Gafcon's Lift Up Your Hearts Devotional: Recent Episodes
Gafcon - Global Anglican Future Conference
Every weekday contributors bring devotionals grounded in scripture as we learn to walk by faith in the way of the Lord and proclaim Christ faithfully.
On our last day in this great love story, we will focus on the heart of Paul's Letter to the Philippians. By meditating on the Hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 we will understand that we have not only been rescued, but that by being like Christ we participate in this rescue.
We will do well, then, to remember that we are treading on holy ground, a privilege that is given to us not to satisfy our intellectual curiosity, but to transform our lives.
By reading Ruth we have not only received a beautiful story, we have also learned how we can be rescued from our desperate condition. In this gospel reading we will see how our rescue takes place. Our rescuer will die for us. It will be good to read John to understand how we can apply to our own lives what we have read in Ruth.
When reading the Old Testament quite soon we realize that the foundations are being laid here for an event to come. In our readings we have already learned that our common sense does not lead us to God, as the events of the Book of Judges and Elimelech's fateful decision showed. But from Ruth and Naomi we also learned that a "rescuer" can free us from our fate.
The great love story does not end with reading the Book of Ruth, on the contrary, it makes us look at Scripture with different eyes, because we want to see how this redemption comes to us. In the remaining readings in this devotional series we will focus on some passages that will help us see how we, in the third millennium, also enjoy this restoration and rescue.
The fairy tales that we listened to as children, many times ended by saying "and they lived happily ever after." None of those stories take into account the 'forever', it is simply a hyperbole that emphasizes the happy ending of the story. In our case, in this story, we really can say "they lived happily ever after." Because their zeal to act correctly opens a window to eternity for all of us. Here we will learn how normal people can illuminate the history of all humanity. A better way to summarize this beautiful story is to say ‘thanks to them, we are living happily ever after’. Let's enjoy this reading.
In our previous reading, when Ruth comes home, Naomi literally asks her who are you? What Naomi wants to know is whether Ruth is still Mahlon's wife or is she already Boaz's wife. Ruth informs him that she is still Mahlon's wife, but that is soon going to change. Boaz is determined to fix the matter as soon as possible. On giving her barley before returning home, he told her, "Don’t go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed." Today Naomi's future is going to change. Do you remember Naomi’s bitter words when she came back from Moab? ‘I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty’. God, in his mercy, is acting and Naomi will have a family again. Boaz will take care of this.
A feature of any good story is that it engages us. We want to move forward, to know what will happen. When reading a good story we are not passive, the only way to extract all its message is to be active in reading it. This is what happens to us when we read the Book of Ruth, this great love story. We all want to know what will happen in the threshing floor where the barley was harvested! It is no longer just the story of Ruth, it has become our story.
Our previous reading opened up a whole area that we didn't know about. There are those who can rescue these women and get them out of the precarious situation they are in. In this great love story, we can finally see 'the light at the end of the tunnel'. Our passage takes us to "one day", which is not specified, but which is close because it is the time when the barley grain is winnowed. Ruth’s telling Naomi that she was gleaning grain in Boaz's field made her see the situation from another perspective. In his mercy, God had provided a mechanism to prevent a widow from being helpless: there was a "redeemer" who could rescue her. Here we will see how Naomi begins to act proactively to restore her family.
In our previous reading we witnessed the industriousness of Ruth, who leaves her family and country to take care of Naomi, her mother-in-law. In this reading we will witness the conversation of these two women once Ruth returns home after spending the whole day gleaning at the fields. And we will learn more about Boaz. All of this will help us understand why Ruth is a love story that points to THE great love story.
This passage will allow us to have a clear understanding of all the protagonists of this great love story. Here we will meet Boaz, who is presented in very good terms by the author of this book.
Naomi has returned empty-handed to her land, but here we will see that the community had established ways to help people like Naomi and Ruth. Once again, we can see the hand of God taking care of those in need.
Even without knowing the rest of the story, we can already guess that better times lie ahead. The generous commitment of Ruth has changed our perception of the events reported here. For generations, her generous and unconditional sacrificial giving has motivated the readers of this book to praise and bless God. It has also allowed them to understand how great and immeasurable is the love of Christ for those in need. In this portion of the book, we will see what happens when these two widows arrive in Bethlehem.
In the midst of so much pain, Naomi (Mara) receives a ray of hope. Dwelling in a foreign land, she learns that the famine that had affected Israel has passed, and she decides to return home. But this return to her home country is dramatic: she returns alone since both her husband and her two sons have died in a pagan land and she no longer has anything that makes her look confidently to the future (she has no offspring). Her two daughters-in-law decide to go with her, but Naomi asks them to go back to their families and try to rebuild their lives there. One of them, crying, says goodbye to Naomi and returns to her family. What about Ruth, the other daughter-in-law of this heartbroken woman? Here we will see her reaction to the words of her mother-in-law. It is a great story of love and dedication.
In this great love story that is the book of Ruth we see that although Israel turned her back on God, that does not mean that God abandoned His people. There is a future for them, not because they deserve it, but because God is determined to give them a future. God's people are not going to vanish into the haze of history and oblivion: beginning in this section of the book of Ruth we will see God acting to restore this family that went to live in a pagan land.
The title of this series of devotionals is "A great love story." It is for this reason that we will begin this devotional with a quote from another great love story, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." In just a few words, Jane Austen gives us the great plot of the entire novel. Ruth has a similar beginning. In verse 1, with less than 40 words, the author of Ruth has described the context of the entire book to us: During the time of the judges (where each one did what he thought best), there was a famine in the land of Israel. And a man from Israel decides to take his family out of the Promised Land to live among the pagans.
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. Ruth 1: 1 NIV.
One of the things that should call our attention is that God's plan to establish a kingdom through Christ is not carried out in the neatness of a laboratory, but in the untidiness of the daily life of humanity.
The account of Judges shows the deeper causes of the spiritual degradation of God's people. This section of Judges gives us details of this rebellion and its consequences. Let us pay attention to what we are told here, as it will allow us to read Ruth with a greater understanding of the context.
Judges is a book that continues the story of the possession of the land started in Joshua and what happened in the country once Israel settled there. This prepares us to read and understand the great love story that is Ruth. Relying on the power and glory of God, Israel managed to defeat their enemies and was able to face the many challenges they faced living in God's land. But Judges tells us that not everything was successful. We are told that the people succumbed to the temptations represented by the religion and lifestyle of the pagan peoples that surrounded them. The book begins with the continuation of the story of the conquest of the land giving us some disturbing information: the tribes of Israel failed to take possession of the entire land. Here we will learn what happens when God’s people do not fully live out their calling.
In our preparation to understand and enjoy the greatest love story, we continue with the farewell words of Joshua. If you wish, you can read this chapter from the beginning. In its first part, Joshua reminds them of the great blessings they have received from God with a discourse from the Lord, which ends this way: ‘So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’ (v. 13). In God's land, God's people must not forget their origins and the Lord who has cared for them since he committed himself to Abraham to bless him with descendants and a place to live. Joshua now challenges them to live honoring the Lord.
It has been several decades since God spoke to Joshua on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. The people have already taken possession of the land and the generation that entered the land is already old and it is time to "pass the baton" to the new generation, the first to be born in God’s land. Here we will see what are the things that this new generation must consider when living their freedom in God’s land.
Welcome to a great love story
For a whole month we will be reading a short and beautiful book, the Book of Ruth. This book is quite easy to read, it contains all the elements to make it interesting: a dramatic background and credible, noble characters. It contains situations that, despite the distance that separates us from the story, everything that is told here is easily understood today.
Another element that helps us when reading Ruth is that its protagonists are ordinary people who face difficult situations, and their struggles and frustrations are not hidden from us.
As we complete our series of reflections in the Gospel of John this last reflection comes with a big reading as I suggest you read right through John 1-4 to get the whole sweep of what John has been saying.
In the final incident John records in John 4 we see a tragedy in the making. Jesus is back in Cana and he meets a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum, a long distance away.
In our passage today we find Jesus still talking with the women at the well when his disciples return. They realise it is an awkward moment as Jesus speaks to the woman.
Our world is full of divisions. People are different from one another. Race, gender, wealth, class…the possibilities are endless for us to think of ‘us’ and ‘them’; to consider people as ‘other’ than us.
In the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgement Day Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg who comes for the future to rescue a mother and her child from attack from another deadly cyborg. The problem is that Arnie looks exactly like a cyborg who had previously tried to kill the mother in the first Terminator movie.
Apparently, Plato said that we can forgive a child for being afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy is when people are afraid of the light.
Nicodemus was right. It is impossible for anyone to be born again by their own effort, whether this understood physically or as a word picture of a spiritual reality.
‘How can these things be?’, he asks before fading into the night.
Would the child you were be proud of the person you have become? No doubt the answer to this is mixed, but many of us can feel weighed down by the past, the decisions we have made, the errors and sins we have committed. At times we may catch ourselves thinking that it would be great if we could have a fresh start, a new beginning, a clean sheet of paper. But is this possible?
In John 2:13 we find Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem at the time of the Jewish Passover.
He looks around and sees cattle, sheep, and doves. He hears the noise of these animals and the clink of coins instead prayers and conversation about God.
Good signs are helpful. Confusing, unclear signs are no good at all.
In the city where I live there are constant complaints about confusing parking signs…different days and hours, arrows pointing in different directions, all designed to confuse and make people fall into disobedience to the law and end up paying a fine.
In John 2:1-11 we read an account where Jesus rescues a wedding by turning an enormous amount of water into an extraordinary quality wine. This is the first of a number of miraculous actions Jesus performs, that John labels as signs. first sign. Perhaps this is the beginning of the greater things promised in Jn 1:51? It is a narrative chockfull of significant detail. Let’s look at a few of these.
In chapter 1 verse 43 we read that the next day Jesus leaves for Galilee. Up to this point in chapter 1 Jesus has been relatively passive in the narrative as he received the disciples passed on to him by John.
Sometimes the words, ‘what about me?’ come too easily to our lips. Especially when working with others. There can be the desire to lead when for the moment our role is to follow, envy at the success of others, the desire for credit, a little more glory. Both humility and contentment can be hard at times.
Transitions can be difficult. Whether it is between jobs, ministries, governments, or generations, transitions can be tricky. It can be hard for the old to ‘let go’ and let the new take over. It can be hard to adjust to new circumstances as a transition takes place.
What are you waiting for? What are you expecting to happen? What are you longing for to happen?
We come now to the final section of John’s opening prologue. In verse 15 we hear part of John the Baptist’s testimony to Jesus. He simply testifies to the surpassing greatness of Jesus and hints that there was a time when Jesus was with the Father in the beginning.
“The word became flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory.”
There is no transfiguration scene in John’s Gospel. This is because the glory of Jesus is glimpsed throughout Jesus’ whole ministry. Glory is a tricky concept to define and it may be one of those things that we can recognise when we see it. We can think of words like renown, fame; it has connotations of brightness and weight.
“I’d like to see that in the flesh!”
The phrase ‘in the flesh’ is used to describe seeing something live, as it actually is, rather than being told about it or seeing it on screen. Seeing people ‘in the flesh’ means we can see all the body language, the movements and expressions, which are so important to communication. Perhaps our experiences under COVID 19 have helped us to see more than ever the benefits of being ‘in the flesh’ with one another?
What’s your story? Let me tell you one of mine.
When I was a very young child, I lived in a mining town that had a lot of shops that sold exotic looking rock specimens. One day I saw one that I really liked in the shop window. I asked my parents if they would buy it for me. They said no. But they did say that if I did some jobs for them I could earn the money to buy it. And so I did. I am not sure who got the best end of the bargain (it was a very cheap rock) but I learnt some things about the need to work hard for things you want and hard work deserves a reward.
How do you view the world? What story do you tell of the world around you? Different people, different cultures have different stories about the world. Some see no story. They simply see the random results of time and chance. Some see a self-improvement story. A world on its way ever upwards, based on the essential goodness of people.
I once read a book produced for a charity called ‘My God’. It was a series of short responses by various celebrities talking about who they thought God was. The book was a mix of the occasional sublime and the mostly ridiculous. There were statements from representatives of the world major faiths…monotheistic and polytheistic, and there was much sentimental and idle speculation.
In the beginning was the word.
This is a majestic and memorable beginning to the Gospel. It introduces a title for Jesus that is unique to John’s Gospel. The Word is a title that speaks volumes for John’s understanding of Jesus. At once, if we know the Old Testament, we are taken back to the creative word of God in Genesis 1. We are reminded that God works through his word. He creates, he communicates, he judges and he blesses through his word.
Chromatius became the Bishop of Aquileia on the Adriatic Sea in 387. As a scholar theologian, he wrote a number of exegetical treatises, but he is most noted for maintaining a voluminous correspondence with other Christian scholars of his time, encouraging them to produce theological works of their own. Ambrose of Milan was motivated by him to write exegetical works, and Jerome dedicated to Chromatius translations and commentaries, which he had written at his suggestion.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp only to put it under a bushel basket; they put it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. The Lord called his disciples the salt of the earth because they seasoned with heavenly wisdom the hearts of men rendered insipid by the devil.
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387.
Dear brethren, God's love is calling us to the joys of eternal happiness for the salvation of our souls.
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
Let us sing "Alleluia" here below while we are anxious, so that we may sing it one day there above when we are freed for care. Why are we troubled here?
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. We are told to sing to the Lord a new song. A new man knows a new song. A song is a thing of joy and if we think carefully about it, a thing of love.
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
Praise the Lord with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song. Rid yourself of what is old and worn out, for you know a new song. A new man, a new covenant; a new song.
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387.
The time arrived for me to give my name for baptism, so we left the country and moved back to Milan. Alypius had decided to join me in being reborn in you, O Lord, and was already clothed with the humility that befitted your mysteries. We associated the boy Adeodatus with us as well, my son according to the flesh, born of my sin. He was then about fifteen, but we included him in the group as our contemporary in the life of your grace, to be instructed along with us in your doctrine.
Ambrose was the Roman governor of Liguria and Emilia before he was made Bishop of Milan by popular acclamation in 374. Trained as a rhetorician, Ambrose was a persuasive preacher who refuted most eloquently the theological propositions of the Arians and won the admiration of a young agnostic seeker from north Africa named Augustine, whom he baptized as a convert to Christianity in 387.
What is more pleasing than the psalms? David himself expressed it so beautifully when he said: Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing psalms to our God! How pleasant to praise him! And this is indeed true: for in the psalms there is an opportunity for the people to bless and praise God.
Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John. After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France. In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the first systematic Christian theologians.
God's splendor is the source of life; those who see him share his life. Because he was beyond the reach of man's mind, incomprehensible and invisible, he made himself visible, intelligible and knowable so that those who see and accept him may possess life.
Irenaeus, born around 130 to a Christian family, was a disciple of Bishop Polycarp in Smyrna, who had himself been a disciple of the Apostle John. After a persecution decimated the church in Gaul, Irenaeus became the second bishop of Lyon and was noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in what is now the south of France. In his treatise Against Heresies, Irenaeus exposed the errors of Gnostic heresy and was instrumental in defining apostolic orthodoxy as one of the first systematic Christian theologians.
There is one God, who by the Word and Wisdom created and arranged all things. But God’s Word is our Lord Jesus Christ, who in these last times was made a man among men, that he might join the end to the beginning: that is, join man to God.
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed.
Bodily health is a good thing, but what is truly blessed is not only to know how to keep one’s health but actually to be healthy. If someone praises health but then goes and eats food that makes him ill, what is the use to him, in his illness, of all his praise of health?
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed.
Blessed are those who possess a pure heart, for they shall see God. This promise of God is so great that it transcends the utmost limits of beatitude.
Gregory of Nyssa was born in 335 to a devout aristocratic Christian family in Cappadocia, which had suffered persecution for their faith. Gregory's grandfather was martyred, his parents had their goods confiscated and were exiled for confessing Christ. Three of their sons became bishops: Gregory was elected bishop of Nyssa in 372 and joined his older brothers, Basil of Caesarea and Peter of Sebaste, in their fight against the Arian heresy. Gregory contributed significantly to the Church's understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed.
The feelings that come to a man who stands on a high mountain peak and looks down onto some immense sea are the same feelings that come to me when I look out from the high mountain peak of the Lord’s words into the incomprehensible depths of his thoughts.
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the faith, in the liturgy and in the life of the individual believer.
Since it is by giving alms that everything is pure for you, you will also receive that blessing which is promised next by the Lord: Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Dear friends, great is the happiness of those for whom such a reward is prepared. Who are the clean of heart if not those who strive for those virtues we have mentioned above?
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the faith, in the liturgy and in the life of the individual believer.
The Lord then goes on to say: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. This hunger is not for any bodily food, this thirst is not for any earthly drink: it is a longing to be blessed with righteousness, and by penetrating the secret of all mysteries, to be filled with the Lord himself.
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the faith, in the liturgy and in the life of the individual believer.
After preaching the blessings of poverty, the Lord went on to say: Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the faith, in the liturgy and in the life of the individual believer.
Concerning the content of Christ's teaching, his own sacred words bear witness; thus whoever longs to attain eternal blessedness can now recognize the steps that lead to that high happiness.
Leo the Great, a native of Tuscany, was elected bishop of Rome in 440 and is perhaps best known for meeting with Attila the Hun in 452 and persuading him to turn back from his invasion of Italy. The nearly 100 sermons and 150 letters of his that have survived are mostly concerned with theological questions concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his role as Mediator and Saviour. Leo taught extensively on Christ's presence in the Church: in the teaching of Scripture, in the preaching of the faith, in the liturgy and in the life of the individual believer.
Dearly beloved, when our Lord Jesus Christ was preaching the Gospel of the kingdom and healing various illnesses throughout the whole of Galilee, the fame of his mighty works spread into all of Syria, and great crowds from all parts of Judea flocked to the heavenly physician.
Origen was born in Alexandria around 185. His father, a Biblical scholar and teacher, was executed by the state when Origen was still a youth for refusing to renounce Christ, and the family's entire property was confiscated. He continued his Biblical studies and Greek philosophy in Alexandria and later opened his own school in Caesarea. A prolific writer, he wrote numerous Scripture commentaries and nearly 2000 treatises on theology and prayer. Origen was imprisoned in 250 during the Decian persecution and later died from his injuries, a martyr for Christ.
The coming of the kingdom of God, says our Lord and Saviour, does not admit of observation, and there will be no-one to say “Look here! Look there!” For the kingdom of God is within us and in our hearts.
The following devotion was written by Hilary who was born in Gaul at the beginning of the 4th century to wealthy pagan parents, who gave him an excellent education with a high level of Greek. Later, upon reading the Old and New Testament writings, he abandoned Neo-Platonism and was baptized. The Christians of Poitiers so respected Hilary that they elected him bishop unanimously in 350. Over the next twenty years, he vigorously confronted the Arian heresy that was threatening to take over the Gallic church, defending the Nicene faith in his writings and his actions.
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Unless the Lord builds a house, the builders labor in vain. You are the temple of God. The Spirit of God dwells in you. This is the house and temple of God, full of his doctrine and his power, a dwelling place holy enough to house the heart of God. It is of this that the same inspired author is speaking, in the words: Your temple is holy, marvelous in its goodness. Man's holiness, justice and self-restraint constitute God's temple.
The devotion was written by Origen who was born in Alexandria around 185. His father, a Biblical scholar and teacher, was executed by the state when Origen was still a youth for refusing to renounce Christ, and the family's entire property was confiscated. He continued his Biblical studies and Greek philosophy in Alexandria and later opened his own school in Caesarea. A prolific writer, Origen wrote numerous Scripture commentaries and nearly 2000 treatises on theology and prayer. In 250 he was imprisoned and tortured for his faith during a persecution in 250 and died four years later from his injuries.
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All of us who believe in Christ Jesus are said to be living stones, according to the words of Scripture: But you are living stones, built as a spiritual house in a holy priesthood, that you may offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The following devotion was written by Augustine who was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
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This is our house of prayer, but we too are a house of God. If we are a house of God, its construction goes on in time so that it may be dedicated at the end of time. The house, in its construction, involves hard work, while its dedication is an occasion for rejoicing. What was done when this church was being built is similar to what is done when believers are built up into Christ. When they first come to believe they are like timber and stone taken from woods and mountains. In their instruction, baptism and formation they are, so to speak, shaped, leveled and smoothed by the hands of carpenters and craftsmen.
The following devotion was written by Origen who was born in Alexandria around 185. His father, a Biblical scholar and teacher, was executed by the state when Origen was still a youth for refusing to renounce Christ, and the family's entire property was confiscated. He continued his Biblical studies and Greek philosophy in Alexandria and later opened his own school in Caesarea. A prolific writer, he wrote numerous Scripture commentaries and nearly 2000 treatises on theology and prayer. Origen was imprisoned in 250 during the Diocletian persecution and later died from his injuries, a martyr for Christ.
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The Jews in this episode were angry at his expulsion of the people who were turning his Father's house into a market. So they asked for a sign to justify their actions, a sign that would show that the Word of God, whom they refused to accept, was acting rightly. The Savior's reply combines a statement about the Temple with a prophecy about his own body, for in answer to their question, “What sign can you give to justify your conduct?”, he says: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
Every person knows that God exists, but most people do nothing about it.
Yet, anyone who ignores the truth will be judged for their disobedience.
In our final devotion, from 1 Kings 22, we see how King Ahab ignored God’s clear word, and as a result, paid the ultimate consequence.
King Ahab realises that King Ben-hadad had not returned the captured cities to Israel, as he had promised.
Being a leader is hard, especially when it comes to wisely using the power that comes from authority.
In 1 Kings 21 we witness an appalling abuse of power by King Ahab, which stands in complete contrast to what servant leadership should be like.
The chapter begins by introducing, “a man named Naboth… who owned a vineyard… beside the palace of King Ahab.”
And it turns out that King Ahab wants Naboth’s land, verse 2, so, “Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden.”
It sounds reasonable, but Naboth replied, verse 3, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”
Bullying is horrible, but it’s even worse when the bully is a leader in power.
In our chapter from 1 Kings 20 we will see some big bullies doing some big bullying.
It starts with King Ben-hadad who rules in Aram, which is north of Israel’s border.
In verse 1, we read that he, “mobilized his army, supported by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it.”
This king has come down to bully Israel, as he says, verse 3, “Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!”
When we battle with the same trials and troubles, it’s tempting to seek a fresh word from the Lord.
We can wrongly think that the old, old story of the Bible is outdated and lacking relevance.
The prophet Elijah had that same temptation, for after the dramatic victory over the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18, things got much harder for him.
For, even though it seemed that King Ahab had turned to the Lord, his Baal-worshipping wife, Jezebel, was fiercely against her husband’s repentance.
When people say that all religions are the same, they offend everyone.
True tolerance acknowledges that every religion is different, and allows people to disagree with respect.
But, the truth will eventually be revealed, especially when the true God intervenes.
In our passage from 1 Kings 18 we see one of the great spiritual battles of all time, which begins as the Lord commands the prophet Elijah to tell disobedient King Ahab that the three-year drought will soon end, verses 1 and 2.
But before Elijah meets Ahab, we see the king’s attempt to fix the drought himself, as he summoned Obadiah, a devoted follower of the Lord, verse 3.
Obadiah is sent to search for feed in the fields, and as he travels, he meets Elijah, verse 7, who tells him to return to King Ahab to say that Elijah is coming to visit.
Big problems call for big solutions.
God’s people have had a big fall since the heights of David and Solomon, and now they need a big solution.
In 1 Kings chapter 17, we meet that solution… a man called ‘Elijah’.
His name means, ‘My God is Yahweh’, and that’s also his message to the messy world of God’s kingdom.
In verse one, Elijah speaks to bad king Ahab and tells him that, “there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
A punishing drought has begun from the hand of the true and living God.
Do you long for justice?
If you’ve been wronged or seen others wronged, you’ll pray that justice will come.
This is why it’s good that God is a fair and righteous judge, and that the day is coming when he will judge the living and the dead.
Yet as we await his return, we see times when God uses the evil of humans to carry out justice.
As we look at the end of 1 Kings 15 and the rest of chapter 16, we’ll see a long line of dreadful kings in the northern tribes of Israel.
When things go wrong, we can be tempted to doubt God’s promises.
As we grieve the deaths from Covid-19, we might ask where God is and what he’s doing.
This question also springs to mind as we look at God’s rulers in 1 Kings chapter 15.
We begin, verse 1, reading that, “Abijam began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel.”
As we see throughout this and the next chapter, the dating of the southern king of Judah is related to the date of the northern king of Israel, because the two, really, are supposed to be together, not separated.
It’s sad to see stubborn hearts that refuse to submit to God’s good rule.
In 1 Kings 14 we see the hard-hearted stubbornness of the king of God’s northern tribes, Jeroboam, as well as some stubbornness from his southern counterpart, as well.
It all starts with a crisis where we read in verse one that king Jeroboam’s son became very sick.
It reminds us of when the son born from King David’s adultery became very sick.
The toughest job in the Old Testament is a prophet.
Usually the message that the Lord gives them to speak is rejected by the hearers, and they also get a really hard time for saying it.
Today in chapter 13 of 1 Kings we meet a mysterious prophet who was sent to confront the godless king of Israel, Jeroboam.
The chapter begins with the king worshipping at a false altar when a “man of God from Judah” travels to Bethel to meet him there, verse 1.
And this prophet starts shouting, verse 2a: “O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says…”
What should a leader of God’s people be like?
As we’ve been reading 1 Kings each day, we’ve seen the successes and failures of God’s kings, and it’s helped us recognise what is most needed in his messiah.
This whole experience helps us understand why Jesus is the perfect king of Israel.
In chapter 12, Solomon has died and now his son, Rehoboam, gathers with “all Israel”, who wish to make him king, verse 1.
Strangely, they do this “in Shechem”, not in Jerusalem, which shows us that this group has already started to break away to begin to form the northern kingdom.
It’s tragic when a person falls away from following Jesus.
It’s even worse when that person was once a Christian pastor.
His or her apostasy doesn’t just affect them, but it can also bring others down, too.
In the first ten chapters of 1 Kings we’ve seen the spectacular rise of King Solomon.
Today, in chapter 11, we see his tragic demise.
So what went wrong?
What’s your favourite rags-to-riches story?
Ever since Cinderella there have been remarkable stories of nobodies becoming world-famous somebodies.
Before King David, Jerusalem was an unknown little town in the middle of nowhere, but under King Solomon, it became a global hub of wealth and wisdom.
Nowhere more is this seen than the fascination in Solomon and Jerusalem by the Queen of Sheba, in chapter 10 of 1 Kings.
In the first verse we read that, “When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, which brought honour to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.”
Have you ever experienced something that seemed perfect?
You’re with the perfect companion, enjoying the perfect meal, with a perfect view… until someone knocks over the food and you get bitten by insects.
Up till now in 1 Kings it seemed that life with God’s king in God’s place was as perfect as it could be.
But in chapter 9, things start to unravel.
Twenty years after he first told Solomon he would give him his wish for wisdom, the Lord again addresses the king, saying verse 3,“I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honoured forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.”
What church services have had a special place in your memory?
Maybe it was your confirmation, or a wedding or funeral, or maybe a special moment when you felt like you’d been lifted up to the very throne room of God.
In 1 Kings chapter 8 we witness the high-point of the Old Testament, something greater than any Olympics ceremony!
King Solomon has built the greatest religious building in history, and it’s time to welcome the special guest, the Lord God himself.
What does your house say about you?
After he built God’s temple, King Solomon began work on his palace and the surrounding buildings.
He knew that God was present in his temple, but that he also ruled through his king.
In 1 Kings chapter 7, we learn about the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon and then the Hall of Pillars, and then we’re told about the throne room, known as the Hall of Justice, verse 7.
This was the room in which God’s king sat on his throne, where he would hear legal matters, or literally, where he would judge.
If you could design the ultimate church building, then what would it be like?
In 1 Kings chapter 6, King Solomon began to build the long-awaited temple of the Lord. In fact, it was so long-awaited that the Bible tells us that it was “480 years after the people of Israel were rescued from their slavery in the land of Egypt.” (1 Kings 6:1). This was the moment they looked forward to when they sang the final words of the song of Moses, as they longed for “the sanctuary, O Lord, that your hands have established” (Exodus 15:18).
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia.
Even though I know it’s essentially a shelter from the rain, there’s still a special place in my heart for the building in which I heard God’s word as a youth, and was married as an adult.
Our Christian churches are often consecrated to set them apart for a noble use, but ultimately, the place we meet with God is not a physical building, but it’s in Christ Jesus, who is “the living cornerstone of God’s temple” (1 Peter 2:4). As John wrote in his Gospel, “when Jesus said, ‘this temple’, he meant his own body.” (John 2:21).
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia.
Have you ever found the book of Proverbs to be a little unsatisfying as a Christian? After all, it lists lots of practical advice about good living, but doesn’t talk a lot about the big salvation issues such as how to be reconciled with God. Yet, to understand Proverbs and the rest of the Bible’s ‘Wisdom Literature’, we need to realise that it was written at a time when God’s people already lived at peace with the Lord.
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia.
If you could ask God for one wish, what would that be?
Many might seek health, wealth, success, or happiness. In 1 Kings 3, we read that King Solomon’s one wish was that he would be truly wise. It was a great moment in the early days of the rule of one of the Lord’s great kings. He saw what was truly valuable because he lived in the security of God’s love.
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia.
What makes a great leader?
In 1 Kings chapter 2, we hear the final words of King David, as he tells his son Solomon how to lead God’s people in the right way. David begins by telling his son to “take courage and be a man” (1 Kings 2:2b). If Solomon is to lead God’s people properly, he needs to be strong and courageous, like a soldier stepping up to battle. He’ll need to do things that are difficult, controversial, and costly.
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia
One of the most unsettling moments in a society is when power transfers from the present ruler to his or her successor. Even when there’s clarity about who will rule next, there’s still uncertainty about how that ruler will rule, and what they’ll be like as they take the throne. In the first chapter of 1 Kings, we see the final, uncertain days of King David’s rule.
Jodie is the Rector of Jamberoo Anglican, a regional and rural parish in the Diocese of Sydney, Australia
Markus* came to college from an animist background. He was the firstborn son and was dedicated to the household idol at birth so that he would inherit the family covenant with the spirits. This meant special treatment. He only ate and drank that which had been offered to the idol using dedicated utensils kept in the shrine. When he went to wash in the river, he heard the spirits that resided there. When Markus became a teenager, however, he rebelled against his parents and decided to become a Christian. He went to the nearest church and listened with interest. However, he did not break his dedication to the idol. Later, he went to another church. There they taught him that he could be set free through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Markus believed and was baptised with great joy, but still, he did not break with the idol. When Markus left home for his first job, he lost his joy in the Lord. For several years he was greatly troubled until a Christian friend told him that he must break his covenant with the idol. He went home and destroyed the special utensils kept for him in the shrine and through prayer and faith in Christ broke the covenant. After that, Markus was again filled with joy and heard the call of the Lord to serve him as a minister of the gospel.
After several decades of teaching and leadership in theological institutions across Africa, the time came when we heard the Lord calling us to devote our time to training the next generation of lecturers. We put together a proposal and approached various organisations without success. We got to the point where our contract was about to end, and we had no direction. We were only asking for a small amount of funding, but it seemed that no one shared the vision. Desperate, we cried out to the Lord to make his will clear to us. Previously, we had only sought the absolute minimum, but our desperation made us bold. We multiplied the amount we needed tenfold and laid it out before the Lord in tears, asking for him to provide if it was his will for us to do this work. The next day, we sent the re-worked proposal to two organisations, packed our bags, and went on a retreat while we waited for an answer. When we checked our inbox six days later, we had received positive responses from both organisations, one of which had received a donation specified for lecturer training of the exact amount we had asked for. With the doors wide open, we were able to walk forward into the Lord’s will for the next stage of our lives.
One of the sacrifices we are called to make in mission is separation from loved ones. I had not seen my father for two years and was looking forward to returning home soon. That morning, the students asked me to speak in the university chapel on the death of Elisha from 2 Kings 13:10-25. They wanted to know how the bones of Elisha brought a dead man back to life. I spoke about the God who is reliable to the end, who saved his people in the past, who saves in the present and who will save in the future through eternal life in Jesus Christ. After chapel, I went back to work, preparing a study on the resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15 and was struck by the parallels with the morning talk. I went home rejoicing, only to receive the news that my father had passed away. I was stunned at first, but soon realised that he had died close to the time I was speaking about eternal life. The next day, I taught my class on the resurrection, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22). The reality of Paul’s words was tangible, and I found that I could shout with Paul, “Death is swallowed up in victory!” (1 Cor 15:54). I knew with certainty that my father was not dead but had eternal life with Christ.
Dickson* was one of the most unhappy students I ever had in an African Church History class. While others collected oral histories and artefacts and presented them enthusiastically, Dickson muttered and grumbled his way through the semester. When he finished the module, I expected him to avoid registering for my classes again but surprisingly, he put his name down for biblical exegesis. He began the module true to form and half-way through, he disappeared. When I asked where he was, students told me that he was preparing sermons and they invited me to come and listen to him that evening. Curious, I went along and witnessed a complete transformation. When Dickson came forward to preach, his face was happy and radiant. He expounded the passage and passionately pleaded with the congregation to come to Christ and be saved. Later that week he came into my office and explained that as he was reading the Bible passage in preparation for class, he had been born again and completely transformed by the love of God for him in Christ.
One of our students was a prince and grew up in the royal palace. The royal family were leaders of their religion and ensured that Luka* was taught how to practice it devotedly. As he was growing up, Luka made friends with a Christian child at school. One day, when he was visiting his friend’s home, he saw a Bible lying on a table. While his friend was outside, Luka flipped the Bible open and read the first verse he saw. It was John 14:6 “Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes to the Father except through me’”. He quickly shut the Bible and went out to play, but he never forgot the words he had read. In later life, when he was at university, his father died. This made Luka think about the day of judgment and life after death. He became very fearful that he would be condemned on judgment day. This fear paralysed him so much that he sought out the Christian students and asked them how he could have confidence to meet God. They explained that Jesus died on the cross to save us so that we can stand before God in Christ on judgment day. Luka then remembered the verse he had read as a child and believed in Jesus as the way to the Father and the only one who could give him confidence for the day of judgment.
Before he came to theological college to train for ordination, Yakubu* spent several years as an evangelist in an area that had very few Christians. His task was to preach the gospel among the population, in the marketplaces and outlying settlements. It was hard work and Yakubu often walked long distances to reach the villages. However, his preaching met with little success. People were resistant to the message about Jesus. Eventually, the time came for Yakubu to leave and start his theological training. Thinking that his work had been in vain, Yakubu was packing up with a heavy heart when he looked up and saw a delegation of tribal elders standing at the door. “We have come to ask you to stay with us,” they explained. Yakubu looked puzzled. “But you have not accepted the message about Jesus,” he replied. Looking earnest, they responded, “We don’t want you to go because we have seen Jesus in your love for us and now, we have decided that we want to know him.”
Dauda* had grown up in a family that held to the traditions of the ancestors. His father was a medium and as a child, Dauda had witnessed the way the spirits tormented him. After his father died, Dauda followed in his footsteps. He learnt how to be a medium and travelled far across the country to gain “special powers” to protect himself against harm. He became so confident that he believed himself invincible. He joined a band of criminals and took part in armed robberies, confident that the powers would protect him from bullets and arrest. However, one day, in the misery of his chosen lifestyle, he heard the voice of the Lord calling him to repent and follow him. There was no option for Dauda. He responded immediately to Jesus, left the path of crime, and eventually came to theological college. He testified that he had never sought out or loved God, but God had loved him first and saved him right in the middle of his life of crime.
One of the third-year students came to a biblical exegesis class on Monday morning in a state of confusion. On Sunday, a pastor had preached a sermon on redeeming the firstborn from Numbers 4:40-51. He told the congregation that each person needed to bring money the following Sunday to redeem their families. The reason for this, he explained, was that Jesus’ death on the cross is not enough to save us or our families. We also need to pay the money required in Numbers to obtain redemption. He then calculated the amount in local currency, according to the “sanctuary shekel.” It came to a substantial sum. Our student was distressed. She knew from her exegetical studies in Numbers that this was an incorrect application of the passage. Yet, she wanted to respect and obey her pastor. What should she do?
Anyone who has been a student will know the difficulty of trying to make ends meet on a tight budget. At one of our theological colleges, students came “by faith”, without any visible means of support. Relatives, church members and fellow students would make contributions to their upkeep and sometimes local churches would donate sacks of grain or beans. Despite that, there were always students who fell through the cracks. To meet this need, we kept a small supply of dry foods in our pantry. One year, however, the number of needy students was greater than normal, and our emergency supplies were soon exhausted. Students were going hungry. No matter how much we gave out, we could never satisfy all their needs. The guilt of putting food on our family table while others were going hungry was unbearable. How could we call ourselves Christians when we were unable to help everyone?
Two years ago, we met a former student at a conference. After nearly 18 years, we did not recognise him. He introduced himself as the father whose daughter we had saved and showed us a photo of a beautiful young lady. We looked at him questioningly. He reminded us of the measles epidemic in northern Nigeria and how his sick baby had been given an overdose of medication at the government hospital and had gone into a coma. Without money and desperate, he had come to us for help. There was a private mission hospital down the road. We would not normally have had enough money to hand, but a few months earlier, when home in the UK, a supporter had pressed an envelope of money into our hand and whispered, “It’s for student medical expenses”. We immediately took the baby and the money to the hospital and her life was saved.
After three years of learning to prepare expository sermons, the time finally came when the theology students were permitted to preach at the weekly chapel service. With several hundred students and staff in attendance, it was a difficult place to begin. One year, we were surprised by a student whom everyone knew as quiet. When the time came, she launched into an expert and rousing sermon. Her voice was commanding. The exposition was punctuated with vivid stories and illustrations from the local marketplace. Her points were skilfully repeated and punctuated with challenging questions which called for a response. The listeners were energised and engaged. When she sat down, no one had any doubt about what she had been called to do.
We met a young local missionary at one of the theological colleges we served in. He had done some basic training but after a few years in the field, he encountered different teachings that confused him, and he felt the need to study the Bible further. When he mentioned this to his supporting agency, his funding was withdrawn because the organisation maintained that those who have the Spirit have no need to be taught. Nonetheless, the missionary decided to come to college without support. He volunteered to work in the library where he could earn his fees and at the same time read, and help others to read, the good theological books available there.
The first class I taught as a new member of faculty at a theological college was Doctrine of Christ. I prepared the course with great expectation, assuming that the doctrine of Christ as both divine and human, as set out in the Scriptures and affirmed in the ancient Creeds of the Church would be fully accepted by the students. I was dismayed to find that some opposed the doctrine and argued that if Christ were God, then the whole world would have collapsed when he died on the cross. Therefore, they argued, Jesus could not be divine. After prayer and consultation with colleagues, I attempted to show from the Scriptures that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. But no amount of proof would persuade one of them otherwise and the student left the class still holding that belief.
The third-year class was studying John’s Epistles. As a way of interacting with the third epistle, they set up a short, improvised drama in the classroom. Four students took on the roles of the John the Elder, Gaius the Beloved, Demetrius the Good and Diotrephes the First (who put himself first). The students playing John, Gaius and Demetrius did a good job, convincing the class of the wisdom, love, and goodness of the characters. The student who played Demetrius, however, stunned the class with his acting. He portrayed a man who looked and sounded like anyone they might meet on the streets or in the market. He was brash, self-centred, boastful, and concerned for his own well-being. He used cunning and craftiness to wheedle good deals for himself. He enriched himself at the expense of others. He clearly loved the world and everything in it. He was everyman and familiar to all. The drama had brought the scriptures alive.
Every year the students went out on mission into areas of the country that were little evangelised. One year, we had a student who had been involved in traditional witchcraft before he became a Christian. As a result, he was not afraid to preach in houses where others held back. In one such house, a medicine man challenged him to a duel. He claimed superpowers that enabled him to eat unpalatable foods without harm. If the student’s God could protect him, then the medicine man would also become a Christian. Our student had 24 hours in which to fast and pray. He then went back to the house and joined the man in the meal. When nothing untoward happened, the medicine man declared that the student’s God had overcome his own powers and true to his promise, he became a Christian.
Praying aloud in the hostel during the hours before dawn was a spiritual discipline valued by many of the young Christians who came to train for the ministry. It was a cool time of day that gave opportunity for personal prayer and fellowship with God. To these students, praying out loud so that others could hear showed that they were earnest about their faith. The problem was that it did not take into consideration the needs of other students in the hostel. Inevitably, the practice caused conflict and led to intense debate. Eventually, the matter was resolved when the college issued a new rule. Out of consideration for others, those who wanted to pray out loud were asked to do so further down the road, away from the hostels.
A long-standing employment dispute had reached deadlock when I was asked to take on the role of acting principal of a theological college. The file was brought to me in my first week and I read diligently through it. It appeared that both sides had a valid argument and that neither was prepared to compromise. I contacted the lawyers, who were quite happy to continue with the impasse. Every time the matter went to court and was subsequently postponed, they could charge their fee. What we needed was someone to act for us before the aggrieved party and find a way to resolve the dispute. Someone who would plead our case and present a solution that would satisfy the complainant. Thankfully, the right person was found, and the dispute was settled swiftly and satisfactorily.
An applicant presented excellent credentials for entry to the theological college. During his admission interview, he convinced the lecturers that he was a first-class student and would apply himself eagerly to his theological studies. Indeed, during the first semester at college, he appeared diligent and engaged. However, when time came to mark his first semester examination papers, the student had performed very badly. The academic dean enquired why the grades were so poor when his school results were so good. “Ah, well!”, the student replied. “The previous results were not my brain. The teacher wrote the examination answers on the black board and I just copied them!”
Have you ever been afraid of the dark? In some regions of Africa in which we have worked, the dark is the realm of the spirits. People can be afraid to go outside at night without wearing an amulet for protection or chanting incantations to ward off evil spirits. For Christians, however, the night often becomes a special time for prayer and worship. Students in theological colleges regularly hold all night prayer and praise sessions, using the time afforded by the dark as an opportunity to draw near to God. Thus, the darkness is transformed by the light of the gospel and joy in his presence is the fruit of the night vigil.
A graduation ceremony usually calls for celebration. After years of hard work, students rejoice when they reap the rewards of their sacrifice and perseverance. It was an especially joyous occasion for students from South Sudan, who missed much of their foundational primary schooling when they fled the civil war and had to complete their secondary schooling in refugee camps in Kenya. Post-secondary education at theological college was not easy for them, but when they graduated, their joy was palpable. Family and friends celebrated when the degree was awarded and after the ceremony, the entire community rejoiced together, sharing food with singing, and dancing.
The Harmattan is a dry wind that blows fine sand dust from the Sahara Desert across West Africa during the dry winter months. It reduces the visibility in the whole region. When we were teaching at a theological college in northern Nigeria, the Harmattan would sometimes be so dense that we could not see more than a few metres in front of our door. When someone entered the compound, we would initially not be able to recognise them. An eery shape would appear in the mist, looking like a tree or bush. As it walked closer towards the door, we would begin to see a vague human shape that gradually became more distinct until, a few metres from our door, we could see the student’s face clearly and hear their voice ring out. We would then respond joyfully and announce to the household that we had recognised the visitor who had come.
Augustine of Hippo was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
*Thanks to Barbara Gauthier for helping to arrange and contribute this devotion.
Hilary of Poitiers was born in Gaul at the beginning of the 4th century to wealthy pagan parents, who gave him an excellent education with a high level of Greek. Later, upon reading the Old and New Testament writings, he abandoned Neo-Platonism and was baptized. The Christians of Poitiers so respected Hilary that they elected him bishop unanimously in 350. Over the next twenty years, he vigorously confronted the Arian heresy that was threatening to take over the Gallic church, defending the Nicene faith in his writings and his actions.
*Thanks to Barbara Gauthier for helping to arrange and contribute this devotion.
After several decades of teaching and leadership in theological institutions across Africa, the time came when we heard the Lord calling us to devote our time to training the next generation of lecturers. We put together a proposal and approached various organisations without success. We got to the point where our contract was about to end, and we had no direction. We were only asking for a small amount of funding, but it seemed that no one shared the vision. Desperate, we cried out to the Lord to make his will clear to us. Previously, we had only sought the absolute minimum, but our desperation made us bold. We multiplied the amount we needed tenfold and laid it out before the Lord in tears, asking for him to provide if it was his will for us to do this work. The next day, we sent the re-worked proposal to two organisations, packed our bags, and went on a retreat while we waited for an answer. When we checked our inbox six days later, we had received positive responses from both organisations, one of which had received a donation specified for lecturer training of the exact amount we had asked for. With the doors wide open, we were able to walk forward into the Lord’s will for the next stage of our lives.
Clement was a leading member of the church in Rome in the late first century, becoming the bishop of that large congregation in 88. In his letter to the Corinthians, the earliest authentic Christian document outside the New Testament, Clement emphasized the unity of the church and the unity of the body of Christ with all its various members, brought together by God to live and work together in harmony for the good of all.
*Thanks to Barbara Gauthier for helping to arrange and contribute this devotion.
Clement was a leading member of the church in Rome in the late first century, becoming the bishop of that large congregation in 88. In his letter to the Corinthians, the earliest authentic Christian document outside the New Testament, Clement emphasized the unity of the church and the unity of the body of Christ with all its various members, brought together by God to live and work together in harmony for the good of all.
*Thanks to Barbara Gauthier for helping to arrange and contribute this devotion.
Written by Very Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina-Provost
Growing through persecutions part 2 Acts 8:1-11
John Piper has rightly observed that God uses the persecution and suffering of his people to spread the truth of Christ and to bless the world (cf. Luke 21:12-13). He rules over the sufferings of the church and causes them to spread spiritual power and the joy of faith in a lost world. It is not his only way. But it does seem to be a frequent way. Thus, “God spurs the church into missionary service by the suffering she endures. Therefore we must not judge too quickly the apparent setbacks and tactical "defeats" of the church. If you see things with the lenses of God, the Master strategist (who cannot lose because he is omnipotent), what you see in every setback is the positioning for a greater advance and a greater display of his wisdom and power and love.”
Written by Very Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina-Provost
Growing through Prayer
Act 4:23-31, 12:1-18
It is interesting to observe what Peter and John do immediately upon their release. They do one thing that's very natural, and they do another thing that's very supernatural. The natural response is to seek the fellowship of friends. The supernatural response was prayer; not just that they prayed, but how they prayed and the result of that prayer. As we go through the devotion today you'll notice there are five points to cover. The first point is the natural response of Peter and John to the threat from the Sanhedrin, the remaining four is examining the supernatural response to the threat.
Written by the Very Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina-Provost
Growing through persecutions part 1: Acts 5:17-42
In the month of June 2021, the All Saints Cathedral Nairobi focused on the scattered Church. Today we reflect on growing through persecution. Enjoy these devotions. Beloved in Christ, we would be worried if the church was a human effort. If it was up to us alone to defend the church, maintain her unity, or increase her numbers, we’d have reason to be concerned. For the church would certainly follow the path of so many man-made clubs and societies—for a while strong and united, but eventually weak and scattered.
By Rev. Lilian Karinga, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
Living in Light of the Day of the LORD – 2 Peter 3:1-18
Perspective is an important aspect of life. It dictates how we approach issues and how we go about our lives, yet often times, we do not take time to analyze what it is we really believe or what our driving force really is. The Apostle Peter is seen in his two epistles to bring out strongly what the key beliefs and tenets of Christianity are, strengthening the believers to nurture and maintain godly belief and conduct.
In the last chapter of the second letter, Peter addresses the teaching on the day of the LORD more directly. This is a subject he alluded to numerous times in his two letters. For instance, in 1 Pet 4:7 he says that, “The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray”. Similarly in 2 Pet 2:9 he said, “... the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgement”. These verses are seen to bring out the fact that the end of things and the impending judgement of the wicked associated with the day of the LORD is imminent. This certainly echoes the words of Christ to His disciples especially in Matthew 24 and 25. Words that Peter had heard Jesus express and now had become a strong part of how he viewed life.
By Rev. Lilian Karinga, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
Confirming Your Calling and Election – 2 Peter 1:10-11
In the first chapter of Peter’s second epistle, he instructs believers at least three times to make every effort. We can tell from his years as a disciple and an apostle, Peter knew that the life of a believer requires effort. This is despite the fact that he opened each letter with a prayer for God’s grace in abundance upon the believers. It has sometimes been thought that God’s grace is a replacement for willing and diligent effort on the part of the believer. Yet Paul, who would be wrongly quoted in this matter, puts grace in perspective when he tells Titus that “… the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions…” (Titus 2:11-12). Peter must have had a correct view of the grace that enables us to do what would be humanly difficult if not impossible including making every effort to do what God expects of us.
By Rev. Lilian Karinga, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
Living for God – 1 Peter 4:1-6
It is said that sometimes it may be easier to die for Christ than to live for Him. We could have an argument for or against this statement with valid reasons. The point is however, that in many ways it is not easy to live for God. This is because of the fact that our spirit has to compete with our fleshly/evil desires as well as the world which more often than not represent ungodly standards and systems. We can tell that Peter had this in mind as he wrote this passage.
What does Peter tell the believers to do?
By Rev. Lilian Karinga, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
A Call to Holiness
1:13-16
Looking at the passage we’ve read, we see the call to holiness in three ways: 1) as an appeal to the mind; 2) appeal to the heart and; 3) as an appeal to character.
An appeal to the mind
Notice how in this passage Peter focuses on his reason for writing. He is intentional in addressing the mind of a believer in order to stimulate them into wholesome thinking (2 Pet 3:1). He calls the believers to alertness and sobriety in lieu of Christ’s appearing. We can tell that he does not want them to be conflicted with the goings-on around them. He appeals to them as obedient children not to conform to the evil desires that they had when they lived in ignorance. He purposes to point out to them that in Christ they were no longer what they used to be. There must be a clear distinction between whom they were and who they had now become. They needed to be like the one who called them. Peter saw this as a matter that needed to be resolved in their minds. A call to holiness is therefore first and foremost an appeal to the mind in order to get into agreement with God’s teaching and understanding on the same.
By Rev. Lilian Karinga, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
Apostle Peter: A Father of Faith
1 Peter 1:1-2
I want to believe that we all get excited every time we receive a letter or a message from someone we care about or look up to. Can you imagine what it meant for the early Christians to receive a letter from the Apostle Peter? It must have been comforting!
A letter in my view represents much more than words; it represents the person of the writer. In the next few days, we hope to reflect on some of the teachings and instructions that the Apostle Peter gave in the two epistles that are called by his name. The purpose he gives for writing the two letters is that they may serve “... as reminders to stimulate them ‘his hearers’ to wholesome thinking” (2 Pet 3:1).
By Paul Machira, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
One lesson I have loved teaching over the years in Sunday school classes for children is the parable of talents as recorded in Mathew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27. There is always something new in this text that makes me keep going back to it for more. Recently, as I meditated on the text, my eyes were opened to how much the parable bears a lot of similarities with the Bible account in Genesis 1:28.
In both texts, the master (God) entrusts His resources to His servants with an expectation that they will be good stewards of it and will be fruitful, increasing it to give him a good return.
In both instances:
It is the master who initiates the stewardship relationship and not vice versa.
The master does not explicitly tell them what to do with the entrusted resources
The master expects a good return on investment.
By Paul Machira, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
1 Kings chapter 2 narrates how when the great King David was nearing the time of his death, he summoned his son Solomon to whom he was to bequeath the responsibility of becoming the next King of Israel.
“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” 1Kings 2:1-2
King David had lived a full life. He had seen it all and done it all and deservedly earned the right to advise his son what he needed to do to be a successful king, especially now that he was leaving behind a united, prosperous nation, his many shortcomings notwithstanding.
By Paul Machira, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
Who would your son or daughter find at church if he strayed there on a random weekday looking for answers? Would they find people there to guide them or discourse their latest scriptural findings? What would they find at your local church compared with what they would find at your bank? How much information would your daughter or son get on financial services the bank offers if they randomly walked into the bank vis-à-vis what they would get at church?
Continuing with the Gospel of Luke at chapter 2:46, when the child Jesus remained behind at the temple or maybe the reason he was left behind at the temple by the parents could partly be because he found himself in good company there. The Scripture records from verse 46 that after looking for him for three days,
…… they found him in the temple courts sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
By Paul Machira, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
Luke 2:41-52.
Notably, the command to increase and multiply was first given to the family unit after the Lord had instituted one at the Garden of Eden. Families are at the center of God’s plan to increase and fill the earth. The Gospel of Luke Chapter 2 sheds light into a family tradition of a young Nazarene family seeking to fulfill the command from whom we can draw a few lessons.
By Paul Machira, All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi
God blessed them and said to them “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the face of the earth. Gen. 1:28
The first instruction given to Adam and Eve at creation after being blessed by the creator, was for them to increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Interestingly, there is no mention of Adam and Eve being given some form of training on how to do what they were being asked to do. Indeed, there were no schools or colleges as yet they could enroll into and get trained on agriculture or environmental protection or marine biology or any of the disciplines they would need. One would then dare ask, “How on earth were they going to do it?” “Did the Lord err by giving an instruction he had not made provision for?”
Minister: Rev. Evans Omollo - Assistant Provost at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
In this last reflection, we look at our spiritual responsibility to walk in purity as an integral part of our witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul in Ephesians 4:17-5:17 challenges believers not to live as they lived before, with darkened understanding and a life separated from God (Eph 4:18) as well as indulging in every form of impurity (4:19). We pick two lessons from this passage:
Firstly, that believers must put off the old self (sinful nature).
Minister: Rev. Evans Omollo - Assistant Provost at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
Over the last three days, we have reflected on discovering our spiritual possessions and spiritual position in Christ. We note that discovering our spiritual position in Christ endows us with some enormous spiritual responsibilities as believers. In today's devotion, we reflect on our spiritual responsibility to walk in unity as Paul teaches in Ephesians 4: 1-16. The following are some key lessons from this passage:
One, that as believers, we are to preserve our Christian unity.
Minister: Rev. Evans Omollo - Assistant Provost at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
Yesterday, we reflected on our spiritual position as believers and learned that we are seated with Christ. This means that as children of God, we are not citizens of this world; rather, we belong to heaven and are challenged to live everyday in light of this reality. Today, we look at what Paul teaches on our spiritual position as that of being reconciled with Jesus. Paul reminds the Ephesians that as Gentiles, they had five things that characterized their lives before the unfolding of the mystery of God's salvation to them. That they were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship of Israel, foreigners to God's covenant, without hope, and without God (Ephesians 2:12). This described their desperate situation that depicts a people who were living in complete darkness and rejection.
Minister: Rev. Evans Omollo - Assistant Provost at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
Yesterday, we reflected on our spiritual possessions in Christ where we discovered that our spiritual riches as believers are incomparable to nothing in this world. We learned that we belong to God and that our salvation is priceless. Today, we reflect on our spiritual position in Jesus. Paul reminds the believers in the church in Ephesus of their previous condition of sin (1-3). He tells them that they were dead in their sins as they followed the ways of the world. We were under the influence of Satan who controlled our lives and led us to gratify the desires of the flesh. It simply means, like the Ephesians, those who today follow the dictates of the desires of the flesh and submit to the ruler of this world are spiritually dead. To be spiritually dead means being conditioned to sin at will and succumbing to every manipulation of Satan to disobey God. We therefore become enemies of God.
Minister: Rev. Evans Omollo - Assistant Provost at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi
It is our great pleasure at All Saints' Cathedral, Nairobi team to be part of those sharing reflections this month in the run up to the celebration of Gafcon Sunday on 27th June 2021. In our series this week, I intend to take us through a journey of the book of Ephesians with a view of helping us discover three things; namely, our rich possessions in Jesus Christ, our unique positioning as believers in Jesus Christ and our divine spiritual responsibilities as God's ambassadors. We state in these reflections that discovering who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ enables us to faithfully and urgently commit to proclaiming the Gospel in an era where political correctness dominates all spheres of life. Such a faithful proclamation will ensure that the Church is grounded on orthodox faith as passed on to us and as contained in Gafcon documents.
Today we conclude our walk with Cranmer through Ascensiontide with the last two verses from the Comfortable Words. Having laid out the two sides—the longing of humanity for relief and the longing of God to rescue—Cranmer’s third Comfortable Word circles back like a hawk to the human condition, but now at a higher level.
Hear also what Saint Paul says. This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
We have seen that Cranmer’s new collect for the Sunday after the Ascension goes to great lengths to emphasize that the Holy Spirit brings comfort to God’s people, including the ultimate comfort, the assurance of eternal salvation because of God’s promise in Jesus. Associating comfort with Christ’s saving work was so important to Cranmer that he embedded four scriptures at the heart of his 1552 service of Holy Communion to make this point crystal clear. Collectively, these biblical passages are called Cranmer’s Comfortable Words. Yesterday, we looked at the first verse, Matt. 11:28. Cranmer used Jesus’ own words to acknowledge the depth of human longing for good news. His second Comfortable Word now turns again to Jesus to establish the depth of God’s own longing to respond.
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son to the end that all that believe in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
In his Collect for the Sunday after the Ascension, Cranmer doubled down on emphasizing the power of the Holy Spirit to bring comfort.
The text of the ancient antiphon reads:
Do not leave us orphans, but send upon us the promise of the Father, even the Spirit of Truth.
But Cranmer’s new collect has the people prayer:
We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine holy ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our saviour Christ is gone before:
We noted yesterday that Cranmer replaced “orphans” with “comfortless” and then specified the purpose of the Holy Spirit was to give comfort. But notice he went even further in the next clause. Cranmer connects the comfort of the Holy Spirit with its ultimate work, our eternal salvation: “and exalt us unto the same place whither our savior Christ is gone before.” Cranmer wanted to associate Christ, with salvation and comfort because that too was not the case in the medieval church.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
The Sarum Rite, the principal Latin liturgy in medieval England, did not refer to the Ascension in the collect for the following Sunday. Cranmer and his fellow compilers decided to go in a different direction. Because of their emphasis on our need for the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, they repurposed an antiphon from Vespers for Ascension Day instead. The ancient text read:
O Lord, King of glory, Lord of virtues, who today didst ascend in triumph above all heavens, do not leave us orphans, but send upon us the promise of the Father, even the Spirit of Truth.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
Is Jesus first and foremost a teacher or a savior? Did he come to tell us a better way to live, or did he come to give us a new life? Do we train our wills to do good like Jesus did, or do we need Jesus to move our wills to want to do good? These are some of the most fundamental questions of the Christian life.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
One of the most fiercely contested issues in the history of Anglicanism is the nature of Cranmer’s mature view of Holy Communion. As the first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, he was the architect of the first two Church of England prayer books, and these liturgies, in one form or another, shaped Anglican worship well into the twentieth century. Although everyone must agree that ultimately the remembrance of our Lord’s death with bread and wine is a mystery, Western Christendom has divided into various rival camps over their competing understandings of how it works, and even what to call it. Is it properly the Mass, the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion or the Eucharist (i.e., Thanksgiving)? Naturally, generations of scholars and church people have parsed the words of Cranmer’s services to see where Anglicanism stands amidst these divisions.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
For the followers of Jesus, his Ascension, which we celebrate today, was a turning point. From then on, they would live in the in-between time, between Jesus leaving this earth and his promised return. For Christians, that means we are part of this world, but not of it. We are born here, live here, work here, love and are loved here. We even eventually die here. But here is not our home. Here is not the source of our power. Here is not the focus of our hope.
Copyright 2021 John Ashley Null; all rights reserved; used by permission for educational purposes
As a teenager, I read the testimony of a woman who came to Christ after living a sordid, sexual existence. Although she did not go into detail, I was shocked that she wasn’t keeping it a secret. People, including her parents, would find out what she got up to; I was horrified! What I had yet to comprehend at that point in my life was the reality of Romans 8:1-2,
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15
“How can I forgive someone if they won’t even accept that they have done anything wrong?” How can I forgive someone if they don’t even think they’ve done anything wrong – or refuse to acknowledge it? The short answer is you don’t. Going back to the framework, you hold forgiveness in your ‘hand’ like a gift, but it could be that you may be holding it for an awfully long time.
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24
What is our role when we have wronged someone? What does forgiveness look like then? As mentioned earlier our biggest battle in seeking forgiveness is our pride. But as Christians, we have a responsibility to make things right. To humble ourselves
20He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
As Christians, we have been shown how forgiveness works. It is a framework that we know very well – we are well taught and for the most part, are able to explain it clearly to anyone who asks. God loves us, we sin, God sent his son to die in our place and to offer us his righteousness, and we need to repent and believe.
As Christians we do not believe in universalism. In other words, we do not believe in the universal application of the forgiveness of sin, through the blood of Jesus Christ, to every single human being on the earth whether they believe it or not. There is a choice to make. That is why Billy Graham held evangelistic crusades, why I help to run Christianity Explored courses, why we pray for friends and relatives who are agnostic or atheist. We long for people to know for themselves, the greatest gift that they could ever receive. For those of us who have experienced this gift, the joy and freedom that comes with being washed clean by the blood of Jesus is overwhelming!
Because the gift of forgiveness from God to a rebellious people was always part of his plan, he is the one who takes the initiative and makes it possible for us to have a relationship with him. As promised in Genesis 3, the head of the serpent will be crushed and there was victory over Satan. In the meantime, animals were sacrificed and skins provided to cover up our nakedness and shame.
Do we have a flawed understanding of forgiveness?
Imagine the scenario where little ‘Jenny’ hits little ‘Mary’ when playing together. Upset, Mary tells their mother what has happened. Trying to rectify the situation, the mother marches Jenny over to Mary and says, “That’s not very nice. What do you say to Mary?” The well-rehearsed words “I’m sorry” come sputtering out. Mother then turns to Mary with expectation, “Well Mary, what do you say?” Knowing what is expected of her, she replies, “That’s ok.” Mother is now satisfied and tells them both to go play nicely.
A few years ago, I was approached by someone who had been deeply hurt by the actions of their father. The very person they rightly assumed to be their advocate and defender had abdicated that responsibility and privilege, leaving a gaping hole in the lives of those around him. What made the situation worse was a refusal to recognise that any wrong had been committed. The question put to me in the middle of this pain was, “How can I forgive someone if they won’t even accept that they have done anything wrong?” This question challenged me deeply. I could have offered a very quick ‘Christian’ response and remind them that God, as their heavenly Father, would never let them down. Although true, it would not have answered the question. I needed to get to the nuts and bolts of forgiveness and face that question head-on. Over these next few days, this is going to be the subject we will prayerfully consider together.
What makes heaven, heaven? What makes the new creation really new? Is it that there is no pain? Or that it is a place where we will be reunited with those we love who have died in the faith, such that all will be well in ‘the sweet by and by’? Whilst not denying any of those things, surely what makes heaven, heaven, and the new creation new, is that God is there and we have unlimited access to him. At the present time we walk by faith, loving Jesus whom we can’t see (1 Peter 1:8-9), but there we shall always have him before us, he will never be hidden from our sight: ‘No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.’ (22: v3b-4).
If asked to describe their idea of heaven, the word many people would use would be, ‘boring’. George Bernard Shaw, in his typically pugnacious way, captured what most people think when he said: ‘Heaven as conventionally conceived as a place so inane, so dull, so useless, so miserable that nobody would venture to describe a whole day in heaven, though plenty of people have described a day at the seaside.’ Sadly Christians can all too easily feel brow beaten by such taunts. The Book of Revelation, however, would have us think of heaven and the new world differently.
‘Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.’ (Rev.22:1-5)
‘Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.’ (21:1-2)
In the final book of his classic, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ entitled, The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis has the Pevensie children, together with their cousin Eustice, trying to take in the new creation. As they do so they find themselves discussing how much it is like and unlike Aslan’s country: ‘If you ask me,’ said Edmund, ‘it’s like somewhere in the Narnian world.’….. ‘I don’t think those ones are so very like anything in Narnia,’ said Lucy. ‘But look there….Those hills…the nice woody ones and the blue ones behind - aren’t they very like the Southern border of Narnia?’ ‘Like!’ cried Edmund after a moment’s silence. ‘Why they’re exactly like.’….. ‘And yet they’re not like,’ said Lucy. ‘They’re different. They have more colours on them and they look further away than I remembered and they’re more…more…oh, I don’t know…..’ ‘More like the real thing,’ said the Lord Digby softly.’
‘And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.’ (Revelation 5:6)
We have already drawn attention to the meaning of the horns symbolising strength and power, in this case seven horns signifying perfect power. The eyes denote Jesus’ all seeing capacity; note again the number seven, his knowledge is perfect and complete. The question then arises: How is this perfect power and knowledge of Jesus in heaven to be communicated on earth? Here we are given the answer: by the seven Spirits, ‘The Lamb has seven horns and eyes [referring to Jesus’ omnipotence and omniscience] which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.’ It is the Spirit which brings Christ’s strength and wisdom to the world which amounts to him mediating Christ’s presence. This is how the ascended Christ, who is bodily in heaven, is able to stand amongst the lampstands of the churches in Asia Minor. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus (cf. Acts 16:6).
‘He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.’ (Jn. 16:14).
The main focus throughout the Book of Revelation inspired by the sevenfold Spirit is on the Lord Jesus himself. The Spirit’s primary work is to get God’s people to fix their hearts and minds upon Christ. Hence, we have these magnificent, awe-inspiring introductions to the churches, ‘These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands’; ‘These are the words of him who is the first and the last, who died and came to life again’; ‘These are the words of him who has a sharp, double-edged sword’; ‘These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.’
The late British Anglican theologian John Webster once wrote: ‘The gospel’s God is eloquent: He does not remain locked in silence, but speaks.’ This is one of the primary roles of the sevenfold Spirit-to speak eloquently to his world.
The apostle John is in exile on the isle of Patmos far removed from the presence of the ascended Christ who is bodily in heaven. However, he is somehow caught up to heaven by the Holy Spirit. Four times John says he was carried away ‘in the Spirit’. To speak of being ‘in the Spirit’ is a way of saying that John is a receiver of genuine divine revelation, just like the prophets in the Old Testament (Ez.1:24). It is the Holy Spirit who is the giver of revelatory experience.
From what we have had the privilege of seeing so far with John as we have glimpsed the throne room which lies at the heart of the universe, we might be excused for thinking that God is rather distant and remote. After all, God is presented as the One who occupies the throne and so making his dwelling place in heaven, not on earth (chapter 4). Jesus the Lamb is certainly victorious through his death on the cross, but he too now shares his Father’s throne in glory (chapter 5). Therefore, if God is in heaven and we are on earth, how does he connect with us, how is he to make his presence known and the fruits of his victory shared? Enter the third person of the Trinity.
The moment the Lamb takes the scroll to enact God’s will there is spontaneous and unsolicited worship, 5:8ff: ‘…the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’
The Lion who is the Lamb
God has to deal with the fundamental cause of the rot in his world, which is sin. As the Puritan, Richard Sibbes wrote, ‘Sin defiles our souls and takes away the sweet communion with God. It puts a sting in all our troubles, grieves the Spirit of God and does more harm that everything else in the world – nothing hurts us but sin, because nothing but sin separates us from God.’ This vision, and especially that of the ‘bloodied Lamb’, should bring home to us the seriousness of sin in the light of the holiness of God. The Bible provides us with what Charles Taylor calls the ‘social imaginary’, the totality of the way we look at the world, make sense of it and how we behave in it. It was the historian Herbert Butterfield who perceptively said, ‘If we imagine the world of generally righteous men with - at any given moment - only one especially wicked nation in it, we shall never envisage the seriousness of that situation with which Christianity sets out to deal.’ The Book of Revelation disabuses us of such Pollyanna optimism and presents the world as God sees it and as Christians should see it- broken and shameful.
Revelation 5
‘Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth.’ (5:6)
There are two things to note in particular with regards the Lamb.
First, it is a sacrificial lamb (‘looking as if it had been slain’), like the ones used during the Exodus to ensure that the Angel of Death passed over God’s people (Exod.12:3-6). It is also not possible to miss the association with the lamblike servant of Isaiah 53 (Isa. 53:7).
Revelation 5
It is the voice of one of the elders (the higher order of angels) which provides the reassuring answer to the angelic cry for one to put into effect the will of God, ‘And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”’ (5:5).
John being familiar with his Old Testament would have immediately known who the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, was. Genesis 49:9 speaks of the tribe of Judah being a ‘lion’s cub’, that is, from this tribe would come God’s appointed ruler. Similarly in Isaiah 11:1 the promise is made that ‘a shoot would spring up’ which would also be from the root of David’ (11:1). This is Messianic language. And this is the one who can take the scroll and put into effect God’s decrees. What qualifies him for this task is that he has triumphed. The Greek word suggests a victorious struggle which qualifies him for this unique role, having done that which the readers of several of the letters have been urged to do, namely, ‘conquer’ (e.g.2:8). Exactly what that struggle was we discover next as John lifts his head to look for this Lion only to see a lamb! ‘And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.’ (5:6)
Bishop Festo Kivengere of Uganda was known as the ‘Billy Graham of Africa’. He once said: ‘Please don’t be shocked if you hear that there is a revolution in Burundi, Uganda or Zaire. This is Africa! It’s nothing when young countries get revolution. They are going to get some more. But that doesn’t mean that the Man of Galilee has vacated the throne! Christianity has never been scared of a revolution. Satan can roar like a lion, but he has no authority to shake the throne on which Jesus is sitting.’ The apostle John would have agreed wholeheartedly because he had seen that the throne on which the ascended Lord Jesus was sitting was nothing less than the throne of God.
‘And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight.’ (4:6b-7)
Often ancient thrones were constructed so they looked as if they rested on creatures. For example, King Solomon had lions’ heads protruding from his throne (1 Kings 10:20), and we see something like that here. These creatures, however, have characteristics of the highest order of angels, the cherubim. They have wings and different faces representing different aspects of God. One is like a lion-a symbol of royalty; one, an ox, a symbol of strength; another, the face of a man, indicating intelligence; and still another, an eagle, having the ability to act swiftly. All these attributes find their perfection in God. Not only do these creatures enhance God’s throne and co-ordinate praise to the one seated on the throne, but their symbolism suggests that God’s throne rests on royal decree; he alone has the wisdom to do what is right, the power to bring it about and to do so swiftly all at the right time and in the right way for the sake of his people.
The awe-inspiring transcendence of God is depicted by the following images, ‘From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.’ (4:5-6)
First, there is the lightning and the thunder. In the days before the nuclear bomb what would have been the most powerful, destructive force the ancients could have referred to? The answer: a thunderstorm, the dark, wild, booming electrical storms which stalk the great continents where, when thunder erupts, the whole ground shakes, and when lightning strikes the whole sky is lit up. When God met with his people at Sinai, this is what they saw and they were terrified. Nature in the raw, nature unleashed at its most violent - that is what encircles the throne of God. To think that one can blithely walk into the presence of this God would be as suicidal as walking into an atomic blast - it can’t be done!
The Bible never defines holiness as such, especially when applied to God; rather, it is a term which in many respects signifies the otherness of God, the Godness of God if you will - how he is so utterly and wholly unlike us in his divine attributes. It speaks of the uniqueness of his being. It is a term often associated with the radiance of God (Shekinah) which far outshines anything we could imagine. It is sometimes linked to ‘glory’, the weight of God (kabod), which outweighs the entire cosmos. The absolute, transcendent, otherness of God - his holiness - is conveyed in the vision of chapter 4 in several ways.
‘After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.’ (4:1-3)
God is never described as such, because, apart from the fact that God is spirit and can’t be seen, he is infinite and so indescribable. To be sure there is someone seated on the throne ruling, but he can’t easily be captured by words. Thus he is described as having the appearance of jasper and the appearance of ruby and so on. God himself is never directly described; it is always in terms of the ‘likeness of’ and never ‘this is what he is.’
After the unimaginable slaughter of the First World War, W. B. Yeats wrote a poem entitled, ‘The Second Coming’ which began: ‘Turning and turning in the widening gyre, The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.’
That appears to be an accurate description of our world. When there is no centre to hold things together, things simply fall apart. They fall apart in a country if there is no effective government. They fall apart in a family if there are no parents. They fall apart in an individual if there is no centre of meaning in their soul.
The Book of Revelation is one of the most richly pastorally orientated books in the Bible. Rather than a letter to confound Christians, it is a prophecy designed to comfort them.
Immediately at the outset we encounter the one true God who exists within his own being in the eternally free, joyful fellowship of love between Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We have spent this month reflecting on the importance Scripture places on investing in the next generation, on discipling our children and youth. We have followed salvation history from Genesis 1 through the Old Testament, the gospels and the rest of the New Testament. And we conclude our reflective journey today in Psalm 8. Psalm 8? Is this where it ends? Surely, we should conclude in John’s Revelation of the new heavens and the new earth! Come with me to Psalm 8, a psalm of lofty praise amid dark valleys of lament and pain to see why our journey ends here.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Rev Craig Roberts, CEO of Anglican Youthworks in Australia and his colleagues. Today’s devotion was written by Craig who is also the leader of Gafcon's Youth and Children Network.
It might seem like an unlikely contestant in the fight for favourite Bible passages, but Titus 2 is one of my favourite chapters in the Bible. There are two things I love about it: the image of intergenerational discipleship and the challenge of ‘Who am I?’.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Kate Haggar. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
While welcoming a new family into our church, the conversation turned to why they were seeking a move from their previous congregation. I knew this other church to be led by a great team who were faithful in their preaching and strove towards developing a Christ-centred culture in their community. Why would this family want to leave?
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Tim Beilharz. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
In this passage we see Paul address the responsibilities, in the light of the gospel, of children and fathers. He has previously urged the Ephesian readers to “live as children of light” (5:8) and “be filled with the Spirit” (5:18). The implications of these exhortations are explored in relational terms as Paul teaches wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters. While not a comprehensive picture, the overall impression is given that there is no relationship that we are involved in that the gospel does not touch.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Bill Salier. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
My youngest son often declares that he loves me much more than I love him. Sometimes we joke about it, comparing the extravagant extent of our love. Other times I let it go with a smile at his immature grasp of how great a parent’s love for their child is.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Annemarie Rivers. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
It is startling when something you expect to be restricted to an exclusive few, is made available to the many. Imagine a celebrity wedding banquet where children are suddenly invited, or an expensive concert that becomes free for everyone. The shock can be overwhelming. “Can I really go? Is this really for me?”. This was the reaction many people had when meeting Jesus.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Ed Springer. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
From the moment of birth, we are on a journey towards independence and self-reliance. We celebrate milestones of independence like learning to walk, learning to talk, and learning to drive. Now we can move ourselves, communicate by ourselves, travel by ourselves. We measure our worth—our greatness—by our capacity to do things without help, whether solving a problem, earning a living, or moving something heavy.
And while the journey towards independence and self-reliance is an important part of adult maturity, is it a helpful model for spiritual maturity?
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Al James. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
At this point in Mark, the central turning point has already been reached when Jesus announced his forthcoming death and the way of discipleship (Mark 8:31-38). The way of Christian discipleship is the way of the cross:
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” – Mark 8:34-35
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Mike Dicker. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
This is a special passage because we know so little about Jesus’ life before the age of 30. It reminds us of the miracle of the incarnation, that he was truly a human being as well as truly God.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Ruth Lukabyo. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
Most children I know love the game of hide-and-eek. My own children love finding places to hide in our apartment, or love returning to spots that they have worked out to stump each other. The joy in the game is not just the hiding, nor the seeking, but in the anticipation of being found. Children want to play the game because they want to be discovered. They delight in finding a good spot to sit and wait, but they delight even more in being sought after by whichever sibling, parent, or friend they have pulled into their game.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Tim Beilharz. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
Have you ever pondered what legacy you might leave behind you?
Most of us are likely too rushed to indulge such grandiose questions. However, in Psalm 127 it is a question that Solomon, son of King David, was pondering.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Janet Simpson. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
Psalm 78 is the second longest Psalm in the Psalter and opens with a prophetic call to listen as the speaker opens their mouth in a parable. The word translated parable here has the sense of a hidden truth; something that might not be immediately obvious and which will require thought and concentration. We are being encouraged to pay attention!
The parable is the story of God’s dealings with his people and starts in verse 9. But before that, the writer tells us why we should listen and why they are recounting this long story.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Bill Salier. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
When faced with turbulent times and struggles in life, most of us, in our heart of hearts, yearn for a father to set things right for us. One who will comfort, guide, protect, and teach us, who will never abandon us and never cease to pursue relationship with his children. A father who will go to any length and pay any price to ensure that we are safe from harm.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Matt Bartlett. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
The book of Hosea is known for its confronting portrayal of Israel’s idolatry as spiritual adultery. The prophet Hosea’s words—and his own marriage—show that the relationship of God and Israel was in dire straits. The people of God had become ‘worldly’ as they conformed to the nations around them. They sought success and prosperity through the idolatrous worship of their neighbours’ gods. The prophet Hosea declared that such conduct was no trivial matter and was grounds for “divorce” (or exile).
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Andrew Spalding. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
The story of David and Goliath is a Sunday School favourite. There is a problem (verse 1), a villain (verse 4) and an unlikely hero (verse 32) who wins the day (verse 50). We know the story of God’s people being under attack from the Philistines; taunted by a giant champion in Goliath; the boy, David, shrugging off King Saul’s armour because it was too big and heavy for him; David selecting five smooth stones from a stream and successfully confronting Goliath with nothing more than an unswerving confidence in the name of the Lord Almighty.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO of Anglican Youthworks in Australia and his colleagues. Today’s devotion was written by Craig who is also the leader of Gafcon's Youth and Children Network. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
According to God’s law, children’s relationship with their parents was inextricably linked to God’s kingdom promises, and even to their own personal welfare. Honouring one’s parents was meant to be a way to sustain the good life of God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule. Disobedience and dishonour was an evil that would lead to the fall of the nation (Deuteronomy 28:15ff).
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Kris Young. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
When was the last time you forgot something? It might have been yesterday; it might have been five minutes ago. For most people, it will be recently! We have alarms, calendars, and diaries because we forget little things daily.
Sadly, we tend to forget big and significant things as well. This is why we have monuments to commemorate times of tragedy and war, national days of remembrance, and songs and poems which lead us to reflect on momentous events that impacted generations before us. In Australia, a phrase featured on many of our war memorials captures why we need these reminders: ‘Lest we forget’.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Natasha Percy. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
The story of Jacob and Esau is really the story of God’s prerogative to bless those whom he chooses to bless. Right from the very beginning of Genesis we hear the words of blessing from God to his creatures, first the airborne and sea creatures (Genesis 1:22), and then to his privileged image-bearers (Genesis 1:28). And God continues to bless humankind even after the Fall, after the Flood, and notably, after Babel, God makes a very particular and astounding blessing to Abram (Genesis 12:1-3). It is a blessing by God’s choice, on God’s terms, and guaranteed through God’s power to fulfill his promises.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Mike Dicker. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
When I was eight years old, I felt very special. My grandfather entrusted his utility (name of a pickup truck in Australia) to me when he taught me how to drive it on his farm. I thought it was fantastic. My friends were so jealous.
When Josiah was eight years old, he would have felt very special, because God entrusted him with his whole plan to save the world when he made him King of Judah (2 Chronicles 34:1).
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Andrew Baartz. You can find more of Youthworks excellent resources here.
When the curtain goes up at the start of a play or musical, the audience sees a background which immediately gives context for the action that is about to unfold. Most often, there is a problem that needs solving and so we are looking for a hero.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Rev Craig Roberts, CEO of Anglican Youthworks in Australia and his colleagues. Today’s devotion was written by Craig who is also the leader of Gafcon's Youth and Children Network.
The question of personal identity is one of the most significant questions of our time. Young people are surrounded by messages telling them that being authentic to their identity—who they are and what they desire—is the only way to live a fulfilling and satisfying life.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Kate Haggar.
It's right there, in the beginning, implicit in God’s second Day Six creative speech. Intergenerational discipleship. Each generation passing on to the next the imperative to produce men and women who might grow into a relationship with God. That theme will be our guide through the Scriptures this month, starting here on the first page of the Bible we will follow some key contours of salvation history to see how we are called to intentionally invest not just in our own relationship with God, but to nurture a saving relationship in him in the generations that come after us.
The Lift Up Your Hearts devotional series for the month of March 2021 are provided by Canon Craig Roberts, CEO, and his colleagues from Anglican Youthworks in Australia. Today’s devotion was written by Craig.
While for many this season is marked by near worldwide political upheaval, a still stifling pandemic, and untold economic stress, for Christians it’s still the season of Lent; a time in which we remember the suffering of Jesus. As my Bishop Philip Jones says, “the church doesn’t go through time, time goes through the church.” There’s never been a moment in which the relevance of Lent has been more obvious.
As Jesus suffered—in the garden, on the cross, in the grave—He confronted that fear behind all others, death. We see in His passion more than our mortality, we see the wages of our sin.
How long after becoming a Christian should one wait before sharing their faith? Three years? Four? The disciple Philip waited only two verses! In John 1:43 Philip becomes a follower of Christ. In verse 45, he’s found sharing the gospel with Nathanael!
Then as now, sharing the gospel was met with skepticism. Nathanael’s doubt revolved around Jesus’ hometown, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” While Nathanael’s question may seem straightforward, it’s more complex than it first appears. This is typically the case in evangelistic encounters.
In 1 Chron. 10: 13-14, we see that David is the rightful ruler of God’s people, but his reign isn’t yet recognized by everyone. We noted in yesterday’s devotional that this is the already/not yet position believers find themselves in today—Christ’s kingdom is here, but still coming. It behooves us, then, to observe of how the Israelites handled their “in-between” time. Today, we’ll take note of the fact that the people live unworried and with understanding.
Yesterday, we took note of the fact that believers live in the already/not yet of Christ’s Kingdom. His reign has been inaugurated, but not consummated. This is the position God’s people found themselves in when David is anointed King, but Saul’s reign is still in effect. By seeing how they lived in today and tomorrow’s devotionals, we’ll see how we ought to live. Today, we’ll look at 1 Chron. 10: 13-14 and take note of the fact that the people live with unction and with unity.
How should citizens of a heavenly kingdom live while on Earth? In his seminal book Paul and the Faithfulness of God, N.T. Wright gestures towards that very question: “The new creation—both the new creation and the new creation—has already been launched, and Messiah-people must learn how to live within that new world. They are ‘already in the new age.’ Equally, the final new creation is yet to come, and their behavior must look ahead to, and live in accordance with, something which is ‘not yet’ a present reality.”
In yesterday’s devotional, we noted that God rules over all of creation, not just the “religious” parts. Today, we’re going to consider how God rules—through us.
Where does God rule? In asking that question, it’s easy to answer, “the church,” or “places of religious work.” But the message of Scripture says something very different. God’s rule is final, and all-encompassing. We see this from the very first pages of the Bible.
Yesterday, we saw that the prophet Jeremiah ate God’s word—he consumed it. Today, we’re going to take note of the fact that, for Jerimiah, the word of God wasn’t bland. It wasn’t something to eat only for the nutritional value. It was broccoli. No, God’s word was something he savored, something in which he took delight! He tells us so in Jeremiah 16:16,
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
Have you eaten God’s word, or just tasted it? The Prophet Jerimiah is one who ate God’s word, as we see in Jerimiah 15: 16,
“Your words were found, and I ate them.”
This harkens back to his finding God’s word. Jer 1:9, “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.”
When you feel lost, remember the time in which you were first found by God.
Today, many Christians feel lost. The world feels new and scary. This feeling of disorientation—personal, cultural—is nothing new for God’s people. The Prophet Jerimiah knew this feeling well. He was living in a time of cultural upheaval and societal injustice. Personally, he felt betrayed and isolated—he never married because God told him not to. Life didn’t seem fair, and he felt lost.
Is kindness intelligible apart from the gospel?
For Fredrick Nietzsche, virtues like grace, mercy, and kindness are “merely an honorable form of stupidity.” Those who practice them simply “project their own honorable stupidity and goodness into the heart of things.” The “things” to which Nietzsche refers is the mystery of the universe - God, namely. A loving God is the work of fiction produced by the sentimental pining of a kind person. Our internal kindness simply gets reflected back onto the external world - next thing you know, there is a God willing to forgive sins.
How should Christians relate to civil authority? We should submit to it and we should subvert it. That’s the point of Matt 22: 19-21
All through the New Testament, people try to trap Jesus. They want to trap him because they want to control him—they want to make him safe, tame, and usable.
How do we respond when you get the dreaded call? Perhaps the call comes from your boss in the middle of the morning—the job we’ve relied upon for years is being taken away. Perhaps the call comes in the middle of the afternoon from our doctor—the health we’ve taken for granted for years is in jeopardy. Perhaps the call comes from our dad in the middle of the night—the sibling we’ve known and loved our whole life is fighting for their life after a car accident.
In those moments, how do we respond?
How do we grow in our trust of God’s plan for our lives? More to it, how do we grow in our trust of God? While we may say with our lips that we believe God is working out all things for our good, often our hearts believe something very different.
In the same pews, at the church at which I’m privileged to minister, sit people of different races, ages, and political parties—all confessing their sins, singing of God's grace, and taking the Lord's Supper together. In a culture too often broken up into rival factions, what could explain such a diverse, loving community? The short answer is Jesus is King.
We can spot family members because they share common characteristics. In chapter one of 1 John, the apostle identifies three traits shared by those in God’s family. John says they listen, walk, and confess.
Is life a gift to be received or a puzzle to be solved? Paul answers this question in Colossians chapter 2. What does it look like to view life as a gift?
Sin comes from our hearts and leads to ruin, while righteousness comes from God and leads to restoration. This is the message of Scripture, clearly taught in the first chapter of James. In James 1:13-14, we see the source and result of sin.
Dustin Messer is Pastor for Faith Formation at All Saints Anglican Church in Downtown Dallas, TX.
The author of this homily from the fourth century is unknown, but this gem of spiritual exhortation has survived despite all odds and continues to encourage, edify and strengthen the Christian's life of prayer and our calling to live in the light of Christ and in loving union with God.
This anonymous second-century homily is among a handful of Christian sermons that have been preserved from the very earliest days of the Christian church. It is bold in its proclamation of salvation through the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and its strong encouragement for Christians to stand firm in the faith and to live holy lives as a testimony to the power of God's saving grace and eternal forgiveness.
This anonymous second-century homily is among a handful of Christian sermons that have been preserved from the very earliest days of the Christian church. It is bold in its proclamation of salvation through the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and its strong encouragement for Christians to stand firm in the faith and to live holy lives as a testimony to the power of God's saving grace and eternal forgiveness.
I am the Good Shepherd; and I know my sheep (that is, I love them) and my sheep know me. It is as if he said plainly: "Those who love me obey me." For those who do not love the truth do not yet know it.
Gregory the Great was born around 540 to a noble Christian family in Rome. He used his skills as a talented administrator within church for the welfare of the Roman people, providing charitable relief for the poor and for refugees fleeing the barbarian incursions in Lombardy. As bishop of Rome, Gregory re-energized the Church's missionary work among the pagan peoples of northern Europe in Anglia, Saxony and Germany. He also wrote several biblical commentaries, various liturgical works and a practical rule for pastors.
Charity is a right attitude of mind which prefers nothing to the knowledge of God. If a man possesses any strong attachment to the things of this earth, he cannot possess true charity. For anyone who really loves God prefers to know and experience God rather than his creatures. The whole set and longing of his mind is ever directed towards him.
Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople and at the age of 30, received an influential court position under emperor Heraclitus. A few years later he left civil life to become a lay monk and study theological works. In his writings Maximus confronted the heresy of Monothelitism and died in 622, after being tortured for his orthodox faith. As a teacher of the spiritual life, St. Maximus gave detailed, practical guidance in how to live as a Christian, overcome sinful passions and truly love God and neighbor.
The Lord himself comes, the Teacher of love, full of love, shortening the word upon the earth, as was foretold of him. He shows that the Law and the Prophets depend on the two precepts of love.
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
The Lord Jesus declared that he was giving his disciples a new commandment, that they should love one another. A new commandment, he said, I give you, that you love one another.
Augustine was born in north Africa to a pagan Roman father and a Christian Berber mother. He spent his youth as a true pagan and in his Confessions, describes his time in a heretical sect in Rome and how he came to Christ by the grace of God and the preaching of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, who baptized him in 386. Having entered fully into the way of Christ, Augustine returned to Africa to become bishop of Hippo, and is recognized as one of the early Church's greatest theologians.
Columbanus was an Irish missionary, who with twelve others sailed first to Scotland and then crossed over to France in 585 to begin their apostolic mission to the Franks and later to the Lombards. Wherever they went, the people were struck by their modesty, patience, and humility. Despite opposition from local authorities, Columbanus and his followers established monasteries along the way to continue their work. True to his Celtic background, Columbanus had a great love for God's creatures and was also a poet, writer and scholar.
Cyril became Bishop of Jerusalem in 350 and is known for his systematic catchesis which he used to instruct new converts to Christianity in the essentials of the faith as part of their preparation for baptism at Easter and for further instruction on spiritual formation in the week following. Cyril's writings are filled with the loving and forgiving nature of God, the healing power of forgiveness and the companionship of the Holy Spirit.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.
Contributor Shady Anis writes for the Lift Up Your Hearts Devotions for the month of January.