Context

World news this week focusses on the changes happening politically around the world:

• US President-elect Trump forming his transitional team and seeking to sway the UK.
• Presidential primary elections in France.
• Russia plans new missile installations in response to NATO’s ‘defence shield’.

Isaiah’s writing urges us to look ahead to the time when nations will turn their armaments into agricultural tools. Knowing that our future ultimately lies with Jesus does not mean that we are exempt from the uncertainty and anxiety that comes from these monumental changes in the world around us. Our focus must be on how we live as faithful servants in the knowledge that our God will one day, perhaps tomorrow, return and place the whole world under the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In other news:

• The uncertainty of life on Earth was highlighted by the situation in India this month.
• The inherent danger in the world around us has been highlighted this week by earthquakes in Japan and flood warnings in the UK.
• Andy Murray reaches world number one.

 

Reflection

Isaiah’s vision of weapons being turned to peaceful use seems especially far off as nationalist politicians gain ground in countries around the world and peaceful situations & relationships now seem far more uncertain. The world stands and watches how things will unfold, fearing new tensions and the reopening of old hatreds. Our readings remind us that all things are ultimately in God’s hands and He will one day end conflicts around the world as everyone on Earth faces the reality of God’s authority and judgement.

Through no fault of our own, we can find that things we depended on are gone and certainties that we assumed would continue indefinitely have vanished. Jesus is clear that our focus needs to be on the coming of God’s kingdom and that this context allows us to deal with the vagaries of economic and political changes.

Often we try to pretend that our lives are under control and that we have eliminated risk from our environment. The floods and earthquakes happening in Japan and the UK (among other places) remind us that creation is full of forces that we cannot control. It is always better to honestly face the prospect of the unforeseen happening than to pretend that it won’t, or argue governments should have done more in hindsight. Jesus calls our focus to be on the coming kingdom rather than our present comfort and security.

An illustration of readiness was provided this week by tennis player Andy Murray. Having fought for a decade in the shadow of great players, Federer, Nadal & Djokovic, he has kept on working, training and developing his game and has now ended the year as the first man outside of those three to be world number one since February 2004. His journey has involved back surgery, intense media scrutiny, changes of coaches and criticism of his on-court personality. His perseverance and persistence has paid off this week and echoes Jesus’ instruction to his disciples to watch & live ready for the ultimate coming of God’s kingdom. We should be living and training ourselves so that we can respond as soon as Jesus appears and not be caught wishing we had acted differently or been more prepared.

Life does not get a lot more uncertain than the situation for many in India who found that money they had kept ‘safe’ was suddenly worthless as 500 and 1000 rupees were declared void overnight in a bid to restrict corruption. In an instant, people’s financial security and plans for the future were thrown into chaos. Jesus talks about life-changing events that will signify the coming of the Son of Man. In an instant, some will be vindicated and know that the one they have been waiting for has come. Others will be thrown into disarray and chaos as it becomes clear that their lives have been resting on false and uncertain foundations. What is our hope & our sense of identity resting on?

As the political landscape around the world changes Christians are in a privileged position. Knowing that this world is not the end of all things and that we are guaranteed eternal life with God, we are freed to speak into the political situations around us, especially speaking up for those who are alienated or demonised. The election of Donald Trump was marked by the blaming of those who are different for the everyday problems of working people, even when the ‘facts’ could be quickly disproved. We are to live as faithful servants, working for justice and peace as if Jesus were coming in glory at any given minute. Reminding those in power, and those in our social networks, that all people are made in the image of God and are valued by Him, is part of that service.

 

Prayer

An exercise to use in place of ‘traditional’ intercessory prayer.

There are many groups facing uncertainty in the coming months both within our churches and throughout the world. Give people space to write down their own fears about the future and then, after a period of silence, to fold their papers and lay them at the cross. Repeat the exercise, but this time asking people to think of a specific group of people and what they might be fearing right now.

 

Questions

• What are we most worried about as we wait for Jesus to come back again? What gives us the most sleepless nights?
• How might our view of these things change in the light of Jesus’ promise that he is returning?
• How can we offer peace and hope to those in our communities who are afraid right now?

 

Action

You might like to use a resource such as ’Conflict Map’ to look at current conflicts around the world. Using a large map or a projection of the updated map on their website, look as a church congregation at how many conflicts are ongoing around the world. If we are praying ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’ in our churches, are there ways in which we might speak into these situations? Hand out contact details of your local MP, or use Amnesty or Tearfund websites to encourage people to look at specific actions they might take as individuals, groups or as a whole church. When God does come back, which of our current activities will demonstrate that we have been faithful and wise servants.

 

Young people

Invite your young people to examine their social networks in the coming week. To what extent are their newsfeeds reflecting back their own views and opinions? How are they seeking out information and opinion that challenges their understanding of the world.

At the same time, discuss how happy they are to challenge tweets or posts that belittle or demean other groups of people? Do they speak up when others are being malicious or mean-spirited? What might that look like?

 

 

Steve Taylor is joint-vicar of St James Alperton Church, near Wembley. He shares the job with his wife, Ali, and his house with their two daughters, two cats and numerous fish.

 

 

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ROOTS publishes weekly lectionary-based worship and learning resources online and in two magazines.