Texada Island United Church
  • Home
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • History
    • Links
  • Focus on Spirit
  • Advent & Christmas
  • Events
    • Ongoing
    • Past Events
  • Reflections
    • From Services
    • For Kids
    • Something to Ponder
  • Milestones
    • Births, Deaths & more
    • In Memoriam
  • Photo Gallery
    • Karen May, New Legion Chaplain
    • Church Photos
    • Battle Services >
      • Battle of Atlantic service - April 2015
      • Battle Service 2010
    • Tea & Bakesales >
      • Dessert Tea & Bake sale April 2015
      • Church Tea & Bake Sale Dec 2013
      • St Patricks Day Tea and Bake Sale 2013
      • St Patricks Tea 2010
      • Bake Sale 2009
    • Christmas >
      • Christmas Dinner 2014
      • Christmas Concert 2014
      • Christmas Day 2013
      • Christmas Eve 2013
      • Christmas Concert 2013
      • Christmas dinner at Legion 2013
    • Music Events >
      • Chor Musica Powell River Mens Choir - March 2015
      • Chor Musica Video
      • Joyful Noise Photos - 2008-2010, 2013
      • Advent in Song, Dec 2008
    • KSE photos >
      • KSE Photos 2010
      • KSE Photos 2009
      • KSE Photos 2008
    • More Photos >
      • Certificate of Thanksgiving 2014
      • Doretta's 60th
      • Appreciation Service, May 2010
      • Bowen Island Weekend Sep 2009
      • Yard Sale March 2009
      • Earth Day 2009
      • Van Anda Days July 2008
      • Leban Wedding, 2008
  • Church Notes
  • Blog

Light of the World in God-colours

22/11/2020

0 Comments

 
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.

 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Feb. 28, 2021 Lent 2: Arwa's Story
    Feb. 21, 2021 Lent 1
    Feb. 17, 2021 Ash Wednesday
    Feb. 14, 2021 Love
    Feb.7, 2021 The Be-Attitudes
    Jan. 24, 2021 What is this Kingdom of God?
    Jan. 17, 2021 Calls - Nudges and Visions
    Jan. 10, 2021 Baptism of Jesus
    Jan. 3, 2021 You are the Light
    Dec. 25 2020 Christmas
    Dec. 20, 2020 Advent 4 - Love
    Dec. 13, 2020 Advent 3 - Joy
    Dec. 6 2020 Advent 2 - Peace
    Nov. 29, 2020 Advent 1- Hope
    Nov. 22, 2020 Light of the World
    Nov. 15, 2020. Talents and Gifts
    Nov. 8, 2020 Lest We Forget
    Nov. 1,2020. How to be a Saint
    Oct 25, 2020 Love God
    Oct. 18, 2020 Followers of the Way
    Oct. 11, 2020 Give Thanks
    Oct. 4,2020 Out on a Precipice
    Sept. 27, 2020. Out Beyond
    Sept. 20, 2020 Where is God
    Sept. 13, 2020. Intersectionality???
    Sept. 6, 2020 God IS Love
    This is not a Test
    Aug 16 Draw the Circle Wide
    Aug 2 Wrestling with God
    July 26: Find and Seek
    July 19: I Know You
    July 12 Parable of the Sower
    Sunday July 5, 2020
    Sunday, June 28, 2020
    Sunday June 21, 2020
    Sunday, June 14, 2020
    Trinity Sunday, June 7, 2020
    Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2020
    Sunday, May 24, 2020
    Sunday, May 17, 2020
    ​Sunday, May 10, 2020 – “Mother’s Day”
    ​Sunday, May 3, 2020 “There IS abundance!”
    Prayer for a Pandemic
    Hanging Out With Jesus

    ​COMMENTS: 

    We welcome discussion on content posted here!

    A comment field is present when looking at individual posts. If you don't see the comment area, click on the article heading to bring up the single post and its comment area.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.