Thursday, 9 April 2020

Good Friday

From Heaven you came,

Psalm 22

Man of sorrows

Matthew 27: 33-54

Amazing love what sacrifice

Prayer:
Lord God, we thank you that we can come to you in our poverty, and yet you accept us. You do not wait to see the size of our gift, nor does your welcome depend on our merits, You treat us, not as petitioners who must put up a good case, but as children with a secure place in your heart.
It is all too easy for us to take this for granted and presume upon it. Help us to remember what it cost you to treat us in this way. We can only guess at the pain and grief we cause you by the way we repudiate your ideals for us, or give them only lip-service, and by the way we treat one another. We believe the cross of Jesus is the measure both of our shame and your love. Help us to keep theprice of our redemption before us, and make us more ready to serve you, whatever the risk, and whatever the cost. Amen.

The head that once was crowned with thorns

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

What sort of week have you had? I usually consider that thew more people I have upset during a week, the worse it has been. Since I am currently at home all day, the opportunities to upset large numbers of people have disappeared (Susannah and the boys may disagree!) By any standards, Jesus had had a bad week. Since the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, what we know as Palm Sunday, he had upset a lot of different people:
1) He had upset the Zealots, those who had hoped that he was to be a freedom fighter who would rid them of the hated occupying power, the Romans. His entry on a donkey had removed any illusions that they might have had that he was that kind of Messiah.
2) He had upset the religious leaders. He had challenged their monopoly on interpretation of the law and the prophets. Further he had rejected some of their understandings, by allowing the chuildren and the disabled to have equal access to God.
3) He had upset the Romans and the civil authorities. He was a challenger to their power and position.
4) We cannot be sure, but he may have upset the owner of a certain donkey.
5) Finally he had upset Pontius Pilate. He had refused to give him straight answers, and had denied any opportunity that Pilate had offered to be let off the hook. He couldn’t be categorised.
But all this had been predicted. Jesus knew that he would be rejected, that he was not wanted as king. (e,g, Matthew 23:37)
The predictions came with a promise, the promise of return or resurrection. However, his followers seem to have missed this, perhaps it was too big an idea for them to grasp. And all seemed lost.
And for many, this feeling of loss is compounded by Jesu’s words “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” and the final words “It is finished.” Jesus is portrayed as despairing in his final moments.
All of the Jewish people who were present when Jesus spoke these words would have recognised them as Psalm 22, and would have known the rest of the Psalm. They would have known that Psalm 22 is not a song of despair, but as we have read today, is a song of hope and triumph. The story of the rest of the Psalm is played out in the story of the crucifixion.
The cry of “It is finished” as reported by John can be translated as “It is accomplished” or “It is consummated”. The statement leaves scope for doubt as to what exactly has been accomplished or finished. The stories we have from his life, and the prophecies in the old testament leave us with the clear message that Jesus’s mission was to restore the relationship between mankind and God. Part of the message of Palm Sunday is that the obstacles which people had placed in the way of some people had been removed, that the disabled and disadvantaged were just as much a part of God’s kingdom as everyone else. Jesus is saying that in his death, the work of reconciliation between mankind and God has been accomplished.
As we considered on Palm Sunday, crucifixion was not that unusual an event in 1st century Palestine. For many,it would have been a sign of failure.
But in this case, God did what he has done many times in history; he took the ordinary and made it extraordinary. He took what many (most?) observers regarded as failure, and turned it into success.
In the Jewish religious observances of the day, in order to atone for sin, people had to offer a sacrifice. The details of this were laid down, and one important aspect of this was that the lamb or dove had to be perfect, without blemish. A second rate offering was not aceptable. It is only a sacrifice if it is the best that can be done.
In the death of Jesus, God took what was ordinary; the death of a man, and turned it into the extraordinary; the sacrifice of that which was perfect for the atonement of the sins of all mankind.
It is especially extraordinary because of its effectiveness. It is once and for all, unlike the sacrifices required by the law, there is no need to keep repeating them time and again. It is only when later writers attempted to explain what was a pretty mind-blowing event, that they were inspired to relate it to sacrifice (e.g. 1 Corinthians 5:7) Centuries of study have not made this any easier. Wesley wrote “Tis mystery all, the immortal dies”
The important thing is that in the death of Jesus, the barriers were removed, the relationship was restored. It is reported that the curtain in the temple, that which separated the ordinary people from the Holy of Holies, the Sanctuary, was ripped in two “From the top to the bottom”. Alternative ways of saying this might be: from above to below, from start to finish. The word translated “from the top” is the same as “again” when Nicodemus is told of the need to be “born again”.
In the accepting of Jesus as a sacrifice, God had brought success from failure; he has accomplished his mission; he has restored a broken relationship; he has given us “Beauty for ashes”(Isaiah 61:3).
Years ago, I went to university and I soon encountered the Christian Union. Oneof the first questions I was asked was “Are you saved?” When I replied that I was, I was asked “When were you saved?” Because I was unable to give a specific time, date and place for my conversion I was left with the impression that they did not think I was saved. Having had time to consider the matter more carefully, I now realise that my answer should have been “I was saved at the same time as you were!” the answer of course is “at 3-00p.m. on Good Friday, 33 A.D.”
The best is yet to come.
See you Sunday

Christ Triumphant

Please use this modern setting of “Give me a sight O Saviour” as a meditation
Give me a sight o saviour (modern setting.)

Prayer:

We thank you, Lord, for all the sacrifices people make for one another.
We thank you for parents, who put aside their own comfort so that children may be fed, clothed and educated.
We thank you for those who give up their own plans in order to look after sick or elderly relatives.
We thank you for those, killed or injured or made homeless in war, helpless and unwilling victims, who nevertheless suffered that we might live.
We thank you for those who for the gospel’s sake have left home, sacrifieced prospects, undergone persecution and even laid down their lives.
Above all, we thank you for the death of Jesus Jesus, who gave himself that we might cease to crucify each other and our own conscience.
Lord, we acknowledge that we are in debt to very many people. Help us not to fritter away the life and opportunity which have been so dearly bought for us by so many others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Prayers taken from “More contemporary Prayers”.
Lift High the Cross


Please try to find a few minutes at 11-00a.m. on Easter morning to join with the rest of the congregation to repeat the Lord’s Prayer.
Posted by at No comments:

Saturday, 4 April 2020

Week beginning April 5th 2020

Palm Sunday
Psalm 118: 20-29

All glory, laud and honour
or a more contemporary version

Prayer:
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, when we contemplate the vastness of the universe, and the length of time it has existed, and try to conceive the purpose for which you created, we confess ourselves out of our depth, quite unable to answer our own questions. Yet we believe you have a purpose. We believe you created us and gave us minds capable of responsing to you. We believe you have given us true knowledge of yourself in Christ. We ask you to help us play the part we should in your grand design, and to complete your work in us and in all creation.

I love the enthusiasm of the singer of this hymn, a favourite for Palm Sunday.

Children of Jerusalem

Zechariah 9: 9-13

We have a King who rides a donkey

Matthew 21: 1-17

Cloaks and Branches


When I was a boy, it was part of our tradition to decorate the chapel for Palm Sunday. It may come as a surprise to you to learn that in the small Pennine town where I lived, we did not have many palm trees, but that did not deter us. Each year, the chapel was decorated with Pussy Willow branches. Of course, with the variations in the timing of Easter, and the seasons, some years, they were little more than bare twigs, and other years they had rather gone past their best. If the timing was fortuitous, and we had managed to pick male willow branches, they came out in beautiful golden pollen and looked glorious. Such was the link in people’s minds that the branches were referred to as “Pussy Palm”. This was our way of celebrating one of the great events in the Christian calendar, but to people of another culture it may mean less than it did to us.
Much of the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is bound up in the culture, especially the religious culture of the time, and does not always easily translate from the different language, location and time. We don’t do things like this as much now. Whilst we are familiar with parades and marches, in modern times we have banners and posters to say who we are, and what we are marching in favour of, or against. With modern technology we have loudspeakers to tell people what we want, and to whip up the crowd with enthusiasm. Cries of “What do we want?”, “When do we want it?” fill the air. Such events are often planned months in advance, and carefully stage-managed to have maximum impact. Often the planning for next year’s event will start as soon as this year’s is over.
The entry into Jerusalem was apparently a fairly spontaneous event. There is no suggestion of there having been any planning committee meeting for ages in advance. Of course, we must assume that Jesus knew what he was going to do, and the likely impact. This is a deliberate act to gain attention. A provocation to the various authorities of the time, civil, military and religious. It is loaded with symbolism and meaning
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” is from Psalm 118 and we associate it with Palm Sunday. For the Jews, it was associated with the feast of the Tabernacles, which occurs in October. This was a bit like singing Christmas Carols in June. It was calculated to attract attention. And it did! “Who is this?” the people asked. “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” But more than that, they would have realised that by riding in this way, he was claiming to be a king in the line of David. He has been delivered by the Lord, and has been restored.
Are you familiar with the Shrek films? One of the main characters is Shrek’s sidekick, donkey (brilliantly voiced by Eddie Murphy). In Shrek 2, Donkey is magically transformed in to a stallion, what a contrast between the two! Character, image and style are all totally different. Donkeys symbolise poverty, humility, peace, carriage of burdens; stallions convey images of grandeur, military might, conquering. It would be inconceivable that a general would head a parade riding on a donkey.
This apparently simple, humble procession is dynamite. Riding on a donkey, singing an out of season psalm, Jesus is claiming to be the promised Messiah, the heir of David, the ruler out of Israel, the Deliverer who will rule the whole world in a kingdom characterised by peace not war. He will liberate the people from oppression, but not by military force.
He must have known that this would attract attention. He must have known the consequences of a course of action which rocked the boat in this way. He must have known where this would lead. He must have known that in less than a week the crowds would be shouting something else.
We tend to talk about “The crucifixion” as if it is unique, something reserved for Jesus. The reality is that it was quite commonplace, the norm for the times. Jesus would have seen and heard of many similar acts. He would have known what was likely to lay in store for troublemakers. The theory behind such acts of brutality was the discouragement of others. Until relatively recently, this was common thinking in Britain, and in some countries, still is. As an aside, in the 19th century, when this way of thinking was common in the U.K., Robert Peel came up with the alternative theory, that the best deterrence was the certainty of detection. From this thinking came the establishment of the police service as we now know it. If you are familiar with the Scooby Doo cartoon, you will know that they nearly always ended with the villain saying “I’d have gotten away with it, if it hadn’t been for you pesky kids!” People think that they can get away with their crimes and not be detected, that is why they perform their crimes.
Jesus did not try to “Get away with it.” He did not conceal his actions by setting up a secret society, or pretending to go along with what he thought was wrong. He was rather like the burglar of the cartoons, advertising his presence with a black and white striped jumper, face mask and large sack labelled “Swag”. He went into the city effectively shouting “Look at me, I’m challenging the accepted order.”
Whilst Jesus may not have known the timescale, he may not have known that he would be dead within the week, but he knew where he was going, you don’t upset as many people as Jesus did without consequences.
He knew that he had upset;
The Zealots: he was not a warrior.
The Romans and the civil authorities: he challenged the status quo.
The religious authorities: he did not accept their monopoly on interpretation.
But he was not afraid to stand out, to stand alone in the tradition of the prophets. In the word of the old hymn he was prepared to,
Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known.
And he went on. Through the next few days he continued to upset and criticise people.
Ofcourse, he knew what lay ahead, but he also knew what came afterwards. He knew that he had to let go of things he valued in order to see the full glory that was to come.

There is along standing tradition of distributing palm crosses on Palm Sunday to show that we know that the shouts of “Hosanna” and the waving of palms, led to quickly to the cross. I can’t distribute a cross via the internet, but here is a video to show you how to make your own. If you haven’t got a suitable leaf, perhaps you could use a strip of card coloured green. If you can’t give it to someone, perhaps you could put it in your window.

Make a Palm Cross.

People also used to put a poster in their windows saying “This is Holy Week”. There are plenty of ideas for this online, perhaps you would like to search, find and print one, or you could make your own.

Ride on, Ride on in Majesty
or an alternative arrangement,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB889PGqmus

It is intended to post ideas and thoughts for Good Friday as well as next Sunday.
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, 29 March 2020

Week beginning 29th March 2020

The Victory of the Cross
Psalm 130

Prayer: Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved mankind: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Methodist Service Book. 1975

Hymn: Beneath the cross of Jesus
For those of you who prefer the Sankey tune, I’m sorry but I could only find a musical performance without the words.

 Readings:
Isaiah 63: 1-16
Colossians 2: 8-15
John 12: 20-32

Susannah and I have just closed our market stall in Sheffield Moor Market. There was some discussion at the start of last week about how much notice we would need to close, whether we had any problems getting stock, and what trade was like. We had already decided that we would close yesterday regardless of what the rest of the stallholders did. In the eventuality, all the traders decided that they would close, and the market is now closed “for the duration” as my father would have put it. (I think this was an expression from the second world war period)

In the last week, customers have been made aware of the impending closure, and a common parting has become “See you on the other side”. To those of us brought up on hymns such as “Away far beyond Jordan” ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArqTNxKej2o ) and “we shall meet on the other side” ( https://hymnary.org/text/we_shall_meet_on_the_other_side ) this parting has unfortunate connotations. For a long period, the journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness was taken to be an allegory for life. This meant that the image of crossing the Jordan was seen as the final part of life’s journey or going into heaven (the promised land). I’m sure that many of our customers would have been unaware of this potential for confusion, but I am hoping to see them before that! (As an aside, I’m rather hoping not to be running a market stall in heaven)

However, the image of crossing the Jordan had other emphases in some cultures. For slaves in the Southern states of America, it had connotations of going into the Northern states or even Canada where there was no slavery. The idea of a better life needing the person to pass over a boundary, the image of the Jordan being taken from the same story referred to above.

As Jesus and the disciples went to Jerusalem, many of the disciples would have been wondering what the future held. I’m sure that they would have wondered why Jesus was embarking on a course which could lead, in their eyes, to disaster. They would have seen what happened to people who rocked the boat and disturbed the status quo. For his part, Jesus too would have known that the way he was going was a difficult one. He would have known that once he went back to Jerusalem and attracted attention, there would be trouble.

He had attempted to tell the disciples that this would not be the end, but apparently they had not understood, or perhaps they could not understand.

Of course, we have the benefit of hindsight, and know that there is a future. That this chosen course of action was not a cul-de-sac. But that the way out led via the cross.
There are two possible interpretations of the cross. (perhaps I should have said at least two ). For some, indeed many of the observers at the time, it would have been seen as failure; that the promised liberation or salvation , had come to a blind alley. Some today follow this line as well, saying that Jesus was great man, a good teacher and philosopher who gives us a framework for a good life. Others see the future beyond the cross, but over-sentimentalise the cross. Personally, I can’t imagine Jesus being in any hurry to return, or cling to, “The Old Rugged Cross”. (Not to say that I don’t like the hymn, or that I don’t think that the theology of it good).

The cross was undoubtedly a brutal and agonising method of execution. Jesus undoubtedly knew where he was likely to end up.

Followers and enemies alike would have been saying “They think it’s all over”.

One of the sayings that I have picked up over the years is “He who wishes to see the sunrise must live through the night.” I was under the impression that it is a Jewish proverb, but I can’t verify this theory. Wherever it is from, Paul would have known of the truth of it. Writing some time after the crucifixion (and of course the resurrection) he understood that it was not the end. That in this action he “cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

That in the course of action he voluntarily undertook, at great personal expense, he removed the barrier between mankind and God.

The disaster that the world saw is in fact a great victory.

Those who “Think it’s all over” should indeed be saying “It is now!”

Hymn: “There's a sound on the wind like a victory song,”
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, 22 March 2020

Week beginning 22nd March 2020

Mothering Sunday
Fourth Sunday in Lent
1 Samuel chapter 1.
Luke chapter 1. verses 46-56
Luke chapter 13. verses 31-35

In an episode of the quiz programme QI, the host Stephen Fry, asked the question, "Who should you go to visit on Mothering Sunday?"  The Rev. Richard Cole gave the only correct answer.  "Your Vicar!".  

In the United States, "Mother's Day" is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.  This follows a campaign in the early part of the 20th century,the outcome of which was the signing of a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914.  Because I have an @aol.com email address, spam senders tend to assume that I am American, and I get many emails telling me about Mother's Day offers, in May.  

Formerly, Mothering Sunday is the day when people would visit their mother church, the church where their family had brought them up.  Over the years, in the U.K. this has evolved into the day when people visit their mothers.  Possibly this was because people's families were located in the place where their mother church was.  

This year, many, or most, people are incapable of pursuing either act.  They can neither visit their church, nor their mother, due to the restrictions imposed as a response to the corona virus pandemic.  These restrictions lead to feelings of isolation and powerlessness.  

In a song titled "Mother What'll I do now?" he wrote with Fred Cliffe, George Formby mused on the problems of separation from his mother.  (song available at https://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/m/motherwhatllidonow.html)
He was overwhelmed with the problems of this isolation.  He could instead have concentrated on the things that his mother had done for him.  As we encounter these feelings, perhaps we can consider how we can use this time to the glory of God.

The bible contains many examples of motherhood; today's readings about Hannah and Mary are good examples.  Commitment and consecration are the major themes.  Motherhood is not an easy option, as shown in the story "When God created mothers" by Erma Bombeck. (The story is available at https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/421248-when-god-created-mothers )

In Genesis (chapter 1, verses 26-27) we are told that Male and Female were both created in the image of God.  Men and women both show us something of the glory of God.  The image of a mother has a great deal to teach us about the Almighty.  In Luke's gospel, (chapter 13, verses 31-35) we read of Jesus wanting to "mother" the lost.  Many of our traditional images of God are very strongly masculine, but there are aspects to God's personality which are represented by things which we consider feminine.

There is a verse to the hymn Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the king of creation, which reads:

Praise to the Lord, who doth
nourish thy life and restore thee,
Fitting thee well
for the tasks that are ever before thee,
Then to thy need
He like a mother doth speed,
Spreading the wings of grace o'er thee.

This references the above story.  It is written more recently than the rest of the hymn, by the author Rupert E. Davies.

In a family, it is often the case that children will approach different parents for different needs.  Both are necessary, both are parents, but because they are different, they contribute different things to the child's upbringing.  

There is a story of a child painting a picture.  When asked what they were painting, the child replied "I'm painting a picture of God."  "But no-one knows what God looks like." came the response.  "They will when I'm finished" said the young painter.

All people are made in the image of God, and therefore show us something of God, some aspect of His personality.  On Mothering Sunday we remember that mothers show an aspect of God's power, presence and nature.

A Prayer.
Gracious God, as a mother loves her child so you love us.  For that great truth we praise and thank you.
We owe our very lives to you.  You have watched over us from our birth, tenderly nurturing us with love.
When we have needed you, you have been with us.
Gracious God, we have not always appreciated your love, all too often ignoring what you would teach us, disobeying your instructions, taking you for granted and wandering from your side. 
Yet through it all your love has remained constant.
Gracious God, caring for us more than you care for yourself, sacrificing your all for our sakes, loving us with an unquenchable love, you have called us to be your children.  We praise and thank you, in the name of Christ.  Amen.

Posted by at No comments:

Corona Virus Pandemic.

Due to the Corona Virus Pandemic, all services, meetings and events planned at Mayfield Chapel have been cancelled.  This is in line with government guidelines at the time of writing.  We don't know how long this situation will continue for, but it could be for several months.
During this period of enforced closure, it is the intention to post a suggested reading, hymn and sermon for each week.  If you are aware of anyone who would find this helpful, please pass this address to them.

Sorry about the lack of posts on this blog in recent years, but it has been due to work and family commitments, together with some technical difficulties, which I hope we have now overcome.

Once the emergency is over, it is hoped to resume posting details of what we have done, as before.
Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, 8 December 2016

White Flower Festival

This year we held a flower festival on Pentecost weekend.  The flowers were white, to commemorate the fact that This weekend is called Whit Sunday.  In the past, people used to wear white clothes on this Sunday.










 We were visited by a passing group of cyclists who were researching a route.







Posted by at No comments:

2016

It is with some upset that I discover that it is nearly a year since I updated the blog.  A lot has happened this year, and it is best if I only give a brief  outline.
All the usual activities have taken place: Ladies' fellowship, Bible fellowship, Supper clubs, Lent course, Flower festival (see separate post), Festival of light, Bonfire and barbecue.
 The upcoming building work to create a car park meant that the garden to the side of the church will be lost, so a selection of the plants has been moved to a new bed at the other side.
 This leaves the old site looking a bit bedraggled.

 The annual camp was a great success.

 And the work has started on the new boundary wall  in preparation for the new car park.
Our annual Harvest festival was a great success, and the gifts were donated to the work of the St. Wilfrid's centre.  The evening service was led by Father Grant Naylor from St. Mathew's Church, Carver Street.

My New Year's resolution for 2017 is to keep up to date more frequently.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)