{"id":3537,"date":"2019-12-08T17:08:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-08T17:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/?page_id=3537"},"modified":"2019-12-08T17:08:00","modified_gmt":"2019-12-08T17:08:00","slug":"sermon-8th-december-2019","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pattinghamchurch.org.uk\/web\/information\/sermons\/sermon-8th-december-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Sermon – 8th December 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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

Second Sunday of Advent \u2013 morning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sunday 8th December 2019 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Advent 2 \u2013 morning
\nIsaiah 11. 1-10
\nMatthew 3. 1-12<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

\nAdvent is, by tradition, the time of year when Christians are urged to contemplate the \u201c4 last things\u201d \u2013 Death and Judgment, heaven and hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this morning we hear John the Baptist in full cry \u2013 exhorting his listeners (and therefore us too) to think about the impending judgment that may be made on our lives. If a great gathering of wheat into the granary (or souls into heaven) is to be made \u2013 we want to ensure we are on the right side!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And later this week we will be asked to exercise our judgment again on which party we think has the best policies to govern our country. Apart of course from those of us who have already exercised our democratic vote through a postal vote!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I would not dream of suggesting who or which party you should vote for \u2013 but I do urge every one of you \u2013 even those who choose differently to me \u2013 to make good use of your vote. It was hard won over many centuries and it is not for us to squander or neglect that right and responsibility. And our votes do matter. Increasingly for the future of our children and their children and our planet itself \u2013 so do choose wisely, and maybe not only by which party will benefit you the most personally!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John the Baptist serves as a kind of signpost, pointing us towards the right decision; pointing to the Messiah who is coming into the world at Christmas. His whole life and ministry was devoted to the one who was to come. Of course he lived in a time when everyone was waiting expectantly for the Messiah \u2013 the great figure who would emerge \u2013 from the desert it was believed \u2013 and who would rescue his people from the bondage of foreign domination and exploitation. That is why various Jewish groups \u2013 including John and his disciples, – took themselves out into the Judean wilderness to wait for and prepare for the coming Messiah. They wanted to be among the first to recognise and greet him. So all sorts of people went out to see and listen to this strange rather wild-looking preacher in the desert and to receive his baptism as a way of demonstrating their repentance for their sins. Even Jesus himself was to make that journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John never claimed the title of Messiah for himself \u2013 he knew that his job was to point the way and not to get in the way. He also knew that Jesus (or the one to come) would be more powerful than himself. \u201cI baptise with water, but one is coming who will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire!\u201d \u2013 a somewhat scary image to us, but one that we perhaps need to stay with and explore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fire can destroy of course, but it also purifies. In the crucible in a furnace, metallic ore is broken down from its crude state so that the pure metal can emerge. Similarly the wheat must be separated from the chaff if it is to be any good as flour to the baker. So the coming of the Messiah may be a mixed blessing to some. Yes, the pure substance will be brought forth, but a lot of rubbish has to be jettisoned on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would our lives look like I wonder to be subject to this sort of process? What about you would you like to lose, to have burnt away in the fierce heat of God\u2019s judgment? And how many of our politicians \u2013 of all parties – are asking themselves this question this weekend I wonder?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And how can we emulate John the Baptist? How can we serve as God\u2019s signposts for others? Pointing the way to Jesus without getting in the way ourselves?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we buy, what we eat, the way we use our money, the way we use our vote even, our day to day lifestyle can all be a pointer \u2013 especially at this time of year when the world goes mad for excess. As Christians we have a special interest in Christmas and we certainly want to make sure that we will celebrate the great mystery and awe and wonder of Christ\u2019s birth among us. But perhaps we don\u2019t have to \u2018do\u2019 Christmas in quite the same way as everyone else around us in the world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe<\/em> our signpost could be to stop, to be still and to be a prayerful presence to and for others in the mad rush that surrounds us. And if we are always moaning about others \u2013 in church and outside \u2013 we might give the impression that we worship a mean, tight, aggressive little god, whose followers are miserable, pious and dull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So let\u2019s all try to point the way for others in a helpful way. Go cheerfully to vote (even if we aren\u2019t feeling particularly cheerful at the choices before us) and let people know how much you enjoy being a part of a worshipping community. Invite them to come with you to the Christingle or one of our Carol events \u2013 in church or even in the pub! And pray that God will enable us all to be signposts this Christmas, and in the years to come. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n


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Second Sunday of Advent \u2013 morning Sunday 8th December 2019 Advent 2 \u2013 morning Isaiah 11. 1-10 Matthew 3. 1-12 Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs Advent is, by tradition, the time of year when Christians are urged to contemplate the \u201c4 last things\u201d \u2013 Death and Judgment, heaven and hell. And this morning we hear John … <\/p>\n

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