Why celebrate 150 years of our church?

I don't usually post sermons here, but today I'm making an exception. In our 150th year, our main celebration is at the Village Fete where, together with the regular organisers, we are working to put on an enjoyable afternoon for all the community.
The sermon is designed to address the questions of why we are doing this, rather than something more "spiritual,"and is attempting to break down the barriers between those inside the church and those outside. For some, there are no barriers, but for others, both insiders and outsiders, there very definitely are.
The Bible passage is Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Introduction

Today's gospel is one that has all sorts of challenges for us. It's one of those passage where you can say, OK, this is what Jesus made his disciples do then, what if he was to make his disciples do the same thing now. Then and now – and Jesus' words apply to both.

Sending Out

The first thing to say is that this is the clearest example in the gospels that following Jesus is not just a question of watching him do it. Jesus sends people out to do the things he does.

Whenever Christian preachers talk about mission, about God being a sending God, about the church's mission in the world, this is the passage they are thinking of. 

What does Jesus do? He teaches, he heals, he saves. Oh, and he sends.

Being a Christian is not just about coming, it's about going. 

Coming and going. 

Just sitting in the pews sometimes feels like a victory in itself. But it's not the whole story.

And if we look at what Jesus says, the first thing that strikes us is that he complains there aren't enough people to send! 

Sound familiar?

We would love to do more in this community, but we haven't got the people to do it. 

So are we going to do what Jesus says? Are we going to pray, and ask God to send out more people?

Working in partnership

Moving on, the second thing I want to pick out is the idea of working in partnership. 

Don't take everything you might need, Jesus tells them. Don't fill up your rucksack with provisions and spare clothes, and your swiss army knife. 

Why not? 

Why can't we go equipped?

Are we supposed to make it harder for ourselves? 

I used to really wonder what this meant, I couldn't understand why Jesus insisted that his disciples had to travel light. But recently, I think I'm beginning to understand it.

If you've got all you need, you think you can do it by yourself. If you haven't, you need to ask for help.

Jesus isn't creating little supermen who are going to go out and amaze the populace with their astonishing powers. 

He doesn't want men of steel. 

Jesus himself was sent by the Father into the world and he arrived with nothing. He was weak, and he needed help. He was a baby and he needed the love of a mother and father to protect him and nurture him.

The disciples will arrive in a village and the first thing they're going to need is a meal and a bed. 

They're going to have to ask someone, Please will you look after me? Please will you help me? 

And the person who offers them hospitality is going to want to know, why are you here? And when they explain, if their host is a person with a pure heart, a man of peace, as Jesus puts it, they will help. 

They will say, "I will help you to do what you've come for. You can stay in my house, you can eat my food, and when you go out to talk to everybody they'll know that you have got the backing of at least one person, because I'll be standing right behind you."

What's the lesson for us in this? 

To do things with people, to let them help. 

They don't have to believe it all first, they just have to support us. 

So next week, the village fête is a joint effort between the church and the village. 

We are helping them, they are helping us. Before we open our mouths to say a word about the God we believe in, we will have worked alongside each other. 

That's why next week's 10am service is cancelled. 

No, it's not cancelled, it's just moved. 

Next week our "service" will be to help those who are preparing for the fête. 

So please don't stay away just because "there's no church." 

Come and be the church outside our walls. 

If all goes according to plan, it won't just be our job to commend our God to everyone who turns up for the fête, the whole community will be doing the job with us, and for us.

Result – Success!

And what was the result for those first disciples? 

Success. 

They returned with joy, saying “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 

Jesus' reply shows that he has shared his authority with them to be victorious over all the nasties that threaten them. 

Don't be surprised, he tells them. Whatever it is that you fear, whether it's literal demons or metaphorical ones, the God who goes with you is stronger than they are.

But again he warns them not to be supermen. 

Don't get carried away – what matters most is not your victories over evil, it's whether or not your names are written in heaven. That's the most important thing.

Is it the most important thing for us? 

Is this the most important thing that we wish for, and hope for and work for and pray for – for everyone we come into contact with, that their names are written in heaven? 

Why are we celebrating our 150th? Just to give ourselves a giant pat on the back? 

What has this church been here for, for 150 years? 

So that the people who live in Hertford Heath may have their names written in heaven, that's what we're here for!