Sermon "Be Happy" - Alan Neale

7/28/2019 Sermon "Be Happy" - Alan Neale

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Sermon Preached at The Church of the Holy Trinity, PhiladelphiaThe Reverend Alan NealeDont Worry, Be Happy

This past week a videotape of a sermon went viral and you would think that would be good

news but no. The tape shows an Oklahoma pastor heaping vitriol upon the congregation

within a few minutes the preacher damns someone for sleeping (he may as well not come to

church because, and I quote, when youre here, youre not really anyway); describes someoneas the sorriest member of this church; enforces a hug that seems more uncomfortable than

warm; questions whether a young woman really should be married to the man next to her and

(yes, theres more) public reviles the audio guy for making his own kingdom in the audio room

and, sorry, publicly tells a young woman that she is making a prostitute of the church! As Victor

Meldrew says in one of my favourite BBC sitcoms (One Foot in The Grave), Would you believe

it?.

Jesus says, Rejoice rejoice that your names are written in heaven (in todays Gospel, Luke

10:20).

There wasnt much rejoicing taking place in that Oklahoma church last Sunday and, oh so sadly,

this is not an uncommon view of church of those as yet outside its community. Across the

denominational board Pentecostal joy is dismissed as clap-happy, Presbyterian preaching as

dour and Episcopal liturgy as cold befitting Gods frozen chosen! Now these are all caricatures

(yes?) but they seem to hold some connection with truth.

Jesus says, Rejoice rejoice that your names are written in heaven (in todays Gospel, Luke

10:20).

Im not arguing for more laughter but maybe for more smiles profound, heart-warming smiles

deep within that respond to the good news in Jesus.

The Message Translation reads our text thus, Not what you do for God but what God does for

youthats the agenda for rejoicing.

And this is the agenda for rejoicing

#1 on the agenda for rejoicing - Jesus introduces us to a personal relationship with

God (it is your names that are written in heaven). In Johns Gospel we read this about Jesus the

Good Shepherd, Not what you do for God but what God does for youthats the agenda for

rejoicing. And this personal and intimate and individual knowledge is not there to frighten us


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but to encourage us. Names are important; I learned that after only a few weeks in a classroom

and only a few months in a parish. To quote from the theme song of Cheers, we want (perhaps

yearn) to be somewhere where our name is known and used in a kindly, welcoming and

supportive way.

Oh there are so many ways to remember names, Forbes magazine once published Ten Simple

Tricks to Remembering Names I just cant quite remember now who wrote the article (Helen

Costar).

#2 on the agenda for rejoicing, Jesus makes it possible for us to be confident in Gods

acceptance (these names are written in heaven). This assurance is not arrogant because of

us it is confident because of God. On July 4th I stood by the bedside of Evelyn Muscovite, member

of this church community for the longest time. I read Psalms and Prayers and then felt moved to

conclude with this reading from Romans 8, verses 38 and 39 and the Message Translation

None fazes us because Jesus loves us. Im absolutely convinced that nothingnothing living or

dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkableabsolutely

nothing can get between us and Gods love because of the way that Jesus our Master has

embraced us. Later July 4th Eve died set free, free indeed. But we need assurance of

acceptance not only by our hospice bed but also in our daily living.

And #3 on the agenda for rejoicing, Jesus opens for us an experience of heaven today

and also forever (these names are written in heaven). This past week I was talking with a

friend, a parishioner, and in our conversation (and later by email) we chatted about experiencing

heaven. Of course we spoke of life after death, this is just not conversation for Easter Day, but

we also spoke of the experience of the eternal in daily living for, as Jesus said, The hour is

coming and now is (John 4:23, 5:25); for, as Jesus said, Gods Kingdom is already among you

(Luke 17:21). Soon we pray for baby Connor that he will be blessed anointed, with the gift of joy

and wonder in all Gods works. It is here, I think, that we most opportunity to rejoice and least

experience in doing so the sanctity, the divine in the present moment is cause for joy! As Pere

de Caussade writes in his Abandonment to Divine Providence O, all you who thirst, learn

that you have not far to go to find the fountain of living waters; it flows quite close to you in the

present moment; therefore hasten to find it. Why, with the fountain so near, do you tire

yourselves with running about 28after every little rill?.

Here are the grounds for rejoicing; items on the agenda please, if you feel this joy is far from

you or rarely attends to you, please come talk with me or Marissa.


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Luke 10:20: Not what you do for God but what God does for youthats the agenda for

rejoicing.

Luke 10:20: Rejoice rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Thanks be to God, Amen

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Sermon "Be Happy" - Alan Neale