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Gospel centred sermons, based on the lectionary often in advance.

Dec 14, 2010

Readings Isaiah 35:1-10; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11 

The Uniting Church is a Bible based church. The church’s foundation document puts it like this: When the Church preaches Jesus Christ, her message is controlled by the Biblical witnesses.

                In other words our speaking about Jesus, life for him, and worship of Jesus must be based on the Bible. Jesus must be the Jesus first of the Bible, not the Jesus of our experience, or the Jesus of our expectations.

                In today’s reading from the Gospel (Matt 11:2-11) - we hear that Jesus didn’t fit John’s expectations. Jesus mixes with people who do not obey the Law like prostitutes, and tax collectors, and he touches lepers. He works on the Sabbath. There is a real contrast between John and Jesus in their personal life styles. John was a tea-totaler- perhaps even a bit of a wowser. Jesus drank wine and enjoyed a meal.

                This sort of Jesus and the God he re-presents won’t always make us comfortable and do what we want or expect but he will always love us. He won’t fit into the box we make for him - he’ll break it and re-make it. But this is the God, (and for most of us the Jesus), we worship - the Jesus of the Bible.

 

Questions for thought or discussion.

How does your image of Jesus fit with the Jesus of Matthew 11:2-11? In what ways is your image of Jesus one which is “too comfortable”? What would the world be like if we generously welcomed all to our table as Jesus did? What would the world be like if we shared Jesus’ invitation to the table with all whom we meet?