Sunday's coming!

Readings for this week are: Isaiah 9:1-4 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 Matthew 4:12-23 I have always loved this story of Jesus calling the first disciples. Jesus says ‘follow me’ and the fishermen – Simon & Andrew and James & John, leave everything and follow. I loved singing the song in Sunday school: When Jesus saw the fishermen 
in boats upon the sea,
he called to them, 'Come, leave your nets
and follow, follow me'.
 They followed where he healed the sick
and gave the hungry bread,
and others joined them as they went,
wherever Jesus led. And now his friends are everywhere;
the circle once so small
 extends around the whole wide world,
for Jesus calls us all.
In this great circle we belong,
wherever we may be,
if we will answer when he calls,
'Come, follow, follow me'. And I used to wish that I was lucky enough to be like the fishermen and meet Jesus and hear his call. And I used to wish that I was brave enough to be like the fishermen an...

 John 1:29-42; Isaiah 49: 1-7 What strikes me most, hearing or reading this passage from John’s gospel is all the language about looking, seeing, finding, things being revealed – I counted about 12 references just in that short passage. John wants us to see what he’s talking about, so what do you see, what do you notice, what are you looking for, what do you find.. in this story? This is John’s account of the baptism of Jesus – and it’s not like the other 3 gospels: it’s very much a second-hand account from the mouth of John the Baptist, rather than a kind of direct description as you might have heard if you were in church last week. Why does John’s gospel tell the story that way? John is very concerned that we understand for ourselves who Jesus is: and in this passage John the Baptist wants the people who up until now have been his, John the Baptist’s, disciples, to see Jesus for  themselves, to understand who he is, and then to follow him. ...

Matthew 3: 13-17; Acts 10: 34-43 I am preaching at the celebration of a church being a United Methodist /United Reformed Church for 30 years. The Baptism of Jesus Why did it happen? It nearly didn’t. At first John the Baptist refuses to baptize Jesus – he says ‘I should be baptized by you !’ But Jesus talks him into is “it is proper in this way for us to fulfill all righteousness” The Contemporary English Version translates this as ’For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do’– in other words, Jesus says to John that this baptism is the right thing to do. But at the risk of sounding like a toddler, I still want to ask  - Why?. Jesus says it is not just about him – it is about God the father. Seeking the right way, the right ministry, the right path – the path of submission to God the Father’s will & rule. Jesus submits to baptism, and then God acts.. and speaks “this is my son, the beloved, in whom I am w...