The Vicars Husband

[Day 178]

John 9.30,33

“This is an amazing thing,” the man told them.  “You don’t know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes!… If this man were not from God, He wouldn’t be able to do anything”

The disciples ask Jesus a question: why is a man born blind?  It was assumed that the reason must be because of sin, but the question was whose sin, the man’s or his parents.

Jesus explains instead that it is not due to anyone’s sin, and heals the man.  He provides him with freedom and sight.

But rather than being delighted for him, the Pharisees cross question him.  They want to know how this happened.  And the reason for their query is that they cannot see that Jesus is from God – and healing belongs to God alone.  It’s ironic – the blind man can see who Jesus is, but the Pharisees can’t.

They try hard to get the man to condemn Jesus, but the man can’t.  This man gets it – Jesus must be from God, or else he wouldn’t be able to see.  The sadness is that when the Pharisees refuse to believe this, they condemn him as a sinner and throw him out of the synagogue.

The religious will always struggle to understand God Himself.  They will always be spiritually blinded by their rites and regulations, by their routines and practices.  The sadness is that as that they will fail to see God at work, and will condemn and exclude those the Lord chooses to use.

We must all be alert to what God is doing – even if it goes against the grain.  The reality is that when God moves it will offend some, but if we are close in our relationship to God, we will always be able to tell where miracles originate.  And when they come from God, we can rejoice and be glad that we “can see the Lord in the land of the living.”

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying: 

What can you see the Lord doing?

[Day 177]

Luke 10.18

He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a lightening flash.  Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will ever harm you.  However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven”

I get so excited when I see God at work in people!  There is nothing like the buzz from seeing people be healed, or meeting face to face with God, or having their lives transformed. 

In this verse it is equally exciting to hear of the authority that Jesus has given to all His followers – and not just the 72 He sent out, but you and me too.  We have authority over the power of Satan and his forces.  Nothing will ever harm us.  Isn’t that amazing?  Doesn’t that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up?

And yet Jesus says, “Don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you”.  It’s easy to get so excited at seeing the enemy being defeated and to think that that is the goal, the be all and end all.

But it isn’t.  Jesus goes on to say, “Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”  This is the important part – not that we have authority over the power of the enemy.  Not even that nothing will harm us, but instead that our names are written in heaven.

It’s a question of perspective.  Our perspective isn’t meant to be on fighting Satan and his forces.  It’s not meant to be on what can or cannot harm us.  It is on an eternity with our Heavenly Father; an enjoying of Him forever. 

Satan is defeated and although skirmishes and battles will break out in this life, they won’t last forever.  Satan isn’t immortal.  But as Jesus reminds us in this single verse, we are immortal and then we are called home.

Let’s rejoice in the knowledge of our immortality, even if until then we are bogged down in the trenches of spiritual warfare.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

“Keep your perspective on Me.  Don’t fear mankind.  Don’t fear the world’s standards.  Learn to fear Me.”

[Day 176]

John 8.28

So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing on My own.  But just as the Father taught Me, I say these things”

I am a creature of habit.  A few minutes after I wake in the morning, I’ll reach over and turn on the radio.  The dulcet tones of James Naughtie or the less stringent ones of John Humphreys bring to a full state of consciousness within a few minutes.

I sometimes wonder how the cynical John Humphreys (or dozens of other journalists) would have coped questioning Jesus.

Well, there were plenty of cynics in Jesus’ day too.  In the previous chapters in John, we read that the Pharisees are deeply cynical of Jesus, questioning His motive, His parentage, His hometown, His education.

But Jesus is pretty clear.  He has been sent by God and He does nothing on His own.  His Heavenly Father has sent Him and has taught Him and He speaks out of obedience.

Obedience doesn’t come naturally.  We’re learning this with Annabella, who is now 16 months old.  And not the most obedient person!  And nor should we expect her to be – yet.  She needs to be taught and to learn.

Our discipleship as followers of Jesus is a journey of a lifetime.  We have so much to be taught.  And one of the greatest lessons is how to be obedient to our Heavenly Father in all things – that we should do nothing unless the Father tells us to, and that all that we say doesn’t come from us but from our Heavenly Father through us.

If all Christians spoke with that obedience I suspect there would be less compromise and less political correctness and a bit more God-given truth.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying: 

Are you fully obedient?

[Day 175]

Matthew 18.21

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  As many as seven times?”

It can sometimes be hard to forgive.  You remember the pain, the injustice, the legacy.  You think perhaps of revenge.  Your pride wells up inside you, and before long the seeds of hatred are sown. 

People sometimes say that forgiveness is hard.  But the reality is that forgiveness is not nearly as hard as holding onto grudges, as not forgiving.

The reality is that we are forgiven people.  We stand condemned before the Lord of all and the judge of the whole of creation.  And yet, even though we deserve death, the punishment falls not on us but on Jesus Christ instead.

Consider how much we have been forgiven.  And we then see the smallness of the sins that others have committed against us.

It is not ever a question of what I am owed, or of what I deserve – despite what the world’s media says.  The question is rather I have been forgiven much, how can I forgive all others – and not just forgive them, but release them from any debt they owe me and bless them mightily.

It is easy to pray for those we love, and to bless them.  It is much harder to pray for those who have wronged us and harmed us.  Much harder.  But still much easier than hanging on for decades to past hurts, fears and hatreds.

As Paul writes to the Ephesians, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as God also forgave you in Christ” (Ephesians 4.32).

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying: 

Have you forgiven?  Have you released from your debt?  Have you blessed?

[Day 174]

Matthew 18.18-20

Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth is already loosed in heaven.  Again I assure you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them

The debate continues.  It was started by the eminent physicist Stephen Hawking a few days ago following the publication of his latest book, The Grand Design.  In it he says that the laws of physics can create the world out nothing and that therefore there is no need for a creator God.

What I find disturbing about this whole debate is not the lack of theological understanding, or the basic errors that seem to allow for the laws of physics to create, but conveniently don’t answer the question as to the creator of these laws themselves, but it is the ignorance of Christianity.

And I put the blame firmly on us as Christians.  We have failed for centuries to explain and live our lives fully as disciples and followers of Jesus Christ.

In these verses Jesus Himself says that if two of us agree about something, then it will be done.  He also says that whatever we bind or lose earth, is already bound or loosed in heaven.  The reality of our lives as Christians is that we are unbelievably powerful because of the Holy Spirit.  Through this Spirit, we can bind up all that is not holy and release the very powers of heaven itself. 

The tragedy is that we haven’t and that we don’t.  We are more obsessed with political correctness, with pleasing the media and with not offending others.  What we should be doing is tuning ourselves to the Holy Spirit and releasing heaven in our communities around us.

When that happens, I suspect the reality of God’s power on earth will silence even the most sceptical of atheists and the most Godless of scientists.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

Do you know the truth and reality that whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven?

[Day 173]

Matthew 17.19-20

Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”  “Because of your little faith,” He told them.  “For I assure you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you”

Can you imagine if nothing was impossible for you?  What would you do?  Heal the sick?  Stop natural and manmade disasters from happening?  Transform society?  Imagine if not only you but everyone who was a Christians acted as if nothing was impossible.   Can you imagine?!

Jesus, with Peter, James and John has been on a high mountain.  As they are there, Jesus is transformed in front of them.  Moses and Elijah come and speak to Him, and God’s voice speaks out clearly from a cloud, “This is My beloved Son.  I take delight in Him.  Listen to Him!” 

The Glory of God is revealed in Jesus Christ, and God’s glory shines with exceptional brightness.  Moses and Elijah, maybe representing the Law and the Prophets, are there witnessing the glory of God in the living person of Jesus.  The glory of God is no longer contained in the Tabernacle made by humans, but in God Himself, in Jesus. 

And Peter, James and John witness the revelation of God’s glory in Jesus too, maybe a foretaste of Pentecost, when all believers would be filled with the Holy Spirit and transformed into Tabernacles, full of the glory of the living God.

So, when Jesus comes down from the mountain and is met by His bemused disciples, who have tried so hard to cast out a demon, but with no success, He speaks out the truth about faith.  If we have just a small amount of faith we can move mountains; nothing is impossible for those who have faith in Jesus.

Our bodies are living tabernacles (2 Corinthians 5), full of the glory of the Lord.  And with God’s power in us, nothing is impossible.  So, what are you going to do about it?

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

Ask God for more faith – and receive it from Him

[Day 172]

Matthew 16.3-4

Jesus answered them, “You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.  And evil and adulterous generation wants a sign, but no sign will be given to it…”

We like to be given signs, don’t we?  Signs that someone else loves you; signs that you’re going in the right direction; signs that the clothes we’re going out in will be the most suitable ones for the weather.

A couple of weeks ago, we went off to the beach.  When we set off it was cold and rather grey, but within an hour or so the sun had come out and we were sweltering in our thick trousers rather wishing we had had the foresight to bring swimming shorts and towels.  If only we had had a sign!

“Ah”, some people might say.  “The signs were there all along, you just couldn’t read them.  If we had looked at the forecast, or read the signs in the sky or heard the birds singing in a particular way, we would have known all along.”

The Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign from heaven to prove that He is God.  But Jesus mocks them – “You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.” 

To have read the signs of the times would have meant that the Pharisees would have had to be aware, through the Holy Spirit, of the reality of the invisible spiritual realm.  But, blinded by their religious arrogance and pride, they were spiritually incapable of reading the signs of the times.  And yet, it was precisely the time that the prophets had forecast, a time when Jesus, the saviour of the world, would walk among men.  The signs were there all along, they just couldn’t read them.

Today we have the chance to read the times spiritually.  Through God’s eyes, we can see what it going on spiritually in our communities and nation.  And amazingly, God invites us to be a part of His transforming Kingdom building work.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

Picture of a ball of fire.  People gather round it and warm themselves around it.  They invite their friends to do the same.  But it is still fire, still powerful.  The fire is the Holy Spirit, but we must never believe that God is somehow just for a nice warm glow – He is powerful and awesome

[Day 171]

Matthew 16.21-23

From then on Jesus began to point out to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests and scribes, be killed and be raised the third day.  Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, “Oh no, Lord!  This will never happen to You!”  But He turned and told Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!  You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s”

It is easy to give people false hope.  We want to be nice.  We want the happy ending to be there.  We want fluffy clouds, pats on backs, no nasty surprises, no bogeymen. 

But the reality is that, well, it’s not always the true reality.  Jesus points out that His death is imminent.  He starts talking and teaching about His death and resurrection.  But Peter wants none of it.  He wants to be nice.  But Jesus’ reaction is instant and severe.  What Peter wants is a false hope, a false happiness.  What Jesus realises is that true happy ending will happen, but only after the agony of death – and nothing, not even His friend’s nice false hope, will derail Him.

Anyone listening to this morning’s Today programme on radio 4 could not help but have been moved by the story of Bruce and Jan Bovill.  Jan was diagnosed with dementia over ten years ago and today was her funeral.  Her widow, Bruce, said, “You can’t win the war with dementia.  Dementia is always going to win, but if you keep faith with yourself and the person then you can win a few battles.”  That is how the world reacts to disease and death.  We can’t win the war, but at least we can put faith in ourselves.

However, that hope is false.  It is nice, perhaps, but false none the less.  Jesus knew that the ultimate in happy endings would happen, that He would be raised from the dead, and by doing so, would destroy the power of death once and for all.  He did win the war over disease and death.  And we can too.  We don’t put our faith in ourselves – the best we can hope for then is to win the odd skirmish, but remain defeated.  No, we put our faith in the risen Lord Jesus and Him alone.  And through Him we can be assured of victory every single time.  “Grave where is your victory?  Death where is your sting?”(1 Corinthians 15.55).

So next time someone asks you for a nice fluffy answer don’t be afraid to speak out the truth of the reality of Jesus and don’t hesitate to offer the alternative ultimate happy ending.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

Glorify God in all that you do

[Day 170]

John 6.66-69

From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him.  Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”  Simon Peter answered, “Lord, who will we go to?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!”

There is so much excitement.  Jesus has fed thousands of people, and the crowds are desperate for more.  You can almost hear their feet running along to Capernaum looking for Him.  Jesus then offers them more than mere bread that goes stale and mouldy.  He offers them Himself – the bread of life, ‘bread’ that will last forever, ‘bread’ that is in fact His body offered as a sacrifice, torn up to feed the spiritually hungry.

But Jesus’ teaching is hard.  People are offended.  They came wanting more signs and more bread.  They came bringing their friends along for entertainment.  They came wanting an easy life, a nice time, a lovely chat.  And yet Jesus has the nerve to tell them that they can only come to God through Him.  He is the bread of life that has come down from heaven – Him, the son of a carpenter from Nazareth.

And then He goes even further.  He tells them that life isn’t anything to do with our flesh.  Life is only through the Holy Spirit.  If our bodies are to be fully alive, then they need to be full of the Holy Spirit.  This isn’t saying that our bodies are bad or that flesh is evil.  No, this is saying that for our bodies to become fully alive, we need to be turning to the right place – Jesus Himself.  It’s no good trying to find life from other sources, we will always be dissatisfied and hungry for more.  Simon Peter gets the answer right.  Where else can we possibly turn to?  Who else can we possibly go to? 

The message that Jesus brings is offensive to many.  All religions do not lead to God.  Heaven is not on the end of spiritual searching.  His teaching is hard.  We do need to die to ourselves for Him to live in us.  We do need to take up our crosses and follow Him.  We will be persecuted and ridiculed, mocked and looked down on.  But where else will we find bread that gives us life in all its fullness, and lead to eternal banqueting with our Heavenly Father?

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying:

Are you ‘lazy’ enough?!  Do you have enough time on your hands to know what God is doing and always carry the capacity to increase as God leads you to?  Or are you always so busy and hectic, fighting one fire after another, that you cannot see what God is doing?

[Day 169]

Matthew 14.13;23

When Jesus heard about it, He withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone… As He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd, felt compassion for them, and healed their sick… After dismissing the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray

Jesus is incredibly compassionate.  He is deeply upset by the death of John the Baptist – so much so that He goes off to a remote place to be on His own.  But word spreads that He is on the move, and instantly huge crowds of people gather to meet Him, to be healed by Him, to be near Him.  And as soon as He sees them, He has compassion on them.  Incredible compassion.

His compassion leads Him to action.  He has compassion on the huge crowd, and so He heals them.  He doesn’t send them off and tell them to come back another day.  He doesn’t say, “My good friend has died, so leave me alone!”  No, He sees them, has compassion on them and heals them.

He then feeds the thousands of people who have gathered.  They are in a wilderness and it’s late.  Jesus has been working all day, but He understands that the people are hungry.  He has compassion on them.  He utterly understands the needs of humans.

But He is also utterly heavenly.  He fully understands that His strength comes from the Lord and He loves being on His own with His Heavenly Father.  At the end of the day, He goes off on His own to be with His Father.

So, what a 24 hours Jesus has had!  He is utterly human in His compassion, and He is utterly Godly in His desire to be at one with the Lord.  He starts the day full of human emotion and ends the day displaying His Godliness by walking on water.

Today Jesus still meets us in our humanity but, as with Peter, He calls us to become more than that through Him.

What is God saying?

I believe that God is saying: 

Are we too ‘heavenly minded that we’re no earthly good’?  Jesus wasn’t