For freedom

 

Reflecting on Galations 5:1, 13-25

Haiku of life

That we might be free;

so Christ has set us free. Stand

firm; don't let it go.

Freedom's not doing

what you want; it is about

loving and serving.

All law is summed up

in the one commandment: love

neighbour as yourself.

The things you desire

are of flesh, not the Spirit.

The Spirit gives life.

All the bad stuff; strife,

envy, quarrels, drunkenness,

don't lead you to God.

Live in the Spirit;

you'll bear fruits of love, joy, peace,

patience and kindness.

Generosity,

faithfulness, self-control, these

go beyond mere law.

You belong to Christ.

The flesh must not hold you, let

the Spirit guide you.

© Ken Rookes 2025

And your land, Married.

 

Isaiah 62:1-5

Haiku of vindication

Claiming the True God

as their own, Israel feels shame

at so much failure.

The chosen people

are to be restored, after

their years of disgrace.

Their restoration

is hardly a reward, but

rather comes from grace.

God makes promises:

Zion's vindication will

be seen by nations.

A crown of beauty

and a royal diadem

in the hand of God.

Desolate no more,

nor forsaken; the nation

becomes God's delight.

Call the land “Married.”

God is joined to God's people

in deep commitment.

A bridegroom takes joy

in his bride; so God takes joy

in Zion's children.

© Ken Rookes 2025

Sing, Zion's daughters

 

Haiku of hope for people who are oppressed.

Sing, Zion's daughters,

shout, rejoice, be exultant

with your whole being.

Your judgement has passed,

your enemies are scattered;

the Lord has done this.

You need fear no more,

don't grow weak or disheartened;

God is in your midst.

The Lord rejoices

over you. With gladness God

renews you in love.

Disaster is gone,

there is no reproach; I'll deal

with your oppressors.

I will save the lame,

and gather in the outcast,

removing their shame.

I will bring you home,

your fortunes will be restored,

all earth will praise you.

. . . .

When you've been shown grace,

Jesus says, you're expected

to also show grace.

No longer oppressed,

you'd hope they'd extend that same

freedom to others.

© Ken Rookes 2024

Reflecting on Zephaniah 3:14-29

Joy and singing

Haiku for a blooming desert

When God’s Redeemed come

back to Zion, deserts burst

forth with joy and song.

The celebration;

a measure of God’s glory,

here, with God’s people.

Be strong, do not fear;

your God is here. God will come

and God will save you.

Blind eyes will open

and deaf ears will be unstopped.

The lame leap like deer!

In the wilderness

water will spring up, and streams

flow in the desert.

Life will be God’s gift

in the desert, and among

people ev’ry where.

God will make a way

for the faithful. To a realm

of safety and hope.

The song continues

with God’s people rejoicing

in God’s grace and love.

© Ken Rookes 2022

The tomb's emptiness

Haiku without limits

The tomb’s emptiness,

underlined by an earthquake.

Still confounding us.

Two faithful women,

don’t need spices as a prop,

visiting the tomb.

Its all a bit much!

An angel is sent to clear

away confusion.

The stone has been rolled

and the guards have all fainted.

Do not be afraid!

Instructions follow.

Come and see, then go and tell:

Your Lord has been raised!

Fear mixes with joy,

strangeness and uncertainty.

What are we to think?

Suddenly he’s here.

Do not fear! Go, tell my friends

We will meet again.

© Ken Rookes 2020

The energy of joy

the partnership of love and joy

We may see joy as part of love or as a partner to love. There was an old song which said, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage.” Well, love and joy fit together like this or perhaps you prefer to think of them as going hand in glove. Whatever image you like, love and joy exist together in the Spirit in us. They are often intermingled feelings. It was from Jesus’ love for us that he wanted us to have his joy complete in us. All feelings are complex, almost never existing in isolation. Wine connoisseurs speak of this and that with a hint of something else; so our sense of loss can include feelings of sadness, disbelief and love, or anger, fear and jealousy. This complexity is one of the reasons why it is wise to examine them. Such things left unattended may spoil, contaminating all we do and are.

There is a psychological practice which says for us to behave in a certain way and we will come to feel whatever it is. If we behave in loving ways we will come to love. This requires great dedication, commitment. It is hard work and it may or may not happen. It apparently can work if you don’t get discouraged and give up. Some suggest we can learn to love by reading the Bible. It is true we can learn about God’s love this way but what we have then is head knowledge. The best way to come to love is by being loved. When we experience God’s love and know God’s joy in encouragement and hope, we will love and our joy will be complete.

The Aaronic blessing with its words, “May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,” is an understanding of God smiling upon us because God is enjoying us, our presence, our company. Imagine that! Surely one of the greatest gifts we can receive is this blessing. People of God, observe your feelings. Enjoy loving and being loved. Reclaim joy and enjoy God and Christ’s joy within you forever. May you be blessed richly in these things.

Rev Julianne Parker

for full sermon see sermons page

so that our joy may be complete!

Jesus said that he had told us about God’s love and our connectedness with God so that Jesus’ joy could be in us and our joy complete? [John 15:11] The Psalm set for today, 98, encourages all people and the whole of the earth, to praise God with much joy for his loving faithfulness. Many Psalms talk about enjoying God and ourselves.

But “Jesus’ joy”, where does THAT idea come from? Here we have Jesus saying that he has said these things so his joy may be in us and that our joy may be complete. [John 15:11] Is there a hint anywhere in what we have read or what we have been told, that Jesus enjoyed himself? Sure we know Jesus did good, but according to the Gospels which are the only source we have, he was continuously criticising the religious leaders and the impression we have is of someone who took life very seriously. The way we have heard the Bible read has never suggested any joy even when Jesus healed people or turned water into wine. Could he have been enjoying himself, being light-hearted, when he walked on the water? One could wonder if seriousness and joy are mutually exclusive.

...As we come to know God more through our friendship with Christ, may the love and joy in us so that the desire to judge will fade and more can come to know Love and Joy in all their fullness.

Rev Julianne Parker

for full sermon see sermon's page

always be full of joy!

Last week we had what the Jewish people call the Ten Words and what we call the Ten Commandments from the Hebrew Scripture. We heard that they are guidelines for living not absolutes to be obeyed at all costs. When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus quoted two from Hebrew Scripture, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart mind, soul and strength” and “Love your neighbour as yourself.” We heard how Paul said that knowing Christ surpassed all of the laws he had tried to live by. This week we have some more guidelines for living God’s Way that have come from this experience of Paul. It would be interesting to explore why we take Moses’ guidelines so seriously and almost ignore those of Paul who is arguably the Moses of the New Testament.

Paul wrote to the Philippians [4:4], telling them twice to always be full of joy. It is surprising and saddening to notice how many people who claim to have lived as “good Christians” have little joy in in their lives, perhaps because their experiences and their relationship with God have been restricted by misguided expectations.

Then Paul tells us to be known for our gentleness, kindness, consideration or good sense, according to what translation you are reading, and to let this be obvious. Paul then reminds us that Christ is always near. Next we are told not to worry about anything but to let our prayers be known to God with thanksgiving. One version says, “Let your prayers be shot through with gratitude.” [New Jerusalem Bible Phil 4:6]  Giving thanks to God was a big deal for Paul. It comes up about 24 times in his writing. Next, he reassured his readers that the incomprehensible peace of God will keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The final guidelines are to think about things that are true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise. This is a really good list to judge our actions by. We can use this list to question any doubts we may have about our actions in light of the Words from the Old Testament. Encouragingly Paul urges them to keep on doing what they have learned and then blesses them.  

Some of the most successful revolutions occur because grass-root people realise that the way they are living and being treated by others is not right. Leader arise from within the oppressed because these people have reflected on what is happening and have decided it is not just therefore something must be done about it.. They draw the attention of others to the potential that has been overlooked. They are responding to God’s inner call to life, to celebrate and enjoy all life offers.

We are invited to the wedding feast. This is a great privilege, a time to celebrate, a time to get to know the host better. Are we too busy, too preoccupied or just not interested? Accept the invitation that you too, may be always full of joy and free to live and love by the words, the guidelines of Jesus and Paul.

Rev Julianne Parker

(for full sermon see sermons page)

Love

Love

is the deep ache

that makes the moments of joy

so good.

It is the heart's stirring,

the mind's yearning,

and the singing of the soul.

It will not be dis-couraged;

for it is our loving,

more than anything else, which

reflects the image of our maker.

Without love there is no living.

Its giving and its mercy

never stop.

© Ken Rookes

Cana

Gospel writer John springs a miracle

to get things going. It’s a strange one,

a classic conundrum: water into wine.

Fortunately the miracle was never replicated

by Jesus, or any of his followers since.

In every age there have been those

who reached out to grasp

the dubious gift of drunken oblivion,

but they all managed to do so

by more conventional means.

Let’s quietly pack the miracle away,

let it age and gather dust in the cellar;

it proves nothing, never did.

The coming together of two people,

pledging their love and devotion

and becoming one flesh,

is made the occasion for this story

of joyous and abundant celebration.

Jesus, Word made flesh,

is both purpose and provider

for the party.

Buckets of water into buckets of wine;

dance until you drop!

Glorious excess;

there are no limits to joy.

Human existence has been unexpectedly infused

with something far more wondrous

than any mere miracle.

Jesus from the divine parent’s heart;

bearer of grace and truth,

and shining his light into the darkness,

lives among us.

Pour some wine: we have to celebrate!

© Ken Rookes 2013