It’s not a bad story, is it?

Today’s blog is very short and to the point. I got a Christmas missive from a Supernumerary minister in Rutland last night and he has nailed it really... 

“If the Christmas story is about hope being born into circumstances where every physical, social and political reality seemed to mitigate against hope - then it's not a bad story for today, is it?   !”

Then I discovered the lectionary for my next service in my current Circuit I’m taking on Sunday 5 January is the awesome prologue to John’s Gospel. I rarely have had the opportunity to preach on what is surely the greatest passage of scripture. Sometimes a few words say it all. So tonight, I encourage my readers, to reflect on the commentary of the times from a wise minister, and then read slowly the beauty and power in John, the Gospel writer’s introduction inviting us to work out who the Jesus who comes really is...

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.