Easter Day 2011 - The Truth about Power and the Problem of of Fear

Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia

THE TRUTH

We have attended church this morning. Perhaps we are visiting relatives, perhaps we always come at Easter, perhaps we are here for some other reason, maybe even to work out what to do next in our own journey with God – whatever the reason, 2,000 years after the event – the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the compelling story of love, faith, courage and injustice, still has the power to surprise us, upset us, anger us and even spur us into action.

All those years ago, the death of Jesus had confused the disciples and made them run away, but the women weren’t intimidated. The four Gospels tell us the women were the first people who went “to see the tomb”, when they got there, Jesus was resurrected – and the angel said

“He has risen from the dead and gone ahead of you to Galilee”

The first time I heard this account of the resurrection I wondered why Jesus decided to go ahead of them, why didn’t he stay at the tomb for a bit? Eventually the women hurried away from the tomb and were greeted by Jesus – on the way to Galilee.

The message here, without a doubt, is that if the resurrection is to mean anything at all, we need to get out of the tomb and get into the world and make a difference!

We mustn’t forget that faith isn’t about just praying for a better world; it’s about leaving the tombs of our own existence and looking for Jesus. The great thing is though that we all know where Jesus will be found…he will be found with the suffering, the lonely, the outcast, the unloved and the oppressed.

In his series of Lent talks, Bishop Dominic made the point that he found it strange that churches are generally surrounded by graves. How, surrounded by death and memorials to those who have gone before us, we are expected to proclaim new life. It seems like a strange place to start, but it’s exactly where Christ started.

From the despair and finality of Good Friday – surrounded by death and bitterness, to the glorious resurrection. Jesus didn’t waste time sitting in the tomb waiting to see who would turn up, he went off to do the work that needed doing. His betrayal, trial, crucifixion, death and his resurrection were a statement, a statement that you can’t bury the truth!

You can’t bury the truth!

So what’s the truth you can’t bury?

On Wednesday, I listened to Archbishop Rowan Williams on Radio 4’s Thought for the Day speaking about the Maundy money that has been given out by Kings and Queens since the Middle Ages.

+Rowan suggested that they didn’t all do it because they were lovely humble people – some were, and some definitely weren’t – but because they all accepted one great truth that needs repeating over and over again, the one big thing that Christianity had brought into the world of human imagination.

And that was – and is – the truth that power constantly needs to be reminded of what it’s for. This is the truth they tried to bury with Christ.

“Power exists, in the Church or the state or anywhere else, so that ordinary people may be treasured and looked after, our children and young people, our elders and those who don’t have the resources to look after themselves. The Bible is crystal clear that this is the standard by which the gospel of Jesus judges the powerful of this world.”

++ Rowan suggested that once a year, leaders of political parties, successful financiers and editors of national newspapers should serve school dinners on council estates, clean bathrooms in residential homes and become Street Pastors in the night in busy cities.

Power exists so that people may be loved. THIS IS THE TRUTH they tried to bury with Jesus. This is the truth that wouldn’t go away. This is the truth that still exists today.

Unfortunately however, those with power sometimes still just nod in the direction of the truth, knowing full well that they have no intention of using it to love or care. Some people also have a misunderstanding about the nature of ‘power’, in most societies it is exercised with the permission of the people. The falsehoods and fabrications that tell us that some people are entitled to power, and some need to be powerless wears a bit thin sometimes, that’s when the trouble starts.

The Gospel says that Power is to be used to create love.

GALILEE

In the account of the resurrection in Matthew, Jesus tells Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to tell the disciples two things; Firstly, he tells them ‘Do not be afraid all will be well’, then he tells them to ‘meet him in Galillee’. They are going back to the beginning where it all began. They have seen the events unfold and the truth is out! They have been shocked and surprised, and now God is saying to them let’s start again, and see how we’ll do it this time. Let’s walk places we’ve walked before…. but this time seeing things though a different light.

He said, “Do not be afraid all will be well”.

What a fantastic day! The sun is shining and we’ve all come to church! But there’s a voice calling us to something a bit different;

Leave this place today, as if you are leaving your own tomb, into the bright sunshine of a new day to start over again. Seek the truth where he may be found in the chaos and turmoil of everyday life, and tell people that they shouldn’t be afraid, because all will be well.

“Do not be afraid all will be well”.

The rest of the day is for celebrating in whatever way you usually celebrate! Have a wonderful day, as we are all resurrected with Christ once again.

Palm Sunday

Dear friends in Christ, during Lent we have been preparing by works of love and self-sacrifice for the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Today we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our saviour, to suffer, to die , and to rise again Let us go with him in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

God our saviour, whose Son Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem to suffer and to die, let these palms be for us signs of his victory; and grant that we who bear them in his name may ever hail him as our king, and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.

Deadly Passion!

DEADLY PASSION

Ezekiel 37.1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8.6-11; John 11.1-45

Bones

This morning we had a long set of readings that are appointed for Passion Sunday, first we heard the classic reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel; The vision of a resurrection from death to life, and it is a glorious resurrection. This is a thing so utterly unknown to nature, and so contrary to its principles. The vision is of the Jews in Babylon likened to dead and dry bones, unlikely ever to come together. Bones spread out in the desert, never to become a whole skeleton again, and certainly not a living body. But we remember that “With God all things are possible”, and God will breathe the breath of life into them.

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans is one that reminds us that it is the Spirit that gives us life, even when we think we are beyond help. It is worth remembering that the old Hebrew word for Spirit is Ruach, which is the same word for breath, or life. This is a link back to the words of the prophesy of Ezekiel. The macabre image of death is present in the journey through the desert and in many ways it is also present in our own daily lives. We worry too much about death, when we are called to bring life to situations and people. It's the Spirit that liberates us from it and we can think about living, not about death.

Jesus’ Friends

This Bethany family forms part of the followers of Jesus, disciples and friends (personal friends if you like). Jesus is informed of Lazarus’ health without explicitly being asked to come. He is simply told. “He whom you love is ill”. And so it was, Jesus loved that family.

The Lord goes back to Judea, risking his life. The disciples are afraid, but they are reminded them that his mission is to be carried out in broad daylight and the darkness, in which those who reject him live, does not make him stumble. In that light and without fears, the disciples will have to continue the task. It is fear that kills, not the truth.

In Judea, death is threatening Jesus and his followers, but the mission continues. Thomas senses this and says firmly “Let us also go, that we might die with him”. This is the same Thomas who will later want to know if Jesus is really risen.

It’s all a bit final when Jesus gets there, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days, so according to custom he had been dead five days. In a dialogue between Marta and Jesus, he says to her “Your brother will rise again”, she then says to him “yes I know that, on the resurrection on the last day” and then Jesus is able to explain his mission and purpose, AND the mission and purpose of his followers down the generations.

Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life, those who believe in me, though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die”. He then gives a challenge, a challenge that we answer today; Jesus says, “Do you believe this?”

When I read this reading, usually at funerals, when I say the words “Do you believe this” it’s quite common for someone in the congregation to say “yes!”. I’m not sure if it’s because they haven’t listened to the reading or whether it’s evangelical fervour, but it’s really good!

The Gospel story isn’t just about magic tricks and raising people from the dead, it’s all about what the followers of Jesus do. To bring life to those who have died! If not physically, they do it socially, pastorally, economically, anthropologically, politically, any …ally really. It’s our job to bring people out of the dark tombs of their existence so that they too can live in the light of Christ. Away from all that would oppress them!

The tomb is a sign of death, but it is not closed to Christ, whose action opens it and brings forth life. Conquering death, they will know that “I am the Lord”, he says.

The presence of the Spirit

Jesus is conscious of his mission, but he is also one of us, and as a friend he shared his friends’ pain and weeps with them.

The sisters think that Lazarus’ death is definitive, and they tell Jesus “There is already a stench”. Jesus remains steadfast and, knowing that the Father is listening to him, he gives thanks and cries aloud: “Lazarus come out”. He lifts him up, loosens what was binding him, and gives life to the man who was dead.

In the Reading from Romans, it says “The Spirit is life because of righteousness”. The Spirit dwells in us, and death is already overcome. So why is it so easy for us to become paralysed with fear, upset, anger and indifference?

Surely the presence of the Spirit should help us to see all that is good in our lives and our huge potential for bringing love and justice to others? We have been liberated from the mediocrity of a Christian life without vitality. We can have a Christian life in 3d, hi-definition, and surround sound, there is nothing stopping us.

I suppose though, we are a bit like Martha, we know the words, we know what God can do through us, but we just have that little voice telling us that it will all come to nothing.

Perhaps we are scared that life is, as Benjamin Franklin said “nothing is certain but death and taxes”.

Or perhaps we remember the first anthem in the Book of Common Prayer that reminds us that In the midst of life we are in death.

The saying might be In the midst of LIFE we are in DEATH. But we need to believe that In the midst of DEATH we are in LIFE. Reminding ourselves that God can lift us up and give us wholeness of life again, wherever we are, and whoever we are. Life that we are called to share with others; In the name of God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Revd Mark Lawson-Jones

Cake Saturday was fantastic! Over 90 people attended to enjoy the best homemade cake and tea and coffee. Don't forget the next one is on the 7th of May 2-4pm in St. Mary's Church, Magor

“What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Hello everyone!

It's a quote from Moses in the book of the Exodus, but it's also possibly the best title for a clergy autobiography “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Today, I will mostly preaching about Grumbling;

Grumbling in the Oxford English Dictionary is described as “Complaining in a surly manner or muttering discontentedly.

Webster’s dictionary says it’s;

1. To complain or protest about something in a bad-tempered but typically muted way. or

2. Make a low rumbling sound.

Marlene Dietrich was quoted as saying “Grumbling is the death of love.”

The American Author Edgar Watson Howe said “I believe in grumbling it is the politest form of fighting known”

Half of another quote I found by the author Robert West says;

No talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, is required to set up in the grumbling business;

The sermon is about grumbling because in the OLD TESTAMENT the Children of Israel are at it again! They have moved camp to Rephidim and they can’t find any water – they seem to have forgotten the miracles that accompanied their escape from Egypt – the sea parting, the angel and the plagues. They are about to stone Moses because they are thirsty. I suppose though, it is easy for us to think they are whining – in our land we have running water – unlimited running water – and we won’t die from the lack of it.

But anyway, Moses is sent by God to find water in an unexpected place – and all is well for the Children of Israel – they find God again too! But they do grumble along the way – all the time.

We have the classic line from Moses, a cry to God! He runs out of his tent, falls to his knees, waves his fists in the air and pleads to God!

“What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

I love the Bible, we see the best and the worst of people and I personally gain a huge comfort from the fact that we might be able to put people on the moon, split the genome and create a handheld games console that shows images in 3d without 3d glasses!....we are clever!.....But in the pages of a book that stretches back thousands of years we can find people like us, experiencing life like us, turning to God like us, and hoping for a better future…just like us! Where would we be without the Bible?

The Children of Israel were out in the wilderness and they had come to a place where they found no water – this made them agitated and it nearly ruined it all. They were angry through their own frustration.

We can all become parched in our faith if we lose the opportunity to be fed and watered. We need to play the hide and seek game with God each day to find the living water, the water that can refresh our souls.

The message behind this famous conversation in the Gospel reading we had today is the thirst of Jesus. You can imagine the scene, a hot dusty midday – apparently it is not only “mad dogs and Englishmen” but also Messiahs that go out in the midday sun. The well is deserted – ordinary people have collected their water and gone home for a sleep, to wait until the glaring heat of the sun gives over.

The story is full of allegory; the woman at the well represents the Samaritan people. According to Jewish History the Samaritan people were split into FIVE different nations – each with a different GOD. It might be that these were represented by the woman’s five husbands, whilst the man she is now with represents the worship of the LORD, a worship that takes place far away from the recognised Jewish places of worship.

The woman recognises Jesus as a prophet – but Jesus is also Messiah, and it is through the Jewish Messiah that salvation will come. Leaving her jar at the well (some people think this is highly significant) she returns to town to announce that this prophet might just be the Messiah. For two days, Jesus remains with these Samaritans.

John the Evangelist seems keen to tell us that these outcast, second rate foreigners are more ready to recognise the Messiah than his own people. After all “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him”.

At the end of the day though – neither the Jews nor the Samaritans are given the prize in this Gospel. The Jews want the worship to take place in the Temple, and the Samaritans “on this mountain” as it says. Jesus declared that the worship desired by God is tied neither to Jerusalem nor ‘this mountain’, but will be in spirit and truth.

And to this day Jacob’s well is still there. The temple on Mount Gerizim, overlooking Sychar and holy to the Samaritans, is gone.

So, too, is the temple in Jerusalem, 30 miles to the south. Jesus said that the hour was near when “neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem” would they worship. Today, the two temples are no more. To that extent, Jesus was right.

And the truth of the matter, as far as I can see is to be found in the last few sentences of the Gospel. (which might be on the other side of the sheet) Jesus says “look around you and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving his wages and is gathering the fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “one sows and another reaps”. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour”

Well – this makes me feel better really – it really does. It tells me that as Christians we are here to do a task that has been prepared for us. We are being entrusted with preparing the work for the people who come after us. We are called to work for the Kingdom of God to change the lives of others with love.

We are not only getting people to believe in Jesus, but getting them to believe in themselves as well, so that they can lead fulfilled lives.

Our Gospel is about the gift of living water. Behind the phrase is the Hebrew expression “mayim chayim”, meaning fresh water, running water, water that has not been left standing in dirty jars, and is not stale and brackish. Of course, in our text, the term is being used metaphorically. It stands for something else. Later, John will tell us that when Jesus offers living water, he is promising the gift of his Holy Spirit (John 7.37).

A Christian faith is all about seeing the promises come true in your life and the lives of others. There is no substitute for action – and God will not be found if we aren’t looking for Him.

Rev Mark Lawson-Jones

Bishop Dominic embarks on a marathon run of Lent talks

Bishop Dominic joined around 100 people at St. Mary's church in Magor at the end of his first week of Lent talks. He proposes to repeat his series of five talks in five venues throughout Lent, two years ago he completed a similar task, meeting around 6-700 people each week.
This year we in the Magor Benefice are pleased to meet him as he gives an introduction to the Gospel according to Saint Luke. If you would like to join us, the talk begins at 7.30 each Friday. This Friday (25th March) it will be preceded by a celebration of Holy Eucharist for the Feast of the Annunciation.

Lent 2 - We're going on a road trip

“Go – Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land that I will show you!” so Abram went – “not knowing where he was going”

This simple instruction is where it all started really.

The decision of Abram to go meant that we are all involved – and each time we take a step forward in faith, each time we ask God to show us what to do, each time we listen to the small voice calling us to do good for the sake of the kingdom of God, we are taking a step on this journey, begun all those years ago.

Last week and the week before we had been hearing from the Book Genesis, and in that story of the creator and his creation, we see God giving ‘free will and knowledge’ to Adam and Eve. Steps of faith can always be refused, and Abraham could have stayed put. His journey into the unknown was a free choice, with the free will that is the hallmark of our relationship with God.

God promised that, in him, all the families of the earth would be blessed

“I will make you into a great nation

and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,

and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earth

will be blessed through you.”

Abram – Abraham said yes. And because he said yes, we are blessed indeed – and we have the opportunity to say “yes” to God too.

Last week I was in the Ashmolean museum in Oxford for an hour over lunchtime. I looked at some artifacts that were incredibly old, and as a bit of an amateur in all this stuff I asked why the pots and tools were different. I was told that people had essentially changed how they did things, they stopped being nomadic and started farming. Some of the things they made were beautiful.

The people had found a home and settled down to create and grow rather than move and hunt. This told me a lot about the people, but I couldn’t get a sense of ‘what it meant to them’, ‘how did they feel about it’ and ‘why they did it’.

Returning to home and looking at the Sunday readings, I could see that something similar is going on in the reading. Abram has started something different with God, even though the wandering Arameans eventually stopped wandering physically, spiritually the people of God have remained nomadic, to this day.

What do I mean?

In that sense – Abram – when he started all this, was onto an exciting thing, when he agreed to go on a journey and wander with God for a while. It’s wandering through life with God learning more about him and his purpose for all people, finding opportunities to care for the sick, needy and troubled.

The journey doesn’t mean that we will be safe or protected. The persecuted millions will testify to that. The people who have left their homes in the morning to do good - never to return because of terrorist attacks or military action will testify to that. People of faith who risk all they have for saying yes and following – to be a blessing to others.

When I was thinking about this sermon – St. Augustine was buzzing around my head.

“You awaken us to delight in Your praise, for You made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” —The Confessions of St. Augustine (c. 400 A.D.)

In the Gospel reading we have of the Pharisees named Nicodemus visiting Jesus after dark to look for answers. Jesus tells him that he must be “born again” and continues to provide us with some text that could arguably provide us with the most talked about and important and well debated statement made. “born again”, “for God so loved the world”, “for God sent his Son not to condemn the world…but to save the world through him”

These phrases have been the foundation of faith for many Christians.

And in the midst of the Gospel story there is Nicodemus, who might have come under cover of darkness to decide for himself whether Jesus was dangerous and had to be stopped, or he might have decided that he needed to start an Abrahamic-esque journey of his own. Risking all for God.

So, where are we on our journey?

I think that is a question you will need to ultimately ask yourselves. There are a few points;

1. Don’t forget we are in LENT, it’s the time of following Christ into the wilderness to see where he will lead you.

2. As I said previously, journeys with God don’t bring earthly security or riches – they do bring blessings. (if you are wondering how much a ‘blessing’ sells for on eBay don’t start the journey)

3. Finally, this LENT – think if your faith brings unity or division, blessing or…unblessing?

May God bless us as we seek to bless others. May God travel with us through this life that we might rest with him in Glory. May he multiply our efforts to make us all superhuman for his sake.