grantataberfoyle

New life by the Holy Spirit

We’re finding out what John’s Gospel has to say about the Holy Spirit. And from here on, it’s Jesus himself who is our teacher. He tells us here that we need a new birth—a work that only the Holy Spirit can do.

Being given an opportunity to start one’s life again is something we may not have thought about, but Jesus says it’s essential.

The enquirer in the story, Nicodemus, is an impressive character. He’s a scholar and a member of Israel’s ruling council. He’s willing to check Jesus out when most of his peers are jumping to conclusions. Later, he asks them if it is right to condemn Jesus without calling him in for questioning[i]. We’d say he’s a good leader.

But he’s looking for a world ruled by God—God’s kingdom, because that’s the entry point for what Jesus says to him. But to be part of God’s future, Jesus says he needs a life built by God—a work of the Holy Spirit.

Of ourselves, we can only produce earthly things. We need to be born from above. This is the only way we will either see or enter God’s kingdom.

This seems ridiculous to Nicodemus, and perhaps to anyone who hasn’t already been born again. Our natural bent is to rely on things that are visible and manageable. But a human being can only do human things. The Spirit, like a wind, can do what God wants to do in us, unseen but powerfully.

Jesus is not being ridiculous or obscure. Nicodemus is ‘a teacher of Israel’ and should know that God has promised to renew Israel[ii]. He is going to wash Israel with water so they are clean, and send his Holy Spirit so they have pure hearts. That’s why Jesus says Nicodemus needs to be born of water and the Spirit.

Israel at that earlier time was thoroughly compromised by idols and passions[iii]. They deserved God’s judgements, not his blessings. But God would renew them by his Holy Spirit.

We get accustomed to leaving God out of everything and arranging life around ourselves, and yet we still think we are entitled to be part of a wonderful future. We have no idea of how impossible it is for us to be part of the future God is making.

The fact is, we don’t deserve to share in God’s kingdom. We wouldn’t enjoy it there. We wouldn’t even survive there.

So, we need to be born again. That means that nothing we’ve done up until now counts. It means that nothing we do now can make it happen. But, without this we’ll never see the wonderful future God is making, let alone enter it.

As we’ve noted, Nicodemus should understand all of this, because it has already been revealed. In this sense it’s an ‘earthly thing’. And Jesus wants to reveal more—what he calls ‘heavenly things’[iv].

Jesus has come from heaven, and here’s what he wants us to know.

He must be lifted up like a snake on a pole. He’s using an event from earlier in Israel’s history[v] to tell us that he will be lifted up, and that we’ll need to look at him. We’ll need to see him being crucified for us, and to trust him to save us from our miserable lives.

This is the truth the Spirit will bring home to us[vi]. And this is how the kingdom is established.

By what Jesus does, we are washed clean. Satan has no hold over us. We are newly created as grateful and willing children of God. Reborn—by the Holy Spirit. We can see God’s kingdom. And we have entered it.

It helps to remember the way Jesus is born. The Holy Spirit ‘overshadows’ Mary, so her child will be holy, the Son of God. Mary can only say, ‘Let it be so to me according to your word’. This is effectively what we need to say. This is the way a Christian life begins. But it’s also how our lives are now to be lived—dependently, humbly and gratefully. We continue as we began[vii]. All of life now will be by the Spirit—walking in step with him, being led by him, and even being filled with him[viii].

[1] John 7:51-52

[2] Ezek. 36:25-27

[3] Ezek. 36:18

[4] Vv. 12-13. Jesus comes from heaven. No-one else has gone there and returned.

[5] Num. 21:9

[6] John 16:7-9

[7] Gal. 3:2-3

[8] Gal. 5:16-26

Life overflowing—John 4 & 7

We’re finding out what the Apostle John tells us about the Holy Spirit in his Gospel.

And here, in two episodes, Jesus shows us that real life and worship flow from receiving God’s gift of the Holy Spirit—an eternal life. The alternative is a life hijacked by things we can see and control.

The first account happens in Samaria[i]. The second at the temple in Jerusalem[ii]. It helps if we look at them together.

In the first episode, Jesus meets a woman by a well and asks for a drink, but, as the story reveals, he knows she is thirstier than he is. And he wastes no time in directing her attention to a new way to live.

She is surprised that Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman. Jesus says if she knew who he was, she would ask him for living water. But there’s a way to go before she will understand this.

A life lived horizontally, with no access to God, is no real life at all. This woman needs to be saved by a drink from God’s ‘well of salvation’[iii]. She needs God himself to come to her, like running water, bubbling up within her as life that will be forever.

On the second of the two occasions we are looking at, Jesus is in the temple for a Feast day and offers ‘living water’ to everyone there. So, we know this offer is being made to us all. And John identifies this water as the Holy Spirit.

What difference does it make to us, to receive this gift of the Spirit? We know that no human being can live another person’s life for them. If we attempt to take responsibility for something they should do, we do them damage.

But life is God’s to give, and Jesus is the giver, and the gift is the Spirit. Only the Spirit can work things in us that we should do and must do. And he never intrudes on the responsibility given to us.

The woman of Samaria has no idea of a world above her that intersects with her daily life. When Jesus offers her God’s gift of living water, she merely asks if Jesus is greater than Jacob who is thought to have dug this well.

So, Jesus makes his offer of water more explicit—not a temporary quenching of thirst but an ongoing supply within her as life that is eternal.

The woman still thinks of physical things. But Jesus asks to see her husband—all the time knowing her difficult history.

And then, Jesus fills in her partial story—about her five previous husbands and now a partner. She can see that Jesus is a prophet! But still, she prefers to think horizontally. Or perhaps, to divert attention from an awkward truth! She asks about the proper location for worship—Samaria or Jerusalem.

Jesus tells her what God has revealed to Israel. And he adds, that a new era is beginning. People are going to worship in spirit and truth. They will really worship from their hearts! This will never be the case without the help of the Spirit[iv].

It’s so easy to reduce everything—including God—to things we can understand and control. But they don’t bring us to God. And oftentimes, they don’t even work—like the marriages this woman has had.

This has always been our problem. Like people in Jeremiah’s day, we turn away from God who is the fountain of living water for us, and we dig tanks that leak[v]. In other words, we prefer idols we can make and control, rather than turn to and trust in the living God.

Our need is so deep! We are made in God’s image. We need to hear him speak. We need his blessing. We need to call God ‘Father’! If we don’t know him, and if we’re not full of him, we remain discontented and must create something else to be wonderful or great or powerful.

So, Jesus must baptize us in the Spirit. Only this will free us from the bitterness and disappointment and shame of the past. Only this will open us up to God who loves us, and to people who need us[vi].

Something has happened to this Samaritan woman. She returns to her community. She talks. People listen. What amazes her is that Jesus has known her whole sorry story and still offered her a life from heaven.

She’s come to the well in mid-day heat—perhaps to avoid contact with other women. Now, she has a message, an eagerness, a hope, a credibility. ‘Have we found the Messiah?’ she asks.

And the town comes out to see for themselves.

God’s gift of the Spirit is the way we ourselves become real—real worshippers of God and real people to others. What now comes from us, surging up from within us, is in fact the Spirit of God being God to us.

When this promise of living water is repeated in Jerusalem, John explains that the Spirit is not yet given because Jesus is not yet glorified.

Already, plans are afoot to kill him. But this death will be his glory—and ours. He will be the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world. The Spirit will be given when Jesus has made an offering for sin.

Do we know who this Jesus is—the Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Baptizer in the Spirit? If we do, he gives us living water, springing up within us—life that is eternal. We are washed clean. We call God Father. We worship truly. Our life is on track. Others can see that we are renewed. Rivers of living water are pouring to us, and from us. As a postscript to this episode, Jesus explains to his disciples that it’s time for a harvest of souls to be reaped—starting with this woman. We don’t know how the following months work out in this town in Samaria, but we know that, later, when Philip visits this area as an evangelist of the risen Christ, many receive the word with joy[vii]. Perhaps the seed has been sown by this woman, and Philip reaps the crop.

[i] John 4:1-30

[ii] John 7:37-39

[iii] Isa. 12:2-3

[iv] Phil. 3:3

[v] Jer. 2:13; 17:13

[vi] Isa. 58:11

[vii] Acts 8:4-8

The fellowship making Spirit—John 14

Here is some of the best news about the Holy Spirit that we have. Jesus sends him to us as another Helper, like himself.

Because he lives in us, we truly know our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father, and ourselves participating in relationship with them. All of this is miracle. And all of this is God’s kindness to us.

It’s good to realise that Jesus tells us these things at a time when everything is falling apart for the disciples. Official hatred of Jesus is at boiling point. Jesus has told the disciples they will all fail badly. And Jesus says he’s going to leave them.

They need some help! But Jesus doesn’t give them a motivational seminar! He doesn’t gift his disciples with special powers. He promises to send them another Helper—like himself. And he promises them a future so joyously related to God that their troubles will seem quite different. They will be seeing life as God does, rather than from below.

These verses have special relevance to the disciples. They are being prepared—as apostles—to declare and explain and record all that Jesus will accomplish. They will need the Holy Spirit’s help to do this[i]. But the same Spirit is promised to everyone who turns to Jesus Christ for forgiveness and new life[ii].

When it comes to knowing God, Jesus has been the go-to person for the disciples. If they have wanted to know how God rules the world, Jesus tells them—or shows them. If they have wanted eternal life, Jesus grants it. If they have wanted to pray, Jesus teaches them how. And much besides. No wonder they don’t want him to leave!

But Jesus insists it will be better if he goes and the Holy Spirit comes.

He says that the disciples already know the Holy Spirit. They have been watching him at work in Jesus—directing and empowering all he has done. But this same Holy Spirit will soon be in the disciples.

This is what Jesus opens up for us too. It’s what we need—even more than having Jesus physically present. And here’s why.

In the first place, we need the Spirit to come to us because, when he does, Jesus has come to us. And we are alive to God[iii].

We’re not accustomed to talking about people being in one another. In fact, it sounds intrusive. But when it comes to God the Father and Jesus his Son, and the Holy Spirit, this is the language we need. And Jesus uses it freely[iv].

It’s love language. God doesn’t text us. He doesn’t outsource his saving work to the church. He comes to us, as Spirit, in communion with the Son and the Father. We are being treated as family—God’s family.

So, the disciples won’t be abandoned like orphans. The Spirit will come. And in this action, Jesus will love them and reveal himself to them[v]. It won’t be ‘like old times.’ It will be better.

This is true for us too. We are Christians because Christ has sent his Spirit to be in us. And he hasn’t come alone. Jesus has come to be in us, full of the new life he has created in his own flesh—a life freed from sin and set apart for God[vi].

And we know we are in Jesus. We are not alive because of what we do. He has embraced us—complete with our corruptions and frailty[vii]. He has welcomed us, chosen us and laid down his life for us. And through this journey, he has taken us to his Father—purified. And he is happy for it to be so. These chapters of John are full of his affection.

In the second place, we need the Spirit to come to us so that our understanding of God can grow. The Spirit enables us to see that the Son has always been living in his Father. And we know that the Father has always been living in his Son. This living in another didn’t begin with us[viii].

Jesus has shown us what it is like to live in his Father. He loves him. He looks at what his Father is doing and delights to share in it[ix]. He can’t do anything without his Father[x]. He asks to be vindicated by his Father[xi]. The idea of ‘being his own person’ would never have occurred to him.

And Jesus has shown us what it is like for the Father to live in him. The disciples should have recognised this[xii]. What they had seen in him was all produced by the Father. And it’s still true now. When we ‘see’ Jesus, we have seen the Father[xiii].

But when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, we can see all this. We know that the Son is one with the Father in being God, one in love, one in action. And we know that the Father who loves his Son now loves us who are trusting in his Son[xiv].

This is why Jesus can be so emphatic at the beginning of this chapter in telling the troubled disciples not to be troubled. And why? Because there is plenty of room in the Father’s house for them all. The Spirit comes as the fellowship maker[xv]. In this ‘God-family’, everyone knows everyone—really and deeply!

Jesus is describing a relationship that is more than knowing about God or doing something for him. It’s having fellowship or communion with him. God has fellowship within himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are knowing this, not as something to work out but as something to appreciate and to share in.

In the third place, we need the Spirit to come to us because he replaces our old self-satisfaction with love for Jesus. Like Peter and the other disciples, the life that was focused on ourselves needs to die. Jesus asks us to abide in his love[xvi], to love him by doing what he says[xvii] and to love one another[xviii].

And he knows that we will love him[xix]. And we realise that in listening to Jesus, and obeying him, we’ve been loving him[xx]. We’ve seen the smallness of living by what we can create because we’ve started to admire and be captured by Jesus. And we are starting to live in a family of God where everything is as it should be, including us.

We tend to live in our accomplishments and human relationships and wonder why we are always on the edge of unsatisfied. Here’s why. We are built to know God and be known by God[xxi]. Remember Jesus saying to the disciples, after a very successful mission, don’t be happy because evil spirits are obedient to you. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven[xxii].

I’m glad that the Father sent the Son to tell us these things and to bring them into being[xxiii]. And I’m glad our three-personed God has sent his Holy Spirit to live within us so that what we know is not a theory or an accomplishment. It’s all love.

This is what we have been born for. And it’s more important than success or safety.

[i] John 14:25-29

[ii] Acts 2:33, 38-39

[iii]John 14:6, 18-19

[iv] One person being in another is used 15 times between 14:11—15:10, besides other ways of saying the same thing.

[v] John 14:21

[vi] John 16:13-15

[vii] John 13:38; 10:14-15

[viii] John 14:20

[ix] John 14:20

[x] John 5:19; 8:28

[xi] John 12:17-32

[xii] John 14:8-10

[xiii] 2 Cor. 4:6

[xiv] Eph. 1:6

[xv] 2 Cor. 13:14

[xvi] John 15:9-10

[xvii] John 14:15, 21-24

[xviii] John 15:12-17

[xix] John 16:27

[xx] John 21:15-17

[xxi] Gal. 4:9

[xxii] Luke 10:20

[xxiii] John 14:24

The Holy Spirit convicts the world—John 16

I wonder if you feel daunted when you hope to persuade a friend to trust in Jesus Christ? The task seems to be impossible. But Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do the work of convicting—that is, bringing the truth before someone so that they can’t avoid it.

This is what Jesus tells the apostles before he leaves them. They have watched Jesus work in Palestine for three years, demonstrating that God’s kingdom has arrived and that everyone should repent. There have been successes, but the opposition is murderous.

If Jesus is now leaving, what chance do the disciples have of making any impression on fellow-Jews, let alone the rest of the world?

Jesus speaks to their dismay by saying he will send the Spirit[1]. He explains that the Holy Spirit will show the world that their sin is wrong. And he will reveal where real righteousness can be found. And he will awaken consciences to the judgement they are under[2].

These are the things we find impossible to do. Everything in the enemy camp conspires to deny these propositions. Aren’t we basically good? And who’s to say what is right and wrong? And again, aren’t threats of a deity who judges merely ways to control us? Without the Holy Spirit to do the convincing, people will hide behind reasoning like this and see no reason to trust in Christ.

But there are reasons why the Spirit can do this, and they all have to do with Jesus Christ.

The Spirit convicts people of sin because they don’t believe in Jesus. If they hear the story of the life he has come to bring[3] and won’t trust him, they commit a concrete, visible sin. They are already condemned[4].

We need to trust the Holy Spirit to bring this home to people we speak to—even if we have to suffer, and wait.

And people are convicted of righteousness because Jesus has not only been raised from the dead but been taken to the Father. We can’t see him anymore. The matter of righteousness has been taken out of our hands.

The world argues endlessly about what is right and wrong but God says his Son is what righteousness is all about. He has done what is good. He has loved his Father. And God has vindicated him by raising him from the dead[5]. And it is righteousness for us too if we will believe it[6].

Again, we need to talk about Jesus and how God has declared him to be right. We must walk in the confidence of those whom God has justified and not be anxious about the taunts of unbelievers. The Spirit will bring conviction to all whom God chooses.

And people are convicted of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged. Satan loses his power—especially his power to accuse—when Jesus is lifted up on his cross to die for our sins and is raised again[7]. This judgement of Satan is not something we can see. It is something Jesus tells us.

We live among many false judgements[8]. Some say we are only answerable to ourselves. Others that we are answerable to them! It can be very confusing, and confronting! The reason we are so tender at this point is that Satan is always accusing us. And he knows enough to keep us on edge and running to someone for approval.

But what if Satan is judged? What if he is no longer able to accuse us? What if the sins he knows we have committed have all been washed away? One judgement—the judgement on Christ who bears our sins, silences all the other accusers.

This is what we need to live in and to explain to others. And our confidence that we have been saved is a sign to them that they remain condemned[9].

See how Peter preaches on the day the Holy Spirit is poured out.

He tells people what Israel has done with Jesus: ‘You killed him!’ He tells people where Jesus is: raised up from death and ascended[10]. He tells people that Jesus is installed as Lord, seated by God[11]. The ruler of this world‚ Satan— has been cast out[12].

He and the other apostles are bearing witness[13]. But then, so is the Holy Spirit[14]. He creates the situation in which the apostles can speak. He enables their speaking so that they are believably truthful[15]. And he makes it effective in all those God chooses to bless[16].

The Spirit deals with the heart, and conscience—closer to a person than we can come[17].

How we need the gift and the ministry of the Holy Spirit! Without him, we ourselves lack the joy and the certainty of belonging to God. And the world is not impressed with our lack of conviction.

This is a matter that should be close to our hearts.

In a final reference to the Spirit in John’s Gospel, Jesus breathes on his apostles and says, ‘Receive the Spirit’[18]! He anticipates the coming of the Spirit and wants them to be ready.

The church does not take over from Christ. The Holy Spirit does. In the same way that the disciples relied on the physical presence of Jesus, we rely on the Holy Spirit for every aspect of our life and ministry. He is the Leader.

Without him, we languish in our own spirits. We mistake our actions for God’s. And we limp in our approach to the world.

We need to be full of this life from God—full of his goodness to us and full of expectation of what he will do among those to whom we bear witness. We are following the Holy Spirit!

I’ve just talked to someone helping with translating the Bible for first nations people in Australia. She told me how warmly and widely their New Testament is being received as a phone download by local people. ‘It’s great to see the work of the Holy Spirit’ she said. Wherever people are taking the gospel seriously, the Holy Spirit is at work.

[1] John 15:26

[2] John 16:7-11

[3] Acts 5:20

[4] John 3:16-21; 15:22-24

[5] Acts 3:14; 7:52; 22:14; 1 Tim. 3:16

[6] Rom. 4:5, 25

[7] John 12:31-33; 14:30

[8] Cf. John 8:16; 12:48

[9] Phil. 1:28

[10] Acts 2:24-28

[11] Acts 2:33-35

[12] John 12:31

[13] Acts 2:40

[14] John 15:26-27

[15] Acts 2:4

[16] Acts 2:39

[17] Cf. Luke 12:10

[18] John 20:22

God can deal with our enemy—Psalm 31

David often talks about God being a place to hide from enemies—as in this Psalm (vv. 1-4).

The reason David has enemies is that God has given Israel a land to enjoy, look after and protect. Surrounding peoples don’t like this and harass them. And David is commander in chief.

In this contest, David knows he is weak. He’s still effectively the boy walking out to confront a Goliath. He’s become a brave and resourceful leader, but when his enemies are also God’s enemies, he needs a safe space—God, as his refuge.

In simple terms, David trusts God to act. He expects Israel’s covenant Lord to reveal his righteousness and faithfulness by protecting him (v. 1, 5).

The world doesn’t need to see our human strength. Seeking power is the world’s problem. Rather, it needs to see us strong in the Lord.

The church that Jesus now builds—unlike Israel—is not a nation state with territory to defend. But we are Christ’s kingdom. That is, we have a ruler, a law, a message to announce, and an expectation that this kingdom will finally be visibly established.

This puts us in conflict with the world and its ruler. Satan doesn’t like competition. And the world doesn’t accept that it must answer to its Creator.

If we’re Christians, we’re involved. The battle is on, and it’s nasty. Many times, we need a hiding place. We need to go to God with our distress (vv.6-8).

Deep down, we all fear being shamed. It’s a potent weapon in our present world. And when this happens, simply trying to be strong won’t get us anywhere.

This is especially so because we have sins of our own that complicate every situation (vv. 9-10). We know we don’t deserve to be looked after. What we need is redemption—from our sins and from Satan’s accusations.

So, we need to tell the Lord what evils our enemies are perpetrating, and the distress this is giving us (vv. 9-13).

But then, we need to affirm who our God is, and what he has promised to do for us (vv. 14-18). This is vital. People without God are without hope (Eph. 2:2:12). But our days are all in God’s hands, and our flourishing, and our reputation. We can ask for help.

David shows us the hope we are right to have (vv. 19-22). God is good. And his goodness is a storehouse full of good things. Any alarm we may have is invalid!

So, we have much with which to encourage one another—to love God, and to be strong (vv. 23-24)!

Jesus quotes this Psalm as he dies (v. 5; in Luke 23:46). There is nothing of the world’s violence and Satan’s malice that he is spared. But he entrusts his whole being (spirit) to the Father. And God hears his prayer by raising him from the dead (1 Tim. 3:16).

If you like, he validates this experience of trust when faced with hostility. And because he has died for our sins, our hope can be as sure as his (Heb. 12:3).

Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t quote the line ‘you have redeemed me’. This can simply mean ‘saved me’, but redeeming is done by paying a price. No-one needs to pay anything to save Jesus (the meaning of redeem). He is paying the price himself—to redeem us. That’s our hiding place.

So, let’s pray.

Our Father in heaven, trusting in your Son has exposed us to the hatred of this world and to the malice of its prince. We feel the heat and the injustice of this. We feel the temptation to fight fire with fire.

Save us from these false battles. Hide us in your Son from the accusations of Satan and the culture he controls. Save us from fearing the loss of our reputation or safety. Open up ways of living joyfully and confidently and usefully in this present world.

Put a song in our mouths, like the song David sings. You are a God we can trust. Jesus is our hiding place, our Saviour and Lord. Father, you have wonderfully showed your love to us.

Deal with our enemies. They don’t know what they are doing. They need to know Jesus as Saviour. But do not let the battle leave us embattled. Rather, gentle our hearts with love for you, and strengthen them with the certainty that you act. In Jesus name. Amen.

Being in awe of God—Psalm 29

Most of this psalm describes the awesome noise and effects of violent weather events. These storms gather over the Lebanese mountains with a ferocity that can demolish the massive oak trees that grow there. The tempests travel south over Israel and then crash over the Kadesh wilderness south of Israel. They can create a flood, startle a pregnant deer into birthing, or strip a forest bare.

David knows the awesome power of these storms—their thunder, lightning and floods. He’s been exposed to their raw power. And in these experiences, he knows he’s hearing God speak.

Worship does not come naturally to us sinners. We can be full of ourselves and not aware that everything around us is made by God. Everything belongs to him. He’s still in charge of everything. And we need his protection and blessing if we want to live truly.

Sometimes, it takes the unmanageability of our environment or circumstances to realise that we are not in charge. The great one in our world is God. And he speaks.

Other psalms encourage us to call on God to be saved from storms like this, but here, we are being encouraged to hear God speaking in the events we can’t control.

Note that David calls God, the LORD—the one bonded to ancient Israel in a covenant. He doesn’t need a lifetime of sunny days to know that God is good. He looks at circumstances through the lens of what God has already done for his people, and what he has promised to do in the future.

The same is true for us. We know that God is good because he gave us his Son, and forgiveness, and eternal life. We certainly don’t need to see difficulties as punishment for sin. That’s over!

But we can tremble when that natural world seems to be breaking apart.

Nothing can quieten the din of storms, or prevent the damage they leave in their wake. We may be terrified. We can only wait until they are over. Our self-importance shrinks.

But now, look at the beginning and end of this psalm.

David begins, not by offering his own praise but by asking angels to worship the Lord. (Sons of God are angels in 89:6; angels are also asked to worship in 103:20; 148:2). Worship of God is core business. Every creature needs to be involved.

These angels are not affected by our weather, but they see what happens here. They are appointed as servants to our needs. They will listen if we ask them to worship with us. There are dressed in holiness. They see God face to face. Perhaps they can do justice to the praise due to God. As one of our hymns says, ‘Angels helps us to adore him. You behold him face to face.’

And then, David ends with a prayer. May the Lord give his people strength, and bless them with peace. Without these gifts, we languish, and the world perishes. But then, if God reigns over the flood—of whatever kind—he is able to send strength for our tasks, and peace in our trials.

Our God does reign. His Son has been raised from the dead, and been given authority over everything in heaven and on earth. We can be assured we are heard when we cry to him, and that he will give us strength and peace.

There’s usually one big flood in mind when the Bible mentions a flood—the one in Noah’s day. Certainly, God reigned over that flood. And everyone who belongs to Christ is protected when God sends judgement. That’s what Isaiah tells us (Isa. 54:9). We’re not merely exposed to the elements. We’re in God’s ‘ark’.

So, let’s pray.

Holy Father we languish and are starved when we think only of what we can see and control. You have made us to be in awe of you, to know you, to love you. To cry out, ‘Glory!’

Lord, you are worshipped by multitudes of angels. Expand our affections to ‘see’ what they see, to tremble where they tremble and to give our undivided attention to your glory.

Thank-you for humbling us—exposing us to the raw power of your creation and weaning us from preoccupation with how great we are. Help us be attentive to you and your works. Expand our affections. Deepen our humility before you.

Father, we know that everything you do is so we may know your strength—to be strong in the knowledge of your power. And that we may know your peace—because our hearts are fixed on you. Lord, fulfill this purpose in us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Christ is risen! But where’s the Hallelujah?

We’ve just had our Easter celebrations and I found myself needing to be renewed, so as to give thanks with a full heart.

We can get distracted, self-sufficient or inward—looking at things that are seen and felt rather than things that are unseen and eternal.

So, here’s my answer to myself—what the Psalms would call ‘lifting up our hearts’, or what the apostles would call ‘setting our minds on things above’. This is not a study. It’s just telling the truth to myself—and to us all.

The first disciples are glad when they see their Lord Jesus alive again.[i]

I should say so! Their whole life has revolved around him for three years. They have hoped for eternal life through him. They have expected the restoration of God’s reign on earth. None of this will happen without his presence, or with the way they have behaved through this crisis! But now, he’s with them!

And he’s still here. He said, ‘I will be with you always.’[ii] Our Leader and Saviour is not a memory. He’s a presence.

So, speaking personally, here’s what it means that Jesus has been raised from the dead. He comes to me with all that he has achieved as God’s Son and my Saviour.

First, the resurrection of Jesus means I’m justified in God’s eyes[iii]. He sees that I’ve turned away from self-trust, and he’s happy to count me in on what happened to Jesus.

Here’s how this works out. Jesus pleases God—totally—especially in being the willing offering for our sins. So, God vindicates or justifies him[iv]. That’s what I’m sharing in. The Father has reason to be pleased with his Son. But because the Son carries me with him in his love—through death and into resurrection, he is also pleased with me—a grateful recipient of what he has done. I’m accepted—in the Beloved Son[v].

Like Peter, I’m aware of failures. But then, because of Christ’s resurrection, I’ve also been born again to a living hope. Christ’s alive, and so am I—alive to God and alive with a hope of transformation[vi]. Christ says to us all, ‘Peace be with you’[vii]. And like Thomas, I say, ‘My Lord and my God!’

So, I’m ‘all ears’ when it comes to the resurrection!

Second, Christ’s resurrection means I’ll also rise from the dead[viii].

The Father always planned that the resurrection of Jesus would be the first one of many[ix]. We are the rest of the fruit that will make Father and Son deeply satisfied.

This wouldn’t be important if I’m living as though I’ve got forever. But I’m ‘numbering my days’. It’s wiser to do that[x].

So, there’s no shame in my death. No victory for the accuser. And it won’t be a terminus. I’ve been given eternal life and will be raised up again[xi]—with a better body and a better location. In fact, my present flesh is not good enough to inherit what God has prepared[xii].

Knowing I’ll be raised from the dead is not just a consolation. It’s a victory. I’ll see the Lord! And there won’t be a reason to cry ever again. The whole creation will be what it was created to be—and I’ll be part of it. And then, even while I’m getting weaker, God sees to it that I’m being inwardly renewed[xiii]—getting ready for the big day.

I’m already living this eternal life[xiv]. So, right now, I can do things that will last forever[xv]. Life is full of purpose.

The difficulties along the way are lessened by knowing this. Jesus tells me to only deal with what must be done today[xvi]. And this leaves head space for the coming victory to shed its light back over my troubles—for God to fill my days with joy and peace in believing[xvii]. God is always doing something—for my good and for his glory[xviii].

Third, I have a narrative to live in that’s full of hope instead of pessimism.

Running and approving my own life, as Adam tried to do—is never workable. Rather, I’m free to live as God intended—receiving his gifts, his blessing and approval. And then, I will eat from the tree of life and live forever.

This world will never be a Garden of Eden. And my attempts to make the world perfect will never succeed. But Jesus has bruised Satan’s head. And the victory of Jesus, not the failure of Adam, dominates the narrative. He’s in charge.

Many around me drown their loss of immortality with ambition, self-indulgence, fun or bluster. But eating, drinking and being merry is what you do when you’re just expecting to die. Better by far to live in God’s story.

And so, I say, ‘Christ is risen. Hallelujah!’

[i] John 20:20

[ii] Matt. 28:20

[iii] Rom. 4:25

[iv] 1 Tim. 3:16; cf. Rom. 1:4

[v] Eph. 1:6

[vi] 1 Pet. 1:3

[vii] John 20:19, 21, 26

[viii] 1 Cor. 15:19-20

[ix] 1 Cor. 15:20-24

[x] Psa. 90:12

[xi] John 6:54

[xii] 1 Cor. 15:50

[xiii] 2 Cor. 4:16

[xiv] John 17:3

[xv] 1 Cor. 3:12-13

[xvi] Matt. 6:34

[xvii] Rom. 15:13

[xviii] Rom. 8:28, 37

God’s surprising authority

This second Psalm, like the first one, is about people being made happy by God. The first one began with ‘Blessed is…’, This second one ends in the same way.

Together, they are introducing us to two themes that intertwine throughout the Psalter—a life that pleases God, and the gracious reign of God that makes it possible.

So, we come to the second Psalm.

I can’t think of a prayer more needed than the one this Psalm inspires. It confronts the world’s opposition to God and announces the sovereignty of Jesus Christ whom God has appointed to be in charge.

Why do the nations rage so badly and so constantly? This anger is not just between nations but with God. It’s this argument that leads to our problems with each other. And it is a fury without basis—it’s empty or vain. There is a mountain of evidence that God is good and that we can trust him.

We’ve had this problem from our beginnings. Cain kills his brother because of his witness to God’s goodness. He needs to remove the evidence. Years later, the human race does the same to the Son of God.

That’s how old the problem is. And it hasn’t gone away.

But God always goes right on with his plan. He raises up a nation, and appoints (anoints) a king to lead them. Here, in Psalm 2, the King is David.

David understands that his job is not just being strong but about Israel being a witness to the nations. It’s not about power but about God being good. This is why he’s confident about killing Goliath with a sling shot, not because he can aim well but because this godless man has taunted Israel’s God (1 Sam. 17:36).

David’s successors are also called to lead Israel in being God’s witness to the world. They do not do this well, but they are signs of the King whom God will appoint—no less than his eternal Son.

This Psalm was probably used for the coronation of Israel’s kings, but it predicts the coming of Jesus, born to be ‘King of the Jews’ (Matt. 2:2).

That’s why the early church quotes this Psalm—or, if your like, prays this Psalm—when they encounter the rage of their religious leaders (Acts 4:25-26).

And here is why we need this Psalm to help us pray. When the world hates God, they threaten us. It’s then that we need to know that Christ’s authority is not in question. The arguments against him are not only invalid but lifeless. They can’t succeed.

Here’s the reasons.

First, God himself announces that Jesus is his Son. He says this when Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 3:22). He does it again when Jesus is transfigured before some of his disciples (Luke 9:35). He does it again by raising Jesus from death—right here in our history (Romans 1:4). He is saying to the whole world, ‘You need to hear what my King is saying!’ (Acts 5:30-31).

Second, God has promised the nations to Jesus as an inheritance. Opponents to this purpose will be shattered. All nations—the people of all nations, must hear the witness of Jesus that God is good. They must receive the forgiveness and restoration to sonship that he is offering.

Third, the gentleness of Jesus—God’s King—is like a rising tide, unstoppable. He is all of God’s goodness wrapped into one human body. He is also all of God’s authority. Resisting his witness is fatal.

Everyone should get wise, be warned. Especially those who think they are in charge. Everyone should humble themselves to serve God and to reverence his Son—our Lord, Jesus Christ.

When we hear his voice and receive his grace, we understand the meaning of authority. We are delighted, and tremble—all at the same time. He has our full attention.

So, let’s pray.

Father in heaven, we humble ourselves before you. Our anger against you has not been justified. Our boldness has been childish.

You have watched our strutting, amazingly, with patience. And you have continued to reveal what you mean by ‘running the world’ through raising your Son—whom we killed, and giving him authority to raise up a new humanity.

Father, when we are attacked by those who don’t understand how you rule the world, give us the same patience and grace as your Son has demonstrated. And the same confidence in your authority.

How good to know this world is a family affair—that all the nations are a gift from you to your Son.

Help us see through the bluster of those the world calls great. Help us to see the gracious and powerful authority of your King—our Lord Jesus Christ. And tremble before him, with delight! Amen.

Two ways to live—Psalm 1

The Psalms in our Bible are a collection of songs inspired by God, and then kept and used by godly people in Israel.

We don’t find it easy to walk before God—given the troubles and questions that arise in this world. But these God inspired songs provide ways to navigate this difficult territory.

Jesus himself joined his disciples in singing a psalm before heading out to his death (Mark 14:26). These prayers have been treasured, sung and prayed by the whole church for centuries.

So, here’s some comments on various Psalms to help understand what they say. And then, I’ll ‘pray the Psalm’, using it to guide how we may pray today.

Here’s Psalm 1. Read it first. Then see how we need its counsels now. (The words in italics are the points of reference to the Psalm.)

***********

We all need to work out what will guide our life. Here, the choice is clear. We either live by what God says or by what the world says. And we are told why one is a happy or blessed choice and why the other way perishes.

God’s word is delightful—not a burden. It’s worth thinking about often. Worth living by.

God’s law isn’t just commandments. It’s God’s guide for our relationship with him as we travel towards the future he is making. Think of how the 10 commandments begins. ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery’ (Exod. 20:1).

If we know God loves the world and has sent his Son to us, and that he has paid for our sins and reconciled us to God, we’ve got good reason to think that living with him in his congregation is a good idea.

And it doesn’t take long to realise that doing what God says rather than following our instincts makes for a better life, and a better community, as well as a better future.

Godly people—that is, people who love what God does and says, grow like healthy nourished trees. They are useful and eager.

On the other hand, ungodly people are not believing in, fearing or following their Creator. But they give counsel about how to live, they provide a way to fulfill this advice, and scoff at anything different. It’s easy to want to fit into this world, but we’re being told that it’s not worth the risk.

God sees these ungodly peopleas chaff that blows away in the wind. They will perish. The world may not think about God, but God is thinking about them. This is his world. It works by his rules. He remains kind to all that he’s made (Matt. 5:45). But he’s still in charge and determines what works, and what happens when he is ignored.

This judgement has already begun. People who leave God out are revolving without a centre, striving without the needed power and with nothing sure to aim for. They don’t have a Father (Eph. 2:12). God has decided that everything must revolve around Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:10).

How much better to be in a community of the righteous! God knows these people—and in the Bible, this means God is near to them, and helping them. He has chosen them to inherit his future.

So, let’s pray.

Our Father in heaven, the world you have made is warm and close and provides many things we need. But when it turns against you, when it invents its own wisdom, creates its own way and emboldens itself with distain, it becomes cold and distant—even threatening.

Father, enliven us to hear your commands, cherish your ways and trust your counsels. Teach us to see Christ as the Lord who brings us to you, and who will unite everything into the future you have planned.

Thank you for the promise of blessing or happiness when we follow your way. Thank you that you know us and that you make all that we do to prosper. Make us like fruitful trees. Amen.

Empty people finding fullness

Jesus begins his ministry by announcing that ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand’. He has come to implement all God has in mind for the world.

His kingdom will be an arena, not just for fixing problems and managing our messiness, but for creating lovers of God who are devoted to his project.

So, Jesus explains what people in this kingdom look like—very much like himself of course—because he is not just the King but the prototype of what a subject is.

This, of course, amounts to a declaration of war. People who don’t already love God will not be interested in his way of life. Even the birth of Jesus is seriously contested. The local man in charge kills hundreds of children in an attempt to head-off any competition for control.

Things haven’t changed much. In many countries, including our own, Jesus is downplayed and his people maligned as harmful. If God is for real, and if Jesus has come to reveal him, the world recognises a rival, meaning that those who believe in him should be cancelled.

We need to know who God congratulates for getting things right. Jesus teaches us a number of ‘beatitudes’ (Matthew 5:2-10). But the word usually translated ‘blessed’ actually means to be congratulated or happy.

First, the people who have chosen well and have a good future are those who are ‘poor in spirit’.

Jesus is not saying it’s good to be depressed. Rather, he commends the person who knows that everything they really need and value in their life is going to have to come from someone else. That’s how poor they are. They feel this deeply—they are poor in spirit

There’s a story in the Old Testament about the Queen of Sheba visiting King Solomon. She sees his wealth. She hears his wisdom. And we are told that there is ‘no more spirit in her’ (1 Kings 10:5). Alongside of him, her wealth and wisdom are nothing.

Jesus does this to all of us. For a while, we think we can run our lives, change some things around us, keep ourselves happy and anticipate a good life. This soon runs thin.

Then, we see Jesus. He is not living for himself but for his Father—God. He doesn’t restlessly accuse us. He understands that our bluster is shallow and that we are really empty. And, he gives himself to us, and we know this. We begin to see that he’s the rich one and we are those in need.

Jesus demonstrates how to live in a world God looks after. He heals many who are sick. He delivers some who have fallen into the hands of evil spirits. He knows what he’s doing. Even better, he knows what God is doing. He’s believable. He’s real.

That’s when we become ‘poor in spirit’. If our life is going to amount to anything, it is going to have to start and finish knowing he’s the one who gets things right. He’s dwarfed us in the way he lives and speaks. But he doesn’t make dwarfs of us. He promises we will inherit God’s kingdom. We’ll be God’s special people—and he will be in charge of everything.

That’s why we are to be congratulated now. The reward is coming. But the congratulation is for now. We’ve chosen well.