12th July 2026 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

The Readings

Romans 8. 1 - 11

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Matthew 13. 1 - 9, 18 - 23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!” “Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
Prepared by Catherine, Reader at St Mary's.

Some years ago we enjoyed a television programme - “The secret life of 5 year-
olds”. About 10 small children spent a fortnight in a purpose-built school room
and outdoor play area. Cameras were hidden all over the place, and the
children wore microphones. They were given different challenges and
activities throughout the day. Some child psychologists hid in another room,
watching and listening to the children interact with each other (sometimes
collapsing in hysterics), and explained to the viewers what they thought was
going on.

In one episode they wanted to see how the children behaved in single sex
groups. The play area was set up with plenty of activities which could perhaps
interest, in particular, boys or girls. The girls were let in first. They quickly
found the dressing up area and got busy putting on clothes and make up.
Except one. She had discovered the dinosaurs. She asked each of the other
girls in turn to play dinosaurs with her, but they weren't interested. And she
wasn't interested in make up. No one wanted to play with her, and she got
upset.

Interestingly, when it was the boys’ turn, they played with both the dinosaurs
and the dressing up, and I don’t remember anyone being left out.

When you’re a child, sometimes your friends will play. Sometimes they
won’t. It’s that stark. Compromise is something 5 year-olds are only just
starting to navigate.

Only a handful of stories show Jesus interacting with children. He heals a few.
He blesses some. He gratefully accepts a boy’s offering of loaves and fish to
share with a crowd. And yet from today’s gospel reading it is clear that he
understands children well.

Jesus has watched children at play. He's seen their efforts to get other children
to join in. And he’s noticed two games in particular that the children of the day
play - wedding games and funeral games. In the wedding game the girls play
flutes, whilst the boys dance. In the funeral game the boys sing dirges and the
girls wail.

But sometimes the other children don't want to play. So the girls play their
flutes, but the boys won't dance. Or the boys sing, but the girls won’t wail. And
so neither game will happen. When the others won't join in your game you get
upset.

Children watch adults and they copy them. The wedding and funeral games
copy what the grown-ups get up to. The game is a mirror of ordinary social
life.

Jesus notices the way children watch and copy the adults. And now he uses the
children’s games to describe Israel’s response to God. God is inviting Israel to
join in the “Kingdom game”.

To join the “Kingdom Game” there are two things God wants Israel to do. The
first is to recognise where things have gone wrong, own their part in this, and
turn back to the way of God. The second is to celebrate the world that God has
given them, with all its good things, and enjoy it together.

John the baptist is the first to call Israel to the game. He is strict, lives frugally
and urges the people to repent. It’s a bit like the boys’ dirges in the funeral
game. But Israel’s people are suspicious of someone so sober and stern and
don't want to listen.

Then comes Jesus. He heals the sick, befriends the poor and likes a good
party. A bit like the girls’ flute-playing in the wedding game. But the people
are suspicious of him too, because he likes to have a good time. So they won't
join him either. No one wants to be part of the “Kingdom game”. And Jesus is
rather upset.

But all is not lost.

Jesus knows that while some children don’t want to play, others do. You just
have to find them. It’s like that with the “Kingdom game” too. Some people do
respond to John and to Jesus. They are like children keen to learn,open to
God’s forgiveness. And they’re not the supposedly wise religious leaders, but
ordinary, everyday people with receptive hearts. People who have struggled to
follow the strict lifestyles adopted by the Pharisees, with their impossibly
heavy burdens. People who welcome the chance to take on a light burden and
to learn from a caring teacher.

I can’t remember what happened next with the little girl and the dinosaurs in
the TV programme. But there were caring teachers around and plenty of other
activities to try. And maybe in time, she might have found some dinosaur
loving playmates away from the cameras.

So, are we ready to join in the “Kingdom game”? Let’s play!

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

12th July 2026 10.30am – 6th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist