Call to Worship
Song: We three Kings
Prayers
Prayers for the journey
(Taped Music – from Candles in the Dark)
The Lords prayer
Notices and Offering
January Happy Birthday's
Setting the Scene
New Years Resolutions
Song: One more step along the world I go
Bible Readings: Luke 2: 22-40
Talk
From Egypt to Jerusalem - The start of something new!
Pic: Next year in Jerusalem
Our Jewish cousins have a saying, at the end of the Passover Seder they make a wish and a promise to each other:, "Next Year in Jerusalem !"
By this they are not simply referring to a place to meet, but a state of mind and heart. To them Jerusalem is much more than a city. It's an ideal that they are struggling to reach.
The Jewish story can be summed up as a long journey from Egypt to Jerusalem . Beyond being just geographical locations, they symbolize two opposite spiritual states.
The journey from Egypt to Jerusalem is a spiritual odyssey. Both as a nation and as individuals, they have always been leaving the slavery of Egypt and heading towards the freedom of the Promised Land. By analyzing the psychological Egypt and the inner Jerusalem , they recognize that this is a road they are still traveling.
Pic: Egpyt:
The Hebrew name for Egypt is Mitzrayim, which means limitations, restrictions, obstacles. It represents a state in which our souls are trapped in our bodies, enslaved to material desires and tied down to physical limitations. It is a world in which righteousness, justice and holiness are held captive to corruption, selfishness and egotism.
Pic: Jerusalem . Jerusalem means "the city of peace"--a place of peace between body and soul, heaven and earth, the ideal and reality. When our body becomes not a prison for the soul but rather a vehicle for the soul's expression; when we live our lives according to our ideals rather than our cravings; when the world values goodness and generosity over selfish gain, then we are in Jerusalem, we are at peace with ourselves and the world.
In the new year we too turn to Jerusalem . We recognize that Mary and Joseph turn up in Jerusalem
In Luke chapter two, we read
13 And when the wise men had departed, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Go, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt , and stay there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 Then he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt :
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
There are parts of scripture where we struggle to fit events together. Did the Holy family flee to Egypt , then sneak back to Jerusalem for Jesus presentation in the Temple , (Probably not – 300 miles) so did they nip into Jerusalem on their way to Egypt ? It really isn’t clear how things fit together here. What do you think?
Whether they were going or coming to Egypt , we see here a significant journey being made – one that involves slavery and freedom, captivity and release, displacement and homecoming.
When Mary and Joseph arrive at the Temple in Jerusalem , they carry the sadness of the journey to Egypt in their hearts. Lets remember, no Jewish family want to They did not want to be there, they wanted to go home, they wanted to settle down in security with their new son, to build a home, to see familiar faces and share their stories; but they knew they were now a family on a journey, for the safety of their son and themselves.
When they came to Jerusalem and met with the Priest Simeon, and the prophet Anna they would have known that sense of peace between body and soul,. There words of reassurance and hope would have brought unity to their heaven and earth, The feelings of fear and need to flee would have been comforted indeed by the welcome and promise they found in Jerusalem . For their not only Simeon and Anna saw glory – but again Mary and Joseph saw glory as these Godly people opened their hearts and praised the Lord at the sight of the Christchild. Just in case the fear they had was somehow taking away the memories of Shepherds, angels and wise men, here we have confirmation again that something amazing was taking place. Simeon cries “With my own eyes I have seen the salvation of our God! A light for the Gentiles and glory to Israel ."”
Pic: traffic
So the question is – where do you start this new year – In Jerusalem or Egypt ?
Imagine for a moment you are stuck in heavy traffic. You are late for an important meeting, and you see someone struggling to enter your lane from a side street. You are faced with a choice: to be kind and let them in, or to remain preoccupied with your own pressing needs and drive on.
If you do not allow them in, justifying yourself by thinking of how late you are, then its almost like you're still in Egypt ; your selfishness has overtaken your goodness.
If you overcome your concern for your own needs and let them in, you have just left Egypt . You allowed your innate goodness to prevail over your instinctive selfishness. You're out of Egypt , but you're not yet in Jerusalem .
In Jerusalem , you would automatically want to let them in. Your important meeting would pale into insignificance in comparison with an opportunity to do a favour for another person. You wouldn't have to conquer your selfish nature; your nature would itself be kind and selfless. There would be no need for a battle to do good in the city of inner peace; it would come naturally. I don't know about you, but I am not there yet.
The Jewish people were born in Egypt , in slavery. But they were told that on the other side of a vast desert lies their destiny, their Promised Land. As their forefathers walked out of Egypt many years , they were taking the first steps of a long journey to Jerusalem . Every generation since has claimed to be pushing further forward along the road to Jerusalem . The journey continues today, it’s a journey with a destination. they haven't got there yet. Christianity was born out of Judiasm, and we too take up this journey – from slavery to freedom - as long as there remains suffering, injustice in the world, we haven't reached the Promised Land. As long as we remain slaves to our own negative instincts and selfish desires, we are still struggling to truly leave Egypt .
Pic: 3 Kings
As we start the beginning of a new year, we acknowledge that another year has gone by, and we have yet to complete the journey. But we are getting there. We are that much closer to our Promised Land than we were last year. We have advanced a few more steps in a march to freedom that has spanned generations. And we travel with confidence, because of Jesus, we can know within our hearts - Immanuel God with us on all our journeying. May we each know deep joy of Simeon and Anna, as we journey into 2006 together.
Next year in Jerusalem ... =- why not
Song: From the Squalor of a borrowed
Covenant and Communion
Pic: Covenant
Pic: Communion
Hymn: We are Marching in the Light of God
Benediction
The Grace