Raising The Roof?

We often talk about ‘raising the roof’ with celebrations (think of all the Manchester City fans last night as their team claimed the treble by winning the UEFA Champions League as well as the Premier League and FA Cup this year), but this morning we looked at how friends literally raised a roof to get their friend to Jesus. (Mark 2:1-11, Luke 5:17-26) and how the miracle that happened resulted not only in physical healing but the forgiveness of sins as well. Sometimes miracles are clearly visible, but sometimes they are not so obvious.

This story shows us that tenacity and friendship are crucial in life and that faith is needed for miracles to happen. We see a ‘seamless unity of believing and doing’ (see James 2:14-26) in the actions of the friends who made an opening in the roof to get their crippled friend to Jesus when there was no way into the house because of the crowds. They were not daunted by obstacles, but did all they could to bring their friend to Jesus, a reminder to us that this too can be our aim in life.

Before we see the miracle of healing, however, Jesus gets to the more fundamental problem all of us share: the need for the forgiveness of sins. Sin acts as a barrier between us and God. It separates us from a God who is too pure and holy to look on sin. (Hab 1:13) This is a universal problem for humanity, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) No matter how good we strive to be, we cannot be sinless; we cannot be perfect. That is not something we can afford to ignore, gloss over or pretend is not true, for the wages of sin is death. (Rom 6:23) If the problem of sin is not dealt with, then we face eternal separation from God; we face judgment and hell. Jesus shows us here His authority in all areas and proves that authority by not only forgiving sins (which cannot be seen) but by healing the man.

Eternal life, forgiveness, cleansing, restoration and healing are all available through God’s grace and mercy. These gifts can be received by us today if we have faith: ‘No work too hard for Him; in faith receive from Him.’ (‘Be Still’, David J. Evans) The sky really is the limit if the roof is raised!

A Special Birthday Party

Today we had the privilege of attending a 90th birthday party for Brenda, who attends our evening services and is also a member of Furlong Road Methodist Church. It was wonderful to spend some time with her and to see all her friends and family together.

A Healing Touch

Dave spoke last Sunday from Acts 3:1-10, the tale of a miraculous healing. Peter and John, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, healed a man whose life was a human tragedy. His physical needs had prevented him from playing and working; he was limited in so many ways. This kind of tragedy unfolds all around us, but for every one who is crippled physically, there are literally tens of thousands who are crippled emotionally and there are hundreds of thousands who are crippled spiritually. All of us need the healing touch of Jesus to transform our lives.
But that healing touch was transmitted by human hands. Often, people don’t think of going to church or asking God to help meet their needs. Peter and John did not have the money for which the man asked, but they had something much more wonderful: the healing he needed. It’s hard at times for us to differentiate between needs and wants, but the truth is that God knows what we need and is able to meet all our needs. The man may have asked for alms, but God gave him legs!
Peter and John prayed in Jesus’s name and the man was healed. He got up and began walking and jumping around – not for him the slow process that a child has to go through to learn to walk! Not only did he receive physical healing; he received affirmation that God loved him and saw him.
People need what we have. Are we willing to share, as Peter and John were? Are we willing to wait on God for His power so that we actually have something to share? If so, we will see lives transformed as this man’s was.

Beacons Of Hope

Last year, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, over 3000 beacons were lit in various parts of the world. Thousands of beacons were lit by communities, charities and different groups throughout the regions of the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories. Some of the beacons were gas-lit beacons; some were beacon braziers with a metal shield and some were bonfire beacons, all lit on the evening of 2nd June 2022. The light of the beacons can be seen from one place and then another beacon is lit, so the light is spread, bringing hope and spreading the message through light. This is a powerful symbol of what God wants to do through His Holy Spirit, spreading the light of the gospel throughout the whole world one person at a time, one church at a time.

There is a scene from the film The Return of the King, based on the final part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy when, at the moment when darkness seems to be at its greatest, a hobbit, Pippin, climbs a mountain peak and lights a beacon. As a chain of lights spreads across the hills summoning help from Aragorn, Gandalf the wizard breathes a sigh of relief and declares: “Hope is kindled.”

God’s Holy Spirit was poured out on believers on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2); we need His Holy Spirit now just as much. Paul tells us to be filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18). This is not a one-off filling, but an ongoing filling. Similarly, he tells Timothy to ‘fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ (2 Tim 1:6) The flame is there in every person who has given their lives to Jesus, for the Holy Spirit comes to live in us at the moment we become a Christian. But fire can go out, and so we need to learn to fan into flame the gift of God.

Barriers to this include complacency, a reliance on the past (God wants us to be filled daily, just as the Israelites had to collect manna daily and we are urged to pray for our daily bread) and fear (fear of losing control, of losing our reputation, of being laughed at.) God wants us to fear Him above all others and to seek Him for the good gift of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 11:11-13) When we do this, He lights beacons of hope in each of our lives, light which will spread throughout the country as God works through us.

 

Happy Birthday, Church!

Dave spoke this morning on the birthday of the church, celebrating the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13). On this special day, the disciples had witnessed the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus, but it was now ten days after his ascension. They had been told to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, and 120 of them were doing just that. The effect on these followers of the Holy Spirit’s arrival was amazing. They were transformed into bold witnesses; they were filled with power, joy and worship. The gospel was proclaimed in the streets of Jerusalem as they spilled out onto the streets. 3000 people were saved in one day; these fearful disciples were transformed into fearless preachers of the truth through the Holy Spirit.

The proclamation of truth included speaking in other languages of the glory of God, with Peter declaring the arrival of the new covenant based on the sacrifice of Christ. A new community (now known as the ‘church’) was birthed on that day, a community which has survived opposition and persecution to this present day.

The Holy Spirit continues His work among people today, opening hearts to respond to empowered preaching. People need a place to belong; they need God. God’s church is to be a family to those who receive Christ by faith; birthed by the Spirit, we celebrate this day as the church’s birthday!

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Tonight in our Bible study we looked at Revelation 16, the ‘seven bowls of God’s wrath’. It’s in this chapter that we find reference to the ‘final battle’, ‘Armageddon’, and realise that God’s justice and judgment are finally going to be seen. There are many parallels with the seven trumpet judgments earlier in the book of Revelation, but these were partial, whereas now we see total destruction. We also see clear parallels with the plagues of Egypt, and are reminded once again of what pushes God to this point, namely man’s refusal to repent. Pharaoh hardened his heart and the result was the destruction of Egypt and the deliverance of God’s people. In this chapter, we see people cursing God as the source of the plagues, but still refusing to repent and turn to Him. Heb 3:7-19 reminds us of the dangers of hardening our hearts, and Rev 16:15 urges God’s people to remain alert, awake and fully clothed.
Jesus is coming again and we need to be ready for this day!