The Gospel reading that we have just heard shows Jesus at work, starting his ministry after his baptism and time in the wilderness.  It tells those in the synagogue that his ministry is that which was foretold by the prophets – and that it is about redemption, particularly for the marginalised groups, the poor, captives, the blind and the oppressed.  I suspect that those in the synagogue that day were either puzzled or thought that he was talking about the Jubilee Year set down in Leviticus.  This occurred every fifty years and was a time when people had their property returned to them, debts were cancelled, people were released from slavery, the land was not sown, and only crops which grew naturally was harvested so that the time could be spent worshipping Yahweh, an occasion when liberty was to be proclaimed to everyone and it was designed to make Israel become holy and turn back to God.  Of course Jesus had come to do something even more revolutionary than proclaiming a Jubilee Year and the Jews were not ready for just what an upset he was going to cause.

So what of the reading from Nehemiah?  What does that have to say to us?  Well some of it is rather surprising!  But first of all a little background: Nehemiah was a member of the Judean exile community in Babylonia that came into existence at the time of the fall of Jerusalem; he was probably writing about 420 BCE.  By the time of Nehemiah Babylon had been conquered by Persia and the Jewish minority was well treated and prospering. Many were quite comfortable living away from a city that they had only heard about but about 100 years before the time of Nehemiah, the King of Persia had issued a decree to allow the Jews to return to their homeland.  About 40 thousand did and the Temple was rebuilt but by the time of Nehemiah Jerusalem was in a sorry state with the great wall that protected the city broken down and the city gates destroyed by fire.

The remaining Jews in Persia were able to practice their religion without fear of persecution and superficially all looked good for God’s people.  However with their exile many had lost their faith and it fell to the prophets of the time to remind them of God’s promise that they would only receive their own land and legacy if they stayed true in their worship.  One of these prophets was the prophet Ezra who then travelled to Jerusalem and set about restoring strict religious observance, trying to revive the national identity by the breaking of mixed marriages and restoring the exclusiveness of Hebrew relationships.  Ezra had been in Jerusalem for some thirteen years before Nehemiah arrived who called together the Jewish leaders and set about restoring the physical presence of the walls.  Judah’s neighbours mocked them, and generally tried to prevent the building being finished, Nehemiah was not discouraged and reassured those who were involved in the construction; in spite of every problem the walls and gates were completed.  However any progress that God’s chosen people had made in turning back to God was short-lived and the meeting that we heard about into today’s OT reading was called by Ezra and Nehemiah to try to rectify this.

It is rather surprising that the gathering of the people took place at the Water Gate which was on the east of the city.  This was outside the Temple area, which meant that even ritually defiled citizens could be present, and it was therefore open to everybody. Like in the Gospel reading, this message was inclusive.  And everyone who was there was reminded about God’s Law, and as they heard it they wept, presumably because they realised that they had not lived by it.  But when they had repented they were sent away to eat the fat and drink the sweet wine and to keep the day holy.  Thus it was that this day, the first day of 7^th month, went on to become Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year’s Day. 

Rosh Hashanah is the beginning of what the Jews call their High Holy Days, which end with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and thus the birthday of humanity.  The prime purpose is to remind the Jews that God is their King but an unusual King who wants an intimate relationship with each one of His people.  Much time is spent in the synagogue and the theme of worship is that: ‘we are your people and you are our King.’  The service starts with the blowing of a shofar, a ram’s horn which is blown like a trumpet, and marks the call to repentance.  This Day is spent looking back over the year’s mistakes asking for forgiveness and planning for a more obedient year.  There is the assertion that God owns the Book of Life and every good Jew wishes to be in this book: indeed as people leave the synagogue on this day they bless each other and say: “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year.”  Then, as is usually the case with Jewish festivals, they go home for a special meal.  In this case the theme is sweetness symbolising abundance, blessings and hope for a sweet year ahead.  So honey, apples and carrots are served in various different ways.

Now I am sure you are very interested to hear all of this but you are probably wondering just what it all has to do with twenty-first century Christians!  Well perhaps we can start by looking at the Christian New Year which we celebrated back in November, marking the beginning of Advent.  This is also a time of penitence and fasting as well as preparation for the arrival of our King, born as a baby in Bethlehem.  It brings to mind Lent reminding us that the Incarnation cannot be separated from the events of Holy Week.  It is both a time of preparation for the coming of our Saviour and getting ready for the Second Coming of Christ in glory.  Scripture readings for Advent look at themes of faithfulness, righteous judgment, and the hope of eternal life.  As Advent looks at both past and future it symbolizes the spiritual journey of individuals and the church as a whole, as we affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and that He will come again in power.

At the end of Advent we celebrated the Incarnation, that mysterious time when God revealed His amazing love for humanity and made Himself vulnerable in the form of a baby, with none of the paraphernalia that one would expect for a King.  Now we are in the season of Epiphany, so called because it is the time of ‘showing’ the world who that baby born in a stable is, when we hear about the fellowship of the Kingdom, and acknowledge our failure to effect it.  It is a time of focusing on the healing of the divisions of prejudice and bigotry that we all too often create between God’s children.  And it prepares us for Lent and the Passion, for we can never forget why God came to earth, that unique event at Calvary which changed our relationship with God for ever.

We also have special celebration food for some of our festivals, such as the Gallette des Rois eaten by the French - recipe linked here,  Christstollen in Germany and increasing in the UK at Christmas, Lamb and Simnel Cake at Easter and of course Hot Cross buns on Good Friday. Sadly in today’s society these can be found for sale during Epiphany as you can see! Much as I believe the crucifixion should not be forgotten I find it a pity that we are losing the importance of remembering that day in a special way once a year. However I am digressing.

Yet there is one meal which is particularly special, that we eat in every season, that reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice and which refreshes us.  I speak, of course, of the Eucharist of which we will be partaking shortly.  The prayers we use remind us of our unworthiness to receive this special meal but acknowledge God’s mercy and Grace in sharing this meal by His compelling love.  As we join in this meal we are cleansed and healed from our sins.  The new start that the Jews celebrate annually is something that we can celebrate daily or weekly.  I urge you that as you celebrate the Eucharist today you take a little time thinking about the wonder of it all. It is unfortunately all too easy to allow something familiar to lose its’ awe and power.

One of the prayers before Communion says this:

And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross,
His perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world;
Rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption.
As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup
And we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you.

During the Offertory we will be singing ‘O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing’, the last verse says this: 

My gracious Master and my God,

Assist me to proclaim

And spread through all the earth abroad

The honours of thy name.

Charles Wesley actually wrote 19 verses in the original hymn and one of the verses not in our hymnbook says this: 

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

God’s love for us is quite overwhelming and this is really worth celebrating!

Let off a few party poppers!

Amen