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Hope! In my minds eye I see a little baby in a manger with a light shining around Him and the word hope comes to mind.

“Yes that Baby embodied hope – hope for a world which is lost and devastated – a baby held the first vestiges of hope – hope that was only going to be fulfilled many years later. By its very nature hope is usually a long term feeling. It is easy to be filled with hope on the mountain top, but when adversity crowds in then the full depth of the root of hope in you is revealed. It is easy then to become despondent and allow doubts to creep in. That is why I allow every one of my precious children to go through trials from time to time – so that it will build the treasure of hope in them, which is the mainstay of the Christian life. So as Sunday approaches and you view that Baby remember, He embodied the hope of the whole world. The hope which keeps you joyously on the path, even through adversity.”

Even as the many faithful believers around the world gather on Sunday to remember and celebrate the birth of the One who was going to bring hope to a lost and drowning world, my reading this week has taken me to what must be one of the most intimate moments in the whole of the bible. The scene in the Garden of Gethsemane. In reality from the very birth of the Saviour the whole thrust of His life has been towards this scene and the events following it.

Faced with the hostile Religious leaders and a “friend” who was going to betray Him. With the knowledge that even His closest followers would soon desert Him Jesus enters the garden (Matthew 27:36). I don’t know if you, dear reader have ever considered the significance of this garden. Reflect back to the beginning of the bible story, to another garden, a perfect garden in a perfect environment, where satan whispered the words, “you will not surely die” into the ears of the innocent couple standing there. That event which resulted in a cataclysm of disaster for the entire world, was also the springboard from which God would launch His rescue program, which He announced in Gen 3:15:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike His heel”.

Were the words spoken as they were driven out of that garden of Paradise.

Here, back in a garden outside Jerusalem this conflict had reached a climax which symbolically begins in this “restful” place. The final battle has commenced, appropriately once again in a garden. Who will ever know how our Lord felt at that moment. Although most people think Jesus’ great suffering was the prospect of a gruesome, painful death on a Roman cross. While I’m sure there would have been some consideration of that. No, the real reason for His suffering was he prospect of “the cup“, which He asks God to take away from Him. The nature of that cup is revealed in Isaiah 51:22;

“See I have taken out of your hand the cup that makes you stagger; the goblet of My wrath.”

The picture in Luke’s gospel is even more dramatic as it describes Jesus as His sweat being like drops of blood falling on the ground (Luke 22:44). There is a medical condition “haemathydrosis”, where severe stress can actually cause bleeding into the sweat glands.

We, the reader are taken into that scene for a purpose. We need to see the full extent of what it took for Jesus to take the full wrath of His Father upon Himself, so that you and I can go free. Free from having to face that wrath on judgement day. That is what He has won for us the hope that we have. Truly the serpent struck the heel of the Offspring”, but his head was about to be crushed on the cross.

As we gaze in adoration and wonder at the birth of the One and Only, unique Son of God this weekend, may the joy of our celebrations not be removed from the seriousness of His ultimate purpose for coming. As I read various articles in the newspaper about Christmas and the meaning of Jesus’ coming, much is said about His role in reconciliation among people, of His compassion to all the lonely and broken, to the overall sense of love and peace He has come to bring and much else in this line. However, nowhere do I read of this aspect of His mission. Yet it underlies all the others, as valid as they may be. Without this incredible sacrifice none of the rest would ever happen.

It seems to me that the world has become insensitive to the awfulness of sin. People, even many Christians look among them, not recognizing that the chaos that they see is all part of God’s judgement for sin. That it is firstly sin which must be dealt with before the peace Jesus brings can be realized. Equally we will never really appreciate the extent of Jesus sacrifice unless we understand this.

So let us rejoice and celebrate the great Gift God has given us, recognizing essentially why He is such a great Gift. May I wish you all a new and deep sense of Joy as we celebrate His birth on Sunday. God bless you all.

“Know, a treasured word, that appears on the surface to have an obvious meaning, but in reality hides a far deeper significance. From the beginning I have sought to know the people I have called – and encouraged them to know Me. Knowing Me is far more than an esoteric exercise – where you learn more about Me. Because for you to truly know Me you must experience Me and to do that you need to move beyond understanding to interaction with Me through faith. I have known you before I implanted you in your mother’s womb. Yet in a way my knowledge of you has been enriched by your response and interaction with Me over the years. You pray that the eyes of your heart may be opened so that you may know Me better. There will come a time when that knowledge is complete when you see me face-to-face in all My glory in your glorified body. So continue on this path of getting to know Me better as I lead you through dark valleys and over a mountain tops. It’s in the walk that you get to fully know Me”.

As we reach the critical point of the gospel, Matthew gives us a beautiful little cameo, which is easy to miss, with one’s eyes fixed on the awful events to come. Why don’t you read Matthew 26:1-16 and try and see what the main point Matthew is making?

There are three stories. The first verse sets up the background for us. The prospect of Jesus’ crucifixion, set against the backdrop of the timing – the Passover. How is this going to happen? Different people are going to be involved. The chief priests and elders are playing a key part in moving this story along. Hidden in the story there are four different responses to Jesus, which Mathew presents to us. This is skillfully worked in with the object of ultimately getting the reader to ask him/herself which one do I relate to. Where do I stand?

Can you see them? Firstly, of course there are the religious leaders. They are the people who have the intellectual knowledge, that should have put them in a position to understand and welcome this Man, who over the past few years has proved over and over that He is the expected Messiah. However their eyes are blinded by pride, jealousy and prejudgment. So not only are they not willing to accept Him, they are actually planning to kill Him. There are plenty of people around today who fit that category, I’m sure none of you who read this does.

The second person, who is the central character in vv 6-13, is the women with the alabaster jar of perfume. Completely opposite to the previous group, she shows by a unique action of self-sacrifice her love for Jesus. Her act is in line with the “widow’s mite”. She offers her all to Jesus. Her heart, soul and body. Does that apply to me? I bow my head in shame as I feel I have not got there yet, but it spurs me on to aspire to have that love. (Of course there is a deeper meaning to the act as she is symbolically anointing Jesus for His burial).

Woven into that passage is the group of disciples. Jesus’ closes companions now for two years. But wait. They are actually complaining about the beautiful act that the nameless woman has performed. “A waste” they say. Do they not love and treasure Jesus as much as she does? Why are they so miffed? Is it jealousy? I consider this and measure myself against this group. Easy to feel superior and look down on them. But am I any better? Do I not hold my own interest often above those of Lord? Do I truly love Him with all my heart, body, soul and mind?

Then even worse. From among their own number, Judas actively betrays his Master. Horrific! Horrific indeed. I hope I will never descend to that, although I may even come close to Peter’s denial.

So this cameo introduces us to this last phase of Jesus’ life here on earth. Set against the backdrop of the Passover to be the reminder of why Jesus was going to the altar of the cross. To be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. I find it fitting to be here in our reading as we approach Christmas. Christmas can never truly be celebrated without the shadow of the cross behind the celebrations to remind us of the real reason Jesus came to be one of us.

Let us all prepare ourselves for the real Christmas celebration, ready to give an answer for the hope we have.

As I was singing some Christmas songs – I had this Bizarre picture. A picture from 2000 years ago, of a heavenly baby shower. As the universe waited expectantly for the most important baby of all time to be born.

“ Just compare the expected reception of any baby, a baby loved and anticipated. Room decorated, baby clothes laid out, names chosen – to the reception that was waiting for Baby Jesus. No place to be born – rejected by everyone except those closest to him. Born into a hostile environment with a foe determined to annihilate him before he grew up. Destined for a life of poverty with a small band of friends who ultimately would also desert Him at the time of His greatest need. No transport except feet on dusty paths and an occasional donkey. ‘Unfair’ you cry! Stop and think. Why was he coming? Because of sin. You easily under estimate the evil effects of sin. That is what devastated the world and continues to do it. Take stock now as Christmas approaches that you fully appreciate the power of sin and understand and appreciate the coming of this Baby – our Saviour from the evil of this all pervading scourge called sin.”

As we come to Matthew 25, I remember the greater context. The greater context of the breaking in of the kingdom of God into this world, as Jesus explained from the beginning of The Sermon on the Mount. This action of God through Jesus was rapidly approaching fulfilment as the cross loomed ahead. Against that background are these last parables which have a common theme. They are highlighting various aspects of the urgency of the times, then and now.

The key vs is 24:44 “This is why you must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.” Then again in 25:13 “Therefore be alert, because you do not know either the day or the hour”.

How does this play out? Ch 25 sets out 3 parables showing various aspects of what it means to “be ready”.

They are well-known stories. Perhaps so well-known that we may read through them quickly and say to yourself, “Oh yes, that is what it means”. I meditated on each one this last week and realized a few things which I thought were important for me to understand, that I will share with you.

Firstly, “the ten virgins”. What does the oil represent? I have often heard that it represents the Holy Spirit. After all, the Holy Spirit is often referred to in terms of oil. However there is a problem. There are 5 virgins who have some oil, not enough, but some, which would indicate they are Christians, because the presence of the Spirit is surely a sign of being a real Christian. The key seems to lie in vs 12, though. “I assure you I do not know you“. So these ladies had some knowledge of Christianity, but had never come to know the Lord personally. What demonstrates that one is a real Christian? You have a vibrant and living relationship with God through Jesus. That is what Jesus has called us into and why He saved us. So the fact that the wise virgins have enough oil in reserve says to me that that demonstrates a real relationship and a constant replenishment of the Spirit through this relationship. There is no place to be lazy in the kingdom of heaven.

The second parable focusses on using the opportunities and abilities that the Lord gives. Those who have been given 10 talents are not necessarily of greater value than those with 5. They have both used their opportunities equally effectively. What is important is the principle lying behind this parable in vs 29, “For everyone who has, more will be given“. This parable is parallel to the one of the sower, who sowed on good soil. God is looking for fruit in His servants and for those who produce fruit, more and more opportunities will be given to them.

Finally the parable of the sheep and goats. Once again I don’t think it is the actual act of feeding the bretheren who are hungry, as such that commends them. It speaks to me of a totally different attitude in those who are saved. One best described as being ‘other people centered’. Notice the focus of care is firstly on, “these brothers of mine.” (vs 40.) As a family, we Christians firstly have a responsibility towards one another. I would hasten to say that it does not stop there, but that is our first responsibility. Remember, some of the early Christians sold land and other possessions to help those in need. That demonstrates a converted heart and I dare say that is what the Lord is looking for.

So friends this all boils down ultimately to the genuine change that happens when we are born again and that being nurtured by building on the relationship that arises from there. Jesus is helping us all the way, as long as we remain in the vine.

May God bless you as you anticipate celebrating that Birthday.

“Seasons – even as the world goes through seasons, which cycle one after another – you go through seasons – seasons of Spring filled with colour and renewal, Summer – the abundance of the life I give you, Autumn as your body weakens and you experience more on more loss like the autumn leaves that let go and tumble to the ground, then Winter as the winds bear down and it becomes cold outside – you have to turn more and more to Me who is your glowing hearth where you receive your warmth and sustenance. But there is a beautiful season waiting for you – the season your whole life has been aiming for – a season when all light and beauty will burst in on you as you experience My presence. So when it is cold and dark look ahead – there is a light, a light which is beckoning you – which is growing in intensity. No one knows when it will be but be ready for it to come at any time. Wait expectantly as I take your hand and lead you through the season you are in at the present towards that light”

As I approached Matthew 24, I had to set aside all the theological input I have had on this subject, the second coming of the Lord and the end times, so that I could come to it fresh so that Jesus could speak to me in the present. As a devotion I read it, listening to the main points that I felt Jesus was saying to me

I suppose it is one of our greatest desires to know what lies ahead in the future. Here we have a general picture of several things which help us understand what the Lord was saying as He taught the disciples. The first thing we should see that although this prophecy covers a long period of time but there is a dire prediction which lay in the near future. The destruction of the temple which happened in AD 70. It seems to me that even as Jesus prophesied that event which would happen soon it would be a demonstration of the accuracy of the rest of His prophecy.

The second thing is His general prophecy of what the gospel era was going to look like. Wars, famine, earthquakes, false Messiah’s, false prophets, multiplying lawlessness would be a reminder of one key fact – His return. So when we see these symptoms in the world our reaction should not be one of despair, but of acknowledgement that His prediction of the end of time is really true and we should be looking forward to that and especially be obedient to vs 14, to preach the gospel at every known opportunity.

This chapter calls us to rise up above the daily grind and bad news and see the vast panorama of God’s plan unfolding. It is also a warning that we are going through the time of tribulation. That the tribulation may escalate towards the end time is very difficult to measure, because we can never imagine the terrible tribulation that the early Christians experienced. There are many other times in history which have been extremely difficult. The tribulation has appeared to ebb and flow over time, yet we also, each one of us experience our personal tribulation, as we move on this path through the wilderness.

The one thing that this passage left me with was a sense of the urgency of Jesus’ message. look at vs 33 “He is near – at the door”. And the whole of the paragraph from vs 36 – 44, ending with these words: “This is why you also must be ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect”.

As many of our readers are already in their Autumn and Winter season, there is the wonderful comfort. Jesus is our goal and the end of our travail. He will come again. Whether we meet Him on the clouds or when He comes to fetch us. He is there at this very moment beside each one of u, caring for us, protecting us and ready to take us with Him. All we should be doing is keeping on the path He has laid out for us and look forward to His words, “Well done you good and faithful servant”.

May He bless you and make His face shine on you this coming week.

“It is so easy to feel full of joy and hope when you are on the Mountain top. It is also easy to look away from Jesus while you are up there. Down in the valley is often the place where you experience Me in a much close away, when the sun has grown dim and the way appears rough. Yet it is at those times that I can reveal my peace, strength, My very self to you. So be like the tree in Psalm one, planted by the water – the Living Water which represents Me and allow your roots to go deep down so you can continue to draw that Water of Life into your stem. It will give your stem stability. More than that it will flow out into the leaves and branches and bring forth fruit, the fruit of a fulfilling relationship with me – peace, hope, strength, compassion and much more. So take my hand as we walk together through the valley – remember, “Yet not I but through Christ in me”.

The tide of evil is gathering in Jerusalem, God’s city, against Jesus in Matthew ch 23. Yet in all this Jesus continues to show His compassion in His teaching and attitude. See esp vv 37,38.He is also reiterating the basic Christian message. v 11 “The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

This message is totally counterintuitive and to highlight it, Matthew places it against the backdrop of His talk to the religious leaders, where one can see the real way of the world emphasized.

Just a word about the religious leaders. It is easy with hindsight for us to despise them, however they represented a very respected class of people in the Israeli community. The traits which Jesus points out that they are displaying are a representation of all the worldly traits that we find in our society today. Maybe not expressed in the same way, but nevertheless there, driving our modern society. So while we all join in with Jesus calling out, “Woe to you…” we should stop and look at what they were being accused of. As I read through this chapter several times this week I kept asking myself how much of each trait has been changed or removed from my life.

The main challenge to the these people was one of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy basically means operating behind a mask. Now I believe it is common cause that everyone of us operates behind a mask. We put on a mask when we face the world representing how we would like people to experience us. The question here seems to be, “How much of your life are you hiding behind the mask?”. In other words, “Is what the world sees the real you?” I had to ask myself, “Do the people see the real Ian when they meet me?” I will give an example. Can you be really nice to someone who you actually don’t like, when you stand in front of them, then share a juicy bit of gossip about them behind their backs when you meet someone else?

The Pharisees were demonstrating this in extreme. Showing a face to the world of purity and generosity towards God, while in reality they were filled with dead bones like a mausoleum on the inside. Nevertheless the challenge to us is to bring the inside to Jesus to cleanse it and be renewed so that we can represent Him with genuine love and compassion to others.

Another question that came to me was, “How much of my Christian life is driven by trying to obey the law?” We all have the seeds of that in us, which take over from time to time. It is demonstrated in the way we assume the gospel and live according to it.. That is why I keep reminding myself of this fact. My life in Christ arises from my relationship with Him. It is not driven by doing things to try and please Him.

Other things that spoke to me personally were: 1.How often do I put a burden on people I should help instead of making their burden lighter?

2.How much of my ministry and interaction with others has a modicum of self satisfaction because of the attention I get?

3.. Do I serve with an attitude that arises from humility.

4. And then a timely reminder of what Jesus’ priority was and still is and a challenge to continue be part of His program to seek and save those that are lost.

Why don’t you try and shift the picture of the Pharisees out of the way in your mind and allow Jesus to talk to you about all these attitudes? Have a blessed week.

Singing, “Let the weight of Your glory fall on me.” Would I be able to take that from you? The weight of your glory? Feels it would crush me.

“Every moment you spend with Me is precious. It is precious to you because that is the closest you can come to all that is Good. But it is precious to Me as well. Every child of mine who receives My word and hears Me his precious to me. That is what I am working towards. That you first listen – with no preconceived agenda, no attention focused on how you should respond. Just waiting on Me and with Me. If you seek Me you will find Me – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst. That is the sound beginning of our relationship every day – leading to a life which is totally fulfilling. ‘If you believe – you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer’.“

In Ch 22 of Matthew, we see the continuing fencing between the Pharisees and the teachers of the law with Jesus, as they go on trying to discredit and trap Him. There is a lot of information in this section but underlying it remains the main theme, “Who is this Man?”, climaxing in the last paragraph with the revelation of the Messiah. And secondly, “How should we respond to Him?”

These religious men have clearly made up their minds that Jesus is an imposter and needs to be taken out, at all costs. There appears nothing He can do or say that will cause them to change their minds. Time and again they come back at Him to test Him eg v18, Their attitude is not one of genuinely seeking the truth, but of trying to prove Jesus is wrong.

Stop there now and think. How much of the world’s attitude today towards Jesus is made from a position of pre-judgement, for whatever reason. This holds for the total pagan who has written Jesus off to the modern religious leaders, who often have their own agendas and preconceived ideas. Beware for you and me, if we have prejudged and predicted in our own minds what Jesus is saying, you may not hear what He is really saying to you. Passages you know well may actually be holding much more for you if you don’t immediately apply your previous understanding to them instead of standing back and listening from scratch.

The parable of the wedding banquet is a deep well. Clearly Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees’ belief that they were the prime members of the real Israel. However they had not understood the nature and urgency of God’s invitation, preferring to do it their way rather than Jesus’ way. How many people believe that they will be part of His banquet without responding in the correct way to God’s call? Ignoring Him at first and later wanting to come on their own terms, without the wedding clothes of true repentance. This is of course, a beautiful view of God’s universal call and His effectual call. Everyone in the world is called, “God so loved the world“. However there are many who will not listen, the call is wasted on them.

The chapter and indeed the whole gospel almost reaches a climax in vv 34 – 39. Way back in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has already set God’s standard. 5:48 “Be perfect therefore as your Heavenly Father is perfect”. Echoes of the first of the 10 commandments: “You shall have no other God’s before me”. That command always seemed to say to me, “Don’t go and carve a little effigy and worship it”. However it is actually saying that you may not love and desire anything else in creation more than Yahweh himself. You are expected to give Him all your heart, soul and mind.

The positioning of this reminder just before Jesus’ crucifixion, should shine a bright light on that event, as we understand that His death came specifically because we cannot fulfil this in our own strength, as the whole of the Old Testament has shown us.

While one may be struck by these facts in the beginning, it is easy for them to become “old hat”, as it were. You know, everyone knows we cannot keep that standard, so we just accept the forgiveness Jesus has won for us and go on as usual. However Jesus’ death on the cross not only won forgiveness for our inability to be perfect, He also has given us a way forward to live closer and closer to God’s perfect standard. That is what the gospel is after all. We aim to follow Jesus in the power of His Spirit and when we fail, we repent and cast ourselves back on His grace and guiding power. We may never give up this aim and we may never take His grace and forgiveness for granted. After all it cost Him His life to win it for us.

So friends, what a call and a reminder to us of the path of the gospel for each of us every day. “Take up your cross daily and follow Me”, He said. This should never be a burden. It should be a delight as we walk with joy with Him every day. And keep our ears open to hear every word He is speaking to us as He draws us deeper into this love relationship He is offering everyone of us. May God bless you this coming week as you draw closer to Him. .

“Be still and know that the God of Abraham, the God of Jacob, the God of Isaac, the God of Jesus, the great I AM is here with you in this room. Allow that to sink into your mind and your consciousness. This is where faith starts – it starts in Me, in your understanding of Me, the revelation I have made of Myself to you. It is inextricably tied to what I have revealed to you through my word and my Spirit. Faith cannot be seen, it is abstract concept. The perception of how you see Me and how you respond to Me. It is nevertheless as real and necessary as the universe. Now this unseen idea is dynamic, it does not remain there dormant – it is demonstrated in the change that takes place as you respond to it. Real faith is visible – it is visible in the fruit of your life. That is why I use that picture often –. No fruit equals no faith. It does not work the other way around i.e. be obedient and try and produce fruit and you will get faith. That is legalism and the antithesis of faith.“

As we continue now with Matthew 21, describing events and teaching that takes place over a concentrated few days, often called “Holy week”. (Friends, I hope you read that chapter first. Meditate on it and ask Jesus to speak to you. Then you can turn to what I have heard Jesus say to me and deepen your understanding from that). There is much information here, which we will not all go into. The main theme of course remains “Who is this Man?” Revealed here as the ‘Unusual King’, the ‘Prophet’, the ‘One with ultimate authority’, ‘the Vineyard Owner’ and the ‘Stone the builders rejected’. Maybe you will see more. Running concurrently is the rising anger of the Pharisees as they perceive what His is claiming for Himself and how that will affect them and their positions in the community and their planning to kill Jesus..

I have spent some time this week meditating on another theme which comes to the fore here. The theme of faith. It is at its basic level a simple concept, yet as we study how the concept of faith is built out in a passage like this, one realizes that it is a dynamic concept and one which can and has often been misunderstood.

The story of the fig tree is clearly a picture of judgement. Judgement of the Old Israel’s disobedience, as demonstrated by what was happening in the temple and the attitude of the religious leaders. They were producing no fruit to show that they were following Yahweh. It is a prophetic word by Jesus about what is about to happen to Old Israel. So against that backdrop we have the little interchange at the end of that paragraph. vs 21 “If you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able ……”. vs 2 “If you believe, you will receive, whatever you ask in prayer”.

Now who would want to move a mountain? And in any case, why does Jesus use this example? What is going on here? Firstly the parable of moving a mountain must be understood in the light of Jesus’ general use of hyperbole to make a point. The point is, as I am sure you see, not about the mountain but about having faith. Having faith means you can accomplish the otherwise impossible and you can ask for anything, including the impossible and it will be done for you. Wow! No wonder some, who don’t understand this parable go overboard.

Key to understanding what Jesus is saying is: Faith, believing not doubting, is a feature of a relationship with God through Jesus. It is the way our relationship works. It starts with believing in the one Messiah and God His Father, for who He is and what He has come to do. Exactly what the main theme is here. When you are in that relationship, anything is possible. Anything, because God is omnipotent. Your requests, within that relationship, will be in direct line with what God’s plan is, for you and His kingdom. He will see that those requests are fulfilled. It is not about struggling with something and then suddenly remembering, “Oh why don’t I ask Jesus?” Or I think I need something, so I will trust God for it.

There is room for all that within the relationship situation, but our attitude needs to be growing in a continuing humble dependence on God, trusting He will work out His plan for you. He does care, deeply, but is not Father Christmas.

There is a second aspect to this teaching which is linked here to that on faith. Firstly in the parable of the two sons, who is commended? vs 31 He who did His father’s will. Notice Jesus links that with believing in the statement vv 31 and 32.

The next parable has a similar point. Who are the farmers that are commended? v 41, those that produced the fruit the Landowner had desired in the vineyard (true Israel). Teaching? Faith is invisible to the outsider, obedience is something you can see. Obedience which is linked to faith will always be demonstrated by fruit. Fruit is always the result of “doing the Father’s will”.

So this all relates back to the fig tree. The Old Israel, represented by all these religious dignitaries had no faith, they had no connection with God, therefore they were not doing His will and producing the fruit God required from His Nation. It is a teaching on the inextricable link that faith makes between us and God and how that is shown. The alternative results in God’s judgement. From the time of Adam, man has been wanting to do things his way and just giving a nod to God. The consequences of that attitude are dire. cf the fig tree dying, vs 41, “He will destroy those terrible men”. vs 43 “The kingdom of God will be taken away from them”.

As I meditated on all this, this week, I realized again that faith is a natural expression of the bond that ties us to Jesus. We don’t always feel the same amount of faith. We are human with emotional highs and lows. But God recognizes our desire and continued pursuing of a relationship with Him. He is busy building our faith all the time. This will undoubtedly be expressed in the fruit of our changed lives. No fruit = no faith. The only way to grow in faith is to continue working on our relationship with Jesus. Remember the simple words of the old hymn? “Trust and obey, there is no other way to be happy in Jesus , but to trust and obey.”

“As you have been singing about Me as the real king – consider what that means. What is the role of a good king? It is to rule over his subjects for their benefit – it demonstrates his authority over all – but an authority dedicated to the well-being of his subjects. Not lording, ordering but serving them and providing for them. Protecting them and through His rule, directing them so that they may live a productive, satisfying life of service to one another. Ultimately the true nature of My rule was demonstrated on the cross. An action which was wholly motivated by love and for the benefit of my subjects. The real king of Jerusalem is in need of nothing from his subjects, but simply desires to be loved in response to His love, demonstrated by the changed lives all those who have been invited into His kingdom. May your service be joyful and expectant as I empower you daily – my beloved subject.”

The nature of Jesus’ kingship in this world is demonstrated dramatically in the next few chapters of Matthew as he reaches the climax of His Gospel description. It is perhaps easy to overlook the drama that unfolds as we have read and heard it so often. So why don’t you read Matthew ch 21 again, expectantly. It is so concentrated that I am only going to chat about the first 17 vv..

Remember the greater context is still, “Who is this Man and what has He come to do?” The immediate context has been humility before Jesus and the need for Him to open our eyes to see and understand His teaching and actions. Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem for the final act in the drama of His life. He has already been recognized by the disciples as “The Messiah, the Son of God” way back in 16:16. The concept of Messiah, was of an invincible king coming to rescue the Jewish people from their bondage.

Imagine how incongruous the scene described in the first vv of the chapter is. The arrival of a king in those times would be heralded by him riding on a beautiful steed at the head of a huge procession. Jesus, riding alone on a donkey? Imagine at king Charles’ coronation, he comes into London, all alone riding on a battered Vespa scooter.

Yet the response of the crowd demonstrates that they do, somehow recognize Him as king. They welcome Him with shouts of praise and demonstration of cloaks and branches. Notice the effect of His entry in v 10, the whole city was shaken! Despite this response the crowd’s conclusion is, “This is the prophet Jesus”. (Either a reference to the local stories of Him or to the special Prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy)

His first action is to go to the Temple. Why there? Well, the temple was the place where people would go to meet with God. It represented His presence with them. Now what is interesting, is the quote that Jesus makes as He cleanses the temple. It comes from Isaiah 56. Why not read that chapter now? If you remember, the thrust of that Chapter is a view of God’s ultimate purpose: Salvation is central, represented by God giving His righteousness, but it is extended to all. To outcasts, eunuchs and foreigners. The only requirement was for them to join themselves to God’s covenant and demonstrate this by keeping His Sabbaths.

So as Jesus goes to the temple, He is reminding the people of how they have failed in their appreciation of God by denying Him and turning away from His covenant. They had also failed to represent God to all the outsiders and foreigners. Taking it a step further He is judging the temple and preparing the people for when it will become redundant because of their rejection of God and His covenant. His intention was that He would replace the temple with His own person through whom the people would meet with God the Father from then on.

Matthew then describes how the blind and lame come to Him after that and He accepts and heals them. At the end of that paragraph, we once again are reminded that it is the unprejudiced eyes of little children who would accept Him. 21:16.

The contrast is stark. The religious leaders don’t recognize Him and reject Him yet those who are open and humble do. Do you see the significance of this repeated theme?

Looking forward, it is only after His death that we have the final word on who He is, as the centurion exclaims in 27:54, “Surely he was the Son of God”.

One can understand their confusion and we still see much of that today. Ultimately it is only those whose eyes are opened supernaturally that can accept who He really is. There is a warning however, to me in all this. I should not ever put Jesus in a box and think I have the last word on Him. I should go out to meet Him every day expecting the unexpected and ready to glorify Him as I meet Him. At the same time, I need to remain as a little child setting aside preconceived ideas and humbling myself under His mighty hand.

As you run all these thoughts through your mind today, I hope you will be filled anew with excitement and anticipation for your relationship with this Man Jesus who in Himself was and is the mighty God.

“I am”, is here with you – The one who ‘was from the beginning is now and will be for ever’. I want you to consider that fact. ‘I am” became as a lamb – the originator, the Creator of the universe, who holds the power of 1000 million atom bombs – became as a lamb the most docile and dependent of all the animals. I became a lamb and willingly submitted to being slaughtered on a cross shaped altar. I did it for you and all else in creation who come to me for redemption. Think how incongruous that is – the mightiest figure – becomes the weakest – on your behalf. So that you can benefit and receive My power from on high. The lion becomes the lamb. Consider this picture because it underpins the whole of my relationship with the world. It has a direct effect on you and all others of the “Way” – because to receive and live in My power – you too must become like a lamb. That is why I have said the last will be first in the kingdom.”

Back to Matthew. At the end of ch 20 we have a story of Jesus and two blind men. In Vs 33 they ask Jesus, “Open our eyes” and He does that. This small description of a miracle of sight rounds off a theme in Matthew which has started in ch 18 already, where the disciples are pictured as arguing over who is the greatest. This background theme is essential to understanding our Christian faith, our attitude towards God and towards one another.

The theme follows Jesus reply in 18:4; “Whoever humbles himself like this child – this one is the greatest in the kingdom”. The next three chapters show how this attitude plays out in real life for the Christian. I don’t quite know how to say it but Jesus is showing that everything about Christianity is directly opposite to what we would expect in real life. There are a number of different stories which illustrate how this attitude affects our lives as Christians.

It is summarized in 20:16, “So the last will be first, and the first last“. That statement leads then directly to Jesus’ comprehensive prediction of His coming death in vv 17- 19. Immediately after that, we gasp as the mother of Zebedee’s sons asks Jesus to promise her, that these two sons be chosen to sit at Jesus right and left hand in paradise. Has she heard nothing? We should not be too hard on her though since this merely reminds us of what our normal worldly attitude is. The disciples merely reflected this. They had clearly not understood a word of what Jesus has been teaching.

Matthew puts Jesus’ great mission statement, right after this, ending with vv 26-28. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life – a ransom for many”.

This must have been a profoundly difficult concept for the disciples to understand, no wonder they struggled with it. Even today, when we have heard this many times, it goes against the whole grain of our lives. That is why the story of the blind men is crucial. To really understand this upside down concept, we need our eyes to be opened supernaturally. Not only once but continuously. We are faced daily with the need for us to live this way in every situation.

This week, I have been pondering how I should practically internalize this teaching. The leader must start at the bottom, not demand obedience as the gentiles do. To lead by becoming the least and by serving demands two things. Firstly a grasp of how this plays out in our lives in every situation. Then, secondly we need God’s Spirit to remind us and empower us. Why not make this a basis of your prayers, not only for yourself but for others as you pray for them. In that way the Kingdom will truly be spread.

“Nearer my God to thee.”

“My Focus on you has been and is and will continue to be on fulfilling the desire which you expressed in that song. Through all of the good and the bad in your life there is one golden thread – My love, drawing and wooing you to come nearer to Me. I understand you better than you could ever imagine – I understand your emotions which sometimes lift you high and other times drag you down as you take your eyes off me. Throughout all this, My love is constant and powerfully active and has as a central purpose drawing you near to Me so that you can see Me more clearly to be able to appreciate Me in all My glory. So continue to hunger and thirst for Me as a deer pants for water and I will continue to draw you nearer and nearer to Me.”

Now to Matthew again. Chapter 19:13 ff. Jesus is once again shown as pointing to the need to become, “as little children”, if we are to enter the Kingdom. Remember at the beginning of this section in 18:1, the attitude of the disciples, “Who is the greatest?” Jesus turned that around to telling them rather to becoming as a little child (18:3). So here Matthew returns to this theme to highlight the next story, by contrast. The well-known story of the rich young ruler.

Let us look again at it, to hear what Jesus is saying to us today. I think the key phrase is in vs 21, “If you want to be perfect.” The word used here for perfect is “teleios”, which describes the completion of a work. eg: Luke 18:31 “Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished (teleios).” So Matthew has already said in 5:48 that the purpose of God for each one is perfection. “Be perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect”. This is the standard required if you wish to enter the kingdom on your own merit. So the question the young man is asking Jesus is actually “How can I attain perfection”.

Rather than enter into a theological debate with him, Jesus simply points to his greatest love which he needs to repent from if he wants to reach perfection, his money. As he slinks away Jesus’ hyperbolic comment to demonstrate the impossibility of attaining your own perfection, the camel and the needle, draws exactly the response He wants from each one of us. If it is so difficult to enter the kingdom, who then can ever be saved? (19:25)

His reply is so profound yet so simple that many miss it. vs 26 (my paraphrase) “No amount of trying to be perfect will ever get you to heaven, it is a work that only God can do”.

This discussion, if wrongly interpreted can have drastic consequences. Someone who is a smoker or maybe drinks too much, someone who is living in a wrong type of relationship etc, thinks that they first have to deal with their sin before God will accept them. I have seen people struggle for years with this idea. A number of times I’ve heard , “I can’t become a Christian until I have managed to give up smoking”. Instead, our recognition of our impotence to deal effectively with our sin is the starting point of casting ourselves on Jesus for His help, to rescue us. Jesus was the only one who could achieve a perfect life. This places Him alone in the position that He can present His life on your behalf to the Father as a substitute according to which you will be accepted.

So, “What about repentance?” You ask me. Repentance is the starting point where we realize what I have just told you. The point at which you turn from trusting in your own ability to achieve the perfect life and and place your trust in Jesus instead. The gospel message is just that. We recognize our impotence to live the perfect Christian life and turn to Jesus to give us the strength. Our acceptance by Him does not depend on how well we are doing in giving up certain sins or actively doing the good He asks us to do. Our acceptance depends rather in or placing our trust in Him and what He has done on our behalf.

Can possessions be an idol in your life? Absolutely! It is one of the most common idols. As we struggle with, “Going out and selling all our belongings and giving them to the poor” 19:21, if that is your idol, Jesus will slowly empower you to do what you need to do to get the right result.

The message to me this week is again: “Become as a little child before Jesus again. Depend on Him to empower me to live the true gospel life. When I fail, I must confess and come to Him again”. Never get tired of this simple gospel message because it is the most powerful and releasing way to live with Jesus. That is authentic Christianity.