What must I do?

Sermon by Alan Walden, 14th October 2012

Readings: Mark 10:17-24 

What must I do - must have been the question which Chesley Sullenburger III (Sully) had to answer on January 15^th 2009. He was the pilot of the US Airways flight which took off from La Guardia airport in New York.  2 minutes later the plane flew into a flock of geese which caused catastrophic damage to both engines. The plane was over the densely populated area of the Bronx.  If he was going to save the lives of people on board, and many more on the ground, the answer to 'What must I do' was (among other things): 

Shut down the engines,

set the right speed to glide,

decide where to land (in the river being the best option at least for those on the ground),

get the nose down to maintain speed,

disconnect the autopilot and override the flight management system,

seal all the vents and valves to make the plane waterproof,

make a sharp left turn,

line the plane up with the river,

slow it down as much as possible,

then land it straight and flat on the water, to make the first ever successful ditching of a commercial aircraft into water.

And he did it! In about the time for which I have just been speaking.  As you may remember, every single person got off safely, Captain Sully checked the plane carefully before leaving himself, then offered his shirt to one of the passengers who was cold. Even now it is hard not to be touched by this remarkable story. How did Sully manage to answer the question 'What must I do?' in such a stunning fashion? 

When the rich young man in our reading went to Jesus and asked the question ‘What must I do?’ Jesus took hold of his question and transformed it. He expanded its meaning and interpreted in quite a different way from what the man seemed to intend. The question becomes not just ‘what must I do, but ‘how am I to do it?

The rich young man has got the first part of the question (the content) clear, he thinks. As a first century Jew he is quite clear about the rules, and as far as he is concerned he has kept them - every single one - since he was a boy. At least he has kept the commandments Jesus refers to - not a comprehensive list, in fact only the ones which refer to behaviour towards other people. 

Even keeping these is a remarkable achievement. But there is no mention of loving God, not worshipping idols, not coveting, keeping Sabbath, using the Lord’s name in vain. Jesus doesn’t mention these commandments, but instead applies them, wrapping them up into a short summary: Give up your possessions - sell them, give them away - and follow me.  So Jesus brings both the two questions ‘what must I do’ and ‘how can I do it’ together and provides a combined answer: ‘Follow Me’. 

What must we do?  ‘ Follow me’. 
How can we do it? ‘Follow me’. 

Jesus' answer is not about rules, but about transformation! Following him is becoming a completely different person. It is not just a transformation of behaviour, but of something far deeper - transformation of character. Jesus is inviting the rich man - and us - to a new way of being human, with a renewed mind, a transformed character.

Captain Sully relied on his character when disaster struck. What ‘Sully’ had done was to practice good behaviour so that when an emergency happened, doing the right things was ‘second nature’. This was not natural, it was not luck, it was the result of his training. He had deliberately and consciously formed his character to be prepared for emergencies, and when one came, he swung into action. 

However much he wanted to save his life and that of his passengers, he could not have worked out what to do in the short time he had without it being ‘second nature’.  It was his developed character which brought this about.

Just as good character is  a wonderful prize which brings great blessings, so an evil character brings untold harm. This week, much has been revealed about the character of Jimmy Saville, which seems to have been so very different from his public reputation.  Good character is shown by good deeds, and there is a great need to shine a light onto the appalling character of a man who it seems was willing to abuse the most vulnerable people who he was pretending to help.  When we know someone's actions, we see their true character, and if any good is to come from these terrible revelations, perhaps it will be to raise the importance of good character for those put in positions of responsibility.

The value of transforming character is not a specifically Christian idea. The greatest exponent of the importance of virtue and character was the Greek philosopher Aristotle. He identified four key virtues: courage, prudence, justice and temperance.

With the goal of a fully flourishing human being, he identified the need for strengths or virtues, and a process of moral training which turns the virtues into habits, so that they become second nature. This sounds good in principle, but it is hard in practice. ‘What must I do?’   'Develop these great strengths of character, and practice them until they become second nature.'

Christianity takes these ideas, and builds on them in 2 ways: Firstly it adds other virtues for which Aristotle would have had little time - humility, love, gentleness.   These hardly make the task any easier!  But then it adds the means of character formation - the Holy Spirit.  God is not a task master in Christian transformation but a partner.  He provides the means - he is the means - by which we can be renewed and transformed. Following him takes commitment on our side to start off, but it is then very different from heading off on our own way.  ‘His yoke is easy, and his burden is light’.

A character which does the right things is of great value.  In early September 2008, it had rained for days in Chester le Street (between Durham and Newcastle).  Mark Baxter was out walking with his daughter Leona and the family dog. The dog ran into a large puddle, and the 3 year old girl (the same age as my Katy) dashed in after him. Then as Mark looked on, Leona disappeared, followed by the dog.  She had been sucked into a storm drain which had burst its cover, and was underwater, underground.’ Her father looked on - ‘What must I do?’

Mark might have been overtaken by panic, gripped by thoughts of his drowning daughter trapped in the drain.  But he said afterwards ‘every time I had a bad thought, I forced myself to think of something else’. 

He realised that the drain might empty into the river, 100 metres away. He ran to the river, and soon spotted the girls coat floating.  He plunged in, grabbed the coat, and the little girl, face down, unconscious inside it.  He had managed to do the right thing.   His character had shown through.

As we practice the habits of heart and life that lead towards the full expression of our humanity, we are developing good character. If we do this by following Jesus, then we are developing Christian character. 

In the culture of today, there are two contrasting views about how we might be fulfilled as humans.  One is ‘discovering rules and applying them’ and the other is ‘discovering who you really are and being true to it’.  Neither of these is the Christian way.  Rather - following Christ - practicing doing what he calls us to do - turning away from what he says is wrong, and towards what he says is right. Practicing it, changing old habits, adding new ones - to become more like him. I think that is what he means when he says ‘Follow me’.

Following him is the transformation of our character into who God has really made us to be. It is God and us working together - we want it and work at it, God blesses it and enables it by his Word and his Spirit.  In this way we are being renewed - made new and ready for what God has planned for us and for the world in the future.

My ministry here in Frimley has been rewarding and worthwhile, as it has involved encouraging people along the path of that transformation.  Following Jesus means being transformed by worship, and for mission.  

I believe that we are transformed by worship, and that our church life transforms us to be more like Jesus.  If we are following Christ then we are looking for ways to spend more time with him, learning, worshipping, being formed, where the Spirit is at work in us as we spend time with God. 

Our heavenly Father transforms us when we spend time in his presence, by the working of the Holy Spirit.

And we are transformed for mission.  The mission which God has given us is building his Kingdom here, through our jobs, our families, our social interactions. Do we do these things for God and to honour him, or do we do them for our personal gratification? That is the challenge.

Developing Christian character involves radical transformation of what we are doing in all of our lives. The transformation which Christ brings is every bit as miraculous and wonderful as the landing of that plane in the Hudson river. There is a great need for such a transformation in our society, from its leaders, role models and celebrities downwards, and not least here - in Surrey, in Frimley. 

And there is also a great need for that in Madeley, Telford where I will soon be going.  In both places, we need more people who have grasped that being a Christian is about a profound transformation in all parts of life, that it involves sacrificing certain things, in order to replace them with things which are of much greater value.

God called me in 2006 to give up the career I had, the income which I enjoyed, and move out of the home which we had established, away from the friends we had made, to follow his call to ministry.  I don't regret that for one second!  This didn’t feel like a sacrifice - it was what I wanted to do - the Holy Spirit at work, transforming me.  I wanted to do things which pleased God rather than just what pleased me.  I say this to reflect no credit on me, but I say this to give glory to God, and to give an example of what happens when God is at work, transforming us.   As I prepare to move on, I am encouraged by the promise of 1 Thessalonians 5:24 has held true.  'The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it!'

I am pleased to say that during the time I have been here in Frimley, the church has been at work, developing its character as we have focussed on topics including Christian discipleship, on prayer, on renewal of our parish vision and on the Bible.  So I am thankful for Christian virtue, for that transformation of character which is the path we take as Christians. 

And my prayer for this parish is that God would be more at work in you and in those around you, building good character, to make the full, rounded human beings which he intended each one of us to be. Fully prepared to display a Christ like character in whatever situation you are faced with, and in every part of your lives.