MY NEXT SERMON

I AM  PREACHING NEXT ON SUNDAY 13 JULY 2025 - at WEST DEAN BREAKFAST CHURCH, KING GEORGE VI MEMORIAL HALL, WEST DEAN, WILTSHIRE - 8.30 a.m. 

SERMON 218 - SUNDAY 8 JUNE 2025 - PENTECOST SUNDAY

REFLECTIONS FOR SUNDAY 8 JUNE 2025 – PENTECOST SUNDAY

at West Dean Breakfast Church, King George VI Hall, West Dean, Wiltshire

 Joel 2: 28-32

I am always slightly concerned when people say to me that whilst they read the New Testament they really don’t have time for the Old.  Indeed, I have often heard it said that as the New Testament means the “New Covenant” there is no longer need to look at the Old. For me, you cannot read the New in the context in which it was written or events occurred without having a knowledge of the Old and in particular the prophesies which it contains.  The latter part of the Old Testament contains the writings of both the Major and the Minor Prophets, one of the latter being Joel and, as we celebrate Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to the followers at Jerusalem, it is wonderful to think of the continuity which exists between Old and New with the scripture for Joel which we have just heard.

This is a profound passage that also speaks to hope, renewal and divine presence. These verses prophetically describe the future outpouring of God’s Spirit, emphasising that God’s grace and power will extend to all people, sons and daughters, young and old, servants and free individuals, This inclusive promise reflects God’s desire for a universal renewal that transcends social and cultural boundaries.  Prior to this, we read of specific outpourings of the Spirit to specific individuals f or specific purposes e.g. Moses, Elijah and Elisha, David and so on.

This morning’s passage begins with the declaration that “I will pour out my Spirit on all people” (Joel 2:28).  This invocation of the Spirit signifies a transformative movement where divine power is no longer restricted to prophets or leaders as I mentioned above, but becomes accessible to everyone. It suggests that God’s presence is not limited but available to all those seeking renewal and guidance. This idea resonates deeply, especially considering the historical context where the Spirit was often seen as a special gift for prophets and a select few.

The promises of prophecy, dreams and visions in this passage highlight a time of Divine Communication and revelation.  These spiritual experiences serve to inspire and guide individuals and communities, fostering faith and hope. The universal nature of these manifestations indicates that God’s plans and purposes are inclusive and meant for all people, regardless of age and status. It underscores the theme that divine intervention is for collective renewal and salvation.

Verses 30 and 31 describe phenomenal signs in the heavens and on the Earth – “blood, fire and billows of smoke” – which serve as cosmic signs of divine activity.  These vivid images evoke a sense of urgency and anticipation emphasising that God’s intervention is both powerful and transformative. It also reminds me of the wonder and awe of God’s Creation which I feel when observing the heavens through my love of astronomy and it never ceases to amaze me how vast and awesome God’s creation really is and how privileged we are to be living on this wonderful and unique planet in the vastness of the expanse of the Universe.  These images which are conjured up by Joel also serve as warnings indicating that the outpouring of God’s Spirit is also associated with significant change and probably judgment but ultimately with hope, available to those who call on the Lord irrespective of their background and situation. This reflection encourages us to remain faithful and dependent on God’s grace recognising his sovereignty over all creation.  It inspires hope and reassurance that in the midst of chaos, sincere faith and prayer can lead to deliverance and divine protection.

 

Acts 2:1-16

Following on from the prophesy of Joel which we examined a moment ago we now turn to the day of Pentecost itself. In Acts 2:1-16, we see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, marking the birth of the church and the beginning of our mission to share the Gospel with the world. This day reminds us of the power, promise, and purpose of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

I am going to split the scripture up into a number of parts, reminding ourselves of what is written, giving my own reflection and then asking you what it means to you.

 

1. The Setting of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)

 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Key Point:

Pentecost was a Jewish festival, a time of celebration and remembrance. But on this day, it became a day of divine revelation and empowerment. The Holy Spirit was poured out, filling the disciples and giving them the ability to speak in different languages. This was not just a miraculous event; it was a divine appointment to equip the church for its mission.  It should be noted that the true translation of “tongues” in this passage is not the one which is often given by Pentecostal churches as some unknown language spoken by angels, but the known languages of the Earth at that time – such as if I were to speak fluent Chinese without having learned or spoken the language before.

Application:

Are we open to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives? Like the disciples, we need the Spirit to fill us, to empower us for service, and to guide us in truth.

2. The Spirit’s Power and Presence (Acts 2:5-13)

“Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven... When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken... Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’”

Key Point:

The Spirit’s power was evident. It transcended language and cultural barriers, uniting people from diverse backgrounds. The initial reactions ranged from awe to skepticism, but the Spirit’s work was undeniable.

Application:

The Holy Spirit breaks down barriers—racial, cultural, social—that divide us. As followers of Christ, we are called to be witnesses to the unity and love that the Spirit brings.  How in this modern day and age can we do this?  What are you going to do after we leave this Hall this morning?

3. Peter’s Boldness and the Gospel Declared (Acts 2:14-16)

“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you...’”

Key Point:

Empowered by the Spirit, Peter boldly proclaimed the Gospel. The Spirit transforms fear into courage and enables us to testify to Christ.

Application:

Are we willing to be filled with the Spirit and share the Good News? The same Spirit that empowered Peter is available to us today. We are called to be witnesses, speaking truth and love into our communities.

Conclusion:

Pentecost and Joel’s writings are a reminder that the Holy Spirit is active and available to all believers. It is the Spirit who empowers us to live out our faith, to love others, and to fulfil God's mission in the world.

Call to Action:

This week, pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit to fill you anew. Seek the courage to share your faith, and open your heart to the Spirit’s guidance. Let us remember that we are not alone—God has given us His Spirit to be with us always.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. Fill us anew, empower us to be faithful witnesses, and unite us in love and purpose. May we, like the disciples on Pentecost, be bold in proclaiming Your Word. In Jesus’ name, we pray. 

Amen.

 

SERMON 217 - SUNDAY 24 MAY 2025 - EASTER 6

Sermon at All Saints’ Parish Church, Winterslow - 6th Sunday in Easter – Sunday 25 May 2025

Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:10, 22-27, 22:1-5; John 14:23-29

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and may these words be those of you, Lord, and may they be a blessing to all who listen and hear them.

None of our readings this morning is all that easy to understand unless we acknowledge and accept the concept of a spirituality beyond what we would normally see or experience.  It requires a perfect belief in the fundamentals of Christianity – the belief in Jesus as the Son of God, Creator of all things and our Saviour and the acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit now with us.

On Sunday 8^th June we shall celebrate Pentecost when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit down to the disciples and we will be given the opportunity to renew that Spirit within us. In today’s gospel reading from John, Jesus is foretelling that moment and reminding his disciples that he will remain with them in person for only a short limited period and that they should remember what he has told them and what they have seen and witnessed during his ministry. These words are ones which equally apply to us today –

“Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them and we will come to them and make out home with them.  Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me”

This is one of the clearest passages in the whole of the Bible indicating that Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus then goes on to say “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, who the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

We have this reading this week to prepare us for Pentecost and remind us of the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit – to act as our advocate – a term which as a lawyer I am most familiar with, meaning somebody to act and intercede on our behalf with a higher authority – and to remind us of all Jesus’s teachings.

Our gospel reading goes on to relate Jesus’s final message of Peace.  Jesus knows that the disciples will be upset at His leaving them on the Day of Ascension but asks them not to be troubled, not to be afraid.  Whilst he may be leaving them from their sight, the Holy Spirit will be sent to them.

The disciples would have been acquainted with the Spirit of God being made available to certain individuals in the Old Testament for certain specific tasks – e.g. Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt, Elijah and Daniel as special prophets at times of difficulty and exile for the Hebrew people.  Now the Holy Spirit was going to be made available for all who believed and accepted Jesus in order to carry out the good work and ministry and proclaim the Good News to all the world.  As we approach Pentecost in a couple of weeks’ time, let us reflect upon Jesus’s words in this passage – “I do not give to you as the world gives, my peace I give to you”.

We can be comforted, at times of great difficulty and upheaval, such as we seem to be seeing in our world today, that Jesus remains with us through the power of the Holy Spirit and that despite all the things which might seem to conspire against us, we can be assured of the Peace which, as described by Paul, passes all understanding.

Our first reading this morning describes a vision which came to Paul after the Holy Spirit had come to the disciples and apostles. In this vision we are told he saw a man telling him to go to Macedonia. Convinced that he was being called to preach the Good News to the people of that territory he did this, arriving at Philippi, a leading city of the province and, we are told, a Roman Colony.

Paul and his followers were not entirely sure what they were to do so went to a place renowned for being a place of prayer and spoke to a number of women gathered there including Lydia, a worshipper and dealer in cloth.

We read that the Holy Spirit opened the heart of Lydia and that she eagerly listened to what Paul had to say resulting in her and her household being baptised.

Our Second Reading, from Revelation contains another vision – this time of a new city of Jerusalem coming down from heaven. There is a beautiful description of the city and of the river of the water of life flowing from it producing on either side of it the Tree of Life. 

I am reminded of that beautiful window in one of our Clarendon Churches – West Grimstead – and if you haven’t seen that window depicting the Tree of Life you must do so – a real treat. The vision of Jerusalem in Revelation is a vision of Utopia. Everything is beautiful and wholesome. The city provides its own light, not requiring the reflective light of Sun or Moon. It’s a vision of a New Heaven and a New Earth – something which we can all aspire to.

For me, the message form all of these readings today is that we need to acknowledge and accept that all things come from God and that we can only achieve what he wants us to achieve through a belief in his word and Holy Spirit. 

For many this is a difficult concept but for those who truly believe, they look upon the world differently to the non-believer.  We cannot always know precisely what God is asking us to do or who might be influenced by our own ministry, just as Paul didn’t know that he was being called to Macedonia to convert Lydia, but it does remind us that God does have a purpose for all of us and, as for the prophets of the Old Testament, we have the Holy Spirit to assist and guide us.

In preparing recent sermons, I have been struck by the number of times in scripture the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ our Saviour has been given to people who seem less appropriate – shepherds, fishermen, tax collectors and so on.  For me this is so heartening – it suggests that so long as we accept Christ and the Holy Spirit we are always going to be well equipped for mission. 

In coming weeks, as we reflect upon the Ascension and Pentecost, let us think about how we can, individually lead other people to Jesus and can ensure, through the Holy Spirit, that we recall and keep Christ’s words.

Let us pray the prayer of St. Theresa of Avila:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Amen

                                                                                                                    MFB/217/21052025

 

 

SERMON 216 - SUNDAY 11 MAY 2025 - EASTER 4

Sermon at St. John’s Church, West Grimstead and All Saints’ Parish Church, Farley – 4th Sunday in Easter – Sunday 11 May 2025

Acts 9:36-43; Revelation 7:9-17; John 10:22-30

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and may these words be those of you, Lord, and may they be a blessing to all who listen and hear them.

Last week, in John 21, we looked at Peter’s restoration at the hands of Jesus, following the Resurrection, when Jesus appeared amongst the disciples on the lakeside of Galilee whilst Peter and his fellow brethren were out on the lake fishing. 

You will recall, I have no doubt, how it was only after they had received instructions from Jesus as to where to cast the net that they caught such an enormous number of fish – 153. That part of the story reminded us that it is only really with the help of Jesus – either directly or through the Holy Spirit, that we can successfully achieve God’s purpose in and for our lives. Prior to Jesus’s arrival on the lakeside, they had been totally unsuccessful in their fishing despite being professionals.  It also reminded us that Jesus can enter into our presence at the least expected time and circumstances and we must always be ready to receive and listen to him.

However, the most important part of last week’s passage from John’s Gospel was Peter being restored to his position amongst the disciples.  Again, you will recall that Jesus asked Peter not once, but three times, whether he loved Jesus and three times Peter responded in the affirmative; and on each occasion Peter was told to feed Jesus’s sheep and be a pastor to His people. Earlier, in the gospel, we read how Jesus had called upon Peter to act as the rock upon which Jesus’s worldwide church would be built; but he had probably thought he had forever forgone that privilege when he had denied Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hence the reason for Jesus asking him three times if Peter really did love Christ.

I think it rather appropriate that our reading from Acts, this morning, should focus on Peter’s ministry after those events I have just described. Last Thursday we saw the election of a new Pope, Leo XIV, in Rome who is considered the direct apostolic successor to Peter who is regarded, in the Roman Catholic Church, as the first Pope or Bishop of Rome and Keeper of the Keys to Heaven.  Yet despite the pomp and ceremony and ritual, we should never lose sight of the fact that Peter was, when we first meet him in the Bible, a humble fisherman who would have worked hard and probably was what some might describe as a pretty rough diamond! I grew up in a northern fishing town as many of you know and the local “deckies” appeared to be the least likely candidates to be pastors. I pray and hope that our new pope will not forget the humility and normality of Peter at his calling.

In our reading today we see a different Peter – a mature Peter and one who, following the bestowing of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, demonstrates the power and love of God, through Jesus, by signs and wonders. In the passages immediately before our reading today, Peter has already healed a long-term bedridden man in Lydda, called Aeneas, and if we read earlier chapters, we see Peter having healed a crippled beggar.  Earlier in his ministry, Peter and other disciples had found it impossible to heal anybody until Jesus told them that they needed to acknowledge and concentrate on the power of prayer. Now, Peter’s powers are well known in that part of the world to the extent that two disciples are sent out to bring him to the house of the deceased of another follower, Tabitha or Dorcas, as she is better known, and there, after much prayer, he brings her back to life. This act, we read, led to the conversion of many in and around Joppa and Lydda.

What greater testimony could there be than the acts of Peter and the apostles in bringing people to believe in the power of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit manifested by the acts of these early disciples.

I think that the real importance of this passage from Acts is, though, that the emphasis in all the examples of miraculous healings is the element of prayer – that these wonders being performed by Peter and the apostles, are actually the work of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit and that the apostles are simply the conduit through which the power passes. 

I am afraid that there are many scammers these days who profess special powers of healing in themselves and, indeed, even ask for money to perform the miracles being sought. Vulnerable people are paying money to faith healers and false prophets in the hope of a miracle and when it doesn’t happen, are told their faith (often in monetary terms) is insufficient.

The real truth is that it is for God to heal or not.  As Jesus told his disciples the power to heal is tied up in the power of prayer and it is through prayer alone that a miracle can occur.

This really nicely leads on to our gospel reading – again taken from John. Unlike last week’s reading this one is, I find, somewhat more difficult to follow.

The context of this passage is that it occurs immediately after Jesus has been talking about himself as the “good shepherd”. He reminds his listeners in those earlier passages that as the good shepherd he has the full knowledge of his flock, knowing them all by name and they knowing him to be their true and loyal shepherd. He reminds his listeners that this differs from the hired hand who would easily run away as he does not have the same relationship with the sheep. The true shepherd is prepared to lay down his own life to protect his sheep from the wolf.  This is, of course, a direct reference to his own sacrifice for all those who believe. 

We now find Jesus in Jerusalem at the Festival of Dedication or Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights – a winter festival in the Jewish Year (still celebrated shortly before our Christmas) which commemorates the rededication of the Temple following is desecration by Antiochus. Then, as now, this was a very important celebration marking the restoration of the Jewish Faith’s worship at the Temple in Jerusalem.

It was, therefore, very much in the minds of the Jewish Elders that they continued to await the arrival of the Messiah who would sweep away Roman occupation and completely restore Judea to complete Jewish Rule. As in our scriptural passage in Acts which we’ve already looked at, the theme of restoration was again at the heart of the story.  Having listened to Jesus’s preaching they wanted a firm and plain response to their question “Are you really our Messiah?”  Indeed, there had been quite a number of previous candidates who had disappointed the Jewish Authorities.

Jesus’s response is not as plain as they had hoped.  He responds by saying that if they look at all he has done and said during his ministry the answer is clearly there. If they still need to seek clarity then he refers back to his previous analogy of the shepherd and his sheep.  If they truly believe they will hear and recognise his voice, but if they do not then they do not belong to his flock.

In summary, I again refer to our Diocesan strapline of “Making Jesus Known”.  In order to make Jesus known to others we need to know him ourselves – not, as I said in my sermon last week, to simply “know about Jesus” but to introduce him as a living person – to have a relationship with him.

Jesus left us with the Holy Spirit and gave us a direct conduit through which we can pray directly to God. To have a proper and meaningful relationship with him.  By reading scripture we can reflect upon how his word spread throughout the world, not simply by reading scripture but by the acts and experiences of his followers – followers just like you and me.

I am again reminded of William Holman Hunt’s painting “The Light of World” which depicts Jesus with a lantern knocking at an overgrown door without a handle on the outside.  A representation of Jesus knocking at our door of life with only us able to open it from the inside.  This reminds us of Jesus’s words in Revelation 3:20. The original painting can be seen on one of the walls of the Chapel of Keble College, Oxford.

If you haven’t let Jesus through your door yet, then I invite you to do so – to have a fulfilling relationship with him.  If you have done so, I ask you to reflect on how and when that happened and think how you might encourage others to do so.  Here is a prayer to help

"Lord Jesus, I come before you as my shepherd, seeking to know you more deeply and to lie down with your flock. I desire not just to understand your teachings, but to experience your love and power in my life. Help me to see you in everything I do and to respond to your call with a willing heart. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may be empowered to live a life that reflects your grace and glory. May I walk in your light and be a witness to your love." 

Amen

 

                                                                                                   MFB/216/09052025

 

 

SERMON 215 - SUNDAY 4 MAY 2025 - EASTER 3

Sermon at All Saints’ Parish Church, Whiteparish – 3rd Sunday in Easter – Sunday 4 May 2025

Acts 9:1-6 [7-20]; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and may these words be those of you, Lord, and may they be a blessing to all who listen and hear them.

When I saw the reading for today, I was absolutely delighted at their theme and I was equally surprised that I had not preached on these passages before because, for me, they are the fundamental cornerstone to our Christian belief and faith – that to know God our Creator we need to know Jesus and have a relationship with him.  That is why we call ourselves Christians – followers of Christ.

In each of our readings we find a situation where God reveals himself to ordinary mortals through Jesus. Our first reading from Acts describes the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus where, as a Jewish Zealot, he intended to persecute Christians; in our second reading from Revelation, John, in a vision, sees all of Heaven worshipping the Lamb (Jesus) proclaiming him as the Worthy one and finally in our Gospel reading from John, we see Jesus appearing to the remaining disciples in the ordinary course of their work as fishermen instructing them where to cast their nets, as once he did before.  The importance of this passage though is the dialogue between Jesus and Peter when three times he asks him if he loves Him – the three times being significant in absolving Peter from his three times denial on the night of Jesus’s arrest.

I want to look a little closer at the first and last readings and for us to reflect on what these passages of scripture teach us today.

First of all, Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. For me, this passage is one of the most wonderful stories in the whole of the bible.  We have previously read in the Book of Acts how Saul the Zealot had hounded the followers of Jesus believing him to be a false prophet and a blasphemer. Saul was well versed in Jewish law and all the rules and regulations which went along with abiding by the Jewish Faith.  Based upon the Pentateuch or Torah, the first five book of the Old Testament setting down basic Jewish Law handed down by Moses, the Jewish Faith system had complicated it further by adding many other rules and regulations which, on occasions, Jesus and his Followers had not adhered to.  This made Jesus and his disciples heretics and blasphemers in the eyes of Jewish lawyers such as Saul.  Saul was determined to stamp out this falsehood as he saw it – hence he was on his way to Damascus to confront Christians there.

The story of the conversion of Saul into the apostle Paul is too well known to repeat in detail here but what we can say is that for all concerned, except the Trinitarian God,  the events of that day and the following ones could never have been envisaged – the complete reversal of Saul’s philosophy and hatred into becoming one of the most ardent Christians the world has ever known – such that his letters to the various churches of western Asia have become the backbone of our own modern Christian doctrine. In my experience, most of the evangelical churches in the world today spend most of their time studying and preaching from Paul’s writings.

Our gospel reading is, for me, one of the most important pieces of scripture in that it reminds us that Jesus is still with us – that he is not just an historic figure. We read that Peter, after all the excitement of his time as a disciple of Jesus, following him around Judea and witnessing many extraordinary events, is perhaps bored.  Jesus has appeared to the disciples, post-Resurrection, on a number of sporadic occasions but they are in limbo.  Peter suggests returning to the occupation they know best and which took up most of their time before Jesus came into their lives and called them.  They go fishing.  It is whilst they are doing so and catching nothing that Jesus appears suddenly and unexpectedly on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.  He asks them if they have caught anything to which they respond “no”.  He then does something which he had done before, he asks them to cast their nets in a different place and their net is filled with 153 fish – we don’t actually know the significance of this number except that it was also my room number when I was at university in Liverpool! It is probably at this point that the realisation hits them that this is Jesus back with them.

They probably had thoughts that he was a ghost at first and he dispels this notion by sharing breakfast with them by once more symbolically breaking the bread and fish and eating a morsal himself. 

As mentioned earlier, there then proceeds the dialogue with Peter about the disciple’s love of Christ and a command to feed his sheep – to be a pastor and to be the rock upon which Jesus’s church will be built.  Although not in this passage we can also remember the great commission which Jesus gave all his disciples in the last verses of Matthew’s gospel – to go out and make disciples of all nations adding “and I shall be with you always”.

Returning to the common theme of these readings I want to just reflect on how Jesus appeared to Saul/Paul and to Peter and his companions.  At the time of Jesus’s appearance in both instances, the recipients of Jesus’s approach were carrying out what they considered their allotted roles in life – Saul the Persecutor and Peter et al the Fishermen.  Jesus did not appear to them in some special Holy Place but on the roadside and on the banks of the sea; just as he appeared to those disciples on the road to Emmaus.  On each occasion the appearance was unexpected and life changing.

The essence of each of these stories is that Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with each and every one who accepts the Christian Faith.  The Christian Faith differs from other faiths in that it believes that God is of a threefold nature – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus became a human being, lived on our planet and died on the Cross so that we might have a direct line of communication with the Father. He also left behind the Holy Spirit which is alive and present with us now and through which we can have that special relationship which he craves.

Our Diocesan strapline is “Making Jesus Known” in our communities.  It is not about “Knowing about Jesus” and we must be careful not to get the two confused. If I say to you “Let me introduce you to Jane Dunlop” that is quite different from say “Let me tell you all about Jane Dunlop”. The question which we should be asking people is “Would you like to know Jesus” not “Would you like to know all about Jesus”.  In order to do that, though, we need ourselves to know him. There is that famous painting by Holman Hunt of “Jesus the Light of the World” knocking at the door.  The door has no handle on the outside so can only be opened on the inside. Only we can open that door and let Christ into our lives – to invite him to be with us, to be like Mary, sister of Martha, and sit at his feet and listen.

If you haven’t let Jesus through your door yet, then I invite you to do so – to have a fulfilling relationship with him.  If you have done so, I ask you to reflect on how and when that happened and think how you might encourage others to do so.  Here is a prayer to help

"Lord Jesus, I come before you, seeking to know you more deeply. I desire not just to understand your teachings, but to experience your love and power in my life. Help me to see you in everything I do and to respond to your call with a willing heart. Fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may be empowered to live a life that reflects your grace and glory. May I walk in your light and be a witness to your love. Amen." 

 

 

Amen                                                                                                        MFB/215/01052025

 

SERMON 214 - SUNDAY 13 APRIL 2025 - PALM SUNDAY

Sermon at St. John’s Parish Church, West Grimstead – Palm Sunday – Sunday 13 April 2025

Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 19:28-40

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and may the words that I speak be theirs and be a blessing upon all who hear them. Amen

It is quite traditional, in the Church of England, on this Sunday, Palm Sunday, to give a dramatized reading of the Passion of Christ according to Mark and, indeed, in my younger days as a chorister in Lincolnshire, I recall singing the St. Mark Passion on Palm Sunday as composed by the almost unknown Irish composer Charles Wood, a student of whom was Ralph Vaughan Williams.

I have always thought it a little strange to have a complete rendition of the Passion Story in advance of Good Friday itself and this year we have done things a little differently here in West Grimstead and I really want us to consider and reflect upon the events of the Sunday before Holy Week and the weekend of the Crucifixion and Resurrection and wonder what thoughts might have been going through Jesus’s head knowing that he was to die before the week was out.

Therefore, perhaps it is not possible to read the story of Palm Sunday without it being overshadowed by the knowledge of what lay ahead. Perhaps it is not possible to imagine the crowds in Jerusalem shouting, “Hosanna!” without also imagining them shouting, “crucify him.” Perhaps the sense of social isolation we felt during the Covid-19 pandemic can prompt thoughts of the isolation felt by Jesus of Nazareth as he rode into Jerusalem.

What do you say when you know you are going to die and can say nothing?

During the First World War, just before the Battle of the Somme in France in 1916, Captain Duncan Lennox Martin of the 9th Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment had gone home on leave, he had taken with him a large-scale map which he used as his guide in making a plasticine model of the battlefield. The map and the model caused him to realise that when he and his company eventually advanced from their trench, they would die, cut down by fire from a machine gun post in the German line they faced. On his return he showed the model to his senior officers who, despite his misgivings, responded that to advance was his duty.

In Captain Lennox Martin’s company, was Lieutenant William Noel Hodgson. On 29th June 1916, Hodgson, the son of the Bishop of Saint Edmundsbury and Ipswich and a man whose faith seems to have endured the horrors of the Western Front, wrote a poem called Before Action. His poem is a reflection on the death that awaited:

By all the glories of the day
And the cool evening’s benison
By that last sunset touch that lay
Upon the hills when day was done,
By beauty lavishly outpoured
And blessings carelessly received,
By all the days that I have lived
Make me a soldier, Lord.

 

By all of all man’s hopes and fears
And all the wonders poets sing,
The laughter of unclouded years,
And every sad and lovely thing;
By the romantic ages stored
With high endeavour that was his,
By all his mad catastrophes
Make me a man, O Lord.

 

I, that on my familiar hill
Saw with uncomprehending eyes
A hundred of thy sunsets spill
Their fresh and sanguine sacrifice,
Ere the sun swings his noonday sword
Must say good-bye to all of this; –
By all delights that I shall miss,
Help me to die, O Lord.

 

On 1st July 1916, Noel Hodgson was killed by a single bullet through his neck, fired from the same machine gun that had killed his comrades. What had been his thoughts in the days before the battle? When he could not speak to his men of his death that lay ahead, not even hint at what would happen, how difficult was it to continue his duty? In Noel Hodgson’s mind, would there have been a terrible sense of isolation, a deep loneliness?

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, what poems might he have written? As he knew that his death was drawing close, how lonely must he have felt? How difficult it must have been to have continued through the days now remembered as Holy Week.

“Not my will, but thine be done,” says Jesus on the Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the final line of Before Action, Noel Hodgson asks that God will help him though the death that lay ahead. What a profound sense of desolation there must have been in those words.

And let’s spare a thought for the colt, the young donkey.  Jesus made a point of riding not as a conquering King, on a large white charger but on a humble donkey illustrating that he came to Jerusalem not as a conquering monarch but as a humble servant; to lay down his life for us all.  This poem written by Mary Oliver reminds us of this and is one I particularly like:

On the outskirts of Jerusalem
the donkey waited.
Not especially brave, or filled with understanding,
he stood and waited.

How horses, turned out into the meadow,
   leap with delight!
How doves, released from their cages,
   clatter away, splashed with sunlight.

But the donkey, tied to a tree as usual, waited.
Then he let himself be led away.
Then he let the stranger mount.

Never had he seen such crowds!
And I wonder if he at all imagined what was to happen.
Still, he was what he had always been: small, dark, obedient.

I hope, finally, he felt brave.
I hope, finally, he loved the man who rode so lightly upon him,
as he lifted one dusty hoof and stepped, as he had to, forward.

So as we enter Holy Week, the last week of Lent, and before we follow the gloomy narrative of the Passion and the glorious story of the Resurrection, let us reflect fully on our own place in this narrative remembering that Jesus had come into the world to save us from our sins, to open the way to direct dialogue with our Creator.  Let us never forget the events of Holy Week, how the cries of “Hosannah” quickly changed to cries of “Crucify Him”.  How quick are we to change our allegiances in the face of difficulty?  How easily could we be swayed from the path of true Faith?

We are currently living in a world of complete chaos and confusion – politically, economically and culturally.  Very often some change is necessary but, so to, is the need to uphold and demonstrate those true Christian Values which we were taught by and exemplified by Jesus.  We must, if we are true followers be prepared to make sacrifices on occasions in order to continue to shout “Hosannah” and not turn away so easily from our own beliefs.

Amen                                                                                                       MFB/214/10042025

 

SERMON 213 - SUNDAY 6 APRIL 2025 - FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

Sermon at All Saints’ Parish Church, Whiteparish - 5^th Sunday in Lent  –  Sunday 6 April 2025

Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3.4b-14;  John 12:1-8

When I first heard this morning’s gospel reading as a young chorister back in my home church in Lincolnshire, I misheard the name of the perfume mentioned and thought that it had been made from pure LARD!

 In fact, I later learned that soap is actually made from animal fat which has been emulsified by some pretty dangerous acids and other chemicals.  This then reminded me, when I read the reading again in preparation for this service of a story which I heard recently whilst away at sea and told by the chaplain.

He narrated how a missionary was sent to a very poor country in Africa to spread the word of the Lord.  Amongst those in the local village where he served were an elderly couple, or elderly by that country’s standards, who eked out a living by making soap and he observed how the making of this cleansing material was by such a dirty and dangerous (to health) process and that this couple’s arms and hands were so disfigured by the chemicals they were using that they found it hard to stir the pot of goo!  He asked them the usual missionary’s question – “Have you met Jesus yet” to which they answered “No! but we could certainly need some help with this soap making!

Seeing their distress, the missionary made a point of calling in on the couple every day at midday to stir the pot of obnoxious chemicals for an hour and thereby befriending them.

A few months went by and another evangelistic church minister arrived at the same village and, in introducing himself to the elderly soap makers, asked them, again “Have you met Jesus”. “Oh Yes”, came their unison reply, “he calls in on us every day at noon and stirs the pots of chemicals”.

When I first heard that story I was so touched by its simplicity as well as the wonderful message it gives.  It was by the simple action of helping this struggling couple rather than preaching a complicated theology that truly did make Jesus known to them.

In our gospel reading Mary, through the simple yet dedicated way in which she anoints Jesus’s feet and then selflessly wipes them dry with her hair shows more about her love of Jesus than any words could ever express. In the same way as, in a similar story, the sinful woman in the Pharisee’s House in Luke 7:36-50 (often taken to be Mary Magdalen) shows her love of Jesus and his Word by doing something similar which results in Jesus forgiving her sins and rebuking Simon the Pharisee.

Much has been made, in this passage, about Judas’s statement about the wastefulness of the perfume when, at its very expensive cost, it could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. John’s narrative adds, in parentheses, that Judas being the Disciples treasurer, had his own wicked agenda of helping himself to some of those proceeds. I have often wondered whether those additional words were added to make Judas out a greater villain than perhaps he was. For my part, I prefer to look more towards the actions of Mary rather than of Judas here. We know, from previous passages, that Jesus was a frequent visitor to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  We know that he so loved all three of them that he wept over Lazarus’s death and raised him up again, that Mary had already shown her love and devotion by here attentive listening to him when he visited them and recited scripture and that Martha felt compelled to ensure that all the correct preparations were made for the meal and visit to make him feel very welcome.  These actions lie in direct contrast to the actions and words of the Simon and Judas.

What is important to read here are the words of Jesus himself towards the end of the passage when he puts down Judas’s comment.  “Leave her alone” he says.  She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial”. By saying these words he is saying that that day is now upon them.  He then goes on to say that “You will always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me”.

I have pondered these words a lot as a Christian and at first appearance they can appear quite selfish. Indeed, you could try and put things the other way round and say that in a fair and equitable world we should be able to alleviate poverty and, didn’t say to his disciples after his resurrection “I am with you always to the close of age”.  These seem to contradict Christian teachings.

In fact, Jesus was actually being a realist for the fact remains that here in the year 2025 we still do have a large majority of the world’s population living in abject poverty – something I have seen many times over on my prolific travels as well as many people who have not yet discovered Jesus or that they can have a personal relationship with him if they just allow him to enter their lives.

Today and every day, I find myself grieving for those who have not yet experienced the love of God and those for whom the world’s economies are making them poorer and poorer and I believe it is the duty of all believers to do their bit to fulfil Christ’s teachings.

Jesus in admonishing Judas, and of course with knowledge that he will be the one who betrays him, is reminding us all that first and foremost our lives should be focussed on God before worldly possessions and money. He is also predicting his own death and departure from this Earth and the fact that it will be up to us, his followers, energised by the Holy Spirit to carry on the work of making Jesus known throughout the world.

Salisbury Diocese’s strapline is now all familiar to us “Making Jesus Known”.  For some it may seem a bit of a “trite” statement – surely that is what being a Christian is all about – but we can so easily forget it and get focussed on ritual and church matters rather than the wider teachings of Christ and remembering the ultimate sacrifice he made for us.

So, I return to that elderly couple in faraway Africa and their little soap factory. They saw, by the selfless actions of a Christian pastor, who put his own health at risk, the face of Jesus. 

What opportunities do we then have for making Jesus known to others, through our actions, to those who don’t know him yet? 

Might I suggest that it is often through opportunities given to us outside of any formal religious event – something occurring in our ordinary lives.

The world is crying out for Jesus to be a major factor in combatting so much evil and selfishness in the world today; and it can start with something as simple as stirring a pot of goo for an elderly couple or a kindly action or word to somebody who is alone or struggling with life’s demands.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, may I sit at Your feet and worship You with all that I am and all that I have. May the beauty of Jesus seep into my soul and become a life-giving fragrance of His love, to all with whom I come in contact today and the days ahead. In Jesus' name I pray,

 

Amen                                                                                                                MFB/213/04042025