Colourful Dreamer

You can listen to this sermon here .   Gate Pa – Year B -Epiphany 2 2024 Readings: Psalm                          Psalm 139:1-5, 12-18   First Reading:               1 Samuel 3:1-10           Second Reading:          1 Corinthians 6: 12-20     Gospel:                          John 1:43-51 What I want to say and what I want to happen: A theme for these two weeks is Call. Use the 1 Samuel story to explore place of others in call, especially with young people. Then use this story to talk about call. Part of call is being knowing God speaks through and works through the unexpected...

We continue our time in Epiphany hearing the stories of Jesus finding Nathaniel, and elderly Eli helping young Samuel hear and respond to God’s voice. Epiphany is this time of the church year when we pay particular attention to how God is revealed in the Jesus. We are invited to read our stories in that light. John’s gospel is so different from the other three synoptics. This gospel is all about helping us see the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. See God in Jesus is the central theme. Seeing and following. Within that John 1: 43-51 is a weird little story. Later in John there is another weird little story when Greeks come to Andrew, and then Philip and Nathaniel to see Jesus. It all jars with discontinuity. There seems to be a lot of back story missing. Maybe that is the point. To draw our attention to what is happening.  So, what is happening? Through Philip Jesus finds Nathaniel, and he becomes a representative of Israel. Jesus does that, finds people. Nathaniel is ...

You can listen to this sermon here  Gate Pa – 3rd Sunday in Epiphany - Year A - 2023 Readings: Psalm -                        Psalm: 27:1,4-9                   First Reading -              Isa 9:1-4                                Second Reading -       1 Cor 1:10-18 Gospel -                        Matthew 4:12-25                         What I want to...

Epiphany is a time to reflect on the revelation of God breaking in once again in human history. It continues the Christmas story with the Persian Magi – (astrologers who are condemned by Torah) coming to anoint a child from a poor Jewish family as king. God’s gracious love breaking into the darkness of this world This is not how things were normally done then or now. Amy G. Oden says “ the apparent powers of the world are unmasked, revealed to be a sham for all their bluster and posturing. During Epiphany, we recognize God's inbreaking in Jesus Christ, setting in stark relief the false, worldly powers that claim so much authority in our lives: success, productivity, dominance, self-reliance. They do not have the last word.” (www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/third-sunday-after-epiphany/commentary-on-isaiah-91-4-5) This Sunday we hear Matthew 4:12-25. In response to John’s arrest Jesus withdraws and begins his ministry inviting people to repent. Too ...