https://youtu.be/ZgAu6pfrVL8 1980's BT advert, just bear with.....
Sharing my sermon prior to Sunday at Benefield, cheating perhaps, but listen up anyway :)
Image attributed to Benefield church photographer.
Sunday Readings: Matthew 20: 1-16 & Psalm 145: 1-8
Two things stood out for me this week whilst listening. One was a podcast from the Open University about looking at stained glass windows and the other was on Scala Radio with the author of the Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris.
Quite a disparity these subjects, but then I began to think. They both involve the art of listening to the Word. The OU podcast was really interesting, upon listening I heard how we look at these beautiful images and that we can so easily simplify the window as a story board that gives us a specific viewpoint. We tend to simplify the function of a stained glass window as a way of showing a narrative in the visual form. In a local church there are beautiful examples of windows which tell a story. At this particular church the one at the top, the chancel window; St John the Baptist and the Four Evangelists, the meaning is relatively clear. But stained glass windows often incorporate such hidden meaning and narratives that they take on different layers of interpretation and meaning that can often get lost in translation over the years. In that church one finds donor windows; windows given in remembrance of family and to aid the upkeep of that building, another layer added to the windows narrative. However, the four evangelists depicted with John the Baptist are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The word evangelist stems from the Greek ‘bringer of good news’, a messenger specifically relating to the telling of the Good News. It is also linked with the word angel which we also know is messenger and the bible is full of tales of people being told to 'listen' to the Word of God. Some did listen quietly and with an open and pure heart such as Mary, coincidently that church is St Mary’s, and another is Zacharias, John the Baptists father, (narrated in Luke) doubted and lost the ability to speak until he was able to listen and observe in silence. In Luke 1: 19-20 we hear...
“…The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time…”
Probably best not to argue with anyone called Gabriel, especially if they have wings….
Heather Morris in her conversation with Simon Mayo talked about the ‘art of listening’. Really, really listening, not butting in during a conversation and enabling the person who is talking to say their piece. I haven’t read the book yet, it is on order but I gather observation, listening and then action is part of the storyline. But it intrigued me to hear her speak as she was very passionate about listening. Morris, argued conversation is good, however sometimes we can’t wait to say our pennyworth. We can all identify with that! She said essentially if we don’t listen we miss the things that need to be heard. In my Ministry I have often been placed in the position of listener and have been privileged to sit in companionable silence whilst someone shares a story. It is often the unsaid things that are the important focus of conversation and allowing the silence to be filled with thinking, peace and the quiet gift of companionably silence is an indicator that you have heard and are processing the information you have been gifted, and actively praying into the situation presented. Being quiet and open to listening to the Word of God is pretty key when listening to the evangelists then. In some ways we are all evangelists of the Good News and we are all called to respond according to our specific gifts, because you do all have them.
In our reading Matthew relates the parable of the vineyard. The nub of the gospel reading is ‘..the last will be first and the first will be last…’ It doesn’t matter who you are and who you think you are the Kingdom of God is for all no matter your status and whether you heard the Good News message first or you have only just listened and eventually twigged it. It is for everybody. That is what the Good News is about. It takes four evangelists and John the Baptist to convey the Word and the Good News but have we listened?
Remember Beattie in the old British Telecome advert, “…Its in all of the colours and all of the sizes…” clip? The one at the top here (I did say hang on)!
The Word is given in Four different accounts, different ways of sharing and spreading the Good News in all ways we can understand. In all colours and all sizes so we can eventually hear, listen, be still and absorb and respond with grace. Listening with grace and action. That’s where the words of the Psalm 145 come in and I realised what an incredible evangelistic Psalm it was and how Matthews gospel narrative about the vineyard really makes the listener think too. It is beautiful that this gospel text for our Sunday worship is included together with this psalm because it really echoes and fortells the absolute magnificence and wonder that this gift of the Good News of Jesus becoming man and saving us from all our sins without recourse really is, stunningly and wondrous and full of grace.
Psalm 145 1-8 is a song and prayer of praise from a writer who knew, really knew that praising God for all the wonderful gifts was absolutely the right thing to do. Again we, right now are reeling from having our freedoms curtailed for the good of others and many, many more of our friends and neighbours and relatives are not in a good place right now. So it seems really difficult to praise God’s wonder and magnificence and love. This is where the Psalms are amazing. Because they tell and have a prayer for every kind of human emotion, fear, joy, regret and distress and that in itself is quite wondrous in itself. Alongside this parable which only appears in Matthew it also reinforces God’s grace to man. God’s grace is not something we have to earn, but something that is freely given because God wants, and can and is willing to give it. It is a gift. When we receive a gift it is right to give thanks, and Psalm 145 in these verses 1-8 are just that. A ‘thank you’ gifted back to God.
Then perhaps one of the simplest and most graceful thing we can do this week is listen. Listen to each other with grace. Give thanks for friendship and relationship with each other and with God and most of all just listen with an open mind and a willingness not to interrupt. Don’t become another Zacharias or a Beattie!
Below narratives told through listening.
1st window; All Saint's Hastings Old Town, depicting town life. 2nd window; Shattered remains of original Gothic window from Cologne Cathedral. 3rd window; original window from Charlemagne's cathedral in Aachen.
I'll be listening with you tomorrow at 9am, here is the virtual link ...
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