“THE GALILEAN ACCENT”

Rembrandt, Peter’s Denial

A sermon preached at the Mint Methodist Church, Exeter, by the Minister, Rev Andrew Sails at 10.30 a.m. on Passion Sunday 9^th March 2008 during a sung Communion with Faure’s Requiem sung by the Mint Choir Reading: Mt 26:69-75

Back to Sermon Index

And the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter” (Lk 22:61)

This week many of us
went on one of our Mint trips to the Northcott Theatre.
If you are interested in joining the Mint theatre group,
do ask Janet Robb about obtaining tickets.

This week’s performance was of “Searching for JJ” -
a play inspired in part by the murder of James Bulger.

It is the story of JJ - teenager Jennifer Jones.
In flashback, we learn how at the age of ten
she had murdered a school-friend.

The play is set 7 years later.

Having spent the intervening years in young offenders provision,
JJ is now 17 and has been released back into the community
with a new identity

Much of the plot hinges on efforts to ensure
that the media don’t discover her true identity -
who she is and what she was.

But as we saw this tortured teenager trying to cope with her life,
you realized that even inside her protected environment,
with the press at bay, she is never really at peace.
And why not?
Because she knows what she has done, what she is and was,
and she is not at peace with herself.

She has some success in hiding her true identity from others -
but she can’t hide it from herself -
nor can she accept and come to terms with it.

Few if any of us may have committed murder,
but I guess we all have things in our life
which we would not wish others to know about.
We may well pride ourselves that we hide our vices and failings from others.
Indeed we may sometimes hide them
from ourselves - living out a false version of our life so effectively
that we end up believing the line we tell others.

· I may fool others.

· I may even sometimes fool myself.

· I can never fool God.

We read today of Peter in the courtyard -
Peter may not be a murderer, but like you and me he is a failure -
He has set off to follow the Lord, full of good intentions.

But eventually his nerve, his faith, his resolution fail him.

“You were one of Jesus’ Galilean followers, weren’t you?”
the serving girl says - “No I never knew him” says Peter -

Peter the Rock has crumbled.

You know when someone has something to hide
they often try to avoid eye contact?

Peter in the anxiety of the moment
forgets that basic rule of self defence -
he allows himself to look towards Jesus -
and Jesus catches his eye, looks straight at him.

What was that look? What did we sing earlier?

“Did ere such love and sorrow meet
or thorns compose so rich a crown?”

Peter is transfixed by that look -
surely one of deepest love & sorrow:

he doesn’t need to hear the cock crow -
he knows what he has done, and he goes out and weeps bitterly.

I may fool others - the serving girl, the soldiers,

I may even sometimes fool myself -
I went as far as I could didn’t I?
I even got as far as the High Priest’s courtyard -
Come on, I did my best, what more could I have done? -

But I can never fool God - when he looks me in the eye.

ID Cards are in the news again this week -
and once again people are concerned
that others will have access to key details of our identity.

There’s no time here to go into the necessity or otherwise
of ID cards. But I guess whatever our views on that,
we can all recognize the dangers inherent in ID cards -
that government will either be inefficient and lose the data -
or worse, become corrupt and misuse or abuse
the information at its disposal.

Well here is the good and bad news of the Gospel -

· First the bad news -
God has a total and complete data set on your identity and mine.
He doesn’t need a hard disc and a laptop or an optical scanner -
he just looks me in the eye,
as he looked at Peter by the fire in the courtyard.
seeing into the very depths of my soul.

· And then here is the good news -
God never misuses or abuses that information -
He never turns his back on us in retribution
Yes, he looks in sorrow - but also in love -
Yes, I need to answer for my sins, but on the day of judgment
I can trust my judge.

Today’s communion is in the form of Faure’s Requiem Mass - and
I am most grateful to the choir for leading us in this beautiful music.

And of course the Requiem Mass takes our thoughts to the great
Day of Judgement when the Book of Life will be read -
Or (if we want to update the Biblical imagery a little)
should we say the great day of judgement
when the computer profile of my life will be unencrypted,
and God and I and all may see the truth together?

In this life we often see ourselves as we want to be seen.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
we ask - and because we write our own script,
we answer for the mirror “You” we say
“You, the one who looks in the mirror - you are indeed the fairest”

In this life we may fool ourselves - we may look in a mirror dimly -
but then - when our requiem is sung -
shall we see face to face

Then, as by a courtyard fire, shall we see the face of God,
and know in that look of sorrow and love
our sins and our salvation.

Meanwhile we are called to live and walk with Christ in this world,
to live our lives in a way which does not deny our Lord
but actually reflects his glory and echoes his voice.

So let me offer you one last thought about Peter in the courtyard -

In the courtyard it was not the sins of Peter
which gave Peter away, that revealed him for who he was -
it was his Galilean accent!

“Why you are certainly one of them -
your accent gives you away!”

The serving girl says (Mt 26:74).

Peter came from up North -
like a Barnsley supporter in a Chelsea wine-bar -
you knew whose side he was on as soon as he opened his mouth!

If we are honest,

you and I will always be a bit like Peter -
never quite living up
to what God wants of us in this life -

I hope and pray we might be like Peter
in another way too -
that men and women everywhere
might immediately know
that we are followers of Jesus,
- and why? -

Because we talk like he does!

Back to Sermon Index

Order of Service

Sunday 9^th March 2008 10.30 am Holy Communion
led by Rev Andrew Sails with the Mint Choir

Choir Music for this service is from Fauré’s Requiem.

GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

Welcome

Hymn 180 “When I survey”

Prayer

Choir: Introitus and Kyrie

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem.
Exaudi orationem meam; ad te omnis caro veniet

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.

[Rest eternal grant them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them. To thee praise is due, O God, in Zion, and to thee vows are recited in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer; unto thee all flesh shall come. Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy]

MINISTRY OF THE WORD

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:69-75 (p.998)

Hymn 164 “Ah, Holy Jesu”

Sermon “The Galilean Accent”

Hymn 176 “O sacred head, sore wounded”

[During which the collection will be taken, and brought forward]

1.. 오 거룩하신 주님 그 상하신 머리 조롱과 욕에 싸여 가시관 쓰셨네 아침 해처럼 밝던 주님의 얼굴이 고통과 치욕으로 창백해 지셨네	2. 주 당하신 그 고난 죄인 위함이라 내 지은 죄로 인해 주 형벌 받았네 내 주여 비옵나니 이 약한 죄인을 은혜와 사랑으로 늘 지켜 주소
3. 나 무슨 말로 주께 다 감사드리랴 끝없는 주의 사랑 한 없이 고마와 보잘 것 없는 나를 주의 것 삼으사 주님만 사랑하며 나 살게 하소서

Prayers of Intercession and Lord’s Prayer

HOLY COMMUNION

Peace (stand):

Minister	The peace of the Lord be always with you
People	And also with you.

[We offer one another a handshake or other sign of peace

[The young people enter]

The Thanksgiving (stand)

Minister	Lift up your hearts
People	We lift them to the Lord
Minister	Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
People	It is right to give our thanks and praise
Minister	All glory be given to you, O Father. You created us as your children. And when in our sin we parted from you, you did not let us go, nor did your love falter. You sent your only Son into the world to share are sorrows, even unto the cross. He shared our death, that we might share in his resurrection life and Kingdom. So with all people who ever were, are and will be, with all creation in all time, we rejoice:
Choir	Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. [Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. The heavens and earth are filled with thy glory. Hosanna in the highest]
Minister	On the night he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, he gave thanks, broke it and gave it to his disciples saying “Take, eat, this is my body. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup; he gave thanks and gave it to them saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this is my blood of the new Covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
People	Dying, you destroyed our death. Rising, you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.
Minister	Come, Spirit of God, move over these signs of life and celebration, this bread and wine, that we may take them as your body and blood. As we stand around this table, may we be your people, committed to your Kingdom, whose name is justice, peace and love.
People	Come, risen Lord, live in us that we may live in you.
Minister:	Look, the Body of Christ is broken for the life of the world.

Choir: Agnus Dei (congregation sit)

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
dona eis requiem, requiem sempiternam.
[Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,
Grant them rest, rest everlasting.]

Sharing of Bread and Wine

Minister

Come to this sacred table, not because you must but because you may; come, not to declare that you are righteous, but that you desire to be true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ: come, not because you are strong, but because you are weak; not because you have any claim on heaven's rewards, but because in your frailty and sin you stand in constant need of heaven's mercy and help.

[Please come forward when indicated by the stewards and form a line standing around three sides of the table beginning at the centre and working out to each side.
When you have received bread and wine, please where possible return to your seats via the side aisles.]

Choir: Pie Jesu (sung during the distribution)

Pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem, requiem sempiternam
[Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest, rest everlasting)].

Choir: Libera Me (sung during the distribution)

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna, in die illa tremenda: Quando caeli movendi sunt et terra: Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem. Tremens factus sum ego, et timeo, dum discussio venerit, atque ventura ira. Dies illa, dies irae, calamitatis et miseriae, dies magna et amara valde. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis.

[Free me, Lord, from eternal death, on that day of dread, when the heavens and earth shall move, when you shall come to judge the world by fire. I am made to tremble, and to fear, when destruction shall come, and also your coming wrath.
O that day, that day of wrath, of calamity and misery, the great and exceedingly bitter day. Grant eternal rest to them, Lord, and let perpetual light shine on them.]

Prayer:

People

We thank you, Lord, that you have fed us in this sacrament, united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet prepared for all people. Amen.

Hymn 209 “The head that once was crowned with thorns”

BLESSING AND DISMISSAL

Korean Blessing.

English Blessing:

Minister	God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the world, peace; and to us and all God’s children, life everlasting. And the blessing of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit, be with us now and for ever.
People	Amen
Minister	Now go in peace, to love and serve the Lord..
People	In the name of Christ, Amen

[Please be seated]

Choir: In Paradisum

In paradisum deducant te angeli, in tuo adventu suscipiant te martyres, et perducant te in civitatem sanctam Jerusalem.
Chorus angelorum te suscipiat, et cum Lazaro quondam paupere aeternam habeas requiem.

[May the angels lead you into paradise, may the martyrs receive you in your coming, and may they guide you into the holy city, Jerusalem. May the chorus of angels receive you and with Lazarus once poor may you have eternal rest.]

Back to Sermon Index