Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel 2020!

May the Lord our God bless you my friends in abundance and guard you in the mighty name of Jesus-Christ, our Saviour, in the power of Holy Spirit. Amen

#Merry #Christmas to you all!

Luke 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a #virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was #Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the #Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father #David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on 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. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Luke 2 

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 🎵🎹🎺🎻
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Signs that Show the Way - John 9:1-16

Signs that Show the Way - John 9:1-16

 Introduction

 As I said the other week: to get to Paris you follow the signs pointing to Paris. Following signs for Bordeaux will lead you in the wrong direction. Of course, following the signs for Paris from here as opposed to say from Lyon will take you on a completely different route altogether, but, you'll arrive in the same place. 

Of course, you may never had wanted to go to Paris until someone told you of a sight that made you think, I would really like to see that, and so, you go and you follow the signs. 

Also, on any route from say A to B there are different routes to be taken - motorway / main roads / back roads. Again, following the right signs will get you there - in the end! 

Similar, and I stress similar, is true in coming to encounter God in and through the Lord Jesus who is the Way the Truth and the Life and that no one can come to the Father except through him! He is the sign we have to ultimately follow to get to the right place! 

Some amongst us may never have had a time when they didn't have a faith in God through Jesus. Others, may have been total disbelievers with no intention or desire to know God and not even sure he exited - until - something happened that caused a change of direction in their lives. 

Then there all those who are in-between. 

Being in Christ and knowing God as Father in full assurance of all he has for us because of the completed and perfect work of Jesus is the important point for a life that should be being lived in Godly and holy living. 

From there we become increasingly his fruit bearing children and servants. 

I'm aware that many people only see Jesus as a man albeit special in some way or other and so I have been focussing very much on His divinity, although I hope I haven't under stressed his humanity. 

I have also stressed his victory through death and resurrection and the Kingly role he has and has fulfilled - he is the Christ / Messiah / King and rules now on the throne. 

I have felt this especially important given our current circumstances - we need to focus on 'who' is in charge and 'who' has the last say!!

 Jesus, of course, does not have two parts to him - one God, the other human. The two are indivisible. In other words he is a complete and whole person who is both God and in the image of God (Hebrews 1:3)

 As we journey to, and then celebrate, his birth there will be a change of direction - starting next week, whereby we look a little more at his humanity and see something of how he shares fully in what we are. Today I want to look, briefly, at the seven 'signs' John has chosen to highlight from the many Jesus did. 

We have only read one of these today, the sixth, but we have already, in looking at the 'I am' sayings touched on others and last week I used the first to lead us to see how Jesus brought the best wine and rocked the rest of the established order of old wine! 

So, we are treading a slightly different path to Christmas with some different scenery. You can decide if I have chosen a motorway or a back road - perhaps it even seems a bit like a cart track!!!

1. Recap - the Seven I am Sayings alongside the Seven Signs

 1. “I AM the Bread of life” (6:35, 41, 48, 51) 

2. “I AM the Light of the world” (8:12).

3. “I AM the Door of the sheep” (10:7, 9). 

4. “I AM the Good Shepherd” (10:11, 14).

 5. “I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25).

 6. “I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life” (14:6). 

7. “I AM the true Vine” (15:1, 5) 

These are all printed in my notes, and now I look at the seven Signs which are also in the notes: 

1. Water Turned to Wine (John 2:1-11) 

2. Healing of the (Nobleman’s) Son Near Death (John 4:46-54)

3. Healing of the Lame Man at the Pool (John 5:1-17)

4. Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15) - cp I am number 1 

5. Walking on the Water (John 6:16-21)

6. Healing of the Man Born Blind (John 9:1-41) 

7. Raising of Lazarus from the Dead (John 11:1-47) cp I am number 5 We note that most, and maybe all, of the 7 I am sayings tie into actions of the Lord God in the OT and so invite us to see that in Jesus God is acting in ways consistent with what God has done in the past. 

Beginning with this emphatic 'I am', clear in the Greek, he is linking to the great I am of Exodus 3:14 to Moses - the Lord revealing his name - YHWH. Jesus is not beating about the bush and the 'I am sayings' say who he is and in that we see he is mirroring the image and work of God - back to Hebrews 1:3. 

2. The Point of the Signs 

By contrast, the signs in fulfilling their purposes as signs, show who he is. They still point to the fact that Jesus is the great I am. 

At one and the same time they echo OT prophecies about what the Lord would do when he arrived and we read a short part of Isaiah 61 and all of Isaiah 35. 

From Isaiah 61: to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

From Isaiah 35: [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. 

    These are the 'sort of things' the Messiah was expected to do from a bible standpoint and these are the sort of things we see Jesus doing, and the healing of the blind man, in John 9, is one example which also indicates in its wider context the need for all eyes to be opened to see Jesus. In fact, the anomaly, which becomes clear later on in the passage, is that the Pharisees are the ones who remain blind as to the true identity of Jesus whilst the man who was blind sees and worships Jesus as the Son of Man / Messiah (9:38)! 

But of course, there is more: He brings the best - water to wine - and therefore supersedes the old which cannot be contained by the new! People are set free from captivity - illness - the nobleman's son, is a very interesting healing as it is without Jesus going to his house and with Jesus challenging people about wanting to see signs and wonders! 

Then there is the man at the pool who is healed and also released from some form of mental captivity. The Lord fed the Israelites in the wilderness with manna (bread from heaven) and Jesus fed a crowd on a deserted hillside - then soon, he declares 'I am the bread of life'. 

The raising of Lazarus, the final sign and which anticipates his and our resurrection, is again linked, as we considered, to the I am saying of the resurrection and the life. 

Because I only want to summarise all this I think it is helpful to see how Jesus answers John the Baptist when he sent his disciples to Jesus because of a lack of clarity in his mind as to whether he had got it right about Jesus as the Messiah: 

Matthew 11:2-6

[2] When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples [3] to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” [4] Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: [5] The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. [6] Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” 

For some reason, perhaps he was a bit caught up with current ideas that the Messiah would free the Jews from Roman rule, John couldn't quite get his head around what Jesus was, and what he was doing and saying, it didn't quite square with what he expected of the Messiah, so, he did the sensible thing and asked! Excellent! 

When we don't understand we can ask for our eyes to be opened! Which is just what Jesus does, he invites him to look and see him from scripture. Jesus' reply, which echoes our two OT passages, invites John to see that this is what should have been expected of the Lord's anointed, the Messiah, and that it is exactly what he is doing - and what's more, he is doing more!! 

He fulfils and exceeds all expectations. Do you allow him to do the same for you, do we as churches and chaplaincies, do the same? Expect him to do more? 

His action, summed in John's seven signs, point to who he is - the Messiah and also the Lord who is to come. John the Baptist, in picking up Isaiah 40 accepted the theme of preparing a highway for who? The Lord - YHWY. Jesus is saying, 'you got it right John (the Baptist), look and see, it's OK'. Well done! Task complete. 

One sign stands out and apart - walking on the water which can be linked to the stilling of the storm. The Jews were not mariners, some were fishermen, but they didn't like big open seas or even rough little seas! In the OT, it is the Lord who rides the storms and is supreme over all violent and rough elements in the natural world. It is the spirit of God who hovers over the unformed world's waters in Genesis 1 before the full act of the variety of creation comes into being. When God speaks to Job (38ff) he points to his sovereignty over the winds, the seas and the snow - as well as so much more. 

There are many references in the Psalms to the Lord and winds and rain and waters and waves and that He is over them all, as indeed, He is 'overall' whether people like it or not. Agreed? 

The reality is, there is no chaos in the created order for the Lord - and Jesus shows the same when he walked on water and stilled a storm - it is part of His domain! He is the Lord. 

The other signs point to other areas of his overall sovereignty as Lord. 

Conclusion

As we close a few things to consider: 

• The Lord's sovereignty over your / my life and all aspects of it! Your permission and submission to his sovereignty and will. Hmm? Actually, this is not a little thing, but is central to being a disciple and follower of Jesus. 

• By extension, when we go to our Father in prayer in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit do we see ourselves as in and relying on the King of creation?

 • How we and the church might be 'downgrading' Jesus and the Christian message and so be pulling the teeth of the gospel, which in fact is the whole bible account.

 • How we look at Jesus, the baby, as we approach sharing the celebration of His birth. Too many miss the dynamic of what is happening and what God is doing! To that, we will return but, not this week!

Psalm 89 O Lord, who is mighty as you are..?

PSALM 89

 

8 O Lord God of hosts,

    who is mighty as you are, O Lord,

    with your faithfulness all around you?

9 

9 You rule the raging of the sea;

                                                when its waves rise, you still them.

Who was the writer of this psalm? There are several men named Ethan in the Hebrew Scriptures, but this man is mentioned specifically in 1 Kings 4:31 as someone who was famous for his wisdom – yet surpassed by Solomon’s greater wisdom. This means he was likely a contemporary of Solomon and was also alive during the reign of David. (Enduring Word Bible Commentary)
“Ethan is probably identical with Jeduthun, who founded one of the three choirs (cf. 1 Chronicles 15:19; 2 Chronicles 5:12). Ethan shared with Heman a reputation for wisdom.” (Derek Kidner)

1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;

with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;

in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,

and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!

6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?

Who among the heavenly beings[b] is like the Lord,

7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,

and awesome above all who are around him

8 O Lord God of hosts,

    who is mighty as you are, O Lord,

    with your faithfulness all around you?

9 

9 You rule the raging of the sea;

    when its waves rise, you still them.? (...)

19 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said:

“I have granted help to one who is mighty;

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

20 I have found David, my servant;

with my holy oil I have anointed him,

21 so that my hand shall be established with him;

my arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not outwit him;

the wicked shall not humble him.

23 I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him,

and in my name shall his horn be exalted.

25 I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

27 And I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

28 My steadfast love I will keep for him forever,

and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29 I will establish his offspring forever

and his throne as the days of the heavens.

30 If his children forsake my law

and do not walk according to my rules,

31 if they violate my statutes

and do not keep my commandments,

32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod

and their iniquity with stripes,

33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love

or be false to my faithfulness.

34 I will not violate my covenant

or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;

I will not lie to David.

36 His offspring shall endure forever,

his throne as long as the sun before me.

37 Like the moon it shall be established forever,

a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah

As you may know, it is 'not wise' to quote a few verses of a text in the bible without its context. You may be  familiar with the verse 1,  'I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever with my mouth'.

Ethan the Ezrahite praises the Lord, extols the 'faithfulness' of the Lord, he also reminds us that the Lord is faithful and He kept the promises he swore to David, this covenant is described in 2 Samuel 7.  Bishop Horne relates verse 6 to the birth of Christ and then his victorious return to sit on the right of our Heavenly Father  : Did not ‘the heavens praise the wonders of Jehovah,’ when a choir of angels descended from above, to sing an anthem, at the birth of Christ? And how must the celestial courts have resounded with the hallelujahs of those blessed spirits, when they again receive their King, returning in triumph from the conquest of his enemies?” 

This long psalm comes from a time of great national depression and trouble. The idolatries that led to the Captivity, and the Captivity itself, are already in the past, and the poet can think only of the splendid promises of God to the race, and the paradox that while made by a God of truth and faithfulness, they have yet been broken; for Israel lies prostrate, a prey to cruel and rapacious foes, and the cry, “How long?” goes up in despair to heaven. (commentary by Ellicott) 

Needless to say that we utter the same cry ' how long?' in this  painful time of covid! Unlike the psalmist who knew the trouble came from, idolatries, we don't really know the cause of covid.    

However, the verse 38 starts by a 'but' and we note a dreadful turn around of the situation. Before was all good, but now, the situation is dire! 

But now you have cast off and rejected;

you are full of wrath against your anointed.

39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant;

you have defiled his crown in the dust.

40 You have breached all his walls;

you have laid his strongholds in ruins.

41 All who pass by plunder him;

he has become the scorn of his neighbors.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword,

and you have not made him stand in battle.

44 You have made his splendor to cease

and cast his throne to the ground.

45 You have cut short the days of his youth;

you have covered him with shame. Selah

As we are in the middle of the corona virus pandemic, our situation feels similar...for instance, verse 47, Remember how short my time is...followed by the inevitable question that haunts our minds as soon as we hit mid fifties maybe, take your pick, earlier or later, verse 48, What man can live and never see death? 

46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?

How long will your wrath burn like fire?

47 Remember how short my time is!

For what vanity you have created all the children of man!

48 What man can live and never see death?

Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah

49 Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,

which by your faithfulness you swore to David?

50 Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,

and how I bear in my heart the insults[f] of all the many nations,

51 with which your enemies mock, O Lord,

with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.

52 Blessed be the Lord forever!

Amen and Amen.

From the perspective of the New Testament, we know that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic promise. He always did the will of the Lord. We know that our Saviour Jesus-Christ walked on earth and he never sinned.  He will reign on David’s throne forever and ever. Indeed, he is reigning now at God’s right hand.  The message of Christmas is that Jesus was God’s obedient Son, that he was the one who always did the will of the Lord. 

In the gospel of Mark 4:41, we read:

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” It has been suggested that the disciples are 'perplex about their master's identity. The disciples are dreadfully disoriented because they are aware that the one who stills the seas is Yahweh himself. Stilling the seas doesn't reveal Jesus to be a mere miracle-worker with extraordinary powers, but Yahweh himself come in the flesh. God is in the dinghy with them. Quote David Mathis 

The amazing teaching of this psalm is that no matter our circumstances, let us lift our eyes onto our Saviour and Friend Jesus who watches over us. loves us and cares for us. By his death on the cross, He's given us salvation and we are part of his family not that we deserved it but by grace. Praise the Lord. Have a blessed week brothers and sisters.

Jesus says: I am the Resurrection and the Life - John 11:25b-26

 

29th November 2020

Mark 13:32-37 - Jesus' advice about timing of His return 

 

[32] “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,

but only the Father. [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

[34] It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each

with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

[35] “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will

come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.

[36] If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. [37] What I say to you, I say to

everyone: ‘Watch!' ”

  

John 11:17-27 

 

[17] On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. [18]

Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, [19] and many Jews had come to

Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. [20] When Martha heard that

Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

[21] “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

[22] But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

[23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

[24] Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will

live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you

believe this?”

[27] “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to

come into the world.”

  

Talk :  I am the Resurrection and the Life - John 11:25b-26 

  

Introduction 

 

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. . . "

 

I think it is fair to say I have quoted those words, without the little important question that

follows, more than any other scripture. This is the opening scripture spoken at a funeral service  and having taken hundreds over nearly 50 years, the first being one of my grandma's back in 1971, is the reason for that.

 

But - what better words to be said and heard, being careful to see that as many as possible

do hear them, at the start of a service. The greatest promise ever made. 

 

Words, not just of consolation, but certain hope and promise, as well as a challenge to all,

not least, to those without faith. I have preached on it in that context, and others, as well as bringing it in on many occasions in different sermons, talks, conversations etc. I guess others will have a similar experience.  

Of course it is the greatest promise of all time but it is also in a deeply moving, personal and dramatic passage when, after no rush and all kinds of 'matters' after he arrived Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. If you haven't read it recently be encouraged to do so and see who you relate to in the rich and astounding event. 

 

This is the 5th 'I am' saying in John's gospel with the final two being 'said' in the Upper Room. What is significant here is that this is the 7th and final 'sign' in the same gospel. A sign is a marker that points and guides. If you want to travel to Paris it's best to follow the signs that say Paris! If you want to know the truth and see who Jesus is, follow the signs.

 

This final one, the resurrection of Lazarus is, amongst other things, a foretaste of the resurrection of Jesus following his death on the cross where he pays the price of all sin. There is a difference. Lazarus was to die again and wait, with all believers, for the resurrection to eternal life in the age to come. Jesus is the source of that life which is to come.

 

When Jesus rose again, as we see in the resurrection accounts, there was something different about him and the conclusion most hold, I am not going to go into that now, is that he had his transformed body which was, and is, immortal and imperishable and that is how we will one day! (1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and the whole chapter is worth reading!)

 

That day, as Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 15 is the day Jesus returns which in turn leads to

the new heavens and new earth - Revelation 21.

 

So, in another extended introduction, our two themes: I am the Resurrection and the Life,

and the second coming of Jesus, have started to come together and, they are inextricably

linked. You can't have one without the other!

  

1. The Great Challenge - John 11:25-26 

 

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; [26] and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 

This time I have not called this the Greatest Promise, although I believe it is, because before that we have to face the Great Challenge because Jesus builds it in and this time I quoted it. Do you believe this?

 

No one is forced to believe and I have regularly said that these two verses are the greatest promise we can hear or, they are the biggest lie that has ever been told! The latter, in turn, makes Jesus a liar, a con man and a deceiver - Do you believe this? I don't, but, and this is behind the question, if Jesus cannot 'deliver the goods' so to speak, if he cannot  raise you and I from the grave, and all the rest who believe and trust in Him as Lord and Saviour, on the day of resurrection then, it is a lie! What else can it be?

 

Martha's response, v 27, “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” moves on, I think from her first response to Jesus earlier statement which is an expression of the then current Jewish belief about resurrection, except, of course, for the Sadducees who didn't believe in the resurrection.

 

 Now, in response to Jesus's statement she makes a full blown and massive declaration as to who He is. I wonder if we can say that as boldly as she: “Yes, Lord , . . . . I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”? It's a big bold affirmation of faith!

 

However, lest we forget, she  is talking the other side of the cross and resurrection of Jesus. Further, when they reach the grave of Lazarus no one expects what Jesus was going to do and would probably not believed he could - call for Lazarus, four days dead, to come out of the grave, and, for him to do so.

 

If Jesus can do this now, will he not even more so be able to do it after He has paid the price

of sin and actually defeated death in one and the same action - death and resurrection?

 

Jesus walked out, or better, burst forth from the tomb and unlike Lazarus did not face death again, only elevation to the highest place and sit on the throne next to His Father - task completed - in full, once and for all.

 

As we share bread and wine shortly reflect on this.

 

As for these words being true, because we believe he can and will, deliver the goods, with

no uncertainty, as we respond to the challenge of belief in Him, these words then become

the greatest promise we have ever heard and we can rely on it in and for the fullness of life! 

 

It undergirds all our comings and going, our health, or lack of, all joys, pains, pleasures and

uncertainties of life - and of course, not the promise, but the action of the cross and Jesus's

own resurrection. The reality behind it.

 

I go back to a passage in 1 Corinthians 15 which is a good supplement to these thoughts:  1

Corinthians 15:20-22

 

[20] But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have

fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead

comes also through a man. [22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 

 

Paul goes on to the second coming and so shall we!

  

2. The Great Certainty - Mark 13:32 

 

It comes in two parts, first, a few verses earlier, Mark 13:26-27

 

[26] “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and

glory. [27] And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the

ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

 

It's a statement - I will return and it is on a par with what he has said before about what

would happen to him when he arrived in Jerusalem, where he was when speaking these

words in Mark 13, that he would be rejected, suffer, die and rise again. 

 

All of this happened within a couple of days we read about it in Mark 15-16.

 

If all that happened, just as he said it would, we have confidence in him and his words and

can know therefore with certainty that he will come again in all power and authority and

usher in a new era with a new heaven and earth.

 

Of course, what will happen and when it will happen, are two big issues. One of these is

clearly answered in the current verse, v 32

 

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,

but only the Father.  . . "

 

Too many forget this or think they know better than Jesus and try suggesting times etc. No

good and actually, it is not the issue. If Jesus had wanted us to know, he could have let us

know, but, as he says, even I don't know!

 

What is certain is that he will and, at an unknown time. What we need to do is pay full

attention to what he says next because that is what matters:

  

3. The Great Command - Mark 13:32-37 

 

" ..  . [33] Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. [34] It's like a

man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their

assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

[35] “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will

come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at

dawn. [36] If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. [37] What I say to you, I

say to everyone: ‘Watch!' ”

 

The message is plain and simple for those who believe in Him who is the Resurrection and

the Life, be on your guard and alert - so as not to be distracted and get on with looking after

the owner's house of which we are the servants to care for it until . . Whenever . . The

owner returns.

  

Get on with the work of caring for the house, the people of God, add extensions, draw

others in with the good news which lies in and around all we are talking bout today - as well

as a whole lot more.

 

Watch and be alert includes praying, praying for what I have just said - here in the

chaplaincy, in the church you belong to or other churches with which you have links. Praying

for the national and worldwide church that all are true and faithful to the master. Big stuff

but through it we are just depending more on God and being focussed on His Kingdom.

 

Again, let us remember all this is to do with a set of love relationships. God loves us - wow -

and out of that love has done and does so much - he wants us to love him, and hopefully we

do that as believers, and then, we have to love one another for that shows we are Jesus's

disciples!

  

Conclusion 

 

We see this morning this great 'I am' saying breaks a new ground and far from being images

that look back, as five did; light, bread and water, gate, shepherd and then vine, or the one

that summarise the whole - the way, the truth and the life, this one looks forward, first to

the resurrection of Jesus following his sacrificial death and then our own resurrection at His

return.

 

As Jesus says in the closing words of the book of Revelation, and these form a wonderful

drawing together of the I am sayings as well as His return, Revelation 22:12-13

 

[12] “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person

according to what they have done. [13] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the

Last, the Beginning and the End.

 

That was 2000 years ago and 'soon' is still 'soon' Let's! Keep 'em peeled and get on with

what he has for us!