A Blessed Christmas

Good morning.

Today, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, in the Bethlehem manger.

Record numbers of people have come to St. Andrew's in the last week - and the story has been faithfully re-told for every one.

My favourite Old Testament promise about eh coming of Jesus comes from the prophet Isaiah, as he saw the deepening darkness and hopelessness of his own day. 

Politically and economically, things were in a bad state in ancient Judah. Their northern neighbour, Israel, with whom they shared so much history, had led the way in leaving the path of God. In place of prudence and godliness there was profligacy and greed. 

Does this remind you of anything?
The words which bring me great encouragement are 

'Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.

The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine. (Isaiah 9.1-2)

May you know the peace and joy which this light brings. May our lives shine in our own day, so that others find hope!
Blessing,
Richard

Coming Soon!

The excitement is building.

Schools are finishing their long Winter Terms, with parties, special Christmas events, and Christmas dinners. Children of all ages are getting ready, with eager anticipation.

As we prepare to celebrate the first coming of Jesus, so we are also looking to his second coming. And that is coming one day. While we don't know when that 'one day' will be, that Day is 2000 years sooner than it was in Jesus' day.

Jesus warned his followers to be ready for this Great Day - when he returns to judge the world. ' “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21.34-36)

In this season, when many only think of Christmas parties, with too much food and drink, we do well to mark carefully Jesus' words.

In case we fall the lie about being able to work out when exactly this Great Day might be, Jesus speaks very clearly about his own ignorance. '“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!' (Mark 13.32-33)

For all of us, today provides an opportunity to stay alert for the promptings of Jesus, so that we are ready to speak and act, moment by moment, in the light of his will and way. That provides a wonderful antidote to the relentless drivenness of many in our culture.

And please keep praying that all of our Christmas events will point people to Jesus.

Best wishes,

Richard

End or beginning?

In 2 days time, it will be 21st December! 

Nothing surprising about that, except for the much discussed 'end of the world' predictions from some people.

Apparently, the very ancient Mayan community had developed a calendar, which went round & round. The end of one cycle was set to be on 21 December 2012 (on our calendar, not theirs!) 

But it was never expected to be an end, only a new beginning.

For us, 21st December, being the shortest day in the Northern hemisphere, is the beginning of the journey towards longer days and summer (again). So even in our modern world, December 21st is both an end to shorter days and the beginning towards longer ones.

Within the story of the promise to Mary, from Gabriel, about the coming pregnancy and birth, there is a most startling verse, which reveals both an end and a beginning.

'Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.' (Luke 1.38)

Confronted by the prospect of her life being completely turned upside down - all her plans for a future life in relative obscurity and simplicity reshaped in a moment - Mary doesn't linger long on grieving for the end she has just encountered. Instead, she grasps the new beginning with both hands, in profound and life-changing trust.

As the story unfolds, we read of Mary thinking deeply about what is taking place within and around her. She isn't uninvolved in playing her part, as though her own contribution was unimportant. She is fully and actively committed to playing her part to the full. But what she has learned is that hers is an active partnership with the God who is sending Jesus into the world. Gabriel has just told her 'For nothing is impossible with God.' (Luke 1.37), and she takes this promise as defining for her own future.

For all of us, every day is both an end and a beginning. 

Every day presents us with the prospect of trusting God to work out his will and purpose in and  through us. He longs for our active partnership with him. Can we, like Mary, say, 'I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” ?

Best wishes,

Richard

Plenty more fish in the sea??

The UK government will vote against cutting fish quotas today, in order to protect the jobs of British fishermen.

Over many years, as a result of human greed and over-fishing, fish stocks have been diminishing. The end result of such activity is that the the seas are emptied of many species of fish. 

So, in the long term, it makes sense to cut fishing quotas - because it is not true that there are 'plenty more fish in the sea'.

But many of Jesus' first followers were fishermen, because there were plenty more fish in the sea', in the case of the Sea of Galilee. 

They were working to provide food for the residents of ancient Galilee and Judea. For those who couldn't get fresh fish - no refrigeration or speedy transport links, of course - salt fish was a precious delicacy.

Jesus' call to his first followers was linked to their employment experience. 'One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.' (Mark 1.16-18)

All of us are called to share this 'fishing for people' role. 

All of us come across people, through our work, leisure, friendships and daily life. In our case, there are 'plenty more fish in the sea'! On Goldsworth Park, there are 4,800 properties, and we delivered our Christmas publicity to every one! That is at least the start of the fishing process.

Over this next week - we are SEVEN days from Christmas Day - we will have plenty of opportunities, with the help of Jesus, and the 'reason for the season', to point people to see why we all need  to know and trust Jesus.

Please pray that we will be faithful and effective in doing our fishing over this next week.

Best wishes,

Richard

Part-time working?

As the recession continues, it is reported that more full-time jobs are being reduced to part-time posts.

These jobs are also disproportionately low paid jobs, and are also done by women. 

So women are suffering more that men, as usual.

I don't have any suggestions about how to remedy this situation.

However, I have been reflecting on whether we can be part-time or full-time Christians.

St. Paul describes himself and his fellow Chris-followers in a striking analogy.

'God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5.18-20)

In Paul's day, there were no 'full-time' Christian ministers, clergy, youth workers or anything else. Everyone who had become a follower and disciple of Jesus was part of the full-time sales team, as it were. 

But Paul doesn't call them sales staff. He describes them as ambassadors, which is a position of great honour and responsibility.

Paul is also aware that at the heart of that in which we are all engaged is this task of reconciling people to God. We have a great message to share - this wonderful message of reconciliation.

It was wonderful, last evening at our Carol Service, to see that so many people are actively involved in this shared full-time task. 

The large crowds of those who came for several reasons. 

Many people have been praying that our Christmas services would be effective - thank you!

Some said they said they had received our Christmas publicity leaflets - so thanks to those who delivered the Christmas publicity! 

Others came because they saw there was a Gospel Choir - and they didn't want to miss that. And wasn't the choir magnificent. Thanks to Daniel and all the hard work of his choir.

Others came because friends had invited them - and that is great.

And many people had given time and hard work in making the whole evening go so well. 

So I am excited to be part of  a large full-time team of committed Christ-followers, sharing the message “Come back to God!”

I am praying that all our other Christmas events will be similarly effective in reaching out to our community.

Best wishes,

Richard

White Christmas?

It looks like a whitish Thursday, but will it be a 'White Christmas?' I am not a betting man, but I wouldn't bet on snow next week!

But what do I dream for over these next 2 weeks?

I look again at what the prophets promised about the future, and would long for more of that in our own day.

'He will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
Then his people will live there undisturbed,
    for he will be highly honoured around the world.
⁵     And he will be the source of peace.' (Micah 5.4-5)

While politicians around the world seek to give leadership, the promised Messiah leads in the Lord's strength, to be the source of our peace. 

But there is so much that is wrong in our day.

I keep meeting people whose lives are ravaged by wicked landlords, careless care professionals, or widespread spiteful unkindness. My heart cries out, 'How long, O Lord?' 

Mercifully, the Lord God knows of the prayers which we utter in silence, and he has promised to act.

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

So I pray that people's lives will be changed by the power of God, so that instead of being part of the problem, we may all want to live for the glory of God and the good of other people.

There is no other way that this will happen - apart from putting ourselves daily and relentlessly under his just and gentle rule. As I said to someone yesterday, we need to invite Jesus to take the steering wheel in the car of our lives, so that he can direct and lead us where it is good for us to go - but he won't force us to do that.

That is what I dream of for Christmas.

Best wishes,

Richard

Is Santa real?

Today, for the second time this week, I shall be dressed in a red suit, with beard and sack, and distribute gifts to the toddlers in the A2 building.

Most of the younger children are fearful, and so are reluctant to receive their gift, but most of the parents are eager to make the most of this annual event.

Why do we indulge in this piece of theatre each year?

The origin of the 'Santa Claus' story is Bishop Nicholas of Myra, in Turkey in the fourth century. He made a significant gift to an impoverished Christian family, providing dowries for the three daughters, enabling them to be married. The alternative was that they would be forced to be sold into the sex trade. Now that is not the sort of story to tell to young children!

The generosity he showed clearly links to the teaching of Jesus, who said 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' (Acts 20.36)

St. James reminds Christians that they should use their wealth in order to be generous to those in need. 'Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.' (James 1.27)

So, following the example of St. Nicholas, at this season of ridiculous worldly extravagance, we have an opportunity to give to the needs of others, rather than wasting money on ourselves.

Best wishes,

Richard

Caught Out!

HSBC are paying a massive £1.2 billion fine for their support of illegal money laundering in the US. They have been 'Caught Out!'

These criminal actions took place up to 4 years ago, but they were found out.

The Old Testament reminds us that 'Be sure, your sin will find you out'! (Numbers 32.23)

Being 'Caught Out!' may be our worst nightmare, but we can learn from the mistakes of others, if we are ready to be changed.

The parable the Jesus told, about the Sower and the Soils, has an important warning for all of us.

'The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.' (Mark 4.18-19)

In the run up to Christmas, we are bombarded on every side with the commercial pressures to buy, consume, lured by the attractiveness of possessing more stuff, and what Jesus describes as the desire for other things. 

In the parable itself, Jesus described the effects of the jungle of thorns and weeds on the vulnerable growth of the precious seed. 'Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.' (Mark 4.7)

Unless we take deliberate avoiding action, today and every day, to weed out the longing for more and more material things, we shall find ourselves 'Caught Out!' by our own greed and worries. 

HSBC have had to pay a large fine.

We will pay a much higher price, in that our spiritual lives will be fruitless. 

Jesus warned his followers of the dangers of being taken up with the trivia of the worldly obsessions. 'And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?' (Mark 8.36-37)

Instead of living a life which brings glory to God and blessing to those around us, and wasting the one life we have, Jesus warns us to make sure we are not 'Caught Out!'

Today may be a time for decisive and relentless action to pull up some weeds and thorns!
Best wishes,

Richard

Good Crowd

The Nativity Service at St. Andrew's was attended by a good crowd. I think there were more people and chairs than ever before - with some sitting on the floor, and others standing all through.

I was so impressed by the hard work and careful preparation that had gone into the presentation by the Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, their leaders and parents. And I was so thankful for the seriousness with which the Nativity Story was set forth for us. 

I recall that Jesus was often surrounded by Good Crowds of people, and he taught by stories, to get people to think more deeply about what he was saying. 

In particular, the Parable of the Sower (or the Soils) tells us that not everyone in a good crowd listens carefully and wisely!

Once again Jesus began teaching by the lake shore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: 

“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” (Mark 4.1-9)

My prayer is that over this Advent season, with opportunities to engage with crowds of people, some at least who come along will be those in that last category  -who produce a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

To his disciples, Jesus explained who they would be. 'And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” (Mark 4.20)

"Lord, please send us those who will hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest."

Best wishes,

Richard

Attention Grabbing?

When I mention Heston's Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding, is your attention grabbed?

After years of not bothering with any advertising, the John Lewis Partnership have made great efforts to be noticed. They succeeded with Heston's Hidden Orange pudding, because, last year, it sold out, and was being traded on eBay for ridiculous sums. Their 'Attention Grabbing' mission  was a success with that product, at least. 

Today, St. Andrew's is attempting to grab some attention, by singing Carols outside Waitrose, from 6.30pm. Daniel will be leading the assembled singers - so please join the crowd of singers, if you possibly can. Not only do we want to sing this evening, but we want to invite people to our own Christmas events. Please become an 'Attention Grabber!

We are in good company when we try to grab people's attention, in order to share the story of Jesus.

' While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.' (Luke 1.11-13)

And then, 'In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favoured woman! The Lord is with you!” (Luke 1.16-18) Sending angels was God's method of grabbing attention then. These days, He send people like us!

The God who sent Jesus to our world is longing to grab the attention of people of all sorts. As we re-tell this story, please pray that some people will take seriously His offer of love and mercy, and find in Jesus the gift beyond all price. 

That is why we try to be Attention Grabbers'. Please share in this great adventure.

Best wishes,

Richard

Music and Singing

Music and singing are an increasing feature of our lives.

Some people seem to listen to music almost all day, with headphones attached to whatever gadget they have with them. It seems that music and singing have become an essential life-support system. Why is that?

Do you remember the old Heineken advert slogan? 'Heineken refreshes the parts that other beers cannot reach?' As a Heineken virgin, having never tasted the stuff, I can't vouch for the truth of that claim. But it stuck in my mind. 

I think it is true that music and singing often reaches parts of our lives which other expressions cannot reach. Football crowds sing, huge crowds gather for concerts for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, or the Olympics, and enormous interest is taken in the X Factor and such like. Somehow, a great performance of a good song moves us more deeply than we could imagine.

Which is why we sing Christmas Carols! 

The story to which the carols refer is a great story - God stepping into our world, to rescue and redeem us. And singing the story for ourselves, rather than letting someone else do it for us, leads us into worshipping the God who made the universe!

And of course, within the story, there is a heavenly choir of angels. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and singing, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2.13-14) 

In the Book of Revelation, John glimpses the worship of heaven on a number of occasions, and every time he hears singing crowds. For instance, 'And they sang a new song with these words:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and break its seals and open it.
For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God
    from every tribe and language and people and nation.
 And you have caused them to become
    a Kingdom of priests for our God.
    And they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5.9-10) It appears that we shall be singing throughout eternity, so we might as well get into the habit now!

As approach the Christmas season, with all the ridiculous commercialism, we can become more deeply immersed in what God has done for us, as we use music and singing to express our worship and adoration. It may be, too, that others who merely "come along for a good sing" find themselves caught up in the deeper significance.

On Friday evening, Daniel Natnael and others from St. Andrew's have been invited to sing Carols outside Waitrose, from 6.30pm onwards. P{lease come along if you are available.

Many thanks,

Richard

A Royal Baby!

Attention focuses on a pregnant mother, struggling with morning sickness. 

Many 'best wishes' arrive for Kate and William, and the pundits tell us about the assorted heirs to the throne. No doubt, many mothers who have themselves struggled with their pregnancies may have a wry smile at the level of interest and fuss, or is that only me?

How interesting, at the start of Advent, that our attention focuses on another royal birth!

The angle's announcement to Mary made it quite plain that her child would be in the royal line. 'You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1.31-33)

At the time, there had not been a descendant of David as King of Israel for hundreds of years. We don't know what Mary made of this promise, though we do know that she took on her responsibility will trusting obedience. 'Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.' (Luke 1.38)

While the shops may play assorted Christmas jingles, to get us in the mood to spend money, I guess most of us may want to look more deeply at this familiar story again. 

Today's news reminds me that Jesus is the one who is reigning over my life. That means that when I pray, with others or on my own 'Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven', I am deliberately saying that I am determined not to implement my will and wishes, but I am joyfully determined to be under Jesus' will and wishes.

It looks easy in principle, but putting this determination into practice is a daily battle.

So let's hear it for the Royal Baby - Jesus, our Lord and King. May we live for Him today.

Best wishes,

Richard

A dying Health Service?

Hospitals are "full to bursting" in England, creating a potentially dangerous environment for patients, according to Dr. Foster, a significant medical research project, published today. The situation is so bad, according to its carefully researched work in 145 hospital trusts, that too many basic health care practices don't get done. You can watch more about this in tonight's Panorama at 8.30pm. Many of us, from local experience, can see this happening all too often.

Isn't it ironic that the very places where we go when our health is poor are now so sick themselves that both the institutions and the patients are dying?

The very people who wish to bring hope and health are too busy that they cannot deliver the fruit of their skills, training, experience and passion to care.

If we think of our Church as a 'spiritual Health Service', we too can make the same mistakes. If we are too rushed off our feet, then quality falls, and we fail to be the sort of people who bring life and hope to those around us. Are we also a dying Health Service?

Our mission statement, 'To know Jesus better, and so to make Him better known', makes the point that our first priority must be to have Jesus as the focus and centre of our lives. St. Paul, facing his own death and reviewing his life, makes this point most powerfully. 'Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.' (Philippians 3.8-9)

We often sing songs such as 'Jesus be the centre', which may inspire us to want to put Jesus FIRST in our lives, but we need daily to apply this, to the small and big decisions in our lives. 

For St. Paul, this led him to say,' I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.' (Phil. 3.10) So his relentless ambition was changed from putting himself first, to putting Jesus first. 

'I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.' (Phil. 3.12-14)

Instead of being under pressure from the culture of our days, shaped by the relentless obsessions of the Christmas season, we could choose to press on towards knowing Jesus better. 

Then we would be able to bring to others, in our lost and weary world, the Good News of life in Christ. That is my prayer for us all, during this Advent season.

Best wishes,

Richard

Who has power?

Who has power in Egypt? The demonstrators fear that President Morsi has become a tyrant.

Who has power over the Press? Our Parliament will be trying to tackle that one, after the Leveson Enquiry has reported.

Today, 30th November, is St. Andrew's Day, and many Christian people mark this day as a day of prayer for the missionary work of the Church.

Prayer may appear to be a quiet activity that brings benefit for those engaged in it - because it is may clear the mind or calm the soul. 

But few people see prayer in the way that the Bible sees it.

Some famous quotations may reveal what assorted Bible writers think of prayer.

St. James, the brother of Jesus, writes, 'The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.' (James 5.16-18)

Earlier he said this, 'Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.' (James 5.14-16)

For James, the place of prayer is the place of power. 

Yet we pray so little with any understanding of the effectiveness, the power of prayer.

Jesus spoke often of our need to be people rooted in prayer. 'I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.' (John 15.15-16) If we want to be fruitful in our mission & ministry, we can only be like that if we are deeply rooted in prayer. 

These effective prayers are all connected to our relationship with God through Jesus, and His mission in and through us. Our prayer, at its simplest, is 'Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. Unlike our usual prayers, which seem to focus on our comfort and problems, these Jesus-focused prayers are on God's glory. 

So today, St. Andrew's Day, let us give ourselves some time and space to pray for the mission & ministry of our Church. I am attaching the prayer bookmark which was available last Sunday, to help us use our time wisely and well. For we are in the place of power when we pray.

'Let us pray'

Best wishes,

Richard

Who is watching?

Nervous politicians and media people await the Leveson Report on the press. 

Can media moguls be trusted to regulate their own money-making ventures? 

Should there be more control over a free press?

And what about 'public interest' and public scrutiny?

History has shown that the public love to gobble up scandalous stories about famous people, whether or not they are true. It sells papers and much else besides.

In the changed world, where 24 hour news is available from many sources, each with its own flavour or bias, checking on facts, rather than chasing rumours generated by Twitter or Facebook, is an increasingly impossible job. Who watches the watchers? Who can be trusted? What can we believe?

How do the rest of us cope?

Obviously, the Bible doesn't address these issues directly, but it does speak clearly about lying and gossip, and not believing someone because they happen to be rich.

Paul was very aware that Christian people should live differently from the surrounding culture. 'So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshipping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behaviour, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.' (Colossians 3.5-10)

Paul's list of things we should have nothing to do with covers our modern obsessions with being greedy for the latest scandal, delighting in seeing the reputations of others destroyed, passing on scandalous allegations, and imagining the sexual failures of others, whether it is Silvio Berlusconi, or someone else. 

It seems to me that we all have to learn self-regulation, whether or not the press get muzzled. We are being watched by those around us, and we have a chance to live to higher values, refusing to wallow in the gutter with those who make money from it.

Best wishes,

Richard

Transplant Surgery

A nephew of mine had failing kidneys, and after some months on dialysis, he received a kidney from one of his brothers, who was a good match. The willing sacrifice of the one brother and resulting gift of life for the other has been wonderful to watch.

The surgeon who performed the first successful kidney transplant, in December 1954 in Boston, Joseph Murray, has died, aged 93. He removed a kidney from one identical twin, Ronald Herrick, and gave it to his sick brother, Richard, whose life was extended by 8 years as a result. All other organ transplant surgery has developed from that breakthrough. Dr. Murray described his life-giving work as a prayer.

Joseph Murray was a deeply religious man, who will have known the Old Testament prophecies about our need for radical heart surgery. 

The Bible's diagnosis of the human condition  as preached by the prophet Jeremiah, is not hopeful. '“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?' (Jeremiah 17.9) When people repeatedly show in their lives and their behaviour that something is deeply dysfunctional within, a radical solution is needed. The prophet Ezekiel describes what God alone can do for us. 

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.' (Ezekiel 11.18-20)

That promise has been fulfilled through the death & resurrection of Jesus, and in the gift of His Spirit. God alone can make us new from the inside out, and with our new heart, which is designed to beat in tune and in time his heartbeat of love and compassion for those around us, we can live as servants of others, for Jesus' sake. What a precious gift is that!

Best wishes,

Richard

Deal or Divide?

How do we get on with those who are different from us, especially if they are quite close? 

Several news stories identify the difficulties we face, living in a world where there are many problems.

Negotiators are meeting in Doha, to try to sort out a deal on Climate Change issues, while thousands in Britain are facing floods and much more rain.

Regional elections in Spain have revealed the separatists desires of the Catalan people who want independence from Spain. These pressures are worse because of the problems in the Spanish economy.

Tory strategists fear the effects of UKIP on anti-Europe Tory voters. To avoid this, one Tory strategist to suggest the need for a deal with UKIP. 

And then there is the recent failure of EU leaders to agree a budget for the EU. Those who are net contributors (= the rich!), don't want to support the net benefactors (=the poorer nations), so they want to cut the EU budget.

In all these situations, trying to negotiate a suitable deal with people whose situations may be different is going to be troublesome.

St. Paul had to address this issue many times, within the context of the growing and diverse Christian communities all round the eastern Mediterranean.

To the  Christ-following Galatians, he laid it on the line. 'Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.' (Galatians 6.14)

To his Roman friends, he was equally clear. 'Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil the requirements of God’s law.' (Romans 13.8) But what does this love look like in practice?

To his very troublesome Corinthian friends, in his famous 'Hymn to Love', he set out the practicalities of Christian love. 'Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.' (1 Corinthians 13.4-7)

In Christian history, we have a very poor record of dividing from those with whom we disagree. It is easier to please our own supporters, rather than making a deal with other Christ-followers who are different from us. Paul's words 'Love does not demand its own way' challenge us all to work out how we can work for that unity which Jesus longs for us all.

Today, we will all come across trying and difficult situations or people, some of whom may well be fellow Christ-followers. Working towards and Christ-honouring deal may take time and patience, but we are called, by Jesus himself, to that style of living.

Best wishes,

Richard

Is the Earth round?

Is the Earth round, rather than flat? 

We know the answer is 'Yes!', even though there are still a minority of people who believe that the Earth is flat.

'Should the Church of England have women bishops?' 

The vast majority of people, inside and outside the Church, know that the answer is 'Yes!', even though a small committed minority have managed to block progress in the short-term.

Many people have been deeply distressed by the General Synod vote earlier this week, and many wonder how the Church of England nationally, and possibly locally, can continue its mission and ministry.

I take encouragement from assorted Gospel stories, which show Jesus facing far worse struggles, and yet continuing to present a message of Good News to those ready to hear.

Again and again, those stories feature women, who demonstrate qualities of insight, courage or sacrifice not seen amongst the powerful men of his day. 'Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (Mark 12.41-44)

This wonderful story reveals a simple and sacrificing trust on the part of the poor widow, which challenges the way most of us live our lives, protecting ourselves from too much inconvenience, when others may need help. 'A tiny part of their surplus' is what we often give, as a tip in a restaurant, after a nice meal out. It is barely worthy as a description of the offering of our lives, in the Lord's service. It is a woman's example which teaches this. 

This pattern is repeated throughout the Gospels, and most significantly around the events of the crucifixion and resurrection. 

It was women who were there watching Jesus die, and it was women who took the message of the resurrection to the unbelieving male disciples of Jesus. Without these faithful women, there would be no Good News for men like me to pass on.

I am constantly meeting people, like us, who are in the midst of a culture that is deeply troubled and bleakly despairing. The Good News of God's love and mercy, revealed to us in his sending Jesus for us all, is the only Good News available that will bring hope and a future.

While disappointed and saddened about the synod vote, I am more convinced than ever that we have a mission to accomplish, which will bring the change for which God longs, both within the Church of England and in individual lives. I hope you too are convinced of this!

Best wishes,

Richard

Minorities Matter

No women bishops, for some time!

It was the votes of just three people that decided the General Synod process yesterday. Several of those who voted against may well be friends of some of my friends!

Should we be shocked and saddened at that? Yes and no!

While the overwhelming majority within the Synod and outside are in favour of moving to ordaining women as Bishops (and it will happen), a small minority are deeply fearful.

I happen to think they are wrong to be fearful, but they voted and acted as they did out of fear.

Should they be ignored and overwhelmed by the majority? Probably not.

I am surprised at my views, because they have changed - not about women's ministry and being bishops - but about concern for minorities.

St. Paul spends a lot of time, in his long letters to Rome and Corinth, dealing with the conflicts between the strong and the weak members of those various fellowships. While he identifies himself with the strong, he makes it clear that the way the strong live should be shaped by the concerns of the weak. 'Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.' (Romans 14.1) 

The issues over which the Roman church was arguing ranged from whether Christians should avoid eating meat, to whether some days were more spiritually special than others. 

Instead of being critical of one another, Paul reminds us that we all claim to be servants of Jesus. 'Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.' (Romans 14.4)

Rather than having endless critical debates, Paul reminds his friends and us that we all face the Lord's judgement, and in that light, we should avoid being destructively superior. Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.' (Romans 14.12-13)

Keeping our eyes open to what matters deeply to others, when that view is held because of their love for Jesus, even if we believe they may be wrong, should help us to keep our unity secure. 'For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.' (Romans 14.17-19)

So, this is why my attitude has changed towards those friends of mine who have taken a different view about the women bishop issue. Because minorities matter. We need to be radical in seeking to include people who are different from us.

Do you think this makes sense? Let me know!

Best wishes,

Richard

What Matters?

Gaza, gas prices, and and gas about gaiters.

Today's news reminds us of the dangerous fragility in the Middle East. To people caught in the midst of the slaughter and suffering, or fearing rockets from their enemies, we may imagine our own responses.

Further comments about energy prices will occupy some in government, while all of us hope for lower bills.

And then the gas about gaiters - my way of focusing on the debate about women bishops.

The Church of England's General Synod will be finally voting on whether women may be appointed as Bishops. This has been a long process, with delays to try to turn opponents into supporters. A two third's majority is needed amongst all three 'houses', that is the bishops, the clergy and lay people, so it is by no means certain what the outcome may be, in spite of the support of both present and future Archbishops of Canterbury.

I pray that there will be a clear majority in favour, so that we can get on with what really matters, in the life of our Church.

When St. Paul was in prison in Rome, facing the prospect of his own death by execution, he reflects on the mixed motives of other Christians. Some were hoping to make his life more difficult, while his friends were seeking to support him. In that context, he makes some startling remarks.

It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.' (Philippians 1.15-18)

For Paul, what really matters is that Christ is being preached, so that other people get to hear. 

In the life of our own local congregation and fellowship, there are many issues which may concern us. Our Gift Day on Sunday, so that we can pay all our bills, is significant. But the context in which we need to be solvent is so that we may be equipped to 'make Christ better known' to the many of Goldsworth Park who do not even know that there is a Church here.

Pray with me that we may be good at spreading the Good News.

Best wishes,

Richard

Real Lives

"That was inspirational!", said one of those who heard the powerful personal stories from the real lives of people in our Church, yesterday afternoon.

As part of the Christianity Explored course, two people who did the course last year told how their lives had been changed, over time, by their encounters with people and God. 

A chance encounter with a stranger, who said 'Read your Bible. Read your Bible. Read your Bible.' started a process of conversion, and much more besides, for one person. 

In another real life, a chance decision to go for a walk, past the back of Waitrose, led, over the weeks, to becoming a regular member of St. Andrew's, and clearly being changed by the Lord.

What might have looked like 'chance encounters' were part of God's wonderful work in the real lives of ordinary people.

St. Paul describes his approach to living his real life in his letter to his troubled Corinthian friends. 

'You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.' (2 Corinthians 4.5-6)

God is in the business of shining his life-giving light into the real lives of  people of all sorts. 

Our job, in our real lives, is merely to point to Jesus, and as people look at Him, then, miraculously, they see more than a man, for they glimpse the very glory of God. Knowing the glory of God, and submitting our wills to His will and purpose, brings us life and peace and joy. But it doesn't mean we have an easy life. Paul goes on to speak of our weaknesses. 

'We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.' (2 Corinthians 4.7-10)

Today, all of us will encounter other people, all of us with real lives. The thrill and opportunity which we all have is so to live for Jesus in all our encounters that others may see Jesus in our real lives.

At St. Andrew's this evening, at our 'Friends or Enemies' evening, when my two Muslim friends come to share their real lives with us, it will be great if, as we learn from them, they might learn from us.

Best wishes,

Richard

Obviously Different

Chameleons have the capacity to disappear into their own background. This is very useful when trying to avoid being eaten by hungry predators. 

Many other animals have developed camouflage, to give them protection. The survival of their species obviously depends on not being wiped out by other animals higher up the food chain. To be obviously different from their background would be very dangerous.

There are many reports of Christians being persecuted and under pressure from their neighbours or co-citizens. This is the case in Nigeria, Pakistan, Indian, China, Sudan and many other places. 

In Britain itself, there are some commentators who are speaking of the pressures from militant atheism and secular society on ordinary Christian behaviour and values

In these difficult settings, how should Christians respond? 

Should we try to merge, chameleon-like, into our background, and appear like everyone else, or should we aim to be obviously different?

Jesus told his first disciples that should stand out - not like a sore thumb, but like lights in a dark place. ' “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.' (Matthew 5.14-16) Such behaviour, while not being explicitly Christian, may lead people to notice and ask questions.

St. Paul follows this thought, in his letter to the Philippians. ' Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.' (Philippians 2.14-15) Again, this sort of behaviour is not 'in your face' and aggressively explicit in its Christian allegiance, but it requires that Christ-followers know that we are always on show, with never a day off.

At St. Andrew's, in our desire to make a difference locally on Goldsworth Park, in the name of Jesus, we engage in several activities which we hope will point towards Jesus. 

Our Coffee Shop, providing a welcome and great food and drinks, is a great way to show that Christians are both ordinary and extra-ordinary. The Toddler Groups, Toddlers Service, and so much else that we do aims to show that being a Christ-follower is a great way to live. And so we could go on.

Tomorrow, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, our Serving Saturday activities and prayer together, aims to show that we are obviously but not awkwardly different. Please join us, if you can, so that together we can be seen as obviously different, in order to help others come to know Jesus for themselves.

Best wishes,

Richard