Please wash your hands before meals and in the present pandemic keep sanitizing and washing them. Cleanliness is next to godliness because it protects both us and our neighbours. Godliness has a practical outcome. When cooking meals we need to wash any food bought in the market and use washed cups, pots and pans. Basic hygiene helps keep us healthy. It seems very strange therefore that Jesus doesn’t support the Pharisees in installing it. All religions have washing rituals, symbols which remind we need to be cleansed by our holy God before we can come into his presence. A stoop is placed inside the door in some churches to remind us we need to cleanse our hearts on the way in. Baptism is also a symbol of our need to be cleansed from and dead to sin and alive to God. At Easter many Christians renew their baptism vows signing themselves with water. We are responsible for our personal hygiene, and our conscience. We constantly need to return to God, confess our sins and ask for his cleansing. The psalmist asks, “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart.” Both hands and hearts are important. Moslem and Jewish rituals are lengthy and complex. The Pharisees and scribes prescribed that in Judaism, ritual washing, or ablution, takes two main forms: Tevilah is a full body immersion in a mikveh, or pool often attached to synagogues. It takes place after menstruation or loss of seminal fluid, when someone is a convert to Judaism, when there has been contact with a dead corpse, prior to burial and for men before the three pilgrimage festivals. Netilat yadayim is the washing of the hands. References to ritual washing are found in the, Old Testament, and are elaborated in the Mishnah and Talmud. According to custom, hands are washed before and after eating a meal with bread; upon awaking in the morning; after using the toilet; before eating karpas in the Passover seder; and before prayer three times a day. On some of these occasions, the water must be poured from a cup; sometimes a blessing is recited. Hands are washed from the tips to the wrists and then from the wrists to the tips. Pharisees complained because the disciples of Jesus hadn’t observed the ritual properly and were therefore considered unclean. Jesus denounced them as hypocrites. They put on a false appearance of virtue and religion but acted in contradiction to their stated beliefs. Jesus criticised them for honouring God with their lips when their hearts were far from him. It is easier to concentrate on externals, those things which others can see rather than what is in our hearts. We are always aware that we are judged by others on how they see us. Our personal appearance, homes, and what we do are important in creating an image. We can so easily become actors in a play, creating the image others want to see, the one which will give us approval rather than being the people God has called us to be. God always wants us to be truthful about ourselves, our failures as well as our successes. He wants us to be authentic so that what others see is what they get. Hearts full of love which reaches out in worship to God and care for our neighbours are far more important than appearing to be good. It’s not just religious people who are hypocrites. We have seen much hypocrisy from our secular politicians during the pandemic. Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Dominic Cummings haven’t kept to the rules they set. Christian hypocrisy has been exposed ruthlessly by the media recently. Hypocritical attitudes of some Christians to marriage, divorce, race, sexuality and shares in companies which cause global warming have been ruthlessly exposed. When we fail to live up to our ideals we need to repent and admit it. Jesus narrowed the Jewish law down to two precepts, loving God with everything within us and loving our neighbours as ourselves. The scribes and Pharisees extended the law. They wanted the principles found in the books of Moses defined, expanded, amplified and broken down into thousands of little rules and regulations. They made life more difficult for Jews to draw close to God with their hearts because they couldn’t get the externals right. Petty regulations and rules always favour the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. The Pharisees were teaching human precepts as doctrines. We like the disciples struggle with many rules and regulations handed to us from above, from the church authorities and government. We have Canon law, safeguarding regulations, and targets for becoming carbon neutral and for the inclusion of minority ethnic groups. On top we are expected to spend more time caring for the poor and children. Sometimes it is difficult to keep up with what is required of us and we fail in the externals. It is important for us to remember when under pressure that above everything else God desires a loving relationship with us. Islam extended the rules and regulations of Judaism. They wash more than their hands ceremonially in running water before praying five times a day using proscribed movements. This is called wudu. They have developed Sharia law from the Koran and the Sunnah and Hadith, the sayings and deeds of the prophet Mohammed. Sharia can inform every aspect of daily life for a Muslim, dress, fasting, divorce, what women can and cannot do etc. The high-ranking Taliban commander Waheedullah Hashimi confirmed that Afghanistan would not be a democracy under the Taliban. They will implement no law but Sharia. During their rule in the 1990s, the Taliban implemented an extreme interpretation of Sharia, imposing oppressive rules for women, amputations for thieves and violent punishments including executions on ‘infidels’, including believers who have left their Muslim faith to follow Christ. We are yet to see how the new rule will pan out. Sharia law is implemented under the guidance of powerful men. They can choose to be merciful as Allah is merciful. Jesus drew the crowd of common people together and emphasised the importance of having hearts right with God. Nothing a person eats can condemn, defile or separate them from God. Washing externals are irrelevant. It is the sin within our hearts that defiles us. Fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, slander, pride and folly come from within. They separate us from God and make us unclean. What we allow to grow in our hearts will eventually reveal itself in evil actions which perpetrators often hope they will get away with if no one sees them doing it. Jesus reminds us that to have clean hearts we need to draw near to God in worship, be sincere and fill our hearts with love for God and our neighbour.
Watching the Taliban retake control of Afghanistan has left many feeling defeated. We have watched women and girls disappear from the streets again in fear they will no longer be able to work, receive an education or leave the house without male accompaniment. We in the West fear similar attacks to those planned in Afghanistan twenty years ago which took place on 9/11 in America which left almost 3000 dead and demolished the World Trade Centre. Moslem terrorists continue to attack targets across our cities and throughout the Western world. The persecution of Christians across Northern Africa and the Middle East is much worse. This week there has been an admission that going to war with those who want to build an Islamic state doesn’t work. We cannot overcome terror with more terror or deeply held convictions with hostility. Paul’s last words to the church he loved were by letter showing us how we can overcome evil and continue sharing the good news of Jesus in a hostile world. In prison in chains, Paul knew he was probably going to lose his life as a martyr in Rome. Paul also knew there would be many more persecutions to come and there was a need for Christians to be strong however much pressure they were placed under. He signs off with the command, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.” Christians were a tiny minority in a pagan, multicultural city. Their lifestyle set them apart from the immorality and sacrifices to other gods made by most of the population. Their behaviour, like Paul’s could be construed as dangerous for the well being of the Empire for one of the gods the people sacrificed to was the Emperor himself. Christians have a different Lord and allegiance. If they were to avoid giving in to the cultural norms of society they needed inner strength. With the loss of their leader and founder, the church could have given up. They were weak in comparison to those around them. They were not learned like the Greeks or powerful like the Romans but providing they remained “in the Lord,” faithful, prayerfully listening and receiving from him, they had his power to draw upon. They had received the same power they had seen set many people free from evil and bring extraordinary healings through Paul’s ministry. Earthly weapons of warfare would kill those they were called to love. Many earthly battles have been fought in the name of Christ and the outcomes have been far from a witness to the might of God. The crusades when Moslems and Christians fought each other have left us with many political problems almost a thousand years later. Bernard of Clairvaux used language now used by the Taliban. “Expiate your sins by victories over the Infidels, and let the deliverance of the holy places be the reward of your repentance." "Cursed be he who does not stain his sword with blood." Bernard’s preaching left many widows in France. The Moslems won anyway and he had the audacity to blame this on the sins of the crusaders. When we hear Moslem Terrorists calling us infidels and blowing themselves up because they have been promised rewards in Paradise, we need to remember we face evil in the strength of the Lord’s might. Going to war should be a last resort to protect those who would otherwise lose their lives. Paul writes, “Our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” If our battle was against humans we could defeat them with firearms but it is not. When we think of genocides across the world we wonder why they happen. In our complex world it is difficult to keep a clear conscience and discern good from evil. We often don’t recognise the ogres of greed and despair within our own lives. We fail to see the faceless evils of the world economy and our money driven society which are leading to the destruction of our planet and life as we have known it. Empires rise and fall causing many to die in bloody warfare. Though past Empires no longer exist, the powers of evil behind them still influence those who have a lust for money sex and power. People are still deluded by the gods of fame and celebrity. Paul points to the power of evil we cannot see. We are to put on the whole armour of God, so that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wherever evil comes from, demonic forces, other people or from within ourselves, we need to be constantly on guard and ready to fight it. Paul uses an extended metaphor based upon the armour of the Roman soldier guarding him to show us how. Paul was cut off from those who loved him, imprisoned and unable to preach, heal or set people free in the name of Jesus. The Roman guards seemed to have all the power. However, Paul shows us how to equip ourselves with more powerful armour composed of truth, righteousness, the good news of peace, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and prayer. He tells us to stand and fasten the belt of truth around our waist. Paul was suffering and would be executed for the truth. He couldn’t offer incense and say the Emperor was Lord because it wasn’t true. In our post modern, multi-cultural culture where all religions are taken seriously and everything is considered to be relative we need to remember that truth is absolute. Paul knew Jesus had lived and died to forgive him. He had experienced and spoken to Jesus on the road to Damascus when he wrongly believed believers were subversive and was persecuting them. He had experienced the power of the Holy Spirit reaching out to others through him. Jesus is Lord even though it might sound bonkers to our neighbours. We need to stand on that truth. In a world where it is difficult to discern what is true and false, we need to be people of integrity who fight for truth. We cannot build our churches or society on lies. We are to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Through Christ, God’s righteousness dwells within us. Those who accuse us whether human or demonic can kill our bodies but they cannot condemn us because Jesus cleanses us from sin and makes us holy within. As shoes for our feet we are to put on whatever will make us ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. We are called to speak about Jesus to others. When we walk the walk, we must talk the talk. Jesus brings us peace and reconciliation with God as the burden of past sins are lifted and peace with others. We love and listen to others whatever their beliefs, engaging in a dialogue in which we share God’s love in Christ. “We are to take the shield of faith with which we will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”<sup></sup> Roman shields were leather, wetted against incoming fire, and large enough to cover the one who carried it and one-third of the person beside him. Roman soldiers used to defend themselves by standing in a circle with their backs to one another which meant the arrows couldn’t reach them. The church, armed with faith is able to face assaults. Clinging to Jesus when all around seems dark, enables us to look forward to a time when there will be no more evil or death in the world We are to, “Take the helmet of salvation.” We were saved, we are being saved and we will be saved because Jesus suffered for our sins and the sins of the whole world. We can have confidence in what he has done and trust him to take us safely home to be with him. The only piece of armour Paul mentions which is used for attack is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. We cannot convince people of the truth of our message by are arguments and love alone. Jesus draws people to himself through the Holy Spirit who makes Jesus real and guides us into truth. He speaks through us and for us. Therefore we are to pray in the Spirit at all times and keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. We may not necessarily see what God is doing but he uses our prayers to bring in his Kingdom of justice and peace. We fight against evil by remaining in Christ and equipping ourselves with armour composed of truth, righteousness, the good news of peace, faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and prayer. When we do so we will see world situations change and those we are praying for make Jesus their Lord and Saviour.
Paul, in his letter to the church at Ephesus, gives us clear advice upon how we should live. In the fifth chapter we have six verses, two do s, two don'ts and two more do s. Do live as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. I love the KJV which says 'see that you walk circumspectly'. Wisdom is something which has its origin in the fear of God, not that we should be afraid of a loving father, but we stand in awe, in deep reverence and respect for the almighty creator of the universe. He, by definition, knows best. He is the author of wisdom, and if anyone lacks wisdom, let him or her ask of God. Circumspectly, does not mean following what was often my example, dashing in where angels fear to tread. It means thinking around the whole circumference, inside and out, allowing our decisions to be well informed and advised. The letter talked about those days being evil. Evil has always been present in our human world. It would seem that it happens in waves, some days are more evil than others. The tendency in the world today marks deterioration. Here are some indicators which must be inter related. 1. A turning away from God. The arrogance to say God does not exist, or if He does, we have Him shut into the little box which we want Him in. The fool looks to themselves for wisdom, saying they know best, better than the Almighty himself. Morality is in danger of being set by the mood of the day. I love the film Matilda, based on the novel by Roald Dhal. The character Miss Trunchbull says 'I am smart you are dumb, I'm big you and are little so I am right and you are wrong and there is nothing you can do about it... because..... in this school.... and in this classroom, I am God.' Some commentaries suggest that the flooding of the world in the time of Noah and the total destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah happened because of this type of mindset. The resulting evils had affronted the God who created human beings so that he could love them. 2. We think that can decide what truth is and what truth isn't. I have heard it said "It is true because I just know." So history can be re written to make it say whatever we want. Everything is about us and what we want. Hence we may say that good is now evil and evil things good. 3. The theology of the world may tell you."God doesn't mind". If it feels good then it is alright, even if the depths of our heart tell us it can't be. With this mindset pornography (for example) is put across our screens as a form of entertainment. If it makes money, it serves its purpose. Wrong thoughts and actions will be influenced by this. Evil does not seem to mind what we get hooked on, as long as it can bring suffering, misery and destruction. 4. Persecution is becoming more commonplace across the world. Unless our world receives God's wisdom, we will continue to reap what we are sowing. Do not be foolish, that is the way of the world. Learn God's wisdom, get to know what His will is so that you can do it and reap all of the rewards which come with it. The first psalm acknowledges that respect of God brings safety, but the wicked will be cut down. Paul says, ' Don't get drunk with wine that is debauchery. Debauchery is an interesting word which is not in everyday use. It means excessive and gluttonous consumption. There is a sense of entitlement which enables some to waste away on something, invariably at the expense of others. So don't get drunk drowning your sorrows, diverting your pain, but be filled with the Spirit. The letter to the Corinthians says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" So your body belongs to God and therefore should be treated as such. In the last weeks we have studied Jesus, the bread of life. Unlike cooked bread which takes away the hunger for a while, the bread of life satisfies the soul forever. It is not proof spirit which we seek and only has temporal effect. Paul is saying be filled with the Holy Spirit and be satisfied now, and for all time to come. The joy, excitement, love and the wonder in looking on God with gratitude and praise can be all yours. This is God's special gift to you. Paul says sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Make a melody in your hearts to the Lord. Bless Him with these songs; they will bless you and others too. Give thanks to God for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Make this choice, taking this moment to be in communication with Him, glorifying Him in your heart.
Our lectionary spends four weeks looking at the implications of the feeding of the five thousand. Last week we looked at the importance of believing Jesus is the bread of life. Today our reading looks towards the death of Jesus on the cross, his resurrection and our own suffering, death and resurrection. To the Jews Jesus’ claim to be the bread of life was outrageous. Claiming to be God, which he was doing when he used the phrase “I am,” was blasphemy. These were the words God had used to reveal his character to Moses in the burning bush. Jews, even today believe the name of God is too holy to be said. They therefore refer to him as the name or “I am,” the one who has always been and always will be; the one who is always at work in his world and in our lives. The Jews knew Mary and Joseph. How could Jesus say he had come down from heaven? What rubbish! How could Mary share the news that the baby she carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit without the help of Joseph? Her family and friends wouldn’t believe her. There was enough shame surrounding the birth of Jesus as she was unmarried when she became pregnant. She wouldn’t want to remind her neighbours in her home village of anything which might lead to her family being ostracised and bullied. The welfare of Jesus and her other children was too important to put at risk. Jewish complaints about Jesus were understandable. We would have complained in their situation. In their eyes Jesus was pretentious, acting above his station and worst of all was a blasphemer. Worse still, Jesus had the audacity to tell them not to complain among themselves and that no one could come to him unless drawn by the Father who sent him. Whilst the Jews knew Jesus’ earthly step father they did not have a relationship with his heavenly Father. These Jews, like all of us had great difficulty in seeing beyond what they knew to be true from the reading of scriptures and the interpretations of the rabbis. Their understanding of God being one Lord meant he couldn’t possibly have a son. Their understanding of being chosen by God meant they couldn’t accept that Jesus was bread for whosoever came to him. We all have narrow views of the world and God. From time to time these views are challenged and we struggle to balance truth and the scriptures with our lived experience and what is happening in the world around us. Our views on sexuality, race and gender are constantly challenged in today’s society. We begin to interpret scripture in different ways when we listen to different Christian voices. Science, reason and experience also help us determine what is true. Moslem, Jewish and Christian fundamentalists have often been so rigid in their interpretation of scripture that they have shown hatred towards those they view as sinners sometimes killing them. Today in Europe we see that mainly coming from Islamic extremists but Christians have been guilty in the past. They haven’t listened to the stories of those they oppose or attempted to get to know them. Above everything else Jesus came to bring us into relationship with him and his Heavenly Father. He is the truth come down from heaven. He wants us to love him and our neighbour as ourselves. Religious hatred towards the LBTQ plus community has sometimes blocked members of that community from finding Jesus as their Saviour. It has led to endless arguments internally in the Church causing a deep rift between Conservative and Liberal Christians. Whereas in the past there were laws against gay sex often used unfairly the pendulum has swung. Today Christians will be prosecuted if they show any form of discrimination. I feel sorry for those cake makers and hoteliers who have been prosecuted for their traditional views. The law is a blunt instrument when dealing with these issues. “Living in Love and Faith” material is produced by the Church of England to get us talking together in love. Our relationships with Christians, who have different views from us, need to be so strong that we can honour and love them. We are called to have deep relationships with each other and others who Christ is calling to himself. Jesus was found amongst the poor and the outcasts. He longs for us to share his message amongst those previously considered unacceptable. Jesus criticised the Jews for grumbling like their ancestors did in the wilderness. They were happy to grumble behind Jesus’ back but not willing to bring their complaints to him, face to face. They made Jesus the outsider. When they rejected Jesus’ teaching they were rejecting God. Most of their ancestors died in the wilderness because of their unbelief. Even Moses didn’t enter the Promised Land. This happened even though God had fed them with manna and quails. Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father.” Jesus was drawing the Jews to himself when he spoke, teaching them who he was and offering them eternal life which they rejected. Christians in the past have used verses like this to defend their hatred of Jews. Anti Semitism is unacceptable. God still loves the Jews passionately and longs for them to come into a deeper relationship with him through Jesus. The Holy Spirit is working in their lives as well as ours. Our coming to Christ is not merely something we initiate and choose. Jesus chose all of us when he died on the cross. He said, when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” The Holy Spirit makes Jesus real to us, and convicts us of sin and judgement. We are special because our heavenly Father chose us. Jesus is the only person who understands the truth about us, God and the world. We know a tiny part of it. Jesus is the only one who has come from God and seen the Father. The arrogance and bigotry of leading Jews would eventually play a part in the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus didn’t blame them. The bread Jesus gives us, he says, is his flesh for the life of the world. Jesus’ flesh was ripped to shreds as he was whipped, his brow was torn by the crown of thorns, his hands and feet were nailed to the cross and his side was pierced. Jesus willingly suffered and died. It was his gift to us, so that we might receive his eternal life. He was wounded for all of our transgressions, Isaiah 53 says. Death did not defeat Jesus. Three days later he rose from the dead proving he truly is God’s Son. He promises that when we come to him we too will be raised us up on the Last Day. Jesus’ request that we eat his flesh was offensive. It is one of the most controversial verses in the Bible. Catholics have taken this literally and believe we feast on the actual body of Christ at the Eucharist whilst Protestants have emphasised feeding on the word of God. Martyrs have suffered and died for both of these positions, particularly under the Tudor dynasty. Yes, Christians have killed each other to protect their narrow world views. How we become one with Christ in his body the church is a mystery. We receive Jesus every way we can, inviting him into our hearts and lives, reading his word and developing a relationship with him in prayer. We also receive him in Holy Communion. As we feast on Jesus we become one with him and one with each other. We become like Jesus in his death and resurrection and like him will enter the Promised Land, the Kingdom of Heaven. To receive eternal life now so that we never die and are raised on our last day, we come to him, believe and take him into ourselves. He longs to have a relationship with us and the whole world. When we become his body we become his gift of broken bread bringing life to his world, sharing his teaching and love.
