Fishers? 26 Jan 14
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Fishers?
Fishing for people. It's an idea that fishers could understand. No longer looking for fish. Now looking for people. But for what purpose? Presumably not to kill and eat.
Fishing as part of Jesus' consortium. Looking for people to join him. Fish that would turn into fishers. Or farmers. Or lamps. Or salt – but not pillars of salt.
So many ways to picture what it means to follow Jesus. What would he say to the writer (the scribe)? To the teacher? To the engineer? To the nurse?
Of course fishing for people was not the only thing these fishers did. Some of them became famous writers. One in fact wrote some of the most profound books written in any language - ever.
All of them became speakers. Sometimes quietly in ones or twos and others to large crowds and powerful rulers.
But becoming fishers of people involved a few steps.
Encouraging those in trouble 19 Jan 14
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Encouraging those in trouble
This week the Monday Bible Study group had a look at the first chapter of Revelation. They are a keen group, champing at the bit to get their teeth into this apparently complex book. Maybe later in the year we will do some studies in it.
The book certainly starts in a dramatic way. A very loud voice, sounding like a trumpet, tells John to write down what he sees and to send it to seven churches nearby. The voice is behind John, and he turns to see it. What he sees makes him fall down and pass out. At first he sees seven golden lamp holders. Probably tall ones. But in the middle of them he sees a human-like figure who is brilliantly and splendidly glorious. Frighteningly so. Dressed like some of the important people in the Old Testament and resembling some of the descriptions of God himself.
It turns out it is Jesus. Jesus unlike anyone had ever seen him. Maybe they got a hint of it on the mountain when he was transfigured and became blindingly white. But that was only a hint of this. This was truly splendid and scary. One of the things John saw was Jesus holding seven stars in his right hand.
We are told what the stars and the lamp-stands mean.
The Four Baptisms of Jesus Matthew 3.13-17
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Christmas and Epiphany
The Four Baptisms of Jesus Matthew 3.13-17
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on 12 January 2014
Why Jesus was baptised by John and what happened next, and next, and next, and now.
Is Baptism any use? 12Jan14
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Is Baptism any use?
If you can only do it once, can you be sure it worked? And how would you know if it worked? What are the signs that it worked?
It depends on what we think we are doing in baptism. Is the church doing something? Is the minister doing something? Is the person being baptised doing something? Is God doing something? Yes to all the above. But what?
The person being baptised is asking God for something. They are asking for what the baptism represents: cleansing from sin, and new life after burial. The washing with water represents clearly enough the request that God will wash away our sin. If we did the baptism properly we would put the person under the water - representing the death and burial of the old life- and raise them out of it representing new life with God. In this way they are asking God for a spiritual rebirth.
The minister is asking the person whether they really want to live for Christ: do they turn away from their sin, turn to Christ to serve him as his disciple, reject their old way of life. The person being baptised publicly declares their faith and intention to follow Christ.
The minister also prays on behalf of the church that God will answer the person’s requests.
The church welcomes the baptised person as a fellow member of the body of Christ.
And God?
Notes on Matthew 3.13-17 The Baptism of Jesus 12 January 2014
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Matthew
Notes on Matthew 3.13-17 The Baptism of Jesus 12 January 2014
Jesus and his family returned from Egypt and settled in Nazareth, in Galilee (2.23). John the Baptist ministered in the wilderness of Judea and baptised people in the Jordan river (3.1,6). Jesus then came from Galilee to the Jordan (about 120 km) to be baptised by John (3.13). After the baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tested (4.1). After the testing in the wilderness, when he heard that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee (4.12). This seems to be a special trip south and focusses our attention on the two big events that happened there.
The baptism and testing of Jesus come at the beginning of Jesus ministry. This helps us understand what happened at his baptism. We have been told already that John was calling on people to repent, to confess their sins and to be baptised (3.2,5). Jesus wants to be baptised as well. But John has told the crowds that Jesus will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire (3.11). John doesn’t think Jesus should be baptised in water by John. Especially since John’s baptism is about repentance.
This is one of our problems with it too. Why would Jesus, who did not sin, want to be baptised? What sins would he have to repent of?
There are two important things in this passage.
First, Jesus says his baptism is to “fulfill all righteousness” (3.15). John has already begun the task of bring the people back into the righteous ways of the kingdom (3.2-3). But true righteousness will need more than repentance and baptism. It will need what baptism points to: a death to the sinful life and a resurrection to a new life. And it will need a sinless person to take the whole race to that death and resurrection. Jesus is showing, in advance, by way of an acted picture, what he will do to fully bring God’s people to the righteousness of the kingdom of God.
Second, the baptism is the occasion when the Holy Spirit comes on Jesus. This is also a puzzle. The voice from heaven says, “This is my Son…” But if he is the Son of God, why does he need the Holy Spirit to come on him? From one point of view he doesn’t. However from the point of view of being the Messiah, he does. This could be understood as the anointing of the Messiah (Messiah, and Christ mean “anointed”). The Spirit will be the one who leads and gives power to his ministry. Straight after this we are told that the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tested (4.1). In this case Father Son and Holy Spirit are all involved at the start of Jesus’ ministry. What he will do is being done together with Father and Holy Spirit.
Dale
Children of the Light John 12.20-36
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Christmas and Epiphany
{podcast id=14}
Children of the Light John 12.20-36
Sermon preached on Epiphany Sunday 5 Jan 2014 at Christ the King Willetton
What Jesus told the Greeks, What the crowd heard and What to do when the light is hidden
Notes on Matthew 2.1-12 Epiphany Sunday January 5
- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Matthew
Notes on Matthew 2.1-12 Epiphany Sunday January 5
Five groups of people feature in this passage.
1. The Magi: They were astronomers and astrologers from somewhere east of Judah, maybe Persia, or Babylon, we don’t know. They are very impressed with a new star they see in the sky. They think it is connected with a new king of the Jews. So significant is it that they travel to pay their respects to the new king. They travel to the Jewish capital, ask directions and are told to go to Bethlehem. When they find the child they offer gifts and show their respect by bowing down and giving worship. The gifts are nit symbolic. They are just very good gifts appropriate to a foreign king.
Notice that the star does not provide them with enough information. It just starts them off on their search. They need help from the people in Jerusalem who know the story of the Messiah. The worship of the child is also very elementary. They don’t know much. There is much more to learn about this king. Later others will take the whole story of the King Jesus to their land, and from there it will be taken further east as far as China.
2. Herod the Great: was a great builder. He was also very cruel and ruthless. When he hears that the Magi are looking of a new king of the Jews, he connects this with the Messiah. He asks the scholars about where the Messiah is to be born. He does this privately. He also speak to the Magi privately. He wants them to find the child and tell him. He says he wants to worship the child, but he really wants to kill him (2.16). He is simply opposed to any rule but his own (like all human beings).
3. The Religious Scholars: the chief priests and the teachers of the law are asked where the Messiah is to be born. They know the prophecy of Micah. They also know what the Magi are searching for, because all of Jerusalem knows. But they don’t seem to have any interest in connecting the two things. They don’t seem to be interested in the birth of the Messiah. They seem happily caught up in their own religious world. As though their religious action and knowledge was an end in itself. They may be like the person who thinks, “What we know is all we need to know.”
4. The child Jesus (and Mary his mother): although he doesn’t say anything the child is the centre of the story. He attracts:
- respect and worship from the foreigners
- deadly opposition from Herod the ruler
- passive non- interest from the religious leaders
But according to Micah, he is the ruler who will shepherd God’s people. The Messiah, God’s anointed ruler and saviour.
5. The readers: We are part of this story too. As we hear the story, we need to decide what we will do about it. Will we:
- passively ignore it, leave it in its Christmas box
- be hostile to this king, even in a polite way
- pay our respects, but keep our independence
- do what the Magi pointed us to: to worship him with our life
Dale