Spectator to Player - Matthew 16:21-28

Matthew 16:21-28

Follow the leader

The reading from the Gospel according to Matthew this evening follows on from the confession of Peter – He has been told that he is the ’Rock upon which the Church will be founded’, and he replies that Jesus is ‘The Christ, the Son of the living God’.

All is well, and Peter was a hero, he understood who Jesus really was, he understood that Jesus was no mere man, but as one with the God of creation, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus - the Son of God who came to this earth to show people about God, and to tell the people of God, in a very real and personal way. Peter had put it all together. For that moment at least, he knew who Jesus was.

He could see who Christ was – and the mission – but unwilling to let him pay the price.

But in today’s lesson, Peter quickly changes from the hero to the zero, from one who is expounding some great truths, to one who is babbling and carrying on about things that he doesn’t understand, or even want to understand.

Peter changes so quickly in fact, that Jesus is extremely harsh when he says, "Get behind me Satan". He is saying… You are tempting me, you are hindering me you are trying to make me change my mind about the course that I am suppose to take. What did Peter do so wrong to change so quickly in just a short time?

After Peter’s confession, Jesus began to tell the disciples about what was ahead for him. Jesus told the disciples that he would suffer at the hands of the religious rulers, he would be put to death by them, but God would raise him on the third day.

Jesus was explaining the suffering servant, the suffering Messiah to the disciples, and Peter out of love and respect, out of his own ideas about the Messiah, out of his own sense of glory and righteousness said, "God forbid, Lord. This shall never happen to you."

Peter could not let Jesus suffer because he loved him so much, he believed in a Messiah that was nothing less than a conquering Messiah. Suffering wasn’t part of his dreams and the expectations for Jesus.

Jesus then goes to tell Peter (especially) but the disciples also that everyone must take up his cross to follow him. Jesus is saying that being a follower of Jesus is no easy matter there is sacrifice, there will be giving up things, there will be suffering, there will be setting priorities in life, so that those things which really do count have the priority.

Jesus is telling the disciple and us this evening that whoever looses their life for him, will find it. Whoever forgets about the demands, the values, the standards of this world, whoever is willing to live totally for Jesus, that person will find life.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote the book"Cost of Discipleship" in which he says that Christians are living by cheap grace. He says, "Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace with out Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."

Why have a Tesco Value faith, when you can have one from Waitrose?

"Bonhoeffer describes costly grace as seeking God daily – looking to God for all we need to live a full life. He says “Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ…. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his son… It grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us, Costly grace is the Incarnation of God. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus, it comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and a contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him."

Bonhoeffer is describing a life which is fulfilling the charge of Jesus when he says "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" Bonhoeffer is saying that we have lost sight of the grace which is so costly. We have turned the grace of God into some thing so simple, so watered down, something without meaning that we don’t comprehend, or fathom what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

I was thinking about how we make that decision to accept God’s grace for what it is, and get on with the work. I was thinking about how I can ‘nail down’ this ‘grace’ thing and not worry. I was wondering how I could engage with the great cost of my freedom, paid once for all by Christ – and I realised that it is really a daily task.

· Living through those times when we feel our faith is running on empty

· When people are rude and intolerant – keeping the peace that we might eventually help them change

· Searching for that bit of God in all people – grace – even though some keep it well hidden

· Praying when God seems distant, and celebrating as a church family even though we don’t feel welcome all the time

· Always feeling that our efforts come to nothing, even though we are assured they do

· Finally, living within a suffering world – where the rules of right and wrong seem so topsy-turvy

None of this is new – indeed it has been part of the journey with God for millions upon millions down the ages. For the Prophet Jeremiah – he says to God: “ Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.” Strong language indeed for those days - His indignation with God cannot be contained, and he speaks his mind.

God then tells him that he will speak his words to the people, and be protected from his persecutors – but not until after JEREMIAH has hit rock bottom – desolate and desperate.

So, in the end, Peter only really expressed concerns that were normal and natural – we want all things to be resolved – and a brighter day to dawn for all people – however sometimes it seems like a lonely road.

On those days – remember that God is always with you, encouraging and empowering you to speak his words and follow without note of the cost – inviting you to upgrade your faith from third class to first –from fatty mince to fillet steak – from bicycle to racing car - from fish paste to caviar – can you think of any more?

But really – the best one I could think of….

God is inviting us to upgrade our faith from spectator to player.

May God be with us on all our journeys.

I believe!

The Gospel reading this morning (Matt 15:21-28) is perhaps one of the strangest we can find anywhere within the four gospels, strange because it seems to be totally out of character for Jesus to behave as he did.

As he is approached by the woman whose daughter is sick, Jesus just ignores her – he is only persuaded to listen to her because she perseveres, and even then he doesn’t give a very favourable response – saying he was sent only to help the lost sheep of Israel.

Not to be put off, she eventually comes before him, kneeling and says, ‘Lord, help me’. Even then, things don’t get any better. Jesus says, ‘It’s not fair to take children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ He is speaking in a language that was common to the Jews at the time, describing non-Jews as dogs. But the woman carries on saying that she doesn’t the food from the table, but that just some of the crumbs that fall off it will do.

So what is happening here ? The first thing to realise is that Jesus is remaining true to his calling and the promise of God to treat the people of Israel as a chosen race. Though they had rejected their calling so many times, God had not made the promise of a Messiah to Israel conditional – they remained the chosen people of God.

What Jesus had done however was to widen the message – his mission was first to put the Jewish people back on track, but they would then be expected to share the message with all.

But why did Jesus have to speak quite so bluntly? Well it might have been to get the message across, alternatively, it might have been exaggerated by Matthew as he wrote the gospel – Matthew was a Jew himself and realised the importance of trying to win over Jewish support for Jesus.

It seems that even Our Lord needed to have good Public Relations at some stages in his earthly ministry. It doesn’t make it any easier to read though.

Nothing’s new though, in recent days, I’ve been disappointed at the lack of a response from the church in relation to the riots in England. It seems that every English Bishop and Archbishop has nothing to say, apart from a speech in the House of Lords that Archbishop Rowan made.

I wanted them to condemn the widespread criminality, I wanted them to offer prayers and sympathy for those who have lost so much in the nights of violence, I wanted them to encourage churches to organize practical ways of helping rebuild their communities.

I have wanted our leaders to call for calm and peace, and then make a commitment to finding the causes of the riots, and understanding the many and varied difficulties that people live with in Britain today, and I wanted them to say that how precious a thing ‘community’ is, and we should be using all the resources we have to live in community.

I also wanted to challenge some of the statements I have heard that haven’t been helpful, stigmatizing whole groups of people and calling for the families of those who have rioted to be evicted and pilloried, encouraging communities to turn against them.

I’ve worked with people in inner cities and I’ve worked with people who feel they have nothing to live for and I can tell you that there is only one thing that creates calm and peace in our communities. It is an honest attempt to get them to feel some sort of pride for their area.

I’ve been gardening in a green patch in the middle of a housing estate, making a quiet area for the use of the community. I’ve been painting murals with people who are having their ideas put in ten-foot high artwork, I’ve sat alongside those who are proud of their community shop which acts as the centre of almost everything that happens. I have seen the pride people have in the things we take for granted, I have seen the love with which people try to glue their broken community together.

The English Bishops are silent, most politicians are silent, but I’m not.

People will have their pound of flesh, but we all know, deep down, that the only way we can stop the violence, the criminality, the loss and the upset is to listen to what’s really happening. “It’s an issue for society as a whole and not a question of who is the strongest. More police won’t solve this, but more understanding will”

As Christians we are called not just to attend Church on a Sunday, not even just to love God, and to pray to him and worship him – we are not even just called to love and care for those we meet – but we are called to make a difference for good.

The real hero of the Gospel is the one who had the least! The woman had no doubt about who Jesus was, and she had no doubt that he had the power to save her daughter, and that he would save her daughter. First, she was ignored and then she was argued with, but none of that made her go away or give up, and Jesus tells her that it is her faith that has healed the girl.

My simple prayer is that we can all work together to understand the importance of ‘community’, not just as something that brings us together, but something that gives us purpose, pride and belonging too.

I’d like to finish with one quote as we think about faith and it’s a quote that was found on the walls of a bomb blasted air raid shelter in Germany after the Second World War : ‘I believe in the light, even when the sun doesn’t shine. I believe in love, even when it isn’t given. I believe in God even when his voice is silent.’ I’d like to add, ‘I believe in community, even when our cities are burning’.

Ok, here's the plan!

Gospel

Saint Matthew. (14.22-33)

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the sea, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by him- self to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

The account of the ‘miraculous feeding of the multitude’ with a few loaves and fishes is found in three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and John. However, Peter walking on the water is only found in the account we heard this morning from Matthew.

The event has been expanded here by Matthew to tell us something about Peter’s faith.

The disciples were ‘made’ to go to the other side of the lake immediately after he finishes talking to the crowds. The word in the Greek EUTHEOS means ‘forces’. No doubt they would have wanted to stay around, but Jesus needed to pray and he went up the mountain on his own to pray in silence.

The disciples are sent away - I’d understand why they didn’t want to get into the boat, in the Gospels almost every waterborne voyage is accompanied by disaster of some kind, and this voyage was no exception. Besides the storms, this account seems to have been an opportunity for the Disciples to be questioned on their ‘little faith’ because of their terrified cries for help ‘Lord save us’ they cry.

The other reason they might not have been happy to get into the boat and cross the lake was because they were leaving their own land and travelling to the land of the ‘Gentiles’. He is sending them to the

unclean/unknown side of life to maybe find ‘faith’?

In Chapter 8, the Disciples had crossed the lake through a storm, they landed on the Gentile side. In Mark’s account they were sent to Bethsaida, which is the Gentile side of the Jordan, but they don’t make it and land in Gennesaret, on the Jewish side of lake Galilee.

It seems that storms at sea and storms of little faith keep the disciples from reaching the destinations where Jesus has sent them.

I’m not quite sure how much attention we are supposed to pay to these stories of the sea, I could be making much too much of them. There are things that make me think, and they seem to speak to me in a particular way.

To be told by Jesus that you have ‘little faith’ is quite a charge, especially when he doesn’t say where they can get more faith. What’s the cure for ‘little faith’? Can you get ‘miracle grow’ for faith? The disciples must have felt thoroughly dejected.

Throughout these enforced voyages, the disciples have missed the lessons. Jesus is sending them to the Gentile, the unclean, the unknown, to learn about faith. To grow their faith and to be challenged, but they can’t see it. Consciously or by accident they keep coming back to what they know. He is giving them opportunities to grow their faith, but they are too uncomfortable.

Finally, in this miraculous act, Christ is walking on the water and he invites Peter to follow. For a time he does, then just like the journeys he fails. If only he could have kept his eyes on Jesus. If only he could, he would have possessed extraordinary gifts and a strong faith.

I don’t know whether it’s just me preaching about this in this way this morning, But it’s clear as day to me that this lesson is a challenge for us today. For you and for me.

Jesus is putting us on the boat and forcing us out to the uncomfortable places, to meet people we might not understand, to learn about our faith and grow. If we can keep our eyes on Christ, we won’t sink, but even if we do, he’ll save us, and send us out again.

Finally, Matthew, understood this I think. He gives a positive picture of the disciples, and has them "bowing to the ground and worshiping" (the meanings of PROSKUNEO) and confessing, "Truly you are the Son of God." Bowing at the feet of Christ, praying to God in silence, and being sent out to the dark places of the world to take his light.

This is a short sermon today, because there is little else to say.

May God be with you, may Christ send you, and may the Holy Spirit guide you.

Tell me that Old, Old Story....

Romans 8:26-39

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-42

There is something deeply attractive about people who are able to engage others when they tell a story.

We all know who they are; whether writers, actors, teachers or just people we meet, family and friends, some people have the ability to make our imaginations run wild, they can bring to life a series of events in a way others just can’t.

When I was a child, when I heard the words “Once upon a time” or some-such introduction I was usually transfixed. Then a story that would unfold and I could almost imagine myself there, feeling the emotion and wonder of the situation.

And if you can tell a good story, you can do a great deal of good, it is quite a gift. If you are like me, you know what a good story sounds like, you know what sort of story captivates people, but when it comes to the delivery it’s less than perfect.

In the Gospel reading this morning, Jesus is using his skill as a master storyteller to define the Kingdom of God. The people are transfixed, and his delivery is so attractive that people can see in their own lives how they have been affected. They themselves might not be able to put it into words, but Jesus is doing it for them in a beautiful way. So beautiful in fact that countless millions of people still talk about this.

In the reading, Jesus talks about mustard seeds, making bread, hidden treasure, pearls and fishing – something for everyone in the crowd that gathered to listen to him. At the end of the parables he repeats the warnings – letting them know that this is not merely a set of good stories but they are about life, faith, salvation, judgment and everything else.

“Have you all understood this?” Jesus asks. “Yes” the crowd reply.

We might not understand the full significance of the stories Jesus is telling because over time the meanings have been lost. Firstly, mustard seeds don’t grow into plants that give homes to birds. In a school assembly, where children have remembered growing mustard and cress seeds on a piece of kitchen towel, you will get strange looks if you don’t explain it is a story about the kingdom of God growing to great proportions – with the faith and trust of many – sharing God’s love with the whole of humanity.

At the time when Jesus spoke – a great tree was a well known symbol for the kingdom of God. King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt of such a tree. In the book of Daniel (Dan 4.12) it says…and “the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air dwelt in its branches”. The tree, Daniel told the king, was his kingdom, which like the tree in the dream was to be chopped down. The people would have understood the analogy. Here is the new tree – the new kingdom, where both Jews and Gentiles can take cover in its shade. This is the mustard seed with the spectacular growth.

Next comes the parable of the leaven. Something is lost in translation here – the woman is mixing together three measures – measures which is about 50 lbs of flour. This scene from ordinary life is actually a banquet, with enough bread for about hundreds of people. So here we have the new kingdom of God, created with its’ roots in the past – and a great banquet for all God’s people. All looking a bit more familiar now isn’t it.

Then we hear of the treasure of great price – and how it is easily hidden from those who do not know where to find it. Then comes the great pearl that a man sells all he has to buy it. The pearl that is worth more than everything we have, and the discovery of it, overturns everything. This is the value of the Kingdom of God.

We will gloss over the fact that the story about the field is very nearly theft! It’s probably best to do that.

Then Matthew’s Jesus brings us back to the end of the age, where we hear about the angels separating the good from the bad.

Because the crowd they reply they know what this means, Jesus tells them “therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Now this might be the bit that Matthew records because he himself is obviously a scribe, in the great tradition of Enoch, Ezra and Baruch. Their accounts, like Matthew’s contain the warnings and promises of the age.

Perhaps for us today, we are the scribes – writing and telling what the kingdom of God should be like. Using stories that people will understand – making God’s love a reality for all. I have always thought that ‘learning to tell stories’ should be the first thing we learn as Christians, and we should pray more often that we can ‘tell a good story’.

In these days of division, suspicion and chaos – perhaps we are called to speak the truth in ways that people can understand – making the stories in our actions and words.

Norway

It’s not all easy though, what story can we tell the people of Norway after the horrific and senseless tragedy that befell their nation on Friday? How can we tell a story of a God who cares for people, even if we can tell them he sits alongside them when they mourn? Even the best storytelling might not help their pain.

And again, as we think of the people who live in poverty or pray for peace, those who have always struggled for food, clean water, medicines, justice and love that God is always with them? It’s not easy, but there is one thing that is certain. After the example of our great story-teller, when we tell of;

· of people being loved by God when love wasn’t in plentiful supply

· of people never being alone, however bad things get, and

· how God works through the strangest of things in the lives of ordinary people to make extraordinary things,

Well, these are the real stories that need to be told, and as we know, those who have ears will listen.

It’s a great week to start your training as a storyteller, if the sun ever comes out again so will people. Tell someone a story this week, about you and God, and what difference it made.

Trinity 1...being blue isn't too bad!

First Sunday after Trinity Sunday (Pentecost 2)

As we think back to the last few weeks of Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church, and Trinity Sunday remembering the threefold nature of God, and even Corpus Christi which was celebrated on Thursday, we could easily look at the great expanse of ordinary time, right up to All Saint’s day, and think that church was going to be a bit boring without a good festival for a few months.

However, these are the weeks when we can relax a bit, and think about all the great gifts God has given us. It is time to hear parts of the Bible that we just don’t hear usually, and to think how this affects us on a day-to-day basis.

Over the last few weeks, we have been hearing about the gifts of the Spirit, and today we are hearing about the gifts of God, and there is a difference. The gifts of the Spirit are many and varied, but as far as I can see, the gifts of God are always the same. And that gift is people. God sends us to people, and he sends people to us, to reveal his purpose and the meaning of his love for us. We are in relationship with others, and however those relationships happen, they may just be a gift from God.

Like all gifts, there are ones we like, and ones we do not like – like those presents at Christmas that you still haven’t tried on – the socks or jumpers - There are people we are uncomfortable with, and others we are happy with. However, to be in relationship with others is to receive a gift from God.

The cup of water

In the Gospel reading this morning, Jesus says to his disciples ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me’.

The message is clear – We are to be involved in the lives of others – because they are God’s gift to us and we are entrusted to take Christ to them.

He then goes on to say that ‘and whoever gives a cup of water to these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

Even the smallest kindness (like a drink of water) is important and nothing is lost.

The greatest part of being a Christian, and the best part about what I do, is being allowed into the lives of others. I’m lucky enough to do this through marriages, baptisms, funerals. These are all great opportunities for me. They all help me see God working out his plan for us slowly in the world.

A few years ago, I lectured at Trinity College Carmarthen. I don’t think I preached about it at the time. It was the one and only time I did…I wonder if it went down well?

Anyway, I was preaching to Theology students about the ‘perfect community’, that would give us the opportunities to be ‘as Christ to others’ and in the context of this morning, give us more opportunities to ‘give each other a drink of cold refreshing water’ more often.

I looked at the First Christian communities, the early church – but many of the communities expanded so quickly, with struggles and difficulties that St. Paul and others needed to put them back on track. I wondered whether these could be good role models for us, but they grew and changed so quickly, they expanded way beyond the first community in Jerusalem throughout the Hellenistic world and even beyond the Roman Empire. I wasn’t quite sure if that would help us to think more clearly about our own church today. They were too diverse and changed so quickly.

I then looked at ‘Christian Base Communities’ primarily in Latin America, where groups of the poor and oppressed live together to learn and share, to work and survive, usually supported by the church and a priest or lay person. They are concerned with the material things of life; food, medicine, housing and justice for the people who live there. They study the Bible, then act accordingly in terms of social action. I wasn’t quite sure if this would be the ideal model either, for us to consider in our quest to find some ideas how to bring God to others. In our community, we aren’t oppressed to the same degree, but we continue to pray for those who are.

I thought a little more, and when I was looking at the BBC website yesterday morning, I realised what community we could emulate.

The SMURFS give us a model for community that is hard to beat…

It is a place where neighbours are always willing to lend a hand, where everyone has a certain skill and is willing to employ it, without personal reward and for the benefit of everyone.

The Smurfs were created in 1958 by the Belgian Artist Peyo, and In 1981, Hanna-Barbera began to produce a cartoon series that resulted in 256 episodes, dubbed into some 30 languages (Including Welsh, where they are called ‘Y Smurfs’), they are still being shown on more than 120 television channels around the world today.

The SMURFS live without money and use their individual skills for the common good, without individual reward, to ensure the community thrives. Each SMURF has sufficient food, clothing and housing (even though they live in mushrooms) and even though there are stereotypes from the everyday world, lazy, grouchy and brainy Smurf they all fulfil the tasks required of them.

The stories from the community are tales of bold adventure where wrongs were righted and the underdog had been given justice.

It might be at this stage in the sermon that you think I have lost all the wheels from my wagon, and I realize that. However, there is one important piece of evidence for the SMURFS being a perfect example of community – a community that we could do well to emulate.

A community, in the context of the Gospel that would give us many more opportunities to take the refreshing cold water to others.

There original name Les Schtroumpfs, was a word born at a meal when Peyo was having a meal with a French friend and had temporarily forgotten the word for…’the salt’.

The SMURFS are ‘the salt’, in Peyo’s bad translation. But for those who read the BIBLE this is very interesting.

TO be SALT and LIGHT, as it says in the SERMON on the mount, differs slightly from being the SALT OF THE EARTH, found in the Gospel According to St. Matthew, but they are both reminders for us to be ‘in the world’ but not ‘of the world’, to take God with us into the very human situations, and speak the words of life to them…

The next time we meet someone who is considered to be less than human; the homeless, the criminal, the disabled or the poor, even those people we find difficult to love; We should take a moment to think…

They may just be God’s gift to us, an opportunity to be as Christ to them, taking them the cool living water.

The overarching irony is that we cannot live out our faith on our own, we need others to share the love of God with. To do that, we need to realize that we are dependent on each other in our communities, our nation, and that world.

So (and I’ve been looking forward to saying this);

May we live together like the SMURFS, being the salt and light to those around us.

The Sunday after the Ascension

Sunday after Ascension

Jesus prayed, “I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours”.

Quite possibly these 13 verses of the Gospel according to John is the greatest prayer ever prayed – Jesus looks heavenward and starts the prayer “Father…”

Jesus prayed these words in the Upper Room on the night of his betrayal, knowing that crucifixion would follow with the coming sunrise. The words are part of his final words, and final words have a history of being intense, focused and passionate. So it was with Jesus.

Had his disciples ever heard him pray like this before? What did they think, knowing that with the actions of the next day all would be lost – they would be thrown into turmoil and upset? Could they feel in that moment the importance of their role in the story of Christianity? Were they praying and hoping that it wasn’t all for nothing – wasted years. Who knows what they might have been thinking – but as they shared the last meal with Jesus, they heard this prayer.

The greatest Prayer ever prayed?

This prayer that draws together everything they have seen and heard – the prayer is so complete and co

Jesus asks for His disciples to be kept in unity. He prays that they may be kept from evil, and He prays that they may be sanctified – made holy. Jesus has been their protector, and he gives an account of that – they are living in a hostile land, and when He goes they will need to look after themselves.

The reading goes on to tell us that Jesus tells God that not one of them was lost “except the one destined to be lost”. This comment about JUDAS puts the lid on it really for him.

Strangely, Jesus says that his prayer is not on behalf of the world, but just his disciples gathered there - The NEW church in its’ earliest form.

All we can hope and pray is that this 2,000 year old prayer is for us today as well. That the church may live in unity – all Christian peoples together, away from the attraction of evil, sanctified by GOD for the work we do in spreading the Gospel for the present and the future. There is nothing so certain to make you feel unworthy as this suggestion, that perhaps this prayer – the prayer of Christ – is for us – Disciples of the NEW MILENNIUM, the people entrusted with the message of peace, justice, love and righteousness.

Yesterday, I sent an email to someone who is investigating that most strange form of discipleship – becoming a Priest. And as I wrote the email I thought how some of the things I said were applicable to all people.

When we become Christians – following in the tradition of the first Disciples and following the call of Christ – not all of us will need to dress up and stand at the front. Not all of us will say the words of institution over the bread and the wine, or marry, bury and baptise. However there are some certainties for all those who accept the call of Christ to join his army of disciples.

Being set apart from the world, but also being part of the world. Taking a view of all things through Christian values, making a stand for justice, peace, love and an end to the things that make us somehow less as humanity.

The other thing is, of course, that God changes us to be more like him as we spend more time in his presence. So, prayer is life changing in that sense. Getting together as Christians to plan how we can take this message into the world is as important.

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles gives us another account of the ascension of Jesus, there are many through the first few books of the New Testament, the one thing that stands out though, is the fact that they are rather boring compared to the rip-roaring adventures, the highs and lows, the rollercoaster ride of emotion of the life of Jesus in the Gospels.

All the accounts are a bit matter of fact really. They went from staring into the sky watching Jesus ascend to heaven, then it tells us their next action was;

…..Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying…then it gives a list of the disciples (and Mary)

It doesn’t tell us what they did next, who said what, what they ate, nothing.

Why so matter of fact? Well I think the point of the story here is that this is where the work of building the church started. The people reading this story will have been members of the new church, they would have known what had happened from that moment.

After reading what happened and hearing the small list of disciples and Mary, I think they would have thought – “and look at us now” a new church, suffering under persecutions in some areas, but growing nevertheless. “from little acorns…..and all that”.

And I think that we should we too should remember that. As disciples of the NEW MILLENIUM, we should remember that the real importance of the story is that when Christ went back at the ascension, that was not the end, it was the beginning.

The chance to build a brighter future for all God’s people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN

If you're reading this then you haven't been raptured

EASTER 6 Sermon - RCL Year A

Acts of the Apostles. (7.55-60)

First Letter of Peter. (2.2-10)

The Gospel of Christ according to Saint John. (14.1-14)

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satis- fied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’

Well, it’s good to see you are all here today – and you haven’t been taken up to heaven…I’ll explain later if you don’t know what I mean.

In the Gospel reading that we have heard today we have his famous statement, “I am the way, the truth and the life” in John ch. 14, and in the First letter of Peter (Ch.2) we are assured that “We are a chosen race, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…”

And it’s these statements that I want to think about this morning, because both of them remind us of our calling. The Church is about the people, God’s people gathered together in fellowship for prayer and worship, for support, for mission and for proclamation of the good news of Christ.

It may well be that we have not seen heaven. I, for one, struggle to get a picture of what heaven might even be like, but that’s because we always want to apportion physical attributes to places, to get a picture in our mind.

I believe that the only thing we can really say about Heaven is that it’s a place where we live closely with one another and with God.

But to glimpse heaven we do not need to be dead – glimpses of heaven are all around us, and that is what God has intended for us. He has created a world full of good things, and good opportunities. Sadly at times we neglect our responsibilities in that world, sadly we sometimes neglect our responsibilities to others, but the fact remains that the world has many wonders and many gifts for us to enjoy, both in beauty and splendour of creation, and in the people all around us.

But even more than just seeing signs of heaven around us, we are actually called to BE glimpses of heaven for people around us – ‘A chosen race, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…’

We are called in our lives to live out and reflect that love given to us, in our compassion, peace, courage, hope and wisdom.

‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ is Jesus’ invitation to SHARE IN HIS LIFE. It is HIS call to follow new and exciting paths of discovery as he opens up the MAGIC OF HIS KINGDOM to us.

In Chapter 17 of Johns Gospel, we hear Jesus praying aloud: Praying that His followers – would be united in their mission to spread the Good News.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

And again;

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

The way, for Christians – for “the Royal priesthood” is the way of UNITY. So, surely, beyond all else, we should seek unity as Christians in a world that thrives on schism and division. Surely, Christians should be identifiable by their desire for unity, even though the natural human desire is for disunity. Surely, Christians should try to build bridges to bridge the widest gaps, and to give the glory to God through their peacemaking work?

Jesus prays out loud that we should live in unity – we should be known for our acceptance and compassion, and what do some people know us for?

Well, many people look at the church and say it’s a place of division, all the news about the church seems to be about disagreement. You have to laugh, otherwise you would cry. To use someone else’s line – if you have two theologians in a room there are three opinions.

And when it’s not news about division, it’s about the few people who probably aren’t sticking to the script;

The great church news this week was about Harold Camping, 89, predicted that Christ will return to earth on yesterday and true believers will be swept up, or "raptured", to heaven. He used broadcasts and billboards to publicise his ideas.

He says biblical texts indicate that a giant earthquake yesterday would mark the start of the world's destruction, and that by 21 October all non-believers will be dead.

Mr. Camping has predicted an apocalypse once before, in 1994, though followers now say that only referred to an intermediary stage.

"We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million people," says a text on the website of Mr Camping's network, Family Radio Worldwide.

An atheist and entrepreneur from North Hampshire in America, is enjoying a boost in business for Eternal Earth-bound Pets, which he set up to look after the pets of those who believe they will be raptured.

He has more than 250 clients who are paying up to $135 (£83) to have their pets picked up and cared for after the rapture.

I thought about leaving a few old clothes strewn around the church, so when people drove by they would think we’d been raptured! But that would be naughty

And meanwhile in the Bible…. I couldn’t find reference to 200 million people, but one of our number reminded me of a verse from Matthew 24:36

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Oh well!

I can tell you that sometimes I wonder that when I pray does anybody listen, because I pray for unity in our church every day (I also pray that the news will reflect what perfectly normal Christians are doing every minute of every day in the world) I pray for you and I pray for myself, that we can grow and learn more from each other about the importance of us being one – and I get upset with God seems to be not listening

And then I remember the part of the Gospel when Jesus prayed for unity;

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” And it makes me feel better – because it isn’t just about me, because Jesus hasn’t had his prayer answered yet either.

‘We are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…’ let us do all we can to make heaven a reality here on earth – in our care and acceptance of one another in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN