Sermon 19th June 2016

Today, Ben Hughes, Assistant Minister, preaches. The reading is from Philippians 2: 1-18.  

New Attitude

As a young man growing up in Fulham we attended a youth club. One evening a visiting missionary presented a slide show of her recent trip to the middle east– It was kind of interesting and perhaps rather inappropriate for young people - So this rather pious missionary is  going “here is a slide of us  in  Ephesus where we are a reading St Paul’s letter  to the Ephesians – and here we are Corinth – where we are reading the letter of Corinthians and here is Philippi where we are reading the letter to the Philippians”  and so it went on – another picture of more ruins and the same old kind of comments –  Then Someone suddenly someone shouted out – I have read Acts in Acton so what!  And that was the end of that talk –

Places are important to God but places are never more than the love He has for people –

The principle message of Chapter 2 – is a letter to a struggling group of Christians in a place Called Philippi.  And chapter 2 is a love poem written by St Paul about the transforming power of Jesus Christ. And as a letter, poem, hymn it is equal to any in the great Old Testament poems and psalms and  as many scholars agree, is soften understood as the pinnacle of the New Testament!  And so, if the New Testament is like a Royal Robe then this chapter is the crown that  so fine and perfect -beautiful in both detail and as a whole!  

And what makes it even more amazing – is that St Paul wrote it just as a letter and wrote it whilst in prison too!

Therefore you would expect it to be rather negative but instead St Paul – the usual ‘woe is me’ St Paul kind of thing – but instead he  describes himself as being ‘complete in joy’ in the Love of Christ- Amazing – such Grace and integrity and such faith in the face of personal suffering.

As a trained Pharisee from youth - Paul would have been aware of the sacred importance of the Old Testament as well

He would have been mortified  and amazed to see his letters now bound under  same cover as the  scriptures he studied as a youth. Scriptures he would have read with Yad sticks as they still use in synagogues today. It is an unbelievable irony that St Paul probably thought his writings as temporary as his own existence – like a tent! God is the God of surprises!  God always has other ideas! Me first always prevents God doing his amazing and wonderful things in our lives because we too often limit God by our own imaginations.

These first verses also illustrate another key in  this letter:  –  God expects praise and worship – the Hallowed be your name part of the Lord’s prayer! –   Using the quote that Adrian used last week from job – where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth he asks?  –   this  chapter begins  a similar reminder – Do not to think more highly of yourself–  in other words, place all things in the right context at all times. God first, people second – me last!

³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

And how do we do that?  – We cannot without help -

It is the work of the Holy Spirit that makes the impossible possible

Verse 2 - show tenderness and compassion towards one another in the Holy Spirit

Now some DT questions

If I wanted to join two pieces of wood permanently – what might I use?    PVA –

And if I wanted to fuse or join metal -  Weld or braze it – (

And plastic – epoxy resin or super glue

Of course we could go for semi permanent fixing and bolt and or screw – rivet or nail

Or we could just tie things together in a temporary way.

What do we need to join us together in the Church?

In this letter St Paul talks about the importance of Unity – and he says three things that join us in Unity

V1 – to be united in Christ

Then United in Love

And finally united in the Holy Spirit

As we are bonded together we become the body of Christ

And interestingly St Paul doesn’t imply  - to be the same or identical  like identikits coming off a production line– but  he is says – share  the same approach and attitude!

So what disunites us?

Rivalry ,Greed and selfish ambition.

So  If you feel the need to show off your successes and achievements then as Christians at least  do so in humility – place everything in the context of what Jesus has done for you  – and give him thanks at all times using his example of perfect self sacrifice and love as your motive and guide - remembering that all things come from God and of His own does He give them.

With that attitude, it will enable you to offer your gifts to God and allow the Holy Spirit to share them with others.

Also we will also be able to see and enjoy other’s gifts and be blessed by them.

A drummer friend of mine who has played in many famous groups commented that many talented people often fall down because they do not know where their gifts come from – an interesting point!

Verse 5

So In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Unity is a three way bond as it is mirror the Unity of the Holy Trinity.

Last week we heard a very deep and moving sermon from Adrian who spoke about St Paul’s example of personal fortitude and faith in the trials, sufferings and struggles of life.

In today’s reading we are hear how Christ has set the perfect example in dealing with suffering

So what does the passage advise about dealing with suffering?

We are to be as servants – imitating Christ who set the perfect example –which means having to look right into the eye of suffering - even to the point of death and beyond – Why?  Because Christ did the same - dying on the cross s for others and setting the perfect example!

V 6 Your attitude must be the same as Christ Jesus who, being the very nature God,

Did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant

That means being prepared to do servant things and not to expect reward or recognition -

If you have followed the sad news from America and the Orlando night club shootings – many of the heroic stories illustrate that self sacrifice – taking bullets in the backs for their friends – protecting others using their own bodies as shields.   – going out into the hail of bullets to drag the wounded to safety. Some human beings are extraordinary in crisis and despite the judgment and rejection from a warped and crooked world can shine like stars and set the perfect example of –love. What a shining example of love from a terrible tragedy and a single act of hate.

Another tragedy is the murder of MP Jo Cox – a woman whose death has united people across all parties with her selfless love and sacrifice that she made in working for a better world.

St Paul describes this world in this letter as wicked, warped and crooked – but we must never give up trying to neither make a difference nor forget our own contributions that we make through our own sin and neglectfulness – and we must never judge because God is the final judge.

St Paul is no apologist for sin and he is realistic about the state of the world – He is writing the letter from prison probably chained to a Roman guard. He says get on and be joyful at all times as hard as that is –  and  in verse 15 -  tells us not to grumble and complain but instead hold firm so that we can become blames less and pure!

This coming week is a profound one for this country and I am not just talking about the football! 

I started the sermon by joking about reading Acts in Acton – it could equally be Isaiah in Islington or Corinthians in Cornwall - you could go for Luke in Lisbon or Mark in Moscow. I I know that there are people reading the Bible in Aleppo and Fallujah as I speak.

One of the most beautiful and most attractive aspects of Christian faith is it is truly international and has universal appeal – The Gospel is a message for all nations and no border or boundary can get in its way. The Jews hammered Jesus to the cross partly because they did not want to share their exclusive relationship with God with others – sharing God’s love with all people from all nations is key to our faith and is one of the principle gospel messages behind mission– and we as a nation have a proud reputation for doing so

We also share a ‘common’ bond with all Christian believers –which means any who make Jesus Christ their Lord and king. We may very well be as spiritual Islands or small clusters but because we are united in Christ and He in us - through the common bond of love. As he is of course the vine. We must always put our faith and loyalty to others in Christ and all our judgments made in the light of that.   

So there is a lot happening in the world and this next week is important for many reasons –

Changes will happen good and bad - local, national and international and as we look inward we need to look outward as well and despite any disappointments that we might feel – we must hold onto our faith. As I researched, prayed and wrote this sermon I could not help but think that no other passage in the bible was more appropriate for such difficult times. I think it definitely God’s choice that we are here studying Philippians now. The city that invited the Gospel to the shores of the continent of Europa – There letter is God’s word using the hand of St Paul and when St Paul penned the letter – scholars suggest that there were probably just about eight thousand Christians worldwide. Now current statistics say that there are 4 Christians of all denominations to everyone else in the world!  When St Paul writes ‘At the name of Jesus – every knee shall bow’ – I wondered if he really though it would happen so fast – God’s plan to save the world by sending his son Jesus to die on the cross is clearly working and continues to work today as many people worldwide continue  to turn to Christ and make Him their Lord – Let’s continue to make sure that we are part of it and let us welcome all as the Philippians welcomed the Gospel into their hearts

Amen

Help us this week be wise. Help and bless those in charge. Help people be responsible and thoughtful of others. And let us pray for peace and love in all things. Bless us all.

Amen!

Sermon 12th June 2016

Today, one of our Lay Readers, Adrian Parkhouse, preaches. The reading is from Philippians  1:12 -30

Coping

‘Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38.4

1.              Complete this quotation:

                  Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. […..]

It is the opium of the people  (Marx 1843)

For Karl Marx, though faith was an illusion, it expressed real suffering;  Marx accepts that it enables real resilience.  We, with Paul, might feel able to explain that this was because its foundation is anything but illusory.

For others faith is a delusion – required to protect us against our fear of dying.  But few of understand that equation.  When death – our own or that of one close to us – comes close, only then do we grapple, like Paul, to find the assurance that faith gives. 

2.              Do you notice that sometimes when something has happened to you, it seems as if it is happening to everyone?  As if you have, quite unintentionally, hit a rich seam of fashion?  Suddenly it is not only you who has broken their arm – everyone is doing it – almost everyone you speak to, has a broken arm or knows someone who has.  You are not the only one to fall off ladders as everyone is doing it.  Every day the news reports another celebrity ladder-faller.  At last you are trendy!

                  Of course it is very unlikely that the incidence of these events has actually increased:  what it must be that you are unconsciously attuned to such things so that when they arise, they grab your attention.

                  “Resilience” is my current vogue, my current trend.  It is a word that I am not aware of having used as part of my vocabulary until the last few months but no sooner did I start to use it (as I did) to try to put in context our experience of that period, than everyone is using the word.  Have you noticed it, or is it just me?  In past week or so, for example, I read a report on the then government’s fears regarding the “resilience” of the population of London in the event of heavy bombing in WWII;  and we have had the moving documentary-study into made by Sian Williams after her cancer diagnosis.  And as a constant backdrop we see images of survivors, in Syria, Nigeria, Iraq, on islands and at border checkpoints:  all getting on with life, either the everyday or pressing towards a new start.  People being resilient, people, we used to say, “coping”.

                  And then today I have a Bible passage where Paul explains how he copes.

3.              Last Sunday, when Cameron introduced our studies of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, he touched on how personal it was.  In some respects it is unique among his letters as being both widely accepted as being by Paul (unlike some of the other “pastoral epistles” where authorship is debated) and a personal note from him.  It is a thank you letter, carried by a mutual friend, giving news on Paul’s everyday circumstances and expressing hopes for the everyday lives of its recipients.  Its purpose is not to deal with theological issues or matters of church practice.  It is from the heart.

                  One feature of the letter is the common purpose and role that Paul sees for himself, the apostle, and the folk at Philippi.  Of course he is the teacher and so advises, but this in the context of their being together, a team.  In other letters, Paul needs to emphasise his credentials and thus his qualifications, including his suffering at the hands of the authorities, are held out as setting him apart as an apostle.  In this letter, we read today, after Paul’s account of his own circumstances, “You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also suffering for him.  Now you can take part with me in the battle.” (v.29).  Our faith is a team sport:  we face the ups and the downs together.  That is relevant to how we might cope.

4.              That should be a comfort, but because we are going to spend a little time looking at Paul’s coping (what he had to cope with; whether he coped; and, if so, what coping strategy he employed, what resources he used) I think it worth making the point at the outset that being members of a team does not make us all the same.  Each of us has our own background, our own histories, our own personalities.  One of us may find coping easier, some harder, some may find it impossible.  Paul’s experience, Job’s experience, your experience and my experience may have something to say – it may not.  No judgment.

5.              Paul coped with what?  We learn he is in prison, apparently wearing chains;  and what’s more there is evidently deep divisions among the believers.  And his future is uncertain:  martyrdom seems a real, and perhaps unpredictably close, option.  Because we know some of this background, we take it for granted.  However, pause for a moment.  If any of us have ever spent any time in the cells, we know the feeling of powerlessness as the door closes and basic freedoms of choice are lost.  To have worked hard for a cause with love and unity at its heart and to experience division and competition as a result?  To have life or death hanging over you.

                  Did he cope?  It seems so:  consider the positives:  the whole palace guard now knows about the good news!  Other believers actually get greater confidence to preach the gospel!  The motives are irrelevant if the result is that Jesus is being talked about! “I am happy about it/  I will continue to rejoice” (18). 

                  How did he cope?  In some respects – imprisonment and competitive preaching – by reframing “the problem” into “an opportunity”.  Being chained to a guard became a good thing!  We have lots of professionals in church – but Paul was the CBT therapist’s dream client:  look at the good.  But this is not the heart of his resilience:  the heart lies in his debate concerning what could be achieved by his life or his dying.  “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.” (21).

6.              “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”:  these are not even, let alone “just”, easy words.  Contemplating the ultimate existential question, both Paul’s experience of life and his expectation of dying reassure him that either way he will experience Jesus.  Again perhaps familiarity causes us to move quickly over the words – but let’s think more carefully of what it may mean that “to live is Christ”:  living lives that recognise the presence and the love of Jesus in whatever we do, wherever we are, whatever occurs.

                  In the past, I have used sermons to invite you to dance with me.  I explained how in moments of meditation, in worship, I would mentally go to a place that I imagined was the square in front of the Temple and could almost feel the warmth of the sun on my shoulders as I danced before God.  God the Almighty becoming very close – perhaps in the same way as the power of God was brought home to Job in the midst of his frustration and anger.

                  In recent months, I have been going somewhere else:  standing in the streets of the town by the lake as Jesus makes his way through the pressing crowd as in Matthew ch.9:  watching the people who bring the paralysed man, the lifetime bleed and other great needs (I am watching closely the leader of the synagogue; and seeing the blessing of Jesus.  “To live is Christ”.

7.              “To die is gain”.  Such assurance in that statement.  Paul’s assurance that dying will bring even greater experience of being with Christ.  Few of us are facing the imminence or feel ourselves to be facing clear unpredictability of dying that Paul faced:  though some of us are.  Perhaps we share (some do I know) his assurance, perhaps we hope for it, perhaps we envy it?

8.              Our passage discloses much more that gives Paul hope, to help him see that life is Christ. He mentions the prayers of the church, the work of the Spirit and, one senses clearly, the love of “the team” – evidenced by their gift and the individuals with whom he has fellowship.

9.              Resilience is a relative matter:  few of us will stand like Paul – though some may.  However, in tough times we may be able to remember his example.