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In touch

Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

Know who I am?

How well do we know Jesus – as a gate or a shepherd (John 10:1-11)?

Context

• In case you hadn’t heard, it’s the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6 May. Although, perhaps, we have come to know more about him as a person and his personality than we did his mother, the future role of monarch surely still necessitates a certain level of authoritative detachment. We are used to hearing his voice, but who is the man beneath the crown? Will we ever know? Do we need to know?
• As the officiating Christian denomination over the coronation ceremony the Church of England has produced useful information and resources for worship and prayers. Other denominations will be represented at the ceremony and have also produced resources for prayer and reflection.
• There was sad news in the world of popular entertainment this week with the deaths of Barry Humphries and Len Goodman and, also fairly recently, Paul O’Grady. All three were larger than life characters in the public eye.
• King Charles and Barry Humphries were friends. The King called Barry in hospital just hours before his death.

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

• This week’s Gospel passage speaks of a shepherd whose sheep know him by the distinctiveness of his voice. We hear these words from Jesus, according to John’s telling, at a time when many people might be reflecting on the loss of three entertainers known for their distinctive voices or catchphrases: Dame Edna’s Australian megastar-isms; Len Goodman’s East End strictly-one-liners; and Paul O’Grady’s (aka Lily Savage) Birkenhead sharp-edged comebacks. These voices, along with King Charles himself, have surely long been in the repertoire of any would-be stand-up comedic impersonator. Some might frown upon those who have built such a career by using the voices of others but, in some sense, clergy and worship leaders have been doing it for centuries. So today we use words from the Bible, written by John, to hear Jesus speak about the voice of a shepherd.
• ‘Dame Edna has died!’ was the resounding saddened cry in our house last weekend! Upon reflection I realised that our first response was not: ‘Barry Humphries has died!’ Is it sad or a true recognition of the talent of someone’s life’s work when they are more well known for a role or character they played, or a public identity they’ve assumed during their lifetime, than for who they actually were. John’s Gospel is famous for Jesus ‘I am…’ sayings. In John 10:7-9 Jesus states twice: ‘I am the gate’. This is closely followed in verse 11 by Jesus expanding his sheep illustration as he also says: ‘I am the good shepherd.’ Let’s face it, the gate one is of the more weird ones. ‘I am a gate?!’ But it gets you thinking. And, like Barry Humphries' self-elevated alter-ego, it tells a story that has so much more to it than when simply taken at face value.
• ‘Hellooooo, Possums!’ Dame Edna was a megastar who pushed the limits of political correctness, with a warped sense of honesty which I suspect many of us would secretly love to unleash on the world around us. On stage she might address a woman in the front row of the audience in a confiding, carrying voice: ‘I know, dear. I used to make my own clothes, too.’ She often used her caustic style of comedy to also mock the very concept of ‘celebrity’ of which she was a part, while branding herself as ‘housewife-superstar’, ‘megastar’ and, later, ‘gigastar’ – comically ranking herself among the upper echelons of society and even alongside royalty. This included Queen Elizabeth II and her family, whom she claimed would call her for advice on life in polite society: ‘I’ve had to change my telephone number several times to stop them ringing me.’ Our ears are bombarded with loud and influential voices every day. Some of them are worth listening to, either for entertainment value or for worthy advice. Jesus speaks of sheep and sheepfold and shepherd as an illustration that he knows us. But, unlike so many celebrities or public figures such as our new King, Jesus wants us to get to know him too. That it is in knowing him more, that we will have more of life!

The coronation of King Charles III

As I write I’m sensing mixed feelings from the world around us as we approach the big coronation event on Saturday 6 May. For some it will be an exciting day. For others, it will be treated just like any other day. While others might strongly object. I am certainly looking forward to the sense of uniting people together that such an event brings with it, and of course our own celebrations in our local churches and communities. Yet, whatever your viewpoint, for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth it is undeniably a significant day in history, confirming our move onward from living a lifetime of monarchy under Elizabeth II.

You will not be surprised to hear that the sense of ceremony on such royal occasions, from the point of view of an act of Christian worship, intrigues me. Although, this is often also accompanied with a measure of frustration when unnecessarily outdated or inaccessible language is used or left unexplained – which can leave the non-church-going populace feeling bewildered or alienated. As King Charles III is crowned King of the UK and Commonwealth in the special service of coronation, although it will be significantly shorter and less ornate than his mother’s ceremony, we might see several elements that seem familiar in some ways to those of us used to making acts of commitment in church:

• Promise. As part of the coronation ceremony King Charles will promise to serve the country and God, which traditionally involves a symbolic action using the Bible.
• Annointing. The Archbishop of Canterbury will pour holy oil on King Charles’ hands and head, as a sign of blessing from God. In some Christian traditions this echoes what happened at confirmation, seen as the progression from baptism when we were younger.
• Symbols. As part of the investiture and crowning of the King he will receive his robes, orb and other royal items, and be given his crown. (The word Coronation comes from the Latin word for crown, ‘Corona’.) These are all symbols of what he is committing himself to in his new role, much as we might receive the gift of a Bible or a cross at our baptism, confirmation or investiture to an office or ministry within the church.
• Commitment. We witness our country’s senior leaders show faithfulness and commitment to the new King on behalf of the people of the land, much as we might commit ourselves to walking in Christ’s way.

(Roots has produced a nature trail aimed at ages 5 to 11 to celebrate the coronation of the 'green king’. The activities would be good for families to do together.)

For the day of the coronation the United Reformed Church offered the following message and prayer:

‘In our contemporary society, and certainly within our congregations, there are a variety of views on the monarchy, yet we can unite in wishing Their Majesties The King and Queen well today.’ 

‘We pray that they will feel God’s presence as they are anointed and throughout His Majesty’s reign. We hope that they will use their office well and use their voices at the centre for those on the margins of our bitterly divided society. We pray that His Majesty The King reminds us of the importance of spirituality and religion in the lives of our nations. Above all, the URC commends their Majesties, The King and Queen, to God’s care and protection.’ 

A prayer from the United Reformed Church

Eternal God, 
You order and govern our world and all that is therein, 
bless, we pray, Charles and Camilla today 
as they are crowned and anointed, 
that amid the pomp and ritual, 
they may feel your loving presence, 
that they may fulfil the roles prescribed for them, 
and that we may, in this kingdom, be better governed, 
and always reminded of your eternal Kingdom which is to come. 
Amen. 

 

Questions for discussion

• Do the ‘I am…’ sayings help us to know who Jesus is, or are they simply descriptive metaphors illustrating his various roles? Specifically, what does ‘I am the gate,’ tell us about Jesus? If we imagine the familiar voice of a popular entertainer who draws us in, what is it about Jesus’ voice which makes people want to follow him?
• Where is your ‘sheepfold’ in the midst of a world full of the hullabaloo of voices trying to influence your daily living? What is about Jesus’ voice which makes you feel safe?

Tim Lowe is a minister of the United Reformed Church, serving in the Leeds URC Partnership, and will be celebrating the coronation with his churches next weekend.

 

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

BeReal is a social media app which allows users to post just once a day, within two minutes of an alert given at a random time.  Unlike some other social media services which are filled with ‘staged’ content allowing ‘influencers’ to portray a particular image, the idea behind the random time is that users can only post a ‘real’ photo of what they are doing at the time. It is a platform for connecting with a small circle of friends rather than aiming to build a large following, hence its motto ‘Your friends for real.’  What difference does it make in your relationships with friends when you get to know the ‘real’ them? Are you aware of who influences you on social media?

This week, BeReal announced that those who post at the random time will be allowed to make two bonus posts, at a time of their choosing. While some worry that this will lead to more curated content, the company says it still wants to focus on authenticity as it allows people to share special moments that happen outside the two-minute window. It wants people to ‘BeRealer’. How can we ‘be realer’ (sic) and more authentic to who we are?

Jesus speaks of being like a good shepherd. Because the sheep know the shepherd’s voice, they will follow him, but they will not listen to the voice of others who try to lead them astray. Knowing Jesus can help us follow him amidst all the other influences on our lives. How can we come to know the voice of Jesus? Are we able to ‘be real’ about ourselves before God? How do our lives show that we are known by God – can we ‘BeRealer’ about faith with our friends?

Darren Philip is National Stewardship Consultant with the Church of Scotland where he writes resources for intergenerational ministry.

 

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