Why followers of Christ should wear a mask and get a jab!

 

Reflection 31^st January 2021

 It is good to hear that many of you who will be reading this have received their Covid vaccines – although there are plenty of us who are still waiting. And the Covid vaccine got me thinking about the passage from 1 Corinthians we’re looking at today.

In recent months, you may have seen on television protests by people about wearing masks. Or as they see it “being made to wear masks”. They see wearing masks as an affront to their personal liberty. No one tells them what to do. Those advocating that the wearing of a mask infringes their civil liberties include Jeremy Corbyn’s brother Piers, and the actor Lawrence Fox. Fox has even gone so far as to buy online a badge saying, “I am entitled not to wear a mask”. (I’m not sure if he’s explained why he’s entitled to potentially infect others though.) And a good many of those saying they shouldn’t have to wear a mask are also saying they shouldn’t have to have a Covid vaccination either.

What has this got to do with the first century church in Corinth?

Corinth was a very cosmopolitan city with people from across the Roman Empire. Consequently, we believe that the church in Corinth was made up of a broad cross section of people. There were people who were Jewish by heritage, but also people who were Greek and Roman. There were people who’d formerly worshipped at one of the many shrines to false gods. There were slaves, and people who we would call “working class”, as well as the more well to do, and intellectuals.

Due to its cosmopolitan nature, there were many temples dedicated to false gods, and as part of the rituals for these temples, people sacrificed animals. The meat from these sacrifices was then sold in markets. The converts feared they would be tempted back to their old ways. The Jewish Christians found it abhorrent that such meat was eaten. The Jews drew upon their heritage that said they should not worship idols and hence meat that came from worshipping idols was tainted. On the other hand, the Greek Christians, many of whom were well educated and versed in philosophy, took the view that given that there is only one true God, the gods represented by the idols do not exist, and consequently there is no problem eating meat obtained in that way.

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘An idol is nothing at all in the world’ and that ‘There is no God but one.’ 1 Cor 8:4 NIV.

If you like, the intellectuals felt “they knew best”.

For the “ordinary people” in the church, and for those of Jewish heritage, this stance was hurtful. As I’ve said for Jewish people it ran against one of the Commandments and for non-Jews who perhaps had converted from one of the false religions there was a concern of slipping back into old ways.

Paul’s own convictions are similar to those “in the know”. But he does not take sides favouring the strong (those who eat idol meat) against the weak (those who refrain.) He reminds the church that they must take a view founded on love, not upon knowledge. And this applies to what might be termed Christian freedom too. We are given free will by God. But at all times we must remember that Christian freedom is founded on love, God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. Christian freedom means being a slave to Christ, so that in the Christian life we are responsible to one another. That is central to what is meant by to be in Christ.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13: 34 - 35

Earlier in Corinthians (see 1 Cor 3: 1 – 2) Paul has made the point that there are plenty in the church at Corinth who are still “mere infants in Christ”. In other words, those whose faith is still not mature. Therefore, Paul advises the Corinthians that as they make their choices, they must be careful not to harm others among them who may be less mature and therefore more susceptible to influence. Paul argues, believers must not only consider how their action fits them, and their relation to God, but also how such action might affect another.

Believers are capable of self-control, and they are responsible for their decisions and actions based upon them. But weaker believers must look to, and learn from, their stronger faith brothers and sisters, who must therefore act more responsibly toward their weaker brothers and sisters.

You may be familiar with a poem by John Donne the 17^th century priest.

No man is an island entire of itself; every man

is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;

 “No man is an island” is quite a well-known phrase. But it is a useful summary, I feel, of the point Paul is making. Every person, like it or not, is connected to and interdependent on, someone else. Sadly, we seem to have drifted into a mindset amongst many in this country – though thankfully they are the minority – that it’s all about “me”.

 Paul makes it clear that if we act so as not to care for our sisters and brothers, especially those weaker than ourselves in some way, then we are being sinful. And, in particular, we will be sinning against Christ.

 ¹² When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 1 Cor 8:12 NIV

Christ died for every person; even those who don’t know him or reject him. Therefore, to cause harm to someone for whom Christ died, is to work against Christ. This is especially so within the body of Christ, the Church, but it is true in everyday life too.

 Coming back to the here and now. I’m not personally aware of anyone who is refusing to wear a mask or is refusing the vaccine. But I feel that as Christians we have a duty not only to our weaker brothers and sisters in Christ, but to all people, to act in love. And acting in love means caring for other people. In wearing a mask, we are caring for others by not spreading the virus. In getting vaccinated we are caring for others too.

We should be aware of setting a good example in every decision, and choice, and action we take. That is why I felt it was right that our churches closed at the start of this current lockdown. We could have remained open under the rules, but was it the right thing to do? What message would we be sending had we done so? Even if it had no effect on others, I feel it would enrich our own faithful response to God. God wants us as his children to act in his image and that means most of all loving others. And in our Covid times loving others means not putting others at risk.

 

 

Trust in God - In God we Trust

 

Reflection 24^th January 2021 (Psalm 62)

 

As I sit down to write this (18th January 2021), the inauguration of President Biden in Washington is a few days away. By the time you read this it will have taken place and I sincerely hope and pray, that it will have gone off without incident. We all know from what we saw happen on 6^th January, that there are some in the United States who seem intent on causing unrest – or worse.

We’ve holidayed in America on a few occasions. And in 2014, I spent a few weeks on an exchange of ministry in Mooresville North Carolina. Therefore, I like to think I have some understanding of the USA but how can one ever know the mindset of such a vast country with a population approaching 350 million? But the sense I’ve got from my visits, and from my observation from this side of the Pond, is that nominally, the people of the USA are more “Christian” than here or indeed many European countries. In 2019, a survey by “Pew Research Center” found that 65% of Americans claim to be Christians. (My emphasis.)

Of course, we all know that identifying oneself as a Christian is quite different from being a follower of Christ. Nonetheless, the Christian faith is never far from the surface in the USA. In fact, every time you spend some money in America, you’ll be reminded of this. For on American currency is the official motto of the USA “In God we trust”.

This brings me to the passage of scripture I’d like us to think about today – Psalm 62. (If you look at the Bible readings at the top of the Preaching Plan, you’ll see that it suggests Psalm 62: 5 – 12, but I think to make sense of the Psalm we need to read it all.) The theme of the Psalm ties in closely with the reading from Mark 1: 14 – 20 also suggested for this Sunday, – that God’s reign is near

¹⁵ ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’ Mark 1: 15 NIV

The Psalmist expresses this idea by calling on people to trust God

⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

And for the Psalmist, the reality of God’s reign means the creation of a new world with new priorities and values. (Just like Jesus means in the Mark passage.)

For the Psalmist, in order for each person to find peace, in order for the world to find peace, we have to trust God. For the Psalmist the biggest hinderance to trusting God, and hence finding peace, is clearly wealth. (This is why in a way I find “In God we trust” on a US dollar somewhat ironic to say the least.)

The Psalmist reminds us

¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them. Psalm 62:10

The problem is not so much money itself; rather wealth lures us into thinking we are self-sufficient, autonomous, self-ruled and we do not need God.

If wealth is our starting point, we will not find inner peace the Psalmist is stating. And of course, it is a point Jesus made on many occasions too.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19: 23 – 24

As I’ve said, the message of this Psalm, and the message Jesus is preaching in Mark 1: 14 – 20, are similar. Jesus says to the men who would become disciples “Come follow me” Mark 1:17 And the underlying meaning of this is that they  must trust Jesus in order to follow him. (As must we.) Just as the Psalmist is saying – trust and follow. Why else would the disciples have left everything behind unless they trusted Jesus?

Jesus was the perfect embodiment of what the Psalmist was saying, because Jesus always trusted in God and he prayed (see Mark 14: 32 – 36). This total trust in God by Jesus seemed like weakness to the disciples. (See Mark 8: 31 -33 where Peter tries to turn Jesus away from the cross.) But the cross and resurrection have created the new world in which God’s reign can come in. A world in which to be powerful is to be like a child (Mark 10: 13 – 16). A world where to be great is to be the servant of all (Mark 9: 33 – 37.) A world where to know peace is to bear a cross (Mark 8:34) and to experience abundant life means to give oneself away (Mark 8:35.)

For the Psalmist, writing hundreds of years before Jesus, we are faced with a decision. In whom or what do we trust? For the Psalmist, the answer is clear

⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

Trust in God at all times.

Of course, the alternatives always seem more compelling. They always have. Which of us hasn’t thought about what it might mean to be rich? Which of us hasn’t thought that if we were wealthy, we would find security? The alternatives to trusting God seem so much more compelling. But they are empty and incapable of giving life in all its fulness. John 10:10

Martin Luther was once asked what he would do if he knew that the world was coming to an end tomorrow, and he said: "I would plant an apple tree." In other words, Luther, trusting in God's gracious, unmerited mercy would live life just as he had been living it. And John Wesley had the same attitude. When John Wesley was asked the same thing, being an obsessive-compulsive type, he said that he would arise at 4:00 AM, preach at 5:00 visit the sick at 7:00, go to communion at 8:00...etc., until the questioner realized that that was exactly what Wesley had planned to do tomorrow anyway!

Because we believe that God is like Christ, we can dare to live in faith and hope and love now; trusting God for whatever the future holds, because we believe that God holds the future, and that God's Name, and God's Nature, are love.

Power belongs to you, God,
¹²     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’; Psalm 62:12

See, I am doing a new thing

 

Reflection Sunday 17^th January 2021

1 Samuel 3: 1 – 20 

As a child I really liked Ladybird books. I didn’t have many, but the ones I had I treasured. Initially I suppose they were read to me – often by my grandmother – but later I’d read them for myself. One I remember was called “Children of the Bible” and one of those children was Samuel. (In fact I think a depiction of Samuel is on the front cover.)

I don’t recall exactly what the Ladybird version covered but I think it was just about Samuel being called by God and Samuel not understanding what was going on. And the kindly old priest Eli explaining to Samuel that the call was from God.

In that respect the Ladybird story was very faithful to the account in the Bible of Samuel being called to become a prophet. But what the Ladybird version didn’t give was the background to Samuel’s call, and if we are to understand Samuel’s calling, we need to understand the background.

Samuel’s mother Hannah had been childless for some time and on one occasion she went to the temple of Shiloh and prayed fervently for a child. She was seen and heard by the priest Eli who said to her:

¹⁷ ‘Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.’ 1 Sam 1:17

In due course Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to Samuel who she dedicated to God’s service. When Samuel was old enough, she took him to the temple where she told Eli:

 ²⁷ I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he shall be given over to the Lord.’ 1 Sam 1: 27 - 28

Eli was descended from a family of priests and his own sons were priests too. However, we are told that

¹² Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. 1 Sam 2:12

And

¹⁷ This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they^[b] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. 1 Sam 2:17

Consequently (see 1 Sam 2: 27 – 36) God told Eli that this family would be punished, and they would no longer be priests.

We come then to the call of Samuel – the story in my Ladybird book. I suppose in my Ladybird book the moral of the story was that God can use even children for his purposes, and that Samuel grew up to be a prophet and they all lived happily ever after. But the story is much more than that.

The story tells us that the Lord called to Samuel three times and each time Samuel went to Eli as Samuel didn’t recognise the Lord’s calling. This isn’t because – as in the past some commentators have suggested - that Samuel was either very naïve or very dense! No, Samuel is still very young and

In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 1 Samuel 3:1

How was Samuel to recognise his calling? This is where Eli plays a significant part. When Samuel comes to Eli a third time, the old priest perceives that the Lord is calling the boy.  Eli, the blind priest “sees” what is taking place and tells Samuel what to do.

For me this is an important part of the story and something we can draw upon ourselves. If in the days of Samuel “… the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions”, how much more is that the case now? I feel sure God does speak to some directly nowadays, but all too often when God speaks, we do not hear, or we do not understand. Therefore, we rely on others to help us hear God’s calling and direction for our lives.

It says much about Eli’s humility that he pointed Samuel in the right direction and continues to help him, even though Eli knew that things were not going to end well for him and his family. Especially when it is Samuel who is instructed by God to inform Eli what will happen

¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’ 1 Sam 3:18

Eli’s calm and faithful acceptance of God’s judgment is a model of faith in difficult circumstances. Eli is not the central cause of the corruption in the priestly order that God will sweep away. But Eli is part of the order of priests and Eli will pay the price of God’s judgment on Eli’s sons. It is what we sometimes call to mind in our Covenant Service. Of remaining faithful to God when we are laid aside by hm or laid low by him. It takes great humility and courage to admit and accept that it is time to pass on the mantle.

Another aspect to this story is that it tells of new beginnings. The old way – the priestly order that has become corrupt – will be swept away and replaced by a new prophetic leadership – the prophet Samuel. It would have been easy for Eli to be so caught up in mourning for what was happening that he completely missed the new thing God was doing with Samuel. But Eli was focused on the new thing. In the words of a prophet even greater than Samuel:

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:19

 1 Samuel 3 starts with the absence of God’s word - “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions”, - and ends with the proclamation of God’s word through Samuel. A new beginning. In the difficult days of social upheaval in Israel there is a new beginning. God starting a new initiative despite the failures of the past and present. Is this where we are in our own times I wonder? Is God doing something new out of the turbulent times we are living in? Are we tuned in to what he is doing and wants us to do with him? Or do we need a Samuel to point the way?

 

Putting on the game face - and taking it off

 

As I was training for ministry, we had to take part in some self-awareness exercises. It was during these that I became aware of something I needed to address. And that was a tendency to want to try and solve people’s problems for them. To fix things. It was often something I’d found challenging in the workplace as a manager. A member of staff would come to me with an issue and before I knew it the problem was on my desk rather than back with them. It wasn’t that I was a control freak, but that almost out of kindness I took the thing on.

My ministerial training made me realise that as a minister I couldn’t take on people’s problems. Hunting round for a way to manage this I started an Introduction to Counselling course with Willows Counselling and, subsequently completed a Certificate in Christian Counselling with them. I learned that as counsellors (and hence ministers) we can’t take on people’s problems. We can listen to people talk about their problems, we can walk with them through that difficult time, but we can’t take the problem on and fix it for them.

Now don’t get me wrong, there are some things - though rare it must be said – that a phone call from me or an email from me can resolve.

But most problems can’t be solved by me.

A few years ago, the band Coldplay released a song called “Fix you”. It is a nice enough song, and the sentiment is touching

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/coldplay/fixyou.html 

Someone has a problem and then a friend or partner comes along and fixes them.

But as I’ve said, it’s not like that. And it’s not that simple.

Like many ministers, one of the things I find difficult about lockdown (more so this one than the original one in Spring 2020) is the lack of contact with people. I try to keep in touch with people from church by making phone calls and via emails. Sadly, the conversations are all much the same as people have little to talk about. Rare moments of joy for some receiving the vaccine. But for most others it is the uncertainty, the not knowing, the fear, that is voiced.

And this poses me with a dilemma. Of course, I can’t fix the situation. I can’t conjure up a vaccine or make Covid go away. But should I just express empathy (after all I’m feeling the same) or should I try and cheer lonely, frightened people up?

Like most Wednesdays, this morning I met some other local ministers for prayer (via Zoom.) We are tentatively planning a joint service to be run on Zoom in a few weeks’ time. And one of my friends made the very good point that it should be hopeful and joyful as that is what people need. He’s right.

Trouble is. What if the minister doesn’t feel hopeful or joyful?

As we were praying the words of a Psalm 137 (or a 1970s pop song by Boney M depending on your point of view) came to mind

¹ By the rivers of Babylon—
    there we sat down and there we wept
    when we remembered Zion.

The Psalm goes on

³ For there our captors
    asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
  ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’

⁴ How could we sing the Lord’s song
    in a foreign land?

The Psalm remembers a time when Jewish people had been taken by the thousands into exile by the Babylonians. And whilst there, they tried to remember the old ways of worshipping God. They remembered Jerusalem. But understandably they felt they could not sing songs; they could not worship in this foreign land.

The Psalm came to mind this morning I think as a reminder that there will be times when we don’t feel joyful, when we don’t feel hopeful. This is true for ministers too.

And yet, as a minister I am to be an encourager, someone who points to Christ who brings hope.

There is an idiom that has come from America which describes how I feel at present. And that is “put on your game face”. According to the Free Dictionary the phrase means: “A figurative or literal facial expression denoting a mental attitude of determination or resolve in the face of imminent and difficult task, activity or workload. Or an expression of stoicism intended to mask one’s emotions or intentions” https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/game+face

The phrase derives I assume from professional sport and suggests not showing the opposing team that you might be afraid of losing.

I find I’m wearing my game face quite a lot at present to try and help people through this challenging time – even if inside I feel the same worries as them. And that’s not about being a Pollyanna (“someone whose naïve optimism may verge on the insufferable” Chambers dictionary 13^th edition.)

It’s not that simple though. To support people, it is important to empathise with them. To show an understanding of what they are experiencing, even if their experience cannot be the same as mine. So, I do have to take the game face off from time to time. As a college lecturer once explained it, “Sometimes we have to get down in the pit of despair beside them”.

And we mustn’t forget that it is important for people to grieve. To let people be angry. To let people be frightened.

But ultimately, as a minister, I am to share the Gospel, the Good News. And I do believe that even in the darkest of times the light of Christ shines and the darkness has never overcome it. I can’t fix anything, but I can point to the light.

(And if anyone has managed to get a reference to Coldplay and Boney M into a blog before, I'd like to see it!)

Faithfully laid aside by God

 

Reflection 10^th January 2020 Covenant Sunday

 

I may have said before, but a standing joke amongst many ministers is “They didn’t teach us about that in college”. And it is true, all ministers encounter situations in ministry that we’ve not encountered before, (though I’m sure the same applies in all walks of life.) But I can definitely say they didn’t teach me how to be a minister during Covid at college.

The last nine months have been very much learning on the job. Thankfully, early on I developed the pattern of the weekly Order of Service and Reflection. And many of you have told me how helpful you find these which is a relief.

Nonetheless I must admit to finding ministry in this way to be strange to say the least. Not being able to lead worship in the way I feel called to doesn’t sit well. Similarly, not being able to meet with you whether after service, or at a coffee morning or at a discussion group, doesn’t seem right.

With this in mind, last Sunday I felt down hearted. When all this started last March, I didn’t think (who did?) that we’d still be facing such restrictions in January (and for a few months more I imagine). But then in one of those “God moves in mysterious ways” moments, I received an email from a friend.

My friend emailed me to ask whether I’d been listening to the morning service on Radio 4 at ten past eight. I hadn’t, but my friend told me that the service had included this piece from Cardinal John Henry Newman:

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.

Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him. If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me. Still, He knows what He is about.”

The timing by my friend could not have been better as I was already starting to think about our Covenant Service and what I would say.

Cardinal Newman’s words seem to be an excellent tie into our Covenant service. That reminder to us of what it means to be a servant of Christ. A reminder that in serving Christ we can find ourselves in situations we wouldn’t have planned for ourselves. That in serving Christ we can find ourselves being led to do things we wouldn’t normally do.  That we can be serving Christ without knowing it.

Our Covenant Service contains these words

Christ has many services to be done: some are easy, others are difficult;
some bring honour, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and material interests, others are contrary to both; in some we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves.
Yet the power to do all these things is given to us in Christ, who strengthens us.

The words of the Covenant Service can speak to us in different ways at different times of our lives. The words remind us that as followers of Jesus we are not promised that all will be well. The words remind us that there will be times when we feel as if we’ve been shunted into a siding off the mainline. But the words remind us that at all times we are bound to Christ and, that in the highs and lows, Christ is with us giving us the strength to go on. Perhaps to enjoy and perhaps to endure. Perhaps to laugh and perhaps to cry.

You may remember that older versions of the Covenant service used a phrase “put me to suffering”. To modern ears it was very problematical. We think of suffering as to feel pain or grief. Or to endure something. Or to sustain loss. But there is a Biblical meaning that is now archaic in modern English. To suffer can mean “to permit” or “to allow”

Think back to the King James Bible and Matthew 19 when Jesus chided the disciples for preventing children coming to him:

¹⁴ But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14 KJV

In that older English Jesus was saying permit the children to come to me or allow the children to come to me.

“put me to suffering” then is more about asking God for his help so that we might permit ourselves or allow ourselves to be fully disciples of Christ. In the good times and the difficult times.

We are saying to Jesus if my following You and Your purpose for my life should lead to joyful consequences and victories to me, I will gladly accept that please ALLOW it.  But if following You and Your purpose for my life should bring painful consequences and seeming defeats, I will bravely accept that too, please ALLOW it.

I am no longer my own but yours.
Your will, not mine, be done in all things,

“Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away. He knows what He is about.” Cardinal Newman