Sunday's coming!

Jeremiah 23: 1-6 Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56 The theme connecting our readings is that of the Shepherd & the Sheep. We are well used to the idea that God the Father (according to the 23 rd Psalm) or Jesus, the Son (in his parable of the Good Shepherd) is the Good Shepherd, but what it all that talk in Jeremiah of Bad Shepherds? In the prophecy of Jeremiah, God promises that he will punish those who have been bad shepherds to his people. But who are these bad shepherds, and what do they have to do with God’s care of his people? The years of the prophet Jeremiah's activity were the most turbulent time for the leaders of ancient Judah. Judah – the Southern half of what we think of as Israel – had always been a bit of a political football. For many years the Assyrian   empire had been the most powerful, but now that was waning, and the Babylonian empire was on the rise. Assyria and Egypt, who had once been rivals, now had a tenuous alliance to try, unsuccessfully ...

Amos 7: 7-15;   Mark 6: 14-29 To be honest, I’ve had a bit of a hectic week since returning from URC General Assembly late on Monday night; involving a church path, a funeral, 2 more funerals to organize, and many more things you don’t need to know about. What I really needed was a break after Assembly – which was hard work and faced the URC with some tough choices about budget cuts and how to find God’s way forward. Of course the general Synod of the Church of England was no picnic, either – and I know Methodist Conference had a hairy time, too. I’m left feeling that Church politics is bad for your health. And anyway, the Gospel reading seems a bit gory and unnecessary and I’m tired and ready for a holiday. So I was all ready to preach about Amos and plumblines & how God helps us to sort our lives out by showing us what is good and true and straight. In any case I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels uncomfortable with the idea of a God who judges you – or will ...