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 1st 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
.jpg)
