Past and Future 3: The God who sends                  

2026 has already been a tumultuous year and it’s barely started. Our expectations of how things happen are being tossed in the air. 200 years ago God’s people in North Berwick experienced something similar. The 1800s were a time of profound social and economic change. New industries were developing and people were moving into the cities. The church could not but be affected by all this. The build up of pressure culminated in the Disruption of 1843. The straw which broke the camel’s back was whether a congregation had the right to call their own minister.

In North Berwick St Andrew’s Church split in two. About half the elders and congregation left and formed Blackadder Free Church. In time they erected their own building on the corner of Forth Street and Victoria Road. It is now North Berwick Baptist Church.

Have you noticed this carving of the burning bush on the Forth Street frontage?

Exodus 3 describes how Moses’ attention was grabbed by a bush which was on fire yet which did not burn up.  Investigating, Moses encountered God who spoke from the bush. God’s presence makes this holy ground and Moses must remove his shoes. It is an incredibly profound incident with many layers of meaning. God is revealed as ‘I am who I am’, an enigmatic description which both baffles and illumines. I long to have this kind of experience so that, like Moses, I can enjoy being lost in ‘wonder, love and praise’ (to quote Charles Wesley).

Except Moses did not get this opportunity. God had not appeared to Moses to give him an incredible experience. God was not there for Moses benefit. God had a job for Moses. ‘Go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt’ (Exodus 3:10).

This encounter was focused on mission. God appeared on earth to commission Moses. He was sending him because he is the God who sends.

Moses was living in tumultuous times. The tumult was different from the tumult in the 1800s in Scotland and the 2020’s in North Berwick. Yet a common thread runs through all of them. When nations are in tumult and people live in fear, God comes to earth and sends his followers out to share his message of love and hope.

The carved burning bush on the wall of what was Blackadder Free Church reminds us that ‘I am who I am’ sends us to share his love and hope.

Surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1)

Witness 1: St Andrew, who brought people to Jesus – Sermon 18/1/26

Witness 2: John Blackadder, who preached the word in season and out of season – All Age Talk 25/1/26

Witness 3: The people who founded the church of St Andrew in North Berwick.  ‘Make the most of every opportunity’ (Colossians 4:5).

Witness 4: St Andrew’s Church, Kirk Ports: ‘Hear the word of the Lord’ (Ezekiel 37:4)

Witness 5: Blackadder Free Church: ‘Go. I am sending you’ (Exodus 3:10)

 

Neil

Rev Dr Neil Dougall
ndougall@churchofscotland.org.uk