Why must I suffer?

 Take up your cross  Mark 8: 31-end.

I have news! Last night, I had a vision! The Lord God Almighty spoke to me from the heavens. He said to me..."Rector", he said, "Rector - I have good news for you! I want to shower you and your congregation with abundant blessings. (Praise the Lord!) I am going to make yours a church of millionaires!  You are going to become so wealthy, so full of miracles, so full of powerful acts of God that the whole of Hampshire will flock to your doors!”

But then God said “For this vision to come to pass, your congregation has show that they trust me.  All they have to do is sign over the deeds to their houses to the church.  Then I will know that they trust me. Then I will bless them with riches from heaven. Then they will become millionaires, and all their problems will disappear". (Praise the Lord!)

                 So, my brothers and sisters, our Treasurer, Sister Sheena, will be standing by, at the ready, with forms for you to sign. Just sign over the deeds of your house to the church, and the Lord God Almighty, in the glorious name of Jesus, will give you your heart's desire! You want a Rolls Royce?  It’s yours in the name of Jesus!  You want a yacht?  Then claim it in the name of Jesus.  A-men, brothers and sisters. A-men!

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                 It's a bit frightening to think that there really are churches like that in the world.  They feed on people's misery. They sell the idea that God’s desire is to lift you up out of poverty, and to shower you with blessings.  Which, weirdly, actually IS God’s desire – but its God’s desire for ALL humanity, not just those who put their trust in God.  Charlatan churches and charlatan preachers have subtly warped God’s declared mission for the world.  They have warped that message into a personal religious formula.  They mis-quote and mis-use the Biblical text to their own warped ends.  They take a phrase of Jesus, like “ask and it shall be given unto you” as an invitation to ask for material things from God, instead of spiritual gifts.  They promise their followers than every dollar given to the church will be repaid by God up to to 10 times over!  And they trick their followers into making their preachers wealthy instead.  Hmmm…perhaps I’m in the wrong branch of the church?!

According to today’s Gospel text, such preachers are not the first to have got the wrong end of the stick. This text comes at a pivotal point in Mark's gospel. Up until this chapter, which comes right in the middle of the gospel, Jesus has been doing all sorts of amazing things. He’s been driving out evil spirits, healing and feeding multitudes; he’s even walked on water, and been transfigured by shining light on the mountain-top, in the company of Elijah and Moses. But now, in this passage, the whole trajectory of Jesus' life and ministry turns...it pivots, towards Jerusalem, and to the incomprehensible scandal of the Cross.

Verse 31: "He began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected...and be killed".(Mk 8:31). You can just imagine Peter's reaction can't you? Jesus has obviously gone nuts.  So Peter rebukes him. Matthew's gospel gives us the words that Mark doesn't record: "Never, Lord" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" (Matt 16:22)

But Jesus is adamant. He tells Peter off with really startling words: "Get behind me, Satan!" Pretty stern stuff.  And then Jesus goes on, in verse 33: "You are setting your mind not on divine things, but on human things". In other words, "You are thinking like a man, but by now you should be starting to think as God thinks...to see things from God's perspective".

Anyone confronted with the idea of suffering might well react as Peter reacts. And yet, somehow, for reasons we might only guess at, suffering is an essential part of God's plan for humanity.  It's there. It was there for Jesus, who suffered on the cross.  Suffering, somehow, is a necessary, even essential part of the plan.  It’s not a popular message.  I doubt I’ll ever get rich by preaching it!

But it is precisely what we are confronted with in this text. Jesus had to suffer...it was part of the divine plan.  But Jesus says that suffering is part of the package for us too..."anyone who wants to follow me must deny himself, and take up his cross". (Mark 8:34)

But what did Jesus mean?  I once had a parishioner who had become very frail – let’s call her Lucy.   Lucy had spent all her life serving others through the church.  She had truly denied herself for others.  And yet, Lucy now found herself frail, bed-bound, and unable to serve others anymore. She even had to rely on others to help her to the bathroom.

Lucy’s body was failing her.  But her mind was as sharp as a razor.  She said something very profound to me.  She said "perhaps God is teaching me that there was still a bit of pride in me.  I’m learning that I need to let others serve me for a change. Perhaps I'm learning that in the end, we all must rely on God, and on other people.  That none of us can exist in isolation."

After a life-time of Christian faith, God was still teaching her something deep, something profound, about our need for each other, and for God.  There was, for Lucy at least, a purpose in her suffering.  She learned to gladly take up her cross, for what it would teach her and others.

Jesus own suffering clearly had purpose too. St Paul - and other great thinkers of the Church – all spent time trying to work out what that purpose was.  All that Mark says on the subject is that Jesus taught "that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering" (Mark 8:31).  Mark gives us no hint about why.  We continue to grapple with why Jesus had to suffer...just as we grapple with the reasons for our own suffering, or the suffering of martyrs across the centuries, and even now in other lands. 

Perhaps (and this is just a theory, like all the others) it was because only real suffering would have the power to draw all people to the Christ.  For three years, Jesus taught, and healed and fed multitudes and walked on water – but few people took much notice.  The Roman and Religious authorities, and the majority of the people did not change their behaviour or beliefs by one iota.  It was, perhaps, only by his willingness to suffer for his message that the world finally took notice. 

We continue to grapple - but we also continue to trust...that denying self, and taking up our own cross - participating in our own suffering and the suffering of the world is an essential, central message that is right at the heart of the Gospel.

May you come to know the power of God that is often revealed in suffering. May you come to know the power of denying self, and taking up the cross that is offered to you.  May you come to know that God's power is so often revealed in and through weakness - our own weakness, as well as the weakness of those we encounter.   And it’s alright…you don’t have to sign over the deeds of your house to Sister Sheena!  Amen.

Sex and Seduction

 The beheading of John the Baptiser

One Friday night, at choir practice, I happened to mention that I was going to be preaching about sex on Sunday.  One of the choir, who shall remain nameless, immediately responded "Oh No! I've been doing that all day!". After everyone had a good laugh, and the lady in question had a wonderful blush, she explained that what she meant was that the children at her school had been doing 'Personal and Social Development' all day - and that they had been learning about sex!

The story of the beheading of John the Baptist is one of the more gruesome stories in the Bible; gruesome not just because of the hideous notion of presenting a man's head on a platter - but, I think, even more so because of what it says about the power of seduction, and the allure of sex. 

Well, it certainly worked on Herod.  He paid no attention to the fact that the dancing girl was his niece and step-daughter. What he saw was an alluring young woman.  You can imagine him sighing and mooning over the girl. At the end of her dance, captivated by her beauty, and letting his guard down for a moment, he said, "Ask me for whatever you want, and I'll give it to you”

That was it - the girl rushed back to her mother who seems to have been a rather manipulative sort of person. She saw her chance to rid herself of the prophet, John, who had been a thorn in her side for a long time – especially condemning her marriage to her brother-in-law. "Ask him for the head of John the Baptist", she said.

And so, because he couldn't go back on his royal word in front of his guests, Herod reluctantly ordered John to be executed.  Herod had weakened. The power of the sexual urge is very strong. Throughout history, great men have often been brought down by it. Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Delilah. The ancient myths are laden with men who have gone to their deaths for beautiful women. Sex-starved sailors have often been lured to rocks because of the mere possibility of glimpsing a mermaid.

In our own time, marketing professionals know the power of seduction. We've all seen the perfume adverts, and the car commercials. At the darker end of seduction, some people get drawn into obsessions with sex...they give into their primal urges at all sorts of levels - from pornography, all the way down to the great evil of paedophilia.

We might well ask what this is all about. How has this sexual urge within us come to be so fundamental to us? Why is it so strong? If our picture of God is of one who designs the world with intricate care, what (we might wonder) is God doing when he makes us to be such powerfully sexual people?

Our sexuality is a gift from God, that enables us to connect with other people. When two people are in love, we are not at all surprised when one of them is able to sense at a deep level how the other is feeling.  But that ability to have compassion for others isn't just something which manifests itself in a couple’s relationship.  It is something that is in us all - waiting to be fanned into desire for one particular person, but always there, subliminally, in the way in which we feel, and love, and care for all people.

But, like all of God's gifts, our sexuality needs to be carefully and properly managed. Instead of being a force for love, care, compassion and commitment to others, it can be twisted into a morbid, self-satisfying desire for personal gratification. The Bible teaches us that we find our fullest expression of our humanity through loving God, and loving our neighbour. But when we start to seek our own gratification first - we get out of balance.  

Of course it isn't only sex that can seduce us. The world is full of many seductive temptations. We can be seduced into believing that wealth will make us happy, or that a new set of clothes, or that new car, will fullfil our deepest desire – even though we know, in our heads, that today’s precious purchase is tomorrow’s charity shop donation.  How can we stay in balance when so dances of the seven veils are being danced around us?

Jesus gave us a piece of advice that may can guide us. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). You see, the way we choose to spend our money, or our time, says a great deal about which seductions we have given in to.

Let's try a little exercise together. Let me invite you to think about what you spend your spare money on, after all the essential stuff. Then, ask yourself "what is the largest single expenditure that I make from my disposable income?".

Just think about that for a moment. What do you spend your spare cash on?  Is it life-affirming? Does it reflect your (and my) calling to be people who love God and love our neighbour? 

How does the amount you spend on that one item...or one luxury... compare to the amount of money you give to relieve poverty or sickness? Or for the work of God in this church?  "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

You can, of course, do precisely the same exercise with your time. We all have at least some spare time.  How much of it is used up doing things that are life-affirming and love-sharing?  And how much in things that we have been seduced into doing by marketing managers and television producers? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Please don't misunderstand me. I don't want you to leave here today feeling miserable and guilt-ridden! I simply want to invite us all, in the light of the story of Herodias' daughter, to become alert to the question "what am I seduced by?"  There are very few of us who are not, at one time or another, seduced by something.

Our task as people who are striving to be more like our creator is to recognises what seduces us...and then to learn from the story of Herod.  We are invited by Jesus to lay aside whatever our personal seduction may be, before it consumes us or leads us into real difficulty - as it did for Herod. Our task is to re-distribute our time, and our money, into spending and tasks that are life-affirming, and life-enhancing.  For where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.  Amen.

The Armour of God - the teachings of Jesus

 Readings:  Ephesians 6.10-20 (The Armour of God) & John 6.56-69 (The Words of Eternal Life).

As Bishop John reminded us, last week, today is the last time we will encounter John chapter six, for some time.  Next week, we return to Mark, who will be our guide during most of the time up until Advent.  I hope that over the last few weeks, you’ve gained some insight into John 6 – it’s a crucial chapter, especially in terms of understanding this service, this Holy Communion, or Eucharist – this ‘main event’ of the church’s week.  Rev’d Judy, Bishop John and I have tried to unpack it all for you, over the last three weeks.  I hope you’ve found it useful to hear our complementary perspectives, with our sometimes different emphases.

Today, we hear of how some of Jesus’ own disciples began to grumble about his teaching on eating his flesh and drinking his blood.  As Bishop John reminded us last week, this should not surprise us.  The drinking of blood was expressly forbidden by the Laws of Moses – and although Jesus was obviously speaking metaphorically, the text tells us that ‘when many of his disciples heard it, they said “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?”’ A little later, the text says ‘because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him’.  These were members of the wider company of disciples – not the Twelve.  They were the ones who had witnessed Jesus’ great signs (as John calls them) like turning water into wine, and indeed the feeding of the 5000 men. 

Which, I think, is a cautionary tale to those who believe that performing signs and wonders are the key to recruiting new members to the church.  I’m sure we’ve all seen those promotions for healing crusades, with the promise of great miracles, speaking in tongues and all the rest.  Those who centre their ministry on such things labour under the false impression that if you can wow the crowd with super-natural tricks, and hyped-up emotion, you will bring new people into the Kingdom.  You may indeed bring along thousands of interested people, who are longing for some tangible sense of the Divine.  Healing crusades, as well as ‘holy sites’ like Lourdes, Fatima, and dare I say even lovely Walsingham, have long traded on being places where God might be somehow more tangible than in our own church, or our own front room.

But, as John 6 tells us, a faith that is built on following miracles, or visiting places of historic miracles, is likely to come under severe pressure when reality kicks in.  It is Simon Peter who leads us to the reality of the situation around Jesus, when asks him “Do you also wish to go away?”.  Simon replies “Lord, to whom can we go?  You have the words of eternal life!”

Simon sees what all those wider disciples could not.  He saw that following Jesus was not about following the miracle-worker – but about the hard graft of walking on what Jesus himself calls The Narrow Way to eternal life.  But what about Jesus own signs and wonders?  If his teaching was what really mattered, why all the miracles?  I find it helpful, personally, to think about them as Jesus being ‘unable to help himself’.  He knew that signs and wonders would not be sufficient to build deep and lasting faith into his followers.  That’s precisely why he rejected Satan’s temptations in the desert to turn stones into bread, or to launch himself off the temple roof.  But, although Jesus knew that, he just couldn’t help himself.  When he saw people in need, of food, of healing, even of being raised back to life, the Divine element of his nature just couldn’t resist.  He had to act – because he was driven by compassionate love.   

But it was not his miracles that would save the world.  It was his words, his teachings, his divine Word to the world (as John himself testifies in the introduction to his Gospel).  Simon Peter knew this – Jesus had the words of eternal life.  Peter knew that it was Jesus’ teaching he had to follow – symbolised by bread and wine, representing the blood and body of his Lord.  Feeding on Jesus means feeding on his Divine word. 

St Paul knew this too, as we saw in our first reading.  He knew that in order for the church to thrive, it had to defeat all the attacks on it which would come from the rulers of the world, and from the Great Metaphor of the Devil.  Writing from prison, as what he called ‘an ambassador in chains’ Paul encouraged his followers to focus on the teaching they had received from Jesus.  He dresses his teaching in the wonderful metaphor of the armour of God.  The belt of truth, and the breastplate of righteousness.  The shoes of the gospel, and the shield of faith (which we know, don’t we, means trust in the teachings of Jesus).  Then the helmet of salvation.  But let’s note, all these are pieces of protective armour.  Truth, righteousness, gospel, faith and salvation.  These are all core pieces of armour-plating against the evils of the world. 

But how shall we know what these things are, or what they mean?  How shall we know ‘what is truth’ as Pilate enquired?  How shall we know righteousness, faith and the true meaning of salvation?  Only by reference to the words, the teachings, of Jesus.  And this, we note, is the one piece of offensive weaponry in the armour of God.  Paul completes his metaphor of defensive armour with just one offensive weapon – ‘the sword of the Spirit – which is the word of God’. 

Because of this one chapter, and this one powerful metaphor, St Paul is often depicted holding a sword – indeed, he holds one in the south window of the chancel, here at St Faith’s.  A sword is also part of the Diocese of Portsmouth’s logo – pointing us, again, to the necessity of dwelling on, the living by, the teaching of Jesus. 

Any decent sermon should leave its hearers with a challenge.  So here’s one for us.  Let me ask you to consider how well you know the teachings of Jesus.  Other than hearing a portion of the gospel read in church on Sunday, how often do you, personally, engage with the words of eternal life flowing from his lips.  How often do you drink not just the symbol of his life-giving teaching through wine, but also drink in the life-changing wisdom of his actual words.  Maybe reading isn’t your thing – so then consider an audio-book of the Gospels.  Or check out my YouTube channel and watch my chapter-by-chapter reading of the Gospel of Luke. 

However you do it – please do it.  Soak yourself, day-by-day, in the life-giving words of eternal life of the one we call our Lord.  Amen.

What's a prophet?

 Readings: Ezekiel 36.23–28 & Matthew 22.1–14

What do you think of when I say the word prophet?  Perhaps you imagine John the Baptiser, railing in the dessert at the viper’s brood of religious leaders – dressed in sack-cloth, sticky with wild honey, and munching on a locust?

Or perhaps you think of Nostradamus, the seer of the middle ages, whose obscure prognostications seem to fit any number of modern situations.  Perhaps you think of Old Testament prophets, like Daniel, Isaiah, or Ezekiel (from whom we heard just now).  If you did, then you are at one with Jesus, this morning.

In his great parable of Matthew 22, Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven can be likened to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.  Jesus is using the metaphor of a wedding to describe the relationship which should exist between God, through Jesus, with the people of faith.  Throughout the New Testament, the church is often referred to as ‘the bride of Christ’…the symbolism is clear.  We are invited to be as united to God, in Christ, as a bride is united with her husband.  A close, loving, mutually-serving relationship.  But, says Jesus, the King of his story invited lots of wedding guests to this banquet.  These are all the people who believe themselves to be close to the wedding couple.  They are the ones who stand on the edge of faith – friendly towards it, but never quite committing fully.

To such people, the king sends his slaves, with an invitation.  For slaves, we should read ‘prophets’.  These are the people that God sends out with both an invitation and a warning to the people on the edge of faith.  Sadly, many such people will often find an excuse as to why they shouldn’t be fully committed to coming to the king’s banquet.  ‘Oh, I’ve got all these other duties to perform’, they say.  ‘I must tend to my farm, or my business.  Perhaps I’ll come along later’.

How many people do we know who are like that?  They are perhaps the kind of people for whom various leisure activities are the things they need to do on a Sunday morning, instead of taking a couple of hours to worship God and love his people together here?

Jesus tells us that such people cause the King to be enraged.  These people on the edge of the party, who never make it into the party, cause him to be furious.  I’m reminded of the prophet John, who in the book of Revelation writes to one the seven churches, saying, essentially, ‘I wish you would stop being so luke-warm!  Either be hot, or be cold – but this lukewarm religiosity of yours really irks me.  Choose!  Be either hot or cold.  But since you will not – I will spit you out of my mouth.’

The people on the edge of the banquet are not just lukewarm about the invitation – they actively attack the King’s slaves, even killing them.  These are the kind of people who attack prophets – the ones who sneer at wisdom, and tell holy people that they are idiots.  The Bible is full of such people, including those who attacked the greatest prophet of all, Jesus Christ, and nailed him to a cross.

So, what does the King do? Well, first of all, his mighty fury causes him to burn down the city of the lukewarm people on the edge of faith.  That’s a metaphor for the righteous anger that God has towards the lukewarm – just as in the book of Revelation.  It’s the kind of righteous anger displayed in the book of the prophet Micah, when God tells the people, effectively, ‘I hate all your festivals and religious observances - because they are hollow and meaningless – lukewarm faith. What I actually require of you is that you ‘do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.’

Next, he sends his prophets out to gather in the people who are not on the edge of faith – but far from it.  These are the rest of the world – the ones who never expected or even wanted to be invited to the life of faith.  These are the ones that we are called to reach too.  The ones for whom the dawning of faith will be a surprise, and a joy. 

But caution is required there too…says Jesus.  Wisdom is required to discern which of the new wedding guests are serious about coming to the banquet – and who therefore put on a wedding robe of righteousness, symbolised by the colour white.  But there’s always a risk of people coming to the feast who are not actually willing to commit – to put on the white wedding robe of true faith.  These are those people who, from time to time attach themselves to churches for their own purposes.  They might be child abusers, looking for an easy catch.  Or thieves, looking for the chance to steal a collection.  Or they might even be the senior lay person, who sits on a church committee, but who undermines every decision the church tries to make in the name of mission.  Or, the gossip, who uses the church as a place to get a thrill from sharing private information, because it gives them a sense of power.

Prophets, then, are not seers.  It is not the primary task of the prophet to look into the future – though some might attempt it, as a way of warning people of the consequences of their actions.  The prophet’s primary role is to call the lukewarm to repentence, and to true faith, and to call the outsider in.  Their role is to see the world as it is, and how it might be in the light of the Kingdom – and to look for ways to join those two ideas together.

And crucially, the prophet’s task is the task of the whole people of God.  You and I are the slaves in Jesus’ story.  We are also sent by the King to invite the lukewarm to become hot, and to draw the surprised outsider into faith.  May God grant us the strength and the vision to succeed in our task.  Amen

Responding to the Immigration Riots: You are what you eat

 Reading: John 6.35, 41-51

You are what eat – or so the saying goes.  Which if it’s true means that I am rapidly turning into a Greggs sausage roll, with a light frosting of white chocolate, hydrated by a delicious room temperature ale.

 ‘You are what you eat’ is supposed to encourage us to eat healthily, such as fruit, vegetables, something called couscous and other such things that I understand might be available to the general population.  Can’t say I’ve ever tried any.  But the idea is that if you eat healthily, your body will be healthy.  Well, my friends, I may not know much about healthy eating for the body, but I can tell you a little about healthy eating for the mind, and for the soul. 

When Jesus says that he is the bread of life – he’s inviting us to feed on his teachings, and on his wisdom.  It’s important that we understand this.  Too many Christians think that feeding on Jesus means making some kind of woo-woo spiritual connection with him, or stating their faith in certain theological statements about him.  Recently, we’ve experienced the shocking horror of people who claim to be Christians, and to be defending Christian Britain, terrorising their neighbours.

And of course, both kinds of people miss the point entirely.  Let’s look together at what Jesus himself says, from this morning’s Gospel reading (John 6.35,41-51).  Take a look at the middle of the reading, and start with the line ‘It is written in the prophets….(verse 45):

It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God”.  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.  Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life”.

Can you see what Jesus is driving at?  In answer to incredulous complaints from the Jews about his claim to be bread from heaven, Jesus points his listeners to necessity of learning from him, about God.  He reminds them of the Hebrew Bible’s promise that the people shall be taught by God…and here he is, God’s own Son, standing among them to teach them.  This is a theme taken up by other passages of Scripture, too, notably Matthew.  He records Jesus saying, “take my yoke upon you, and learn from me” (Matthew Chapter 11).  In Jesus time, students of a rabbi would take on their master’s yoke.  It was a metaphor – like being yoked to a plough, a student would yoke themselves to their Master’s teaching. 

We might then ask what does Jesus mean when he says ‘whoever believes has eternal life’?  Well, to answer that, we need to do a little Greek scholarship.  The word for ‘belief’, in Greek, is pisteuōn – which most Bible translators have rendered as ‘believe’.  But it can equally be rendered as ‘to trust’ or ‘to put one’s trust in’ someone or something.  The fact that many translators choose the word ‘belief’ says more about their own theology than it does the plain reading of the text in its context.  Jesus says this word, pisteuon, with his promise of eternal life, at the very end of his teaching about the necessity of being taught by God.  Do you get it?  Jesus is saying – learn from me, take my teachings seriously, trust in them – and you will have life that goes on for ever.  He saying, ‘I don’t want you to believe things about me – however clever the religious teachers are.  No…I want you to follow me, learn my teachings, and walk my path.

Which is why I get so frustrated – no, angry – when I see far right thugs misappropriating the word Christian either for themselves, or for their country.  Being a Christian has nothing to do with waving the flag of St George.  It certainly has nothing to do with beating up refugees, and setting fire to their hotels.  No-one who does such things has the right to use the term Christian.   

A Christian is the one who has taken the rabbi’s yoke upon their shoulders.  The Christian has heard, and learned, and applied the life-giving words of God, from the mouth of his Son.  The Christian is the one who has taken seriously the command to give away their spare tunic to the poor.  The Christian is the one who has not piled up excess wealth, and who does not dine on the finest food in their gilded palace while their brothers and sisters starve.  The Christian is the one who takes Jesus seriously when he says that the peacemakers are the blessed ones.

Crucially, for the recent events in our country, the Christian is the one who instinctively knows that the parable of the Good Samaritan is meant to teach us hospitality and care for all our neighbours.  By using the example of a Samaritan, Jesus leaves us in no doubt – he actively and deliberately means that we must care for our foreign neighbours.  Jesus builds on the Hebrew Bible, which has (by my count) nine specific teachings and commands from God about the way we should treat strangers and ‘aliens’.  Here’s just a selection:

“You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19)

“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”  (Leviticus 19:34)

“Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner…’  (Deuteronomy 27:19)

The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.  (Psalm 146:9)

For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, …if you do not oppress the alien…or shed innocent blood in this place…then I will dwell with you in this place. (Jeremiah 7:5-7 - edited)

You shall allot [land] as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you and have begotten children among you. (Ezekiel 47:22)

Thus says the Lord of hosts…do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor. (Zechariah 7:9-10 – edited)

Now, of course, I realise that translating these principles – this heavenly teaching - into policy is not easy to do.  I understand, of course, the pressures of excess migration on our housing and healthcare.  (And I could go on at some length about the policy choices which have led us to that point).  But I absolutely refute, deny, and will vigorously oppose anyone who claims to be Christian while calling for any treatment of others which is less than the treatment we ourselves would want and expect.  After all, what is the second of the great commandment, the second great command of our divine teacher and Lord, the one whose yoke we wear?  Love your neighbour as you love yourself! 

You are what you eat.  Feed on the word of Jesus Christ, and you will have life, and have it abundantly.  Amen

The awesome responsibility of Wisdom

 Readings: Ecclesiasticus 38.24–end and Hebrews 8

Tonight’s readings ask us to contemplate the role and function of priests within our church communities.  Which is not a bad thing to do when we have a deacon in training to become a priest in about 11 months time!

Our first reading, from the apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, describes the process by which a scribe becomes wise.  The Scribes of the bible were analogous to the Readers and Deacons of today.  They were learned men (and it was only men in those days) who could both read and scribe the holy scriptures.  And they were meant to be wise men, to whom others could turn for advice about how to live in accordance with God’s laws. 

But, the writer of Ecclesiasticus warns us, ‘the wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;  only the one who has little business can become wise’.  He goes on to draw parallels with farmers, master artisans, blacksmiths, and potters – each devoted completely to the skilful pursuit of their tasks.  The writer does not denigrate such professions – in fact he praises them for their attention to detail, and the skill of their hands and craft.  But he does say ‘how can one become wise who handles the plough’.  Wisdom, you see, takes time to acquire.

Of course, we can all pick up a bit of wisdom here and there – especially in these days of extended rest, five day working weeks, and long retirements.  Such luxuries of time were unknown to the people of Bible times.  But to truly acquire deep wisdom takes time.  It takes and application of effort which is similar to that of the farmer, the blacksmith or the potter.  But it is the application of the mind, rather than of the hands.

This is of course especially true of priests.  I count myself among the more fortunate priests of my acquaintance – quite simply because I have such a large team of colleagues around me, including our retired clergy, our amazing volunteers and PCC members, and our inestimably important paid staff.   Unlike many parish clergy, I actually DO have the time to pursue at least some diligent training in wisdom – in the hope that I can offer some of it back to you. 

I’m reminded of an analogy by Eugene Peterson, translator of the Message Bible.  He likened the role of a pastor to that of a harpooner in an old whaling boat.  I hope you will forgive the analogy, since whale hunting is clearly an awful thing.  But Peterson says that the pastor of a congregation is called to be like the harpooner – settled into the prow of the boat, ready to strike with his harpoon when the time is right.  All his fellows are straining against the oars, chasing the whale with all their might.  But all their efforts will be in vain if the harpooner is not ready at precisely the right moment to throw his spear.  It would be pointless to the entire endeavour if the harpooner was exhausted by also rowing the boat.  The successful harpooner rises out of rest, even indolence, to throw his harpoon.

This then should be the mindset that we should expect of our priests.  Many of you today come from other parishes, where perhaps you observe your own parish priest rushing around, day after day, getting enmeshed and involved in every detail of parish life.  They are expected to be at every meeting, every event, and to visit every sick person in the parish, and to answer every email, phone call or text message within a few hours – or risk being called lazy by their congregation.  To each of you, from other parishes, I give you this charge:  go back to your parish, and encourage your priest to be like the harpooner.  Give them the permission, and the support they will need to be capable of rest, and capable of absorbing wisdom – precisely so that they will be able to offer it, at the right time, whenever it is needed.  All parishes, all groups of people, need harpooners as well as rowers – or they risk rowing round and round in circles, and never catching that whale.

The focus of our second reading is on the liturgical role of the priest.  We draw our unique calling from the model and example of Christ – who the writer to the Hebrews calls our ‘great high priest’.  He is ‘a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent that the Lord (and not any mortal) has set up at the right hand of God’.  We human priests, on the earth below, offer our sacrifices in a sanctuary which the writer calls ‘a sketch and a shadow’ of the heavenly one.  And we do well to remember this – when, or if, we ever tempted get bigger than our boots, and to start ‘Lording’ it over our flock.  Priests on earth have an immense privilege – of being vicars of Christ.  And we carry an immense responsibility – of shepherding and caring for our flocks, with wisdom.  So please pray that we find the time to be wise in the fulfilment of those duties.

But, we are wise if we note that the old system of earthly priests, celebrating in a sketch and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary is one that is passing away.  Rather, as St Paul taught his followers, all believers are called to be ‘priests’.  The writer to the Hebrews states in under the terms of Jesus’ new covenant, God is writing his laws in the minds and on the hearts of all people.  That means that all of us have the responsibility of becoming as wise as we are able, and of shepherding all those whom God places in our path. It is no longer the responsibility of the priest alone to know the things of God.  Priests, rather, are called to be icons for everyone.

And so, we are drawn back to Ecclesiasticus.  His advice about the need for leisure in order to become wise applies to ALL scribes, all priests, and therefore ALL believers.  So – as well as returning to your parishes to encourage your own priest to take time to become wise, I charge you too:  YOU need the time to cultivate wisdom, AS WELL.  So, lay aside some of whatever business with which you fill your days.  Leave the garden for a few hours.  Turn off that TV.  Neglect the laundry for a spell.  Wash your car fortnightly, instead of weekly – and take the time to become the harpooner, instead of the rower.  Practice wisdom – so that when you are called upon to offer advice to your family, your friends, your neighbours – you will have a well of wisdom, carefully accumulated, from which to draw.  THAT is all our calling.  That is the calling of the priesthood of all believers.
Amen.

 

Sons of Thunder: the greatest in the kingdom of heaven...

Today (25th July) we mark the Feast of St James.  James is often called ‘James the Great’, to differentiate him from James the Less, who was the brother of Jesus (and the writer of the Letter of James).  James the Great was a Galilean fisherman who, with his brother John, was one of the first apostles called by Jesus to follow him. The two brothers were with Jesus at his Transfiguration and with him again in the garden of Gethsemane. They annoyed the other followers of Jesus by asking to sit one on his left and the other on his right when he came into his glory.  They were also present for the appearances of Christ after the resurrection.  James was put to death by the sword on the order of Herod Agrippa, who hoped in vain that, by disposing of the Christian leaders, he could stem the flow of those hearing the good news and becoming followers in the Way. James’s martyrdom is believed to have taken place in the year 44.

Here is the short account of his death from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 12, and verses 1 & 2:

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.

In Mark 10 and verses 35 to 45, we hear how James and his brother ask for special seats in the Kingdom of Heaven.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Appoint us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to appoint, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the other ten disciples heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; instead, whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Here is a dramatic re-telling of that event:

Sons of Thunder

The Disciples were arguing among themselves, about the Kingdom of God that Jesus had promised them.  Who would be the prime minister?  Who would command the army?  Everyone agreed that Bartholomew would probably be put in charge of the drains.  But James and John, the Sons of Thunder, went silent.  They didn’t like having posts in the new Kingdom of God being carved up by the other Disciples like this.  James decided he'd had enough.

"See you later, guys."  he said.  "I'm off to bed.  Come on John."  John got up off the ground, and followed James down the slope towards the crowd.  When they were a little way from the others, James stopped John with a hand on his arm.  

“Listen”, he said. “Why don’t we go and see Jesus and ask him for jobs in the new government ourselves?  If he says it, the others won’t be able to stop us getting the best jobs”.  “Do you think he won’t mind?” asked John

James pondered for a moment.  “Maybe”, he concluded.  But if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

John looked thoughtfully at James.  There was a chance here.  Perhaps they might just make it, and become Jesus' right hand men.  John nodded at James, and together they looked at over at where Jesus was sitting, on a rock, alone on the edge of the camp.  They walked carefully over to him, picking their way between sleeping bodies.  They approached the Master.

“Um” said James, “Um…Rabbi?  Can we bother you for a minute?” Jesus looked up from his prayers, with a knowing look in his eyes.  “Yes, boys.  What is it?”

“Rabbi,” said James, “We want you to do for us whatever you ask.  Ok?”

Jesus wasn’t going to make any promises.  He was cannier than that – and quite used to people trying to trap him into saying something he might later regret. “What is it?” he said cautiously.

James got ready to make a well-considered plea, backed up with lots and lots of good reasons as to why they should be important officials in the new Government.  But John couldn’t contain himself.  He was so nervous, that it all came tumbling out! 

“We want you to grant for us to sit on your left and on your right when you come into your kingdom!   Um…please….”

Jesus looked disappointed.  He had hoped for better from these two.  He had hoped that perhaps they had begun to understand that his Kingdom was not like that at all.  He shook his head, and said, "You will indeed drink from my cup.  But to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."  

James and John were a bit puzzled, but they were wise enough to know when to back down.  What did Jesus mean?  We will drink from his cup, but the places of honour are decided by God?  That was typical of Jesus.  He always talked in riddles.

Unbeknown to James and John, however, they had been followed.  Judas, who had never quite trusted the Sons of Thunder, had trailed them from a distance, and had heard the whole conversation from behind a tree.  As James and John turned away from Jesus, Judas slipped back through the darkness to the other Disciples.  

“You’ll never guess what James and John are up to!” he hissed, when he got back…and then proceeded to tell the whole story.

"That's not right!"  "Who do they think they are?"  The Disciples were livid! After a quick discussion together, they decided that this would just not do, and they all strutted over to where James and John were settling down dejectedly for the night. 

Simon, ever the spokesperson, spoke first.  "What's this we hear?  Have you been up to Jesus to ask for a place on his right and on his left?"

James looked at the ground, and shuffled his feet nervously.  "Well,  erm…", he mumbled.  "We did just have a chat…".

"That's not good enough" replied Simon.  "Who do you think you are?  Do you think you are better than the rest of us?  Do you think Jesus is going to choose either of you over us?"

Jesus, in the meantime, had been sitting on his rock, looking over the camp.  He wasn't surprised.  Disappointed, but not surprised.  He had smiled to himself as he saw Simon stride across the camp over to James and John with the other nine disciples in his wake.  Jesus made a decision.  It's time for me to intervene here, he thought. 

Jesus climbed down from his rock, and wandered down the slope to where the ten disciples were gathered around the other two.  As he approached, one of the Disciples, Philip, looked up from the argument, and saw Jesus approaching.  He nudged Bartholomew in the ribs and pointed at the approaching Rabbi.  Bartholomew nudged Matthew, Matthew nudged Andrew and in a few seconds, the little group of angry men had ceased shouting, and waited for Jesus to approach.

Jesus walked up to them and stopped.  He looked around at them with love, but also a little disappointment in his eyes.  Into the anger in the air around him, Jesus spoke gently.  "You know how the Gentiles do things, don't you?  You know how their rulers lord it over the rest of the people, and how their high officials dominate everyone else?"  A few of the Disciples grunted.  They knew what Jesus meant - they had seen how the Romans bossed everyone else around.  "Well", Jesus went on, "That is not how it shall be with you.  Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant - not your Prime Minister," he said, looking knowingly at Peter, "and not your Chancellor", he said, smiling at Matthew.  "Whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone else.  This should not surprise you.  The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.  The Son of Man came to give his life away, not to go lording it up over anyone."

And then, the Disciples noticed that Jesus' eyes seemed to become distant.  He seemed to be staring off into the distance, over vast miles, and even through time itself.  

And then, Jesus' voice was heard in a little church in the heart of Havant; a little church named out of affection for another follower of Jesus, St Faith.  A congregation of ordinary people were gathered that morning: people just like the Disciples and the other followers of Jesus.  These were ordinary people - but people who had heard the call of Jesus, across the millennia.  They’d heard the call to live in ways that were life-giving; the call to live in love with God, and with each other.  These were people who longed to hear Jesus speak to them, and longed to hear from him how life could be even richer, deeper, more meaningful.  And across time, and through the walls of the church that morning, the congregation of St Faith heard Jesus speaking to them.

"In my service, there is perfect freedom.  By serving me, in your homes, in your jobs, in your schools, in your church, in your community - you will find me.  By serving me with your time, and with your talents and with your money, you will know me. When you serve others, you serve me.  When you reach out to others, you reach out to me."

And all the people, in that little church in Havant, said, "Amen".