Sermon - Youth Sunday 2016 Jan 31
Today was Youth Sunday. I delivered the sermon!
Youth Sunday, 31st January 2016. Theme: Mercy. Sermon by Manuel Sieunarine.
Jonah chapter 4: Jonah’s Anger at the LORD’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left-and also many animals?”
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Luke chapter 18 verses 9 to 14: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
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May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Christ, our Strength and our Redeemer, amen.
What is mercy? Mercy is given to us as an answer to prayer. Mercy fulfils NEEDS, not wants. Jonah wanted God to destroy Nineveh, but God did not give him what he wanted; he gave Jonah what he needed: a deeper understanding of God’s nature. The Old Testament scripture reading is the final chapter in the book of Jonah. This book narrates the conflict between Jonah and God. It began when the Lord commanded Jonah to proclaim judgement on the sinful city of Nineveh. Jonah knew that God was merciful, and would spare the city if its people repented, so he tried to run away from his responsibility by sailing away to Tarshish.
During the journey by sea, a terrible storm almost destroyed the ship and its sailors. The sailors cast Jonah overboard in an attempt to appease God. A whale ate Jonah. In the belly of the whale, he repented of his sins and prayed to God for mercy. After three days, the whale spat him out on dry land. Humbled and chastened, Jonah went to Nineveh to proclaim God's judgement. The people of Nineveh repented of their sins, so God was merciful to them. The rest of the scripture was read to you, where God taught Jonah a lesson about mercy: it does not belong only to the righteous! Mercy and judgement both belong to God, and He gives them to people as He sees fit.
The modern context of Jonah's story is that we are sometimes angry or even jealous of sinful people who are prosperous and wealthy. A few years ago, during my Literature class, one of my students expressed her anger with a gang member in her neighbourhood. She told me that this gang member has a wife, children, a house and car, while she barely has enough money to travel to and from school. I did not know what to tell her back then. But now, years later, I see Jonah in her. Like the prophet, she is angry with the mercy God shows to sinners. I hope that, wherever she is now, she has let go of her anger. Mercy and judgement both belong to God, and He gives them to people as He sees fit.
Pope Francis declared 2016 the Holy Year of Mercy. During a meeting in the Vatican two days ago on the 29th, Pope Francis said that "while God himself is a mystery, his mercy took concrete form in Jesus Christ, who became man for the salvation of humanity."
When thinking on mercy, I remembered the powerful speech Portia gave in Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice". In this play there is a wealthy moneylender called Shylock. Shylock lent a lot of money to a man called Antonio. When Antonio could not pay his debt, Shylock demanded a pound of flesh to be cut out near Antonio's heart. To save Antonio's life, Portia disguised herself as a judge presiding over the case in a court of law. She pleads with Shylock to show Antonio mercy. Shylock demands, "On what compulsion must I? Tell me that." So she tells him:
PORTIA
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,
But mercy is above this sceptered sway.
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.
It is an attribute to God himself.
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.
She concludes her speech by saying:
...in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.
The conclusion of her moving speech brings to mind what the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verses 3 and 4:
3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The law, the legal system, cannot offer us redemption from sin. This is because the law is based on the ideal of fairness. The law does not recognise that a person has a story. Each person has a past, present and future. Each person has a particular socioeconomic context and family. The law punishes what people have done without considering their story or who they are.
Jonah believed that Nineveh should be destroyed. He was very legal-minded; he did not consider Nineveh’s story or who its people were. However, God knows everyone’s story. God knows who you are. Under the law it is fair that we, who have sinned, pay the penalty of death. Thankfully, there is nothing fair about the grace of God. Grace is God's unmerited favour, and He showers us with His favour, like gentle rain from heaven, if we believe in His Son.
The second scripture reading is a very brief but beautiful parable of God's mercy. In summary, those who humble themselves before God will receive His mercy, and those who stand proudly before God will not. Jesus demonstrated a humble attitude. Wherever He went, He helped others unconditionally. He did not ask for anything in return. He gave sight to the blind, calmed a stormy sea, and fed five thousand people without demanding anything from them. He simply fulfilled their needs. With their needs satisfied, they naturally followed Jesus and believed in Him. It is the same with us today. Our worship springs naturally from the work of mercy wrought in our souls by the presence of Christ within us. We can show mercy to others because Jesus gives us an unlimited supply.
The little power and the little glory that human beings can achieve in this world cannot ever impress God because of the relationship He has with His Son. When Jesus spoke He spoke with the authority of His Father. When Jesus acted He acted with the power of His Father. When Jesus died He died with the grace of His Father. When He was resurrected He returned to life with the majesty of His Father. And all of these qualities - authority, power, grace and majesty - are made possible because of His Father's love and mercy for us, His children.
The Father and the Son now dwell among us through the Holy Spirit. The person of Christ dwelling within us is the living and vital form of God's mercy. We learn mercy from Him, and thus we show mercy to others, humbly and gratefully, until His kingdom comes. Amen. Let us pray. God of mercy and compassion, look with pity upon us. Father, let us call You Father, as we your children return to You. Amen.
Youth Sunday, 31st January 2016. Theme: Mercy. Sermon by Manuel Sieunarine.
Jonah chapter 4: Jonah’s Anger at the LORD’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left-and also many animals?”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luke chapter 18 verses 9 to 14: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable to you, O Christ, our Strength and our Redeemer, amen.
What is mercy? Mercy is given to us as an answer to prayer. Mercy fulfils NEEDS, not wants. Jonah wanted God to destroy Nineveh, but God did not give him what he wanted; he gave Jonah what he needed: a deeper understanding of God’s nature. The Old Testament scripture reading is the final chapter in the book of Jonah. This book narrates the conflict between Jonah and God. It began when the Lord commanded Jonah to proclaim judgement on the sinful city of Nineveh. Jonah knew that God was merciful, and would spare the city if its people repented, so he tried to run away from his responsibility by sailing away to Tarshish.
During the journey by sea, a terrible storm almost destroyed the ship and its sailors. The sailors cast Jonah overboard in an attempt to appease God. A whale ate Jonah. In the belly of the whale, he repented of his sins and prayed to God for mercy. After three days, the whale spat him out on dry land. Humbled and chastened, Jonah went to Nineveh to proclaim God's judgement. The people of Nineveh repented of their sins, so God was merciful to them. The rest of the scripture was read to you, where God taught Jonah a lesson about mercy: it does not belong only to the righteous! Mercy and judgement both belong to God, and He gives them to people as He sees fit.
The modern context of Jonah's story is that we are sometimes angry or even jealous of sinful people who are prosperous and wealthy. A few years ago, during my Literature class, one of my students expressed her anger with a gang member in her neighbourhood. She told me that this gang member has a wife, children, a house and car, while she barely has enough money to travel to and from school. I did not know what to tell her back then. But now, years later, I see Jonah in her. Like the prophet, she is angry with the mercy God shows to sinners. I hope that, wherever she is now, she has let go of her anger. Mercy and judgement both belong to God, and He gives them to people as He sees fit.
Pope Francis declared 2016 the Holy Year of Mercy. During a meeting in the Vatican two days ago on the 29th, Pope Francis said that "while God himself is a mystery, his mercy took concrete form in Jesus Christ, who became man for the salvation of humanity."
When thinking on mercy, I remembered the powerful speech Portia gave in Shakespeare's play, "The Merchant of Venice". In this play there is a wealthy moneylender called Shylock. Shylock lent a lot of money to a man called Antonio. When Antonio could not pay his debt, Shylock demanded a pound of flesh to be cut out near Antonio's heart. To save Antonio's life, Portia disguised herself as a judge presiding over the case in a court of law. She pleads with Shylock to show Antonio mercy. Shylock demands, "On what compulsion must I? Tell me that." So she tells him:
PORTIA
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,
But mercy is above this sceptered sway.
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.
It is an attribute to God himself.
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.
She concludes her speech by saying:
...in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.
The conclusion of her moving speech brings to mind what the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8, verses 3 and 4:
3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
The law, the legal system, cannot offer us redemption from sin. This is because the law is based on the ideal of fairness. The law does not recognise that a person has a story. Each person has a past, present and future. Each person has a particular socioeconomic context and family. The law punishes what people have done without considering their story or who they are.
Jonah believed that Nineveh should be destroyed. He was very legal-minded; he did not consider Nineveh’s story or who its people were. However, God knows everyone’s story. God knows who you are. Under the law it is fair that we, who have sinned, pay the penalty of death. Thankfully, there is nothing fair about the grace of God. Grace is God's unmerited favour, and He showers us with His favour, like gentle rain from heaven, if we believe in His Son.
The second scripture reading is a very brief but beautiful parable of God's mercy. In summary, those who humble themselves before God will receive His mercy, and those who stand proudly before God will not. Jesus demonstrated a humble attitude. Wherever He went, He helped others unconditionally. He did not ask for anything in return. He gave sight to the blind, calmed a stormy sea, and fed five thousand people without demanding anything from them. He simply fulfilled their needs. With their needs satisfied, they naturally followed Jesus and believed in Him. It is the same with us today. Our worship springs naturally from the work of mercy wrought in our souls by the presence of Christ within us. We can show mercy to others because Jesus gives us an unlimited supply.
The little power and the little glory that human beings can achieve in this world cannot ever impress God because of the relationship He has with His Son. When Jesus spoke He spoke with the authority of His Father. When Jesus acted He acted with the power of His Father. When Jesus died He died with the grace of His Father. When He was resurrected He returned to life with the majesty of His Father. And all of these qualities - authority, power, grace and majesty - are made possible because of His Father's love and mercy for us, His children.
The Father and the Son now dwell among us through the Holy Spirit. The person of Christ dwelling within us is the living and vital form of God's mercy. We learn mercy from Him, and thus we show mercy to others, humbly and gratefully, until His kingdom comes. Amen. Let us pray. God of mercy and compassion, look with pity upon us. Father, let us call You Father, as we your children return to You. Amen.