I first came across this on David Chambers’ Pax et Bonum blog. Just the name in the title, Robin Hood, was enough to get me interested. But it does seem to me that the whole idea and the ethos behind it is worth supporting; so I’ve signed up too.

A tiny tax on bankers that would give billions to tackle poverty and climate change, here and abroad.

This tax on banks — not you or I — has the power to raise hundreds of billions every year. It could give a vital boost to the NHS, our schools, and the fight against child poverty in the UK — as well as tackling poverty and climate change around the world.

Not complicated. Just brilliant.

For more information, check out The Robin Hood Tax website.

“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .”

The following is the text of the sermon I preached at the 8.00am Holy Communion service on Sunday, 27 July; at Church — St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester.

“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .”
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

May I speak in the name of the living God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Longing for change
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . . ” — I wonder what Jesus’s disciples would’ve thought when they first heard him say those words? I wonder what they would’ve hoped to hear? They were probably longing for a change in the political scene of their country, and most likely hoping that Jesus, who they thought of as the promised Messiah, was going to instigate such a change.

Their nation had been oppressed for hundreds of years; occupied by Persians, Greeks, and now Romans. They’re desperate for political and radical change, to bring them freedom from that oppression. And they long for the kingdom of heaven.

“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” — We’re fortunate to be living in a country that has a good government. Yes, I know there are many that would want to question that statement. But in comparison to many places around the world, we are living under a good government. There are places where the people are longing for freedom from government oppression, and the hope of a better life, just as those disciples did two thousand years ago. Think, for instance, of recent events in Zimbabwe, or of the protests in Tibet, or of those in the camps of Darfur, longing for a new regime that will give them protection and a livelihood.

What kingdom means
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” — Over the years we’ve lost some of the sense of what “kingdom” means. Jesus would’ve used it to convey a sense of authority, that our royalty just don’t have. He would’ve meant it more in the way we might think of “the government of heaven”, or “God’s presidency”, or even “God’s regime”. Jesus is saying, “This is what it’s like when God’s in control”.

Now the disciples have an idea in their minds what they think “the kingdom of heaven” means. They’re looking for that day when God will sweep the Romans out, and bring in his own political agenda, with liberation, dignity and prosperity for all in their land. And they’re expecting it to start with Jesus. So when Jesus uses this phrase, “the kingdom of heaven”, he’s entering political territory.

God in control
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” — Jesus is speaking to people longing for political change. And now he goes on to paint some pictures of what it’s really like, when God is in control.

God in control is like a mustard seed, starting small but growing large. This isn’t going to be a dramatic confrontation with the governing authorities; but it’ll be an organic growth of power.

God in control is like yeast in flour. This would’ve been a really radical thought for the Jews, because they thought of yeast, or leaven, as something corrupt. So this is a government that corrupts society; working its way into all areas until its influence becomes clear, rather than being imposed from outside.

God in control is like a man selling all he has, to buy a field with treasure in it, or a pearl of great value. There’s happiness in this but it comes at a price; it comes from being ready to give everything in the process.

God in control is like a dragnet catching good and bad fish, holding them together until they’re sorted. This is the kingdom that holds good and bad together, until the end of the age.

A different kingdom
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” — They weren’t hearing what a first century Jew, living in occupied Judea, was hoping to hear. And neither is it the kind of kingdom those living in the Darfur camps are hoping for, or those protesting in Tibet, or living under oppression in Zimbabwe.

Jesus speaks of God’s control starting small, and working secretly within — where they want a regime change. Jesus tells of God’s rule demanding everything of his followers, and yet not differentiating between good and bad — where they want their oppressors out. What kind of dawn of a new government can this be? What kind of relief from oppression is this?

God’s government is different
But that’s the point, isn’t it? This is what it’s like when God’s in control, not men and women. We so often think an overthrow of a regime will change the world for good. But there’ve been many times a new ruler has been cheered on, only to find the reality cruelly different. Robert Mugabe became the darling of black Africa’s anti-colonial struggle after being elected as prime minister in March 1980 — how things have changed?

The disciples will soon realize that God’s government is different. God crowns his king on a cross: a seed as small as a mustard seed winning forgiveness for our sins. The Holy Spirit pervades with the yeast of godliness. Jesus gives up everything for us, as if we are his treasure or his fine pearl, and in doing so shows God’s love to each one of us, even though good and bad is held together in our lives.

Fundamental transformation
“The kingdom of heaven is like . . .” — This kingdom is no superficial change of one regime for another. This kingdom is a fundamental transformation; with people being changed in hearts, attitudes and minds by the gospel of Christ. And through the change in them, going on to change the world they live in. That’s what we see in the disciples after Pentecost, and we see it today.

What seeds are even now being planted in places like Darfur, and Tibet, and Zimbabwe? What yeast is today working through believers to make the kingdom of heaven visible in those places?

And us?
And here’s an amazing truth: The kingdom of heaven is like . . .you . . . and me? If we’re asking to be changed by the gospel, seriously trying to live by the will of God, we can say it’s true. We are people of his kingdom.

The most radical change of government the world can ever see, is when someone submits their life to God’s control. And the kingdom is growing — person-by-person, and heart-by-heart — and the world is changing as a result.

Do you long for a change of government? Do you want to see the kingdom of heaven? It begins with our lives being truly given to God. And, through that, changing the world.

Amen

Jesus at the Temple

The following is the text of the sermon I preached when I led Evensong on Sunday, 13 July; at Church — St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester.

It was quite disconcerting when I first started to speak; I looked into the relatively small congregation (19), to see three Priests and a Bishop looking back at me. I think I may have gabbled the first paragraph a little, as nerves kicked in. Sometimes (often), as much as I know I shouldn’t, I doubt my worthiness — this was one of them.

Jesus at the Temple
Luke 19:41—20:8

Lord God, take my words and speak through them, take our minds and think through them, take our hearts and set them on fire with love for you, you who are Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Luke’s Gospel
In the reading we just heard from St Luke’s Gospel, we have his account of the events that took place on Palm Sunday — Jesus’s final entry into Jerusalem, a few days before his arrest, trial and crucifixion. In Luke, the story’s a bit shorter than the accounts given to us by Matthew, Mark and John; for example, it doesn’t mention the spreading of palm branches on the road by Jesus’s followers.

But Luke’s account does something very useful. It highlights the character and qualities of the Son of God, whose attitudes and feelings, we as Christians are encouraged to imitate. So let’s take a few minutes to see what Luke’s story of Palm Sunday, tells us about this man Jesus that we must try to follow.

Compassion
First, as you might expect, we see his compassion. He knew what was going to happen to Jerusalem. His description of enemies building an embankment against it, killing many of the inhabitants, and not leaving one stone on top of another was a close description, even if not entirely accurate, of what was to happen some forty years later, when the Romans put down a Jewish revolt.

The tragedy was that it could all have been avoided, if only the Jewish authorities had accepted Jesus, and God’s message of peace and love that he’d brought them. The leaders preferred to take the way of political manoeuvring, and intrigue rather than the way of peace — and the tears that Jesus shed for the forthcoming fate of Jerusalem, were the tears shed by God, when he sees needless human pain and suffering.

We, too, should be shedding the same tears as Jesus did, when we think about the plight of the poor and hungry, in Africa today; the innocent civilians still suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Darfur region of Sudan, and too many other places of strife around the world; the atrocities being meted out under Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe — I could go on, but I’m sure you don’t need me to. But our compassion shouldn’t stop at tears; wherever possible, we must try to follow our Lord, in bringing relief to those who are suffering, wherever and however we can.

Brave
Not only was Jesus compassionate; Luke tells us that he was brave — you might say he was recklessly brave, in the service of God his Father. Some time before he came to Jerusalem for the last time, the Jewish authorities had put a price on his head, and they were constantly looking for opportunities to arrest him. But Jesus knew that this final journey, was what his Father intended for him, and he insisted on making it, even though he knew what the agonising end would be.

On top of that, after Jesus very publicly arrived in Jerusalem, one of his first actions was to drive out the merchants, who were trading in the Temple — an act which would have been highly unpopular with the authorities, for reasons we’ll see in a moment. And then he continued his defiance, by openly teaching the people at the Temple every day.

Most of us can count ourselves fortunate, that we’ll never have to face, such a challenge to our courage as Christians. Yet there will be times when we’ll instinctively know, that publicly expressing a Christian view, may well be very unpopular with those around us. Taking a stand against racial prejudice, that neighbours are showing towards an Asian family that’s moved into your street, for instance, can cause a lot of resentment. But if we’re to follow our Lord’s example, we somehow have to find the courage to make that stand, that he himself would make — and be ready to take the consequences of making that stand, just as he did.

Social justice
Then, in addition to his bravery and compassion, Jesus had a passion for social justice. Throwing out the merchants, who were selling things in the Temple, wasn’t only an act of bravery; it was an instinctive act to help the poorest members of society that the merchants were preying on.

Temple worship called for the sacrifice of animals or birds. The law insisted that all of them should be without blemish, and the Temple employed inspectors to make sure of it. The only way to be sure that you were presenting an “officially approved” offering, was to buy it from an officially approved merchant in the Temple courtyard — at a greatly inflated price, of course. Temple taxes also had to be paid, in a dedicated “Temple currency”, which also had to be purchased at a sort of, bureau-de-change in the courtyard — also at very unfavourable rates of exchange.

Naturally the people who suffered the most from these officially approved rackets were the poorest, who were least able to afford the high, but unavoidable costs of worshipping their God. It was a deliberate act of legalised robbery; indeed, the very worship of the house of God, was being used to exploit the worshippers. And, perhaps something that helped make Jesus really angry, was the fact that the merchants’ and currency traders’ shops in the Temple courtyard, were actually owned by the family of Annas, the High Priest.

Social injustice today
Again, you don’t really need me to give you a catalogue of all the social injustices of our time. But ask yourself — how would Jesus have reacted when he heard about pensioners having to live on or below the poverty line? Or, the ever-increasing occurrences of families breaking apart in our society? Or, ever-younger children being stabbed to death on our streets, as the levels of mindless violence continue, inexorably, to rise?

Do such things fire you with indignation — or better still, a real desire to see something done about it? Because for those who really want to emulate our Lord, they should!

Christian qualities
Bravery in the face of unpopularity or hatred. Compassion for the underprivileged. A determination to achieve social justice. And perhaps we might, in conclusion, add a fourth quality — a readiness to argue the case for living the Christian life, as Jesus regularly argued it successfully with the scribes and Pharisees of his day. He wasn’t afraid of losing the argument, and neither need we – after all, there isn’t much of a case that can be made against a life governed by bravery, compassion and social justice, is there?

Amen.