Oh My Soul!

Have you been hearing voices?  Or to be more precise, a voice, when alone in the house?

During these months of lockdown to one degree or another, have you heard yourself giving a narration to everyday activities?  Or giving yourself some much-needed advice?  Maybe you’ve even held a timely conversation with yourself?

One egg or two?  Oh, go on, you deserve 2.  Right-o-then, 2 it is.

Where did I put it?  I didn’t leave it in the car, did I?  Oh, blast.

When was the last time you heard Neil Diamond?  “Sweet Caroline! Da, Da, Daaa!..”

Just me?  I didn’t think so.

The good news is, I’ve just been reading how self-talk (or ‘private speech when said out loud) is okay, and might even be good for you.

Thinking Out Loud

Thinking problems through in spoken language is helpful.  Children do it.  Adults do too, when left alone.  

It’s okay.  Words said out loud is a perfectly natural response to the pressures of lockdown.

And you’re in good company.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why are you so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will praise him, my Saviour and my God.”
Psalm 42:5

“Awake my soul!  Awake, harp and lyre. I will awaken the dawn!”
Ps 57:8

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”
Ps 62.5

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Ps 103.1

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”
Ps 116.7

Sometimes you just need a good talking to.

Go on.  Give it a go. 

As a starter, I recommend this worship song, ‘Remember’ (the chorus starts, “And oh, my soul…”)

Written by Steve Page

Steve is Redeemer’s resident poet, and has been instrumental in encouraging and motivating other creative individuals at Redeemer to pursue the gifting God has placed in them! You can read his poetry HERE, or find his anthologies on Amazon.

Poet's Corner - The Brightest Of Days

This is a poem I wrote back in March of 2019, it was a time in my life in which I was being taught humility and patience, and did a lot of waiting on God.

It seemed apt to share today, as another delay to the lifting of restrictions can easily leave us feeling frustrated or unsure as to the part today plays in God’s grand plan for us.

I hope this poem blesses you, and encourages you to seek and trust God today, whatever situation you find yourself in, knowing that there are brighter days to come, whether on this earth or in eternity!

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I won’t give up.
I won’t give in.
I won't let impatience drag me into sin.

I won’t back down.
Or try to skip ahead.
I won’t ignore what my father has said.

I won’t stop listening.
I won’t forget.
I won’t demand things I know I’m not ready for yet.

I won’t run.
I won’t hide.
I won’t question your ways.

For I know still to come is the brightest of days.

I will stand tall.
I’ll let my heart burn.
I’ll follow you down every twist, every turn.

I will let tears flow.
Of joy and of sorrow.
I’ll trust in your promise, for now and tomorrow.

I will let You
Fight this battle for me.
For you have won an everlasting victory.

I will worship my King.
I will cry out in praise.

For I know, still to come, is the brightest of days.

Today’s Poet’s Corner was written by Toby Elliott, and is arranged each month by our resident poet, Steve Page.

#RedeemerRecommends - The Lies That Serve Us

This week on #RedeemerRecommends we are highlighting the first talk in a new video series by The Gospel Coalition - TGC Talks.

In this talk, entitled ‘The Lies That Serve Us: Christians and Critical Race Theory’, Justin Giboney challenges all of us that would call ourselves Christians, to identify and call out the self-serving lies which we tell ourselves about key issues.

“We must not only confront the lies that offend us, but also the lies that serve us.”

You can watch the short talk in full below, or follow the links to find out more about Justin Giboney and the AND Campaign.

Find a full transcript of the video HERE

Sharing Your Faith - Unorthodox Orthodoxy

Welcome to our newest post about Sharing Your Faith! In his regular posts, Ryan Bentley will be stirring us to share our faith with others, by looking at passages of scripture and giving practical tips. We hope you enjoy the blog below!

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I hate bow ties and I love rap music.

Bless the staff at Redeemer for putting up with me.

Formality is lost on me. I ignore a lot of social norms. I often think of it as a good thing. It’s almost like my super power.

A new normal

Social Norms are developed to make everyone safe and to structure society but sometimes that structure is an impediment to God moving. Sometimes, it’s the have not’s who have the most to give, and the haves who have the most to loose.

Like we see in 2 Kings 7, sometimes it’s people outside the structure of social norms that bring us good news. I think it’s time we all brush up on Kings, because I wouldn’t have seen this story this way without listening to a Christian hip-hop song from 2007. (I know right! When was the last time a rap song got you to read your Bible)

In 2 Kings Israel is in quite a pickle. They’ve got a king, Joram, who has beef with Ben-Hadad of Syria and doesn’t take good care of his people or the land that God gave him. So we’ve got a bad king, having a bad time with the countries surrounding him, and Elisha is representing the Lord in all matters.

Setting the scene; Israel is surrounded. #typical. There is a severe famine to the point people are eating their own babies. The king is freaking out, his main guard is concerned and not letting people into the protective walls of the city. The world is literally crumbling around them. Then these two words come out of nowhere and save the day, much like they always do. Two words that set humanity free, raise people from the dead, and brought hope and freedom to millions of people.

But God…

God did some trickery and made the Syrians leave, they left so quickly they weren’t even able to grab their food, water, or animals (2 Kings 7:7) The camp is obviously outside the city but so are the lepers. There are 4 lepers who are hanging out and they’re SO hungry that they’re risking everything to go into AN ENEMY CAMP for FOOD! (2 Kings 7:4) They come across the camp and find all manner of goodies left waiting for a new owner to pick them up. They begin to loot the camp (How are 4 lepers going to loot a camp of a couple thousand soldiers I don’t know, but I like their moxie.) and they have an epiphany.

“We’re not doing this right. Today is a day of good news. If we are client and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.”

Culturally, this was not okay. There is a reason lepers lived on the outside of the city walls. There is no way they would have been able to see the king. They went anyway. Earlier they were talking about how they would DIE if they went into the city, but there is such good news happening outside that they risk it, to go to the king, and deliver good news.

Delivering the good news

It’s time to examine where we fit in to the structure that surrounds us, and if necessary kick the legs out from underneath that structure. It’s time to be socially awkward, be a little more forward and be unashamedly weird. To most of the world, Christians and people of faith are like lepers. But that shouldn’t stop us from going and telling them the fantastic news.

Note also that the lepers didn’t take a 6 week course on how to share good news. They didn’t get dressed up. They knew, THEY KNEW keeping this to themselves was a bad idea. So, with little regard to themselves, knowing they could die, they went, told people the good news and an entire city was saved.

I wonder what would happen if we as a church, knowing we were lepers, knowing we have this amazing news decided to tell someone else about it.

Ryan Bentley
Ryan moved from Birmingham in 2020 to be part of Redeemer along with his wife Sarah (our families worker) and his two kids, Rhys and Torah! He serves the church full time and his aim is to equip each of us to share the gospel with those around us on a daily basis. You can join his Faith Sharing meetup HERE or find more of his wisdom on Instagram.

Jesus is our Sabbath

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 
Hebrews 4:9-11

For many of us, the Sabbath may seem to be simply a practice from the Old Testament that we no longer have to partake in. Jesus fulfilled the Law and, besides, we are way too busy with jobs, church commitments, and social lives to rest for a whole day. The Hebrew word, “sabat”, from which we get the word “Sabbath”, means to stop working and rest. But we know Jesus healed people on the Sabbath. Why should we consider the Sabbath?

God rested

In the Pentateuch (first five books of the bible), we read about how God gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites through the prophet, Moses. Exodus 20:8-11 explains how God’s People were meant to remember and keep holy the Sabbath day, not doing any work on this day. The reason for this commandment is clearly stated: God created the world and all that is in it in six days and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Sabbath was instituted and followed by God Himself, long before His Law was given to Moses on Mount Sinai. In Genesis 2:1-3, we can read about how when the creation of the heavens and earth was completed on the seventh day, God rested from all the work He had done. As we know that our Creator God is omnipotent, this cannot mean that God needed to rest because He felt tired. God had finished His work of creation and thus stopped what He was doing, modelling to us how to rest. When the work is complete, there is no longer anything that needs to be done. And hence God rested.

The Old Testament is full of stories, characters, and practices that point to the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus. We can see this concept in how the institution of the Sabbath acts as a symbol for the coming of our Messiah, Who would provide His followers with an everlasting rest. But what exactly did Jesus provide rest from?

It is finished!

Under the Old Testament Law, God’s people were constantly working in an effort to make themselves acceptable to God through sacrifices and law-keeping. Sacrifices in the Old Testament should always point us towards the ultimate loving sacrifice of Jesus; the only way for us to be justified and made righteous. John 19:28-30 states that Jesus, when He was on the cross and about to breathe His last breath, said, “It is finished!”

In Hebrews 10:12, we read that “when Christ offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God”. Just as God rested in Genesis after completing creation, He rested after His work of atonement was finished. There is nothing more to be added or done; the work is finished.

In Mark 2:27-28, Jesus explains that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath was made for God’s People, not God’s People for the Sabbath. This means that Jesus is our Sabbath rest, for one, because He is the “Lord of the Sabbath”. But more than this, Jesus shows us with this statement that the Sabbath rest was created to free man from his labors, namely the endless attempts to be saved and attain God’s favor on the basis of own works, which could never achieve the desired effect.

The work that Jesus said was finished on the cross was the work of atonement. We no longer have to labor in vain, trying to achieve salvation through rituals and sacrifices. Instead, we are saved by the grace of Christ, which was displayed on the cross. This means that now we do not any longer have to rest for merely one day, but can forever cease to labor to attain salvation. Jesus is our ultimate Sabbath rest, now and forever. We can rest in Him because He has saved us by His own completed work of salvation.

How do we rest?

When God rested from creation in Genesis, His work had been “finished”. There was no need for development because the work was perfect. Jesus’ work on the cross is finished and perfect. This shows that the true sabbath is not the maintenance of a specific day, but the ending of an effort, which only God could complete. The works we have rest from in Jesus are those that include law-keeping in order to be justified before God. In 2 Corinthians 5:21 we can read that “for our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” We can now stop spiritual labours and rest in Him every day of the week. Though this does not mean that life will never be busy -  at times overwhelmingly so!

Despite potential earthly busyness, Jesus allows us to rest in God. When we think of the word “rest”, our brains may automatically jump to vacations or weekends. But what happens at the end of this time? Normal life resumes, with busy schedules, stress factors, and unforeseeable life circumstances. We may have had rest for a few days, but as soon as the vacation is over the desired rest is once again gone. 

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” God invites us to come to Him with all our baggage. He invites us to give these over to Him, so that we can truly rest in Him.

Cast your cares on him

In 1 Peter 5:6-7 we can read, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the might hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” True rest requires us to give our daily battles, our emotions and thoughts over to God. While it is wise to have clear priorities, have regular quiet times, and manage time well, these things are not what Sabbath rest in Jesus is about. Sabbath rest is primarily about knowing Who Jesus is, and who we are in Him. 

Yet this knowledge and our daily lives do impact one another. When we realise that we are saved by the grace of God alone, we no longer have to labor at work in order to achieve a sense of self-worth, we no longer have to pursue an unsustainable social life in order to feel loved or accepted. When we know that God has everything under control, we are able to benefit even more from times of physical rest, surrendering our own control and trusting him.

Let us be those that surrender daily to Jesus. Let us be those that share our struggles, be they big or small, with Him. Let us be those who do not treat Jesus or prayer as their last resort, but find themselves daily at the foot of the cross. Let us be those that can live freely, knowing that Jesus has already finished the work of atonement and we can now find rest for our souls in Him.

Esther-Maria is one of our Redeemer students, a core member of our kids ministry, and is passionate about the word of God. In 2021, she’ll be sharing her thoughts on how scripture should change the way we live our lives! Check back here regularly for more, as well as our other blogs!

Uncomfortable Wealth

If you’ve been attending Redeemer over the past few months you will have likely heard Pete and others plugging the book - Uncomfortable: The Awkward Challenge of Christian Community. We’ve even written a review of it on the blog!

After reading the book, Mandy Hudson was inspired to go further, and to think about what it means for us at Redeemer to live uncomfortable lives. This month she has joined with Adele Dabrowski to write about Uncomfortable Wealth. We hope that you are challenged and encouraged by what she has written.

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Uncomfortable Wealth

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God. 
Proverbs 14:31

One subject we really don’t like talking about is money, yet as western Christians we can easily take our wealth for granted.

There is poverty in the UK. By some estimates one in four people or 9 out of every 30 children is living in poverty in the UK. That’s a shocking figure for the world’s sixth largest economy.  Three fifths of the population in the UK hold 80% of its income, However, globally there is much greater disparity. Most of us in the UK will still be in the top 25% of global income even if we rely fully on the UK welfare system. That’s still 3 times better off than most people in the world

Our relative wealth or poverty is an accident of birth, but how can we work to equalize the situation?

Taking wealth for granted

Adele and Richard Dabrowski lived in Mozambique as missionaries for eight years:

Before we lived in Mozambique, we had no idea what extreme poverty was like.    Like most Westerners if I heard that a family of five or six were living in a two bedroomed house, I would agree with them that this was a case of overcrowding and they should be moved into a three bedroomed house.

Until, that is, we visited Noviane, the village next to our base. Here a two roomed house usually served as living dining and sleeping quarters for a family of up to 12 people, with an outside latrine - a hole in the ground surrounded by a bamboo screen. Cooking took place in the tiny patio over an open fire made of twigs. The richest people of the village were those who could afford a three roomed house made of bricks, unlike the others who saw their little mud and bamboo homes being swept away every year when the rains came, along with their few earthly possessions!

Eating one meal a day of rice, beans and possibly some tomatoes or tiny fish which Mama had managed to catch in her ‘capulana’ (something like a thin sheet) at 5 am that morning, was the norm.

I once took two ten year old girls out to a chicken and chips place, I noticed they ate half of the quarter chicken and a few chips. They then carefully wrapped the rest in the paper serviette and informed me that they were ‘going to share it with their family.’  

I felt humbled! How much do we take for granted in our comfortable life-style? how often do we thank God for the food we have on our plates?”

I’ve learnt that we can never out do God in giving. He will provide for our needs as well as those we give to. To really appreciate the generosity of God we need to step out sacrificially just as Jesus was willing to do for us. 

Gospel guided generosity

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
1 Corinthians 9:7

We recognise that everything we have, including our lives is a gift from God. He is open handed towards us so we must be the same towards others. Sometimes, there seem to be so many conflicting calls on our cash we feel overwhelmed and don’t know where it is best to invest the resources God has given us.

Here’s some good advice from Adele:

“As children of God, we cannot turn a blind eye to the poor of this world.  But let us be sensible.  First, let it be the Lord who guides us in the amount of our giving and supporting. Secondly, in the case of extreme poverty, it is a good idea to support projects that will change a whole village, or will provide people a chance to better themselves and eventually be in a position to be self-sufficient, plus help their own community.  Projects such as well-drilling, farming or enabling students to undertake further education, thus guaranteeing them jobs, are well worth considering. Even a small amount on a regular basis goes a long way in poorer countries.” 

In Matthew 25 v 31 – 46 Jesus tells us the parable of the sheep and goats. Let’s heed its message that, ‘Whatever you did for the least of my brethren, you did it for me!’

May we rise to the challenge to serve the Lord freely with the wealth He has given us.

Written by Mandy Hudson

Mandy is a member of our Redeemer Family, a teacher, and a contributor to Redeemer’s latest book - Stories of Hope. You can pick up a copy on a Sunday morning!

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Poet's Corner - Psalm 139

Psalm 139 - A personal prayer

Sometimes it is helpful to take a well-known scripture and meditate on it in a very personal way. Here is Psalm 139 written in such a way:

O Lord, 

Please search me and know me.

I give you permission to know my sitting down and my standing up;

To understand my thoughts from far away.

Please understand the path of my life,

My lying down –

Indeed, all of my ways.

Lord, please purify the words on my tongue…

Before…

I speak them.

Put your hedge around me,

Lay your hand upon me.

May you overwhelm me with your wonders.

Help me understand my place in the world.

Let there be no escape for me from Your Spirit.

Don’t let me ever be out of Your Presence.

If I ascend into heaven or

Pitch into hell –

Please still be there.

Even in the early morning and at the seaside,

May your hand hold me wherever I go.

Even in the darkest night:

May your light shine on me.

Thank you that you’ve formed my inward parts,

Put me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you.

I marvel how you put me together secretly.

Before I was born you already knew every day of my life.

Your thoughts are so precious to me, Lord!

You are so big! So wonderful!

I can’t even begin to count or explain your thoughts.

How could I ever really understand what’s on your mind?

Every morning I wake up – 

You are still with me!

Oh Lord, please get rid of wicked, evil people who don’t acknowledge You.

Please get them away from me.

They are so anti- God, so hate-filled.

They take your Name in vain.

I hate those who hate you, Lord.

I loathe them.

I hate them with perfect hatred.

Your enemies are my enemies too.

(Now back to the NKJV for the last two verses)

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Today’s Poet’s Corner was written by Mandy Hudson, and is arranged each month by our resident poet, Steve Page.

#RedeemerRecommends - OnePlace London

Normally as part of the Redeemer Recommends series, we will suggest a book for you to read, another blog for you to visit, or music for you to listen to. Today is a little different…

Today we are recommending an activity! Specifically a course aimed at those in and around Ealing who are interested in a career in the film industry. One Place London is an organisation led by Kofi Baffoe, a member of the Redeemer family, and starting THIS SATURDAY they will be offering a FREE course, specifically aimed at young people from Black & Asian Ethnic Minority backgrounds.

Kofi explains:

“The British Film Industry report into racism within the film industry highlighted ‘People of colour make up three per cent of the UK film workforce, despite being 17 per cent of the UK’s and 40 per cent of London’s population (where most of that workforce is based)”

“BAME young people today also face a lack of confidence because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They face a lack of opportunities to build back their lives. Trainings in Acting for Film and skills training in creative work such as camera operating, boom operating and sound mixing on set are proven to work. However, it costs £4500 to learn one of the areas in a 6-month part-time course at Met Film School today. Young people cannot afford this amount of money.”

This is why One Place London exists, to give young people an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have. Gearing them with the necessary skills, attributes, discipline such as time-keeping, following instructions and positive networking skills, to help them develop and pursue their life goals.

You can find out more about the organisation at oneplace.london, and you can sign up to the course by emailing oneplacelondon@gmail.com. It will run across the next 24 weeks, beginning this Saturday, 8am at Ealing Studios.

I will leave you with a personal testimony from someone who has completed the course in the past.

The Acting Workshop I attended was very useful and overall a terrific experience. There were several aspects to the workshop, for example learning camera techniques and tricks in order to create different atmospheres/environment in relation to scenes. I was also able to act out a scene created by Kofi and with his help, I was able to get into character and manipulate my body for better camera positioning for effect. I got insight into his credentials knowing that he has worked with Award Winning Artists and himself being able to record scores for his movie and shoot it as well.

Easter - The Directors Cut

Today is marked in the church calendar as Ascension Day! It falls 40 days after Easter Sunday, and is the day that we celebrate the ascension of Jesus back into heaven. This moment is described in most detail by Luke in his gospel (Luke 24:50-53) and in the book of Acts (Acts 1:9-11), as well as featuring in Peter’s sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:32-36).

Steve Page has written a blog to commemorate the day, you can read it below.

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Sometimes a movie gets edited down to a nice neat 3 acts, but you just know you’re missing something.  There’s a story line that has no neat conclusion.  Someone’s back story seems a little off.  The ending feels – well, it feels unfinished, despite the high drama.

[I could add a pop culture reference here about Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but that will probably lose most of you, so I’ll keep quiet about that.]

Easter got great reviews this year – time off in the sunshine; lots of references to new starts; plenty of chocolate and a few bunnies thrown in for good measure.  It gave us a much-needed lift.  

But it wasn’t the director’s cut.

• Triumphant entry into Jerusalem – check.

• Last Supper – check.

• Horrific torture and death scene on the cross – check.

• Disillusioned disciples – check.

• The miracle of the resurrection on Sunday morning – check.

Then what?

There’s a scene missing that fell on the cutting room floor.  It’s a scene some 40 days after Resurrection Sunday and it’s celebrated by the church on 13th May this year (the 6th Thursday after Easter Sunday). 

After his resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days meeting with his friends, walking with them, fishing with them, eating with them, explaining what his death and resurrection was all about.  Then he re-joined his father in heaven.  The Apostles Creed describes it like this:  

“He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.”

This is one of the fundamentals of the Christian faith.  It’s why we pray to Jesus Christ and we don’t simply remember a great teacher and miracle worker.  Jesus ascended to heaven.

No chocolate, no bunnies – but a resurrected and ascended God.

If you see a Christian with a smile on their face this month – it might be because we’re celebrating the Ascension.  You see, it was worth waiting for that post credit scene in the director’s cut. 

A Disciple’s Prayer

I’m been thinking a lot about prayer recently.  This is partly prompted by the Sermon on the Mount series on Sundays [Matthew 6 contains The Disciple’s Prayer, taught by Jesus] and partly by Frank Skinner’s book - A Comedian’s Prayer Book - which explores his own imperfect conversations with God.

Saint Paul admonishes us:  “…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God…” [Philippians 4:6] and tells us that whilst “we do not know what we ought to pray for, the Sprit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” [Romans 8:26]

My daughter asked for the Book of Common Prayer for Christmas, which pleased me; I have a copy and I love the poetry and depth of phrase it contains.  I also value the more off the cuff conversations I have with God – especially alongside siblings in Christ.

So what form does prayer take?  What is it really about?

Is it two life-long friends side by side in silence, walking through life?

Is it the laughter and noise of family around a dinner table?

Is it a hug held in silence, punctuated with sighs and tears?

Is it an appeal for forgiveness and reconciliation?

Is it a song sung in harmony, full of the pleasure of sound and resonance?

Is it a hand instinctively reaching out and another hand taking hold?

Is it an intense Q&A, bible open, seeking truth?

Is it a plea for clarity in an argument of confusion?

Is it a pre-prepared line, borrowed from someone more versed in articulating the unsayable?

Is it a brief and to the point message, with two ticks to show receipt and a wait for a response?

Is it all of these?

And so, I start: “Our Father…” And I repeat as often as I can.

A Muslim colleague at work asked me, how often do you pray each day?  I understood what he was asking – how devoted are you and how disciplined are you in your devotion?  The answer is complicated, as all relationships are.  I said, “sometimes only once, but often it takes all day”.  

I’m still learning about prayer, as I’m still learning to recognise my Father’s voice and to listen to what he’d saying.  And I expect that it’s a conversation that will last a lifetime.

‘Father, whether we are still learning how to voice our first words to you, or whether we have enjoyed a life-long walk with you, please teach us the language of prayer.’

Sharing your Faith - A perpetual motion of invitation

Welcome to our newest post about Sharing Your Faith! In his regular posts, Ryan Bentley will be stirring us to share our faith with others, by looking at passages of scripture and giving practical tips. We hope you enjoy the blog below!

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Oh! Hello, didn’t see you there. It’s been a while, let’s catch up. 

Last time we got together I told you about Matthew 25, where Jesus is talking about how to treat those we serve. I had a lot of fun, you can find it here if you wanna catch up,

This time I want to bring you to where God’s heart brings me every summer. We’re still in Matthew just a few chapters behind in Matthew 18:15-20, but we’re going to look at it a little bit differently…

Matthew 18:15-20

“If your brother or sister sins,
go and point out their fault, just between the two of you.

If they listen to you, you have won them over. 

But if they will not listen,
take one or two others along,
so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

If they still refuse to listen,
tell it to the church; 

and if they refuse to listen even to the church,
treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

We don’t have the time in this platform to go over the last portion of this scripture, but it’s worth a gander, I left it in there because I like context.

I’m more interested in verses 15-17. This is typically the pattern churches follow to “gain a brother back”. It’s used for accountability and reconciliation when someone sins or stumbles in the church. It’s a great model, when followed well. For me, this verse is MASSIVE for the HEART behind the approach. 

The Heart Behind The Approach

Real quick, let’s walk through it. 

1. If you have a brother who is in sin, you go to them solo. Honestly, sometimes all we need is someone to listen and care for us to come back to the fold. 

2. If that doesn’t work we bring 2-3 people. Now these aren’t 2-3 randoms, but people who love and care about the person in sin. 

3. Then comes the uncomfortable portion, you bring the whole church into it. Now I take this to mean church leadership and a wider community. Church here is Oikos which means community, so essentially you’d be bringing in people who are like family to the person in sin.

4. If that doesn’t work then you treat them like a Pagan or a Tax Collector.

Many have taken this to mean to excommunicate the person and cut them out of your life. Now I like to approach this differently, using a saying that is taught in Sunday School, What would Jesus do?

What Would Jesus Do?

Now isn’t it funny, Jesus wants us to treat people like Tax Collectors. Do you know of any Tax Collectors Jesus knew?

I know one!

He wrote the book of the Bible we just read from!

Ain’t that a thing, Jesus explicitly says to treat someone who is in sin and won’t repent like one of his disciples…

Not interested? Well Jesus also says to treat them like a Pagan.
Again we ask, How does Jesus treat Pagans?

Well;
He ate with them.
Healed them.
Healed their families.
Fed them.
Cast Demons out of them.
and continually invited them into his kingdom.

When it comes to sharing our faith, we need to get away from this idea of those who are in and those who are out. We need to create a perpetual motion of invitation. Constantly inviting those who don’t know Jesus to come to know him, and those who do to know him deeper. Esther-Maria wrote a marvellous blog about eternal life starting now, and it’s true! Eternal life does start now. But that isn’t just for those who know Jesus, it’s for those who don’t know him as well.

So when I sit on a park bench, and God brings this to mind, It brings me to a place surrender and peace. Knowing that I am to walk in the ways of Jesus, constantly inviting people to come to know him deeper. And a place of Peace, seeing that while I was once far off, now I am brought near, and if I ever were to fall, if I ever were to wander, Jesus would always, ALWAYS invite me back. 

Ryan Bentley
Ryan moved from Birmingham in 2020 to be part of Redeemer along with his wife Sarah (our families worker) and his two kids, Rhys and Torah! He serves the church full time and his aim is to equip each of us to share the gospel with those around us on a daily basis. You can join his Faith Sharing meetup HERE or find more of his wisdom on Instagram.

#RedeemerRecommends - Women of Colour on the Word of God

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the bible, and when it comes up in a Bible in a Year or CBR reading plan, it can often be met with trepidation. This 176 verse poem is a challenge for even the most dedicated biblical scholar to read in one go!

And so I perhaps shouldn’t be surprised that His Testimonies, My Heritage - a series of devotionals based on the chapter - has opened my eyes to just what a glorious passage it is to read, especially when broken up into individual stanzas. Every section is a fresh reminder that in order to live a life which honours God, we must be those who are dedicated to his word!

The book includes an individual devotion for each of the 22 stanzas - or subsections - of the Psalm, interspersed with poems which are inspired by certain verses or passages.

Each devotion and poem is inspiring, challenging, eye opening, and that’s not all! Every chapter in the book is written by a woman of colour. This is one of the highlights of the book for me, the fact that the devotionals are written from a perspective from which we simply do not hear enough when studying scripture. Each of the women who have contributed to this collection brings personal testimonies and experiences into their writing, but also do an amazing job of reminding us that all Christians have a united hope and spiritual heritage rooted in the word of God.

We are living through a time in history where the unity shown within the church is a bright light amidst the darkness of division that we see throughout the rest of society. Reading this book has not only given me a greater recognition of the importance of the word of God in my life, but also has reinforced in me the importance of allowing men and women from every tribe and tongue to guide me in that study of God’s word.

I will leave you with a paragraph from the foreword of the book, written by Kim Cash Tate:

I could go on and on about this treasure. But I need you to dive in for yourself. No matter what your background or ethnicity is, you will be enriched by the window you gain into the lives of these amazing sisters in Christ. And you will be immensely blessed as they lead you, verse by verse, to a deeper understanding of this majestic psalm.

An Uncomfortable Challenge

If you’ve been attending Redeemer over the past few months you will have likely heard Pete and others plugging the book - Uncomfortable: The Awkward Challenge of Christian Community. We’ve even written a review of it on the blog!

After reading the book, Mandy Hudson was inspired to go further, and to think about what it means for us at Redeemer to live uncomfortable lives. We hope that you are challenged and encouraged by what she has written.

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An Uncomfortable Challenge

As I read Brett McCracken’s “Uncomfortable” I was struck with a desire to read and learn more about practical ways we as the family of God can live, learn and grow together to truly reflect the glory of Jesus. The result of my searching is below in blog form.

Have you noticed that in creating the perfect bride, the Lord has decided to unify the most disadvantaged, dysfunctional, disparate and desperate group of people you can ever imagine? This includes you and I!

Over 40 years of church life I’ve had plenty of time to observe and participate in the uncomfortable existence which is living out the Christian faith in the community of the church and out in the world. The truth is that we simply don’t fit in.

Some of us will never be “cool” or “strong”. We’ll always feel we sit on the outside of the “in” crowd, even when everyone else thinks we are in it. This is being the family of God inside the church. Outside, well that’s a different story, through Christ we are now strangers to the world. (Hebrews 11v13-15) As Jesus’ people we have a new heart and a new direction towards His kingdom.

If only that kingdom had already come and rescued us from our current uncomfortable situation. Oh, wait a minute – the Lord expects us to continue His work demonstrating that kingdom, right here, right now. That’s uncomfortable. Sometimes I think if we are the hope of the world, God help them.

Let’s not despair, Jesus is Head of the Church and has given us the power of His Holy Spirit. We shouldn’t underestimate the resources He has put in our hands, but they are not for us, they are meant to be a witness to a lost world.

I think there are three things we need to recognise if we are to live up to our calling:

1. We like people like us

2. People see through our insincerity

3. We need to live honestly and with integrity

It seems so natural to gravitate towards like-minded people, but even in church we miss out on the uncomfortable truth that everyone is family and therefore to be equally loved. 1 Peter 2:5 says 

“You also as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

This is who we are – meant for sacrificial service. This goes beyond a smile on a Sunday. We are one household. We need to look beyond ourselves. In remembering our roots in God’s mercy, we can find grace to reach out to the world, creating a space for all to live honestly with integrity. 

Is it easier to live life in the shadow of the world and sin? Rather than living in the full light of Christ we prefer a kind of half-light where we try to co-exist with the world. We gather a few favoured Christian friends around us but don’t venture outside that circle. We can kid ourselves we are holy on a Sunday, but we don’t fool God or our non-Christian neighbours or colleagues  who see us the rest of the week. Evangelising unbelievers is not an optional extra. We are called to preach “in season and out of season” (2 Tim 4:2). Let’s rely on the Lord to supply us with His strength to fulfil the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples – like Him not us.

Inside the church we need to be honest about our failings and gracious towards others. Maybe, rather than avoiding that brother or sister in Christ who really irritates us, we should remember the grace and mercy Jesus showed to us and work harder on our relationships. After all, we are all part of the redeemed Bride of Christ.

Brett McCracken doesn’t seem to have much time for “authentic” Christianity which excuses sin. Quite right. However, we do need to learn how to be authentically Christ-like towards each other and those to whom God calls us to witness. That’s an uncomfortable challenge drawing us deeper towards the heart of Jesus…

“in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:7)

Let’s share that kindness today.

Written by Mandy Hudson

Mandy is a member of our Redeemer Family, a teacher, and a contributor to Redeemer’s latest book - Stories of Hope. You can pick up a copy on a Sunday morning!

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Poet's Corner - L'chaim

L’chaim - To Life!

The wonderful thing about spring is that is invites us to take delight in the simplest of things: shoots of green grass, budding plants, chirping birds, bluer skies and glorious sunlight.

For some strange reason it evokes a childhood memory of singing loudly in assemblies - the hymn, ‘All things bright and beautiful’- a song of praise about everything God has created. But how often, I wonder, do we stop to consider that we, not the heavens or the plants or the animals are the masterpiece of God’s creation? In the midst of this spectacularly breathtaking universe, he has chosen to reflect his image and likeness in us mortals. In Psalm 8 David exclaims:

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

This seems all the more miraculous when we reflect on the fact that God formed, fashioned and breathed life into us. Then again when we cut ourselves off from that life, that he himself restored it through Christ’s atonement so that our spirits could be born again! Yet he didn’t stop there, again he sent his Spirit to reside in us and we are now able to be continually filled with his Spirit! 

Sacrum Vitae

Blessed be your never-ending fount
that springs eternal.
The source of all life 
that breathes
and pours
and floods
thrice given and thrice received
from Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Yahweh, El Elyon, Almighty God
what have we done that you love us so
and grant with such bountiful liberty your very essence
again and 
again
and again,
so that this life you give
eclipses all we can imagine, 
or sense or see.
We, being only finite earthen vessels
found worthy of bearing your resplendent glory!
Divinity in perpetuity imprinted on
the souls of men
Wellspring of life
bubbling, 
gushing
flowing
source of everlasting regeneration.
Blessed be your never- ending fount
 that springs eternal.

Dear friends, the joyous truth is that we do not need to wait for the season of Spring every year for life anew to spring forth, for there is yet a well of life within that never runs dry!

Today’s Poet’s Corner was written by Timali Ebanks, and is arranged each month by our resident poet, Steve Page.

Easter Devotionals - Matthew 27:57-66

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Kayla, and the passage is Matthew 27:57-66.

The Grave

The central claim of the historic Christian message is that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Tempting though it may be for us to jump quickly from Friday to Sunday, from cross to resurrection, Matthew pauses and brings us through the silence and stillness of the grave.

Many have tried to dismantle the hope of Christianity, suggesting that Jesus had not really died or that eager disciples had stolen his body to substantiate their claims of a risen Savior. Yet Matthew’s interlude between final breath and first appearance speaks unequivocally of a death that was real, a grave that was silent, and a situation that appeared beyond hope.

Romans were thorough in carrying out capital sentences, particularly for those accused of treason. That Joseph was able to retrieve Jesus’ body meant the executioners were satisfied with their handiwork. Jews, throughout the Old Testament, would heap rocks on the vilest of criminals to represent that for some, there would be no life beyond the grave. That a great stone would cover the entrance of the tomb meant that there was no expectation of life beyond this grave. The tomb is still, dark, silent.

This is the fate that should have been ours and the destiny of humanity. And yet, our hope is that through the one who went into the tomb before us, there is a way through and out into a new world of God’s creating. It is the hope that because one transcended the grave itself, we too may experience new life with him. Matthew’s description of the grave is a reminder that the tomb was silent and yet the silence would only last one more day.

Prayer

Our Father, remind us that the darkness of the grave will soon be overcome by the brightness of the third day. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - John 19:1-37

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Ross, and the passage is John 19:1-37.

The Cross

Re-read today's passage slowly and prayerfully, engaging your imagination as each scene unfolds. What do you see, hear, feel, smell, in each scene? What is all this meant to mean to you? Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through the story of Christ’s death for you today.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, it was our sins that sent you to the cross. There we beheld our king. There you finished the work of our redemption. There we looked upon you, whom we had pierced. There redemption was accomplished. Thank you for your astonishing love. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - John 13:1-15 & Philippians 2:6-7

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passages are read by Ryan, and the passages are John 13:1-15 & Philippians 2:6-7.

The Washing

The NIV translates verse 1: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” In this unexpected act of foot washing, Jesus was communicating something profound about the nature of divine love. Love is not simply what Jesus does, but love is who he is.

Often when we consider loving someone, we think in terms of actions and behaviors. We ask ourselves, “What’s the loving thing to do?” But Jesus’ unexpected, self-effacing act of service leads us to ask the antecedent question, “Who am I?” Without first asking this question, we can unknowingly place limits on our love because we are not operating out of a gospel-transformed identity. For example, if we functionally see ourselves as orphans needing to look out for ourselves instead of as God’s beloved children, we will limit our generosity towards others out of fear of not having enough. Likewise, if we think we are righteous by our own hard work, there will be boundaries to the way we are willing to serve others because our pride keeps us from serving those who “aren’t deserving.”

When we look to Christ we find a beautiful freedom to serve others, arising from the security of his identity: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant …” (Phil 2:6-7, NIV). Jesus was able to serve in a way that no one expected because he knew the Father’s love intimately. The same heart that led him to wash the disciples’ feet would lead him to the cross. Because of Christ we have the same privileged status and security with the Father, and so we become free to serve in the radical, loving ways in which he has served us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I forget each day who I am in Christ and the grace that envelops my life. My love has limits because I don’t embrace the truth of who you have made me to be. Help me to live out the reality of being your beloved child so that my love for others flows out of this new identity. Let me be a bewildering servant to those around me as you dismantle the limits I have placed on my love. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - Matthew 26:1-5 & 14-25

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Flo, and the passage is Matthew 26:1-5 & 14-25.

The Plot

Even when Jesus’ life was slipping away from him, he remained remarkably in control. He predicted his arrest and crucifixion before the religious leaders met to conspire against him. He knew that Judas, one of his trusted apostles, would betray him. How disturbing that must have been to Judas to know that Jesus could see right through his charade. Though humans have their plots and schemes, it is God’s plan that always prevails. Nothing can interfere with what he has purposed to do. And nothing is more central to God’s eternal plan than that Jesus, the Son of Man, would be delivered up to be crucified. His final meal, the Passover, carried symbolic import and pointed to the purpose for Jesus’ death. The Passover was an annual celebration of Israel’s exodus from slavery in Egypt. Jesus’ death would be the new Passover. Those who trust in him experience the ultimate Exodus — deliverance from the slavery of sin. As a result, they enjoy the privilege of living in the freedom of his love forevermore.

When life seems chaotic, when things seem not to cohere, great comfort may be found in remembering Jesus’ own experience at the end of his life. Though humans plotted against him and succeeded in executing their plan, nevertheless they could not thwart the plan of God. What comfort there is in knowing that nothing can interfere with the plan of him who is in control! He is at work in all the particulars for his good purposes. By looking to Jesus, particularly his death for us, we discover what is central to God’s plan for us: through Jesus’ death we find life, through his blood shed for us, we experience the exodus from enslaving sin and the freedom of living in his love.

Prayer

Gracious Father, thank you for being in control of our lives, especially when we feel desperately out of control. Center us in the one who is central to your plan for the ages. Enable us, Holy Spirit, to trust in Christ that we might experience the true Exodus. And having experienced the forgiveness of sin, may we live daily in the freedom of your love, wholeheartedly devoted to you. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - Mark 14:3-9

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Josh, and the passage is Mark 14:3-9.

The Anointing

“What a waste!” That is the complaint made regarding the woman’s use of her expensive perfume to anoint Jesus. Jesus will have none of it. He finds a purely cost-benefit analysis of our actions to be inadequate and bankrupt. Even though the money from the sale of the perfume could have been used to do a lot of good things, Jesus considers her act to be completely appropriate. Why? Because it is an act of worship. And he knows that life begins with what you worship.

Worship the wrong things and nothing else will come out quite right. But worship the living God who has given himself for us in the sacrifice of Jesus and you have a new sense of what matters and you will prioritize your life accordingly. Suddenly you find yourself “wasting” your life on Jesus by giving your life to his agenda rather than your own. That will include caring about justice for the poor.

Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, Jesus is not minimizing our responsibility to the poor in this passage. He actually is quoting from Deuteronomy 15, which encourages radical generosity to the poor. However, such generosity flows from worshiping God. First things first! Put God ahead of all else as the only one worthy of your worship and you will find you are pouring yourself out in all sorts of beautiful ways in service to the world.

Prayer

Lord, too often I worship the wrong things. Help me to see that my life is to be “wasted” on you and only then will it become something beautiful for you to use in your world. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Easter Devotionals - The Cleansing

As we approach Easter Sunday, we will be hearing readings from members of the Redeemer family, which we hope will help to prepare our hearts.

Alongside these readings we’ll be publishing blogs which make use of a Lenten Devotional published by Redeemer Presbyterian Church. We hope these devotionals and readings will help to reveal the comfort, challenge and joy found within the passages of scripture.

Today’s passage is read by Toby, and the passages are Mark 11:15-19, John 2:19-21 & Mark 15:38.

The Cleansing

Every year at Passover thousands of Jews came from all over Israel and Judea to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. Since many traveled long distances, they often purchased their animal sacrifices in Jerusalem rather than hauling them from home and risking an injury or a blemish that would make them an unworthy sacrifice. It was a convenience for Jewish worshippers to purchase their sacrifices once they arrived. However, the market for these transactions had been set up in the Court of the Gentiles, where non-Jewish seekers of God came to worship. Thus, at Passover, the temple courtyard was filled with livestock, sellers of livestock and money-changers, who exchanged regional currencies for Jewish money.

When Jesus saw this, he was angry — so angry that he overturned tables and placed an embargo on merchandise. But why? Weren’t the merchants just trying to help the travelers worship God? Perhaps. But they were doing it at the expense of those from “all nations” who were seeking God, counting their worship as insignificant. In calling them “robbers” Jesus may have been referring to their greedy financial transactions and the way they were robbing Gentiles of their place of worship.

Yet something else is going on. In a similar account of his cleansing the temple, Jesus was asked for a sign of his authority. He replied, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). But he wasn’t speaking about the building; “he was speaking about the temple of his body” (John 2:21). In other words, when he died, the temple and its entire system — the priesthood, the sacrifices, the glory — died with him because he himself was the Passover Lamb, high priest and Shekinah glory. Thus, when the temple curtain split at the death of Christ (Mark 15:38), the barrier between God and humanity came down for everyone. Jesus became the “house of prayer for all nations.” Today there is no need to travel to the temple in Jerusalem to worship. Nor is there any distinction between Jewish and Gentile worshippers. Worship is no longer attached to a place, but a person. Jesus is the temple. He is where we meet God.

Prayer

Lord, we worship Jesus as the final sacrifice, priest, glory and temple. Therefore, let us join ourselves to him so that we may love his name and be his servants (Isaiah 56:6). In Christ, may all nations — those near and far — come to you in prayer (Isaiah 56:8). In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Copyright (c) 2012 by Redeemer Presbyterian Church.