or a Kawakawa bush. A Mary or a Martha.

Would you prefer to be in the limelight, having a big following on social media, perhaps, impulsive, emotional, light-hearted and even slightly irresponsible. Extravagant in your expression of love for Christ.

Or would you rather be more content being more in the background, dependable, responsible, a bit of a worrier, confident in your faith despite difficult circumstances. Having a deep heart and longing for God.

So - who would you rather be? Or have I asked the wrong question?

Together, both women had great faith, Martha great insight and Mary great devotion. Their home was one in which Jesus would often dwell.

So - who would you rather be?

I began talking about two plants:

One plant, the lily, enjoys the sunlight-  is pleasant to look at and to be with. The lily has been formed and crafted by God and made in God's image.

The lily though, is easily damaged and hurt. 

One plant, the Kawakawa enjoys the shade - is at its best out of the limelight. This plant brings healing, and flavor for food. The Kawakawa has also been crafted by God and made in God’s image.

The Lily can’t ever be like the Kawakawa nor can the Kawakawa be like the Lily.

Here is my point - don’t ever try to be someone you are not. Accept and be grateful for who you are!

Scripture reads “But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You are our potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

The best person you can be is you. Embrace the gifts that God has given you. Extend these gifts, use these gifts. Be the best you that you can be.

To have a completed native garden we need both the Rengarenga Lily and the Kawakawa bush.

To be a completed Christian community we need both Marys and Marthas.

We need people with Mary’s enthusiasm and spontaneity – we need the uninhibited expression of devotion and worship. We need those who will dare break jars of costly perfume over our Saviour’s feet and wipe them with their hair. Martha’s when did you last raise your hands in worship in joy and adoration? And if not – why not?

We also need those with the bold faith of Martha who will rise to meet Jesus and proclaim His Lordship in tragic and seemingly impossible life circumstances.

We need the maturity which comes from Christians who have walked the walk over many years, who have lives well lived, faithful, sacrificial, tested in the fires of circumstance and suffering. We need Marthas who will leave their home comforts to meet their Lord on the path of life. Marys, I call you to widen your love to the Martha’s around you, listen to the stories they tell.

Jesus, like Martha we confess that you are the Christ, the risen son of the living God. We seek to serve you in this place, to be your hands and feet, and be the expression of your love. And like Mary, we adore you and worship You. There is none besides You, we seek You and desire your manifest presence.

Come Spirit of God today and draw us to Jesus and empower us to serve. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen