Sermon 6th April 2014 John 11:1-46 Anne What happened in Bethany that day led to a chain reaction of events. You know the kind of thing – something happens and it’s like lighting the touch paper and watching the fuse burn, before BANG and debris and sparks fly everywhere! Raising Lazarus from the dead was like lighting the touch paper. You see, opinion was divided; on one side there were those who saw what Jesus did that day and recognised the sign. On the other, there were those who just saw trouble. Signs are not always easy to interpret. Take the sign for ‘road works’ for example, it looks like a man putting up an umbrella, but he’s pointing it to the ground. And can you tell me why a sign with a bicycle on it means no bikes allowed? Surely you’d think that if it had a bike it means ‘go ahead bikes’! The sign in Bethany was the last in a long line of signs, which pointed to who Jesus was – to who Jesus is. And this one was the … hum-dinger of all signs. You’d have thought they’d have recognised him for who he was when he changed water into wine, or when he healed the official’s son, or healed the man at the pool, fed the 5000, walked on water, healed the blind man, but no, the Pharisees just saw trouble. Others saw trouble too and told them what Jesus did on that day and what he said. So the Pharisees plotted to kill him. Strange that, don’t you think? Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead – he turns death into life – and the Pharisees want to turn his life into death. But we know, they’re in for a bit of a surprise… I wonder if Martha and Mary were surprised too? They send word to their friend Jesus to tell him their brother, the one who Jesus loves, is ill. But Jesus doesn't come immediately. That must have been hard to take. To know, you’ve sent word to the one person you need, and he doesn’t show up. Perhaps he didn't come because he knew most of the disciples would be reluctant to go anywhere near Jerusalem; it’s a dangerous place for them all. It’s full of enemies and wagging tongues and last time they were there, the crowd threatened to stone them. Or maybe the time just wasn’t right yet. Then when Jesus does tell the disciples about Lazarus there seems to be some confusion or misunderstanding. Jesus says to the disciples, Lazarus’ illness won’t end in death. Then he tells them Lazarus is ‘asleep’ and he’s going to wake him. But then, when they think Lazarus is really ‘asleep’, Jesus tells them he’s dead! That must have been shocking to them. Of course, we know what’s coming; Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, but to the disciples the whole episode is like a ‘show and tell’ in reverse. Jesus seems to be telling them, in a roundabout way, that he plans to raise Lazarus from the dead before he actually does it. He tells them about the sign which points to who he is, before he’s shown it to them. Understandably, they’re confused! They’re not the only ones who seem confused. Eventually, Jesus arrives in Bethany, but he’s too late. Lazarus is already dead. Martha and then Mary go to meet him. Martha says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask”. Notice she doesn’t say, “What kept you Jesus?” or “Jesus, thought you were meant to be his friend!” No, she just says, “if you had been here...” she laments his absence, what might have been, but she doesn’t lose hope. And then the confusion sets in ... Jesus says, “Your brother will rise again”. And Martha responds, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day”. She’s talking about the Jewish tradition and belief that the dead will rise on the last day of judgement. But Jesus’ is not only talking about last days, about the future, he’s talking right now. He says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life” … the resurrection and the life. It sounds like Jesus is repeating himself, but he’s not. You see, what he’s about to do, points to who he is. Lazarus has been dead for four days. Four days is significant because in the Jewish tradition, the soul or spirit lingered near the body for three days. Therefore, for three days there was still a hope that the person could be resuscitated. Lazarus was beyond all hope and possibility of resuscitation and Mary, mourning and weeping for her brother, goes quickly from the house when she hears from Martha that Jesus is in the village. The other mourners follow her thinking she’s going to Lazarus’ tomb. When she sees Jesus, she falls at his feet, grief stricken and in tears. And echoing the words of her sister she says, “Lord if you had been here, my brother would not have died”. And Jesus this time says nothing, but deeply moved, he weeps with her. He doesn’t say “there, there Mary, no need to cry”. Neither does he say, “don’t worry all will be well in a minute” even though he knows it will. No, as she invites him to the tomb, into the source of her sadness, he cries with her. He shares in her grief and pain and bears her sorrow. As the crowd, Mary and Martha and Jesus arrive at the tomb, Jesus commands the crowd to “take away the stone” that covers the entrance. And Martha, bless her, worries that there will be a bad odour. She knows he is really dead – four days dead. And Jesus reminds her and us that this sign points to the glory of God, points to what we will see and witness if we believe. Then Jesus prays, he thanks his Father for hearing him and then he calls to Lazarus in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” And Lazarus comes out – bound in strips of linen, bound in his grave clothes. This is the sign that shows the world who Jesus is and why he’s there. This is the sign that divides the crowd, that threatens the Pharisees, that reassures the believers, that lights the touch paper towards the cross. In raising Lazarus to life, Jesus shows that he is the one who will conquer death and yet, paradoxically, raising Lazarus is the final nail in his coffin or more accurately, in his cross. But it doesn’t end there. Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead points to Jesus’ resurrection. He calls Lazarus out of the tomb because of who he is … God on earth, the Word made flesh. He is the resurrection in the future and also the life now. In verse 25, he says, “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” And Lazarus is proof of the ‘life’ Jesus refers to. Jesus has raised him from the dead to enjoy life with him in the present. (Lazarus will die again – and be raised up in the age to come.) We too can enjoy life with Jesus now in the present; we can have that resurrection life now. Just as Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, so too he calls to us by name. How many of us I wonder have felt like Lazarus, felt those strips of linen as they inhibit our very existence, as they inhibit our freedom to enjoy life. What are the strips of cloth that bind you – maybe fears or addictions. Maybe feelings of hopelessness and loss. Maybe resentment and a lack of forgiveness. But Jesus calls us out of our tombs of despair into a new life with Him…now. It’s a life where we can follow Him even though we might sometimes be confused and misunderstand like the disciples; He breaks into our lives by guiding and leading us. It’s a life where we say “Yes, Lord, I believe…” like Martha and have trust even in the times of despair. It’s a life where like Mary, when we are overcome with grief and sadness, we can throw ourselves at his feet and he will weep with us and give us hope for the future. In the next chapter in John’s Gospel we’re told what the resurrection life for Lazarus was like; he is with his friend Jesus, reclining at the table, eating with him. In our resurrection life now, let’s enjoy fellowship and friendship with him.

Sermon 16th March 2014 Psalm 121 – A Psalm for Life’s Journey Anne

Sermon 16th March 2014 Psalm 121 – A Psalm for Life’s Journey Anne Mountains can be places where literally being on ‘top of the world’ can be liberating and awe inspiring; do you remember from the Sound of Music, those opening aerial shots where Julie Andrews as Sister Maria runs and twirls freely on the Austrian hilltop? Maria’s joy and happiness seemed to radiate from the mountain top and the views of the Austrian lake district were beautiful and idyllic. Maybe the Psalmist, the person who wrote and spoke the words of Psalm 121, was looking expectantly at the mountains surrounding Jerusalem in Judaea. Maybe he was lifting his eyes hopefully towards the hills and pondering wistfully on the goal of his pilgrimage journey; maybe they reminded him of his destination - the Temple in Jerusalem standing on top of Mount Zion. But mountains can also be places of danger. Back in August 2006, we walked the Coast-to-Coast long distance path from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay on the East Coast. It was a journey with plenty of hills! It rains in the Lake District and as we set out on the last Lake District section, the weather changed for the worst. As we climbed higher and higher up the mountain, the temperature fell dramatically. And then suddenly and without warning, swirling dark grey clouds rolled in and shrouded us in a freezing cold hailstorm. With no shelter, all we could do was crouch down beside the remains of a dry stone wall to avoid the stinging hailstones lashing our faces. With no visibility, no view and no landmarks to pinpoint our location and proximity to the edge, being on top of a mountain is a precarious place to be; all we could do was wait until the mist cleared. Those lovely, inviting hills had become a place of danger and threat; a place where we were exposed and vulnerable. Maybe the Psalmist looked up at those Judean Hills with fear and trepidation, knowing that the journey would not be easy. Bandits and wild animals hide in hills, heatstroke and exhaustion can overtake you. Hills can be places of refuge and beauty, but also places of menace. Either way, help comes from only one source - “Where does my help come from?” the Psalmist asks, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” he responds. The Psalmist’s pilgrim journey towards Jerusalem included physical ups and downs as he traversed the hills and the valleys, but maybe he would have also experienced emotional and spiritual ups and downs too. One moment ‘on top of the world’ and the next exposed, doubtful and vulnerable. As we journey through Lent, as we pilgrim towards Easter Sunday, we can reflect on our ups and downs, joys and sadness, hope and despair. Some of us may feel closest to God when we are faced with hard times. We call out in desperation to Him when all else fails and when we are at our most needy. When we realise our limits, we seek Him more than ever. But then when things start to resolve themselves, we don’t seem to call on Him as much and often we forget He’s even there. In contrast, some of us may feel closest to God in the midst of the good times. When everything’s going well, we can confidently answer the question “Where does my help come from?” with a speedy response “My help comes from the Lord.” But when we are faced with life’s challenges and despair, such as economic hardship, physical illness and loss of a loved one, we’re knocked back and discouraged and wonder why God has let something so awful happen. And we pray, and it seems like God is not answering … maybe he’s not listening … and our response to the question “Where does my help come from?” is followed by a long pause, and a reticent reply ….”my help … comes from … the Lord”. How can we be confident of God’s presence in times of doubt or challenge? The Psalmist reminds us of how great our God is. Help comes from the Creator God, the Maker of heaven and earth, nothing is beyond His reach and control. Not even the hills or the mountains. And in the words of what seems like a blessing, a voice in the Psalm reminds us of who God is and what he does. He is the majestic helper, the faithful keeper. When the way is uncertain and precarious He protects us. He will not let our feet slip, He will not let your feet slip. He is always vigilant, always watching over us. His watchful eye is constant, never ceasing, never sleeping. And even though we may forget He’s there, He’s never distracted, never day dreaming, never inattentive towards us. He watches over us, not from a distant place, but in close proximity at our right hand. He protects us from all the perils of the day and night. He does not abandon us even when times are good or when times are dark. He watches over our lives. This does not mean though that we will always be ‘on top of the world’ or that we will not suffer. We only have to listen to stories about Christians being persecuted in Syria or North Korea to know that’s not the case. And we, like everyone else, face redundancies, economic hardship, injustices, sickness and bereavement. But God is not only the Creator and Maker of heaven and earth, he is our redeemer and Saviour. His loving care for us goes far beyond what we or the Psalmist might be able to imagine. He withholds nothing from us, not even His Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And there we have it – eternal life – what ever this world holds we are promised life with him – a life beyond our present anxieties and sufferings, beyond this life’s ups and downs. A life that’s not limited by time; His care is eternal; he is committed to being with us … always. And so, you can raise your eyes to the mountains and whatever they might hold for you, confident that your help comes from the Lord because He: “will watch over your coming and going both now and for evermore” (verse 8). Amen Additional Information Psalms 120-134 are labelled as “A Song of Ascents”. Although we cannot be sure, some scholars think these were the songs sung by the Israelites as they made pilgrimages to Jerusalem for the 3 major feasts each year. As they sung the Psalms travelling on the roads leading up to Jerusalem, they would also be preparing themselves to bring their sacrifices before God in the Temple.

SERMON 9 MARCH 2014. LENT 1. MAKING LENT REAL. ROBERT.

Genesis 2: 15 – 17 & 3: 1 – 7       Romans 5 : 12 – 19          Matthew 4 : 1 – 11

This is the 1^st Sunday in Lent and it’s a good time to ask three basic questions. What is Lent? How should we observe it? And how does it help our understanding of the Christian Gospel?

1. What is Lent?  The word itself means ‘Springtime’ and we can apply it to our Christian lives in two ways: First, a ‘spring-clean’. Traditionally it’s the time of year when the days become longer, the sun shines more brightly into all the corners, and hopefully we feel more active. That’s the theory anyway! And so we notice that our homes could do with a thorough clean and out comes the vacuum cleaner, the dusters, and all the range of modern cleaning aids. It doesn’t take much imagination to transfer this to our Christian lives. We take time to examine the dark corners, the things not done which ought to have been done, and the things done which ought not to have been done, and begin to cleanse our lives and put them in order.

The other side of ‘Springtime’ is, naturally, that we delight to see nature unfolding its glorious blossoms and coming into full flower. It’s the same with our Christian lives. If we address our failings and shortcomings, and indeed our wilful sin, then our spiritual lives will burst into glorious bloom and we will know that wonderful sense of renewal of spiritual life and energy, and we will know the joy and peace that comes from a restored relationship with God.

Traditionally Lent lasts for 40 days leading up to Easter. This is in order that our spiritual lives and practices have been thoroughly serviced and MOT-ed in time to celebrate Easter with all our spiritual engines running well and on full power.

If it seems strange that Lent begins on a Wednesday and ends on Easter Saturday, that’s because our time of self-examination may well include abstinence -  including fasting – and outward symbols of repentance. But Sundays are excluded from these practices, because Sunday is always a Feast Day, celebrating the Lord’s resurrection. So, if you count the days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday and leave out the Sundays, the answer will be forty!

If we ask – why forty? The best answer is that Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness as he prepared for his earthly ministry (as we have just read in the Gospel), and that seems an excellent example to follow.

2. How should we observe Lent? There is the outward symbolism and the inner process. Hopefully, the two will integrate and both complement and reinforce each other.

First, the outward symbolism. Traditionally, the pattern has been to try and imitate the model of Jesus and make it a time of fasting. What that means in practice may differ from what was appropriate to the medieval monks, for example, to a suitable practice in our very different lives today. Fasting was a central feature (which took various forms) but that was not just an end in itself, but was accompanied by much prayer. There are people now who find that going without food – or minimum food – for periods of time, increases their concentration and focus. Excellent! Fasting is very much an orthodox Christian practice. Others will find that it simply gives them a migraine, while for others with certain medical conditions, it could seriously damage their health. Everyone must work out what most helps their spiritual concentration and prayer. Many now enforce a bit of discipline on their lives by deciding to abstain from – say - alcohol, meat, chocolate, or their favourite food, whatever that may be.

As well as giving up something we value, it will be helpful (as Anne pointed out in the last Liquid communion service) positively to take on something. In particular, join one of our special Lent courses, carve out more time for prayer, Bible reading with suitable notes and Holy Communion.

But all these should only be outward and visible signs of an inward reality. Are we really putting our spiritual lives in order? Are we taking positive steps to reconcile broken relationships? To put an end to whatever practices that grieve God’s loving heart? To look again at what it means to love the Lord our God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves? Without this, all the outward practice will be a sham. In the Gospels, the Pharisees were good at an outward show of practice with no real depth, and Jesus called them ‘Hypocrites’ – which means play-actors.  It’s just theatre.

We each need to consider our personal response, in order that our lives will blossom spiritually so that we can celebrate Easter.

3. How does Lent help our understanding of the Christian Gospel?

In our Gospel reading, we see Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. He has just been baptized by John the Baptist, and as the Holy Spirit descends on him and fills his life with power, his public ministry is launched. He has been commissioned by God to offer the world a new way of living, which will restore our relationship with God and bring about true freedom, love, justice and peace.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells us in theological picture language that Jesus is the new Adam, who has come to reverse the effects of our fallen nature.

In our first reading from Genesis chapter 3, we read about the root cause of our present human condition. We are meant to understand that this story of the serpent and the tree of the knowledge and evil, is not so much intended to describe a single event, but to offer a deep insight into the problem that besets us all. We do not trust God sufficiently to obey his laws. In essence, we think we know better what will bring us happiness, success and satisfaction. And so we choose to go our own way in life – and often we then blame God when things go wrong.  At some funerals I preside at, the family want to end the service with Frank Sinatra’s song ‘I did it my way’. And I think to myself ‘that is the perfect definition of sin’!  I don’t want or intend to live my life under God’s loving guidance and direction. I intend to live it my way.

Jesus goes out into the wilderness to pray through the human problem, God’s solution, and how he is to implement it.

There are various possibilities. Will the world become a better place, and we become better people, if he makes it possible for the whole world to be fed? Well, that would certainly help, but in fact there is enough food in the world to feed everyone, but because of our human condition, we will never share it fairly.

Will Jesus make everyone believe he is God’s full and final messenger and follow him faithfully by throwing himself off the top of the temple – performing a great miracle? No, the sad truth is that Jesus will perform miracle after miracle, and the response of all the religious leaders is simply to ask for yet more and more signs – better evidence – more convincing proof. They have no wish to be convinced.

Will Jesus bring peace to the world through military conflict and magnificent victory establishing a kingdom of love and peace? Sadly, one military victory simply seems to provoke a counter response – another conflict - and world still does not find itself able to live in harmony and peace.

There is an underlying problem to all this. These strategies would address the symptoms not the disease. And the disease, as Jesus sees very clearly, lies in the fallen human heart and will. We all want to do it ‘our way’.

Jesus spells it out to his disciples in Matthew 16: 24 - 16: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me, will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gain the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”

To get in step with Jesus this Lent means repentance, which means turning your life around, finding the right priorities – if necessary, turning your values upside down. Not my will, Lord, but yours be done.

This led Jesus down to the depths of the cross, where he took upon himself the tragedy of our fallen lives and wilful disobedience, and in his resurrection, brought us the hope of a new life, true freedom and a glorious future.

If we turn our lives to Christ in trust and obedience this Lent, then we shall indeed rejoice this coming Easter in the new life we find, with its true freedom, unlimited, unconditional love, and an eternal future. Whatever practices you adopt this Lent to renew your faith in Christ, may this Spring be for you the way to a glorious new resurrection life.

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NB. No discussion questions this week as we take part in the Lent courses which have their own questions. Please join these.

“Repentance is never the outcome of despair, but rather an act of profound hope. As we make confession of our sins this Lent, we do so not as a grovelling act of self-hatred, but as a response to God’s mercy. So we come home to reality, to the God ‘to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden’. God does not lead us to repentance to condemn us but to set us free from all the destructive and acquisitive instincts that crowd in on our lives and erode our faith and humanity. It is an act of trust – our part in the renewal of all creation.” Angela Tilby, Thought for the day. Radio 4.  5^th March.

Sunday 2 March 2014, Genesis 24, 2 Peter 1, Bruce

On the Sunday before Lent begins, the readings usually remind us of the Transfiguration.  This happened when Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain by themselves.  His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.  The disciples saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah, two heroes from the Old Testament who were each famous for mountain top experiences.

We read a little earlier how God summoned Moses up onto the mountain to meet him.  Again and again we read about the holiness of God, and the care that must be taken so that the people are not exposed to God’s holiness and killed.  The precautions that God spells out might remind us of workers entering the damaged reactor at Chernobyl.  He is truly immortal, invisible, hidden in inaccessible light.  Moses waits for six days, looking at the cloud of glory that has descended on the mountain, before God calls to him again and he goes up, to spend 40 days with God.

Then we skip forward perhaps 1500 years to an old man – Peter, who is pleading with us to live a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  We have received all that we need to do this because of God’s goodness, but we are nevertheless to make every effort to live well.  This is not theory, Peter says.  He himself has seen the glory of God, when he accompanied Jesus onto the mountain, and heard the voice from on high saying “This is my beloved Son, with him I am pleased.”

In each case, the holiness and mystery of God is made clear.  So how can we ever dream that might encounter him and grow in him?  On each occasion a man meets God, on behalf of others.  Moses has brought the elders of Israel as high up the mountain as they can dare to come.  Now he must go on alone.  During the 40 days he will receive the two tablets of the law engraved on stone, and ultimately his face will start to shine as he is changed from glory into glory.  Because Moses can meet God, ultimately all the people of Israel can safely encounter God, albeit though an elaborate system of ritual and sacrifice, that is laid out for us in Exodus and Leviticus.

And Jesus is revealed to be the new Moses.  He is the Father’s pure radiance, the divine presence here on earth.  The context is again one of hardship and difficulty.  Jesus has just been speaking of the opposition he has been encountering from the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and has just astounded his disciples by saying that he will be betrayed into the hands of his enemies, killed and that he will rise again on the third day.  Here on the mountain top he is speaking to Moses and Elijah, both of whom suffered persecution.  Luke, in his version, mentions that Jesus is talking about his own exodus, his departure from this life.

And the three disciples are part of it.  They do not understand it all. They are far from perfect.  But Peter’s report is that his life was changed as he found himself in the presence of the divine.  He has a reason to get up each morning.  He has a strong power pushing him to want to have the same character as Jesus.

And we learn powerful lessons as we seek to be a growing community of faith that is open for all.

We need to be a welcoming people.  Jesus could have gone up on the mountain alone.  But he chose to share the experience with his disciples, who in turn have shared it with us.  It is remarkably hard to be a Christian on your own; you are not designed for it.  Jesus gathered his disciples into a group, and it seems plain to me from scripture that he is still doing this.  I talked to someone recently about their bad foot.  But how had they managed to walk all the way around Virginia Water?  “Oh that was easy.  We were in a group and as we chatted the walk just happened.”  For whatever reason, it is not automatic for everyone just to easily follow Jesus; we need to be a welcoming, encouraging, facilitating, going the second mile, cake making, group attending people, who help others to join us as we go up the mountain together.

We need to be people who are followers of Jesus.  Peter, James and John might have said “Thanks for the invitation, but it is not convenient right now.”  Or perhaps “but I am not worthy to join you on the mountain; let’s wait till I am in the right frame of mind”.  But Jesus called them, and they went.  Every one of us who has been baptised is by definition a follower of Jesus.  We may feel ourselves to be fallible people who are always getting things wrong; that is, however, the necessary qualification to be a follower of Jesus.  This is where joining one of the two courses on offer this Lent may be just the best thing that you can do.  They each have a different approach but they will enable you to take real steps forward in getting to know Jesus.  They will help those who wish to be baptised or confirmed, and those who want to revisit their baptismal promises and see how to live them out in everyday life.  As part of our Easter worship we are planning a Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows.

We need to be people who are learning to pray.  It is tempting to think that once we have sorted various things out in our lives and got ourselves on an even keel, once the problems are dealt with and we are feeling better, then we will be clear to worship and pray to God as he is worth it.  The truth is, however, that Jesus took his disciples up onto the mountain while in the midst of considerable turmoil, and with more waiting for him afterwards.  Moses would come down from his 40 days to face the crisis of the golden calf.  We are learning to glory in God’s glory, but also in the tribulations that we encounter day by day.  We learn to pray on our own and in groups and in the whole congregation here.  We praise God in our triumphs and in our disasters, and we learn to pray though them all.

We are a people who communicate God’s love to all around us.  Peter saw in Jesus a direct line back to the Old Testament prophets who made God’s love known, and he himself continued that line in his preaching and his writing.  If he had lived today, would Peter have Facebooked, tweeted, blogged, YouTubed and also written articles for The Magazine?  I suspect that he would have.

Today we are launching our Mission Action Plan.  It is the start of a process that will continue, of choosing actions that bring us closer to God, and make it easier for others to join us in following Jesus.  I trust that you will be blessed as you join us in going up the mountain with Jesus this Lent.

Sunday 16 February 2014, Matthew 5:21-37, Bruce

Moses came down from the mountain and said: the good news is that there are only ten commandments, the bad news is that adultery is still in!

Jesus is on the mountainside, and he is teaching the people.  As Robert reminded us last week, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets.  Rather, he has looked at the over the top efforts of the Pharisees to keep every regulation and has ruled them out.  We will have to do better than that.  Unless our righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, we will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.  We need to be so immersed, so baptised, into God and his kingdom that we find ourselves instinctively living his way.

Jesus gives examples of three of the commandments, and how they apply to us.

First, we are not to murder.  But this means more than refraining from pulling the trigger or sticking in the knife.  If angry and scornful thoughts come from within us, we are on a downhill slope that will lead us in the same direction as murder.  At funerals we say “He did not suffer fools gladly”.  This means he was proud, arrogant, and not so far from being a murderer in God’s sight.  If we suspect that someone has something against us, Jesus says that we are to take the initiative in putting things right.  The NIV says that we should “settle matters quickly” with our adversary on the way to court, but the Greek word really means something like “be well disposed to” or “be on friendly terms with” our opponent.  Be positive in your love and goodwill.

Second – adultery.  Again, Jesus goes way beyond the letter of the law.  You are not keeping this commandment merely by avoiding going to bed with someone who is not your spouse, if instead you are having sinful thoughts about them.  This is not necessarily about young men going phooaah!  (like Sid James in a Carry On film) This strays over into the tenth commandment – to look at someone with desire, to want to possess them, to regard them almost as an object to meet our needs.  We can all do this.  How often to hear someone say “Oh so and so, she’s good value!”?  God’s agape love reaches out to each of us out of his grace, as Sarah reminded us a few weeks ago; we on the other hand tend to value others for what they can do for us.  It’s all about relationships.

We cannot escape from the fact that Jesus holds us to high standards in the area of sexual ethics.  We must take this very seriously.  Yes, Jesus says, the custom had arisen of permitting divorce.  But Jesus also says that the only ground for divorce is if the other party has been unfaithful.  The Message offers a helpful translation:  "If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity)."

But then note that the Greek word Jesus uses does not naturally mean divorced, but actually means "freed" or "released."  It is interesting that Jesus used this word here -- if you marry one who is freed, you commit adultery.  It is also interesting that the woman is not seen here as the one committing adultery.  I find it powerful that the word for divorced is "freed."  Many divorced people might find a glimmer of comfort in this!

The main point is that divorce is about the breaking of a relationship and Jesus is all about healing and reconciliation.

Third: oaths and truth telling.  It is not simply about what we say but about what we do.  Our actions should justify our truthfulness.  If we live a truthful life- then there is no need for oaths.  The message seems to be that we should not try and bend the rules or find loopholes in the commandments.  Rather, if we seek God’s kingdom and righteousness (6:33), we will find ourselves walking in his ways.

The snippet that we have been looking at this morning has not been easy.  We read it as part of the greater whole, the Beautiful Attitudes from the beginning of the chapter.  So we come to see that the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers, these are the ones who will act positively with gentleness, with purity and with truth.

Discussion Starters

• Is the Communion table a place for the reconciled to come or a place to become reconciled?
• How does the church become a place of reconciliation?
• How to we hold people accountable to their oaths while at the same time allowing for grace when the oaths are broken?
• If we take these words too literally- then don’t we fall into the same legalistic trap as the Pharisees? What is the Spirit of Jesus words? (Reconciliation and right relationship?)

9th FEBRUARY 2014. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE RIGHTEOUS? ROBERT.

Isaiah 58 : 1 – 9a            1 Corinthians 2 : 1 – 12        Matthew 5 : 13 – 20

“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” That sounds like a formidable challenge from Jesus – and so I’ve given this sermon the title: ‘What does it mean to be righteous?’

Jesus says that you have to be righteous in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.      I am going to assume that it is the ambition of each one of here this morning to enter the kingdom of heaven – that blessed realm where God dwells and reigns in glory; and for whose coming we express our longing every time we say the Lord’s Prayer – ‘Thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ Whatever else may be commanding my attention from moment to moment, deep in my heart I know I want above all else to be part of God’s kingdom. I hope it’s the same for you. As I may well have said before to many of you, I remember so well visiting a man who was dying, and indeed was ready to die, and he said to me: “I am so much looking forward to seeing God.” Search your soul and somewhere I believe in all people there is that deep-seated longing, whether recognised or not.

Here, Jesus tells us quite explicitly that – if we want to enter God’s kingdom – then our righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

Now we know from the Gospels that no-one could have been more meticulous in keeping the letter of God’s Law as set out in the Old Testament than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. And Jesus has just said that he has not come to abolish that Law but to fulfil it, and that anyone who breaks even the least of those laws is effectively endangering his chances of being part of God’s Kingdom. It’s clear that we have to do better than these expert law keepers, who know the Old Testament Laws with all their multiple rules and regulations, inside out.  It sounds like a ‘tough call’ doesn’t it?

But wait a minute....don’t we seem to remember that Jesus himself was constantly being criticised by those Pharisees for breaking the law? He healed people on the Sabbath, and that was apparently against the law, because it was ‘work’ and the Sabbath Day must be kept free of any kind of work. It was the same when Jesus’ disciples were observed eating food without first performing ceremonial hand-washing, and plucking ears of corn on the Sabbath, and then being strongly defended by Jesus.  What, then, can Jesus mean?

There can be no better explanation than we find in our reading today from Isaiah Chapter 58, where God’s anger boils over at those who keep the outward letter of the law, while their lifestyle shows that they are wilfully ignoring its intentions. See verses 3 – 5.

It becomes even  clearer what God means by keeping his commandments in the following verses 6 and 7....Jesus has expressed this active and practical lifestyle that pleases God in the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount from which today’s Gospel comes - (the first 12 verses of Matthew chapter 5)...Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled; blessed are the merciful; blessed are the peacemakers....

Jesus taught us that all the commandments can be summed up in two great commands: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and soul and strength’. And ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’.

Now we need here to note that Jesus is not saying that outward observance is wrong in itself. Indeed – rightly understood - it is health-giving. For example we have been given what we call the ‘means of grace’ – scripture, prayer, sacrament, gathering together for mutual support, encouragement and challenge as we come to church and join in small groups. Making every use of the facilities God has given us is our duty, it is our joy, it is our health – the spiritual equivalent of eating, sleeping and exercise. There is nothing wrong with dutiful obedience, even when we don’t feel like it. It sustains our spiritual lives, helps us to grow in faith and maturity, and maintains godly discipline. BUT the outward and necessary discipline must be matched by the inward intention and moral imperative.

In other words, it must be accompanied by a lifestyle that matches our words and our religious profession. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”. (1 Samuel 16:7).

We can come at it from another angle when we think about Jesus’ teaching in Mark 7:15. “Nothing outside a man can make him unclean by going into him. Rather it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. And he goes on in verse 21: “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’.

So the basic commandments stand, as Jesus says – he has not come to abolish them. But – as the passage that follows shows very clearly – they are not simply rituals to be gone through by rote, let alone (as with the Pharisees) according to hundreds of ridiculously detailed instructions. The commandments embody a whole (and indeed holistic) way of life that fills everything we are, and think and do and say. God is looking at your heart, not at the minutiae of the way you pray or read your Bible or any special actions you perform as you come to Holy Communion.

The next point in this Gospel reading that we need to pay attention to is that Jesus tells us that he has come to fulfil the law. In him we see God himself acting out the perfect life and bringing all the commandments to fulfilment. If we want to know what it means to live according to God’s commandments, we must look at the life of Jesus. And that means to live life as it is meant to be lived. To live life to the full and most satisfying. All of God’s creative purpose is exemplified in Jesus who fulfils everything that God and we most desire.

But, of course, for us that immediately throws up a massive problem. However hard we try, we simply cannot live up to that standard. So - does that mean exclusion from God’s Kingdom? To answer that we have to look again that this word ‘righteousness’. What does us mean for us to achieve ‘righteousness’?

It seems that the Pharisees – in all their meticulous attempts to keep the letter of God’s Law and so achieve righteousness – had forgotten the forefather to whom they all looked back – Abraham. In Genesis chapter 15: 6 they would have read: “Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord credited to him as righteousness.”

The righteousness of which Jesus is speaking means a right relationship with God. And for that, Jesus in the way, the truth and the life. Of course we are not able to live up to God’s perfect law. But Jesus died on the cross to win forgiveness for all our shortcomings and sins, and so bring us into a new relationship with God as his beloved children. We achieve a greater righteousness than the Pharisees and teachers of the law – not by trying harder – but (like Abraham) through our faith.

We place our trust in Jesus and It is his righteousness which clothes us and gives us a right relationship with God.

Once we have grasped this wonderful – fundamental -  truth that lies at the very heart of the Christian faith, two things follow:

First,  we are empowered to live good lives, not in order to win our way into God’s Kingdom, but as a joyful response to a salvation already ours as a free gift. We are no longer trying to impress God – a ridiculous idea if ever there was one. Rather, we know we are accepted through faith in Jesus, now his beloved children, living by grace, and our lives are our response to what -  in his love - he has done for is in Jesus.

Second, we are empowered to fulfil the earlier part of today’s Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount, and become the salt of the earth and light to the world. We become people who – in the power of the Holy Spirit – can now make a difference.

As we come to Communion this morning, let us, first of all, rejoice that we are members of the Kingdom of heaven, not by trying harder and harder like the Pharisees in a hopeless task, but through personal faith in Jesus Christ, his cross and his resurrection. And, second, let us pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and his guidance, as to how we can now become salt and light in a world where there is so much decay and darkness.  You may think you have little to offer. Actually, it’s very exciting, fulfilling and indeed astonishing, to discover what you can do in the power of God and through faith in Jesus. Over many years in church life I have been just thrilled to see so many people who thought they had nothing much to offer, step into roles they would never have imagined, and discover a whole new life, just because they had put their trust in Christ, and listened to the call of the Holy Spirit. Your life-giving righteousness will far exceed the legalistic attempts of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, and you will be fulfilled beyond anything they might have dreamt of. Step out in faith – and - Prepare to be amazed!

Discussion Starters

1.What does it mean to be more righteous than the Pharisees and teachers of the law?

2.What does it mean to be salt and light to the world? Practically, how can we do this?                                                                         

Sunday 26 January 2014, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, Sarah

I’d like to look take a closer look at Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that we heard in our second reading today.

Paul called to be an apostle of Christ.

Paul, formerly, Saul, of Tarsus, which today is southern Turkey came from a wealthy family and was a Roman citizen. He was educated in Jerusalem by a renowned Jewish teacher by the name of Gamaliel and was a well-respected member of his community.  Acts 26:5 tells us he was also a Pharisee.

Paul was infamous for hunting out and imprisoning and even killing followers of The Way, the early Christians. He was an avid follower of Jewish Law and was set on destroying anyone or any movement that didn’t follow it too.  Acts 7:58 provides clear evidence of this, when he actively encourages the stoning of Stephen.

In short, he was a devoted believer in God and he saw Jesus and his followers as upstarts and trouble makers, leading people away from the righteous path of God, and they needed to be stopped.

So why did Jesus choose him. Would you choose one of your biggest enemies to promote you and your story?  Can you imagine someone really hated you, didn’t believe in you, actively working against you, running your campaign of spreading the ‘good news about you’ or bringing in new business? Wouldn’t work would it, they would probably do the opposite, try to destroy you or reap havoc!

But actually, in the case of Paul, he was so infamous with his hate for Jesus and his followers, that his sudden conversion and subsequent fervent following of Christ would quickly spread throughout the nation, giving the message that, This Jesus, This Way … … there must be something more in it.

He chose Paul because he worked so hard for God and put all his efforts into his beliefs and no one compared to him.  Paul was able to communicate with Kings and could speak with confidence.

As Peter was the rock of the early church, Paul would be the shepherd of the gentiles.

Paul was perfect for the job!

Paul had the skills, the knowledge and the enthusiasm to lead the Gentiles, the non-Jewish, to Christ. 

His thirst for God and The Law were exactly the qualifications Jesus needed to spread the news to all the world, that Jesus was the living God … … resurrected. His conversion complete, Paul now knew his destiny. 

So why did Paul visit and write to Corinth and why did he write to them twice. Where they special?

Yes Corinth was special because it was five times larger than Athens and was one of the richest ports and largest cities in ancient Greece.  It was ideally located, and was a well-known commercial centre, adjacent to two thriving seaports.  It also had its downsides.  It was a place where prostitutes were openly used alongwith other sinful  activities, but the advantages outweighed the disadvantages for Paul.

The city was young, open to change and not stuck in tradition. It was inhabited by various individuals with no particular religious followings. 

A perfect and most influential place for Paul to preach the gospel of Christ and to plant a new Church.

We read that Paul always thanks God for the Church at Corinth because of the grace given to them in Christ Jesus. 

As I mentioned earlier, Corinth was a place filled with sexual immorality and was full of sin.

Things were going wrong, the Church was becoming divided with differences of opinion, about who was following who. Serious problems had arisen … … …

Yet Paul always thanks God because of the grace given to them in Christ Jesus! 

Don’t know about you, but there doesn’t seem to be a great deal to be celebrating here or much to be thanking God for. 

Chaos and even some disbelief was occurring within Paul’s newly formed church in Corinth.  Divisions and arguments were becoming so common place,  that the residents of Chloe’s household felt they needed to write and ask Paul for help.

When the news reaches Paul about these divisions within the Church, he doesn’t rebuke the Corinthians, quite the opposite, he reminds them that God loves them, God is faithful and the church can place all their faithfulness in God, which in turn will secure the future of their church and make them strong.

God has blessed and enriched the Corinthians in every way through the grace of Jesus.  They lack no spiritual gift and they are to eagerly wait for the return of Jesus.  God will keep them strong to the end because they are called into fellowship with his Son.

This sounds like praise rather than a good telling off doesn’t it ... 

So ... there are divisions within the church, arguments and not much unity and Paul thanks God!!!

Remember what Karen Kendall said last week, when the Church is divided and full of arguments, those outside the Church don’t see Jesus, they just see Church, making Christianity very unattractive.

I remember one night at the vicarage, having a very heated debate with Bruce a few years ago, where I was so fired up I don’t think he got a word in ‘edge ways’.  He patiently waited for me to take a breath, then seized his chance and asked me;

‘Sarah, where is Jesus in all this’ it stopped me in my tracks for a moment, before replying I don’t know … and I continued for another 20 minutes and once again he waited patiently for a gap to speak and he repeated the same question;

‘Sarah, where is Jesus in all this’? to which I replied;

‘What’s he got to do with it’ … … … …

I remember driving home that night, thinking, he didn’t listen to a word I said. He was listening, but he was focussed on bringing  my thoughts back to Jesus.

I had fallen away from Jesus, I was focussed on my own interests and  had lost my way, just as the Corinthians had. 

The question; Where is Jesus in all this; has served me well and will continue to serve and remind me that my life is about Jesus, about His will, not mine.

Paul urges the Corinthians to put aside their differences and to be united and in one mind with Christ.

He reminded them they are blessed with God’s Grace;

But what is Grace and did the Corinthians understand it – I doubt it.

Grace is divine favour from God, that we cannot earn nor do we deserve, but is available to each and every one of us. (Read twice).

Grace cannot be earned through good deeds, but by Faith and obedience to the Gospel.

Salvation is given to us only by grace. It is impossible for us to obtain a perfect righteousness by our own faith or our own good works. This is why God gives us salvation by grace - its a gift.

Grace and works are exact opposites. Rewards come with the practice of works, but mercy comes through receiving grace. In the Bible, salvation is always and exclusively by grace.

When you really understand this, you have truly grasped the meaning of Faith, giving you access to Grace, the two cannot be separated. 

But we CAN ‘fall from Grace’ if we let our faith diminish, just like the Corinthians did.  Paul is reminding them of this.

To fall away from Grace is to be severed from Jesus.

Remember, it is through our true belief and personal relationship in Jesus, through our faith, that we will unlock the secret of Grace, which will lead us to eternal life.

It sounds like the end is nigh when we here it; ‘oh he’s fallen from Grace’ … … The truth is, we fall from Grace on a regular basis, which is why we need to confess our sins and use our Faith to rekindle our relationship with Jesus, to enjoy God’s Grace.

So Paul is thanking God for continuing to believe in the Corinthians by his Grace … … (God still has Faith in them) and Paul urges them to return to their Faith because God has called them into fellowship with his son. 

Even Paul, who, was not just a sinner, but an opposer of Jesus, was saved by the wonderful gift of Grace.

So God believes in us all, but do we all really believe in him?  Have you gained access to Grace by your Faith, or have you fallen away?

Are we busy doing good deeds hoping to gain favour with those around us and not really focussing on Jesus?

Next time you fall out with someone, in the choir, over the flower arrangements, making the coffee or disagreeing with the Vicar, or whose turn is it to do something;

Ask yourself; Where is Jesus in all this?

AMEN

Questions for discussion:

1.      Do you understand the true meaning of Grace?

2.      How can you make sure that you are receiving God’s Grace?

3.      Do you believe Christians can ‘fall from Grace’, even though they are still attending Church?

4.      What message do you think we give out when we fall out and quarrel within the Church family?