Things That Get In The Way
ISAIAH 42:5-12 ACTS4:36
It doesn’t matter
whether you’re going to the theatre, the cinema or a
sporting event, there is one thing that can ruin it for you.
The
person who comes to sit in the seat in front.
You get the massive
chap with wide shoulders and a big bald head.
You get the children
who will not sit still.
You get the family
laden with sweets, chocolates and pop corn with the noisiest wrappers.
It doesn’t matter how
good the show is – your enjoyment gets ruined by one unexpected thing which
gets in the way.
Tomorrow, the church
gives thanks for the life of St Barnabas.
A man who, by and
large, lived up to his name as the son of consolation
A passage like the one
we read from Isaiah would have inspired him.
Freeing
those who are imprisoned. Giving sight to the blind.
Declaring the glory of
God and bringing others into that light.
Barnabas set about
this work by setting an example and being devoted in service.
He was a generous man
who sold his property and gave the proceeds to the Christian community.
He was an inspiring
influence who exhorted the people at
He was trustworthy in
the matter of distributing funds during a time of famine.
He was a public role
model for new believers in Lystra where he was named
after the god Zeus.
Yet there was
something that got in the way.
A
curse that threatened to mar the blessings.
A dispute arose
between himself and Paul as to who should accompany them on a missionary journey
and a lasting rift developed.
Writing to the
Galatians, Paul later reflects bitterly that even Barnabas has been carried
away by the insincerity of the Jewish circumcision party.
A difference of
opinion to the extent that the proclaiming of the word of God,
was, for a while, compromised.
What is it that is
getting in the way of our seeing clearly?
What is it that is
getting in the way of us witnessing effectively?
For healing comes with
a purpose to it – that our lives may glorify his life.
There is a dual
longing in our hearts if we’re honest.
For a personal sense
of wholeness which will increase our sense of well being.
And there is nothing
wrong with that – for Christ’s will is that we should know peace in our lives. For ourselves and in ourselves.
That blessing should
not be an elusive thing.
But the longing goes
beyond ourselves towards being as good an ambassador for Christ as we can. After the example of Barnabas, maybe, inspired by passages such as
that from Isaiah.
So we come to this
service bringing the things that get in the way.
That
which prevents us from pursuing the vision that has been set before us in
Christ.
That blocks our
progress, which irritate our spirits to the point of distraction.
Just as there are twin
longings, there are twin solutions too.
It may be that we need
to pray that the things that are getting in the way need to be removed or it
may be that the encumbrance we feel is something that is to be used to the
glory of God.
That
our sufferings and our wounding, far from being signs of God’s inactivity, are
the very things through which we manifest his love.
The most inspiring
Christians are often those who witness from amidst adversity as much as those
who have triumphed over it.
Barnabas was the son
of encouragement – let us seek to emulate that in our dealings with others.
Barnabas was one who
in the end fell short of perfection – let us remember that our condition is a
human one and that sometimes we are called to serve him from the position of
being only too well aware of such frailties.
Isaiah reminds us that
we live to give glory to the Lord.
Mindful of that we
present ourselves for his healing touch here this evening.
R 10.6.07