My Time Has Not Come!

Time just seems to fly passed without us noticing- it seems like only yesterday I was at the birth of Peter, my first son, in the hospital in Liverpool and today he is thousands of miles away in Washington State. Times waits for no man and it can’t be bought back no matter how much money you have- once it is spent it is gone. And you cannot just rewind it.

There are three ways to think of time:

• SPAN OF TIME or Calendar time. At primary school- Medieval history. A-levels I studied Ancient and Modern history. Jesus was not thinking of time like this. He did not have a date in mind.
• POINT OF TIME [Clock time] When we make appointments we need more than a calendar, we need a clock. I have become aware of time now because I know that at 12noon here is is 3am in Seattle. When we phone Peter we have to bear this in mind!! What Jesus had in mind was not the time of the clock or even of the sun
• OPPORTUNITY OF TIME [open and closed doors]. God’s appointed time- it was an idea very familiar to the Jews who had, and still have, a keen sense of destiny and time. WE see examples of opening and closing doors in Acts 15- one opens for Paul to go to Europe to take the gospel into a whole new dimension but other door closed- Bithynia and Mysia. What he was saying was that the time that God had in mind for the climax of his work- his death and resurrection- had not come just yet. He knew that it was close and that if he went to Jerusalem and made his work public the Jews would respond and the plot against him would thicken and develop. So he stayed away for a while longer.

The Jews were very conscious of their calling to obey God- they knew that they were not just pawns in the major game- they were not like little boats blown about on the sea by the wind- God was in control- he is above time and space- to him there is no past, no future- for him the past and the future are all laid out in front of him.

He is still experiencing the coming of Jesus into the world

Still experiencing the pain of the crucifixion and still seeing his glorification on the mountain of transfiguration and his ascension as he returned to heaven from where he came.

They knew that God had appointed a time for the Messiah and for the day of the Lord. As Christians we do too and that is what makes us different to the rest of the world. We too know that God has a plan and God has his time scale all worked out- he is not thinking on his feet looking for the best time.- Economists look closely for the best time to buy houses and to invest in business- God knows the time already- we know that time is limited and will not go on for ever- God has appointed a time for everything- Eccles 3:1—

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven;

…born and die…

plant and to uproot

..to kill and a time to heal….”

What makes the difference between the believer and the unbeliever is that the believer makes God the centre of his life- he does that by being a follower of Jesus Christ who is the “way the truth and the life”

This God we worship is not some kind of passive being who looks on from above but one who is intimately concerned about all that happens to us.

He is active,

he is personal

he is called YHWH- the one who was and is and will be, always.

Paul tells us that this God has begun a good work in the lives of the Philippians and that he means to complete that work- he knows what he wants them to be like and he will not cease until he is finished- it is the same for believers in Belfast and in the Crumlin ward.. In the spin of Tony Blair this time that Jesus speaks of is the hand of history tapping him on the shoulder. This time for us, between the great acts of God in the past and the great acts of God in the future is a time of opportunity-if God can see and experience past, present and future then this time is surely and truly a time of opportunity- he delays his return and the end of the world as we know it that more men and women may have an opportunity to know God and the power of His salvation.

Jesus was just waiting for the time,. His time, to come and he would begin the final phase of his work- are we ready to work in this our time?

What is this good work that Paul speaks of? It’s not about doing good works that we might gain life in eternity- that is what many people seem unable to understand. Good living is not a pre-requisite to being “saved” Being a Christian is not primarily about moral behaviour- not that good behaviour is not important but the good work that God does within us does change behaviour but it comes after we receive the gift and its not the reason for the gift.. Being a Christian is all about allowing God to do His good work in us. Its’ about trusting God and letting Him make us normal and normal is being like God because that was His original wish. The point is that it is God who does the work- Paul tells us

“When the time had fully come God sent His son….to redeem those under the law….”

For Jesus that time had not yet arrived- it was close but not quite . He knew that the time for public disclosure would mean a heightening of the tension and the plotting. Jesus had no fear of this because he knew his father and the plans he had- he did feel the pain and he did look to the future with concern but he knew that God was in control and this was all part of His plan and so wanted to do it.

The point is not that Jesus died

Nor even that he died an innocent man

The point was that this was part of God’s plan and initiative for insubordinate sinners like you and me.

His brothers failed to understand and they did not believe in him.. For them it was simple- go to Jerusalem where all the people are congregating and prove yourself to them and we might also believe. This was His opportunity to become famous- as the Messiah so he should go up to Jerusalem to the festival of Tabernacles and make a name for himself.

Do you see what they were doing? Possibly without knowing it they were tempting Jesus once again just like Satan did in the wilderness-

• Turn these stones into bread and feed yourself and the people
• Just follow me and I will give you everything you ever dreamt of!!
• Throw yourself off the church tower and the angels will save you- prove it!!

This was the work of the devil as he tempted Jesus and this is what His brothers were doing also! But Jesus remained true to His Father and listened and looked for His directions.

We think that we can do things better than God only to find out the truth- Jesus demands our allegiance- above everything else

• Above family
• About nation
• Above politics
• Above ambitions
• Above material possessions.

In Ps 46 the Psalmist says, in the midst of great distress and turmoil-

”Be still and know that I am God”

We have all been disturbed by the recent bombs in London but at times like these we have to make important decisions about the right way to respond. Surely we in Northern Ireland have learnt after 30 years of this kind of thing that there are some things that will not solve the problem:

• security is not the answer
• democracy will not either- even is Messers Bush and Blair keep telling us that it is the answer.
• Covert intelligence will not save us

The Psalm tells us the answer- “Cease, be still” these are the words and this was the reaction of Jesus in the middle of the storm- when he told the wind and the rain to stop- this nation is at a cross roads- will we trust in God or will we trust in ourselves? Will we respond like with like or will we demonstrate the love of god in Christ?

The Christian is called to trust in God through Jesus Christ. While most of us have been brought up with a knowledge of the evangelical language- being born again and being saved yet that does not mean that we have the experience which they describe. The point behind the Psalm is that we should know, as in experience, that God has His hand on the tiller of the ship. He is the captain- at this point Jesus knows that God is the captain and pretty soon God will call Him to action and the last days of His earthly life.

What is the relevance to you and me?

Jesus was waiting for God to tell him his time but this is our time. We are called to reach out with the gospel today and in this place. We need to think and pray and plan about how to reach the so far un-reached. WE need to take every opportunity

When Habitat For Humanity begin to build on Danube Street, Geoffrey Street and McChandless Street we need to be right there helping- that will be a gospel opportunity

When there is a problem on the streets we need to be ready to speak up with the word of truth

We need to be involved in the community and take the opportunities which will present themselves. The world needs to see practical Christianity and we need to have an answer for the hope which is within us.

We have an important message for these streets of people

“YOUR WORTH IS MEASURED IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST”

There is Hope in Christ. THIS is our time- its NOT our time WILL come, OUR TIME HAS COME. CARPE DIEM

The Insubordinate Rebel

If you like to watch Wimbledon you will be amused by the apparent change in the character of John McEnroe which is akin to the poacher turned gamekeeper. In the days when he played he was the most rebellious of players who would disrupt matches by his antics as he complained about any line call he thought went against him and on a number of occasions called for and even demanded the attention of the referee and abused the umpire and the line judges. As he commentates he is among the most affable and amusing not to mention knowledgeable and intelligent . Interestingly enough he said recently that the one time when he remained silent and controlled was his first final with Bjorn Borg when he said he lost the game but won the hearts of players and spectators alike. Last week we went to Dublin to spend a few days with Ruth and Hugh, [my daughter and her husband]- on Monday we went to Kilmainham Gaol – for a visit you understand [it has been closed for many years] This was the prison where the 1916 rebels were held and executed. The only exceptions among the leaders of the rebellion not shot were Eamon De Valera and Countess Markevitch – Dev was given a reprieve because he was an American citizen and the countess because she was a woman. Here we had the men who had been considered rebels and treacherous before the executions but heroes after. They, like McEnroe and countless others were considered INSUBORDINATE because they were rebelling against the powers that be- just as you would be if you refused to comply with a court order. As the Jews listened to the teaching of Jesus they came to the conclusion that he was totally INSUBORDINATE- and that made his teaching offensive and his word had to take, hard to stomach. They came to him because they thought he was another prophet or even the Messiah- they thought that like any prophet he would show obedience towards the patriarchs and , of course, to Moses himself but here he was putting himself on the same level as God and making himself MORE IMPORTANT that Moses. This was in the class of Adam and Eve who wanted to be like God. No man like this was worth following and so they left him- His way was just too hard to take. In telling them to eat his flesh and to drink his blood he was putting himself on the level of God- Ezekiel was told to eat the parchment which was placed in front of him because it was the word of God He tells them that “I am the bread of life” They came looking for satisfaction v26 and found criticism They wanted to know what they should do to please God v27-29 and he tells them to trust HIM they wanted another sign and he pointed to Himself. Whenever we reach v34 it looks like He has won them over and gained their allegiance but they could not accept that this plain unlettered man could possibly be greater than Moses. They wanted the Manna of the desert but he told them that his bread was infinitely better. The result of this was that they turned away. Jesus’ reply? “If this offends you what if you see the son of man ascend to where he was before?” Would that be more convincing? Or would that very suggestion make matters worse? From the apparent high point of v34 we sink to the low of v66 “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him”! On a human level this must have been very difficult. Our values tell us that the numbers are all important in gauging the success of a ministry; our values tell us that losing people is a sign of failure and yet with Jesus it was all different. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DECREASE BEFORE YOU CAN INCREASE. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO DIE BEFORE YOU CAN LIVE. Now I want you to notice that the problem here was not with any understanding or with an intellectual issue, the problem was that Jesus was claiming to be God and claming the allegiance of the disciples. They were used to contributing to their salvation by good works but Jesus was promising a salvation by the grace of God by faith in Christ. Jesus rejected the power of works and of human effort and pointed to the work of God in the lives of men and women- after His resurrection this power of God was identified as the power of the Holy Spirit. Their other problem was that the standards of Christ were even higher than the standards they liked to think they lived up to but failed. Most of the time our problems are not with the things we don’t understand but with the things we do understand and fail to obey. Barclay says that “to this day many a man refuses Christ, not because he puzzles intellect but because he challenges his life” When Jesus made this claim on the lives of men and women he got various responses. What we have here is the dynamics of human and divine relationships. This story seems, on the surface, to be about an issue but, actually it’s about the way we relate to God through Jesus Christ. It’s about whether we accept Jesus’ claims on our lives or not. Here are some responses to Jesus. Temporary Disciples. Jesus was a very dynamic and powerful person who attracted great attention and the fact of his miraculous sings and wonders made him all the more attractive and we are told in 2:23 that many believed in his name. So many came to be baptized by his disciples that it was all a bit embarrassing 4:1-3 In Galilee the crowds flocked after him just the day before 6:2 but at this time the tone began to change and some began to plot against him. Now with the onset of trouble we begin to see who is really numbered among his followers. Now we see that some decided to follow no more. some could see where it was all going to end and decided to get out while the going was good. Fair weather disciples- like the seed sown on the hard ground others just didn’t fancy the hard work in following him- they came looking to get something from him only to find that they needed to give something as well. We have to come with open hands and then we find that he fills them with good things- opening our hands is a response of faith not fearing what we will loose but hoping for what he will give. For a while they were among the people of God. Today there are people who have responded to the call of God but, for whatever reason, they have not, yet, understood what it is all about and then they give up. They never were Christians but were among the Christians and are, even yet, perhaps to be found on the periphery of the fellowship- these are the people we need to reach out to with the gospel of Christ. Defecting Disciples These are the people who were at the very heart of the visible church but have defected to the enemy. During the years of the Soviet control of Eastern Europe it was fairly common for sportsmen and women or musicians or politically motivated people to try to escape from east to west and they became known as dissidents and defectors. Judas was a defector- he had joined the band of disciples after being chosen by Jesus with high hopes- he had all the opportunity in the world to grow in Christ and to make a huge contribution but he decided to go the other way. He could have been a hero but he became a villain. He could have become a saint but he became the very symbol of shame, disgrace and treachery. There is a story about an artist [p229 Barclay] An artist weas painting the last supper. It was a great picture and it took mamny years. As model for the face of Christ he used a young man with a face of transcendent loveliness and purity. Bit by bit the picture was filled in and one after another the disciples were painted. The day came when he needed a model for Judas whose face he had left to the last.He went out and searched the lowest haunts of the city and in the dens of vice. At last he found a man with a face so depraved and vicious as matched his requirements. When the sittings were at an end the man said to the artist; ‘You painted me before.’ ‘Surely not,’ said the artist. ‘O yes’ said the man, ‘I sat for your Christ.” Over the years he had deteriorated. When a person steps over the line from friend to foe their very appearance changes and it can happen to anyone if they are not rooted and established in Christ. PERSISTING DISCIPLES. When Jesus looked at his disciples He knew from day one that Judas would defect and that the rest, even though they would have their low points, would persist to the end. Here we have a key moment – as Jesus looks at His men and perhaps at Peter in particular we have this important response “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and KNOW that you are the Holy One of God.” This was Peter’s reaction from his heart not his head. This was a response which sprung from the personal relationship he had with Jesus. There were many things which puzzled Peter and there were times when he would let Jesus down but he knew this man and was learning to love him and never wanted to let him down in any way. In the final analysis Christianity is not a philosophy which we accept nor a theory to which we give our allegiance it is a personal response to Jesus What horrified many of the disciples was Jesus attitude to all that they considered sacred- the prophets, Moses and the Father in heaven. To them he was being rebellious and INSUBORDINATE. Right at a time when they were celebrating the hand of God in their wilderness experience He was claiming to be more important than Moses and just as important as God himself. It was just too hard for them to accept Him. Is it too hard for you to accept Jesus? Too hard to accept that he is Lord of your life, community and family? Is it too hard to accept that you can contribute nothing to your salvation- its all a gift? “nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling” Are you clinging to the cross or to your own goodness? God wants fewer decisions at meetings and more disciples for life. Prayer Lord Jesus this is very difficult for me. Not difficult to understand with my mind but to accept with my will. Difficult to give up my own ambitions, my own dreams and hopes and to place literally everything in your hands. I pray that you will give me your grace to allow you to take complete control over my life and for me to give complete trust in you. I have nothing to contribute to this new relationship. Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee.. Amen. Jesus had just 12 disciples but they changed the world simply by allowing Jesus to change them. We too have that power. While all of us have contributed to the mess of Northern Ireland all of us can make a difference.