The Bible in a Year – 15 December

If this is your first viewing, please see my Introduction before reading this.

15 December. 2 Timothy chapters 1-4

Following Paul’s first letter to Timothy explaining the duties he had as a church leader (9 December), he now writes again – we don’t know how much later – with more specific advice about dealing with particular difficulties in church life.  These include “wrangling over words … [and] profane chatter” (2:14-16) and “stupid and senseless controversies” (2:23). Common problems in churches where disagreements between people who have different ideas about the “right way to do things” can come to seem more important than the real work of worship, mission and pastoral care.  Later, he warns of another danger – that of people who will “not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths” (4:3-4).  Paul’s guidance to dealing with all these is to be “kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness” (2:24), rather than aggressively taking one side or another in an argument.

Paul also lists many unattractive and unchristian qualities that can be found in people outside the church, but which he warns can also be found inside it, which he sums up as “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power” (3:4-5); he also warns against those who seek control over other people and set out to deceive them.

In any congregation (and occasionally even among the clergy) we sometimes find such people who claim to belong to the church but give no indication of having understood or claimed for themselves the way of Christ which is self-denial, serving others, humility and love for neighbour.  Not only does this break up the fellowship within a congregation, but the media always love a “church scandal” whether it is a story of sexual abuse, or a treasurer who siphons off some of the church’s money like a modern-day Judas, or a vicar who splits the congregation with her own extreme views.

Church leaders deserve our prayers and friendship, because it is not an easy role at the best of times and can be very difficult when there are particular problems.  Often, their commitment to confidentiality means that they cannot even share with other people within the congregation the pressures that they are under. They may find help in a spiritual director or the support of their bishop or equivalent, but it can still be a lonely life.

Paul’s word of encouragement to Timothy in these difficult times is to “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead …If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2:9-12).  Pray that your church leaders will know His presence today.

The Bible in a Year – 10 May

If this is your first viewing, please see my Introduction before reading this.

10 May. Isaiah chapters 49-53

This is a lengthy passage of verse, beginning and ending with two of the “songs of the Servant”. These are usually identified as prophecies of Jesus Christ, and chapter 53 in particular is seen as describing his crucifixion, which Christians believe was a willing sacrifice by a sinless man, according to the will of God who lived in him, to settle with God the debt owed to him by all people for their sins.  There is far more in them than I can look at in detail now. Many books have been written and sermons preached to try and explain this – the commentary I am following devotes 21 pages to these chapters – but few as poetically as the “second Isaiah” (whoever that was) writing over five hundred years before the event.

 

Many of the phrases in these chapters have been used by composers over the years, from the sublime music of Handel in his “Messiah” (“he gave his back to the smiters”; “surely he has borne our griefs an carried our sorrows”; “all we like sheep have gone astray”), to contemporary songwriters (“how beautiful upon the mountains  are the feet of him who brings glad tidings”; “led like a lamb to the slaughter in silence and shame”; “the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion” [=Jerusalem]) – and many more.  For the promises here are not only the restoration of the tribe of Israel/Judah to the Holy Land for a second time, but of the reconciliation of all creation to God once and for all time.

 

In between these servant songs are words addressed, at least in part, to the people in captivity in Babylon. Did they rush back to Jerusalem at the first invitation of God? No, it seems they needed much encouragement.  To many of them who had been born there the “old country” held no attractions; like all refugees, they were crushed and in despair at ever being a free people or having their own home again; the journey seemed daunting, and much hard work would be needed to rebuild the ruins.  Despite those setbacks, it was their only hope.

 

But these passages contain many hints that it is not only the Jewish people who were being addressed, but the whole world.  People would flock to join them from all directions, and would together become witnesses to the Servant’s redeeming love. Together they would be a renewed Israel that would be a “light to the Gentiles” (a phrase repeated when Jesus was dedicated to God as a baby).  This is what we mean by the Church – all those who have been drawn from whatever held them captive, by the love of God shown in his suffering servant, to join his people in the new Jerusalem.

 

Like the captives here, people rarely walk into a church the first time they hear of Jesus and ask to be baptised and join the community of the redeemed. The Christian faith seems strange to those who were not brought up in it, it needs to be explained with many words of encouragement, and for many it is a journey of many years.  Yet we equally believe that Christ is the only way to God, and that those who make this journey to faith in Jesus will find themselves in the “new Jerusalem”, the Kingdom of