Romans 13 has a lot to say about how we should live on earth. Romans 13:1-5 looks at ‘submission to governing authorities’ and has been the subject of much debate over the years. The letter to the Romans was probably written in the mid 50s and corresponds to the events described in Acts 20:1-3, where Paul was taking up an offering from the churches to give to the church in Jerusalem (see also Rom 15:25-26). There is no doubt that Paul suffered much under the hands of the authorities (see 2 Cor 11:23-26). He had also pursued Christians himself when a Jew, persecuting them as a man under authority who was zealous for God, even though he was at the time obviously totally misguided. The Roman empire was certainly at this time no godly empire: the Roman religion included Emperor worship! Yet Paul talks about being subject to the governing authorities and says ‘there is no authority except that which God has established’ (Rom 13:1), which makes little sense to us. We can cope with the idea of obedience to that which is good and righteous, but is Paul really telling us to submit to authorities which are ungodly? What about Peter’s comment in Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than men!”? Is there no place for civil disobedience in Christianity?

These are difficult questions and Christians don’t always agree on the answers. But as we look at different authorities in the Bible, we may be surprised sometimes to see how God views them. God called Cyrus, a heathen king, his ‘anointed’ (Is 45:1) – the same title given to Christ! David refused to touch Saul, the Lord’s ‘anointed’, when he had the opportunity to kill him, even though Saul was persecuting David (1 Sam 26:5-11). Habakkuk struggled with the idea that God could use the Babylonians to discipline His chosen people, the Israelites: “God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil!” (Hab 1:12, The Message)

The Bible also talks about how those who have lived under sinful authorities have reacted in the past. Moses, the ‘prince of Egypt’, tried to do God’s will in his own way by murdering an Egyptian who was ill-treating a Hebrew (Ex 2:11-12). That way didn’t work and Moses had to wait a long time before being called by God to be His deliverer in a different way (Ex 3:1-11). Daniel and his friends showed how to live with integrity and honour even in a culture that did not honour God or know His ways. Dan 1:8-16 shows how they negotiated a compromise of vegetarian diet which would allow them to obey God and yet which would also serve as a witness to the authorities. It’s not easy to be dogmatic about these issues. Sometimes we have to disobey (see also Daniel 3 and 6) and put our lives on the line. Jesus’s command to preach the gospel clearly had precedence over the authorities’ command not to teach in the name of Jesus any more (Acts 5:28-30). However, though we may struggle with the whole idea of authority in our society where the default setting seems to be anti-authority, we cannot escape the uncomfortable truth that God’s ways are not our ways and sometimes there are things He tells us to do which seem contrary to common sense and what we want to do. We need to listen carefully to His still, small voice and be both humble enough to submit to authority and confident enough in His authority to take a stand for Him, swimming against the tide if necessary.

We had a birthday last Sunday to celebrate.

We have a busy weekend coming up.
Saturday 17th December
The coffee morning will be run as usual in the morning from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.
Then in the evening at 7.30 p.m., we have a Christmas concert given by Paul Poulton and Viv Neville. Paul and his band are excellent musicians and this will be an evening of great entertainment and fun! Viv is an alto singer who uses atmospheric evocative ballads and intriguing melodies. She has just released a beautiful Christmas CD called ‘Emmanuel’.The band really enjoy her music and will be accompanying some of her songs on the tour. Paul toured with Viv in the summer around America.

It should be a great evening, ideal to invite your friends to. Entry is free and refreshments will be served afterwards, so do come along to this great event!

Sunday 18th December
Our Communion service will be held at 10.30 a.m. as usual and in the evening we will have our carol service starting at 6 p.m. The Sunday School will be taking part in that service and there will be a mix of traditional carols and more modern songs. Refreshments will be served after the service.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

As a linguist, I would love to invent a new word. Imagine having your own word in the dictionary!

‘Utopia’ was a book written by Thomas More in 1516, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt to create an ideal society, and fictional societies portrayed in literature. The word itself means ‘nowhere’ and perhaps that’s much nearer the truth: this idealised, perfect society doesn’t exist on earth, and never will. The word, however, is firmly embedded in the English language, along with the adjective ‘utopian’, meaning ‘modelled on, or aiming for, a state in which everything is perfect.’

I think the world portrays a Utopian view of Christmas which is a gross distortion of reality. In this Utopian Christmas, everyone gets on with everyone else, there is good cheer everywhere, along with masses of perfectly cooked food, jolly games, excellent TV programmes, stunning presents, pleasant congeniality and conviviality and perfect peace. There is snow outside, glittering fairy lights inside, harmony, joy, smiles and laughter. Life is pristine and gleaming.

Many people buy into this vision and work hard to achieve it. But reality is not always quite so obliging. Loneliness, bereavement, debt, unhappiness, family breakdown and poverty are the reality for many people. It’s not so Utopian for them.

I think the birth of Christ is far more closely linked to reality than it could ever be to Utopia. Jesus was born in a dirty, smelly stable, surrounded by a cacophany of noisy animals, because there was no room at any of the hostels and inns for Mary and Joseph. No ‘Lastminute.com’ for them, no forward planning or 4 star accommodation. The cold’s not so inviting when you’ve travelled a long way in it! I think many of the Christmas carols we sing are more Utopian fantasy than theological reality. ‘Silent night’? I don’t think so. ‘The cattle are lowing/ the baby awakes/ But little Lord Jesus/ no crying He makes’? I don’t think so. I’m sure Jesus was an ordinary baby in that respect, yelling His head off at being rudely disturbed! What about the modern song ‘I wish it could be Christmas every day’? Can you honestly sing that and not be worrying about cooking or shopping?!

Some may prefer the idealised version of Christmas, where everything is glossy and perfect. If you like that, that’s up to you. But I am concerned that when reality hits, this version of Christmas crumbles, and with it, some people’s hold on Jesus crumbles just as quickly.

The reality of Christmas is that God Almighty entered our world in human flesh to be ‘Immanuel’, ‘God with us.’ God with us in the pain and dirt and suffering. God with us in the poverty, despair and hopelessness. God with us where we are, bringing hope, peace, joy and love. He is mighty to save. He is our perfect High Priest, able to sympathise with us and enter into our suffering because He knows it intimately.

Let’s be realistic about the time of year, honest about our own faults and failings and firmly convinced that Jesus is relevant today, to everyone, no matter what their circumstances or feelings. Christmas is not ‘for the children’, some Utopian fantasy that we need to protect us from the harsh facts of reality. It is for all of us, that poignant reminder that life on earth is not Utopian, but the reminder that we have a Saviour who can lead us into life everlasting and who is preparing for us a home that is, indeed, perfect.

From there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead
The Bible makes it clear that the Ascension of Christ is linked also to His coming again, to His return to earth. The angels who spoke to the disciples after the ascension said, “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11) That hasn’t happened yet, but the day will come when Christ will return to earth, this time not as a baby born in poverty and insignificance but in glory and splendour.

We don’t know when that will be and there is much we don’t know about this prophecy, but the Creed states the fact that Jesus will come again and the purpose of that return. It tells us that ‘he shall come to judge the quick and the dead’. Quick, incidentally, is not referring to speed. A more modern translation of this would be ‘the living and the dead’. In other words, the Creed is talking about Christ coming to judge everyone: those alive at the time, those who have died – everybody. No one can escape.

Judgment can be an emotive topic. Romans 14:10 tells us “we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 says “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” Acts 10:42 says “He (Jesus) commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead”. 2 Tim 4:1 says ”In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…” It’s easy to fear judgment and worry about the future, but John reminds us that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:16-18) and Paul reminds us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). Christ’s appearing is heralded by Titus as a ‘blessed hope.’ (Titus 2:13). We don’t have to fear judgment for our sins, for Christ has paid the penalty for our sins. Clearly the fact of judgment motivates us to holy living and we are aware also of our longing for God to act as the ‘Righteous Judge’ (2 Tim 4:8); there is a longing in our hearts for that day of justice and restoration. God wants everyone to be saved (2 Pet 3:9), but we also know that some people will choose, in spite of everything God does, to reject His authority in their lives and that there will be eternal, unpleasant consequences of that choice. These are sobering words and there can be no hiding from these difficult issues.

For the believer, however, the ‘day of the Lord’ is something to be anticipated with longing and holy living. We celebrate Communion, remembering all that Christ has done for us, ‘until He comes’ (1 Cor 11:26), looking ahead to the wedding feast of the Lamb with joy and eager anticipation. As Phil Wickham says,
“We are waiting, anticipating
Your arrival, Your arrival.
Voices raising, celebrating,
Your arrival, Your arrival.” (‘Your Arrival’, Phil Wickham)

O Lord, come! Maranatha! (1 Cor 16:22)

The next part of the Apostles’ Creed looks at the statement ‘He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.’ Last night, we looked at the ascension, exaltation and return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

History might be said to look like a V – Christ, being in very nature God, at the heights of glory, took on human nature and ‘descended’ to earth, humbling himself and becoming obedient, even to death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every other name. Having looked at Christ’s conception, birth, life, death and resurrection, now we looked at what happened after the Resurrection – for since Christ is alive for evermore, the story continues!

Paul summarises for us in 1 Corinthians 15: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” (1 Cor 15:3-8) We know that Jesus appeared to His disciples for 40 days after His resurrection and was both recognisably Jesus (known by the scars) and different (able to pass through locked doors, for instance.) The story of the Ascension is told in Luke 24:5-53 and Acts 1:1-11.

Jesus had already prophesied that He would return to His Father (see John 14) and told His disciples He was returning to prepare a place for them. He also told them that His return to glory would mean the Holy Spirit could be sent (John 16:7-11). The ascension demonstrated God’s total authority and reminds us that this authority is delegated to Jesus (Matt 28). Robert McKinnon says that “Jesus had to ascend so that we could be empowered, protected and provided for during our walk here on earth” The work of salvation is complete (hence ‘sat down at the right hand of God’) and Jesus is now interceding for us (Heb 7:25).

This shows us an alternative perspective with which to live. “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4) Our eyes should be fixed on heavenly things: “we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor 4:18). We can only do this as we grow in our understanding of where Christ is now – in a position of authority, and investing us with authority – and realise He is able to be in that position precisely because He humbled Himself and was obedient, even to death on a cross.

Stephen preached from Isaiah 55 yesterday morning, looking at the gift that keeps on goiving. At this time of year, there is much preparation for Christmas going on, but so often, this focuses on the practical – on buying presents, on what we will eat and drink and so on. The Christmas message actually describes the most wonderful gift imaginable, a perpetual, everlasting and renewing gift.

The gift God offers is without cost. The invitation is given to all, all who are thirsty. This gift satisfies long-term and we are urged to take part in what is available. We may have different needs, but God is able to satisfy all of them. Some of the sweets in Willy Wonka’s factory were not all they appeared to be – in The Inventing Room, Wonka’s new—and still insufficiently tested—candies were made, such as Everlasting Gobstoppers, Hair Toffee, and Wonka’s greatest idea so far, Three-Course Dinner Chewing Gum. This was a three course dinner all in itself, containing, “Tomato soup, roast beef and baked potato, and blueberry pie and ice cream”. However, once the chewer got to the dessert, the side effect was that they turned into a giant “blueberry.” This happened to Violet Beauregarde after she rashly grabbed and consumed the experimental gum. The story shows us that not everything which looks good actually satisfies.

God’s gifts are not like this, however. The only condition we have is that now is the time for us to receive the gift of His covenant and His presence. There will come a time when it’s too late. God wants us to draw near to Him now and receive from Him now. His gift won’t let us down.