The Reverend Wilbert Awdry would be glad to hear of a clergyman selling books about Jesus on the railway.
His daughter Hilary protested that a recent television series on her father’s Thomas the Tank adventures would have dad spinning in his grave. They’d changed all references to Christmas to ‘winter holidays’.
This year is Awdry’s centenary and I’m glad Bluebell has not just one but two chaplains here tonight and 5 minutes on the programme geared to put Christ into Christmas rather than take him out!
Am I getting steamed up? I hope not – sorry – I hope so – standing where I’m standing!
The great thing about Jesus is he’s bigger than any religion even Christianity. Now he really is out for inclusivity and an inclusivity that goes beyond political correctness.
Jesus came to show God isn’t just God of the paid up followers of religion but everyone’s God. He paid a price for that in rejection, suffering and death.
When he rose from the dead – no historical event has been as closely examined than that Easter event – it was God’s way of putting this truth on the map.
God’s not the God of insiders but of outsiders. That’s why he was born outside the inn in a cave and died outside the city on a Cross.
We’ve every right to criticise his followers when they close ranks and make Jesus inaccessible to non-members.
The Reverend Awdry knew some church folk like that. Grumpy Gordon is modelled on a difficult parishioner!
How about the Fat Controller? We don’t know who’s behind the name but I’m told he’s been as much a victim of Thomas the Tank rewriters as Christmas.
Is it so amazing that the Christmas story angers some folk so much they don’t want it repeated in a public place?
The idea of God as a personal God who’s made us and come in person to show us his love and seek entry into our hearts can rattles cages! Some resent the idea of a God who sees all they do and to whom they’ll have to give account.
I beg to differ. I beg them see in Jesus one who makes God actually credible.
If God really is love that would need to have been demonstrated in history and the person of Jesus is the best witness to it we’ve ever been given – read my book!
Oh dear – forgive me! Clergy like trains can get pushy and demanding! We don’t need tons of coal like a train but we still ask too much of folk sometimes!
A priest once had the privilege of speaking to the comedian Groucho Marx. I’d like to thank you, Mr. Marx the priest said, for all the joy you’ve brought into the world. Quick witted as ever Groucho replied And let me thank you, Father, for all the joy you’ve taken out!
Well that’s not our task at the Bluebell Chaplaincy – I hope not!
A clergyman had mourners in hysterics at a Crematorium. He’d rushed into the Chapel from a distant place carrying his sat nav. As the coffin was laid on the trestles a tinny voice resounded: You have reached your final destination!
Over all the earth, down through twenty centuries the warm light of Jesus has continued to shine drawing people to a great destination.
It’s been given to lighten our minds, warm our hearts and energise our lives - if we will welcome it.
Just as the light of the coal and its heat energises the cylinders of this train the Christ Child is given to energise our living, warm up our souls and to get them moving in worship and service towards a great destination.
Over Christmas there’ll be plenty of opportunities to stoke our inner furnace as we go to Church.
What Jesus announces is this: there’s a refuelling possible in life. There’s a warming of the heart.
There’s a joy from outside of ourselves waiting to come in if we’ll but welcome its source.
Joy to the world! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; let ev’ry heart prepare him room.
Let’s sing again and warm our hearts as we do so!
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