{"id":1203,"date":"2017-10-22T09:58:06","date_gmt":"2017-10-22T09:58:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=1203"},"modified":"2017-10-22T10:04:34","modified_gmt":"2017-10-22T10:04:34","slug":"sermon-15th-october-2017-evening","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-15th-october-2017-evening\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 15th October 2017 – evening"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sermons index<\/a><\/p>\n

Sermon for 18th Sunday after Trinity \u2013 evening<\/h1>\n
\n

Sunday 15th October 2017<\/h3>\n

Proper 23
\n
\nProverbs 3. 1-18
\n1 John 3. 1-15
\n<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs<\/p>\n

\n

\"MaureenSeeing people as they are….<\/p>\n

John tells us \u201cWhat we do know is this; when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.\u201d<\/p>\n

But do we ever see people as they are?<\/p>\n

When I was first ordained and began working in Shrewsbury it always amused me that if I walked through town in my dog-collar, I would be greeted by lots of people from our large congregation.<\/p>\n

On the days when I wasn\u2019t wearing it however, it was as though I did not exist. I could walk through town and remain completely anonymous. And it wasn\u2019t because people were being respectful of my private space and thinking it might be my day off…. They genuinely did not realise it was me. If I stopped and spoke to them they would do a double take, and then suddenly realise who I was and continue a conversation.<\/p>\n

I will say that people in Pattingham seem to have got past that point and most do recognize me whether I look \u2018official\u2019 or not!<\/p>\n

But do we see the real person?<\/p>\n

Sadly there has been much in the news this week of how some people \u2013 one individual in particular \u2013 can use their power and influence to coerce others into behaviour that is damaging. The spotlight is currently falling on the entertainment industry, but we all know that it happens in many different industries and organisations. And it can affect men as well as women some times. Bullying and corrupting behaviour can go on for years before someone finally has the courage to call it out for what it is. Before someone can make us all see someone as they really are and not in the facade that they may have built for themselves, propped up with the tools of money and influence.<\/p>\n

One of the mysteries of the resurrection is that even some of Jesus\u2019 closest friends did not at first recognize him in his resurrected body. Now we can rationalise this in lots of ways \u2013 they were not expecting it to be him of course, but it also seems that he was both himself and not himself \u2013 or rather even more himself when they saw him after death. The marks of crucifixion were still there \u2013 which suggests that we take all of our earthly experience into our new reality beyond the grave, but there was also a new splendour.<\/p>\n

When people lose their loved ones, they often draw comfort from the thought that at some point they will see each other again. We use such images to describe the indescribable. One way of understanding it \u2013 borrowing language from the scientific world, is to say that after we die, it will be a little like entering a new dimension. There will still be time and space after we die, but it will be very different from time and space as we currently know and experience them. But the important thing is that we shall still be able to recognize each other, and for the first time we shall see Jesus as he really is \u2013 indistinguishable from God the Father and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

What will he say to us then? Perhaps it will be something like, \u201cMy friend, I love you now as I have always loved you. Why did you ever doubt it, you of little faith? Enter into the joy of your Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

This morning I spoke about the way at our baptism we are clothed with Christ and are expected to show this costume to the world from then on. If we try with all our might to act and speak as though we were ourselves Jesus, then some of his innate worth and virtue will rub off on us \u2013 we cannot help ourselves.<\/p>\n

Our prayer and our task is to try and make sure that as we travel through this life, our outward and inward persona becomes as integrated as possible and as similar to that of Jesus as we can manage. Then, when our true nature is finally revealed, it will not be such a surprise \u2013 to ourselves…. for God will already know what is hidden beneath the surface.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sermons index Sermon for 18th Sunday after Trinity \u2013 evening Sunday 15th October 2017 Proper 23 Proverbs 3. 1-18 1 John 3. 1-15 Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs Seeing people as they are…. John tells us \u201cWhat we do know is this; when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him … <\/p>\n

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