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Ministers' blog
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1 March 2013
What can we know about Jesus of Nazareth in March 2013?
The beginning of March sees us nearly halfway through Lent, the time when we prepare ourselves for the dramatic events of Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This sequence of events in the church calendar following the life of Jesus always gives me a slight difficulty since there is a gap of three years between the temptations in the wilderness and his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The one does not strictly lead into the other and yet there is an inevitable progression from Jesus' baptism and temptations at the beginning of his ministry to the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension at the end of his time here on earth.
So how does this work out in practice? Over the years I have heard many sermons and read many words about the temptations and have been struck by the assumption of many people including Nicky Gumble of Alpha fame that the devil was trying to put doubt into Jesus' mind as to who he was by saying “IF you are the Son of God.” On the contrary, I would suggest that the devil knew exactly who Jesus was, as did Jesus, and the word “if” was used as a substitute for the word “because”. Matthew ch4 v3 it would therefore read , The tempter came to him and said, “Because you are the Son of God you know you have the power to tell these stones to become bread” so the temptation Jesus had to resist was using his powers in the wrong way by meeting his own needs rather than bringing in God's Kingdom. Even at the age of twelve he knew exactly who he was. When Mary and Joseph took him up to Jerusalem for the Passover he stayed behind when they set out on the homeward journey.
After three days they eventually found him in the temple courts sitting among and questioning the teachers of the law and Luke tells us that they were astonished. “Why were you searching for me?” Jesus asked his parents. “Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?” He knew and Satan knew that there was no “IF” about it and the temptations Jesus faced were unique to him. This is still Satan's strategy today. Apart from the ways in which we are all tempted daily (as a friend of mine once said, “Mummy always tells the most ENORMOUS WHOPPERS!”) we face the problems and difficulties which are personal to us in our own specific circumstances. But unlike Jesus, St. Paul tells us we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
In the same way that Jesus knew who he was, he also knew precisely why he had come. He came to give his life on the cross at Calvary to personally pay the penalty for your sin and mine. Because of what he has done for us we may go free with all our debts cancelled. We stand forgiven at the foot of the cross and receive the undeserved riches of God's grace and favour. By his stripes we are healed. Hallelujah!
But as we know the cross, although central to our Christian faith, is not the end. At the grave of Lazarus Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection, I am the Life” and he proved it on Easter Sunday by rising again from the dead. He now invites us to live his resurrection life in the power of the Holy Spirit daily seeking his presence in our lives.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
Every blessing
Andrew |
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1 February 2013
We all need renewing in Christian faith. Every Sunday, of course, hopefully renews us in faith for the forthcoming week. Even every day we should seek in prayer to be renewed by God for whatever the day will bring. Holy Week, I often think, is the key occasion in the church’s year for being renewed in faith, as we slow down, abandon meetings, and over a period of a week, enter deeply into the ‘paschal mystery’, the events of Christ’s cross and resurrection and what they mean for us.
Every six years, the electoral rolls - the ‘membership lists’ - of our parishes are renewed. Not unlike the biblical principle of ‘jubilee’ (which was every seven years), this is an opportunity for a new beginning. Rather than the ‘opt out’ system of the electoral roll in the intervening years (ie members stay on the list unless they specifically ask to come off), every sixth year is an ‘opt in’ year - members have to fill out an application form afresh if they wish to be on the new roll / list. It’s an opportunity for a ‘freshen up’ - those members of the roll who for whatever reason have stopped coming to church in the last six years won’t feature on the new one, and (hopefully many more) people who have started coming to church but for whatever reason have not joined the roll, can now demonstrate their membership by signing up.
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1 January 2013
I love babies. Don't you? I have always liked them but I must admit that my enjoyment has increased now that I am in the grandparent role. I still remember the worry and sleepless nights when Sue and I were new parents. However despite the difficulties it is always worth it. Isn't it?
Babies are much more than cute cuddly mini-people. Babies connect us with something much bigger than ourselves. First there is the incredible miracle of conception, birth and the first years growth. The more we learn about the biology, the more our minds turn to the Almighty. Added to this, babies are a clear reminder of our place in the continuity of life. Just as our grandparents connect us with our past, babies are our connection with the future.
Just before Christmas, we heard the news that Kate the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a royal child. That tiny baby is a cause for great celebration across the nation. She or he represents the continuity of the monarchy and of our British values. It is this continuity that makes our nation so much stronger in an eternal sense than many other nations.
And in the church, we have also been thinking about a baby. We have just finished recalling and worshipping the most important baby ever born. The whole of history (His Story) had been building up to that amazing birth in a stable in Bethlehem. Remember his first recorded teaching in the Gospels. (Luke 4.21). 'Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.'
Since then, generations upon generations of Christians have been born. They have grown up, become followers of Jesus and taken on His command to make disciples of all nations. They have played their part and, in turn, passed the baton on to each succeeding generation. Now that baton is in our hands.
So as we move into a new year, and make plans for 2013, what difference will the Christ child make to us? We are all part of the Tavy Mission Community. We are a "community" of Christians placed here in the Tavistock area and charged with the responsibility for Christ's "mission". Are we ready to play our part just as our parents, our grandparents and our great grandparents did?
Lets take time out to consider what we will do differently in 2013 to respond to God's call on our lives. What can you and I do individually and together to show the truth of God's love to our neighbours in Tavistock, Gulworthy, Whitchurch, Peter Tavy, Mary Tavy and Brentor?
A very happy new year to all our readers
With every blessing
Sean Brassil
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1 December 2012
Dear Friends,
Earlier this year I went to the Wharf to see the new film version of Jane Eyre. I was quite young when I first saw the first film version of the story, starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. It’s a very brooding, dark, and “gothic” black and white film. That started a lifelong interest in the Brontë’s and in Charlotte’s most famous novel about a governess and her employer.
What the film presents, as do the more recent versions, though rather more weakly, is a passionate love story that, after tragedy, ends happily. Yes, it is a love story, but sadly these films and TV adaptations leave out some vital aspects of the novel.
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1 November 2012
Few people find November pleasant. The Anglo Saxons called November ‘Wind monath’ because it was the time when the cold winds began to blow. They also called it ‘Blod monath’, because it was the time when cattle were slaughtered for winter food. The poet T.S Eliot called it ‘Sombre November’. Sir Walter Scott, in his long poem ‘Marmion’ wrote in 1808 November’s sky is chill and drear, November’s leaf is read and sear (withered)
The first week of November has always been a time of festivals and celebrations marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church made the first of November a church holiday to honour all the saints. This feast day is known as All Saints Day.
All Saints used to be known as All Hallows. Hallow being an old word meaning saint or holy person. The feast day actually started the previous evening, the Eve of All Hallows. Saints are men and women from all ages and all walks of life, who were outstanding Christians. Some – the martyrs – died for their faith and all of them are honoured by the church.
On All Souls Day the Church remembers all those who have died – not just the great and the good, but the ordinary man and woman in the street. Families visit graves with bunches of flowers and in church the names of the dead may be read out at an All Souls service.
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