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Thursday 30 January 2014

Encounters - Nicodemus


At the beginning of John’s gospel is a series of several descriptions of encounters. Jesus preached to the multitudes that flocked to Him and to the regular worshippers in the temple, but He was and is the God who reveals Himself on a personal basis to those individuals seeking Him.

Chapter 3 of John’s gospel describes the first of these encounters, when Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest judicial court in Jerusalem, seeks out Jesus to learn more of Jesus’ identity. In the previous chapter, Jesus has cleared the temple of its corruption, which did not make Him popular with the authorities. Nicodemus, therefore contacts Jesus at night to question Jesus further about His miracle-working power.

It’s not only a physical time of darkness being referred to here. Darkness described in the Bible symbolises sin and despair and a sense of being lost. Jesus is often referred to as the Light. In John’s first chapter he writes “In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:4, 5). Jesus Himself in chapter 3 tells us that some people will hate the light because their deeds are evil, whilst others will live by the light and it will be their source of guidance.

Nicodemus was a man of intelligence, high social standing and learning. Yet Jesus is unafraid to challenge him with a completely radical way of practicing religion. Jesus talks about spiritual rebirth. Religion is not about ceremony and ritual. It's about a personal relationship. It's not achieved by man's efforts, but, as Christ foretells in verse 14, by the Son of Man being lifted up i.e. crucified.

This chapter details some of the pivotal features of Christianity which separate it from all other world religions. Christianity is a faith of relationship, and we come to God not through our own efforts, but through a person, Jesus. We do not earn salvation through anything that we have done. We receive it through God's gift of His Son.

Jesus speaks of two births and two baptisms. We humans experience a natural, fleshly birth. When one becomes a Christian, through repentance and faith in Jesus, we experience a spiritual rebirth- we are born into a new life, new behaviours, new values. It's from this chapter that we gain the concept of being “born again”, a much trivialised term which is really a promise of great hope- a redeemed life and fresh start in Christ. The connection with God broken by sin can now be restored through repentance and faith in Jesus.

 Similarly we may be baptised in a physical sense- traditionally many infants have been physically baptised by sprinkling or immersion in symbolic water. As believers we are baptised physically as an outward sign of our conversion. Jesus tells of another baptism, that of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. His description in verse 8 of the wind, uncontrollable, mysterious and powerful,  is perhaps a portent of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the crowds at Pentecost, described in Acts 2:1.  When we receive Christ, we also receive His indwelling Holy Spirit, a constant source of His strength, power, comfort, guidance, counsel and so much more. The Holy Spirit is an amazing study area of itself.

Nicodemus risked censure and retribution for seeking out Jesus, but as a man of knowledge and leader of the people, he demonstrated the courage of his convictions by doing so. We do not know if Nicodemus became a follower of Christ, but it seems likely. Later in chapter 7 of John’s gospel, Nicodemus stands up for Jesus when the authorities are agitating for His arrest; and following the crucifixion, Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea to place Jesus’ body in His tomb, and purchases anointing spices.

In this encounter with Nicodemus Christ spoke words which have resounded down the centuries, some of the most well-known and beloved words in the entire Bible:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16


In a world of personal and external darkness, Jesus shines rays of love and hope. As He said to Nicodemus “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:18

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2)

If you are walking in darkness, may Jesus become your light of hope.
If you know Jesus, may the light of His love continue to illuminate your life eternally.
And may we walk into and through the darkness, carrying His light.

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Place for the salt is in the casserole


"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:13,14)

“You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” (Revelation 2:4,5)

What are we thinking about as Christians? Do we remember how we were when we first came to Christ? Do we remember our testimony of a life lost in sin, hopeless and helpless, until we turned to Him in repentance and faith? Because that’s how we all were, and it’s only our faith in Jesus that makes us have hope. Do we remember the joy and love and gratitude we felt when we knew we had the change to a different life, where we would know the undeserved blessings of God?

We have salvation. We have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We have the Bible. We have direct access to God through prayer. We have the fellowship of other Christians.

And we have the great commission, Jesus’ words before His ascension:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19,20).

Whatever culture we experience in this world, we are surrounded by people who are lost. They may not know the reality of heaven and hell. They may not believe in God or the devil. They depend upon whatever values the popular culture of the time and place dictate.

Where is the heart of compassion for these lost ones? How will they see God?
Jesus said:
 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34,35).

Christians can be so harsh in judgement on the world. As a pastor I know says: “You can’t expect non-Christians to behave like Christians.” They don’t know Christ, or His teachings or values. But we should expect Christians to be trying their utmost to follow Christ’s teachings and to bring His redemptive love to save the lost.

The Bible was written for God’s people. The admonitions to the churches in the New Testament were for God’s people. The church filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 was so powerful that three thousand people were converted in one day. God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is still capable of that anointing. Yet in Paul’s epistles we see the church struggling with false doctrine, immorality, ego problems, disunity and believers falling away. Today we still see the same things happening and Jesus surely mourns:
“Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Matthew 23:37)

We have been given so much, and much is expected of us. This is challenging and frightening, but it is also a promise of the most meaningful, love-filled relationship that we can possibly know in our lives.

“Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord made it clear why the nation of Israel existed. They had been created by God Himself to serve as His agents of redemption to the rest of the world. .....
...God, through His Son Jesus Christ, is still in the business of creating a special kingdom of people for Himself. It’s known as the church. But our purpose is not to celebrate our favoured status as believers. We should be about the task of helping others come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour.” – George W. Knight, “The Names of God” Barbour Publishing Inc. 2009 p.20.

As Christians may it be our resolve this year to not just grow ever more closer to God in deep relationship, but also to pray for our unsaved family, friends, workmates, neighbours and others with whom we are in contact, and may we reach out in God’s love in whatever ways we are enabled to be a witness and bear fruit for God’s kingdom. 






Wednesday 22 January 2014

True to one's own nature


When I was newly converted, as a young Christian I used to attend a bible study home group at the home of Mr Cuthbert “Rags” Tatters and his wife, whose Christian name I now cannot recall. Mrs Tatters left one lasting impression on me with a comment that she made one night. We were talking about shyness, and how some people were very outgoing, whilst others were introverted. Mrs Tatters said “You have to be true to your own nature.”
That night I felt affirmed for being the quiet, reflective, serious person I was. Thirty years hence, I am still fairly quiet and serious and reflective in personality, yet not lacking in confidence. I enjoy solitude as much as I like being in the company of others, and like many writers, my voice speaks loudest on paper.
It was with great enjoyment, then, that I read over the Christmas break a book entitled “Quiet, the power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking.” by Susan Cain. In our western culture, Ms Cain claims, we champion extroverts and make false assumptions about their intelligence, capabilities and leadership potential. We create a climate which forces quiet people to act in ways contrary to their nature in order to be accepted, or otherwise ignores persons who may be far more valuable than we assume.
It’s an interesting read, especially when we consider contrasting attitudes in other cultures.
I believe that often the church in the western world is in danger of falling into the same trap, especially amongst our young people. Ms Cain does in fact provide a short synopsis of some attitudes found in a high profile American church community. In a culture of marketing, PR and psychology, the “church” sometimes revolves around the speaker. Leadership equals good talker.
Attend regular church meetings and the same folk will want the floor. Prayer time, invitations to share, bible study groups – there will be the same talkers, and the same listeners. I’ve known people who have left a bible study group because of the frustration of having to sit, unable to contribute a word, whilst one or two turned every session into a talkfest.
Like most things in this skewed world, what should naturally enhance communication and relationships is often out of balance. Some people talk incessantly, or hide behind a wall of words, or avoid intimacy or maintain control through speech. Others hide behind silences, or fear revealing themselves or lack the confidence to speak up. Sometimes a physical or cognitive disability may affect speech.
That’s where a good group leader or chairperson can graciously and respectfully curb the overly zealous talkers, and encourage the more reticent to participate. Persons who can do this are a great asset to any group.   
When we look at the life of Jesus in the Bible, we see that Jesus surrounded himself with His group of disciples, and interacted with others frequently. Yet He also continually took Himself away from the group to spend time alone with His Father. Our mission as Christians is always to be reaching out to others; yet at the same time we need to spend time alone with God. Without this we cannot grow more deeply in relationship. Similarly we can question the nature of our highly programmed church services and wonder if there is a place for contemplation, silence and stillness.






Saturday 18 January 2014

Water into Wine


The gospel records of Matthew, Mark and Luke are termed the “synoptic” gospels, in that they basically record events from a similar viewpoint. The gospel of John stands alone in a different style of portraying the life of Christ. As a disciple of Jesus, John was able to record Christ’s ministry from a very personal viewpoint, and his account contains more of Jesus’ actual words than the other gospels.
John’s writing embodies the love that this disciple, the one who was faithful unto Jesus even unto accompanying Him to the cross, had for his Lord. The account is rich in symbolism and evocative language. If there is a central theme, it is relationships. Through a number of vignettes, John describes the interaction that Jesus has with a wide variety of people, and the effect He produces. This is no sterile account of events, but rather an invitation for the reader to enter into that relationship with Jesus that God has so lovingly prepared for us.

After the introductory chapter and the calling of the disciples, the first event that John chronicles is that of a wedding feast, where Jesus is called upon to solve an embarrassing problem. The wine has been depleted, and Jesus turns the water in some stone jars into wine.

I believe that John is not merely describing an event here. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the Bridegroom. His church, the people of God throughout the world, is referred to as His bride.  This initial story then is not just a chronicling of a miracle, wonderful as that miracle was. It is rich in symbolism.

When we celebrate communion, remembering Christ’s suffering and death, we use wine to symbolise the blood of Christ. So sacred is this process, in fact, that we do not say “this symbolises Christ’s blood” but we repeat Christ’s words of Matthew 26 “This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”. Wine, therefore, represents the blood of Jesus. Note that in verses 3 and 4 of John’s account, in response to Mary’s reporting of the situation to Jesus, He replies, “Why do you involve me? My time has not yet come.”

Jesus knew that they were only talking about wine for the wedding feast. He physically provided the best wine, and symbolically, through His crucifixion, He would provide us with the choicest, most costly wine. Like the “living water” that he offers the woman at the well, a few chapters further on in John’s gospel (chapter 4), Jesus reminds us that He alone offers, in the face of our temporary problems, eternal, life-changing, deeper gifts.

It’s always interesting, when studying a Bible passage, to look at the stories which precede and follow. The story of Jesus changing water into wine is preceded in John’s gospel by an account of Jesus calling His disciples. It is followed by the account of Jesus clearing the temple courts of the moneychangers, proclaiming “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days,” – a further reference to His crucifixion and resurrection. When taken in sequence, we could consider that Jesus is calling His church, His Bride, established in a covenant through His blood, and He wants it to be His church which acts in ways that bring His Father honour, reflecting the price paid for it.

The wedding feast of Christ and His bride, symbolised by the wedding feast in this story, is yet to be completed. The church is the bride of Christ now, but the time of Christ’s return has not yet occurred. The book of Revelation is resplendent with descriptions of the joy that awaits in heaven when, after a period of great suffering and evil in this world, Christ will come to claim His own and defeat the forces of darkness that have overtaken the earth.

By turning water into wine, Christ showed His generosity and kindness to a wedding party whose needs He met. I’m sure that there was great joy and celebration on that day. But He also demonstrated His ability to meet the needs of a thirsty, hurting world so desperately in need of a Saviour. He invites every man and woman to be part of His church, His bride. There is no greater love affair, no greater joy or reason to celebrate.

Thursday 2 January 2014

Genesis - A beginning




For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20)


When we build a building, we start with a blueprint and do the earthworks and a foundation, for the stability of the construction depends upon its base. When we take a holiday, we do a bit of research first, costing the trip, reading guidebooks, learning a few phrases if necessary, studying maps to have an idea of how to move around the place. When we begin to read a book, we expect the first chapter to set the scene, give some indication of the plot, and introduce the main characters.

When a new Christian comes to faith in Christ and picks up his or her Bible for the first time, of the sixty-six books contained inside, it’s not a bad idea to have a read through Genesis, as well as one of the gospels, to get a little bit of an idea of what this Christianity thing is all about.

Genesis, after all, is not hard to locate, being the first book of the Bible. The word genesis is derived from the Greek, and the prefix gen has been used in many common English words to denote the production of something eg. generate, generic, gene. It’s delightful to think that the very genetic code of our bodies has a common language element with the first book of the Bible, which describes how God created the world.
Like any good foundation, Genesis has some pretty solid underpinnings for our Christian faith. It tells us a lot about the nature of God, and sets the scene for the whole gospel- the reason for God sending Jesus to earth.

Non-Christians often have the idea that Christians are paragons of virtue- the moral elite. Read Genesis and that idea will go out the window. Not so. Genesis puts modern-day soaps to shame. Its expansive cast of characters demonstrate all the failings, falls and foibles of humanity at its worst. We see the wicked, greedy, treacherous, deceitful, proud and sinful; yet also the repentant, courageous, merciful and generous.  

The creation of the world by God in six days is described in the first chapter of Genesis. The Hebrew words used for days here denote single, twenty four hour days, as we experience them. Later in the book of Genesis is the description of the destruction of the world by flood. In the last two hundred years the theory of evolution has been promoted by the scientific community; however there are many scientists who believe the Bible to be true and attest that the fossil record bears witness to the flood of Noah’s time. (Luke 19:40 “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”) For further information on the truth of Biblical creation I recommend Creation Ministries International, link on this page.

From the beginning God existed in the form of the Trinity- as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which is indicated in 1:26, when He says “Let us make man in our image.” Man is uniquely created to be in relationship with God. God didn’t make robots, but people with free will, to freely choose to love and serve him, or to disobey and reject him.

The first thing which God declares not to be good is the fact that the man, Adam, whom God created, is alone. We are made to be in fellowship with God and others. God provides a woman, an ezer for the man, a term which is often translated as helper, but which in the original Hebrew refers to an indispensable part of a whole, and which does not imply subordination. Adam and Eve were created to be complementary partners, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

However, first Eve is tempted into sin by Satan and in turn leads Adam into sin. Believing they will become like God, they disobey His rules and are punished with eviction from Paradise, pain, suffering, dissent and hard work and finally death. The entire nature of all creation suffers with them from that point, and their fallen nature is doomed to be inherited by all their descendents “The whole creation has been groaning” (Romans 8:22). Pride, lust, greed, competing roles, exploitation and alienation flourish. From this point until the return of Christ, we see humanity’s desperate cycle of seeking after God and falling away from Him, our inability to atone for our sins, and need of a Saviour.

There are several foundational stories in Genesis. We read of the creation. We learn of Noah and the flood. Abraham’s life and covenant with God is described, as well as the establishment of the twelve tribes of Israel through Abraham’s line. The book concludes with the story of Joseph.

The portrayals of people in the Bible always highlight the character of people and their relationships with God. Joseph, for example is a man who follows closely after God and remains true to his values despite betrayal, persecution, false accusations and imprisonment. Because of his obedience, God uses him greatly and Joseph rises to positions of trust and honour, forever displaying grace and forgiveness to those who misused him. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20). God blesses those who honour Him. (There is little in the way of physical descriptions of Biblical people, perhaps a reminder to us who live in a culture besotted with the physical appearance.)

Conversely, we see the results of disobedience to God’s will.  A recurring theme throughout the bible is the impact of taking an easy option. Lot chooses to settle near the town of Sodom, and is drawn into its corrupt lifestyle. Sarah and Abraham produce a child by her concubine, circumventing God’s promises, with resulting fractured relationships and ongoing hostility between the offspring of Isaac and Ishmael. Nimrod’s pride and arrogance result in the division of people into different language groups. The lies and deception of one generation seem to be repeated by their offspring. Whole nations rise up who are disobedient to God, and God’s chosen people are warned not to intermarry with them, or they too will begin to worship other gods. Similarly today we are warned “Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

We are made aware in Genesis of the presence of the forces of evil in this world. From the beginning Satan was around, lying and tempting humans to disobey God. They were tempted by the offer of becoming “like God” only to find that they were far from being like Him and could never be Him. In chapter six reference is made to the demonic realm, mysterious beings called the Nephilim, and the violence and corruption which rapidly became widespread after the fall. Evil is never a static thing- it increases. Satan’s objective is the destruction of lives and relationships and we live in a world where Satan and his demons are in a spiritual war with God and His people and godly angels. God does not stand idly by whilst evil reigns. He extends grace, but His character also requires justice. He destroyed the world with a global flood, and we are told in the book of Revelation, the final book of the Bible, that the world will experience a time of unprecedented violence, turmoil and misery before the final return of Christ. It is a reminder today to stay completely away from all forms of the occult, which lead people into the satanic realm- witchcraft, astrology, tarot, readings and any forms of spiritualism which do not glorify God and proclaim Jesus Christ as His Son and our Saviour.

God’s patience and His continually extended grace to his rebellious people is evident throughout the Bible. He wants to bless, not curse, save and transform. Many concepts of the Old Testament are prophecies or precursors to the New Testament. The covenant with Abraham, where God provides a lamb to sacrifice for the sins of the Israelites, is a reflection of the Lamb of God, Jesus, who is sent to earth to honour His Father by becoming an eternal, complete sacrifice for the sins of mankind. It is through Christ alone that we come into relationship with God, not by anything that we have done ourselves. He is our hope.

Genesis is a book of foundation for our faith, made complete by Jesus, whose life is recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Every day we seek to live a life pleasing to our Heavenly Father – to worship and honour God, to do His will, to resist temptation and to lovingly sow seeds of faith into the lives of others who do not yet know Him.

Praise God. 





For Christians, it's Christmas every day.

We're already into January 2014, and Christmas Day seems like a long time past, or a long way to come. (Some will be breathing a sigh of relief at this point.) The decorations are being packed away for another year and the supply of delicious food is gradually dwindling in our overstocked fridges. For many there will be a touch of sadness that all the planning and preparations culminated in a short burst of revelry, to be replaced with the humdrum of everyday.

But for those of us who love Christ, the magic and joy of Christmas is forever. Christmas is not primarily about tinsel, or lights or food, enjoyable as these things are. It's about celebrating God's love for us and the joy of living a life knowing that He cares for us and blesses us each and every day. We may experience trials and temptaions in this life, but this precious relationship endures and deepens as we grow in the perception of the depth of God's love and amazing grace.

The most precious gift we can ever receive is that of a personal relationship with our Creator. God gave us the everlasting gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth to do the will of His Father. He was born in a lowly stable and grew to be a man who taught about God's will for this world and each of us.

Christmas was the beginning of a story which continued into Easter, when we remember the purpose of Jesus' coming to earth. He came to do the will of His Father, to honour God by becoming a sacrifice for the sins of fallen humanity. He restored the broken relationship between God and mankind.

Jesus defeated death and the forces of evil forever. He rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, where He reigns at the side of His Father God. He sent His Holy Spirit to this earth following His resurrection, to bear witness to Him in this world and in the lives of believers.

The story is not yet completed, for the Bible tells us that Jesus is coming again to earth, at the time of great tribulation in this world. He will return again not as a tiny baby, but as conquering Lord and King, who will drive the remaining forces of darkness out of the earth. Jesus is the great hope for humanity in a world which can drive us to despair about the future.

The word "Christmas" means "Christ worship." It's a joy to worship God every day, God being the triune being of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For some who don't yet know Christ personally, Christmas provides just a fleeting glimpse of joy and celebration. When we come to God in repentance and a prayer of faith and commitment, and grow in relationship with Him through prayer, Bible study and fellowship in a caring Christian community, we worship Him every day. It's truly the best Christmas ever.

Merry Christmas.
May God bless and keep you throughout 2014.