Monthly Archives: December 2009

The Purpose of Christmas: Celebration

The Purpose of Christmas: Celebration from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

What do you do for an encore on the Day After Tomorrow? As a follow-up to Doomsday, Armageddon or Independence Day? If your name is Roland Emmerich then it had to be producing the apotheosis of all disaster movies, 2012. To be more precise, the 21st December 2012, i.e, tomorrow, in two years time. Because that’s the day the Mayan “Long Count” calendar ends. On that day, in the film at least, a solar storm results in changes in the Earth’s core, triggering gigantic earthquakes, super-volcanoes, and truly apocalyptic disasters. I confess – I enjoyed the film – if you can ever ‘enjoy’ a portrayal of the end of the world. The wide screen set pieces are literally jaw-dropping. The heroes race through a disintegrating landscape, literally riding a rolling cataclysm consuming the earth directly under their wheels. Crumbling skyscrapers, tumbling vehicles and heaving shelves of rock, slide whole cities into the abyss or beneath the waves. The other memorable scene occurs when a crack runs the length of the Sistine Chapel ceiling—directly between the adjacent fingers of God and Adam. Outside, a crowd of thousands keep vigil in St. Peter’s Square. They hold candles, while the pope looks down from his balcony and a group of cardinals pray within the basilica. But St. Peter’s, along with the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio, go the way of all landmarks in an Roland Emmerich film.

Is he making a religious statement? Well, probably, for, without giving too much away, the concluding scene resembles another well known story from Genesis. My worry is that the film typifies the “apocalyptic subculture” fuelled by books, websites, YouTube videos and movies at a time of heightened fear—about terrorism, al Qaeda, Iran, nuclear weapons and religious fundamentalism. Add to that climate change, global warming, natural disasters, disease pandemics, AIDS, the economic meltdown, the debt burden, diminishing fuel reserves and food shortages, and we are at the mercy of ‘chick-little’ gloom and doom prophets who predict the end of the world. Sadly some popular Christian writers seem just as determined to stir the pot and bring on death and destruction to our world. One day God will indeed wrap up history as we know. But that shouldn’t paralyze us. It should energise us. God doesn’t want to destroy this world. He wants to deliver us.

“God is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11)

God is not mad with you. He is mad about you! That is the message of Christmas. You may have good reason for feeling uneasy or lonely or even depressed at Christmas. Maybe relationships are strained or uncomfortable. Maybe you will be alone this Christmas. Maybe you’re just exhausted, worn out from all that’s happened in your life this year. This Christmas, please know that God cares deeply about you. His purpose for Christmas really is the best news on earth. Beneath all the trappings of the Festive season there are some simple truths that will transform your life for the better now, and forever in eternity. Right now there’s nothing more important for you to understand than the purpose of Christmas. It is no accident that you are here. God planned your birth, and before you were even born, he knew this moment was coming. It may well be that all your life up to this moment has been preparing you to receive God’s Christmas gift. On the first Christmas night, the angels announced three purposes behind the birth of Jesus.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” (Luke 2:8-14)

Christmas is a time for celebration, a time for salvation and a time for reconciliation. Tonight we will dwell on the first. On Christmas Eve we will consider the other two. We have here an indication of the importance of this message in the number of angels who brought the announcement.

“A great company of the heavenly host appeared”. The words used to describe the number of angels indicates that there were thousands upon thousands of angels. For all we know there may have been millions. What does this tell us? It tells us of a God who is excited beyond our wildest imagination about coming to be with us, to be one of us, to rescue us, to save us, to restore us to a right relationship with him. The first purpose of Christmas therefore is celebration! That is why we say “Merry Christmas” Christmas is a celebration. Why? Because God had wonderful news to share: We learn this from the angel’s opening statement. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10). Observe first that it is personal: “I bring you.” Not only that but it is positive: “good news of great joy.” Good news. Positive, personal. And notice also it is universal: “for all the people.” For all the people, not just some people, not just good people, not just young people, beautiful people, articulate people, intelligent people, or religious people, but all people. So it doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or where you’re headed — this news is for you. Its personal, its positive and its profligate. The angel brought the best news in the whole wide world for the whole wide world. The message of the angels is worth celebrating because it is greatest news ever told.
And what specifically is that good news? The good news of Christmas is three things. When God sent Jesus Christ to earth, He was saying three things. One, God loves us. Two, God is with us. Three, God is for us. Reason enough for mulled wine and mince pies tonight.

1. God loves us
The angels said “Do not be afraid”. Many people are afraid of God because of what they have done or because of what they have been taught. But that is not the message of Christmas. The most famous verse in the whole Bible is Jesus’ explanation of Christmas – why God sent him to earth.”God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) We are celebrating Christmas because of the love of God. God loves you so much that he came to earth that first Christmas as a human so you could get to know him and love him back.
God created us in his image, which includes the ability to enjoy a personal relationship with him. He took the initiative to send Jesus so we could experience his love. So that we could be restored to a right relationship with him. Of course, we know a little about God by simply observing his creation. For instance, by looking at nature we know that our Creator loves variety:

He created an incredibly diverse universe. Think of the limitless array of plants, animals, rock formations, snowflakes, and people. No two human beings, even twins, are exactly alike. God doesn’t make clones or copies. Every one of us is an original. After you were born, God broke the mold. By surveying nature, we also know that God is powerful and organized, and that he loves beauty. God must enjoy watching us enjoy what he’s created. Otherwise, why would he give us so many ways to enjoy it? He gave us taste buds, then filled the world with incredible flavours like chocolate and cinnamon and all the other spices. He gave us eyes to perceive colour and then filled the world with a rainbow of shades. He gave us sensitive ears and then filled the world with rhythms and music. Your capacity for enjoyment is evidence of God’s love for you. He could have made the world tasteless, colorless, and silent. The Bible says that God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” He didn’t have to do it, but he did, because he loves us. But until Jesus came, our understanding of God’s love was limited. So God invaded planet earth to save us. God could have chosen many other ways to communicate with us, but since he designed us, he knew the best way would be face-to-face. The Bible tells us that God is love. It doesn’t say God has love, but “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is the essence of God’s character. It is his very nature.

The reason that everything in the universe exists is because God wanted to love it. “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” (Psalm 145:9). Think about this. Everything you see, and the trillions of things you can’t, were made by God for his enjoyment. He loves it all, even when we mess it up by our sin. Every star, every planet, every plant, every animal, every cell, and, most of all, every human being was created out of God’s compassion. You were created as an object of God’s love. He made you in order to love you! His love is the reason you’re alive and breathing and here tonight. Every time your heart beats and every time you take a breath, God is saying, “I love you.” You would not exist if God had not wanted you. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. Did you know that God was thinking of you even before he made the world? (Psalm 139:16). In fact, it is why he created it. He designed this planet’s environment with just the right characteristics so human beings could live on it. “God decided to give us life through the word of truth so we might be the most important of all the things he made.” (James 1:18). We matter to God more than anything else he has made. Because God’s love for you is unconditional, he loves you on your bad days as much as on your good days. He loves you when you don’t feel his love as much as when you do.

He loves you regardless of your performance, your moods, your actions, or your thoughts. His love for you is unchanging. Everything else will change during your lifetime, but God’s love for you is constant, steady, and continuous. It’s the foundation for unshakable confidence. There is nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you. You could try, but you’d fail — because God’s love for you is based on his character, not your conduct. It’s based on who he is, not what you’ve done. The Bible says, “Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love.” (Ephesians 3:19). Christ’s love was supremely expressed when he paid for every sin we commit by dying on a cross in our place. This is the Good News. When the Romans nailed Jesus to a cross, they stretched his arms as wide as they could. With his arms wide open, Jesus was physically demonstrating, “I love you this much! I’d rather die than live without you!” The next time you see a picture or statue of Jesus on the cross, remember, he is saying, “I love you this much” This is the 1st reason to celebrate at Christmas – God loves us. Here’s the 2nd reason to celebrate Christmas:

2. God is with us

Sometimes we give babies names to honour their relatives. God gave Jesus several names to explain his purpose for coming to earth. Matthew’s gospel, quotes one of those names,

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” which means “God with us”. (Matt 1:23; Isa 7:14)

In Jesus Christ, God has made himself known fully and finally. He is now with us. God came to earth at Christmas in Jesus Christ to be with you. To be with you, not just for Christmas but forever. God’s presence in your life has nothing to do with your feelings. Your emotional state can be the result of memories, hormones, medicines, food, lack of sleep, tension or fears. The Bible says “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). Space and time are irrelevant to God. God is always everywhere at the same time. No wonder the angels told the shepherds “Do not be afraid”.

C.S. Lewis put it, “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with him.” That’s a fact whether you feel it or not. You may have been abandoned in life – by a spouse, by your parents, by your children, or by people you thought were your friends. We have all experienced the pain and heartache of rejection in some way or another. You may have experienced the sting of racial or ethnic prejudice, gender bigotry, or religious intolerance. But God will not abandon you if you trust in Him. He never will. In the Bible, God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). Whatever difficulty you are facing or where the heat is on in your life, God knows about it, cares about it, understands it and is with you. You are not alone. God loves us. God is with us.

3. God is for us

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10). He’s not only loving you, and He’s not only with you, but the Bible says God is for you. He’s on your side. He wants you to win. He wants you to succeed. He wants you to live. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Not just with us but for us. So many people are afraid of God. They feel that God is just waiting to catch them in something bad, so he can pounce on them and punish them. Maybe you get nervous when people start talking about God. You know why? It’s called guilt. Guilt separates us from God. You may think, “If I get close to God, He’s going to scold me. He’s going to remind me of all the things I’ve done wrong. He’s going to tell me the bad stuff.”
But the Bible says Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world. He came to save it. The Bible says – “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” (John 3:17).

He didn’t come to scold you. He came to save you. That’s the good news. And if God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31). No wonder the angel said “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10). Good news of great joy that God loves you, God is with you. God is for you. These are the reasons Christmas is meant to be a celebration. On Christmas Eve we will consider the other two purposes, salvation and reconciliation. For now, remember, Jesus came to save you, not to scare you. That’s why the very first words of the angel were, “Don’t be afraid.” There are actually 365 “fear not’s” in the Bible. That’s one for every day of the year. God is saying, “Get the message” You don’t need to be afraid. Because, “I love you, I’m with you, and I’m for you.” That’s good news. And that’s what we are celebrating tonight. Lets pray.

Dear God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, so I could get to know you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being with me all my life even when I didn’t know it. I realize I need a saviour to set me free from sin, from myself, and from all the habits, hurts, and hang-ups that mess up my life. I ask you to forgive me for my sins. I want to repent and live the way you created me to live. Be the Lord of my life, and save me by your grace. Save me from my sins, and save me for your purpose. I want to learn to love you, trust you, and become what you made me to be. Thank you for creating me and choosing me to be part of your family. Right now, by faith, I accept the Christmas gift of your Son. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to give me your peace and assurance so I can be a peacemaker, and help me share this message of peace with others. In your name I pray, Amen.

This sermon and prayer is adapted with sincere thanks from Rick Warren’s The Purpose of Christmas (Howard Books, 2008)

With God on our Side

With God On Our Side Trailer from Porter Speakman Jr on Vimeo.

Coming 2010: withgodonourside.com “With God On Our Side takes a look at the theology of Christian Zionism, which teaches that because the Jews are God’s chosen people, they have a divine right to the land of Israel. Aspects of this belief system lead some Christians in the West to give uncritical support to Israeli government policies, even those that privilege Jews at the expense of Palestinians, leading to great suffering among Muslim and Christian Palestinians alike and threatening Israel’s security as a whole. This film demonstrates that there is a biblical alternative for Christians who want to love and support the people of Israel, a theology that doesn’t favor one people group over another but instead promotes peace and reconciliation for both Jews and Palestinians.”

The Prosperity Gospel: How to be a Wise Investor

On Being a Generous Investor: Luke 12:13-21 from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

I think we would all agree that the £850 billion the government has pledged to bale out UK Banks is a lot of money. It’s the equivalent of £40,000 for every household.  A great deal of money. We might disagree, though on whether some of those billions should be paid out in bonuses this Christmas. On Thursday the RBS Board threatened to resign en masse if the government blocked its pledge to pay bonuses. Whether you agree or not might depend on whether you are a potential beneficiary.  Today is our Pledge Sunday.

Today we are asking you to make a pledge. To indicate in writing, up front, what the Lord has laid upon your heart to give back to him in 2010. Today we are asking you to be a wise and generous investor. We are asking you to indicate your pledge to the Lord’s work in and through Christ Church in 2010. As a sign of your thankfulness. As a sign of your trust.  As a sign of your obedience. None of us know what lies ahead. So your pledge is not binding. Your income may go up in 2010. It may very well go down. All God expects is that we tithe in proportion to our income. So please make your pledge today.
Knowing what income we may expect helps our Church Council to budget prudently. You may wish to base your pledge on your income this year. You may wish to base it on your anticipated income next year. It is your choice. But please pledge.

Pledge Joyfully. Pledge willingly, secretly, sacrificially and in proportion to your income. Becoming a generous investor is much more than simply putting money in the collection. Its even more than filling in a bankers standing order (although we do like you to give in this way).
As you consider your pledge, let us take a few moments to consider the meaning and application of this parable of Jesus.

We shall see that by our attitude to money, how we invest our assets, we are shaping our legacy, indeed, our eternal destiny. Through this simple story, Jesus shows that we have a choice. We are either becoming a success or a failure, and the way we handle money will make it obvious which.

Jesus is teaching the crowds when he is interrupted by a man who asks Jesus to solve a family dispute. ‘Teacher, tell my wretched brother to divide the inheritance with me.’”  By the way it doesn’t say the word ‘wretched’, I put that in, I think that’s what he means.  You know what they say, don’t you, where there’s a will there’s a family.  That’s what’s going on here, isn’t it? Two brothers falling out for good over money.

Like many today, their relationship is coming to an end over who’s going to get Granny’s sideboard and clock.  Rabbis were expected to help settle such legal matters, but Jesus refuses to get involved. Why? Because He is being asked to side with one brother against another. He knew that neither recognised their real problem. The real problem for both was covetousness. (The “you” in Luke 12:14 is plural.) As long as both were greedy, no settlement would be satisfactory to either.  Their greatest need was a change of heart. Like many today, they wanted Jesus to serve them but not to save them.  Jesus tells this story because he wants to save them and us. He tells this story to help us distinguish success from failure. To discern the difference between wisdom and foolishness.

By the world’s standards this individual was very successful. Very wealthy. He had it made. He could retire early and quit the rat race. And yet God says ‘you are a complete and utter failure’. Quite shocking really isn’t it? Why? Because we are about to see Jesus defines failure. Failure is being successful in things that really don’t matter. People who are satisfied only with the things that money can buy are in mortal danger of losing the things that money cannot buy.

1. The Fool’s Dilemma
“The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ (Luke 12:16-17)

Rico Tice speculates, “So this guy knows exactly how to work the EU subsidies.  And the stables have been converted into garages and there are four family cars.  And in city terms I guess you’d see him commuting in from Sunningdale every morning, …. his wife shops at Harrod’s and Harvey Nicks.
He’d have a house next to Ernie Ells on the Wentworth Estate, wouldn’t he?  He’d be playing golf there, loves to play the West course every Saturday morning.  And the kids, well the boys would be at Harrow or Eton, the girl would be at Downe House.  He drives an Aston Martin.  That’s his life, and if you saw him commuting in you’d nudge your friends as you walk past First Class.  You’d say, ‘look at him, he’s made a fortune you know.  Take his advice.  He’s no fool.  Amazing guy.’  … a partner at Goldman Sachs, and he is the guy that actually saved Goldman Sachs billions of pounds.  You know they ended up with 8 billion on the sub-prime mortgages, but….  He’s the one who got them out.  He’s a very bright guy… a bright guy, he knows how to do it, take his advice, he’s no fool.”

How would you respond to the wealthy man’s dilemma? Here was a man who had a problem with too much wealth!  You may be thinking – I wish I had that kind of problem.  If you inherited a fortune this week, you would no doubt ask the same question as he did, “What shall I do?” It was a good question to ask. What made him a fool was the way he answered it.  The Fool’s Dilemma.

2. The Fool’s Decision
‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ (Luke 12:18-19)

Here’s Rico again, “So you see he gets a better harvest than expected but there’s no panic, there’s no waste, he’s not going to flood the market.  He gets out his calculator, he does his sums, he does his work, he sees it’s definitely worth paying for a massive grain storage mountain.  Bigger profit than normal this year, there’s no point in letting Gordon Brown get his hands on it, so he calls in his accountant and he works out how to invest it. … it’s amazing because he’s eventually able to arrive at, being able to say to himself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”  So he retires early at 47.  It’s just absolutely fantastic, he’s done it.  Left school aged 18 and said, ‘I want to retire by my mid-forties,’ and he’s done it.  He’s retired early.

And doubtlessly the Sunday Times colour supplement would run an article on him entitled, “The Man Who Knew When To Stop.”  And those people slogging it out, commuting into the city, they’d read it and they’d say, ‘Very wise, very wise.’  And … he’s now trying to get his handicap down to single figures, he wants to get down to single figures on the West course at Wentworth, now that’s a battle.  So he’s going to try and shoot under eighty every time as he goes out.  And … down in Sandwich he’s built the most fantastic holiday home, wonderful, overlooking the bay.”

‘Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry’ Isn’t that the motivation behind many a pension plan or saving scheme?  Isn’t that the assumption behind the glossy holiday supplements that intentionally fall out of your Sunday paper so you have to pick them up? People say that money does not satisfy, but it does satisfy if you want a particular lifestyle. The Fool’s Dilemma, the Fool’s Decision.

3. The Fool’s Destiny
Rico once more, “The retirement party has come and gone, it’s a lovely Sunday afternoon in the summer at Sandwich.  The sun’s sort of bouncing off the water, it’s a beautiful day.  His wife is with the staff clearing up in the kitchen.  He’s got a long cool glass of orange … in his hand.  He’s standing on the veranda looking out over the bay.  The congratulations from his friends are ringing in his ears, they’re saying, ‘we saw the article; I don’t know how you did it.  We’re going to have to go on working for years, you’ve made it.’  And he looks down and there are holiday brochures on the little side table behind him.  There are safaris, there’s skiing, he doesn’t know, … Aspen, Verbier, Val d’Isere, but he’s going to buy a chalet because he doesn’t want to be mucking around with time shares, not with global warming.  You’ve got to go when the snow’s good.  So he says to himself as he looks down and he sees the safaris and the skiing, and he looks out and he sees his boat, and he looks behind him and he sees the wonderful house he’s built, and he looks across, he can see Sandwich and the golf course, and he says to himself, “You’ve done it!  You’ve made it!  You’ve retired early.  You’ve plenty laid up for years and years and years.  Take life easy: eat, drink and….” and suddenly, there is a searing pain in his chest and he is dead before they get him into intensive care.

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21)

‘This is failure’ says Jesus. To be successful in the things in life that really don’t matter. I have yet to meet anyone who sets out to be a failure. I think we would all really like to succeed.

But Jesus says he was a failure. He was a failure because he was not rich toward God. Rico points out, “we don’t know much about this guy, we don’t know if he was a good husband or a philanderer, we don’t know if he was a good father or he beat his children.  All we know is that at the end of the passage…he was not rich towards God. it’s very striking how self-centred he is, …I, me or my come eleven times.  “He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.’  Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I’ll say to myself.’”  He thought he was self-sufficient actually he was thoroughly self-centred.”

The greatest tragedy is not what the man left behind but what lay before him: eternity without God. The man lived without God and died without God, and his wealth was of no good to him. God is not impressed with our money. We cannot buy our way into heaven. Wealth cannot keep us alive when our time comes to die, nor can it buy back the opportunities we missed. Jesus exposes the utter folly of investing in the wrong things, in things that ultimately don’t matter. What then is the right approach to wealth and possessions?

How to Become a Wise Investor

Jesus said, “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:21) Here is the answer. God does want us to be rich. “Rich toward God.” Notice Jesus is not criticizing saving. He is not condemning storing up. Just the reverse. Saving is warmly commended in Scripture.

“The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.” (Proverbs 21:20)

“Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.” (Proverbs 30:24-25)

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25)

So Jesus is not criticizing saving or storing up for the future. The contrast Jesus makes here is between storing up for ‘myself’ and storing up for ‘God’. The question then is this:

In what am I investing? Whose money is it?

Who am I working for? Jesus does not want us to be a failure. That is why he explains that to be “rich toward God” means:

Rich in Thankfulness

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes… consider the ravens… yet God feeds them” (Luke 12:22-24)

If we would have a proper attitude to possessions then we must first acknowledge, like the birds, that all things come from God. We will be grateful, thankful stewards of God’s good creation. Pledging is a way of saying “thank you”. Rich in thankfulness.

Rich in Simplicity

“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith..”  (Luke 12:27-28)

The fool’s motive was “more is better”. Jesus says “Less is more. Learn to live simply so that others can simply live”.
Even designer clothes cannot match the beauty of God’s creation and that includes you. Rich in thankfulness, rich in simplicity.

Rich in Generosity

“But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well… Sell your possessions and give to the poor.

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:31-34)

Wealth can be enjoyed and employed at the same time if we are rich – if we are generous toward God.

A month ago we launched our 2020 Vision and Five Year Plan. We believe these reflect God’s priorities for us as a church.

That is why we are now asking you to pledge.

To pledge your financial contribution so that we may accomplish our mission. Is this not a legacy worth investing in? Please make your pledge today. It will help you shape your legacy and help us as a church fulfill our destiny.  Lets pray.

You can listen  here

The Cross of Jesus in the Hebrew Scriptures

On Monday I gave a presentation on the Cross of Christ in Isaiah 53 to the Royal Holloway University Christian Union as part of their evangelistic training course. Here is the text:

Isaiah 53: Cross Shaped Evangelism
Written around 700 years before Christ, the Book of Isaiah is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other book of the Hebrew Scriptures. 754 of its 1292 verses are predictive = 59% prophecy. And you know what? Isaiah chapter 53 is quoted more times in the NT than any other chapter in the OT. It contains 11 direct prophecies concerning Jesus and it is cited or alluded to in at least 50 NT passages. Why? Lets find out. With the eyes of faith we see Isaiah 53 so explicitly refers to the Lord Jesus it doesn’t need much by way of explanation. Indeed it became so obvious that Isaiah was referring to Jesus after he was crucified and rose again from the dead, that, as the Church separated from the Synagogue, Isaiah 53 was no longer read as part of the Jewish lectionary. There are five stanzas to this passage, each of three verses, and it begins in chapter 52:13. (Remember the chapter divisions and verse numbering was added in Medieval times and are not there in the original).

1. The Predicted Saviour: The Servant’s Role (52:13-15)
2. The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life (53:1-3)
3. The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering (53:4-6)
4. The Crucified Saviour: The Servant’s Death (53:7-9)
5. The Glorious Saviour: The Servant’s Resurrection (53:10-12)

1. The Predicted Saviour: The Servant’s Role
“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness—so will he sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him.
For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.” (Isaiah 52:13-15)

This 1st Stanza contains the words of God as He makes a divine proclamation. He says, “See my servant” The AV uses the word “Behold” The word means ‘To fix the eyes upon’ or ‘to observe with care.’ John said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Notice Jesus would be God’s servant. God’s servant, and our Saviour. So God speaks “See, My Servant”

I invite you to do just that this morning. I invite you to behold Jesus. I invite you to fix your eyes upon Him. I invite you to see Him in ways that you have never seen Him before. God tells us, through Isaiah, that His Servant will be raised and lifted up. He will be highly exalted, even though his suffering was truly appalling. This was fulfilled when Jesus was lifted up on the cross, then in his resurrection and ascension. God then tells us that His Servant will “sprinkle many nations”. At first this phrase may seem strange.
The word used here means to sprinkle as in to declare clean from disease. Leviticus 14 describes the process whereby one who had been healed from leprosy or some other disease that was considered contagious could be declared clean by the priests.
Through his death Jesus would provide for our cleansing from a disease far worse than leprosy that disease is sin.
The Predicted Saviour: The Servants Role.

2. The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life
“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:1-3)

These verses speak of the ministry of Jesus and the growing incredulity found in the gospels when it became plain that Jesus was not going to fulfil the role of the warrior king and defeat Israel’s enemies. On Good Friday, the Jewish authorities rejected their Saviour. Even the disciples failed to see in Jesus their Saviour. The reference to the ‘arm of the Lord’ refers to His power to save His people. The Cross is where God’s power resides. The Cross the power of God for salvation. Foolishness to the world, but the wisdom and power of God. The Predicted Saviour: The Servants Role. The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life.

3. The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

This is the heart of Isaiah 53 and takes us to the core of why Jesus came. Notice that it was not his sin but ours that he took the cross.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

Paul captures the essence of this in his second letter to the Corinthians. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Verse 6 probably derives its imagery from the ritual which took place on the Day of Atonement. In Leviticus 16:21-22 we see how the high priest acts as God’s agent and symbolically transfers the sins of the people to a goat, known as the ‘scapegoat’ by laying his hands on its head. Then the scapegoat was driven out into the desert to die; even as Christ, the Lamb of God, was crucified outside the city.

The Predicted Saviour: The Servants Role.
The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life.
The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering.

4. The Crucified Saviour: The Servant’s Death
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7-9)

Here we see a description of the Suffering Servant’s death – so completely fulfilled in Jesus. His trial, illegally held at night, was a mockery of justice – it was oppressive. His assigned grave was to have been with the two thieves with whom he was crucified. But a rich Pharisee and secret follower petitioned Pilate for the body to bury him in his own tomb. An exact fulfilment of Isaiah’s prediction 700 years after it was made.
As the split between Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity widened, Jewish rabbi’s increasingly taught that Israel was the ‘Servant’ in Isaiah 53. But sinful Israel could never atone for others. “for the transgression of my people he was stricken”. It is the singular servant – “he” who dies for the transgression of the people, so the people would not have to. The apostle John understood, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2).

The Predicted Saviour: The Servants Role.
The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life.
The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering.
The Crucified Saviour: The Servant’s Death

5. The Glorious Saviour: The Servant’s Resurrection
“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:10-12)

These verses point most emphatically to the resurrection. Having “poured out his life unto death” (53:12), he would nevertheless, verse 11, “After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” (53:11). He would indeed “prolong his days” (53:10). Christ’s work is presented as a victory over spiritual foes, resulting in a distribution of spoils to those made strong in him.
This is precisely the imagery Paul uses in Ephesians 4 & 6 (see Ephesians 4:8; 6:10-17); Christ the victor grants salvation and spiritual gifts to his people. And Matthew 19:28-30 declares that Jesus the great King, when he returns to reign “at the renewal of all things,” will even grant to his faithful followers a right to share in that reign.” Jesus shall indeed come again, crowned with glory and honour, power and majesty! Now do you see how the good news of Jesus was indeed revealed centuries before he came? Revealed by a loving God who wanted people to recognise His son when he came. Before he came to seek and save the lost.

The Predicted Saviour: The Servants Role.
The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life.
The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering.
The Crucified Saviour: The Servant’s Death.
The Glorious Saviour: The Servant’s Resurrection.

The prophecy of Isaiah 53, so graphically fulfilled in the last 12 hours of Jesus earthly life can be summed up in one simple word – ‘love’. And one verse. One verse epitomises the NT response to the predictions of Isaiah 53. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Lets pray.