Sermon – St Bertelins
Trinity 11 2016
Isaiah 1.1,10-20 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Luke 12.32-40
‘Christ has died, Christ has
risen, Christ will come again.’
Words that we will shortly
be saying. Words that encapsulate something of the core beliefs of the
Christian faith.
At first glance, our Gospel
reading today may appear to be saying something about Jesus’ ‘coming again.’
‘You
must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not
expect him.’
‘Son of Man’ is a well-known
phrase from the Book of Daniel. However,
we do not have time to explore all that means especially within the context of
judgement outlined in Daniel 7, with the exception of this important piece.
“In
my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,
coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led
into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign
power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that
will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Here, and in the passage we heard
from Hebrews and in the opening words of our Gospel readings are important
reminders that God is a God of promises and that He is faithful in keeping
those promises.
There are those who put
great store by trying to interpret the signs, the times and the seasons, the
time when God will fulfil his promises to create a new heaven and earth - and
bring judgment. There are those who
declare that we are currently in the last days and the return of Jesus Christ
is imminent.
Indeed, you can find those
who argue that Brexit was prophesied in the Scriptures, particularly in Daniel
and Revelation. Because the European Union is one of the last beasts described in
the visions and it will not prevail.
One of my under the radar
ministries is responding to questions sent in by email to a web site set up by
the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association UK. www.peacewithgod.org.uk
I had one such question
recently asking if Anita Fuentes was orthodox because some had been calling her
out as a wolf.
(The wolf reference is to
the false prophets of Matthew 7.15)
I watched a few of her video
talks and I was unable to detect anything unorthodox. However, she was very
firmly in that tradition that we are now living in the last days.
(However, one question must
be, since the Ascension of Jesus, have we not always been living in the ‘last
days’?)
There have always been those
who have sought to interpret the times seeking to predict the time of Jesus’
second coming by trying to match up world events with Scripture and in
particular the very complex apocalyptic writings.
When we do consider such a
passage as we have before us today we must first let it sit in its own context.
We must remember that with either natural perception or with divine insight, (you can choose which) Jesus could see the way things we going to work out.
He could see that if the
People of God continued along the path of rebellion against Rome on the one hand,
and compliance and acquiescence on the other, things were going to turn out
very badly.
This of course happened with
destruction of Jerusalem with the Temple razed to the ground by Titus the son
of Vespasian in AD 70.
Reading the actual account
by Josephus, a contemporary Jewish historian, brings the full horror into sharp
focus.
Secondly, although we are
encouraged to be attentive to signs, we are primarily to be about the business
of building and proclaiming God’s Kingdom because we do not know at what hour
he will return.
The idea of being ready for
the master’s return reminds me of my time as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket.
We had one older stable lad
who did not ride out anymore. When the horses had gone out on exercise, he
would sit around and not do very much of anything. However, as soon as he heard
the horses coming back he would dip his hand in the water bucket, splash it on
his forehead and then begin to run around huffing and puffing. The Governor,
Bruce Hobbs, was not fooled - nor is God.
This for me is the key to
the whole ‘Christ will come again.’
I take my cue from Luke’s
second book, The Acts of the Apostles. Luke begins his second volume in the
same way he ends his first, by reference to the Ascension.
It is Acts 1.6 we read; ‘So when they had gathered together, they
began to ask him, “Lord, is this the time when you are restoring the kingdom to
Israel?”
And Jesus replied; … You are not permitted to know the times or
periods that the Father has set by his own authority.
The story goes on to tell us
that the disciples stood there staring into space – but then asked by angels
why they were standing there looking into the sky.
As they
would say in Lancashire, ‘don’t stand there gawping, you have a job to do.’
That job was to preach and
proclaim the Kingdom of God. To announce that the last days were now breaking
into the present.
That there would come a time
of judgment and of vindication in fulfilment of prophesies and promises, but
how, when, and where – the answer to those questions are in God’s gift, not
ours.
Therefore, we might ask what
is our task as the People of God today, as the People of God at St Bertelins.
Christ has died, Christ has
risen, Christ will come again – are we not called to live in that reality.
The life, death,
resurrection and ascension and the second coming of Jesus.
Are we not called to ponder
very carefully where we place our treasure, where we place our energies, where
we place our allegiances ‘For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also.’
We heard last week about a
man who put his treasure in bigger barns he built – today’s Gospel reading
picks up that story, encouraging us not to worry over things like this because
God loves us, and wants to give us the Kingdom.
‘For
where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’
As we live in the ‘now and not
yet’ of God’s coming Kingdom are we not called to heed the words of the Prophet
Isaiah that our worship, our gathering here week by week does not become mere
empty ritual with no power of transformation?
‘I
hate your new moon festivals and all this trampling of my courts.’
‘Stop
doing wrong, learn to do right. Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend
the cause of the fatherless and please the case of the widow.’
What we do here only makes
sense by what we do out there, in the world, amongst our families, in the
neighbourhood, in the shops, at our places of work and our places of leisure.
We had a glimpse of what
this looks like last week when over 500 young people came off camp at Soul
Survivor. I went up on the Sunday night
and as I expected the worship was very loud, very full on, full of energy and
passion. 
This passionate worship
spilled out naturally as these young people came to work alongside the churches
in Stafford to bring a blessing to the town. They washed cars, cleared gardens,
and picked up litter, prayed with people and did all manner of things as part
of Love Stafford. Love Stafford because God loves Stafford and they helped us
show that by demonstrating servant hearts.
I mentioned earlier an email
question about Anita Fuentes. In my reply, making reference to the second
coming I said that I was mildly interested when world events appeared to match
up to some Biblical prophecy, but my main focus is on doing what God has called
me to do.
If I have not been called to
glory before Jesus returns, I am secure in the knowledge that God will know where to find me.
In closing let me ask; where
is your heart and your treasure this morning?
What is it that God is
calling you to do individually?
What is God calling you to
do as the People of God set in this community?
Remember that the Church of
God does not have a mission; the God of mission has a church.
Do you believe God delights
in your worship?
Does this worship naturally
spill out in acts of loving service, in proclamation of the Gospel in both
words and deeds?
Christ has died, Christ has
risen, Christ will come again.
However, should he come
today would he find faith and faithful people here at St Bertelins – dressed and ready for service with the
lights on?
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 to live
in such an age; but let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate
us, its injustices anger us, it 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.
Amen
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