Jesus - the Prince of peace?

Met someone who spoke, perhaps a little glibly, of Jesus as the Prince of peace? as they did, behind them was a wall of newspapers with headlines proclaiming the news, those things of  importance that sell newspapers.

Palestinian death toll rises (now 500+)

Flight MH 17 crashes in Ukraine (305 lives lost)

van Gaal heralds new United era (there's always one paper that misses the point isn't there?)

Christians flee Mosul as they are order to pay to live there or 'face the sword'

Christians often speak of Jesus as the 'Prince of peace' and yet, some 2000 years since He was born round the back of a pub in Bethlehem , there doesn't seem to much of the stuff flying around does there? All that 'peace of earth - goodwill to all men' is most definitely lacking when Israeli tanks can purposely target a hospital - something which according to the Law of Armed Conflict and the Geneva (and other) conventions confers the title of 'war crime' upon them. It surely isn't seen when the militants of ISIS are sweeping across Iraq and engaging in ethnic cleansing of the Christians. It's nowhere to be found when some wicked geezers with a piece of hardware apparently take out a civilian airliner (with the tacit approval of a nation whose record on integrity was pretty much zero before this all began and is now in the negative numbers).

So how do we, as Christians, give an answer for the lack of that peace (shalom) that Jesus is supposed to have brought? Have stocks run low and so supply is limited perhaps? It could be, as one foolish person said, 'That the shalom Jesus brings is only for those who are His!' An explanation that denies the words of John 3.16 where we are led to believe that God loved ALL the world so much that He sent His Son Jesus, the Christ, to come to save and bless ALL within it.

Now I happen to think I might have an explanation. Of course it could be a comfortable and convenient way of making me feel good about all the stuff that's going on in the world around me, but I don't think so (because I'd hate that). It goes like this:

Jesus came into this world to reconcile the people on it with the God what made it (because the wrong stuff had caused a divorce between Him and us).

Jesus, realising that 'without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness' - Heb 9.22 - takes our place on the cross - his blood paying the debt that the wrong stuff has brought into being and restoring the relationship with God and man.

Jesus, job done, goes back to be with God (the father) and in His place we have the third member of the Trinity (Father, Son and) the Holy Spirit, who guides, comforts and counsels us in the things and thoughts we should have.

Now the shelves are stacked high with Shalom and yet there is a distinct lack of Shalominess to be found because although all that is required is for each of us to take this peace from the shelves for ourselves (and those around us) - and for us to become a source of that Shalom; the reality is that we'd rather do it in our own strength and intelligence.

Now wonder the world is pants then is it?

All we need to do to accept the gift of live Jesus has won for us by His death on the cross is to take it from His hands (a 'Thank You' would be nice) and live within the reality of that act.

The same is true of His Shalom - we need merely to take  it upon ourselves and, beacon like, shine it into every corner of our world and if we were only to do this then I believe we'd be in a very different place because truly the darkness cannot overcome the light (John 1).

So today whilst the wicked do their works of darkness - why not choose life in Jesus and taking His light and Shalom upon you oppose their deeds and step by step change the world where you are and, as others join the effort, across the world.

Not proselytising but setting free.

Not opposing those who choose not to follow Jesus, the Messiah, but blessing them because that's what being Christian should be about.

Not ignoring the written word because all we need is love but keeping it because loves is what it's all about.

All you need to realise is that God's peace is limitless!

He's the supplier and looks to us to be the distributors and find more who are willing to act as agents for the product!

Pax

Crazy?

Speaks for itself:

Can't make it to church? (Mar 9)

So here we are, standing at the first Sunday of Lent and starting out on a journey that will take us to the foot of the cross. As we look at the beginnings of sin, that disobedience which sees death come into the world and us separated from God we come also, passing through Paul's explanation of that event and the power of the cross, to the beginning of Jesus' journey to it (the cross).

We all know how death is the penalty for and power of sin and how Jesus, by dying and rising again has broken death and thus rendered sin impotent and powerless. It is this that Paul focuses on so succinctly and with such power and authority. In a nutshell death come through the disobedience (sin) of Adam and through another (the second Adam) and His obedience comes life - not as something to be won, purchased or earned, for it is a free gift (what we call the free gift of grace).

Adam's act brought condemnation whilst Jesus's salvific act on the cross bring life and the making of us, who are indeed sinful, justified (which means found 'not guilty'). We are set free from the penalty of sin and are enabled by God's Holy Spirit, to keep those things that we should and live as we ought - we need but to look to Christ and follow in His footsteps and follow His example.

But (and there's almost always a 'BUT' isn't there?) as we progress on our journey we need to understand that we will be tested and tried sorely before the victory is upon us. Not even Jesus Himself was free from this - take a look at the Matthew reading of the temptation in the wilderness below and follow, once more, Jesus' example. For as He is tested He uses the words of Scripture to refuse, rebuke and defuse the attack against Him.

When the lies of the enemy, the deceit and temptations of the world and our own selfish ambitions test us we need to be able to counter with the same words as Jesus and remind those, and ourselves, who test, temp and taunt us what the word of God says.

That done we can progress in the assurance that we have repelled the attack and advanced in our Christian walk.

May God fill you with his blessing this Lent and may He speak to you through His written word and by the Holy Spirit and power of His Living Word.

May He bring blessing, healing and wholeness and surround you with His love.

Matthew 4.1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written,
“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ’

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”,
and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Genesis 2.15-17; 3.1-7
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Psalm 32
Happy the one whose transgression is forgiven,and whose sin is covered.
Happy the one to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
For I held my tongue;  my bones wasted away through my groaning all the day long. Your hand was heavy upon me day and night;   my moisture was dried up like the drought in summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I did not hide.
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’  and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful make their prayers to you in time of trouble; in the great water flood, it shall not reach them. You are a place for me to hide in;  you preserve me from trouble;   you surround me with songs of deliverance.
‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye.
‘Be not like horse and mule which have no understanding; whose mouths must be held with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you.’

Great tribulations remain for the wicked,  but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.
Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord;  shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

Romans 5.12-19
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned - sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification., because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

The Collect
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion

Lord God,
you have renewed us with the living bread from heaven;
by it you nourish our faith,
increase our hope,
and strengthen our love:
teach us always to hunger for him who is the true and living bread,
and enable us to live by every word
that proceeds from out of your mouth;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Choices

There are some words that once spoken
will break the world in two
never to be one again
Unless the blood of Christ is made real.

Some acts that once committed
turn lies to truth, truth to lies
turning the world to dust and ashes
Unless the love of God is made flesh.

Some songs that will never be heard
that will never break the chains
nor see the ministry before them breathe and fly
Unless the Spirit of God dwells in the heart.

There are some songs that once sung

turns life into living

bringing colour into the greyness

As God sings over us, with us, for us.

Acts that, although committed,

are washed away by acknowledging and simply turning away

taken from us by our standing at the foot of the cross

As Jesus, the Christ, pays the price for us.

Jesus,

Risen Lord

Christ

Saviour

Friend,

God - made man - incarnate

makes us one with Him

and the Father,

through the power of the Spirit.

The offer is laid on the altar

the price is paid

the debts are cancelled

the doors, once closed, are open,

yours for the taking

The choice is yours

Psalm 1 - a model for church growth?

I have always been of the impression that Psalm one is the model for church growth and the more I think of it, the more convinced I am. My&nbsp;reasons&nbsp;for this are that as it lists the three stages of falling into sin I assume that satan, having neither invention or tactical awareness merely chooses to use that which God has made for his own ends. This means that he has merely taken what works and used it and the psalmist tells us this:<br /><br />

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
But the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Here we have the three elements of church growth:

Walk in Step
One of the hardest things for many of those in church is for them to get out of their buildings and get involved with those outside their doors.

'But we are a welcoming church,' they cry,
'We sit here and wait for them, but they never come in!'

So they stop and have a think and then they try again with a different strategy . . .
and see no new people come through their doors; and so they say:

'We became an 'inviting' church. We invited everyone, putting leaflets through door and we even put an advert' in the local paper. But no one came!'

Of course they didn't, because they needed someone to 'bring' them to church and the only way that happens is by building relationships with the people outside the church doors. We need to go out there and get in step with them; but not to adopt their attitudes and practices (and not to criticise and attack them either) but to build relationships.

If people get to know us and find that we're not the pains they thought we were then they build relationships and it is these relationships that will eventually (and 'eventually' can be a very long time indeed) lead them into the church building with a degree of confidence that they are not just 'scalps'; for the great evangelistic machine. Unless we relate and become relevant to the people in our community then regardless of how welcoming or inviting or anything else we are, we are not (generally) going to see growth.

Stand
This is the next stage and it's important because it means that they've stopped to engage. They are no longer tabbing on through but have considered you to be worth a stop and chat. This is where some of the important stuff happens for this is the place where you are Christian but you don't push, press or proselytise. So often I find people going for the jugular because they've stopped to talk and to do so is to encourage them to not just walk, but probably run (in the opposite direction).

I had a conversation with a well-meaning and kindly Christian who told me that whenever they saw a neighbour they gave them a tract telling them how they were sinners and outlining the ways they might repent and be saved. When I tried to explain that the concept of needing to be saved was not only alien to many, but was also highly offensive for it said, 'You are not a right person!'

And we all like to hear that don't we?

That said, I don't think we can ever deny Christ and if mentioning Jesus in some context that applies to us occurs we don't actively decide to divert the topic or circumstance - do we? We just do not push Him to the point of alienating or embarrassing others.

Sit
If people have allowed us to walk with them (it's them that controls the engagements, not us) and have decided to stop and engage then we need to handle that offer of relationship gratefully and gently; and if we do, they end up sitting and chatting, drinking tea, coffee and dunking biscuits wit us.

It is here that we can engage more fully. This is the place of Fresh Expressions and START courses (eventually) and is the place where Jesus, God, the cross, resurrection and most importantly - forgiveness and love - are to be found.

When people are sitting comfortably, then we can begin (how I miss the Home service and 'children's hour').

In Step, Stop and sit - a three-part model for church growth that demands time, engagements, the ability to share the story of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the cross and new life (they called it the kerygma [keruggma] in the early Church - everyone learnt it and shared it with others). Being an evangelist isn't the job for someone in the pulpit, a tent or a football ground mission event, it's what we are called, each and every one of us, to be and do.

So congratulations if you have a welcoming, inviting and engaged church, but if you don't - get outside of your church building and leave it open for the community and get down and alive with the world outside - and you, and others will be like a tree in the desert which is tended and cared for and planted by streams of living water.

Perffick picture - innit?

Mission - getting them in isn't enough!

This has been one of those weeks that just has lasted for ever and yet gone by in a flash; one of those where you have done much and still managed to leave undone the things that you wanted to do! (an experience I'm sure we all share from time to time).

There have been so many highlights ranging from ALPHA course through to doing school assemblies through to engagement with people at the other end of the age range; mingling, and celebrating, with fellow believers and giving thanks for them to wondering whether, despite their labels, they are even saved!

I cannot believe that anyone who is in the Christian family can fail to be 'missional'; that ability and desire to see others come into knowledge of Jesus, the Christ, and through that knowledge to come into relationship with the Father through Him - and yet I do. For truly the, 'I'm not an evangelistic,' cries of some to the 'maintenance and parochially-minded' lack of real endeavour others I bump into almost cause my fingers to crack and my chest to tighten. 'How can we not be 'mission-minded'?

How can we ignore the calls of Jesus as written in Matthew 28:

'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.'

How can we fail to see that people coming into the building is great, but it's not salvation, for salvation is this:

‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’
For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 
‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? 
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

I mentioned this passage (Romans 10) to someone last week as I tried to explain that increasing the church's 'footfall' (the number of feet on the ground: visitors) is great but 'getting them in' is only part of the job, we need to engage with the people who come in and be there for them when they come with needs.

How can they believe unless they hear and how can they hear unless we tell them?

And of course, we're not all sent, are we? We're not all called to look like Jesus, to love those caught in error, to bind up the brokenhearted, comfort those who mourn, heal the afflicted and all that stuff are we?

Oh no, it appears that we are - so what are we going to do?

Arrogance or informed: New Atheists Vs Christians

One of the biggest issues I find when engaging with atheists is that of the fact that one side is often willing to dialogue and the other is resolutely fixed and rigidly unwilling to move from their tenets, dogma, doctrine and beliefs (regardless of how irrational they are).

Of course what makes it even stranger is that the latter group are the 'Atheists' who cling to their beliefs (or should that be lack of beliefs?) and quote their prophets (Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens and others) and argue in a most illogical and emotive manner. In fact, truth be told, there are times when I struggle to see who the 'irrational people of faith' are.

That said, there are a number of quite flawed and fallible Christian sources; those who take extrapolation of things scientific and portray them as if they were fact. Those who argue for a 'young earth' and rail against evolution and seek to find the God of the gaps solutions that bring about an 'Intelligent Designer' for use by an ignorant (scientifically and theologically speaking) people.

I am about to embark upon a journey of exploration the goal of which is to dialogue and to enable others to dialogue with those who would contend that there is no God (and I'm happy for them to prove this - for the assumption for so many years having been that there is, the task is surely theirs to deny any such belief. I am content to remain with the status quo that there is) and to defend my own position (in a balanced manner - start shouting and all you will hear is your voice!).

I look forward to rejoinders (and will issue in return, of course, my own surrejoinders), correction and the impartation of facts (and opinions - for these too are helpful, perhaps even when not valid). I relish the challenge of being made to think and to look at how I might be able to gibe and answer for the hope that I have in Jesus, the Christ, to all (and any) that might ask; and I do so realising my limitations and trembling in trepidation at the paucity of my wit.

There are those who tell me that religious belief lies at the root of all the atrocities; that belief (they call it 'religion') is to be found at the root of all wars and conflicts. Of course the deaths, oppression and conflict founded in, and enacted by, non-faith groups (remember Russia, Marxism and so many other non-faith group like Nazism for instance) are glossed over.

Christianity is seen as an agent of conquest during the time of Empire and obviously wrong acts and response throughout the middle ages taken as a constant to be kept and used as a talisman to provide some form of absolute proof. The Acts of the Jewish nation throughout the Ancient Near East (and especially the actions of their God, the God also of the Christians) show how wicked God is.

The comparison of 'like for something different' whilst claiming congruence and equality uses both flawed science and logic and the lack of integrity (often unintentional) on both sides makes this a most difficult path to tread - but tread it I will.

Pray for me - educate me (facts is possible) - tolerate me

ps. I'm happy to defend my position but not in isolation - for many merely pepper me with cries of 'defend, defend . . . ' and I'd like to have those 'prove by logic, reason and the like . .'

Sunday Worship - Christmas 1

Here we are on the sixth day of Christmas and we are not only celebrating Christ's birth in Bethlehem (and His resurrection some thirty odd years later) but looking towards His second coming and best of all, singing carols!

Here is one of my favourites (yes, we are singing it today):

Santa or Jesus? - take your pick

And celebrate as you will!

But in case you aren't sure - ask yourself this question:

What did Santa ever do for me?

Now ask yourself this question?

What did Jesus ever do for me?

Still not sure?  Let me help with a small graphic and ask you another question:

What's wrong with this picture?*

Hint (if required):  CHRISTmas  NOT Santamas

*and it's not that the catalogue is out of date - just didn't have time to copy in a new one this year)? 

Come let us sing - don't they know it's . . . ?

This morning I could not contain my excitement as I ran around my study doing my Lancaster impressions and called out to God and was glad in his presence, singing songs of joy and interceded for the world and all within it it!

No, I hadn't gone more bonkers than normal but the words of Psalm 46, which are to be found as a hymn set to the 'Dambusters' tune, and the 'Venite' (psalm 95):

'O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. . . . '

Just set me off on a roll. How could I not sing His praises and sing out joyfully in psalms and songs of praise?

How could I be silent as all around me those who claim to have no Christian belief are singing songs about the LORD (the ultimate, absolute and everything being) coming to earth in flesh as one of us to reveal His solution to ALL the world's problems? Of course, they (generally) think that what they have before them is Argostide, the season formerly known as 'CHRISTmas' (also featured as the  'Oooh, it's for the kiddies!' event of the year!).

People who would wish to deny the reality of Jesus and would distance themselves from His birth by use of the banal 'Happy Holidays' (what on earth does that mean?) it's as crass as Birmingham's 'Winterval' as they seek to lump people of differing faiths and none!

Mind you, they make sure they can display their contempt for the season by:

i.    getting as drunk as possible as often as possible,
ii.   by engaging in acts that deny the message of love, peace and reconciliation, and
iii.  by corrupting the humble gift of love that is Jesus; the sacrificial giving of a long-gone bishop (Nicholas) and making it about money and stuff.

So, are you one of those who will stand by today and tomorrow and keep silent or will you be singing out for the LORD I wonder.

I know what I'm going to keep doing - after all 'they don't know it's CHRIST's mass (appeal) time?

And whose fault is it if they don't I wonder? (hint - have a look in the mirror and ask them too ;-)  )