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Ok, so why are you a Christian ?
We often engage with the question "how" we became Christian - for example, either
through our personal stories of conversion, or remembering people who have
influenced us, special events in our life and so on.
And we think about the "how" question at a theological level too, when we consider
what baptism is for instance, or confirmation, or being anointed by Spirit and so on.
These "how" questions are important, but equally, if not more important, is the "why"
question.
Without "the why" question being fully addressed, faith can become simply a matter
of adhering to a religion; following the rules, speaking the jargon, living comfortably
in a world protected by national, denominational, or parochial laws, unbendable
routines, and unforgiving rotas and minuted meetings, unassailable traditions, and the
dead hand of the clock.
The question again - why are you a Christian ?
Let me tell you briefly why I nearly wasn't and was, and am.
On the 11th of September 20011 was sitting at my desk when I was called over by a
colleague to watch some news unfolding via his internet connection on his computer.
I shall not forget what I saw, and I know many of you will have seen it too.
I watched two aircraft, filled with people, women, children, men, crash into the twin
towers, and the terrible and terrifying results of the aftermath.
And as the days progressed and we discovered that what had been done, had been
done in the name of religion, I found myself seriously considering what the role of
religion was in world, and indeed, the place of my own religion, Christianity.
In other words, I was forced to consider the "why" question.
"Why" was I a Christian ?
It had always seemed a good thing for me personally to be Christian, but was it a good
thing for the world ?
And I thought about all those millions of folk that weren't Christian, and I considered
the worlds great religions, and I wondered "why".
And I decided that the world probably could do without religion. It seemed to me that
it could be worked for the good, then again it could be for the bad. It seemed no better
than party politics, people gathering around the flag that they like the best, with
everyone gathered around other flags becoming ones enemies - in need of conversion
or destruction - one way or another.
Who needs it ?
Certainly not humankind. We've had enough of it, surely.
So I considered quitting my religion, I didn't want to be a part of yet another way of
dividing people up, setting one against another, giving license to the possibility of
extreme views being taken, with people burning each other at the stake, or burning
each other in tower blocks.
Then I re-read Johns 1st letter, 1 John 4:7-23, and in particular verse 16 - "God is
love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them". And my "why question" was answered: I am a Christian because I believe St John, that God is love, and that his love has been made supremely manifest to us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ, and that I'm called to respond to that love by loving others in the same way as he loves me, as best as I can - given that I'm sinful.
What has this to do with a sermon on vocation ?
I shared something of my story with you because I truly believe that until you know
why you're a Christian you can never fully realise your God-given gifts for
ministering in his name, that is, your vocation.
So long as you follow a religion, yes and follow it faithfully, but don't know why,
your vocation will remain a secret only God will know - and lament over.
In our first reading, Paul tackles what motivates Christians - what makes us get out of
bed and commit ourselves to Christ and the way of the Cross,
He says "for the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has
died for all, therefore all have died. And he died for all, so that those who live might
no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them".
The love of Christ urges us on.
Christ's love is an urgent love - it's urgent because without him we do terrible things
to each other, without him we have empty religion, without him we continue to live
for ourselves, our vocation goes unrealised and we remain outside of Christ - inside
Religion but outside of Christ.
Listen again to St Paul, "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything
old has passed away; see everything has become new!"
When we know why we follow Christ and we begin to understand why he has called
us, that is, we discover our vocation - then we know ourselves to be a new creation.
Everything changes for us; how we see other people, how we see other faiths,
politics, economics, how we view our time, our money, our friendships and
relationships. We become new creations !
Now I'm not saying that this happens overnight, I am saying that it happens, and that
it's the most exciting and fulfilling thing in all the world.
And finally on St Paul, he says this,
"All of this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given
us the ministry of reconciliation .... Not counting the worlds trespasses against them,
and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.
So we are ambassadors for Christ". Wow !
Once we know why we personally follow Christ, once we start to discover our own
vocation, our calling to ministry - he then shows us what we're to use it for.
Nothing less than the work of reconciling the world to God in Christ.
Isn't that fantastic !
That he calls us and gifts us in order that we might go out into the world as his
ambassadors and play a part in his saving work of bringing together this broken,
fearful and divided world with the God who created it and saved it through nothing
more or less than his almighty, eternal, ineffable, divine love.
Now you might say - how can I possibly have any part in that plan ?
You might say I'm only 18 and come to Church because my parents like me to.
Or you might say I'm a middle aged mum and haven't time to sit and eat properly let
alone take on the world.
Or you might say I'm a working man and my employer gets 90% of my energy and
time, I've nothing left worth giving.
Or you might say I'm retired and my skills are outdated, I wouldn't be of much help.
Or you might say I'm elderly, the spirit is willing but the flesh now is weak.
Or you might say any number of other such things.
But please, don't say anything. Listen to Jesus;
"Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch".
The fishermen had fished all night long and caught nothing, they were wearily
mending and washing their nets and thinking most probably of getting some food and
sleep. "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch".
Having listened to Jesus preaching to the crowds from one of their boats they clearly
thought he was a man whose words could be trusted - so, rather sceptically "we've
fished all night but caught nothing", they put out as Jesus suggested.
And look what happened - nets full to breaking point, other boats having to come
over to help land the catch, the boats nearly capsizing with the weight offish and
efforts of the fishermen.
Peter, aware that something profound had happened but not sure of whose presence he
was in, confessed that he wasn't worthy of being so close to Jesus.
And Jesus responded, not by saying "well actually your right", but by calling him to
follow him, and providing him with knowledge of his vocation " do not be afraid:
from now on you will be catching people". And he did.
And so will you. For no matter who you are, what stage in life you're at or what has gone on before, whether that was happy or sad, fulfilling or frustrating, glorious or humble - the Lord calls you by name, he has placed his image within you, given you gifts you never imagined you had and waits eagerly for you to discover why you follow him and what those gifts are.
You can leave everything and follow him, that is, you can leave everything that encumbers you, your self doubts, your fear, your feelings of unworthiness, or helplessness. You can leave behind your religion, and you can discover for yourselves why you follow Jesus Christ of Nazareth, know that you are called, and enjoy that gift which God gives to all who truly turn unto him - that is, your vocation.
May God bless you richly in his service. Amen.
Ian Spencer
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