I know it’s only June, but it’s never too soon to start thinking of Christmas is it? Remember Charles Dickens’ play, A Christmas Carol? There’s Ebenezer Scrooge and Jacob Marley and Bob Cratchet and Tiny Tim. Ebenezer Scrooge was a heartless man. His business partner Jacob Marley had died a few years before. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge went home and Marley’s ghost came and visited him. Indeed Scrooge is visited by three ghosts that night—the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present and the ghost of Christmas future. During their visits, he sees himself as he really is. He sees the love and kindness of those he mistreated. And sees his own death. He wakes up on Christmas morning a changed man. He has seen the bleak future of his wicked life and determines to change his ways. What would happen if we could see our own funeral before it happened? How might we change our ways now? In our passage tonight, God inspires Amos to preach at their funeral while they’re still alive. He preaches a funeral for the living dead. This passage is an example of what’s called a lament. A lament is a poem of mourning connected to the death of a loved one. A lament wasn’t known for celebrating the life of a loved one like many Christian funerals are. Instead, it was known for its words of grief, regret, sorrow and pain.
I welcome the news from Surrey Police and CPS that, having “carried out a thorough and extensive review of the material in question” they have concluded that “no criminal offences have been committed. The matter has now been closed and no further action is being taken,” a conclusion which will come as no surprise to those who know and work with me.
16 March 2012
The events of today, some 2000 years ago, set Christianity apart from every other religion in the world. All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are based on historical personalities rather than philosophies, Christianity in unique. In 1900 B.C. Judaism’s Father Abraham died. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died. On June 6, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. In 33 A.D. Jesus died but came back to life appearing to over 500 people over a period of 40 days.
Written around 700 years before Christ, the Book of Isaiah is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other book of the Hebrew Scriptures. 754 of Isaiah’s 1292 verses are predictive. That means 59% of Isaiah is prophecy. Isaiah contains 11 direct prophecies concerning Jesus and it is cited or alluded to in at least 50 NT passages. Why?
Two thousand years ago Jerusalem was under a siege. One man set out on a lonely road to do something about it. Only 14 miles long. A day’s journey, up-hill, Jericho to Jerusalem. A one way ticket. Jesus is out in front leading the way, setting the pace.
In 1943, Li Airui found himself imprisoned by the Japanese in the Weihsien internment camp in Shandong, Northern China. Li quickly emerged as a leader among the 1800 internees. Life in the camp was hard, under a brutal regime. Some oil company executives, managed to bribe the guards into receiving extra rations and luxuries. Li shamed them into sharing these with the other prisoners. Without the benefit of equipment or supplies, Li taught science to the children in a makeshift school. He led Bible studies, taught Sunday school and cared for the sick and elderly. Li organized games to promote fitness and boost morale. That is perhaps not surprising because Li was the first Chinese ever to win a gold medal in the Olympics.