A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL TOO Presentation of the Lord 2nd Feb 2025

 2025  02  02 Presentation of the Lord Year C

Malachi 3:1-4     Psalm 24     Hebrews 2:14-18     Luke 2:22-40

Can you imagine how bewildering it would be to have given birth and go to present your child in the temple, only to be stopped not once, but twice, with people declaring things about your child and his future?  Obviously, this was no ordinary child.

 

In the Jewish tradition, when a woman gave birth to her first born and that firstborn was male, they were to consecrate that child as holy to the Lord.  This comes from the commands of Moses and is written in the Old testament.  It says, Exodus 22:29 “Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats. “You must give me the firstborn of your sons.  Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.”

 

The reason for this was about remembering.  The people were to remember a particular defining moment in their history, because that defining moment was also a prophecy of their future.  That moment was when the people were slaves in Egypt and being so hard pressed.  Pharoh would not let the people go and so God sent the Angel of Death to take the first born of every womb, both animal and human.  However, the Israelites were spared if they had sacrificed a lamb and painted it’s blood over their door post as a sign to the Angel.  They were then saved by the blood of the lamb.

 

In the future, ever after that event, God wanted to let the people remember that the first born, who were the sign of the nation’s strength and future, belonged to him.  Israel had a future, only because of God’s great deliverance.  Therefore, the people were to give the first born back to God, mostly through giving as a sacrifice, but the sons were to be redeemed… or bought back by the sacrifice.  The first born was substituted for an animal or monetary payment.

 

This system of sacrifice, substitution and redemption would set up the understanding of our salvation.    Christ, the first-born son of God would be the sacrifice, substitution who would redeem us from the legal right that Satan had over us.

 

Our letter from the Hebrews explains this for us when it tells us that Jesus had to share in our flesh and blood so that through his death he might destroy the one who has the power of death   -  the devil.   We previously have lived our lives, unwittingly, in slavery to the devil, as those who followed our own ways instead of God’s.  It can be as simple as any time we are trusting in our own strength to save us, instead of trusting in God, because the Bible tells us that anything that is not of faith is sin, and it also tells us that everyone falls short of the glory of God.  And this all started at the beginning of time.  Everyone ever born has done this, and it is explained to us by our story of the garden of Eden.

 

Following our own ways and trusting in ourselves rather than trusting and believing the word of God is something we all do.  However, Christians strive to live by faith and trust in God.  When we aren’t trusting in God we are living as slaves to death.  Scripture tells us in Galations 2:19-20 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.  I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

 We are finite and can not save ourselves beyond maybe an immediate situation… if that.  However, God has made a way to save for eternity.  It involves him redeeming us and it is through the substitution of Jesus’ life, given as a sacrifice for al of us.   Jesus could do this because he became one of us - yet did not sin.  He didn’t sin, not so much because he resisted temptation and didn’t do this or that,… but because he lived his life in complete trust and faith in God the father.  As Hebrews tells us; Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.

 

The key to living right, is in living by faith and trust in God.  God knows that we will still sometimes fall…. And fall again, even while we are striving, so we are to remember that Christ has already made atonement for that sin…. we are free and no longer a slave to sin because we have faith and believe God.

 

The important question is; Do we believe God?  We can believe there is a God, but do we believe God…. Believe what he says… believe in his word?  Jesus is the word of God.  We are told in Hebrews 4:12”For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

To believe God means that when God says, “Don’t eat the fruit from that tree”, we say AMEN…. And we don’t.   Why?  Because we believe God…. Completely! 

When God says, “don’t eat the fruit from that tree”, what does that mean for you?  What tree and what fruit is it in our lives that we are inclined to not believe God’s word about?

 

Mary is told that a sword will pierce her own soul.  Many have said that this refers to the sorrow that she would experience as a mother seeing her son crucified.  No doubt that was part of it all, but it seems to me that it is about more than this.  The prior sentence tells us about Jesus.  "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul, too."

 

“The inner thoughts revealed, and a sword will pierce your own soul too”.  The word of God is a two-edged sword, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  All of us and even Mary, need this sword to pierce our soul.  We need to be willing to allow God to reveal to us our thoughts and attitudes that need correction, if we are to live lives according to God’s will. 

 

In our first reading we are also told;  “he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.”

 

Sometimes we might think being a Christian is just about believing that there is a God.  There is more to it than that.  Even Demons KNOW that there is a God.  Sometimes we might think that being a Christian is about giving thanks to God for sending Jesus to bring us eternal live.  It is!  But there is more to it than that.  Being a Christian means being filled with God’s Holy Spirit, who teaches us and refines us.  Sometimes we will feel incredible sorrow at the sin in the world and we will feel the pain of others, because this is what it means to be the body of Christ… we will feel his pain – and a sword will pierce your own soul.  Being a Christian is about believing God.  Believing what he says.  Believing what he promises.  It is about allowing that sword  - the word of God – to pierce our soul.

 

Baby Jesus was presented in the temple on the 40^th day, but the verses prior to our reading tell us about the 8^th day.  The eighth day is a huge day for any first-born Jewish son, as he is also circumcised on the eighth day.  literally, the child is cut and then purification time takes place and then the baby is presented.  Everything ordered by God is a prophetic sign declaring God’s message.  We too need that sword to pierce our soul and then we purify ourselves by believing God and then we present ourselves to God.  Here we begin the journey that God has planned for us.

 

God has a plan and a purpose for us.  Being a Christian means having that sword pierce our soul…. We are cut to the heart and have had our thoughts and our attitudes laid bare to God… we’ve brought them all to him in prayer.  In revelation brought about by that sword we realize our need for him and his salvation,  - we believe him, and now we present ourselves as his chosen people ready and willing to do his will and walk in that plan and purpose to which he has called us.   The Christian Church has become a small army.  We are being called to present ourselves in the temple…. Here we are Lord, we come to do your will.  Raise us up as a might army of the Lord.

We wait in hope for the Lord AUSTRALIA DAY 2025

 2025  01  26  AUSTRALIA DAY SERVICES –

 Jeremiah 29:4-14      Psalm 33:12-21      1 Thessalonians 5:12-24        John 8:31-36

It is great that we have this opportunity to take time to reflect on our nation, and especially to pray for our nation, as we come to Australia Day.  This is the land in which we are living, and our readings today, tell us a thing or two about the attitude we should have toward the land in which we are living.  The prophet, Jeremiah, was encouraging the Israelites who were in exile, but more than that, he was delivering the word of God.  A message for the people. And a message for us!

 

We get a hint, when it talks about the false prophets telling them what they want to hear, that at the time, many would have argued that this “Word”, was not what they wanted.  For those longing to be back in their own land, they were told that it would be 70 years before that would happen.  So, how old would you be by the time you could go home?  If you were 7 years old, you would be 77 years old.  The younger ones would not even remember their former home.  Their home in exile would be the only home they know, and many who were older would have been dead by the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy.

 

The word of the Lord was meant to be a redirect – to think on the future.  It was an exhortation to seek the prosperity of the land in which they were living, and to pray for it and to make their good life there.  However, while they were being blessed and prospering, rather than forgetting where they were from, God promised them a unique place of their own. A place that was truly their home, and God would take them back.  In the meantime, they would remember and declare that sentiment in the Psalm that we read; “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” 

 

The Israelites longed for the time when God would bring them back to their real home.  God wanted them to live their lives fully integrated in this land, but he also wanted them to remember that they were unique – His chosen people.  To do this they needed to remember who they were and where they came from…. Much like in a line from the Lion King.  The young Simba had left his family and friends in disgrace…. He remained in exile.  Sometime later he received this message, “Remember who you are”.  Simba was no ordinary Lion.  He was the son of the king…. The heir to the throne.  The Israelite people were also in exile, in disgrace.  They had turned their backs on God and had not followed His ways.  God had warned that if this happened, they would be sent into exile.  But now they were told that God had not forgotten them.  He would bring them back – eventually.  The message from God is always, “Remember who you are… and whose you are”.  This hope in God, kept them distinct as a people, and it kept them united and strong as a nation, though fully integrated in their new home.  Their hope kept them faithful, and it defined their identity.

 

This weekend we have a national holiday for Australia Day… On the same day is also Indian Republic Day, which I discovered is also a national holiday in India commemorating the adoption of the Constitution of India, and the country's transition to a republic which came into effect on 26 January 1950.  Since the beginning of Australia Day being celebrated, there has been some controversy.  Some will call it invasion day, as the day when the British flag was raised on January 26, 1788, at Sydney Cove, Australia by Captain Arthur Phillip. 

 

Australia Day, as a celebration, took place on July 30, 1915 as a fundraiser for World War I.  Then in 1935, The Australian Natives Association pushed for the celebration of Australia Day in every Australian state.  This men’s group desired to promote Australian heritage and idealism.  It was from their own perspective, of course, which was as native-born Australian citizens of European descent, but at that time, this group of people had no real identity…. No connection with the land of their ancestors, and unlike the Israelites in our first reading, no promise of a home of their own.  What would you have proposed as a way to give these people unity, identity, a hope and a future?

 

Whether we were born here, of first nations, became or born an Australian citizen, we are called to pray for the nation and work for the prosperity of the land.  As Christians, wherever we are, we are to live fully as citizens of that land, and we are called to be praying for that nation’s advancement. 

 

Regardless of any Ancestral nationality, all of us are actually a people in exile living in this land, regardless of whether it is Australian or anywhere else in the world, because we are the people of God, and our true home is in heaven.  The country song, Temporary Home by Carrie Underwood, says this, “this is our temporary home.  Windows and rooms that we’re passing through.  This is just a stop to where we are going.  This is our temporary home.”  We are like those young Israelites living in exile, and born in exile, never knowing their true home.  This place feels so much like where we belong.  We, like those Israelite people, need the word of God… the prophecy… to declare to each other who we are, and what is, our true identity.  We need to know that our Christian story is not just something for Sunday, but it is the truth that is truer than our temporary reality.  And we need to remind each other;  “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” 

 

Rex and I were in a taxi that seemed to be deliberately taking us the long way to a train station.  When finally dropped off, it was not the train station we requested but was at a train station that wasn’t working.  An elderly man was there also looking for a train.  A young man who worked there, explained the process to us all and walked us to the corner, showing us where to catch a bus.  At this point the elderly man said, he was going back to see his wife, but told us that he felt compelled, that he needed to tell us, that Jesus is coming soon.  

I must confess, I generally expect each year to roll much like the last one did, without much to write home about.  We proclaim the mystery of faith at every service that Christ will come again but tend to think it will be in the distant future.  However, this experience has challenged me to ponder whether our relaxed attitude, thinking we have plenty of time before Jesus comes, is really living like the bridesmaids who didn’t bring oil for their lamps…  (in our case thinking that we have plenty of time to go back to the market many times and buy more oil.). 

 

The early Christian Church didn’t fully live in their lands, praying for the nations and seeking it’s prosperity, because they believed that Christ was coming imminently – VERY soon.  We seem to have fallen into the opposite problem…. We think it is a long way off.

 

The Christian Church in many places is diminishing.  The lamp is growing dim.  But we are here now… filling our lamps with oil.  What can we do?  My grand daughter has become a fan of Frozen and knows all the songs from both the first and second movie and so I got to watch with her.  There is an important line in the second movie.  Anna thinks that her sister is dead, and she doesn’t know what to do. She feels grief and confusion and realizes that she doesn’t know very much and doesn’t know how to make things right.  What can she do in this time of confusion and grief?  she remembers someone advising her to simply “do the next right thing”.

 

We don’t have the answers to ease the pain of those hurting over the ways of our nation.  We don’t have the answers to solve the problems facing our church.  But we can do the next right thing, pray and seek the prosperity of our nation.  Proclaim the Good News, that there is hope in Jesus.  Our reading from the letter to the Thessalonians tells us to always rejoice.  We may feel more like lamenting, but even in this we are to give thanks in ALL -all circumstances and to pray continually.  We are to always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.  And all THIS is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.

 

We must not to quench the Spirit.  In 1606 Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, a Catholic Portuguese seaman and explorer, was on a journey to discover the ‘mythical’ Great South Land and to claim it for Phillip III of Spain.  He actually landed on Vanuatu, but thought it was Australia.  He claimed that, and all land from there south, as the great South Land of the Holy Spirit.   Certainly, after my recent visit to the Island in south Vanuatu, it is evident that the Holy Spirit is alive, active and moving.  The whole time that tourists were on Mystery Island, the native band was singing Christian songs. Then when we attended the tour on the nearby Island of Aneityum, we all received a blessing from the elder before we left.

We have free will.  We are here in this land Australia.  If it is to be the land of the Holy Spirit, that requires us to intentionally use our free will to cooperate with God and pray for the Holy Spirit to move on us and in our land.  We are all called to be God’s prophets of hope, declaring to our nation the Good News of Jesus, and praying (prophetically claiming) this land we live in as the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.  And our nation will then prosper and be blest, because blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 33).

 

God knows our future and the future of our land.  He tells us that he has plans for us; plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future.  We live in faith, that Christ is coming, but until then we live fully integrated and pray for our nation’s prosperity and future.  Lord, send us your Spirit.  “We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” 

Epiphany - Realizing the enormous implication of Christmas - He came for us ALL

 2025  01  05  Epiphany  (JAN 06)

Sadly, we can now take down our Christmas trees, but don’t worry, it is only 355 days until it will be Christmas again… and about 321 until you can put your tree up again.

 

We take our Christmas trees down, but I’m reminded of a line in the famous Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” where the central character, Scrooge has had a change of heart about Christmas after his visits from the three Ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future.  The quote is this; “"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.  I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future.  The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”

 

Scrooge, through those visits to the past, present and future, was given a look at things as they were, are and might be.  In doing so, he attained a new perspective.  It would be very true to describe this new perspective as an epiphany.  He came to a brand new and wonderful realization.  According to the online dictionary, this is what Epiphany means;  a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization.

 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany.  This is the great and sudden revelation and realization that Christ came, not just to be the saviour and messiah for the Jews, but he also came for the Gentiles as represented by the Magi- The wise men from the East.

 

Who were these mysterious men?  It doesn’t actually say that there were three of them.  Over the years there have been speculations and stories told that took poetic licence, designating that there were three (probably due to the three gifts) and named them kings.  Certainly, these were learned men who were not Jews.  These Magi came from the East and they studied the stars.  After researching the various ideas and opinions about the Magi, it is acknowledged, and I agree, that the most reliable source of information about them is actually the Bible itself.

 

In the 6^th century before Christ was born, many Jews were carried off into exile in Babylon.  Remember the song?  By the rivers of Babylon?  Which is of course from the Psalm 137.  Well, this is the story or the song of lamentation when those people were carried off to Babylon.  At that time the King of Babylon was looking for some wise men to work for him and Daniel was one of those men and he became a leader among those wise men.  The story of this and more is in our Biblical book of Daniel. 

 

The Book of Daniel mentions others who were advisors to the King – calling them wise men and astronomers - Magi.  At this time there were a group of people, the Chaldeans, who had been absorbed into the Babylonian Empire, and they were famous for their fixation with the stars and planets.  They were quite brilliant and influential with other people groups who had been mixed into that empire.  Daniel was observed by the King and all others to be a person of outstanding understanding and wisdom.  When the King had a dream that the other wise men, who worshipped various other Gods, could not interpret, Daniel came to the rescue.  Unlike the other wise men, Daniel whole heartedly relied on God as the source of his wisdom and declared this openly.

 

The significant part of the Book of Daniel, for our purpose, is that an Angel appeared to him and declared many things about the Messiah and even the time when the Messiah would arrive…. Although it was in a kind of code that I don’t understand…. But Daniel did and so did those he taught.  This was all recorded and written down – which is why we have the Book of Daniel -  and it is assumed that these writings were common knowledge among those people who worked with Daniel – ie, the Magi (Wise men). 

 

Interestingly, there is a modern astronomer who researched the stars at the time that Christ was born.  His name is Rick Larson and he used NASA technology and discovered an extremely rare triple conjunction: The “king” star (Regulus) crossing the “king” planet (Jupiter) within the constellation of the lion (Leo), “king” of the animals.  This showed three astronomical aspects denoting King…   King, king, king.  Also interesting to note that the constellation of the lion has an association with the Kingly tribe of Judah.  The messiah was often referred to as the lion of Judah.   I can imagine with the knowledge of the prophecy from Daniel and the knowledge and study that this group of people had in watching the stars, this sign in the sky proclaimed to them that a King of Kings was near.  (https://www.oneforisrael.org/holidays/how-did-the-magi-from-the-east-know/)

 

This is all very interesting, but of what consequence is it to us?  Something so significant happened, that some of the wisest people on earth came looking for the King of the Jews.  Something so significant happened that there were signs in the heavens telling about it.  Which reminds me of Psalm 19 that says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.…”  as they say – The truth is out there… it truly is. 

 

At that time the people who were outsiders…. Wise and trained in the prophecy, but outsiders none the less… these came to worship Jesus.  Our first reading prophetically tells us that “A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.”  This was referring to those outsiders who would come to worship the Lord.  The Epiphany is when we celebrate the realization that God came to be the saviour, not just for the Jews, but for us also. …  the outsiders.

 

Now, today, we have been grafted in, to the family of God.  We are no longer outsiders.  We look forward to Christ’s return and pray that his kingdom come, knowing that His will be a rule like that described in our Psalm, which is acknowledged as a prophetic psalm about the Messiah; “In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more.  May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.  May all kings fall down before him, all nations give him service.”  Here again we also see the prophecy of him being brought gifts by outsiders.

 

There is just one more thing I want to make known to you; Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem, yet the “Insiders”, the Chief Priests and Scribes and the King of Judea, did not bring him gifts.  Some ignored, the other tried to kill him.  It was the outsiders who worshiped.

 

Christmas may be over for the year, but what has it meant to us?  Will we be like the Chief Priests and Scribes, with the knowledge of the truth, but not letting it affect us too much, or will we be like the wise men and worship, offering our gifts and our giftedness?

 

Scrooge promised to honour Christmas in his heart and try to keep it all the year.  This is the epiphany we need too.  Our eyes need to be opened to seeing the love of God and the incredible miracle of the fact that God became flesh.  There is no God like our God.  God became human and died and rose, so that we too could have eternal life.  He is our saviour.  Don’t miss the magnitude, by being so familiar with the story that we, like the scribes leave him to “do his own thing” in Bethlehem.  Let us determine to deliberately and with all our energy, follow the star, leaving homely comforts and connect with the life of Jesus… come and worship, and let us also promise to keep Christmas in our hearts all year round.

Being clothed in the Robes of our Destiny CHRISTMAS 1 C 29th Dec 2024

2024 12  29  Christmas 1C 

1 Samuel 2.18-20,26 Psalm 148   Colossians 3.12-17 Luke 2.41-52

Do you remember the story of Hannah and Elkanah?  They are the parents of Samuel.  Hannah was barren and prayed for a son and vowed that she would give him to God.  When Samuel was weaned, Hannah presented him to the Priest, Eli, announcing that she had vowed she would give him to the Lord, all the days of his life.  This was not something that happened every day…. I can only imagine how hard that would have been.

 

Eli was quite elderly, and he had grown up sons who were ministering, but they were somewhat corrupt.  Now as an elderly man, Eli was given this young boy, Samuel, to raise and teach in the ways of God.  Each year when Samuel’s mother would visit she’d bring him a little robe that she had made for him  - a linen ephod….  The garment of the priests. 

 

At this time in Israel, the only priests were those who were born in the family of the Levite tribe – which is the tribe of Moses and his brother Aaron.  Elkanah, Samuel’s father, was an Ephraimite…. A descendant of Joseph – not Levi.   This was most unusual, that a boy would be raised as a priest, who was of a different tribe.

 

It is most usual to bring up our children in our own business.  I remember teaching a young boy, who talked non-stop about his chooks.  Another teacher asked him, “Why do you have to talk about chooks all the time?” He responded, “It’s my Dad’s business!  When I grow up, it will be my business.”

 

The Bible Proverb 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  It amazes me that this mother, Hannah, was strong enough to follow through on her vow and she fully trained her son to be totally committed to God.  No surprise really – after all, she showed this in her own life.  Her son, Samuel, learnt from her first, that we make sacrifices and keep our word, and give God first place in our life.  He then learnt about the word of God from Eli the priest, and not too much later on, he would experience hearing the word of God for himself and be instrumental in the leadership of the nation of Israel.

Samuel, as a small boy, was dressed as a priest.  He was dressed for, and placed in a role from this young age, and he didn’t depart from it.  He grew into it.  He was destined for this role, but he was also trained and empowered for that role by those around him who affirmed his place.  There is a lesson for us in this.  It is made clear in our second reading. 

 

“Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.  Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

 

Samuel was clothed in priestly garments, and he grew up to be an amazing man of God.  We are encouraged to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, and then over this clothe ourselves with love.   Why it is described as clothing ourselves, is because we might not naturally feel compassion, or kindness, or humility or meekness or patience or love.  However, we need to exhibit these qualities and the hope, is that as we wear these robes, we will grow into those qualities and they will become “second nature”.

 

Our Gospel reading tells of another boy in the company of priests.   It is the story of Jesus in the temple at the ripe old age of 12.   12 is a symbolic number.  It is said to symbolize perfect governance, totality, wholeness, and the completion of God's purpose.  Actually 12 is a ripe age, as it is the age of the Jewish Bar Mitsvah, and is when the boys are considered adult in the faith.  Understanding this, we can see why Jesus might have decided to stay on at the temple. 

 

Jesus knew his destiny, but his parents didn’t seem to fully understand.  And we know that they weren’t meant to.  God chose them for a reason and although they were told who Jesus was, they brought Jesus up as they would their own child – probably in the trade of Joseph, as a carpenter.   BUT Jesus knew who he was and who his father is, and what his father’s work was about.

 

The festival that Jesus and his family were celebrating was the festival of Passover. Looking up the Jewish understanding of the number 12, I found that the 12^th letter has the numeric value of 30.  It is believed that Jesus began his public ministry at this age and than three years later He was crucified.  He was crucified during a particular, very important festival.  Do you recall which one?  Yep – the festival of Passover.

 

Jesus and his parents were part of a large group who came to the festival in Jerusalem. They travelled back as part of a large group also.  They didn’t realize that he was missing until they had travelled a day’s journey.  So it was another day back, but then they didn’t find him until the third day.  So… it was the festival of the Passover… they found him again on the third day.  Does this sound familiar?

 

Jesus said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  We might be searching for Jesus also.  We might have situations that we find difficult and don’t know how to find resolution.  We might have come to the conclusion that there IS no resolution.  This is because we are looking in the wrong place.  We will find Jesus in his father’s house.  What I mean by this, is we find Jesus through scripture and in prayer.

 

Jesus is not in the crowd of popular opinion.  To find Jesus requires sacrifice like that of Hannah who gave up her only son – and God has made that sacrifice for us.  God gave up his only son, Jesus, so that we could readily find him.  God desires to speak with us, teach us and give us his answers.  He speaks to us through his Holy Spirit that Jesus sends us.   

There is another robe that we clothe ourselves in.  it is the robe of Christ himself.  We are never alone.  He is with us – yet it is in our activities that we either grow into this awareness  - or we grow less aware.  As we begin to look at New Year’s resolutions, let us make this ours; to wear the clothes of compassion and love and listen for the voice of God by being clothed in Christ.

From 2014 The first day of Christmas

 On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me….  A Partridge in a pear tree!

There is some debate about the Christmas song, The Twelve days of Christmas, as to whether it is simply a fun and nonsensical song or a Carol that has secret meaning, sung by those who lived in areas where Christianity was not accepted.

If the latter is the true, then it is said that my true love is a reference to God, and on that first day of Christmas his gift is the word made flesh – Jesus Christ.  The portrayal of Jesus is like that of a partridge which will appear injured to protect its offspring.

Whether or not we accept this meaning in the song, the song itself tells us of a tradition from an earlier church time where there were twelve days of celebrating the “Christ’s Mass” and the first day being the 25^th of December  - a celebration of the word made flesh… the incarnation.  An amazing and mind-blowing miracle!

 

I think it would be great to be able to spend 12 days concentrating on what it was that happened to our world each day looking at some aspect of God’s interaction with us.

 

If we’ve been to church the last few weeks we come to this first day of Christmas already aware of and following the journey of Mary and Joseph.  They both had their interaction with God’s Angel a little earlier in the story and both needed to respond positively in order for things to be.

 

In our own way, we need to come to this same point with Mary and Joseph in order to experience our own first day of Christmas.  First we need to have dealt with those same issues.  Mary’s story was the more difficult.  She had to say yes to God’s will in her life, even though it would mean rumours and rejection and the possibility of being stoned as an adulterer.  She trusted God’s plan was not for that to eventuate, but still nothing could proceed without her will being in line with God’s.  Are we willing to be counted as a Christian though it may mean the scoffing of peers?

 

God gave us free will, and he won’t override that gift, but he asks us to make him the Lord of our lives.  He asks us to freely say, “Yes” to him, admitting that we need His guidance.  God cannot be “born” in us unless we give him the permission to do so.

 

Joseph had to trust God’s working in Mary.  Joseph had to acknowledge that God had chosen to work through this person to whom he was engaged.  Joseph had to say, “yes” to God also, though his role would be different.  Joseph’s role is very interesting if we relate it back to our own experience.  His was a support role in a world where it was generally accepted that Mary’s role was to support him… I’m sure that in instances of true love that the support is always mutual and we note glimpses of this in the relationship of Abraham and Sarah, but this is one record where it certainly focuses on the upside down nature of leadership that Jesus promoted.  Are we willing to serve and support our fellow Christians who are also called by God for His purpose?

 

What really happened that Christmas night?  What do people really think? 

 

There has always been a tension between the God aspect and the humanity of Christ.  Was he really just human and then became someone who really answered God’s call? Or was he always God and never really experienced the ugly side of humanity?

 

Human minds find it hard to settle this issue and even Jesus human family struggled, as we read in Mark 3:21, “When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."”

I love imaginative, fantastical movies.  I find that we can learn so much about so many things when we use our imagination to create safe places to explain and explore some very difficult topics.

One of the best examples that I know of, to explain Jesus being fully human and fully God, is found in the movie, Superman 2.  In this movie the love between Lois Lane and Superman is acknowledged and so Superman gives up his power for love of her.

Almost immediately there is some conflict and superman is hurt.  His love for Lois is greater though and he accepts that he will now feel pain and all those fragilities common to humans.  As the show goes on it becomes apparent that superman has to sacrifice his own personal desire for a comfortable life with Lois and go back to being Superman - for her good, and the good of all humanity.  So he takes back his power once again, but with great heart ache.  Those who he saves would never really know the full extent of his sacrifice.

 

In the song, The twelve days of Christmas, the twelve drummers drumming refers to the 12 articles of faith listed in the apostles creed.  These beliefs served to formalise the Christian faith and safeguard against heresy. 

It begins with “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:”

We easily acknowledge the humanity of Jesus.  He is a person of history… recorded in sources that are not Christian… he really existed.  But the reason we have a faith called Christianity is because we believe that he is more than just human.  

Some people do believe that he was a great man who did wonderful things and was inspired by God, but not God, but did you know that this is simply not logical?

Jesus was finally crucified because of blasphemy.  That is, he declared himself to be God.  If he was a good man and only a man, why would he declare this about himself?  People who do these kinds of things are usually evil or crazy.   We have already established that Jesus did many good things so evil doesn’t fit the bill.

 

Crazy?  Well, we know that his family thought so at one point in time.  But then we look at what happened later… those closest to him, including some of his family, were prepared to suffer and be put to death for what they considered to be the truth.  If he was crazy or if they still thought him to be crazy this simply would not happen.

How many years later… approximately 2014, we are still celebrating that God came to live as one of us… Emmanuel – it means , “God with us”.  It is the name given by one of the Angels, saying that Jesus would be called this….  He is God with us. 

 

And yet…. God is one.  I believe in one God, the Father Almighty.  Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible….

If we believe in one God how is it that Jesus prays to his father.  I actually only have a very simplistic answer.  God is God and is beyond our understanding.  For a short, powerful and amazing time in history, somehow God was clearly seen as different identities.

Once again I turn to imagination to explain.  There was an advertisement for chocolate where a golden clad goddess couldn’t make up her mind which chocolate to choose so she separated into three identical forms of herself… each one choosing a different flavour.

 

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of a baby… we call him Jesus, but who is Jesus for you?

 

Our society is currently experiencing some anxiety over the numbers of Muslims which seem to be taking over our world like a spreading dark storm cloud.  If we truly proclaimed the truth of the Gospel, I believe there would be so many more Christians, because Christianity is such good news….. What other religion acknowledges that we cannot obtain the standard of perfection and so their God comes down to be the sacrifice for them?  NONE… Only Christianity!

The reality is that we don’t really know or proclaim the fabulous Good News that we have in Jesus Christ.  Our faith is diminishing because we have taken it for granted for so long and so people have become ignorant of the amazing message of hope and truth that this holds for all.

 

We can wish for Joy and peace and love eternally this Christmas, but love and joy and peace are there already…. What we need is our eyes opened to see.

 

To truly celebrate Christmas we need to become part of the Christmas story… Say, “yes” to God’s will in our lives and stand up for our faith, supporting, guarding and protecting it like Joseph and proclaiming the Good News like the Angels did.

...

Something is missing - but Jesus brings that Christmas gift. Christmas Eve message.

Christmas has arrived.  But what is Christmas and why do we celebrate?

 

The clue is in the word – Christ/ mas.  It means to celebrate Christ  - and Christ is the Greek word for Messiah – both mean “the anointed one”.   We know who we are talking about…. Jesus, born about 2024 years ago.  We know how long ago, because people long ago decided that His birth was SO significant that we should mark time from that point.  So, they worked out when he was born and started counting… and now we are up to 2024 – nearly 2025. 

 

I’m sorry, but Christmas isn’t really about food, family and presents!  In fact, there was a time in history, when Christmas celebrations were banned.  People could go to church to mark the day, but no party was allowed, because people were getting out of control and forgetting the point of why they were celebrating.  We wouldn’t do that today, would we?

 

For some there will be sadness at this time.  Grief and sadness has been a part of our human experience almost since forever, but the message of Christmas is one of hope.  Because of Christmas, God has a plan for our future, and it is one that brings us eternal life and one where every tear will be wiped dry.  We are comforted by knowing that God loves us and is in control.

 

But why did Jesus have to come and save us?  Perhaps we can reflect on the baubles on the Christmas tree.  The baubles represent the ancient Christmas tree tradition of hanging fruit, and the fruit had two meanings; firstly, they were a sign of fruitfulness, and hope for the future, but they were also a reminder of the first fruit… You know...that one in the Garden of Eden!!!  Back at the beginning of time we were given a choice; trust God, or reject God and try to be our own God.  Guess what we chose?

 

Many artists have painted that first fruit as an apple, but all we really know is that it was forbidden.  The first people on earth disobeyed God and ate it.  When they ate the fruit, they died.  They didn’t look like they died.  They still talked and laughed, but something died inside… and every person that has been born since, has been born without that “thing.”

 

We don’t notice that something is missing in our lives, because you and I have never known any different, but once upon a time, humans (OR at least the first two of them) could easily hear God speaking.  They could speak with God and be in God’s presence.  When they disobeyed God and ate that forbidden fruit, that part inside that enabled them to be eternal and commune easily with God, died.  And every human born since then has not been eternal and struggled to hear God’s voice, or just didn’t try at all, unless God did something to particularly help – Which he often does, because God really and truly loves us.  However, God had a plan to solve the problem.

-         .

At the beginning of time, when humans turned away from God our spirit died.  All who were born after that time, never knew what it was to have an alive Spirit – until Jesus came.  If we have a Goldfish that dies, we just buy another one.  Unfortunately, no mere human ever born was able to pay the price, to buy us a new spirit, but Jesus Christ was no mere human.  Jesus was born of God… in fact Jesus was God… and Jesus Is God!

 

Our creed says “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father.  God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.  For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became truly human”

 

That is a lot of words.  Have you ever pondered their meaning?  Jesus existed when the world was being made… in fact it was through him that the world WAS made.  Even one of our Christmas Carols, O Come all Ye faithful, has the lyrics, “True God of True God, light of light eternal….”

 

Christmas is the moment when God became visible.  Christ is Jesus…. God became human and fragile as a little baby, but he was born differently to all of us.  He still was born in the normal human way, with a human mother, but his only father is God.   Jesus is the son of God.  The New Testament in the Bible, describes Jesus as God’s first born son.

 

The Christmas Carol says the First Noel, the Angel did say, was to certain poor shepherd in fields as they lay.  Have you ever wondered what NOEL means?  If you look it up, it usually says that it is an old French word, meaning birth.  This is correct, but it isn’t until you ask someone who understands Hebrew – the language of the Old Testament, that we find out the full meaning – “the name Noel is a shortened form of Norad Elohim or Nolad Elohim meaning…  “Born of God!”  (https://noelinuae.medium.com/thou-shalt-call-his-name-jesus-they-shall-call-his-name-immanuel-704d89b27d0c )

Jesus was born the son of God.  This means that he was born spiritually alive.  That thing inside that we all were meant to have alive inside us – that thing that died when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit…, Jesus DID have that alive inside him. 

 

John the Baptist told the people that the Messiah (Jesus) would baptize us with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus would pay the price for our disobedience and then give us His HOLY SPIRIT.  Jesus could only pay the price for us, because he was born of God…. The first Noel… - The first born of God, and he brings us eternal spiritual life by giving us His Holy Spirit.   For us to be properly restored and once again be in proper communion with God we need to receive the gift that Jesus offers us.  He gives us His life and HIS Holy Spirit.  When he does this, that missing part in us, our spirit comes to life.  Jesus is God, and when we accept him, we are born of God too…. A second NOEL.   

 

At Christmas we give and receive gifts as a celebration of the birth of Christ – God made flesh, but really the only gift that matters is the gift that Jesus brings us.  Scripture tells us  (John 1:12-13)^“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—  children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”  

 

I don’t know about you, but the gift that Jesus gives us, to be born of God, sounds like the very best gift ever.  His Holy Spirit brings us to life spiritually, and each of us who accepts this gift is then BORN OF GOD.  NOEL.  ..And we are born into eternity!  It is Jesus’ birthday, but the best gift we could give him is to accept the gift that he offers us.

 

Let us pray- Jesus, son of God, we thank you for loving us so much that you were willing to become so very vulnerable.  We honour you as King and as Lord – even at your birth.  Lord Jesus, we thank you for your gift to us.  Send us your Holy Spirit.  Let your spirit overshadow each of us and bring us to life today.  Lord God, we turn to you and ask that we might also be born of God.  Noel.  Noel.  AMEN.