Sunday's coming!

Well, my reading has thrown us the suggestion that Paul was writing in response o being criticised for rejecting his Jewish roots in favour of this new-fangled Christianity. So what Paul is trying to say is that he still feels very Jewish and still values his Jewish background, but that of all the gifts God has given the Jewish people the latest and greatest is Jesus Christ, Something is forming in my mind about the wrestling process - God will not let go of Jacob anymore than he will let go of God (or the 'angel/man'): in the same way God will not let go of the people of Israel and Jesus is sent to touch and heal & wrestle... Bit hot for thinking further - but I'll try to keep at it.

So, the readings are: Genesis 32: 22-31 - Jacob wrestling at Jabbok Romans 9: 1-5 - a rather odd bit of Paul asserting his Jewish identity but also talking of being cut off! Matthew 14: 13-21 - Feeding of 5000 - Jesus has compassion & heals & then feeds the people. First thoughts - I love the story of Jacob's wrestling - it's such a great story of how the slippery little Jacob with all his tricks & wiles (remember the mess of pottage?) finally meets his match & is left blessed but with a limp & emerges as the 'patriarch', Israel. Maybe the link with the gospel reading is of how God blesses us - not cheaply but at a cost. Jesus' miracles were not to impress, but out of compassion for people. I need to understand the Romans passage better - will do some reading around... watch this space.

What a week! Lots of trying to get ahead before a holiday & two weddings plus another to attend (all lovely, don't get me wrong - and atypical British Sunshine!) - left me very last minute this week, The resulting sermon seems very short as I ad-libbed around it quite a bit - but here it is! The parable of the pearl/ the wisdom of Solomon Once there was a young girl, walking through a field of long, green grass. The grass tickled her legs, the sun was warm on her back, she could hear birds singing in the bushes nearby, on which there hung ripe luscious blackberries. As she got nearer to the blackberry bushes, she saw a little old man, trying to reach the blackest and most delicious-looking blackberries, which were just out of his grasp. The girl was young, but she was tall, and so she was able to reach up and pull the branch down so that the old man could reach the ripe, luscious blackberries. He picked all he wanted and dropped them into his small basket. Then he turned to the...

I am now back from General Assembly - and slightly dismayed that we didn't spend more time reflecting. The BIble 'directions' from Jane Leach of Wesley House were brilliant and really got me thinking. BUt the reports were mostly (not all) of the 'everything's great and there is much to celebrate' model. I don't think I'm just turning into an Eeyore - the Christian journey is one through pain and suffering as well as through joy & celebration and we travel furthest in our pilgrimage towards God and God's kingdom when we reflect on our journey in the light of God's love and the incarnation of Christ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am not preaching AGAIN this week (short retreat to Lindisfarne) but the readings are Genesis 28: 10-19a - Jacob's ladder or Isaiah 44: 6-8 - The Lord says I am the first & the last - do not be afraid Romans 8: 12-25 - led by the spirit of God to be children of God Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 Parable of t...

I have, however, found the bit that thought I was in the States & told it I'm in the UK - so the time stamp is now correct! One small step for a blogger.. one giant leap for accuracy.

Sorry friends - not preaching this week as I'll be off to URC General Assembly. I had thought I might post something anyway - but I'm trying to clear my desk instead - which is proving a more difficult job than I had hoped! Back soon!

Zechariah 9: 9-12 Romans 7: 15-25a Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30 What does it mean to follow Jesus? Last week's readings focussed on what we do in Jesus' name as his disciples 'whoever gives a cup of cold water...'; next week the gospel reading is the parable of the sower, when we will be thinking about what sort of 'ground' we provide for the gospel & how we can be fruitful: this week the focus is on our relationship with Jesus - 'Come to me'. This feels to me like the core or central point of being a disciples of Jesus. It is our relationship with him which enabled us to serve others and to be fruitful bearers of the gospel. Zechariah's call to rejoice is based on God's saving grace. Paul is anxious to point out that we keep making mistakes - but that God can save us from ourselves. We have a funeral at the first church (Pampisford) where I will be preaching this sermon, and I think I want to reassure people that when everything else is lost to...