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It’s good to be here.  It is a long time since I last preached and I hope it’s like riding a bike and I haven’t forgotten how to do it. Together, we will find out.

Today is Bible Sunday, when we celebrate and give thanks for the Bible. We also acknowledge the fact that we can own and read it without fear of recrimination or persecution, which many of our fellow Christians around the world are unable to do.

Bible Sunday – When I was a child in Sunday School, I learned the hymn: ‘God has given us a book full of stories, which was made for his people of Old. It begins with the tale of a garden and ends with the city of Gold.’

It doesn’t feature in modern hymn books; some of the language is not politically correct. It may be hackneyed, but it has stuck in my mind for many years.

What is the Bible?

What is the Bible? It is a large book – or rather a collection of books, in fact a virtual library. It’s 66 books contain history, law, poetry, biography, letters, prophecy and even some great love stories. Something for everyone. There are many different authors with different styles and of course there is dispute on occasion as to who actually penned some of the content. But St Paul says in his letter to Timothy  that all of scripture is inspired by God. God who used human hands and thought to transmit the scriptures and commit them to paper or probably papyrus.

The Bible’s contents span 1500 years from Moses writing the Torah to John penning Revelation in about 95 AD or Common ERA or CE if you are up to date. The form of the Old Testament was established by 400 BCE and finalised in about 90 CE. Jesus knew these writings well and often quoted from them in his teaching.

Two Councils, one of  Hippo in 393 CE and one of Carthage in 397 CE finalised the content of the bible as we know it.  Criteria were applied as to which writings should be included, apostolic authorship, widespread acceptance and consistency with established doctrine were some of the factors taken into account. I bet those meetings were interesting – were there factions supporting some writings and others in opposition – I should think debate was intense about which writing in current circulation among the churches should be included and which rejected but hopefully it was undertaken with prayerful consideration.

Whatever the discussion, a final version was achieved. One in which the Old Testament clearly shows humanity’s need for a Saviour, the gospels reveal that Saviour in Jesus and the epistles reveal what that means for us.  Quite some book.

Has to be used

But that’s enough of the history lesson. The Bible is so much more than a collection of books, to be left on a shelf gathering dust. It is to be used. Used as an influence on our behaviour, on our relationship with God, as a map to guide us, as a source of comfort in times of stress and a force of encouragement when we are doubtful.   As St Paul said in our reading today “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” The message of the Bible is not to be a superficial adjunct to our lives but should become essential to it, become part of it. As the Collect for today tells us we should read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Holy Scriptures.

The BBC was established in 1922 by leading wireless manufacturers and Lord  Reith established its maxim to inform, educate and entertain. The BBC, whether we listen to the news, enjoy Radio 1, watch Morecambe and Wise, or escape with Desert island Discs, has certainly become an integral part of our everyday lives, there for the important events and for daily refreshment . Equally, the Bible can certainly inform and educate and also provoke us to entertain new ideas. It can challenge our blind spots, comfort our grief and guide our steps.

The Scriptures have often been described as the Christian’s hand book. And we all have need of one of those at times.  In an entirely different context I have need of a handbook. Having taken delivery of a new car which had loads of bells and whistles, things I never knew I needed, I asked the salesperson for a copy of the handbook only to be told there wasn’t one. I could find everything online! Which is fine if you are technically competent and don’t have varifocal glasses and arthritic fingers, both of which are major handicaps when trying to hold an iPad in one hand whilst at the same time peering at a screen and manipulating the multitude of knobs and switches on the dashboard. Give me an old-fashioned handbook any day.  I like my instructions clear and easy to find, preferably in large print.

Clear instructions

In his letter to the Colossians, St Paul certainly gives clear instructions to the members of the young church which had been established in the city. Paul had never visited Colossae, the church had been established by one of his followers but Paul had heard of issues within the church which needed addressing.  There is debate as to whether Paul actually  wrote the letter or whether it was one of his followers, but as a leading theologian put it, “What is written is far more important than who wrote it.” And what is written in that letter certainly packs a punch.

The members of the church are told to clothe themselves in compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Now that is some list of attributes to be expected of any group of people.  If I ask myself if I fulfil those requirements, the answer would be a resounding NO.

The people of Colossae also have to be forgiving and to love each other and let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts. As I read all this, I was reminded of those questionably amusing posters which you can see labelled “Rules of the House” – like stack the dishwasher properly, squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom or switch the light off when you leave a room.

If we printed out a list of those characteristics that St Paul identifies and pinned it to church doors – labelled “Rules of the House”

1. Be compassionate

2. Be Kind,

3. Be humble

4. Be meek

5. Be patient

Would we find the majority of churches playing by the rules? Perhaps not all of them all of the time.

To show those characteristics all of the time is almost an impossibility for humans but God understands our frailties and is a forgiving God. But those values and attributes are as important for us in the 21^st Century as they were for the people of Colossae in the first. And we should try to achieve them.

St Paul, and yes, the majority of writers come down on the side of Saint Paul writing this epistle, emphasises the need to let the peace of Christ dwell in their hearts. What does that mean? Wave to each other and say peace be with you once a week during the church service? No, although that is important.

I think that to let the peace of Christ dwell in our hearts is to allow Jesus into our lives so that every word and action is influenced by the peace only he can bring. Again, in busy lives, not an easy thing to do but as a start in difficult situations and even ones that seem straightforward we can ask ourselves “What would Jesus do? How would he react? What would he say? The answer to those questions can be found in the Bible.

Coming

In our gospel reading, Saint Matthew is warning his readers to watch for the signs of a coming catastrophic event, reminding them of how tender stems appearing on the fig tree are an indication of Summer coming.  My uncle, who lived in Ambleside, would always tell us as he looked to the hills, “If you can’t see the top of Wansfell it is raining – and if you can see the top, it is going to rain”.  Not difficult to predict rain in the Lake District but Jesus was warning about more significant events – the coming of the Son of Man or, as some theologians suggest, the downfall of the synagogue in Jerusalem. Whichever event, the consequences would be enormous bringing disastrous change to lives.

We too, live in a turbulent world where there is constant change, political, financial, social and domestic. Our televisions bring us news of worldwide events which are troubling and could cause major impact on our lives. A small event many thousand of miles away can have enormous repercussions. We have to learn to live with change and not just in managing without a handbook for our cars. As the old song goes, “Things ain’t what they used to be”

But amidst the change, some things remain constant. Saint Matthew assures us that the word of God will not pass away. It will last forever. It is as valid and valuable now as it was to the early Christians. It is as necessary a part of our Christian lives as it was of theirs and that word is to be found in the richness of the Bible.

So, on Bible Sunday, we pray, “Thank you for the gift of your word. Open our eyes to see its truth, our hearts to feel its grace and our hands to live it out in service to others.”  Amen.

‘Bible Sunday Sermon’ was delivered by Reader Emeritus Margery Spencer, at Christ Church Walmersley on Sunday 25th October 2026. It was based on Colossians 3:12-17 and Matthew 24:30-35.