Jesus Course

For some time now I’ve been working on a Jesus Course – a no obligation online course all about Jesus. You can view it now at http://www.jesuscourse.info

It follows a progression through thinking about who Jesus is and it’s content is in line with mainstream Christian belief.

Just seemed to me that there was room for such a course on the Internet. I hope some people find it helpful.

Holy Week

How can we think about Holy Week in our own homes? This is certainly a time when it’s good to have a church to go to and perhaps if you are a Christian without a church you can borrow one for just this week. However, here are some ideas for things you could try.

Commit to having ten minutes every day that you do nothing but think about Jesus. During this time read a short bit of the holy week story every day and then pray that God will help you make sense of it.

At Thursday main meal time (supper, dinner, whatever) break bread and drink wine with the people at the table. Don’t get too fancy about it but when you do it remember what happened at the last supper. I’m not suggesting you have a communion service here but do something meaningful and in remembrance of Jesus.

On Friday take a walk up a hill in silence. It’s best if the hill is in a remote place but it doesn’t really matter. Jesus carried his cross through the city remember. When you get to the top take a few minutes to think about the cross and the sacrifice Jesus made for you.

On Sunday get up really early – dawn is a good time – and go somewhere beautiful (gardens are ideal for this). Just sit for a while and remember the resurrection of Christ and say thanks to God for bothering with you.

You probably have lots of other good ideas. Why not share them in a comment.

What is the meaning of the cross?

Scholars bebate the meaning of the cross of Jesus in great detail. They argue about the nature of it and what was happening. However, as Martin Luther once pointed out, you can’t understand the cross only with your brain. The cross is doing something far more important than providing something to debate.

I think the truth is that many different things were happening during the crucifixion. Some of them obvious and others more hidden but ultimately its not what it does to your head that matters its how it touches your soul and your heart. Scholars who insist on reducing the cross to one meaning are just plain wrong.

But then we should be used to things having multiple meanings. If I can take a trivial personal example first here. I go running every morning. I have lots of reasons for doing it. I want to get fit, I need to lose weight, I want to try and avoid some illnesses, I want to be fit to enjoy my walking hobby and I want to be an example for my children. Now if anyone were to reduce the meaning to just one of these they would be right in saying that this is what was happening but would also be very wrong because it means so much more.

If we reduce the cross to just one meaning then we might be right in what we say about that one meaning but we are so very wrong if we think that is the end of the story.

Was Jesus dying for us? Yes. Was Jesus taking away the sin of the world? Yes. Was it a moral example to inspire us to better things? Yes. Was Jesus the lamb of God? Yes. And so I could continue.

But ultimately you can’t understand the cross without feeling it. It’s only when you can stand at the foot of the cross yourself, and see your Saviour suffering and bleeding, and dying with your name on his lips, and understand that it should be you up there, that you get what it means.

It means so much and yet the message is simple – God loves you.

How willing are you for God to use you?

I’m sure at some point every Christian has told God that they are willing to be used by Him. But do we really mean it when we say it?

It takes a lot to submit to God’s will completely. For instance how happy would you be if to follow His will you had to be poor for the rest of your life? Or how willing if you knew it would cause you conflict with the people you love the most?

Jesus once asked a rich young ruler to give up the thing he loved the most (his money) before he could follow Jesus. All we know is the young man went away feeling sad. He wanted to follow Jesus but the cost was too great.

I don’t believe it is God’s will for everyone to be poor or that the point of this story is that you have to give away all your stuff to the poor before you can follow Jesus. I think the point is that if we are really going to follow Christ we should be willing to go this far.

I want God to use me but I hope he includes a comfortable life for me as well. So far the comfortable life part (that’s the bit I want) has never materialised. Should this mean I stop following Christ? Well ultimately that’s my choice but so far I think not.

What are you willing to give up to follow Christ?

When do you pray?

In an effort to get people praying the church has traditionally encouraged people to pray at certain times. Personally I like to pray in the morning before the work day begins. However it’s also good to pray in the evenings because it gives you a chance to ask for forgiveness and for peace through the night. Even better to do both.

However there are no set rules about when to pray other than that it is a good idea to pray but the rest is left pretty much up to us.

I love the bit in the gospels (see Luke 11) when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus then gives them a formulae they can use (e.g. the Lords Prayer). Of course in other places they learn important things about prayer as well but here is an example of Jesus’ teaching. He doesn’t make it complicated, he doesn’t give them set times to do it, he doesn’t even expand on the Lord’s Prayer with a whole lot of commentary.If you sincerely pray the Lords prayer every day it will transform your prayer life. I did this – only praying the Lord’s prayer – for a month and I was amazed at how much deeper my prayer life became. I thought at the time I was doing pretty well anyway.

So when do you pray and how do you do it? Please leave a comment so others can benefit.

Death of my friend

Everyone has to face, at some time or another, the death of someone they once knew and loved. It can be hard to come to terms with, especially for those without any faith in God. However it is especially hard when that person took their own life. There must inevitably be questions about how it might have been prevented, and that perhaps you were the one who could have prevented it.

Of course such thinking helps no one. If we all went through life beating ourselves up because we missed an opportunity to help someone then we would all be pretty depressed. But then again perhaps we should feel bad about such missed opportunities and admit them to God so we can say sorry and find forgiveness.

Recently I learned of a friend from my past who has taken his own life. I don’t know the details, I doubt that I ever will know everything. I feel sad that whilst I had lost touch with him somewhere along the line, in the end I was not there to help.

But you know Jesus faced something similar in his own life. Not a suicide but the death of someone close to him, a death which he could have prevented. A friend of his called Lazarus. Lazarus fell ill and Jesus knew about it. Being Jesus he had the power to stop his friend from dying but instead deliberately didn’t go to help so he could use this situation for something greater.

After his friend died he went to see the family, who are distraught. Why didn’t Jesus save him? Then comes one of the most moving of the verses of the Bible. The two words, “Jesus wept”.

You can find this story in the Gospel of John Chapter 11.

Why did Jesus cry? Was it for his friend? Maybe. Was it for the people who suffered as a result of that death? Quite likely. Whatever the reason it shows us that Jesus, God, is human. Jesus knows about grief firsthand. He is not some spectator sitting on a cloud smiling at us when we get something right or wagging a finger when we get it wrong, he is one of us.

Then Jesus raises Lazarus and in one spectacular event shows us that he can change even death itself.

When someone we love dies, especially when that loved one ends their own life, it is important that we understand our own power to change death. We can’t raise people from the dead (at least this is not an every day experience) but we can change our world so that out of death can come life.

We change what we can, maybe all we can really change is ourselves, so that the world is a better place in memory of those who have passed on.

At the end of Saving Private Ryan there is a moving moment when Private Ryan visits the grave of the man who saved his life. He is trying to say that he hopes what he has done has earned the death that gave him life. He hasn’t cured cancer or ended all wars but he has done his best to live a good life and bring up a good family. Maybe this is all we can do, but at least in this way we can demonstrate that the lives we once loved meant something.

So long Phil, it was a pleasure knowing you, may God take away the pain you have felt, wipe the tears from your eyes, and may you find peace at last in paradise.

Is the Internet Good for God?

Christians are struggling to know what to do with the Internet (in my opinion).

One of the things that Christian preachers have enjoyed over the years is that they know more than the congregation do about the Bible and what it says. Some might even argue that they have deliberately kept it that way although I’m not sure that’s true myself. The studies that Clergy undertake are available and have been for a long time to others as well.

However the Internet has opened up a whole can of worms (or should I say Diet of Worms – Luther fans will know what I’m talking about) for Christian leaders.

Now whatever is said in the pulpit can be looked up on the Internet. Some of the information that is presented will be good some will be bad.

What are the consequences and are they good or bad?

The consequences are that no Christian can now make statements about the Christian faith and expect it not to be challenged in some way. It is no longer adequate for preachers to just quote a few verses out of context and not expect to be challenged on the topics raised.

This is bad for those who like to use the Bible as a tool to glorify themselves and to justify bigoted opinions.

This is good for the Christian faith in general.

If Christians believe (as I do) that the Bible is in the inspired word of God then why should we fear being questioned about it?

If the claims of the Christian faith are valid then why fear anyone challenging it?

If people challenging the Christian faith leads to open and honest enquiry then why should anyone be upset?

Do we honestly think that God should be worried because someone somewhere happens to think up an argument that isn’t very nice for Christians?

I believe that there are many answers to the critics of Christianity (search out some apologetics websites if you doubt me).

I also know from experience that most people who challenge the Christian faith (even famous atheists) often do so from a position of ignorance about what Christians claim.

Surely it is far better for Christians to be able to take a good long look at what the Bible says and then to test it and see if it stands up to scrutiny? If this was not to be allowed then why did we ever let it be translated into languages that the average person can understand? This problem was answered back in the days when the printing press was invented it’s just now that it has become even more available.

Of course we need to understand that not every website tells the truth (but this is also true about Christian web sites) but given enough research its possible to have a reasonable go at understanding what God’s will really is as it is revealed in the Bible.

I say the Internet is great for God and the more Christians learn to use this powerful tool for getting our viewpoint across the better.

Of course those preachers/teachers who like to use out of context Bible passages to justify their own viewpoints will be upset by the Internet because it must mean their days are numbered. At last!

What do you think?

Is the Internet good for God – leave your opinion

Leap of faith

Do you remember in the Indiana Jones film called “The last crusade” there was a moment when he had to take a leap of faith. He had to trust that something would hold him up if he stepped out blindly. I really enjoyed that film but I fear that this is exactly how people see a leap of faith. Someone blindly stepping out and hoping – against the odds – that God will help them.

Yesterday, being a holiday for my children, I took the day off and we went up into the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. We walked up the track to the top of Pen-y-fan. It was a good experience and it even snowed at the top.

Anyway we reached a point where we had to walk along the track which was cut into a steep bank. The path was quite wide and for me it was no trouble at all. For my 8 year old son though – who is not too good with heights it was really very scarey. For him it was a kind of leap of faith to walk along the path.

However it was not the blind stepping out because:

1. He trusts me. I told him it would be ok and this gave him some confidence to know it would be safe. This is the same with God. When God tells us that something is going to be safe we can have enough confidence to take that leap of faith. How do we know what God says – the Bible, prayer, other people etc.

2. We could see that others had been that way before. The path was well defined and we even saw some people walking along it as we started out. In the Christian life it’s usually true that someone else has been that way before. This is one of the many reasons its good to read the stories of other people. There are many people who have faced similar situations to yourself before and we can read how God helped them. This will give us confidence to step out for ourselves.

3. We had walked along many other paths before. One of the things I like to ask people if they are nervous of walking along a high path is: “how many pavements/sidewalks have you fallen off in your life – even when the wind was blowing?”. I’m sure one day someone will call by bluff who has fallen off a pavement/sidewalk but the vast majority of us feel perfectly safe on a path when we are low down. Why would it be any different high up? Don’t get me wrong because I don’t like heights myself but sometimes paths are so wide that the nervousness I feel is just plain silly. In the Christian life we walk along many paths. Every day we walk with God. When we are then asked to take a more scarey path we ought to remember all the easier paths we have taken and remember how God helped us in the simple things.

Taking a leap of faith can be a bit scarey. Remember though that you have already walked many paths and lived to tell the tale. Others have passed that way before and not only survived but even enjoyed themselves. Last remember that you can trust God completely. God will never let you down.

Judging Jesus

I find it interesting that the world tends to judge a person by their followers. Is this because we see the results of following (the fruit to use a Christian phrase) in the life of the follower?

I suppose for those who want to find out about Jesus there is the opportunity to observe those who say they follow Him to see if there is any truth in His claims. The sad reality, however, is that they observe people and then try to decide if God is worth believing in and following.

It’s also a sad truth that most people enjoy a good scandal. So when a follower of Jesus makes a mistake (the bigger the better) it gets to be sensational news.

Let’s take a Catholic Priest as an example. I need before I start to say that I do not condone any behaviour I might write about here. The abuse of a position of power is a terrible thing especially when it involves children. People who abuse children are criminals of the worst kind.

Anyway back to our Catholic Priest. There are some – I’m sure you are aware of this – who have abused children in their care. Sadly on occasions the church has not dealt with the situation well. These are big failings. However does this make Jesus any less than He is?

Can we hold Jesus accountable for the actions of a person who has done wrong? If we say yes then we have to hold Him accountable for every crime that was ever committed – He did after all give us free will. His punishment perhaps should be execution.

However I don’t think we can blame Jesus when a person makes a wrong choice. Without choice we are all going to live a miserable existence.

Of course those who follow Jesus should know better but the truth is they are still people and people are capable of doing stupid things.

Then again why do we concentrate on the few who make mistakes and ignore the many who work hard to follow and do some pretty amazing things?

If you are a Christian then I encourage you to understand that people judge Jesus by what they see you do – be careful.

God bless you as you serve Him.

If you are not a Christian but a critic of Christianity then I encourage you to understand that followers of Jesus are still people (who make mistakes) but this does not change the way that Jesus actually is.

 

Can you be a Christian with no church?

Churches hate to admit it but you can be a Christian and not be part of a church. It’s also true that sometimes you can worship better at the kitchen sink than you can at a Sunday meeting. This is hard even for me to admit.

However there are reasons that Christian’s should try to be part of a church.

1. God has said we should. In the Bible we have been told we should belong to a church. The church is God’s chosen way of interacting with the world (the body of Christ). If we are on our own then we lack the power to be involved in doing God’s work in the same way we could if we were a part of a church.

2. Christians need other Christians. It’s tough being a Christian and being with others can help us deal with some of the pressures of life. I know for myself that it is easy to drift away from the things of God if you don’t make an effort. Belonging to a church helps you to make the effort and when you share your needs and concerns and joys with other Christians it can really be a good source of strength.

3. It helps you to remember the message of Christianity. It’s a sad fact that there is always a temptation for Christians to distort the message so that it fits their lifestyle and wants. I don’t actually think the Christian message is hard to cope with but when everyone else you know is telling you that money is the most important thing in life it’s hard to live the Christian way where God is the most important. We can easily distort good and bad so that what we want is good and what we don’t want is bad rather than basing it on God’s ways.

4. Going through the Christian calender is a powerful way to remember the whole of the story. I’m afraid the rest of the world is not particularly bothered about the Christmas or Easter stories other than it gives them an excuse for a holiday. An obvious example of this is the moaning we get about the moving of the date of Easter because it upsets peoples holiday plans (especially when Easter is in March and the weather is likely to be bad).

I’m sure there are many other reasons but I’m running out of time.

These reasons are very valid but what do you do if you don’t have a church near by? I also want to suggest that not everything that calls itself a church actually is one. Perhaps we can look at that later.