This morning I want to turn with you to words of, Peter, For we have not followed cleverly invented myths when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These are dark days for the Church in this country. We live in a society which largely rejects God, and regards Church and Christianity as totally irrelevant to their lives

There was a time when the church stood as a beacon of light in a dark world; a place where hope, inspiration and encouragement were given. Sadly to-day’s world thinks it can provide such things for themselves without any help from the Almighty.

Many of us here grew up when it was the natural thing as a child to be sent to Sunday school, sing in the church choir, and accompany parents to Church. People may not have known the Bible thoroughly, but they knew the main stories and understood what the major festivals meant.

The Church was held in general respect, and the Vicar was a prominent member of the community. Politicians were supportive of the Church and were Christian in belief.

Now that has all changed. Generations have grown up without having had any religious education and know nothing about the Church or the faith.

Politicians have enacted legislation which is offensive to Christian belief and teaching, and which is supported by all parties, .The judiciary seems intent on suppressing every expression of Christian faith by word or symbol.

What people fail to realise is that if Christianity is erased from public life it will create a vacuum which will be filled by something else less pleasant.

Our faith is mocked as being fairy tale stuff, fantasy, pie in the sky, and these are just the polite epithets.

But we do not follow myths of any kind. One day people will regret such attitudes. Jesus made it patently clear that there will come a day of judgement and in parable after parable warned that we face one of two destinies, one He called heaven and the other hell. People say God would never send anyone to hell, and that is right; but people may choose for themselves by their lives.

Jesus came into the world to save and we as His disciples must try to do His work for Him now.

The greatest revival of Christianity in this country came during the ministry of John/Charles Wesley If they were alive today they would have much to say at the way the Church has failed to proclaim the message they left, that salvation was through Christ alone, the value of a person’s life was measured by their faith, and the doctrine of heaven and hell.

For many preachers these are forbidden subjects fearing they may upset people, yet they are essential biblical doctrine and were not forbidden by our Lord. Today people are being drawn away from the doctrines of the Bible as judgement is becoming a censored word.

It is hard to quote the Bible without someone saying ‘Oh you shouldn’t say that.’ The Bible states, ‘salvation is found in no other name under heaven except Jesus Christ’.

The Bible states’ Jesus said no one can come to the Father except through me’, yet many preachers are dodging quoting this. If we avoid telling these verses how are people ever to come to know the gospel.
Our faith is not like other faiths which someone has made up, but rather comes from God.

I have taken services in so many villages over the last few years, and see the same small congregations, which is so sad. Residents have so much to be thankful for; beautiful homes in idyllic surroundings, without any of the social ills of the towns and cities. We seem to have lost Middle England.

Yet when I journey home I will pass a Church where they have to put on two services each Sunday because there is not enough room to accommodate at one. So things can happen if we are doing what is right by God.

We must all examine our witness and consider how we can get our message across.

Most of all we need to look at our services. I have been to services and rather than come out inspired I am demoralised, and say to myself what was all that about. Sometimes it seems as if services are done because something has to be done, rather than create an exciting experience.
Often we find the sermon is a homily to fill in up to ten minutes when it should be the focal point of the service to motivate and teach and inspire.

What however must be a major concern is false teaching within the Church. Unfortunately as society has turned its back on Biblical teaching, so an increasing number within the Church consider we should re-interpret the Bible to meet their modern ideas of morality. This suggests that God has got it wrong and He should be prepared to adjust to the age.

When I was ordained as a priest in the Church of England, I was asked by my Bishop to affirm that I believed the Bible contained all doctrine required for salvation and I would teach only that in Scripture and banish doctrines contrary to God’s Word. The Bishop then gave me authority ‘to preach the Word of God’. Why do so many preachers renege on their vow? I heard a Vicar state from the pulpit that she didn’t think the Bible should be taken literally. What happened to her ordination vows? Make no mistake she is not alone. Can you imagine a Muslim preacher challenging the authority of the Koran?

A church which rejects the teaching of the bible loses its authority. People have a right to expect men speaking as Ministers of the Church to do so, based on the word of God and not expressing personal opinions or preferences. The bible must be the supreme court of the church, the final authority in deciding all controversies. Alas in some Churches this is not so.

For years, first the Labour party and then the Conservatives, spent years in the political wilderness because they sent out mixed messages and no one knew for certain what they really stood for. The Church by not adhering to Scripture is doing the same, leaving people confused as to what we really believe and offer.

There is a reluctance by clergy to speak out for fear of being labelled as a bigot or being discriminatory. It is fair to say Christian preachers tend to modify teaching of traditional values to appeal to contemporary thinking, and for fear of offending one of the many discrimination laws promoted equally vigorously by vociferous minorities, so falling foul of the law, which is not enforced against other faiths with the same enthusiasm as against Christian preachers.

We have gone along with the incredulous acceptance that marriage, (that is m/w) is no longer the bedrock of society, but is no more acceptable than any other relationship. Now we are to have marriage defined to include same sex unions, and will no longer be able to state ‘man and wife’. And this enacted by a (alleged)Conservative government)

If ever the Word of God was needed it is never more so than now. It calls for people to turn back to God who is ready and able to meet the needs of everyone who turns to Him. The message we have for the world is centred upon the person of Jesus Christ and provides for a stable and well balanced society.

The world’s greatest need is to hear about Jesus Christ. All Christians, not simply all ministers, are commanded in Scripture to share their faith.

We put a lot of energy into fairs, fetes and garden parties, but treat them as just that without trying to reach out to the people who attend. We have parish magazines and newsletters, which mostly tell what HAS happened, and contains articles about gardening or other hobbies, pieces about where people have been, or of memories. There needs to be also a stimulating, provocative writing on a biblical theme. For 17 years I edited a parish magazine, which always included bible teaching, and I know it was read and appreciated, even when views differed.

The country is in spiritual death throes and in need of intensive care. This is why we must contend for the faith. How God must weep when He sees the Church singing His praise, pretending to be holy, whilst countenancing and failing to speak out on moral issues and totally ignoring His written Word.

My friends, it is the duty of the Church to teach the gospel and not to budge from it. We are not to be blown by every new spiritual wind so that we drift from our moorings. We are not to be superficial believers. Hold fast to the gospel once given by the Apostles who were taught by the Master Himself.

One of the biggest problems the Church faces is apathy, which is why Christianity has fallen to such low level. It is so easy in the times we live in to opt out, saying, ‘there is no point in fighting them.’ Can you imagine what would have happened if Winston Churchill had have said in 1940, ‘there is no use in us fighting, the enemy is too powerful.’ We must stand firm by the Cross.

Let us remember there are Christians being persecuted in non Christian lands with violence, arson, and yes even murder. Hundreds have been killed in the last few months in Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia and Nigeria. Whole villages ransacked, yet they valiantly fight on for their Lord and Saviour. We must show the same spirit.

Today, no less than in any other age, it is intense biblical integrity that is needed. Fearless courage and conviction, to stand for the truth --that Jesus Christ is the only name that saves.

Be at Church on Sunday and God bless you.

The following is a statement worthy of the widest circulation. As will be seen, it is written by Andrea Williams, whom I would describe as the most brilliant speaker in this country for the Christian faith, a truly devoted and committed Christian lady.

Imagine for a moment, what effect the Church could have on this country if all our bishops were to similarly speak in this manner, rather than on foodbanks and political issues.


Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of Christian Concern and a member of General Synod, responds to the recent vote on the House of Bishops report:


Wednesday's vote in synod was not a victory for the LGBT lobby.

In whatever way Wednesday's vote in synod is spun, the real issue is not about same sex marriage but about the authority of the Bible in the Church of England.

The effect of the vote is that there is no change in doctrine or practice. Marriage remains, as it has for all Christendom, a life-long union between a man and a woman. This moment presents a great opportunity for the House of Bishops to embrace that truth and to act to uphold it firmly within the church, disciplining those that would seek to abandon the authority of the Bible, and whose actions will eventually bring down the Church by actively denying that truth.

The Bishops' Report on Marriage and Same Sex Relationships was in danger of weakening the Church's teaching. It sought to hold together two positions that are irreconcilable – the orthodox position holding to the teaching of Jesus Christ and his authority and the alternative position which seeks to revise his teaching and dismantle true marriage for the whole of society by insisting on acceptance of same-sex 'marriage'.
People in society expect the Church to believe and teach the Bible. What other authority does the Church, have given that Jesus Christ himself put his stamp of authority on it?

Moreover, God's people are called to be 'set apart' and clergy are to be examples to their people. Jesus and his appointed apostles were very clear on marriage and on disciplining those who persist in rebelling against him within the church.

A crucial fault line in Church of England politics today is that it has permitted people who openly defy the teaching of Jesus into positions of authority and influence. Male clergy who declare to synod their 'marriages' to men are applauded rather than rebuked, in spite of the fact that this is directly contrary to the Church's teaching.

By contrast, when the Apostle Paul heard of a specific case of persistent sexual immorality in Corinth involving a person who claimed to be a Christian believer he acted decisively, urging that this person be immediately excommunicated. There is no stomach for such discipline today.

What would Paul have said to the Bishop of Liverpool, an active LGBT campaigner who took to the floor of synod and pleaded with members to take note of the report, because the language within it affirmed homosexual relationships? The bishop said "Our explanation of maximum freedom will take us to places where we have not previously gone." This indicated clearly the direction of travel he intended to take.

I had wrestled long and hard about whether to 'take note' of the report. I was pleased that the Bishops had upheld the doctrine but realised as the debate progressed that the LBGT lobby would not stop until they got their way of full approval in the Church. The Church can't call right what its sole source of authority calls wrong.

In closing the debate the Archbishop of Canterbury said:
"To deal with that disagreement, to find ways forward, we need a radical new Christian inclusion in the Church. This must be founded in scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology; it must be based on good, healthy, flourishing relationships, and in a proper 21st century understanding of being human and of being sexual….the way forward needs to be about love, joy and celebration of our humanity; of our creation in the image of God, of our belonging to Christ - all of us, without exception, without exclusion."
Of course, it is right to recognise that we are made in the image of God. But we are left with the question what does radical inclusion mean? Jesus Christ dealt with all people, regardless of their sin, but he always moved to call us to repent of our sin, whatever the sin, and accept his forgiveness through his death on the cross. This is the real radical inclusion of Jesus Christ's message. Christians are people who believe that Jesus is Lord and that he knows what is best for us. He says that those who love him will do what he commands, without counting the cost.

I believe today is a great moment of opportunity for the Church of England. The schism has been laid bare. God's people are looking for the bishops to lead with clarity and authority. The Church of England has a cherished place in the life of our nation and its duty is to speak to government and the people of the hope that is found in following Jesus and his words.

Will the Church flourish as it holds out God's way of life, and liberty, or will it wither and die, because it capitulates and seeks the approval of the world more than the love of God?

Providentially this vote means that the Church's teaching on marriage is secure. The House of Bishops declared there to be no appetite amongst them for changing the Church's official view. Now all we need is for them to follow through by upholding the teaching and disciplining those that brazenly seek to defy it. Jesus Christ proclaimed that marriage is between a man and a woman. It is Him we follow

Marriage (Not redefined)
The Old Testament reading for this Sunday is from the 1st Chapter of Genesis, which is appropriate for Anglican worshippers as the subject of marriage was debated at General Synod this week. There is therefore a wonderful opportunity for preachers to speak on this subject and give teaching and guidance, although I suspect most will want to avoid what has become a controversial issue in the Church in England, as well as in other Western nations.

A report had been prepared by their Bishops which rejected a call to recognise same sex marriage. Headlines in the press and on television claimed ‘the Church has approved gay marriage’ and had rejected the report. In fact Bishops and Laity did approve, but the clergy were in favour; except that it later emerged that some had misunderstood the voting procedure and would have approved.

Marriage is the bedrock of society, yet now long held beliefs are being challenged. Marriage lends stability to society and builds a framework which is held in high esteem. It is one of the most important aspects of our culture, the basis for family life and the home. Abraham Lincoln once stated, ‘a nation is only as strong as its homes’. Jesus highly valued marriage and performed His first miracle at a wedding
Let us turn to the book of Genesis.
When God created the world He ordained marriage, He set out in His Word how we can have the best in that relationship. Marriage was intended as a sacred religious ceremony to be celebrated before God in Church, men and women giving a promise to live faithfully together until death parted them.

Marriage was first mentioned in Genesis when God created man, and then said it was not good for man to be alone, so God made a woman to be man’s companion, and God said they should be united. Therefore, marriage is a divine ordinance; a divine creational institution, built into the fabric of human existence. It is not something that politicians like Cameron and Obama can play around with to increase their popularity; it is the creation of a setting up of divinely created order in which children can be raised. Our Lord constantly referred to the Old Testament, particularly when referring to marriage.

Matthew Henry wrote, ‘woman was made not out of man’s head to rule over him, not out of his foot to be trampled on, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, near to his heart to be loved’. The Bible states, ‘he who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the Lord.’

God made two people, man and woman, Adam and Eve, not Harry and Billy or Sharon and Tracy. We must accept that God knows best and when he wanted man to have a companion He made a woman as the perfect answer, someone who could complement man in every way, physically and mentally in a way other men could not, and men throughout the ages have appreciated and recognised this. God wanted to supply what was lacking in man’s life and together they could have children and create the ideal family. He made men and women to have a natural attraction, opposites attracting. God planned the human heart to love, marry and have children.

Most men if honest would concede how their wife has been of much help. When I was a Vicar, Olive attended every service I took, and not being one who liked the limelight, preferred to be amongst the congregation, where in fact she became very popular. People who wanted me to know something, but didn’t want to tell me directly, would use her as a communication, and I would be advised as to who needed attention and help, in addition of course to telling me what I shouldn’t have said.

So we have two people, equal yet different, no question of superiority or inferiority. They were not meant to be identical, men are generally stronger physically, more aggressive, with a greater propensity for leadership, women softer and sensitive and caring, specially equipped to be mothers, and usually live longer. In the film ‘my fair lady’ Rex Harrison playing a professor of phonetics asks ‘why can’t a woman be like a man, and gets the answer, ‘because she wasn’t created to be’. We are a mixture that complements one another.

The Bible states a man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife. Cleave means glued together, so the two should grow in love through the years in an exclusive commitment. As they do so they share likes and dislikes, and whilst they will have different strengths and weaknesses, each will help the other. They will find they can know the other’s feelings and often anticipate what the other is thinking. They need to trust each other and have no secrets. The wife is now the one in the man’s life who takes precedence over all others.

In the days of Henry Ford and the Model T, someone asked him to what formula he attributed his successful marriage. He said, "The same formula as the making of a successful car: stick to one model."

Marriage is a solid foundation for the bringing up of children, who are a key factor in God’s intention for marriage. I was a Police Officer in the country’s most vibrant city, and I once remarked to a Jewish Rabbi that I had never known a Jewish boy (or girl) get into trouble for anti-social or violent behaviour. I asked him what he attributed this to and he said ‘the Jewish Mama, she keeps control of her family.’ I am sure that is true, but there are many Christian mamas too, perhaps not as many as hitherto.

God intended men and women should have children, which means having a father (male) and mother (female). Children need both for a balanced upbringing and to receive the benefit of both characters in their lives. Family meant husband, wife and children. This is the ideal which cannot be attained by two people of the same sex.

Yet again the Church has been plunged into dispute by a persistent, powerful, but minority voice from the so called ‘gay lobby’. We have now reached the stage where the whole of God’s original plan for men and women has been widely abandoned. Just as in the days of Malachi described in the Old Testament, there is a spiritual decline with people forsaking God, and an alarming breakdown in family life.

Casual sex, ‘partnerships’, and recognised homosexual relationships as ‘marriage’, are contrary to God’s creation. Marriage was heterosexual, and co-habitation causes so many problems in society as many children do not know their biological father.

Politicians have now tried to replace God with their own discredited plans and decided to redefine marriage on the spurious grounds of supposed equality. People can be perfectly equal without being the same; God did this at the time of creation when he made both man and woman equal in His sight, but for different purposes.

A serious situation has arisen in that when one preaches for traditional marriage, it raises screams of homophobia. That is hysterical nonsense; we are talking strictly on maintaining God’s law above the whims of failed politicians and passing no other judgement.

We have now reached the point whereby all are expected to accept the situation and make no comment to the contrary; in other words, no alternative opinion. This has had disastrous consequences for some people here, and especially in the United States where lucrative businesses have had to be forfeited because the owners would not abandon their right to freedom of religion and conscience, granted under the First Amendment of the Constitution, which has been ignored by the Courts during Obama’s reign. (it won’t happen now though!)
David Cameron created the present chaos in the U.K with his typical off the cuff action without thinking the issue through. God created us different so children could be brought into the world, something same sex couples cannot do. Civil partnerships provided all the legal provision for people who wish to live together, and that is a matter for choice which we all accept is a personal decision.

Whilst trumpeting all this shallow talk of equality, the falsity of the man was revealed when he refused to sanction civil partnerships for heterosexual couples. So for 1% of the population (based on government figures) and for a cheap voting aim, which has backfired spectacularly, we have the time honoured understanding of marriage being destroyed.

It is quite impossible for Christians to support same sex marriage when it is recognised that this was not God intended, as numerous Biblical passages spell out. The Bible is unequivocal that marriage is heterosexual; solely man and woman; and reasoned experience has proved that marriage creates a stable structure and is the bedrock of society. The place to start is of course the Bible, which the supporters of same sex marriage want to avoid, for there is no verse anywhere in Scripture they can use to support their cause.
The male/female with one man and one woman relationship is the teaching fundamental to Scripture and is maintained from front chapter to the last in the Bible.

Politicians have caused untold hardship to many abandoned children by their stubborn insistence not only on giving two same sex people the right to adopt children, but making it illegal for Adoption bodies to refuse adoption by same sex couples. Such action resulted in Catholic Adoption agencies, which did such fine work, being forced to close down because they found it unable to reconcile such servile policy contrary to their Christian belief. Such is the government’s idea of democracy and freedom of conscience.

There is now moral decline, with moves afoot in the 21st century virtually to destroy marriage; it is as serious as that.
We must be clear as to what it is we are being asked to redefine. Today’s world is more and more treating marriage solely for emotional satisfactions.

When two people appear together at Church for the wedding service, they pledge their faithfulness to each other and there is the giving of a ring(s). The ring has no break, no ending, signifying unending love. The ring is made of gold for precious and longevity. This what God intended.

We must however remember that there are people who have no desire to marry and are content to live a (non sexual) worthy life and devote themselves to some profession or cause. Others however well intentioned have marriages which prove a failure due to the behaviour and/or infidelity of their spouse. Divorce then becomes not only an option but in many cases a necessity

I close with the words of the Cardinal Archbishop Nichols, ‘we have a duty to married people today, and to those who come after us, to do all we can to ensure that the true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations’.

This morning our study of 1 Corinthians has reached Chapter 3. As seen in earlier Chapters, the Letter was written by Paul because of the worldly views that had crept into the Church at Corinth. His guidance had been sought about the governing of the Church, whilst the real needs had been concealed. Paul is now making them face the reality of their sinful lives so that they grow spiritually perfect.

Paul tries to show them how they will appear in God’s eyes, and how they must act to be worthy of following in the name of Jesus who died and rose again.

He states they are not truly spiritual, but self indulgent and self centred. He obviously accepts them as brothers/sisters by so addressing them, but their faith is childlike.

We often rejoice to see large congregations, wonderful choirs, great ceremonial services, often in beautiful fitted buildings, but a real Church has only one foundation, Jesus Christ. All such things are useless when there is division which only causes quarrelling, jealousy, forming of cliques, false teaching, and inevitably immorality of the world creeping in. Corinth, like many Churches of today preferred a gospel which impresses rather than the gospel of Christ.

Children are now being brought up without any real understanding of true values, but are encouraged to model themselves on pop stars and footballers. Parents anxious to reveal their own lost desires through their children, spend freely on classes designed to promote such ambitions. Time and money can be found for such activities, but only excuses for not attending places of worship. Whereas secular leadership concentrates on status, wealth and ambition, Christian leadership focuses on serving the Lord.

When Paul uses the word ‘spiritual’ he does not mean that they are not Christians but that they are not living up to their Christian way and they are not acting as mature Christian people but as baby Christians. When one becomes a Christian our sinful nature is not erased, but should no longer control us. but it can still influence us and influence our lives.

Paul gives illustrations from life to indicate his message. We feed children with milk until they can digest solid food, so they had to learn the rudiments of faith before getting down to the full Word of God.

In order to discourage people from devoting themselves to a man, he uses an horticultural example, describing how he plants and others water, and God makes the seed grow.

Then he turns to an architectural example when he quotes our Lord, who said, ‘I will build my Church’. The Bible clearly shows us how Jesus alone can be the foundation, and when we follow the Apostolic teaching, first given to us in Acts of the Apostles by the men whom our Lord taught and instructed to pass on the teaching, which we have in the New Testament, we will see the harvest of souls in the Church,

We are a body of believers on earth, and when 2/3 gather in Jesus’ name, He will be with us in Spirit. Paul saw the Church as God’s body and himself as a master builder, and is very clear that the only true Church is based on the gospel of a suffering Messiah dying for His people. A problem to day is that many Church members do not grow out of spiritual childhood and are more concerned with trivial issues.

A lady once came to my Church on a visit with people from her own Church which was much larger than mine at that time. She so enjoyed the time sharing with us that she said that she would propose to her Vicar that we be twinned. I was later told her Vicar deemed us too small for that, which exampled the superficiality, immaturity and arrogance within the Christian community.

In a mixed up world we are constantly tempted to become world centred, importing all the sins and vices of society, and being adept at finding excuses for doing so. We should never excuse sin, we should always ask God by his grace to help us not to give in to our own sinful nature.

When we give up letting the world set our agenda, the Church can get back to its original purpose of preaching the gospel instead of allowing the rights of sexual freedom to dominate, as General Synod will undoubtedly do later this month.

Matthew 5 v 38-42.
This is a well known gospel passage and one often misunderstood in such a way that our Lord never intended. When Jesus quoted the law of Moses, which spoke of an eye for an eye, He was referring to the principle of justice which called for punishment to be proportionate to the crime committed. It was never meant to be literally observed.

When a person committed any crime they would be placed before a civil court and if found guilty were punished according to the severity of the offence, but were not to be excessively penalised. This gave confidence to society that punishment was no more or less than deserved. Jesus abolished the old law of vengeance for a Christian and wanted to advise against any tit for tat reaction.

Jesus went on to give three examples of a Christian spirit in action. When Jesus was giving His teaching much of it was to uneducated Jewish people who too often were led astray by Pharisees, just as today many people not able to think rationally are misled by slick talking politicians. This passage was a continuing part of a message in a sermon calling for tolerance achieved through negotiation and not retaliation.

There is a general attitude in people to retaliate, the idea being don’t get mad get even. An example is given in the story of a lorry driver who was dining in a roadside café when three young motor cyclists walked in. One went to the man and took some of the man’s meal and a second took some more, whilst the third drank his tea. The man just got up and having paid his bill left the café. One of the motor cyclists said to the waitress ‘not much of a man was he’. The waitress said ‘I don’t know what kind of man he was but he is an awful driver, he has just run over three motor cycles.’

When Jesus said do not resist evil, He was not suggesting we accept evil itself, He is trying to avoid unnecessary aggression. There are of course times when aggression is necessary, if we could never resist evil there would never be a need for an army or police force. Indeed, Jesus Himself got angry when He found the money changers in the Temple. Jesus then was calling on people not to stand fixedly on their rights.

We all know people who are for ever talking about rights, forgetting in the process about responsibilities. It is hard not to get upset about people who are so vociferous about minor infringements when we think of the men and women who died in wars to preserve freedom for such people to moan about hurt feelings. Even within the Church we have people who get upset if they feel they have not been properly recognised.

I worked with a Vicar who had a wife who would have been an ideal prison guard to ensure she was properly recognised. Such people have never realised what Christianity really calls for. Nor like other religions do we believe in blowing up people or burning their property because of different beliefs. Our God calls on us to show grace and for us to be transformed into the image of Jesus; and ironically the more hatred and anger we generate, the more we hurt ourselves and our own health.

Jesus also calls on us to give when asked. Here again we have to be discriminating. I used to have people call at my Vicarage with the most heart rending tales which never stood up to scrutiny. When I offered food or to get them help through social services, all my offers were refused for what they were really after was money. One man came begging and when I offered him money his face lit up, until I said he would get it if he mowed the lawn, and he looked at me as if I was from another planet.

This is what makes the 19 bishops and the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster look so out of touch; they are attacking the government’s welfare reforms from a stance not of this world. The vast majority of people are tired of having to work hard to subsidise people who will not work, and the government is responding. The Labour party are shouting so loudly about food banks, which are increasing proportionately to their speeches.

One chemist in Liverpool wondered how there could be so many families with ipads and smart phones and yet had to rely on food banks. We have to consider need and at the same time examine that need. We have charities pleading for money when executives of the same are earning more than the Prime Minister.

I was once visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and an old lady was begging outside, and in a prime location of course. Many caring Christians responded to this poor lady dressed in an old battered hat huddled in a shawl. I noticed whilst waiting, that she eventually got up and hobbled around a corner where she quickly shed the shawl and hat and nipped into a waiting Mercedes car.

In the last verses we find Jesus teaching we must love our enemies. I once saw an ornament in a little Welsh village shop with the message inscribed, ‘smile at your enemy, it will make him madder’. This is not of course what Jesus meant. We all liked to loved; we try to be friendly and personable, to get along with others, but there are always some you could never do so. This is the reality of life, but Jesus tells us we must love them.

My first Vicar said to me, ‘Eric, in this job you will have to learn to love everybody, it doesn’t mean you have to like them’. That may sound cynical but it is very practical. A lady once told her Vicar it was all right for him to tell her to love her neighbour when he didn’t have to live next to her.
There are indeed people it is impossible to like. I have to say however that apart from the Vicar’s wife I mentioned, I have never had a lot of difficulty in the (now many) Churches I have served.

Jesus teaching then is for us not to act like unbelievers. The love He spoke about was not the love people think of these days which too often has a sexual connotation; too many people are keen to indulge in that kind of love. Jesus was speaking of care and compassion. Sadly some Christians are too keen to follow the ways of the world and love only those who love you.

The constant call to Christians is to be like Jesus; it is God’s will that we do so. Our call is to be people who manifest the nature of the God we serve.