Ordinary, fallible and failing followers

Here's the sermon that I shared this morning in St Andrew's Wickford and St Gabriel's Pitsea:

When I go into school’s I often tell a part of my testimony. How I am fundamentally quite a shy, quiet person and how that was very much the case as a child – the sort of child who always held back from answering questions in class because I was afraid of giving the wrong answer (even if I knew the right answer). As a shy teenager, very aware of my own shortcomings, I doubted whether I was good enough for God but, in my late teens, I was shown Romans 5. 8, which says “while we were still sinners Christ died for us,” by a youth group leader and, as a result, recommitted my life to Christ.

I realised that if Jesus died for me, while I was still a sinner, I was accepted and loved by him as I was. That took all the anxiety and worry out of my relationship with God and it transformed the way I felt and thought about myself. If God loved me so much that he had died for me, it didn’t really matter what other people thought about me, even if they didn’t think much of me.

I came to God as a very ordinary person who felt under-confident and inadequate. Contrary to popular belief, we do not have to be perfect to do God's work. We need look no further than the twelve disciples whose many weaknesses are forever preserved throughout the pages of the New Testament. Jesus chose ordinary people - fisherman, tax collectors, political zealots - and turned their weaknesses into strengths (Matthew 9.35 - 10.8).

While Jesus had a large number of followers including women as well as men and those who remained at home to support those who were on the road with Jesus, this passage focuses our attention on the 12 who were amongst the first that were called to follow him, were amongst those closest to him and who became apostles following his Ascension.

Their names, as given here, are: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew (Nathanael); Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus (James the Less), and Thaddaeus (Judas, son of James); Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. (Matthew 10:2-4, emphasis added)

What do we know about them? Peter and Andrew were fishermen in the town of Capernaum working alongside James and John. Peter and Andrew were early followers of John the Baptist. Andrew was the first to follow Jesus and his enthusiasm was evident as his desire to introduce his older brother to Jesus revealed what was already in his heart—a deep love for God. Once Peter was introduced to Jesus, they left John and became followers of Jesus. Peter is portrayed as impetuous, always speaking his mind and acting on impulse. He is well known for denying Christ three times after Christ was arrested but became one of the key leaders of the early church after Jesus’ ascension.

James and John were both known for being men of intense passion and fervour. Because of this Jesus nicknamed them the Sons of Thunder. They asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy a village which failed to show them hospitality and also asked if they could sit on either side of Jesus’ throne in heaven. Philip was the one who suggested that Nathanael come and see Jesus and who brought a group of Greek people from Bethsaida to Jesus. Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, expressed some local prejudice about Nazareth but was recognised by Jesus for the sincerity of his love for God from the beginning of their relationship. Jesus said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Matthew was a tax collector; tax collectors being the most despised people in all of Israel. They were known for taking extra money from the people of Israel to pay off the Romans and to pad their own pockets. Thomas is best known for his moment of scepticism after the Resurrection which earned him the nickname “Doubting Thomas,” a term for anyone who needs proof before they believe something.

James the Less is the son of Alphaeus. His mother’s name is Mary and he has a brother named Joseph. Except for a few details about his family, there is nothing more mentioned about him in Scripture. Maybe that is why he is referred to as James the Less in Mark 15:40. Simon the Zealot was probably a political activist in his younger years. Some have suggested that the fiery enthusiasm he once had for Israel as a Zealot was now expressed in his devotion to Christ. Judas, son of James, is the eleventh name on the list of disciples. Also known as Jude, Thaddeus, and Lebbaeus, he lived in obscurity as one of the Twelve. He is recorded as asking Jesus the question (in John 14:22), “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?” Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver but, by doing so, enabled the events of Christ’s Passion to occur as Jesus knew they would.

So, amongst those that Jesus chose are one who denied him, another who betrayed him; while all of them abandoned him at the last. Some were ambitious and some revengeful. Some had complicated and morally dubious backgrounds. They were primarily ordinary working people; none of whom held influence or power. Some were so obscure, even among the disciples, that we know virtually nothing about them.

They are, therefore, great encouragements to us ‘because they exemplify how common people with typical failings can be used by God in uncommon, remarkable ways.’ John McArthur writes, ‘What we know to be true about Jesus is that He chose [those who were] ordinary and unrefined … They were the commonest of the common. They were from rural areas, farmers, and fisherman. Christ purposely passed over the elite, aristocratic, and influential … and chose mostly … from the dregs of society. That’s how it has always been in God’s economy. He exalts the humble and lays low those who are proud.’

All of them were chosen, trained and used by Jesus. Even those who were in the background as disciples were valuable team members. This was so despite their personal failings and failures. None of those things were barriers to being called by Jesus, trained and used by him. That remains true for each of us.

In my parish we use a course called ’Being With’ to prepare people for baptism and confirmation. The wonderings we use in the course take me back to my teenage experiences and the shyness that impacted my personal development. An experience summed well in The Smiths song ‘Ask’, which begins ‘Shyness is nice / and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life that you’d like to.’

Realising that God loved me unconditionally and as I was, with my shyness and reserve, was key to finding my way through life and using the mix of gifts, skills and interests I developed. Like Jesus’ disciples I wasn’t an obvious candidate to be called to ministry. But none of us are; that’s the beauty of the way God values each person as a unique creation, calling us to be with him so that, over time, our gifts, skills and interests are all utilised in his company.

Baptism is the beginning of that journey when we first realise that God loves as we are and wants to be with us as we journey through life. In baptism God invites us on a life-long journey together with him and, as that journey begins, we hear him say to us, ‘You are my beloved son or daughter, with you I am well pleased’. When we know that in our hearts then we can grow into the people that God wants us to be. May it be so for each one of us. Amen.

(This reflection draws on material from https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/who-were-the-12-disciples-and-what-should-we-know-about-them.html and https://overviewbible.com/12-apostles/)

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Josh Garrels - A Long Way.

To the ends of the earth

Here's the reflection I shared during Reflective Evening Prayer at St Mary's Runwell this evening:

In Jesus, God became a human being. That is what we celebrate at Christmas and it is also what is emphasised by Jesus in his post-resurrection appearances (Luke 24. 36 - 53). God becomes Emmanuel, one with us, one of us.

As we read in Colossians 1.19, Jesus had in himself, as a human being, the full nature of God. In other words, he showed God to us as fully as God can be seen in human form. This is because the creator must limit himself when he becomes part of his creation and so in Philippians 2. 7 we also read that Jesus gave up all he had when he took the nature of a servant by becoming a human being and appearing in human likeness.

For God to become a human being involved limitation. A helpful analogy is that of an artist and his/her self-portrait. The self-portrait is the artist (in that it looks just like the artist, being an accurate representation of him or her) but it is much more limited than the artist (being paint on canvas rather than living flesh and bones). For the eternal, creator God to become a mortal part of his creation involved a similar level of limitation. Among the limitations as a human being that Jesus willingly accepted was being born in a particular time and place (1st century Palestine) and living, ministering and dying only in that same time and place.

Jesus’ Ascension was necessary then in order to overcome those limitations. Not so much by regaining his full divinity as by giving each of his followers his Spirit so that we can then be his hands and feet, his eyes, ears and mouth, his body in the world and throughout history. It is not possible for one person by himself to go to all peoples everywhere but it is possible for Christ’s disciples, his followers, to take his message and his Spirit from Jerusalem to all of Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth.

The Gospel of Christ is able to go out into the whole world because we, the followers of Christ, are scattered throughout the world and can be his hands and feet, his eyes, ears and mouth, his body wherever we are. Suddenly, there are no limits on where the Body of Christ – his followers – can be. This is why, at his Ascension, he says to his disciples, “you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth “(Acts 1. 8).

But this can only happen as we all play our own part in the Body of Christ. It can only happen as we act as the hands and feet, his eyes, ears and mouth, his body wherever we are. This is the challenge of the Ascension for us, but this challenge is combined with the promise that he will send his Spirit to us to empower and equip us to be his people, his Body, by doing what he would have done wherever we are. This is why he also says to his disciples, “when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1.8).

For this reason, the Ascension and Pentecost are intimately linked. The Ascension provides the challenge – “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples” (Matthew 28.19) – and Pentecost provides the means - “when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

One day we are ordinary people, the next, through the Spirit, we are Christ’s evangelists, and pastors, and healers, and mercy-bringers, and the Body of Christ, redeemed by his blood, one in ministry to the entire world. Through our lives God brings living water to a thirsty world in the offerings of service and mercy that we share with others on a daily basis. This is the extraordinary way that God builds his Kingdom throughout the world - through ordinary people like you and me.

Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth, as in heaven, throughout the world from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth. Amen.

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Mavis Staples - In Christ There Is No East Or West.

God comes first

Here's the sermon that I shared at St Andrew’s Wickford this morning:

Recently, we got an urgent call in the early hours of the morning as my mother-in-law was being taken to A&E as the paramedics thought her heart was failing. We had to get up and go to be with her and everything else that had been planned for that day had to be rearranged.

Thankfully, she has rallied somewhat and, while still being frail, is on the mend. Our experience of having to drop everything and go was similar to Jesus' response to potential disciples, which was one of absolute immediacy and urgency (Luke 9. 51 – end). In this passage Jesus challenges his actual disciples and his would-be disciples about what it means to follow him and be a disciple.

In speaking to would-be disciples Jesus is emphatic that God comes first. Before commitments to home and to family, God comes first. This is the practical implication and application of Jesus’ summary of the Law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul; and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’”

As one example, “The obligation to bury one’s father was regarded by many Jews of Jesus’ time as the most holy and binding duty of a son; but Jesus says that that is secondary to the call to follow him and announce God’s kingdom.” Jesus’ call cuts across family life and our traditional understandings of family. Here, even saying goodbye to your family before you leave seems to be criticised by Jesus!

Jesus is talking here to people who were wanting to be part of his itinerant ministry but, as we heard a couple of weeks ago, he also had followers who stayed in their homes and workplaces and who provided support for the team of disciples who were on the road. So, these words of Jesus don’t mean that every Christian should leave home and family in order to follow him but they do mean that wherever we are we must put God first in our lives.

Despite that I wonder how we might inject a similar sense of urgency into our service of God? Jesus knew that his time was short and that there was much to do in that short space of time. We follow God throughout our lives and therefore don't have that same sense of immediacy and urgency.

In the back of our minds we know that time is short and that we never know what lies around the corner. Often, we don't like to contemplate that reality but much of Jesus' teaching takes us into that space.

Jesus' call is that we put God first and make God central to our lives and our ministry. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. This passage asks us what we will leave, what we will drop in order to do that. Some things are too important to put off any longer.

There is no point pretending that any of this is easy. What Jesus says to his would-be disciples still strikes us today as extreme but he is doing is making clear the real choice for us; between putting God first or putting ourselves, our needs and commitments first. That is the choice and dilemma that faces us each day. If we are to be followers of Jesus, then we need to continually say to ourselves WWJD; What would Jesus do. May it be so for each one of us. Amen.

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The Ocean Blue - Love Doesn't Make It Easy On Us.

@OurCofeE

The Church of England in 140 Characters is an exciting year long project on Twitter to tell the story of the Church of England through the eyes of its people, providing a daily insight into modern faith in action.

Each week, followers of the account will be given an insight into all the work that goes on into the day to day running of a church community from schools to chaplaincies to cathedrals. Followers will be able to peek behind the curtain of church life and see behind the scenes as they get a feel for daily life in parishes. In addition to daily life there will be a glimpse of the inevitable unusual and unexpected events that come with being part of the Church of England. Through it all the account will seek to show through thousands of tweets how God is at work in His Church each day.

From 21-27 December Katherine Hedderly from St Martin-in-the-Fields will be the host for the Church of England’s Twitter project, that tells the story of the church through the eyes of its communities around the country. She will be tweeting about the St Martin’s community each day. Do follow @OurCofE and re-tweet to share the life of St Martin’s at Christmas far and wide.

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John Telfer and Clive Hayward - I See You.