St Michael's Day sermon,,,

Back to Church Sunday/St Michael 2013

 

 

Genesis 28.10-17 Psalm 103.19-22 Revelation 12.7-12 John 1.47-51

Peshawar Kenya Nigeria – although we all had a fantastic day yesterday at the Pulborough Harvest Fair I trust you have these places in your hearts and minds this morning.

After yet another catastrophe was posted on my Facebook page this past week - I shared it and simply added the comment ‘what is happening in the world?’

It would be only too easy at the moment to quote from Matthew’s Gospel – ‘You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. There will famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of birth-pains.’

This pushes my mind to reflect on Paul’s Letter to the Romans 8.19 ‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.’

In the dramatic story we heard from Revelation, we hear of a war in the heavens.

However we need to tread carefully and not fall into thinking along the lines of ancient Greeks who assumed earthy conflicts were simply replications of heavenly wars.

But there is a spiritual battle ensued nevertheless.

In Ephesians we are encouraged to put on the full armour of God - ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms.’

And we take heart as we read in Ephesians 2.15

‘And (Jesus) having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.’

This is also picked up in 2 Corinthians 2.14

…’thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.’

Here the picture is of a returning Roman General who heads up a Triumphant Procession. Following him are his soldiers, followed by the spoils of war, and last of all the captives, many of whom will be summarily executed and others sold as slaves.

Alongside the General incense would be burned as a sweet offering to the gods in thankfulness. To those victorious, the sweet smell of success, to those held captive, the smell of death.

Picture that scene and imagine where you would place yourself this morning.

Are you in the vanguard or are you still held captive to sin, fear and misery?

Of course when a General won a battle there was often a rearguard action. There was still a task to be done to bring people under the rule of the new authorities. There would still be smaller battles to overcome.

And that’s what we sign up for.

That’s what our baptismal promises are all about.

We are those who look on the world of chaos and destruction and we know who is the author of all the misery in the world; the father of lies.

We also know that such an enemy is defeated; Christ has won the victory and invited you and me to share in that triumph. 

However there is nothing for us to be triumphal about.

This is all of Christ’s doing, it is all of grace poured upon grace of which we are invited to be recipients.

Jesus called Philip to follow him, who in turn went to find Nathaniel and invited him to meet Jesus.

Nathaniel responded, and we have the interesting interchange that is rich in metaphor and reference to Jacob’s ladder with angels ascending and descending from Genesis 28.10-19.

Jacob here refers to the place as Bethel, that is, House of God. In context Jesus appears to be saying that from now on, Nathaniel (and others) will see Jesus as the incarnate Bethel, the House of God, the Temple. 

Jesus is Israel and the Temple personified.

And Jesus calls us to this Temple to worship and invites us to become members of New Israel, just as he called Philip and Nathaniel.

On the 1^st January 1975 I made a response to that call, making it a New Years Resolution.

I was soon recruited, quite literally into God’s Army – the Church Army.

And God continues to call, he continues to send texts, tweets, emails and asking you to be his friend on Facebook.

The call is to come and be a member of the community of faith – the New Israel.

However the choice is always yours, you can join the triumphal procession anywhere you wish.

However should you place yourself in the vanguard be aware that just like Nathaniel God knows which fig tree you are sitting under.

He knows if we are playing a game of pretence.

He knows if we are simply playing the religious game.

Saying all the right things today but then not living it out during the rest of the week.

If you are in the vanguard then let us sing and rejoice as we celebrate the victory of Christ over sin and death. That although the earth be moved and the foundations shake we will be kept safe.

That there will come a time when death shall be no more, and sorrow and sighing will be over.

When we shall share in creations joy as she is redeemed and brought to full, everlasting glory.

However should it be that you are uncertain about where to place yourself in the triumphal procession, or know that you are one of those to whom the fragrance of Christ is condemnation and judgment, then do speak to me afterwards.

Those at the back of the triumphal procession had a third choice over slavery and death. They could join the ranks of the victorious and serve the new authority.

I would love to help you respond today and be counted as a friend of Christ and become a member of the household of faith, to  move into the vanguard of Christ’s glorious triumphal procession.  

(If you want to explore more about the Christian faith check out www.christianity.org.uk)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ages, for ever and ever. Amen