Revd Len Abrams Christ Church 10am: Live Stream
Philippians 4:10-20, John 6: 37-42
Generosity in spirit
Introduction
Well, this experience of COVID-19 Lockdown is unprecedented – I am part of the baby-boomer generation. I have had some stressful times in my life: living through the dark days in South Africa, growing up thinking that apartheid and the Berlin Wall were immovable realities, but then seeing them both go. Getting to my age and never being involved in war. Very fortunate in terms of the full scope of human history. We have watched from the side-lines in recent years as Syria has torn itself apart and various crises have happened all around the globe to which we have been all but immune. But now it is here, it lurks on our doorstep, it infuses inside our homes. And this is on an early spring morning when we celebrate our mothers!
Last week we looked at the preceding verses in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi, where Paul spoke of God’s peace which passes all understanding and how excessive worry is unhealthy for us. In today’s passage we come to the end of Paul’s letter and look at generosity.
A couple of years ago Karen and I met up with a whole group of friends in South Africa who we have known through many years in our faith journey together. In reflecting together in the beautiful surroundings of the Drakensberg mountains we came to agree that there were three G’s which needed to characterise our lives: Grace, Gratitude and Generosity.
Grace
Grace in Christian theology is the undeserved love of God for ALL of God’s creatures. This is a love which we can never earn by our “goodness”. It is freely given – we can accept it or reject it, but we can never earn it. One of my heroes is Bruce Springsteen. I came across the lyrics of a song I have heard often but never really listened to the words – it is actually a Gospel song. It is called Land of hope and dreams. It talks of a train and calls for all to get on board.
This train carries saints and sinners
This train carries losers and winners
This train carries whores and gamblers
This train carries lost souls
I said, this train carries broken-hearted
This train thieves and sweet souls departed
This train carries fools and kings
This train, all aboard
I said, this train dreams will not be thwarted
This train faith will be rewarded
This train hear the steel wheels singin’
This train bells of freedom ringin’
Come on this train
People get ready
You don’t need no ticket
All you got do is just get on board
God’s grace, through Jesus Christ, is extended to EVERYBODY. You don’t need no ticket – you cannot buy yourself onto the train. But you must get on board – no one is going to force you to get on – you must get on it if you are going to get to where it is going. Down through history we have spent a great deal of time debating who should be on the train and who should not be, when it is not our decision anyway. This is the Grace extended to us, to me and I know I don’t deserve it but there it is, a gift, waiting to be taken up. This is the Mothering God.
Let us remind ourselves of the words of Jesus from John’s Gospel we heard read just now: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Do not presume to know who should be on the train or who does not belong there, in case you find you are riding the wrong train yourself.
Gratitude
And so I come to the second G – Gratitude! What other response can we have for the grace we can appropriate for ourselves which we have not earned and do not deserve? Gratitude, deep, life transforming thankfulness. The thankfulness is because we know the destination of the train, for ALL who are travelling on it. The Christian belief is that the destination of the train is LIFE. The train may go through the valley of the shadow of death and that shadow seems to hang low over the world at present during the pandemic, but the train goes through it and we ultimately do not need to fear.
On Mothering Sunday, I am struck with the gratitude I have for all my dear mum did for me, often unseen and now largely forgotten in detail as she has long since taken that train and passed through the valley of the shadow herself. I am confident that I will see her again through the Grace of God and the work of Jesus. Now I am very aware that thankfulness in hindsight is one thing but that in the hurly-burly of life a mother’s role is often thankless, especially if you are to be in social isolation with the little darlings for the next several weeks.
Generosity
And so I reach the third G – Generosity. Generosity is the proof of gratitude. In the Gospel of Matthew we find a salutary story of generosity and ingratitude. There was a servant who owed a massive debt to his boss and the boss was going to put him in the debtors’ prison as a result – Matthew 18 vs 26: 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.”
I believe real generosity is much more than only what we do with money and finances. The story which Jesus tells is a metaphor for generosity of spirit which talks of forgiveness, mercy, pity, respect. We see that in how the master responded to the servant, but we also see the mean spiritedness of the servant. In today’s Gospel passage we get a picture of generosity in the words of Jesus : 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
The generosity of spirit of which Jesus speaks is regenerative, it is the essence of living graciously in response to, and gratitude for, the grace which we have received.
And so finally, amidst the fear and anxiety of the current COVID-19 threats, it is all too easy to become the opposite of a generous spirit as we seek to compete with everyone else to shore up our own defences. Alternatively, this could be a period during which God’s grace could be seen in us, in our generosity of spirit as we serve those around us – in good measure, pressed down, running over, extravagant. Just as God’s Grace is available to ALL, so our generosity of spirit needs to include ALL.
As the gathering storm approaches us, we need to hold fast to the three Gs, especially at times such as this:-
- We must remember the Grace by which we are assured of our ultimate security – nothing can separate us from the love of God; Get on the train.
- Gratitude for God’s grace will nurture within us a generous spirit which will enable us to pray for and serve those around us and also be generous towards ourselves. It enables God to be at work within us by his Spirit, to transform us by the renewal of our minds. This is how we can overcome fear and anxiety.
AMEN
–oo0oo–
Philippians 4:10-20
Thanks for gifts
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.
17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel: John 6: 37-42
Judging Others
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.