Revstephenwood's Blog

That I might win some

revstephenwood — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:07:27 +0000

Carey 5th Feb 2012-02-03 Mark 1 v35-39 1 Cor 9 v19-23
On being all things to all people or the Duties of an Apostle.
It is good to have some kind of vision in life. Purpose, calling. Faith in Jesus helps in this matter greatly.Jesus tells early disciples what his vision purpose and mission after successful preaching and healing time in Capernaum. Crowds at his door next day. Gone off alone to pray. (crowds…preaching and healing. NB Jesus could have declared his messiahship there…. Could have set up a Successful religious business……. No) Disciples find him tell him everyone wants to see Him replies
We must go onto the other villages round here. I have to preach in them also because that is why I came …
We all need a sense of mission. Helps us know what we are supposed to be doing.
Believers want to get their sense of calling from Xst Himself. Baptism. Use gifts calling and opportunities God grants us. What ever our future holds wrt Work, family, activities.. Huge variety.. There is an ongoing call to be a good witness and servant to Jesus Christ to those around… Im not saying we should be a witness as if this is a different part of our lives. Got to add this to list of other things we have to do….no We are a witness.. Q is what kind of witness? Good, bad or indifferent?
Look at St Paul as he talks about himself in this matter how he goes about it.
“I am a free man nobodies slave. BUT I make myself every bodies slave in order to win as many people as possible.” Paul lived in a very cosmopolitan society…
Found a tremendous Freedom in the Gospel….Over Death, power of sin, Law, Satan ,…. Not subject to any person or people, their authority judgement or control.
BUT I make myself every bodies slave in order to win them. Strange idea.
Where does he get it from? From Jesus of course.. “If any of you wants to be great he must be the servant of the rest; if any of you wants to be first he must be the slave of all. For even the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give his life to redeem many people.” Mark 10 So Paul makes himself the servant of all so he might win all for Christ. How does that work? Remember Pauls background and experience.
He was a cosmopolitan person living in a cosmopolitan society. He was brought up in a gentile society. Saw and knew all about it. Negatively Its Brutality, its paganism, its immorality, its lack of knowledge of the God of the Bible.
He was brought up as a strict Hebrew, Jew and Pharisee. He know all about the Jewish law and way. He would be different from everyone else by his seeking after righteousness.He was also very hostile to the Christian faith, not at all sympathetic to it, rather he seriously misunderstood it and reacted badly against it and its followers.
Whilst he was all these things he also of course became a Christian. Damascus Rd.
Everything changed….As a new person He found himself under divine obligation to share the faith he had been given with the people around him. Jews, gentiles and non believers. Never been done before. How will he go about it? What he wants to do with all these different groups of people is IDENTIFY with them all. Why? So he might win some./ many/ any! So he says. “When I AM AMONGST Jewish people I act like one of them even though I don’t have to. See in Acts Paul keeping Jewish rules and rituals including Vows, Sabbath and food laws so as not to offend these people unnecessarily as he witnesses to Jesus Christ the Jewish Messiah. He models the fact one can be a Christian from a Jewish background, and to do this he chooses to serve people in this way. And then when he is amongst Non Jewish people he does not bother with a long list of dos and donts connected with his Jewish background because that would be an unnecessary distraction to these people. Its not that he is not keeping Gods Law. He is keeping Gods law as interpreted by Christ, so things like food, Sabbath and vows take on a different meaning altogether. Again he does this so that he might Identify with these people who are not familiar with the Jewish Law in order to win some any to Christ with the gospel. Thirdly, he even says that when he is amongst people weak in faith, ie the have doubts about the gospel, they have questions or sensitivities etc. Paul says he becomes weak like one of them! Surprising, you don’t normally get the impression that Paul is weak wrt the knowledge of the Gospel! He is so strong he helps define the gospel for all people everywhere and for all time! Yet when amongst people weak in faith He identifies with them so as not to put them off or scare them away, but so that he might win some of them for Christ! This leads him to say one of his great sayings. “I have become all things to all people so that I may save some of them by whatever means are possible”
This phrase has been used as a Liberal slur to condemn those who seem to twist and turn in the wind to whatever prevailing idea comes along. Doesn’t mean that at all.
He relates to people as if he were one of them, not as if he were not one of them. = Identification with his audience whoever they were or are. In its context it is an Apostolic Imperative for effective witness and faith sharing in a cosmopolitan situation. This is the way to do it. So that when amongst people who are not fellow believers one seeks to identify with them in order to win them not condemn them for being different which doesn’t help much usually.
So think about the type of people you do identify with… These are those we should be able to easily and simply witness to in our daily lives. Natural bridge of communication and relationship with them Witnessing by word and deed as Jesus did. He really did respond to people who ever they were what ever that background or status. He related to them on their terms
Now think of those you do NOT readily identify with. People we find it all too easy to criticise and condemn….We are not going to make much head way with winning these people to Christ! And winning people to Christ is what this is all about.
It was Jesus own Mission Which St Paul and the other Disciples engaged in as their mission and calling. For this says the Apostle is one of the great blessings He enjoys receiving. Of all the different blessings available there is this one. Overlooked and ignored. Becoming all things to all people that he might win some. This for the gospels sake, and to follow faithfully in the steps of Christ.

Jesus heals many people

revstephenwood — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:50:49 +0000

Carey 29-01-12 Mark 1 v21-34
At the beginning of the gospels three things about Jesus come to the forefront.
1. He calls a group of people to accompany him see earlier…
2. He engages in a strong preaching ministry about the K of God see earlier..
3. He engages with peoples needs especially those who were sick and troubled, swiftly bringing them to health and wholeness.
There is an extraordinary amount of healing in the gospels. Ie Man with Leprosy, man with paralysed hand, paralysed man on the mat through the roof, Simons mother in Law etc. Probably because there was a lot of sickness and disease about. But not a lot of healing cures and effective remedies. There would be potions and herbs etc that were thought to help, but it is difficult for us to imagine what it is like when there is no modern scientific surgery, drugs or treatments. People who became ill would often remain ill. And often die. See in extremely poor countries now sadly.
The people in the Bible had a theology to explain this. Sickness and illness was Gods will, probably his punishment for sins. (Job)
Jesus appears as the promised one, the messiah, the saviour, and quite frankly he gets on with giving people health and healing. Because the power of the Lord was with him to heal, which suggests that God generally prefers health to sickness, which was a revolutionary idea, but one can imagine that Jesus was quickly surrounded by huge crowds who had no where else to turn to and as Mark says “Jesus healed many who were sick” He becomes famous for this, word went around like wildfire, despite him often telling newly healed people not to make a fuss about it. -But this activity was not restricted to Jesus alone. Part of the calling of the disciples was to watch and learn and then go and do the same thing In His Name. So he sent them out and ahead of him. They were to preach the coming of the Kingdom and offer healing in Jesus name. Mark 6, Matt 10, Luke 9. where they rubbed olive oil on many people and healed them Mk 6 v13. They had success, in as much as it worked, they had failure in as much as there were some people who they couldn’t seem to help. Mark 9 but they accepted this ministry as being Jesus work that they were asked to do. A work which of course they continued to do after Jesus left them and after the gift of the Spirit was given to them at Pentecost. So in Acts 3 Peter and John bring healing to a lame man at the Temple gate exactly as Jesus himself had done. They were doing it in His name and by His power, they were just the agents of this saving healing work, as they had to explain to the Jewish authorities who wanted to know what this was all about, they say, Its not us, it’s the name of Jesus that has done this. Agreed because Peter and John were just ordinary people who had been with Jesus!
And so the NT contains a stream of living water that is the gospel in action connected with health and healing. The stream has not always been visible and above ground, it has often gone underground and is thus hidden from sight for many years and from many people. But it is always there in the testimony of Jesus and the early church which is the pattern for Christians of all generations and in all places.
-Of course nowadays most people immediately think that if they or a loved one seem to be ill the first and right thing to do is to go to the Doctors. I think it is no accident that it was amongst Christians over the centuries that the modern scientific understanding of sickness and treatment has been developed, together with its accessibility to all without the need to pay for it directly. And it continues to be so. There are welcome breakthroughs in modern terms of understanding what illness is and how to treat it. This must surely please the Lord that we are able to have this available to us all, well all of us fortunate enough to have it available to us, however, this may appear to have taken God out of the matter. We go to the Dr not the Priest.
But most people take their faith with them in the consulting room. They may feel that they want to be in Gods hands as well as in the hands of the Dr and nurses. And so we do pray for those who are ill, in hospital, in difficulty with their health. And we do want the priest or minister or Christian friend or church to know about our situation and to know that we are being prayed for. We may not want to make a fuss, but we don’t want to feel we are going through this difficult time on our own. So we share our concerns with one another and we pray for one another and ask for Gods help and healing power to come to our lives or the lives of the people we are praying for. I would think all churches do this.
Before I came to Hemel as part of my ministry I had been a hospital chaplain for 17 years. I have been with and alongside people in all possible kinds of situations. And I have seen Gods grace and mercy many times. As a chaplain I would pray with absolutely anyone, Christian or not or uncertain or unknown. Just as Jesus did. He felt obligated to help because the person was in need, that was the only consideration. So I will pray for and with anybody. And I will pray for anything. About anything. If it is of concern to someone it is of concern to God. Its about prayer Because pray is what it is about. We ask Jesus to help us in out weakness, distress or time of trial.
And we pray with confidence, with faith, because on many occasions Jesus said that we should at all times and in all situations pray about everything. Bringing the reality of our human situation to the reality of the saving love and power of God.
It might be a question of Health, or guidance, or difficulty at work school or home. It can be about relationships, commitments, finances, employment, problems of any sort. We are encouraged in the Gospel to share our needs with God and we are told that it is especially helpful to do this with and amongst others. Ask, Seek, Knock. When two or three agree it shall be heard in heaven.
Remember as the apostles said, it’s not about us as if we have done anything out of the ordinary. It is the risen Christ who is at work today and amongst us doing still the things he always did. His is the Kingdom the power and the glory.
Which it is why any believer can and should pray for another person or situation.
Everyone can ask for prayer support and every Christian can give that support in the name of Christ. Priesthood of all believers
So that is what we are going to do after the next hymn…( we then had a time of prayer and anointing in the service)

Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

revstephenwood — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:15:51 +0000

Carey 22nd Jan 2012
Mark 1 v14-20. 1 Corinthians 7 v29-31.
Notes for a power point presentation.

What is the Kingdom of God?
It is the Key Idea that Jesus teaches.
Jesus relied on preaching in His work.
It is Good News from God and is for everyone.
Must never forget these two ideas
It is where God is on earth as well as in heaven
Where the future enters into the present
Where people get caught up in the things of God.

Where is the Kingdom of God?
Jesus said it was near. He meant in Himself.
Illustration. The Cathedral in Barcelona was designed by Gaudi. The model came first.

Jesus is the model embodiment of the Kingdom of God. This is what God looks like and what humanity looks like.

What effect does the Kingdom of God have?
Those who have met with Jesus usually find themselves being transformed. This is a mixture of His message “repent and believe the good news” and entering into a relationship with Him. Then and now.
Calling of the disciples.
Following Jesus becomes the number one priority, Simon and Andrew James and John leave both their work and their families. New life. Paul talks about the same things. Those who are married should live as those who are not married. Those who buy and trade as though this did not matter.

How does one know?
Becoming and living as a disciple of Jesus usually has its accompanying signs.
Truth and beauty and Christ shaped reality are displayed.
But often one does not know for sure.
We may appear foolish and unvindicated.
Belief and discipleship is seldom Business as usual. It is not measured by worldly success and is often marked by Cross carrying and sacrifice before the blessings come.

Conclusion.
God wanted to show us what he was like and what humanity was supposed to look like. Jesus is that model. He called people to follow him so they might get this for themselves. Any/everyone. This is the Kingdom of God on earth. Going ever since and has to be re-established every generation.

Meeting Jesus for the first time

revstephenwood — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:04:15 +0000

Carey 15-01-2012 © Psalm 139 and 1 John 43-51.
Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael.
The adult Jesus knows He is a man with and on a mission. He is going to show people what God is really like and what God can do for people. He knows He is the only one who is aware of this, and that His life and work will not last very long, it will all be over and done in a few years. He knows he is not going to write a book about his thoughts and beliefs. He is just going to live it all out. In public. For everyone to see.
How ever he knows he will need some one to watch and learn, to be a witness to it all so that in turn when they have understood it they will be able to pass it all on to others when he Jesus is no longer around.
Well Jesus doesn’t just choose one person, like Sherlock Holmes had just Dr Watson to record and publish his work. Jesus chose 12 people to be with him 24/7 so they could really grasp and understand what He was about, What God was really about.
We call these the 12 Apostles. They become key figures for the spreading of the Good News of Jesus Christ after He was no longer amongst them directly.
Our Bible reading from John describes how Philip and Nathanael got caught up in this whole matter at the beginning. How these two were called by Christ to discipleship. (watching and learning, doing and sharing) Philip and Nathanael are not as well know as say James and John or Peter and Andrew, but they are described at different points in the gospel stories, and here we look at how they met Jesus for the first time.
This all takes place in Galilee, near Jesus home town of Nazareth where he was bought up. This is all part of the region of being Up North wrt Israel just as Newcastle is Up North wrt England. It is away from the centre of money and power. It is provincial and rural. With hardly any explanation we are told that Jesus approaches Philip and says “follow me” and Philip agrees. Jesus doesn’t say Philip you need to go on a course to study a set of books or manuals. Jesus doesn’t say here is a list of things I would like you to do including religious things like praying, worshipping or going to church. Jesus just says “come and follow me”. Come as you are. I’m not going to tell you what we are going to do, just come and join our group. (Jesus has already called Andrew and Simon Peter) This had a big impact of Philip. He not only agrees but one of the first things he does is go and find Nathanael who we presume he knows for some reason or another and he tells Nathanael that he has joined a group based around the one they were all looking for The Messiah.
All Jewish people believed that one day God would send the Messiah to save and rescue them all. It was predicted and described in the Jewish Scriptures (OT) which are usually read as part of the Christmas story. Philip says to Nathanael “ we have found the one written about by Moses and the Prophets of old.”. This is a big claim and big news. He identifies this mystery person as being Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth. (This moment is similar to Marty Mc Fly in Back to the Future wher Marty from the 1990s is telling Dr Emmit Brown in the 1950’s that the president of USA in the 1990’s is Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan the Actor! Dr Brown says incredulously! Nathanael says, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth, are you serious? I know Nazareth, it is just up the road, I know Joseph the carpenter, your are saying his boy is the messiah? You have got to be joking! To be fair it does seem unlikely. The messiah is supposed to come from Bethlehem not Nazareth and be Gods Son not a tradesman’s son. He doesn’t get it and dismisses the matter. Which of course is a common response from people who think they know something about God and his ways who when confronted with the Gospel they say “that cant be right”. Either out loud or to themselves. Philip doesn’t start an argument, he just says those great words that Jesus had said to Andrew and his friend when they wanted to find out about Jesus, come and see he said John 1 v 39. IE don’t take my word for it, come and find out for yourself. This is always a great suggestion for someone who has doubts about whether the Gospel is actually true, especially when it seems unusual and back to front and not what is expected. Come and see. So Nathanael goes with Philip to meet Jesus. And Jesus speaks first, and is very complimentary to Nathanael, “here is a real Israelite, there is nothing false in him”. V 47. This is a great phrase. Jesus is not afraid to say that this person who he has just met is a good person. Some forms of Christianity seem to want to start by insisting that everyone is inherently a bad person and this is where to start. Not so Jesus here. Jesus seems to celebrate this persons good life. But then Nathanael takes a second offence. “How do you know me?” Even though Jesus has paid him a great compliment his reaction is to question again, we have never met, how do you claim to know anything about me? Jesus seems to do this a lot. He seems to completely know people, their situations their hopes and fears, their needs, their life. (The woman at the well John 4 is another example) Our other Bible reading is Psalm 139, which beautifully and poetically describes how it is that God knows everything about us, our thoughts, actions and the entirety of our lives. It is divine knowledge and Jesus seems to have this about people. He replies I saw you when you were under the fig tree before Philip called you. Apparently a devout Jewish person would study and pray under a fig tree. This simple insight has a big effect on Nathanael, He responds with an instantly acquired knowledge of Jesus! Teacher, you are the Son of God, the King of Israel!! Three special titles of Jesus.
Had this come as a special revelation from God about who Jesus really is? Later when Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah the Son of the living God Jesus says that this knowledge was not a human understanding but was given him by the Father in Heaven (Matthew 16 v17)
Anyway it seems that Jesus is a little surprised by Nathanaels response. “Do you believe in me just because I told you that I saw you when you were under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than this!
It is always a great joy to see new Christians making quick and great discoveries. But there is always so much more to discover. In Johns gospel Nathanael will go on to witness the turning of water into wine, The healing of the officials son, the restoring of mobility to the paralyzed man at the pool, the feeding of the 5,000, the healing of the man born blind, the raising of Lazarus from the dead and the greatest thing that defines who Jesus is the crucifixion and the resurrection of the third day. O yes, Nathanael you will see much greater things than this!.
Jesus promises him and the other new disciples that they will witness the equivalent of heaven opening up and there being free and full interaction between heaven and earth. There is now a link, a portal between Heaven and earth, between God and humanity, between time and eternity, between Spirit and flesh. This is the incarnation, God is here amongst us, the Kingdom of God is here and now amongst us.
This is an important story about how people get caught up in the call of Christ.
Christ calls all people, good and bad.
People may have their doubts but Christ can overcome them.
Come and see for yourself is always a good invitation to make.
Once things start to happen there is always much more to follow.
This is discipleship as it happened to the first disciples.
It is a good pattern for Christ to call people at any time and in any situation.
To encounter Christ is to have faith to respond to his call and to begin a life of service and witness. Philip and Nathanael did this. Have you done this? Have you helped others to do this? This is how it works. Amen.

Christmas Thought. 2011 Marys Song

revstephenwood — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:31:57 +0000

Carey 18-12-2011 Isaiah 61 v1-4, 8-11, Luke 1 v46-55 “Mary’s staggering realisation.” Hidden in the Christmas celebrations…. Food fun frivolity
And the Christmas story…. Song and message of angels. Shepherds wise men
There is a human song./ Hymn By a person Mary, Central character
Her song comes as a response to the Angels message about a baby
And her encounter with her cousin Elizabeth also pregnant who confirmed that God was at work in both their lives to bring about his saving purposes.
With startling clarity Mary realises what is at stake here.
Its not just that she will be pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to Gods messiah who Someone else will describe as The Word made flesh. Most momentous event not only for Israel but all humanity…But that this has happened to her. Mary.
A young straightforward, completely unremarkable and ordinary Girl from Nazareth, engaged to be married to Joseph the local carpenter.
It is staggering. Of all the people God could have chosen, to make this unique entry into the world it is her, a normal run of the mill, average girl with no status, no power or influence, no wealth, no intellect, no strength or beauty or anything outstanding whatsoever. God has come amongst the ordinary, and bypassed all those whom the world might have considered suitable. God has bypassed all those who felt themselves to be eligible, the right sort, the right stuff. The proud are scattered their achievements counting for nothing. The Kings are brought down their status being of no consequence. The rich are sent away empty. Their power being irrelevant to the matter in hand. God has chosen Mary, the Lowly one. One amongst millions of ordinary humble people. Her simple trust and obedience was all she demonstrated. Enough. The fact of God’s coming was a Revelation God revealed something new about himself. The means of Gods coming was a revolution. It was going to change the world for ever. It was a revolutionary revelation.
There is exultant Joy by Mary at this realisation. She had been chosen, remembered,
The mighty God of the OT had done this great thing for her and with her and Holy is his name. Holy. One might not expect to see God described as Holy in this context.
Holy usually means separate, different, confirming to Gods will and purpose not human thinking actions or goals. Righteousness, goodness, truth etc.
Thou shalt not this and that = Holy. Here we have a whole new understanding of the non -human way the Holy God works. If it were a human choice of a mother for the messiah, it would have been like an X factor competition.
People would have put themselves forward and then been rejected in a long process of elimination until the best, the most suitable, the most worthy winner remains. This person who beat all the other competitors is worthy to be the one chosen by God for the most important task ever given to a daughter of Eve. But no. It wasn’t like that at all. That is worldly. God’s ways are Holy because he does not do what people expect greatness to do. The trouble is we live in a very worldly world. An X factor world. Where the game is to survive and be better than everyone else to achieve what one wants. Success. Fame. Adoration. Immortality.
And God goes a different route altogether. Bypassing all that. Undermining all that worldly ambition glory and status. He chooses Humble and Lowly and insignificant Mary for the most important task a person could have. To bring Gods Christ into the world. Not only is this a staggering realisation but it is a staggering reality that has yet to be fulfilled! Knowing that this is the way God works in the world, what has humanity done with this for 2000 years!. Not very much! The proud are not scattered with their plans. The kings and rulers still hold their positions. The rich are still full while the hungry are sent away empty. Or are they? We may be witnessing a huge fulfilling of these words of Mary as the poor and oppressed in parts of the world rise up against their powerful and corrupt leaders. And the rich and powerful in our world are being brought down by the economic and political upheavals of our times. It does make one think. Who are we? The rich or the poor? World wide perspective.
What do we want to achieve? Spiritual or worldly recognition?
Are we on the way up by Gods grace or on the way down by Gods judgement?
These are the issues Mary thinks about as she considers what God has done in and through her in making her and not another, the mother of the Lord.
This Revelation of Divine Revolution is not just here in this Song of Mary.
It is in the prophets of old, the one of which we read, Isaiah 61, it could have been many other passages for the same message. Isaiah 61 becomes the basis for the adult Jesus’ first sermon. Luke records it later in Chapter 4. Mary’s child Jesus is in his home church at Nazareth and is given the scroll of the OT to read and he reads that Isaiah passage about the Spirit of the Lord being upon the servant of the Lord to bring Good News to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, the setting free of the oppressed and the saving of Gods people.This is a revolutionary agenda which Jesus says has just come true in Himself, for this is his message and work. Surprisingly the response to this declaration is the townspeople want to throw him off the local cliff, but Jesus walks through them all. But this does illustrate that the Status Quo will always react badly against the revolutionary message. ( S Q those who want to keep things as they are, not the 1970s 3 chorded pop group) This is why so little has changed from these momentous realities. The world not only has its own way of doing things but will fight tooth and nail to preserve the way it does things. Including getting rid of the revolutions representatives. And Gods peaceful holy kingdom comes in amongst those who have the faith to see and grasp it. Like Mary and Jesus Himself.
Some of you know that once a week I put on a dog collar are walk around town making myself available if anyone wants a talk. When people see me dressed as a Christian leader I wonder what they think. I have also been wondering what I think of them! Busy ordinary people with their problems and joys. Their lives and their interests. But in Christ my thoughts become these are the potential people of the King. These ordinary people are those God sent Jesus for. He was born amongst such as these and spent his life amongst such as these. Bringing them Good News in both word and deed. And many refused Him and some welcomed Him but he was FOR each and every one of them. The task we have set ourselves at Carey is “To know Christ and make Him known” This really is a challenge to actually know the God who has come to us in Mary’s child and to then make him known to those around us. This perhaps is the true message of Christmas, hidden away in Mary’s song of new beginnings. Amen.

What happens when we die (2)

revstephenwood — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:07:42 +0000

These are the second notes from the earlier Discussion “What happens when people die?” See below for earlier discussion.
So, The Judgment. Its one thing to claim everybody is woken on the last day from the death of sleep with a new resurrection body that God provides as He did in the example of Jesus, but then what? Incidentally there is also a new heaven and a new earth as part of this recreation (Revelation 21, it seems the present earth may end up being destroyed by human wickedness and need to be recreated by God) and there is the problem. No right minded person wants wickedness, evil, suffering, pain, injustice, violence, tears or loss to be part of any life to come. Neither does God who will be dwelling amongst all His people. The bad and wrong things belong to the former things which must pass away. For the many who suffer in this world, Heaven and Eternal Life is a release from this vale of tears as well as an entering into the fullness of life. Certainly God will engineer it so that these bad things can no longer be part of our existence. Revelation 21 v3-8. God can not have evil and wickedness in Heaven, for it destroys his work and purpose, which is a problem, for who could possibly comfortably be there? There is however the Hope for people of faith. God has shown his nature and character in Jesus Christ as willing and wanting and making available to all, life and wholeness and salvation. In this present life God offers salvation and forgiveness and new beginning to all through Jesus, so that people will become fit for eternity with Him. Of course the trouble is that people lie, cheat, betray, dominate, destroy, are cowards, hypocrites, and are self serving etc. People go against Gods good plan and purpose as He has revealed it. They ignore Him and choose their own way. This is going to be tricky for everyone on the day of resurrection if it leads to the Day of Judgement….. Because we have all gone wrong somewhere…. We shall know this perfectly well when we see what the standard of Judgement is. ie Jesus Christ. John 5 v22. God will judge all people everywhere by Jesus Christ, who will bear the wounds of His crucifixion. The fact that Jesus is the Judge will be good news for those who know him, and have loved him and sought his salvation for their sins…. For those who have rejected him and refused his salvation this will be bad news because their inevitable human sin is incompatible with eternal life.

Q What about those who never heard?, St Paul was aware of this question, he said God can sort this out Romans 2 v14-16. What about children? Jesus famously welcomed all children and turned none away, Mark 10 v13-16, this will continue. The truth is those who knew Him and rejected Him face the greater judgement than those who never had the chance to know…..There will lots of “last becoming first and first becoming last”. And when we say “face the judgement” what do we mean? Our lives are judged by what we did in the light of the Christ standard Matt 16 v27, 2 Cor 5 v10, and our salvation (forgiveness, fitness, relationship with God,) depends on our attitude to the Christ who died for our sins on the cross to reconcile us to God. 2 Cor 5 v19-21. Both of these elements operate. It is a matter of Faith and Works.
It may be helpful to use the old puritan teaching of the Two Ways. Based on Luke 13v 22-30. Matt 7 v13-14, 21-23. Jesus suggests people in their lives are on one path or another. Either towards God, heaven and eternal life, or another road, leading away from God, away from his presence and towards loss. The Judgement will simply be a conclusion to which path people have been on.

Q. When people see this reality will they then be able to change their minds? I don’t know. I don’t think so. The old phrase was that a tree lies where it falls. Would some people give up everything to be with God then? Can it be done then if it was not done now? today? I don’t know. Gods Grace and mercy is bigger than any can imagine, I am sure of that. But some will stubbornly refuse to be saved by Gods grace and mercy, for them there is no other salvation. (It is not a matter of having done more good than bad in a kind of mathematical way; it’s a matter of what one believes and how one lives)
I have conducted countless funerals. Here we have a ceremony to mark the ending of a person’s human life. The words I use speak of the truth of the Gospel as Christians see it. All our lives come from God and return to Him. Jesus Christ is the saviour of all mankind through his death and resurrection. We can never be sure about any other person’s final state or relationship before God. We can only declare the gospel and entrust the deceased to Gods mercy. Christians are entitled to have confidence on the day of Judgement because they know Jesus Christ who is the Judge and Saviour of all. Acts 10 v42.. If that is true, then others who do not know Christ may well face a great dilemma, a real Crisis. They have been on the wrong path. No Christian wants that for another so we usually do our best to witness and share the good news in word and deed with everyone, so that all may have the chance to make peace with Him. However a persons final standing is between them and God alone, not with anyone else. Romans 14 v10.
Jesus and the Apostles talked about reconciliation with God as being like a great party of celebration. And the alternative being like a great weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Luke 16 v19-31. It only seems right that this outcome is an expression of our lives, our choices, who we really are, but the reality we shall be up against is the God who creates, and saves and Judges through His son Jesus Christ, who is not just one reality amongst many others but is ultimate and complete reality. Colossians 1 v15-20. This is the measure against which everything and everyone will be ultimately judged and saved.

What should we do in days of turmoil?

revstephenwood — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 12:58:13 +0000

A message for Remembrance Sunday. 2011. Readings. 1 Thess 5 v1-11 and Psalm 90
“What should we do in days of turmoil?”
The Bible as well as human history is full of stories of days of turmoil. Life in every generation seems bound to have such experiences. There are Natural Disasters, flood, fire, earthquake, meteor strike!, illness, infection, viruses (bird flu) pandemics. There are man made disasters. Economic collapse, (over borrowing in bubble days, debt in bust days) Civil War (Recent Middle East) International warfare, which we are remembering the losses of today. Then there is of course personal turmoil. sickness, accident or injury, relationship breakdown, unemployment, homelessness, persecution, bereavement. The Bible knows all about such things and describes them from beginning to end. The NT also adds another occasion of human turmoil not mentioned so far, from the Thessalonians reading there is “The Day of the Lord” Chpt 5 v2,4. This idea comes from the OT when God will bring this present world order to its conclusion and call all people, whether alive or deceased, to account for themselves in the light of the Christ Event.
The NT Christians were fairly sure this “Day of the Lord” was immanent, something they were likely to see in their lifetime. St Paul says this will be like a pregnant woman, knowing the day of labour is ahead but not knowing exactly when, only needing to be ready and prepared (5 v3). The NT always says, “look at the signs of the times and see the Day of the Lord approaching”
But this is not designed to terrorise or frighten but to educate and inspire and strengthen. Paul says when the signs are there and the day of turmoil approaches and arrives, what kind of people should we be? He goes on to give a list of essential characteristics.
1. People should be aware not ignorant. (5 v1-2) We should be seeing the world as God’s world with Gods involvement and understanding His plans and purposes as revealed in Jesus Christ.
2. We should be in the light, not in the dark. In the dark we stumble and fall or do evil deeds. We should be in Gods light which means openness goodness and transparency.
3. People should be awake, not asleep. Everyone needs good sleep, but not in the daytime when there are essential things to be done.
4. We should be sober at all times, not blasting ourselves into oblivion with drink or drugs in an attempt to find relief from the turmoil we may be in.
Paul says to the Christians at Thessalonica, in days of increasing turmoil, and they were facing such days, when the foundations are being shaken and the future looks uncertain and fear stalks the land, then let us be alert, watchful, on guard, calm collected circumspect, and let us live by our core convictions.
We must put on faith and love as a breastplate and our sure hope of salvation as a helmet. Paul is here again using the language of the soldier on active service. He mentions here just the breastplate and helmet unlike Ephesians 6 where he mentions also the belt, shoes, shield and sword of a fully equipped soldier. But this stripped down image reminds us that life is a battle sometimes, a struggle and conflict and we need to be up to the task. Believing in Jesus, following Jesus is a muscular thing, not just for women and children! In days of turmoil all Christians need to show the military qualities of bravery, courage and sacrifice. Always remembering that in the NT the soldier in armour is not literal, but a symbol of essential Christian virtues. We are not called by God to engage in fighting, killing and violence, but in the living out of strong Christ like qualities of Faith, that is knowing God and trusting Him, Hope, that is having confidence that the future is in Gods good hands, and Love that is being concerned for the welfare of others above oneself. These are the things that make Christians different in days of trial and tribulation. We do not abandon Faith Hope and Love when the going gets tough, we put them on so that we may endure and triumph.
This is because when there is the chaos of human life and history Christians are not excused involvement if there is a military conflict. If there is an economic disaster believers are not exempt from the consequences, If there is a natural disaster the church is not normally divinely protected, and if there is a breakdown in law and order then everyone is affected. But in the midst of this Christians are called to hold onto the foundational truths they have received and accepted, perhaps in the good days, in the days of peace and light, and still hold them in the dark evil days of turmoil.
One final phrase. V11. And so, encourage one another and help one another, just as you are now doing. This final phrase from the Apostle reminds us that this is not just an individual experience but a corporate one. We share in these things together. As we remember the effect of the military conflicts our nation has been involved in since the beginning of the last century we are aware that it is not just those engaged in battle on the front line where people need to help and support one another to get through, but back home amongst the civilian, non combatant population, conflict requires the best of people to co-operate, care for and support onanother. Such days of turmoil need to bring out the best in people, not the worst. This is how people cope, survive and eventually triumph. Not on our own, but with Gods help and the help of one another.
Today we remember those who have died in military conflicts in the service of their country. Those non combatants who were also seriously affected, the qualities that were needed and the thanks we owe. Hopefully, later generations will look back and thank us for our enduring through the days of turmoil.

“What Happens when we die”

revstephenwood — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:51:28 +0000

I will be putting a set of notes on this subject for discussion soon.
Regards. Stephen.

As we approach November with the Festivals of All Saints and Remembrance we can ask. “What happens when people die?”

People can come to this question from different points of view.

Science says this is a non question. Except that our bodies return to the dust of the earth, that’s it. Our lives have no significance to us after death; the life we lead has no consequences after death. There is no evidence for anything else. From a scientific point of view death is a random, inevitable part of life, consciousness does not survive the death of the body. There is no such thing as a spirit or soul that exists separate from the body. (Nb Christians believe this about other life forms ie animals, but not people who are made in the Image of God)

The scientific view seems unsatisfactory to many people. Life with all its amazing possibilities, pleasures and importantly, relationships, is a bit disappointing if it ends in nothing. The writer of Ecclesiastes in the OT talks like this. So doesSt Paul. 1 Corinthians 15 v19.

Most religious systems include a spiritual ie non material element to reality and seek to give life meaning by describing what happens when we die. Buddhism talks about reincarnation after death. Each life form moves up or down the happiness scale through each cycle depending how good or evil people have been in the previous life. There is no evidence for this but it seems fair and a way of getting people to behave themselves. Of course if it is not true then that is a big problem.

Of course the Christian world has had the Bible to explore this question for a long time. The Bible starts not with mankind but with God, and similarly ends with God also, and creation including people is caught up in the story. So what difference does believing in the God of the Bible make to the question?

The essence of the Christian Bible is summed up in various creeds, or faith statements. The Apostles creed says that “I believe in the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting” The Nicene Creed later adds the phrase “Christ shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead” All these phrases come from the NT. And the NT claims to come from real historical events and people. (Luke 1 v1-4)

Coming straight to it, Jesus of Nazareth was sure that death was not the end of people or their relationship to God.

He told many stories about what happens after death, Luke 16 v19-31 The rich man and Lazarus, Matthew 25 31-46 The sheep and the goats.

He went to His own death trusting that he would not be left in the grave, Mark 8 v31, and predictions of his own resurrection.

He said that people who had died were merely asleep and that he would wake them Lazarus John 11v11-14. Young girl, Matthew 9 v23-26.

He gave his disciples all the proof they needed that although he was dead and buried, yet on the third day he was alive with a new resurrection body, a spiritual body. 1 Cor 15 v4-8.

During Jesus’ lifetime there was a theological debate about whether there was life after death. The issue was uncertain. From the OT there was a view held by the Sadducees that there was no life after death. It is illogical and not mentioned in the first five books of the Bible. Luke 20 v27-34 (Woman who had 7 husbands) Jesus refutes them with his own interpretation. Luke 20 v34-40.

He tells stories of life after death that clearly implies a sense of reward for good, selfless generous actions. and retribution for bad, selfish evil deeds. It seems a God of justice would require this. (to ensure that evil is not rewarded but that good is in the life to come, because it is not always so in this life) Matthew 25. The sheep and the goats. Jesus also encourages the disadvantaged outsiders to believe that God is for them and will bless them in the life to come, and warns the rich, powerful and have it alls that they may not enjoy this blessing in the life to come. Luke Luke 16 v19-31 This was a challenge to the Pharisees of Jesus’ day who unlike the Sadducees, believed in life after death and believed that that it was just an extension of the ways things were in this present life. Ie the good and religious people like them receive heaven and the rest go to hell. Jesus often suggests the life to come involves a great reversal. (The first now will be last then, and the last now will be first then, this was popular teaching amongst the ordinary disenfranchised people)

The mechanics of life after death.

Someone will ask, how can the dead be raised to life? What kind of body will they have? 1 Cor 15 v35.

There is a danger that this is all merely speculation. None of us can have any direct experience of life after death so how can we know? I am often told “No one has ever come back to tell us about it so again how can one know?”

I usually point out that the cross being the symbol of the Christian faith is the reminder of Jesus who died in that way, but who was found alive after 3 days (Easter Sunday) and was with and amongst his followers for the next 40 days. Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21. People may say that is not true (how do they know?) but if it is true this becomes the basis for the belief in life after death. Ie it is based on something historical. So we have in Jesus a unique example of life after death in a resurrection body. Jesus is recognisable as the same person, he can be touched and handled, yet his body is not a resuscitation of his normal body (unlike Lazarus who was brought back to life but who was to die again later) but a resurrection with a new body (that was material yet could appear and disappear) Incredible as this sounds the latest enquiries into quantum mechanics ( a branch of sub atomic physics) suggest that particles can and do appear and disappear and can be in two places at once and even can be everywhere at once in a very counter intuitive way).

This Resurrection of the Body is the proper Christian doctrine (as mentioned in the creeds) not least because biblically people can only exist embodied, as so described in the book of Revelation.

A popular, similar yet different belief is “The immortality of the soul” This is a Greek idea that people exist as eternal souls that are incarnated in a human body (just once) and which leave the body at death. This idea suggests that people can and do exist in a disembodied form, ie like Ghosts or Spirits, (souls) either in heaven or amongst us on earth. This is not found in the NT but some Christian language looks like this. Ie Scott Holland’s poem “Death is nothing at all” which suggests we should view the dead as alive and amongst us in Spirit form. However the proper NT teaching is that a person who dies falls asleep and will be resurrected by God with and in a resurrection body because we can not be people without a body. This requires an intervention by God, only God can raise the dead like this, but it seems that this is precisely Gods intention and Jesus is the example.

So when does that happen?

That will happen on the day of Resurrection! When all the dead will be raised. That day is the day of the trumpet blast and the day of the return of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15 v51-54. 1 Thessalonians 4 v13-18. From our historical point of view this is an event in the future. So what happens to those who have died before this event? Ie everyone who has died up to now? Here I say something that some find surprising. All such who have died are said to have fallen asleep. They will be awoken on the day of the Lord’s coming with a new resurrection body. 1 Corinthians 15 v20. This idea that the dead are merely asleep is everywhere in the NT but translations can hid this. The Greek NT has the word koimao sleep to represent the dead fifteen times ie Acts 7 v60, 1 Thessalonians 4 v13, 5 v10, The Good News Bible which I am following replaces the word sleep with death to make it clear that we are talking about death not sleep, but theologically in the NT the death of a person is a sleep until the day of resurrection. NB from the dead person’s point of view these two events will be consecutive. The moment you die is followed instantly by the being alive in the resurrection. The fact that thousands of years have passed between is not something the dead person can be aware of. This is why Jesus could say to the dying thief on the cross; today you shall be with me in paradise. Luke 23 v43. From the point of view of the thief it was later that day, if not instantaneous, but from the point of view of human history he fell asleep awaiting the general resurrection.

Really the thing about the resurrection of Christ is that after his death for him it uniquely happened on the Third Day (which from our point of view is in the past) rather than on the Day of the Lord. (which from our point of view is still in the future) He is therefore the answer to the question, no one has come back to tell us about it. Well, the Bible says that this is exactly what Jesus did. He is therefore the first fruits (guarantee) of the future harvest. Because it happed to him it will happen to everyone. Acts 24 v15.

As it is said in the creeds, there is a link between the general resurrection of everyone and the Judgement of everyone. People are awoken from the sleep of death; they then exist in their resurrection bodies and are sorted out. Hebrews 9 v27. They are sorted out by Christ. John 5 v21-29. Acts 17 v31. God judges all mankind by the standard of Jesus of Nazareth, “the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, the ruler of the kings of the world” Revelation 1 v5.

This is what makes people different from the animals. We are held to account. We are judged by what we have done. We in life were free to decide to know and serve God, or go our own way. Our lives either worked with and for Gods good purposes or against them. Matt 25 v31-46.

We are trying to answer the question, what happens when people die.

So far we have suggested that the Bible says we all fall into the sleep of death, and are awoken and raised at the Day of the Lord and then brought to Judgement. One would need to write a lot more about the Judgement. Is it that everyone is lost except the few who are saved? Or is it that everyone is saved except those who refuse or reject salvation and therefore are lost? This begs the question what does it mean to be saved or lost. Who goes to heaven and why, who does not go to heaven and why? Does anyone go to heaven? Does everyone go to heaven? We will have to spend some more time on these related questions.

Carey 150th Anniversary of the Building

revstephenwood — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:28:58 +0000

The East of England..

revstephenwood — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:07:24 +0000