Today's been an interesting day. Waking up feeling, I'd imagine, like you've smoked 20 cigarettes before bed is never a great thing. Realising then that you're surrounded by youth and have to get them moving and the whole church set up for Sunday in under an hour, that's even more fun. Most of the rest of my day has been spent schlomping on my bed just exhausted from all you wonderful Connect folk! So sorry this is going up a bit late but Jon needs his nap time!
Onto business then
Today’s readings:
Genesis 9:18-11:9;
Matthew 4:23-5:20;
Psalms 4:1-8
Our passages today cover a wide variety of seemingly unrelated topics. There's a whole jumble of names and the story in Genesis that challenges me more than pretty much any aspect of the Creation poem, then you have the start of Jesus' sermon on the mount, a topic that I could talk about forever and a day, and finally a Psalm of David that seems jumbled itself. Lots for us to pick apart today!
First of all we finish with Noah. Now Noah's tale has a rather strange ending and is another reason why I struggle to accept the start of Genesis as word for word fact. That Noah would get himself into such a state and yet go crazy at his son for seeing him like that seems a little harsh. I guess this is a nice pointer that whilst Noah was a fantastic guy in God's eyes because he trusted the Lord, he did have his faults. Now I'll be honest, 6 months at sea and I'd probably have a stiff drink high up on my priority list but Noah messes up. He forgets that part of knowing what God wants is being sober enough to hear him! We then go into Noah's descendents and all the places that they ended up in. So where's the truth in this? Well to me this passage isn't a historical record. It's an example of how God isn't just for one set of people. God has made sure that every country has the potential to work for him. Even us barbarians on our rainy rock!
Then we get the Tower of Babel. Phew does this make me confused... One positive that jumps out of the passage is how it's another example of God working as a Trinity. I do love when He refers to himself as we and us. But why does God seem to get scared? This is clearly a symbolic story as we can't build up to heaven and humanity can understand each other's languages with little bother. Yet we're not knocking on heaven's door (Cheers Axl), we're still muddling along. So why the big threat? To me this is a passage about the potential of humanity. God knew that humanity wasn't ready to get to heaven. He realised that if we did, we'd still be sinful and so wouldn't be suitable for eternal life. But surely humanity has this potential within them to bring the Kingdom now. We just need to do two very simple things. All work together and all work for God's plan. It's not going to be that easy is it... Shucks.
There's also the fact that this is God giving a clear message to us that we need to rely on Him, not try and be His equal. We're made in the image of God, we're not made as gods. The only way to heaven is through following God's word and truth, not through our own efforts and planning.
Next up we have Jesus' ministry really kicking off. Starting we have Jesus healing a whole bunch of people. But what I've never noticed till today is just how many different sorts of people. Oh and now I've realised that clearly these passages are related and I'm an idiot for not spotting it sooner! Here we have Jesus, the way to heaven, appearing and preaching God's word and all of a sudden, the nations that were scattered start to gather around him. There's your answer folks. God scattered us because there's only one way back to him and that's through the sinless life we get thanks to Jesus' amazing sacrifice.
Then we get into the Sermon on the Mount. I love these next three chapters of Matthew and I'd strongly advise each of you to bookmark or highlight these days because you'll be coming back to them for all sorts of answers. In short, the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' new ethic of perfection. By that I mean that each of us has the potential to be as good as Jesus and as perfect as Jesus and the laws and guidance that we need to follow are contained in these three chapters. We start with very short and sharp points about how we should be in our attitude towards our lives and other people. This is good stuff folks. Every day I'd challenge you to pick one of these attitudes and carry it through to the night.
On from that (I really don't want to waffle too much on this even though it's amazing ;o) ) we get to Jesus' first comparisons in Matthew. First we are the salt of the earth. Now this could mean several things. Salt adds flavour so it is our job to add the edge and taste of God in the rest of the world. Salt is also valuable, it used to be used as a form of currency, so our presence in this world is worth a lot to God. Salt is also a preservative. It keeps things fresh and healthy. We need to be living our lives in a way that keeps the world somewhere that God would consider healthy and vital. Full of life and potential. What a calling! But there's a warning in this too. If we fail in this task we'll be trampled and thrown out. Trampling to me suggests that we've been in the earth too much. So part of our witness, our saltiness if you will, is to remember who it is we're living our lives for and who we have to thank for each day's blessings.
Then Jesus talks about us as a light of the world, a term he also used to describe himself. Now that right there is pretty impressive. Imagine the Queen telling you that you were Her Royal Highness or Wayne Rooney letting you know that you were the most exciting footballer with an English passport (sorry John!) Here Jesus is saying that we're on the same level as Him. We can be the example that He sets. So how does he describe this light? It's something that people see and is constantly on show. But to me, this light isn't like a light that shines to people to help them, it's a beacon that people can look at. We're at the top of a hill it says in verse 14. Sounds like Hill Cliffe! But it's true, we're not just an example to God, we're an example to the rest of the world. People will expect more from us and that might not be fair, but the only way we can hope to come even close to their expectations of what a Christian should be is to rely on God to keep us living for Him. I keep saying that don't I? It's like it might be an important message!
Finally, and I'm well aware this has been another long one... we get our Psalm. I struggled to understand the meaning of this and I had to go to my Message translation to get another perspective. Again, I'd urge you if you struggle with any of the meanings in the translation that Soul Survivor have put out to get a different translation from biblegateway.com
Ok, now it makes more sense to me. David is basically scoffing at his enemies. He talks about how they try and pull him down with insults and gossip. How they are desperate for scandal and rumour. And all he has to say in response is in verse 3 where he points out that God has chosen him to be special and he doesn't need the support and validation of normal people when he can trust in God to give him joy. The message gives verse 7 as saying "more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees." David knows that true life, true happiness can only be found in putting your life's foundations in one place. Oh look, rely on God in all things again! I'd like if people would bookmark this Psalm as well once you figure out its meaning. This Psalm is a great one for when you feel like you're not good enough, like everyone is against you and like nothing you do will ever make you right with God. God's already picked you and loves you and wants you to be the best you can for Him.
So that's everything done for today. Sorry it's late and long. Feedback on the length would be great. Questions, criticisms and commments are welcome as always
Jon
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