Sermon 3.02.2019
Focus Scriptures: Psalm 48, 1 Corinthians 13. 1-13, Luke 2. 22-40
As usual there are 3 lectionary readings set for today. The challenge for the preacher is to ”spot the theme” which should link all readings. Sometimes this is wonderfully easy. Other times, one must scratch around like an old hen, in order to spot what links the 3 readings. Then some links, created by the lectionary designers, are so hidden, that the only thing the 3 readings have in common is being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
During the week no particular ‘theme’ came readily to mind as I first read this morning’s Scriptures. But, as I resigned myself to a period scratching ruminations, the Holy Spirit began to bring one word to my awareness. The word was; ”Holy”.
Psalm 48………… Holy Place
Gospel reading… Holy People
Paul’s Epistle…… Holy Living
In the O+NTs the word ‘holy’ means “apartness, set-apartness, separateness, sacredness”. God has made us a ‘holy’ people.
The word ”Holy” primarily applies to God, not to us, because God Himself is totally other, separate, sacred, transcendent, reverend, and set apart from every created thing. God’s holiness is beyond encompassing.
What ‘holiness’ we have results only from our drawing close to God through Christ Jesus.
In Jewish liturgy, when something is very important, it is repeated twice. Jesus does this when He says “verily, verily”.This repetition, esp of a name, signifies great intimacy, as when the Lord repeats the name Moses in the desert, and Saul on the Damascus road…so when something is repeated three times in a row, it is of tremendous importance + significance. This is why of all the attributes of God, His holiness is totally beyond the limits of our comprehension….For He is thrice Holy.
Rev.
”And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
‘Holy,
holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,who was and is and is to
come.’
The holiness of God has implications for us……for 6 times in the Bk of Leviticus the LORD GOD declares;
‘ For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I amholy…’
The apostle Peter confirms this instruction in the NT;
” but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:15-16)
God doesn’t tell us that we can make ourselves holy. We cannot….but He can and does. This is the great liberating truth that makes the Gospel: Good News.
For what God demands His grace, through faith in Jesus, supplies…. which is ” Christ in us, the hope of glory”. Jesus exchanged our sinful dross for His holy righteousness. Now His indwelling Holy Spirit…continuously labours in us and with us, sanctifying us so that He will, as Jude puts it;
”present us, unblemished(holy) in His glorious presence with exceeding great joy…”
Our psalm deals with Jerusalem, a place made holy by the actual shekinah glory of God.,,,Jerusalem, from where I have just returned.
Despite historic traumae Jerusalem remains a holy place where one can still truly say with our psalm :
Great
is the Lord, and most worthy of praise,
in the city of our God,
his holy mountain…
God
is in her citadels;
he has shown himself to be her fortress…
Within
your temple, O God,
we meditate on your unfailing love…”
The Western Wall(The Kotel) is precious. The fragrance of the holy prayers of generations still rests there. It is a special joy to pray there especially for family ,friends and the members of our congregation.
”Walk
about Zion, go around her…count her towers,
consider well her
ramparts,view her citadels,
that you may tell of them…”
Tell what of them?
(That) this God is our God for ever and ever;
he will be our guide even to the end.
The Temple is also the setting of our gospel reading. A small family of observant Jews enter there. The baby, is already named Jeshua/Joshua…..and in accordance with Torah, Miriam/Mary undergoes the rites of purification. This occurs within 40 day of the birth of a son. Prior to this ceremony she could go about her household and her daily business but she could not enter the Temple or share in any religious ceremony.
The
standard offering linked to this ceremony was an expensive lamb and
for a sin, offering a young pigeon. It is interesting to note that
Joseph and Mary cannot afford this, but Torah allows them to make
what is called the Offering of the Poor….where another inexpensive
pigeon is offered instead of the costly lamb.
Once that ceremony is complete,this observant Jewish family must
perform the….Pidyon-ha-ben…the ”redemption of the firstborn”…
based in Exodus.
Then the LORD said to Moses, ”Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast. (Ex 13.2)
It is laid down that…. for the sum of five shekels—approximately 22kc, Joseph and Miriam could, as it were, technically buy back their son from God. The sum had to be paid to the priests.Now all is kosher.
Scripture tells us to pray unceasingly. Simeon and the elderly prophet Anna lived this. Prayer conversations develops intimacy with God. Prayer encourages growth in faith, trust, confidence, discernment, and love. Anna and Simeon exhibit all of the loving warmth that comes from a close walk with God. Prayer aligns our will with the will of God. We become sensitised to the promptings of His Spirit; placing us, as it did Anna and Simon, in the right place at the right time.
They encounter the holy family and share, with J+M, the prophetic words they have in relation to their unique son.
They have walked close to God all their lives, they sensed+obeyed his promptings thus enriching in turn the lives of others. We can do that. Then we like them‘depart in peace… for their/our eyes have seen their/our salvation.’
This unique Divine peace is also ours for the seeking. John tells us that God is love. The great outworking of the Holy Spirit of Christ in our lives must be love otherwise it’s all for nothing.
Paul spells it out for us. It does not matter what we have achieved in life: status, wealth, families, a saintly disposition, great spiritual gifts, inspiring faith or a fabulous ministry………………If it does not arise from the well-spring of Love …we have nothing. We have less than nothing because we think we have everything. Without a heart beating in sync with God’s loving heart+will… we have nothing …we are nothing.
What God seeks, His grace supplies. Christ dwells in us …this is our hope of glory. Love is the core gift and the great fruit, of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Love pours towards us from the eternal Triune God… therefore love never ends……….Love weaves into our lives the radiant qualities of patience, kindness, hope, trust, joy,and peace….. leaving no breathing space for our free-ranging, organic non lovable shadow characteristics.
Today encountered M+J, A +S. We listened to Paul and the psalmist. Peter, John and Jude were mentioned in dispatches……….all folk, like us, called of God, possessing in their hearts the vibrant seed planted by the thrice holy love of our Father….A Father whose Spirit quietly says to us...Look to Jesusx2….Fix your eyes upon Jesus….He is the perfecter of your faith …. and in His words to Lady St.Julian of Norwich says:
‘All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.’,
Amen.