26th February 2023 10.30am – First Sunday of Lent Eucharist

Posted on February 26, 2023February 25, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Genesis 2.15-17, 3.1-7

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Matthew 4.1-11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings

One way of understanding the temptations of Jesus is this.

He goes into the wilderness on the brink of beginning his main life’s work. His days of working in the carpenter’s shop with Joseph, his father, are now behind him. He is about to become a public figure, teaching and preaching in the towns and villages of the Galilee. It’s a leadership role, and Jesus has spent time thinking hard about what sort of leader he is being called by God to be.

The gospel for today externalises what I think has been going on in the heart and mind of Jesus.

Each of the temptations is about different ways of being a leader, different ways in which you can attract and keep a following. And he’s been struggling with that: what are the wrong paths down which he must not go. So the temptations clarify for him the nature of his leadership, his mission.

Give people bread. They follow someone who meets their material needs. Jesus has to resist that because, as he says, people do not live by bread alone. He will feed the hungry; but that is not the heart of the mission which is to satisfy something that is not material but spiritual.

Give people marvels, miracles. They will follow someone who dazzles and amazes. Jesus has to resist that too because whatever divine help he can call upon, it must not be used to boost his own popularity.

And finally, forge your people into an Irresistible force who will conquer the world. Don’t be afraid of using the weapons of evil – the sword - to bring the world under your rule.

This temptation has to be resisted again at the end of his public ministry when Jesus comes to Jerusalem for the final time. The crowd want to make him just such a leader, waving their branches of palm and shouting hosanna. So he deliberately enters the city, meek and on a donkey to make the point to himself and to them: I am not that sort of leader.

So the temptations are about a struggle to understand what his leadership must be. Paths down which Jesus must not go.

And we should not suppose that they are unrealistic paths. Jesus was clearly a charismatic figure whose teaching and preaching could move people. These were all possible leadership roles which Jesus could either take or find himself in, unless they were firmly resisted.

Jesus has to reject them. People must follow him freely, out of love and devotion, or not at all. They must freely choose his way – to show kindness and gentleness and generosity and love.

I say people must follow Jesus freely. That is important. Each of the leadership roles I have outlined sooner or later are about forms of control or coercion. The leader who promises bread creates a people dependent on him. The leader who dazzles similarly creates a people who need more wonders and can never be satisfied. The conqueror will require an unquestioning obedience. Controlling and coercive leadership. How often we have seen it down the years and across the nations.

Christ’s followers must follow him freely, out of love and devotion, or not at all.

If that is what the temptations are about for Jesus, what about us? Do they say anything to us now and the way we live our lives?

I think they do.

We may not be called upon to be leaders in any big way, but we all forge relationships with others. And the temptations to be controlling or coercive are no less for us. Lent is our time in the wilderness, our chance to look at those relationships and ask ourselves a few questions. Am I controlling? Am I coercive? With my partner, my family, my friends, those with whom I work? Do I show to them the generosity, the kindness, the love that Jesus in his life showed to those around him?

One last thought on this particular Sunday in this particular year.

Listen again to the third temptation.

The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and said to him, ‘All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone, Satan, for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’

Among those Christians who may hear this gospel today could be the President of Russia. Will any of this cause him to change his behaviour?

Will any of it cause us to change ours?

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica

Lord God, help us as we begin this time of reflection and contemplation of your son’s temptation and passion, in order to give his life so all people might live, to mark this Lent season in prayer and consideration of our sins, and to live our lives better as a result. Forgive us for our lapses, and support us as we try to live according to your will.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We bring before you the sins of our world, the war in Ukraine, the failure of the rich countries of the world to help those in poorer countries, the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and everywhere where there is division in society and failure to share out all the riches of the world with which you have endowed us. Help us to care for your world, and to ensure that its riches are passed on fairly to future generations.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for our city and local community, that all may work for the good of all our fellow citizens, particularly those who serve as local councillors. Guide them to work for the good of all. We give thanks for all our local organisations who help make our Walkley area a good one to live in.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill at this time, particularly those coming to the end of their life here on earth. We ask that all who work in the Health Service or as carers may have the strength to carry out their work under very difficult circumstances, and that they will be recognised for the valuable work they do. In a moment of quiet we remember those known to us in special need of your healing grace at this time………….

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who have died, both recently and many years ago, who were family, friends and people we only knew slightly, but continue to miss. We give you thanks for all they have meant to us, and remember some of them by name now………….

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark, John and all your saints, we commend ourselves and all your people to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers

for the sake of your son,

our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

22nd February 2023 19.30pm – Ash Wednesday Eucharist

Posted on February 22, 2023 by St Mary's

The Sermon
By Joe, Reader at St Mary's.

May I speak in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit –
Amen. Please be seated.

Our reading from the Gospel according to John tonight describes one
of the occasions where the Jewish spiritual leaders of the day – the
scribes and the Pharisees are attempting to catch Jesus out. Why are
they doing this? Well, they see his radical teachings as a threat; at
the very least they’d like to embarrass or humiliate him in front of
the people so that He loses influence. And perhaps, if they can
manage it, they’d like to hear him teach something that is so radical
that he can be brought up in font of the Jewish or even the Roman
authorities and be properly punished.

The story is well known; the scribes and Pharisees confront Jesus
with a woman who has been caught in the act of adultery – a very
serious crime, punishable by death by stoning according to Mosaic
Law. The religious leaders hope to put Him on the spot; if he
condemns the woman then there is no difference between His
teachings and theirs, and given Jesus’s teachings about mercy He will
come across as a hypocrite. If he doesn’t condemn, then Jesus is
going against the Mosaic Law that underpins the whole of society.
Jesus says very little; he sits and writes something in the dust, then
suggests that any of the crowd who is without sin should throw the
first stone at the woman. No one does; they drift away; and when
they’re gone Jesus tells the woman that she should go from the place
and sin no more.

It would appear that Jesus has managed to escape the trap by
shaming the crowd into realising that no one is without sin, and
reminds the women that whilst she has sinned, she should now leave
her sinning behind her and get on with her life.

It’s very easy to miss what that between Jesus being put on the spot
by the leaders, and him answering, he takes time to sit on the ground
and write in the dust.

We read that:
“he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you
who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’”

And then he bends sits down again and writes some more. And it’s
after this second action that the crowd gradually start to drift away.
I think it’s appropriate that given the day, we take a closer look at
this apparently simple act.

Working on the principle that the presence of text in the Gospels is
almost always of meaning, and is part of the teaching experience
offered by the Gospels, what’s happening here?

This has been a question that has been pondered by theologians and
thinkers since the earliest days of Christianity.

Is Jesus just writing or drawing in the dust to distract his opponents
and gain time in which to determine exactly what to say? Or is there
something more? Jesus will be aware that his questioners are
knowledgeable in the Law. It’s also fair to assume that He is writing
for their benefit; they are close enough to see what he writes, and
will be educated enough to read it and hopefully discern and
interpret what He is writing.

One of the earliest explanations was that describing Christ’s actions
like this was a way of telling people that he was educated enough to
read and write. This is a pretty prosaic answer, but it does have the
effect of allowing the readers to see that in terms of being able to
read and write, Jesus is at least the intellectual equal of his
questioners.

St Augustine had a more involved explanation. The Mosaic Laws –
those that originated with the Tablets of the Law that Moses brought
down from Sinai – are being discussed here. Now, in the Old
Testament book of Deuteronomy we’re told that the tablets were
written by God with his finger. St Augustine suggests that Jesus is re-
enacting the time when He wrote the tablets of the Law for Moses.
In other words, as the author of the Law, He was perfectly placed to
comment on it’s implementation.

His audience would also be familiar with the text in Genesis where
we are told that God created man from the dust of the ground. By
drawing and writing in the dust, could Jesus be further reminding his
listeners of their creation, that one day they will have to answer for
their actions to their creator?

I also like the idea put forward by an American pastor, Dr David Kyle
Foster, who suggests that Jesus is reminding the men debating with
him of some words in Jeremiah 17:13:

“O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake You will be put to
shame. Those who turn away from You will be written in the
dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living
water.”

Rather than quote scripture, Foster suggests that the first thing he
writes in the dust is the names of the men. He is effectively telling
them that by their actions they are turning away from the Lord.
And then when Jesus writes in the dust the second time, after telling
them:

“Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw
a stone at her.”

Jesus writes down the secret sins of the men against their names.
They read what has been written realise that they too are sinners
and are not able to cast a stone, then shame-facedly walk away
leaving Jesus and the woman.

I think Foster’s thoughts are very interesting.

They also reminded me of other words from Jeremiah, where the
Lord tells the prophet about the new covenant He will make with
Israel:

“I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

The Lord will write His law in the hearts of men, just as He previously
wrote the Law of Moses on the stone tablets. Here, Jesus writes in
the dust to remind the men about their creation.

Which brings us back to the focus of our service tonight – in the
words of the King James Version of the Bible – “Dust thou art, and
unto dust shalt thou return.” What can we take from this reading to
include in our Lenten discipline? Perhaps it’s worth pondering the
following:

The Lord knows us intimately – were He to write our name and sins
in the dust at our feet, we would be as ashamed as those who
questioned Jesus.

Our own sin should prevent us from judging those around us. This is
never easy, but it is expected of us. The Lord knows of our sins and
offers us forgiveness. Who are we to not to the same for other
sinners?

And like the woman, we’re given a fresh start – to go and sin no
more.

Let’s live this Lent season in a spirit of forgiveness and repentance.

Amen

12th February 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday Before Lent Eucharist

Posted on February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Romans 8.18-25

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Matthew 6.25-end

‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The Sermon
By Joe P

Today’s reading from the Gospel according to Matthew makes me take a short intake of breath and whisper ‘If only….’ In the last few of years we’ve had a pandemic, noticeable, worldwide changes to the climate, tension between the super-powers going back to a level not seen since the height of the cold war, recession, fake news…and on a personal note I’ve started getting arthritis.

And here’s Jesus…

”Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life”

OK. I’ll really try hard….

Of course, as with any of Jesus’s teachings, it isn’t quite as simple as “Don’t worry, be happy.”

The first word is ‘Therefore’ – so it behoves us to look back at what comes before. And we have to go quite a way back to the start of Jesus’s speaking that includes today’s verses – all the way back to Matthew 5:1. For our reading is part of ‘The Sermon on the Mount’ - that includes The Beatitudes - and is the first of the long sermons or discourses of Jesus that are given in Matthew.

Whether this sermon was preached all in one go, or whether Matthew assembled it from various sermons preached by Jesus is up for debate, but it is in the context of this sermon that our reading – with it’s underlying theme of ‘Don’t worry’ – needs to be taken.

The Sermon gives us a review of what it means to be a Christian. There are a series of moral and ethical admonitions – such as Do not Murder, Do not commit adultery, Love your enemies, and instructions on fasting – which would be recognisable as part of the Mosaic Law and tradition by the listeners. But Jesus questions the pure legalistic approach offered by the religious authorities of the day. He says that righteousness through works and external obedience of the Law is not enough, but that what matters is a righteousness from within, which He brings.

The verses immediately before tonight’s reading tell us:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on Earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do NOT destroy, and thieves do NOT break in and steal.”

Jesus reminds people his listeners : “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

And we’re told rather bluntly “You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Which brings us to this morning’s reading.

When we recall what has gone before, I think it’s clear that Jesus is not really talking about food, our bodily appearance and what we wear. These are Earthly things; they’re important for our survival, but they should not be the centre of our focus.

We’re reminded that food and water are important to the birds as well as to people, but they deal with them differently. They take what’s available from the bounty of God – they don’t stockpile stuff away in barns.

The lilies? They too are as beautiful as any person could be in their finest clothes – if not more so. But their beauty, provided by God, is short lived and they will end up being used for oven fuel.

These are external things, core to the overall human condition. They’re not just things that the people of God experience – even the Gentiles (or, in some translations, pagans) – will spend their time asking “What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear?”.

This isn’t to say that they’re not important – in Verse 32 we’re reminded that “your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.” But we’re being encouraged to look at the difference between need and want. We’re being reminded to look at what’s important to us – because those things that are important to us – our Earthly treasures, if you like – will determine where our focus is.

Some of these external things – food, drink, clothing – we need. We need them in the same way that birds and plants do. If we don’t have enough of them in our daily lives, we shall die. And at that level we are just like the other members of God’s creation. But once we start making them into fetishes or idols, when we start regarding them as having importance above and beyond the importance to us of food and clothing – then we are starting to lay up Earthly treasures which can rot, be lost, be stolen.

We then start focusing our time and efforts on stopping our Earthly reassures being taken from us. Before we know it, we’re not just spending time and energy on worrying about real issues that we can fix or resolve, but we start getting anxious about other, less relevant things.

From an understandable concern about food and water, clothing and shelter we can find ourselves buried in the more artificial anxieties and worries of our daily lives. Not so much ‘have I got clothes to wear’ but ‘I only want to wear designer brands.’

We can become attached to these worries; and if we are attached and anchored to our Earthly goods and concerns, it will be harder for us to achieve the kingdom of Heaven.

We’re not being told to ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ – we’re being told to hold our concerns appropriately. We’re being told to not allow ourselves to get so worried and anxious that we become paralysed by fear or descend in to being busy for the sake of it, or, worse still, get to be too scared to do the right thing – to focus on our Earthly desires rather than doing what’s right. And yes, it’s hard; but by striving righteously for the Kingdom, all else will follow. We can’t get the Kingdom of God by building and populating barns of Earthly wealth, but we can get what we need on Earth by focusing on righteousness. As the Rolling Stones sang “You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes, you might just get what you need.”

The world is a scary place. Jesus knows this; he warns us

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Each day has trouble enough for us to handle; there is no point in us making ourselves overly anxious by worrying about things that are not yet certain.

And the world is full of real threats right now – many of which are beyond our control. We’ve all found ourselves in situations where the events in our lives are such that we are forced to fall back on the basics of getting through the next 24 hours. Times when today’s trouble is indeed enough for today.

There’s an old joke that says ‘I can handle things day by day; but every so often several days gang up and come after me at once…’ When we find ourselves dealing with days like that, we need to remember that God is with us; we can pass our worries on to him to allow us to deal with today’s troubles as they come. Tomorrow will indeed have problems of it’s own – but we can’t worry them out of existence by trying to live tomorrow today.

The Prayers
Prepared by David C.

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

We pray for the church. That it may act with humility and justice.
We hold before you O Lord, this past week's General Synod debate, and pray for greater realisation of your love and justice within the church.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for the world. That peoples and nations may work together for benefit of all and restore the beauty of creation.
We hold before you O Lord, all those effected by natural disasters, praying especially for the peoples of Turkey and Syria,
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for our local community. That it may be a place of welcome and hospitality, and a vibrant place to live and work.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who suffer in body, mind or spirit. The lonely, the anxious and those in pain.
Grant them knowledge of your healing presence in their lives.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who have died. Remembering especially those who we have known and loved and those who have died in this last night with noone to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

A prayer for Racial Justice Sunday:

Compassionate God,
who sent Jesus Christ
to deliver us from all manner of injustices and inequalities,
create in us new hearts and enlarged visions,
to see the image of God in every person
irrespective of background, race and ethnicity.
May we be generous in our love of others
as we work towards ending misunderstanding, racism and injustice;
creating communities of human flourishing,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Lord, in your mercy.
hear our prayer.

Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your son,
our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

5th February 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday Before Lent Eucharist Service

Posted on February 9, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

1 Corinthians 2.1-end

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,
‘What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him’—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.

Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are discerned spiritually. Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny.
‘For who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?’
But we have the mind of Christ.

Matthew 5.13-20

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

29th January 2023 6.30pm – Candlemas Carol Service

Posted on January 29, 2023 by admin

29th January 2023 10.30am – Candlemas Eucharist

Posted on January 29, 2023January 28, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Malachi 3.1-5

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Luke 2.22-40

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.’

And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.

The Sermon
By David, Reader at St Mary's.

This feast of Candlemas is something of a pivot point in the story of Jesus and so in the life of the Church’s worship year. It marks when Christ was presented to God, his father, in the temple by his earthly parents. They do this to follow the laws given to Moses, by God, in the Old Testament. They are observing the standard practices of a Jewish family of the time. As usual in the story of Jesus, what is normal and standard becomes transformed.

Most families would have come, made the offerings, and departed. Not so with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. First Simeon, who we are told was righteous and devout, enters the scene. Upon an attentive reading of the passage, I realised I have always made an assumption. I tend to think of Simeon as spending all his time in the temple. But we’re told the Holy Spirit rests on him and guides him there. He was clearly being righteous and devout out in the world. Simeon comes, takes Jesus in his arms, and speaks his song of praise to God.

We are told Mary and Joseph are amazed. A perfectly reasonable reaction given the slightly odd situation.

Yes, Jesus’ birth was unusual with the local shepherds arriving shortly afterwards. They gave Mary much to ponder in their telling of the angels message.

Yes, Magi from the East arrived sometime after the shepherds, and gave gifts more fit for a palace or temple than carpenter’s home.

You would think Mary and Joseph would be used to this. Or maybe they both wondered when all this might stop. Especially when the signs are less than cheerful. The Magi gave myrrh, used in the rituals around death and anointing of bodies.

The signs don’t end there, Simeon blesses Mary and Joseph and then offers Mary a portent of what is to come. Not just about Jesus and his life, but hers as well. “A sword will pierce your own soul too”. We aren’t told of Mary’s reaction to this prediction. Maybe she was too stunned or shaken to know how to react. Maybe she didn’t have much time to dwell on it there and then. Once Simeon has handed Jesus back to his parents, and faded back into his devout life and promised peace, Anna steps forward.

Anna is described as living a life of worship and prayer. Unlike Simeon she does this within the confines of the temple. Anna doesn’t take Jesus, perhaps more aware of the sensitivities of separating a baby from his parents. But she too praises God, speaking about Jesus to all who are willing to listen. We aren’t given her exact words, something I think is a shame. But those looking for the redemption of Jerusalem would hear and understand. Then she too fades into the background. Mary and Joseph finish all required of them in the law and return home. And, aside from one story of Jesus aged 12 in the temple, we leave the Holy Family for a time to their ordinary lives.

I mentioned at the start that Candlemas is a pivot point in the life of Jesus and the Church’s year. As Alan said in the introduction to our service “In this eucharist, we celebrate both the joy of his coming and his searching judgement, looking back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion.”

We tend to think of Christmas and Easter as distinctive, separate festivals, and in many ways, they are. The two great feasts of Christianity. Each celebrates a different moment in Jesus’ life, Christmas his incarnation and Easter his resurrection. Given they are celebrated at different times of year it’s easy to reinforce this separation. But they are inextricably linked.

Both of them together are required for God’s story, our story, to be completed. At Christmas the fullness of God becomes incarnate in human form. Jesus, the Christ, born into creation, to live as a fully human being. At Easter that same fully God, fully human Jesus, dies and rises again to redeem all of humanity and creation.

Christmas Jesus, incarnate in human form, without Easter would have lived a normal human life. God would have experienced humanity, but not redeemed it. Easter Jesus, would have been impossible without the incarnation. Without becoming fully human in creation, could his death, assuming it were even possible, have redeemed the world?

Candlemas marks the day when we try to hold in our sight, both the mystery and wonder of Christmas, and the pain and joy of Easter. Like Mary, we have much to treasure, and much think about.

I’ll finish with some words from a hymn we will sing this evening at the Candlemas carol service.

They see before Mary a heart-piercing grief,
But trust is complete at the end of their life.
For Mary will follow, with tears in her eyes,
Her Saviour and Son to the foot of the cross.

O Spirit of God, with like courage inspire
Your everyday saints who face up to despair.
We pass through temptation, through failure, through death.
When darkness descends we plod onward in faith.

Like Anna, like Simeon, may we have trust,
The eyes to see Jesus, and peace at the last.
The candles invite us to praise and to pray
When Christmas greets Easter on Candlemas Day.

The Prayers
From Common Worship Times and Seasons.

Let us pray to the Father through Christ who is our light and life.

Father, your Christ is acclaimed as the glory of Israel:
look in mercy on your Church, sharing his light.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ in his temple brings judgement on the world:
look in mercy on the nations, who long for his justice.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ, who was rich, for our sakes became poor:
look in mercy on the needy, suffering with him.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father,
your Christ is the one in whom faithful servants find their peace:
look in mercy on the departed, that they may see your salvation.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Father, your Christ is revealed as the one destined to be rejected:
look in mercy on us who now turn towards his passion.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna,
and showed them the infant King.
Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises,
and the patience to wait for their fulfilment;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

22nd January 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

Posted on January 22, 2023January 21, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 9.1-4

But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.

Matthew 4.12-23

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.’
From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.\

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

The Sermon
By Rev Dr Alan Billings

In today’s gospel, two sets of brothers do something which we might want to say was either brave or foolish. They give up their jobs, they turn away from their homes and families and go off with a complete stranger simply because he asks them to. ‘Follow me’, says Jesus. And they do.

The way the story is told does make it sound like a sudden and impulsive thing. They don’t say, ‘We’ll think about it’. They don’t even ask, ‘What will we get out of it?’ They just down tools – well, fishermen’s nets – and follow this visiting teacher and healer from Nazareth.

Now I’m quite sure it wasn’t as simple as that. I expect they did in fact already know something about Jesus. His reputation my have gone before him. Perhaps they had even heard or seen him in the days before – and been moved or impressed by him. I’m sure there was something charismatic about Jesus – the way he spoke, the things he spoke about, the things he did, the way he noticed people, the way he treated people - high or low, rich or poor, men or women or little children. We know from many places in the gospel that all these things impressed and moved people as they might move people today who hear or read the gospels.

So although today’s gospel reads as if Peter and Andrew, James and John, had never met or heard of Jesus before, and just happen to bump into him as he walks along the seashore, I think we have to assume that they did know enough about Jesus to make them make this decision. ‘Follow me,’ he says. And they did.

But the brave or foolish part is what happens next. The point is that they don’t know, can’t know, everything about Jesus. And they don’t know or can’t know what will happen next. Because the future is a land no one has ever been in before. This is the start, then, of a story and a journey of trust. They make the decision that they will get to know Jesus better, intimately, and to have him as the one who will guide them through the unknown land that is the future.

For them, that means leaving behind a lot familiar things. Not just their jobs, their homes and families. They also must know that by following the teacher from Nazareth they will be leaving behind old ways of thinking and doing as well. That may be the hardest part. Is it brave or foolish?

Does all this seem a million miles away from us and our experience?

Well, of course, in a straightforward sense, yes it does. WE do not meet Jesus in the flesh. We are not being asked to give up our jobs, turn our backs on family and friends and go literally with Jesus on a journey. Our vocation is not that.

But in one crucial respect what we do is what those first disciples did.

Something has brought us to this time and place. We know something of Jesus Christ. By him we have been inspired, moved, disturbed, challenged, comforted – some or all of these things. We have committed to let him be our guide into that unknown land, which is our future. We don’t know what waits for us in that future. But we do believe he will be with us and give us whatever we need to make a difference for good or simply to face things. In this respect we are like the first disciples. We may not know everything yet about him but we want to know. We trust him.

One of the great twentieth century New Testament scholars was Albert Schweizer. He is remembered now, if he is remembered at all, because he gave up a career as an academic and indeed as a musician as well, re-trained as a doctor and founded a hospital in what today is called Gabon in west Africa. He came to see that we only really know Christ, as we know another person, over time. To follow Christ is to commit to get to know him over time, perhaps even a lifetime.

He once wrote some lovely words about this, comparing the way we follow Christ now with the way the first disciples Andrew, Peter, James and John - did. I’ll end by quoting what he wrote:

“(Christ) comes to us as One unknown, without a name, as of old, by the lakeside, He came to those men who knew Him not. He speaks the same word: ‘Follow thou me!’ and sets us to the tasks which He has to fulfil for our time. He commands. And to those who obey Him, whether they be wise or simple, He will reveal Himself in the toils, the conflicts, the sufferings which they shall pass through in His fellowship, and, as in ineffable mystery, they shall learn in their own experience Who He is.”

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica

O God, the creator and preserver of all people, we thank you for sending your son Jesus to live among us and heal the sick and serve all he came into contact with. We bring before you the needs of your world now, all those who are suffering hunger and drought, cruelty and oppression, and above all, those suffering in the war in Ukraine. We pray that peace will be restored, and international and voluntary organisations will support all those suffering starvation at this time.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide. In this week of prayer for Christian Unity, we pray that all denominations will work together to further your kingdom by showing love to all your people of all faiths and none, for all are your children.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

We pray for our City of Sheffield, and for our local community of Walkley. We give you thanks for all the groups that make it such a good place to live – its churches, the Library, Walkley Forum, the S6 Foodbank, those caring for our open green spaces, Langsett Advice Centre, Zest, and all working together to plan for this year’s Walkley Festival.

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Jesus went about, healing people who were ill. We pray for all those who are ill at this time, for those awaiting treatment or operations at a time when out Health Service is under great stress, or simply feel very unwell. We pray that all who work in the service, or need its care, may feel your grace, and in a moment of quiet we remember anyone known to us who is ill at this time…

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Hear us when we remember those we have known, both family members or friends and acquaintances, giving you thanks for all they have meant to us. We think of them in a short period of silence, particularly Liz...

Lord, in your mercy,

hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, Mark and John and all your saints,

we commend ourselves and all your people to your unfailing love.

Merciful Father,

Accept these prayers

For the sake of your Son

Our saviour,

Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is used here,

15th January 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

Posted on January 15, 2023January 14, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 49.1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.’

And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says,
‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’

Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
‘Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

John 1.29-42

The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’ They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas’ (which is translated Peter).

The Sermon
By Rev Dr Matthew Rhodes

This coming Wednesday is beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It runs until 25th , when we celebrate the Conversion of St Paul. The ecumenical movement has come along way, particularly at the local level. It is important that we continue to work towards greater unity. But we don’t just do that because it’s a good thing to do. We do it because unity is at the heart of God the Holy Trinity. And we do it because of Jesus’ prayer. He prayed that his followers may be one so that the world would believe. We also do it for the sake of mission which, alongside unity, is another of the great themes of the Epiphany season. The incarnation of Jesus Christ, God sending his son into the world, shows us that mission is part of the nature of God. And by becoming human, Jesus invites us to
share in that mission.

Mission is part of our calling as Christians, as human beings. And it can sound a bit scary but mission takes many forms. Evangelism, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ in an explicit way, is part of mission. But mission is bigger than that. It is about growing the kingdom, making God’s love known, bringing about peace and justice and caring for creation. And we may do that in our work. In our volunteering. At school. In our social activities. In our family responsibilities. Or through political involvement. God is at work in all sorts of areas of life and our job is simply to join in.

Our first reading this morning both talk about calling. Isaiah writes, ‘Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name.’ Each of us is blessed with particular gifts that we are called to use in God’s service. And one of the great challenges of life is discovering what those gifts are and how we might best use them. And when we do discover that secret we can find huge fulfilment. We find our groove. Our meaning.

And that sense of calling applies to churches too. No church can do everything. Each one discovers its strengths. Its charisms. And part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is being able to recognise and celebrate the gifts of other churches. We don’t need to feel threatened by other traditions. We can just give thanks for the ways in which God has blessed them and celebrate the things that they do well.

And we see a similar approach at play in our Gospel reading today. John the Baptist began his ministry before Jesus. He had his own disciples. But he knew that his purpose was not to point to himself or build up a power base. John’s purpose was to point to Jesus so that he could be revealed to Israel. And when Jesus came along John recognised him immediately. This was the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Previously, John had imagined that Jesus would come in judgement, which he did. But John soon realised that Jesus was much more than that. The lamb of God came not just to judge sin but to be a sacrifice for sins. To take the sins of the world away. John’s description of Jesus takes us right back to the sacrifice of Isaac and the Passover lamb at the Exodus.

When Jesus passes John and two of John’s disciples, John points Jesus out. Look, there is the Lamb of God. And that is our job too. Not to point to ourselves but to Jesus. We don’t have to have all the answers. We don’t need to make other Christians in our image. Sometimes we just need to point people in the right direction and let God do the rest.

John’s disciples follow Jesus. And, as he does on other occasions, Jesus asks them what they want. He doesn’t tell them what they need, although he probably knows. He puts the ball in their court. And that’s an important lesson in mission. Too often when people engage in mission they decide what other people need and do it to them. And that infantilises them and often frustrates them. And they don’t then own what is done. If we can meet people where they are, help them explore their needs and then empower them to find answers then those answers are often much more effective and long-lasting.

John’s followers ask Jesus where he is staying. And he invites them to come and see. It was the tenth hour - about four o’clock. Tea time. Sometimes mission is just about hospitality. About inviting people to come and see. Creating spaces where they can discover Jesus for themselves. Offering them a cup of tea and the chance to chat. St Mary’s has some wonderful spaces. This church and the hall next door. I really love coming here when the these spaces are open to everyone and different members of the community find a welcome here.

The ripples of that invitation from Jesus spread outwards. Having been invited to tea, Andrew, one of the two disciples of John, doesn’t just keep this encounter to himself. He goes straight out and finds his brother Simon Peter and tells him that they have found the Messiah. Because of this, St Andrew is particularly associated with the missionary work of the Church. Simon Peter of course became the leader of the church. The rock on which it was built. But that wouldn’t have happened without Andrew who made the introductions. Sometimes we just need to be the catalyst, the broker, the matchmaker. Sometimes we just need to spot the need or the gift in others.

As we enter the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity I hope that you will pray for our brothers and sisters in other denominations. And also for those who do not yet know Christ. Unity does not mean uniformity. God is at work in all sorts of people in all sorts of ways. And the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is a chance for us to celebrate that and get involved in God’s mission. It is not about having all the answers but about being willing to share in the journey. Creating spaces
where God can be encountered and inviting others to come along too. Pointing always to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Amen.

The Prayers
Prepared by Catherine

Father God, who called Israel to be your servant,

we pray for your servant church:

For those who serve in ordained and licensed or authorised lay ministries

For those who serve in chaplaincies

For those who serve on church councils, committees,

coffee and cleaning teams

For those who serve through their prayers.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, who came into the world to show us how to serve,

we pray for those who serve in the world:

For diplomats and negotiators

For those working in trade or for charities

For those trying to keep the peace in places of unrest or conflict

For those working to protect endangered species and the environment

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Jesus, who came to the people of ordinary towns and villages,

we pray for those who serve in our community

For small businesses and schools,

For those running fitness, leisure and activity classes

For the library and its volunteers,

And for those who give up time to tidy up litter.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, healer of the sick,

we pray for those who serve as healthcare professionals,

particularly during this current time of crisis.

We pray for carers both paid and unpaid

And remember all who are sick or struggling at this time.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Spirit, comforter,

we pray for those who support the dying and the bereaved,

For hospices, funeral directors and celebrants,

For families and friends of those who are dying, or have died.

We pray for those known to us who have died or mourn the loss of a loved one.

Lord of glory,

Hear our prayer.

Holy Trinity,

Help us to serve you together as one

Build us up to strengthen each other

That with Mary, Mark, John and all the saints,

we might shine as a light to the nations

As you called your servant Israel to shine and serve.

Amen.

8th January 2023 6.30pm – Baptism of Christ Service

Posted on January 8, 2023 by St Mary's

8th January 2023 10.30am – Epiphany Eucharist

Posted on January 8, 2023 by St Mary's

The Readings

Isaiah 60.1-6

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

Matthew 2.1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

The Sermon
By Catherine B

Year A Epiphany 8^th January 2023

Isaiah 60.1-6

Matthew 2.1-12

Did any of you see the “Planetary Parade” between Christmas and New Year? For a few evenings most of the planets of our solar system could be seen with the naked eye. Apparently. I heard about it on the radio and went out to have a look. The sky was clear and there were plenty of twinkly dots to be seen. Some of them might have been planets. But my knowledge about astronomy is basic at best, and I don’t have a phone app that would help me identify the dots. It was not obvious where this amazing display of planets was. I was confident only about correctly identifying the crescent moon...and the aeroplane. I didn’t have all the information I needed.

The Magi knew more about the night sky than me. They’d studied it for years and knew the movements of the stars and planets. They could even calculate when something interesting might be expected. Around the time of Jesus’ birth, people were expecting something big. Something that would change their lives dramatically. Something that would restore the status of Jerusalem and God’s people. It was foreseen in Isaiah 60 – Jerusalem once again the centre of worship. Solomon’s temple restored in full, gold and frankincense returned to their rightful place. A king, born from David and Solomon’s lineage back on the throne, ruling in God’s name, just as God wanted. Jerusalem shining out in the darkness – an example to the nations.

The magi were alert. They knew where to look. And when something new appeared in the night sky, they acted. They saw the star and set out. They knew roughly where this star was leading them. So off they went to Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the focus of Isaiah’s prophecy.

But it turns out that the magi didn’t have all the information they needed. They had Isaiah’s prophecy imagining Jerusalem radiating brightly like the rising sun, visible to all the nations around. The star seemed to be heading for Jerusalem, as they’d expected. So that’s where they went. But when they got there, something wasn’t quite right.

Instead of finding a new baby king from David’s line, they found a fully grown and wily king Herod. A king who new nothing about the new baby king, but whose fear of being usurped made him dangerous. The religious leaders provided the missing information needed by the magi, and confirmed the worst to Herod – there was indeed scripture (from Micah 5:2) that foretold the birth of the new king – in Bethlehem not Jerusalem.

Having realised their mistake, and with the encouragement of Herod, the magi went on beyond Jerusalem, just a little further, to Bethlehem. That’s where the star was going all along. When they reached the house where the child was, they were filled with joy and began to worship him – offering back to God the things that had been absent from the temple for so long. Gold for the temple vessels, frankincense to be used after prayers, myrrh to anoint the Messiah.

I didn’t have enough information the other day to identify the planets. But it didn’t matter. I was still able to enjoy my walk round the block on a crisp evening under a clear sky and appreciate the unidentified twinkly dots.

The Magi didn’t have enough information to find the baby king at first. Had they kept their eyes on the star as they approached Jerusalem, maybe it wouldn’t have mattered. But as it was, they were put back on the right path. They made it to Bethlehem and offered the new king their long-desired worship. Isaiah’s prophecy wasn’t fulfilled in exactly the way they were expecting. The new age was here, but it was very much also still to come. The baby was born, but he was helpless and vulnerable, and his life was already under threat from a dangerous king. It was right to worship, but the time had not yet come for the complete and total restoration of the holy city. A glimpse of God’s glory was all that the Magi had. But it was there, and they gave thanks.

Our world is still full of unrest and danger. Restoration of God’s kingdom is still work in progress. But we celebrate Epiphany because the king is already here. And if we care to look up at the stars on a clear night, maybe we like the Magi will have the occasional momentary sense of God’s glory. When we do, let’s give thanks.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

Category: Sermons

26th February 2023 10.30am – First Sunday of Lent Eucharist

22nd February 2023 19.30pm – Ash Wednesday Eucharist

12th February 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday Before Lent Eucharist

5th February 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday Before Lent Eucharist Service

29th January 2023 6.30pm – Candlemas Carol Service

29th January 2023 10.30am – Candlemas Eucharist

22nd January 2023 10.30am – Third Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

15th January 2023 10.30am – Second Sunday of Epiphany Eucharist

8th January 2023 6.30pm – Baptism of Christ Service

8th January 2023 10.30am – Epiphany Eucharist