The world's sap has sunk...

Tomorrow is the longest night of the year…correspondingly we have to endure its shortest day. And as if to rub our noses in it, the weather has turned decidedly grim. It’s one thing to be cold, but at least crispiness and sub-zero mornings make us dream of a white Christmas. Dark mornings, gloominess, wet and windy weather all induce a deep reluctance to get up: duvet weather.

Like the animals, it’s an attractive option to hibernate through the dark of winter.

And the darkness is spiritual.

 

 

The beginning of Advent is marked by the excitement and unquenchable optimism that Christ is coming to reign…we sing ‘Lo! He comes…’

However, this year I’ve found myself (not unlike the passage of Lent) becoming steadily more gloomy spiritually as the season has progressed. Instead of the dimmer effect – steady growth from dark to light – it’s been a gradual darkening: from dark to darker! And I think it’s John Donne’s fault:

Tis the year’s midnight, and it is the day’s,

Lucy’s, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks;

The sun is spent, and now his flasks

Send forth light squibs, no constant rays;

The world’s whole sap is sunk

 

These are his opening words from ‘A nocturnal upon St Lucy’s Day’

Traditionally, St Lucy’s Day, 13 December, was regarded as the shortest day of the year – hence the idea of the “year’s midnight”…and the evocative assessment that “the world’s whole sap is sunk”.

St Lucy is a 4^th century martyr. Around Lucy certain legends have developed, not least the persistent idea that her eyes were removed before her death. However, this idea is unfounded, and absent in the many narratives and traditions, at least until the 15th century. But it’s rather poetic isn’t it. This beautiful young maiden, whose name, Lucy, is derived from the Latin for light (lux), has the one thing removed that casts light within – her eyes. She is, before death, consigned to darkness.

Liturgically, St Lucy’s day is followed by St John of the Cross Day who famously penned the poem, ‘The Dark Night of the Soul’. Happy.

Indeed, not only does St John’s poetry witness to the darkness that so often engulfs the human spirit, thrusting us into realms and periods of detachment and difficulty, seasons of isolation, even from God, when all is dark about us. But St John’s life itself witnesses to the darkness that accompanies walking with Christ. He was jailed in a monastery, where he was kept under a brutal regimen that included public lashing before the community at least weekly, and severe isolation in a tiny stifling cell measuring ten feet by six feet; not what you’d call palatial. Rarely, he was permitted an oil lamp, and he had to stand on a bench to read his prayer book by the light through a hole in the wall. He had no change of clothing and a meagre diet of water, bread and scraps of salt fish. A very real and no doubt soul-searchingly depressing period of darkness.

 

And then as if these two saints of the church were not enough, we were all confronted with the darkness of human nature in the massacre at Sandy Nook Elementary School. Sadly, the murder of 20 children only made me weep, and remember the Holy Innocents…Why, Lord? Why such darkness? How do we as Christians sing “my heart is full of admiration…” and so on, when we are confronted with evil?

On the same day I had a few hours to myself in the evening and possessed by a curious mood I decided to watch ‘Schindler’s List’ and so was plunged into more soul searching as I pondered afresh the torment and horror of the Final Solution and the death camps.

Whatever hopefulness that greets Advent, it has given way to a despair that accompanies the frank realisation of the state of the world. A spirit of evil and darkness seems to brood over the lives of man.

But in fact, maybe this is precisely the correct trajectory we take in Advent.

As I’ve remarked before, Advent is NOT about imagining we live in the Before Christ times; make-believing that we are shepherds and wise men waiting for the Messiah. No.

But something has to happen to our Advent cry. To sanctify and purify it. 

At the end of the liturgical year we reflect on the lives of the saints and the promise of eternal life in God’s presence in heaven: the last and eternal things. This naturally gives way to Advent where we begin the year eagerly expecting Christ’s coming. We are often expressly admonished to be joyful in this season. We are told – this is not a second Lent. We are reminded that the season is not penitential in nature.

Really?

I would contend that any serious engagement with the Advent readings, and much of this is in Isaiah, makes us reflect on the nature of our fallenness:

“The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants” (Isa. 24:5)

“He [man] cannot save himself” (Isa. 44:20)

The prophet points at the sins of indolence and laziness (47:8), of sorcery and astrology (47:12f.), of idolatry and pride (44:9-23; 47:7). The prophet says sin is rebelliousness “from birth” (48:8b).

In essence, we frequently and persistently turn away from God: we forget him (Isaiah 51:13).

Perhaps it is entirely fitting that this period from 13^th to 21^st December represents the dark heart of winter (and why the counterpoint of Gaudete Sunday is so refreshing. My friend Bryony preached on this on 16^th December). This week is the grim core of Advent, when we are finally worn down by the weather, the world, sin and our adversary, the Devil, who features in our readings from Thessalonians. We are afflicted on every side. Like the Psalmist, David, we might well say, “I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts…”(Psa 57:4)

And then when I look inside…I realise I am one of those lions, I am one of the beasts. I am my own darkness.

 

So what do we do?

We cry that great Advent exclamation: WAKE UP, DO SOMETHING, LORD! SAVE US (Isa. 51:9)

And the beautiful truth of this season is this: the hope of a world redeemed can only be sustained when we have in our heart the truth of a promise fulfilled: a baby born. We can only trust God to be faithful, because he was faithful to his promises of old to come into the world to comfort and console us. And it gets better!

“We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:14).

Advent is viewed through the lense of Christmas. Advent Hope is assured because of the Christmas Incarnation, and the Christmas Incarnation set into motion the life that leads to real life. Christmas is seen through the lens of Easter. Easter is the feast of feasts.

I am consoled and comforted this Advent because I am reminded once again that Jesus is coming back to judge and redeem the world. I can trust this will happen because God is faithful. His faithfulness is proven in the nativity – he fulfilled his promise – that God would come to save us. And this is THE great promise – that God would defeat the evil that came into the world – a defeat seen in the EASTER triumph.

 

So, John Donne, you may well be right. The world’s sap has sunk – and sadly we see signs of this decay day by day. But hope…hope is what drives us on. The hope of a Son: a son to save, to redeem, to judge, to comfort and console. A son who came, who died, who rose, who ascended, and who will come again.

A light. A light that has come into the darkness. And will never go out.

 

 

Pray for the House of Laity

I am personally distressed and upset for the hundreds of female clergy who have felt their vocation somehow undermined by tonight's General Synod vote. You can read about the outcome here.

It's fair to say that as I listened to the live stream of the results I was frustrated and angry at what seemed to be such a stupid decision...and I let my emotions get the better of me; I tweeted:

Failed...and it's all on laity! Personally, house of Laity...hang your bloody heads in shame! IN SHAME! #synod
— Rolf Mason (@rolf_mason) November 20, 2012

And I'm not alone. In fact, as I've followed the #synod hashtag this evening the vast majority of those commenting are disappointed, for a whole range of issues.

However, I don't want to offer any particular analysis for now. I think lots of anger has been expressed, including from me.

But one comment on Twitter did make me stop, and that was that we need to love the House of Laity more, not less right now. Very true.

As I sat to prepare myself for cell tonight, I completed the Evening Office, which at this time of the year (All Saints to Advent) is the last season and is so positioned as to be adjacent to the additional material for daily prayer, which includes PRAYERS FOR THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH.

Ouch!

But I felt compelled to pray them.

Ouch!

I think it is incredibly important the church is somehow able to remember that we are one in Christ, despite our differences, and that we must seek for all that builds our unity...to be peacemakers.

Of course, we often say that when we have mild disagreements, or the decisions we need to make are somehow notional or far off...

Tonight's decision is very present, very real, and very sad.

Which is why we must not rely on ourselves, but turn to God, asking him to help us.

Here's the opening prayer...maybe you would join me in praying it?

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
our only Saviour, the Prince of Peace:
give us grace seriously to lay to heart
the great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions.
Take away all hatred and prejudice,
and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord;
that, as there is but one body and one Spirit,
one hope of our calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of us all,
so we may henceforth be all of one heart and of one soul,
united in one holy bond of peace, of faith and charity,
and may with one mind and one mouth glorify you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What's a priest? (Hebrews - Day 21)

Sermons are tricky beasts...they can get away from you sometimes. And with the kindest respect to our vicar, Paul, I think his sermon back in October on Hebrews 7:23-28 rather got away from him. As I've read back through my notes of the sermon, and as I re-read the passage I'm forced to conclude he tried to say too much..breaking my personal rule that a sermon should be summarisable in one sentence (see here for a rather brutal critique of a service I attended).

I think Paul was trying to summarise a number of Hebrews-related themes:
1. The High Priest
2. Sacrifice
3. Sin
4. Exaltation and Acension

Now as it happens I've already picked up the theme of ascension in Hebrews here. And I've spoken about sacrifice here, amongst other references. And sin get's an expose in other places too. (This is why it's useful to do a journey through the book - not an edited highlights approach of the lectionary)

This then leaves us with the High Priesthood to consider.

(It's certainly worth saying at this point that I have, as someone who is seriously interested in ordination, found this study of Hebrews very helpful in deepening my understanding of the priestly function of a vicar...who's other main functions might be seen as pastor and prophet...or is that chaplaincy?...)

It's worth, while we're thinking about Priests to pause and consider what Hebrews notes they do:
- They represent the people (Heb 5:1) and in a sense vicars do still do that. They are not mediators - Hebrews streses this later in the letter - Jesus is the only mediator. But priests stand alongside people, almost like a union rep, petitioning and standing up for them.
- Intercessions (Heb 7:25): we see Jesus in heaven offering prayers for us, and so priests on earth would be expected to do the same.

- Sacrifices...perhaps of praise (Hebrews 5:1; 13:15), but also the role of our priests is to preside at communion which is an enactment of Christ's sacrifice. They are recounting the passion of Christ.
- Gifts: I think priests do unlock our potential and talents, but they also practically receive and offer to God our monetary offerings (Heb 5:1)
- Pastoring (Heb 5:2) is part of being a priest - like Jesus the shepherd - where the ignorant and those going astray are cared for by the priest.
- Worship (Heb 8:1-2) is part of making God present to us. We are brought more consciously into the very throne room of God when our priests lead us in worship of God.

But Hebrews makes it very clear that Jesus is a FAR superior High Priest to those who served in the Tabernacle, or in the Temple.

In these six verses in Hebrews 7:23-28 we review six ways in which Jesus is shown as totally adequate to meet our needs:

Hebrews 7	Jesus	The High Priests
v.23	One	Many
v.24	Permanent	Temporary
v.25	Saves completely	Saves incompletely
v.26	Holy, blameless, pure, set apart, exalted	Earthly, sinful, profane
v.27	Once-for-all	Repeated
v.28	Perfect	Weak

There is only one JESUS, but he is totally sufficient.

Our response?

Come to Jesus, through God (Heb 7:25) and he WILL save you completely. That's a promise!

Three Facts of Sin (Hebrews - Day 11)

Sin...

That's the word that jumps out at me as I read today's Hebrews passage (Hebrews 5:1-4) - sin!

I think it's worth being quite plain here - after all the Bible is too - we all sin. All of us.

I quite like the way we're described - ignorant and going astray.

I watched 999 What's Your Emergency tonight. I rarely sit down to watch real-time TV, but for once I did. And like so many other people I was shocked by what I saw: drunkenness, lewd behaviour, violence, aggression, gender politics, etc. Some of the comments made by those being cared for by the servicemen and women, were astonishing.

When I read these verses I was reminded of a brilliant essay I had read some years ago about sin. I dug it out, but it was without author, but thanks to the wonder of the internet I have not only found the author, but discovered online versions to share with you.

'The Three Facts of Sin' is taken from the book, 'An Ideal Life' by Henry Drummond (1851-97).

In this essay, Drummond argues from Psalm 103 that sin has three facets: its GUILT, its STAIN, and its POWER. From these three effects we need forgiveness from the guilt, healing from the stain, and redemption from the power of sin.

By POWER OF SIN, Drummond discerns that sin is more than guilt. When Hebrews talks about sacrifices for sin (Heb 5:3) it is more than forgiveness from guilt. The power of sin is that inexorable ever present potential to see our life come to ruin as a consequence of sin. Even when we turn to Christ, this power still seeks to dominate. Therefore, when we come to God we seek redemption from the destruction of sin. It requires more grace, Drummond argues, to keep our life from sin through all the tempted years than just forgiving the lifelong sinner. Grace is bigger than guilt: it is a living grace, a restraining grace.

Have you ever thought that - that God is actively seeking to stop you sinning. Sin wants to spoil and ruin our lives. We sometimes see Satan in these terms - as a personal, implacable enemy of our soul. That is what sin is. It's out to get us.

But we are told that Jesus has us - he not only forgives our guilt, but in his role as High Priest he's asking God to grant us mercy and grace to "help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16). Furthermore, we are sent the Holy Spirit to aid us in this Holy Living.

The STAIN OF SIN is more obvious, for sin, even when it has passed away, leaves unmistakable marks. In our lives (and in the history of teh world) there are ruins of sin been and gone. Drummond says:

"We see it in one another's lives and in our own lives. Our conscience, for instance, is not so quick as it might have been—the stains of sin are there, between us and the light. We have ignored conscience many a time when it spoke, and its voice has grown husky and indistinct. Our intellectual life is not so true as it might have been—our intellectual sins have stained it and spoilt our memory, and taken the edge off our sympathy, and filled us with suspicion and one-sided truths, and destroyed the delicate power of faith." (Emphasis mine)

Drummond suggests that sin's stain is seen in our bodies too - and he's right. Whether an STI, addictions, alcoholism, drug abuse, obesity, or the language we use, sin leaves its mark.

But even worse, the stain of sin is seen in our predisposition to sin. I know in my own life that I rarely sin in isolation. My daily struggles are marked by serious struggles in particular areas which are a consequence of habitual sinning over a period of time. Maybe you know that experience too?

Worst of all, perhaps, is the way sin's stain passes to others. As a new father I am deeply scared of the effect my sins might have on my son...my language, behaviour, the way my temper gets the better of me, my lateness...how might my sinfulness bring a stain to his life??

I must admit to finding Drummond's teaching on the stain of sin as somewhat depressing, but perhaps he has got it right when he says that "the scars of sin on body and mind and soul live with us in silent retribution upon our past, and go with us to our graves."

Drummonds concern throughout however has been to stress the seriousness of sin.

We too must never trivialise sin. Sin is evil. Sin is destructive. We must face the fact that we sin: and those sins have a power, and a stain.

Finally, we face the GUILT OF SIN. Put simply, our guilt is not about whether or not we feel sorry. We don't become guilty if we're religious, or become a Christian.

We are guilty because that is what we are in our nature.

As we reflect on our own sinfulness we recoil from the truth of our true nature. Perhaps we start to hate ourselves. God too recoils from us. Our sin is a crime. A crime against who we're made to be, breaking the moral law places in our heart by our creator, by God.

This is the heart of the Good News: God is a holy god, awesome in majesty, and in His divine nature nothing evil or impure can exist. Therefore, we, his creatures, made to exist in this state of holiness with Him, have forfeited our relationship with God. We are precisely that thing God cannot tolerate: sinful, impure and unholy.

Into this mess, God introduces the priesthood, who help us approach God, which in turn points to Jesus who comes to be our great High Priest. In this role he is both priest and sacrifice - both dealing with the guilt of sin.

So how should we respond?

Frankly - we do what Peter instructed the listeners on Pentecost: "Repent, and be baptised, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38)

Also, we need to have a full Christology, by which I mean you need to see Jesus in his entirety.

Jesus' sinless life (Hebrews 4:15) addresses the hopelessness of the STAIN of sin.
Jesus' death on the cross (Hebrews 1:3c; 8:12; 9:22; 10:18; 12:2) forgives our GUILT.
Jesus' resurrection life (Hebrews 4:14) grants the power to conquer sin's POWER

I beseech you, come to Jesus, in whom we have all we need to live lives that please God, without whom we have no pure example of holy living, and without whose sacrifice I cannot be made right with God.

Remembrance: Sin, Sacrifice and Salvation (Hebrews - Day 26)

Remembrance Day is not about glorifying war.
Remembrance Day is about an act of celebration. Celebrating the peace that came at the end of the 'war to end war' in 1918. That armistice which was commenced on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year.

Paul Ayers took up the text for today's reading, Hebrews 9:23-28 (although he didn't have v.23 as part of the Sunday reading), for his sermon yesterday morning, delivered to a packed Pudsey Parish Church. There were representatives from civic bodies, counsellors, and hundreds of armed and uniformed organisations, as well as members of the public who come to church on Remembrance Sunday as a mark of respect.

I think Paul argued persuasively that we must be careful that Remembrance Day does not become it was never intended to be. It was not about patriotism - which it often is now. Consider carefully the truth that petty nationalism was the root of much that flowered during 1914-18. Indeed, we confessed the sin of "evil divisions and hatred" during the service. Remembrance Day is not even a celebration of death...we reflect on the lost lives, the words spoken at the cenotaph reflect this:

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn"

Remembrance Day is about remembering the SACRIFICE.

A sacrifice of life - we remember the dead.

And so it is entirely appropriate to use this passage to reflect on the biggest question of all: Why are we here? What happens when we die?

²⁷ Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Using these verses (27 and 28), we face three facts:

1. SIN

Whether in war or in peace, all men die. Death comes to everyone. Always and inexorably.
But the Bible says we do not go to nothingness, a silent sleep for all eternity. No.
We die to face judgment.
Why judgement - and what is judged? Sin.
The Bible's testimony, and the record of our lives shows that all men sin (Romans 3:23).  I have sinned every day of my life, and this topic of sin preoccupies much of the writer of Hebrews.

But there is great hope in the fact that our sin will be judged.

If there is no judgment, then our misdeeds, and especially the gross sins of humanity - those perpetrated by individuals and nations - will not have mattered. Consider that!
If there is no judgment, then whether I sin or not, whether I live a life marked by goodness or evil...well noone actually cares; noone is going to sit me down and appraise my life.

It would be as though I were an employee of a business who fails to do anything I am paid to do, but gets away with it.

Can you sense the deep injustice in the core of your being, a sense of injustice common to all humans.

Justice. We, You, I deserve justice. And most especially God deserves justice.

Some argue that justice and recompense are to be sought in this life. This is why we hear, so often, the cry for revenge. But time and again we see life is a cruel mistress - those who deserve punishment live and die in contented happiness, while the 'righteous' suffer. Just read Psalms and Job and you face the sobering truth that this has marked mankind's existence since the beginning.

We are hard-wired for justice. And we can have hope that justice will come.

- Do you know your sinfulness?
- Do you ever stop to consider your mortality?

2. SACRIFICE

While the war to end war was a failure - we live with the fact of war today - there was a death to end death - Jesus'.

We celebrate the sacrifice of armed men and women - those who died in wartime and peacetime.

Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Earlier parts of Hebrews have explored the reasons for this sacrifice - the necessity of blood - the role of the High Priest - the once-for-all nature of his sacrifice.

But in the context of JUSTICE his sacrifice takes on an additional meaning. We are enslaved to a cruel master: sin and death. Jesus went to war with sin and death. And by his sacrificial death he won for us victory over sin and death. We are purified from sin; and released from death's power.

We ourselves cannot liberate or redeem our lives - only Jesus can do that.

And unlike the hoped for peace that was looked for after World War I - we have a sure and steadfast peace with Christ (Hebrews 6:19)

- Do you know your need of a Saviour?
- Do you ever think about the enormity of Jesus' sacrifice?

3. SALVATION

By now, "So what?" say most Christians...yes, really!

The truth of God's holiness, our sin, his judgment and salvation are taken for granted on an obscene level. Do you get blase about the truth that God has redeemed you, saved you, forgiven you?? Are you thankful? Many of us are not sufficiently preoccupied with God's great mercy, I'd contend.

But sin and sacrifice is not the whole picture for Hebrews, oh no! Indeed, irrespective of indifference we should all be stirred by the very end of this passage: He is coming back - he is returning. (I've blogged a bit on this theme: here, here, and here)

Jesus' return is not to deal with sin - that's done.

No, His return is to "bring salvation to those who are waiting for him" (v.28)

This is the climax of Hebrews 9...He is coming for those who have waited for him, coming to bring salvation...the promise of life eternal with God...


And so we are forced to ask:
- Are we waiting eagerly for his return? Do you even care that he's coming back?
- Is your life marked by service to this fact?

Courtesy of Mike Wrigglesworth 2012

While stood beside the cenotaph in Pudsey yesterday, looking up at the lone soldier on the plinth, and as I held my toddler, I was moved (as I always am) that these soldiers unknown to me were prepared to lay down their lives...when I was 19 years old I was so selfish...but these men sacrificed so much.

How much more does Jesus deserve in response to his great sacrifice?

I honestly hoped (and continue to pray) that those men and women who heard Paul preach yesterday will have sensed God's call...a call to see the sin that lurks within...our desire for justice....a justice seen on the cross...and to accept Jesus as Saviour.

All Saints' Tide

Happy All Saints' Day!!

"The Lord takes delight in his people"

(Psalm 149:4)

It's yet another strange little season in the Anglican church. Indeed, it might be stretching it somewhat to describe it as a season...but you know me, I love a good season, so let's go with it.

All Saints' Tide (the period from All Saints' Day to the day before the first Sunday in Advent) is the last, the end of the Christian Liturgical year.

Now, I always bang on about the misuse of Advent. Advent is not simply about readying ourselves for Christmas...it is about preparing for Christ's return - his second coming. So in a sense you could say Advent starts the Christian year by focusing on the last things.

But in truth, the second coming of Christ is NOT the last thing...not even remotely. For after His return comes the glorious prospect of eternity in God's company.

All God's children will be gathered together and we will dwell, the bride and the bridegroom united. And we the church will be the bride!

So then...this season is the chance to be emboldened and encouraged to remember several things:

1. We are in this together.
We are all God's children. There is always a temptation to be independent, to try and do it ourselves. Our society values confident independence above all. Neediness is seen as weakness.

But Jesus himself say that we are but branches of his vine (John 15:5). We are inextricably linked to one another. We are one body (Ephesians 4:4). So let's have none of this lone ranger stuff.

This is so important when struggling in sin too. We stand in celebration that we are one church, but equally when I move away from church I quickly struggle in my temptations:
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful and unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, but let us encourage one another" (Hebrews 3:12f.; 10:25f)

- Are you prone to skipping church? Ducking out of a midweek meeting? Why?

But on a deep theological level it's not just about going to church, but togetherness across the world and time. Through baptism we become members of one another in Christ, members of a company of saints whose mutual belonging transcends death. We have been knit into one communion, which the All Saints' Day Collect affirms. It's a mutual belonging where we are able to look to the great heroes of faith, and those local faithful witness...and know we stand with them.

2. Death comes to us all
The season does, however, confront us with the reality of death.

And All Saints Tide contains a strong emphasis on remembering those who've died. Whereas All Saints Day focuses on those of the faith, and especially the great ones, who have proceeded us into glory (although we believe they are 'asleep' still at present), All Souls Day - 2nd November - the commemoration of the faithful departed is a day about our own departed. This day acknowledges human grief and fragility "in a way that would hardly find a palce when we celebrate the triumphs of the great ones on All Saints' Day". This day offers an opportunity to meditate and reflect on our own personal bereavements. We can remember friends and family we've lost in prayer.

I know I need this day.

But then there's Remembrance Sunday - a more public, civil side to our remembering. We make particular effort each year to "never forget" the lives laid down for us. Whether or not you agree with the political or militaristic posturing that takes place, we all have a chance to pay tribute to the lives set aside - the death of thousands upon thousands. We are forced to confront issues of war and peace - a reminder of the wisdom of Ecclesiastes that life is full of both.

And through this all my own mortality looms large. Every year I am older, and as Pink Floyd sang, "one year closer to death".

3. We are to be inspired and encouraged by those who have gone before us.
But in the remembrance we are to be inspired. In our pilgrimage, "we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). We are to look to those who've gone before us and be thankful:

"It is a time to be encouraged by the example of the saints and to recall that sanctity may grow in the ordinary circumstances, as well as the extraordinary crises, of human living"

We remember the apostles, the prophets, the martyrs.

We remember the Sunday school teachers, the youth workers, the old batty Christian neighbour who unbeknownst to us prayed regularly for us.

We remember our parents, our grandparents, our ancestors who walked the path we now tread.

We may even remember our children and grandchildren taken before their time.

There is witness in every life.

 - During this season - who's example as a Christian inspires you?

4. There is life beyond the grave
From the pages of the Bible, in this season we also stop to remind ourselves of the promise of the resurrected life. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25).
This promise, in a sense, is effected now; we're not waiting to be saved. We who are counted amongst the people of God - who believe in Jesus - who have called on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13) - we are already saved. Redemption is a work of God's grace; it is God who redeems us in Christ. Although we shall die - we are already redeemed from its power!

- Are you joyful and thankful that you are saved - today?

5. The promise of life everlasting
But it's not enough to simply think of life somehow being resuscitated...no, the promise is much greater!
In this season, unlike the focus on judgment in Advent, we are mindful of the great, final consummation of God's new creation in Christ. We focus on our hope and longing for that fulness that will one day come. The day when we'll gaze on out beloved with our own eyes - not dimly in a mirror.

That's why we have readings from Isaiah 25 and 35 on All Saints' Day - we're reminded that Heaven is a place of abudance - abundant life, abundant wine, abundant food. It is a place of security, with a complete absence of pain and suffering. We are, in fact, looking to the promise of Revelation:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” ⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

⁶ He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:1-7)

Heaven is where our TRUE citizenship rests. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that we are "looking for the city that is to come" (Hebrews 13:14)...but please note carefully...it is not Heaven above - NO!

The glorious city of God descends from above - God comes and dwells with us - a new heaven and a new earth!!!


So then.... we have five things to remember in All Saints' Tide:

1. We are in this together

2. Death comes to us all

3. We are to be inspired and encouraged by those who have gone before us.

4. There is life beyond the grave

5. The promise of everlasting life

...But finally, we find that this season does lead us naturally to Advent...does it not?

We also sense that it is a fearful thing to come before the unutterable goodness and holiness of God, even for those redeemed in Christ. When we come to his presence we shall be clothed in garments of righteousness. But this standing before God's throne reminds us that while called to be saints, we are often sinners...and so we come once more to the place where we permanently remember our need for Christ.

We conclude the season thinking of Christ as King, and then into Advent where we think of his first coming to save our sins, and his return to judge the world. Amen!

The ASPECT method

The ASPECT method

Quiet time is one of the most essential aspects of your Christian life. Many Christians take some time reading the bible everyday. While it is very useful, just reading the bible will not lead you to much fuller Christian walk with Christ. You need to spend time in his words, study and learn from it everyday. Without daily regular quiet time, our spiritual life can be seriously malnourished just as our body can be mal-nutritioned without proper food and water! I often wonder when people talk about forgetting to do their quiet time due to busy schedule; I have never found anybody who forgot to eat for a day due to work!

Here I am presenting simple steps for how to do your daily quiet time:

Time: Quiet time should be about 10-15 minutes long. You can choose time according to you schedule. For some, morning works better, for others, night may work well. While, I recommend the morning time as you are much calmer and fresh, any time can work fine. It is also important to set fixed time everyday, as it brings discipline and consistency.

What do you need?

Your bible, note and pen. You can occasionally refer to bible commentary or dictionary for difficult passages of bible (Free bible study resources). But I would recommend studying bible as it is and ask God for his guidance to understand the passage. It is a very good practice to take notes in your quiet time. You will be amazed when you will see your quiet time notes years later!

How To do Quiet Time?

Start with prayer:

■ Spend just few minutes in worship and thanksgiving.

■ Spend some time in asking God for forgiveness for our sins.

■ Ask for his guidance in today’s quiet time

 

Passage for Quiet time: It is good to select any book of bible and read it continuously. It will help you to get the whole picture and can enjoy your quiet time more. 

■ Select about 8-10 verses, don’t select whole chapter, as you may not be able to cover it all. Select small paragraph according to passage.

■ Read the paragraph for 2-3 times. This bible study method is also called ASPECT method. From the paragraph, ask following questions.

■ A – About God – What can you learn about God through this passage?

■ S – Sin – Does it talk about any sin?

■ P – Promise – Is there any promise in the word?

■ E – Example – Is there any example, I can follow?

■ C –Command – Which command I need to obey?

■ T – Teaching – What can I learn from this passage?

 

Concluding Prayer:

■ Thank God for his guidance in quiet time

■ Worship God for his characteristic

■ Pray for deliverance from any sin

■ Ask for strength for the day.

 

Back to Basics (Hebrews - Day 13)

Elijah (my son) is 20 months old today! Happy whateveritis!!

He is currently learning new words - and each newly mastered word makes Jen and me squeal with delight as we praise his development.

We won't be so excited if he's still saying "STAR!" on repeat in two year's time. By then I would expect him to have an actual conversation with me...indeed, by the time he's four I would like to think he'll even know the letters that make up the words that he says...his ABC.

In today's passage, Hebrews 5:11-14 we are told that the recipients of the letter, the Hebrews, need to go back to "basic principles"...their ABC.

Imagine that...you've been a Christian for a number of years and someone who you respect turns round and says, "...it's like you've not even learnt how to talk...and you should be teaching others by now". Brutal. Harsh. Honest.

Today's passage is very blunt: there are basics we come to learn about the faith (tomorrow's passage will reveal what these are), and then we move on. Furthermore, once you've mastered the basics teach someone else. This is a simple principle most teachers learn - if you want to learn something: teach someone about it.

I find this incredibly helpful in my witness. When I got asked about Ascension Day, of which I knew relatively little, I committed to going away, reading up, and then trying to 'teach' someone else what I'd learnt. You should try it!

When I talk to people about the cell group I facilitate, it's helpful to divide the group into two...into those who are still infants in the faith (not infantile...I stress!!), as opposed to those who are mature in the faith. Typically, you would expect a mature Christian to be one who has walked with Jesus for a long time - typically, in our cell, from birth. But that's not always the case - some new Christians quickly move to maturity. And this passage explains how.

A mature Christian is one who:
- Has understanding of the basics (again see tomorrow for a definition)
- Teaches others the ABC
- Has skill when dealing with the 'Word of Righteousness' (The Bible), and
- Is able to distinguish between good and evil

This is such a challenge!

Surely the writer is expecting too much?!?

But as ever I don't think this is beyond us. In a sense this simply points to the two elements of our daily walk: the Spirit and the Word.

We HAVE to learn to know, read and study God's word, to listen to sermons, to let the "oracles of God" seep into our thinking. God's word doesn't answer every situation, but it certainly directs my path, and sets before me examples of Holy living that inspire and encourage. (I want to, once again, remind people of the helpful pneumonic I use when studying the Bible: ASPECT. I'll blog about it here. In that approach we are encouraged under letter E, to think about the example in each passage...what can we learn from others). Most chiefly the Bible points us to Jesus!

- Have you stopped and read God's word today - for yourself - even for a few minutes?

- Do you need help learning how to read the Bible? ASK SOMEONE...please!

And then there's the Spirit, which is given to every believer. The Spirit comes into our heart and transforms us. In relation to mature Christians the Spirit gives us the strength to resist temptation, and the awareness to notice when sin is creeping up on us. The Spirit also inspires us when we talk to others. When we 'teach' others we shouldn't think of a teacher in front of a class of unruly teenagers, no! When you think of teaching someone think of how you might show someone how to bake, or sew, or play piano, or better yet...think of the baby you are encouraging to speak!

How many times do we go, "Say...Daddy.....go on.....say 'Daddy'..." etc

We devote time and effort into one person, simply helping them master a task.

- Are you aware that the Spirit is in you - guiding, leading and inspiring you today?

- Who might God be setting before you to whom you can teach the ABCs of the faith?


I encourage you today to commit your life with God to one where you won't ever have someone say to you..."you need to go back to Basics!"

Ascended on High (Hebrews -- Day 10)

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. ¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,^[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:12-16

At the end of Hebrews 4 we have five verses packed with dynamite...God's word is commended; God's eyes are X-ray; God has been tempted in every way; and I am invited to approach God with boldness. BOOM!

And nestled in the middle, in verse 14 is another reference to the somewhat mystical, misunderstood, marginalised historical detail of Jesus life - his ascension.

If we are to fully grasp the nowness of God's invitation to approach him we have to understand that this is ONLY because Jesus is in heaven...now.

I wrote a blog on this some time ago and I'd like to encourage you to have a read. It explains why ascension day is important, but also what the ascension is all about.

Your Heart - Hard or Huggable? (Hebrews - Day 7)

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

A big old block of stone...hard, cold and very VERY dead.

On Sunday I was sat in front of a beautiful old war memorial in church - man it was cold - it was an anti-radiator - it gave off this chilliness which made me and a friend move away. We wanted to be warm but were made cold.

The passage from Hebrews today - 3:7-13 - is very clear:

DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS GO HARD!

Our hearts can go hard for all sorts of reasons...bad habits, time away from God, deliberately avoiding doing what we know deep down is right to do, allowing resentment and anger to fester in our hearts, and on it goes. Rarely do we intend to be hard-hearted, but so often we look back and realise what we thought was 'growing up' or toughening up, has actually been a deadening. Do you notice what happens to make us die? In the verses above it says we turn away from the "living God" (v.12).

Turning away from something living implies, I'm afraid, that we might well turn to something dead - to something that won't give life, but take it.

How might you have been turning from God?

So what are we to do??

1. Encourage one another to live for God
2. Do it daily!

We are instructed to stand together.

I love our cell (small midweek church fellowship group that meets to get to know one another more, worship God, challenge one another from His word, and think through how to live in service of others)

Cells are the opposite of stone - they are alive, living, breathing, active...

And this is how we have to be: alive, soft, fragile, vibrant...

But notice - cells work together - I need other people to help me, to encourage and to exhort.

Please - this day think about your Christian brothers and sisters - how are they doing? Are they struggling? Would they benefit from a supportive word, a hug, a text?

We do not do this alone.

Fix Up Look Sharp (Hebrews - Day 6)

There are two key phrases in yesterday's passage that set the tone for chapter 3 and 4 of Hebrews:
FIX YOUR THOUGHTS
and
HOLD FIRM

As I wondered around the house I couldn't help but start singing Dizzee Rascal's song, 'Fix Up Look Sharp' (WARNING: Contains offensive language). It's got a great big beat, but more importantly it represents Grime’s anti-bling clarion call: a call to authenticity. Be who you really are...
...well that's my rushed attempt to sense its meaning!

Now it may seem strange to reference Grime here - and certainly there are lots of values I would disapprove of - but the song (it seems to me) is about saying to the world - this is me - this is who I am - I'm facing you chin up. Regardless of the haters!

And when we say to one another - Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus - Hold Firm in the face of temptation, trials and tests - it's much the same.

Our real deep down attitudes and behaviours are merely the outworking of our thoughts - what are you thinking about today: worries, stress, work, money, your appearance? If you think and fix your thoughts on Jesus then the other stuff is put into perspective. Maybe the issues don't vanish - they rarely do - but instead of seeing the problem...we are reminded to see Jesus over the problems - remember...Hebrews' Christology places all things under Jesus.

3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. ² He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. ³ Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ⁵ “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
Hebrews 3:1-6

This blog is part of our cells Hebrews Walkthrough season - inspired by the lectionary's Hebrew readings on Sunday mornings in these last few weeks before Advent, we have committed to reading through the whole book of Hebrews following a reading plan I've devised.

Hebrews - Week 1

So that was a spectacular fail, wasn't it?!

I committed to blogging every day for the eight week's Hebrews project...oops! I managed the first day.

Sorry everyone.

But can I add anything by way of overview of the first two chapters of Hebrews (Hebrews 1:1-2:18)?

I think so...

Firstly - these two chapters, as we heard from Paul Ayers in church, are deeply Christological. (Christology is the part of theology (which is the study of God) which looks at what it means for Jesus to be Christ - the saviour, the King.... what it means for Jesus to be Jesus. When you ask a question like 'Was Jesus God?', or 'What was Jesus' birth all about?', or 'Did Jesus really get tempted?'...you are asking a Christological question). But secondly, these chapters are about worship, which is our response to God.

When I stop and really think about who Jesus is one thing happens - I want to worship him.

I want to worship him because of his NATURE. He is so amazing: so different to me, and yet so like me. In these two chapters we think of Jesus' divinity - how he is God (see my blog on Heb 1:1-4); but we also consider his humanity - how he is a human, like you and me. In Hebrews 2 it says: "he (Jesus) shared their humanity" (Heb 2:14), and "he had to be made like his brothers in every way" (Heb 2:17), and "he himself suffered when he was tempted" (Heb 2:18).

But I also want to worship him because of what he has ACHIEVED. The passage doesn't just say - Jesus was God, and Jesus was human. It says something about what he's done for us.

I don't know how your average week pans out, but there's one rule about every week for me. I will always stuff up, somehow...and usually because I have given in to temptation. These passages tell me that the awesome God, has stepped into my shoes and knows about this struggle - he knows precisely how this feels. And yet he is now "crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death" (Heb 2:9). Yes he was human and divine - but this has had an impact on what he DID.

It's not just about his nature, but about his accomplishments, and chief amongst these is that God "left nothing that is not subject to him" (Heb 2:8b). In saying 'God left nothing not subject', means he has made all things subject to Jesus - everything. There is nothing, absolutely nothing Jesus is not Lord over. The writer to the Hebrews has already said this in chapter one: Jesus is the "heir of all things" (Heb 1:2) - ALL THINGS!

Finally, in this passage I'm told that I am CREATED FOR GOD. The writer to Hebrews slips in the simple, but beautiful phrase, "God, for whom and through whom everything exists" (Heb 1:10). My desire to worship God may, in fact, be something God has hard-wired into me to do...?

WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stop what you are doing - please!

In these chapters we are told clearly: that God made us for himself; that his Son, Jesus, is God completely; that Jesus is also completely human; and that as a result his death is for everyone (Heb 2:9) by making us clean - purifying us (Heb 1:3) from our sin (Heb 2:14-17).

This is such GOOD NEWS.

I am made for a purpose.
Jesus made me for a purpose.
And although I've failed to keep myself clean for that purpose, Jesus has come (as a Human) to die so that I might be kept for that purpose.


Can you begin to understand why the writer sticks the following in the middle of the two chapters:
"How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?" (Heb 2:3)

Yes, indeed. It is a GREAT SALVATION. What's your response?