ANGLIA GOOD NEWS! from the Ipswich Christadelphians

January 2019

 

 

A unique predicament...

A young woman, living in a country under occupation, found herself pregnant. In her society this was a disgraceful thing, even though she was engaged to the man who was to become her husband. This was a real crisis for that young woman, and for her fiancé, a decent man who, once he knew the circumstances of her pregnancy, resolved not to abandon her.

To make matters worse, when she was close to giving birth, the ruling powers decreed that everybody must return to the region they were born in for a census. nativityThis was a journey of about 100 miles, mostly on foot – a real crisis, especially with the girl heavily pregnant.

When they got to the husband's home town, all accommodation was taken, and they dossed down in a stable – for yes, this was Mary, the mother of Jesus, the true Son of God, born of the Holy Spirit and her fiancé was Joseph of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born and laid in a manger in Roman-occupied Palestine.

Slaughter of_the_innocentsSlaughter of the innocents

So often Christmas focuses on the angelic choir, the shepherds and the wise men, the guiding star, on the baby Jesus, the gold, frankincense and myrrh, forgetting the crisis-ridden early childhood of Jesus.

Herod, fearing competition from this so called "King of the Jews" sought to kill him, and thousands of young children died – the "slaughter of the innocents" – and Mary, Joseph and the child were on the road again, fleeing to Egypt, another 100-mile journey. They stayed as refugees in Egypt until Herod died, and they were able to travel back to their home in Nazareth.A child goes missing

In Nazareth, Joseph and Mary raised Jesus as a God-fearing Jew. But more crises were to follow: travelling home from a visit to Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph discovered that twelve-year old Jesus was not with the party. in the_TempleThey returned to Jerusalem in panic, searching for two days, and found the boy debating the Law with the Jewish leaders. When challenged, Jesus's reply shows that he knew his destiny: "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)

He was indeed the Son of God and his purpose was the salvation of his people and of all men and women who would put their faith in God. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16)

Selfless dedication to God

the crossJesus's life was one of selfless dedication: helping people in their crises with miracles of healing, and suffering constant opposition to his preaching about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Ultimately he endured his own final crisis – crucifixion, the cruelest of deaths.

Years earlier a devout man, Simeon, holding the child Jesus in his arms, had declared to Mary: "...this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also)" (Luke 2:34-35): a poignant prophecy of the trauma of Christ's ordeal, and Mary's grief as she watched her son die.

The grave could not hold him

But God raised His son from the dead and Jesus is now in heaven awaiting a time – as he himself said - a time of "distress of nations" – to return and establish God's Kingdom on earth. Our world IS a world in crisis, with nations in distress: Jesus will bring everlasting peace and justice. As the angels sang at Jesus's birth, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

 

Crisis at_ChristmasWhile we await this happy time there are crises closer to hand: homelessness, poverty and deprivation in every part of the world. To this end, our coffee morning on Tuesday 4th December from 10.00 to 12.30 at Castle Hill Community Centre, with crafts and handiwork for sale, is raising funds for CRISIS AT CHRISTMAS, the national charity in support of the homeless.

Do please join us if you can


Crisis at ChristmasCrisis at_Christmas

We invite you to our COFFEE MORNING AND CRAFTS for CRISIS AT CHRISTMAS

from 10am – 12.30pm, Tuesday 4 December, God willing, at Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich, IP1 6DG

 Raising money to provide shelter for the homele

 

 

Our Bible Hour is on Sundays at 10am

Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich, IP1 6DG.

Our programme for January to March, God willing:

6 January   Bible Basics: the Bible – the inspired and authoritative Word of God

13 January   The Lord's Prayer – for today and for the future

20 January   The Glory of God – in the Old Testament

27 January   The Glory of God – in the New Testament

3 February   Bible Basics: God – the creator and sustainer of us all

10 February   Middle East tension – the Bible perspective

17 February   Promises in the Bible – in Eden

24 February   The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls

3 March   Bible Basics: the spirit of God

10 March   Promises in the Bible – Noah's ark

17 March   Signs of the times – the certainty of the return of Jesus Christ

24 March   Promises in the Bible – to Abraham

31 March   The New Covenant

We welcome comments, feedback and questions.

Contact us via this website:

or write to: Ipswich Christadelphians,

FREEPOST RTJU-SYAE-LZTA, 28 Westland, IPSWICH, IP5 3SU,

or phone 07419 837115

 

 

We invite you to our COFFEE MORNING AND CRAFTS for CRISIS AT CHRISTMAS from 10am – 12.30pm, Tuesday 4 December, God willing,                                                  at Castle Hill Community Centre, Highfield Road, Ipswich, IP1 6DG

 Raising money to provide shelter for the homeless