Sermon - Tenth Sunday after Trinity

Readings: 1 Kings 2.10-1; 3.3-14

Psalm 111

Ephesians 5.15-20

John 6.51-58

Looking at the readings today made me rush off to check that there hadn’t been some sort of mistake. The Gospel seemed to be practically the same as last week, Jesus is saying that he is the “bread that came down from heaven”, and He is challenging the authorities to make a judgement about Him.

Today was lining up to be a thin Sunday sermon, until I decided to look a little closer at the rest of the readings. Unfortunately, the reading from the 1^st book of the Kings is just following a pattern, it is where we catch up with the death of King David.

The letter to the Ephesians is another paragraph of instructions – inviting us to sing and make melody, giving thanks to God – avoiding the evils of drink! Some of my best singing has been done after a few glasses of vin ordinaire.

Moving on swiftly, I had a look at the Psalm – and I think we were getting a bit closer to something with which to write a few lines for you. Psalm 111; from Verse 7, we have a manifesto for God…

The works of His hands are truth and justice, all His commandments are sure;

They stand fast for ever and ever,

They are done in truth and equity.

He sent redemption to His people, He commanded His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have those who live by it, his praise endures forever.

These are the signs of God; that we are on the right track.

Where truth and justice appear – where people are given their rights – where people can call for an end to war – where the starving are fed – the homeless housed and the sick treated. God is in the middle of all this.

He sent redemption to His people – God didn’t create any of us to live in poverty, exclusion or loneliness. We have all been given freedom – If we aren’t free it is because someone has taken it from us – God hasn’t.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

I seem to remember this statement from somewhere else. This is a statement that reminds us that if we are in awe of God then we can start to understand His plan for us. It is not about being scared – but properly giving respect to GOD for all the things we have.

Giving respect to God for the things we have….if we can do this, then we will start to have wisdom.

That’s the score!

So we have realised how to spot GOD in JUSTICE and PEACE – we have realised that it is HUMANITY that takes GOD’S GIFTS away from others. We have understood that RESPECTING GOD is the start of REAL KNOWLEDGE – knowledge of ourselves and the world around us.

So what’s the mission? Well this appears in the COLLECT PRAYER for today. It goes like this;

God of all nations, to whose table all are invited and in whose kingdom no one is a stranger; hear the cries of the hungry and mercifully extend to all peoples on earth the joy of your salvation.

This invitation to the great banquet as an image for the kingdom of God is a powerful one for me! I like to think that the hungry aren’t just the physically hungry, but the spiritually hungry too – people with no direction and little purpose – people with no plans, no dreams, no stomach to fight for a better world.

It is our job to get all these people an invitation to the great banquet at the end of time – in that great place where all are fulfilled, and all are free – and in getting an invitation for other people, we might just, if we are lucky, be invited ourselves.

We are CHRISTIANS – It is OUR JOB to get invites for others, whatever flavour Christianity we are, whether we worship in a school, cathedral or someone’s house.

Ok. Got that?

Here’s a joke

Light bulb humour

How many church people does it take to change a light

bulb? 

Charismatic: Only one. 

Hands already in the air. 

Roman Catholics: None. 

They use candles. 

Pentecostals: Ten. 

One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the

spirit of darkness. 

Presbyterians: None. 

God has predestined when the lights will be on and

off.

Anglicans: Eight. 

One to call the electrician, and seven to say how much

they liked the old one better.

Mormons: Five. 

One man to change the bulb, and four wives to tell him

how to do it. 

Unitarian Universalists: We choose not to make a

statement either in favor of or against the need for a

light bulb. However, if in your own journey you have

found that light bulbs work for you, that is fine. 

You are invited to write a poem or compose a modern

dance about you personal relationship with your light

bulb, and present it next month at our annual light

bulb Sunday service, in which we will explore a number

of light bulb traditions including incandescent,

fluorescent, three-way, long-life and tinted, all of

which are equally valid paths to luminescence. 

Baptists: At least 10. 

One to change the light bulb, eight to form a

committee to approve the change. Oh, and also one to

provide a casserole. 

Lutherans: None. 

Lutherans don't believe in change. 

Methodists: 10 

One to change the bulb. Nine to attack the preacher,

because someone's grandmother gave that bulb to the

church!!