Easter sunday

What better way to start Easter Day than with Dolly and Don Fransisco  

Jesus is alive !  Hallelujah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbRPWUHM80M

Lent 46 Saturday

So Friday has come and gone and now it's Saturday.  The disciples are left sitting stunned....wondering what on earth they are going to do now.  Its all over.   It all came to nothing and they have to work out how to carry on from here.  They are deep in grief.  They don't understand.  It all looks very grim and scary and impossibly sad.

We all go through Saturday at one point or another.   We all live through times when God seems to have gone forever and we cant see any future or hope.  We wonder what we are going to do now - there is no point any more.  Perhaps we feel like this because some tragedy has befallen us.   I know of people who's faith has been so badly shaken by the breakdown of a marriage that they feel they will never be able to trust God again.  I know someone who lost almost their entire family in a house fire.  Their Saturday probably lasted for a long time.  It's hard to imagine isn't it?   I know several people who have lost children - so difficult to see Jesus  when you have prayed and prayed for a miracle which hasnt happened.   Saturday is grim.   God has gone.  You are on your own.

And the thing is that, with the benefit of hindsight, we know Sunday is coming and Jesus is about to rise from the dead and the disciples will be filled with insurmountable joy and faith and belief.  But on Saturday nobody knows that.  On Saturday you believe that Saturday is how its always going to be.    And the truth is that sometimes the situation of Saturday might be permanent.  We might always be a bereaved parent or a divorced spouse or the victim of a crime or an accident. We might always be in a difficult marriage or have caring responsibilities which severely restrict our own plans.  We

can't kid ourselves that Sunday is going to come and set all our wrongs right  - but we can be assured that after the aloneness and isolation and grief of Saturday, Sunday brings the presence of Jesus back to us.  And with the return of Jesus comes the return of hope, of purpose, of faith and vision and yes, even joy.

And as it was 2000 years ago in Jerusalem, and as it is for each of us in our personal Saturday experiences, so it is with the world which is waiting and groaning for the return of the Lord.  The world is currently experiencing Saturday.   We are grieving at the state of the nations and wondering what to do next.   It is hard to see God and many believe He has gone for good ( if indeed He was ever here at all)   But Sunday is coming.  Jesus is coming back.  In person. Just like He did the last time.  And with Him He will bring passion and fire, hope and faith, glory and power, judgement and mercy and a fierce and holy love.

Don't lose heart - either about your own Saturday or the Saturday the world is currently experiencing.  Hold on.  Sunday is coming.

Lent 45 The Blood

Why is it so important that Jesus shed His blood for us?

It all goes back to the beginning.

In the garden when Adam and Eve sinned God killed an animal to use the skins to cover their nakedness.  This was the first shedding of blood in the history of the world and it signified that God placed his relationship with man above His relationship with the rest of creation.  He was able to make the sacrifice because He knew that Jesus was already slain before the foundation of the world and therefore that the blood of that animal - and all subsequent sacrifices, had already been paid for on the cross.     The shedding of blood established a covenant between God and man which was an agreement that their sins would be covered over so that they could continue to have a relationship with God.   Thereafter the blood of a goat or lamb was required to symbolise that covenant - foreshadowing the blood of Jesus which would take away the sins of the world once and for all.

The shedding of blood is therefore crucial to the establishing of a covenant.  It can be seen throughout the old testament whenever God is doing something important between Himself and man.  And it can also be seen in one special act between people - the act of sexual consummation.   Which is why sex equals marriage in God's eyes.  When a woman loses her virginity blood is shed.  Sealing the covenant between her and her husband.  


On Good Friday Jesus was not only shedding His blood for the remission of our sins, He was also taking us to be His bride.    His covenant with us is not just a legal 'document' but it is a contract of loving commitment to us for eternity.  When we get married we promise to love and honour and submit and remain faithful till death us do part  - but when Jesus takes us to be His bride He does so for ever. And He will never break His promise to us.

 He can't.

 It is sealed in His blood.

Lent 44 Maundy Thursday

Two things stand out about the Thursday of Holy week.   Foot washing.  And a new commandment.

Foot washing was something practical and necessary I suppose in a country where everyone wore sandals or similar and there was no tarmac on the roads :-)  Jesus makes a point of taking a towel and adopting the stance of a servant in order to emphasise the point that in the Kingdom of God there is no such thing as master and slave.   We see the reaction of the disciples - most notably Peter - to this outrageous breaking of the cultural rules but Im left wondering about the reaction of the servant whos job it was to do the foot washing.  I wonder how he/she felt watching Jesus , the Master, doing the very job he/she was supposed to be doing.   I bet they never washed another foot again after that without thinking about Jesus.   He had somehow given great worth and value to a job which had previously been considered so menial as to be not worth noticing.

Thats one of the many brilliant things about Jesus.  The more you look at Him the more you see His love.  When I am doing the menial thankless tasks of life - washing the bathroom floor, changing the beds, dusting - the jobs which no-one ever notices until they havent been done and for which no-one ever thanks you - I can picture Jesus taking up the mop and joining me.  Nothing is beneath Him and everything has value.

Then there is the other outrageous thing He does at the Passover meal.  He gives a new commandment.

If we stop to think about that for a moment - for the Jews the commandments given to Moses are the basis of everything on which their relationship with God is built.  Moses is the great prophet, the saviour and

deliverer and God has spoken to him face to face and given him the rules by which His people are to live.   The thought that anything could be added to the ten commandments and the laws must have been utterly shocking.  What was Jesus saying??   A new commandment?   ( John 13: 34)

The new commandment takes the 'old commandments' and catapults them into a new league.   The commandments of Moses were about minimum standards of behaviour I suppose.  Dont steal, dont murder, dont lie ...  keep these rules and you will be able to live together as a society under God.   But Jesus sets a new standard - that of love;  serving, giving, humble, kind love.   As He has loved us.   Impossible of course.  Unless He is living in us.

Lent 43 Brussels

Woke up to the breaking news of another country suffering another atrocity and more bombs causing chaos in yet another capital city.   Spent all day listening to various reports and statistics whilst friends changed their facebook profile pictures and everyone wondered if we are now going to have to be scanned on the way into airports instead of half way through the airport.


Every time something like Paris or Brussels happens a shockwave of fear ripples out into the world.   Security is ramped up.  Everyone is super vigilant waiting for the next time.  We all look over our shoulders and another brick is placed in the wall of suspicion and mistrust.  This is the enemy strategy.  To make us fear - because fear displaces faith and is the antithesis of trusting God.  Having lived for the last 16 years in Northern Ireland I have witnessed the legacy of 30 years of fear and it is not pretty.  It divides and separates - it shrinks vision and tells lies - it changes the spiritual atmosphere and is passed down the generations.    Fear is one of the weeds in the field which stunts and strangles the growth of the seed the sower has sown.   Not surprising that the constant message to us through the Scriptures is  DO NOT BE AFRAID.

28 Verses to Remind Us - We Do Not Have to Fear:

1.  “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

2.

3.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

4.  “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” John 14:27

5.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

6.  “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

7.  “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19

8.

9. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

10. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

11. “Tell everyone who is discouraged, Be strong and don’t be afraid! God is coming to your rescue…” Isaiah 35:4

12. “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

13. “Immediately he spoke to them and said, 'Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.'” Mark 6:50

14. “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

15. “'For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Do not be afraid, for I myself will help you,' declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:13-14

16. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

17. “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?  The Lord is with me; he is my helper.” Psalm 118:6-7

18. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25

19. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.  He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39-40

20. 

21. “But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.” 1 Peter 3:14

22. “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.  He freed me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

23. “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.” Deuteronomy 3:22

24. “Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.'” Revelation 1:17

25. “Jesus told him, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe.’” Mark 5:36

26. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:38-39

27. “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17

28. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.  A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you…For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways…“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him…” from Psalm 91:1-16

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Lent 42. Pause

These days I very rarely just sit down and watch the telly.   Usually I've got the telly on and Im also doing something else.  Im either tidying up and stacking the dishwasher and doing houseworky stuff.
 Or Im in bed with the telly on but also on the laptop chatting to friends, playing Scrabble or, indeed, writing this blog :)   The telly is sort of like the raido.  On in the background and Im listening to it.  And every now and again I stop typing or tidying or whatever to watch for a while.   But mostly Im doing two things at once

This morning in the car I was listening to the radio  ( there I go again..... two things at once :) )  and there was a discussion about the pace of life.   How technology has speeded things up beyond all recognition in the past twenty years.   We used to have to wait for the news until the next days papers were printed.  Now the news is tweeted as it happens and is old an hour after it happens.  We communicate quickly, travel quickly, develop products and ideas quickly.  Speed is of the essence it would appear.    And then theres the sort of backlash response to it by people who think that everything is getting a bit ridiculous -  which is slow food and mindfulness and that sort of thing.

All of this got me to thinking about a word in the Psalms.   Selah.   Pause.   Stop to consider.   Reflect and digest what has just been said.  Chew over the words and let them have an effect.   Did you know that the more slowly you do something or learn something the better your cognition ( understanding, intellectual capacity)?  You actually better your brains by taking things more slowly.   The radio man this morning said of multi-tasking  '  of course multi tasking isnt being able to do several things at once.  It's being able to switch attention rapidly between different things.   So each task is getting a fraction of your attention before you switch to the next task.   Tasks are completed to a higher standard and in less time if you do one at a time.  Multi-tasking is no great achievement'.    Interesting.

Another astonishing fact.   According to the man on the radio average life expectancy has increased by six hours a day every day since World War Two  !!  Isnt that an amazing statistic?   So we are all living longer and we are living faster.   Cramming more in.  Taking less time to do more things less well.

The Bible encourages us to slow down.  Pause.  Breathe deep.  Meditate.  Pray.  Worship.  Care for each other.  Develop character and nurture faith.   You cant do those things on speed dial.  They take time.

Jesus took 40 days.   Time out with His Father.   No work.  No relationships.  No demands on His time or expectations of others.  Just wilderness and aloneness, silence and peace.   If Jesus needed that time in an age where the pace of life was slow how much more do we need it in our super speedy zip zap hyperactive era?   God commanded that we have a day of rest every week .  A day.  A whole 24 hours.  Because we need it to function well as human beings.  And to function optimally, rather than doing more more quickly, maybe we need to be slowing down a bit - taking time to think about things properly, finish things off well, give our full attention to people who matter.

Just a thought

Selah

Lent 41 Sold out

How much do you earn in a year?   Or perhaps a better question, what is your annual income?
Got a number in mind?    Good.

Now.......

Another question.    What is your most expensive possession?  The highest value item that you own?   For most of us, even with a mortgage, this is probably going to be our house I suppose.   If you don't own a house then it might be your car or your home furnishings.   Possibly it's something else.  Whatever it is hold it in your mind's eye for a minute.    OK?

Right.   Now God says  ' If you love me then you will give me your house ( item of highest value)   I would like you to sell it and give all of the money to Me   ( My church/ the poor/ a charity/ the lady down the road)
Or God says   ' I love you, but I need you to give me a whole year's worth of your income.   Right now.  '

How do you react?   Not ' in theory'  how do you react, but really.   If God were to ask you to give up your home or to give £15,000  / £25,000 / £50,000  right now, today - how would you react?

The reason I ask is because yesterdays sermon was about the woman with the alabaster jar.   Well, it wasnt about her it was about being passionately in love with Jesus.  And she was the example used to demonstrate an extravagant, wholehearted, passionate love.   We all know the story and we have thought about it before but something struck me anew about it yesterday.     Firstly I wondered how
the woman had come to have such a ridiculously expensive jar of perfume in the first place.    Was she one of the preposterously rich elite of her day - probably famous in the area for being the wife of some fabulously wealthy merchant or aristocrat?  Was the alabaster jar a family heirloom?  Or maybe it was her pension plan - her guarantee of an income in her old age?   I have no idea how someone could possibly afford a bottle of perfume which in todays money would be worth £20k or £30k.    But she had it.   And she wasted the lot on Jesus.

The preacher yesterday said something interesting.   He pointed out that the spiritual temperature in the room that day was measured by the horror of the onlookers as they watched her pour thousands of pounds worth of perfume over Jesus.   Their justifications as to why it was a terrible thing to do.   Jesus appears to be the only person in the room  NOT to have been horrified.   He saw the immense love behind the gesture.  Nobody else there saw it because nobody else in the room felt it.

If we say that we give our lives to Jesus, that we invite Him in to every part of us, that he is Lord and in control and that we love Him then it should cause us no pain, no offence, no difficulty to give Him everything we have.   Not just in theory but literally.   For love of our wonderful Saviour can we loosen our hold on the ' stuff' and give as freely as we have received?   Will we be the woman with the jar or the rich young ruler?

I was challenged yesterday.   When we have very little it is easy to give it away.  When we have a lot it seems to be much harder.  How much do I really love the Jesus who stretched out His arms for me and died?   Enough to give Him everything?   Or only enough for a tithe and an offering and a standing order to a charity?