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In touch

Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

 

Coming home

Where is home? Think about what this means and how with God we are always at home.

 

Context

It feels like the theme ‘coming home’ unites a few disparate news stories this week. from the serious to the not so serious. The main, and most consequential story, is of course the dramatic change in power in Syria and fall of Bashir al Assad. The images of prisoners being released and allowed to return home to their families after years of incarceration were both shocking and moving.

We’ve also witnessed thousands of exiles crossing the Syrian border to return to their homeland, return to the families they left behind and return to lives interrupted by the regime.

It’s a fast-moving story full of complex homecomings.

In the world of UK politics issues around immigration rumble on, the subject this week dominating PMQs. Whichever side of the debate we find ourselves on, at the heart of the matter is the problematic issue of ‘home’. Where is it? Can you find a new one? Who and who cannot call this country home?

Finally, in the world of sport, the English anthem of ‘it’s coming home’ has been quietly playing in the background as the thorny issue of the World Cup being hosted by Saudi Arabia exercises the world of punditry. Will the English team be bringing it home from the middle east in 2034?

Despite the very different weight of the stories and issues in this week's news, the idea of home resonates. Going home; being at home; and bringing something back home are powerful ideas that speak to people across the globe.  

Zephaniah’s words in chapter 3 speak passionately about home. It describes being brought home and the outpouring of rejoicing that takes place when this happens. Reading Zephaniah in today’s world, with today’s wars and violence is complex but the sentiments around a homecoming embedded into the text give us all pause for thought. Where is home for us? What does it mean?

A couple 2000 years ago had to change their home when they were instructed to return to their place of birth for a census. They had to temporarily set up home in a stable ready for the birth of their son. An unsatisfactory home in many ways. But despite the external issues this new home was filled with love and light, that extended well beyond their home to all of us. So, wherever we are, at home or not, we can rest in the home of God’s love and hope.

 

Ideas for sermons or interactive talks

• Give everyone a piece of paper and pencil and invite them to draw a picture called ‘home’. Stress that the quality of the art is unimportant. More important is the image that comes to mind when someone says ‘home’. Once people have had some sketching time, ask people to show their drawing to someone sitting nearby and explain what it represents and why they chose this for their drawing.
• Put up an image of the stable in the Christmas story. Invite people to spend a minute reflecting on this ‘home’.

 

Pray

Thank you for the stable home that brought love and hope to all of us wherever we are.
May we find our way home this Christmas.
Not just to the house or flat we live in,
Not to our favourite holiday place,
Not even to our country of birth,
But to our home in Christ,
To live in love and hope wherever we are, at all times.
Amen

 

Questions for discussion

• What does it mean to be at home with God?

• How does this impact our everyday lives?

• How do we create a sense of coming home for people who enter our church?

 

Fiona is a freelance leadership consultant and mediator.

 

 

Check-in

Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

Joyful news

“Joy to the world the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king!”

• How festive are you feeling?
• Is your tree finally up?
• Are you busy Christmas shopping and now over halfway through your advent calendar?
• How do the festive activities make us feel? Joyful? Excited? Overwhelmed? Sometimes the events leading up to Christmas Day can leave us more exhausted than joyous!

Our passage this week seeks to bring a deep joy in the Lord and the joy of a better future - of what is yet to come: I will restore you in those future days.’

How do we then, having already received Jesus and the joyful news which is prophesied about here, seek to find joy? How do we make the promise of a joyful future a joyful present?

I did some searching for joy and came across this uplifting newspaper – The Happy News - which celebrates moments of joy. Have a look  for yourself and celebrate the joyful news of others by praising God for each article and story.

But of course real joy isn’t a good news story. It’s a deep-rooted joy, a joy that can only come from God. And this joy isn’t just for the good times and the festivities - it's for all year round and throughout all that life brings. I’m often struck by the lyric from Cody Carnes Firm Foundation: I’ve still got joy in chaos.

So this week as the Christmas planning and traditions perhaps are a struggle, or appear to be turning into chaos, let our hearts be filled with deep joy, true joy of the Lord, and all that is still yet to come.

Natasia Bullock, Company Director, The B Tales

 

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