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Sermon for Morning
Service - Last Sunday after Epiphany
Exodus 34. 29 - end
Luke 9. 28 - 36
 How many people here
have read Harry Potter? I won't spoil the story, well much of
it, for those of you yet to dip into it. But the story is about
the awakening of Harry - about his transformation - others know
his potential. They guide him, help and protect him - and over
time he becomes what he was meant to be - but he still has to
go to school!
And as we come to baptise young Emilia this morning, it seems
very appropriate. For she is a bit like Harry at the start of
his journey. No-one here knows the full extent of her potential
as a beloved child of God ( and of her parents!) but lots of
people here are praying for her to come into that inheritance
and to have a long and happy life ahead of her, full of the joy
of exploration and discovery and realisation. There is no 'trick'
to this, - we know that as Christians, - we're one up on Harry
Potter! - for we know that it is not magic that transforms us,
we don't need a spell - What transforms our lives is the discovery
- the revelation - of God's love for us, when we let the light
of that love shine through into our life.
Peter, James and John joined
Jesus on the mountain to witness the power and glory of God's
love, the light of God's revelation which shone on and through
Christ.
It is an event hard to explain
but one which was to be shared with the world - that experience
of the disciples is for all of us to share and glory in. From
little Emilia to the oldest person here (and I won't embarrass
anyone by asking who that might be!) Which is why our worship
in church is truly "All Age", for we can all learn
from and with one another
We learn from such moments
- the light truly transforms our lives, but some might ask 'how
does this happen, how can we know'.
Perhaps the first thing we can do is to be open, awake to the
possibilities, to the revelation. Like the disciples on the mountain,
we may have to struggle to stay awake, - to keep our minds open
and alert to new ideas and possibilities being revealed to us.
And we can look and listen - and we can pray.
When we pray, we often think
we have to do the talking, have our thoughts neatly sorted out
as we kneel in prayer, - not so . When we do that we don't leave
a lot of space for God.
What we have to learn, have
to remember, is that we are called to pray by our God, who loves
us - and is ready to listen always.
God knows our thoughts and
needs before we do but needs us to COME, come to God, and express
them.
Not necessarily in words spoken out loud - but to come and simply
make the time to be consciously with God. It begins with our
baptism and continues the rest of our lives here on earth...
As our thoughts this week turn
to Lent and we prepare for the glorious celebration at Easter,
perhaps now would be a good time for each of us to make a bit
more time in our lives to enjoy God's silence and God's voice…
To spend some time apart with God… Listening for what he
might be trying to tell us.....
And also listening for our
own voice; our inner self that needs the encouragement to speak
out and to be heard. That is part of why we are calling our Lent
course this year "Finding our Voice".
Such is the love God has for
us, each one of us - that we are transformed by that love. It
is through that transforming light and power we are called to
share that love with others - to not hold only to the moment
but to move on and so play our part in transforming the world
by love.
Let us pray :
Loving God, there are some moments we never want to end, when
we wish we could make time stand still and keep things just as
they are for ever.
But life is not like that, and neither is faith.
It must always move on if it is to grow, always develop if it
is not to grow stale.
Help us then, through Jesus Christ, to be open to new experiences
of your love and new insights into your greatness, and so may
we know you a little more day by day.
Amen
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