Mama Carlo

A message from Carol Doyle in Tanzania:

Dear Robert
Thank you so much for your email.  I do not know where the days have gone there is so much to do.... The children (mostly)have no English so my Kiswahili has got to improve!  The place is quite away out of town with no decent transport but as long as I can get food there isn't much else I need.  I do miss my worship with you at Cheddington and St Giles.  We go to Church every Sunday but the service is in Swahili and it is pretty meaningless to me and my co worker Beth who has been here for two years says she cannot follow it.  I am trying to follow by myself the Common Prayer Book you lent me but I do miss the Communion service order of service and the Creed and there is no communal worship with the other families which I find odd.  However Tumaini is in a wonderful spot with a view of the Lake and Hills (We are on the edge of the Lake but not on the shore).
It is very hot and we are in the dry season Lizards are running everywhere and dragons flies rise up out of the grasses as I walk by.  There are two Fish Eagles near our kitchen window who have a nest in a nearby tree.. We watch them flying by with Fishes in their bills (Great).  The internet connection is TERRIBLE and keeps dropping the connection so I have to think and type fast Thus the many typo errors.!
Much Love to you Vicky and all at St Giles
Carol  aka Mama Carlo x

Baptism Anniversary

20 June was our annual baptism anniversary service. Alyssa Clark was baptized.

We also celebrated Fathers’ Day.

Here are some of the congregation after the service.

Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer

St Giles Holy Communion Thursday 17 June 2010

Gospel Matthew 6.5-14

Prayer

⁵ "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ "This, then, is how you should pray:
       " 'Our Father in heaven,
       hallowed be your name,

¹⁰ your kingdom come,
       your will be done,
       on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts,
       as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
       but deliver us from the evil one. '

¹⁴ For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Sermon

‘I’m not much good at prayer.’ Something done by clergy, evangelicals, or specially religious people. Disciples probably felt same in presence of their master. ‘Teach us like John taught his disciples.’

‘This then is how you should pray.’ Does it mean we should endlessly repeat these words? Children learn by rote. How often do we pause and reflect on their meaning?

Or is it a template for prayer? Model of brevity. Babbling like pagans and warnings against ostentatious prayer don’t really apply to today’s western world – perhaps we could do with more public prayer, and less hiding away behind locked doors? But it does warn us not to heap up empty phrases, which includes thoughtlessly repeating Lord’s Prayer.

It deals with everyday needs, but also looks forward to the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s right we should ask God for our daily bread and thank him for it – but does this not also mean we long for the bread of life, the heavenly manna?

The prayer itself makes the twofold meaning clear: hallowed be your name – your kingdom come – your will be done – all apply of course to our present situation, but ‘as it is in heaven’ – and so, as it will be when the reign of God comes in all its fullness at the end time.

Forgive us our debts is translated in different ways. In his parables, Jesus gives examples of debts being cancelled or reduced, but most of these refer to the Kingdom. So we are not talking only about being kind to those who owe us money (good though that might be) but the coming judgement too. Hence the other translations: ‘trespasses’ or ‘sins.’ The last two verses of the reading deal with forgiveness – the Father will not forgive sins to those who are not willing to forgive others who have wronged them.

Notice the doxology we use is missing. The prayer ends with the strange request that God should not tempt us. Why would he? And who is this personified ‘evil one?’ How did an evil one come to be created by a loving and good God, if God created all things, and without him nothing came into being? At Methodist Chapel, we used the words do not bring us to the time of trial – again surely referring to the end of time and the final judgement. We pray to be spared temptation beyond our ability to endure it.

Most importantly, though, when we use this prayer, as Jesus taught us, we should slow down, reflect on the words, think of what we are saying. Even better, use it as a template for our own prayers rather than, as we sometime so, babbling the words, piling up empty phrases that have lost their meaning for us, and not according it its true value as the only prayer our Lord taught us to pray. Amen

Faith in Christ?

…or Christ’s faith and God’s grace in redemption.

Reading Galatians 2.15-21

We who are Jews by birth and not “Gentile sinners” know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no-one will be justified.

If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a law-breaker. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

Gospel Luke 7.36-8.3

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

“Two men owed money to a certain money-lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

Then he turned towards the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

After this, Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Sermon

Theme sometimes obvious: here common thread of justification by faith not by works.

Galatians – written to Jews who relied on Law until came to faith in Jesus. Made right with God through observing all the commandments. But through grace of God they have died to the Law – crucified with Christ – now no longer live, but Christ lives in them. Their lives have changed completely. They are no longer their own.

Luke’s narrative tells similar story. It’s about an unnamed woman whose sins were great – but maybe her lifestyle forced on her through circumstances. Not the point – she was a sinner. Yet she reverenced Jesus – with her tears, her money, her reputation and bravery, and her love. Her works, you may think, should have been sufficient. But it was not her actions that redeemed her. Jesus make is clear – it was her faith.

Argument about works of Law has lost some of its impact today. Supposing someone told you that in order to come to church you had to completely change your diet? The women had to dress in a special way, separate themselves from the men, lose all the rights and authority they took for granted? The men had to be circumcised. They were to observe hundreds of laws and no longer mix with their previous friends and neighbours. It was like giving up everything, and taking on a completely foreign set of ways. How would you react? Imagine then the good news when you were read this letter from Paul.

Justification by faith not by works of Law is the obvious theme, but there are others. Sin and all its consequences. The death of our former selves – what does that mean? Love – and how much do we love? Grudgingly and insolently, like the Pharisee who did not accord any of the customary politenesses when he invited Jesus to dine? Or insanely and overwhelmingly like the woman, whose sins were forgiven regardless of their magnitude.

How about the place of women in the ministry of Christ? Apart from the 12 male followers, Luke lists Mary of Magdala, Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. They all supported the men financially and in other ways – yet still we argue about the place of women in the church.

Or what about justification? What does it mean. How are we justified? Someone once suggested the word sounds a bit like just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned. That doesn’t mean just turning the clock back. There’s no repentance in that. No – it still requires of us a full reckoning of the consequences of our sin, but God’s grace means we stand once more in a right relationship with God, as if he had never sinned.

Another possible sermon topic would be the whole story as a parable. There are similar stories, but from later in Jesus’s ministry where the anointing prefigures Jesus’s death. This one comes much earlier – it is clearly a less about sin, justification, and forgiveness. Notice, by the way, how Simon says nothing after answering the question Jesus puts to him, and the woman is silent throughout. How brave she was – entering a males-only environment, a woman unclean in every way, a person undoubtedly not welcome, yet a woman of faith whose impudence provided her salvation.

So all these are possible themes I could take – and no doubt many more. But this is the one thing I want to say. It’s something I only found out last week. Yet it’s very good news for us all – at least, those of use whose faith is weak and faltering, which I suspect is all of us, if we are truthful.

The thing is this. We read of justification by faith not by our good works. What we think, not what we do. Yet we find belief hard, and our faith is weak. So doesn’t faith, in this sense, sound very much like works? All we have to do is believe – but how difficult a task that is. If we have to do it – to have faith and believe – how much like a work of the Law is that? Good on the woman who believed – but how incredibly difficult what she did must have been to pull off.

Here’s what I found out last week. It comes down to just two words in the Greek. It’s Galatians 2:16. The words in English are faith in Christ. We have put our faith in Christ, with the result that we are justified. The thing is, the Greek actually means faith of Christ rather than faith in Christ – or at least, it can be translated either way. You may find the alternative in those little notes at the bottom of the page.

For those who want to know more – the words are Pisteos and Christou. Πίστεως and Χρίστου. Faith in Christ or Faith of Christ. The objective genitive or the subjective genitive. The different translations make a huge difference.

Supposing we are made right with God through the faith of Jesus, rather than by our faith in Jesus? What a difference that makes. Why should we prefer the easier translation? Because of the boundless grace of God, I would say. God’s grace is free and abundant. It does not depend on a measure of how strong is our faith. There need be no bar, over which we have to jump in order to be made right with God. No – it is through the faith of Christ that we are saved. How good is that? Amen

A widow in dire need

Sunday 6 June 2010

Reading Galatians 1.11-24

I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles – only James, the Lord’s brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they praised God because of me.

Gospel Luke 7.11-17

Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out – the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Sermon

During campaign – parties set out policies. What they would do and why. Period after general election. Briefings. Choosing cabinet and ministers. Conveying vision for next 4 years.

Luke introduces Jesus – family - infancy. John the Baptist campaigns. Jesus tempted.

Sermon on the Plain – Jesus sets out policies – or better, he announced inauguration of God’s reign. Blessings and woes. Love for enemies. Not judging others. Judging people by fruits. Building on rock not sand.

Public ministry – begins at chapter 7. Before, Jesus says. Now he does. Capernaum by Sea of Galilee. Sets up base away from Nazareth where Jesus rejects his family who initially disapprove, and his people rejected him.

Public statement of intent – manifesto. Synagogue at Nazareth – Jesus quotes Isaiah:
¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

Jesus not the only prophet rejected. Elijah also rejected, he says. Severe famine. Many starved – Elijah sent to save non-Jewish widow. Naaman – Syrian general cured of leprosy through Elisha. Both turned to Gentiles – Jesus would eventually do so too.

Message - God’s love for all creatures. Chapter 7 begins with 2 miracle stories. Centurion’s servant – parallel to Naaman. Raising of widow’s son – parallel to Zarephath. It is through God’s love for all creatures that he reaches out to save. ‘Heal’ or ‘save’ – same word in Gk – sozo.

Capernaum – strong Roman presence. Jesus heals slave of foreign occupying legionary officer. Official – like Naaman. He is not in need – can get many other slaves – still Jesus reached out. Turned weeping into joy.

Comparison – widow losing sole means of support – tragedy. Dire consequences. Judaism – care for widows mandated by Law. ¹³ When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don't cry.” First use of ‘Lord’ in Luke.

God’s reign – action of Jesus establishes his credibility and identity. Speaks volumes about coming Kingdom.

· Weeping turned into laughing.

· Jesus empowered to act as only God can.

· Poor receive the Kingdom

· Do good to enemies – show mercy and love

· God’s healing and salvation – indiscriminate – no requirement for faith here

These are representative of Jesus’s power and credibility. People who witness miracle attest to his identity – their reaction: ¹⁶ They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”

These two stories – not just miracles but offer powerful messages about Kingdom. Yet if we look for a lesson we can take from them, need to be treated with care. God reaches out to woman in dire and critical need. Not surprising Jesus moved to compassion. Who would not be?

The reality of widows at the time was life-threatening at worst, miserable most of the time. A concern for assisting widows throughout the Bible stems from their dire need. So God reached out.

But not every widow is helped. What about all those in terrible need today? On our streets. In continent of Africa? Suffering from want, disease, oppression?

In these stories, Jesus ‘sees’ the widow. He ‘sees’ her need and acts. Jesus – God incarnate – is no longer ‘walking about among us.’ The coming Kingdom will bring joy where there was weeping, but in the meantime we are God’s hand, feet and eyes to act as Jesus did. To ‘see’ those in want and need. To reach out and act.

More than just miracle stories, this is one of the lessons to be learned. There may be many others, but one will do for now. Isn’t this what Paul is getting at, in our reading from Galatians? God, he says ‘set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, and was pleased to reveal his Son in me’

Can we say the same? That God is pleased to reveal his Son in me? And in return, are we pleased to be God’s hands and feet? His eyes? His voice? Only by being so can we claim, as Paul did, that God is pleased to reveal his Son in me. Amen

Corpus Christi

Holy Communion – 9.15am Thursday 3 June

Short passage of scripture

Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.
He had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Luke 24.31a,35

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 11.23-26

I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Gospel John 6.51-58

Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you can eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Sermon

Walk – Lake Bolsena. Volcano. Miracle 1263. German priest – Peter of Prague on pilgrimage to Rome – doubted transubstantiation. Celebrated mass in Bolsena above tomb of Santa Christina.

As he readied himself to give communion the bread turned blood red; the liquid then spilled onto the white altar cloth, forming a stain that resembled the profile of Jesus, as well as the onto the marble floor and into the grotto of St. Christina, where the stain can still be seen today.

Walk to Orvieto – overgrown track to Roman road. Roack fall on via cava blocked pilgrims’ way. Split – Pope Urban IV declared miracle and Corpus Domini marked in petal-strewn streets to this day.

Corpus Christi a RC festival. Thurs after Trinity. In the Church of England it is known as The Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion and has the status of a Festival. Although its observance is optional, where kept it is typically celebrated as a major holy day. It is also celebrated by the Old Catholic Church and by some Western Rite Orthodox Christians, and is commemorated in the liturgical calendars of the more Latinized Eastern Catholic Churches.

It is right we should celebrate institution of Eucharist. Centre of our worship. Re-enactment of final hours of Jesus’s life. Following his command when Jesus said “This is my body” and “this is my blood.”

Eucharist εὐχαριστία means ‘thanksgiving.’ The Lord's Supper (Κυριακὸν δεῖπνον) derives from 1 Corinthians 11:20-21 – “When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat...” Communion is a translation of the Greek κοινωνία in 1 Corinthians 10:16. The AV has “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?”

The word means ‘participation’, ‘sharing’, ‘fellowship.’

Although we do not subscribe to doctrine of transubstantiation, we recognise a special presence of Christ in this rite or sacrament. In this spirit, after our intercessions, let us give thanks to God for the institution of Holy Communion on this day – Corpus Christi.

Cornerstone of St Giles

Thursday Holy Communion 9.15am 27 May 2010

Reading 1 Peter 2

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For in Scripture it says:
       "See, I lay a stone in Zion,
       a chosen and precious cornerstone,
       and the one who trusts in him
       will never be put to shame."

⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
       "The stone the builders rejected
       has become the cornerstone,"

⁸ and,
       "A stone that causes people to stumble
       and a rock that makes them fall."
       They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Gospel Mark 10

Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight

⁴⁶ Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁸ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."

    So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." ⁵⁰ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
       The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

⁵² "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Sermon

Purpose of letter of I Peter was not to pass on teaching or doctrine or ethical instruction, like many of Paul’s writing. Rather, it seems to be to urge Christians in latter part of 1^st century to hold firm to their faith in the face of hostility and persecution.

Letter reminds believers of inestimable value of what they as Christians have already received. Not to be taken lightly. Assures them of future reward and vindication for all they have suffered. Emphasises example of the blameless suffering of Christ.

Peter of course suffered for his faith. This letter probably written too late for Peter to be the author, and anyway it is written in far too sophisticated Gk. to be by an unlettered fisherman, even if he used a secretary. But Peter’s suffering probably explains why letter may have been written by his followers in his name.

Three images: one, new believers like new born babes needing spiritual milk in order to grow in faith. Two, a stone. Suggests a building, spiritual house.

Cornerstone is most important part of edifice. Without it the building falls. Jesus himself is the cornerstone of this spiritual house. Normally this would be carefully chosen, but ironically in this case the cornerstone was one picked up from a pile of rejects – the builders (the chosen people?) rejected the stone, yet it became the cornerstone upon which everything depended.

So what was least important became the most important, holding up the building and making it safe and secure. A building that will not fall. But this very stone will be the cause of stumbling and falling by those who did not see its worth.

Like the Temple in Jerusalem, this is a house in which the faithful are a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. Holy priesthood is we ourselves.

Third image is light. As chosen people, we are called by God to be his own. We must behave like the holy people we are, and abstain from whatever is unworthy of our calling. This is the light: we are called by God out of darkness into his wonderful light. Image of salvation, but also image of judgement – do we turn towards the light or away from it?

How appropriate then that the gospel reading is a parallel: blind Bartimaeus is blind, but he still has choice. Will he turn towards the light or away from it. That is what Jesus is asking.

⁵¹ "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
       The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."

⁵² "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

The Way – Christianity or a sect within Judaism?

Thursday 6 May 2010

Reading Acts 15: 7 – 21

⁷ After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. ⁸ God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. ⁹ He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

¹² The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. ¹³ When they finished, James spoke up. "Brothers," he said, "listen to me. ¹⁴ Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. ¹⁵ The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

¹⁶ " 'After this I will return
       and rebuild David's fallen tent.
       Its ruins I will rebuild,
       and I will restore it,

¹⁷ that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord,
       even all the Gentiles who bear my name,
       says the Lord, who does these things' —

¹⁸ things known from long ago.

¹⁹ "It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. ²¹ For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."

Gospel John 15: 9 – 11

⁹ "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Sermon

Last week we read from Acts 13. Paul and Barnabas in Pisidian Antioch. Paul invited to speak in synagogue. Long sermon expounding history of Jews over more than 450 years. Object to explain how prophets foretold coming of Messiah, and how Jesus, descended from David, was the Christ.

Jews in Antioch rejected them. Shook dust off their feet in protest and went to Iconium. Same thing happened. Accepted by some Jews and Greeks but religious authorities opposed them. Then travelled through Lystra and Derbe strengthening church already established there. After that, went by ship to Antioch and thence to Jerusalem.

Here debate still raged as to whether gospel for Jews only or Gentiles too. Some rejoiced when they heard from Paul and Barnabas that many Gentiles had been converted. Others wanted Christianity to remain a sect within Judaism, which meant new believers would have to observe all the law of Moses.

There was a debate. James brother of Jesus was in charge of the church in Jerusalem. Eventually, he was persuaded by the fact God had intervened and bestowed gift of Holy Spirit on all – Jews and Gentiles alike, making no distinction between them.

So the church wrote to all the new believers telling them no further burden would be imposed on them, and sending Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with the good news.

Fact is, faith does not have to be this complicated. Sometimes I think the church puts more people off by its rules and regs, its ways of doing things, its condemnation of those who are different in some way. Read the gospel and see how simple Jesus made the law, compared to the complex web of dos and don’ts men had spun which only entrapped rather than freed adherents.

Today’s gospel passage is short but full of meaning. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

That’s it really. What more is there to say?

Cuckoo

The first cuckoo this Spring was loud this morning during the service of Holy Communion at St Giles. One person said it had been heard for some time already, but this was the first time I heard it myself.

The bird was competing with the sound of chain saws and machinery clearing an extension to our graveyard this week.

 

Robert

Suffering

Holy Communion Thursday 29 April 2010

Reading Acts 13: 13 – 25

From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.”

Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their inheritance. All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled for forty years. After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

“From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised. Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

Gospel John 13: 16 – 20

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

¹⁸"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'

¹⁹"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. ²⁰I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."

²¹After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."

Sermon

Last 2 weeks, Acts 5, 8 now 13. Philip and Ethiopian reading Isaiah. Christological exegesis of Isaiah 53 – suffering servant – Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.

Followed by conversion of Saul – preaching in Damascus – Jews plot to kill Saul and his escape by night.

Back to Peter. Raises Tabitha, a believer in Joppa, from apparent death. Peter sent for by centurion Cornelius – had vision of unclean animals lowered in large sheet – mission to Gentiles starts – gift of Holy Spirit poured out on Jews and Gentiles alike. Peter reports back to church in Jerusalem what has happened.

James brother of John is killed, and Peter imprisoned. Peter miraculously freed. Barnabas and Saul commissioned by the church and are sent out on mission, starting in Cyprus. We catch up with them in Antioch. Saul renamed Paul thereafter – preached in synagogue. Long sermon about OT and how events and prophecy foretold coming of Jesus. Initially Paul invited back, but driven out from the region.

Gospel from John 13 also contains prophecy. Seems obscure, but starts with reference to foot washing. Now that you know these things, you will be blest if you do them.

Then Jesus changes subject. Predicts his own death. Treason of Judas preoccupies John: He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me... [quotation from Psalms] I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.

Both Acts and John passages very dark in a way – persecution, betrayal, death – yet in midst of suffering there is hope – mission of Paul and growth of church against background of persecution – betrayal and death of Jesus leads to our redemption and salvation.

Problem of suffering is a perennial one. Why does suffering seem to be essential part of human condition? Does God cause us to suffer? What is the point of it all? It’s clear we come closer to God through suffering. Delve deeper into ourselves when we are in pain. Maybe come out of a time of suffering with a renewed vision of what we are.

If Jesus himself no stranger to suffering why should we be? His history, and that of early church is filled with suffering, but although it is a mystery to us, it is what is beyond it that is the key, and often the only comfort when we are in the midst of it.