Sunday 1st May, 2011 Second Sunday of Easter
Sentence
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
Collect
Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt; may we who have not seen have faith and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing; Who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen
First Lesson Acts 2: 14a & 27 – 32
Peter rose to speak : “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say…… Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'
Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.
Psalm 16
Preserve me O God: for in You have I taken refuge.
I have said to the Lord, You are my Lord: and all my good depends on You.
As for those who are held holy on the earth: the other gods in whom people delight,
Though the idols are many that they run after: their offerings of blood I will not offer,
nor take their name upon my lips.
The Lord is my appointed portion and my cup: You hold my lot in Your hands.
The share that has fallen to me is in pleasant places: and a fair land is my possession.
I will bless the Lord Who has given me counsel: at night also He has instructed my heart.
I have set the Lord always before me: He is at my right hand and I shall not fall.
Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices: my flesh also shall rest secure.
For You will not give me over to the power of death: nor suffer Your faithful one to see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is the fullness of joy, and from Your right hand flows delights for evermore.
Epistle 1 Peter 1: 1 – 12
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who have been chosen and destined by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith--being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the person or time that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look!
GOSPEL John 20: 19 – 31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe." A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS ….
First Lesson
This section of Peter’s address after the Resurrection should be very well known to all who are likely to read this. It may be best to read the entire address to get the full gist, anyhow. This recitation of the events leading up to the resurrection are interesting, especially from the point of view of the understanding of Peter (and Jewish people) of the time. There is the constant reference to Scripture and even the reference to the Psalmist as a prophet. At the same time, Peter was not averse to laying the responsibility for Jesus’ death – murder actually – right at the hands of the Jewish authorities. But there was ever the emphasis in the whole issue to the authority of God. That, seems to me, is the over-riding emphasis.
Psalm
The use of this psalm as we celebrate Easter is interesting: originally it was the outpouring of someone in the distant past who had undergone considerable trauma - and apparently at the hands of people who misunderstood the truth of the situation. It is remarkably difficult to undergo such experiences, when others are convinced that you are in the wrong – especially when your opponents may well be lying their heads off. But – at an outcome that vindicated the sufferer, there is the glad relief of praise to God: truth itself has been vindicated –as in the Resurrection of Jesus.
Epistle
It would repay some research on your part to discover quite where the Apostle Peter exercised much of his ministry. Quite some of the ground he covered was parallel to St. Paul, as both Acts and Paul’s letters indicate. (One wonders whether they managed to get under one another’s skins somewhat!) It is somewhat justified to regard much of Peter’s ministry was to Gentiles, being as he was the first major Apostle to minister to them. Mind you, reference to the Diaspora would tend to mean the Jewish aspect of that wide spread of those people.
However the emphasis in this passage lies in Peter’s recognition of the change of status, I guess one would say, of those who believed and followed Christ. It is almost flamboyant language in a way, although the author had his feet on the ground as he recognized that being a disciple in such cultures meant difficulty more often than delight.
Obviously Peter was writing to people who had not seen Christ in the flesh, though comparisons with those people who had such experience did not mean that the learning curve was any easier for those who had physical contact. This point is quite important when considering today’s Gospel.
GOSPEL
There are two important issues to consider in this passage: the first is John’s description of ‘Pentecost before Pentecost.’ There can be no doubt that John was doing other than almost pre-empting the Lukan version. Here the Spirit is poured out in the Eleven, and the authority of absolution given as well.
I still feel keenly to debate those who will persist in laying a failure to believe in Thomas the Twin. I always I point people to consider the evidence not only of this passage, but of all the other references John makes to this disciple’s responses to Jesus. In each case, Thomas shows up as the one way ahead of the other in perceiving the direction Jesus was taking, or asking the sorts of questions no one else would, for fear of revealing their inability to catch sight of what was going on. In particular, at the raising of Lazarus, Thomas was the only one aware of the enormous danger when Jesus indicated His intention to move towards Jerusalem. Even then, Thomas was prepared to go to certain death rather than break solidarity with his Master.
Here, then is the clear evidence of someone not prepared to take someone else’s word for the Resurrection. For an issue as hugely significant as this there needs to be tangible evidence – and please note that Jesus gave it to him. Please read on:
a. If the tale of any resurrection was not true, then absolutely nothing in life – and death – had changed one iota. So the story needed checking for that reason alone. But there is another greater reason
b. If the resurrection is real, then all the goalposts in life have moved, all the old verities are hugely enhanced, and not only can life never be the same again, but also everyone’s hopes for a new life for love, truth, justice and integrity have received such a massive endorsement that confidence, trust and assurance are guaranteed.
So please do see that this questioning of Thomas’ was not a lack of faith, but a very profound awareness of the complete and utter change to life and living that Jesus’ rising has made. Certainly John’s Gospel makes sure that those, whoever they are, who have not seen and yet believe are to be honoured, but they and we too need positive reassurance of the veracity of the event, and its significance. Never again put Thomas down.
If you find this unconvincing, please read again right through John’s Gospel. Please note that at the beginning, in his prologue to the Gospel, John makes some astounding claims about the nature and person of Jesus. However, he does not expect you to believe because John has told you. His writing goes on to provide all the evidence to establish the case, to prove those comments, chief amongst those elements are the Seven Signs for you to consider.
NOTES FOR A SERMON
For me, all of these readings provide some answers to the question that runs something like ‘what do you mean by ‘faith,’ or ‘what does it mean to believe?’ And the answer to such a question is just as important now as it was back in New Testament times, or even the Old.
I have commented before a couple of times of a great banner that was put up a few short years ago in the church of a charismatic group. Whilst I am not having a shot at the group, I certainly am at the poster they displayed, and hammered! The poster read ‘Reason and logic are the enemies of faith!’ I kid you not.
Now that might once, long ago, been something of a populist view, ---- and with all due respect it is that which encouraged non-believers to regard religionists of any sort as naïve, stupid and terribly easily led up the garden path. And they were quite right. In reality, that attitude needed to be turned on its head, for if it was ever a necessity to commit intellectual suicide to be a Christian then I would have departed long ago. Your Creator gave you a good dose of grey matter in there back behind your eyes for the very good reason that you are expected to use it. And whilst few humans have any difficulty with doing so in most areas of endeavour and effort, some still have considerable reticence in employing that ability when it comes to matters of the faith.
Part of that difficulty, I suspect, lies at the feet of that remarkable and very odd (to me at least) popular approach of today that seems to rely on ‘feelings’ to establish the sense or nonsense of anything. Emotions, surely, are the least reliable of human capacities, and it has always seemed a total nonsense to turn in that direction to find significant answers to anything! I can tell you a few stories about people who followed that route and ended up in disastrous outcomes.)
So why is it, when it comes to dear old Thomas, do people have shots at him for expressing the need for stable and tangible evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus?
I have long had great and profound respect for this rather little known Apostle, for the Gospel of John in particular show him to be a remarkably aware member of the Dozen, in several incidents. What followed after the end of the Acts of the Apostles - whilst tradition, with strong evidence – has this man travelling as far as the western coast of what we call India, founding Churches along the way. Many centuries later, Christian missionaries were stunned to find the Mar Thoma Church existing and thriving 17 centuries after the resurrection. (I had the honour of knowing and working with one of their priests when I was training in College. He was quite a man!)
You will notice, if you dare, that what Thomas asked for, was granted him. Thomas, a person of his age, but not one to be swayed by others, was not prepared to take anyone else’s word for something so life- and world-changing as Jesus back from the dead. Whilst we may be well aware of the story, it was a rarity back then. And the point of Jesus’ resurrection was far, far more significant than say the raising of Lazarus. That event was simply a pointer towards this far greater thing.
And I have to go along with Thomas. He, like many before him, was an inquisitive, searching, exploring sort of person. No pat answers would satisfy this bloke. Be fair dinkum or forget it. And Jesus would have been completely aware of that capacity in the man. And the reason Thomas needed solid answers was because Thomas, along with Jesus, was aware that if the resurrection was real, then not very much in life – or death – remained as before. The goal posts had shifted; the entire atmosphere had been lifted. Death, and evil, and other ugly things were defeated; and the beaut things in life were restored – love is now invincible, justice likewise. Truth can be suppressed but not destroyed. Previously, everyone’s experience was that evil people could control everything, just as they had tried with Jesus’ execution. But He left them all in His wake. And Thomas needed clear evidence that this was so. And Jesus gave it to him. No ifs, no bits, no ‘naughty man, why can’t you believe?’
So this is what faith is. Finding the truth and reality – and living one’s life on the basis of that discovery. Or as I often put it to people, ‘faith is the direction you take on the basis of the evidence in front of you.’
So please put the ‘doubting Thomas’ business to rest.
And stand on solid ground. Apart from any other evidence, is it not so patently obvious that truth is far superior to falsehood, love superior to hatred, integrity better than its opposite? And whilst these may not be the most tangible of life issues, it does not make sense to reject them because of that.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Newsletter
Sunday 1st May, 2011 - SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Warren Huffa
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. After the 8am service breakfast is served and morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls.
Sunday School is in recess during the School holidays,
Collect for Second Sunday of Easter
Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt: may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ's blessing; Who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
TODAY’S READINGS
Acts 2: 14a, 22—32 and 1 Peter 1: 1—12 read by Marg P
GOSPEL John 20: 19—31
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer. Presentation.)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Warren
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, and Valda Seith, and others known to us; Rev’d Sue Burgess is recovering well by all reports.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sid Sweet
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Margaret and Alan Pressley
YEAR’S MIND—Catherine Cordes (2006), Christine McAuliffe (1983) Philip Lockwood (1997)
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Third Sunday of Easter
Readings Acts 2: 14a & 36-41 1 Peter 1: 13—25
GOSPEL Luke 24: 13—35
Readings Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed immediately after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist 7.30pm Parish Council
HALL BOOKINGS: Sunday 15th May 1—5pm St. John’s use of Hall
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
ALL the HEATERS IN THE HALL started first 'pull' on Sunday when I checked to see that they are all working. The trick is to be patient - pull firmly on the short cord for a count to 20 and then pull firmly on the longer cord to create the spark (Don't be rough on this mechanism!) while still holding the first cord for a further count to 5 (or when the radiant panel starts to turn red). So stay warm!!
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - Thomas,
I have long had great and profound respect for this rather little known Apostle, for the Gospel of John in particular shows him in several incidents to be a remarkably aware member of the Dozen, .Also, what followed after the end of the Acts of the Apostles - whilst tradition, with strong evidence – has this man travelling as far as the western coast of what we call India, founding Churches along the way. Many centuries later, Christian missionaries were stunned to find the Mar Thoma Church existing and thriving 17 centuries after the resurrection. (I had the honour of knowing and working with one of their priests when I was training in College. He was quite a man—later to be Bishop in his own Church!)
You will notice in this passage, if you dare, that what Thomas asked for, THomas received. Thomas, a person of his age, yet not one to be swayed by others, was not prepared to take anyone else’s word for something so life- and world-changing as Jesus back from the dead. And the point of Jesus’ resurrection was far, far more significant than say the raising of Lazarus. That event was simply a pointer towards this far greater thing.
We are so sheltered, living in Oz. Try being Afghan, for instance, where you would hardly know who was you friend or enemy? Earlier this week, Q&A on ABC TV painted a tragic picture of the future of Afghanistan, with tribal hatreds and animosities ensuring any hope for the future is futile. Back to Thomas ......
Personally, I have to go along with Thomas. He, like many before him, was an inquisitive, searching, exploring sort of person. No pat answers would satisfy this bloke. Be fair dinkum or forget it. And Jesus would have been completely aware of that capacity in the man. So the reason Thomas needed solid answers was because Thomas, along with Jesus, was aware that if the resurrection was real, then not very much in life – or death – remained as before. The goal posts had shifted; the entire atmosphere had been lifted. Death, and evil, and other ugly things were defeated; and the beaut things in life were restored – love is now invincible, justice likewise. Truth can be suppressed but not destroyed. Previously, everyone’s experience was that evil people could control everything, just as they had tried with Jesus’ execution. But He left them all in His wake. And Thomas needed clear evidence that this was so. And Jesus gave it to him. No ifs, no bits, no ‘naughty man, why can’t you believe?’
So this is what faith is. Finding the truth and reality – and living one’s life on the basis of that discovery. Or as I often put it to people, ‘faith is the direction you take on the basis of the evidence in front of you.’
Please put the ‘doubting Thomas’ business to rest. And stand on solid ground. Apart from any other evidence, is it not so patently obvious that truth is far superior to falsehood, love superior to hatred, integrity better than its opposite? And whilst these may not be the most tangible of life issues, it does not make sense to reject them because of that.
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Don Caddy or Jill Hilbig
Next Sunday Min Araki or Cynthia Macintosh
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Jane SIl Intercessor Hal S-C
Sunday after Reader Caroline S Intercessor Max A
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Jan Tregenza Brass Bonnie Tomlinson
Cleaning Susan Lee
Sunday 29 May 2011 2.30pm St Peter’s Cathedral
A concert featuring the stirring sounds and rhythms of the City International Gospel Choir,
Blessed Brothers and the Adelaide Benefit Concert Choir Compere – Ewart Shaw – Adelaide University Radio Payment at the door: $20/$10 or Donation
Fundraising proceeds to the work of the City International Church here and overseas
RSVP appreciated – Contact Doris on 0409 671 031
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon please …….
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Warren Huffa
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. After the 8am service breakfast is served and morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls.
Sunday School is in recess during the School holidays,
Collect for Second Sunday of Easter
Almighty and eternal God, the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt: may we, who have not seen, have faith and receive the fullness of Christ's blessing; Who is alive and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
TODAY’S READINGS
Acts 2: 14a, 22—32 and 1 Peter 1: 1—12 read by Marg P
GOSPEL John 20: 19—31
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer. Presentation.)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Warren
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, and Valda Seith, and others known to us; Rev’d Sue Burgess is recovering well by all reports.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sid Sweet
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Margaret and Alan Pressley
YEAR’S MIND—Catherine Cordes (2006), Christine McAuliffe (1983) Philip Lockwood (1997)
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Third Sunday of Easter
Readings Acts 2: 14a & 36-41 1 Peter 1: 13—25
GOSPEL Luke 24: 13—35
Readings Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed immediately after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist 7.30pm Parish Council
HALL BOOKINGS: Sunday 15th May 1—5pm St. John’s use of Hall
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
ALL the HEATERS IN THE HALL started first 'pull' on Sunday when I checked to see that they are all working. The trick is to be patient - pull firmly on the short cord for a count to 20 and then pull firmly on the longer cord to create the spark (Don't be rough on this mechanism!) while still holding the first cord for a further count to 5 (or when the radiant panel starts to turn red). So stay warm!!
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - Thomas,
I have long had great and profound respect for this rather little known Apostle, for the Gospel of John in particular shows him in several incidents to be a remarkably aware member of the Dozen, .Also, what followed after the end of the Acts of the Apostles - whilst tradition, with strong evidence – has this man travelling as far as the western coast of what we call India, founding Churches along the way. Many centuries later, Christian missionaries were stunned to find the Mar Thoma Church existing and thriving 17 centuries after the resurrection. (I had the honour of knowing and working with one of their priests when I was training in College. He was quite a man—later to be Bishop in his own Church!)
You will notice in this passage, if you dare, that what Thomas asked for, THomas received. Thomas, a person of his age, yet not one to be swayed by others, was not prepared to take anyone else’s word for something so life- and world-changing as Jesus back from the dead. And the point of Jesus’ resurrection was far, far more significant than say the raising of Lazarus. That event was simply a pointer towards this far greater thing.
We are so sheltered, living in Oz. Try being Afghan, for instance, where you would hardly know who was you friend or enemy? Earlier this week, Q&A on ABC TV painted a tragic picture of the future of Afghanistan, with tribal hatreds and animosities ensuring any hope for the future is futile. Back to Thomas ......
Personally, I have to go along with Thomas. He, like many before him, was an inquisitive, searching, exploring sort of person. No pat answers would satisfy this bloke. Be fair dinkum or forget it. And Jesus would have been completely aware of that capacity in the man. So the reason Thomas needed solid answers was because Thomas, along with Jesus, was aware that if the resurrection was real, then not very much in life – or death – remained as before. The goal posts had shifted; the entire atmosphere had been lifted. Death, and evil, and other ugly things were defeated; and the beaut things in life were restored – love is now invincible, justice likewise. Truth can be suppressed but not destroyed. Previously, everyone’s experience was that evil people could control everything, just as they had tried with Jesus’ execution. But He left them all in His wake. And Thomas needed clear evidence that this was so. And Jesus gave it to him. No ifs, no bits, no ‘naughty man, why can’t you believe?’
So this is what faith is. Finding the truth and reality – and living one’s life on the basis of that discovery. Or as I often put it to people, ‘faith is the direction you take on the basis of the evidence in front of you.’
Please put the ‘doubting Thomas’ business to rest. And stand on solid ground. Apart from any other evidence, is it not so patently obvious that truth is far superior to falsehood, love superior to hatred, integrity better than its opposite? And whilst these may not be the most tangible of life issues, it does not make sense to reject them because of that.
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Don Caddy or Jill Hilbig
Next Sunday Min Araki or Cynthia Macintosh
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Jane SIl Intercessor Hal S-C
Sunday after Reader Caroline S Intercessor Max A
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Jan Tregenza Brass Bonnie Tomlinson
Cleaning Susan Lee
Sunday 29 May 2011 2.30pm St Peter’s Cathedral
A concert featuring the stirring sounds and rhythms of the City International Gospel Choir,
Blessed Brothers and the Adelaide Benefit Concert Choir Compere – Ewart Shaw – Adelaide University Radio Payment at the door: $20/$10 or Donation
Fundraising proceeds to the work of the City International Church here and overseas
RSVP appreciated – Contact Doris on 0409 671 031
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon please …….
Friday, April 22, 2011
RonBlog
Sunday 24th April, 2011 EASTER DAY
Sentence
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it Psalm 118:24
Collect
Glorious Lord of life, by the mighty resurrection of Your Son You overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in Him; grant that we who celebrate with joy Christ’s rising from the dead, may be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, through Him Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
First Lesson Acts 10: 34 – 43
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Psalm 118: 1 – 2 & 14 – 24
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good: His mercy endures for ever
Let Israel now proclaim: that His mercy endures for ever
The Lord is my strength and my song: and has become my salvation
The sounds of joy and deliverance: are in the tents of the righteous
The right hand of the Lord does mighty things: the right hand of the Lord raises up
I shall not die but live: and proclaim the works of the Lord
The Lord has disciplined me hard: but He has not given me over to death
Open to me the gates of righteousness: and I will enter and give thanks to the Lord
This is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter it
I will praise You for You have answered me: and have become my salvation
The stone that the builders rejected: has become the head of the corner
This is the Lord’s doing: and it is marvellous in our eyes
This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it
Epistle Colossians 3: 1 – 4
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
GOSPEL Matthew 28: 1 – 10
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you."
So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
First Lesson
I remain surprised at the number of times in the course of a year, this passage is set down as the First Lesson for the day. Mind you, it marks quite a development – oddly enough dare I say – in the Infant Church as it began to grow and spread.
As mentioned before many times, it has to be said that when anyone moves from what they had considered a strong position – either in the Faith or in any other human philosophy, - there is always a lot of baggage held that tends to keep that person static. Occasionally, such baggage is not even recognized as being a point of view held firmly.
For Jewish people of that generation, and before and long afterwards, it was a statement that went without saying that Israel constituted the Chosen People of God, and (in spite of history and Biblical pressure otherwise) that God had neither interest nor concern for anyone outside that Covenant. Even ‘hayseeds’ like the fishermen disciples were held in thrall by that particular theology.
This passage is part of that fascinating story of Peter’s vision of the great cloth from heaven with all the animals and the Divine command ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat,’ and the Apostle’s refusal even to step outside the old-established kosher laws. How should a dyed-in-the-wool person cope with what he understood to be God telling him to break the code. And then came this encounter with the Roman centurion, who not only stood outside the Covenant but was part of the hated invasion force to boot.
Do not misjudge the extent to which that event must have met Peter at a very deep level in himself, and must have provoked an enormous range of issues to be dealt with. So when, after this event Peter prevaricated on occasion, stepping back from whatever progress he had made, do not be surprised. It is a lonely path when one is convinced that progress must be made, but others refuse to be convinced and dig in their heels.
Psalm
On the other hand, the person who sees beyond where all others stand can have a ‘vision glorious’ of where it all points. This psalm has a verse or two that should be very well know to most Christians; however take the time to ponder the other aspects that seem to excite the author. Also note how very positive this psalmist really is.
Epistle
Having grown up in an atmosphere where passages such as this were received with passion and fervour – in a spiritual sense, and otherworldly, please see beyond that. Notice how almost all of the New Testament points all followers to live as disciples of Christ and not as disciples of ‘Adam.’
The Gospel points us all to living radically differently to ‘normal’ human aspirations of self-centred and self–focussed living; to follow Christ is to live for others, giving not getting. Loving not hating. And that is not the easiest thing in the world to do!
GOSPEL
From time to time there have been commentators on this passage (and others) who have been alert to the fact that the evidence of those women would not have received rave reviews as the news spread. It was then a cultural fact that the evidence of women was not to be regarded as correct by any means: which must have made it hugely difficult for the ladies to cope with then.
All that, in spite of the fact that the only people prepared to do what was necessary for the mortal remains of Jesus were the ever-practical ladies. So one is not surprised to find, even in Matthew’s account that it was to the women that the news was first given.
Whilst this passage seems to read that the earthquake occurred at the time they were at the sepulchre, one suspects that both that and the guards’ retreat occurred some time before.
Whatever those realities, this passage celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus, both an earth-shattering and history-changing event that still resonates throughout the world.
NOTES ON A SERMON
Perhaps I have been too long in the bush, but I learnt very early that Outback people are not into soppy, sentimental or ephemeral ‘Christianity.’ They require something far more virile, tangible, sensible, solid. So I offer a track followed over previous years, designed for those who find any concept of resurrection rather difficult to cope with. It has ever been a concern of mine that there are rather too many sermons which require people to make huge leaps of ‘faith’ – which tends to mean, not faith at all, but sticking out one’s necks. On occasion that may be necessary, like launching out into the deep, but there still needs to be some sort of evidence to justify such a move.
It all sounds so incredible in a way that out of death comes life. Whilst this sort of thing has often been the subject of myth and fantasy across all manner of human cultures and civilisations, it seems to remain beyond our grasp. However, I am about to ask you to take a wander on the wider side, to see if it is all as outlandish as it seems.
This concept is not all that removed from common or garden human experience at all when one stops to think. In fact my very life stems from people who lived and died before me. Like day follows night, the seasons follow their same life and death patterns, so does even the food that you and I need and eat. Farmers have lived on the very basis that ‘except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.’ Having spent the greater number of years of my ministry in rural areas, even planting wheat myself, I know the validity of that expression. Drought years notwithstanding, the principle applies. In fact for those who – these days – like to posit a random universe, one has to say that the evidence points otherwise, does it not?
So when you go to bed tonight, you can rest assured that the sun will rise, and the tides continue to move according to remarkably predictable patterns. And it has to be said, as medical and other sciences develop and evolve, increasing numbers of previously fatal diseases can be cured, if not just held in check.
What is this Resurrection Story really conveying, if only for the cynical among us? The answer is rather encouraging. In the story of the arrest, trial, conviction and execution of Jesus, it is not simply that the life of that Person was destroyed, if for a short time. The real issues behind the story run rather deeper even than that; let me explain.
In Biblical terms, it is said that Jesus defeated evil. Now that meets a certain cynicism does it not? What it really means, is that Jesus – in His life, death and resurrection showed evil up for what it is, enabling the rest of us to recognize the reality and to avoid the same traps. It does not mean the end of evil, but it does mean a foreshortening. And part of the great encouragement of this story is the assurance that, whilst evil may prevail to some degree, its darkness has been made more visible.
And the same can be said about truth. Had you lived in Old Testament times – or even in some places today – you would never have expected truth to emerge over falsehood; or love over hate; and yet that is exactly what the Resurrection of Jesus promises.
Should you require some other ‘hard’ evidence of the reality of such claims, all you need to do is to look, where we have looked before, at what you might call real life. Even real history. For instance, those living through the Nazi regime may well have considered themselves utterly powerless against the blackest of evil displayed there. The reality is that the Thousand Year Reich lasted about a dozen. My father who lived through the Communist Revolution in Russia assumed that that grip of steel was so irresistible that it would go on for ever. However, like the Exile in Babylon, its grip loosened after 70 years. Sadly that occurred just a year or two after my father’s passing – that was a resurrection he had considered quite impossible.
In other words, life is absolutely full of resurrections, and you need only look around to see them. One of the most exciting ones, from where I sit, is when someone’s life is changed at great depth by conversion or by some other means. That is life out of death if ever I saw it, and it has been my experience to encounter that quite a few times.
Resurrection. Take hold of the significance of this event and value it. And then stop and realise that we have not yet looked at anything to do with life after this!
Sentence
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it Psalm 118:24
Collect
Glorious Lord of life, by the mighty resurrection of Your Son You overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in Him; grant that we who celebrate with joy Christ’s rising from the dead, may be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, through Him Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
First Lesson Acts 10: 34 – 43
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Psalm 118: 1 – 2 & 14 – 24
O give thanks to the Lord for He is good: His mercy endures for ever
Let Israel now proclaim: that His mercy endures for ever
The Lord is my strength and my song: and has become my salvation
The sounds of joy and deliverance: are in the tents of the righteous
The right hand of the Lord does mighty things: the right hand of the Lord raises up
I shall not die but live: and proclaim the works of the Lord
The Lord has disciplined me hard: but He has not given me over to death
Open to me the gates of righteousness: and I will enter and give thanks to the Lord
This is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter it
I will praise You for You have answered me: and have become my salvation
The stone that the builders rejected: has become the head of the corner
This is the Lord’s doing: and it is marvellous in our eyes
This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it
Epistle Colossians 3: 1 – 4
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
GOSPEL Matthew 28: 1 – 10
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you."
So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
First Lesson
I remain surprised at the number of times in the course of a year, this passage is set down as the First Lesson for the day. Mind you, it marks quite a development – oddly enough dare I say – in the Infant Church as it began to grow and spread.
As mentioned before many times, it has to be said that when anyone moves from what they had considered a strong position – either in the Faith or in any other human philosophy, - there is always a lot of baggage held that tends to keep that person static. Occasionally, such baggage is not even recognized as being a point of view held firmly.
For Jewish people of that generation, and before and long afterwards, it was a statement that went without saying that Israel constituted the Chosen People of God, and (in spite of history and Biblical pressure otherwise) that God had neither interest nor concern for anyone outside that Covenant. Even ‘hayseeds’ like the fishermen disciples were held in thrall by that particular theology.
This passage is part of that fascinating story of Peter’s vision of the great cloth from heaven with all the animals and the Divine command ‘Rise, Peter, kill and eat,’ and the Apostle’s refusal even to step outside the old-established kosher laws. How should a dyed-in-the-wool person cope with what he understood to be God telling him to break the code. And then came this encounter with the Roman centurion, who not only stood outside the Covenant but was part of the hated invasion force to boot.
Do not misjudge the extent to which that event must have met Peter at a very deep level in himself, and must have provoked an enormous range of issues to be dealt with. So when, after this event Peter prevaricated on occasion, stepping back from whatever progress he had made, do not be surprised. It is a lonely path when one is convinced that progress must be made, but others refuse to be convinced and dig in their heels.
Psalm
On the other hand, the person who sees beyond where all others stand can have a ‘vision glorious’ of where it all points. This psalm has a verse or two that should be very well know to most Christians; however take the time to ponder the other aspects that seem to excite the author. Also note how very positive this psalmist really is.
Epistle
Having grown up in an atmosphere where passages such as this were received with passion and fervour – in a spiritual sense, and otherworldly, please see beyond that. Notice how almost all of the New Testament points all followers to live as disciples of Christ and not as disciples of ‘Adam.’
The Gospel points us all to living radically differently to ‘normal’ human aspirations of self-centred and self–focussed living; to follow Christ is to live for others, giving not getting. Loving not hating. And that is not the easiest thing in the world to do!
GOSPEL
From time to time there have been commentators on this passage (and others) who have been alert to the fact that the evidence of those women would not have received rave reviews as the news spread. It was then a cultural fact that the evidence of women was not to be regarded as correct by any means: which must have made it hugely difficult for the ladies to cope with then.
All that, in spite of the fact that the only people prepared to do what was necessary for the mortal remains of Jesus were the ever-practical ladies. So one is not surprised to find, even in Matthew’s account that it was to the women that the news was first given.
Whilst this passage seems to read that the earthquake occurred at the time they were at the sepulchre, one suspects that both that and the guards’ retreat occurred some time before.
Whatever those realities, this passage celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus, both an earth-shattering and history-changing event that still resonates throughout the world.
NOTES ON A SERMON
Perhaps I have been too long in the bush, but I learnt very early that Outback people are not into soppy, sentimental or ephemeral ‘Christianity.’ They require something far more virile, tangible, sensible, solid. So I offer a track followed over previous years, designed for those who find any concept of resurrection rather difficult to cope with. It has ever been a concern of mine that there are rather too many sermons which require people to make huge leaps of ‘faith’ – which tends to mean, not faith at all, but sticking out one’s necks. On occasion that may be necessary, like launching out into the deep, but there still needs to be some sort of evidence to justify such a move.
It all sounds so incredible in a way that out of death comes life. Whilst this sort of thing has often been the subject of myth and fantasy across all manner of human cultures and civilisations, it seems to remain beyond our grasp. However, I am about to ask you to take a wander on the wider side, to see if it is all as outlandish as it seems.
This concept is not all that removed from common or garden human experience at all when one stops to think. In fact my very life stems from people who lived and died before me. Like day follows night, the seasons follow their same life and death patterns, so does even the food that you and I need and eat. Farmers have lived on the very basis that ‘except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.’ Having spent the greater number of years of my ministry in rural areas, even planting wheat myself, I know the validity of that expression. Drought years notwithstanding, the principle applies. In fact for those who – these days – like to posit a random universe, one has to say that the evidence points otherwise, does it not?
So when you go to bed tonight, you can rest assured that the sun will rise, and the tides continue to move according to remarkably predictable patterns. And it has to be said, as medical and other sciences develop and evolve, increasing numbers of previously fatal diseases can be cured, if not just held in check.
What is this Resurrection Story really conveying, if only for the cynical among us? The answer is rather encouraging. In the story of the arrest, trial, conviction and execution of Jesus, it is not simply that the life of that Person was destroyed, if for a short time. The real issues behind the story run rather deeper even than that; let me explain.
In Biblical terms, it is said that Jesus defeated evil. Now that meets a certain cynicism does it not? What it really means, is that Jesus – in His life, death and resurrection showed evil up for what it is, enabling the rest of us to recognize the reality and to avoid the same traps. It does not mean the end of evil, but it does mean a foreshortening. And part of the great encouragement of this story is the assurance that, whilst evil may prevail to some degree, its darkness has been made more visible.
And the same can be said about truth. Had you lived in Old Testament times – or even in some places today – you would never have expected truth to emerge over falsehood; or love over hate; and yet that is exactly what the Resurrection of Jesus promises.
Should you require some other ‘hard’ evidence of the reality of such claims, all you need to do is to look, where we have looked before, at what you might call real life. Even real history. For instance, those living through the Nazi regime may well have considered themselves utterly powerless against the blackest of evil displayed there. The reality is that the Thousand Year Reich lasted about a dozen. My father who lived through the Communist Revolution in Russia assumed that that grip of steel was so irresistible that it would go on for ever. However, like the Exile in Babylon, its grip loosened after 70 years. Sadly that occurred just a year or two after my father’s passing – that was a resurrection he had considered quite impossible.
In other words, life is absolutely full of resurrections, and you need only look around to see them. One of the most exciting ones, from where I sit, is when someone’s life is changed at great depth by conversion or by some other means. That is life out of death if ever I saw it, and it has been my experience to encounter that quite a few times.
Resurrection. Take hold of the significance of this event and value it. And then stop and realise that we have not yet looked at anything to do with life after this!
Newsletter
Sunday 24th April, 2011 - EASTER
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Warren Huffa
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 6.00am service today—a bbq! Then after 8am service breakfast also, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is in recess during the School holidays.
Collect for Easter
Glorious Lord of life, by the mighty resurrection of your Son you overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, who celebrate with joy Christ's rising from the dead may be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
TODAY’S READINGS
Acts 10: 34 –43 and Colossians 3: 1—4 read by Vanessa D
Gospel Matthew 28: 1—10
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer. Presentation.)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Robbie Bruce
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Sid and Caroline Sweet, Cynthia and Ian Macintosh
YEAR’S MIND—Valmai Barber (2004) Richard McKinley (2010)
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Second Sunday of Easter
Readings Acts 2: 14a, 22—32 and 1 Peter 1: 1—12
GOSPEL John 20: 19—31
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed immediately after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
HALL BOOKINGS: 27th April 1—5pm St. John’s College
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
Entertainment books for sale, raising money for the work of Mully Children’s Family. (See mullychildrensfamily.org ) Still only $65! That’s great value and raises support for children and families in need in Kenya. Please contact Brad Henley - 0423 035 660 brad.henley@gmail.com
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Resurrection
It all sounds so incredible that out of death comes life. Whilst this sort of thing has often been the subject of myth and fantasy across all manner of human cultures and civilisations, it seems to remain beyond our grasp. But do we stay there?
Actually, this concept is not all that removed from common or garden human experience when one stops to think. In fact my very life stems from people who lived and died before me. Like day follows night, the seasons follow their same life and death patterns, so does even the food that you and I need and eat. Farmers have lived on the very basis that ‘except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.’ Having spent the greater number of years of my ministry in rural areas, even planting wheat myself, I know the validity of that expression. Drought years notwithstanding, the principle applies. In fact for those who – these days – like to posit a random universe, one has to say that the evidence points otherwise, does it not?
So when you go to bed tonight, you can rest assured that the sun will rise, and the tides continue to move according to remarkably predictable patterns. And it has to be said, as medical and other sciences develop and evolve, increasing numbers of previously fatal diseases can be cured, if not just held in check.
What is this Resurrection Story really conveying, if only for the cynical among us? The answer is rather encouraging.
In Biblical terms, it is said that Jesus defeated evil. What that means is that Jesus showed evil up for what it is, enabling those thus enlightened to avoid the same traps. It does not mean the end of evil, but it does mean a foreshortening. Part of the great encouragement of this story is the assurance that, whilst evil may prevail to some degree, its darkness has been made uncovered. And the same can be said about truth. Had you lived in Old Testament times – or even in some places today – you would never have expected truth to emerge over falsehood; or love over hate; and yet that is exactly what the Resurrection of Jesus promises. And that frees us to choose to live that way! Now!
Look at real history. Those living through the Nazi regime may well have considered themselves utterly powerless against the blackest of evil displayed there. The reality is that the Thousand Year Reich lasted only about a dozen years, for evil tends to have an inbuilt self-destruct mechanism. My father who lived through the Communist Revolution in Russia assumed that that grip of steel was so irresistible that it would go on for ever. However, like the Exile in Babylon, its grip loosened after 70 years. Sadly that occurred just a year or two after my father’s passing – and there was a resurrection he had considered quite impossible.
***********************************************************************************************
LOOKING FOR A NEW WARDEN
When Peter Little retired after years of valued service as People’s Warden, Vestry did not immediately elect a replacement, but it should do so soon. So we are looking for offers. A warden is someone who watches over, cares for something or someone. A Church Warden has a legal status in the Diocesan framework, but essentially he or she is a visible, accessible and helpful connection to the workings of the parish. And in the more formal words of the Canon “co-operates with the parish priest in the work of God and his church within the parish”.
Just in case you are wondering, there will be NO Question Time this month., but keep your ears to the ground now won’t you!!!!
SPECIAL NOTE
ALL the HEATERS IN THE HALL started first 'pull' on Sunday when I checked to see that they are all working. The trick is to be patient - pull firmly on the short cord for a count to 20 and then pull firmly on the longer cord to create the spark (Don't be rough on this mechanism!) while still holding the first cord for a further count to 5 (or when the radiant panel starts to turn red). So stay warm!!
The Anglican Diocese of Adelaide is looking for an experienced personal assistant to provide support to the Archbishop. This is a key role within the Diocese supporting the work and ministry of the Archbishop in Adelaide. To secure this excellent opportunity you will need to demonstrate extensive experience in supporting a senior manager as well as outstanding written and verbal communication skills. You will be well organised with the ability to establish priorities, manage your workload and meet deadlines. Advanced computer skills are essential as are exceptional interpersonal skills.
Confidential enquiries may be made to Janette Pavlovich by phone 8305 9350 or email jpavlovich@adelaide.anglican.com.au
Applications close 15th May
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Ron Keynes or Joy Campbell Next Sunday Don Caddy or Jill Hilbig
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Marg P Intercessor Warren Sunday after Reader Jane Sil Intercessor Hal S-C
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Sue D-T Brass Rosemary Conlon Cleaning Group 3
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon
Our Celebrant and preacher today is Warren Huffa
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 6.00am service today—a bbq! Then after 8am service breakfast also, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is in recess during the School holidays.
Collect for Easter
Glorious Lord of life, by the mighty resurrection of your Son you overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, who celebrate with joy Christ's rising from the dead may be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
TODAY’S READINGS
Acts 10: 34 –43 and Colossians 3: 1—4 read by Vanessa D
Gospel Matthew 28: 1—10
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer. Presentation.)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Robbie Bruce
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY Sid and Caroline Sweet, Cynthia and Ian Macintosh
YEAR’S MIND—Valmai Barber (2004) Richard McKinley (2010)
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Second Sunday of Easter
Readings Acts 2: 14a, 22—32 and 1 Peter 1: 1—12
GOSPEL John 20: 19—31
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed immediately after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
HALL BOOKINGS: 27th April 1—5pm St. John’s College
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
Entertainment books for sale, raising money for the work of Mully Children’s Family. (See mullychildrensfamily.org ) Still only $65! That’s great value and raises support for children and families in need in Kenya. Please contact Brad Henley - 0423 035 660 brad.henley@gmail.com
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Resurrection
It all sounds so incredible that out of death comes life. Whilst this sort of thing has often been the subject of myth and fantasy across all manner of human cultures and civilisations, it seems to remain beyond our grasp. But do we stay there?
Actually, this concept is not all that removed from common or garden human experience when one stops to think. In fact my very life stems from people who lived and died before me. Like day follows night, the seasons follow their same life and death patterns, so does even the food that you and I need and eat. Farmers have lived on the very basis that ‘except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.’ Having spent the greater number of years of my ministry in rural areas, even planting wheat myself, I know the validity of that expression. Drought years notwithstanding, the principle applies. In fact for those who – these days – like to posit a random universe, one has to say that the evidence points otherwise, does it not?
So when you go to bed tonight, you can rest assured that the sun will rise, and the tides continue to move according to remarkably predictable patterns. And it has to be said, as medical and other sciences develop and evolve, increasing numbers of previously fatal diseases can be cured, if not just held in check.
What is this Resurrection Story really conveying, if only for the cynical among us? The answer is rather encouraging.
In Biblical terms, it is said that Jesus defeated evil. What that means is that Jesus showed evil up for what it is, enabling those thus enlightened to avoid the same traps. It does not mean the end of evil, but it does mean a foreshortening. Part of the great encouragement of this story is the assurance that, whilst evil may prevail to some degree, its darkness has been made uncovered. And the same can be said about truth. Had you lived in Old Testament times – or even in some places today – you would never have expected truth to emerge over falsehood; or love over hate; and yet that is exactly what the Resurrection of Jesus promises. And that frees us to choose to live that way! Now!
Look at real history. Those living through the Nazi regime may well have considered themselves utterly powerless against the blackest of evil displayed there. The reality is that the Thousand Year Reich lasted only about a dozen years, for evil tends to have an inbuilt self-destruct mechanism. My father who lived through the Communist Revolution in Russia assumed that that grip of steel was so irresistible that it would go on for ever. However, like the Exile in Babylon, its grip loosened after 70 years. Sadly that occurred just a year or two after my father’s passing – and there was a resurrection he had considered quite impossible.
***********************************************************************************************
LOOKING FOR A NEW WARDEN
When Peter Little retired after years of valued service as People’s Warden, Vestry did not immediately elect a replacement, but it should do so soon. So we are looking for offers. A warden is someone who watches over, cares for something or someone. A Church Warden has a legal status in the Diocesan framework, but essentially he or she is a visible, accessible and helpful connection to the workings of the parish. And in the more formal words of the Canon “co-operates with the parish priest in the work of God and his church within the parish”.
Just in case you are wondering, there will be NO Question Time this month., but keep your ears to the ground now won’t you!!!!
SPECIAL NOTE
ALL the HEATERS IN THE HALL started first 'pull' on Sunday when I checked to see that they are all working. The trick is to be patient - pull firmly on the short cord for a count to 20 and then pull firmly on the longer cord to create the spark (Don't be rough on this mechanism!) while still holding the first cord for a further count to 5 (or when the radiant panel starts to turn red). So stay warm!!
The Anglican Diocese of Adelaide is looking for an experienced personal assistant to provide support to the Archbishop. This is a key role within the Diocese supporting the work and ministry of the Archbishop in Adelaide. To secure this excellent opportunity you will need to demonstrate extensive experience in supporting a senior manager as well as outstanding written and verbal communication skills. You will be well organised with the ability to establish priorities, manage your workload and meet deadlines. Advanced computer skills are essential as are exceptional interpersonal skills.
Confidential enquiries may be made to Janette Pavlovich by phone 8305 9350 or email jpavlovich@adelaide.anglican.com.au
Applications close 15th May
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Ron Keynes or Joy Campbell Next Sunday Don Caddy or Jill Hilbig
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Marg P Intercessor Warren Sunday after Reader Jane Sil Intercessor Hal S-C
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Sue D-T Brass Rosemary Conlon Cleaning Group 3
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday afternoon
Saturday, April 16, 2011
RonBlog
Sunday 17th April, 2011 Passion Sunday – Palm Sunday
Sentence
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, in Your tender love towards us You sent Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross that all should follow the example of His great humility; mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of His patience and also be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 50: 4 – 9
The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Psalm 31: 9 – 18
Have mercy upon me O Lord, for I am in trouble: my eyes waste away for grief, my throat also and my inward parts
For my life wears out in sorrow, and my years with sighing: my strength fails me in my affliction and my bones are consumed
I am become the scorn of my enemies: and my neighbours wag their heads in derision
I am a thing of horror to my friends: and those that see me in the street shrink from me
I am forgotten like one dead and out of mind: I have become a broken vessel.
For I hear the whispering of many: and fear is on every side
While they plot together against me: and scheme to take away my life
But in You, Lord, have I put my trust: I have said, ‘You are my God.’
All my days are in Your hand: O deliver me from the power of my enemies, and from my persecutors
Make Your face to shine upon Your servant: and save me for Your mercy’s sake.
Epistle Philippians 2: 5 – 11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
GOSPEL Matthew 27: 11 – 54
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over.
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" All of them said, "Let him be crucified!" Then he asked, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." Then the people as a whole answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him.
Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, 'I am God's Son.'" The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah." At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
Old Testament
In today’s Advertiser (12/6/10) there was an article that indicated that women do not like meek men, but rather prefer the more pushy variety. It seems to contradict a lot of what women have been saying about violent males. Today’s passage from Isaiah would indicate that Jesus would have little attraction for modern females, and that may be somewhat revealing!
In this (one of a series of) Servant Song(s) the prophet poses the necessary approach he would understand necessary for the People or Person of God to work towards the resolution of the ‘human dilemma.’ This Faith once delivered is not about securing heaven for you as much as it is about restoring humanity to life here, in peace and community, that we never manage to reach. The Faith is far more ‘earthed’ than many people begin to realize – which is partly the reason why the ‘Church’ fails to win the support of far more people. We’d rather be involved in internal bitching!
The real problem? Whilst the ‘normal’ human approach to the conflicts would tend to be to use power, control and force when necessary, the prophet posits a rather different approach. Sadly, not many believers take much notice of Isaiah (or Jesus come to that) and so miss the point as well as the remedy!
The reality was that Isaiah was almost totally ‘spot on,’ as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus indicates. As opposed to that, the ‘normal human response’ only ever leads to exacerbation of the problem! Thank God for the Gospel!
Psalm
Before you write this off as the sorry-for-self outpourings of a tragic, do stop and realize that when someone who has lived truly and is caught in the machinations of someone evil, there was seen to be little in the way of hope. Only someone who has been there themselves would be aware of the despair and even terror. Now this was the boat in which Jesus found Himself, and this Psalm being there on Passion Sunday is an attempt to help us enter, even minutely, into how it would feel to be pushed into such a sharp-edged corner.
Epistle
I have said it before and repeat it now: if this was the only part of the New Testament we had in our hands, it would be sufficient to understand the potency of the Gospel. AS mentioned previously, please see this passage, said to be the words of a very early Christian hymn, draw the contrast between Adam (Gen 3) and Jesus. It posits a radically different approach to life and service, and that is the process of reconciliation, not division.
Do not be misled by the reference to Jesus being ‘highly exalted’ and so reversing the result of His humility. Notice that in Eucharistic prayers, the ‘honour and glory and power’ are to be understood as parallel, not opposite, of humility and service. If that does not ‘gel’ with you, please get in touch.
GOSPEL
On Passion Sunday there is rarely a sermon preached, but the Passion Narrative is read in toto.
However, may I say that I have great difficulty with sermons or other references to the crucifixion of Jesus that concentrate on the pain and suffering of Jesus, in particular when that is allied with that as the presumed expression of God’s wrath on human sin. Such a ‘theology’ of the Passion entirely misses the point of the Atonement as Biblically expressed from Isaiah onwards. There will be those who disagree; may I simply offer an hypothetical. If I were in the odd position of needing to forgive my daughter for some sin however fearful by taking out my rage on my son and requiring his death, then I would be acting in a fearfully unjust and megalomaniac manner.
The reality is that Jesus overcame evil by absorbing it, not by killing off the perpetrators. Very few Christians have -- even yet! –come to terms with that reality. In order to retain their ‘theology,’ they pursue their vengeance – in diametric opposition to the Biblical Gospel. The wonder of forgiveness – and its enormous risky yet therapeutic purpose would seem to need a far more close and constructive examination.
Sentence
At the name of Jesus every knee shall bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:10-11
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, in Your tender love towards us You sent Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross that all should follow the example of His great humility; mercifully grant that we may both follow the example of His patience and also be made partakers of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Lesson Isaiah 50: 4 – 9
The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens-- wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Psalm 31: 9 – 18
Have mercy upon me O Lord, for I am in trouble: my eyes waste away for grief, my throat also and my inward parts
For my life wears out in sorrow, and my years with sighing: my strength fails me in my affliction and my bones are consumed
I am become the scorn of my enemies: and my neighbours wag their heads in derision
I am a thing of horror to my friends: and those that see me in the street shrink from me
I am forgotten like one dead and out of mind: I have become a broken vessel.
For I hear the whispering of many: and fear is on every side
While they plot together against me: and scheme to take away my life
But in You, Lord, have I put my trust: I have said, ‘You are my God.’
All my days are in Your hand: O deliver me from the power of my enemies, and from my persecutors
Make Your face to shine upon Your servant: and save me for Your mercy’s sake.
Epistle Philippians 2: 5 – 11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
GOSPEL Matthew 27: 11 – 54
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?" But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?" For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over.
While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said to them, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" All of them said, "Let him be crucified!" Then he asked, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!" So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." Then the people as a whole answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him.
Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, 'I am God's Son.'" The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "This man is calling for Elijah." At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him." Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
Old Testament
In today’s Advertiser (12/6/10) there was an article that indicated that women do not like meek men, but rather prefer the more pushy variety. It seems to contradict a lot of what women have been saying about violent males. Today’s passage from Isaiah would indicate that Jesus would have little attraction for modern females, and that may be somewhat revealing!
In this (one of a series of) Servant Song(s) the prophet poses the necessary approach he would understand necessary for the People or Person of God to work towards the resolution of the ‘human dilemma.’ This Faith once delivered is not about securing heaven for you as much as it is about restoring humanity to life here, in peace and community, that we never manage to reach. The Faith is far more ‘earthed’ than many people begin to realize – which is partly the reason why the ‘Church’ fails to win the support of far more people. We’d rather be involved in internal bitching!
The real problem? Whilst the ‘normal’ human approach to the conflicts would tend to be to use power, control and force when necessary, the prophet posits a rather different approach. Sadly, not many believers take much notice of Isaiah (or Jesus come to that) and so miss the point as well as the remedy!
The reality was that Isaiah was almost totally ‘spot on,’ as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus indicates. As opposed to that, the ‘normal human response’ only ever leads to exacerbation of the problem! Thank God for the Gospel!
Psalm
Before you write this off as the sorry-for-self outpourings of a tragic, do stop and realize that when someone who has lived truly and is caught in the machinations of someone evil, there was seen to be little in the way of hope. Only someone who has been there themselves would be aware of the despair and even terror. Now this was the boat in which Jesus found Himself, and this Psalm being there on Passion Sunday is an attempt to help us enter, even minutely, into how it would feel to be pushed into such a sharp-edged corner.
Epistle
I have said it before and repeat it now: if this was the only part of the New Testament we had in our hands, it would be sufficient to understand the potency of the Gospel. AS mentioned previously, please see this passage, said to be the words of a very early Christian hymn, draw the contrast between Adam (Gen 3) and Jesus. It posits a radically different approach to life and service, and that is the process of reconciliation, not division.
Do not be misled by the reference to Jesus being ‘highly exalted’ and so reversing the result of His humility. Notice that in Eucharistic prayers, the ‘honour and glory and power’ are to be understood as parallel, not opposite, of humility and service. If that does not ‘gel’ with you, please get in touch.
GOSPEL
On Passion Sunday there is rarely a sermon preached, but the Passion Narrative is read in toto.
However, may I say that I have great difficulty with sermons or other references to the crucifixion of Jesus that concentrate on the pain and suffering of Jesus, in particular when that is allied with that as the presumed expression of God’s wrath on human sin. Such a ‘theology’ of the Passion entirely misses the point of the Atonement as Biblically expressed from Isaiah onwards. There will be those who disagree; may I simply offer an hypothetical. If I were in the odd position of needing to forgive my daughter for some sin however fearful by taking out my rage on my son and requiring his death, then I would be acting in a fearfully unjust and megalomaniac manner.
The reality is that Jesus overcame evil by absorbing it, not by killing off the perpetrators. Very few Christians have -- even yet! –come to terms with that reality. In order to retain their ‘theology,’ they pursue their vengeance – in diametric opposition to the Biblical Gospel. The wonder of forgiveness – and its enormous risky yet therapeutic purpose would seem to need a far more close and constructive examination.
Newsletter
Sunday 17th April, 2011 - Passion / Palm Sunday
Our Celebrant today is Warren Huffa
And preacher at both services is Stephen Daughtry
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is held at the 10 am service during School Term times.
Collect for Palm-Passion Sunday
God of all, You gave Your only-begotten Son to take the form of a servant, and to be obedient even to death on a cross: give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus that, sharing in His humility, we may come to be with Him in His glory, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS
Isaiah 50: 4—9a & Philippians 2:5—11 read by Paul H
Gospel Matthew 27: 11—54
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Ben L
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Olivia Vialls, Elliot Hale, Max Almond, David Corbett, Tommy Ferguson, Arndrae Luks, Jessica Randall-Thomas
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY –
YEAR’S MIND—Ivy Morris (2002) Alice Ridout (1994) Evelyn Murray (2004)
Special Thoughts for Angus and Clare Bruce on the passing of Angus’ father Robert.
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Easter
Readings Acts 10: 34 –43 and Colossians 3: 1—4
Gospel Matthew 28: 1—10
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
Note from Parish Council
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
HALL BOOKINGS: 27th April 1—5pm St. John’s College
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
Report from St. John’s Chaplains
Clare and Warren write a blurb for the St John's newsletter which comes out each fortnight of term. We do alternate fortnights—this one from Warren http://www.stjohns.sa.edu.au/news/love-and- fear
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Passover Meal on Thursday has been cancelled….
Mothers’ Union has its next meeting set for Thursday 21st April at 2.00pm at the Church. Please
brings subscriptions of $32.00 to that meeting please. Margaret Pressley Group Leader
ABM Appeal is now on with envelopes in the foyer. Palm Sunday (April 17) will see the distribution of Palm Crosses and Easter Day will see the return of those ABM envelopes.
EASTER SERVICES
Maundy Thursday 9.30am and 7.30pm Eucharist
Good Friday 9.30am Children's Service
10.45 Traditional GF Service
Easter 6.00am Coming of the Light & Eucharist
8.00am Traditional Eucharist
10.00am Easter Eucharist & Renewal of Baptismal Vows
**********************************************************************************************************
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Passion Narrative
I have great difficulty with sermons on the Atonement that concentrate on the pain and suffering of Jesus, in particular when that is allied with the presumed expression of God’s wrath on human sin. Such a ‘theology’ of the Passion entirely misses the point.
There certainly will be those who disagree so may I simply comment that if, in order to forgive my daughter some sin of hers however fearful by taking out my rage on my son, then I would be acting in a hideous megalomaniac manner. The reality is that Jesus overcame evil by absorbing it, not by killing off the perpetrators. Very many Christians have -- even yet! – to begin to understand that.
In the Advertiser of 12/6/10- when I was drafting this material - there was an article that indicated that women do not like meek men, but rather prefer the more pushy variety. It seems to contradict a lot of what women have been saying about violent males, and today’s reading from Isaiah would indicate that Jesus would have little attraction for modern females, and that may be somewhat revealing!
In this (one of a series of) Isaiah’s Servant Song(s) the prophet poses the necessary approach for the People or Person of God to work towards the resolution of the ‘human dilemma.’ Whilst the ‘normal’ human approach would tend to exercise power, control and force when necessary, the prophet posits a rather different approach.
The reality was that Isaiah was almost totally ‘spot on,’ as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus indicates. As opposed to prophet’s view and Jesus’ reality, the normal violent human response only ever leads to exacerbation of the problem!
Thank God for the Gospel! In other words, resolution of conflict does not come by force of arms (as if you needed any proof of that view!) but by reconciliation. Now this path may well be most difficult for the reconciler, and – as in Jesus’ case – may lead to his/her death, but there will be no exacerbation of evil on the part of the reconciler! Jesus defeats evil not by force of arms or even personality – but by absorbing that evil and refusing to retaliate. Does that make Jesus a ‘pushy’ person?
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Planned Giving - First Quarter Statement from Min
From the last quarter of 2009, we started issuing Quarterly Statements advised the sum of your contribution in that quarter, for those using the Planned Giving envelopes. We did not issue the statements for those who are depositing money directly into our church bank account because they should be able to keep track themselves. However, this year the situation is a bit different. For the Planned Giving Scheme, we have been using numbers to identify the parishioners, but this year we had to change that process. Therefore, we will issue the Quarterly statements from now on to all parishioners who are participating in the Planned Giving Scheme. The First Quarter Statements can now be found in the envelopes laid out on the table in the church foyer. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. Thank you. Min, The Recorder maraki@internode.on.net
8270-8894(This may change from this July.)
LOOKING FOR A NEW WARDEN
When Peter Little retired after years of valued service as People’s Warden, Vestry did not immediately elect a replacement, but it should do so soon. So we are looking for offers. A warden is someone who watches over, cares for something or someone. A Church Warden has a legal status in the Diocesan framework, but essentially he or she is a visible, accessible and helpful connection to the workings of the parish. And in the more formal words of the Canon “co-operates with the parish priest in the work of God and his church within the parish”.
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Craig Deane or Trevor Tregenza
Next Sunday Ron Keynes or Joy Campbell
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Vanessa D Intercessor
Sunday after Reader Marg P Intercessor Warren
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Anna Kelly Brass Barb Capon
Cleaning Susan Lee
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday morning please as this is a short week for printers …….
Our Celebrant today is Warren Huffa
And preacher at both services is Stephen Daughtry
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is held at the 10 am service during School Term times.
Collect for Palm-Passion Sunday
God of all, You gave Your only-begotten Son to take the form of a servant, and to be obedient even to death on a cross: give us the same mind that was in Christ Jesus that, sharing in His humility, we may come to be with Him in His glory, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS
Isaiah 50: 4—9a & Philippians 2:5—11 read by Paul H
Gospel Matthew 27: 11—54
(Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and/or to change the ending prayer)
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Ben L
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Olivia Vialls, Elliot Hale, Max Almond, David Corbett, Tommy Ferguson, Arndrae Luks, Jessica Randall-Thomas
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY –
YEAR’S MIND—Ivy Morris (2002) Alice Ridout (1994) Evelyn Murray (2004)
Special Thoughts for Angus and Clare Bruce on the passing of Angus’ father Robert.
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Easter
Readings Acts 10: 34 –43 and Colossians 3: 1—4
Gospel Matthew 28: 1—10
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
Note from Parish Council
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
HALL BOOKINGS: 27th April 1—5pm St. John’s College
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 and Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
Report from St. John’s Chaplains
Clare and Warren write a blurb for the St John's newsletter which comes out each fortnight of term. We do alternate fortnights—this one from Warren http://www.stjohns.sa.edu.au/news/love-and- fear
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Passover Meal on Thursday has been cancelled….
Mothers’ Union has its next meeting set for Thursday 21st April at 2.00pm at the Church. Please
brings subscriptions of $32.00 to that meeting please. Margaret Pressley Group Leader
ABM Appeal is now on with envelopes in the foyer. Palm Sunday (April 17) will see the distribution of Palm Crosses and Easter Day will see the return of those ABM envelopes.
EASTER SERVICES
Maundy Thursday 9.30am and 7.30pm Eucharist
Good Friday 9.30am Children's Service
10.45 Traditional GF Service
Easter 6.00am Coming of the Light & Eucharist
8.00am Traditional Eucharist
10.00am Easter Eucharist & Renewal of Baptismal Vows
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RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Passion Narrative
I have great difficulty with sermons on the Atonement that concentrate on the pain and suffering of Jesus, in particular when that is allied with the presumed expression of God’s wrath on human sin. Such a ‘theology’ of the Passion entirely misses the point.
There certainly will be those who disagree so may I simply comment that if, in order to forgive my daughter some sin of hers however fearful by taking out my rage on my son, then I would be acting in a hideous megalomaniac manner. The reality is that Jesus overcame evil by absorbing it, not by killing off the perpetrators. Very many Christians have -- even yet! – to begin to understand that.
In the Advertiser of 12/6/10- when I was drafting this material - there was an article that indicated that women do not like meek men, but rather prefer the more pushy variety. It seems to contradict a lot of what women have been saying about violent males, and today’s reading from Isaiah would indicate that Jesus would have little attraction for modern females, and that may be somewhat revealing!
In this (one of a series of) Isaiah’s Servant Song(s) the prophet poses the necessary approach for the People or Person of God to work towards the resolution of the ‘human dilemma.’ Whilst the ‘normal’ human approach would tend to exercise power, control and force when necessary, the prophet posits a rather different approach.
The reality was that Isaiah was almost totally ‘spot on,’ as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus indicates. As opposed to prophet’s view and Jesus’ reality, the normal violent human response only ever leads to exacerbation of the problem!
Thank God for the Gospel! In other words, resolution of conflict does not come by force of arms (as if you needed any proof of that view!) but by reconciliation. Now this path may well be most difficult for the reconciler, and – as in Jesus’ case – may lead to his/her death, but there will be no exacerbation of evil on the part of the reconciler! Jesus defeats evil not by force of arms or even personality – but by absorbing that evil and refusing to retaliate. Does that make Jesus a ‘pushy’ person?
***********************************************************************************************
Planned Giving - First Quarter Statement from Min
From the last quarter of 2009, we started issuing Quarterly Statements advised the sum of your contribution in that quarter, for those using the Planned Giving envelopes. We did not issue the statements for those who are depositing money directly into our church bank account because they should be able to keep track themselves. However, this year the situation is a bit different. For the Planned Giving Scheme, we have been using numbers to identify the parishioners, but this year we had to change that process. Therefore, we will issue the Quarterly statements from now on to all parishioners who are participating in the Planned Giving Scheme. The First Quarter Statements can now be found in the envelopes laid out on the table in the church foyer. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. Thank you. Min, The Recorder maraki@internode.on.net
8270-8894(This may change from this July.)
LOOKING FOR A NEW WARDEN
When Peter Little retired after years of valued service as People’s Warden, Vestry did not immediately elect a replacement, but it should do so soon. So we are looking for offers. A warden is someone who watches over, cares for something or someone. A Church Warden has a legal status in the Diocesan framework, but essentially he or she is a visible, accessible and helpful connection to the workings of the parish. And in the more formal words of the Canon “co-operates with the parish priest in the work of God and his church within the parish”.
Magdalene Centre invites you to a screening of Water for Elephants to be held at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood, on Sunday 22nd May from 2.00pm for complimentary drinks and sandwiches (Film at 3 pm) Entry is $20.00 per person
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Craig Deane or Trevor Tregenza
Next Sunday Ron Keynes or Joy Campbell
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Vanessa D Intercessor
Sunday after Reader Marg P Intercessor Warren
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers Anna Kelly Brass Barb Capon
Cleaning Susan Lee
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday morning please as this is a short week for printers …….
Friday, April 8, 2011
RonBlog
Sunday 10th April, 2011 Fifth Sunday in Lent
Sentence
I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
John 11: 25 – 26
Collect
Life-giving God, Your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death: breathe upon us with the power of Your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve You in holiness and righteousness al lour days; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen
Old Testament Lesson Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."
I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD.
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits: and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord: more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD: for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Epistle Romans 8: 6 – 11
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law--indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
GOSPEL John 11: 1 – 45
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them."
After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."
The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world." When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.
Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
Old Testament
This should surely be one of the best-known passages from the Old Testament, the Valley of Dry Bones. The old Negro song ‘Dem bones, dem bones’ should ring bells for many others. However the source and reason behind the vision may well be far less familiar to people.
Israel was in exile in Babylon, and like depressed people anywhere, had lost sense of value, purpose and direction. This vision of Ezekiel’s was designed to encourage exiles, offering hope of new and fresh life and purpose. The vision has impact for a lot of reasons, not least of which is the clear perception that the prophet had of what we call the Holy Spirit.
Add to that the consistent message of all Prophets of the Exile was the God was right there with them, with a renewed vision for their future and role for the world. I will leave you to ponder the impact and power of this message, but do not miss the point that this same message needs to be heard in our own day and age. Small numbers of committed people is no designation of defeat: how often has history shown that reduction in numbers usually presages a new move towards growth. It is the Gideon story all over again.
Psalm
And here is another factor in the move forward and ahead. Just as the exiles needed the refreshment of forgiveness for a rugged past, so the same need tends to apply still. Never lose sight of the value for forgiveness: it means, amongst other things, that a person can stop hiding from past sins and mistakes, examine the decisions and choices, and learn from the muck-up.
Epistle
I have often drawn people’s attention to the fact that there is a series of illustrations of the differences between ordinary human responses to crises and choices, and the deliberately Christian one. This is not a matter of piety and smugness; it is a clear difference of modus operandi. Adam and Christlike is a parallel I often use; here it is ‘spirit’ and ‘flesh.’ When I operate selfishly and self-obsessively, then I am being ‘flesh,’ or ‘Adamic.’ The outcome is, as a rule, somewhat destructive. QED.
GOSPEL
Here is another of John’s great sign stories. The raising of Lazarus. As usual the author managed to weave a whole series of significant issues into the tale, one of which tends to be overlooked because people have already made up their minds (falsely quite often) about Thomas. Please note that here you have a bloke who is prepared to go with Christ right up to death and beyond, so that is hardly the action of a doubter, now is it!
Here in this cameo (rather large one certainly!) is the precursor of Jesus’ own death for the sake of those supporting Him. Any careful reading of the Gospels will show how our Lord was at very considerable pains, firstly to get the Twelve moving on the business of understanding more fully what He was on about; and then as the crisis began to draw close, to prepare the disciples for the denouement of the Cross. Here was clear illustration that He was Lord of life and death.
If you wonder why Jesus hesitated to travel that little extra distance either before Lazarus’ death or soon after, the answer is not hard to find. For a culture that assumed that a person’s spirit did not leave the body for two or three days, it was ‘necessary’ for Jesus to wait out that time to prove a point: here was no resuscitation of someone comatose. Disintegration had begun, and still Jesus was in charge. “Unbind him and let him go!” was a call that would have resonated in the ears of those followers after the Resurrection: and they were the ones needing unbinding.
NOTES FOR A SERMON
If you are game to travel this route, it may well be an experience in launching out into the deep with a God Who seems to promise much, but for many people still seems to stay in the shadows of life. Part of our modern problem lies in a couple of directions: the first is the contention that so many of our issues of very existence into the future have not been encountered (to our knowledge) in history. The second problem lies, I suspect, in our lack of knowledge of history and in particular Biblical history.
It has to be said that, forever throughout human history, there have been the doomsday boys. There is nothing new in that, although – apart from some present-day sectarians – the turn of the century a decade ago brought some wild ones out of the woodwork, and recent SA news seems to indicate that there are still groups that like to prey on the fears of people.
These seems to be a supposition among many people that up to the present, our long-term history has been one of gradual progress and projection upwards - apart from a few glitches along the way, of course. Most people today are too young to remember or ever know about the enormous tumult of the First World War. That single event shattered quite utterly the Victorian and even Edwardian view that progress in social, national and international development was the miracle of the age. It came as inconceivable that so monstrous a conflict could reduce civilisation to such a vicious point.
History has never been a matter of invincible progress. Even in eras of solid development there have been downsides; and in so many of the downsides there have been opposite phases. If you are not aware of that, then the proof of the pudding is in reading history, from before Egypt and the pyramids up to the present time. Even the history of the Christian Church throughout the centuries offers great insights into human folly. And wisdom!
So where does that leave us? As Christians I offer a couple of encouragements, not from my skill but from our combined Biblical history. That Old Testament history shows up in today’s OT reading. That vision of Ezekiel’s was not there simply to generate the Negro Spiritual, Dem Bones. It was a reminder not dissimilar to this very one, for the People of God to look back and see God’s hand at work, not in the prior five minutes, but over the generations since Abraham. Those stories are not there to warm the cockles – but to be something of a kick in the pants those who had felt all sorry for themselves as they lived in imposed exile in Babylon.
‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Poor little darlings! They could not, perhaps would not see past their rather expansive noses. But Ezekiel did, as did each of the other prophets of the Exile. Each of those remarkable men indicated quite clearly that Israel had been sidelined, because it had lost its way as the People of God, and had somewhat forgotten God Himself. They were in the ‘cooler’ for a time to ponder where to from here, and whilst some listened to their prophets, others did not. In fact there was quite a proportion of the exiles who did not wish to move back home when the opportunity came for them.
History proved the prophets correct, and a rejuvenated Israel returned to the enormous task of rebuilding – nation, capital and temple. But they did it, and their future burgeoned for some time, not without glitches. But without that burgeoning there could have been no Jesus. I kid you not.
In spite of the apparent evidence to the contrary, God was not dead. He was very much alive, and looking to enliven those people who were prepared to get on side with Him. There was only no future if people refused to take it up. Mind you, sitting on one’s backside and expecting everything to happen without their involvement or effort was not, repeat not an option.
So where does all this get us?
Simply at the foot of a fairly steep learning curve. Christians of most denominations and colours have been spoilt – or at least those of us not involved in hideous and harsh situations, like recently in Botswna, or some other African nations; or China further back, of USSR for a seventy year period not unlike ancient Israel. Or Germany. We have become somewhat effete, and some backbone needs to be restored to us, and that does not happen when people are pandered to. So, in the time left to us, it would not be a bad idea at all (a) to look again at this Faith once delivered and understand and embrace it, warts and all; and (b) get on with the job of being what we are called to be.
As they say in Football (the real sort, not that other lot!) no gain without pain. So if you wonder why God puts you through the mill now and again it is to strengthen you up. And that is why He does not answer all your little aches and pains. He and we live in the real world, without apology. And that is what the Gospel is all about.
Sentence
I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
John 11: 25 – 26
Collect
Life-giving God, Your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death: breathe upon us with the power of Your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve You in holiness and righteousness al lour days; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen
Old Testament Lesson Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."
I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD.
Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits: and in his word I put my hope.
My soul waits for the Lord: more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD: for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Epistle Romans 8: 6 – 11
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law--indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
GOSPEL John 11: 1 – 45
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them."
After saying this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."
The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right." Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."
Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world." When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary, and told her privately, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him.
Now Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"
The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS
Old Testament
This should surely be one of the best-known passages from the Old Testament, the Valley of Dry Bones. The old Negro song ‘Dem bones, dem bones’ should ring bells for many others. However the source and reason behind the vision may well be far less familiar to people.
Israel was in exile in Babylon, and like depressed people anywhere, had lost sense of value, purpose and direction. This vision of Ezekiel’s was designed to encourage exiles, offering hope of new and fresh life and purpose. The vision has impact for a lot of reasons, not least of which is the clear perception that the prophet had of what we call the Holy Spirit.
Add to that the consistent message of all Prophets of the Exile was the God was right there with them, with a renewed vision for their future and role for the world. I will leave you to ponder the impact and power of this message, but do not miss the point that this same message needs to be heard in our own day and age. Small numbers of committed people is no designation of defeat: how often has history shown that reduction in numbers usually presages a new move towards growth. It is the Gideon story all over again.
Psalm
And here is another factor in the move forward and ahead. Just as the exiles needed the refreshment of forgiveness for a rugged past, so the same need tends to apply still. Never lose sight of the value for forgiveness: it means, amongst other things, that a person can stop hiding from past sins and mistakes, examine the decisions and choices, and learn from the muck-up.
Epistle
I have often drawn people’s attention to the fact that there is a series of illustrations of the differences between ordinary human responses to crises and choices, and the deliberately Christian one. This is not a matter of piety and smugness; it is a clear difference of modus operandi. Adam and Christlike is a parallel I often use; here it is ‘spirit’ and ‘flesh.’ When I operate selfishly and self-obsessively, then I am being ‘flesh,’ or ‘Adamic.’ The outcome is, as a rule, somewhat destructive. QED.
GOSPEL
Here is another of John’s great sign stories. The raising of Lazarus. As usual the author managed to weave a whole series of significant issues into the tale, one of which tends to be overlooked because people have already made up their minds (falsely quite often) about Thomas. Please note that here you have a bloke who is prepared to go with Christ right up to death and beyond, so that is hardly the action of a doubter, now is it!
Here in this cameo (rather large one certainly!) is the precursor of Jesus’ own death for the sake of those supporting Him. Any careful reading of the Gospels will show how our Lord was at very considerable pains, firstly to get the Twelve moving on the business of understanding more fully what He was on about; and then as the crisis began to draw close, to prepare the disciples for the denouement of the Cross. Here was clear illustration that He was Lord of life and death.
If you wonder why Jesus hesitated to travel that little extra distance either before Lazarus’ death or soon after, the answer is not hard to find. For a culture that assumed that a person’s spirit did not leave the body for two or three days, it was ‘necessary’ for Jesus to wait out that time to prove a point: here was no resuscitation of someone comatose. Disintegration had begun, and still Jesus was in charge. “Unbind him and let him go!” was a call that would have resonated in the ears of those followers after the Resurrection: and they were the ones needing unbinding.
NOTES FOR A SERMON
If you are game to travel this route, it may well be an experience in launching out into the deep with a God Who seems to promise much, but for many people still seems to stay in the shadows of life. Part of our modern problem lies in a couple of directions: the first is the contention that so many of our issues of very existence into the future have not been encountered (to our knowledge) in history. The second problem lies, I suspect, in our lack of knowledge of history and in particular Biblical history.
It has to be said that, forever throughout human history, there have been the doomsday boys. There is nothing new in that, although – apart from some present-day sectarians – the turn of the century a decade ago brought some wild ones out of the woodwork, and recent SA news seems to indicate that there are still groups that like to prey on the fears of people.
These seems to be a supposition among many people that up to the present, our long-term history has been one of gradual progress and projection upwards - apart from a few glitches along the way, of course. Most people today are too young to remember or ever know about the enormous tumult of the First World War. That single event shattered quite utterly the Victorian and even Edwardian view that progress in social, national and international development was the miracle of the age. It came as inconceivable that so monstrous a conflict could reduce civilisation to such a vicious point.
History has never been a matter of invincible progress. Even in eras of solid development there have been downsides; and in so many of the downsides there have been opposite phases. If you are not aware of that, then the proof of the pudding is in reading history, from before Egypt and the pyramids up to the present time. Even the history of the Christian Church throughout the centuries offers great insights into human folly. And wisdom!
So where does that leave us? As Christians I offer a couple of encouragements, not from my skill but from our combined Biblical history. That Old Testament history shows up in today’s OT reading. That vision of Ezekiel’s was not there simply to generate the Negro Spiritual, Dem Bones. It was a reminder not dissimilar to this very one, for the People of God to look back and see God’s hand at work, not in the prior five minutes, but over the generations since Abraham. Those stories are not there to warm the cockles – but to be something of a kick in the pants those who had felt all sorry for themselves as they lived in imposed exile in Babylon.
‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Poor little darlings! They could not, perhaps would not see past their rather expansive noses. But Ezekiel did, as did each of the other prophets of the Exile. Each of those remarkable men indicated quite clearly that Israel had been sidelined, because it had lost its way as the People of God, and had somewhat forgotten God Himself. They were in the ‘cooler’ for a time to ponder where to from here, and whilst some listened to their prophets, others did not. In fact there was quite a proportion of the exiles who did not wish to move back home when the opportunity came for them.
History proved the prophets correct, and a rejuvenated Israel returned to the enormous task of rebuilding – nation, capital and temple. But they did it, and their future burgeoned for some time, not without glitches. But without that burgeoning there could have been no Jesus. I kid you not.
In spite of the apparent evidence to the contrary, God was not dead. He was very much alive, and looking to enliven those people who were prepared to get on side with Him. There was only no future if people refused to take it up. Mind you, sitting on one’s backside and expecting everything to happen without their involvement or effort was not, repeat not an option.
So where does all this get us?
Simply at the foot of a fairly steep learning curve. Christians of most denominations and colours have been spoilt – or at least those of us not involved in hideous and harsh situations, like recently in Botswna, or some other African nations; or China further back, of USSR for a seventy year period not unlike ancient Israel. Or Germany. We have become somewhat effete, and some backbone needs to be restored to us, and that does not happen when people are pandered to. So, in the time left to us, it would not be a bad idea at all (a) to look again at this Faith once delivered and understand and embrace it, warts and all; and (b) get on with the job of being what we are called to be.
As they say in Football (the real sort, not that other lot!) no gain without pain. So if you wonder why God puts you through the mill now and again it is to strengthen you up. And that is why He does not answer all your little aches and pains. He and we live in the real world, without apology. And that is what the Gospel is all about.
Newsletter
Sunday 10th April, 2011 - Lent V
Our Celebrant today is Warren Huffa
And our preacher is Stephen Daughtry
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is held at the 10 am service during School Term times.
Note from Parish Council
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
Collect for Lent V
Life-giving God, Your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death: breathe upon us with the power of Your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve You in holiness and righteousness al lour days; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS Ezekiel 37: 1—14 & Romans 8: 6—11 read by Paul H
Gospel John 11: 1—45
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Max A (Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and to change the ending prayer.)
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Melanie Shepherd and Clare Bruce
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Yvonne and Don Caddy
YEAR’S MIND—
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Passion Palm Sunday
Readings Isaiah 50: 4—9a & Philippians 2:5—11
Gospel Matthew 27: 11—54
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
Parish Council minutes are available to all parishioners. If you would like them sent to your email address please see Don and if you would like a hard copy please see Cynthia. Alternatively, they are displayed in the foyer after each meeting. Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of each month.
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 or Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
LATEST INFO ON THE TREAURE MARKET - Yvonne Caddy indicates that the nett result from the Market is $5809.41. Congrats again to all involved ….
Report from St. John’s Chaplains
Clare and Warren write a blurb for the St John's newsletter which comes out each fortnight of term. We do alternate fortnights—this one from Clare: http://www.stjohns.sa.edu.au/news/the-hope-of-easter
Sunday School - our thanks go to Anna Kelly for all her help in making the bouquets for mothers last Sunday. (Anna is a grandmother (again?) so our spies tell us.) Thanks too, for all offers of old shirts for the children today in their activity.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Passover Meal on 21st April, is to be held in a private home starting at 6.00pm Then all will move to the Church for the 7.30pm service. Mary asks that those planning to attend to add their names to the list in the foyer.
Mothers’ Union has its next meeting set for Thursday 21st April at 2.00pm at the Church. Please brings subscriptions of $32.00 to that meeting please. Margaret Pressley Group Leader
ABM Appeal is now on with envelopes in the foyer. Palm Sunday (April 17) will see the distribution of Palm Crosses and Easter Day will see the return of those ABM envelopes.
EASTER SERVICES
Maundy Thursday 9.30am and 7.30pm Eucharist
Good Friday 9.30am Children's Service
10.45 Traditional GF Service
Easter 6.00am Coming of the Light & Eucharist
8.00am Traditional Eucharist
10.00am Easter Eucharist & Renewal of Baptismal Vows
**********************************************************************************************************
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Raising of Lazarus
Here is another of John’s great sign (not miracle, remember?) stories. The raising of Lazarus. As usual the author managed to weave a whole series of significant issues into the tale, one of which tends to be overlooked because people have already made up their minds (falsely quite often) about Thomas. Please note that here you have a bloke who is prepared to go with Christ right up to death and beyond, and that is hardly the action of a doubter, now is it!
Here in this cameo (rather large one certainly!) is the precursor of Jesus’ own death and resurrection for the sake of those supporting Him. Any careful reading of the Gospels will show how our Lord was at very considerable pains, firstly to get the Twelve moving on the business of understanding more fully what He was on about; and then as the crisis began to draw close, to prepare the disciples for the denouement of the Cross. Here was clear illustration that He was Lord of life and death.
If you wonder why Jesus hesitated to travel that little extra distance either before Lazarus’ death or soon after, the answer is not hard to find. Hebrew culture understood that a person’s spirit did not leave the body for two or three days, hence it was ‘necessary’ for Jesus to wait out that time to prove a point: here was no resuscitation of someone comatose. Disintegration had begun, and still Jesus was in charge. “Unbind him and let him go!” was a call that would have resonated in the ears of those followers after the Resurrection: and they were the ones needing unbinding.
More than a preparation for the coming crisis in front of Jesus, here also is a fascinating underlining by Jesus that with God life and living will continue to have its hope in spite of the most drastic opposition from where-ever. But that is the whole Biblical story anyhow, do you see? From Abraham to the Exodus, from Exile right up to the present, we are reminded not to despair, for God is ever the One Who rescues His people even after their worst stupidity and when all hope seems gone. .
And now can you espy the impact of the vision of Ezekiel, that valley of dry bones. Israel, still in Exile and dispirited, was certain that either God had forgotten them—or that He was dead already, had lost hope and direction. Even life! So the prophet pointed them to the faith realities of life, and with a pre-Pentecost coming of the Spirit, bad them get off their bottoms and get on with it.
***********************************************************************************************
Planned Giving - First Quarter Statement from Min
From the last quarter of 2009, we started issuing Quarterly Statements that tell you the sum of your contribution made in each quarter, for those parishioners who are using the Planned Giving envelopes. We did not issue the statements for those who are depositing money directly into our church bank account because they should be able to track down the transaction record with their own banking facilities. However, this year the situation is a bit different. For the Planned Giving Scheme, we have been using numbers to identify the parishioners, and in the past years we tried to retain the same numbers in order to reduce possible errors.
This year, however, we had to change some of their numbers to reduce the number of envelopes and thus lower the cost. It seems that we have to do more of this next year, as well. This change seems to have caused some confusion. Therefore, we will issue the Quarterly statements from now on to all parishioners who are participating in the Planned Giving Scheme. The First Quarter Statements can now be found in the envelopes laid out on the table in the church foyer. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.
Thank you. Min, The Recorder maraki@internode.on.net
8270-8894(This may change from this July.)
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Barb Capon or Joy Campbell
Next Sunday Craig Deane or Trevor Tregenza
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Paul H Intercessor Ben L
Sunday after Reader Hal S-C Intercessor
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers nil Brass Yvonne Caddy
Cleaning Group 2
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday late afternoon please
Our Celebrant today is Warren Huffa
And our preacher is Stephen Daughtry
WELCOME to Holy Innocents—we hope you enjoy this time of prayer as we reflect on Scripture together and celebrate the Eucharist. We invite you to join us for breakfast after the 8am service, or morning tea after the 10am service. At 10 am everything in the service will be screened on the walls. Sunday School is held at the 10 am service during School Term times.
Note from Parish Council
People are asked to ensure that both main door entrances to the Church are closed after use to ensure the safety of the children – who tend to run about quite a bit.
Collect for Lent V
Life-giving God, Your Son came into the world to free us all from sin and death: breathe upon us with the power of Your Spirit, that we may be raised to new life in Christ, and serve You in holiness and righteousness al lour days; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. Amen.
TODAY’S READINGS Ezekiel 37: 1—14 & Romans 8: 6—11 read by Paul H
Gospel John 11: 1—45
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE led by Max A (Intercessors, please be aware that you are able to change the power point presentation to fit your intercessions but you need to liaise with Fr Ron on the Tuesday beforehand. For example you may want a particular image screened during the intercessions and to change the ending prayer.)
We pray for those in need: Ron Teague, Phyllis Morecroft, Peter Little, the Swaby family, Chris Contro, Yvonne Myers, Jenny Jeffrey, Sid Sweet , Dorothy Furnival, Rev’d Sue Burgess and others known to us
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Melanie Shepherd and Clare Bruce
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY – Yvonne and Don Caddy
YEAR’S MIND—
PREPARATION FOR NEXT SUNDAY Passion Palm Sunday
Readings Isaiah 50: 4—9a & Philippians 2:5—11
Gospel Matthew 27: 11—54
Fr Ron’s Notes available at http://www.anglican-belair.blogspot.com/
REGULAR GROUPS AND BOOKINGS
PRAYER CIRCLE meets noon on the 2nd Tuesday each month at 36 Penno Parade North
BIBLE STUDY 10am every Wednesday at 378 Main Road Coromandal Valley
THURSDAY 9.30am Eucharist
Parish Council minutes are available to all parishioners. If you would like them sent to your email address please see Don and if you would like a hard copy please see Cynthia. Alternatively, they are displayed in the foyer after each meeting. Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday of each month.
HELPLINE
Part of being a Christian community is the support offered to each other in times of need. We offer short-term delivery of food where needed, local transport, phone calls, visits and other types of assistance. Call Barb Capon 8278 3584 or Lucinda Hale 8278 8814.
LATEST INFO ON THE TREAURE MARKET - Yvonne Caddy indicates that the nett result from the Market is $5809.41. Congrats again to all involved ….
Report from St. John’s Chaplains
Clare and Warren write a blurb for the St John's newsletter which comes out each fortnight of term. We do alternate fortnights—this one from Clare: http://www.stjohns.sa.edu.au/news/the-hope-of-easter
Sunday School - our thanks go to Anna Kelly for all her help in making the bouquets for mothers last Sunday. (Anna is a grandmother (again?) so our spies tell us.) Thanks too, for all offers of old shirts for the children today in their activity.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS—
Passover Meal on 21st April, is to be held in a private home starting at 6.00pm Then all will move to the Church for the 7.30pm service. Mary asks that those planning to attend to add their names to the list in the foyer.
Mothers’ Union has its next meeting set for Thursday 21st April at 2.00pm at the Church. Please brings subscriptions of $32.00 to that meeting please. Margaret Pressley Group Leader
ABM Appeal is now on with envelopes in the foyer. Palm Sunday (April 17) will see the distribution of Palm Crosses and Easter Day will see the return of those ABM envelopes.
EASTER SERVICES
Maundy Thursday 9.30am and 7.30pm Eucharist
Good Friday 9.30am Children's Service
10.45 Traditional GF Service
Easter 6.00am Coming of the Light & Eucharist
8.00am Traditional Eucharist
10.00am Easter Eucharist & Renewal of Baptismal Vows
**********************************************************************************************************
RON-BLOG from today’s readings - The Raising of Lazarus
Here is another of John’s great sign (not miracle, remember?) stories. The raising of Lazarus. As usual the author managed to weave a whole series of significant issues into the tale, one of which tends to be overlooked because people have already made up their minds (falsely quite often) about Thomas. Please note that here you have a bloke who is prepared to go with Christ right up to death and beyond, and that is hardly the action of a doubter, now is it!
Here in this cameo (rather large one certainly!) is the precursor of Jesus’ own death and resurrection for the sake of those supporting Him. Any careful reading of the Gospels will show how our Lord was at very considerable pains, firstly to get the Twelve moving on the business of understanding more fully what He was on about; and then as the crisis began to draw close, to prepare the disciples for the denouement of the Cross. Here was clear illustration that He was Lord of life and death.
If you wonder why Jesus hesitated to travel that little extra distance either before Lazarus’ death or soon after, the answer is not hard to find. Hebrew culture understood that a person’s spirit did not leave the body for two or three days, hence it was ‘necessary’ for Jesus to wait out that time to prove a point: here was no resuscitation of someone comatose. Disintegration had begun, and still Jesus was in charge. “Unbind him and let him go!” was a call that would have resonated in the ears of those followers after the Resurrection: and they were the ones needing unbinding.
More than a preparation for the coming crisis in front of Jesus, here also is a fascinating underlining by Jesus that with God life and living will continue to have its hope in spite of the most drastic opposition from where-ever. But that is the whole Biblical story anyhow, do you see? From Abraham to the Exodus, from Exile right up to the present, we are reminded not to despair, for God is ever the One Who rescues His people even after their worst stupidity and when all hope seems gone. .
And now can you espy the impact of the vision of Ezekiel, that valley of dry bones. Israel, still in Exile and dispirited, was certain that either God had forgotten them—or that He was dead already, had lost hope and direction. Even life! So the prophet pointed them to the faith realities of life, and with a pre-Pentecost coming of the Spirit, bad them get off their bottoms and get on with it.
***********************************************************************************************
Planned Giving - First Quarter Statement from Min
From the last quarter of 2009, we started issuing Quarterly Statements that tell you the sum of your contribution made in each quarter, for those parishioners who are using the Planned Giving envelopes. We did not issue the statements for those who are depositing money directly into our church bank account because they should be able to track down the transaction record with their own banking facilities. However, this year the situation is a bit different. For the Planned Giving Scheme, we have been using numbers to identify the parishioners, and in the past years we tried to retain the same numbers in order to reduce possible errors.
This year, however, we had to change some of their numbers to reduce the number of envelopes and thus lower the cost. It seems that we have to do more of this next year, as well. This change seems to have caused some confusion. Therefore, we will issue the Quarterly statements from now on to all parishioners who are participating in the Planned Giving Scheme. The First Quarter Statements can now be found in the envelopes laid out on the table in the church foyer. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me.
Thank you. Min, The Recorder maraki@internode.on.net
8270-8894(This may change from this July.)
ROSTERS
POWERPOINT ROSTER –
Today Barb Capon or Joy Campbell
Next Sunday Craig Deane or Trevor Tregenza
READER- AND INTERCESSOR ROSTER
Next Sunday Reader Paul H Intercessor Ben L
Sunday after Reader Hal S-C Intercessor
SANCTUARY ROSTER
Next week Flowers nil Brass Yvonne Caddy
Cleaning Group 2
Items for the Newsletter need to be sent to Fr. Ron at 8298 7160 or ronpkeynes@internode.on.net by Tuesday late afternoon please
Saturday, April 2, 2011
RonBlog
Sunday 3rd April, 2010 Fourth Sunday in Lent
Mothering Sunday
Sentence
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world: those who follow Me will have the light of life.” John 8: 12
Collect
Almighty God, in Christ You make all things new; transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of Your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known Your heavenly glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Lesson 1 Samuel 16: 1 – 13
The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you."
Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the LORD."
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these."
Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."
He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing.
He will make me lie down in green pastures: and lead me beside still waters.
He will refresh my soul: and guide me in right pathways for His Name’s sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the face of those who trouble me: You have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.
Surely Your goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Epistle Ephesians 5: 8 – 14
Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light--for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
GOSPEL John 9: 1 – 41
As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight."
They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know." They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided.
So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet." The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out. Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshipped him.
Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS …….
As I often say to congregations, make sure that you read the fine print in the Readings – so often we miss important bits because we have become used to running past such items .....
Old Testament
This is an interesting cameo, of the Lord ‘having decided’ that Saul had lost his eligibility – even his sanity. It was a double-edged sword perhaps. Israel wanted a king no matter what, and this man started off well, but degenerated, as sadly, leaders can do when they get carried away with their own importance.
The command from God put Samuel in a tight spot, where he could have been charged with treason; and it is interesting to note that the sons of Jesse got to the end of the line before David was selected. This time it was a ‘little person’ who was nominated, and although David showed some rather dark sides to his character, he did basically remain rather more humble than Saul.
Seems to me that the moral in this story, as in many other Biblical ones, is that God works through little people, not Big Egos. Tis a pity that sports people do not take some notice of the very human trait.
Psalm
As I have said for years now, if you cannot draw some inspiration from such a well-known psalm, then it is about time you could!
Epistle
With the theme of light so obviously set in front of us, this is an interesting passage to have as epistle for today. This light/dark contrast is common in NT writings – and, like the Psalm, needs little expansion, eh!
GOSPEL
John’s Gospel, with his seven signs, is always a source of stunning episodes that present comment on far more than appears on the surface. Here is such a complex plot, answering such a common question from people even to this day, or the refusal of people to respond to what is obviously true, and the determination of ‘little people’ (pardon me) to follow the truth wherever it leads – and never to be gainsaid. Light and darkness are the aspects of life so important; truth and falsehood – and how often have you been there, either as victim or perhaps even perpetrator?
The tale opens with the blind man being a sort of specimen for debate: why are people born blind? And the traditional answer came from the Twelve themselves. Sin, obviously, they said, following the well-known but ill-informed theory of the day. And that theory Jesus refuted, Job of course having come to the same conclusion many centuries before. The blind man needed healing, not discussion or contempt.
Notice the compassionate approach of Jesus to this man! It may sound strange to you, but what Jesus did and the noises He made, would have indicated quite clearly to the blind person that healing was in the wind. Saliva was regarded as a healing instrument then – and now for many. When was the last time you licked a small would? And ‘Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.’ Even down to the last thing, Jesus called for a real response from the man, even if it would be difficult for him to find the way. He had to make some contribution to his own healing. Good thinking, Jesus! And he went, and washed and was healed. And that is where the real controversy began.
Locals were very surprised, to see the blind man now sighted. And who wouldn’t be! But they had to take sides as the religious authorities started to make a federal case out of it. How stupid of them! Why not simply rejoice in the wonderful thing that had happened. But they saw all this as threat to their authority. What balderdash! So the arguments began, forcing people into one camp or the other, many of them fearful of being ejected from Temple and synagogue. And what a blasphemous action that would have been. Even the man’s parents were forced into being disingenuous about it all.
So the incident of healing turned into a huge debate and argument about who was following the truth and who falsehood. And that is ever a common and evident challenge. Not only in religious matters, but in all others as well. Trace the persistence of the healed man and the insistence of the religious leaders, who refused any vestige of the truth because it weakened their position. What sheer and utter stupidity and evil.
The punch-line at the end is so utterly telling. If you were blind you would have no sin; but now that you say ‘We see’ your sin remains. Here is a challenge to us all to retain the search for and obedience to truth wherever we find it, regardless of where it leads.
NOTES FOR A SERMON
I recall a situation donkey’s years ago, when a young relative of mine was causing great stress to her mother, because – as a uni student of the time – she was campaigning against the Vietnam War. Her deeply devout mother was horrified to think that her daughter was perhaps even Communist, and perhaps she was at that stage in her development. The daughter was profoundly convinced at the truth of her stand about Vietnam, and was actually shocked at the extent of ‘rent-a-crowd’ people that were in the demos just for the kicks.
Her Mum asked me to talk to her daughter and convince her of the falsity of her beliefs. I refused to do that, but was quite happy to raise a discussion on the matters, if the daughter was happy to. She was, of course, and brought all her passion on the subject to bear, as we talked about it. It may have helped a little as I had no fight with her about the Vietnam War, but she was convinced that the Faith instilled in her by her (rather dominant) Mum was not big enough to respond to the situation.
And in that regard, I too had to agree with her. Her Mum’s faith was – honestly – at little more than Sunday School level, and in another matter, she refused to move from where she had been taught as a young teenager many decades before that. So daughter was closer to the realities than her Mum. In fact, as we continued the discussion, I simply suggested to daughter that all she needed to do was to respond as honestly as she could to the truth as she understood it. It may be a long trip home, so to speak, but it was the only valid path to travel. Daughter agreed with that!
Truth and honesty. Light and darkness. In our particular day and age it seems to me that the most common experience of people is in encountering all manner of shades of gray, which makes real choices more difficult. Sometimes the only course open is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils.
A couple of helpful thoughts may open some doors for us: it is often some relief to note that our choices may well need to fit in a process of change and development. As time goes by my grasp of the truth of important issues may well vary somewhat; and my sense of values may need some adjustment as well. Sticking with settled and decided factors may well prove a false way to go. On the other hand, there may well be some development likely in the path and choice of whoever is opposing you. Politics is always the art of choosing the possible – and even waiting for a better option to arise.
But the real role for the Christian, like that of the healed blind person, is to follow wherever the truth lies, regardless of the opposition, and while that may be a costly path for the individual, it may well provide better outcomes in the future. There is no room in this struggle for fear tactics or false tactics. Both need to be uncovered to show what they really are.
Mothering Sunday
Sentence
Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world: those who follow Me will have the light of life.” John 8: 12
Collect
Almighty God, in Christ You make all things new; transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of Your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known Your heavenly glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Lesson 1 Samuel 16: 1 – 13
The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you."
Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now before the LORD."
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these."
Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."
He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing.
He will make me lie down in green pastures: and lead me beside still waters.
He will refresh my soul: and guide me in right pathways for His Name’s sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff comfort me.
You spread a table before me in the face of those who trouble me: You have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.
Surely Your goodness and loving-kindness will follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Epistle Ephesians 5: 8 – 14
Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light--for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."
GOSPEL John 9: 1 – 41
As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight."
They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know." They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided.
So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet." The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out. Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshipped him.
Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.
© New Revised Standard Version of the Bible
Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the
Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission. All rights reserved
NOTES ON THE READINGS …….
As I often say to congregations, make sure that you read the fine print in the Readings – so often we miss important bits because we have become used to running past such items .....
Old Testament
This is an interesting cameo, of the Lord ‘having decided’ that Saul had lost his eligibility – even his sanity. It was a double-edged sword perhaps. Israel wanted a king no matter what, and this man started off well, but degenerated, as sadly, leaders can do when they get carried away with their own importance.
The command from God put Samuel in a tight spot, where he could have been charged with treason; and it is interesting to note that the sons of Jesse got to the end of the line before David was selected. This time it was a ‘little person’ who was nominated, and although David showed some rather dark sides to his character, he did basically remain rather more humble than Saul.
Seems to me that the moral in this story, as in many other Biblical ones, is that God works through little people, not Big Egos. Tis a pity that sports people do not take some notice of the very human trait.
Psalm
As I have said for years now, if you cannot draw some inspiration from such a well-known psalm, then it is about time you could!
Epistle
With the theme of light so obviously set in front of us, this is an interesting passage to have as epistle for today. This light/dark contrast is common in NT writings – and, like the Psalm, needs little expansion, eh!
GOSPEL
John’s Gospel, with his seven signs, is always a source of stunning episodes that present comment on far more than appears on the surface. Here is such a complex plot, answering such a common question from people even to this day, or the refusal of people to respond to what is obviously true, and the determination of ‘little people’ (pardon me) to follow the truth wherever it leads – and never to be gainsaid. Light and darkness are the aspects of life so important; truth and falsehood – and how often have you been there, either as victim or perhaps even perpetrator?
The tale opens with the blind man being a sort of specimen for debate: why are people born blind? And the traditional answer came from the Twelve themselves. Sin, obviously, they said, following the well-known but ill-informed theory of the day. And that theory Jesus refuted, Job of course having come to the same conclusion many centuries before. The blind man needed healing, not discussion or contempt.
Notice the compassionate approach of Jesus to this man! It may sound strange to you, but what Jesus did and the noises He made, would have indicated quite clearly to the blind person that healing was in the wind. Saliva was regarded as a healing instrument then – and now for many. When was the last time you licked a small would? And ‘Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.’ Even down to the last thing, Jesus called for a real response from the man, even if it would be difficult for him to find the way. He had to make some contribution to his own healing. Good thinking, Jesus! And he went, and washed and was healed. And that is where the real controversy began.
Locals were very surprised, to see the blind man now sighted. And who wouldn’t be! But they had to take sides as the religious authorities started to make a federal case out of it. How stupid of them! Why not simply rejoice in the wonderful thing that had happened. But they saw all this as threat to their authority. What balderdash! So the arguments began, forcing people into one camp or the other, many of them fearful of being ejected from Temple and synagogue. And what a blasphemous action that would have been. Even the man’s parents were forced into being disingenuous about it all.
So the incident of healing turned into a huge debate and argument about who was following the truth and who falsehood. And that is ever a common and evident challenge. Not only in religious matters, but in all others as well. Trace the persistence of the healed man and the insistence of the religious leaders, who refused any vestige of the truth because it weakened their position. What sheer and utter stupidity and evil.
The punch-line at the end is so utterly telling. If you were blind you would have no sin; but now that you say ‘We see’ your sin remains. Here is a challenge to us all to retain the search for and obedience to truth wherever we find it, regardless of where it leads.
NOTES FOR A SERMON
I recall a situation donkey’s years ago, when a young relative of mine was causing great stress to her mother, because – as a uni student of the time – she was campaigning against the Vietnam War. Her deeply devout mother was horrified to think that her daughter was perhaps even Communist, and perhaps she was at that stage in her development. The daughter was profoundly convinced at the truth of her stand about Vietnam, and was actually shocked at the extent of ‘rent-a-crowd’ people that were in the demos just for the kicks.
Her Mum asked me to talk to her daughter and convince her of the falsity of her beliefs. I refused to do that, but was quite happy to raise a discussion on the matters, if the daughter was happy to. She was, of course, and brought all her passion on the subject to bear, as we talked about it. It may have helped a little as I had no fight with her about the Vietnam War, but she was convinced that the Faith instilled in her by her (rather dominant) Mum was not big enough to respond to the situation.
And in that regard, I too had to agree with her. Her Mum’s faith was – honestly – at little more than Sunday School level, and in another matter, she refused to move from where she had been taught as a young teenager many decades before that. So daughter was closer to the realities than her Mum. In fact, as we continued the discussion, I simply suggested to daughter that all she needed to do was to respond as honestly as she could to the truth as she understood it. It may be a long trip home, so to speak, but it was the only valid path to travel. Daughter agreed with that!
Truth and honesty. Light and darkness. In our particular day and age it seems to me that the most common experience of people is in encountering all manner of shades of gray, which makes real choices more difficult. Sometimes the only course open is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils.
A couple of helpful thoughts may open some doors for us: it is often some relief to note that our choices may well need to fit in a process of change and development. As time goes by my grasp of the truth of important issues may well vary somewhat; and my sense of values may need some adjustment as well. Sticking with settled and decided factors may well prove a false way to go. On the other hand, there may well be some development likely in the path and choice of whoever is opposing you. Politics is always the art of choosing the possible – and even waiting for a better option to arise.
But the real role for the Christian, like that of the healed blind person, is to follow wherever the truth lies, regardless of the opposition, and while that may be a costly path for the individual, it may well provide better outcomes in the future. There is no room in this struggle for fear tactics or false tactics. Both need to be uncovered to show what they really are.
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