Preacher: Canon Karen
Date: 16/05/2021
And so now it’s over to us – but not quite. We have a week’s grace to get used to the idea. Jesus is no longer in the world. Last Thursday, Ascension Day, was his last day on earth as he ascended to take his place alongside his Father in heaven. And that was the challenge. What would happen now? Was that it? Were the three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry the total extent of God’s involvement with his people?
Is that it ?was the question that the disciples had already asked once before when Jesus was crucified. And, of course, Jesus had proved them wrong at his resurrection. But this time it’s different. It should have been enough to reassure the disciples that Jesus had confounded their disillusion the first time, but this time, in addition, they have Jesus’ promise that he will never leave them – although it will be different. He will be leaving them physically but he will be sending them his Holy Spirit, God’s continuing presence with them. And the purpose of that is – what? Not for their own comfort alone, comforting though that would indeed be.
Their three years with Jesus were by way of learning and preparation for the disciples. Jesus had shown them by revealing the human face of God, what God’s kingdom was all about. But like any human being, even though he was God, he could only do so much. Jesus had laid the ground, done all the hard work. Now it was time for all that he had taught in and by and through his life to be spread beyond the boundaries of one person, one geographical area. It was time for God to be revealed throughout the world, no longer in the person of the physical Jesus, but in and through the persons of those who had come to recognise him for who he was.
That was the disciples then. And what a job they did. 12 ordinary men with all their human frailties. One of them had even handed Jesus over to his death. And here we are 2000 years later, followers of that Way that Jesus instigated, the Way his disciples followed and handed on.
So as we in our mind’s eye watch Jesus ascend to the heavens on Ascension Day with that promise ringing in our ears that we are shortly to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, how do we react?
The fact that the Church is here today, 2000 years after its beginning might lead some to think that it’s been a smooth, or at least, not too bumpy a transition from one generation of believers to the next but, of course, it’s been nothing like that. There have been huge debates and arguments and divisions along the way. It’s chastening to reflect that we are here in this church today because of the most enormous bust-up in the Church.
But whereas most people, I think, wouldn’t choose argument and division, the history of the Christian Church shows that to be a follower of the way of Christ means engaging with a living, a dynamic faith. Of course humans, being human, have abused the Christian faith for their own purposes, but alongside its misuse, the true followers of Jesus have sought to work out, each in their own generation, what that way of living means in and for their context.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel, in his conversation with his Father, says that his followers do not belong to the world, but he is not asking his Father to take them out of the world to cushion them from all the difficulties they will experience in the world. Indeed, Jesus is sending us into the world. Just as Jesus made his Father’s name known in the world, that is now the task to be taken up by his followers.
We are at something of a crossroads here in Cirencester. As we emerge from the effects of the pandemic, certainly on the life of our country and community here, but also on our church life, so it’s a time to think about where we go from here. There’s no going back to how it was, because we are in a different place because of the experiences of the past year. The wider Church has also got a lot of thinking to do about its mission and ministry, not least about its financial position and the impact of huge losses of income this past year. Will we see St Paul’s Cathedral close because it’s run out of cash, when 90% of its income was from tourists and visitors? And what does that say about the place of St Paul’s and so many of our churches which are heritage sites, Cirencester Parish Church included. Is our purpose now just as sites of architectural and historical interest? I would hope that you don’t think that therein lies the future of the Church. But if not, then it’s for us to determine ways of engaging with the world in which we live all the while not being of the world. Because that’s what we’ve got to offer and for which our world yearns. Not being caught up with the values of a human world but living in God’s kingdom of love and peace and joy.
But we are in the world and need to work with its institutions if we are to bring about change. It’s no good saying the Church should keep out of politics because it’s through politics that decisions are made and we Christians need to be there to influence those decisions.
Elections, for example, are important. The early disciples recognised that. They needed to replace Judas and so an election was held. We will be experiencing change as a result of the elections of last week. Change, however it is brought about, provides opportunities. And there’s a role for everyone. We may not have been elected to public office or to office in the Church but we each have a role to play.
I wonder what happened to Justus? He lost out to Matthias in the disciples’ election and I don’t think we ever hear of him again, but somehow I can’t believe that that was the end of Justus’ contribution to the life of the Apostles or the early Church. Every disciple has something to bring to the work and now is the opportunity for each one of us to consider our response. Here in Cirencester there are plans underway for a closer involvement with our community, for the best use of our building and West Market Place, in connecting again with those areas of our parish with which we have lost touch, in thinking about how we can best work with our young families, children and young people. How long is a piece of string? There is a role, a place, a job for everyone. How will we respond?
We have a week to think about it. Next Sunday we shall be welcoming our empowerment by the Holy Spirit to continue Christ’s work and the work of the disciples of the last 2000 years in building up God’s kingdom in our time, or will we? It’s up to you. Amen.