Epiphany 3 b 2015

Holy Trinity Kew Sunday 25 January 2015 Epiphany 3 Year B Sermon Notes As Christians, we only have three things that are required of us: love God, love our neighbour as ourselves, and make disciples. To make disciples means to be witnesses of Christ in order to bring others into a relationship with Christ. When Jesus called Simon and Andrew to follow him he was very clear, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people” (Mark 1:17). The call to make disciples was clear from the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry through to the very end.

This is called the Great Commission. The church is the only institution in the world that exists for those outside of it. Unfortunately, many churches don’t even see it as an option. Instead, it has become the Great Omission. Many churches have lost sight of the mission to make disciples. This is one of the reasons why the mainline church is struggling. The mainline church is not replenishing itself with a new generation of disciples. Fewer and fewer churches are bringing even one new person into fellowship in one year.

What has happened? Why can’t today’s church be like the early church? Archbishop Michael Ramsay in his elder years visiting St Stephens’ House in Oxford made the point that if the Holy Spirit left the current Church of England most of what we do would go on as normal and no one would spot the difference, then paused and said ominously “for a while….”

Is the Holy Spirit the driving force of the church today? If we are to reclaim the Spirit the early church had, we must get back to basics — what we believe and what we practice. We must be willing to open ourselves to the movement and power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what the early followers of Christ did. They were not erudite or necessarily cultured people. They hadn’t been to theological college. They hadn’t read books on church accounts, growth and marketing. They simply made themselves available to the Holy Spirit. Look what happened: “Each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2:6 ).

What’s happening here is that a group of people from all over the place, all speaking different languages, all coming from different cultures, heard the gospel in their own language. The good news of the saving love of Jesus Christ was communicated to them! It was clear! The followers of Christ were not multilingual! The Holy Spirit did it through them because they were simply willing to be used! The Holy Spirit broke through communication barriers and the gospel translated.

Isn’t it interesting that here in our post-modern world with all of our miraculous communication technology we still have communication problems? Isn’t it interesting that in spite of our advances in Bible translations and production of gimmicks that people are still turned off by religion and the church? It seems we are good at information but not communication.

I heard it once said that to many outside the church, the church is like a huddle in many sports.

You know that something important is being said there, but you can’t understand a word of it, and all you can see is their backs and rear ends. How is it that the early church was able to communicate so clearly and we have so much trouble? Where is our love for God and our passion and love for people? This is what translates! When you forgive while everyone else wants revenge that translates. When you don’t give up on people when everyone else wants to, that translates.

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There is a great debate in the church on how to be relevant in this post-modern world. Because the mainline church is struggling to grow we are falling all over ourselves trying to reach the next generation. I wonder whether we are trying so hard to be “with it” that we just “don’t get it.” We need to be in touch with the world, not in sync with the world.

The church ought to be a little weird. We ought to be a little off-kilter. If people come because the values of the world have diminished them and they are looking for something different, why would they be attracted to us if we were like the world? So if we are a little odd or a little weird, that’s good. It is as if we are saying, “What you are looking for you will not find in the world!”

People respond to real people who have a real love and passion for God. The gospel does not have to be dressed up or given a makeover. The gospel does just fine by itself.

The early church knew this. The power of the early church was rooted in prayer and discernment from the Holy Spirit. When we follow suit and truly seek the Spirit we will start addressing the real spiritual needs of people and when we do that, people will start listening to the church.

I can remember in Cairo Egypt a grotty little bakery in Zamalek, which produced amazing croissant every morning from 5am. There would be a line up half way down the street of people buying their croissant before going to work- the smell was intoxicatingly delicious. That is a parable for us as the church. Does the sweet smell of Christ emanate from our lives? Are we sharing our witness? Are we letting our light shine?

The unavoidable truth is that as Christians we are called to bear witness to the hope that is within us — to tell people about Jesus — to make disciples. This may scare some of us to death. But take heart. By the grace of God, we are able to preach in word and deed. We don’t do it on our own power. This is why Jesus said; “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

Jesus is always with us, helping us and empowering us to share the good news. I know he is.

Over ten years ago as one of the Youth Chaplains in the Diocese of Ballarat I preached at the Diocesan Youth Synod in Ballarat. After the service an angry teenage boy approached me. He said, “I want to know if something is true.” I replied, “What’s that?” He said, “You said that God loves me. Do you really believe that? I don’t believe anyone has ever loved me. My dad left me and my mother abused me, and I moved from one institution to another. I’ve been abused, neglected, and you are telling me that God loves me?”

I looked directly at him and said, “That’s absolutely right. I know this as a certainty. God loves you. You want to know how I know? God was nailed on a cross and said, ‘This is how much I love you.’ ” He paused for a moment and then began to cry and said, “Well, if God loves me, then nothing else matters. If God loves me, that’s all that matters.”

Deep down you know there are people all around you who need the love, forgiveness, grace, power, strength, and comfort of God in Jesus Christ. Give one good reason why you wouldn’t want to share it. Amen.

Fr Robert Newton

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