Just one touch from the King changes everything!

by Godfrey and Gill Birtill - my favourite worship song at the moment - get ready to sing this soon at St George's BCN!

Zacchaeus bible study

Bible Study - Luke 19.1-10

The story of Zacchaeus is great material for the children in Sunday School; “Zacchaeus was a very little man and a very little man was he” etc! But what does it have to say to us grown ups??

Q1 What do we know about the status of tax collectors in first century Palestinian society?

Some have speculated that Zacchaeus might have been VERY short, possibly a dwarf or hunchback. Have a look at Leviticus 21.17-20.

Q2 Does the Bible encourage us to view disability, illness or unusual appearance as a sign of God’s disfavour? (Compare Deuteronomy 28.15ff with John 9.1-3)

Q3 Is there a contrast between a merciful, forgiving Jesus and a harsh, judgmental Old Testament God? How should we explain this contrast? Which picture most accurately portrays the true image of God?

Q4 Is there a link between people experiencing prejudice or exclusion and their being drawn into dodgy occupations and activities?

In spite of his faults there was hope for Zacchaeus, because he recognised that he needed to change and because Jesus was coming.

Q5 What else do you notice about Zacchaeus’s meeting with Jesus (v1-6)?

Q6 In verse 7, who were the “they” who disapproved of Jesus’ socialising with someone like Zacchaeus? Are we ever guilty of this kind of attitude?

Q7 Who are the Zacchaeuses of our day, of our society? How likely are they to encounter God’s grace? What can we do to improve the odds?

Q8 What do you make of Zacchaeus’s promises in verse 8? (See Leviticus 6.1-5 or Numbers 5.5-7 for the restitution that was due). Do you think he would have actually followed through with all this? Does it matter whether he did or not?

Q9 What were the spiritual results of the meeting of Jesus and Zacchaeus?

Q10 Verses 9 and 10 are a concise summary of the Good News, the Gospel. How closely do the Church’s aims and priorities match those of our Lord and Saviour?

Bible Sunday Sermon

Billie warned me not to make ‘Bible Sunday’ boring. So I thought I’d begin by showing you my collection of bibles...






6 very different books – one thing they have in common is that none of them are in fact bibles!
QUESTION:- What are the publishers of these books claiming by including the word ‘Bible’ in the title?

Elicit:-
• Authority and Expertise
• Full Coverage of the Subject
• Answers and Guidance
• ...

These are the kind of things that many people (myself included) would claim for THE Bible, the HOLY Bible, the book which tops the bestsellers list year after year.
A famous passage from the Bible tells us that:-

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Timothy 3.16-17)

This makes the Bible sound wonderful and indeed it is! But it isn’t always easy to understand and can be a real struggle, even with expert help. Unlike a reference book about knitting or collecting mushrooms, the Bible is not set out in the most helpful order and does not give up its treasures and truths easily. Perhaps this should not surprise us in a collection of writings that was composed over about 1500 years by many different writers and editors.

Understanding the Bible and meeting God through the Bible involves hard work and struggle which not everybody would consider worthwhile. The great Welsh preacher Martin Lloyd Jones once said how good it was that every house in Wales contained a big black leather Bible, but he added that, unfortunately, most of them had plant pots standing on top of them!

My Bible will do me no good if it has a plant pot on top of it, or even if it is gathering dust on a shelf. But if I’m going to discipline myself to read and study and struggle with the meaning of my Bible, I need to have good reasons for doing so.

Our reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans suggests some.

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15.4

Life was not easy for the early Christians in the Roman empire. They needed to be encouraged and to develop qualities of endurance and a perspective of hope. Paul tells them that this is what the Scriptures (OT) are for. The reason the OT has this focus is that most of its books were collected/finalised during the Babylonian captivity – looking back over the Israelites’ up and down relationship with God to the Exodus, when God had previously heard their cry and set them free.

Our lives today are very different but we all have to cope with the pressure and stress and often the hopelessness of life. We also need encouragement, endurance and hope and the same help is available to us, thanks to the work of Bible translators and publishers.

As well as the OT, Paul points to the example of Jesus. Here we have an advantage over Paul’s original readers in that our Bibles include the 4 Gospels, as well as the writings of Paul and other Apostles. The key quality of Jesus that Paul points to – and which the gospel writers confirm - is his complete unselfishness and commitment to the needs of others (see 15.3, 5). This is the way he lives consistently, all the way to the cross and beyond. Paul sees that Jesus is God in the form of a man and that he shows us exactly what God is like.

Paul urges his readers to imitate these same qualities so that God will be glorified in the world (15.5 and 6).

Jesus and the Old Testament

A bit more needs to be said about the relationship between Jesus and the OT. Some of you are reading your way through the whole OT and raising a lot of questions. I know many of you who study your Bibles struggle with the difference between the loving, gracious, forgiving and non-violent picture we have of Jesus - and OT portrayals of a God who is often angry, vindictive and cruel.

The way we resolve this tension is very important and basically the Christian answer is to read the OT through special lenses – like watching a 3D film – the lenses of
Jesus and especially his death on the cross. Jesus clearly told his disciples and the religious leaders of his day that they had misread the OT, as we can see in today’s gospel reading from very early in his ministry:-

Read Luke 4.16-21

The people all started talking about Jesus and were amazed (or shocked). Soon afterwards they chased Jesus out of the synagogue and he narrowly avoided being thrown off a cliff. Ever wondered why?

Because he had missed out their favourite verse! Quoting Isaiah 61.1-2 Jesus stopped before the bit about the day of God’s vengeance, closed the scroll and sat down. The part he left out was the bit they liked most - the verse that would be cheered to the rafters! They were looking forward to the day when the Messiah would come and pour out God’s vengeance on their enemies.

The Jewish religious leaders had not read their Bible in a way which led them to love, serve, forgive and pray for their enemies and they were offended by Jesus’ reading of the passage.

And it wasn’t just the religious leaders who had got the wrong end of the stick, it was Jesus’ disciples too. When he was rejected by the people of one town, the disciples asked if they should command fire to come down from heaven to destroy them. Jesus gave them a severe telling-off for this.

Jesus consistently claims authority over the Old Testament and reinterprets it in a way that shows the central message is about mercy, forgiveness, healing and reconciliation.

Think of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus keeps on saying ‘You have heard that it was said... but now I tell you this.’
‘You have heard that it was said ‘love your friends, hate your enemies.’ But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven.’

Each time he refers to the OT Jesus fills it with deeper meaning and clarifies God’s nature and intentions. This claim of authority to reinterpret the Scriptures and to reinterpret God offended the religious leaders but it was his right as the Son of God, as God in human form.

We might wonder at times why God didn’t just make himself clearer the first time around, so Jesus wouldn’t have to come and explain and reinterpret ... and suffer.

But another way of looking at it would be that people could only be led out of the darkness of sin gradually; in the same way as the rescued Chilean miners had to be protected from sunlight and allowed to adjust gradually.

We could go a lot further with this and I’m happy to recommend further reading to anyone who is interested. But the central point is simply that when we read the Bible we need to remember to put on ‘Jesus lenses’, because when we see Jesus, we see God. Without those lenses we are likely to draw wrong conclusions and ideas.
On Bible Sunday I want to challenge and encourage all of you to read and study your Bibles more, taking advantage of all the help which is available (Study notes, commentaries, home group, Roots and Routes courses etc).

Somebody once wrote that ‘The Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.’ (Vance Havner)

Remember your Jesus lenses and remember also that the help of the Holy Spirit is promised to everyone who sincerely wants to know God and follow Jesus (John 16.13-14).

Get stuck into your Bibles and don’t be shy about sharing what you learn with others. The Bible Society is calling tomorrow Take your Bible to work day. (I do that every day, you’ll be pleased to know!) They are encouraging churchgoers to take their Bible to work, to make the point that the Bible is not just for Sunday, it is for every day and every part of our lives.

I pray for each of us here today and for our neighbours, that we would increasingly find this to be true as we discover the treasures of the Bible.

Reading list

This list of books and websites are ones that I have found helpful in recent years, and may be helpful for others in their own faith journeys. All are available through amazon.co.uk or as Kindle downloads from amazon.com (apart from those marked with *).

1) Bell, Rob & Golden, Don. Jesus Wants to Save Christians (Zondervan, 2008): This inspiring retelling of the Bible story shows how the Gospel addresses the biggest problems and fears of humanity.

2) Claiborne, Shane. The Irresistable Revolution (Zondervan, 2006): A contemporary prophet, Claiborne calls us to join Jesus in a provocative but non-violent revolution.

3) Gaston, Ray. A Heart Broken Open (Wild Goose, 2009): A stunning contribution to Christian/Muslim dialogue.*

4) Greig, Pete. The 24-7 Prayer Manual (David C Cook, 2008): A challenging and inspiring book, which is helping many Christians around the world rediscover the power of prayer.

5) Jersak, B & Hardin, M, eds. Stricken by God? (Eerdmans, 2007): A strong collection of essays that question the violent and judgmental picture of God that many people hold. I found the chapters by Sharon Baker and Denny Weaver especially helpful.

6) MacDonald, Gregory. The Evangelical Universalist (SPCK, 2008): The author makes a biblical case for his belief that, although salvation is found only by grace through faith in Christ, in the end all people will be saved.*

7) McLaren, Brian. A New Kind of Christianity (Hodder & Stoughton, 2010): Brian asks the hard questions that the Church needs to face if it is to impact society in the ways Jesus intended. An alternative way into McLaren’s ideas in story form is the A New Kind of Christian trilogy.

8) Morisy, Ann. Bothered and Bewildered (Continuum, 2009): A clear thinker and communicator, Ann helps us understand how to be truly Christian in a time of crisis.*

9) Newbigin, Lesslie. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (SPCK, 1989): A classic book by a highly respected missionary and ecumenical leader. Very relevant for Christians living in a multi-cultural and multi-faith
context.

10) Talbott, Thomas. The Inescapable Love of God (Universal, 1999): A powerful vision of the love of God and an articulate and passionate challenge to the traditional doctrine of hell.*

11) Wright, Tom. Surprised by Hope (SPCK, 2007): One of the best books by this prolific scholar and former Bishop. The gospel of hope is centred on the resurrection of Jesus.

www.therebelgod.com
By Derek Flood: This website has been the single most helpful resource for me during the past two years. Derek is a clear thinker, an excellent communicator and a passionate advocate of the gospel of grace. Check out his articles and essays as well as the blog entries, which are often followed by interesting discussions in the comments. He always responds in a respectful and helpful way, whether the comment has come from an ordinary reader or a heavyweight theologian.

www.gregboyd.org
By Greg Boyd: A wonderful blog with masses of other useful resources and a brilliant Q & A section. His 28 September 2010 blog entry, titled "Revelation and the violent, prize-fighting Jesus", is brilliant. Equally good is 21 August 2009, "Did God send a tornado to warn ECLA?"

http://godscharacter.com
By Brad Cole and others: Lots of helpful articles, Bible studies and videos of good quality teaching.

Chilean mine rescue - all 33!

Like me, I'm sure many of you were gripped by the unfolding story of the dramatic rescue of all 33 trapped miners after more than 2 months underground. We rejoice with the people of Chile and thank God, as they did, for their rescue. And of course, the greatest rescue in the history of Chile has many parallels with the greatest rescue in the history of the universe - our salvation by and in Christ.

When I think about the rescue capsule I think about our salvation in Christ.

When I see the rescuers going down 625 metres to rescue those who are trapped I think of God who opened the heavens and came down (Psalm 18.9).

When I see President Pinera celebrating the rescue of the first miner, but insisting that there will be no real celebration until all 33 are saved, I think of God who wants to save all people (1 Timothy 2.4) and of the good shepherd who will not rest until all his lost sheep are found. I remember that God is love (1 John 4.8, 16) and as such, he always protects, hopes and perseveres (1 Cor 13.7).

When I see the rejoicing and thankfulness of each rescued miner and his family, I think of Jonah's words 'I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice... I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me for ever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.' (Jonah 2.2, 6).

As we rejoice in the Chilean rescue and in our own salvation, we must not forget the other miners who are still trapped (as I write, 2 of 4 trapped in a gold mine in Ecuador have been found dead). Many others are trapped in physical, emotional and spiritual dark places. We are all Chileans; we are all miners and as followers of Christ, we are all called and equipped to be rescuers, in the power of our great and loving God:

Helpful Books and Websites

I thought it might be useful to put together a list of books and websites which I have found helpful during my first two years at St George's. I have put this information into a table which, for the books, includes author, title and publisher information, as well as a brief description and an indication of availablity through Amazon.co.uk or as a 'Kindle' download from Amazon.com.

Please contact me if you'd like me to email you a copy of the list.

Happy reading!

Sermon - 2 Timothy 1 - Pass it On!

2Timothy 1.1-14
Criteria for Success
We often wish each other Success and Happiness when starting a new job, moving to a new home or country, taking on a new responsibility etc.
What does success look like in these situations? What would YOU hope for, for yourself or for a friend?
(elicit…) to be comfortable, secure, confident, valued, respected, healthy, financially well-off, surrounded by loyal friends etc.
(Reading comes here)
NOW let’s look at PAUL’s situation when he wrote 2Timothy…
• He’s in prison (1.8)
• Worse, he’s on ‘Death Row’ (4.6)
• His friends have mostly deserted him (1.15, 4.10,16)
• His ministry has included lots of suffering and persecution (3.11-12)
• Early Church tradition is that Paul was beheaded by Roman authorities in about 65AD
HOW was he doing against our criteria for success? Apparently a complete failure!
Famous Last Words
2Tim is almost certainly P’s last letter to the outside world, his ‘famous last words’ to his son in the faith, his loyal apprentice. You might expect him to be warning Timothy:-
‘Don’t make the same mistakes I’ve made, go and get a proper job. There’s no future in this preaching the gospel – look where it got me! I’m sorry I’ve wasted my life and led so many other people astray as well. What a mess I’ve made of things. God help me!
What Paul actually wrote to Timothy is quite different:-
• ‘I am not ashamed’ (of being in prison for being a follower of Jesus (1.12)
• He also urges Timothy not to be ashamed of Paul or his example (1.8)
• He suggests Timothy should teach the same things (1.13)
• And join Paul in suffering for the gospel (1.8)
• Paul must have been crazy. So must Timothy because he did what Paul asked, with the same result. Church History records that he became first bishop of Ephesus and around 97AD he was killed by pagans because of his opposition to their drunken orgies for goddess Diana. The fact that 2Tim is in the Bible is further evidence that Timothy followed Paul and Jesus faithfully all the way to his death.
WERE Paul and Timothy deluded or mentally ill? If so, the letter is surprising. 2Tim is clear and well reasoned. Underlying it there is a calm, unshakeable confidence and peace and lots of sensible, practical advice.
Paul’s Confidence
What is P’s confidence based on?
The EXAMPLE of Jesus – who had taken the nature of a slave, emptied himself of privilege and lived a life of total obedience to God. This included explaining and promoting the values of God’s kingdom against the selfish and aggressive values of human society. Following the example of Jesus was central to P’s understanding of his own place and purpose and that of all Christians.
The SALVATION of Jesus – From the Damascus Road turning point (Acts 9.3) – Remember Paul as Saul had been a Pharisee and a violent opponent of the Christian ‘Way’ - Paul was convinced that death had been defeated (2Tim 1.10) and no longer something to fear. He wasn’t eager to die, but he wasn’t afraid to die. He knew that all he had committed to Christ’s care – his life – was in safe hands (1.12). This truth freed him to live completely for God and others. He
The COMMISSION of Jesus – Paul knew he was called by God to the work of an Apostle (1.1) from the beginning of time (1.9), not because Paul himself was anything special but because it was God’s will and purpose (1.9). He was certain that God would complete what he had started. He saw Tim as equally gifted and set apart through ordination/confirmation for the same work.
Paul’s Priority
In these final moments of Paul’s life what does he see as the most important priority? He hints at it at the start of the letter
1.3 I am grateful to God whom I worship… as my ancestors did
1.5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you also.
1.14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you.
In the next chapter he states it clearly:
2.2 and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well.
As Paul sees it, the key task of the Church is to PASS IT ON to the next generation of Christian disciples, followers of Jesus. This is because the Christian gospel is God’s plan for the rescue of the whole world.
The Gospel is to be shared in word and deed, wholeheartedly, with all people.
So how can we be a success?
The task can seem so big that it is hard to know where to start. How can we get the balance right, especially in a society which is multi-faith, mainly secular and in which Christianity is regarded with suspicion and associated with a dark and abusive past?
Let’s concentrate on the advice Paul gives in 1.6-7
Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
From this:-
1. We need to use the abilities and spiritual gifts God has given us for the purpose of building up the church and blessing others. They will be no use unless ‘fanned into flame’. Gifts need to be identified, trained and used. Prayerful discernment and the help of a pastor or spiritual guide can help.
2. Power or Courage. Our natural timidity, caution or cowardice needs to be replaced with a boldness and confidence in God’s ability to work through us. Our Christian ‘muscles’ will get stronger as we use them and see the results. (Rugby – go into a tackle hard and you won’t get hurt. Or if you do it will have been worth it!). Worship can help us develop our awareness of and openness to God’s power.
3. Love. Power is no good without love – as Paul explains in 1Corinthians 13.1-3. Unless genuine love of others motivates all that we do, it will be empty and worthless and will not serve God’s purposes.
4. Self-discipline and Wisdom are also necessary – journaling can help, also prayerfully thinking things through with trusted friends.
I recently came across an interesting quote from a Catholic activist which is very similar to what Paul is saying:

Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual. But the one who has love, courage and wisdom moves the world. (Ammon Hennacy 1893-1970)

That quote is on the inside cover of a book I’m reading at the moment ‘The Irresistible Revolution’ by Shane Claiborne, a young Christian leader following in the footsteps of Paul and Timothy. On p64 he writes ‘we decided to stop complaining about the church we saw, and we set our hearts on becoming the church we dreamed of.’
Seems like a good idea!

God of my night - new verses

Remember this worship song I'm working on? I've written two more verses. Comments / suggestions for improvement are welcome. Hoping to post a video demo soon.



1. God of my night, God of my day
You are my light, You are my way
Whenever I reach for You,
You will answer me
You will lift me from despair
My comforter, my counsellor
my Saviour and my friend

2. Sometimes I fall, sometimes I stray
Hiding my face, running away
But Father, You search for me, You rescue me
You surround me with Your care
Protecting me, correcting me
My Saviour and my friend

3. Open my eyes, show me Your way
Help me to love, teach me to pray
Forever I'll cling to You
I will follow You
and Your mercy I will share
For You are my security
My Saviour and my friend.