Dear Friends
“I believe in one God,” we say during the Divine Liturgy and at other times. We, each of us, say not that it is our opinion there is one God, not that we think there is one God, but that we are loyal to one God, we are faithful to one God, we place our hope and trust in one God.
In our modern world we are separated one from another, and this process of separation seems only to accelerate. Many now know few, if any, of their neighbours, we travel long distances to work merely to fulfil contractual obligations then return home while others work remotely staring into a screen, we maintain virtual relationships online while more detached from each other. We no longer even need to interact with a person when purchasing, either using self-checkouts or ordering online and lurking behind the door until the delivery driver has gone before venturing out to retrieve the parcel.
“I believe in one God,” we solemnly proclaim, but if we truly believe it, how may we bear to be separated one from another? We are told, from the beginning,
Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’
Genesis 1:26–27
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
If each one of us, along with every person we meet, bears the image of God then it is in the face of another that we encounter the living God. In the Gospel reading we will hear in a few weeks, Christ tells us,
Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.
Matthew 25:39, compare verse 45
But what is the more tragic, what is the more lamentable, is when we see the image of God in icons, in ritual, in mysteries, but fail to see Him in our brothers and sisters in Christ. For as much as we say, “I believe in one God,” we also say,
And I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, …
I encounter the living God through the Church, through her Mysteries, through relating to my brothers and sisters in the Church—my family!—and the Church, the Body of Christ, incorporates me into Herself that I may take up my position, my role, my needed input.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we need the Church. We need the Church to bring Christ into the world, to activate our own faithfulness, to be alive and more fully persons. Let us not be strangers to one another but be there to help and support, to rejoice with one another and to comfort one another, that out of individuals we may become true persons, let us “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) Let us not only worship together but be joined one to another that we may witness the love of God and demonstrate to the world that separation is not the answer, that distance from each other is, in reality, distance from God.
My dear brothers and sisters, let us be not only Christians in name but Christians in deed.
Come and see!
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Sermon
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
Christ climbs the Tree. He rises up above the people so that He may see us and we see Him. He climbs the Tree and holds out His arms in a warm embrace. “Now My soul is troubled,” says the Lord,
“‘and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour”? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Father, glorify Your name.’
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’
Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’
Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.’”
— John 12:27–32
For the Son of Man comes and not only tells us what we should do, He demonstrates what it is to bear the image of God, His is the example we must follow. Around us, in a world full of sin and confusion, in a world whose power and authority are passing away, even here the word ‘love’ still is important. And our society is desperate for it, searching for it, longing for it, but they do not know what it is. Some believe it is merely pleasurable feelings while others believe it is getting whatever they want, some believe it solely about attraction to another while others shout out slogans of “free-love” and permissiveness: yet these are selfishness and exploitation, they bear no resemblance to love.
“Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.
Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.
A new Commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
— John 13:31–35
Yet this Commandment to “love one another” is not new, it can be found in the Old Testament as well as among atheists and other religions: what is new, what is radical, is “as I have loved you.”
…
Read this Sermon, Christ climbs the Tree.
Archive of Past Sermons.
Services this week
Friday 30th January
Discussion on Job, 8 pm
Online only
Saturday 31st January
Great Vespers, 6.30 pm
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Sunday 1st February
Matins & Divine Liturgy, 9 am
At 3rd URC Scout Hall, Chandlers Ford
Online session is via Google Meet: please get indd 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 Christ
Fr Alexander
webenquiry@orthodoxeastleigh.uk