04 July 2021
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
I know a person in Christ
who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—
whether in the body or out of the body I do not know;
God knows.
And I know that such a person—
whether in the body or out of the body I do not know;
God knows—
was caught up into Paradise
and heard things that are not to be told,
that no mortal is permitted to repeat.
On behalf of such a one I will boast,
but on my own behalf I will not boast,
except of my weaknesses.
But if I wish to boast,
I will not be a fool,
for I will be speaking the truth.
But I refrain from it,
so that no one may think better of me
than what is seen in me or heard from me,
even considering the exceptional character of the revelations.
Therefore, to keep me from being too elated,
a thorn was given me in the flesh,
a messenger of Satan to torment me,
to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I appealed to the Lord about this,
that it would leave me,
but he said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness."
So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ;
for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Mark 6:1-13
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Jesus came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astounded.
They said, "Where did this man get all this?
What is this wisdom that has been given to him?
What deeds of power are being done by his hands!
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary
and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon,
and are not his sisters here with us?"
And they took offense at him.
Then Jesus said to them,
"Prophets are not without honour,
except in their hometown,
and among their own kin, and in their own house."
nd he could do no deed of power there,
except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.
And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching.
He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two,
and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff;
no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;
but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.
He said to them,
"Wherever you enter a house,
stay there until you leave the place.
If any place will not welcome you
and they refuse to hear you,
as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."
So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.
They cast out many demons,
and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
thay may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Address
On the front cover of the church magazine we have a picture of the church, an attractive old building. Many years’ ago I was in touch with a church in Africa, and they sent me one of their calendars with a picture of their church. They held services in a rough looking tin hut. Not very photogenic (or photo hygienic as some would say). But you could hardly see the hut on the calendar, because in front of it were a hundred or more black faces. The people were the real church.
Many church buildings and some people’s homes are insured by the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. Ecclesia is a Greek word for ‘church’ – that is ‘congregation’ – the people, not the building. And the word means something to do with being summoned, called out to turn up somewhere. We are those whom God has called out of the community to come together to think and pray and worship. Church is not so much a leisure activity which we fancy doing with friends and family – with the people we know and like. It is, rather, something God calls us to, and we may not always feel like going, to be with people we don’t necessarily know or choose, and may not always like. There is a bit of discipline needed for Christians.
One thing Jesus did, when he chose his 12 apostles was to get a mixture, who wouldn’t easily get on. Peter and the fishermen, who worked hard, would not like to be working with Matthew, who’d previously been a tax collector, and who’d had a comfortable life taking their money and giving it to the Romans, until Jesus called him to do something different, and told them all to work together nicely. James and John, those brothers, could be a bit hasty and ambitious. Jesus nicknamed them Sons of Thunder. And Peter was a bit hasty and a bit unreliable.
In the reading, Jesus is planning his mission, his plan to travel round and teach and preach and heal, and try to get people in touch with God his Father, to help them.
He tells his twelve apostles to go ahead in twos to local villages to tell people that they must think about God, and behave themselves, and get ready, because God was about to do something special now that Jesus had come.
Go ahead in twos. You can imagine it. One says, I want to go with Thomas, he has interesting ideas – no, you go with Philip like I told you to. Another says, I want to plan what I’m going to wear – plan for all eventualities, I look nice in so and so and it might rain. Never mind that, Jesus might say, – just get on with it.
The people in the east were hospitable to travellers. So if someone gives you food and accommodation, says Jesus, don’t say, to your partner, (or co-worker) ‘I’ve seen a big expensive house down the road, let’s leave these folk, we’ll get better food down there!‘
Don’t take a bag with you, bags were for putting things in that you had begged. Jesus’ helpers weren’t to be beggars. Have a bit of discipline, says Jesus.
We’ll end with two pictures of the church, the community of people. In a parish it should be like an extended family. An extended family will have children in it. If a parish has no children it is in trouble. A parish church needs people from all age groups. But if you have children at home, you have to take care of them and provide for them continually. You can never just forget about them for a bit. So it is in the Church. And the church is the place where you should be able to have friends of all ages.
The last picture is of the Church is being like a pilgrimage. There might be a lot of people on a long walk to some holy place for worship. You walk a bit talking with some others, then they might go ahead, or you might slow down, and you then spend time with some different folk you’ve come next to, who are heading to the same special place.
Church life is a bit like that. As a child in the 1940s, I remember being with a particular group of people, many of them born in 1800s. Then alongside other Christian people in 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. Like on a pilgrimage, there were times of sharing, with particular people, then we or they move on.
It is the people who are the church, not the building. The church is gathered here today, but tomorrow, the real church, the people, will be all over the place. Or as the saying goes, the church is what you have left when the building burns down.
Fr Roger
