Unity is strength
A story is told of an African father who had five sons, as he drew towards the end of his life, he was constantly anxious about their unity after he died. He was concerned that his sons should perpetuate the family name and business, but was also aware of seeds of disunity among them. He thought of ways to encourage them to embrace unity among them and the benefits that accompany unity. He called his sons around his death-bed and told them he wanted to give them his final words of blessing before he died. He asked them each to bring two sticks of equal strength with them. When they arrived he sat them around and told them that he had a very important final message for them. He asked each one of them to take one of the sticks they had brought and try to break it. It was easy. Each one broke their sticks. He then asked them to put together the remaining five sticks into a bundle. When they did, he asked each one of them to try and break the bundle. Each one of them tried and failed including the strongest son. He then told them that, they would be like that bundle of sticks, unbreakable, if they remained united. His basic message, was simply this, unity is strength!

Psalm 133 echoes the same message by pointing out two main points about unity. Firstly it is rare, hence the expression “behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”. As rare as dew in desert land or as rare as precious oil with its all-pervading fragrance. Secondly its results: Unity is as refreshing as dew in places where rain is rare. As the dew in Eastern climates, refreshes the vegetation, it is inestimably precious, so unity cheers and invigorates the heart. Unity is as sweet fragrance of precious ointment. Anointing with oil was practised by the Jews, on occasions of rejoicing and festivity which became an emblem of prosperity and gladness. One commentator reflecting on the joy of unity says, ‘There is no other resemblance between the idea of anointing with oil and that of harmony among brethren than this which is derived from the gladness - the joyousness-connected with such an anointing. The Psalmist wished to give the highest idea of the pleasantness of such harmony; and he, therefore, compared it with that which was most beautiful to a pious mind – the idea of a solemn consecration to the highest office of religion. Discord and strife are painful things; peace and concord are delightful.’ The anointing oil was beautifully perfumed and when it was poured out, it diffused its fragrant odours to the great delight of all who were near. Unity is not only good and pleasant in itself, but it agreeably affects all who behold it.

This is echoed in Jesus’ prayer John 17:21, of which one commentator says, ‘When the world beholds a truly united Church, it will speedily be won to Christ.’ Where there is unity, there is delight, refreshing and strength. Commenting on the power derived from unity among brethren Dr. Guthrie says, ‘A threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ ‘Separate the atoms which make the hammer, and each would fall on the stone as a snowflake; but welded into one, and wielded by the firm of the quarryman, it will break the massive rocks asunder. Divide the waters of Niagara into distinct and individual drops, and they would be no more than falling rain; but, in their united body, they would quench the fires of Vesuvius, and have some to spare for the volcan­oes of other mountains.’

Brethren in Christ, although our Circuit is one of the smallest, united we can achieve more than some other bigger circuits, united we can accomplish more. But more importantly, united we will receive more blessings. As the Psalmist, says, where there is unity, ‘There, the Lord commands His blessings.’ This summer may we seek to join more into each others events to promote unity among our churches. May we turn up in large numbers at the Lake Bank services to make a joyful noise to the Lord and assert our presence and Christian Witness in our Community.

I look forward to seeing you at the Lake Bank, where the Lord will bless us together.

Daniel

Life in the Kingdom
To most Jews, the ‘Kingdom of God’ meant simply the time when God would break into history, and subject every nation to the Jews, with Jerusalem as the capital of the world, and with every nation admitting Jewish sovereignty. If the Jewish common folk had understood their Scriptures better, they would have recog­nised that the words ‘King’ and ‘Kingdom’ in the Old Testament – the Scriptures of Matthew’s hearers – usually spoke of kings in a derogatory way, and often meant those among the powerful who opposed God. And yet the desire (almost a need) among the Jews at that time was for a political King.

It was into this hot-bed of expectation that Jesus spoke. His teaching while on earth centred on ‘The Kingdom’, but he never once meant the same thing by it as the common folk did. For example, before Pilate, Jesus declared that his Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). To Jesus, this Kingdom was not a matter of political power, force, armies, or of palaces and riches. God is Spirit and can only be worshipped in Spirit and truth (John 4:24), and Jesus spoke of a spiritual Kingdom. We must be spiritual if we are Kingdom people.

Many have seen an analogy between the Lord’s prayer and the Ten Commandments: both were revealed by God, the one by God the Father to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 20), the other by God the Son on the Mount of the Beatitudes. Both form two parts, the first portion being concerned with the glory of God while the second part addressed the needs and duties of men.

In fact, the analogy can go further, for Matthew pictures Jesus as speaking five discourses concerning the Kingdom, as a reflection of the five books of the Law, the Pentateuch. The great Protestant reformer, John Calvin was convinced the parallel was conscious, in which case Jesus was saying, ‘I am God: here is a new interpretation of the Law.’ We are to keep the spiritual law if we are Kingdom people.

So the Kingdom Jesus spoke of (and the Kingdom he came to bring) is not of worldly origin or nature, nor is this world its end or object. It can neither be promoted nor defended by worldly powers or influence, but by the preaching of the Gospel (Luke 4:18 cf. Isaiah 61:1,2) in the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). For this reason, the response Jesus demand­ed of his followers was to ask for this Kingdom to reside here and now i.e. in the same perfection that it will take in Heaven where the devil has no influence (hence the last clauses of the Lord’s prayer).

Clearly, God is already King, but when Jesus came, he announced a new and powerful manifestation and revelation of the kingly rule of God. For this reason, Moffatt translation of the Lord’s Prayer has Matthew 6:10 as, ‘Thy reign begin’.

The key to living in the Kingdom is contained in the beatitudes in Matthew 5. Entry to the Kingdom follows from being poor in Spirit (see April’s magazine) because Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.’ And the centrepiece of living in the Kingdom is purity of heart: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’

A closer look shows that the beatitudes are a progression: we start by being poor in spirit, which first gains access to the Kingdom of God. Such entry causes mourning – grieving over our own past behaviour, grieving over the behaviour of others; but we will also realise the old adage, ‘there but for the grace of God go I’, meaning we were sinners and are now entering the Kingdom: “What if we hadn’t been reached in time?” We are therefore meek as we realise the power of God’s saving love. We are so bowled over by his grace that we strive to share it with all around us, to clear away those aspects of fallen humanity around us stop others reaching the Kingdom, thirsting for righteousness. True, we will have to forgive much and maybe be forgiven, but that is the stuff of mercy. Nevertheless, our own walk with the Father will be fuelled by the desire to be holy - purity of heart - to the extent that we aim to nullify the effects of sin, being peacemakers, brokers of peace between the world and God. The technical term is evangelist. Paradoxically, this activity will lead to conflict. People do not like to be told that they need God. They want to live the life the devil tells them is theirs by right. But we must carry on. If we do, we will be able to share the kingdom of God. We must grow, spiritually, if we are to be Kingdom people.

So the beatitudes starts with a personal acceptance of the Kingdom, and ends with sharing the Kingdom; we each start our Christian lives by accepting the Gospel as others share it with us, and end up sharing the Gospel to further propagate the faith, bringing more and more people into a relationship with God.

Naming the New Testament
There is sometimes confusion about the names of the books in our New Testament. The Gospels are so-called because a Gospel is a record of the Good News of Jesus (‘Good News’ in Old English is godspel) The first three Gospels are the ‘synoptic’ Gospels, (from the Greek syn = same, and optic = seeing) because they are so alike. John’s Gospel is different in both language and structure, so it is not one of the synoptics.

Acts is more properly called ‘The Acts of the Apostles,’ and was written by the same Luke who wrote the third Gospel. It is a history of the Church from the Day of Pentecost, when the Church was born, to about 60 ad. We know it was written before 64 ad, because St Paul was executed in that year, but Acts does not mention his death.

The epistles were originally letters, each written to an individual or to a Church. There are two letters addressed to Timothy (we call the first one ‘1 Timothy’), and one letter each to Titus and Philemon. They were written by St Paul to fellow evangelists he was training. They are sometimes called the Pastoral Epistles, because the recipients were Pastors of the Churches Paul founded.

By contrast, the letters having the names of James, Peter and John are letters from these apostles, rather than addressed to them. The apostles wrote these letters to be read to all believers, so are sometimes called encyclicals, or general epistles. They were probably intended to be read aloud.

The other books of the New Testament are named after Churches. Paul was not only a master evangelist, but founded many Churches, each of which was originally small enough to meet in someone’s home. Occasionally, these ‘Cell Churches’ experienced problems, either of doctrine or more usually of discipline, and wrote to Paul for advice. His letters of reply were put together, and each one named after the Church it was written to. For example, Romans was written to the newly-created church in Rome, 1 and 2 Corinthians were two letters written to the Church in Corinth in modern Greece. Ephesians was written to the Church in Ephesus, Galatians was written to the church in Galatia, Philippians to Caeserea Philippi, Colossians to Colossae, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians to be­lievers Thessalonika, in what is now modern Turkey and Greece.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is addressed to a Jewish Church (hence the name). The identity of its author is unknown, although most people think Paul or James was the author. The whereabouts of this Jewish Church is also uncertain, but most scholars now suggest Jerusalem. We know that Hebrews was written before 70 ad, because the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in that year, yet this is not mentioned in the letter to the Hebrews

Which leaves the last book: the Revelation of St John (the apostle). John was exiled by the Romans to hard labour on the small Greek island of Patmos, where he had a vision of Jesus, containing exhortations and details concerning the end of the world.

Isn't it funny?
Isn’t it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and yet wonder why the world is going to hell?

Isn’t it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Isn’t it funny how everyone wants to go to Heaven, provided they do not have to believe, think, say or do anything the Bible says.

Isn’t it funny how someone can say ‘I believe in God’ but yet still follow the devil (who, by the way, also ‘believes in’ God).

Isn’t it funny how you can send a thousand jokes though the e-mail or telephone line, and they spread like wildfire, but when you send a message re­gard­ing the Lord Jesus, people think twice about sharing it with anyone.

Isn’t it funny how anything lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene is communicated freely, but a public discussion of Jesus is suppressed, in schools or work places.

Isn't it funny how when you retell a story or message, you will not give it to everyone you know, because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.

Isn’t it funny how we I can be more worried about what other people think of us, rather than what God thinks.

So who will pass on the Christian message? Will you?                                      

Anon
Did You Know?
Read the parable of the lost coin in Luke 15:8–10

The coin lost was a silver ‘drachma’ worth about 4 pence in today’s money, so the woman was not worried about the coin’s financial value. It was a Jew­ish custom to give a bride ten drachma coins, which were then joined together to form a kind of necklace, worn across the forehead as part of the head-dress. She would wear it during the first year of marriage as a sign that she was newly wed, and treat it as part of her dowry. The coins were perhaps also a sign of hope for future prosperity. The woman’s dismay at losing the coin was therefore panic at losing a precious and symbolic bit of jewellery. That is why she was so delighted to find it again.

The Pharisees looked down on many of the ordinary folk who worked the land and were not learned in the Jewish Law. Most of these folk, it seems, did not particularly want to learn it. So the Pharisees had a saying, ‘There will be joy in Heaven over a sinner who is obliterated.’ In Luke 15:10, Jesus turns this saying on its head. He says instead, ‘There will be great joy in Heaven over a sinner who repents.’ The Pharisees saw a God of strict justice. Jesus knew his Father to be a God of love and mercy.

Cliff College
A group of about 20 of us went to Cliff College on Monday 28 May for the climax of Cliff College’s annual Celebration Weekend. Despite threatening clouds as we left, the weather changed and was warm by the time we reached the college, set in the lush and fragrant Hope Valley, on the outskirts of Sheffield.

The programme started at 11 with an address by the College Principal, Revd. Howard Mellor who has preached several times in Dearnley. The Vice President and then the President of the Methodist Conference also spoke. The worship of the thousands of fellow believers around us was sincere and lively.

After lunch, we went our various ways. The all-age worship was thrilling in the main arena, with the theme of ‘Nehemiah building the Temple.’ The music in the worship tent was led by talented songwriter Christ Bowater, and the speaker in the teaching tent (the Anglican Bishop of Barking) was funny but also pro­voc­ative and timely, preaching on ‘Are we afraid to ask for the Power of God?

Cliff College is affiliated to the University of Sheffield, and offers training, re­gard­less of entry qualifications, to all who wish to be evangelists. The courses are vocational, with lots of ‘hands on’ training. Most students studying for a dip­loma will participate in three or four major missions per year. Cliff Students helped lead the Dearnley Mission in 1999.

Cliff is growing and has an ambitious building programme, to enable more stu­­dents to benefit from their courses, and to allow greater disabled access.

Further details can be found at www.cliffcollege.org or obtained from the Administrative Office, Cliff College, Calver, Nr Sheffield SP32 3XG

The Bible . . . shortened version
If you could condense the Bible into 50 words, what would you say?