Jesus - the burden-bearer

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

Woe to you, for you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them.

Jesus is critical of those who load burdens on others, whether that is through greed and wickedness, the neglect of justice, a love of pride and prestige, or a multiplication of rules and regulations (Luke 11.42-46). Elsewhere he utters similar woes on any who put stumbling-blocks before the little ones who believe in him, saying it would be better to have a great millstone were fastened around your neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea than to do so. Woe to the world because of stumbling-blocks, he says, and woe to the one by whom the stumbling-block comes (Matthew 18.6 & 7).

Jesus has a beef with any who, by their words and actions, make faith more difficult for others to accept and practice.

As we reflect on these statements, it is important to remember that the people Jesus criticised were the religious leaders of his day. So, we need to respond to passages like these by asking ourselves what are some of the stumbling blocks to faith put before people today by the Church and what are the burdens that the Church loads on those who seek to follow?

Such things are not that hard to find and identify because they are main issues that those who don’t come to church commonly raise when speaking about the church: hypocrisy - that those who go to church say one thing but do another; a lack of hospitability – that a welcome is not genuinely extended to all; and bigotry – that certain groups of people are excluded simply because of who they are.

Jesus was so critical of those who load burdens on others and place stumbling blocks before others, because he was the great burden-bearer and the great remover of stumbling blocks.

‘Come to me,’ Jesus famously said, ‘all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Matthew 11.28-30)

Then, on the cross, he takes the weight of the world onto his own shoulders and bears our sins and troubles – our burdens – that we might no longer do so.

As a result, we can go to him with any burden and ask that he bear with us and for us. There are some wonderful songs based on just that realisation:

“A rocky road, a heavy load
Got you wonderin' if you'll ever get over
Your journey's slow, your faith is low
And you wonder who will take the time
To get you back on your feet, turn your bitter to sweet
Jesus knows all the burdens you must bear
He will take time to care

Anybody got a heart that will not mend
Are you tryin' to live a life you can't defend
Are you in a battle that you just can't win
Bring it to Jesus
Anybody got a problem they can't solve
Anybody got a hole in their resolve
Remember in His hand the world revolves
Bring it to Jesus”

“What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!”

“Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.”

“Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer”

Let us avail ourselves constantly of the support that Jesus offers and so go to the Lord in prayer. But let us also remember that just as he calls for us not to load burdens on others or to place stumbling blocks in their way, so he also calls us to join him in bearing the burdens of others, as our own burdens are themselves borne by him. Amen.

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Philip Bailey - Bring It To Jesus.

Supporting and encouraging others in their development and growth

Here's the reflection I shared during Evensong at St Catherine's Wickford this evening:

John the Baptist had been the hot prophet of his time in Israel. He had been the man of the moment with people flocking to him in the desert to be baptized but now there was competition. Jesus, his younger relative, was just down the track at another site where there was plenty of water for baptizing and now the people were flocking to him instead of to John (John 3: 22-36).

How would John react? Would he see it as a competition? Would he fight back or drop out and leave without seeing what his competitor would do? His disciples obviously felt aggrieved by what was going on. In verse 26, we read that “they went to John and said, ‘Teacher, you remember the man who was with you on the east side of the Jordan, the one you spoke about? Well, he is baptising now, and everyone is going to him!’.”

John’s reaction was a surprise to his disciples because he wasn’t devastated. Instead, he willingly recognises Jesus’ pre-eminence – describing Jesus as the bridegroom and himself as the best man - and says that Jesus “must become more important” while he, John, becomes “less important.” To John there is no competition, he encourages Jesus in developing his mission and ministry, he actively points Jesus out to others and contributes to the development of Jesus’ ministry and accepts that in the process his role, position and influence will decline.

In this way he gives us a wonderful example of how one generation can support, encourage and bring through a new generation. Each one of us has the opportunity in our homes, our workplaces, our communities and here in our church to support and encourage others in their development and growth as people and in their ministry for God. And, if those we encourage surpass our own achievements, then that is not a cause for resentment or for frustration but instead a cause for celebration and a sign of our success in effectively grooming those people for greatness.

In Isaiah 43 God says, “Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do.” By looking for the new thing that God was doing, John the Baptist saw God himself as a human being, uniting heaven and earth, speaks God’s words, full of God’s Spirit, and demonstrating God’s power. I wouldn’t have wanted to have missed that if I had been in John’s shoes but many of his contemporaries did because they were focused on the past instead of looking to the future.

God calls us to be John the Baptist’s, people who are looking out for the new thing that God is doing and then calling attention to it and helping it to emerge. What new initiatives, young people, changing attitudes and roles or social trends are part of the new thing that God is doing in our day and how can we be witnesses to them?

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Al Green - How Great Thou Art.

Enterprising Redbridge: making voluntary organisations more entrepreneurial

Welcome to Enterprising Redbridge … making voluntary organisations more entrepreneurial

In the current climate a significant reduction in the availability of grants, particularly from public sector sources, has resulted in some voluntary sector groups closing – leaving a void in local service provision. We believe some of this can be avoided.

In order to help local groups move to a more sustainable future, we are offering a
programme of seminars, networking opportunities and one-to-one advice on becoming more independently sustainable. We believe this package of support can provide the positive encouragement such groups need.

We know that solutions are not always obvious, as you tend to be (rightly) totally focused on your day-to-day operations. So this programme gives you the opportunity to think beyond the day to day, the space to consider difficult questions in a safe place, and thechance to say the unsayable. We want this programme to inspire you, challenge you, support you and affirm the work you are doing.

Our goal is to inform and inspire 450+ Redbridge voluntary organisations to become more entrepreneurial through the provision of information and online tools. That’s a big ask. But it will depend on you. Your willingness to engage. Your desire to continue change.

For those most committed to trying new ideas or introducing change to their organisation, we will provide intensive tailored support to 10 groups not only to survive into the future but go on to thrive with greater independence.

Sophia Hubs and Redbridge CVS obtained Big Lottery funding to commission Aspiren andUrban Catalysts to take the lead on this project. Take a look at the website for more information and register your interest now. www.enterprisingredbridge.org.uk.

This is an initiative that aims to bring business skills to the voluntary and community sector. We hope that this will make a significant contribution to Redbridge by enabling the sector to learn ways to become less dependent on funding and more resilient.

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Peter Case - Until The Next Time.

Commemorating the founding of Samaritans

The Lord Mayor of London, Lady Mayoress, members of Chad Varah’s family, representatives of Samaritans and the Grocer’s Company all visited St Stephen Walbrook today for the unveiling of a memorial plaque commemorating the founding of the Samaritans. 

The Lord Mayor unveiled the memorial plaque and the Lady Mayoress cut the ribbon to re-open the Vestry following its restoration. The Grocers Company generously provided funding towards the memorial plaque and the restoration of the Vestry. 

In dedicating the plaque, I said:

Thanks to Chad Varah's vision, Samaritans now have 21,200 volunteers, 201 branches and receive around 5,100,000 calls for help per year. Samaritan volunteers are available round the clock to offer the unique emotional support service that he initiated.

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has given us the Holy Spirit that we might live lives worthy of your great sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. We thank you for your interest in each one of us and your promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you”, remembering especially today all who need and use the services of the Samaritans. We fondly dedicate this special memorial plaque honouring Chad Varah and his work in starting and developing the Samaritans.  As we do so, we give thanks for his ministry at St Stephen Walbrook and for the unique emotional support service that he initiated through the Samaritans. Though he has left our midst, the memory of these ministries endures as a blessing to us and an inspiration to future generations. We pray in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Vasari Singers - Give Us This Day.