Ian’s lets listen to Jesus

Worthy is the Lamb, the Darling of Heaven crucified, worthy is the Lamb, crown you with many crowns, seated on the throne.

”Close your eyes and let the visual images I use to transmit my message of hope and salvation to you, play out before you. A lamb – the combination of helplessness, of true humility, apparently unable to fend for itself. Yet given the highest honour – the throne of the world, the ultimate ruler and King. That is how my nature is meant to unfold to you. Embrace it in your heart; the picture of a lamb, not just any lamb, a Lamb so precious that He is known as the “Darling of Heaven”, being mistreated and killed by the most brutal means, for a purpose – to take the Father‘s wrath on Himself so that you all may go free – what a Saviour – deserving all your worship – worthy indeed is the Lamb to receive many crowns.”

Now back to John’s gospel. Just a few verses as they are so rich in meaning, ch 14:1-7. Before the members of the early church became known as Christians they called themselves “The Way”. Each one was part of this exciting new movement which was focused on one main purpose. They had discovered the true “Way” and wanted to reflect that to the world. Where did they get that idea? I suppose the whole of Jesus’s teaching would have reflected that, but the actual passage where this title arises is the one we read today.

Jesus has been trying to get His disciples to understand that He was going to leave them soon, meaning His approaching sacrifice on the cross. It must have been most puzzling to them as on the one hand He said He was leaving them and on the other that He was not really going away. Vs 36 must have been really difficult for them. “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later” What on earth was He talking about?

This is where the impetuous Peter puts his foot in it as usual, insisting nothing would stop him from following Jesus! Please don’t be too hard on him. Imagine their confusion. He was the Messiah, coming to rescue Israel and now He is “going away”without apparently having accomplished anything.

So in Ch 14 Jesus tries to introduce them again to the difference between this world and the Spirit world which no-one can see. In reality, what Jesus says here is mind-boggling. This is not your ultimate abode. This world is only temporary, the place He was going to is permanent, and guess what, Jesus has gone ahead to sort things out for them and for all of us, so that we will not only get there but be most welcomed, with our own place specially prepared for us.

It is not coincidental that this passage is recited at many funerals. It is one of the most encouraging passages in the bible. Unfortunately we have all heard it recited off pat so often that we are often no longer struck by this tremendous message. Stop and let that thought sink in to your inner heart.

But now we come to the key to this passage. Can you see what it is? Thomas leads us to it. “We don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the Way? Then comes the favourite passage of every true believer: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through Me”.

Christians are often accused of being exclusive. This passage is exclusive! There is no other way, if you are to believe the bible. It has become fashionable to suggest that there are many ways to heaven depending on what faith you follow, but this verse gives that the lie. Our way is exclusive and our life style should show how different we are. However we should not use this exclusivity to turn inward and show our backs to the world. Our faith is ultimately invitational and we should at all times have our arms wide open to welcome the world like Jesus’s were on the cross, but not at the expense of our belief!

The early Christians understood this clearly. Perhaps that is one reason the early church grew at such a phenomenal rate. They had the message and lived the lifestyle. Loving Jesus first and their neighbours like themselves. Is that how you picture your lifestyle to be? If someone had to describe you would they put that first?

Friends, as we approach Easter, we are going to hear several deep truths, maybe repeated in various ways. Do not let that interfere with the awe you should be feeling to be part of this, most exciting, exclusive Way. Be ready to share it with whosoever the Lord brings across your path. God bless till next week.

What is impossible for man is possible for God. There is so much in that phrase – it tells us so much about you oh Lord my God.

“The eye of a needle – a camel passing through it. That is such a small thing against the backdrop of my whole creation. Wherever you look, if you would just see, you will see the possibilities I have made real. But the most impossible – salvation for men’s souls could only be accomplished at the cost of my dear Son‘s life. He had to die as the only answer to true forgiveness of the world’s sin and for the restoration which I desire so that I can have peace with My creation and enjoy an ongoing relationship with all of it. From that arises My glory and ultimately your glory as well. Enjoy meditating on these great truths.”

We go on to John ch 13:31-48. As Judas departed to set a series of events in motion which will ultimately result in Jesus being crucified, Jesus covered that leaving with a statement which is astounding. Now, He says , the Son of Man and God is glorified. The glory appearing now will reach its climax when Jesus ultimately takes the sin of the world on Himself at the cross.. Notice the interplay of glorification of the Father and the Son. Both are being glorified.

Now I must admit I am not sure I understand fully what this glory is exactly. In ch 17:5 Jesus calls on His Father to give Him the glory He has always had when He was together with Him before His earthly mission.

What is significant is that God has, throughout the scriptures sought to glorify Himself. That is His ultimate aim and here is a major step towards that. Then comes the surprising part – we are to share in that glory one day according to Romans 8:30: And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified and those He justified He also Glorified. In a wonderful way we have already received God’s glory yet our ultimate glorification will only happen when we go to be with Him. Well, what will that look like? We can only imagine and wonder and maybe get a bit excited.

As Jesus launches into what is often called “His final discourse” He again warns the disciples that He is going to leave them to go to a place where they would not be able to follow Him. That must have been most distressing to them. We have the benefit of seeing the bigger picture but these men had left everything and followed Him believing, rightly so, that this was going to be permanent. Yet here He is saying words which sound like He is abandoning them and leaving them to their own devices.

Peter, as impetuous as usual insists that no matter where Jesus is going he will follow Him. It is easy for us to be critical from a distance but we need to live ourselves into that moment to understand the confusion these men were surely feeling. Yes Peter is going to disown Jesus, but heh, the rest weren’t even there. They had all run away.

Now we come to the most important part of this passage. Can you see what it is? It governs every part of our Christian life. Vs 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”. This command gathers all the rest together and is the most pertinent instruction to us today. What a challenge!

If God’s church is to be the witness He so eagerly desires, it should be characterised by genuine love demonstrated clearly between its members. No in fighting, no back stabbing, no “skindering”. No running to the news media about the sins of others. No court cases between members, I can go on and on as I look at the public face of many churches today. Let us all take a good look at ourselves and determine, with the help of God’s ability to overcome the impossible, to be known for our love for one another.

Plenty to chew on for this week. May you all receive His blessing.

What an absolute privilege it is to sit here this morning in Your presence knowing You have invited me – it draws great feelings of worship, praise and rejoicing.

”Yes Ian I have desired that you be with Me and spend time communicating with Me, just as I long for each of My children’s time devoted wholly to Me. This is precious to Me and it should be equally precious to you. Think about it, the creator of the universe here in the room with you, in you, around you. Although you cannot see Me you can experience My presence in so many ways by faith. Through My word especially and through the songs of praise, but in many other ways which involve every one of your senses. Spend time in quiet just listening and enjoying My presence.”

As we read John 13:18-30 we feel we are entering an unbelievably dark episode of Jesus’s life. It is succinctly described in the last vs: 30b: “It was night”. It was surely night but symbolically it was night as well as Judas leaves to do the deed he has been chosen to do.

I am sure every reader of this blog has at some time or another experienced the pain of betrayal. Someone who you respected and enjoyed turning against you and causing you some measure of harm and pain. Once again, because of our familiarity with this story it is maybe easy to gloss over the details of Judas’s betrayal.

Think of it however. Here was one of the close-knit “inside” group of Jesus’s disciples. What had they not all experienced in the three years of Jesus’s ministry? The teaching, the fellowship and especially the love that Jesus had surely been demonstrating them as the made their way by foot around the territory. Sitting now at the table, close enough for Jesus to reach out and pass him a morsel He had dipped in the wine. Judas, accepting this intimate gesture.

Once again I was struck by Jesus’s humanity as described here. It is, as I have said previously so easy to imagine Jesus’s feelings and thoughts to be different to ours because of His divinity, however John again draws attention to Jesus mental and emotional suffering in the brief sentence in vs 21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” So much like we would be, a perfect high priest who has suffered in every way we have so that he can understand and minister to us.

We know, of course that Jesus was aware of his impending betrayal a long time before, because of His continual references, reported in the various gospels to His impending death preceded by a betrayal. What is a timely reminder of all these events, which are depicted here in extraordinary detail, is that this was all planned long beforehand vs 18 This is to fulfill the scripture: ‘He who shares my bread lifted up his heel against Me’.

Just as you and I have been chosen before time to be adopted as children of God, so Judas was chosen before time to be THE betrayer, which set the ultimate rescue plan in motion. Maybe, like me, you may say “Was this really fair to him?”. The whole question of predestination is an enigma that we as mere mortals, looking through a glass darkly, may only understand, if at all when we go to be with the Lord. We need to focus rather on the certainty we receive from the fact that we have indeed been chosen before time, according to God’s mercy and grace for a specific purpose, which He will work out in our lives.

Once again we can only wonder at this plan of God which we are seeing being played out here in the scriptures. A plan so unique, so brilliant, yet so painful. Plenty to meditate on as we continue in this Lenten period.

May God bless you all as we draw closer to our celebration of Easter.

It is hard for me, as I meditate on the presence of the Lord and meeting with Him. It is hard for me to imagine the perfection and beauty of the Lord meeting me in my imperfection in a world which is broken.

”Ian, to understand and make sense of these thoughts you have been having you need to remind yourself of your new identity. The moment your eyes were opened to me you were taken into Jesus. Now your identity is no longer in yourself but in Jesus. So when you feel you are failing, I see not your failures but Jesus because He surrounds you and gives you your identity. Yes you need to and are continually growing more and more like Jesus through his Spirit and by His grace but your identity is constant. I see Jesus when I see you. I continually wash your feet to cleanse that part of you that is being contaminated by the world, but that does not reflect your identity. Your new identity was given you when I first washed the whole of you”.

We come today to a well known story that happened at the beginning of Passion week – where Jesus is described washing the disciples feet. John 13:1-17. It is easy to switch off when we read a passage like this while thinking we’ve heard it so often However I believe it is an extremely important passage, placed strategically to set the whole scene of what the Christian life is to be like. What must characterize it.

In Mark’s gospel the same teaching is taken up in one verse also placed at this time in Jesus’ life. “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42,43.

So as you read it let your imagination go. See the group of disciples with smokey lamps lighting the room, the smell of unwashed bodies and the lamp oil mixing with that of the food. The disciples would have been sitting on cushions on the floor with their feet extended behind them.

Now read the introduction in vs 1. Jesus knowing His time had come wanted to show His disciples the full extent of His love. Now notice the second part of the next vs. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power ……….. This act that is described must be seen against those two statements. The most powerful being, God Himself in human form who could have done anything on earth that he wanted, chose to demonstrate His love by washing the disciples’ feet. The most menial task, dirty travel-worn feet. No convenient baths and showers. Jesus bends down with water and a cloth and commences to wash each disciple’s feet. Notice, even Judas’ feet. The one through whose absolute betrayal was the first step to His horrible death.

Do you want to be important in the kingdom of heaven? Get down and start washing feet. Not necessarily literally but symbolically in your daily walk as you emulate Jesus’ statement in Mark “I did not come to be served but to serve”. Now read vv 14-17. That is exactly the instruction Jesus gives to His disciples. Wash one another’s feet. But more go out and wash the feet of every one whom you would serve.

In His enthusiasm Peter of course gets it wrong at first. “No please wash me completely”. Then Jesus adds the rider which is so important. I have already washed the whole of you. Well, washing feet in the kingdom, with the right motive should always flow out of a relationship with Jesus which was launched when we first encounter Christ and receive His forgiveness and Spirit, symbolically being washed all over as He cleanses and forgives us. It is not a way to win your membership to the kingdom.

Why do we call it a “service” when we meet on Sunday at the church? That is the opportunity for us to practise our service, but it should not end there it should go everywhere we go during the rest of our time. Unfortunately I do believe that there are many who get this order wrong and believe by going to a service and learning to serve is the way into the kingdom. We all know that is the wrong order, but there are many who don’t understand that.

Se friends go and serve. There is no better way than that to enjoy your life of abundance in Jesus. See the last vs in this section: “Now that you know these things you will be blessed if you do them” vs 17.

See you all next week again.

God has a bottle in heaven for each one of us in which he gathers all our tears. At the moment I feel as if my bottle is overflowing.

”My Love envelops you completely and every tear you shed is precious to Me as well as every shout of joy, every testimony of my love for you. Why? Because you are precious and I see and feel every tear you shed and enjoy every joyful moment you experience. It is My desire that when you have finished shedding your tears that you remember My instruction “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”! It is my desire that you remember that though she has left you physically, Emily is now free to be the person I made her to be. That she is full of joy and therefore you can take down the guard you’re holding up to protect your grief and use that energy to express and feel the joy which is an innate part of My being and My love for you. The pain will fade away as you rejoice and it will be replaced by hope.

As we focus today again on John’s Gospel ch 12:3-50, this section opens again with several comments on the degrees of faith that the bystanders are expressing. It is not incidental that John does this. As Jesus approaches the cross, John wants the reader to identify with those people and ultimately examine their faith against what he has written about them.

Firstly we see from 37 – 40 the many who were present who refused to believe. This is like a backdrop to the way we understand people. The starting point as it were. He reminds the reader of the dire warning God gave Isaiah at the beginning of his ministry. Isaiah was to be prepared for the fact that most people would not believe and amazingly enough it is because God has blinded them. Wow! What a prospect for his ministry. While this was an hyperbole it was nevertheless a warning about the innate stubbornness of man who refuses to bow the knee to God. In this state the judgement of God is to settle them in that position.

The second group is described in vv 42,43. These people “believed”, even some of the leaders, yet they were afraid to confess their faith openly because of the possible consequences. Notice the summary in 43 b, “they loved praise from men more than praise from God”. This is clearly an insufficient faith which connects with v 47 “a person who hears Jesus’s words but does not keep them”.

This describes so many people today in varying degrees. Even people who attend church fairly regularly. They are literally on the threshold of saving faith yet something is holding them back. I sometimes think these people are the hardest to reach.

From vs. 44 Jesus starts explaining what real faith is. The sort of faith which is necessary for us to attain eternal life. Remember at this stage. Jesus has not yet been crucified so this is an open case that John is building up to. Doing it in steps like this is intended to help us understand real faith.

So what is it about real faith he wants us to understand? Can you see the main point he is making? Vv 44,45 Put it so beautifully. It is necessary to see and believe that when you have “seen” Jesus, you have “seen” God. That is the one whom you are to believe in. This is so important. God has revealed Himself totally in the person of Jesus. If you want to find out what God is like look at Jesus. Do you see Jesus like this? He is also the one who brings the light into the world that enables us to “see”Him, v 46. This is a mystical interaction which involves one’s attitude. Do you all want to know Him more than all the other interesting and important things in your life? But there still is a mystery which only God can understand as we read elsewhere like Ephesians 1:4, that every believer has been chosen before time.

Then Jesus goes on to reassure the reader that His mission to earth was a mission of salvation. This does not mean that judgement does not exist. It would not have been necessary to bring salvation if it wasn’t for the fact of judgement on the whole world. Ultimately that judgement will only be completed when Jesus comes again and He will then be part of that. However we should start off by seeing Jesus as Saviour and not as judge. So many people are turned away from Christianity because they have been hit over the head by the bible and God’s judgement. Obviously we cannot appreciate His salvation if we don’t see what we have been saved from, but the emphasis, according to this passage, of Jesus’s life was salvation.

With that then, let the joy of the Lord fill your coming week. God bless till next week.

Saturate your life in joy, regardless of how things look. Is my reading from Philippians.

Yes Ian, joy in Me is the highest benefit of being able to see Me for who I am and to trust Me no matter what seems to be facing you. Continually reminding yourself of the value and benefit of rejoicing in Me will turn your life into a paean of praise and worship. so that you will be able to live the supernatural gospel life. The life which, no matter the circumstances benefits you and makes you into a credible witness of My love and Providence. It permeates your body and soul and makes you into a beautiful member of My kingdom. You can only do that through My supernatural power and love and grace.

Today we will complete the section from Ch 12:20 to 36. Last time I asked you to see if you could spot the central vs in this section. I am sure you could see Jesus’s words in vs 27, “For this very reason I came to this hour.” This gives us a clear indication of the main purpose of Jesus’s mission on earth. For this very reason refers back to His death which He had described as “a kernel of wheat falling to the ground”, back in vs 24. it was this very act which would bring the ultimate glory to the Father’s name.

What were His feelings about this hour as He calls it, the hour when He would face death on a cruel cross, taking the sins of the whole world on His shoulders? Maybe surprisingly He admits that His heart is troubled that He had actually contemplated asking the Father to save Him from this hour.

I want you all to see this conflict that He was facing and His very humanity indicating that He was feeling the pressure of what was to come. I think maybe every one of us may tend to think that because He was/is God in human form that this tremendous trial was actually not such a big deal because of His divinity.

In Hebrews 2:14-18 the writer makes it clear how how completely human He was and therefore His sufferings were as bad as ours may be and because He faced these Himself He is able to understand and minister to us. I myself tend to think of His prayer in the garden of Gethsemany as a momentary weakness, but this among other passages shows that He was anticipating the coming ordeal with dread long before that and was ever so much like we may have when faced by a difficult and painful prospect. He IS therefore able to really minister to us with complete compassion. What a wonderful reassurance.

Of course He would have His Father’s grace during the ordeal, just as we have when we are faced with suffering, but even that was ultimately taken away from Him when He called out “My God my God why have you forsaken me?”

It is also interesting that He then goes on to highlight the question of judgement in vs 30. The focus is firstly on the battle with the “Prince of this world” who is about to be defeated. It shows how important that this action is in the bigger scheme of things that He highlights this first when He speaks of judgement. And then against that backdrop He again reminds the reader that it a death upon a cross which would be the means to that victory (Notice this is a repetition of the statement in John 3:14) which was the ultimate goal which would deal with God’s judgement. Judgement is a huge issue and it is only as we understand that that we can fully appreciate the value of His death which enables us to escape that.

It is clear that the crowd and even His disciples didn’t have a clue what all this meant, but later would look back and realize He was preparing them all along for the coming ordeal.

So looking at this passage there is a huge sense of assurance that Jesus does understand exactly how you feel at all times. I have experienced that sense of comfort continually over the last three weeks and longer. But it is also a reminder that we are called to somehow suffer with Christ as we live here Romans 8:17 as we live our lives as co-heirs of Christ. So we should not be surprised when we face these things. However we have the wonderful assurance that Paul gives in 2 Cor 12:9 that His grace will always be sufficient for us no matter what we may face.

So let me finish off by once again thanking all you for the incredible support you have shown me over this time while Em finally has gone to be with her Lord. Your support was a palpable manifestation of God’s love for me through you. See you all next week.

The “holy moment” I mentioned last week extended as my lovely Emily’s body fought to stay alive. On Sunday morning after a brief quiet time I went to the room to see how Em was doing and was immediately aware by her breathing that the end was very near. I was able then to sit with her and read Psalm 23 and others and then play her some songs from You Tube. The first song which came up was “Softly and tenderly I call unto you …Oh sinner come home” As I played that I heard the Lord calling “Emily come home”. Over and over He was calling her. Then followed “How great thou art”. As that beautiful hymn reached its climax “When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation and take me home , what joy shall fill my heart,” she took her last breath and I could say goodbye. Goodbye to 65 years of her being the prime person in my life, who gave me so much and made such a difference to my life. To God be all the glory.

The brief word God gave me before I went to sit with her was, “ Yes indeed her place is ready here by My side with countless millions of other believers who have arrived before her and My Spirit is very present and real around you and your family as you deal with all the worldly details. Remember My plan is there and will be worked out– just rest in it”.

Now to John’s Gospel again. The central vs in the passage which comes next is….I wonder if you can see it? So please read John 12:20-36 and pick up that central. Vs. We are not going to look at the whole passage today however, just vv 20-26.

The story picks up in vs 20, with some Greeks becoming part of it. They were obviously Jewish believers as they came to the feast to worship. But what is the significance of their appearance? It seems John wants us to get a peek again and a reminder of the fact that Jesus’s ministry was going to extent further than the nation of Israel.

At this stage John uses this as an opportunity for Jesus to make the great announcement – “The hour has come” but the hour for what? The hour for Him, “the Son of Man” to be glorified. What a way to describe the awful process that was awaiting Him in the next few days. But He goes on immediately to explain what that means. How this cruel process was going to lead to Him and His Father being glorified. He uses a universal principle from agriculture – for a plant to grow the seed had first to die.

So how does this explain His death and glorification? On his own He could only reach a few people. By saying this He was predicting that He was going to introduce a whole new era, His death heralded the fact that the “seed” was going to produce a plant which would grow and grow to fill the world. That plant was the coming Kingdom which would be the means of glorifying Himself and His Father.

But this is a universal principle which He goes on to explain affects every person on earth. So what does it mean to you personally? He makes this clear in vv 25,26. This principle is so important in the life of every believer. Effectively each one of us, at our new birth has died to our old selves. Died to the right to run our lives as we wish and turned to follow Him. That is, indeed the test of real Christianity: Have you died to your old self and turned in a real way to follow Jesus? You see that death heralds the plant of righteousness which grows up in the place where the seed died. That righteousness demonstrates in visible fruit in the believer’s life.

So what we read here is a very important universal principle of Christianity. A real Christian will produce fruit. The fruit of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit. Matt 7:16 it is by their fruit you will know them. And ultimately the reward? Vs 26 My Father will honour them. So let me ask you again “what does that principle mean to you personally today?” Only you and the Lord know the real answer to that.

Friends I am going to end this now.It just leaves me to thank each one of you for the incredible support you have shown me not only in the last week but over that last 15 years. If I have done something right, please understand that it is merely the fruit of my relationship with my dear Lord being expressed and not because of something special in me. I am posting an invitation to Em’s memorial service. Please come and let me know you intend to come. If you are from outside the Village you will need an access code which I will send you when you accept and indicate you need it.

God bless and hope to see you on Tuesday.

The past few days I have been experiencing a most precious moment. While my dear Emily has been slipping quietly away, to cross the Jordan, I have experienced what I can only describe as a holy moment. The house has been filled with the Lord’s Presence. I have been at complete peace no fear or anxiety or distress. I have seen death many times but this time has been like a really spiritual moment. What a privilege it is to nestle in the arms of Jesus and lay my head on his shoulder while this cosmic process is happening. Thank you Lord.

” My dear child this Presence of mine is there for every one of my dear children as I shepherd and bear them over the river Jordan as it’s waters are dammed up so that you can cross over and fully experience the reception that awaits you as you enter into my perfect kingdom, into my very Presence. This is indeed a cosmic moment which awaits every believer, where the light is always bright the flowers always bloom and where there are no more tears or pain or separation”.

The opening verse in our passage today (John 12:12-19) launches the final week of Jesus’s “normal” life on earth. The amount of space and detail in these final chapters indicates the importance of this time in the whole unfolding of Jesus’s life and mission.

It opens with two Old Testament references, which show the reader how the events have always been part of God’s greater plan. It is worth going back to read the original passages to see the context. First Psalm 118:26,27. This describes the festal atmosphere. But note the verse preceding, “Oh Lord save us….” Note also the statement in verse 27, “the Lord is God”. The next verse in our passage focusses now on the kingship of this figure.

The enigma of this passage then joins the many enigmas of our Christian message. The “king” is riding on a donkey. He is not a worldly conquering king riding on a white steed, but a servant king on a lowly donkey. (Zech 9:9). Despite this He is described as “having salvation”, which means He actually represents salvation. I suppose these enigmas are one reason why many people find it hard to believe and trust in Jesus. But it is so necessary because it reflects the way each member of the kingdom’s lives should look like. If you want to follow Jesus you must deny yourself and take up your cross and, if necessary come riding on a donkey.

Notice in verse 16, even the disciples didn’t understand this till after His resurrection. The crowd who had gathered however were not phased. They celebrated and danced and cast their palm branches, completely dazzled by Jesus’s miracles, especially the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The jealousy of the Pharisees was aroused even more by this acclaim and it contributed to the intensifying of their determination to get rid of Jesus and even poor Lazarus if they could.

The text ends with the statement that many people were “going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him”. This faith is however more a description of their actions rather than a heartfelt belief and trust in Him, because not to long after this these very people will be shouting “crucify, crucify” for this same Jesus.

So what has Jesus been saying to me from this text? Firstly a great reminder of who Jesus is, but especially what He really was like. Then the challenge to be like Him in my life. Following His example of humility and service and putting aside my own agenda.

There is also a warning that the number of people who seem to follow does not necessarily mean they have real faith or are really committed. Real faith is shown by actions and their way of life, not by a crowd generated enthusiasm .

Thank you for all the many prayers and love which have been shown to me, especially the last few days. Please continue to hold Em and I up in the coming days. Only the Lord knows how things will unfold. But I do know He holds these days in His hands in love, since He has already demonstrated that by sending His Son to die on the cross for me and every one of us.

As I let the music wash over me and feel the presence of the Lord all around, I mumble “Lord, I love you with all my heart”. Then the thought comes to me, do I? Can I?

“ I hear your words and I read the desires of your heart. You want to love me completely, yet there is this doubt in your mind that you really do. Maybe there are other things, other people who take up part of your heart. However my eye is on your desire, my heart is meeting with your heart because you are feeling and expressing the desire to love me completely. Of course there will be other things in your life, but If you are loving them more than me I am helping you to change that. Remember change it slow. Seed that is sown takes a long time till it grows into a tree. Yet the important thing is that you have loved and have expressed the desire to love me completely. You will never be able to love me like I love you but your desire is the only seed I need to grow that plant into a tree and that is what I am doing”.

From ch 12 John’s gospel takes a new course. The words in 12:1 should prepare us for that as well as the significance: “6 days before Passover”. The timing of Jesus’s passion was critical to explain the significance of His death as “the Lamb of God”. (1:29)

As you read today’s passage,John 12:1-11, I want you to close your eyes and imagine the amazing fragrance that is being released by the loving act of Mary as she anoints Jesus’s feet. Let that fragrance rise up and envelope you as you take in the way it envelopes the whole story as it unfolds from here. Let yourself be buried in it as you appreciate the beauty and fragrance of what Jesus was about to do, the fragrance that surrounds His very person and reflects His beauty.

Jesus interprets it as a prophecy of the fragrant anointing of His body for His burial. (12:7) Reminding us that His death is going to be the central theme of the following chapters.

It is so important that we keep in mind that any “Jesus” that is taught and propagated that does not include His death and resurrection, is not the “real Jesus”. Even as we see in vs 11 that there were many Jews who were “Going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him”. At that stage the “complete Jesus” had not yet been revealed, so their “faith” was more like an admiration for Him or the miracles He had done and His wise teaching.

I listen attentively to the way Jesus is represented by various people and He is so often characterised by His incredible compassion, as we saw in the previous chapter and His general love and desire for the best for us. Often I hear phrases like, ”I have been set free”. and I wonder whether that person really understands what that means. The fact of the matter is that our greatest problem is the fact that we are sinners headed for judgement and need to be rescued from that. Our walk with God starts therefore with an understanding of the seriousness of this separation and judgement and many are unwilling to admit their state of sinfulness and need for rescue and therefore manufacture a Jesus who suits their perceived needs. Our Father God, however saw our state as being so serious that He gave His one and only Son to DIE on our behalf, taking that punishment from us upon Himself.

That is why this message is central to the whole of the gospel and to Jesus’s life. And should be the central point of our faith in Him.

As I conclude, I loved the picture and smelled the redolent waves of the pure nard and it opened a new vista to the beauty and value of my Lord Jesus. It is quite in order to allow your senses the freedom to smell, taste, feel and see things in the scriptures, to enable them to be more real. Remember the psalmist’s words: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”

I leave that with you for the week,. Blessings till next time we meet.

What a beautiful name it is – what a wonderful name it is, what a powerful name it is – the name of Jesus. In quiet contemplation I consider these as I meet with the Father through him.

Yes my Name wraps up all that I am. That is why I am known by so many names as they describe different aspects of my character and my interaction with you and the rest of creation. Wrapped up in that name Jesus – which means “The one who came to save” – is my full glory and my name reflects the main purpose of my mission to you– to save – to save in an absolutely unique way – to make it possible for you to be turned back from rushing to a lost eternity. But there is so much more in that name – so keep contemplating it, keep loving it but remember you are not loving just a name you are loving me the one who carries that name and who came to save you.

So we come today to the last part of the story of Lazarus. John 11:45-57. This section also brings to an end the first section of John’s gospel where he is introducing us to Jesus and showing that he is the Messiah. There is a key vs in this section which reflects what the rest of the gospel is going to be about. Read through the passage and see if you can pick that up.

So way back in 3:16 Jesus already revealed His mission. He had come, motivated by the Father’s love, to die for the whole world to save us from perishing and instead receive life. So in 11:50 from the mouth of the high priest Caiaphas this prophecy is picked up again in vs 50: “You do not realise that it is better for you that one man die for the people”. So from here on Jesus’s death becomes the main theme of the rest of the gospel.

The miracle of the raising of Lazarus has more than one layer. It is the greatest miracle which are described as signs in the gospel because they point to Jesus’s identity. It also is a window which gives us insight to Jesus’s amazing compassion. There is however a further significance, I wonder if you can see it.

It is a subtle reminder that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is not the end of the story. Without His resurrection the story of Jesus would have ended there in Palestine. So here is a sweet way in which John puts the two main threads together to introduce us to the last 11 chapters of his gospel story. Jesus is to die, a significant death achieving the ultimate salvation act and this is verified by the Father to have been sufficient and real by His resurrection.

Reading this gospel and especially this section has given me a renewed sense of the wonder of God’s love which He has expressed through this amazing act of His in sending Jesus on this mission. What a wonderful sense of security we can have as Paul puts it in Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how much more will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things. This story of Jesus’s absolute compassion is strategically placed here to set a background to his attitude as he goes the whole way to the cross. It was not a cold act of obedience but the greatest act of love imaginable.

So as we follow Him we are also called to take up our crosses, not in a cold determined way gritting our teeth as it were, but in a complete surrender of ourselves in an act of the warmest love, emulating our Master’s attitude of love towards us.

God bless you all then. Till next week.