Questions

Well it’s been an eventful week, beginning with the royal baby – endless speculaiton about when she would be born, then when finally the baby did arrive the discussion continued about what she would be called.
Will the royal baby girl be named Alice, Diana, Elizabeth, one of the most royal names of all — or maybe  Alexandra, Charlotte or even Victoria? But of course after a little while all the speculation and guessing came to and end as the news was released that it was Charlotte, Elizabeth, Diana.

But no sooner was that all over when all the speculation started in avengence again as the general election hove into view and the political pundits tried to envisage every single outcome and what it might mean – A hung parliament, a Labour victory the SNP holding the balance of power, alliances here, pacts their. Everyone hedging their bets.
And this carried on into the night, after the polls had closed. Was the exit poll wrong? What about the other polls etc etc. speculation, questions, arguments, lots of interaction interspersed with some quite sensible comments of well let’s just wait and see we will know in a few hours.
On Friday we celebrated the 70th anniversary of VE day and thought about the many who had lost their lives in the second world war.

May 8th – everything will be new and shiny!

Easter 3b Acts3:12-19, Luke 24:36-48

luke,I’m really looking forward to waking up on May 8th because then we will begin living in utopia- at least that’s what the politicians tell us if we vote for them. Lots of promises, money put into the NHS, tax relief for hard working families, improvements in schools, one party was pledging 18 billion pounds in tax cuts, hope not despair, everything will be refreshed, everything will be new and shiny.

In Jesus day they Jews were expecting a new king, someone who would overthrow the Romans and give them back their land so they could govern it themselves. When the new king came everything was going to be different,  there was going to be a new utopia.  Unlike us, they didn’t live in a democracy, they had no vote.

Amazing Faith

Luke 7:1-12, Galatians 1:1- 12

 The little fishing village on the north shore of the lake had never seen anything like it!  A prophet had arrived and he had been doing amazing things!

When he first arrived he had cast out an evil spirit from a man, healed a lady who had a fever. Later in the day at sunset anyone who had a sick relative or friend brought them to him.

 He laid his hands on each one in turn and healed them.  

Well no prizes for guessing who we are talking about,  yes it’s Jesus.

He had come to Capernaum where two pairs of brothers Peter and Andrew and James and John had there small fishing business. 

You can still walk into the ruined synagogue in Capernaum today which was built on the site of the original one where some of these healings took place.

 Now we all know Jesus amazed people.  Luke in his gospel likes to tell us that people were astounded and astonished by his miracles, his power over disease, his power over death, his power over demons. They had never heard anyone speak in the way that Jesus did with such knowledge and wisdom.