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Sermon preached at Zion Episcopal, Washington, NC
Sunday May 7th 2023
The Reverend Alan Neale
“Satisfaction”

John 14:8 Philip asks Jesus, “Show us the Father… and we shall be satisfied – it will be enough, that will be all we need, then we will be content.”

Chapters 13-17 of John are sometimes called the Last Discourses, but maybe better, more simply, as table talk. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the cosmic salvation events about to happen. He teaches them that he is leaving, they are staying, and that the Holy Spirit will come to energize and guide them. Despite the moment, Jesus is pummeled with questions; it’s as if Jesus is surrounded with inquisitive and questioning beloved children! Peter asks, “Where are you going? Why can’t I follow you now”? Thomas follows-up with “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” And then Philip asks, for me at least, the most intimate and personal and necessary of questions, “Lord, show us the Father and we shall be satisfied.”
Philip had seen, at close hand, the relationship between Jesus and Father; he wanted that for himself, there lay satisfaction, contentment.

Friends, this weekend is a celebration of two great and magnificent events – the first has a history of 900 years, the second a history of at least 2,000 years and pre-dating that for millennia. You know that I speak of two coronations – that of King Charles III as King of England and that of Owen James Brady as a beloved child of God. Thank God, the preparation for Owen was slightly less than that for King Charles but I know y’all have been busy, very busy indeed for today’s celebration.
As I watched the Coronation yesterday (a teary, joyful event) so I heard triumphant verses that we have also heard this morning… both King Charles and Owen James were presented with these words to celebrate their coronation – Owen today is affirmed as part of a chosen nation (chosen even in the womb), as part of a royal priesthood (Jesus our King reckons Owen to be as a brother), part of a holy nation (Owen is called to be as one with the Lord, whole – united) and, also from I Peter, Owen is today celebrated as part of God’s own people and, as Scripture promises, those whom God calls he also equips.

Every baptism declares these two great truths: that God accepts us as we are and God has plans for us beyond our imagination.
God accepts Owen James just as he is, he need not do or be anything except his very self. He is loved for his very self. And God has extraordinary plans for this beloved and commissioned child of God. Stephen, of whom we read in Acts, was the church’s first martyr – in his weakness and frailty, the Lord accepted him and, in his witness of faith and forgiveness, he makes an impact on Saul that one day will change the course of history – such are God’s plans for us.

God accepts us as we are; and God has plans for us beyond our imagination.

In 1965, a record was released by a rubber-lipped, gangly young man from Dartford, England. I could not get the song from my mind as a I reflected on our text (John 14:8) “Show us the Father… and we shall be satisfied”. “Satisfied” – the song, “I can’t get no satisfaction… I try, and I try, and I try, and I try and I can’t get no satisfaction”. Fear not, I will not be performing this for you this morning.

By the way, I discovered yesterday that Sir Michael Phillip Jagger, like me, is a graduate of the London School of Economics – our paths somewhat diverged upon graduation!

Owen, with Norah, will look to Kaitlyn and James for acceptance and vision as their beloved parents; their unspoken prayer and continual hope will be to see the love and acceptance that Kaitlyn and James has for them… for there, and there only, is satisfaction to the heart, contentment for the soul.

And when we might tire, or even fail, as parents then our text speaks to us, to Kaitlyn and James and not only for Owen.

Forgive a personal note. My own relationship with my father was not great, I believe he tried his best. And then, in a moment of profound personal distress, my father was there for me and grew to love and care for me and Wendy. Within a few short years, he died. I was asked, “Well, Alan, would you rather have had the pain of a loving relationship cut short or never had experienced a flowering of love”. Oh, the response was easy… though it was short, too short, that time was precious and left me content, satisfied.

“Lord, today in our worship, in our Communion, in our fellowship, show us Father/Mother… and we will be satisfied.”

Thanks be to God.

AMEN