We continue from where we left off in our study last week and in the remainder of chapter four, and then chapter five, we find Jesus quickly going about His Ministry.

Read Luke 4:31-44

Those listening to Jesus speaking would have heard many Rabbi’s before and many claiming to be men of God so why were the people so amazed at Jesus teaching here?

1. He spoke with complete authority. Often in Jewish teaching at that time the teachers would continually quote one rabbi and sage after another and cite from various other texts. Jesus cited no-one. He did not speculate. He did not offer alternative suggestions. He was- is – the living Word of God.
2. His authority was not only a matter of style or content. It manifest itself in great power, by His Word people were healed. Even the demons recognised this authority.
3. In verses 42-44 there is a sense of urgency to go out and take this Good News to others in need.

Today that task falls to us so perhaps we need to reflect on how urgent a task this is for us. How and when do we share the Good News with others and do we do so with a sense of passion and fire in our hearts?

Read Luke 5:1-11

These verses recall the calling of Jesus first Disciples, but what is the central issue of this portion of Scripture^?

1. Here we begin to get an idea of Jesus special interest in Simon Peter.
2. Here Jesus is calling Peter to begin his preparation for his own ministry as an Apostle

Today we are all called to follow in the footsteps of Peter and the other Disciples, however, how willing are we to listen to Jesus as He seeks to prepare us to fulfil our calling?

Read Luke 5:12-26

Why was Jesus touch so unexpected yet so important to these men’⁷

1. Because of their illness they would have been considered unclean.and as such they would have been excluded and outcast from their community.
2. Jesus touch not only cured them, but enabled them to return to their community.

How often do stop to consider how much a hug or simply taking someone’s hand actually means to that person, especially so when they are going through difficult times.

Read Luke 5:27-39

What was the prime complaint and criticism levelled at Jesus by the Pharisees⁹

1. He was associating Himself with outcasts and sinners
2. He was associating with those considered unacceptable within their culture.

Jesus came that all might find salvation in Him. How good are we at sharing that Good News with all people?

It is almost as if Luke is saying to us in these verses, “Listen to the Son of God when He speaks and take note of the power and authority of His Word, The Living Word of God” This Word challenged the minds of those who heard it; they were amazed at the power & authority. It healed their broken bodies; it cured them of their physical ailments. It healed their broken relationships; it enabled them to return to their communities. Indeed it changed their lives completely, so much so that Peter and other left everything behind to follow Jesus.

The question is, what are we prepared to leave behind to follow Jesus?

Lord we continue thank You for the message of Luke and in these troubling days especially pray that You would help us to remember that through Your Son You came to live among us and that by Your Spirit You are here with us now to offer us the support, encouragement and help we need as You share with us in all we are going through. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

‘I am the good shepherd…’ (John 10:11)

The Book of Psalms has long since been a favourite of many Scots and even today when we follow the liturgy in the Book Of Common Order, there is usually the option of a Psalm to use as a reading in our Sunday services or in the opening Call To Worship. And when we think of the Psalms, it’s perhaps fair to say that the most well  known of these will be the 23^rd Psalm.

In Old and New Testament times the shepherd would sleep out in the open with his sheep the whole year round and as we see in the story of the Lost Sheep in Luke, would probably know each and every one of them individually. Indeed, when we look at the words of this Psalm we have this wonderful image of the shepherd looking after his flock; protecting them when need be and keeping them safe from danger.

In our latest, ‘I am…’ saying from Jesus, whilst He doesn’t actually call Himself a shepherd, our Lord describes Himself as the Good Shepherd and just as shepherds back them watched over and cared for their sheep so Jesus watches over and cares for us. He provides us with all that we need and guides us through the dangerous paths of life that we all encounter everyday, and in Him we are able to find peace and rest for our souls.

Like sheep we too at times wander and get lost, like sheep we too need protection and watching over and like sheep we too need someone who will care for us no matter what. In Jesus we have that Good Shepherd.

Lord, we give You thanks for Your care and mercies, and for all the blessings You pour upon us every day. Help us to acknowledge our need of You, to listen for Your voice and to come to You when You call us. All this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

‘I am the gate for the sheep…’ (John 10:7)

I’m not a fan of labyrinths. I’m not claustrophobic but there is something about labyrinths that just make me want to look for a quick way out and wish that suddenly a door or gate might open up to enable me to make that escape. But I wonder if we’ve ever given any thought to the question. What is the real purpose of a door or a gate? Is it to keep us out or to keep us in? Or is it to let us out or to let us in? All one and the same, you might say, and you might be right. But maybe the way we view a door or gate is dependent on our frame of mind at that time.

In the passage in John where we find this next ‘I am…’ of Jesus, we find Jesus talking about sheep and how He is the good shepherd, and we’ll reflect more on that tomorrow. But in this short verse Jesus is effectively telling us that he is both the way out of all that is wrong in our lives and the way in to all that is good – life everlasting in the presence of God. Jesus is that door or gate that no-one else or nothing else can be. We can only come to God through Jesus and unless we open that door or gate and enter in we will spend an eternity without God. In Revelation 3:20 we are told, ‘Here I am. I stand at the door and knock…’ The only question that remains is this, are we going to open that door?

Lord, we thank You that You provide for us a way to be reconciled to our Father in Heaven. Help us to open that door that we might be with You and help us also to bring others along with us that they too might find salvation. And all this we ask in Jesus name.

‘Peace be with you…’ (John 20:26)

Read John 20:19-31

The season of Easter allows the Church to look at how the early church understood the Easter story and what difference that experience made as it sought to witness boldly to its truth and power. Following the Resurrection, John answers the question as to what difference the Resurrection of Christ makes in the lives of those who come to believe it. And on the same evening of that first day of the week, John begins to answer that question by depicting the followers of Christ hiding, huddled together behind locked doors, hiding in fear of the religious authorities. In essence,  what happened earlier at the tomb doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference!

I remember some time ago, before I came here, talking to someone who had just joined the church. But later, after the wonderful celebration of that day, he confessed that he found himself asking the question – what now? And in a sense, by beginning his story with the disciples all huddled together in fear, keeping out of sight, John now sets the stage to answer that question – what now? – in terms of the Resurrection.

As the disciples are together behind the locked doors, Jesus appears and brings greetings by offering peace to them. It was what they needed in a time of chaos and fear. But then that shouldn’t surprise us. Jesus has a way of knowing about us and He brings us just what we need. However, Jesus has a much larger purpose here as he has come to help the disciples experience the fullness of His Resurrection.

For the other Gospel writers it was important that the Resurrection be confirmed with appearances of Jesus in a risen form. To see Jesus is to believe. Evidently an empty tomb is not enough. But for john, Jesus has more in mind, however, than merely appearing. John relates how Jesus fulfils his promise of a counsellor that would come and be with them. Therefore, in the upper room Jesus breathes on the disciples the Holy Spirit and gives them power and authority to forgive sins. Jesus seems to have a purpose as to how he wants to leave the disciples who cannot follow him. In that room he gives them a purpose, a presence, and an authority. In essence, Jesus commissions them to go.

John also wants readers to understand that this new work of God in Christ is now in the hands of these who have dared to follow Jesus. Through these Disciples, the church is commissioned by Christ to witness to the power of Resurrection living and John wants the Church to claim the purpose for which it was created and commissioned. He wants the Church to trust the presence of the Holy Spirit as it seeks to lead and guide its ministry to a broken and hurting world. Such is the nature of the church and what Jesus calls it to be.

After Jesus departs they witness to Thomas, who was absent from the upper room, but as Thomas hears their story he responds by saying the only way he will believe is to see it for himself.  And once again the biblical narrative describes us for who we are. Like Thomas, we all want to taste, touch, smell, see, and hear the fullness of something before we will accept its claim. Isn’t this an honest portrayal of who we are. So where then does this leave us?

Much is made of the doubts of Thomas in this passage, but maybe the real message of this story is that when we experience the presence of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit, we are never the same – either way. Or at least we should never be the same. We may have doubts, questions or concerns, and the story of Thomas lets us see that it is okay to have these. However, such an experience should not only transform who we are, indeed that is only really the beginning, such an experience should empower us to boldly bear witness to our Lord and Saviour.

Through such an experience we too are commissioned and sent. We too are given power and authority. And we too are provided with a presence and called to a purpose. Ultimately, our mission now, is like the mission of those first century apostles. We are the ones who are now to go and make others aware of the difference knowing Jesus Christ in our lives makes. That together, as we too stand in such an experience, we can do little else but echo the words of Thomas, …My Lord and my God.

Lord, as we stand in Your Risen presence, help as to allow You to transform us from within. That by the Holy Spirit, no matter what fears, doubts or concerns we may have, we may boldly go in Your name, proclaiming the Gospel message far and wide in all we say and do. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen

Sunday Evening – National Call To Prayer

As has been the case over the past few weeks, the leaders of all Churches have come together to call us to prayer at 7.00pm this Sunday evening. Underneath is a prayer by the leaders of all churches that could be used to begin this time of prayer. The full statement can be found on the Church of Scotland website where it also lists all those leaders whom signed that statement.

Living God, speak into the depths of our experience,
Speak the word that stills our fears
And calms our anxieties:
‘Peace be with you.’
Speak your word to the lonely and to the broken,
To the bereaved and to those whose world has crumbled:
‘Peace be with you.’

Faithful God, speak to us behind locked doors
As we remember others, who risk their own safety,
In order to serve others:
Peace be with them.
Carers and nurses, doctors and ambulance drivers,
Delivery drivers and shop assistants:
Peace be with them.

God who inspires Hope, speak to us in the present
And speak to us of the future,
For though the doors are locked, in time they shall be open:
Peace shall be renewed.
For those who lead the life of our Nation: Our Queen Elizabeth,
First Minister and Prime Minister, and all who shape our common life,
For us all: Peace shall be renewed.

God whose name is love and whose gift is love,
Open our hearts to know you and to love you,
To love you and to love our neighbour
And as we do, to hear again: ‘Peace be with you.’
May we find our strength in you,
And hear again:
‘Peace be with you.’

‘I am the light of the world…’ (John 8:12)

Have you ever been in a room, or indeed anywhere, where it is so dark that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. When I left school and joined the Merchant Navy, before going to sea I had to do a Fire Fighting Course at Macdonald Road Fire Station in Leith and in one exercise we had to enter a replica engine room, with no power or lighting and filled with smoke. It was terrifying. We were of course under supervision and being watched at all times, but having to feel your way forward, inch by inch, using the backs of your hands because you couldn’t see a thing. It’s an experience I will never forget.

In such darkness it only takes one small light to suddenly make a difference. Your visibility may not improve all that significantly, however, something in that small light lifts your spirits and calms your fears, and suddenly you feel so much better. You now feel you can move forward with whatever you are doing.

In this passage where we find this next ‘I Am…’ saying of Jesus, our Lord isn’t just saying that he can light up a room or any other enclosed space. He isn’t even saying that He could light up one community or one town. He is the Light of the World.  However, Jesus wasn’t thinking here of the kind of light that we might think of.

All too often darkness is associated with fear and with bad things. But with Jesus in our life nothing is ever as dark as it first might seem. Our Lord brings light into our lives as nothing or no-one else can. He is the very embodiment of light – of all that is good and true – and no matter how dark a situation we might find ourselves in, His light will always be there for us. A light to follow as we navigate our way through the darkness and a beacon of hope as we look to the future, and how we need that light in our lives today. So look to Jesus, allow His light to shine in your heart and follow that light every day. But more than that allow it to shine in you that others may also come to know the light of the World for themselves.

Lord, we give You thanks that through Your Son You are always there for us. Even in our darkest days You are there to shine in that darkness. Help us we pray to follow that light as best we can, in Jesus name. Amen.

‘I am the bread of life…’ (John 6:35)

I wonder how many of us have been to a show or a concert, or watched one on television, where after the performing artist has finished and left the stage, the audience clap and call for an encore. From the audience point of view it shows that they have enjoyed the show so much that they want more and from the artist’s point of view it lets them know just how much their performance was appreciated by the audience.

It could be argued that a similar situation exists in our Gospel passage in John where we find this, the first of seven ‘I Am…’ sayings of Jesus. It follows soon after the feeding of the 5000 and the crowd follow Jesus to this location, wanting more of the same, in a sense. Yet it would seem that the crowds here are more interested in their physical needs and have failed to truly understand the spiritual significance of the feeding of the 5000 prior to this.

In saying that He was the Bread of Life Jesus is letting the crowds – and us today – know that He is the one who is able to feed us spiritually. He isn’t saying that he was like the bread they had just eaten to fulfil their physical needs, rather He was speaking metaphorically. He was emphasising that He isn’t just bread to fulfil our physical hunger, He is the Bread of Life that sustains and we all need this Bread of Life every day. Every day we need to feed on the Living Word of God – to nourish and sustain us and to enable us to grow in faith. Every day we need this Bread of Life to give us the strength, courage and encouragement we need to help us find a way through all that life throws at us. Every day we need Jesus in our lives, so come to Him and allow Him to sustain you as only He can.

Lord, we give You thanks that through Your Son You have come to us and that in Him we can grow in faith and draw closer to You. Help us to do this, to come the Living Word each day that we may flourish in our faith and at the same time witness to others, that they too may come to Your Word. Amen

‘Do not worship any other god…’ (Exodus 34:14)

Sociologists will tell us that as human beings, even when there is no form of religion or spirituality involved, we practise rituals, almost on a daily basis, that effectively constitute a form of worship. In our working lives and our leisure activities, wherever we do things that follow specific patterns and whenever we do things that we are passionate about, at the same times each day or each week, then without perhaps being aware of it, our actions effectively equate to a form of worship. Needless to say, however, from a Christian perspective worship means something different altogether.

Scottish Theologian John Macquarrie once said, ‘It is because God has first of all made us in His own image that we find implanted in us the desire to worship Him and to grow in likeness to Him…’  and certainly when we look through the pages of the Bible we find this idea of worship clearly illustrated. But what does it actually mean for us as we seek to live out our lives of faith every day.

True worship in a Christian sense is the fulfilment of the relationship we have with God through His Son and by His Spirit. Yes, it’s about coming to Church and about joining with others in worship and fellowship when we can and yes it’s about personal devotion time, when we are alone with God, reading His Word and coming before Him in prayer. But more than this, true worship is about living our lives every single day in a way that honours and glorifies God. It’s about putting God first in our lives and seeking as best we can to live as He would have us, walking in the footsteps of His Son, bearing witness to His love and His message in all we say and do.

Lord, You have made us to worship You, so help us to do so, we pray. Help us to live lives worthy of Your name, that might worship You as we should, to the glory and honour of Your name. Amen.

I was asked yesterday if it might be possible to do some kind of Bible Study on the website, similar to the kind of thing I would normally put in the Isla Link, So for as long as this lockdown period lasts I will do this on a Wednesday, the day on which I would normally be having a Bible Study, and will start by looking at selected portions of Luke’s Gospel.

Background Information On Luke:

Luke was a Gentile, probably of Greek origin, and is believed to have been a doctor. He spent a lot of time in the company of the Apostle Paul and witnessed his revolutionary change of attitude after his Damascus conversion. So when Luke wrote his Gospel he was careful to show that from the very beginning God planned that His message should be for all kinds and classes of people. So, Luke paints a portrait of Jesus as One whose love reaches out to every single member of the human race.

In Luke’s Gospel the coming and mission of Jesus is written in a very narrative form, with great effort being put into showing the ministry of Jesus as being part of the continuing redemptive plan of God for everyone. He seeks to challenge his audience to discern the purpose of God such that they may embrace this and order their own lives around it.

Luke’s Gospel is often described as being the Pastoral Gospel and from the outset, where Luke shares with us his understanding of Jesus Ministry, we see why it is thought of in this way.

Read Luke 4:14-21

For Luke, it seems, these verses encapsulate what Jesus’ Ministry is all about.

But just who are ‘the poor’ that we hear of in these verses?

1. Those who were living in poverty and deprivation at that time.
2. Those who were excluded from the norm of society: Gentiles: anyone who was not a Jew Samaritans: descendants of Jews who had intermarried. Tax-collectors: often regarded as real no-hopers. Women: definitely thought of as second-class citizens Outcasts: people like lepers and others banished from the community. ‘Sinners’: anyone who didn’t live according to the Law of Moses.
3. In what ways might we be considered poor?

Who are ‘the prisoners’ that we are told will be freed?

1. Not political or criminal prisoners held by the Romans.
2. Prisoners of their own sinfulness – Prisoners of Satan.
3. What ‘prisons’ might we need to be set free from today?

Who are ‘the blind’ that will have their sight restored?

1. Yes, those who were physically blind.
2. But what about those who were spiritually blind – and what does this mean for us today?

And what is the ‘release’ that we are told of?

1. Release entails forgiveness, literally, ‘release from sins’
2. Release also involves nullifying the binding power of Satan.
3. What does this teach us about our forgiveness of others?

Read Luke 4:22-30

After reading in the Synagogue Jesus initially seems to have been well received, but then things suddenly change – why is this?

1. Jesus implied that those listening were as unbelieving as those in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the days of Elijah and Elisha, a time of great wickedness in the land.
2. He also suggests that God sometimes chooses to reach Gentiles rather than Jews.
3. How well received are we when we share the Gospel message and how can God use us?

In short, Luke aims to present Jesus as our Saviour, the Saviour of all the world. But as we seek to share this message with others, how well is it received today and how often is it misunderstood?

Lord we thank You for the message of Luke and pray that we might learn to share this Good News with all people in the way that Luke would have us do and in the way that Jesus Himself would have us do. All this we ask in Jesus name. Amen.

‘…everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms…’ (Luke 24:344)

As we go about our daily lives there are so many things that we perhaps take for granted because they are part and parcel of our lives, yet if we just stop and pause for a moment and reflect on these, we not only realise just how wonderful they are but also how little our understanding of them actually is. Over these last few weeks, for example, so many of us will have been keeping in touch with loved ones via the many social media options we now have – and I’m sure like me you will have found this so uplifting and rewarding. Experts will tell us that it is all down to satellite communications and the technology that comes with it, but do we ever consider what this actually entails? How is it possible for us to virtually sit in the homes of our loved ones at the other end of the country, perhaps even at the other end of the world, and see and talk to them as if we were sitting next to them? Ultimately of course it doesn’t matter how much we understand the science or technology behind it, as long as we can connect with our loved ones – that’s what matters most to us.

Over the years we have heard the Easter story so many times and we know it so well. But perhaps there is a real danger here that because we do know it so well, it no longer affects us in the same way and no longer has the same impact in our lives as it should.  Part of that may be because, like so much of the technology and communications that we use today, no matter how much we might want to, we will never be able to fully understand the Resurrection fully – how or why God would raise Jesus to new life for us.

However, yet again we do not really need to understand, all we need to do is to believe the words of Scripture and accept this in faith. Accept that such was and is the love of God for us that He would choose to sacrifice His Son and raise Him to new life that we might be reconciled to Him once and for all – for now and all eternity, fulfilling the promise He makes to us throughout Scripture. And having accepted this mystery of our faith allow it to embrace and take hold of us, that by the Holy Spirit this new life we have in Christ might flourish and abound, and through our words and actions, become a witness for all to see.

The Risen Lord is alive and in our midst. He wants to come into our lives now, to reach out and touch us as He did with those disciples back then. We don’t need to understand this – we only need to believe!

Lord, we give You thanks for the life we now have in Your Son. Help us to believe in our hearts and souls that You are always with us, directing our lives, that we might share this blessing as we reach out to others in Your name.. And all this we ask in Jesus name. Amen

‘Then their eyes were opened and they recognised Him…’ (Luke 24:31)

One of the things that we seemed to be blessed with here in this part of the country is the number of beautiful sunrises and sunsets that we see on a regular basis. It’s a sight that I never get fed up with seeing and have taken many photographs of these over the past few years. The other day I caught the last half hour of the film Local Hero and I switched it on at the part where the man was in the phone box making a call to his boss in America, trying to describe the sight of the Northern Lights to him and as he was doing so the only thought I had was that no-one could ever adequately describe such a vision – it is something you have to see with your own eyes to fully appreciate it. Although, sometimes even when we do see things with our own eyes still we don’t fully appreciate them for what they are.

The disciples on the road to Emmaus on the day of the Resurrection suddenly found themselves joined by a stranger on their journey. It was of course Jesus, but we are told that initially they were kept from recognising him. But what was it that stopped them from recognising Jesus, after all they knew who Jesus was? Over the years many have come up with different answers to that question. Fear and confusion over what had happened over the last couple of days invariably come to the top of any such answers. But I wonder where faith comes in to all of this.

How often in our journey through life has our Lord come to us – but we have failed to recognise Him. We too could maybe come up with various answers as to why we didn’t recognise His presence. Too busy or too fearful because of whatever is going on in our life at that time might again be answers that we might offer. But how much of it is down to a question of faith. We don’t recognise our Lord’s presence we don’t believe enough that He might be there – for whatever reason.

Through the Resurrection of our Lord on Easter Day, God has said that He will always be with us. No matter where we are or what we are doing, whenever we call on the Lord, by His Spirit He will be there with us. But it’s not just in times of such need that the Lord will be with us. Every day of our lives He will be by our side, an ever present presence in our lives. All we need to do is open ‘our eyes of faith’ and believe.

Lord, we give You thanks for all Your goodness to us and for the many ways in which You come to us every day. Forgive us for not always recognising You and help us, we pray, in the busyness of our lives, to open our eyes and our hearts to Your presence, that in all we say and do we might witness to the glory of Your name. Amen.