BIBLE NOTES | The Cross, Foolishness

Cirencester Parish Church "Cathedral of the Cotswolds"

In a previous "Bible Notes" (See here) we spoke about the need for confidence in people of a certain age. With the pressures of younger  people wanting to make their mark and a society that seems to want to make the "Senior Citizen" more and more irrelevant,  there is ample reason for confidence to be the first characteristic to suffer.

 Scripture, on the other hand and as we have seen previously, places  those of advanced years firmly in the plans and purposes of God. "Old men will dream dreams" together with the wisdom and humility that comes from many years in His service are excellent reasons for confidence to be a vital part of the day to day life for the old. 

 The dreaming of dreams and the Godly wisdom of age are the things of the "Now" but there is something in our futures that should inspire supreme confidence and Ultimate Hope and that is our encounter with God as we begin our eternal life with Him. God has given us the wonderful promise that, if we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and that His salvation comes through the sacrifice He made on the cross, then,  as we come in humility asking for forgiveness then forgiveness we will receive together with the hope of eternal life with Him.

 The question that perhaps needs to be asked, "Is our confidence really grounded in that promise?" Or, put another way, "Do we actually believe it to be true and applicable to our lives?" The truth is that doubt concerning this point causes confidence to evaporate like the morning  dew. The rest of this article is an attempt to bring about a firmer foundation in our lives concerning this pivotal truth.

 The painting of scenarios can be a very useful tool to help understanding and we will use it here. In the words of many of the hymn writers, imagine that you have crossed the Jordan River and you are standing before God to answer for your life. (Did I say something about  confidence earlier? Give me a moment it is coming) continuing… an angel of the court asks you "Why are you here?". 

 How we answer that question will determine the validity of our understanding of Salvation. Wait! Another scenario begins to unfold. We find ourselves standing on a hill just outside Jerusalem and before us is the awful spectre of three men impaled on rough wooden crosses atop the hill. One of the men on one of the outside crosses is raining insults on the man on the middle  cross. The man on the other outside cross through his extreme pain and agony is trying to make sense of it all. Suddenly the fog of his suffering clears and he berates his colleague with words that will ring throughout history. "You don't know what you're talking about. We deserve  what is happening to us. He is totally  innocent." He turns his attention to the man on the middle cross and says to him "Master when you come into your  kingdom would you remember me? Jesus looked at him and said "Today you will be with me in paradise". The scene begins to fade and we find ourselves again standing before God. The difference though is that standing in line in front of us is a dishevelled young man racked with pain. The Angel asks the same question as before.  "What are you doing here?" He looks confused and says nothing. The Angel continues the questioning without letup and getting nowhere the Angel again asks his original question "Then why are you here? The man at last finds his voice and almost in a whisper makes his reply. "The Man on the middle cross told me I could come". The scene fades as we hear the celebration for one unlikely character that was being welcomed home.

 For us that conversation on that awful hill holds utmost significance. When faced with that penetrating question Why are you here? What will our answer be? The temptation for all of us is to answer in the first person i.e. I did this or that and I believed what I was supposed to believe etc. but, like that man on the third cross, will we make  that humble declaration he did and in the spirit of the line of that old hymn admit that there is "None of self and all of Thee". Have we based our ultimate hope in,  and drawn our confidence from, the simple fact that - Jesus told me I could come!

Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Titus 3:7 NLT

Roger Manchester UK

Inspiration drawn from a sermon by Alistair Begg

HYMNS | O Boundless Salvation

William Booth

 1 O boundless salvation! deep ocean of love

O fulness of mercy, Christ brought from above,

The whole world redeeming, so rich and so free,

Now flowing for all men, come, roll over me!

2 My sins they are many, their stains are so deep,

And bitter the tears of remorse that I weep;

But useless is weeping; thou great crimson sea,

Thy waters can cleanse me, come, roll over me!

3 My tempers are fitful, my passions are strong,

They bind my poor soul and they force me to wrong;

Beneath thy blest billows deliverance I see,

O come, mighty ocean, and roll over me!

4 Now tossed with temptation, then haunted with fears,

My life has been joyless and useless for years;

I feel something better most surely would be

If once thy pure waters would roll over me.

5 O ocean of mercy, oft longing I’ve stood

On the brink of thy wonderful, life-giving flood!

Once more I have reached this soul-cleansing sea

I will not go back till it rolls over me.

6 The tide is now flowing, I’m touching the wave,

I hear the loud call of the mighty to save;

My faith’s growing bolder, delivered I’ll be;

I plunge ‘neath the waters, they roll over me.

7 And now, hallelujah! the rest of my days

Shall gladly be spent in promoting his praise

Who opened his bosom to pour out this sea

Of boundless salvation for you and for me.

The Christian Hymnal is studied with songs depicting the sheer majesty and omnipotence of God. The truth is that they can, on their own,  only ever paint a small fraction of the subject they seek to describe. These "Anthems", for that is what they invariably become, bring us exuberantly before His throne with words like "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" and "Jesus, the Name high over All" to name a couple. They have, of course, become firm favourites throughout the Christian Church. 

 

William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, wrote a wonderful hymn that falls into this category. His song, "O Boundless Salvation" likens Salvation to an all consuming ocean with phrases like "Deep ocean of love" and "Come, roll over me", to mention a couple. The video demonstrates the international nature of the Christian Church and in particular this organisation. 

INSIGHT | Worship, Modern Style

 One of the top modern Gospel songs of today is Rick Founds' "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High", the inspiration of which can be found in many of the Psalms. The theme of wanting to express the desire "Lord I love to sing Your praises" can be found in a number of the hymns found in the Hymnal. Songs like "Praise to the Lord the Almighty the King of Creation and "We sing the praise of Him who died," to name a couple. The freshness and sing-ability however, of this song has made it a favorite in many modern worship settings.

INSIGHT | Worship, Country Gospel Style

 Country Gospel music has always had its own appeal with its emphasis on beautiful melody and earthy lyrics. In this piece the Annie Moses Band paints a powerful picture of the crucifixion asking the question "Were you there When they Crucified ny Lord?" Interestingly this vital theme was picked up in an earlier time by the famous hymn writer, Fanny Crosby in her well known song, "Near the Cross" See more here.

INSIGHT | Worship, Handel Style

Here at Ultimate Hope hymns and singing the Scriptures are important to us. So, as part of what we do here, we want to identify different settings and cultures in which this happens. we have chosen a piece from  the magisterial  composition by George Fredric Handel called the Messiah, "And the Glory of the Lord" from the first scene is performed by the Brussels Choral Society and Ensemble Orchestral de Bruxelles. The Scriptural foundation for this work can be found in Isaiah 40:5

INSIGHT | Worship, African Style

 One of the highest forms of worship is the singing of Scripture. Sample hymns like "The Lord's my Shepherd" Psalm 23, Holy Holy Holy" Revelation 4:8 and "Rock of Ages" Psalm 94:22 are but a few of those found in the hymnal. In this video the Nairobi Central Songsters of the Salvation Army continues this notion of singing Scripture with this exciting and moving rendition of the 27th Psalm and they bring a uniquely African flavour to it.  

HYMNS | Just as I Am

Charlotte Elliot 

Just as I am—without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot,

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings and fears within, without—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—poor, wretched, blind;

Sight, riches, healing of the mind,

Yea, all I need in Thee to find—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—Thou wilt receive,

Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;

Because Thy promise I believe—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—Thy love unknown

Hath broken every barrier down;

Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am—of that free love

The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,

Here for a season, then above—

O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

Charlotte Elliott suffered debilitating illness and bouts of deep depression. Her question concerning her usefulness was always with her. I’m convinced it was. With this glorious hymn of hers, ringing in their ears, hundreds and thousands of people came to our Savior when they walked from where they were sitting in the auditorium or stadium to the front of the stage where Billy Graham and his team were there to welcome them to their encounter with God.

HYMNS | He Giveth More Grace

Annie Johnson Flint

1. He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater

He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,

To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

2. When we have exhausted our store of endurance,

When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,

When we reach the end of our hoarded resources

Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

Refrain

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,

His power no boundary known unto men;

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus

He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

 The last two lines of the second verse are quite amazing in that they seem to indicate that, to enjoy the fullness of God's giving we have to have reached the end of ourselves. Another way of looking at it is, perhaps, that the measure of His giving is commensurate on the depth of our need.

BIBLE NOTES | Hope Deferred

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs ch13:12 (NLT)

As I was spending time reading my allotted Scripture for the day I came across a proverb that did not exactly fill me with much enthusiasm. The part that really got to me was where the writer says "Hope deferred makes the heart sick". The first thing to disturb me was the fact that the name of this site is "Ultimate Hope" - was I going to have to rethink the whole title and motivation for what we want to do here or how do I manage to square the circle? After I had dealt with the momentary panic that gripped me I came to realise that the whole phrase hung on the word "deferred". I needed to understand this word that seemed to have the power of turning hope into something unpleasant.

 

In my quest to understand this word I found Thesaurus.com the most helpful.  A few of the synonyms that grabbed my attention were as follows: 

 

• Postponed

• Delayed 

• Adjourned 

• Pigeonholed 

• Scrubbed

• On the shelf

 

The problem with deferment is that there is uncertainty about it. The Christian definition of the object of hope is one of certainty. Things like the forgiveness of sins through Christ and eternal life for those that acknowledge Christ as Saviour  fall into the category where we can have certainty about them. They are the "substance of things hoped for…"  Our hope is therefore founded on the Character of God. The objects of Christian hope like those above cannot be manipulated by the above list of synonyms. For instance,  God does not postpone or pigeonhole His promises. They are secure and delivered on time. We have good reason to make them objects of our hope.

 

Sickness of heart is a very real experience that many of us, from time to time, go through. If our hearts lack the joy and confidence that should be part of our lives and we are assailed by an unexplained sadness then, perhaps  a good place to start our self diagnosis is to ask the question,  what am I really putting my hope in? The hopes that form the bedrock of Christian life can, all too easily, be relegated to a lower priority. This allows for some of the vain promises of the World  to creep in. Things like: a pending wage rise or promotion or even a relationship that seems  to be going  nowhere. In these cases and many  others like them, our hopes have degenerated into forlorn longing that can rock the stability of our lives. 

 

So what, perhaps, is the point we can take away from all of this where heart wellness is concerned? Try this, examine what promises you presently place your hope in. If you diagnose anything else other than the promises of God then, perhaps, now is the time to refocus and reaffirm God as the highest priority. There is a helpful second part to the verse we have considered "a dream fulfilled is a tree of life". It does give a real and worth while reason for this refocusing procedure.

 

As I close here I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the title of this site is secure and that I have again discovered that there is such  a thing  as "Ultimate Hope"

Roger Manchester UK

PRAYER | Come Holy Spirit

Veni Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light...
Cleanse that which is unclean, water that which is dry, heal that which is wounded
Bend that which is inflexible, fire that which is chilled, correct what goes astray...
Grant the reward of virtue, grant the deliverance of salvation, grant eternal joy.

From: Lectio 365 - Source: https://hozana.org/en/prayer/holy-spirit/veni-sancte-spiritus 
Amen

PRAYER | Courage and Determination

Lakes in Switzerland

Father, God I pray for your Church.   As a member of your church I grieve, as you must grieve over the loss of millions of innocent lives who are needlessly murdered  in the mothers womb.

  

Equip your Church with the courage and the determination to let the world know  that we believe we haven't got the right over life and death!   ...

We need the boldness to speak out that we believe unborn babies have as much right to life as we have,   help us to  stand up to this!    We know you are FOR us if we love, fear and obey you.   Father we pray,  open the eyes of the hearts of those who believe they have the right over their body  as they permit  and encourage procedures in which those little bodies are being torn apart.   Open the eyes of people who  are blind to the sins they are committing!  Wake them up as they are waging a war against anyone who opposes them!  Soften their hearts and reawaken their consciences!    Father God,  also wake us up, your Church, to remember that every life is precious to you,  we need to rise up to our conviction and take responsibility to fight against these atrocities before it is too late, I plead, have mercy and help us.  

Amen

Elisabeth Manchester UK

BIBLE NOTES | Meditation on Mark 9:36-37

Boden, Switzerland

Personal Calling

Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.’

Mark 9:36-37

The needs of the world are overwhelming. But just because I can’t do everything, that isn’t a reason to do nothing. I notice that Jesus doesn’t ask His disciples to be magnanimous towards all humanity, but to welcome one child in His name. Who might that ‘one’ person be for me today?

Pete Greig, Lectio 365 9/08/22

Points to Draw from Mark  chapter 9.

Pete Greig's comment above is highly  significant in the World of today. The feelings of being overwhelmed are all too common to Christians trying to live effective lives in the situation they find themselves in. One major consideration that is often overlooked is the fact that we live in a highly connected World. News comes at us incessantly and it would seem that every five minutes or so a new item that demonstrates the brokenness of this World clamours for our attention. We can so easily stand on the shore line looking out towards the churning sea of World affairs and be transfixed by the sight of the massive tsunami hurtling towards us. NOW is the time to pray! 

The beautiful little chorus of yesteryear who's words take on a powerful significance are:

All your anxiety, all your care

Bing to the mercy seat leave them there

Never a burden He cannot share 

Never a friend like Jesus. 

One of the first signs of wisdom that we can demonstrate is an understanding of the finiteness of our own being. Having grasped the magnitude of our weakness we can turn to a far greater sign of maturity, that is the realisation of the infinity of God. The deluge that threatens to annihilate us is really not our concern. God, in His love, wants us to be aware of what we are part of. He is that seat of mercy the chorus above talks about. He doesn't, though, leave us as mere spectators. The effects the tsunami is having on the little rock pool we are standing beside is what God wants us to get involved with.

Another chorus, this time written for children will probably help here:

Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure light

Like a little candle burning in the night

In this World  of darkness so we must shine

You in your small  corner and I in mine.

In the naivety of these simple words we find deep and meaningful truths. 

• The purity of the way we live our lives

• That our lives should be an illumination in this "World of Darkness"

• We have territory assigned to us to be responsible for. 

Perhaps the third sign of wisdom that we will be called to display is the fact that we have an unassailable faith in God that He still works  miracles. Remember that shore line we spoke of earlier? God takes all of those people tending to the little rock pools that are their own small corners and, like Eziekiel's dry bones He takes them, adds His life and Spirit to them and builds from it all a mighty army that will "Conquer the foe".

The terrifying vision of that all devouring tsunami, the almost insignificant rock pool that is our small corner and God's heavy lifting forms part  of His master plan for this broken World we live in. The "NOW" is, of course what we mentioned earlier, namely pray, pray and pray again.

Do not be Afraid!

Roger Manchester UK

QUOTES | Church and World

Gloucester Cathedral

In his book "Conclave", Robert Harris records this injunction delivered by Cardinal Scarvizzi to a group of priests:

The World does not need a Church that moves with the World rather -

The World needs a Church that moves the World

Mentioned by Alistair Begg in a "Truth for Life" sermon 

PRAYER | Courage and Wisdom

Park in Greater Manchester

Lord God, I plead for courage to stand to my convictions whatever the cost!  

When we are in danger of caving in under pressure from a secular government.  When laws and political correctness hinder us from helping our fellow beings in distress!   Give me boldness to be "a good Samaritan" without the red tape restraint!   You have made it very clear in your word that you demand obedience.  You are God who is in charge.  You've made the world and all that is in it,  so you know best! 

 

Please help me to clearly know where you want me to draw the line between submission to the government and disobeying your commands!  I need your wisdom!   Thank you Father. 

Amen

Elisabeth Manchester UK

PRAYER | Against Injustice

Which Way?

 Father God, thank you that we are invited to come to you at any moment.  I thank  and praise you for your willingness to listen to us and that You are even delighted when we come!

Lord, today I want to bring to you the deterioration of morality in our country where a person is no longer able to speak out an opinion without risking dire consequences.   I bring to your attention M.M who was fired from her job for declairing her views on family and marriage.

Dear God!  You know the gross injustice of this case which brings free speech into jeopardy!   Show me if there is anything I can do, sign petition or speak out.  Lord God, in your mercy bring justice in such cases!  I love you and thank you. 

Amen. 

Elisabeth Manchester UK 

APOLOGETICS | Moral Law

 Which Way?

It is interesting to listen to Atheist scientists trying to substantiate the claim that moral rectitude can be derived from what has evolved to be the human brain. Their statement is that it can all be determined from what is in that organ and that God is not required. 

The eminent Oxford professor. John Lenox makes short work of this assertion by asking scientists what they do their science with. After they eventually admit to the fact that it is their brain he asks what the brain is and where it came from. Inevitably the evolutionary, reductive answer always refers to its origin being a  "senseless, unguided process". He then relates this process to the development of the computer sitting on their desk and asks that if it were made using the same evolutionary pathway would they have any reason to trust It? He always  presses them for an answer. After the inevitable response of "No" it precipitates, from Lenox the observation "Well I think you have a problem"

The problem with reductionism, in this case, is that, by its own admission, the course of evolution is driven by the notion of the survival of the fittest. There is no place for a moral code that advocates sanctity of life, the care of the disabled, the protection of babies and children and the safeguarding of the elderly, to mention just a few important points. Sadly Scientists cannot claim any high ground here for, within their fraternity,  there are people that have gone way beyond any boundaries of common decency. The Auschwitz doctors and many others who are making vast sums of money from body parts derived from the abortion of almost 60 million babies in the United States alone. (Suggested Prayer)

The Christian standpoint is that mankind is made in the image of God and, with that comes a recognition of a moral law that we can live by or break depending on our motivation (free will). As moral law cannot be derived from a "mindless, unguided process" dedicated to survival, it can only come  from outside of ourselves, from the heart of a loving God who says such things as, you must not murder or you must not lie etc. Of itself the bearing of the responsibility of formulating and, ultimately upholding such a law can only be carried by a being who is the embodiment of it.

Roger Manchester UK

PRAYER | Trust in God

Switzerland

Because I love you.

And for me it is a necessity of love,

This gift of myself,

This placing of myself in your hands

Without reserve

In boundless confidence

Because you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld, cited by Desmond Tutu, An African Prayer Book. United Kingdom, Crown Publishing Group, 2009. Mentioned in Lectio 365

QUOTES | What we Love

'The things we love tell us what we are.' I think about the things that are first and foremost in my heart. What do they say about me?

Tomas Aquinas

GOOD NEWS | Tom Holland

 A new book, set to overturn the notion of the importance of today's battle between Christians and Atheists, has hit the book shelves of book stores up and down the country. In Tom Holland's book "Dominion - The making of the Western mind" he, as an Atheist, seeks to advocate that the last two millennia in the West have been fashioned almost entirely by Christianity. He has faced a degree of criticism from prominent Atheists but he has successfully rebutted their argument. Indeed, in an interview with self avowed Atheist, Dan Snow, he dismantled any claim by Snow that there were other major Influencers in antiquity. Holland is at pains to set the apostle Paul's letters together with the four Gospels in the position of being the most important narrative to come out of the ancient world. He attributes the basis of Western  civilisation, with its emphasis on equal justice  for all and compassion for the weak and marginalised, almost entirely on the influence of the Christian Gospel. 

There does seem to be a move in the Atheist camp to recognise the fact that, while the God question still remains a step too far, the absolute need for fundamental Christian ethics is something they may have to live with.  The question that now, perhaps bubbles to the surface is - Can society that is secular by persuasion, successfully accept the gifts Christianity has to offer while, at the same time, ignoring the giver of those gifts?

Roger Manchester UK

BIBLE NOTES | Ezekiel ch37:6b

 

I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 37: 6b (NIVUK)

This particular Scripture reference I found in the devotional app "Lectio 365", something that I find particularly helpful. The fact that I have a respiratory condition that leaves me somewhat breathless at times makes this reading rather poignant. I know what it is like to be deficient where breath is concerned.  The listlessness that comes with it certainly brings fresh understanding to the phrase "and you will come to life"

The Holy Spirit, the bringer of God's spirit, instantly comes to mind and His Baptism and constant infilling brings, at least to me, the truth of the final phrase "Then you will know that I am the Lord"

Roger Manchester UK