Killing For Jesus

More than anyone else, Jesus understood the human heart. And as He looked into the future, He could see the troubles that His followers would have to face, sometimes because of their own blindness and sometimes because of the self-deceptions and rationalisations of others.
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‘A time will come,’ He said, ‘when anyone who puts you to death will claim to be serving God!’ What an extraordinary statement and what an accurate prediction of what has happened again and again across the centuries. In our own times we’ve heard more than once that cynical injunction to ‘kill a commie for Jesus.’ And more frighteningly, today, people are adapting the phrase for almost anything- homosexual, Muslim, Jew, black- the list is endless.

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What could be further from Jesus’ vision? He urges us unceasingly to enlarge the circle of our love and concern until there’s room for everyone inside and no one is left outside - not even those with whom we differ on the most fundamental and crucial of issues.

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Whenever you feel an attack of self-righteous indignation coming on, just remember how often in the past you have been thoroughly wrong in your judgements and entirely mistaken in your strongly held opinions. And then leave the judging and the punishing to God, who sees things ever so much more clearly.

As you begin to see yourself more clearly with the passing of time, you’ll be glad you stayed your hand.

Gracious Lord, teach me to be compassionate in all my ways; helping me to pray for others with empathy,  knowing that You care for all Your children.

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Who Are We Forgetting?

The growing dissension within the world-wide Anglican Communion has prompted a plethora of commanding and emotive statements from numerous luminaries, clergy, and members of the public. It is a tribute to our democratic freedoms that we possess the ability to make our positions of faith and beliefs public.

But there is equally a large number of people who do not possess the mechanisms to participate in these public forums. Among them are the elderly who have faithfully served God and their church all of their lives.

In the twilight of their years they have no interest or desire to become embroiled in ministerial politics, or supposed advancements in spiritual enlightenment. Instead, they are seeking to find comfort in the bosom of their faith, as they prepare themselves for that brief moment of darkness, which awakens to new a new dawn.

As the ‘enlightened’ battle it out with one another, the innocent become forgotten, they’re left confused, hurt, and often bitter. And most certainly deserted by their family – the very foundation upon which our churches were built – Christ’s family.

When Jesus chose the twelve disciples to be His close companions, during the three years of His public ministry, who would have thought that in His hour of need one turned out to be a traitor, one denied that he ever knew Him and the others deserted Him and ran away. In Pilate's judgement hall He stood isolated and alone and when they led Him away to crucify Him, He was left to carry His cross with not a single companion in sight.

It’s easy to understand something of what Jesus was going through. Betrayal, denial, and desertion are bitter experiences and can often leave a permanent imprint on our hearts and minds.

The cross was like a shadow across Jesus' life from the very beginning and grew darker and more threatening as time passed.

No wonder Jesus said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'

Whatever we do, whatever position we take, we must not forget our elders, who deserve and need the respect and comfort from their family church. Failing to do so is to ignore the rubrics of our faith.

Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself in taking the form of a servant and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation. Let us not forget Your humble servants who have served You all their lives. Give us the mind to follow You, as Your Son has taught us, in adherence to Your word, and not for our own convenience. Amen

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