God is Light. God is Love.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all (1John 1:5)

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them (1John 4:16b).

There are two basic insights into the character and action of God, which form the basis of the entire life of faith – in Jesus Christ.
1. God is Light
2. God is Love

If we could grasp these two simple, yet profound theological insights - and live in them, life would be different.

All creation comes into being and flows from God’s love, as he says: ‘Let there be light!’ All of God’s redemption takes place as the action of gracious love, whenever the light of Christ shines in the darkness of a sinful human race. Evil and sin - sometimes called ‘darkness’ - are an intrusion. God’s light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not overcome it.

The Darkness of evil will ultimately all be destroyed. It has been overcome. The fruit of True Love will remain. Love Builds Up.

Central to all of this is the deed of Jesus’ cross, where Light and Love combine to judge evil, and transform the whole creation. Our trouble as human beings begins and ends with our refusal to truly love, and to genuinely walk in the light. We need grace and forgiveness, and all the benefits of the gospel, if ever we are to change. Self-effort will never do. But your grace O Lord abounds!

O Father, Son and Spirit, God of Light and Love, you cleanse us from all our darkness, fill our souls with Your Light and Love, and cause us to share the glory of Christ- all through the ministry of Jesus Christ. Open our lives Lord to the wonder of your gift – “grace, heaped upon grace”. Cause our walk of faith, to be a joyful one, in the light. Strengthen us to engage in the battle, where darkness seemingly abounds.

Belonging To God

“I must stay at your house today” (Jesus to Zacchaeus) - Luke 19:5
He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum” which means, “Little girl, get up!” (Jesus to Jairus daughter) – Mark 6:41

The call of Jesus upon our lives can be heard at any age. Baby John (the Baptiser) leaped for joy while he was still in his mother’s womb. Even before his birth he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15, 44). The same Holy Spirit moves in us today.

The disciples of Jesus often misunderstood what he was about. On one occasion they spoke sternly to the parents who were bringing little children to Jesus in order that he might touch them. What were the disciples thinking? The Kingdom of God belonged to these little children, but the adult disciples were preventing them from drawing near.

What was, and is, Jesus on about? Serious religion? Adults only? Difficult theology?

The story of Zacchaeus up in a tree, and being called by Jesus, is a favourite with children, all over the world. Similarly, the story of a dying 12-year-old girl – Jairus daughter - being restored to health by Jesus often deeply stirs the hearts of young children.

Be assured, that as the Living Jesus is proclaimed, he is himself speaking to the hearts of children, youth and adults. What a sad indictment, when church activity becomes suitable for adults only. Conversely, how lovely is youthfulness, blessed in Jesus Christ!

O Father, stir us anew to appreciate the simple yet profound working of the Spirit of Jesus in every person, in every secret heart.

Take; eat; this is my body!

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26)

There was a man in England, by the name of John Wesley; he was rescued from a house fire; and subsequently recognised that he had been saved–and so described himself in biblical terms as:
“…a brand plucked from the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2).

It was said of John Wesley that everywhere he went there was either a riot, or a revival. People either came gladly to Christ, or reacted strongly to his message and got quite angry.

He knew that the message he spoke was important to every person, for: “the power of the Cross reaches into every nook and cranny of history and of creational living” (Geoff Bingham).

What was it that happened in the cross of Christ?
What was it that God did there that changed all things?
Christ Jesus bore our sins in his own body on the cross.
The godly man, died for - the ungodly – us!
While we were still his enemies, Christ died for us.
O what love, that he should become sin for us!
O what love that he should release us from the grip of guilt!
O what love that he should defeat Satan and all evil powers!
O what love that he shoud reconcile us to God and each other!
O what love to suffer such extreme horror, to win forgiveness!
He suffered, not for his own sins, but poured out blood for mine.
For you and for me, he cried out: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
He was utterly forsaken – that we might be saved, fully included.
Bread broken, and wine poured out, tells of his life’s work for all.

O Jesus, come, by your Holy Spirit, into my life, so that I may know the Father’s love as you do, and live in true freedom. Amen.

The Absolute Evil: Guilt

"Guilt alone is the absolute evil, the absolutely terrible and unbearable, the simply irrevocable loss. Compared to guilt all else that may be terrible in the world is very slight indeed. If one weighs guilt against all other suffering in the world, unhappy love which makes life a hell, life-long hard labour in the mines of Siberia, continuous suffering from cancer without any hope but the prospect of a painful death, softening of the brain leading to madness, epilepsy with increasing stupefaction - the guilt will easily outweigh all the other evils in the scale. And if on the other hand we think of all that the world offers by way of good things, then all the riches, power and happiness of the world cannot balance and replace the damage caused by one guilty act".

These words are taken from a book, by Karl Heim (Jesus the World’s Perfecter)

The Word of the Cross

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1Corinthians 1:18)

The Scriptures are the Written Word. Christ is the Living Word. The Word of the Cross - is the Preached Word.

You will have noticed that not every preached message is about the cross of Jesus Christ. But you may not have realised that the cross of Jesus Christ, is, rightly understood, about every sermon. It is indeed about, central to, and therefore, in some way, related to, every matter in heaven and on earth, from start to finish. Or as Buzz Light Year once said: ‘to infinity, and beyond!’

It is an amazing thing to realise that “the power of the Cross reaches into every nook and cranny of history and of creational living” (Geoff Bingham).

Have we underestimated the power of the cross? Yes.

In every case, in every life, in every situation, we have not fully counted on the power of the cross. It is God’s central deed in history, to heal and redeem, to judge and to reconcile, to save and to damn. The Cross is the Father’s mighty deed to plan, the Son’s delight and joy to embrace, and the Holy Spirit’s task to assist with, to open up, to shine upon, to draw people into, and to minister effectively to every person, and circumstance in all creation. God has acted in love and grace. We must respond to the Word of the cross; we must have faith; we must receive the blessing of God, the grace which flows from the cross. Have you?

Prayer: O Living God! O Active Christ! O Spirit of truth, reveal this grace to me, in me. In Jesus name, Amen.