I was very grateful to The Reverend Julie Kelly for sharing her testimony and the role that scripture has played in her life at the Retired Clergy Luncheon at St. Aidan’s Lindisfarne on Wednesday 24 October.

One of the things I really appreciated about Julie’s sermon was the integration of the hymns with the Bible readings and the development of a very personal and challenging sermon. You can read her whole sermon here.

2012 Clergy Lunch 24.10.2012 ‘Treasures of the Word’ by Julie Kelley

Bible Readings: Nehemiah 8:1 – 3; 5 – 12; Psalm 19:1 – 10; James 1:19 – 25; Luke 4:14 – 21

Hymns: 515 Fill Thou My Life; 537 May the Mind of Christ My Saviour; 516 second Tune Master Speak Thy Servant Heareth; Hymn 339 Thanks to God Whose Word Was Spoken

Below are snippets from her talk for your reading and encouragement.

————————————————————————————————–

My attendance at church was a way of life, a family tradition, but not necessarily anything to do with a living faith.

It took me a long time to realise that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

I had a profound spiritual experience with the scriptures after I became a Christian rather than just a church goer.

After becoming a Christian, I began to act on and live the word.  I found that if I was faithful in following the Lord and studying the scriptures then the Holy Spirit would highlight particular verses at times when I needed them, words vivified, brought to life by the Holy Spirit.

In 1995 when I was diagnosed with bowel cancer I learned to rely on the verse “We take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.”  2Corinthians 10:5

We are the custodians of a great treasure – a treasure that perhaps our non-Christian family or friends have dismissed as out dated; old fashioned; superstitious…  When Ezra began reading, the people stood up and listened.  But that’s not often the case in the world today.  Christianity and the word of God are often dismissed as inconsequential, or even a joke.

We may have friends or relatives who do not know Jesus and so may not have experienced the concept of a living word.  There is power in the word of God.  Some of that power is mentioned in this morning’s psalm.  The word of God revives the soul, makes the simple wise, gives joy to the heart and gives light to the eyes.  The pharmaceutical industry would give their eye teeth for a formula such as that: words that grow, take root and bear fruit; words that heal; words that give direction; words that enable; words that reveal the truth; words that give life to the full; Jesus the word living in us.

God wants us to use our treasure, rather than bury it in the ground.  But how?  How much time has each of us got left?  How could we share our treasure this Christmas?  Are we prepared to step out and be bold for Christ?  To give a present of life giving words?

God enjoys communicating with people, especially through the scriptures.  He wants us to know scriptures and to put them into practise today.  God invented people.  He knows what we are like and his words in the Bible show us the best way to live.  He can speak to us through the scriptures if we will let him.  Our psalm this morning tells us that “Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.”  In a dark world it is vital to have the light of Christ.  God wants us to spread the treasure of his word and his love in the world.  Let’s do it.