First Sunday of LentDeuteronomy 26: 1 – 11 Luke 4: 1 - 13Harvest seems like ages ago. Our gardens and our fields were ripe and full of crops. Time was spent gathering them all in. Some of our gleanings were sent off to market by the farmers. Some were frozen to be kept for future months by the one on charge of the food in our homes. And being harvest some was kept to one side and brought to Church for the Harvest Festivals.It might seem strange writing about Harvest as we are about to see the start of spring. In fact, by today, the First Sunday of Lent, many people have given up a favourite food. Harvest is far from their mind.Today’s Old Testament reading relates to the presentation of the first fruits. We, at Harvest, may gather a selection from our gardens, and bringing them to Church we offer our thanks to God for his goodness. Through him we have the sun and the rain, the warmth and the goodness, which allow and encourage the seed that we have sown to grow to ripeness. The token gift to God is just that. A token of our thanks for his providence which has allowed us to work the land and reap its rewards.In this reading from Deuteronomy the laws were being followed. The first fruits of the crop had to be brought before the Levites and the Priests and set down before them. In doing so a format of words was used dedicating the first fruits to God.After this celebration, in furtherance of the requirements of the law, there would be a feast. The bounty that had been brought before the Lord would be shared with the Levites, the Priests and aliens. All would rejoice in the goodness of the Lord.But that is not all. After fleeing from the Egyptians and settling in a land given them by God it must have been like a journey of exploration. Looking about them, it could be seen just how fruitful the land was. Encouraged by this the crops of all kinds would be tried to see which were best. It was the first fruits of these crops that would be brought as an offering to God.When we move to a new property, we also look about us to try to gain an idea of what may be grown. We take advantage of position, of fertility, and of the type of soil. These guide our choice of seed. In a much larger way, the similar thing happens if we move abroad. We change our gardening habits to suit the conditions about us.We do something very similar ourselves. We change our pattern of living to suit our earnings, our position, a new way of living. As we settle in our new communities we begin to flourish and gain in well-being. This also we can give thanks to God for, just as with a harvest. Indeed, it is a harvest of ourselves. We can come before the Church and join with others in worship, singing songs of praise, hearing about the word of God, and coming before him in prayer.That which was done thousands of years ago still is pertinent today, especially when we apply today’s values and standards. Lent is traditionally a time to give something up. As we begin our Lenten observance, we can give to God ourselves, for him to use as he sees fit.Collect for the First Sunday of LentAlmighty God,whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;and, as you know our weakness,so may we know your power to save;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
Third Sunday before Lent1 Corinthians 15.12–20 Luke 6.17–26Many will be familiar with the Sermon on the Mount. Here in Luke’s Gospel we have a similar passage called Sermon on the Plains. Again, Jesus is teaching, not just his disciples, but crowds who had gathered to hear him not only to be healed.The final verse of this passage “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets,” serves as a warning about what we say.In the days gone by prophets would proclaim the word of God in speeches to crowds. They would be held in awe. They would have been seen as great teachers. After they had finished speaking to the crowds, and after they had bathed in the responses and the adulation poured upon them then they would return to their home glowing with pride.However, there were those who also claimed to proclaim the word of God, but with them things were different. They were false prophets. They would speak, not God’s words, but utterances of their own devising. When they had finished they too would return home glowing with the praises heaped upon them, but in this they were praises falsely earned. These were false prophets, charlatans, preying on the people and of the desire of the people to hear from God. God’s word was not an everyday occurrence. When someone stood up claiming to speak in his name the people would stop to listen.They would hear what they wanted to hear. The false prophets would have known this. So, skilfully they framed their words into a speech, a speech which would claim the attention of the peoples and which would possibly have encouraged them to put generously into his ‘collecting hat or bowl’.Jesus was warning against doing things or speaking in a way that people would be speaking well of you. Do you deserve the good things that are being said? If you are speaking in public are you speaking from the heart, from what you are being given or led to say by God? It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gift of prophetic utterance is a gift to enlighten the hearers, to give them teaching coming direct from God. It will enrich them. It will bring them closer to God. Your words will bring reassurance for the word of God had not been heard for some while.To speak as a false prophet may address the immediate needs of a crowd but they will not be the worlds of God. Cleverly contrived they may be but they will not be food for the soul. The people may be clamouring to hear what you say. Your words may go and feed their wants. It is easy for someone to stand up and speak delivering what the listeners want to hear. A politician can stand and promise all manner of things, laws and policies. But without the correct backing to the words, they are just that, empty words without any meaning or promise.Speaking the word of God the prophet is being led by God. He is feeding the soul with God’s word. The listeners are hearing teaching which will enhance their lives.Recently I wrote about how important it is to speak correctly, to pronounce words as they should be spoken. Here is the reason why. When you stand up to read what is in front of you, you are to recall how it is the word of God that you are proclaiming. If you read well, the hearts of your listeners will be fed, they will be fed with God’s word. It will sink in becoming a part of them. You, as God’s spokesperson will be responsible for building up your listener.Collect for Third Sunday before Lent Almighty God,who alone can bring orderto the unruly wills and passions of sinful humanity:give your people graceso to love what you commandand to desire what you promise,that, among the many changes of this world,our hearts may surely there be fixedwhere true joys are to be found;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
Fourth Sunday before Lent1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 Luke 5: 1-11As we travel around, churches dot the landscape. If we get the chance it is good to stop at some and look inside, assuming that the door isn’t locked. Some are quite splendid, giving a warm and spiritual feel, whilst others just seem cold and empty. Looking around inside an idea of the worship being held there may be found. Posters displaying some of the children’s work hang down, flags of organisations are unfurled, some displays may be seen, fund-raising activities showing progress, all these give some indication of the life of the church and its congregation. Visiting a cathedral and even more can be seen of the life and history of the place of worship.Jesus had been preaching in the synagogue. The people had listened to him amazed by his teaching. He will have spoken in the synagogue again but not for too long. The pharisees were building up a swell of ill-feeling towards him. His presence in the synagogue was becoming unwelcome. Where could he go now to worship God his Father?The answer is in the cathedral of nature. The blue skies above stretch over the heads with sunshine bearing down, or at least on some days. Trees surround you as grand natural pillars holding up, as it were, the sky above. The rustle of the breeze through the trees and the sound of sheep and cattle replaces the rumble of traffic passing by. Nature provides its own church. It is this church that becomes Jesus’ church.Some years ago, I took my congregation to an abbey on a visit. Whilst we were there, out in the grounds, I held a service of Holy Communion. The atmosphere was special. None of us had experienced a major act of worship in the open before. To experience nature all around us as we prayed to God, out in the open, without the fabric of a building between us was special.This is just what Jesus was experiencing, only this time he was calling to him fishermen. The crowds were there waiting to hear him teach yet this time they witnessed him calling to him his disciples, close companions who were to play a special part in his ministry whilst developing a ministry of their own.They came from the sea placing their trust in Jesus as they answered his call to them. Jesus calls us too. Are we ready to place our trust in him? We do not know how the call will be made or where we will be. Just what will the call to us ask us to do?So many uncertainties, so many imponderables. We could be called to step forward to do almost anything. We need to be ready and to be listening for his call. As the fishermen stepped forward before the crowd of people so too must be ready to step forward.Jesus will call us. It may be to read a lesson in church, or to arrange flowers. The call may be to play the organ or to help clean the church. The call may be more involved requiring us to serve as a missionary here or abroad. The call could be to offer oneself for ordination. Many and varied are the avenues open to Jesus.Collect for the Fourth Sunday before LentO God,you know us to be setin the midst of so many and great dangers,that by reason of the frailty of our naturewe cannot always stand upright:grant to us such strength and protectionas may support us in all dangersand carry us through all temptations;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
Third Sunday of Epiphany1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a Luke 4: 14-21Cast your minds back to the good old days of school or college. You sat in rows or behind desks for what seemed hours and hours, learning about a variety of subjects. Some of that information would have actually sunk in to be remembered for years to come.There was a potential hazard to this system. If the speaker had a boring, monotone voice, a static approach, or nothing to maintain your attention, then they were on a hiding for nothing. The knowledge they were imparting was meeting a blank wall.A teacher who is animated and with a varied speech tone is more likely get their message across. We heard of how Jesus was in the synagogue. As was the custom there were plenty of people present. It was the turn of Jesus to read. He stood up and as he did so a silence filled the synagogue. Everyone wanted to hear what he was going to say. He was obviously well known as a good speaker.It is so important that those who read in church do read well. All may be forgiven for tripping over the tongue trying to pronounce some of the names that appear before you in your reading. The people and places can be quite adventurous to pronounce, they are foreign after all. There are publications that show the true pronunciation, but the squiggles, loops, and lines used are almost a language in themselves. They are given to help us. It is important to pronounce correctly for it is the word of God that we are speaking.Standing up, in front of a congregation, can be daunting enough. If it is a small congregation, one that we know each member well, it is more comforting and homely. The threatening feeling is not so apparent. It is possible you settle down into your reading quite quickly. However, standing up in front of a large congregation can be quite different. A goodly number of them sat there, all looking at you, may be unknown to you. For all you know there may be a retired bishop sat there, or someone who is very familiar with the words of the Bible. It is when they come up to you after the service and say, “That was interesting”, that your mind goes into hyperdrive as you wonder what it was that you said.It is the word of God that you are speaking. It is so essential that its true meaning is imparted. For within those words can be found great comfort to the troubled soul, support when feeling weak, encouragement when uncertain. All of these sentiments can be found in the word of God. They help us through life.They act as pathways along which we may tread. The readings we hear, or if it is our turn, speak, are like signposts. Within them may be found answers to questions that have been on our lips for some time. With them answered we continue forward, head held up high.The Bible is a repository of information. It contains books of every nature. From history to law, from songs to dreams, even humour, all may be found within its covers. All of it the word of God handed down to us and recorded, written down, translated and printed.As Jesus stood up in the synagogue to read and impart the word of God to be heard by the assembled congregation, we too have that same privilege of standing up and proclaiming the word of God to the congregation sat in front and listening to our every word.Last week the gifts of the Holy Spirit were the subject. Prophetic utterance was one of the gifts of the Spirit. The ability to read in church, clearly and distinctly, is not for everyone. But for those who can they are using that gift of the Holy Spirit as intended. A gift given, not just for our own benefit, but for the good of all. We are proclaiming the love of God, a love given to everyone. A love which contains within it reassurance and hope, a light where there is darkness, the comfort of the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is at our side.Collect for the Third Sunday of EpiphanyAlmighty God,whose Son revealed in signs and miraclesthe wonder of your saving presence:renew your people with your heavenly grace,and in all our weaknesssustain us by your mighty power;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever.
