"'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel', which means, 'God is with us.' " (Matthew 1:23)

Prime Timers is a small group at St. Martin's for Episcopalians aged fifty and above. We are following a course of study based on the Revised Common Lectionary, the three year cycle of Bible readings used throughout the Anglican Communion and by many Protestant denominations worldwide. You are invited to join us in the Parlor near the church offices, Sunday after the 9:00am service, 10:15am to 11:00. Keep up to date with our Lectionary based readings at the bottom of this page!

During the season of Advent the Prime Timers class will be suspended several times as we celebrate the events of this wonderful time of year, however this page will continue to update the Lectionary readings class or no class.

Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence, Caravaggio, 1609, Oil on Canvas. Formerly at San Lorenzo, Palermo but now lost!

Madonna with Child, Fra Fillippo, 1437, Tempera on panel, at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte, Rome.

Prime Timers Good News

The Prime Timers hear members Good News each week at the start of class. We charge a dollar and currently donate the money collected to the Amistad Mission in Bolivia. Marty gave thanks for his mother's 92nd birthday, and her continued good health.

More Than a Prophet

Carol Hartland returned as Prime Timers teacher today as we enter the third week of the Advent season. This is the expectant season in all Christian churches where while we know what is coming we use the time leading up to it for introspection and maybe discovering something new.

Class members are worried about the bad press the church gets from what amounts to the actions of a few. The Westboro Baptist Church and it's pastor Fred Phelps protest gay marriage by staging protest marches at the funerals of soldiers. This gets a lot of press attention, while this church is an independent Baptist congregation mainly consisting of Mr. Phelps large family! They are not associated with any known Baptist conventions or associations. Countering this negative church association Marty mentions how you can hear the din of the freeways in the distance most anywhere in Houston, except on Christmas day! Early Christmas morning is just about everyone's day off, we all take a break on this most consequential of mornings.

Starting with the reading from Isaiah 35:1-10 there is hope for a new beginning and "He will come and save you" (Isaiah 35:4). Historically this is Isaiah providing assurance for the people of Israel returning from exile in Babylon, but spiritually this came to describe the messianic age.

James 5:7-10 begins "Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord." In the time of Jesus people expected the second coming was right around the corner, so when it didn't come they became disillusioned. James uses the metaphor of the farmer waiting patiently for his crops to come in, and the example of prophets in the past who suffered while remaining steadfast in their faith.

Matthew 11:2-11 begins with John the Baptist in jail hearing what Jesus was doing and asking if he is indeed the Messiah. John expected more repentance and wrath, while Jesus was out healing the sick, bringing sight to the blind and raising the dead! Jesus praises John but indicates that there is much more to come, a transformative age!

Carol asked who are the prophets today, and class members are hesitant to name names: the 24 hour news cycles and constant tearing down of celebrities make it difficult to find people to trust.

Donald S. Armentrout, Professor of Ecclesiastical History at The School of Theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee has written:
Whom did you expect? A King who is easily observed and readily identified by his royal garb and his flock of attendants? One whose image is plastered on political posters and carried by the mass media? Those with eyes to see have missed him. But the blind receive their sight.

Whom did you expect? A Messiah borne on the shoulders of excited crowds? One whose very presence would command respect? Those with able bodies and minds go about their business. But the lame walk.

Whom did you expect? A leader who would deploy legions of angels to carry out the work of the Lord? One who would deal with the anxieties of the elite? But he reaches out to untouchables. And lepers are cleansed.

Whom did you expect? A Christ whose teachings would be so sublime and obvious that all could easily understand? Those with perfect ears do not catch the message. But the deaf hear.

Whom did you expect? A prince who would bring instant happiness? One who would not dirty his hands with the mortuary business? But the dead are raised.

Whom did you expect? A politician who would realize that the world's power is in the hands of the wealthy? One whose attractiveness would get him invitations to all the right places? But the poor have the Good News preached to them.

Whom did you expect? A baptizer of the status quo? One whose life and message would avoid scandals? But blessed are those who take no offense at Jesus.

Carol concluded class with a short prayer.

The Readings for Sunday, December 19th are from Lectionary Year One, Advent 4-A, "Jesus the Messiah"

The Readings for this week are Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18; Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25. The text this week is from the New Revised Standard Version.

Isaiah 7:10-16

¹⁰ Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test. ¹³Then Isaiah said: 'Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. ¹⁵He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

¹ Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
² before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save us!

³ Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁴ O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
⁶ You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved.

¹⁶ They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
¹⁷ But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you made strong for yourself.
¹⁸ Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call on your name.

Romans 1:1-7

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, ³the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, ⁶including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
⁷ To all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25

¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. ²⁰But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.' ²²All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³ 'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel',
which means, 'God is with us.' ²⁴When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, ²⁵but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

NRSV