An unexpected ending to a dinner party

When Jesus accepted the dinner invitation to Simon the Pharisee's house, I wonder if he had any idea how the evening would pan out? I am sure that Simon definitely didn't imagine how the meal would end up.

If you would like to read the full story, then please follow in Luke 6:36-50. In summary, a sinful woman interrupts the dinner to weep over Jesus and to anoint his feet with expensive perfume. In modern times, this incident would have caused such a stir that people would have posted videos of her actions all over the internet. Simon is stunned, but Jesus sees into the broken heart of the woman and forgives her sins. 

When Matthew Henry reflected on this passage he wrote - "None can truly perceive how precious Christ is, and the glory of the gospel, except the broken-hearted." 

He implies that when are hearts are broken and stepped upon, the compassion of Jesus is precious beyond measure. He is all we need. 

Living in Grace

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Panic. Breathe. Remember. Pray. Move

Panic. Breathe. Remember. Pray. Move.

These 5 words could help us when we are confronted by difficult situations in our lives. In reality, most of us are tempted to hit the panic button when we come up against challenging circumstances. The idea of running away seems a lot more plausible than standing our ground.

In these moments, we are tempted to focus on our immediate circumstances instead of remembering God’s power. In Mark 8:14-21, Jesus reminds us that faith is about trusting what we have already seen of Him. The disciples had seen tangible proof of Jesus’ power, yet they struggled to trust Him fully. Does this sound familiar at all?

It was clear that Jesus' past faithfulness hadn't helped them realize that God's help would be available in the present. They failed to understand this, which revealed their shaky faith. It would be good for us to look back at uncertain moments in our lives and to remember how God stood with us.

If you would like to listen to a podcast about Mark 8, then you are welcome to click here. 

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What is God really like?

What is God really like?

This question has been on the lips of millions of people over the millennia. And as much as we can delve deeper into this question, the answer is staggeringly simple. 

Jesus said: Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). 

In other words, if we want to understand who God is, all we need to do is study Jesus. If we can comprehend the nature and 'person' of Jesus, then we will have a best foundation to understand Yahweh. The apostle Paul actually put it like this:

Colossians 1:15: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

Hebrews 1:3: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”

Thought: If you want to discover what God is really like, please don't look at other people (pastors included) - rather study the life and person of Jesus.

Living in Grace

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Search me and know my anxious thoughts

I have often felt that this prayer in Psalm 139 has to one of the bravest prayers I know.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139:23-24

To invite God to search the core of our being is to have complete trust in the mercy of God. Intellectually we may understand that we can't hide from God, so to ask God to 'know' our hearts, and our anxious thoughts, is really to stop running and to be still before God. That can be scary, but it doesn't need to be. 

If we are serious about walking in the ways of Christ, we need to be willing to be completely vulnerable before our Maker. What do you feel?

Jeremiah prayed a similar prayer: But as for me, Lord, you know my heart. You see me and test my thoughts. (Jeremiah 12:3)

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If you don't know me by now...

The song "If you don't know me by now" was written in the 1970's, but gained world-wide fame in 1989, when Simply Red released their version of the song. The opening lines of the song raise an interesting point. They state:

"If you don't know me by now,
You will never, never, never know me..."

The reason I mention this is because the question we reflected on in yesterday' sermon was: "Don't know you me as yet?" - this is the searching question that Jesus asked Philip. It was a gentle rebuke of Philip suggesting to him that he should know the ways of Jesus a lot more, especially since he had spent enough time with Jesus already. 

"Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? - John 14:9

For me, there is a difference between the 2 statements. The first one implies that we will never get to truly know the other person, no matter how hard we try. While Jesus' challenge leaves room for us to decide to 'know' God on a deeper level. I am not sure if that makes sense to you, but I am inspired to lean into the scriptures to get to know Jesus as my brother and friend. What about you?

“I am not asking whether you know things about Him but do you know God, are you enjoying God, is God the centre of your life, the soul of your being, the source of your greatest joy?” - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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The companion

“We may not know exactly where the journey will lead, but we can be sure of who travels with us.” – Shane Stafford.

It is deeply reassuring to be reminded that we have a close companion on the journey of life. No matter how alone you may be feeling at the moment, please remember that Christ is with you.

Mark 1:21 - Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum.

John 13:1-2 - Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end.

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The presence of Christ in the midst of your storm

In Mark's gospel there is a lovely narrative about the disciple's experience in a fierce storm (Mark 4:35-41). Their ordinary sailing trip across the Sea of Galilee soon becomes a nightmare. And in their panic, they call out to Jesus, "help us", "we are drowning!"

Mark tells us that Jesus calms the storm with a command and the disciples are amazed what this miracle. Maybe they were only calling Jesus to help them bail out the water in the boat - they needed all hands-on deck - and Jesus superseded their request. He actually had authority over the wind and waves!

Let us remember that when we are confronted by storms in our lives, that Jesus is present with us. Sometimes he may give us the strength we need to keep sailing, but other times he may grant us a miracle.

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.

Psalm 46:1-2 – “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear.”

Living in Grace

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A thought for Saint Patrick's Day

The 17th of March is a day that marks the memory of Saint Patrick and this year I am especially struck by how one person can make a difference all over the planet. We are bombarded daily by the negative influence of many powerful people, and sadly their lives do impact upon all of us. However, today I want to give thanks for the millions of people who bring love, kindness and hope to our world. We may not all be a Saint Patrick, but our lives can touch the hearts of others.

Here are a few quotes attributed to Patrick. 

“I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God.”

“Behold, I give my soul to my faithful God, whom I serve as his ambassador.”

“It is Christ who is my great master, who inspires me and strengthens me in all things.”

Thought: It is important to remember that Patrick's early years were filled with pain and suffering, as he was taken captive as a young man in Ireland. However, he remembered these years as a time of refining and change. God renewed his heart in such a powerful way that he chose to go back to Ireland to share God's love with his former captors. 

Living in grace

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The full Serenity Prayer - a great resource to combat anxiety

I find that using the Serenity prayer is a great way of reducing anxiety in my life. The full version of the prayer is very helpful and teaches us to trust in the Lord's work in our lives. If you are struggling with worry at the moment, then I invite you to pray this prayer as often as you need to.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it,
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will,
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen."

Matthew 6:27 - Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 

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A great fear for all of us?

What is one of your greatest fears?

Tim Keller suggests that one of our fears could be: to be known, but not to be loved! His words may make a little more sense, when we read them in the context of his full quote.

“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial.
To be known and not loved is our greatest fear.
But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God.
It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretence, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.” - Timothy Keller.

Is this perhaps what drew people to Jesus? When they encountered him, they sensed that they were fully known and loved. What do you think?

Romans 8:15 - So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.

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What do you want?

The question that Jesus asked Andrew and John immediately cut to the heart of the matter. Jesus certainly puts them in a spot, but it is a question that echoes throughout the ages. What do we really want?

 "Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them." - John 1:38

It is a question that invites self-examination, and I don’t believe that Jesus asked it in a condescending tone at all. Some translations have put the question as “what are you looking for?” or "what are you seeking?"

Let us try and picture the scene for a moment – the two disciples have moved away from John the Baptist (their teacher) and for a moment they are caught in no-man's land. Should they follow the 'Lamb of God' or should they stay with John?

Jesus senses they are edging closer to him, and he gets to the heart of the matter: 

What do you guys really want? What is going on in your heart? What are you searching for?

In truth, many disciples followed their teachers or leaders for any number of reasons: Were these two guys looking for a new career. Or a military Saviour? A security blanket? A person to debate with and do a little theological sparring?

Or was there a deeper desire that drove them to seek Jesus out?

And what about us? How do you answer that question today? 

What are we wanting from Jesus?

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P.S. If you missed out on listening to the sermon based on this Question, you are welcome to click on this link. 

What good is it?

There is something special about LENT. I truly believe that being intentional about our preparation for Easter makes a massive difference in our spiritual lives and I wonder if you feel the same way? 

Over the course of the next 6 weeks, I am going to be reflecting on a number of questions that Jesus asks his followers. One would be surprised at home many questions Jesus actually asks of us and each one of them is equally profound.

At our Ash Wednesday service, I reminded us of the question that Jesus posed to his followers (in Mark 8:36):

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

This deeply challenging question slowly opens up our hearts to divulge where we are spending all our time and energy at the moment. What is getting us up in the morning? 

Am I spending my life in pursuit of "things" at the expense of nurturing my spiritual life? 

If I aim to gain the world and stand on top of the mountain with my arms in triumphant victory, who else will be standing alongside me?

Where is God in my plans and life at the moment?

If you would like to listen to a short audio Bible Study on this question, you are welcome to listen on this link.

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Sometimes SILENCE is the most appropriate response!

I was struck by the fact that just after Peter, James and John witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus, they were moved to SILENCE. We would have excused them if they had wanted to tell the world - or in today's language, to post it on social media - but they sensed that their most appropriate act of worship was to remain quiet!

³⁶ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. - Luke 9

Perhaps the modern Church needs to grasp this principle of silence and awe – not to always feel the need to fill the gaps with sound. Of course, there is a time for songs and prayers, but there is also a time for silence and reflection. 

It is a sad reality that the actions of the 3 disciples were so opposite to the world in which we now live – in our world there is always noise. From the moment we wake up until the time we go to sleep; it is almost as if we need to fight just to appreciate a few moments of quiet. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us:

Ecclesiastes 3:7 – “there is a time for silence and a time to speak...”

Rev. Dr. Janet H. Hunt - "...silence is the only adequate response to the Transfiguration the disciples witnessed."

Psalm 37:7 Be silent in the LORD’s presence and wait patiently for him.

What do you feel about this? I would love to know.

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A crucial link between the Transfiguration and Lent

It is something that most people assume, but it is well worth highlighting, that Jesus' purpose in climbing the mountain (Transfiguration) was to pray. Read Luke's account below and take note of the words I have placed in BOLD type. 

²⁸ About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. (Luke 9)

Luke invites us into a unique moment in the spiritual apprenticeship of Peter, James and John. They see first-hand the transforming power of prayer. This is not the first time they have been aware of Jesus' commitment to prayer, but it seems to be the moment that they witness the most radical change in their Rabbi. Prayer has changed the appearance of Jesus, and they are left gob smacked at what they see. 

I would like to point out the remarkable value in prayer and how when we are committed to this practice, our lives can be changed. We may not walk around with the afterglow like Jesus did, but other people may soon wonder what has changed in our lives. This is one of the reasons why I like Lent so much - it calls out to my wandering spirit: "Come near for a while. Rest in the presence of Jesus."

As we enter into the sacred season of Lent and begin our pilgrimage to Calvary, may we take the lessons of the Transfiguration with us - and may we stay close to Jesus.

William Loader wrote: "...making time and space for prayer and reflection is crucial if we are to know who he is and where we are going with him."

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It is good for us to be here!

As Peter was taking in the grandeur of the Transfiguration, he blurted out: 

“Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.) - Luke 9:33

Even though Peter couldn't fully comprehend what he was witnessing, the one thing he got right was that it was truly amazing to witness the gathering of Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Perhaps his words 'it is good for us to be here' are even a little understated. In modern language he could have been excused for shouting out: This is Epic! This is Awesome!

His heart was probably pumping and his adrenaline following so strongly, that all he could think of was 'let me hold onto this moment for as long as possible.' 

Can you relate to this at all? When was the last time you experienced something so profound and beautiful that your heart sang: 'it is good to be here!'

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A prayer for Mondays

I came across this lovely prayer last week and thought I would share it for you all. I pray that you have a blessed Monday.

"Loving Father,
Make my heart like that of a child.
Give me again the excitement and joy of wonder.
How wonderful it is that I am even able to wonder!
Remove the scales from my eyes,
the callousness from my heart,
the stubbornness from my will,
and enable me to enjoy the wonder of it all.
Deliver me from routine worship,
from 'business as usual,'
from form without force and liturgy without life.
May Your Holy Spirit energize that 'new creation'
that is now within me,
And may it be ever new, ever wonderful,
To the glory of Your Name.
Amen." -  Warren W. Wiersbe

John 17:21 - My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

Living in Grace

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