Who has been a "witness to testify to 'the light" ( v. 7) for you in your Christian experience? Who is there for whom you might be a witness, testifying to the light for them? Jesus explains that the disciples too are called to a cross-shaped life. Unlike the other gospel writers, Luke adds that the call was to ‘daily’ take up one’s cross ( v. 23). This means self-denial, laying down one’s life for the sake of the other. Rather than involving the loss of life, such self-denial is the way to really find it. Jesus also warns his disciples against being ashamed of him, as those who are ashamed of Jesus and his words will be ‘shamed’ by the Father at the future judgement ( v. 26). The final verse is perplexing, but perhaps the best interpretation is to see the ‘kingdom of God’ as unveiled in the Transfiguration, an event which follows this saying ( 9:28-36). God, as you care for and encourage the spring flowers to burst through the soil after winter's sleep, may we care for and encourage others to grow and flower into the best possible version of themselves. Amen. How are you working out what you believe? How helpful is the idea of weighing up Scripture, tradition, reason and experience, preferably in the company of others? In our modern world, I wonder if we can imagine the vulnerability of those early Christian communities and the perceived threat of false prophets and teachers? There are now well established creeds and doctrines, and ways of testing out new ideas, for example through reflecting on Scripture, tradition, reason and experience. Little of this was available to those early Christians and hence the concern of church leaders as expressed in this letter. And hence we realise why it was important to claim the authority of eyewitness testimony and that direct link with the person and teaching of Jesus.

In what ways have you noticed yourself or others trying to fit Jesus into your or their own agenda or projects? Do you agree that this story is written from someone who looked at the world many years on and sought to find the beginnings of the darker place which that world has become?Bearing in mind that Christians speak of God as being loving, gracious and generous, what are your images or ideas about any possible future judgement?

How easy do you find it to work out what modern-day Christians should be doing by reading the Bible? We all need to be cared for and looked after and part of that is being encouraged. The writer to the Hebrews knew this and emphasises God’s care and calls on readers to encourage one another daily to keep the faith. The book of Hebrews is believed to have been written prior to the destruction of the Temple in 70AD, so this is one of the later books of the New Testament writings and its focus is upon an ageing Church that was beginning to lose its enthusiasm for what was still a fledgling Christian movement. The crowds have been trying to make Jesus king for quite some time now. In the early chapters of John’s Gospel, word of, and enthusiasm for Jesus were spreading to such an extent that, after he had fed a crowd of 5000, they decided to crown him on the spot. “When Jesus realised that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (J ohn 6:14-15). It isn’t clear what the crowd’s agenda is, but the use of coercive force, and Jesus’ withdrawal, suggest it had little to do with the developing picture of his identity and mission as Messiah, God’s ‘anointed’ or chosen one (the translation of ‘Messiah’). John’s Gospel tells us that there was significant expectation that the Messiah would appear. The priests and Levites thought John the Baptist was the Messiah ( 1:20, 25), and Andrew told Peter that he had found the Messiah ( 1:40). But an excited crowd forcing a crown on Jesus only for him to slip away suggests this had more to with their will and purposes than God’s.If we have the eyes to see, and if we recognise the 'signs of the kingdom' all around us, we also can be part of the ongoing narrative of God’s people. So let’s stay on the right wavelength!