Mar 9th

Exodus 20     Job 38     Luke 23     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

It is not until Job 38 that God responds to Job’s complaint. He does so ‘out of the storm’ and in a passage which sets one poetic image after another leaves us in awe both of God’s power and the sheer variety of his creation. It is one of those moments which will leave Job more or less silent, reminding us of the other times when people find themselves face to face with God and can do no more than fall to their knees (other examples would be Isaiah encountering God in the temple – Isaiah 6:5 – or Thomas – John 20:28). God does nothing however to answer Job’s question about his suffering. Confronted with the presence of God, his question falls away.

Whilst the book of Job (and the Bible itself) does not answer the question of suffering, Luke 23 gives us a different perspective. We see that God is far from aloof or indifferent to suffering but immerses himself in the worst experiences of this world. Jesus is put on trial before Pilate and then Herod, rejected by the crowds in favour of Barabbus, an insurrectionist and murderer, mocked, crucified and put to death. But this is more than just solidarity with us. Suffering and death is not the last word and ‘the first day of the week’ will bring a new dawn…

For thought:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Is there anything you feel angry with God about?

<!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->How do you think God feels about it?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 8th

Exodus 19     Job 37     Luke 22     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

There are interesting connections between Exodus 19 and Luke 22. In Exodus 19 the people are reminded both of how God has rescued them and how they are to become ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Exodus 19:6), a people whose changed lives will display God’s ways to the world. (We might think of this as part 1 of his plan.) He is about to enter a covenant with them by giving them a new way of living. There are 2 poles of true faith: God’s transforming love for the world (and for us) and our transformation to new life to take part in his plans. And Exodus 19:9-25 shows us we stand on holy ground here.

Luke 22 shows us the beginnings of the second great stage of that plan. In Jesus God offers a new covenant. He involves himself in life at it hardest – betrayal, pain, suffering and ultimately death. This is all about self-giving, symbolised in the broken bread and shared wine. It will ultimately lead to the establishment of God’s ways throughout creation as the Kingdom of God comes (Luke 22:16).

As ever the disciples are slow on the uptake and remain concerned with their status, being slow to learn that serving others is a key part of the true freedom that God’s reign brings (Luke 22:24-27).

For thought:

·         In coming into God’s presence am I conscious of standing on holy ground?

·         How can I respond to Jesus by serving?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 7th

Exodus 18     Job 36     Luke 21     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Jethro is a priest of a foreign religion but hears of what God has done to Israel and worships him (Exodus 20). The great promise to Abraham is being fulfilled that God will use Israel – these rather inconsistent, flaky people - to bless all nations. What impresses him is what God has done and in particular the way he rescued Israel from slavery in Egypt. Once again there is nothing abstract about faith – it is about God involved in the nuts and bolts of everyday life. But more than anything it is about the God who rescues and sets free.

At the same time he brings a little practical wisdom to Moses in teaching him to delegate. Moses is a great leader who has risked everything in responding to God’s call but, like many leaders, finds it difficult to spread the load. There is something rather surprising about a story which shows us both the grandeur of God’s plan for the world being fulfilled and yet the ordinariness of the leader learning management skills.

For thought:

• In the big picture we see God’s reign spreading to all people. Who or what is God giving you a particular concern for?
• How can we best support people who are involved in leading us?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 6th

Exodus 17     Job 35     Luke 20     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Job is not an easy book to follow. Much of what Job’s friends say to him about God and about human life seems to be correct. But Elihu is the least attractive of the friends (Job 35). He stands in judgment over Job, assumes Job’s suffering is punishment for sin (which we know is not true) and show no sympathy. He claims there is a direct connection between doing right and prospering and between sin and suffering. We know from the book that things are not so simple in the real world. The God he claims to speak for is a distant one who stands aloof from the world.

Luke’s portrait of Jesus shows us quite the opposite. Jesus engages with a variety of people in Luke 20, many of them hostile. He tells a story (the Parable of the Tenants) in which the vineyard owner is persistent in visiting his vineyard, to the point of sending his son to his death. And yet this son is the hope of Israel (‘the Son of David’) who sits at God’s right hand to rule creation (Luke 20:41-44).

For thought:

Are there parts of my daily life in which Jesus wants to be more engaged?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 5th

Exodus 16     Job 34     Luke 19     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

In story after story in Luke’s Gospel we catch glimpses of what God’s reign through Jesus is like. But if there is one story to sum it up it might be Zaccheus’ encounter with Jesus (Luke 19:1-9). Jesus’ words, ‘The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost’ could summarise the entire Gospel.

The corrupt Zaccheus is pretty unattractive. Corrupt, compromising with the Roman occupiers and exploiting the poor. Yet Jesus picks this most unlikely of people out of the crowd and visits him. Once just an observer from his place in the tree he responds to Jesus not just with words of allegiance but a completely changed way of life. Abraham was called to be a blessing to all people. Zaccheus becomes a ‘son of Abraham’ and a blessing to others. The wealth he had gathered for himself he then used to repay the people he had wronged.

For thought:

· Has God put unlikely people in my path to whom He wants me to show his love?

· Are there areas of my life which God particularly wants to transform?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 4th

Exodus 15     Job 33     Luke 18     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Most of Exodus 15 is a song of praise to God after He has rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, miraculously enabling them to cross the Red Sea. Perhaps the most striking thing about the song is that it is all about God. We sometimes sing words like, ‘Its all about you, Jesus’. But is this more how we would like it to be than how it is? Exodus 15:1-18 really is all about God.

Notice also that Israel’s praise is based on what God has done in rescuing them. Unlike the philosophers, Israel is less interested in what God is like in some abstract sense than how he can be known by what he has done. In fact passing through the Red Sea is the event Israel looks back to again and again in remembering God's rescue. When they find themselves in Exile in Babylon many years later they again look for God to rescue them in the way he rescued them from Egypt.

For thought:

·         In my worship can I really say, ‘Its all about you, Jesus’?

·         In what way do we need rescue?

(Christ Church lay preacher)

Mar 3rd

Exodus 14     Job 32     Luke 17     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

The Israelites, surrounded and frightened, complain to Moses about God’s guidance and start doubting Moses’ leadership but Moses reminds them to trust God. Do we complain to God sometimes about where he leads us? Do we trust that God is in control even when feeling frightened and surrounded? Later the angel of God, represented by a pillar of cloud,  moves between the two camps as a visible sign of his protection.

Moses has the choice of whether to follow God’s instructions. We can choose whether to obey God. Due to Moses’ obedience God can show the Israelites that he is more powerful than the Egyptian army. God reveals more of himself to the Israelites. He shows his power through the wind (God’s breath?). God even hardens the hearts of Pharaoh and the Egyptians to enable him to show his glory. God knew what Pharaoh would do. God shows the Egyptians that Israel’s God is the true God. The victory is won by God alone and it’s a complete victory.

The Israelites move from unbelief and fear to trust and faith. They develop a new kind of fear that of reverential trust & commitment to Gods will. Their trust also increases in God’s appointed leader.

God was guiding Israelites by day and night and today he guides in many different ways. We need to follow Gods guidance, even if it seems crazy. God reveals his will in his perfect timing. Often it’s more to do with our willingness to obey God, rather than not knowing what he wants us to do.     

(women’s ministry)