This weekend is an auspicious one in history. In 1919, Benito Mussolini formed the Fascist Movement in Italy. In 1933, the German Reichstag granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial powers. In 1956, Pakistan declared itself an Islamic Republic and in 1983, during the Cold War with Russia, Ronald Reagan announced the Star Wars initiative. Today we live with the lingering consequences. This week the tragic atrocity in Tunis involving European tourists visiting a museum has made the headlines. But if you visit www.warsintheworld.com, you will discover that there are at least 68 other countries where it might be unwise to take your Summer holiday, because they are presently experiencing armed conflict. There are in fact over 600 different militias, guerrilla, anarchist or separatist groups involved in violent struggles. As a young adult I once visited a friend serving with the US military on Lakenheath Airbase. As I left the base, before reaching the checkpoint, on the perimeter wall, hidden from the main road and the gaze of British civilians, I saw a large sign, about 40 feet long with lettering two feet high. Intended for US military personnel only, it read “Danger – you are now entering a war zone.” Although probably intended to improve their survival rates on British roads, I’ve thought a lot about that message.
Category Archives: Theology
You were Formed for God’s Family (Ephesians 2:11-22)
You made a healthy choice to be here this morning. According to medical research published recently by the National Institute of Health Care Research you are better off coming to Church than going to the gym. An analysis of 42 different research studies investigating the role of religion in health, in which 126,000 people were interviewed, reveals a simple but profound truth. Regular attendance of a place of worship will seriously improve your health and increase your life expectancy. Here are some of the other findings. Compared with those who do not regularly attend Church you are more likely to live longer and you will be less likely to suffer from stress, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, depression or obesity. Dr Raj Persaud, a consultant psychiatrist working at the Maudsley Hospital in South London, notes that one particular study of 21,000 people, found that those who never attend church are almost twice as likely to die in the following nine years than those who attend church weekly. Life expectancy for a 20 year old attending church regularly is seven years longer than those who do not. But perhaps we should not be surprised. The findings of this major study merely corroborate what the Bible has been teaching for thousands of years. This is how God prepared his people:
The Call of Jesus (Mark 2:13-28)
On BBC Radio 4’s “Thought for the Day” recently, Ann Atkin’s described what happened after a family funeral. She said,
“I found myself rather pompously planning my own. I wanted to lighten de. Shakespeare’s, “No longer mourn for me…” Or Rosetti’s, “Better by far you should forget and smile…” Best of all, Donne’s, “Death be not proud”. But Shaun, my husband, preferred Dylan Thomas: “Do not go gentle into that good night; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
She conceded in her reflection that death is indeed an outrage. That is because we were not made to die. God didn’t create us to suffer such pain, to go to work one morning never to return, to kiss our children goodbye lightly, but forever because of we happened to be driving on a particular road at the wrong time or because we caught a particular flight, or we had an undiagnosed condition.
Yes, it happens all the time. Accidents happen. Tragedies strike. But it is monstrous that it should happen. We cry out, “Why”? Why her, why them, why now?
Change is Inevitable, Growth is Optional
How do you handle change? Does it freak you out or energise you? When meetings get postponed, or events cancelled at short notice how do you respond? How flexible are you? If we are following Jesus we should expect him to make changes to our plans because we are not in control and we don’t know what the future holds. How we handle the challenges of life, especially how we manage change, will reveal our character; for what life does to us depends on what life finds in us. In the verses before us tonight, Paul shows us how to handle change and the misunderstandings that change sometimes brings. Paul had been criticized because he had changed his plans and apparently did not kept his promise. When Christians misunderstand each other, the wounds can go very deep. There were also those who opposed his apostolic authority in the church. One—possibly a leader—needed discipline, and this gave Paul great sorrow.
Paul confesses in chapter 1 that the trials they faced in Asia were so severe, he even despaired of life. What kept Paul from giving up? How can we keep going? By realising what John Maxwell once said, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.”
1. Maintain a Clear Conscience (2 Cor. 1:12-24)
The conscience is that inner faculty that approves when we do right, but accuses when we do wrong. Conscience is the window that lets in the light; but if the window gets dirty because we disobey, and we don’t keep it clean by confession, then the light becomes dimmer and dimmer.
Paul says “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” (Acts 24:16).
The Call of Jesus (Mark 1:16-20)
Imagine a church that is a welcoming and safe place where everyone feels loved, accepted and cared for. Imagine a church where doubters, seekers and believers feel accepted. Imagine a church of every age, race and colour, becoming one in Christ. Imagine a church of fully devoted, spiritual, Christ followers, passionate for an ever-deeper relationship with God. Imagine a church where the praise, worship and teaching are truly pleasing to God. Imagine uplifting services where the Bible teaching builds up the church family and equips members to live for Christ. Imagine a church impacting the lives of children, youth and students from all areas of the local community to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Imagine a church where everyone is fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit, exercising their God-given gifts in joyful and fulfilling service.
Imagine a church family informed, inspired and eager to meet the needs of local, national and international mission. Imagine a church in which members are regularly being called into ministry, locally, nationally and internationally. Imagine being part of such a church. Imagine helping to build, to create such a church. Imagine. Our 2020 Vision is built on three words that sum up our purpose – Win – Build – Send. Evangelism, Discipleship and Mission. In our Bible reading from Mark 1, at the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus said, “Come, follow me … and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17).
Here the order is Build – Send – Win. That is because this is a cyclical mission strategy and so it doesn’t matter where we begin. And similarly where you are on your spiritual journey, there is a message here for you. As you listened to me read our 2020 Vision, which sentences stood out for you? You probably heard different things to those next to you. You may have felt different emotions as well.
Harvey Thomas on the Brighton Bomb and Reconciliation
Harvey Thomas on the Brighton Bomb and Reconciliation from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.
Harvey Thomas was the former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. In this presentation given at Christ Church, he talks about forgiveness and reconciliation. Harvey is Chairman and Lobbyist for the Fellowship of European Broadcasters (FEB)
Don’t be Afraid of Christmas
Today is without doubt, the largest, the longest, the most joyful, colourful and costly celebrations in the whole world. Literally billions of people, have set aside their normal routines to take a midweek holiday, decorate their homes, send greeting cards, buy special gifts to give, attend church services and parties, sing Christmas carols and travel long distances to be with family. And in an hour or two, depending on their time zone, people will be sitting down for one of the largest, most colourful and tasty meals of the year. And most of us will eat too much and need a short nap afterwards. Isn’t it incredible that the simple birth of Jesus in Bethlehem some 2,000 years ago has caused such ripples?
The anniversary of his birthday each year leads to record retail sales and traffic jams as far away as New York, Tokyo and Sydney. So special is Jesus birthday that your own birthday is dated from his! Every single time we check the calendar, or refer to a date, or write one in our diary, we are using Jesus birthday as our reference point.
And what does celebrating Jesus birthday signify? That God loves you. God is with you. And God is for you.
Christmas Eve: The Purpose of Christmas
The Purpose of Christmas from Stephen Sizer on Vimeo.
Trains were humming, loudspeakers blaring, porters rushing about shouting at one another, and altogether there was so much noise that Mr Brown, who saw him first, had to tell his wife several times before she understood. ‘A bear? On Paddington station?’ Mrs Brown looked at her husband in amazement. ‘Don’t be silly, Henry. There can’t be!” “Seeing that something was expected of it the bear stood up and politely raised its hat, revealing two black ears. ‘Good afternoon,’ it said, in a small clear voice … The bear puffed out its chest. ‘I’m a very rare sort of bear,’ he replied importantly. ‘There aren’t many of us left where I come from.’ ‘And where is that?’ asked Mrs Brown. The bear looked round carefully before replying. ‘Darkest Peru. I’m not really supposed to be here at all. I’m a stowaway.'”[1]
Michael Bond’s marmalade sandwich-loving Peruvian bear first appeared in 1958’s A Bear Called Paddington. Now the star of his very own film, Paddington, is a charming and funny adventure about a very polite and friendly orphan bear who yearns for adoption and new home in London.
At the Carol Services, we realised that we are all a little like Paddington, orphaned, lost, vulnerable, in need of adoption. But tonight, because the children should all be fast asleep by now, I want us to consider “Paddington Bear for Grownups”. Michael Bond, Paddington’s creator, says the inspiration came from seeing Jewish evacuee children pass through Reading railway station from London during the Kindertransport of the late 1930s. “They all had a label round their neck with their name and address on, and a little case or package containing all their treasured possessions. So Paddington, in a sense, was a refugee, and I do think that there’s no sadder sight than refugees.”[2]
Holy War: The Christian Jihad
Following the tragedy of 9/11 and the destruction of the World Trade Centre in New York, multi-bestselling author and Christian journalist Anne Coulter, wrote,
“We don’t need long investigations of the forensic evidence to determine with scientific accuracy the person or persons who ordered this specific attack. We don’t need an “international coalition.” We don’t need a study on “terrorism.” … We know who the homicidal maniacs are. They are the ones cheering and dancing right now. We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren’t punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That’s war. And this is war.”[3]
More recently, at the July 19th, 2006, inaugural event for Christians United for Israel, in Washington DC, after recorded greetings from the then President, George W. Bush, and in the presence of four US Senators as well as the Israeli ambassador to the US, Pastor John Hagee, stated :
On Active Service: Three Priorities in War and Peace
“High Noon” released in 1952, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, is one of my favourite films. Gary Cooper was the sheriff of a small western town. Earlier a gang of four outlaw brothers had terrorized the town. The sheriff had brought them to justice and sent them to prison.
In prison they vowed that when they got out they would kill the sheriff. The movie focuses on one particular day. The sheriff has just married Grace Kelly. She happens to be a devout Quaker utterly opposed to all violence. The sheriff resigns from law enforcement and the couple are to leave town on their honeymoon. He is going to start a new life as a rancher. Suddenly word comes that the outlaw brothers have been released from prison and are due to arrive that very day on the noon train. Everybody urges the couple to get out of town quickly. They ride away, but the sheriff is troubled. Finally, he turns the wagon around and heads back to town, much to the consternation of his bride.
He cannot stand to run away from his old enemies. He pins the badge back on his shirt. Quickly he tries to round up a posse. It’s a Sunday morning. Lots of people are in church. The sheriff interrupts the service, explains the emergency, and asks the men of the congregation to help him form a posse. Several people stand up and respond. One of them says, “We’d like to help you, Sheriff, but we’re not trained gunmen. That’s what we hire sheriffs for.” Then another says, “You know, Sheriff, we Christians don’t believe in violence.” Still another says, “Sheriff, you’re a brave man but it would probably have been wiser if you had not come back to town.”
The Sheriff turns and walks out in disgust. In the background you hear Tex Ritter singing the theme song-“I do not know what fate awaits me; I only know I must be brave, and I must face the man who hates me, or lie a coward, a craven coward, or lie a coward in my grave.”