Yesterday, Les and I completed our 5th Wainwright. Ok, so it was only a baby one - Ling Fell - but still a sense of achievement, and some glorious views from the top on a clear day.
Tomorrow, we take a break from Brian McLaren's book, to conform to the readings the rest of our Mission Community are using, from the Common Lectionary. The Gospel reading actually follows on from last week's very well. From Luke's account of Jesus's encounter in the synagogue at Nazareth, Matthew takes up the story with his move north to Capernaum, and Peter's home. Here, Jesus goes walkabout, announcing the Kingdom, calling people to repentance, teaching in the synagogues, preaching and healing. Along the way he collects his first disciples.
We see Jesus now doing what he said he had come for in his Manifesto last week.
'Mission' could be described as outside-inside-out. God's kingdom breaks in 'from above', leading to an inward transformation, which in turn drives the disciples outwards to do what Jesus did - fishing for people. The Good News is just too good to keep to ourselves! And it is demonstrated in practical ways, where darkness is turned to light - fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy about Galilee. Incidentally, I like the Message translation of disease in Matthew 4.23 - the bad effects of their bad lives.
Tomorrow is a special day for the 14 churches of our proposed Mission Community, as we exchange ministries. A preacher, lesson-reader and pray-er go from their own church to another, both to experience a different kind of worship and to offer a different kind of ministry. The object (mainly) to strengthen the bonds of fellowship between us.
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