Present In The Community

Jan 2, 2023

Our aim at GPCC is to be ‘with God in the community, with God for the community.’ The miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-11) reminds us that Jesus spent His life among people, in the midst of community.
We do not want to be people who simply meet for church services, important though these are. We want to be people who are involved in our community in everyday life. It’s why we hold coffee mornings and fun days; it’s why we open our building to parents and toddlers. It’s why we seek to be involved with other churches and other community groups. It’s why we organise events and join in with what goes on in our community that is wholesome and good. It’s why we support the Salvation Army food bank. A lot happens locally, and we want to be salt and light in our community, not hiding our light under a bowl. (Matt 5:14-16) Jesus was there, at a wedding, and His presence there made all the difference to the couple and their families, even though the majority of people present probably didn’t know anything about the miracle that happened in their midst. In the same way, our presence in our community makes a difference, even though the majority of people in Goldthorpe may not know who we are or what we do. Jesus made it very clear that being salt and light are vital aspects of the lives of believers. We are not called simply to remain in our building, hidden away. We are called not only to fling open our doors to others but to go out into the world and make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:18-20)
Let’s be involved in the everyday life of our community as Jesus was.

Jesus’s First Miracle

Jan 2, 2023

In our series on “The Miraculous & The Mundane”, we looked at the first of Jesus’s miracles (or ‘signs’) which John describes in his gospel (John 2:1-11). The miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana not only reminds us how Jesus was present in his community, being holy in everyday life rather than hiding away as a hermit, and also how Jesus endorsed the God-given gift of marriage through His presence, but shows us something of God’s bountiful nature. The problem – running out of wine during the festivities – was not life-threatening, but would have resulted in shame for the families; Jesus did not merely ‘solve’ the problem, but provided more than enough wine for the newly-married couple. His generosity reminds us that God always gives us more than enough; He is a generous God who wants to bless.
This is one of two miracles recorded by John which do not appear in the other gospels (the raising of Lazarus being the other one) and we are explicitly told this was the first miracle Jesus did, a sign that brought glory to God and encouraged faith in His disciples. Yet at the same time, it was (in many ways) an ordinary and domestic miracle that probably went unnoticed by the vast majority of people present. A problem averted, so to speak, rarely makes the news. This reminds us that God often works miracles in ways that seem very ordinary. Every answer to prayer is a miracle, but not everyone knows about these things or believes God is responsible for the answer!
Jesus does not initially seem to have been keen to answer His mother’s plea for help, and we may find this delay puzzling (as we see also with the raising of Lazarus, when Jesus stayed where He was for a further two days after hearing that His friend was ill, or the healing of the daughter of a Canaanite woman in Matt 15:24-26.) Perhaps there are times when God delays answering us to see how sincere our requests are and how determined our faith is to trust, even when we do not see. (John 20:29) Certainly, Jesus’s response did not deter Mary, who told the servants to do whatever He told them. (John 2:5) There, in a nutshell, is the key to seeing miracles in our own lives. Faith and obedience are the keys to opening the door to the miraculous. God alone can do miracles, but as we trust and obey Him, we too can be involved in these everyday miracles. (John 14:12)

Priorities

Dec 30, 2022

For the past few years, I have asked God to underline for me a portion of Scripture which will act as an anchor for me in the year ahead. In 2020, that anchor came from Psalm 112, especially verses 4-6, talking of having a steadfast heart and no fear of bad news, which certainly carried me through the very strange year that 2020 turned out to be! In 2021, the verse that upheld me was God’s promise in Isaiah 43:18-19 of doing a new thing and making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

As we prepare to enter 2023, a very familiar verse has jumped out of the pages of the Bible to me: ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’ (Matt 6:33)

This verse is part of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, and comes in a section (Matt 6:25-34) where Jesus urges us not to worry, reminding us of God’s love and care for the natural world and reassuring us that if He cares for birds and flowers, He cares for us so much more. Our part is not to worry but to trust Him, and above all to live lives which are oriented around Him, with Jesus at the centre. We are to put God first and do what He wants (Matt 6:33, CEV). We are to set our hearts on the kingdom and His goodness (Matt 6:33, J. B. Phillips). This is a verse with a direct command (put God first) and a wonderful promise (all the things we need, food and clothing, our everyday human needs, will be given to us by God’s great bounty and grace.)

Many of us like the promise of provision, but not the direct command to put God first. It’s not easy to give away some of our income to God when we’re struggling financially, but if we do this, we will find provision does come. It’s not always to be easy to be generous to others through giving food or clothing, but again, God is no man’s debtor. If we seek His kingdom and obey Him, He promises to look after our basic human needs. Malachi 3:8-12 makes this very clear.

The Message version of Matt 6:33 brings out these truths in a slightly different form: ‘Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provision. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.’

To steep something means to soak it in a liquid, to saturate it with a liquid. Our lives must be steeped, soaked, saturated in God. The blessing of God is freely available to us, but we have to follow the order of this verse. What we do in seeking, honouring and obeyig God is what we can do. The blessing, the provision, the everyday human needs and concerns which so often dominate our thoughts are then (and only then) met by God.

Put God first. Do what He wants. Then you don’t have to worry, for God is able to do immeasurably more than all you ask or imagine for you. (Eph 3:20)

The Names of Jesus

Dec 27, 2022

At our Christmas Day service, we looked at some of the names given to Jesus (somethng we have been doing with the children at Sunday school over recent weeks, decorating Christmas baubles to remind us of these truths.)

Mary and Joseph were not given any option as to what their baby should be called; the name ‘JESUS’ means ‘The Lord saves‘ and reminds us of His primary reason for coming to earth.

He is also known as CHRIST or MESSIAH, meaning the ‘anointed one’. Chosen by God for a special task of deliverance, Jesus came to fulfil God’s purposes for salvation.

He is also known as IMMANUEL, meaning ‘God with us’, the visible reminder of what God is like (see John 1:18). God’s presence with us every day reminds us we are never alone.

Other names include the GREAT HIGH PRIEST (see Heb 2, 4, 10), reminding us of the fact He has bridged the gap between us and God and still lives to intercede for us (Heb 7:25) and SON OF MAN, SON OF GOD. He is both fully human and fully God, THE WORD MADE FLESH. (John 1)

One title remains to be fulfilled, that of KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev 19:16) The final battle may yet to be fought, but we know that Jesus is the Victor and can therefore acknowledge what a beautiful name that is and how there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Rejoice Because…

Dec 24, 2022

Today we reach the end of our Advent musings for 2022 and are just hours away from celebrating Christmas in 2022. Christmas has always been a special time of year for me, inextricably linked to birthdays, for my uncle, mother, father and granddaughter all had or have birthdays in this Christmas week. My father, whose birthday was on Christmas Eve, was born a month early and always said it was because he couldn’t wait for Christmas! The joy of celebrating birthdays and Christmas has been a part of my life always; when my granddaughter was also born on Christmas Eve, the tradition was continued. I will be spending today celebrating with her.

Birthdays are times of celebration precisely because life is precious. Each of us is precious to God, known by Him and loved by Him (see Psalm 139 for a reminder that God made us and knows us inside out.) These truths are the foundation of joy. People matter so much to God that He sent His only Son to save us. (John 3:16) Even if you have no other reason to celebrate, no other reason for joy, this truth is reason to rejoice today and throughout the rest of our lives. God made you special and loves you so much He sent His Son to bring you back into a relationship with Him.

Inexpressible Joy

Dec 23, 2022

New life brings responsibility and financial burdens. In 2021 in the UK, the basic cost of raising a child until the age of 18 was £76,167. When additional costs, such as housing and childcare, are added, we get the total cost of £160,692. It can be daunting becoming a parent for many reasons!

But still there is joy when we celebrate the birth of a baby. At our Parent & Toddler group, we have had the joy of welcoming new babies this year; my own family is eagerly anticipating the arrival of another child next year. New life should always bring joy because we are celebrating the very miracle of life itself.

The angels told the shepherds, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’ (Luke 2:10-11) The good news they proclaimed was bound up in the person and birth of Jesus Christ. Because He was born on earth, hope and peace could come to humanity. He was not just a helpless baby; He was the Saviour, the Messiah, the Lord.

We may not know what our children will become, but we are privileged to know what became of the baby whose arrival we celebrate at Christmas. We have eternal life because of His life, death and resurrection, and therefore we have ‘inexpressible and glorious joy’ (1 Peter 1:8), no matter what.