…except that a few good friends of mine this week committed themselves, on their knees, to follow him? More than 2000 years on, Jesus is still the Son of God – still changing lives! But would Jesus agree that he really was all that – and more? Would be be rolling in his grave to think that a religion based on him even existed? Wasn’t he just a teacher? A good man? Could he actually be God? Well what kind of God would you want God to be, to be called God? Theologians talk about various ATTRIBUTES of God, for God to really be called God, he’d have to fit the bill. God would have to be immutable (unchanging). The Bible says, Jesus is the same, yesterday, today and forever. You would think God – to be worthy of the epithet – would be eternal: he’d have no beginning and no end. Read the beginning of John’s gospel – Jesus fits that bill! Surely you’d want him omniscient – all knowing? Jesus certainly ‘grew in wisdom and stature,’ but […]
Author: Anthony Delaney
I speak, I write, I lead.
Punctures
Went out on my bike this morning, had all the stuff with me for if there was minor disaster, but ended up with a major blow-out and the whole tyre needing to be replaced (the one thing I didn’t have with me!). As God would have it, just at that ‘oh what a nightmare’ moment, the local police officer – who I happen to know, just happened to appear! He gave me and the bike a lift all the way home, and was able to warn me about a spate of burglaries locally as well as have a good chat generally, with him and another officer. I had been thinking earlier in the day that I need to start to redefine myself as a missionary to western culture rather than a church leader, in order to help people in our church and Christians with whom I come into contact to see a model. A great place for me to be able to befriend people and have contact for the gospel is through these police contacts, as the newly appointed chaplain […]
Exclusive Christianity?
We have this course going at the mo called ‘Big Buts.’ Tonight I’m speaking on “But what about all the other religions?” Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life, nobody comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6). Isn’t that very exclusive and intolerant? How can Christians believe that in a world where their adherents make up at best a third of the population (most of them nominal, see the pie up above? I’d slice it a lot thinner)? Some thoughts on that then. Firstly, Christianity is not the only religion that makes claims which are exclusive. 1.5 billion Muslims claim exclusivity, in a linguistic fashion for starters – the means of salvation is available through study of the Qur’an, for which you’d need a sophisticated understanding of Arabic. Buddhism was borne out of a rejection of the truth claims of Hinduism. Sikhism came as a challenge to both Hinduism and Buddhism. Of course there are atheists who believe (sic) there is no God, some of whom are keen to exclude the truth claims of […]
The end of the world as we know it?
This week I’ve been reading ‘Scared to Death – from BSE to Global Warming; why scares are costing us the Earth.’ Quite a long title – and a lot of read at nearly 500 pages. Well worth it though – here’s what it says about itself: This book for the first time tells the inside story of each of the major scares of the past two decades, showing how they have followed a remarkably consistent pattern. It analyses the crucial role played in each case by scientists who have misread or manipulated the evidence; by the media and lobbyists who eagerly promote the scare without regard to the facts; and finally by the politicians and officials who come up with an absurdly disproportionate response, leaving us all to pay a colossal price, which may run into billions or even hundreds of billions of pounds. This book culminates in a chillingly detailed account of the story behind what it shows has become the greatest scare of them all: the belief that the world faces disaster through man-made global warming. Personally, I’m […]
big buts
Well, that’s the name of the course for ‘spiritual seekers’ we just started last night, rather than something I suggest you go looking for online. We looked last night about how Christianity specifically and religion generally has a bad press. People think it’s boring, untrue and irrelevant to daily life in the C21st. I said I used to think that was the case, but (obviously) some things have happened to change my mind. I ended up asking our discussion groups whether there were things people there used to believe but don’t any more or vice versa, things you used not to believe and now you do. When I was a kid I thought all the countries stacked one on top of the other somehow, it took me ages to work out that whole ‘the world isn’t flat’ thing. Some people would acquaint all theists with flat earthers! I’m happy to change my mind, if my mind needs changing. How about you?
Stewards R Us
God’s wisdom is easy to understand – but hard to APPLY. Biblical money management, God-honouring stewardship, is about wisdom and character more than income or education. It has to do with old-fashioned discipline. It’s more than 80% about choices. It’s not just hearing, it’s doing. I’ve begun to realise I really can be an encouragement to others, really honour God with this really important area of my finances, I can even give increasingly, joyfully and freely, more and more and more – if I can just get to control this idiot I shave with! When people in church tomorrow hear the word stewardship, many of them may switch off and just think I’m going to say, ‘Give the church more money!’ But stewardship, what the Bible says about that, is that stewardship is basically all about how you look after what belonged to another. It involves money, but encompasses much more – and I don’t want to talk about amount so much as attitude. The word comes out of KJV – written in the times of the feudal system.// Everyone […]
No possessions?
This coming Sunday I’ll be speaking on the line in Lennon’s Imagine when he said, “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can, nothing to kill or die for, a brotherhood of man.” Is money the root of all evil (as the Bible is often misquoted as saying?). Are poor people in some sense better off? Would the world be better if they just gave everyone the same, whether a little or a lot? How long would that system last? One of my readings is the famous story of the ‘Rich Young Ruler.’ He appears in all three of the Synoptic gospels, went away from Jesus sad, because he had a lot of money. Does more make you miserable? Your thoughts and ideas appreciated, as I try to gather mine.
Our Vision
Can I share with you what the vision of our church is? The Bible says, “Without a vision the people perish.” If we can’t see where we’re going, we’re not going. We need a vision or we’re going nowhere. Here’s what we’re about. To extend the Kingdom of God one life at a time in West Horsley and the surrounding area by becoming more like Jesus Christ one day at a time The Kingdom of God is not seen in the Bible as a limited geographical area, like our little village of West Horsley. Instead the word Kingdom could be better rendered as ‘Kingship.’ The Kingdom of God is wherever God is King. Wherever he reigns and rules. He is God of the whole universe he created. That’s his right, that’s his position. Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of Lords. But non of us are born his subjects. Like a friend of mine has recently rejoiced in becoming a citizen of this country, we have to accept his rule, and say, “My citizenship is in heaven.’ That’s […]
Imagine there’s no Heaven
Next Sunday we start a series of talks (me first) based on John Lennon’s song, Imagine. I do like the song musically etc., grew up with it – but it just says so many things that I don’t think of as actually utopian. CS Lewis had entirely the opposite view: Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither. I’ve been to the top of some impressive mountains, sat on idyllic beaches in various places, bought some cool stuff. But you always end up after the latest adventure or acquisition with the same question – “What’s next?” That longing for something more, better, above…where/Who does that come from? We’re not home yet. Where’s John Lennon now? Lewis said in Mere Christianity something to the effect that if people have no desire for heaven, then their presence there would only spoil it so why would God force them to go? (pg 63) The point is not that God will refuse you admission to His eternal world if you have not certain qualities of […]
Why is fat so easy?
Just been out on my cycle for 23 miles. No, the picture above isn’t me – but I want to get some of the weight off that’s so quickly accumulated over this festive season. A very western ‘disease,’ – creeping chubbitum. Why is it so easy to put weight on? I can usually take it off okay (blood, sweat and tears), but as you get older it seems to get harder not to end up looking like you’re wearing an inflatable rubber ring under your shirt. that stuff about turning 40 was true for me! Now I’m not paranoid about it. I know God loves every inch of me (so if I put on some more inches will he love me more?). I like the fact that God looked on the fat portions and was pleased… and nobody’s ever going to mistake me for an anorexic, but I just feel so much better when I’m not carrying around Christmas pudding. So tomorrow, I’ll start the New Year running.