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
No comments:
Post a Comment