Posts Tagged ‘Isaiah’

Posted on March 15, 2009 - by Tim L

Lent week 4 - Sticks and stones

We watched a Youtube clip -called Hotel Rwanda about the film of the same name detailing the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 (Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqQfZoUirCE&feature=related)

“Take a good look at my servant. I’m backing him to the hilt. He’s the one I chose, and I couldn’t be more pleased with him. I’ve bathed him with my Spirit, my life. He’ll set everything right among the nations.   He won’t call attention to what he does with loud speeches or gaudy parades.   He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant, but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right.  He won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped until he’s finished his work-to set things right on earth. Far-flung ocean islands wait expectantly for his teaching.”
Isaiah 42: 1-4 (The Message)

Jesus was placed before the governor, who questioned him: “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?” Jesus said, “If you say so.”  But when the accusations rained down hot and heavy from the high priests and religious leaders, he said nothing.  Pilate asked him, “Do you hear that long list of accusations? Aren’t you going to say something?”  Jesus kept silence-not a word from his mouth. The governor was impressed, really impressed.  It was an old custom during the Feast for the governor to pardon a single prisoner named by the crowd.   At the time, they had the infamous Jesus Barabbas in prison.  With the crowd before him, Pilate said, “Which prisoner do you want me to pardon: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus the so-called Christ?  He knew it was through sheer spite that they had turned Jesus over to him.
Matthew 27:11-18 (The Message)

It is reported that between 15 and 20000 people are killed every year by unexploded landmines.  The global movement of people across borders and around counties is huge, the total of displaced people around the world is 25 million.  About 300 000 children under the age of 10 are directly involved in armed conflicts.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”
Have you ever said it yourself?  Why?  What was going on at the time?  Have you ever been able to keep quiet in the face of taunts and name calling, or even of accusations being made against you?
When is it right to keep silent, like Jesus did in front of Pilate?  When is it right to speak out, take your life into your own hands as the hotelier Paul Rusesabagina did in the 1994 during the Rwandan genocide when about a million people were murdered?
When to speak? when to keep quiet? Do you ever have that problem?
When we have just sung that we ask for the words of our mouths, the deeds of our day to speak of Jesus.  How do we do that?
The passage from Matthew is all about confrontation and conflict.  Jesus was in front of Pilate, the Roman Governor, because the Pharisees, the religious leaders, believed that Jesus disrespected the Law and the moral tradition they thought was vital for Jews to uphold.  The accusations came thick and fast but Jesus remained silent.
The irony is that if Jesus had kept his mouth shut he would never have been here in the first place. He would not have upset the Pharisees and wouldn’t have to be quiet in front of Pilate.
Pilate was impressed with Jesus’ silence.  It leaves me with a question Is Pilate the right man to impress?  Who was also impressed with Jesus?
I once stood in a car park waiting to pay for my ticket when two men came and joined the queue behind me.  One of them was smoking; there was a big sign on the wall asking people not to smoke.  What would you do?  What did I do?  I said something. I was greeted with a torrent of abuse.  I will now think twice, before speaking but should I?
Jesus meets the Pharisees’ intolerance and prejudice with courage and quiet determination.  He does the same with Pilate allowing him to wrestle with the question of his identity themselves.
Jesus promised persecution and conflict and equipped his disciples to respond as Isaiah states:

Don;t call attention to what you do with loud speeches or gaudy parades. Don’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt and don’t disregard the small and insignificant, but steadily and firmly set things right. Don’t tire out and quit. Don’t be stopped until the work is finished -to set things right on earth.

Lets start today.

Posted on December 21, 2008 - by Tim L

Visitors - God

6 For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He’ll take over the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.
7 His ruling authority will grow,
and there’ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He’ll rule from the historic David throne
over that promised kingdom.
He’ll put that kingdom on a firm footing
and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will do all this.

Isaiah 9:6 – 7 The Message

The guests were starting to arrive for the centenary celebration, and the deaconess was standing at the door waiting to greet the new mayor. She wondered how she would recognise him, but was assured that other people wouldn’t be wearing chains round their necks. When a chauffeur-driven car pulled up at the specially coned-off area, she came forward and greeted the impressive-looking gentleman who emerged, and led him into the building. But after being introduced to one or two people, he tactfully informed her that he was not the new mayor! She apologised profusely, only grateful that she had not already ushered him to a VIP seat.
Meanwhile, however, she had missed the real mayor. He had passed her in the corridor, but how could she have known? Not only was he chainless; he looked so ordinary! Furthermore, he had walked to the church, and come in at the back door. It was the caretaker who pointed him out to her. ‘Yes, I know Bert,’ he said. ‘I used to do the soup run with him.’

They said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, Are you the one who is
to come, or are we to wait for another?’”
Luke 7:18-23 The Message

Jesus, are you the one?
It is hardly surprising that people missed your coming when even John the Baptist wasn’t sure.
They were expecting such a different kind of messiah.
The unmistakable kind.
Chauffeur-driven, on a VIP throne, with a gold chain.
How could anyone be expected to know who you were when you came in at the back, looking ordinary?
There were plenty who did recognise you, of course:
the blind man who cried, ‘Son of David, have pity!;
the disturbed one who screamed, ‘Stay away!;
the woman who touched the hem of your coat,
the folk who knew you from the soup run.
But are you the one, Jesus? We still have to ask.
In a world of paths and promises, how can we be sure?
Your reply is your work amongst the sick and oppressed. ‘Decide for yourselves!’
you say- as if it isn’t the doctrines, or even the miracles,
but the company you keep and the priorities you hold
and the kingdom of possibilities and joy
you unpack amid our ordinariness.
So help us to be on the look-out for your coming,
as the people and events crowd in.
Open our eyes to see you in the guise of friend and stranger. Whatever the path,
wherever the place,
however you come to us,
may there be recognition.
And joyous welcoming.
Taken from Advent readings from Iona, Brian Woodcock and Jan Sutch Pickard, Wild Goose Publications, 2000.