Lifted by Christ

A sermon by Andrew Colman

Come Holy Spirit, come like a fire and burn, come the Wind and cleanse, convict, convert and consecrate our hearts for our great Good, and thy great Glory. Amen.

There have been a few times in church when the scriptures were read, and they just hung in the air. And there was a feeling in the sanctuary, a question hanging... what more needs to be said?

I read these scripture readings almost as soon as I signed the paperwork saying that I would be doing /this/ and was basically left speechless. And for those of you here that know me. That's not exactly common. It's been some time that I have been meditating on these words, and each time, I think I have something to say about them. I read them again and think, that just about says it all. Then I started talking to some friends about them, and the same sentiment came up time and again. That could not be more perfect reading for the beginning of a new ministry.

Here it is; here's the mandate: Preach the Gospel, do not boast, and do everything for the sake of the Gospel that I may share in its blessings. And then -- leave the synagogue [church] visit and pray for the sick, help cast out demons however that might look, for that is what I came to do.

——

Then, eventually, it dawned on me. Just because this is my first sermon as your new priest here at saint benedict's table - does not at all mean that this scripture reading - perfect as it might be as a mandate for any new priest- is about me.

No - like everything else in the Bible, it is about God!

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians, it sounds like it would be easy to transfer the meaning over to another individual -

which you can, I think would be a good thing -

but the only thing that gives Paul the ability to say things like "woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel... so that I might share in its blessings" — Is the Power of the Gospel itself. It is the life-saving, life-giving Power of Jesus Christ himself! And what better story to talk about that power (thank you, lectionary) - than the Gospel reading?

Simon's Mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once.

He went to her

   Imagine he beheld her in pain - and felt it himself.

      took her by the hand

       and lifted her up.

        That is the God that we serve.

          And then what does she do?

            She began to serve them!

This has long been a favourite moment in all of the Gospels because I have often identified with the mother-in-law.

In my first year of university, I found myself going to a Jamaican Charismatic church to learn about the call and response of the Black Church so I could become a better jazz musician. This was after a long time of not going to church. You could say I had a fever.

Well, the people and the music of this place kept me coming back week after week, and then one week, I asked Sister Nedra, who is still one of my best friends, if I could play my trumpet in worship.

God had taken me by the hand, and I began to serve.

        The same thing happened coming to saint ben's. I was like Simon's Mother-in-Law, down and out, and then Jesus took me by the hand - or rather, the Holy Spirit convicted my heart

so, when Jamie called for some folks to help fund that summer camp, I went and asked how I could serve... and, well, a few dollars in summer camp funding and a few things in between and… Here I am...

——

But so much more importantly - here we are, at the beginning of this new chapter in the life of saint benedict's table.

A community that has unabashedly served and preached the Gospel for over 20 years now.

Not only from the pulpit but through all of the work that has come from all of you. From every mother-in-law, mother, father, aunt and uncle. From the tome of songs from countless musicians/writers to the small library of books and articles from all our authors. Small business owners supporting their communities and employees, accountants, educators, counsellors, researchers, doctors, nurses, sanitation staff, and admin assistants, all working in a way that would make Jesus smile. Pottery to line shelves, photos to cover walls painting, icons, statues, baskets and baskets full of good things given in support of Agape table and now Epiphany Indigenous Church, weaving, recordings, banners, comics, well over 100,000 podcast listens, interviews, big idea symposiums, mission fund grants, prayers... honestly if we could boast we just might be able to…

But none of it means anything without that act of Jesus coming to each of us -taking us by the hand, lifting us up, and giving us the life we have - to serve.

Been able to feel it here lately. There has been an electricity in the air. Tonnes of new songs have been written, and new online songbook songs are being recorded and soon to be released. Beth just published a piece called Winter Kintsugi in a magazine soon to go up on our website with a corresponding podcast. The Wednesday night Lenten series is going to be loosely based on Makoto Fujimora; the series will be called Art + Faith: In the Wilderness, and we'll have makers of all sorts talking about the Wilderness and Art but more broadly Making in the Image of God. It sounds a bit like an infomercial, but it's all that and so much more because of the abundance that God has given.

But before all of that, before any of that. It's Jesus who comes to us in the midst of our fever, in the midst of our sorrow and grief and anxieties, bidden by the prayer of the people, and takes our hand.

Here. Sitting in these pews. Week after week.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit washes over and feeds us with the words of scripture, the prayers of the people, the sermon, the words of the Eucharistic prayer, and standing in this circle around the table.

Week after week. Taking our hand - and a little more slowly for us than for Simon's Mother-in-Law- driving the fever away. Preparing us for what's next.

It's why there are so many Makers, Artists, Doctors, teachers, so many people who make/who serve in the Image of God the like - in our midst.

That Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. That Grace that has washed and fed this community for 20 years is the Gospel Message that says, week after week, You are enough, and what you have to offer is Good. I can and will work through you, as imperfect as you are. You are my beloved; what you have to offer is Good. I can, and I will work my Good works through you.

Week after week, in the words of scripture, prayers of the people, sermon, Words of the Eucharist and especially around this table - we are taken by the hand.

You see, even though we are taking The Body of Christ in our hands at the eucharist, it is actually Christ himself taking us by the hand to drive the fever, to lift us up.

To lift us, gently, up - back to place where we can serve, can write, can paint, can make, in the image of the one who lifts.

——

When you come this evening to take the Body of Christ, know that you are also being taken by the hand.

And not just to serve and be creative but also to be comforted in our fears and our wounds. In our griefs and in our sorrows. And also to be raised up to a great height of creativity - be it on a blank slate or in all the other ways we act as God's co-creators of Goodness in this broken -and- beautiful world.

It is an honour that I will never be able to express to be standing here tonight. To listen, to pray, and to lead into this next chapter. To be invited to be a part of your times of joy and sorrow. To be a part of the dreaming, with all of you, that finds new ways of unabashedly preaching the Gospel and offering those gifts to the world.

There could be no clearer message than tonight's readings of what it means to be a servant of the Lord. Preach the Gospel, do not boast, and do everything for the sake of the Gospel that I may share in its blessings. And then -- leave the [church] visit and pray for the sick, help cast out demons however that might look, for that is what I [Jesus] came to do