The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God - a poetic response for Candlemas, written ages ago

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God

it begins with Isaiah

and John the Baptiser proclaiming a baptism of repentance

and the forgiveness of sins

it begins with John the Baptiser baptising Jesus

and the Spirit immediately driving Jesus into the wilderness

to face his demons

to face the Satan

and all the temptations to see the world as all others see it

to assume that what is hoped for is to be hoped for

to weaken

and accept the shouts calling for a Messiah

the one who would end exile

the one announcing forgiveness of sins of the people of Israel

sins that led to exile

sins the meant the exile continued

even as they returned to their land

The one who declares the return of the shekinah – the glory of God

to the midst of the people

to the heart of the temple

God returning

the pagan idolaters expelled and even destroyed

the temple rebuilt

and the line of David

the true king

restored

the golden aged returned

John promised this return in his baptism

this is the eternal repentance

and the forgiveness of sins

There was the temptation

to be this messiah

and yet

this was not the call of Jesus

He came with another good news

for 40 days

he becomes this good news

the shekinah

 

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, son of God

It begins

with the calling of the first 4 disciples

it begins with Jesus

entering in a synagogue in Capernaum

astounding all and sundry with his teaching

            not a teaching based on any rabbinic school

full of do’s and don’ts

but a fresh understanding

a “new yoke”

that seems so life giving

who is this teacher?

From where does this teaching come?

A pause

filled with uncertainty and question

broken by the cry of one out of place

an unclean spirit squawks from a man caged

"What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene!

      I know what you're up to!

     You're the holy one of God,

     and you've come to destroy us!"

The good news begins with an unclean spirit

proclaiming what all others could not see

“You're the Holy One of God”

a centurion is the next to utter such words

            at his death

           on a cross

It begins with an action

“be silent and leave that man

        free him from your cage!”

And the unclean spirit

       screams

and then

        is quiet

        and does free the man!

It begins

this good news

with authority

and liberation.

Jesus lives out what he says

he uses his actions to teach

he walks the talk first and foremost

this is good news indeed

unlike those other teaches in their fine robes

and fine words

but not a lot else.

This Jesus acts to free people

            from cages put in place

            by unclean spirits

            evil powers

            and assumptions about how the world should be

Those who came that Sabbath to synagogue

came to hear torah

to have their world affirmed

their hopes in messiah supported

they expected life to carry on as it had

for this is how it was to be

The beginning of the “good news of Jesus Christ, the son of God

begins with all assumptions wiped clean

It begins with new possibilities

It begins with uncertainty and questions

 

Questions

      So we who came today to church on our sabbath

      what did we come for?

      What do we hope for was we gather each Sunday?

      What might we  - the ongoing good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God - be invited to let go of as we hear the beginning of the Good news of Jesus Christ, the son of God?

      are we left with uncertainty and questions?

      if so what are they?

      What do we look for this new year?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Simply Sent

They Were Not There at the Beginning

Youth Camp