Sermon: The Emmaus Road (Luke 24: 13-35)

This morning, I wonder if you’ll come for a walk with me. It’s maybe a road that you know well, one you’ve walked many’s a time before. It’s the road to Emmaus, a road paved with confusion and disappointment. It might be the road you walk every day on your one permitted exercise. But even if you’re staying inside, you can still be walking on this road.

All those dashed hopes and disappointments piling up, overwhelming you - the plans you had made, whether it’s a mission trip, or a holiday, or your wedding, and the date comes and it’s not happening as you had hoped. You expected to be in one place, on top of the world, but instead you’re in the doldrums. And it’s confusing, and it’s hurtful.

As you walk along the road to Emmaus, you’re in good company. You see, we imagine how great it would have been to be among the first of Jesus’ disciples. Imagine being there as he performed those miracles; and to hear his teaching; and to be there on that first Easter day. And yet here we find two of the disciples, who had been there in Jerusalem on that first Easter day, and they’re heading home, away from the action.

They were in Jerusalem, they had heard the tomb was empty, they had heard that Jesus was alive, they had heard the good news, but you wouldn’t think it. They trudge home; hopes crushed; dreams fading; they’re confused, hurt, and lost. They talk it out, but they fail to understand.

But as they walk, they’re joined by a stranger - or at least, they think he’s a stranger. They were kept from recognising him. They don’t know who he is. But he wants to know what they’re talking about.

They stop, downcast, and can’t get over the fact that someone who had been in Jerusalem wouldn’t have heard about what had happened. Has he been living under a rock? Well, not quite - he’s been behind the rock, in the tomb, which is now empty, but he just asks, ‘What things?’

Here’s what: They know the full facts - Jesus of Nazareth, a powerful prophet, who was crucified. And it’s there that their hope died with Jesus: ‘We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.’

They expected Jesus to redeem Israel by being a kick out the Romans kind of conquering king Christ. Instead, he had been killed by the Romans and it seemed that the Jesus story was finished. Their hope certainly was.

And now, they’re more confused. You see, they know about the empty tomb; they have heard the message of the angels; they’ve heard that the tomb is definitely empty, but that their friends haven’t seen Jesus. (And they say this to Jesus!)

Have you been walking the Emmaus road? Dealing with disappointments? Any disappointment is hard to come to terms with, but it’s surely even more disappointing when it comes to God. You trust him, and then something happens you didn’t expect, and you wonder what’s going on. And so you set out for Emmaus, you decide to give up and go home.

Now, if you were Jesus, what would you do at this point? If it was me, I would have said, look, it’s fine, it’s me, I’m here, it’s all ok. But God’s ways are not our ways. And Jesus meets them in their confusion and disappointment, and helps them to see him in two ways:

First of all, they see Jesus in the Scriptures. Jesus says that they are foolish, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. He asks the question that we heard earlier: ‘Did not the Christ have to suffer all these things and then enter his glory?’

Suffering and then glory. The path was laid out in advance. And so Jesus helps them to grasp it: ‘And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.’

Can you imagine that? A Bible study led by Jesus?! As he talks about the promise of the serpent-crusher in Genesis 3, and the Passover Lamb in Exodus 12, and the Scapegoat in Leviticus 16, and the bronze serpent lifted up in the wilderness in Numbers 21, and the prophet like Moses in Deuteronomy 18, and the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, and the sign of Jonah, and the promise of resurrection in Psalm 16, and so much more!

God had promised beforehand that it would be like this - so the wheels hadn’t come off the bus. They just had to see Jesus in the scriptures, all pointing to him and his mission to truly redeem Israel - not by military might, but as the crucified Christ.

And as he did so, their hearts burned within them. It wasn’t that they were having heartburn, that they needed Gaviscon, because of something they ate. No, their hearts were burning within them, as they grasped God’s word and God’s purpose - as they heard God speaking to them through the Scriptures, and they saw Jesus in the scriptures.

But then, they see Jesus with them. It’s getting late, and they’re coming into Emmaus, and home beckons. And they insist the stranger stops with them.

And as they sit down to eat, suddenly the guest acts like he’s the host. ‘He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.’ And suddenly, the stranger’s actions are very familiar. It’s what he had done at the feeding of the five thousand; and it’s what he had done at the Last Supper - took, gave thanks, broke, gave. And in that moment, they recognise him; they seem him; and he disappears from their sight.

And suddenly, those downcast, disappointed, confused disciples are transformed! They quickly set out, back along the same road, but the road from Emmaus is one of joy, as they rush to share the good news that Jesus is alive!

Are you walking on the Emmaus road today? In these days, when things don’t go the way we planned, when we fail to understand what God is doing, when we think all is a disaster, we need to see Jesus. To see Jesus in the scriptures - to see what God has promised (and what he hasn’t promised!); and to know that Jesus is with us, even if we can’t see him right now.

As you walk the Emmaus road, look for Jesus - in his word, and in his presence with you.

Lord Jesus,
may we know your presence with us,
today, and always. Amen.

Cross Words 7 - Peace (Luke 23:46)

My first year at secondary school was a shock to the system. You see, my school was known as a rugby playing school. For something like ten years in a row, Dromore High had won the High Schools’ Cup. So while I wanted to be playing football, we all had a crash course in the basics of rugby - drill after drill of throwing and catching the ball.

Mr McAleese, our PE teacher would tell us why these drills were so important, even if we never played a minute of competitive rugby. “You’ll want to be able to catch whatever is thrown at you. You want to know that you have good hands.”

I never became a rugby player, and I might not be great at throwing and catching, but I never forgot that line about having good hands. Others talk about a safe pair of hands.

Just before Jesus died on the cross, he uttered one last word, which speaks of peace and safety and security, because he was placing his spirit in the best of all hands. Jesus said: ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’

Jesus is quoting from another Psalm of David - this time from Psalm 31 verse 5. David was affirming his trust in the midst of trouble. And Jesus takes those words on his lips as he affirms his trust in his Father as he comes to the end of his life, and completes his saving work on the cross.

Jesus is placing himself in his Father’s hands. For a while, he had been given over to the hands of wicked men, who pursued their evil plot to crucify him. As far back as Luke chapter 9, once the disciples have realised that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, God’s promised king - Jesus tells them ‘The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.’ (Lk 9:44). And in Luke 24, as the angels explain to the women about the empty tomb, they remind them of what Jesus had told them: ‘Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again.’ (Lk 24:6-7)

Jesus had been delivered into the hands of sinful men. Indeed, he had chosen to surrender himself into their hands, to do all they wanted to do, to beat, and flog, and mock, and crucify. In their wicked hands, he was mistreated, and killed. They had done all that they wanted, and got rid of Jesus.

We would have done the same. How often we want to use Jesus for our own desires; to abuse him; and have him serve our plans. Our hands would have been just as ready to crucify the Lord of glory. Our hands are just as guilty, we are caught red-handed with Jesus’ blood on our hands.

But, having suffered all that men desired to inflict on him, and fulfilled the rescue plan, Jesus commits himself into his Father’s hands. The safest pair of hands in the whole universe.

Just after he says these words, he breathes his last, and dies. Yet Jesus shows us that, while his body is taken down from the cross, and buried in the tomb; his spirit is in God’s care and keeping. Now, it’s not that the body is worthless and it’s only our spirit or soul that really matters, and it’s just longing to get free of this bodily prison. No, far from it.

Jesus’ spirit is in the Father’s hands, awaiting resurrection, when body and spirit and soul are reunited and raised. For Jesus, that will happen on the third day, early on Easter Sunday. But because Jesus has died on the cross, that’s also true of all who believe in him.

So if you’re trusting in Jesus, when you breathe your last, your spirit is instantly with God, while you await the last day and the resurrection to the new heavens and the new earth. And that’s true of your loved one who believes in Christ. They are not lost - you know exactly where they are, through the death and resurrection of Jesus; they are in the safest place they can be - in the hands of God, in his care and keeping. As Jesus says in John 10: ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I am and the Father are one.’ (Jn 10:27-30)

There is eternal safety and security for those held in the Father’s hands. Are you held in his hands today? Have you entrusted yourself into those good hands?

Jesus dies, not in despair or distress, but in peace, fully trusting in the Father’s power and protection. And he gives us that same peace - for our loved ones and for ourselves - when we’re in the Father’s hands.

The seventh cross word is a word of peace.

Jesus says: Father, into your hands I commit my spirit..

Let us pray.
Heavenly Father,
in your keeping are all those who have departed in Christ.
We thank you that your hands are love and they are good.
Help us to know the peace that only you provide,
as we entrust ourselves into your hands,
now, and in the hour of our death,
through Jesus Christ, who died and rose again for us. Amen.

Cross Words 2 - Assurance (Luke 23: 43)

On Sunday evening, Her Majesty the Queen addressed the nation and the Commonwealth. Speaking from Windsor Castle, she thanked everyone on the NHS front line, care workers and those in essential roles, as well as all who are staying at home to protect the vulnerable.

In the United Kingdom, we have a strong sense of what the monarchy looks like - castles and palaces; pomp and ceremony, guards and bands and parades, horses and carriages; and glittering crown jewels.

In our Bible reading tonight, we find a king, devoid of any appearance of royalty, looking unlike any king you’ve ever seen. A cruel crown of thorns adorns his brow. A scarlet robe adorns his body, as his blood flows, as he hangs on the cross, the symbol of shame and loss.

And almost everyone around the cross joins in the mockery of this supposed king. The people and rulers sneer at this ‘Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The Christ being God’s long-promised, chosen king. But how could this man upon a cross be a king?

The soldiers join in, mocking him. If you’re the king of the Jews, save yourself! That same title hangs above his thorn-crowned head - This is the King of the Jews. This is what happens to people who think they’re the king.

And even one of the criminals, hanging on another cross, insulted him. ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’

Those taunts were truer than they could have imagined. Yes, Jesus is the king, he is the Christ of God. And yes, he is bringing about the saving of many. But in order to save others, he cannot save himself. They just can’t see it, right before their eyes. And so they mock this monarch; they castigate this king.

Yet there is one person who recognises Jesus as the king he really is. The other criminal, hanging from the other cross, he entrusts himself to Jesus the king.

He rebukes the mocking criminal, by confessing that ‘this man has done nothing wrong.’ He knows that he himself is getting what his deed deserve, but Jesus is completely innocent. Jesus is dying the death of a sinner, even though he has done nothing wrong. This is how Jesus can save others, as he dies in their place.

And so the criminal makes a request of the Lord Jesus: ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ As unlikely as it appears, he puts his faith in Jesus the king, and his coming kingdom. He makes Jesus his king. And in that moment, he receives the most glorious promise from the lips of Jesus:

‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’ Just consider what Jesus was saying:

Today - this very day, without delay, immediately on dying.

You - this is a personal promise, to this dying thief who has believed in Jesus.

Will be - it’s absolutely certain, it will happen, there’s no maybe about it.

With me - he will be with Jesus, together again, in his presence and company.

In paradise - in the place of perfection, the place where there is no more pain, no more tears, no more suffering or sadness or sickness or sin.

Jesus the King is coming into his kingdom on that very day. And this crucified criminal will be with him in paradise. That’s the promise that Jesus gives to everyone who trusts in him, to everyone who recognises Jesus as their king.

Of the two criminals crucified with Jesus, only one of them received the promise. Even in the closing moments of life, whoever believes in Jesus will receive his promise - no matter who they are, no matter what they have done. But we can’t take it for granted that we can leave it until our dying moments - only one of the criminals called out to Jesus and received his promise.

As the Queen finished her address to the nation and commonwealth on Sunday night, she said this: ‘We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.’

Isn’t that the promise of this crucified King, to all who trust in him, and say to him: ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus says: we will meet again.

The second cross word is a word of assurance.

Jesus says: I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on the Tuesday of Holy Week, 7th April 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sermon: Cross Words 1 - Forgiveness (Luke 23: 34)

Dr Catherine Calderwood had been regularly on the news in Scotland. As Chief Medical Officer, she had been front and centre of the campaign urging people to stay at home during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Yesterday, however, she was in the news for a different reason. Despite advising people to stay at home, it turned out that she had travelled to her holiday home, on two separate weekends. Under pressure, she apologised, and then last night resigned her position.

There was a disconnect between her words and her actions. She had told the public to do something, but had failed to do it herself. Today, as we come to the first of the cross words, we find that there is no inconsistency in the Lord Jesus. He practices what he preaches.

Back in Luke chapter 6, Jesus says this: ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you.’ (Lk 6:27-28).

As we hear those words, who is it comes to mind? Your enemies; the people who hate you; the people who curse you; those who ill-treat you. And when you hear of how Jesus wants you to treat them - love, do good, bless, pray for - you think, surely not! That’s impossible!

And yet that’s exactly what Jesus goes on to do, having been arrested, and beaten, and flogged, and now nailed to the cruel cross. He doesn’t speak up to defend himself, or to plead for himself. He doesn’t open his mouth to threaten or curse or accuse. He opens his mouth to love his enemies; to bless them, and to pray for them.

Even in the midst of the terrible ordeal of crucifixion, Jesus loves his enemies. He prays for them. And he prays in this way: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’

Who are the people he’s praying for? Who are the ‘them, and they’ in his prayer? Most immediately, he was praying for those who nailed him to the cross - the Roman soldiers. They were just doing their job, following their orders. They had crucified many people, and this was just another working day. They didn’t know that this man on the middle cross was the Son of God.

Beyond that, Jesus was praying for all involved in the crucifixion. Several weeks later, Peter preaching in Jerusalem, would say to the crowd: ‘You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead... Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.’ (Acts 3:14-15,17)

And ultimately, Jesus was praying for you. You see, we too have gone our own way. We too have rejected God, we too, by nature and by choice, are his enemies, and we have crucified the Lord of glory.

Yet see how precious the Lord’s prayer is. He loved his enemies, and prayed for them. And his prayer is for their forgiveness - for our forgiveness.

Isaiah chapter 53 is an amazing chapter of prophecy, speaking of the crucifixion seven hundred years before it happened. And the chapter closes with these words: ‘For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ (Is 53:12) On the cross, Jesus bore our sins. He took our burdens. But he also prayed for the sinners.

As you trust in Jesus, you find that his prayer is being answered, as you receive the forgiveness only he can provide. He who bore your sins has prayed that you would be forgiven. The sin that makes you his enemy can be forgiven, so that you become his friend.

Jesus demonstrates love for his enemies. He practices what he preaches. We can be forgiven. And that’s a glorious truth.

But the forgiven are also called to be forgiving. As we receive God’s forgiveness, we are to pass it on. In 1 Peter we read these words: ‘To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness, by his wounds you have been healed.’ (1 Pet 2:21-24)

As we receive the forgiveness Jesus provides, we also have his example to follow. Think back to the people who came to mind earlier. How might you treat them differently, in light of the forgiveness of Jesus?

The first cross word is a word of forgiveness.

Jesus says: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on the Monday of Holy Week, 6th April 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sermon: Luke 2: 8-20 Good News

You almost cannot escape the news these days. On the radio, there are news updates every hour on the hour on most stations. On TV there are the news bulletins, as well as the 24-hour news channels, constantly broadcasting the latest news. News is shared on Facebook and Twitter and all sorts of social media. And the good old newspapers are sitting when you walk into the shop. News is everywhere.

Now, if you happen to have avoided all the news in the last week or so, then you might not have heard that we had a General Election on Thursday, and Boris is back as Prime Minister, with a huge majority in the House of Commons. And as you can imagine, the news has been full of him over the past few days. He’s on nearly every broadcast, and on nearly every front page.

The people in power quite often make the news. We’re used to seeing their face and hearing their voice, as the news tells us what they’ve been up to. And, had there been newspapers about 2000 years ago, then it would have been exactly the same. The front pages would have been packed with photos and news about the main man in the Roman Empire - Caesar Augustus. He ruled the roost, and set the news agenda. And the big news was that a census was getting underway.

Everyone had to go back to their own town to register. Augustus said ‘go’ and everyone had to go, whether they liked it or not. No doubt the radio programmes and newspapers would be full of discussion and debate about the news of the census.

Now, I don’t know what you think about Boris - whether you think his victory is terrific or terrible - but have you noticed that so much of the news that we see or read is all bad? Whether it’s the volcano in New Zealand, the earthquake in Albania, break ins, stabbings, drugs and more - the news seems to be all bad news.

But out of sight of Caesar Augustus; and unnoticed by the Israel newspapers; there was something happening in Bethlehem that was totally amazing; something that was truly good news. But to tell you about it, I’ll need some newspapers.

You see, out in the fields near Bethlehem, there were some shepherds, keeping watching over their sheep. It was getting dark, and they were getting drowsy. Suddenly, there was something bright in the sky - brighter than a STAR or the SUN (now, I didn’t bring a copy of either paper with me, maybe for obvious reasons!). And what was it? An angel, a HERALD, bringing some good news for them - and not just for them, but for everybody.

So what was this good news? ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’ (11)

You see, we all need a Saviour. No matter who we are; how young or old; how tall or short; whoever we are, we need a Saviour. That’s because we all have become INDEPENDENT of God - we tell him that we don’t need him; we don’t want him to be in charge of our lives; and we go our own way, doing what we want to do - independent of God.

But when we go our own way, we get trapped in sin. It doesn’t work out when we do our own thing. We get lost. We can’t change by ourselves. We need God’s help - and we need the Saviour God has sent.

The good news is that the Saviour has been born in Bethlehem. He is Christ the Lord. That word Christ means king (anointed one) - and so Jesus is our GUARDIAN. He saves us from our sins; he comes to be with us; and he comes to help us every day.

But the shepherds didn’t just hear about Jesus, the angel told them to go and see him. ‘This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ (12)

Before they started off on their journey, though, even more angels appeared in the sky, praising God, and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.’

Having heard the angel choir, and remembering their instructions, they set off into Bethlehem, like an EXPRESS - they weren’t going to stop until they found this special baby. Having followed their instructions to the (NEWS) LETTER, they found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger just as they had been told. They took a while to GAZETTE (gaze at) Jesus, before sharing what they had seen and heard.

The shepherds wanted to TELegraph the good news about Jesus to everyone they met. And everyone they told was amazed at what they heard.

In this world there is lots of bad news. We don’t need to look very far to find it. We know only too well about the bad things that happen. But the TIMES are changing, and there is some really good news, because Jesus has been born - born to be our Saviour; born to be our King.

So when you get up tomorrow morning, and when you look in the bathroom MIRROR, remind yourself that Jesus came to this world because he loves you. And he wants you to be his friend, and to follow him, to make him your Saviour and your King. And that really is the best news we could hear this Christmas - good news of great joy for all the people.

This sermon was preached at the Family Carol Service in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 15th December 2019.

Sermon: Luke 24: 1-12 Remember...

How good is your memory? Are you good at remembering things? We’re going to see just how good you are at remembering things.

Here’s a group of twenty objects. Take a wee while to look at them, and then we’ll see how many you can remember...

Ok, so, shout out which objects you can remember, Let’s see if we can get them all?
butterfly house lock apple
chair pencil scissors computer
clock ice cream guitar globe
rainbow phone bulb plant
kite plane hammer cake

Did anyone remember all twenty? Maybe you aren’t so good at remembering pictures. Are you better at remembering words? Here are twelve words. A research project suggests that 90% of people won’t be able to remember all twelve.

Is there anyone thinks they can remember all twelve?
vase cookie holiday bridge magic office
computer crown fox ink green vehicle

So how good are you at remembering things? In our Bible reading today there are three words that are repeated. Do you think you can remember what they are? The words are: find/found; wondering; remember. So listen out carefully for those words - they are important in all that we’ll hear about this morning.

This morning, very early, when it was still dark, some of us got up out of bed, and went along to the Argory. Has anyone ever been to the Argory? Have you been at 6am? now, what took us over at that time of the morning?

It’s because Easter starts at sunrise. Look at verse 1. On the first day of the week, that’s Sunday; very early in the morning, that was 6am; the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

These are the women who had watched Jesus die on the cross. And they watched where Jesus was buried in the tomb, a cave with a big stone rolled across the entrance. And they go with spices on Sunday morning. And there, we get the first of our special words. What is it? Find/found.

We’re told that they FOUND something when they got to the tomb. What was it they found? ‘They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.’ (2) The big heavy stone had been rolled away. That’s what they found when they got there.

But what did they not find? ‘But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.’ (3) They had come to bring the spices for Jesus’ body, but they didn’t find him there.

So they found - the stone rolled away; and they didn’t find - Jesus. And that made them do the second of our words for this morning. What was it? ‘Wondering.’ They were wondering where Jesus’ body had gone to. They were wondering why Jesus wasn’t in the tomb.

It was ‘while they were wondering about this’ that two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning - angels - stood beside them. To misquote Bohemian Rhapsody, they gleamed like lightning, they were very, very frightening.

They ask the women a question: ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?’ They were looking for something that didn’t fit in. So, I’ll show you four objects - which doesn’t belong? Here’s the first - it’s the plane. They all have wings, but the plane isn’t a bird. Here’s the second - it’s the carrot, all the rest are fruit. They were looking for Jesus in the tomb - but they were looking in the wrong place, because Jesus wasn’t dead any more. The angel says: ‘He is not here; he has risen.’ It’s no wonder they were wondering why they couldn’t find him.

Now, so far we’ve seen two of our words - what were they? Find/found; and wondering. What’s the third? Remember! Did you remember that one?!

The angel uses that word as he tells the women what they need to do, to understand what they’re seeing. He says: Remember! ‘Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”’ (6-7)

Earlier we were trying to remember the words that were on the screen. The women had to remember the words that Jesus had spoken about what was going to happen to him. You see, Jesus had already told them everything that was going to happen. They should have known, they should have remembered. But it took the angel to remind them, to help them to remember. And then they remembered what Jesus had told them, back in Luke 9:22:

‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.’ (Lk 9:22)

Sometimes to help me remember what I need to get, I’ll write a list. And when I get each thing, then I check it off the list. That’s what the women had to remember.

Jesus was going to be delivered into the hands of sinful men. Check. That happened on Thursday night. Jesus was going to be crucified. Check. That happened on Good Friday. Jesus was, on the third day, going to be raised again. Check. That happened on Easter Sunday. They should have known in advance, but they had forgotten those words of Jesus.

But now, with the angels reminding them, ‘Then they remembered his words.’ (8) Jesus had said what would happen. And now they’ve remembered that he knew what was going to happen to him.

But remember that each of our special words was going to appear twice in our reading. Which word have we only seen once? We’ve had find/found; we’ve had remembering. What’s the other one? It’s wondering.

The women go to tell the disciples the good news that Jesus is alive, that he has defeated death, that everything had happened just as Jesus had said. But the disciples, they can’t understand it all. In fact, look at verse 11: ‘But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.’ (11)

You’re having a laugh! You’re making it up! It seems like it’s nonsense. They know that Jesus died on the cross. How many disciples were there now? Eleven. How many go to look? Luke tells us that Peter got up and ran to the tomb, to have a look for himself.

He saw the strips of linen that had been wrapped around Jesus’ body, lying by themselves. And then he went away, ‘wondering to himself what had happened.’ (12) Even after he had been told, he was still wondering about it all. It was such a surprise - that Jesus who had died was now alive again. But it is true. Jesus really is alive. And we can celebrate. We might still be wondering about it all. But think about what the women found - the stone rolled away, and they didn’t find Jesus inside. And remember what Jesus had said in advance about what would happen - He has completed his checklist. Delivered over, crucified, raised again.

Will you remember this good news? And celebrate this good news. Jesus is alive!

This sermon was preached at the Family Service in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Easter Sunday 21st April 2019.

Sermon: Luke 23: 38-43 Characters Around the Cross: The Criminal

All week we have been looking at the characters around the cross. Pilate, who sought to wash his hands of Jesus, who in his indecision decided against Jesus. Mary, who poured out her worship as she poured out her expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet - costly, unashamed, extravagant worship. Judas, who sold Jesus for thirty silver coins, betraying by a kiss. And Peter, who was one minute ready for prison and death with Jesus, and who later that night denied even knowing him - but who was restored and commissioned to strengthen his brothers.

Tonight, our characters are quite literally around the cross of Jesus. As we heard Luke’s account of the passion, we were told that Jesus was crucified along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left. All week, there has been a spelling mistake on the sheets - and at the head of tonight’s service too. You see, we aren’t just focusing (as I had originally planned) on one criminal. We need to consider them both.

In the two crucified criminals, we see two different reactions to Jesus - in fact, the only two ways to respond to Jesus. So as we consider each in turn, ask yourself, which am I like?

The first criminal, he sides with the crowd. Luke tells us about the people watching as Jesus was crucified. The rulers sneered at him: ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ (35) They remember how Jesus has helped and healed so many other people. But they turn it into a jibe. He saved others, but he can’t save himself. It would be like a champion lifeguard who had saved others from drowning, who drowned himself.

Besides the rulers, the soldiers also mock him. ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ (36) They were showing what happened to people who thought they were the king of the Jews. They would end up on a Roman cross, unable to rescue themselves. Come on, if you’re a king, prove it!

So the first criminal joins in with the mocking. He hurled insults at Jesus. He says: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ (39) If you’re really the Christ, the anointed one, the long-promised king, then you should be able to save, not just yourself, but me as well. Did you notice the word each of them used? Save. Save yourself. Come down from the cross. Get yourself out of this mess. And while you’re at it, save me as well. If Jesus really is the Christ, then he should save himself, and save the criminal.

But in order to save others, Jesus cannot save himself. Jesus could have saved himself - but he could not have saved anyone else. It was to save you that Jesus hung on the cross.

The first criminal mocks and sneers, and ultimately rejects Jesus. But the second criminal has a different response to Jesus. Perhaps it was in seeing how Jesus died - in praying forgiveness for the soldiers who crucified him; but he recognises that there is something different about Jesus.

He rebukes his friend, because he recognises that Jesus is innocent. These two men, they were hardened criminals. They deserved all they got. ‘Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.’ (40-41) But Jesus was different. ‘This man has done nothing wrong.’ (41) The wages of sin are death - but Jesus hadn’t sinned; he hadn’t done anything wrong; he didn’t deserve to die at all, let alone on a cruel Roman cross.

He recognises that Jesus is innocent. But he also recognises that Jesus is the king. The sign above Jesus’ head proclaims that he is the king of the Jews. It was a further attempt to mock - look at the so-called king of the Jews, and what we have done to him. At this very moment, Jesus is like no king the world had ever seen.

He wears a scarlet robe - of his own blood, flowing freely from the beating and scourging he received; on his head he wears a crown of thorns. His royal throne is the cruel cross. Yet this man cries out: ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (42)

Despite the circumstances, this criminal recognises that Jesus is the King. And so he entrusts himself to this King. He seeks to join his kingdom, by naming Jesus as his King. And when he does so, he receives an amazingly wonderful promise: ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’ (43) Jesus, by his death on the cross, the righteous dying for the unrighteous, has instituted his kingdom, and opened the way for sinners like you and me, and this penitent thief, to be with him in paradise. All we need to do is trust in Jesus, who endured the punishment for our sins. When we name Jesus as our king, we have the promise of paradise.

The dying thief, in his final moments, is rescued from his hellward path and finds himself in heaven. You might hear this and then think to yourself, there’s loads of time yet. I will wait until my dying moments, on my deathbed aged 99. But can you be certain of that? Would you chance all on that day in the future, when you’re not certain of tomorrow? Bishop JC Ryle once said: ‘The penitent thief shows that it is possible to receive Christ just before death - but there were two thieves that day, and only one received Christ and was welcomed into paradise.’

Two criminals. Two responses to Jesus. To ask the question we started the week with - the question that was on Pilate’s lips: What will I do with Jesus? Will you reject him, and mock him? Or will you trust him as king, and receive his promise of paradise?

May this be your prayer tonight: Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill in the Characters Around the Cross Holy Week series on Good Friday 19th April 2019.

Sermon: Luke 22: 31-34, 54-62 Characters Around the Cross: Peter

Hopefully by now you’ve had the opportunity to visit the prayer room in the hall. Among the many prompts for prayer, you’ll find the ‘pray for the world’ corner. And on the table, there are some fact sheets from the Open Doors World Watch List. Each year, Open Doors produces the World Watch List, highlighting the countries where Christian believers face the worst persecution. You can read about (and pray for) the top 5 - North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan.

Christians in those nations (and in the other 45 from the World Watch List) face danger and persecution just because they are Christians. Many face the choice between denying Jesus or dying. And, time and again, Christians choose Christ and death, rather than denying their Lord. When we hear of what is happening around the world, we realise just how easy we have it here in Northern Ireland. It’s not illegal for us to meet together; we aren’t in danger of the secret police interrupting our meetings, of being arrested, or of facing death.

And yet, even here in Richhill, there might still be pressures to deny Jesus. They may be more subtle, but they will still come. It might be as you call into a friend’s house on the way home, and they tease you about being in church on a Thursday night. Or maybe in your workplace when you’re asked what you did at the weekend, and you share all sorts of things, except where you were between 11am and 12noon on Sunday morning. Or a friend will challenge you about something the Bible says - you don’t really believe that, do you? The pressure is to conform, to avoid embarrassment, to not be put on the spot. So you smile, and dodge the question.

In case you’re feeling guilty, and just before you switch off, take heart. You see, rather than the Bible portraying perfect people and honourable heroes; God in his grace gives us the fill picture - as Oliver Cromwell is reported to have asked while having his portrait painted: ‘warts and all.’

We think of Peter as one of the heroes of the faith - the bold, outspoken, courageous, first off the mark, leading disciple. We look at him and think he must be in a league of his won; so high above us in rank and power; he wouldn’t do the things we have done. Yet look at him as our reading ends tonight: ‘He went outside and wept bitterly.’ (62)

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s go back to the start, and see how Peter finds himself weeping bitterly - and what it might mean for us.

Back in verse 31, Jesus is still in the upper room with his disciples. They’ve shared in the Last Supper, when suddenly Jesus shared some surprising words with Peter (who is also called Simon):

‘Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.’ (31-32)

Jesus says that Satan has asked God for something. Other versions suggest something even stronger - that Satan has demanded. What has Satan asked for? ‘To sift you as wheat.’ That ‘you’ is plural - you all (or yousins). Satan wants to sift all the disciples as wheat.

Now, when I hear of sifting, it normally makes me happy. It means that Lynsey is busy in the kitchen with a sieve and some flour, which means that in a little while there’ll be some cakes or buns to sample. Good times. It’s not such a good time for the flour in the sieve though. It is shaken around, bumped about. It wouldn’t be so pleasant.

For the wheat being sifted, it was to be shaken up so that the chaff would be removed, and the wheat held in the sieve. But this is Satan asking for the disciples to be sifted, to be buffetted, to be tested, to see if they will give up on Jesus. All the disciples will be sifted, but Jesus tells Peter that he is praying for him, that his faith may not fail.

Do you see how Peter responds to these words? ‘But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”’ (33) The other gospels recall similar words of bravado, where Peter says something like - even if all the rest fail you, I never will. They might fall away, but I’ll remain with you. Even at this point, Peter is being sifted, tested.

Jesus speaks the unthinkable for bold Peter: “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” (34) Now, we’re not told how Peter responds here. Matthew and Mark both tell us that Peter says, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ (Mt 26:35, Mk 14:31) He doesn’t believe what Jesus has just told him.

But it’s one thing to declare that we love Jesus and stand with him in the upper room where it’s safe. It’s another thing on the dark hillside of the Mount of Olives, or by the fire in the courtyard of the high priest’s house. It’s one thing to sing our praise to Jesus here in church, but another thing by the fireside of a friend. What will happen to Peter?

By verse 54, Jesus has been arrested on the Mount of Olives. He has been taken to the high priest’s house. The rest of the disciples aren’t mentioned. They have fled. But Peter ‘followed at a distance.’ He hasn’t given up yet. Peter joins the crowd by the fire, he’s settling into his place, getting warmed up, when the first accusation comes.

‘A servant girl say him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.”’ (56) She may have been among the crowd which had gone to arrest Jesus. She may have watched as Peter swung the sword and lopped off the ear of the high priest’s servant. She knew him, had seen him with Jesus. But he quickly denies it: ‘Woman, I don’t know him.’ (57)

Time passed, and again the accusations come. ‘You also are one of them.’ ‘Man, I am not!’ (58). And an hour later, a third accusation comes: ‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’ (59) This is all taking place in Jerusalem, among the city slickers. Galilee was away to the north, a more rural place, with a different accent, maybe seen as a bit more backward. It would be like someone from a rural part of Northern Ireland being up in Belfast, you can tell they’re from somewhere else. So to be a Galilean, where Jesus was also from, was to be seen as part of Jesus’ group.

‘Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.’ (60-62)

In just a few words, we get the drama of the scene. The Lord turns and looks straight at Peter. And Peter weeps bitterly. What a turn around, in the course of one evening. I am ready for prison and death. Then, I don’t know him.

Was Satan triumphant in his request? He had requested that the disciples be sifted like wheat. It looks like they have all failed the test. They have all abandoned Jesus. And Peter, despite Jesus’ prayer that his faith may not fail, Peter has failed and denied his master. Is Satan victorious? Are we pawns in Satan’s hand and power?

Definitely not! You see, Satan does not have any power over us by himself. He is on a leash; he had to ask God and be granted permission to sift the disciples. His testing of them still lies within the power and sovereignty of God. In the heat of the trial we can easily forget that God is still in control.

But more than that, Jesus’ prayer was answered. It might look as if it wasn’t - Peter denied Jesus, after all - but this was a momentary stumble; this was a final, fatal fall like Judas in his betrayal. Rather here’s what Jesus prayed: ‘But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ (32)

Jesus knew that Peter would deny him; yet even before the fact, he paves the way back; he gives him the job of strengthening his brothers ‘when you have turned back.’ After Jesus is raised from the dead, he restores Peter, on the beach, by another charcoal fire. Three times, he asks: ‘Do you love me?’ And three times Peter replies, ‘You know that I love you.’ (Jn 21)

Peter would strengthen the brothers when he had turned back. And he still continues to encourage and strengthen us as we see how he denied Jesus, but turned back again to his Lord. This episode is written for us, to show God’s grace in Peter’s life.

And just seven weeks later on the Day of Pentecost, Peter would stand in the very same city and declare that Jesus is the Messiah - he would not deny Jesus again. So if you’re feeling the heat; if you’re under pressure; if you’re being sifted - remember that Jesus is praying for you; he is interceding at the right hand of the Father for you right now. And remember that in Jesus, your failures are not final, and they are not fatal. In Jesus, we have the victory.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill in the Characters Around the Cross Holy Week Series on Maundy Thursday 18th April 2019.

Sermon: Luke 10: 25-37 Who is my neighbour?

Actions:

Good - thumbs up ‘good, good’
Love - cross your heart ‘love love love’
Neighbour - shake hands ‘hello neighbour’
Priest - hands in air ‘hallelujah!’
Levite - hands together ‘hmm - praying meditation noise’
Samaritan - angry face ‘boo’

One day, a man asked Jesus what he had to do to get eternal life. How GOOD is GOOD enough? JEsus asked him what the Old Testament law said. 

To be GOOD enough for God, here’s what you need to do. You need to LOVE God with all of your heart - your feelings and emotions. You need to LOVE God with all your soul - your very being. You need to LOVE God with all your strength - in all you do. And you need to LOVE God with all your mind - in the thoughts you think. 

That means we are meant to always, fully and totally LOVE God with everything we are and have. And as if that’s not enough, we are also to LOVE our NEIGHBOUR as much as we LOVE ourselves. 

LOVE God and LOVE your neighbour. That’s the bar you have to reach to earn your own salvation - it’s like an impossibly high high jump bar. None of us can reach it. None of us can do it. 

But this man thought that he might be able to do it all by himself. And so he wants to check the terms and conditions - the small print of the agreement. So, wanting to justify himself, he asks Jesus a question. Just a small question. Four/five words: who is my NEIGHBOUR?

The man is thinking to himself that if your NEIGHBOUR is just the person who lives next door to you, then he might be able to LOVE that person. 

But Jesus answers his question by telling a story. It’s a story of a man who was on a journey. And on the way, he was attacked, beaten and robbed. He was sore, and left for dead. 

After a wee while, he heard someone coming along. He looked up, and saw that it was a PRIEST who was coming. Oh GOOD, the man thought. This PRIEST will help me. But, the PRIEST didn’t want to help. He pretended not to notice the man. He crossed the road, and walked past on the other side. The PRIEST was no help at all. 

Soon another person came along the road. He was a LEVITE, who also worked at the temple with the PRIEST. Surely he would do something GOOD to help him? But the LEVITE also pretended not to see him. He also crossed the road, and walked on by, just like the PRIEST. 

After a while, someone else was coming. But this man was a SAMARITAN. Now, the Jews didn’t like the SAMARITANS. The SAMARITANS were considered their enemies. Jews and SAMARITANS didn’t get on. He wouldn’t get any help from him. After all, the SAMARITANS couldn’t do any GOOD, they were such bad people. 

Yet the SAMARITAN stopped with the man. He had compassion on the man. He helped the man, by binding up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He brought the man to an inn, and paid for him to stay there and be looked after. This SAMARITAN did lots of GOOD for the beaten up man. 

Then Jesus asked this simple question. Think of the PRIEST, the LEVITE and the SAMARITAN. Which of them was a GOOD NEIGHBOUR to the man in need? It wasn’t the PRIEST. he ignored the man’s need. It wasn’t the LEVITE. he ignored the man’s need. The GOOD NEIGHBOUR was the SAMARITAN. (So I think we should stop boo-ing when we hear him mentioned...)

Even though the two men weren’t from the same country, or supported the same team, or liked the same things - the Samaritan was an example of a good neighbour. He helped whoever needed his help, whoever they were. 

So our neighbour isn’t just the person who lives next door. Our neighbour is everyone in the whole world. To be perfect, to earn our own salvation by ourselves, to be good enough to gain heaven - we would have to love God perfectly, and love everyone in the whole world. And that is impossible. We’ve already realised that today, and confessed our failures to God. We can’t do it ourselves. 

But Jesus did live this perfect life. He loved God with his heart, soul, strength and mind. He always perfectly obeyed his Father’s will. And he loved his neighbours as he loved himself. Who are Jesus’ neighbours? That’s everyone who ever lived. That’s you and me. And Jesus loved us perfectly, by laying down his life for us. 

Jesus is the Good Samaritan, because he had compassion on us. He gave himself for us in our need. He helped us by dying on the cross for us. 

We can’t do it by ourselves. But Jesus has done it for us. He has been our Good Samaritan, the one who loves you. And in response he calls us to love one another. To put others first. Even the people we don’t like and don’t get on with. And you might think - that’s still impossible! But when Jesus is your friend, when you follow him, he gives us his Holy Spirit to help us love God and love others. He makes us to become more like Jesus, who did love like this. It’s amazing love. It’s love that is so amazing that we ask: Amazing love how can it be that you my King would die for me?

This sermon was preached at the Love So Amazing family service in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 18th February 2018.

Sermon: Luke 2: 41-52 Home but not alone

Every family seems to have some sort of traditions and customs. So maybe when it’s someone’s birthday, they get to choose what’s for dinner, or where you go to celebrate. You might take the day after New Year’s Day to take down the tree and do a spring clean. Or you always take a certain week or fortnight on holiday, every year, without fail.

Family traditions are usually seen at Christmas. Whether it’s who hosts the dinner, or there’s a pattern of which ‘side’ you go to on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, or when you open your presents - there’s a way you tend to do things. Family traditions that help make Christmas what it is. One of our family traditions (although, I’m realising we didn’t do it this year...) is that at some point in the run-up to Christmas, we’ll watch a movie. Not just any movie, though, the same movie, every year.

Some of our friends watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Maybe for you it’s The Great Escape. In our house, almost every year since we’ve been married, we’ve watched Home Alone. Or else Home Alone 2: lost in New York.

If you’ve never seen Home Alone, then perhaps the name helps you to grasp the idea. A little boy called Kevin is, well, home alone. Through a series of mishaps, Kevin gets left behind while his family head off on holiday. As the movie progresses, you follow Kevin overcoming his fears, enjoying having the house to himself, and finally defeating the wet bandits as they try to break in to steal from the house. While Kevin is having a great time, the camera keeps cutting back to his frantic parents as they try to get back home to find their son.

In our Bible reading this morning, we find a situation a bit like the Home Alone story. Every year, Joseph and Mary went up to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. It’s one of the big Jewish festivals, recalling the escape from slavery in Egypt. It was a requirement for everyone who could to go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival.

And so this particular year, Jesus was twelve years old. When they’re travelling back to Nazareth, they were likely in a big group, everyone walking and talking together. But after a day’s travel, they discover that Jesus is not with them. He’s nowhere to be found.

Now, imagine that you’re Mary. You’ve given birth to this special son, announced by an angel, witnessed to by more angels and visited by shepherds and wise men. And he has... disappeared. Aged 12. Imagine the agony, the sense of blame, the panic as you begin to search for him. Where is he? Where could he be? What’s going on?

Before we discover where Jesus was, I’ve a question for you. Why are we told about this incident? This is the only record we have of Jesus between the visit of the wise men in Matthew 2 (when he was under 2), and the moment when Jesus begins his public ministry around the age of 30. This is the only detail we have of his childhood. Why?

Back at the start of Luke’s gospel he tells us his purpose and method in writing this book. He talks about eyewitnesses and servants of the word. He talks about carefully investigating everything from the beginning. and he does that careful historical work ‘so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.’

It seems that Luke has interviewed Mary, and got this story from her. Back on Christmas morning we looked at the unforgettable Christmas, as she ‘treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.’ So in v51 ‘his mother treasured all these things in her heart’ - even though she didn’t understand what Jesus said to her. (50). Time and again, she would return to this day, think about this day, run over the words her son said, trying to work it out.

So we’re given this bonus DVD material only in Luke’s gospel, because he thinks it’s an important step along the journey. It adds something to the gospel, it helps us to see Jesus more clearly. So what does it show us about Jesus? We’ll see, as we return to Mary and Joseph in verse 45.

They return to Jerusalem to look for him. There wasn’t any Twitter or Facebook to put out a missing persons appeal. They just keep searching... for three whole days. And where was he?

‘After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at this understanding and his answers.’

He’s in the temple, talking to, asking and answering questions with the religious leaders. Just a twelve-year old boy, yet with great understanding. It would be like one of our Sunday School members attending a meeting of the House of Bishops and holding their own with them in theological debate. Everyone is amazed at his understanding.

Everyone, that is, apart from Mary and Joseph. We’re told in verse 48 they were astonished. They were also probably annoyed. Look closely at verse 48. How is Joseph described there?

‘When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”’

And look how Jesus replies: ‘Where were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ At the time, they didn’t understand what he said, but Mary remembered those words. Do you see what Jesus is saying about who he is?

Mary says, ‘Your father and I’ meaning Joseph, but Jesus says, ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’ While it’s a bit like Home Alone, Jesus is saying that he’s home, but he’s not alone. He is in his Father’s house, the temple, the place where God is at home.

Back in Luke 1 we’re told that Mary conceives Jesus as a result of the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit. Joseph was not Jesus’ father. Yet Joseph adopts Jesus as his own, he becomes his earthly father by adoption. But Jesus reminds Mary and Joseph that he belongs to another family, that Joseph isn’t really his father - that God is his Father. Jesus is growing in the awareness that he is the Son of God, not the son of Joseph.

At the tender age of 12, Jesus already knows who he is - his real identity, and with it, his mission. For Jesus, his primary loyalty is to his heavenly Father, in recognition of the fact that he is the Son of God. This is then confirmed in the next chapter, at the age of 30, at his baptism: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ (3:22). Nothing will sway him from his primary identity, yet he willingly submits to them in obedience as he grows up. (51)

Boys and girls - there’s a challenge here for you. The Lord Jesus was perfect, sinless, and yet he submitted to sinful parents, who didn’t always get it right.

As he did so, ‘Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.’ What about taking that verse as an aim for this new year? In 2018, seeking to grow in wisdom - godly wisdom, knowing God better through his word; seeking to grow in stature - maybe for the boys and girls to grow up taller, but for each of us to grow in reputation, to be known for our Christian witness; and to grow in favour with God and people.

These things won’t happen by themselves. We don’t drift into godliness - we need to work at it, need to make an effort. Whether that’s by taking some extra time each day to read and pray; or by taking up a good Christian book; or committing to be regular at worship; or starting to come along to the Bible study fellowship. What steps will you take this year to grow in wisdom, stature and grace?

How do you see Jesus? Is he just a man, the son of Joseph? That’s how some of the crowds saw him in Nazareth, in Luke 4:22 - ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ Or again in John 6:42 - ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven?”’ The son of Joseph would be just a man, unable to save us, mired in sins like the rest of us.

But Jesus is the Son of God, in his Father’s house, about his Father’s business, even knowing that from the age of 12. He knows who he is, and why he is here, and nothing will sway him from his mission. Do you know Jesus as the Son of God, as God come down to save us?

Jesus, God’s Son, was home, but not alone, fulfilling his mission to save his people and make us children of God. It’s through Jesus that we can grasp the promise that ‘In my Father’s house are many rooms’ - as he welcomes us into his house. It’s through Jesus that we are welcome today, to share his table, to celebrate his love and sacrifice, and to wait for our heavenly home with him.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday morning 7th January 2018.

Sermon: Luke 2: 21-40 Simeon's Bucket List

What do all the following things have in common?

Swim with dolphins
Learn a new language
See the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
Throw a dart at a map and travel to wherever it lands
Get a tattoo

Any ideas? They are among the most popular items on people’s bucket lists. So what’s on your bucket list? You may not know the term, but you might just have a bucket list.

It’s not a list of the buckets you own (if indeed, you own more than one bucket, just in case, like Liza in the song, there’s a hole in your bucket...) It’s a list of things you want to do before you... kick the bucket. The things that you could say, ‘I’ve done that, now I can die happy.’

So what would your bucket list include? What would you prioritise? As the new year dawns tomorrow, what would you like to have done by next new year’s eve?

I’m not going to share my bucket list, because in my last church, I mentioned that I would love to make it to the top of Cuilcagh mountain, the highest point in Fermanagh (and Cavan). You might have seen the photos of the stairway to heaven, the wooden walkway and staircase built over the bog. Well, I foolishly mentioned that I wanted to climb it, and so before I left, one of our parishioners marched me to the top of the staircase, in the snow and ice, to say that I’d done it!

So what would your bucket list include? What would you want to do so that you could die happy?

This morning in our reading, we meet a man with just one item on his bucket list. And the one thing on his list might not seem like a big deal for us. His bucket list says: ‘See a baby.’ He lives in Jerusalem, he must see loads of babies, as their parents brought them to the temple for dedication, as the Old Testament commanded.

But it’s not just any baby. It’s actually see ‘the’ baby. Simeon is described (25) as righteous and devout. He trusts in the Lord, he’s living by faith. But more than that, he is ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel.’

Now, when do you need consoled? It’s when you’re in distress. When things aren’t going right. You need someone to console you, to provide comfort. I haven’t played any bowls here yet, but in my last parish I sometimes played. And at Christmas there was always a party night. Everyone played three games, with the teams drawn at random, and at the end of the night, the scores were added up. There were prizes for the top scoring men and women.

I played as well as ever, and needed to be consoled, because I finished with the lowest score. But I was consoled - I for the booby prize, or the consolation prize. It made up for what was lacking. When I unwrapped my Terry’s Chocolate Orange, the pain of my terrible performance was forgotten!

Simeon is waiting for the consolation of Israel. Israel was in a bad way. They seemed to be far from God. God hadn’t spoken to them for about 400 years. The Romans had conquered the land. Israel was occupied, ruled over by the Romans. Israel needed to be consoled.

Look at v26: ‘It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.’ Another version puts it that Simeon wouldn’t SEE death until he had SEEN the Lord’s Christ. So Simeon knows that he won’t die until he has seen the Christ, the one through whom the consolation of Israel would come. So Simeon’s bucket list reads: ‘see the Christ.’

Out of all the babies in the temple that day, Simeon is guided to the right one. He takes the baby Jesus in his arms, and breaks into song. ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’

I can die happy, because I have seen your salvation. He may not know how the salvation will come, but he knows who will bring the salvation. And by the Holy Spirit, he seems to base his song on our first reading, the servant song of Isaiah 49. He links Jesus to the servant in that song, who is the means of the Lord comforting his people; the way Israel will be gathered back to God; but also as a light to the nations.

Out of all the moments of Jesus’ life and ministry, which one would you most like to see and experience? If we could crank up a time machine so that you could be there, which would you choose? To sample the feeding of the 5000? To watch his crucifixion? To hear him tell the parable of the Good Samaritan firsthand? To see him raise Lazarus? It would be hard to choose.

Yet Simeon is pleased to simply see Jesus as a tiny baby, just 40 days old. Even though Simeon sees only the seed, he knows that the full flowering of salvation will come - by this baby. God’s word is sure. Just as God promised Simeon he would see his salvation, so God will fulfil that salvation in the Lord Jesus.

The baby didn’t stay a baby. He grew up, in lifelong obedience to God’s word and will. He lived the perfect life of obedience; he died the perfect death, to bear our sins, to bring us forgiveness. Through his death, we have life. Through his name being proclaimed to this day, Jews and Gentiles are bring brought back to God.

So what’s on your bucket list? You might have 1001 items on it. You might have so many ideas about what you should do before you can die happy. but Simeon tells us that only one will really matter after we die. That only one is important. And it’s the one that Simeon had on his bucket list - to meet and know Jesus. To see him as your Saviour. Because when you have his salvation, you can die happy - but more than that, you can die confident that you will live with him for all eternity.

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation. Amen.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday 31st December 2017.

Sermon: Luke 2: 1-7 O little town of Bethlehem

Well, ready or not, Christmas has arrived. And even though we know it’s coming, the date is the same every year, yet still we find ourselves running about, getting things sorted. And this year it seems strange that Christmas Eve is on a Sunday - giving us a pause before Christmas Day itself.

This morning gives us an opportunity to look back to the very first Christmas, to see what really happened. And we’re in the hands of Dr Luke, the writer of this gospel, who tells us in the very first verses of the book that he has ‘carefully investigated everything from the beginning.’ (1:3). Dr Luke gives us the true story of the first Christmas.

And in this morning’s seven verses, he tells us about the events of the first Christmas - the time, the place, and the circumstances of the birth of Jesus. So let’s look at each in turn, starting with the time of Jesus’ birth.

V1: ‘In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)’

The focus at the very start of the passage is on the people in power. There’s Caesar Augustus, who is the Roman Emperor; and that hard-to-pronounce-at-carol-services name, Quirinius, the governor of Syria. Augustus was ruling over the entire Roman world - and one word from him impacted on lots of other people.

It’s a bit like today. Our focus and attention can be on the few very powerful people who control the world. With us, it’s Teresa May leading the Brexit negotiations - whatever she decides (or, ok, agrees to with the EU), it will have an impact on all of us when we finally leave the European Union. Or think of Donald Trump. There are fears that he might decide to launch a nuclear missile - which will certainly impact lots of other people. Well, at this point in history, it was Augustus who was calling the shots.

Whatever his reasons, Augustus decides to take a census. It may be that, as the King James Version puts it, everyone should be taxed. It was at least, some form of registration. So the word goes out from Augustus, and everyone is caught up in his demands. We see this in verse 3: ‘And everyone went to his own town to register.’

Someone on Twitter the other day said this: ‘For too long I thought that it was awfully inconvenient for the King to call a census at Christmas time.’ (@ngorlly)

They thought that it’s busy enough at Christmas, without having to deal with a census as well. but it’s not that the census was called at Christmas, but that Christmas called during the census.

Caesar Augustus decided he would call a census, but behind the scenes, God was calling the shots. And God was working through the decisions and decrees of the powerful to bring about his purposes.

The time of Jesus’ birth was the time of the census, but as we saw in Galatians 4: ‘But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.’ (Gal 4:4-5).

In the next verses, we see the place of Jesus’ birth. We’ve already sung about it this morning - O little town of Bethlehem. And in these verses we see how the decree of the Roman emperor impacts on one particular family. The focus shifts from the powerful and important, to the ordinary and (in the world’s eyes) unimportant.

‘So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.’ (4-5)

Joseph is living in Nazareth, in the province of Galilee. But he can’t register there, as he’s not from there. At some stage he must have been a blow-in. And so he sets off, along with Mary his betrothed - his fiancee. A journey of about 70-80 miles - from here to either Londonderry or Dublin. With no planes, trains or automobiles.

Think of the upheaval, the uncertainty, the inconvenience of having to move, having to travel. And yet, God is at work when we’re being shaken up.

Now why does Joe have to go the whole way to Bethlehem? It is the city of David (as we heard in our Old Testament reading). And Joseph belongs to ‘the house and line of David.’ There hasn’t been a king of Israel/Judah for about 500 years. But Joseph is from David’s family, and David’s line.

The old promises that David would never fail to have a son on the throne seems to have fallen aside. But it’s not been forgotten. And perhaps Joseph has the promise given to Mary back in 1:32 singing in his ears - ‘The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.’

Through the decree of Augustus, Joseph and Mary move from Nazareth to Bethlehem, getting them there just in time for the birth of the baby - as promised in Micah 5 - ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel...’ (Micah 5:2).

You can see how things are coming together - the right time and the right place to fulfil God’s purposes, to bring about the birth of the king. But even as I say those words, the birth of the king, you know that it’s not quite as fancy as the birth of Prince George, or even Princess Charlotte, or the new Prince or Princess to be born in April.

The birth of this king didn’t take place in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London, with the world’s journalists outside. Nor was it in a royal palace. In fact, try to hear these words as if you’ve never heard them before.

‘While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.’

No maternity ward; no midwife; nobody, it seems, except for Mary and Joseph. The circumstances are humble, poor, and - I was going to say ordinary, but this is far from ordinary. Mary herself wraps the baby in cloths - swaddling bands as the hymn puts it - strips of cloth to provide some warmth. A sign of poverty, of making do with whatever comes to hand. Perhaps, even, a pointer to the strips of linen that would encircle the body of Jesus after his crucifixion.

Mary also places the baby, not in a Moses basket, or a cot, but in a manger. We’re so used to it, we fail to realise how odd this is! It’s the sign that the shepherds will be given to find the baby, because babies don’t normally lie in the livestock’s lunchbox. The feeding trough becomes the king’s bed.

And why did these things happen? The strange circumstances of Jesus’ birth? ‘Because there was no room for them in the inn.’ A thousand nativity plays hone in on this little detail, providing a part for two, three, four innkeepers all saying ‘no room at the inn’ before one takes pity on them and offers his stable.

The inn could simply be the guestroom, with someone else already ‘in’ it - and so the birth may have been in the lower part of the family home, where the animals stayed, rather than a separate stable or outhouse. But however, even in these circumstances, God was at work. Later Jesus would say that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head - at his birth, a borrowed manger was his bed.

Dr Luke shares his carefully researched history - the time, the place, and the circumstances of the birth of Jesus. And through them all, God was at work - to use the census decree of Caesar Augustus to bring Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, the city of David; where in the strangest of circumstances, the Son of David would be born.

On that first Christmas, there was no room for Jesus. This Christmas, are you making room for Jesus?

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Christmas Eve, Sunday 24th December 2017

Carol Service Epilogue: Luke 2:12 Christmas Unwrapped

Richhill 17/12/17 pm
Luke 2:12 Christmas Unwrapped

Are you all set for Christmas? Have you all the presents wrapped and under the tree? It’s one of the most exciting parts of Christmas - seeing all the beautifully wrapped gifts with coloured paper and bows - and the best bit: the gift tag that says it’s a present for you!

When we were growing up, dad had a rule that we weren’t allowed to open any presents until Christmas morning. Now that wasn’t too bad, except our great-aunt and uncle lived in Belfast, and always came to visit granny early in December, bringing presents with them. The mysterious presents (and they were always brilliant) sat under the tree for several weeks. We weren’t allowed to open them, but that didn’t stop us from poking and prodding them, trying to work out what was inside. You see, the wrappings were nice, but they’re not the most important part.

Up until the big day, it’s the wrapping that holds the attention. But come Christmas Day, the wrapping paper is torn away, the gift inside is revealed, and the real enjoyment can begin. Whether the paper ends up in a plastic bag, carefully collected at the time, or the room looks like it’s been re-carpeted with fragments of wrapping paper, the wrapping is forgotten, and the presents are finally present.

But sometimes, you hear of the child who takes more enjoyment from the box, rather than the expensive gift inside. The box becomes all sorts of things in the imagination, the toy itself is left abandoned. If it’s your child, you want to show them the real present, not just the wrappings. Otherwise, they’re missing the precious gift.

We might laugh when it comes to a child, and yet sometimes we too can be so caught up in the tinsel and trappings, and yet miss the treasure. We come round to another Christmas time, and we think we’ve heard it all before. We know the story so well, we reckon it’s just for the kids. We get wrapped up in the wrappings of Christmas, that we miss the gift itself.

You see Christmas is about more than cooking the perfect brussell sprouts and attending the parties and being visited by the jolly man in red and spending time together as a family. If we unwrap the Christmas package, what is it we find at the centre? What is the heart of Christmas? Our Bible readings tonight help us to discover Christmas unwrapped:

Take away the tinsel and turkey and tree; pass on the parties and puddings and mince pies; strip away the shepherds and angels and wisemen; and gaze on the glorious gift - which is wrapped up, but not in paper and bows. Luke tells us that the gift is wrapped... in strips of cloth, and lying in a manger, where the animals feed. This is THE Christmas present: He is the Christmas gift: a tiny newborn baby.

But this is no ordinary baby. Every parent knows that their baby is special, their child is amazing - but none can compare with the baby in the manger. We discover that this is the long-awaited king, the rescuer. As the angels told the shepherds: ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’ (Luke 2:11)

Isaiah helps us remove the wrapping to see just who Jesus is: ‘He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ It’s the message of the most famous verse in the Bible: ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.’

You might be a present-poker; you might have sneaked a peek; or you might be waiting patiently to see what’s under the tree. But don’t get caught up in the wrapping paper and miss the real Christmas gift.

The gift tag has your name on it. The gift is for you. God gives us his Son, the Saviour. Will you receive him this Christmas time?

This sermon was preached at the Carols by Candlelight Service in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday 17th December 2017.

Sermon: Luke 1: 39-56 A People Prepared (3) - Mary's Melody of Mercy

We haven’t been to London recently, but whenever we’re there, we like to take in a show. And if you’ve been to London for the West End, or New York for Broadway, you’ll know that musical theatre is big business. Packed theatres, telling a story through song and dance. One of our friends regularly takes trips to London to make it to two or three shows per day, and then writes reviews of them.

But musicals strike me as slightly strange, if you think about them logically. As you watch in the theatre, or maybe as you watch the Sound of Music on TV this Christmas - think of it this way. It’s a normal day, people going about their business, when suddenly, someone starts singing. They burst out into a song, and everyone else is able to join in! If you were walking down the street after church and you started into a song, people would wonder what you were doing! It just doesn’t happen in real life - this spontaneous singing... or does it?

As Luke tells us about the preparations for the first Christmas, the things that God was doing to make a people prepared for the coming of Jesus, so far he has told us about the important missions of the angel Gabriel. Bringing news of two babies to be born in unlikely circumstances - John, to Zechariah and Elizabeth, the elderly parents; and Jesus to Mary the virgin. This week and next, we’ll hear the responses of Mary and Zechariah. And we’ll see that, just like musical theatre, they both break into song, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

We’re told that when Mary heard the angel’s news, she packed up, and went off to visit Elizabeth, where she stayed three months. When Mary arrives, Elizabeth is filled with the Spirit, and declares: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!... Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’

Elizabeth recognises the blessing God has given Mary - and even the baby in Elizabeth’s womb recognises the mother of his Lord - leaping for joy in her womb! And then Mary begins her salvation song; her melody of mercy.

Now if you’ve been around the Church of Ireland long enough, you’ll recognise this song as the Magnificat, from the opening line in the prayer book, ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord.’ Well our version here has ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.’

Whichever word you use - magnify or glorify, they both have the same idea. If you have a magnifying glass, it helps you to make something bigger, to make it easier to read the newspaper or your Bible. For Mary to magnify the Lord is to glorify him, to ‘big up’ his reputation; to rejoice in him.

So why is she rejoicing? Her song seems to divide into two sections, each of which end with the theme of mercy. The words and phrases are Bible words and phrases - you might even notice links to Hannah’s song, sung when she gave birth to the great prophet Samuel. So why is Mary rejoicing?

Mary rejoices because of 1. What God has done for Mary. ‘...for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.

We’re nearly at the time of year when the next round of the Queen’s Honours will be announced, at the new year. All over the country, people will receive letters from the Queen, inviting them to receive an MBE or OBE for their community service, or charity work or whatever. Now, the Queen doesn’t sit down herself, going through the phonebook thinking, who will I honour this year? There’s a network of nominations, advisors, and yet it’s a great honour to go to Buckingham Palace to receive the award.

Put yourself in Mary’s sandals. The God who is mighty, ruling over the universe, the all-powerful one - he has chosen and blessed Mary! That’s why all generations will call her blessed - she has been blessed by God, chosen to be the mother of the Messiah - not even a once in a lifetime opportunity - a once in the entire history of the world opportunity!

As Mary finishes off her first section, she celebrates God’s mercy - mercy for her, yes, but mercy extending ‘to those who fear him, from generation to generation.’ God is holy - holy is his name (his character) - but Mary knows that she is a sinner, there’s nothing special about her. She wasn’t chosen because she was sinless or immaculate; yet she fears God - she acknowledges him as God her Saviour. And she says this mercy is for all who fear him

I wonder if you can echo these words? Just as Mary speaks out about what God has done for her, I wonder if you could do the same? Testimony might not be a very Church of Ireland thing, yet there’s power in being able to say what God has done for you. this past week, I marked 25 years since the night I became a Christian. What’s your story? Has the Mighty One done great things for you?

Mary rejoices because of what God has done for her. but Mary also rejoices because of 2. what God has done for all his people. Her song is connected to her son, and what he will achieve as the kingdom is unleashed. And yet, you might see, that it’s all past tense. Every sentence starts ‘he has...’ Why is that? It’s a bit like the prophets - when God says something, or promises something, it’s as good as done, it’s so certain, you can say it as if it has already happened. So, he has performed mighty deeds with his arm...

Things are being turned upside down, as God performs his mighty deeds, as he shows strength (old BCP). The proud, the rulers, the rich, they are scattered, brought down, sent away empty; while the humble and hungry are lifted up and filled with good things.

Remember that Mary lives in Israel, under occupation, under the evil King Herod, who was under the even more evil Caesar. Various Zealot movements had tried to get rid of the Romans, and had failed miserably, their leaders executed on crosses. But Mary can celebrate because God us putting his plan into action, and nothing will stop it. God’s kingdom will turn these earthly kingdoms upside down. The mighty rulers will be dethroned, the meek will inherit the earth.

And all this, in fulfilment of those promises of mercy for Israel, for God’s people going right back to Abraham. God had promised that through Abraham’s seed every nation will be blessed - and it’s in Mary’s child these promises are going ahead, and God’s mercy is spreading to all who fear him.

What Mary sings about, Jesus puts into action when he says that those who humble themselves will be exalted, but those who exalt themselves will be humbled. This song is like the gospel before the gospel, the first taster of life in the kingdom. But the question remains - where will we put ourselves? When the world is turned upside down, where will we be? Will we be clinging to our pride in our achievements or our goodness? If so, we’ll be brought down in the judgement to come.

Or will we humble ourselves, acknowledge our sin and poverty, our low estate, and find his rich mercy in Jesus, and so rejoice in God our Saviour?

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday evening 3rd December 2017.

Sermon: Luke 1: 26-38 A People Prepared - Mary

The angel Gabriel was having a busy time. Now, I’m not sure how angels normally put their time in, but as Luke begins to tell the story of Jesus, we hear of a couple of Gabriel’s special missions. Last week, you might remember, we saw him meeting Zechariah in the temple, delivering the message that the old priest and his wife would soon be having a baby boy. Zechariah didn’t believe it, and was quite literally rendered speechless, he was dumbstruck, until it all happened as he had been told.

As we approach tonight’s reading, it looks as if it’s business as usual for Gabriel, as he brings the news of another baby. But really, last week’s mission was almost like a rehearsal for the real thing; the warm-up act before the star takes to the stage.

Did you notice the contrasts between the two missions? Last time it was to the temple, but this time it’s in a home. He went to Jerusalem, the capital, previously, but now it’s the town of Nazareth in Galilee, in the far north of the country. He goes to a woman this time, not a man; and a young virgin, rather than an old priest.

Mary is introduced in verses 26-27. She is a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. They’re engaged, but they’re not married yet. She’s just going about her business, it’s just an ordinary day, when something extraordinary happens. The angel appears to her, and gives her a strange greeting.

‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ (28)

We’re told that ‘Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.’ (29). It’s not every day you meet an angel, never mind one bringing words like these. And what words they are! Gabriel says that Mary is highly favoured - God has favoured her, chosen her, given her his undeserved grace. And not only that, but the Lord is with her.

Out of all the people in Nazareth, and everyone in Israel, the Lord has chosen and favoured her. The Lord is with her. For us, we’re so used to talking about the Lord being with us, we even use that response ‘The Lord be with you...’ But for Mary, this was an incredibly amazing greeting.

But the greeting was just the start. Gabriel has some news that will change Mary’s life forever, and will change the whole world. Let’s hear what he says about the baby Mary is going to have: ‘You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High...’ (31-32)

The very first thing that Gabriel says about Jesus is that he will be... great. Now, I don’t know about you, but that word seems to have lost some of its impact. If you were out for dinner, the meal might be great. A movie you saw was great. You can even use the word as a kind of opposite, with the right tone of voice. So here’s what we’re going to do tomorrow, and you think ‘Great.’ So what does it mean when it says that Jesus will be great?

Perhaps the Greek word can help us. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, I don’t know any Greek. But I’m fairly sure you’ll know this word - mega. So, when I was growing up, a new computer game console came out which, the makers claimed, was the best, fastest computer game console ever. And what was it called? The Sega Megadrive. Or think of the music shops that used to be around - the Virgin Megastore - it wasn’t just a shop, it was a mega store, a great shop.

Now you might remember that John would be ‘great in the sight of the Lord’ (15). Jesus will be great. No other conditions. It’s as if Jesus is at the top of the league of greatness, in a league of his own, even. Why is he great? Well, as Gabriel continues, he is the Son of the Most High. This is no ordinary baby - this is God on earth, the Son of God.

Can you see who Jesus is? As we come near to Christmas and hear again about the baby lying in the manger, do you just see the cute wee baby? Is that all you see? Gabriel urges us to see the Son of God, having given up his power and glory to humble himself, to come and take on our flesh, to come and rescue us. Jesus is the great Son of God.

But there’s even more that Gabriel says about this baby. This great Son of God is also the great Son of David. ‘The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.’

God is fulfilling his promises as the rescue plan goes into top gear. Back in the Old Testament, King David had conquered Jerusalem and established his throne there. He wanted to build God a house (the temple), but God instead promised to build David’s house (his line of kings - like the House of Tudor, or Stewart, or Windsor). So in 2 Samuel 7, the promise is made: ‘When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom... I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.’ (2 Sam 7:13-14)

At first glance, it looks as if God is talking about David’s son Solomon, who builds the temple, but he doesn’t reign forever. He reigned for 40 years, then died. And so the expectation continues - who is this king God has promised who will reign forever? David’s line continues, but the kings get worse and worse until Jerusalem is destroyed and there are no more kings. The promise seems to have died. Yet here, years later, God is fulfilling his promise - and his identified the son who will reign for ever! He will reign for ever because, as we know, death could not hold him - Jesus lives, and reigns, and will do for ever.

Mary might think this is all wonderful, but there’s a tiny problem. ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ It sounds, well, great, but it’s surely an impossible dream. Maybe if God waits until she marries Joseph, gives them some time, then she could bring forth this son?

Gabriel tells her how it will happen - not in the future, but here and now. ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’

This special, holy, great Son of God baby will be born to a virgin. And if she needs any more help believing it, Gabriel points her to what’s happening with her elderly relative: ‘Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.’

And here’s the point he’s driving to: ‘For nothing is impossible with God.’ If God can give a baby to old Elizabeth, then he can bring about the birth of his Son through the virgin Mary. Nothing is impossible with God. As Paul writes to the Ephesians, God is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or imagine. But so often we simply don’t believe it.

We would love to see that relative you pray for every day to come to faith, even though they’ve been anti-God for ever. Maybe that’s too hard for God to change, is it impossible? Is anything impossible with God? Gabriel says: No! Not even having a virgin conceive and give birth is impossible for God.

It was an ordinary day for an ordinary young woman. But it turned out to be extraordinary with news of God’s grace to Mary; and news of the great Son of God and Son of David who she would bear and birth. So how do we respond to this news? We see the way to respond in the answer that Mary gave that day: ‘I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.’

Mary receives the news, believes her God, and receives the Saviour. Whatever pain, and misunderstanding might come - Joseph was ready to divorce her quietly - Mary submits and obeys. May we also hear God’s word and obey.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Sunday evening 19th November 2017.