As we gather, we recognize that we live, work, pray, and play
in the traditional, unceded lands
of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves
to the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

 

Call to Worship:

Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16.16

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering

Almighty God,
to you all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the
inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

Collect for Today

Almighty God, 
we are taught by your word that all our doings without love are worth nothing. 
Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, 
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.    Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:

Matthew  16. 13-20

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of
our hearts be ever acceptable to you, O Lord.  Amen.

" WHO ARE YOU?" 

WHO ARE YOU?

(Where you are is the Messiah)

Have you ever thought of yourself as a hero?

          OR

When you were a child, who might have been your hero?

I am nearly afraid to answer the question as it would likely date me beyond the years I would wish to be dated.

Possibly my first hero--in my time and the place where I was in that time- would have been Roy Rogers.

In a small album that my mother prepared for me, sometime after I left home, there is a great picture of myself, my two older brothers and a neighbour boy all dressed in our western gear with our play pistols beside our hip, and one of my brothers with a ‘long-arm’ (as we would call it today) pointing off into the prairie skies, and we were ready to be Roy Rogers, and to be part of that whole atmosphere of what we could do!! I’m sure we thought we could “trick-ride” on horses and do all kinds of things.

At that point in my life, we did not have access to the likes of Superman or Batman.         

My curiosity suggested I should research the creation of Batman. I learned Batman was created in 1939. How deprived my childhood must have been.

We were certainly off the grid!

Why, even Superman is a year older.

 Who was your hero? And what is it about heroes?

Superheroes have the great ability to take us beyond the real

OR    

Or, to relate it to the bible stories we have grown up with.

To be able to say to the wind, be still, and it would.

Or as we read in the three temptations of Jesus, to command the stones to become bread and they would become bread.

OR to multiply a few fish and some crusts of bread to feed multitudes.

Except what happens when your superhero goes beyond?

What comes to mind is the discussion we read between Jesus and Peter, when Jesus says to Peter, I am going to the cross.     

We all know Peter’s response.

First of all, in total unbelief, he says “What do you mean?”      

We know Jesus’ response: “Get behind me Satan, you are only thinking from a human point of view.”

In the narrative of Holy Week and Easter, we would have thought that their hero would come riding into Jerusalem on a beautiful white horse with the trumpets and sounds and great excitement happening!

Who would have thought that he would ride in on a donkey?        

When we attended the Passion Play in Oberammergau, the opening scene I am sure remain with me for the rest of my life, as it has to this day.

First of all, there was the clamouring of sounds on the stage and then in came children and adults all dressed up and spreading their palm branches and their cloaks on the top of the ground, and in comes Jesus riding on a very OLD, very tired-looking plough-horse.

Who would have thought?        

The narrative in our assigned scripture readings today are filled with superheroes.

The Bible is filled with superheroes!                  

In Exodus, today, first we have the Israelite people who are enslaved in Egypt. There is one problem, they have become more numerous and powerful than the Egyptians, so of course, jealousy has come upon the community.       

Without repeating the proposal to solve the situation, let us just say the Hebrew mid-wives become the heroines of the day. They become the heroes, in letting the male babies survive.

Included in the list of superheroes there is the sister of the baby. This is followed by (Moses’) Joseph’s mother.

Think of the danger she placed herself in –agreeing to go and nurse this child, which was her son, to save his life; but to live within the Upper Community—the elite—to be there and ensure the survival of her son.

I am sure Pharaoh’s daughter knew, too, the origin of the child.      

After many years of slavery which the people of Israel endured in Egypt, God is the real hero as he preserves the life of Moses who brings release to the captive people of Israel.        

Let me share with you the story of 20^th Century hero in my world.

There was a woman who midway through the century offered a “Sunday” school program in her own home for over 30+ years. Every Wednesday after school she held Sunday school in her living room. The children who came were of all stripes. To this day, you will hear people recount stories of her love for the children and for Christ.

There were no fees. It was all provided by her; it was a different time and place. There was no additional supervisors. She was “it.”

She was Christ, in that place and time.         

And so, we ask: Who are you? Where you are, is the Messiah.      

Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?       

Matthew gives us three responses: possibly John the Baptist, Elijah, or Jeremiah.

I cannot help but think there may have been more.         

Jesus does not stop at this point. Jesus wants the disciples, to say, who do you say that I am?        

Of course, faithful Peter gives the correct answer.        

In reading verses which follow, I have come to see something I have not noticed in the past.       

I do not believe Jesus was saying to Peter, on a personal sense, as his name implies rock, that it would be upon Peter that he would establish his church.     

Rather, I believe Jesus is saying, 'it is on this “rock” –this testimony of faith—that I will build my church.' He is saying much more than simply one individual. I believe Jesus is talking about something much greater, that is faith, about believing in Jesus—believing that Jesus is the MESSIAH, the Son of the living God.     

Then Jesus takes it one step further saying, “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,” with this catchphrase, as I like to think of it: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.”       

This is one of those weeks when the response to the Gospel comes in the Epistle.   

Hence my subtitle: (Where you are, is the Messiah).

I specifically chose this background today, and I apologize if you cannot read the words on these two poster boards here in the hall. One speaks of the activity that our Church is involved in: Going Green;  the Sanctuary program; being part of the Diocesan Vision of Calling God in our Parish, to be faithful in our actions, to have a faith filled formation, and to have a foundation for our life: Engaging God’s World; Youth and Family Life; Worship Resources; Reconciliation; Emerging Communities—calling us to dream together.

And on this board over here, within the Diocese we see us being Christ in being a “safe church”; being Christ in participating and in sharing in the program for the Women’s Retreat, coming this fall; and Intersections: sharing life at different places and stages in our lives; and how we sponsor people in the community to come and live in this country.

And so, where are you?

And so, where you are, then, is the Messiah. In each of these programs, we are the Christ. I am Christ, in my daily life. All of us are.

So, Jesus, then, takes us to that place. He is calling us to come to that place—to be that Rock—to be that faith, and to be that steadfastness, as if it is a rock, in dissolvable in our community. When our actions need to speak louder than our words.

Paul gives us some advice on how to live in the world. 

We may even say reflecting upon the last verse in the Gospel today: Don’t tell anyone!    

Paul writes: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and perfect.     

Paul continues by sharing with us what a Christian community will look like.   

A community would share in the gifts each of us has been given.   

This past week I shared with the community the ideal of philanthropy. Paul’s list of communal gifts is the community living out our obligation to philanthropy. For Paul some of those gifts are compassion, leadership, prophecy, joy, and for some specific ministry roles.

We all need to be a part of the Rock for which Jesus says he will build his church on.

Where and when are you the Messiah?

Thanks be to God. Amen. 

Let Us Pray

Confident that God receives
our joys, and concerns,
let us offer our prayers for the church,
those in need, and all of creation. 

God of Sarah and Abraham,
inspire your church to pursue righteousness in its ministry.
Equip us to share your compassion that unites us as one family of faith.

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great.

Remind us that, from the beginning of creation, you knit together a world meant for harmony. Protect and restore the wasted places to joy and gladness.

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great. 

Stir the leaders of nations, towns and courts, to respond to your teachings.
Let your call for justice reach all people, and bring deliverance where there is oppression.

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great. 

Show your steadfast love and faithfulness to those in despair. 
Increase their strength, care for all who feel low, keep safe any in the midst of trouble, and protect vulnerable people from harm.  

In our parish we continue to pray for:
Roy & Gail; Daryl & Sue; Roy; Jay;  Sheila;
Yasmine; Roberta; and those on our hearts. 

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great. 

Encourage those who offer their gifts and talents in service to your church.
Energize this congregation’s rostered and lay leaders, musicians, and greeters so they may be transformed in sharing your grace.

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great.

God of all the saints, death is overcome in Christ’s resurrection. 
We rejoice with the faithful departed. Sustain us in hope until we come at last to our heavenly home.

Hear us, O God:
For your mercy is great. 

Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray,
in the name of the One who reconciled all creation to Himself,
Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
 Amen.

As our Saviour taught us:
Our Father,
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven. 
Give us today our daily bread. 
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us fom evil.  
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever.  Amen.

The Doxoloy

Glory to God, 
whose power working in us,
can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. 
Glory to God from generation to generation, 
in the Church and in Christ Jesus, 
for ever and ever.  Amen.

Let us go in peace and love to serve God.
Amen. Alleluia!