Rev. David L.S. Robertson

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 & 2 Timothy 1:1-14    

  Description: What do you do when someone makes a statement in a conversation that you disagree with? What if it is racist or totally against what you believe? We want to be polite and kind, so we end up staying silent. But our silence can be interpreted as agreement. How do we learn to say, "I beg to differ"? We live in a time when, as Christians, we need to say, "I beg to differ" to many things happening in our world. We need to say No to the racisim, the sexism, the exclusion, the terrorism. We need to say No to those who blame particular faith groups or those who target those of particular cultural backgrounds. The inclusion and compassion that Jesus lived is our mission to live in our world today.

Passage: John 15:1-12 & Colossians 3:1-17    

  Description: I have been watching my clematis inch its way up the back fence. I marvel how it attaches with its spiral-like tendrils to the chain link in a way that is strong and secure. Occasionally, I need to remove some of the vines in order to help shape it, otherwise it seems to overgrow and become unwieldly. Tending to the clematis reminds me of today’s reading from John. There is so much in John’s imagery about the vine. There is so much here about connection and support, nourishment and abiding. We remove the old growth—the wood that no longer serves, or the growth that seems to produce nothing. We make room for new growth. We protect the vines that are flowering, tend to them and encourage them to flower more. And just as the branch with its fruit cannot survive without being attached to the vine neither can we live if we are not connected with the wisdom of God revealed in the teaching of Jesus. I am the vine says, Jesus. You are the branches. Abide in me.

Passage: Matthew 6:19-7:12    

  Description: What do we really need to give up in order to be more alive in God and more aware of Christ’s transformation and aliveness in us? Following today’s reading from Matthew, I would much rather give up worry and anxiety for Lent than chocolate. For most certainly those things cause us suffering and great distraction. The interesting thing about anxiety is that is usually generated by our alarm system. And our alarm system is almost always activated by a felt, real or anticipated sense of separation. That’s really important to remember. My alarm system may be ringing because, I’ve just lost a loved one and I am feeling that separation. But it may be that my experience of loss is triggering alarm in the relationships I have with my loved ones, as if the sudden awareness of my mortality frightens me with the real or anticipated sense of what that means for all those around me that I love so much. Or maybe, there’s a move coming up with one of our children, or grandchildren. Human beings are designed to be together, in relationship. This trait is hardwired by nature into us and all mammals. It boils down to a matter of survival. We need each other to live. And so it can be argued that the greatest sense of aliveness exists in being together. Facing separation flies in the face of that deep human need of togetherness and cause us to feel anxious. When we pause long enough to capture some of the essence of what Jesus is teaching his people about anxiety, we begin to understand that this was a very alarming time.

Passage: Matthew 16:13-17:9    

  Description: Jesus makes the road by walking with his disciples right into the heart of Roman territory. Standing with his disciples in front of this rock face with its ancient niches to the gods, and now the centre of Caesar-ville, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is? I can’t quite imagine the state of the disciples’ minds. Is it a trick question? The question asked in this location is certainly not lost on Jesus’ followers. They take a stab at it. Well, some say John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus sharpens the question, “But who do YOU say that I am?” Aye yai yai! Let’s hit the pause button for a moment. Let’s recall that Jesus asks the first question about who people say the son of man is. This is a charged political question. We need to remember we’re in Caesar-ville and that Caesars over the course of the Roman Empire referred to themselves as sons of the gods.

Passage: Isaiah 60:1-6 & Matthew 2:1-15    

  Description: What does it mean to follow Jesus? The wisemen teach us that people of all faiths are welcome in our community, and help us learn about living our faith.