Betrayal

Hanging out with friends on the weekend, we made a kid welcome. He later nicked a ball and lied about it. One of my friends said that lying's the thing she hates most; it's a betrayal of trust. So I got to thinking, is that all that lying is? Is that the only reason why it's horrible? What about lying about other things? . . .

The Bible says that in our hearts we all know there's a God: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4) or “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20). We lie when we say we don't believe he exists.

But does the lie matter? Maybe it's dumb, but it doesn't hurt anyone, it doesn't make you a bad person. You aren't betraying anyone's trust.

This is true if God is god, a force, fact, concept or philosophy. But what if he is a personal God?

What if it's like saying a person doesn't exist? You are dead to me; I no longer have a son. This is so much more than a betrayal of trust; it's betrayal and rejection of everything you ever shared together, everything they ever did for you and meant to you and you to them, it's betrayal of them. And this of your Creator God? He who knit you together in your Mother's womb and who daily gives you food and breath?

Your lie spits in his face.

Of all who you might betray, he is the one to whom you owe allegiance. He is the one who should never be betrayed.

He is right to be angry. He is right to cast you from him, you who first cast him away. He is right to destroy you.

And he will, for to overlook such betrayal would mean it never really mattered.

So in your place, he sent his Son, that he might cast the Son away and destroy him, for you. That it might not be overlooked but that you might never suffer judgement. In place of punishment, standing before us – the betrayers – is the risen Lord Jesus. He says, I have paid the price. Be sorry for what you have done. Accept my gift. Be my brother and my sister. Be my Father's beloved child once more.

Grace and the Miracles of Gandalf and Frodo

I watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy over Easter. It gladdened my heart.

Gandalf reminds me of the older, wiser people who understand. Who speak and live with truth and provide example and teaching and solidity when all is in turmoil. Who, from their soft hearts, speak simple concern and comfort.

Frodo is one of those who suffer. He is at once very weak and very strong. He thinks himself nothing special; and though he realises the importance of his quest, each day is just another hard day. He would be baffled to know that if even the mighty beheld his journey, they would be humbled. When Frodo takes another step, when he speaks kindly to Gollum, when he apologises to Sam, we clap our hands. And the devil cries out.

Before Frodo set out, Gandalf gave him this counsel: 'All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'. And what to do with the little strength we have.

Simon's Funeral

This week I went to a funeral for a man I had the honour of knowing a little. He had suffered greatly in recent years and I am so glad that we have a merciful God who did not let him suffer more than he was able, but took him home. I never expected such mercy and kindness. In the world's eyes Simon was an just ordinary man, a single guy who didn't have a job. But I've little doubt that in God's eyes he was one of the great men of our faith, and for that, his reward in heaven will be great. If I can ever learn to love God as well as Simon, to follow Christ as resolutely and to treat others as kindly and generously as he did, I will be glad.

Simon was a Christian and a Catholic. His funeral service was beautiful and many truths were spoken and praise given to God. There were a few points, however, where I felt uncomfortable because Jesus was subtlely dishonoured and his once for all sacrifice diminished. I was expecting this though, so it wasn't a big suprise. What did surprise me was the emotional effect it seemed to have on the congregation - it seemed like their lack of certainty about Simon's fate caused them to suffer some anxiety and gloom, where there might have been praising.

Thank God for taking Simon home! Thank God that Simon is with him, the Saviour he dearly loved! Rejoice at the awesomeness and wonder and joy of it all! Thank God that, though our pain will be great and we will dearly miss him, there is nothing to be sad about for Simon. He has been released from all pain into rest and joy and praising. Rejoice for he will be enjoying a great reward for his faithful, persevering, loving, humble service! Praise God for the comfort these truths, being truths, bring!

Plagiarism: The Existential Kicks

Epiphanies are coming thin and slow, so I've resorted to stealing other peoples' material. This is an excerpt from a sermon on Jesus' family tomb by my friend and pastor Mikey Lynch. He's talking about what it would mean were clear evidence found to show that Jesus is dead, never risen and ruling.

You get the existential kicks, sure. You have community, which is nice. You have spirituality, which is lovely. You have a hope for the future, which is not real but it sort of helps you now. You have some morals to guide you. You have a sense of meaning.

Sure you have the existential kicks, but ultimately forgiveness of all the things you’ve done wrong, your guilty conscience, trust in the forgiveness given by the death of Christ – you don’t have that. You’re still carrying with you your guilt. All of the failures and the hurts you’ve caused, none of that’s washed away because Jesus didn’t die for it. It’s still with you. You are still in your sins. You still have no right to ignore the guilt that is legitimate in your life.

And hope after death – well not in Jesus it’s not available. If he’s dead, well then his offer for life after death is annulled. So death is still, at least a nothing, if not facing God’s judgement without a Saviour.

Approval and Pride

Seeking man’s approval and being unduely proud if I get it are ongoing struggles of mine. I am well aware these things are wrong, but have recently realised their foolishness - thanks largely to Don Carson's exploration of 1 Corinthians 1-4 in The Cross and Christian Ministry (2004).

“[T]he message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). It is his power and his wisdom (1:24b). The world’s wisdom is not merely less than God’s wisdom – it is so far removed that God calls it “foolish”, just as the world calls true wisdom “foolish”. The most talented people of this world do not with their intelligence discover “God’s secret wisdom” - Jesus Christ - and when they are presented with him they scoff (2:7a & 1:20-21). The people who discover Jesus are the people who recognise their needy state. These lowly people discover Jesus when he calls them (1:26) - “so that no one may boast before him” (1:29).

The message of the cross eclipses the world’s wisdom in its wisdom and in its eternity. “God destined [it] for our glory before time began”, wheras even the rulers of this age “are coming to nothing” (2:7b & 2:6b).

Christians have been blessed with the Spirit, enabling us to see the cross for what it is. The Spirit gives us discernment of all things (2:15), so that we are no longer seduced and blinded by human wisdom.

So we should no longer be proud of our stock of worldly wisdom, for it is foolishness. Our talents can however be viewed and appreciated and used with God's wisdom. Yet even then we should not boast in ourselves - for “[w]hat do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (4:7) And it is foolish to compete with each other when we are to use our God-given talents for “one purpose”, as “God’s fellow workers” (3:8-9). It is also foolish because we forget ourselves, we forget that we are no more than sinners who God chose to save. And it is foolish when we do have great glories and wisdom we should boast of - “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future – all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (3:21b-23). We are no longer bound to this world; this brief life is not all we have; death is vanquished; and the present and future are all governed by and lived under our Lord.

“If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise . . . . So then, no more boasting about men!” (3:18 & 21a). We should instead imitate Paul as he follows the example of Christ (11:1) in living out the ‘foolish’ cross – “To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” (4:11-13). Very foolish, yet truly wise. I pray I will feel ashamed of my foolish pride and instead boast in and follow my Lord!

How I Know my Religion has the Answers

Because Jesus says it does; he says he does.

Because as well as being God, Jesus was a man, and his place and actions in history can be proved or disproved. We can check his claims and his trustworthiness.

Because when I read the Bible it all adds up – life as I know it, in its goodness and awfulness. It is described and explained and my questions are answered.

Because when I read the Bible my heart is convinced as well as my head.

Because once I believe, I feel God’s nearness and I see his work in my character and in my life.

Appreciating Jesus

For a while now I’ve been concerned that Jesus is too complex and strange for me to be able to understand very well. I’ve been concerned that in not understanding him, I have failed to appreciate, love and worship him as I should.

That was until a comment from an old friend made me realise how differently we both see my life. I think she sees my Christian life these last three years as just another thing, wheras I divide my adult life into ‘before’ and ‘after’ I became a Christian. So I got to wondering why.

As a child I was a Christian, and during the adult ‘before’ years I kept my general belief in God. I ‘merely’ forgot his fullness and forgot his Son. In the before years I was something like an Old Testament Jew. I knew there was a God and I knew what he expected of me. But I could never live up to his standard nor did I really want to, and he was never close to me, sinner that I was.

The difference between the before and after years is Jesus Christ, God’s Son. His life, death and resurrection is not just a truth that I hold – it is a truth that has transformed my life. For his glory and out of his love Jesus changed my life.

Because of Jesus I not only know that God exists, but I have a relationship with him. I am able to know him better each day.

Because of Jesus I am forgiven and made ready to follow his example of glad obedience to the Father.

Jesus has given me new life, showered me with every blessing and is the God I want to thank and follow and know as best I can in this life and better in the next!