Sue Lepp | The Irreverent Reverend

2nd Before Advent: One for the Home Crowd

St Peter’s – 2nd Sunday before Advent
17/11/24

Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Hebrews 10:11-25
Mark 12:41-13:1-13

Hello to the friends watching online!

I grew up in Cochrane and come from one of the founding families of St Peter’s. I graduated from Cochrane High way too long ago. In 2007 I moved to London, England for some travel, education and different nursing experiences. I began to attend a church (Holy Trinity Brompton) where the Alpha Course started as a way to meet people. While there I got very involved in many church groups including volunteering as a hospital chaplain. This led me, over a couple of years and much surprise, to pursue becoming a Priest in the Church of England.

10 years ago I put aside my nursing career (I trained at the U of A and worked at the Foothills & Tom Baker and then in Scotland & London) after being selected for training. I went to Oxford University to study for 2 years (most fun I have had as an adult) and was ordained as a deacon in 2016 and then as a Priest in 2017. In the CofE you serve a curacy which is basically on-the-job training/apprenticeship for 3-4 years; mine finished at the end of 2020. During my curacy I became a volunteer police chaplain with Thames Valley Police.

I then moved to my first parish where I was in charge of 6 small village churches to the west of London for a 3-year fixed-term. Last year I began to look for another job thinking that I would like another short-term role within reach of my beloved police. Not long into the search I found an ad in the CofE weekly newspaper for the Lead Chaplain of Gatwick Airport (the 2nd largest airport in the UK). I thought this was a job for a crazy person but was equally intrigued! So I applied, was successful and have just completed my first year.

Airport Chaplaincy is fairly niche but like all chaplaincies it is a ministry of presence. You have to be seen to be believed and you never know what is going to happen next! I spend my days looking after the two airport chapels and my volunteer team of Buddhists, Christians & Muslims, walking the terminals looking for passengers and staff who look like they might need some help. I get involved in emergency response situations and work alongside airport security, the police, the Airport Fire Service, passenger operations team & airline staff both as a colleague but also chaplain for personal or team matters. I have a high level of security clearance and can stick my nose in pretty much anywhere. This is an ideal role for me! I also look after two small churches on the edge of the airport.

I am so delighted/slightly lamenting to have flown all the way from London having volunteered to preach today before I checked the readings! We have some heavy going this morning. I tried to avoid doing this to my own two parishes by taking holidays now. Yet here we all are about to wrestle with some of the more challenging/mysterious/confusing parts of the Bible.

To ease us in, I am going to start with a fictitious yet amusing story from a favourite novel of mine.

A typesetter in a Rotterdam suburb had been through a personal crisis. Several years earlier he had been recruited by Jehovah’s Witnesses; but they had thrown him out when he discovered, and questioned rather too loudly, the fact that the congregation had predicted the return of Jesus on no less than fourteen occasions between 1799 and 1980 – and sensationally managed to get it wrong all fourteen times.

Upon which, the typesetter had joined the Pentecostal Church. He liked their teaching about the Last Judgement; he could embrace the idea of God’s final victory over evil, the return of Jesus (without actually naming a date) and how most of the people from the typesetter’s childhood, including his own father, would burn in hell. But this new congregation had sent him packing too after a whole month’s collection had gone astray while in the care of the typesetter.

The now bitter typesetter started the layout for that day’s job, which ironically happened to consist of printing two thousand bibles for an order from Sweden. This troubled the typesetter because as far as he knew, his father still lived there after having abandoned his family when the typesetter was six years old.

With tears in his eyes, the typesetter set the text of chapter upon chapter. When he came to the very last chapter – the Book of Revelation – he just lost it. How could Jesus ever want to come back to Earth? Here where Evil had once and for all conquered Good, so what was the point of anything? And the Bible…It was just a joke!

So it came about that the typesetter with shattered nerves made a little addition to the very last verse in the very last chapter in the Swedish bible. The typesetter didn’t remember much of his father’s tongue, but he could at least recall a nursery rhyme that was well suited in the context. Thus the bible’s last two verses plus the typesetter’s extra verse were printed as:

20. He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am
coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Amen.
22. And they all lived happily ever after.

What do you make of happily ever after? It is how many fairy tales, movies, books, etc conclude. Everything comes good in the end; the baddies are punished, the goodies are rewarded, the couple reunites and everything is put right. Hallmark Christmas movie season is upon us! This formula is simple, predictable, convenient, comforting and shallow. This is why we like them – comfort, easy with little thinking required.

Upon return to the rest of life we are confronted with the endings that are much more complicated, messy, misunderstood and difficult. No wonder we long for the happily ever after.

The set readings before Advent (a mere 2 weeks away) focus on the return of Jesus. We are about to celebrate the first coming which is central and important to the Christian faith. Advent should remind us there is more to the parties and presents and only seeing Jesus as the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger. The reminder is that Jesus has come, has gone after the resurrection and He will be coming again. His next and final return will be both an ending and a new beginning.

The passage in Mark’s Gospel occurs in the middle of the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. Jesus and the disciples have entered Jerusalem, think donkeys and palm branches. Jesus has been preaching in the Temple; the preceding two chapters of Mark provide this teaching. Jesus is now focusing on the end of the age and is alerting the disciples to the troubles ahead.

As they are leaving the Temple, Jesus sits down and watches people. Both rich and poor put their offerings in the collection plate. We could assume that the disciples’ attention was on the people with large amounts of money going in the treasury. However, Jesus’ attention is on the poor widow who throws in her two very small copper coins.

Jesus calls the disciples to attention and points out the sacrifice she has made; her two pennies were worth more than what everyone else gave. Some bible commentaries have questioned whether this woman’s trip to the Temple was her last act before she died. This may be what Jesus sees in her; impending death. She is preparing to die by giving away all she has. The poor widow gave her very last to the Temple, to God. What an ending.

The disciples’ response? What massive stones and magnificent buildings! How about those Flames? Their diversion tactics are not brilliant and neither are ours. What struck me is that I began to ask myself about my massive stones and magnificent buildings.

What are your massive stones? Your house? Bank accounts? Career? Job? Family? Connections? Opinions? Politics? Pension? Leaving something for the kids? We all have them. These are things that can get in the way of our relationships with God.

Maybe it was easier for the disciples to look at the stones and magnificent buildings than consider the poor widow and her two cents or Jesus’ tough teachings they had heard.

Jesus is coming to throw down the big stones. However wonderful, lovely and whatever security (real & imagined) our stones provide – will come down. What are we storing up that will last? What will we have to show Jesus when he returns?

Jesus then leads the disciples for a walk up the Mount of Olives across from the Temple. If you have had the privilege of visiting Jerusalem you will know the view that I am talking about. I imagine them sitting up high enough to overlook the Temple and all of Jerusalem. He changes their perspective to see beyond the rocks and buildings to the whole city. How is your view this morning?

The disciples have serious questions and rightly so. When? What are the signs? They do not seem to fully grasp the whole view but they don’t want to miss it either. No time frame makes this difficult and Jesus was still sitting next to them. I choose to believe that Jesus does not want them to get overly fixated on either the time [whether it is long or short] or the events themselves. There is a kindness in this. How do we measure time or response to a situation when there is nothing to measure? At least not yet.

Working at Gatwick Airport over this past year I have learned a huge amount about airport security, the aggravation of unattended bags, emergency situations, counter terrorism measures and what to look out for. None of us staff know when something is going to happen until it happens. But when things do happen we have to be ready and jump into action. There are plans and practices, policy and procedure.

Jesus will return. It will happen. No one knows when. Rumours of wars, earthquakes, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. A quick look at the news and a flip through some history books and we can identify almost all of these events at any time in the last many hundreds of years. Immediately after the crucifixion and resurrection everyone thought that Jesus was coming back again very soon, like any day.

There are people now who spend a lot of time and energy trying to work out the date when Jesus will come again. I would suggest that this is not what we should be spending time and energy on. It will happen. We should be ready for when Jesus does return. Back to massive stones…

It is not something we would want to rush into coming; the return of Jesus for some will not mean a happy ending. There are a few ways to have a happier ever after when the stones come down. The Hebrews’ passage urges appreciation for what has been done for us and the great hope to which it leads. What was done for us: There is another priest (Jesus) who offered for all time the one sacrifice for sin. He sat down at the right hand of God and made his enemies a footstool.

There is a new way and a new hope that comes through the curtain; the body and blood of Christ. This new way comes with hardships and is more daunting than we might want yet we have been warned and are to be watchful. Both the Old and New Testament are full of wisdom on what to focus on:

Daniel: The wise and those who lead people to righteousness will shine like stars in the heavens. Gain wisdom; not worldly, social media meme wisdom but the wisdom of God. Read, pray, watch and listen: these are the disciplines of Advent.

Be aware of righteousness that is self-righteousness dressed as arrogance and used as a weapon to abuse and manipulate.

Hebrews: We have been forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus and we can have confidence in this. We can draw near to God in full assurance of faith. This is where real life and true love are found. We need to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. The world needs more doers of good deeds!

Mark: Be aware of being deceived by false prophets, false Jesus’ claiming to be Him. Be on your guard. Be wise and prepare to be challenged. Jesus came to show us a new way of loving, redemption and salvation.

The Gospel must be preached to all nations. Wait – what?! Before we get all hot and bothered about the wars and earthquakes; how are we doing with the Gospel? Any evidence of it to the people, the community and the world around us? This will be the happily-ever-after ending. The only one. The Gospel of Jesus, of love and justice, joy and wisdom, grace and righteousness preached to all nations.

And finally from Psalm 16: whatever is coming and whenever it does God is our help, our refuge; apart from him you have no good thing, I have no good thing. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. And they all lived happily ever after.

All Souls: Wound & Bound Together

St Nicholas Charlwood
All Souls
November 3rd, 2024

All Souls by May Sarton
Psalm 27:1-6, 13-14
John 11:32-44

May Sarton ‘All Souls’

Did someone say that there would be an end,
an end, Oh, an end to love and mourning?
What has been once so interwoven cannot be ravelled,
not the gift ungiven.
Now the dead move through all of us still glowing.
Mother and child, lover and lover mated,
are wound and bound together and enflowing.
What has been plaited cannot be unplaited–
only the strands grow richer with each loss
and memory makes kings and queens of us.
Dark into light, light into darkness, spin.
When all the birds have flow to some real haven,
we who find shelter in the warmth within,
listen and feel new-cherished, new-forgiven,
as the lost human voices speak through us
and blend our complex love,
our mourning without end.

In Church of England tradition, we come together over these few days at the beginning of November for a short season of remembrance. The Church has marked All Saints and All Souls for hundreds of years. It stems from the belief that there is a powerful spiritual bond between those in heaven and those living on earth. It is often said in my family that the dead sit at the dinner table long after they are gone.

This service offers us space and time to give thanks to God for the life and love that was shared, for the memories we carry and to ask for God’s help if we have unfinished business with those who have died. Not all our remembering will be of the good, sweet times as none of us are perfect and neither were they!

The only alternative to avoiding grief is to avoid love. To avoid the grief I feel over my person who has died means I would have had to forfeit the love and the relationship that we shared. We cannot have it both ways. May Sarton’s poem that Lorne just read begins with a very good question…‘Did someone say there would be an end to love and mourning?’ I doubt there is anything more complicated than love and grief.

I appreciate that many relationships are complicated. We should not pretend they are not. Some feelings about the person who has died might be mixed or ambiguous; maybe there is guilt or shame if you felt you did not do enough for them or felt relief when death finally came. We must be very careful in how we interpret relationships; especially ones that are not ours even if they are in the same family. There can also be great temptation when someone dies to want to paint a rosier picture of them, their life and relationships than actually ever existed. We lie! We do it for all sorts of reasons; some even noble ones.

We are wound and bound together and plaited together as May Sarton says. It cannot be undone even if we come undone. We are held together by love.

Love is a thread through the story of the raising of Lazarus. We can be held together by love and belief even when it seems impossible and we do not understand what or why things are happening. This is a complicated story as it raises a number of questions about the nature of life and death, faith and belief, Jesus’ miracles and the wider story of what will happen to Jesus.

At the heart of this story is a close-knit, loving family with a brother who is ill. There is an assumption that Mary, Martha & Lazarus have been orphaned at some point. If this is true then they know something of grief. We also know that they lived in Bethany which was on the edge of Jerusalem. Bethany was known to be a place where sick and poor people lived. Along the way these three poor orphans met Jesus and they became friends. When Lazarus became ill, the sisters sent a note to Jesus telling him that. They did not ask Jesus to come to them; maybe they assumed He would.

The story unfolds that Jesus does not immediately go to see them. Lazarus dies and his body is put into the tomb before Jesus arrives and the normal Jewish grieving process begins. There was no waiting around like many people today have to wait around for cremation or burial.

Jesus arrives and the sisters react differently. Martha goes out to meet him while Mary stays home. Jesus has to ask for Mary to come to see him. Mary’s opening statement is relatable to anyone who has ever felt abandoned by God, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ If if if. If the cancer was caught earlier, if the NHS waiting lists were not so long, if the scan showed, if they had left the house 10 minutes later or earlier, if God really loved them or me, then…

Jesus offers no explanation or excuse for his delay as though an answer would make anyone feel better at this moment. Jesus does not speak. He sees. Jesus sees Martha & Mary and all the others weeping and begins to weep too. If nothing else we see a God who weeps with us, knows and shares our pain even when we think we have been abandoned. Jesus’ love for these poor orphans is visible to everyone.

If the story stopped there we would still have a wonderful picture of God’s love. It goes further of course with the raising of Lazarus from death. Now we might wish to have had longer with our loved ones and ask why they did not get more time. Why did God not spare their life and give them back to us for a while longer? These are questions that cannot and will not be answered on this side of heaven.

Lazarus was given more life and would have died again in the future. There is also no indication if Lazarus was healed from his illness. Whatever happened to the three siblings they knew that God was their light and salvation (Psalm 27). They had faced death and had nothing to fear as they knew Jesus to be the true resurrection and life.

Jesus wanted Martha, Mary and Lazarus and the others gathered to see the glory of God. When the stone was rolled away, I believe that they did. The same as when the stone was rolled away on the first Easter.

Where does that leave us on a November afternoon in Charlwood at an All Souls service?

Love and mourning have no ending because they are tied up, plaited together
Jesus sees
There is a lot we do not and will not understand
But we can inquire in his temple, be hidden in the shelter of God
We can know that there is life in the resurrection

Finally, let your heart take courage. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses in the heavenlies and around you right now. All of us here have loved and lost. We can share God’s goodness with each other in the land of the living even while we wait.

Bible Sunday: Staying on the Path

Bible Sunday
27/10/24

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
John 5:36b-47

I am going to start today with a Bible quiz:

How many copies of the Bible are sold or distributed every year?
(average 100 million plus millions of downloads. It is through there are 5-7 billion copies in print)

How many languages have at least some scripture translated?
(Approximately 3,756)

How many human authors does the Bible have?
(Give or take 40)

How many years was the Bible written over?
(1,500 – give or take)

How many books are in the Bible?
(66 – 39 in the OT; 27 in the NT)

What is the longest book in the Bible?
(Psalms)

What is the shortest book?
(3 John)

Which human author wrote the most books?
(Paul – 13)

Which book of the Bible did Jesus write?
None!

There we go! I hope that you learned a few new fun facts about the Bible.

Another question for you: How many Bibles do you own?

I did a quick check on my bookshelves and I have: Anyone want to guess? 17. Plus an app on my phone and a website I regularly use. Which is not too surprising given my job! I do not have 17 copies of my favourite non-Bible book. So why do I have so many copies?! I am aware that I take for granted the 17 copies I have. This comes into sharp focus when the Bible Society shows a person getting their first printed copy of the Bible. I find that I can be embarrassingly blasé about the 17 that I own. Equally it would be hard to get rid of any of the copies currently occupying shelf space.

I have asked you to bring your own Bibles to church this morning for a few reasons. I want to think about the Bible in your hands for a moment (or one that is at home!):
Where did you get it?
Who gave it to you?
How much of it have you read?
If all the Bibles disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow – how much of it do you know?

At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth in 1953, she was presented with a Bible from the Archbishop of Canterbury with these words: Our gracious Queen: to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords.

How far do you agree with the Archbishop? Is your Bible the most valuable thing you own? I believe this to be true even though I do not understand all of it. I have neglected it, avoided it and got frustrated by it. Yet I believe it because I deeply love it, want to know and understand more of it.

If you are in any way daunted by the Bible here is a secret: do not worry about what you do not know or understand about the Bible. Worry about what you do know and understand.
Am I living to the standards that are set out here?
Am I becoming more Christ-like?
Is there any actual evidence of what I know about this book to my family, my friends, or the wider world?

Today as we celebrate Bible Sunday, each reading has something to teach us about how we can take the Bible more seriously for ourselves.

The Bible is God’s means of our development and growth as Christians (2 Timothy 3.16)

To be honest, many of us struggle to see the usefulness of much of the Bible. We get comfortable with what we know or what we think we know. We might try to make excuses: the Bible is too hard, it is outdated, old, irrelevant to the world now, it is too violent, too misogynistic, etc. The God who breathed his Spirit into scripture, who understands us better than we know ourselves, loves us enough that Jesus would die for us tells us that ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.’ Therefore He can be trusted. He knows what we need.

Growing and developing in our faith is a whole of life activity. It may ebb and flow in different seasons and situations but should never become stagnant. We need this book to help us get on with it. How can we possibly become more Christ-like (this is not the same thing as being a good person!) if we have not uncovered who Jesus is in the pages of the Bible? We have been called to abundant life, life in the fullest sense. This does not just happen but takes effort. We need the teaching, the reproof, correction and training that the Bible offers us.

The Bible keeps us on God’s path (2 Timothy 4.3-4)

Have you ever had a driving experience in thick fog? Those fogs that descend so quickly that all you can do is crawl along the motorway with the fog lights on and make slow progress. It can feel claustrophobic, like you are lost, and you can’t just stop and wait it out. You have to keep going. The lines marking the lanes suddenly became a lifeline. They showed you each metre of the road one at a time, helping to navigate the bends, avoid collisions, and eventually to getting to your destination.

Many people unfortunately believe the Bible to be a rather long and boring set of rules to take the fun out of life. We need rules, guidelines to keep life between the lines like the markings on a motorway. Imagine trying to watch a footie match that had no rules, or bake a cake without a recipe, or drive a car without road markings!

It would all end in disaster as we would each individually have to make up the way to do these things. Now we might be tempted to think that we know best. But likely the person next to us thinks that way too. This is what Paul is talking about in verse 3: ‘the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine (teaching or belief), but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires.’

Paul is commending the importance of scripture to Timothy because he realises that a time is coming when the church will struggle to stay faithful to God’s word. Paul predicts a time when instead of seeking the truth, Christians will let their own desires be the filter for what they hear, distracted by false teaching.
Things like ‘just be a good person’; ‘it’s all the same God we believe in anyway’; ‘we all basically get there in the end’; ‘The Bible, church, Christianity, etc is fine for you but not for me.’ Those are not God’s words nor Jesus’ teaching. Watch out for itchy ears; especially your own.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is taking on some Jewish people who have itchy ears. They know their scriptures and they are trying to find eternal life in them. Jesus is saying ‘no, no, no – I am the way to eternal life.’ The Jews are missing this because they do not believe that God has sent Jesus. They will not go to him to have life even though it is all there in the Jewish scriptures. Right back to Moses and yet they refused to believe it. Itchy ears can make you deaf!

How to grow & develop as Christians and stay on God’s path

First thing – pray! Pray to want to grow and develop in your faith. Pray for a closer relationship with God. Pray for purpose and guidance. No one is going to force you. Not even God. Maybe you have to pray to want to want to grow and develop, deepen your relationship and stay on the path. The Wednesday Group is going to be looking at prayer this week.

Secondly, do not take it for granted. Today access to the Bible is only a click away on a smartphone. I suspect many of our homes have multiple copies of the Bible and in multiple translations. As it is so easily available, it is possible that we undervalue it. Paul reminds Timothy of his rich and privileged heritage, because he wants to leave a legacy in the life of Timothy and the life of the church that will carry on into the future. What if all the Bibles disappeared overnight? How much would we still know?

Thirdly, Do it! Does the Bible feel like a dry and dusty book to you or does it captivate you like a long-awaited love letter? Maybe take some time this week to revisit parts that in the past have been especially meaningful to you.
For many people there are Psalms that have a special significance or the gospel accounts of Jesus. If regular Bible reading has become difficult why not revisit the parts of the Bible that you are familiar with. Pray that God would give you a fresh passion for his word.

In this book we have the most valuable thing that this world affords. It is God’s way of communicating to the world that he created and loves. We as his followers need to know what is in her so we can share that message with the people that so badly need it.

Trinity 21: Willing to be Last?

Call of the Sons of Zebedee – Marco Basaiti

20/10/24
Trinity 21

Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:35-45

I am going to start with a story I picked up from an online sermon this week about a man who was offered the presidency of a small educational institution in the US. He wanted the job, and thought he should take it. Nevertheless, given his Quaker tradition, he assembled a “clearness committee” of some trusted friends. Their job wasn’t to give him any advice, but instead to ask him honest, open-ended questions, so that the man could discern his vocational call for himself.

Halfway through this three-hour meeting, a friend asked what he would like most about being president. He mentioned several things he would not enjoy, like wearing a tie, at which his friend pointed out that he wasn’t answering the question.
The man paused, thought a bit, then he writes how he “gave an answer that appalled even me as I spoke it: ‘Well,’ I said, in the smallest voice I possess, ‘I guess what I’d like most is getting my picture in the paper with the word ‘president’ under it.'”
He concludes: “I was sitting with seasoned Quakers who knew that though my answer was laughable, my mortal soul was clearly at stake! They did not laugh at all but went into a long and serious silence — a silence in which I could only sweat and inwardly groan.
Finally, my questioner broke the silence with a question that cracked all of us up — and cracked me open: ‘Can you think of an easier way to get your picture in the paper?’ By then it was obvious, even to me, that my desire to be president had much more to do with my ego than with the ecology of my life.” The clearness committee had made things clear, and he withdrew his name from the search.
The man isn’t a bad person; he’s just more honest than most of us, and maybe more in touch with his true self.

How about you? Think for a moment about any positions of power or responsibility that you have held; could be a job or in the community or the church. What did you like about it? How did it make you feel? Did you enjoy the title more than the actual role?

This is a live issue for me as Lead Chaplain of Gatwick Airport. I like the title. I like telling people what I do when asked. It makes for easy conversation when meeting new people as it is a unique role. There are downfalls to this; the temptation to only talk about myself or think that I am the most interesting person in the room. Or to convince myself that I am exempt from normal rules and regulations because of my title. The danger of being overwhelmed by entitlement is real and present.

Over the last 8 years I have been a curate and priest in 11 churches (8 parishes) in 9 towns and villages. Experience has shown that some people (however good-ly or godly intentioned and well-meaning) possess a deep need for power and control over local goings on and more frighteningly, the sharing of information, news or gossip.

Fortunately this is not a new problem for human beings. As far back as Mark’s Gospel and even before, the grab for glory has existed. Make me great again! This is what James and John, with the help of their mother, seemingly want to do. There is no record of what motivated their request; maybe a sense of entitlement or seniority over the other disciples.

James and John make a startling demand of Jesus: ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you’. They say this before they actually ask/tell Jesus what it is that they want him to do. There are very few people whose request I would grant before I knew what the request was. Their question is often dismissed as foolish or arrogant, ‘oh those silly Sons of Thunder!’ Jesus does not rebuff or get angry with them as the disciples did. Jesus welcomes the question, invites them to ask it, but has some questions of his own for James and John. Questions that are not easy to answer.

‘What is it that you want me to do for you?’ asks Jesus. The first thing James and John did right was that they have come to Jesus; generally a very good starting point. James and John clearly trust Jesus to come through for them. However they along with the other disciples have missed what Jesus was trying to tell them about what was coming: being handed over to the chief priests and scribes, condemned to death, handed over again, mocked, spat on, flogged and killed; and after three days rise again.

They did not listen, they did not hear what they wanted to. Again, a familiar problem in the modern age; the failure to listen, to hear what is being said. The first accusation or failing of any leader is often the failure to listen. Many people rightly complain about not being listened to. There is a difference between not being listened to and being listened to and still not getting what you want.

This was the case for James and John. They are not criticised for their tactless request, not at least by Jesus. James and John believe that Jesus will win; Jesus will be in glory and they want to be right there with him. They are ambitious for God! They expect Jesus to be glorified in the way they thought he should or would be. Jesus redirects these ambitions, wants to reset their priorities and motives.

Real greatness, whether on the international, national or local stage (in whatever capacity) is not characterised by domination, political power or schemes to control or subjugate people but by self-sacrificial service to others. So often we believe this although practice proves otherwise.

How ambitious are we for God? The real danger we face as a church, as parishes and the Church more widely is apathy, cynicism and complacency. These are the roadblocks to abundant living and transformation.

Jesus wants us to want more, seek more, hope more and need more of him. This, I think, is why he did not get angry with James and John as they were doing the right thing: going to him and asking but they needed some redirection. The request of James and John does get answered. Jesus tells them that it is not his request to grant but it is for those whom it has been prepared. Sounds a little cryptic but Jesus is completely deferring to God. This is not Jesus’ decision to make. The purpose of God will not be thwarted. But neither can they be fully understood beforehand.

The places are seemingly prepared for those who want to serve. This is what James and John fail to recognize and probably the other upset disciples too. Jesus calls them together for a lesson of ‘supreme importance’ as one commentary put it. Jesus is not going to operate like the world does, ruling with tyranny and a heavy hand.

Jesus came to serve and not be served. You want to sit on my left and on my right? Then you must be the servant. Want to be first, then you have to be the last! Give up your entitlement, move downwards. This is not about rules but a way of life.

On this Dedication Sunday where we give thanks and celebrate the work of Emmanuel, how are we doing as a house of prayer? Are we following Jesus as we should? What about the orientation of our hearts? We may be following the commandments but what about storing treasure in heaven? The future of Emmanuel is not very clear and we need to pray about this. Where is God calling us to go?

If we only look at the bank account or the church building (both of which can be anxiety-producing exercises) it will never work. We need to look at something bigger, beyond us. We need God to lead and guide us in our mission, our giving, and in our love for each other. In any and all instances we need to approach the throne of grace and seek God’s mercy and help and then be obedient to what is being required.

Can I ask you to pray for the plans for Emmanuel and St Nicholas? For the people who faithfully serve, for our finances, for the impact on the community around us.

The real question we need to ask is: ‘What can I do for you?’. This is a question to ask of God but also to each other. Be prepared for more questions than answers; not always what you want to hear but always loving and always true.
Like James and John, we might want God to do something for us. Ask away! Go to the Father in faith, in confidence; He will take your questions, your ambitions and desires in order to line up with His will. If we are willing.

There is no need to be embarrassed. James and John certainly were not. Their questions were heard. The answers may have been unexpected, even unwanted but they came away changed from these conversations. Hopefully more understanding of how God operates and what Jesus came to do. He came to serve and we should be willing to do the same.

Trinity 20: Giving Up & Giving Out

13/10/24
Trinity 20

Hebrews 4:12-end
Mark 10:17-31

Our lectionary readings this morning remind us that God is a God of change. In Hebrews, the word of God is living and active, it is meant to bring change to our lives, sharply and piercingly. The word of God will expose and judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. We are to turn away from ourselves to the throne of God to find grace to help in our time of need. Mark’s Gospel tells the story of the young man who comes to Jesus potentially looking for change. His apparent earnestness, maybe an expectation of an easy answer is dissolved when he does not receive what he thought he wanted or maybe deserved. He leaves Jesus shocked and unwilling to part with possessions. What the man who had everything really needed was nothing.

How many of you are good with change? Some might embrace it with enthusiasm while others might be slower to embrace. In my previous life as a nurse I learned early that things can change quickly; a quick response could mean life or death. This is similar to being the Lead Chaplain at Gatwick where flexibility and adaptability are essential.

Not all change is bad or negative. Sometimes change is actually a very good thing although we may not see it at the time. I also find those things I want to change; never seem to.. And the things that I do not want to change; always do!

I had a conversation this past week with a colleague about the changes that Covid and lockdown brought to our lives. Some people have recovered and others have not. We are still processing the effects and often the trauma brought about the rapid changes we all experienced.

The story of the young man and Jesus appears in all three Synoptic Gospels which indicates it is important. It asks challenging questions about the attainment of eternal life, what does God’s goodness mean, how do we enter the kingdom of heaven and who can be saved. It provides a look into the upside down kingdom of God.

This young man often gets cast as being greedy, selfish, unwilling to give up his possessions for the sake of Jesus. We try to make him look worse than the rest of us (who also have many possessions). This young man is the only person in Mark’s Gospel whom Jesus is said to love. Think about that for a moment; the one who runs to Jesus and then goes away grieving at the thought of giving it all up is one that Jesus loved.

Jesus does not go after him either. He does not plead or beg him or make it any easier for him. Now Jesus could have gone a few ways with this young man’s question of how to have eternal life. It would have been easy for Jesus to secure a new convert. ‘Great!’ Jesus could have said ‘come on! You already follow the commandments, you’re already calling me ‘good’ so you must know who I am because only God is good. You’re in!’

Jesus could have also worked him in more slowly, easing the young man into the values of God’s kingdom. ‘How about you writing a small cheque to charity this year? Nothing scary – just a token?’

However Jesus is not interested in convenience or comfort. That is what I/we may be concerned about. Remember that Jesus loved him and because he loved him and said the truthful thing, the hard and unwanted thing, Jesus knew the young man’s excitement would disappear on the spot. “Sell what you own, give to the poor and follow me.’

This was not what the young man wanted to hear and so he goes away shocked and grieving. This was not the change he was looking for! He was probably shocked because he considered his wealth an entitlement; symbol of worldly accomplishment and of God’s favour. He seems to be after life in its fullness as we all are. Maybe he thought that he could buy his way to eternal life by observing a special commandment.

Jesus welcomes his desire but also knows his weakness, his attachment to possessions. This is probably why he invites him to give it all to the poor so that his treasure and his heart will be in heaven and not on earth. But the young man decides (as far as we know) to hang on to his wealth which will never bring him happiness or eternal life.

What about the Church? We have our own hang-ups too. The Church of England has faced huge changes in the last few years which for an organisation that is notoriously slow and often resistant to change has been a challenge. Things like Living in Love & Faith (same-sex marriage), the safeguarding inquiries, power struggles and financial matters make the headlines. Are we really representing the Kingdom on earth?!

On this Dedication Sunday where we give thanks and celebrate the work of Emmanuel, how are we doing as a house of prayer? Are we following Jesus as we should? What about the orientation of our hearts? We may be following the commandments but what about storing treasure in heaven? The future of Emmanuel is not very clear and we need to pray about this. Where is God calling us to go?

For St Nicholas: we have found a person to help sort out our finances. We give thanks to PC for his service over many years. Please pray for them in the season of change and transition. Can we find new ways to be generous in our giving? This is not just about taking a few bags off the camel to lighten the load. This is about orientation of the heart to the work of the church; ensuring a future that is bright, a church that is open and welcoming to the people of Charlwood.

If we only look at the bank account or the church building (both of which can be anxiety-producing exercises) it will never work. We need to look at something bigger, beyond us. We need God to lead and guide us in our mission, our giving, and in our love for each other. In any and all instances we need to approach the throne of grace and seek God’s mercy and help and then be obedient to what is being required. Can I ask you to pray for the plans for Emmanuel and St Nicholas? For the people who faithfully serve, for our finances, for the impact on the community around us.

It might seem like a big ask at this time. Everyone is struggling in some way or another; a number of our friends have been in hospital recently, many people may be stressed by the end of winter fuel payments or other changes in finances. We might relate to the words of Peter who passionately lays it out for Jesus, ‘look at what we gave up to follow you!’

It was not lost on Jesus what had been given up in order to follow him and all will be made good according to him. In this season of change, God is offering us new opportunities. Following Jesus will challenge us to lifetimes of change where we are invited to encounter God in new ways apart from tradition, memory and resting on history.

Like the young man, we might want more from God but may not want to give up what God wants us to. We might choose to hang on to the familiar even when it does not bring us happiness or eternal life because it is comfortable.
Are we willing to risk being disappointed with the answer God gives and choose his way regardless? Will you continue to follow?

My prayer is that in this coming season of change we will be ready for whatever may come, that we will hold fast to the promises of God and know we can approach the throne of grace when help is needed.