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. This 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 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. They 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
Jesus'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!"
While 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 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