Where is the light?

This reading from Matthew begins by saying why Jesus has moved from Nazareth to Capernaum,  and I have a map  here and trying show you whereabouts on the map this is talking about. Capernaum, in the area of the tribe of Naphtali, is on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. This area in general is known as Galilee, and it was on the crossroads of international trade routes. In 723 BC the population were deported to Assyria. Matthew is writing for a Jewish audience, and therefore linking the Ministry of Jesus with Zebulun and Naphtali is very important.

Given the distance from Jerusalem, the place of the temple; the intermixing of Jews and Gentiles, and the fact that this place had been under foreign occupation for so much of the time, we can see why the people are referred to as being people who sat in darkness. The darkness was not only in the history of the area. Even though in theory Phillip was in charge of this area, Herod was one who had arrested John and later had him killed. This was a place that had seen much darkness in its time, but was still a place where the shadow of death was very close.

After Matthew has set the scene for Jesus being in Capernaum. There is a single sentence that says from that time Jesus began to proclaim, “ repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Then there is the call to discipleship of the two sets of brothers. Jesus calls them in the midst of their daily activity. All immediately left what they were doing. In both cases leaving their families meant leaving their nets, leaving the boat, leaving behind their tools of trade because they belonged to the family, not to the individual. Following Jesus was a very risky thing to do. In these days family was the social network, the place where you worked, the people who looked after you if you were ill, family was everything. And people didn't judge you by where you worked or what you wore, but by which family you were from.

Then the passage ends with a single sentence about the Ministry of Jesus. How Jesus went teaching in synagogues, proclaiming the good news, curing disease.

This is the season of epiphany, a season of light, of seeing Jesus manifest in the world. We have seen Jesus present in the birth story, as a child eager to learn in the synagogue, baptised by John in the Jordan, and here we have a reading that talks about the beginning of Jesus’ Ministry. A ministry that is about bringing light into dark places, a ministry of calling, the ministry of proclaiming good news, a ministry of healing, the ministry that demands a decision from each one of us.

Matthew quotes from the book of Isaiah and says for those who sat in the region of darkness and shadow of death, light has dawned. And I wonder when we are people sitting in darkness, when we feel the shadow of death in our lives, where do we look for the light?

There are  number of ways we can think about the darkness.  For many of the people effected by flooding in eastern Australia, this is a time of darkness for them. There are people living in poverty, people living under oppressive regimes, people living in areas of war, people living on the wrong side of the tracks, the no-go zones of our towns and cities. Each of these communities is also living in darkness, darkness  that continues because of ignorance and prejudice and apathy.

Many of us will be able to remember times when we have struggled for hope and faith, times of illness or grief or stress. And Jesus shines light in those spaces of our lives. Jesus also shines light into those dark spaces within us, those places we would rather hide from ourselves and each other, and from God. We all have those dark places within us, anger, fear, self-centredness, greed, the list could go on. Jesus shines a light on the darkness within us, as well as the darkness around us.

In first century Palestine, rabbis or teachers had people coming to them asking if they could be the disciples; students chose their teacher. Jesus chose those who would be disciples, who would travel with him and work with him. And working with Jesus, following the call, is proclaiming good news, offering healing, the light for people in darkness.

Following Jesus isn't just about our own salvation, in fact when Jesus called the two sets of brothers he doesn't offer eternal life, he says follow me. If the places that Jesus was found, was with people who were in darkness, people aching for good news, people who needed healing and hope, where are the places that we are following Jesus, where are the places where we are with people in their darkness, telling the good news, being beacons of hope.

Thinking about this reading reminded me of an image that came to me when I was having conversations with the JNC before I came here. I can't remember what I'd been asked, but I was aware that there were two different images of how we could work together as a congregation. The first image was that as  the Minister I could look after the bonfire, and you could all be busy finding pieces of wood to keep the fire going, and finding people who needed light and warmth and bringing them to the fire. The other image is of a much smaller bonfire, and while each of you were bringing wood to keep the fire going, each of you was taking lighted torches of wood from the fire, and taking that and offering the light and warmth of the gospel to people where they are, building lots of small fires.

This week as a Church Council we looked at the celebrations and hopes that people wrote down at breakfast church last November. There were some great ideas and suggestions, but as we looked at the suggestions of things that could happen, we were mindful of how busy many people already are. Because there are people in this congregation who are already active in the community in a number of different ways. As volunteers at schools, driving community buses, leading community organisations, offering care in a variety of ways.

We are a church that has embraced the small bonfire picture, where each of you take the light of the gospel with you into this community. It means as a congregation we don’t run as many programs as some churches do, but as a church we support and encourage each other, keeping the flame of discipleship alive, as we each answer God’s call.

We are challenged to take seriously the call of Jesus to follow him, to be  the good news, to take the light that shines in the darkness, to follow Jesus to those place where light and hope are needed.

Where do we recognise the light of Jesus shining in our lives?

Where do we bring the light of Jesus into the community that we live in?

Responding to the birth of Jesus

There are a number of areas we could explore in today's readings. We could look at the roles of stars and dreams, and how we respond to them in our lives. We could look at who these so called wise men, the Magi, the travellers from the East might be. The East is where most of the invaders came in Israel's history. We could look at the difference between the birth narratives in Luke’s gospel with shepherds, and the journey to Bethlehem for the census, and Jesus being born in a stable; and Matthew's version of the Nativity with little detail about the lead up to the birth, and then this information about the visit of the Magi and the escape to Egypt and the massacre of the infants.

This morning I want us to think about the way different people responded to the birth of Jesus. In early December we read from Luke’s gospel where the Angel asked Mary about being the bearer of the God-child. And while Mary thought this impossible, she said yes, and then when Jesus was born, Luke again tells us that Mary cherished all this in her heart.

The Sunday before Christmas we looked at Joseph, with a reading from Matthew chapter 1. We read of his concern about Mary being pregnant, how he was going to dismiss her quietly, then he too received a visit from an Angel and he took Mary to be his wife. After the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi, it is Joseph who has another dream, this time a dream to take the child and his wife and to go to Egypt. The section following from what we heard today includes another dream of Joseph’s, telling him it is safe to take his family to Nazareth.

Some other characters from Luke's story are the innkeeper and the shepherds. We don't hear much about the innkeeper, Mary and Joseph were having trouble finding somewhere to stay, and the innkeeper that we hear about offers them some room. Room out the back with the animals. Luke is also the one who tells us about the shepherds. The shepherds were visited by angels, and after their initial shock they travelled to see the new baby. We are told the shepherds returned to their jobs praising and glorifying God.

In Matthews gospel the other people we meet are Herod and the Magi. The Magi were visitors from the East, we actually know very little about them. Today people who study the stars as these men did, are called astrologers. The Magi had seen a star in the sky, and from their charts they knew that this was something special. They followed the star, and when they realised they were in Israel they went to the place where a King would be expected to be born, Jerusalem, where the current ruler was. They asked around Jerusalem where is the new King. When Herod heard this he wanted to know more because he knew nothing of a new King. Herod's advisers or able to pinpoint the place where the child would be born, they knew this because they knew the Scriptures. The Magi had travelled an unknown distance, following a star, in a quest to worship the new King. And while the King was not where they expected, in a Palace, they still worshipped him when they visited his home.

The Magi were people who were used to searching, who searched the sky at night for movements of the stars, who used maps and charts to try and understand what the sky was saying. These were spiritual people who took note of their dream,  not to go back to Herod but to take another road home.

The final character that I want us to look at is Herod. Herod was King at the time and quite curious about the visit of the Magi. Herod was frightened when he heard there was a new King of the Jews. While he asked the Magi to let him know where the child was,  so that he could go and worship; we know that Herod had different intent. For Herod this new baby was a potential rival, and Herod wanted rid of it.

How are we responding this Christmas to the birth of Jesus. For each of us is asked to respond afresh each year and each day. During Advent one of the children asked if Jesus really would be born this year – the answer to that is within each one of us. Sure in a physical sense, Jesus was not born as  a baby in a town in Judea. But if we take seriously the idea of Jesus being born within us, what are the implications for us on a day-to-day basis, in what ways is this show in our lives.

Who are we in the Christmas story this year?

[ picture on screen - http://www.reverendfun.com/index.php?date=20101224]Are we like the animals, thinking this the coolest thing we have ever seen?

Are we like the Magi, searching for signs, prepared to travel, willing to worship?

Are we like the shepherds, surprised that this event has happened, focusing on our daily tasks. And when God surprises us we respond with praise. We go back to our daily tasks with a new joy.

Are we like the innkeeper, distracted, not wanting to be interrupted, trying to put God in the background, so as not to interfere with our lives.

Are we like Herod, fearful of what the God-child means, fearful that our way of life is under threat.

Are we like Joseph, worried about what people will say about us, taking some tentative steps. Growing in faith as we put our trust in God.

Are we like Mary, while considering the whole idea impossible, being obedient to God, saying yes to God, remembering and treasuring all that happens to us.

The birth of Jesus provokes a variety of responses, enthusiasm, panic, praise, fear, trust.

When Jesus is born in our lives, we can pretend it isn't happening, we can keep it to ourselves, or we can live fully in the new life that is growing within us. If we live fully in the life that we are offered in Jesus it will be evident in the way that we live: our lives will glorify God, not just in our words but in our actions. For when we allow the God-child to be born within us, to live and grow, some people will be threatened by us. When we acknowledge Jesus as King, the rulers of the world, those currently with power, will be fearful.

How are you responding to Jesus this Christmas; which character most represents you?

Friday Five

Singing Owl wrote:
I'm not a big fan of New Year's resolutions, but it does seem a good time for some reflection and planning. For the last few days I keep thinking of Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Among other things, that seems to say that reflection is in order if we want to learn and grow.
For some of us, this has been an incredibly difficult year; for others it has been a year of many joys. For all of us, there have been challenges and questions and there have been blessings and--maybe even an answer or two! As we say our goodbyes to 2010 and look towards 2011, share with us five blessings from 2010 along with five hopes or dreams for 2011.

New Years Day and I haven't thought about resolutions, but here goes:
5 blessings, in no particular order:

1. a wonderful holiday - sounds shallow, but it was just what I needed at the time.
2. new medication, I am blessed to have a GP who listens and responds to my concerns.
3. a congregation that is excited about ministry, and looking at how to connect with the local community
4. a husband who keeps on loving me and supporting me
5. a supervisor who encourages and challenges me to see my gifts for ministry, not just where I stuff up.

5 hopes and dreams for 2011:

1. being creative for the nurture of my own soul
2. finding the balance between not stressing about details, and getting things done to a reasonable level of competence
3. learning about and accepting , maybe even rejoicing in, my leadership style. I have been accepted into a leadership program for the first half of the year.

Maybe 3 will do, there are some things I am hoping for in the life of the congregation, but if I manage even one of the three above, that would make a big difference in my life, and ministry.
Maybe 4 could be joining in Friday Five!

What makes Christmas?

Just as we surround Christmas with tinsel and trees, lights and presents, food and friends, Christmas for many of us also means thoughts of people who aren’t here this year, people overseas, travelling, and those who have died. Our minds can be filled with gift ideas, financial worries, mortgage payments, have we enough food, what about the relatives we don’t get on with, and have we remembered a gift for everyone, OH and will they like it?!

Christmas can be very stressful. In all our hard work of trying to make Christmas special, and Christmas is a special time, we sometimes get overwhelmed by the things that surround Christmas, just as the manger did here a minute ago.

Think back to the first Christmas, Jesus wasn’t born in a palace, or a hospital with the latest facilities; he wasn’t born into a wealthy or well connected family, OK he was in the line of David, but so were lots of people.

Jesus was born to teenage girl, not yet married, Jesus was born in amongst the animals in the only shelter they could find; as an infant, his family left Israel for Egypt so their child would not be killed.

This story of Christmas is amazing, and it doesn’t rely on the biggest turkey, a new hand stamped Christmas cloth, special clothes, or festive decorations. This story, is about God loving us so much, that God decided to come and live in all our human frailty. This story is about one sent into the world in peace who was condemned to death. This story is about a light sent to shine in the darkness, which the world snuffed out. This story is about God's never-ending, self-giving mercy which was rejected and condemned.

We can try and follow the advice on Better Homes and Gardens, and spend ages preparing special decorations and food; we can follow the advice of fashion columnists and decorate ourselves with special clothes and new make-up. We can find out the latest trends in gift giving. But will any of this make Christmas more special?

Christmas is special, that is why we make an effort to buy gifts and to share time with friends. These things don’t make Christmas special, we do them because Christmas is already special.

Christmas is special because God chose, and chooses, to be part of the life of ordinary people in amongst the ordinary stuff of life: birth and death, homelessness, hunger, feasting, working, part of family, all the ordinary stuff of life.

God still wants to come into our lives, into the messiness, the chaos that is life. And when God come into our lives, maybe we will stop striving for perfection, and accept that God loves us as we are, that God wants to have a relationship with us, that God came in Jesus – to save his people, and Immanuel – God with us.

Christmas is special, In Jesus we see how much  we are loved  by God.

I hope you have time today, time during this Christmas season to rest in the knowledge that God loves you and became human for you. Now that is something worth celebrating.

a kingdom with compassion

Here we have another part of the image of the coming Kingdom from Isaiah. We have already heard about the coming kingdom, a kingdom of peace and justice, a kingdom where all of creation is living in harmony together; and today we hear that this kingdom will come in the form of a child, born of a young woman. This passage from Isaiah begins with Ahaz refusing to ask for a sign from God. Ahaz was King, and God had requested that Ahaz ask for a sign, but he refused, saying he will not put the Lord to the test. In some ways this sounds admirable, there are plenty of places where we are told not to put God to the test. I wonder why Ahaz refused to ask for a sign?

Maybe to ask for a sign would be to acknowledge God is the King of all creation, that even as King, Ahaz was answerable to someone.

And then we hear the word of the Lord through Isaiah, a young woman that will bear a son, even if Ahaz is not willing to request a sign, God will provide a sign. That sign is Immanuel, the very presence of God come to share our human experience. “A helpless bundle of flesh that represents the steadfastness of the infinite God. A promise that seems at once inconsequential and overwhelming “[1].

A young woman will bear a son, and he will be named Immanuel. And this is what happens, when we come to the story in Matthew’s Gospel.

The gospel of Matthew is concerned to show that Jesus is indeed a Jew, that Jesus was not trying to start a new religion but was teaching and living according to Jewish law. The gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy, a listing of ancestors mainly male but a few female, a variety of people in a particular pattern and order. This genealogy is not complete, if you follow through the Old Testament there are some variations. The point of the genealogy in Matthew’s gospel is not to be a detailed and exact list of the ancestors of Jesus, but to show that he was born in the line of David, to show the extent and depth of his Jewishness, a child of Abraham and a child of David. To be Jewish one needed to have a Jewish mother, but the family lineage was still in the father's line. Jesus was Jewish through both his mother Mary, and through Joseph. It is through Joseph’s family line that Jesus is in the royal line of David.

Another idea that is woven through the gospel of Matthew is how to live according to the law, and be righteous in the sight of God. This conflict appears here in chapter 1. Joseph is getting ready to marry Mary, and she is found to be with child. The law says that he can publicly break the engagement, because what she has done is illegal, and immoral, the punishment could be banishment or stoning to death. Joseph does not want to embarrass Mary, but is also concerned that she is carrying a child which is not his. So Joseph decides to break off the engagement privately. Then we have the dream in which an angel tells him to marry Mary, the implication being that he will raise this child as his own.

A couple of things to take note of, in this passage we hear today, the only person who speaks is the angel. We don't hear from Mary or from Joseph. In this passage God is very much the one in control, the central character. Another thing to note is that all this takes place in amongst ordinary everyday events, in fact God in speaking to Joseph through the angel, only asks him to do what he was planning to do all along, and that is to marry his fiancé Mary.

In last week's gospel reading we heard how Mary said yes to the angel, yes she would be part of God's plan. This morning we don't hear Joseph saying yes, but we see it in his actions. Throughout the gospels we don't hear much about Joseph, but here in Matthew, Joseph is obedient to God in marrying Mary, going to Egypt, and then returning to Nazareth. What little we see of Joseph shows a man who trusts God implicitly, who puts his life, and the life of his family, securely in the hands of God. We get a picture of a man who is thoroughly Jewish, who knows the law and follows the law, but is not legalistic. Some today might call him spiritual rather than religious. While holding the tenets of the Jewish faith, he showed compassion and solidarity with Mary, he obeyed God's direction to him, and is known as righteous.

Where does this leave us two thousand years later?

As we have been thinking about the coming kingdom, and our part in that, we have pondered how we might be people of peace in our part of the world; people of hope; people who live in a kingdom that is yet to be fully revealed. Today the picture of the new kingdom that comes to me is one of love and compassion, one of solidarity with the vulnerable and the weak. Joseph did not do what he could do under the law, which was to send Mary away. He did what was compassionate and righteous. He didn't go looking for someone that needed care, he cared for the person who was there close to him. He showed love, love that was costly.

I wonder who are the people in our lives who God calls us to stand with. Who are the people in our lives that God asks us to care for. Who are we called to show compassion to, who are we called to stand in solidarity with, who do we know who is vulnerable and at risk.

It can be easy to feel like the problems of the world are too big for us, we can feel like we have no say about violence in the Middle East, about homelessness, about child abuse or elder abuse, pollution and climate change.

But this morning I would invite you to think more locally, to be midwives of the new kingdom in our lives. As Christ comes to birth in our lives once again this Christmas, as we recognise the peace and Justice of God’s kingdom within us and in our midst, we can live as people of the new kingdom. We can live kingdom values of peace, we can live kingdom values of righteousness, compassion, and solidarity for the vulnerable.  

What is God bring to birth in you and through you?

---

[1] An Imprudent Hope  by Julie Polter  Sojourners

When God Asks the Impossible

Nothing is impossible with God, I hear that phrase from time to time, and nothing is impossible, but note here, that it is God who is initiating the impossible situation. Mary did not pray to be especially chosen, she was not waiting for the angel to appear to her, in fact she was perplexed, and the angel responded with the words we hear from other angels, ‘ do not be afraid..’  .

Mary, a young woman, likely in her mid-teens, engaged to Joseph, an older male, as was traditional. As she goes about her daily life, an angel appears, and tells her she will bear a son, in the line of David, and he will be great. Those of you with daughters, if they came home with that story as 16 year olds, what might you have said.  Next week we will read a section of Matthew and think about how Joseph responded to the news.

Today we hear of Mary's response to this situation.  In Luke we read of Mary going to visit her cousin Elizabeth who is also expecting a child.  We read the story of Elizabeth’s pregnancy two weeks ago when Zechariah was in the temple praying and an angel appeared and told him that his wife would bear a son.  This week we hear of Mary's pregnancy and how she goes to visit Elizabeth; these two women one pregnant in her old age, one pregnant in her youth, spend time together, three months in fact, time in which to absorb the amazing news they have been given. 

During advent we've also been reading some passages from the book of Isaiah.  Isaiah is one of the old Testament prophets, and he was speaking to people in exile. He had been speaking to them about the coming destruction, the coming invasion in response to their disregard of God and God's ways; the passages that we've heard the last two weeks and this week are passages of hope, passages about the future, a future that sounds impossible.  A future where deserts will bloom,  a future where the blind will see,  the lame will run,   the voiceless will sing.  A future where the weak are strengthened,  the feeble made firm,  the fearful become strong.  A future where God will save them.

This image of Isaiah is a joyous one,  of hope for a future, a future that does not yet exist.  In the same way that we have heard the past few weeks about a new kingdom where peace reigns between all of creation, where that which is life-giving dominates, a kingdom of peace and joy.  And it still sounds like the impossible dream. 

And here in the Luke reading we have another impossible situation. but I doubt that Mary ever dreamt that this situation would happen to her. And yet Mary finds herself being addressed by an Angel, and while visiting her cousin Elizabeth she sings this amazing song of praise. But it is not only a song of joy, it is a song of prophecy and a song of revolution. This song that we sing as a song of praise speaks about the way the world will be turned upside down by the child that she is carrying. She sings in praise of God, she acknowledges that God is doing great things in her life.

And then as happens in the prophets at times, she sings of the kingdom that is not yet here, but sings about it as if it has already happened. She sings of how God has brought down the powerful and lifted up the lowly, scattered the proud, filled the hungry, and come to the aid of God’s people as promised to Abraham.

There are a few things in this story of Mary that stand out for me. The first one as I said earlier is that God addresses her and asks her to do the seemingly impossible; God is not responding to her request. The other thing is that she put herself in a very difficult situation by saying yes. By saying yes, Mary is opening herself up for ridicule, a broken engagement and stoning. Yet we read in verse 38 : Mary says here I am the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to your word.’  This young woman, put herself in danger to fulfil God's request of her. What seemed impossible, she was prepared to say yes to.

In my reading this week I came across a number of references that spoke of times when Mary’s song has been banned. It had been banned because it was considered politically subversive, dangerous to the political elite. This song reminded people that even the lowliest are part of God's creation and part of God’s working in the world. This song by a young unmarried pregnant girl, about as lowly as you can get in that society, this song that tells of God working in the world to raise the lowly, to bring down the mighty, was considered so radical that people were not allowed to sing it for fear it would encourage them and strengthen them to rebel against dictatorial governments.

To us that may seem incredible, but for Herod, and people like him today, control is all-important. And words like this of Isaiah and like Mary’s song give hope to broken people, to people oppressed by hunger, poverty and exploitation. The words of Isaiah and the song of Mary tell of God acting in the world, of a God concerned about the world, a God who is acting to bring a new world into being. Mary song of praise was banned, not because God was praised, but because it spoke of God acting and encouraging people to act to bring about a new kingdom, a kingdom of justice and righteousness.

This third Sunday in advent, the week we mark with the pink candle for joy, we remember again that we are in a time of waiting. And for many of us this is a busy time, a time of shopping and cleaning, of catching up with friends, a time of parties and carolling and travel, a busy tiring time for many.

And we also wait for the fulfilment of the kingdom that is yet to come. A kingdom that is present in the heart of God, a kingdom that Isaiah gives us fleeting glimpsed of, a kingdom we hear in Mary’s song, a kingdom we saw in the life of Jesus. We wait for a time when we can run and dance, when our hands are strong and capable, a time when we can sing, a time when we can hear, a time when we no longer fear, a time when our hunger and thirst is quenched.

There are so many things in our lives which is seen to control and define us. Our family situation, our income, our health. There are so many things in our lives that are life denying, things that prevent us from dancing and singing. Sometimes the images that we have of the new kingdom seem impossible. When we live with pain, anxiety, weak knees, limited eyesight. When life is like a desert and we wait for the rain and the flowers to come, it can all seem impossible.

Nothing is impossible with God, nothing that God asks of us is impossible for us. This story of a young woman in a difficult, dangerous, situation reminds us that even when God asks us to do something that seems impossible for us, that it is possible for us to say yes.

The Impossible Kingdom

Last week and this week we have amazing images from the Book of Isaiah. The people of Jerusalem, including Isaiah, knew the Assyrians were about to take control of the country, they knew that the City was about to be destroyed. And much of the Book of Isaiah is about the coming destruction. Yet, every so often amongst the despair, Isaiah includes a promise from God about the future, a hopeful, peaceful future. Last week we heard about a kingdom of peace, a kingdom of hope; a place where bombs are turned into ploughs, and there is no war. This week we hear of the coming kingdom where the calf and the lion, the leopard and the kid, the wolf and the lamb, live together in peace and harmony. 

This kingdom is one where aggression, power and greed do not rule. This is a kingdom where the vulnerable are not oppressed, where the small do not fear, where the weak are not overpowered.

Sounds like a dream, as last week’s Isaiah passage. A dream, especially when you have Assyria breathing down your neck.

A kingdom where the strong do not devour the weak; a kingdom where the rich do not enslave the poor, and everyone can live.

Does this sound like the world we live in?

We have lived with fear, anxiety, violence and greed for so long they seem normal. It can be difficult to imagine an idyllic world as Isaiah describes.  We have lived so long in abnormal, harmful, life denying ways, that we no longer recognise them as abnormal. The abnormal has become normal for us. As it has been for  many years.  We become so accustomed to people who are rich have all they want, while people who are poor make do with dirty water and lack of medical treatment and educational opportunities. Even in Australia, the amount of money you have makes a difference to the available choices in health, education, living and working conditions.

And Jesus came into a similar scene of inequality, where status was based on gender, age, and family background. He didn’t say, women are equal with men, but he included women in his friends and allowed them to minister to him. Jesus didn’t say children are important, he put his arms around them and reminded people that you need to be child like [note not childish!] to be in the kingdom of God. Jesus didn’t say gentiles are of equal value with Jews, but he healed both Jews and gentiles. Jesus broke lots of barriers, eating with sinners, tax collectors, being touched by those who were ritually unclean, telling the disciples not to respond to violence with violence in the garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus didn’t kill anyone, didn’t strike anyone down with lightning. Jesus did not take on the Roman army or the religious and political leaders in any kind of takeover.  Jesus did not impose his way of living on others; what he did was to show how to live in God’s kingdom here and now. Jesus showed that the Kingdom may seem like an impossible dream, but it is possible to live in peace, harmony, bringing life and health, healing and hope, peace and joy to a broken world, we see that in the life and death of Jesus.

Should he have been more careful? Would it have been better to come with fire and an army than the towel and the basin, better than the bread and the cup? With his life and death, Jesus gave us a window on the peaceable kingdom. For a while it seemed like the forces of evil, of domination and death, had won. Jesus was dead. They had not figured on a life stronger than death.

We live in a broken world. We are broken people in a broken world. It is a struggle to live peace and hope and justice in a  world that values greed, in a world that decides who wins by the amount of money or the size of the army. It is a struggle.

I came across a poem this week about being in church:

Why are we here?

We are not here to “do a bunk” from the world.
We are not here to “get in touch with our ‘inner selves’”.
We are not here to “recharge our batteries”.

Why are we here?

We are here because the world is not right,
because we are not right,
and because we are angry about injustice,
sad about suffering,
and ashamed of ourselves.

Why are we here?

We are here because God so loves the world
that he is making it right,
turning it into a new creation;
and because God so loves us
that he is making us right.
turning us into a new people,
making us like Jesus:
faithful, truthful, peaceful, hopeful.

We are here because God, in his grace, has called us here.*

John the Baptist came teaching, preaching and baptising. John called people to prepare, to repent, to bear fruit worthy of repentance. And John it clear that he was preparing the way for another, a greater person than he was, one who brings the Holy Spirit and also brings judgement.

We wait , still, for the coming kingdom, for the kingdom Isaiah wrote about, the kingdom that Jesus lived, we wait.

 We wait for God's reign and God's ways to be normal. we wait for peace, community, compassion to be normal. we wait for an end to greed and fear and oppression.   As Jesus lived and travelled he didn't take on armies of Rome, he didn't try and overthrow the Jewish authorities or the political authorities, what Jesus did was to heal the sick, to bind up the broken hearted, to open the eyes of the blind, he fed the hungry, he included the outcast, and these are the things that will bring to fruition the vision of Isaiah. when these things become normal, when being compassionate and generous are normal then oppression and fear will end and we too can live in God’s shalom.

* http://virtualmethodist.blogspot.com/2010/11/call-to-worship.html adapted slightly