… because I am holy.

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 Galahs feeding

First Epistle of Peter 1: 13-21 (NIV)*

¹³ Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
¹⁷ Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰ He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Although addressed to “God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia” (verse 1), this first letter of Peter was written to all who are “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ” (verse 2a). It is relevant to all of us.

The exhortations that begin at verse 13 continue throughout the letter. The writer urges, “just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” What does this mean for the followers of Jesus Christ today?

We could list all that Peter presented as contributing to holy living. From this passage:

• prepare your minds for action;
• be self-controlled;
• set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed;
• do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance;
• live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

Something that is holy is set apart, consecrated, for a particular use or purpose. Consider the Old Testament use of the word “devoted”. “Devoted things” were those solely to be used for a god-honouring purpose, whether in the tabernacle or temple, honouring YHWH, or in the temple of some pagan deity. In the latter case the children of Israel were instructed to have nothing to do with them. The book of Joshua depicts the tragic results when some of the items devoted to a pagan deity were taken by Achan!

We find “devoted” also in the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Recall this tragic statement about Solomon (1 Kings 11: 4):

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

So, “just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” This means we are to be fully devoted to the Lord, not only on Sundays but every day of the week, at work and at home.

We have been redeemed, “bought back”, (verse 18). Our response to this redemption is to resolve not to “sell out” again. We are to devote ourselves to God through Jesus Christ. As devoted people, we are to be holy – holy in all aspects of our lives.

*The reflection of 5 August 2014 also refers to the first chapter of the First Epistle of Peter. Why not visit it now?

His hands and side

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 Scars retained

Gospel of John 20: 19-28 (NIV)

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
²⁴ Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Twice in this passage from John’s Gospel, when the disciples were gathered at a place with doors locked, “Jesus came and stood among them” (verses 19, 26). Locked doors and, presumably, walls were no hindrance to the resurrected Jesus. Three days after his beatings at the hands of the Jews and the Roman soldiers, his new body seemed to be “healed” yet he still bore the scars in his hands and his side. Why?

Did Jesus choose to retain scars in order to convince some who doubted that it was indeed he? If this were so, why did he did not need to demonstrate scars to the two he encountered on the road to Emmaus? Initially “they were kept from recognising him” (Luke 24: 16) but later, “when he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognised him” (Luke 24: 30, 31).

When Jesus appeared to the Apostle John on the island of Patmos, his appearance was “‘like a son of man’, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like a blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters” (Revelation 1: 13-15).

Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance seems to have been different according to whom he chose to meet. Perhaps he does this deliberately, knowing the situation of each person whom he chooses to greet and using a presence suited to the needs of that person at that specific time. Ford* wrote, “We cannot see the risen Christ, although he be walking with us, unless he wills to disclose himself.” When Jesus chooses to disclose himself, it is for a purpose: to meet people in their immediate needs, needs known perhaps only to him, and to encourage them to put full faith in him.

*DW Cleverley Ford, A reading of Saint Luke’s Gospel, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1967.

Believe!

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 Empty cross

Gospel of Matthew 28: 1-10 (NIV)

¹ After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Apostle John recorded Jesus’ words to Thomas on their first encounter after Jesus’ resurrection: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”(John 20: 29).

We are not eyewitnesses to his resurrection however we are called to believe those who were. “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” were confronted by the angel of the Lord, saw the open tomb and the place where Jesus lay and then were met by Jesus himself. Evidently they believed for they “clasped his feet and worshipped him”.

John’s Gospel describes how Peter and possibly John himself, given this report by Mary of Magdala, ran to the tomb to see for themselves. According to John, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead” (John 20: 9).

There is a distinction between understanding and believing, then and now. I do not understand how Jesus was resurrected bodily, I do not understand all the implications of his death and resurrection but I believe the Gospel accounts and the testimonies elsewhere in the New Testament. As the Apostles’ Creed states, “On the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven.” I believe that. Do you?

If you don’t, what would it take to cause you to believe? Proof is elusive; belief is required in the absence of proof. Trust is required to accompany belief, along with a commitment to obey the risen Lord of heaven and earth.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” If you still struggle to believe, ask God to grant you strength through the Holy Spirit to take that significant step into what appears to be an unknown place and to believe – and trust that Jesus will make himself known to you.

It’s Saturday, but Sunday’s coming

Lord, forgive!

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 Cross of nails

Gospel of John 19: 1-3, 16-18 (NIV)

¹ Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face.

¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ Here they crucified him, and with him two others-one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Let us pray:

Loving Lord Jesus, I have not merely been a bystander, an onlooker, as you were flogged, lacerated by thorns, nailed to a cross and executed like the worst kind of criminal. I was one who flogged you, I drove in the nails. Forgive me Lord Jesus as you forgave those who crucified you outside Jerusalem, when you said*, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. Amen.

*Luke 23: 34a

Wash one another’s feet

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 Basin and towel

Gospel of John 13: 3-5, 12-17 (NIV)

³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’, and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

Let us pray:

Loving God, your Son remained other-person-centred to the very end: on the cross until he “breathed his last” (Mark 15: 37). Help us to direct our thoughts away from ourselves and towards you, first and foremost, and to those whom you have sent us to serve. Enable us to be foot-washers, willingly and with love, regardless of gender, race or creed. We ask in the name of the One who died for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Trust and obey

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 Making crosses for Palm Sunday

Gospel of Matthew 26: 36-45 (NIV)

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”

Jesus knew that his hour had come and that death awaited him. He had been preparing for this through the three years of his public ministry yet, in these anguished prayers, he pleaded with the Father for release from his tragic execution.

Did the one who existed long before Abraham was born (John 8: 58), the one who witnessed the faith demonstrated by Abraham as Abraham and Isaac proceeded to conduct the sacrifice required by God*, hope against hope that the Father might have a way out for him as was provided for Abraham?

No doubt this was a time of severe temptation for Jesus. Was there the slightest possibility that Jesus would disobey the Father and succumb to the temptation of the evil one?

Jesus did not fail. He resisted Satan’s guile. He remained totally obedient to the Father despite the cost to his human self.

This presents both a challenge and an example to each of us. Regardless of the circumstances, we are required to remain obedient to our heavenly Father. What may cause us grief in the short term, if it accords with God’s plans, will resound to his glory. Trust and obey, for there is no other way.

*Genesis 22: 8-12 (NIV)

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
⁹ When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
¹² “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”