{podcast id=203}
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 11 December 2011.
Bible Readings: Luke 10.38-42
Martha and Mary, listening to Jesus and what was good about what Mary did?
So what is the use of another member of the clergy? The pomp and spectacle of an ordination service may lead us to think it is a splendid thing. As long as the priests can do something like it out in the parishes, of course.
But only if you are distracted by the spectacle. The ordination service contains weighty charges and promises. It sets some of the people apart for a particular role. While at one level their job appears to be focussed on church services, they are actually commissioned to the ministry of word and sacraments. They are set aside to be able to lead, teach, train, equip all the believers for the work of ministry. Their work is directed to what was once called the “invisible church” as well as to the visible church. Article 19 defines the visible church – the one anyone can turn up to. The invisible church is the one known only to God. It is made up of those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
So what is the use of another member of the clergy? Do we really need more priests? If you go to one of those splendid ornate ordinations and like the pageant you could think this must be a good thing. Entertaining, mysterious, arcane, out of the ordinary. A bread and circuses kind of thing. As long as the priests continue the pageant and entertainment for the masses out in the parishes, of course.
But only if you are distracted by “the show”. Hidden in the show were secret codes that designated some of these people as members of a high-level training team. Kind of under-cover agents. Subversives really. While at one level they appear to be actors in an old religious play, they are actually a decentralised band of recruiters and trainers for a hidden organisation. The ultimate “invisible family” you could say.
Advent and Epiphany Studies in Luke’s Gospel
November to January 2011-12
Our aim is to see how Jesus interacts with people in their work environment (and some in the ordinary course of their life), to
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see how Luke tells the stories and what God might have to say to us in our situations
Week ending
20 November The expert who didn't know everything
Christ King Luke 5.1-11
27 November The soldier who knew enough
Advent Luke 7.1-10
4 December The woman who said nothing
Advent 2 Luke 7.36-50
11 December The sister who didn't do housework
Advent 3 Luke 10.38-42
Such a little prayer and such a big project. We were reading about Nehemiah. King Artaxerxes’ cup-bearer, or drinks-waiter we could say. Although part of his job was to make sure that the King didn’t get poisoned. That’s the scary part of the job. One day the King asked what was troubling him. Suddenly he had a chance to tell the King what was on his mind.
So he “prayed to the God of heaven”. A short hurried prayer. And the King listened. And gave him permission ( and letters, and soldiers and food) to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls.
And when he got there the others who had arrived before him worked with him. An amazing cooperative effort. Different families rebuilt different parts of the wall. Admittedly some built the wall in front of where their house was. But they did build. Some built large segments – one family built 500 metres of wall!
And not without opposition and harassment. But Nehemiah persisted. And succeeded. All resulting from a little prayer.
{podcast id=204}
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 20 November 2011
Bible Readings: Ezekiel 34.11-16; Ephesians 1.15-23; Luke 5.1-11
How Jesus went fishing for people and called them to fish too
In two weeks Nicholas will be ordained as a priest. He will join the group of elders or presbyters (the origin of the word “priest”) in the church who share with the bishop the ministry of Word and Sacrament.
Part of the old service included this exhortation:
You have heard, my brothers, in your private examination, in the sermon, and in the readings from holy scripture, how great is the dignity and importance of this office to which you are called. And now .again l exhort you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you remember the dignity of the high office and charge to which you are called: that is to say, to be messengers, watchmen, and stewards of the Lord; to teach and forewarn, to feed and provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep who are scattered abroad, and for his children who are surrounded by temptation in this world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever. Have always therefore printed in your mind how great a treasure is committed to your care. For they are the-sheep of Christ, whom he bought with his death and for whom he shed his blood. The church and congregation whom you must serve is his bride and his body. ...
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