Talk based on Romans 6: 12 to end, Matthew 10: 40 to end

Following Jesus Christ, his life and teachings has never been simple, easy or indeed straightforward (just ask the disciples!). But here in this short extract from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is telling them and by extension us, that the people who welcome the disciples, welcome him too and receive a blessing.

The challenge for the disciples when they went on their missionary journeys was that not everyone was welcoming of them, or the Good News they spoke about.

In verses which precede this reading Jesus has warned them that following him will in some cases cause division even in their own families. That is as true today as it was then. Some Jewish families will hold a mock funeral if one of them becomes a Christian and refuse to talk to them again, some Muslim families will do everything in their power including using violence to make Christian converts deny Jesus.

There can be is a huge cost to making the statement ‘I believe Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah, the saviour of the world.’ Most of the time in Western society there is a polite interest if we tell our friends that we are now following Jesus, but that is where it ends. 

At the same time, Jesus says, God recognises those who may not be followers of Jesus, who see the good in what they are doing and offer hospitality to his followers, whether that is to provide a roof over their heads or to give a cup of cold water or food on a table.

The East window in All Saints also refers to verses later in Matthew’s Gospel in Chapter 25 where Matthew records Jesus as saying – at the last judgement.

³⁵For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ³⁸When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ ⁴⁰And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’

This is how we don’t just love our neighbour, but we love strangers even those who we don’t particularly get on with. We go the extra mile.

To do this is a challenge as our reading from Romans says because this challenges us to make choices each day. To put away our old selfish attitudes of ‘Me first….’ and instead be open to give what we have to others who need our help.

But how can we change our own attitudes? Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to dwell in every believer. The very Spirit of God resides inside me and you. He reveals Jesus to us. He empowers us, as we let him, to say no to selfish attitudes and yes to unselfish attitudes.

I love the prayer that is used at the end of Lectio 365 morning prayer each day. It goes like this:

Father, help me to live this day to the full,

being true to you in every way.

Jesus, help me to give myself away to others,

being kind to everyone I meet.

Spirit, help me to love the lost,

proclaiming Christ in all I do and say. Amen.

In praying this, we acknowledge that we cannot live our Christian lives on our own. We ask the Father to help us to live like Jesus.

We then ask Jesus to do as he has commanded – to give ourselves to the service of others each day – being kind to everyone we meet.

Thirdly, we ask the Spirit to work in our minds, our hearts and our lives to be bold in proclaiming the good news by loving others as we love ourselves.

This is the ideal – it is what we aspire to as followers of Jesus.

Two things to end with: Mary last week had done a wonderful summing up of the previous weeks sermon and she ended by telling us:

‘To choose God as the disciples were choosing God by going out to serve Him. We are God’s called children, and we are saved and loved eternally. Be certain you are loved and saved by God and filled by His spirit so that whatever you face or God calls you to, you are eternally safe in His hands.

In all this though, we remember that we are not perfect, we are all sinners…. but and here is a good ‘but’ we are, (and this is the most important thing), saved by grace. All our sins, committed up to now, now and in the future are taken by Jesus when he hung on the cross – no ifs, no buts. That is why we can live lives as Jesus has asked us to live them each day. So, if you would like to explore what Christian faith is all about, from September 9^th, we are, together with Christians in Mickleover hosting the Alpha Course at All Saints on Wednesday evenings.

Alpha, is I think the best introduction to what the Christian faith is all about. May I invite you to come? You won’t regret it. Do speak to me if you are interested. Every blessing. Peter.