Respect - Sermon by Neal Street preached at St Andrew's on Feb 5th 2006
What do you think of when I say ?RESPECT??
George Galloway?
Hoodie Rappers?. ?Respect?
I guess rugby players wouldn?t quickly come to mind like they did to mine, but the Six Nations competition has begun. Those hulks of men, for all their passion and commitment to winning, recognise that the moment the REFEREE shouts an instruction, their duty is to comply.
Even if the action of the ref is to send them to the sin bin, then with little objection off they go?.. How different to Becks and much of the soccer world.
I would suggest that
RESPECT?? what does it mean to you in the Christian context.
The recent tensions about the publishing of cartoons that insult the Muslim community highlight the issues. ?We must have Freedom of speech,? is the cry. Yes, but with responsibility and respect for others, their belief, culture and traditions. This raises all sorts of questions?..
Without compromising your beliefs?..
Can you respect other people?s spiritual insights and faith journeys?
Can you respect my Methodist traditions?
Can you respect the right of people to seek God in every place?
Can you respect those who have grown up in a very different cultural setting to you?
Though you may not agree? do you respect another faith?s right to speak of God as they have found Him?
Can you respect a God whose activity surprises us and confounds our firmly held assumptions about how He works in our world?
You see, I believe that RESPECT is at the centre of the Christian tradition, and the reading from Corinthians reminds us of that.
Paul provides a model for evangelism. He respects the people and traditions of his day so much, that he is prepared to be identified with other cultures, and yet he holds firmly to spiritual truths he has received from Jesus.
For Paul, the message remains constant, ? Come to Jesus, He will change your life?? , but he is prepared to adapt himself, his image and his persona, so that he respects the people he?s meeting without compromising his belief.
Respect and Conviction are not easy bedfellows but that?s what Paul is encouraging Christians to hold in balance in his letter.
Today?s reading invites us to imagine what it was like for PAUL on the streets of
He is dedicated to explaining his faith.
But what is his strategy, a placard on the corner by Louis?
No? definitely no!
He queues in the post office and discusses the high street, its shops and trade.
He waits with others in the Surgery and compares notes on the pains and troubles of this world.
He slips in to the Red Lion and sits alongside a group of farmers thinking about how tough it is to make ends meet.
He looks at the church notice boards and decides to join in the discussions about land fill and incinerator pollution.
He is an active member of the Parish Council. He?s involved in the Library, the school the social clubs, village events.
He?s an active member of the Christian community of course. But is he church or chapel?...... I?ll leave you to decide. Though it seems from the text that he?s certainly adaptable enough to see the value of both!
He?s always got time for a chat. After you?ve spent time with him then you recognise that something inside you has changed in the encounter.
He?s someone who understands how you feel, and respects how you tick, what you think, who listened to your story and nodded in friendship at your situation, you know that you have a friend in Paul. At last someone who understands.
The next day when you see him in the street, though you?ve not known him for long, you invite him to Rich Aroma, and during that coffee and chat, you recognise that you?re now talking about what Paul believes.
It?s so natural. You?re speaking of Christ, but in your time and on your agenda and with respect to how you feel. Now spirtuality seems relevant. Suddenly you discover that God has an interest in you personally.
After the encounter you go home, something has changed.
You, feel more whole, respected by Paul, but more preciously, now you understand that God likes you too!
Paul?s RESPECTFUL evangelism has made a difference.
Just like it did in the early church in
Because of him, you have encountered God, and you think, maybe, just maybe, ?.I?ll go to worship next Sunday, after all people like Paul are sure to go there. Amen.