Today is Passion Sunday when we remember that Jesus loves us so much, he was so passionate about us that he died for us on the cross so that we might live with him where he is forever. Our gospel contrasts two of the disciples for whom Jesus was about to lay down his life, Mary of Bethany who loves Jesus and submits to him as her Lord and Judas Iscariot who is following Jesus for a different reason and who has different expectations . Both had the privilege of spending time with Jesus as he entered the final week before his crucifixion Bethany was a useful stopping off place on the way to Jerusalem, near to the Mount of Olives and somewhere where Jesus and his disciples frequently came to relax when they came up to worship at the festivals in Jerusalem. What Jesus was doing on this occasion was highly dangerous. Since Jesus had raised Mary and Martha’s brother from the dead, the religious authorities had been looking for ways in which they could have both Jesus and Lazarus killed. John tells us it was six days before the Passover, the time when the lambs would be slain in the temple so that Jewish families could commemorate their freedom festival, when Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt into the wilderness where they would be formed into their identity as the people of God John at the beginning of his gospel had pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was about to bring a new community of followers drawn not just from the nation of Israel but from the whole world He was about to bring an end to the sacrifice of lambs for the forgiveness of sins in the temple He was giving his life, and shedding his blood so that we can be forgiven and set free Instead of feasting on the Passover lamb, we are both invited to feast with Jesus who is present every time we sit down to eat a meal and to feast on Jesus himself today. Like us, Jesus spent a lot of time eating both with his friends and his enemies Ostensibly, Jesus is eating with his best friends at this meal Along with the twelve special friends he had chosen is Lazarus, who everyone present knew Jesus loved because they had seen him crying at his tomb. He is eating with them Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary who Jesus had raised from the dead. His presence at the table would remind everyone there of how powerful Jesus was and of how he could command life out of death Martha was doing what she usually did, serving the meal and making sure everyone was comfortable The men would be lying round the food on a couch with their feet stretched out behind them, eating as was the custom and the women would eat separately after serving the men This is still the arrangement in many Middle Eastern and Asian households today. Whereas Martha accepted the status quo, Mary didn’t. Luke’s gospel tells us of how she had taken the part of a disciple and sat at the feet of Jesus being taught by him while Martha did the hard work on a previous visit Both Martha and Mary had shown that they understood more about who Jesus was than most of the men before Lazarus was raised. They both said Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God who was coming into the world, and they both had a close friendship with Jesus, the sort that most women were unable to have with men whom they were not related to. Possibly this was because they were both unmarried and because Martha was the head of the household. We do not know why Lazarus wasn’t in this role; maybe he was disabled or very young. We do know that Jesus and the women of this household felt very comfortable in each other’s company On this occasion, when there were so many men present, Mary must have felt excluded from the inner circle and once against her actions are totally unexpected. She possessed a pound of costly perfume made of spikenard which she pours out, anointing Jesus’ feet with it. Jesus and his disciples should have had their feet washed and have been anointed with a drop of oil when they arrive. This observance would usually be carried out dutifully by servants Mary’s act, however, seemed an unnecessary extravagance. Mary’s heart was overflowing in love for Jesus and she knew that the end of Jesus’ time on earth was coming soon. She had to show him how much she loved him while he was still able to receive that love in a physical way Mary didn’t wipe Jesus’ feet clean with a towel and might be expected, she took of her head dress and she wiped the feet with her hair What she did was outrageous. Imagine a veiled Moslem woman doing this today to a man she was unrelated to in a room full of men Adult women kept their hair bound and covered unless they were with their families Their hair was considered their glory .What Mary was doing must have seemed erotic. It was likely to lead to her being accused of being a loose, immoral woman; a shameless hussy She had poured out her most costly possession and now she was pouring out her beauty and her glory at Jesus’ feet. Her skin was touching the skin of Jesus. She was washing his feet just as Jesus would wash the feet of his disciples gently with love Jesus wasn’t afraid of being touched by a woman Whereas no orthodox Jew would have allowed a woman to touch hi, Jesus treated men and women equally Mary was giving Jesus her whole self, leaving herself open to rejection, mockery and criticism Mary loved Jesus so much that it didn’t matter to her what people thought Why did Mary behave so rashly? Why did she love Jesus so much? There are many reasons why Mary would have loved Jesus We have already heard that Jesus raised her brother from the dead That he made time for her and commended her for sitting at his feet She knew he was the Son of God and therefore what she did was an act of worship. Prostrating ourselves humbly at Jesus feet, loving him and giving ourselves to him are a way we can and should worship him today. He is our God and our Lord Jesus gives a different reason as to why she did it. He says that she bought the spikenard so that she might keep it for the day of Jesus’ burial. Mary knew that the body of Jesus was going to be abused and put to shame. She would not have the opportunity to anoint and prepare the body for burial so she was doing it while she had the opportunity. Mary loved Jesus because he was going to die for her sake. He was pouring out is life for her so she was pouring out hers for him What Mary did filled the whole house with the fragrance of the perfume. When we love and worship with our whole being, something beautiful and fragrant fills this place and changes the atmosphere, enabling everyone to experience God’s presence here with us What Mary did is compared with Judas. Like Mary, he was in a privileged position and loved by Jesus He was the group’s treasurer and clearly had business acumen. It is the job of our treasurers to use what is given wisely. It is not surprising that he was horrified by what Mary did. We would be too. He criticises her for not selling the perfume probably worth a year’s wages, and giving the money to the poor. Her gesture seems useless to him. What did it achieve? Being a treasurer is a tough job. Joy, our treasurer’s work enables me to spend more time caring for others and worshipping. Dealing with accounts and money doesn’t bless the volunteer doing it. I am very grateful for what Joy does. It is right that we should care for the poor. We do so. Just last week, Jackie took the money from Lent lunches and bought produce to support the homeless which she took to Belton Grove. Jesus was anointed to be good news to the poor. He summed up his ministry in this way. The passage makes clear, however, that Judas didn’t care for the poor and that he was a thief. He stole either for his own benefit or to support a cause and Jesus knew he was stealing and didn’t challenge him. Jesus also knew that by this point Judas was so embittered that he was going to betray him for thirty pieces of silver. Mary loved Jesus because of who he was and what he was going to do I believe Judas was disappointed with Jesus because he wasn’t the kind of Messiah he wanted and expected Judas wasn’t passionate about Jesus. He was passionate about the Jews. He was a patriot. His name suggests that he was one of the zealots. He didn’t expect Jesus to die but to rise against Rome and Jesus was not fulfilling those expectations with all his talk about dying. Judas was a political manipulator who couldn’t get Jesus to do what he wanted him to do. In many ways the position of Judas makes more sense than Mary’s adoration. He was the political pragmatist, the one who got things done, an activist Yet Judas’ cynical criticism is an attack upon love and worship and an attack on a defenceless woman. He is attempting to take control, to force Jesus’ hand, to make the decisions about what should be spent on what. Who are we most like in this story. Judas or Mary? Like them, we have come here this morning to eat with Jesus. Are our hearts critical or are they full of love Have we come with our own agendas or are we here to thank Jesus for loving us and raising us to new life? Are we here to worship and submit to Jesus because he is the Son of God without using the church for our ends? And do we recognise, like Mary that Jesus was crucified because he loved and loves us with a passionate love. He gave his whole being in love for us. Are we like Mary able to accept his love and love him in return?
Simeon told Mary when she brought her new born baby to the temple to present him to the Lord that he was destined for the falling and rising of many. We are all affected by the presence, words and actions of others and they are changed by us. The context into which we are born and the environment in which we live raises us up or causes us to stumble. Most of us were born into secure loving homes and look back on our childhood with joy. Our parents guided, nurtured, fed, clothed and provided much more than the basics we needed to survive. Others look back in anger remembering the hurt done to them, through separation, cruelty and rejection. Some suffered horrendously in children’s homes. Others remember being fostered or adopted and although their parents were not genetically related to them, they grew up secure in the knowledge that they had been chosen. In our family home we learn how to receive and give love, receive our names and gain our sense of identity as we learn how to imitate our Mums and Dads, play games, and use our imaginations to explore our future. Our status and aspirations are heavily influenced by the families we are born into and it is difficult to rise above the expectations of others. Children born to parents involved in crime will often end up in prison themselves. Those whose parents have never worked often adopt a lifestyle of reliance on benefits whereas those who come from privileged families usually receive the best education and opportunities in life. The men in my father’s family were all Scottish miners who lived and died in the same village. My Father broke with the tradition partly because he had a grammar school education and partly because his horizons were broadened as a result of the Second World War. He never returned home to live after the war and his relationship with his family was never as close as it had been. They lived in two different worlds with different understandings and aspirations. Dad eventually became a newsagent and expected me to carry on the business he had built up. Understandably he found my desire to be involved in Christian ministry difficult. Jesus grew up knowing he was part of two loving families. There was the family from which he had come which consisted of his heavenly Father, the Holy Spirit, angels and the company of heaven. There he was rich and surrounded by light and love. The family he was born into on earth was also full of love. Joseph, his adoptive father and Mary his mother did their best to give their son security, food, protection and nurture him in the wisdom of the Lord. Joseph was a hard working carpenter so Jesus was trained in carpentry. Mary had other children so Jesus grew up in a normal home environment with brothers and sisters. Through no fault of their own Joseph and Mary were poor. When they presented their son in the temple they brought a poor person’s offering. Mary knew Jesus was special because of the message from the angel Gabriel when he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and the messages given to Joseph and the Shepherds when he was born. Simeon, the old man in the temple confirmed how special Jesus was in his prophetic outburst of joy which we call the Nunc Dimittis. Having seen the baby Simeon was ready to depart from this life because his eyes had seen the salvation which God had prepared in the sight of every people; Jesus was the light to reveal God to the nations and the glory of his people Israel. Jesus’ vocation came from his family in heaven. In him salvation would be found for both Jews and Gentiles. He was the one all Israel had been looking for. The will of his heavenly Father was ultimately more important than that of his earthly family. Jesus’ family tried to protect him from the suffering he would suffer if he fulfilled his heavenly calling and acted outside of the expectations of his family and those living in his home town of Nazareth. Jesus was “destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel.” During his time on earth he rarely stepped outside the boundaries of Israel. Jesus was born into a Jewish family into a tiny nation subjugated by the Roman Empire with all the limitations that placed upon him. He was unable to perform many miracles in his home town of Nazareth because the leaders of the synagogue looked down at him. Moving away from his family home Jesus became an itinerant minister. The sick, poor, repentant and those held by evil spirits were lifted out of their sin and poor health. They received life and wholeness. The Jewish authorities, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Sanhedrin were never going to accept a mere carpenter’s son who had aspirations above his status who challenged the status quo. The Roman authorities were never going to accept a Jew with a large following hailed as a King. They saw this as a challenge to the Empire. Jesus was the stone upon which they stumbled. The rejection of Jesus by his own people the Jews eventually led to his crucifixion. Jesus led to the falling of many in Israel. When Jesus spoke, as Simeon prophesied, the inner thought of many were revealed. The ambitious pride of the leaders of the Jews, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the political expediency of the Romans were revealed by what Jesus did and said. When they failed to stop Jesus healing the sick and raising the dead it was inevitable they would seek to destroy him. As Jesus suffered the horrendous pain of crucifixion, the sword which pierced his side also pierced his mother’s heart as Mary stood by the cross, helplessly watching him die. She had probably suffered many times before and shed many tears as she had sought to shield her son from evil. Mary stayed with her son to the end along with Mary, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Salome; a sister of Mary, and Mary of Clopas. Only one male disciple, John was brave enough to stay and watch. Across the world we see many suffering for lack of food, education and opportunities. In Ukraine many cry because of the loss or severe injury of their children, mothers or fathers. Families are separated and beauty, homes, churches, and hospitals destroyed. Many suffer because of the ambitious pride and political expediency of an Empire builder. We also see the bravery of those fighting for freedom and truth, giving their lives to defeat evil. Putin’s actions are leading to the fall of many Russians who are being killed fighting in his evil army as well as leading to the fall of much of Ukraine. What a waste! Through his death and resurrection Jesus calls us to rise above the situations we find ourselves in. We are called to share his resurrection and glory as well as his suffering, and death. We share in Jesus’ ministry of healing and salvation as we seek to rebuild those places that have been wasted and love those who are hurting. Death is not the end of the story. We too have a heavenly Father and are called to be citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. Through the salvation Jesus won on the cross we shall rise to be with him.
Our first reading from Isaiah, has been described as being lyrical, joyful and full of assurance. It shows us that money is not everything. We may work all our lives for money, but miss the important things in life, that money can’t buy. Even when we do have money, we may spend it on the wrong things, and not gain satisfaction. When I was 25 years old (not all that long ago), I had a flashy sports car, a silver Vauxhall Royale Coupe with a 2.8 litre engine and a top speed of 118mph. I was still not happy though, because my girlfriend at the time worked shifts as a care worker, and was often working when I had time off, so I was unable to see her a lot of the time. To quote Meatloaf, I was going nowhere fast! In this modern world of ours, there are lots of people who try to get us to spend our money on things that are not necessities. They encourage us to get the latest phone, or the latest computer game, or watch the latest television drama, but what we really need to do is to open our eyes, and see what we already have around us. Isaiah shows us that if we listen to The Lord, he will make a covenant with us. In the Old Testament he gave the Jews King David, to lead and command them, and bear witness to God. In the New Testament, he gave us Jesus, not only to lead and command us, but to be our Saviour too. In Isaiah, God invites us to his banquet, which is an extravagant invitation, at no cost, and all are welcome. This follows the tradition in the ancient world, for a new king to hold a great banquet to celebrate their coronation and welcome in the new era. Whereas there may be a catch when we accept offers that are advertised to us, with God’s invitation there is no catch, and no hidden clauses. Everyone who asks for God’s mercy will receive it. All we have to do, is accept God, and trust him. When we have the chance to be near The Lord, we should seek him out. This means we should enter into a relationship with Jesus, and pray to him when we can. Of course, this is part of our Church services, but we may be able to find extra moments at other times in the week to say a prayer. It could be before we go to bed at night, or when we are stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work. It could be when the rain stops falling and the sun comes out – when of course, we may see a rainbow to remind us of God’s promise to Noah that he would not flood the world again, or it may be when we reach the top of the Lickeys when we are out walking, and we find the whole of Rubery and Frankley lying there before us. We do not know yet what God has in store for us. A couple of years ago, if someone suggested the world would be hit by a virus and go into lockdown, we would have thought it was a plot from a film or novel. Equally, if someone suggested Russia would start invading other countries in scenes reminiscent of World War Two, we would have thought that was the storyline from a film or novel too. We can only wonder what the next two years will hold in store for us. We hope it will enable our two churches in Rubery and Frankley to work closer together, and also help us to build a close relationship with our neighbouring churches in the Rednal, Lickey, Barnt Green and Cofton Hackett parishes. It is never too late for people to seek God. Regardless of your church history in the past, The Lord will always welcome you with open arms. We cannot fathom the depth of God’s love for us, because as Isaiah says, his ways are higher than ours, and his thoughts higher than ours. Our Gospel from Luke today, takes part during his journey to Jerusalem, and tells us about repentance. When we do go astray, we need to repent, because otherwise we are lost. We must return to The Lord to receive his mercy. Jesus tells us we should not put off life-changing decisions, because we may not get the chance again. Then we have the parable of the Fig Tree. I think this shows how we need to be patient and show forgiveness to other people as we give them opportunities to make good, and wait for their actions to bear fruit. I think it may also show us that we cannot save everybody, and we may occasionally have to let things go, and move on. While God can save everybody, we are only human and unlike The Lord, we do have limitations. If we know our limitations though, then sometimes we can get around them. I know I don’t like heights, so I avoid going mountain climbing or abseiling. If we step outside our comfort zone, we may surprise ourselves as well. I’ve never had a very good relationship with animals, and quite a few dogs don’t seem to like me for some reason, although some do. When Emma and I visited the Caravan and Camping Show at the NEC last month though, I decided to join the World Wildlife Fund. We agreed to adopt an elephant, although I’m not sure where we are going to put it! We are half-way through Lent now, and our reading from Isaiah follows the same theme, not only inviting us to hunger and thirst, but to hunger and thirst for the teaching of The Lord, who will quench us, and bring us to salvation. We are also invited to take part in God’s work, not just work that affects us directly, but work that affects the whole world.
Early in Jesus’ ministry we read about how the Pharisees and scribes were tried to get Jesus arrested and killed. Jesus frequently criticised Pharisees for their hypocrisy but not all Pharisees were hostile. He was often invited to eat in the home of Pharisees. He healed a man in the home of a leader of the Pharisees on the Sabbath in the paragraph directly following our reading. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea who were Pharisees put their lives at risk and spent huge amounts of money burying the body of Jesus with some dignity after his crucifixion. Pharisees were at risk if they were seen to be supporting Jesus. Nicodemus had to come by night and it wasn’t until after he had been killed that he was able to publicly offer support. The Pharisees warned Jesus of Herod Antipas’ plan to kill him so he could flee for his life. The warning may have been genuinely kind or a ploy to stop Jesus ministering in Galilee. Jesus knew Herod Antipas was cruel. He came from a murderous family and had beheaded his cousin John the Baptist. Earlier in Luke’s gospel we discover that Herod was worried that Jesus might be John risen from the dead. He therefore had a reason for killing Jesus. Despite the warning Jesus didn’t flee. He had work which needed completing. He said, “Go and tell that fox for me, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow.” Jesus’ response to the evil threat was to continue setting people free. The only response to evil is to overcome evil with good. We have seen much generosity and love shown to the Ukrainian refugees as they have crossed borders into neighbouring countries, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova and in the generous giving of the free world. Just as the Pharisees were divided by their attitude to Jesus so the Russians are divided in their response to what is happening in Ukraine. Most want to live peaceful lives. They are not all Empire building colonialists and supporters of President Putin. More than 5,000 people were arrested in Russia while taking part in demonstrations against Moscow’s war against Ukraine in 69 cities across the country last Sunday alone, even though they are threatened with a fifteen year prison sentence Dozens suffered beatings from truncheons or being shocked with stun guns after already being held down by officers. Alexei Navalny, the brave opposition leader imprisoned in Russia said, “It was Putin who wanted to bomb peaceful cities, kill children and destroy lives. The Russians were not asked if they wanted war. In Russia, which we love and are proud of, millions of people are against this madness. And now their help is needed more than ever,” “You may be scared, but to succumb to this fear means to take the side of the fascists and murderers. Don’t give in to fear, take to the streets, let the whole world see that Putin is not Russia.” Russians living among us need our compassion, not insults. The war is not their fault. Jesus’ response to the death threat reminded me of President Zelensky’s response to the offer from America to evacuate him from Kyiv, saying “I need anti tank ammunition, not a ride.” He recognises he may well be killed but he has a job to do in defending Ukraine and telling the truth of what is happening. Each of us has a job to do in bringing healing to others. As Christians we share in the ministry of Jesus. Through our prayers, love, generosity and outreach we proclaim that there is a higher power than that wielded by totalitarian states. Jesus called Herod a fox. Jews used the word fox to describe the slyest and most destructive of animals. It symbolised a worthless, insignificant man. Jesus recognised that Herod couldn’t be trusted. He compared him to a beast that scavenged, stole and devoured weaker animals. However, despite his power and authority as ruler of Galilee, Herod had no power to stop Jesus working. Jesus recognised his work would come to an end in Galilee and that like many prophets before him he would meet his death in Jerusalem. Herod Antipas would play a part in that death but he would not be totally responsible for it. He did not condemn Jesus and had no power to pass the death sentence under Roman rule so he sent him back to Pontius Pilate for sentencing. The suffering and death of Jesus was a vital part of his work in saving souls, curing the sick, and fighting evil His words provide a contrast with those sly foxes, Herod and Putin. Instead of talking about glory, he talked about suffering and death. Instead of defining earthly glory as the product of wars, lies and slaughter, Jesus, the King of Kings gives his life that we might have eternal life. He shows us what holiness, truth and love look like. Jesus knew his death would come in God’s timing, not Herod’s. Jesus wept over Jerusalem as I believe he does over Russia, Ukraine and many other parts of the world. He recalled the times prophets had been stoned and killed there and compares his love for the city to that of a mother hen. He does not compare himself with a great warrior or soldier. He didn’t use a masculine image but a feminine one. We are given a picture of a hen protecting, nurturing and feeding her chicks under her wings, a picture of love, warmth and safety. Jesus asks the question, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you were not willing?” This longing reflects the loving, timeless heart of God. It suggests that Jesus has loved the people of Jerusalem for longer than his life span on earth. His ministry and journey to Jerusalem would be his final plea to those who chose evil rather than love. He would not see them again until they said, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” Sadly that was to happen when he rode into Jerusalem in peace on a donkey which we celebrate on Palm Sunday. The welcome of the crowds who cried out to Jesus to save them as their King soon turned to cries of “Crucify him” when he did not take up weapons and fight. Jesus’ death was his ultimate answer to evil. It was a continuation of his ministry on earth. Through dying he overcame sin and death and enabled us to become one with him. Just as Jesus’ body was transformed through the resurrection, so we will be transformed to become part of his Kingdom of love and peace? Like Jesus we are called to overcome evil with good. We each have significant work to do as we share in Christ’s ministry of love, generosity nurture and protection. We need not be afraid. Bombs and war will not destroy us because Jesus’ love wins.
