Sermon at St Peter's, Oundle on 15 February 2009, 2^nd Sunday before Lent.  Barry Morrison 

 Full of Grace and Truth     John 1.14

A prostitute is so driven by her addiction to drugs that she rents out her 2 year old daughter for kinky sex.  She can make far more money that way in downtown Chicago.  Philip Yancey tells the story in two of his books.   The Christian worker is at a total loss and at last asks, "Have you ever thought of going to a church for help?"  "Church!" she cries out, "Why would I ever go there?  I feel so terrible about myself already.  They would just make me feel worse." 

Jesus somehow attracted and welcomed people like her, the unclean and the untouchable, the lepers, prostitutes and tax collectors, the notorious sinners, all who would be shunned and excluded by everyone else.  A few months ago I heard a broadcast sermon.  The speaker said that at a conference a Leader of a large Church couldn't sleep and went out to find a cup of coffee at an all-night café at 5am.  The only other customers were prostitutes.  One was telling the others that it was her birthday the next day, but she had no family, no friends, no real home, no hope of presents, nothing to look forward to - and then she left.  The Church leader found the courage and grace to say to the others, "Why don't we give her a party, here, tomorrow morning?  I'll get a cake."  And so they did.  Amidst all the balloons and streamers, and after the cake and candles, laughter and no doubt tears, they found out what he did.  One of them said, "I would like to go to a Church that welcomes prostitutes." 

Jesus was full of grace and truth.  In chapter 4 of his gospel John tells of Jesus resting in the heat of mid-day at a well.  A Samaritan woman comes to collect water.  It is quite hard for us to understand just what this meant.  The Samaritans were of Jewish, but also mixed, descent.  They also shared much of the Jewish faith, but this too was mixed - with pagan influences from their neighbours.  Those who are of mixed descent and mixed religion are often the most despised, and the most unfairly despised and rejected.  John simply says, "The Jews have no dealings with Samaritans."  Jesus was of course a Jewish man.  We also need to remind ourselves just how chauvinistic Jewish men could be, strict Jewish men beginning their prayers each day, "Thank you, Lord, that I am not a Gentile (non- Jew) and not a woman."  That is deeply embarrassing and shameful.  So here we have this Samaritan woman coming to collect water under the blazing mid-day sun.   This could only mean that she was avoiding the sniping and sneering, the malicious gossip and taunting that would be provoked by her life-style.

 Jesus talks to her.  Jesus takes her seriously, treating her with dignity and respect.  He asks for water to quench his thirst.  He then offers her living water to satisfy all thirst, indeed a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  "Yes, please," she says.  "Call your husband and bring him here," says Jesus, before going on to say, "You have had five husbands and are now with someone else."  The woman moves the discussion to the differences between Jews and Samaritans and Jesus says gently but firmly that we must worship God in spirit and in truth.  The Messiah?  I am he. 

The woman rushes back to the village.  She leaves her water jar behind.  Note carefully the spirit in which she says, "Come and meet someone who told me everything I've ever done."  It's not - what a terrible man who has shopped and exposed me!  But - what an amazing and wonderful man, he knows all about me, but there is something totally different about him.  He is offering life, real life, to me!  Jesus was full of grace and truth.  What a perfect balance.  This balance is reflected equally in the response of Jesus to the woman caught in adultery, in chapter 8 of the gospel.  "Whoever is without sin," says Jesus, "You throw the first stone; yes, go on, you."  And when they all leave, in growing honesty realism and shame, he says to her, "I don't condemn you either.  Go and sin no more."   

There was a special experience of grace and truth at the recent General Synod.  I have this on the authority of my wife Gill who tells me that it included the best debate in her three and a half years as a member. The motion called for both freedom and a lead in sharing the gospel of salvation through Christ alone with people of other faiths and none, linked to Jesus' words in John 14, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me."   A number of bishops had found the motion somewhat embarrassing, and it had been put off after being submitted for an earlier Synod.  In the event, the spirit and mood were overwhelmingly positive, with speakers keen to quote examples of God's truth and grace both from the scriptures and from their experience.

 One contributor had previously been a Buddhist and for him this had meant worshipping idols who had given him no peace.  Jesus Christ gave peace and grace in abundance.  In another session a mother from Bradford, formerly a Muslim, had been subject to various threats and had moved home more than once.  She was very touched by the gratitude, understanding and encouragement she received both in the debate and from other members afterwards - grace and truth.  One member said the Synod knew him as a woolly and dodgy liberal.  He had the courage to say, "I haven't had this experience of conversion many have spoken of.  I would like to.  I need some help."  "All are welcome at any stage," responded Archbishop John Sentamu, "Come and see me afterwards."  Life, grace, truth.

 One final example from the ministry of Jesus, in John 8.  He was in discussion with the religious establishment of his day, the leaders, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.  "You can be physical descendants of Abraham," he warned them, and I paraphrase,  "but still not real sons of Abraham or of God at all, unless you recognise and believe in me as the living Son of the living God.  The truth, this truth, alone will set you free from pride and self and sin."  Jesus warned them; and he also warns us, a special reminder for those of us with responsibility to lead and to teach, clergy, readers, teachers.  We are called to constant humility, to depend on the grace of God alone to put and keep us right with him. 

 Jesus was full of grace and truth.  We are called to be the same, individually and as his family and fellowship.  John warns that Jesus came to his own, Jewish people, but all too many did not receive him.  John writes of his own personal experience and that of his fellow disciples, "From the fulness of his grace we have all received, grace upon grace, one blessing after another."  Have you received him, and do you know him for yourself, personally?  This is the very heart of our faith, and it is expressed as we come equally to receive Communion with open, empty hands to receive again mercy and forgiveness, grace and reassurance, help and strength.  As we shall sing just a little later in our service, amazing grace.