The mystery of faith

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

Very shortly in the Eucharistic Prayer we will say: ‘Great is the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.’ This Eucharistic Acclamation focuses on Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, and second coming as the essential elements in the mystery of our faith.

St Paul’s first letter to Timothy has a slightly different and expanded list of what constitutes the mystery of our faith (1 Timothy 3.14-end), so let’s look briefly at the items in Paul’s list.

He was revealed in flesh – this is the mystery of the incarnation; that Jesus becomes one of us, moving into our neighbourhood and experiencing all that we experience, meaning that God understands all that we go through and takes it into himself in order that we are united with him - being with us, so we can be with him.

Vindicated in spirit – the mystery of vindication is at least twofold. Jesus was vindicated when those things he had prophesied, such as the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem – came true. He was vindicated as a true prophet as a result. He was also vindicated when the Holy Spirit came upon his disciples at Pentecost. Again, this was a promise he had made that was later fulfilled after his Ascension. But also, and more deeply, his Spirit was seen in his disciples and his Spirit taught his disciples all about Jesus. So, his disciples receive his Spirit and learn how to live like him by his Spirit.

Seen by angels – Jesus’ birth was hymned and proclaimed by angels as they sang peace on earth, goodwill to all. Angels were involved at every stage of his birth from the angel at the Annunciation, through the angels that appeared to Joseph, as well as the angels that proclaimed his birth. Later, he was ministered to by angels as he prepared for his ministry in the wilderness.

Proclaimed among Gentiles – although his ministry prior to the events of Passiontide was primarily to the lost sheep of Israel, Jesus did meet and impact the lives of many gentiles. From Peter’s vision that took him to the house of Cornelius, where Cornelius’ whole household became converts, on through Paul’s missionary journeys, the Gospel was increasingly proclaimed among Gentiles. This caused considerable debate in the Early Church, primarily in regard to what aspects of the Mosaic Law should apply to Gentile converts. The answer, as was increasingly understood, was none, beyond the greatest commandment – to love God with all you are and love your neighbour as yourself.

Believed in throughout the world – Christianity began as a Second Temple Judaic movement in the 1st century in the Roman province of Judea, from where it spread throughout and beyond the Roman Empire. Christian missionary activity spread "the Christian Way" and slowly created early centres of Christianity with Gentile adherents in the predominantly Greek-speaking eastern half of the Roman Empire, and then throughout the Hellenistic world and beyond the Roman Empire in Assyria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Georgia and Persia. Christianity is now the largest religion globally, with over 2.3 billion followers and a significant presence in nearly every country.

Taken up in glory – Jesus ascended to be with God the Father for ever but, by doing so, took his experience of humanity into the Godhead, indeed took humanity itself into the Godhead, meaning that he intercedes at God’s right hand on our behalf continually and that, as the first-fruits of the resurrection from the dead, he is the pioneer of our faith who has gone before us into the presence of God to open the way to God that we can subsequently also follow. He descended to be with us and he ascended that we might be with him.

The mystery of faith is the mystery of God with us, one with us that we might one with him. We state the mystery of faith in the acclamation we make in the Eucharist. Mysteries are not to be explained, instead they are to be experienced. That is what happens when we take bread and wine and thereby take Jesus into our lives. This how we become one with him. This is how the incarnation brings Jesus to us and the resurrection, ascension and Eucharist bring us to Jesus. Amen.

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Bruce Cockburn - Mystery.

Count your blessings

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

“When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

Chris Fenner writes: “Sometimes in the Christian faith, the simplest tenets are the most memorable and enduring. The hymn “Count Your Blessings” was first published in a collection called Songs for Young People (1897), published for the Methodist Book Concern (the publishing arm of the Methodist Episcopal Church), and edited by E.O. Excell, a prolific hymnal editor and compiler. True to its intent as a song for youth, its message is simple and clear: The best way to fight discouragement is to look for the blessings of life.

Little is known about the circumstances of the composition of this hymn, other than what is known about the authors. E.O. Excell (1851–1921), the composer, ran a publishing business based out of Chicago, with a specialty for Sunday School materials. In 1897, he was also working in conjunction with revivalist Sam P. Jones (1847–1906) and toured with him across the United States and elsewhere. Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856–1922), the lyricist, was an ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and at the time was in the mercantile business with his father in Lumberton, New Jersey, as Johnson Oatman & Son. Oatman had started writing songs in 1892.

Biographer J.H. Hall later reported: But it remained for Prof. E.O. Excell to bring out in 1897 what, in the opinion of most critics, is said to be Mr. Oatman’s masterpiece. “Count Your Blessings,” like “No, Not One,” has gone all over the world. Like a beam of sunlight it has brightened up the dark places of earth. Perhaps no American hymn was ever received with such enthusiasm in England as “Count Your Blessings.” A London daily, in giving an account of a meeting presided over by Gypsy Smith, said, “Mr. Smith announced a hymn. ‘Let us sing “Count Your Blessings.”’ Said he, ‘Down in South London the men sing it, the boys whistle it, and the women rock their babies to sleep to the tune.’” [J.H. Hall, “Johnson Oatman Jr.” Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers (NY: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1914), p. 358.]"

"Growing up, Oatman realized that he would never be a great singer or preacher, but he eventually discovered his passion: hymn writing. He became a prolific writer and wrote over 5000 hymns throughout his lifetime. Most hymnals published today have at least one of his songs. Instead of being discouraged by his lack of musical oratory skills, Oatman found hope in his ability to write." "Perhaps the reason this song has been so universally included in hymnals is that it reminds discouraged Christians of the grace they have been given. It is often easy to take a negative view of life, but when we remember the things we have been given, we cannot deny that we are blessed."

That is also what the opening verses of Psalm 111 are designed to achieve (Psalm 111.1-5). They are headed up ‘Praise for God’s Wonderful Works’. The works of the Lord are great, full of honour and majesty, with his righteousness enduring forever. He is gracious and merciful, his deeds are wonderful as he provides food for those who fear him and is ever mindful of his covenant with us. As a result, we should study his works with delight and thanks and praise to Him with our whole hearts when we gather together, like this, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Psalm 111 essentially says study the wonderful works of God so you can count your blessings and give God the praise and thanks that are due to Him.

Our readings today give us more reasons to be thankful through the summary of our faith that St Paul shares with Timothy (1 Timothy 3.16). Paul says that “the mystery of our religion is great: He [Jesus] was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.” Paul shares the surprising revelation of Jesus as God in the world in order that Timothy and all those reading this letter give thanks to God for what we have received in and through Jesus. That is another way of or reason for counting our blessings.

By contrast, in our Gospel reading (Luke 7.31-35), Jesus speaks about people who complain whatever they receive. Jesus said that, of all those who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist, yet the people of which he speaks in today’s reading said he had a demon as he ate no bread and drank no wine. Of Jesus, God’s Son, their promised Messiah, they said he was “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” These were cynics who were so attuned to criticism of others that they could not recognise a blessing when two were standing right before their eyes.

We are called to be those who recognise and count their blessings, especially when we gather together for worship as we are doing today.

“When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”

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Guy Penrod - Count Your Blessings.