Miracles

Miracles I think present quite a puzzle for those of us that want to follow Jesus.

They are very much part of Jesus’ ministry as described in the Gospels and Jesus invited us to follow him. As a breath of fresh air of the spirit I decided to relook at the miracles to see what I might learn to keep faithful to his proclamation of the coming kingdom (Lk 4:18-19). Just a few thoughts that I gave on Sunday after looking myself at all Jesus' miracles again and seeing what Jesus actually did and/or said and looking for ways of following him (Mk 16: 15-18)

• It is very challenging to us and it is important we take our bit of faith and work with that not what others do. There was no one way but many always focusing on the Kingdom ie the teaching, proclamation and actions of God’s Spirit
• We are to establish an ecology of the Kingdom for us as individuals and as a community (light, water, nutriments, balance) ie everything has a potential for following the Spirit and seeing the kingdom manifest
• Jesus often tried to keep miracles a secret. They were not an advertising gimmick but a natural free flowing consequence of God’s Spirit
• Prayer was not often in evidence. The prayer at the time is often for our benefit. For Jesus the prayer seems to be at other times and often in private (most of us need the gathering together more to encourage each other)
• Miracles and the preaching mostly occurred outside of formal religious places and gatherings
• Touch and interaction/conversation were important
• Jesus often connected body and spirit healing together
• Spiritual warfare (a driving out) was involved however uncomfortable that makes us (me?) feel
• Opportunity seem to be important and desperation and seeking are often involved
• Selectivity and sometimes failure for his followers was evident (eg Mk 9:26)
• It was sometimes a person’s faith, sometimes Jesus authority, sometimes Jesus compassion

Learning to Pray

I was thinking about prayer and being prayed for. Being prayed for is not something I have gone in for in a big way in my life and recently when a friend elected to pray for a situation I have concern about, solely because I have concern about it, I found it really surprising. Hearing my concern presented to God as though that was the only natural thing to do with it, removed the weight of it from my shoulders completely. The issue hasn't changed, but the process of it being taken up by someone else and prayed for, changed quite a lot about it for me.
I just found that quite interesting! I couldn't recommend going around wrenching people's troubles out of their hands and hurling them at God; it is a bit brutal, and it has to come out of relationship, but there are probably far more opportunities to enrich people's lives by praying with them, than someone like me will ever be brave enough to take.

Who you gonna call?

 














I saw the question 'Where do you turn when you get down?' and it reminded me of this bus I'd seen in London. It was a good reminder that I know really where is the best place to go, even though often I might hunt around in all sorts of other places for a solution before I end up taking difficulties to God.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Early in June on a Sunday two people independently felt a cool breeze during the worship time as though a window had been opened. Since that time there has been a strong sense in our Sunday meetings and Saturday prayer meetings that God is wanting to blow through the church with his Spirit. Two weeks ago we looked at the alternative world view of the kingdom through the book ‘Sons of Thunder’. The PowerPoint which I called ‘Dreams’ gives an idea of what I said (see below)encouraging us to dream dreams of faith about God's kingdom and what the church could be like.

This Sunday we believed that God was inviting us to have faith for healing no matter how long it takes or how messy and unconventional it is. We took inspiration from the story of the healing of Jairus’ daughter and the women healed from a hemorrhaged when touching Jesus (Luke 8: 40 – 56). At the Sunday Communion meeting a number people were touched by God’s Spirit and we expect more in the coming weeks.

Festival Pilgrimage

 














The procession of the huge puppets through Verulamium to the Abbey is on Saturday 20th June. The puppets are twice the height of a person and tell the story of Alban.There are Romans and lions and it all looks quite dramatic. It is a good way to remember the town's Christian history.

Community

I really enjoyed listening to Henry Morgan on Sunday. Still thinking about what he said, I read a great quote this morning by Abbot Christopher Jamison (he of the TV programme – The Monastery) He was writing about how difficult he found it when he first become a monk and realised how much time he now had to contemplate the things inside his head. He wrote:

“I had been led over the edge of my own competence to new territory where I had to learn from others how to move forwards. I had to admit that I could not handle my interior world on my own: I needed support and guidance. We are all instinctively afraid of the dark and I was afraid of my own darkness. But just as we can learn to overcome our fear of the physical dark so too skilful friends can help us to overcome our fear of the spiritual dark.”

I know I keep concluding this, but every time it is like a new revelation to me, that the people around us are amazing, and that we in our turn are part of that for others. It sometimes seems surprising that God gives us each other as the best way for us to grow like him, but at other times it sort of makes sense.

Border Guard Converted!

Two Sundays ago I talked about Zacchaeus and this Sunday an even higher high profile conversion - Saint Paul.

The letters of Paul give an insight into the incredible conversion that took place from ‘border guard’ to the one who broke down the barriers - preaching free and direct access to all. His whole world view completely changed. Just like the border guards pulling down the Berlin wall! A Pentecost where God’s spirit breaks down all the barriers.

Paul saw a new covenant that meant the Gentiles could access God based soley on the death and resurrection of Jesus. No need for food laws, circumcision, temple sacrifice, etc. Paul who had been trained all his life as a Pharisee to guard all these borders that divided Jews from Gentiles now preaches that the borders have gone. A cosmic change in the world that means we are free to know God for ourselves.

The PowerPoint I produced on Sunday attempted to say some of that



Do we sometimes need conversion again from guarding our borders to telling people that the wall has gone and we are free. What might be our borders we guard?