Reading: John 14:1-14

Reflection

How would you go about telling or writing the story of another person’s life? Would you like to concentrate on one aspect or would you rather try to cover a whole range of things? I have quite a few biographies and autobiographies on my book shelves and the range of people is quite something, biographies such as Gyles Brandreth ‘Philip the final portrait’ to David Meikle ‘The Krays, the prison years’ and autobiographies ranging from David Jason ‘A Del of a life’ to Fern Britton ‘My story’. At the moment I am halfway through Bob Mortimer’s ‘And away’. I suppose like most life stories there are absolute peaks and some very deep troughs to be journeyed through. In the main, the biographies I have centre on a specific time or incident in the life of the person or people being written about. It may centre on personal family life, relationships with colleagues or the general public. When one time or aspect is chosen we do not get that fuller picture of a life lived. What we do get is a writing that clearly identifies a very specific window.

The author somehow has to keep the reader captivated in the story and leave them wanting to read further and discover what happens next. This morning we once again are doing something a bit different, we are having a more recognisable traditional service. With a traditional order of service and singing traditional hymns. In the life of our congregation I think it is good to try new things and discover if new things work for us. The same is true across the church and as we all know it is true in our everyday lives. Different stages of the journey in life require us to re-evaluate that journey and our response to what is happening within it. Having said that I do think there is great merit in knowing who we are and, for want of a better expression, ‘what our default position is’ when we are challenged by life. As we have journeyed through the Gospel of John we have seen elements of that biographical writing. These ‘I am’ saying we are looking at just now revealing the width of who Jesus is and how interconnected; Father, Son and Holy Spirit of God is. And as we visited very early in this journey through John he states quite clearly in the final verse of the penultimate chapter his reason for writing the Gospel and maybe more importantly the message he wishes to convey in doing so. ‘These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.’ This may lead us to question if it is written as a biography on the life of Jesus, with all its historical references, or is written more as in legal terminology, written as an argument for the accused. John is looking at the life of Jesus, writing after the other three gospels, and taking incidents at different times as a way of demonstrating to his readers that this Jesus is like no other man that has ever lived. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus saying ‘I am the way and the life’ just as with all the other ‘I am’ sayings is striking home with the Jewish leaders. Moses in the book of Genesis asks God, ‘when people ask your name what shall I say?’ God replies, ‘I am who I am.’ Tell the people, ‘I am has sent me to you.’ We enter our reading this morning following Jesus telling his disciples he was going away. He has told them one among them will betray him. He has said that Peter, seen by many as their leader, would deny Jesus three times. All of this can only mean something awful is about to befall them. Jesus calms them as he says, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled.’ Once again he binds himself to the Father. ‘You trust in God, then trust in me also.’ Even after Jesus description of what is going to happen we have the honesty of Thomas. When he doubts something he doesn’t just sit allowing things to fester away he speaks out, he says what he thinks, and even admits when he cannot think his way through what he is being told by Jesus. ‘I am the way.’ Through his teaching, through his sacrificing, the way of heaven is open to all believers. ‘I am the truth.’ Many had led the people astray, many today, are still trying to do so, Jesus stands as the truth of God that offers salvation to us all. ‘I am the life.’ Jesus offers us life in all its fullness but more than that he himself is life. He is the eternal life. As we approach the end of the ‘I am’ sayings, with next week being the final one. What are we reading?  What are we hearing?

What are we seeing? Jesus is showing us the way, he is teaching us truth, and he is giving life to every part of who we are. As a man who is approaching the indignity of being hung on a cross he says, ‘I am the way.’ As a man who is about to be condemned on the strength of the lies of men he says, ‘I am the truth. ’As a man who is about to be placed in a tomb for the dead he says, ‘I am the life.’ Jesus simply says to his disciples, ‘believe me, I will do what you ask in my name.’ The power of prayer has no limitations. We should not put limits on what can be achieved when we pray in the name of Jesus. Jesus answers our prayers that God may be given the glory that ought to be our basis for offering these prayers. It is not about self-glory or personal gain. Prayers offered in and through the name of Jesus reflect what lies within our heart and in the bigger picture of our lives. Just as I opened with biographies and autobiographies.

I close with reference to that in our prayer life. There are times when our prayers are biographical specific to a time or situation in life’s journey, revealing things that resonate with us. But our prayers are autobiographies because they are spoken by us about us and they say a great deal about the relationship we have with our God. Who is The way, the truth and the life.

Reading: John 11:17-31

Reflection

I want us to try something different again this week. I want us to stop and reflect on our journey so far through those ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus. As I said last week there are times we tend to push on at a pace to get to the conclusion but never really stop along the journey’s path to reflect on what we already have before moving onto what comes next. Before the ‘I am’ reflections we read of Jesus meetings with Nicodemus and then the Samaritan woman. Jesus announced he was the living water and of him none would go thirsty again. In light of what is happening in Ukraine and may well spread across Europe I want us to take each of the sayings in turn and pause to reflect on them. As I introduce each of them we will pause in silence for our own thoughts. A moment of silence ‘I am the bread of life’. ’on him God the father has placed his seal of approval.’ To say God’s seal is upon Jesus is to state quite clearly he has come from God the Father. A moment of silence ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’. ‘If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ A moment of silence ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep’. ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.’ A moment of silence We are midpoint through these services. The first three have Jesus speaking very much about things of this world and attaching a deeper spiritual meaning to them. This morning there is something new. There is the death of a friend and the end to human life. There is pain and hurt and that sense of loss. There is the raising of the body and the direct statement from Jesus that those who die believing in him will never die. ‘I am the resurrection and the life.’

Hang it on the cross By Lisa O. Engelhardt

If you have a secret sorrow,
a burden or a loss.
An aching need for healing,
hang it on the cross.
Every obstacle to faith or doubt you come across,
every prayer unanswered,
hang it on the cross.
If worry steels your sleep and makes you turn and toss,
if your heart is feeling heavy,
hang it on the cross.

For Christ has borne our brokenness and dearly paid the cost
to turn our trial to triumph,
hang it on the cross.
A moment of silence

A prayer for Ukraine

Lord Jesus Christ in this dark hour across our continent we reflect on those ‘I Am’ sayings of Jesus and we ask that you here our prayers for the people of Ukraine. Those in the country itself, those who have had to flee their land and those who already live in other nations. For the basic things of life such as bread and water deprived of families Lord we pray. For light to shine upon this darkness that a nation may once again be free Lord we pray. For the gateway that leads to safety and a shepherd that will lead the people Lord we pray. For those who have lost their lives, for those loved ones who are holding deep pain in their hearts Lord we pray for resurrection and new life. Amen  

Reading: John 11:32-44

Reflection

Last week Jesus had left Galilee and journeyed up to Jerusalem before moving across the Jordan. This morning he leaves that area once more following the news of his friend Lazarus and moves to Bethany just outside Jerusalem. His disciples tried to talk him out of returning because of the high risk of being arrested.

Jesus places this news of Lazarus above all care for himself and his safety. The household is that of his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. This was a place where it appears Jesus felt more at home than anywhere else during his earthly ministry. The action of restoring life to a dead man in the immediate vicinity of the city of Jerusalem was an absolute guarantee the backlash would be swift and heavy. Those religious authorities would want to silence Jesus once and for all. According to them Jesus would either be an agent of the devil or a charlatan who was leading their people on a merry dance of fancy. Whatever way they sliced it, Jesus knew they would be out to get him from that moment. We see in Mary and Martha so much of what we witness when bereavement comes into our lives. In the first reading it is Martha who asks the question, ‘What if?’ Then in the second one Mary asks the same, ‘What if?’ We know these sisters from elsewhere in the gospels. We know they have different characters. One is a lady who likes to be busy and organising things and making preparations. The other is more studious and likes to sit and listen and ponder over things. Just like you and I, just like the families we all come from, related by blood and one in kin but very much separate individuals who respond with pain and hurt and questions when a loved one dies. They both have faith in Jesus, Martha knows God will give Jesus whatever he asks for. She is not rebuking him nor is she having a go at him. She is displaying her faith in amongst her confusion that she knows Jesus could have healed him had he been there. But then when Jesus goes to raise her brother Martha did not think it would be possible. Martha believed Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. Confusion and doubt surrounded in grief and misunderstanding. Mary gets up immediately and goes to him with all those same emotions playing havoc within her too. Why was Jesus so moved? He was about to raise Lazarus so it was not for himself he felt sorrow. Some would say it was because of the unbelief of those meant to be comforting the sisters that caused him hurt. Then others would say he knew that once this action was carried out and Lazarus was raised this would be the time for the authorities to make moves to arrest him. I wonder if it was the shepherd, the pastor, within Jesus that caused verse 35, ‘Jesus wept.’ the shortest verse in the Bible. His sorrow came about because of the pain his friends were feeling and the sorrow that, for now, was part of their lives. This raising of Lazarus is more than Jesus raising a family friend. Jesus is making this pledge to the people. Those who enter into life in Jesus enter into life eternal. Jesus says, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God.’ Those without faith would simply see the miracle of a man being raised from the dead. Those who believed would recognise the significance of the glory of God within the miracle. Once more as we come to the closing of the reading Jesus and the Father are shown to be together as one. As he thanked God he did so that others might hear him. Jesus once more displaying the work of the Father done through the Son. It was in the power of God that Lazarus was raised. Jesus did not work on his own without his Father and unlike other so-called wonderworkers Jesus was not in the business of self-glorification but gives the God the glory.

Reading: John 10:1-10

Reflection

Often our two readings this morning would be read as one single reading but I have split them for a reason. I have been trying to look through a different lens when journeying through Jesus’ ‘I am’ sayings.

This morning’s focus could not be any more different from last week’s but it will take both readings to get there. Remember when addressing the Pharisees Jesus said, ‘I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going’. Our first reading is almost like a transition piece. Those who know the shepherd’s voice will follow but they will run away from the voice of a stranger. Even with this familiar description they do not understand. Jesus then lays the foundation for our second reading when he says, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep’. ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’. And then our second reading will begin with the words, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. We will look at the other reading in a while but before moving on to unravel some of that let’s pause for a moment and look at this transition piece. So often in life we skip over the grounding of things, the preparation work, if you like, as we merrily skip towards the ending and the ‘what does all of that mean’ conclusion. What then is this preparation, this transition telling us? We heard last week the Pharisees were described as spiritually blind. Now as well as being the legal eagles and the well learned studiers of scripture this group were also meant to be the watchmen and the shepherds of Israel. Jesus likens their blindness and lack of understanding to thieves and robbers who do not lead the sheep through the proper gate. Through this proper gate the people of God will find themselves in the safety of the sheep pen. Before COVID when I was away on a ‘Path of Renewal’ conference we were discussing the different roles that ministers must fulfil. One of those roles is shepherd or pastor. We reflected on that role and if it is always to be seen as the one out front with the rest following on behind. We tried unpicking some of that and how there are times when to be pastoring and leading people there is a need to move away from that out front position and join the people in the middle of the flock and walk alongside them for a while. There are other times when to be an effective pastor or shepherd you must go the back and urge the flock forwards. I think there is much to be said in support of each of these. When out front you have that unhindered view of all that lies before you and the flock and you should be able to plan a safe journey. When placed at the back, that clear vision may be lost but what you gain is seeing the flock, looking for those who may be straying right or left and becoming dislodged from the others. Then of course walking alongside allows that more personal interaction to take place as the flock get to know the shepherd’s voice and learn to place their trust in it. Jesus concludes this first reading with a most wonderful statement or promise, a reassurance that following him will lead to eternal life, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’

Reading: John 10:11-21

Reflection

‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.’ The historical context is set by many as Jesus has left Galilee and journeyed up to Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles in the autumn of 28AD. This is now towards the end of that year. This description of the shepherd is used in other parts of scripture and arguably the most known one being Psalm 23. We also find references in the prophets Isaiah, ‘he tends his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart’ and in Ezekiel the entire chapter 34 speaks about shepherds and sheep. This speaks of God’s flock being without a shepherd and has become food for the wild animals. The shepherds did not search for God’s flock but looked after themselves. Then God pronounces, ‘I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.’ Ezekiel probably develops this imagery of shepherd and flock more than any other in scripture. But the image is there from the very first book of Genesis when Jacob speaks of God being his shepherd all the days of his life. To the very last book of Revelation where we read, ‘For the lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; and he will lead them to springs of living water’. Such rich imagery, powerful but yet so gentle. This relationship between Christ and his people acted out with this vivid picture of the eastern shepherd tending to and protecting his flock from the surrounding dangers.

Jesus again speaks of him and the Father being one, therefor, all people are one in the eyes of God. There will be one flock with one shepherd caring for them. All of this talk is more than the authorities can handle and not for the first time, certainly not for the last time, battle lines are drawn as people begin to choose if they believe in Jesus or not and take their place on whatever side of this diving line they wish to stand.

Where are we the church placed in this picture that Jesus paints? Through him as the good shepherd are we leading people into the safety of the sheep pen being his church here on earth? Jesus is more than capable of being our Good Shepherd. He laid down His life for His flock. In essence, the Good Shepherd, became a Lamb, that One sacrificial lamb who died for the sins of all mankind. In Jesus the roles were reversed. The Shepherd sacrificed Himself for His sheep. Jesus laid down his life for you and me. Jesus knows he is with the father and the father with him. When you put yourself out there as a shepherd or pastor of the flock you make yourself vulnerable. When you are taking on the cares and troubles of those given to you to care for. You cannot help sometimes, when life’s troubles come a knocking, who pastors the pastor? Where does the shepherd go to be shepherded? When all the shepherd wants to do, or maybe even needs to do, is sit down and cry, who is there for them? In another agricultural image to describe this. Being the shepherd, being the pastor can sometimes lead to you ploughing a loan furrow and that can be a really draining experience both physically and emotionally and it is at this point the shepherd needs to know just as Jesus knew he had the father by his side so too the pastor/shepherd has Christ by theirs.

This I AM saying of Jesus is loved by so many as we recognise within ourselves that we all need a Shepherd. However wise we become regarding the ways of the world I don’t believe there is anyone who has never need guidance on one matter or another. However learned we become of the scriptures, I don’t believe there is anyone who has ever exhausted the mysteries of God; Father, Son and Holy Sprit. The journey goes on and wherever we find Jesus on that journey we will know his voice and we will know we can trust that voice because all it ever wants to do is lead us to the safety of that pen where life will be lived in full.

Taizé Prayer service at St Andrew’s High on the 27^th February 2022 at 4:30pm. For those unfamiliar with the Taizé style of prayer, it is contemplative and meditative in nature. It emphasises repetitive singing along with scripture and silence so that we might be drawn into a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ. If you are interested in singing, reading, or playing an instrument for the service, please be in touch with Rev Hayley Cohen of Northesk – hcohen@churchofscotland.org.uk or 0131 665 8688. Christians from across Musselburgh and beyond are welcome to join us for this service so please share it widely! 

Reading: John 8:12-20

Reflection

Last week when we were looking at the ‘I am the Bread of Life’ saying we focused on it being a seal and how this seal throughout Jesus life was God the Father affirming who he was and in a wider context looking at how seals have been used throughout history as a way of telling others who you are and what you may believe or take as truth and how putting your seal on something cemented your integrity into that decision. You may remember a few weeks ago when we looked at Nicodemus meeting with Jesus and how that compared with Jesus meeting with the Samaritan lady at the well. I said that later in the Gospel Nicodemus would stand up and speak out for Jesus, this happened in the chapter prior to our reading this morning. Jesus is being challenged about where his teaching comes from. The challenges are being levied against him and the question asked, ‘Is he, this Jesus, the Christ?’ They question the lack of miraculous signs he has shown them, stating that the real Christ will do many more than this man. Jesus continues to tell them they know from where he has come from. He is not on his own but the one who sent him is with him. And so the people are divided in their understanding of Jesus. All of this is relayed to the Pharisees, ‘Has any Pharisee believed in him?’ they ask. ‘No’ they answer the question themselves. It is then that Nicodemus speaks out for Jesus. Nicodemus, one of those Pharisees, ‘surely our law allows a man to be heard before being condemned. Surely we should find out what it is he is doing’. All of this toing and froing as they argue over, ‘Who is this Jesus?’ ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’. It is not about daylight hours and night time darkness. This is about the light of our souls. This is about the darkness of sin. Of course those great lights of the sky, the sun by day and the moon by night are there whether we look to them or not. Astronomers study the lights in the heavens and map out what our universe looks like. If we close our eyes those lights do not go away it is just that we have chosen not to look at them. Jesus is taking this into the realms of our Spirit. He is there whether people are looking for him or not. He was there with the father when these lights were put into our skies. People may choose to close their eyes or turn their back and even choose not to believe anything of his teaching. He is still there. In the challenge from the Pharisees in our reading this morning Jesus takes everything one step further. He tells them, the religious leaders who hold all the legal rights over the people, they do not know where he has come from, they do not know where he is going. He stands before them with his father by his side. He tells them it is in their own law that testimony of two men is valid. He testifies for himself but it is the Father who is his witness. These Pharisees, who should know better as students of the laws and the scriptures, are dealing only on judgements that are made by human standards. They are being driven only by what their eyes can see. They are spiritually blind. The whole issue is all about the things we have visited in previous services. It’s about the integrity of Jesus. You appear as your own witness your testimony is not valid. They obviously don’t go along with ‘my word is my bond’. It’s about the seal of the Father upon his Son, ‘if you knew me you would know my Father’. Toward the end of this whole questioning Jesus says to them. ‘when you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am.’ It’s about Jesus being the word made flesh, in his closing remarks he states, ‘I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.’ It’s about Jesus being God incarnate, ‘the one who sent me is with me.’ In the eyes of the crowd prior to this engagement, and in this confrontation with the Pharisees the people are looking at Jesus and they are seeing a man who is alone. Their spiritual eyes could not see that God the Father was with him. They could not perceive that Jesus did nothing on his own without the Father. The damning truth, as far as the Pharisees are concerned, is highlighted in the closing couple of verses. Old Testament law requires two men to validate a testimony. Surely God the Father and God the Son is validation enough. The Father is the witness and they do not know who the Father is. The reply that cuts through all and any doubt is delivered by Jesus. ‘If you knew me, you would know my Father also.’ The consistency of that eternal message from Jesus. The living water, never to go thirsty; the bread of life, never to go hungry; the light of the world, never to walk in darkness.

Reading: John 6:25-35

Reflection

We begin our journey through those ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus. They don’t all follow on one after the other so there will be a bit of fast forwarding some weeks. Each and every one of them is filled with so much meaningful symbolism. This morning we begin with Jesus saying, ‘I am the bread of life’ and I want to try once more looking at this from a slightly different angle than we would normally do. Of course to do this I will have to make reference to some of the symbolism and constant messages that are contained within this and the other ‘I am’ sayings. The setting comes immediately after Jesus feeding of the five thousand and crossing the lake to the other side. The disciples witness him walking on the water but as the crowd arrives they are confused as to how Jesus had reached the shore and this is where we pick up the story in our reading. The crowd found Jesus and he rebuked them. They were there for more of what they could get. They had eaten their fill with the fish and the loaves but it was not the witnessing of these miraculous signs that had caused them to believe Jesus was the Messiah they had followed simply to be filled with more of what he could give them. These signs were not for them evidence of Jesus being the Son of God but they saw in them ways of getting wat they wanted, be it more food or more healing or whatever. All of this points us to relationships that have no depth. When one side of the relationship has only desires to take, take, take. Has only one thought in mind, ‘what can I get out of this?’ Never a good basis for any long term meaningful relationship and Jesus seen this in the crowd that followed him that day. Their interest was in the material things of this world. Jesus says don’t let that cloud the vision. Work for the heavenly things, things of a spiritual nature. For things of the world will perish but things of the Spirit, Heavenly, Godly things are for ever and will last through all eternity. Again that lack of depth of understanding shines through. What are we to do to get this? How can I work my way to this eternal thing? How do I earn the right to eat this food that endures? I don’t really understand what you are saying but I sure like the thought of what you are offering. What do I need to do for you to give me what I want?

Me, me, me, take, take, take. Of the work that needs to be done is different. It involves believing in Jesus as the Son of God. It means taking time to study the Word of God. Set aside time for prayer and reflect on what Jesus calls us to do. I call it work but of course all of that only ever comes as a gift from God. Jesus will give this spiritual food as he sees fit and to those whom he chooses as his own. It cannot be earned by our own effort but only always and ever in relationship with Christ who is the bread of life. The significance of the verse, ’on him God the father has placed his seal of approval.’ Would have been of great symbolic importance to those in the crowd because at that time a seal was something that held together your integrity, it represented who you were and how honourable, or not, you could be viewed in society. A letter that was sealed proved it was written by the owner of the seal and no one else. This proved that the words in the letter could indeed be attributed to you. What are the seals that we use today? There are some old sayings, ‘he’s as good as his word’ ‘my word is my bond’ ‘a handshake seals the deal’ the seals required to convince someone you are genuine about things. Remember at the baptism of Jesus the word of God was heard to say, ‘this is my son with whom I am well pleased’ and the dove came down placing the seal of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus. Like the seal on those letters of olden times we use our signature as proof of who we are and sign official papers to testify that we have placed our seal on whatever we have signed we acknowledge the matters there in and by signing we agree to them. Even though the concept of that seal of approval has been around for a long time we learn that new ways can be undertaken to fulfil the same role. In our times now emails are used as a seal and can be taken as legal documents. You can create your own electronic signature. We move with the times and the things of yesteryear continue but in new and different ways. No lesser importance bestowed upon them, quite simply that recognition, change can happen and indeed inevitably must happen. To say God’s seal is upon Jesus is to state quite clearly he has come from God the Father. Work required to receive all of this? Jesus answer was short. Believe in the one he has sent. In believing, in having faith, you will work at this and we all know that to be true. There are times in life, for whatever reason, we have to work that wee bit harder in our faith. Just as Jesus said to the Samaritan woman last week he was the living water, drinking of which you would never go thirsty again, he closes by saying I am the bread of life eating of which you would never go hungry again. By drinking this water and eating this bread we believe in Jesus as the Christ and accept him fully into our lives as Lord.

Hearing Gods Call

 SERMON TOPIC: “Hearing God’s Call” TEXT: 1 Sam. 3:1–20) 

 It is important that in every generation God’s people hear his call in their lives.

This text is about the young man Samuel hearing God’s call.

Usually when we think or talk about God calling someone, we think about him calling a young person. Although that is the scenario on which this text—and thus this sermon— focuses, it is important to say at the outset that God’s call can come to anyone at any stage in his or her life.

 It is also important to note that God’s call comes in this text in the context of a transition in generations and a transition in leadership.

Every generation needs to hear God’s call. People in every generation need to hear God’s call and to do the best they can to carry out that call.

People in every generation will have mixed success at carrying out God’s call.

No doubt the priest Eli had experienced many successes in his ministry at Shiloh, but he had also experienced his share of failures.

The Bible tells us that the Lord decided to take the leadership away from the family of Eli because of the sins of his sons and Eli’s inability to correct them.

 Leadership could not be passed on to Eli’s sons, so it was going to pass to Samuel instead.

Regardless of the reasons and the circumstances, though, the call of God must be passed on to new leadership in every generation.

The circumstances of Eli’s generation demanded that a new generation hear the call of God.

 The text uses light and darkness imagery to drive home the twin points that things were very bad indeed but that there was hope for better things.

We are told right off that “The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread”

Then we are told that Eli’s “eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see”;

 Eli’s encroaching physical blindness symbolizes the increasing spiritual blindness of him and his generation.

But hope is not lost, for where Samuel was lying in the temple, “the lamp of God had not yet gone out”  the physical reality of the still-burning lamp symbolizes the fact that God’s light might still break through the spiritual darkness that seemed to permeate the land.

  Every generation needs to be available to hear God’s call.

Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord when he heard God’s voice.

It is possible that the young man was participating in a ritual whereby he slept in the tabernacle near the Ark of the Covenant in order to put himself in a position to hear the voice of God.

 If that is the case, it raises two questions.

First, might Samuel’s mentor, Eli, have guided him into that situation?

Those of the older generation of leadership need to encourage our young people to put themselves in a position to hear God’s call in their lives.

 We can do that (and parents have a special role here) by making sure that our children are in worship and in a small group and on a ministry team so that they will be available to hear God’s voice.

The Church also has a role in providing worship, study, and service opportunities that are geared to our youth so that they might hear the voice of God in their own language—another version of Pentecost, if you will.

 The next generation is responsible to hear for themselves, but the older generation is responsible to help them hear.

 Second, why did Samuel mistake the voice of God for the voice of Eli?

Perhaps he was just not mature enough to know the voice of God when he heard it.

Regardless, here we get a glimpse of a situation that people, and especially young people, struggle with in their efforts to ascertain the call of God.

Are they hearing the voice of God?

Are they hearing the voice of circumstances?

Are they hearing the voice of peers?

Are they hearing the voice of family?

 Are they hearing the voice of church members?

Or are all of those voices combining to give voice to the call of God?

If our younger generation is put in a position to hear the call of God, they just might hear it.

 One Sunday School teachers in the church ask them their favourite

She told me that one of the boys would always want her to tell them his favourite story, which was the story of the call of the boy Samuel.

 In that there is great hope!

 Every generation needs to accept the challenge of God’s call.

The dynamics created when the call of God is heard and responded to by a new Sunday.

 Both the “old guard” and the “new guard” experience significant challenges that must be navigated.

The handoff of leadership can be difficult for the old guard.

Eli had to face the fact that the leadership of Israel was being taken away from him and his descendants.

 He also had to face the hard fact that it was being taken away because of the personal failings of himself and his family.

Those in the present generation of leadership are faced with the challenge of facing and owning up to our own sins and shortcomings.

Facing our sins and shortcomings does not necessarily mean that we have done a bad job or that God is displeased with us and our leadership.

Regardless, we do have to pass the baton to the next generation, and that can be hard.

As Eli appropriately confessed, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him”.

We need to have the faith that through—or in spite of—what we have done and are doing, God is working his purposes out.

 The proclamation and witness that is required of them can be a challenge for the new guard.

Often the Old Testament prophets were called to proclaim a message that was hard for people to hear and hard for the prophets to speak.

And so Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what God had said to him because that message contained negative words about Eli’s family.

Those in the new generation need to be open to the call of God on their lives, and that means facing squarely and speaking boldly the words that God gives them to say.

If they have to say things that are hard for the old guard to hear, so be it.

 If they have to say things that will be difficult for their own generation to hear (and they most certainly will), then so be it. So there are significant challenges to all generations in hearing God’s call, but faithfulness requires that we face them.

Reading: John 1:35-42

Reflection

We may not have sent out or received as many invitations over the last two years as we normally do but it is still good and exciting when we get the opportunity to send or receive an invitation to something. If you buy them pre-printed from the shop you choose designs to suit the occasion.

Champagne glasses for a party, bells and ribbons for a wedding, balloons and party poppers for a birthday, and so the choices go on. If you want to be a wee bit more adventurous go on the computer and search for images that suit the reason for the invitation, print the name of those being invited, making the whole thing very professional looking and believing in yourself that you can work your way around computers. It’s a wonderful feeling when you actually convince yourself that you are really quite good with computers until of course that ultimate pride before a fall moment when you realise that you are not really that good at all but passable. On the third Sunday in Advent we looked at the earlier verses of the chapter we are looking at this morning.

We read then of Jesus being the light. We witnessed John the Baptist being quizzed as to who he was. Then we thought about who are we? Following the service this morning I will be on a week’s holiday but when I return we are going to journey further through the Gospel of John. I would encourage you in your own daily reflection time at home to read the gospel and think through

what some of the issues or challenges that we may look at together during our worship time. We have lovely pictures in this morning’s reading, John flanked by his disciples telling them, “See the one who is passing by? He is the one you should be following, because he is the Lamb of God.”

John knows who Jesus is. John knows what Jesus does. Two of John’s disciples don’t hesitate.

They leave John and run after Jesus. They are attracted by what he has told them of Jesus but as yet they don’t know what they are looking for from him. They have a desire to learn. By the end of that day Andrew has a passion for sharing the good news. There was no question left in Andrew’s mind “this is the Messiah, the Anointed of God.” He runs to his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. The one who was called is now the one calling to others. The one who was first invited now becomes the one inviting others. He becomes the light that leads his brother to the Light of the world. These two, invited by Jesus, “come and see,” were called to be disciples, just as we are called to be disciples individuals to grow into a community of faith. The journey of discovering Jesus has begun. It is the same journey that each and every generation ever since has embarked upon. It is the same journey of discovery that you and I and the church of today continues on. The journey of discovery for ourselves and the journey of discipleship passing on the Good News that others may become part of the community of faith and journey for themselves. I mentioned last week how at the beginning of this New Year it would be good to pause for a moment take time to listen, and to wait, to stay close to Jesus for a while and learn.

The dramatic as well as the quiet. Just as with those first disciples our journey of faith will grow stronger and weaker and stronger again, it may even seem as though it has gone away, but there is always a way open for it to come back. From the River Esk to the River Jordan. From Inveresk Road to the Damascus Road. From the North Sea to the Sea of Galilee the call on the life of faith and service is the same. For, finally, it is a journey for a lifetime, bringing with it joy and to true peace.

3rd Sunday of Advent

Reading: John 1:6-8,19-28

Reflection

Last week I mentioned how we wait and ask, ‘What name shall our name be?’ Here this morning we find john the Baptist facing the same question, as religious leaders grill him about who he is. Priests and Levites were sent from Jerusalem to do the detective work, not unlike some of the mysteries we watch on TV or at the cinema today. We need people to seek out the witnesses, to ask the questions, to establish the facts. I don’t know what your favourite genre is when it comes to reading or viewing but I enjoy the thriller, the suspense of the blow by blow account as truth is unravelled and revealed. We watch and listen as testimonies are given and character witnesses come forward but so too do the character assassins. I like nothing better than trying to work my way through the clues, the obvious as well as the more nuanced ones. It all adds up, for me anyway, to a climax of discovering whether you managed to get the correct result or where you miles off with who you thought to be the guilty and innocent ones. Let’s unpick our reading as if it was one of those thriller mystery stories. Those first two verses, 6 & 8 give us the grounding for all that follows ‘There came a man who was sent from God, his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.’ Let’s move then to what follows with John’s testimony. We know from the other gospel accounts that John baptised many people and still others went out to hear him preach. The Jewish leaders had to find out for themselves what all of this was about. John was aware that these leaders believed he himself thought he might be the Christ even though John had been abundantly clear on that issue, he was not. You might say they were clutching at straws. They were fumbling about in the dark. John has described himself as a witness to the light. The entire Jewish people were awaiting their Messiah. They were looking forward to the time when their nation would be set free from this Roman oppression. Their dream was for the kingdom of Israel to be re-established.

John makes it clear from the outset he is not the Christ. You can put a torch or any light under a cover but the light will still be there. Light has no shape or form, used in a confined or open space light throws off a different shape. You can shine the torch onto your hand but you can’t hold light in your hand. Light is something that makes vision possible. John’s gospel mentions light many times. Saying that light puts chaos to flight, light shows things as they really are and light guides or leads the way. The questioning begins. ‘Are you Elijah?’ one of the great prophets from their history. Elijah did not die but was carried up to heaven in a chariot. Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. The understanding then was quite natural to assume he would return before the Messiah and John was telling the people to prepare for that very Messiah. When John says he is not Elijah they turn their attentions elsewhere. This time they go all the way back to Moses and the book of Deuteronomy when Moses says a prophet like himself would rise up from within their people. A prophet who the Jews thought to be different than Elijah or the Messiah. After denying this too the priests and Levites appear to have run out of options. ‘who are you? Give us an answer that we can take back.’ In amongst those who had been sent where Pharisees, very strict among their people. They wanted an answer but they also wanted an explanation over and above. Where did John’s authority come from to be baptising people? Jews baptised gentiles who wanted to come into their fold but they believed that Jews did not need to be baptised. John, once again, makes everything very clear as too why he is there. He is a but a messenger sent ahead. He is one sent with the words, prepare the way, for the one who follows him has all authority. I wonder if we sometimes look at things the wrong way round. When we get so consumed with what we do rather than who we are. There are always things to be done in life as in church. Agendas drawn up for meetings. Planning and strategies thought through. Proper procedures to be followed are clarified and all of this so that we know what we are doing. What we do. How about we alter our approach? This morning we have seen John questioned. They already know what he does and are more interested in who he is. When we look to the life of Jesus we see much the same thing. From the prophets and the beginning of gospels we are told. He will be called Immanuel; God is with you. He will be the light of the world. He will be the word made flesh. He will be the Messiah. We get to know who he is and then what he does. He heals the sick and frees the prisoners. Remember those who questioned Jesus; the disciples of John asked, ‘are you the one who is to come?’ The Pharisees continually questioned Jesus on things such as healing on the Sabbath and forgiving people of their sin. Pilate asked him, ‘are you the king of the Jews?’ He could find nothing in what Jesus had done that would bring about a death sentence, but who he was did pose the Romans and the Jewish authorities a problem. Maybe we need to go back and the ask the question of ourselves, ‘who are we?’ then our witness for Christ may become stronger. Those first two verses, 6 & 8 ‘There came a man who was sent from God, his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning the light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.’

2nd Sunday of Advent

Reading: Isaiah 11:1-10

Reflection

Last week we heard about the great lights in the sky; the sun, moon and stars. The roaring seas and the land along with the heavenly bodies would all be shaken. The bible makes many references to the natural world. And in particular trees are central to many stories or parables, such as the fig tree from last week.

Right from the very first book of Genesis and the garden of Eden with all types of trees planted. Described this way in chapter two, ‘trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.’ And of course the tree in the middle of the garden, the tree of life, from which eating the fruits was forbidden. In the first Psalm we read about the man who is like the tree which is planted near the streams of water. It yields fruit in season and its leaves never wither. We here of the Jesse tree from the prophet Isaiah, and will return to that in a moment, but he also speaks later in the book about the time when the trees will clap their hands with joy as the hills and mountains burst into song. The New Testament continues with various references to trees and the imagery taken from them in different circumstances. Jesus speaks about being the vine and we are the branches. None more so than in the book of the Acts of the Apostles the reference is made to Jesus being killed by being hung on a tree. In homes up and down the country over the next couple of weeks trees will become a focal point for the family Christmas celebrations. They will be adorned with tinsel and baubles and of course the twinkling colourful lights. Let’s return to the opening verse from Isaiah. It sets everything in line. This shoot that will rise up from the stump of Jesse has the great message of hope for the Israelite people. The whole of the chapter conjures up the fondest memories for the people. Isaiah borrows images from three of the great events in their history. That opening verse reminding them of the days during king David’s reign. When Israel was still a united nation and they were a prosperous one too.

In the middle of the chapter vs 6-9 he takes them back to that garden of Eden when all was created to live in harmony with each other as the glory of God filled the air and gave life to all creatures. By the end of the chapter Isaiah reminds them of the great miracle of the Exodus when God dried up the sea that his people could cross over in safety. But having said all of that. He realises living in the past does not move his people forward. Revisiting these wonderful times in their nation’s history are employed to highlight the need to prepare for the future for that is where they, that is where we will live. Whatever ‘the good old days’ were or were not, the future time of peace will exceed it all. Where is the hope in this Jess tree?

The prophets tell the people of a time when a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him Immanuel. In every Jewish mother’s heart the expectation is Immanuel. Every child born could be Immanuel. The prophets proclaim the presence of God. And when Immanuel appears what will be? What hope is in our waiting? He will come to the aid of his people, to set them free. Salvation is every father’s hope in a new world for their children. In all of our waiting and all of our longing. We listen for the one who announces the Good News of God’s promise: we listen for our name as one whom God calls his own and we live in this hope for the world. And the prophet speaks. “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never put it out”. We call out to those who bring light, and who live within the light. Light gives us courage as we hope that our name will be amongst the ones God calls into the world, to be light in the darkness. The Jesse tree poem repeat. For those who wait for hope and light in Advent, who wait to hear their name called by God. We hear the words as the virgin speaks, “My soul is glad because of God my saviour, for God has remembered me, his lowly servant.” The song on every parent’s lips as they name their child. What name shall be our name? The ones God’s promise is for, whose world God is born into, whose life God interrupts, with heaven. And the Jesse Tree greens again, whose leaves become the names of God’s People, living within the longing and hope of Incarnation. For the time is surely coming, when the promise of God spoken to those ancient generations, will find fulfilment, among us.