The Readings

Acts 1.6-14

So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

1 Peter 4.12-14 and 5.6-11

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

John 17.1-11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

The Sermon
By Canon Dr Matthew Rhodes, Vicar of St John's Ranmoor

I’m sure a lot of us can identify with the disciples in our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. When the disciples ask ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ What’s the timetable? We ask ourselves, when will we get back to normal? When can things be like they used to be? And they’re good questions. But they get a similar answer. ‘It is not for you to know.’ For the moment we have to live with uncertainty and take every day as it comes.

Our second reading from the First Letter of Peter speaks to that anxiety. He is writing to a community that is experiencing suffering. And not surprisingly, some in that community seem to be asking why. If they are God’s people, why are they experiencing suffering? Again, it’s a good question and one that people will be asking now in the midst of the pandemic. It’s probably the biggest theological question that we have. But there are no easy answers and even if we had them they would not stop the suffering. Peter reminds his readers that Jesus shares in our suffering but by rising again, he showed us that suffering never has the last word. There is always life and hope beyond it. And it’s this that we need to hold on to as Christians. We should cast our anxiety on God. We should be disciplined and keep alert. A familiar phrase at the moment.

Each night, some of us at St John’s have been gathering for Compline on Zoom at 8pm. It’s a very simple service with just a small choice of short readings. One of them comes from today’s passage ‘Be disciplined or be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, seeking for someone to devour. Resist him, strong in the faith.’ For us, that roaring lion is corona virus, Covid 19, and we must do what we can to resist it. And also pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. Again, the Letter promises that this too will pass. After we have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory will restore, support, strengthen, and establish us. This is our Easter hope. This is what we must hold on to.

Jesus has been appearing and disappearing ever since the resurrection. But in our reading from Acts he is lifted up and hidden by a cloud. It echoes the transfiguration, the cloud that filled the Temple and the pillar of cloud that guided God’s people to the promised land. It marks a decisive change in the disciples relationship with Jesus. Now it is over to them. And to reinforce that point two men in white robes appear to ask the disciples why they are standing around staring at the sky. Jesus who has been taken up to heaven will return one day. And the implication is that he will want to know what they and we have been doing. Or to put it more simply, Jesus is coming. Get busy. Stop asking questions and get on with being Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. We may have lots of questions but we also have lots to do. There are huge needs in our world at the moment and we can all do something to respond to them. And some of that is at the local level. As neighbours, volunteers and as people of prayer. The disciples and some of the women who followed Jesus devoted themselves to prayer as they waited for the promised Holy Spirit.

The coming of the Spirit which we celebrate next weekend at Pentecost, or Whitsun, completes the Holy Trinity which we will think more about in a fortnight’s time. But this week’s Gospel gives us a wonderful glimpse of its common life. Of the mutual indwelling of this community of perfect love. Each person of the Trinity glorifies the other. But it is much more than a mutual appreciation society. It draws us into its life to share in that glory, that love. And we are called to reflect that life to the world. Obviously we have a long way to go but I’ve been having glimpses of it recently. Even though we are physically distant more of us seem to have time and space to glorify others. To like each other’s cooking or dodgy haircuts or pictures on social media. To clap for the NHS and key workers. To celebrate each other’s little triumphs. In our own small way we seem to be loving each other more and for that I am profoundly grateful. For me it is a sign of God at work. And hopefully, when all this is over, whenever that may be, will retain something of that love and mutual care. Amen.

The Readings

Acts 1.6-14

So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

John 17.1-11

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

‘I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

The Sermon
By Catherine, a Lay Reader at St Mary's.

Have you noticed that television news programmes seem to be full of graphs these days? Graphs showing the numbers of Covid-19 cases over time. Graphs showing the rise and fall in deaths from the virus. Graphs comparing our country’s profile with those of other countries. And then graphs showing how the economy is falling, or how unemployment is rising. Graphs which show things as they are, and graphs projecting how things might be should our country act this way, or that way.

What all these graphs have in common is either an ever increasing rise, followed by a slower fall, or a dramatic fall, followed by what is (or is projected to be) a slower rise.

It struck me that these graphs look very much like a mountain. The upward slope of the mountain is steep, the downward slope much more gradual. And anyone who climbs mountains, or navigates Sheffield’s hills with dodgy knees knows that it’s actually the downward slope that’s the more difficult bit. You may have conquered the summit of Everest, but you’ve still got to get back down to base camp again. You may have managed to climb Fir Street up to the Bole Hills, but your knees are decidedly wobbly coming back to Walkley.

In the Bible stories, mountains are places of Divine encounter. Think of Moses on Mount Sinai or Elijah on Mount Horeb. Think of Jesus’ transfiguration. Think of today’s story from Acts. Jesus and his disciples are on the Mount of Olives, not far from Jerusalem.

Luke’s story of Jesus and the early church comes in two volumes – Luke and Acts. So the mountain-top account of the Ascension actually comes in the centre of Luke’s story. Luke’s story is a bit like the mountain itself – his gospel tells of the life of Jesus and his disciples, culminating in the peak experiences of his death, resurrection and ascension. Acts then picks up where the gospel leaves off – at the peak of the mountain and the ascension.

It is here that they have their final conversation together about the coming of God’s kingdom. It is here that Jesus reminds the disciples that they won’t know exactly when the kingdom will be fully restored. It is here that he commissions them to be his witnesses throughout Judea, Samaria and the rest of the world. It is here that he promises them they will receive the Holy Spirit who will equip them for mission. And it is here that they see him in bodily form for the final time before he is taken up by the clouds. And now they must come down the mountain. This is the difficult bit.

Jesus is no longer with them physically to lead them. Their job now is to continue his work in a new and more difficult way – taking up his mantle of leadership themselves. There will be many challenges to be faced – conflict with the religious authorities, disagreements between each other, and conflicts between the different ethnic and cultural groups within the church that emerges. The rest of Acts describes the different challenges the disciples encounter. And since then, the church has continued to be challenged to find its way down the mountain and onwards into whatever lies ahead.

The rates of infection and deaths are thankfully now reducing. And as our country takes its first steps towards easing the restrictions, we have a very cautious climb down our metaphorical mountain. There are many questions to be considered, and no easy answers. When is it safe enough to open our schools, and how should we go about this? How do we educate the children that do return in a way which keeps them safe, but promotes social and emotional development? How do we balance the need to keep our most vulnerable people safe, without starving them of much needed social interaction? When will a vaccine or effective treatment be available? What is the best way to monitor the whereabouts of the virus? How do we find new work for so many whose old jobs may no longer exist?

And there has been a positive peak as a result of the world’s lock-down measures – the environment has become cleaner and healthier. Animals and birds have been thriving. People have been uplifted by the cleaner air, the clearer birdsong, the heady fragrance of blossom, the unexpected sight of wild animals. How do we prevent the decrease in the abundance of nature whilst gradually increasing our usual activities? Many have argued that now is the time for a complete rethink of how we organise our roads, our modes of transport, the way we work. Coming down the coronavirus mountain is going to be a long and rocky road.

So what is the role of God’s people in all this? Well whatever we do, let’s remember that new life is just that – new life. It is necessarily different from the old life. So there will be changes. We need to live our new lives in such a way that God’s kingdom of peace and justice can be brought about on earth, just as it is in heaven.

And let’s remember that like the disciples, we are not alone. For God’s Spirit continues to be with us, guiding us as we make our way down the mountain and into the new life ahead.

The Prayers
By Irving

O God, the creator and preserver of all, we pray for people of every race and in every kind of need: make your ways known on earth, your saving power among all nations.

Almighty God, as we look back to Ascension Day, may our prayers ascend to you just as Jesus Christ, your Son, was taken up to heaven. As we celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus let it inspire in us feelings of joy and hope as we look forward to Pentecost and the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs.

We pray for the peace, stability and unity of the world as we respond to Covid-19. In words from Christian Aid, we pray for all health workers tending the ill, for all scientists working on a vaccination, for researchers analysing data and identifying trends, for media outlets working to communicate objectively, for supermarket and shop workers, hygiene and sanitation providers. We pray for teachers, delivery drivers, postmen, milkmen and refuse collectors and all others upon whose services we rely. We pray too for proper recognition of the value of all those key workers that have helped to keep our country running under such difficult circumstances.

We pray for all who are planning our country’s path out of lock down, that they may they respond to the challenges of this pandemic with fairness, prudence and sound judgement. May their planning alleviate economic burdens, compensate fairly for losses, protect employment and ensure ample food and protection for the poor and isolated.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for your Church throughout the world: guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led in the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life.

We pray for all Primates, Bishops, Clergy and Laity of the Anglican Communion around the world. We pray for the Anglican Consultative Council and for the Anglican Communion Office in London. We pray for all in Sheffield Diocese and particularly the Area Deanery of Snaith and Hatfield. We pray for and give thanks to all at St Mary’s who have kept our church alive by their newsletters, electronic ‘virtual’ worship and meetings and in so many other ways.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We commend to your fatherly goodness all that are anxious or distressed in mind or body; comfort and relieve them in their need; give them patience in their sufferings, and bring good out of their troubles.

Especially we pray for all affected by the Corona virus, both physically and emotionally. We pray for all who feel isolated and lonely. Keep us all, good Lord under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain and support the anxious and fearful and lift up all who are brought low, that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And in a few moments of reflection, we bring before God our own prayers and concerns.

Merciful Father
Accept these prayers,
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

The Bible readings

Acts 17.22-31

Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, ‘Athenians, I see how extremely religious you are in every way. For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, “To an unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being”; as even some of your own poets have said,
“For we too are his offspring.”
Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.’

John 14.15-21

Jesus said 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’

The Sermon
By Joe, a Lay Reader at St Mary's.

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit – Amen.

And as we’re still in lockdown, get your favourite beverage and make yourself comfy…

Back in the days when this country had fairly strict obscenity laws, a judge reputedly made the comment that whilst he couldn’t necessarily define pornography, he knew it when he saw it.

And I think that we Christians sometimes have similar thoughts about two words that we all use, often without too much thought; Gospel and Evangelism.

Now, for many years when I heard the word ‘Evangelism’ my mind was transported to a sweaty tent in the Bible Belt of the USA, where a flashy looking chap would be preaching up a storm whilst passing a bucket around for contributions…not terribly helpful, I know, and not what I think now. But old thought patterns persist, so I want to start by putting a couple of ‘working definitions’ on the table.

“The word gospel comes from the Old English god meaning "good" and spel meaning "news, a story." In Christianity, the term "good news" refers to the story of Jesus Christ's birth, death, and resurrection.”

“In Christianity, evangelism is the commitment to or act of publicly preaching (ministry) of the Gospel with the intention to share the message and teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Having got that out of the way – you’ll see why later – let’s take a look at the reading from the book of Acts, in which Paul finds himself speaking to the Athenian ruling council – the Areopagus – and shares with them some thoughts on God.

For once, Paul is not in front of the local authorities having breached local laws. He’s in Athens awaiting the arrival of Silas and Timothy, spending time whilst the situation in Thessalonica and Berea calms down. Earlier in Chapter 17 we read how Paul had been in both those places and had been received as an agitator and a general nuisance. In Athens, the locals have invited him before the ruling council so that they can hear the new ideas that Paul has to offer. Athens is something of an intellectual hotbed, and the people are at least willing to hear Paul out.

Now Paul’s not here to preach; but given the opportunity he’s not one to turn down any opportunity to evangelise and spread the Gospel. See? I told you those definitions would come in useful! But how will he tackle this opportunity?

Taking an audience-appropriate approach to evangelism is essential, and Paul knows this. He’s seen how religious the Athenians are, and he knows they are proud of their cultural heritage. This is not a place where sermons that work in Judea or Israel will work, and Paul knows that. And there is a really big difference between the religious beliefs of the pagans – the Greeks and Romans – and the Jewish people. They are polytheists – they believe in multiple gods, each god or goddess being worshipped for different reasons and in different ways, unlike the monotheistic God of the Jews and Christians.

Paul has clearly been around the city. He remarks how he came across an altar intended for the worship of an unknown god. He then tells the Athenians that it is this ‘unknown god’ of which he will speak:

“The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us”

And in doing so gives a very brief summary of the Jewish / Christian belief that the listeners would find little to object to. He even backs up his words by quoting a couple of Greek poets in support of his statement.

So – a first piece of guidance for all preachers and evangelists. When you are in a new place, with new people, know your audience. Look around, find out about their beliefs and their culture. Bring in whatever areas of commonality you can find, build the bridges to make it easier for your audience to listen to you. Don’t mis-represent your beliefs or the beliefs of your audience; look for the points of similarity to allow you to build up a sense of discussion and dialogue, not one of confrontation.

In Verse 29 Paul makes a comment that might be provocative to some of his audience; he makes comments about idolatry – God is not “an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals”. Interestingly enough, the temples and sacred spaces dedicated to most of the gods have statues and images that are objects of worship and veneration. But the ‘altar to an unknown god’ probably has nothing like that; after all – if it’s unknown, by definition it would be hard to create an image of that god.

It would have been interesting to have been a member of the audience at this stage; how would they be reacting? It’s likely that the audience wouldn’t have had too much to grumble about with these comments. The Greeks had a respect for their gods, after all.

So far, Paul has been an engaging speaker; he’s explored a few new ideas, but he has not been an evangelist. A second thing to remember for all of us preachers; we’re preaching and ministering to bring the Gospel to people, not impress folks with our rhetorical skills.

Back to those definitions; Paul has spoken of God, but he has not spoken of the Gospel – the story of Jesus Christ’s birth, death, and – most importantly – resurrection.

Paul has taken his audience with him in ways that respect their beliefs, that place God in a context that they can understand – at least intellectually. But in Verse 30 he takes things to a place that many of his audience might find uncomfortable.

God has “ fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Paul has finally hit the core message of the Gospel – still without mentioning Jesus’s name – but he talks of the resurrection from the dead of a man, who will be judge.

The part that would freak out the Greeks would be talk of resurrection of the body. Greek beliefs had a place for the immortal soul, but not for raising bodies from the dead. Paul has taken his audience to the core of the Gospel story, and, he will lose some of them.

In the next verse after tonight’s reading, we hear:

“When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed.”

A final lesson for preachers; it is at the point where you bring the core message of the Gospel to people – the story of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – that you may lose some of your audience; and it is at that moment that you are truly an evangelist. You are bringing the Gospel message to the people, and the people must choose whether they wish to follow Christ.

The role of the evangelist is not to brow-beat or convert; it is to lay the Gospel – honestly, fully - before the people so that, God willing, they may choose the path of Christ for themselves.

Amen.

The prayers
Written by Catherine:

God of the whole world,
we give thanks that you are not unknown,
but make yourself known to all who seek you.
Draw close to all seeking you anew,
or seeking you for the first time
in this time of crisis.
Guide your worldwide church
so that we may show your love for all.
Loving God…
Help us to be loving too.

God of all nations
we pray for your world and all people
as we continue to face this pandemic together.
Guide the leaders of the nations
that they may act
with wisdom and compassion
so that the vulnerable are protected,
resources shared equitably
and all may thrive.
Loving God…
Help us to be loving too.

God of love and truth
we pray for our own nation:
for people anxious or confused
by what this week’s changes to regulations do or do not permit,
for workplaces trying to adapt
to keep colleagues safe,
for those worried about returning to work.
We continue to pray for all
who still cannot leave home
or meet friends or relatives,
and give continued thanks
for the work of volunteers
and mutual aid groups.
Loving God…
Help us to be loving too.

Healing God
we pray for all who are unwell
or troubled in any way.
We continue to pray for those suffering from Covid-19
or any other illness.
We pray for all who work
in the health and caring professions
and for those who support them,
We remember all families
distressed because they can’t visit a loved one in hospital.
We think of anyone known personally to us
who is ill
or in particular need….
Loving God…
Help us to be loving too.

God of the dying and the bereaved
we give thanks
for your promise not to leave us orphaned.
We pray for those who have died
or lost loved ones this week:
for the victims of the maternity hospital massacre in Afghanistan
for those who died due to Covid-19
for all who died alone.
We ask that you be especially close
to all who mourn.
May they know your love.
We think of anyone known personally to us
who has died recently….
Loving God…
Help us to be loving too.

The post-communion prayer for this Sunday, the 6th Sunday of Easter:

God our Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life:
may we thirst for you,
the spring of life and source of goodness,
through him who is alive and reigns, now and for ever
Amen.

Post-communion prayer © Archbishops’ Council 2000