Hitting the refresh button

Posted on Jan 19, 2014 by M Emlyn Humphries

refreshMark 3: 13-35

The story moves from the wilderness, to the sea and now to the mountains. The mountains were where you went to be out of sight of the authorities. Jesus appoints his twelve apostles. The significance of twelve would not have been lost on the Jews of the time. Twelve was the number of the tribes of Israel. Jesus signifies the beginning of the restoration of the children of God; a revolution.

He returns home and his family are worried. Is Jesus mad?

Mark brackets another story in the narrative; is Jesus bad?

The authorities label Jesus. They want to discredit him and neutralise his authority. Jesus does not respond in kind. He tells stories that show that yes, the Kingdom is coming and Satan’s kingdom is under threat, but not for the reasons they are suggesting. Jesus has bound the strong man and is plundering his kingdom. He is healing the sick and delivering the afflicted from demons!

If we read the scriptures we see God constantly trying to move people on, drawing them into himself; his way of being; his way of seeing. In Jesus we see God’s revelation of himself; Jesus’ teachings and actions challenge the thinking of the time, to seek the truth of what God has already shown them through the prophets and move on and into the promised blessing, the blessing that is for all people. Jesus has challenged their concept of sin and now he says every sin is forgiven except for one. Spiritual blindness. Continue reading →

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The Great Crowd

Posted on Jan 12, 2014 by M Emlyn Humphries

Mark 3:7-12

…When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him….

Jesus was to be crushed on the cross, and through his crucifixion and resurrection, we are to receive restoration and healing. In Jesus we are refreshed.

The great crowd was gathered from all the areas of the twelve tribes of Israel and Jesus had a message to deliver. The people came because they had heard of all that Jesus was doing but he had a message to share. Continue reading →

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A third space

Posted on Jan 5, 2014 by M Emlyn Humphries

And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent.
(ESV Mark3:4)

Starbucks is…
A third place between work and home
(Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer)

How do these two ideas come together in Takeley Chapel? Our vision is to be a space where people encounter God in a real and a way pertinent to who we are and the circumstances we find ourselves in. A space that says, hello, come in, sit down. A space that is not home and not work but we feel comfortable in and feel able to do business with God.

Someone said, so you are providing a place for people who don’t go to church, to go to church! Maybe? When I heard that, I was taken back by its honesty because in my ears the idea of church is as sacred as the Sabbath. Actually it is peace and communion with God, a fulfilling of the promises and purpose of God on this Earth.

So on a Sunday evening our intention is to do good and save life (Greek: σῶσαι
pronounced, sōsai  which means save, deliver, restore to health, rescue and Greek:ψυχὴν
pronounced psychēn which means soul, life, person); to do good, restore health and rescue the whole person!

Sunday evening at the chapel is there for you. Jesus says

28 Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(ESV Matthew 11:28-30)

And this is what we will try to be a third space where we experience this together for each other.

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Faith for the future

Posted on Dec 29, 2013 by M Emlyn Humphries

Getting back to basics, we have the beginning and end of faith when we declare Jesus as Lord. He calls us to love God with our whole being and to love one and all (Matthew 22: 34 – 40). We also know Jesus as the Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6) who says come from wherever we are; weary, burdened, dejected and experience rest(Matthew 11:25 – 30).

What Jesus has to teach is simple. Religion complicates, but the reality of Christianity is that Jesus calls us to turn round and follow him.

He calls us to journey.
He’s the way.
It’s travelling rather than arriving.
The message of Christmas teaches us that Jesus is for us and with us and this is true for the whole journey ahead (an idea stolen from Rob Bell).

So what of the future? I see the Chapel service on a Sunday night as a Service Station on the way. You can stop for a drink and, yes, there are toilets and you can walk about. My feeling is that there are different ways we can serve one another and we are free to walk in and out as we feel comfortable.

I think it is important that there is a welcome and a sense of togetherness, so sharing food and drink is part of this. I think it is inspiring to hear and see good things and dwell on beauty. I also really believe it is important to hear teaching that enables us to grow and change. And at the centre is prayer; coming before God knowing he will act.

The service we extend to one another is made complete as we love God and love one and all.

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A withered hand

Posted on Dec 22, 2013 by M Emlyn Humphries

Mark 3:1-6

There I stood again, in the synagogue, a Sabbath, sinful for all to see, my withered hand a testimony against me. I knew I had been rejected by God, the Lord my healer, my hand a sign that in some way I or someone in my family had not been diligent in listening to the voice of the Lord (Exodus 15:26). And they were there, the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law looking on. They for whom diligence in the word of God was a by word.

He came in; the teacher and healer, Jesus. I bore the shame of sin before him and they all looked on as if I was evidence, an accusation.

There was an exchange and I saw wrath in Jesus’ eyes; he called me and I heard his loving voice commanded me to stretch out my hand. Carefully I did as he said; I was immediately and completely healed and I understood his words, “… is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” I had been saved, I had been made whole and a great weight lifted from my heart.

Truly this man is Lord of the Sabbath, the Lord my Healer.

Suffering is a dreadful thing. We think of it in terms of illness and failing health but for Jesus it was living as Lord of all in a sinful world, seeing the consequences of sin and experiencing persecution. We suffer when we experience injustice or witness it; experience pain or witness it. We feel wrath and compassion. It is right to feel anger at suffering and it is right to be active in fighting it. Continue reading →

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