All Saints Day Sunday 1st November 2015

If Christianity is vitalising that’s not why we’re in it. We’re in it for the praise and service of God. Vitalisation comes with the territory.

You’re vitalised by the friends you keep and being friends with Jesus fills your spirit with unalterable youth.

Our first two readings for All Saints Day speak of heaven using the symbol of Mount Zion the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem innumerable angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Hebrews 12:22-23 with this from 2 Esdras 2:43), In their midst was a young man of great stature, taller than any of the others, and on the head of each of them he placed a crown, but he was more exalted than they.  

In such words centring on their risen Lord Jesus early Christians spoke of communion and fellowship in the mystical body of … Christ … and the inexpressible joys … prepared for those who truly love God.

We’re a society passionate for inclusion but the inclusion we’re talking about today comes from the unalterable newness of Jesus that reaches beyond death to knit together a mystical body ignorant of mortality.

Christians don’t age or die in spirit. They’re kept young, in the prime of joy, by the most precious and meaningful and awesome reality – I mean the age and death defying Lord Jesus.

The church bell rang 33 times this morning as it does before every service because at that age death encountered the Lord Jesus. ‘Who is that young man who is placing crowns on them and putting palms in their hands?’ He answered and said to me, ‘He is the Son of God, whom they confessed in the world.’ So I began to praise those who had stood valiantly for the name of the Lord. (2 Esdras 2:46-47)

I don’t see God as an old man white a white beard sitting on a cloud – do you? I see him in the 33 year old youth and power of Jesus and in the saints. If I see God in the weak Babe of Bethlehem and the powerless figure on the Cross, in solidarity with the weak and powerless, I see him ultimately in the ring a ring of roses youthful dance of heaven where God’s joy is written large in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn.

It’s the first day of November, month of holy souls, when in the northern hemisphere falling leaves are reminders of mortality. In the southern hemisphere trees are blossoming. Life on earth has such cycles and they’re pointers to a higher realm, revealed to us by Jesus Christ, recorded in Bible and creed and celebrated at the eucharist, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. That realm runs above and counter to the joylessness of materialism, false religion and scepticism none of which come near God.

You can’t know God exists without joy and joy’s the sign you’ve come near to him. You can’t imagine heaven without joy - that is our destiny, to enjoy God forever with all the saints.

If you think about why you’re in Church this morning you won’t have to think long before identifying holy souls who’ve helped shape your active faith. They’re in our past and they’re among us now, in very surprising places. In recent weeks I’ve found quiet joy visiting church members in the harshest of circumstances. It was to people in such circumstances, theirs linked to persecution,  that the 1^st century authors of Hebrews and 2 Esdras were inspired by God to write with reassurance about the world to come. Today’s liturgical celebration is given to write that reassurance large.

In the Gospel reading from Matthew Chapter 5 we have the secret of eternal youth from the lips of the Son of God. Jesus announces attitudes that pave the way to possessing unalterable joy with all the saints saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven… those who mourn… the meek… those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... the merciful…  pure in heart…  peacemakers and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10)

These qualities aren’t so much rules or doctrines to grasp but a line by line description of how you live real. To live real you need undeceiving by the world, the flesh and the devil, by a media which at times says the very opposite to what Christ says of the triumph of humility, meekness, purity and enduring humiliation for the truth’s sake. People with these qualities are our best teachers on the route to holiness. They reveal the Lord’s reality and all we are considering today about heaven is based on that and nothing less.

Christianity’s a revelation more than it’s an explanation of what’s real. Like our spire it points beyond the pursuits of this world to what’s real, to the inexpressible joys … prepared for those who truly love God.

Do you truly love God? That’s the challenge in today’s gospel. Without setting your heart as Jesus says, with his help and for his glory, that love isn’t true. You know, it’s the sort of ‘I love me and want you God’ sort of love not found among the meek, merciful or poor in spirit.

Archbishop Robert Leighton, a pastor of great unselfishness, who in 1684 was buried here wrote If you ask, ‘how shall I do to love?’ I answer, ‘believe.’ If you ask, ‘how shall I believe?’ I answer, ‘love.’ ‘Believe, and you shall love; believe much, and you shall love much. Leighton preached in this very spot and wrote on the subject of sanctity we address on All Saints day: The journey we are engaged in is indeed great and the way uphill; but the glorious prize which is set before us, is also great, and our great and valiant Captain who has long ago ascended up on high, supplies us with strength.

Robert Leighton sensed as many Christian teachers sense today that the issue for humanity is nothing more or less than the supernatural and that the denial of the supernatural is ultimately dehumanising. In other words human beings can’t go it alone and never were meant to go it alone. We have within us our own unmaking and ageing to death in our pride, anger, lust, envy, gluttony, avarice and sloth. We can have though, also within us, if we invite him, the supernatural power of our re-making and revitalising  through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

God who is in us is greater than the evil inside of us writes St John (1 John 4:4b). Believe it! Be loosened from sin’s shackles! Let the youthful exuberance of Jesus shine forth within you to counter inner tiredness for as Isaiah prophesies those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.(Isaiah 40:31)

Saints of God, come to our aid, lend us your prayers, that we may truly love God and make God loved in this place!

At your prayers and ours may St Giles grow in faith, love and numbers into the unalterable youthfulness of Jesus, to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and for ever. Amen.

Epiphany 5 Salt and light 9.2.14

When we look at the impact of St Giles Church on Horsted Keynes and its surrounds it amounts to far more than an ancient spire pointing to God. The real pointers to God are you and I and all members actively involved in family, work and neighbourhood.

'You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? ... You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven'. Matthew 5:13-16

Those words from the Sermon on the Mount capture a large part of what we are at St Giles. We aspire to be a church 'growing in faith, love and numbers' not just for our survival but for the sake of the quality of our life together in the village and its surrounds.

To dwell on salt, it may be currently an unfashionable commodity, but without it much of what we eat would be uninspiring. When we were on our self-catering holiday we bought some the first day having forgotten to bring some along. We got far more than we needed, so here it is coming out this morning as a sermon aid! (show Gran Canaria salt)

Those who live close to God, as Jesus intimates, have disproportionate impact on their surrounds and here I take a bit of a risk naming some village ventures that have been church initiated and are making a difference.

The idea for the village lunch came from St Giles. Through that vision 50 or so partake of a monthly event that brings the village together. The lift scheme is partly manned by church members. You may remember from the Premier Radio series how it was an important first step towards the Church for Lesley Whiting who was confirmed last year. Her husband John phoned me during a freeze up to ask for help to get to hospital for Lesley's ongoing cancer treatment.

That story shows how social engagement can have evidently evangelistic consequences - in any case we show the good news of God's love by living it as much as, if not more, than by speaking of it, though speaking of it we must do on occasion. This is where salt partners light (show bulb).

Another seasoning to village life is the effort taken by church members in the name of Family Support gathering clothing, toys, food and so on to serve families in need. In this way surplus goods are seasoned, to use the Gospel image. The little bit we do, like a little bit of seasoning salt, puts tasty meals on the table for many in Sussex driven to choose between food and fuel.

'You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?' As on many occasions we wrestle with Our Lord's imagery. As a physical chemist I find it hard to imagine that most stable of compounds, sodium chloride, losing its taste other than in a high energy desalination plant! However I do see how Christians can lose their flavour and I'm sure it happens in my own life at times through lack of imaginative service.

Being salt and light is about instrumentality, about giving up our own ambitions, the desire to make our mark on others, in the name of collaborating with God and others to increase overall the quality of our common life.

Last week we celebrated our school and its right to praise the school governors, not least those from St Giles, for their voluntary input week by week, month by month, which seasons the life of our Primary School. Through that partnership of teaching staff and volunteers a real difference is made to the life of the children of this village and its surrounds.

The salt and light images are images of love in being outgoing and selective. We choose where we season or where we shine our light, 'this little light of mine'. The love of Christ in us has no ambition to serve itself but only to move beyond selfishness into service where Christ so desires.

That love within us has the power, Scripture says to overcome all things and it is such faith that helps us stand alongside struggling people and agencies pointing them to what's within their grasp.

Here I could remind us all how imaginative connected up thinking by a handful of individuals of Christian conviction, brought funding into play to renovate the Martindale and season it for better service. I would also here pay tribute once more to Derek Crowson at the Old Rectory for his generosity to the village and the church over many years. Where people are in a position to donate large sums of money the presence of community groups who know the ground and how its best to be cultivated often leads to transformative action.

To speak here of the need for toilet facilities at St Giles is not a distraction. It's evidently not a kingdom of God priority along the lines of Family Support Work or the Village lunch, packing of clothes for Mozambique or sending funds to Guyana - but it is exactly relevant to restocking the salt cellar (show) or renewing the light bulbs (show). For church growth you need nowadays, besides good preaching and reverent celebration of the sacraments, car parking, heating and toilets. I am encouraged by the interest of the Friends in finding us a lavatory!

Our Mission Action Plan seeks church growth 'in faith, love and numbers'. Today's Gospel addresses how we exercise faith to show and build love. By that I mean how we overcome selfishness so as to see things as others see them, sympathise and place our time, talents and resources their way. 'Give', Jesus says, 'and it will be given to you'.

We're thinking from our Gospel reading in Matthew Chapter 5 of church growth in faith and love, how we give out, but that in itself should grow us in numbers. Of course God doesn't think primarily in numbers but he does so sufficiently to maintain his work which is always one generation away from extinction.

Last year I invited each of us to pray for a period of time a blessing on one person 25 years younger than themselves. I believe those prayers have been answered among other things through our having eight or so confirmation candidates preparing for full church membership next month. Keep up those prayers, for without them, without new leadership emerging at St Giles, we'll see the Friends taking over the whole building in 25 years time!

Into the melting pot of these godly concerns, concerns for St Giles to maintain itself to give salt and light to Horsted Keynes, I would add a concern we find God's women or men to serve in forthcoming PCC vacancies. In particular one to stand alongside David Lamb in place of James Nicholson whose much appreciated term of office as Churchwarden will end in two months time.

What might God be saying to you this morning as you hear Jesus say 'be salt' or 'let your light shine before others'? Most of all he would speak to where your life is currently bound up in marriage, family and workplace so there you can shine and savour things. The community ministry of the Church is an add on to this, partnering what we do together to savour and light up the life of our community, but it may be his invitation to you at this time.

My advice is seek Him, seek what the Lord requires, seek God knowing family and work must come before church, but seek him mindful of the needs I have set forth which we have at St Giles in case you can add value to his work among us.

'Give and it will be given to you' - and God is no one's debtor!