Ron's Notes May 9, 2010

Sunday 9th May, 2010 Sixth Sunday of Easter

Sentence
‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.’ John 14: 27

Collect
Loving God, Your Son has chosen us and called us to be His friends: give us grace to keep His commandments, to love one another, and to bear fruit which shall abide: through Him Who is the True Vine, the source of all our life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

First Lesson Acts 16: 9 – 15

During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days.
On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.

PSALM 67

Let God be gracious to us and bless us: and make His face shine upon us
That Your ways may be known on earth: Your liberating power among all nations
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You
Let the nations be glad and sing: for You judge the peoples with integrity, and govern the nations on earth
Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You
Then the earth will yield its fruitfulness: and God, our God, will bless us
God shall bless us: and all the ends of the earth will fear Him

For the Epistle Revelation 21: 10 – 14, 21- 22 & 22:5

In the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

GOSPEL John 14: 23 – 29

Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I am coming to you.' If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.”

NOTES ON THE READINGS

First Reading
If you have never spent the time reading the Acts of the Apostles, it would be both a good read and a helpful thing to do – it would provide all sorts of info about the Infant Church. This passage marks both the move from Asia to Europe for the Apostle, and the point at which (according to most commentators) where the beloved physician, Luke, joined the Pauline bandwaggon. Luke is thought to have been that man from Macedonia. On the other hand, it was a culmination of Paul’s response to the Spirit’s leading, and a great step forward at that.
It was no accident that Paul was ‘at the place of prayer’ on the Sabbath. Most Jewish communities outside Israel had either a synagogue – if they had the required number of male Jews, or a place in the open where the faithful ones would meet. Lydia, apparently, was a god-fearer, a Gentile searching for faith, and her step forward was a sort of double one: baptism marked her move towards faith in Christ. It is a beautiful insight into the nature of what we would call evangelism, not with a flourish but with a quiet and rather intimate progression.

Psalm
Here is another of the Psalms, sung at Evensong according to the Book of Common Prayer, when I was a choirboy eons ago. It is a gladsome song, rejoicing in the potential for life that faithfulness to God and loyalty to each other has for everyone. Note that bit about ‘judging with integrity,’ for that would be quite a rarity even in Jewish circles of the time. It is not easy to be true to one’s faith, especially it seems for the leadership.

For the Epistle

Pardon me when I wax lyrical about this most remarkable of books. Here, in apocalyptic and highly dramatic terms is described the real goal of life for the people of God. This is no reward for ‘being good!’ This is the natural outcome when life is lived as the Creator designed it to be lived. It is a description of what can be when evil is no longer part of the scenery. (Are you aware that when John in Chapter 21 writes about ‘no more sea’ he is not talking water, saline or fresh, but that which is very often epitomised by sea, or the Nile, or even the Jordan. That sea of glass like crystal is no pretty sight, but the conglomeration of evil, which has departed in Chapter 21 and has gone for good in this description.

Gospel

Never, never, never associate the peace of which Jesus talks with some sort of ‘blessing’ that comes to the spiritual ones. Here is no Christian nirvana or ‘off with the fairies.’ It is the solid outcome of reconciliation of which the Gospel is full, reconciliation both vertical and horizontal. Peace is not the absence of war; it is the concrete outcome of that reconciliation between humans.

Certainly this peace is not available to those who turn their backs on truth, integrity, justice and love; not because they are sinful and naughty, but because they are looking in a direction horizontally opposed to that to which our Lord points.


NOTES FOR A SERMON

It is probably some sort of evidence about where I have come from in my Christian pilgrimage, and also something of the encounters with those of other views that brings out the following thoughts for a sermon. So if this makes sense to you, then I am glad; if it does not, then just move on.

As a young person in the congregation and youth fellowship to which I belonged, all the ‘high and holy ones’ talked incessantly about ‘abiding in Christ,’ and being spiritual and holy. I confess that it never rang any bells for me, as it seemed so remote from ordinary life and relationships. It was all so moody and introverted, and whilst I was a shy young person, it did not resonate.

Even in those days, back in the 50s, there was also a contrary pressure from those who confessed and called themselves atheists, and were sometimes quite astringent in presenting their viewpoint. They were particularly vocal about those ‘holy ones’ whose heads were in the clouds as far as the non-believers were concerned. So one needed to determine who was correct in the great debate, and as often is the case, the reality was somewhere in the middle. I guess I have never been a conformist, (at least not by intention) so it was a matter of exploring both what Scripture has to say, and what connection there was in ordinary life and living.

Part of that search led me to the point of trying to determine what the substance is for the atheist view, and also that for the Christian (or believer in other faiths, come to that.) And – if you have been a regular reader of these notes, you will know of my encounters with those of disbelieving mien.

Fr Ron's Notes For Easter Day

Sunday 12^th April, 2009 Easter

Sentence

Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us: there let us keep the feast 1 Cor. 5:7

Collect

Brightness of God’s glory, Whom death could not conquer nor the tomb imprison; as You have shared in the frailty of human flesh, help us to share in Your immortality in the spirit. Reveal Yourself to us this day and all our days, as the First and Last, the Living One, our immortal Saviour and Lord. Amen

FIRST LESSON Acts 10: 34 – 43

Peter began: "I now understand how true it is that God has no favourites, but that in every nation those who are god-fearing and do what is right are acceptable to him. He sent his word to the Israelites and gave the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. I need not tell you what has happened lately all over the land of the Jews, starting from Galilee after the baptism proclaimed by John. You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Because God was with him he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. And we can bear witness to all that he did in the Jewish countryside and in Jerusalem. They put him to death, hanging him on a gibbet; but God raised him to life on the third day, and allowed him to be clearly seen, not by the whole people, but by witnesses whom God had chosen in advance--by us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

He commanded us to proclaim him to the people, and affirm that he is the one designated by God as judge of the living and the dead. It is to him that all the prophets testify, declaring that everyone who trusts in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.'

FOR THE PSALM Hymn to the Risen Christ

Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us: so let us celebrate the feast

Not with the old leaven of corruption and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth

Christ once raised from the dead, dies no more: death has no more dominion over Him

In dying He died to sin once for all: in living, He lives to God.

See yourselves, therefore, as dead to sin: and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord

Christ has been raised from the dead: the firstfruits of those who sleep.

For as by one man came death: by another man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die: even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

EPISTLE 1 Corinthians 15: 1 – 11

And now, my friends, I must remind you of the gospel that I preached to you; the gospel which you received, on which you have taken your stand, and which is now bringing you salvation. Remember the terms in which I preached the gospel to you--for I assume that you hold it fast and that your conversion was not in vain.

First and foremost, I handed on to you the tradition I had received: that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised to life on the third day, in accordance with the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas, and afterwards to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred of our brothers at once, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, and afterwards to all the apostles. Last of all he appeared to me too; it was like a sudden, abnormal birth.

For I am the least of the apostles, indeed not fit to be called an apostle, because I had persecuted the church of God. However, by God's grace I am what I am, and his grace to me has not proved vain; in my labours I have outdone them all--not I, indeed, but the grace of God working with me. But no matter whether it was I or they! This is what we all proclaim, and this is what you believed. Now if this is what we proclaim, that Christ was raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection, then Christ was not raised; and if Christ was not raised, then our gospel is null and void, and so too is your faith; and we turn out to have given false evidence about God, because we bore witness that he raised Christ to life, whereas, if the dead are not raised, he did not raise him.

GOSPEL Mark 16: 1 – 8

When the sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic oils, intending to go and anoint him; and very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were wondering among themselves who would roll away the stone for them from the entrance to the tomb, when they looked up and saw that the stone, huge as it was, had been rolled back already. They went into the tomb, where they saw a young man sitting on the right-hand side, wearing a white robe; and they were dumbfounded. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place where they laid him. But go and say to his disciples and to Peter: "He is going ahead of you into Galilee: there you will see him, as he told you.'' '

NOTES ON THE READINGS ..

I will often ask people –when hearing or thinking about the Readings,- to take notice of the fine print. That means, either to know quite something about the passage and its context, and/or to refuse to allow familiarity to overlook the information given in the passage. It is far too easy to assume that you know it all, for that is when you may well miss much of the point.

First Lesson

If you are a little mystified by the inclusion of this Reading on Easter Day, then keep thinking. You may be satisfied, initially, with the fact that there is clear reference to the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Now let’s travel that extra mile.

This event took place well after the Resurrection, when it is clear that much of the ramifications of the Gospel had yet to impact even on the Apostles. This incident, with the Roman Centurion, is another of those fascinating learning curves for the Apostles, and for Peter in particular. They had to work through their theology just as much as you do!

Peter was stunned to confront the extent to which this pagan military overlord understood about life and faith and reality. It was an affront to Peter’s religious heritage and background. Like all Jews, he remained convinced that all Gentiles were beyond the pale, ignorant, and of utterly no interest to God. This incident had the effect of (beginning the) changing all that. Like any ‘epiphany’ or transfiguration,’ it ran against Peter’s grain, and needed some time in order for him to come to terms with it all.

In other words, it is about time Christians, including the most conservative of them all, took off their blinkers and saw things as they really are.

For the Psalm

There is rather a lot to ponder in this rather stunning old Christian hymn: not least of which is the reference to the Passover. In case it has never hit you before, the Biblical record is quite constant in its appreciation of the fact that the Passover, and the Exile are all part of the one plan of redemption, and are all very illustrative of the Divine approach to the human dilemma. The Resurrection is rather more than the means whereby you get to heaven. It is in fact the example par excellence as to how Christians should operate as humans in a world that turns its back on God. Here is no religious illustration: here is down-to-earth information on why to operate as Christian, for here lies the only workable and valid way to reconciliation for any human situation. That reference to Adam (yes, that is what is being referred to) is making it quite clear that in Christ there is a completely different way to operate. Why do se few Christians even see that let alone follow?

Epistle

Back when I was a very young priest, the old Prayer Book has this passage as the reading as a Funeral. It is powerful stuff, but I am sure that most if it went over the heads of mourners unless they were believers. There are a couple of items that strike me as important as we refer to this passage.

First, please do see that Paul saw the necessity of offering to people of his day some real and tangible evidence that Jesus has risen. None of that evidence (talking to people who spoke to the Risen Christ) is available to us today, but there were mobs of witnesses, eyewitnesses, then. So Paul was saying that there were then lots of people who could verify the facts. (If he was trying to fool people, then he was being remarkably stupid.)

Now second, that raises a problem for moderns. If such evidence was necessary then, why it is that we are no longer able to access such evidence for something so hugely important. I find the answer to that rather stunning. If resurrection sounds all a bit too much in this cynical and scientific age, then Iask you to ponder awhile.

What does the resurrection say to us? It is not just (if I can put it that way) that Jesus rose again from the dead. It is a powerful statement that truth can be suppressed but not killed. The same is true about love, and about all the important factors of life. And the only way I can be sure of that is to be committed to truth, to love, to justice and everything else. Only by treading that path can I be sure that these things are true. The evidence is there all right; but I need to stick my neck out to be sure of it.

GOSPEL

It is always the ladies, is it not, who are there bright and early to deal with the practical issues of life and of death. Nothing seems to put them off. Mind you, I have more than a sneaky suspicion those Jewish peoples, and the ladies in particular, have always been down to earth. I can tell a story of a particularly remarkable lady and her response to her husband dying right there at home. Certainly, they were overtaken by events, but they had their feet on the ground. There was a job to be done, and an unpleasant one at that. But there they were, with all the equipment needed for the task.

On the other hand, none of the disciples were in any way prepared for the events that were to unfold before their very eyes. And it was the ladies that had to convey the message to the Eleven, - which is something which makes us look beyond the old male hang-ups, surely, as the women led the way.

NOTES FOR A SERMON

Perhaps it has been a matter of over-exposure, but I am getting to the stage where the great Christian celebrations do not excite me as they did. Much of the reason for that response in me has very little to do with the reality behind the season – it has more to do with the strange and inflated stuff that passes as sermons or explanations of the Seasons.

I guess that part of my problem also lies with dearly-loved parents who lived their faith without wearing in on their shirt-sleeves, and were really quite down-to-earth people in everything that they did. While we were certainly excited by Christmas as kids, it was always made clear that there was little point in celebrating if the rest of one’s life did not reflect the attitudes that the Season emphasised. Christmas is giving; Easter is forgiving; and if one did not operate along those lines every day of the year, then one was missing the point.

Run all that alongside a world where advertising for Christmas spending begins in late October, and where the hard sell increases in stridency as December 25^th draws closer. Parallel to that is the constant news flashes of under-age drinking and car accidents, sudden death or long-drawn-out depression. One of the things that must be of almost total disappointment to the unbelieving world is the tinselled pointlessness of the season. Worse happens when the credit card chickens come home to roost about a month later.

I am not being all morose and negative! I am wondering why people other than Christians celebrate Christmas at all. It must be totally pointless for them.

Fr Ron's Notes For April 5, 2009

Sunday 5th April, 2009 Passion Sunday – Palm Sunday


Sentence
At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2:10-11

Collect
Everlasting God, in Your tender love for the human race, You sent Your Son to take our nature upon Him and to suffer death upon the Cross; give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, that, sharing His humility we may come to be with Him in His glory, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever Amen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Isaiah 50: 4 – 9a

The Lord God has given me the tongue of one who has been instructed to console the weary with a timely word; he made my hearing sharp every morning, that I might listen like one under instruction. The Lord God opened my ears and I did not disobey or turn back in defiance. I offered my back to the lash, and let my beard be plucked from my chin, I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. But the Lord God is my helper; therefore no insult can wound me; I know that I shall not be put to shame, therefore I have set my face like flint. One who will clear my name is at my side. Who dare argue against me? Let us confront one another. Who will dispute my cause? Let him come forward. The Lord God is my helper; who then can declare me guilty? They will all wear out like a garment; the moth will devour them.

PSALM 31: 9 – 18
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble: my eye washes away for grief, my throat also and my inward parts
For my life wears out in sorrow, and my years with sighing: my strength fails me in my affliction, and my bones are consumed
I am become the scorn of all my enemies: and my neighbours wag their heads in derision
I am a thing of horror to my friends: and that that see me in the street shrink from me
I am forgotten like one dead and out of mind: I have become like a broken vessel.
For I hear the whisperings of many: and fear is on every side
While they plot together against me: and scheme to take away my life
But in You, Lord, have I put my trust: I have said, “You are my God.”
All my days are in Your hands: O deliver me from the power of my enemies and from my persecutors
Make Your face to shine upon Your servant: and save me for Your mercy’s sake

EPISTLE Philippians 2:5 – 11

Take to heart among yourselves what you find in Christ Jesus: "He was in the form of God; yet he laid no claim to equality with God, but made himself nothing, assuming the form of a slave. Bearing the human likeness, sharing the human lot, he humbled himself, and was obedient, even to the point of death, death on a cross! Therefore God raised him to the heights and bestowed on him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow--in heaven, on earth, and in the depths--and every tongue acclaim, "Jesus Christ is Lord," to the glory of God the Father.'

GOSPEL Mark 15: 1 – 39

As soon as morning came, the whole Council, chief priests, elders, and scribes, made their plans. They bound Jesus and led him away to hand him over to Pilate. "Are you the king of the Jews?' Pilate asked him. "The words are yours,' he replied. And the chief priests brought many charges against him. Pilate questioned him again: "Have you nothing to say in your defence? You see how many charges they are bringing against you.' But, to Pilate's astonishment, Jesus made no further reply.
At the festival season he governor used to release one prisoner requested by the people. As it happened, a man known as Barabbas was then in custody with the rebels who had committed murder in the rising. When the crowd appeared and began asking for the usual favour, Pilate replied, "Would you like me to release the king of the Jews?' He knew it was out of malice that Jesus had been handed over to him. But the chief priests incited the crowd to ask instead for the release of Barabbas. Pilate spoke to them again: "Then what shall I do with the man you call king of the Jews?' They shouted back, "Crucify him!' "Why, what wrong has he done?' Pilate asked; but they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!' So Pilate, in his desire to satisfy the mob, released Barabbas to them; and he had Jesus flogged, and then handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers took him inside the governor's residence, the Praetorium, and called the whole company together. They dressed him in purple and, plaiting a crown of thorns, placed it on his head. Then they began to salute him: "Hail, king of the Jews!' They beat him about the head with a stick and spat at him, and then knelt and paid homage to him. When they had finished their mockery, they stripped off the purple robe and dressed him in his own clothes. Then they led him out to crucify him.
A man called Simon, from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they pressed him into service to carry his cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means "Place of a Skull', and they offered him drugged wine, but he did not take it. Then they fastened him to the cross. They shared out his clothes, casting lots to decide what each should have. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him; and the inscription giving the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews'. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. The passers-by wagged their heads and jeered at him: "Bravo!' they cried, "So you are the man who was to pull down the temple, and rebuild it in three days! Save yourself and come down from the cross.'
The chief priests and scribes joined in, jesting with one another: "He saved others,' they said, "but he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross. If we see that, we shall believe.' Even those who were crucified with him taunted him. At midday a darkness fell over the whole land, which lasted till three in the afternoon; and at three Jesus cried aloud, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Hearing this, some of the bystanders said, "Listen! He is calling Elijah.' Someone ran and soaked a sponge in sour wine and held it to his lips on the end of a stick. "Let us see', he said, "if Elijah will come to take him down.' Then Jesus gave a loud cry and died; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion who was standing opposite him saw how he died, he said, "This man must have been a son of God.'

NOTES ON THE READINGS ………….

Please just stop for a moment and ponder the enigmatic position you are being asked to take about this Jesus. On the one hand, you are presented with a Person Whose whole life was given to others. That, in a world which, like ours, pandered to success and power. On the other hand, that same Person was denigrated, debased and executed like a common criminal. That death was a statement of the assessment placed on Jesus by His political and religious leaders of the time. This is rather more than the ‘tall poppy syndrome’ in which that Australians seem to enjoy indulging; this is a deliberate statement by the power-brokers of Jesus’ day that He was far too dangerous to allow to live any longer.
That is the sort of world in which we live, and never forget it.

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON

I do not know how long it will take for some Christians to see the death of Jesus as more than the ransom for their sins. While on that subject, I find it important to underline the fact that, if you sit up and take notice of the Biblical approach to the issue, what Jesus did on the Cross was to ‘wear’ whatever human evil could throw at Him, and destroy it by His refusal to retaliate. In Biblical terms, evil is overcome when it is shown up for what it is! The real struggle at the Cross was the harsh business of human evil being confronted by Divine good, the latter revealing that evil by allowing it to do its worst. To do otherwise would have been to add to or multiply that evil, do you see!

This, one of the final in the series of Isaiah’s Servant Songs, points up the profoundly difficult role that the Servant has – to remain true to God while coping with human bitter antagonism. The only encouragement here that the Servant can see is that – sooner of later – that evil human response will become clear to other people. Truth will survive whatever humans can throw at it.




PSALM

This is a far from pretty Psalm as it expresses the extreme anguish of someone who was ‘put through the mill’ by his contemporaries. It may have been jealousy of some sort that evoked such a harsh and judgemental response to the author of the Psalm. The only recourse that victim had was his appeal to God, Who perhaps alone knew and understood the truth of the situation. It has to be said that such situations are far from unknown and maybe a reader of these notes has been pressed out of shape by an erstwhile ‘friend.’

EPISTLE

The translation offered by the Revised English Bible has some unexpected twists to it. ‘Let this mind be in you’ is replaced by a rather greater challenge really. Certainly it is clearer. If we are to be disciples of Christ, then we need to pattern our actions and attitudes on Him. This will take us in a direction diametrically opposite to what we may describe as ‘normal human.’

As I have pointed out elsewhere, this ancient Christian song asks us to compare and contrast Jesus with Adam. In the Genesis story, Adam DID grasp at equality (or even superiority!) with God, and that is the clearest Biblical statement of what constitutes sin. It is my determination to get on top of you, to control you, and to control all the circumstances surrounding me. It is hugely destructive, and painfully human.
Jesus operated totally differently, and that is the direction He puts in front of us to pursue. The reason for that is simple: there is no other path to reconciliation, human to God or human to human.

GOSPEL

There is almost too much of the Gospel today to comment at any great length. In fact, by the time this Gospel is read there will not be a lot of time for a sermon – which may be a relief for some. However, as an exercise for yourselves, could I ask you to read through this painfully familiar story and notice the extent to which all but One of the major players found methods to protect themselves or following where the truth of the situation was obviously bidding them to head. Power, abuse, mockery and other means were employed to avoid following the obvious. How many systems and methods can people use to avoid the real issues? The story of Jesus’ trials portray a long list of miscarriages of justice; but then such trials are never otherwise.

NOTES FOR A SERMON ………..

I must be too much of a traditionalist, for I bemoan the way in which Passion Sunday has overtaken Palm Sunday. The huge contrast between the raving welcome given to Jesus on Palm Sunday shows up terribly with the baying crowd on the Friday morning. And that has always provided me with the challenge never to be only a fair weather friend ….. or a fair-weather disciple.

On the other hand, the readings for Passion Sunday provide so much to ponder and make one’s own that the extent of the learning curve seems quite endless. First there is the exploration of Isaiah as he pondered the role of the Suffering Servant, and it is a measure of Isaiah’s insight as the Jesus story unfolded. The old prophet underlines the terrible and lonely road of the person who dares to be different and offer a superior way of living. Of course it all makes sense, that way of Jesus, but who is prepared to walk in that way? The Psalmist was passionately aware of the loneliness of being different.

The passage that sticks out head and shoulders even in this remarkable series of readings is that most marvellous of Epistles. As I have often said, if this is all there ever was of the New Testament, then the Gospel of Christ would be remarkably vivid and clear in this ancient Christian hymn. For the Gospel is far more than wacko I can be forgiven. It is clearly visible here that the Gospel is the offer from God Himself to chose to follow Christ in the pattern of living. In complete contrast to Adam, Jesus lived lowly and as a servant. If and when we follow the pattern ourselves, then people will perhaps begin to see the real and profound value of the Gospel, not in the world to come but right in the here and now.

Fr Ron's Notes For March 29

Sunday 29^th March, 2009 Fifth Sunday in Lent

Sentence

This is the covenant that I will make with them, says the Lord; I will put My law within them and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Jeremiah 31: 33

Collect

O God our redeemer, in our weakness we have failed to be Your messengers of forgiveness and hope: renew us by Your Spirit, that we may follow Your commands, and proclaim Your reign of love, through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen

OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Jeremiah 31: 31-34

The days are coming, says the Lord, when I shall establish a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, a covenant they broke, though I was patient with them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant I shall establish with the Israelites after those days, says the Lord: I shall set my law within them, writing it on their hearts; I shall be their God, and they will be my people. No longer need they teach one another, neighbour or brother, to know the Lord; all of them, high and low alike, will know me, says the Lord, for I shall forgive their wrongdoing, and their sin I shall call to mind no more.

PSALM 119:9-16

How shall the young keep their path pure: unless they hold to Your word?

I have sought You with my whole heart: let me not stray from Your commandments

I have treasured Your word in my heart: that I might not sin against You

Blessed are You, Lord God: O teach me Your statutes

With my lips have I been telling: all the judgements of Your mouth

And I find more joy in the way of Your commands: than in all manner of riches.

I will meditate on Your precepts: and give heed to Your ways.

For my delight is wholly in Your statutes: and I will not forget Your word

EPISTLE Hebrews 5:5-14

Christ did not confer on himself the glory of becoming high priest; it was granted by God, who said to him, "You are my son; today I have become your father;” as also in another place he says, "You are a priest for ever, in the order of Melchizedek.” In the course of his earthly life he offered up prayers and petitions, with loud cries and tears, to God who was able to deliver him from death. Because of his devotion his prayer was heard: son though he was, he learned obedience through his sufferings, and, once perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and by God he was designated high priest in the order of Melchizedek. About Melchizedek we have much to say, much that is difficult to explain to you, now that you have proved so slow to learn.

By this time you ought to be teachers, but instead you need someone to teach you the ABC of God's oracles over again. It comes to this: you need milk instead of solid food. Anyone who lives on milk is still an infant, with no experience of what is right. Solid food is for adults, whose perceptions have been trained by long use to discriminate between good and evil.

GOSPEL John 12: 20 – 33

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Gentiles. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we should like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew, and the two of them went to tell Jesus.

Jesus replied: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. In very truth I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains that and nothing more; but if it dies, it bears a rich harvest. Whoever loves himself is lost, but he who hates himself in this world will be kept safe for eternal life. If anyone is to serve me, he must follow me; where I am, there will my servant be. Whoever serves me will be honoured by the Father.

"Now my soul is in turmoil, and what am I to say? "Father, save me from this hour''? No, it was for this that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” A voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing by said it was thunder they heard, while others said, "An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus replied, "This voice spoke for your sake, not mine. Now is the hour of judgement for this world; now shall the prince of this world be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth I shall draw everyone to myself.” This he said to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

NOTES ON THE READINGS

It is a very sad state of affairs that there remain many people who are unfamiliar with the Scriptures, - and even somewhat unwilling to fill in the blanks, so to speak. This is not so much a criticism as a statement that such lacks make the Sunday Readings provide much mystery instead of great insight. Not only does knowledge of Hebrew history help enormously in understanding the New Testament, but there are also myriads of references and nuances that enlighten Gospel and Epistle. Indeed, perhaps the greatest reason that John’s Revelation poses mystery or threat to readers stems from the failure to notice or know the extent to which John’s imagery stems from the Old Testament.

Sadly, it is not possible to make up any shortfall here, but the attempt to provide some insight is paramount.

Old Testament Lesson

One of the matters referred to above is the constant reference in the OT to ‘covenants.’ Space does not permit an exposition here, but it should be noted that Israel always understood their faith in terms of the God Who commits Himself to His people. [1] And just as a growing child needs successive ‘contracts’ with parents, so Israel needed the similar progression. (There were several covenants before Moses, but at that point in history, there was the Law – Exodus and all that. But legislation does not make a lot of difference to people’s actions and behaviour, as attitudes must be ‘owned.’ Discipline may begin from outside a person – but the only real discipline is self-discipline­ and that is very much a matter of personal choice, commitment and involvement. It is towards this latter growth that Jeremiah pointed.

Psalm

While lots of Christians seem to rejoice in what they describe as a free Gospel, where forgiveness is offered without any real response, the Psalmist was aware of the value of all of God’s ‘judgements’ and ‘statutes’ – without which, life becomes remarkably fragmented and disoriented. Gospel does not free a person from responsibility but rather charges them with it.

Epistle

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews may often sound obscure to modern readers, but if one can get past the cultural ‘thing,’ (and is aware of the Biblical background) there is a lot to be uncovered. Perhaps the most fascinating thing, for me at least, is that Biblical emphasis on the fact that the human damage caused by human sin can only be addressed and ‘repaired’ by a human. Hence the profound statement here that although like Melchizedek, there are other ‘connections,’ Jesus had to go through the same sorts of life and experiences as you in order to be Saviour.

Mind you, the same author seemed to have difficult with his own congregation or churches, finding even then that people preferred to stay at their comfort zone level rather that more towards maturity. Sadly, little has changed in the intervening millennia.

Gospel

One hardly knows where to start in trying to unpack this passage. Dear old John managed to write his Gospel deceptively simply, but there is also a far more profound level to what he conveyed. This is true of all his writing.

I often ask people to read the fine print. Here it is quite critical. ‘There were some Gentiles.’ Sure they were at the Festival, so must have been people looking at becoming Jews. But Gentile they were, and it is fascinating to find that Jesus spoke to them in terms that He seemed unable to use with obtuse Jews. It is a flash of revelation, indicating how far ahead of His Jewish disciples, that Jesus was. Even more surprising is the clearer perception of those Gentiles.

Whenever John talks about ‘glorification,’ are you aware of what he is really describing? We often use words that mean little to us. Here is no self-wrap like a pop star! It is something far more important.

Whenever Jesus is glorified, or God is, then it is a case of them being seen for what they truly are. Here is a transfiguration, if you like. The sudden dawning on (some) people as to the true nature of the person they are confronting. And it is to Gentiles, Gentiles! That Jesus offered this ‘glorification.’ And that is completely unexpected.

On top of that, Jesus faced those potential Jewish converts with the complete and required response to the Gospel. That was – and is – to forget self, deny self, and follow Him. Does that not hit you right between the eyes, so to speak? To top it all off, John shows how Jesus found such a commitment quite something of a challenge.

NOTES FOR A SERMON

You might recall that, right at the start of this Season of Lent, I was naughty enough to suggest that Lent is not so much a period for giving things up for a time, but rather a matter of taking time out to check our priorities and choose the important aspects of discipleship. It strikes me that today’s Readings offer both the necessity and the process for growth in that discipleship.

But first to ‘real life.’ One of the discoveries that I made, a long time ago, is that this business of being a believer, a Christian, is not a matter of sudden discovery, change and ‘born again.’ On the contrary it is a long process, of spits and starts sometimes, that is a life-long experience. In fact, it is rather like being a person. Let me explain.

When I was a child, loving and remarkably wise parents nurtured me. There was nothing very fancy about Mum and Dad, - or they would not have seen themselves as extraordinary. As we grew, it was not so much a matter of rules that had to be followed, but it was certainly a matter that we had to take notice of and respond obediently to our parents. Occasionally, I recall, punishment was meted out, like the time when I was ten and had a go at smoking. Dad made me wash my mouth out with soapy water.[2] However, as time passed and we grew up, there was far less evidence of rules and far more expectation that we would learn from experience. All this was done in an atmosphere of love and caring. [I feel deeply for people for whom such an experience never occurred for them.]

I remember, for instance, Dad talking to me as a mid- teenager. ‘I will never say to you “Don’t drink, Ronald.” However I will simply tell you that I have never drunk, because I did not know whether I would become a drunkard or not, and do not intend to find out the hard way.’ That tended to illustrate the sort of learning that was our experience of growing up. In other words, there was a subtle move from discipline imposed to discipline encouraged from within. In this day and age when discipline tends to be the current obscenity, I look for the time when wisdom overcomes even adult stupidity and when political correctness disappears into limbo.

Now all the above is there to try and set the scene. The long history of Israel parallels that growth from childhood to adulthood, with all the starts and stumbles along the way. And those starts and stumbles used to be presented to me as evidence of my sinfulness, something from which to repent so I would get to heaven. That annoys me still, as the real reason is far more adult and sensible than that. The whole point of the possibility of forgiveness in the Christian Faith is NOT to turn me into some sort of squeaky clean twerp, but rather is there to enable me to face the fact that I am capable of some pretty lousy things, to learn from said mistakes, and then to move towards that maturity that only Christian Faith can give.

So as Jeremiah has it, the passage of time and the growth towards development calls for changing relationships and progressive development. From discipline imposed to discipline from within. And the latter state is far more significant than the first. Apart from anything else, this is a far cry from the Christianity of my youth, when the charge was always to believe, and ask no questions. That can end only in a blank wall.

Often I ask people to ponder quite how they arrive at their theology, their understanding of God, How they learn to see the difference between what tends to be nothing other than ‘accepted patterns of current behaviour and thought, and the really remarkably different approach to life that the Faith offers. And today I ask you to look at the continuing process of your discipleship , --- and to ensure that you continue to grow and develop way, way past your comfort zone.

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[1] Eg., the Greek title for the New Testament is diaQhkh - which is actually a one-sided agreement. That is, the terms are offered, and can only be accepted or rejected. Terms cannot be varied.

[2] I must report that it did not have the required effect – as people who know me will report with some glee!