HOPE. ADVENT WEEK 1 @ BBPC 3/12/2023

Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37;

Today’s Video from the BibleProject on Biblical Hope.

Message

Today’s readings are not very Christmassy, but as a reminder that Christmas is coming, we have our Christmas tree. Perhaps the evergreen concept of a Christmas tree reminds us that it’s a long journey – a long wait. And we need to be prepared. The Advent wreath is worth focusing on – the theme for this first Sunday in Advent is HOPE – which is symbolised by the lighting of the first candle. And Advent itself means arrival or coming.

Being prepared and waiting with expectation. The waiting can involve frustration – like children on those long road trips to a holiday destination who ask intermittently “when are we there?” from the back of the car. When you were young, everything took much longer. Like those car trips. Or the sleeps you have to count before your birthday or Christmas.

The Gospel readings over the past weeks have all been about expectations during those times of waiting. The parables and scenarios all involve waiting, preparedness, and being responsible in the waiting.

The trouble is – those bible writers were waiting in expectation then and we are still waiting now. And we’re still in the in between times of Jesus coming as a baby and when he reappears in glory. [Time seems of little concern to God as we wait. Of course, a thousand years as are a day in God’s view of the world. (Psalm 90:4 quoted in 2 Peter 3:8)]

I am reminded of the Proverb: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12) It’s not always easy. For many, the waiting seems like eternity. Yet we still have HOPE – as we are promised eternal life. (John 3:16) And so Christian HOPE is always relevant in the face of death.  

Going back to our kids in the car, eternal life, time,  and eternity are challenging concepts especially for children. I remember when teaching year 2s how one little boy asked me one day during the lesson: “Is David dead?” speaking of King David in the Bible.  “O yes” I replied, “a long time ago!” Then the questions came: “When was he alive?” “Did he die as long ago as when I was small? How long is a thousand years?”

With adults – when you’ve lived a long life – it all seems rather short really. And yes, we do have the HOPE of life after death. But hope isn’t just a concept when we’re dying.  It’s something we have when the stuff we are facing each day feels like death! We cling onto hope.

• Like a long lesson for young people at school – or a boring sermon in church (I recall seeing a whole book about things you can do during a boring sermon) – or a difficult task at work, or the prospect of the day being long and uninspiring, or lonely.
• Or just the drudgery of the working week. The HOPE of Friday and the weekend seem to keep many people going.
• And for many, the year has been long and hard. Many who are only hopeful when they look forward to Christmas and the holidays! (You can understand how hard it is when people have no resources for this season. Hence the work of Charities and food banks at this time of the year.)

Ordinary things in life are challenging things.   

When you read the bible’s expectation of what it means to be people of hope following Jesus, it also a challenging journey.

Take for example Paul in Romans chapter five.  (Rom 5:3  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; Rom 5:4  perseverance, character; and character, hope.)

• Here Sufferings, Perseverance, and Character formation are all aspects of a life of faith and adventure.  
• Paul makes it clear that they lead to HOPE – not just because we hope for things to get better (i.e. no more trials and tribulations) but, for Paul, this HOPE does not disappoint us!
• It’s not a vain hope. Why? Because we are not alone – because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us! (Rom 5:5). God’s love keeps us through these trials.

Turning to today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (who got a lot of things badly wrong) we read in chapter 1: 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm (strong) to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

I wonder if you know what the word “revelation” here is in the original language – “the revelation” they were eagerly waiting for. Any clues? What revelation of Jesus is this? How?

The clue is probably in the word REVELATION itself. The original word is the same one which turns up in some very exciting movies. Apokalypsis (ἀποκάλυψις) is the word. The movies give us a hint. All those apocalyptic stories dramatizing the end of the world in some way.

The Book of Revelation – is the Apocalypsis – literally – the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave through an angel – to John.

Like other recipients of Paul’s letters, they were expecting the revelation, the arrival of Jesus in their lifetime.

One has to question whether the Corinthians were really EAGERLY waiting for the apocalypsis – second coming of Jesus. Especially if they were going to be held accountable for their wayward behaviour. Mind you in the very next verse he moves straight to the issues! (1 Cor 1:10 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions, and to be united by the same mind and purpose. 1 Cor 1:11 For members of Chloe’s household have made it clear to me, my brothers and sisters, that there are quarrels among you.)

The Corinthian Church is actually a blessing for us. They were so lacking in love that – lucky for us – Paul had to devote a whole chapter (chapter 13) to explain that love is patient and kind – and it DOES NOT BOAST etc.

Thankfully – Paul knows that God can work by GRACE even in the life of the Corinthians –so he says: 8 He will also keep you firm/strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is faithful – God’s presence and love through the Holy Spirit in our hearts gives us confidence and courage – whether we are facing challenges in life, or death at the end of life – we are full of hope which does not disappoint. And it is God’s faithfulness that this wayward Corinthian church can depend on.

I love hopeful people!

• They are optimistic. Optimism is about choosing to see in any situation how circumstances could work out for the best.

From the video we watched we learned that biblical hope is not focused on circumstances. In fact, hopeful people in the Bible often recognize there is no evidence things will get better. But they choose hope anyway.

• Hopeful people  look for solutions and look ahead.

Biblical hope first looks backwards.  “It’s God’s past faithfulness that motivates hope for the future. You look forward by looking backward, trusting in nothing other than God’s character.” (from the Bible Project video).

And you can’t get a more hopeful person than Jesus.

• He chooses people for his leadership team who you would not have on your short list.
• He takes the rough and risky ones like Peter – knowing that his impulsiveness was not always a weakness, but a sign of strength in the long term. He knew that Peter – even though he would fail – would be strengthened in character to the extent that he could face anything.
• He models hope in his life and death as well. At Christmas, Easter is never far from our thoughts as this was God’s whole plan – and we are consistently reminded again – that the worst possible scenario – DEATH – was overcome by resurrection. That gives us hope.
• And he had a very close friend called John (I’m sure a little less feisty than James – remember it’s John that Jesus commends the care of his mother to when on the cross).

Just as Jesus taught his disciples in the little apocalypse (Mark 13) so they would cope with tough times and remain hopeful, Jesus also used John to write the book of Revelation in which he speaks words of correction and encouragement to the church so that they would cope and not lose hope in tough times ahead.

So, what about you and me. How are we coping?

• We’ve had some interesting days, lots of great ones, but also challenging ones in our lives. We live in interesting times.
• It’s easy to get overwhelmed.

Just as last week I suggested that the judgement scene of the sheep and the goats was a spiritual health check for Jesus’ followers – are you sheep producing good fruit by simply being who we are as God’s children, or goats who are selectively helpful – if only we knew it was you Jesus, – we would have helped.

Selectively helpful people are often stuck in transactional relationships. What’s in it for me?  

The Corinthians would get challenged on that, because their bad behaviour was very selfish. That’s why we get chapter 13 – a good read to reflect on your relationships as the year ends. Read 1 Cor 13 again.

Don’t get overwhelmed. Be watchful, alert, and always hopeful.

And so, as you face your week ahead, remember these encouraging things:

• Jesus’ death was followed by his resurrection.
• We learn (and benefit) a lot from the mistakes of the Corinthians! (Not just a chapter on love that beats anything else, but chapter 15 which settles what death and resurrection means, and the HOPE it gives.)
• A flooded church can sometimes be a great opportunity.

But life reminds us to remember the obvious beauty of it all:

•  That Sunrise follows the darkness of the night.
•  That Spring brings new growth after the desperation of a bad winter.
•  That a new beginning follows every failure or disappointment.

And when you see the madness of the world and its wars and mess, we take hope from Isaiah 2 we heard today. (Also found in Micah 4).

Isa 2:2  In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Isa 2:3  Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isa 2:4  He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.

“Hope is a choice of faith and trust even in the darkest days. We wait on God and hope in God always. Biblical hope looks to God’s character alone as a basis for trusting that the future will be better than the present.” (From the BibleProject)

Receive this blessing today: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13)

Amen.

Sunday 17 February 2024 – Being Christ’s Ambassadors – our credentials and example

Readings: 2 Corinthians 5:17- 6:2; Matthew 6: 1-6,16-21;

MESSAGE

We had a wonderful service to give thanks to God for the life of one of our church family on Thursday. She really did live a full life. It was an interesting service for me. At the beginning a neighbour’s cat came wandering in and meaowed as if to greet me. And when I got to speak, a dog came charging in and barked like crazy. All I could do is say “welcome” to the dog. There’s a first time for everything.

I’ve had interesting experiences at funerals. Some years ago I conducted the funeral of a retired ambassador. It was a dignified occasion and things were done appropriately well with care to the detals and some formality. There was only one typing mistake really in the funeral director’s brochure (In the days before I used to proofread them.) It had a rather formal statement of introduction on the inside page which was quite common in those days: “For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take into his eternal care the soul of our dearly beloved brother John Brown…” and on it went basically saying we were there because he had died, and we were saying farewell. It was only one letter wrong, but it did create some looks. It read like this: “For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take into his eternal cave the soul of our dearly beloved brother John Brown…” Fortunately I didn’t get the blame for that, however.

We are ambassadors for Christ, says Paul. We have a message of reconciliation to proclaim – that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself” (1 Cor 5:19).

In verse 20 we read: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God.”

Ambassadors are sent into another country with some authority as they represent and speak on behalf of the government or president of a country. They present their credentials at a formal acceptance ceremony and they are accorded status and respect.

Our credentials are a bit different, though. We do have the authority to speak in his name, But it’s not about us. Yes, we are a new creation, but not because of our abilities or status anything we have achieved on our own. The key verse is verse 21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

And so to reflect on our lifestyles and example, we turn to Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (Ash Wednesday’s’s reading) and Jesus’ teaching on spiritual disciplines. Jesus lists giving, fasting and praying in this gospel reading today as the things which when we do them, should never draw attention to ourselves. LENT in some branches of the Christian church involves fasting – giving up something as a spiritual discipline to help strengthen our faith. It is for many people a meaningful discipline.

The point is that fasting is not something you show off about. And in giving for that matter, whether to church, charity, or poverty-stricken families or countries, the left hand should not know what the right is doing. In other words, don’t make a show of it.

That includes works of service. It’s to God. It doesn’t matter about anyone else, whether you think they are giving or doing enough, it’s done unto the Lord and for God’s glory. (Paul makes this clear iin Colossians 3:23.)

Jesus had an issue with hypocrites who did things for show – like in a play taking on another persona or character while the real person underneath is quite different. He used a number of illustrations for this, including “whitewashed tombs” as description for religious people of the day like the teachers of the law. White and shining on the outside, but full of dead peoples’ bones on the inside. I this passage he warns his disciples not to be like the hypocrites of the day who made a show of things in all three disciplines of giving, fasting and praying.

That’s why when it comes to prayer, Jesus’ teaching matters most in my view – just because it makes sense. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen…” (Matt 6:6).

I’ve always wondered about getting into a closet – like a broom cupboard, a storeroom or a washroom (the word is tameion, a storage chamber, storeroom or closet). The point is that it had no doors or windows onto the street. It did not mean suffocate yourself in the process, just don’t advertise.

These spiritual disciplines may seem for us like credentials, but no, they are for our private spiritual journey, and no one but the Father needs to know. When we speak on his behalf – be reconciled to God – we have solid credentials anyway. They’re in the Corinthian passage, and one verse is the key:

2 Cor 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

That’s why we used to sing: “He is all my righteousness, I stand complete in Him and worship him.” It’s the great exchange. He takes our sin and we receive his righteousness.

The spiritual disciplines of giving, fasting and praying all stem from that basic point and truth – that “anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come.”

Giving comes from our growing faith that the God who saves us provides and guides. They go hand in hand, give as you pray, pray as you give. Give in thanksgiving and gratitude and pray for the right recipient of your generosity.

Fasting helps you focus on God and God’s spirit guiding you through prayer and the reading of His word. Giving up food is symbolic of giving up our perceived needs and wants, and dependence on what feels good bring instant gratification. It teaches us to walk close to God in deprivation, and perhaps to make us more aware of the joyful lives that people of little means often have, while we who often have much too much or at least more than we need are often less satisfied. Depression and anxiety are much more prevalent in the wealthier parts of the world.

In the process we crucify the stuff that is a stumbling block all too often – what the bible calls “flesh” which is often translated as the sinful nature. Paul talks about putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man” (Ephesians 4:22-24).

At the communion table today, we can surrender some of the stuff that hinders us, or that we hold on to too tightly. It could be some of our personal concerns, or our hopes and dreams, our work, our projects and hobbies we become a little too proud of, or even our children and grandchildren – any or all of these we can give over to the Father’s love and good purpose.

Or we may need to surrender our health if it’s a challenge. Whether that means seeking healing and wholeness from the broken physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual things we live with, or perhaps our need is to not be quite so adventurous and slow down a bit, learning to receive help and support and not only to give it.

What is certain is that there is nothing we can do to be loved more by God. What we can learn is to trust God more in the heaviness of the load as we hand things over to him, and perhaps trust God in the breadth of our human hurts and buried grief, sorrow, disappointment, fears, bitterness, or anger

This Lent season may be an opportunity for us to open ourselves up more to the reconciling and healing love of God shown in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

31 December 2023 @ BBP Church – It’s still Christmas!

SHINE JESUS, SHINE    

Readings: Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40              

Yes, it’s still Christmas. The church celebrates Christmas for two weeks. If only the retail world understood that. O wait, they do. They’re always selling stuff on special. What a deal. The deal we have in Christ’s mass is a big deal and a better deal.

Finally, at the right time (literally “in the fulness of time – an idiom for the exact correct time), says Paul, in Galatians 4:4  “God sent his Son, born of a woman.” (Our translation today puts it well – “But when the set time had fully come”.)

• Yes, Paul’s not big on Christmas. In fact, this is Paul’s Christmas story – “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law…” It’s about as Christmassy as Paul gets. He’s much more interested in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
• Yes, Paul’s not big on Christmas. Mind you, neither are Mark or John. If we’d only had their gospels, we may have saved a lot of money and not done Christmas in the way we do.
• Matthew gives us Jesus’ lineage. And the basis for our next season in the Church – Epiphany – the revelation to the gentile magi from the east. But he’s very economical too. He emphasises David’s line, and the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies.

Luke is the best – he gives a wonderful account and much more detail, in line with his stated objective outlined at the beginning of the gospel: With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. (Luke 1:3-4)

Luke chapters 1 and 2 are quite detailed.

• Someone said recently that if he could only have two chapters of the entire bible, these would be it. They are two of the most beautiful chapters in the whole NT. Luke gives the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, John’s family, Mary’s magnificat and especially Zechariah’s beautiful prophecy – we’ll come to that later. And of course, angels, shepherds and the manger.
• It’s in Luke that we find flickers of longing, hope, life and possibility. There are faithful people shining their light, fasting, praying, waiting, believing. Expecting God to act. A Messiah to come.

Christmas in the first week is often focused on the children.

•  Presents, nativity plays, carols and songs. Decorations, colour, lights and candles.
• In today’s story – well this is more for the older ones. I was going to say oldies, then I realised that when we get together, the average age might be a little on the higher side than the age of the kids in a nativity play.
• We’ve heard the Christmas story every year. Sometimes we miss the faithful oldies in the story. Maybe there’s something for us there.

ZECHARIAH AND ELIZABETH

Luke goes straight into his orderly account in verse 5 of chapter one:

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Zechariah and Elizabeth – barren yet faithful and prayerful.

Zechariah

The story continues in verse 8: Luk 1:8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. Like so many in our churches, the priest is on a roster. Terrible word. Well, it’s true – his whole division was on duty when this all starts.

It’s worth reading Luke chapters 1 and 2 this week. The light was still flickering there when the majority of people were still walking in darkness (to quote Isaiah 9).

Zechariah is still there doing his duty. And an angel of the Lord appears standing at the right side of the altar of incense. He’s startled and gripped with fear. The angel also speaks! ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.’

Yes, he is a bit too dubious – and he is silenced by a rather miffed angel – ahem. Excuse me. I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God.   20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.’

“At their appointed time.” Exactly the same idiomatic phrase Paul uses in his Galatians Christmas line. It’s in the fulness of time.

Then there’s Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is a key person in the angel’s message of her pregnancy to the very young Mary.

• The angel, after explaining that the power of the Holy Spirit would make this possible, adds this helpful line: Luk 1:36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her six month. Luk 1:37 For no word from God will ever fail.” (Nothing is impossible with God)
• Even Elizabeth. Mary’s response is a kind of “well okay then, all good.” Okay it’s a bit more formal: “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
• I’m sure that the relationship between this young teen and the older woman is key – the conversations they had must have made all the difference.

SIMEON AND ANNA

• Then there’s Simeon and Anna. Finally, we get to Luke 2!
• I think they are a great inspiration for us today.
• Faithful. Obedient. Their lights of faith and hope are still burning in a season of great darkness.

The application to us today?

I wrote in the newsletter today about little candles in the dark conflicted places of the world – “little candles of hope burning – people who serve without counting the cost, who shine the light of Christ in dark places.“

Sadly, it’s not just in war zones that we find a sense of gloom. Sometimes our churches get like that. Sometimes we expect too much from ourselves, or others place expectations on us.

As the new year approaches, perhaps this will help.

• God notices the faithful ones serving in these congregations.
• Like Simeon and Anna, we should not give up hope.

Okay it’s true that they were there at a particular point in history, the “fullness of time.” A specific season if you like.

Do we have seasons in our church and faith life?

Yes, I think we do. But there are some key things that enable this to happen. We see it in the Luke’s Christmas account.

• When Zechariah gets it right – it’s the Holy Spirit who moves in him. He is filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophecies giving us one of the most beautiful verses in Luke 1:78 – “through the tender mercy of our God; by which the Dayspring from on high has visited us…” This rising sun, dayspring, new dawn in the east, is the new day Jesus brings, and it incorporates forgiveness and mercy.(MKJV)

• In Simeon’s contribution – it’s all the Holy Spirit’s doing: Luke writes of Simeon, “who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts.”

Anna is lovely too.

• You have to do some calculations to figure out her actual age. 7 years married 84 years widowed. If she was married at 14 which would not have been unusual then, what dress that add you to? 105. Reasonable age really. She’s the night and day lady.
• ³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

• She’s there and she’s connected. She may be a prophet, but there is no prophetic word – just thanksgiving.
• She gives thanks for Jesus, and then gets onto her prayer chain or pastoral list. Those other little candles of hope waiting for God to come and do it. Get things back on track.  She’s like the shepherds telling the story. Not out there but in the temple community. Her night and day job. ”She spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”

Simeon and Anna in today’s reading didn’t give up and walk away, but led by the Spirit, stayed faithful as little candles flickering – always faithful – until they saw Jesus the light, the hope of nations.

• We know this Jesus – “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).
• We are to be his light too. It’s the Holy Spirit who makes the light and life become a reality in our church communities.
• Even in Paul’s limited Christmas reference, it’s the Hoy Spirit in their hearts who enables them to call out “Abba, Father.”

You only find the term “Abba Father” three times in the NT. Here, and in the very similar passage in Romans 8, both talking about the Holy Spirit at work affirming our status as redeemed adopted children of God.

The third place is in Mar 14:36  “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus praying in the agony of the garden of Gethsemane.

• If there is to be a new season of hope, the local church has to be a hopeful place too.

Our season of growth will always be the work of the Holy Spirit too..

• Where we have a clear identity as God’s children (by the Holy Spirit ), and a clear purpose to let our light shine in witness to the world we live in.
• We are always a witness together. In unity – because according to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 – when we’re one the world will see that Jesus was sent to save us all. And then individually.
• Remember who you are and pray to the Father, Abba, that you may be a beacon of hope.
• Let’s be His light and hope in 2024.

Shine, Jesus, Shine – in us and in every other way you choose.

Amen.

Christ the King Sunday – BBP Church (26 November 2023)

Readings: Matthew 25:31-46; Ephesians 1:15-23

MESSAGE                                         At His Right Hand

The year is rushing on to an end. On Wednesday I worked out that New Year’s Day would be in 40 days. Speaking about that, it was also 40 days since our general election on that day. Finally, an announcement was made on Friday!

Forty days also crops up in Jesus’ life story.

Forty days temptations in the wilderness (probably a reminder of the peoples’ 40 years of wandering in the desert?)

Forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and his Ascension.

And then he was glorified as King of God’s Kingdom and King of the Universe – seated at God’s right hand, the seat of authority and honour.

I wonder what happened between those forty days, and the 50^th day which was the day of the Spirit’s coming? (The Day of Pentecost. By now you probably know that pente means 50.)

Those intriguing 10 days.

Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God. Was there a conversation with His Father? Perhaps some reflection on the 11 and how they were knocked into shape for their mission. Did Jesus perhaps say to his Father – “did you see his face when he began to sink into the waves? I love it when people reach out for help!”

Perhaps something like this: “Did you see Thomas with those eyes wide open in amazement? And the look on the faces of the two on the Emmaus Road?”

Speculation of course. But intriguing.

Perhaps the disciples – now 12 again with the choosing of Mathias –  and the larger group of 120  needed the ten days just to regroup and talk among themselves.

What is the promise the Father is going to send?

How long do we need to wait?

They definitely needed to pray – they were probably afraid anyway.

I wonder to what extent they reflected on Jesus as having all things in his hands?  Being God’s right-hand person? I wonder if there was a renewed discussion with James and John – maybe one of the others said to them “you know, I really think you were pushing it, wanting to sit at the right and left of Jesus is his glory! If He’s at God’s right hand, where would you expect to be?”

And what about His last words?

Isn’t it true that someone’s last words before leaving (whatever the reason) are usually quite significant? For example, Paul leaving the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 says some really significant things about eldership and ministry. You can’t be sure that it was all taken on board on the day – it was after all an emotional farewell. But it was important – it was almost like Paul’s last will and testament to the churches there. And it’s the only speech of Paul recorded by Luke in the book of Acts.

Jesus’ farewell speech in Matthew is not that different really. It would have been an emotional 40 days really. He’s dead, he’s alive, he appears (like on the Emmaus road) and disappears. And he gives instructions in the garden to the women (two Marys) to tell The disciples to meet him in Galilee. Jump to Matthew 28 and that’s what they do:

Mat 28:16  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name… etc.

The implications of that may not have crossed their minds at the time. Maybe during those ten days of waiting and praying after his ascension they did think about that.

What did he mean? All authority?

Certainly in Paul’s letters you find that he speaks of this authority. Here are some important passages including our epistle reading today:

• Ephesians 1 has amazing insights into Jesus’ role and position in the universe. In Ephesians 1:20-21 we read that God has Jesus “seated at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
• In Romans 8:38-39 where various powers are listed which we are told very clearly cannot separate us from God’s love in Christ our Lord. (“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation…”)
• In Philippians 2:10-11 Paul writes that “every knee will bow in heaven and earth and under the earth” at the name of Jesus. (“…every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”)
• Colossians 1:15 – 17 is stronger: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Col 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

AND SO WE HAVE “CHRIST THE KING” SUNDAY EVERY YEAR.  

Also known as the “Reign of Christ”. 

Whether you are a royalist or a republican you can’t avoid the titles of Jesus.

The Gospel reading today is the parable of the sheep and the goats – and it starts very directly with these words: 

Mattew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

Sit on his throne. Then in verse 34 we read: “Then the King will say…

The judgement scene has been portrayed in all kinds of creative ways. It is quite graphic really. Verse 41 speaks volumes really: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

We may miss the point, however. We obsess about future judgement Sometimes. Jesus seemed to say elsewhere that judgement is also now.

Take this for example: John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” A fascinating verse. Being free from judgement is based on faith in Christ and not good or bad deeds. Those who are condemned are still in the Kingdom of darkness through their lack of faith. (See Col 1:13 – “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…” – 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” And I John 12:46 – “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”)

But beyond that – the Christian life is not really about doing good and ethics. They are part of it – but not the essence of it.

People do sometimes see it like this, however. A conversation with a parishioner from a previous church is a good example (after I left there!). I asked her about her church involvement.

Her response: No I don’t go to church anymore. Just try to live a good life quietly on my own.

I wonder if her good life includes the kind of care Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:

Mat 25:35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Mat 25:36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Probably not, if she is living a good life quietly and on her own.

Don’t you see? Once you make it about what you do – it gets tricky. And we get picky. We tend to decide who should be helped or not, often based on our view of how they should live and balance their budgets.  

That’s why the questions about what we must “do” are a distraction.

Commentator Dirk Lang puts it like this: “Like the person who came to Jesus and asked “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16-24), so we too wonder on what side we will find ourselves — the right or the left? The question, however, is simply an excuse for doing nothing, as Bonhoeffer has pointed out. The person attempts to engage Jesus in an endless ethical discussion about works or good deeds.”

In this parable, the question resurfaces but in an importantly different way when the “goats” speak: “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” (25:44).

Those at the left hand of the Son of Man seek an excuse and almost put the blame on the Son of Man himself as if to say, ‘You didn’t reveal yourself; how could we see you?’ ” In other words – if I’d known it was you Jesus when that poor person asked for help, then I would have Jesus! You can see how daft that is.

SO: What’s it all about?

Here’s the clue – the “sheep” who get the prize – who are rewarded – actually had no idea they were doing it to Jesus (or to someone who represents Jesus).

Their response is this: Mat 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? Mat 25:39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  

40 ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

The implication is – they were doing what they were doing because that’s who they were. It flowed out of them without the analysis.

In Matthew 3:10 you may remember John the Baptiser saying this: The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (He was calling them to repentance – probably in a kind of “fire and brimstone” sermon that one of my elders back in the day always wanted me to preach.)

And Jesus takes this theme further: discussing good and bad trees and their relating fruit he says in Mattew 7:20 “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (“By their fruits you will know them” – NKJV)

The implication is that this is gardening again – not philosophy or logic or ethics classes.

It’s an organic growth in character if we are connected to Jesus the Head, and the rest of the body.

• The sheep bear good fruit. (Fabulous mixed metaphor.)
• The goats are fruitless.

The sheep just do it. Nike sheep.

THE SAME THING APPLIES TO CHRISTIANS.

YOU ARE THIS – SO DO IT.

It works like this:

Statement of fact (Indicative): you are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.

Instruction to do it (Imperative): be yourselves – salt and light (note: the light “under a bushel” is no help at all. The good deeds that shine glorify the Father. See Matthew 5:16). And add all the LOVE commands of Jesus.

We know that at the end of it all it’s not about works but faith.

It is always grace, through faith. A gift – not earned by our deeds. Paul also says this in Ephesians 2: Eph 2:8  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Eph 2:9  not by works, so that no one can boast.

Paul goes on to say: Eph 2:10  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  

Other translations pick this up in Ephesians 2 as well: 

(NRSV) For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. That’s no token – no selective good works. It’s all of life.

It’s the fruit. You can’t have it half the time or selectively. We become fruitful.

We do it because we are this.

So, the three parables in Matthew we’ve looked at are linked.

TO SUMMARISE WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED:

1. Matthew 25:1-13 – The ten girls the wedding – BE READY AND WATCHFUL

• Matthew 25:14-30 – The three men with their talents – PUT GOD’S GIFTS AND RESOURCES TO GOOD USE

• Matthew 25: 31-46 – The sheep and the goats – HOW’S YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH CHECK?

Are you fruitful?

Doing what Jesus would have done – looking out for the least of them in need?   

Amen.

Sunday Message at BBP 26 March 2023 – I AM…

I Am. (the resurrection and the life)

Reading: John 11:1-45

• Jesus meets with a religious leader of influence and fame – called Nicodemus – who needs to be born anew.

• He shines a light on the complex human relationships of an unnamed woman avoiding publicity at a well in the heat of the day – and she needs living water.

• An unnamed blind man reduced to begging finds that spit and dirt open his eyes at a pool called Siloam – he also needs his spiritual vision fixed.

Jesus didn’t really know them well. They weren’t his friends. But he knew what was happening in their lives. He helped them all – pointing them to a new beginning, a new truth, a new vision to see and know God in Jesus himself.

All this because God so loved the world.(3:16)

All three were sent onto a new quest –  a different trajectory for their lives – new identity, new truth, new vision – and they would all have to work through the details of what it meant to believe and follow this Messiah, this Son of God.

Today we look at Jesus and the friends he really knew.

I mean close friends. He knew them well. He loved them. Not only as God’s son, but as Jesus the man interacting with people at a close intimate level.

John 11:1  Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. John 11:2  This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. John 11:3  So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

This message is not a request but a statement which meant something had to be done.

Like “dinner’s ready” means the battle of the screens versus the voice of the parent begins again – get off that device and come to the dinner table now”.

You see it in his first sign in John’s gospel – remember that this is a gospel of signs (usually followed by teaching) and not just “I Am” sayings.

In John 2 at the wedding in Cana of Galilee we are told that Jesus’ mother was there. She notices a social faux pax or blunder – they ran out of wine. Mary does this kind of speech act thing:

“Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” Joh 2:4  “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

We are introduced to the idea of his “time” which would come. But, it’s his mother. She knows him. What does she say to the waiters? “Do whatever he tells you”. We would do well to listen to Mary too!

“Lord, the one you love is sick” is not some irrelevant bit of gossip. It has this force: “come quickly – we need you – it’s Lazarus” (not some stranger at a well or standing at the gate).

Clearly that didn’t work. It almost seems unkind, cruel at another level. It’s a higher up version of what I’ve had in my parenting life from my kids: “You’ve had more time for other people we don’t know and probably will never know – than you’ve had with us.” Pastors’ kids are often the losers at that level.

Here’s the result: John 11:5  Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. John 11:6  Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

It appears like a deliberate delay. But Jesus – these are your friends!

There are more cryptic clues to decipher. You’ve got them all by now:

• Born anew does not mean a time warp trip back into your mother’s womb. (Sorry Michael J. Fox)
• Living water can’t be carried in a bucket, but inside you.
• Blind people can see, and seeing people can be blind.
• You can add today’s first riddle: People who walk around in the day can actually be in the dark. Conversely, in the dark scary places like a crucifixion site the light will not be overcome. (See John 10:9-10 which seems to say that we’ll be fine even when it’s a shambles out there – as long as Jesus is our light).

The next two today are simple:

• “Lazarus is sleeping” does not mean he’s dozed off after lunch. He’s dead. (Cf. African use of the phrase “He’s late”.)
• And God’s glory involves both death and resurrection when Jesus’ hour finally comes. The glory of Lazarus rising from the dead pales into insignificance compared to the glory of the crucified son of God on the cross, his resurrection and ascension. Oh, and his coming again.

I’m not going to drag you through another long-winded explanation of a long reading.

Here’s what I find really helpful. Some interpretive tips if you like.

1. He had to delay two more days  – for this reason. If he’d brought Lazarus back to life too soon, they would question whether he really was dead.

The belief of the day was that when a person died, their soul hung around  for three days – and then left. You were really dead by day four. (I’m not going to debate near death experiences or the challenge of body, soul, spirit here. This is just an observation). There was a purpose in the delaying tactics.

• Jesus responds differently to different people’s needs. Both Martha and Mary say exactly the same thing to him. They give him the classic “if only” speech that we use when things go wrong through sudden death (whatever the cause) or other traumatic incidents. “If only I’d done this or that…” is our form of grief and regret which is a normal reaction – and most times, especially in trauma, there’s probably nothing we could have done.

For Martha and Mary, is regret that he didn’t respond to their urgent text – because they’d seen the signs, and knew he could have done something.

FIRST MARTHA:

• John 11:21  “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

To Martha he says:

John 11:22  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11:23  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

She responds with a classic Jewish belief of the resurrection on the last day – that Jesus spoke about four times in John 6.

John 11:24  Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Here comes the final I AM teaching. This is the ultimate claim that Jesus is God:

John 11:25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; John 11:26  and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Martha gets the teaching. And she needs that (after all she was always preoccupied with chores, wasn’t she).

The result: the most profound confession of faith:

 John 11:27  “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

THEN MARY:

But look at this difference – her words are the same, but she does what she did before when he was in her house:

John 11:32  When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

John continues:

Joh 11:33  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Joh 11:34  “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Joh 11:35  Jesus wept.

This time it’s not Jesus who is God declaring the truth to someone he  loves dearly.

It’s Jesus the human being who responds with the full experience of human grief and feels total empathy for those who mourn – even now.

Martha gets the teaching. Mary gets the tears.

There’s an interesting factor lost in translation here. In both v33 and v38 Jesus is “deeply moved” (NIV)

The word is embrimaomai (ἐμβριμάομαι). This is a word meaning a noisy sound made by animals and people, a snorting raging anger with groaning. Most English translations just duck here. Jesus was not angry, they imply, just “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (RSV, NIV, TNIV), or “deeply disturbed in spirit and deeply moved” (NRSV).

It’s difficult to guess why he’s angry. Not at the people, clearly. I suspect its death that gets to him – he knows how painful bereavement is, the stark loss and aching deep down when we lose someone  we love.

He feels it again at the tomb. I suspect he knows his time is coming. His hour – his own tortuous death. In fact, things move very quickly after this. Raising Lazarus will be the final thing that pushes the authorities over the edge.

“Roll away the stone” – he orders. Martha, ever practical, is worried again, this time about the bad smell. In the old KJV it’s a great line. I shared it with a friend this week who didn’t really believe me. This word is only used once in the New Testament – here. Martha reminds Jesus that after four days there will be a “bad odour”(NIV). In the KJV –“he stinketh”. Jesus, ever the teacher (rabbi) reminds her of his lesson earlier: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

I  love his prayer. It’s a foretaste of John 17:

“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. John 11:42  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

John 11:43  When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

John 11:44  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.

In our last verse today John records that Jesus prayer was answered – some of the Jews who were mourning with the family believed.

Read the rest at home. The hour comes quickly. The plot to kill him is set in motion. Read chapter 12. It’s one thing trying to save your nation from someone you think could be a dangerous Messiah.

Sin is insidious. It spirals you down even deeper when you stand against the things of God. They even plot to kill Lazarus.

It all happens as his hour finally comes on Calvary’s cross.

There he hangs for Nicodemus, the well lady, the blind man, his best friends, and the rest of them. And of course, for you and me.

He meets us at our point of need too.

Easter is a good time to revisit how much God loves the world.

And to reflect on our relationship with Jesus too.

What might he be saying to you at this time in your life?

Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Sunday 4 September 2022 @ BBP – The New Family

Readings: Philemon 1-25 (whole letter); Luke 14:25-33.

MESSAGE

Jesus’ words in Luke 14 today are addressed to the crowds that followed him. They are uncompromising and challenging. It’s hardly the best way to get a group of followers to sign up to something. Imagine a politician today offering that kind of deal: “Vote for me, to lose homes and families, have the highest taxes in the world, low to no wages, and voluntarily give up your life  at some point”. Hardly worth a heckle or a rotten tomato. People are more likely to be perplexed and shake their heads. When you think about it, Jesus is pretty much doing that. Hate friends, leave your treasured possessions, and don’t be surprised if you have a nasty death.

We’ve talked about this before. It’s a contrast – overstatement – hyperbole if you like fancy terms. Because you’ve really got to be passionate and fired up for the Kingdom of God and King Jesus – if you’re serious about seeking his Kingdom first.

Perhaps here’s a better way to describe this. Supposing, instead of a politician, we think of the leader of a great expedition, forging a way through a high and dangerous mountain pass to bring urgent medical aid to villagers cut off from the rest of the world. ‘If you want to come any further,’ the leader says, ‘you’ll have to leave your packs behind. From here on the path is too steep to carry all that stuff. You probably won’t find it again. And you’d better send your last postcards home; this is a dangerous route and it’s very likely that several of us won’t make it back.’ (Wright, N. T.. Luke for Everyone (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 180). Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. Kindle Edition.)

You get a taste of this kind of commitment to a cause in armies being geared up for battle. Or volunteers going to the Ukraine to fight against injustice. You don’t tell your mom until you’ve arrived there – and you sent a text or email where you won’t see the look on her face or hear her verbal response.

Taking up your cross was not a figurative thing or a metaphor back then. It was real. And there may be towers that need to be built today – wars to fight for the modern church. It’s a reminder that you can’t be a fence sitter in this Christian walk. You often have to count the cost.

So when we read Paul’s letter to Philemon – we discover that it was true for him. He’s in prison. It cost him dearly – and eventually he gave up his life for this cause. For being a Christ-follower.

People sometimes avoid this letter. I have – I’ve never really focused on the account before. In the back of my mind a story involving a runaway slave somehow never got my attention. Some rightly point out that it’s the only letter from Paul that doesn’t talk specifically about Christ and the cross. They wonder how it actually made it into the canon of scripture.

On closer inspection of the 25 verses – the average length they say of a normal letter at the time – you find a level of language and passion that is also counter-cultural and revealing.

So about this slavery thing. Slaves back then in bible times were nothing like the slaves of the more recent slave trades – by those who took Africans to the Caribbean and America, and the Moors – who took white slaves to serve them (from Ireland and Cornwall, and Iceland as examples.)

In New Testament times Romans enslaved anyone they chose to. It wasn’t an ethnic thing. Up to 40% of the population was enslaved. They were property – animated tools- bought and sold at will. If they ran away, they could be caught and legally executed. If they stole money (they were often entrusted with errands involving financial transactions) that would have to be repaid. They cost money so it made no sense to kill them. Many were often well educated and useful, and could make money to buy their freedom.

For Paul to try to stop slavery would be as challenging as you or me telling people to give up something they used and needed daily. Like your motor car. On the grounds of the ethical issue of what cars do to the environment etc. Or electricity or any other commodities that keeps life going.

So Paul is often maligned by modern writers for his approach to slavery. You can read in Ephesians 6 and 1 Corinthians what his teachings were. In short, be a good slave, and stay where you were when called by Jesus. Although if given an opportunity to get your freedom – then take it, he says.

Paul comes at things from a different angle in this letter to Philemon. Its about the new family – the bond of love between Christians.

Philemon lives in Colossae. He probably goes to Ephesus and hears the gospel through Paul. (Paul talks about Philemon being indebted to him in verse 19 – because of his salvation.)

Onesimus – his slave – gets into some kind of trouble and runs away from Colossae and ends up in Ephesus. Maybe he’d heard Paul speak before when with his master. We don’t know. But he goes to see Paul in prison, and through Paul becomes a follower of Jesus.

So, let’s look for some signs of this new family in the letter:

Phm 1:1  Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, Phm 1:2  to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: Phm 1:3  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

There’s nothing unusual about that. We sing songs like brother, sister, let me serve you. It’s in our vocabulary at any rate.

Paul clearly loves Philemon -who by the way has a church meeting in his house.

Phm 1:4  I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, Phm 1:5  because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. Phm 1:6  I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Phm 1:7  Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

There is another purpose though in this. He’s genuine about all of this, but the reminder is a prelude to an awkward conversation.

He can’t confront Philemon about this issue of the runaway slave head on. Neither can he afford to ignore it.

Onesimus – whose name ironically means “useful” – he was far from useful to his owner clearly when he ran away – became very useful to Paul. Understand that you needed help when in prison – someone had to feed you and support you. Nothing like our modern jails at all.

Listen to what he says and his playing with the slave’s name:

Phm 1:8  Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, Phm 1:9  yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— Phm 1:10  I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Phm 1:11  Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

V8 – he could exercise authority and tell Philemon what to do as an apostle and his spiritual mentor and father. But no, he appeals on the basis of love – for this slave. Oh and he adds – I’m an old man (probably close to 60!) and I’m in prison.

Here’s the crux: — Phm 1:10  I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

Not only is Paul Philemon’s spiritual father (he led him to Christ), but the runaway slave called Useful, is now his spiritual son as he’s led him to faith in Christ too.  While in chains. Nothing stops this great evangelist.

But these are not just word pictures – father and son in a symbolic way.

Phm 1:12  I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. Gosh, this might sound like a soppy Paul that you can’t reconcile with the apostle sorting out the wayward Corinthians in his letters (he says in one place “shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit” (1 Cor 4:21), telling their women to hush in worship, telling slaves to be loyal and stay where they are (in Ephesians and 1 Corinthians 7).

People love to hate Paul for all kinds of reasons, especially his apparent attitude to women, forgetting that in his person greetings in Romans 16 there are more than a dozen women mentioned by name.

If you find his declaring that a converted slave is a son and that he is Paul’s “very heart” a bit mushy, you will be pleased to know that heart there is a translation of a stronger gutsier word.

Σπλάγχνον – splagchnon. It’s a great word. Closer to the word spleen. You see Jesus moved in the same inner parts when he cleanses a leper in Mark1:41 –  Filled with compassion (the same word used), Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” This is why we don’t always favour word for word translation out of context. Splagchnon means intestines or bowels. Or the deepest part of your soul. Heart captures that depth. An idiomatic comparison would be something like “bone of my bone”.

Paul really is bonded with this slave in a bond of love. That “sticketh closer than a brother”.

On Fathers’ day – I thought it would give us something to talk about. Or reflect on. We men, who are not that great at expressing emotions sometimes. Paul goes on to say:

Phm 1:13  I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

He is like a son to me – and I’d like to keep him as he is doing Philemon what you would have done as my spiritual son too.

Paul then goes on circumspectly: Phm 1:14  But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Phm 1:15  Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good—

This separation God is working for good so that – here comes the crunch:

… that you might have him back for good— Phm 1:16  no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.

What an amazing family where there is neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free – all one as children of God our Father with Jesus as the firstborn among many brothers…

And if you think there is no message of the cross in this letter – Jesus giving up himself in our place so that we can be free from sin and indebtedness – here it comes:

Phm 1:17  So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. Phm 1:18  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. Phm 1:19  I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

• Jesus – if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.
• When the father looks on us in our sin he sees Jesus and his righteousness.
• When the Satan (the accuser – it’s a descriptive name or title) accuses us – it is Christ who has taken our blame, our debt he paid, and our death he died – we sing (Amazing love).

Paul is being like Jesus in place of Onesimus: Philemon -if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. (Matthew 25 – what you do to the least of these you do it unto me).

Listen to it again: Phm 1:17  So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

Phm 1:18  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

 Phm 1:19  I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

I’ll pay this slave’s debt to you, says Paul.

But you have some responsibility too.

Phm 1:20  I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Phm 1:21  Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

Make my day. Just as you refreshed the hearts of the saints (in verse 6) do it for me. And then he says “confidence of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask”

Why obedience? He didn’t use his apostolic authority – the authority of position. Of status. Of being directed by God.

Obedience comes out of love. Not obligation to a rule or power, but conformity to the will of God – the law of love – the gospel of reconciliation.

And Onesimus had the same challenge. He had to face the music. Face his master Philemon.

The cross of Jesus which brings reconciliation between us and God  – does it’s work here in love. Not a mushy love, but a gutsy make the right choice – deal with the consequences – be committed to the partnership we have in the new family – kind of love.

The bond of love unites us in this family – and we are committed to the King in his kingdom of love.

And just in case they are tempted not to reconcile, he makes a step of faith: Phm 1:22  And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your(pl) prayers.

Lightfoot calls this a “gentle compulsion” – I’m coming to visit.

It would be a good conversation – Paul might have thought – when he got there. Maybe by that time Philemon would have reviewed his whole policy on slavery. He might have influenced other slave owners in their house church. Maybe he could have bought other slaves their freedom.

Maybe more slaves would be led to Christ. More new spiritual fathers and sons. The body of Christ built up – to borrow Paul in Ephesians – into maturity:

“so that the body of Christ may be built up Eph 4:13  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

It’s a powerful story of reconciliation, of the meaning of spiritual fatherhood and sonship, that challenge we have to lead others to faith.

It cost Jesus a lot to win our freedom. Paul was prepared to pay for this relationship to be restored too. Jesus’ way can cost you – and we don’t always count the cost.

Paul ends his letter with his favourite and official signature – about grace. This is all grace.

How often do we extend grace and pay a price for others by saying ”charge it to my account.”

We see this letter to Philemon a beautiful picture of what the Father has done for us in Jesus Christ.

Martin Luther said, “All of us are Onesimuses!” and he was right.

Amen.

Sunday 23 January 2022 at BBP – Now you are the body of Christ

Readings: 1 Corinthians 12:12-30a; Luke 4:14-30

MESSAGE: “You are the body of Christ.”

1Co 12:27 “ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

So we’re back. Welcome back.  It’s good to be together.

The wonderful thing is that being together physically in a bigger group is only one aspect of being the body of Christ – this New Testament term for the church.

There are quite a number of churches who haven’t yet got together on Sundays.

But the work goes on.

The body is networked and meets in small groups or one on one to encourage one another. Or like our Friday Zoom coffee group meeting online – where they are just there for each other in different ways.

It’s the relationships that matter I suspect. Think of the families that remain separated after these two years. Not at all easy.

This whole MIQ story has created great pain. And more pain when people who live here abuse these terrible kiwis who are trying to come home.

What does it mean to be a Christ-follower – a disciple – in this situation?

And how do we respond to all the complex issues and divided opinions?

There are a couple of things that stand out in the readings today.

The Corinthians are getting a little bit of revving or chastising on this matter of gifts and status only because they were a disunited bunch where people were really badly behaved. The letter doesn’t reach a climax in chapter 13 on love (which Sean will unwrap for us next week) for nothing, Chapter 12 ends with this: “And now I will show you a better way:”

They were getting told off by Paul because people were treating others as inferior – pointing to themselves as superior really. Hence the extended metaphor of the body’s members or parts all being important. Those of you with a troublesome toe or like me an ankle will know how important those individual parts are. (No I can’t blame the ankle for weight gains over lockdown and Christmas! Its those mince pies I think!)

Paul therefore says that “…there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” (Verse 25).

The theological reason for this appeal is earlier in verse 13: 

1 Co 12:13  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Ring any bells? Galatians 3:28? My favourite verse on unity. Especially no male or female. We are all one. (Gal 3:26  You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, Gal 3:27  for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.)

Or more recently when I spoke from Colossians 3:11:  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (He  goes on of course: Col 3:12  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Col 3:13  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Or in Ephesians 4 –  so key to church life:

Eph 4:4  There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; Eph 4:5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism; Eph 4:6  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

• When Jesus started his ministry in Luke 4, he reads from the prophet Isaiah in his hometown synagogue:

Luk 4:18  “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

Luk 4:19  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

As much as we try to spiritualize these groups of recipients of the good news, there are implications for the marginalized and excluded or badly treated by people of power (the oppressed) – or those in prison. Jesus is interested in them.

• In Luke 4 – when the people hear about him at first, Jesus’ reputation has preceded him as they are amazed at his teachings.

• When he says that the scripture is fulfilled in their hearing, they get a bit more concerned. (Who is this guy then? )

• When he tells them that a prophet is not welcome in his own hometown, reminding them of God’s blessing on non-Jews in the Old Testament – blessing that widow of Sidon in a famine and the healing of Namaan the Syrian leper  –  well let’s say they’re less than thrilled.

They try to throw him off a cliff. What  a lovely way to end a synagogue service.

Pull these two together – the conflicted Corinthians who had to learn that the least were just as important – and Jesus’ extended circle in his hometown Nazareth who needed to hear about God loving and blessing people whom they had written off and despised (I guess like the Samaritans too – Jesus sorts that out doesn’t he in the parable of that name) – and we discover that the Jesus’ way is somewhat inconvenient.

He kind of wraps this up in his teaching elsewhere that we should love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us.

It’s easy to vilify people and cast aspersions on them, playing the blame game or the indignant kind of scandalous conversations we have about people who are different. Or whose views make us angry. Or whose decisions and attitudes rile us. Like our government. I have to be humbled regularly by the reminder that we are to pray for those in authority.

Yes we can disagree or even walk away from people who are really toxic  – we can put up barriers and boundaries to protect ourselves from dangerous people. But we have to love them like Jesus loved us – at least committed to praying for them to be blessed and to be changed by his love.

Jesus loved us first. Remember these words in 1 John 4?

 1Jn 4:9  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1Jn 4:10  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

And Romans 8?

Rom 5:8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He loved us with the desire to bring us to our senses and to repentance and wholeness and ultimately inclusion in the body of Christ, so that we could love others as he loved us.

The wonderful thing about grace is that we are welcomed just as we are.  I come just as I am.

We can find a sense of belonging when a local church family welcomes us – we can then grow in faith and believe – and in time we behave differently.

This pandemic has raised the level of blame and rage against people with different views.

We have to be different. Above that.

Because we are the body of Christ.

Yes, they may be nutters in our view who cause us to mutter under our breath but the really do matter.

No matter how important they think they are or how insignificant they may feel. We can’t say “I don’t need you” says Paul.

Because we are the body of Christ, and especially in the body of Christ.

We are the voice and the feet and the hands of Christ – the example – those who show forth grace and love – and simple human kindness.

Who when the Holy Spirit anoints our lives become more compassionate like Jesus – who wept over the crowds in the cities and towns where he went because people were helpless and harassed – like sheep without a shepherd.

This communion meal we share involves eating symbols of sacrificial love.

We eat and drink things that are symbols of a death born out of hatred and blame, condemnation and rage – and receive new love and life, with power to love.

It’s a radical position to take because we die to ourselves in doing so.

We declare we are a new people who are different.

Paul in Romans 15, puts it like this:

Rom 15:1  We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:2  Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. Rom 15:3  For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Rom 15:4  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Rom 15:5  May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, Rom 15:6  so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom 15:7  Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Amen!

Sunday 26 December 2021 – The Peace of Christ.

Readings: Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

MESSAGE

It’s the day after Christmas Day and its Sunday. Which is quite unusual. The last time we had Christmas Day on a Saturday was 11 years ago. This is only the ninth occasion in my lifetime. The pattern is 6-5-6-11 years between occurrences. So the next one is in 2027. Gosh this is pub quiz material, isn’t it?

As a result this is a super Sunday. It’s BOXING day. St Stephen’s day. And Low Sunday – the Sunday after Christmas which people sometimes ignore, especially if they are hardy annuals who have just done their Christmas Day trip to worship and already have their calendar overloaded with an Easter Sunday booking.

All in one day. Plus four congregations zoomed in together too.

We are fortunate that the lectionary we use focuses on Jesus after Christmas on this day. Over the three-year cycle the gospel reading covers the dedication of Jesus at the temple, the flight into Egypt , and we leap forward this week to almost teenage Jesus. Next Sunday we pop back almost to those terrible twos or at least toddler Jesus checking out the gifts that came via camel. Yes, the wise men visit Jesus the child (not a baby) and in a house.

Like our economic Christmas and Easter visitors, Christmas card designers tend to squash the whole lot onto one space – shepherds, sheep, kings, camels and a low flying star and a raft of angels. Only Mr Bean has ever thrown a dinosaur into the mix. Oh and dozens of five or six year old boys, when I taught that age, who always managed to draw a dinosaur or at least a couple of volcanoes behind baby Jesus and the whole gang.

So what do we do with Jesus today?

I’ve chosen the idea of “peace” as a filter or frame as we examine this part of the story. Colossians 3 is there as a reminder I think that as church we are in this together in unity as we take in the Christmas story.

Paul in this letter has pretty much summarized the Christian faith. The passage before our reading ends with one of those all-encompassing statements (a bit like my favourite Galatians 3:28.)

Col 3:11  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (In Galatians 3:28 he includes “male and female” in his list of things that are not – not relevant or valid.)

In his letter to the church today I suspect he might add some other categories of separation. You’ll figure those out if you reflect on our current dilemmas. Whether we are certified or not.

Paul in this passage talks about peace like this:

Col 3:15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Peace is a key part of the Christmas message. Remember these lines:

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.””

On earth, peace or peace on earth.

In fact it is one of those areas where Christians have a bridge with people who are not particularly into this faith story.

They’re pretty keen on peace.

Timothy Keller, in his book “Hidden Christmas” makes the point that the source of light and therefore peace for us is not within us but outside of us.

The prophecy of Isaiah helps:

Before the announcement of the son to be born, this is the context: Isa 9:2  The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

They are walking in darkness – and the light breaks in. Jesus backs this up when he is identified as the light of the world. Light breaks into darkness.

And the expected one is both wonderful counsellor AND prince of peace.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6-7).

So what about the gospel reading today? Where does the peace come in there?

Here it is. Put yourself in Mary and Joseph’s shoes.

Quite a huge responsibility really, raising the son of God. No pressure.

Anyone with even a limited understanding of the incarnation- this bit about Jesus pitching his tent – moving in among us – will know that this is real stuff. Real humanity. There is no Marvel-comics “superJESUS” at school sorting out the bullies.

From the outset, it was challenging and scary. Raising and caring for the son of God. Having to pack up and escape like refugees to Egypt – that place of slavery for his people – is quite a rough start. After that, when they settle in Nazareth, it was the normal stuff that parents do, including home schooling I imagine. And modelling faith.

He’s reaching adulthood now.As a Jewish male. Almost 13.

On this family trip to Jerusalem there’s a small problem of losing Jesus.

Losing a child is pretty tough, even if for a short while. We’ve all probably been there as parents. Even when they’re adults we still worry about them. As the story of this older lady of 100 illustrates well: she described the best year of her life as the year in which she turned 90 – because by then all her children were safely in rest homes.

Jesus is found in due time. And the conversation is pretty polite considering.

Luk 2:48  When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

They must have been pleased where they find Jesus. Could have been some other danger or disaster.

His response is fascinating: Luk 2:49  “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Sorry Joseph –  I know who my real dad is?

I think Mary made her peace with this too. From the annunciation onwards, there is this gracious acceptance of her role as a young mother of God’s son. I like her example, because in processing that encounter when with Elizabeth, Mary’s response is praise! “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour…”

It’s a simple lesson for us when things are on the road to custard, if you like mixed metaphors. We too are to praise God even in the storms of life.

• I think we were privileged to learn that from early on – the writings of a once prisoner then prison chaplain Mervyn Carothers were helpful in our early years of faith. (You may remember the Prison to Praise series). At the beginning of the book he quotes Paul in 1 Thessalonians: Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thess 5:16-18).

• Paul and Silas praising God in Acts while in jail are another pointer. (Acts 16:25).

• Paul’s antidote to anxiety in Philippians 4 is another reminder. Don’t be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication, WITH THANKSGIVING present your requests to God – and the promised peace that passes human understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (well he is the prince of peace, isn’t he?) (Phil 4:6-6).

In Colossians 3 from which we heard today, Paul has another pointer:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col 3:15-16).

I imagine Mary might have said to Paul (imagine them meeting together and sharing thoughts at a table talk conversation about the things of faith!): “Yes, you’re right. I needed peace that day when we lost Jesus. But I kept praising God and trusting God’s plan, maybe a bit like when you were in prison Paul?”

Imagine you or I at that table saying: well here are the things that keep me up at night….

• Mary might say – “let me tell you about Golgotha.”
• Paul might say: “have you perhaps read my letter which talks about those 5 times 39 lashes, beatings and shipwrecks – or that bit where I mentioned we are pressed down but not crushed.” (The passage it goes like this: ”We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” 2 Cor 4:8-9 NKJV)

Not surprising that Paul also said: ‘”t is no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives in me.” (Gal 2:20).

There is something quite calming about the next few verses of this passage in Luke 2:

But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:50-52).

Somehow Jesus knew about his mission from early on but doesn’t talk about it again until preaching that first sermon in Nazareth (in Luke 4:16ff) when he read from their lectionary reading for that day: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” (Isaiah 61:1-2)

For some reason that line about his mother treasuring all those things in her heart speaks to me. There’s a pattern there a discipline. It’s a repeat of verse 2:19 after the shepherds’ visit: But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. You see this sense of inner peace at Jesus’ first miracle in Cana of Galilee – where she says to the servants in John 2:5: “Do whatever he tells you.” It’s a prayerfulness I think – in Acts 1:14 where they are constantly in prayer before they choose Mathias to replace Judas, Mary is there again.

I suspect mothers are like this – they treasure all kinds of things in their hearts and keep praying for their children especially, holding them before God. I think as parents many of us would be thrilled if our children all grew in wisdom and in favour with God and people!

I don’t know what will trouble your hearts in 2022.

I do recommend Paul’s exhortation to the Colossian church though:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col 3:15-16)

And true to our tradition, which I fear many have ditched too soon, it’s the word of Christ that is part of the stabilising we need.

And with that, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in our hearts at every stage and challenge in our lives. Our closing song today reinforces this – it’s the song ADORE. (See link below).

This is the Christian life. The peace of Christ dominant in our hearts – the word of Christ richly embedded within us to shape us, the praise of God always on our lips and in the rhythms and cadences of our days, weeks, months, and years of life.

May the peace of Christ reign in your heart at this time, and in the year ahead.

Amen.

Here is the song “Adore” which I commend to you.

22 December 2021 – A Saviour has been born to you. (Rosedale Village Christmas message)

Reading: Luke 2:1-14

Message

Have you ever been rescued? Somewhere along the line I’m sure someone turned up to help when you were in some kind of predicament or crisis over the years.

There have been some amazing stories in the last couple of years – think of that Thai football team rescued from underground caves. You see courageous rescue missions all the time on the news.

I’ve only been rescued once – in the sea that is. My sons had gone out too far – I swam out to tell them and we all got stuck. The African surf where we lived was really rough. It makes Browns Bay beach look like a swimming pool.

It was a good feeling to have someone on a paddle board come out and bring you in when you think you may drown. The embarrassing thing was that I was teaching part time at the local high school at that time. One of my students was the life saver. It was a “hello sir” moment. You don’t mind who the rescuer is really.

On one occasion after driving over the edge of the road on our way to a northern Natal town on a misty rainy night, we had to flag someone down to get help (after crawling up to the road.) The local Irish born Presbyterian minister got some mates from the pub to bring a ute and tow the car back over the edge of the hill onto the road again. What a night. But we were rescued. We were saved.

Sometimes when a rescue takes place, tragedy happens and the rescuer dies while saving children for example. People then talk about the sacrifice that person made of his or her life.

Which reminds me of a sign that went up on a church noticeboard – “breakfast this Saturday – help needed for the ingredients.” This chicken and pig happened to be walking past to go to the beach down the road. “Look at that” said the chicken to the pig. “We could help”. “That’s fine for you” said the pig. “You can give a gift. For me it’s total sacrifice. If I go in there, it’s all over for me.”

Looking at our reading today, the angel said this when Jesus was born:

Luk 2:11  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

This angel was living up to his name. Because “angel” means “messenger” or “news”. That was one of their main tasks. (The word “evangelism” meaning “good news” is made up of the prefix EU for good, and the word angel.)

That’s the word used in verse 10:

Luk 2:10  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

We also know that the name “Jesus” means God saves or rescues. And that “Emmanuel” means God with us. Such a great reminder of who Jesus was, what he did, and who he still is to us today.

In this reading we have all the other titles given to Jesus. This Saviour is Christ and Lord.

God came to the world in Jesus the Saviour, the Christ (the anointed one or Messiah) and the Lord (which means he is God).

And like the poor old pig had it offered to help at the breakfast – it cost him everything.

• He gave up his authority – became a baby who needed nappies changed just like you and me – was dependant on parents to care for him and raise him. Had to do school (poor guy).
• And eventually he let go completely of his life on the cross. He died in our place.
• The beauty of this sacrificial rescue is that he took our punishment on himself – so we could be free from our mess – our sin – and our selfishness. And all the world’s pain and disease too.

And just to stretch us more – this amazing good news of a life-saver above all others – is given to marginalised shepherds out in the fields – people who were not your important people at the time.

Simple. Illiterate. Probably just young kids really. Like KIng David when he was a shepherd boy.

I’m always interested in how God speaks to children and young people. They are so open to things of faith.

God speaks to anyone who is open.

• He wants to speak to you today.
• To remind you that his love for you is the reason all this happened.
• That Jesus is the greatest gift of all.

Don’t be like the person who said ‘no thanks. It’s a lovely gift you gave me this Christmas, but I’d rather struggle along without it. I’d rather leave it inwrapped under the tree. And in any case I don’t deserve it.”

Be like the shepherds – investigate this Jesus. The didn’t just say “well actually we really should stay here and forget all this stuff the angel has told us”. They went to investigate and discovered it was all true. And they went back telling everyone the good news too!

Take hold of this gift – that you may grow closer to Jesus our Saviour, our Messiah, our Lord and God. And really know him.

• He makes all the difference in this hectic world we live in.
• He is the gift of Christmas.
• It’s good news – this Christmas story.
• It’s worth celebrating!

Have a very blessed and merry Christmas.

Amen.

Sunsday 19 December 2021 – God so loved what? (4th Sunday in Advent – love)

John 3:16 at Christmas. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.” (The Message)

(Watch part of the service and the message here, or read the text below.)

REFLECTION

I was asked to share a devotional message online yesterday with some friends. What’s new? Being online, or being asked to share something? I think it was the context – my thoughts and wisdom were being sought! (I’m not sure if I qualify as one of the three “wise” men!)

Yesterday then we talked about our future in the light of this muddle we find ourselves in.

I shared my thoughts. That this virus won’t go away. That we will have to learn to live with it. That there have been many other corona viruses. That there will me more.

I asked these wiser friends than me this question: as Christians, what are we really afraid of?

If our message, our witness, out history, our future, if the blood and witness of the martyrs and the testimony of the saints of every age including those who are dying for their faith in this generation means anything at all, it does so because of this Christmas story and the love which brought about the invasion of something far more contagious – the love of God.

Because God SO loved THIS WORLD that he gave his only born Son to live in a dangerous world of men and women – so that before he even learned to walk, his little family had to flee to another country where his people had once been slaves – to escape the tyranny of a cruel puppet king called Herod the “great” who was given the title “the king of the Jews” by the Roman senate.

Herod could not tolerate the remote possibility of a threat even from an infant born in poverty.

(If you think the world is bad now, in every generation there have been maniacs like Herod who bumped off a whole lot of his family members – one of his wives whom he actually loved deeply –  Mariamne, her two sons, her brother, her grandfather, and her mother, and his first born son Antipater)

We know from Matthew that he had all the little boys up to two years of age killed in the area where Jesus was born just to be safe.

When I think of the world and reflect on its mess – the love of God shown in Jesus’ rescue mission is still valid.

It doesn’t expire like a vaccination certificate.

It’s unchanging. Immutable (indisputable). Ineffable (indescribable). Immortal (undying).

Eternal. Fierce. Bold. Courageous.

Powerful. Redeeming. Saving.

The Song of Songs – that great love poem which ultimately tries to describe God’s love describes love in these words: Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away (also translated as nor can the floods drown it).(Song 8:7)

For God so loved the world that he gave his best. He became a human being.

He took on the gates of hell and death itself.

He took upon himself all the mess.

The combined atrocities of the maniacs and tyrants of all ages, and all the tragedy of pain and death through all diseases fell upon him that day.

Love means courage. Purpose. Commitment. You see it in Jesus when as we have talked about before he sets his face towards Jerusalem – knowing what was coming.

When I sat and made these notes reflecting on the love of God and how it has empowered the saints through the generations, especially those who faced tyranny and villainy and the fiery darts of the enemy flung at them, I had just put on the third movement of Beethoven’s ninth symphony – the one that ends with that great “Ode to Joy”

I was thinking about those martyrs when the music started. It’s particularly beautiful and moving, but especially so because it’s a recurring theme in the movie about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It took me back to that courageous saint – I watched the movie so many times as I used it as a teaching tool. (The link to watch the movie “Bonhoeffer – Agent of Grace” – is found at the end of this message below.)

The musical theme reoccurs throughout the movie, but towards the end when he and a motley bunch of prisoners land up in a bombed-out church after their transportation (an old bus with “Freude” painted on the side) had run out of fuel – at that point the first part of the 3rd movement is played fully. Boenhoeffer’s co-prisoners suggest that seeing that it’s a Sunday he should give them a few words. He doesn’t speak about Hitler, the world at war, the concentration camps like Flossenburg to which he is taken from that church and hanged just a few weeks before the end of the war.

He talks about being Christians in the future – how the faith will change to take on and share the suffering of the world in which it finds itself. How we will find a new language and way of living. Something quite different that will shock people because of the peace it brings.

This is a new era already. The post-COVID pandemic era – which will test us and our faith more fully than before.

People won’t necessarily believe us. They may even attack us with more extreme ideas than ever, suggesting that we are compromising their idea of the truth – whether its vaccination or other controversies – there will be division of all kinds.

What matters is that we remain true to Jesus’ rescue mission. He still loved the unlovable whoever they were. Whether they followed him or turned away.

Our weapons are not persuasive words. Only a message and lives lived showing forth the hope, peace, joy and love we have found in Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul writes:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2:4-5).

Love joy and peace are the first three fruits of the spirit.

In a discussion in Romans 14 on arguments over what and what not to eat, Paul says this:

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17)

And when ending his great chapter on love in first Corinthians he writes:

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13 ) 

How are we doing on this score? Passing on this amazing powerful love and message of love?

That’s why Christmas’s messages are foundational.

• The angels breaking into the world to prepare the main characters for action.

• The expectations of hope in this baby’s birth.
• The news that he will be called Jesus – God saves
• And Emmanuel – God with us

• That through his coming we can be forgiven, healed, saved from fear and death, and transformed by this powerful love and act of love.
• Because that love ends on a cross.

Both the cradle and the cross are made of wood. And a Jewish carpenter – who probably experienced the pain of a splinter in his finger during his trade – would have those nails he worked with hammered into his hands and feet.

Paul – in that same chapter in 1 Corinthians about persuasive words also says this:

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2)

This is all a sign of God’s love.  The cradle, the cross and Christmas.

Don’t miss it amongst the wrapping of presents and the flashing colourful lights.

• You’ve got to unwrap this present. God’s love. Emmanuel’s presence is more important.
• Having God’s power, presence and love is all that counts and it counts for everything.

That’s why we are told:

• not to be afraid. to be strong and courageous.
• Not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. Or anxious.
• That His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ – not other solutions offered around us.

That’s why we are told:

• to always give a reason for the hope we have.
• Because we do have it.
• Because he is still Emmanuel – God with us.

This is why we have and can live by the greatest commandments:

• to love God with every fibre of our being;
• and to love one another and ourselves.
• And to love each other as Christ has loved us.
•  In words and in deeds.

God loved what? They may ask.

The world.

This messy world of complicated difficult people.

He loved us first!

All of us.

John in his first letter reminds us:

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. “(1 John 4:10)

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 1:19)

And then Jesus reminds us:

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 16 9)

Continue in my love.  Abide or live in my love.

Amen.

Here is the link to the movie as promised: