Sermon for the Pentecost

Sunday 31st May 2009

Preached by Rev Paul Hewitt

Well, thank goodness that’s all over!

I have never seen a programme dominate newspapers, magazines and news bulletins quite as much as Britain’s got Talent. It seems to have taken over the world!

It’s extraordinary how decisions and judgements are made. They can be made in very calculating way, where there is no room for sentiment, or a very subjective way, where feelings seem to over-ride talent and ability.

What I find is even more extraordinary is how groups make decisions. Groups seem to be able to make decisions that any one individual within that group would not make alone; within the group. In the world of Psychology, the US raid on Cuba is quoted as a classic example – The Bay of Pigs Invasion which began on 17^th April, 1961. It occurred within the first three months of John F Kennedy’s presidency; diplomatic relations had been broken by President Eisenhower the previous January. It proved to be a disaster upon disaster, and decisions were made in that campaign which should never have been made.

How (any) group of highly intelligent people can make such obtuse decisions as a group seems to be a quandary.

It begs the question, then, can the Church as a group of relatively respectable and intelligent human beings also be capable of making bad decisions; indeed, dare I say it, can the Church be susceptible to making the wrong decision altogether...on occasion?

The Church is, at the end of the day, a group of ordinary people with ordinary faults and failings; I have a very high opinion of ‘Church’ but, yes, the Church is quite capable of making bad or wrong decisions, even when the whole decision-making process has been committed to God’s guidance. How can that ever be?

Today is Pentecost! The Celebration of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples of Jesus and they were filled with the Spirit as tongues of fire! It is a powerful day to celebrate. And it is a celebration of a crowd of broken, scared people being turned into a church that would change the world.

For all its faults, the Church has at its heart a noble cause -to spread the message of Christ’s love to the world. It is fired by the energy of the Holy Spirit! And we look to God’s Spirit when we make decisions and judgements either as a Church or as individuals.

I find the Alpha Course a wonderful resource to refer back to again and again. (We have run at least seven Alpha Courses here and maybe we shouldn’t forget about it altogether). Anyway, you may remember the session that was entitled ‘How does God Guide us?’ I think it was one of the best sessions, and Nicky Gumbel talks about the five ‘C Ss’! There were ‘Commanding Scripture’, ‘Controlling Spirit’, ‘Counsel of the Saints’, ‘Circumstantial Signs’ and (actually listed third) was ‘Common Sense’.

The funny thing about Common Sense is that it’s not that common!

I wonder sometimes, as a Church do we neglect Common Sense because we see it as too ‘worldly’, or something to that effect! It is perfectly true to say that God’s promises of guidance were not given so that we could avoid the strain of thinking. Indeed, John Wesley, a good Anglican (!) said that God usually guided him by presenting reasons to his mind for acting in a certain way

Why should we ever think that because we belong to a Church, a family of God, that all rationale should fly out the window? The New Testament encourages us to think and it never discourages us from using our minds. Even Paul pleads in 2 Timothy, “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this”.

I remember, many moons ago, when I was in the North for perhaps only the second time, a certain Clergyman was showing some me of the sights; no names mentioned. We ended up in Holywood, of all places, and the Parish had become vacant because of the death of Canon Barber; I remember, we even bought a bag of chips down near the war memorial. We (or rather, he) took in all the big houses and luscious gardens as we drove by, and he suddenly said, in a half-joking way, “Perhaps the Lord is calling me to Holywood??”

But did it really make sense? Had he consulted his wife? (Both answers were ‘no’, by the way). So, whatever about talking to God directly, his wife would have a lot to say with regard to God talking directly to him!

And, perhaps, other questions needed to be asked also, because any thought or ‘feeling’ needs to be tested!

John says, “...do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world”. Ask the questions: Is it in line with Scripture? Does it promote love? If it does not, it cannot come from a God who is love. Is it strengthening? Is it encouraging? Is it comforting? (Just look up 1 Corinthians 14:3). When we have made thedecision, do we know God’s peace?

What a wealth of places we have to go to as Christians to make sure we are doing the right thing and to make sure that it is according to God’s will. The Church, our Church family here in Glencraig, is here to help you with all the decisions of life that you have to make. That’s why we’re a family, because we make them together.