Sermon notes from the past quarter

On the first Sunday of the New Year, Father John Thackray, with his characteristic light touch, urged on us the virtue of foolishness. (In the tradition of Shakespeare’s fools.) The shepherds (Luke 2) spread the word eagerly about this Bethlehem baby. We also have this responsibility, to make him known and to serve him, but also to be “prophets” in an increasingly secular environment, even if to others who align with Dawkins, we may seem like fools. Almost unnoticed at the beginning of the chapter (even omitted in a recent service John had attended) is a crucial verse, “This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was Governor of Syria”. Why crucial? Because, said John, to believe in Jesus as incarnate God is a matter of faith, but the historicity of his birth is not in doubt. It is a matter of fact. Fixed in time and place. And on the eight day he was circumcised, as a child of an observant Jewish family, signifying his dedication to the service of God. John reminded us that even if some churchmen want to “hurry the wise men up” and start the Epiphany season here, he wanted “his twelve days of Christmas” first! Quite possibly, he said, the date of Christmas may have been set at 8 days before New Year, so that this ceremony of circumcision and dedication fell importantly on that day. For us, it is “a circumcision of the heart “ that is required. And if we seem foolish even to ourselves, God may be using us without our realising it. (Read also Genesis 17 v1-10)

Revd. Andy Wilson from The Salmon Youth Centre conveyed very vividly the enormity of the task facing his fellow workers amongst young people in Bermondsey : one teenager hearing the Christmas story had asked, “Why did I never hear this before?” and “Why did Joseph and Mary choose to give their son a swear word for a name?” Andy posed the question : Where do you start? Clearly, the whole Gospel story with its revelation of the enormity of God’s love on the cross, and of his power in the resurrection. By what means could they bring to such teenagers the experience of assurance that God was a mere breath away at every moment? Their knowledge of the Gospel was just a muddled heap (like a teenager’s clothes?) and lacking any structure (coathangers) to hold on to. For Andy the three key elements in creating a structure were to do with helping towards an understanding of behaviour, (loving your neighbour), nurturing a sense of belonging in the Salmon community to develop security and responsibility, and creating opportunities for being drawn to Christian belief. Much continuous and creative thinking was required of the resident team, and much responsibility in their own relationships with each other, so that, like the sheep on the vast Australian farm, who needed no boundary fences because they had no desire to stray far from the fresh waterhole, the young people who came to the centre would find something deeply attractive and want to have a share in it.

There are two obvious questions which people might well ask about the famous biblical account of Jesus’ first miracle (John 2: 1-11). First, why did he make so much more wine than the occasion demanded, and secondly why did he seem so cross with his mother? However, to our pastoral minister Revd. John Edwards these questions miss the point, summed up in verse 11: “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” His glory is revealed by his generosity. Incidentally, it seems unlikely that our Lord was truly cross with his mother, since she was encouraged by his words to instruct the servants to do whatever he told them to. Despite his undeserved reputation in some quarters as a killjoy, the exact opposite is true. Jesus was the bringer of real joy, demonstrating his love for mankind and overwhelming generosity in many of his miracles. Consider how many baskets of food were left over after he had fed the 5,000 or how many thousands of people he healed. No-one was ever turned away. Proust said that the height of intelligence is kindness, and in Christ we find the true sacrificial kindness of God personified, a God of the community, not of solitude. A God who gives of himself to all who ask, whose glory was revealed on the cross. He turned his own blood into wine to offer us life and sends us out in his name to share the wine to his glory. In our response to our fellow human beings in places like Haiti can we refuse to do the same?

Major Raymond Evans doesn’t make New Year resolutions but tries to accept the challenges which each New Year brings. He is still moved by the words of Minnie Louise Harkins spoken by King George VI in his first Christmas broadcast: ‘I said to the man w ho stood at the gate of the year “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown”. And he replied, “Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!”’God has always offered an ongoing personal relationship in his promises to men and women of faith down the ages, perhaps summed up in the 28^th chapter of Matthew’s gospel ‘I am with you always’. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. More than that, we are invited to share in his divine nature – the ultimate in relationships. Our response to this must surely be to say ‘WOW’ (Wonder of Wonders!) and to do our part in serving him and tell others of this wonderful news.

Revd. Richard Wyber gave us some insights into the themes of Candlemas, one of the ancient feasts of the Church, celebrated 40 days after Christ’s birth. In some churches it is a time to bless all the candles that will be used during the year, making it clearly a festival of light. But it also has specific scriptural themes, focussing on the purification of Mary and the encounters with Simeon and Anna in the Temple . (read Luke ch.2 v22-40) It is striking that it is only Luke – “the gospel writer for the Gentiles” – who details so emphatically that Jesus is the son of parents who observe to the full the requirements of the Jewish law. Simeon and Anna “could have walked straight out of the Hebrew scriptures” : Simeon’s words recall those of Jacob on being reunited with Joseph (Gen 46 v 30. I have seen your face and now I am ready to die). And so much of this passage in Luke harks back to Isaiah’s great theme of the consolation of Israel . So there is joy here but also foreboding about this “sign that Men will reject”, this “rising and falling” that Jesus will precipitate, this pain that Mary will have to bear. Essentially then, Candlemas marks a turning point, looking back to Christ’s birth but looking forward also to his passion and death.

February 7^th

FANFARE TO THE COMMON MAN

Revd Alwyn Knight, who leaves for Palestine again shortly in his role as a Christian Peacekeeper, confronted the question people all ask him: “Is there any hope of peace?” Alwyn admitted to being pessimistic regarding any progress instituted by leaders of the nations using conventional channels. The only real hope he saw was in the grass roots movements by Israelis and Palestinians alike to “jump the gun” and to insist on actively forgiving and being reconciled with each other. Ordinary people yes, but in the circumstances extraordinary. An Israeli soldier taking parties to see at first hand the treatment of Palestinians by settlers. “Breaking the Silence”. The bereaved on both sides, refusing to seek vengeance. A head teacher choosing to teach in a school requiring daily travel through checkpoints. The Palestinain family man having to access his home through the back door because settlers have piled rubbish right across the front. Many more. Alwyn celebrated the courage and real peacemaking of these people, drawing our attention to a passage in Ecclesiasticus, in Alan Dale’s translation, listing just the kind of trades he had seen in Hebron : “They hold the world in their hands and their worship is in their work.” (Chapter 38 v 39) Read also Paul’s take on this in I Corinthians chapter 1 and verses 18-28. "It was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning".

February 14^th

ALL WE NEED IS LOVE

In today’s culture, love has been devalued into an emotion that comes and goes. Revd Martin Davies asked how we can reinvest it with its proper meaning. Love that simply feels and does nothing is useless; as Christians we are called to put God’s love, expressed so famously in John 3. vs. 16, into action. Perhaps substituting the word “care” makes the point clearer. True love is so much more than the sum of its parts – it is all the things described in 1. Corinthians 13; unconditional, faithful, unlimited, multifaceted. CS Lewis described four types of love: affection, such as we might feel for children and animals, friendship, something the church can offer and without which many are lonely, romantic love and Christian love, charity or ‘agape’. This last form of love embraces the other three and invests them with all that Christ’s “new commandment” has to offer. It expresses itself formally in social justice which is not cold or dispassionate, helps us to show affection and friendship to others and gives romantic love a new dimension, with Christ as the bridegroom and the church as his bride.

February 21st

FACING UP TO THE DEVIL

Revd John Edwards pointed out that the only possible source of the account of Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness must be our Lord himself. Following his baptism by John in the Jordan, Christ was now fully aware of his new calling and of his power to perform miracles. The temptation to use this power in ways contrary to the wishes of his father must have been very real. The possibility of turning stones into bread would not only have satisfied his own hunger but could have met the people’s material needs. The thought of becoming an incorruptible political Saviour would also have provided real power to meet the material needs of the nation. In suggesting that Christ throws himself from the pinnacle of the temple “if” he is the Son of God the devil tries to sow doubts into our Lord’s mind about his true divinity. We all have doubts, and the devil tries to plant more, but that must not hinder our mission to reach out to those around us with the good news that Christ, though aware of his divine nature, refused to forfeit his humanity until it was taken from him on the cross.

February 28^th

THE WORLD, THE FLESH and THE DEVIL

Canon Rodney Matthews saw the temptations of Christ in terms of the robust wording of the old prayer books. He regarded the simple promise “I renounce evil” as far less challenging. The “world” is a place of all kinds of conflicting views and cultures and changing morals but we need to keep hold of the truths we have inherited. The flesh is constantly ready with the next temptation, whether it’s indulgence in food, drink, drugs, etc. The devil some people might say is “old hat” but Rodney was firmly convinced of the reality of the devil “prowling around like a roaring lion” (I Peter). Jesus was sorely tempted to use bad means to achieve good ends, the most insidious temptation. Rodney concluded with the image of Jesus (Eph 1v20) seated at the right hand of God with the devil beneath his feet. An encouragement to believers as they follow in the footsteps of this Jesus who “was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.”

Some sermon notes since January 2010