Crowns

Christ the King was the theme for this sunday in the church calendar the week before the start of Advent. Preparing for the sermon I spent a fair bit of time on youtube looking up clips. Type in coronation and you come across a assortment of things from coronation street to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to Narnia and the Lion King. There are many different symbols of a kings power They include the crowns, sceptres, orbs, rings, swords

I really love it when the congregation become part of the sermon and shout out what they are thinking.  They question I asked 

What do you think of when you see a  crown.  

Ok so theres always one and the pub was mentioned :)

A crown is a symbol of power and authority.

Now there was a young prince who had a idea about what power and authority meant  when he became the King of the Beasts. In the film the "Lion King?" the young prince Simba sings the song  "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."  one of the reasons why Simba was so anxious to become king was that he didn't want anyone telling him what to do. He didn't want to hear anyone saying, "do this" or "stop that." He wanted to be free to run around all day doing everything his way.

It wasn't just that Simba didn't want anyone to tell him what to do, he was also looking forward to telling everyone else what to do. Just listen to what he says! "I'm gonna be a mighty king so enemies beware! I'm gonna be the mane event like no king was before. I'm brushing up on looking down. I'm working on my ROAR! Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

A King ruling telling people what to do we see in a lot of films and on the TV no one daring to tell them what to do..

But the Kingship of Christ is so very much different to this picture and the symbols are somewhat different.....

Crown not of gold or silver but of Thorns

This is a reminder of Good Friday, but that wasn’t really a great day for Jesus, was it?  I mean, he was arrested, he was yelled at and hurt, and things just got worse.  Not exactly the glorious kind of day that we usually hear about with kings.

  palm branch or palm cross

The triumphal entry into Jerusalem  People where lining the street and cheering for him, and putting palm branches and cloaks on the ground in front of him.  yet he entered on a donkey a borrowed one not a large powerful horse decked out in the Kings colours.

the bowl and towel? 

Jesus took of his shirt knelt down and did what the lowest servant in the house would be expected to do.  Thats not the behaviour of a King...  They should have been washing his feet. I’m come on anyone who’s a rich have servants to do this sort of thing to, well they did at downtown Abbey and they weren’t Kings and Queens

When we look at Jesus He’s not the kind of King that we typically think of or expect.  He had no elaborate decorated crown and robe. No palace or carriage. The signs of His Authority and Kingdom turn our image upside-down

 The important things in Jesus’ kingdom are not wealth and power, but love and mercy.  In that kingdom Jesus makes the perfect king.  Jesus is even the king over death!  Yes, he died on Good Friday, but he was raised to life on Easter!  So, on this Christ the King Sunday we celebrate the Kingdom of God, and the promise of mercy and love for all.

So as we draw toward advent and the celebration of Christ stepping into the world what image of Him do you carry is it still one of a harmless innocent baby or of the Servant King 

Laying down picking up

Pick up sticks, and age old game that I introduced to one of the junior schools that I go into. It's strange how in the age of the Xbox and other interactive gadgets  this simple game has captured the imagination of so many children. I started with two boxes of these sticks and have since expanded to six. 

To play pick up sticks you first have to lay them down.  Theres two ways of this. Laying the down as precisely as you can so they land neatly. That isn't always the easiest of things. They fall how they want to no matter how you try to get them to land . The other option is just letting go and dropping them not caring how they land. 

It's is not just with this children's game we put things down in these two ways. Our gifts, talents, Ministry , Call and even friends and family. 

We can lay things on a alter before God to leave them in His care gently with care not knowing if or when we may return to lift them back up again. The other option is to almost just drop them like the sticks, not bothering. Laying things down comes through differing reasons but how we respond to the reasons really matters. 

 Its possible that both of these actions are done through anger or despair through struggle. 

Sometime ago it the second option seemed the best choice, not just throwing it down but throwing back at God rather than to  lay things down through prayer. The process was one of not wanting to use or have the call and gifts to go with that. At the time there seemed no way out of the situation that was engulfing  everything. There was no joy or life in the gift something that was once enjoyed now was a chore. 

This week the gift and call that was thrown down in anger and hurt was gently if somewhat scarily given back. 

Picking that gift back up started with the preparation a couple of weeks ago. What was amazing was the way in which the enjoyment of the preparation that revitalises and refreshes came flooding back. 

 This week a fresh and new understanding of the words of Jesus 'I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly' (John 10:10) opened up for the first time since throwing down that gift and call once again life felt truly full.

Holy Island

Last week I had the opportunity to go on retreat to Holy Island. A place I've wanted to visit for a while now. Living on the island you are bound by seasons bound by the rhythm of the tide. For a short time each day when at low tide you can walk and drive across the sea bed to the island. each day pilgrims and visitors make the journey. 

on the oppersite side of the Island to where most of the tourists stay is a pebble beach. ten's of little piles of rocks mark the way like the one above. Evidence of pilgrims  past   show us the way forward along the path. a connection with the saints of old lay scattered on the side of the path as wind, rain and tide displace the pile that once stood.

Throughout history these markers have been built to represent promise, hope and encounter with God, a way of remembering.

a question echoed on the incoming waves how do you mark the good things that God has done in your life, those markers that guide and remind of HIS faithfulness Grace and Love .....

mystic moggy

A friend posted this on FB

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yeah it's very funny and I do love cats and the very silly things that they do. 
But it got me thinking.....What image of God do we give to those in our patches. There are many stories in the world about the con artist. About those who fake the things of God who add things to thier storie of what God has done in them the "amazing" change that took place since they met with God.. But why embellish the work of God..  or the other side and the dumbing down of the gospel message. 
Its a sad place to be but I have heard people do both, and people I have know a long time. 
More than anything we need to be less like the cat in the video, not giving a performance of "god". We each you and I need to be showing the truth of God day to day in our lives in the little things. Honesty at the till if too much change is given. we are quick enough to complain if the casher gets it wrong and gives us less. Integrity in our speaking in public and in private.
I recently had to get medicenies from the hospital I wasn't expecting to have a perscription made and had no money on me I went to the dispencery and they let me have my meds but took my name and address. three days later i went back to pay. they lady was shcoked and said no one comes back to pay... 
It was a chance to share the gospel with her that opened up.
paul tells us in his letter that we are ambassidors for christ in our patches 
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
how we live matters... the God we show to people matters ... 

Fledglings

Today the service was lead by the young people...

For me it was both joy and sadness... I've called the small group who come and share fellowship at the film and food night my boys... I've seen the grow so much over the last 18 months and they are a real privilege to have journeyed with.

There was the sense of fledging as one of my boys gave the message. His friends called him "pastor " as a joke, yet this young man brought a message that so many of us "older" members of the body of christ miss.. He spoke about unity... the unity of the Spirit... that the Holy Spirit did not come to divided but unit the believers though they were from many backgrounds just like us meeting today are not divided because of the differences but united by the Spirit.

today he fledged the nest and its wonderful to see him wondering and questioning in his faith and sharing those gifts with the church.  my prayer is that he will continue to walk in the light listening to the Spirit and sharing that with the church.

The rest of the youth yet again to did wonderfully today they were themselves no masks when they were up front just themselves and that was great too... they didn't pretend it was real and from the heart.. I loved the end of the service as one of the younger youth said the closing prayer with me just three lines but very special.

Have you got a minute

Actually have you got 1:50 to sit and watch a video.. I was looking during the week for the  Matt Redman song  Nothing but the blood of Jesus for a link to my photo blog while doing that I came across this video.  A few years ago I was in India and came across the book the In His Image in the book one of the authors talk about how when in India one of their children had caught measles and they needed to protect the younger child with the "blood of a overcomer" they needed to get the blood of someone who had had measles and over come it to mike a vaccine. As I watched this video today though I read this book 4 years ago now the image came flooding back. Through the gospels we read the trials and temptations that Jesus faced, the joys and the sorrows, and share abandonment and that He overcame death and sin on the cross and in His resurrection. One passage that stands out while I was thinking about this was the words of revelation 

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony

That we can use the things in our lives that were broken yet have over come to encourage others in their situations. For those in my patch, to come along side those who have found they are alone in a strange place. Having moved to london from the midlands knowing no-one here but bringing the light of jesus into that situation using my experience of how that feels to help another "overcome." Recently I was preaching and shared part of my testimony in the service at the end a older lady came up to me and said thank you for giving permission not to read but to listen to the Bible on the ipod my granddaughter struggles to read and is dyslexic but what you said encouraged us today. How was I able to to share through allowing Jesus to come into my situation and allowing Him to heal bringing that overcame into that place.

That's the one !!!!

That's the one is a phrase that was used by one boy at Archbishop Sumner school where I was leading the school Assembly.... It being Epiphany I decided to take three presents with me.. and asked the head to choose three children to help me.. so they looked in the bag and chose a present to open. Now these three presents were very different, one was wrapped in brown paper, one very nicely in sparkling paper, and one nice but with two types of paper... 

I asked them the question "why did you choose that present" there replies "I liked the paper" and "it looked expensive so there might be something valuable in side"

what really struck me was the comment by one boy... they say "out of the mouths of babes" come honest answer and truth well that was so evident yesterday. The reason he chose the brown paper present " cos that's the one Jesus would have chosen" wow 

And He was right.... 

it wasn't the point to what I was going to say it had passed me by I was focused and had missed something so simple...

Potter's Hand

Transition - II Originally uploaded by @k@sh

Potter hand I typed into the search engine today after I looked at the lectionary readings for this coming sunday. I've preached this passage before A bit like wesley having favourite passages I think we all do to preach from this is one oh mine.

I found this short film The Potter it's about 7 mins long and had me mesmerised, it's a animation but don't let that put you off.

They say a picture paints a thousand words... this little film really does that for me. As the little girl learns how to be a potter spinning a small beaker time after time it goes wrong. But she never gave up and put in the time and the effort. and it cost her.. 

one thing this said to me was how today we want everything now... fast food, Tv on demand, we're impatient...

That impatience coming through in our walk with God... yet something though may be good for us to have now without learning how to use the gifts and talents slowly could end up leading us into trouble. Thinking we can do this alone...

at the end of the movie the creature teaching the girl breathes onto a lump of clay it starts to come to life..

only when she follows the lead and puts her hand in his does she really come to life and begins to do the things that he does....

mentoring is a buzz word coming alongside another not doing it for them but encouraging them into who they really are and can be... That's not just an important thing for my patch but for all the place that God has called us to...

Not sure yet if I will play it in the service  maybe...

Hospitality

That is the theme for Sunday

This hangs in the lady chapel of one of the anglican church every morning I sit and look at it. Until I came here last year I hadn't seen the image... I love it the warmth of the colours the sharing only one cup or bowl is present.  

My dissertation last year was based on Jesus meals with sinner: table fellowship in the 21st century. 

the introduction to the paper is this 

There has been a rapid decline in the use of the family meal table throughout the latter half of the twentieth century and into the first decade of the twenty-first century. In May 2005, after a series of different contributory factors
had been highlighted by the British government as causing the increase in the ‘yob Culture’ found within society, the disappearance of the traditional family meal become the main focus.  The 2004 National Family Mealtime Survey, found that only

20% of those asked sat down to eat together just once a week or less. The poll, by parenting organization, Raising Kids, found that children often had meals alone in their bedrooms while watching TV or playing computer games. Of those who did eat together, TV was the preferred dinner guest, with 75% eating while watching it[1]

Thus, as part of the Queen’s speech, her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II stated ‘My Government is committed to creating safe and secure communities, and fostering a culture of respect.’[2] This was attempted, in part, by the tackling of the issue of the family meal, along with other new initiatives that were introduced. 

It's a interesting place to begin that to tackle the difficulties in family and community the use of the meal table was one of the places that organisations began to look at. 

I wonder what would be the impact if the community of believers began to eat together regually opening there table to the community, that all may come, 

it would be a lot of work, but to have the service based on a meal together even once a month now theres a challenge.

around the meal table many things take place the building of friendship,  of meeting. within the gospels context it is a place  is a place of welcome forgiveness, hope, restoration, Repentance, salvation and justice of acceptance.  The meal table is a place of an  ‘acted parable of God’s unconditional acceptance’[3].

---

[1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4551727.stm, accessed 10 October 2008.

[2]http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page7488, accessed 14 April 2009.

[3] W.C.K. Poon, Superabundant Table Fellowship in the Kingdom:
The Feeding of the Five Thousand and the Meal Motif in Luke,’ The expository Times Vol 114 (2003), p. 227.

Mary and Martha

Luke 10:38-42 Mary and Martha,

This is the gospel reading for tomorrow in the revised common lectionary.... I know this as I'm preaching... and using the following story to open with...

There is an ancient Scottish legend that tells the story of a shepherd boy tending a few straggling sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower -- one that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. 

He knelt down on his knees and scooped the flower in his hands and held it close to his eyes, drinking in its beauty.

As he held the flower close to his face, he suddenly heard a noise and looked up before him. There he saw a great stone mountain opening up right before his eyes.

 And as the sun began to shine on the inside of the mountain, he saw the sprinkling of the beautiful gems and precious metals that it contained. With the flower in his hands, he walked inside. Laying the flower down, he began to gather all the gold and silver and precious gems in his arms.

 Finally with all that his arms could carry, he turned and began to walk out of that great cavern. Suddenly a voice said to him, "Don't forget the best."

 Thinking that perhaps he had overlooked some choice piece of treasure, he turned around again and picked up additional pieces of priceless treasure. And with his arms literally overflowing with wealth, he turned to walk back out of the great mountainous vault. And again the voice said, "Don't forget the best."

 But by this time his arms were completely filled and he walked on outside. All of a sudden, the precious metals and stones turned to dust. And he looked around in time to see the great Stone Mountain closing its doors again.

 For a third time he heard the voice… This time the voice said, "You forgot the best. For the beautiful flower is the key to the vault of the mountain."

 Don’t forget the best. We can never be able to truly grasp any precious thing in this lifetime, unless we can grasp the unsurpassing beauty of the MOST precious thing in this lifetime.

Don’t forget the best be maybe that is the message of today’s Gospel story.  The gospel is all about Mary and Martha … or should I say Martha and Mary? 

Like martha it is very easy for us to get so caught up in the day to day, like the Shepard boy it can take a short time to loose sight of the gift that opened up all that God has in store for us. 

Don't forget the best... Don't forget that in the story of mary and martha that there is a third person there. 

we can loose focus in the story making the importance that we are to be more like mary, that she is the role model for us.. yeah there is that... but it's not about being mary or martha but about being both... having a balance between spending time with Jesus and Working for (with Him)