It’s so beautiful, but also so complicated. No, I’m not talking about with a cuppa. That’s always welcoming.
In our New Testament passage this Sunday, we are talking about John 1:1-18. The poetry here is wonderful, and is often quoted but if we read carefully from a number of different Bible translations we will discover numerous comments saying “or it could mean this…” And the poetry, which is albeit beautiful, does not lend itself to giving us some pointers, a direction to which to travel – we need some solid stuff to give us the strength to proceed, but
I’m hoping that the tea bag is just the start of a new journey for us all.
John’s Starter for Ten
This particular passage is called the prologue, the introduction to this Gospel. The Gospel was written by the Johannine community around 90-100 AD, so some 50-70 years after the resurrection. The followers of Jesus have begun their journey as recorded in Acts as a multitude of house churches, as well as attending synagogues on the Sabbath. ‘The Way’ has been quite a miracle in itself as many groups have sprung up all over the place, as Paul notes in his many letters. Here, in this Gospel, we find revealed a very different Christ than we do in the other Gospels. [Check out Marcus Borg’s books in this subject; alternative booksellers also exist]
You see, in Matthew, Mark and Luke we have a human figure who is resurrected, but in John’s Gospel we have a divine figure form the outset.
Illuminating Genesis
In the first verse, “In the beginning” so closely resembles the opening line of Genesis that many feel that it is trying to recognise that the very creation story is being re-written here with Jesus. Jesus is the light from God, just as creation has its own first light from God. ‘The Word’ which seems to describe Jesus is in Greek ‘the Logos’, the very starting point, the one which brings life to all. The Word isn’t the Bible, but Jesus. Jesus the light is described as “The light in the darkness shines and the darkness did not grasp it”.
In verses 6-8 we read of John, not probably the author, who isn’t the light but points towards the light. He’s more like a torch, a spotlight in the theatre highlighting the main character. Not like the image shown right…
Who else looked for the light?
I recall not that far back, the story of the Magi, walking from Persia, Iraq towards Palestine, following the light of the star. Their task was to keep looking up at the star, for to look down would only mean that they were resorting to their own strength and wisdom, which cost them as they sought guidance from Herod. But as they sat down with a cuppa and Herod they found it what plans Herod had for Jesus. They had to look for the light of the star as it would highlight the place where Jesus was born. John in his ministry is one that continually points to Jesus. Contrary to some thinking, he doesn’t baptise Jesus but sees the Spirit falling down from heaven like a dove.
Then we read of rejection, a possible separation from the Synagogue may have happened. We are trying to see what the writer is describing through a lens of 100 AD. These are turbulent times as the Way, with Jesus at the helm, is starting to steer a course not acceptable to the Synagogue leaders of that time. It maybe like when Methodism moved away from Anglicanism, both having the same origins. God is still very much with us, as Emmanuel, and is still very much present with God’s people. And importantly Jesus became flesh so that those who argue that he is purely a god can be rejected.
What does this say to us today?
God has presented the evidence, in full technicolour. Those in the Synagogue found that their traditional views were the ones that they wished to hold on to at that time – but I am not saying that Christianity is the next step beyond Judaism, far from it. Jesus is portrayed as part of creation, even more than that, he is made flesh, one of us. He is inviting us to participate within the ongoing work of God’s kin_dom. Not in a palace, but amongst us.
As we saw recently, born in a stable with shepherds as one of the first to visit, with others from far-flung lands bearing gifts. So we have Jews and Gentiles, all as one: a strange start for one that is part of creation itself. But in this we can see the sheer wonder of this gift to us. We need not travel to the local Palace or even the finest Church to find God, God is with the people, in the ordinary ways of life. So look for the light from others, where God can be so clearly seen. We and others may also be the torch bearers, pointing to where we need to go, to share God’s message of love with others.
When we read of the Epistle for today, Ephesians 1:3-14, we might read of some encouragement
Hey, in January it can be so dark. Our daughter has bought one of those SAD lights, so that it can offer the frequencies of sunlight even in the midst of winter. In a way it gives her encouragement.
How do we find encouragement? Is it eating the remnants of the Christmas meal still – if so, you have done very well indeed, or have a large freezer. We might draw encouragement from a lovely Christmas gift from someone we treasure.
It could be as simple as the gift of a tea bag. An offer to sit with a cuppa, to rest a while amidst the busyness of Christmas and New Year.
We can throw it with the other tea bags and ignore it, or use the gift as it was intended. We might then wonder if we could gift someone else in a similar fashion. You know Maude, she is always so busy, and what about Matt, he could do with an invitation to just have a break. It’s a gift of love, so simple, but might well be ground breaking in the lives who receive it. Just that being with someone, with a cuppa as our focus.
The Churches’ gift from the outset
Historically the early Church would see this period of time useful for learning about baptism. We may feel that it recognises the birth name, or entry into the Church itself. Methodism regards it more as the recognition of God’s prevenient grace. This needs unpacking just like any Christmas present.
In this strange term prevenient grace is God’s gift to us before we even thought of it. It’s more than me buying Mandy a present before she has wisely given me a list of far more suitable gifts. This is about God knowing us better than we’ll ever know. It is a gift that is given unconditionally; also written in this passage in the plural. It is a gift for us all.
John Wesley said that grace was God’s active presence in our lives. It stirs up within us a desire to know God. It’s the driver to what makes us want to give in the first place, it’s our decision not to do so.
Takeaway
It is odd in this day that our worth is not measured by what we have done, how we have reacted, but is given by God. So have we already made the standard?, for the standard was a pre-condition when we were born. It certainly doesn’t mean that we can just sit back and rest comfortable, as we have been granted a seat in the kin_dom of God.
Do we wish to reject this? That’s up to us. Do we knowing this, want to really consider how we treat ourselves and others? Possibly, I hope so.
So we know that John’s Gospel, whilst really poetical, is about us being the light for others. We also need to look out for the light from all others so we can play our part in God’s kin_dom. And to encourage us, God’s already got there first, just like at Christmas when we find the first parcel under the tree with our name on it, and we wonder who it is from and what are we going to do with it. It’s an invitation to participate with God, to be incarnational where we are, to find, not merely in religious settings, but in the mess of life itself, just as Jesus was in the stable. What are we going to do about this gift: keep it safe or share it with one that we meet?
Hoping that the tea bag is just the start of a new journey for us all.
I found the dialogue interesting