When I hear about the way God has blessed other fellowships with growth and baptism of new (on old) believers, I wonder if I should push for a greater level of commitment from people in our church.

But, when I read the Scriptures with the people God has gathered here in Sassafras, when we gather around God’s word and grapple with what he is saying I am challenged even more. On Sundays as we read through the book of Acts, and each Tuesday night at the Prayer and Bible group as we reading Paul’s letter to God’s people in Ephesus, I am challenged more and more by what God has done through Christ Jesus, and what he continues to do in his people here. It is so easy to have our heads turned by what is reported from other places, and to lose sight of what God is doing amongst us. It is so easy to start wondering what I can do, and forget to consider what God has done and what He is continuing to do. But, when God’s word is opened with His people, I am challenged to look to our risen Lord Jesus Christ, to see what he is doing in the lives of His people who he has redeemed with his own blood.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (New English Translation)

However, when Jesus told his disciples not to stop the children from being brought to him, he said that “the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. (Luke 18)

But what did he mean?  Why does the kingdom of God belong to children and people who are “like” children?  And, what is it about “children” that makes them so worthy of the kingdom?

If we look at what was happening when Jesus said this we can get a few clues.  In Luke 17 we find the Pharisees asking Jesus about when the kingdom of God would come.  First, Jesus pointed out that the coming of the Kingdom of God would not be predictable or obvious.  Then, he made it clear that the coming of the Kingdom was linked to judgement as well as God’s undeserved goodness and mercy.  Second, Jesus pointed out that the Kingdom of God was already in their midst.  This was a reference to the fact that He was with them.   He connected himself to the judgement through the rejection and suffering he would experience.

Jesus continued to build a picture of what the Kingdom of God is like, and who is fit for the Kingdom. Trying to save ourselves will not work (17.33). God is more willing to give justice than we are to ask for it (!) so we should not lose heart, but keep praying (18.1-7). Then Jesus contrasted the Pharisee and tax-collector.  The tax-collector was a despised person because he did the dirty work of the Roman overlords.  They were not known for being particularly honest or fair about doing it! The Pharisee was so concerned to avoid doing wrong that he became obsessed with being super good.  Jesus shocks his hearers by stating that “bad” man who asks for mercy is in a better position before God than the “super good” man who rests on his own goodness.

Then, after the incident with the children a rich ruler who, like the Pharisee in the parable, has done everything right came to Jesus to ask what more he must do to ensure he would enter the Kingdom of God.

Often people are tempted to believe that Kingdom of God belongs to children because they are innocent or intrinsically good.  But, Jesus dismissed that notion with the parable about the Pharisee and the tax-collector.  Our own goodness will not make us right with God.  To underline that Jesus rejects the lifelong good-living of the rich ruler.  Good living will not get the ruler into heaven by his own efforts either.  And, he cannot buy his way into the God’s Kingdom.  His wealth has got in the way.  He has to get rid of it all!

So, what about the children receiving the Kingdom of God?  If it is not because they are intrinsically good, or “innocent”, then why does the Kingdom of God belong to such as these?  In each case the men who are not worthy have assumed that their behaviour and their achievements have made them fit for the Kingdom.  A child has come naked into the world (Ecclesiastes 5.15).  A child has nothing to commend him or her, no achievement, no attachment to wealth or status.  So, a child must rely entirely on the mercy of God to enter the Kingdom of God.  But, we must also be careful to note all that Jesus says here.  He is using the children as examples: he doesn’t say that the Kingdom belongs to children, but that the Kingdom is received by such as these.  No personal achievement, no wealth, no status can get anyone into God’s Kingdom.

The rich ruler cannot even contemplate entering the Kingdom of God while he puts his trust in all his wealth.  The Pharisee cannot even contemplate entering the Kingdom of God if he behaves as if he has a right of entry.  His arrogance before God excludes him just as effectively as the rich man’s attachment to his wealth.

We cannot buy our way into the God’s Kingdom by our achievements or good works.  The only way into the Kingdom is through a humble trust in Jesus to take us to His Father.  People who are welcomed into God’s kingdom are people who Jesus has saved through his own suffering and death; people who the Father has given new life along with His precious Son, Jesus.

For the person who doesn't know that Jesus came to save them the problem can work both ways.  Either they are like, say Bob, who knows himself so well, and is honest enough to admit that there's nothing good in him; or, they are like, say Gloria, who has a very high view of herself and is confident that because of all she has done, she is good enough for heaven.  Of course, Bob and Gloria are extremes but they serve to show us how easy it is to be tripped up with ideas about our own goodness or lack of goodness.

In the Bible, although "good" is often talked about, we hardly ever see it applied to a human; and when it is applied to human, it never carries the idea that the person is naturally good, or is in some way good enough to deserve God's blessing.  Even the "good man" in Proverbs 12, 13 and 14 depends on God, for his goodness.  The man does not have any goodness that is independent of God.  As Jesus points out, in Mark 10.18 only God is "good".  Jesus rebukes the man for his loose language and challenges the man about his view of his own goodness.

At this point it's probably helpful to think about a misconception that circulates in society.  There is a widespread idea that only good people go to heaven.  If we listen to Jesus we find that the opposite is true:

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2.17

People who think they are "good" do not go to heaven.  There is another place for them.  Jesus has very little time for people who believe they are "good enough", especially those who think they are better than others.

But what about a person like Bob?  Well, Bob could give up and lose all hope or, he could throw himself on God's mercy.  The choices a person like Bob makes here often depend on information or misinformation he has been given about God.  If the god that Bob has heard about is like Santa Claus, then Bob might believe the game is up, and there is no hope for him.  But, if Bob has heard the truth about Jesus coming to save the sick and the lost, then he might know that despite the darkness of his heart, there is hope for him with Jesus.

First, we must remember that death is offensive to God. He didn’t want death in His wonderful world.  (When God finished His work of creating He saw that the world was very good.(Genesis 1.31))  That is why the Lord warned and commanded Adam not to eat from that one tree.  But, Adam did eat, and death was the result; not immediately humankind was not wiped out immediately, but a long slow death entered the world.  Death became part of living.  We are always surrounded by death and decay.

At the other end of the Bible (Revelation 21) God tells us that there will be a time when there is no more death. This still doesn’t tell us why death of God’s people is precious – but, it points us in the right direction. You see, before there could be no more death, God had to deal with death, He had to destroy its power over life.

When He sent Jesus to call people back to Himself, the Almighty God showed that death can be conquered.  The Son of God was killed, but God raised Him back to life.  When He did this, the Lord God showed that He can, and He has, beaten death. But it was costly to beat death. Our Heavenly Father allowed His own Son to taste death for us. In order to destroy the power of death, Jesus died for us. That is one reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

Breaking the power of death cost God the life of His only Son.  Every death of one of God’s people is a reminder of the heavy price God paid to save people from death.

Now, there is a bit of a myth, no, it is more than myth – it is just a falsehood that has grown up about how a person gets to be one of God’s people.

Some folks think that you have got to be good to get into heaven. But, that is not true.  Jesus made it clear that He didn’t come to the religious people who thought they were good enough for heaven.  He didn’t come to people who thought they were OK! We see this again and again in the Gospels. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37, Matthew 22, Mark 12), Jesus said “Woe” to those people who thought they had the right to get into heaven because they thought they were good enough (Matthew 23).  No, Jesus came to rescue people who were trapped, people who were stuck in a world that is falling apart because people have chosen to turn away from the Lord God. From the time of Adam’s first act of “self determination” when he chose against God and for himself the whole world has been groaning because death entered the world (Romans 8.18-23).

But, people still die.

Does that mean that Jesus failed?

No; not at all.

When Jesus was raised from death to life He showed that death is not the end. He showed that there is a way through death to new life; and, Jesus himself is the way (John 11.23-27; 14.1-6).  Now, that is another reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

When God’s people die, they are still with Him, death is not the end. When God raised Jesus from the dead He changed death. It is no longer the end; it is now a new beginning – where Jesus leads the way home to His Father.  And, His Heavenly Father is waiting for all those people He is calling back to himself.

Shortly after this, many of those who had been following Jesus, many of his disciples, turned back and left him. It was only the day before that 5000 people had shared a simple meal Jesus had provided for them. And they continued to follow him until he told them that they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood if they were to have eternal life. We don’t know what turned all those disciples away. Perhaps they were looking for something else; perhaps they didn’t like the way Jesus talked about Moses; perhaps they didn’t have the courage to continue with Jesus when it became clear that his life was under threat. If the Jews were looking for ways to take the life of Jesus when so many were following him, what chance did his followers have? Perhaps they didn’t like the way Jesus confronted them; he was challenging them to choose between himself and their traditions.

I grew up with a very different picture of Jesus from the picture John presents in his Gospel. The Jesus I was told about was only ever “nice”. I never heard about his uncompromising strength. I never learned that he knew he was under threat long before the night of the “Last Supper”. I never heard that Jesus love for his Father and for those the Father had given him would drive him on to taking his throne on a rough wooden cross. The “pastel coloured” Jesus I grew up with had been wrapped up in religious humbug. But the Jesus John describes is a man who resists all the trappings of religion, all the religious gamesmanship that men invent so that they can ignore God. The Jesus that John introduces is resolute in doing what he was sent to do. He wouldn’t be defended or turned away from his mission.

“Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18.11

What are you discovering about Jesus?

By now you might be saying, but Chris, the symbolism of eggs and new life are strongly connected to the resurrection of Jesus. Right?

Well, certainly Christ Jesus is credited, as the Word, in the beginning, as the one who made all things, and through whom all things are made (John 1.1-4; Colossians 1.16).  And, certainly the life that comes through Jesus, by his Spirit, to those who believe, is “new life”.  But, the new life of the risen Jesus is very different from the new life we see emerging from an egg!  The new life of Jesus is not the fluffy yellow new life of a chick that needs protection, nurture and the training of a mother hen.  God’s Spirit speaks of the risen Jesus in very different terms:

“all things were created by him and through him and for him. And, he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (Colossians 1.16b-20)

The “new life” of Jesus, the new life that he owns and that he gives to his people is much more than the new life of a chick hatching from an egg, wonderful and adorable as that is.  The life that Jesus has, the life that Jesus gives is life itself.  His life is not a naive infancy, but the all knowing life of the one who made and sustains all things. He is the living God, from whom all life is given and is sustained.

So, as you give your gifts of superfine chocolate, and as you enjoy the gifts you receive in return take a moment, or more if you dare, to consider how much better and richer is the new life that Jesus holds out to those who trust him for life itself.

If only evolution were taught as science. If it were admitted that it is only a theory that appears, to some, to fit the facts better than other theories. If only the variations of the theory were taught and the development of the theory were admitted. If only the short comings of those variants were discussed when the theory is taught.

Then we might be able to say, yes, over here is the theory of evolution and over there is the theory of intelligent design. And, perhaps there are other theories yet to emerge that we have not yet dreamed of.

But, please don't teach one theory as if it were fact, and deny the opportunity to examine other theories - where is the science in that? It sounds like blind faith to me - and blind faith is ignorance that never did anyone any good.

I want to look in another direction entirely. Over the years we have become used to remembering events by naming a particular day on our calendar. We usually do this for disasters, so in Australia we know of Black Friday and Ash Wednesday when severe bushfires and firestorms devastated large areas, destroying property and killing people. The naming of those days conjures up images of terror and pf bravery, of grief at loss and bitter joy of survival.
As we move again towards Easter we are confronted with a number of days that have strange names, where the meanings have been lost by time and usage, notably:

• Shrove Tuesday [The origin of the name Shrove lies in the old English verb "to shrive" which means to absolve people of their sins. It was common in the Middle Ages for "shriveners" (priests) to hear people's confessions at this time, to prepare them for Lent.],
• Ash Wednesday [Some Christians treat Ash Wednesday as a day for remembering their mortality. Services are traditionally held on the morning of this day at which attendees are blessed with ashes by the "priest". The priest marks the forehead of each participant with black ashes, traditionally in the shape of a cross, leaving a mark that the worshiper traditionally leaves on his or her forehead until sundown, before washing it off. This symbolism recalls the ancient Near Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head signifying repentance before God (as related numerous times in the Bible). Quaint practice, but isn't this the sort of public religious display Jesus spoke against in the "Sermon on the Mount"?]
• Maundy Thursday [The Middle English word Maundy, used only in this context, derives from Old French mandé from Latin mandatum novum do vobis "a new commandment I give unto you. Love one another as I have loved you" (John 13.34), words spoken by Jesus to the Apostles after washing their feet in preparation for The Last Supper. I guess you could call it "new Commandment Thursday"] and
• Good Friday. But why “Good” Friday? After all, that is the day we remember the anniversary of the murder, by crucifixion, of Jesus, God’s one and only Son. There doesn’t seem to be anything “good” about that! In a civilized society where we abhor death and reject the death penalty, it doesn’t make sense.

So, what is Good about Friday?

To begin to answer this question we must look at how Jesus saw his death, and at what happened when he died. In Mark’s Gospel, from as early as chapter 3, during the early time of Jesus ministry, some of the religious leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. Towards the end of chapter 8 we find Jesus making it clear that he knew he would be killed. There is no doubt that he knew he must be killed. Towards the end of chapter 10 Jesus spells out his objective. He came to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10.45). It becomes clear, that from God’s point of view, Jesus’ death was much more than a cruel murder at the hands of men who feared for their grip on power (some Jewish leaders and Pontius Pilate - the Roman Governor). Jesus was on a mission from God to rescue people from sin and its consequences. The apostle Paul sums it up well in Romans chapter 5:

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

So, what is Good about Friday?
It was that Friday, so long ago, that God acted to save people like us. Jesus was sent to call people to turn away from rejecting God, and to trust God. On that day, God showed how serious He is. Serious about rebellion against Him and serious about how much he loves people he made in his own image. Serious enough to send His only Son to die in the rescue mission. But, remember he was not rescuing people who wanted to be saved. He was rescuing people who didn’t really understand the weakness of their own position. Jesus was rescuing people who were powerless; people who were as good as dead.
And, God’s purpose was not merely to rescue us and leave us to fend for ourselves in a world that is hostile to God and his kingdom. God raised Jesus back to life.
If Friday is “Good”, then surely the following Sunday, Easter, is “Best Sunday” because God gave us new life through Jesus, the Son of Man, Son of God, who died to take away the penalty for our sin and was raised to bring us back home to his Father. Without Jesus death, when he took that penalty, we could not dare to look in the direction of God, even if we were remotely inclined to do that.
So, Friday is “Good” because Jesus paid the ransom for us, opened a way for us to come back to God. Is Friday "Good" for you too?

This year people are still saying that. But there is a new feeling in the air: “Why bother?!”
There is a real disenchantment around the place – whether it is because of the drought, or global warming, or the economic downturn, or the fires, or something else … there is a real sense of disappointment. All the effort you put into Christmas, and its over in a flash – quicker that the left-over food, quicker than the broken presents, quicker than the credit card repayments – so people are beginning to say - “Why bother?!”

Now, that is a fair question. It’s a question that I am sure must have passed through God’s mind more than once! Let’s face it: he made the world and put people in it as caretakers. The job of humankind was to live in the world and take care of it. But, the caretakers decided to run things their own way. And, we have been making a fair mess of it.

So, God sent his son to sort out the mess. Now God isn’t one for lots of show and ceremony. Let’s face it, he doesn’t need to make a name for himself. So he sent his son to grow up in the world. We have all heard about the manger, the wise men, and the cross. So, we know that he understands all the pressures and problems of being human first-hand!

Then Jesus started calling people to turn back to God – but a whole load of people weren’t too pleased, so they made up some charges and had him arrested. Then, after a pretty lousy kangaroo court, they beat him up and killed him.

So, you could understand why God could say “Why bother!” After all – if you sent your only son to sort out some ratbags who had hijacked your world – and then they turned around that murdered him, you would have to ask “Why do it?” “Why bother?!”

But, that’s not the end of the story. God took that broken body of his son and breathed new life into him. You see God had a much bigger plan -–he was going to sort out the hijackers by giving people an escape route. When he sent his son, he wasn’t sending a helpless baby – he was sending the man to rescue millions. And, his rescue mission even overcame death. And, he did it for you and me. God loved the world so much that he sent his only son so that everyone who trusts him could share that new life.

So, this year, whether you bother with the traditional Christmas celebrations, or do something different – I want to challenge you to trust Jesus and get involved in his rescue mission. He put his whole life into it. From the time he was born and laid in the feed trough in Bethlehem, his life was on the line.

Should Jesus have bothered about you?