Is Jesus the Almighty God?

Image: Google Images

While I was online today, I saw a comment which noted that the Bible never says Jesus is the Almighty God. This position would be supported by Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims and others. But is this true?

No. A short Bible study in the Book of Revelation is very revealing. 

Let's start with Revelation 1:8 (ESV) which says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." So here we have "the Almighty" call himself "the Alpha and the Omega". Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, which was the language the New Testament was written in. It's akin to saying "I am the A to Z". 

This is not controversial, God, the Almighty claims the title, "Alpha and Omega". However, this title is used 3 times in the Bible, all in the Book of Revelation. So can we gain any more information? Turn to Revelation 22:13-16 (ESV) which says:

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches."

Did you notice? The Alpha and Omega identifies himself as Jesus! Only this time, Jesus is not claiming to only be Alpha and Omega, but also the first and the last. This is also a phrase that comes up three times in the Book of Revelation - interesting in a book that is big on symbolism! Can we get any more clarity? 

In Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV) we read, "But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not,I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore". So now we can be even clearer - the first and last died, and is now alive forevermore. This same point is also emphasised in Revelation 2:8 (ESV).

So, who is the Alpha and Omega? The first and the last, who died and rose again, Jesus Christ - the Almighty Lord God according to Revelation 1:8 (ESV).

Charismatic Christianity

Being open to the Holy Spirit
 is a vital part of being a Christian

I used to identify simply as an Evangelical Christian, but these days I am adding Charismatic to that description.  What does it mean to be Charismatic?

The Charismatic Movement goes back to Easter 1960 when an Episcopal priest related his Pentecostal experience to his congregation.  From there the movement exploded and is now a worldwide phenomenon. 

Charismatics believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today as well.  This comes from the Bible:

"A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have." (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)

There was a time when I believed that these gifts had ceased - mainly because I never saw them in the Churches I grew up in.  But I realised that this was the common experience of Christians in the first century. When I came back to Church after reconciling my faith and sexuality, I attended a Church which did believe the gifts were active today.  There I was able to meet people who had experienced the Holy Spirit directly.

In time I experienced this as well.

So, how are Charismatics different to Pentecostals?  The main difference is denomination.  Pentecostal Churches trace their history to the early 20th century whereas the Charismatic Renewal saw Charismatics remaining in their own Churches.  So a Charismatic Christian may be a Baptist, a Methodist, Roman Catholic, or an MCCer.  We share similar beliefs on the Holy Spirit, but retain our Christian traditions.  

Now that Easter is passed, we come to Pentecost in a few weeks.  Why not take time out to seek the Holy Spirit in your life?

Image: Google Images

Happy Easter!

Christ is risen - he is risen indeed!

Because Jesus rose from the dead we can have new life in Christ.  That means a fresh start with God, hope for the future, and eternal life with God.

If you would like that new start with Jesus, or if you would like to find out more - please click on the link above on becoming a Christian.  

Christianity or Islam?

Many people think that Islam and Christianity are just two ways of worshiping the same God.  Yahweh is Allah and Allah is Yahweh.  Is that true?

It is true that Arabic speaking Christians use the word "Allah" for God.  Simply because Allah just means "God".  If we have a man called John Smith, and I tell you that he is married with children you learn something about him.  If someone else tells you John Smith is single with no children, what would you conclude?

We see the same thing when we compare the Bible with the Qur'an.  

[Jesus asked] "why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’?" (John 10:36)

The Bible says, “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31).

O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not “Trinity” :desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah. Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. (Surah 4:171)

And behold! Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, “Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah”? He will say: “Glory to thee! Never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I have not known what is in thine. For thou knowest in full all that is hidden.” (Surah 5:119) 

Jesus clearly says he is the Son of God, the Qur'an denies this.  Both cannot be true.  Notice also, that the claim is that Jesus asked us to worship his mother, which is not Biblical anyway.

So clearly Allah and Jesus are very different - they cannot be the same God.

Furthermore, a cursory reading of the New Testament shows Jesus was crucified, died and was raised from the dead.  The Qur'an denies this:

And because of their saying: We slew the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, Allah's messenger - they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them; and lo! those who disagree concerning it are in doubt thereof; they have no knowledge thereof save pursuit of a conjecture; they slew him not for certain". (Surah 4:157)

Ancient Jewish and Roman records also record the crucifixion of Jesus, which means the Qur'an stands in opposition to both the Bible and secular history.

Furthermore the Qur'an goes so far as to claim to confirm the Bible.

He sent down to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming all previous scriptures, and He sent down the Torah and the Gospel. (Surah 3:3)

So for the Qur'an to be true, the Bible must be true.  But if the Bible is true, the Qur'an cannot be true. Therefore, whichever way we look at it, Islam is a false religion.  

Image: Google Images

The Holy Spirit

For years as a Christian I wondered if "this was it".  Surely there must be "more".  For the last year, God has taken me on a journey, discovering who he is, and who the Holy Spirit is.  This is my summary of what God has been teaching me, and doing with me.

Who is the Holy Spirit?
Simply, the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) living within believers today.  We receive the Holy Spirit when we become Christians (Galatians 3:2).

What does the Holy Spirit do?
In the world, the Spirit convicts us of our sin, and God's righteousness (John 16:8).  In believers He is God's presence within us (John 14:16-17).  He gives us spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1 and 1 Corinthians 12:7).  These gifts range from tongues to healing and prophecy.

For a long time I was suspicious of the charismatic movement, and still have issues with some of it, namely the "Prosperity Gospel".  But as I studied Scripture I realised that there is a massive difference between the experience of the first Christians, and many of us today.  As I researched my own Church (the Metropolitan Community Church) I found that there is a large charismatic movement within my own denomination as well - this is true of many Churches.  In fact the first Church to recognise the charismatic movement was the Roman Catholic Church.

The more I studied the Bible, the more I realised that there is more!  So I asked God to fill me with the Spirit (some people call it being baptised in the Spirit - don't get hung up on the terminology!).  Nothing happened at first until I was challenged to ask for, and use the gift of tongues.  Well, I wasn't doing that in public!

At home, I prayed again, and I opened my mouth to worship Jesus, and asked the Holy Spirit to speak through me, and sure enough, I did not understand the words coming out of my mouth!

I recently went to see a Christian who has the gift of prophecy.  I do not know her at all, I went on a friend's recommendation.  This is not all about the future, prophecy is being able to hear what God says, and speak it.  She knew about my life, what I prayed as a child, the kind of work I do, as well as what I would not accept as true!  And it wasn't vague, it was specific things only God would have known.

What about you?
Maybe you are wondering if "this is all there is" to the Christian life.  I'm learning that there is more!  I'm stepping out in faith into a new adventure with Jesus, and it's proving to be very exciting.

Image: Google Images

Try Praying

It’s the work of a traffic planner, a shop manager, a writer, a designer, an entrepreneur, a civil engineer and others.

A conversation on a train went like this.  The guy in his 20s was asked, “Do you ever pray? “  His reply was, “Yes.  I prayed for two people who were seriously ill.  One died and the other got better.”  He concluded he’d had 50% success.

This reflex – the desire to reach out to God – is basic to many, many people. Trypraying is a resource for people like that: no church connection or interest, but open to find out about God. The trypraying booklet is a 7-day prayer guide and is now being used by many to pass on to friends and family with a few words of encouragement – ‘Why don’t you try praying for a week and see what happens in your life?’  Start at http://www.trypraying.org/start-here/

Image and text: http://www.trypraying.org/

Prayer

We talk about prayer a lot, but what is it?  How should we pray?  Why should we pray?

Prayer is simply talking with God.  One of the fundamental issues the Bible addresses is our relationship with God.  In John 17:3 Jesus said that to have eternal life meant that we are to know God.  In fact in Matthew 7:23 Jesus says that knowing him will make the difference between saved and unsaved come Judgement Day.

So If relationship with God is that important, how do we build that relationship?  Studying the Bible is obviously important - it's the main way God communicates with us.  But prayer allows us to communicate with God, too.  We can tell God what's on our minds, share our joys and sorrows with him, ask for forgiveness, pray for friends, family and even nations.

Some people pray as if they were presenting a shopping list to God, but I believe we should also listen to what Jesus is saying to us (John 10:16).  The communication needs to run both ways, so make time to listen to God as well.  Another thing we should do is meet with others to pray (Matthew 18:20).  If your partner is a Christian you should regularly pray together.  Keeping God at the centre of your relationship can only make your relationship stronger.

There is another aspect of prayer that I believe is important.  If you have the gift of tongues, you should also pray in tongues as this will also build you up (1 Corinthians 14:4).

Finally, when God is working in your life, talk about it!  Share it, tell others - give God the glory.  In other words, witness to what God is doing in your life.

Images: Google Images

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!

Christians have a traditional greeting at Easter.  Someone says, "Christ is risen", to which the reply is, "He is risen indeed".  

Jesus' resurrection 2,000 years ago changed everything.  That was the morning when death was defeated, and a relationship with God was made possible.  Sin and evil have lost, love and God have won.

Whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead, or not, that morning changed everything.  The resurrection is a fact of history, as well attested to as other events in the ancient world.  

If you have never experienced the power of Jesus, start searching today.  Ask the question - what happened that first Easter Sunday? The answer will change your life.

Image: Google Images

Good Friday 2013

Today is Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' death on the cross.  

Jesus willingly gave his life for us, taking our punishment so that we don't have to.  If you ever doubt God's love for you, look to the cross.  Whoever you are, whatever you have done, Jesus literally thinks you are to die for.  

In a world where people often play a blame game, or refuse to accept responsibility for our wrong thoughts, behaviours and lack of love, the cross calls us to face up to who we are.  We are not perfect.  We all sin.  But Jesus came to liberate us from the eternal consequences of our sin.  

Because of Jesus' death we can have forgiveness, all we have to do is receive it.  

Come Sunday we will remember Jesus resurrection, but today we remember his death.  Jesus died alone, forsaken by virtually all his followers.  If you are lonely, Jesus knows what that's like.  Jesus suffered intense physical, emotional and spiritual pain (the word excruciating comes from Latin - of the cross).  If you are suffering, he knows what you're going through.

We do not worship a God who is distant, but a God who knows what it is to be human, to live and to die.

Why not get to know Jesus today?

Image: Google Images

The end of the world...

I've been doing some interesting reading on Bible prophecies lately.  I wondered if anyone had any ideas on these 2 areas...

The Antichrist - a Muslim?
I was always taught that the antichrist would be a European, and most likely an atheist/humanist.  This is based on Daniel 9:26 (NIV) since the people who destroyed the Temple after the Messiah were the Romans. 

However, research suggests that the armies who had Jerusalem under siege were not ethnic Romans, they were mostly from Syria, Egypt and that area - specifically Arabs and Syrians.  The word "people" (Heb = am) in "people of the ruler will come" designates ethnic, not national identity.  There is also an interesting passage in Micah 5 which says that "Assyrians" will invade, and be defeated by Jesus Christ Himself.  This is interesting given that Christians believe that the Antichrist will invade Israel and will be defeated by Jesus at the Second Coming.

Furthermore, Muslims (largely Shia, but Sunnis also believe this) are awaiting a leader known as Al Mahdi (Lit "The Guided One).  He is an interesting character.  Most sources have him coming from Iran, to destroy  Israel, to unite Muslims politically into a new Caliphate, convert all people to Islam and will in effect persecute Jews and Christians who don't convert.  He will rule for 7 years (some sources say longer, 7 is the majority view) and is identified as a rider on a white horse - some Muslim scholars say they see Al Mahdi in Revelation 6:2.

This is an amazing mirror image of the Biblical Antichrist - ironically that's who the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is!  In the Bible the Antichrist is a military leader, who has an empire, calls people to one religion, persecutes Jews and Christians and has a 7 year treaty with Israel (which he will break half way through).

Here's another thing - Al Mahdi warns that the Dajjal (the Islamic Antichrist) will appear, defend Jerusalem with the Jews, and will persuade them that he is Jesus the Messiah.  Muslims are warned to flee from him and ignore everything he says.  Interestingly the Bible says Jesus will defend Jerusalem, and will convince many Jews of who he truly is.

The Rapture - When?
I was always taught that there will be a rapture of God's people just before the 7 year Tribulation.  I've been looking at this again, and am less and less convinced that this is what the Bible is teaching.  There is no clear verse which says Jesus will have a 2-stage return.  Historically Christians have not believed in a rapture that precedes the Second Coming - they have always been seen as the same event.  Jesus gathers his people to himself at the Second Coming.  

I've been thinking about what the effects of the belief in a pre-trib rapture would mean.  I think it leaves Christians unprepared for the suffering that is coming.  Corrie Ten Boom said that she believes that the pre-trib rapture is a false teaching, and ignores the tribulation that 60% of the Church is already experiencing, and leaves us unprepared for the horrors that are coming.  She has a point.

If you have read up on any of this, and have any thoughts, please let me know what you think - this is a very interesting area of Bible Study!

Image: Google Images

Trinity Sunday

Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday.  Coming from a Baptist background, a day for the Trinity was a new concept to me.  


Although the Bible never uses the term "Trinity", the concept is clearly taught throughout the Bible.  While it insists that there is only one God, it refers to Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit as God.  Each is seen to be a distinct personality, co-existent with each other.  

There is no single verse which explains the Trinity.  However the Bible is fascinating.  For example, in Isaiah we are repeatedly told there is only one saviour - God.  Then in the book of Titus we are given "God our Saviour" and "Christ our Saviour" interchangeably.  And then the statement, "We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed" (Titus 2:12-13).

Jonathan Sarfati explains:

• There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 44:8). Note that the Hebrew word for ‘one’ is echad which means composite unity — it is used in Genesis 2:24 where the husband and wife become ‘one flesh’. The word for absolute unity is yachid which is never used of God in the Scripture.
• The Father is called God (John 6:27, Ephesians 4:6).
• The Son is called God (Hebrews 1:8. He is also called ‘I am’ in John 8:58 cf. Ex. 3:14 — see below for more biblical proof). He has always existed (John 1:1–3, 8:56–58), but took on full human nature in addition to His divine nature at the Incarnation (John 1:14, Philippians 2:5–11).
• The Holy Spirit is called God (Acts 5:3–4), and is personal (Acts 13:2), not some impersonal force as the Jehovah’s Witness cult believes.
• They are distinct, e.g. at the baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3:16–17 all three were present and distinct. The Son is baptized, the Father speaks from Heaven, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, flies down and lands on the Son. See the baptismal formula in Matthew 28:19 ‘baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.’ Note that the word ‘name’ is singular, showing that all three Persons are one Being.

The Bible says much more, and there are many great books, and articles online which explain how Christians arrived at this understanding of God, such as the one on CARM which also answers a couple of objections against the Trinity.  It's at http://carm.org/cut-trinity 

While we can never fully understand God, we are invited into a relationship with him, and to be forever changed by knowing him.

Image: Google Images
Reference: http://creation.com/jesus-christ-our-creator-a-biblical-defence-of-the-trinity

New World Translation

The Jehovah's Witnesses "Bible"

The Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their distinctive beliefs.  Christians often wonder how they can read theBible and come up with such different answers.  One reason is that they read through the "lens" of Watchtower publications.  Another reason is  that they use their own version of the Bible, known as the New World Translation.


An article on the Watchtower website says, "some people have commented on or questioned the accuracy of the New World Translation because in places it differs from other translations of the Bible".  No, we criticise it because it is a bad translation, not because it differs from other Bibles - which is why we have no issue with versions like "The Message" which stick to the meaning of the original texts.

They go on to make claims that their Bible is an accurate, unbiased translation.  They cite scholars who said it was good, but just google the scholars and you find they said no such thing, or their words were taken out of context.

The NWT has been altered to fit what the Watchtower teaches.  This is most obvious when looking at passages dealing with Jesus' deity. Take Colossians as an example.  By inserting the word "other", they have changed the meaning.  

In the NWT Colossians 1:16-17 you can see that the word "other" has been inserted 4 time's.  It is true that it is sometimes necessary to use words not in the original, but surely this is to clarify meaning, not change it.  Read this passage without the word "other".  Now the passage's meaning is the same as it is in every other translation.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is a created being, through whom God created everything else.  Therefore he couldn't create "all things", because he couldn't create himself!  To solve the problem, the Watchtower edited their Bibles.

The Watchtower used to publish the Greek text of the Bible, known as the Kingdom Interlinear Translation.  This made them seem more scholarly - but right there, for all the world to see (or not see in this case!), the word "other" isn't in the Greek.

The Kingdom Interlinear Translation.  Image: CARM

To make matters worse for themselves, they forgot to fully edit John 1:1-3.  They infamously changed John 1:1 to read "a god" rather than "God".  But in verses 2 and 3 we have a parallel passage to Colossians 1:16-20.  In the NWT the passage reads:

"In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.  This one was in [the] beginning with God.  All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence." (emphasis mine)

Oops.  Now their translation of Colossians not only contradicts the Greek text,  it contradicts their own translation.  To make it fit they need to add the word "other" twice here too.  

I don't mind people disagreeing on theology.  If you want to argue that Jesus is not God, fine.  But I do have a problem with blatant dishonesty.  It is dishonest to alter the Bible to fit your beliefs, and then use that to show people "what the Bible really says".  

If the Watchtower can't be trusted on Bible translation, it certainly cannot be trusted with Biblical interpretation.  

Images: Google Images/CARM
[Update May 2014 - See also my article on the 2013 revision of the New World Translation]

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!


Today is Easter Sunday - the day we remember Jesus resurrection.  


This was what persuaded me Jesus is who he says he is.  Whatever you make of Jesus you have to take seriously the resurrection narrative.  That was the turning point in the Christian story.  The one thing all the ancient evidence agrees on is that Jesus dies on Friday, was buried and the tomb was found empty on Sunday.


If Jesus is still dead, Christianity is a fraud.  But if he really did rise from the dead, then that changes everything.


There are broadly three options, and I know this is a gross simplification. 


1. Jesus enemies took the body
This is the least credible option.  They would simply have produced it to quash resurrection claims.  It also fails to account for the conversion of Paul a few years later.


2.  Jesus friends moved the body
This explanation fails on several counts.  The disciples were scared, scattered and wondering if they would be next.  Why didn't the burial site become a shrine?  What would explain the change in the disciples from terrified wimps to courageous proclaimers of the Gospel?  What would account for James, Jesus brother, converting?  


Above all, why were the followers of Jesus all willing to die for what they knew was a lie.  While people often die for what they believe, they do not die for what they know for sure is a lie.


3.  Jesus really did rise from the dead
This is the only explanation which accounts for all the facts.  Occam's Razor says that once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable must be the truth.


This explanation also explains why millions of people today claim to have met Jesus and been changed, healed and forgiven by him.  It explains my experience of him.


In the Bible God makes a promise.  In Jeremiah 29:13 God promises "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."  Jesus himself promised, "I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." (Revelation 3:20)


Why not take him at his word?

Jesus' Death

Good Friday.  The day Jesus died. The day Jesus was punished for the sins of the world - the day Jesus said he had come for.


I find it ironic that we call today good.  What Jesus did for us is good, but it is also a tragedy.  Jesus didn't deserve to be tried by a kangaroo court, tortured and brutally murdered.  That breaks my heart.  We often see the innocent suffer, and today we see that in Jesus own experience.  


When we remember who Jesus is, God in the flesh, this is all the more amazing.  Jesus allowed this to happen, because he knew that only in this way could justice and mercy be satisfied.  There's a song that is often sung at Easter called "In Christ Alone".  One verse says,


This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.


That is what Good Friday is about.  Because Jesus died, we can have eternal life.  It's ours for the asking.  All we have to do is receive it.


The disciples were left scattered on Friday, lost and in mourning they didn't yet understand what had happened.  But Jesus' death is not the end of the story.  Sunday is coming...


Image: Google Images

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week which is the central week in the Christian year. 


It was on the first Palm Sunday that Jesus was welcomed to Jerusalem by the people - but just a few days later, those same people would be calling for his blood.


On Palm Sunday the people saw a Messianic figure and they welcomed him.  By Friday they took back the honour they'd given him, and called for his death.  Jesus knew what would happen.  On Palm Sunday he knew that the cross was ahead.  He came anyway, because, as he said, it was for this he came.  


Today we will receive a palm cross in Church to remind us of Palm Sunday.  But later each year we burn our palms to mark each others foreheads with ashes at the start of Lent.  Personally that reminds me that we often take back what we gave God, and can literally turn our lives into ashes compared to what God would have for us.  


But Jesus came to bring us to the cross. He came to lift us out of the ashes, to a freedom and forgiveness that is only possible in Jesus.  

Gay AND Christian

Christmas

It's just 1 week to Christmas, which we're spending with my family this year.  I'm almost finished Christmas shopping, I did almost all of it online!  I'm waiting for one delivery, and I'm collecting a gift tomorrow.  After that I just need to get something for my partner, and I'm trying to work out what he would like.  What do you get someone who isn't overly materialistic?  He already has everything he wants, and we already have too much "stuff"!


All of this got me thinking about how we went about getting gifts sorted.  We set a budget, and divided it up.  And we noticed a pattern - office "secret Santa" got £5.  Nephews and nieces got £20-£30.  Parents got £40-£50.  My partner... don't know yet!


There seems to be a scale of significance in how much we spent.  The more significant the person, the more we spend.  The Secret Santa is one of those annual "must do" things, so the budget is minimal.  Parents get more, nephews and nieces are in between, because they're growing up (and whatever we buy will be out of fashion in six months anyway!).


But Christmas is not really about materialism - or it shouldn't be!  It's about another gift.  2,000 years ago God gave us himself.  What does that tell us about how significant we are to him?  


So, what can give in return?  Romans 12:1 in The Message sums it up:

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 

And if you'd like a good Christmas song, here's one of my favourites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2McgKkUChA


This will be my last post of the year, so Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.

Image: Google Images

Masks

Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.

-2 John 1:3

Today is Halloween, when people dress up and put on masks and get to pretend to be someone they are not!  But this is not just something that people do at Halloween.  We do it every day.

How many times have you said "I'm fine" when someone asks - when really you are anything but fine!  

People have a habit of thinking about how they want others to see them, and we act this out.  We become so good at it, and we work hard to keep up the pretence   Just like someone wearing a mask, we present our carefully crafted image to friends and families.

There is a word for this - hypocrite.  The word refers to someone with multiple faces.  In ancient times actors wore masks with with different expressions, and the term is linked with that.

I believe Jesus calls us to live in radical honesty, authentic living, and to drop our masks.

Rev. Troy Perry, the founder of Metropolitan Community Churches once said, "my closet burned down a long time ago.  I set it on fire - Amen!"  We all have our closets.  They contain lots of secrets - sexual, alcohol, drugs, porn, anger, pain, abuse or anything else you can think of.  Jesus calls us to set our closets on fire!  It's not easy, but it is worth it!

Our closets trap us.  While we hide our real selves in our closets, we live a double life.  Burning down our closets liberates us.  No more secrets, no more pretending, no more lies, just authentic living in truth and love!  When someone has no secrets, what "dirt" could someone dig up on them?  When you are yourself, people can accept you as you are - just as God does. 

There's a great song by Casting Crowns called "Stained Glass Masquerade".  The lyrics include the following amazing words:

...I tuck it all away, like everything's okay.  

If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too.

So with a painted grin, I play the part again, 

so everyone will see me the way that I see them.

Is there anyone who's been there, are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who's traded in the altar for a stage?

The performance is convincing, and we know every line by heart.
Only when no one is watching can we really fall apart.

But would it set me free if I dared to let you see,
The truth behind the person that you imagine me to be?
Would your arms be open, or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus be enough to make you stay?

I think that says so much.

Image: Google Images

Give to God what belongs to God

Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”  (Matthew 22:21)

Jesus' famous statement was in response to a question - a question religious leaders were using to trap him.  Was it right to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  If Jesus said "yes", he'd alienate many (most?) of his followers.  If he said "no" then Rome had grounds to arrest him.


Instead, Jesus - as quick as ever - asked for a coin.  Then he asked a question. Whose image was on the coin?  Caesar's they replied.  And Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”  We are reminded that material things are ultimately futile.  But the idea of "image" goes way beyond coins!


If a coin bears Caesar's image, what bears God's image?  The answer is of course you and me.  Way back in Genesis 1 the Bible tells us God made us in His image.  Unlike a coin which is manufactured uniformly, we are diverse beings.  Yet all of us are made in the image of God.


So, we should all give to God what is God's.  As one worship song says, "so I'll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all.  I'll stand, my soul Lord to you surrendered, all I am is yours".  Amen!


Image: Google Images

The Hope Of The Gospel - Alasdair Black

Paul in Colossians exhorts us not to give up on the hope of the gospel. It is easy to give up hope especially when we feel everything is going against us. I remember as a child singing 'Jesus bids us shine' with the words:

Like a little candle
Burning in the night.
In this world of darkness
So let us shine-
You in your small corner,
And I in mine.

The image has always stayed with me - of a child with a candle in a corner surrounded by darkness, hoping Jesus comes back before the darkness gets him or her! But is this really what the hope of the gospel looks like?  Celtic missionaries used to have a very different way of looking at the world. The unseen world that surrounded us was full, not of darkness or foreboding spirits, but the light and glory of God. We were enveloped by the presence and power of the angelic and the saints. In the midst of whatever we were going through the all encompassing light of God surrounded us and dispelled the reality of the darkness.

It is a similar vision that governs Paul's words in Colossians. Paul is affirming a truth that is often forgotten today. The gospel is not dependent on whether I believe in it or not; or whether our society thinks it's true. No, the gospel is a declaration of what has already occurred. It proclaims the difference that the coming of Christ has made to the whole of the created order. It is a declaration of events that have occurred in time and space that have changed the nature of all things. Often in our pluralistic and relativistic age we think all religious truth is simply a matter of what I choose to believe, but Paul wants us to know the gospel is a declaration of how God has transformed the world through the coming of Christ. It is about something that has happened that affects us all whether we choose to believe in it or not.

The first part of the passage is probably a creedal statement used by the early church. It shows us that from the inception of Christianity Jesus is affirmed, not as 'a god', but as the creator God - 'by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ' (16-17). Paul wants us to be in no doubt that when Jesus the Creator became part of creation, 'the invisible God' became visible. He uses a phrase 'the first born of all creation' to describe this state of affairs. The phrase is not saying that Jesus is created, but that he is the head of all creation - its author and sustainer. In the same way, Christ is the head of the church.  

But Paul also wants to affirm that the coming of Christ has tangibly changed everything. The gospel is not some ethereal timeless spiritual truth that some people might find helpful; it is declaring an event that has ramifications for us all. God's relationship to the world and to each one of us has changed through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Death is no longer the end and the world is no longer a place full of darkness and alienation. Christ has brought reconciliation, healing and forgiveness. Although it may seem the darkness is winning and power of Christ is waning, Paul exhorts us: 'don't give up the hope of the gospel'. The Christ event has changed everything. The reality of that transformation does not depend on how we feel or how we are doing or even whether we believe in it. It rests on what Christ has done - his birth, death and resurrection. This reality impacts everyone. Let's not lose sight of what Jesus has done, but let others know of the transforming power of God that is at work in the world.

Source: The Hope Of The Gospel - Alasdair Black Senior Pastor, Stirling Baptist Church