OzThoughts Tuesday 10th February 2009

OzThoughts Tuesday 10th February 2009

Australians know the phrase “Fair Dinkum” pretty well. It is Australian slang for genuine, honest, fair and square. If they ask “Are you fair dinkum ?”. They mean “are you telling me the truth ? ; do you really mean that ?” Fair dinkum is the opposite of fake.
Today’s reading from Mark Chapter 12 has the Pharisees questioning Jesus about the actions of his Disciples. The said the Disciples were not conforming to what had been an accepted practice. They were not washing their hands before their meals. (It might pay us to remember that germs and other nasties we carry on our hands had not been “invented” yet. Okay, I mean discovered yet.). It was ritual cleaning of the hands.

Now Jesus knew that these Pharisees were not fair dinkum. He firstly quotes Isaiah to them and then shows them how they actually break the law of Moses and use their fake devotion to God as an excuse.

As we consider this conversation dare we ask ourselves “Are we fair dinkum about our faith and practice ?”
Mark 7:1-13 (The Message)
1-4 The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren't being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they'd give jugs and pots and pans).
5The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, "Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?"
6-8 Jesus answered, "Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull's-eye in fact:

These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
but their heart isn't in it.
They act like they are worshiping me,
but they don't mean it.
They just use me as a cover
for teaching whatever suits their fancy,
Ditching God's command
and taking up the latest fads."
9-13 He went on, "Well, good for you. You get rid of God's command so you won't be inconvenienced in following the religious fashions! Moses said, 'Respect your father and mother,' and, 'Anyone denouncing father or mother should be killed.' But you weasel out of that by saying that it's perfectly acceptable to say to father or mother, 'Gift! What I owed you I've given as a gift to God,' thus relieving yourselves of obligation to father or mother. You scratch out God's Word and scrawl a whim in its place. You do a lot of things like this."
PRAYER: (Using our Song Book as our Prayer Book).

[Listen: This 1931 78 recording is of the SA Supplies Department Band (Conducted by Captain Eric Ball) playing Wells and Norwood, two tunes we usually associate with “Rock of Ages”. The first tune Wells is the preferred tune for these words:

http://www.regalzonophone.com/audio/MF210%20-%20(G21127)%20-%20Tune%20-%20Rock%200f%20Ages.mp3 ]


Gracious Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would gracious be,
And with words that help and heal
Would thy life in mine reveal;
And with actions bold and meek
Would for Christ, my Saviour, speak.

Truthful Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would truthful be,
And with wisdom kind and clear
Let thy life in mine appear;
And with actions brotherly
Speak my Lord's sincerity.

Tender Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would tender be;
Tender in my love for men,
Wooing them to God again;
With compassion pure and sweet
Lead the lost to Jesus' feet.

Mighty Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would mighty be,
Mighty so as to prevail
Where unaided man must fail;
Ever by a mighty hope
Pressing on and bearing up.

Holy Spirit, dwell with me;
I myself would holy be,
Separate from sin, I would
Choose and cherish all things good;
And whatever I can be
Give to him who gave me thee.
Author: Thomas Toke Lynch (1818-71)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 212


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