St George's Cathedral, Cape Town

A sermon preached by the Very Reverend Rowan Smith in the Cathedral Church of St George the Martyr on the 5th Sunday in Lent, 29 March 2009

“ Now is the judgement of this world, now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And l, when l am lifted up from the earth will draw all people to myself.” ( John 13 v 31f)

Last Sunday we handed out to all our congregations the leaflet “Christian Principles to consider at Election Time” and this is based on a similar statement produced by the U.S.A. National Council of Churches, Justice and Advocacy Communion. The planning for this took place some weeks ago and its pertinence to this past week again, indicates the work of the Holy Spirit among us. Given the decision of our government to prohibit the attendance of the Dalai Lama at a peace conference, in preparation for the 2010 World Cup here in South Africa, nothing could have been more pertinent than the opening sentence:

“ Our Christian faith compels us to address the world through the lens of our relationship to God and to one another.” That is how we intend to approach the election.

As Africans we would recognize how closely this is related to our common understanding of “ubuntu” It is, therefore, our Christian duty, by virtue of our baptism to express our profound dissatisfaction at the action of our government. How sad too that our Minister of Finance, who while on the run from the Nationalist's government spoke here in this cathedral, should be reported as having said in a debate at U.C.T:

“Quite frankly this has nothing to do with the Premier Soccer League, it is a matter of relations between two states and that's what we have to stand up for “ Cape Times, 27 March 2009

Contrast that with the words of Nelson Mandela:-

“During my lifetime l have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and l have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which l hope to live for and achieve. But if needs be it is an ideal for which l am prepared to die.” Statement from the dock at the Rivonia Trial, 1964

The Minister of Finance's comment was how the apartheid government responded when its human rights violations were being criticized. We are, nevertheless, compelled to stand up for our faith in God who has shown to us in Christ Jesus that there is no area in life that is not subject to his reign. The gospel for today could not have been more appropriate since it begins with the appearance of some Greeks, outsiders, who approach Philip with the request:

“Sir, we wish to see Jesus” v 21

It is from that request that Jesus then goes on to say:

“Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world is driven out.”

Just before this there was the voice which some thought was thunder, noise and others the voice of God.

In his commentary on this passage, C.K. Barret writes:

“This is the judgement that some near and others do not. The present moment is also the time for the expulsion and defeat of the power of evil, the ruler who has usurped this world and alienated it from God” Peake's commentary: p. 859

So then, we are to view the world not as hostile to God because in Jesus Christ the powers of darkness are overcome and thus his death on the cross is not the victory of the world but the glory revealed in and to the world:

“And l when l am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

But this is so hard for us, that we who are marked with the cross and sealed with the Holy Spirit in baptism cannot take any other way but that of the cross. This reminds us that there is always a cost involved in our Christian discipleship when we seek to live out our vocation in the world. We cannot remain silent in the face of the abuse of power by our government and the third principle we are asked to consider at Election time says: “We look for political leaders for whom a foreign policy based on cooperation and global justice is an urgent concern.” (3)

Consider too that the letter to the Hebrews appears to be a reflection on Our Lord's agony in the garden of Gethsemane:

“Jesus offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death” 5 v 7

But he was the one who taught his disciples:

“…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but it dies it bears much fruit.” v 24

Could it be of our vision of a rainbow people; of a democratic government answerable to all its people subject to the people not the party? The choice for us then also is life or death. Today as we continue our Lenten pilgrimage God draws us deeper into his heart of love and so by the power of the Holy Spirit we are called to deeper prayer, offering on behalf of our nation

“… supplications with loud cries and tears…”

So we approach Holy Week in faith as we by our lives lift Jesus higher so that he may indeed draw all people to himself. In the words of one of our hymns today:

In times of great decision,
be with us, God, we pray
Give each of us a vision
of Jesus loving way
When louder words seem endless
and other voices sure,
remind us of your promise:
Your love and truth endure.

(Carolyn Winfrey Gillette)

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