Monthly Archives: August 2019

Developing Sameness

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8 (and part of today’s reading, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15, 16). Often seen – on posters, outside churches. But what does it mean? Can we just “not bother” with all the changes in the world around us, and toss them aside as irrelevant? Or will that leave us as sad momentos of a bygone age. My impression of buildings displaying this text is not always of sympathetic welcome – in fact, sometimes, rather the opposite. Defiant archaism, proclaiming the music, and the social patterns, of a generation or two ago.

It might help us understand to look at the context, and the experience of the people to whom this letter was written. We don’t know who wrote this letter, but we do know a good deal about the people who received it. The knew their old Jewish faith well, but had become Christians. Tempted to go back to their old ways, they are encouraged to continue in the new covenant of Jesus. The argument is well supported with quotes from the Old Testament, and the description of Jesus as the proper High Priest, who does what the Jewish temple High Priest could never do, and makes a once-for-all sacrifice for sin. So there’s continuity, but a real (& necessary) step forward.

That’s probably applies to us, too. Continuity, but a step forward. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.” What do we mean?

  • Jesus remains the same: with a welcome for sinners, rich and poor; a sympathy for all sorts of people in trouble; his welcome is not exhausted, his promises not finished, his love not out of date.
  • Jesus is the Son of God who was present before Creation, became a man as the son of Mary and the Holy Spirit, rose from death, and will return at the end of time as Judge

So there are some very important things which are the same:

  • Jesus himself, and the God he reveals
  • the qualities of God which he looks to see reflected in us: qualities like honesty, love, integrity, justice
  • and on the other hand the things which take us away from God: selfishness, manipulation of other people, pride, obsession with comfort & status, greed . . .

The Church has a continuity. We, too, read and learn from the Bible, and the stories passed on from each generation. We learn how to live as Christians, and model Christian living for the next generation.

But some things change – our society, our technology, our culture. We can rejoice in the stability of God, but must not be lazy and avoid engagement with the real world. We can make use of the Christian heritage, but faithfulness now demands we sing a new song to the Lord – one that relates to the needs and issues of today – and probably to a new tune, as well.

If it was good enough for my parents and their parents – it probably needs rethinking to be useful today. If the Nicene Creed was produced by the best Christian minds of the fourth and fifth centuries, it is worth taking very seriously – but it may not communicate to the twenty first century, or answer the questions of today.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.” It’s good news, serious and true. But the fact that God has continuity, doesn’t get tired and give up does not mean that we needn’t bother with keeping the presentation of the gospel up-to-date. The greatest effort in research and development worldwide is applied to Temptation. Our job is to show that God is still at least one step ahead with the answers, and they still work better and cost less.

Aslan

When CS Lewis wrote “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” the lion was a key figure. Friendly, so that the children trusted him, he was never tame, still less a stuffed toy or little brother. The Lion was powerful, different, and while not frightening, at least awesome.

As we read Hebrews 12:18-29, we find first an account of the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. It was a fearful experience, even for Moses, and more so for the people. Not only were they barred from the quaking, smoking mountain, they even had to keep livestock away. The God who was giving the commandments was not one to be treated lightly.

And we know better? I think not. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that the Christian experience is different. Jesus brings us a new Covenant, and teaches us more fully about God. But there is no suggestion that God may be treated lightly. Quite the opposite. As verse 25 points out, it is even more necessary to take to heart what is given us from heaven. We can rightly be thankful that the kingdom given to us is secure, but careful that the God we deal with is “a consuming fire” – never to be played with, always respected.

CS Lewis was surely right in the characterisation of Aslan. A lion, a wonderful companion and good friend, but a terror to the enemies of love and justice.

Faith

I wonder what “Faith” means to you? Faith is sometimes thought of as religious opinion; I’m sure you would go beyond that. We might talk vaguely of having faith in a government, school or doctor – that’s better ( it adds confidence to opinion) but does not have the idea of the trust which makes faith the basis of action.; that’s vital, as the stories we read today in Hebrews 11 and 12 show (the reading is Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2).

Faith is about what you do: it made the Israelites able to cross the Red Sea. They were pretty frightened, and it needed God’s action and Moses steadiness – but it was faith that made them listen to the instructions and then do them. They crossed the sea, and escaped the Egyptians, but they had to wait by the shore and then walk. That illustrates a point. Faith is not so much about being emotionally worked up and certain and not able to think of other possibilities. It is probably less important to have “great faith” than to be sure that the faith you have is in a great God, and is put into practice. So Abraham had to leave, travel, sacrifice Isaac. He didn’t earn favour, but learnt to look forward.

Faith is not always about doing the obvious. Moses had plenty of critics (and some mutinies). Joshua must have faced questions as he led the people in silence round the walls of Jericho. He may have shared those questions, but he had the faith to do as he was told, with dramatic results. Be careful! Faith is not following every daft idea that comes into your head. If you feel called to do something odd, check carefully and involve other people. Often the great temptation is to think we know best! Later, there are sad stories of those who thought they could improve on God’s instructions – Saul is an example, saving the “banned” cattle.

Faith is not irrational, but it is a decision, taken on the basis of what we know of God, to do what he commands, even when we don’t understand why or how it will work out. Moses had no rational chance against Pharaoh and his army; and yet, with some human co-operation and in spite of human opposition from others, his purposes succeed and the slaves go free. Human responsibility remains.

Faith can lead to uncomfortable experiences. Gideon and Barak both won important battles, but they were very uncertain, and needed a lot of persuading to take the lead. We are told that some won great victories, but others were lead by faith to suffering and death. And note that many were not “natural heroes”, faith changed them. Some we can identify. Jeremiah was mocked and imprisoned, Isaiah by tradition sawn in two, Zechariah stoned, and a number during Maccabean persecution (c66BC) tortured -2Mac6,7.

But that is not really the point. Why would we trust a God, if he might lead us into situations like that? Because its worth it. Even that sort of trouble is worthwhile if we then end up on God’s side. And we have an advantage that none of those examples did – we live after Jesus. We know what he endured, and where it lead him. We have even more reason to accept that a cross may be the way to heaven.

So faith is a belief, and a confidence, but always needing to be put into practice. These people, examples of faith, often knew less than we do of God’s plans, but they acted on what they knew; sometimes it lead them to strange and unlikely actions, but this was no madness – they were proved right by the results. Sometimes faith led them into suffering and difficulty, but again, it was not without reason in the purposes of God.

Which is all very interesting, and historical, until we realise that the time for faith is now. Don’t wait until you can see everything – you never will (on earth). If times are easy, faith will keep us from laziness. If times are hard, faith will keep us going. If times are confused, faith will steer us in the right direction. Faith, in a great God, is something to act on.

Abraham ?

The letter to Hebrews (today we read Hebrews 11:1-3 and 11:8-16 or all of Hebrews 11:1-16) wants to explain “faith”, and so talks about Abraham. Here is a man of faith. Not faith as a dogmatic, stubborn, closed mind, living in an imaginary world. Abraham sets out on a journey because he trusts God, trusts that God has called him to travel. His faith is that trust – to go forward, take risks, (even to leave what he knows and follow God’s promise). Again, when promised a son by his wife Sarah, he trusts God, and the promise becomes a reality. It is through this faith, this trust, that he becomes such a key part of God’s story and the working out of God’s plan. He is remembered by 3 faiths: Christian, Jewish, Muslim.

Perhaps we need to look closely to see how this works, and might transfer to our lives and experience. It is not about blind obedience – Abraham doesn’t live by rules: do this, don’t do that. No, he lives close enough to God to hear, and when he hears, to have the confidence to obey, and see it work out.

That’s exciting, and a bit scary. But it seems to be where a good deal of Christian life is. Think about when you have needed God’s help, and received it. Think about what God is asking of you and of people around you now. It is not all clearly mapped out, there are risks – of getting it wrong, making mistakes, looking stupid (or worse). But there is also a chance to be a part of what God is doing!

Back to Abraham. He doesn’t see it all happen (we are talking c 1800BC!), but he sees God working, and looks forward, even beyond his lifetime. So, will you look forward and work for the future, or only back? Have you the faith to be on God’s journey, looking for the promises, and the reassurances of being on the right track? The gospel (Luke 12:32-40) paints a picture of some of the blessings given to those who travel that way. But we still have to set out, and keep going.

Art thou peculiar?

You have probably heard the criticism that “Some Christians are so heavenly minded, they are no earthly use!” Certainly you will not go far without finding some who talk a different, “religious” language. It has many forms, but they are all a long way from ordinary conversation, and have the effect of alienating everyday people.

At first sight, what Paul has to say to the Colossians (today’s reading is Colossians 3:1-11) might seem to point in this direction: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”. Indeed, he goes on to list a number of things which have to be “put to death” – fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). Isn’t this the negative, judgemental religion that is often criticised and avoided?

Perhaps not. These may be common temptations, but they are hardly things we would want to encourage. “Let’s have more greed” might please the advertisers, but most of us would not be in favour. In fact, these are things we would be happy to avoid (especially if it were easier).

Paul is talking about the consequences of faith, and about the new power at work in Christian believers and the new motivation driving their transformed lives – the Holy Spirit. The new life is only possible because of Jesus, and it is a good life – something we perhaps do not emphasise enough?

As you read on, notice that there are not only things to get rid of, but also things to enjoy and celebrate. Truth is important, and a key to good relationships for family and community life. The other thing mentioned in this section is the breaking down of the barriers of race and wealth – again, an important issue today, as well as for the Colossians.

I’d like to think that Christians have a “heavenly mindedness” which makes them all the more practical and useful on earth. Most of us probably have a way to go yet – we are still being worked on – but the transformation and the newness of life need to be real, not just theoretical.