love and obedience – april 19

Reading Matthew 26 36-56

I can’t read this passage without remembering it being brough vividly to life at an out door mystery play in the Museum Gadrens in York. I remember the tension, the fear as the mov got nearer – the noise level and the torches. I remember the actor playing the devil laughing as Jesus is taken away. I remember the dignity of Jesus as he obeyed his father in allowing himself to be taken

It stopped being a nice story – instead it was nasty and violent and unpleasant. But it was real! Jesus knows failure, betrayal and desertion from those he loves. In that moment he must felt so alone and afraid. Yet he faced it because he knew that was what obedience meant.

So nothing I can do can stop him loving me – no failure betrayal or desertion is too great – what an amazing truth

who is your hope in? – march 24

Reading: Matthew 12. 1-21, Highlighted Passage: 12:15-21

Jesus is at it again – turning the ideas of the day on their head. He challenges the normal expectations of the Sabbath and then reminds them that God always works through the unexpected and unusual ways – but therein lies hope.

It reminds me of Paul’s words in 2 Cor 4:7, ‘we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us’. That’s what I call hope!

jesus the terrifying!? – march 17

Reading: Matthew 8: Highlighted reading: Matthew 8:23-34

I wonder what type of Jesus I portray to others? I always want to avoid the gentle Jesus meek and mild but do I replace that with a loving caring forgiving Jesus: never offended, somehow friendly and compassionate. Of course we do see that in the way he deals with people – but to only portray that side would be false

Matthew contrasst the compassionate Jesus healing people with the frightening Jesus who people beg to leave then alone. When was the last time my picture of God was so awesome that I felt uncomfortable in his presence?

resist the devil – march 12

What have been the desert times in your life and how have you survived them?

I wonder what sort of temptations the devil would try on me. In Jesus’ case he connects with his desires for food, acceptance and power. Not much different to us then!

Jesus replies using his knowledge of scripture. What verses help you when you are facingf the temptation to give up?

Come follow me – March 11

Reading: Matthew 4: Highlighted reading Matthew 4:18-25

Jesus is tempted by the devil and is able to resist: this is the ideal preparation for the start to ministry. Trusting in God rather than his own ability; obedience at the heart.

We often imagine that it is the times of blessing in life that give us strength, but again and again it is the times when life is difficult and we are tempted not to trust God that are the times of growth in our lives.

How have the times of difficulty and temptation helped you to grow in your faith? Share some stories with others

Jesus calls the first disciples to follow him to join him as he starts his ministry. Think about God’s call on your life, the first time that you responded to his call and what it means for you to follow him today. As you do pray for the people who you will meet today, that you would be able to fulfill your calling to minister Jesus to them.

LENT 2011

What are you doing for LENT 2011?

I hear lots of conversation about what people are giving up for LENT – chocolate, facebook, phones, TV and although I think some of these are very worthy, I wonder if they miss the point. The idea was that giving up these things is so that we can give more time to focus on God. Hence my real question which is…

‘What are you taking up for LENT that will help you get to know God better?’

Well if you aren’t doing anything here is a chance. As part of Biblefresh why not taking up a personal Bible reading challenge and interact with others via e-mail and/or facebook? My proposal is that we create a virtual group and join in with The Big Read 2011. The idea is to read through the whole of Matthew’s gospel during Lent and share what you learn with others. You can do this by joining the facebook group SU – The Big Read 2011 online here or by sending an e-mail to me with the subject line ‘SU – The Big Read 2011’.

What will happen then is

EITHER: every day you will get an e-mail that tells you what to read, asks a few pertinent questions and offers some other links to explore. These will be posted on my blog ‘To Ephesus and beyond’ and you will be able to comment there.

OR: you will get the same information via a facebook message and you can post your comments on that page.

So why not do something for LENT this year – it could change your life.

John Stephenson – Scripture Union

In the dark – reflections on Egypt 2

Its strange how travelling to other countries and meeting Christians shifts your perspective on world events. I was full of good intentions to blog about my experince in Egypt in November. Well moving house and Christmas seemed to get in the way. However nothing prepared me for the turmoil in Cairo over the last week or so. In fact while things began I was on facebook chat and posting thoughts and prayers to people I had met. So it came as a surprise when all of a sudden internet traffic just stopped.

As I have watched the news and listened to the radio I have found myself both understanding and frustrated. Pictures of people standing in a square that I have visited. The radio presenter talking about the streets of Cairo being empty of cars – they never were even at 2am! The idea that people don’t feel safe walking the streets – something I never felt in all my time in Cairo.

So how did my new friends respond to my concerns. ‘Don’t worry – we have a protector’ they said. As I spoke to them about the bombing on New Years Eve in Alexandria – one of them said: ‘God will use this to make sure that people think about the importance of trusting in him – it will bring good’.

Meanwhile I just feel lost and in the dark – so I pray and am reminded of some of the most famous words in the Bible. ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are with me’.

Reflections on 9/11 – 9 years on

9 September 2001 – the day the world changed….. or did it?

There is no doubt that the events of that day cast a shadow over the global community. Relationships between nations are often defined in the light of the perceived forces at work in the events of that day. For me personally there is a particular poignancy in the memory. I had just returned from a Scripture Union International Conference with representatives from all over the world. Worshipping with people from many nations was a reminder that God’s family is global and multi-cultural – not English or British not even Western.

So I watched the events unfold that afternoon (morning in the US) with a different perspoective – there were people staying with me who were a reminder of a previous cold war era – guests from the former Soviet Union and I knew people travelling back to North America. It was hard to believe what we were watching – it almost seemed like a movie rether than real life. It was strangely gripping but it was also horrifying – we watched people die.

Maybe on reflection the media dimension was one of the changes I was unaware of and yet seems really obvious now. In a ‘Big Brother’ world, the global events were watched on TV by millions. The global community was connected in a way that we hadn’t really understood. The place of the media in both reflecting and shaping us was illustrated in a unique way on that day.

In recent events that day has been in the headlines because some people simply want to interpret them in ways that divide people along simple religious lines – I can’t agree in such a simplistic analysis. I wasn’t personally affected directly by the events so don’t want to speak for those who were. However I do know that God calls those of us who are Christians to live lives that demonstrate his character – to shine as his lights in the dark world. I am sure that means caring for all of of humanity regardless of their background, nationality, social status or creed. I simply can’t label thoe who disagree with me as evil – whatever they do.

So how should I respond? When asked by the teacher of the law, What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus refers him to the law itself and the teacher replies. The first commandement is this: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul, mind and strength. the second is like it ‘Love your neighbour as yourself”

That seems like a good place to start – I’ll let you know when I think I’ve managed that one – although it seems like it could take a lifetime! Maybe the world didn’t change – I just saw it differently and began to realise that most change has to begin in me.

God’s heart for the poor

On thursday we visited 3 mission projects in Narobi. The one I went to see was in the Korogocha slum. This is one of the poorest in the city with almost everyone unemployed.

We went to a Medical Centre who have a maternity clinic in the slums. Its like a beacon in the midst of the darknesss. We were met by the doctor who talked about how they charge very little and make a loss in order to help the mothers who come to them.

We were then taken by the mothers to their home where we talked with them about what it is like to live in the slums. The mother that Cristi from Romania and I went with was called Lilian. She had a breach delivery and the baby needed to be resuccitated. They live in a room about 8 foor by 10 foot with a stove, a bed, a sofa and very little possessions. The walls were made of mud and metal pipes. The roof was metal and there was an illegal electricity supply.

Kevin who lives with her volunteers for the Red Cross at times but one of the main ways of getting money is collecting plastic and glass from the nearby rubbish tip and selling it. I asked Lilian if she did that and she said ‘yes she leaves the baby with neighbours’.

I discovered that these people pay rent to live in the slums. This is structural exploitation. The system takes money from them and people get rich on their poverty. This is all sanctioned by the government. Olga  commented ‘people should not have to live like this’ and that is a great summary of what many of us feel

My overriding feeling was initially one of surprise. People were resilient and they were surviving. The clinic offers hope in some areas and is effective in demonstrating word and deed mission. But over time this surprise turned to anger. This is a system that makes it difficult to escape from the slums. Lilian came to the slums as a 9 year old when her father died and her mum could not cope. She is now 19 living there with a 4 month old baby.

In contrast we have seen many signs for churches and there is a massive divide between the rich and poor churches. Alongside that there is the NGO’s in the area. I realise that its impossible to do everything but it’s hard to imagine living here and turning a blind eye to the injustice.

Yet I ask myself, ‘Do I do the same back home?’. What does it mean for me back in England to do something about the injustice I see around me?

Gospel and culture

Joe Kapolyo is minister of a church in London. He is also a member of SU council and grew up in Zambia. His sessions with us included a look at the way in which the gospel and culture are connected and what we should do about.

Although this is not a new area of thinking for me, the African perspective was really helpful. It made me stop and think about my own culture and how it impacts the way I see the Bible and faith. I know that my working class upbringing influences how I see the world. It makes me value extended family and friends more than my current middle class culture. I also need to be willing to critique that working class upbringing. My left wing political views have their origins there too and I also need to put those under the microscope of the Bible.

I need to allow my core values to be shaped by God so that I can more and more be shaped by him and made into his likeness