St Ninians, Riccarton

Epiphany 3

26 January 2025

 

Prayer of Illumination (Psalm 19:14)

Me inoi tatou, Let us pray;

Let the words of our mouths

and the meditations of our hearts

be acceptable to you, O Lord

our rock and our redeemer

Amine/Amen

 

Introduction to Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6,8-10 and Luke 4:14-21

Both these readings describe someone reading the bible.

As you listen imagine that moment. What sort of voice did Ezra have? Or Jesus?

We are told Ezra was standing but we understand by Jesus’ time bible readers sat. What difference might that have made?

Ezra is outside, Jesus is inside. Again, imagine the differences.

 

 

Bible Reading 1 Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10

All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 

Bible Reading 2  Luke 4: 14-21

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SERMON

 

Jesus/God Revealed in Scripture

 

It’s kind of strange listening to readings that talk about reading the bible. It’s like having two stories on top of each other as we too participate in listening. In fact both these scripture passages have many similarities to what we are doing today – but there are also some differences.
Continue reading January 26th 2025- Rev Stephanie Wells →

Readings
Isaiah 43: 1-7
The context of this section of Isaiah deals with the return from exile in Babylon to Judah. Verses 3 and 4 refer to the parts of Africa that had been conquered by the Persians and verses 5 and 7 describe a return from all directions. We know that people were taken into exile in Babylon, but they would have undoubtedly spread to all parts of the Babylonian empire, so Isaiah is predicting a return of Jews from all parts of the empire, just as Jews returned to Israel after World War Two and in doing so displaced the Palestinian people.
As time passes and different ethnic groups become unwanted where they have been exiled to, returning seems a good idea but inevitably things change and returning can displace others.

Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
We now read the story of Jesus’ baptism from Luke’s gospel. Fred Craddock draws attention to the key phrase ‘the heavens were opened up’ and says that is the reason why the church has long understood the baptism accounts in the gospels as epiphany texts. They are about the proclamation of God’s Christ in the world.
In the first verse of chapter 64 Isaiah prays to Yahweh ‘O that you would tear open the heavens and come down’ and in stating that ‘the heavens were opened up at Jesus’ baptism’ Luke is saying that in Jesus that prayer is answered.
The words from the heavenly voice declaring ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’ are drawn from Psalm 2 verse 7 which is used at the coronation of Israel’s king and from Isaiah 42:1 which is a description of the servant of God. As with other sections of the Gospel Luke brings those extra meanings into the text to show that what happened at Jesus’ baptism was part of the people’s religious tradition, a new exodus within the exodus tradition of revelation and guidance.
The final important point Craddock makes is that the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the voice affirmed, after Jesus was baptised and while he was praying.
Continue reading January 12th 2025- Rev Hugh Perry →