Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world.
God is not a secret to be kept.
We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.
If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?
I’m putting you on a light stand.
Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
Reflection
What an invitation! Jesus claims “You are the light of the world.” I know the Message Bible reads a little differently but it really is the same passage. I just fell in love with the God-colours- that is who we are God-colours in the world.
I wonder if Jesus were up here giving a sermon what would he be saying?
I mean, I really wonder what he would say that would be different from what he said two thousand years ago?
Would he be here challenging us, just the way he challenged everyone who heard him to come closer to God? To experience their faith at a deeper level? To let your light shine a little more than we are used to.
Jesus made promises to the people who followed them – and the promise was that you can have a spirit filled life - and if you take that path, if you journey with Jesus leading you and God beside then your life mightnever be the same again. For most people that is a very scary promise.
In Matthew 4:21-22 we have the story of Jesus calling of James and John
21 Going on from there He (Jesus) saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and
He called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
They weren’t scared, but, they probably knew Jesus from John the Baptist days and maybe had an inkling as to what he was up to.
But there were others and not just disciples but people who invited Jesus into their houses, asked him to heal their sons and daughters and husbands, listened to his stories of lost coins and lost sheep and lost sons, heard him talk about God, and Pharisees and Samaritans, a woman who answered his request for a drink of water at a well and she and a village changed their lives, people who gathered in large crowds after walking many miles to hear what Jesus had to say about the Kingdom of God and how to participate in it.
There were some who understood the depth of what Jesus offered and like the rich young man only walked sadly away.
There were many who sat and discussed, coming in the night, climbing trees, over meals, some just sitting and listening as the discussion went on around them.
Everyone had the same invitation, everyone has the same invitation to engage deeply in life and seek out the divine in our lives and in the world. Next week is the first Sunday in Advent.
Advent traditionally is a time of preparation for Christmas and maybe this year as we move through Advent into Christmas, as we learn to do things differently in a COVID world, we will also see those God-coloursemanating from ourselves and others. Opening our hearts and our minds and our souls in ways we have not in other more normal years.
As the Christmas lights start to shine in our communities, which always brings a smile to my heart and maybe yours, may we remember that here in this moment God is present. We are all blessed.
Amen
NB
* Just a note that I will be starting an Advent candle lighting liturgy next week that you can follow in your own homes.
All you need are four candles any colour, and one white candle. You can fancy them up any way you wish to make your advent candle wreath or centrepiece.
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world.
God is not a secret to be kept.
We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.
If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you?
I’m putting you on a light stand.
Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
Reflection
What an invitation! Jesus claims “You are the light of the world.” I know the Message Bible reads a little differently but it really is the same passage. I just fell in love with the God-colours- that is who we are God-colours in the world.
I wonder if Jesus were up here giving a sermon what would he be saying?
I mean, I really wonder what he would say that would be different from what he said two thousand years ago?
Would he be here challenging us, just the way he challenged everyone who heard him to come closer to God? To experience their faith at a deeper level? To let your light shine a little more than we are used to.
Jesus made promises to the people who followed them – and the promise was that you can have a spirit filled life - and if you take that path, if you journey with Jesus leading you and God beside then your life mightnever be the same again. For most people that is a very scary promise.
In Matthew 4:21-22 we have the story of Jesus calling of James and John
21 Going on from there He (Jesus) saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and
He called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
They weren’t scared, but, they probably knew Jesus from John the Baptist days and maybe had an inkling as to what he was up to.
But there were others and not just disciples but people who invited Jesus into their houses, asked him to heal their sons and daughters and husbands, listened to his stories of lost coins and lost sheep and lost sons, heard him talk about God, and Pharisees and Samaritans, a woman who answered his request for a drink of water at a well and she and a village changed their lives, people who gathered in large crowds after walking many miles to hear what Jesus had to say about the Kingdom of God and how to participate in it.
There were some who understood the depth of what Jesus offered and like the rich young man only walked sadly away.
There were many who sat and discussed, coming in the night, climbing trees, over meals, some just sitting and listening as the discussion went on around them.
Everyone had the same invitation, everyone has the same invitation to engage deeply in life and seek out the divine in our lives and in the world. Next week is the first Sunday in Advent.
Advent traditionally is a time of preparation for Christmas and maybe this year as we move through Advent into Christmas, as we learn to do things differently in a COVID world, we will also see those God-coloursemanating from ourselves and others. Opening our hearts and our minds and our souls in ways we have not in other more normal years.
As the Christmas lights start to shine in our communities, which always brings a smile to my heart and maybe yours, may we remember that here in this moment God is present. We are all blessed.
Amen
NB
* Just a note that I will be starting an Advent candle lighting liturgy next week that you can follow in your own homes.
All you need are four candles any colour, and one white candle. You can fancy them up any way you wish to make your advent candle wreath or centrepiece.
