{"id":3136,"date":"2019-06-23T19:25:22","date_gmt":"2019-06-23T19:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=3136"},"modified":"2019-06-23T10:26:13","modified_gmt":"2019-06-23T10:26:13","slug":"sermon-23rd-june-2019-evening","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-23rd-june-2019-evening\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 23rd June 2019 – evening"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sermons index<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Sunday after Trinity \u2013 evening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Sunday 23rd June 2019 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trinity 1 – Proper 7 \u2013 evening
\nBirth of John the Baptist
\nJudges 13. 2-7, 24-end
\nLuke 1. 5-25<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"Maureen<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\nIf you think about it \u2013\nwhile every birth is special and unique to the parents involved,\nnobody thinks of writing an account of a birth unless the child\nbecomes famous, by which time it is likely that their sources have\ndied, disappeared or been stricken by memory loss!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nBut here tonight we have the\nbirth accounts of two special children, born to fairly ordinary\nparents, but under extraordinary circumstances. Only God is aware at\ntheir conception quite how special they will be \u2013 what their part\nwill be in the overarching story of God\u2019s relationship with\nhumanity and with his chosen people of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nSamson was to grow up to be a\nsignificant figure in Israelite history. A man of prodigious\nstrength, but flawed as we all are. A man who would be nearly broken\nby loss and grief. Who would fall prey to the attractions of a femme\nfatale in Delilah but who would still play a great part in the\nhistory of his people by defeating their enemies even at the cost of\nhis own life. A man who would remind his people that God had not\nabandoned them to foreign oppression, but who would provide salvation\n\u2013 even if they had to wait a long time for it to arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nAnd John, – similarly born to\nparents who had long given up hope of natural conception. Luke is a\ngreat storyteller \u2013 it is possible that he had access to Mary, the\nmother of Jesus for some of the detail in this story \u2013 but it is\nalso likely that he has used his artistic creativity in the service\nof the gospel in the tale that unfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nWhen Luke introduces us to\nZechariah and Elizabeth, they are already old and definitely\nchildless. Zechariah is one of a large number of hereditary priests \u2013\nestimated to be around 18,000, living in Palestine at the time of\nJesus. He\u2019s on a rota for light duties at the Temple which involves\none week every six months. When we meet him, Zechariah is feeling\nvery pleased as he has won the ballot for a once-in-a-lifetime\nprivilege. He has the opportunity to burn the incense; serving as a\ncall to worship but also symbolising the prayers of the people\nascending to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nWell maybe it is his unspoken\nprayer that is answered? An angel of the Lord no less \u2013 overawing\nhim with terror and fear. Gabriel tells him that his and Elizabeth\u2019s\nprayers will indeed be answered; their feelings of shame will\nevaporate. And in addition, the child to be born will be \u201cfilled\nwith the Holy Spirit\u201d. Like Samson \u2013 and indeed Samuel \u2013 before\nhim, he is marked out by God for a special role and must be raised\nwith particular attention to his diet and habits. He is set apart \u2013\nordained if you will \u2013 already \u2013 even before birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nZechariah finds it all a bit\nhard to believe \u2013 and who could blame him?! So he falls foul of\nGabriel\u2019s temper and as a result has a temporary punishment of\nsilence imposed on him. The crowd outside, waiting to hear the\nAaronic blessing proclaimed, are disappointed. Zechariah can only\npoint and gesticulate, leaving them to imagine what can have happened\nin the sanctuary. When he goes back to his home in the hill country,\nyou can imagine what the neighbours will make of an elderly woman now\nsecluded, and a strong and vocal priest who can no longer speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nBut the birth of John the\nBaptist will signal the return of the voice of prophecy that has been\nsilent after many years where the word of God has been scarce. He\nwill prove to be the last prophet of the old covenant. He is the man\nfull of the Holy Spirit, who is to identify Jesus the Messiah. And\nwithout the stern, declamatory sounds of this wild wilderness man,\nwithout his baptism of our Lord, how could we ever hope to be\nprepared to encounter and receive Jesus into our hearts and lives? He\nis the man who will remind his people that God does not abandon his\npromise. Salvation is coming \u2013 even if they have still a while for\nit to arrive…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

First Sunday after Trinity \u2013 evening Sunday 23rd June 2019 Trinity 1 – Proper 7 \u2013 evening Birth of John the Baptist Judges 13. 2-7, 24-end Luke 1. 5-25 Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs If you think about it \u2013 while every birth is special and unique to the parents involved, nobody thinks of writing an … <\/p>\n

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