Charity begins at home – but it doesn’t have to stay here!

The Defence Secretary Liam Fox recently wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to scrap the Conservative manifesto commitment, and the coalition agreement, to set in law a promise to spend 0.7% of the UK’s gross national product on overseas aid. It was ironic that Dr Fox’s comments came during Christian Aid week.

Apparently by 2013 (when the 0.7% aid budget would come into place) 0.7% of Gross National Product would equate to £11.4 billion pounds. Last year the British tax payer gave £7.5 billion worth of overseas aid.

Dr Fox clearly feels that the money should be spent in the UK. After all £11.4 billion would pay for about 25% of the new Trident nuclear deterrent.

Jesus was once asked by a lawyer what he had to do to inherit eternal life. When questioned by Jesus the lawyer said that Jewish law stated “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”

The lawyer then asked Jesus who he should regard as his neighbour. Under Jewish law “neighbours” were other Jews. However, Jesus went on to tell the lawyer the Parable of the Good Samaritan in which a sworn enemy of Jews – the Samaritan – was shown as caring for a Jewish victim of assault.

Jesus’ teaching shows that we are to think of all people as our neighbours no matter where they live. We are to have a wider perspective. To be concerned with all people everywhere.

We’re facing some tough economic times and savings need to be made. But I feel that it is important that we, as one of the richest countries in the world, show an example and provide aid to those many countries that are in need.

The prayer I’m about to use comes from this year’s Christian Aid worship pack.

God, who is more than we can ever imagine,

give us a bigger picture of the world;

give us a broader view of justice;

give us dreams of love

that are not defined by boundaries of geography or race or religion,

or by the limitations of worldly structures and systems.

Enlarge our imaginations and inspire our courage this Christian Aid Week

And all weeks, to put ourselves in that bigger picture.

Keep us struggling,

keep us faithful,

keep us strong,

so that we never give up on the promise of your kingdom,

where the world is transformed,

and all can enjoy life in all its fullness.

In Jesus name we ask it. Amen.

Dead reckoning

It is often said isn’t it that one of the last great taboos in our society, one of the things people don’t like to talk about it death. And if truth be told all of us I suppose at one time or another don’t like to face up to the fact, and it is a fact, that one day we will die. We’re so wary of the “D” word that we have a multitude of expressions we use instead of saying someone died

“Passed on” is quite genteel. And of course if you wish to be literary there is always a bit of Shakespeare “Shuffled off this mortal coil”. But there are things like “Popped his clogs” “Pushing up the daisies” “Snuffed it”. All phrases that we all use from time to time rather than saying someone has died.

Strangely enough, in John 11, Jesus also uses a euphemism for death at one point. In John 11:11 Jesus says to the disciples:

"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep," he said. "But I am going to Bethany to wake him up."

Though the disciples think that Jesus means Lazarus is ill. I suppose we’d say in some kind of coma, for they say to Jesus:

¹² His disciples replied, "Lord, if he's sleeping, he will get better."

But

¹³ Jesus had been speaking about the death of Lazarus. But his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

¹⁴ So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead”.

There is so much to say about this passage of scripture, but I want to focus on a few verses. The conversation between Jesus and Martha. Verses 21 – 27:

For these verses set out the Christian theology, the Christian belief about death and resurrection.

So let’s unpack these verses for a moment:

²¹ "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "I wish you had been here! Then my brother would not have died.²² But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask for."

²³ Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Jesus’ reply to Martha “Your brother will rise again” gives no hint about what is about to happen. It is open ended. And as such it can be taken as a general affirmation of the resurrection of the dead at some time in the future. And Martha seems to accept this for she says:

"I know he will rise again. This will happen when people are raised from the dead on the last day."

Amongst some Jews, those who followed the Pharisees, there was a general belief in the resurrection of the dead. A belief that could be traced back to Daniel 12:2

² "Huge numbers of people who lie dead in their graves will wake up. Some will rise up to life that will never end. Others will rise up to shame that will never end.

Though Jews who followed the Sadducees did not have this belief.

But clearly for Martha this was part of her belief. That one day Lazarus would rise from the dead. And by the time John was writing his Gospel, this was also Christian belief.

However, what Jesus says adds another dimension to what Martha believed and what the Pharisees believed. Jesus was not just talking about resurrection he was talking about life as well:

²⁵ Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. ²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Given 2,000 years of Christian teaching it is perhaps hard for us to accept how radical this statement was. Although there was a belief in resurrection as I’ve said, the Jewish teachings didn’t seem to explain any further what this might mean. But what Jesus now says to Martha brings a whole new dimension:

I am the resurrection and I am the life

Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. Meaning the effect of believing in Jesus has on the believers’ death;

²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die Meaning the effect of believing has on the believers’ life.

For Jesus to be the resurrection means that physical death has no power over believers. Their future is determined by their faith in Jesus not by their death .

For Jesus to be the life means that the believer’s present is also determined by Jesus’ power for life, which is experienced as his gift of eternal life.

That’s some big stuff to comprehend. Let me say it again:

For Jesus to be the resurrection means that physical death has no power over believers. Their future is determined by their faith in Jesus not by their death.

For Jesus to be the life means that the believer’s present is also determined by Jesus’ power for life, which is experienced as his gift of eternal life.

It’s the classic case of Christians living in the here and now but also looking forward to a time to come.

And therefore as believers we should not be fearful of death. For if we believe we will live even if we die.

But you know that. Preachers have been saying something similar from this pulpit for the past 50 years. Preachers have been saying this for hundreds of years. This is good news. It’s more than that it is great news! And yet this fear of death remains.

You will have seen in the Adver or on the TV news the pictures taken outside the night club in Old Town from which Sian O’Callaghan was taken. And the hundreds of bunches of flowers laid in her memory. You may have seen the hundreds of Chinese lanterns set off in her memory on the Polo Ground. These are really touching gestures of sympathy and support for Sian’s family by the people of Swindon.

But I wonder whether they are saying something else? I wonder whether these are symptomatic of a world that is afraid of death? A world that has not heard Jesus’ words to Martha and to us:

"I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. ²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die.

Of course it’s not just to do with Sian. We now see it all the time. The “shrines” that get set up at the side of the road where someone has been killed. I know of at least four around Swindon. The graves that now seem to have candles and toys and windmills as well as flowers left on them.

You may think I am being heartless. That’s not my intention. And I accept that for those close to someone they want to place flowers at the scene of a fatal accident as part of their grieving. I don’t think it is something I’d do, but I can sort of understand why that may be helpful. But now it seems to me so many people in our society have to do this as well. Why? Why?

On the one hand perhaps because they have not heard what Jesus tells us

"I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. ²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die. John 11:25 - 26

But also perhaps because even if they have heard those words – and if anyone has ever attended a Christian funeral they will have heard those words – even if they have heard those words, the stumbling block is one word. Believe. Believe.

Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. ²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die.

Belief is their big challenge. It is too much to believe that their loved one has eternal life through belief in Jesus. And so they try to hold on to their loved ones through these shrines.

Please don’t get me wrong. I think it is very considerate that people wish to pay their respects. But I do feel the “Diana effect” says a lot more about people trying to cope with their feelings about death than anything else.

Of course death is a big challenge for all of us. And even if we believe w still grieve for a loved one. Just as Martha did. Even though she believed in Jesus and believed in resurrection of the dead, she still grieved for her brother. But belief in Jesus and his promise can help us cope with death I feel than if we have no belief.

I was talking to someone last week who is a member of another church. I’ll call her Sally. And Sally was sharing some conversations she had had with friends and work colleagues who are not believers but are clearly searching. Sally said how one conversation had been prompted by a death of a work colleague. Other colleagues were very upset and couldn’t come to terms with someone (of a similar age) dying and they’d all asked Sally how she coped. And she said that it was down to her belief in Jesus.

But Sally then said to me something I think very true. “I believe in Jesus and I believe in eternal life just has he has promised. And that makes all the difference in this life. And do you know what David? If when I die it has been for nothing, there is nothing more, it will have made a difference in this life.”

I thought that was incredibly honest and incredibly true. For none of us KNOW if there is life after death. We hope it and believe it.

Life is a lot like living in a maze. We continue to take wrong turns which lead nowhere and often retrace our steps until we can find our way. It can be very frustrating. Sometimes we never do find our way out. Those are the times we are stuck and feel like a prisoner with no escape.

Jesus wants to help set us free. I believe that no matter how difficult the maze you live in may seem, there is always a way out. Not even death can stand in the way of your life’s journey.

²⁵ Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if he dies. ²⁶And those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25 - 26

Mmm what to spend my penny on?

As has been widely reported, George Osborne in his beneficence chose to reduce duty on petrol by 1p per litre from 6pm on 23rd March. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/23/budget-fill-up-petrol-tanks

Thanks George, that saves me 50p every time I fill up. "Every little helps" as Tesco say in their advertisements. But talking of supermarkets George can I tell you something strange? On Monday evening at 10.30pm I drove past Asda Walmart in north Swindon and petrol was 129.9p per litre. On Tuesday morning, it was now 130.9 per litre. No doubt it is back to 129.9p per litre this morning. So where's my saving gone George?

I get the impression maths isn't your strong point George, but let me help you out here. If a bag of sweets costs 10p and the shopkeeper decides to put the price up overnight unexpectly by 1p (or at least after being given a nudge by the sweet manufacturer) how much will the sweets cost? That's right 11p. But if my kind Uncle George realises that the those right wingers at The Beano are breathing down his so decides to give me an extra 1p pocket money. And then the kindly shop keeper decides to put prices back to 10p. So that's nice.

But the trouble is George the bag of sweets still costs 10p. It hasn't reduced. And whereas in my example 1p in my pocket equates to a 10% increase in my pocket money sadly George 50p for each time I fill up my car doesn't amount to much. In fact given that the price this of petrol this morning is the same as it was on Monday evening it amounts to a big fat zero.

George. 0/10.

Now if you had really wanted to help out many thousands of motorists, including health visitors, district nurses, social workers and yes ministers of religion, you could have changed the 40p per mile tax allowance paid for people who use their private car for work purposes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351681/Drivers-use-car-work-hit-2-000-bill.html That really would have put petrol in the tank of the UK economy.

Oh and one final thing George. You know you have just raised taxes on the oil industry. I've no problem with that. They can afford to pay. And it would be good to use that money to develop green technology perhaps. But one small flaw in your logic I think. The oil companies will just pass on the tax to the motorists.

It's hard this maths isn't it George? I bet you wished you stayed with your dad working as a painter and decorator now.

Father forgive

Downton Baptist Church is holding a photographic exhibition entitled “THE F WORD: images of forgiveness”

IN Matthew’s Gospel we are told about a time when Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, came to Jesus and asked

“Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

To understand this, we need to know that Jewish teaching required that one person should forgive another person three times. And no more. Peter clearly wanting to impress Jesus and Peter thought forgiving someone 7 times would be more than enough. But Jesus makes the point that it is important to keep on forgiving. He didn’t literally mean 77 times. He meant we have to keep on forgiving.

That is good sound teaching. And there are people who try to follow it. I remember being greatly moved by the words of forgiveness said by Gordon Wilson following the death of his daughter Marie in an IRA bombing at Enniskillen on Remembrance Sunday in 1987. “I bear no ill will. I bear no grudge” he said.

But for most people the reality, that to forgive something or someone can be hard to do. You may remember a few years back Rev Julie Nicholson, an Anglican vicar resigned from her calling following the murder of her daughter Jenny in the July 7^th tube bombings in London. At the time Rev Nicholson said

"It's very difficult to stand behind an altar and lead people in words of peace and reconciliation and forgiveness when I feel very far from that myself."

Julie Nicholson was being incredibly honest about this. And, for all the talk that she should have set an example, the reality is very different. And I find myself asking, ‘What would I have done?’ As a Christian minister I like to think I’d forgive but deep down I know that I might find it hard to do so.

Why do we need to forgive? On one level my answer to that is we must forgive because Jesus told us to. And he did so to remind his followers that unless we forgive, we will not be forgiven by God. “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” as the Lord’s prayer puts it.

But on another level forgiveness is important for our own well being. By forgiving someone or something, we ease some of the hurt we experience.

As Bishop Tom Wright puts it

“Forgiveness is like the air in your lungs. There’s only room to inhale the next lungful when we’ve breathed out the previous one. If you insist on not forgiving, refusing to give someone the kiss of life they so desperately need, you won’t be able to take any more in and will suffocate very quickly.”

Let us pray

"O Lord,
Remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us: Instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering, our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble. When our persecutors come to be judged by You, let all of these fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness."

Amen

Prayer written by a unknown prisoner in Ravensbruck concentration camp and left by the body of a dead child.

Debt Advice to be cut

At a time of people being worried about their jobs, rising inflation and the possibility of rising interest rates our friends the ConDems rub some salt in the wounds by announcing cuts to debt advisors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12330429

I don't think they have plans to open debtors prisons and workhouses yet but it's early days.

If you are worried about debt or know someone who is then can I direct you to CAP - Christians Against Poverty. http://www.capuk.org/home/index.php Christians Against Poverty is a national debt counselling charity with a network of 150 centres based in local churches. CAP offers hope and a solution to anyone in debt through its unique, in-depth service.

Users of CAP do not have to be Christians. CAP has avery good reputaation and Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis lists CAP on his web site as an organisation that provides debt help. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/loans/debt-help-plan#help

The King's Speech

Have you seen the film The King’s Speech staring Colin Firth yet? If not, and you get the chance, do go. It is an excellent film and is very moving. If you have not heard about the film, it is the story of how King George VI overcame a terrible stammer with the help of an unconventional speech Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.

The film plays out against the story of Edward VIII’s abdication and the realisation that “Bertie” (the family’s name for George VI) would become King. With the increasing use of the wireless, and Bertie’s father George V having made broadcasts to the Empire, Bertie will need to learn to conquer the stammer that has been part of his life since he was a boy.

At times the film is very funny but there are some very moving scenes. And one in particular was very poignant where Bertie shouts out “I just wanted to be a naval officer not the King!”

But of course as we know, George VI went on to be King during a very difficult time for this country, though it is said the Queen Mother was always angry at the way her husband’s health was affected by having to become King.

This put me in mind of Shakespeare’s phrase “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” For while George VI was born into the Royal Family, he never dreamed he would one day be King and would have to conquer his stammer in order to speak to his people.

But the scene in the film also put me in mind of some of the words of our Methodist Covenant service.*

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.

We may not like our calling; we may feel uncomfortable with what we are called to do. God bless. We are called to serve a King who was not a King of this world. A King whose Kingdom is like no Kingdom of this world. The greatest King of all.

For more information on the Covenant service go to http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1499

Look to the future - it's only just begun

It’s 28^th November and so far I’ve not heard Slade's classic Merry Christmas Everybody played.

This song was released in 1973. I was ten at the time. And the lyrics seemed somehow to have been written about the way we spent Christmas. Like most children I would have loved snow to fall on Christmas Day – but it never did. We were always waiting for family to arrive whether grandparents from the nearby town of Tredegar, or aunts and uncles from London or cousins from Swindon. So even on Christmas Day there was a sense of waiting – especially as the tradition in our house was not to have presents until after the Queens Speech! No wonder I’m not a monarchist!

But actually there is a line in that song that is quite profound when you stop and think about it – “look to the future now it’s only just begun”. That is not a Christmas lyric but an Advent lyric. For in Advent we are juggling some interesting concepts. We are looking to the future but equally the future has already begun.

We are looking to Christmas in which we are thinking of how Jesus came to earth 2,000 years ago. But we are also looking forward to a time when we hope as Christians Christ will come again and bring in his Kingdom. But equally we are concerned about there here and now.

Throughout Advent, I'm basing my services on a book called “Another world is possible, another world is here”. And the title of that book suggests to me the same idea that consciously or unconsciously Slade were singing about. About how, as Christians we should always be looking to the future – the glorious hope of Christ coming again and bringing in his Kingdom. But also how we have a part to play in bringing in that future. Of shaping the Kingdom of God. Of preparing the way for the Kingdom of God.

Advent is a time in which we seek to build a bridge from the here and now and look forward to the what might be. Advent is a time to dream dreams. To hope. As Bruce Kent puts it in the introduction to the book

In other words Advent gives us hope that another world is possible and announces that with Jesus another world is here.

We all like to look back. We take comfort from memories from times past. And it is good to look back. To take stock of those things in the past that have made us who we are today. And at times those memories can be important to help us through the times we are in now. But we are called to be people who look forward as well.

To that extent we are no different to the people of Israel and Judah at the time of Isaiah. They had just enjoyed a golden period. A peaceful period. But this era ended with the death of King Uzziah in 740BC. For the next hundred years the might kings of Assyria wielded their power in the Middle East.

Isaiah witnessed the collapse of the northern kingdom of Israel under the onslaught of Assyria. Isaiah, ministering to the people of Judah, warned them that they too could go the same way as Israel for like the people of Israel Isaiah saw that the people of Judah were rebellious towards God.

As it happened Judah did not fall prey to Assyria. The Lord intervened. But sometime later, the Babylonians would sweep in taking the people of Judah into exile in Babylon. From there those people

Psalm 137

¹ By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
² There on the poplars
we hung our harps,
³ for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

The people of Judah in exile in Babylon wept as they remembered what had been.

But Isaiah, and that other great prophet Jeremiah, reminded the people of Judah that they should not look back. Rather they should look forward. They should look to the future.

And while Bible scholars think that the passage we’ve heard from Isaiah today was written before the exile, the prophet is still looking forward beyond the present, beyond the conquest by Babylon. Looking forward to a time when God’s kingdom will be established. Looking forward to a time when God will reign.

What this passage is saying is that the reign of God will involve a radical transformation of the world as we know it. God’s reign will mean a change from nationalism and conflict to unity and peace. And when this reign is established what will the response be? People will:

“ ... will beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.”

Professor Gene Tucker in his commentary on Isaiah makes the observation on this passage that “Isaiah’s proclamation is not a summons for people to bring in the new age.” Rather, the Professor says it is a proclamation that the future is God’s. In other words God will determine the future. God will shape the future.

That is comforting for it means that in God’s time we’ll be restored. Peace will reign. However, that is not to say that we do not have a part to play in bringing in God’s kingdom. Clearly we should respond.

That’s what verse 5 means as I see it:

⁵ Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

The light of the Lord means that those of us who already live in the presence of the Lord are challenged to take the first steps on the path that one day all nations will take. God’s path. We are to show the way. To demonstrate what God’s kingdom and his reign will be about. We are to demonstrate love and compassion. We are to demonstrate peace.

Pope John Paul II saw peacemaking as an urgent task for everyone – not just people like himself who had the ear of the world’s leaders. He called on everyone to make gestures of peace. And he practised what he preached. His trademark gesture of kissing the ground when he got off the plane symbolised the unity of the world and the preciousness of every part of it. John Paul seemed to recognise that gestures can speak louder than words. Gestures can reach across barriers, dispel suspicion and offer healing and reconciliation.

The post master of my parents’ village in South Wales is a Muslim by the name of Mohammed. Being a small village he is known by everyone and he knows most of them. He knows my parents well and knows that they are Christians. And it is he a Muslim who is one of the first people to hand deliver a Christmas card to them each year. They find that simple thing as greatly moving. Gestures can reach across barriers, dispel suspicion and offer healing and reconciliation.

Professor Stanley Hauerwas is feisty Methodist Texan theologian who teaches as Duke University in the USA. Much of the work he has done over the last 30 years has been in promoting peace. This has at times made him very unpopular.

He tells the story of how he once pinned a notice to the door of his University office. It read: "A modest proposal for peace. Let the Christians of the world agree that they will not kill each other."

The notice caused a storm of protest from students. ‘How dare you talk only about Christians killing Christians,’ they insisted. ‘Surely you should be concerned with everyone refraining from deadly violence.’ To which Hauerwas responded, ‘well of course, it would be just great if everyone stopped killing others. But you have to start somewhere. And I did say it was a modest proposal for peace!”

A Modest proposal for peace. You have to start somewhere.

We look forward to celebrating the coming into this world of the Prince of Peace and as we look to a time when he will come again and establish God Kingdom. As you leave today you will each receive a small candle. I invite you to light a candle throughout Advent as a symbol of peace. And as a way of focusing your prayers on the future and seeking what God has in store for us here at St Andrews.

⁵ Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Let us look to the future – it’s only just begun.