Heart and soul

Posted on May 8, 2022 by M Emlyn Humphries

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs.
Acts 9:36‭-‬37 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/act.9.36-37.NRSV

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
Psalms 23:4 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/psa.23.4.NRSV

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.
John 10:27‭-‬28 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.10.27-28.NRSV

The voice of God in the Hebrew Bible is synonymous with the Holy Spirit. And so we have confidence that in listening, speaking, serving, dreaming and reading, each of us hears God just as the heroes of faith did in the ancient stories. The same voice that spoke then speaks now in our hearts.

Being together this morning we had plenty of opportunities to test what we were hearing and seeing. The times are troubling and being together to.seek God’s wisdom is very precious.

Hearing God in these times is essential and being God for one another a privelege; a nod, a smile, all express our togetherness as humanity in the midst of confusion but listening to one another opens the way to peace as we grapple with death, fear and false hope.

The following is the testimony of the faith of journalists that might help us understand the times. I found the bits about Aberfan illuminating.

Search for stories of Kenneth Hayes the baptist minister who lost his son Dyfrig in the disaster for inspiration.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4235

Brad Jersak here teaches about listening.

Listening to the voice.

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Lads, caught no fish?

Posted on May 1, 2022 by M Emlyn Humphries

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” John 21:4‭-‬5 NRSV https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.21.4-5.NRSV

Children! These were young lads. And what happens next is they listen to Jesus who remains on the shore, and catch 153 fish.

Then the resurrected Jesus eats with them. If we put ourselves in the picture, this dawn encounter may have a sense of holiday, after all they knew Jesus was with them, they were amongst the blessed. One thing remained, the comissioning of Peter.

Peter had denied Jesus three times and Jesus draws him into forgiveness, with a warning that his life would see him killed standing up for Jesus. Again we put ourselves into the picture and this is what we see.

He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
John 21:17 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.21.17.NRSV

The holiday atmosphere turns into what appears to me to be a sulk. The young lad Peter is growing up.

Being a maths teacher 153 is a wonderful number. It’s the cube of all its digits summed. It is a triangular number as are each of its digits and more. I think though, the meaning of the precise number may be because the lads counted the fish. Wouldn’t you?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/153_(number)
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This is life

Posted on Apr 24, 2022 by M Emlyn Humphries

And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 5:32 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/act.5.32.NRSV

It makes a difference. Coming to believe in Jesus brings about a transformation; it’s not head knowledge but a new heart. The promise is that hearts of stone become hearts of flesh. And from this encounter a life is built, a life of hope.

The divine is named in this reading as the person of God, Holy Spirit. Other readings imply an agency of God; an action producing a certain outcome, power to obey.

The consequence is that what is received by the believer is the reassurance of Jesus resurrection, their lives built on receiving the witness of the spirit to the truth.

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
John 20:29 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/jhn.20.29.NRSV

This was addressed by Jesus to Thomas who refused to believe in the resurrection because he had not seen his body for himself.

Jesus adds a post resurrection blessing for his followers, the power to believe, a foundation for faith.

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Followers of the Way.

Posted on Apr 17, 2022 by M Emlyn Humphries

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 10:34‭-‬35 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/act.10.34-35.NRSV

An Easter cake graced our time this morning

So why not come and meet with us. You are so welcome.

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Telling the story.

Posted on Apr 10, 2022 by M Emlyn Humphries

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
Luke 19:28 NRSV

https://bible.com/bible/2016/luk.19.28.NRSV

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_upon_the_Donkey_for_the_Palm_Procession,_Cologne,_c._1520,_limewood_and_softwood,_polychrome_-_Museum_Schn%C3%BCtgen_-_Cologne,_Germany_-_DSC00072.jpg

And the story continues with the mysterious and improbable fetching of a donkey, the extoling of Jesus by the disciples, the laying down of cloaks and the waving of palms, and ends with the possibility of the rocks crying out praise.

The significance of each part of the story can be explained and obviously draws on the cultural knowledge of the community it was written for. What are we to do with this account today?

Maybe it speaks to you of the lifting up and honouring of Jesus, maybe the fickleness of the crowd of disciples who were later to desert Jesus or maybe the oneness of creation where the very rocks cry out and groan.

The story demands a response and we need to just sit and listen to the reactions.

It is good to know the significance of each part of the story but then we need to be prepared for a conclusion we might not expect. The intracacy of the story, when it is explained, how it weaves prophecy into the facts, could make you think, it probably didn’t happen. Could the story be conveying a truth about Jesus not a truth of history? It’s too clever. Has the literal event been embelished to convey a deeper truth?

The fact is, we are not the community this story was written down for. We Christians in the West, inherit the tradition that speaks a meaning to us from our past that is different to the original hearers’. We are not though in a culture where this is true anymore.

Today we need to realise that this tradition has lost its grip and need to listen to how God is speaking to people today, and where this story finds traction today. I suspect the drama still speaks and we need to let the drama speak, not explained it away. There is a time and place for this, but today I suspect it is likely to turn Jo Normal off. Let the drama speak.

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