Tag Archives: Stephen Sizer

Advent Sunday: Jesus is Coming

If you were like me, when you were very young, there were only two really important events in your life. You felt like they could not come soon enough. What were they? The first was… your birthday. The second was… Jesus’ birthday. Both involved presents. Lots of presents.  Then when you were old enough to know that Father Christmas was not in the Nativity Play and you were allowed to stay up late, there was a third special day. New Year’s Eve.  There were no presents but you still looked forward to the party and seeing in the New Year. We love to celebrate beginnings. We celebrate new life. Our birthday. Family birthdays. Jesus’ birthday. The birth of a new year.

So, what is it with the Church?  When does the Church year begin? Not at Christmas and the birth of our Saviour. Not Easter and the resurrection to new life. Not even Pentecost and the birth of the Church.  The Church year begins with Advent. Advent simply means coming.  Our Bible readings  reveal that Advent is not about Christmas or the birth of Jesus. No. Advent is about the return of Jesus. So why does the Church year begin with the return of Jesus? Because it is the most important event still to come.  Jesus is coming to bring an end to this corrupt, godless world order. Jesus is coming to reign as Lord and King and inaugurate a new heaven and a new earth. Our gospel reading gives us three reasons why we begin the church year with the end of this world as we know it. 

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Christian Zionism: Its origins, goals, and influence

Few people in the world are unaffected by the brutal war in the Middle East. The slaughter of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon now threatens to expand into a world war against Iran and her allies. Israel is regarded by many Christians as the innocent victim, and many of those same Christians support the massive supply of US and Western bombs and munitions that kill and mutilate. How can Christians support war and killing in this way? Why do many Christians believe that Israel cannot be criticised or stopped?

UK Column first interviewed Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer in May 2023. That interview, The Price of Honest Discussion about Israel and Palestinecan be found here.

From his background and experiences as an author challenging Christian Zionism, Stephen Sizer describes the Church of England and the wider campaign against him as one based on three successive tactics: intimidation, isolation, and incrimination. This strategy is employed to shut down debate regarding what is happening within the State of Israel and the territories it controls. His criticism of Israel has been relentless, but principled. It is based not on antisemitism, but rather on a human-rights-based analysis.

In our second and latest interview with Stephen Sizer, Brian Gerrish looked deeper into Stephen’s research and analysis of Christian Zionism, focusing on his excellent books: the detailed Christian Zionism Road Map to Armageddon? as well as the shorter Zion’s Christian Soldiers? The Bible, Israel and the Church.

Brian Gerrish states to Stephen upfront that he had been prompted to learn more about Zionism after watching the brutal slaughter in Gaza and experiencing an often cold, callous, and aggressive support for the war by those calling themselves Christians.

Read more on UK Column here

Palestine House, London

it was a delight to attend an amazing brunch at Palestine House in High Holborn in Central London, opposite Holborn tube station recently. I shared a table with friends from Croydon PSC.

Offered every Sunday 11:00-13:00, the cafe and restaurant also serves Lebanese and Palestinian food every day. Palestine House is available as a venue for events as well as a place to chill.

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The Path to Spiritual Maturity (James 1)

During the Munich Crisis of September 1938, as Hitler rallied his forces and the world slid inexorably toward war, more radios were sold than in any previous month. In this atmosphere of tension, Orson Welles and his staff prepared for their weekly Mercury Theater radio play. Auspiciously, on the night before Halloween, listeners found themselves listening to the innocent sounds of “Ramon Raquello and his orchestra”, only for the music to be interrupted by the first of a series of increasingly alarming news stories. First came reports of several explosions of “incandescent gas” observed on the planet Mars, then after a brief interlude of more music came a hook-up to Princeton Observatory professor Richard Pierson (played by Welles) who assures the listeners that there is nothing to be alarmed at. Then there are reports of a meteor impact in an unassuming sleepy little hamlet called Grover’s Mill. That night it became the centre of the universe as the beachhead for a Martian invasion advancing on New York City, brushing aside American defenders and destroying dozens of familiar place names along the way. An emergency government announcement gave credence to the story, and huddled about their radios, panicked listeners (all over the USA) began to bombard local police stations with calls. From Trenton comes the account. 

We were petrified. We just looked at each other, scared out of our wits. Someone was banging on our front door. It was our neighbour across the street. She had packed her seven kids in their car and she kept yelling, come on, lets get out of here.”

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National March for Palestine

The best of the photos taken at the Gaza Rally in London on Saturday 3rd August. It was heartening to see so many young activists.

Chris Nineham of Stop the War said this evening that 100,000 attended the protest in London today. It was the 17th demonstration since October last year and as large as the first. This is no longer a protest against Israeli genocide in Gaza, it is a protest against Israel’s agenda to lead the West into a war against Iran and Lebanon. We are now in uncharted waters.

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God’s Antidote to Dark Valleys: Psalm 23

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Life is a journey. It has  a beginning and end. We are all travelers, somewhere on that journey, forever on the move, learning, growing, changing. When someone that we know and love dies, our loss invariably arouses strong emotions. 

It may also raise questions about our own mortality. About the meaning and purpose of life now. Psalm 23 is probably the most widely known and best loved Psalm of all. I read it with Joanna in hospital the day before she died. Psalm 23 is a great comfort because it addresses the strong emotions we often feel at times such as this. 

The English translation refers to the ‘Valley of the Shadow of Death’. In Hebrew it means ‘The Valley of Deep Darkness’. How can we handle the deep darkness we may feel as a family today?  Let me draw out three ways God intends this Psalm to give us comfort and strength as we face the death of Joanna – a sister, grandmother, mother and wife.

Do not be Afraid

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil”.   David says “I walk” — not “I run” or “I panic and run the other way”.  To walk means calmly, deliberately taking steps through the valley.  David says 

I’m not going to be afraid.  I will calmly walk through the valley.”  So today in the face of our loss and our own mortality, God says, do not be afraid. How can he say this? 

God is with us

David said, “For You will be with me.  You’re with me every moment.”  God promises to be with us in the dark valleys. In the first part of the psalm all of the pronouns are in the 3rd person — David talks about God:  “He leads me beside still waters,  He guides me into green pastures, He restores my soul“.  David is talking about God. But when he begins to walk through the dark valley, his language changes to the second person pronoun. “You are with me. Your rod and your staff comfort me.”  

It is often only in the dark valleys of life that we turn to God, or find he is with us.  In the dark valleys, the ultimate becomes the intimate. Religion becomes what it was always intended to be – a relationship.  In the valley of deep darkness we learn from Psalm 23 not to be afraid because God is with us. But more than that, God promises,

God will Sustain us 

David reminds himself that God’s rod and staff comfort him.  The rod and staff were the two basic tools a shepherd used to protect and guide the sheep.  God is saying, 

When you go through the dark valley, I’m not just with you but I am defending you.  I’m protecting you.”  

One final observation – David writes, “When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death“. He didn’t walk through the valley of death, but the valley of the shadow of death.  When a shadow falls on you remember

Shadows are always bigger than the reality

Like a shadow, fear is always greater than the actual reality.  It is fear that debilitates or paralyses, not the reality of our mortality.  Shadows are always bigger than reality.

Shadows cannot hurt you

There is a difference between the shadow of a truck and a truck itself.  Shadows are image without substance.  They cannot hurt you.  They may warn you, they may scare you, but they cannot hurt you.  They are just shadows.

There is no shadow without a light somewhere  

When we are going through a dark valley, we think the sun has stopped shining.  We may feel alone.  We may imagine we are in total darkness.  But where there is a shadow there is a light somewhere.  What happens if you turn your back on the shadow and look directly at the light? The shadow falls behind you.  So if and when you’re afraid, don’t look at the shadow.  

Jesus says, “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.” (John 8:12).  When you look to Jesus for wisdom, for guidance and strength, the shadows fall behind you. 

As the old hymn says “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”  

When you are walking through a valley of deep darkness, remember three things from Psalm 23. The Lord says, “do not be afraid, because I am with you and I will sustain you.”  

Celebrating the Life of Joanna Sizer

My wife Joanna died peacefully in Southampton University Hospital in the early morning of last Saturday surrounded by family. Joanna was first diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer seven years ago and then a brain tumour three years ago.

Joanna’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ gave her the strength and courage to persevere and she has been such an inspiration to family and friends.

We invite you to attend a Service of Thanksgiving celebrating Joanna’s life on Tuesday 6th August at Christ Church, Virginia Water, GU25 4LD. If distance prohibits your attendance in person, here is the Live Stream link which will enable you to participate online.

Joanna was active in supporting refugees and asylum seekers. She also greatly valued the work of Maggies caring for those with cancer. If you wish to make a donation in her memory, you may do so here:

https://www.maggies.org/get-involved/donate-maggies

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