Proverbs 8.1, 22-31 Colossians 1.15-20 John 1.1-14
The question I am going to speak about today - or at least try to speak about concerns the whole of this world which includes you and me. A question that philosophers and scientists have been trying to answer for well over 4,000 years. It’s a very simple question: What is life?
It’s a fascinating question dealing with all manner of living things, from insects to animals to human beings, or to go even further into its mysteries, are bacteria and viruses alive? Indeed one prominent scientist whom I have mentioned before in a book entitled “What is life”? explores what goes on in a simple cell of which there are trillions in our bodies, with each cell having numerous chemical reactions going on all the time. His answer to “What is life?” is “interacting cells”. When I wrote to him that he had completely neglected to look into the spiritual side of life he replied that that was not in his brief. I nearly wrote back and said that in that case, he should not entitle his book “What is life”? but who am I to argue with a Nobel prize winner? I am still quite sure I am right!
The reason I have chosen this question is because as I was praying and thinking about the Gospel I was very forcibly struck by the phrase “In him was life”. Later in the Gospel this saying is expanded with sayings of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life”, “I am the bread of life”, “I am the way, the truth and the life”. I could go on!
However, I am not going to try and delve into any abstruse discussion about what is life. I am going to try and explain what it means for us in practice starting with the thought that Jesus, when He was born among us, was the only man to be fully alive. That doesn’t mean we are not alive - it simply means that Jesus did have life in all its fulness when he was on earth while we have fulness of life only in part. So, when do you think you are fully alive? Perhaps there are times when we look at a beautiful view, or a lovely flower or listen to a wonderful peace of music, or nurse a child or share the joy of marriage or when a teenager or friend achieves something good, or perhaps in moments of prayer. “In those moments”, we may say to ourselves. But when we do the washing up, or carry on doing what seems to us boring work simply experiencing the routine of every day life - do we feel fully alive? So, going back to Jesus - Jesus’ human life started, obviously, as a baby, growing into an infant, a boy, a teenager and then to full maturity as a man. Jesus maybe as a child learnt from his mother how to make bread, worked as a carpenter doing the routine things a carpenter’s job entails, almost certainly helped to gather in the harvest, had to get on with his brothers and sisters and other family members - all the ordinary things of life. And these were all part of being fully alive Also, when he faced frustration “How long must I be with you?” or grief, “Jesus wept” or agonising pain on the cross, he was still fully alive. Was he alive when he died? That was part of living life to the full for his death was in accordance with his Father’s will. So what about times when we are just going through the routine things of life or when we go through illness, depression or deep anxiety? I believe that even in those times, if we cling to Jesus, we are experiencing something of the mystery of being fully alive. We certainly don’t feel it, as I know from a time I suffered from serious depression and the only prayer I could say was a verse from Dear Lord and Father of mankind, “Drop thy still dew of quietness ...” But it is Jesus, living in us, that makes us truly alive whatever our circumstances.
What about people who do not believe in Jesus? Many do hunger after things to help them to feel alive, sadly some - like Putin and Netanyahu - want so much power that they heap destruction and death on others. Most just try to survive and to even enjoy life. But because all are created in the image of God, the seeds of life in all its fullness are within all of us whether we know Jesus or not. And this is why it is so important we should pray for people and, as a church, try to proclaim the Kingdom of God as Jesus did.
But I would like to go a little further. Jesus gave us many things which help us to be more alive because these things feed his life in us. Here are some of those things. Fullness of life for Jesus included serving, helping and loving others. That, as we all know, should be part of our life but it also helps us to live more fully. Jesus was also willing to receive help when he needed it, asking his disciples to stay awake in the Garden of Gethsemane. So we should not be reluctant to accept help when we need it. Margaret, my wife, used to tell me off when I refused help from people, “Thank you, I can manage”, I used to say. But I learnt and am still learning to accept help and this actually increases the life of Jesus on me - I can almost feel it. Then, there is prayer and listening to his word. Some of us are able to read the Bible regularly while others find it hard or cannot. But we can all take into ourselves simple sayings of Jesus “I am the good shepherd - Lord you lead me.” “I am the light of the world - Lord shine in my life.” Feed on words of Jesus. But for me, the most important way of feeding on Jesus and letting His life come into me is this service of Holy Communion. Although I do know many Christians feed on Jesus without this. But Jesus did say “This is my body” - my very self. "This is my blood” - my life and my sacrifice for you.
I will end with just two quotations from the Bible, one you have heard today: “In him was life and the life was the light of the world. And the second: “I have come that they may have life and life in all its fulness.”
May this be true for you.
Amen.