Christian Faith Perspectives

One of the hallmarks of Christian liturgy is the benediction spoken at the end of a service: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”.

What we are more familiar with are the expressions that God is light, and that Jesus is the light of the world. But the meaning of God described as light is more than just a figure of speech.

Consider for a moment the light of the sun, so bright that we cannot look directly at it without eye protection. Then there is the flash of a nuclear explosion. It is documented that the light enabled people watching to see the bones in their hands.

When Saul of Tarsus was confronted by Jesus Christ it was light that flashed around him. When Jesus was transfigured, his clothes became bright as a flash of lightening. The light that emanates from God and his Son is real. Jesus is the LIGHT! As we let his light shine on our lives dynamic changes will occur.

Ref. John 8:12, Acts 9:3. NIV.

There is always something special about flowers as they open up to display their distinctive colours and characteristics. Bulbs lie dormant in the ground, then burst forth with springtime colour. Be it fruit bearing shrubs and trees or so many other types of vegetables and grain plants, it’s all proof of a life producing planet. And how dull it would be if the earth was desolate and devoid of life.

Sometimes as human beings we can exhibit a lack of life. We may all have experienced the ‘burn out’ syndrome. It’s a time when motivation seems to allude us, there is a lack of inspiration and enthusiasm in our lives. It is a state of inertia when there is a tendency to do nothing, where our life has become static. Psychologists today assist in overcoming this with therapies.

We speak of the NEW LIFE we are supposed to have in Christ. Indeed, that is the meaning behind Christian Baptism. In a full immersion baptism, we have the symbolism of the person rising up out of the water in newness of life ready to start moving forward with a new motivation for living. However, it can become a meaningless historical event in our lives with no relevance to the now!

On the other hand, our Baptism into Christ can be a powerful reminder to rediscover his energy and inspiration in our lives. Maybe too, it could be of assistance in helping with psychological inertia The old life was just self, but the new life available to us can be empowered by the Spirit of Jesus. Eternal life is not just a future experience but is also available for the active NOW!

Ref. Romans 6:4 NIV.

What about a new car? When you take it out for the first time, it seems so responsive, the engine hums, and the interior is extra plush and comfortable. In life we are constantly changing old for new. The old requires constant repair; eventually we change… it is time for something new! A decision we make with no regrets.

In our lives we are frequently getting something new to replace the old. Not just cars, it could be furniture, household appliances and of course our clothes. Every time the feeling is the same; we feel so good as we get the new. It looks good and we enjoy!

It reminds me of the spiritual side of our lives which also needs newness. We explore therapies which we hope will increase our ability to be a better person. But Jesus spoke of the futility of trying to repair clothing by sewing new cloth on to old… it doesn’t work! The inner fabric of our nature needs to be changed.

God has given us an incredible new gift to replace the old. It is RIGHTEOUSNESS, the most powerful transformation a human being can have. When God remakes us in Christ, he is exchanging the old model for a new one. Forgiven yes, but a real structural change takes place as we actually receive the nature of God.

Ref. Matthew 9:16, Romans 1:17, 2Cor. 5:17. NIV.

You may well ask, what is the connection of a loaf of bread and recognizing Jesus? Yet it was the simplicity of seeing Jesus breaking a loaf of bread which triggered recognition in the eyes of two disciples. They were walking to Emmaus when a stranger joined them. They talked to the stranger about the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth and the fact that he was thought to be still alive. The stranger then started to explain the Scriptures which related to the suffering of Christ and his resurrection; but they didn’t know that it was really Jesus who was talking to them.

As they approached the village of Emmaus, Jesus indicated he was going further, but they urged him to stay with them for it was late. He agreed and soon they were enjoying a meal together. But it was at this point that something dramatic happened. This man then broke some bread, said a prayer and gave them portions. Suddenly they knew!… it was none other than Jesus himself!

I find it fascinating how Jesus played hard to get. He wasn’t going to say who he was, he wanted them to come to the point of recognition. Jesus agreed to stay but only after they strongly persuaded him. These disciples knew their emotions had been touched but they still needed to discover his true identity.

We all remember those times when we see someone who looks familiar. Then suddenly something clicks, and we recognize them. For these two travellers it was a climactic moment, they now knew Jesus was alive and that he was, the BREAD OF LIFE!

Ref. Luke 24:13-35. John 6:35. NIV.

Peace means the absence of warfare, where hostilities have ceased. But what does this word capitulation mean? It’s certainly not found in the Bible; or maybe it is expressed differently.

To capitulate is to surrender in times of warfare. The conquered forces have to submit to the particular terms of their surrender. These terms are often written down and have to be signed. The Latin words, caput and capitulum mean “head” and “headings” and relate to details in the official agreement drawn up when someone formally surrenders.

In life we wrestle with truth; we even battle with God as we try to understand the meaning of life. There is a mental warfare within! We want to accept the truth of a divine being, yet at the same time we are unwilling to accept the reality of a creator God.

I can still clearly recall my personal battle as I struggled with questions and doubts about Jesus Christ. But there was a point of capitulation where I stopped fighting and surrendered. The immediate result was to experience peace! Peace with God!

Ref. Romans 5:1 NIV.

So often we look at flowers in isolation, admiring their singular beauty and characteristics. Yet it is impressive to see flowers together. For instance, a mass of daisies on a bush makes quite a visual impact. Togetherness is seen in nature and is a vital part of our human existence. We all have a need of friendship through social contact with others. Even shopping or attending an event we are satisfying that need as we interact with other people.

Come with me for a moment… I am a young boy holidaying on the farm of relatives in Western Victoria. I clearly remember how I would anticipate waking up early to help with milking the cows. It was a dark cold morning as I headed down the passage to the kitchen. As I opened the door the warmth and smell of food cooking on the wood stove greeted my senses. But extra special was to see the others as they greeted me at the table. I felt so good as we ate breakfast together and another day on the farm was beginning.

Whilst we all need time alone to enjoy our own individuality, there is also the personal fulfilment which friendship brings. We can all be wary of friendship due to negative experiences, and so we isolate ourselves. We don’t want others getting too close, can we trust them? Are they genuine? Are their motives sincere?

In a Christian context we can be assured of God’s friendship toward us. The Lord Jesus calls us friends if we receive him into our lives. His friendship is not to control us or destroy our unique individuality. He is fond of us and wants a mutual relationship. Let us take a risk then, and also reach out to others in friendship.

So often in life we are confronted with seemingly impossible situations. It could be a new responsibility which we feel is beyond us, maybe a physical condition or simply a set of personal circumstances which are more than we can handle.
But remember, the impossible to us is possible with God.

When I read about the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth I find it interesting that he did not confine his ministry just to those people who believed he was the Son of God. The possibility thinking that Jesus spoke of, was available to everyone.

Jesus broke the boundaries of impossibility in people’s lives before they believed. In fact, he laid no prior condition on his listeners. If they could believe they would receive! Whether they decided to believe on him later was their personal choice.

This was precisely the experience of a blind man that Jesus healed. He sensed that Jesus was a man from God because his sight was restored but still had not come to a point of personal faith. Later though, Jesus met him again and told him who he was. His response was “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Surely this is unconditional love in its purest form! That Jesus will respond to our need regardless of what we believe about him.

Ref. Mark 9:23, John 9:38. NIV.

When you are looking for an image to express something you want to say, it can often be so allusive… nothing seems to fit. Then suddenly you see it! Indeed it is true, ‘ A picture is worth a thousand words’. There is an innate factor within us all that wants to belong to something. We enter life belonging as we respond naturally in that filial relationship to our parents as a son or daughter. We touch, we feel the emotions of contact. LIfe is all about being linked to something, we do not function well in isolation, we are all meant to be part of the whole. The poem ‘No man is an island’ also seems to capture some of this idea: –

No man is an island entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.

If a clod washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a
promontory were. As if a manor of thy friend’s or of thine own were,

Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

John Donne (1572-1631)

In life we anchor ourselves to something, to have a sense of belonging. Like we are adrift in the cosmos desperately needing to find something where we can truly discover our identity and feel that we are part of the whole again.

To me, God himself is the whole! Our need is to find our way back and discover that we are each an important part, with a special role to play. Like one piece of a giant jigsaw still to find its place and complete the picture. To belong to Jesus Christ is to suddenly find we fit, we now belong, we are part of the whole!

Have you ever had to decide between two pathways in life? It can be a time of personal uncertainty because both choices seem right. I recall a time when I had to make such a decision. I was 40 years old at the time and had just been successful in a job application to take up a position as a Town Clerk in rural South Australia. This position would mean a further development in my Local Government Career. At precisely the same time I was offered a Church Pastoral position in Tasmania. But this position would mean a significant career change. After much thought I decided to change and follow my heart.

The pathway choices we make in life and the time we make them are so important. God is able to give us wisdom to make right decisions and to make them precisely at the right time as we travel the journey of life.

There is a fantastic Biblical example of God directing the lives of his people. The Israelites had left Egypt after that memorable first Passover night and were now being led by God by means of the cloud of His Presence. A transportable Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting had been built and God’s Cloud would remain over this tent structure with the various tribes camped around it.

The amazing thing is this, the cloud would lift when God wanted his people to know it was time to leave. They would pack up their tents and the tabernacle would also be dismantled and made ready for moving. Sometimes it would be a short stay, sometimes long, but God was controlling their travels.

Most of us can identify with this as we reflect on changes we have made in our own lives; different jobs, and different places we have lived. But our lives do not have to be the result of random choices or pathways simply determined by circumstances. The right direction for the pathway ahead is available.

Ref. Num. 9:15-23. NIV.

We all know what happens when you plant a seed; germination takes place, and a new plant begins to grow. But the interesting aspect of this process is that the seed actually has to die or drop away in order for the new plant life to emerge. As a young man keen on growing vegetables, I was always fascinated by watching a broad bean seed germinate. Being such a large seed, it is easy to examine and see the embryo development as the first small leaves begin to appear and the new plant starts to develop.

Jesus referred specifically to a wheat seed, explaining that it had to die as an individual seed in order to produce many seeds. We know that the death of one man, resulted in eternal life being available to the many! But what happened on that Cross?

When our Saviour died, he was being condemned to death as the Son of Man. In that one act, sinful humanity was judged and executed. When Jesus`went through the experience of death he was literally becoming us in our sin and separation from God.

As believers we are no longer condemned because Jesus took that condemnation and punishment when he became sin. Our sinful state was totally dealt with by God in the person of his son. When we put our faith in what he did, we leave the old behind and begin a new life in God through Christ. John 5:24. NIV.