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Reflections - Archive - 2006
These reflections are published most Sundays on the front page of our parish newsletter.
Current reflections may be found here.
In the run-up to Christmas Day, lots of people will be on the move trying to get home for Christmas. Not a lot has changed! In a sense, Jesus went home for Christmas because Bethlehem was the place where Joseph had been born and they were required to register their names. Mary and Joseph only just made it and the town was already full of people doing the same thing. You may have family members coming home to you this Christmas and you might be excited or anxious or both. You might be leaving Crosby and going home somewhere else. Of course, there are very many people in this world who cannot go home because it has been destroyed or they are not allowed or they would be in great danger of physical harm. As I write this, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Westminster and the Free Churches Moderator are all preparing to visit Bethlehem. It is very different now, surrounded by a high security wall built by the Israeli government. They want to express their solidarity. It is so easy to take our homes for granted so let's make the most of them this Christmas. Of course, home is not just physical, bricks and mortar. It's also a state of mind, an attitude. Someone has said home is where the heart is. In another sense, Jesus left his Father’s home at Christmas and chose exile for love of us. He made his home with us. This is where God's heart lies. With us. That's the central message at this time of year. God asks of us one thing in return: will we come home to Him for Christmas?
Pete Spiers
I was very fortunate this week to be able to go and listen to the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu at Liverpool Hope. The thing that struck me most about his talk was that it was important to get our relationship with God right and everything else will follow. We must worship God, pray to and listen to him. We must read his word every day and then witness to others.
He told a story (which I have shortened) of a Ugandan man who came to this country, stepped off the plane, entered passport control and came to the signs “Declare” and “Nothing to Declare”. He decided to enter the “Declare” area, because he had something to declare. When the attendant asked him what he had to declare he answered that God loved all of us, whether they believed in him or not, and that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Saviour and that if they repented and believed that Jesus died for them, he would also be their Lord and Saviour.
The attendant looked through his luggage several times and each time he repeated that he had to declare that God loved them and that Jesus died for them and if they repented and believed that he would also be their Lord and Saviour. The people waiting for him outside were concerned until three hours later he appeared with three names and addresses of people who wanted to know more about Jesus. The man was the Archbishop’s brother who had come to attend his consecration.
Advent, like Lent, gives us the time to think again about our Christian walk with God. In this country when our Christian way of life is being undermined and people are no longer allowed in some places to celebrate Christmas in case it offends, are we standing up and witnessing for our Savour?
Ask God to help you to worship him, pray to and listen to him, read his word and witness for him at this Christmas time. He’s worth it.
JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON and at the end of our lives he alone will be the one who will be standing up for us. Can we do any less for him now?
Barbara Chambers
Advent
During the Advent season we remember again that Jesus came as a real baby. He belonged to a refugee family that fled into Egypt. He worked in a carpenter’s shop. He laughed. He cried. He was tempted. He bled. He died. He lived life for real and we must never devalue the raw humanity of his life. Jesus’ lordship in the kingdom of God meant a borrowed stable and a borrowed tomb and nowhere to lay his head between the two. In the nativity story we see that so much of faith is about waiting and about trusting in God’s timing. We see this hope filled waiting in so many of the central players: Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, Wise Men, Simeon and Anna.
We too are waiting with joyful anticipation for Jesus to come again, to claim his throne, when he will be seen in all his glory and power and all the false gods of any age will be seen for what they are, pale and distorted imitations of the real thing!! But we do need to be prepared, the way in which we behave now has implications for the future, what we do with the opportunities that God gives us to serve him and how far we allow our lives to be shaped by the Spirit rather than our own desires and ambitions, will determine what happens when he returns, we will be held accountable. When Jesus comes it will be to take his church and make her all that she is intended to be – his beautiful bride. This church that now struggles, weak and imperfect surrounded by those who do not understand, whose values might be very different from our own, in a culture that ignores Jesus in almost every way. We know that Jesus is the King yet live in a society that denies his kingship and added to all this we have a spiritual enemy who is always trying to trip us up…. but we must remain loyal to our King as he prepares and transforms his church.
He is calling to himself a holy people, a people who love him alone and who want to walk in his ways. By God’s grace, we can be faithful to that calling.
As Peter encouraged the Christians of his day ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light’. Why don’t we together, as his church, make the choice today to follow our God-given destiny with all our heart, soul and mind.
Shirley Wallin
Jesus was born into this world to speak about the truth. We may not recognise who he is, we may not want to listen, but truth is truth and in God’s Kingdom there is certainty because it is the Kingdom of Light.
God wanted to prepare people for the coming of Jesus the King and he did some surprising things. He sent the Angel Gabriel to tell Zechariah that he would have a son named John who would prepare the way by challenging people to repent. Zechariah was amazed because he and his wife Elizabeth were old. They were a good and faithful couple and God rewarded them in such a way that it was almost beyond their comprehension.
When Jesus comes into our lives we may not be prepared for all that he wants to do. We may not be fully prepared to face the full consequences of his power in our lives, but if we are honestly seeking to serve him he will come to us and surprise us. Because his promise is always true, he will never let us down. All he wants is that we should welcome him and acknowledge him as the one who brings the truth and justice to the World.
Alan Lewney
“But in your hearts set apart Jesus as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15)
What a Bible verse!! When it comes to evangelism, many Christians become
frozen at the mouth. They have it in their heads that evangelism is simply telling about Jesus whether people want to know or not.
They think they have to engineer conversations round in such a way. This verse tells us 3 things -
1. The first priority in evangelism is to see Jesus as Lord and ourselves as his servants. Then we will be ready to do as he bids us,
to go where he wants us to go, to do what he wants us to do and to say what he wants us to say. We need to commit ourselves each day.
2. The next thing is to be ready at all times to answer people’s questions about faith. Our series on objections to the Christian
faith has been designed so that you will be able to know what to say the next time someone brings up the issue of, for example, Jesus
and other religions or suffering. You can pray that people will ask you and then relax. All Jesus wants is for you to be ready. He says
elsewhere not to worry about what to say because he will give you the words. Do you believe that?
3. The final thing is the manner in which we speak, with ‘gentleness and respect’. If we speak in this way, the chances are
that most people will not be offended. Indeed, people will be impressed by us and much more likely to ask us again about something else.
We want to equip you at St. Luke’s to be more confident in your faith so that you are able to share it with others. Cell groups are a great way of people learning to talk about their faith and sharing their faith with each other. If we can’t share it with each other, it will be more difficult to share it with others. Jesus has called each one of us to share what we know about him with others. Soon we will be celebrating his birthday and that gets everyone talking!!
Pete Spiers
Remembrance Day
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 (NIV)
The poppy helps us today to remember the men and women who have served in the armed forces and who have fought to defend our freedom. The poppy was chosen as a symbol for Remembrance Day because it reminds us of a place called Flanders Fields where many soldiers from the first World War are buried. The poppies grow wild there between all the crosses that mark their graves.
We enjoy a lot of freedom. We are free to come to church and worship, we are free to choose what we want to be when we grow up, we are free to choose where we want to live, we are free to choose most of the things that affect our daily lives. But freedom isn't free. Someone had to pay the price for us to live the life that we enjoy.
The greatest freedom that we have is in Christ Jesus. The Bible teaches that the punishment for sin is death, but you and I know that Jesus died to set us free from the penalty of sin. Instead of death, we have been given eternal life. For us this was free because Jesus willingly paid the price with his own life.
Today as we give thanks for the lives of those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom, let us remember to stop and thank God for them. Let us also remember to thank God for Jesus, who has set us free from the penalty for sin, because he was willing to pay the price.
Barbara Chambers
The Most Important Commandment: Mark 12: 28-34
We thank God that in his wisdom he orchestrated the question and answer sessions between Jesus and the various religious groups. The answers Jesus gave have enriched the church ever since. There would be a congregation at St Luke’s 2000 years later who would need to listen to Jesus’ answers and think about them, some may even be brought to salvation by them!
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” - it has to be an affectionate love with the heart, it must be a sincere love with the soul, it must be an intelligent love with the mind and it must be an energetic love with the strength, an all consuming love. You cannot love somebody you don’t know and when we discover the true and living God then to know him is to love him. God who loves us, his people, each and every one of us, from the least to the greatest. He so loves us that he spared not the life of his only Son to save us, justify us, provide for us, sanctify us, defend us, preserve us and glorify us all. He knows our names and cares about us with a perfect love as though we were the only person on the planet. He never abandons us, or lets us down, or breaks his promises, he accepts and forgives. Each one of us has God’s undivided attention. He is a Lord who is passionately devoted to his people, he nourishes and cherishes his people (Ephesians 5). At every point of our lives, in the activities of our youth as in the weakness of old age his love is always regulating the relationship. We have no experience of such a love. There is nothing in human history that compares to the love of God. How can we not love him?
To love him quite a lot isn’t enough, when his Son was hanging in darkness on the cross, condemned in our place and we were in his heart and on his mind—quite a lot isn’t enough. When he protects us and provides for us and supplies all our needs and makes all things work together for good—quite a lot isn’t enough. When, through his death we can have abundant life and after death, a place in heaven—quite a lot isn’t enough.
Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all.
Shirley Wallin
Tonight sees the return of the darker evenings and probably colder ones too. It reminds us that our world is a wonderful place that depends entirely upon the Sun for its warmth and light. Some of us may enjoy the cosiness of sitting in a warm home, but all of us look forward to the return of the warm sun in the spring. What a harsh place the world would be if the sun never shone. John tells us that if we live in the light, as he is in the light – then, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from every sin. (1 John 1:7). Without Jesus the true light would never shine and ultimately we would all end in darkness away from the presence of God who is light. On Tuesday we are having a light party for the children to celebrate the light that Jesus has brought into the world. Who would wish to live in darkness and yet the world at large seems to prefer darkness to light. Jesus said that this is because their deeds are evil. (John3:19). As we pray for our children to come to Jesus, the light of the World, let us thank God for Jesus the sinless one who gave his life to save us from our sin and open the way into the presence of God for ever.
Alan Lewney
Councillors voted by 8 votes to 5 not to extend the stay of the Iron Men on Crosby beach beyond the end of November. Whilst some people will be very pleased at this decision, there are a lot of people who have been shocked by it. Careful efforts were being made to ensure that all those who wanted to use the beach in a particular way and who felt inhibited by the statues could do so. In the end, the councillors, overriding the advice of council officers, voted on health and safety grounds for their removal. The obvious question is why the Iron Men have suddenly become a health and safety issue: if they pose a risk now, they posed a risk when they were first erected! One of the councillors who opposed the extension claimed to like the Iron Men but her love for them was outweighed by her fear of what might happen if they remained. The debate will rage on and I am sure that we have not heard the last of it. Something I learn from this episode is something we can all learn from. There are times when we need to hold in balance our daily concerns and the bigger picture. If you read the Lord’s Prayer, ‘our daily bread’ comes after ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’. That’s the right order of things. Elsewhere, Jesus says ‘Seek first the kingdom and all these things will be given to you’ referring to our daily needs. The Iron Men remind us that there is ‘another place’, there is a bigger picture. Whether they stay or whether they go, they have been for me a powerful reminder of this fact. Proverbs 29:18 says ‘where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint’. I pray that all of us have vision of who God is and what God thinks about us. What God has done through Christ and what he can do through us. I pray this for all of us at St Luke’s and for all in Crosby especially our politicians!
Pete Spiers
Mark 10:17-31
Human beings are often tempted by a short cut. We love a bargain, but the difference between a genuine bargain and shoddy workmanship often only becomes apparent after the event.
There are problems in life, but it's largely in the process of meeting, facing and solving problems that we grow spiritually. Problem solving calls for courage and wisdom and openness to God, and develops these characteristics within us, a painful process we sometimes try to avoid.
The rich man who approached Jesus in today's story from Mark's gospel was
aware of some lack in his own life. He recognised something different and he wanted it. But he didn't want the pain of growth, he wanted
a short cut.
"What must I do," he asked Jesus, "for my life to be like yours?" "You know what to do," Jesus replied.
"Keep the commandments." In his reply, Jesus ignored the first five commandments, the four about God, and the one about keeping
Sunday special, and launched straight into the five social commandments, the ones about community life. Don't kill, don't commit adultery,
don't steal, honour your parents and love your neighbour.
In Mark's version, Jesus didn't question whether the man had kept the commandments all his life. But Jesus did move out of the comfort zone, the short cut zone, and into the pain zone. "Go and sell everything you have," he suggested, "and give it to the poor." And for the first time, the man was made to face what his priorities really were and so he left. Jesus didn’t try to persuade him or have a discussion with him, he just let him go. For the decision to avoid short cuts and take the long road can only be a personal one, freely taken.
Master, what must I do to gain eternal life? Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. But the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life. And those who find it are few.
Barbara Chambers
“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Jesus teaches us in the Lord’s Prayer that our first consideration is to focus on God’s character and the next issue is the establishing of God’s kingdom as Gary reminded us last weekend. ‘Thy kingdom come’ three simple words that mean so much. The meaning of kingdom is to rule or reign, the Kingdom of God therefore is his sovereignty both within us, when our hearts are surrendered to his will, then moving outwards towards others. The kingdom of God was the motif running through everything Jesus taught, so when he announced to his disciples that he was going away for good, the news must have hit them like a bombshell. They had left everything behind them, friends, families, everything for his sake, how they must have felt their hopes and expectations collapsing around them. Then Pentecost came – he came back – he changed his presence for his omnipresence. He came into the inner recesses of their hearts, they didn’t just remember Christ they realised him. He had gone yet he was nearer than ever, not just his presence but his power was available— unlimited resources at their disposal at any and all times. His spiritual presence intimate, available and within, just as it is for us today.
Scripture tells us that God has a kingdom which is already established in the heavens and as we pray the Lord’s prayer we petition for God to let that kingdom extend to every area of the universe where his rule is resisted. The Kingdom of God is indestructible and destined for success. The eventual accomplishment of God’s kingdom has more reliability about it than tomorrow’s dawn and when we focus on such a tremendous truth we can pray confident believing prayers.
The great news is that when we become followers of Jesus we become citizens of the kingdom of God and become participators in the Almighty’s plan to bring about Satan’s defeat and bring the universe once again under the control of God and his kingdom. We have a powerful weapon in prayer. Our citizenship of God’s kingdom entitles and enables us to pray Thy kingdom come, and when uttered with sincerity and trust those words proclaim, every time they are spoken, the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God.
Shirley Wallin
Jesus brought the good news of the Kingdom of God and revealed to the world what it meant to be part of it. Through his many parables about the kingdom he pointed out that it is sometimes hidden and yet, like yeast in a loaf, it has great effect. It will be revealed in the future and yet is present now and growing in the world. It is a kingdom of power and yet those who belong to it are called to turn away from thoughts of earthly power for themselves and to serve others as he did.
To discover God’s Kingdom is to find real treasure and to know real joy and peace. We can live in this world with all its pain and temptations knowing that we are part of another kingdom that is growing throughout the world. God is at work here and now and wants us to experience his love and power here and now through his Holy Spirit. Jesus said in John 16:10, “The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” If we receive him and follow him we need never be afraid because he has promised to be with us.
Alan Lewney
Harvest
Today we celebrate Harvest and remind ourselves that we are totally dependent on God. Traditionally, farmers would plant their seed in the spring and gather the crop in the summer. Now with technological advances and globalisation sowing and reaping seems to happen all year! Nevertheless it is vital that we worship God as the creator and sustainer of the universe and to make sure that we do not misuse the world's resources.
It was reported recently that there are now more obese people worldwide than malnourished. This would suggest that there is enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed. The struggle for a more just world continues!
Jesus once told a story about a sower who went out sowing seed. He said the crop yield depended on the type of soil the seed fell into. Only some of the seed yielded a fruitful harvest and the rest came to nothing. The disciples couldn't understand what he was talking about until he explained that the seed was the Word of God.
St Paul says that we should allow the word of God to dwell in us richly
(Colossians 3:16). Elsewhere he talks about the importance of spiritual food if we are to grow as Christians. When we read the Bible,
we are 'taking it in' and giving it a chance to nourish our spiritual selves. I was talking to a young mum this week who said that
now her toddler son was asking more and more questions about Bible stories, she was learning so much more and she was feeling the benefit
of it all!
So perhaps we should also thank God for all those who told us Bible stories or taught us Bible truths in our past. We should pray for
those whose role is to do that today. Let us also pray for ourselves that we will allow the Word of God to bear fruit in our lives.
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.
Pete Spiers
The book of Esther sounds a bit like the story of Cinderella – someone finds their dream comes true, and gains riches and fame. But this story is not just about having fun and enjoying a royal life. It reminds us that when God does allow such things, he gives us responsibilities too. Esther would have a very difficult, but also important job to do as Queen. At the beginning of the story, the King of Persia is displeased with his queen, and removes her from her royal position. The young Jewess Hadassah, whose Persian name is Esther, is among the young maidens brought to the palace, to enable the King to choose a new queen. Her guardian, Uncle Mordecai, insists she conceals that she is Jewish. After winning the favour of the King, she becomes Queen.
Meanwhile, Uncle Mordecai really upsets the evil courtier Haman, who decides in revenge to trick the King into declaring a sentence of death on all Jews in the kingdom, to be carried out at a future date to be decided by lot. Mordecai learns of the plot, and alerts Esther. She, at great personal risk, decides to accept the role of confronting the King about the plot and begging for mercy for her people. She is successful in this matter. Through a series of events and her wise handling of the circumstances, Haman is shown before the King to be the villain that he really is. In the end, Haman is hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai and the Jews of the kingdom are saved from extinction.
This story is telling us about God’s protection of his people and the timing of his purposes. It seemed pure chance that Esther was chosen, and that she kept very quiet about her nationality. But God knew that soon she would be the only person who could avert a tragedy. The Bible shows God working behind the scenes so that everyone is in the right place at the right time when it really matters.
We continue to study the book of Esther in our evening service. Please come and join us.
Barbara Chambers
Last week we looked at the question, ‘Are all Christians hypocrites?’ We were reminded that as Christians we do not claim to be better than everybody else but we do have a saviour who inspires and teaches us day by day. Somebody has said that telling somebody about Jesus is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.
Jesus died on the cross because there was no other way to take away the sins of the World. He welcomes everybody who calls upon him into his loving care and offers them forgiveness. He calls upon us all to repent and we know that each and every one of us has fallen short of our own standards let alone God’s.
These days we hear a lot about self help and self improvement and many of us feel that we are failures and unworthy. This is the only place to start when it comes to really relying on God. If we come to him he promises to accept us and forgive us. He does not say when you have done better I will accept you. He says to people of every race and with very kind of weakness or failure: "Come to me and I will give you rest." Perhaps now is the time for you to find rest in Jesus.
Alan Lewney
Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23
When it came to 'ritualistic religion' the Pharisees were experts: circumcision, dietary laws, dress codes etc. These practices allowed them to decide who was 'in' and who was 'out'. The insiders then became judgmental towards the outsiders, sound familiar? Jesus warns us in Matthew 7:
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day. 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!.
We need to have discernment and not take at face value those who glibly use Christian jargon or do Christian things. Handling holy things does not make you a holy person. What will matter most when Jesus comes as judge is whether we have been responsive to what God wants of us, and this is more about how we allow our relationship with God to form our attitudes and values, resulting in appropriate behaviour, rather than hoping that our rituals and activities will earn us acceptance by God and a good reputation. The long term benefits of shunning hypocrisy far outweigh any short term comfort level. Our lives influence others. We must never underestimate the effect that genuineness has on our families, our work colleagues and our friends. As the world tries to squeeze us all into its mould, a life of integrity stands out in sharp contrast. Hypocrisy destroys our testimony, we all know people who say they do not attend church because 'They are all hypocrites'. How sad. When people lose respect for us they lose interest in the one we represent.
Shirley Wallin
If you like me you have succumbed to the SU DOKU craze, you will have spent many hours trying to decide which number from one to nine should go in each square. Thousands of people around the world spend a significant part of each day trying to work out the puzzles. If you guess, you will make a mistake and you will never finish the puzzle. Once you go wrong it is nearly always impossible to retrieve the situation and all is lost.
Jesus gives us a far simpler choice. We only have two ways to go, his way or our own way. The wrong choice leads to disaster. People throughout the ages have made the wrong choice and in the illustrations Jesus gives, the easy way, the short cut, leads to disaster. Like guessing at SU DOKU it will not turn out all right in the end.
Jesus does not promise us an easy route but he does promise us that if we follow him we can be certain that in testing times we will be kept safe and that in the end we will find joy in heaven. Who or what are you basing your life on? On Jesus the way the truth and the life or are you taking the easy road hoping it will work out? With Jesus we always have the chance to start again with him. He is always the right choice any other choice leads to disaster.
Alan Lewney
1 Corinthians 1:27-28
Two men entered a pub and went up to the bar. One of the men says to the barman, "A pint of lager for me and a pint of bitter for the Donkey here." As the barman serves the drinks he asks the other man, "Why does he call you donkey?" "I don't know," the man replied, "but eeyore eeyore he always calls me that."
That's not very nice is it? The Bible often portrays donkeys as hardworking, reliable animals that at times have played an important role in God's plan. We must not despise the lowly things of God's creation. Not only can we learn from donkeys but Proverbs tells us that we should learn a lesson from ants and other creatures.
As Tales in Another Place has shown, Jesus himself used animals to illustrate important life principles. No-one is too important, too educated or too powerful to learn from the humblest part of God's creation.
St Paul says: "God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises, and thinks nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important"
Pete Spiers
Mark 6:14-29
Our gospel passage today reminds us that it is often unwise and dangerous to back ourselves into a corner. King Herod was a prime example. To celebrate his birthday Herod threw a huge elaborate party. Celebrities galore. An abundance of food and wine. In an extravagant gesture designed to impress his guests Herod offered his young step daughter Salome anything she wanted for entertaining them with her dancing. Her mother told her to ask not just for the execution of John the Baptist, but for his head on a platter, right there and then. It's a shocking story and an example of adults using children for their own ends. The girl comes across as a victim. Herod used her for the debauchery of himself and his guests and Herodias used her for revenge. And the girl got nothing for herself.
Herod had thrown John into prison but we are told that Herod was deeply grieved by this unexpected outcome of his thoughtlessness. He often talked with John, was clearly intrigued by him and also a little afraid of this wild prophet who said exactly what he thought even to Herod. But for Herod none of those considerations were as powerful as the thought of losing face in front of his friends and the execution went ahead. But Herod's conscience bothered him, especially when he heard about Jesus, he was terrified that this new prophet was John the Baptist come back to haunt him.
Jesus was also somebody who had strong feelings and who acted upon them but the contrast between Jesus and Herod couldn't be greater. Jesus always acted from his integrity and never from what other people might think, and Jesus was sufficiently open minded to change his mind on occasion.
It's good to feel really decided about an issue and to be prepared to put your neck on the line for it But strong feelings are only good if they are based on integrity and it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between integrity and the fear of losing face. Strong feelings need to be within the context of an open mind, the sort of mind which isn't afraid to listen to other points of view, to weigh up the evidence and if need be, to come to a different conclusion. But is we're to follow Jesus and the guiding of the Holy Spirit, then anyone who has strong feelings on either side must listen to reasoned arguments and be open minded enough to change their mind if necessary. Because that's just about the only way we'll be able to hear God's voice.
Barbara Chambers
Mark 6:1–13
“He’s just a carpenter, Mary’s boy.” This comment in our passage this morning was intended to be demeaning and humiliating for Jesus but taken from a different perspective is quite a profound statement. Just a carpenter? I don’t think there are any coincidences in the Bible, Jesus could have been anything, but a carpenter makes things, he takes twisted, gnarled and knotted pieces of wood and makes something beautiful and good. I wonder whether he realised when he hammered the nails into wood that one day men would hammer nails into him, I wonder whether he realised when he selected his wood and carried it home that one day he would carry the cross of crucifixion. This young insignificant man in a small carpenter's shop in the tiny village of Nazareth had once laid the foundations of the earth for “through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made.” [John 1:3]
Just like the twisted gnarled knotted pieces of wood Jesus takes the most unlikely materials - us – not always choosing the well adjusted, best educated or sophisticated to accomplish his purposes. “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are” 1 Corinthians 1:27–29. He takes his time carefully shaping us, he chisels, chips and planes away all of the knots and flaws. It is not always easy to bear but his love will not allow us to remain less than we can be, and just as he could see a table in a block of wood, he too could see Peter the rock in Peter the unstable, Paul the apostle in Saul the persecutor and he sees what we can be from what we are. So not only does he select the most unlikely materials and carefully shape them but he also sets them aside for his use. Everything in our lives being used to refine our characters and deepen our sensitivity to others so that we can comfort those with the comfort we ourselves have received. Wow what a carpenter!!
Shirley Wallin
Values are the things that we regard as important to the way we live our lives. The things that we value will be the things for which we are prepared to make sacrifices, because we believe that they matter. Jesus set out his values in the Sermon on the Mount. They are the values of the kingdom of God and they flow from a relationship with God. These values stand in stark contrast with the values of the World and it is not surprising that Jesus anticipates persecution for those who seek to cultivate them. In spite of the difficulties of living by God’s values Jesus says that by doing so we will be ‘blessed’. Another way of putting this is that we are to be congratulated if we live for God and not for ourselves. He points out our reward may not be in this world but hope allows the Christian to experience blessing in the midst of difficult circumstances. Jesus himself modelled the values as a complete package. He mourned over sin; he was meek; his top priority was righteousness; he was the supreme peacemaker; and he was persecuted for doing right. Jesus asks nothing more of us than he gave himself.
Alan Lewney
Mark 4:35-41
I was very fortunate recently to join together with people from other churches to visit Iona. We were very blessed. The weather was wonderful, the sun shone most of the time and the sea was calm, very much like the Sea of Galilee on that beautiful summer's afternoon, when the disciples took Jesus out for a sail to get him away from all the people who were crowding him. Jesus was emotionally exhausted. He had given of himself to many people and he fell asleep in the bottom of the boat. One minute everything was tranquil and at peace, the next they were plunged into a terrible storm. The disciples did their best to cope, failing miserably. Amazingly, Jesus slept through it, unaware of what was happening. The disciples were furious. Here they were in the worst storm of their lives and Jesus was asleep. They needed everyone on deck helping to keep the boat afloat. They shook Jesus awake. But instead of going on deck and pulling his weight as was expected of him, Jesus went straight to the front of the boat and commanded the storm to subside. The disciples couldn’t believe their eyes. This Jesus had power to still the worst storms.
The disciples after this terrifying experience would never be the same, but after it they grew spiritually and gained new insights into who Jesus was. If we could see when the storms of life are coming we could either batten down the hatches and stay where we feel safe or we can venture out wearing the correct gear so that we are to some extent protected. But it isn't always like that. When the storms come, often out of the blue, it may feel as though we're on our own, as though even God has deserted us. But Jesus is always there. He may appear to be asleep, and he may not offer help in the way we want him to. But if we ask him and trust him, he'll go straight to the heart of the matter, and calm the storm within us, giving us the faith we need to hang on in times of darkness and terror and despair. And it's through life's storms that we become stronger people, better able to handle the next storm, growing spiritually, towards God, through the pain and distress and difficulties. "Peace, be still!" says Jesus. And the storms subside.
Barbara Chambers
When we moved house just over a year ago, we knocked a hole in the wall between the kitchen and the dining room, created a space for our fridge/freezer in the kitchen, revealed the wood floor and did lots of painting! We left some things as they were and haven't got round to the many more jobs we wanted to do!! In a few years time, we might decide that we want to change things again as the needs of our household change.
We live in the world of the 'makeover' when you can give your house a 'makeover' because you're afraid that its not as you would like it or it's looking a bit 'tired'. We need to ask ourselves every so often does our church building, God's house, need a 'makeover'? Is it fit for the purpose? What do we want a building for and who is it for? Is it just for Sundays or for every day of the week? How does God want us to use our building? Does the look and feel of our building model our values of All involved, Becoming disciples, Creating community, Doing evangelism and Encountering God?
When we asked the congregation a year ago about future issues for Giving in Grace, our building was identified as one such. We hope to start looking at these issues over the next few weeks and asking for your opinions, We will hear from some who have decided to give their church a makeover and what impact it made. The one thing we can be sure about is that each generation is often different from previous ones. What was good in the past may not be useful in the present. The same is true for us on a personal level. Unless we are prepared to change and be changed by his Holy Spirit then he cannot use us as he would like. So we also need a 'makeover' on a regular basis that is more than skin deep: 'man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart' (1 Samuel 16:7)
Pete Spiers
Trinity
“He is the image of the invisible God … all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together … for God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him.”
This is an extract from the book of Colossians but you could go anywhere in the Bible and find the inexplicable link between the three persons of the Trinity. Just as there is a road in every town in Britain that will eventually lead to London so there is a path in every book of the Bible that leads to Christ. All the Old Testament truths converge upon him; all the New Testament truths emerge from him. I think the easiest way for me to understand the Trinity in simple terms is that we are made in the image of God and we are body, soul and spirit, all three make the complete. If you search for Jesus you will find the Father, if you search for God you will find Jesus. Anna the prophetess recognised the Christ child when his parents brought him to the temple. She was a very old woman, who had been widowed for eighty four years, she never left the temple area, worshipping night and day, and because Anna never stopped searching for God, she instantly recognised Jesus. In Jesus, God became incarnate through the Son, God is with us and in us through the Spirit. God’s indwelling Spirit seals us, a seal declares importance, value and ownership, we belong to him. Imagine the three persons of the Trinity holding hands in a triangle with you safe and secure in the middle. They are in harmonious unity. Jesus has made a way for us to come to the Father, and the Spirit enables us to be an active part of God’s plans for his world. He has gifts that he wants to give us to build up our church and testify to the power of God’s truth of the gospel. Having celebrated Pentecost last week let’s not just say how can I have more of the Spirit but how can the Spirit have more of me!
Shirley Wallin
Pentecost
At Pentecost we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit sent by Jesus from the Father as his gift to the Church. Many people think that this gift is just for special people who are somehow specially endowed by God to do his work. This could not be further from the truth as the New Testament makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is promised to all who believe and trust in Jesus. The writer J B Phillips wrote that every time we say “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, we mean that we believe there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.
The Holy Spirit is for mums, dads, children, older people. For call centre workers, for NHS workers, for people in finance, for those caring for sick relatives, for voluntary workers, for those with poor physical or mental health etc etc. We can’t avoid the Holy Spirit. All Christians live with the risk brought about by God’s involvement in their lives. So let us ask for more of the work of the Spirit in our lives and think about how we can open up ourselves to him so that he can fill us day by day.
Alan Lewney
In a recent survey, a group of about 50 Christians were asked about their work patterns. No one said they worked too few hours. 40% thought they worked about the right number of hours. 60% considered they worked too many. So why do people work too many hours? Demands from the boss? Pressing deadlines? The long hours culture in the workplace? The fear of being fired? All those are genuine reasons. But there are other underlying reasons that cause us to work too hard. Too often our assessment of who we are is wrapped up in the job we do. That’s why so many struggle when they retire – they feel they have suddenly lost their identity. Too often we get our value, our sense of self-worth, from the size of our salary, or the comments on our annual appraisal. Too often we think our purpose in life is to get promoted as fast as possible. To climb the career ladder faster than everyone else. As Christians, our primary sense of identity should be the realisation that we are ‘God’s workmanship’. His work of art. Literally his masterpieces. That is who we are. Our identity isn’t defined by our job. Our feeling of value should come from knowing we are so precious to God that he paid for us with the death of his Son. We are ‘created in Christ Jesus’. As for our purpose, God’s desire is for us ‘to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us’. So that’s providing food for your family, being an integral part of the team you work with – earning the right to share your life and your Lord with them and it’s working to keep the business afloat and people’s jobs in existence. All of those are good works for God – and they may cause us to work long hours. A knowledge of the truth of our identity, value and purpose is the first step in assessing the godliness of our hours.
Pete Spiers
No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13 NRSV)
I read a story recently about a man called Maximilian Kolbe who was a Franciscan priest. He gave his life for a fellow prisoner in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. As a punishment for the escape of another prisoner, ten men had been chosen to die by starvation. One of the men had a wife and children and had pleaded with the guards for mercy. Maximilian gave his life in exchange for this man. When the SS men came to inspect the cell where the prisoners were left to die, they could not meet the clear penetrating gaze of the Franciscan whose face was transfigured by his love for Christ and for his fellow human beings.
‘Witness’ is the definition of martyr, to give one’s
life as a statement of love for Christ and as an affirmation of Christ’s love for the world.
Physical martyrdom is for the few, but the daily laying down of one’s life for other people is within the reach of all. Members
of a loving family experience this many times in a single day in countless moments of self-denial.
Children who take turns and share toys without squabbling (even for half an hour!) are innocent witnesses to the love of Christ. Family members who willingly give of their time to support their child’s school, or who endure hours of football in the rain on a Saturday afternoon or some other hobby their children are involved in, are Christ like in their loyalty and devotion. The parents of a handicapped child will experience self denial first hand for the duration of their child’s life, as will those people given over to the care of an elderly person.
If we don’t experiences any of these things we can stand by our friends and relatives who deal with these situations on a daily basis and we can be there to support each other in whatever way we can. Showing the love of Christ through our deeds and actions.
Witnessing with one’s life means being given over entirely to the survival, well being and happiness of another person. Anyone who is given over in love witnesses to the love of Christ and shares in his Passion, Resurrection and in his glory that is to come.
Barbara Chambers
In just over a week's time the public will be able to see the film The Da Vinci Code. Last month in his Easter address Archbishop Rowan Williams attacked the popularity of The Da Vinci Code and warned it risked undermining the historical basis of Christianity. The story is based on a preposterous idea that Jesus did not die on the cross. He escaped, with his wife Mary Magdalene with whom he fathered children and this was kept secret for centuries by the Church. The novel by Dan Brown has had 40 million readers and we can be sure that when the Hollywood version appears millions more will be caught up in its intrigue and many will believe its deceit.
This presents us with a real challenge, we want to say that Jesus is uniquely the way, the truth and the life but we know our hearers are comparing what we say with a range of other options. We are well accustomed to Christ and matters of our faith being ridiculed in Western culture, so why are we so fearful of ridiculing the position of unbelief, which has as many questions to answer as the position of faith but we are so defensive in guarding our faith. Why do so many people have greater faith in the story of The Da Vinci Code concocted by an American fiction writer 2000 years after the basis of his plot than the true story which is far more exciting stretching right back to those who actually knew Jesus. Maybe we are too wishy washy; the Church in Acts was so dynamic it turned the world upsidedown. Why are our congregations declining and why is it that the majority of the European population don't go to church? Have we gone soft in our core set of beliefs, it's easy to see how in this politically correct society in which we live that we have liberalised our beliefs. So let's throw out the damaging distortion of Dan Brown's story for we know the marvellous truth about the supremacy of Jesus. Being willing to speak out may well lead to our being persecuted, life might not be so comfortable but we can ask God for confidence to speak about his absolute uniqueness to those who think he is just another option.
Shirley Wallin
In our evening service and in our cell groups we are considering some of the scriptures which include the phrase one another. The most obvious one of course is that we should love one another. This should be the hallmark of Christians because Jesus said that by this love we demonstrate that we are his disciples.
When we think of all The Bible teaches about loving, encouraging, forgiving, caring for, and healing one another, we realise that this involves quite a commitment. In fact it challenges us to a lifestyle that is based upon us caring for not just ourselves and our families, but also for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are also encouraged to help one another to show love and do good to others (Hebrews 10:24).
In a church like ours it can be difficult to really feel that we belong and are cared about. If we are to really be part of a loving caring sharing community it can be very helpful to be part of a smaller group of people such as a cell group. As we demonstrate what it means to love one another as Jesus has loved us we will then be able to share this love more effectively with others we know or care about.
So much of what we see and hear is about self fulfilment. Jesus said that “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39). To find true fulfilment we need to listen to his command and to see others with his love. Wonderfully too, we can experience receive that love for ourselves.
Alan Lewney
A well-known minister of the gospel who had witnessed at first hand amazing works of God in healings and conversions was asked the question: what stirs, what excites you most in your ministry? The answer he gave was unexpected. He might have commented on the power of God to change lives, to reconcile families, to heal deep-seated pain. Instead he said the most important thing, the most precious part of being Christian, was to hear God speaking directly to him and to experience his Presence.
God, the Great Creator of the earth and the far-flung heavens, who was and is and always will be, wants to speak to little old you and me as individuals, right into our ears. This is amazing, and this is the heart of the gospel.
Jesus often spoke in parables – stories rooted in their day-to-day experience but containing truths of the kingdom of God and his heart towards us. He spoke of farmers, shepherds, fishermen, birds and flowers, fig trees and vines. He drew word-pictures. He referred back to Old Testament heroes and their deeds. He spoke in such a way that his listeners could grasp the truth about the kingdom.
I believe that God is speaking to us all the time and that like a radio we need to learn to tune into his voice if we are ever to enjoy life in all its fullness. What is God saying to you today?
Pete Spiers
John 20:19-29
When Jesus appeared to the disciples they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mary really had seen him. Jesus had died that terrible death on the cross, been in the tomb for three days and yet here he was, alive and talking to them. They had the evidence before their own eyes so could believe it.
We are not told why Thomas was not there that night but whatever the reason he has gone down in history as the man who lacked faith. It's true his attitude shows a lack of faith in God and Jesus. He would not believe that Jesus had risen from death, even though on a number of occasions Jesus had promised that this would happen. Thomas also showed lack of faith in the credibility of the other disciples as witnesses and doubted even though all the disciples were telling him that Jesus was alive.
When Jesus appears in Thomas' presence a week later Jesus does not chastise Thomas or rebuke him for his questioning. He invites Thomas close to him: to touch the wounds on his hands; to put Thomas' hand in his side; and in this moment of deep physical intimacy Jesus says, "Do not doubt but believe." (20:27) Thomas instantly responds, saying, "My Lord and my God." (20:28)
Thomas, is the first disciple to put into words the truth that Jesus is both Lord and God and utters the greatest confession of faith recorded anywhere in the Bible.
Thomas' doubt did not leave him estranged from God. God did not punish Thomas for his questioning. Jesus didn't reject Thomas for his doubt; quite the opposite, Jesus invited him closer.
Jesus said to Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
A lot of people today won't believe that Jesus really rose from the grave; they want proof before they believe. How about you? Do you have to see the evidence before you will believe in Jesus, or will you accept him by faith?
Barbara Chambers
Easter Sunday
We have been on a journey these past few weeks, together and privately, of thought and meditation on the events leading up to the death of Jesus, I have imagined Mary holding her son's dead body in her arms. In her devastation, Mary is confronted with the mystery of God. With motherly tenderness she must have cradled the lifeless form, bloodied from the nails, thorns and spear. She would have comforted Jesus if she could but now her husband and son are both dead, who would comfort her in her universal pain of bereavement. To love is to be fully human, but to love is also to lose, and therefore to grieve and Mary knew the depths of sorrow to which wholehearted love inevitably takes us. With Jesus in her arms Mary would only have known tragedy and death and must have felt the absence of God and desolate abandonment of her cherished hopes for her son. God hidden for a moment.....but Mary had not been abandoned. Jesus may be dead in her arms, but through his resurrection she will live for ever. We can contemplate his death more calmly than Mary because we know it is not his end.
Thanks to God, Jesus our Lord is risen and now his incomparably great power is at work in us who believe, we who have become children of God. We who will one day be like Christ, we who now have something worth living for, we who have become part of God's redemptive purpose for his world. We who receive the healing and wholeness which springs from Christ's wounds, we who have the fulfilment of the promised outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We, who, through Jesus' resurrection can enter into the reality of God's promises, claiming the amazing grace that means 'nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord'. Hallelujah!! What a saviour.
Shirley Wallin
The Cross is too Strong
Jesus came to save us all
In a world so full of sin
He opened up the gates of heaven
So that we sinners can go inHe took our punishment upon the cross
He took away our shame
And on the cross I can place
All my burdens and my painThe cross has many burdens on it,
But it will never give way,
For Jesus made a perfect
Sacrifice upon it,
Something we can never repay
Matthew Thompson (age 12)
Palm Sunday
When things get difficult it makes so much difference when we can see an end to our troubles. We often talk about ‘seeing the light at the end of the tunnel’ when we feel that finally there is hope. The people in Jerusalem had waited over four hundred years for God’s promise to send them another King like King David to come to pass. No wonder there was an eruption of praise as Jesus entered the Holy City.
When God fulfils his promises he does so in a way that requires us to discern his true sovereignty. In other words if we are looking for an easy answer or a quick fix, we are likely to miss out on what he wants to do in our lives. Jesus humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). It is when we recognise what he did on the cross and submit to his love, that we begin to see his true Kingship and experience his power in our lives.
What sort of answers are we looking for? Do we want a quick fix or a life changing experience? Because Jesus did not take the easy route to personal glory, he made it possible for God to bring hope and salvation to all who look to the cross. Jesus was the true fulfilment of his people’s hopes. He still is today!
Alan Lewney
Such Love
“Honestly, I don’t know him”, Peter replied
Once, twice, three times spoken
Let’s go!” ordered the Roman soldier
“You shall wear this crown, King of the Jews”.John, Peter, Paul, but no Judas
Everyone watching, “poor him”
Saying “Let’s gamble for his clothes” are two greedy men
Under cruel nails, surrendered
Such LoveGood man on the cross
Only two men with him
Did no harmJesus carrying his own death
End in sight
Such cruel nails
Unknown pain
Such Love
Samuel D’Auvin (age 10)
Have you been watching The Apprentice - the TV programme in which 12 promising young people work with, and compete against, each other for the ultimate prize of becoming an apprentice to Sir Alan Sugar? Each week, the teams are set a fresh challenge. One member of the losing team is ‘fired’ from the show by Sir Alan himself; eventually, he’ll be left with just the One.
The promise of the final reward – to be mentored by one of the country’s top businessmen – is enough to bring both the best and the worst out of the bright young things as they show themselves willing to stab their own team-mates in the back to get in front.
Imagine, for a moment, that the prize is not to work with a top businessman, but a higher power altogether. Imagine that the task is less about accumulating money for yourself and more about generating ‘riches’ for as many as you dare to dream of. Imagine that your passion is aroused not by loving yourself at the expense of others, but by trying to love God first, then others as yourself.
The Apprentice offers us a glimpse of what we are capable of if we put our minds to it. Apprenticeship is what we must do to fulfil the Great Commission itself. Jesus commanded us not just to make converts but disciples and that is a lifetime's experience. If I have learned anything from the School of Leadership its that I am still an apprentice with much to learn from the Master but there is no better Master to be an apprentice under than Jesus! Who are you learning from?
Pete Spiers
Today’s readings focus on two mothers from the Bible. Hannah (1 Samuel 1: 20-28) and Mary (John 19: 25b-27)
Hannah pleaded desperately with God for a child, and promised to give her first born son into God’s service. Imagine the joy she felt when baby Samuel was born and how she must have felt when she left Samuel with Eli who was old and whose sons were renowned for their bad behaviour. Yet because she had the courage to stick with her decision, her promise to God, her son Samuel grew up to become a great prophet.
Then there is Mary, the mother of Jesus. How must she have felt when she learnt that Jesus was to die on a cross. Yet Mary had the courage and strength to stand at the foot of his cross and give her son her support and strength when he needed it most.
And this is both a privilege and a requirement of being a carer or a parent, to endure and to go on enduring, no matter what the cost. Love is our best human quality and God has promised that he will stand with us until the end of time (Matthew 28: 20b). That means at the foot of our cross, where, when, how or why that might be, whether we deserve to be there or not.
And if God thinks that about us, we need to be offering that sort of love to everybody else. It means standing alongside people and sticking with them no matter what the cost, no matter what the pain.
And when we have people who care for us like that whether they are a parent, a carer or a friend we are truly blessed because they mirror the heart of God for us.
Barbara Chambers
Jesus tells us that the most important thing in any of our lives is to love God with all our heart, soul and mind. On the occasion of Jesus clearing the temple as in our reading today his actions demonstrated just how important that love is to God. People coming to worship at the temple needed to buy animals for sacrifice and the temple authorities only accepted certain coinage so both money-changing and the sale of animals for sacrifice were necessary to enable temple worship to continue. Jesus reacted with such a righteous anger, we wonder why, maybe they should have been outside instead of inside the temple courts, maybe in their trading they were exploiting the poor. Whatever the reason Jesus saw that they were polluting the worship of God, and he was absolutely committed to confronting any power that set itself out to devalue the Father’s glory and honour. So shouldn’t we have that same righteous anger when we see practices in our society which God hates but which we accept in the name of tolerance. We need to stand up for our faith in our personal relationships and in our communities, we need to speak out publicly about God’s will for our societies. In failing to speak out against the dangers of chasing after false gods of materialism, power and pleasure, we fail to honour the gospel of freedom, wholeness and holiness by which we have all been saved. Disillusioned we have retreated from politics, we should be restoring the values of compassion and justice, reminding the government of its God ordained duty to preserve justice and mercy. Joseph, Moses and the prophets all spoke out for justice within the political arena. Joseph went from prisoner to prime minister in a day! - and was used by God to provide food for many nations. Moses was appointed by God to speak for justice on behalf of the Israelites so that they might be delivered from captivity and the prophets regularly criticised governments for their injustices. We need to look to God for courage to present the undiluted truth and to speak about what we believe.
Shirley Wallin
Who is Jesus? This question was asked of Peter and he unhesitatingly replied, “You are the Messiah”. If we were to ask members of the public we would receive many different answers but even the disciples struggled to see the full importance of his life and what it means to follow him. Jesus must have alarmed his followers when he said they must carry their cross and follow him. A cross was a symbol of oppression and suffering. A cross is big and heavy and awkward to carry. Being faithful to God has never been easy. Abraham left everything behind to fulfil God’s promise, but God’s plan was revealed to him and he was truly blessed. The thread of God’s promise runs right through scripture and through his sacrificial death on the cross God has brought all things back to himself, both on earth and in heaven (Colossians 1:20). Following Jesus is the greatest privilege we can have. It will be difficult but God gives us what we need. Are we ashamed to tell others that we follow Christ and that we believe this is the most important thing we can do? Others may not see it that way but if we are faithful to him he will be faithful to us, and those who are searching for the truth will be drawn to us.
Alan Lewney
Judging by the comments written in the visitors' book, the prayer room last weekend was deeply appreciated. I thank God for the creative and imaginative way in which we were stimulated to pray. Certainly people were amazed at the transformation of the 'vestry'. When I took a reporter from the Crosby Herald in on Monday morning, I don't think she could quite believe what she was seeing! As I said goodbye to her, someone was looking round the outside of the church for somewhere to pray and he asked me if I knew of anywhere. Funny you should say that, I said! When we pray, coincidences happen!
Last weekend we also began to mourn the tragic losses of Peter Firth and Dave Denison but what was very moving for me was to go over to the prayer room and find people 'watching and waiting' in prayer. Adding their names to the prayer wall, we were able to keep their family and friends in mind. This made such a difference. We began to see the truth of Paul's words when he encouraged the Christians at Thessalonica to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It is not possible for us to spend all our time with the words of prayer on our lips, but it is possible for us to be all our days in the spirit of prayer, realizing our dependence on God for all we have and are. The essence of prayer is lifting our heart to God and seeking his will for our lives. It can be so easy to allow our experiences in the prayer room last weekend to become a distant memory. Perhaps we can create a space in our homes for ourselves where we can realise, as Isaiah says, 'in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength'. It's worth thinking about.
Pete Spiers
The dictionary tells us that prayer means a solemn request or thanksgiving to God or an object of worship; a formula or form of words used in praying. The Bible tells us that Jesus was a great believer in prayer, of spending time with God. He would take himself off to pray alone (Matthew 14:23; 26:36) or would go with his disciples and teach them about prayer. He gave them the words of the Lord's Prayer, which we still use today (Matthew 6:9–13). Paul also encourages us in the words of the scriptures to continually pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to pray in the Spirit on all occasions (Ephesians 6:18).
This weekend the vestry has been turned into a room of prayer. There have been several areas set aside to encourage us to pray and bring our requests to God. Have you used the prayer room yet, if not then please take the opportunity of using it after any of our services this morning or maybe come back this afternoon to spend sometime with God. God listens to his people and he delights when we spend time waiting upon him and talking with him. Our church, community and world will have been covered by prayer, from Friday at 7pm to this evening when we finish with a special celebration service. Please come and support in what ever way you can.
Barbara Chambers
John 1:1-14
Our reading today is a familiar one to us all, especially at Christmas. The other Gospels begin in Judea, but for John Jesus’ life and existence represent the critical moment of all existence. This always reminds me of the beginning of ourselves, the world says, particularly in relation to abortion, that we come into existence at a certain time but God tells us that “...we were not hidden from him when we were made in the secret place, when we were woven together in the depths of the earth, God saw our unformed bodies and he knew all the days ordained for us before one of them came to be … He chose us in him before the creation of the world.” Wow!!
John relates Jesus’ entrance into the world to God’s eternal purposes and the entire life of the universe. John’s intention was that his Gospel should be read in the light of the profound revelation that the words and deeds of Jesus are nothing other than those of God himself. God chose to reveal himself through his Son to a dark world that didn’t understand, recognise or receive him. Ye … all that is ultimately true, wonderful and lovely, everything that gives real direction, purpose and meaning is wrapped up in the life of Jesus. Anything claiming to be true that does not have its source in him is at best just a shadow, or at worst a lie. For he himself is the Truth, its source and fulfilment. Truth is not found in words, it is only to be found in him the Word. Any plan or purpose which is not based in him is destined to frustration or failure because he himself is the plan and purpose, he is the way. “There is only Christ and he is everything”. To embrace his life is to find yourself. Anyone who comes in faith to examine this life will find themselves somehow more alive, for he is the Life. Just read through the passage again, there comes a point when our attempts to comprehend God just give way to wonder, amazement and adoration.
“For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, … all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together … For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” Colossians 1:16-19
Shirley Wallin
Today is Education Sunday and we have invited along the head teachers from three church schools to share with us. I’m sure we would all agree that education ought to be available to children everywhere. In this country a debate is underway about how we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to make the most of their potential. Our children are the most important resource we have and for many of us our future will lie in their hands.
Education is not just about qualifications but also about what kind of people we turn out to be. Jesus never went to university and the disciples amazed the Jewish council with their boldness, especially when they learned that they were ordinary men of no education. They realized then that they had been companions of Jesus. He was called “Teacher” a title of great respect in his society as it should be in ours.
We want to support our schools so that they can do the best they can for the children academically and also encourage them to think about the claims of the greatest teacher of all as they experience his love. Will you pray for them and do all you can to help them to prosper. Will you also pray for children throughout the World who struggle to gain access to even a basic education and a way out of poverty?
Alan Lewney
Robbie Fowler said on his return to Liverpool last week that if you pray enough for things, I'm proof they can happen. He should stick to what he does best, putting the ball in the back of the net, rather than explaining the power of prayer!! It is not true. Prayer is more than wishful thinking. Prayer is not making sure that your dreams come true. Many people pray for a big lottery win only to see their numbers failing to come out. Many people pray for their loved ones to recover from illness only to see them die.
Prayer is asking for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In prayer we seek to find out what God's will is and then to pray for it. Jesus would often pray like this, he taught us to pray it and he struggled to do it, most notably in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died when he realised what God's will was. He even prayed that there might be some other way.
Many people believe that God's will is fixed and that he will do what he wants to do, they have the sense that everything is pre-determined. They find themselves feeling lacklustre in prayer. What God wants us to do is to see prayer as a dynamic relationship in which we see that our prayers can bring about change in ourselves and in the lives of those around us. We pray the future, what God has promised, not what seems to be happening, into being. In three weeks' time, we are going to have the opportunity to experience the power of prayer in a way that we have never experienced it before and I hope you will join us. It's all summed up by one of the sayings of the worldwide 24/7 prayer movement: pray like it all depends on us and live like it all depends on God.
Pete Spiers
Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Luke 2:22-40
When Mary and Joseph came into the temple with Jesus, both Simeon and Anna instantly knew this baby was the long awaited Messiah. Now how did they know that? Why did both Simeon and Anna single out this family as being different? How did they recognise that which was holy amongst the ordinary? I think because they'd both spent a lifetime waiting upon God. Being silent before him, praising him, praying to him, listening to him, reading his word in the Scriptures. Their whole lives for many years had been immersed in God. So that when the moment came, they recognised it.
The value of prayer isn't necessarily that God will do wonderful things for us immediately we ask him. Although it’s good when that happens. Prayer is more a lifeline to God, it keeps us connected to him. And through that lifeline, God is able to nourish us. So that gradually, those who have been closely connected to God can begin to recognise the holy in the ordinary. I suppose if we’re looking for God like Anna and Simeon were looking for God, we'll find him. If we’re not looking for God, or if we've given up looking for him, we may stumble over God a thousand times a day and never be aware of his presence. It's something which gradually happens through a life of prayer.
I don't suppose Simeon or Anna ever knew what their recognition of the Saviour in a tiny baby meant to Mary and Joseph, or even to Jesus himself. We may never know what our recognition of God does for someone else on his or her journey, or how a chance remark helps to shape another person's life. But the point is, through their lifetimes of prayer, Simeon and Anna were ready, and it was a very important moment of recognition for those young parents, Mary and Joseph, and for their child, Jesus.
If we want to be ready, if we too want to begin to recognise the holy in the ordinary, the holy in the everyday, then all we need to do is spend regular time alone with God. And gradually, as he draws us closer, we too shall begin to spot God amongst the everyday.
Barbara Chambers
“…so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others.”
Today sees the commissioning in our services of those who have been licensed to administer Holy Communion to the sick and housebound members of our church. We know that there is healing in the shed blood of Jesus, “But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows he received.” On the cross Jesus overcame all the powers of darkness which includes the power of sickness, suffering and death, and healing comes to us through his death on the cross. God has given us ordinary Christians authority for this ministry, and the Holy Spirit has empowered us for this ministry. Our authority/right is what everyone who is born again of the Spirit is given, it is part of our birthright as Christians – he gave to us authority as children of God. One of the means God uses to assure us of this God-given authority is through a process of commissioning and authorising in a public meeting. If we are to exercise our God-given authority in the same way that Jesus did, and to be used effectively in the healing ministry, then we need to live lives similarly consecrated in obedience to God. We need to be as committed to holiness as Jesus was, and also as sensitive to the Father’s daily prompting in ministry as Jesus was. So let’s pray for all those being commissioned today that they would know that empowering of the Holy Spirit and be a great source of blessing to all our vitally important housebound members of the Body of Christ here at St Luke’s.
Shirley Wallin
Becoming Disciples
Jesus taught his disciples and they followed what they had been taught. We too need to follow Jesus day by day and learn how to follow his teachings in our lives. I don’t know about you but I find it very hard to learn anything just by listening or just by reading something. When we have to do something ourselves, we really apply ourselves and work out what we need to do. If you have ever tried to put together a piece of flat pack furniture you know exactly what I mean. Many things have been said in frustration that perhaps would not normally have been said.
Becoming a true disciple of Jesus is not a matter of just listening or reading but putting his teachings into practice. Many of us have learnt most from working alongside other Christians and seeing their honesty in times of difficulty. Being part of a small group of Christians enables us to share honestly our difficulties and to apply what we have learnt. The disc