Fear can be one of the biggest holdups to achievement.
How often do we not do something because we are 'worried about what might happen' or 'worried about....(fill in the appropriate reason).
Worried of what people will think.
Worried we'll fail and be embarrassed.
Worried people will think we're stupid or foolish.
Worried we'll alienate people.
Worried people will think we're crazy.
Worried we might lose everything.
Worried about our reputation.
Worried people will reject us.
Fear is one of the biggest weapons the enemy uses to stop us being who we were destined to be and doing what we were destined to do.
The reason we get all the innovations and major achievements in history though is because people were willing to take huge risks, be willing to look foolish for what they believed in.
When God tells us to do something, He does promise to be with us.
But He doesn't promise it will be easy.
There's this perception going around that just because God calls us, it will all be easy and smooth. Sometimes it does appear to happen like that with people.
But God calls us to trust Him. To persevere. To be obedient. To choose His path even when things seem against us.
I think when things keep trying to stop us, try to make us doubt, when the world and our own fears come in the way of our calling, its more likely that the calling was from God. There's someone who doesn't want God's kingdom to come and doesn't want our best, so he puts obstacles in our way to try and put us off.
That's when we need to be faithful and trust, and take a step of faith.
Why am I talking about this?
I recently took a step of faith, and it may not seem huge to some but for me it was a huge deal. Huge.
Telling people what I believed I was called to do with my life. What I believed God's long-term plan for me was. Saying it out loud.
Risking rejection, risking embarrassment.
I had to chance to avoid it. It would have been easy. But I knew I had to do it, otherwise it would remain a fantasy forever.
When I said it, it suddenly became real. It suddenly had power. I got affirmation and encouragement from those around me and through things I subsequently heard in talks, at church and in conversation.
But I know its not going to suddenly happen. Its a process will take years, and I just need to get on and make myself as ready as I can, do what I can do now and then trust and allow God to do what He can do.
God said to me today
'Yes, you will do this. Yes you can do this, despite what you think'
'You know this is your calling'
'You just need to believe it in your heart, and take action to prepare for it'
So that's what I intend to do. Now is not the time for making it public on a website, but I promise when God tells me to and when I can articulate it better, I will say what it is.
So let us forget fear and embrace our calling even though it may not come to fulfillment right now. Let us with God's help identify what we are called to do, whatever it is, and walk that path in any way we can, then allow God to do what He can do to make it possible.
Forget fear, embrace obedience.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Yes we can
On November 5 2008, history was made. A black/mixed race man is now the leader of a country known historically for racial problems.
As a Christian, what is our response to Barack Obama? What does his election mean for the church worldwide?
I can only give my own personal response.
The great thing about Barack Obama is that he inspired hope, belief and confidence in people from all over the world that we can be better. That life can be better. That we are capable of more and our culture is capable of being re-defined. That anything is possible. That even in difficult times, there is hope. I believe Barack Obama can bring radical change to America and indeed to the world.
The fact that so many people supproted him from all over the world, and so many Americans voted for him, gives me hope that the people of the world still have hope within them. That we haven’t given up. That people are still looking for something better to take them out of the wilderness.
That should be a great encouragement to the church.
What it says to me is that the church can change the world, if only we change to what Jesus intended us to be.
A movement, not a religion.
A way of life, not a set of rules.
United behind common values instead of divided over ones which aren’t as important.
Communicating that message without cheese, without legalism, without jargon, in a relevant, contempary, fresh and creative way.
Above all, rather than just talking about it, living it. Making it real and authentic.
What values do we believe in? Here’s what I think.
Unconditional love.
Grace - loving when people don’t deserve it.
Forgiveness, even when everyone else condemns.
Acceptance - welcoming of all people, of all backgrounds, genders, classes, colours, sexual preferences and regardless of whatever they have done in the past. God loves them all.
Peace.
Justice for all.
Mercy to all.
Servanthood - serving and giving to all, even when they don’t deserve it or sometimes at cost to ourselves.
Humility - Remembering that we are not perfect, that we make mistakes and that despite believing in these values, we don’t always get it right and that we are in need of God.Sacrifice - that if we are willing to make sacrifces for the good of others, and put others first, then there is no limit to what we can achieve.
If we can communicate the values we stand for in a relevant way, using contempary lanaguage and methods of communicating, in a way that is true and authentic and has substance behind it in the way we live our lives, we can change the world.
If we can show people those values without letting religion, tradition, jargon, division, judgmentalism, hypocrysy, fundamentalism and legalism get in the way, then we will finally have communicated the good news in the way Jesus did and wanted us to.
People will finally see what we’re all about, and that all the negative stuff we put in the way and which has held us back is just a sideshow.
I know many of us are cynical over whether this can happen, whether the church or sections of the church can change and unite.
Maybe it will take a Christian leader as dynamic, positive and with as much faith in people as Barack Obama, and who can energise the church in the same way Obama as energised politics, to plant a church practising these values and being publicly recognised outside the Christian community for what he and his church does and stands for, to make it possible.
I wish that wasn't necessary. But maybe it is.
I believe its possible becuause I believe in a God of the impossible. I believe in the church. I believe that if enough people believe and unite behind a common cause, then things can change.
Barack Obama has proved that is possible. Starting with no money or party political backing, campaigning on the streets with no publicity, no security or anything a year ago, his movement has snowballed and he has become President, when 40 years ago a black/mixed race President seemed impossible.
We have no reason not to hope.
Jesus is the real, true hope of mankind, and it is only becuase Obama shares some of those values that he has been able to inspire such hope in me and in others.
We have no reason not to believe in the impossible.
Nothing is impossible with God.
If we believe, hope and act, then maybe things can change.
If we go on being cynicial and resigned to our fate, nothing will change. If we believe, have faith and hope in what we believe and what can be done, then change is possible.
We just need to believe.
As Obama himself has said “Yes we can”
As a Christian, what is our response to Barack Obama? What does his election mean for the church worldwide?
I can only give my own personal response.
The great thing about Barack Obama is that he inspired hope, belief and confidence in people from all over the world that we can be better. That life can be better. That we are capable of more and our culture is capable of being re-defined. That anything is possible. That even in difficult times, there is hope. I believe Barack Obama can bring radical change to America and indeed to the world.
The fact that so many people supproted him from all over the world, and so many Americans voted for him, gives me hope that the people of the world still have hope within them. That we haven’t given up. That people are still looking for something better to take them out of the wilderness.
That should be a great encouragement to the church.
What it says to me is that the church can change the world, if only we change to what Jesus intended us to be.
A movement, not a religion.
A way of life, not a set of rules.
United behind common values instead of divided over ones which aren’t as important.
Communicating that message without cheese, without legalism, without jargon, in a relevant, contempary, fresh and creative way.
Above all, rather than just talking about it, living it. Making it real and authentic.
What values do we believe in? Here’s what I think.
Unconditional love.
Grace - loving when people don’t deserve it.
Forgiveness, even when everyone else condemns.
Acceptance - welcoming of all people, of all backgrounds, genders, classes, colours, sexual preferences and regardless of whatever they have done in the past. God loves them all.
Peace.
Justice for all.
Mercy to all.
Servanthood - serving and giving to all, even when they don’t deserve it or sometimes at cost to ourselves.
Humility - Remembering that we are not perfect, that we make mistakes and that despite believing in these values, we don’t always get it right and that we are in need of God.Sacrifice - that if we are willing to make sacrifces for the good of others, and put others first, then there is no limit to what we can achieve.
If we can communicate the values we stand for in a relevant way, using contempary lanaguage and methods of communicating, in a way that is true and authentic and has substance behind it in the way we live our lives, we can change the world.
If we can show people those values without letting religion, tradition, jargon, division, judgmentalism, hypocrysy, fundamentalism and legalism get in the way, then we will finally have communicated the good news in the way Jesus did and wanted us to.
People will finally see what we’re all about, and that all the negative stuff we put in the way and which has held us back is just a sideshow.
I know many of us are cynical over whether this can happen, whether the church or sections of the church can change and unite.
Maybe it will take a Christian leader as dynamic, positive and with as much faith in people as Barack Obama, and who can energise the church in the same way Obama as energised politics, to plant a church practising these values and being publicly recognised outside the Christian community for what he and his church does and stands for, to make it possible.
I wish that wasn't necessary. But maybe it is.
I believe its possible becuause I believe in a God of the impossible. I believe in the church. I believe that if enough people believe and unite behind a common cause, then things can change.
Barack Obama has proved that is possible. Starting with no money or party political backing, campaigning on the streets with no publicity, no security or anything a year ago, his movement has snowballed and he has become President, when 40 years ago a black/mixed race President seemed impossible.
We have no reason not to hope.
Jesus is the real, true hope of mankind, and it is only becuase Obama shares some of those values that he has been able to inspire such hope in me and in others.
We have no reason not to believe in the impossible.
Nothing is impossible with God.
If we believe, hope and act, then maybe things can change.
If we go on being cynicial and resigned to our fate, nothing will change. If we believe, have faith and hope in what we believe and what can be done, then change is possible.
We just need to believe.
As Obama himself has said “Yes we can”
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Jesus opposed to thinking?
I've been reading with interest this week a feature on the BBC news site regarding Richard Dawkins (maybe you've heard of him...?) and his support for banners on buses, saying "There's probably no God, so stop worrying and enjoy your life".
Jason Clark, my pastor, wrote a good blog on this, but I have felt I need to add my response here. I deliberately waited a few days before responding, so that my response was an emotionally driven one without consideration or thought. That would just play into the hands of the sceptics.
I want to look at the quotes of Richard Dawkins in particular and the banners itself, to analyse what they are saying exactly, discussing the validity and truth of it, finally my overall response to what they are saying.
Here's the quote in full...
Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children.Even on the buses, nobody thinks twice when they see a religious slogan plastered across the side. This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion."
I find these comments very interesting.
'Thinking is anathema to religion'.
In other words, religion is opposed to, dislikes and likes to seperate itself from thinking.
Really?
I have no problem if people want to be atheists. It their free choice to decide what they believe. In some ways they are people of great faith. To believe that this is all some random accident and there is no god of any kind whatsoever anywhere takes a lot of faith.
But Richard Dawkins is effectively saying here, in language not all will understand, that religion is opposite, different and totally opposed to thinking.
What a naive, ignorant and ill-thought out comment. I find it hard to respect someones opinion when it so poorly thought through and researched.
There is great irony in what he says. Richard Dawkins is starting to effectively be made a representative of all atheists on the world, the symbol of atheism. He clearly implies there is nothing religious about atheism at all.
True, atheism is not an institutionalised religion. But the people who believe in the docterines of atheism are effectively religious.
I looked up the definitions of the word 'religious'. One of them is the following...
"A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion"
The cause? Atheism. Principle? There is no god whatsoever and this is all there is. Activity? Promoting this idea and living according to its values.
So in that sense certainly, atheism is a religion. In all seriousness, did the clearly intelligent Richard Dawkins not know that? Can he not see the irony in a prominent atheist saying that thinking is anathema to religion?
It makes no sense to me.
No, thinking compliments religion.
For example, as a Christian I ask questions of the Bible. I study it, and I listen to what God is speaking to me through it. I think about what it means here, today, now in our culture. I talk to God honestly and frankly in prayer about what He's saying to me, and engage with Him not just emotionally and spiritually, but also intellectually.
The mind is as much a place to interact with God as the emotions, and this is what Richard Dawkins fails to see.
The other point on this is that I don't actually believe that following Jesus is about religion. That misses the point. Jesus calls us to a way of life, a set of values, to orientate our lives around the type of culture, values and way of life He showed us and taught about, and is taught about in the Bible.
Religious might a way to describe it. But following Jesus is bigger and better than any religion.
Richard Dawkins is being very ignorant with his comments in my opinion, clearly only seeking publicity and attempting to cause controversy. His comments display a lack of knowledge and total ignorance of what religion, including and especially true Christianity, is all about.
Then there are the comments about 'unearned respect'. Who respects the church today? Its is less respected, valued, loved than ever before. It is more marginalised by our consumer culture than ever. Only 1% of people in this country are regular church goers, and Christians are constantly under attack or victims of cynicism.
Yes, the church is not entirely without blame here, dividing and arguing publicly over issues which aren't the most important, rather than uniting behind the ones that matter and unite us. But 'unearned respect'? Its just another ignorant and poorly thought-through comment.
Just because he wrote a best-selling book on atheism and on why the idea of god isn't real, he appears to see himself as the prominent 'expert' on all things religious and atheist.
That he isn't, not judging by these comments.
The idea of brainwashing children is even worse. We as Christians all know this is not what happens, and it displays callousness and ignorance on an even grander scale. Its controversy for the sake of publicity, and it displays unbelievable ignorance.
The question appear to be, is it really worth our time and energy even engaging with a man like this?
Yes it is.
Because God loves this man and wants him to know Him. We're called to do the same. We need to engage with him, challenge him, face him with the reality of God and ask him to allow himself to be spoken to by God.
There is hope for everyone.
As for the banners, well, to be honest, I think the idea that we can relax because there's probably no God is a total lie.
For me, and I suspect a lot of non-religious people deep down, the idea of there being no God at all to cry out to when things are at their blackest, nowhere else to turn to when all is lost, is scarier than the idea that there might actually be a God.
That is an argument atheists might use against religious people. That its a crutch because we're too scared to live with the truth.
I disagree, its not because I'm scared to live with the idea that there is no God, there's plenty of evidence to support it if you want to believe that. But because I don't want to live a life without God, when there is plenty of evidence to suggest there is - from the Bible, from science, in creation, from my own experience and those of people I know.
There's much more to fear and worry about if there isn't a God, than if there is. Especially if you are a follower of His.
May we all know that following Jesus and thinking are complimentary, that thinking is part of being a follower of Jesus.
May we understand that following Jesus is a way of life, much more than a religion.
May we realise that the idea that there isn't a God is much scarier than the idea that there is.
Let us remember that we are not alone.
God is with us.
Jason Clark, my pastor, wrote a good blog on this, but I have felt I need to add my response here. I deliberately waited a few days before responding, so that my response was an emotionally driven one without consideration or thought. That would just play into the hands of the sceptics.
I want to look at the quotes of Richard Dawkins in particular and the banners itself, to analyse what they are saying exactly, discussing the validity and truth of it, finally my overall response to what they are saying.
Here's the quote in full...
Professor Dawkins said: "Religion is accustomed to getting a free ride - automatic tax breaks, unearned respect and the right not to be offended, the right to brainwash children.Even on the buses, nobody thinks twice when they see a religious slogan plastered across the side. This campaign to put alternative slogans on London buses will make people think - and thinking is anathema to religion."
I find these comments very interesting.
'Thinking is anathema to religion'.
In other words, religion is opposed to, dislikes and likes to seperate itself from thinking.
Really?
I have no problem if people want to be atheists. It their free choice to decide what they believe. In some ways they are people of great faith. To believe that this is all some random accident and there is no god of any kind whatsoever anywhere takes a lot of faith.
But Richard Dawkins is effectively saying here, in language not all will understand, that religion is opposite, different and totally opposed to thinking.
What a naive, ignorant and ill-thought out comment. I find it hard to respect someones opinion when it so poorly thought through and researched.
There is great irony in what he says. Richard Dawkins is starting to effectively be made a representative of all atheists on the world, the symbol of atheism. He clearly implies there is nothing religious about atheism at all.
True, atheism is not an institutionalised religion. But the people who believe in the docterines of atheism are effectively religious.
I looked up the definitions of the word 'religious'. One of them is the following...
"A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion"
The cause? Atheism. Principle? There is no god whatsoever and this is all there is. Activity? Promoting this idea and living according to its values.
So in that sense certainly, atheism is a religion. In all seriousness, did the clearly intelligent Richard Dawkins not know that? Can he not see the irony in a prominent atheist saying that thinking is anathema to religion?
It makes no sense to me.
No, thinking compliments religion.
For example, as a Christian I ask questions of the Bible. I study it, and I listen to what God is speaking to me through it. I think about what it means here, today, now in our culture. I talk to God honestly and frankly in prayer about what He's saying to me, and engage with Him not just emotionally and spiritually, but also intellectually.
The mind is as much a place to interact with God as the emotions, and this is what Richard Dawkins fails to see.
The other point on this is that I don't actually believe that following Jesus is about religion. That misses the point. Jesus calls us to a way of life, a set of values, to orientate our lives around the type of culture, values and way of life He showed us and taught about, and is taught about in the Bible.
Religious might a way to describe it. But following Jesus is bigger and better than any religion.
Richard Dawkins is being very ignorant with his comments in my opinion, clearly only seeking publicity and attempting to cause controversy. His comments display a lack of knowledge and total ignorance of what religion, including and especially true Christianity, is all about.
Then there are the comments about 'unearned respect'. Who respects the church today? Its is less respected, valued, loved than ever before. It is more marginalised by our consumer culture than ever. Only 1% of people in this country are regular church goers, and Christians are constantly under attack or victims of cynicism.
Yes, the church is not entirely without blame here, dividing and arguing publicly over issues which aren't the most important, rather than uniting behind the ones that matter and unite us. But 'unearned respect'? Its just another ignorant and poorly thought-through comment.
Just because he wrote a best-selling book on atheism and on why the idea of god isn't real, he appears to see himself as the prominent 'expert' on all things religious and atheist.
That he isn't, not judging by these comments.
The idea of brainwashing children is even worse. We as Christians all know this is not what happens, and it displays callousness and ignorance on an even grander scale. Its controversy for the sake of publicity, and it displays unbelievable ignorance.
The question appear to be, is it really worth our time and energy even engaging with a man like this?
Yes it is.
Because God loves this man and wants him to know Him. We're called to do the same. We need to engage with him, challenge him, face him with the reality of God and ask him to allow himself to be spoken to by God.
There is hope for everyone.
As for the banners, well, to be honest, I think the idea that we can relax because there's probably no God is a total lie.
For me, and I suspect a lot of non-religious people deep down, the idea of there being no God at all to cry out to when things are at their blackest, nowhere else to turn to when all is lost, is scarier than the idea that there might actually be a God.
That is an argument atheists might use against religious people. That its a crutch because we're too scared to live with the truth.
I disagree, its not because I'm scared to live with the idea that there is no God, there's plenty of evidence to support it if you want to believe that. But because I don't want to live a life without God, when there is plenty of evidence to suggest there is - from the Bible, from science, in creation, from my own experience and those of people I know.
There's much more to fear and worry about if there isn't a God, than if there is. Especially if you are a follower of His.
May we all know that following Jesus and thinking are complimentary, that thinking is part of being a follower of Jesus.
May we understand that following Jesus is a way of life, much more than a religion.
May we realise that the idea that there isn't a God is much scarier than the idea that there is.
Let us remember that we are not alone.
God is with us.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
100% God....100% human
As followers of Jesus, Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God. He was divine. He was perfect and sinless in every way. He was the Messiah and saviour of the world. If you're thinking of media interpretations of Jesus, I'd say this is probably the one associated with Robert Powell in the superb 'Jesus of Nazareth' - the non-blinking, rather separate, humble yet clearly different from the rest.
Christians all believe in this dimension of Jesus. They - we - all know this to be true.
What people often forget is that Jesus was also a flesh and blood human being, just like us.
Same temptations.
Same emotions.
Same experiences.
Same day to day issues.
100% God. 100% human.
We often talk about the 100% God, but talk a lot like its only 50% human.
100% human means precisely that. We often forget that.
This is the side to Jesus I think makes Him and what He did even greater and more powerful - that He had all these experiences and emotions, but didn't sin and served God faithfully and obediently, even to His own death. This is the Jesus we see in the BBC drama 'The Passion', which came out earlier this year, played by Joseph Mawle. The human, real, 100% man side to Jesus, which was just as important as His divinity. The Jesus we know is different, but looks, feels, sounds and acts like the rest of us - the only exception being He was without sin.
This side of Him is equally important as His divinty.
Unless He's 100% human then His sacrifice means nothing. If He doesn't share in our entire human experience, of what it means to be human, if He's not totally human in His emotions, temptations and experiences, then He can't take our place.
If Jesus wasn't 100% human and didn't share every experience, emotion and temptation as us, then His sacrifice is worth nothing.
If He did truly come as the perfect sacrifice, then He has to have shared all those experiences, emotions and temptations - and overcome and dealt with them. Only then could He truly have taken our place.
That means He was tempted to fear.
To doubt.
He felt anger.
He was tempted to lust.
He was tempted by pride.
He was tempted to hate.
He had issues with His family (we know this through the Bible), He worked.This is another part of Jesus we forget.
He worked as a carpenter for at least 10-15 years before He started His ministry, and although He may have been known locally as a religious teacher - we know He started preaching at 12 years old, and one of the reasons He would have had permission to teach in the local synagogue was because He was known as a religious teacher - His profession at the time was a carpenter. Living in Nazareth He probably would have worked on buildings in the nearby city, building theaters, houses as well as doing local carpentry. He would have been more widely known as a local carpenter, not as a religious leader, at the start of His ministry.
Another belief many people subconsciously hold about Jesus - and I used to myself - is that He was somehow born with the scriptures inplanted in His head.
Again, this I don't believe.
Yes, He had a special anointing and ability, but I believe He had to learn the scriptures like everyone else, so again sharing in our human experience, this time of education and learning.
With His miracles, people have assumed it might be easier as He was divine, so it would be more natural and He wouldn't need to trust God so much.
Another misunderstanding in my view.
To share our human experience fully He would have surely had to trust in God's voice, His will and healing power. Yes of course, He had a special anointing to heal and the power of God was mighty in Him, but nevertheless, He had to take the same faithful steps we do in obedience.
Why did He pray every day? To stay in touch with God and continue to listen to Him and know His will and plan.
This leads us to the final thing about the humanity of Jesus regards the cross. Again, many people somehow think the burden of going to the cross was tempered by the fact that Jesus already knew the future.
Again, I believe this is a misconception.
If He had to share our human experience, then He would have to trust God like everyone else, and be obedient like everyone else according to what God has told them.
If it was otherwise, He wouldn't be totally sharing our human experience and it would make the sacrifice less valid - if He knew for certain it was hardly a risk or a sacrifice. He had to trust God that the cross was His plan for Jesus.
Which only makes the cross more powerful and Jesus love for us even bigger in my view.
Jesus was down to earth. He was real. He was authentic. He lived what He spoke. He was humble.
He had close friends. There was the twelve apostles of course, but within that there was an inner, core group of two or three who were closer to Jesus than any other. John, who wrote John's gospel, is called 'the disciple who Jesus loved', and was asked by Jesus to look after His mother after His death. He was probably closer to Jesus in His earthly ministry than any other.
That's not to say that Jesus loved them any more than any of us, but His relationship with them was closer, or different than His other relationships.
We can draw encouragement from the fact that not only was Jesus divine, the Son of God, but He was also a human being who faced human temptations, human emotions and human experiences, and had to trust God in the same way we do.
The fact that He did, yet still was obedient, still chose to love us, to me makes Him even greater.
How lucky we are to have a saviour like Jesus.
Christians all believe in this dimension of Jesus. They - we - all know this to be true.
What people often forget is that Jesus was also a flesh and blood human being, just like us.
Same temptations.
Same emotions.
Same experiences.
Same day to day issues.
100% God. 100% human.
We often talk about the 100% God, but talk a lot like its only 50% human.
100% human means precisely that. We often forget that.
This is the side to Jesus I think makes Him and what He did even greater and more powerful - that He had all these experiences and emotions, but didn't sin and served God faithfully and obediently, even to His own death. This is the Jesus we see in the BBC drama 'The Passion', which came out earlier this year, played by Joseph Mawle. The human, real, 100% man side to Jesus, which was just as important as His divinity. The Jesus we know is different, but looks, feels, sounds and acts like the rest of us - the only exception being He was without sin.
This side of Him is equally important as His divinty.
Unless He's 100% human then His sacrifice means nothing. If He doesn't share in our entire human experience, of what it means to be human, if He's not totally human in His emotions, temptations and experiences, then He can't take our place.
If Jesus wasn't 100% human and didn't share every experience, emotion and temptation as us, then His sacrifice is worth nothing.
If He did truly come as the perfect sacrifice, then He has to have shared all those experiences, emotions and temptations - and overcome and dealt with them. Only then could He truly have taken our place.
That means He was tempted to fear.
To doubt.
He felt anger.
He was tempted to lust.
He was tempted by pride.
He was tempted to hate.
He had issues with His family (we know this through the Bible), He worked.This is another part of Jesus we forget.
He worked as a carpenter for at least 10-15 years before He started His ministry, and although He may have been known locally as a religious teacher - we know He started preaching at 12 years old, and one of the reasons He would have had permission to teach in the local synagogue was because He was known as a religious teacher - His profession at the time was a carpenter. Living in Nazareth He probably would have worked on buildings in the nearby city, building theaters, houses as well as doing local carpentry. He would have been more widely known as a local carpenter, not as a religious leader, at the start of His ministry.
Another belief many people subconsciously hold about Jesus - and I used to myself - is that He was somehow born with the scriptures inplanted in His head.
Again, this I don't believe.
Yes, He had a special anointing and ability, but I believe He had to learn the scriptures like everyone else, so again sharing in our human experience, this time of education and learning.
With His miracles, people have assumed it might be easier as He was divine, so it would be more natural and He wouldn't need to trust God so much.
Another misunderstanding in my view.
To share our human experience fully He would have surely had to trust in God's voice, His will and healing power. Yes of course, He had a special anointing to heal and the power of God was mighty in Him, but nevertheless, He had to take the same faithful steps we do in obedience.
Why did He pray every day? To stay in touch with God and continue to listen to Him and know His will and plan.
This leads us to the final thing about the humanity of Jesus regards the cross. Again, many people somehow think the burden of going to the cross was tempered by the fact that Jesus already knew the future.
Again, I believe this is a misconception.
If He had to share our human experience, then He would have to trust God like everyone else, and be obedient like everyone else according to what God has told them.
If it was otherwise, He wouldn't be totally sharing our human experience and it would make the sacrifice less valid - if He knew for certain it was hardly a risk or a sacrifice. He had to trust God that the cross was His plan for Jesus.
Which only makes the cross more powerful and Jesus love for us even bigger in my view.
Jesus was down to earth. He was real. He was authentic. He lived what He spoke. He was humble.
He had close friends. There was the twelve apostles of course, but within that there was an inner, core group of two or three who were closer to Jesus than any other. John, who wrote John's gospel, is called 'the disciple who Jesus loved', and was asked by Jesus to look after His mother after His death. He was probably closer to Jesus in His earthly ministry than any other.
That's not to say that Jesus loved them any more than any of us, but His relationship with them was closer, or different than His other relationships.
We can draw encouragement from the fact that not only was Jesus divine, the Son of God, but He was also a human being who faced human temptations, human emotions and human experiences, and had to trust God in the same way we do.
The fact that He did, yet still was obedient, still chose to love us, to me makes Him even greater.
How lucky we are to have a saviour like Jesus.
Friday, October 10, 2008
The new site....Evolving Church
As I mentioned recently I'm about to start a new blog, focusing more on issues surrounding church, what church is, what's good and bad about the church and how we can try to build the kingdom of God better.
I've decided to call this site 'Evolving Church' and there's a link below right.
This is because I believe that while there are some fundamental truths about what we believe about Jesus and the Bible that never change, that as society changes, as we learn more, as we discover more about the historical context and meaning of the Bible and as people discover new ways of communicating and learning, that the way we do church, the way we communicate the message of Jesus, and the way we live it out practically, evolves and changes.
As I try to discover how its evolved in recent years, how it could evolve in future and what's happening now, I will post my reflections and studies on that blog.
This site will continue to operate, focusing more on issues and topics about living the Christian life today.
I hope that all of you will read the new site as well as this site, and continue to be blessed by them both.
The new site is....
www.jamespressgang.wordpress.com
I hope you all like it, and I'd love your feedback.
I've decided to call this site 'Evolving Church' and there's a link below right.
This is because I believe that while there are some fundamental truths about what we believe about Jesus and the Bible that never change, that as society changes, as we learn more, as we discover more about the historical context and meaning of the Bible and as people discover new ways of communicating and learning, that the way we do church, the way we communicate the message of Jesus, and the way we live it out practically, evolves and changes.
As I try to discover how its evolved in recent years, how it could evolve in future and what's happening now, I will post my reflections and studies on that blog.
This site will continue to operate, focusing more on issues and topics about living the Christian life today.
I hope that all of you will read the new site as well as this site, and continue to be blessed by them both.
The new site is....
www.jamespressgang.wordpress.com
I hope you all like it, and I'd love your feedback.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
In control
Recently I was having a hard time and really struggling with an issue, and it was starting to frustrate me and make me angry. This problem wouldn't go away no matter what I did, and eventually I snapped and got angry with God, being quite aggressive, loud and frustrated. Eventually I got to the point where I just asked 'Where is God?'
Then I went and watched some TV. As I calmed down, had a laugh watching TV and reflecting, it helped put things in perspective. The problem didn't seem so big.
It reminded me of a bit in Job, after Job has been moaning and groaning and complaining at God, for 37 chapters no less, God eventually responds.
It has to be said, with a note of sarcasm and more than a little irony, He says "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding" (38:4).
Job already knows the answers of course, and all it does it make him look silly and absurd. God's always been there, He's in control of everything and has more power, wisdom and understanding than anyone.
God is making Job look foolish in order to humble Him and remind Him who's in charge and has been all along.
I think sometimes we need reminding of that. I certainly do. God doesn't just leave us when things are bad. He doesn't disappear just because we can't feel His presence, or because He seems distant.
God's always there.
He never leaves us, and he understands everything we're going through.
Everything.
I think God had a wry smile on His face as He posed Job these questions. We see a bit of His sense of humour.
A gentle nudge and reminder to Job - and to all of us -
"I'm in control"
Then I went and watched some TV. As I calmed down, had a laugh watching TV and reflecting, it helped put things in perspective. The problem didn't seem so big.
It reminded me of a bit in Job, after Job has been moaning and groaning and complaining at God, for 37 chapters no less, God eventually responds.
It has to be said, with a note of sarcasm and more than a little irony, He says "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding" (38:4).
Job already knows the answers of course, and all it does it make him look silly and absurd. God's always been there, He's in control of everything and has more power, wisdom and understanding than anyone.
God is making Job look foolish in order to humble Him and remind Him who's in charge and has been all along.
I think sometimes we need reminding of that. I certainly do. God doesn't just leave us when things are bad. He doesn't disappear just because we can't feel His presence, or because He seems distant.
God's always there.
He never leaves us, and he understands everything we're going through.
Everything.
I think God had a wry smile on His face as He posed Job these questions. We see a bit of His sense of humour.
A gentle nudge and reminder to Job - and to all of us -
"I'm in control"
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