Sermon For The 15th Sunday After Trinity - 20 September

Sermon for the 15th Sunday after Trinity Sunday 20th September 2009 Jeremiah 11.18-20 James 3. 13 – 4. 3, 7-8a Mark 9. 30-37 This past week in school, the Year 3 children have been reading a story by Dick King-Smith called „The Hodgeheg‟. As you might guess, it‟s a story about a hedgehog – a young hedgehog named Max, who sets out to discover why it is that humans can cross the road safely, when hedgehogs so often can‟t! Now, beginning a new story prompts much classroom discussion. “What do you know about hedgehogs?” asked the teacher. The hands shoot up. “Miss! I had a hedgehog in my garden and it was sick and we had to look after it”, said Aidan. “Miss! We‟ve got five hedgehogs behind the shed in our garden and they come out at night,” claimed Ellie. Not to be outdone, little Jacob was the next to speak. “Well, we‟ve got twelve hedgehogs in our garden!”

It seems that the claim to be the greatest is deeply ingrained in our culture – and even in the youngest of children! It‟s often the case in our gospel stories that Jesus‟ disciples behaved like troublesome children. Look! Here they are in today‟s story, arguing amongst themselves on the road to Capernaum, about who is the greatest. And what‟s worse, their petty squabble is taking place at the very moment when Jesus is trying to explain to them, in all seriousness, that he is about to be betrayed, and be killed, and rise again. As we heard last Sunday morning, the disciples were completely unable to grasp what Jesus was saying. In this morning‟s reading, Mark – the writer - actually explains to us: “They did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.” In a way this isn‟t too surprising. The disciples, who genuinely believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour of Israel, would naturally resist the idea that he was soon to die. Do you remember Bishop Tom Wright‟s football analogy, which Martin quoted last week? “You might as well have had a football captain tell the team that he was intending to let the opposition score ten goals right away.” Now, here‟s another one from the same source:

“You might as well expect a footballer, planning the biggest game of the season, to explain to his friends that he was going to play with his legs tied together!!” The disciples were understandably stunned and incredulous. Our sympathy with the disciples might well extend, too, to their argument about who is the greatest. It seems that the obsession with status and prestige, which is so deeply ingrained in our own culture today, was just as strong in the culture of Jesus‟ time. And it‟s an obsession which, as much then as today, is totally inappropriate for followers of Jesus. As he so often does, Jesus turns the popular thinking, the received view of this world, on its head. In God‟s new kingdom, status and prestige are irrelevant. The more important attributes are humility and a readiness to serve others.

A little later in Mark‟s Gospel there‟s another story: “People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, „Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it‟.” It‟s true that in the ancient world, although much loved within their own families, children had little social value and no legal status at all. So, at the simplest level, Jesus is demonstrating that there is no place for worldly greatness or material ambition in the kingdom of God. Instead, there‟s a welcome for the lowly and the humble. Children, who by nature are small and unassuming, have a special value in the eyes of God. But I think there‟s more to it than that.

Jesus chooses to use a child to illustrate his point. It‟s worth taking a closer look at the occasions in the gospels when Jesus uses children to make a point about the kingdom of God. On this occasion, we‟re told that Jesus „took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them „Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me‟.”

Young children are by nature open and malleable. They are eager to learn and to explore the world around them. As followers of Jesus are we ready to be open-minded, to listen when God speaks to us, and to adopt new ways of understanding? To seek „the wisdom from above‟?

Young children are by nature trusting and loving in their relationships with others. As followers of Jesus are we ready to be trusting and loving in our relationship with God and in our relationships with other people. To relinquish „bitter envy and selfish ambition‟ and replace them with peace, gentleness and mercy? Young children are by nature weak and vulnerable. As followers of Jesus are we ready to acknowledge that we are weak and vulnerable too? Are we ready to submit ourselves to God‟s protection, love and tenderness? “Draw near to God” writes James in today‟s New Testament reading, “and he will draw near to you.” Writing in the first century AD, not many years after the death of Jesus, James understands all too well that the selfish cravings and desires of the human heart create conflict and disorder in the community. Today, in the 21 st century AD, not much has changed! Except, perhaps, that modern technological advances, ease of communication, and the growing influence of the media, encourage us all the more to participate in a culture of celebrity, success, fame and fortune. Our society is fiercely competitive, greedy and acquisitive. But those who want to follow Jesus, those who seek a place in the kingdom of God, must be prepared to leave the rat-race behind. If we become like children – unassuming, open-minded, trusting and submissive – not jostling for position but making way for others - then we, too can have a special value in the eyes of God.

I came across a short poem recently in which the unknown writer expresses his love for God in these words: “Give me to be thy child and learn for ever at thy knee. Give me to grow weak and grey-headed, since thou willst it so. Bid me lay aside All the pleasures of my youth and pride, Gladness as well, Sweet ardours and bright hopes – I‟ll not rebel. Only, I pray, keep me beside thee all the night and day, Only, for all thou takest, give thyself, and past recall! And when youth‟s gone, As men count going, twixt us two alone Still let me be Thy little child, left learning at thy knee.”