Dear Friends
Christ is risen!
Our modern world has left gods in our wake—they were from a primitive time, a less enlightened time, a time of myths and magic. Now we have science and learning, technology and knowledge, and we have moved beyond offering sacrifices before an idol in order to get victory, wealth and power. And more so, our western world has left behind the Christian God, the final nail in the coffin against superstition and religion.
We are moving towards an election and politicians on all sides will talk of the economy. “Our policy protects the economy and protects jobs,” might be easily said by any one of them, “we must do all we can to protect economic growth so we will be richer.” And even, “we must all make sacrifices for the sake of the economy.” And as much as our world claims to have left religion and superstition behind, worship of the god of the economy remains—so built in to our culture that we barely recognise it. The economy promises everything—we just need to find the magic formula, the magic conditions, then all will be rich, all will have what they desire, all will be fulfilled. And as much as we try to claim we have left pagan practices behind, we are held by them, entranced by them, held in slavery by them.
The Lord speaks to us with words which are as fresh today as when they we spoken on the mount nearly two thousand years ago.
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Matthew 6:24
And I am convicted to the heart. I want more wealth, despite what I already have, but I cannot describe why. I just want more. But wealth is not infinite, and if I acquire more then that means I force others to have less. My expanding bank balance and my appreciating assets mean that others are deprived of benefit. And while this may be the way of the world, it is not the way of a Christian.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us act in defiance to the world, and when the world wants us to sacrifice for the sake of the economy we sacrifice for the sake of God and our neighbours—each bearing the image of God within them—and when the world encourages us to acquire worldly possessions we practise generosity, and when the world calls us to join the religion of worshipping the economy we come together in one place and offer our worship to the living God who loves us, cares for us, died and rose for us, that we might come to eternal Life.
Come and see!
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
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Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
Christ is risen!
Where were the Disciples? The Eleven, those remaining after the falling away of Judas Iscariot, were cowering “the doors [being] shut … for fear of the Jews,” (John 20:19) except the Beloved Disciple. So it was left to Joseph of Arimathea to intercede before Pilate, to remove Christ’s body from the Cross and bury him alongside Nicodemus and the women disciples. And, on the third day, it was the women alone who went to the Lord to do for him what was necessary.
Where were the Eleven? They remained in fear while the others acted with boldness, they remained motionless while the women acted with love, they remained trapped in fright while Joseph stood begging before the Governor for the Lord.
And I am forced to face the question: where am I? Am I as the Eleven, or am I as the Theotokos, Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna the wife of Chuza; Salome the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; and Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus? When I am needed, am I cowering with fear or am I active in the work of the Lord? For the Eleven, yes they hid themselves, but when Pentecost came they spoke with boldness and,
“Their proclamation went forth into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 18:5 ʟxx)
What is my excuse for inaction?
…
Read this Sermon, Hew out our hearts.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 24th May
Discussion on the Gospel of Matthew, 8 pm.
Online only
Saturday 25th May
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm.
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Sunday 26th May
Matins and Divine Liturgy, 9 am.
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Online session is via Google Meet: please get in contact for the details.
Please join us: all are welcome, come and see.
Attending Church
We meet at 3rd URC Scout HQ, Kings Rd, Chandlers Ford SO53 2EY. The Scout hall is behind and to the left of the URC Church. Come and See.
Can I help you?
I am here for you, you need only ask. Is there a way I can support your life of faith? Get in touch.
Can you help the parish?
Yes, absolutely. Offer yourselves to the Lord: pray! Make available to him all your talents and ask him how he would like you to use them — listen for his reply.
Your prayers!
With love in the risen Christ
Fr Alexander
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