Sermon for Sunday 23 August 2020

Matthew 16: 13-30

This year, coronavirus, computer algorithms and teacher assessments will all contribute to the direction that life will take for the hundreds of thousands of students who recently received their A-Levels and GCSE results. Many of them will have had their long-held dreams shattered as they missed out on their choice of university.

I’ve always admired people who always knew what they wanted to do when they grew up.

Did you know what you wanted to be when you grew up?

- doctor 
- nurse
- teacher

- astronaut

In times past, children would often follow in their father’s footsteps when it came to their livelihood or they would automatically take over the family business. Yes, it still happens but not like it did in the past.
 
Jesus himself probably had his own father’s trade of carpentry passed down to him. We know that, because when he went back to his hometown, the people were asking, ‘isn’t this the carpenter? We also know that he left all that behind and became an itinerant preacher and built up a reputation which meant that crowds of people followed him everywhere hoping to benefit from his wisdom, see a miracle or receive some healing.
 
The story from today’s gospel reading comes at a crucial point in Jesus’ ministry. He has some big decisions to make and so he escapes the crowds and withdraws with his disciples. He asks them: “who do people say I am?” They come up with the names of the great prophets. They mean it as a compliment, but Jesus isn’t looking for a boost to his ego, he needs to know that his work will continue after he has gone. Do people really get him?
 
And so Jesus asks them again, “Who do you say that I am?” I can just imagine the immediate reaction, the silence, the lack of eye contact, and the hope beyond hope that he wasn’t going to single one of them out.
 
So while the other disciples are reeling from the shock of having to come up with something for themselves, Peter, quick as a flash finds his moment of glory…a turning point in history…and reveals Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 
 
This is the same impetuous Peter who is better known for putting his foot in it and for getting things wrong. But this is his defining moment, probably the high point of his life when he gets the answer just right. He does so because it came from his heart. It is what he felt deep inside and we get a glimpse of the post resurrection Peter, when he speaks to the crowds with such conviction.
 
Jesus recognises that such an answer can only come from God and Jesus tells him “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.”
 
When Simon, the fisherman, proclaimed Jesus as the Christ, his life was changed forever. We know from the gospels that he still didn’t always get things right. He would continue to make mistakes, he would even deny Jesus three times. But he still went on to be Peter, the rock, the foundation on which the Christian Church is built.

That was 2000 years ago and Jesus continues to ask those two same questions to his disciples today… that is to me and you?
 
Jesus asks:

 “Who do people say I am?”

Have you ever asked anyone who they thought Jesus was? Its a bit of a scary thought, isn’t it? They’d probably look at you gone out. But what about those close to you, those who you love? Your family members and close friends. Do you know what they think? But more importantly, do they know who you think Jesus is?
 
Or even ... do you know who you think Jesus is?
 
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? If you had to come up with an answer right now, at this very moment, could you?
Now before we all start squirming in our seats, relax…I’m not going to ask!
 
 Just spend a moment now thinking through who you think Jesus is. What words or names spring to mind?
 
<…moment of silence…>
 
… Love,
God,
prophet,
friend,
redeemer,
Saviour,
King,
Father,
Mother,
Almighty,
Creator,
Lord…
 
These are great names but what do they really mean…?
 
It isn’t easy, is it? I must admit that over the years, my answers to the question have varied depending on what’s been going on in my life at the time.
 
The early Church fathers attempted to help us out by formulating creeds…that is …statements of belief. We still include creeds in our services today and very soon we will be reciting the Nicene Creed together. This is all very well but if we examine the words, does it really help?
 
…“God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father…”
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father…”
 
Ask yourself this. If you had to describe Jesus to someone who had never heard about him, what would you say? I encourage all of you to spend some time this week to sit down with a pen and paper and write down who you think Jesus is … to you…no one else…just you. It sounds easy, but it isn’t!
 
When we know Jesus, deep in our heart, like Peter did, it defines who we are as a people of God. We shouldn’t be afraid to allow it to shape our lives. It is what Jesus is looking for, that his work is safe, and that his Kingdom will grow.
 
We don’t need an A-Level in theology, we just need to believe and trust in Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 
Amen

Rev Julie

 

Sermon for Trinity 8

Matthew 14:13-21

Do you have a special place which is just yours and nobody else’s? What about a favourite chair where you can settle down and enjoy a good read and a nice cup of tea or watch a good programme on the TV? Or what about a place where you can go when you need a bit of peace and time to think? Where do you go where you can really open your heart to God? Perhaps it’s here in Church, or in your back garden? Perhaps you go for a walk or even have a long hot soak in the bath? There are times when we all need moments to ourselves and Jesus was no different.

The opening words of our gospel reading this morning were ‘Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself.’ Jesus is tired and he is grieving. He’s just heard about the beheading of his friend and cousin John the Baptist and he’s in need of a bit of time out, to be alone, to heal, to rest and to pray.

I think we’ve all probably had moments like that, when we yearn for some solitude… where we can take ourselves away from prying eyes.

And yet, for Jesus, the crowds follow him in their hoards. How would you feel, if crowds of people intruded on your private moments alone?

We are told that Jesus had compassion for them and cured their sick. All other thoughts and emotions evaporated as he saw these people, needing him. He knew that they had deliberately set out to find him. They had left behind their towns and villages and walked miles out into the country to hear what Jesus had to say to them. They were so desperate in their search for him that they came just as they were.

As the day wore on, their Spiritual hunger was joined by the physical hunger for food. They are hungry and miles from anywhere to buy food. The disciples wanted to send the crowds away but Jesus had other ideas. Did you notice what he said to his disciples? He said “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

“You... give ... them... something... to... eat”

I expect their thoughts were something on the lines of “you’ve got to be kidding” but instead they said “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”

I wonder what they expected? I imagine that the last thing on their mind would be that over 5,000 people would be fed with two meagre fish and five loaves. I mean…come on!

But our God is a God of miracles and out of nothing, God creates something. Jesus takes our little, blesses it - and produces fruit beyond anything we could have imagined.

We are always tempted to believe, as the disciples did, that we have nothing to offer when we are faced with overwhelming need. And there’s so much need in the world that there is a helplessness about it. We might shed a few tears or even make a small donation that we know in our hearts won’t make much difference.

This story reminds us that sometimes Jesus is asking us to simply give our nothing—our little loaves and fishes—and then to stand back and believe that 'with God all things are possible.'

One thing is clear and that is that the crowd were satisfied not because of anything that the disciples did but what Christ did. The disciples only did as they were told.

The ultimate question for Jesus’ disciples to answer, both then and now, is not “how much can you give?”  It is:  “how much do you trust in God?”  Faith is not something that we learn in a classroom or even in a church. It is something that we learn in the experiences of life when we follow God without visible means available to us.  

Jesus is the one who gives us the Bread that sustains us through all that comes our way. Because he feeds us we are strong enough to face whatever life throws at us because nothing can separate us from the love that Jesus has for us.

The chances are that you are here this morning because you believe that… or perhaps…you want to believe that. There’s also a world out there who is hungry for God. They have a real need to see for themselves the evidence that God is real and that he can feed their soul. People tell me all the time that they have a faith, the problem is that they’re not sure what to do with it.

Our God of Jesus knows no limits, he delights in feeding all who seek him out. He takes whatever is available to him and uses it for great good which far outstrips our expectations. He involves his followers in the work of preparation and distribution, regardless of their experience.

Without God’s intervention, the disciples would have opted to leave the crowds to their own devices, for them to figure it out for themselves and to find their own food.

Jesus blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples shared the food with the crowds.

Then they were fed, both physically and Spiritually.  I think of being fed Spiritually and automatically I think about Holy Communion. This morning is a Communion service and I’ve noticed that attendance is always a little higher than when it is a service of the word. We’ve had, and continue to have a difficult time because of Covid 19. For weeks on end, we have not been able to physically receive our weekly Communion and even now, it is of one kind only.

Like you, I greatly value being fed by the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ but we have to remember that there are many ways that we can be fed and sustained by Christ. (Wish I had a flip-chart!)

It might simply be to do as Jesus did and to find some time for yourself…in your special place…or your favourite chair where you can settle down and enjoy a good read with a nice cup of tea… or watch TV…or soak in the bath….or go for a walk… or simply just be…

…with God.

Amen.