Q: How many Anglicans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Change?!
(I think the more you've worked for the Anglican Church, the funnier that will get...)
Thursday 26 April 2007
Verse of the week
'Brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you' 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Q: What does a car need to keep running?
A: Petrol - which is why I'm always filling my car up.
Q: What does a person need to keep going?
A: Food - which is why I'm always filling myself up.
Q: What does the message of Jesus need to keep spreading?
A: Prayer - which is why I'm always...ermmm....ermmmm....am I?
The theory's fine - it's God who spreads his good news through the evangelism of his people, so obviously we need to pray to God that he would continue to do it. It's not rocket science! So when was the last time you got down on your knees and prayed that 'the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you'? That question is one to which my answer is shameful.
A Christian once told you the message of the Lord; thank God for them. God once for the first time enabled you to honour that message by trusting in it and obeying it; thank God for that. And now continue to pray; pray that others would hear about Jesus and trust in him. Here's what Paul's asking Christians 2,000 years ago, and us today, to pray:
For the rapid spread of the good news about Jesus.
For those who are involved in spreading that good news (ie every Christian you know - if they're doing it they need prayer, and if they're not, they definitely need prayer!)
That the message would be honoured; that more and more people would come to trust in Jesus.
It's time for me to recommit myself to praying for these things, and maybe it is for you too - why not start right now?!
Q: What does a car need to keep running?
A: Petrol - which is why I'm always filling my car up.
Q: What does a person need to keep going?
A: Food - which is why I'm always filling myself up.
Q: What does the message of Jesus need to keep spreading?
A: Prayer - which is why I'm always...ermmm....ermmmm....am I?
The theory's fine - it's God who spreads his good news through the evangelism of his people, so obviously we need to pray to God that he would continue to do it. It's not rocket science! So when was the last time you got down on your knees and prayed that 'the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured, just as it was with you'? That question is one to which my answer is shameful.
A Christian once told you the message of the Lord; thank God for them. God once for the first time enabled you to honour that message by trusting in it and obeying it; thank God for that. And now continue to pray; pray that others would hear about Jesus and trust in him. Here's what Paul's asking Christians 2,000 years ago, and us today, to pray:
For the rapid spread of the good news about Jesus.
For those who are involved in spreading that good news (ie every Christian you know - if they're doing it they need prayer, and if they're not, they definitely need prayer!)
That the message would be honoured; that more and more people would come to trust in Jesus.
It's time for me to recommit myself to praying for these things, and maybe it is for you too - why not start right now?!
Goal of the century?
Whether you like football or not, have a look at this - poetry on a pitch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FdjxeGFsdA
The scorer is Barcelona's Argentinian genius Lionel Messi. And because it's got French commentary, it counts as revision for anyone with a French exam coming up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FdjxeGFsdA
The scorer is Barcelona's Argentinian genius Lionel Messi. And because it's got French commentary, it counts as revision for anyone with a French exam coming up...
Thursday 19 April 2007
Verse of the week
'God's elect, strangers in the world' 1 Peter 1:1
Every now and then (presumably when they've run out of proper news) newspapers report surveys which show that teenagers in 'this day and age' are searching for an identity. We're often told that adolescence is a time when people seek to work out who they are and where they fit into things.
Well, if you're a Christian (however old you are), here's your identity.
You are one of God's elect. You are chosen by God, loved by God, and God sent his Son to die for you. You belong to God, and are part of his family. Since God gave his own Son for you, there's nothing he won't do for you. You are saved, and will spend eternity with God in his recreated perfect world.
I spent most of my teenage years dressing stupidly, acting stupidly, and speaking stupidly, trying to find an identity I was happy with, that made me feel secure. Read the previous paragraph again - is that not the greatest identity anyone can have? I wish I'd known when I was younger that I could be part of God's elect. What a wonderful encouragement to know that's our identity in God's sight!
But if you're a Christian, you are also a stranger in the world. A foreigner. Someone who doesn't quite fit in, will never really belong. Because my Dad's German, I support Germany at football, and whenever World Cup time comes around I always feel a bit left out of things. Well that is the experience of God's elect in a fallen, sinful, godless world. Perhaps you expect that even though you're a Christian you'll always fit in with your schoolfriends? Perhaps you feel that even though you're a Christian life in this world should be easy? Perhaps you're surprised when things your friends or family say or do make you feel awkward because you're a Christian?
But you won't fit in all the time, it won't be easy all the time, you will feel awkward some of the time; because you're a stranger in this world. You are loved by God, you belong to God; and so you won't be loved by the world because you don't belong to the world.
God's chosen ones, strangers in the world; that's the identity of the Christian, and it's a wonderful one; and it certainly beats being the world's chosen ones, and strangers to God.
Every now and then (presumably when they've run out of proper news) newspapers report surveys which show that teenagers in 'this day and age' are searching for an identity. We're often told that adolescence is a time when people seek to work out who they are and where they fit into things.
Well, if you're a Christian (however old you are), here's your identity.
You are one of God's elect. You are chosen by God, loved by God, and God sent his Son to die for you. You belong to God, and are part of his family. Since God gave his own Son for you, there's nothing he won't do for you. You are saved, and will spend eternity with God in his recreated perfect world.
I spent most of my teenage years dressing stupidly, acting stupidly, and speaking stupidly, trying to find an identity I was happy with, that made me feel secure. Read the previous paragraph again - is that not the greatest identity anyone can have? I wish I'd known when I was younger that I could be part of God's elect. What a wonderful encouragement to know that's our identity in God's sight!
But if you're a Christian, you are also a stranger in the world. A foreigner. Someone who doesn't quite fit in, will never really belong. Because my Dad's German, I support Germany at football, and whenever World Cup time comes around I always feel a bit left out of things. Well that is the experience of God's elect in a fallen, sinful, godless world. Perhaps you expect that even though you're a Christian you'll always fit in with your schoolfriends? Perhaps you feel that even though you're a Christian life in this world should be easy? Perhaps you're surprised when things your friends or family say or do make you feel awkward because you're a Christian?
But you won't fit in all the time, it won't be easy all the time, you will feel awkward some of the time; because you're a stranger in this world. You are loved by God, you belong to God; and so you won't be loved by the world because you don't belong to the world.
God's chosen ones, strangers in the world; that's the identity of the Christian, and it's a wonderful one; and it certainly beats being the world's chosen ones, and strangers to God.
Giving (What's in it for me?)
After a little bit of a post-Easter break, I thought I'd put a few posts up about Christian giving...
On our local radio station there's currently a charity auction, where you bid for stuff and the money goes to a local kids' charity. One of the things to bid for is two Take That tickets (no, I haven't taken out another mortgage to bid - yet!) The basic selling point of the auction is that you can give some money to charity AND get something for yourself.
A lot of charity is like that these days - it suggests that we're unwilling to give money away unless there's something in it for us (in which case it's not really giving money at all). It's similar with Comic Relief, isn't it? We'd never ring that number and pledge money unless we had tuned in to watch Ricky Gervais, Jonathan Ross, Little Britain and all the others do funny stuff. We're happy to give to charity - if there's something in it for us too.
That's quite different from the Bible's view of giving. One place Christian giving is dealt with in detail is 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15; here's one verse from it:
'This service (ie giving) that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God' (9:12).
Two things to say - firstly, Christians should give money away in order, first and foremost, to help other Christians who are less fortunate than us. Secondly, and this is very different to the 'charity auction' way of doing things, Christians should be generous so that more thanks will go to God. Christians give not to get thanks for themselves, but so that God would get thanks.
After all, if you have some money, it's God who gave it to you - and he gave it to you so that you could help Christians who need help (that's what 8:13-15 is saying). So when you give that money to poorer Christians, it's God (who gave you the money in the first place) who gets the thanks, rather than you.
As Christians when the collection plate comes round at church, or a Christian charity asks for money, our first thought should never be 'What's in it for me?', but 'What's in it for God?' Giving money helps people; and giving money brings thanks to God; and that will surely be enough for us to long to give our money to those in the worldwide church who need it.
On our local radio station there's currently a charity auction, where you bid for stuff and the money goes to a local kids' charity. One of the things to bid for is two Take That tickets (no, I haven't taken out another mortgage to bid - yet!) The basic selling point of the auction is that you can give some money to charity AND get something for yourself.
A lot of charity is like that these days - it suggests that we're unwilling to give money away unless there's something in it for us (in which case it's not really giving money at all). It's similar with Comic Relief, isn't it? We'd never ring that number and pledge money unless we had tuned in to watch Ricky Gervais, Jonathan Ross, Little Britain and all the others do funny stuff. We're happy to give to charity - if there's something in it for us too.
That's quite different from the Bible's view of giving. One place Christian giving is dealt with in detail is 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15; here's one verse from it:
'This service (ie giving) that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God' (9:12).
Two things to say - firstly, Christians should give money away in order, first and foremost, to help other Christians who are less fortunate than us. Secondly, and this is very different to the 'charity auction' way of doing things, Christians should be generous so that more thanks will go to God. Christians give not to get thanks for themselves, but so that God would get thanks.
After all, if you have some money, it's God who gave it to you - and he gave it to you so that you could help Christians who need help (that's what 8:13-15 is saying). So when you give that money to poorer Christians, it's God (who gave you the money in the first place) who gets the thanks, rather than you.
As Christians when the collection plate comes round at church, or a Christian charity asks for money, our first thought should never be 'What's in it for me?', but 'What's in it for God?' Giving money helps people; and giving money brings thanks to God; and that will surely be enough for us to long to give our money to those in the worldwide church who need it.
Sunday 8 April 2007
Verse of the day
'Therefore I will give him a portion among the great' Isaiah 53:12
Happy Easter! Christ the King who bore our sins could not stay dead; he must defeat death, and he had a kingdom to rule. His Father raised him, and the empty tomb stands in joyous testament of the fact that our Saviour is the universe's ruler. His glory in heaven is unimaginable, as he, 'the lamb who was slain', sits on the throne being worshipped.
This Easter Sunday, let us rest in renewed assurance that everything we need has been done for us by and in Jesus Christ - there is no better person to rely on than the one who now sits in glory in heaven, having been given a 'portion among the great.' And what joy to know that because he has gone before us, there is a portion among the great for us too - the portion of perfect eternal life.
And this Easter Sunday, why not think of the empty tomb and then think of the throneroom of heaven, and see the one who is your Saviour and your brother and your friend sitting there. Remember today that God the Father has given His Son a portion among the great, and has exalted him above all others, and remember to pray not just with joy but with breathless awe to the one who died among criminals and now sits among the great.
Happy Easter! Christ the King who bore our sins could not stay dead; he must defeat death, and he had a kingdom to rule. His Father raised him, and the empty tomb stands in joyous testament of the fact that our Saviour is the universe's ruler. His glory in heaven is unimaginable, as he, 'the lamb who was slain', sits on the throne being worshipped.
This Easter Sunday, let us rest in renewed assurance that everything we need has been done for us by and in Jesus Christ - there is no better person to rely on than the one who now sits in glory in heaven, having been given a 'portion among the great.' And what joy to know that because he has gone before us, there is a portion among the great for us too - the portion of perfect eternal life.
And this Easter Sunday, why not think of the empty tomb and then think of the throneroom of heaven, and see the one who is your Saviour and your brother and your friend sitting there. Remember today that God the Father has given His Son a portion among the great, and has exalted him above all others, and remember to pray not just with joy but with breathless awe to the one who died among criminals and now sits among the great.
Saturday 7 April 2007
Verse of the day
'He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death.' Isaiah 53:9
I'm never quite sure what aspect of the crucifixion and resurrection to concentrate on on Easter Saturday (any suggestions are welcomed!) We're beyond Christ's death on Good Friday now, but we haven't reached the joy of Easter Sunday morning.
So, I thought today would be a good day to remind ourselves of God's well-laid, pre-ordered plan which took his Son to the cross, to the tomb, and to new life. Here is God speaking through his prophet Isaiah 700 years or so before Jesus came to earth; and here is a detailed description of events on Good Friday which takes the breath away.
It looks like a contradiction; how can the one of whom Isaiah speaks be given a grave with the wicked, and yet be with the rich in his death? (Unless he found a rich wicked guy!) And yet as we read the gospels we see this sentence coming true before our eyes. Christ was crucified alongside criminals, destined like them for a criminal's grave; assigned a grave with the wicked. And yet, when Jesus has died, we find 'Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God' (Mark 15:43) going and taking Christ's body and putting it in a tomb he owned. A rich man giving up his unused tomb for the crucified Jesus.
It's a little detail; and one that was already part of God's plan 700 years before it happened. Why not pause for a moment and thank God that the death of his Son was no accident, no last-minute botch job, but the pinnacle of God's eternal plan to save sinful people and give them eternal life. If you trust in Christ, why not thank him that you are part of that plan. In the pause between the agony of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter Sunday, why not marvel at the wisdom of God, the God who planned down to the smallest detail the rescue operation that he mounted through his Son, and why not speak to him now in deep gratitude for the plan which has given you a place in heaven.
I'm never quite sure what aspect of the crucifixion and resurrection to concentrate on on Easter Saturday (any suggestions are welcomed!) We're beyond Christ's death on Good Friday now, but we haven't reached the joy of Easter Sunday morning.
So, I thought today would be a good day to remind ourselves of God's well-laid, pre-ordered plan which took his Son to the cross, to the tomb, and to new life. Here is God speaking through his prophet Isaiah 700 years or so before Jesus came to earth; and here is a detailed description of events on Good Friday which takes the breath away.
It looks like a contradiction; how can the one of whom Isaiah speaks be given a grave with the wicked, and yet be with the rich in his death? (Unless he found a rich wicked guy!) And yet as we read the gospels we see this sentence coming true before our eyes. Christ was crucified alongside criminals, destined like them for a criminal's grave; assigned a grave with the wicked. And yet, when Jesus has died, we find 'Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God' (Mark 15:43) going and taking Christ's body and putting it in a tomb he owned. A rich man giving up his unused tomb for the crucified Jesus.
It's a little detail; and one that was already part of God's plan 700 years before it happened. Why not pause for a moment and thank God that the death of his Son was no accident, no last-minute botch job, but the pinnacle of God's eternal plan to save sinful people and give them eternal life. If you trust in Christ, why not thank him that you are part of that plan. In the pause between the agony of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter Sunday, why not marvel at the wisdom of God, the God who planned down to the smallest detail the rescue operation that he mounted through his Son, and why not speak to him now in deep gratitude for the plan which has given you a place in heaven.
Friday 6 April 2007
Verse of the day
'He was pierced for our transgressions...by his wounds we are healed' Isaiah 53:5
Around 2000 years ago, on the first Good Friday, the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross. Read that sentence again. And again. It's something that becomes so familiar to us that we take it for granted; but it is an astonishing fact that the Son of God should come and die to be pierced for our transgressions.
For around 2000 years ago the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross because of you. He was pierced not for his wrongdoing but for ours, not for his rejection of God but for ours. Perhaps you've been struggling to live as Christ asks recently. Perhaps there's a particular sin you keep on doing and you know it's wrong but you can't really be bothered to stop it. Look at the Son of God on the cross, see the price of your sin, see the place where you should hang - and stop it. How can we stand at the foot of the cross, looking at the Son of God dying in agony because of us, and not take our sin seriously?
And it is an astonishing fact that 2000 years ago the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross for you. The rightful anger of God at our rebellion against him is the sentence we deserve; that was the sentence he served as his hands and feet were pierced on the cross. We come to the cross as sinners facing death; we find at the cross eternal life as God's children. Perhaps you've been struggling to be joyful as a Christian when life is tough. Perhaps you've forgotten to thank the Son of God properly recently. Look at the Son of God on the cross and rejoice and thank him from the bottom of your heart that though your sin put him there, your sin has been dealt with there. By his wounds you have been healed.
He was pierced for our transgressions. What humbling, awe-inspiring, wonderful news!
Around 2000 years ago, on the first Good Friday, the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross. Read that sentence again. And again. It's something that becomes so familiar to us that we take it for granted; but it is an astonishing fact that the Son of God should come and die to be pierced for our transgressions.
For around 2000 years ago the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross because of you. He was pierced not for his wrongdoing but for ours, not for his rejection of God but for ours. Perhaps you've been struggling to live as Christ asks recently. Perhaps there's a particular sin you keep on doing and you know it's wrong but you can't really be bothered to stop it. Look at the Son of God on the cross, see the price of your sin, see the place where you should hang - and stop it. How can we stand at the foot of the cross, looking at the Son of God dying in agony because of us, and not take our sin seriously?
And it is an astonishing fact that 2000 years ago the One through whom the world was created hung and bled and suffered and died on a wooden cross for you. The rightful anger of God at our rebellion against him is the sentence we deserve; that was the sentence he served as his hands and feet were pierced on the cross. We come to the cross as sinners facing death; we find at the cross eternal life as God's children. Perhaps you've been struggling to be joyful as a Christian when life is tough. Perhaps you've forgotten to thank the Son of God properly recently. Look at the Son of God on the cross and rejoice and thank him from the bottom of your heart that though your sin put him there, your sin has been dealt with there. By his wounds you have been healed.
He was pierced for our transgressions. What humbling, awe-inspiring, wonderful news!
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