Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 27 November 2022
O Come, O Come, Immanuel
Scripture References: Isaiah 11:1-16, Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
Gathering Growing Going
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CloseGod’s mob are a singing people. This is what we will do forever (just look at Revelation 4, 5, and 7!). It is what God’s mob have done right throughout their history (just look at the Psalms!). It is what characterises our gatherings now. And singing has been crucial at key turning points in church history (Luther’s songs set to pub tunes applied truth to the minds of people!). But what IS a Christian song? In fact, what IS a song? Here is a rough definition: ‘Truth to music, to stir emotion and to invite a response’. Now, there are probably many things to quibble with in such a definition, but it is a starting point to help us think through what we do as we sing as God’s mob. First, ‘truth’ is central: the truth of the faith. Second, this ‘truth’ is set to ‘music’ – and music is both an aid to memory and a spur to ‘emotion’. Third, the stirring of ‘emotions’ is crucial for songs – and emotions are a gift from God, rightly used to respond from deep within our natures as His image-bearers. And, finally, this ‘response’ is the right application of truth warmly received, in daily life.
Scripture References: Isaiah 11:1-16, Isaiah 9:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25
Related Topics: Christmas, Isaiah | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio
Bernard Gabbott
Genesis 1:18-25
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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