Bible verse and picture – 24 March 2011

a) Old Testament  – Job 9:33

If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both.

b) New Testament – 1 Timothy 2:5

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

A chapter need not be long

For a while I had a go at bookselling – it never really worked out. It was called Coverdale Books, an attempt to combine geography and Christianity – Coverdale was James Herriot’s favourite among the smaller valleys of the Yorkshire Dales, and Miles Coverdale was an early translator of the Bible into English.

I managed to obtain copy of “The remains of Myles Coverdale, Bishop of Exeter”. I have not read the whole volume, but I love a brief chapter from the first real book in the volume, the “Treatise on death”.

So here is The First Book of Death, chapter 5 (in full) – “That God turneth death into good.”

Although thou hast deserved an hundred thousand greater plagues, yet thou shalt comfort thyself beforehand after this manner: A father doth his children good, and not evil. Now my belief is in God, as in my gracious Father, through Jesus Christ; and sure I am, that Christ upon the cross hath made a perfect payment for all my sins, and with his death hath taken away the strength of my death; yea, for me hath he deserved and brought to pass eternal life. Wherefore though death in the sight of my eyes and of natural reason be bitter and heavy; yet by means of the passion and death of Jesus Christ it is not evil or hurtful, but a benefit, a profitable and wholesome thing, even an entrance into everlasting joy.

If only modern leaders of the established church could be so clear and concise!

The beauty of sunsets

A visit to a photographic site such as Flickr soon confirms the popularity of sunsets as a subject for photography.  The light, the variety and intensity of colour, indeed the whole atmosphere proves truly captivating to many of us.  We seem to have an innate capacity for appreciating beauty in the world around us.  Although individual tastes and preferences vary, there are common threads in the sights, sounds and other sensations we find compelling.

One of the things that fascinates me is the fleeting nature of a sunset, the way the colours build and then fade over just a short period.  On some calm days people over a wide area will get pretty much the same view and impression of the sky.  On other days with scattered or fast moving cloud formations, the effects may be very localised and fleeting.  Sometimes, if in a quiet area of the country, I feel as though I have witnessed unique moments and been the only one there with the opportunity to appreciate it.

Seen at Carr Vale, Bolsover

To me this all speaks of a abundantly generous Creator God who paints the skies, reminding us of the power and the glory of the sun which is yet but a tiny fragment in the universe He made.  It gives me the joyous sense that He too has an appreciation for and a love of beauty.   He created us with the mental and emotional capacities for enjoyment, and provided us with eyes to see and minds to process, appreciate and understand what we see.

The God of the vastnesses of space, the source of the power and light for the sun and countless millions of other stars, is also the God of the details of the human eye, the source of true light and illumination for the mind and heart.  For mankind the light was dimmed as the temptation of Satan brought in the darkness of sin and the broken relationship with God.  How wonderful it is when the light of God’s forgiveness through Christ shines in and transforms our lives, our outlook and our hopes not only for this world but for heaven too.

I find I so need the assurance of God’s love to be able to face each of life’s tomorrows as they dawn day after day.  In the evening as the light dims we can give thanks for His help through the past day, and commit ourselves to Him through the dark hours of the night, as well as for the new day with all its opportunities and problems.  I am very aware that many do not share in this assurance, and some reject any notion of the reality of these things, but for those who do believe, the reality of Christ and His beauties are far greater and deeper than the physical realm of sight such as our example of a sunset.

Jesus claimed to be the light of the world.  The Bible states that through Him the worlds were made.  He left the glory of heaven and lived as a man here.  His was the only perfect life – the shining of a new day in this world the like of which had never been known before.  People said “Never has a man spoken like this one”, or “Surely He has done nothing amiss”.  The time came when, as it were, that day ended in the sunset of the cross.  Mankind was responsible for seeking to extinguish the light, and saying “We will not have Him – crucify Him”.

The Lord Jesus, suffering on the central cross set on that hillside outside Jerusalem, was in scene enshrouded in physical darkness.  However, in many ways, as the “dying sun” of evening brings forth all the glorious sunset colours, so the blood red death of our saviour brought forth all the fullness of His saving love and grace.  This was indeed the crimson climax of His life and ministry.  The hands of mankind drip with the guilt for His death, which finally and fully exposed the wickedness of our hearts.  Yet Jesus went that way out of love for us, to die in our place, the just for the unjust.  He truly died, but that was not  the end.  On the third day he rose again, and He lives in the glory and power of an endless day.  The resurrection of Christ, what a Son rise!  He will share the new day He has opened up with all who will trust Him as Saviour and Lord.  For those of us who believe, we look back on the experience of coming to Christ as living up fully to how the Bible describes it – being brought from darkness to light, from death to life.

Some people seem to have no particular response to a sunset.  Others of us think, “Come on, how can’t you take a few minutes just to look up and appreciate the beauty”.  Likewise with the cross, so many see nothing in the message of Christmas and Easter, however familiar the words may be.  There is no beauty for unbelievers in the death of Christ, rather it is a scene of wretchedness and horror. Once our minds and hearts are opened, the truth of the person and work of Christ transforms everything into a compelling, surpassing beauty and power that far outweighs the impact of any fleeting sunset, however that may serve to remind us of our own smallness and the vastness of the solar system and space.

The physical realities of the universe are but a stage set by God in which to act on our behalf.  Creation is dealt with in various small passages of the Bible.  “He made the stars also” – 5 magnificently understated words.  For God, and so it should also be for us, the true realities are the spiritual ones of love and righteousness, forgiveness, holiness.  Almost all of the Bible is about man’s need for redemption and all that God has done for us to provide for our needs.  This was achieved at the enormous cost of His only Son enduring the blood red sunset of His perfect life given up for the sins of the world.

He calls us to open our hearts and minds to the meaning of the cross, and to believe.  The picture of the sunset above gives an impression of the reality.  The Gospels are written impressions of the life and death of Christ.  The writers were guided by the Holy Spirit.  For readers who are willing to respond, the Holy Spirit transforms the text into the full reality of revealed truth.  All that believers can say to others who have not yet believed is, “Come and see”, trusting that the Holy Spirit will do as He has promised, convicting people of sin and leading them to new life in Christ.

The greatest impression of all, the Christian faith

I grew up in a Christian home, with parents, grandparents, and as far as I know, all my great grandparents being believers.  Most were from within the “Brethren” tradition which grew rapidly in the mid to late 19th century.  There is quite a noticeable quota of well known writers who, either in friendly or vigorous opposition, have written about life beyond the Brethren after leaving the fellowships, usually rejecting the Christian faith altogether.

My childhood memories are of being taken to meetings and having to sit still.  Two younger brothers followed, three and a half years apart, so my parents gained plenty of experience with restless little ones; and there was I, supposed to be setting the younger ones a good example.  There was no Sunday School provision.  Gradually I realised it was rather an unusual lifestyle, as my school weekend reports were of meetings on Sundays with almost complete regularity, compared with the variety of other things classmates were up to with their families.  I could easily have become like those writers who gave up on Brethren and Christianity.

However, I began to realise that either the Bible must be true and therefore accepted completely as the Word or God, or otherwise it must be false and rejected.  There can be no middle ground.  However popular such a stance may seem, it leads only to massive contradictions.  For example, the Bible is a good book – but not really true and authoritative; Jesus Christ was a good man, living and teaching a good life – except that if He was not also God manifest in flesh he made false claims about Himself and God that are of the utmost seriousness.

As with many growing up in Christian homes, the teenage years were crucial.  I was encouraged to attend inter-church youth group meetings at Young Life.  When I was 16 my paternal grandparents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.  At the end of the day, the closest of the family were quietly informed that dear Nana had just been diagnosed with cancer.  Within a year she died, the funeral service being on my 17th birthday.  Her quiet yet strong faith during this time was a powerful testimony to me, and looking back, made an impression that remains one of the greatest in my life.

My Dad always says her favourite hymn was “Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace”.  It has the chorus “Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest; finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest”.  I knew that peace with God was something personal that Nana had, and the only way I could know it was to trust in Christ for myself.  During the period leading up to or shortly after her death, I gained assurance that Christ had made peace with God for me through the blood of His cross.

My faith is often weak, but centred in One Who is faithful and true, whose promises will never fail, however great and precious they are.  His never to be broken promises are so much more wonderful than the little ones we so solemnly make and almost always fail to live up to.  I am thankful for the life and example of my dear, gentle Nana, but above all for the impression her peaceful assurance of eternal life made on me as a teenager.  One day we will meet again, but it is our Saviour Who will receive all the glory.

Just over a year later, relatives were over from Australia.  Grandad had been doing quite well on his own.  On the Sunday morning, he took part in the morning service, giving thanks for the saving work of Christ on the cross and the joy of His resurrection, and the assurance of Christ in heaven preparing a place for His people.  We went home, and he enjoyed the meal with everyone around.  Later he was comfortable on the sofa having a nap….. and never woke up.  It was as though the Lord had answered his prayer by saying “Yes – today, you too will be with Me in paradise”.

Another significant impression made on teenage boys – myself and my brothers.  Yes, the greatest impressions in this world are those concerning the Maker and the relationship that is open for us to have with Him not only as Creator, but as our Saviour God and our Heavenly Father.  These are not impressions about vague ideas and beliefs, but deep impressions full of the truths of God, full of spiritually satisfying reasons and purpose for life, full of real hope and light in a dark, confused and confusing world.  Once the light is switched on, the darkness only serves to enhance the glory of that light all the more.