It gave me great pleasure to once again be invited to be part of the morning services at St John's church on Sunday 8th March. This is a very special part of our partnership and demonstrates the integrated way in both church and school can serve each other.
It was equally great to see children who attend both the school and the church join me in leading worship and in presenting the reading for the day in a dramatic and modern setting. Our Rend Collective song 'burn like a star' was clearly enjoyed and the introduction of the plastic guitars brought a whole new meaning to lively and engaging worship! Not sure the congregation were expecting such an active work out so early in the morning!
Both services focused around the identity and value that is to be found in our relationship with God. We considered the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector, noting how the Pharisee in the parable based his value and relationship with God on his own achievements. The use of the capital I in his speech, clearly drove home the point about what mattered to him.
However, for the Tax Collector we saw that he looked to God's mercy as the way to establishing his identity and value. His approach meant that his faith focused on the love, grace and mercy of God and not on his own achievements.
The parable raised questions for us about how we view our own identity and value. Are we dependent on our own success, the views of others and our own views of ourself to bring significance and value to our lives? Or are we able to rest in the knowledge that we are loved and accepted simply because God created us, loves us and has redeemed us through Christ?
The first is certainly a transient way to establish identity and value, whilst the second is as Jesus says, a rock that is unmovable and will stand the test of anything that comes against it.
Something that left us all thinking about where we really find our true identity and value and how easily God can be pushed to the side lines and his truth and promises so easily lost in the business of life.
"Be still and know that I am" God the psalmist says.
Sunday was a good time to be still and remind ourselves of where our true identity and value really lies.
