A lot can happen in a week. Last week we were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. A week on and Thomas still doesn't believe what the other disciples have been telling him (John 20:24-29). We're not told why Thomas wasn't with the other disciples on that Resurrection Sunday - maybe he wanted time on his own following the death of Jesus; maybe he had gone back to the day job; maybe he was simply out buying bread - all we know is that he wasn't there to see the risen Jesus. And even though the other disciples try and persuade him he says that he won't believe unless he sees for himself. And so he unfairly gets the title of 'Doubting Thomas'. Unfair because the others doubted too. None of them believed and understood what Jesus had said. The women only believed when Jesus appeared to them - and the disciples didn't believe them when they told what they had seen. None of them believed until they had seen with their own eyes.
Many people today still want to see before they believe. Seeing is believing. Unless something can be seen, held, measured... we are suspicious and disbelieving. But how will people believe Jesus if they can't see him? For although he is alive, he ascended back into heaven. Although he will come back, he isn't here now. When Jesus left he gave his Spirit - and as the Spirit works in us he is changing us into people who are more like Jesus. And so people will hopefully see Jesus in us. People will believe when they see Jesus working in us.
But people also want to belong before they'll believe - and yet all to often churches today insist that people believe (what we believe) and behave (as we behave) before we'll allow them to belong. Thomas in his dis-belief felt he could still meet with the other ten disciples. Thomas with his dis-belief was welcomed by the other ten disciples. And in spite of their differences, or may be because they were meeting together even though they were at different places on their journey, Jesus comes and meets with them.
How welcoming are we to those who don't yet believe? Not just welcoming in the sense of a warm handshake at the door and a cup of tea afterwards - but welcoming in the sense that those who don't believe can actually feel a part of what we do. How much of what we do is geared up for those who believe? Do we do anything with those who don't believe in mind?
Even those who have believed for a long time have doubts and questions. And sometimes church is the last place we feel we can express those doubts and questions - because everyone else seems so sure, and "how will they deal with me in my unbelief?" But if that's how we feel then isn't there something wrong with 'church'? Thomas was still accepted in spite of his unbelief. We're all on a journey of faith. Some are further on than others. Some are currently moving quicker than others. But we're on this journey together. And so when we have doubts and questions we need to be honest about that, knowing that those I'm travelling with will love me just the same as we wrestle with the questions together, waiting for Jesus to come alongside and say, 'Peace be with you'.
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Monday 31 March 2008
Thursday 13 March 2008
Part of the Crowd
Last summer Exeter City Football Club made it to the Conference playoff final at the new Wembley stadium - and I was there. A part of the thirty thousand plus Exeter fans that filled one end of the stadium. It is great being a part of a crowd. Unfortunately things didn't work out last year - but we're pushing hard for another Wembley playoff final again this year (and there could be the chance of beating Torquay on the way!)
But there are dangers in being a part of a crowd. People do things in a crowd that they wouldn't do if they were on their own. Encouraged by those around them, submitting to peer pressure, unthinkingly absorbing the mentality of the crowd...
On the first Palm Sunday Jesus was victoriously welcomed into Jerusalem by the crowd. But within a few days those same people were in another crowd that was calling for Jesus to be killed and an enemy of the people to be set free.
I guess if you could ask those people what they were thinking, many might say that they weren't thinking - they were just going along with everyone else. And that's a danger of a crowd. It is all too easy to get swept along with everyone else without thinking for yourself - or without making a courageous stand against what everyone else is doing, thinking, saying ...
I wonder how many people in church this weekend will simply be a part of the crowd. They don't really know what they believe, or why they believe it. Outside of the church context if they are asked probing questions about their faith they don't really have any convincing responses. They sing the songs without thinking about the words. If everyone else sings 'Hallelujah' they sing 'Hallelujah'. If everyone else starts singing 'Crucify' how many would stop and think?
Being a part of the crowd can be a dangerous place to be unless we know what we believe and why we believe it. Unless we have the courage to swim against the tide or to stand up and be counted when the time comes.
But there are dangers in being a part of a crowd. People do things in a crowd that they wouldn't do if they were on their own. Encouraged by those around them, submitting to peer pressure, unthinkingly absorbing the mentality of the crowd...
On the first Palm Sunday Jesus was victoriously welcomed into Jerusalem by the crowd. But within a few days those same people were in another crowd that was calling for Jesus to be killed and an enemy of the people to be set free.
I guess if you could ask those people what they were thinking, many might say that they weren't thinking - they were just going along with everyone else. And that's a danger of a crowd. It is all too easy to get swept along with everyone else without thinking for yourself - or without making a courageous stand against what everyone else is doing, thinking, saying ...
I wonder how many people in church this weekend will simply be a part of the crowd. They don't really know what they believe, or why they believe it. Outside of the church context if they are asked probing questions about their faith they don't really have any convincing responses. They sing the songs without thinking about the words. If everyone else sings 'Hallelujah' they sing 'Hallelujah'. If everyone else starts singing 'Crucify' how many would stop and think?
Being a part of the crowd can be a dangerous place to be unless we know what we believe and why we believe it. Unless we have the courage to swim against the tide or to stand up and be counted when the time comes.
Monday 10 March 2008
What will you do tomorrow?
What are your plans for the next 24 hours? Take a minute to think about what you plan on doing between now and this time tomorrow. Now imagine that these would be your last 24 hours. How would that affect your priorities? Would you still do the things you planned or would there be other things that were suddenly more important? Would there be things that you would want to put right? Relationships that need to be repaired? Put things right with God? Put things right with others?
In Matthew 25 Jesus tells some parables that warn us of the importance of being ready for the end of world as we know it. Whilst we are not told many of the details about the 'end times', we are told that it will happen and therefore we need to be ready. And because we don't know the when, we should seek to live as if we really believed it could be tomorrow - or sooner.
In Matthew 25 Jesus tells some parables that warn us of the importance of being ready for the end of world as we know it. Whilst we are not told many of the details about the 'end times', we are told that it will happen and therefore we need to be ready. And because we don't know the when, we should seek to live as if we really believed it could be tomorrow - or sooner.
Monday 3 March 2008
Does God mind where I shop?
Does God mind where I shop? With so many shops and supermarkets to choose from does it make a difference which one I choose? Does the Bible have anything to say on the matter? If you're looking for a verse that says 'Thou shalt not shop at ?????' you're going to be disappointed. (And I would recommend a version that says 'You shall not ...' rather than 'Thou shalt not...' but that's a whole different topic. If interested visit www.usingthebible.blogspot.com).
But our faith should impact every area of our lives and that includes where we shop and what we buy when we're there.
This week is the second week of Fairtrade Fortnight (25 Feb - 9 Mar). Two weeks in which we are encouraged, if we haven't already done so, to make the switch to buying Fairtrade goods, where possible. Buying goods which carry the Fairtrade Mark guarantees a better and fairer deal for farmers and producers in the developing world. God is passionate about the poor and the needy - if you don't believe that then go and read your Bible again. Start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see what Jesus has to say. Then move into Acts and see how for the early Christians care for the poor and needy was a natural expression of their faith. Then if you still need convincing have a go at some of the Old Testament prophets (e.g. Amos 8).
God is also passionate about justice (e.g. Micah 6:8) and therefore we should be too. One of the things that the Fairtrade Foundation highlights for us, whether we like it or not, is that not all dealings in the commercial world are fair. That means that there are small scale producers who are being exploited in order to keep costs down and profits high - and there is nothing they can do about it. But it means that they can't send their children to school, they have to make choices between things like food OR medicine, they can't invest in their communities... But when we buy goods which carry the Fairtrade Mark we are making a difference. It might not seem like a big difference on a global scale. But for a family who are now sending their children to school; for a community that has been able to sink a well to access clean and safe drinking water...it makes the world of difference.
To find out more visit www.fairtrade.org.uk
Does God mind where I shop? What do you think?
But our faith should impact every area of our lives and that includes where we shop and what we buy when we're there.
This week is the second week of Fairtrade Fortnight (25 Feb - 9 Mar). Two weeks in which we are encouraged, if we haven't already done so, to make the switch to buying Fairtrade goods, where possible. Buying goods which carry the Fairtrade Mark guarantees a better and fairer deal for farmers and producers in the developing world. God is passionate about the poor and the needy - if you don't believe that then go and read your Bible again. Start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see what Jesus has to say. Then move into Acts and see how for the early Christians care for the poor and needy was a natural expression of their faith. Then if you still need convincing have a go at some of the Old Testament prophets (e.g. Amos 8).
God is also passionate about justice (e.g. Micah 6:8) and therefore we should be too. One of the things that the Fairtrade Foundation highlights for us, whether we like it or not, is that not all dealings in the commercial world are fair. That means that there are small scale producers who are being exploited in order to keep costs down and profits high - and there is nothing they can do about it. But it means that they can't send their children to school, they have to make choices between things like food OR medicine, they can't invest in their communities... But when we buy goods which carry the Fairtrade Mark we are making a difference. It might not seem like a big difference on a global scale. But for a family who are now sending their children to school; for a community that has been able to sink a well to access clean and safe drinking water...it makes the world of difference.
To find out more visit www.fairtrade.org.uk
Does God mind where I shop? What do you think?
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