|
Mary the mother of Jesus is one of the best known of women in the bible yet surprisingly little is known about her that has not come about over the centuries of evolving church tradition and because she is much venerated, stories, even myths, have grown up around her. Some even assert that she was translated straight to heaven without dying for which I can see no theological basis.
So, what do I think I know about her? Well I read that she was born in 18BC in a little village (Tzippori) near Nazareth. It is estimated that Jesus was born 4BC or 6BC (its that old calendar problem raising it's head again!) making the Virgin Mary 12 or 14 years of age at the time. Lets just agree 13 years shall we? I am not surprised or shocked by this young age which, in light of later Jewish legislation, is quite a conservative estimate of her age for she may have been younger. See Historical Note:
The women normally married as soon as they were physically able to bear children, which the Law defined as twelve and a half years of age. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was probably no older than fourteen when she bore him.” (Zanzig, T. (1999). Jesus of History, Christ of Faith. Terrace Heights, Winona: Saint Mary’s Press, Christian Brothers Publication. p. 89)
As an aside, but consistent with such an early age, I read that in 327BC (obviously a lot earlier) Alexander the Great married Princess Roxana when she was 13 years of age so, over a millennium, there is a surprising consistency for the age of marriage - it being only now 16 years in England after two thousand years of social reform and female emancipation.
What else? Well what happened after Golgotha? I read that she lived another 15 years (3 years on Mount Zion outside the walls of Jerusalem, 3 years at Bethany and her last 9 years on the outskirts of Ephesus in a tiny little house (in what today we would call a Christian commune.). Adding all this up it means she died 15 years after Christ's Ascension. She was then reported as 59 years old on death in AD48, a record which is not consistent with her birth in 18BC. But, if somehow correct, means she was 44 when she stood at the foot of the cross. This means that Jesus would have been roughly 44-13=31 years old when He died and rose again. The latest chronological estimate is that He died 3 April AD33 which, if He was born 4BC puts Him nearer 37 years old (4+33 and a lot older than I thought) so something is awry somewhere. But all this gets me no nearer getting to know Mary the person which is something I will ponder in a later blog. Having laboured the reading of Frank Morison's book WHO MOVED THE STONE this Easter, I still have many questions about Mary left unanswered. 1 May 2017 StanH.
HEALTH WARNING: THE NEXT BLOG IS QUITE A LONG ONE SO TAKE A PACKED LUNCH WITH YOU !!!
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? More accurately what the Frank Morrison book has left me asking, wearing my Inspector Morse hat, is - where were various individuals, especially the women on the day of the last supper which is the Passover Meal and right through to Easter Sunday. What's my problem? Well - this is a group, quite a large group actually, that went around together as a band. Band is a good word. I think they would have made quite an imposing group as they marched en masse along the road from Jericho into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. But there would have been many such groups heading up for the Festival in Jerusalem on that day. Having said that, I can remember in the old days when we went on Whitsuntide Walks - remember them ? Big groups walking along together but in smaller clusters stretched out down the road - talking, laughing, having fun, neighbours, friends, the children running off on their own games and adventures. Remember when Mary and Joseph "lost" Jesus that time in Luke 2v41-48 on their way home from the Festival. Then what a week Holy Week would have been ! All the women wandering around the City, mooching around the shops and bazaars of the Old Town (M&S, Next, Bon Marche!). No, but seriously, its like when two or three families go off on holiday together - how do you organize and orchestrate what, where and when everyone is doing this or that, getting meals, clean clothes for the kids, etc. Ladies it's a nightmare ! But I don't need to tell you that.
Remember when the disciples asked Jesus where he wanted to have the evening meal (Matth 26v17); now there's a clue in that question that it was not going to be in one of the usual haunts - like back at Bethany? Often its the women who get left with those organising and catering jobs so it seems odd that it was the men this time. Hey! Maybe those two disciples weren't men? And no-one ever mentions children. Were there children? Jesus and the Disciples normally lodged at Mary and Martha's in Bethany, about three miles out of Jerusalem, coming into the City daily on a route that took them right past the Garden of Gethsemene and then back in the evening. Why didn't they celebrate the Passover there amongst dear friends on that most momentous of nights? Did anyone have a sense that it was going to be just that - a momentous night? [Just as an aside and topically, since its ten years, we could ask, and this will give us a sense of what I'm rambling on about - Did the McCanns know that on that night when they went out for a meal, leaving Madeline in the apartment, that it was going to be a momentous night? There's a thought to leave with you. Because we never know do we?].
Wasn't it in that same week that Jesus had eaten a meal at the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany ? Were they heading back to Bethany that night and Jesus took them off on an ill-fated expedition into the Garden. Was that planned or led of the Holy Spirit (who, if not yet with the Disciples, was certainly with Jesus). Remember the last time Jesus was led by the Spirit in Luke 4? That was no picnic either ! What I can't figure out though yet (unless Jesus had it all worked out ahead of time) is why it was just Jesus and the Twelve at that Thursday night meal. If indeed that was the case. Were there women there? How can we find out ? There is a lot of chauvanistic denominational nonsense written (and painted) about who could attend that meal usually to the exclusion of women but even though Paul wrote 1 Cor 11 well before any of the Gospels had been written ( by the way, did you realise how late the Gospels were actually written?) even Paul did not definitively exclude women. But we don't need to split hairs because Exodus 12 is very clear that the Passover Meal was a family or household meal; small households could even join together with their neighbours. It was definitely not an all-male event nor is it today. Some of the disciples were married, if not most? Where were the wives (and children)? Wouldn't it seem odd for there to be no women? And then the next logical question when it all kicked off later that night and most of the Disciples ran off was - where did they go? Was it to the same place or scattering to different places. How did they re-group and re-connect with their wives and families and each other. So many unanswered questions. Why were so few of them at the cross? Quite a few women were there that we know of: Mary, His mother was there, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. She was there. And John. But no Peter and no other men. Was that deliberate, or cowardly OR did the chain of communication break down and some literally did no know that Jesus was scheduled to be crucified on that day? And what about that couple from Emmaus - they were there. I reckon the writer of Marks Gospel was there as the lead Gospel Writer, because he talks about Salome being there (wasn't she the wife of Zebedee , the mother of James and John). Idon't think we have all the names because Mark records that "among them", that is among a larger group of women, was Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph. So many Mary's. About then, Mark also said that in Galilee these women had followed Him and cared for His needs. More than that Mark writes that MANY other women who had come up with Him [to Jerusalem] in that fateful week, and were also there. So many unanswered questions. But here's a question and I'll finish with this last question: Were YOU there when they crucified my Lord? 4 May 2017 StanH
When they chose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot Luke records that there were about 120 believers present. That would be, I think, including men, women and some children. That pretty well amounted to the entire Christian Church at that time. Thats a few more than we get at St James Doncaster on a good Sunday - although we are pretty well there most of the time. Even this building can look quite full. So Church - get up from your seats. Stand and look around you, nod to your neighbour, acknowledge your brothers and sisters in the faith. You are a scale model of the Church in those heady days ! You have seen it all - the miracles, the healings, the preaching, the bloodied body of Jesus dragging his own cross....the crucifixion, the burial, the ressurrection, the risen Jesus in your midst, His ascension. And now you are here with a sense of calling to carry what He had started and exemplified in His own life and body. For me - choosing Matthias hints at a sense of going on, continuity, business as usual. Though, as we shall soon see - a very unusual business that is still trading today. Luke tells us that on the day of Pentecost they were all together. Does He mean all one hundred and twenty? That would be another conspicuously large group entering a sizeable house that must have been getting on for the size of our Church Hall! And then it all kicked off ! "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house [yes - Luke confirms that it was indeed a house not a church hall] where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that seperated and came to rest on each of them". If it wasn't hot already with 120 sweaty bodies crammed into that house then those 120 flames would quickly provide all the central heating they needed ! Luke then says: They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that seperated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and [they] began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them". I think if a few people had claimed to have had a spiritual experience like that, then you could be forgiven for questioning whether they really had it - but 120 subsequent testimonies shared abroad in the days and weeks afterwards could not be ignored and the power of what they had (call it what you will) grew a church! I can understand where they were coming from - those foreign pilgrims that saw them stagger somewhat dazed out of that house. It would have looked a strange,even amusing, sight of a drunken stupor. Luke, in my bible talks about a crowd which came together IN BEWILDERMENT. We have to recognise that the improving translation of Luke's texts over the centuries means that more likely than not "bewilderment" very accurately captures the moment - what really did that morning at 9.00 am. [ Luke 2v15] It was Peter who stood up and said:"These people are not drunk as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning!". Then, starting with a prophesy from the Book of Joel, he preaches one of the most important sermons we shall find anywhere in the New Testament. Even Jesus did not have the opportunity to preach this particular sermon! It only comes once. But He did say that you will do greater things than me. The Church only had one chance in all history to preach such a sermon and it was Peter who had the presence of mind, with the aid and prompting of this newly received Holy Spirit - and he took it. If Peter's recent cowardice is anything to judge by then the transformation from his behaviour on that fateful black night in the High Priest's Courtyard is utterly amazing. When it comes we who gather in that room at St James on Sunday mornings must take that one opportunity! 6 May 2017 StanH.
The sad story of us. Actually I want to steal this story of a brown Russian Bear from Malcolm Duncan's book, "Risk Takers", and render it in a slightly different way. It's the story of one of those bears that ends up in a life of misery in captivity - maybe its a circus bear or a dancing bear, a street performing bear, that is held in chains, ill-treated, made to perform entertaining tricks, prodded and hit with sticks or iron bars. At the end of the day he is locked in a small cage (the book said 12 feet x 12 feet) where, confined, he walks up and down, up and down, monotinously up and down. Because bears were never meant to be confined but to roam free in their natural habitats. One day a group of do-gooders come along and release the bear back into the wilds of Russia - into a great forest. But it is electronically tagged so the good guys can monitor it for a time until they are satisfied that it is going to settle to its new life of freedom. They eventually track the bear to an open sunny glade deep in the forest - but there is something wrong. The bear is walking up and down, up and down, monotinously up and down in an imaginery 12 foot by 12 foot space somewhere in that wide and spacious sunny glade. Why the sad story of us? Where do we come into the story? Let me at this point remind you what the Sunday School song tells us about heaven: "Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace - I want to see my Saviours face, heaven is a wonderful place". Imagine how sad it would be, not only for the bear but also for you if, when you got to heaven all that you did was walk up and down, up and down, monotinously up and down. I hope I'm wrong but could it be that the Christian life that you're living now (or failing to live) is not preparing you for the freedom that should be yours when you get up there. Heaven is somewhere high up there (well in our minds thats where it is). Men and women who walk the high wires (like the famous Blondin) were risk takers who first honed their skills much closer to Earth and so must we. 9 May 2017 StanH
My story today concerns a man who died and went to heaven. Well....thats how it all started. Our man...let's call him John in order to protect his true identity; not that such niceities really matter to a man who is...well dead! John arrives at the gates of heaven with his suitcase, toothbrush and mouthwash. He presses the bell and somewhere deep in the interior a buzzer can be heard. This is very much like Tesco Click and Collect because eventually one of the great doors creaks open. Why? Why do they always have great doors in these stories and why must they always creak? You would expect so fequently a used door to be greased up and smoothly silent in its efficient operation. Yes? Can I help? [It was Jesus - John immediately recognised him from his Facebook photo]. Yes - I've arrived. Hmmn! Oh! Yes! How are you? Not too good - actually I'm dead! Yes quite! How can I help you today? Well - I'm here to sign in...obviously! Yes...that's what I thought. [In hindsight when John thought back Jesus was not looking His usual self. Edgey. Shifty even - ill at ease]. It was by now starting to spit with rain and John wanted to be inside. In the warm. Does it really take this long to get booked in? He had afterall pre-booked on-line. There must be a list with his name on for today? Surely? We've got a problem. A problem ? Yes - a problem. And I should be concerned because? Well since you're here I suppose we should offer you a cup of tea. I was thinking more along the lines of a room with a view. Yes I can understand that - which brings me back to your problem. My problem you say? How is this my problem? Well - I'm sure you will understand that accommodation is always at a premium up here. Well yes - I am a member afterall. But then, I don't have to remind you about the promise. The promise? Well yes: "In My Fathers house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?". I would have to agree that I did say something like that and if it was left to me you would be nicely settled in by now. So why do I sense there's a 'but' coming. As I said accommodation is always at a premium. So what are you telling me? In a word - WE'RE FULL ! How can you be 'full' - I've been on my way here since before time began. None of this is rocket science. Anyway, no problem, I'm willing to share. I ticked that box on the form. Just introduce me to my room-mate. Sorry but we're all shared up. Believe me I feel really bad about this but I'm afraid we're going to have to send you back. At our expense of course - under the circumstances. What circumstances? Well - that you're not able to get into heaven. But don't feel too bad. It's not your fault. And I still love you just as much as I ever did. And you're not on your own. See that bus over there. [Until now John had not noticed the coach with the engine quietly idling over by a small dark cloud]. Those folks on the bus are all heading back as well. So what is the moral of my story? Well there is no moral as such but it brings us to a fundamental question concerning us and heaven. You, me and heaven. I told you the other day that: "Heaven is a wonderful place, full of glory, full of grace. I want to see my Saviours face. Heaven is a wonderful place". And wasn't it Matthew (5v12) who led us to believe that there is an entitlement to all the benefits of heaven in eternity for the Christian. But if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, and He clearly loves us, do we need really anything else? This story tests the true nature and quality of our love, our faith and our trust in God. I pray that you will not be found wanting on that great day when we are all called to glory (or not as the case may be, in your case, if there is any truth in my story). Is it possible (and this is a hard one) that our so-called love of God is founded on little more that cupboard love? You do know what cupboard love is - don't you?
"Cupboard love" is an English expression, which Gypsy should have taught you by now, referring to affection that is given purely to gain a reward.
This phrase is most often applied to human activity, for example, when a child might say "I love you so much Grandma" before requesting an ice cream. Cupboard love is actually a milder version of conditional love, where love is given solely in response to certain acceptable behaviour. We know that God's love for us on the other hand is completely unconditional but is our love for Him - dare I say it - conditional? If we truly love God does it really matter where we spend eternity? I will leave you to ponder that thought for today. But come in and do have a cup of tea before the bus goes. 10 May 2017 StanH
The mystery of the Universe. The writer of Hebrews leaves us in no doubt that Jesus (Christ Jesus - the God-half of Jesus) made the Universe. It was He who, in those first six days, made the Heavens and the Earth. The Psalmist David is very clear about this but it is only when we get to the New Testament that someone, the one anonymous contributor in the NT at that, makes it very clear for Christians and the Church, that Heaven's maker is Jesus. I don't have any problem with that truth - in fact it truly thrills my soul (all that thrills my soul is Jesus). What I ponder is its purpose and size. Why did He make it so big ? What is the purpose of the dead bits and the toxic bits, the invisible bits (dark matter) and the awesome bits. Gravity.The awesome power released in an exploding supernova, the jaw dropping power of gravity and black holes which can tear stars, planets and moons apart. The strangeness of time. We sometimes say that God speaks to us through His creation. For example in the beauty of creation - animal and plant life, oceans and mountains. But what of its awesome side? Something (Someone) made the awesome, made the super big numbers and the nano-small numbers. But why did God (the "Let us..." Trinity of Genesis Chapter 2) conceive of a physical creation at all. Afterall we have a spiritual side and there was a spiritual side before creation (before the creation of the physical side). There was no chronological time before creation but there was, by implication, a spiritual side that did not need c-time to exist and make sense. Why didn't God just stick with the spiritual dimension. What was God's big idea. We live in the big idea sphere. We are part of that big idea but despite the tremendous advances in science and mathematics are we any closer really to understanding it. Scientists strive to understand it to the exclusion of religion and to the exclusion of God - which may prevent them from ever understanding it if truth be told . Christians accept it without needing to understand it. We call it faith. And yet without the benefit of the "scientific" window into this great and beautiful mystery are we really understanding it? 14 May 2017 StanH
Quote Of The Week (w/c 15 May 2017) taken from the web site Home Page...
From the book "Risk Takers", by Malcolm Duncan (2013) who provides a very amusing, inspiring yet for every Christian a very comforting quote from the Bible Commentary of the Puritan, Matthew Henry. It concerns [what he calls] the Last Will and Testament of our Lord, Jesus Christ taken from the pages of His Word.
Henry writes: "When Christ died He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea. His clothes to the soldiers, and His mother to John. But to His disciples, who had left all to follow Him, He left not silver or gold, but something far better - His peace !".
Anyone only barely familiar with the Bible will know where Matthew Henry got these truths:
His Soul - I think Luke says it best: Jesus called out in a loud voice,"Father into you hands I commit my spirit". When He had said this He breathed His last. Lk.23v46
His Body - Mark was the first to record what happened: "Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body". Mk15v43.
His Clothes - Again Mark is succinct: "And they [the Roman Soldiers] crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get". Mk.15v24. I would observe that Jesus was not even dead yet and would be looking down at them from the cross. They, like many today still, were quite oblivious to the momentous events unfolding.
His mother - It's only fair that we hear what John had to say on this subject: When Jesus saw His mother there , and the disciple who Jesus loved, standing near by, He said to her, "Woman, here is your son",and to the disciple, "Here is your mother.". From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. Jn 19v27.
His disciples - Some time after Pentecost Peter and John met a lame beggar in the temple precincts who asked for money but he got an unexpected answer and an unexpected blessing: Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!".
So Matthew Henry was right afterall. Jesus really did leave a will of sorts. He left the Church His legacy and a command..... 15 May 2017 StanH
Part 1 - Why were the four Gospels written so long after the event? The dating of the Gospels has and continues to be much debated. For me the mystery, if indeed there be any mystery at all, is why it took so long after that first Pentecost and the events of Acts Chapters 1 and 2 for someone to write an account of Christ's life and ministry years and, here's the thing, to recognise the need to get a true record of events down on paper for future generations. Whether the Early Church had any concept of an organisation that would survive more than two thousand years is difficult to get to grips with - but I doubt that it could have had such a vision at that time. Whole sections of the early church were, nationalistically and culturally, still inwardly-looking, very Jewish. Two or three factors, for me at least, would come to mind if I had been one of His disciples. Firstly, to tell the truth because untruth and wrong teaching was gaining ground in the early church. Secondly, the pressure of old age and the realisation that I, as one of His disciples and an eye-witness, owed it to Him and to the Early Church to make a record for posterity before it was too late. Thirdly - Luke talks about the need for an "orderly account" in Luke 1v1-4 which for me, means much the same thing. He writes: "Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down [verbally? word of mouth] by those who from the first were eye witnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you may have been taught". So there's another factor - we can be thankful to this unknown Theophilus and many like him who saw a need and created a demand, a market even, for someone to write a more orderly and systemmatic and chronlogical account of all that had transpired and had led to the founding of the Early Church that they had become a part of. Imagine, as if it was today, going to church for the first time - no bible, no hymn book, no overhead projector, no sound system, none of Paul's letters, nothing. The church was expanding rapidly beyond the capacity of those first, now aging, dying, eye-witnesses to minister to such a church in person. I'm sure this thought and concern was in Pauls mind when he taught them with his famous correspondance courses that we know as the epistles. PART 2 TO BE CONTINUED AT A LATER DATE . 20 May 2017 StanH.
What hope is there? I ask you - what hope? At our recent PCC Meeting this week our Vicar, Chris, started with a brief word. His subject was hope. Hope. It is our christian priviledge, calling and duty to offer hope to people who have no hope. We live in a needy world where hope is in short supply. Just taking a part of those well known words from Acts 3 and re-applying them to the subject of hope we could re-write them for hope. It was like this - some time after that first Pentecost, Peter and John were accosted in the temple courts by a lame beggar seeking money (Luke very clearly says money - the man had not even considered the possibility of healing at this point in time). You know the story. Famously, Peter's reply was:"Silver and gold I do not have [not we do not have, notice, but I do not have - it was personal to Peter and it is going to be personal to you] , but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk". Now, if this were just a magic formula you could simply replace the algebra of "walk" with the algebra of "oranges", "apples" or in this case, "hope". But there is more to it than that and it comes out in the story. Peter and John did not merely greet the beggar briskly with these words and walk smartly on before they got even more embroiled - they got involved with the man. Are you prepared for that? Risky! Danger! Let's see what happened next: ".....taking him by the right hand, he helped him up [careful! - is touching people even politically correct these days?] and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong". The story goes on and you can read it for yourself but the important thing is that it did not end there. It did not end there. And it was not done in a corner either - the man was walking, jumping about all over the place and praising God.God was in it. Forget the money - this was better than silver or gold! There was no going back to what his life had been. He walked on with them into the temple courts. I'd like to think he started coming to church! People who knew him, recognised him, and saw something remarkable had happened and they were amazed. Nowadays, "amazing" is arguably an over-used word - like "fantastic", as in; "this soup is fantastic!". No it's not fantastic, it's just soup for goodness sake. But Luke talks about "wonder and amazement" and I believe him. It is something else that is in short supply today. Wonder and amazement. But getting back to our subject - "hope". What if you and I could offer real hope to people. Danger ! Risk! It may require you getting involved with people. More than one hour or even more than one whole day. I remember that time (some of us will remember, most of you had gone home by then) when after a long day in church one Monday we were ready, I mean well ready, to be getting off home but at that very moment a troubled young woman came into the church. When she sat down and promptly fell asleep we knew we were not getting home any time soon. She was threatening suicide as her parting shot when she finally left. Will you be able to deal with this? Can you hack it? Are you up for this ? Such a small word isn't it - hope? Such a big job - to give people hope! END OF PART 1. 22 May 2017 StanH.
Smile God Loves You. In a Christian song by Bryn Howarth he poses this question: "What kind of love is this that gave itself for me; I am the guilty one, yet I go free? What kind of love is this, a love I've never known; I didn’t even know His name; what kind of love is this?". But what is love and why do we suffer from it? Quoting from an on-line article in The Guardian I read:
"What is love" was the most searched phrase on Google in 2012, according to the company. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the question once and for all [not that they did], the Guardian has gathered writers from the fields of science, psychotherapy, literature, religion and philosophy to give their definition of the much-pondered word". Five people from five different professions or walks of life then went on to give five quite different views on what love is. That it was said to be the "most searched phrase on Google in 2012" suggests that a whole lot of people are "looking [out] for love", which quite apart from reminding me of a song by Fleetwood Mac, suggests that love is a much sought after commodity. Poets and songwriters have spent a great deal of time considering love (often there own). One guy, Toronto Mike, lists 1187 songs with love in the title - I think he's just talking about the stuff that he likes. The Beatles famously sang "All you need is love", Charles Wesley wrote: "Love devine all loves excelling...". We often love to sing: "I love you Lord and I lift my voice...", written by Laurie Klein. And then there's that folm/novel called "love is a many-splendored thing". The value of reading many songs and poems on the subject of love is that from the opinions of the many you might begin to distill a sense of the length, depth and breadth of this delightful ailment - the love disease! Shakespeare wrote extensively on love in his plays: From a Midsummer Nights Dream - The course of true love never did run smooth. There's another thought - what is true love, what is false? I once started reading a popularist book on psychology and, as I recall, the first subject was love and its where a lot of people get into [psychological] problems because what many take for love is actually little more than emotional need - "...don't leave me, I need you!". No mention of that needy person's love for their partner. Selfish love. I blogged earlier this week on "cupboard love", which is a common example of selfish love which is not real love at all. Smile God Loves You! That was the subject that I started todays blog with before drifting off pist. There's that ungraspable verse in Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "And I pray that you, being rooted and established [grounded] in love, may have power, together with all the lord's people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ...BUT THERE'S MORE...and to know this love that surpasses knowledge [our intellectual ability to understand it] - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3v17-19. This is another one of those big subjects about which I could finish with TO BE CONTINUED, 26 May 2017 StanH
I suppose I should feel really smug. Why's that Steve? Well in March this year I've been a born-again Christian for 44 years. Wow! Steve - that's amazing! That's what I thought Si. I am pretty amazing aren't I? Forty-four years and every year getting more and more saved, more and more forgiven. I suppose I should feel sorry for some of the Iranian lads at St James who've only been saved a couple of years. Yeah that's really sad for them Steve. Yeah Si - its a pity they're not as saved as you and me. NB. Steve and Simon are two of the older and more humble members of St James Doncaster. Its a pity though that Simon and Steve don't know their Bibles a little better. You know the parable I'm talking about don't you? Yes! It's the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard: "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out in the morning to hire workers. He hires some right at the start of the day and agrees a wage with them. I'm cutting a long story short here, assuming you are familiar with the story. Throughout the day he continues to hire workers.Some have stood waiting for work all day as no-one had approached them with an offer of work. Right into the late afternoon up to around 5 pm the landowner is still hiring workers. Imagine that! It was a long day but in the end they all came up to the landowners office for their pay. Those who started first were at the front of the queue, came to him first and were paid in full. As they stood around counting their money they were alarmed to notice that everyone from the first to the last were getting paid EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEM. Those who started at five o'clock in the afternoon got exactly the same amount as them. "Surely that can't be right", one of them grumbled and, aggrieved, he went back to the landowner to express his concern and to clarify what was going on. "I am not being unfair to you - you got what we agreed", said the Owner. You get the point don't you. In the Kingdom of God everyone is treated fairly, everyone is treated the same. And its exactly the same when it comes to salvation and when it comes to foregiveness. Everyone benefits the same. So there you have it. Its a kingdom principle. Everyone is fully saved right from the get go - and will never be "more saved" as the years roll by. Never more forgiven. I'd hate to have to be the one to break it to Steve and Simon. I think they'd be like those grumblers in the parable. Don't you ? 29 May 2017 StanH
Saint or Sinner ? What are you - a saint or a sinner? That's a good question. It's one we could have posed to our friends, Steve and Simon, in the last blog but since they're probably still smarting from all their hard work for unfair pay, I'd rather not trouble them any further this month. So let's get on. I am a sinner but I don't relish being constantly reminded of it - I don't suppose any of us does. But Christ came to save sinners. He illustrates that very clearly when he likens Himself to a doctor in Matthews Gospel 9v12. He had just overheard the Pharisees asking His disciples why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners and so He said them: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill"; likening sin to ill-health or sickness. This blog is not unlike the last in that we think we know what the Bible says on a given subject but our theology is sometimes confused and the truth is usually more amazing. It goes like this: We know that we are (or in our minds were) sinners and we would quite happily wear a label on our chests that says I'M A SINNER. Where it then gets a bit confusing is when we discover that having been saved we are now saints with all the saints in glory. So we want to tear off the old label of I'M A SINNER and replace it proudly with I'M A SAINT. I can imagine Christians proudly walking around in white tee shirts with bold statements colourfully printed on with this truth writ large - I'M A SAINT! I can just imagine Steve and Simon wearing that tee-shirt, can't you ? The truth in all this is that we are saints but still sinners. And we will continue to sin and be sinners this side of Eternity.Just changing the tee-shirt is not enough. There has to be a fundamental heart change and Jesus was trying to get this over to Nicodaemus in John 3 when He spoke of being born again.Paul labours this whole subject in his Letter to the Romans: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this - while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5v6-8. What we need is one of those tee-shirts which have a provocative or curious label on the front and the counterpart to that statement on the back. Because nosey people do tend pass you and then turn round to have another look at you. So my tee-shirt says at the front I'M A SINNER ! but on the back it says BUT I'M ALSO A SAINT ! Saint or sinner - which one are you? I'm both ! 30 May 2017 StanH.
| |
