Sermon starts at 33:04.
The beginning of John’s gospel does what icons do – they are like visual scripture – to tell a story, become a meditation to teach you about a relationship, and point through a picture of some kind to something, and in this case, point to the relationship between the Word, and Creator, who “long ago, in the time before all days” have relationship themselves and want relationship with us.
Everything about the Hebraic/Christian creation story urges us into relationship with (the) Creator. Meaningful relationships invite us into many things, but I’ll focus on just two: Risk and Power.
Risk is part of relationship: We don’t have to risk – but often there is choice. Risk is waiting at almost every point in life. Making a choice to be incorporated into the Christian faith and community is a risk - especially for those from another faith tradition.
Power: I suggest that relationships invite us to question power and check my motive in relationships. Today, leaders can harness power from places of safety, controlled through Information Technology. If I choose relationship with Word, Creator and Spirit, then I choose light shining into darkness and oneness with them because they want relationship with me.
The weeks of the season of creation call me to examine how I potentially also participate in power. I am part of the power of the Word and Creator before and at the creation moment, and I can choose to be part of ‘the light that shines in the darkness and that the darkness cannot put out’…or I can choose not to be part of it.
Stuart +
