Sunday 13 April 2008

Easter 4

St John’s

Eucharist

Acts 2.42-end; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2.19-end; John 10.1-10

 
Jesus used this figure of speech with them,

but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (John 10.6)

That the first disciples –

those actually present in the physical company of Jesus –

should have struggled to comprehend

what he was trying to communicate to them

is a fact that offers great comfort

to those of us struggling still today.

Even hearing his actual words from his actual lips,

those first disciples still struggled with uncertainty.

Jesus’ teachings blew their minds

and took their breath away.

Sometimes of course they understood only too well.

But sometimes they simply could not comprehend

what on earth he was on about.

Two thousand years on,

we sometimes struggle not only to understand,

but sometimes even to hear...

When was the last time you were conscious

of hearing Jesus saying something to you?

Maybe yesterday,

praying for a loved one?

Maybe last week,

wondering about the human embryology bill?

Maybe last month,

concerned about a health-scare?

Maybe last year,

day-dreaming in a sermon?

Jesus is trying to attract your attention,

Jesus is trying to get through to you,

Jesus is actually trying to say something to you,

every second

of every minute

of every hour

of every day.

Jesus is trying to communicate to you –

with absolute clarity, with absolute certainty –

the mind-blowing, breath-taking truth

that he is actually with you,

that he actually loves you,

and that he actually came –

came down from heaven, came back from the dead –

that you may have life

and have it abundantly.

And if we had ears to hear –

and if we made time to listen,

and if we struggled to understand –

the truths that Jesus speaks,

the very voice of Jesus,

would call us

and lead us

and guide us

and guard us...

Whatever’s going on around us,

whatever’s going on within us,

the very voice of Jesus

stilling the waters,

calming the storms,

anointing our heads,

refreshing our souls...

Of course there will be times

and there will be situations –

in the eye of the storm,

in the eye of the needle –

when we are left straining our ears

and scratching our heads,

struggling to hear,

struggling to understand.

But the truth is

that even then,

perhaps especially then,

Jesus is speaking,

calling us by name,

to know he is there,

to trust he is love:

simple, life-changing, soul-saving truths

that even simple folk

like you and me and those first disciples

can get our heads and our hearts round.

And it is these simple truths

that should fill our ears

and occupy our minds

and gladden our hearts.

And this simple act of listening

is where we should begin.

There is little point believing in God

if you don’t make a point of listening to God.

You’re wasting your time

and wasting God’s eternity

coming to church on Sunday

if you’re not

straining your ears

and scratching your head.

And coming to church should be a green pasture moment:

devoted to teaching and fellowship,

to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Of course,

week by week,

this table is

spread before us in the presence of those who trouble us:

for none of us is perfect –

sheep can be silly, stupid, stubborn –

but each of us is precious –

first century Jewish sheep were prized possessions –

and we belong together,

we enter through the same gate,

we hear the sound of the same voice,

we follow the same shepherd.

And if we listened tot he truth

and if we truly heard

we would leave this place,

week by week,

with glad and generous hearts,

praising God

and having the goodwill of all the people.

And yet I know that that’s not true.

All too often –

even for an hour and a half once a week –

rather than straining our ears to hear

we cover them with our hands

and rather than scratching our heads to understand

we bury them in the sand.

All too often –

even for an hour and a half once a week –

our hearts and minds are attuned

to something other than the voice of Jesus,

and the life we end up living

is far from the abundant life he began by giving,

and rather than the Good Shepherd

making us lie down in green pastures

and leading us beside still waters:

selfish greed makes us

give to Caesar what is Caesar’s

and keep the rest for ourselves...

and leads us to poverty;

unreasoned anxiety makes us

hide our lights under bushel-baskets...

and leads us to belittle ourselves;

unforgiving bitterness makes us

focus on the specks in others’ eyes,

blind to the logs in our own...

and leads us to judge, dismiss and condemn others,

our brothers and sisters.

narrow-minded self-righteousness makes us

walk by on the other side...

and leads us to hell.

Whatever’s going on around us,

whatever’s going on within us,

for an hour and a half once a week

and every second

of every minute

of every hour

of every day

we need to stop and think...

we need to listen...

to the very voice of Jesus

calling us...

leading us...

guiding us...

guarding us...

and we need to hear...

the simple,

mind-blowing,

breath-taking,

life-changing,

soul-saving

truth

that he is with us

and that he loves us

and that he actually came –

came down from heaven, came back from the dead –

that you may have life...

and have it abundantly.

Amen.

am Ministry. All rights reserved