World is falling apart. We watched a picture sequence largely drawn from the events of the last couple of weeks - riot police in Paris & Delhi, a Dafur refugee camp, flooding in Kenya, typhoon in Philippines, troops in Basra, bomb in Baghdad, tension in Palestine & Israel, global warming, World Aids Day - 39.5 m infected, 4,3 new in 2006, 2,9m die in 2006, - in sub-saharan Africa - 24.7 m infected, 2.8 new in 2006 2.1 deaths - 33% of adults in Swaziland are infected - 2m South Africans do not know they are infected. (Source Independent, 1.12.2006) 

See also Zimbabwe

In the UK concerns about binge drinking, violent crime, drug culture, debt, stress, asylum seekers, itinerant workers, Ashes. People are longing for change, for purpose, for meaning. Perhaps wealth, or leisure, or celebrity or revolution or harsher laws will bring change. Others wish, expect, anticipate the Kingdom of God - and wonder how they can make it happen.

NT world was not very different - wars and rumours of wars, political tension, revolution in the air, - others get on with normal life, buying and selling, sowing, growing & harvesting. Others anticipate the Kingdom of God - Disciples wonder if with Jesus they will be part of it - a generation on the people of Thessalonica believe it is very imminent, so no need to worry about the normal things of life, perhaps another decade later, with Jerusalem destroyed, the first generation dying naturally, the first readers of Luke’s gospel still anticipate that the Kingdom of God is very imminent - but expectations have had to change and they are reminded of Jesus’ words “Be alert ... and stand before the Son of Man”. 2000 years on  - still waiting, reading these text and wondering what do they mean? looking at the world - surely the KoG must come soon .... but still we wait - Advent time.

What are we to do? Live the gospel - “increase and abound in love for one another and for all”,  “stand up and raise your heads - tell your story” in words and actions - concern for social justice, for liberation, Give hope, work for peace, 

the unlikely evangelist “So in times of trouble, (therefore, at all times), those who see the world differently through the lens of the Jesus event should be sticking their head up and speaking of God's new world, not stooping down and colluding with this world. For when we see this world as we have always known it next to the world as we see it through Jesus (the one 'like a Son of Man'), we cannot help but see the contrast, and see that our salvation is therefore in Christ.” 

Living in Advent, we need to have an awareness of the world and willingness to be involved - feeding asylum seekers, collection for South Africans living with Aids, supporting NCH, charity Christmas presents, a Fairtrade Christmas - living lives that bring love, hope, liberation - taking the opportunity to speak about God’s new world as the place where there is purpose and meaning in the confusion and despair of life.

Who rules? By whose rules shall we live?

Pilate believes he rules - he has the power, military & political - Jesus is no rival - he has no army, no political base - Pilate’s rules are about holding life & death in his hands, his threat maintains power. 

John believes that Jesus rules - and the cross is his coronation! - 

"Revelation it is about the reign of forgiveness and freedom, brought about through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus is king on the cross because he is the incarnation of sacrificial love and forgiveness, which is what God’s kingdom is all about."

Disclosing New Worlds

Jewish authorities understand the rules Jesus plays by - undermining their rule. Religion is being used as a threat - belief = belonging = access to God - others have taken Revelation as the Churches authority to rule - as David rules - but God’s’s rules are not of this world

God’s rules undermine Pilates rules  - no fear = no power - how often is fear used to gain power - from access to heaven to refusal to allow new developments - Jesus says do not be afraid. We search for a new vision - to catch a vision - for infectious visions - and fear will be the death for us - because we don’t allow God to reign.

When God’s rules - values change, people are valued as they are - trappings of success - power, wealth, status - mean nothing unless we live by God’s rules - love, forgiveness, freedom at the heart of God rules - and if Jesus is to rule in our lives, in our church, in our vision - then love , forgiveness and freedom for all are at the heart of our relationships.

Whose rules are you going to live by? Does Pilate reign? Does Jesus reign?

Mark 13:1-8

Hebrews 10:11-14, 19-25

Building Community - wars and rumours of wars, society under attack - all hands required? - Mark, little acopalypse - tract on Christian reaction to war? - recalls Jesus’ views on the temple - widow - oppressive system - should it be defended supported - or torn down? - people will claim that we need to fight this war in God’s name, with right on our side, to maintain our freedom - sound familiar? - Mark through Jesus argues that we have no place defending such a system - the temple is corrupt - the new temple is about community, the people living faithful lives - judged by the lives they lead not the buildings they leave.

Building freedom - Manchester keeps changing - new developments, new investment, new people, reflecting on the changes - Piccadilly Basin, voices, Brittania, Hilton, Radisson, - impressive, disciples looking at the temple - sucked in - Does this build freedom, new life for all? Booth Centre is still there - and the people, new immigrants are here, new voices, squeezed out into other places including here in Rochdale - is their new life, is freedom being built alongside impressive new buildings? Will we build community, build freedom if Rochdale’s regeneration plans come to fruition? We sit looking at a regeneration site - do  we  do anything more than look?

Building society - Town centre chaplaincy - plans afoot, Unexpected - has the bible anything new to say today? have we anything new, anything positive to say? can we be part of building good society? 

19Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Temple necessary - atonement - day after day - Jesus has atoned - therefore walk confidently into Holy of Holies - whatever rank, status, gender, race, - this is the new society that is to be built and we do it by encouraging one another, loving one another, “provoking one another to love and good deeds” - Building Community, Building Freedom, Building Society.