Isolation

We’re living in very strange circumstances. At present, our freedom of movement has been restricted, so that we can only head out of our homes if we’re working in essential jobs, seeking medical care, helping the vulnerable, and getting one form of exercise. We’re approaching the second Sunday of not meeting together in the church building. We’re not used to such restrictions, applied so widely and so stringently. And yet they are desperately needed, as we seek to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.

When we consider the New Testament, we find lots of examples of physical distance and isolation. The early church, and especially the apostles, didn’t have the benefits of Facebook Live, or YouTube, or WhatsApp, Zoom and so many more technological solutions. Their technology was more basic, but was put to good use in combatting isolation.

John, in two of his three letters, says something similar: ‘I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.’ (2 John 1:12 cf 3 John 1:13-14) He has much to say, but longs for the day when he’ll see his recipients face to face to talk with them.

He was also familiar with imposed isolation, having been exiled on the island of Patmos ‘because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.’ (Rev 1:9). Even though he was exiled and far from his Christian brothers and sisters, he was ‘in the Spirit’ (Rev 1:10) and was joined by the Lord Jesus in all his glory. John’s isolation was used by God to produce the book of Revelation, a great encouragement to suffering Christians.

Peter addresses his first letter to ‘God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.’ Yet these scattered strangers ‘have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.’ (1 Peter 1:1-2) While they may seem small and insignificant in the world’s eyes, they are known and dearly loved by the Trinity.

The writer to the Hebrews encourages his readers to ‘Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.’ (Heb 10:25) Some had obviously stopped coming together with other believers, not rating it high in their priorities. We’re looking forward to being able to meet together again when it’s safe to do so. Are there ways that we can encourage one another while we wait?

The author then demonstrates his own commitment to meeting together in the closing verses: ‘I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.’ (Heb 13:23) People in three distinct locations, all looking forward to the day when they can meet again in one place - Timothy, the author, and the Hebrew Christians.

Perhaps the best examples of physical distance and isolation come from the pen of the apostle Paul. Having written so many letters to so many different churches and individuals, we get a glimpse of the experiences he endured as he served the Lord.

One of his earliest letters was to the church in Thessalonica. He had been in the city, proclaiming the gospel, and had to make a quick exit when a riot began. From there, he had travelled on to Berea and then Athens, from where he wrote 1 Thessalonians. Here’s how he describes his isolation:

‘But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you - certainly I, Paul, did, again and again - but Satan stopped us... So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow-worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.’ (1 Thes 2:17-18, 3:1-3)

Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Christians after planting the church there. His letter to the Roman Christians was different, in that he hadn’t been there before. And yet he couldn’t wait to come and see them. ‘I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong - that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.’ (Rom 1:11-12) It wasn’t that Paul, the apostle, would encourage these other believers. No, everyone would be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith as they met together.

Paul spent some time in prison, cooped up in a cell. Compared to Her Majesty’s establishments, his prison would have been ghastly. His apostolic ministry of preaching and planting churches had been stopped. His friends may have despaired. And yet even that time of confinement was a time of flourishing, productive ministry. His prison epistles were written at that time - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon - and they continue to speak of the encouragements Paul found even in prison.

As he reminds the Christians in Colossae, ‘All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing.’ (Col 1:6) Paul is in chains, but the gospel isn’t bound! Even in confinement, the gospel is advancing: ‘Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.’ (Phil 1:12-13) That letter to Philippians, penned in prison, is the epistle of joy!

Paul’s letters were written because he was at a distance from the Christians he was communicating with. In most of his letters we find lists of names of people he is greeting and others who are sending greetings. Without modern technology, Paul knew these people by name, and was aware of their situations and circumstances, maybe even better than we do today.

In his second letter to Timothy, we hear of Paul’s most painful experience of isolation. ‘At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (2 Tim 4:16-18)

Facing the might of Rome, and the threat of the death sentence, Paul stood alone. Alienated and isolated, but not totally abandoned. The Lord stood at his side and gave him strength. In these days of isolation, we are never truly alone, even if there’s no one else in the house with us. The Lord is always with us, giving us his strength. But the Lord gives us much more - he also gives us hope. No matter what may happen to us, as we trust in Jesus, we have the promise of being brought safely into his heavenly kingdom.

For Paul, that would involve an executioner’s block. Yet the moment the axe fell, the Lord ushered Paul into his heavenly kingdom. For all of eternity, we will not be isolated or alone, because we will be with the Lord and all his people. The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the answer to all our feelings of loneliness and isolation.

These next weeks or months may be difficult. It might appear that there’s no end in sight, particularly if you’re on your own. But remember that you’re never alone - we have the fellowship of the church, and the Lord is with you, both now and for ever more.

Sermon: 2 Timothy 3: 1-17 The God-Breathed Bible

I want to ask you a question this evening. What is it the church needs to do in these changing times?

There's no doubt about it that things are changing very rapidly all around us. The past century was one of amazing technology and development. Things are vastly different to when our grandparents were children themselves. Communications, working patterns, education - all are changing. One of my parishioners in Fermanagh turned 99 earlier this year. He would sit and chat about the changes he had seen in his lifetime. One of the biggest for him was moving from ploughing with horses to getting his first tractor. He would still rather have the horses, though.

But think how much has changed even in the last few years. On the lectern sits a wee box, recording my words. Later this week, this sermon will be available to whoever wants to listen in, anywhere in the world. And as for Facebook, video calling, and so much more - it’s incredible. As a news report recently put it, the smartphone in your pocket is more powerful than the NASA computers that put man on the moon.

With all these changes going on, let alone the social changes with proposed new definitions of marriage and relationships, we’re left wondering - should the church be changing its message to fit in with the times?

Some in the emerging/emergent church are saying precisely that. Because things have changed so much, the church needs to change the message it once proclaimed, so that we can fit in better with a new society, enlightened, multicultural, influenced by reason and not superstition.

This evening, though, on Bible Sunday, we come to the apostle Paul writing to a younger church leader, Timothy. Paul knows that he is near the end of his life; he's now in prison again, the time is short, and soon he will be killed for being a Christian. Timothy seems to be shy, fearful, so Paul is writing his last letter to Timothy to encourage him. Here, in chapter 3, he tells Timothy to know two things - know the times, and know the message.

Know the times

Boy Dylan sang in 1964 ‘The times, they are a-changing,’ and yet there's a sense in which things are still the same as ever. We have increased mobility, wealth, possessions, education, and yet things are as they ever were. Sin continues unabated. Paul says that this is the way things are going to be.

Verse 1: ‘But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.’ He then outlines a catalogue of sins, a litany of lawlessness. ‘People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.’

It all sounds horrible, and yet, we realise that this is what our world is like. All these things are all around us. That’s because we’re in the last days. You see, sometimes we think that the last days are just the last couple of days before Jesus returns. But we are already in the last days. We have been since the resurrection of Jesus. The last days are every day between the first coming of Jesus and his second coming. So this is our world, these are our times.

And alongside these worsening morals, we also have the threat of false teachers. We see them in verses 6-9. They worm their way into households, they gain control over weak-willed women, spreading their false teaching, leading people astray. Jannes and Jambres (8) aren’t named anywhere else in the Bible, but they’re thought to be the magicians of Egypt who opposed Moses, opposing the truth.

So this is the world that Timothy was ministering in, and it’s still the world that we are living in. The last days.

Do you remember the theme song that brought New Labour to power in 1997? The D:Ream song 'Things Can Only Get Better'. Twenty years on, as we reflect on the Labour years under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, we can't really say things have been getting better. Nor have they been getting better under the Conservatives. No matter which government is in charge, they can’t change the hearts of sinful people. Sin will continue. Just look at your newspapers or TV news. This is the world we live in, and Paul calls us to know the times.

Notice the contrast in verse 10 though. Paul is saying that Timothy is to be wise to the times, knowing the world he is working in, but not to copy their example. Instead, he writes 'You, however...' Don't follow the wicked world, but copy Paul's example, his faith, love, patience, conduct and all the rest, including persecution!

It's a strange inclusion, isn't it? Paul promises Timothy that he will face persecution - indeed, everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. What a promise! Yet it's what we should expect - precisely because we know the times, we know that the world is living in rebellion against its Maker and King, so that if we stand up or stand out for Jesus, then we'll attract some opposition.

Know the times, and be prepared to stand up for Jesus.

Know the message

But as well as recognising the times, Paul also urges Timothy to know the message he has been entrusted with. Again, at the start of verse 14, notice the contrast. 'But as for you...' The evil people will go from bad to worse, but as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of. Don't change the message - hold firm to the gospel.

Paul reminds Timothy that he has been acquainted with the holy Scriptures since childhood - the scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are the power of God for salvation, as they point to Jesus. Back in chapter 1, Paul mentioned Timothy's granny Lois, and his mummy Eunice, both of whom were Christians already, and had brought him up to know the Bible (the OT, of course), teaching and training him. Parents and grandparents, here's a call for you to be passing on the faith, teaching your children and grandchildren as you have opportunity.

The Scriptures, ‘All Scripture’, Paul says, are God-breathed. Sometimes we talk about how the Bible is inspired, but here Paul says that the Bible is ‘expired’ - not run out, but breathed out. As I’m speaking here, coming out of my mouth are my words, along with my breath. And God’s breath, his Holy Spirit, inspired the writers of the Scripture to communicate the words of God.

That’s why we can have confidence in the Bible - because it is God’s word. It’s not the invention of someone who wanted something to do one day; it’s not the ravings of strange people; it is the very word of God, breathed out by God.

And the Scriptures are given for a purpose. We see it in the rest of the chapter. In verse 16, there are four things that the Scripture does to us - ‘and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.’

Teaching - The scriptures teach us more about God and about ourselves. They give us information and teach us.

Rebuking - They also rebuke us when we are in the wrong. They might show us how our behaviour is wrong; or show us that what we think about God isn’t right. They rebuke us.

Correcting - They don’t just leave us in the wrong, though, they also correct us. They give us the truth, they correct the errors we might have in our thinking or doing.

Training in righteousness - They show us how to live a righteous life, what God wants of us, and encourage us to do it.

And God gives us the Scriptures (all the Scriptures) v17 ‘so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ God didn’t just give us the Bible to fill our heads with Bible knowledge. The Bible isn’t just there as a source of trivia - to know who Melchizedek is; where Zarephath was; or how many donkeys Job started out with. The Bible is there to teach, rebuke, correct and train us... SO THAT we may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

It’s good to read the Bible. But it must be changing us and leading us to live out our faith, by doing good works, against the backdrop of a sin-soaked world. We’re called to know the message, to know the Scriptures and grow in the Scriptures, so that they change us to be more like Jesus.

Our message must not change - we must continue to hold fast and preach the gospel contained in the Scriptures - God's revelation of his Son, the Lord Jesus. How we present the message may change, but not the message itself.

Let's take seriously today Paul's call to know the times we live in, but also to know the message that can turn sinful people into saints; rebels into redeemed people; lost into found.

This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on the evening of Bible Sunday, 29th October 2017.

Sermon: Psalm 95 - Worship and a Warning

A few years ago, I went on a stag do to do some go karting. As you can imagine, when fifteen fellas get together, there’s plenty of competition, lots of chat about who’s going to win. When the races started, I was more like someone out for a Sunday afternoon drive compared to some of the boy racers - some had even brought their own helmets and gear. But the thing that stood out that day was the time before the racing started. We were gathered in a wee room, and the owner gave us a short talk. First of all, he welcomed us and told us to have fun, but then came the second thing - the warnings. We watched a safety video, and had to sign the disclaimer, that if we were injured it would be our own fault. Welcome and warning, side-by-side.

It’s what we find in Psalm 95, in these very familiar words. There’s a welcome - a call to worship; and a warning, and you can’t have one without the other. So let’s dive in, to see how the welcome of worship of the warning of worship sit together. And first, the welcome.

I wonder if you’ve ever received a summons to serve on a jury? The letter arrives in the post, and you are obliged to turn up on the day, whether you want to or not. Is that how the opening words of verses 1 and 6 come across? ‘Oh come’. Here’s a summons, you have to do this, you have to come along to worship, whether you want to or not? Now, maybe some Sunday mornings it might feel like a struggle to get up, and you could think of a million and one other places to be. But that’s not the sense of the call to worship.

It’s more like a wedding invitation, a joyful welcome to come along, to be a part of something exciting, to be caught up in celebration. Oh come! And what is it we come to? Well, in Psalm 95 we have what I think of as a row of lettuces. You know that I’m not much of a gardener. The only thing I can grow is weeds. If I needed lettuce for salad sandwiches, I would buy it in the shop. But some of you are gardeners; you might even have a row of lettuces growing (if it’s the time of year for them - I don’t even know!). Do you see the row of lettuces here in Psalm 95? ‘Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!’

There’s our row of lettuces. And there’s another mini row in verse 6 - ‘let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’ Here’s the welcome to worship, as we come together to worship. In these words we’re not speaking to God, our eyes aren’t on heaven as such; our eyes are all around us, urging and encouraging one another to sing, to make a joyful noise, to give thanks.

It’s like the team sports in the Olympics, as each member supports and cheers on the rest of the team. The rugby sevens teams seem to come together for a hands in the centre kind of cheer before they go out to play the match. We’re to be doing the same - encouraging those around us as we sing out; or being encouraged when we don’t find it easy.

Now why would we want to come together to worship? Why should we praise with loud singing? We’re given the reason in verses 3-5. Do you see the ‘for’ at the start of verse 3? Here’s why: ‘For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.’ As we encourage one another to worship, we recognise who God is - he is the great God, the God of gods, if you like. In fact, he’s the only God.

When Psalm 95 was written, the nations all around believed there were lots of gods and goddesses, each localised, each one in charge of something in particular. There would be the god of a mountain; of the sea; of a piece of land. Up on the north coast, there’s an example of this sort of pagan thinking. High above Magilligan Point, on the Bishop’s Road, stands a statue of Manannán mac Lir. That was the statue that was cut down last year, but now replaced. He was believed to be the Celtic god of the sea, so if you were going on a sea journey, you would sacrifice to him, to keep him onside.

But Psalm 95 cuts through all that. The LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. And here’s why (v4): ‘In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.’ Our God rules over all, because he made everything, and holds it in his hands. Here’s the reason why we encourage one another to sing and make joyful noise!

Perhaps you came today feeling as if you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. As we sing, praise and give thanks to our God, we’re reminded that we don’t need to carry the weight of the world - our God holds it in his hands. He’s in control. He doesn’t need a hand to hold it - he can do it all by himself.

Now in verse 6, the pattern repeats - another welcome to worship, as we speak to and encourage one another to worship, followed by the reason why. But notice that this time round it’s quieter. In fact, there’s no noise at all, unless you count a creaky hip or the wee sigh as you get down... ‘Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’

You see, worship isn’t just loud singing. Worship is also bowing and kneeling before the LORD - recognising him as our God; submitting to him. And we do this together, urging one another to bow. Why would we surrender to him, bow before him, come humbly to him? Again, we have the reason, the ‘for’ - ‘For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.’

Even though God is great and glorious, reigning over all he has made, even so, he is not distant. He is our God, our shepherd king as we thought about last week - again with this picture of his people and his sheep. He holds the world in his hand, and we are the sheep of his hand. He holds us as well.

So we have the call, the welcome to worship, and the reason why. But then suddenly, at the end of verse 7, we have the warning - a warning we still need to hear. You see, it’s not enough to worship. It’s not enough to be noisy and loud and then merrily go our way. As we worship, in singing and in bowing, we must also be listening, ready to hear and obey.

‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’ The warning for the people of God still stands for us, as the writer to the Hebrews makes clear - that even when we’re worshipping, we could still fall away, if our hearts become hard, if we refuse to listen and obey.

We’re presented with a case study from the history of God’s people. Moses had led the Israelites out of Egypt, freedom from slavery, salvation through the Passover Lamb, escape through the Red Sea, where they arrived in the wilderness. It was here that disaster struck. The very same people who had trusted in the Passover suddenly refused to listen. Their hearts wanted to be back in Egypt, back in slavery. They feared for their lives because of a lack of water. They questioned whether God was really with them (Ex 17:7).

These were the people who had sung the songs of salvation; who were on the way to the promised land, guided by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, yet they refused to listen, refused to trust God any more. They (v8) hardened their hearts.

Maybe you’ve seen this in a child. Their mum tells them to do something, and they say ‘no.’ And nothing will change their minds, not bribes, or threats. If you’re the parent, you only want what is best for them, but they just can’t or won’t see it. That’s how it was with God’s people. They hardened their hearts. They wouldn’t listen. And so, despite having seen evidence of God’s goodness and saving power up close and personal, they turned away, they have not known my ways.

We’re told that God loathed that generation. They were barred from the land of promise, the promised rest of the land of Israel. For forty years they would wander in the wilderness until that whole generation had died out (except for Joshua and Caleb).

Now you might be thinking, what has that got to do with us? That was thousands of years ago, far, far away. But the writer to the Hebrews in our second reading makes clear that the warning still stands, and all because of that word ‘today.’ Today, if we hear God’s voice, we can enter into that promised rest, a rest from labour, a rest that comes by trusting the promise.

And how do we make sure that we’ll receive the promise and enter that rest? It’s what we’ve seen in Psalm 95, and explained in Hebrews 3:12-13:
‘Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today’, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.’

Exhort one another. Encourage one another. Do it together - the welcome of worship, as we urge one another to worship our great God in loud singing and in humble submission. It’s so important that we are here for one another, not just for ourselves and what we get out of our time together. It’s why our prayer diary for today is to ‘look for opportunities to encourage others as we meet to worship.’ If each of us are on the look out to encourage everyone else, then all of us will encourage and be encouraged. Perhaps before you leave your pew, you can pray for the people around you, in front, beside or behind. Perhaps you can chat over coffee about something more than the weather - find out how you can pray for someone this week, what’s been going on with them, and then catch up next week to see how your prayers have been answered - what an encouragement to praise that would be!

We need each other. We can’t do it on our own. It’s why we’re called into the church, the family of God, the people of his pasture. We welcome one another to worship - singing to our great God; and bowing before our shepherd King. And this applies every week, but even more so today - today, if you hear his voice, if you are prompted to play your part, to step up, or speak up, or sing up, or pray up, then don’t harden your hearts. Don’t turn away. Enter his rest. Receive his grace. Submit to his word, as we seek to do that together.

This sermon was preached in Aghavea Parish Church on Sunday 14th August 2016, as part of the Summer Psalms sermon series.

Book Review: Five Festal Garments

Of all the many series Apollos/IVP have published in recent years, the one that I've valued most highly have been the 'New Studies in Biblical Theology' edited by Don Carson. I'm slowly working my way through the series, and Five Festal Garments by Barry Cooper was among the very best. The book springs from Cooper's two greatest passions - biblical theology and the exposition of the Old Testament as Holy Scripture. They combine wonderfully in the book.

The Five Festal Garments of the title refers to the Old Testament books of Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther. In the introduction, Cooper explains the festal garments through the customary Jewish usage of these books. Recognising that they were always canonical, the problem arose as to how to 'wear' the Scrolls. The solution comes in their use in the Jewish lectionary as readings for the five major festivals. But 'no consensus has emerged about their proper use, or about how they can be the word of God for us today' as Christians. Rather, they appear to be the most neglected books in the scriptures.

These Christian reflections on the books are a great little introduction to each, with their structure and content setting the tone for each chapter. The outline he follows for each asks the key questions - (i) a reading of the text to discover its structure; (ii) the relationship of the book to the wider Old Testament; (iii) how the book connects to the New Testament gospel through 'promise and fulfillment.'

The Song of Songs is the 'Garment of Love', even as it raises the question of who is speaking to whom and what do they mean; and how are we to see it as part of the Bible? His starting point is that it is love poetry, 'but it is neither a philosophical treatise... nor a sex manual.' With the different settings and voices, some may think that it's a compilation of love songs, like a greatest hits album, but Cooper argues that it's one single love poem. With its links to Solomon, the wider context points to the wisdom of Solomon and the themes of love found in Proverbs 31 and elsewhere. The theological context emphasises three important ideas: affirmation of the body and sexual relationships (in its essential goodness with links to the original creation); it doesn't idealise singleness; and it celebrates sex as a one-flesh union. Connecting it to the New Testament, Cooper sees it pointing to the new heavens and the new earth with the implication that sex is good, but it is not the greatest good, with an even better joy in heaven where there is only one marriage, between Christ and his people.

Ruth is up next, the 'Garment of Kindness.' It's a gentle book, but with turbulence in the depths - 'kindness of a radical and controversial sort; a kindness that makes ripples.' While some may see it as a romantic comedy, Cooper finds an irresistable movement in the book, from death to life, barrenness to fruitfulness, emptiness to fullness, curse to blessing.' His obesrvations of the text are marvellous, linking in to the wider context of the judges and David's kingship, a micro-history of salvation as it impacts a household (with wider implications). The wider implications are drawn out in the final section, as kindness is shown to be the very character of God, as his kindness draws in the Gentiles through Jesus the ultimate kinsman redeemer.

Lamentations is the 'Garment of Suffering' used on the Ninth of Ab, the day of fasting for the destruction of the temple. As the name suggests, it's a dark shaft of tragic loss and acute anguish, but Cooper points out that it's also a closely worked 'ordered grief', with its acrostics and a common structure. The question of its setting was surprising for me - having thought it was naturally connected with Jeremiah, it appears that there are differences of opinion, whether it comes after the prophets, as part of the historical writings. The resonance with the rest of the Old Testament is in the confusion over the impregnability of Zion in some of the Psalms, compared to the experienced reality. Over all, it 'shows us God's wrath as a directly experienced reality.' Yet alongside the darkness, there are beams of light, with the hope that comes from God, even as he displays his wrath. This becomes even clearer as we trace those lines through to the New Testament, where 'The unfailing love and righteous wrath of which it speaks find their climactic meeting point in the cross.'

Ecclesiastes is portrayed as the 'Garment of Vexation' - which is perhaps the most enigmatic book dealt with. With few footholds in the hebel (mist), there are as many opinions on the book as there are commentators! Yet there is some clarity as the structure is examined, with the narrator opening and closing the book, before coming to the Teacher's instruction. 'The positive conclusions drawn from the expose of human frailty and futility in the preceding observation complex is that human beings should fear God. And fearing God is tied, by implication, to attentiveness to his Torah.' Again, there's a link to the theme of creation in the Old Testament, but Paul sets the creation's frustration in the context of redemption in Romans 8.

Esther is the last book considered, the 'Garment of Deliverance.' In seeking to understand Esther, the first task is to try to catch her distinctive voice. 'What is of particular interest is the way that theme [deliverance] is developed here. How is deliverance in Esther different from deliverance in, say, the exodus, or Judges, or the Joseph narrative?' Here, we find 'history as story rather than history as chronicle.' Remarking on the 'absence' of God from the text of the book, Cooper urges that to use the book is 'to clothe ourselves with the truth that God is sovereign, and to be reminded that he is always with us, even when he seems most absent, and that nothing can ultimately thwart his purposes.'

I really enjoyed this book, giving an introduction to some of the lesser well known books of the Bible. His approach was very beneficial, opening out from the book itself to its OT context to its whole Bible context. There is plenty of gold in this book, for anyone wanting to get to know these books a bit better. It's also very useful for the pastor preparing to preach a series in the books - as I had previously done when preaching and leading Bible studies in Ruth. The whole series of the New Studies in Biblical Theology is great, but this might just be the crowning glory. Five Festal Garments is available from Amazon.

Sermon: Luke 8: 1-21 Sowing Seeds

Imagine that you're driving along. Suddenly there's the sound of a siren behind you. What do you do? Hopefully, if it's safe, you pull over and let the ambulance or the police car past. Hearing the sound leads you to action. Or what about the ringtone of your phone? It makes a noise to call you to action: you need to respond by answering the phone.

Now it's one thing if it's a noise or a bell or a siren. But what about someone's voice? What are the voices you hear and heed during a day or a week? In school, the teacher's voice needs to be listened to, especially if you want to know what your homework is. Or maybe you're following instructions from a cookery programme to try a new recipe. Or you listen to the voice of the weather presenter - and then take your raincoat and umbrella anyway. We hear all sorts of voices, but which will we listen to? And when we listen, will we do what they tell us?

When we come to the parable of the sower, you're probably thinking, "Oh, here we go again. We've heard this all before. We know what this is about. You might even remember that we looked at this parable before, about a year and a half ago. But don't tune out. You see, when we heard it the last time, we were in the middle of Matthew's gospel, just taking one chapter of parables that time. This time, we come to it having already worked our way through the first seven chapters of Luke's gospel. We see how Luke shares it: where it comes in the big story, what happens around it.

Away back at the start of his gospel, Luke tells us that he has carefully researched everything so that he can write 'an orderly account.' (Luke 1:1-4). Luke hasn't just sat down to string together random things he can remember from the eyewitness account. He's tying things together to show us what he means. On first reading, it might seem a bit strange, but Luke is pointing us to what it means to be the good soil, to hear and hold and do God's word.

It's obvious in the parable of the sower. You know the story so well. The sower sows the seed - not carefully, but seemingly randomly. He has a bag of seed at his waist and he scatters the seed as he walks along. The seed goes everywhere, landing on the path, the rock, among thorns and in good soil. Depending on the type of soil, the seed either withers or flourishes.
Jesus helps us to get what it's all about. There's no guessing game needed - in verses 11-15 he explains the parable and gives the meaning. The seed is the word of God. The seed is the same seed in all the different soils. The word goes out as Jesus teaches. Going on all around him - and indeed, going on this morning and every time God's word is proclaimed - are the different reactions. In some, the word is quickly forgotten, stolen away. In others, the word is received joyfully, but the joy soon fades as they fall away. For others, the cares of life choke out the word.

But it's the good soil that is in focus as Luke orders his material. Look at verse 15. Jesus says that these are the ones who 'when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.' Or in other words, those who hear and do God's word.

Just in case we can't grasp that, Luke puts together three other bits together to show us what that means. Straight after the parable of the sower, Jesus gives us another parable. After recent power cuts, it might even have more significance for us. When you light a lamp (or a candle), where do you put it? You're not going to hide it away under a jar or put it under the bed. You want to put it up on a lampstand, or the table, so that the light shines out.

So when the light of God's word comes to you, what will you do with it? Do you hide it away, try to cover it up? Or do you let it shine in you and through you? Do you let the light shine into the dark corners of your life, or are there areas where you don't let the light shine? Places of darkness, where secrets hide for now, but not forever (17)

Instead, Jesus wants us to let his light shine in every corner of our heart. Because it's an indication of how we are listening. Look at verse 18. 'Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.'

It almost sounds unfair, doesn't it? Those who have, receive more; those who don't have will definitely have nothing. But it's saying that how we listen matters. If it's just a formality, if we're not really listening, then eventually we will stop listening and not be able to hear God's voice. But for those who listen carefully, shaping your life based on what you're hearing, then God will continue to speak, continue to lead you on, continue to shine his light in your life.

This explains the seemingly random opening verses of the chapter. Why does Luke bother telling us that Jesus is going around proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom; and who is with him? The roll call is a living example of those who have heard God's word and are doing it. There are the twelve (as you would expect), but more unusual are the other names in the list. These are 'some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities' - Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many others. They have heard God's word, and they are holding to it and doing it as they support the work of Jesus out of their resources.

This might be one of those areas where God's word needs to shine and search - our finances. It's always a risky subject to talk about money, but our passage points to it as one of the ways we respond to God's word. It can be an indicator to us of how God's word is affecting us - are we supporting the work of the gospel, or holding on tightly to our money? These ladies had been healed, they had experienced the blessing of hearing God's word, and now want to make sure that others share in the same blessings.

But it’s more than just sharing blessings. To hear God's word and respond is to be welcomed into God's family. In those closing verses, we're told that Mary his mother and his brothers come wanting to see Jesus. There's a big crowd and they can't get near him. The word gets through, though. Your mum and brothers are wanting to see you. They think they have a claim on him. They want to get near to him.

They might be Jesus' earthly family, but from now on Jesus is focusing on his heavenly family - his brothers and sisters. And Jesus' reply is almost surprising, maybe even shocking. 'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.' This is the mark of being in the family - hearing God's word and doing it.

Sometimes when we consider a Bible passage together, the meaning can be hard to discover. There can be weeks where I struggle to find what it is that the Bible is saying. But this week it's fairly obvious, isn't it? Are you in the family of God? Can you call Jesus your brother? It all comes when we hear God's word and do what it says. To hold to it no matter what pressures come. To produce fruit with patient endurance. And that's not just for this week (and then move on to something else to work on next week). It's a lifetime of turning and obeying as the word brings particular things to light. So which type of soil are you? How are you listening? Will you do what he says as you hold on to his word and bear fruit for his glory?

This sermon was preached in Aghavea Parish Church on Sunday 23rd February 2014.

Sermon Audio: Psalm 19

On Sunday evening in the Brooke Hall I was preaching from Psalm 19. There we find a chorus of voices joining to declare God's glory in the heavens and the scriptures. Will our hearts be in tune with the universe so that we desire God's glory?

Sermon: Psalm 19: 1-14 Declaring God's Glory

“You’re not even listening!!!” You’ve zoned out, you’re miles away, and those are the first words you hear. Disaster (or so I’ve heard...), as you try to think back to what might have been said; the important instructions about the washing machine or what’s needed from the shops.

I like to go people watching sometimes. You’ve a spare half hour, and so you walk along the street, or you sit on a bench or in a coffee shop, and watch the people going by. You hear snatches of conversation; you catch stories being shared, but often times there are so many voices, such a cacophony of noise, that it’s good to get some peace and quiet.

Voices. Speech. With 24 hour news, TV stations and radio stations broadcasting all through the day and the night, there is always someone speaking. At least you’ll get peace when you’re in bed, unless your spouse is a sleeptalker. Voices are all around us, but David points us to another voice with a unique message. But you don’t need your ears - rather it’s a bit like the BBC programme: ‘See Hear’. All we need to do is look up.

‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.’ (1) The skies above us are speaking, their voice goes out to the whole word, pouring out speech and revealing knowledge. Just look at the first four verses and see all the ‘speaking’ words. Declare, proclaim, speech, words, voice...

As David looks up, perhaps as he was watching the sheep, he hears the declaration of God’s glory. The sky, the sun, the moon and stars all proclaim that God made them. They cry out to anyone who will listen. But when was the last time you tuned in? Just think of the spectacular sunset you saw (not this evening anyway) - it was telling you about God’s glory. But not just the sunset - the way the sun ‘runs’ across the sky is a witness; it’s as if it is a bridegroom running to meet his bride; a champion running for the finish line.

The heavens are speaking; they are telling all who will listen of the power and glory of the God who made them and put them in place. Are you listening?

So we’re getting through the Psalm, you know where David is going with it, but then, it seems that he has gone off in a completely different direction. When you’re buying a secondhand car, you have to watch out for a cut and shut. That’s where you had two cars - one damaged at the front, the other at the back, so the two cars are cut up, the good bits put together and made to look like a normal car. Is that what’s happened here? There’s a psalm about the skies, another about the law, so slam them together and don’t pass any remarks?

Now if you thought that was strange enough, what about the bit that David says next? You’ve made it over the gap, and then he says ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.’ When you hear of law, what do you think of? You might have in mind pictures of courts and judges and prisons. Hardly something that gives life and reviving?

The law of the Lord, though, isn’t just law, it’s the whole of the first five books of the Bible. It’s the teaching of the Lord, the teaching about the Lord. You see, this isn’t a big leap at all - from creation’s voice to the Bible’s voice. The law of the Lord also speaks of God’s glory, as it reveals God to us, in relationship - Lord, rather than God. That’s why David can say that the perfect, sure, right, sure law revives the soul, makes the simple wise, rejoices the heart and enlightens the eyes.

Even the commandments and rules and law of the Lord is precious. It’s more to be desired than gold; and sweeter than honey. Is this what we think of the Bibles in our homes? Precious and sweet? Or something that sits on a shelf?

We don’t just read the Bible to become Bible quiz geeks. Every year at our Boys Brigade Camp there was a Bible quiz on the Sunday night. There was always great competition to see which team would win. But much more important than a Mid-Ulster battalion medal, the Bible reveals God himself. The Bible speaks, telling us of God’s glory, laying out the warnings and rewards.

On Friday night I was in Belfast at the Northern Ireland football match. The chants start off quiet, one or two voices, but before long, most of the ground are singing along. In fact, it’s a good job the match was on Friday night rather than last night. There’s something powerful when different voices join together - in a choir or as we say the responses together, or when a crowd gets behind their team. The voice of the heavens joins with the voice of the Bible to declare and proclaim the glory of God in creation and in scripture. But to these is joined a third voice. David himself, the author of the Psalm, now joins in, seeking to align himself with the way the world is.

In verse 12, he recognises that the whole universe is ablaze with the glory of God, but he is out of step. ‘Who can discern his errors?’ Faced with the glory of God in creation and in scripture, we’re confronted with our sinfulness. Some choose to put their fingers in their ears and refuse to listen. It’s the point Paul makes in Romans 1:18-20, as we suppress the plain truth about God, seen in creation, but turn away from him. It’s the tactic we all try, but it’s unsuccessful. We are without excuse.

Rather, the Bible calls us to turn, to re-align ourselves with God, to repent as we confess our sins. It’s what David says: ‘Declare me innocent from hidden faults.’ It’s when we do this that we find ourselves in tune with the universe. The heavens declare God’s glory. The law of the Lord declares God’s glory. And now we see that David desires God’s glory. Having turned from sin, his desire is to please the Lord. The last verse isn’t just a nice wee prayer before a sermon. It’s a prayer for every moment of every day, that we will live for the glory of God.

Just as the heavens speak of God’s glory, so our prayer is that the words of our mouths will also point to God’s glory. Just as the law of the Lord performs heart surgery on us, reviving the soul and rejoicing the heart, so our prayer is that the meditation of our heart will tend to the glory of God. It’s as we admit that often our words and our thoughts aren’t in tune with God’s glory that we can be mindful of the need to change. David asks, prays, in this verse, as he sums up the whole psalm, that God’s glory will be his supreme purpose. Will you make this your prayer tonight?

This sermon was preached in the Brooke Memorial Hall, Brookeborough on Sunday 8th September 2013.

Sermon: 2 Timothy 3:10 - 4:8 Bible and Crown

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost a year since the Olympic Games in London. It was great to see the British athletes win 29 gold, 17 silver and 19 bronze medals. They were brilliant at the cycling, the rowing and the long distance track races. However, when it came to one particular event, the British men’s team did it all wrong, and were disqualified. The women didn’t even make it to the Olympics. Now, at the risk of turning into A Question of Sport, which event was it?

The relay race. The 4x100 metres. The final changeover was disastrous, it didn’t happen correctly, and despite finishing second in their heat, the men were disqualified. Many a cold, wet afternoon during PE being taught how it was meant to be done, as the baton is passed to the next runner. It’s so important for the baton to be passed, for the next person to take over and have a chance at a medal.

The apostle Paul is writing his young friend Timothy, giving him instructions as he passes the baton on. Paul has been giving his life to the work of the gospel, travelling around the known world telling people about Jesus, planting churches, and declaring the good news. But now he is in prison. Execution is not too far away. Paul’s race is almost over: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.’ (4:7). It’s up to Timothy now to take up the baton and run his race, to continue on Paul’s work of teaching.

Yet as Timothy looks to the future, as he sees what lies ahead, it seems that the relay race isn’t being run on the nice new athletics track in the Olympic stadium. What lies before him is more like an army assault course, with obstacles and dangers to face. Paul even spells them out for him. He reminds him of the persecutions & sufferings in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, These were places where Paul had been driven out of town, opposed, and stoned (that is, attacked with stones, not drugged).

More than that, it’s not just Paul who will face problems and difficulties for being a Christian: ‘Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.’ (3:12). Now you might think that it’s silly to mention this at all, especially if you’re thinking about becoming a Christian, but we have to present the whole truth. The Lord Jesus warns us to count the cost before we decide to follow him.
So the future looks bleak. Is it all just doom and gloom? Why would anyone want to be a Christian faced with such opposition and problems? Wouldn’t it be easier to just continue on in your sinful life and live the way you want?

Paul gives Timothy a glimpse of reality - what his life will look like as he follows Jesus. But it’s not all negative. Rather, he also gives two great big encouragements, as he looks to the future in faith. Two things that we are given by God as we love and serve him.

The first comes at the end of chapter three. Paul has said that evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse. That may be the direction they’re going, ‘But as for you...’ Timothy, don’t follow the crowd. Don’t go the way of the world. As for you, continue in what you have learned... What is it he has learned? What is it that he has firmly believed? It’s the ‘holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.’

The Bible is able to make us wise- to give us the information we need in order to find salvation- salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Despite there being 66 different books from around 40 different authors written over a period of a couple of thousand years, there is one uniting subject. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is all about Jesus, sharing the good news, showing us his glory.

Now how can this be so, if there are all those different authors? Behind them, and through them, Paul tells us, there is one author: ‘All Scripture is God-breathed’ (3:16) Just as my words are coming out of my mouth as I breathe, so the Scriptures are God-breathed. Scripture says what God is saying. When we read the Bible, it’s not just ancient words on a page, but God speaking to us now.

I suspect that I’m a typical man, [and perhaps wives you’ll recognise this trait in your husbands too]. I get a new piece of equipment, some new technology, and straight away, I want to turn it on and get stuck in. I’ll footer about with it, trying to make it work. It’s only when I get stuck that I’ll go back to the box to find the instruction manual. We think: I can sort this out myself. We don’t need any help. Until we realise we do.

Life can be like that. We have some freedom and off we go, making our own mistakes, trying to sort things out ourselves. We live the way we want to, and then wonder why we end up getting things so very wrong. We need the instruction manual. We need to hear from the Maker, who knows how life is meant to work. Paul tells us: ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work..’ (3:16-17)

Perhaps today you’re wandering, you’re lost. You recognise yourself among the evil people and impostors going from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. The remedy is to be rescued. To turn from error and self-deception, to the living God who has spoken. To become wise in the way of salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. To learn about the saviour and to trust in him. To be taught & corrected from his word so that we can love and serve him.

In the world of Twitter. Lady Gaga has over 38 million followers, Justin Bieber 41m - all eager to hear from their heroes (even if it’s just what they ate for breakfast!). Yet we have the words of the living God in our homes, often in a box, out of the way on a shelf, gathering dust. One of the banners you’ll see at the Twelfth shows the secret of England’s greatness as a Bible is presented by Queen Victoria to foreign princes. Will you take up your Bible and read and learn, and hear God’s voice to you? It is in this way that we hear and are saved, as we trust in the Lord.
The first thing we’re given is the Bible, the scriptures. This is what Timothy is to give himself to learn and teach and proclaim, in and through the dark days that lay ahead of him. At the end of our passage, Paul tells us about the second thing we’re given, which encourages us to keep going as we love and serve the Lord Jesus. Here’s what he says: ‘For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’ (4:6-8).

You see, as Paul comes towards the end of his life, as he completes his race, he looks towards the finish line, towards the podium. The reward isn’t a gold medal and a wee posy of flowers. Instead, what awaits is the crown of righteousness. This crown of righteousness is the sign of being accepted by God, of being in the right with God. It is awarded by the Lord, the righteous judge, who judges with absolute fairness and justice. Remember where Paul is: He’s on remand, sitting in prison, awaiting the death sentence, which the unjust judge, Nero, will pass on him. His earthly life will cease, condemned as a prisoner; but Nero’s judgement doesn’t concern him. Rather, he is looking forward to the only opinion that finally matters - the Lord, the righteous judge, who will award that crown of righteousness.

Now you might be thinking to yourself that of course Paul deserves such a crown - he’s in the Bible, after all, he wrote books of the Bible, he was so very good. You could not be further from the truth. Paul doesn’t deserve this crown of righteousness. Earlier we spoke of salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. That is, salvation from our sins - Paul needed rescue, just as we do too. Our rescue is in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross, in the great exchange taking away our sins, and giving us his perfect righteousness. It’s by faith that we receive God’s grace. Indeed, as Paul says, ‘I have kept the faith.’

Paul can face the future with confidence. His heavenly reward is certain. His crown is laid up ready for him. Friends, today, your future can also be certain. You see, Paul wasn’t boasting, as if to say, well I’m all right, I’ve got a crown waiting for me. He goes on to say that it is ‘not only to me but also to all who have longed his appearing.’

Jesus is returning, the righteous judge, who died to save us. We too can be sure of receiving the crown of righteousness as we hear God’s word of grace and respond in faith. Jesus has died to win your salvation. Will you hear and heed him today? Will you trust in the Lord for your salvation? Will you welcome him on that great Day when he appears as judge? The Bible, God’s breathed out word, points us to the crown, God’s gracious gift, offered freely.

This sermon was preached at the Lower Iveagh West Orange Parade Service in Magheralin Parish Church on 7th July 2013.

Bible Briefs: Ezekiel

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

The book of the prophet Ezekiel has always struck me as particularly odd. Perhaps it’s the opening chapter with the amazing vision given to the prophet with its details of the living creatures and the wheels within wheels which is hard to picture, and hard to understand. Having made it through chapter one, the reader is then faced with 23 chapters of doom, as the judgement and desolation of Jerusalem and Judah is declared.

As if the words weren’t enough, Ezekiel is commanded to act out the judgement by besieging a model of the city (4); by cutting his hair with a sharp sword (5); packing his bags and digging through the wall (12); and most horrific of all, by not mourning when his wife passes away (24).

The weight of the chapters lies heavy on the reader. The message is unmistakeable - sinners will not stand in the judgement of a holy God. That message is amplified as Ezekiel turns to the nations and addresses the same word to them (25-32). It seems as if there is no hope at all.

The people of God have neglected their God; the promises of God to Abraham look as if they will fail. What will happen? In the midst of the gloom, suddenly comes the promise of a new covenant - for the sake of God’s holy name - a new promise of a new heart and a new spirit leading to covenant faithfulness (36).

Ezekiel is taken to that most famous of his chapters, the valley of dry bones (37). Israel is dead and dried up, but these dry bones come together and live by the breath of the Spirit. New life is given in the place of death; leading to the vision of the restored (and greatly expanded) temple and city, the name of which closes the book: ‘The LORD Is There’ (48:35).

We find that the message of Ezekiel is not weird at all - it’s the story of the good news as it points to the salvation we have in the Lord Jesus. We, under the judgement of God, ‘dead in our trespasses and sins’ (Eph 2:1), like those dry, dusty bones, are made alive in Christ and being built into the spiritual temple (1 Pet 2:5) where we will dwell forever with God. You could almost say that it’s the Gospel According to Ezekiel - thanks be to God!

Bible Briefs: 1 Peter

Series Introduction: Bible Briefs are a short introduction and summary of the overview of a book of the Bible, with a view to helping people take up their Bible and knowing what it's about.

Towards the end of Peter’s first letter, he writes that ‘I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.’ (1 Peter 5:12) While there may be false notions of God’s grace, Peter has written about the true grace of God, encouraging those who received the letter (and us too!) to stand fast in God’s grace.

What does it look like? How could we summarise it? It’s possible by jumping from the end of the letter to the very start, in two ‘e’ words: elect exiles.

Peter is writing to God’s elect - chosen by God the Father through the Spirit for the Son (1:2); born into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus, being built up into the spiritual temple on Christ the cornerstone. From 1:1 to 2:10, Peter describes what it looks like to be elect, ending in his great statement: ‘But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God...’ (2:9)

It’s a great reminder of the wonderful privileges we have in Christ; the hope that is ours in Christ; the way we are being knit together as the church. Yet as we look around, things aren’t how we would like them to be. It’s plain to see we’re not home yet, that we are still exiles.

The rest of the letter (2:11 - 5:14) is taken up with Peter helping us to see how we should live as the elect who are still in exile. We should submit to one another as we follow the pattern of our Saviour; we seek to live for the will of God, and not our own evil desires; we may even suffer as Christians in a world and culture that is hostile.

In our exile, as we journey towards home, we’re to remember that we are elect - God’s chosen - and that he will finish what he has started: ‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.’ (5:10-11)

Bible Briefs: Introduction

One of the regular features of my monthly schedule is the production of the parish notes for the diocesan magazine. The drawing together the next month's service details isn't the issue - I'm normally reasonably good at planning ahead. Neither does the problem come with the compiling of the various reports and notices from the parish organisations. The leaders are great at feeding me the information in good time and keeping things updated. But there's one part of the notes that causes me some anguish: the Rector's letter.

In it, I'm not just writing to my parishioners - or at least those who get and receive the magazine. It's different to a parish weekly notice sheet, or a special letter to the parish in advance of harvest or Christmas. The diocesan magazine doesn't just come to our folk; it doesn't even just get distributed in each of the other churches in the diocese of Clogher; the diocesan magazine is on sale in Eason's Enniskillen branch and I'm sure in other local outlets. Friends in Belfast have told me that they receive a copy each month and are checking up on what's going on (and even my spelling, punctuation and grammar is checked by a former teacher!).

With such a wide audience, and such a diverse group of people (which, I suppose, is much like a blog), what to say? How to say it? What would bring most benefit to anyone who cares to read a few lines from the rector of a small, rural parish? For the first year or so, I tried to be topical - a short snappy introduction linked to the time of year, with a thought for the day reflection on a Bible verse. They're sometimes hard to write. The rest of the notes are done, the deadline is swiftly approaching, so occasionally no letter was included, nothing would come in a coherent fashion.

Recently, however, I've started a different approach. A couple have appeared, and it's a style that I think I'll continue and see through to the end. It's what I'm calling 'Bible Briefs' - a couple of paragraphs giving a brief introduction and overview of a book of the Bible, with the hope that it will help the reader to pick up their Bible and get stuck into the book.

They're arising out of my own devotions as I try to read bigger chunks of the Bible this year (ignoring chapter divisions and the wee inserted headlines which can sometimes be misleading), and spurred on by the search for the 'melodic line' of each Bible book. That phrase comes from Dick Lucas, the grandfather of The Proclamation Trust, who urges us to discover the key idea / theme / verse that drives the whole book / letter and transforms our understanding of the whole thing.

As David Jackman writes in 'The Practical Preacher':

One of the things The Proclamation Trust has tried to encourage over the years is thinking about the melodic line: every book has its theme tune. If your series does not get your congregation to the theme tune then they are not going to learn the Bible in the way in which it was written. They are going to learn it cut up into chunks by us, and I do not think we do it as well as God did it! So let us preach the Bible the way God gave us the Bible: book by book.

So these Bible Briefs will occasionally pop up on the blog. Together, perhaps we'll come to grasp God's big picture, and get to know the Bible better - because in it, we find the God who speaks to us in and through his word.

Sermon Audio: 1 Peter 1:22-2:3

On Sunday morning I was preaching from the next chunk of Peter's first letter about the imperishable word - God's word is like a seed planted in our hearts, causing us to be born anew. To bear the fruit of love, we need to do some weeding. To grow strong as Christians, we need to long for the pure spiritual milk of the word. Listen in or download to your mp3 player.

Sermon Audio: Luke 24: 36-53

Yesterday was the final sermon from Luke's Gospel for a while, as we rounded off the post-Easter appearances of Jesus. We might be on the last page of Luke, but the story hasn't finished - in fact, it's only just beginning as Jesus continues Fulfilling the Scriptures.

Sermon: Luke 24: 36-53 Fulfilling the Scriptures

I have a really bad habit when I’m reading. I like to know how many pages I have left to read. So early on, I flick to the end to see the last page number. It’s not too bad if it’s a book on theology or history, but there is a time when it becomes a problem. Every so often, I like to read a thriller or murder mystery type book. The danger is, though, when I look at the page number, I might catch a glimpse of a spoiler - perhaps the name of the culprit as they’re driven away in a police car. Or the knowledge that a character must make it through the story.

Very often, the last page is the place where the whole story is understood - and not until then. If you read it through a second time, you realise there were hints the whole way through, but you only really get it at the very end. In some ways, that’s how it is with Luke’s Gospel. Having walked the Emmaus Road last week, we now find ourselves in the upper room with the disciples as they discuss what has happened. They know that Jesus is risen, but then suddenly, Jesus appears in the room with them.
While he is with them, he explains to them what has happened in recent days. Look with me at verse 44: ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you - that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’

Earlier this week I saw a photo of a movie script for a film Tom Cruise was starring in. All over the script he had added extra ideas and suggested different lines to those the writer had prepared. He felt free to improvise and make it up as he went along in the scene. But Jesus is saying here that the script of his life had been written in advance - and everything had to be as written. ‘Everything written... must be fulfilled.’

Now when he speaks of the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms, those are the three parts of the Old Testament. The scriptures together laid out what Jesus did; he lived in obedience to them, so that everything would be as they said. So why didn’t the disciples realise in advance? How come they didn’t understand that Jesus’ death was happening in this way for this reason? Why didn’t they greet the first Good Friday as a good day the way we do now? It’s because they didn’t at that stage understand the scriptures. As Jesus teaches them, he ‘opened their minds to understand the scriptures’ so that they could grasp it.

If the first disciples of Jesus needed God’s help to read and understand, how much more we? We need to come humbly, asking God to open our minds to receive his word - we’ll never understand them by our own power. Perhaps you’ve discovered that as you’ve tried to help someone to see why Jesus is so important; you’ve shared a verse of the Bible but they just don’t get it - even if it seems obvious to us. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4 that the god of this world (the devil) has blinded the minds of unbelievers. We need God’s help to understand his word.

So what was it that ‘must be fulfilled’? Jesus gives us the three things that must be fulfilled beginning in verse 46. ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to’ ONE: suffer. The sufferings of the Messiah are written of in advance throughout the Old Testament - Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 to name but two. It’s why in verse 39 Jesus says ‘Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself.’ The hands and feet - the places on his body where the nails pierced him; the wounds of love are still to be seen; permanent reminders of Jesus’ love for us.

But that’s not all. ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to...’ TWO: rise from the dead on the third day. Jesus did not stay dead; the scriptures had promised that the Messiah would rise - and on the third day. Psalm 16, Hosea 6, as well as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22. In the first part of our reading Jesus goes to great pains to make absolutely certain that he is risen from the dead - alive, bodily raised - inviting them to touch him, to see his hands and feet, and, because they still wonder and disbelieve for joy, he eats some cooked fish. This isn’t just a spirit; this isn’t a ghost; this is Jesus, raised from the dead. Just as was written in the scriptures!

Now you might be thinking to yourself that’s a great ending. There’s only a few verses of the book left. So Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, that’s nice. But he isn’t finished yet. You see, there were three things written of the Messiah. 1 - suffer; 2 - rise; THREE: that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Because Jesus is the Messiah, because he suffered death and rose again, he is the one who brings forgiveness of sins. It’s there in his words of greeting: ‘Peace be with you.’ In a world that is lacking peace; to people who are in guilt and shame of sin; Jesus brings them peace. Peace with God. Peace with each other. This peace is now to be spread, as repentance (turning from sin) and forgiveness of our sins is proclaimed.

One of the big employers in Dromore when I was growing up was a firm called John Graham. They do all sorts of things - build roads; buildings, all sorts of things. You’ve maybe even seen their distinctive green vans and huts and hoardings at their building sites. If you were to ring up their office, you couldn’t speak to John Graham now - he has long since perished, but the company continues to act in his name.

Last week the film critic Roger Ebert died. A few days after his death, his account sent out a new message on Twitter. He wasn’t tweeting from beyond the grave - rather his wife is carrying on his work. She is tweeting in his name.

Now John Graham and Roger Ebert have both died. But the risen Jesus sends the first disciples to act in his name - to do the final thing written of him on his behalf. From their starting point of Jerusalem, they are to go to all nations, proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins - because ‘You are witnesses of these things.’ Look back again to verse 39. What’s the word that jumps out in repetition? ‘See’ I had never seen it before, but now it’s like that children’s rhyme: ‘A sailor went to sea sea sea to see what he could see see see...’

The disciples were witnesses of Jesus’ death (hands and feet) and his resurrection (see) and of the forgiveness that comes through Jesus (they’ve experienced it themselves). They are sent out to all nations - but not until they have been clothed with power - the Holy Spirit.

We come to the end of Luke’s gospel, but we discover the story isn’t over. Rather, it’s only just beginning. Luke has written another book - the continuing story of what Jesus does, how the proclamation begins to be made in the Acts of the Apostles. And even when that book comes to an end, the story hasn’t finished. And that’s where we come in. Jesus, the Messiah, continues to send us out to act in his name, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins both here in this parish and across the world. Jesus has done all that is necessary for peace with him; he empowers us with the Spirit; our task is to point to Jesus.

Having met with Jesus, the disciples would never be the same again. How will be step out in obedience to share the good news?

This sermon was preached in Aghavea Parish Church on Sunday 14th April 2013.

Biblical Marriage

On Sunday morning I was preaching from Genesis 2, on the way in which God provides in his wonderful creation. Now in every sermon situation, there is always more material than can be fitted in to the allotted time. There might be some really interesting asides and pieces of information and gems that just don't fit into the sermon as preached. And if that's the case on a regular sermon, then how much more in Genesis 2. By focusing on the God who provides, it wasn't possible to unpack everything the passage says about men and women, and marriage.

Now, if you've been around the internet on blogs or Twitter or Facebook, you might have seen a campaign picture that looks a little something like this:

The point being made is that there are lots of different permutations and combinations of marriage in the Bible, and therefore Christians are wrong / bigots / dumb to insist on one man and one woman in a mutually exclusive public union until death.

The fact is that although we're told about Abraham's dealings with a concubine or David's many wives or Solomon's 700 wives and 300 concubines, those pieces of information are presented as that - information, not recommendation. Those accounts are descriptive, telling us how it was; but they are not proscriptive, telling us how we should do it. You only have to follow the story to see the mess they get into by going their own way.

Abraham (Abram) and Sarah (Sarai) have received the promise of a son from God, but they don't believe it will happen, so Sarai takes matters into her own hands, giving her servant Hagar to Abraham. Ishmael is born, but he is not the child of promise.

David falls into adultery by a slippery slope of 1. not going to war to lead his people in battle; 2. spying Bathsheba bathing naked on her roof; 3. committing adultery with her in his head; 4. committing adultery with her in his bed; 5. murdering her husband to cover up the affair.

Solomon's many foreign wives lead him astray from the worship of the Lord by their idolatry, sowing the seeds of Israel and Judah's fatal split, and eventually Jerusalem's ruin.

We're told of these various permutations of relationships and the ways in which some of the Bible's leading characters messed things up, not out of approval, but as a warning.

In order for us to understand what marriage is, we must go back to the Creator's original plan, as revealed in Genesis 2:

'But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said,

"This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man."

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.' (Genesis 2:20-25)

God is the first matchmaker, bringing together man and woman, Adam and Eve, in the first marriage. In the mathematics of it, one plus one equals one. One man and one woman, publicly joined together become one flesh.

We know this is the key text on marriage because it is the foundation for everything else the Bible teaches about marriage:

This is the passage Jesus turns to when he addresses human sexuality, marriage and divorce: 'Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female...' (Matthew 19:4) In this passage Jesus continues by pointing out that divorce was only permitted later, by Moses, because of the hardness of the hearts of the people. The Creator's intention is that marriage is lifelong: 'What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.' (Matt 19:6)

This is also the passage that Paul turns to in Ephesians 5 as he advises wives to obey their husbands, and husbands to love their wives - because Genesis 2 is the pattern of human marriage, which itself is a picture and patterned on the relationship between Jesus and his church. The eternal unity of Christ and his church is displayed in God's pattern for marriage, a coming together and unity of husband and wife.

When we call for biblical marriage, this is what we're looking to - God's design for marriage, according to his purpose and plan, instituted before the Fall. We acknowledge that we don't always get it right, but we know that the pattern points to the Lord Jesus who loved his bride so much that he gave his life for her - for us - so that, despite our sin, we might spend eternity with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Sermon: Philemon 1-25 Love in Action

It’s the stuff of soap operas. Things are getting along fine, and then comes the drama. An old familiar face returns again, and sparks are about to fly. The viewer is left to guess what’s going to happen, as the regulars respond to the new situation. Is the new character out for revenge? Looking for money? Or coming to sort things out?

This year in the Brooke Hall, we’re going to take a look at some of the smaller sections of scripture - you could almost call them the one hit wonders - or rather, the one chapter wonders. A whole Bible book read through in a couple of minutes, very short compared to Psalms or Isaiah or even Romans. But it means that in our time together this evening, we’ll have grasped a whole book of the Bible!

Tonight, our Bible book comes in the form of a letter, written from the apostle Paul to Philemon (whichever way his name is pronounced!). The setting for the reading of the letter is just as shocking as anything you might find in Eastenders or Coronation Street - only this is real life. You’ll see from the first verse who the letter is written to - Philemon, Apphia (who may be Philemon’s wife), Archippus, and the church in their house. In these early days of the Christian faith, there were no church buildings, no memorial halls. Instead, the churches met in peoples’ homes, packed in as they heard the teaching and prayed and loved and served each other.

The letter comes from Paul to this house church carried by the one who will cause everyone to gasp for breath. One who was well known in those parts, but who hadn’t been seen for some time. One who was never expected to be seen again. One-simus. Onesimus.

Onesimus had been a slave, who used to work in Philemon’s house. That was, until he ran away (and it seems, may have stolen some of his master’s goods). Now, if you were Philemon, how would you react to this returning runaway? Would you throw your arms around him, or get the handcuffs out? What happens next?

Before you’re too hasty, Onesimus presents the letter, written from Paul to Philemon - the letter we have in front of us tonight. What does Paul say to Philemon? And what does a letter about a slave have to say to us, almost two centuries later?

Having gotten through the formal opening of the letter - the writer(s), who it’s to, Paul launches in with his thankful greeting. He highlights the things in Philemon’s life that he is thankful for: ‘I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.’

Philemon is known for his love for the saints and his faith toward the Lord Jesus. Philemon has been generous in demonstrating his love - because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through him. Obviously, he is wealthy (he has slaves), but he’s not selfish. Rather, he uses what he has for the good of other Christians, and especially those who are in need (just as we were thinking about this morning, in the work of the Barnabas Fund).

Now just as Paul highlights the impact Philemon has had on so many people, and just as he reminds Philemon of his faith and his love, so now, in the main body of the letter, Paul asks that he will demonstrate it in this particular case. You see, we’re called to be consistent Christians in every part of our lives, not just the bits that suit us, on a Sunday morning or evening, but in every aspect of all we do - our business, our home life, our work, rest and play. As we look at Paul’s appeal, we’ll see that so many of the same words and ideas come up again - love, sharing/partner, goodness, heart, refreshed.

You see, Paul could have come across heavy handed; could have given orders; but that’s now what he does. Rather, he appeals ‘for love’s sake’. He appeals for his child (in the Lord) to be accepted, welcomed back. On what basis? That of love.

Just as Philemon has been accepted through the good news of Jesus, leading to him being loving and generous, so Paul appeals for Philemon to show that same love in this case. You see, Onesimus himself has been transformed because of the good news.
It seems that when he ran away, he made it from Colossae (where Philemon lives - see Col 4:7-9 for the connection between Philemon and Colossians) the whole way to Rome, where he found Paul. While there with Paul, he became a Christian, and has been changed. Previously, he was useless - he was a runaway slave - but now, he is living up to his name: useful.

While Paul would like him to stay with him, ministering to his needs in prison, the right thing to do is send him back to his master - but with this appeal. You see, Paul says that he is not just welcoming back a slave, he’s now a ‘beloved brother’.

This is the transforming power of the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Too often we regard our faith as a private thing - it’s just between me and God; it doesn’t affect or influence any other area of our life. We’re not that bothered about other Christians, or about church.

The New Testament won’t allow us to be just Jesus and me. Rather, it’s all about Jesus and me and you and our brothers and sisters in the local church and in the worldwide church (and in the church at rest). Our relationships with each other should be transformed - so that we regard ourselves as brothers and sisters - beloved brothers and sisters.

And then Paul gets to the bottom line. The bill. Philemon might be thinking to himself - well, ok, but all this has cost me big - if he stole some money or goods, the damage he has done to me. But Paul says to receive Onesimus as if he was Paul - and to charge to Paul’s account anything owing. It might be a big debt or small, but Paul will sort it out - even as he reminds Philemon of the bigger debt he owes: ‘to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.’ You see, Paul brought Philemon to faith, his whole salvation (on a human level) is because of Paul’s preaching. When you compare the debt, Philemon owes even more!

The letter to Philemon is like a real life worked out example of the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23-35). When Philemon considers the huge debt and offence he has been forgiven by his Master; his own loss at the hands of Onesimus is like nothing.

It’s as we consider the grace with which Paul starts and ends his letter that we learn how to relate to our brothers and sisters in the church. With the love and grace we have received, so we should love each other.

It’s not always easy. It’s sometimes very costly. Yet we hear the command as well as the gentle appeal - this is the way, walk in it. Love one another, even as I have loved you.

This sermon was preached in the Brooke Memorial Hall, Brookeborough on Sunday 9th September 2012.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

I finished my Home Communions for the Christmas season today. It's a tremendous privilege to join with members of the church family who, through age or illness are no longer able to join with us on Sunday mornings in the parish church. When meeting with them, we obviously don't go through the full prayer book service, but rather it's a simple order - collects, Bible reading, short word, prayers, confession and absolution, prayer of consecration, taking the bread and wine, then joining in the Lord's prayer and praying the blessing on them. Very simple, but simply powerful.

The one element of the service that strikes me every time comes immediately after the confession and the prayer of absolution, when I without fail include the 'comfortable words'. These words of comfort and assurance (as An English Prayer Book puts it) are so familiar, yet get to the heart of what it means to draw near by faith, with the confidence of God's promise:

Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all that truly turn to him.

Come unto me all that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.

So God 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.

Hear also what Saint Paul saith:
This is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Hear also what Saint John saith:
If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins.

This is the welcome we receive as we draw near, the reason Jesus was born at Christmas time, stepping into our world from the glory that was his before time began. O Lamb of God, I come.

Book Review: Collected Writings on Scripture

‘In some ways, this is a difficult book to assess because it is not a sustained thesis or critique but a reprinting of seven papers or lectures delivered or published elsewhere.’ (p. 209) Such were the author’s words as he begins one of the several book reviews in this volume, but thankfully this assessment doesn’t apply to the book under review. Collected Writings on Scripture comes from the pen of esteemed lecturer and Bible teacher, Dr Don Carson, and is a helpful and challenging set of articles and reviews on the nature, form and use of Scripture in the academic world, as well as in the church.

In ‘Approaching the Bible’, Carson seeks to answer two main questions - what the Bible is, and how to interpret the Bible. As he begins, the reader is reminded that the doctrine of Scripture does not exist in splendid isolation, unimportant and unconnected to our theology. Rather, our doctrine of Scripture is integrally linked to and informs our theology. If the Bible really does reveal God to us, then ‘to approach the Bible correctly it is important to know something of the God who stands behind it.’ He continues by considering the Bible as being ‘simultaneously the product of human authors and the revelation of the God who talks.’

This is a good introductory essay which sets out the issues for someone approaching the Bible for the first time or the thousandth time. The principles set out to help understand the Scriptures are clear and pertinent, given that Carson reminds us from 2 Timothy 2:15 that ‘it is dangerously possible to be someone who does not correctly handle the word of truth.’ As is characteristic with Carson’s writings, this essay is comprehensive, well thought out, both helpful and heartwarming with some of his memorable one-liners.

The second essay, ‘Recent Developments in the Doctrine of Scripture’, is more technical, and primarily relating to the (American) academic discussions on the nature of the Bible. He argues that there has been a resurgence of interest in the doctrine of Scripture due to the growing strength of evangelicals, the fragmentation of evangelicalism, the crisis of authority in modern Western Christianity, and the theological revolution in the Roman Catholic Church. These factors (among others) have led many to take up the pen to rethink or restate both traditional and innovative formulations of the doctrine of Scripture.

What follows is a discussion of the ideas of various scholars centred on verbal inspiration, plenary inspiration, common sense realism, accommodation and inerrancy. At times it seemed hard to follow the fairly detailed and technical differences in the theories, being unfamiliar with the work being discussed. Yet Carson is able to keep the reader’s attention, through the debates to discussing, finally, how these developments impact on the church and the world.

‘A high view of Scripture is of little value to us if we do not enthusiastically embrace the Scripture’s authority. But today we multiply the means for circumventing or dissipating that authority... The authority of the Scriptures is in such instances almost always formally affirmed; but an observer may be forgiven if he or she sense that these self-promoted leaders characteristically so elevate their opinions over the Scripture, often in the name of the Scripture, that the Word of God becomes muted... [In other circumstances, we] can by exegetical ingenuity get the Scriptures to say just about whatever we want - and this we thunder to the age as if it were a prophetic word, when it is little more than the message of the age bounced off Holy Scripture.’

The third essay considers ‘Unity and Diversity in the New Testament’ and whether systematic theology is possible. While many claim that the New Testament reflects various competing theologies, Carson is clear that given the unity of purpose and source of the Scripture, such a systematic theology is not only possible, but necessary. Indeed, the diversity found in the New Testament often reflects diverse pastoral concerns being worked out from the common credal position. Once more, Carson’s concern is not ultimately with the scholarly, but with the pastoral implications: ‘This chapter has dealt with technical articles and critical judgments, but in the final analysis what is at stake is not some purely academic dispute, but what we preach.’

The fourth essay is a thorough discussion of ‘Redaction Criticism: On the Legitimacy or Illegitimacy of a Literary Tool’ and will be of particular interest for those with theological training and those seeking to use a variety of methods to understand the Scripture. Some of Carson’s careful criticisms may be powerfully applied further in the realm of criticism.

In the final essay of section one, Carson asks the question, ‘Is the Doctrine of Claritas Scripturae Still Relevant Today?’ While the perspicuity of Scripture may be of perennial concern, the presenting issue comes from the rise of the postmodern epistemology and its characteristic doubt of an authoritative meaning and universal truth. This chapter, while very helpful, was far too brief, however he has covered the same topic in other volumes, such as The Gagging of God and Becoming Conversant With The Emerging Church.

Part 2, which takes up the final third of the book, is a collection of book reviews written by Carson on the work of others on the theme of the Scriptures. These were an interesting addition, illustrating some of the vast and varied opinions and theses of others working in the same field. As always, Carson is thorough as he summarises the books, giving both praise and critique where necessary.

All in all, this was a very helpful volume to review, and one which carefully but clearly sets out a coherent evangelical doctrine of Scripture. While some sections may prove too technical for the regular member of the congregation, theological students, pastors and academics will richly benefit from Carson’s scholarly analysis undergirded by his pastoral passion. His rigorous argument and defence springs not from academic pride or the endless production of papers, but first and foremost for the encouragement and growth of Christians:

‘The aim of thoughtful Christians, after all, is not so much to become masters of Scripture, but to be mastered by it, both for God’s glory and his people’s good.’

A version of this book review appeared in the new edition of Search: A Church of Ireland Journal, published in June 2011.