Good signs are helpful. Confusing, unclear signs are no good at all. In the city where I live there are constant complaints about confusing parking signs…different days and hours, arrows pointing in different directions, all designed to confuse and make people fall into disobedience to the law and end up paying a fine.
In John 2:1-11 we read an account where Jesus rescues a wedding by turning an enormous amount of water into an extraordinary quality wine. This is the first of a number of miraculous actions Jesus performs, that John labels as signs. first sign. Perhaps this is the beginning of the greater things promised in Jn 1:51? It is a narrative chockfull of significant detail. Let’s look at a few of these.
In chapter 1 verse 43 we read that the next day Jesus leaves for Galilee. Up to this point in chapter 1 Jesus has been relatively passive in the narrative as he received the disciples passed on to him by John.
Sometimes the words, ‘what about me?’ come too easily to our lips. Especially when working with others. There can be the desire to lead when for the moment our role is to follow, envy at the success of others, the desire for credit, a little more glory. Both humility and contentment can be hard at times.
Transitions can be difficult. Whether it is between jobs, ministries, governments, or generations, transitions can be tricky. It can be hard for the old to ‘let go’ and let the new take over. It can be hard to adjust to new circumstances as a transition takes place.
What are you waiting for? What are you expecting to happen? What are you longing for to happen?
We come now to the final section of John’s opening prologue. In verse 15 we hear part of John the Baptist’s testimony to Jesus. He simply testifies to the surpassing greatness of Jesus and hints that there was a time when Jesus was with the Father in the beginning.
“The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory.” There is no transfiguration scene in John’s Gospel. This is because the glory of Jesus is glimpsed throughout Jesus’ whole ministry. Glory is a tricky concept to define and it may be one of those things that we can recognise when we see it. We can think of words like renown, fame; it has connotations of brightness and weight.
“I’d like to see that in the flesh!” The phrase ‘in the flesh’ is used to describe seeing something live, as it actually is, rather than being told about it or seeing it on screen. Seeing people ‘in the flesh’ means we can see all the body language, the movements and expressions, which are so important to communication. Perhaps our experiences under COVID 19 have helped us to see more than ever the benefits of being ‘in the flesh’ with one another?
What’s your story? Let me tell you one of mine. When I was a very young child, I lived in a mining town that had a lot of shops that sold exotic looking rock specimens. One day I saw one that I really liked in the shop window. I asked my parents if they would buy it for me. They said no. But they did say that if I did some jobs for them I could earn the money to buy it. And so I did. I am not sure who got the best end of the bargain (it was a very cheap rock) but I learnt some things about the n...
How do you view the world? What story do you tell of the world around you? Different people, different cultures have different stories about the world. Some see no story. They simply see the random results of time and chance. Some see a self-improvement story. A world on its way ever upwards, based on the essential goodness of people.
I once read a book produced for a charity called ‘My God’. It was a series of short responses by various celebrities talking about who they thought God was. The book was a mix of the occasional sublime and the mostly ridiculous. There were statements from representatives of the world major faiths…monotheistic and polytheistic, and there was much sentimental and idle speculation.
In the beginning was the word. This is a majestic and memorable beginning to the Gospel. It introduces a title for Jesus that is unique to John’s Gospel. The Word is a title that speaks volumes for John’s understanding of Jesus. At once, if we know the Old Testament, we are taken back to the creative word of God in Genesis 1. We are reminded that God works through his word. He creates, he communicates, he judges and he blesses through his word.
Chromatius became the Bishop of Aquileia on the Adriatic Sea in 387. As a scholar theologian, he wrote a number of exegetical treatises, but he is most noted for maintaining a voluminous correspondence with other Christian scholars of his time, encouraging them to produce theological works of their own. Ambrose of Milan was motivated by him to write exegetical works, and Jerome dedicated to Chromatius translations and commentaries, which he had written at his suggestion. You are the light of the...
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. Dear brethren, God's love is calling us to the joys of eternal happiness for the salvation of our souls....
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Let us sing "Alle...
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Sing to the Lord ...
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians. Praise the Lord w...
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. The time arrived for me to give my name for baptism, so we left the country and moved back to Milan. Alypius ha...
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387. What is more pleasing than the psalms? David himself expressed it so beautifully when he said: Praise the Lord!...
Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John. After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France. In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the firs...
Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John. After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France. In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the firs...
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's unders...
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's unders...
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's unders...
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the fai...
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the fai...
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the fai...
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the fai...
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the fai...
