Dale Appleby

The King in God's Kingdom Epiphany - Lenten Studies 2011

The King in God's Kingdom    Epiphany - Lenten Studies 2011

These studies are meant to help us read and understand Mark’s gospel during the period leading up to Easter.

Our aim is to read Mark’s gospel right through (in company with the middle part of Isaiah);  to discover Mark’s proclamation of the gospel about Jesus Christ the Son of God and to understand how Jesus explains and demonstrates the arrival of the kingdom of God. And to see what all that has to do with how we live.

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Serving what end? 9 Jan 11

Serving what end?

Another year is under way. Perhaps there are new hopes, or old hopes remembered, maybe the same resolves as before, or perhaps something will change this year. Perhaps not. “The trouble with the future is that it keeps turning into the present” as Hobbes said to Calvin recently.

The repeated cycles of weeks and months and years are helpful. They do bring a sense of new beginnings. But they can also be misleading. Life is not an endless series of cycles. Neither do God’s purposes keep circling around forever.

God has made life on earth head for a climax, a fulfilment. It is directed to an end. It has a goal. God’s purposes and the life of his church are also directed to a great completion, a consummation as the old hymn has it.

So the beginnings and ends of years are only markers in a longer story. It is a story that began with creation, had its centre and pivotal event in the death and resurrection of Christ and will come to completion when he returns and brings everything together under his rule.

In the meantime our life and the life of this church finds its meaning from that story.

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Reading and Understanding 2 Jan 11

Reading and Understanding

2010 saw celebrations of the 100^thanniversary of the famous Edinburgh Missionary Conference and the 25^th anniversary of Christ the King Willetton. 2011 will feature the 400^th anniversary of the publication of the King James version of the bible. Even Richard Dawkins is waxing lyrical about its wonderful impact on the English speaking peoples.

I suppose if we talk about it too much we will be heartily sick of it soon enough. However for all its alleged impact on English speakers in the past, the King James Bible has little influence now. Indeed the bible in any version seems to have a limited impact these days, even though it is far and away the world’s best-selling book.

Today’s news reported that an e-version of the newly revised NIV was the best seller in the Religion/Spirituality in the Apple iTunes store and 13^th across all categories over the Christmas weekend.

Buying is one thing, reading is another.

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A dangerous Christmas 25 Dec 10

A dangerous Christmas

Does it seem strange that Christians are being murdered, attacked and beaten up in many places around the world this Christmas? And in other places that their story is being rubbished or just erased from view? Not that it only happens at Christmas, but Christmas highlights the practice.

Someone has said that Christmas is the most famous birthday – bar none. But the person whose birthday is celebrated continues to be the object of significant hostility.

It was always the case. In at least two places the Bible describes the attempted murder of Mary’s baby.

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What is Christmas really about? 19 Dec 10

What is Christmas really about?

Here some possible conversation spices for the festive season.

• Christmas is really about the great God-invasion. When he stuck his face in ours.

• Christmas shows you what God thinks of humans – he became one of us (but so does Good Friday – pity about that: he put us to death!).

• Christmas means peace on earth – as long as you are at peace with God.

• It must have been a confusing time at Jesus' birth. A blinding light-show, super-rich visitors from half way around the world, local smelly shepherds, an animals' feeding trough as a bassinet, a dad who was a tradesman (well that was good anyway), and a serious attempt to murder him by the political elite. Actually it was quite a good start for someone whose task was to bring together a new united humanity.

• Do you think Jesus was a difficult teenager – he was certainly a difficult adult?

• Do you think Joseph’s dad said, “Tell Joseph he’s dreaming!”?

• Were the wise men really nutters? Can you imagine anyone doing that nowadays?

• What do you think Mary and Joseph did with the gold, frankincense and myrrh? What you have done with it?

• Did you know that there probably was no inn? It was really the guest room in a house that was full. [The word is used in the NT also in Mark 14.14.] How would you like to have a baby in an overcrowded two-room house?

• Would it have made a difference if Joseph was really the father?

• Your spicy question/comment: “ ............................................”

Dale

The Year of the Bible 5 Dec 10

The Year of the Bible

In 1066 the Normans took control of England and began to use their version of French as the official language. Ordinary people used Old English which gradually changed into Middle English by the time of Chaucer. Only in 1362 did Parliament decide that English was to be used in Parliament and the Courts.

The big change into early modern English began with the reign of Henry V in the 15^th century and continued into the 17th. There were two great influences. Shakespeare invented many new words and gave English a new place in the hearts and minds of the people. Following soon after Shakespeare the King James Bible also cemented a beauty of language in the minds of the English.

But it was not an easy transition.

Read more: The Year of the Bible 5 Dec 10