On Reflection (@Pontefract Round Table)
This testimony was shared at Pontefract Round Table on 5 January 2005
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The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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Introduction
Guess the car part I am thinking about. It is a very important part. Not mechanical. Should always be used. At least 3 on every car. VIP for safe driving – The mirror. Driving a car is about looking ahead and about looking back.
Reflection: Looking forward, Looking back.
At the beginning of the year 2005, it is good to look ahead and to look back. Plan ahead, guess/predict what might be (can ~ influence what might be).
Look back, remind of lessons learnt, remember people who we have learnt from (who have given us good advice, been kind, caring , generous to us). Family, faithful friends, Advisors, friends of faith – look back and be thankful (for the privilege/for the encounters) Give thanks to God. Also give thanks to the people, you can become an encourager, by communicating thanks and gratitude.
Look back to some of the mistakes you have made, learn form those lessons. Something you have done, a relationship that broke down - learn form that lesson. Learn to say the word ‘sorry.’ Blame, and grudge and bitterness and relationship break down can mess up 2005 &ff!
Our papers are full of looking back at this time 2004 was the year 10 years of the sitcom friends ended. Ron Atkinson sacked by BBC & Guardian for racist comment (Desailly)
17 years of Kilroy ended (Arabs suicide bombers and women repressors). The Iraq war goes on 100,000 civilian deaths since war began March 2003 (Lancet report), 100,000 deaths in the Dafur conflict in 2004
Remember Britain’s medal haul in the Olympics in Greece, Kelly Holmes, Rowers, cyclists..
Our papers are full of looking back at this time, but not from the point of view of moving on, looking ahead, learning from the past, giving thanks for the past. The papers seem to look back simply to mark history. History records 10000 files in the Pentagon detailing cruelty to Iraqis prisoners but our leaders must learn from looking back and vow to value every life as special and treat every person (friend or foe) with dignity.
As you look ahead in your life, the year ahead, what will it hold for you, I don’t know what the future holds but I know who holds the future – I have asked Jesus Christ into my life and I believe he will be with me , never leave me…. Faith
Testimony
24/12/04 a catastrophe of the magnitude of the Asian Tsunami begs the question… If God exists, how can a loving creator God permit such terrible things to happen to his creation and to people, innocent children and death and injury to those who had committed no crime?
The question resurfaces with every calamity. Messina Tsunami in Dec 1908 200,000 died, 1755 Lisbon earthquake 60,000. Once again religion is asked the question.
Arch Bish cant ‘It would be wrong if the Tsanunami did not make people question belief in God’ but I query should Arch B be emphasising doubt rather than belief in this disaster. If religion is knocked down or out by each natural disaster why would we bother talking about God at all. If we cannot run to God in the crisis then this life is all there is! From my own experience I have found that we can turn to God or turn away from God in a crisis and when I have run to God I have found he was and is the rock I could stand on when all around me was crumbling. (But my experience does not compare with such a natural disaster).
There is always a mystery about natural disasters and about suffering. God is so much greater than we are. If there is one who is the creator of time and all that exists, God doesn’t have to justify himself to us, mere creatures. Part of our relationship with God is to be in awe of him.
In many ways who is humanity to shake his fist at God. ……... Humanity is his own worst enemy – Vietnam, Kosovo, Chechnya, Atom Bomb, Holocaust, Iraq, even the wars in the name of religion are examples of evil of humanity rather than the holiness of God.
Today we are reacting with such shock and horror partly because of the advances in communication (global village). [Messina 1908 – 200,000] – benefit is the outpouring of generosity.
Julie spoke to me a few weeks ago.. 21 yr old friend killed car accident 'It shouldn’t happen to Christians.' … where is God when there is suffering?
People are hurting & need something, somewhere or someone to turn to for healing or comfort or support. By and large it is not the church they turn to.
The word spirituality is the "in" word but Christian or worse still Jesus Christ are not words people associate with spirituality, healing, suffering, comfort or support.
It is so frustrating because spirituality, healing, comfort or support is what we've been doing through Jesus Christ for the last 2000 years.
Instead I meet people like [Tracy & Pete both with church backgrounds (SS) are looking at the world of wiccans, the she god of mother earth (cause 'its not so narrow, it encompasses more that Christianity.'] Looking around me I see endless dieting, plastic surgery for everything, courses for meditation, mysticism, healing, predicting (prophecy) [tarrot cards, stars, astrology (Girl Talk)] Therepy, searching for healing.. people are suffering/hurting & desperate for healing [Body Mind Spirit]
It is so frustrating because spirituality, meditation, healing, prophecy or therapy/support is what we've been doing through Jesus Christ for the last 2000 years.
And in Jesus Christ we our Lord God who suffered for our sakes, he died in our place, he was tested in every way as we could be he is the God who experienced suffering 1st hand.
The theology from the cross suggests that although God is almighty and all powerful he chose through Jesus Christ to be vulnerable (child (Christmas) & cross(Easter)), defenceless (child and cross), and to suffer (trial and cross - Passion of the Christ).
God chose to embrace and to know suffering 1st hand.
We can never accuse God of not knowing what it's like to suffer. The all-knowing Almighty God knows suffering 1st hand.
So why does he allow such suffering.
Is it to make us better, stronger, more compassionate understanding people - maybe, sometimes but not always (don’t try selling that to those who have lost all in Indonesia ….
Is it cause He's up there and we're down here & we are left like orphans with random things going wrong in random lives – a Tsunami to one, an accident to one a terminal illness to another - I don’t think so. There is a view of God that he was like a watchmaker who made the world and creatures with the ability to procreate & he disappeared into the heavens and has left us to it down here. No!
If the all-knowing Almighty creator God chose to create human beings he had to create beings with freedom of choice (otherwise we would not be human)
And in loving human beings with a special love he had to take the risk that we may choose to not love Him in return. That makes my God vulnerable, a God who takes risks. He may desire the best for his humans, desiring that our days would be long, that we would be healthy and accident free, that we would not live in seismic areas …. BUT freedom means, people drive cars fast, diseases come, Freedom means suffering happens and I believe the vulnerable almighty God grieves over our Tsunamis and loss of life, accidents, and illnesses and traumas. Longing that we will turn to him for strength and courage, turn to Him for healing and peace BUT freedom means we may choose to not to turn to Him. Yes I believe God is weeping with those who weep.
So why does he not just make it all better, all perfect.
To do that would contradict what it means to be human and for humanity to have free choice. Bonhoffer's letters 16/7/44 'God lets himself be pushed out of the world on to the cross. He is weak and powerless in the world and that is precisely the way in which he is with us and helps us…. The bible directs (people) to God's powerlessness and suffering: only the suffering God can help' 9/4/45 Executed by the Gestapo 'DB a witness for Jesus Christ'…..30/4/45 Hitler Kills himself; 8/5/45 Victory for Europe (VE Day)
The questions also assume that when time ends (it is the end) wheras Jesus Christ told us he would be the way to a new realm called eternity (enernal life). I firmly believe if we could see the bigger picture we would see death is a frontier and the important thing is not to question the existence of God but to discover him for ourselves, to know him (thro Jesus Christ).
Joni Errikson initially found it impossible to reconcile her condition with a loving God. It seemed all God's gifts she had as an active teenager were taken from her. What was the reason, 'why me?'
Gradually turning to God through 3 years of tears. Until finally one night she became convinced God did understand ….. because of the cross.
From then she chose not to question why but to live for he Lord - radiate for Him…. God can turn every adversity into a victory 1 Cor 15v25 'he must reign till all enemies have been put under foot.. Heb 12v1 tell us we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (heavenlies..)
Intro testimony - Vicar St Andrews Wakefield. I have a Chartered Accountancy prectice. I am married to Jen and we have 3 Kids. I have been a Christian for nearly 40yrs.
1> Boy 10 follows Christ… stuck with me thro school things vying to take central place. Thro life I’ve walked this kind of tight rope enjoying having friendships and a life outside church and Christians. [Remember Ena KB Going Golfing ‘Be ye separate.’ But I read John 17 and I hear Jesus asking the father these words: ‘my prayer is not that you will take them out of the world…’ Thro life I’ve walked this kind of tight rope – mixing it with FRANC. Sport (N Ireland Cap), thro Uni (NI juniors) . Enjoyed mixing it with students/people who didn’t believe.. Studies (sharpened faith) thro sport Hockey to Trainee Acct [tight rope walk was to Keep V central]. Everything All going well work, sport, girls, ££. (leisure, pleasure Treasure)
2>Bottom fell out of world - Car Crash.: ‘I am with you always’ (Matt 28:20) Holding on.
3>Questions/anger/close encounters
4>The Business. Integrity v compromise [Gerrysa/c’s] [Gordon’s death ]
5>The call & the challenge. Matt 28v19 ‘Go & tell’ Tell your story –how he has changed me, how I have a peace, forgiven, takes burdens of life and gives life in abundance.
Sometimes when we are going through hard times we get a bit fuzzy on who Jesus is or where he is in the midst of suffering. When we're fuzzy about him we need to be clear about 2 big facts [1](He didn’t do it!). He is never the author of evil and [2.] He hasn’t abandoned you! (if you are a believer) He is always with you and 'greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.' When we get fuzzy we need to get re-focussed on who you are in God's family and who the evil one is. God Eph. 1 God blesses us …. v1 The evil one John 10v10 comes to steal and destroy….' That's his nature & character….Jesus says I have come to give you life and to give it in all of it's fullness…..Be clear about that when suffering comes your way, God is never the author of evil. When there's a destructive force impacting your life, I know whose work that was and it wasn’t God's……... It's VIP for you to be clear about that.
[Car crash][lake of tears].
That 2nd thing again when you get fuzzy about God in the hard times is remember this 'I will never leave you..' Matt 28v20 - the temptation is to believe you are on your own, alone. [Hospital card] Ps 34v18 'God is especially near to the broken hearted.' Ps 23 thro the valley of the shadow of death I am with you.' 'Come unto me ..weary heavy burdened… rest' - The one who said to the storms peace be still… can say to the storms of your live…
John 14 My peace I give you ….
