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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

Actions speak louder than words

Pure religion shows God’s love in action (James 1:17-27).

 

Context

• A block of flats in East London with known safety issues has been devastated by fire with fortunately no fatalities.

• Donald Trump and Kamala Harris continue to campaign for the US Presidential elections with momentum seemingly shifting.

• The new CEO of Starbucks has been appointed but his commute to work has raised eyebrows.

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

It's been seven years since the Grenfell Tower disaster, after which politicians both national and local agreed that such a catastrophe should never be allowed to happen again. Yet, just this Monday, a fire destroyed a block of flats which had safety issues that were known to the local fire brigade. The good intentions and promises of 2017 have clearly yet to be properly implemented. The government has identified 4630 buildings as having unsafe cladding. Only 50% have started to fix the issue and, of these, fewer than a third have completed that work. Our reading from James is very clear that hearing what needs to be done without acting on it is worthless. In this situation, a building has been destroyed along with the property of many families, but no lives have been lost.

We all live with the consequences of our own past actions. Sometimes those consequences are minor; sometimes they are more severe. Whilst it is tempting to focus our attention on where others’ actions don’t match their words, it is important that we also reflect on any areas of our faith where what we hear on Sunday does not get acted on during the rest of the week.

Donald Trump is losing momentum in his bid to regain the presidency of the United States. A month ago he was ahead and looking a shoe-in to defeat Joe Biden. Now he is level with (or, in some polls, behind) new Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris. When the attention was on Biden’s age and ability, Trump was seemingly pulling ahead without needing to say or do much. Now that the race is closer, he is being more vocal to try to get back that lead. However, that means that more attention is being paid to the things that he is saying. The more Trump is brought out at political rallies or tweets out his views, the more people are wondering whether less would be more. Verse 26 of our passage says, 'If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless'. Donald Trump certainly struggles to tame his own tongue and this continues to cause him difficulty. His frustrations and irritations leak out and give his political team ongoing headaches in how they spin his latest outburst.

It is easy to judge, but James holds a mirror up to each one of us. Can we control what we say? Do our conversations reflect the love and kindness of God? It is so easy to gossip; to speak small untruths; to put others down when we are feeling low. James is clear: if our speech does not reflect God’s love and character, then we need to take a long hard look as to whether our faith is active.

Many companies are currently working hard to show customers that they are taking the challenge of reducing carbon emissions seriously. One such company is Starbucks, who has banned single-use plastic in its outlets worldwide as part of its new ‘green’ credentials. Those credentials have been undermined this week by its arrangement with new CEO Brian Niccol that he can commute to work instead of moving close to the Starbucks headquarters in Seattle. Mr Niccol will be flying by company jet the 1000 miles to and from his office three times a week. There are almost certainly personal circumstances that the public are not aware of, but it makes the idea of Starbucks being an ‘eco-friendly company’ a much harder sell going forwards.

In the same way, we as Christians talk about a God of love – but when we don’t show that love in our own actions, we are open to accusations of hypocrisy. As well as praying for those who are homeless or hungry, what are we actually doing that makes a difference in those people’s lives? Integrity is so important in our society; having been let down by so many in authority, how confident are we that our religion is ‘pure and undefiled’? Are we caring for the orphans and widows of our local communities?

 

Questions for discussion

• How much of your regular conversations would you say are fully reflective of your faith in Jesus?
• Who is a good example for you of someone who lives out their faith in their actions?
• How do you know when your actions and words don’t match up? Is there anyone who tells you?
• What have you decided to do – or stop doing – recently because of how it matched (or didn’t match) what you believe?

 

Steve Taylor shares the job of joint-vicar of St James Alperton CofE Church near Wembley with his wife, Ali. They share their home with their two children, two cats and numerous fish.

 

Check-in

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

This week, I had the privilege of having a guided tour of Coventry Cathedral – both the old Cathedral, which was bombed during the Second World War, and the new Cathedral which was built in the years following the war.

The day after the bombing, Provost Dick Howard inscribed the words ‘Father Forgive’ in the Cathedral ruins. These words came from his Christian conviction of forgiveness, irrespective of the cost, alongside a knowledge that the words had to be followed by action.

Today, Coventry Cathedral is known for its reconciliation work around the world; its Litany of Reconciliation is shared together every weekday at midday as it tries and give action to the words ‘Father Forgive’.

This week, we’ve seen the start of the Paralympics – the last of the major sporting events this Summer (after the Euros, Wimbledon and Olympics). We’ll see thousands of athletes showing us what they can do; as opposed to my son and me, who will be telling my wife what we wish we could do, but then we will fail to get out into the garden or park to do any practice.

At the same time, we can’t help but see the unrest in the Middle East and in many other parts of the world and think, ‘Why can’t we find a way to live together in peace?’. The words ‘Father Forgive’ ring as true today as they did back in 1940 during the Blitz, and as true as they did 2000 years ago when Jesus uttered those words from the cross.

As young people – as people of any age – it can seem so hard to know what to do. And yet, none of us are called to do this alone; we are called to respond in community, as the people of God. A God who calls us forward to act by showing and sharing grace, mercy and love with those around us.

 

Jonathan Buckley is Redevelopment Manager at St Paul’s Church, Parson Cross Sheffield, and Finance Coordinator at the Pais Project UK.

 

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