Sermon preached at 11am Eucharist at St Alphege, Solihull on Sunday 24th August 2008
Trinity 14, Proper 16, Year A.
Readings: Isaiah 51:1-6 Romans 12: 1-8 Matthew 16: 13-20
Our readings today encourage us to reflect on two different images of the Church; two different ways of thinking about the Church, and our role in it.
Our gospel reading was the story of Simon recognising Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Let’s just take a moment to think about though two titles, Messiah and Son of God, to check that we know what we mean by them.
First of all, the word Messiah. This is a Hebrew word which means “anointed one”. This equivalent Greek word is “Kristos” from which we get our word Christ. Within the kingdom of Israel the tradition was that God would choose a king, and he would tell a prophet to go and anoint that person with oil to show that they were to be king. Perhaps the most famous occasion when this happened is the one recorded in the first book of Samuel, Chapter 16. The prophet Samuel was sent by God to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king over Israel. Jesse paraded seven sons in front of Samuel, but none of these were to be king. Jesse’s eighth and youngest son, David, had to be called back from the fields. The Lord told Samuel that David was the one to be king, so Samuel anointed him with oil, and of course he went to become the great King David, who established the people of Israel in Jerusalem at the start of what was to become their golden age.
But the golden age only lasted for two or three generations. After that the people of Israel passed through hard times. They were always ruled by some foreign king or empire and they always felt oppressed and downtrodden. God promised them that in the fullness of time he would send a descendent of David to be a new Messiah, the anointed one, to be a great King, to save Israel and to enlighten all the people of the world. The people of Israel were always looking for the new Messiah and in our gospel today Simon recognised Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, the Christ.
Simon also recognised Jesus as the Son of God. This is effectively saying that Jesus is God, is of the same being as God. The rest of us were created by God, but Jesus was in some sense “begotten by God, before all things began.” The virgin birth bares witness to the fact that Jesus had no earthly father, but rather he should be called the Son of God.
So Simon’s recognition of Jesus as Messiah, anointed one, Christ, and as Son of God is very, very profound. Jesus certainly was very impressed and said to Simon, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Now it is not easy to understand what all this means. Jesus later repeats many of these things to all the apostles, so there is a sense in which they are shared by all the apostles, by all of the church. But within this sharing they still all come together in a particular way in the person of Simon, now called Peter, which means Rock. And this image of Peter, the rock, on which the church is founded, and the ministry that Peter shares with the other apostles, has been very influential in the churches understanding of itself; of what it means to be church. In Ephesians 2:20 St Paul compares the Church, the people of God to small stones which are being built together to form a great structure, a temple which is being built up to form a dwelling place for God’s Holy Spirit. In this comparison St Paul says that the prophets and apostles are the foundations and Jesus Christ himself is the chief cornerstone.
And I think that this is a very helpful and useful image of the church. But it is by no means the only helpful image of the church, and in fact it is necessary to lay it alongside other images of the church, in order to develop a fuller understanding of what the Church is, what it is for, and how we play our part in it.
In our second reading today from Romans chapter 12, we heard St Paul set out a different image of the church. It is the image of the Church as the body of Christ, and it is one that Paul repeats several times in his epistles (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 1:23, Col 1: 18). In this comparison, Christ is the head of the Church, and the Church is like his body. We are like different members of the body, perhaps we are an arm or a leg, and ear or a nose. We are all very different, but we all have a role to play that is of service to the whole body. We are all joined together in the body; we are members one of another. Just as the different parts of the human body are sustained by the flow of blood round the body, so we in the church are sustained by the presence of God in the Church. God present in his Word proclaimed from the scriptures. God present in the consecrated bread and wine of Holy Communion, God present in the midst of his people gathered in his name (Matt 18:20).
The image of the Church has a great building has it strengths. It makes us reflect on the structures and organisation of the Church, on the bishops and on all the rules and regulations which give us clear guidance on how we all fit together. However this is no more a complete view of the Church, that a skeleton is the complete human body. The body includes many soft tissues, much that is moving and changing all the time, and blood that is in constant circulation.
In our reading St Paul also said, “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12: 2) And this is essential. It is by discerning God’s will that we work out how we, personally, fit into the body. Perhaps we are an arm, and rather action focused. Perhaps we are an ear, and draw the Churches attention the cries of the people around us. Perhaps we are good at talking and, with all charity (not as idle gossip!) we keep news moving and circulating round the people of the Church. Perhaps our role is to pray; we are more like the soul of the body, holding the whole body up before God.
So as we reflect on our own role in the church let’s make sure that everything is done in accordance with God’s will, so God will show us our right place alongside all the other people. Let’s remember that those structural bits, the Bishops and the rules, often show us the will of God and give form and structure to the church, just as the skeleton gives structure to the body. But let’s not make the mistake of thinking the skeleton is more important than the flesh and blood; otherwise we reduce the church to dry bones. Rather let’s recognise that we all need each other, and lets rejoice together, each in accordance with God’s will for us personally, so that the church can be a strong and vibrant body.
Showing posts with label Prophet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prophet. Show all posts
24 August 2008
13 July 2008
Our destiny in Christ
Preached at St Alphege, Solihull at Evensong 6.30pm 13/07/08
Readings: Amos 7:7-17 Psalm 63 Ephesians 1: 3-14
Both of our reading today talk about destiny. However the contrast between the two readings could hardly be greater. One talks of a terrible destiny of destruction and death; one talks of blessing, holiness and grace.
Our first reading came from the prophet Amos. Amos prophesied in the 8th Century BC, when God’s chosen people were split into two kingdoms. There was the Northern Kingdom which comprised 10 of the 12 tribes of the original Israel. The Northern Kingdom was known as Israel and it lived in the area around Samaria and Galilee. There was also the Southern Kingdom, based around Jerusalem which was made up of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. Although the two kingdoms were politically separate they still shared the same religion and were all part of God’s chosen people. Something that the kings of the Northern Kingdom found very difficult was that all the citizens of the Northern Kingdom still needed to go to Jerusalem, in the Southern Kingdom several times a year for the religious festivals. Kings of the Northern kingdom were therefore always tempted to set up their own temples, or worse still their own idols in the Northern Kingdom, to stop people going to worship in Jerusalem. God however would not tolerate such behaviour and Israel experienced great political instability as kings came and went quite rapidly.
Somewhere round about 786 BC Jeroboam II came to the throne of Israel. He was a shrewd politician and his 41 year rule of Israel was very successful in terms of things outward and visible. Jeroboam II maintained good relationships with the kingdom of Judah. He recaptured lands that Israel had lost to the Syrians and the Moabites. Above all his economic policies were extremely successful and Israel enjoyed great wealth and prosperity during his reign. Jeroboam II’s relationship with God however appears a little ambiguous. On the one hand Jeroboam II appears to have supported and helped God’s prophets Hosea and Jonah. On the other hand, the worship of Baal and images of cows and calves continued during his reign and seemed to grow in its lavishness with the increasing wealth of the population. Also economic injustices and corruption became a big problem. Jeroboam II colluded with the rich and powerful in his land, and did little to defend the rights of the poor and weak.
And it was to this Northern Kingdom of Israel, in this time of great prosperity, that the prophet Amos was sent. Amos came from the land of Judah, so in some sense he was a foreigner in Israel. He was not a “professional prophet” who set out to make his living through prophecy. Just as today we buy different national newspapers according to what we want to hear, so in 8th century BC Israel, people often paid for and supported the “professional prophets” who said the things that they wanted to hear. Amos is quite clear that he is not a “prophet” but rather one sent by God to prophesy to the people of Israel. And the message that God sends to the people of Israel through Amos is very firm. He wants to see Israel straight and true, like a plumb line. He is critical of the religious cult at Bethel, because the unjust are not sincere in their worship. Of course this message did not always go down well. In our reading today we heard Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, took great exception to it, and complained to the king. Amos was not put off, however, we heard that he also had very strong words for Amaziah.
Throughout his prophecies Amos demands justice and integrity in trade. He is scandalised by the biased weighing scales used to sell food to the poor. He is scandalised that the poor are sometimes sold chaff and the sweepings of wheat, rather than real wheat. He warns of a forthcoming “day of the Lord” which will be a terrible day of justice. He talks of Israel being taken into exile. Scholars think that Amos was prophesising round about 750BC, towards the end of Jeroboam II reign. After Jeroboam died (round about 745BC) Israel experienced political instability and great political pressure from the Assyrians. When the Assyrians finally conquered Samaria in 722 they took and many of the citizens of Israel away into exile.
In sharp contrast to Amos we heard in our New Testament lesson of the wonderful destiny promised to us in Christ. Paul goes on an on about this. First of all he tells us that we have been given “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. Perhaps we don’t quite know what that means, so Paul elaborates; we were “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. This does not mean that we are already holy and blameless in love, but this is what we are called to. This is what we must seek and must work towards, by practicing as best we can being holy and blameless and by practicing loving the people around us. Of course we know that this is not easy and that we will fail many times, but Paul has an answer for this. He says, “In him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, that he lavished on us.” It is not we who make ourselves holy, rather it is the grace that Christ lavishes upon us that makes us holy. Our part is to want it, to pray for it and to do what we can to work towards it. However it is God that actually does it.
St Paul tells us that we are destined for adoption as children of God, through Christ. We are called to be brothers and sisters of Jesus. This is a very high calling. St Paul talks of the inheritance that we will share with Christ. He says that the seal of his spirit that we receive in baptism is the pledge of this inheritance. And what is this inheritance. It is “to live for the praise of the Glory of God.” Elsewhere in the scriptures we might understand this to be to share in the life that Jesus shares with the Father.
So let’s give thanks to God for the great destiny that we have in Christ. Let’s praise God that he considers us as brothers and sisters of Christ, and worthy of sharing the same inheritance as Christ. Let’s do all our part to seek this destiny; to want it, pray for it and work towards it. Let’s not be put off when we fail. Rather, let’s always start again, and in this way we learn to trust and rest in the forgiveness and grace of Christ, which brings this destiny about. Amen.
Readings: Amos 7:7-17 Psalm 63 Ephesians 1: 3-14
Both of our reading today talk about destiny. However the contrast between the two readings could hardly be greater. One talks of a terrible destiny of destruction and death; one talks of blessing, holiness and grace.
Our first reading came from the prophet Amos. Amos prophesied in the 8th Century BC, when God’s chosen people were split into two kingdoms. There was the Northern Kingdom which comprised 10 of the 12 tribes of the original Israel. The Northern Kingdom was known as Israel and it lived in the area around Samaria and Galilee. There was also the Southern Kingdom, based around Jerusalem which was made up of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. Although the two kingdoms were politically separate they still shared the same religion and were all part of God’s chosen people. Something that the kings of the Northern Kingdom found very difficult was that all the citizens of the Northern Kingdom still needed to go to Jerusalem, in the Southern Kingdom several times a year for the religious festivals. Kings of the Northern kingdom were therefore always tempted to set up their own temples, or worse still their own idols in the Northern Kingdom, to stop people going to worship in Jerusalem. God however would not tolerate such behaviour and Israel experienced great political instability as kings came and went quite rapidly.
Somewhere round about 786 BC Jeroboam II came to the throne of Israel. He was a shrewd politician and his 41 year rule of Israel was very successful in terms of things outward and visible. Jeroboam II maintained good relationships with the kingdom of Judah. He recaptured lands that Israel had lost to the Syrians and the Moabites. Above all his economic policies were extremely successful and Israel enjoyed great wealth and prosperity during his reign. Jeroboam II’s relationship with God however appears a little ambiguous. On the one hand Jeroboam II appears to have supported and helped God’s prophets Hosea and Jonah. On the other hand, the worship of Baal and images of cows and calves continued during his reign and seemed to grow in its lavishness with the increasing wealth of the population. Also economic injustices and corruption became a big problem. Jeroboam II colluded with the rich and powerful in his land, and did little to defend the rights of the poor and weak.
And it was to this Northern Kingdom of Israel, in this time of great prosperity, that the prophet Amos was sent. Amos came from the land of Judah, so in some sense he was a foreigner in Israel. He was not a “professional prophet” who set out to make his living through prophecy. Just as today we buy different national newspapers according to what we want to hear, so in 8th century BC Israel, people often paid for and supported the “professional prophets” who said the things that they wanted to hear. Amos is quite clear that he is not a “prophet” but rather one sent by God to prophesy to the people of Israel. And the message that God sends to the people of Israel through Amos is very firm. He wants to see Israel straight and true, like a plumb line. He is critical of the religious cult at Bethel, because the unjust are not sincere in their worship. Of course this message did not always go down well. In our reading today we heard Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, took great exception to it, and complained to the king. Amos was not put off, however, we heard that he also had very strong words for Amaziah.
Throughout his prophecies Amos demands justice and integrity in trade. He is scandalised by the biased weighing scales used to sell food to the poor. He is scandalised that the poor are sometimes sold chaff and the sweepings of wheat, rather than real wheat. He warns of a forthcoming “day of the Lord” which will be a terrible day of justice. He talks of Israel being taken into exile. Scholars think that Amos was prophesising round about 750BC, towards the end of Jeroboam II reign. After Jeroboam died (round about 745BC) Israel experienced political instability and great political pressure from the Assyrians. When the Assyrians finally conquered Samaria in 722 they took and many of the citizens of Israel away into exile.
In sharp contrast to Amos we heard in our New Testament lesson of the wonderful destiny promised to us in Christ. Paul goes on an on about this. First of all he tells us that we have been given “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”. Perhaps we don’t quite know what that means, so Paul elaborates; we were “chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. This does not mean that we are already holy and blameless in love, but this is what we are called to. This is what we must seek and must work towards, by practicing as best we can being holy and blameless and by practicing loving the people around us. Of course we know that this is not easy and that we will fail many times, but Paul has an answer for this. He says, “In him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace, that he lavished on us.” It is not we who make ourselves holy, rather it is the grace that Christ lavishes upon us that makes us holy. Our part is to want it, to pray for it and to do what we can to work towards it. However it is God that actually does it.
St Paul tells us that we are destined for adoption as children of God, through Christ. We are called to be brothers and sisters of Jesus. This is a very high calling. St Paul talks of the inheritance that we will share with Christ. He says that the seal of his spirit that we receive in baptism is the pledge of this inheritance. And what is this inheritance. It is “to live for the praise of the Glory of God.” Elsewhere in the scriptures we might understand this to be to share in the life that Jesus shares with the Father.
So let’s give thanks to God for the great destiny that we have in Christ. Let’s praise God that he considers us as brothers and sisters of Christ, and worthy of sharing the same inheritance as Christ. Let’s do all our part to seek this destiny; to want it, pray for it and work towards it. Let’s not be put off when we fail. Rather, let’s always start again, and in this way we learn to trust and rest in the forgiveness and grace of Christ, which brings this destiny about. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
