Lectionary for Easter 4

Lectionary for Easter 4

This is God’s commandment, we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them.       1 John 3:23-24

Reading. Acts 4:5-12 Luke writes the book of Acts to tell his contemporary world about Christianity and the action of the church. From this story we see that almost immediately those who preached and taught would often find themselves in trouble with the authorities. It is not so much the secular authorities who are first objecting but the religious leaders and the person charged with keeping order in the temple. It is religious leaders who find Peter and John worthy of being arrested. One of the reasons for the arrest would have been the fear that too loud and excited a crowd within the Temple precinct could have resulted in the temple guard being called. If the crowd became too unruly Roman soldiers might have entered to temple to attend to the crowd but their presence would have created a greater possibility of a full scale riot. Therefore the excited crowd gathering around Peter and John would have been a great source of anxiety for the temple authorities. Equally the crowd who gathered around the Apostles would have threatened the power and authority of the religious leaders. The High Priest and his cohort were the ones who had the religious training to teach and so when two untrained nobodies had the temerity to presume to teach this would have caused great annoyance. Furthermore it seems that these “nobodies” had drawn a larger crowd than did the teaching of the authorised Leaders.  Luke’s story emphasises that it is power that is at the forefront of their objections for the officials ask, “By what power or name”, do you present this teaching. The response of Peter would have been hard for the religious leaders to hear. It brought a stern response. Jesus had warned his disciples that they would experience strong opposition when they continued the ministry he had begun. The arrest gave Peter and John the opportunity to witness to the key leaders about the ongoing power of Jesus. Luke is reminding everyone, from highest to lowest that the work of Jesus is still ongoing in the world. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”Acts 4:12 NRSV

Prayer. Gracious God. We thank you for the power of your word to touch hearts and change lives. We thank you for the presence of your Spirit giving to your people the confidence to speak out in your name; and we thank you for the many ambassadors who have risked all in order to lift high the Name of Jesus. As we think of our reading today, we pray for those many people who even today are abused and imprisoned because of their faith in you. We pray for those who across our world are persecuted for belonging to Jesus Christ. Still we praise you that despite the persecution your word and your work goes on in the world and we look forward to that day, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. In our own situations may we be bold enough to live and speak in honour of you, who lives and reigns ever one God, now and forever. Amen

Reading. John 10:11-18 Some time ago an article written about Jesus the Good Shepherd said something like: “If we want to grasp the meaning of Jesus as the shepherd we must get rid of the idea that to be following Jesus the shepherd allows us to bleat like a gentle lambkin. They are strong words and yet it is important to see that the title of “Good Shepherd” is not simply a romantic notion.

The title of Shepherd reaches back into Israel’s history when they were nomadic tribes. In that situation the shepherd’s task of keeping the flocks together was both important and difficult. It was shepherding skills that gave the young soon to be king David, the ability to kill Goliath. The shepherd kept the flock together and also kept it from harm. As such Jesus has come to gather God’s flock and then lead and defend the flock. The Good Shepherd leads the flock to the pastures of salvation there they have the opportunity to feed and be rested, healed and grow. To have Jesus as shepherd is to have peace, and life! All of that rests on the headship of the Shepherd. To be under the headship of the shepherd is to find our proper place in life, and gain a true understanding of who and whose we are.

That is all well understood but within that we need to also understand that a biblical/eastern image of a shepherd is quite different from our understanding. Here we drive our sheep, herding them together with dogs or utes. That is not the picture in the minds of either the psalmists or the New Testament writers. The shepherd walked ahead calling to the sheep of his flock. The sheep followed. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:4

Calling them by name is not a romantic understanding it is a matter of obedience. So the flip side of having Jesus as shepherd is the response of obedience. Only then do we know our rightful place in life.

Prayer. Lord, you are the Great Shepherd of the sheep. We thank you for your faithfulness to all generations. Your love and care is beyond our expectation. In all the situations of life you are there to help and guide. By your grace, keep us ever faithful to you: always following in your ways and obedient to your guidance. By your Spirit renew in us a strong desire to maintain that unity which is your plan and purpose for all of your family. May we be faithful and always play our part, looking always to Jesus our Saviour and Lord. This we ask in his most precious name. Amen

Collect. O God, Creator and Father, you show the risen Lord resplendent in glory whenever healing is bestowed in his name upon the infirmity of our human condition. Gather your scattered children into the unity of one family, so that, following closely after Christ our good shepherd, we may taste the joy of being your children. We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lectionary for Easter 3

Lectionary For Sunday Easter 3

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. 1 John 3:1

Reading. 1 John 3:1-7. This short passage describes the ongoing challenge in the Christian walk. There is great comfort in the opening verses, reminding us that we belong to a family. This is a special family namely it is God’s family. It reinforces the understanding that we are accepted by God and destined to be with God. There is both a present and a future hope within this destiny. Then, there is also the challenge of living a righteous life. No wonder Paul cries out in Romans 7:24, “Who will rescue me from this body of death?”  John in our passage reminds us that God’s action towards us is determined by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus: Through this ministry we are included into the family as perfect children. That perfection may not be appreciated as yet but in the future what we are because of Gods’ work in us will be fully revealed. Remembering that we are already made perfect in God’s sight is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. However it is accepting this mystery that helps us live the life that God requires. We know and understand our propensity to fall short but as we remember what God through Jesus has done our longing to be obedient to God increases. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit we are born again and so we are given a new start. It is the Holy Spirit who helps and empowers us to live the Christian life. With the Holy Spirit’s urging and reminding, we are held in close relationship with Father God and from that relationship peace and love flow. The greater the peace and love, the easier it is to live in the way that God requires. Although each believer lives surrounded by the trials and temptations that this present world contains it is the Spirit that reminds us that no matter what happens nothing can separate us from the love of God and therefore because of Jesus our future with God is always assured. For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 2 Co 5:14 NRSV.

Prayer. Holy Lord God; with every living thing we give you all praise and honour: with all we are we lift your name on high. We praise you for your faithfulness to your people through all generations. We thank you that by your grace Jesus Christ came for all to be both Lord and Saviour. We thank you for the victory that has been won for us by his total ministry on the cross. We thank you that by his everlasting love we have been united in one great family with You, the Lord of all creation. May we in all our ways acknowledge you the one true God whose love surrounds us even until eternity. Amen

Reading. Luke 24:36b-48. We are so used to the story of Jesus appearing to his disciples that we often fail to understand how terrifying it would have been to be suddenly standing alongside your friend: The very one who, only a few days previously you had seen die a horrible death. Like us they would not have been thinking that a return was likely, they would have been too consumed with grief to think in any sensible way. This passage follows on from the story of the walk to Emmaus and it is clear that the disciples are struggling to understand what is going on. Despite all those uncomfortable feelings here is Jesus standing with them in the locked upper room. Jesus’ message to them in the midst of all their grief and anguish is to “Be at peace” Though the disciples are still finding it hard to grasp what this all means, Jesus shares food with them and just as on previous occasions begin to teach them from the scriptures. Things had profoundly changed and yet Jesus was doing things which are so very normal. At the end of our passage is the command that the disciples are witnesses to the events that have just unfolded.

Luke is writing perhaps a whole generation or more after the resurrection by which time the events of Easter have been spoken about and thought about a great deal. Luke is adding his emphasis to this discussion. The first point that Luke notes is that Jesus came to assure them of his peace and presence. Luke also notes that the disciples took awhile to fully understand what had happened. The significance of Luke’s recollection is that Jesus is not only alive but is equipped with a body that can eat food and yet can also walk through a locked door. The resurrection of Jesus marks a new beginning, things have changed and will never be the same again. Then Luke reminds his readers that as they come to that point of belief that Jesus is alive, then they in turn are commanded to be witnesses to these world changing events.

Prayer. Lord we lift our hands and hearts to you in prayer. Lead us in our thinking and speaking. We thank you for the victories that Jesus won for us. We thank you that these were victories which have meaning in the events of every day. Through him our life and destiny has been changed. We pray for your church: that it may bear witness to the work of Jesus Christ your Son, revealing you to all humanity and reconciling all to you.

We pray that the gospel of Jesus may be known and believed by people across the world. May young and old, rich and poor, those of every race, nation and language realise what Jesus Christ has done for them. And because of Him, may we all recognise each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Teach us to love each other as you have loved each of us. May we use your gifts of salvation and peace to your honour. Amen

Collect. O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of the bread: open the eyes of our faith that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

or

Crucified and risen Lord, you have fulfilled in your body the words of the prophets; you have brought the time of God’s reign to us, here and now. Graciously come to our side, and open the scriptures in our midst, for you are the Living One. Amen

Lectionary for Easter 2

Lectionary for Easter 2

This is the message we have heard and proclaim to you –God is light, and in God there is no darkness at all.             1 John 1:5

Reading. Acts 4:32-35 This passage follows on from the story of Peter and John being forced to present themselves before the ruling council of the High Priest which resulted from the healing of the lame man. The notable healing had seen the action of God in the events of everyday life. Despite this opposition throughout the whole chapter we sense the energy and enthusiasm that the believers have following the resurrection and now the preaching of that good news. Luke is quick to emphasise that the tangible result of that is a complete reliance on the provision of God. And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.   Philippians 4:19–20

With this understanding came the confidence to share together as a cohesive group. Today this would be quite unusual but in the times of the New Testament it was unheard of for most people lived almost hand to mouth. The idea of having surplus would have been the privilege only of the rich and most prosperous. However Luke is not simply describing a work of social action but of how the coming of the Holy Spirit has changed the hearts of the believers and formed a true community of faith. It reminds us that the faith we hold in Jesus links us in relationship with fellow believers. Because of Jesus our attitudes towards one another is to be one of care and concern.

Prayer. Lord, open our eyes to see the opportunities to serve you which come our way each day. Give us the wisdom and insight that we need to be in the places of your choosing so that our service for you is both fruitful and effective. Bring to mind just now those people or situations for which you want us to pray. May our service be not in words alone but is power and in the Holy Spirit. May we see answers to our prayers according to your promise. May we not grow weary in doing good. Strengthen us for your effective service and may all our work bring honour and glory to you. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Reading. John 20:19-31. This is a graphic story of faith. Once Thomas has seen the signs he believed. Tradition tells us that it was Thomas who took the faith to India and beyond. He became a powerful witness for Jesus. The story reminds us that it is not where you begin that counts but where you end on the faith journey. Thomas wanted an eye witness meeting before he would accept that Jesus who had died was now alive. We are so used to hearing the story that it is easy to forget just how big that truth is to fully accept. Despite his doubt Jesus did not rebuke Thomas; rather he accommodated his need to see firsthand. Doubt is not necessarily the prelude to unbelief it can just as easily be the prelude to deep and true faith.

Jesus tells all of his disciples to be at peace. Those who believe immediately and also those who take a while longer, all can be at peace. Peace comes because through the Holy Spirit all believers are accepted and equipped to serve. We too can be at peace because Jesus welcomes us as we believe and then also equips us to serve. All whom he calls he uses for all are called to serve.

Prayer.  Lord, at Easter we crowd together to hear again the message that Jesus is alive. It is for us a special day. But Lord you also know our faith and you know our doubts and fears. We want to believe, but like Thomas we wonder if we can. We would like all our questions to be answered but we know they will not all be answered. Despite our times of doubt Lord, bless us and use us that the name of our Lord Jesus may be lifted high and others may come to hear of his love and great salvation. Lord may lives be changed because Jesus lives. Amen

Collect.

Let us pray (as Christians thirsting for the risen life):

Faithful God, when we are hidden behind locked doors, Christ comes to us with words of peace. Help us to hear his voice, and join him in reaching out to the world; we ask this through our risen Lord. Amen.

Lectionary for Easter Day

Lectionary for Easter Day

Christ is risen:  Christ is risen indeed!

Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; and he appeared to the believers.    1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Reading. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. Easter is a very joyous season for we remember the amazing events surrounding this time. Jesus died but now he lives because of the powerful intervention of God. Paul in this passage sums up the whole “good news” that Jesus lived, died, was buried and now lives again. All these things took place just as scripture had prophesied. What is more, Jesus is not just returned in spirit form but with the physicality that allows him to be seen and talked with over a period of forty days. (Acts 1:3). As we read this passage we perhaps nod our heads and think, yes I understand these facts about Jesus. However, Paul is relating something more than just facts. In verse three Paul says “I hand on to you what I in turn had received”. For Paul these events are not mere facts but they are life changing revelations. Jesus lived: Jesus died; and now Jesus lives again. This truth had so impacted on Paul’s life that his whole outlook has changed. In one sense God has spoken and the world has changed. It is this dynamic truth that has empowered Paul to now be the person he is, and it is this empowering message that he wants to convey to his readers and listeners. Here is an event that has changed the whole course of history. To come back to life and living, after being dead and buried, was an event that was and is unprecedented. With that in mind then this passage about Jesus challenges us to ask the question; is this knowledge, are these facts, of first importance in our lives? They are of first importance and that is the message that Paul wants to deliver. To know the truth that Jesus lives is to know an empowering that brings a new energy and a new hope both for daily living and for the future.

Prayer. Lord Jesus you live and reign with God the Father and through you we are inheritors of life eternal. Receive our thanks and praise for all that you have done. Help us to live our lives always with the knowledge that you are the one to whom we give allegiance. Only you can bring us and the whole creation to its true fulfilment. Trusting in you we face each day, asking that we may be faithful witnesses to your great salvation. All praise and honour belong to you. Amen

Reading. Mark 16:1-8 “When the Sabbath was over” marks the start of a very emotional day for all the followers of Jesus. After a death there is a feeling of numbness and yet life must go on. Despite the emotion the three women venture to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus as was the usual custom. The question of who will roll the stone away from the entrance was a very natural one. It would have been a task that involved a lot of power to roll the stone over the ridge that was made to secure the tomb and protect it from animals and robbers. Finding the stone rolled back would have been a cause for consternation and would have heightened their apprehension. To then be greeted by a young man who showed them where the body should have been leaves them terrified. If we were to put ourselves into the place of these caring women it is easy to understand why they responded as they did. The theory of resurrection we can accept intellectually because we have heard the story many times, but to be confronted as they were with the physical evidence of resurrection would have been breathtaking.  It is little wonder that the message of the young man did not immediately register.

With Mark not including a sighting of the risen Lord on the visit to the tomb has often led people to wonder why. As the first gospel to be written Mark is dated between AD 60 –AD70, which is possibly as much as 30 or 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus. The early church understood that Mark wrote his gospel to record the teaching and preaching of Peter. We notice that Peter is the disciple who is named as one who needs to hear that Jesus has been raised and is to meet him and the other disciples in Galilee.

By the time Mark’s gospel was written the church had many congregations scattered across the region and so the message that Jesus had gone on ahead of them would not have detracted from the understanding that Jesus had been raised. Mark has already described the Risen Lord Jesus when he described the transfiguration at the centre of his gospel. In that description Mark has no hesitation in recognising how amazing this new and glorious man is as he talks with Moses and Elijah. It was this same glorious one whom they were to meet in Galilee in the very normal everyday experiences of daily living: And meet him the disciples did for 40 days until his ascension by which time their lives had been changed forever. It is this amazing story of lives changed through the resurrection of Jesus that Mark wants to tell.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,. 1 Peter 1:3. NRSV.

Prayer. Gracious God the power of the resurrection is so profound that we can scarcely take it in and yet we know that by your power Jesus lives and death has been conquered. Though we cannot fully understand, help us to recognise that as Jesus lives and reigns with you our lives have been touched and changed by his great forgiving grace. Help us in all that we do to keep Jesus at the very centre of our lives. May we do those things which honour him, living out each day according to his commands. May our lives be a true witness to all that Jesus has achieved. As we celebrate this Easter Season we pray that hearts and lives will be changed when the good news of Jesus is proclaimed in worship across our world. We look forward to that time when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Chris. Amen

Collect. Let us pray (that we may rejoice in the victory that is won for us): Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise, honour and thanksgiving, now and in all eternity. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 6

Lectionary for Lent 6

Open the gates of righteousness that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. Psalm 118:19

Collect. Let us pray: Jesus, you enter the holy city, approaching your passion and death; today the crowd acclaims you. May we sing your praises every day, for you are the servant Lord, now and for ever. Amen.

Reading.  Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29.  The opening verse of this psalm marks a good beginning as the church begins to prepare for Holy Week.  O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 118:1. It is a personal exclamation, a reminder that ours is a personal faith. What ‘I’ believe is important for it is what I believe that shapes my life. But then the psalmist widens the appeal and wants to draw everyone into the peals of praise. It is a reminder that personal faith is important but that faith is strengthened when we are with likeminded people. One of the reasons for worship gatherings is that all are encouraged: All find their faith refreshed after collective worship. As the Wesley him says, “He bids us build each other up; And, gathered into one, To our high calling’s glorious hope, We hand in hand go on”, (All Praise to our Redeeming Lord.) It is this principle that the psalmist is recognising: In this way the truth about the nature of God is stamped on our hearts and lives. The psalmist further develops the theme by envisioning entering into the place of worship and finding most clearly that God is active in the lives of all the people, bringing healing and health. As we read about the stone that the builders rejected we remember the phrase used by Jesus in Mark 12 10, to remind his hearers that so often God’s way is not chosen by his people. However the psalmist moves on to celebrate that God continues to build and presents to the nation a new day in which to celebrate and be glad that God is a faithful God. As well as each new day it is recognised that God is presenting the people with a future which the promised one will inaugurate. As the people celebrate together the hope that this future, presented by the one who is to come is reinforced which brings us back to the opening phrase, O give thanks to the Lord for he is good and his steadfast love endures forever. This is a great theme for us to contemplate as we steadily move towards the festival of Easter.

Prayer. Lord in this quiet time we come to you for comfort and strength. Though we acknowledge our many faults do not let shame overwhelm us as we seek always to serve you. Through your righteousness and loving-kindness continue to equip us to serve you joyfully and faithfully. You are the one who always hears when we call for you are a faithful God and we want to give you thanksgiving and praise. You alone Almighty God, are the shield which we trust to protect us from all that would lead us astray. Help us to pay close attention for you are the one who saves us and allows us to live in the freedom that Jesus Christ has delivered. To Him be all praise, now and forever. Amen

Reading. Mark 11:1-11  On Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday and this stirs memories of waving palm branches and generally celebrating as we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem with crowds of people cheering. As we recall those memories we need to remember that in Jerusalem at this time Pilot was in charge and he represented the authority of Rome. Pilot controlled everything. He had the power of life or death for he dispensed justice. He appointed the high priests, and even kept the special religious robes the High priests wore, releasing them only for special occasions. Pilot had control of the temple treasury and even used money from the temple to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem which raised such protest that his troops slaughtered scores of Jews. During the festival of Passover there would have been extra Roman Soldiers arriving into the city because of the prospect of riots: Not to mention rebellion. To put it mildly, Pilot and the authority of Rome that he represented was hugely unpopular. When we remember that picture it is easy to see why Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that day would be welcomed with such enthusiasm. The symbolism of riding on a colt was to come as a king who had conquered and therefore had the right to enter the city without a weapon. For the Jews it would also have echoes of the coming of the promised Messiah. Messiah was the One who under God would come to free the nation from the oppressors. The release from Roman rule was greatly anticipated. However in Marks recounting of this incident, while he describes the enthusiasm of the crowd the mood he gives to Jesus is very different. Jesus looks around, takes everything in and then simply retires to rest in Bethany. The two differing moods highlight in some ways what is to transpire. Jesus does not meet the expectations of the crowd and they are quickly turned against him: The same crowd that cried “Hosanna” will, in just a few days’ time cry “Crucify him”. We should not be surprised at this sudden change. Furthermore Jesus did not come to fulfil the expectations of the crowd but to be obedient to God’s will and do all that God required. Think of how many people no longer follow Jesus because things did not turn out the way that they wanted. How many of us have been disappointed when prayers seem to be unanswered. Mark in a very simple way is reminding us that with the coming of Jesus a bigger picture is coming, the picture of what God has planned both for Jesus and for all believers. The message is that Jesus comes to fulfil God’s plan. He takes everything in and in just a few days will act decisively to bring to a climax the perfect plan. As we think about Mark’s passage it helps us to recognise that through Jesus, God is at work in the way that he chooses: it may not be the way that we want or expect, but in the end it will be perfect for each of us.

The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. 2 Peter 3:9–10.NRSV

Prayer.    Gracious Lord, we thank you that you are the one who both hears and answers our cry to you. Forgive us when we are impatient and demanding: Like little children who want their own way. Help us to remember that you do not turn away from us when we are in need but are always ready to help and heal. Give us the understanding that your plan for each of us is the perfect plan. Strengthen our faith and our trust in you. You are the One who is from everlasting to everlasting. Your name endures to all generations, and you are always the Rock to which we can cling. So we thank you and praise you for through Jesus our future with you is secure. Through him alone is our way secured. Amen

Collect. Let us pray (that we may share Christ’s humility): Father of all, who gave your only-begotten Son to take upon himself the form of a servant,  and to be obedient even to death on a cross:  give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. that, sharing in his humility,  we may come to be with him in his glory;  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,  one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Sermon Notes John 12:31

John 12v31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.

When we worked in UK- still fighting 2nd WW. The US still trying to win the West. But it was a romantic view because they knew how the story ended. As we approach Easter I wonder whether we are much the same with our E. celebrations, because we know how the story ends.

As I prepared to bring this message today I re-read the passage and the text stood out.

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.  Jesus begins to move towards the climax of his ministry. He is on the way to Jerusalem and in a human sense time was running out. One of the things I found when clergy used to visit folk on a regular basis was it was as you prepared to leave after a short visit, that was when people would often launch into a more serious issues. That act of leaving acted as a trigger to say what was really on their minds.. In the middle of this passage filled with meaning, Jesus makes this statement, Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. Reminding us that the crucifixion is in fact a battle ground and Jesus is prophesying that in this battle Satan will be de-throned and God will take his place. So often the cross of Christ is only significantly referred to on Good Friday and then often in terms of” If only Jesus didn’t have to die” or it was a terrible tragedy. But here we see that Jesus was preparing for a fight. The ruler of this world is not going to give up without a major struggle. Jesus didn’t just die and then move on to the resurrection. It is much more complex than that. He had to face the Principalities and powers, Despotic rulers, Witness what is going on in Myanmar. In movies and fiction evil is pictured as grotesque. But it not: It is brilliant and clever, drawing us in almost without us realising, Scams abound, evil in intent, Brilliant in execution. Henry Ford’s wife was once asked about divorce but Murder often. And even we ourselves and drawn into this so that we too are enemies against God. Romans 3:13ff.

He is actually talking about us. Surely!!! Jesus said, Look with lust –adultery. When you get angry –seeking to destroy them. No need to labour the point. Spurgeon would tell his student. When you talk of heaven, eye light up face glow  at the wonder. When you talk of hell your ordinary face will do!

We are enemies because in so many ways we have learnt to compromise. These days the way we talk about death- passed. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows they haven’t passed they been torn from us and that loss had left a whole in your life. When we say Jesus defeated death, this is no small thing.  Life is tough and we deal with it by compromise. No  wonder Paul could say. Wrenched man that I am who will deliver me. Well we know the answer but that helps us to romanticise our own condition.  But the stark reality is if I don’t have Jesus I have nothing.  That’s why as we approach Easter we recognise the themes of Judgement, conflict, suffering and abandonment before we can move to victory.

 In our Bible study we have been looking at the titles of Jesus. Last week was the ‘Son Man’ the only title he used of himself. It appears about 80 times in the gospels and Jesus used it again and again to say that this Jesus lived this life as a man, a human among humans. Jesus as a man did not compromise and as a consequence he suffered. Isaiah 53:1 ff

As a man he lived our life and as a man he suffered. The cross was not only an instrument of death it was designed to humiliate the victim. To say we (Romans-opposition to God) are in charge –you are of no account. We surely didn’t think that the rulers of this world would give up their power without a fight. The idea of God ruling the world horrifies just about everybody. In this conflict we must not assume that it is between Satan and God. No it is between Satan and the man Jesus. Only as a man could he stand in our place. Only as one of us could he carry our failures and the guilt’s and sorrows that we bare. Only as one of us and yet without sin could Jesus take the load. We notice that on the cross Jesus cries out. My God My God. He does not use the familiar way of addressing God as my Father. This cry is the cry of a man lost, abandoned, separated from God: as we often are. Who among us has not cried out? O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, and save me; ease my pain, hep me understand. In Jesus’ cry is, that cry, and by his stripes we are healed.

And he gave up his spirit and died. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out . Tetelestai It is finished, everything has been accomplished.

Jesus died a real death, our death and they laid him in a tomb, and in that event an amazing thing happened. The rulership of the world changed hands, An innocent man had died; God is now in charge. A miracle has taken place and we are transferred for the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of God.

The early church lived with the understanding that Jesus the risen Lord was now in charge, seated at the R H of God. So confident were they of this reality that they faced ever increasing persecution, but thorough it the church, the community of faith was built. They chose to live by Jesus ways and despite the suffering, looked forward to that day when Jesus would return and take his place as ruler of the whole creation. And what of us? That rule is still ongoing and we are called to live with that understanding. The victory has been won but the evil ones keep trying to regain power. The scriptures remind us that this is how it will be. Suffering sums it up. Yet even now the time of Christ’s coming draws ever closer. But rest assured Jesus is at work and there will come a time when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus CHrist is Lord. 1 Peter 1:3-16

Lectionary for Lent 5

Lectionary  for Sunday Lent 5

Jesus says: ‘Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.’ John 12:26

Reading. Psalm 51:1-12. This is a beautiful and much loved psalm for, on the one hand it reminds us most forcefully of our failures; at the same time it assures us of God’s forgiving grace. “Have mercy on me O God, according to your lovingkindness”. Yet this psalm is more that beautiful poetry.

In many versions of the bible it records that it was written when Nathan came to confront David after his shameful tryst with Bathsheba. This proposition has been strongly disputed by biblical scholars; however that particular setting may then direct our attention to something important. If it was that incident in David’s life then the emphasis is not that David has had a change of heart but that he had been confronted with who he really is through God’s intervention via the prophet Nathan. David was God’s chosen man and God’s intervention draws David back to the true leadership to which God has called him. David freely admits his guilt and that is in keeping with one who is fully committed to God. God has not released David to the consequences of his actions but has interposed his word to David through Nathan. It is God’s action that has rescued David. David in turn has responded by recognising his transgressions and thrown himself on the mercy of God. Despite all the power and influence that David can wield, despite all the luxury with which he is surrounded, David’s life is simply a disaster. It is a disaster the penitent one has to face. Therefore the psalm is not one that allows us to read and feel warm and comforted, knowing and accepting the mercy and grace of God. It is a psalm that demands a truthful assessment of who we are in our relationship with God. Like David we need to understand what it is we have done and where it is that we have failed God in our calling to be his child: Truly knowing, “against you and you alone have I sinned” It is then that the overwhelming, steadfast love and mercy of God, can be fully appreciated: We can then begin to understand how amazing is God’s love for us and how richly our lives have been blessed through Him.

Prayer. We give thanks to you Lord God for the generosity of your grace in bringing to us the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ, who faced life as we do and yet was without sin. We thank you that through him, you have won for us a place in your kingdom and an assurance of life eternally in your presence. Because of your great favour may we live our lives daily in joyful thanksgiving; looking always to follow in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord. May we trust in him for every moment and always be ready to honour his name in every situation. This we pray through Jesus Christ who is himself, King of kings and Lord of lords. Amen

Reading. John 12:20-33. “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” The unnamed Greeks who come wanting to see Jesus are not just curious tourists but are folk who have come to worship God at the temple. The biblical tradition had it that the temple would be the place where people of many nations would gather together to worship at a time when God would vindicate the people of Israel. Perhaps that is why John does not tell us if the Greek enquirers get to meet up with Jesus but immediately records Jesus’ words which signal the fulfilling of the prophecy that God’s long promised intervention is about to take place! With the death of Jesus the rulership of this world will change hands and God will once again take control. In that exchange Jesus will gather all the people to himself. (V.32) In Jesus the rulership of the world is being transferred but this transference is not without real struggle. We cannot fail to understand as we read verse 27 that this is a real struggle in which Jesus is engaging. Things fall into place and Jesus emerges victorious but it is real pain and tears of anguish that bring about God’s victory through Jesus. The passage also reminds us that just as it required total commitment from Jesus, so it also requires total commitment from us. However in our case ours is not a struggle but it is trusting completely in what Jesus has achieved and then following him in full confidence and obedience.

As we return to the original question, “Sir we would see Jesus” we could maybe ask ourselves, “Who is the Jesus that we seek? Is it some guru with all the answers to life’s tough questions? Is it an amazing example that we might try to emulate? Or is it the Jesus who is Saviour of the world and who as Saviour demands our total allegiance? We would like to think that we can be part of the solution of bringing the world back under the kingship of God but scripture reminds us that actually we are part of the problem. (Eph 2:5) Only a full reshaping of our lives can achieve this, and the only one to do it is Jesus. The good news is that Jesus can and will re-orientate our lives so that we can effectively serve in his name. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. John 12:26 (NRSV)

Prayer. Lord Jesus you bore our grief’s and carried our sorrow. In full obedience you gave yourself to a criminal’s death and for our sake you were stripped and humiliated. You were rejected and despised so that we might receive the grace and forgiveness of God. So with humble thanks once more we offer to you our prayers of praise and thanksgiving. By your Holy Spirit empower us to love and serve you in daily living. Give to us true eyes of faith that we may recognize your ongoing work in the world and serve you faithfully. Enable us to celebrate your victory over sin and death and live confidently as people in your kingdom. This we ask through the Name that is above all other names, now and always. Amen

Collect. Hear, O Father, the cry of your Son, who, to establish the new and everlasting covenant, became obedient to death upon the cross. Grant that, through all the trials of this life, we may come to share more intimately in his redeeming passion; and so obtain the fruitfulness of the seed that falls to the earth and dies, to be gathered as your harvest for the kingdom. We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 4

Lectionary for Lent 4

By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8

Reading. Ephesians 2:1-10. Paul’s argument in this passage is really quite straight forward!!! What we were then (before Jesus came) is not what we are now. Similarly what we are now (through the ministry of Jesus), is not what we will be in the new future that Jesus Christ is preparing. What could be simpler! 

Seriously, Paul is simply stating that the mercy of God brought Jesus to begin the saving action that was needed for a world gone wrong. Rather than being part of the solution we were part of the problem for we like everything else, had lost our relationship with God and as such we were in the darkness. Jesus came and changed all of that, and so “by grace we have been saved”. This is a twice repeated statement signifying its huge importance in Paul’s argument. Once we were lost but now we are found; once we had no future, now the future is ours. Say it how you like but the end result is all through the grace of God, demonstrated through the ministry of Jesus Christ. We are now with Christ, as it were in his presence. Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:21ff, that either living or dead we are with Christ because we are in Christ. (c/f 2 Corinthians 5:17). However that is only one part of the argument for being in Christ we can still anticipate a future. Christ is now ruling in God’s presence, but there will come a time when Christ will return to rule the world in the New Creation. That was the anticipated cry of triumph of the early Christians, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15 This will signal the “age to come” and as our reading says in this age God will once again show his immeasurable kindness towards us and we will be empowered to both praise and serve him. From Paul’s perspective when we are “in Christ”, the past is gone and a whole new and exciting future is opening up.

Prayer. Lord, as the season changes and the days grow shorter we remember that life its self is filled with changes. We reach a peak and then decline and the sense of our mortality is ever present. As we turn to you now in prayer we remember again that you are from everlasting to everlasting; the Alpha and the Omega; and in you we can find eternal security. In Jesus Christ you have covered our past and presented us with a future which is filled with promise. Though we love life we know that our times and our seasons are all in your hands. We thank you for the safety of your providential care and ask that we may always walk hand in hand with you: Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Reading. John 3:14-21 This passage contains some of the best loved verses in the bible. They are great words of comfort to all who link their lives to God. It expresses the essence of God’s nature which is to love. This love is all encompassing, God loves the world and at the same time expresses the personal love God has for each person. All who believe will not perish but be granted eternal life. These verses give all believers the quiet assurance that life can be faced because God has all things in hand. On the other hand this collection of verses also present a more serious side, for the total care of God is not without conditions. These verses remind us of the consequences of trying to live without God. This principle of consequences is not without precedence: As far back as the beginning of the Old Testament, as the children of Israel were leaving Egypt on the journey to the Promised Land God laid out this principle. “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live.  Deuteronomy 30:19 (NRSV) The key within this principle is to live in obedience to God’s law and God’s way. We cannot choose our own way of doing things and then expect that God will simply accept us. Either we live in God’s way and enjoy the blessings that God provides or we do it in our own way and accept the consequences. The ministry of Jesus was that all would work together under the obedience of God’s sovereignty. Therefore while there is some discipline within the Christian life there is also the promise that for those who accept what Jesus has done on our behalf the promise is secure.

Prayer. Gracious Lord, In Jesus Christ you have loved us with an everlasting love and by your grace have drawn us to yourself. We thank and praise you for the wonder of your great love which sustains us in the events of life. Help us always to look to you as we face the trials of life. In joy and in sorrow it is your love that supports us. For this and for all your blessings we give you thanks, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Collect. Gracious Father, you gave us our Lord Jesus Christ as a model of humility: in lowliness and obedience he yielded up his life on the cross. Enable us to follow his example, that, in humility and obedience, we may bear witness to your steadfast love and attain the joy of the resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 3

Lectionary Reading for 3 Sunday in Lent

The message of the cross is madness to those on the way to destruction, but to us who are on the way to salvation it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Reading. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 One of the phrases that has entered our vocabulary is “fake news”. This phrase has different meanings for different people. For some it means news that I don’t want to hear or believe. For others it means news which distorts the true facts. In “Through the Looking Glass”, Humpty Dumpty said “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.” In other words I am the master and I will decide what is true. Ah! If only it were so! However, truth is not limited to our powers of intellect or experience.

That is part of Paul’s issue as he promotes the meaning of the cross. At the time of Paul’s message the cross presented a most hideous way to die. Such horror did crucifixion entail that it seldom came up in conversation or discussion. To think that God could use the cross to bring in a new and better life was so foolish that it could be discounted without a second thought. Despite the social barriers Paul continues to promote God’s action through the cross. He makes clear that it is the cross which divides people into two groups, namely those who believe in what the cross has accomplished and those who don’t.

In our modern world we are uncomfortable with that kind of demarcation yet the fact is that there are those who see the cross as a message of foolishness. Certainly if we try to grasp the meaning of the cross through intellect or knowledge alone we will never understand. The meaning of the cross is understood by faith and not by doubt. This is true of any new understanding. If we begin by doubting something new it creates a barrier from the very beginning. Paul reminds his readers that the truth of the message comes through the preached word.   We hear and believe but it also suggests an openness to hear God’s call through the preaching; thus we need to have an open mind. In an era where we hear a lot of “fake news’ Paul’s message still rings out truly, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NRSV)

Prayer.  Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Psalm 85:7-8 (NRSV) Merciful God, Lord of all; we turn once again to you and give you thanks and praise. You alone can give us life in all its fullness. We come to you with hearts filled with expectation for we know that you love us with an everlasting love. May your arms embrace us as we venture through this day. Protect us from evil and guide us with your almighty power that we may always safely remain in your presence. This we ask, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever Amen

Reading. John 2:13-22. The Jews seemed to think that Jesus was making an important point when he turned out the market stalls from the temple. However his response made no sense at all to the religious leaders. John gives us the readers, the reminder that Jesus is referring to his body and the resurrection.

The temple was more than a place for people to worship and make sacrifice, it affirmed the presence of God among the people. It had its beginnings in the Tabernacle on the wilderness wanderings which reminded the people of God’s promise despite the hardships, to deliver them safely into the Promised Land. When the nation became more settled a more permanent structure was needed. The original temple was built by Solomon and so linked back to the time when David had established Israel as a dominant kingdom and the promise of God to deliver them had been renewed. So the temple for the Jews was the sign that God was in control and they could rely on his promises. However the prophet Jeremiah had warned the nation long before, that simply trusting in the building but not living out godly lives was going to bring the nation down. Failure to live in God’s way would result in losing God’s protective presence. (Jeremiah 7.)

Jesus’ action was to cleanse the temple but then according to John’s understanding Jesus himself was to become the New Temple. By his cleansing as the new temple, Jesus was to be the one through whom the promises of God would be fulfilled. It was his obedience to submit to a sinless death that placed authority back into the hands of God and inaugurated the true kingdom of God. It was in the kingdom that every person would be safe, for in the kingdom every one was under the guidance and grace of God. Thus, early in his gospel John has laid out the direction that Jesus was to take.

Prayer. With humble hearts we come to you Lord, and once more thank you for sending your Son to bring a new beginning over the entire world. Under your sovereignty we can be at peace and enjoy the wonders of your creation; above all we can walk in obedience to your will and so honour you with our words and with our deeds. Help us to keep our confidence and trust in Jesus; may we maintain the hope that sustains and inspires us as we live through each day, constantly looking for that day when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. Amen.

Collect. Lord our God, hallowed be your name. Incline our hearts to your commandments,  and give us the wisdom of the cross; so that, freed from sin which imprisons us in our own self-centredness, we may be open to the gift of your Spirit,  and become living temples of your love; through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Lectionary for Sunday Lent 2

Lectionary  Readings      2nd Sunday in Lent

Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected, and killed, and after three days rise again. Mark 8:31

(These readings for the second Sunday in Lent remind us that God continually acts in ways that human wisdom would declare to be impossible! [ 1 Corinthians 1:18-2].)

Reading. Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 The covenant between God and Abraham, and then through Abraham to all peoples is one of the most important aspects of God’s relationship with humanity. While the covenant gave hope and security to the nation this account reminds them that the survival of the nations depends solely upon God’s grace.  The fundamental promises emerging from the Covenant would be a place of safety, the Promised Land, and a large family, described as a multitude of nations. For Abraham at the time these are far reaching promises. However, even as the covenant is being inaugurated Abraham still considers that he will be able to assist God. (verse 18). God’s covenant plan is beyond the scope of human understanding. A man a hundred years old and a woman who is ninety are well past childbearing except in God’s economy. Isaac is the grace gift through which the covenant is founded. The condition within the covenant for Abraham is that both he and his offspring will live obediently as God’s family, in God’s way, upholding the values of justice and mercy. In other words as God has shown them grace, they in turn would live grace filled lives and so honour God.

The plan God had to build a people with whom to form a relationship rests entirely on God’s initiative. As Christians we see this theme being repeated with the coming of God’s Messiah. It was the Messiah who lived our life, “yet without sin” and by his life established the kingdom and secured the promised redemption of the covenant.

Prayer. Gracious Lord as we read again of the great gift that came to Abraham of a son, we give you thanks and praise that you have given to us the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you that through his ministry we, even we, can consider ourselves to be your children. We recognise our unworthiness and at the same time see again how gracious you are and how deep is your love for humanity. Before you all of us can find a place because of Jesus the Christ. We offer you all thanks and praise in his most precious Name. Amen.

Reading. Mark 9:2-9 The end of chapter 8 and the beginning of chapter 9 are for Mark the great climax of the ministry of Jesus. Jesus is named as Messiah and teaches his disciples that he was about to suffer and be put to death.  Jesus was to be put to death as the Messiah, that would have been both a new and a radical thought. Then in chapter 9 we read of his transfiguration and once again the great confirmation that Jesus is God’s beloved Son to whom we should listen! Jesus now named Messiah and approved of by God is preparing for his death. Luke when recounting the transfiguration tells us that Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus about his death. (Luke 9:31) The word used is “exodus” which means the departure but is filled with significance for it brings to mind the journey from slavery into the Promised Land, a journey that Jesus was to complete by his announced death and resurrection.

Though Mark’s gospel is the first to be written, it was written when there were already churches established, already there were congregations worshipping and people by this time were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Historically speaking they knew that Jesus had lived, died and had risen again. The believers understood that Jesus who had been seen and was known was now seated in the place of authority. As such Mark is speaking into that belief and announcing very clearly that Jesus is Lord.  Here is the one who links earth and heaven; here is the one who links both God and humanity. As Wesley put it so succinctly “Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made Man”.

For us the message from Mark is exactly the same as it was for those first readers; Jesus is Lord and though we may have the same response as Peter and not quite know how to respond to the fact that Jesus is at once both God and man it does not change the reality. Moreover we can live our lives in the confidence that Jesus’ completed work is accomplishing all that God has planned for God’s people.

Prayer. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT2)

Lord the cares of the world surround us and our internal thoughts overwhelm us. Help us to look beyond and centre our thoughts on you. You rule over all and all things will one day submit to your authority. Help us to put our whole trust in you and be at peace despite the turmoil we see all around us. Help us at all times to give to you all thanks and praise. To you be all honour and glory now and for ever. Amen

Collects. God our Father, you are all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, and always ready to forgive. Grant us grace to renounce all evil and to cling to Christ, that in every way we may prove to be your loving sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

    O God, Source of eternal life, your Son must go to the cross, and his path is also ours. May we walk by faith with him, wherever it may lead; this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.