Dan Rowe - Sunday, 24 December 2023
Restoration Promised
Scripture References: Matthew 2:16-18, Psalms 48:1-14, Jeremiah 31:1-20, Jeremiah 31:31-34
Gathering Growing Going
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CloseToday in our final Advent passage, the scene is bittersweet. Matthew recalls the horrific events of the killing of all the boys two and under in and around Bethlehem. As Herod rages against God and his newborn King, Matthew takes us back to the hope of Jeremiah 31. In amongst the suffering of a fallen world, God promises hope: hope for restoration and return after the exile. Matthew links these two events, and reveals that Jesus fulfils what Jeremiah was pointing to. In Jesus, restoration has begun and the decisive victory against sin and death was accomplished on the cross. But while we remain in this Advent period, in the waiting until Christ comes again, Jesus displays the pattern to which his people must follow. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you” Jer 31:3
Scripture References: Matthew 2:16-18, Psalms 48:1-14, Jeremiah 31:1-20, Jeremiah 31:31-34
Related Topics: Christmas | More Messages from Dan Rowe | Download Audio
Bernard Gabbott
Genesis 146:1-10, Genesis 12:1-9, Luke 1:39-56
Andrew McClenaghan
Psalms 24:1-10
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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