Reading: Mark 4:1-20

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Reflection

We have now been introduced to the first of the disciples called by Jesus. We have seen the first of the opposition from those who are out to get him. We have been told how the crowds were amazed and worshipped God because of the things they have seen and heard from Jesus. The twelve disciples are now all in place, Jesus has healed many people and the crowds which follow are growing and so is the opposition. We now move into the next part of the unrolling of the Gospel according to Mark, the well-known collection of parables and the mystery of the Gospel with the tensions of faith and misunderstanding. Two years ago at this time we looked at some of the parables of Jesus so I intend not to do so again but to look at one of the first he delivered. Although they come to us as one block of sayings the likelihood is that the collection is either put together by Mark in this way or else this is the way they were presented to him and he is simply recording them thus. Certainly the longest and some would say the best known of these parables is this one about the sowing of the seeds, which unlike others, goes on to Jesus giving some explanation as to what the parable actually means.  We are given this picture image story of his preaching and his ministry, both the discouragements as wells as the consolations. Similar to the prophets of the Old Testament, similar too, the messenger of today. Jesus recognises that many of those who hear are unresponsive. He illustrates; the path, the rocky places, the thorns and the good soil. In amongst three of the four landings there is no reward whatsoever or at best a very short time of growth. Yet on that other one, the good soil where there was a good response, there is growth even up to one hundred times its yield. Just as is the case with the other parables Jesus draws it to a close with a challenge. ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ Put another way, ‘what kind of soil do you say you are?’ There are some questions and difficulty surrounding what Jesus says next as he draws the parable to a close and the disciples ask about his parables. Jesus says, ‘the secret of the kingdom has been given to you.’ This draws together that whole tension of faith and misunderstanding. Jesus was not trying to stop people from understanding. He is fulfilling a prophesy in verse 12 that was delivered in Isaiah chapter 9. The open hearted would be receptive to hearing the word and the hard hearted would not. A parable will reveal a hidden truth that only those who wish to know, only those who are seeking God will understand. By the responses of those who heard the parable Jesus could tell the condition of their heart; open or closed, hard or soft. Jesus could tell the condition of their attitude; humble or proud. The proud, hard hearted could see with their eyes but could not understand what it was they saw. They could see Jesus standing before them but they could not understand who Jesus was. Their ears would allow them to hear the words being spoken but the condition of the heart barred them from understanding. There were those who had already hardened their heart enough that they denied God. The spiritual eyes and ears of those are closed and they themselves, not Jesus, have done this. God does not hide spiritual truths from any of his children but it is they who make the choice in life not to see nor hear them for themselves. Matthew’s Gospel adds to that ending by saying, ‘but blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.’ Those who were in the company of Jesus were being blessed because they had seen and heard him. Many in the generations gone before had lived their entire lives looking to the day of the Messiah coming on earth but did not live to see it. Over the years we have all heard sermons delivered that would go into the explanations of the parable. Instead I want to move to what happens next and in doing so I want to start by going back a bit, as we visit the Old Testament prophet Isaiah again where we encounter God saying, ‘so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish want I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it’. The farmer who sows the seeds of God does not so in vain. Yes, there will be times and places where fruit will not grow but there will always be a harvest in some of the ground we cover. Jesus is not sending his people, including us, out in any deluded state. He tells us quite matter of fact. Things will not always be easy. There will be rocky places where roots will not take hold, there are thorns out there that will delight in choking the life out of good crops, but reassured there will always be fruit and a harvest for your toils. Some ground will need to be worked over several times, we might need to call on help to remove a particularly large and heavy rock but it can be done. The started point is hearing the word in the parable. Remember not all of the thorns are outside some might be within us; greed and anger, envy and aggression. The next step is discovering what kind of soil is in our heart? That we might return five, ten, one hundred fold the harvest of the word of God.

Introduction

Last week the kingdom began to go public with the calling of the first four disciples of Jesus. You may remember I said that next came the crowds. Those who wanted to follow and those who wanted to challenge the ministry of Jesus. This morning we will look at something of both of these scenarios as a large crowd gathers to hear his teaching. Jesus calls another disciple only this time the man called Levi does not fit in with the expectations and approval of the teachers of the law and the opposition to Jesus is born. Mark begins in chapter two to show us how almost right from the word go opposition to Jesus and the desire to follow him lived side by side in equal strength. What may surprise the reader is that the opposition appears to be sated within the religious authorities and the desire to follow is found in those who are at best on the fringes or more likely out with recognised establishment. Prior to our reading there is the recorded case of Jesus healing the man lowered down through the roof to him as his friends look for healing for him. In response to such faith Jesus says, ‘your sins are forgiven.’ This would be the blue touch paper that would set the fireworks off for the teachers of the law. ‘only God can forgive,’ they cried. ‘This man is blaspheming,’ they announced. And the crowds who witnessed it said they had never witnessed such a thing and they praised God. The contrast and the conflict has begun. It does not diminish any by the time we get to our reading.

Reading Mark 2:13-17

Reflection

Levi collects taxes on behalf of Herod Antipas. This was all the qualification required to be a very disliked man among the people. Add to that he had to mix with the gentiles in order to carry out his work then he also fell foul of the religious orthodox figures. Calling him to follow was offensive enough but Jesus goes further still and sits down to eat with this man and his friends to eat and given how I have described his position within the society, his friends would have also been generally shunned by all others. What grace, what wisdom, what compassion is displayed here in the actions of Jesus as he calls this man Levi. Grace shown to a sinner and if there were league tables of sinners then according to the times and the people of his society Levi would most definitely have been premier league material, right up there amongst the greatest of all sinners. Wisdom that calls a man who speaks both Greek and Aramaic, the main languages that most people would be speaking. Compassion that shows to everyone that the love of Jesus goes beyond what is seen on the outside only. Jesus wants to and does look beyond that and sees into our hearts. And the proof is there as we read Levi left everything, got up and followed him. Instead of condemning and avoiding sinners as the teachers of the law did. Jesus reaches out, Jesus calls on them to follow, ultimately Jesus shows them the love of God in action that cannot be mandated through law.

Reading Mark 2:18-22

Reflection

The point of contention here is to be found within the laws surrounding fasting in particular but in the coming together of the old ways and the new ways more generally. The Day of Atonement was the one day when fasting was to be observed. But as was the case in other matters the Pharisees attempts to show how righteous they were fasted on many other occasions. What we have here in this episode could be interpretation. Given Jesus statement surrounding the bridegroom and him being with them or not opens a window for John’s disciples to fast as he has been taken from them and is languishing in prison with no great prospect of ever being released to join with his disciples again so arguably they are fasting just as Jesus describes is right for them and therefor it can equally be claimed that it is right for the disciples of Jesus to continue eating and rejoicing as he is with them still but the time will come when he will be taken from them. Fasting was done in times of sorrow or out of fear. Jesus is not saying fasting in itself is wrong.

He fasted for forty days and nights alone in the desert. Fasting should not be used as a way of making yourself seem more righteous. It is not an action that needs to be taken because it is recorded in law that it must be done. When and if you decide to fast it must be for the right reasons and it must come from the heart within. This is where Jesus expands on the old ways and the new ways that are unfolding before them. Although not connected with fasting in itself how appropriate that we are lead to think about doing the old things in new ways and how the shape of things needs to change to enable the new ways to flourish. For some time now people within the church have been advocating the need for new ways. Now over the last ten months and who knows how many more to come we are faced again with the question. ‘how do we do church in a new way?’ Not centred on how do we kill off the old because we are fed up with it but rather it is how do we give birth to the new that allows our church, in whatever form it may take, to stay alive.

Reading: Mark 1:14-20

Reflection

Last week we began our journey through the Gospel according to Mark. Following on from his introduction the gospel breaks out into four main areas. Part one begins by the kingdom going public; from the disciples to the crowds who follow from a safer distance and then those who oppose Jesus teaching. He tells us about the crowds who gather around the edges, tilting their head trying to hear a word or stretching their neck trying to see some kind of show. There are those in the crowd serious about wishing to hear and see and follow just as there are those who will in the end turn against Jesus in a very public way. One could argue a picture from day one about the life of the world in relation to Jesus. Part two presents the mystery of the kingdom; we are led through those tensions of faith and misunderstanding and how these may or may not sit side by side. Part three sees that mystery unveiled through the cross and the way of discipleship for those who follow, not only at that time in history, but in later generations too, including our own. Part four guides us through Mark’s account of the king coming to Jerusalem to die. Of course just as there was introduction so to there is an epilogue which tells us the story is not over. I said last week that 90% of the Gospel according to Mark can be found in the other gospels. This morning’s reading is one such case as it appears in all the others. Similar to Mark it appears in the first chapter of John’s but in the other two it appears a few chapters in. We begin then by unpicking some of part one the kingdom goes public. John is arrested and in prison, Jesus takes to the countryside. The tensions in the city would have increased somewhat because of John. Throughout the gospel we are told Jesus spent his time in the more rural settings. Almost two thirds of his adult life and ministry was in the more remote northern regions. Which are in stark contrast to the city with its temple courts and market places with its political toing and froing. Jesus found much more solace in the lush, picturesque villages and surrounding country. He only really visited the city areas during the festival times. Jesus calls the first of his disciples and we/they are on the move. This is where we will concentrate our thoughts this morning as Mark reveals the disciples who journey close by Jesus. Notice how Jesus speaks in ways that people understand. He knows these men are fisherman and the work that entails. The long hours, the uncertainties, the reliance on one another and the work that goes on by others once their catch has been landed. Elsewhere Jesus uses farming examples and terminology for example, when he speaks about the harvest being ready but the workers are few. Or the farmer sowing seeds and the different ground it can fall on. Using terminology and phrases that those who hear him would be familiar with and indeed most likely speak in similar ways. Except of course Jesus adds to it. Now these disciples will become fishers of people. Often when looking at this well-known passage the normal train of thought centres around the calling and what all of that means. This morning I want us to do something slightly different.

I want to stop and have a look at who these four men are. If being called by Jesus is a call into personal relationship, then surely it would be good for us to know something of the ones Jesus first called. Simon and his brother Andrew, brothers James and John who were the sons of Zebedee. Andrew’s name comes from the Greek, meaning ‘the virile one’. A native of Bethsaida he lives with his brother Simon in Capernaum. John’s Gospel says that Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist before becoming one of the first disciples of Jesus to be called by him to follow. It is Andrew who informs Jesus of the young boy who has the bread and the fish at the feeding of the five thousand. Together with Philip the brothers act as mediators between those of a Greek background and Jesus. We know so much about Simon who is to become renamed Peter by Jesus. It is Peter who will be the rock upon which the church is built. He has his struggles when following Jesus. Remember he is the one who denies knowing him three times and then is reinstated by the risen Christ three times. He is there at all the pivotal moments of Jesus life, the highs such as the transfiguration, as well as the lows such as Jesus arrest. The other brothers are James and John. They are always referred to and associated with each other. These are the two who will later ask Jesus if they can have the best two seats in his new kingdom at his right and left hand. Later in the gospel according to Mark we will find them in Simon’s house at Capernaum. Later still we discover that they will be given instruction on the fall of Jerusalem. They are indeed part of this first group of four, arguably privileged disciples as they, like Simon, are to be found in all the dramatic events that unfold. Jesus calls these men, he tells them to leave everything behind and follow him. As I said earlier, he makes reference to what they already know as fishermen and tells they will become fishers of people. Jesus takes what is natural to this group, their abilities and talents, their knowledge and transforms all of it for the kingdom of God. In the same way we are invited. In the same way Jesus takes our skillset and transforms all of that for the same kingdom of God as those earliest disciples were called to serve. I can image Jesus this morning inviting all of us to insert our name where the names of the two sets of brothers are that we might accept the invitation to follow him. Across our congregation and others God recognises our gifts and calls us accordingly.

Reading: Mark 1:1-11

Reflection

I mentioned last week that we would go on a journey through Mark’s Gospel over the next month or two. I think we may just follow it through to Easter. Can I begin by correcting myself. It is not, as we often refer to it as, Mark’s gospel but it is The Gospel according to Mark. I said last week you may wish to read the Gospel during your own private devotional time and it brought to mind a story I once read. I am not utterly convinced it actually happened or it is something written to convey a message. It reminded me of a story of university lecturer when the speaking to a class. He said the subject of his next lecture would be the gospel of Mark chapter seventeen and encouraged his students to read it before the lecture. When the class next gathered he asked them if they had prepared for his lecture by reading the said chapter. Everyone of them raised their hand. The lecturer thanked them for their diligence and said, ‘it is to people like you the next lecture on the spirit of truth is addressed.’ There is no seventeenth chapter in Mark’s Gospel. Our reading today is the same as last week when we heard the Moderator of the General Assembly giving a reflection on it. Today we will not look so much at the content of the reading itself as look to it as the introduction to the Gospel. I recently watched one  of the old Columbo films on TV, now before you start calling me out as a heretic, I am not comparing Columbo with the gospels but I did wonder if the writer of these films was familiar with the Gospel according to Mark as the similarities in style are quite evident. We the reader/viewer get to know right at the start what the ending will be. The opening scene could just as well be the closing one. We spend our time with the plotline being unfolded before our eyes. The characters in the film/Gospel are unaware of what we the reader/viewer knows. In the film it is the guilty one who is known to us but kept secret from the others in the film. In the Gospel we all know Jesus is the Messiah but the disciples seem to let this pass them by. The authorship is ascribed to John Mark but his name does not appear in the gospels. It is said that he was the young man who witnessed the arrest of Jesus. According to the book of Acts and other epistles he may have been the son of a woman named Mary whose house in Jerusalem was used as a meeting place for the church there. Along with his cousin Barnabas he travelled with the Apostle Paul to Antioch. Mark was not one of the twelve but his gospel is believed to be the first one written and has all the hallmarks of a first-hand witness account, possibly Simon Peter, from whom Mark gathered his information. The first verse states quite clearly, ‘The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’ It is the gospel of Jesus not the gospel of Mark. It is the gospel that does not stand around, it moves with great haste from one situation to another. There is no time to waste no small talk dialogue that adds nothing to the substance of the message being conveyed. There is no room offered for personal reflections by those included in the writing. It is a gospel that flows seamlessly from the vast crowd scene to the individual. From that opening statement it makes no apology for placing Jesus as the main character as it tirelessly follows him from place to place, recording what the author believes to be relevant information for the reader to stay with the storyline. I am sure most of us have listened more carefully to statements being issued by politicians and scientists and possibly even media sources over the last ten months than we have done over the previous ten years. I am also pretty certain I am not the only one who is sometimes left baffled when decisions are reached or announcements are made that appear to have no correlation what so ever to the same source material that is informing these decision makers. Some critics pass the same observation over, what appears on the surface, to be different or conflicting gospel accounts. Truth is that 90% of the Gospel according to Mark appears somewhere, in varying degrees, in the other three gospels. This of course makes Mark the source material from which others have drawn from and expanded on. Mark’s is simply shorter and more concise, the others have the same gospel but their message is to different audiences. I am sure we all know the person who uses 100 words and 30 seconds later we have the gist of the story. I am equally sure we all know the person who uses 1,000 words and 20minutes later we still have no idea where they are going. Different people communicate in different ways. Different people receive information in different ways. For some minimal is ample yet for others every minute detail is required. The author of Mark was most likely writing for a Roman audience as there is no great cross reference to Old Testament laws. In contrast Matthew from the very beginning connects the birth of Jesus to an Old Testament genealogy. No other gospel writer makes more reference to the Old Testament than Matthew. Luke can be read in a much more historical way with lots of detail to places and times and names. Then John very unlike the rest. The assumption is that people will know the basics covered in the first three gospel narratives. John writes to us about light and dark, wisdom and folly, he writes about signs. He writes to challenge the intellectuals of his day. When Mark was being penned the church people were under great persecution. It is recorded in other writings that those in the early church where being set alight at Nero’s garden parties and used as human torches. Peter and Paul had both been executed. This writing that we know as the gospel according to Mark was written around the year 65AD. It was written for the church in Rome. The emphasis was that the kingdom of God had dawned through Jesus. A new Exodus had begun and the kingly messiah had arrived among his people.

Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.”When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

 ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.’” Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Reflection: the wonderful gift

We are not going to go over that worn out phrase for this year, ‘well it’s been a different Christmas than we are used to.’ Oh if only I had been given a pound for every time I heard that phrase over the last few weeks. But I do suppose this year may be the first time we still have gifts either to receive or give because we have not been able to mix with each other so there is something else different. In fact, as I was writing this during the week my brother-in-law phoned to ask if he could deliver gifts that morning. Of course needless to say it was all done in a safely distanced manner. I want to concentrate on the gift aspect of Epiphany this year. The Magi are mainly remembered for travelling far to deliver their presents, gifts they presented to the infant Jesus, valuable gifts, the best that they could offer, to the new born King. Our Christmas gift giving and receiving is special to all of us as we share with those whom we love in this outward expression of that love. The Magi gave because they had been given to. They gave their gifts because of that star which they followed to the Christ child. What an amazing gift for these astrologers. They spent most of their time gazing at the stars. Out of all the stars on which they could have focused, God led them to see the one that would lead them to Jesus. On any clear night look up to the sky in the wee pocket of the universe that is ours and see if you can count the visible stars then wonder how many stars are there in the universe? I don’t know how accurate this statement is but it has been said, there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches in the world combined! Go ahead count them and let me know. No wonder that, when we look into the night sky, the vastness of it amazes us, when we are seeing only a tiny fraction of our own solar system, which is, in turn, only a tiny fraction of the universe. God directed the Magi to the one star that made all the difference. According to the gospels, the first announcement of the birth of the Messiah was to Jewish shepherds, men who lived on the fringe of Hebrew society. The second announcement was to Gentiles, to the Wise Men, people who lived on the outside of that society. It took much debate and the heroic efforts of people like Paul to make full Gentile inclusion in the Church a reality. But God’s truth won out: salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ and nothing else. We come in from different backgrounds, but we all come in the same way: through Christ. There is something of great value here at the beginning of this new year. God went to the very extreme to include the outsiders; people like us, in the truth that the salvation of people is a great gift from God. Through the revelation of God to the Magi he was speaking not only to them but to the whole world. God’s sign to the Magi signalled from the very beginning the gift of his Son was for all, not just for a select few. The Magi were foreigners, astrologers who practiced another religion. All of this ought to have disqualified them from this encounter with the Messiah. And yet God showed them and they followed the star. In the coming of Christ, the walls have come down, that the door is opened to all, the Church gathered around Christ is to be a Church that makes no distinctions; race, gender, or social standing.  What a most beautiful gift God has given us of a great multifaceted collection of people who can—and should—make up the Church. Of course like some of the gifts we exchange we don’t always take advantage of those that are given to us. God has given us many wonderful gifts; Salvation, fellowship, our Bibles, a freedom to exercise our faith, and so much more. How much of God will we miss out on if we don’t accept God’s gift? How, though, are we responding to these tremendous gifts to us? Unlike the Magi with their learning that moved them to make that journey we may not have the bright star to guide our footsteps along the way but the light of Christ shines bright still across our world. As we embark upon a new year so too we continue on our journey of faith and discovering God afresh each new day.

Reading: John 1:1-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into beingin him was life,and the life was the light of all people.The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Reflection

Last Sunday we looked at the word incarnate and explored how we will encounter God incarnate this Christmas time. How this may well differ for each of us. And even for ourselves how this may differ on any given day or whatever experience we are going through. Then during the watchnight service, we looked at a couple of names that the prophet Isaiah gave to the Bethlehem babe: wonderful counsellor and prince of peace. A counsellor, one to whom we can turn at any time and for whatever reason. Someone who will listen and who cares enough for us that we can be truly honest in their presence. The prince of peace, how we long for his peace to be upon our world and within our lives. When peace becomes the default position

of rulers and governments. When peace such as the world cannot give becomes ours to own. What do we do now with this cosmic Word of God, somehow become flesh? This morning we go a bit further as we open up John’s gospel. We move from incarnate with its Latin origins to Logos and its Greek origins. The Gospel of John says the Word was “in the beginning.” “The Word was with God.” “The Word was God.”

“In him was life and the life was the light of all people.” He says further, “The light shines in the darkness….” If you are familiar with musical pieces such as ballets, musicals or operas you will know that the overture introduces the audience to the tunes that are to come in the work. It joins together the more significant musical themes which in itself can be very engaging. The importance though is all about being prepared fully for the whole performance. This passage this morning is often referred to as ‘The Prologue’ to John ‘s Gospel and is more like an overture than an introduction. Almost every sentence contains signals of what will come later. The God who cares passionately and loves sacrificially takes the initiative to live the human life in order that humanity might fulfil God’s purpose and hope for them. Whilst some failed to recognise him and some rejected him, those who responded, witnessed his glory and were able to know God. The experience of the Word made flesh evokes faith and then witnesses to it. John’s famous use of Greek word logos, translated in English to ‘the Word’ in chapter 1 was a well-worn concept that he takes up and transforms. Being the home to the philosopher Heraclitus, many scholars believe Ephesus is the city where John wrote the Gospel. It was around 560 BCE that Heraclitus argued that the whole world is in a state of flux, but that there is one thing holding it all together. It was the logos, the word, the reason of the divine. By the logos the universe was created, by logos the world is sustained, by logos humans are able to reason. In the city with the strongest of logos traditions, the author of the fourth Gospel claims that this overarching force, binding the universe together and conferring life upon all humanity, became a real, mortal, touchable, vulnerable human being. In this short passage our attention is drawn both to the nearness and the infinite reach of the divine, the presence and yet unfathomable riches of the logos, the immanence and the transcendence of God. It sometimes seems as if the darkness of what people do to each other and to themselves, sooner or later, will put out the light. But John says of the light that is Christ, “and the darkness has not overcome it.” That’s the Gospel—which is indeed “good news.” We need to know that there is something which cannot be overcome by the darkness of this world’s death and destruction. John’s Gospel is speaking of that which becomes the most cherished of beliefs, the Incarnation. God knows about the darkness which we face in this world. And the darkness has not, cannot, and will not overcome the light which is God shining in and through Jesus.

Reading: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 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 sixth month.For no word from God will ever fail.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Reflection

Well folks we have just about made it. We are but a few days away from celebrating Christmas Day.

Who would have thought that four weeks ago we would have made it here in one piece with all our patience intact and not a cross word been spoken to or by us. Who would have thought we would have turned into our children as we sighed, ‘Are we there yet?’ The right word at the right time can be so important any time of year but in and around Christmastime I think it becomes even more significant what we say to each other and how we respond to what is said. We have heard the word of the Prophet. We have heard the word of preparation. I wonder how the journey of Advent has been for you. Have you had time to sit back and relax? Have you been running about mad for weeks on end? How has it all been for You? We hear words this morning that are about to propel the world into a new era. Words used to describe to Mary what is about to happen to her that will change everything forever. We are told that Mary was ‘greatly troubled by the words of the angel’. God is about to become incarnate. What does the word incarnate mean? I have a book in my study entitled, ‘Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms’. I bought it when I was a student at New College. Incarnation comes from Latin caro or carnis both meaning flesh. Placing in before this gives us our understanding God in the flesh. The eternal second part of the trinity God became a human being. Took on flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Christ therefore becomes as John’s gospels puts it, the word made flesh. That tells us what the root of the word. It gives a very basic and simple theology of the word. But how are we to make sense of all of that for now, for our time? During a zoom meeting with colleagues we were discussing how we are going to approach Christmas in this most difficult of years. One question we discussed at length was. What has been the main learning experience of this year? We spoke about how so much of the Church’s life centres around that coming together as a community of faith. And the impact the partial reopening of our churches with very limited numbers and restrictions, limiting the experience for those who come to worship. How so much of the work we do as ministers involves being with people. And how visiting people in hospital or in their home has been restricted. In effect I suppose we were discussing. What does it mean this year for God to be incarnate? In Jesus, God was all about going to people meeting and speaking with them; sharing in fellowship and encouraging them; challenging them on how they may change their lives. A couple of my colleagues lamented over how they are missing this social interaction. From the cup of tea following a service to the one to one pastoral privileges that go with the job. In a year when speaking with people who were trying to arrange the funeral of a loved one how difficult it has been to convey the presence of God when we are apart when the most compassionate and caring thing we can do is to be distanced from each other. In a year when weddings have been cancelled and family gatherings curtailed. But the story goes on. The journey it continues. How will these changes affect the future? Now there’s a question that just may require us to revisit the words of Mary from the end of our reading. Mary answered, ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ The visitor comes to Mary with good news. Mary questions how all of this can be. The angel reassures her that God is with her. Mary questions how this will be. An explanation is given and Mary accepts the will of God for her life. Mary has journeyed from a position of asking, ‘What kind of greeting is this?’ to an acceptance that asks ‘How will this be?’ A subtle change in the wording but an enormous shift in the outlook now for Mary. How we experience the incarnate God in our lives may differ for each of us. For many of our church family it is all about the coming together; and the stories of faith which we share together. For many it is in their prayer life as they turn to God to guard and to guide, in each and every circumstance. For others it is joining together in church; seeing one another and being in God’s presence.

The incarnate Christ is there in our midst.

Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

Reflection: The Kingdom

Isaiah tells us the Spirit of the Lord is on him, and proclaims a future when it will rest on us also as brothers and sisters of the living God. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What is it like, this kingdom? The message for this third Sunday in Advent is all about an understanding of and knowledge about life in the kingdom of God. There will be an abundance of food and understanding and wisdom.

The poor and the needy will be rescued and cared for, the oppressed will be made safe and healed, justice and mercy will reign, righteousness and equity will be the order of the day. There will be the release of a tremendous power that can actually transform nature. And this power will bring peace, a harmony and order of things that will last forever and will transform our lives forever. It is the life in the presence of God, the life in God’s kingdom, the life in Christ. The opening verses are coming direct from the prophet later in Luke’s gospel Jesus quotes verse one and the first line of verse two before saying to the people, ‘today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ We belong to a religion of relationship, not a religion of law.

In a religion of law all we have to do is follow the rules. We don’t need to engage with them in any meaningful way, we don’t need to interpret them or discuss their merits we simply, even blindly, follow the rules as they are laid down before us. If a messiah is part of the package, it is our job to wait for that messiah to come, following the rules in the meantime. In a religion of relationship, in Christianity, our job is to acknowledge our relationship with God and to engage in that relationship. It is hard to have a healthy relationship with someone if you never show up or only rarely acknowledge their existence. The relationship does exist no matter what you do, but it is simply an unhealthy or inactive relationship if you fail to participate as an active partner. Isaiah offers great hope to people of his time just as that same hope is offered to people today. This promised Messiah will be God in relationship with his people. The broken hearted will be bound up. The captives will be set free. No more will people carry the ashes of mourning instead they will be anointed with the oil of gladness. No more will despair and gloom be the outlook for this will be replaced with a garment of praise. There will be a rebuilding of the things which the people held dear in their hearts. The restoration of Jerusalem following the exile. The restoration of God’s people when the Saviour comes. God’s promises are for all of us, they are essential if we are to live into the full power and joy and contentment of relationship with God.

Reading: Isaiah 61:8-11

“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.” I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

Reflection: Rejoice

From the words of Isaiah we turn now to the words of the Lord confirming everything that Isaiah has said before. Now God proclaims this everlasting covenant that he will make with his people. If we believe that God can see that we live in harmony with one another, then we must allow God to be at the centre of that harmony; if we believe that God can heal us, we must allow God’s hand to implement that healing; if we believe that God can forgive the sins we have committed, then we must allow God to forgive those sins.

God is pastoral; God loves this glorious relationship with us. We have to prepare a way for God, through Christ and his spirit, to enter into our lives and also a way for God’s message to come out again from us. The prophet, Isaiah, is looking to and speaking of a time when a descendent of David will bring in a reign of justice and peace when all of creation will live in harmony. It is a picture of not only how things could be, but what they will be like under the leadership of the new king. The king will be unlike any other, who has gone before him, deemed as fit for the job because of their royal birth. He will have the Spirit of God working in and through him bringing out such gifts of leadership that are necessary to govern wisely and deal with people justly yet firmly. Christ the Messiah is seen as both Saviour and judge. Saviour to those who believe and judge of those who don’t. It is not unrealistic to look on this time between the first coming of Christ and the second as, ‘The year of the Lord’s favour.’ This is the time when we are offered salvation. The choices we make in this life may well determine if Christ returns as our Saviour or judge. In verse 11 the prophet describes what the new kingdom will be like painting a scene of paradise regained. ‘For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.’ The world is turned the right way up once again with peace and harmony, equality and justice the marks of the new kingdom. Through all of this his message is one of hope for all God’s people. A time to sow the seeds of hope is here and now. The king is coming not just to individuals, but to communities and nations also. The king is not working in isolation from his people, but in partnership with them. In a world where there are many voices there is a need for a clear voice to speak clearly for God.

The Christ of Christmas

Micah 5 – 1-9

As a whole, people look forward to Christmas with more anticipation than any other season of the year. It is truly a time of rejoicing, bright eyes, giving and receiving of gifts, much delicious food, and visiting of relatives and friends. However, Christmas would have very little real depth of meaning apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. It is his birth date that we celebrate this season of the year, and it is the Christ of Christmas that is the subject for this message. The Christ of Christmas from birth to his present status is a revelation from God.

A. In Christ’s birth, one can see the power of God to rise above the natural and manifest himself in a miraculous way.

The Babe in Bethlehem was one of the greatest miracles of all times. He was the pre-existent one now in earthly existence. He was the eternal God in the form of a fleshly child.

No one but an ever-present God could do this. The Babe in Bethlehem was born of a virgin without an earthly father. This also reveals God at work in an unusual way. Only one who had all power would be able to break a natural law and bring one into the world as God did Christ. The Babe in Bethlehem is a proof of God’s fulfillment of prophecy. Hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus, God had promised such an event with many little details spelled out. This is a revelation of God’s knowledge and of his ability to carry out plans.

        B. In Christ’s life, one can see the nature and characteristics of God at work.

The Bible speaks of God as love, and no greater revelation of love can be found and/or manifested than in Jesus Christ. He loved all. This all is all-inclusive regardless of how people might be catalogued or characterized. There are no exceptions. The Bible speaks of God’s being no respecter of persons.  In the life of Jesus, one can see the validity of  such a statement.  In him the worth of each person is emphasized.

The Bible also speaks of Jesus as a God of compassion, and his very movements while on earth manifested God as a God of compassion.

C.    In Jesus’ death, one can see the sacrifice of God to redeem lost people. In Jesus, God died physically and spiritually to pay the price of sin.

The wages of sin is death. This death is physical, but it is also separation from God, and Jesus paid the full price. Jesus shed his blood for the remission of sin. From the beginning of time, blood sacrifices played a major role in the atonement for sin. But when Jesus died, his was a sacrifice once and for all, and apart from his sacrifice, there is no remission of sin.

D.    In his resurrection, ascension, and intercession, one can see God as mighty, ruling, and victorious.

The resurrection reveals power over enemy number one—​death and the grave. When Jesus arose from the grave, he broke the power of death and the grave, and so he reveals God. The ascension reveals God’s power over time and physical laws. The intercession reveals God and his concern for all people of all time.

E.    In Jesus’ coming again, one can see the cleansing and ruling Christ.

 The Christ of Christmas is worthy of a lofty place in the lives of all people.

A.    He is worthy of worship, and people do worship him.

To worship Christ aright—​in spirit and in truth—​we must surrender our

lives to him for salvation. Then Jesus becomes a personal Saviour, and this is his purpose of coming into the world. Christ is to be worshiped privately the year around. He is to be worshiped publicly in the church throughout the year. Christ is to be worshiped in adoration. Everyone ought to see him as God and as Saviour and manifest reverent admiration for him. Christ is to be worshiped in praise. All Christians are to praise his name, his works, his love, and his redeeming grace. Christ is to be exalted because of love for him and appreciation to him.

B.    Christ is worthy of one’s life and possessions.

In him one’s life is its very best, and apart from him it is inferior. In him a life is what it ought to be, and apart from him it is less than the best. In him one’s possessions are sanctified, cleansed, and multiplied for good.

C. Christ is worthy of recognition and consultation by the entire world.

 It is natural to want to share Christ, and it is beneficial to consult him in every facet of life.

Conclusion

This is the Christmas season.  In your buying of gifts, do not forget Christ. Think of missions.

Think of the church and include Christ in the expenditure of money. In our seeking of happiness and a good time, take him into our lives, and he will give supreme happiness.

Mark 13:24-37

“But in those days, following that distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’“At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.Be on guard! Be alert^[c]! You do not know when that time will come.It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.“Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”

Reflection

In the days of Advent, as we wait for Christmas we should take time to remind ourselves that God wants us to rise to the life He intends us to know and to enjoy. Advent is a time of preparation. In our day and age Christmas, with all its extravagance, has all but removed Advent off the map altogether. This reading starts with one of those predictions of the way things will be when the end is nearly upon the world. Perhaps the truth is there are always indications that the world is not as it should be. We are called to wait expectantly for the day that Jesus has promised. We have let the idea of the Second Coming of Christ slip to the back of our thinking. I wonder how central it is in our faith journey today. Yet Jesus did promise that he would return one day, and in Advent we should be aware that we are not only awaiting our celebration of his first coming in the Babe of Bethlehem, but also his coming again at the end of time to usher in the Kingdom as he promised. Remember what it was like as a wee boy or girl waiting for the arrival of Christmas. There was a great deal of excitement. There was the worry that, perhaps Santa Claus would not come, or would not bring the toy, or game, or book that we so eagerly wanted. As December passed by the level of anticipation rose until, on the night of Christmas Eve, many children were then, and are still, unable to get to sleep. I wonder if that was anything like the attitude of the People of God as they waited for the coming of the Messiah? Were they a people literally quivering with excitement anticipating their liberation and vindication at the hands of God? This was very much part of their understanding of what God would do for them, they were attuned to waiting for God to act on their behalf. I imagine something of their patience was firmly grounded in their history. I also imagine there were the not so patient ones, who were eager to make things happen. The People of God believed that ill favour befell them when they didn’t live up to God’s demands of them. Whether it was travelling through the Exile, or enduring the Roman occupation, they thought that their misfortune was the result of God’s displeasure. Only when their penance had been served, would vindication come. They didn’t doubt that they would be vindicated. They were sure that God would act for them. Today do we still carry that same kind of message? We believe this because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, who came that first Christmas to bring us back into a right relationship with the God who made us and who loves us. I believe that, because of Jesus, God forgives us when we are truly repentant, and will continue to love us. Perhaps repentance is a concept that we have moved away from in our society. “Sorry” is said lightly, and only when someone has been found out. We live in a world and a society which has come to expect only good. A society that was so sure of itself and the control it had over the world it would quite comfortably predict what tomorrow will bring without as much as a smidgeon of second thought. It was beyond the big thinkers of our time to doubt unending economic growth with increasing prosperity and greater comfort in the world through the years. Of course none of us need to be told that this year has thrown an almighty spanner in that works. Until the early part of this year everything had become so predictable in life that to speak out with a message that jarred with the mainstream would be different enough that it could be easily dismissed. I suspect that this is why Advent may have lost its potency. Christmas appears to have gate crashed its forerunner and taken over by at least midway through. Jesus calls us to watch and to wait, and to be ready. Will Christmas rush towards us again this year and find us unprepared, when Christ comes we are not ready to receive him. The message of Advent calls us to look to what is important. It reminds us that we can be assured of God’s love, for it was in love He came among us in Christ. Jesus assures us of God’s forgiveness; hope and strength are ours through him.