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BIBLE THIS WEEK Thoughts on the Sunday readings from the Revised Common Lectionary January 2012 (for February 2012 click here) 1st January - Christmas 1: Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3, Psalm 148, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:15-21 Last week we heard how the angel appeared to the shepherds and said ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.’ In this week’s gospel reading we find the shepherds’ response ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ The good news of great joy was given for all people, but how many actually go and see? How many are prepared to permit disruption and change, to alter their plans?
8th January - Epiphany 1: Baptism of Christ: Genesis 1:1-5, Acts 19:1-7, Mark 1:4-11 Even before Christmas I was asked if I’d decided upon a New Year’s Resolution. Those around me promised they were going to exercise more, eat less, drink less and try to get healthy: that is, after they’d finished celebrating Christmas with another large meal and a few more bottles of wine. According to Wikipedia, recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a New Year’s resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals.
15th January - Epiphany 2: 1 Samuel 3:1-10,Psalm 139:1-9 or 1-5,12-18, Revelation 5:1-10, John 1:43-51 How wonderful to be known totally: God’s knowledge of us is elucidated in Psalm 139 and don’t we all want to know ourselves so well loved that every aspect of us is known? The boy Samuel (does Samuel know that his name means ‘God has heard’?) hears from God and discovers that God knows his name, that God calls us by name even when we do not know him. But perhaps it is not comfortable to know ourselves known totally by God when we are sinning, as Eli’s sons were known to be. How hard it is for a parent when their child, or children, rejects all that they hold dear. Is it easier to let your children go their own way, rather than teaching them self-discipline and respect? Has Eli shown too little love to his sons and neglected their upbringing, or has he been over-indulgent in his love for them and so failed them? Yet Eli shows patience with Samuel, despite being awoken from sleep three times, and is happy to pass on his knowledge of God and train Samuel. Would we be able to say ‘It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him’, knowing that our offspring will not thrive and that the young boy who learns from us will eclipse us? God knows our worth and yet, as we find in Revelation, the only one truly worthy is the Lamb of God. He alone is worthy to open the scroll. He alone is worthy to judge us, for he knows the hearts of everyone. He recognised Nathanael as an Israelite in whom there was no deceit: he saw that Nathanael would follow him. And we know from the reading in Revelation that all who follow him will be ransomed by his blood. Those who believe in Christ, and in whom Christ dwells, will be priests, and will form a Kingdom which serves God.
22nd January – Epiphany 3: Genesis 14:17-20, Psalm 128, Revelation 19:6-10, John 2:1-11 I consider it a great loss that we don’t have a lectionary year devoted to John’s gospel; he interweaves so many symbolic themes into his narrative. Today’s reading is no exception, consider the symbols which point to the future: on the third day, wedding, all Jesus’ disciples being invited, the best wine, pots to hold the water for purification, Jesus’ glory being revealed, belief. At a superficial level we might consider that this is Jesus’ first miracle and without his intervention the feast would have been a sorry affair. But as always John requires us to reflect and it is when we consider that the wedding immediately precedes the cleansing of the Temple we realise that John is pointing us to the new era and new life brought in by Jesus. The water of purification (law) is changed into wine (Jesus’ blood). The life of the new Israel (the true vine) has come to birth. In the ancient near east, the supply of wine at weddings depended in part on the gifts of the guests who attended. According to a report, written in April last year by Halifax, a typical guest nowadays spends £452 on a wedding! Is it possible that the invitation for the disciples was last minute and that they were unable to contribute: Jesus here then provides not only on his own account but also on behalf of those who follow him. As we read in Revelation ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb’: the wedding guests at that feast won’t have to pay a penny, everything has been paid in advance by the bridegroom. Indeed through his redemption the bride will be clothed in righteousness, in fine linen, pure and bright. But there are also a couple of lessons to be learned from John’s gospel: Mary rushed to Jesus wanting instant solutions and for no-one to be embarrassed, and it can be easy for us to consider that a Saviour is there to sort our problems, to save us from disgrace and inconvenience. The servants must have thought Jesus deranged in his request to fill the purification pots with water in the middle of a feast. Yet had they not done so they would have missed seeing his glory being revealed. This, then, is the purpose of the miracle, to reveal the glory of God through Jesus so that others may come to believe. It is through belief and obedience to his wishes, no matter how bizarre, that other voices may be raised, crying out ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory’.
29th January – Epiphany 4: Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Psalm 111, Revelation 12:1-5a, Mark 1:21-28 We return to Mark, our Gospel of choice for this year. We’re back again to Jesus’ identity being hidden to those who should know him, and known by those considered to be outsiders. The disciples and those in the synagogue are astounded at his teaching, at his authority. They are amazed at his casting out of unclean spirits, yet shouldn’t they have been able to recognise him for who he was? Shouldn’t they have been the ones to discern his true purpose? |
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