Vicaring - A sermon resource for all those involved in Christian ministry

Christmas Unrealities: A meditation on the bits that we remember, but are not actually in the gospel story.

21/12/04

Read Luke 2.1-20 to find out what the story is

1. The Donkey. Sing Little donkey. (Words printed at the end)
2. The innkeeper. What would you have done in his place? Compose for yourself a short speech for the Innkeeper.
3. The shepherds’ Lamb
4. Read Mat 2.1- 12. If there were a fourth wise man at the stable. (The others went to the house) What gift would you have bought
5. The X in Christmas (X-mas) what title would you give Jesus The Bible has: Christ, Word Wisdom of God, wonderful counsellor, Immanuel. What would yours be?

my meditation: Paschal Bernard Baute Advent/Christmas meditation December 1, 1998

Once, a long time ago
I imagined there were still great discoveries
and inventions to be found beyond
all those wonderful things
we already had, like
automobiles, airplanes, telephone, electricity.

and that these discoveries were hidden
in secret holes in the fabric of reality,
in the spaces of the ethereal surrounding us,
–that most of us were simply not yet aware of,
that these missing holes would be discovered
by those who were astute enough
to recognize the wonderful missing stuff in these
silent spaces among real things.

Now, fifty years later, I realize
it is the silent spaces themselves
that are significant and pregnant
not real things, the still yet unknown,
not the known, but the spiritual truths.

To intuit the vast meaning and mystery
of these silences, one must learn
to become very still, inwardly still.
It means cultivating a special way
of knowing and sensing:
–communicating without words.

Is it only in the deepest of silences
one can hear
these muses of heart…….whisper?
Do we need words as much as we think we do?

Hush! Be inwardly still.
You are about to miss It.
There is some piece of your truth
still waiting for your own mystical self,
in the silent empty spaces of the fabric of your amazing life.

Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load
Been a long time, little donkey, through the winters night
Dont give up now, little donkey,
Bethlehems in sight

Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem

Little donkey, little donkey, had a heavy day
Little donkey, carry Mary safely on her way
Little donkey, little donkey, journey’s end is near
There are wiseman waiting for a sign to bring them here

Do not falter little donkey, there’s a star ahead
It will guide you, little donkey, to a cattle shed

Ring out those bells tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem
Follow that star tonight
Bethlehem, Bethlehem

Little donkey, little donkey, had a heavy day
Little donkey, carry Mary, safely on her way
Little donkey, carry Mary, safely on her way

• Christmas General

Christmas 2000                                                                       Midnight Communion           Luke 2.1-14

Christmas is a tough time for Vicars. As everyone knows we normally only work one day a week. Now suddenly we are on over time. Worse than that we have to work the night shift.

The hardest thing of all is to find something fresh to say about the Christmas story. You know it so well. So much so that if I selected ten of you at random, and asked you to write a nativity play you would do it with no trouble. Well almost no trouble. There would be a bit of quarrelling over parts. Someone with ill grace will have to be the third shepherd while someone bags the better parts, Mary or Joseph; or the inn keeper. That is the part I really cherish. There is plenty of room for character development. You have this hard outer crust. This Basil Fawlty exterior:  “Room’s room’s. Oh no problem I’ll just ring up the builder and get him to add on another floor. I don’t suppose you just happened to notice the sign outside. The one that said, ‘No vacancies.’ No well its quite inconspicuous, the letters are only about nine inches high.”
But then you see Mary’s condition and soften a little. Well all right then we can let you use the second class accommodation. You don’t mind pets do you. But please don’t tell health and safety about this.

It’s a good part. Unfortunately it isn’t actually in the Bible story. Go and read. There is no Donkey either. But the Innkeeper is a good part because it enables us to put ourselves into the story. There is a Christian tradition of prayer which uses that techniques. You imagine yourself as a character or a bystander in a gospel story, and you visualise what is going on. You not only hear the sounds, Mary’s labour, the babies cry, the Angel’s words you see the sights, you smell the smells. You let the story live in you. And, if you practice it well the story changes you. The message gets right into your soul and transforms you. Gradually the Paranoid egomaniac, the Basil Fawlty that lurks within us all. (That is why he is so funny) is replaced by the Christ who gives himself as the servant of others. Who disregards his own life so that others may live.

It is a method of mediation, but at root it is the gospel call. Let this story live in you and let it transform you. Not just for a few days over Christmas, but for life, for eternity. Christ came, to save. He came so that his life might live in us. He asks us to enter into his story, so that he might live in us. Christmas is of course just the start of the story, but it is a good place to start. Because it is a scene of humility and gentleness. It is a place of comfort to those who are down cast who feel weak and vulnerable. Christ came to the place where you are. It is a challenge to those who feel they know it all, that they have life taped, that they are in charge of their destiny.  Imagine this God who stoops so low in order to lift up the fallen. Does your life plan have room for this vison?

And since most of us are a mixture of these two. Sometimes sure and ceratin of ourselves and at others weak aware of our failings Christ comes to us both as comfort and challenge.

It is astonishing this Christmas story. This stuff of Children’s nativity has the power to transfigure us, we hardened yet still uncertain adults. It has the power to change us and therefore to change the world. It happens a little at Christmas. We honour the principles and try and be that little bit nicer. But we scarcely begin to grasp it’s really challenge and it’s real power. We hardly dare acknowledge that it will still be as true on 2^nd  January. The more deeply we can enter into this story, the more it can transfigure us.

For the true message of Christmas was well put by a great Christian teacher put nearly 1800 years ago. “He became what we are, in order that we might become what he is” There in a nutshell is the wonder of Christmas, its challenge, and its hope.

• Christmas Day C

Christingle Willingham 2006

Matthew 5.14-16 : Let your light shine

The Christingle candle. Christingle means Christ light. That is what the Candle stands for, Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

The Orange for the world. Fruits for all the good things that it yields. Four sticks for the four seasons. The red band for the blood of Christ. His forgiveness for the sins of the world. It goes all the way round. A big job. The world is full of dark places and dark deeds. Christ came to bring goodness and light.

He told those who follow him to do the same. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Or as the Bible also says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” Rom 12.21

 That is not easy, it can be very costly. We shall be contributing to the work of the Church of England Children’s’ Society (As it originally was) For the work it does with homeless and distressed Children.

We all can make light shine in the world, or we can do the opposite. It is very easy to snuff out the light.                                                                         [Pinch out Christingle]

Just a pinch of violence, greed or hatred will do it.

But the good news is that it is also easy to make light shine.

We do it whenever we show generosity instead of meanness            [Light candle 1]

Whenever we tell the truth even though a lie might seem easier.       [Light candle 2]

Whenever we bight back an angry word                                            [Light candle 3]

Whenever we say, “Sorry!”                                                                [Light candle 4]

These might seem small things, but here is the secret.

From one candle you  can light another,                                 [Light candle 5 From 4]

and another                                                                             [Light candle 6 from 5]

and another                                                                             [Light candle 7 from 6]

There is an old saying. It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.

But it is better than that. One candle can light another and another.

And behind our light stands the one true light of Christ. And the darkness can never pinch out that light.

Let your light shine.

Shine for Jesus

Shine with Jesus.

• Christingle

Christingle Service  4^th Dec 2005           

Isa 60.15-end

The reading, longing for light                         [Slide 1 fall of Jerusalem]

Fulfilled in Jesus                                            [Slide 2 Light of the world]

The Christingle celebrates this                                  [Slide 3 Christingle]

The Christingle has its origins in a children’s service held in a castle in Germany on Christmas Eve in 1747 in Moravia, (Now the eastern part of Czech Republic) John De Watteville and he was a Bishop in the Moravian Church. He was conducting the service and he gave each child a lighted candle, tied with a red ribbon, in memory of the Saviour’s coming which he said has kindled a flame in each heart which keeps burning “to His joy, and our happiness”.

Joy not shared by all.                                     [Slide 4 Children in darkness]

Many Children in darkness – Runaways. 100,000 each year in UK only 10 Beds provided by Social Services in whole Country. Children’s Soc.  Has trained workers to advise and assist these children.

We are helping.

To bring light into darkness.

Jesus is the light of the world in so many ways and he asks us to be like him.

Like Electric Light:                                               [Slide 5 Street lights]

Jesus is a light for today; we do not see it because we take it for granted. Charities like Children’s Soc Spring from our Christian roots.

Much light is just background light. Support of charities. Ordinary kindness keeps darkness at bay.

Like a Torch:                                                        [Slide 6 Torch Beam]

But sometimes it is not so easy. There is darkness all around. Jesus is a torch beam to light the right path in the dark. . He might need us to be like a torch – the only light around. It takes courage to shine light in dark places you never know who you might disturb.

Lighthouse:                                                [Slide 7 Lighthouse]

Jesus can be a guiding light when there is no other light.  He wants us to be a guide to others. To signal the way in confusion. To give hope in despair.

Altar Candle:                                              [Slide 8 Altar Candle]

Jesus is an ancient light. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has never over come it. He will be there when everything else fails. He calls us to be constant and faithful.

We can shine with the light of Jesus:               [Slide 9 Battered lamp]

Not like that! Keep your lamp bright                           [Slide 10 Let your light shine]

Keep your light bright. Let your light shine.

• Christingle
• Uncategorized

Sermon Christmas  1998

[This may follow on from the Item ‘’A political Christmas]

[You may wonder what the moral was to all that -Don't!]

Except for the simple point that we both expect things to get better and we expect other people to see that they do. However cynical we may be about politicians we do nonetheless blame them when things go wrong and therefore by implication expect them to make things right.

The first thing about Christmas is that God appreciates the fact that we do look for things to be better. The worst state to be in is complacency, to believe that we are the best possible people in the best of all possible worlds. To be helped it is necessary to acknowledge that you need help. The Christian name for that acknowledgement is repentance – acknowledging your need and looking to God.

The next thing is that God is not a passive God. He answers pleas for help. The message of the coming of Jesus Christ is God will act he will save.

So God does not stand aloof. He does not view our problems from afar. In Jesus God enters the world of our imperfections to struggle with them. Whatever the problem God has been there. Whatever the sin God has met it. Our God is not a stranger God who sits remote.

Fourthly he takes responsibility. In entering the world Jesus under took to bear the weight of its sins and grief.

But now the bit that politicians are inclined to miss out. We are the problem, and we are the solution. God has done all that can be done without the will and participation of ordinary human beings. It does require that we turn to God. It does require that we follow Jesus Christ. We have to stop pushing the problems outside ourselves. THEY will not bring us a perfect world. We have to live the best life possible within an imperfect world. By coming to us in Jesus God challenges us to respond to His love. It is good news that God loves us so much. It is good news that He was with us in flesh and blood then and will be with us in Spirit now. But it is a hard challenge to  respond to a God who calls us to follow Him. For if His love is so deep, how profound is the response it demands from us

• Christmas General

A Political Christmas

• Christmas General

First Preached  21^st Dec 2003  Advent 4 (C)

Micah 5.2-5a       :        [Heb 10.5-10]      :                  Luke 1.39-45 [46-55]

This magnificent song -neglected now we no longer have evensong but still loved as the hymn ‘Tell out my soul’

It is a most subversive song. ‘Listen Lord’s and ladies gay -the rich he hath sent empty away’ Christina Rossetti

It should remind us that Christianity came and was welcomed by the outcasts the underdogs and slaves. Still today the typical Christian lives outside the affluent west and is poor.

It should give pause to western countries -espaecially that great Chrsiatin country the USA, that God is aginst those who arogently flaunt their power and affluence.

For the mesage is very much of a God who does not just sit in eternity waiting to Judge, but who is active in History.

The song dripps with OT quotes, the emphasis at the end falls on the fulfillmentt of his promise made to Abarahm. It speaks of a God of faihfulness who will bless those who patiently wait for him.

Mary then is praised by Elizabeth for believing what has been promised to her (And for receiving it as a blessing even though it was most personally inconvenient.)

God blesses those who wait for the fulfilment of his promises. This is not a song of human revolt; although used as such by liberation theologians. And if taken seriously it is a threat to the powerful.  It is primarily a song for those who put their trust and hope in God. All the verbs apply to God.

Among such were this extended family. Elizabeth and Zachariah are noted for their piety. Only in such a surrounding could both John the B & Jesus have grown up.

Waiting for God can be frustrating. The Bible has plenty of passages that make Him seem absent minded. Here he has ‘Remembered’! This is bad theology but true to experience. “The mills of god grind slow but they grind exceeding fine’

To be part of this process is a privilege and a joy (That is the point of the song) We tend to regard it as a bit of a grind, a duty. It is in fact a high privilege.

The Promise to Abraham was the ‘Through him all nation swill be blessed. Blessed are those through whom God blesses. That is what the church is supposed to be here for.

We are her to be part of the eternal purposes of God. Blessed are we when we find that a joy.

• Advent 4C

First preached 7th December 2003 Advent 2 ( C )
Zeph 3.14-20 : [Phil 4.4-7] : Luke 3.7-18

The Bear & the atheist Joke [See end notes]

The moral of the story is that it does not pay to think that you have all the answers and it does not pay to mess to take God for granted.

That basically is the message of John the Baptist; though as he delivered it is nothing to laugh about.
He attacks the Jewish complacency in thinking that they had God taped. He does not simply say as I have represented him sometimes – you call yourself God’s people, so behave as though you were. It goes deeper than that and more threatening. You are not God’s people unless you behave in a godly way. A most important biblical criterion for a righteous nation is that it does not oppress or exploit the poor. Do not presume that you are Abraham’s children because you genetically are. The heirs to his promises are those God will judge to be truly Abrahams children, because they display the same character as Abraham
And God will not have mercy on all regardless, on the contrary, there is a sharp division and John is there to make it. It is those who will respond, not just by coming hear him but by change of life will be saved.

Today it is not the Jews who think they are the chosen people it is (In a secularised way the Western democracies. The Jews gloried in their election, we glory in elections. And tell the world this is all they need. John would say what signs are you that you are making people honest conscientious and upright? You leave 1/3 of your population in poverty. Up to 20% of people experience symptoms of depression. 10 times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945

It is easy to boast of liberty, but if there is no personal honesty its basis is threatened. Eg. Mat cartoon. Calling off Bae enquiry.
[The illustrations of political chicanery given here are of course to longer current. The sad thing is that, whenever you are reading this, if you look in the papers you will soon come up with an up-to-date list.]
John interestingly does not call for social reform (We always do and hence shuffle off the problem.) He calls for difficult and costly personal reformation. (It would be very hard for a tax collector or a soldier to do as he said. Corruption was built into the system)

Strangely Luke describes this as good news. It is good news that there is a God who judges justly, who does not just let the world go its own sweet way. It is good news that righteousness will be rewarded. For without that life has no meaning. And meaninglessness is a source of depression.

Notes:
The Atheist and the Bear!
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the evolution had created. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!”, he said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing.
He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out “Oh my God!….”
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, “You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don’t exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?”
The atheist looked directly into the light “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?”
“Very well,” said the voice.
The light went out.
The river ran again.
And the sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw ….. brought both paws together…bowed his head and spoke:
“Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful…AMEN!”

• Advent 3 C

First preached 7th December 2003 Advent 2 ( C )
Zeph 3.14-20 : [Phil 4.4-7] : Luke 3.7-18

The Bear & the atheist Joke [See end notes]

The moral of the story is that it does not pay to think that you have all the answers and it does not pay to mess to take God for granted..

That basically is the message of John the Baptist; though as he delivered it is nothing to laugh about.
He attacks the Jewish complacency in thinking that they had God taped. He does not simply say as I have represented him sometimes – you call yourself God’s people, so behave as though you were. It goes deeper than that and more threatening. You are not God’s people unless you behave in a godly way. A most important biblical criterion for a righteous nation is that it does not oppress or exploit the poor. Do not presume that you are Abraham’s children because you genetically are. The heirs to his promises are those God will judge to be truly Abrahams children, because they display the same character as Abraham
And God will not have mercy on all regardless, on the contrary, there is a sharp division and John is there to make it. It is those who will respond, not just by coming hear him but by change of life will be saved.

Today it is not the Jews who think they are the chosen people it is (In a secularised way the Western democracies. The Jews gloried in their election, we glory in elections. And tell the world this is all they need. John would say what signs are you that you are making people honest conscientious and upright? You leave 1/3 of your population in poverty. Up to 20% of people experience symptoms of depression. 10 times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945

It is easy to boast of liberty, but if there is no personal honesty its basis is threatened. Eg. Mat cartoon. Calling off Bae enquiry.
[The illustrations of political chicanery given here are of course to longer current. The sad thing is that, whenever you are reading this, if you look in the papers you will soon come up with an up-to-date list.]
John interestingly does not call for social reform (We always do and hence shuffle off the problem.) He calls for difficult and costly personal reformation. (Hard for A tax collector or a soldier to do as he said)

Strangely Luke describes this as good news. It is good news that there is a God who judges justly, who does not just let the world go its own sweet way. It is good news that righteousness will be rewarded. For without that life has no meaning. And meaninglessness is a source of depression.

Notes:
The Atheist and the Bear!
An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the evolution had created. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!”, he said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing.
He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant the Atheist cried out “Oh my God!….”
Time stopped.
The bear froze.
The forest was silent.
Even the river stopped moving.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, “You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don’t exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?”
The atheist looked directly into the light “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?”
“Very well,” said the voice.
The light went out.
The river ran again.
And the sounds of the forest resumed.
And then the bear dropped his right paw ….. brought both paws together…bowed his head and spoke:
“Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful…AMEN!”

• Uncategorized