When The Door Is Slammed Flat In Your Face

Mark 10:2-16  John 10:7 Rev 3:20

We emerged from the Top Rank night club in Brighton and stood on the seafront. It was the first and last time I ever went there.

 I glanced at my watch “It’s five to one” I exclaimed “The last train goes at eight minutes past”. “We’ll never make it” she said. “We will if we run” I said “ if we really sprint, we can make it”.

“Have you seen these heels?” she said “ I can’t run in these”. “Well ,try” I said. I took her hand and we tripped our way up the street towards Brighton station. “This is cutting my feet to ribbons” she complained “I suppose I’ll have to go bare foot”. She stops to fiddle about with her shoes.

Two minutes past one and not even half way. On up the road, as quick as we could go – five minutes past and then six and as we raced onto the station forecourt – the hand of the clock was on seven, and as we reached the barrier, almost there, it ticked round to eight and the ticket man –  pulled it shut right in front of our faces.

“Shut for the night now” he said with a grin – “Next train 5.30am” “But look” she said furiously “ the train’s still in the station, we could easily get it. “Rules is rules” said the man “ barrier closes at eight minute past one and presumably you can tell the time”

Ever had a door slammed in your face? Ever been barred from going in somewhere, or thrown out from somewhere you thought you belonged. Rejected. Ejected. Cast aside. Told to go away. Ever known that?

Throughout his ministry Jesus was a man on the prowl. On the prowl for people who were on the receiving end of other people’s aggression. Those for whom the man made rules simply did not fit. He spent three years searching for people like this and when he found them, he healed them and called them  - to be disciples.

I never enjoy reading that passage set for our Gospel. The first part seems so harsh and judgemental compared to the sweetness of the second – and I’ve been wondering why they’re put together for us to read.

Is it because there is actually a common thread and it is Jesus’ love and concern for those who have had doors slammed flat in their faces. For in those days a man could dismiss his wife for anything and many took advantage of that when it suited their convenience and comfort, Jesus is saying that casting someone out like that  is no way to treat one another.

The disciples then try to prevent children from coming to Jesus. They try to slam the door in the face of the families who come, pushing them roughly aside. Telling them to go home. But Jesus rebukes his friends and allows the children to come running to Him.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus describes himself as the door and as the gate of the sheepfold and he says that  that anyone who comes so the threshold  will never be turned away. The door will be open, and all who cross  will find salvation.

When I visited Summer Rose, a few weeks ago, she was in her baby walker, and because all the doors were open,  while we were talking,  she  was able to propel herself out of the room loving the new found independence of going from place to place and getting away from the strange looking man who had come to visit.

Her Baptism today is about bringing her into a way of life with God where she will always have a place, and although others might do,  God will never  slam the door in her face. That’s the bargain he makes with Summer this morning and with all of us who raise our voices to declare belief.

The tragedy is when the roles get reversed. When God becomes an inconvenience, an embarrassment and an irrelevance, and we slam the door upon him. He will stand out in the cold for as long as it takes. Gently knocking – hoping to be allowed in, for love does not allow him to turn his cross  into a battering ram, and break that door down. Pray for Summer that she make keep the door of faith open in her life.

“I’m not walking all the way home to Worthing” she said angrily “Nor am I spending the night on this station freezing to death”

“For goodness sake Harry – let ‘em through” – we turned to see a man in a grey suit standing behind us – with the words “Station Master” pinned to his lapel. Harry spat on the ground and pulled back the barrier and we ran helter skelter for the train. 

RH  4.10.09