Sean shares with us some thoughts from a sermon for Advent 1 he heard on Matthew 24, which suggests a less familiar (if well supported) reading of verses 37 - 41, notably that as in the days of Noah it was those who were 'eating, drinking...' who were 'taken' (v 39) whilst Noah was 'left behind,' so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  In other words, left behind is good, not bad!  (Check it out, it is the more natural reading).

This prompted me to take a look at some of the other texts that find their way into shaping so much popular End Times theology - and realising some of the quantum leaps in interpretation we sometimes make.

1 Thessalonians 4, for example, says nothing about scooping up believers to live in heaven, but (as my interlinear Greek puts it)  'we shall be seized in clouds to a meeting of the Lord in air; and so always with the Lord we shall be.'  I have no idea what the Greek word 'aera' might mean other than 'air' but it clearly isn't either sky or heaven - and there is no mention of going thence to heaven.  Re-reading this I am reminded of Acts 1:11 - the 'oi you lot don't just stand staring into space' bit.

I also checked out 1 Corinthians 15: 49-55 - which speaks of resurrection and transformation 'in the twinkling of an eye' at the last trumpet - but not escape from planet earth.

I guess I don't want to push all this too far, because it takes us beyond eschatology to theologies of death, and I haven't the time or inclination to explore that interface right now.  What it does do is, once again, remind me how readily we stop reading what the Bible actually says and see what we expect.  If there is one message that Ihave been hearing over and again this year, it is to come to the Bible as if I'm reading it for the first time (which almost fits with another aspect of the sermon Sean refers to).  I'm a firm believer that 'the Lord has yet more light and truth to break forth from the Word' - just that I never cease to be amazed how much more.

Last rehearsal of the GB nativity play and instead of a typical 14-16 girls we had 22, one brand new, two returned after long absences, and a couple who are rather hit and miss.  More shuffling of parts, a few new characters invented - including a very important angel who holds a star, played by our newest recruit (this character is in the Apocryphal Gospel of Catriona, chapter 1, not sure which verse yet).  When her mother arrived to collect her, she said to her "oh well, you won't be in it this time" and was genuinely amazed by our inclusion policy - truth is, if a new girl arrives next week we'll fit her in somehow.

As I drove home, I found myself reminded of the parable of the workers being hired to work in the vineyard at various times during the day.  Our play next week will, like all nativity plays, be heavily dependent on cold viruses, the whims of infant school children, and who remembers to turn up.  What matters is the everyone who does turn up will be found something to wear and something to do, and everyone, whether she has attended every week and is word perfect, or arrives for the first time and has to be prodded in the right direction, will get her moment of glory and a big clap at the end.

Maybe I'll add this parable to my apocryphal gospel too?!

Advent Prayers Week 2 - 16 people squeezed into the manse living room, loaves and fishes (well stew and apple pie) no problem, singing happy birthday to a 92 year-old (who wasn't the oldest there) and raising money for HMF.

This, I thought, is when it's all worth it.  No stroppy deacons to criticise (one supportive one to enjoy, another alas unable to make it this week).  An old lady brought a lemon sponge, someone else a ginger cake for next week, an offer of a Christmas cake to come... Five minutes of good, solid, heartfelt open prayer (as distinct from 30 minutes of embarrassed silence in the official prayer meetings)... Someone on the edge of the fellowship washing up, a couple of widows getting some much needed company...  The beginnings of community.

This is church!  And I've helped to make it happen!  Praise God who, in overflowing grace and love, seeks us before we have a clue we're being sought, and who never ceases to surprise us with moments of wonder.

Yesterday I received a phone call from someone booking their preaching plan for 2008.  With only four of their Sundays left to fill, the only one I could offer was December 7th!

Meanwhile, I am being driven to distraction by the lack of urgency about folk on my doorstep to plan a service on 25th December this year!   With one spare evening between now and said date, I eventually unilaterally declared a planning meeting - and I am waiting for anyone to let me know if they're coming.

Somewhere in between must be a happy medium, surely?!

Time for some low-grade twaddle, methinks.

Yesterday my sister's children treated me to a rendition of 'The Ten Constipated Men in the Bible' (though they could only remember three of them!) which someone, I think the new Principal but don't quote me, at Westeminster College Cambridge had sung at the end of term Revue under the heading of 'a feminist theologian reads scripture' or some such.

Having looked on the web, it appears this song, in various versions has been around for at least 30 years, and definitions of constipation seem to include extreme flatulence and diahorrea!  Anyway, just in case, like me, this is new for you, here are some verses I've found...

There were ten, ten, constipated men in the Bible, in the Bible

There were ten, ten, constipated men in the B-I-B-L-E

And the first, first, constipated man it was Adam, he soiled the garden...

And the second, second, constipated man, it was Cain, he wasn't Abel...

 

etc etc....

And in no particular order except as I found them

Moses, he took two tablets

Balaam, couldn't move his ass

Solomon, sat for forty years

Samson, brought the house down

Noah, for forty days only passed water 

Pharoah, who wouldn't let them go (not sure that counts really!)

Joshua blew the walls down

David threw a stone

Peter was like a rock

Titus, the name speaks for itself

Jesus, cleared the Temple (sounds more like too many baked beans to me!)

Jeremiah, broke the chamber pot

Judas whose guts split open

 

I also found a more inclusive version as follows...

TEN CONSTIPATED BEINGS, Or,
Five Constipated Men, Two Constipated Women, One Constipated Fallen Angel, One Constipated Saviour, and One Constipated God in the New Testament

There were ten, ten constipated beings
In the gospels, in the gospels,
There were ten, ten constipated beings
In the holy testament       [or: In the four synoptic gospels)

Now, the first ... was John the Baptist, he had to go before ...

And the 2nd ... Apostle Paul, they lowered him through the hole ...

The 3rd ... Apostle Peter, denied it three times ...

And the 4th ... Pontius Pilate, he had to wash his hands ...

Now, the 5th ... Judas Iscariot, he burst asunder ...

Now the 1st, 1st constipated woman ... Mother Mary, she used the manger ...

And the 2nd ... Sister Martha, she rose up hastily ...

And the one, one constipated fallen angel was Satan, who voided human good works ...

Now the one, one constipated Saviour, was Jesus, he rose after three days
                                OR:   he rode in on his ass,
                                OR: he blew the stone away,

Now, the One, One constipated God, whose name was GOD, who sits till Judgment Day ...

 

Many thanks to those who posted these on various blogs.  Readers feel free to add more verses...!