Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 4 December 2022
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Scripture References: Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 9:1-7, Philippians 2:5-11
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Close‘Hark the herald angels sing’ attempts to capture this whole gamut of truthful experiences (shock, wonder, awe, humility, obedience, discovery, veracity, verbosity, announcement, glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told), amazing emotions, and deeply appreciative responses. It is a song that riffs off the account of Luke 2:1-20, draws in theological summary from something like the Nicene Creed (and Philippians 2:5-11), and reminds us of the true goodness of theologically rich and Biblically-rooted carols. Put simply, it is a song of wonder!
Scripture References: Luke 2:1-20, Isaiah 9:1-7, Philippians 2:5-11
Related Topics: Christmas | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio
God chooses a King | Tim Baxter | Sunday, 4 September 2011 | Listen | ||
Prized Possession | Daniel Wood | Sunday, 28 August 2011 | Listen | ||
The Rise & Fall of Saul | Tim Baxter | Sunday, 28 August 2011 | Listen | ||
The People's Choice | Tim Baxter | Sunday, 21 August 2011 | Listen | ||
Rejection | Ralph Wood | Sunday, 14 August 2011 | Listen | ||
Chosen by God | Tim Baxter | Sunday, 7 August 2011 | Listen | ||
Final Greetings | Peter Brain | Sunday, 31 July 2011 | Listen | ||
A Dangerous Deception | Tim Baxter | Sunday, 24 July 2011 | Listen | ||
Paul's defense | Ralph Wood | Sunday, 17 July 2011 | Listen | ||
On Purpose | Richard Luckensmeyer | Sunday, 10 July 2011 | Listen |
What is greatness? In particular, what is greatness in the kingdom of God? That is the question addressed in the passage from Matthew today. Jesus is approached by two different groups. First, the family of Zebedee: James and John and their mother. Second, two blind men. Jesus asks both groups the same question “What do you want me to do for you?” What they request is quite revealing. And so is Jesus’ response to their requests. The Zebedees request position, status, reward for effort. The blind men request mercy, for their eyes to be open. Which request lines up with Jesus’ teaching previously? Which request do we tend to go to ourselves?
The Department of Home Affairs has an Australian Values Statement on its website. Visa applicants for residency/citizenship must sign this. And one of its key principles is that we are a ‘fair-go’ country. We would all agree with that. I suspect, too, that we would summarise our ‘fair go’ culture by stating that ‘you get what you deserve/what you work for’. In fact, many of us have established our relational, social and work ethics on this very principle. But is that what the ‘kingdom of heaven is like’? What is its value statement? What is the hallmark of such a kingdom, and its ruler, even its citizenship? Today, after Jesus has assured his disciples that the dependent will be provided for by their king, he now uses the same ideas to issue with them a warning not to abuse, misuse, ignore or become entitled in the face of the kingdom of heaven hallmark—which is grace.
Jesus deals with the question of ‘Who belongs in the kingdom?’ Is it children? Is it the good? Is it the godly? And, how and what does this look like? This question of ‘belonging’ is one that is constant in our lives – where do I belong, do I belong, what does belonging look like? And Jesus is very clear: the kingdom of heaven is made up of the dependent, the reliant, the weak – just like children.
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