I am back! It was lovely to be at church this morning. I hope you are all well. Many thanks to Gail and Fraser for covering for me whilst I was away. Just to remind you the Thursday Eucharist will begin again in church this week – 10am 3rd August.
My take on the readings this morning:
Jeremiah 15:15-21 
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 16:21-28
All goods things come to an end we are told. Honeymoon periods do not last for ever. I’m sure we can all think of examples of this in public life and in our own experiences when the gear shifts and the tone of things changes. In the gospel today the tone changes. We go from the joy and wonder of Jesus teaching and itinerant ministries where we hear the parables and learn of the miracles he performs. His disciples are willing, enthusiastic and keen. But now Jesus says he must go to Jerusalem, to face great suffering and be killed; and then on the third day rise again. The gear shifts, the tone changes. No wonder the disciples didn’t like what they heard. No one wants to hear about suffering. As for rise again – what on earth does he mean?
Of course, we know what he means. But we have the benefit of hindsight and knowing the Easter story. We know that ultimately the Christian message is one of hope and salvation. We know that for Christ death on the cross was not the end but a beginning.
A glorious beginning as Paul in his letter to the Romans constantly reminds us. Today in this letter he is talking about the qualities of a true Christian as he gives us a list of virtues. Most importantly he says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer…….hold fast to what is good”. Persevering in prayer in difficult times can be challenging, so we need to remind ourselves of Pauls advice in chapter 8.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:22-27
Perhaps these are words that Jeremiah needed to hear in the OT reading as Jeremiah true to form is having a moan to God. Jeremiah is certainly a man who struggles with his earthly calling. He very easily gets put off if people don’t immediately respond to God’s word. But God offers him his assurance and support as he seeks to remain faithful to his vocation.
“I will make you a wall to this people,
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to rescue and save you,”
declares the Lord.
“I will save you from the hands of the wicked
and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”
So, what can we glean from today’s readings? They all talk about the challenges of earthly life. But between the lines there is a suggestion of hope and glory. In the gospel despite Jesus talking about how he must suffer he also mentions rising in the third day and so we have hints of the resurrection.
Pauls entire letter to the Romans speaks of the glory God which is promised to all God’s people. “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us”. Romans 8
And in Jeremiah we have reassurance that God does not leave us but supports us, especially in trying times. “For I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the Lord”
The Christian message is always one of hope and glory.