Reconciliation

2Corinthians 5:16  From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17  So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20  So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The story is told of Christmas Eve 1914 when 100 000 British and German troops were involved in an unofficial truce along the length of the Western Front.    

Captain Sir Edward Hulse Bart reported how a sing-song which "ended up with 'Auld lang syne' which we all, English, Scots, Irish, Prussians, Wurttenbergers, etc, joined in. It was absolutely astounding, and if I had seen it on a cinematograph film I should have sworn that it was faked ![1]

The annual celebration of the birth of Jesus becomes a moment when the love of God breaks into our grubby, selfish lives. Heaven touched earth, and God’s love was found in a simple cattle trough “reconciling the world to himself”. Christmas becomes a moment to glimpse the love of God in the simple act of soldiers singing together instead of shooting each other.

The sadness of Christmas Eve 1914 is that this was only a temporary respite: the war dragged on for another four years before people found a way of stopping the fighting. My prayer is that this Christmas may be more than a temporary respite from our foolish self-interested lives.  Once again Christmas Eve holds out hope for love, kindness - and even for reconciliation. We have the opportunity for a new beginning:  everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Christmas challenges us to show generous kindness in giving gifts, laughing together, and reaching out to one another.... for the next 365 days!

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[1]  Regan, Geoffrey. Military Anecdotes (1992)  Guinness Publishing ISBN 0-85112-519-0  p140-142.

Seeing a great light

Isaiah 9:1  But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness--on them light has shined. 3  You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. 4  For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. 5  For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 6  For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7  His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

In 580BC Nebuchadnezzar II imposed his rule on the children of Israel by conquest. Their leaders were taken off to Babylon, while the peasants stayed behind to produce crops for their new rulers. The poor worked the land to make Babylon wealthy – and prayed for God to rescue them from their corrupt rulers.

The Prophet Isaiah responds by assuring the children of Israel that God has not forgotten them. He says that the day will come when a ruler will emerge to lift the burden of the oppressed and bring those in darkness into the light... “and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom” ..

The above passage has various interpretations: Jewish belief holds that this refers to past events, specifically the birth and reign of King Hezekiah. [1]  Christian interpretation holds that this passage points to the coming of Jesus, who will bring peace, justice and righteousness. The difficulty with these interpretations lies with agency: the essential question is whether we wait for God to “drop in” and rescue us – or whether we hear the call of God to become his partners in bringing light to a dark world.  

This Christmas challenges us afresh: are we willing to be part of the plan of God to bring light to our world, or will we exist in the darkness? Put differently – will we continue to complain about corrupt, self-serving leaders and immoral and faithless individuals, or will we become part of establishing the kingdom values of as taught by Jesus.

The choice is yours.

  

Fourth Sunday in Advent

4.  God is with us

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 32.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

 

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[1]   http://shemaantimissionary.tripod.com/id5.html

“I will rescue them”

Ezekiel 34:11  For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12  As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13  I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. 14  I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15  I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. 16  I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

Ezekiel was a Jewish prophet who was carried off into exile by the Babylonians and settled in Tel Abib , probably not far from the city of Nippur. He addressed the recurring question of the Jewish people: did Yahweh’s authority extend beyond the borders of Palestine and over the official Babylonian god Marduk?  

‘Indeed so’ says Ezekiel. Yahweh will gather the scattered sheep “from all the places to which they have been scattered”.  Their God is like a protective shepherd who will seek out those who were lost or injured by their exile and bring them back to their home pasture.

This was a difficult thing to say - because there was nothing on which to base these words. Many were losing their faith in Yahweh: some lost their faith as they struggled with desperate poverty in their ancestral homeland, while others lost their faith as they discovered prosperity and security in their exilic environment.[1] But Ezekiel chose to express his faith in a God who overarched the nations. And in this he has become an example to successive generations of people of faith, as we claim the presence of God – even when circumstances tempt us to lose hope.   

This then is the joy of Christmas: no matter how tough the difficulties we face this Christmas, the Good Shepherd will seek the lost... bring back the strayed... bind up the injured, and  strengthen the weak (Isaiah 34:16).    

For Thought

Shepherd of my soul, I give you full control
Wherever you may lead, I will follow
I have made a choice to listen to your voice
wherever you may lead I will go

Be it in a quite pasture or by a gentle stream
The shepherd of my soul is by my side
Should I face a mighty mountain or a valley dark and deep
Shepherd of my soul will be my guide

Marty J. Nystrom

Fourth Sunday in Advent

4.  God is with us

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 32.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] In fact the displaced people flourished so much that many refused to return to their homeland when given the opportunity.

Comfort my People

Isaiah 40:1  Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2  Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3  A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5  Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." 6  A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. 7  The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the LORD blows upon it; surely the people are grass. 8  The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever. 9  Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" 10  See, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11  He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

..............Isa 40:28  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29  He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 30  Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 31  but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

I am always deeply moved by the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. The key passage that unlocks this music is the opening text from Isaiah 40: “Comfort ye, my people”. This is a word from God to the children of Israel that their time of exile is over and the prophet was to announce their restoration.

This is a word that has become greater than a particular period in history. This becomes a word for every generation – a word calls every Jesus-follower to bring comfort to people by telling them that the “glory of the Lord shall be revealed”. This revelation takes place through the quality of lives of Christian people. We are to bring the Christ-light of joy, peace and justice into a dark world..... and so comfort those who live in fear and darkness.  

Let us use this Christmas to remind people of the restoring / comforting work of God. It is this – and only this – that drives the celebrations of this season.

For Thought

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked straight, and the rough places plain.

Messiah, HWV 56 (Handel, George Frideric)

Fourth Sunday in Advent

4.  God is with us

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 32.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.     

A Day of Reconciliation

Matthew 1:18  Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19  Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20  But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21  She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22  All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23  "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us." 24  When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25  but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Today is a national holiday in South Africa. This public holiday is rooted in two different (and separated) sections of our community:

·         For white Afrikaners December 16 was the day set aside to celebrate an 1838 victory in battle against the Zulu leader Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu. Afrikaner leaders were convinced that God had given this victory in exchange for aVoortrekker vow to keep this day sacred as a holy day.

·         This day marked the 1961 founding of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the armed wing of the African National Congress. As white South Africans celebrated an ancient victory over black people, this became a day that many black South Africans renewed their commitment to overthrow white minority rule. 

This becomes a difficult day for the new South Africa: two such different meanings make this an emotionally divisive day. Those who proposed the new list of national holidays chose this as “The Day of Reconciliation” – but we continue to be a nation divided by race, privilege and history. A New Constitution, or a majority governing party, or tough minded determination cannot force people to be reconciled to one another.

I am convinced that the Christmas story offer us the only real hope of reconciliation. Christmas begins as a story of betrayal and shame... and ends with reconciliation. A righteous young man is betrayed by his fiancé, who is pregnant and he knows it isn‘t his child. He is shamed as a man and as a faithful Jew. Yet he sets aside his personal beliefs and chooses the tougher route – the route of reconciliation. This is not romantic, and is extremely deliberate. And this is only possible because God is in it:  as Matthew points out – “Emmanuel," which means, "God is with us."    

This then becomes the hope for my South African nation – and for every nation in need of reconciliation; this is the hope of divided families, and of individuals who are divided one against another: Emmanuel

When God is with us we are enabled to embrace the gritty task of reconciliation.  The challenge of Christmas is for us to be reconciled to one another. Reconciliation is the real meaning of this season.

  

For Thought

He came down to earth from heaven,
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor, the scorned, the lowly,
lived on earth our Saviour holy.
Words: Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895), 1848

Fourth Sunday in Advent

4.  God is with us

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 32.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Immanuel עִמָּנוּאֵל "God is with us"

Isaiah 7:10  Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, 11  Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. 12  But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. 13  Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. 15  He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16  For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. 17  The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah--the king of Assyria."

Ahaz was King of Judah in the mid-8^th century BC. He found himself in the precarious position of being forced by the neighbouring Israel to join a coalition against Assyria,  - something he desperately wanted to avoid. In the above passage, the prophet Isaiah brings a word that Ahaz does not need the coalition to be secure, because God will protect them. He is then given a sign to ‘prove’ this prophesy: a young woman would give birth to a child, who will be called “God with us” (Immanuel). The threat from the enemy kings would be ended before this child grew up.  

Nearly eight hundred years later, Matthew draws on this history to address the fear and insecurity experienced by the followers of Jesus (Ch 1:23). Some in Israel had relied on a political arrangement with Rome to keep the peace; others had thought to build an underground movement of zealots to overthrow Rome. Most were just afraid... a fear expressed in a terrified diaspora when Jerusalem was burned to the ground by the Roman army. Matthew tells his readers not to be afraid: because the birth of another child will become the sign of God’s presence – Immanuel.  

This becomes the recurring theme for those of us who follow Jesus:  Christmas is the reminder that no matter how desperate our circumstances, we do not have to twist and turn in the wind, relying on our wits or our scheming. To be safe - we do not need to trust in our military power or our personal weapons; we do not require our financial investments or educational qualifications; we do not need our powerful families and political connections. Instead God steps out of eternity into our lives and walks alongside of us.  As with Ahaz and Isaiah, and with the generation who read the Gospel of Matthew, we too can know that God is with us – Immanuel. This Christmas – choose to trust that God has your life.

For Thought

Emmanuel, God with us
Emmanuel
Emmanuel, God with us
The son of Israel

And still he calls through the night
Beyond the days of old
A voice of peace to the weary ones
Who struggle with the human soul

All of us, travelers, through a given time
Who can know what tomorrow holds
But over the horizon surely you and I will find

Emmanuel, God with us
Emmanuel
Emmanuel, God with us
The son of Israel

Amy Grant - Emmanuel, God With Us Lyrics   

Second Sunday in Advent

4.  God is with us

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 32.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

A Returning Saviour

Act 1:1  In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2  until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3  After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4  While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6  So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7  He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9  When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10  While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11  They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Advent is a season that reminds us of a returning Saviour. We not only look back at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem all those years ago – but we look forward to the one who “will come in the same way” as he was taken. Christmas sits at the nexus between the past and the future. And it offer an opportunity for us to be reminded of Jesus – who came to save his people, and who continues to inspire salvation songs in our hearts.

  

For Thought

I will rise from waters deep
Into the saving arms of God
I will sing salvation songs
Jesus Christ has set me free

Hillsong - What The Lord Has Done In Me Lyrics  

Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Be alert for his coming....

Luke 12:35  "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36  be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37  Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38  If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. 39  "But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40  You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour." 41  Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?" 42  And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? 43  Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 44  Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 45  But if that slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46  the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. 47  That slave who knew what his master wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe beating. 48  But the one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.

This year it is particularly difficult to be excited about Christmas:

·         Hostages have been killed by the Taliban and al-Qaeda

·         Ebola ravages the lives of many in central west Africa

·         The American CIA admits to horrific torture of prisoners (and few other governments say anything)

And closer to home:

·         ESKOM denies that there is any crisis when we face repeated power cuts

·         The President of our Country denies any wrong doing on his part when his private residence is upgraded at state expense at a cost of over R220 million.

·         And the Office of our Public Prosecutor is in disarray.

The passage above is particularly appropriate for this.

This passage was written for the next generation of Jesus-followers. This is the generation who had witnessed the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, the persecution of those who did not swear total loyalty to the Emperor, and the consequent fear filled scattering of those who were loyal to Jesus. Luke writes to reassure them that despite the very difficult circumstances, they were not to lose hope because “the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour”.

This passage has continued to serve as encouragement through many generations of Christ-followers. Each Advent we anticipate once again the arrival of the Son of Man – and we encourage each other to "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit”.  Let us not be discouraged by the gathering darkness in our country: the Son of Man was born for a time such as this.

Lig jou hande na bo (Sing Halleluja)
Gee eer aan Hom (Halleluja)
Ons Koning kom
Loof sy heilige naam
Lig jou hande na bo (Sing Halleluja)
Vertrou op Hom (Halleluja)
Ons Koning kom
Hy kom om ons te haal

Elke knie sal buig
En elke tong sal getuig
Hy't die dood vir ewig oorwin
Hy't opgestaan!

Juanita du Plessis

 Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

A new kind of Shepherd

Ezekiel 34:1  The word of the LORD came to me:

Eze 34:2  Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them--to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3  You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4  You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5  So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. 6  My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them. 7  Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 8  As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild animals, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; 9  therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: 10  Thus says the Lord GOD, I am against the shepherds; and I will demand my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, so that they may not be food for them.

Ezekiel speaks to the chaos that was left after the Babylonians had invaded Judah and carried off their leaders. Ezekiel castigates the leaders for being too busy enriching themselves to pay attention to the people. These are shepherds who failed their flocks. But God is not blind to this, and Ezekiel says that God will no longer rely on these shepherds.  Instead, God sends a new kind of shepherd. Advent marks the birth of Jesus – one who cames with love and compassion for the lost sheep.   

May this Advent season be a time when we who are lost are found by the Shepherd; and those of us who know the Shepherd learn to follow more closely in his footsteps.

For Thought.

Jesu, Shepherd of the sheep

Pity my unsettled soul

Guide, and nourish me, and keep

Til thy love shall make me whole;

Give me perfect soundness, give

Make me steadfastly believe.

Charles Wesley Hymns and Poems 1749

Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

every eye will see him

Revelation 1:1  The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2  who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3  Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near. 4  John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6  and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7  Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. 8  "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

This letter was written at a time when people were persecuted for giving their loyalty to Jesus rather than to the Roman Emperor. It uses language normally reserved for the Emperor: phrases such as “ruler of the kings of the earth” and “to him be glory and dominion forever” have been transferred from the Roman Emperor to Jesus. These are revolutionary words that have put the followers of Jesus in danger. But they are to remain strong “for the time is near” when Jesus will return: “every eye will see him” and he will be established as “the Almighty”.

Advent is the annual opportunity to be reminded of this rich history.... and to be challenged about our own loyalties. The true essence of Christmas asks us to place the teachings of Jesus at the centre of all our decisions and subsequent actions. Revelation challenges us to be “faithful witnesses” to a Gospel that reminds us that the one who lived amongst the poor of the earth is the ruler of our consciences and actions.

Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

A new kind of Christmas

Luke 21:25  "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26  People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27  Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. 28  Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 29  Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30  as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31  So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32  Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 34  "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35  like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36  Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

I would love to say that I know what is going on here. Some writers claim that this is a prophesy of the second coming of Jesus. Others have said that Luke wrote this after the destruction of Jerusalem, and so he drew on this experience to put these words onto the lips of Jesus.

I do not have the confidence to offer unequivocal explanations on this passage. But I do have an awareness of the irony in meeting these words of Jesus at Christmas:   "Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness“... this because Christmas becomes an excuse for the over indulgence of food, of drink and of newly acquired things – in other words ‘dissipation and drunkenness’. Jesus invites us to “Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things...”  

Let us be challenged to new Christmas practices this year: let us move beyond the immediate escape of alcohol, or food, or new possessions – and instead discover the spiritual satisfaction in standing in a stable / backyard room / shack and offering the glad tidings of comfort and joy.   

God rest ye merry gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
For Jesus Christ, our Savior
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan's powers
When we were gone astray

Glad tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
Glad tidings of comfort and joy

"Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern"   1833 gathered by William B. Sandys. The lyrics of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen are traditional olde English and are reputed to date back to the 15th century although the author is unknown

Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Choose Life

Mark 13:1  As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" 2  Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down." 3  When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4  "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?" 5  Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. 6  Many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. 7  When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs. 9  "As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. 10  And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11  When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12  Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 13  and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

In this second week of Advent: I hear of hostages in Yemen who are executed by al-Quaeda, a friend who is mugged at knife point on her way back from the beach, and a power crisis in our country while the CEO of the power company earns more than R22 million a year – and I wish that Christmas could miraculously take it all away.

As we struggle with the human predicament of life we become frightened of “wars and rumours of war”, and earthquakes, and famines. Our fear leads us in search of people who will guarantee us safety and security. And many Christian preachers respond with a gospel of prosperity and guaranteed blessings.    

In the passage above, Jesus warns against people who use his name to offer an escape from the difficult moments in this life. He says that these things “must take place” as part of life. His followers will not be exempt from the struggles, fears and betrayals endemic to human life together. The good news, however, is that the Holy Spirit accompanies us through such trials, and will enable us to endure “to the end”. Christmas therefore becomes a moment to be reminded that God comes to the difficult places of life – the stable, the manger, and the straw of life. God comes to live with us in our struggles. So let us choose life – life in the midst of difficulty. And let us choose to live alongside the difficulties experienced by the people we encounter. The Spirit of God will accompany us through it all.

    

Third Sunday in Advent

3.The Coming of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 26.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Living Simply

Mark 1:1  The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2  As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3  the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" 4  John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5  And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6  Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7  He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Mark draws on an ancient prophetic tradition to describe John the Baptiser: Like Isaiah, John is calling people to prepare to encounter God: this is achieved through repentance, and re-commitment to the faithful practice of their beliefs. The one remarkable thing about John was not his words – but his practice. This was a preacher who practiced a simple lifestyle..... no fancy clothes, no sumptuous meals, and no luxurious home. John wore the clothes of the poor, ate the food of the poor and lived on the margins of society.

I wonder if we could draw on this tradition as we prepare to encounter God afresh this Christmas season: Could we choose to live on the margins of the vortex of fashion, food and fetish?  And most especially for those of us who are preachers of Jesus: Let us all be challenged to dress simply, eat more simply, and live with less ostentation.

For Reflection: Could this Season of Advent challenge us to live more simply, without the overwhelming drive for excess and acquisition?

Second  Sunday in Advent

2. Preparing the Way

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 20.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

The True Light

John 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7  He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8  He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9  The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

...........Joh 1:19  This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" 20  He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 21  And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." 22  Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" 23  He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. 24  Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25  They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" 26  John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27  the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."

John comes as a witness to the imminent arrival of the Light-Bearer. John is clear that he is not “The One”. Instead his task is to be "...the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'" For this to happen, the community needs to repent of their wayward lives and return to the God of their ancestors. John treats them as if they have no faith and requires them to be baptised – something normally reserved for those who convert to the Jewish faith.

We who await the Christmas arrival of the Saviour could do well to hear the invitation of John: Turn away from the faithless practices of our secular celebrations and discover the deep spirituality of this season. Or as John might say – ‘why be content with fake Christmas lights when we can get to know the One who brings the real Light of Christ-mass?’

 

For Thought

 Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You..........

Lyrics by Chris Tomlin

First Sunday in Advent

2. Preparing the Way

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 20.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.