Sunday 27th January 2008 - 4th Sunday of Epiphany

“One in four children die in Sierra Leone before they reach the age of five and many of the diseases children suffer can be prevented.” An extract from an appeal letter from Christian Aid or Tear Fund? Well actually, no. It’s from David Beckham’s blog on his official website. Last week Beckham temporarily left his £25 million a year job as a footballer with LA Galaxy to visit Sierra Leone as a goodwill ambassador for Unicef. Driving along a main road he saw some boys playing football on a scruffy piece of scorched brown earth. He asked for the car to stop, got out and joined in their game. Looking at film of him holding small children at an aids clinic you could see that he was deeply moved by what he saw. I don’t know what his previous experience is of poverty in Africa, but it had all the makings of being a turning point in David Beckham’s life. An encounter with suffering that encourages him to use some more of his wealth and influence to make a real difference to people’s lives.

In our gospel reading today we are at a crucial turning point. John the Baptist has been arrested and Jesus, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, begins his ministry. His opening words draw us immediately to a complete summary of his purpose: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is come near”. The kingdom of heaven is central to everything that Jesus is and did. But we need to understand what this kingdom of heaven is. Jesus is not talking about heaven as a place we believe God’s people go to after their death. In the other gospels Jesus’ words are given as the kingdom of God, and it is this kingdom that is coming near. A kingdom, a world where God would become king. Where his priorities of love and peace and justice become the foundation of people’s lives. A world where people would in time live according to Jesus’ teaching.

For those who met and heard Jesus the experience was as life-changing as a visit to poverty stricken Africa can be for wealthy Westerners today. Jesus knew that changed lives, turning points were needed for the world to receive his kingdom. So he began with a clarion call – Repent! It is easy for us to misunderstand this word, overused in years gone by, by doom-laden evangelists. We tend to think it implies we should feel bad about ourselves. But this is not the meaning intended by Jesus. It is much more positive. Repent here means change direction; turn round and go the other way; or, stop what you are doing and do the opposite. It isn’t how you feel about yourself that matters now – it is what you do. What you do to receive this amazing kingdom of God, promised by Jesus. Repent, one writer suggests, means ‘to go beyond the mind you have’ [repeat].

Just what ‘Repent’ meant for those who heard Jesus becomes clear immediately. Jesus own turning point leads to a turning point with life changing consequences for Simon, Andrew, James and John. As they ‘went beyond the minds they had’ they left their nets, their boats, their fathers and mothers and followed Jesus. They did not have a clue where they were going. They didn’t have any idea of the strange mix of joy and hope, suffering and agony that they were going to endure. But they realised, as Isaiah had foretold and John the Baptist proclaimed, ‘ the kingdom of heaven’ had come near. They heard Jesus’ call and they followed.

Today we are celebrating the installation of our splendid new organ and the completion of all the associated works – the removal of the old organ and creation of this wonderful new space. The restoration of the brilliantly coloured stained glass window; and the building of a new vestry, utility and wc with a new storage area above. The works incorporate the beautiful front panelling and pipes of our old organ. And the walls to the new rooms are faced with oak panelling which elegantly blends the new works with the existing church interior. We are enormously grateful as a church for the skill, time and energy of so many people, and the generosity of those who have contributed to the very substantial cost.

Why are we able to complete works such as these? Some members of the church have invested huge amounts of time and energy to ensure the works are designed and completed with love and care. Others have worked away throughout the period of building to make sure that our worship continued unhindered. And many have donated, some large sums, to help pay for it all. How is all this possible? The answer I believe is that Jesus draws us to him. Jesus calls us just as he called those first disciples. He has a way of getting through to us that makes us sufficiently aware of his presence that we know what we are being asked to do.

Because ultimately there is only one purpose for our caring for this building and from time to time reshaping it - sometimes in quite significant ways, as we have just done. We do it all because we are called. The word of Jesus, ‘repent’, has, whether we are aware of it or not, caused us to change direction. Caused us to orient our lives towards Jesus and work to proclaim in our time that the kingdom of heaven has come near. This beautiful building has only one real purpose, to help us come close to God, to meet Jesus Christ. So that all who come hear may hear his call, be changed and herald his kingdom.

In the past three and a half years since I came to St Andrew’s some £300,000, maybe even more, has been invested in renewing and reshaping our church. And no doubt in years to come more will be needed. But we are today at a turning point. The urgent and important works that needed to be done are complete. And as we go forward together as a parish, our energy and resources can be invested in mission without concern that we may have to embark on further major building works. We have done what we needed for this beautiful church, which, along with Church Gate House, is the physical foundation for bringing the gospel of Jesus to all who come, and being his disciples in Cobham and the wider world.

We all need turning points in our lives. Times when we are renewed and called afresh by Jesus. To explore new directions that further his kingdom and our lives as disciples. We might be turning for the very first time, or we may be exploring new ways of following him. But the call from Jesus is clear ‘repent, for the kingdom of heaven is come near’.

©Robert Jenkins 2008