'Fixing our eyes on King Jesus' - Transcript of sermon St Andrews Shilton 10th May 2026

 

St Andrews’ Shilton 6^th Sunday after Easter

Acts 17: 22-31 & John 14: 15-21

On 8 September 2022, King Charles III became the UK's monarch upon the death of Queen Elizabeth 11. The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom took place eight months later Saturday, 6 May 2023,

Next Thursday, May 14^th is Ascension Day. Somewhat regrettably this Feast often suffers neglect and a misunderstanding of its importance.

Partly I think that is because we have taken and embraced a triple decker world view, heaven above, earth in the middle and hell below.

Jesus, having lived on earth, died, spent a very brief time in hell, before rising and then ascending into heaven.  Very often spatially located somewhere up above the sky and the clouds.

Ascension is often thought of as Jesus going up into the sky and often portrayed this way in art and sculpture.

But people have been in that space and there is no sign of what we might call heaven.

However, if we take the concept of Charles 111 ascending the throne and being crowned we might be getting closer to a better understanding and the importance of this event.

The predominant ruling power at the time of Jesus’ earthy ministry was Rome. And it was Rome’s representative that had Jesus crucified and placed above his head, ‘The King of the Jews.’

The Ascension is Jesus coming in the clouds of glory, as spoken of in Daniel 7:13-14, to take his place and sit down at the right hand of God and receive all power and authority both in the earthly realm (our reality) and the heavenly realm. (God’s reality)

“Again, the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14.62

Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension are all part of a royal proclamation that Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth, and the dawn of a new creation has begun.

Now it may not feel or even look like Jesus is Lord and that a new creation has begun. That is because it is both now and not yet. In technical terms that is called inaugural eschatology.

The people of Athen’s didn’t consider that a new creation had dawned and that Jesus was Lord of Heaven and earth. For them there was a whole panoply of gods, and just in case, they had an altar to an unknow god, to hedge their bets as you might say. Walking around the city Paul notices this amongst all the many other temples and shrines.

And listen to what Paul declares to them in verses 24 of our Acts reading..

 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”

Remember the occasion when Jesus’ disciples were waxing lyrical about the marvel of the temple in Jerusalem, such big stones, they said. However, Jesus warned them that a time was coming when there wouldn’t be one stone left upon another.

Jesus then went on to say, ‘destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.’ It was only later that they realised this referenced Jesus personified the Temple in Jerusalem, the heaven and earth space.

When the first temple was built, under Solomon, during the dedication of that temple the Shekinah glory of God descended and filled the temple.

In our Gospel reading we hear of Jesus promising that if we abide in him, then we too will receive that very same Spirit.

That we will not be abandoned as orphans, that through the Spirit we will know God and know him as Lord of heaven and earth, the creator and sustainer of all things.

Know that despite all the crazy things going on in the world right now, or indeed all the crazy things in the world that have happened throughout history, that it is all leading to a new heaven and earth reality. A heaven and earth reality that has already broken into the world in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

A heaven and earth reality now manifest in God’s people, the Church, you and me. We are signposts pointing towards the reality of this new creation.

We are those who out of our love for God obey all the commands which Jesus summarised as loving God and loving your neighbour as yourself.

But how, you might ask, do I remain as a faithful signpost in a sea of trouble, a light in the darkness.

Remember the story of Jesus walking on the water whilst a storm raged. Remember the story of how Peter, wonderful impetuous Peter, takes that step of faith and steps out of the boat. And it is only when he takes his eyes of Jesus and looks at the storm that his faith falters and he begins to sink.

But notice, but notice, but notice - when he stepped out in faith the storm kept howling around his head, the storm didn’t stop.

And yes, we are facing some fearsome storms right now, and you might also be facing some of your own storms as well, personal storms raging in your life.

Anchoring our hearts and minds in the Scriptures in one good way of remaining steadfast in the storms that assail us.

Like these wonderful words from Hebrews 12.1-2, words that are very dear to me as someone who loves running.

‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

Take especial note of the call to fix our eyes on Jesus – that was when Peter’s faith failed him and he began to sink.

One of the ways to help someone having a panic attack is to ask them to focus on you - “look at me, look at me, now breathe, in and out, in and out.”

Jesus says to us in our pain, hurt and confusion - "look at me, look at me, now breathe."

Let me ask this question, do you find yourself focussing on the storm, catastrophising, or are your eyes fixed upon Jesus?

From our Gospel this morning and verse 16 & 17;

Jesus said…

^“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

The world that lives in disobedience to God and certainly does not keep any of God’s commands, but lives to its own power and authority, will not be able to accept God because it means relinquishing their own power and grand ideas about how the world should be run and operated.

As God’s people, who are abiding in God and keeping our eyes firmly fixed upon Jesus, we will know the Spirit of truth, we will know God’s presence and not be left or abandoned as orphans.

We can be as a light in the darkness and hope in the despair, signpost to God’s new creation, carriers of God’s Kingdom come upon earth, filled with very presence of God through the promised Holy Spirit.

Let us pray;

O Saviour Christ, in whose way of love lays the secret of all life, and the hope of all people, we pray for quiet courage to match this hour. We did not choose to be born or live in such an age; but let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustices anger us, its possibilities inspire us, and its vigour renew us. Pour out upon us a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit; make us bold and courageous in sharing faith in both word and deed for your Kingdom’s sake we ask.

 

                https://youtu.be/E_nLERH27dM?si=WBcIPGffCI4YRPiL 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Running with perseverance' - Weekly Reflection 2nd May 2026

On Saturday last (1^st May) I went out for a run.  I have been running for 48 years now, not very fast or very far. After completing the London Marathon in 1983 I knew that running a full marathon was to much of a stretch for me and settled into running half marathons.

They provide enough of a challenge without a massive overreach.  My ten-mile run on Saturday took me 2:00:41. That is slower than the winner of this year’s London Marathon, covering 26 miles. And not one, but two athletes broke the two-hour barrier.  Sawe came in at 1:59:30 and Kejelcha came in at 1:59:41. Remarkably in 1908 Johnny Hayes broke the three-hour barrier at 2:55:18. The massive development in training, nutrition, understanding biology and shoe technology have made what at one time seemed impossible, possible.

It will probably come as no surprise that one my favourite Bible verse is Hebrews 12:1-3.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today in Church we had a young family visiting us. Mum was currently following the training programme ‘Couch to 5k.’ Couch to 5K is a simple, free running plan for absolute beginners endorsed by the NHS. The plan has you running 3 times a week, with rest days in between and a fresh schedule to follow each week.

By the end, people should be able to run 5K with confidence, no matter their starting fitness level or when they last exercised. Couch to 5K was created by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his 50-something mum get off the couch and start running too!

I checked myself from saying that for 5K is hardly worth the effort of putting on the trainers! Unless I am seriously out of sorts running three miles takes very little effort. But that is because I have been running since 1978 and my body is used to this.  In the same way for those who do run incredible distances and at an unbelievable pace, they can do so because of training.

When writing to the Corinthains Paul obviously had the Greek Athletic Games in mind when he wrote….

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the game’s trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore, I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.… 1 Cor.9.24-26

A question for us to ponder. How good are we at embracing a ‘strict discipline’ when it comes to living the life of the Faith?  How much time do we spend taking a deep dive into the Scripture’s? How much time do we spend in prayer and how much time do we spend with other ‘athletes’ encouraging each other, especially those who have just got off the couch and recently embraced the Christian faith?

Today at St Oswald’s was our first All Age Worship since our Vicars, Alan and Jane retired and we moved into vacancy.  Appropriately we focussed on the calling of Jeremiah. See Jeremiah 1:4ff.

We reflected together that God knows us and loves us, that we are all called to serve God by serving each other, that God calls and equips and gives us all we need to do what God is asking us to do, and that God is always with us and will not leave us.

Back to the young family visiting us this morning and dad wasn’t a runner but keen on sports, in particular football. Shifting the focus from running to football reminds of a comment made some years ago, that our Churches often look a bit like a football match, several thousands of people in need of exercise watching twenty-two people in need of a rest!

Have you heard the story of four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  Jeremiah 1:5

Okay, you may not be called to be a prophet to the nations, but we all have unique calling, we all have a special gifting, we all have a part to play.

Michel Quoist in his book ‘The Christian Response’ writes, ‘You are a unique and irreplaceable actor in the drama of human history, and Jesus Christ has need of you to make known his salvific work present in this particular place, at this particular moment in history.’

Attributed to Augustine of Hippo is the phrase “Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.”

Think about that for a moment. If that be true, then by our not running the race set before us and designed especially for us, we are in danger of frustrating the plans of God for the redemption of the cosmos.

Now, where are my trainers!

https://youtu.be/HzP6Mx3CiMM?si=8LC1iPZx2pI2z_Zt