Already Kindled

Luke 12:49-56
Jesus the Cause of Division
“I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptised, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three
they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother- in- law against her daughter- in- law
and daughter- in- law against mother- in- law.”
Interpreting the Time
He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?


Invitation
Gather up the dry twigs
Crank up the heat
Jesus invites you to this table
A table where all is not sweetness and light
A table where there is division
A table that recognises the messiness of life
So come and feel right at home
Come and know that you don't have to pretend
Come and know that Jesus welcomes you
Just as you are.

Narrative
On the night he was betrayed, Jesus was at supper with his friends
He took bread, broke it and shared it with them, saying:
This is my body broken for you.
Do this in memory of me.
Then he passed round the cup, saying:
This is my blood shed for you.
Celebrate a new relationship with God made possible because of my death
We have this bread and this cup to share today, so let us give thanks

Great prayer of thanksgiving
In a world that knows all about fire we approach your word with caution
In a world that knows all about division we approach your word with care
For you call us to kindle the fire and dance with division
refusing to give up the fight until peace breaks out.
God in every corner of your world where your children suffer
You are there
Hunkering down with your loved ones
You are there in their tears, in their pain, in their desperation
You refuse to leave them to suffer alone
You refuse to be comforted while those you care for still struggle
So God may we be prepared to hunker down with you
To break into our security and contentment
To fire up our cold hearts
To know what is important
To see what makes a difference
To lift all your children up out of the gutter
and bring them back to the warmth
of your encircling love.
God grant us your perspective
Help us to value each other and life itself
Help us to rise above the pettiness of our everyday
To cut through the hurts that we experience
Bypassing those as we reach out to the light of your love
For you, God are bigger and powerful and more loving
and forgiving than we can ever imagine.
Before us we have symbols of your love.
Send your Spirit on this bread and this wine
that they may become for us your body and your blood
so that as we share them together
we may know strength, however divided we feel
and fire in our hearts for you.
In Jesus name.
Amen.

Fraction
Jesus took bread, he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying:
This is my body broken for you
Do this to remember me.
And then he took the cup, saying;
This cup signals a new relationship with God made possible because of my death
Drink this to remember me
Th gifts of God for the people of God.

Prayer
God we thank you for every fire you have kindled in our hearts
as we have shared this bread and drunk this cup.
May we revel in the division that comes when we can do no other than share your love
and live your gospel.
And may the food we have shared here in the company of all your saints, living and dead, strengthen us to serve you in the world.
Amen
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