"Jourines" in the Christmas Story

The angels (from the realms of glory) to Mary, Joseph, shepherds etc.

Mary to Elizabeth

Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem

The Magi from the East to Jerusalem and Bethlehem and back by another route

The shepherds to the stable

(Herod's soldiers doing their wicked work)

The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt

The Lord Jesus Christ from the throne of glory to our sinful world, to the womb of Mary and then to a manger

Further jottings:

Mary and Jospeh from Nazareth in Galillee to Bethlehem in Judea for census

110 miles and take you about 2 hrs 20 mins to drive today

With a bit of walking you could get 3 different busses and do it in just over 4 hrs.

You might walk the 98 miles in 33 hours – a few days

Pregnant! Etc.

Shepherds from hillside to stable - ? a mile or 2?

They could probably go there comfortably that night

Magi / Wise men / kings from the East

If you go straight across the desert, it’s 540 miles from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Probably take them at least a month

Mary, Joseph and Jesus from Bethlehem to Egypt

At least 200 miles

Which was the longest journey of all?

The longest journey ever:

The circumferance of the globe is 24,902 miles. How long would that take you?

As far back as 1980 it was possible to journey around the world on scheduled flights in about 44 hours. 

The world record for the longest journey is held by 61-year-old Rosie Swale Pope, who travelled 20,000 miles across 12 countries.

Jesus from the throne of heaven to a manger for us

Eventually to the cross

Similarly, http://marclloyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/nazareth-to-bethlehem-not-longest.html
 

++Justin to his 14 year old self

Dear Justin,
You are rarely good at anything, a fact you know well and worry about. But don’t worry — it does not measure who you are. Keep on dreaming of great things, but learn to live in the present, so that you take steps to accomplish them. Above all, more important than anything, don’t wait until you are older to find out about Jesus Christ and his love for you. He is not just a name at Chapel, but a person you can know. Christmas is not a fairy story, but the compelling opening of the greatest drama in history, with you as one of millions of players. Life will often be tough, but you will find more love than you can imagine now.
With my love to you, Justin

http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/survey-features/9099952/what-would-you-tell-your-14-year-old-self/

Copyright and hymns

Given the importance of hymns for Christian life and worship, for theology and discipleship, it seems absurd to me that one should have to ask the copyright holder's permission to be able to quote even part of a hymn in a Christian book or academic context. It is wrong that if someone has written a bad hymn I am not allowed to quote it to show how wicked it is.

Thank you for listening. I look forward to the speedy reform of this pernicious law.

P.S. or perhaps I have misunderstood?

Originality in theological research

The PhD business of course puts a premium on orignial and significant contributions to scholarship that are worthy of publication. 

One of my tutors liked to talk about whether it is possible to be both orginal and right in theology. Of course a certain sort of originality is easy: anyone can come up with a crazy new idea, but being both original and right is the trick.

So the theological researcher may have mixed emotions when he comes across an idea which he thought might be orginal to him already in print. He might be disappointed that it was not as orginal as he had imagined. But he might be encouraged that perhaps it is not too crazy. It may even be right.

Advent Calendar Joke

Stolen from a friend on Facebook which I may be able to sneak in on Sunday:

I fear for the future of Advent calendars. Their days are numbered. BOOM BOOM! [Pause for laughter]

Prophets joke

At one time everyone taking a degree in whatever subject at Oxford also had to pass a theology exam. On being asked to list the Minor Prophets, one irreligious undergratudate is said to have written, "Who am I to distinguish between such holy and worthy gentlemen?".

No more terrible "s"es

D.V. one of our readings on Sunday (from the Lectionary!) will be Isaiah 35:1-10.

If I hadn't already over-used this line, v10, which says that "sorrow and sighing" will flee away might cause me to comment that in the New Creation there will be no more of those terrible "s"es:

No more suffering, sadness, sin, sickness, sorrow, sighing, Satan, (sea), school!

Some jottings so far for a possible Carol Service address

This Christmas I’d like to ask you to spare a thought for the poor clergyperson.

Yes, I know, I have such a terribly hard life and your heart bleeds for me.

It’s not my meagre stipend I want to complain about.

Nor is it the fact that for 11 months of the year I have to put up with so-called jokes about my only working one day a week.

You know the old line about the Vicar?

Invisible 6 days a week and incomprehensible the 7^th.

Then for about a month people have been saying “Your busy time coming up, Vicar!”

Well, yes, one of my busy times.

But I do want to share with you the challenge of Christmas preaching.

Every year, I need at least 4 new Christmas sermons – some of them with gimmicks for the kids - and yet the message of Christmas hasn’t changed much.

Some Vicars get around this problem by changing jobs every 5 years, of course.

If the Vicar works really hard for the first 5 years, he’s got all his sermons prepared and he can keep moving, and go half time for the next 25 years.

The static Vicar, however, will need about 120 different Christmas sermons throughout his career.

Because of course you can all remember exactly what I’ve said for the last couple of years, so there’s no chance of re-using any of the 2011 stuff.

So what is the Vicar to say about Christmas year in year out?

What is the unchanging but never out of date message of Christmas?

What can we say that is as fresh and engaging today as it was that first Christmas night in Bethlehem 2 Millennia ago?

Let me give you 3 headings:

(1)   The Christmas story is a relatively simple and well-known story – though it’s got its surprises

The story of a boy, a girl and a baby

In some ways a typical story

But an extraordinary one

And one with some surprises that we sometimes overlook

e.g. scandal, poverty, refugee, the reality of the stable

(2)   The Christmas story is a wonderful, inexhaustible, inexpressible mystery

The Christmas story is the story of the love of Almighty God for a sinful world

It shows us the lengths to which God will go for you and me

It is the story of God come to earth in person

God on a rescue mission

God come in the flesh

The incarnation

God contracted to a span

The maker in the manger

The creator in the cradle

(3)   The Christmas story is the best news in the world ever

People sometimes think that Christianity is boring, untrue and irrelevant.

But there could be nothing more interesting, exciting, true, relevant and life-changing than the brilliant news of Christmas.

This story can be your story.

It can make all the difference to you and your family this Christmas and for ever.

If there’s any chance that this is true, there is nothing more important and urgent.

This is at least worth investigating.

So, I’m glad to be able to say something to you about Christmas again this year.

Thank you for listening.

And God-willing, I hope to preach another 119 similar but different sermons to you.

A very merry Christmas to you all.

Amen.

Nazareth to Bethlehem: not the longest journey (Crib Service / All Age / Assembly Talk)

How far is Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea (Luke 2:4)?

If Google Maps is to believed, and I've typed in the right things, the quickest way to drive from Nazareth to Bethlehem today would be about 110 miles and take you about 2 hrs 20 mins. 

With a bit of walking you could get 3 different busses and do it in just over 4 hrs.

You might walk the 98 miles in 33 hours.

No doubt it was a serious journey for a pregnant woman in ancient times - with or without a donkey.

But its not the longest journey in the world.

What is the longest journey in the world?

The circumferance of the globe is 24,902 miles.

As far back as 1980 it was possible to journey around the world on scheduled flights in about 44 hours. 

The world record for the longest journey is held by 61-year-old Rosie Swale Pope, who travelled 20,000 miles across 12 countries.

Yet the longest journey ever was the one Jesus took, not from Nazareth to Bethelehem but from heaven to earth. He journeyed from the throne of heaven not to a palace or a maternity ward but to a manger in stable and eventually to a cross.

He did that in obedience to his Father, out of love for us, in great humility that he might show us God and save us from our sins. 

(If you feel the need for gimmicks, of course some maps and globes and things might enhance this talk).  

(You could also ask the kids some questions, of course, What's the longest journey you've ever been on? Who's come the furtherst to get here today? etc.)

(You could also discuss the other journies involved in the Christmas story: the journey of the Magi and the flight to Egypt)

The Bible as God's Words?

It seems to me that in some ways it would be helpful to call the Bible God's Words, rather than merely his Word, though this has not been a traditional way of speaking.

This would be a way of stressing the plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible. The words are chosen by God. It's not just that the Bible somehow conveys a message from God to us.

Strictly speaking, this claim would apply only to the autographs. They are the inspired words of God. Translations are an approximation to God's words. Losely, the Bible may be called God's words or God's word but this must allow for "errors" of translation and probably also for errors of transmission.

Clearly there would be some dangers in this language. Not all the words of the Bible are God's words in the same way. The prophectic oracles are God's words differently to the statement "There is no God" or Paul's comment that he cannot remember whom else he baptised. God does take up and use all those words. He speaks through them. This issue applies equally to calling the Bible God's word, but perhaps to call it God's words raises it more accutely.

Of course, saying that the Bible is God's words does not mean to imply that they are not also human words and the words of their human authors. It does not decide the issue of how they were composed.

The preacher's family used in sermon illustrations

How well the preacher and his hearers know one another might affect things but perhaps the preacher should remember:

(1) The golden rule. He should do unto others as he would have them do unto him and that includes the wife and kids. He should not embarass his family or score points from the pulpit. They don't have the right of reply. His family's privacy is not his to give away. Life in the Vicarage has its blessings and challenges. The Vicar doesn't need to make it worse by mocking its enhabitants when he's 6 ft above contradiction. There are enough resentful Preacher's Kids about.

(2) His family may not be as cute, charming, amusing, fascinating, brilliant and interesting to others as they are to him. He should not show off.

(3) Any one brand of illustration over-used can become predictable and tedious.

(4) The occasional story at his expense has its place.

(5) The minister does have a role as an example to the church he serves and that involves sharing something of his life with them in appropriate ways. It is good for the people to realise that he is a real human being with struggles like theirs.

(6) If you are going to use a story it could be anonymised: "One of my 7 sons..." or even, "I know a man in Christ..."; "The story is told...."

(Thanks to those who discussed this with me on Facebook. I have stolen their thoughts!)

P.S. some of these considerations might also apply to things you say on your blog, Twitter, Facebook and in other places too

John Wesley to one of his preachers on reading

What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear, to this day, is, want of reading. I scarce ever knew a preacher read so little. And perhaps, by neglecting it, have lost the taste for it. Hence your talent in preaching does not increase. It is just the same as it was seven years ago. It is lively, but not deep; there is little variety; there is no compass of thought. Reading only can supply this, with meditation and daily prayer. . . . O begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercise. You may acquire the taste which you have not: what is tedious at first, will afterward be pleasant. Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you will be a trifler all your days, and a pretty, superficial preacher. Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to grow. Do not starve yourself any longer. Take up your cross and be a Christian altogether. Then will all the children of God rejoice (not grieve) over you.

Matthew 3:1-12 - some headings

John’s location (v1, 5-6)

 

John’s wardrobe (v4a)

John’s diet (v4b)

John’s role (v3)

John’s baptism (v6)

John’s message / preaching / words (v2, v7ff)

 * * *

I happened to notice that a friend had suggested the following headings on Facebook:

Being religious is no substitute for being repentant -vv8-9

Being rebellious is no barrier to being repentant v9b

These verses represent an argument against presumption and an argument for hope.

If God can make children of Abraham out of the stones, perhaps he can also make children of Abraham out of the children of Abraham, transforming hearts of stone to hearts of flesh.

* * *

 

N T Wright suggest the passage shows us 4 powerful symbols that tell us about the coming of Jesus:

 The road, the water, the fire and the axe

No doubt this approach could be expanded with headings such as:

 

The voice / the preacher

The prophecy

Christian Primary School Assembly on Friendship

Begin with a quiz / game in which you get 3 pairs of friends up and ask 3 sets of questions in Mr & Mrs style to find out how well they know their friend:

E.g. what does your friend want to be when they grow up?

How many brothers and sisters do they have?

What's their favourite thing to do for fun?

The point is that good friends know one another.

Reading: John 15:14-15
"you are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. 

Jesus friends know him. Jesus tells us what he thinks and feels and plans in the Bible. 

Women Bishops: Impossible or Just Wrong?

Forgive me, I am repeating myself here, but someone else must have thought about this important question before and better than me.

It seems that those of us who are against women Bishops really need to work out which of the following positions we take (or what other position we adopt). This is key to working out what proper provision would be like for us.

Is it:

(1) Bishops are and must be men; women are not and cannot be men men; women are not and cannot be Bishops. That is, the Church of England might try to make women Bishops but that cannot be done, it is impossible. We cannot acknowledge a woman as a true Bishop even if she might be a bishop in law.

Or

(2) Women ought not to be bishops but they can be. The Church of England shouldn't make women Bishops but it can and it will. We can acknowledge women as true and lawful Bishops even though we wouldn't and shouldn't have done this thing.

Position (2) would make it a lot easier for us and the provision we would need would be less significant. And presumably it would make the Women Bishops and their supporters happier.

Does that all make sense? Are these good questions and what are the answers?

Women Bishops questions that leap to mind

Well, I have at least the following questions about where we are in this whole process:

(1) Will the conscience of individual incumbents be respected? All the talk seems to be of PCCs asking for some kind of alternative provision.

(2) Will clergy be required to assent to the fact that women really are bishops? How does this provide a place for those who hold to an impossiblist position analogouge to someone who argues that homosexuals cannot marry?

(3) We are told that traditionalists should have an honoured place in the C of E. Have those who have said that male headship views are incompatible with a gospel theology repent of this view?

(4) Surely it is a matter of natural justice that there should be a conservative evangelical Diocisan Bishop?

David & Sally's holiday choices

Play along with me in a little thought experiment for a moment.

Imagine Dave and Sally.

Dave and Sally are married.

They want to go on holiday.

They are thinking of going together.

But Dave wants to go to the mountains and Sally wants to go to the beach.

Should they go to the beach or to the mountains?

Imagine they can’t find a beach up a mountain.

I suppose they could compromise and go to the lakes, but just ignore that possibility for a moment.

There are some binary choices in life where you have to choose one or the other.

Just imagine that Dave and Sally have to go on holiday together and they have to go either to the mountains or the beach.

And imagine this is going to be their only holiday ever: they can’t go to the beach this year and the mountains next year.

And imagine that the mountains and the beach are the same in every other respect: the holidays are exactly the same price, exactly the same distance away and so on.

How on earth do they decide?

This may seem a little theoretical by now but the principle does matter.

And the answer is simple. 

DV Sunday's sermon on Ephesians 5:22ff will answer this great question. 

C S Lewis

This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of C.S. Lewis's death, and a memorial stone to the author is due to be unveiled in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.

C S Lewis' Screwtape Letters is the Book of the Week on Radio 4 this week.

You might be interested in Prof Alistair McGrath new life of Lewis.You can also find links to 4 talks McGrath has given on Lewis here.

The Desiring God National Conference 2013 was on the subject of Lewis. As well as Piper there are addresses from Doug & Nate Wilson, Vanhoozer, Philip Ryken and others. 

Google, of course, reveals lots of other lovely C S Lewis goodies.

Training Pastors: a proposal for theological colleges

Maybe there should be a rule that the average age of Faculty members at the theological seminary should not be less than 50. And maybe the majority should have been incumbents or senior pastors. I wonder how this would affect formation for ministry?

Oh, and maybe all pastors should be 30 before they are ordained. 

As a friend pointed out on Twitter, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ "trained pastors" when he was only 30. He would have pulled down the faculty average!

New Bell Cuisine Recipie Book

New Bell Cuisine: Nibbles & Bites From Warbleton ed. Margaret McCarthy 118pp. £5 + p&p. Order here or collect from The Stores, Rushlake Green, Warbleton church, Shaw's Garage and selected pubs. All proceeds to the bells appeal.