Old wine? 23 Jan 11
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- Written by: Administrator
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Old wine?
“No one puts new wine into old wineskins.” So Jesus said in answer to a question as to why his disciples didn’t fast. The main reason was that they couldn’t fast while the party was raging – at least while the bridegroom was present. Him, that is. Something new was under way. But what was new?
It is easy to think of the new as a replacement for the old system of Jesus’ day – a new version of essentially the same sort of religious practices. Just the latest vintage of the same crop. The church did not take long to develop an orderly and established way of doing things that resembled old Judaism, but with a kind of Christian focus.
However it is just possible that Jesus and his apostles did not intend that.
The Great Disaster 16 Jan 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
The Great Disaster
So many disasters heaping one on top of another. The forces of the natural world so powerful and frightening. A creator so mighty as to build into such a simple thing as water such enormous power. And fire – so powerful. What an amazing creation.
Humans have many parts to play in disasters of course. Wilful evil in some cases, selfish or poor policies and planning in others. If one wants to apportion blame there are plenty of targets.
And we do seem to like to blame someone. We want to hold people accountable for their actions. Sometimes this is right and proper to a civilised society. In other cases it may be a way of diverting attention away from our own responsibility.
Is God to blame as well?
The King in God's Kingdom Epiphany - Lenten Studies 2011
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Studies for Groups and Individuals
The King in God's Kingdom Epiphany - Lenten Studies 2011
| "The King in God's kingdom" is available as a downloadable pdf file, ready to be printed as a small booklet. Click here to view, right click to save to your computer |
These studies are meant to help us read and understand Mark’s gospel during the period leading up to Easter.
Our aim is to read Mark’s gospel right through (in company with the middle part of Isaiah); to discover Mark’s proclamation of the gospel about Jesus Christ the Son of God and to understand how Jesus explains and demonstrates the arrival of the kingdom of God. And to see what all that has to do with how we live.
Read more: The King in God's Kingdom Epiphany - Lenten Studies 2011
Serving what end? 9 Jan 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Serving what end?
Another year is under way. Perhaps there are new hopes, or old hopes remembered, maybe the same resolves as before, or perhaps something will change this year. Perhaps not. “The trouble with the future is that it keeps turning into the present” as Hobbes said to Calvin recently.
The repeated cycles of weeks and months and years are helpful. They do bring a sense of new beginnings. But they can also be misleading. Life is not an endless series of cycles. Neither do God’s purposes keep circling around forever.
God has made life on earth head for a climax, a fulfilment. It is directed to an end. It has a goal. God’s purposes and the life of his church are also directed to a great completion, a consummation as the old hymn has it.
So the beginnings and ends of years are only markers in a longer story. It is a story that began with creation, had its centre and pivotal event in the death and resurrection of Christ and will come to completion when he returns and brings everything together under his rule.
In the meantime our life and the life of this church finds its meaning from that story.
Reading and Understanding 2 Jan 11
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
Reading and Understanding
2010 saw celebrations of the 100thanniversary of the famous Edinburgh Missionary Conference and the 25th anniversary of Christ the King Willetton. 2011 will feature the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James version of the bible. Even Richard Dawkins is waxing lyrical about its wonderful impact on the English speaking peoples.
I suppose if we talk about it too much we will be heartily sick of it soon enough. However for all its alleged impact on English speakers in the past, the King James Bible has little influence now. Indeed the bible in any version seems to have a limited impact these days, even though it is far and away the world’s best-selling book.
Today’s news reported that an e-version of the newly revised NIV was the best seller in the Religion/Spirituality in the Apple iTunes store and 13th across all categories over the Christmas weekend.
Buying is one thing, reading is another.
A dangerous Christmas 25 Dec 10
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
A dangerous Christmas
Does it seem strange that Christians are being murdered, attacked and beaten up in many places around the world this Christmas? And in other places that their story is being rubbished or just erased from view? Not that it only happens at Christmas, but Christmas highlights the practice.
Someone has said that Christmas is the most famous birthday – bar none. But the person whose birthday is celebrated continues to be the object of significant hostility.
It was always the case. In at least two places the Bible describes the attempted murder of Mary’s baby.
What is Christmas really about? 19 Dec 10
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
What is Christmas really about?
Here some possible conversation spices for the festive season.
- Christmas is really about the great God-invasion. When he stuck his face in ours.
- Christmas shows you what God thinks of humans – he became one of us (but so does Good Friday – pity about that: he put us to death!).
- Christmas means peace on earth – as long as you are at peace with God.
- It must have been a confusing time at Jesus' birth. A blinding light-show, super-rich visitors from half way around the world, local smelly shepherds, an animals' feeding trough as a bassinet, a dad who was a tradesman (well that was good anyway), and a serious attempt to murder him by the political elite. Actually it was quite a good start for someone whose task was to bring together a new united humanity.
- Do you think Jesus was a difficult teenager – he was certainly a difficult adult?
- Do you think Joseph’s dad said, “Tell Joseph he’s dreaming!”?
- Were the wise men really nutters? Can you imagine anyone doing that nowadays?
- What do you think Mary and Joseph did with the gold, frankincense and myrrh? What you have done with it?
- Did you know that there probably was no inn? It was really the guest room in a house that was full. [The word is used in the NT also in Mark 14.14.] How would you like to have a baby in an overcrowded two-room house?
- Would it have made a difference if Joseph was really the father?
- Your spicy question/comment: “ ............................................”
Dale
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