St Luke 2: 1 – 7

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered.  Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.  He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Reflection

We have here perhaps one of the most famous passages of Scripture, recited every year at countless carol services.

What I find fascinating in this passage though is what’s not there.  There is no little donkey carrying a heavily pregnant Mary.  There are no innkeepers sadly shaking their heads at the couple, until finally one takes pity on them and offers them an animal shelter. These are images we are so familiar with and yet do not appear in this original story.

But really none of this is important, for it is ephemera, what is important and what familiarity should never breed contempt of, is that God came into human history as a helpless baby and was laid in an animal feeding trough.

Think about that for a moment, God slipped silently into human history; born to parents who were likely unmarried, in a backwater town that most people would pass on their way to Jerusalem without a sideways glance.

His first visitors as we will find out are shepherds not kings.  In that, God was identifying, not with earthly powers, not with kings, not with Caesar, but with the poor and powerless, the homeless and the ignored.

Despite all this, the Christmas story tells us of the birth of a King, but a king whose kingdom is not of this world.  A king who came to bring good news to the poor, bring freedom to the imprisoned and sight to the blind.

As the angels sang, this baby, this king, brings peace on earth.  A peace that will only be realised through the sovereignty of this baby king.

This birth heralds a hope – a hope we all need to work for even today.

Prayer

Babe of Bethlehem, on this Christmas Eve, fill us with your hope that peace on earth can become a reality.  A reality for the forgotten, the marginalised, the starving, those who have nothing to celebrate this special night.  Amen

St Matthew 1: 18 – 25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’,

which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife,  but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Reflection

Joseph is rather a shadowy figure in the Bible.  In Matthew’s gospel he appears in the stories at the time of Jesus’s birth, and again when Herod dies, and he has a dream about returning from Egypt.  In Luke’s gospel, he is also mentioned when Jesus goes missing in the temple.  He never speaks, but receives messages in dreams and obeys each one.  We don’t know what he thinks or says. 

I have a lot of sympathy for him.  Betrothed to Mary, he is devastated to find that she is expecting a child that isn’t his.  While considering how to end the betrothal, he dreams of an angel telling him to marry Mary because the child is from the Holy Spirit– and he is obedient.  But I can’t help thinking that there were times when he wondered if it was true. 

I imagine Joseph, left alone with the baby in the middle of the night after the shepherds had left, while Mary slept.  Responding to the child’s cries, he picks him up and cradles him in his arms. The events of the last few months have been overwhelming: the betrothal, the pregnancy, the dream from God, the birth, the shepherds… Could this tiny vulnerable baby really be the Son of God?  Why would God choose Mary and Joseph to be parents to His Son?  Could Joseph be a good father to a child that was not his? So many questions!

I see Joseph looking at Jesus and sensing the love and peace of God – the deepest experience of love that he had ever had.  What had seemed unbelievable he now recognised as truth.  Joseph believed.
Finally, I see Joseph praying to God from his heart – perhaps for the very first time.  He prayed for the strength to be the father on earth that Jesus needed as he grew.  And Joseph fell in love with his Son.

Prayer

Help us, like Joseph, to see the baby in the manger and recognise the deep peace and love of God, coming into our lives.  Help us to be open to your word, coming to us in our dreams or in our listening, so that we can recognise your plan for our lives.  Help us to receive Your love and to share it with all those around us this Christmas time.  Amen

We turn to the various narratives of the Christmas and Epiphany season over the next two weeks.

St Luke 1: 26 – 38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’  But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’  Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.  And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.  For nothing will be impossible with God.’  Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

Reflection

Have you ever felt God call you to do something and you have felt that you just don’t feel as though you are good enough or equipped enough for the task? You may have tried bargaining with God, suggesting others are better equipped to do the task or the role than you are.

Today our reading is the powerful reading of when the Angel Gabriel visits Mary. Mary was poor and young, two attributes that in the society of her day could disqualify her from being used by God for His plans. And yet, we read here of this young woman being chosen by God to carry and give birth to Jesus, the Saviour of the world.
I often think that the familiarity of some Biblical narratives means that we can overlook the power or the truth of the encounter. God didn’t, metaphorically speaking, dial the wrong number when He sent Gabriel to speak to Mary. God chose exactly who God wanted. God knew Mary for He had created her and made her in His image. Just as God has done for you and for me.

You may be reading this and feel the call of God to do something or serve in a particular way within your church, your community or the Synod you are part of. You may be listing all the excuses you want to use to respond to God. I hope we will all take from these familiar words for this Christmas time, something of the truth that when God calls God also equips. When God calls, He hasn’t dialled an incorrect number; He has called because He wants us to serve Him in the way He has called. May we learn from the example of Mary and say: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Prayer

Loving God, who calls and who equips. 
May we follow the example of Mary 
and respond knowing 
that you will always be with us, 
May we recognise the gift 
that Jesus is to us and to the world. 
We offer our prayer through Jesus 
and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Mark Rodgers

 
Welcome

Good day to you all, on this, the fourth Sunday of Advent. Is the anticipation building where you are? Are you ready yet, for Christ’s arrival into the world? Well, the wait is nearly over, but before it is, let us have at least one more service of preparation before we celebrate. Before our call to worship this would be a good time to light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath. 

God of love we light the candle of love, 
asking that the light it brings into our lives shines brighter and brighter, 
filling us with the hope and peace love brings. Amen.

Call to Worship

Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, 
you that led Joseph like a flock; 
Shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, 
before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your mighty strength 
and come to our salvation.
Turn us again, O God; 
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

from Psalm 80

Sisters and brothers let us gather this morning in the presence of our shepherd, in anticipation of salvation, and to see the light through the darkness. Let us pray: Illuminating God be with us this day, shine your countenance on this service. Bless us with your love and give us hope in these uncertain times, Amen

Hymn     O come, O come, Emmanuel 
Latin 13th century translated by John M Neale (1818-1866) Public Domain, sung by a 150 Mass Voice Choir of various Church of South India Congregations and used with their kind permission.

O come, O come Emmanuel, 
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come thou Wisdom from on high
and order all things, far and nigh.
To us the path of knowledge show,
and cause us in her ways to go
 
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
 
O Come Desire of Nations bind
all peoples in one heart and mind
bid envy, strive, and quarrels cease
fill the whole world with heaven’s peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
 
Prayers of Adoration and Confession,  Assurance of Pardon

God of patience and kindness the world was dark and you gave it light,
the world was barren and you gave it life, the world was cruel and unjust and yet you still loved all that lived in it.
We praise you for coming close to us, 
for living among us, for being Emmanuel 
and giving us hope when we needed it.
But Lord, sometimes we know we can exhaust you;
we cannot express to you how we feel,
we cannot speak to you and we forget that we need you.
Sometimes we are like Joseph, good people, 
trying to do the best by others, 
but we get it wrong because we don’t listen,
relying on outside voices rather than your Word,
believing half-truths, and rumours,
rather than what you tell us to be true.
Forgive us our neglect of you.
Forgive us when you draw near to us and we turn our backs.
Help us to find your voice, your light, your presence 
through all the noise of this modern age.
We ask this in the name of your son, Emmanuel, 
who was born, was crucified, and rose again to be with us always. Amen

Declaration of Assurance

Sisters and brothers, Paul wrote to the early Church in Rome telling them that all people sin, all fall short of the glory of God, but all are made right in his sight, through Christ Jesus. Know and believe you are forgiven and you are loved. Amen

Prayer of Illumination

Lord you are from the lineage of David, 
who once hoped that his song would be favourable to you 
and whose words we use today.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen

Reading     Isaiah 7:10-16

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Hymn     Long Ago, Prophets Knew 
Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000) © 1971 Stainer & Bell Ltd OneLicence # A-734713

Long ago, prophets knew 
Christ would come, born a Jew, 
come to make all things new; 
bear his people’s burden, 
freely love and pardon. 
    
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring! 
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing! 
When he comes, when he comes, 
who will make him welcome?

God in time, God in man, 
this is God’s timeless plan: 
He will come, as a man, 
born himself of woman, 
God divinely human. 

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring! 
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing! 
When he comes, when he comes, 
who will make him welcome?

Mary hail! Though afraid,
she believed, she obeyed.
In her womb, God is laid:
till the time expected,
nurtured and protected,

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring! 
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing! 
When he comes, when he comes, 
who will make him welcome?

Journey ends! Where afar
Bethlem shines, like a star,
stable door stands ajar.
Unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry!
    
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring! 
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing! 
Jesus comes! Jesus comes!
We will make him welcome!
 
Reading     St Matthew 1:18-25

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Sermon

This year the satirical quiz “Have I got News for You” celebrated its 35th birthday. The two captains, Ian Hislop and Paul Merton appeared on the ITV daytime programme “Loose Women” to publicise the fact and reminisce about their time together. One of the “loose women” asked Ian Hislop about his satirical magazine, “Private Eye” and how did he feel about the post office scandal, which he had written about in every issue, but had only gained traction after the ITV drama. Was he annoyed? No, he said. The ITV drama was excellent, and its success was in the way it humanised the whole scandal.

By telling the story from the victims’ point of view, the public and those in positions of authority could now see the impact of what had happened to real people. The heartache, the anxiety, the worry and the anger.

So how much of these do we recognise and connect with in today’s reading from Matthew? How much impact has this made on you today? One of the reasons it may not have had the same resonance as Mr Bates vs the Post Office is that we have heard it all before. For some of you in the congregation this could be 90 plus years of hearing the story of Jesus’ birth. The impact wears off slightly. The other reason may be that Matthew only dedicates seven verses to the whole story of the birth, and in that we hear about a pregnant virgin, a visitation from an angel and a prophecy that looks like it is being resurrected. Those three amazing elements in just seven verses vie for our attention, making it easy not to realise that this is about the people and the worry, anxiety, heartache and anger that fills the space that they inhabit.

In Matthew the story is from the point of view of Joseph whilst Luke concentrates on Mary. We can only presume that Mary tells Joseph the news of her visit from Gabriel and that she is going to carry the son of God, either straight away or when she gets back from visiting Elizabeth. Either way, this young girl must have been going through all sorts of emotions. Perhaps part of her reason to visit her cousin was to get away from it all, to seek counsel from her much older, more worldly wise relative. Perhaps some of her visit gave her chance to think how she would break the news! Perhaps she had to get used to the idea herself, as her future will now be different than what she imagined.

And what about Joseph? What must he be thinking? It’s not everyday you hear about a virgin getting pregnant. He must have been conflicted. Hurt and angry most possibly as he weighed up the fact that Mary might have been unfaithful. What should he do? Call it off publicly which would have come with a price for Mary, (death), or divorce quietly without a fuss? Being a righteous man he decided the latter. It isn’t until he himself is visited by an angel that he believes the reason for Mary’s pregnancy, but believing what has happened and understanding what has happened is different to coming to terms with what has happened. I’m sure we have all received news in one way or another that we understand, but it has taken a lot longer to come to terms with, be it a medical diagnosis, a death, a job vacancy rejection, or even the news of a baby. We understand all the reasons but we sometimes need to really think about it and process all the different emotions that come with that news.

It is easy to read the Bible and hear names and think of them as characters, but it is important to understand them as people, with everything that comes with being a human, otherwise the impact is lost on us and on the other human beings around us, all with their difficulties that might be going on at this time. It has taken me some time in my life to realise that although the overwhelming theme of this time of year is joy, for some the only positive they can take out of Christmas is hope. Hope that things get better, hope that doctors can help, hope the pain goes away, hope the memories don’t fade, hope the money doesn’t run out, hope the world is a better place for when the unborn child arrives. 

This is the same hope that is offered by Isaiah to the kingdom of Judah in the 8th century BC. Much of that hope is written about later in the book, but there is a glimpse of it in the passage we heard today. Isaiah is in a privileged position. He has access to the kings of the time, and as mentioned earlier, these figures really do feel like characters in a story rather than real people, but they did exist, they did have power over hundreds of thousands of people, and their actions had consequences on the lives of many, including those outside of Judah’s borders. And it is these consequences that Isaiah has been sent to warn about. King Ahaz is a man of little or no faith. He wants to do things his way and feels under threat from Judah’s neighbours, Israel and Syria who want Judah to enter into an alliance so that jointly all three can defend themselves from the mightier Assyria. Ahaz has other ideas, of course, and decides to reject this alliance and side with the Assyrians, becoming a vassal, or a puppet king. And so the people are afraid. God is laying out to Ahaz – walls and treaties are one thing, but faith is another.

So, although he does not want a sign, or at least does not want to listen to what God has to say, God says it anyway! There will be a young female, who will give birth to a son and he will be Immanuel, “God is with us”. And by the time he is a toddler, both Israel and Syria will be deserted.
Hope. Someone from the line of David will save the country. And he will be Godly in his actions, unlike King Ahaz. Hope. But this isn’t specifically for Ahaz, this is for the people. Hope that they can hang onto that they will be free from fear, and worry and anxiety and cruelty and heartache. The human story that is even more invisible than what is read in Matthew, but ever so real. Real people, real suffering, but a real sense of hope that God brings, whether that be through a virgin or not.

God sent his son because he loves us, because he knows the darkness that we all can live in sometimes, and wanted His love to be the light we need, not only to be something to cling onto for the future, but to be a strength now, stronger than King Ahaz’s walls, and stronger than the emotions we can all feel, left to our own devices. So, rather than looking forward to Christmas day, be present in the now, feel God’s presence over the next three days, listen out for his voice, and be at peace knowing of the hope Christ will bring. Amen.   

Hymn     How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds 
John Newton (1725-1807) Public Domain Sung by a 125 Mass Voice Choir from various Church of South India Congregations and used with their kind permission.

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer’s ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds, and drives away our fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole, and calms the troubled breast;
’tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary rest.

Dear name! The Rock on which I build, my shield and hiding-place,
my never-failing treasury, filled with boundless stores of grace.

Jesus, my Shepherd, Saviour, Friend, my Prophet, Priest and King,
my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring.

I would thy boundless love proclaim with every fleeting breath;
so shall the music of thy name refresh my soul in death.
 
Prayers of Intercession

God of love, 
we come to you now with our thoughts for the world, 
our communities and churches and for each other.

We name to you today the worries we have for creation, 
the more extreme weather conditions 
and the effect this has on your people, our neighbours. 
Give us hope of realistic solutions. 
Help each of us to play our part in the healing process, 
and give help to those displaced or disadvantaged because of it.

Lord your name speaks out, God be with us.

Lord, we name to you our anxieties for what is happening in the world. The great damage on people’s lives through war and violence, 
the uncertainties of politics played out on our televisions 
and on social media, 
the hatred that is spouted towards people who are classed as “other”. Let your love shine through so victims and perpetrators can know peace.

Lord your name cries out, God be with us

Father, we hear so much about what is wrong about this country, 
but we know that there is so much good work going on in your name. 
But we are up against it, physically, economically and emotionally. 
Help us to be strong, help us to continue serving you 
and fighting for those most in need.

Lord you name shouts out, God be with us

God we think of those that we know, 
those of us in our church communities 
that find they cannot leave the house anymore and join us, 
those who we know in our neighbourhoods 
who are suffering at this time of year, 
the families that can’t afford Christmas 
and our friends and family 
who are not in the best state of health at the moment.

Lord your name reaches out, God be with us

Lord, be with all those who will be working unseen this Christmas time 
to keep us safe and healthy, 
all those travelling to see family and friends, 
and all those who have no one this year. 
In Christ’s name we ask this. Amen
And now we bring all our prayers together, 
gift wrapped in the word Jesus taught his disciples, saying, Our Father…

Offertory

Generous God
You gave the ultimate gift of your Son, 
given out of love for humankind, 
so that we may be close to you once more. 
Accept our gifts today, s
o that we can pass on that love to others, 
to bring the Good News to all that need it. Amen.

Hymn     Love Divine, All Loves Excelling 
Charles Wesley (1707-1788) Public Domain

Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down,
Fix in us Your humble dwelling, all Your faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, You are all compassion boundless love that makes us whole,
visit us with Your salvation, enter every trembling heart.
 
Come, almighty to deliver, let us all Your grace receive;
suddenly return, and never, never more Your temples leave.
You we would be always blessing, serve You as Your hosts above,
pray, and praise You, without ceasing, glory in Your perfect love.

Finish then Your new creation, pure and sinless let us be;
Let us see Your great salvation, perfect in eternity:
changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before You, lost in wonder, love, and praise!

Blessing

May the blessing of God fall upon you.
May the Good News of Christ’s arrival flow from you,
and may the gifts of the Spirit 
be the best present you receive this week. Amen
 

St Matthew 12: 1 – 21

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”

He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?  He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.  Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.  If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.  For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,  and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?  How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
    the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
    and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out;
    no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
    and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.
 In his name the nations will put their hope.”

Reflection

Palestine Action, founded in 2020,  became involved in Gaza war protests in the UK in the wake of the ongoing Gaza genocide.  It was proscribed as a terrorist group in July 2025 under the UK’s Terrorism Act, after some vandalism at RAF Brize Norton. Since then, over 1600 people, including the Rev’d Sue Parfitt – an 83 year old retired Anglican priest – have been arrested for waving signs saying ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’. In response, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “The law doesn’t have an age limit, whether you’re 18 or 80. If you’re supporting proscribed organisations, then the law is going to be enforced.”
 
As I read today’s passage, images of folk arrested for protesting genocide came to mind. There’s a nuance to be considered and that I may not know the full reasons for Palestine Action being proscribed; I take the liberty of assuming that Ms Parfitt was, in effect, saying ‘genocide is not ok and I had to do something’.
 
Hungry disciples walked through grainfields, picking a few heads of grain and ate them. It was the sabbath and the Pharisees took the opportunity to highlight this lawbreaking.  In response, Jesus seemed to say there are times we should break the law for the greater good.  Offering precedent he recalled David and his disciples eating consecrated bread on the Sabbath and provided a tricky question himself.  He declared ‘it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath’
 
When our laws conflict with our ability to feed the hungry, heal the sick, or speak out about genocide, remember Jesus’ words: ‘it is lawful to do good’. And when those around us plot our death for doing so, we might want to follow Jesus’ lead, take his bravery, and withdraw to a place where we can feed and heal a larger crowd, or where we can make a louder statement, ‘proclaiming justice to the nations’.
 
Prayer
 
God of justice,
give us the eyes of compassion to see where hunger and suffering afflict your people,
grant us wisdom as we discern where laws offend your active love,
offer us the bravery to make a stand in the name of justice,
be with us as we face derision and hate,
and may we hope in your deep peace if doing what is good leads to our end.
This day, may we go in peace, to love and serve the Lord. Amen

St Matthew 11: 25 – 30

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Reflection

Alan Gaunt’s Communion hymn “‘Come to me’, says Jesus” set to the tune Glenfinlas, matches text and tune beautifully.  His hymn reflects one of the strands of this seminal passage: that divine truth is not hidden from those the world counts as simple and unlearned, whether child or adult.

The primary challenge of this scripture to all who pay heed, is the assertion that Jesus, as God’s beloved Son, is in perfect harmony with God’s will. This proves to be Jesus’ verdict on those in authority who have rejected him or failed to respond to his mission. And it is a pointer to essential characteristics of present and future disciples, – openness, innocence and vulnerability count for more in God’s kingdom than legal or academic prowess, or social standing. This is not to despise or belittle learning or authority, but to put it in proper perspective.  Clergy ‘tak tent’.

Alan Gaunt’s hymn acknowledges Christ’s offer in Scripture ‘come to me all you who are weary and burdened’.  So we sing ‘Come to me’, says Jesus ‘all who are distressed; take my yoke upon you, I will give you rest’. This mirrors Bonhoeffer’s heartfelt hymn ‘We turn to God when we are sorely pressed’. When illusions of control, position, and power are stripped away we become open to our dependency on God. It is then that we can exchange our burdens for the gentle guiding Christ offers us. ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ indeed.

Prayer

Gracious God
how much I need to accept
the offer of Christ’s peace in my life.
How difficult in the busyness of daily life
I find it to accept your gift.
Let your Spirit so work within me
that I accept your offer,
and  discern your guiding hand
at work in my life this Advent.
Amen

St Matthew 11: 20 – 24
 
Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.  “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.  But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”
 
Reflection
 
Biblical stories such as those of restoration to physical health of the unwell, or deceased, or some sort of unexpected provision, serve as parables of social reversal: the sick are restored, the hungry are fed, the outcasts are dignified. Miracles mustn’t be limited by magical thinking, to do so robs them of their powerful, subversive, edge.
 
Those of us living in the here-and-now need to be on the lookout for divine action, rooted, as always, in human cooperation that extends beyond the limits of magic. Examples can be found in movements for racial justice, climate activism, initiatives to right the wrongs done to LGBTQ+ people, the dismantling of embedded inequalities between sexes, social classes, and more.
 
The writer we call Matthew, and those (mainly enslaved people) who edited and transcribed his words for his Jewish audience, knew what would get their readers attention. In this short passage Matthew has Jesus coruscate the privileged and comfortable folk who refuse to let the radical inbreaking of the Gospel affect their daily lives. That which should change everything hasn’t changed them.
 
By saying that Tyre and Sidon would have repented, Matthew’s Jesus overturns the ethnic and moral hierarchies of his day. He dramatically reveals the complacency of the comfortable ‘insiders’ who exhibit less in the way of compassion or willingness to embrace Jesus’ enemy loving ways than those who don’t enjoy the privileges that they do. It’s not hard to see that we, so often, do the same.
 
In typical style Matthew casts Jesus in the role of a Hebrew prophet, a new Jeremiah or Amos, dramatically mourning the spiritual blindness of his people – in the same way he calls to us now: wake up sleeper – the world is changing – get involved.
 
Prayer 
 
God of the poor, the powerless,
and the peripheral,
You dwell in the margins.
You are found in the edge places,
the hard places, the uncomfortable places.
the places we don’t like to go.
Lead us to follow your call,
to turn away from complacency,
and toward your ways of boundary crossing love.
Help us to see it, to sense it,
to feel it in action, to get involved.
wake us up, God. Amen

St Matthew 11: 1 – 19
 
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see:  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.  Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind?  If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces.  Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
 
‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’
 
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.  For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.  And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.  Whoever has ears, let them hear: “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
 
‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
 
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
 
Reflection
 
Broadly speaking, Matthew 11 and 12 are about how the current generation have rejected both John the Baptist’s message of repentance, and Jesus’ message of good news. As part of this, some followers of John relay a question from him to Jesus, essentially wanting confirmation that he is the long-awaited Messiah.
 
The evidence Jesus gives, of good news made real, is not just a message for John, but for all: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”  The demonstrable in-breaking of God’s kingdom is self-evident. Jesus then affirms John’s ministry, aligning him with ‘the Elijah who was to come’. John’s role, Jesus asserts, has been pivotal in salvation history; he is the bridge between the prophets of old and the new covenant in Christ.
 
The crucial verse comes at v.15, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.” This verse is problematic for those with hearing difficulties, but the central theme is whether those encounters with Jesus, or John, have been transformational, be they seen, heard, touched, represent moments of cleansing, or of release. The compelling argument is that to experience this salvation and yet not to respond is foolishness. The analogy given for this unrepentant and unbelieving generation are children in the marketplace. When John called for repentance, they piped a dance; when Jesus proclaimed good news, they played a dirge.
 
What then of this generation? When repentance is required, whether collectively or individually, do we paper over this with praise? When the good news is meant to be proclaimed with confidence, do we lament, blaming our inability to evangelise on our size or structures or demography? Jesus’ rebuke is clear. How seriously we will take it is up to us.
 
Prayer
 
Gracious Lord Jesus,
forgive our unbelief!
We hear your Word,
see your hand at work,
feel your presence,
rely on your cleansing love,
enjoy your freedom,
yet choose not to change.
Have faith in us,
and help us to have faith in ourselves, through you. Amen

St Matthew 10: 40 – 42
 
Jesus said: “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
 
Reflection
 
My neighbours are Muslims – Kurds from Turkey – and speak very little English.   Occasionally the doorbell will ring and Fatima will pass me a plate of food cooked on their barbecue. She wants nothing in return, though she is rather pleased when I resurrect my minimal Turkish sufficiently to say “tesekkur ederim”.  
 
I write this reflection as the news and social media teem with news of England flags suddenly appearing on flag posts and roundabouts. There’s nothing wrong with this per se, of course, but it currently feels tarnished with the undertones of a hostile welcome to those from overseas seeking sanctuary or a home in the UK.  By contrast, this reading from St Matthew reminds me that one of the foundations of our faith, and our Christian practice, is the holy habit of hospitality. 
 
Hospitality is the calling of every follower of Jesus. It is made clear here that you don’t even have to have a lot to share – even offering a cup of water is hospitality in the sight of God. Should our hospitality be directed only towards those of the same faith or ethnicity as us? No.  Paul reminds us that whenever we give hospitality to strangers we may be entertaining angels unawares. And in Leviticus we read, “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.” 
 
Jesus calls us to counter the xenophobia and social isolation of the time, even if only in small ways. What could the equivalent be? Maybe a smile to the person sitting next to you on the bus, a friendly word in the queue for the supermarket checkout, a suspended coffee at your favourite coffee shop. Maybe taking the trouble to learn a few words of another language to share a greeting. Let’s claim God’s country back! 
 
Prayer
 
God of all,
help us to be a people of welcome, 
of hospitality, 
of generosity;
putting the needs of others before our own 
and seeing not strangers, but siblings we have yet to know. 
Let our reward be the building of relationship, 
the joy of a shared smile or seeing another thrive,
and the knowledge that in welcoming them, we welcome you. 
Amen 

St Matthew 10: 32 – 39

Jesus said: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.  But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
    a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
  a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

Reflection

These words sound harsh to our ears, because we don’t imagine Jesus being someone who turns “man against his father….” yet Tim Keller once put it this way: “To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible is offensive assumes if there is a God he wouldn’t have any views that upset you.” 

Throughout history we have seen this very thing – people have turned against each other because of their belief in Jesus – becoming a Christian doesn’t always bring peace and harmony, it brings conflict. I come from a family that is not only un-churched but my father is very antagonistic towards people of faith and my sister thinks “it is all nonsense”. I frequently sit through endless conversations where they verbally persecute the very faith that I hold as the core of my being and it hurts.  It also makes me confrontational and they then feel very vindicated in saying that my anger and hurt prove that Christians are no better than anyone else and how we are lying, cheating hypocrites.  Then I feel like I have failed Jesus and feel ashamed. I have plenty of friends, however, who I can share this with and none of them sit in judgement of me.  When I describe the latest encounter, they empathise,  pray for me, and remind me that I stood up for Jesus. My allegiance was, and is always, to Jesus first and foremost; I learnt a very long time ago, when I was still a little girl, that if you idolise your parents, they can leave a gaping hole of a wound where your heart should be.  The only one who was able to heal that pain is Jesus;  I realised that God was my true and perfect parent who created, loved and called me.  God calls you too –  but we are each responsible for responding to that call for ourselves.

Prayer

Calling God
You didn’t promise us peace, an easy road
or a life without conflict.
Help us when that conflict arises 
between ourselves and our families and friends, 
so that we remember to always place you 
at the centre and first in our lives,
recognising that our spiritual home 
and Heavenly Parent God are eternal not temporal.
Remind us of the call that we have chosen to respond to.
Amen.