Author Archives: Stephen Sizer

Jesus Confronts Racism and Prejudice with Compassion and Mercy

This ‘sermon’ is just 1 minute 48 seconds but it sums up the last 35 years of my full time Christian ministry. If I never preached another sermon, this is the one I’d want you to remember me by.

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 24:40)

Source: With God on our Side

Jesus: The Perfect Sacrifice

Was the coming of Jesus the fulfilment or the postponement of the promises God made to Abraham? Does God have one covenant people today or two? Is the Church the Bride of Christ or a parenthesis to God’s continuing relationship with the Jewish people? Does the Temple in Jerusalem still need to be rebuilt before Jesus returns? Hebrews was written in part, to answer these questions. Jewish believers in Jesus living in the First Century were confused on whether they should attend Temple services? Should they continue to keep the Law? Should they celebrate Jewish Festivals? Should they offer animal sacrifices? They were torn between loyalty to their heritage on the one hand and loyalty to their Gentile brothers and sisters.  The on-going conflict between Jews and Palestinians over the Holy Land is a controversial subject. It arouses strong emotions and heated debate among Christians. This too has its theological origins in passages such as the one was are looking at today. It helps us see that Bible study is not theoretical but can have profound ramifications in people’s lives and world affairs. This morning we are going to focus on Hebrews 10:1-18 but you may find this outline helpful, which gives the wider Biblical context to these questions. I hope it will stimulate your thinking and enrich your Bible study.

One of my favourite places to walk is the Pilgrim Way. It follows one of the ancient footpaths from Winchester to Canterbury across the Downs. Now there are many public footpaths in England but this one is unique. As the name suggests, for hundreds of years it has been used by pilgrims. For some it was a way to do penance and earn merit with God. For others it was a special time which they used to concentrate on their relationship with God and deepen their spiritual walk. It was a great experience to walk where so many before us had walked. The trail ends at the Canterbury Cathedral where pilgrims knelt at the spot where Thomas Becket was killed by the knights of Henry II. There is a simple memorial which marks the place of Becket’s martyrdom. For nearly a thousand years, Christians have knelt there to ask God that they, like Becket, might live courageously for him in spite of the powers of the world. Becket was a close friend of King Henry II who appointed him to his court. When the position of Archbishop of Canterbury fell vacant, Henry appointed Thomas Becket in the position thinking he would do his bidding. But something happened to Becket after he was appointed as spiritual leader of England. He stopped being complacent about his faith. He put politics and luxury behind him. He gave up his former wealth and style of life. And to his peril, he began to oppose the king when it came to differences between the church and the government. He paid the ultimate sacrifice. But Becket’s willingness to be a martyr for the faith did not earn him a place in heaven. Neither does a pilgrimage walking to Canterbury or indeed to Jerusalem.
There is only one way our sins can be taken away — only one sacrifice sufficient to atone for our sins.  It is the perfect sacrifice of Christ, and this sacrifice makes all other sacrifices unnecessary. I want us to observe 3 reasons from Hebrews 10.

Continue reading →

Christ in all the Scriptures: The Son and Lord of David

The ultimate test of any civilisation, any culture, any community and indeed any church, must surely be, not how long it has existed, or its size or influence, but rather, the way it treats its most vulnerable members. Whether they are the unborn, the young, the elderly, sick, widowed, orphaned, in prison, on probation, ex-offenders, unemployed, addicts, from an ethnic minority, of another faith, a foreigner, an outsider, a stranger or just a visitor. It doesn’t matter. A society is judged by how it treats its weakest, most powerless, most vulnerable members. As Christians, the quality of our faith will also, says Jesus, be tested by how we treat our weaker sisters and brothers.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me…. The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40).

Because ultimately how we treat others is a reflection of how we treat Jesus. Outsiders who look in, will be envious of our love for one another and want to know more about Jesus, the source of our love. Or, they will be repelled by our lack of love and reject Jesus because of us. The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, quoted by the Apostle Paul warn:

“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5 (see Septuagint); Ezekiel 36:20,22)

It’s why Jesus insists:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another… everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Nothing else really matters. God expects us to treat others the same way he treats us with grace. In Jesus we see the perfect expression of God’s grace. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). In September we began a teaching series entitled “Christ in all the Scriptures” based on the classic by A.M. Hodgkin. So far we have discovered Jesus in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Ruth. We have encountered the Lord Jesus in the types and images God introduced to prepare his people for the day when he would come in person to rescue them. We have seen the Lord Jesus in the Passover Lamb (Genesis), in the Bronze Snake (Leviticus), in the Day of Atonement (Numbers) in the Prophet Moses promised God would send (Deuteronomy), in the Commander of the army of the Lord (Joshua) and in the wonderful story of Ruth and Boaz, the Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth). Today we come to the two books of Samuel and the story of David the Anointed King. There is much we could discover about Jesus in the person of David. In his selection to replace Saul, his life as a shepherd, his song writing and faith.

Continue reading →

Christ at the Checkpoint 2012: Seven Affirmations

Affirmation #1: Israelis and Palestinians
We affirm that all people are created in the image of God. In turn we are called to honor the dignity of every human being and to respect their inalienable rights. We affirm that Jews and Palestinians are loved by God and capable of living together within peace, justice and security. This is God’s view toward all of humanity, residing in any political boundary and manifested through the mission of Jesus in bringing to everyone, “life to the full” (John 10:10).

Affirmation #2: Theology and Land
The New Testament clearly teaches that God continues to invite Jews and Arabs into His kingdom and in no way is finished with any people group. Further, Scripture speaks of Jesus as its ultimate fulfillment. For example, the need for animal sacrifices, Levitical priesthood, and expectation of a rebuilt Temple, find their ultimate fulfillment and completion in Jesus Christ.

Affirmation #3: The Palestinian-Israeli conflict 
As followers of Jesus Christ we regret more than 60 years of conflict. We look forward to the time when the conflict will end and both peoples will enjoy genuine reconciliation. We commit ourselves to be peacemakers and to this ministry of reconciliation. As such we stand resolutely against all forms of violence and racism, regardless of the perpetrators.

Affirmation #4: The Second Coming of Christ 
There are several views which Christ followers hold to explain the future. Rather than focus on the signs of the return of Christ, our reading of the New Testament indicates that our primary mandate is to proclaim the “Good News” to the entire world.  

Affirmation #5: Zionism  
Modern Zionism is a political movement created to meet the aspirations of Jews around the world who longed for a homeland. It has become ethnocentric, privileging one people at the expense of others. Christianity calls believers in Jesus to focus on building God’s kingdom on earth.

Affirmation #6: Messianic Jews 
Messianic Jews are the brothers and sisters of all who follow Jesus or Yeshua. We are one family bound together in a fellowship of love. Although diversity in political opinions as well as theological emphasis inevitably exist, we refuse to allow these views to hinder our fellowship in Jesus.

Affirmation #7: Palestinian and Israeli Authority
The Bible teaches us to pray for all in political authority. We are called to obey them, whether they are Israeli or Palestinian, as an expression of our faith in God’s sovereign rule. We are also called to be a prophetic voice, challenging injustice creatively and non-violently.

We trust these seven affirmations help clarify the views of the conference organizers and will encourage you to participate in the Christ at the Checkpoint conference 2012.

It all goes back in the box

With many retailers keen to shift unsold Christmas stock by extending the sales in order to make room for their Spring collections, its tempting to think “If I just buy this one more outfit, I’ll be satisfied.” We rationalise ‘need’ because it’s a bargain or because buying something new makes us feel better. We are mesmerised and seduced by beautiful people who appear in adverts to tell us we can be successful, happy and fulfilled and will look just like them if we buy their product. Using everything from greed, lust or humour their message is “Use me, buy me, wear me, drink me, drive me, own me, put me in your hair… and you can be just like me.” And sadly we often allow ourselves to believe them.

James Dobson describes how he learnt this lesson.  “I learned how to play Monopoly from my grandmother. She was a wonderful person. She raised six children. She was a widow by the time that I knew her. But she was the most ruthless Monopoly player I have ever known in my life. She understood that the name of the game was to acquire. When she played and I got my initial money from the bank, I would just try to hold onto it, because I didn’t want to lose any of it. She spent everything, bought stuff she landed on as soon as she could, and she’d mortgage it to buy more stuff. And of course, the way the game goes, eventually she would accumulate everything. She would be the master of the board. She understood that money was how you keep score in the game, possessions are a matter of survival. And she beat me every time. And at the end of the game she would look at me and she’d say, “One day you’ll learn how to play the game.” She was kind of cocky, my grandmother.

When I was about ten, I played every day through the Summer holidays with a friend. It dawned on me the only way to win was total commitment to acquisition. That summer I learned how to play the game. And by the time autumn rolled around, I was more ruthless than even my grandmother. I went to play her, and I was willing to do anything to win. I was willing to bend the rules. I played with sweaty palms. Slowly, cunningly I exposed the soft underbelly of my grandmother’s weakness. Relentlessly, inexorably, I drove her off the board.

The game does strange things to you. I can still remember the day like yesterday. I looked at my grandmother. This is the person who taught me how to play.  She was an old woman by now. She was a widow.  She had raised my mother. She loved me. And I took everything she had. I destroyed her financially and psychologically. I watched her give her last dollar and quit in utter defeat. This was the greatest moment of my life.

And then she had one more lesson to teach me, my grandmother. Then she said to me, “Now it all goes back in the box.” It all goes back in the box.  All of the houses and hotels, Mayfair and Park Lane, all of those railway stations and utilities, all of that wonderful money. It all goes back in the box,” she said. But I didn’t want it all to go back in the box. I wanted to leave the board out permanently — bronze it maybe, as a memorial to what I had achieved. See, when she said, “It all goes back in the box,” it was kind of a way of saying to me, “None of it’s really yours. It doesn’t belong to you. You don’t own any of it. You just used it for a little while. And now it all goes back in the box.  And next time it’ll all go to somebody else. That’s the way the game works. So when you play the game, don’t forget this one lesson. When the game comes to an end and the game always comes to an end, the stuff all goes back in the box.”

There is a simple, two-word question we tend not to ask ourselves. “Then what?” When I’ve reached the top, then what? When I have it all, then what? When I finally have enough, when I am financially secure, when I’ve got the sought after promotion, made the ultimate purchase, got the ideal home, assured financial security, and climbed the ladder of success to the highest rung, and then the thrill wears off–and it will wear off—sooner or later you’re faced with the nagging question, “Then what?”

It was to answer that question and provide the antidote to our condition that Jesus promised,

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:19-26).

To find out more about how you can experience the fulfilment Jesus promises, we invite you to come to our Christianity Explored taster evening Thursday 9th February at 7:30pm – light supper included. Christianity Explored is a 7 week course designed to introduce you and your friends to Jesus Christ and how through him we can know God personally.

May the Lord bless you and those you love.

With grateful thanks to John Ortberg and James Dobson for the inspiration behind this article for Connection magazine.

Christ Church Virginia Water is Growing

Encouragingly, during 2011, 30 more people attended Christ Church each week on average than in 2010. On Sunday mornings, the increase in attendance was higher, with 38 more people attending each week than in the previous year.

During 2011 a total of 405 people attended Christ Church each Sunday, while more than 700 people visited the church website each week. In 2011 we were blessed with the second highest Sunday attendance figures ever, praise God. Visit the church website and find out why.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

Arthur Christmas Meets Jesus

Arthur Christmas Meets Jesus from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.

They say there are four phases in life. In the first phase you believe in Father Christmas. In the second phase you don’t believe in Father Christmas. In the third phase you are Father Christmas. In the final phase you just look like Father Christmas. The blockbuster film in the cinema’s this week, from the makers of Wallace and Gromit, is aptly titled “Arthur Christmas”. It includes a grandfather, father and two sons, who embody at least three of these phases in life. The film at last reveals the incredible, never-before seen answer to every child’s question: ‘How does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?’

But after 70 annual deliveries, Father Christmas, whose real name is Malcolm, is nearly ready to hand over the red cloak to his oldest son and heir, Steve. Malcolm is now merely the figurehead of what has become an ultra-high-tech global package-delivering corporation hidden beneath the North Pole.  Steve seeks the glory of the position of Santa Claus, not the joy of bringing happiness to children around the world. He runs Santa’s headquarters like a military command centre, with thousands of commando elves at his disposal, and a goatee cut in the shape of a Christmas tree. Continue reading →

To Us a Child is Born (Isaiah 9:1-7)

If you were the Father Christmas and you happened to visit a few hundred thousand churches today on a pre-Christmas dry run, I suspect you would find a common theme running through many sermons preached this morning. The question is – how to achieve it? Reading the news this week it struck me that the assumption often made is that regime change will lead to peace and prosperity.  The Arab Spring blossoming across much of the Middle East brings the hope of freedom, peace and prosperity through regime change.   And this desire is not limited to countries with despotic rulers. Another eight countries wish to join the European Community in the belief that a regime change from Communism to Capitalism will bring peace and prosperity. But will it? It may bring EC subsidies but, as we have seen this week, it will also bring more centralised financial regulation. But before we think the problem is only in Europe or the Middle East, let’s remember how badly we sometimes long for regime change here in Britain.  Whether from one political party to another, or one leader to another, we are sold the idea that regime change in Parliament will bring lasting peace and prosperity, at least during the election campaigns every four years. And it is not only limited to the political realm. In the City, whenever there is a loss of confidence on the stock market or share dividends, Boardroom changes are inevitable.

The world of sport is the same. A seat in the chairman’s box or the coach’s bench is closely linked to goals, attendances and league performance. I could also mention the Church of England but let’s not get too personal. The desire for regime change affects us at every level of life. The mistake, however, is to imagine that if only we can solve the crisis in Afghanistan,  in Europe, at No 10, in the City, or even in Canterbury, we could then enjoy a peaceful Christmas this year.  The reason we can’t is because the desire for regime change goes much deeper. I suspect many of us have wondered whether regime change closer to home would bring us peace and happiness.  Think about your neighbours, your relatives, your spouse, parents or children. Ever been tempted to think that regime change would solve your problems? It won’t, because the problem doesn’t lie out there, but lies in here. The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. And nothing we do to change our circumstances, economics, marital status or social life will bring the peace we so badly need. Continue reading →

Christianity Explored: What must I do to inherit eternal life?

A famous professor of surgery died and went to heaven. At the entrance he was asked by the gatekeeper: ‘Have you ever committed a sin you truly regret?’ ‘Yes,’ the professor answered. ‘When I was a young intern at the Hospital of Saint Lucas, we played soccer against another hospital team, and I scored a goal. I was actually off-side but the referee did not see it. The goal won us the match. I regret cheating now.’ ‘Well,’ said the gatekeeper. ‘That is a very minor sin. You may enter.’ ‘Thank you very much, Saint Peter,’ the professor answered. ‘I’m not Saint Peter,’ said the gatekeeper. ‘He is having his lunch break. I am Saint Lucas.’  “If God were to say to you: ‘Why should I let you into heaven? Why should I give you eternal life?’ what would you say?” In Mark 10 we meet someone who really wanted eternal life. I hope you do too.

The Ideal Candidate for Eternal Life: Good

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honour your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him.” (Mark 10:17-20)

Continue reading →