Stories do many things: they create worlds, challenge assumptions and provide hope.

I wonder what your favourite story is. Is it one of adventure (for e.g., Casino Royale), it is a Romance (e.g. Romeo and Juliet) or a historical novel (e.g. The King’s Speech).

Stories usually invite us to read them from beginning to end. A folk tale might begin ‘once upon a time, there was a girl called goldilocks’. What would happen if we started half-way in or close to the end? We might with the narrative of Goldilocks believe that the bears had come into the home with a sinister intent, rather than just coming to the place that they reside.

Similarly, there is a danger when we read the Gospel stories of Jesus of jumping in part way through, which can lead to all sorts of assumptions. This morning’s gospel reading is a case in point. This is why if I could have one wish for each of you it would be that you would have an extra 30 minutes each day, so that you could familiarise yourselves with the contours of the story of the Bible. I would want this because I believe we are part of the story that begins in the scriptures.

Jesus and his disciples (which to remind you means those who were learning on the way with him) look at the beauty of the Temple; much like last month, I gazed at the beauty of the Palace of Westminster (Parliament). One ancient historian called the Temple that Jesus and his companions had come into one of the wonders of the world. Jesus is though blunt about the Temple’s future. Jumping feet first into this passage, we might hear Jesus making a seditious threat; rather than being part of a long history of those who called the people of God to repent.

The sentiments expressed by Jesus were similar to those expressed by the prophets of the Old Testament, for example by Jeremiah and Isaiah. More importantly, they need to be interpreted in terms of what had just happened in the story. Daddy bear’s comment, ‘who has been eating my porridge’ would seem to be nonsensical without us knowing Goldilocks had been helping herself as she indulged in a spot of breaking and entering. In terms of Mark’s story: Jesus had on Palm Sunday pronounced judgement on the city of Jerusalem. The disciples understood that Jesus was saying that he was the true Messiah, the king of Israel, whereas we get confused with talk of wars and birth pangs.

Those listening to Jesus on the mount of Olives taking in what he had said about the Temple and its imminent destruction understood all too clearly that Jesus was making himself the culmination of the story of God. He was to be the carrier of their hopes and the one who made sense of the universe.

Jesus was to be the touchstone in the midst of hearing about wars and rumours of wars, whether on a macro-level (nation against nation) or micro-level (within ourselves). When disasters were to strike on a personal level (e.g. illness and death) or a world-wide scale (earthquake and famine); Jesus was the maker of sense. This was not in a twee way; those hearing Mark’s Gospel knew that following Jesus was costly, challenging and disturbing.

Understanding the story is always important. In 9 days time a team from the Lee Abbey movement drawn from the continents of Europe, Africa, Latin America and Australasia will be in Bartley Green telling the story of Jesus. They will have stories to tell, but more importantly they will join us telling the story of Jesus and contributing to the story of the people of God in Bartley Green. It is my prayer that as they go into the two schools we have a predominant relationship with, children from as young as 4 up to the age of 16 will hear something of the story of Jesus. It is my hope that when they share meals with some of you, God will be present. Hospitality after all is at the heart of our faith. Sunday by Sunday we meet to worship and share in a meal together, symbolised now in bread and wine. It is my plea that you will take advantage of the team being amongst us and invite neighbours, friends and family members to come along and hear the story.

Why is this important? It is important because they will be sharing the one story that makes sense of the world: the story of God. Our story is one that starts in creation and ends at the end of time. It is a story that focuses particularly on the man Jesus, who uniquely was God’s son who smashed through the powers of death. This is why at the heart of our Easter liturgy are the words: ‘Alleluia! Christ is risen!’.

The team are a group that believe their lives have been changed by their faith in Jesus; in fact a little like Justin Welby, the bishop of Durham who told the group of hacks at his press conference when he was confirmed as being the next archbishop of Canterbury that he should be defined not by his previous occupations; but by his ‘relationship with Jesus Christ’. I trust that how is I will be defined, rather than by anything else. If to the pupils of BGS, I am simply ‘Rev Kev’ rather than someone who follows Jesus, then to a certain extent I will have failed.

At the end of worship this morning, you will receive further information about the team and what they will be doing.

Each of you will receive a blue ticket, which will invite you to come along and tell the story of St Michael and All Angels Church. This multinational team need to understand our context in order to speak into it.

Apart from schools, they will be talking to the MU, in Hasbury Court and at the Woodgate Valley Christian Centre.

All other tickets are to be given away to those who do not come to church or who have not come for a while.

Each of you will receive a light orange ticket to the Cabaret on the Friday evening. Lee Abbey is known for its commitment to the creative arts. You can have confidence in their abilities.

Most of you will receive a green ticket for coffee n faith events. There are two to choose from.

There are two other tickets. One that is yellow for the Men’s Breakfast. The other is mauve for a Pint n Faith event at the Balmoral Pub on Scotland Lane.

Inviting people to events which tell the story of Jesus is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. One of the great theologians puts it like this: The Church exists for mission as a fire exists by burning.

Inviting a mission team into Bartley Green might seem not to chime well with what St Michael’s has done in the past. However, to suggest that is to misunderstand our story.

As a parish we have always tried to reach out to others from skiffle bands in the old church to holiday clubs for children, even in the support of the centre of Woodgate Valley to the desire of the last incumbent to create a link with Bartley Green School. It was behind the Patronal Concert in 2010, the Flower Festival in 2011. In a sense, this is no different.

Only by getting involved, will you make sense of our story, God’s story and your story.

This mission is not the whole narrative. It is probably akin to the bears peering round baby bears door and seeing Goldilocks.

What we do with this mission could well make a difference for people as they are introduced to the story which makes sense of life.