Thoughts From The Cottage
Dear Friends
My health problems have given me the opportunity to reflect upon life and faith. Many old adages I was told and much advice I was given as a young preacher have come back into mind. Some of you will know the sort of things I mean but to repeat them here would be foolhardy, after all I am still your Minister for a while longer yet! However looking back over my ministry I can clearly see high points and low points, ups and downs, meandering pathways and straight roads. I can see things which I now know to be distractions and other things which I though were distractions but were probably helps placed there by God. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
In Luke 9:51 we find these words ‘Jesus steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem’. There is a determination there, a single-mindedness, a purposefulness from which we can learn. Jesus was not prepared to let anything or anyone deflect him from his mission. For one reason or another we do not find it as easy as Jesus. There are many reasons for this but are they real reasons or are they excuses? Sometimes our concern not to offend people stops us speaking or doing God’s word but both Paul and Peter tell us that the Gospel is an offence to unbelievers. Sometimes we fall into the trap of democracy (seeking the mind of the people) when the church should be a theocracy (seeking the mind of God). Sometimes history, tradition, the pursuit of new ideas, social pressure, pride or stubbornness get in the way of serving God. We need to root out all that prevents from truly walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
When Jesus set his mind towards Jerusalem a journey of mixed fortune and mixed emotion began. He immediately told would-be followers the true cost of discipleship (Lk 9:57-62). He sent 72 followers out on a mission, a form of in-service training (Lk 10:1-24). He told parables, taught about prayer, explained Scripture, prophesied about the future, interpreted the current news stories, healed people. You will find it all and much more in Luke chapters 10 to 19. Read it and be inspired, read it and get a sense of the urgency in Jesus. Finally he arrives at the gates of Jerusalem and receives a heroes welcome (Lk 19:28-40). Triumph, joy, journey’s end? No!
Immediately Jesus predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, it happened 40 years later. He cleansed the temple of evil and began teaching in the temple courts. No hiding away, no trying not give offence for him! Each evening he went out to the Mount of Olives for the night. Keep reading on through Luke 20 and 21. Then comes what we call the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, followed by his arrest in the Mount of Olives, His trials before both Herod and Pilate leading directly to his crucifixion and burial (Lk 22 and 23). It was over. The lowest of lows had been reached.
But it wasn’t. Luke 24 begins with the remarkable account of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. The lowest of lows and become the highest of highs. The resurrection began to draw people into the fledgling church and the Holy Spirit ignited the spark on Pentecost 50 days later. The church has never stopped growing since. Discover what it is all about with us this Easter!
Ian Ring
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