Month: March 2021

Isaiah 9:6-7

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and for ever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.

When Isaiah uttered this awesome prophecy, Israel had just suffered great oppression from the Assyrian Empire. What the people wanted was a leader after the style of Gideon who had led them to impressive military victories. ^{Isaiah 9.4} Instead Isaiah offered a child of unimaginable character. Character that stood in the greatest contrast possible to the succession of Israel’s kings. The only comparison that could be made was this child was going to be in David’s line or in succession from David. Isaiah could not have fully understood the prophecy he made. Indeed, Peter confirms this in 1 Peter 1.10-12 placing us in a hugely privileged position. ‘It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.’ ^{1 Peter 1.12}

These words then are a precious heritage and it is the coming of this child that we celebrate each Christmas. Prayerful contemplation on the character of the promised child we know as Jesus evokes emotions including awe and wonder, confidence and peace of mind, joy and hope, security and relief. This is the one in whom it is possible to have complete trust.

Whatever our feelings of darkness may be and they may be considerable, after all we are still in the middle of a pandemic that has just taken a nasty twist. At best life feels highly uncertain. Uncertainty persists politically, in terms of security in many places in the world, with growing poverty including child poverty, a greater divide between the haves and the have nots, employment insecurities and the threat of a climate and environmental crisis. All of these issues have as a root cause human sin and rebellion against God. Here is a promise of a light to shine in our darkness.

Those who walk in darkness need a great light ^{Isaiah 9.2} and that light is the son who is given ^{Isaiah 9.6} – Jesus Christ. What can we know about this child? He is a deliverer who brings great joy, ‘You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Jesus’ deliverance though is not the expected military victory but a victory over sin and death and it is an everlasting deliverance.

He is a ruler who rules with justice and righteousness. There are those who consider judgment that is just and righteous leaves no room for love and compassion. However the opposite is true, it would be cruel not to be just and not care about sin. Such a ruler is in complete contrast to Ahaz who Isaiah prophesied to.

The combining of the titles, Wonderful Counsellor, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace into one person represents the totality of this child’s divine, royal power. God has no need of any additional counsellor as human kings or heads of government have. He is his own counsellor. Everlasting Father conveys the protective qualities of God for his people. God unlike human kings will continue to provide for and protect his own for ever. Jesus has through his own death and resurrection brought about lasting peace between believers and God and therefore is their Prince of Peace. How great is the need for peace in our time. So many suffer great internal turmoil as well as conflict with others and God.

Now is the time to pause and worship him, placing him as King of our lives.

Is there any part of our life that we need Jesus to take lordship over?

Handel: Messiah, For unto us a child is born (Sir Colin Davis, Tenebrae, LSO)

Corinthians 1.26-31

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’

Have you been part of conversations where one Christian says to another, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if ‘X’ were a Christian, they are so talented, they could do wonderful things for God.?’ Frequently such a comment is met by general nodding in agreement. Is there anything wrong with that? It is a matter of emphasis. When Paul says, ‘Not many of you were wise by human standards.’ ^v26 He is not saying none of you were academically wise, or rich, or in positions of privilege, he is saying most of you were not. This is to emphasise that worldly wisdom that gives rank to academia, inherited wealth or status are no passports to heaven or positions of authority in the church. They do not exclude one from faith, or responsibilities, but God judges differently. Think Samuel and the sons of Jesse, or Jesus’ teaching not to claim a top table for oneself and then face the indignity of being asked to move down the table.

Time and time again Jesus approached a sinner or a lowly regarded person and salvation was the outcome.  Think Zacchaeus or the woman who touched the hem of Jesus garment or the Samaritan woman who was living a life considered morally disgraceful. The question should not be what can, he or she, do for God but what can God do for him or her regardless of worldly esteem. Paul is emphasising that salvation is an act of God not of man. ‘It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God.’ ^v30 This is not a reason to put down various abilities, but to order what we value and to whom we give the credit. When God judges us, there is little point in playing the wealth card to God who created all things, or the status card to God of heaven and earth, or the brains card to him who knows all things. When God looks at us we need him to see the righteousness of Christ credited to us by his gift of love through faith. ^v30 The cleverest, wealthiest and most important person in the world has to come humbly before God in exactly the same way as the lowliest person and admit his or her need. I was struck today when listening to Barack Obama reading from his new autobiography, where he said everyday he knelt by his bed and prayed for forgiveness of sins and guidance. At the time, the most powerful person in the world who had carried beside him at all times, in his own words, the capacity to blow up the world. He understood humility.

There are those who say what Jesus meant by, ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven,’ referred to a gate into Jerusalem which was called the eye of the needle and any camel carrying valuable goods had to have them removed before the camel could squeeze through. What is the purpose of this teaching? It is so that praise goes where it is due, to the Lord. ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.’ ^v31

How does this impact on evangelism? It does not support an attitude struck by some saying, “If it is up to God then what I do does not matter.” It clearly does, Jesus left the instruction to go into the whole world making disciples. Paul’s entire ministry was one of taking the gospel to new people and places. It does however mean that we should recognise this is the Lord’s work that we are about and without him there is no point in what we do. It places prayer at the top of the agenda. It places humility as essential in the work of evangelism. It means that the cleverest of ideas are of no use unless the Spirit is at work and it is for this reason that the Holy Spirit was given. It also means we need to be clear and straight forward about the gospel. It is important to answer genuine questions, but in the end, to enter the kingdom of heaven requires an act of faith in Jesus, his death and resurrection and a repentant heart.

Does our faith rest on human reason, or on God’s power? ^{1 Corinthians 2.4}

“Mighty To Save” – Michael W. Smith

Romans 10:11-15

As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’^[a] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’^[b]

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

In the Christian church today, the vast majority of preaching is directed at those who already believe. Paul’s concern here is for is first of all for those who do not yet believe. However in practice Paul’s life’s work did not make separate distinctions between teaching and preaching, if we take preaching as being addressed to the non-believer. He went to new places where he spoke and argued the case for Christ. When people became believers he then continued to teach them. However, he was a man on the move and once he had established a church he moved on and others took over the leadership and teaching role. Others also took on the continuing outreach to non-believers.

In New Testament terms a healthy church was one that was focused on outreach to non-believers with the gospel. The risk has always been that inertia takes place and the prime focus becomes inward focusing on the existing church’s needs. Some see these two aspects as competing, Paul did not. Jesus himself also did not see a conflict between his teaching of his disciples and his reaching out to fresh people with the good news of the kingdom.

The crucial need for both the existing church and the future church is the need to hear the word of Christ. ‘So faith comes from hearing, hearing through the word of Christ.’ ^{Romans 10.17} There could be many approaches to communicating the word of Christ.

J John, a British evangelist and Cannon in the Church of England has written a book titled “Natural Evangelism”. In it he outlines three connected things every Christian and every church can do – Praying, Caring and Sharing.

Praying for people around us who we meet in normal life, praying for our area, praying for new opportunities, praying for “Thy kingdom come”. As J John says, it is surprising how many “coincidences” happen when you pray. Pray he says should be regular and intentional

Caring practically demonstrates the love of God we wish to share. It is a matter of living out Jesus’ words to love others as we love ourselves. This is not something to force from within, it comes from God loving us and our loving response back to God. It is something we can pray that the Spirit will grow within us. Caring and praying can naturally bring with it opportunities to share.

Sharing the word of Christ that can bring faith when it is heard should be honest, natural and com from our own understanding and experience and not be forced. We can only speak honestly about what we know and believe. Who knows what the Spirit will do with our words. As time progresses and we learn from the teaching in church as well as these days from books and online resources our ability to share may grow. However, it is interesting to me how often it is the words, love and enthusiasm of the new Christian that seems contagious.

How active is the church in reaching out to new people?

What worked for you?

Is reaching out to new people a live issue in our church?

Our God reigns

Malachi 3.13-14

‘You have spoken arrogantly against me,’ says the Lord. ‘Yet you ask, “What have we said against you?” ‘You have said, “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?

Covenant love is a constant theme throughout the Old Testament and reaches it’s climax in the life and death of Jesus in the New Testament. The notion of covenant love is something that has always been under threat but some will say that it is more so now in western society than it has ever been. I remember the first time I was taken aback by its casual treatment in the early 1970’s when a colleague said of her marriage that when she got married she never expected or intended her marriage to last more than 5 years. You may wonder at my naivety at the time but such an attitude was in sharp contrast to those in my family upbringing.

In Malachi, God is despairing of his covenant relationship with his people. ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.  But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ ^{Malachi 1.2} Malachi means messenger and this has led to discussion as to whether Malachi is the actual name of the prophet or a title, and as to whether there is a single author, a group of prophets or clerks recording the prophet’s messages at a later date. Such arguments may satisfy academics but they shed little light on either God’s message or the relationship between God and his people.

Malachi was prophesying after many of the Jews had returned to Judah after the exile during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra. There is a considerable overlap between the issues in those books and the content of Malachi. God is in a long standing covenant relationship with his people, initially promised to Abraham and confirmed in much greater detail through Moses, a covenant of love. However, the people of God persistently and in a multitude of ways broke that covenant, they exhibit indifference, rather than committed love, and this was exhibited most by the priests whose responsibility was to represent the people to God and God to the people. The priests offered the worst of the produce to God rather than the best.^v1.7 They brought disgrace to the Lord’s name, ^v2.1 they taught falsely, ^v2.8 they allowed and partook in marriage outside the people of God which led to idol worship, ^v2.11 they endorsed unfaithfulness in marriage and divorce leaving the wife destitute. ^v2,15 In short they had ‘wearied’ the Lord by declaring what is evil is good and there are no consequences for their behaviour. “By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them’. Or ‘Where is the God of Justice?’ “

God’s response was to put these words in the mouth of the prophet. “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, against those who defraud labourers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. ^v3.5

A remnant or smaller grouping responded to the Prophet’s message and covenanted to be faithful to the Lord. ‘Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.’ ^v3.16 The book concludes with the promise of an Elijah figure. Christ’s ministry of reconciliation to the church prior to the final day of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5.18-20.) ‘He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents,’ ^v4.5 In our time the same prophetic message as Malachi’s remains directed towards the church, to challenge the church wherever indifference and disobedience to God’s covenant love has entered the church. See the prophetic visons to the seven churches in Asia Minor in Revelation 2 and 3.

What experience have you had of God’s prophetic ministry correcting the relationship between the church and God?

Lauren Daigle – Light Of The World

Jeremiah 1:4-8

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”But the Lord said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”

A lot of people consider that if what they are truly like was known, then they would not be liked let alone loved. If their unfiltered thoughts were known they would not be trusted and they would be publicly shamed. These inner feelings of guilt or inadequacy then inhibits them from expressing other true feelings and thoughts. They lead to a conviction of unworthiness in the Lord’s service.

Jesus, when warning his disciples about the Pharisees’ hypocrisy said, ‘There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.’ ^{Luke 12.2} We are an open book to God and that knowledge should not only lead to repentance but should also be a huge relief. We can stop pretending and covering up because he knew even before we were born. Even so he still loves us enough to send his Son to die for us. Now we can get on with our life of obedience, excuses are swept away.

As with Jeremiah, God knew us, loved us, planned our salvation  and had a role for us before we were formed in the womb. We will have excuses, even Moses had excuses, but that is what they are. Jeremiah’s excuses were that he was too young and wouldn’t know what to say. We may have different ones. God’s answer will be the same. I know you completely and I will be with you. For Jeremiah the words are not to be his but the ones the Lord will put in his mouth.

Jesus had similar words to say to the twelve. He knew that the future held serious challenges including being held to account by governments and courts. He did not want them to be like gladiators in the arena but he did mean them to be trusting and faithful.

‘Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. ¹⁹ When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. ²⁰ For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.’ ^{Mathew10. 16-20}

May we remember the Spirit of God is with us as we share his good news.

God is with us