John 12:1-11: Christian Giving

Three clergymen were discussing how they decide to give part of their income to the church. The first vicar said, "When God tells me so, I just empty my wallet in the collection plate." The 2nd vicar was quite impressed and almost ashamed to tell of his approach. He says: "I draw a 3 foot circle around me, I throw the money in the air and everything that lands within the circle, I put in the collection plate." The 3rd vicar, who was both greedy and a penny pincher said, "I throw all of my money in the air and everything that falls to the ground I keep, because if God wanted it he would take it while it was up in there.

This morning I want to talk about the subject of Christian Giving. It’s a really important subject, and one that we cannot ignore as Christians, but it is also one of those subjects we don’t like to talk about. But the Bible talks about money 2,350 times, and of the 29 parables Jesus told, 16 deal with the subject of money, and in Matthew, Mark and Luke 1 out of every 6 verses deals with the subject of money. I think the reason why we DON’T like to talk about money, is because there are few subjects that expose our hearts more quickly than our view of money. Perhaps one of the reasons we would prefer not to talk about money, is because it is a topic that cuts close to who we really are, and about where are true priorities lie.

But it is something we cannot escape from, as Christians we are called to give generously, as part of the outworking of the Holy Spirit’s life within us. Christian Giving is meant to be a way of life in which we regard ourselves and our possessions as a trust from God to be used in His service, for what He has done for us in Jesus Christ. This is why in 1 Chronicles 29:14 we read: “All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.” Of course, Christian giving or stewardship, doesn’t just relate to money, it relates to how we use our time, our possessions, our whole lives. But this morning I want to focus on the financial aspect of stewardship.

Our Gospel reading (John 12:1-8) has a lot to teach us about the nature of Christian giving. Jesus was staying at the home of Lazarus in the village of Bethany, just two miles from Jerusalem. It was six days before the Passover, and the day before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. As Jesus was reclining at the table with his disciples, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, comes into the room, and breaks the seal on an expensive jar of perfume, and anoints Jesus’ feet. And we are told that the fragrance of this perfume filled the whole house.

Mary’s act was an act of loving extravagance and spontaneous generosity. Hers is a love that is full-to-overflowing with spontaneous, unmeasured giving towards Jesus in response to all that he had done for her and her family. And this in essence is what should motivate our Christian giving. Our giving should be an outpouring of love for what God has given to us. We give, not because we feel obliged to do so, not because someone tells us it’s what we should do, but because it’s an outpouring of our love for what God has done for us.

So we should not be asking ourselves What do I need to give, but rather, How can my giving reflect something of God’s love for me?

We should see Christian giving, both as a challenge AND ALSO a privilege that effects the whole of our lives as Christians.

What we learn from Mary is that her giving is both extravagant and costly. We are told that the perfume she used on Jesus was worth a year’s wages. I don’t imagine that Mary or her family were particularly wealthy, but she gives the best to Jesus, because that is what he deserves.

What Mary reveals is that Christian stewardship is not about giving only what is needed, but it is about giving so generously that it has a touch of recklessness about it. If we give grudgingly, and reluctantly, then it probably indicates that our attitude towards giving needs to be looked at.
We need to be generous in our giving. Mother Teresa said “If you give what you do not need, it isn't giving.” And C S Lewis said “I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.“

Both Mark and Luke record the occasion when Jesus took his disciples to the Temple, and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. We are told that many rich people there put in large amounts of money, but then along came a poor widow, and she put two very small copper coins into the treasury. And Jesus commends this widow for what she does. He’s says to his disciples "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43-44) She gave sacrificially.

Compare Mary’s generosity with Judas’. Judas’ response to Mary’s action is to criticise her, saying that what she has done is a waste of money. He makes the claim that this money could have been used for the poor, but John tells us that this was not Judas’ real concern, he wanted to keep the money for himself. When the rich young man came to Jesus wanting to follow him, the one thing he could not do was let go of his money. Are we like Mary, who gives joyfully and generously, or Judas, who wanted to hold on to the money himself?

Another question to consider is how do you go about organising your giving? Is it something you think about in advance and plan at the start of each month, or do you give whatever is left over at the end? There is a saying which goes, Give to God what is right, not what is left.

When was the last time you sat down and reviewed your giving? This is something I believe we need to do at least once a year. It is something I personally do two or three times a year, and I adjust my giving accordingly.

In 2 Corinthians, Paul lays out some guidelines for giving. For example he says that we should give both proportionately and also regularly. We are each called to give according to our means, so how much we give, will very much depend upon our different circumstances.

So we need to prayerfully consider what we can afford to give, and to consider what are our main priorities? For example, how does are giving to God, compare to the other things we spend our money on, for example going out for the night, buying a daily newspaper, and so on. Jesus said, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

Paul in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 writes, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

In our Gospel reading, one of the results of Mary’s generous outpouring of love to Jesus was that the whole house was filled with the fragrance of perfume. If we are committed to serious and sacrificial giving, then it will be a fragrant offering to God.

The commission that Jesus gave to each one of us, was to build up his kingdom, to spread the good news of Jesus. Bill Hybels, leader of the Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, one of the largest churches in America, and author of many Christian books, describes the local church as being the hope of the world. We as a church are to be a sign of hope to this community. But to achieve this, we must take seriously the commitment to give generously, to support and enable the work and witness of the church to continue.

Two weeks ago, at the ACM I mentioned that as a church, we face a significant financial challenge. And therefore we have issued the 5% challenge. In order just to break even, we need to increase our giving as a church by 5%, or to put that another way, we need to raise a further £5000 a year. I believe this is easily achievable, if we take seriously our commitment to giving.

Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). There is real grace in being able to give, and a real joy that comes from it. Giving is not intended to be a heavy burden. Julian of Norwich said, “A cheerful giver does not count the cost of what he gives. His heart is set on pleasing and cheering him to whom the gift is given.” We can fill up our lives with material possessions, but I have found that there is something incredibly liberating about giving back to God, and this is something I believe Mary herself realized, when she anointed Jesus, and I hope we also will all come to discover this.

Stewardship Prayer:

All that I am, all I can be, all that I have, all that is me, accept and use Lord, as you would choose Lord, right now today!

Take every passion, every skill, take all my dreams and bend them to your will.

May all I give Lord, for you I’ll live Lord; come what may.

Luke 23:33 Forgiveness

As Jesus was being nailed to the cross he said, ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’

On July 7th 2005, Jenny Nicholson, got on the tube at Paddington Station, to travel to the publishing company where she worked. It was a journey she had taken many times, but it was to be her last. She was one of fifty two people killed that day, as terrorists attacked the transport network in London, Jenny Nicholson was only 24 years old.

Just over three weeks later, on the 30th July 2005, Anthony Walker, a young 18 year with a very promising future ahead of him, was brutally murdered by a gang of racists thugs in Merseyside.

The one thing linking these two stories, is that both Jenny Nicholson and Anthony Walker came from Christian families. But the families have responded to their deaths, has been quite different.

The mother of Jenny Nicholson, the Revd Julie Nicholson, found it impossible to forgive her daughter’s attackers, and resigned from her role as Parish Priest. In an interview she gave to the BBC in March 2006, she said "It's very difficult for me to stand behind an altar and celebrate the Eucharist Communion and lead people in words of peace and reconciliation and forgiveness when I feel very far from that myself... so for the time being, for the moment, that wound in me is having to heal."

In contrast however, the mother of Anthony Walker, Mrs Gee Walker, publicly forgive her sons killers in front of the gathered press. Explaining in an interview later, why she had done this, she said, “It was not me. Something inside came out of me.” She went on to say that she felt no hate for her son’s killers, only sadness, she said, “Jesus commanded, ‘Take up your cross and follow me.’ So I try to stay focused and my message is peace, love and forgiveness.”
Both stories, illustrate the challenge of forgiveness. As Christians we are called to be prepared to forgive, yet as we see from these two stories, forgiveness can be costly, and difficult, just as it must have been for Jesus, as he hung on the cross.

What lessons we learn from Jesus’ words on the cross, and how can we learn to forgive others?
What do we learn about forgiveness?

At St Martin’s we are running an Alpha Course, and one topic that has come up on numerous occasions over the course of the last few weeks is the topic of forgiveness. It is something that many people find difficult. In a tourist shop, on one button was written, “To err is human, to forgive is out of the question.” The reality is that many people do find it difficult to forgive.

So why is forgiving people so important?

Jesus’ cry of forgiveness from the cross, are for me the most remarkable words that are spoken from the cross. We have to remember that before Jesus was nailed to the cross, he had experienced many terrible things. He had been abandoned by his friends and supporters, he had been falsely accused, he was then flocked, beaten and insulted, before being made to carry his own cross to the place of execution. And what is Jesus’ response, as he hangs on the cross, in the most unbelievable agony? It is to say, Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

Jesus asked his Father to forgive the very ones who abused, rejected and humiliated him. It demonstrates the compassionate heart of our saviour.

What lessons do we learn from Jesus.

1 Forgiveness reaches out to the undeserving.

The people who had beat Jesus, mocked Him, and nailed Him to the cross did not deserve forgiveness. But Jesus through His kindness offered it to them. The point is that forgiveness reaches out to the undeserving.

It is a reminder that God’s forgiveness also extends out to each one of us, and that none of us are beyond the reach of God’s love or forgiveness, now matter what it is we have done. There may be people here today, who are carrying a burden of guilt or shame, and if that is you, then the message for you today is that God can take that from you. There is nothing that God cannot forgive.

2 We are to follow Jesus’ example

As Christians we are to follow the example of Jesus, we are to be people who are willing to forgive others, as we have been forgiven ourselves. But the reality is that, many people find this extremely difficult, like the mother of Jenny Nicholson. To forgive someone who has wronged you is not easy.

You yourself may have been hurt in the past, and you may feel that the person who wronged you doesn’t deserve to be forgiven, but then again did the people who put Jesus to death deserve to be forgiven? No. Do we deserve to be forgiven by God when we sin against him? No. But yet God still forgives us. And we too are called to forgive because God has forgiven us. Paul in Ephesians 4:31-32 writes, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

1. Forgiving is linked to being forgiven ourselves:

We are also called to forgive other people, because being prepared to forgive other people is linked to being forgiven ourselves.

In the Lord’s prayer, there is only one petition that has any condition attached to it: it is the petition of forgiveness. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”, and said “For if you do not forgive others from the heart, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins.”

Notice first of all, that Jesus assumed we would forgive others. Forgive us, AS WE forgive others… To forgive as Christians is not an optional extra, it is something we are meant to do. Notice also that our forgiveness in effect depends on our own willingness to forgive others. Again, Forgive us, as we forgive others. Jesus in effect taught us to pray, Lord forgive me, in just the same way that I am prepared to forgive others. I wonder how often we have prayed this prayer, without realising just what it is we are saying. If you am not prepared to forgive someone, and you say the Lord’s Prayer, you need to think very carefully about what it is you are praying for.

Jesus in Mark 11:25 Jesus told his disciples, “when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” And in Matthew 6:14, he said "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you". Our own forgiveness depends upon our willingness to forgive others.

2 Because it is part of our spiritual growth

Another reason why we are to be prepared to forgive others, is that the more we learn and practice forgiveness, the more we become like God, who himself is merciful and forgiving. As Christians what enables us to forgive is the knowledge that we ourselves have been forgiven by God. God has forgiven us, not because we deserve it, but because he is full of grace and mercy.

3 Because it is in our own interest

An unwillingness to forgive people can have a detrimental effect upon us. If we hold on to resentment, anger or hatred, it can damage us, far more than the person we are unwilling to forgive. For example, I am sure we can all think of people, whose lives have been corrupted by the strong sense of bitterness and anger that they have felt towards a person or a situation.

If we do not forgive, we shall not enter into the all the joy and freedom God wants for us. Unwillingness to forgive ties us to the past, so that we cannot move forward.

For example, there was a situation many years ago, when a friend upset me by something they did. The anger and resentment I felt towards what they had done, grew inside me, until eventually I realised that it was affecting me in a very negative way, and I realised that I needed to forgive them, so I asked God to help me let go of the anger I felt, and the feelings of hurt and resentment that had been building in me disappeared, and I felt a sense of release and peace that I had not felt for a long time.

What forgiving involves

So what does the process of forgiving involve?

Forgiveness doesn’t mean denying our feelings of hurt, anger, outrage, loss, but acknowledging them, and learning to let go of them so we can move forwards in freedom. And it means refusing to seek revenge, if you wrong me, and I forgive you, I shouldn’t then go and look for ways in which I can get my own back on you.

Forgiveness is extremely difficult, so how can you forgive someone when you have been really hurt, especially when we have been hurt or let down by those who are closest to us?
But there are some things we can do which can help us.
· We can talk about it, especially to a wise and trusted friend.
· We can try to understand why the person who has upset us has acted in a certain way. For example, Professor Sheila Hollins, the mother of Abigail Witchalls, the young mother who was left paralysed after been attacked whilst walking with her young son, was able to forgive the attacker, Richard Cazaly, who later committed suicide. Professor Hollins said “His death is the real tragedy in this story because he lost his life and almost certainly this was the consequence of the mind-altering drugs he was using." She was able to forgive this man, in part because she understood the effect these drugs had upon him. · We can pray:
1 Pray for ourselves, by sharing our feelings with God, and asking for his help and grace to lead us to a point where we feel we can forgive.
2 Pray for the person who has hurt us that God will bless them- this can be difficult but helpful. Jesus said pray for those who persecute you.
3 And we can pray that God will somehow use what has happened for our good.

Reluctance to forgive

Sometimes we may be reluctant to forgive. It may be that we are afraid that if we do forgive, we will in effect by saying:
· That the offence didn’t really hurt me
· That I and my feelings don’t matter much
· That we believe the offender had a valid excuse to hurt us
· That the offender need not face any consequences for their actions
· That it is okay to hurt me again.

But forgiving someone doesn’t apply any of these things. Just as when Jesus said, Father forgive them, he wasn’t saying that our sin which took him to the cross wasn’t significant, it was, but he still forgave us.

This raises a further question. Does forgiveness always mean reconciliation with the offender? The answer is not necessarily, although it can be a healing experience. Forgiveness is about our own attitude. Martin Luther King said, Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude. It is not always possible to restore the damaged relationship, for example if the offender is dead. And there may be occasions when it is not always desirable to restore the relationship, for example if a relationship was abusive.

Forgiveness is not just a one off event, it is an ongoing thing. In Matthew 18:21 Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" To which Jesus replies, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. In other words, it is an ongoing thing, and for some people, the process of forgiveness may take many years.

Acknowledging our own faults

It is important to recognise that we may need to apologise or seek the forgiveness of others for things we have done wrong ourselves. A number of years ago, I wrote to two former friends, asking for their forgiveness for things I had said and done. I realised that I had hurt them by my actions, and had never apologised, and because of this I wasn’t at peace with myself. So I wrote to them and asked for their forgiveness. Through that process of seeking their forgiveness, I felt released from all the guilt and shame. Jesus taught us, about the importance of being reconciled, with one another. If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Mt. 5:23-24) This is the reason we exchange the peace before we receive Holy Communion. It is not simply intended as a polite handshake, but an opportunity for us to make peace with one another, and forgive one another any harm we may have caused.

There may be some people her today, thinking I know I should forgive, but I don’t think I can. I want to finish by telling the story of Corrie Ten Boom, and how she had to face the challenge of forgiving someone who had hurt her.

Corrie was born in in Haarlem, Holland in 1892 into a Christian family. When the German army invaded Holland on the 10th May 1940, Corrie and her family took the courageous decision to help Jews escape from the Germans. Through their action they helped save many lives. However on 28th February 1944 the Gestapo arrested Corrie and nine members of her family, and she ended up at the Ravensbruck concentration camp in Germany. Although Corrie survived the concentration camp, many of her family didn’t, including her sister Betsie.
After the war Corrie was invited to speak in many countries about her experiences and about her faith. Corrie had always talked about the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation, but in 1947 she had to come face to face with the challenge and cost of true forgiveness. She was speaking at a church in Munich, when she met one of her former guards at Ravensbruck. And this what Corrie said about this encounter.

“Memories of the concentration camp came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment of skin.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: "A fine message, fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!"

It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

"You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard there. But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein--" again the hand came out--"will you forgive me?"

And I stood there--and could not. Betsie had died in that place--could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it--I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."

Still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling."

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!"

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.

Conclusion

As we look at the countless problems in our world, one of the most important things we need to see is forgiveness. For without forgiveness, there’s no future. And the greatest symbol we have for forgiveness is the cross of Jesus. The cross also reveals to us just how costly forgiveness can be, but also how necessary it is. Mother Teresa said, If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive. In Christ’s suffering on the cross that not only do we see true love revealed, but also the power of forgiveness to bring healing & wholeness. This is what Corrie ten Boom discovered when she met her former capture, and this is what we too can discover if we are people who are prepared to forgive. Amen.

Vicar's Report, St Martin's Annual Church Meeting (11th March 2007)

This is my report for the St Martin's Annual Church Meeting, held on the 11th March 2007. This report, plus the other church reports can be downloaded in Word format from http://walsallstmartins.2day.ws/walsallstmartins/section/Downloads/

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In my first report as Vicar of St Martin’s, which I gave in April last year, I said that there was much to give thanks for, but that we also faced many challenges as a church. Almost a year on, I think that that this remains the case.

Let me therefore start my report with some of the highlights from the last year.

The Net

In May 2006 we launched The Net, a monthly service which we hoped would appeal to people who do not currently come to St Martin’s. It has been extremely encouraging to see how The Net has steadily grown over the year, and that this has also led to growth amongst our main Sunday morning congregation. Looking ahead to the future, one of the challenges that we face with The Net, is ensuring that it is seen as an event for the whole family, and not just for children. Certainly we have noticed that whilst each month we seem to attract more children, we have not been so successful in attracting their parents! This is something that we are seeking to address.

I would like to express particular thanks to Martin King, who has been the main driving force behind The Net. What has been particularly encouraging has been to see how people from the church have come together to support The Net, it is truly a team effort, and I would like to thank all those who have supported this new initiative.

What we require for the future, is more people who can commit themselves to at least three or four Nets each year, to provide assistance. Areas that we particularly need help with include preparing crafts, running a base, providing refreshments and preparing posters and leaflets. If you would like to help please speak to either myself or Martin.

The next Net will be on Sunday March 18th, feel free to come along and see what it is we are doing, and find out how you can be involved.

Alpha

We are now onto our third Alpha Course since January 2006, attendance at each course has been encouraging, with a significant number of the participants having little or no previous connection with St Martin’s. The course is undoubtedly helping people to reflect upon the Christian faith. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” All we can do is be faithful in planting the seeds, and trusting their growth to God. Your ongoing prayers for the Alpha Course are very much appreciated.

Again, running the Alpha Course would not be possible for the band of volunteers who help prepare and serve food, as well as lead the small groups. I am indebted to all who have given up time and money to serve the church in this way. Our next Alpha Course is scheduled to start in September.

Community Links

During the last year, I have had the opportunity to strengthen my own links with Park Hall Infant and Junior School. I now am in Park Hall Infant School most weeks taking assemblies, and I visit Park Hall Junior School up to several times every half term, and have on a few occasions gone into the school to help assist in lessons, or to welcome the children to St Martin’s.

We are very fortunate as a church to have facilities that are used by a variety of community groups and my thanks goes to John Garbett who deals with the hall bookings.

Church Attendance

Back in October, a year after my licensing as Team Vicar, I reflected on church attendance at St Martin’s over the past 16 years. The bad news I reported was that our: usual Sunday attendance has halved since 1990, and since 1990 we have lost 89% of our young people.

However, over the last few months, it does seem as though our numbers as a church do seem to have stabilised, and possibly increased. There does appear to have been some small, but still significant growth amongst the number of children and families attending St Martin’s, and this is something to really give thanks to God for.

But the challenges facing us are considerable, and we need to continue to reflect on how we can reach out to more people within our community.

Young People

Another area where we face both opportunities and challenges is amongst our young people. I would like to express my particular thanks to Richard and Diane Sainsbury for the work they do amongst the Youth Fellowship (YF). Numbers at YF have fluctuated quite a lot over the year, but there is always a really positive atmosphere. In the coming months we face a challenge about the future of YF, to consider what best meets the needs of the young people within our church, and also our wider community. Again your ongoing prayers for this vital work are very much appreciated.

Tribute also must be made of our Sunday Group Leaders, Mick Pymm, Peter Wheble, Martin King, and Anne Firkins, plus those who support them. As their report highlights, it is not easy to plan the sessions when they are uncertain as to how many children they will get, but there have been some encouraging signs of growth and their hard work and commitment is laying the foundations for the growth of these young peoples faith. However, more helpers are needed if this work is to grow, so please consider whether this is something you could help with, maybe on an occasional basis.

St Martin’s is also extremely fortunate to have a very popular and well run Parents and Toddler Group, which is run by Emma Knott, Emma Wadley and Sheila Wright, although with Sheila looking to relocate to Spain on a more permanent basis, it is important to find more volunteers to help run this group.

Ministry Team

One of the things that greatly appealed to me about St Martin’s when I first arrived was the fact that it has a Ministry Team. It was wonderful to be able to welcome Jackie Brown and Jane Quinn to the Ministry Team last year, taking the team up to its full quota of eight people for the first time since its introduction.

St Martin’s was recently given Mandated Ministry status by the Diocese, which is in recognition of what the church has achieved in trying to encourage every member ministry. On April 1st, the Archdeacon of Walsall will be coming to St Martin’s to preach and officially commission our Mandated Ministry Team.

DCC

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the DCC for their service to the church, and especially to Liz Dunthorne, who although remaining on DCC, is standing down as Secretary. Just over a week ago the DCC attended a conference held here at St Martin’s, on the subject of Leading Your Church into Growth, and in May we have arranged for a DCC Day Away, which I hope will enable the Church Council to prayerfully reflect on how we can lead the church forward into further growth, and renewal.

Wardens

Two people, who, the whole church is indebted to, are our Wardens Phill Ball and Lilian Turner. I am so grateful for Phill and Lilian’s support, and guidance. One of the primary functions of a churchwarden is to represent the views and opinions of the whole church congregation, if you like to be an advocate for the church, and Phill and Lilian have always faithfully discharged their duties.

As many of you will be aware, Phill has had a strong sense of calling for some time now, and in April will be attending a Selection Conference for the Ordained Ministry. Because of this, Phill has decided that the time has now come for him to stand down as churchwarden. On behalf of the whole church, I would like to express our thanks to Phill for all he has done during the time he has been warden. Please hold Phill in your prayers as he attends the selection conference in April.

Needless to say the role of church warden is an extremely important one, and I am therefore delighted to report that Derek Kelsey has agreed to become our next warden.

To support the wardens in their Sunday duties, we have two deputy wardens, Dorothy Doody and Carl Petrucco, and again I would like to express my thanks to them for all that their hard work. Carl is standing down as deputy warden, and I am pleased to report that Peter Wheble will be taking over from Carl.

Finances

This year, we once again managed to pay our Parish Share in full, and meet our other financial commitments.

However, looking ahead to the coming year, it is clear that as a church we face some significant financial challenges, which we will talk about in more details following this service. Put simply, our income does not meet our expenses, and so in order to meet our commitments, we have had to dig into our church reserves last year by the sum of £5,291. One of the reasons for this shortfall in income is due to a drop in congregational giving.

As you will appreciate, this situation cannot continue, because if we have another year like this last year, there will be no reserves left. We therefore face the challenge as a church of having to increase our giving by 5% during this year, in order just to break even, to put that another way, we need to raise our income through giving by £5,840. I have written to every member of the electoral roll to invite you to review your current level of giving, and to consider if you can make changes to that, and I would ask you to prayerfully consider this request.

Increasing our giving by 5% this year, is not an insurmountable difficulty, but it does challenge us as a church to take seriously are commitment to give to the work of God’s church.

I would like to thank John Duder for all he has done as Treasurer, and Martin King for his work as Stewardship Officer. John, after being in the post of Treasurer for several years, has decided to stand down, and so on behalf of the church I would like to express my thanks to John for all he has done. I am delighted to report that Roger Turner, has agreed to take on the roll of Treasurer.

Cluster

The clergy from the five cluster churches continue to meet on a regular basis to plan and pray, and we participate in regular pulpit swaps, which St Martin’s directly benefits from. During this last year, we have said good bye to a number of friends including, Peter Wilcox at St Paul’s, who is now Canon Chancellor at Lichfield Cathedral, Frances Tyson who has moved to Southampton, David Stokes Harrison who is now house for duty vicar in Shropshire, and Mark Ireland who has returned to parish ministry in Wellington near Telford. Jenny Nightingale the curate of St Paul’s, will be leaving Walsall in June, to take up a new post in Bournemouth, and in May we will welcome the Revd Mark Kinder and his family to Walsall, as Mark becomes the new Priest in Charge of St Paul’s.

The Body of Christ

Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:27 writes that the church is the body of Christ, and that we each have a part to play in it. Although I have mentioned a number of people by name in this report, there are many others who help serve the life of the church. Much of this work goes on in the background, but helps strengthen and serve the whole body of Christ. Particular mention should be made of the home group leaders, hospital team, those involved in visiting the sick and elderly, those involved in prayer ministry, charity representatives, flower arrangers, sides persons, refreshments team, and those who help assist in leading worship (leading intercessions, reading, administrators, worship leaders, etc.) The list is likely to be longer, but your work is truly appreciated. The strength of a church lies in the people, and I am thankful for all who work hard to serve the church.

The Future

Looking ahead to the coming year, I feel encouraged, but we still have a lot to do. I believe that our main priority is for us to put prayer much higher on our agenda, so that we hear what God is calling us to do, and that TOGETHER, as a church we may faithfully serve God and our community. In a sermon that I preached back in October, I said quoted from the Diocesan Going for Growth Strategy, which said: “The growth of the kingdom and the growth of the Church depends on the Holy Spirit, not on human striving. Prayer MUST be our first priority. Church members have a vital part to play, praying daily for the growth of the church and of the kingdom.”

I believe that if as a church, we are to see the growth that we all long for, then we must take the call to prayer much more seriously. Because, a praying, will be a growing church.

I want to conclude with Paul’s words from Philippians 3, which I hope will be our prayer as a church for the coming year. “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. , and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me… One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Luke 9:23-25 & Matthew 25:31-40: The Cost of Discipleship

Introduction

Advertising has become a huge business. You can’t escape from it, it is everywhere, on the radio, on tv, on our computers, on the clothes we wear, on the back of buses, everywhere.

The purpose of a good advert attempts not only to sell you a particular product, it tries to sell you a life style choice. For example, we are encouraged to believe that the type of car we drive, the sort of clothes we wear, the place where we choose to go on holiday, says something very important about the sort of people we are, it says something about our values and aspirations. Charles Revson, who owns a factory making lipstick, said this: “In our factory, we make lipstick. In our advertising, we sell hope.”

But when people came to Jesus and asked him what they would have to do to follow him, Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24) Clearly Jesus hadn’t had any lessons on advertising, because if you are going to try and sell something, talking about taking up your cross, and loosing one’s life, is probably not going to attract many takers.

The Royal Marines run a recruiting advert which has the strap line, 99.9% need not apply, the point being that clearly only a select few are good enough for the Royal Marines.

Although Jesus’ words are not to be interpreted in this way, he is making clear the cost of discipleship.

Firstly Jesus said we are to deny ourselves. But what does he mean by this? We are in Lent, and during Lent many Christians give up things that they like, is this is the sort of denial Jesus was referring to? The answer is no, although self denial of this sort is a good spiritual discipline.
Denying OurselvesBy denying ourselves, Jesus is saying we need to renounce self. We need to put God, and not ourselves at the centre of our lives. It is about letting God be the one who is in charge of our lives. It is about putting God in the number one spot, rather than ourselves.

We are living in a society, where so much emphasis is placed upon putting self first, and so Jesus’ words are incredibly counter cultural. As a rock star Alice Cooper, is very famous, he is also a Christian. In an interview about becoming a Christian this is what he said. “People think it’s ironic that Alice Cooper, this rock ‘n’ roll rebel, is a Christian. But it’s the most rebellious thing I’ve ever done. Drinking beer is easy. Trashing our hotel room is easy. But being a Christian – that’s a tough call. That’s real rebellion.”To put God first in our lives is not easy. Martin Luther said “Here is what Christian living entails: wishing in all things whatever God wishes; desiring his glory, seeking nothing for oneself, either now or in the hereafter.” Many people find this difficult. This is why many people find it easier to live their lives their way rather than God’s. C.K Chesterton said “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it’s been found difficult and not tried.”

Take up your crossThe other instruction Jesus gives is to ‘Take up your cross’. Mark was writing this gospel for Christians living in Rome, who were undergoing persecution. It would have been a familiar site to see a condemned man carrying his cross to the place of execution. This theme of having to suffer for your faith would have been very relevant for the Christians in Rome. And today many Christians around the world face real persecution for their faith.

But living in this country, we do not have to face the same hardships. So what does Jesus actually mean by ‘taking up our cross’? It means being prepared to surrender everything to God, giving our whole life over to him, submitting our lives to him. Just as Jesus submitted himself to the will of his Father. There is actually a great paradox in what Jesus is saying, because it is when we surrender our lives to God, that we discover true freedom.

Dietrich Bonheoffer was a German theologian and pastor, who established the Confessing Church in the 1930s, and was involved in the German resistance movement against Hitler. He wrote a book, called ‘The Cost of Discipleship’, first published in 1937. In this book he writes, To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only Him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. … All that self-denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to Him.""…and take up his cross." … Only when we have become completely oblivious of self are we ready to bear the cross for His sake. If in the end we know only Him, if we have ceased to notice the pain of our own cross, we are indeed looking only unto Him. If Jesus had not so graciously prepared us for this word, we should have found it unbearable.

He goes on to write, “To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When it comes, it is not an accident, but a necessity. … the suffering is an essential part of the specifically Christian life.

It is not suffering per se but suffering-and-rejection… for the sake of Christ. If our Christianity has ceased to be serious about discipleship, if we have watered down the gospel into emotional uplift which makes no costly demands and which fails to distinguish between natural and Christian existence, then we cannot help regarding the cross as an ordinary everyday calamity… We have then forgotten that the cross means rejection and shame as well as suffering.

Bonheoffer, had to carry his own cross, he was killed by the Nazi’s days before the end of the war.

The parable of the sheep and the goats, from Matthew’s Gospel is a reminder to us that we cannot live our Christian lives in isolation from other people. And this too, is part of the cost of discipleship. I have heard people say that their Christian faith is a private matter, but this parable demonstrates that it cannot be purely private. Our faith has to impact our life, and the way we treat others.

In James chapter 2 verse 14 we read, ‘What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

As Christians we are called to demonstrate God’s love through the love we show to others. These acts of love and compassion aren’t dependent upon wealth, ability or intelligence, they are simple acts freely given and freely received.

The people Jesus reached out to, and the people we also are called to reach out to, was the prostitutes, the alcoholics, the drug addicts, the homeless, those people on the margins of society. The challenge here is not only to demonstrate love to those people that are similar to us, but to those people who the rest of society would shun. This takes us beyond our comfort zone. To people and places we would rather not go to. And it can be costly. And Jesus makes it clear that we will be judged on the criteria of how we have treated others.

Being a Christian is not easy, we know from the Gospels, that there were many people who wished to follow Jesus, but found the demands too difficult, like the rich young man. The Christian life is challenging, and at times it can be a struggle, as we seek to overcome our own wills and passions, in order to put Christ first. Fortunately, the God we worship and follow is merciful and kind, and understands are struggles and our frailties. To be a disciple of Christ requires a full-time, long-term, commitment, being prepared to endure all manner of things for the sake of Jesus Christ, but which results in the reward of eternal life in the kingdom of God. Augustine said: “Christ is not valued at all unless he is valued above all.” God has called us be comfortable Christian consumers, silent spectators, or a half asleep half-hearted halfway follower, he has to be at the heart of our lives.

John 12:1-11 Understanding True Christian Worship

What is worship?

When someone mentions the word worship, what springs to mind? I suspect that most of us would tend to think of worship as something that we do when we go to church, or even more specifically worship is something we do as part of our service together. For example we tend to think worship is that part of the service when we sing songs or chorus’. We talk about having a time of worship, before we have our scripture readings, as though they are not part of the worship.

When we think about worship songs, we tend to distinguish those from more traditional hymns. For example an old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church.

He came home and his wife asked him how it was."Well," said the farmer, "it was good. They did something different, however. They sang worship songs instead of hymns.""Worship songs?" said his wife, "What are those?""Oh they’re okay. They’re sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer."Well, what’s the difference?" asked the wife.The farmer said, "Well it’s like this - If I were to say to you: ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you: ‘Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, Martha, MARTHA MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN’!!! ‘Oh, Oh, Ooooooooh, yes, it’s true, the whole herd is in the awesome corn, yes, it’s true, the whole herd is in the awesome corn, --- weeell, it’s true, the whole herd is in the awesome corn!!! Alleluia! - That would be a worship song."

But just to give you the other side, a young Christian decided to attend a small town church, a different one to normal. He came home and his wife asked him how it was."Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular worship songs.""Hymns," said his wife, "what are those?""Oh, they’re okay. They’re sort of like worship songs, only different," said the young man."Well, what’s the difference? Asked his wife.The young man said, "Well it’s like this: If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,’ well that would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you: ‘Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry. Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth. Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by, To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth. For the way of the animals who can explain? There in their heads is no shadow of sense, Harkenest they in God’s sun or his rain Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced. Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebelious delight, Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed. Then goaded by minions of darkness and night They all my mild sweet corn have chewed. So look to that bright shining day by and by, Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn. Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry, and I no longer see those foul cows in the corn. AMEN!"Then, if I were to do only verses one, two, and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."...

So what is worship. Well it is true that worship is one of the things we do when we come to church, but worship is so much more than this.

To worship something, is to that thing worth, it literally means worth-ship. So when we worship God, we give him the recognition that he deserves. If we look in Scripture we see that the central understanding of worship is to homage and submission to God, it is about service to God, it is therefore all encompassing, it is about our whole life, and it is about reverence for God. This is why Paul in Romans 12:1 writes, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Our worship to God must be expressed in the way we live. It should be our number one priority in life.
One of the descriptions I like most of worship is contained in Matt Redman’s song ‘The Heart of Worship’, in it he writes, “I’m coming back to the heart of worship and it’s all about you, all about you Jesus.” This is what worship is about.

Why do we worship?

This leads me onto the question, why do we worship, and it is at this point that I would like to turn to our reading from John’s Gospel.

Our reading takes place at the home of Lazarus, in the village of Bethany, just two miles from Jerusalem. It was six days before the Passover, and the day before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. As Jesus was reclining at the table with his disciples, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, comes into the room, and breaks the seal on an expensive jar of perfume, and anoints Jesus’ feet. And we are told that the fragrance of this perfume filled the whole house.

Mary’s act was act of loving extravagance and spontaneous generosity. Hers is a love that is full-to-overflowing with spontaneous, unmeasured giving towards Jesus in response to all that he had done for her and her family. And this is the essence of worship. Our worship is a grateful response for all that God has done for us.

C S Lewis, wrote. “ We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment… To praise God fully we must suppose ourselves to be in perfect love with God, drowned in, dissolved by that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves as incommunicable bliss, flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression.”

To give an illustration, when you love someone, you don’t just keep your feelings locked up inside yourself, you need to express it through words and actions, because that expresses and makes real the love. And so it is with God.

Our worship, flows from an understanding of who God is, and what he has done for us. When we consider:
our God is a soverign God,
no means of measure can define his limitless love
he’s enduringly strong
he’s entirely sincere
he’s enternally steadfast
he’s immortally graceful
he’s impartial merciful
That is our God!
he supplies strength for the week
he’s available for the tempted and tried
he sympathises and saves
he strengthens and sustains
he guards and he guides
he heals the sick
he cleansed the lepers
he forgives sinners
he discharges debtors
he delivers the captive
he defends the weak
he blesses the young
he serves the unfortunate
he regards the aged
he rewards the diligent
and he beautifies the meager
That is our God!
He is the key to knowledge
He’s the wellspring of wisdom
He’s the doorway of deliverance
He’s the pathway of peace
He’s the roadway of righteousness
He’s the highway of holiness
He’s the gateway of glory.
That is our God!
His life is matchless
His goodness is limitless
His mercy is everlasting
His love never changes
His grace is sufficient
His yoke is easy
And his burden is light
That is our God!

When we know and understand this in our hearts as well as our minds, the only response we can give, is to worship God.

This is beautifully described in the hymn ‘How great thou art’. O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the works thy hand has made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power thoughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee, how great thou art. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art. And when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, he bled and died, to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee, how great thou art. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to thee, how great thou art, how great thou art.

Who or what is the object of our worship?

Who or what is the object of our devotion, of our worship. For Mary it was clearly Jesus, but it was not true of everyone gathered there that evening.

Mary was rebuked by Judas, for what he considered to be an extravagant waste. He objected to the use of expensive oil saying, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?” I have to confess that for a long time, I sympathised with what Judas was saying. Doesn’t he have a valid point? A years wages is a lot of money, and it could have helped many people. However, this was not Judas’ real motive, John tells us that Judas, used to steal the money, and so his concern was not with the poor or needy, but his own greed. It is clear that Judas’ real object of worship was money or greed, after all, a few days later he betrayed Jesus for 30 silver coins.
Ralph Emerson, an American poet and philosopher in the 19th century wrote, A person will worship something. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behoves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming.

It is possible to worship many things in our lives. For example, we can worship our children, our jobs, money, hobbies, possessions, even ourselves. Sometimes it is easier to worship created things, than it is to worship the Creator of all things. Jesus said, “Where your heart is, that is also where your treasure is.” So the question we all need to consider is God the main object of my worship, or is it something, or somebody else? And if it is not God, are you going to allow him to be at the centre of your life where he truly belongs.

In The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen retells a tale from ancient India: Four royal brothers decided each to master a special ability. Time went by, and the brothers met to reveal what they had learned.“I have mastered a science,” said the first, “by which I can take but a bone of some creature and create the flesh that goes with it.” “I,” said the second, “know how to grow that creature’s skin and hair if there is flesh on its bones.” The third said, “I am able to create its limbs if I have flesh, the skin, and the hair.” “And I,” concluded the fourth, “know how to give life to that creature if its form is complete.” Thereupon the brothers went into the jungle to find a bone so they could demonstrate their specialties. As fate would have it, the bone they found was a lion’s. One added flesh to the bone, the second grew hide and hair, the third completed it with matching limbs, and the fourth gave the lion life. Shaking its mane, the ferocious beast arose and jumped on his creators. He killed them all and vanished contentedly into the jungle.

If we worship something other than God, it has the power to turn against us. We have the capacity to create what can devour us. Goals and dreams can consume us. Possessions and property can turn and destroy us.

How do we worship?

So what lessons do we learn from Mary’s anointing of Jesus. First of all, in worship we are meant to give our best.

When Mary anointed Jesus, she didn’t use any old perfume, she used the best she could find. She used Nard, Nard is an oil like perfume extracted from the root and spike of the nard plant, which is grown in India. And we are told that it cost the equivalent of a years wages, around 300 denari.
Worship is an offering, it is something we give to God. And when we worship God for all he has done for us, it is to give him our all, to give him our best. I am not only thinking here about what we do when we church on a Sunday, but I am thinking about giving God the best in every area of our lives.

Our whole lives can be an act of worship to God. For example, when we are at work, we can offer what we are doing to God as an act of worship. Thanking him for all his blessings, and by giving him the glory by doing our best, honouring God by the way we handle ourselves, and by the way we treat others. It doesn’t matter where you work, you do it to the glory of God. I came across a quote which said, An authentic life is the most personal form of worship. Everyday life has become my prayer. But if we only give God a drop of praise, it is an unsuitable acknowledgement for an ocean of mercy.

What is the impact of a life lived in worship?

When Mary anointed Jesus, we are told that the house was filled with the fragrance of perfume. If we live lives of worship, if we are seeking to put God at the centre of everything we say and do, then it will have a profound effect on those around us. If we are living lives of worship, then we will touch and bless countless other lives. If we are living lives of worship, not only will we be transformed, but so will our families, our relationships, our places of work, our society, and our world.

Conclusion:

Worship is not simply about what we do when we come to church. Worship is about the way we live our whole lives, it is about the place of God in our lives. Mary shows gives us an example of what it is like to worship God. The love, care and devotion that she showed to Jesus, and not being concerned by what others thought of said, and we see what an effect that this has. As we journey through this season of Lent, and prepare to celebrate Easter, now is a good time for us to take a fresh look at our lives, and see how we can live lives of worship. Because, as the German theologian Karl Barth wrote, “Christian worship is the most urgent, and the most glorious action that takes place in human life.”

Psalm 51:1-17 David's Confession of Sin (sermon for the start of Lent)

Ashes have been used down through the ages as a synbol of, grief, sorrow and suffering. They have been employed to mark occasions of personal loss; to acknowledge national catastrophes, and the loss of life and prosperity these brought with them. Ashes have been used as an outward sign of the inner devastation an individual or a community felt.

Today, Ash Wednesday, we employ the use of ashes as an emblem of grief and mourning to signal our awareness of our sinfulness, as we begin the season of Lent. Our reading this evening from Psalm 51, is in keeping with this theme of penitenance that runs throughout Lent, it is a confession of sin. But it is also a looks forward beyond the power of sin to the power of God’s grace. And that too is the message of Ash Wednesday and the journey of Lent.

Psalm 51 is David’s confession to God. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, a faithful warrior in David’s army. When Bathsheba discovered she was pregnant, David tried to conceal his sin, eventually plotting to have Uriah killed in battle. David then took Bathsheba to be his own wife. But no matter how crafty David was, he could not hide his sin from God. God sent the prophet Nathan – who exposed David’s sin and confronted him with God’s judgment. This psalm is said to be David’s heart wrenching confession after this encounter.

When we read the psalm we notice, however, that there is nothing in it that explicitly refers to these events. There is no mention of Bathsheba, or Uriah, Nathan or David. This is why this psalm has become so popular, David speaks for us all, because we have all experienced the pain of guilt, and we have all cried out for forgiveness and healing. Psalm 51 is for us a model of confession; a template, if you will.

The first thing we notice is David’s brutal honesty. He doesn’t hold anything back, he’s letting it all go. There is no argument on David’s lips, no indictment of God, no hint that there is anyone to blame but himself. He writes, “I know my transgressions – my sin is ever before me.” He doesn’t try to blame anyone else, or find excuses for his actions, he owns his sin. Until we own our sin we cannot begin to truly confess it before God.

This leads us to the next point – sin is confessed before God. When we think of sin, we tend to think in terms of the wrong we do to other people, but sin is first and foremost against God. Do we hurt others when we sin? Of course we do, but other people are not the standard of right and wrong, God is. Whenever we commit a sin, or hurt someone, we are first and foremost insulting God. That is why David says, “Against you – you alone have I sinned – and done what is evil in Thy sight.”

In relationship to God we have to own our sin as our own – without any excuses – and we have to stand squarely before God as the one whom we have offended and the one to whom we can say without qualification “you are justified when you speak and blameless when you judge.”

That would seem like a scary prospect if all we knew about our relationship with God was how different God is from us. Every Sunday we confess our sins together. When we do that we are not dwelling morbidly on our sins – as if there was no remedy or as if God simply wants us remind ourselves of how bad we are. Instead we pray as David prays here, with the assurance that God has a great plan for us beyond the clutches of sin. “You desire truth in the innermost part of me,” David acknowledges, “deep down you want me to know wisdom.”

Someone once said, “The ability to make good choices come from wisdom. Wisdom comes from experience. Most experience is the result of bad choices.” We grow in wisdom by acknowledging our faults. When we do this before God, God gives us the desire and the ability to avoid falling into the same traps of sin over and over again.

David pleads “Create in me a clean heart, O God, renew a steadfast spirit within me, do not cast me away, restore to me the joy of salvation…” As Christians, we should not get stuck in the rut of sin, but look beyond the emptiness and brokenness of the moment to the new possibilities God offers. In verse 13 we see that God is already beginning to plant ideas in David’s head of what a restored life will look like: I will teach so others also we believe in you; v. 14 I will joyfully sing; v.15 I will declare your praise. This psalm is insistent that to be forgiven is not to return to some status quo we had before – it is to be changed, it is to throw off the old and put on the new.

In verse 17 we read. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” This psalm shows us that we cannot ask for lips to praise until we have engaged in a profound yielding and emptying of ourselves before God.

The message of this psalm is that there is nothing that God cannot forgive, there is nothing that He does not know. The only question is will we be brutally honest with ourselves and place ourselves before God, will we cry out as David did – with total abandon, and yet with total faith – that the broken pieces of our lives will not be scattered, but will be taken up by the Master potter and fashioned into something new and beautiful, and worthy of worship.

God loves each of us just as we are; but because he loves us, he will not leave us as we are. In the prophet Ezekiel we hear this promise, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe my voice.”

As we start this season of Lent, we acknolwedge that apart from the grace of God we are absolutely incapable of dealing with sin in our lives, but through God’s grace we are given the promise of new life.

Tonight we look forward and toward Jesus. Jesus, who knew no sin, but was made sin on our behalf. The great mercy of God that David anticipated, and the great sense of God’s utter justice that he respected, we see focused in Jesus Christ. God’s right judgment upon sin was poured, not on us, – but onto Him. Through Jesus’ submission to God on the cross, we can share in the God’s mercy and forgivness. Even from the cross upon which he suffered, Jesus pleaded for us “forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Tonight we turn to Jesus; we behold the cross and look also beyond it, so that we may “consider ourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-20 How to make the most of Lent

I wonder how you feel about Lent. Personally I really value Lent, because it gives me an opportunity to look again at my relationship with God. It is the equivalent of a spiritual MOT.

However, I often feel I struggle to make the most of Lent, and so this evening I want to spend a few minutes looking at how we can make the most of the next five weeks.
In our reading from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus gives instructions about the three main acts of religious devotion which are: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Jesus warns his hearers against the ostentatious devotion sometime found in the religion of his day, and which can still be found today. Jesus says that what ever you do, do it quietly, without fuss, because you are doing it for the praise and glory of God, and not to earn the acclaim of others.
Very often when we think about Lent, we think about it in the context of giving something up, usually something we do a lot of and that we find pleasure in. For instance we may give up sweets, alcohol, or tea and coffee. Of course when we think about giving up things for Lent, it need not be material things. We could for example give up unhelpful attitudes, or ways of behaving. There are several reasons why have this tradition of giving up things: First of all it is a
· a discipline for learning self-control, to free our minds from the chase after material things,
· as a reminder of Christ's sufferings and what our true pleasures are as followers of Christ,
· as an act of sorrow over our sin.

There is sometimes a danger that in Lent we try to out do one another in our piety, bettering one another. So you’re giving up chocolate this year? That’s nothing, I’m giving up food altogether.

Jesus warned his disciples against this sort of attitude. “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen, and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Lent can also be an opportunity for us to take up new things as a spiritual discipline. So for example:
- you may wish to make time in the middle of the day to read some verses from the Bible and pray, even if it is only for 10 minutes.
-Alternatively you may think of ways in which you can show acts of kindness to people you meet, and thereby give them a taste of God’s love.
- Or think of something ordinary that you do every day, and think about God while doing it, in a way that ties into what you're doing. Or think of a place you come to regularly, and each time think where Christ might be in this place, what Christ might do there, or what you might be led to do for Christ.

There are many ways in which we can use this season of Lent, to examine ourselves and prepare ourselves for Easter. But whatever we choose to do, we need the attitude that this is something that we are doing for the praise and glory of God, and not to gain the praise of others.

We should heed the words of Paul who wrote, Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen.

Isaiah 6:1-6 Honest in Prayer

A lawyer, named Thomas Strange, was shopping for a tombstone. After he had made his selection, the stonecutter asked him what inscription he would like on it.
"Here lies Thomas Strange, an honest man and a lawyer," responded the lawyer.
"Sorry, but I can't do that," replied the stonecutter. "In this state, it's against the law to bury two people in the same grave, and the authorities would be confused. However, I could put 'Here lies an honest lawyer.'"
"But that won't let people know who it is" protested the lawyer.
"Sure they will," replied the stonecutter. "Everyone who reads it will think, 'That's Strange!'"

Over the course of the last few weeks, we have been thinking about prayer. We have considered prayer as relationship, the role of listening in prayer, how God responds to our prayers, and in this sermon I want to talk about honesty in prayer.

Prayer is all about our relationship with God, rather than a spiritual technique. And because it is about our relationship, good communication is essential, just as it is in any relationship. No relationship can exist without emotional honesty, not least our relationship with God. Yet, in human relationships, as well as in relating to God in prayer, many people find it difficult to be totally honest about what they really think or feel.

The same is true when it comes to prayer, many people struggle to be honest in prayer with their feelings and emotions. I think this tends to becomes more of a problem the older we get. For example, children are often more open and honest about what they think, and they are not afraid to speak it out.

For example, I came across these children’s prayers.

Dear God, did you mean for the giraffe to look like that, or was it a mistake.
Dear God, thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a
puppy.
Dear God, I bet it is really hard to love all the
people in the world. There are only 4 people in our family, and I can
never do it.
Dear God, if we come back as something, please don’t let me be
Jennifer Horton because I hate her.

So why is it that sometimes we find honesty in prayer difficult to achieve? It is the same reasons why we sometimes find being totally honest with other people difficult.
1. Some people find it difficult sharing their emotions and feelings with another person.
2. We are afraid of opening up, and making ourselves vulnerable.
3. We are fearful of rejection.
4. We feel it would be inappropriate to be totally honest – I am not saying we lie, but we maybe keep back some of the truth, a subtle difference!
5. There are some things we would prefer to keep hidden, and for others not to know.
6. Sometimes we live in denial, about ourselves, and the sort of people we are. We hide the truth from ourselves, and therefore find it almost impossible to share it with others.

But as I look through scripture, what strikes me is that we can find so many incidences of people being brutally honest with God. We see this particularly in the Psalms. The Psalmist is often starkly honest about his feelings, his wishes, his despair, and sometimes even his disappointment with God, and he is not afraid to express this.

But this is not easy, Henri Nouwen, wrote “Prayer is no easy matter. It demands a relationship in which you allow the other to enter into the very centre of your person, to speak there, to touch the sensitive core of your being, and allow the other to see so much that you would rather leave in darkness.”

The reality is that for it is very easy for us to come to pray out of routine or habit, but we are not always totally honest with God. We can wear masks, we pray for the things we think we’re supposed to pray for, but we may not say what’s really on our hearts.

In Psalm 51, verse 6 David writes, “You [God] desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” In other words, God wants us to be honest and open with him. This is what he desires from us. Just look for yourself again at the Psalms, see how the Psalmist is not afraid to tell God just how he feels.

But how do we do this? How do we enter into that intimate relationship with him?

We can't just determine to try hard to do these things. We have to ask God to show us our heart, and allow Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to renew and transform us into His likeness.
This is where our Old Testament reading from Isaiah comes in. Because this is exactly what Isaiah did.

The death of King Uzziah was a very traumatic event for the young prophet Isaiah, and the whole nation. Uzziah was one of the great kings of Israel, who had reigned for 50 years, but was then struck down with leprosy. Not only was this a deadly disease, worst of all, leprosy was seen as the judgement of God. One was an outcast from society and God. All the hope that had been invested in this reign had turned to dust. It is no wonder therefore that Isaiah turned to God at a time like this.

Whilst Isaiah was praying in the Temple, he had this most dramatic, incredible vision of God, revealed in all his glory.

And when Isaiah saw the glory of God, he suddenly became very aware of who he is before God. God showed Isaiah what was truly on his heart, everything was laid bare, Isaiah had no mask to hide behind. Isaiah cries out, “Woe is me! I am lost, For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!” Notice that it is not God that tells Isaiah that he is a man of unclean lips, Isaiah discovers this for himself when he sees his life in the light of God. We discover the same when we meet a really good, loving, honest or generous person – it throws light on our character and choices.

One of the things this passage reveals is the importance of needing to be honest with ourselves, as well as with God. Isaiah, is honest with God, about who he is, about his struggles, about his failings, it is his confession. God deals swiftly with Isaiah’s sin. A live burning coal from the altar touches his lips, and God declares ”Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” We see here that God’s goal is not to make us feel guilty, but rather to give us strength to play our part in his purposes for the world around us. Therefore, that fear that if we are honest with God, he may reject us, is totally unfounded. That is not how God acts, God loves us, and wants us, like Isaiah, to share in his loving purposes.

Stephen Cottrell, writing on prayer, says that “When we pray we become ourselves as God always intended us to be. We let go of the illusion our self image so often creates and enter into a relationship of love where our true self comes to light, knowing it is cherished and valued. That is the goal of prayer, not so we can change God’s mind, or get the things we ask for, but that we may be changed into his glory.

So, how do we come before God in honesty? Francois Fenelon, a 17th century monk wrote the following in a letter:

"Talk with God about the thoughts of which your heart is full. If you enjoy the
presence of God, if you feel drawn to love Him, tell Him so. Such sensible
passion will make the time of prayer fly without exhausting you, for all
you'll have to do is say what you feel. But if you are in a time of dryness,
or inner resistance to God, or feel that he has abandoned you. Do the same
thing. Say equally what is in your heart! Tell God that you no longer feel any love for Him, that everything is a terrible blank to you. Tell Him that things concerning Him exhausts you, that His presence doesn't move you emotionally, that you long to leave Him for whatever comes your way, and that you won't feel happy until you've left Him and can turn your time into thinking about yourself. Tell Him all the evil you know about yourself. But don’t just leave it there, say to God take my heart and change it, and have mercy on me in spite of myself! Tell God without hesitation everything that comes into your heard, with simplicity and familiarity, as a little child sitting on its mothers knee."

If we don’t learn to be honest with God, if we bury our feelings, it only leads to frustration and resentment. Learning to be honest with God, takes time. God is teaching me how to be honest with Him. And in my honesty, He meets me. Layer by layer, He shows me the hardness surrounding my heart —my pride, my anger, and my resentment

Then, as I walk with Him, He shows me what's behind those emotions, and He peels that hard shell off my heart one thin layer at a time.

The end of Psalm 139 reads, "Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts; see if there is any offensive way in me and lead me into life everlasting."
Spend time with God in complete honesty. Ask Him to reveal His character to you. And, give Him your uncompromising obedience.

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to kids as gifts?
What if we used it as we traveled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?

This is something to make you go hmm... where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing. Unlike our cell phone, we don't ever have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

Mark 4:35-41 Fear or Faith: Facing the Storms of Life

Lord, please speak through my words, and touch our hearts and minds to transform us into the people you wish us to be. Amen

As a child growing up in Cumbria, I used to do a lot of sailing, particularly on Derwentwater. Most of the time, sailing was wonderful hobby, but if you got caught in a strong wind it could be utterly terrifying. So I identify with what the disciples must have felt when they got caught in a storm on the sea of Galilee.

I want to think about how we respond to the storms in our own lives, the times when we feel we are drifting in the sea, and being battered by the waves that live throws at us. How do we respond to such situations in our own personal lives?

The sea of Galilee lies 680 feet below sea level, and is surrounded on all sides by mountains. Because of its situation the sea of Galilee is subject to sudden and severe storms. Whilst Jesus and the disciples are crossing the lake, a sudden and very violent storm develops. A number of the disciples were experienced fishermen and sailors, so they knew of the dangers that the sea of Galilee could pose. Yet even they were caught by surprise by the suddenness of the storm and were terrified. The waves started swamping the boat, and they go over to Jesus who was sleeping in the stern, the most sheltered part of the boat, and they shake him so he will wake him up. And they cry out, "Master, master, we’re going to drown! " Then Jesus, gets up, rebukes the wind, and commands the waves to be still, and suddenly the storm stops. The wind and the waves obey Jesus. Then Jesus turns to the disciples and rebukes them saying, "Where is your faith?".

In the story we have just heard there were two responses to the crisis that faced Jesus and his disciples. The first was fear, the second was faith.
The disciples responded with Fear. When the storm hit them they panicked, and in Mark’s version of this story, the disciples rebuke Jesus for sleeping. Teacher, are we to drown for all you care? (v.38) It is easy for us to respond to a crisis with fear, to feel that we are being overwhelmed by circumstances. The disciples panicked because Jesus seemed to be unaware and unconcerned about the storm, and sometimes when we are going through similar times of turmoil it can feel that God is distant, and not aware of what is taking place in our lives. There is a healthy fear that keeps us alive and well - that moves us into action and that sends us in prayer to God. That is a fear that goes hand-in-hand with faith. But often fear keeps us from trusting in God, just as it kept the disciples from trusting in Jesus.

Compare now how Jesus responded to the storm. Whereas the disciples responded in fear, Jesus responded through faith, and challenged the disciples to do likewise. The very fact that Jesus was able to sleep in the midst of the storm, showed that Jesus not only placed his trust in the abilities of his disciples but he also placed his trust in God the Father. Jesus rebuked the disciples lack of faith in him (v.24), and challenged the disciples to place their trust in him. He challenged them to put their trust in the true sovereign Lord, who has power over all things. The disciples are left asking the question "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

The one who created the sea, is the one who controls it. We see this in the Old Testament where all creation must submit to the will of God. The God who parted the Red Sea, is the one who commanded the sea and the wind to be still in Matthew 8:22-25. Jesus challenged the disciples to turn from their fear, and place their faith in him. Stanley Jones writes that 'Faith is not merely you holding onto God, it is God holding on to you. He will not let you go.' Jesus did not abandon the disciples to the storm, he remained with them in the boat, and he endured the storm with them. Likewise when we go through the storms of life, God remains with us, we are never abandoned. However sometimes it is hard to let go of our fear, and to place our trust in God, this is why it takes a step of faith. So often we are like the man who fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. And as he hung there he shouted out: "Is anyone up there?" "I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?" "Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on much longer." "That's all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch." A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?"
We need to let go of the fear which keeps us from faith, and to trust that God will care for us.

What can we learn from the stilling of the storm. First of all we must recognise that in our Christian lives there we will have to face storms. Yet for the Christian to be with the Lord, whether life's seas are running smoothly or not, should be enough. Being Christians does not guard us against problems in life, in fact Jesus said that by following him we would suffer more. There will be times when we will be battered by the storms of life, but what is important is that Christ goes with us on our journey. We are not alone. Jesus said "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

8 years ago, I worked for the Mission to Seafarers as a chaplain’s assistant, and one of my jobs was to visit the ships that came into port. On the ships I would often see a picture of a sailor clinging to the ships wheel in the middle of the storm, and behind the sailor would stand Jesus, holding the wheel, and guiding the ship through the storm to a safe port. Jesus does care for us, and guides us through the storms of life. We must not judge his care for us, or the state of our discipleship by the roughness of the seas over which we sail. When Jesus replied 'Do you still have no faith' to the fear of the disciples, what he wanted them to do was to trust him, to have faith in him. His very presence amongst them was all that was needed for them to survive. And the storm was eventually calmed, and as Christians we have that promise that one day the storms of life will be over for us, and we will find ourselves safe in the arms of Jesus. So when we feel like you are being swamped by worries, and fears, we have two choices, either to surrender to God and place our faith in him, or to surrender to fear.

To conclude, I want to read you the following words, which I have personally found encouraging.

Trust Him when dark doubts assail you,
Trust Him when your strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Seems the hardest thing of all.
Trust Him, He is ever faithful,
Trust Him, for his will is best,
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
Is the only place of rest.
Amen.

Let us pray: Lord God, when we face lives storms, and when you seem distant, may we know your presence with us, guiding, sustaining and supporting, and help us to put our faith in you. Our loving, and faithful God.
Amen

Dream Necklace

With Valentines day on Wednesday, this story ammused me!

A woman was taking a nap on Valentine's day afternoon. After she awoke, She told her husband, "I just dreamed that you gave me a gorgeous necklacefor Valentines Day! What do you think it means?"

"You'll know tonight." he said.That evening, her husband came home with a small package for her. Thrilled, she opened it and found a book titled "The Meaning of Dreams."

How to prepare for global Warming

It's been a strange week for weather. Last Saturday I cut the lawn for the first time because the grass was growing so fast and getting so long, a consequence of the incredibly mild winter we've been having. I would normally start cutting the lawn a month later. There has often been only 10 degrees difference between the temperatures we've been having here in Britain during winter, to what they've been having in NZ during their summer. It really felt like spring had come early.

Is it spring?

But then a few days later, we have two days of heavy snow and sub zero temperatures (heavy by our standards anyway!) I have to confess I always get a bit embarrassed with the way Britain grinds to a hault with what, although quite a heavy snow fall, was nothing special by European standards. For example, when I visit Poland during winter, it is not uncommon to find the pavement covered in 4 inches of ice, but people still manage to get to school and work.

or winter?

You don't need to be a scientist to know that significant climate change is taking place, you can see it all around. Since we've had spring and winter in one week, I'm getting ready for the start of summer, which I recon will be with us by Tuesday, by bring the BBQ set out from storage, and digging out the shorts and sandals. I'll then be getting out the big jumpers for the onset of autumn (which will probably be here by next weekend).

Christian One Liners

Christian one-liners (some make you smile, some make you think)

Don't let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose but mosquitoes come close.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete; thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches; what difference does it make which one you stay home from?

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a full stop.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

John 10:11-18 Leadership

Introduction

There was a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application form that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst.

To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower."

This morning, we are reflecting on the subject of leadership. What are the qualities of leadership that we should be looking for as Christians? How does this relate to leadership within the life of the church, and what things can we learn for our own lives?

Our reading from John’s gospel sheds some very interesting light on the sort of qualities we should be looking for in our leaders.

The Good Shepherd: Leads from the front

Jesus used many different metaphors to describe himself, I am the true Vine, I am the way, the truth and the life, I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, and I am the good shepherd.
What do we learn about leadership from the good shepherd? Firstly, the good shepherd leads from the front. Here in Walsall we don’t see many sheep, but I come from Cumbria where sheep greatly out number humans, and when moving sheep the shepherd drivers the sheep from behind, with the use of dogs. However, in the middle east the shepherd leads the sheep from the front. This is why in Psalm 23, known by many as ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd’, it talks of God leading us beside still waters.

And this is one of the first qualities of good leadership, a leader is one who leads from the front, and most importantly, they are people that others want to follow. However, the Bible warns against the blind leading the blind, and so vision is an important quality in leadership. In Proverbs 29:18 it states, that “Without vision, the people perish.” If we consider churches that are growing, and having a real impact on their communities, you will discover that the leadership within those churches have a clear vision of where it is they are heading, and what it is they hope to achieve. This sort of vision, needs to be rooted in prayer and careful study of scriptures, because what we seeking is God’s vision for the church. There is a quote which says, “Vision that looks inward becomes duty. Vision that looks outward becomes aspiration. Vision that looks upward becomes faith.” It is that sort of vision we need to look for.

When a shepherd leads his sheep, they choose to follow him, not because they are coersed to do so, but because they trust the shepherd. And the skill of a really good leader is to lead people to where they don’t necessarily always want to go, but ought to be. In order to achieve this, there are certain qualities which are essential in order to be a good leader.

During the second world war Dwight Eisenhower served as the supreme commander of allied forces in Europe, and in 1953 went on to become the 34th President of the United States of America. This is what he said in reference to the qualities necessary for leadership. “In order to be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence the supreme quality of a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, on a football field, in an army, or in an office. If a man's associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.”

Lays down his life

The other thing we learn about leadership from John’s Gospel, is that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus makes a contrast between the good shepherd and the hired hand. The main difference is that the good shepherd cares for his flock, where as the hired hand doesn’t. Shepherding is a hard, demanding and costly way of life. In 1 Samuel 17:34-35 David describes what it was like to care for a flock, and protect it from wild animals. “Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.”

To be a good leader, in whatever sphere that may be, means caring for those you are responsible for, and this can be very costly. It can be costly, emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. Consider for example, the way in which those who Jesus loved, and had cared for during the course of his ministry, abandoned him at the moment he needed them the most. Being in a position of leadership can at times be very lonely.

Knows his sheep

The other thing we notice from this passage is that the good shepherd knows his sheep. To be totally honest, I cannot tell the difference between one sheep and another, they all look pretty much the same to me, but the good shepherd knows each sheep individually. In the context of God, the message is clear, God knows us all by name, he knows us better than we know ourselves. He understands our needs, he understands our struggles and our anxieties, and as the story of the shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep reminds us, he loves us as if we were the only person in the world.

Applying this to leadership, a good leader knows and cares for those that they are immediately responsible for. It is about putting the interests of others first. Leadership can follow one of two routes. Either it is directed to the self life of the leader, or it is directed selflessly for the good of those who are led. The former is the way of the world, which leads to death; the latter is the way of Jesus, which leads to life. The understanding of leadership from a Christian perspective is about becoming the servant of all, and this requires humility. Again our greatest example is that of Jesus. When James and John came to Jesus and asked to sit one at his right and the other at his left, Jesus responded “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 10:44-45) Good leaders, must first become good servants.

The sheep know his voice

Just as the shepherd knows the sheep, so the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. I heard a story of one visitor to the Holy Land, who witnessed an extraordinary scene. There had been a storm, and several different flocks of sheep had sheltered in the one building. The flocks were all intermingled, so to the outsider it was impossible to see which sheep belonged to which shepherd. But one by one the shepherds came, and called by name, each of their sheep, and when the sheep heard their name called, and recognised the voice of the shepherd, they responded.

A good leader, is someone who others will listen to, and want to follow. And therefore integrity and conviction of beliefs is very important. But it is also a reminder, that as Christians, we should be listening to voice of our master, and faithfully responding to his call.

Leadership in church

So far I have been discussing leadership in general, I now want to turn briefly to consider leadership within church. There is a risk that when we think of leadership, within the church, we tend to think in very limited terms, thinking primarily of the ordained leadership. However Paul’s description of the church as a body in 1 Corinthians, reminds us that we all have a part to play within the life of God’s church. If you look through the New Testament, you will see that the burden of leadership is always shared.

We can draw some useful lessons about leadership from geese! Geese travel thousands of miles, and they have four very interesting habits.

1. Those in front rotate their leadership. When one lead goose gets tired, it changes places with one in the wing of the V-formation and another flies point. A recognition that leadership is tough, and it’s important that that burden is shared.

2. By flying as they do, the members of the flock create an upward air current for one another. Each flap of the wings literally creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. It has been estimated that by flying in a V-formation, the whole flock gets 71 percent greater flying range than if each goose flew on its own. It is often said that 80% of the work in church is done by 20% of the people, how true is this of St Paul’s, and what can we do to encourage greater collaboration so we can achieve more.

3. When one goose gets sick or wounded, two fall out of formation with it and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with the struggler until it's able to fly again. This reminds us of the importance of supporting one another, particularly those in public leadership roles. How do you support your clergy here at St Paul’s? Would you notice if one of your church leaders was sick or wounded? And if so, how would you respond. I tend to find that whenever someone announces in church that they feel they should move on, or do something different, the immediate thought is not for them, but for the job they do, and how are we going to find someone to do their job.

4. The geese in the rear of the formation are the ones who do the honking. I suppose it's their way of announcing that they're following and that all is well. The repeated honks encourage those in front to stay at it. Leadership can be lonely, and it is good and important to get encouragement. Are we quicker at giving encouragement or criticism?

One lesson stands out above all others: it is the natural instinct of geese to work together. Whether it's rotating, flapping, helping, or simply honking, the flock is in it together...which enables them to accomplish what they set out to do. And I think that this is a wonderful model of leadership in church, and something for us all to consider.