Reading: Mark 4:1-20.

We can learn much about sharing our faith from this passage, both from the method Jesus used and also from the content of this parable itself.

The scene is clear. Jesus is out by a lake, and people come out from the surrounding countryside to hear him teach. Perhaps the first thing we can learn from Jesus’ method in this passage is that he didn’t shy away when the opportunity arose to share the gospel. Even when seeking solitude after hearing of the death of his cousin, Jesus is still willing to meet with the crowds who come out to him (Matt 14:13-14). We are told that he had ‘compassion’ upon them, though the Greek word used has to do with the innards and suggests a stronger translation; we might say ‘gut-wrenching’ or ‘heart-rending’ sympathy.

Chances are that we are not followed around by crowds desperate to hear our teaching, as Jesus was. Yet we need to make sure that we do not lose or squander opportunities to share the Gospel. You may be tired, hungry, mourning, busy, in a bad mood etc. But do you have the deep-seated compassion for the lost that Jesus did and does? If so, no matter what your personal circumstances, don’t pass up an opportunity to share the Gospel because you are not feeling up to it, or because it is inconvenient.

Similarly, don’t allow external circumstances to hinder you. Jesus got into a boat and pulled out a little way from the shore so that more people could see him and hear him. Israeli scientists have verified that the location popularly identified with this account, the so-called ‘Bay of Parables’, can transmit a human voice effortlessly to several thousand people all at once.¹ Once again, we might not ever have need or opportunity to share our faith with thousands of people all at once. But perhaps we can arrange to meet with our friends at a quiet cafe or restaurant instead of a noisy pub or club. Maybe we turn the TV off, or close up our laptop, when engaging in conversation. Consider whether you really need to check the text that just came in on your phone, or if now is actually the best time to be facebooking. What message are you sending about the importance (or otherwise) of the Gospel? Maybe you can give these things a miss for the sake of the Gospel.

Then again, perhaps we do have opportunities to ‘speak’ to hundreds and even thousands at once. Social media such as Facebook and Twitter is an obvious example of how this might happen. Yet, sadly, these media often encourage regular updates with little or no thought, condensed to ‘sound bites’ of 140 characters or less, and so on. Keeping our message short is not necessarily a bad thing, but it should be because we have taken the time to distil our message in to its most concise and clearest form, not because that’s all the thinking we have done, and we can’t be bothered doing more. There was a time when putting pen to paper and publishing one’s thoughts was a time-consuming operation, usually involving an editor or publisher collaborating with an author to ensure that what was to be published was appropriate to its audience and purpose; those days are gone. Yet we, as Christians, ought still to ensure that we are thoughtful and careful in what we say and do, for we are ambassadors of Christ.
As Christians, let’s make sure that if we are saying anything, that it is something of substance, something worth saying. If we are to follow Jesus’ example, we ought to ensure that our words and thoughts flow from spending time with God, reading and praying through his word. You will only have something worth saying if you are first listening to God.

Let us, like Jesus, give careful attention to both the form and the content of our message.

One of the most challenging aspects of sharing the Christian faith in Australia in the 21st century is apathy. We live in a culture that encourages what it calls ‘tolerance’, and whose catch-cry might well be ‘Let’s agree to disagree.’ Friends and family will often listen in a politely bemused silence as we explain how encountering Jesus has changed our life, how the Gospel means that we need no longer be a slave to sin but can instead come into relationship with God, how God in Christ is reconciling the world to himself… and at the end of it all, their response is limited to, ‘I’m glad that works for you, but what has it got to do with me?’

When we read the pages of the New Testament, however, we quickly realise that this was not a problem Jesus faced. Or, rather, it was a problem that Jesus was a master at overcoming. Already in the 3 chapters of Mark’s Gospel that precede tonight’s passage, responses to Jesus’ message have covered the entire spectrum from eager acceptance, people leaving all they have to follow Jesus, all the way through to accusations of Jesus being demon possessed and a law-breaker. What we don’t read is, ‘They smiled politely, then went about their business’ or, ‘That’s nice’. Jesus continually provoked responses, both positive and negative.
In part, this is a reflection of a change in our society: 21st century Australia is very different to 1st century Judea. But I think it has at least as much to do with the way Jesus went about proclaiming his message. And one of the most distinctive and effective characteristics of his teaching is the way Jesus used parables.

The Greek word παραβολή is made up of two words that mean ‘alongside’ and ‘throw’.² The way words are constructed does not always have a bearing on meaning (think of ‘pineapple’ which is neither an apple, nor grows on pines). But in this case it gives us a pretty good approximation, for a parable is where we ‘throw’ something well-known alongside something that is not well-known, with the aim showing how they are the same. Students of English will know that we speak of such things as similes, metaphors, analogies and so on; all of these have their part to play in parables. But parables also contain something more. Once a parable is correctly understood, it demands a response from the hearer. There is generally one character or element of each parable with which Jesus wants his listeners to identify.

For example, when Jesus speaks the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37), he ends by asking:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36–37)

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules, it is often the last character mentioned who we are meant to identify with. This helps us to understand, for example, why Jesus adds details about the older son to the story of the Lost Son in Luke 15:28-32. At the start of the chapter, we read:

Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1–2)

So Jesus is actually addressing two groups of people: the tax collectors and sinners who were coming to him; and the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jesus tells the parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7), the parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10) land the parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32). At the end of the first two parables, the leading character invites friends and neighbours to ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep’ (Luke 15:6), and again ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin’ (Luke 15:9). The desired response, from both sinners and the self-proclaimed righteous is rejoicing.

But in the third parable, Jesus goes further. The party to celebrate the return of the younger son is started, and all have been invited to rejoice, but the older son rejects that invitation. Even though he is a member of the family, who should have been overjoyed at the return of his brother, he is resentful and rebellious. He refuses to come in, even though the father appeals to him in person. This third parable is as much and perhaps more about the older son as it is about the younger, for truly it was the older son who was ‘lost’ in the end. The intended audience is those Pharisees and teachers of the law who complained that Jesus was welcoming and eating with ‘sinners’. Once they have understood that they are represented by the older son, a response is required: will they continue to refuse their father’s appeals to come in and rejoice (an action very nearly as disgraceful as the actions of the younger son in asking for his inheritance before his father was dead); or will they obey their father?

When we share our faith, when we tell the Gospel, we need to be clear that we are presenting people with a choice between two alternatives. On the one hand, they can act in obedience to God’s will, and rejoice over the things God rejoices over and weep about the things God weeps about. Or they can set themselves against God, pretending sovereignty over their own life and destiny, a path which ultimately leads to destruction. There is no fence on which to sit when it comes to the Gospel; Jesus said, ‘He who is not with me is against me’ (Matt 12:30; Luke 11:23). If we have not clearly shown the required response, by our words and actions, we have not really shared the Gospel.

The question arises: if parables are such an effective method of teaching the Gospel, should we use parables when we share our faith? A large part of the reason parables are effective is because they connect with things that are common in peoples’ daily lives. Even today, Jesus’ parables have great power because even though we do not witness crop farming or fishing and so on as a daily occurrence, most of us have, at some time, planted a seed, or caught a fish. So, I encourage you to know and use Jesus’ parables.

But sometimes, parables that spring from your common experience with the person you are sharing your faith with can be an effective tool for witness. I encourage you to keep your eyes open, and consider how current events, movies, books and so on teach you about the Gospel. Did you go and see The Hobbit together? Take some time to reflect on what it meant for Bilbo to be specially ‘chosen and selected’ to do a job that he had no qualifications or experience for; what mission has God picked you out for? Bilbo set out on a journey, leaving behind the comforts of home, ‘without [even] a pocket-handkerchief'; what comforts will you have to leave behind on your Christian journey? Maybe you went to an art gallery together, and noticed that the masterpieces had frames that complemented them, perhaps wrought with great skill yet not themselves the focal point; is your life a frame that points to the great masterpiece of the Gospel?

I’m not saying you should spend your entire life trying to come up with different ways of explaining and illustrating the Gospel at the expense of enjoying them. But do keep your eyes open and set aside some time to think and pray about what you observe and how it relates to your Christian walk and faith. Once again, time for thought and prayer is important here, for parables made up on the spot are rarely effective; properly thought and prayed through, however, they can be very powerful indeed.
Let us turn now to the content of Jesus’ parable found in Mark 4. I chose to look first at the parables about the Good Samaritan and the Lost Son, because they are well-known and generally well understood. But things were not always clear-cut with Jesus’ parables, and I think that the parable that he tells in Mark 4 illustrates this well. He speaks of a farmer sowing seed. Depending on the nature of the soil in which the seed falls, there are different outcomes: some soils result in no crop, some in a crop that grows quickly but does not last until the harvest, and other soils result in a good crop.

This is all well and good, but it is difficult to see what the original audience would have made of it, lacking the explanation Jesus gives in the latter part of the passage. Certainly they would have understood the imagery; some scholars suggest that Jesus’ teaching on this topic may even have been prompted by seeing a farmer in a nearby field that day! But what was the point? What response was being called for from them? Who or what were they supposed to identify with in the story? The farmer? The seed? One of the soils?

Fortunately we don’t have to guess what Jesus meant in this instance, for Jesus himself explains it to his disciples. The seed is the word, and the soils represent different kinds of people. Some people either reject the Gospel or fall away from it from lack of grounding in the faith or being starved out by the cares of the world. But others accept that word and grow up healthy and strong, producing a crop up to a hundred times what was sown.

But we have seen that parables, properly understood, demand a response; what response is Jesus calling for in this instance? Like with the Good Samaritan and the Lost (elder) Son, I believe that the emphasis is on the last item mentioned, the soil that bore fruit that multiplied the original seed ‘thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times’. Most farmers in days before genetically modified crops, pesticides and so on, would have considered a thirtyfold increase on what was sown to be a good crop, for the average yield was about tenfold throughout most of Palestine.³ Sixtyfold would have been a very good crop, whilst a hundredfold increase would only have been a possibility in the most fertile area in the region, the Jordan Valley, and rare even there. The response required by this parable, then, is that those who accept the word (the ‘good’ soil) should allow it to grow in them and produce fruit. And, whilst I wouldn’t want to push the imagery too far, it is at least worth remembering that crop produced is of the same kind as the word originally sown; crop farmers save some of this year’s crop as seed for next year’s harvest. Thus, if the seed is the word of God, so too should be the crop that is harvested.

Is this the case in your life? Have you accepted the word of God? If so, is it growing in you? When God harvests the crop that is your life, is it his own word that he finds growing there? Can he use you to sow into other soils, other lives, other people? Take some time this week to have a look at your life, and seriously ask yourself whether it is the Gospel that flourishes there.

So, in summary, let me encourage you to seize every opportunity to share the Gospel. Spend plenty of time with God, reading his word and praying, otherwise you will not have anything worthwhile to say. Be clear that there is no fence to sit on when it comes to the Gospel. Know and use Jesus’ parables, and keep your eyes open for modern-day parables, as these can be an effective way of inviting response. And examine your own life to see if the seed planted there – the word of God! – is bearing fruit of the same kind that can be sown into the lives of others.

I want to close with one final encouragement. In his explanation, Jesus identifies the seed, the soils, the thorns and so on; but he never identifies the farmer. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt who is intended, for it is Jesus himself who spreads the word of God. As you share your faith with those around you, remember that it is God who plants the word in peoples’ hearts. Don’t be disheartened if there is a negative response; Jesus himself encountered criticism, jealousy, accusations of demon-possession and, ultimately, died at the hands of those who rejected his words, those of the stony soil. Don’t be surprised or discouraged when friends who have professed themselves Christians walk away from Christ, because of hard times or the lures of the world; though incredibly sad, Jesus told us that these things will happen. Instead, remember that where the sower sows his seed – where God himself plants the Gospel – there will ultimately be a bumper crop.

The sower knows his work!

Bibliography

Edwards, James R. The Gospel According to Mark. Accordance electronic ed, Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002.

Keener, Craig S. The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : New Testament. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Endnotes

1. James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, Accordance electronic ed., Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 126.
2. Ibid., 127.
3. Craig S. Keener, The Ivp Bible Background Commentary : New Testament (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 144.

What is a parable? To what shall we compare it? It is like a medicine, carefully crafted to release its benefits steadily over time. Too much, too quickly and the drug results in harm rather than good. But the right remedy, in the right dose and at the right times, results in lasting healing.

Such are parables on the lips of Jesus. Presenting his message in vivid, sometimes startling imagery and stories, Jesus captures the interest and imagination of his listeners. The same people who instantly dismiss a bald theological assertion (‘God loves his people’) will find lodged in their memory the image of a shepherd seeking his lost sheep; or a woman seeking her lost coin; or, strongest of all, a father straining his eyes, watching for the return of his lost son, running to meet him and embracing him warmly (Luke 15). Every time they attend a wedding banquet they are reminded of another banquet, whose invited guests scorned the invitation (Matt 22:1-4). When they see a farmer scattering seed in his field or a mustard tree growing (perhaps a daily occurrence), they are reminded that Jesus also spoke of a sower sowing (Mark 4:3-8) and a mustard seed that grows (Mark 4:30-32).

Whilst such a person may not have understood at the time, may not have been ready for the truth wrapped up in Jesus’ message, later recall may be precisely the means by which God draws them to himself. Praise God that he has given us such an effective means of both remembering the lessons he taught, and of sharing them with others!

Reading: John 16:5-16

Let me tell you about two different kinds of expert.

Recently we had an incident where our only garage door key got locked (you guessed it) inside our garage. We had no choice but to call a locksmith, who duly appeared, spent two minutes working to open the door, charged us an arm and a leg and left. We had a problem that we were not equipped to deal with ourselves and that required the presence of an expert. Yet his presence was only required for as long as the problem existed – once the door was open, he was on his way.

On the other hand, my father is a GP and, let me tell you, having a live-in doctor is very handy indeed: free consultations night or day, free medicines from his store of samples and so on. There were certain drawbacks – it was much harder to get away with taking a sickie, for example! – but on the whole having ready, continuous and free access to his expertise was of great benefit. And not only when I was sick; even when I was healthy I had the benefit of his wisdom, knowledge, love and friendship – in short his relationship and presence.

These two types of expert, I believe, help us to understand two ways people think of the presence of God. In the first, God shows up in the person of his Son, Jesus, to fix a problem (sin) then departs when the problem is solved. In this series we have focused on Jesus, who is given the name Emmanuel (which means ‘God with us’), and rightly so for he is the preeminent example of God’s presence amongst us. If that were all that there was of God’s presence that would be wonderful and amazing enough. But my purpose this morning is to tell you that the news is even better than that. For it is the second kind of expert that better helps us to understand God’s presence amongst us. He lives in our midst, continually offering of his love, wisdom, strength, protection, guidance and so on.

To grasp the magnitude of this, we will zoom out and look at the larger pattern of God’s presence with his people.
But first a clarification. Our God is Lord over all time and space. This means that he is, in one sense, present at all times and in all places. However, in addition to this general presence throughout (and beyond!) his creation, we shall see that God often has cause to make his presence known in specific times and places, to particular people and groups of people. I think of this latter kind of presence as God’s ‘specific’ presence and it is this specific presence that Isaiah has in mind when he speaks of Emmanuel, ‘God with us’.¹

God the Father is Emmanuel, ‘God with us’

Creation: The presence of God as blessing and judgment

Men and women were created to be in the presence of God. When we read of the Garden of Eden, we find God ‘walking in the garden’,² where he had placed Adam and Eve. He desires their company, calling out to ask where they are.³ Yet, as a result of their disobedience, they are ashamed to be in the presence of God. They are cast out of the garden and no longer able to enjoy God’s presence as they once had.

Even this early in the biblical narrative, we see the double-edged nature of God’s presence: for those who are obedient, God’s presence brings blessing; but for those operating outside of God’s commandments his presence brings about judgment. This theme extends right throughout the Bible. When the writers of Scripture talk of God ‘coming down’, or of some special experience of God’s presence, it is often in connection with either blessing or judgment. So, in Genesis 11, we are told that ‘the LORD came down to see the city and the tower [of Babel] that the men were building’ and rendered judgment on it. Similarly, in Genesis 15 we read that ‘the word of the LORD came to Abram [Abraham] in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward”‘ (15:1). The result is the well known blessing upon Abraham: descendants to carry on his name, and a land for those descendants to live in.

Exodus: God redeems his people

The presence of God is particularly prominent as we read the account of God redeeming his people out of Egypt. When Moses first encounters Yahweh at the burning bush, God tells him ‘”I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt… So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey”‘ (Ex 3:7, 8). When Moses is then told to go to Pharaoh and demand that God’s people be freed, he asks, “‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”‘ (Ex 3:11). The LORD responds: ‘”I will be with you”‘ (Ex 3:12). Did you catch that? Moses asks a question about who Moses is, but God answers ‘you are the person with whom God is’!⁴ In other words, it is the presence of God with Moses that defines and shapes who Moses is.

As we know, God himself led the people of Israel out of Egypt, going before them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to provide them light and allow them to travel by night or day.⁵ He also draws near to them at Mount Sinai, although they tremble with fear at his presence, requiring Moses to act as a mediator. See how far we have come from the garden experience of walking with God? Nevertheless, by his grace, and in spite of continued disobedience, God continues to promise his presence.⁶

Tabernacle and temple: where God’s people seek his presence

However, living in the presence of God is a serious business. God rebukes the Israelites, saying ‘”You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you”‘ (Ex 33:5). Because of his love for his people, Yahweh does not wish to see them destroyed. The simplest solution, then, is that he withdraw his presence: He proposes sending an angel ahead of the Israelites to lead them into the land. But Moses objects:

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”‘ (Ex 33:15–17)

Hear the desperation in Moses’ plea: ‘If you’re not going, don’t send us’! The promised land is of no value if God does not go with them.⁷

Yet how can an unholy people live in the presence of a holy God, without being destroyed? This is the conundrum that the book of Leviticus seeks to address.⁸ In chapter 15 of that book we read God’s instruction: “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them'” (Lev 15:31).⁹

This helps us to understand the need for the tabernacle, and later the temple. Rather than withdrawing his presence entirely, God instead chooses to localise it, to give geographical expression to his presence: he nominates a special place where he will dwell. Solomon acknowledges the incongruity here: ‘”But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!”‘ (1 Ki 8:27).¹⁰ Yet, as a gracious act towards Israel, God chooses to do exactly that. At one and the same time he is both everywhere and somewhere.

In this way the Lord provides the means by which Israel may seek him and find him, albeit in a much more structured and formal way. No longer is the experience one of walking in the garden (as for Adam and Eve); nor is it of dreams and visions or visitations (as for the Patriarchs, and Moses himself). With the advent of the tabernacle and the temple, there are several barriers between the people and God, each more exclusive than the last. Gentiles could only go as far as the outer court, on pain of death; signs were posted around the temple, in several languages, warning Gentiles that to go beyond the Court of the Gentiles would mean execution. Similarly, Jewish women could only go as far as the Court of Women; Jewish men could enter the Court of Men; only priests and Levites could enter the Holy Place; and finally only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, once a year on the Day of Atonement.

Summary: God’s personal presence

In summary, we learn from the Old Testament that:

God is not a vague abstract principle or force but a living person who fellowships with His people. He is the living and true God, as opposed to all the deaf and dumb idols of this world… God is unavoidably close to His creation. We are involved with Him all the time.¹¹

God’s modus operandi is not that of the visiting expert, who fixes a problem and leaves. He is, rather, continually present with his people. Though his presence ought to result in judgment because of the sinfulness of his people, he graciously spares them, providing them with the means to seek and return to him, to abide with him, and to worship him as they ought. God the Father is, in this sense, Emmanuel, ‘God with us’.

However, there is a remarkable trend. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve walked with God face to face. After their sin, the continuity of that presence with God was broken, and entering God’s presence became an intermittent experience.¹² With Moses, we find that there is only one man whom God draws into his immediate presence, with the rest of the people content (indeed, demanding) to experience God’s presence second-hand. Moses represents the people to God and God to them, acting as a mediator between the two parties. Finally, in the temple, we see that many requirements must be met in order to stand in the presence of God: you must be a Jewish male, of the tribe of Levi and the line of Aaron, chosen as a high priest, specially consecrated, on the Day of Atonement and so on. The trend is from continual, immediate experience of God’s presence (in Eden), to regular but mediated experience (through Moses), and finally to sporadic mediated experience (in the temple). Though God is continually present with his people, we sense that we have fallen a long way from the experience that God created us for.

Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, ‘God with us’

The advent of Christ, then, is not the sudden and belated arrival of God to fix a problem. Yet the presence of ‘God with us’ in the person of Jesus of Nazareth represents a major new chapter in the story.

In the New Testament we see that the presence of Christ also brings about either blessing or judgment. Jesus says, ‘”Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”‘ (John 3:36). Similarly, as Dave reminded us on Christmas day, Jesus tells the story of a man who rented out his vineyard and went away. The tenants, however, killed each of the servants sent to collect the rent. Finally, he sends his Son, whom they also killed. Jesus concludes: ‘”What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others”‘ (Mark 12:9). In each case, it is the presence of the Son, and the response to him, that provokes the final judgment.

In the Gospel of John, the Evangelist presents Jesus as the fulfilment and replacement of all of God’s previous dwelling places. Jacob dreamed of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, and angels ascending and descending on it, and concluded ‘”How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”‘ (Gen 28:17). But Jesus says, ‘”I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending [not on a ladder, but] on the Son of Man”‘ (John 1:52). Jesus speaks of his own body as the temple of God, which must first be destroyed before it can be raised in eschatological glory.¹³ A Samaritan woman challenges Jesus about where the ‘right’ place to worship is, expecting him to point to one or other of the mountains or temples where God had previously met with his people; Jesus responds that it is not place, but Spirit and Truth that determine correct worship (John 4:23-24), and again it is the presence of Jesus that provokes the change. In chapters 5-10 he takes this message to the heart of Jewish worship, the Temple in Jerusalem, and again presents himself as the true dwelling place of God among his people and the source of God’s blessing.¹⁴

The Fourth Gospel also frequently speaks of dwelling or remaining, and this language often tells us something about the presence of God in Jesus Christ. Consider the following:

• ‘the Word became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us’ (John 1:14);
• The Holy Spirit came down and remained on Jesus.¹⁵ Unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus lived continually in God’s presence;
• ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”‘ (John 3:36).¹⁶ God’s presence brings only judgment (wrath) unless we believe in the Son;
  ‘”Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him”‘ (John 6:56);
• ‘”Remain in me, and I will remain in you… I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned’ (John 15:4–6). Remaining in the presence of Christ is vital if we are to have life.¹⁷

In short, even in this short survey of one book of the New Testament, we can see that Jesus adopts the language of God’s Old Testament presence to describe himself, his ministry, his relationship to his Father, and his relationship to his followers. Where God came to redeem the Israelites from Egypt in fire and smoke, he has come to redeem the whole world in the person of Jesus. It is the presence of Jesus, Emmanuel, ‘God with us’, that brings ultimate blessing or judgement. It is in Jesus Christ that we can truly seek God and worship in Spirit and in Truth the way God requires.
At the same time, we see a reversal of the trend we saw earlier. At Sinai it was death for anyone except Moses and Aaron to set foot on the mountain, and enter the presence of God; with the tabernacle and temple, anyone who sought to enter further into the presence of God than God had permitted them was to be put to death; but with Christ, it is essential that we remain in the presence of God, otherwise we will die! Matthew and Mark record Christ on the Cross crying out to ask, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34); he endured separation from God at that moment in order that we would never have to experience it!¹⁸ The barriers separating us from God’s presence have been torn down: the curtain that surrounded the Holy of Holies has been torn in two, top to bottom; and the signs around the temple declaring death have been replaced with an invitation to come and enter into the presence of God.

This is good news, this is the gospel!

Friends, this invitation remains open to you (and to people everywhere) today. Because Jesus Christ is Emmanuel, ‘God with us’, the way is open for you to come into the presence of God: will you enter? Pilgrims once sought the presence and blessing of God by going to his temple, but now it is in Jesus that these are to be found: will you seek him there? Jesus Christ is the one who leads his people out of slavery and bondage: will you journey with him?

The Holy Spirit is Emmanuel, ‘God with us’

If this were the entire message of the Bible, it would still be wonderful news. But, by God’s grace, there is even more!

The disciples sensed a crisis was approaching. They had enjoyed God’s presence with them in Jesus, as they journeyed with him throughout Judea. But, recently, Jesus’ teaching had taken on a darker tone. He had begun to speak of leaving them, of returning to his Father. Was this presence of God thing to be a limited-time offer? Would they have to revert to their earlier existence? Jesus is quick to reassure them, and we read his words in John 16:5-15. There is a purpose to Jesus’ going, and it is for the good of the disciples (and all who would follow after them). The purpose is to ensure the coming of the Counselor, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit.

Again, we see the presence of God brings both blessing and judgment: on the one hand, the Counselor will ‘convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment’ (16:8); on the other hand ‘he will guide you into all truth’ (16:13). The Apostle Paul develops this teaching about the coming of the Holy Spirit, and he also adopts the language of presence and dwelling. To the church in Corinth, he writes ‘Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit lives in you?’ (1 Cor 3:16). Just as it was the presence of God that defined who Moses was, so it is the presence of his Spirit that defines who his people are. A little later, he applies the temple imagery to individuals, arguing that the bodies of believers are temples in which the Spirit of God dwells.¹⁹ As one author puts it, ‘God not only dwells in the midst of his people by the Spirit, but has likewise taken up residence in the lives of his people individually by the same life-giving Spirit… God now dwells not in temples made by human hands, but in temples constructed by his own hands’.²⁰

The temple was the centre of Israel’s worship; whenever the Israelites gathered together at the temple, it was to worship God. Indeed, worship is the most appropriate response to the presence of God. How much more should we worship God now that he dwells in our midst, and lives in us by his Holy Spirit!

Paul consistently speaks of the Holy Spirit in personal terms, using verbs of personal action, often used elsewhere of God and Christ.²¹ In other words, the Holy Spirit is himself personal, not just infusing but dwelling amongst, living with and relating to his people. This is truly the presence of God inside of us, amongst us. No longer must we go on pilgrimage to the temple to meet with God, for he has come to meet with us where we are. Christ’s coming did not signal the beginning of God’s presence, but rather its continuation in a new and better way; neither does Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension mark the end of God’s presence but rather a new and better stage of the relationship. God is not a tradesman who comes, does his work and departs. He is a loving Father, who dwells with his people, and desires intimate relationship with them.

The Holy Spirit, too, is Emmanuel, ‘God with us’.

Conclusions: Emmanuel, ‘God with us’ yesterday, today, and forever

We have seen that the presence of God is not something to be taken lightly, for it is a double-edged sword bringing both blessing and judgment. If you do not know Jesus, get to know him, for his presence transforms even the greatest trials and judgments into blessings, albeit perhaps not in ways you might expect. God personally works to redeem his people, leading them out of their current experience of bondage as he did for the Israelites, and he is eager to set you free too. On the other hand, if you reject Jesus’ presence, even the greatest of blessings – love, family, work, health and so on – may prove ultimately to be God’s judgment upon you.

Friends, we have also seen that God has always been present with his people at every stage of history. Perhaps your current circumstances tempt you to doubt that. There is a famous poem that tells of a man looking back over his life, represented as two sets of footprints along the sand: one set is his, the other set of footprints belonging to the Lord. He is troubled to note that, at the points representing the deepest, darkest, most troubled portions of his life, there are only one set of footprints. He challenges the Lord, asking why, when he was needed the most, he was not there?

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you.”²²

If you doubt God’s presence in your life, I urge you to seek him out. When his people seek him, they will inevitably find him. Read his word. Pray to him. Meet with other believers (as God dwells amongst them also!). Our God is rightly called Emmanuel, “God with us.”

The new heaven and earth: Emmanuel, ‘God with us’ forever!

Finally, no sketch of God’s presence with his people would be complete without considering our eternal dwelling. Paul writes to the Philippians that at the coming of Christ, ‘every knee [will] bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord’ (Phil 2:10-11). As always, the presence of God will result in both blessing and judgment: for those who believe in Christ, his return will be a blessing, and they will bow their knees in reverent awe, joyful submission, and grateful acceptance of the blessings of God in Christ; those who are not servants of Christ will also bow, but in fearful expectation of judgment rather than blessing.

When he comes, will his presence bring blessing or judgment for you?

For those in Christ, here is how it will be, as recorded in Revelation 21:

‘I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God”‘ (Rev 21:2–3).

‘I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp’ (Rev 21:22–23).

Consider the wonder of a city lit only and always by the glory of the presence of God! Neither temple built by human hands nor temple built by God are needed, for God himself will be our temple! How can we respond to such an amazing vision, except to echo the prayer found at the very end of the Bible: ‘Come, Lord Jesus’ (Rev 22:20).

Bibliography

Carson, D. A. Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2010.

Fee, Gordon D. Paul, the Spirit and the People of God. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of God, A Theology of Lordship. Phillipsburg, N.J.,: P&R, 2002.

Frame, John M. The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, A Theology of Lordship. Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R, 1987.

Jeffery, S., Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach. Pierced for Our Transgressions : Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution. Nottingham: Inter-Varsity, 2007.

Köstenberger, Andreas J., and Scott R. Swain. Father, Son, and Spirit : The Trinity and John’s Gospel, New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2008.

Endnotes

1. Isa 7:14; cf. Matt 1:23
2. Gen 3:8
3. Gen 3:9
4. John M. Frame, The Doctrine of God, A Theology of Lordship (Phillipsburg, N.J.,: P&R, 2002), 95.
5. Ex 13:21
6. Though some of these promises are given to individuals, such as Abraham (Gen 12:1-3); Isaac (Gen 26:3); Jacob (Gen 28:15; 31:3; 46:4); Moses (Ex 3:12); and Joshua (Deut 31:7, 23; Josh 1:6, 7, 9, 18), the vast majority are promises made to Israel (e.g. Ex 29:45; 33:14; Num 35:34; Lev 26:11; Deut 31:6, 8; Isa 43:2).
7. ‘The chief blessing of the covenant is fellowship with the Lord himself.’ Ibid., 100.
8. S. Jeffery, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach, Pierced for Our Transgressions : Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution (Nottingham: Inter-Varsity, 2007), 42.
9. Similarly, Isaiah describes the fear of the people: ‘The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: “Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”‘ (Isa 33:14).
10. cf. 2 Chr 6:18
11. John M. Frame, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, A Theology of Lordship (Phillipsburg, N.J.: P&R, 1987), 17.
12. In fact, ‘entering’ is probably not the right word, as the initiative is always and only with God. It is he that invites people into his presence.
13. John 2:19-21
14. This is particularly poignant at the festivals of Passover (John 6) and Booths (John 7), which commemorate events of the Exodus when God was present to rescue and redeem his people. Andreas J. Köstenberger and Scott R. Swain, Father, Son, and Spirit : The Trinity and John’s Gospel, New Studies in Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 138-9.
15. John 1:32
16. cf. 9:41
17. Indeed, Jesus goes on to use this same language of ‘remaining’ in his (and the Father’s) love suggesting some connection between his presence and his love (John 15:9–10).
18. D. A. Carson, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2010), 35.
19. 1 Cor 6:19-20
20. Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit and the People of God (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 20.
21. Ibid., 181.
22. “Footprints in the sand” by Mary Stevenson. I recently saw a cartoon update, which has the Lord saying, “That long groove over there is where I dragged you for a while!” (http://chainsawsuit.com/2012/08/08/footprints-in-the-sand-part-1/

Volume being reviewed: Bock, Darrell L. A Theology of Luke and Acts. Edited by Andreas J. Köstenberger, Biblical Theology of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michgian: Zondervan, 2012.¹

Readers of Darrell Bock’s A Theology of Luke and Acts who are not familiar with the tenets of Biblical theology (as distinct from, say, commentaries or systematic theology) are fortunate indeed, for they have stumbled upon an examplary instance of the breed.² After discussing a number of preliminary matters such as the case for the unity of Luke-Acts and a ‘narrative survey’ of the two volumes, Bock surveys a number of the major theological themes that span Luke’s two volumes. His general method is to present a pair of chapters on each theme: the first chapter in each pair surveys the evidence relating to the theme in the narrative order in which it is presented; the second chapter then synthesises this evidence into a more systematic form. Whilst this inevitably leads to some overlap in material, Bock’s precise, cogent prose is always engaging.

For example, chapter 7 explores Luke’s Christology, and the various roles and titles that Luke ascribes to Jesus. Bock arranges his material under three categories: the infancy narratives; the body of Luke’s Gospel; and Acts. The division between infancy material and the remainder of the Gospel seems more or less arbitrarily chosen, but is common across all of the survey chapters. By proceeding in narrative order, Bock allows some insight into the narratological development intended by Luke; it also ensures that all the evidence is tabled before categories are applied, so avoiding pre-judging material.

In chapter 8 Bock draws together and rearranges the material adduced in chapter 7. He re-presents the data under headings familiar to readers of systematic theologies: the person of Christ; the titles of Christ; and the work of Christ. Here he compares, for example, the various titles ascribed to Jesus throughout Luke and Acts as Luke uses them in different contexts. He also draws comparisons with external sources (the Synoptics, rabbinic material etc.) to help underscore both the similarity and dissimilarity of Luke’s presentation.

Bock’s exegesis is obviously based on the Greek text, though all of the (frequent) Greek and (occasional) Hebrew / Aramaic snippets are transliterated for those unfamiliar with the original languages. On the other hand, the occasional grammatical arguments advanced may be somewhat difficult to follow. Similarly, readers unfamiliar with terminology such as ‘eschatology’, ‘christology’, ‘ontology’ etc. may wish to keep a theological dictionary handy. Bock engages regularly with secondary literature in the footnotes, though only rarely in the main text. Each chapter (or pair of chapters) includes a brief bibliography pointing to the most significant secondary literature for the topic, with a more comprehensive bibliography included at the end of the volume. As such, I judge that the target audience is probably beginning to intermediate theological students, though lay people with the appropriate aids will find it readable.

The volume as a whole is neatly presented, with a layout to warm the hearts of the most avid margin-scribblers. There are scripture, subject and author indices, though the subject index seems a little perfunctory. Overall, I found it eminently readable and am happy to recommend it as a worthwhile addition to any theological library. I will certainly be keeping my eyes open for future additions to the series.

Endnotes

1. With thanks to Zondervan for supplying a review copy as part of their blog tour.
2. Another master of this relatively new way of doing theology is David Peterson, as demonstrated in his Engaging with God.

Once again, I am pleased to have the opportunity to review a book from Zondervan as part of a blog tour, this time for Michael Williams, How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens. Sadly, my review copy arrived after the blog tour dates were already complete, so I am a little behind the times… ah well, never mind.

This is the third in a series of “How to Read the Bible” books, joining volumes jointly written by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. Having benefitted greatly from the first two volumes in the series, and incorporated much of the material from the first volume into my own teaching, I was excited to read this newest addition.

In order to understand what How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens brings to the table above and beyond the earlier volumes, I decided to do a case study, and see what I learned about the book of Revelation from each of the three volumes. The first volume, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (hereafter For All Its Worth) offers an overview and introduction of the methodology of Bible reading. Fee and Stuart introduce the concept ‘exegesis’ (understanding a text in its context) and argue strongly for the necessity of exegesis before moving to interpretation and application. They emphasise understanding authorial intent as a means to finding the ‘primary meaning’ of a text. They then go through each of the major genres of biblical literature, offering guidelines for how to read and interpret each. So, for example, we are enjoined to read Revelation with a view to the author’s intent (to comfort those who were facing suffering and persecution under the Romans); to use the author’s interpretation of his own images serve as a starting point for understanding other (uninterpreted) images; to read for the whole rather than allegorically pressing details; and to keep our Old Testaments open to understand John’s OT references. These guidelines assist the layperson in finding manageable starting points for understanding what is often shunned as ‘too difficult to understand’. Each is illustrated with relevant examples from Revelation.

How to Read the Bible Book by Book (hereafter Book by Book) follows up on the work done in For All Its Worth by working through the Bible book by book and applying the principles taught in the earlier volume. This is helpful where multiple books fall under one genre (i.e. one chapter in For All Its Worth), but a little redundant in the case of Revelation, which has a one-to-one mapping with the genre of apocalypse. Nevertheless, a sequential presentation of the material at a high level (approximately one or two paragraphs per chapter of Revelation) is helpful. As Fee and Stuart write in their introduction, ‘The concern of this book is to help you read the Bible as a whole, and even when the “whole” is narrowed to “whole books,” it is important for you always to be aware of how each book fits into the larger story.’ (14) To this end, in the chapter on Revelation they offer, in summary (dot-point) form comments on provenance and theological themes and emphases, followed by an overview of the structure and message of the book. They then go through the book section by section, with brief comments on how the section contributes to the message of the book, and the book to the message of the Bible.

These volumes are, in my view, a tough act to follow. For All Its Worth is my immediate recommendation to anyone who is looking to make the first steps toward structured Bible reading and study. Williams has some big shoes to fill.

How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens (hereafter Jesus Lens) seeks to offer an explicitly Christological (i.e. Christ-focused) reading of every book of the Bible. In his Introduction, Williams writes,

Reading the Bible through the Jesus lens is reading it the way it was intended. It keeps our reading, understanding, teaching, and preaching properly focused on God’s grand redemptive program that centers on his own Son. Seeing how each biblical book makes its own unique contribution to that redemptive focus enables us to use these diverse materials with much more confidence and accuracy. The Jesus lens ensures that our exegetical bowling balls stay within the lane and don’t go crashing over into areas where they can cause a lot of damage to the faith of believers and to our ability to use the Bible fruitfully in our service to God. (9)

If ever there were a book of the Bible where bowling balls were prone to leave lanes it is surely Revelation! So what advice does Williams offer on reading the book of Revelation ‘through the Jesus lens’?

He starts by offering a brief overview of the situation which prompted the writing of the book of Revelation (though in less detail than Book by Book). He states the theme of the Book: ‘God enables his people to stand fast against Satan and his forces until God brings about the ultimate and sure victory’ (263). The section on ‘The Jesus Lens’, where you would expect Williams to focus (no pun) his attention, is a mere 3 brief paragraphs (approximately 2/3 of a page) that effectively points out that it is the Lamb who brings about salvation, and that though appearances suggested that Jesus was overpowered by evil, Revelation overturns this false impression by depicting a God who is in control and a Lamb who, though slain, is ultimately victorious. Williams closes the chapter by offering some contemporary implications (though sin is rampant, we live with hope) and ‘hook questions’ (discussion starters, suitable for a group Bible study).

Whilst I generally try to avoid criticising a book for what it is not, in this case I feel it is warranted: for a book entitled How To… it contains very little instruction. There is no discussion of how Williams arrived at the ‘Jesus lens’, nor of how to use it. True, Williams demonstrates his own usage, thus modelling a method, but we end up with his finished product without any real insight on how he arrived at it. As a result, if asked to look at portions of Scripture smaller (or larger!) than a canonical book, the student would need to start from scratch. In addition, whilst I appreciate Williams’ desire to write ‘a book that one doesn’t need a wheelbarrow to carry around’, I fear that his brevity necessitates gross generalisations. As a summary, his chapter on Revelation offers considerably less detail than Book by Book.

The strength of Williams’ book is the way it reminds us that all the Scriptures speak of Christ (John 5:39), a reminder sorely needed today as any day. But in its current form it is hard to see that it serves any particular audience – certainly it is too brief and lacking in methodological detail to be an instructional (How To!) manual. I will continue to recommend For All Its Worth.

Bibliography

• Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas K. Stuart. How to Read the Bible Book by Book : A Guided Tour. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2002.
• Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas K. Stuart. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2003.
• Williams, Michael James. How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens : A Guide to Christ-Focused Reading of Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.

Some time ago, Microsoft produced an ad for their XBox gaming platform that featured a child being born. Rather than being ‘caught’ in the usual way, the child rockets out of the room, flying through the air. As he flies, he rapidly ages, transitioning through childhood, adolescence, middle age and into old age, before eventually crashing into an open casket.

When I first saw this ad, I could tell immediately what it was, because I had seen thousands just like it. I knew that, sandwiched in between two portions of whatever show I was watching at the time, the advertiser had only a limited time to tell their story and catch my attention. I could guess that there would be some summary statement at the end to make sure I didn’t miss the point, probably accompanied by the sponsor’s logo.

Tonight, my goal is to provide you with some tools for understanding the book of Revelation and then, using these to look at Revelation 12 and see how they help us to understand John’s message. Though these tools will be unfamiliar to you at first – as the conventions of advertising were once unfamiliar – the more you use them and immerse yourself in using them the easier and more familiar they will become.

Some guidelines

But first some guidelines for reading Revelation:

• The first thing to ask yourself when reading Revelation (or any portion of Scripture, for that matter) is, What was the author’s original intent? For example, John wrote Revelation to comfort those who were facing, or were about to face, suffering and persecution under the Romans.
• Read to see the whole, rather than allegorically pressing details – much as you would a parable. Where details are included, they are generally done so for (a) dramatic effect;¹ or (b) to make sure readers will not miss the reference.²
• Pictures of the future are just that: pictures. They express a reality, but are not to be confused with reality, nor is every detail necessarily to be ‘fulfilled’. Let’s say you get the opportunity to view Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. What do you do? You stand back just far enough to see and appreciate the whole. Only then do you get up close and appreciate the techniques and paints used. Apocalypse is seldom intended to give chronological details of the end of history. For example, we should not necessarily expect a literal pouring out of the four disasters described in Rev. 8:6 – 9:16. Instead it is more likely that this is a reference back to the plagues inflicted upon Pharaoh, and the judgment that went along with them. Don’t spend your time worrying about whether current events are the fulfillment of events described in apocalypse – instead, understand John’s message that God is in control, and will bring history to a close on his terms. Even where events described seem to mirror temporal (either present or past) events, be aware that there may be a “not yet” dimension.
• When the author interprets his own images, use these as a starting point for understanding the other images. There are several images in Revelation which John interprets for us: the Son of Man³ who is Jesus; the lampstands⁴ which are the churches; the stars⁵ which are the angels of the churches; the dragon⁶ who is Satan; the 7 heads of the beast⁷ which are the seven hills; and the prostitute⁸ who is Bablyon etc.
• Be aware of Old Testament references. John references or echoes the Old Testament some 250 times in Revelation, so that every significant moment in his narrative is described almost exclusively in Old Testament language.⁹ The OT context gives us clues as to how John’s images and pictures are to be understood.

The Passage

So how does this help us? Let’s look at Revelation 12 and see if we can apply these principles.

When you think about the Christmas story, what are the images that come to mind? For me, they are images of peace, tranquility and joy. “Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men,” as many carols put it. Aside from the minor problem of having to sleep in a stable, there seems little to indicate anything out of the ordinary. Hardly material for a story or movie, surely? Children are born all the time, there hardly seems anything special about this one. Sure, there are a few angels, some wise men, but where’s the action? Where’s the drama? The romance? Sure doesn’t seem to fit into any book or movie genre I know!

Then we turn to Revelation 12. The same event becomes considerably more interesting. Crowns of stars, clothing of sunshine, a seven-headed dragon, warrior angels, great battles. You name it, it’s there! Much more like what we are used to seeing on TV.

And yet this is not the Christmas story we know. This is not the part of the bible that we turn to each year at Christmas time, that our parents read to us when we were little. Why not? Perhaps because it is somewhat harder to come to terms with, lacking the solid, earthy realities of mother and father, stable and manger, donkey and cattle. Without these things, Revelation 12 (and indeed Revelation in general) is dismissed by many Christians as being a dream bearing little or no relation to reality. Without easily recognisable anchors to things we are familiar with, we find ourselves unable to understand what is going on.

Why does John use such outlandish imagery?

Since the invention of SMS, we have taught ourselves a new way of writing, almost a new language – words and phrases get compressed down to as few characters as possible. ‘I will see you later’ becomes ‘Cya l8r’, ‘Where are you?’ becomes ‘Wru’. These conventions are used so often that they are simply understood. And because everyone understands them, nobody feels the need to explain what each one means, we simply use them as a normal part of our communication.

As John writes Revelation, he takes similar shortcuts. He uses symbols and metaphors to express himself, many of which are completely foreign to us. The churches that John is writing to, however, were part of a culture very much used to interpreting such ‘signs’. It was quite common for people to go to the temples of the gods of their culture to receive an oracle from a seer – kind of like today’s horoscopes, only even more vague and obscure. It was then up to either the priest of the temple or the person receiving the oracle to interpret it. Over time, a rich tradition of how certain symbols were to be interpreted was developed. These would not have had to have been explained to the people receiving this message from John, but we don’t have the luxury of having grown up with them. Just like some future generation trying to understand our SMS messages or advertising, we struggle to understand what these symbols mean.

As we go through the passage tonight, I will try to highlight some of the most important symbols, and explain what they mean.

The Players

Let’s start by examining the characters in Revelation 12.

1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.

The first of our three major characters appears, at first glance, to be Mary. A pregnant woman, giving birth to a child who will “rule all the nations with an iron scepter” (v. 5) (more on this later!). A closer examination, however, gives us a different interpretation.

The woman wears a “crown of twelve stars” (v.1), is clothed with the sun and has the moon for her footstool. There is another place in the bible where this combination of sun, moon and stars occurs – Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37. There, Joseph dreams of the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowing to one star. The dream is interpreted to mean that the stars are the twelve sons of Jacob, whilst the sun is Jacob himself and the moon is Rachel, Joseph’s mother. Extending this somewhat, we can then understand that the stars in the woman’s crown represent the twelve tribes of Israel, with the woman herself representative of the people of Israel.

The next character to appear in our unfolding drama is a dragon.

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.

One of the most common symbols throughout Revelation is that of the horn. A horn, quite simply, is a symbol of strength. The dragon has ten horns, and so is a creature of great strength. In Revelation (and elsewhere in the bible) the number seven is usually symbolic of completeness. Having seven heads and seven crowns, therefore, indicates the completeness of the dragon’s power on earth – he is overwhelmingly powerful. This becomes clearer when we understand from verse 9 that the dragon is “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the world astray” – that is, the dragon is the “Prince of this World”.¹⁰ Remember, where John explains the meaning of something, we should take that as our starting point in understanding what is going on.

The third character is, of course, the child himself:

5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

Without any doubt whatsoever, the child is Jesus. As we said at the start, John loves to use Old Testament images to make important points, and the “iron scepter” here is a reference to Psalm 2:9:

You will rule them with an iron scepter;
  
You will dash them to pieces like pottery.

The image is of an iron rod being used to shatter clay. Just as the clay doesn’t stand a chance, so too is evil doomed under Jesus’ rule.

The Plot

Now that we have a feel for who the characters are, we can turn to examine what they are doing. I don’t think the woman giving birth needs any explanation… so let’s instead ask ourselves why the dragon is hanging around in the delivery room.

Some weeks ago, Cedric shared with us about Simeon, a man who had been waiting for Jesus to appear. His waiting would have been characterised by longing, a desire to see the promised saviour. For him, the appearance of Jesus was an occasion for great joy, together with great peace that God was keeping his promise. There was another, however, for whom the waiting period had not been so pleasant. Satan knew very well what the result of Jesus coming would be – indeed we see his fears come to pass towards the end of tonight’s passage:

7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down… He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

You see, Satan knew that his days were numbered – God had promised way back in Genesis 3 that there would come a descendant of Adam and Eve who would “crush [the serpent’s] head”. Since we have identified Satan as being the serpent (v.9), this prospect would not have been a pleasant one for him. Like Captain Hook hearing the crocodile’s clock, Satan has long been able to hear the sound of his death approaching.

In fact, Satan has been doing his level best to destroy the “seed” all along. Throughout history, he has taken every opportunity to try and kill off those who would be Jesus’ ancestors. Examples include: when Cain killed Abel; when Haman sought to have all of the Jews killed; the barrenness of both Sarah and Rebekah; and Esau threatening to kill Jacob for robbing him of his birth-right. In spite of this, he has failed every step of the way. His last remaining chance is that he can somehow corrupt or destroy Jesus himself.
Once again he fails, as Jesus is “snatched up to God and to his throne.” (v.5)

It would seem, from this passage, that Jesus was no sooner born than he ascended to be with God. Like the ad with which we started tonight, an entire lifetime is compressed into an instant. The reason, I think, is that this passage is not really concerned with the fate of Jesus. Jesus’ story is covered much more thoroughly elsewhere in Revelation. Instead, the point of this passage concerns the fates of the woman and the dragon.

The woman, we are told, “fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days”.¹¹ In Israel’s history, the desert was traditionally a place of testing and refuge – God took care of Israel whilst they wandered through the desert for 40 years. It is definitely not the ‘promised land’. More specifically, this reference reminds us of Elijah being cared for in the desert during three and a half years of drought – 1,260 days. Whilst there, God provided food in the form of the widow’s flour and oil which miraculously never ran out. Because of this, the period of 1,260 days is traditionally associated with a time of testing and trial – it is not actually a literal 1,260 days, but is symbolic. It is also, by the way, the exact length of time that Satan is given to “trample on the holy city” (v11:2), as well as the length of time given to God’s witnesses for witnessing (v11:3). It is important to note that there is a fixed end to Satan’s rule on earth – it will not go on for ever. This is an important promise to us, who have to live through it!

The final part of the passage explains exactly what happens to Satan:

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
’Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
 But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.

Wherever you come across the words “I heard a loud voice say”, it generally means that an explanation is on the way. The Scooby gang is about to pull the rubber mask off the bad guy and tell us exactly who dunnit, how and why.

The who? The word Satan is the Hebrew word for ‘accuser’, so when the voice talks about the accuser having been “hurled down” (v.10), we know it is Satan they are talking about.

Why did they cast him out? Well, the only reason Satan was allowed to remain in heaven was because of his role as ‘accuser’. Kind of like the heavenly prosecutor – his purpose was to accuse us of our sins, to remind God that we are sinful and to invite his judgement upon us. More than just a job, this is something he did “day and night,” (v.10) suggesting that it is his purpose for existence. It is easy, now, to understand why Satan was so desperate to prevent Jesus’ coming – his reason for living was being taken away!
And God’s verdict? “Case dismissed. Thankyou Mr. Prosecutor, your services are no longer required, please remove yourself from my presence!”. Then when he refused to go, it was up to Michael and the other angels to remove him.

Now hang on. How could God, who is just, deliver a not-guilty verdict when we are so obviously guilty? From verse 11, we find that ‘They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the word of their testimony.’ You see, when Jesus came to earth and died for our sins, Satan no longer had grounds for accusing us. As C. S. Lewis puts it in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe:

Though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.¹²

The Witch, like Satan, had the role of accuser. Her demands that Edmund was hers because of his treachery, and that his treachery could only be dealt with through blood, are not denied by Aslan. Instead of killing her then and there and removing the problem that way, instead of breaking the Emperor’s law, he chooses instead to be killed on the Stone Table in Edmund’s place – with amazing results! Aslan lives, whilst Edmund is freed from his guilt and the punishment that go with it. And the Witch? Her role as accuser is done – there is no-one left to accuse – and so she dies at Aslan’s hands (or paws!).

So out of all of this, what have we learned? Even if you didn’t know the Old Testament background or the significance of many of John’s symbols, you could still tell from this passage that a great battle was fought, and a victory won, that Satan has been cast out of heaven and those he ‘accused’ have ‘overcome him by the blood of the Lamb’. You don’t need to be an art critic to appreciate the ‘Mona Lisa’, neither do you need to be a theologian. But, when we do look closer, each additional detail that we have learned tonight – sun, moon, stars, time, 1260 days etc. – has served only to confirm that ‘big picture’, and this is a very promising sign that we are on the right track.

Christmas is, if you like, history’s alarm bell. The coming of Jesus marks the commencement of the time between his birth and his return – sometimes referred to as the “last days”. It heralds the 1,260 days of Satan’s time on earth, and of God’s witnesses witnessing. We who live in these times should remember that we, like the woman, have a place of shelter and refuge made ready for us by God. More than anything else, however, it should be a reminder of a victory already won, won by ‘the blood of the Lamb':

Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down. (v.10)

Endnotes

1. e.g. Rev. 6:12-14
2. e.g. Rev. 9:7-11
3. Rev. 1:13
4. Rev. 1:20
5. Rev. 1:20
6. Rev. 12:9
7. Rev. 17:9
8. Rev. 17:18
9. e.g. Rev. 1:5b-6 refers back to the sacrificial imagery of Ex. 19:6.
10. John 12:31
11. Wherever you see the phrase “Times, time and half a time,” in the Bible, it is referring to this length of time – a ‘time’ is a year, so ‘times’ is 2 years and half a time is half a year – three and a half years or 1,260 days.
12. C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (London: Lions, 1980; reprint, 1987), 148.

This is part II of an ongoing discussion of Jonathan Edwards’ A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections. In case you missed it, please see Part I. Also see the contributions from my friend and conversation partner Andrew Starkey: Part I and Part II.

Q: What is this section about as a whole?

In Part 1, Edwards argued that true religious affections are a necessary component of true religion. However, this raises a question: how may one determine whether such religious affections are ‘true’ or not? Edwards begins to answer this question negatively in part 2, outlining many possible methods for making such a determination, but concluding that each of them is ultimately deficient. In this way, Edwards is clearing the detritus from the building site in order to lay a firm foundation.

Q: What is being said in detail, and how?

Edwards traces 12 possible, but ultimately faulty, rubrics for assessing religious affections. These twelve are surveyed one by one, particularly in the light of Scripture and practical reason, and each is finally rejected. The twelve possibilities are:

1. The magnitude of the affection;
2. The magnitude of physical effects upon the body of the one affected;
3. The affectee is fluent and fervent in talking about religion;
4. The affection is apparently from an external source;
5. The affection is accompanied by Scripture texts being brought to the mind;
6. The affectee presents an appearance of love;
7. Many affections are intertwined and accompany one another;
8. Comfort follows conviction;
9. The affectee is zealously engaged in religion;
10. The affectee praises and glorifies God;
11. The affectee is convinced that their experience is divine; and
12. The affectee has the approval of other saints.

These are not ordered according to any discernible system, though one notes a certain overlap particularly between 3, 9, and 10. Edwards’ method on each point is commonly to argue that the sign is consistent with either true or false religious affections. So, an overwhelmingly large affection may well be a component of a ‘true’ affection; but likewise a ‘false’ affection may be exceedingly powerful in its impact for our enemy is able to simulate such things. Thus, since the sign is consistent with either true or false affections, its presence is insufficient evidence in either direction. What is not clearly discussed is whether the sign’s absence is evidence against the truth of the affection, a point I will return to in the next section.

This idea of ‘counterfeit’ runs like a thread through many of the points Edwards makes. He writes:

It may be observed that the more excellent anything is, the more will be the counterfeits of it. Thus there are many more counterfeits of silver and gold, than of iron and copper: there are many false diamonds and rubies, but who goes about to counterfeit common stones? Though the more excellent things are, the more difficult it is to make anything that shall be like them, in their essential nature and internal virtues; yet the more manifold will the counterfeits be, and the more will art and subtlety be displayed, in an exact imitation of the outward appearance. (969)

Thus, since it is ultimately to the enemy’s advantage to influence the church by means of his own ‘false’ affections, he will work very hard to imitate – in as many particulars as he can – ‘true’ affections. After all, ‘Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.’ (2 Cor 11:14 NIV) But this leaves us with a question that I hope will be answered in the rest of Edwards’ treatise: what are the attributes of true religious affection and experience that cannot be counterfeited?

Q: Is the section true, in part or in whole?

Edwards’ method is sound, and his conclusions seem supported by the evidence. I thus consider that this section is true. However, as mentioned above, I am left to wonder whether the absence of any of these signs should be taken as evidence against the authenticity of the experience. In particular, if the affectee has no appearance of love (6) or is disapproved by other saints (12) shouldn’t these tell against authenticity?

Q: What of it?

I need to go back and consider my own practices of spiritual discernment. As we have previously discussed, the signs listed above are generally external (although some require revelation by the affectee to become so, such as where certain texts of Scripture are brought to mind), suggesting that the focus is on discerning the affections of others, but I believe that they ought to be practiced on oneself first, and only secondarily on others. As I think over my own life and experience of God, what criteria am I using to evaluate? If any of the points listed above, then that should trigger alarm bells and a closer scrutiny.

Some weeks ago, a friend suggested that most of us would feel pretty comfortable if Paul had not bothered with chapters 9-11. Surely it would have been the easiest thing to move on from the climactic conclusion of chapter 8 straight into chapter 12. Let’s try it on for size:

‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom 8:38–39)

‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.’ (Rom 12:1)

What do you think? Flows pretty nicely, doesn’t it? Why, then, does Paul get sidetracked into a discussion about the future of ethnic Israel in chapters 9-11? I believe it is because Paul wants to establish beyond doubt the credibility and comprehensiveness of God’s mercy.

Let me explain.

Recently, a well known Christian televangelist went on record as believing that it is OK to get a divorce from a spouse who contracts Alzheimer’s Disease. Quite apart from the ethics of such a decision, imagine if a man who had divorced his first wife for this reason – a technical ‘loophole’ – were to seek remarriage. How much credibility would he have with his second wife? Don’t you think she might harbour some doubts about what other ‘loopholes’ might crop up?

In the same way, chapters 1-8 outline the mercy that God has shown to the Gentiles, yet without chapters 9-11 that very mercy is thrown in doubt. God had chosen Israel as his people; Paul wanted to demonstrate beyond doubt that they were not being abandoned because of some loophole, but rather that this inclusion of the Gentiles was ultimately for their benefit as well. In other words, he is saying: ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy [to Jews and Gentiles alike]’ to act accordingly.

In her 1997 book Truly the Community, Marva Dawn relates the story of a child trying to open a flower bud. As a result of his sincere – though misguided – efforts, the blossom falls apart in his hands. Exasperated, he queries his mother, ‘Why does the bud fall apart when I try to open it, but when God opens it the flower is beautiful?’ Lacking assistance from his (speechless) mother, he reaches his own conclusion: ‘Oh, I know! When God opens a flower, he opens it up from the inside.’

No matter how hard we try to change an individual or community from the outside, unless the change is also driven from within it is ultimately doomed to failure. The Apostle Paul evidently knew this, instructing the Christians in Rome: ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Rom. 12:2). Few things in this world are more difficult to change than a closed mind, and that is an accurate description of all who are not in Christ. In fact, Paul implies that this kind of transformation requires an act of God, instructing that the Romans must ‘be transformed’, not that they ‘transform themselves’.

Yet, when such a renewal does occur its effects are felt in every area of life – the way we think, speak and act in every circumstance. For it is not just any old mind that God gives us; the Apostle says in another place that ‘we have the mind of Christ’ (1 Cor. 2:16).

When God opens a flower, he opens it from the inside… and it is beautiful indeed!

Pick a city. Any city in the world, so long as you have never been there. Got one? OK, hands up if you can name a Christian in that city? Two? Five? Ten? As Paul reaches the conclusion of his epic letter to the Roman churches, churches in a city that he has never been to, he greets no fewer than 24 people by name! Some are people he has worked with, or been in imprisoned with. Some are family or close friends, others he may know only by reputation. Men and women alike are greeted with respect and affection. Paul is obviously intimately aware of the goings on in the churches in Rome.

This passage is all about people. Which is not surprising, really, since Paul has been talking about people and how Christians relate to other people – both Christians and non-Christians – since chapter 12. In that chapter he wrote about the renewing of the mind, and how that leads us to have transformed attitudes, actions and reactions to one another. In chapter 13, he spoke about the need to submit to authorities, which might not seem to be about relationships at first glance until the first person decides that traffic lights are simply providing suggestions of guidelines at which time relationships are both formed and broken very quickly. In 13:8 Paul wrote about our ‘continuing debt to love one another’. In chapter 14, and through into the first half of chapter 15, Paul is arguing very strongly that those who are ‘strong’ should nevertheless care for those who are ‘weak’ by not trampling their consciences.

From there to the end of the epistle, including the passage we are looking at tonight, Paul is recounting his own pastoral efforts on behalf of the church at large, and continuing to model his love for his fellow Christians, not least those in Rome. Where the previous chapters were about relating to people in general, this final chapter is very personal and specific, as reflected by the number of people addressed by name. Paul was a real person, writing to real people about real problems, and this is a fact we do well to keep in view as we read his epistle to the Romans.

Tonight, we’re going to consider Paul’s love for the Christians in Rome under three headings: (1) the foundation of love; (2) the promptings of love; and (3) the actions of love.

Love fellow believers because Christ has loved us and rescued us

On the 5th of August, 2010, a mine in San Jose, Chile, collapsed. 33 men were trapped 700 metres underground and 5 kilometres from the entrance to the mine they were working in. It was 17 days before those on the surface could even confirm the presence of any survivors. These men spent a record 69 days underground before their rescue could be effected. When they reached the surface, they all shook hands, waved goodbye, went home and never talked to one another again… What?

Of course, that’s not how the story ended at all! There was, in fact, great joy. An entire nation had collectively held its breath during the whole time they were underground; friends and relatives doubly so. For them, the response was great relief and joy at being reunited. But what about amongst the 33 men who had been trapped? These men, who were all but dead, had been rescued… together. I don’t know this, but I can easily imagine that the bonds formed underground were strong indeed. They had shared a terrible, harrowing experience and emerged from the other side of it alive. One thinks also of those who have survived wars, earthquakes, tsunamis and so on. Shared experiences, and particularly those charged with great danger or suffering, draw us together in a way that few other things can.

Paul recalls many shared experiences with those whom he greets, but the most repeated one may be seen in the phrases ‘in the Lord’, ‘in Christ’. These phrases are not empty, nor are they mere religious jargon. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that Paul’s entire epistle has been developing the theme of how and why anyone can or should be ‘in Christ’.

Christians have been rescued from a much greater peril than being stuck underground. They faced the death of their bodies; we faced the eternal death of our souls. It may have taken an entire nation to rescue those miners, but it took the God of the universe to rescue us! The foundation of love between Christians is the action of God in Christ to rescue us. We are to love our fellow believers because Christ has loved us and rescued us.

Do you think those Chilean miners ever talked about their experience again? I reckon they did. Why are we Christians so shy, then, about reminding one another about what we have been saved from, how and by whom?

Remind each other of God’s grace in your shared experiences

Paul does not stop short at recalling our shared experience of salvation, however. God has saved us in Christ, and this is the foundation of our love for one another but, sinful as we are, we often require further promptings to love one another. Paul has a good solution for this: with those he has had personal interactions with, he regularly makes brief reference to some way in which God has blessed one or both of them through their interaction. So, with his good friends Priscilla and Aquila he recalls their shared work together and the fact that they risked their lives for him. This is an expression of love, because he is reminding them of God’s grace to him through them. Similarly, Paul greets Andronicus and Junia who were imprisoned with him, thus reminding them of God’s grace in setting them free. And there are many other examples packed into these short verses.

By recalling these things, Paul is encouraging those he is addressing, but the encouragement is also for the rest of the church who are hearing this letter read, who can experience God’s grace second hand, and be encouraged to look for it in their own lives also. We should be encouraged as well. God provided ‘fellow workers’ for Paul, to help him in the mission that he was called to, and God will provide such people for us as well. Rufus was indeed ‘chosen in the Lord'; we have been also. You may be imprisoned for the sake of Christ, as Paul was, but God will provide encouragement for you in the form of fellow believers such as Andronicus and Junia. Be encouraged by the faithfulness of people who have been Christians for longer than you have, such as Epenetus. Rejoice in the service of Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis, and those who faithfully host house churches like Aristobulus and Narcissus.

Let’s be enthusiastic about reminding one another about God’s gracious working in our lives.

Turn your love into action

But, as the old saying goes, love is a verb. Paul does not just remember old times in order to ‘feel’ love toward these people. No, he uses these experiences as a motivation to ‘do’ love toward them. What kind of actions result from Paul’s love? Well, writing this epistle for a start!

Most obviously, Paul instructs his readers to ‘greet’ one another 13 times in this passage. Paul is physically separated from these believers, so he relies upon others to convey and express his love.

Yesterday morning, I was upstairs getting ready to face the day, whilst the rest of my family were downstairs having their breakfast. At least, Katrie and Elyana were downstairs. Aedan was having great fun coming up the stairs to see me before promptly asking ‘where’s Mummy and Baby Elly’ and heading back downstairs to look for them. After the first couple of times he did this, I suggested he go and tell Mummy and Baby Elly how much Daddy loves them. Then I sent him to give them each a kiss from Daddy. And so on. By doing this, Katrie and Elly were receiving expressions of my love for them. But, just as important, Aedan was learning about my love for them, and learning appropriate ways of expressing his own love for them.

So it was with Paul. He was unable to come to Rome and greet people in person. He did not have the opportunity to give Ampliatus a hug to reinforce his words of love. He could not sit down and have a beer with Urbanus and Stachys. And so he relied on others already in Rome to do these things on his behalf. And in standing in for Paul, these people were learning about Paul’s love for them and how to express it, much like Aedan learning about my love for Katrie and Elyana.
But they were also forming relationships with one another. It is hard to ‘greet’ someone – especially to greet them with a kiss, as commanded in verse 16 – without forming some measure of relationship with them! I used to be a part of a church where the two pastors made a particular effort to introduce people to one another, as the first step towards building relationships within the church. Paul does a bit of this too, introducing Phoebe (who was probably the person carrying this letter to Rome) and asking them to provide for her needs. I believe this is a good reminder to us to not be shy about introducing people to each other, particularly where we can see they can help each other in some way.

But… wait… kissing? Really? What’s with that? Kissing was the standard way of greeting a close family member. Paul is reminding us that we are family to one another, and our greetings and relationships should reflect that. So, if kissing is not appropriate for your family today, then what is? Find some healthy way of expressing the love that is appropriate amongst family members. We lose so much when cut physical interaction out of our relationships.

Let me ask, what do we do to promote relationships between Christians in this church? Let’s try an experiment. Introduce yourself to someone in the church you don’t know, and say, ‘The apostle Paul told me to greet you in the Lord.’ Do you know everyone? Go find someone in one of the other congregations… or another church… or a student fellowship group… or at Livewire… or somewhere else. Or else find someone you know well, and remind them of some way in which God has shown grace to both of you.

I also wonder what we can do to promote relationships with Christians in other parts of the world. It amazes me that, in a day where any news had to be carried by messenger that Paul could be so informed about the church to which he was writing, but we who can send a message to the other side of the world are so uninformed. What can we do to become partners for the gospel with those in other places? If you’re not already, why not make the effort to find out about how life looks for one (or more!) of our link missionaries? Who is in their church? What are their needs? What is God doing in their midst? How can you pray for them?
In these ways, you will be sharing Paul’s love but, more importantly, you will be sharing Christ’s love. Because, like Paul relied on the Roman churches to embody his love, Christ relies upon us to be his ‘hands and feet'; it is through his ‘body’ that Jesus expresses his love for his people and for the world.

So let’s love our fellow believers we have all been rescued together by Jesus Christ. This is the foundation of love. Let’s remind one another of God’s grace to us; these things are the promptings of love. And let’s turn our love into action, becoming the embodiment – the incarnation! – of Christ to one another.

Amen.