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Episodes
Sunday Sep 13, 2015
Sunday Sep 13, 2015
13th September 2015
What say you?
John 8:2-11
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’
‘No one, sir,’ she said.
‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
The Ash Wednesday reading for this year is from John 8:7… What is interesting about this passage is that it didn’t actually make it into the Bible until the 3rd century. It is unlike the usual way that the rest of this gospel is written – ignoring the pro and epilogues, we will cover those another time, but if you get the chance do have a look at the ending of John’s Gospel…all three of them! It is thought that the copyist who inserted it here was possibly trying to illustrate Jesus saying that he will pass judgement on no-one later in the chapter, in verse 15.
Anyway, Jesus had returned from the Mount of Olives, and is being harassed yet again by the Pharisees. They have bought a woman to him who they claimed had been caught committing adultery (nothing is ever said about the man with whom the alleged crime took place you’ll notice!) This married woman knows there is very high chance of being killed by the then common practice of stoning under the guise of the Law of Moses, as written in Deuteronomy 22. The Pharisees tell Jesus this has to be the outcome, and are trying to test him, again. They want him to either go against the word of Moses, and as a teacher of the Jewish faith of course he could not, or they want him to go against the authority of Rome, as Roman law had deprived the Jews of their rights to stone people to death – they thought they had him!
The gospel says, When they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and told them, "Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." In the same situation now, knowing what we do, as the woman, you would be petrified! It is a wonderful thing to say, and it should be said more nowadays if you ask me – ok then, the one of you who is without sin and has NEVER done anything wrong can judge… that would make people stop and think before acting in certain ways! Of course, there WAS someone there who was without sin – Jesus – and he and only he had every right to cast that first stone…and we can only imagine the carnage that would have occurred after that.
What would have happened if one of the Pharisees had cottoned on to this, picked up a stone, handed it to Jesus and said ,’here you go then…’ But they didn’t. Thankfully. Because they understood not a jot of whose company there were truly in. There is a wonderful part when Jesus seems to simply ignore them, and starts to write on the ground with his finger. We’re not told what or really why., and there are many, many schools of thought about this, but in Jeremiah 17:13 in some translations it is written, ‘Those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth for they have forsaken the Lord’ …but in the Pharisees’ trying to get Jesus on the back foot and make a mistake, his calm demeanour must have had them all hopping from foot to foot in madness – how funny! So, Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the woman's guilt; nor did he tolerate the pretended zeal of the Pharisees.
People are actually self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves and their lives in order. In this situation, Jesus did precisely what he came into the world to do, and that was, to bring sinners to repentance; not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins; they thought to ensnare him, he sought to convince and convert them. Check mate to Jesus! AND he declined to meddle with the magistrate's office. Many crimes merit far more severe punishment than they meet with; but that isn’t for us to concern ourselves with. When Christ sent the woman away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. If you help to save the life of a criminal, you must also help to save their soul with the same care. They are truly happy, whom Christ does not condemn.
And as we moan that our lives could be so much better, they could, remember, be so much worse. When I think about when Jesus was writing in the dust the following Lenten poem by George Herbert springs to mind…
Lord, who hast form’d me out of mud,
And hast redeem’d me through thy blood,
And sanctifi’d me to do good;
Purge all my sins done heretofore:
For I confess my heavy score,
And I will strive to sin no more.
Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charity;
That I may run, rise, rest with thee.
May God bless and keep us all safe,
healthy and though able to cast a stone
be always unwilling to do so.
Christ's favour to us
in the forgiveness of past sins
should prevail with us,
So, Go then,
and sin no more. Amen
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered round him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’
‘No one, sir,’ she said.
‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’
The Ash Wednesday reading for this year is from John 8:7… What is interesting about this passage is that it didn’t actually make it into the Bible until the 3rd century. It is unlike the usual way that the rest of this gospel is written – ignoring the pro and epilogues, we will cover those another time, but if you get the chance do have a look at the ending of John’s Gospel…all three of them! It is thought that the copyist who inserted it here was possibly trying to illustrate Jesus saying that he will pass judgement on no-one later in the chapter, in verse 15.
Anyway, Jesus had returned from the Mount of Olives, and is being harassed yet again by the Pharisees. They have bought a woman to him who they claimed had been caught committing adultery (nothing is ever said about the man with whom the alleged crime took place you’ll notice!) This married woman knows there is very high chance of being killed by the then common practice of stoning under the guise of the Law of Moses, as written in Deuteronomy 22. The Pharisees tell Jesus this has to be the outcome, and are trying to test him, again. They want him to either go against the word of Moses, and as a teacher of the Jewish faith of course he could not, or they want him to go against the authority of Rome, as Roman law had deprived the Jews of their rights to stone people to death – they thought they had him!
The gospel says, When they persisted in questioning him, he straightened up and told them, "Let the person among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." In the same situation now, knowing what we do, as the woman, you would be petrified! It is a wonderful thing to say, and it should be said more nowadays if you ask me – ok then, the one of you who is without sin and has NEVER done anything wrong can judge… that would make people stop and think before acting in certain ways! Of course, there WAS someone there who was without sin – Jesus – and he and only he had every right to cast that first stone…and we can only imagine the carnage that would have occurred after that.
What would have happened if one of the Pharisees had cottoned on to this, picked up a stone, handed it to Jesus and said ,’here you go then…’ But they didn’t. Thankfully. Because they understood not a jot of whose company there were truly in. There is a wonderful part when Jesus seems to simply ignore them, and starts to write on the ground with his finger. We’re not told what or really why., and there are many, many schools of thought about this, but in Jeremiah 17:13 in some translations it is written, ‘Those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth for they have forsaken the Lord’ …but in the Pharisees’ trying to get Jesus on the back foot and make a mistake, his calm demeanour must have had them all hopping from foot to foot in madness – how funny! So, Christ neither found fault with the law, nor excused the woman's guilt; nor did he tolerate the pretended zeal of the Pharisees.
People are actually self-condemned who judge others, and yet do the same thing. All who are any way called to blame the faults of others, are especially concerned to look to themselves, and keep themselves and their lives in order. In this situation, Jesus did precisely what he came into the world to do, and that was, to bring sinners to repentance; not to destroy, but to save. He aimed to bring, not only the accused to repentance, by showing her his mercy, but the prosecutors also, by showing them their sins; they thought to ensnare him, he sought to convince and convert them. Check mate to Jesus! AND he declined to meddle with the magistrate's office. Many crimes merit far more severe punishment than they meet with; but that isn’t for us to concern ourselves with. When Christ sent the woman away, it was with this caution, Go, and sin no more. If you help to save the life of a criminal, you must also help to save their soul with the same care. They are truly happy, whom Christ does not condemn.
And as we moan that our lives could be so much better, they could, remember, be so much worse. When I think about when Jesus was writing in the dust the following Lenten poem by George Herbert springs to mind…
Lord, who hast form’d me out of mud,
And hast redeem’d me through thy blood,
And sanctifi’d me to do good;
Purge all my sins done heretofore:
For I confess my heavy score,
And I will strive to sin no more.
Enrich my heart, mouth, hands in me,
With faith, with hope, with charity;
That I may run, rise, rest with thee.
May God bless and keep us all safe,
healthy and though able to cast a stone
be always unwilling to do so.
Christ's favour to us
in the forgiveness of past sins
should prevail with us,
So, Go then,
and sin no more. Amen
Right Mouse click to save this as an audio mp3 file
You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site!
Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!
Saturday Sep 12, 2015
Saturday Sep 12, 2015
Gems in the Gospel of John
Part 3 - John 1:14 - Jesus is amongst us
Part 3 - John 1:14 - Jesus is amongst us
John 1: 9 – 14 ‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’
Let’s start at the end. ‘The Word made his dwelling among us.’ More literally that reads ‘He pitched his tent among us’ or ‘he pitched his tabernacle among us’. This is clearly a reference to what we read in Numbers 2: 1, 2 where it says ‘The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.’
Can you imagine the scene? Out there in the wilderness, on a level plain, the Israelites were to form a huge square, perhaps about a kilometre across, three tribes on each side, tent after tent, stretching away into the land on each side, their banners and flags fluttering in the wind. People sitting in the entrances to the tents; children playing all around. And in the very middle of the otherwise empty square a tabernacle, that is a sort of quite small hut made of curtains draped over a wooden frame.
This was where God very particularly was – right in the middle of his people. Why? So that Moses could go to the tent and speak to God face to face and all the people could watch as Moses went over to the tent. We can imagine them sitting in careful rows just the right distance from the central tabernacle. Except for the children who, whatever their fathers and mothers did to try and restrain them, would keep breaking the line as they ran around and got nearer to God than they were supposed to be.
And this is where God is now – right in the middle of his people. No longer in a physically visible sense as it was then, but with us just as really. We might even stretch the picture and compare ourselves to those children who ran in and out amongst the tents and the banners. If we go back to what John said before we find ourselves described as the children of God. The people of God no longer draw up in square formation in one place but in the mercy of God are now scattered over many places, many nations, many continents.
If your mental picture of the Numbers picture was like mine you will have thought of many children racing around between the different tribal encampments, full of fun and joy as young children always are (provided circumstances allow them to be like that). Now we are to be like that – children rejoicing in living, full of fun and excitement. Getting close to God, because Jesus has been close to human beings as he walked on this earth.
He may be invisible, where the tabernacle was very visible, but our Jesus is with us. He is the true light that was coming into the world. The world did not recognize him when he was there in front of them hanging on a Cross because they were looking for the wrong sort of person to be the light of the world. It is our joy that because we have Scripture, and particularly the New Testament, we do know what to look for and we have seen and recognized him.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.’
Let’s start at the end. ‘The Word made his dwelling among us.’ More literally that reads ‘He pitched his tent among us’ or ‘he pitched his tabernacle among us’. This is clearly a reference to what we read in Numbers 2: 1, 2 where it says ‘The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.’
Can you imagine the scene? Out there in the wilderness, on a level plain, the Israelites were to form a huge square, perhaps about a kilometre across, three tribes on each side, tent after tent, stretching away into the land on each side, their banners and flags fluttering in the wind. People sitting in the entrances to the tents; children playing all around. And in the very middle of the otherwise empty square a tabernacle, that is a sort of quite small hut made of curtains draped over a wooden frame.
This was where God very particularly was – right in the middle of his people. Why? So that Moses could go to the tent and speak to God face to face and all the people could watch as Moses went over to the tent. We can imagine them sitting in careful rows just the right distance from the central tabernacle. Except for the children who, whatever their fathers and mothers did to try and restrain them, would keep breaking the line as they ran around and got nearer to God than they were supposed to be.
And this is where God is now – right in the middle of his people. No longer in a physically visible sense as it was then, but with us just as really. We might even stretch the picture and compare ourselves to those children who ran in and out amongst the tents and the banners. If we go back to what John said before we find ourselves described as the children of God. The people of God no longer draw up in square formation in one place but in the mercy of God are now scattered over many places, many nations, many continents.
If your mental picture of the Numbers picture was like mine you will have thought of many children racing around between the different tribal encampments, full of fun and joy as young children always are (provided circumstances allow them to be like that). Now we are to be like that – children rejoicing in living, full of fun and excitement. Getting close to God, because Jesus has been close to human beings as he walked on this earth.
He may be invisible, where the tabernacle was very visible, but our Jesus is with us. He is the true light that was coming into the world. The world did not recognize him when he was there in front of them hanging on a Cross because they were looking for the wrong sort of person to be the light of the world. It is our joy that because we have Scripture, and particularly the New Testament, we do know what to look for and we have seen and recognized him.
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Monday Sep 07, 2015
Monday Sep 07, 2015
7th September 2015
"Be patient in well doing" sound familiar? Yes, its in the Bible. (Romans 2:7) What does it mean? Patience is the quality that does not surrender to the circumstances or succumb under trial. It is the opposite of despondency. God is never in a hurry. Have you ever heard that? Have you ever received a promise from God and you are still waiting for the fulfilment of it?.
Sarah (Abraham's wife) couldn't have a baby(Genesis 16-18 ). She had no doubt prayed and tried many times but no sign of it. Eventually she could wait no longer and wanting to hurry God along she told her husband to take a handmaid to produce the heir she desperately wanted.. To get it done quick? That was not good advice as God had it well in hand to give Sarah a baby in His own time . Patience was certainly not a quality she possessed.
The Israelites suffering in Egypt for many many years languishing in Egypt in bondage but God had promised many years before that they would be delivered and even told them the number of years they would be kept there in slavery.
It was a very long time but God is sovereign and is never in a hurry. He prophesied how long Israel would suffer and it came to pass.
When the time came for their release brought about by the ten plagues sent by God to make the Egyptians release Israel it was a perfectly timed prophecy. But it didn't stop there. There would be more tests to come, testing their patience and trust in God. Another test of patience and trust in God would come quickly as they began their journey, hot on the heels of the last test. Hurrying from Egypt as fast as they could they suddenly discovered they were trapped and closed in by mountains on each side of them and a huge army from Egypt behind pursuing them to take them back into slavery. There was no way forward either as the Red sea appeared ahead of them. What was their response? They were angry at Moses. Moses was now on his knees before God prayed "Things are bad here Lord I am under attack from the people what shall we do?. There is no way forward."
Difficult to be patient in those circumstances isn't it? .The answer from the Lord was "Stand still and see what I will do you only have to lift up your rod over Red sea leave the rest to Me." The Lord then miraculously opened up the way for them. 1 million people needing to escape, soldiers bearing down upon them, mountains hemming them in, an impossible sea to cross but... God had it all in hand. A miracle was required and a miracle took place.
It is not easy putting into practice the scripture "Let patience have her perfect work" when there seems no way forward. However patience did have its perfect work in the lives of God's people and the Red Sea opened up and Israel escaped from evil Pharaoh's clutches, slavery and domination.
In the New Testament we find The Lord exercising amazing patience with Peter one of the disciple.. He was a rugged fisherman who had failed in his faith and patience several times but the Lord had planned to use him powerfully as a leader to His church later in his life and that is what he became. A very strong leader among the apostles following Christ's death, resurrection and ascension.
Jesus had spent three years training the disciples and surely must have said many times "How long have I been telling you these things and still you have such little faith?
The pastor who has faithfully served in a new parish for several years may say "How long before we really see things moving here?" It takes a lot of patience to wait for God to work in a persons life. I knew of one lady who had to spend 38 years waiting to see her husband saved? Worth waiting for? Yes it was!
12 years praying daily, waiting for God to work in my Dad's life? Worth waiting for.? Certainly without a doubt.
Forty years to wait for another members of my family to be saved. Oh to see the joy on the face of someone and the tears shed when the time comes. The key word is patience and faith in God's promise. Which promise is that? "God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and faith in Christ." so pray on and trust for many years if necessary. Patience is not a only a virtue its an absolute necessity for the people who believe in their God.
Sarah (Abraham's wife) couldn't have a baby(Genesis 16-18 ). She had no doubt prayed and tried many times but no sign of it. Eventually she could wait no longer and wanting to hurry God along she told her husband to take a handmaid to produce the heir she desperately wanted.. To get it done quick? That was not good advice as God had it well in hand to give Sarah a baby in His own time . Patience was certainly not a quality she possessed.
The Israelites suffering in Egypt for many many years languishing in Egypt in bondage but God had promised many years before that they would be delivered and even told them the number of years they would be kept there in slavery.
It was a very long time but God is sovereign and is never in a hurry. He prophesied how long Israel would suffer and it came to pass.
When the time came for their release brought about by the ten plagues sent by God to make the Egyptians release Israel it was a perfectly timed prophecy. But it didn't stop there. There would be more tests to come, testing their patience and trust in God. Another test of patience and trust in God would come quickly as they began their journey, hot on the heels of the last test. Hurrying from Egypt as fast as they could they suddenly discovered they were trapped and closed in by mountains on each side of them and a huge army from Egypt behind pursuing them to take them back into slavery. There was no way forward either as the Red sea appeared ahead of them. What was their response? They were angry at Moses. Moses was now on his knees before God prayed "Things are bad here Lord I am under attack from the people what shall we do?. There is no way forward."
Difficult to be patient in those circumstances isn't it? .The answer from the Lord was "Stand still and see what I will do you only have to lift up your rod over Red sea leave the rest to Me." The Lord then miraculously opened up the way for them. 1 million people needing to escape, soldiers bearing down upon them, mountains hemming them in, an impossible sea to cross but... God had it all in hand. A miracle was required and a miracle took place.
It is not easy putting into practice the scripture "Let patience have her perfect work" when there seems no way forward. However patience did have its perfect work in the lives of God's people and the Red Sea opened up and Israel escaped from evil Pharaoh's clutches, slavery and domination.
In the New Testament we find The Lord exercising amazing patience with Peter one of the disciple.. He was a rugged fisherman who had failed in his faith and patience several times but the Lord had planned to use him powerfully as a leader to His church later in his life and that is what he became. A very strong leader among the apostles following Christ's death, resurrection and ascension.
Jesus had spent three years training the disciples and surely must have said many times "How long have I been telling you these things and still you have such little faith?
The pastor who has faithfully served in a new parish for several years may say "How long before we really see things moving here?" It takes a lot of patience to wait for God to work in a persons life. I knew of one lady who had to spend 38 years waiting to see her husband saved? Worth waiting for? Yes it was!
12 years praying daily, waiting for God to work in my Dad's life? Worth waiting for.? Certainly without a doubt.
Forty years to wait for another members of my family to be saved. Oh to see the joy on the face of someone and the tears shed when the time comes. The key word is patience and faith in God's promise. Which promise is that? "God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and faith in Christ." so pray on and trust for many years if necessary. Patience is not a only a virtue its an absolute necessity for the people who believe in their God.
Joys Prayer.
Dear Lord reading the Old Testament we see the promise made of a coming Messiah.
Isaiah prophesying 800 years before Jesus came described many details concerning His person but would it happen?
Eventually in the fullness of time Jesus came and patience had her perfect work in the lives of many including two, Simeon and Anna who were waiting for the Messiah to come and when Jesus did arrive for a dedication service with Mary and Joseph they knew and recognised Jesus the Messiah.
Lord, give us patience in all the struggles we are going through, that we may trust in your promises to meet all our needs in protection and provision. Your timing is always right and we are always wanting it to come asap. but give us that confidence to wait till the right time. We are praying for financial help and our friends are praying for the healing of a relative from illness, and a business to pick up,
Help the young people in their studying, understanding why certain things are happening in our lives we don't want to go under Lord so please help us get through our pain and suffering. We love and trust you!
In Jesus name
Amen
Isaiah prophesying 800 years before Jesus came described many details concerning His person but would it happen?
Eventually in the fullness of time Jesus came and patience had her perfect work in the lives of many including two, Simeon and Anna who were waiting for the Messiah to come and when Jesus did arrive for a dedication service with Mary and Joseph they knew and recognised Jesus the Messiah.
Lord, give us patience in all the struggles we are going through, that we may trust in your promises to meet all our needs in protection and provision. Your timing is always right and we are always wanting it to come asap. but give us that confidence to wait till the right time. We are praying for financial help and our friends are praying for the healing of a relative from illness, and a business to pick up,
Help the young people in their studying, understanding why certain things are happening in our lives we don't want to go under Lord so please help us get through our pain and suffering. We love and trust you!
In Jesus name
Amen
Right Mouse click to save this as an audio mp3 file
You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site!
Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!
Sunday Sep 06, 2015
Sunday Sep 06, 2015
6th September 2015
Coincidence or God-incidence
I believe there is no such thing as a coincidence. I fervently try to believe, as I wade through yet another stack of forms to fill in to take me onto the next tentative step along the process of discernment towards potential ordination, that God has had a plan for me since before I was born. If that plan doesn’t include ordination I shall be looking for a job where I can complete forms as I am getting rather good at it! This is called Predestination.
Paul tells us that we were chosen "before the foundation of the world”. Our predestination does not mean that we cannot make free will choices. God predestines in and through our choices because God is all knowing and all powerful. He knows what we will do because he knows all things. He cannot not know all things. So, whatever you choose to do out of your own free volition is known. But his knowing doesn't mean you don't freely choose. For example, I could offer my children ice cream or cheese for dessert. I absolutely know what they will choose... K will take the ice cream, C the cheese. I know the outcome, but they still have the free will to make the decision. God knows what we will choose, but He still let’s us do the deciding. I think, and this is just my view, that the destination is chosen by God, but free will enables us to learn as we make choices - mistakes. Sometimes we have to learn by making a mistake before we can grown and move on..hopefully not making the same mistake again!
In the same way, I believe that God doesn’t send anyone to Hell, they do that all by themselves. Much like the 120 years of warning before God had had quite enough and sent the floods! So, where was I...oh yes...when something happens, like having to go back into the house for a forgotten item, which means you get to take that call which is full of such wonderful news; or not retrieving the item, therefore missing a call which is full of sadness, and would have ruined the reason you were heading out in the first place. You may have made the decision to go back/not go back, but God knew already what you were going to do.
A God-incidence, for me, is having my ears open to God well enough to be able to allow Him to sometimes subconsciously even, speak to me and make things happen. When people say ‘try and really listen to God’ I’m sure they don’t mean for you to sit down, screw up your face with your eyes closed tightly and actually hear something (although I have heard God speaking to me, directly on more than one occasion). What they mean is to open yourself up to really hearing Him. Be aware of His voice, don’t be too busy that you block out everything apart from the panic you’re feeling, which in turn leads to further panic, frustration and panic.
When you’re next late for something, think back. Did God whisper to you that morning to get out of bed right away, and did you ignore it, and are you now the time-you-lazed-around late? I used to ignore God all the time. I would wake up before the alarm, knowing how busy I was, waste about half an hour doing not much, and then spend the rest of the day playing catch up by about 30 minutes!
In the Old Testament there are a lot of references to when God actually spoke to people, and told them what to do and when to do it by, and how. But there is a big question that hangs over the Bible, and that is, ‘Isn’t the God of the Old Testament a God of hate while the God of the New Testament is one of love?’ Where can we find evidence of God’s love in the Old Testament?? As the Old Testament allegedly presents only a God of wrath, while the New Testament allegedly depicts only a God of love.
The Old Testament contains stories such as God’s commanding the destruction of Sodom, the annihilation of the Canaanites, and many other accounts of God’s judgment and wrath. The accusers claim this demonstrates a primitive, warlike deity in absolute contradistinction to the advanced teachings of Jesus to love one another and to turn the other cheek, as we know from the Sermon on the Mount. These ideas about God seem to be in direct conflict, but let’s have a look together…
Jesus Himself declared that the Old Testament may be summed up by the commandments to love God and love your neighbour (Matthew 22:37). He also observed that God in the Old Testament had continually desired love and mercy rather than sacrifice (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). This attitude can be seen with statements such as, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked… and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23, RSV). God would not have destroyed certain nations except that He is a God of justice and their evil could not go unchecked and condoned. He did intend and had a desire to punish them, but as a part of His plan, in consistency with His holy nature and jealousy for His wayfaring people.
What God desires in consistency with His pure character, He does in justice, in their case, and providing in the meantime they have not repented and come into harmony with His nature (Have a look at Jeremiah 18). In the case of the Amorites, God gave them hundreds of years to repent, yet they did not (Genesis 15:16). Noah preached for 120 years to his generation before the great flood (Genesis 6:3). The proper Old Testament picture is one of a very patient God who gives these people untold opportunities to repent and come into harmony with Him, and only when they continually refuse does He judge and punish them for their evil deeds.
Contrary to some popular belief, the strongest statements of judgment and wrath in the Bible were made by the Lord Jesus Himself. In Matthew 23, for example, He lashed out at the religious leaders of His day, calling them hypocrites and false leaders, and informing them that their destiny was eternal banishment from God’s presence. In Matthew 10:34 (KJV), Jesus says that the purpose of His mission is not to unite but to divide. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” He goes on to say that His word will cause a father to be against his son, a mother against her daughter, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (Matthew 10:35). We find judgment as well as love scattered very pervasively throughout the New Testament, and love and mercy as well as judgment throughout the Old Testament.
God is consistent and unchanging, but different situations call for different emphases. Therefore, when the two testaments are read the way they were intended, they reveal the same holy God who is rich in mercy, but who will not let sin go unpunished. If there is any sin which is causing you to be at a distance from your Father, repent. Ask for God’s forgiveness and it will surely be given to you. Knock, and He really will open that door to a life more wonderful than any of us can image. A life of love - from God…the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Paul tells us that we were chosen "before the foundation of the world”. Our predestination does not mean that we cannot make free will choices. God predestines in and through our choices because God is all knowing and all powerful. He knows what we will do because he knows all things. He cannot not know all things. So, whatever you choose to do out of your own free volition is known. But his knowing doesn't mean you don't freely choose. For example, I could offer my children ice cream or cheese for dessert. I absolutely know what they will choose... K will take the ice cream, C the cheese. I know the outcome, but they still have the free will to make the decision. God knows what we will choose, but He still let’s us do the deciding. I think, and this is just my view, that the destination is chosen by God, but free will enables us to learn as we make choices - mistakes. Sometimes we have to learn by making a mistake before we can grown and move on..hopefully not making the same mistake again!
In the same way, I believe that God doesn’t send anyone to Hell, they do that all by themselves. Much like the 120 years of warning before God had had quite enough and sent the floods! So, where was I...oh yes...when something happens, like having to go back into the house for a forgotten item, which means you get to take that call which is full of such wonderful news; or not retrieving the item, therefore missing a call which is full of sadness, and would have ruined the reason you were heading out in the first place. You may have made the decision to go back/not go back, but God knew already what you were going to do.
A God-incidence, for me, is having my ears open to God well enough to be able to allow Him to sometimes subconsciously even, speak to me and make things happen. When people say ‘try and really listen to God’ I’m sure they don’t mean for you to sit down, screw up your face with your eyes closed tightly and actually hear something (although I have heard God speaking to me, directly on more than one occasion). What they mean is to open yourself up to really hearing Him. Be aware of His voice, don’t be too busy that you block out everything apart from the panic you’re feeling, which in turn leads to further panic, frustration and panic.
When you’re next late for something, think back. Did God whisper to you that morning to get out of bed right away, and did you ignore it, and are you now the time-you-lazed-around late? I used to ignore God all the time. I would wake up before the alarm, knowing how busy I was, waste about half an hour doing not much, and then spend the rest of the day playing catch up by about 30 minutes!
In the Old Testament there are a lot of references to when God actually spoke to people, and told them what to do and when to do it by, and how. But there is a big question that hangs over the Bible, and that is, ‘Isn’t the God of the Old Testament a God of hate while the God of the New Testament is one of love?’ Where can we find evidence of God’s love in the Old Testament?? As the Old Testament allegedly presents only a God of wrath, while the New Testament allegedly depicts only a God of love.
The Old Testament contains stories such as God’s commanding the destruction of Sodom, the annihilation of the Canaanites, and many other accounts of God’s judgment and wrath. The accusers claim this demonstrates a primitive, warlike deity in absolute contradistinction to the advanced teachings of Jesus to love one another and to turn the other cheek, as we know from the Sermon on the Mount. These ideas about God seem to be in direct conflict, but let’s have a look together…
Jesus Himself declared that the Old Testament may be summed up by the commandments to love God and love your neighbour (Matthew 22:37). He also observed that God in the Old Testament had continually desired love and mercy rather than sacrifice (Matthew 9:13; 12:7). This attitude can be seen with statements such as, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked… and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23, RSV). God would not have destroyed certain nations except that He is a God of justice and their evil could not go unchecked and condoned. He did intend and had a desire to punish them, but as a part of His plan, in consistency with His holy nature and jealousy for His wayfaring people.
What God desires in consistency with His pure character, He does in justice, in their case, and providing in the meantime they have not repented and come into harmony with His nature (Have a look at Jeremiah 18). In the case of the Amorites, God gave them hundreds of years to repent, yet they did not (Genesis 15:16). Noah preached for 120 years to his generation before the great flood (Genesis 6:3). The proper Old Testament picture is one of a very patient God who gives these people untold opportunities to repent and come into harmony with Him, and only when they continually refuse does He judge and punish them for their evil deeds.
Contrary to some popular belief, the strongest statements of judgment and wrath in the Bible were made by the Lord Jesus Himself. In Matthew 23, for example, He lashed out at the religious leaders of His day, calling them hypocrites and false leaders, and informing them that their destiny was eternal banishment from God’s presence. In Matthew 10:34 (KJV), Jesus says that the purpose of His mission is not to unite but to divide. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” He goes on to say that His word will cause a father to be against his son, a mother against her daughter, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law (Matthew 10:35). We find judgment as well as love scattered very pervasively throughout the New Testament, and love and mercy as well as judgment throughout the Old Testament.
God is consistent and unchanging, but different situations call for different emphases. Therefore, when the two testaments are read the way they were intended, they reveal the same holy God who is rich in mercy, but who will not let sin go unpunished. If there is any sin which is causing you to be at a distance from your Father, repent. Ask for God’s forgiveness and it will surely be given to you. Knock, and He really will open that door to a life more wonderful than any of us can image. A life of love - from God…the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Saturday Sep 05, 2015
Saturday Sep 05, 2015
Gems in the Gospel of John
Part 2 - John 1:1 - Jesus is God
Part 2 - John 1:1 - Jesus is God
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
So John starts his gospel. He chooses to use a surprising word to talk about Jesus. Jesus is the Word. Why did he do that? There is no clear answer to that question. Perhaps the most probable is that there are a huge number of places in the Old Testament which refer to ‘the Lord said’ or ‘this is the word of the Lord’ and so on. But if the reason he used the word is not clear its implications are.
First: it says something very important about the Triune God. They talk to each other! They are not just one God with no one else to communicate to at the same level. They are not just three untouchable and unknowable parts of God. They communicate. If they did not, or if they had not all existed, it would not have been possible for John in his letter to say “God is Love” (1 Jn 4: 16). It is impossible to love without someone who is the target of that love. In God the Son, God the Father had the necessary target for his love. So he could be called Love, without qualification or addition. And because, and only because, he was Love could he place his love upon us. We, unworthy, undeserving and unholy people, could be loved by God. John says in that letter of his, ‘This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.’ Wow!
Second: this says something very important to this 21st century in which we live. Never, in all the history of mankind, has communication, information, words been so important. Words, words, words are everywhere. Previous centuries have been Ages of Agriculture, or Ages of Industrialization, but this is the Age of Information. Words now fly across the Internet at speeds previously unimagined; more and more of them every day. Many in positions of authority find they are in danger of drowning in words because they receive too many every day in emails. We now know that every new creature carries a coded set of information we call DNA from its parents; and that code is a form of words. Above it all unseen, unheard, unimagined, rejected by many or most, stands one who was called the Word, the Word who was God.
Let us hear again how John starts his Gospel: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’
Skipping over all that might be said about the role of the Word in Creation and the way he had a hand in everything that was and is created we read that the greatest thing he made, that was his handiwork, was life and the light that we enjoy so much. To call life ‘light’ must seem strange to anyone who lives in those parts of the world where people are terrorized by other people, where people struggle to keep alive everyday for lack of food, where the pollution caused by mankind threatens to destruct people. There are so many ways that talking of life and light, not sunlight but the light of good living, in the same sentence seems to be a mockery. But we are not finished yet. Paul said, ‘I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. … the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.’
John of Patmos (probably a different John) said, referring to the heavenly Jerusalem, ‘The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. … The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.’
Have faith brothers and sisters. The Word has walked on this earth, has died and risen again, thus promising us that we will see the Light that shines in the darkness, Light which is so powerful that the darkness will never overcome it.
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Friday Sep 04, 2015
Friday Sep 04, 2015
Partakers Friday Prayers!
4th September 2015!
We pray together and when Christians pray together, including across the internet and from different times, different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity!
Today we pray once more, a Morning Prayer from the Syrian Clementine Liturgy. This Liturgy, dates from the 4th century, and was celebrated in Syria and throughout the Church of Antioch. It is the oldest model known from Antioch, and is a liturgy is related to the Apostle James.
Come pray!
Syria at the moment is in turmoil. Let us pray for peace in this ancient land... Pray particularly for the christian communities, not only in Syria but throughout the region. Pray also for refugees migrating to safer countries.
'a very senior Christian leader in the region yesterday, he said “intervention from abroad will declare open season on the Christian communities”. They have already been devastated, 2 million Christians in Iraq 12 years ago, less than half a million today. These are churches that don’t just go back to St Paul but, in the case of Damascus and Antioch, pre-date him. They will surely suffer terribly (as they already are) if action goes ahead."'
A Morning Prayer from the 4th Century Syrian Clementine Liturgy
O God,
You are the unsearchable abyss of peace,
the ineffable sea of love,
the fountain of blessings,
and the bestower of affection.
~~~~~
O God,
You who sends peace to those that receive it;
open to us this day the sea of Your love,
and water us with the plenteous streams
from the riches of Your grace.
~~~~~
Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace.
Kindle in us the fire of Your love;
sow in us Your fear;
strengthen our weakness by Your power!
~~~~~
Bind us closely to You
and to each other
in one firm bond of unity;
for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Monday Aug 31, 2015
Monday Aug 31, 2015
31st August 2015
I was in conversation recently with a knowledgeable chap who had seen an interesting programme on television about birds and was bursting with interesting facts to tell me of this amazing bird called a swift. He then passed on some interesting facts about them which I want to share with you today. Swifts are amazing birds, and here are some reasons why! We shall think about them and then learn some valuable truths from their habits.1. After leaving the nest where they hatched, they'll keep flying non-stop for three years! Isn't that amazing?
2, They even eat, mate (at high speed in what are known as screaming parties) and they even sleep in the air while flying! they can actually 'snooze' with one side of their brain resting while the other is working, and then switch to the other side. Isn't God's creation incredible?
3. Also some of 'our' swifts migrate from Great Britain as far as South Africa for winter. How fantastically strong they are though small. In addition they are the fastest bird at level flight. (up to 70mph). Sometimes they are mistaken for a swallow. Their shape is similar
4. The parent birds gather insect snacks for their chicks, carrying as many as 1,000 at one gulp! How dependant the chicks are upon their parents to care for them.
5. Swifts also choose to live in our houses and churches - they squeeze through tiny gaps to nest inside roofs. God has indeed provided for all his creatures.
I was astounded as I was being told of the incredible abilities of some of these smallest and the youngest of these creatures who fly with amazing strength and skill, do incredible things while flying with accuracy to distant parts and have utmost confidence in their parents to supply all their needs.
In case you didn't take it all in the first time let me repeat these amazing truths. Swifts neither touch the ground or tree or building for the first three years of their lives!. They keep flying eating, mating at high speed and even sleep in the air.
Summing up they can feed from their parents who gather insect snacks for their young carrying as many as 1,000 at one gulp. The young have absolute confidence in their regular meals being supplied to them. Neither do they worry about their living accommodation as to where they live or the size of their home. They slip between very narrow gaps contentedly.
What an example for us who believe in God and want to be active with and for God. Always we want to move forward making every moment count for God with the abilities He has given to us and not giving time to consider where our next meal is coming from, where we shall live or stay overnight etc.
In our Bibles we find Jesus certainly is the best example of this kind of life.(Matthew 8:20;) "The foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." "I must do the works of Him who sent me, while it is day said Jesus, the night comes when no one can work" Jesus never wasted a moment.
God has promised to meet all our needs as we 'fly' with Him and 'seek' to do his will. One day when Jesus was talking with a Samaritan woman which was surprising enough to his disciples for Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, they said "you must be hungry" he replied that his food was to do the will of the Father who had sent Him and to accomplish His work." (John 4:32) He went on to say he had food the disciples knew nothing about.
As we look at these examples of God's extraordinary creation we are reminded that God is looking for a faithful people who will be diligent in service for Him. God's people should aim to be single minded in their lives putting God first in all things and desiring His will above their own in every instance. Following in His footsteps.
Jesus followed that maxim every day. He had no home to call his own but spoke of swallows, swifts and other birds having their nests but he had nowhere to lay his head. And although he never 'flew' he certainly was always on the move. He was up extremely early each day to pray for the needs of the day before going early in the morning to the temple to meet and talk with people and it wasn't to discuss the weather! He spoke of heavenly food he lived on when talking to his disciples when they were concerned about him missing a meal.
Like the swift getting through many miles in travel he must have covered a lot of ground in three years accomplishing enough to fill a library of books with his activities and the many transformed lives through his ministry. (Read John 21) The way we live our life is important but......Remember that Jesus has first to become our Saviour and only then our example.
Joy’s Prayer
Dear Lord,It is with wonder we look at your marvellous universe full of wonderful and so varied creation. From the splendour of mountain grandeur to grassy plains that can stretch for miles and miles to the small and larger animal kingdom as well as beautiful birds that fly across your majestic skies sometimes to be seen by the naked eye full of planets stars and moons.
You are an amazing God and we do glory in your name and your mighty power and wisdom and your own incredible design of earth and sky.
We praise and delight ourselves in your goodness to us and especially for Jesus our Saviour Lord and Friend. Thank you Lord for the privilege of living in your world and for all its benefits. We love and adore You! Amen.
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Sunday Aug 30, 2015
Sunday Aug 30, 2015
30th August 2015
Jesus Overcomes Temptation & satan
During his earthly ministry Jesus encounters a whole tranch of different people from all walks of life, both sexes and of all ages. They were all important experiences to him and for them, but one, perhaps, whose encounter was the longest, and outcome was the greatest, was when Jesus was confronted by the devil himself in the wilderness.
The temptation of Christ is detailed in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. According to these texts, after being baptized, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the Judaean Desert. During this time, Satan, old hairy legs himself, appeared to Jesus and tempted him. Jesus having refused each temptation, Satan departed and angels came and brought nourishment to Jesus
Satan full well knew who Jesus was! There couldn't have been any doubt in Satan's mind as to Jesus' identity, as opposed to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who simply refused to believe. No, Satan isn't really asking Jesus to prove Himself. Rather, he has some other motive...
The recorded three temptations of Christ mirror the steps Satan used to bring sin into the world in the first place:
Lets compare Matthews gospel with Genesis for a moment.
Matthew 4:3 "If you are the Son of God..." the devil says vs Genesis 3 "Did God actually say you were not..." Which is what the serpent said to Eve... Also, like with the first sin, it is related to food.
Second:
“If you are the Son of God, jump off ...'throw yourself down'” Matthew 4:6 vs Genesis 3:5 “No! You will not die. God knows that the day you eat it you too will be like gods.”
And lastly:
"If you fall at my feet and do me homage", Matthew 4:10 vs Genesis 3:5 “you will be like God” Satan is again questioning God's authority. Oh how dare he!
Satan is questioning whether Jesus was who He said He was (and whom His Father had just attested to at the baptism) - He was trying to get Jesus to fail in His earthly life so He couldn't be our perfect sacrificial substitute
As the writer of the letter of Hebrews says: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
Satan absolutely did know who Jesus was, and why he was there. And he also knew that Jesus had free will and the ability to make his own choices - just the same as you or I. (In fact, we have one recorded instance where Jesus directly stated that his will was in opposition to the will of the Father, in the Garden of Gethsemane, (Matthew 26:38-44,) but he still chose, knowing what was to come, to do his Father's will and not his own.) And the devil knew that Jesus needed to be perfect to complete the work that he had come to accomplish.
So if he could find any way of tempting Jesus to step off the path, even once, it would have destroyed God's plan, which is exactly what Satan wanted. So Satan tempted him, trying to get him to use his power for physical desires, for fame, and for wealth and earthly power
One of Satan's biggest tricks is to try and confuse you about who you are, and whose you are.
Satan will wait until you are at your weakest point in life and then come to you with questions about your life... your calling... and your ability to do for God the Father.
You must know that you have been given the power to become a son or daughter of God... Just as Jesus was his son in whom God was WELL PLEASED
Go this day with the love of Christ in your hearts... Amen.
The temptation of Christ is detailed in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. According to these texts, after being baptized, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the Judaean Desert. During this time, Satan, old hairy legs himself, appeared to Jesus and tempted him. Jesus having refused each temptation, Satan departed and angels came and brought nourishment to Jesus
Satan full well knew who Jesus was! There couldn't have been any doubt in Satan's mind as to Jesus' identity, as opposed to the Pharisees and Sadducees, who simply refused to believe. No, Satan isn't really asking Jesus to prove Himself. Rather, he has some other motive...
The recorded three temptations of Christ mirror the steps Satan used to bring sin into the world in the first place:
Lets compare Matthews gospel with Genesis for a moment.
Matthew 4:3 "If you are the Son of God..." the devil says vs Genesis 3 "Did God actually say you were not..." Which is what the serpent said to Eve... Also, like with the first sin, it is related to food.
Second:
“If you are the Son of God, jump off ...'throw yourself down'” Matthew 4:6 vs Genesis 3:5 “No! You will not die. God knows that the day you eat it you too will be like gods.”
And lastly:
"If you fall at my feet and do me homage", Matthew 4:10 vs Genesis 3:5 “you will be like God” Satan is again questioning God's authority. Oh how dare he!
Satan is questioning whether Jesus was who He said He was (and whom His Father had just attested to at the baptism) - He was trying to get Jesus to fail in His earthly life so He couldn't be our perfect sacrificial substitute
As the writer of the letter of Hebrews says: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
Satan absolutely did know who Jesus was, and why he was there. And he also knew that Jesus had free will and the ability to make his own choices - just the same as you or I. (In fact, we have one recorded instance where Jesus directly stated that his will was in opposition to the will of the Father, in the Garden of Gethsemane, (Matthew 26:38-44,) but he still chose, knowing what was to come, to do his Father's will and not his own.) And the devil knew that Jesus needed to be perfect to complete the work that he had come to accomplish.
So if he could find any way of tempting Jesus to step off the path, even once, it would have destroyed God's plan, which is exactly what Satan wanted. So Satan tempted him, trying to get him to use his power for physical desires, for fame, and for wealth and earthly power
One of Satan's biggest tricks is to try and confuse you about who you are, and whose you are.
Satan will wait until you are at your weakest point in life and then come to you with questions about your life... your calling... and your ability to do for God the Father.
You must know that you have been given the power to become a son or daughter of God... Just as Jesus was his son in whom God was WELL PLEASED
Go this day with the love of Christ in your hearts... Amen.
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Saturday Aug 29, 2015
Saturday Aug 29, 2015
Gems in the Gospel of John
John 1:1 - Jesus is God
John 1:1 - Jesus is God
This is the first of what is likely to be many thoughts on John’s Gospel. The very first verse of this Gospel is this, ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
That introduces two exceedingly powerful ideas in the two words ‘God’ and ‘Word’. So powerful that we need to take them one at a time, so ‘Word’ is left to next time.
What a way to start a Gospel! Matthew wanted to put Jesus in context so he gives us a genealogy going right back to Abraham. Mark was so excited by Jesus he plunges right in to what he did without bothering with an introduction. Luke wanted to be a very careful historian so to explain how Jesus fitted into his immediate surroundings he takes us back through a few months of family history. But John goes straight to telling us who Jesus is. He is GOD. That was some assertion in a world where pagans thought there were many gods but the Jewish people knew there was only one God. It is hard to say which is the more difficult idea to challenge head on, as John does. Of course it was the non-Jewish, the pagan, world that thought there were many gods. There were gods in the house, perhaps even one in every room; there were gods in the town, and the country. There was a god in Rome, called Caesar – and he was the most dangerous one of all since one could worship many gods, choose which ones to worship, but you could not choose to worship Caesar, or not to worship him - you had to worship him. No choice; if you were not prepared to say ‘Caesar is Lord’ you were an atheist, and you might die because of it. John was writing, probably about 60 years after Jesus died, for people he knew in the fellowship of which he was leader, and they were under threat. So it was important to say to them, ‘Jesus is Lord, Jesus is God’ very loudly, and very clearly.
And then there were the Jews, brought up to believe that there was only one God and to say every day, at least once, ‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’ John knew very well that Jesus was a man, he was human, but here he is saying he was God. Could he be both at the same time? The answer is yes – he was both man and God, but that is no easy thing to get your mind round so people have been struggling with the idea ever since. There is no point in me trying to argue in these brief notes how Jesus could be both God and man at one and the same time. What I am going to do is point out some of the main reasons the early Christians decided he was God as well as a man.
The first and probably main reason is that they found themselves having to worship him and you could not worship someone who was not God (the pagans did worship heroes who were human but that was not even a possibility for the many Jews who were in the early churches). Thus when he was healed the blind man said, ‘“Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.’ (Jn 9: 38). When they saw him go back to heaven it is said of the disciples, ‘they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy’. (Lk 24: 52). There are many praise statements scattered through the epistles such as 2 Pet 3: 18, ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever’. There is plenty of evidence that this is what happened and continued to happen in the early church after the New Testament was complete.
The second reason was the many things that he did and said which could only be said or done by God. Thus when Jesus said to the paralyzed man in Mk 2: 5 “Son, your sins are forgiven,” religious people watching immediately started to think and say, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus also had the ability to command the creation. When he and his disciples were caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee Mark reports that , ‘He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm’. Only God had control over the created world.
The third reason is perhaps best expressed in the words of a famous writer who said ‘he was either mad, bad or God’. He was pointing to the fact that no one could say the things that Jesus said unless he was indeed God. Otherwise it was the most extraordinary show of pompous self-promotion and blasphemy imaginable. He said, ‘Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ Really! Who could possibly say that of themselves? Jesus did.
Our God is that astonishing thing a Triune God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: three persons but only one God. We shall never get our minds round that completely but that is what Scripture presents us with. We shall see the remarkable results of that in our next study. What an amazing Lord and God we follow and worship.
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Friday Aug 28, 2015
Friday Aug 28, 2015
Partakers Friday Prayers!
28th August 2015
A prayer of Praise!
We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!
O God, you are the most beautiful and most priceless One!
O God, you are the most glorious and uncreated One!
O God, you are the eternal and holy One!
O God, you are the infinite and blessed One!
O God, you are the immense and Living One!
O God, you are the Everlasting and wise One!
Accept these words of praise from our mouth and our hearts!
O ever-loved & ever-loving One;
Make us, O holy God, your treasured one;
Make us, O glorious Lord, your precious one;
Make us, O highest Good, your longing one;
Make us, O blessed Word, your chosen one;
Make us forevermore your loving ones.
Amen
(Based on a prayer of Cardinal Newman)
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