The Revd Abigal Thompson Licensing Service Luke 2: it s a list of things to do before you die originating from the term

Transcription

1 1 The Revd Abigal Thompson Licensing Service Luke 2:22-40 I don t know if you ve come across the craze called the Bucket List, it s a list of things to do before you die originating from the term "kicked the bucket". I don t particularly like the phrase though I suspect I ve agreed with the sentiment. The most popular things that people say they want to do include buying a holiday home, a trip to the Maldives and swimming with dolphins, driving Route 66 in America, a romantic trip to Venice and marvelling at the Egyptian Pyramids, floating in the Dead Sea, riding in a hot air balloon, and taking in the view from the top of the Empire State Building. They are all included in the top 40 things people say they want to do. I m sure you d have your own list. In today s gospel reading we hear of two people who had a bucket list, though I want to focus on Simeon. Simeon and Anna s Bucket list included only one thing, namely to see the promised Messiah, the Son of God who d come to save the world. And to be honest, amongst all

2 2 the frivolous things I might personally list, I can t think of any one thing that s better - followed quickly by the desire to make Jesus known to others. If there s one passion that drives me in ministry, it s the desire to bring others to know Christ and to see their lives transformed, to engage with people who don t know Jesus as Lord and Saviour and to see the awe and wonder as they discover Jesus for the first time. There s much that one could say about the story of Simeon and Anna but it s the pointers to mission and evangelism that leap out to me, just as these characters leap out of the Christmas story. Two ordinary people who ve lived a life dedicated to God. We don t know much about Simeon but we know the important stuff. He was devout and waiting for the Consolation of Israel, that s to say the coming of the Messiah. And the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon, revealing to him that he wouldn t die until he saw Jesus. Imagine then how Simeon must have felt after many years of waiting when he recognised the infant Jesus as the Son of God; he d achieved his bucket

3 3 list, he could now depart in peace. Can I hold your child he asks and he shares the song that we now know as the Nunc Dimittis, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine own eyes have seen thy Salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel. This is a wonderful poem packed with meaning and purpose for us today. Simeon knew that this infant Jesus wasn t just a light to the Jews but a light for the whole world. So this is a story for all humankind and a pointer to us. Simeon s thanksgiving tells us that Salvation is to be found in Jesus and that it s for everyone who turns to him. Earlier in the birth narrative the good news of Jesus birth is told first to shepherds - a group of people despised by the religious leaders because their duties meant they couldn t follow strict religious observances. It demonstrates that the message of the Gospel transcends social and religious barriers, the

4 4 message of the Gospel is universal, a light to the gentiles. Jesus didn t come for a select group of people. He came for the whole of humankind and all who d believe. And it s equally a light today to those who haven t heard its life changing message. There are, as we know, many people in our communities that have never heard the good news of Jesus Christ. There are a number of people who have vestiges of belief, a dormant sense of God in their lives, people who've perhaps had some connection with the church but for one reason or another have turned away from it as an institution and from God. But there s an increasing number of people for whom this isn t true, who ve never had a connection with the church, who have no understanding of Christianity but who are nonetheless searching for meaning and purpose which we believe can only be found in Jesus. This has been summed up by John Drane when he writes "For generations, we have understood mission in terms of revivalism, as if it were a matter of inviting those who are not yet

5 5 Christian to return to their spiritual home, and they will do so if only we work hard enough or manage to invent the right programme to speak to their needs. But this approach assumes that the culture of Christendom still exists and that there's an underlying current of Christian belief influencing the general population. To believe this is a form of denial for the vast majority of people have no idea at all of Christianity. You cannot call people back to something they've never had". We need to take the Gospel of Salvation not only to those with the vestiges of faith and who might be more receptive, but increasingly to those of have no idea at all about the Christian faith. The task of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ is the responsibility of all those who ve already come to know Jesus Christ. But it is, as some of you will know from personal experience, not an easy task and Simeon metaphorically alludes to that. He says to Mary A Sword will pierce your own soul too.

6 6 It must surely have pained Mary to see how her Son was treated during his life; she was there at Calvary, as the ugliness of sin spilled out. Even though she knew that Jesus was the saviour, she also wept because it was her son. Mary s life was a continual sacrifice. She gave up her own life, her reputation, her own son but she did it for God. Mary wasn t perfect, she was human but she was faithful and devout. That reflects our own calling and ministry - we aren t perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, well at least I m not, we re called to sacrifice ourselves in a devout and deeply personal commitment and relationship with God that calls us to go into the world to tell others about him. It won t be easy but God will be with you giving you - as he did Mary, Simeon and Anna - the strength and courage to serve him faithfully. So none of us need to be afraid of taking the good news of Christ, in words and deed, to others. It is, through the vocation of our baptism,

7 7 when we turn to Christ, that we're called to this mission. It's the calling of each of us and not just a few of us. There is none to whom the message of the Gospel isn't directed; it's for the whole human race, it requires everyone to ask whether they accept it or whether they reject it, but it also requires each Christian to play their part as Christ's disciples in witnessing to the Gospel. Let me end with a quote that's become important to me and which sums up both the call we have from God, and why this is important. It comes from Pope Francis in The Apostolic Exhortation the joy of the Gospel "Let us go forth, let us go forth to offer everyone the life of Jesus Christ. I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it's been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a church concerned with being at the centre and which then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it

8 8 is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life. More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe. Let s not feel safe, but let s be risk takers for the Gospel and rejoice in the fruits it will bear in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.