Eating and Drinking

Posted on by korgrocker

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.”
1 Corinthians 11:33-34 NLT

Eating and drinking are two activities necessary to sustain human life. Without consuming water, a human being will die after a few days. A lack of food will cause a person’s body to extract the nutrients it needs from its own tissues, but there comes a point when those reserves run out. Both of these thoughts are rather gruesome but well-known by anyone living in certain deprived countries. Here in the privileged West, we open the fridge door or turn on a tap, and we find our basic needs are met. In the Corinthian church, what started as an introduction to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper turned into a one-sided fellowship meal, where each family brought its own food and proceeded to eat it in front of those who had nothing—no sense of unity, no sense of sharing and preferring one another in the true Christian way. So, Paul brought in a chapter of correction, teaching the right way to share the Lord’s Supper and pointing out their errors. Paul finished this chapter with “I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive”, indicating that there must have been other issues connected to the Lord’s Supper, but not important enough to include in his letter. How could the Corinthians have got things so wrong? Thankfully, Paul was on hand to bring in the correction needed. 

But there is also a need for spiritual food and drink, and the same principles apply. Our souls need to be fed, and if deprived of spiritual food, they will wither and die. What is this food? We find it in the Bible, which is a treasure trove of unlimited spiritual resources. We find more through prayer and worship. Through fellowship with other believers. In fact, we feed our souls by spending time in God’s Kingdom. The early Israelites were fed for forty years with a constant supply of manna. This was a superfood containing all the nutrients necessary for human life. But there is a manna that came through Jesus and which is still with us today. It is available in unlimited quantities and is free for all to eat. If we read John 6:35, we find out the Source of this soul-superfood, “Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”. Jesus continued, “Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh”. This was teaching that most of the people of His day failed to understand, because Jesus wasn’t talking about cannibalism, but about Him being spiritual food for those who believe in Him. Earlier in John 6, we read about the feeding of the five thousand, about how a young boy’s packed lunch of five barley loaves and two fish was multiplied to not only feed everyone but to ensure that they were full (John 6:12). Such was the magnitude of this miracle that the people wanted to make Jesus King. They understood the physical benefit of a miraculous food supply, but they failed to realise that Jesus was showing them the spiritual meaning, that His supply of bread was unlimited, and by eating it, their souls would become full.

There are many people today who are going about their daily lives depressed and without hope. Their souls are running on empty, and they have no resources that will feed them. They wake up in the morning, perhaps hoping that their circumstances will change in the day ahead, but return to their beds in the evening still unfulfilled. These are the people we pilgrims must introduce to Jesus. We are like the four lepers we can read about in 2 Kings 7. These lepers were starving, as were the Israelites, because of the Aramean siege of Samaria. They decided to visit the enemy camp to see if they could find mercy there and perhaps a crust or two of bread. But when they arrived, they found an empty camp and a plentiful supply of food and wine. After gorging themselves, we read in 2 Kings 7:9, “Finally, they said to each other, “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let’s go back and tell the people at the palace””. As we pilgrims enter our day, we must remember that we have found “good news”and our souls have been filled by God’s spiritual manna. We must find an opportunity to tell the people around us where they, too, can find the food they need to nourish their souls. 

Dear Father God. We must never keep the Good News about Jesus to ourselves. Please fill us today with a fresh supply of Your Spirit, so that we can be equipped to share the hope that we have with the hopeless. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Preach the Good News

Posted on by korgrocker

“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.”
1 Corinthians 9:16-18 NLT

Paul was a driven man, driven by his zealous desire to preach the Gospel, the Good News about Christ, at every opportunity. In fact, this desire was so strong that he was prepared to do it without receiving any reward at all. Even though he had a right to be paid, he never demanded that his right be satisfied. Paul was unique in that God channelled his zeal, previously focused on eliminating the new followers of the Way who were appearing everywhere, into being a preacher of the Good News all over the Middle East. A total “U-turn” if ever there was one. We could ask the question, “Where are the Pauls today”? However, looking back through British history, we can see how God has raised up men and women who did something significant for the Kingdom, often at great personal cost, including the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. We think of two “Johns” – John Bunyan and John Wesley. There is another “John”, John Knox, in Scotland. William Tynsdale translated the Bible into English. William Booth founded the Salvation Army, and we mustn’t forget Smith Wigglesworth and Charles Spurgeon. But there are many more who God had commissioned in previous centuries. In modern times, I think of John Lennox, Derek Prince, David Pawson, and others, all of whom have made significant contributions to the work and life of Christians. But there has never been another Paul. 

Paul’s zeal and mission were laser-focused on preaching the Gospel. It was more than just a few words that he spoke. In Athens, his approach is clearly evident. “He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17). And he fearlessly took on the great Greek philosophers of his day, as we see in the next verse, “He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods””. Although he experienced ridicule and insults, Paul made a sufficient impact to be invited to the city’s high council, the Areopagus, to explain himself. He started his address, “So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way” (Acts 17:22). His introduction got their attention right from the start, and after a masterful and persuasive speech, he achieved a mixed outcome, that, importantly, included some of them becoming believers. Acts 17:33-34, “That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them”. Paul shared the Gospel with people at all levels of society, but that was his commission from Jesus. We read in Acts 9:15 something Jesus said to Ananias, “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel”. There was King Agrippa of course, as we read in Acts 26:2,28, “”I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, … Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?“” Did Agrippa eventually become a Christian? We don’t know, unfortunately, but he could never stand before God claiming ignorance of the Good News about Christ.

We pilgrims are also commissioned to preach the Gospel. Mark 16:15,”“And then [Jesus] told them,”“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone””. His message was to His disciples, but it equally applies to us today, as it has to every believer who has ever lived. So how do we do that? We can take an example from Jesus,””“The time promised by God has come at last”” he announced.”“The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News””” (Mark 1:15). Paul wrote to the Romans the following,”“For“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say,”“How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news””” (Romans 10:13-15).

Some Christians I have met promote the old saying, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”, justifying the thought that they don’t need to preach the Gospel because anyone seeing their good lives will convert to a belief in Jesus. But nothing can be further from the truth. Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ”. There is a need for our lives to mirror what we say about Jesus. We mustn’t be like the Christian who had a bumper sticker promoting Jesus but regularly exceeded speed limits.

And so we pilgrims regularly pray for divine appointments, so that we can share and preach as Jesus has commanded us, always remembering that there is a party in Heaven every time someone becomes a believer in Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus. Your Gospel is the only news worth hearing in this sad and bad world. Please help us to share our faith at every opportunity. In Your precious name. Amen.

Preach the Gospel

Posted on by korgrocker

“Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.”
1 Corinthians 1:13-17 NLT

Paul was confident that he had a Christ-given mandate to preach the Good News, the Gospel of salvation through Jesus. We all remember the conversion that Paul experienced on the Damascus Road, where a Light, Jesus Himself, blinded him, and turned his life round with the question. “ … Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”” (Acts 9:4b). A man called Ananias was tasked with laying his hands on Saul, so that he could see again. He was obedient regardless of his fears – ““But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!” (Acts 9:13), and we subsequently read, “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake”” (Acts 9:13-15). What a mandate Paul received! To be commissioned to take the Gospel “to the Gentiles and to kings“, the message coming straight from Jesus Himself. To the Galatian church, Paul wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). And suffer Paul did in the process of sharing the Gospel – just read 2 Corinthians 11, where we find a brief history of all Paul’s sufferings. He was imprisoned, whipped, beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. He experienced hunger and thirst, and other privations that I hope and pray none of us will have to face. And all for the sake of carrying the Gospel into lands where the people were resistant to the message Jesus commissioned Paul to share. 

Notice that Paul wasn’t tasked with anything else in his journeys. He was not a pastor or teacher, and the baptising of converts he left in the hands of others. This was not a part of his mission, and Paul was crystal clear in only doing what Jesus had asked him to do. He was solely a missionary and evangelist, and in addition we are grateful for his diligence in writing follow up letters to the churches and fellowships that he founded, thus providing invaluable theological insights that help us in our pilgrimage to Glory. Perhaps Paul was comfortable with the thought that baptism wasn’t essential to ensure a person was saved. He wrote to the believers in Rome, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). Baptism is a public declaration that a person makes, of his belief and faith in Jesus, but the penitent thief on the cross next to Jesus never had the chance to be baptised, and yet was soon to join Jesus in “Paradise”. 

Paul also was wary of what he called “clever speech”. We have all heard preachers who are good with words, men and women whose sermons are strong on rhetoric but lacking in power. Speakers to whom people travel far to hear what they have to say, but the leave their presence unchanged. Paul avoided such an accusation, and allowed the purity of Christ’s message to hit home with the power of the Cross of Christ. Paul had an extremely good knowledge of the Old Testament and used that to good effect in his discussions with people in the towns and cities he visited. In Thessalonica Paul found a synagogue and there we read, “As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah“” (Acts 17:2-3). In the next city, Athens, Paul’s address before the Athenian council was a masterpiece. He started, ” … Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about” (Acts 17:22-23). Quite simply he got their attention by connecting their culture with the message of the Cross of Jesus. No clever speech, just Holy-Spirit-inspired words to a sceptical audience, and at the end of his preach we read, “but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them” (Acts 17:34). 

We pilgrims are also commissioned to preach the Gospel. The world around us is full of people heading to a lost eternity and that is the last thing that God wants for His creation. There was a time when many disciples left Jesus because they couldn’t accept His message. We pick up the account in John 6:67-69, “Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God”“. Peter hit the nail on the head when he spoke up on behalf of all the disciples, because he realised that only Jesus could give eternal life. That is our message to the lost souls around us and we pray for opportunities to tell them the Good News. Someone once condensed the Gospel into, “Hell is hot, Heaven is real and Jesus saves”. That is the Gospel in a nutshell. We don’t have to enter into intellectual discussions and debates about Christianity and what it means. We instead allow the Holy Spirit within us to give us the words that we already know, but which are tailor-made to touch our listeners with what God wants them to hear. We mustn’t forget though that although we share Jesus’ words of eternal life, it is the Holy Spirit who brings conviction in the hearts of our hearers. John 16:8, “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment“. 

Father God. You are not only the Source of the Good News, but You are the Good News, We thank You that You cared enough for us to send someone to introduce us to Jesus and we pray for opportunities to do the same. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

It Is Finished

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfil Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
John 19:28-30 NLT

The crucifixion account in John’s Gospel lacks the other details contained in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, but John recorded the way Jesus finally died. The Scripture that Jesus fulfilled was in Psalm 22:15, “My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have laid me in the dust and left me for dead” and Psalm 69:21, “But instead, they give me poison for food; they offer me sour wine for my thirst”. There was nothing more that Jesus had to do, to complete His mission to Planet Earth. He had done everything that His Father in Heaven had asked of Him. Even on the cross, Jesus could remember the Scriptures and the prophetic words uttered in Psalm 69 would resonate with Him. But it was more than coincidence that there was some sour wine available, because it was used, when mixed with gall, to provide a little pain relief to those being crucified. On its own, the sour wine would have provided a little alleviation of thirst, and perhaps would have extended the time of consciousness for the dying. Jesus tasted the wine and then called out the timeless three words, “It is finished”. He finally then “gave up His spirit”. 

Jesus made it clear in John 10:17-18 that He had the power to allow Himself to be killed but would also return to life. “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded“. Back in the Garden during His arrest Jesus reminded the disciples that He could call upon a large number of angels to protect Him, but He didn’t and what followed, right through to His final words, demonstrated Jesus sacrificing His life voluntarily. Without His death there would be no resurrection. Without His willingness to take on the sins of humanity there would be no salvation and eternal life with God.

John’s account told us that Jesus “gave up His spirit” when He died. His dead body remained on the cross but His spirit went elsewhere. There are an intriguing couple of verses in Peter’s first epistle – “So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood” (1 Peter 3:19-20). What that is all about I’ll leave to the theologians, but the point is that, although His body was of no use any more, Jesus’ spirit was alive and well. And so it is with human beings. After death our spirit lives on and dwells somewhere else. Paul referred to it as being “unclothed”. Will believing spirits end up in the “many rooms” or “mansions” that Jesus taught His disciples about? Perhaps, but it is clear that the place for spirits after death will either be in “Paradise” (read the account of the thief on the cross next to Jesus, a sinner saved in his final moments) or in prison, like the people who died in the flood. Also worthy of mention is the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, where the Rich Man ends up in torment, and the poor man “in the bosom of Abraham”. Spirits after death go to one of two places that we can refer to as either Heaven or hell. 

Of course, we pilgrims know where we are going. We have no doubts. But many around us are like lemmings, heading for destruction over the cliff of death. Once beyond life, there is no going back. We pilgrims have a mission and we mustn’t give up spreading the Good News about Jesus.

Dear Lord. We thank You for sacrificing Your life so that we could receive forgiveness for our sins. We worship You today. Amen.

Other Sheep

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.”
John 10:14-16 NLT

The shepherd in those days was well acquainted with his sheep. He knew their names and little foibles. Their features, shapes of their ears and so on. And those sheep recognised his voice so that when he called them by name they came running. Jesus used what was common knowledge in those days to make the point that He was the Good Shepherd. Not only was He a good shepherd but He was the best. In fact Jesus was a Shepherd who went far beyond what even a good earthly shepherd could accomplish. He promised all those that believed in Him, who followed Him, that they would receive eternal life, as we will find out one day. We know as well that Jesus did sacrifice His life at Calvary. Although He could have called on the Heavenly army to protect Him, He chose not to, being willing to die so that He would take on the punishment for our sins, giving us life, just as the Palestinian shepherds sometimes did, to protect their sheep. His was a sacrifice that only the Good Shepherd could make. 

Jesus was speaking to a Jewish audience, probably in Jerusalem, a place that He likened to the sheepfold in His parable. Jesus was quite clear about who He had come to save and minister to. Matthew 15:24, “Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”” Jesus never wavered from His mission, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies about the Jewish Messiah. But it was also clear that He expected His people, the Jews, to continue His mission to the Gentiles. He said to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:22). But back in His Good Shepherd parable, Jesus said a strange thing that puzzled those listening – “I have other sheep too”. Who were they? Who else could they have been other than the Gentiles, those who were not Jews. And aren’t we non-Jewish believers glad about that! If Jesus had only come for the Jews, and only the Jews, we would still have been on the outside, excluded from the blessings of God’s grace. From what Jesus said, it was clear that He expected His mission to continue, reaching the whole earth through his Jewish disciples – Matthew 28:18-20, “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age””. The Great Commission indeed!

Jesus’ mission continues with His 21st century “sheep”, we pilgrims. We reach out to the “other sheep” around us with the Good News of a worthwhile future. I met someone the other day who was quite depressed because they confessed to having no hope. A fertile ground for sharing about Jesus and the hope that only he can supply. And as we share the amazing Jesus we know with others, the “sheepfold” fills up with people around us who are longing for the love and security that only God can provide.

Dear Heavenly Father. As Your children we pray for all those around us, that Your message of Good News will be planted deep within them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Come and See

Posted on by korgrocker

“The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him.”
John 4:28-30 NLT

Something remarkable suddenly happened after the disciples returned from their quest for finding their lunch. The Samaritan woman left her water pot by the well and rushed off in the direction of the village, which was about a kilometre away. Water pots were valuable items so to leave one behind was practically unheard of. And then she ran, we are told in John’s account. No-one ran in that climate, at least in the middle of the day. But it was the message that made an impression on the village of Sychar. Why should anyone have taken any notice of her, particularly in view of her reputation? But because of her message, which must have been totally out of character, those people who were available “came streaming from the village to see” Jesus.

It is a sad reflection on the society in which we live, that if I rushed out into the street where I live and started to shout out a message of what Jesus had done for me, then the most likely outcome would be that the police would be called and I was subsequently cautioned for disturbing the peace! There may even have followed some form of encouragement to go and see a doctor or psychiatrist. But in 1st Century Samaria, there was a significant response to what the woman had to say. People there responded to the message.

So in 21st Century society a different way of communicating excitement about Jesus has to be found. But how do we pilgrims connect with this cynical and sceptical generation? The people around us mostly consider that they are too sophisticated or intelligent to believe in this Jesus. Their minds have been corrupted by science and technology to believe lies. The people have become hardened against hearing the whisper of the Holy Spirit. The people’s consciences don’t work in the way they should anymore. Instead, false religions are springing up to deliver the words that they want to hear rather than the message they need to respond to. False religions that deny the existence of God and replace Him  with their man-made ideologies and idols. But Peter warned believers about this, in 2 Peter 4:3-4, ”For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.“

We pilgrims pray for this generation, and keep on praying. And our prayers reverberate around Heavenly places right to our Father’s throne. We pray for hearts to be softened, and for the Holy Spirit to cut through all the lies and deception that prevail. We lift up our friends and family into God’s presence with our prayers, believing for miracles of conversion, believing that God can change hearts of stone into hearts of flesh once again. “Come and see” is the message we proclaim, because Jesus brought healing and salvation to us believers. But when those around us look at us, what do they see? Is it worth coming for? Are we closet Christians who are hunkered down waiting for the time when we cross the Great Divide into God’s presence? Or have we left our “water pots”, things that are precious and even necessary in this life, to cry out “Come and see”. Only Jesus has anything worth saying in this life, and we pilgrims are the only ones who can encourage those around us to join us in His presence.

Dear Father God. In a generation that is inventing its own religions, we know that there is only one way to You. Please help us reach those who are desperately searching for the truth, but are looking in all the wrong places. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Respect Everyone

Posted on by korgrocker

“Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.”
1 Peter 2:17 NLT

There are four instructions in this short verse. Two refer to being respectful and the others to love and fear. So a lot to consider.

Respect is in short supply in society today. It seems that everyone has their own ideology or set of views and they insist that whatever they think is supported and affirmed to the detriment of everyone else. As an example, strident calls are being made about gender issues, and woe betide anyone who disagrees with the multi-gender adherents. Those who disagree are branded with all sorts of unpleasant and totally unfounded names. They are pilloried on social media and no-platformed in public speaking engagements. There are many other issues in which debate and mutual respect are denied. Perhaps the root cause is society’s abandonment of Christian teaching and rejection of God, with a new morality, false in its content, emerging to replace it. An anything-goes morality that is based on a form of self identification and a declaration that the person concerned is his or her own god. Scotland, where I live, has the reputation of being the most secular country in Europe, and we are starting to see the down side of that in the legislation being produced by confused and godless politicians. But where at one time people were respected for their views – not necessarily agreed with, but respected at least – now there is little or no acceptance of another’s views. Respect is a commodity in very short supply. 

Back in Exodus 20:12 we read, “Honour your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you”. Respect starts in the home by being implanted in children through good parenting, but with so many broken families, basic teaching like this doesn’t seem to count for much these days. And the lack of respect spills over into the classrooms, with teachers being abused just for trying to do their jobs, educating the next generation of adults in our societies. In Matthew 7:12, Jesus taught about the “Golden Rule”, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets”. 

Respect is based on grace. Our Heavenly Father has graciously accepted us pilgrims, warts and all. With all our funny ideas and sin-ridden ways, we can, through Jesus, approach His throne with boldness. He sees our struggles to make sense of a complex and evil world. He sees us agonising over the abuse of a child, or the ill-treatment of another human being. And we know that He is also saddened by the behaviour of mankind. But God had a plan and Jesus came for damaged and confused people, who were, as He said, like sheep without a shepherd. But we have a Shepherd now, and God’s plan is being worked out through His children, fellow pilgrims such as us.

Dear Father God. We are Your children, saved by grace. Please help us reach out to others, extending Your grace to those without. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Holy Priests

Posted on by korgrocker

“You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honour. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”
1 Peter 2:4-5 NLT

When we mention the word “priest” what comes to our minds? An Anglican will form a picture of a person, usually a man but it could be a woman, wearing a long robe and other accoutrements, who stands at the front of the church leading the service in accordance with the liturgy and worship service of the day. For Roman Catholics a similar picture might result, but the “priest”would also be available for other duties such as confessions. But whatever religion we follow, the “priest” is a minister who purports to teach and lead his adherents, with a sacred involvement in his parish and consequent liturgical duties, and looking after the spiritual needs of the community. 

In the book of Hebrews, we read about the ultimate High Priest, Jesus. Hebrews 7:16, “Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed”. The writer, or writers, of the Hebrews letter wrote about the connection between the priests of the Jewish religion, and the High Priest of the New Covenant, Jesus. In Hebrews 8:6, we read, “But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises”. Just as in the Old Covenant, the priests stood between God and man, Jesus, in the New, ministers “a far better covenant with God” because He is God. We pilgrims now each have access to the throne of God. No more earthly priests required. This is made clear in Hebrews 10:19-22, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.”

We pilgrims have an important role as the “holy priests” that Peter wrote about. We are part of God’s “spiritual temple” and we are responsible for sharing the “good news” about Jesus and His saving grace. There is no more important job for a priest. All the liturgical flummery we find in some denominations will probably not help a person find God. Rather, it might even put them off. But sharing what God has done for us will be a matter of life and death. Our personal testimonies of God’s grace, love and mercy are priceless and worthy of a “holy priest” in the Kingdom of God.

Dear Lord Jesus. We are indeed Your representatives here on Planet Earth, priests in Your kingdom. Please help us to become more like You, day by day. Amen.

Fading Flowers

Posted on by korgrocker

“As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.”
1 Peter 1:24-25 NLT

The first chapter of 1 Peter concludes with an Old Testament scripture from Isaiah. The prophet wrote, “A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?” “Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever”” (Isaiah 40:6-8). Isaiah 40 is one of the most encouraging chapters in the Bible and was delivered to a fearful and insecure people, under threat from the Babylonians. The chapter ends with one of my favourite verses, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). 

I’m writing this in the month of August. The early Spring burst of growth in the woods near where I live has peaked and recent winds and rain have started the process of decay amongst the undergrowth. Flowers have finished blossoming and the petals mostly disappeared, leaving lonely stems and the start of seed growth. All too soon it will be autumn and the greenery will start to blacken and die away. Isaiah used this picture to describe how it is with people. The process might take a bit longer but a person’s “beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field”. Some might find this depressing. Certainly the cosmetic industry invests much to promote products designed to delay the inevitable as much as possible. But we do have a finite natural life, which is all the more reason to invest in the life that lasts forever. That process starts with the “Word of the Lord”. Peter wrote that this Word is the Good News about Jesus. The Word who became a man and who died for us, that we who believe in Him will receive eternal life.

Regardless of our age, young or old, God is with us. Isaiah 46:3-4, “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” We pilgrims may feel that as we get older, our usefulness diminishes. We may be able to do less, our fitness and physical abilities declining. But God’s plan for us never stops, and he promised to care for us regardless. Our petals might have fallen off. We may have started to wither in appearance. A few lines may have increased to become crazy paving. But one day we will hear the call and soon after inherit a new body, that will never decay and that will last forever. Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers, “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

That is the Good News that Peter wrote about. Perhaps one day we will have the opportunity to talk with him and find out the thinking behind his words. After all he spent over three years with Jesus, walking around Galilee and beyond. But in the meantime, we have a mission to complete. Not for us the temptation to sit back and wait for the day we hope for. There are many around us who have not made a decision to obey the “Good News”. And if they haven’t heard it, or perhaps need a reminder, that’s why we’re here.

Father God. It truly is Good News, about Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins. We worship You today. Amen.

Watching Angels

Posted on by korgrocker

“They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.”
1 Peter 1:12 NLT

Peter wrote that the preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit was “all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching”. How do we feel about angels? Do we think that they exist or are they just mythical entities, superstitious legacies from a bygone age? I used to know an old lady whose driving skills were atrocious, but she never seemed to experience any bumps or scrapes, arriving at her destinations totally unscathed. The suspicion was that she had an angel positioned on each corner of her car, keeping her safe. Someone else I knew always advised against speeding when driving, as the angels then couldn’t keep up. The concept of guardian angels has always been with us.

Personally, I’m convinced that angels are real and play a very important part in our lives, even though we cannot see them. In my walks around the woods near my home I sometimes meet a man who shows an interest in spiritual matters, and I have shared the Good News with him on several occasions. But Peter said that angels are “eagerly watching” me as I speak with him and you can just imagine what they might have been saying. Perhaps they were trying hard to put words into my mouth. Or praying that the other man would open his mind to the Gospel truths. One thing is certain though, and that is that the angels were excited about the “Good News” being shared, because, as Peter wrote, “it is all so wonderful”. 

Angels are created spirit beings, who live in Heaven. So we cannot see them as tangible beings although we presume they can see us. To enable us to see them, they have to somehow acquire an earthly body. Daniel saw such an embodied angel, as we read in Daniel 10:5-6, “I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people”. Those men around him knew something was going on but they didn’t see what Daniel saw. In Revelation 22:8, John wrote, “I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me”. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it!” 

We may be unconvinced of the presence of angels. Our scientific and technological age discounts anything spiritual because it can’t be measured or observed. But the Bible is full of references to angels and to ignore them impoverishes our experience of Scripture. In Hebrews 1:14 we read, “Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation“. Psalm 91:11, “For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go“. But as we preach the Good News to those around us we do so with the knowledge that angels are “eagerly watching” what is happening. And we read in Luke 15:10, “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents“. Can you imagine it – when we pilgrims became believers the angels had a party in Heaven! As we share the Good News with our friends and families, let’s remember there’s a party coming!

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your servants the angels. Amen.