The Signboard of Isaiah: Messages for a Modern Society

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Wooden sign reading 'Ancient Pathways to Oldwood Village' overlooking a mountain village

“Then the Lord said to me, “Make a large signboard and clearly write this name on it: Maher-shalal-hash-baz.” I asked Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah, both known as honest men, to witness my doing this. Then I slept with my wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. And the Lord said, “Call him Maher-shalal-hash-baz. For before this child is old enough to say ‘Papa’ or ‘Mama,’ the king of Assyria will carry away both the abundance of Damascus and the riches of Samaria.””
Isaiah 8:1-4 NLT

Isaiah 7:17-25 outlines the prophecy about what will happen to Judah because of King Ahaz’s stubbornness and lack of faith in God. It is grim reading, as “ … the Lord … whistle[s] for the army of southern Egypt and for the army of Assyria. They will swarm around you like flies and bees” (Isaiah 7:18), and the picture develops of a land, desolate and unpopulated. “The entire land will become a vast expanse of briers and thorns, a hunting ground overrun by wildlife” (Isaiah 7:24). There are a few people remaining, however, and with the abandoned sheep, cattle and goats, they will have sufficient food to sustain them. But the land of finery, prosperity, rich people and the partying and drunkenness is no more.

We now move over to Isaiah 8 and find Isaiah doing something strange. He makes a signboard with the slogan “Maher-shalal-hash-baz” written on it. To emphasise his message, he enlisted the witness of two honest men, Uriah and Zechariah. He didn’t include what he then did with his signboard, but the message was “Swift to plunder and quick to carry away”. Imagine today if someone had such a placard with those words written on it, and they started to walk down the local High Street. At best, people would stop them and ask what the message was all about. But I suspect that, in today’s society, most people would hurry past them and ignore them. Messages written on placards as part of our seemingly frequent demonstrations and marches today are mostly understandable and convey the message behind the event, so a cryptic message or statement with no apparent meaning would be unusual. 

Perhaps the signboard was to be located in a prominent place in Jerusalem, where passers-by would be constantly reminded of the warning Isaiah had written. But almost to emphasise the message, Isaiah and his wife had a son, and they gave him the same name. Poor wee chap, we think, having to be called that name for the rest of his life, but the message was clear. A time was coming when Israel would be plundered, and all the spoil carried away with the people into exile. “Damascus” and “Samaria” refer to the Syrian and Israeli kings. 

Isaiah wasn’t slow in proclaiming God’s message to His people, who had lapsed into apostasy, idolatry and sin. They were living lives of luxury, apparently unaware of the storm clouds gathering on their borders and of the warning Isaiah had issued. Were all the people living sinful lives, or were there some who “had not bowed the knee to Baal”? Throughout history there has always been a remnant of people faithful to God, and Isaiah’s prophecy at the end of Isaiah 6 records, “… But as a terebinth or oak tree leaves a stump when it is cut down, so Israel’s stump will be a holy seed”, and in the verse 22 in the next chapter we read, “Nevertheless, there will be enough milk for everyone because so few people will be left in the land. They will eat their fill of yogurt and honey”. 

Today, we pilgrims mostly live in an increasingly secular society where there are many parallels with society in Isaiah’s day. Many people live a life of plenty and luxury, but fail to acknowledge the One who has blessed them with the means to enjoy what they have. Talk of God and who He is falls largely on deaf ears. But it wasn’t so long ago when people everywhere here in the UK flocked to their churches without a thought of denying God. Here in the centre of the city where I live, there were fourteen churches and congregations in the 17th and 18th centuries, and most of the buildings remain today as “signboards” of a past move of God. The remaining churches are marked by a small number of people in large buildings. But God is still on the move, with new congregations springing up in out-of-town warehouses and industrial buildings. God always has a remnant of people faithful to Him. 

We pilgrims are representatives of God, and we pray that there will once again be a new awakening to God, and that people will reach out to Him as their Creator and their God. We are the “signboards” in our generation and communities proclaiming a message similar to that of Isaiah. Perhaps ours would be “Repent for the end is nigh”, or “Jesus is the answer”, or something more scriptural like “Jesus came to save the lost”. Even John 3:16 might be an appropriate message for our “signboard”. Or, as a friend of mine does quite frequently, we try to engage people and give them a copy of the Gospel or a simple tract that might lead to their salvation. But however we proclaim the message about our wonderful God to our society, we realise that what we have to say will go largely misunderstood or ignored altogether. The same hindrance that Isaiah was warned about still applies today (Isaiah 6:9-10). 

Father God. The message we proclaim to the people around us, repentance and belief in Jesus, contains words and actions as we live out our pilgrim life in our communities and families. Please lead and guide us in Your ways, and to the people who You want us to reach. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah’s Message: Called to the Deafening Silence

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Woman with white cane being guided by two people in a church aisle

“Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.””
Isaiah 6:8-10 NLT

The Greek version of the Old Testament (Septuagint) puts a slightly different interpretation on verses 9-10 today, with: “And he said, ‘Go and say to this people, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.’ For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them”. Regardless of the translation, however, Isaiah’s job was not going to be easy. He was ordained and commissioned to take God’s message to his people, but they were already predisposed to ignore what he said. So perhaps you ask, “What was the point”?

But what else could Isaiah do? The vision of the Lord and His holiness in the Temple had brought Isaiah to his knees in the realisation that he was a sinful man and, worse, his people were sinful as well. What followed was Isaiah’s atonement for his guilt and sin, as, symbolically, the burning coal touched his lips. Freed from sin, Isaiah was eager to answer the call of the Lord and to be His messenger to the people. No matter how hard it would be, Isaiah was God’s man for the impossible task of reaching the people, preaching a message given him by God.

What was this message that Isaiah was to say to his people, the inhabitants of Judah? Well, the first one would seem to be, “Listen carefully, but do not understand”. A strange message? What were the people supposed to be listening out for, and why would it be so hard to understand? There was only one message, and it was the same one that Isaiah received in the Temple. Compared to God’s holiness, Isaiah’s guilt and sin became exposed, and the only remedy was repentance. So Isaiah was commissioned to tell the people of Judah that their sins were so great that, unless they repented, they would be destroyed. A simple message, but the people were so steeped in their sin that they were unable to recognise God’s voice anymore. Yes, some form of worship was continuing in the Temple, but it had become corrupted and distorted by idolatrous practices that made it totally pointless. The people were deaf and blind to God’s message and ignored it as though it didn’t apply to them. But before we climb up onto the moral high ground, it might be worth asking God if we have any blind and deaf spots regarding sin in our own lives. It is quite likely that we do, and we need to deal with it, under God’s loving and gracious gaze.

Consider the following analogy. We all have smoke detectors installed in our homes, but consider the person who ignores theirs. After a while, they become so used to the loud sound that they learn to tune it out entirely. They hear the noise, but they refuse to understand the danger. Because the people of Judah had tuned out God’s message of the upcoming danger to themselves and their nation, they couldn’t hear it anymore.

Jesus’ disciples asked Him a question, “… Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” (Matthew 13:10). Jesus replied, “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand” (Matthew 13:12-13). Jesus went on to quote our verses from Isaiah today, “This fulfils the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them’”.

We pilgrims have the same commission and message that Isaiah had, even though the occasions are separated by nearly three thousand years. Our Gospel message is readily available to the people around us, but as the people in the societies in which we live become more secular, it is increasingly tuned out by those who dispute its relevance. I often meet people who, in their defence, say that they are “good people” and God will never send them to hell. I can’t prejudge what will happen to these people one day before the Great White Throne (Revelation 20) – only God knows what the outcome will be – but the message we preach to those around us is the same as the one preached by Peter in Acts 2:38, “… Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. 

So we pray that God will lead us to the people who need to hear about His love and grace, but always aware that our message will mostly fall on deaf ears. Regarding His message, Jesus said, “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them” (Matthew 13:12). As we know, even Jesus’ message was ignored by most of His people. But we pilgrims are obedient servants of our wonderful Saviour, and continue to share God’s love regardless of how it is received.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for our salvation and for Jesus, who made it possible. Please help us and lead us to those who need to hear about You and Your saving grace, this day and every day. Amen.

Isaiah’s Call: Responding to God’s Message Today

Posted on by Adrian Clark
Wheat field at sunset with orange and purple clouds and distant hills

“He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’””
Isaiah 6:7-9 NLT

Imagine the relief that would have flooded over Isaiah, now that he was aware that his guilt was gone. That his sins had been forgiven. But he didn’t have much time to enjoy the occasion, because he heard the Lord speaking. God was asking a question, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” Isaiah couldn’t wait to respond to the question, and he immediately said, “Here I am. Send me.” 

We notice the “us” in the Lord’s question. Yet another example of our triune God, to add to other Scriptures such as Genesis 1:26a, “Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.’ …”. The other thing that we notice is that, although God is all-powerful and can do all things, He asked for someone, a human being, to do His work for Him. God asked for a messenger, someone who would take His message to a people who were hard of spiritual hearing, who were unable to listen to a Word from God and act upon it. Sound familiar?

Isaiah had been cleansed of his guilt and sin by the Lord Himself that day in the Temple. He went there in a time of political upheaval and instability, perhaps hoping for some direction and insight from God about what would happen now, and instead, he came out a totally transformed man with a message from God that not only encouraged him, but would encourage others, if they would listen, that is.

Did we pilgrims experience an overpowering sense of relief when we discovered that Jesus had forgiven us for all our sins? Many Christians do, and some go on to be active messengers for God, hearing the call to take His message to a people who are hard of hearing. Spiritual deafness is prevalent in the 21st-century, just as it was in Isaiah’s day.

I can think of two men who were involved in drugs and who were released from their addiction through the power of God. Each of them was so overwhelmed by what God had done for them that they became evangelists, one on a foreign mission field, and the other in the very area of Glasgow where he had become involved in drugs in the first place. But we pilgrims are called to take God’s message to those around us as well. The same question that God asked in the Temple still hangs in the air today. We read what Jesus said about evangelism in Matthew 9:36-38, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields””. 

I meet many people who are “confused and helpless” inside, even though on the outside they are full of self-confidence. A few gentle questions, if an opportunity arises, soon expose a deep yearning for something more. Some people will object almost angrily to the idea that there is a God with a message of hope. They know the truth of course, but a reminder is often not well received.

So, I would encourage all pilgrims everywhere to respond to the call of God. Instead of responding, “Here I am. Send me”, we must answer with our names, personalising the call and confirming our willingness to take the Good News about Jesus to those who are “confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd”. Jesus could see the need. He knows where there is a harvest, and He also knows that there are willing helpers, fellow pilgrims like you and I, just needing a little push, some encouragement, to get out there and do something for God. 

Dear Lord Jesus. The harvest is waiting for the workers to bring it in. Please guide us to the right places, the right people, so that we can do what You have asked us to. In Your precious name. Amen.

The Son of God Rejected

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill. He ploughed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle, he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.”
Isaiah 5:1-2 NLT
“Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.”
Matthew 21:33-34 NLT

In this, another parable from Jesus, using a vineyard to illustrate His point, he told the story of a landowner who planted a vineyard, equipped it with a hedge, a winepress, and a tower, and leased it to tenants before going to a distant country. When harvest time came, he sent servants to collect his share of the fruit, but the tenants abused and stoned them. After sending more servants, who ended up with the same fate, the householder finally sent his son, thinking they will respect him. Instead, the tenants conspired to kill the son to seize his inheritance, and they subsequently did so. The owner then punished the tenants and leased the vineyard to others who produced its fruit in due season. The landowner represented God and the vineyard symbolised Israel, the people of God. The tenants who had leased the vineyard, and agreed to pay the rent through providing a share of the crops, were the religious leaders in Israel at that time, and they treated the servants sent by the landowner very badly, servants who represented the prophets who were often rejected and even killed by the people they shared God’s message with. The son represented Jesus Christ, whose rejection and subsequent crucifixion fulfilled the central message of the parable.

So, what do we learn from this parable? The story builds the picture that God is patient, and is prepared to send multiple messages to people in the land of Israel, as well as to everyone in the ages and generations since. But there comes a time when judgment replaces grace. Jesus asked the religious leaders who listened to His parable what they made of it. ““When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked, “what do you think he will do to those farmers?”” (Matthew 21:40). The next verse provided their response, “The religious leaders replied, “He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest””. An interesting response because they damned themselves in their reply. Finally, the penny dropped and we read, “When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realised he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers” (Matthew 21:45).

So, is there anything here that is of help to us pilgrims? I cannot think of any situation where a Christian would reject and even abuse someone sent from God. The problem for the religious leaders in Jesus’ day was that they failed to recognise Him as the Messiah. In fact, it went further than that, because Jesus challenged their cosy little world, with its financial benefits and their favour with the Roman authorities. So it was quite likely that even if they did accept Jesus as the Messiah, the consequences for their lives was something that they could not accept.

So it is with people today. Quite often when we share the Gospel with someone we find that, after initial interest, a rejection follows because the person realises that there is a cost to following Jesus. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it” (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus also said the following, a scripture that has been much misinterpreted, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). There is indeed a cost when we turn from our natural, sinful lives, and instead repent of our sins and follow Jesus and His ways. Too often, a different Gospel has been preached with words that emphasise God’s love and grace, perhaps majoring on prosperity or healing, but one that minimises or ignores His righteousness and judgment, and people entering the Kingdom of God through that route often find that they are not prepared for what is to follow.

We pilgrims are a people who are true believers of Jesus, and we know the cost. We have experienced God’s blessings and, for us, there is no turning back.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your grace and love. For just a little while on this earth we suffer and put aside the desires of our flesh. We thank You for all You have done for us. Amen.


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Isaiah’s Vision: Hope and Judgment in Jerusalem

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. All who remain in Zion will be a holy people— those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living. The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment. Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.”
Isaiah 4:2-6 NLT

In his vision, Isaiah could see the day when the Lord would have dealt with the “filth” in Jerusalem by applying “the hot breath of [His] fiery judgement”. He could see a beautiful and glorious city with the survivors, a holy people, washed and cleansed. And the Lord will protect Mount Zion, where Jerusalem was located, with something reminiscent of the flight of the Israelite slaves from Egypt – “a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night”.

But what was the “branch of the Lord” that Isaiah could see? Some scholars believe this is a pointer to the coming Messiah, Jesus Himself, the divine descendant of David. There is also mention of the branch in Zechariah 3:8, “Listen to me, O Jeshua the high priest, and all you other priests. You are symbols of things to come. Soon I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.” But is this a prophecy foretelling the First or Second coming of Jesus? Perhaps there is more evidence for the Second, because we have read Revelation and the chapter about the new Jerusalem. However, the picture of a redeemed and holy people, a remnant who have survived the destruction of Jerusalem is an encouragement that God will always bring new shoots of growth as he fulfils His promises to His people. Judgment will ultimately come at the End of the Age, and the “filth [of] beautiful Zion” will be washed away. In the parable of the Wheat and Tares we read, “Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn” (Matthew 13:30). Jesus’ parable describes how good and bad people will co-exist until the “harvest”, which is the End of the Age, the day of Judgment. Isaiah also referred to “the fruit of the land”, perhaps an indication of blessing and peace being restored after devastation and judgment. 

Isaiah could see a remnant of God’s people surviving the destruction of Jerusalem. But what about those, the larger group, who will not survive? They are those whom Isaiah spoke out against in the previous chapters. Amongst them were people who “made alliances with pagans”, who practised sorcery, who were involved in idolatry, and who rebelled against God. God views sin very seriously and sooner or later has to deal with it. Judgment is real and will ultimately cleanse His people, but in each generation, a small group of His covenant people remains. Today we are the people, people of the New Covenant, who Peter wrote about in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light”. 

We notice that Isaiah’s vision did not indicate when the judgment would occur. It was a warning to all those who engaged in sinful behaviour, and many, then as now, refuse to believe that God’s judgment would actually take place. People today live their lives without considering that there will come a time when they will be held to account for their sins. That judgment will occur is without any doubt, because, otherwise, why was it necessary for Jesus to come to this world? He came to provide a remedy for sin so that all who believe in Him will not have to face the terror of judgment. I recently met a man who shared a concern that he needed to move out of London for his retirement, but was at a loss about where to move to. I asked him if he had a faith, and he talked about his Roman Catholic upbringing, but admitted that he rarely gave God any thoughts anymore. I gently reminded him of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”, after which I talked about sin and the need for salvation in Jesus, as otherwise the only alternative was that he would “perish“. He went away thoughtful, and I pray that the Holy Spirit directs his house move to a place where he will find a Christian community.

Do we pilgrims know someone who needs to hear the same message? After all, there are plenty of opportunities because Jesus said, “ ... The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Luke 10:2). So perhaps we need to brush up on our testimonies and have them ready for the next person we happen to meet.

Dear Father God. Please lead us to the people You want us to share Your wonderful message of hope with. We thank You for Jesus and all He did for us in Jerusalem, two thousand years ago. Amen.

From Righteousness to Ruin: Jerusalem’s Spiritual Crisis

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“See how Jerusalem, once so faithful, has become a prostitute. Once the home of justice and righteousness, she is now filled with murderers. Once like pure silver, you have become like worthless slag. Once so pure, you are now like watered-down wine. Your leaders are rebels, the companions of thieves. All of them love bribes and demand payoffs, but they refuse to defend the cause of orphans or fight for the rights of widows.”
Isaiah 1:21-23 NLT

Having provided a remedy for the Israelites’ sin and idolatry, in which God offered to make their crimson sins as white as snow “if you will only obey Me”, God directs His complaint against the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Isaiah lived in the Southern Kingdom, Judah, and probably lived in Jerusalem, so he was well placed to observe what was going on, and he was appalled by what he saw. Jerusalem, once the City of God, “Once the home of justice and righteousness”, had lapsed into sin and evil, so bad that Isaiah likened their situation there to the actions of a prostitute. Jerusalem, once a city of people faithful to God, was now filled with murderers. 

After building the Temple, around 959 BC, Solomon dedicated it to the Lord, with a prayer full of prophetic warnings about what would happen to Israel should they sin against the Lord. Verses such as “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors” I2 Chronicles 6:24-25). Further on in his prayer, we read, “If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near”. And we know that this was something that really came to pass around 250 years later. The Temple provided a focal point where the Jews could confess their sins before God and receive His forgiveness, but here we are in a situation where Jerusalem has become a place of iniquity.

The worship going on in the Temple had become an empty caricature of what God desired, and He was sick of their burnt offerings and all the other rituals that had become meaningless because they no longer connected with Him. The hands raised in prayer were stained with “the blood of innocent victims” offered by “rebels, the companions of thieves”. And so, Isaiah’s vision was a timely warning to a people whose behaviour and unfaithfulness to God were compared to sexual immorality and “worthless slag”. 

So what do we pilgrims make of all this? Perhaps the people in Jerusalem had become complacent with character traits we can still observe today. They were behaving in ways that were sinful, and yet they thought they were getting away with it. How many people today think the same? They discover that their sins are not found out, and so they decide to continue with them. Our politicians make decisions that are against God’s decrees, such as legalising abortion, but because they are never held to account, they think that their evil decisions don’t matter. No lightning bolt from Heaven stopped them, so they think that God doesn’t care, even if they believe He exists in the first place.

But we live in a moral universe, and one day the scales of justice will be balanced, and punishment dispensed. In Isaiah’s time, the people were punished for their sins, resulting in captivity and exile. But in our season of God’s grace, He is being very patient. Peter wrote, “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment” (2 Peter 3:8-10). 

Jerusalem was a city in which the people were behaving badly. Our local cities and towns are no different. But God had a plan and He sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment we deserved for our sins. We pilgrims have a mission to tell our fellow citizens of the love and grace of God wrapped up in the ultimate message of Good News. In a nutshell, we have a simple statement that says, “Hell is hot, Heaven is real, and Jesus saves”. Let us put it out there wherever we live, and whenever we can, at every opportunity. 

Heavenly Father. Thank You for Jesus, and His willing sacrifice at Calvary. Please be with us as we share You with anyone who will listen. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What It Means to Be Born Again in Christianity

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognise that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.”
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 NLT

In a previous blog we asked the question, “Who or what is a Christian”? And to start with, we defined some basics such as “A Christian is someone who belongs to Jesus Christ, by trusting in Him, following Him, and being transformed by Him”. We also mentioned the importance of being “born again”, understanding what that means and reading what Jesus Himself said in His conversation with Nicodemus. John 3:5, 7, “Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. … So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’”. There are some “Christians” who deride the “born again” element in believers, whom they assign to a fringe element of fundamentalism populated by bigots and right-wing extremists. But being “born again” is that wonderful moment when a new believer suddenly bursts into a new experience where they find a spiritual world they didn’t know existed before. Some people take a long time to make the transition from spiritual darkness into the wonderful light of God’s Kingdom. Others have a Damascus Road experience, but whatever the process, Jesus said that being “born again” is necessary to become a Christian. It is so sad that there is a schism in the Christian faith, in the same way that there is a schism between those who believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and those who don’t. 

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, someone who tries to align their lives with the teachings of Jesus. It is a hard road to adopt because there is much opposition from society around us and more from within us, as our sinful person (our “old man”), rebels against living the Jesus way. Luke 9:23, “Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me””. The Cross to which Jesus referred was His own, a place where He laid down His own life in obedience to His Father. We pilgrims also have crosses, where we have laid down our lives in following Jesus wherever He takes us on our journey to Glory. 

A Christian is someone who has been redeemed from slavery to sin. Through Christ, a Christian is justified—declared righteous—not by their own works, but by grace. Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us”. Ephesians 2:8-9, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it”. These self-revealing verses mark the start of the Christian neophyte’s journey through life and form the basis of faith in God.

A born-again believer is a person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Acts 2:38 describes how the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit””. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? …”. Paul also wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14), with the implication that those who are not led by the Spirit are somehow not part of His family. 

A Christian goes through a process of sanctification in their lives, as they become and behave more like Jesus and start to display the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” 

Finally, a Christian is adopted into God’s family. John 1:12-13, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God”. What a wonderful privilege it is to be a child of God. But as with all families, there are times of difficulty, and children will wander off and get into danger. We read the parable of the Prodigal Son, and become deeply touched by a picture of the Father waiting for the wayward child to return into His arms. God, our Father, is always there for us, the perfect Parent, who sadly but willingly lets His children follow their own ways, but who is always ready to welcome them home.

We pilgrims are children of God, followers of Jesus and a part of His family, both in this life and the life to come. We examine ourselves regularly, praying as David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24). God is faithful, and He will answer that prayer, because He loves us too much not to.

Dear Loving Heavenly Father. Please forgive us for our waywardness and rebellion. We are Your children, and we live our lives as representatives of You in our families and communities. Please help us to grow up and become more like Jesus, Your loving Son and our elder brother. In Your name we ask. Amen.

Understanding Human Weakness and God’s Power in Our Lives

Posted on by Adrian Clark
A fallen log entwined with glowing, luminescent vines and leaves over a small forest patch

“I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.”
2 Corinthians 13:3-4 NLT

Human weakness and the power of God. Opposites mentioned by Paul in our verses today, as he encouraged the Corinthians with a warning that unless they dealt with their sin, his impending third visit was going to be painful, both for them and for himself. We are all aware of the first, our weakness as human beings, with limitations that get in the way of our pilgrimage to Glory. Those times when we do something we shouldn’t, or when we don’t do something we should. Those times when we echo what Paul experienced when he wrote, “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong” (Romans 7:21). And he continued, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” We believers are still slaves to the sinful nature that is alive and well within us, and at times we seem powerless to do anything about it. 

But that brings us on to the second of Paul’s opposites. The power of God. We read the first two verses of Romans 8 and find a link that bridges the gap between our weakness and God’s power. “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death”. We now live the Spirit-filled life, a Christ-centred existence directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit rather than our human strength. But it is a hard and difficult road to walk, because it involves a daily, conscious and sanctifying surrender to God’s control, resulting in transformed character, spiritual growth, and the ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit. 

The problem for the Corinthians was summed up in another Romans 8 verse, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). Paul’s fear was that when he arrived in Corinth he would not like what he found and they wouldn’t like his response. He wrote, “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behaviour” (2 Corinthians 12:20). These qualities are all symptomatic of their sinful natures being allowed full reign. But Paul was coming to them with God’s power, willing and able to deal with the sin amongst them and bring them back to living in the right Kingdom in the right, Spirit-filled way.

But what is the “power of God”? First and foremost, it is the Gospel, the “Good News about Christ”. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile”. That is the starting point with God’s transformative power, and for all who respond positively, they receive the promise of spending eternity in God’s presence. That is power indeed! But there is more. In Ephesians 1:19-20, we read, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms”. Just think about it for a moment, or longer if necessary. We pilgrims have access to the power of God, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. And with that power, we have the ability to triumph over sin, bringing a new life, both now and forever. In our places of weakness, that same power will give us strength. Referring to his “thorn in the flesh”, Paul wrote, “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

We receive a glimpse of Paul’s motivation in Colossians 1:28-29, “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me”. What was there within Paul that enabled him to endure the beatings, abuse, shipwrecks, imprisonment, even stonings, as he journeyed bringing the Gospel to the lost? Here we have the answer – “Christ’s mighty power that works within me”. 

But there is one further verse that never fails to excite and challenge me. Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”. We earthbound pilgrims have within us the potential, through “God’s mighty power”, to achieve infinitely more than we can ever get our minds around. God’s power is limitless.

So Paul would soon be at Corinth, and the Holy Spirit would empower him to challenge and resolve the problems in the church there. Somehow, having been forewarned, I would have taken his warning seriously. Did they respond positively to this letter? We don’t know, but the warning that Paul wrote down still hangs over Christians and congregations, even to this day.

Dear Father God. We who are Spirit-filled are indeed a blessed people. We pray for Your power to work within us, making us more like Jesus, as You desire. And we pray, too, for the same power to reach out to those who are lost, so that the Good News about Christ will penetrate their thinking and transform them into new children of God. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Signs and Wonders: Biblical Insights for Today

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!”
2 Corinthians 12:11-13 NLT

You can’t help feeling sorry for Paul, as he was forced to write uncomfortable truths, both for him and the Corinthians, in this letter. He was a humble man, never wanting to promote himself, and certainly not in the way the Corinthian “super-apostles” did. In his first letter, Paul wrote, “When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). That was Paul in his comfort zone, preaching about Jesus so that the focus was on Him, not Paul. Preaching in a way that pointed to God, in a way that encouraged the early believers to look up and not at the messenger or each other. But word had reached him that there were some in Corinth who had a different approach, with a focus on their gifts and preaching rather than the Jesus whom Paul preached. 

There was no substitute for a simple sermon by those early Apostles, backed by signs and wonders. They had been with Jesus and had seen with their own eyes what their Master had done through the power of God. And they had heard Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father” (John 14:12-13). In Acts 19, we read about the signs and wonders Paul performed in Ephesus. We read, “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled” (Acts 19:11-12). This happened after his first visit to Corinth, so it can be assumed that “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles” there as well. 

In Mark’s Gospel, we read the Great Commission, and Jesus said, “… Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptised will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed” (Mark 16:15-18). It was an expected phenomenon that the preaching of the Gospel was confirmed by signs and wonders, and we read that this was the case in Acts 14:3: “But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders”. 

What has happened to “signs, wonders and miracles” after the preaching of the Word today? There are a number of possible reasons. Firstly, in the first Century, the Apostles were preaching mainly to unbelievers and through God’s grace, He gave them the power to validate the Gospel message of Jesus, and Him crucified, in a way that convinced their hearers of the truth of the message. Peter’s great Acts 2 sermon followed a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and we read that three thousand men were saved after believing the message. Secondly, the signs and wonders followed the preaching of the Gospel, something that only rarely happens in churches today, with sermons being focused more on discipleship than conversion. Thirdly, in some denominations or movements, the general belief (unbelief?) is that miracles were for the early Apostles only and died out with them. But “miracles, signs and wonders” have continued right up until modern days, confounding this view. Fourthly, perhaps the lack of signs and wonders is more about a general lack of faith than God’s willingness to provide them. The Holy Spirit will distribute gifts as He sees fit, and to fulfil His purposes. 

We pilgrims today are a counter-cultural people who challenge the status quo with an expectation that God is alive and well, and He wants to bless His people, with spiritual gifts if necessary, and see others come to faith. We are the key to that happening, and so we put aside our pre-conceived thoughts, and instead we look up, saying to God, “What do You want to do through me today?” A dangerous prayer to pray, as we see from Isaiah in his reply to God. He wrote, “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me”” (Isaiah 6:8). That question is still hanging in the air today. Are we a “Send me” generation? We have to be, because God desires no other.

Heavenly Father. We pray that prayer today, that You will use us to fulfil Your purposes in our communities today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Paul’s Ministry: Humility and Financial Integrity

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honoured you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return? I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.”
2 Corinthians 11:7-11 NLT

While Paul was establishing the church in Corinth, he initially met up with a couple called Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who were expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius just a few years before. “Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was” (Acts 18:3). But Paul didn’t just spend his time making tents, the next verse reads, “Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike”. When he was rejected by most of the Jews, “… he left and went to the home of Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshipped God and lived next door to the synagogue” (Acts 18:7). So in those early days, Paul never asked for money from the embryonic church and instead supported himself with his work. Perhaps this became a point of contention among the early Christians in Corinth, because tent-making was not exactly up there with the more respected forms of employment, and they may have been a bit ashamed of him. Did Paul sin in their eyes by not asking for money or some other reward for his preaching? In those days, a visiting rabbi or some other man of God would be expected to be supported by the congregation he was speaking to. As in many other places, Paul challenged the status quo and introduced a new order in more ways than one.

In this situation, we see a bit of sarcasm from Paul when he said he “robbed” other churches. Of course, he didn’t do that literally, but he made the point that through his tent-making and donations from other churches, he was able to avoid being a burden to the Corinthians. In it all, Paul was not intent on making a living from the Corinthian congregation; rather, he wanted to avoid being a burden to them. Earlier in the chapter, Paul referred to men who called themselves apostles – he referred to them as “super apostles” – and who he was sure were seeking reward for their service from the believers, but perhaps Paul was pointing out that he was prepared to preach the word of the Gospel without reward, because by doing so it was reward enough. There was, and still is, no material value that can be placed on the Gospel. It is priceless, eternal and life-changing. Paul’s motivation was to do God’s work in leading unbelievers to faith in Christ. Since taking money from those unbelievers may have raised questions about Paul’s motives and the truthfulness of his message, he refused to do so.

Paul wrote that “the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that [he] needed”. We know that the Macedonian churches of Thessalonica, Berea, and Philippi were quite poor, and it was very humbling for Paul to accept money from them. He knew that those donations would have been given sacrificially by the congregations there. But while he was establishing the Corinthian church, he was preaching the Gospel, and he wasn’t prepared to take any reward for doing so. He never wanted to cloud the purity of the Gospel message with any niggling thoughts in the hearers’ minds that he was doing it for money. 

What can we pilgrims learn from this message from Paul today? One thing is the importance of transparency in financial matters. In our established churches, the congregation supports their leader or leaders through the tithes and offerings collected every Sunday. Today, innovative ways of giving have emerged, including bank transfers, standing orders, and even phone apps that can transfer funds to the right place. One church I know displays a QR code on the screen at the front, and congregants can scan it to open a giving app where they make their offering. But regardless of the way money is collected, and in his first letter, Paul wrote, “In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it” (1 Corinthians 9:14). 

So we pilgrims pray for and financially support our church leaders. We read in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit”. The joy they experience may perhaps be linked to the meal on their tables. 

Dear Heavenly Father. Please bless our leaders in all that they do and help us to do our part to support them in their work. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.