Sermon: Jonah versus God

Sermon for Romsey/Lancefield

Epiphany 3, 22^nd of January, 2012

Jonah 3:1-5, 10

Normally, on days when we have a baptism, I preach a sermon that says something about what we believe happens in baptism. I’m not going to do that today. Later this morning, we’re going to commission Jay Brooks as a lay preacher, so I could take this time to say something about the ministries to which all Christians are called, of which preaching is one. I’m not going to do that either. Because today the lectionary gives us what I think is the only reading from the Book of Jonah that we get in the entire three year cycle, and the Book of Jonah is so awesome, and so hilarious, that I want to talk about it. We’re only given six verses in the lectionary, but I’m going to take you through the entire book. So, sit back and relax.

Reflection for Christmas Day 2011

Isaiah 52:7-10
John 1:1-14

God has rolled up God’s sleeves and got down to it. ‘The Lord has bared his holy arm’ and is participating in the everyday life of the world. This is what God has always done, from the beginning of creation, but today we celebrate the strange, new way God did it in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago. In the birth of a baby the pre-existing Word took on flesh and became a human being like us. He came to bring us the good news of peace and salvation, and to show us in his life what that good news looks like.