In control
There’s an anonymous saying which goes, ‘Out of the gloom a voice said to me “Smile and be happy, things could be worse.” So I smiled and was happy, and behold, things did get worse.’… For a long time I think the Church in this country has all too often been guilty of smiling through problems, pretending that they would go away, and doing very little to try and solve them.
The theme of today’s readings though, as has been the theme quite a lot in recent weeks, is very much about having a confident vision for the future, based on Jesus. The gospel reading is the stilling of the storm (Luke
When they woke him he immediately calmed the storm – and then he reminded the disciples that they had no need to fear – he was with them and he was in control. And far from just smiling through problems, pretending that they’re not there, that is what we as a Church, and as individuals, must do as well.
The Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is one that is notoriously difficult to understand, but the vision that we heard from the reading from Revelation (ch.4) this morning is a vision of glory, a vision of power and praise. You just get the feeling as you go through it slowly that all of the wonderful Cathedrals in the world that are designed to give glory to God are not even touching the sort of glory described here. Even the beauty of creation fails to live up to this place of glory, this place where God is given glory and honour and praise.
And this is the vision that we must continually look at as we go about our daily lives. All of us will face different experiences, different joys and sadness, and all of us will have different hopes, but we are reminded that whatever we are doing, we can be confident that ultimately God is in control.
And so we glimpse the vision of the past – experiences, as I’ve said, both good and bad, but every one of them doing something to shape the person we are today. We may not understand all of what has happened in the past, we will probably have many questions, but the past is what has brought us here today, and so we glimpse that vision with a prayer that we will learn and grow.
And for the Church we think of the past – not all good, not all giving credit to God certainly, but overall a story of growth, of courage, commitment, faith and hope, and of huge compassion.
And then we glimpse the vision of here and now. And what a vision we are offered. The vision of the whole power of God on our side. So often life seems to be difficult for people, a struggle to get by from day to day, and it’s understandable when we understand the pain that so many people really face, but that vision of God’s power and love must inspire and guide us, and offer a hope for the future.
As we thought of that vision of the Church in the past we see powerful growth, social influence, compassion as I mentioned… And the challenge for us as we look at the Church today must be to examine where we are making those differences today. Is that same spirit of courage and inspiration and trust in God present in our Churches today.
Because then the third vision we must glimpse is that vision of the future. And it is in that vision that we must look at what God is offering and what we are accepting. When Jesus stilled the storm he reminded the disciples that he was with them and they had no need to fear… Jesus has promised to be with each one of us at all times, but it is up to us to accept or reject that company.
The Church today and us as members of that Church needs to look at where we are now, where we want to be and how we are going to get there. I think Jesus intended the Church to be a radical organisation moving cultures forward with love and compassion, and examples of peace. An organisation that is truly going to make a difference to society, because all of those things are the things he did himself.
As we approach the future in a world which often seems to be going out of control with violence and conflict, and with people living in fear or loneliness, it seems that the people most in control are the leaders of nations, politicians, rich business people, perhaps even spiritual leaders, but they only have influence on sections of our world and society, it is God himself who is in control, and it is he who is surely worthy of our praise and honour.
The Church has smiled through problems, it seems, with little confidence for the future, largely because too often we have relied on our own ability to sort out those problems – but it is not us, not politicians, not even Bishops or Archbishops that can ultimately provide peace in the world and in the hearts of people everywhere, but God himself.
The Church is often perceived as being weak and out of touch, because that’s what we have often allowed it to be, but God is not a weak old man seeking attention from anyone who will give it to him… Neither is he out of touch.
God is mighty and powerful and holy… that reading from Revelation offered us those words of praise, ‘Holy Holy Holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come… God is at the centre of everything… So let’s hold him there and worship him there… and when we go out from here let’s do so with confidence that we have a God who loves us unceasingly, and is in control, and who is worthy to receive glory and honour and power.. AMEN
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