Deadline met

Puff..puff..pant..pant! Yes, the Hebrews deadline for Encounter Bible reading notes was met. And just to prove the point, let me briefly summarize the last two chapters.

Beware entanglement (Heb. 12:1:-13) I had to confess that I got the balance wrong between encouragement and warning. Thrilled by the cloud of witnesses cheering us one I minimized the danger of 'throw off everything that hinders' (verse 1) which is the main issue. The whole point of the passage is to warn this young church that enduring in the Christina race is no easy thing. That's why the subject of discipline looms large in the rest of the passage.

My Utmost ( Heb 12:14--29) Like the title of Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest' this passage exhorts us to give our best energies to living in God's peace and holiness. Effort is needed for the consecrated life. Old Testament examples illustrate the challenge: Esau, an anti-hero, who traded his spiritual rights for good, and two mountains. Sinai, terrifying in its holiness because of God's presence,is contrasted with the 'divine' mountain of God's eternal kingdom in the new covenant. However joyful this gift is, we can never treat God's holiness lightly. He remains as holy judge.

Good practice (Heb 13: 1-16) I contrasted a list of Summer habits I had recently read (like hydration, sunglasses etc.) which was me-centred and rather trivial, with this list which focuses on doing good to others. How demanding each issue is. Nothing trivial here. Giving hospitality, befriending prisoners, integrity in marriage, right attitude to money. And, surprisingly, the famous verse about Jesus being present in every age(verse 8) is sandwiched between exhortations to respect godly leaders. And, as you would expect with Hebrews the need for boldness and confidence in worship rounds off the list. Jesus expects practical differences to show in our lifestyles.

Booster send-off (Heb. 13: 17-25) Respect for leaders emerges again as do a few hints about the reader's situation, though they don't provide enough clues for identification! But what stands out with memorable clarity is the benediction (verses 20,21) which gloriously crowns the letter. I love the picture 'the Great Shepherd of the sheep'. What a powerful God booster send-off , blessing us that by his Spirit he seeks to keep working through us for his glory. 

It's such a privilege to be invited to write notes for such a wide international readership. I am truly grateful as an old boy to have been given this opportunity, I really am.

2nd piece of advice

 I've always associated a second piece of advice with a pastor called Stanley Turl, in my earlier years: ‘ A preacher should always preach one sermon a year that the people don’t easily understand'. I fear preachers can quite easily preach confusing sermons - we don't need advice about doing that. But what lies behind is the famous claim in Isa. 55:9 when God says 'my ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts'. His ways and thoughts are so different. If we think we have worked everything out, that we’ve got God's plans mapped out, we are in terrible danger of making God too small.  The more you are prepared to wonder, the deeper you can go. But you have to be careful. Because God has given us his word in the Bible, in which we can go more deeply. 

So, I value teachers who are true bible scholars. Who probe Scripture listening to God's truth. It’s perhaps no surprise in my bereavement that I have been rereading a book called Surprised by Hope by Tom Wright. It’s reimagining heaven, resurrection and how it affects our faith and mission. It’s a complex and, yes, controversial book because to paraphrase his concern its that most people think Christian hope is simply that we will go to heaven when we die, leaving this poor world behind for ever.  In fact, some views of the end time discard this world because there’s a better place and different reality.  Wright asks if this is what the Bible says. He’s particularly concerned about forgetting the Jewish understanding of this wonderful creation here. About Psalm 148 truth, this world set in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away (verse6). Rather, God’s whole purpose in the death and resurrection of Jesus is to redeem and restore and renew his creation and to rule over it as king. When the Lord’s prayer says Thy will be done, Thy kingdom come, on earth as in heaven this is powerful and revolutionary. On earth. For new creation has begun here with Jesus now. 

Like other bereaved people, I wonder where Carol is now?  Could it be, in the words of Wright -Heaven in the Bible is not a future destiny but the other, hidden dimension of our ordinary life. God’s dimension. ike a curtain lies between what we see and what is already his new work with us. God made heaven and earth; and at the last he will remake both and join them together forever. When we come to a picture of the actual end in Rev 21, 22 we find not ransomed souls making their way to a disembodied heaven but rather the new Jerusalem coming from heaven to earth uniting the two in a lasting embrace.   

Heaven is part of present reality. And for those who die are held firmly within the conscious love of God and conscious presence of Jesus Christ until they await the day of bodily resurrection.  We can call this paradise. It is a communion of saints, brothers and sisters in Christ. The church triumphant and expectant set within the new creation. Could this be? I love the thought of Carol remaining close in a God dimension. This is what I mean about being pushed in our believing about God. There’s so much talk about AI, the advantages and worries about artificial intelligence. And it is capable of outdoing human intelligence. But it will never be a match for DI - divine intelligence. That's the real thing. 

Interruption and God-bothering

After describing the breathtaking view from Birdlip Hill I had to interrupt myself. On my desk I have a prayer card with a picture of Elyanour and her children. She tells her story in Gaza - what she sees is a landscape of destruction and fear. It's a BMS card with prayer requests. Looking at her is humbling. What a privilege we have when we see our Summer views. And how much we should pray and care for those facing distress. We are a very fortunate people, aren't we?

Back to Birdlip Hill. As teenagers we weren’t very sensitive. I didn’t notice what percentage of that crowd were so irritated, even angry, about these enthusiastic noisy young people interrupting their enjoyment.  Much later in life when Carol and I worked for BBC Radio Blackburn religious program some in the studio actually called us God botherers to our faces. 'Here come the God botherers!' Psalm 148 is a God-bothering psalm. Most people know how to enjoy looking at this world without the need for God.  And we think we know about praise, too. Praise is telling someone they have done a good job. It applauds, recognizes work, skill, character. But this psalm profoundly challenges us. It isn’t about us praising God that he has done a good job in creation. He knows it’s good! This psalm is all about us joining in with creation’s praise. With what’s already going on all around us. 'Creation declares the glory of God, the skies proclaim this is God’s world'  (Ps 19)  Yes, the whole of creation is alive giving glory to God.  This is about everything. Everything -  things above, things on earth  - reveal God’s invisible qualities – as Paul puts it: his eternal power and divine nature (Rom 1;20). Beauty, design, order. complexity. This God bothering psalm doesn’t let us sit on top of Birdlip Hill  or wherever we are in Gods’ world, without declaring that all we see is God’s doing. As it resonates like a great symphony to God the creators’ praise, we are commanded to join in.

This psalm gives two lists for joining in. The first is all about joining in with the heavens above, about which we know so little: praise him from the heavens, praise him angels, praise him sun, moon and stars, praise highest heavens, let them praise the name of the Lord (verse5). We are part of a singing creation letting rip in wonder as you see what he’s done. Unreservedly we should join in a profound union with all this wonderful, amazing stuff of which we are part. And our place is made clear in the second list.

The second list praises God from the earth. And the praisers include: great sea creatures, ocean depths, lightning, hail, snow, clouds, stormy winds, mountains, hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals, all cattle, small creatures and flying birds. (Notice some of his favourite things -fruit trees!) And then,  emphasizing how much we belong in God’s creation - the world of people. kings, nations,  young men and women, old men and children.  I love the way the psalm ends with special mention of his people, his saints. Those close to his heart , alongside sea creatures, fruit trees, small creatures. When we join in creation’s praise,  we are part and parcel of the wonder. You and me, made in the image of God..

 

Sermon Detour

On Sunday I am preaching again (that's rare nowadays). I have mentioned before my dread about being one of those old boys whose preaching has passed its sell-by date. Carol always promised she would let me know and I know she wouldn't hesitate. Of course, I shall now need to be extra sensitive myself and read the room!

Anyway I have two pieces of advice in mind as I prepare. One came from my own pastor when he gave me Psalm 148 as the chosen text. He wrote how I needed to help the congregation reflect on the beauty and majesty of God the Creator of all good things and to marvel how powerfully creation sings yet without for words (Ps.19). And he said that I should encourage hearers to SLOW DOWN these next summer weeks whether on holiday, walking around, or enjoying a picnic. Slow down in order to praise God for his wonderful creation. And this is a great psalm for that.

As a teenager living in Gloucester there was a place you could drive to up a steep hill, Birdlip Hill, up onto the scarp edge of the Cotswolds. A wide grassy area opened up on the edge of a sharp drop. Beneath lay a glorious  landscape stretching across the vale of Gloucester, and far beyond. A rolling landscape with hills, fields of all shapes, sizes  and colours, trees clustered. The city in the distance, Roads criss-crossing. Somehow everything working together beautifully, somehow in harmony.  On a clear Summer evening you could see for miles and it took your breath away. You just had to slow down and marvel.. And as a famous viewpoint in good weather there would be a crowd on blankets with picnics. Drinking in a glorious sight. And on this one Sunday evening, my father who was pastor of the church had organized the church youth group to go there after the evening service. With instruments - I had a piano accordian. We stood off to one side of the crowd and my Dad threw his voice to greet them on this glorious evening and say we were going to sing some hymns, songs to God about his wonderful world.  I wish I could remember. what we sang: There was an old hymn at the time:

Summer suns are glowing, over land and sea 

Happy light is flowing bountiful and free.

Everything rejoices in the mellow rays, 

All earth’s thousand voices swell the psalm of praise.

That would have fitted the scene well. But I must make it clear. I know what a privilege it is when we can share scenes like this. So many in our world cannot. I have a prayer card on my desk with a picture of Elyanour and her children in Gaza. Her story is so different. Fear and destruction is all around. On the card are prayer requests from the Baptist Missionary Society and the Bethlehem Bible College. How much of our beautiful world is in ruins.

 

A brave lady

Today, over three months later I was able to register Carol's death. The coroner's report arrived yesterday about her post-mortem results. Cold, clinical and alarming. Fortunately the neurology professor in charge of her case 'phoned me and helped unpack its technical language. What came across clearly is that Carol was hit by two diseases, both of them very rare and when combined lethal. The coroner had never seen a case like hers in a career covering thousands of patients. As the prof. described them I could only marvel about the way she had kept going through these recent years. And kept going with such kindness and care for others even as she was battling through a black miasma of cognitive mayhem.  On the day she died her power to swallow had long gone as well as her speech. Yet, she struggled to thank visitors for coming just four hours before she died. While dementia can often mute a sufferer's understanding, Carol remained painfully aware of her disturbing  and painful decline. She really was a very brave lady.  I knew that sitting by her bedside but learning about these diseases makes me marvel at her heroism so much more. 

One disease (called AGD) was slowly progressive, gradually disabling Carol with neurodegeneration. Marked by grave changes in memory, personality and psychology, its strange cognitive lapses occurred in continuous clinical decline.  It is a frightening disease in itself and Carol's struggles to be 'normal' over recent years showed such bravery.  

But catastrophically (that was the word the prof. used) Carol was hit by rapidly developing brain stem encephalitis with symptoms like the loss of ability to swallow.  Even rarer and combining with AGD it speedily moved to death with lethal effectiveness. In her last few weeks she must have struggled every day to keep going. Always polite and grateful to nurses and visitors. Sometimes I saw on her face, utterly disfigured by disease, her desperate attempts to understand what was happening to her. What turmoil the combination of these diseases caused.

I believe she was sustained by God's grace but what mental torture she went though. The researchers are still working on her case to see whether they can find some hidden trigger that caused her precipitous decline. Probably we shall never know.  What a grand lady she was!

Countdown 11

I know many may not be particularly interested but just to show I have buckled down as the deadline looms! Hebrews 11 is the most famous chapter in the letter - the rollcall of faith. Studies over four days focus on these sections.

Multi-faceted faith (verses 1-7) Some of these Old Testament figures prompt memories. Noah with the ark and animals first imprinted themselves on me while reading a children's bible. Imagine how these new Jewish Christians must have cherished these stories too. It was vital to show these new Christians that their own rollcall of men and women belong in this God story, now fulfilled in Jesus. As we look at the names: Abel, Enoch and Noah we realize that, obviously, their faith it defined as full personal faith in Jesus as Lord. Yet it is faith that endures, accepts God's word, wins God's approval and recognizes God's power, even though he remains unseen. Faith is multi-faceted and these Old Testament characters showed it too.

Real deal faith (verses 8-22)  We would expect Abraham to have major billing on this list. After all he is called 'the father of all who believe' (Rom 4: 11)  What courage and faith he shows setting out into the unknown - taking God at his word with minimum evidence. The seemingly impossible birth of Isaac to barren Sarah actually revealed a lapse of faith as Abraham tried to sort out the problem himself. What a contrast with his later behaviour toiling up the mountain to sacrifice Isaac. Now he appears to reason that somehow God can work it out. (verse 19) I remember hearing the spiritual challenge: Let go and Let God. This perhaps shows that he has learned to leave sorting out problems with God.

Saying No (verses23-31) It's a surprise that in Moses' action-packed life the fact of his adoption by Pharaoh's daughter is featured. This propulsion from a nobody in despised Jewish slavery to a member of the Egyptian ruling class with its privileges of rank, prestige, wealth and powers gives him a choice. Will he embrace the riches and pleasures of an easy life or dare to identify with his own despised people? By saying No to an easy godless life and yes to sharing in the suffering of his own people, Moses demonstrates high order faith in God's promised future.  This act of faith was particularly pertinent to these first readers who were in danger of giving up their faith because of abuse and suffering. Faith sometimes involves saying no to the easy path.

Crescendo of valour (verses 32-40) Unequal space is given to personalities on the rollcall. Suddenly the pace quickens with a cascade of names. Their faith is described in proactive courageous terms like conquering kingdoms and shutting the mouths of lions. Some of the descriptions of suffering sound tragically contemporary in the persecuted church But what a tribute is paid - 'that the world was not worthy of them (verse 38).  

Countdown 10

It's been serious focus time. I wrote last post that writing these Bible notes is demanding, disciplining and rewarding. I need to stress the rewards can be slow coming! Editing 330 words to do justice to each section of Scripture is much more about demanding and disciplining !  Hebrews 10 is split into three sections:

The new world view (1-10) expresses what must have been a profound shock to this young Jewish Christian church. Like when Copernicus discovered that the earth orbits the sun and is not the centre of the universe. Their once solid convictions about life-long Jewish practice are shattered. The yearly rounds of sacrifices once believed to be essential to their relationship with God are now 'set aside' (v9) - for Jesus the Messiah has come. One person replaces the whole structure of the Jewish sacrificial system. It is revolutionary for us too. I remember hearing a debate between a critic of Christianity and a Christian theologian. The critic ridiculed the concept of sacrifice as primitive and insubstantial. The rebuke from the Christian was strong: Jesus was a Jew on God's mission and for God's purposes 'sacrifice' is essential to salvation. God says 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my way' and sacrifice is his way to save the world. He planned the cross for us. 

A holy privilege (11-25) has three pictures. Two are from the temple. First, the priests stand at the altar offering sacrifices. Second, in vivid contrast is Jesus seated in glory, having completed God's love mission for us. From humility on the cross exalted to authority in glory. Third, is the Holy of Holies in the temple, accessible only once a year by the High Priest. Yet now, torn open by Jesus' sacrifice, opening up God's very presence for us to enter. To give us confidence to worship God in his holiness. Worship involves both personal consecration with sincere hearts and corporate consecration as worshippers have responsibility to spur each other to love and good deeds. What a corrective picture to any casual worship!

Serious business (26-39) Sadly, it is clear that some of these new Christians, having begun with enthusiastic faith, now find confidence and commitment to Jesus is ebbing away.  Here are some tough reminders of how God meted out judgment on those who rejected the law of Moses in the Old Testament. How much more seriously does God regard believers who are rejecting Jesus? Graphically they are described as 'trampling the Son of God' (v29). It's uncomfortable being reminded of our accountability  before Christ's judgment (2 Cor. 5:10) Nothing is more important in accountability than how we persevered in our faith and loyalty to Jesus as Lord. 

And, next, chapter 11!