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A SERMON
VENUE: Christ Church, Virginia Water,
Surrey, England
AUDIENCE: Parish Church with GAFCON
Theological Resource Group
DATE: Sunday, October 11, 2009 at
8.00 a.m.
PREACHER: Ikechi Nwachukwu Nwosu (Bishop of
Umuahia, Nigeria)
Prayer: LORD, speak in and through your written
word to continue in us the work of transformation into
your image. Amen.
Protocol: We appreciate the Revd Dr Stephen
Sizer, the Vicar of this Church and his team of staff
for the privilege to preach this sermon. The
congregation of Christ Church may not know how God has
used them to bless us at this particular meeting of the
Theological Resource Group of GAFCON. Stephen has
already introduced us and explained which countries we
came from. It is a thing to praise God for us to have
the privilege to worship here. Sometimes in our sincere
effort to wrestle with theological and ecclesiastical
issues, some sessions could be heavy and stormy! It is
good that at least now, we can leave that aside to join
our brothers and sisters here, to worship, to have
fellowship with God and with one another, and be
refreshed simply by being in the presence of God.
I bring
you greetings from Nigeria; our Primate, Most Revd Peter
J. Akinola; our Diocese, the Diocese of Umuahia; my
family – my wife Patience, Promise (Nkwachi), Gospel,
and Kelechi (ThankGod) our children. From the names of
our children you could probably imagine where our hope
in Christ is hinged!
Rosalind
Colwill is a missionary in Nigeria. She is from England
– I think she is from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne? Rosalind
feels convinced that she is called to minister to the
outcasts, rejects of our Nigerian society. She would
drive round the cities, picking up children, young
people who were either neurotic about something in the
family and would walk away from parents, or some who as
a result of harsh social conditions would become
mentally deranged. Rosalind would take these by the
road side or under the fly over bridges of our cities,
and send them to an institution she founded. She would
solicit for funds to care for such inmates. This
Institution operated like a community. They prayed,
studied the word of God and were taught some kinds of
trade such as sewing and carpentry.
At one
occasion Rosalind arranged and invited some church
leaders for a meeting at the Institution. We went. At
the end of the meeting which dwelt more on calling
attention to the need of effective mission to social
deviants in our society, Rosalind and her staff served
lunch. A clergy friend was sitting next to me at meal.
He complained that the enamel plates used to serve were
not decent enough. Actually most of the plates had
holes, others had broken parts. My clergy friend called
Rosalind’s attention to this. Rosalind continued
serving her guests. My clergy friend in a rage walked
out and got away in his car. At the end of the ceremony
we all left for our homes and duties.
It was
not until about three weeks later at another function
that I met my clergy friend. We were sitting together
at a table for lunch after the meeting. We were sharing
other matters when suddenly my clergy friend introduced
the incident at Rosalind’s. “Is this place not cozy,
with air conditioners and descent tables, plates and
environment? Is it not beautiful?” I was still
listening but did not say a word. He continued, ‘Did
she (I mean Rosalind) want us to know that she is an
old-time-religion missionary, serving us with those
wretched enamel plates. What if one contracts an
illness and eventually dies resulting from eating with
those plates with holes, would that be a good way of
serving the cause of the Kingdom of God?” At this, I
turned my face towards him, looked intently into his
eyes and said, ‘My brother, it is about three weeks now
since our time together at Rosalind’s. We have not yet
heard that any one who ate from those broken and holed
plates is ill not to talk of dying as a result.” There
was silence after that. Then my friend changed the
topic of the discussion.
The Text: Matthew 16:21-28. I will caption
the subject of this sermon to be “BEYOND OUR COMFORTABLE
ZONES”
I do not
know what happened about the Gospel reading this
morning. Dr Viney Samuel wrote for my attention on a
sheet of paper the Gospel text as Matthew 16:21-28. But
in course of this Holy Communion Service, what was read
was Matthew 16:24-28. Dr Stephen Sizer, the Vicar and
his staff might have considered Matthew 16:24-28 as the
application of the word of Jesus in Matthew 16:21-23.
What I am going to do is to read the text Matthew
16:21-23, which to my mind is the main word from Jesus.
The verses 24-28 which was read to us are commentary for
application on the main word. Let me read it, not
because you do not know the text, but just to refresh
our memory about the content.
Matthew 16:21-23 –
21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how
that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things
of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and be raised again the third day.
22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far
from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan:
thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but those that be of men.
This
text is one of the most embarrassing texts of the Gospel
Accounts of Jesus Christ. Referring to what or who gave
Peter, a Cardinal of the Apostolic Band, the impression
that Jesus must not pass through what he (Jesus) said in
Matthew 16:21 as SATAN (From that time forth began
Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and
chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised
again the third day.). This is horrific! What was
it that Peter heard Jesus say that made him (Peter) to
take Jesus aside and rebuked him (Jesus)? Let us go
through it together, shall we?
He
(Jesus) must go to Jerusalem,
He
(Jesus) must suffer many things (from elders and chief
priests and scribes),
He
(Jesus) must be killed,
He
(Jesus) must be raised the third day.
The
truths expressed in these words were what Peter rebuked
Jesus about!!
I
imagine, in response to the question, what Peter heard
comes from the words of Jesus, in verse 23, ‘Get behind
Me, Satan …’ I am sure that what Peter heard of all
that Jesus said was, “suffering, rejection, and
eventually death. …he (Peter) did not hear all that
plus “He (Jesus) must be raised on the third day”.
Peter heard only suffering, rejection and death!
If Peter
had listened attentively to the words of Jesus, he would
not have missed out. The nearness of Peter to Jesus did
not guarantee Peter’s hearing well and attentively. One
would have imagined that Peter’s face to face with Jesus
at such a teaching fellowship would have guaranteed easy
understanding to Peter about what Jesus spoke about.
What is
wrong about going to Jerusalem? Could that not be a
pilgrimage? What was wrong about suffering many things
at the hands of elders and chief priests? Is it not
part of our Christian revelation that suffering is part
and parcel of our lot here on earth? What is wrong
about dying or at worse being killed (unjustly) by
others? It is our common experience in this world that
the innocent suffer? This is a common fact. It does
not matter whether it is right or wrong, this is the
obvious fact and Christians know this. No living human
being is immune from this innocent suffering that may
lead to death. None of us in this worship gathering
would say that at one time or another, had not
experienced this himself or herself? Now here comes the
message – He Jesus must be raised on the third day! Did
Peter hear this? I do not think so. All he heard was
suffering, rejection, misunderstood, etc!
When we
read the Word of God, when Jesus speaks to us about His
word, what do we hear? Do we hear in part? Do we hear
the whole word? In your various callings and
ministries, do not get bogged down by suffering and
sudden death. Look onto Jesus. He is the author and
finisher of our faith, so says the Word. Do not be
discouraged by what may befall you as you labour. I
urge you the faithful listening to me this morning, be
encouraged in your labour as Christians. Do not be tired
of well being. Spend your very life for the Kingdom for
you will save it at last. I do not know the
circumstances in which you are operating, the only
reliable weapon at ALL TIMES is grasping the whole
(complete) Word of Jesus and running with it. Some of
us, I dare say, follow Jesus not hearing Him fully and
so follow our own selfish motives.
I tell
you why Peter did not want Jesus go the way His heavenly
Father had laid out for Him. You know, Jesus being with
the disciples, if they ran out of food, Jesus would
point a finger towards heaven in prayer, food would
descend, and the disciples would eat to their full. If
there was any danger, such as boat sinking, he would
speak the word and there would be mighty deliverance.
If you had such a Lord, would you like him to suffer and
die? That would mean to deny you of your comfort. I
can point out to a number of texts that suggest that
Peter was talking out of selfish motive. You remember
the trip to the Mountain of Transfiguration? Peter
said, ‘Isn’t it nice, lovely here? Let us build three
homes and remain here! But of course down at the foot
of the mountain, there are works of the Kingdom to be
done. Let us follow Jesus BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONES. He
is calling us to this.
Remember
Rosalind. As it is usually the case when Jesus used
parables to teach, there are certain side issues we the
readers would like to know more about from Jesus which
He probably did not expatiate. Some of you sitting and
listening may be asking yourselves, what has become of
this Rosalind? I will tell you.
Later on
in her ministry, Rosalind took ill. She was flown back
to England, to a hospital somewhere in London?. She was
diagnosed alright and the right prescriptions made by
Doctors. But in course of administering the medication
the nurse made a mistake. Rosalind became paralyzed as
a result. Medical profession in England that is
excellent tried to save her. But she remained paralyzed
from hip down. She is confined to wheel chair. Thank
God her mind (brain) is intact. Rosalind had to leave
the Institution of taking care of the less privileged
and poor and rejects of the society. She found some
other ministry. On her wheel chair, Rosalind can now
make contacts with Christian Individuals and
Institutions of charity, raising funds from all over the
world to help the rejects of the society. Rosalind was
not daunted by her paralysis and plight.
What do
you think fired her on? Rosalind is rooted in the Word
of God, prayer and service issuing from the love she has
for Christ Jesus and those he died for. Christianity
has Spirit of God behind and propelling it. The Holy
Spirit breaths power over her followers who obey the
Word at all circumstances. Remember this, my Christian
brothers and sisters – there is suffering, there is
rejection, there is death, and thank God for Jesus,
there is resurrection from death. Rosalind can be seen
in a way as dead. But in work of love of Christ and
service to humanity, she is raised from the death of
“yes, I am paralyzed and cannot do any more” to “I am
raised up far and above paralysis to using my brain and
heart to continue to serve the LORD Jesus!”
I am
concluding: Matthew 16:24 – “If any one desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me.” Rosalind heard Jesus fully
and as a whole. Rosalind do deny herself. Rosalind do
carry her cross. Rosalind do follow Jesus Christ.
I wonder
where my Christian discipleship and yours fit into all
this!
Prayer: Thank you LORD for your word that comes to urge us
on the path of righteous listening and obeying your
word. May the Holy Spirit empower us to follow your
leading for your glory and testimony to the world, that
you are the LIVING WORD. Amen. |
