Blog

Advent Reflection: December 9: Luke chapter 9

Read Luke Chapter 9 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

In the last chapter we had a parable in which Jesus describes something of the Kingdom of God. Today we turn to a miracle – where Jesus enacts something of the Kingdom of God. The feeding of the 5000 is a well known passage. 2 fish, 5 loaves, 5000 hungry people… and they all had enough and the left overs filled 12 baskets. Well, I have no idea exactly what happened, but I know it to be true – that when Jesus’ is offered little things they are blessed and become great big things.

The small things matter and may seem so much bigger to their recipients. Is there a little bit of time you could give to another today… or a little bit of money… or a little smile… or a little conversation…

As another week unfolds… may you sense God’s presence and influence in your life… this Advent…

With love, truth and light…

Donald

Advent Reflection: December 8

Read Luke Chapter 8 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

Chapter 8 bring us to the first of the parables of Jesus – the parable of the sower. The image is of the farmer sowing seed in the knowledge that only some of the seed with produce a good crop – some will fall along the pathways, some in shallow soil, and some among thorns. So too with the hopes and promises from God… not always heard, accepted, believed… So too with every act of kindness we offer… we never know in advance how it will be received.

A true story I heard many years ago tells of a young girl who answered the first 8 of 10 questions in a test at school and put her pencil down. When the teacher asked why she hadn’t answered question 9 or 10, she replied, “Well no one ever gets more that 8/10 – so why bother”.

Even when we know our attempts might fail… when the kind word, smile, hand reached out in reconciliation, offer of help… might be rejected…might fall on hard rocky pathways… we continue to love. We do bother… and we trust that some of what we sow shall yield a harvest.

May you continue to be blessed… and be a blessing… this Advent…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

PS: aksm.org.uk/advent for details of all that’s on during Advent, including this evening’s Peninsula Carols – 7pm at Strontian Village Hall.

Advent Reflection: December 7

Read Luke Chapter 7 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

Chapter 7 tells us some more of what Jesus of Nazareth was doing 2000 years ago. Through it all is the question: Who is this man… who heals… and teaches… and is greater than John. Recently I came across my Certificate of Church Membership and was reminded that 39 years ago, I ‘joined the church’! 39 years ago today, I affirmed my faith in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. It was a significant step in the journey of awakening, developing and sustaining faith.

Recently someone spoke to me and was asking about how they could become more involved in the life of the Church. For each of us there are different next steps… starting to read the Bible regularly (ah, yes you are doing that!), praying for the first time… or praying in different ways… volunteering around the church or other organisations… maybe you’d like to know more about becoming a member of the Church…

Of course you don’t have to be a member to come along to Church… you are warmly invited to come along to any of the services… and on Sunday evening there’s the Peninsula Carols on Sunday – 7pm at Strontian Village Hall.

May you continue to be blessed… and be a blessing… this Advent…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

PS: aksm.org.uk/advent for details of all that’s on during Advent

Advent Reflection: December 6

Read Luke Chapter 6 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

Jesus healed, and Jesus taught. In word and action he inaugurated new ways of being. Twelve disciples are chosen to share this ministry of love. The image here has been doing the rounds on social media, and powerfully illustrates the gulf between those who have, and those who do not. It may reflect the dichotomy between the Blessings and the Woes… yet ultimately who are the blessed? Jesus teaching recorded here in Luke is similar to that in Matthew from the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ (Matthew 5-7). You may want to read those words too… and perhaps re-read Luke 6… and take time to be thankful for the blessings in life… and to be challenged too in loving service with others.

This advent Strontian, Ardgour and Morvern churches, as so many others will do, will be having special offerings to support those who find themselves welcoming a little support in life… Lochaber Foodbank, Lochaber Hope, Lodging House Mission, Glasgow and Shelter Scotland are charities we will support in the coming weeks… as followers of Jesus continue the ministry of love.

May you be blessed and challenged this Advent…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

PS: I hope you can make it along to the Peninsula Carols on Sunday – 7pm at Strontian Village Hall. aksm.org.uk/advent for details of all that’s happening.

Advent Reflection: December 5

Read Luke Chapter 5 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

‘Love God, Love others, and make disciples’: that’s the work of followers of Jesus in a nutshell. Jesus gathered around him a group of 12 disciples and from those small beginnings now some third of the world’s population are Christians. Disciples are learners… and at different stages of the journey. Three words have shaped much of my ministry, they are: Awaken, Develop and Sustain. In Luke chapter 5 we have the call of the first disciples – something was awakened in them that prompted a complete change in life’s direction. We hear of John the Baptist’s influence and questions about Jesus’ new way – a development in faith and understanding of God’s will.

For 21st Century followers of Jesus, we too are on a journey. It has been hugely encouraging to hear of so many rising to the challenge to read a chapter a day from Luke… for some an awakening, or re-awakening to the words, insights and promises of scripture… for some a development in the discipline (note the root of the word!) of regular Bible reading… and for some continuing sustenance in the journey of faith…

May this Advent journey be an adventure in faith…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

December 4

Read Luke Chapter 4 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

After the high point of Jesus’ baptism comes the 40 days in the wilderness. It’s often like that isn’t it… that good times are followed by life’s challenges. The forty days has echoes of prior times including 40 days of rain for Noah, and 40 years journeying to the promised land for Moses and the Israelites. Forty often signifies a period of change and transition. Empowered by the Holy Spirit Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, preaching and teaching. In the Nazareth synagogue he reads words from 8 centuries earlier from the prophet Isaiah – the words in verses 18 and 19, Jesus says come true. Words that take on new significance in Jesus, words that speak truth to power… good news for the poor, the captive, blind and oppressed. There’s a bit of a theme emerging isn’t there… Jesus speaks of a Kingdom very different from the worldly Roman Empire… and brings hope to the poor, outcast and marginalised… and that’s precisely what those who will follow him are invited to do and join with Jesus in saying “I must preach the Good News about the Kingdom of God… because that is what God sent me to do”

May this Advent journey continue to bless, inspire and encourage you…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

December 3

Read Luke Chapter 3 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

What do Winnie the Pooh and John the Baptist have in common? (They share the same middle name!). More seriously… and this is serious stuff… John the Baptist was preaching a way of repentance. He was preparing the way for one greater than himself. I once heard someone say that John gives us the gospel in black and white, while Jesus gave us the full colour version! In John we see the the call for justice for the poorest in society. ‘Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none’. And the tax collectors who came to John were told not to collect any more than required. (We’ll come back to that on day 19 when we meet Zacchaeus the wee tax collector.)

Jesus himself was baptised by John – his Mum’s cousin’s son… so his second cousin. Now at around thirty years old, his baptism marks the beginning of his ministry.

His lineage through his earthly father, Joseph is traced from verse 24… back to King David, back to Abraham… back to Adam… reminding us that Jesus ministry is for all creation, all nations, all people.

May this Advent journey continue to bless, inspire and encourage you…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

December 2

Read Luke Chapter 2 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

And so we come to the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth. As you read chapter 2 what struck you? Was it all familiar? Did anything leap out as if you were reading it for the first time? Where are the wise men? They are only mentioned in Matthew’s gospel. While Matthew is writing particularly for a Jewish audience, the magi, or wise men, from the East would have been an unexpected reminder that the new born king is not just for Israel but for the whole world – a light to all nations. Conversely Luke has a world-wide view, written with a Gentile (non Jewish) audience in mind, and within that global context gives the honour of first to worship the Christ to lowly shepherds going about their daily work.

The shepherds, we are told, found everything ‘just as the angels had told them’. There was integrity and truth in the message, verified in finding Mary, Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. No innkeeper, no donkey, nor any of the ‘traditional’ additions we owe to St Francis of Assisi’s early 13th Century Nativity plays!

Sometimes we need simply to allow the Gospel narrative to speak its truth. The story races ahead and by the end of this chapter the babe is on the cusp of manhood and engaged in holy things in the temple in Jerusalem.

May this Advent continue as a blessed season for you and yours…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.

Advent Reflection: December 1

Read Luke Chapter 1 (you can use a Bible you have, or follow the link)

You have just read the first of 24 chapters in Luke’s gospel and I invite you to join with me in reading a chapter of Luke each day as we journey through Advent. By Christmas Day, you will have read the whole gospel record as Luke shared it with Theophilus.

Who was Theophilus? The name means ‘lover of God’ – and rather than a particular individual may be intended as a greeting to any reader whether first or twenty first century. It’s an account for you, that you may know the truth of Jesus (v4).

After introducing John who will become Jesus’ second cousin, we hear the angel’s message to Mary. Mary understandably is perplexed! The angel says ‘Don’t be afraid’ – words we hear over and over in the Bible’s story of God’s involvement with humanity. ‘Don’t be afraid… for there is nothing God cannot do’. These words from Luke chapter 1 verses 37 leapt out at me when as a teenager I started having a serious look at this Bible stuff! Wow!, there is nothing God cannot do… and that includes loving me and you and inviting us into the adventure of faith and truth. We have met ‘truth’ already (v4) and again and again particularly in Luke’s gospel we hear of truth for us and for all especially those the world considers weak and vulnerable. To Mary and to us, ‘The Lord’s message to you will come true’ (v45). And Mary responds with joy and gladness and in Mary’s song we see glimpses of the upside down kingdom in which her son will reign.

Read over the chapter again… not just as history, but as mystery, and know God’s longing that you and I and all creation might know truth, love and life.

May this Advent be a blessed time for you and yours…

With love, truth and light…

Donald.