We have a guest post today: an extract from the Gospel according to Fred Dibnah. You’ll find that below, along with a short video (in case you don’t know who Fred Dibnah is), some thoughts on the 1 Cor passage and your liturgy resources, as ever.
I would also like you to rejoice with me that I have today been welcomed into Black Friars House as the latest Associate Member of the Anglican Dominicans – Hounds of the Lord!
The Gospel According to Fred Dibnah
Guest post by Steve Dawson ‘cos I had a really busy week and he kindly agreed to write my content for me.
In the closing years of the 1970’s I lived in Bolton, Lancashire. A man at the end of my street drove a steam traction engine past my house every Sunday afternoon, waving cheerily and greeting people in a beautiful Boltonian accent as he clanked past. “You alright?”
Fred Dibnah was a steeplejack by trade, used to climbing church steeples and other high buildings to maintain and repair them. One day, Fred carried out a job that launched him into television fame and made him an everyday hero to many. He was asked to demolish a mill chimney more than 250 feet high. (That’s a lot of metres as well!)
But not for Fred the use of explosives. No, he was going to do it with the old method of chopping out a hole in the base, propping up the void with timber and setting fire to it.
A TV crew heard of this and followed Fred in the days before the demolition. He was seen in the bleakest of weather, taking a sledgehammer to the chimney and making sure everything was ready for the fire. He had to make sure the chimney fell precisely, not damaging anything or injuring anyone.
Come the day of the demolition, the fire was lit. Fred prowled around, watching the chimney from all sides, looking for the moment it was going to fall. There was a long wait, seemingly nothing happening, then Fred suddenly squeezed the bulb of his hand-held klaxon and shouted, “It’s going, It’s going!” Seconds later, with Fred scurrying from danger, the huge chimney crashed down. The crowd roared and a delighted Fred grinned and said, “Did you like that?”
His fame spread and he soon had his own TV show. People wanted to see his exploits, hear his home-spun wisdom and marvel at his ability to tackle the most intimidating of obstacles with his simple methods.
In the gospel reading for today we see the seemingly unsurmountable obstacle of a man overpowered by an unclean spirit. The fire of Jesus’ word was enough, and the stronghold came crashing down.
I’m sure that it wasn’t a spur of the moment event. Jesus will have spent time preparing in prayer, but we don’t hear of that. The people saw the authority of Jesus, not just the words, and his fame began to spread. Later we know people learn of and see His works and he explains with his words. Clearly, nothing is an obstacle for him any longer. Not even death
I like to think that Jesus might have turned to his disciples and said with a grin, “Did you like that?”
Just ‘cos you can … (I Cor 8)
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up,” says Paul, and he’d know – Bible brainbox if ever there was one. Now, let’s be clear – Paul isn’t saying it’s bad to know things. Thinking critically* about our faith is important. We don’t need to have our brains amputated when we become Christians. Paul is on about people who use their knowledge to tear down their Christian sisters and brothers.
Technically, they were right. Food sacrificed to idols was OK to eat, but some of the Corinthian Christians were parading their superior knowledge around and making other Christians think that it was OK to worship the idols too. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
The default speed limit on British roads is 60mph. This means that on twisty country roads, barely one car wide, with high hedges so that you can’t see what’s coming, in the dark, fog, icy road, technically you can do 60mph. Doesn’t mean that you should.
Learning about our faith is good and useful, but Paul is reminding us that doing right is more important than being right (and that’s a hard thing for a mathematician to say!) I wonder where I might need to apply that today?
*critically as in ‘thinking deeply’, not ‘moaning about’.
Liturgy Resources for the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Psalm 111
Confession and Absolution
The beginning of wisdom is to respect and obey the Lord.
To him belongs praise for ever.
Lord, we confess that we have not lived as those who respect and obey you.
By our words we have let you down. [pause]
In our deeds we have let you down. [pause]
With the desires of our hearts we have let you down. [pause]
The beginning of wisdom is to respect and obey the Lord.
To him belongs praise for ever.
Forgive us, gracious Lord.
Restore us in your image and strengthen us to do your will,
that we may follow your Son in the power of the Spirit.
Amen.
The beginning of wisdom is to respect and obey the Lord.
To him belongs praise for ever.
Amen.
Blessing and Dismissal
May you know wisdom of the Lord, and may it be food to you.
May you see the power of his works, and may it be food to you.
May you give thanks to him with your whole heart, and may it be food to you,
and the blessing …
Go to proclaim the great works of the Lord
in your life and in the world around you,
and the love of God be with you in all you do.
In the name of Christ, Amen.
The Reflectionary 