What Matters

Matthew 11-13

'And you Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.  If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.'  (Matthew 11:23)

The 'cities' of northern Galilee (Capernaum, Bethsaida, Korazin) witnessed miracle after miracle, heard the incredible teaching of Jesus and were spell-bound by his parables.  And yet they did not repent at the coming of the kingdom (11:20).  In fact Jesus quotes Isaiah in describing them has people with calloused hearts and closed eyes and ears (13:15).

It is to easy it is for me to experience the goodness of God and to hear his word daily and yet not respond.  Jesus is as present to me through the Holy Spirit and the written word as he was to the people of Galilee 2000 years ago.  God's word is a double-edged sword that will conduct spiritual surgery on me should I allow it - cutting away those things that should be removed and repairing that which needs to be healed.

Lord, may your word fall on good soil in my heart (13:23)

Matthew 8-10

'Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.'  (Matthew 8:24)

It is a profound experience reading these chapters narrating Jesus' ministry in and around Capernaum and Galilee.  Earlier this year I visited this region, saw the well-preserved ruins of Capernaum, where Jesus was based for much of his earthly ministry, and walked the shores of the lake.  Amongst many vivid memories from my visit was the realization just how localized Jesus' ministry was.  Much of it occurred within a 10 or so kilometer radius of his home base.

I also had the opportunity to travel by boat from one side of the Sea of Galilee to the other - about ten kilometers.  It was easy to imagine a storm rolling off the surrounding hills and terrifying the disciples.  They were stunned that as the waves threatened to swamp them Jesus remained asleep in the back of the boat.  At Hillsong conference this year a number of a us heard a great message from Judah Smith.  He commented on this passage by saying that the disciples were in awe of the storm around them (who would not be!)  But in the back of the boat asleep was the one they should truly have been in awe of.

In life we will face storms - medical, financial, relational and so on.  The question is not whether we will face storms, but what we will do in the midst of them.  It is easy and understandable to be overwhelmed by our circumstances - to be 'in awe' of them.  But with us is One who will never leave and who can calm the wind and the waves that threaten to overwhelm us.

Matthew 5-7

'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'  (Matthew 5:3)

Matthew 5-7 summarizes the greatest sermon ever preached; Jesus' so-called Sermon on the Mount.  Reading it again this morning I was reminded of its potency and relevance for today and any age.  Last year we spent 18 weeks reflecting on the Sermon in our morning services (Ordinary Radicals).  I remember starting that series wondering whether we would we run out of puff - become bored with it all.  Nothing could have been further from the truth as I and we were challenged week after week by Jesus' radical teaching on the Kingdom.

Jesus begins the sermon with the Beatitudes, and he begins them with a blessing for the poor in spirit.  He is saying blessed are those who know their spiritual poverty, because in recognizing this before God they have the keys to the kingdom.   Last Sunday night at 12two Heidi Rulfs preached a great message on the Parable of Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14).  It was the tax collector who beat his breast in repentance and who Jesus said was so justified before God.  As I have often quoted, the ground at the foot of the cross is level; that is we are all sinners who can only be saved by God's grace.  The amazing wonder of the gospel is that God chooses to do exactly that - save us.

Matthew 1-4

'Salmon the father of Boas, whose mother was Rahab, Boas the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.' (Matthew 1:5)

A genealogy is not an enthralling way to start this 90 day journey reading through the New Testament.  But even in the dry recitation of ancient names, God's amazing salvation plan is demonstrated.  Jesus' direct ancestors included royalty (David, Solomon), but it also included some unusual and unexpected characters.  For example, we have Rahab the prostitute (Joshua 2) and Ruth, the Moabite woman. Even in Jesus' genealogy we are reminded that God uses unexpected people to demonstrate his amazing grace and power.  If God has done it before, surely he can do it again - even with us?

Power to Agree

Someone has said that community is not so much the absence of conflict, but the presence of a reconciling spirit.  This we we explore how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church to come to a point of agreement in the midst of a passionate dispute.  Listen in here: Download Power to Agree  Or download the manuscript here: Download Power to Agree

Disunity is Death

There is a story told about some monks who lived in a remote monastery deep in the woods.  They followed a rigid vow of silence. Their vow could only be broken once a year—on Christmas—by one monk. That monk could speak only one sentence.

 

One Christmas, Brother Thomas had his turn to speak and said, "I love the delightful mashed potatoes we have every year with the Christmas roast!" Then he sat down. Silence ensued for 365 days.

 

The next Christmas, Brother Michael got his turn and said, "I think the mashed potatoes are lumpy, and I truly despise them!" Once again, silence ensued for 365 days.

 

The following Christmas, Brother Paul rose and said, "I am fed up with this constant bickering!"

 

Given the opportunity, Christian brothers and sisters will find something to bicker over.  We will often bicker over inconsequential things.  Bu we can also fiercely debate matters which go to the substance of the faith we hold.  There are times when our disagreements need to be wrestled with to a point of resolution, and other times where it is appropriate to ‘disagree agreeably.’

 

One of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit is unity – the ability to move past that which divides us to discover the liberating community we can enjoy through Jesus Christ.  In his final prayer for us, those who follow in the steps of the original disciples, Jesus implored God the Father:

 

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me...May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

(John 17:20-24)

 

May Jesus’ prayer be the witness of our lives.

Power to Interpret

The New Testament is awash with references to the Old.  One commentator calculates that 10% of the New Testament is direct quotes ar allusion to Old Testament Scripture.  Saint Augustine has famously said that 'In the Old Testament the New remains hidden; in the New Testament the Old is laid bare.'  When Paul preached in the power of the Holy Spirit he would interpret Old Testament Scripture in the light of New Testament events.  And we can do the same.  Listen in here: Download Power to Interpret  Or download the manuscript here: Download Power to Interpret

Allowing the Bible to Read Us

The last week’s news has been filled with threats of burning Islam’s ‘holy’ book, the Koran.  Passions have been inflamed in both America and overseas, with counter –threats (some fulfilled) to burn the Bible.  In fact the (Christian) Bible has been burned, banned and ridiculed for much of its two thousand year history.

The first Bible I remember reading was a big children’s picture bible.  I was captivated not so much by the words, but by the Cecil B DeMille style pictures.  Graphic illustrations of some of the Old Testament stories were truly of biblical proportions!  Since deciding to follow Jesus as a teenager I have read my bible with a mixture of wonder and confusion.  The bible has both inspired, and at times infuriated me.  To this day my eyes can glaze over when dutifully reading what can seem at first glance to be archaic reflections of no apparent relevance to my 21^st century world. 

Of course nothing could be further from the truth – the Bible is, as it has always been, ‘relevant’.   It is relevant in that in its pages, across its 66 books and through the contribution of its myriad of human authors I can hear the Word of God.  The Bible is God’s story for God’s people.  JI Packer has said, ‘God the Father is the giver of Holy Scripture; God the Son is the theme of Holy Scripture; and God the Spirit is the author, authenticator, and interpreter of Holy Scripture.’  When I read the Bible with the Holy Spirit as my guide, mere words on a page can become a Living Word in my heart. 

 

In the end I do not read the Bible for information, although it is full of fascinating history, beautiful poetry and incomparable wisdom.  No, I read the Bible for transformation – that God might change me from the inside out.  As WH Auden states, ‘A real book is not one that we read, but one that reads us.’

Revelation PowerPoints

Graham Leo has graciously made available the PowerPoint presentations from each of his seven Winter College sessions.  You can download them here, but please note, session one is large (34MB).

Session One: Download Revelation_Session_1

Session Two: Download Revelation_Session_2

Session Three: Download Revelation_Session_3

Session Four: Download Revelation_Session_4(Revised)

Session Five: Download Revelation_Session_5

Session Six: Download Revelation_Session_6

Session Seven: Download Revelation_Session_7

Revelation - Week Six

Graham Leo continues his journey of exploration through Revelation, coming to the majestic and wonderful final chapters.  Listen in to part one: Download Revelation 6A  And part two: Download Reveation 6B