St Paul wrote to his friends in Ephesus and said: “I have heard of your faith…”

Ephesians 1.15

When St Paul wrote “I have heard of your faith”, he could have been writing about you and the church in Sheringham.

Be of no doubt, the people you meet every day have heard of your faith. People have noticed the respect and love you share with each other and with them, for you are all followers of St Peter, at St Peter’s Church, Sheringham. We all worship Christ the King, King of our life.

It is quite remarkable that the things St Paul wrote about the Christians in Ephesus nearly 2000 years ago, can be said of the Christians in Sheringham today.

Like those folk in Ephesus, I am also sure that you are well aware of the hope of your calling. For you have found that to follow the Christian way, in the footsteps of the risen Christ, is to live in the hope that life can be of a superior quality.

We in the Church of St Peter’s Sheringham, are Christ’s body; our worship, our actions, our views shared, and our influence in society - all witness to the fullness of life to which faith in God has given us access.

Our faith makes a difference. It is because of our faith that we live life differently.

Just how differently is described in that parable we heard earlier from the Gospel of St Matthew.

It is as different as Sheep are from Goats.

Or as the prophet Ezekiel put it: its as different as Fat Sheep from Lean Sheep.

In Jesus’ story, Ezekiel’s description of the offer by God to support his people in the life of faith is repurposed to highlight the difference made to life when faith in Christ is attempted.

The approach to life by the sheep and by the goats have important differences: the sheep have been living the life of the Kingdom, with Christ as King; the goats have been living for self alone, without Christ.

When the story is applied to ourselves, we find that our faith has led us to look at life differently from the way most other people look at life. Most other people don’t even know that when they live for themselves they are missing out on the Kingdom Quality of life made available in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

If you were to tell most people they are missing out, they would ask: “when do we miss out?”

That’s why the ”Goats” were so surprised when challenged about things they had not done.

When did we see you as a stranger, hungry, thirsty, sick or in prison? they ask.

The implication being that had they known Jesus then they would have done differently. But they didn’t do differently.

They did not recognise Jesus in the people around them.

They never got around to sorting out anyone else but themselves. They don’t know what it is they don’t know. So they miss out on the Kingdom Life.

You on the other hand, by putting others first, automatically live the life of the Kingdom.

It is so automatic that this morning you may be as surprised as those “Sheep” were in the story to find yourselves being commended for your lifestyle. You don’t realise what it is you don’t realise. You don’t realise what it is that others see in you. You don’t realise that you are living life differently; those not living life differently notice because its not how they live life. You live a life of a different quality; that’s what the Kingdom of God is: a quality of life which just comes naturally.

But, when people around you do get around to giving the matter some thought, they do notice that you have a different way of looking at life. They do notice when you put others first; they notice when you share ideas that they find challenging. Sometimes they do more than notice; sometimes they wonder what it is you are on; occasionally they even want some of it.

So, just as with the Christians in Ephesus all those years ago, its up to us to continue living in the faith with one foot in the Kingdom of God.

To keep on looking out for the stranger, the needy, and the folk who lack spiritual awareness. For to do so is to bring life closer to the kingdom of God. It’s an approach to living, which provides access to a life ruled over by Christ the King.

The Revd Malcolm France