SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS...

SIGNIFICANT VERSE

There one particular verse in today’s gospel reading which is of great significance for the life of the Church in general, for our life together at St John’s, and of us as Christians in particular. It’s the verse towards the beginning of the passage where the Greeks come to the disciples and they say to Philip

“Sir, we would like to see Jesus”.

Our job - both as Christians and as preachers - is to show people Jesus.

EVANGELICAL CARVINGS...

Charles Simeon was a famous evangelical preacher of the 18th Century. He was a leader of the Evangelical revival, a founder of CMS and served his time as priest at Holy Trinity Cambridge for 53 years... To start with his appointment was controversial and he started to elevate preaching, which met with some resistance at first.

He was a naturally gifted orator and was soon drawing huge crowds, but one of the first things he did was to have a verse carved onto the inside of his pulpit - so that only the preacher could see it. And the verse was this one: “Sir, we would see Jesus” - that was the motto and motive and motif of his preaching - that people would see beyond the personality, beyond the exciting oratory, beyond the clever construction - and would see Jesus.

A MOTTO FOR US?

If St John’s was to have a motto (a motif) of our worship - the reason that we gather together on a Sunday, sing, prayer and break bread - then we too could take that verse. All we do should help others to see Jesus. The choir, the serving team, the incense, the hymns, the organist, the beautiful decoration of the church, the vestments, the candles - even the parish priest! - are ONLY here so that others may see Jesus...

The verse too is one for our lives... do we allow the love of God to shine through our lives...? Do we speak to others of Jesus? St Peter says

“In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have”

(1 Pet 3.15).

Paul wrote that our conversation should be “full of grace and seasoned with salt” (Col 4.6). I’m sure I don’t need to remind a church which takes food as seriously as St John’s that too much salt can be revolting!

A PROVOCATIVE CHURCH!

I’m not saying that we should become revolting individuals or a revolting church - I’m suggesting we should be a provocative church, and provocative individuals! A church and individuals who provoke questions... why are you doing this? what’s the reason? why are you hopeful? you’re doing what at dawn on Easter Sunday?!

What better challenge could we take into this Holy Week & Easter, what better yardstick could we measure things against; what better motivation could we seek, than to take this verse as our theme - as individual baptised believers and as a church community here in St Leonards:

“Sir, we would see Jesus”...

Fr. Andrew Perry
Rector, St John the Evangelist, Pevensey Rd, St Leonards on Sea