Sermon - Trinity 4

The last week I have been thinking about my ‘job’, what I ‘do’ and how that might describe what I do in ordinary terms to people who might not know what a ‘Vicar’ does, or even a ‘priest in charge’. I think it does us all good to take stock now and again…stops you drifting off into your own little universe and all that.

I would probably start by talking about being available for people at different times – from early to late. I would talk about trying to make sense of faith and belief, sharing the Good News about Jesus, and I would speak about the balancing act of being both a minister to church congregations whilst still being a priest to a community – parishioners are the ones who don’t come to church too – I need to be available for weddings, funerals and baptisms, and all the other stuff. I suppose telling people that I am trying to make God present (although that is a bit confusing too!)

It’s harder than I first thought.

For all of us who struggle to put words to what we do as Christians, the reading from the Gospel is excellent. The last few weeks we have thought about the nature of God, being merciful and more concerned with justice than judgment, and now we hear the call to action from Jesus himself.

We are sent to the harvest – not worrying about worldly things, not even what we need to say…those things will come

do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

It is what we make of the opportunities that we have that set us apart from the others. It is how we make the most of the lot given us that helps us reach fullness of life.

And today, on Father’s day, some of us men will think quite a bit about how we are making the most of the gifts that God has given us. Are we kind and caring fathers, are we fathers that couldn’t care less – or are we fathers who wish we could have or should spend more time with their families. Just like with faith…It is what we make of the opportunities that we have that set us apart from others. It is how we make the most of the lot given us that helps us reach that sense of fullness of life.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans we are told that ‘We have been justified by our faith’ and that ‘we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Wonderful words aren’t they? We have peace with God and we have been given this great gift. It is the gift of being included.

When we call ourselves the CHURCH, we are making a STATEMENT in the eyes of GOD. We are saying out loud that we are caring for the poor and destitute, we are calling for peace in the world, we are demanding justice and equity for those imprisoned. We are drawing the outline of the Kingdom of God.

God is inviting us to sing songs of freedom and salvation for the whole world – we know the words – they are in the BOOK! (this book)

We have the example of Jesus himself in the Gospel according to Matthew. As our Lord was teaching we are told ‘When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they we harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’. Jesus had compassion – this is not pity – compassion involves sharing and making their sufferings and aspirations his own. Because this task is too big and needs to be continued OUR LORD passes it to the disciples. He entrusts HIS disciples to follow his example and bring LIFE and LOVE to people who have little, through our compassion.

It is here we find God’s peace and understand that we are called by God to be one of his own. WE can see that we are continuing the work of the disciples – Disciples of JESUS who has given us strength and courage to share in the joys and sufferings of others.

I met a friend of mine in the week and we went for a beer. He told me that he had been to see a speaker at a large Pentecostal church in Cardiff…I started to glaze over and think about what was for tea the next day, he must have sensed something and said “he was really rude to them – telling them that it is all about doing rather than thinking – and the fact that they needed to invite him meant that they weren’t busy enough DOING” – instantly this got my attention.

The man in question Bill Wilson of Metro Ministries started a Sunday School, the workers in the field provide a service to the children and even a weekly visit to the families in the poorest areas of New York –I must have yawned again – so my friend said – oh! there are over 22,000 children on the roll. He had my attention.

He then told me a story about a man who had been shot in the head by a drugs dealer, stabbed several times by drugs users and was regularly involved fighting his way out of difficult situations…not much like round here.

This is, of course, a story of extraordinary courage and vision, prayer and hard work. I wondered exactly why he had flown over from America, and was he now the CEO of a rather successful industry? But Bill just says that he drives a bus

I think Bill understands that it’s no good being an expert on pastoral care, theology or Christianity if you don’t practice it – and it is in the ‘doing’ that we learn about faith.

Many of you are involved with work outside church to build community and care for those who are down – and you will know too what peace God gives - even in the face of problems that are impossible to solve. We are encouraged by the fact that we are there – because we care. We care for others because God cares for us (no strings attached)

It is what we make of the opportunities that we have that set us apart from the others. It is how we make the most of the lot given us that helps us reach fullness of life.

Well, I suppose that I should make my statement about my work that bit clearer.

I believe, so I pray.

I pray, so I work.

I work, so I have faith.

I have faith so I believe.

ONE LOVE – ONE HEART, LET’S GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD AND WE WILL FEEL ALRIGHT - AMEN