Floral Display

People often remark about how attractive the chapel looks when you turn into Lancaster Road on a winter Sunday evening. The lights in the windows of the church building stand out against the darkness in an inviting way that is very pleasing on the eye. But now the view of the chapel in the day time has been improved too. The large area of wild flowers, on the green next to the chapel, has suddenly become a blaze of colour, enhancing the bare patch that was there before. What we thought was just a ruse to give the council less grass to mow (!) looks like a great idea after all. The hope is that in time they will also attract butterflies and bees. There, and all over New Inn, these wild flower beds have come to life and look beautiful.

They are a good thing to have in our mind as we enter the chapel for worship too. There are some Bible verses that should come to our mind as we approach the chapel, see them, and prepare for the great privilege ahead of us. The one that came first to my mind was what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount; “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field … will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith” (Matt. 6:28-30).

Sometimes, on a Sunday, our thoughts can be filled with the concerns of the week that has just ended, or our minds can be distracted by worries relating to the week just beginning. As we come to church we are reminded that we are coming to a Heavenly Father to whom we are precious, and to whom we can bring all our cares and worries. He will provide all our needs, and our trust should be fully in Him.

But perhaps there is another part of the Bible which is even more helpful to remember as we see those wild flowers on the way to worship. Isaiah tells us; “All flesh is as grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8).

As beautiful as these flowers are, we know that they will not be there for long. They will eventually fade and fall away. That was even truer in Israel where the fierce Mediterranean sun meant they had a short life expectancy. Here they are more likely to be spoilt by the rain! But either way, we have to enjoy them while we can. Whether we like it or not, those flowers should remind us of our own mortality. We are like the wild flowers - here for just a short time. But there are some things that are eternal and one of those is the word of God that we come to chapel to hear. It offers us eternal life through the same Jesus who preached about the lilies of the field. We can trust Him not just for the worries of this life, but for eternity. Have you done that?

Two Promises and a Program (Acts 1:4-11 & Luke 24:50-53)

Ascension Day is one of those days that like Palm Sunday and Pentecost is gradually falling from the church calendar. However, Ascension Day marks a very important event in the life of the Church that is scarcely less significant than the Birth of Jesus. Although it is only Luke who records this event, briefly in his gospel and with a little more detail in Acts.

The Birth of Jesus heralds His entry into this world, and Deity taking upon itself the form of man. Whilst Ascension Day marks the end of the Lord’s earthly ministry, it also marks the day ‘the dust of the earth’ entered into the very presence of God in heaven itself. Arguably it marks the inauguration or founding of the Church more accurately than Pentecost, which really celebrates the empowering of the Church.

Ascension Day took place forty days after the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. During those forty days Jesus made some ten appearances to the disciples, not only ‘The Twelve’, but the wider body of disciples (up to 500 at one time 1 Corinthians 15:6), sometimes sharing a meal together (John 21:12).

It would be vital for a large body of witnesses to bear testimony to the fact of Jesus resurrection and being alive, to give credence and validity to the glad tidings they were to announce to all men everywhere. John gives his personal testimony in his epistle 1JOHN 1:1 where he seems to have in mind the Lord’s appearance to the disciples (Luke 24:39).

Paul gives a list of witnesses 1COR 15:1-8. Such a body of evidence cannot easily be denied. Furthermore, being a witness to ‘His resurrection’ would become an essential requirement for Apostleship (Acts 1:22).

So for the last time we find Jesus in company with his disciples (Acts 1:4), some think they shared a meal at this time (NIV and AV margin, based on ancient texts). It was certainly a special event, for the Greek word used here is nowhere else used in scripture. Unlike the Last Supper, this meal is not established as a memorial and an ordinance. It is more akin to the eating of the Passover Lamb when Israel stood ready to depart from Egypt. The disciples are about to depart to the ends of the earth, to usher in the Church age, extending the kingdom of God.

Then Jesus led them out as far as Bethany (Luke 24:50), to Mount Olivet (Acts 1:12). Both places have featured prominently in Jesus ministry, so it is no surprise that Jesus should chose a familiar place for His final meeting with His devoted followers. Perhaps we should take note of this, fellowship with the Lord is to be found in the old ways, the familiar places (Jeremiah 6:16). Here to, we like them, will receive instruction and empowerment.

Program.
It is perhaps understandable that the disciples would have been excited by such a gathering together, and at being led out from Jerusalem by Jesus (Luke 24:50). Surely this will be the time when Jesus will take His place in restoring the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). Picture the scene, the last stragglers arrive and they surround Jesus expectantly. Will this be a call to arms? Somewhat impatiently they put to Him the question, ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’

The rebuff, ‘It is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father has put in His own authority’ (v7) . God’s ways are not our ways. God works to His own time scale and agenda. God’s kingdom is not a physical kingdom but a spiritual one. The only sword will be the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, the only shield the shield of faith (Ephesians 6;10-17). ‘You are to be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ Witnesses to the grace of God in sending Jesus!

The Eleven disciples had already been commissioned to make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things. (Matthew 27:19,20). They have known for some time the nature of the task ahead, like troops preparing for a crucial battle or daring raid. But now they are informed where the action is to take place, this is their final briefing.

So, charged with being witnesses, they are to commence their work not in some far outpost of the Roman Empire, but right here at home, in the very place they were being persecuted, in the very place where they hid in an upper room for fear of the Jews, the place where Jesus was crucified, in Jerusalem itself.

For many today the hardest place to be a Christian is at home, especially if there is no other Christian in the family. Much easier to go to some distant place where you are not known. But no, Jerusalem is where the spiritual battle must first be fought, and won.

And in Samaria, the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans, they are a despised people. Yet we find Jesus going out of His way to meet a Samaritan woman at the well side. If witness at home is hard who would chose to go to the despised, the outcast? Well they are the next on Jesus list, He Himself sets the program and sets the example for us to follow.

Only then can the disciples go to the end of the earth, to far distant lands, so too for us mission must start on our doorstep, our Jerusalem.

Promise 1.
Many times during Jesus ministry the disciples had found themselves powerless in the absence of Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33; Matthew 17:14-21; Luke 5:5). So how will they cope on their own? For such a mammoth task they will need assistance, help.

Jesus has already taught them concerning the coming Helper (John 14:15-18; 16:5-15), now He tells them they are about to be empowered by a personal encounter with the coming of the Holy Spirit (v8). Throughout the Lord’s ministry on earth there had been times when without the personal presence of Jesus the disciples had been powerless, even fearful. But now, the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus is to be the Comforter, the Helper who will dwell with you and be in you (John 14:16). So that at all times, whatever the circumstance, divine power is at hand to help.

What a wonderful resource, to have divine help at all times, and in every situation. Sadly we too often neglect the leading and guidance of the Spirit, and that neglect is reflected in our powerless lives and witness, and in stunted spiritual growth. Oh that we would seek the Spirits empowering then we might see the result the disciples saw at Pentecost!

They are to wait in Jerusalem not many days (v5) (actually ten days) until they are baptised with the Holy Spirit. They must not be hasty, there is business to attend to, a replacement for the traitor Judas must be elected. And they must come together in unity and harmony with one accord (Acts 2:1). When that unity and harmony was present then the Spirit came.

Note how Jesus describes the coming of the Spirit to each one. You shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit. However we understand the manner or form of baptism, we are to expect a life changing event, which will turn cowardly cringing disciples into powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. For it will be only when they are thus equipped, empowered, that they will be able to take the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, facing all manner of perils, persecutions and even martyrdom.

Promise 2.
The Lord lifted up His hands and blessed them (Luke 24:50,51). Then as they watched Him rise into the air a cloud enveloped Him. As they gaze steadfastly toward heaven two men in white addresses them.

First, note the cloud in scripture almost always indicates God’s presence, Sinai, Shekinah, pillar of cloud etc. So although Jesus is leaving them, this event has Heavens seal upon it. God is present.

Why do you stand gazing into the heavens? To anyone who has stood on a railway station waving goodbye to a beloved one, and standing looking with longing down the line at a fast disappearing train, this question seems rather harsh. Jesus, their beloved Lord has just been received into the heavens and they gaze longingly after Him, no doubt if they could they would have willed Him back with them.

The two men in white have some wonderful news. This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven (Acts 1:11). The news that Jesus would return is not new information, Jesus had promised this when He was still with them JOHN 14:3, MATT 26:64. This is confirmation from heaven itself that this same Jesus, the One they love, the One they have followed, the One they saw hanging on a cross, the One they saw after His resurrection, the One they had handled, and eaten with, would return. God will not send an angel or archangel to gather the redeemed into heaven. He will send this same Jesus. As the visible presence of God enveloped Him as He left earth for heaven, so the visible presence of God will be the clouds upon which this same Jesus returns to take His people home to be with Him.

So as we remember the Lords ascension into glory let us be encouraged to follow the Lords program for mission, to seek a fresh enabling of the Spirit, to anticipate more eagerly the return of this same Jesus.

Against the Law

Thirty five miles an hour in a thirty mile per hour zone! The evidence apparently was there, on film, in the possession of the South Wales Constabulary. And so I found myself, one Friday afternoon a few weeks back, on a Speed Awareness Course at the YMCA in Newport. Four hours of watching videos, group exercises and listening to the professionals, rather than three points on my license and a hefty fine. But I don’t need to say much more, because quite a few of you reading this have been on a course like this too, haven’t you? Some of you have even admitted to it!

I wasn’t on my own that afternoon. There were almost thirty others, from a seventeen year old to a chap in his seventies. They were male and female, of all shapes and sizes. The only thing we had in common was that we were all in the wrong. Our driving had broken the law. We were guilty. I was reminded of what the Bible says about our lives on a far greater scale. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

The afternoon started with us giving a list of reasons why we might occasionally (!) break the speed limit. They ranged from the understandable – to get someone to the doctors because they were ill, to the farcical – ‘I needed to get to the petrol station before I ran out of petrol’, but our instructor reminded us that there was no good reason to break the law and that the consequences of speeding and illegal driving were serious. Sometimes it leads even to death, either of the driver or of another motorist or a pedestrian. I thought again of sin and how we can always think of an excuse to justify our breaking of God’s law, but there is no excuse. What is more, “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23).

By this point in the article, I know what you are beginning to wonder. Did he learn anything about driving, or did he spend the whole afternoon jotting down sermon illustrations? Well, yes, I hope I did learn a few things. Apparently wherever you are driving you are never more than 20 yards away from a clue to the speed limit on that road, particularly if you keep an eye on the lamp-posts. If they’re in a regular pattern, you should expect it to be thirty miles an hour. Otherwise there will be plate size signs on them declaring what the speed limit is. We are without excuse. But again I found myself thinking of spiritual realities. All around us; in creation, in our conscience, in the Bible, and ultimately through Jesus, God has spoken to us about our sin, and our need of His forgiveness. How good God is! How without excuse we are!

The best part of the afternoon was right at the end. The instructor told us that because we had completed the course, he could press a button on his laptop and send our details back to the office. That meant the slate was wiped clean. Our speeding transgression had been dealt with. No more punishment. No fine, no penalty points. Gone! Your sins and mine can be forgiven, dealt with in an instant too, but not by our doing a course, but by Jesus dying in our place, and giving us his righteousness. Are you still guilty … or forgiven?

A Christian Nation?

Is Britain still a Christian country? That is the question that was dominating the political agenda, and with it the television and news media, just a week or so ago. It followed some comments that the Prime Minister made at Easter, and which were seized upon by his opponents and then by those who oppose any sort of faith influence in public life. Though many saw David Cameron’s comments as little more than a pitch to get back potential voters ahead of the coming elections, voters angered by the Gay Marriage legislation, what he said certainly stirred up a debate.

The first problem with answering a question like that, of course, is the need to define what we mean by a ‘Christian country’. The number of people who define themselves as ‘Christian’ in surveys and censuses declines decade by decade, and even though this would still be a majority of the population, we are far from a position where we could say that the whole of the population is broadly ‘Christian’. Indeed the same politicians rejoice in the diversity of faiths and cultures that mark Britain in the twenty-first century. We are probably on safer ground when we recognize that Britain’s history and cultural heritage has been so immersed in the Christian faith that large areas of national life are still affected by it, and to that extent we might still be regarded as a ‘Christian nation’. Judging by the last few decades and the legislation that has been introduced, one wonders whether that level of influence will be maintained.

But in answering the question, we need to go back one step further and make our definitions even clearer. Before we can define a ‘Christian country’ we need to define what a Christian is. That’s a discussion that I haven’t seen taking place in the media in the last few weeks. But it is of ultimate importance that we get that definition correct. Whether or not Britain is ‘Christian’ is not of eternal significance to you and I as individuals, but that we understand what a Christian is, and that we have become one, certainly does matter in that way.

A Christian isn’t just somebody who is kind, moral, clean living, charitable and a good citizen. People of most religions would fall into that category. Nor is it one who has a high regard for the life and teachings of Jesus. Most Muslims would have that, and they wouldn’t regard themselves as Christians. On the authority of the Bible, we would have to say that a Christian isn’t even somebody who regularly goes to church, has been christened or who reads their Bible. We can all do that without being a true Christian.

No, a Christian is one who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. They have been ‘born again’ by God’s Holy Spirit, have confessed and turned away from their sin, and are now consciously living under His lordship. Though there are many things that they now ‘do’ as response to God, they do not trust in those things, but in what Christ did on the cross at Calvary.

Never mind Britain, what about you?

See Where His Body Lay

Jesus tomb, as was common practice, with kings, was sealed with a large circular stone, sealed with a Roman seal 27:66. A guard of soldiers was also set (Matt 27:66). Early on the first day of the week an earthquake occurred as an angel of the Lord descended. Despite the earthquake the stone was not moved - the angel did that (Matt 28:2). Earthquakes produce chaos and disorder but on this day there is peace and orderliness. The women on the way to the tomb mused as to who should roll away the stone (Mark 16:3).

A single angel is more powerful than a watch of soldiers, has more authority than Imperial Rome itself. Having opened the tomb the angel sat upon the overturned stone with its broken seal. The stone represents the limit of man’s power. The seal represents the limit of Rome's authority.

From this angelic being, his first task complete, now a word of comfort to the women. 'Do not (you) be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified'. The disciples had scattered but the women, devotedly, were back at the tomb. Some would censure the women for their lack of faith in not expecting the Lord to rise as He said He would. The angel does not upbraid them for their lack of faith but sees their devotion, and rewards them.

Following that word of comfort, an invitation 'Come see the place where the Lord lay'. That is the invitation we hear again each Easter morning. It is an invitation to strengthen our faith - at an empty tomb. However we must come not as an Historian or Archaeologist would come, we come as the women came - ready to minister to the Lord. Those who minister to others, themselves receive great blessing. The women certainly were greatly blessed that day.

Luke 24:3 tells us they were 'greatly perplexed' because they found no body. Having embalmed His body they had every reason to be perplexed. Indeed the lack of a body caused no small stir then - and still does today. Not only were the women perplexed, so were the chief priests who offered bribes to the soldiers to say the body had been stolen by His disciples (28:12-13). Just think, the responsible authorities had lost His body!!!

Then there was His disciples LUKE 24:23,24 Cleopas on the Emmaus road, tells how they had not believed the women and how they went to the tomb but did not see a Him either alive as the women said, nor His body: 'And when they found not His body, they came saying that they had seen a vision of angels which said that He was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the tomb and found it even as the women had said, but Him they found not'.

The lack of a body causes many problems even today. The life and death of Jesus is so well documented both in religious and secular history that few would be foolish enough to deny Jesus had once lived on earth. But His body - disappeared - no body, no proof! The world wants a body - to believe. The Christian, does not need a body to believe, for a body in His tomb would destroy our faith, and hope of resurrection. An empty tomb, and a risen Lord is the guarantee that we shall rise again to be with Him.

The women looked for a body, but did not find one. What did they find? An angel with a glorious message of hope - 'He is not here He is risen'. A commission - 'Go and tell My disciples, and Peter'. Peter, who later visited the tomb only saw a pile of linen burial clothes. Now I wonder why? As Peter had been mentioned specifically by the angel. Clearly Peter had doubted the testimony of Mary Magdalene: 'And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe' (Mark 16:11), and 'Their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they did not believe them' (Luke 24:11)

What will you see at the tomb on Easter morning? Will your doubting heart cause you to see just emptiness - a pile of burial clothes? Or will you like Mary receive confirmation in your heart that He is who He said He was, and that He is alive forever more. Your faith strengthened.

You may have to struggle through the darkness and coldness of doubt and unbelief - BUT DO COME. The women pressed through the darkness of the night, through the pre-dawn chill, through their natural fears of a graveyard - and found not so much an empty tomb, but a Risen Lord. The promise in the Word is that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us. This is brilliantly fulfilled with the women at the tomb.

The Outcome of That Morning: 'They departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring His disciples word' (Matt 28:8).

First we note the sense of urgency - departed quickly - ran. Next we note their - fear and great joy. Fear - because of the majestic, holy angel, and the message Jesus is alive. Great joy - because their friend, their Lord was alive – alive - alive. So they ran to proclaim the good news.

Hardly had they been entrusted to spread the word - they're off, at speed. It is at this point that something happens beyond their wildest dreams. 'As they went to tell His disciples, Jesus met them, saying "Rejoice" and they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him'

The Lord who honoured their devotion to Him by sending His angel to them, now in the face of such utter devotion - REVEALS HIMSELF TO THEM. The doubting disciples must wait to see the Lord. The devoted heart will meet Him at the empty tomb.

So how will you approach the empty tomb this Easter morning? Do you have doubts in your heart concerning the Lord, who He is etc.? Then all you will find is a pile of burial clothes, like Peter did. But do you come to His tomb, ready to minister to Him, from a heart totally dedicated and devoted to Him. If so, then you will find your Lord waiting to reveal Himself to you in all His risen glory, so strengthening your faith and trust in Him. JESUS IS ALIVE!