It`s that time of year again. Not just the season of autumn but the time of year when the political parties meet up for their regular conferences. Working within them are the political commentators who try like terriers to get to the heart of things, the truth itself.

Our Gospel reading is all about another group of people seeking the truth: the Pharisees. They are trying to trap Jesus into saying the wrong thing. They ask him about paying tax to the Emperor, to Caesar. For Jesus to answer is to get him embroiled in political controversy. As he so often does, Jesus answers with great wisdom: `Pay the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor and pay God what belongs to God.` He is saying `Show who you are. Are you a citizen of this world? Or are you a citizen of heaven?` He says the same to us this morning. Is our life centred on the things of this world? Or is our life centred on the things of God? How do we answer? Our Epistle reading from 1 Thessalonians 1 gives us some pointers about who we are as citizens of the world and citizens of heaven.

Paul is writing to the new Christian church in Thessalonica, only a few months old. These Christians are newly converted from Judaism and paganism. Their faith might be wobbly, just like yours and mine is sometimes. But Paul commends them for who they are. Verse 1: `To the people of the church in Thessalonica, (and Sheringham) who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ`. We need to remember that our faith is rooted and grounded in God. We may feel that we have no spiritual resources. But we need to remember that our resources come from God as we try to proclaim the good news and as we pray for those around us. Paul in verse 3 speaks of the hallmarks of our Christian calling: faith, love and hope: `We remember how you put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm.` We show to whom we belong by exercising our faith. Our love in Christ for one another enables us to proclaim him as we serve God and as we await the coming of Jesus. Faith, love and hope: the marks of the Christian church, then and now. The church in Thessalonica struggled against persecution, but it stood firm, as we do in the power of the Spirit.

Paul speaks of the message being received with joy and ringing out – a word used only here – ringing out throughout this region. He gives a picture of Christians going out to friends and neighbours and gossiping the good news. So often that is the way that the good news is passed on. There will be opportunities within this week for each of us to gossip the gospel. It may be about speaking of God`s faithfulness through difficult times. It may be remembering his clear guidance when we didn`t know which way to turn. It may be the knowledge of answered prayer. We have lots of opportunities to gossip the gospel this week!

Paul speaks in verse 9 of the Christians at Thessalonica turning away from idols to God. We are tempted by the call of idols, things or people which tempt us away from God. It may be the anxiety which comes from struggling with the lack of money and the temptation to keep on amassing more. It may be that we spend too much time in following work needs, giving more time to searching for power. It may be an addiction to sport. It may be too many hours watching television or immersing ourselves in social media. It may be an addiction to food or drugs. Whatever it is it often holds us captive.

Jesus asks us to look at our lives and to reflect on how much our lives show that we are a citizen of the world and a citizen of heaven. We are to be both: concerned for God`s world and our involvement in it, and as Christians, concerned for the spread of the Gospel.

Our Old Testament reading reminds us that whoever we are, God wants to use us.

Isaiah speaks of the Persian king Cyrus. He was a pagan but was wonderfully used by God to restore the Temple in Jerusalem. He would become God`s Messiah, an instrument of God`s plan. Here are God`s words of commission to this unlikely king: Isaiah 45: 4: `I appoint you to help my servant Israel, the people that I have chosen. I have given you great honour, although you do not know me.`

A pagan king, equipped to serve God. God calls us each one to proclaim him as citizens of heaven while we are on earth. John Wesley`s hymn may be our prayer:

`Jesus, confirm my heart`s desire to work and speak and think for thee;

Still let me guard the holy fire and still stir up the gift in me. Amen.`

The Revd Pat Hopkins