God’s word this morning speaks about the Church and its very honest about what it can be like. So it made me think; do we know who we are if we are involved with Church, and why do we come?
Readings for this Sermon
- Genesis 15.1–18
- Philippians 3:17–4:1
- Luke 13:31–35
Despite the picture, Church is not the building, but the people. So, God’s word speaks to us this morning:
- Of a promise that Abraham’s faith will produce a family (a people) of faith in God, who will be beyond numbering. [it also speaks, in the verses that are left out in the Lectionary, of that people’s suffering before their fulfilment].
- Of the visible church being a mixture of those who truly are son’s and daughters of Abraham’s faith, and embrace the way of self-sacrifice (the cross) as they seek a new kingdom; and those whose hearts are still set on their own self-preservation – but the true Christians are not earthly, but Citizens of Heaven through the Cross.
- Of Jesus commitment to Save, offering his own life for his sheep; but of the fact that many, who are his people in name, appear unable to truly receive him.
It’s talking about us, the Church!
Who? … Why?
So, let’s do something a bit different this morning. Look around – this is the Church. We are only part of the church; in St Keverne, in our Benefice and in this world. But, in a very real way, in this local gathering, we are Church.
If I wasn’t here this morning, and we had no music, organ, or anyone to lead this service (whatever that means) … you would still be the church!
- Part of God’s promise to Abraham
- A Mixture of Cross-embracing Faith and world embracing self-centredness
- The people who Jesus suffered and gave his life for; including some who find that cross-shaped good news hard to receive.
That’s us.
So, I want to start with two questions this morning:
- Who are you … in your hearts and minds? Do you even have a sense of who you are?
- Why are you here? Why do you come, week by week?
Who are You?
I know it’s a massive and almost unanswerable question, but we need to try and answer. If you don’t have a real sense of who you are (whatever that is), you will be like a leaf in a storm; tossed about, a product of other people and circumstances, unable to really be anything.
For example – The things that you do are not really a result of knowing right and wrong, they come from who you are (Just as Jesus said, they come from inside you; who you are; Matt 15.18)
Ae you Christian British, or British Christian (or Cornish) – what comes first? Where is your citizenship?
Jesus shows what this looks like; the pharisees say run away, Herod wants to kill you; and Jesus says, that’s not me, what’s that got to do with me …
Who is it that has come here today?
Why are you here?
And, why are you here?
Again, I know its an impossible question; why do you come generally, why have you come today, what are you bringing and what are you looking for? There are loads of questions hidden in this simple question; why are you here?
But still, it’s important – today, it’s important.
Perhaps there is no One right answer. Even if you are here because you are part of Jesus body and love him and his people;
- you might be here, hungry to feed on him,
- you might be here overflowing with praise or a word from God,
- you might be here looking for answers to a question that trouble you,
- you might be here wanting to pray about something, or someone,
- or you might be here just looking for a refuge, with nothing left but knowing he loves you.
Or, you might be here for none of those reasons; out of habit, or comfort, or curiosity, or duty, or because you are on the rota to do something …
Church
These things are important because you are the Church. Not just when we gather together – you are still part of the body, the church, at home, at work and in everywhere you go – but here we see one another and here we are, in a special way, Church.
What if I had not turned up? What if there was no music and no one to lead this service … what would you do?
What if, because there was no Vicar and no service was advertised, but the building was still open … what would you do. What if the building was closed; what would you do? The scripture offers us challenges and encouragement – where are you?
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food”
(Heb 5:12)
“What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (1 Cor 14:26)
(1 Cor 14:26)
You know that such things have happened, and sometimes people who have come to church or chapel all their life, have just stopped going anywhere!
The Deanery Plan
There’s a reason for all of this; or perhaps two
The Challenge of Clergy Reductions
The first and most obvious is that church as we know it is going to change. Of course, it already has been changing; you used to have one vice dedicated to this parish and now you share him with three other parishes.
That sort of change is only going to increase. It has the danger of being a race to the bottom or managed decline. But, is there a better way of facing this challenge?
The Purpose of God
And there is a deeper reason for my asking these questions, and that is that what is happening to us (this challenge) is God’s working, his plan
Something New
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”
(Isa 43:18–19); (Isaiah 60:1)
Time to Wake Up
“Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
“Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.”
(Eph 5:14); (Isa 52:1); (Rom 13:11)
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.”
Time to Grow Up
“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
(1 Tim 3:14-15); (1 Pet 4:17)
The time when the Church could comfortably hide itself in a friendly, relatively Christian, society has passed. God is calling his Church to wake up, both to the times that we live in and to the calling we have. Quite what that looks like is not clear, but it will be something that grows from the reality of Jesus living in the particular people in each church.
A Christian Presence in Every Community
The Church of England has a mission statement “A Christian Presence in Every Community”. I believe that is what God is looking for also. But, note, it does not mean a Church in every community, let alone the same expression of Church in every community – a congregation of a dozen older people cant be the same as an all age congregation of 200 people … but each can be what God calls them to be. And, in partnerships between congregations – a larger sense of being church – we can be much more than we think.
You are the church. I do not make or shape what this church is – whatever influence I may have – you do. My role is only to build you up, to discover together what God is calling you to be.
In the past Church has often been like something that is provided – something you can join, attend, support and serve – but this has never been what church was meant to be. Church is not provided by some external leadership or institution, church is organic, living; it is what you make it together in Christ.
No More Making Bricks
In Egypt, the Israelites had to make a living by making bricks. And it became harder and harder as the resources for brick-making were reduced and they had to make more and more bricks. Church can sometimes feel like that, as our resources diminish but we are asked to make more and more bricks (Safeguarding paperwork, Data Protection paperwork, Building Repairs and so much more)
Now God is calling us out, to leave the slavery of brick-making behind and journey to a way of life that will be like the first garden, a land flowing with all the good things we need.
The way there is through the desert; leaving solid houses to live as pilgrims in tents, pitching the temple of God’s presence everywhere we are, relying on mana for each day – facing the temptation to grumbling and disagreement, but knowing the need of mutual love and a closeness to Jesus.
It may look like something smaller to start with. And the leaving and losing of those things that have been our comfort and security will be like grieving (for some more than others). But this is God’s way, and if we do not take it that changes will still come, and we will be unprepared. The losses will still happen, but we will have no hope.
Look at One another … and Look at Jesus
So, God is calling us to open our eyes. Look around. The people you see are what God is calling in this place to be his Church; to wake up, grow up and become the new ting that he is calling forth.
And, God is calling you to open your hearts to him; trusting that he is in charge of what is happening. He is calling you to draw close to him; this new thing is first a new you in Jesus as you entrust yourself to him and discover who you are in him. He is calling you to open your eyes and minds to see him – the Holy Spirit in you and in us, like the pillar of fire and cloud that led his people once before, through the desert.
We are setting out, and we can’t see exactly where we are going. But we know that he has called us together; we are (look around) his people. And he has called us to himself, and given us a great shepherd to lead us, together, into life.