Sunday, 17 April 2016

'The Power of Prayer' - transcript of sermon St Mary's Stretton 17th April 2016

St Mary’s Stretton – The Power of Prayer  
 Revelation 8:1-5 and Mark 11:22-24.

Recording available from St Mary's website
http://www.stmarys-stretton.org.uk/sermons

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with bright light and the Saviour appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This, the man did, day after day.

For many years, he toiled from sun up to sun down with his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s weary mind:
“You’ve been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. 

Why kill yourself over this? You’re never going to move it” —thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.


“Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that’ll be good enough.”

And that’s just what he planned to do —until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

“Lord” he said, “I’ve laboured long and hard in Your service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately,

“My friend, when I asked you to serve Me —you accepted. I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. 

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. Now you come to Me —with your strength spent, thinking that you’ve failed. But is that really so?”

“Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscular. Your back sinew is mighty. Your hands are callused from the constant pressure; and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition, you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you have not moved the rock. However, your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock.”

P.U.S.H.

Pray until something happens.

…your calling was to be obedient and push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom.

Let me take you to a garden and recall the story of the first human couple as we hear it in the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

They lived in perfect harmony with the whole of creation, they had meaningful tasks to fulfill and they were as friends with God.

However, in this perfect garden paradise God had planted the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

The first human couple could eat any of the fruit of the garden with the exception of the fruit from this tree.

Enter the tempter who cunningly asks – ‘did God say…’

They gave into the temptation and ate the fruit and whereas up until now they had only known the good now they become aware of the non-good.

Now they had to face the choice between good and non-good.

Once they had that knowledge there was no way of unknowing.

Things change rapidly and very soon, non-good is lurking at Cain’s door. In Genesis 4.7 we read “…if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master."

Cain does not master evil and slays his brother.

The blood of innocent Abel and the blood stained hands of Cain passed on down the generations.

This dis-ease continued to grow and affect the whole of the human race. 

Therefore, we all now face the choice between the good and the non-good, between what brings life, health and growth and what brings hurt, death and destruction.

For the most part, we know right from wrong instinctively, yet we so often make the wrong choices for all sorts of reasons. 

Those wrong choices will often lead to awful tragedies of unimaginable proportions.

We are in a mess because of this dis-ease that affects everyone to some degree or other.

In our human nature, we would tend to categorize levels of sinfulness and wrongdoing. However St Paul writing to the Christian Church in Rome said ‘…everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.’ Romans 3.23

Imagine if you will a darts match and the World Championship has come down to someone getting three treble twenties – 180 to win. Two darts go straight into the bed – then third dart falls just outside the wire and the Championship is lost. 

It does not matter that it was only the width of the wire – it was outside the bed and therefore missed the mark. 

So what are we to do – is there any kind of answer, any kind of hope?

Some words from a well-known hymn speak of the answer.

O loving wisdom of our God!
 When all was sin and shame,
 A second Adam to the fight
 And to the rescue came.

This second Adam did not go into a garden but into the desert…

‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.’

The hymn continues…

O wisest love! that flesh and blood,

 Which did in Adam fail,
 Should strive afresh against the foe,
 Should strive and should prevail!

This second Adam, whom we know as Jesus, was tempted like we all are…

In Hebrews 4.13 we read…

‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.’

Jesus showed us how to live as an authentic human being, with love, kindness and generosity of spirit, but also standing up for injustice. He challenged people’s choices and in particular said that we must get our priorities in the right order.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.”

Notice the correct order, God first, then neighbour then yourself. That is the way to live an authentic human life.

One of the ways we show our love for God is by prayer and Jesus said, ‘when you pray…’

Note he did not say ‘if’ but ‘when’

He modeled prayer and gave us a model prayer…

Our Father in heaven, holy is your name…

This prayer is the focus of the Archbishops call to prayer in the week leading up to Pentecost.  www.thykingdom.co.uk.

In obedience then let us prayer both for ourselves and for others that God may remove the grit sin that sits in our shoes. 

That irritating sin that causes discomfort and makes us walk out of true and yet, something we learn to live with and ignore over time.

Let us pray that God might remove from our hands those stone sins that we use to hurl at people seeking to hurt them or destroy them – sometimes out of a misguided sense of self-righteousness.

Jesus said, ‘let the one without sin cast the first stone.’

Let us pray and ask God to remove those boulder sins that block the pathway to knowledge of God and a life of righteousness and fruitfulness. 

Jesus said, ‘I have come that they may have life and life in abundance.’

Then we plead with God to remove those huge mountainous sins like those revealed recently in the Panama Papers bringing to light money laundering and corruption at the highest level of government and among the wealthiest of people.

To remove the mountainous atrocities perpetuated by I.S. and by many other groups across the world.

To remove the mountainous abuse of God’s good creation as we have raped and pillaged its resources with impunity.

As we have slaughtered animals for sport or so we can have some nice jewelry and ornaments.

As we have covered the earth with concrete and tarmac, displacing many creatures from their natural habitats.

John the Baptizer came as a herald of Jesus proclaiming…

"I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'make straight the way of the Lord.'

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have urged us to spend time praying the Lord’s Prayer.

It is time to be obedient and to heed the call to prayer as Jesus taught us…

Sadly however, the Lord’s Prayer is often on our lips but not in our hearts and even less actioned with our hands and feet.

So let us both pray and act towards making the Lord’s Prayer a reality…

That His Kingdom come and his will is done upon earth as in heaven.

That His Kingdom come and his will is done in our country.

That His Kingdom come and his will is done in this community.

That His Kingdom come and his will is done in this church.

That His Kingdom come and his will is done in my life and in your life – among our family and friends, at our place of work and at our times of leisure.

That His Kingdom come and his will is done in regards to our finances, in all our relationships and all aspects of our lives.

That we seek to make the Lord’s Prayer become a reality where…

God’s name is honoured throughout the world 

Where there is forgiveness of sins.

Where we seek to ensure that everyone has enough bread for today.

Where we stand against evil and learn to choose the good over the non-good.

Therefore, let us stir one another up and join with God’s people across this land and with all the saints and angels in fervent prayer, for as we heard from the Book of Revelation…

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up before God from the angel's hand.

It is our fervent belief as Christians that one-day heaven will descend upon the earth and at that time as we read in the Book of Revelation…

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more nor mourning nor crying nor pain; they will be no more, because the former things have passed away."

Sadly, that time has yet to come and pain, sorry and grieving are very much part of our human lot.  However, we are called to pray and act and to offer a foretaste of what it will be like when ‘God’s Kingdom comes, and His will is done in all the earth as in heaven.’ That time when heaven and earth will be brought together forever, like a bridegroom with the bride. That time when we are all subject to God’s just and gentle rule and evil and the non-good has been banished for ever and all eternity.

It is time to be obedient, it is time to pray and it is time to act.





             Held in God's care and in our ours!

'Jesus the Transformer' - transcript of sermon 'Healing Service' St Michael and All Angels Penkridge 10/04/2016

St Michael and All Angels Penkridge Healing Service 10th April 2016


Acts 9.1-20

Perhaps it is because I have been in Anglican ministry for 30 years that when I was asked about a Bible reading for tonight I first went and checked out the ‘set’ readings for today.

I was delighted to find one of the key passages for today was this account of Saul’s Conversion – Acts 9.1-20.

This account highlights at least two very important healings, both in their original setting and in today’s context.

The major healing is of course Saul being healed of his blindness – not just his physical blindness, but also his spiritual blindness.

We know Saul to be zealous after the ways of God and as a well-educated man. 

Philippians 3.5

…circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

From Acts 22.3

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.

Also Acts 26.5

They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee.

We also know that Saul was witness to the death of the first Christian martyr Stephen.
Acts 7.58

When they had driven him (Stephen) out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Through the ministrations of Ananias, Saul was healed of the physical blindness that had come upon him following his encounter with the risen Jesus and also his spiritual blindness



However, that was not until Jesus had knocked him of his high horse.

Are there those today that we know who are zealous for the way things are done, fervent about the right order for worship and conduct becoming a Christian? Perhaps all tied down and neatly ordered and boxed.  Woe betides anyone who even dares to suggest something new and innovative.

Perhaps we could pray that they might be knocked off their high horse and learn humility. Learn that although God is the same yesterday, today and forever, He nonetheless invites His Gospel people to realize a contextualized Lord’s Prayer. 

However, however, however - a word of caution. Before we do this, let us check very carefully to make sure that we are not riding our own hobbyhorse.

This particular healing, this means of re-birth, this regeneration, is of course the supreme and most important healing of all.

For in Christ alone is there the promise of healing and new life and a resurrected body of which Jesus is the first fruits.

1 Corinthians 15.22-24

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.…

Let me ask you if you know that kind of healing?

If you do not or if you have allowed your sight to grow dim then please seek out prayer before you leave here tonight.

The second kind of healing I would like to draw our attention to is that of Ananias’ meeting with Saul.

Ananias is understandably perturbed by the Lord’s call to go and encounter Saul whose reputation has gone before him. Yet in faith, he goes and searches out Saul. 

Notice how Ananias greets Saul – Brother Saul.

Reconciliation is truly a most wonderful healing.

We have witnessed that many times in our recent history.

Think of Desmond Tutu and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as the scourge of apartheid was being dismantled in South Africa.

Consider the various individuals we know or have heard about who have been able to forgive and be reconciled with those who have done them great harm and evil.

Jesus said, "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and present your offering.”

This is what lies behind the Sharing of the Peace.

Making peace, seeking reconciliation is the first thing we do BEFORE we come to worship of Almighty God.

Bill Hybells in an excellent book ‘Simplify’ refers to his wife as someone who ministers in the area of conflict resolution and reconciliation.

He talks about people being bomb throwers of bridge builders.

Now before we run off with a head of steam and think of people like I.S. and Paris and Brussels, important as they are (and worth noting Saul was on his way to Damascus) let us bring this right home and right here and right now.



Let us pause just for a moment and consider any relationships that we have that are in need of healing and some bridge repair work.


You may well feel a bit like Ananias; but Lord they will only throw it back in my face, it will only make things worse, I simply cannot do this.

So perhaps you may need to move forward with caution and not go rushing off immediately and give someone a huge bear hug and seek reconciliation.  

(Although I would not rule that out altogether in some cases)

Maybe it is a text message, an email, a letter, or a card, perhaps a bunch of flowers.

You could do that later, after the Service and in the spirit of prayer and maybe ask someone to pray with you before you send the text or email.

I have not touched on physical healing, although that is here in Saul recovery from blindness.

Physical healing remains a profound mystery to me. I have seen healing of all sorts, legs lengthening, backs straightening, cancers cured.

Yet I struggle to understand why it would seem that physical healing comes to some and not to others.

Recently we have had two Church Army Officers who were both were diagnosed with cancer. One died as a young man, leaving a wife and teenage children. The other has made a remarkable recovery and has resumed ministry.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we read of James being put to the sword, but Peter and others miraculously freed from prison.

So, we ask for healing, physical healing, in faith, hope and trust. We know that it is not a matter of saying the right kind of words – that is magic, not Christian healing.

We come humbly before our loving heavenly Father and ask in as straightforward a manner as we can to bring his healing touch into a life or into a situation.

Saul received his sight and went on to become a beacon of light and a champion of the risen Jesus.

However, this healing, both of his physical blindness and his spiritual blindness did not mean he was immune from trials and tribulations…

Later on, he writes to the Corinthian Church…

Five times, I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;…

 Then writing to the Church in Philippi…

…Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.…

Can I invite you take that final verse into your week ahead…

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 
Philippians 4.13

Carry it with you; write it down if that helps.

Then if you need to challenge someone who is on their high horse, or if you need to climb down of your own hobbyhorse, you know where to turn to for the strength and the encouragement.

If seeking to be bridge builder rather than a bomb thrower appears difficult, lean into this Scripture and let it nourish your soul. Remember the words of Jesus, beaten, bloodied and tortured, ‘Father forgive them for they know what they do.’

Let us say it together a few times, let it minister, and go deep into our souls…

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.


Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.







'Follow Me' - transcript of sermon for St Anne's Brown Edge 10/04/16

St Anne’s, Brown Edge 10th April 2016

Psalm 30 Acts 9.1-6 [7-20] Revelation 5.11-14 John 21.1-19


Pulling all of our readings together there is one phrase that stands out – FOLLOW ME.

Moreover, we have plenty of information about who the ME is.

The Psalmist ends Psalm 30 with such an exuberance you can almost see someone dancing and singing loudly…

For You have turned my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, so that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.





Then, from the Book of Revelation we get a glimpse into the throne room of heaven. Here, we hear the praises of the Lamb who was slain now receiving power, and wealth and wisdom and might.

We know of course that the Passover Lamb is none other than Messiah Jesus.
Who, having given himself up to death was gloriously raised to life on the third day, a sign of vindication and a seal of truth of all that he said, did and revealed of God. 

In addition, we meet two people in our readings, Peter and Saul – who in all probability, also danced and sang songs of praise to God Almighty. 

Both were good solid Jews, one who had followed Jesus and was one of the first to declare Jesus as Messiah, the Christ.

Matthew 16.16

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

However, Simon Peter appears to be a man who opens his mouth before he puts his brain into gear.

Spectacularly so, as when following this declaration, Jesus began to teach them that he was going to be a sacrificial lamb, to be tortured and killed. Peter received a stern rebuke from Jesus for saying that this must not happen.

Then we have been hearing about Peter again recently as we recalled the story of the Last Supper.

But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the others said the same.

As an aside, it is stories like this that give a sense of the authenticity to the Gospels. If you were writing a publicist piece, would you really include such bad press stories?

It has been suggested that John’s Gospel comes to a more natural conclusion with the end of chapter 20.

John offers a summary of the reason he set out to write his Gospel.

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Then we move on to an epilogue – a beautiful story that tells us about Peter’s restoration. 

We have had resurrection appearances. We have we have heard of Jesus’ appearing in various ways and too different people.  However, the question remains, now what do we do?

Peter reverts to type and sets about doing the one thing he knows well enough, fishing.

The story is masterful as Jesus appears and guides them to a great catch. Moreover, here is Peter also reverting to type, putting on some clothes and diving into the water to go and meet Jesus who has a breakfast barbeque set up and going, ready for some fresh caught fish.

Reading between the lines a little, we see Jesus asking Peter to walk with him a little away from the others.

Lovingly and with such tenderness Jesus asks Peter three times to declare his love, matching the three-fold denial. Peter is restored, redeemed, rescued and receives his commission.  Then Jesus says to him very simply, ‘Follow Me.’

Note this isn’t go – but follow me, indicating to Peter, and to all who respond to that same call, that we follow Jesus, we never take Jesus anywhere.

Then we have our other character, Saul, and this amazing story of his conversion.

Much has been made of this story that is recounted in slightly different ways three times in the Acts of the Apostles.

Indeed, the very phrase, a Damascus Road experience has passed into common parlance as a way of talking about people suddenly seeing things in a completely new way, of them experiencing some sort of conversion.

Conversion is one of those things that we often struggle with, especially in the Church of England.

In part, that is because we have a legacy of being a Church birthed into Christendom.

The mere fact of being born in a Christian country meant, axiomatically, that you were a Christian.

The evidence of this is seen in the regularly occurrence of people either going into hospital or filling in surveys, declaring themselves ‘C of E.’

However, that no longer applies, especially among the younger generation who will describe themselves in a myriad of different ways.

For some of you here this morning I would hazard a guess if asked you would say that you have grown up with the Faith, which you have imbibed by a kind of osmosis over very many years beginning when you were a child and brought to church.

Looking carefully at Saul’s conversion however, we can see and can easily imagine the journey he had made. Perhaps it began, as he was witness to the stoning of the first martyr Stephen.

Saul, whom we come to know better as Paul, had amazing credentials that he outlines in some details in Acts 22.3-4

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,…

God had prepared him for a great work, only Saul/Paul had no idea of what this was. He thought it was being zealous for God and chasing after followers of The Way, who claimed to follow the blasphemer and false prophet, Jesus.

However, Saul’s journey reached a crisis point, which means ‘making a critical decision,’ albeit God had to knock him of his horse to get his attention. This encounter and subsequent events was to change Saul/Paul’s life and set him off in a direction that was beyond his wildest dreams.

Paul left a legacy of a great corpus of written material as he struggled to understand and help others understand the significance of the life, death, resurrection, ascension and second coming of Jesus as God’s anointed and appointed one.

Using Paul’s Magnum Opus, the Letter to the Romans, I want us to make a journey this morning. To see if we can get a better understanding of just what conversion might mean and what steps we can take towards becoming a Christian.  It is called the Roman Road to Salvation and offers a basic Gospel outline.

3:10 As it is written, there is no one righteous, not even one.  

3:23 Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God 

5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man and death spread to all because all have sinned

5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. 

6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

10:13 For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’

10: 9-10 Because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.

However, however, however, this is not merely a private matter of gaining some sort of assurance to go to heaven when we die. It is more, much more than that.

Peter’s life was turned around and took a very different direction and so did Saul’s’ and so might yours when you openly confess your belief in Jesus and his 
resurrection.

With the resurrection of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, that one day will be fully revealed, has broken into the present and it is shown by the power of God at work among his people.

If we have been truly converted and declare ourselves Christians and Followers of Jesus, then we are called to live out the life of faith and demonstrate and work towards and pray earnestly for the Kingdom of God to come upon earth. For God’s will to be done, right here and right now, as it is in heaven. Your Kingdom come, your will be done in Brown Edge as it is in heaven.

Let me leave you with an analogy that you may find helpful when considering a journey towards conversion and becoming a Christian.

Think of a journey to marriage. It begins with attraction. That moves onto a developing relationship, in old fashion parlance, courtship. This moves into an engagement. Today, this may well lead into living together at some time or other. 

Then there is the wedding and getting married.

It is at this point that what was private and provisional becomes public and permanent.

A convent relationship is entered into between two people. Life will never be the same again with joys and constraints, a giving and receiving.

I made this journey and was married Jane on the 23rd July 1982.

I made a similar journey to Jesus. On the 1st January 1975, I made a New Year’s resolution to become a Christian. I confessed with my lips that Jesus is Lord and believed in my heart that God raised him from the dead.

In both cases, my life was changed.

A question for you to consider this morning is - where are you in your relationship to Jesus?



If you would like to take a further step forward in your relationship with Jesus, I would be delighted to talk with you and pray with you afterwards.

If you are a Christian, then I would be equally pleased to hear of what difference this is making in your life and in the community where God has placed you.