You in your small corner

Thanks to Margaret Killingray (LICC) for this:

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. The wealth of nations shall come to you. Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you. Isaiah 60:1-10 (extracts)

When my neighbour's third child was born, the three year old, watching his new sister in the bath, asked in a puzzled voice, 'But, what's Maisie for?' We all laughed, but it is, actually, a serious philosophical question. What are we for? Purpose gives shape to life; purpose drives us and gives us fulfilment. Even limited purposes can divert us from everyday anxieties - organizing a holiday, packing and planning, for example. Serious loss of purpose can often lead to listlessness and depression, whether it's job loss, children leaving home, or even the end of a purpose that has been a hard grind, the award of a degree, or the achievement of a planned expansion of operations. What are we for?

Isaiah's wake-up call challenges Israel to be what they were meant to be. And this challenge, this call to take up God's purpose is a big biblical theme, often using this metaphor of light, shining in the darkness, bringing the dawn. 'You are the light of the world, the city built on a hill that cannot be hidden, a light shining before others', Jesus told his disciples. We have this purpose, those who belong to the Lord, as individuals, in our families and friendship groups, in our neighbourhoods and at work, but above all, in our fellowships. Peter in his first letter applied all the great Old Testament titles of promise and purpose - a priestly kingdom, a holy nation - to the new Christian fellowships. What Israel was called to be then, we together - the body of Christ - are called to be now.

So even when our limited purposes fail us, the children leave, retirement has come, achievement is not what we thought it would be, then more than ever, our greater purpose, to shine for our Lord in every circumstance, should bear us up and carry us through.

How many of you remember singing, 'Jesus bids us shine with a pure, clear light, like a little candle burning in the night. In this world of darkness, so let us shine, you in your small corner and I in mine'? That's what Maisie's for!

God's perspective?

As we come to the end of Christian Aid Week, here's a challenging (and even controversial) article from the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity:

Disaster Relief

"This report contains images that some viewers may find distressing."
This is a line that our television newscasters have to deliver with alarming regularity. Barely are we coming to terms with pictures of lifeless bodies floating in filthy water in Burma when we are confronted with pictures from China, of bodies buried under tonnes of rubble after the earthquake. Both sets of pictures tell the story of thousands of lives lost and of human misery in epic proportions.

The fact is that, even in a world over which God is sovereign (a theme reiterated throughout the Bible), suffering seems to strike utterly at random. The tension implicit in this statement is one affirmed within Scripture. The 'preacher' of Ecclesiastes, who takes the existence and sovereignty of God for granted in his observations on life, concludes that 'time and chance' happen to everyone (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

It is right that our engagement with, and response to, such events takes the form of generosity and compassion towards those affected. After all, another repeated emphasis within Scripture is the requirement that God's people become neighbours to those in need.

So why, when confronted with the news of the cold-blooded murder of some of his fellow Jews by the Romans, did Jesus' response apparently lack all compassion? Linking the senseless slaughter with the random deaths of 18 people crushed when a tower collapsed at Siloam, he dismissed any attempt at establishing a direct link between suffering and judgement, before shooting the warning to the messengers, '.unless you repent, you too will all perish' (Luke 13:1-5).

Perhaps our inability to discern compassion in this response reflects the ease with which we allow worldviews other than that of Scripture to inform and shape us. According to a biblical worldview, God is in the process of renewing his creation. And whilst Scripture precludes neat equations of human suffering with divine judgement, it nevertheless insists on the reality of the latter as part of the outworking of God's purposes for the cosmos. Viewed from this perspective, doesn't Christ's warning look as much like compassion as do his healings, or foreign aid arriving in Burma, or rescue teams working tirelessly in China?

Christ's warning is an example to us of cultural engagement of the very best kind - that which broadens human horizons to take in the reality of eternity. But let's be under no illusions; this kind of connecting with culture won't do anything to enhance our street-cred; except, perhaps, in the place where the streets have no name.

Nigel Hopper LICC

Street Pastors

Following a meeting this morning it looks like Street Pastors will be coming to Scunthorpe.

Follow this Link http://www.streetpastors.co.uk/WhatisaStreetPastor/tabid/96/Default.aspx

It's early days yet, but consider whether God may be calling you to this work.

Co-ordinators will also be needed as well as people who will stay up (almost) all night to pray for the Street Pastors when they are out and about.

Watch this space.

Take my Son

A variation on a story you have probably heard before, but it contains a message worth repeating:

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had
everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often
sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very
courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was
notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A
young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.


He said, 'Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son
gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to
safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often
talked about you, and your love for art.' The young man held out this
package. 'I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think
your son would have wanted you to have this.'

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by t he
young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the
personality of his son in the painting. The father, was so drawn to the eyes
that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered
to pay him for the picture. 'Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son
did for me. It's a gift.'


The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to
his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them
any of the other great works he had collected.


The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his
paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great
paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.


On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his
gavel. 'We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid
for this picture?'

There was silence.
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, 'We want to see the famous
paintings. Skip this one.'
But the auctioneer persisted. 'Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will
start the bidding? $100, $200?'
Another voice angrily, 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see
the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!'

But, still the auctioneer continued 'The son! The son! Who'll take the son?'

Finally, a voice
came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man
and his son. 'I'll give $10 for the painting.' Being a poor man, it was all
he could afford.
'We have $10, who will bid $20?'
'Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters.'
'$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?'
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. 'Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!'
A man sitting on the second row shouted,
'Now let's get on with the collection!'
The auctioneer laid down his gavel 'I'm sorry, the auction is over.'
'What ab out the paintings?'
I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a
secret stipulation in the will. I, was not allowed to reveal that
stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned
Who ever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the
paintings.

The man who took the son gets everything!'

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the
auctioneer, His message today is:
'The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?'
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, WHO EVER
BELIEVES IN HIM.... SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...John 3 v 16

THAT'S LOVE

New sermon blog..

I now have a blog for my sermons:
I hope God blesses and challenges you as you read them.
click this link for my recent sermons

Copy this link into your browser and add to your favourites (or sites to avoid!):
http://mikejoycesermons.blogspot.com/

A time to die?

(see earlier blogs on this subject)

Someone said to me the day after father-in-law Len was taken to hospital having suffered a massive stroke: ‘You know what used to happen before hospitals; the old doctor would come round and give ‘em an injection…a bit extra…you know.’
Whether that was true or not, it was certainly possible. After all, we now know how easy it was for Harold Shipman…..
I am not suggesting for one moment that my friend mentioned above was advocating euthanasia, but it’s appeal is obvious.

I have read many of the arguments for euthanasia, and I remain firmly convinced that it violates the command ‘You shall do no murder’ Ex 20 v13.

I know of people lovingly caring for elderly relatives who range from needing a little extra help to completely gaga, and do so for years without complaining. Those who care for the latter must often pray to God that He would take them to be with Him. And it doesn’t happen. My heart goes out to them as they labour on unseen (but seen by God) month after month and year after year. For them I have included the link at the end.

From my own recent experience I want to say this:
Len taught us, as he lay there unable to speak, that there is a reason why the prayer for release may not be answered as soon as we want it to be…..
The time will come, but it is not yet.
The days we spent around Len’s bed (and Cindy and her twin sisters held vigil cheerfully without sleep all night on the last night) was so precious that we would not have missed it for all the world.
We all, including his wife Joyce, had prayed for him to go on his journey, but he lived for four further days…times when tears were shed, of course, but also times of celebration, wonderful memories relived, laughter, hugs, around the bed. Len was listening, and when the sedation was wearing off, he made it known.

I think in those ‘extra’ days we caught a glimpse of heaven. Certainly we reaffirmed together our Christian HOPE.

Scott Peck in his best-seller, ‘The Road Less Travelled’, describes love as something to be worked at:
'Love, in short, is work, and the basic form this work takes is attention. When we love, we attend to the growth of others …. love requires important work and great effort!'

The ‘Let’s have done and be off’ attitude doesn’t fit, does it.
Hard though it may be sometimes, we must ‘wait on the Lord’. There are yet things to be learned…

LINKS:
A link for those who care for elderly relatives:
http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/pdf/supportnet/SN-CaringForElderlyRelatives.pdf
A link for the bereaved:
http://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/pdf/supportnet/EFIUnderstandingBereavement.pdf

The Duck &the Devil

Story time....
There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it.
He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile; only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.
After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes" But Sally said, "Grandma , Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fish ing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help" She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help
After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.
Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter?......
Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.)...whatever it is ...You need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.
He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you. The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.

When Jesus died on the cross; he was thinking of you!

Share this with a friend and make the difference in someone's life today....and check it out in the Bible: Romans 6v14 and 8v1

You're hired!

I came across this item from LICC:
I sacked Simon Smith. Yep, I gave this week's hapless contestant on The Apprentice his marching orders. OK, the TV evidence is that it was the lovable epitome of all things shrewd and opportunist, Sir Alan Sugar, who fired him - but at least I was there to back up his decision. As part of the studio audience for The Apprentice: You're Fired!, the follow-up show that interviews each week's victim, I got to wave my red card at Simon when the mob was asked how we'd have handled him.
In Sir Alan's opinion, the ex-Army man - currently a satellite engineer - was amiable and industrious but simply out of his depth as a leader in the project he'd been assigned. I heartily agreed and, though I have no proven business acumen myself, I stand by my TV-ordained right to make flash judgements based on the slightest of slanted evidence.
It got me thinking, though. How, when it came to the biggest job on earth - building the kingdom of God - did Simon Peter get hired to provide the foundation? Sure, he was bolshie, spoke his mind and was proactive when it came to exercising faith. But was he the best choice? Could Jesus have chosen only Peter for that position?
As for the rest of the apostles, did they exhibit qualities not found in other fishermen, tax collectors and would-be insurgents? And here's where I have a problem with the Great Commission: Jesus seemed to be telling the Eleven, 'My family business has an aggressive expansion directive. Not only are you hired, I want you to get out there and hire anyone you come across, and train them so they can hire anyone they come across and train them so - well, you get the idea.'
What kind of discernment is that? What kind of business sees fit to hire anyone and everyone and train them to train others regardless of experience?
It seems Jesus had this intention from the start. Right at the outset, his job offer came with a career development package. 'Come, follow me,' he said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.'
For Peter and Andrew, it was about swapping one family business for another. They chose wisely. So did Jesus. Which still leaves me wondering: What is it about you and about me that makes God take one look at us and say, 'You're hired'?
Jason GardnerI sacked Simon Smith. Yep, I gave this week's hapless contestant on The Apprentice his marching orders. OK, the TV evidence is that it was the lovable epitome of all things shrewd and opportunist, Sir Alan Sugar, who fired him - but at least I was there to back up his decision. As part of the studio audience for The Apprentice: You're Fired!, the follow-up show that interviews each week's victim, I got to wave my red card at Simon when the mob was asked how we'd have handled him.
In Sir Alan's opinion, the ex-Army man - currently a satellite engineer - was amiable and industrious but simply out of his depth as a leader in the project he'd been assigned. I heartily agreed and, though I have no proven business acumen myself, I stand by my TV-ordained right to make flash judgements based on the slightest of slanted evidence.
It got me thinking, though. How, when it came to the biggest job on earth - building the kingdom of God - did Simon Peter get hired to provide the foundation? Sure, he was bolshie, spoke his mind and was proactive when it came to exercising faith. But was he the best choice? Could Jesus have chosen only Peter for that position?
As for the rest of the apostles, did they exhibit qualities not found in other fishermen, tax collectors and would-be insurgents? And here's where I have a problem with the Great Commission: Jesus seemed to be telling the Eleven, 'My family business has an aggressive expansion directive. Not only are you hired, I want you to get out there and hire anyone you come across, and train them so they can hire anyone they come across and train them so - well, you get the idea.'
What kind of discernment is that? What kind of business sees fit to hire anyone and everyone and train them to train others regardless of experience?
It seems Jesus had this intention from the start. Right at the outset, his job offer came with a career development package. 'Come, follow me,' he said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.'
For Peter and Andrew, it was about swapping one family business for another. They chose wisely. So did Jesus. Which still leaves me wondering: What is it about you and about me that makes God take one look at us and say, 'You're hired'?
Jason Gardner LICC

A time to be born, and a time to die... Ecclesiastes 3v2

My father-in-law Len’s funeral was on 8th April.

First, let me tell you about another 8th April, a long time ago, which fell on a Good Friday:
At about 1.30am my wife Cindy began to feel a bit uneasy and started wandering around the bedroom. So we got the neighbour to come and look after our little daughter Sarah and drove to Hospital in the firm’s Mini. Cindy didn’t sit on the seat for the whole journey, the traffic lights were all thankfully green. Ten minutes after we arrived, our son Matthew was born. Five minutes later, the call went up… 'Quick, there’s another…' and Stephen came into the world. We went in expecting one baby and came out with two! It was an unforgettable day !

The 8th April this year was also an amazing day…. The little chapel at Huttoft was packed with 200 people (it only holds 150).People remarked later that they had never been to such a funeral. It was a real celebration of Len’s long life. Many memories, yes, but also a resounding affirmation of Christian hope…. ‘Len is now with his Lord’. As Mother-in-law stated when she viewed his coffin the day before… ‘He’s not there, y’know’ and not for one moment did she doubt that we should be celebrating his promotion to glory.

Len’s brother’s funeral was on 22nd February, a number of years ago. It was a sad day for him. He propped himself up in a corner of the church and endured a grim memorial service. He came away thoroughly depressed by the whole thing.
While he was there, Cindy and I had been visiting the hospital again! Joanna was born in the afternoon and Sarah phoned to tell Len and Joyce just as they arrived back from the funeral. Len’s low spirits evaporated and he was full of joy.
Jo was to be the last of his grandchildren…(thereafter great-grandchildren began to appear...no.8 is due next month). It was a day he always remembered and often spoke about.

O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30 v3-5

Learning from Len

My wife Cindy and I were using the time travelling back and forward to Boston and by her dad Len’s bedside for talking about lots of things. He had had a severe stroke on Easter Monday and was later taken to hospital at Boston.
The Morning Worship of the previous day was still in our memories. We talked about how it had come about that I had ended up leading worship at my home church of Winterton (instead of Scotter, 17 miles away) because of the early morning snow of Easter Sunday.
I had preached on 1 Cor 15, especially ‘ If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people the most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:16-19’ and talked about the sure hope (certainty) that we have of the resurrection of the dead. I had included the following (in italics) in the message:

A dear friend had died. At the funeral service a signer
was present to help some deaf people understand. As the
meeting went on the speaker was frequently using the
word ‘hope’. The sign - it was observed - was crossed
fingers. However the speaker began to talk about
Christian hope - the certainty of life beyond the grave.
And as he did so a different sign was being introduced:
hands clasped together in rock-like certainty.
In the New Testament the word for hope means something that
is in the future which is certain. It is not, as in normal English
usage, something that might happen if we are fortunate. The
rock-like certainty of the New Testament use of the word is what
the signer was communicating at the service.
Peter, who saw the death and resurrection of Jesus, writes
with excitement as well as certainty about our hope.
Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ! In
his great mercy he has given
us new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can
never perish, spoil or fade-kept
in heaven for you, who through
faith are shielded by God’s
power until the coming of the
salvation that is ready to be
revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5
‘Praise’ is Peter’s word, because we have been born again into a living hope.
Unlike virtually everything in this life, what we have been given
in Christ is something that can never perish, spoil or fade. Our
hope is guaranteed on the basis of Christ’s resurrection from
the dead.
May the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace as you trust in
him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
God is a God of hope. So it is possible to ‘overflow with hope’
says Paul in Romans 15. He gives hope. Christians need
not wallow in gloom or despair. The power of the Holy Spirit
within us is what enables us to exhibit hope. Death is the most
despairing of life’s events. Yet even here, or especially here, it is
possible to have hope for the future. Christians are people who
have a certain and a living hope.
That’s the difference.

I finished the Easter service by introducing one of my favourite hymns, ‘I know that my Redeemer Lives.’
I know that my Redeemer lives; What joy the blest assurance gives!He lives, He lives, who once was dead;He lives, my ever living Head.
He lives to bless me with His love, He lives to plead for me above.He lives my hungry soul to feed,He lives to help in time of need.
He lives triumphant from the grave, He lives eternally to save, He lives all glorious in the sky, He lives exalted there on high.
He lives to grant me rich supply, He lives to guide me with His eye, He lives to comfort me when faint, He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears, He lives to wipe away my tears, He lives to calm my troubled heart, He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend, He lives and loves me to the end; He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death: He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives, all glory to His Name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same. What joy the blest assurance gives, I know that my Redeemer lives!
I sensed the Spirit reminding me of the reason why I like the hymn, and I said to the congregation that there are two words in this hymn which are MOST important…’I know’.
It is not head knowledge, but heart certainty.
John Wesley had been in the Ministry for years before that day he refers to as his conversion, when he wrote in his journal:
‘I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death’.
That’s it. That's the difference…that assurance... not head knowledge, but heart certainty.
And as we journeyed early last week, we reflected on that.