The appropriately named Joy Rushton, Diocesan Discipleship Manager, closed our mini-series of Sermons on Bishop Phillip’s second priority “Creating Joyful worshiping communities’ with a sermon on Joy this morning.
Joy said:
Thank you so much for inviting me to speak today. It is a privilege to be able to come and talk to you about growing joyful Christian Communities.
Growing Lancashire Communities of Joy
Bishop Philip, at his installation gave us a wonderful challenge: ‘let’s grow in every corner of Lancashire communities of joy…. Let’s find fresh joy in our worship and in the friendship we find in the churches we grow. Let’s go on planting new congregations to serve different demographics and neighbourhoods. Because every single person in this beautiful county deserves to be served by a joyful fellowship of Christians committed to service and worship and proclamation.’
As we ponder growing communities of joy, this Sunday we are reminded of the potential and power of God’s Kingdom. Thinking about the kingdom, Jesus asks us to notice a small plant.
Creation Joy: fearfully and wonderfully made
I wonder what your favourite wayside flower is. I love cow parsley. It seems that you can’t go anywhere without seeing the delicate white flowers, standing tall and swaying gently in the summer breeze. I love the way Jesus noticed the beauty of creation. His observations of the world around him were heightened by the time he spent walking around his local area but, I imagine his sense of wonder, was intensified because of the part he played in creation. The psalmist talks about us being ‘fearfully and wonderfully made.’ Jesus had insider knowledge of how our beautiful world was lovingly put together. His observations of creation are joyful and full of wonder. Living, in a rural part of Lancashire, I’m sure that we can appreciate the joy of creation too.
In a world, that notices and even worships things that are big, noisy and glossy, Jesus magnifies the importance of the small, quiet, often hidden, potential of a mustard seed. He describes the smallness of the seed: it is about the size of a pin head. However, within its tiny frame, it has the potential to grow to a great size. When fully grown, it can grow up to 2.5 metres with roots spreading up to 1.5 metres.
Seeing how fearfully and wonderfully our world is made promotes joy. Everything that God made, including us, fills him with joy. He notices the small and the least and uses them for his purposes. Thinking about the story of King David’s call; he was the youngest, sent out to the fields do a low-rated job, caring for sheep. And yet, God called him to play a part in his long-term, kingdom plan. We too, like David, are noticed by God and can play a part in his kingdom. No one is too small or insignificant. Jesus encourages us to know that we are deeply loved children of our heavenly Father and that is something to rejoice over.
Kingdom Joy: a hidden and growing hope
Jesus’ comparison of the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed teaches that something seemingly small carries immense significance. As with the germination of a seed, a lot of early growth is hidden, underground, unnoticed by the watching gardener. The first miracle of Jesus, the wedding at Cana, involved turning water into wine. The only people who saw the miracle were the servants and Mary. The bride and groom, the wedding organiser and guests had no idea how the best wine was produced. The miracle points to the generosity of God and the abundant new life that Jesus brings.
Jesus’ reminder of the power of the Kingdom, hidden in a tiny seed, encourages us to know that Jesus brings us new life. The seed is a symbol of hope and God’s purpose to grow his kingdom. His kingdom is a place of joy, safety and security. In the parable, the mustard tree becomes a home for many different types of birds. Jesus wants people of all nations, ages and stages to be part of his kingdom. He promises that this kingdom will be a place of life and where all tears will be wiped away.
Throughout Jesus’ life, many people found joy including: Mary a young girl who sings for joy at the way God chooses a lowly person like herself; Elizabeth an elderly, child-less woman; Zacchaeus, a cheating tax-collector; the despondent disciples, following Jesus’ death, are filled with joy when they realise he has come back to life.
Kingdom Joy: worship
Jesus was a man of joy. He rejoiced when the lost sheep was found. He talked about the joy of the father in welcoming back those that were lost and the exuberant, generosity of the party that God gives when embracing his children who return home. His life and teachings abound with an infectious joy. John 15.11, I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Knowing that we are deeply loved children of our heavenly father inspires us to acknowledge that he is worthy of our worship. It is a reason to find fresh joy in our worship. As we meet together and share in the Eucharist, we have tangible reminders of his loving commitment to us.
Kingdom Reach: Joyful Christian Communities across Lancashire
Experiencing this joy, gives us a reason to reach out and share this joy with others. In Vision 2026, many churches have responded by planting new local congregations. Choir Church at Holy Trinity Tarleton is one such example. There are many more examples, across the diocese, where churches are thinking of those who are missing out and how they can reach out. Some examples include: Families at 4; Friday Praise; Muddy, Messy, Welly Praise; Purple Praise; Lyrics and Lunch; All Nations Praise and many more examples. The vision is to keep on growing our new local congregations and look for ways to grow more.
Joy presenting a Certificate to a Choir-Church Chorister on being Admitted to Holy Communion
aKingdom Calling: Being Witnesses
As we have noted, David, the least in his family, was called to be king. The disciples, ordinary un-schooled people, were sent out to tell others and, when they did, they returned with joy because they had seen God’s kingdom at work.
We too are called to be witnesses. We can share the joy and hope that we have in Jesus. Being a witness, involves our whole lives: what we say and what we do. Jesus told his disciples how there was a great harvest to get involved in. He encouraged his disciples to pray for more people to get involved.
Kingdom Service and Proclamation here in Tarleton and Rufford
It is encouraging to see how you are involved in growing God’s kingdom through service and proclamation. I see that your mission is to gather in worship – bringing glory to God and making people welcome; growing in faith and growing in service by making a difference. I know that there are opportunities to join in prayer for God’s Kingdom to grow through the Guild of Simeon and Anna. You have a heart for welcoming others and engaging in your local community such as through local events. You demonstrate a way of witnesses through caring for creation by loving your local burial ground,
I would like to encourage you, this morning, to share the joy of the kingdom where you live and work. A former colleague of mine interviewed hundreds of people asking how they came to faith. Most people said they came to faith because they met a Christian who showed them friendship and kindness. Praying, worshipping, loving and serving makes such a difference. God’s Kingdom is growing and we can know the joy of playing our part. As Bishop Philip says, every single person in this beautiful county deserves to be served by a joyful fellowship of Christians committed to service, worship and proclamation.
Let us by joyful: that we are fearfully and wonderfully made; that God’s kingdom is growing; that we matter to God and he calls us to play our part, however small. We may never know, in this life, how our small acts of love help build the kingdom. One day, our joy will be complete, when we see Jesus face to face.
