My Lord and my God

Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied, “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:24-29)

The full version of this passage is here. It has some very strong messages in it and can be a turning point for us in our understanding of Jesus.  Thomas actually put his finger into the wounds of Jesus. This quelled his doubt. Just before this Jesus had said to him ‘Peace be with you’ and then ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’

It emphasises for us that there has been a physical resurrection, that Jesus literally got up after being dead and that he walked about. Something seemingly impossible for someone who had been wounded and killed so thoroughly, but to God everything is possible.

To help us believe this we have the witness statements of those that saw him. John the author of this gospel is one of the disciples that met the risen Lord. We can say as St Paul says in one of his letters "We don't rely on made up stories" and it is evident that he made close enquiry into this when he first became a Christian as he says elsewhere "I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the scriptures; that he was buried, that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the scriptures; that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve apostles. Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died. Then he appeared to James, and afterwards to all the apostles." Paul knew most of these people and his summary is the result of careful enquiry. 

The resurrection is the essential proof that Jesus is the Son of God. If there is no resurrection there could still be doubt. We might say as the centurion did that "Jesus was a good man" but because Jesus rose from the dead we can go far beyond this and say Jesus is the Son of God that only God could snatch victory from the closing jaws of sin and death.

The reading also speaks powerfully about the suffering of Jesus. As any nurse will tell you there is great intimacy in touching the wounds of another. It excites compassion in the most stony hearted of us. Thomas must have felt that in touching the wounds of Jesus. WE can imagine with some certainty that Thomas was dissolved as he saw at close sight what Jesus had gone through. No wonder Thomas said to Jesus "My Lord and my God."

What is important to remember also today is that Jesus gives the disciples the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit transforms them from fearful timidity, after all they had been described as "cowering," into people who can boldly share their faith. The Christian faith is about people whose lives can be transformed. When invited God's Holy Spirit comes into our life - He stands by us as our advocate and strengthener.

.... I pray today for all readers of this blog, wherever we are in our faith may we be strengthened by what we have read, let us be inspired by Thomas words and say to Jesus "My Lord and my God."

Significant encounter - Jesus at the Last Supper

If you had fore knowledge that you were going to be killed you would feel a distinct unease, you would reconsider how you used your last hours wouldn't you? Your life would all of a sudden be in sharp focus.

Luke and John's gospel account of Holy Thursday give us insights into both the humanity of Jesus and into his God understanding of what was going on. Fully human and yet fully divine he was subject to human emotion and human fear whilst also knowing what was before him. I am not sure we can understand at  all what that felt like but we can empathise with the fear.

He uses his last hours before his arrest 

• to celebrate the passover feast and within the framework of that Jewish ritual to institute the gift of communion among his followers. A gift that encourages us to be united. But most importantly a New Covenant "sealed with my blood and poured out for you."
• He uses his last hours to have a long conversation with his disciples. What he said is a bit like a last will and testament in that he talks of the things that are most important to him so that we as followers can be faithful to his vision. The fullest version is recorded in Chapters 12 through to 18 of John's gospel and talks of radical things. such as what it means to have a servant heart, how God is making friends with humankind, what it means to be part of the vine and then he "prays that they may all be one"
• Jesus washes the disciples feet. An extraordinary act of humility. “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am.  I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet.  I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you.  I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them.  Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!"
• His meal is shared with the twelve, two of whom were betrayers. We tend to think only of Judas. But  Peter's denial is predicted although he subsequently seeks forgiveness and is then  forgiven 
• He reassures his disciples and promises them that the advocate, the Holy Spirit will come.
• Finally  when the meal is over Jesus spends some time alone in the garden of Gethsemane.  In crisis  both ritual and meditation are things to hold onto.

When we think of the enormity of those last hours of Jesus before his crucifixion and read the words recorded in John's gospel, we are so challenged. Are we true disciples or are we like Peter or Judas?  Do we betray the gospel through lack of courage like Peter? Or sell out the gospel like Judas?

To understand the mind of Jesus go to John Chapter 12 and read. Jesus can challenge you again today just as he did his disciples.

“Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in him who sent me.  Whoever sees me sees also him who sent me.  I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.  If people hear my message and do not obey it, I will not judge them. I came, not to judge the world, but to save it.  Those who reject me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day!  This is true, because I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has commanded me what I must say and speak.  And I know that his command brings eternal life. What I say, then, is what the Father has told me to say.”

Come let us go up to Jerusalem!

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.  He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him;  they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again."  The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:31-34 NIV

Shortly after  is the start of a journey for Jesus which will lead to his death and resurrection.

But it starts triumphantly, the crowd rapturous, waving palm branches "the whole crowd of disciples joyfully giving praise to God"

A journey that in some eyes can be seen as a demonstration of how fickle we can be as humans. They say "a week can be a long time in politics..." but in the Spirit led life of the Son of Man a week was the difference between the excitement and adoration of the crowd, and them baying for his blood.

If we run with the crowd we can be very contradictory! We need to be independently minded and led by the mind of God. Not swayed and washed around by the tide of human opinion.

For example in the readings for the procession it says that as Jesus entered Jerusalem the crowds that processed with him were all shouting:

  "Hosanna to the Son of David
  Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!
  Hosanna in the highest heavens!"

When the people who were already in the City saw this they started asking, "Who is this?" The answer was,"This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Yet, as I said we know less than a week later the crowd turns on Jesus and cries out for his blood.

There is a message for us in this. Political leaders like Pilate are pragmatists and like to go with the crowd.  Although they may try and influence and move opinion, ultimately for them the majority opinion rules.  The crowd shouting "Crucify him" about  Jesus, swayed Pilate.

I think that the message for us is that we should be sure to listen to God's voice and let it be present in our lives.  God does not speak in a strident way and we need to discover how to let his truth filter into our hearts so that we are people who are constant and in tune with the will of God in our lives.  If we are like this we will be able to stand firm in our faith and stand in the "truth of God" which is present in our faith and not to lose sight of it.  When we are in the "eye of the storm" we will be able to hold onto what we have already discovered to be true and not be blown off course and lose sight of God's insight into our situation.

The irony is that in their procession with the palms the crowd had correctly identified Jesus' ministry.  They give him honour and called him a prophet.  Remember they said "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee".  A prophet is one who speaks God's truth into a a situation (to people) allowing  God to have a say in the affairs of men. They treated him as a King too! And that is true he is the King of a spiritual Kingdom of God.

Christians are called to be Kingdom Builders.

One of the psalms says of God "indeed you love truth in the heart" and elsewhere it says, "wear your integrity like a blanket."  I think that this means we should be taking care to be so anchored in God that when we are in the crowd we can still keep sight of what God wants in our lives.

We pray as we start Holy Week that we will be able to focus on what God is saying to us at this time. That he will be present to us and that we will find new meaning in our faith.

We are blessed to be living in a time when our faith can be set to "expectant" - they say "May you live in interesting times" - well Jesus means to challenge your preconceptions and your contentedness with a life that is bitter tasting to him. Why would you accept a life that is second best when you can become a son or a daughter of "the living God"

Dear Lord, strengthen and renew our faith this Easter, may we be challenged by the enormity of the journey that you took from Palm Sunday to resurrection. May we understand that there is a place on that journey for us too. Bless us O Lord, may we surrender our complacency and come to know you as you really are! Amen

I want you to know

When I was 17 or 18 and found my way back to going to church. One of the things I learnt pretty soon was that God expected me to be very ecumenical in my heart. That's a fancy way of saying I understood pretty soon that God works across man-made boundaries.

A lot of my early bible study was led by the Holy Spirit. And my thinking has been formed by three statements:

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24 NIV

The wind blows wherever it wishes; you hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3.8

" no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12.3

Jesus instructed my heart to respect anyone who professed that Jesus is Lord. To try and listen to what the Spirit is saying across boundaries.

To understand that the letter to the Hebrews is right when it says:

"In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets,  but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end.  He reflects the brightness of God's glory and is the exact likeness of God's own being, sustaining the universe with his powerful word. After achieving forgiveness for the sins of all human beings, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power."

I want you to know what I know in the core of my being. That when you accept Jesus as your saviour your life is changed. Changed for the better.

You may feel "poor in Spirit" but Jesus says to you right now - "blessed are the poor in Spirit because they shall inherit the Kingdom of God"

The Spirit is waiting to renew you.

Let Jesus have a foothold in your life and it will be changed beyond all reckoning.

Dear Jesus, accept me as I am. I am weak but you are strong. Help me to surrender that which is not of the Kingdom of God. Amen

⅞

Create in me a clean heart, O Lord

We are well into Lent and I haven't mentioned Psalm 51 yet. Something must be wrong!

It is the most beautiful Psalm of repentance. The musician Michael Card recorded a version of it. The refrain to his song being "create in me a clean heart, O Lord"

The Psalm is one of repentance. The writer expresses sincere sorrow to God for the things in his life that hold him back from being closer.

The things that hold us back from God prevent us from being intimate with him. Sometimes we, or I, characterise these things as sin. But I wonder sometimes if that makes me believe foolishly that I am subject to an external force that makes me do wrong. Whereas in reality it is quite often down to me what has happened. Either through something I have done or, sometimes worse, something I have failed to do.

Sin is to miss the mark. Sin is unlove. To fail to love when we should. To hold back from loving. The consequences in our life of sin ranges from totally derailing it, to a minor diversion. But even a series of minor diversions can lead us far from where we want to be.

Where is God in this? He is our loving father and like any father worthy of the name, he wants us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. He wants us to bring our failure to love to him so that he can forgive us and heal us. In God there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

If we ask God to forgive our sin he will do so. Even when we struggle with besetting sin, repeat temptations, that we just can't seem to defeat on our own. God is here amongst us in our mired world. If we cry out to him he will answer. He will teach us to love.

These words are for myself as much as for you. As the Psalmist says "create in me a clean heart, O Lord!"

For reflection:

Psalm 51
1 Corinthians 13

Dear Lord, help me to believe in you. Help me to deal with the things that hold me back from knowing you. Amen

Restorer of ruined houses?

On 16th November 2001 I was on holiday in Sydney and whilst wandering around the harbour area I found a lovely and enchanting garden. It is called the Chinese Garden of Friendship.  It is enclosed and an entrance fee is charged but once you are inside it is an enthralling place. It is very peace inspiring, you can walk around and find different themed gardens. I spent quite a long time there and towards the end of the afternoon whilst sitting there I began to wonder how this garden got planted.

I found out that it was planted out of the desire of the Chinese community in Sydney to make a gesture of friendship and forge a bond between the people of China and Australia.

The site they acquired is a one hectare block. It turns out that this beautiful garden had been planted on what was once a derelict area of of demolished buildings.

That set me thinking. Somebody had the vision to take derelict land and make it into something beautiful. They had to believe in the vision, know it was possible, and then put their muscle and resource into it.  I wonder how many times in my life I have seen something or some relationship that is derelict and thought that there was no hope of change.  No hope that things could be different. Maybe this garden is the evidence that things can always be different. We need the vision to be able to see this for ourselves. We need the grit and determination to put this into practice. This garden was achieved on human terms and ability. They may have prayed as well.  But just imagine what we can change in our own lives and those of others when the vision comes from God. Just imagine what happens when God adds his grace into and onto our plans.

I want to return to  a chapter in Isaiah that we looked at before. There is a promise in that chapter about restoration. And about the part that we can have in it. God talks about us becoming "restorers of ruined houses" and "breach menders". This is a way of saying that with God's help we can find that things can be better and different. No matter how derelict things have become.

Here below is the promise I am inviting you to think of.  Please read it. I ask God to bless you as you read it. I wish you well.

"The Lord says this: If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, your light will rise in the darkness,
and your shadows become like noon. The Lord will always guide you, giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry.

You will rebuild the ancient ruins, build up on the old foundations. You will be called ‘Breach-mender’, ‘Restorer of ruined houses.’"

(this was previously published by me on www.diakonia.clara.net which is now defunct!)