Bread of Life

 I am currently reading a book by Andrew Wilson as a devotional. The last few days I have been reading a section on "Bread". Which got me thinking 😊

The thing is that today in most developed countries we can take or leave bread. Its not essential and in some cases we are advised not to eat it for our health. If we do eat it we have a myriad of choices. When we eat bread often its not in community but on our own, rushing through a day and grabbing a sandwich or sitting alone somewhere having a 5 min break from the day's activities.

Biblically, bread was essential as was the success of producing the crop from which it is made. To share or break bread with someone was (as Wilson says) to include them by sharing something essential to life.

What does it mean to me to share bread with others? Is it any more than just being hospitable? My wife and I like having people around for food or going to other folks' homes for food, especially our family. They are good times of sharing stories, hearing each other and re-bonding. We recently helped out on an Alpha course in the church we attend and they do Alpha with a full meal as we used to years ago before we tried to make the sessions shorter. The connections made during that series again made me think of the importance of sharing food or breaking bread with each other. We got to know each other, we recognised differences as well as similarities in understanding. A number of the guests asked Christ into their lives and all (some were already Christians) were deeply affected on the Alpha day. Connections made through sharing food.

So when I read in the Bible Joh 6:35  Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty..."

How should I interpret it, given that bread today has a different sense of importance to those Jesus was talking to? Well taking communion, sharing or breaking bread with other Christians is like a shadow of what Jesus was meaning, I think. Its one time when a group of Christians share bread / wafers or water ever in common union with each other and with Christ. But I don't think it has the significance that this would have had when Jesus said it. Would "I am the food of life". Give us a better understanding? We all need food to survive and to grow and to live. We rely on those who grow and provide our food, however we buy it, cook it and eat it. 

I am the bread / food of life, suggests to me that Jesus is something that we cannot do without for the life that God intends us to have. Our inner hunger and thirst met in full. Without him in our lives we are in some ways, empty, spiritually thirsty and hungry. When I eat with others, sharing food, time and care for each other, I will try to remember that in that simple thing, the one who is my "food and drink" is with us.

Pedestals

We heard recently of accusations of inappropriate behaviour against another well known Christian leader. And of course there is no smoke without fire, so many queue up to point out the dangers, some even applaud the apparent fall. In a society that seems to promote celebrity culture, the raising onto a pedestal, those who we "follow" or like to watch on the media, we also seem to almost revel in their all too often fall from it.

Have we considered that in some way many of us in the Christian church have responsibility for these situations? Myself included. I have listened to Mark Driscoll (of Mars Hill Fame) and his often encouraging and challenging teaching. I have attended Soul Survivor weeks with teenagers. I have followed and read Bill Hybels (Willow Creek). I have read and enjoyed so much from Hillsong whose founder, Brian Houston is under investigation for a number of things.

How many of us rush to buy the latest books by famous Christian speakers and authors? How many of us go to see the latest in vogue, Christian performers or get the latest Christian songs into our churches? In a way all of this is a part of the "celebrity" culture of the times in which we live. Like it or not most of us have bought into this, even if we don't like admitting it.

Now a question, has anything changed over the years, the centuries? The Church has a history of raising up those who stand out for their, piety, service, preaching, song writing, leadership, sacrifice. There are so many names - Mother Teresa, Spurgeon, Wesley, Smith, Whitefield, Luther, Augustine to name a few. Their work continues to help us think about our faith and to worship our God. In their day these were celebrities.

Are we forgetting that all humans are vulnerable, all can be caught up in the position that they find themselves in because of a gift they have? Some find themselves or even strive to be put on a pedestal. The fame, the accolades and the wealth that can come with that being perhaps attractive, but maybe the sense of reaching so many being the real draw.

I am reminded of the man Philip and then Peter encountered in Acts 8 ...

(Act 8:18-20)  When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

 A man whose worldly sense of gain, wanted to have the gifts of God for his own benefit. It was open and overt, often the seduction that comes from a rise in notice and fame is not so overt. But then the temptations that come with this lurk in the background until they overwhelm or just draw upon our own sinful desires. 

It is not just those on the celebrity pedestal who are in danger of temptation. Anyone in any form of Christian leadership can fall foul of temptation. Pastors, Children's workers, Youth workers, Elders, Deacons, those in pastoral care, any with responsibility!

So should there be no "celebrities" in the Christian world, no book writers, song writers, leaders of note, no pastors or organisation leaders? I think there will also be those who are raised in this way because we all look up to those with such gifting's. However the real failing is that like so many film and pop celebrities, those who look up to them, us, forget to keep them accountable, forget to ask the hard questions like:

Was that appropriate? Does that action or activity honour God? Was that right? Are you behaving in your own life in an honouring way to God? Have you clear boundaries to protect yourselves and others? Are you accountable to others?

As Jesus told his disciples:

(Mar 10:42-45)  Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

To serve each other, we must each be accountable to each other. we must each be prepared to be asked and to ask the hard questions and not be angered by the asking, instead seeing this as the loving, caring desire of our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us stay in the right place and not succumb to temptation.

It saddens me that these falls happen and give the world another stick to try to bruise the church of Christ with. But as a closing thought, we need to pray for those called to lead, called to "great" things and if they fall, pray for them all the more as well for those impacted by whatever it is that they did.

Waiting and Timing

 In my yearly read through of the bible (it doesn't start in Jan 😀), I recently got to the end of the Old Testament and reflected a little on the long 400 year gap between the last Prophet and the coming of the Messiah. God's timing is not always ours is it? We are also pretty impatient in our technology focused world, driven by instant messaging, emails and social media. I sometimes wonder how the people who were back in Judea felt at the long gap, had some given up waiting while others tried to tie down behaviour to "ensure " that they were ready and while yet others exploited the situation seeking power and position?

How good are we at waiting? How good are we at jumping the gun a bit and trying to make things happen when we believe God has given us a direction and things seem slow happening? We were reminded in church recently of the story of Abram (Abraham) and Sara (Sarah). Childless they were promised a son by God, but nothing seemed to be happening.

(Gen 12:31)  The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you. "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

How often do we like Abraham and Sarah try in our own strength to do what God has promised? In my experience that usually leads to problems, wrong directions and even heart-ache. Fortunately for Abraham and Sarah, God did give them the son who would be the root of blessing for all peoples, Isaac, even though they had produced Ishmael from a servant rather than wait.

Nicola and I thought last year that we had the next phase of our lives worked out. Retiring from a church and job that we both loved in Essex and which we knew we would miss, but realising it was time to hand over to a new minister, we prepared. Sold our home in Sussex (4 times in 6 months) and prepared for living near the sea. A few weeks before our retirement the buyer pulled out leaving us with no choice but to return to our house in mid-Sussex and see what the future held. We are trying one more time to see if the move to the sea is on this year. 

While I am convinced that retirement was to right thing and we are loving spending more time with family and grand-children we have questioned our plans for where to live. Does God want us where we have now returned to or is the move to the sea-side and a different adventure still the plan just not in our timing? We are enjoying being in the church here but continue to seek God's direction for what is next, here or the sea-side. His timing and plans are good and perfect, ours are often impatient and flawed.

I have just read Luke chapters 1-5 and the account of Jesus' the Messiahs birth. God did do as he had promised his people, just not in their timing and not in a way that they expected. Perhaps we need to learn patience and listening to God more than we have?

Changing Scenes

 It has been a while since I last wrote, partly through lack of time and partly because my focus has been on other things. I was reflecting recently on the way in which the scenes of life change. Sometimes with our choices and at other times they are forced upon us. I imagine that the disciples of Jesus were shocked when he said he was going to die and probably even more shocked when it happened. But then while enjoying his risen presence and wondering what next? Was he going to restore the kingdom there and then in a way they expected? Once again Jesus shocked them ...

Act 1:6-9  Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"  He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 

Everything changing around them.

Most of us have been through big changes in our lives. More recently we have coped with COVID and the enforced season that this virus took us into. Many have recovered from it but the echoes are still there for some, isolation, poor health, the loss of loved ones.

Some of us cope with change better than others, some resist change at all costs. But change is inevitable and I think in some instances needed. We can get very set in our ways, comfortable in them even if they are not helpful to us or others.

Following Jesus comes at a price, because we align our lives with what he commands of us. Take up your cross daily and follow me! He calls us to give up to gain, calls to ministry are a good example, we give up a life which often we have loved and enjoyed in terms of work and finance, to take up a vocation which is often amazing but at times is hard work and difficult. As I look back I ask myself the question would I have chosen not to go into full time Christian ministry? My answer is no, I would not have missed my years in ministry for anything, for all of the cost to me and my family, the gain is beyond measure.

I know that throughout Jesus has been true to his word that he would never leave us, in fact gave us the Holy Spirit to be our advocate and guide. So now as I plan a change of season and retire later this year from full time ministry I can but wonder what surprises Jesus has in store for me next.

Whatever season you may be in or may face in the future, Jesus knows all about and will be with you. Trust in him and you will see it through. 

Christmas with ....

 Last Christmas many people struggled, some with the virus others just because everything that would normally be Christmas was not possible. Often its not until we strip back everything that we uncover things and we then get back to something more beautiful.

I am sure that many of us will have started decorating a "new" home, taking back wall papers and paint to bare walls only to find cracks, bad or worn out plaster or brick work, that then needs some serious repair or attention. But its not always bad news, sometimes it takes the clearing away of those things that hide the truth or the beauty, to see it. Most have heard of Pompeii in Italy, clearing away and excavating uncovered lovely murals on walls that had not been seen since the eruption. A restoration project in a Tudor mansion, uncovered Elizabethan paintings on the walls that had been hidden for centuries.

This Christmas, 2021, many will have to stay away from families and friends as they cope with infections of the virus and the need to protect others. As a result many Christmas parties, Church activities and family gatherings are either cancelled or reduced in size and numbers. We read in the news and social media of the distress and upset that this causes to business and people. Others are working extraordinary hours to handle the vaccination booster program. My wife had the virus early in December and has fully recovered, I got a +ve test on 17th Dec (result on the 18th), no symptoms initially but must now cancel our Christmas plans and rely on being present on-line in some of my favourite services of the year.

I was asking myself what makes Christmas? Has it been reduced over the years to a massive spending spree where, driven by current trends and social influencers, we rush to buy the right things, the right gifts, attend the right parties and events? Even the church celebrations can drift away from worship of the one that Christmas is truly all about, Jesus as we get tangled up in presenting shows and panto's and having various fund raising things in the hope that folks are more generous at Christmas.

Jesus, the baby, its almost like a fairy tale and for many it seems like that. Why would God, all powerful, all glorious, the creator of all things, majestic in power, why would God become a baby? Vulnerable and dependant upon others, it seems so strange. Yet in his humanity, his teaching, his life, he had a purpose. To build the bridge to God, to pay the price of our wrong doing and build a spiritual bridge that all may cross. This baby as an adult, was crucified for us, rose again to give us hope for an eternal future. This is something to celebrate, just as the Angels did, something to hold in our hearts, even if we don't have Christmas with friends, family, church, or work through it, we can still celebrate Jesus, God with us, God who loves us, God who wants us to know him.

Let me wish you a Happy and safe Christmas, where ever you are and what ever you are doing. Let hope for your future with God be a cause for great joy, laughter and celebration this Christmas.

I hope you enjoy this song which I find helps me celebrate and reflect.