Week beginning 26th December

 

Song: It came upon the midnight clear

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Tune: Noel - 4vv) [with lyrics for congregations] - YouTube

Reading: Book of Isaiah, chapter 40; verses 1 to 11

Song: While Shepherds watched their flocks by night

While shepherds watched their flocks by night. Lyric video (StF 221) - YouTube

Reading: Luke’s gospel, chapter 2, verses 8 to 20

Song: See amid the winter’s snow

See amid the winters snow - Lyric Video - YouTube

Reading: “Seth”

oblations: David Kossoff, "Seth"

Over the years there have been many memorable advertising campaigns. Perhaps you can think of some of them. Of course, some of them are so memorable, we can remember the advert, but the product being advertised escapes us completely. In the main, the ones which are most memorable are those which do the unexpected.

Many years ago I was a teacher. On one occasion, the class had been told to attend in a different room. I waited in the new room, and about half the class appeared. I duly sent a class member to the other room to collect the rest. He came back without them. Eventually, I went and found the rest of class. When I asked why they had not come when I sent the other pupil, they replied that he had not come!

This is exactly the situation described by Jesus in the parable of the tenants in the vineyard (Mark’s gospel. Chapter 12, verses 1 -12)

The story of the shepherds is an example of God getting the people’s attention by doing the unexpected. God presented his message to the shepherds; the poor, the less educated, the ordinary people who were unable to follow the religious rules due to their employment. These were not the people who might have been expected to receive a message from God.

The leaders, the priests and the educated would have expected to be the recipients.

Several times in the Old Testament, the leaders and priests are referred to as “Shepherds”. These were the people who should have been defending and caring for the people. Who should have been looking for the lost and bringing them back to God.

Perhaps shepherds are not a great image in our modern world, perhaps they are seen as a bit rustic, or slow living to be seen as dynamic leaders.

This asks the question of who the shepherds would appear today? Many churches are convinced that they are the ones who would receive such a revelation. The posters outside proclaim something along the lines of: “Come inside and meet with Jesus!”. Clearly they believe that they control who Jesus will meet with! As if anyone controls Jesus!! The authorities of Jesu’s day would have been equally convinced that they had all the answers, and yet, who does the bible say will receive angels?

Those who will entertain angels are those who show hospitality to; the poor, the foreigners, the widows, the strangers.

When the angels sing, will they sing to the cathedral officers, or to the protesters outside? Would they sing to the government or to the unemployed? Who would expect the angels to sing to the son of two alcoholics? But that son became the archbishop of Canterbury.

When the angels sing, make sure you are there. You can’t afford to miss it.

Song: Behold the grace appears

Tune. “Back Lane”

Back Lane (Behold The Grace Appears) - YouTube

Behold the grace appears,

The promise is fulfilled,

Mary, the wondrous Virgin bears,

And Jesus is the Child.

“Go, humble swains,” said he,

“To David's city fly;

The promised infant born today

Doth in a manger lie.”

“With looks and hearts serene,

Go visit Christ your King;”

And straight a flaming troop was seen,

The angels heard them sing.

Prayers:

God our Father, we come to this act of worship by many different roads-in more senses than one. For each of us, the journey has been along ma private road; each of us is ignorant of what the others have been through; and so we cannot help arriving here to a large extent alone.

Yet we are united by our faith, by our desire to meet together to worship. May this help us to remember how much we have in common; we breathe the same air, drink the same water; we touch the same earth and see and hear the same shapes and sounds. We make our way through the same world of feelings- of regret and delight, heartache and buoyancy, jealousy and gratitude.

In all this, we are travelling through your world. It is this which unites us. So it is fitting that our paths should cross here, in your worship. For here we can meet as one people to offer you our service, through our one mediator, Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord.

Amen

Song: Hark, the Herald angels sing

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing with Lyrics (Choral) (4K) - YouTube