Sermon for Bible Sunday 2017

Today we call Bible Sunday, a day in the year when we especially give thought and reflect on the importance and meaning to what we call “The Bible”

If we were to ask ourselves “what is the Bible” we may get a variety of answers. Furthermore if we were to ask people outside the church we would get another set of answers.

For us it usually comes in the form of a book, though for many today it may be on line or other digital form.

If we were able to ask the early Christians what was the Bible they would give a very different answer to us. For Jewish Christians growing up in the 1^st century (Jesus own day and beyond) the Bible as we know it simply did not exist! Strange to think this I know.

Scriptures did exist and the scrolls were regularly read publically yet as we hear in Nehemiah they were always read … with interpretation. The Word of God was never restricted to what was written on the page the Word of God included “the interpretation”.

 The Jewish collection of books (what we might describe loosely as “Old Testament”  or Tenakh in Hebrew, was not fixed until well into the second century. There are just 5 Torah Book, 13 Prophet books and 4 collections of hymns. (22 books all told)

The New Testament as we know it was argued about for years and consensus was hard to come by and it was not until the end of the fourth century that something was decided and in fact a further deliberation came in the late 16^th century that a decision was finally made on the New Testament Canon.

This also excludes the situation that some even today think the Apocrypha is or is not acceptable!! So we cannot even reach a conclusion today!

It may seem strange to us who have been so used to thinking of the New Testament that early Christians did not grow up with what we now simply take for granted. Even the thought that you did not know the gospel of Luke for example might make a huge difference to how we would approach Christmas! And many Christians did indeed not know Luke, and others who may have known Luke would not have known Matthew etc… everything was much more localized.

Perhaps one way of illustrating this for our minds today is how some churches use one hymn book, and others a different one…. Think how attached we become to hymn books!? (perhaps a poor example)

Furthermore we also have that key to scripture as Nehemiah witnessed and also the Ethiopian Eunuch…. Interpretation…. How can we understand without interpretation? This has always been key to scripture throughout Judaism and Christianity.

It goes without saying that Martin Luther’s battle cry “Sola Scriptura” Scripture alone was actually worked out with very rigorous teaching and interpretation…. Even if only to cope with clear contradictions and anomalies we come across in the differing texts.

Biblical Scholarship particularly from the 19^th century onwards has opened the pages of scripture even further, and new ancient texts have been discovered since then too. Our current Bible is sourced from hundreds if not thousands of different textual sources, words have been poured over for years now to bring fresh understanding to a text we many have believed to be set in stone.

Whoever wrote the epistle we call, to the Hebrews was probably correct when they wrote:

“the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Bear in mind of course that even this was written before a word of the Gospels as we know them had been penned.

I do indeed believe in the strength and wisdom of what we may call the Word of God….. indeed I feel this more today than I did in the 1980’s and 1990s. The Bible is truly fascinating and gripping, but it only so for me because of study and learning about its intricacies. The more I read and learn the more I am able to inwardly digest what is expressed and said. It certainly takes patience too!

The Bible has forever been a text formulated and interpreted by countless believers in countless situations. It is amazing how this is. It is a lifeless thing to me without the people who read it and live through it. The Bible this way does indeed become living and active.

The Bible without a believer is empty… as illustrated by that interesting film called the Book of Eli.. the blind man who learnt by heart the words and in this way was able to save the text from destruction.

And, as has been wonderfully expressed elsewhere

“Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some person ever reads.”

On this Bible Sunday let us give thanks for God’s word living and breathing through us. The text is nothing without the believer.

Sermon for 21st May 2017

As requested by a few who heard it!

Sermon Easter 6 2017

St Magnus and St Colman

At Synod recently we reflected on the content of the Diocesan Profile. As well as making important changes to it in that it now reflects the life of the Northern Isles more prominently than it did before we also reflected on the phrase “the Dream of God for Aberdeen” a choice of words which was remarked as unfortunate.

Someone spoke about understanding the phrase “the will of God”, but the “dream of God” was something else!

Personally speaking, though I have heard the expression “will of God” more, I am still left puzzled about what t may mean.

Some people seem to use it in a way that makes me at least feel very unconnected to God.

People often ask me how it is that I know God has called me to be a priest…. I am sure the question can and should be used for any activity for that matter…. How do we know God wants us to do something… or to be something?

The answer does not in the end lie with the individual but in the community. Each of us plays a part in helping us hear God’s will.

Jesus poses us today a very uncomfortable challenge….. If you love me you will keep my commandments…. I cannot fail to hear this in a similar way to a mother saying to a child, if you do this then this will follow…

However I am not sure this is a helpful way of hearing wat Jesus is saying to us. I do not find it all that helpful to use the carrot and stick method of discipleship.

If we look more closely the “If you love me…” comes with a promise attached…. Jesus is not leaving us alone.

Jesus at the same time as saying “ If you love me…” also reminds us that Something of God is deep within us and always encouraging us.

As we move in the church calendar to Ascension and Pentecost, that time when it may be tempting to see Jesus leaving his disciples after the resurrection…. So graphically portrayed for us at Ascension Day when the Paschal Candle is removed, we need to remind ourselves of that important thing which Jesus reminded his disciples in today’s Gospel, that something of God truly remains with us and is indeed within.

So often when facing difficulties and stresses of any kind it is so tempting to think we face things on our own, without recognising or taking the time to recognise that we are not all alone after all.

I was reminded very much of this when walking along the beach the other day when I noticed the footprints in the sand. I reminded myself of that famous poem: ……

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

 other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life,

when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints.

 So I said to the Lord,

"You promised me Lord, that if I followed you,

 you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during  the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

 you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied,

"The times when you have

seen only one set of footprints,

is when I carried you."

This is an important thing to remember because feeling alone can be totally devastating for some people.

Furthermore the Gospel paints a picture of being drawn into God and the feast of the Ascension (on Thursday) is one way we picture this happening not just for Jesus but for us too.

We are Drawn into God, we are God’s offspring as Paul says in the court of the Areopogus in Athens. Let us not treat God or think of God as if he were apart from us… he is not above or away…. He is not something made of silver or gold.

God is closer than we ever really imagined so let us live with one another as if this was indeed the case, God is close to each one of us.

Footprints take 2!

Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace.

But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.

For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling, His consistently.

You and Jesus are walking as true friends!

This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps.

Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one.

This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger.

Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints.

They have become one.

This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is

back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints.

You are amazed and shocked.

Your dream ends. Now you pray:

"Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You."

"That is correct."

"And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely."

"Very good.. You have understood everything so far."

When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way."

"Precisely."

"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first."

There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice.

"You didn't know? It was then that we danced!"

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Ecclesiastes 3:1,4.

In York

A sad need for a trip to York. RIP Katharine Rowntree

Pictures

The Holy Cross sermon

We adore you most holy Lord Jesus Christ

Here and in all your churches throughout the world and we bless you for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

The prayer of Francis on entering a church,  and no doubt at other times too.

We begin nearly every service with this prayer

But what is the cross of Christ? It may seem a strange question but I wonder now if there are various answers that can be given here.

I was with someone recently talking about the cross and I found it interesting to hear what they were reflecting. There was talk of the difference between a crucifix and a cross, and for the person I was speaking to the meaning for each was different.

(explain)

Of course for the early Christians there was no difference for I am sure that whatever form of Cross was seen it symbolized horror and torture and oppression. There could be no cross with any message of good news.

It could be therefore that we can see a distinction between the death of Jesus and the cross of Jesus.

We are  very aware that the symbol of the cross was not actually used by the church until quite late, but that once it became used it quickly became more than symbol of a Christian but actually a symbol of Faith and very much part of devotion and prayer.

By the time the gospels were written the idea of the cross was very keenly in people’s minds. In fact the shadow of the cross and the light of Resurrection is deliberately present in all that is said or written about Jesus.... simply because it was and is such a decisive event for the gospel writers.

Take Johns Gospel alone.

All the signs throughout the gospel lead the eye to the cross.

John cleverly describes each sign in turn. He begins by actually saying “this is the first sign” (Cana) then he says this is the second sign later in Chapter 4 (healing of centurion servant.) The healing of the blind man is the 3^rd, the feeding of the 5,000 is number 4. The man born blind is 5 and the raising of Lazarus is 6.

Six carefully mapped out signs in the first section of the Gospel and the 7^th the most important one is the crown of all... the crucifixion itself.

7^th Day

John had planned his gospel around the creation story, the six days of creation, and the fulfilment of it with the

It is in his seventh sign that the full glory of God is seen, the completion of the new creation. The word has become flesh and we have seen the glory.

Christ is lifted high on the cross. The moment of exaltation and glory. The moment of the revelation of God to the chosen people, just as we are told Moses lifted the serpent to bring healing to the wandering Israelite in the desert.

The cross is for the Christian the supreme work of Love, it symbolizes the yearning of Love of a creator for the creation. For you and for me. (Poster I love you)

It is sometimes hard to think of the love of God. A creator God is not so difficult, and even a Judging God is often seen, but to see A God who looks on a rebellious people and loves it so much that the agony is taken to himself. This is the sign of the cross.

In the Sunday School last week they were thinking about “Friends of Jesus” and particularly St Theresa of Calcutta who was canonised last Sunday, known affectionately as Mother Theresa. They were considering how even these people were not perfect and there was darkness there too. We all have darkness and the children could understand this point.

The cross is Johns 7^th sign of the new creation. It is there we are seeing the Glory of God.

So the cross is so much more than crucifixion. The cross makes the most profound statement in the story of the good news, and in consequence has been used in Art to say many things.

The cross is not the sign of death, neither it is a just a reminder of the death of Jesus. It is the sign of new life too, a recreation, the fulfilment of who we are created to be. In the Cross and through Christ we are made afresh, we take on again the image of Gods glory. Yes a sign of love and redemption.

St Francis was drawn to the cross at every step of the way and indeed called by the cross to rebuild the church. Let us all hear the same voice calling us in several ways to respond to the cross of Christ.

Sermon for Easter 3 10th April 2016

Did you hear the story of the pensioner who had written a letter to God and had posted it in the mail…. She was living on very limited resources and did not have much money at all. She had saved 100 pounds to have a special meal with her two friends who were coming to visit it was something that she had been longing for and looking forward to. As the time came nearer to the visit of her friends a burglar broke in to her house and stole the money.

This theft was the prompt for the letter to God and she explained all that had happened to God and how she felt.

Seeing a letter addressed to God the local postman felt moved to open it. On reading its contents he felt moved to do something and arranged a collection at the sorting office amongst colleagues. 96 pounds was collected.

He put this in an envelope and delivered it to the old lady.

A week later he noticed another letter addressed to God from the old lady. In this letter she thanked God for the money but wanted to point out that someone in the post office had stolen 4 pounds from Gods offering.

Perhaps it goes without saying that prayer is vital to the life of a Christian. Without prayer we whither and die. Without prayer we will cease to exist.

If you want to know that you are alive you can either stay quiet for a little while and listen to the sound of your breathing, or if you are I a bit more of a rush you can put your fingers on your pulses and feel the heart pumping the blood around your body.

The way a Christian can tell if they are alive is to find their life in prayer.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

We live the risen life through our praying and serving. It is not something we can receive and put it in the bottom drawer, or frame and hang on the wall.

You only have to look at the lives of the saints to realise this point.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

Prayer of course takes many forms, but the heart of prayer is always going to be silence. This seems strange to think because we have so easily conditioned ourselves to think that “to say a prayer” is to use words.

Silence in worship and silence in prayer is NOT emptiness…. It is not a gap before something else happens or a pause….. it is time for GOD. (encountering God)

The times we have in the Eucharist for silence should become for us the heart of the service… it is then we can hear the heartbeat of God amongst us and within us.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

Having said that let me also say that familiar words in prayers are also very important gate openers for me…. As we open this service with “Almighty God to whom all hearts are open all desires known…. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit…”

I feel physically shifted and moved to a new place…. Through these familiar words that are so important to me  I am transported and made ready for further encounters during the service we share together.

The Eucharist is then littered with such powerful and familiar words that deepen my silences and strengthen what I feel are encounters with God.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

Through Easter we are reminded of the presence of Jesus with his disciples even when they thought life was at best gloomy or perhaps even “not worth living anymore”

Even when the usual daily labour they knew so well was fruitless they discovered new hope with the risen Christ.

Even when Paul breathed threats of death to the church, the risen Christ somehow breathed into him and warmed his heart.

Even when Annanias was thinking to keep clear of a potentially difficult situation, God enabled life to break through.

None of this happens without silence and prayer.

Our lives today are often filled with busyness and activity. This may make us feel worthwhile and it may even leave us feel exhausted, but For the Christian the life of God within us comes to being through prayer and we ignore this at our peril.

Easter is a time of recognition… of seeing God alive in our world, bother amongst the people we live with and amongst, and within ourselves.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

Prayer happens in so many forms and so many places, but I urge us to use the familiar words and prayers we encounter (in our Eucharist) to transport us to deeper places and to transform our hearts and lives.

“Almighty God give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life.”

Amen

One of Paul's central teachings, which some have rightly called his "sermon on wisdom" can be found in 1 Corinthians (1:17-3:3). Here, Paul recognizes that many of his new converts were doing spiritual things, but still in very immature and unspiritual ways (for example, to feel or look holy, to cultivate a positive self-image, to "get" God's love, or to "earn" entry into heaven). Paul calls them "infants in Christ" who are not yet ready for "solid food" (1 Corinthians 3:2). Many today have settled for religion as attendance or belonging, which would surely be baby food, instead of religion as inherently participating in Love.

Consciously, trustfully, and lovingly remaining on "the Vine," which is to be connected to our source, is precisely our access point to deeper spiritual wisdom. We know by participation with and in God, which creates our very real co-identity with Christ: We are also both human and divine, as he came to reveal and model. The foundational meaning of transformation is to surrender to this new identity and to consciously draw upon it.

Richard Rhor( from mediation)

A wonderful time in The Lakes

Just before Easter , Rachel and I had two fantastic walks in the Lake District. We stayed at West View Guest House on the Heads in Keswick.... fantastic