Worn Out Like the Unjust Judge

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

October 16, 2016

Luke 18:1-8

(or watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k29LREkPxwI) 

Intro: first speaker at Duke Convocation & Pastor’s School, Dean Elaine Heath – gave vision for future of church
• We struggle to make sense of our context
• Church on margins of society again – can become prophetic again
• Biggest challenge – recover our missional ID – mission = sent out
• Overcome idea church is building people come to and church = worship service
• Attractional model problematic; Consumerist model – go to church with better options
• Lots of problems with “Building-centered consumer model of church”
• Church = organic body of Christ with one head, Jesus
• We are those sent out, not a building
• Mission = sent out; de-emphasis on building
• Emphasis on sent out
• Everything has to be reexamine in bright light of culture shifts

My people are tired and tired of all the changes they’ve seen, worn out by all the cultural shifts they’ve seen – ex: evolution of telephone

So much has changed. Change is good. Lots of change is overwhelming. Want stability. God offers justice.

Worn out like unjust judge
How react when worn out?
• Agree to anything, dejected
• Leave – Grandpa W.: “Stop the world, I want to get off”
• Lash out, angry
• God & Unjust Judge: give justice, give what’s right
    o Whether convenient or not
    o All have opportunity to know God (Jer 31:33-34), opportunity to be forgiven
    o All Scripture inspired by God and useful for teaching, showing mistakes, correcting, training character (2 Tim 3:16-17)

Have to change to get healthy, have to keep changing to stay healthy (grow or die)
 We’ve stabilized, which is good
• Staying here for much longer is dying/stagnant
• Duke (top 10 research university) is always under construction, always changing

Which direction are we going to go?
• Panelist at Convocation & Pastor’s School, Valerie Ashby, Dean of Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences – When determining next steps, set order of 3 questions:
    o Why are we here?
    o How do we behave?
    o Now what are we going to do?
• We know why we’re here, I’ve told our story
• How do we act?
    o Act normally
    o Act when worn out: Tired? Angry? Anything goes? Lash out? Leave? Or what’s right?
    o Expectations of our leaders in covenant
• Then we can discern next step

At Charge Conference, DS going to ask how well we know our community and to give examples
• May help us discern next steps
• In the meantime, get some rest. We have work to do. God calls us “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)