Sermon 24th January

Today our Associate Vicar, John Itumu, preaches based on the reading from Luke 5:12-26

Jesus heals and forgives

Today we continue with another story of Jesus through the eyes of the evangelist called Luke. For those who were not here last Sunday, we mentioned that Luke as a doctor takes a keen interest in the diagnosis of illness.

And so an unnamed man comes along to Jesus. He is covered with leprosy. Leprosy in Hebrew, as many scholars agree, is not a precise biomedical term referring to Hansen’s disease as we know leprosy today. In 2 Kings 5:27ffd – Naaman’s leprosy is described as ‘white as snow.’ Hansen’s disease does not do this. What is referred to in the bible is rather a whole range of disfiguring leprosy like symptoms.

Leviticus 13 very meticulously describes the code that applied when sufferers were identified:
V3 the priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore is more than skin deep, it is a defiling (RSV - leprous) skin disease and he shall pronounce them unclean.
V45 anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, unclean, unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp

To stop this disease from spreading and getting others disfigured, the victims were ruthlessly isolated, rejected and discriminated against by the society. Some held the belief that it was an affliction sent by God. It would be quite easy to recall the story of Miriam, Moses’ sister who was struck with this condition for opposing Moses. (Num 12)

Hebrew law drew a serious boundary at skin diseases. It is not clear why this man has been allowed to mix with normal people. One suggestion is that since this particular location is far away from the temple in Jerusalem (v1 - one of the towns), then legal requirements would have been relaxed on a local scale.
The leper’s initial response is as expected:
V12 When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him. He certainly recognises Jesus as one who can do something for him and get him out of this social stigma. Being unclean was a serious matter. You might want to think it as being a ‘living dead’

It is no wonder again and again the emphasis in the passage falls on cleanliness
V12
Lord if you are willing you can make me clean
V13
I am willing. Be clean – Jesus declares
V14
Don’t tell anyone – but show yourself to the priest and offer sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.

And then Jesus does the unimaginable: he stretches out his hand... you can almost hear everyone present letting out a loud gasp... and his hand doesn’t stop there... he touches him! Did you know that a compassionate touch is so instinctive! It is not a premeditated carefully planned act. One just does it.
Compassion is a gut wrenching emotion that just flows out - and finds expression in all sorts of ways.
Jesus was moved with compassion and simply reacted accordingly. Of course Jesus didn’t live in days of legislation for children and vulnerable adults’ protection.

We live in a world where we have to be careful about how we relate to each other, even in God’s house like we are today. And wasn’t the pope attacked in his own church on Xmas eve? What shall we do? Do we become more distanced to each other? We will continually face issues of how to protect ourselves and our communities against threatening diseases like AIDS, epidemics like swine flu and the sexual abuse of children. The list is long. We however need to discover how to do this without creating a class of untouchables like the Dalits in traditional Hindu society. That is a huge challenge for us! The other thing is that since we live in days of a compensation culture this has simply reduced us into fearful creatures. Our compassion is no longer spontaneous.
It is measured, calculated and administered in drips lest we offend or are misinterpreted! Anyone who might constitute a ‘danger’ is dealt with at arm’s length.

Well, Jesus reached out his hand, and touched him.
We don’t know what this man precisely expected Jesus to do – he asks Jesus to make him clean, yet this was a preserve for priests. Only priests were allowed to include people back to the ‘land of the living’. By accepting to do it therefore, Jesus violates the law! But notice also what happens when Jesus makes contact; the leprosy left him. This means that the man was released from the condition. We can therefore conclude that he seeks and receives healing from Jesus. This healing releases him from the bondage of the unclean.

I am willing. Be clean.

These are two phrases that reveal the heart of God.

Being willing
Christians celebrate and enjoy God’s willingness to reach out to us through the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth who came to show us how to live. God’s willingness to be involved in our lives was transformed into action. He reached out and touched us through his death on a cross so that those who believe in this Jesus may have their lives renewed, refreshed and with packed with meaning. This is the message of Christianity: a new life. Christianity is an invitation to a new and full life!

I am willing. Be clean.
God also calls us to participate in a new life to reach out and touch those near us in all sorts of ways. But how many times, I wonder, have we lost the opportunity to be a blessing to a needy fellow human being? How often do we (in a very Christian sort of way) refuse people entry into our little groups as we chat animatedly and deliberately refuse to catch someone’s eye even though we know they are crying for our attention? We easily wear a busy, distant look to avoid making contact. What about that familiar face in church that we have seen for the last two years and never said hello to? These concerns require our serious consideration if we are to call ourselves ‘Gods family.’
I often wonder at our amazing ability in to create and maintain some personal space in public transport; ears plugged, engrossed in a book, or staring vacantly without seeing anyone.

I am willing. Be clean.

Jesus was willing to cross the conventional boundaries in order to bring good news to the leper. Are we willing to imitate him and change our world, our ‘broken society’? Are we bold enough to say no to the fear and intimidation? Friends, we must be willing to cross some boundaries!

Which raises the question:
How can we support and pray for people who are trying to touch the lives of those viewed as dangerous, even unclean, societal rejects? Will we allow ourselves to be stretched more and embrace others?

I am willing. Be clean.
It is this knowledge of Jesus’ willingness to accept all who came to him that the men who come carrying a paralysed man do the unthinkable. They make a hole through the roof and drop a lame man right in front of Jesus. Talk about an act of faith and hope and determination and probably a foolish thing to do as well! They would not be put off even by a filled house and a crowd! It seems however that God is in the business of honouring such acts. And Jesus on seeing this determination says to the man:
Friend, your sins are forgiven

How surprising! Jesus offers this paralytic the one thing he knows he needs most – forgiveness. There is nothing to suggest that they went into all this trouble to seek forgiveness. Jesus however gave him what he needed! But why forgiveness? It is easy to be cynical about the need for forgiveness and even about the concept itself. When an act of violence or torture is perpetrated we ask ‘how can we forgive without trivialising the harm suffered? The other question that often comes is ‘what about when guilt is hidden away in the depth of my heart and no one except myself knows? What then should happen if ‘my’ guilt only affects me? Should I still seek forgiveness?

Well, Jesus offers this man the miracle/cure that he needs most – forgiveness. It far surpasses the condition of paralysis that he suffers. It is the one thing that every human being requires – leper or healthy. Jesus offers unconditional forgiveness to this man, just like he does with us. Forgiveness, the receiving of it, ushers human beings into a new realm, a new dispensation and attitude and outlook to life. Anyone who has had even a glimpse of God’s forgiveness which shines in increasingly deeper contrast as we understand and accept our sinfulness; such people find it easier to say I am willing.
But it takes a miracle to convince a human being that they need God’s forgiveness. And Jesus is making a statement here. He has the authority to forgive sins (the thing that only God can do) and to also physically heal. The statement is therefore a stamp of his authority. And so for the benefit of all present – the critical theologians described in v21, he says loudly:
V24
I tell you get up, take your mat and go home.

I am willing. Be healed.

Two phrases that perfectly imitate the heart of Jesus;
Two phrases that will set us on the path of freedom;
Two phrases that will help us make a difference wherever we are.

The choice is yours and mine.

I am conscious that speaking about healing in this way raises all sorts of questions: the unanswered prayers, the whole question of suffering especially as we remember our brothers and sisters in Haiti who are in great suffering due to the recent earthquake, the loved ones who didn’t get healed even after our long prayer. And this might causes us to sometimes question our faith and trust in God. If you feel like that, you are not alone. Some things only God knows. One day, may be, when we see Jesus face to face we will understand. We will listen to a song with these words and I hope you will be encouraged. Amen.

Sermon 17th January 2010

Today our Associate Vicar, John Itumu, preaches based on the reading from Luke 5: 1-11

Jesus calls his first disciples

For the next two months we will follow the story of Jesus as described by a man called Luke the evangelist, an early Christian writer. Scholars attribute the books of Luke and Acts to this evangelist due a consistency in style. Notably too, Luke is identified as a doctor (Col 4:14) – he often displays a particular interest in the diagnosis of illness. We also know that he was a companion of Paul in his missionary journeys (eg 2 Tim 4:11) and he was also not a Jew Col 4:14.

Luke is writing to a man called Theophilus. According to Luke this is an orderly account of ‘the things that have been fulfilled among us...so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Writing after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, this suggests that Theophilus has some familiarity with ‘these events’ but needs some additional information to know their truth. Luke writes to persuade him and I hope we are too. He seeks to clarify some key ingredients that are missing in his understanding.

One notable aspect of this gospel is Luke’s emphasis on the inclusivity of the community established by Jesus. Again and again, Jesus is portrayed as a friend of the excluded, the outcasts, even the unlikely people in society. I want to spend the next few minutes looking at the amazing story we have just heard read.

And so we catch up with Jesus in his itinerant ministry in the area around Lake Galilee. Picture a natural amphitheatre – boat in the water and Jesus speaking to a huge crowd from it. Note also that Luke does not concentrate on the content of Jesus’ speech to crowd. The focus is some gentlemen who had lent him the boat

When he had finished speaking he said to Simon…
Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch

One scholar identifies these nets as made of linen, visible to fish during the day and so used at night, requiring 2-4 men to deploy and needing washing every morning. They had been fishing all night. That is what they did for a living as professional fishermen. Then comes someone who thinks he knows better...
I can’t imagine what is going inside Simon’s head at this time.
Is this man a lunatic? May be the unspoken question

Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch

Whatever is gong inside him he composes himself however and manages a reasonable reply:
Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.

In other words, this is the business we live on. Last night was only one of those bad nights!
But because you say so, I will let down the nets

We will never know Simon’s tone when he answered Jesus. What is clear is that he did a stupidly brave thing, contrary to all conventional wisdom in fishing techniques: he dared Jesus in obedience and his life was never the same again
But because you say so, I will lower the nets...

This is a line we will do well to remember. This verse reveals the true condition of a sincere heart. God delights with this kind of heart and attitude. Doubting faith, scepticism, hesitation even unbelief is part of what we bring and carry when we approach him. We do not obey God because all the outstanding doubts and queries have been sorted. Neither do we obey because we have fully comprehended this gospel of salvation that we are called to live by. We do not continue to cry to God for our loved ones who are ill and suffering because we know when or how he will answer our prayers. We however soldier on as we are; with trusting, fragile faith. The good news is that God is bigger than all of these. He understands our infirmity, even our inability to articulate what we believe, even why we believe


Master, we have worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let the nets down

Jesus responds to this type of humble naked trust and faith. Trust and faith empty of any religious claim. Trust and faith that is devoid of any acts that ‘compel’ God into action. Some teaching proposes that gifts to God – or ‘planting a seed’ will cause God to answer our prayers. But Jesus responds even to faith that is empty of such presumptuous actions. The Christian life continues from day to day with days of doubt, fear, apprehension, uncertainty, even unbelief. These things however should and must not derail us. That is why I think it is helpful to come back to these words by Simon:
But because you say so, I will lower the nets

It is not because of what I know, or my experience but because of what the word of God says. The story continues that they caught so many fish that the nets began to break, the boats begun to sink from the weight and they had to summon for help. Isn’t it comforting also to be reminded that Jesus knows our needs even before we ask? He was well aware that it had been a difficult fruitless night for Simon and company. This echoes Matthew 6 when Jesus teaches his disciples not to worry, because their heavenly Father understands and knows their needs.

Notice this also; when Jesus steps into the scene, other things suddenly become insignificant in comparison. Simon recognizes in Jesus the agency of God, whoever he may have perceived God to be. He suddenly has a new vision. It is the reason why he responds with the words;
Go away from me Lord. I am sinful man!

His response was to fall down on his knees in humility. He recognized the vast difference between himself and Jesus. He saw himself as someone in need of divine redemption. Something happens within a human being when they come face to face with Jesus. It is not possible to engage with Jesus and be left unchanged. Why? Because Jesus is holy and his holiness shines onto our sinful selves. The response is either to ignore and turn away and find excuses about why we cannot submit to God...or to go down on our knees in humble submission as Simon did. However more often than not we are better at finding excuses. If you are here this morning and have never said ‘yes’ to Jesus what are your excuses? I thank God that you are here this morning to listen to this.

Responding to God should be as basic a human duty as washing. The story is told of a pastor who fed up with all the reasons that people gave for not going to church decided to include in the news bulletin ‘ten reasons why I never wash’:

1. I was forced to as a child
2. People who wash are hypocrites – they think they are cleaner than everybody else
3. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can’t decide which one is best
4. I used to wash, but I got bored and stopped
5. I wash only special occasions like Christmas and Easter
6. None of my friends wash
7. I’ll start washing when I get older and dirtier
8. I can’t spare the time
9. The bathroom is never warm enough in winter and cool enough in summer
10. People who make soap are only after your money

Need we go on? We are not short of reasons and excuses. I don’t know about you but just picture yourself. Would you say ‘thank you very much Jesus for this fantastic catch, see ya later! Surely no. Such encounters demand a different response. Simon fell on his knees in submission. His response was an acknowledgement that Jesus was indeed different and even could be called Lord, not master anymore. That is the authentic response that Jesus seeks from us all. You don’t need to look far to find reason to make this response. Being here and alive this morning is a good point to begin. The love of Jesus crosses between the separating cultural, social and religious boundaries to bring good news to anyone who will listen.

They pulled their boats on the shore, left everything and followed him.

Now that was something. These guys left behind the very items that their lives depended on. They turned their backs on their professions.
Jesus however understands and reassures them – don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people! In other words, look up guys, something more exciting awaits you. As someone once put it – you will no longer catch dead fish in order to sell in the market-place, but will catch people giving them liberty.
I wonder what happened to the fish!

Responding to the good news of Jesus demands that we embrace a new worldview, wear different lenses, and even have a different attitude to material acquisitions. It means that we find our fundamental sense of belonging in being in a relationship with Jesus. This shift redefines one’s relationship with everything – including material things. It is plain radical but most exciting!

So friends regardless of our past, regardless of whatever we are going through at the moment, in spite of our little faith and trust, our doubt. I invite us to rededicate ourselves, and make a break with the past as we embrace a new beginning that Jesus avails to all who say ‘yes’ to him.

I invite us all to say with Simon
Lord...because you say so I will let down the nets...

Sermon 10th January 2009

Today, our Vicar, Cameron Barker, preaches based on the reading from Romans 12 verses 1-8.

Well, here we are: 10 January already! How (or just 'are') your New Year Resolutions going, I wonder? Do you wish you'd made different, more realistic ones, perhaps? Like:

- gain weight: anything up to a stone is fine

- stop exercising: too much like hard work

- create loose ends: so much less stressful

- don't swim with piranhas, or sharks, this year

- read less: watch more reality TV shows instead

- or this more general one: avoid disappointment; aim low in all things.

If that is you, you'll need a radical change of mental gear right now! Our focus today isn't on resolutions for a new year – but for a new life. And their aim is as high, as broad, and as far-reaching as it's possible to imagine!

I'm only going to speak very briefly now - because today is mostly about getting practical! My task is to put that call to practical action into context. And the best way to do that is to pay a fleeting return visit to the letter that occupied us last autumn. We've jumped on a fair bit in it, but chapter 12 is where the rubber really hits the road in Romans. Here Paul begins his summary of what everything he has written must now mean for his readers. And he wasn't pulling any punches with his headline summary in verse 1: “Because of God's great mercy to us .. offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship you should offer. (Good News Bible) / In view of God's mercy ... offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true spiritual act of worship (New International Version)”.

There are, of course, any number of full-length sermons that could be preached on that one verse alone! The main point to grasp from it though, is this: anything that we can do for God is only by way of response to what He has already done for us. In the preceding chapters Paul has spelled out in detail how God gave His Son Jesus to die to give us life. He didn't do that because we earned it, or are worth it. God did it because He is merciful, and He loves us. God gave His all for us, and gave us everything that matters by doing so. Now it's time for us to respond; and how could we not want to, once we have grasped the full greatness of God's gift to us?

None of this is news to church regulars, of course. But the start of a new year is great opportunity to put our life back into its true perspective. We all need regular reminders of what shapes us, and why. And here it is for 2010: it's all about God's loving mercy for us. That reminder comes with a re-issued challenge, though: we are then to live every day and in every way in response to God's mercy. How? By offering every part of our life back to the God who has given us life! That, as Paul put it, is what worship is: it's not 'just' attending on (occasional) Sundays; or singing; or Bible studies; or work; or family: it's offering every part of our selves back to God.

There's only one way this is at all possible, Paul pointed out. It's so radically counter-cultural to human selfishness that we need to let God completely transform our minds! God can do that: he has done it before, not least in Paul's own life. It's usually a process, that takes time; but we should all be able to see significant change in ourselves today, compared to a year ago. And that then encourages us to press on, further along this path of becoming more like Jesus.

The key to it all lies in honest self-evaluation Paul reminds us. None of us must think of ourselves any more highly - or, he also implies - any less highly than we should. To be a child of God, loved so much that Jesus died for you, is no small thing! And you are here, in this church, because this is where God wants, and needs, YOU! We, the church, together are the body of Christ. And, as is so with any body, if any part of it isn't working properly, then all of it is in trouble!

None of us can – or is designed – to do it all. God has given each of us different gifts, to use for Him. When they're used properly, they complement each other, to get the job done fully. Paul then wrote another of his sample lists here, of what just some of those gifts are, and how we're to use them – for God, of course. That is the context which we need to come back to, time and again. What we have are gifts from God; they are to be used for Him. And they are to be offered back to Him as part of our worship – in response to His mercy in giving us life through Jesus.

So, there it is: the briefest – but most vital – summary of what it is that Christians are about: living all of our lives as worship, in response to God. We'll get to the how later in the service; the only starting point is this key question: will you do it? Then let's pray ...