I can still remember the fuss there was in the news when the first "test tube baby" was born in this country. I remember her name was Louise Brown, and she is now a wife and mother herself.
It seemed like a miracle - how excited the media were, at this new triumph for science. Dr Robert Edwards, who pioneered the IVF treatment with his colleague Patrick Steptoe, was awarded a Nobel Prize. (Steptoe missed out, having died before the prize was awarded).
So I imagine there was similar excitement at the birth of little John. His first big public moment was his circumcision ceremony, which took place when he was 8 days old, and no doubt the whole community turned out to witness it.
This was the day that baby boys received their name, and everyone would have been expecting him to be called Zechariah, after his father. But Elizabeth said "No, we're calling him John."
John?? That's not a family name! Why John?
Hmm... better check with the Dad - oh wait a minute, he can't speak.
They start trying to do sign language with him (I don't know why - there was nothing wrong with his ears!) and eventually he gets them to give him a tablet to write on.
And finally, as Zechariah demonstrated his belated obedience to the word of God given him by the angel, his speech impediment is removed, and he begins to use his new found speech in praise of God.
And of course, everyone began talking about it - what an auspicious sign! Who do you think this baby is going to turn out to be?
Tune in tomorrow, when Zechariah at last gets to tell his story.
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
1:39-46: Mary visits Elizabeth
Have you ever wondered what Mary's parents thought about her pregnancy? Unless they believed her protestations (which Joseph didn't) they would be assuming that she had misbehaved. Even if they believed her, their neighbours wouldn't. Pre-marital sex was more than frowned on - it was a major sin. Adulterers were stoned, and although technically Mary was not an adulterer (since she wasn't yet married to Joseph, only betrothed) if Joseph denied the child was his then everyone would assume Mary had broken the social norms. She would probably have been shunned, and there would have been calls for her to be punished.
So she takes the hint that Gabriel gave her, and goes to check on her cousin Elizabeth. The two women have a joyful meeting. At last Mary is with someone she can trust, someone who will understand her situation. Well done, Gabriel - you may not have handled Zechariah well, but you got it spot on with these two.
Luke now quotes a song, and puts it into Mary's mouth. I like to think of this as the fruit of all the long conversations these two women had, so it is as much Elizabeth's song as it is Mary's. Together they worked out what they thought their miracle babies meant for Israel and for the world.
God is doing something new, and he is breaking apart the established order of things. He isn't using the rich and powerful to get things done, instead he's chosen the humble and meek. Without this, Mary would have lived her life in complete obscurity, but now every generation will called her blessed.
The two sent their minds back over the long list of promises that God had made to his people, and in the events they had witnessed, and the children they were carrying, they saw those promises being fulfilled. And it's lovely that they do it in song - so much more memorable and more emotionally charged than plain words.
So she takes the hint that Gabriel gave her, and goes to check on her cousin Elizabeth. The two women have a joyful meeting. At last Mary is with someone she can trust, someone who will understand her situation. Well done, Gabriel - you may not have handled Zechariah well, but you got it spot on with these two.
Luke now quotes a song, and puts it into Mary's mouth. I like to think of this as the fruit of all the long conversations these two women had, so it is as much Elizabeth's song as it is Mary's. Together they worked out what they thought their miracle babies meant for Israel and for the world.
God is doing something new, and he is breaking apart the established order of things. He isn't using the rich and powerful to get things done, instead he's chosen the humble and meek. Without this, Mary would have lived her life in complete obscurity, but now every generation will called her blessed.
The two sent their minds back over the long list of promises that God had made to his people, and in the events they had witnessed, and the children they were carrying, they saw those promises being fulfilled. And it's lovely that they do it in song - so much more memorable and more emotionally charged than plain words.
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Luke 1:26-38: Mary says yes
And so to Nazareth. A bit of a dump. long way from Jerusalem, up in the northern enclave of Galilee. The Jews up there were rural, a bit backward, but faithful and orthodox, unlike the half-blood Samaritans between them and Jerusalem down south. Galilee had some important towns - the Romans were building a big new shiny port at Sepphoris for instance - but Nazareth was poor. So poor in fact, that many people lived in caves, not even building houses for themselves. Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
But there was a teenage girl there with a pure heart. Gabriel found her, and told her that she had found the Lord's favour. Then he dropped a many-layered bombshell:
1. You're going to have a baby
2. He's going to be famous
3. He's actually going to take David's throne (ie. be the Messiah)
4. He's going to reign for all time.
Gabriel could have done with some lessons in diplomacy. At least he could have waited for Mary to assimilate the first shock, before hitting her with the rest. It's been 400 years since Malachi the prophet, the last time Israel heard the authentic voice of God. And now up pops an angel, telling Mary that every longing of Israel is going to be fulfilled in one little package, to be delivered in 9 months' time.
Mary asks a practical question, and Gabriel responds with news of another miracle - old Elizabeth is pregnant too! And he underlines how holy Mary's baby will be.
Are you ready to be overshadowed by the power of the Most High, Mary? I'll need to hurry you - can I have your answer?
Old Zechariah couldn't move fast enough. He couldn't switch his mind from despair to hope straight away, and Gabriel got impatient with him. Mary's young brain is more agile. Yes, she says. If the Lord has said it, bring it on.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Or in this case, be pregnant with him.
But there was a teenage girl there with a pure heart. Gabriel found her, and told her that she had found the Lord's favour. Then he dropped a many-layered bombshell:
1. You're going to have a baby
2. He's going to be famous
3. He's actually going to take David's throne (ie. be the Messiah)
4. He's going to reign for all time.
Gabriel could have done with some lessons in diplomacy. At least he could have waited for Mary to assimilate the first shock, before hitting her with the rest. It's been 400 years since Malachi the prophet, the last time Israel heard the authentic voice of God. And now up pops an angel, telling Mary that every longing of Israel is going to be fulfilled in one little package, to be delivered in 9 months' time.
Mary asks a practical question, and Gabriel responds with news of another miracle - old Elizabeth is pregnant too! And he underlines how holy Mary's baby will be.
Are you ready to be overshadowed by the power of the Most High, Mary? I'll need to hurry you - can I have your answer?
Old Zechariah couldn't move fast enough. He couldn't switch his mind from despair to hope straight away, and Gabriel got impatient with him. Mary's young brain is more agile. Yes, she says. If the Lord has said it, bring it on.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Or in this case, be pregnant with him.
Monday, 4 January 2016
Luke 1:5-25: A priest, a messenger, and big, big trouble
Here's a story that's familiar. An old man who yearns for a son, but is childless. A godly man. A man whose prayers are about to be answered.
What's his name? Abraham? No, we've had him before. This time it's Zechariah, who, like me, is a priest. Unlike me, he only had to do his priestly duties once in a while, when his name came up on the rota. But today, he'll be wishing he'd done a swap with a colleague.
Why? Because 9 times out of 10, 999 out of a 1000, when you lead worship of God, nothing happens. Well, nothing extraordinary.
But not today.
Today, there was a great crowd standing outside praying, and Zechariah enters the sanctuary to burn incense to the Lord. The great crowd were waiting, and waiting, and waiting for him to reappear, and when he did, he could no longer speak. Frantically gesticulating, he managed to make them understand that he'd had some kind of vision while he was in there. (Pretty impressive impromptu sign language!)
But more than that, he couldn't convey. So he went home, to make his wife pregnant. (Was that anything to do with the act that he'd stopped talking?)
Now to study the bit I've missed out. The secret bit. The bit that only Zechariah and Gabriel witnessed. What struck me as I read it?
Only this. What sort of priest is it, that gets a message of great joy, and tremendous good news, and reacts with disbelief?
An old one. A tired one, who's fed up of waiting, and hoping, and believing that a better day will come. It hasn't come for him and his wife, it hasn't come for the people of Israel. What is the point of praying any longer?
But today is a good day for Zechariah, for Israel, and for the world. He may have lost faith, but God hasn't. He's preparing the way, he's opening the door for a baby to be born who will give Zechariah back his mojo, give Israel a new prophet, and give the world someone who will prepare the way for its saviour.
Today is a good day. Make no mistake. It will take Zechariah some time to realise it, but in the end he will. And for us, we meet the first of many who will sing God's praises as his new dawn breaks on the world.
What's his name? Abraham? No, we've had him before. This time it's Zechariah, who, like me, is a priest. Unlike me, he only had to do his priestly duties once in a while, when his name came up on the rota. But today, he'll be wishing he'd done a swap with a colleague.
Why? Because 9 times out of 10, 999 out of a 1000, when you lead worship of God, nothing happens. Well, nothing extraordinary.
But not today.
Today, there was a great crowd standing outside praying, and Zechariah enters the sanctuary to burn incense to the Lord. The great crowd were waiting, and waiting, and waiting for him to reappear, and when he did, he could no longer speak. Frantically gesticulating, he managed to make them understand that he'd had some kind of vision while he was in there. (Pretty impressive impromptu sign language!)
But more than that, he couldn't convey. So he went home, to make his wife pregnant. (Was that anything to do with the act that he'd stopped talking?)
Now to study the bit I've missed out. The secret bit. The bit that only Zechariah and Gabriel witnessed. What struck me as I read it?
Only this. What sort of priest is it, that gets a message of great joy, and tremendous good news, and reacts with disbelief?
An old one. A tired one, who's fed up of waiting, and hoping, and believing that a better day will come. It hasn't come for him and his wife, it hasn't come for the people of Israel. What is the point of praying any longer?
But today is a good day for Zechariah, for Israel, and for the world. He may have lost faith, but God hasn't. He's preparing the way, he's opening the door for a baby to be born who will give Zechariah back his mojo, give Israel a new prophet, and give the world someone who will prepare the way for its saviour.
Today is a good day. Make no mistake. It will take Zechariah some time to realise it, but in the end he will. And for us, we meet the first of many who will sing God's praises as his new dawn breaks on the world.
Friday, 1 January 2016
Luke 1:1-4. Hey, Theophilus
Happy New Year, everyone!
I'm starting a daily journey through Luke's gospel, by reading the first 4 verses today. I remember somebody once comparing the gospel of Luke to one of those large coffee table books you get for Christmas. It looks great when you unwrap it, but it's too heavy to read in bed. Not a very flattering comparison, and I think Luke deserves much better, but it was the introduction that led to this idea.
Was the gospel written for a rich, Roman audience? People with time on their hands to sit and think about new ideas? And was Theophilus, this "God-lover", the sort of person who would appreciate a carefully researched biography on the latest person that the chattering classes would love to talk about? Was Luke aiming for the conspiracy theory market?
"The truth about Jesus of Nazareth. Did he really rise from the dead? We speak to the people who knew him best, and uncover the shocking story of the man behind the Messiah."
Ah well, if I ever want to give up the vicaring, maybe there's a job for me writing publisher's blurb.
So what do I think? Let me cut through the holiday mode waffle and let these words impact me.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honourable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
Two things strike me - first, this is written for someone outside the Jewish belief system. Luke adopts a journalistic, educated style that is different from Mark's instant reportage, or Matthew's lengthy list of fulfilled prophecies, or John's abstract philosophising. And second, the repeated word careful, or carefully. I need to bear that word in mind. Luke is writing with care. He cares about his subject, and he's taking care to be honest and accurate.
I'm not sure if that pun works in Greek - let me just go away and look it up. [Gets commentary from the shelf]
No it doesn't. It means, accurately, diligently. Not, with loving care. Never mind - it's till a helpful idea to me. Luke cares about what he's written, and he's written it with care.
Theophilus, my dear sir, you can trust me.
I'll be posting a new thought every weekday this year (more or less). This means that you've got three days to digest this first one, before we really get cracking!
I'm starting a daily journey through Luke's gospel, by reading the first 4 verses today. I remember somebody once comparing the gospel of Luke to one of those large coffee table books you get for Christmas. It looks great when you unwrap it, but it's too heavy to read in bed. Not a very flattering comparison, and I think Luke deserves much better, but it was the introduction that led to this idea.
Was the gospel written for a rich, Roman audience? People with time on their hands to sit and think about new ideas? And was Theophilus, this "God-lover", the sort of person who would appreciate a carefully researched biography on the latest person that the chattering classes would love to talk about? Was Luke aiming for the conspiracy theory market?
"The truth about Jesus of Nazareth. Did he really rise from the dead? We speak to the people who knew him best, and uncover the shocking story of the man behind the Messiah."
Ah well, if I ever want to give up the vicaring, maybe there's a job for me writing publisher's blurb.
So what do I think? Let me cut through the holiday mode waffle and let these words impact me.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honourable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
Two things strike me - first, this is written for someone outside the Jewish belief system. Luke adopts a journalistic, educated style that is different from Mark's instant reportage, or Matthew's lengthy list of fulfilled prophecies, or John's abstract philosophising. And second, the repeated word careful, or carefully. I need to bear that word in mind. Luke is writing with care. He cares about his subject, and he's taking care to be honest and accurate.
I'm not sure if that pun works in Greek - let me just go away and look it up. [Gets commentary from the shelf]
No it doesn't. It means, accurately, diligently. Not, with loving care. Never mind - it's till a helpful idea to me. Luke cares about what he's written, and he's written it with care.
Theophilus, my dear sir, you can trust me.
I'll be posting a new thought every weekday this year (more or less). This means that you've got three days to digest this first one, before we really get cracking!
Friday, 25 December 2015
Happy Christmas!
Heaven is a wonderful place. The sun always shines, everything is beautiful, and peaceful and exciting. There are pleasures for evermore! Anything you want you can have!Why would anyone ever want to leave?
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
Some people got thrown out of heaven. Long ago, so the stories say. Well, I say people, but they were angels actually. Angels who turned against God and fought a battle in heaven. They lost the battle and they were thrown out.But I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about someone who left heaven of his own accord.
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
Why would anybody do that? Why leave perfection? Well the problem was where those bad angels went. Where they went, they started mucking things up. They got talking to the locals, and they persuaded them into all sorts of bad habits. Soon, what had been a lovely place to live was completely trashed. Do you know what that place is? The place that ended up trashed, because the people who lived there caught all sorts of bad habits?
It’s earth.
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
Back in heaven, the person who was about to leave felt very sorry about the state of things on earth. He sent them all sorts of messages, trying to get them to stop their bad habits and change back to their old ways of living. But they wouldn’t listen. In the end he said, “There’s nothing for it, I’ll have to go there myself.”
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
But he wasn’t just an ordinary person: just some ordinary humdrum, run of the mill angel. Oh no. This person who felt so sorry for earth was actually the son of God himself. He did an extraordinary thing. In heaven he was huge, and strong and mighty. He was beautiful to look at. But like you pull out the plug when you’ve finished a bath, he opened a little door in himself and let all his strength and power and beauty drain out.
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
He became smaller and smaller and weaker and weaker. In the end there was hardly anything left of him at all. Finally he was small enough to go inside a mother’s womb, and he started growing again, this time into a human baby. And he was born in a stable, in Bethlehem, with animals and strangers and with no one who recognised him or understood who he was.
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
And when he grew up he began to teach the people who he really was, and why he’d come, a d what they needed to do to make earth a beautiful place again. And did they listen?Well, that’s another story, and I’m not telling that one today.Today, it’s all about this:
Heaven and earth have come togetherAnd life has come to Bethlehem
New life. God’s life. Here. Today. For you.
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Next year, it's back to the Bible
Christmas is coming, and the goose, apparently, is getting fat.
I've decided it's time for another online Bible reading - athon ... thing. Some years ago, I read through the Bible in a year, blogging every day. Then I tried to do the same with the Apocrypha, but gave up due to boredom.
My plan this time round isn't as ambitious, I'm simply going to read Luke and Isaiah. A little bit of Luke every day will take me up until May, then a slightly bigger bit of Isaiah will take me through the rest of the year.
Why have I chosen those two books? Well, Luke because a vicar colleague and friend was telling me how he spent more than a year preaching his way through the whole of Luke's gospel, and I liked the sound of that. Also, if you know what the word lectionary means, then chances are you'll also know that you'll be hearing some of Luke nearly every Sunday from now until the end of November 2016.
As for Isaiah, it's long been a favourite book, but I only really know it in bits. There are lots of famous bits, some of which we are reading now as Christmas approaches. Others will be brought out at Easter. But I want to try and get a grasp of the book as a whole. Is it one book, or three? And is Isaiah a name, or was it a club, to which certain prophets belonged? I won't reach an answer to these questions, but I'll have fun thinking about them.
So that's my plan. You're welcome to read along with me, starting on January 1st. Or to dip in and out whenever you feel like it. Write me a comment, let me know that you're there - it will be a great encouragement. And please disagree with what I say. I can guarantee that a large chunk of it will be completely wrong.
Trouble is, I don't know which chunk.
I've decided it's time for another online Bible reading - athon ... thing. Some years ago, I read through the Bible in a year, blogging every day. Then I tried to do the same with the Apocrypha, but gave up due to boredom.
My plan this time round isn't as ambitious, I'm simply going to read Luke and Isaiah. A little bit of Luke every day will take me up until May, then a slightly bigger bit of Isaiah will take me through the rest of the year.
Why have I chosen those two books? Well, Luke because a vicar colleague and friend was telling me how he spent more than a year preaching his way through the whole of Luke's gospel, and I liked the sound of that. Also, if you know what the word lectionary means, then chances are you'll also know that you'll be hearing some of Luke nearly every Sunday from now until the end of November 2016.
As for Isaiah, it's long been a favourite book, but I only really know it in bits. There are lots of famous bits, some of which we are reading now as Christmas approaches. Others will be brought out at Easter. But I want to try and get a grasp of the book as a whole. Is it one book, or three? And is Isaiah a name, or was it a club, to which certain prophets belonged? I won't reach an answer to these questions, but I'll have fun thinking about them.
So that's my plan. You're welcome to read along with me, starting on January 1st. Or to dip in and out whenever you feel like it. Write me a comment, let me know that you're there - it will be a great encouragement. And please disagree with what I say. I can guarantee that a large chunk of it will be completely wrong.
Trouble is, I don't know which chunk.
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