In the beginning... (Shine, Part 1)

I was thinking and praying about just where abouts I could start this series as there is so much in the bible on light and then I thought, where better to start than in the beginning?? - In more than one sense of the word.

In my first blog to this address (22nd June, 2010) I did what many people do and explain why they have decided to start up a blog. And with this also why they have named it as it is. The latter I explained only briefly but did not go into a lot. An excerpt from that blog 'Beginning'...

It comes from a passage in the Bible, something I have been challenged about recently and which I will probably elaborate on in a later post, but for now.. Matthew 5: 14-16

'You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.'

We are each but a single flame yet so much light can come from us. I guess my hope for this blog is that it can be a testimony to my light. Whether I talk of myself or other things happening, that God may be using me and shining through me so that my ray of light is one that stands out amongst others, one worth following.

Is it not a wonderful passage?!?

Now for looking more at just how that imagery of Light is used in the Bible that we might be able to understand it more... lets start in the beginning!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. -John 1:1-5

Now this passage may take a little bit to explain, just giving you a heads up. I mean at the surface some of what it is saying just doesn't make sense - let's take the first sentence, the Word was with God, and was God. Isn't it one or the other? And what is the Word - how can a word be those things? And in the last sentence - how can darkness comprehend anything? But once there is a light it is no longer dark - of what is this speaking? It's all a bit of a riddle really, isn't it?

Well, let's try to make a little sense of this passage then. It starts In the beginning... so let's go back and see what's in the beginning.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was wtihout form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face fo the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.   -Genesis 1:1-3

In other parts of the Bible, or through many different parts of the Bible we find that there is three in one with God. There is only one God but within Him there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Sound complicated? It is. And it's something which you can never convince someone of - it always takes a measure of faith. It sounds too unbelievable to be able to convince anyone of it. Here, in this very first passage of the Bible, we see that the three persons of God are here - when we read it with John 1. God the Father is there - God the Spirit is there - And God the Son is there as the Word.

If we can understand this, then suddenly the first three sentences of John make sense. Those statements are no longer contradictory but supportive of one another. The first thing which is created which gives life to the world is light. Light is the leader and divider which gives life. It is to this imagery that the rest is set also.

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

We know now how this is speaking of Jesus, the Son of God, who was there from the beginning, even though he came here only just over 2000 years ago. Trippy, or what? We can see how this passage is linked with Genesis to help explain things but what is it really saying about Jesus? It is saying that He is life. He is our light. And we did not comprehend who He was (we are the darkness, or rather the world is the darkness). So if we want to get away from the darkness of the world, the death that it offers, the only way to find such light, and life, is in and through Jesus - for only He can shine bright enough to overcome.

Kind of random, kind of not - what is your favourite source of light in this world??

Coming up: Shine, Part 2

God Bless

'In Christ'

At the conference I went to in December the theme was 'In Christ' - looking at just how we are in Christ. There was one illustration which was used throughout the talks which I found quite helpful and that is what I'm going to share with you.

So, picture an aeroplane, at the airport, ready for boarding, waiting to depart. The aeroplane is going to... lets say Hawaii. To spell this out the aeroplane is Christ and Hawaii is where we're waiting to go - the New Heaven and New Earth, I suppose.

First use of illustration. Final Destination. If we are in the plane then we are perpetually already in Hawaii - it is a certainty that we will get there. However, we need to be in the plane. We cannot be sitting in the waiting room looking on watching everybody else get on. We can't be standing at the railing thinking about how that might be a good idea to get on. We can't be in another plane. The only way to get to Hawaii is if we are in that plane.

Second use of illustration. Measure of Faith. If there is somebody who has been an avid flyer and travelled many places by plane they might sit down and relax straight away. On the other side of the aisle is an elderly gentleman who has never been in a plane. He is sitting quite upright - shaking a little - double checking his belt is on right - reading through all of the safety procedures and listening avidly as the flight attendant also runs through these things - asking numerous questions about how the plane works to make sure that he's safe. It does not matter what measure of faith one has, it took the same amount to get on the plane in the first place. Likewise, one who gets on at first boarding call and the one who gets on at final boarding call. Both are in the plane, and so both are in Hawaii.

Third use of illustration. Serving in Christ. When you are in a plane, all you do is sit down while others serve you... this is where the illustration does not work. In Christ, we should be serving one another - so lets remove the pilot, this flight doesn't need one as Christ is the only one who knows the way. And now lets remove the flight attendants, as we serve one another in Christ we do not need flight attendants whose job is specifically to serve each of us as that is each of ours job description, to lovingly serve one another in Christ.

I hope you also find this illustration helpful.

Can you think of anything else which this might illustrate - without taking the metaphor too far?

God Bless

Choose Your Mindset (Jude, Part 4)

Sorry I missed posting this last week. However, I will do three posts over the next week to keep on track with Jude (this one plus two more to finish!). I do not know about you but I was getting quite intrigued as reading through Jude to hear just what he would say next. It has been challenging.

Last time we started to hear just how relevant Jude’s words are to us today, and just why we should listen to them. God is speaking to us through them, and particularly into our society. There are those among us who live by jealousy, greed, and pride. We know what is marked out from them as has been revealed – and that is not eternity with Christ, which is our hope.

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." - Jude 14-15

Judgement is coming! And it is going to be a time of much devastation – and much rejoicing. For everything which is done – so shall judgement come. While all are sinners, we who call ourselves Christians are born again of the Spirit in Jesus Christ – that we may know forgiveness of sins. Our God is a just and holy God; therefore judgement must come. But he is also a God of love, and by His grace he has saved a remnant.


We read in Philippians 2:9-11 -

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Where will you be and in what mind when every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord? Will it be in the light of forgiveness – of having been saved from the judgement deserved purely by grace, or in the light of condemnation – knowing the reality of the penalty you will suffer for eternity under right judgement?

Jude now continues in describing these men, these frauds, so that they might be recognised from among the flock of his people – this is how that jealousy, greed, and pride is shown in them, that we may recognise it. In so describing, Jude also describes how one would look who is walking in the Spirit – that is, the opposite to those who are not.

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. - Jude 16-19

Not all have the Spirit, and it is these men whom do not that threaten to turn others astray. And what are we to do? Jude tells us quite clearly that we are not to run scared but remember what has been spoken already. In the last time there will be mockers who follow their own lusts, just as these frauds also do. We are in the last times, being after Jesus Christ has come and before his return. And so, here we can see one example of just how this is so. However, in remembering the words which were ‘spoken to us’, what we need to also do is remember the other words which were spoken, the words which hold the truth – the gospel. In remembering this and holding to this you will also be less likely to be swayed by persuasive words, but keep to the one true gospel.

Now my question to you – we hear in Jude 19 how these people without the Spirit cause divisions amongst us – what divisions can you see within ‘Christian’ communities (or community) which may have been caused by such mindsets?

Coming up: Jude Part 5

God Bless

Be Encouraged (Jude, Part 1)

My favourite book to read - ever - is the Bible, and I find myself 'in' it often. Jude is a one chapter letter found in the New Testament, just before Revelation. It begins...

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified (beloved) by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love by multiplied to you. - Jude 1-2

Who is Jude? Well, he tells us that he is a brother of James. The next question then, I suppose, is who is James? James also wrote a letter which can be found in the New Testament. He begins...

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve trives which are scattered abroad: Greetings. - James 1:1

We first hear of James in Matthew 13 when Jesus returns to his own country and teaches in their synagogue - all were astonished and responded 'Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?'

James is the brother of Jesus. Jude, we conclude, is a younger brother of Jesus. We hear reference made to them also in 1 Corinthians 9 by another apostle - 'Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?'

While they are both brothers of Jesus, they do not claim this, but claim to be bondservants of Jesus who is Christ. Next question: what does Christ mean? It is derived from the greek word khristos which means 'the anointed' referring to the promised Messiah of the Old Testament (the term messiah is derived from the Hebrew). These two brothers both recognised that their 'big brother' was not just like them, but the promised from the Old Testament - Christ.

As Jesus is Christ, they have chosen to be bondservants of Him. That is give up whatever is required in order to follow Him - to spread the Truth. This is what made them true brothers of Jesus Christ - as it does with us also.

The middle part of this opening to Jude's letter is a brilliant reminder of just where we are - what is true for us, as Christians, followers of Jesus. We are called. We are sanctified (beloved). We are preserved.

Called? God is sovereign - from eternity to eternity - and he has chosen us, called us, away from the sinful life which we would choose of our own free will to instead follow Him.

Sanctified? Beloved? God loves us. Even in our sinfulness - He still loves us. And because He loves us He has set us aside - consecrated us - made us Holy. He made this possible for us and accomplished it completely.

Preserved? Death isn't the end. Through Jesus Christ we are able to live eternally to worship our God, our Lord. We are kept, not just thrown away and disposed of.

The latter part of the opening to Jude's letter is not completely uncommon. It was common to have some kind of greeting similar at the beginning of a letter - ours today would probably be something along the lines of 'How are you? I hope you are well.' Kind of dull in comparison, is it not? This particular greeting however is not common and it is linked to what we have just heard. God shows these things to us through those things. Mercy, peace, and love. But also, these qualities can be attributed to the three persons of the trinity, Father brings Mercy, Son effects Peace, and Spirit gives Love - although all are true of each as well.

And so I say, be encouraged! May Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Question: what kind of greeting would you like to receive - would be good to have as a common greeting?

Coming up: Jude, Part 2

God Bless