ASCENSION DAY – THE FORGOTTEN CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL?

As a choir boy, I used to enjoy the early morning Ascension Day service – standing up on the roof of the church singing God’s praises! This tradition continues in many Oxbridge Colleges to this day. Ascension Day, this year falling on 9th May, is 40 days after the resurrection. It marks the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, as He dramatically ascends into heaven. You can read about this in Acts 1:1-11.

A church member recently asked me, “If Jesus had done his job: dying for the sins of the world, and rising to new life again, why didn’t He stay around?” It is a fair question. There are good reasons why Jesus ascended to heaven, but we should not infer that this means that God is not doing anything on earth anymore!

In the Acts 1 reading, two specific commands are given to the disciples:

DON’T STARE!

There is a gentle rebuke: don’t gaze up into the skies, wistfully willing Him down. That stage of Jesus’ ministry is over. The physical Jesus may be hidden from view, but Jesus is still very much alive. The Bible explains his ongoing ministry in this way:

☛ He is our PROPHET – empowering the Church. He speaks with God’s authoritative voice, directing and guiding His Church, most particularly in the Bible;

☛ He is our PRIEST – He has taken the once[1]for-all sacrifice He made on the cross and is presenting it before the Father. We should be grateful that He has atoned for sin, and also that He is ever interceding for us;

☛ He is our KING –  He will come back to judge all people at the end of time. Who knows when? Only the Father knows that date. But the Holy Spirit has been sent (that is Pentecost), in order that God’s work will go global, and His Church will have power to make Him known in every generation. Ascension tells us, we must not gaze idly up into the sky. Rather, we should be glad that Jesus has ascended to His Father, to continue His work from heaven.

DO SHARE!

Those angelic messengers encouraged the disciples to remember the commission which Jesus had given them: to continue doing all the things Jesus was doing on earth, in the power of His Spirit.

They, and we, are to be witnesses to everything Jesus did and everything Jesus said. And like good witnesses, we are charged to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The Gospel will then spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria to the ends of the earth (including Virginia Water!). Jesus’ message is good news for all nations.

One of the key messages of Ascension Day is the reminder that Jesus’ activity can be witnessed on earth. It is not by looking into heaven, but by seeing His body – The Church – at work. We are His mouthpiece, His hands, His feet. It should be the case, that when people look at Spirit-filled believers and hear them testifying about Jesus’ saving work, they meet with Jesus… His body on earth! That is a big challenge for the Church – and we certainly do not do it perfectly. But I hope that you will find Christians acting a little bit like Jesus and commending Him in what they say and do.

IT’S MORE THAN HOT AIR!

Years ago, when I was Vicar in Wimbledon, we had an Ascension Day service. At the end of the service everyone inflated a Helium balloon (in the days when we were less environmentally aware of the potential damage they might cause!) and attached a message about Jesus, before letting them loose. It was a great encouragement to hear responses from people in the far-flung corners of the UK saying that they had seen the balloon and read the message!

Filled with the Holy Spirit, we are let loose across the world! God’s people are to go to the ends of the earth with a wonderful message of Good News! That is why Ascension Day matters. Do be in touch for more information. Yours in Christ, Simon Vibert Simon.vibert@cc-vw.org

10 lives intersecting with Jesus at his death

Good Friday Reflection, 2024

“Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” – no. But we learn a lot from those who WERE there

1. Jesus & Judas – betrayal. Luke 22:47-53 –

– Error? Or deliberate? Jesus is “given up” 22:6, 21f.

– Judas is the means Jesus uses to surrender himself to the father’s plans 47-53

“Surely, Lord, it is not I?” So often we know even before we ask that it is. We, like Judas, like all the disciples, like every disciple who has ever lived, have betrayed Jesus for the most trifling of rewards.

May we, too, feel the burn of Jesus’ eyes as he speaks to us

“Yes, it is you.” Help us Lord to confront our secret betrayals,

to know them as clearly and judge them as surely as does your purifying and cauterizing gaze.

And on the far side of the shame and pain of crucifixion

may we discover your enduring and redeeming love restoring us and raising us up to a new fullness of life lived in your Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Richard Bauckham and Hart (At the Cross: Meditations on People Who Were There)

2. Jesus & Peter – denial. Luke 22: 54-65 –

– Failure and return – v32, 62

– Failure births genuine discipleship if repentance and learning proceed (contra Judas)

‘in failure we find God to be the gracious God and ourselves to be in need of God’s grace’. Bauckham

3. Jesus & Pilate – truth. Luke 22:66-23:12 –

– Jesus’ refusal to answer (why? Won’t titillate imagination, but will respond to genuine inquiries)

– Pilate convinced of his innocence, yet punished him, v4, 14, 20, 22, 24

4. Jesus & Barrabas – substitution. Luke 23:13-25 –

– Pilates miscalculation

– Substitutionary suffering and atonement

5. Jesus & Simon – co-sufferer (sympathy) Luke 23:26 –

– a north African Jew in Jerusalem for the Passover – willing or unwilling?

– Luke 9:23

6. Jesus & daughters of Jerusalem – weeping. Luke 23:26-31 –

– still sympathy and sadness over Jesus death – largely women

– warning – there is worse to come – he wants there repentance, not their sympathy; if the innocent suffer what will become of the guilty?

7. Jesus & criminal  – paradise. Luke 23:32-43 –

– pain, humiliation and sin-bearing suffering of crucifixion

– even in death, Jesus divides

– silenced the other criminal

– deathbed conversion – “feared God” – realised Jesus was innocent; “remember me”

8. Jesus & centurion  – worship. Luke 23:44-49 –

– the manner – and certainty of Jesus’ death

– darkness; curtain; Jesus’ final words

V47 – Centurian’s profession

Crowds went away full of grief

9. Jesus & Joseph – generosity. Luke 23:50-55 –

– Joseph member of Sanhedrin – needed unanimity for their vote – but Joseph was not present

– “looking for the kingdom” = a disciple?

– Pilate gave permission – another indication of certainly of Jesus’ death

– Did he know it was a temporary arrangement?

10. Jesus & women – burial.  Luke 23:55-56 –

– he was really dead

– the planned to embalm him – loving last act

– they knew where he was laid

– hurried burial with spices before sabbath

– women last at the cross; first at the tomb (you wouldn’t make that up!)

Take away –

• Peter – Denial is forgivable,
• Judas – Betrayal is not … (unrepented sin is the danger);
• Pilate – Truth can be staring you in the face;
• Barabbas – Jesus substituted himself for all sinners;
• Simon – we too are called to take up our cross
• Daughters of Jerusalem – sadness should lead to repentance
• Criminal – it’s never to late to ask Jesus in
• Centurian – the way Jesus died should elicit worship
• Joseph – be public and generous
• Women – loving care right to the end

Asceticism or Amore?!

I have been preparing for the build-up to Easter whilst writing this article. I was surprised to find Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day are the same day. The date of Easter is set by the Moon cycle, and in the Christian Calendar, the build-up to Easter is the period of Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday, 46 days before Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday and Lent are typically associated with times of self-denial and repentance. This picture of “hair shirt,” isolation, self-denial and discipline seem very much at odds, in most people’s minds, with the jollity and amorousness of Valentine’s Day! An unfortunate juxtaposition? Yes… and maybe no. Perhaps the two events are not quite so far apart as we might imagine.

Let’s think about these two Christian Festivals.

Ash Wednesday

Two Bible passages in particular pick up the theme of repentance and ashes: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19). Elsewhere, the prophet Jonah repented in sackcloth and ashes. It was an outward sign of humiliation and repentance, which was reflected in a heart turned back to God. God responds to the penitent and restores joy – the pattern from penitence to joy is often mentioned in the Bible: “You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy” (Psalm 30:11). The message of the Kingdom is “Repent and Believe.” Both are needed.

This is how the Collect for Ash Wednesday articulates it:

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one  God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Valentine’s day

Saint Valentine was a 3^rd century catholic Bishop who lived during the persecution of Christians in Rome. He was particularly hated because he spoke boldly about the love of God (the irony!) from passages such as 1 John 3:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters… Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (v16, v19).

Saint Valentine was martyred on February 14^th in AD 260. There are a few legends which reveal why he has come to be known as the Patron Saint of Romantic love.

As a bishop, Saint Valentine secretly performed Christian weddings against the order of the pagan Roman emperor. He was sentenced to death. Whilst in prison, he evangelized the jailer, and healed the jailer’s blind daughter. On his execution day, he wrote the girl a note signing it, “Your Valentine.”
“greater love has no man that he lays down his life for his friends.”

The juxtaposition of these two days teaches us things which belong together, in life, and in worship: love, sacrifice, self-discipline, and suffering belong together. The well-known passage on the fruit of the Spirit states this: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Did you notice that “love” – the supreme act of self-giving for another (first on the list) requires “self-control” (last on the list). It is not until our self has been mastered by God, that we are able fully to give of ourselves to God and to others.

Oh, just to be clear – we’d love you to join us for our Ash Wednesday service, 11.00, 14^th February – and of course, enjoy a meal with your loved one in the evening!

Yours in the love of Christ,

Simon Vibert

The elephant in the room?

The elephant in the room: Is truth open to scrutiny?

 “I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” so said Evelyn Beatrice Hall, a biographer of Voltaire. Yes, of course there is such a thing as “hate speech” but silencing critique or shutting down debate ought not be something a democratic society should foster, right? Open minded exploration of truth is certainly something I would like to encourage.

There is a well-known parable about 6 blind men who stumble across an elephant. They try to make sense of what they have encountered.

One grabs onto the trunk and assumes he has found a snake. The second puts his arms around a leg and guesses that it is a tree trunk. The third holds his swishing tail and thinks he’s holding a rope. The fourth places his hands on the enormous body and supposes that he is touching a wall. The fifth finds the ear and thinks it’s a fan. And the sixth takes the tusk and assumes it to be a spear.

The logic of the parable is: we are all blind, and only grasp a tiny amount of what is true from our limited perspective.

For many people, this just illustrates the problems of world religions. Each has grasped only a small amount of truth, and we should just think of religion as a smorgasbord of limited human perception.

Of course, there are weaknesses with this argument.

• In the first place, the elephant is still an elephant despite the limitations of human perception.
• Why did the men not have more than one feel of the elephant, or talk with the other blind men, to compare notes? Did none of them guess that the thing they grasped was bigger than their narrow perception?
• The witness from one seeing man would change things enormously. Presumably someone told them that the thing they were feeling was an “elephant” and directed them to it? Perhaps they should have asked him some questions?
• Most importantly, God is not a dumb elephant – but he is vast and unknowable unless he discloses himself in some way.

We live in a world which encourages us to assume “your truth is your truth”; “there is no such thing as objective reality”; “all views should be equally accepted as right.”

But in actuality: we do have an objective sense of right and wrong: where does that come from? And, truth is not so much groping around in the dark, but rather, Christian’s believe, God has broken in and brought life and light into this world in Jesus Christ. He literally is the man from the outside, with extraordinary good news!

“The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…we have seen His glory, full of grace and truth” (John’s Gospel, Ch 1).

Though this was written about a hundred years ago, Dorothy Sayers is spot on:

“In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair…. the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remain alive because there is nothing for which it will die.”

Why not take this September to explore the truth? Please see over the page for details of our new Alpha course this September. Have you tried Church on a Sunday? There are lots of people who will testify to a living and life transforming faith. I have recently started a TikTok page simply exploring John’s Gospel in 2-3 minute bite sized chunks (@simonvibert). I am amazing at home many people are watching it!

“Aren’t we better off without religion?”

“Aren’t we better off without religion?”

I have very much appreciated reading Rebecca McLaughlin’s answer to this provocative question in her recent book Confronting Christianity. 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religions.

The so-called new-atheists loudly argue that the answer is “yes.” All that religion does is oppress and suppress people; it makes them unthinking, and calls them to believe the unbelievable. Richard Dawkins wrote a book entitled “The God Delusion,” and Christopher Hitchens “God is not Great. How Religion Poisons everything.” Their views are popular.

Here at Christ Church, we have been privileged to enjoy Professor John Lennox’s brilliant responses to some of the questions which they raise. In particular he argues that “Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the Light.”

Despite the popular mantra to the contrary, Christianity is still globally the largest religion. And even in the declining West, nearly 50% of people claim some Christian affiliation, with numbers much higher around the world, growing most rapidly in unexpected places like Iran and China.

Rebecca McLaughlin holds a PhD from Cambridge University, and uses her research (in my view) to compellingly answer the question, “Aren’t we better off without religion?” For example, do we even appreciate just how much Christianity has positively impacted our culture? Think about some of its core values:

7 things that Christianity teaches which make our world a better place:-

• It really is more blessed to give than to receive – this claim was made in Acts 20:35, and surveys reveal that generous people are happier.
• The love of money disappoints – the Apostle Paul said that the “love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10) and Jesus taught that it is hard for rich people to get into heaven. The economist Jeffrey Sachs in The World Happiness Report, 2018 shows a direct relationship between unhappiness and increases in wealth. Sobering.
• Work works when it is a calling – the oft quoted comment from a janitor outside of NASA said, when asked what he was doing, “I am putting a man on the moon.” Christians look to serving a greater master beyond their human bosses, and that gives a sense of worth.
• We really can be happy in all circumstances – Paul talked about learning the “secret of contentment” (see Phil 4:12-13). Harvard Psychologist, Daniel Gilbert, calls this “our psychological immune system.”
• Gratitude is good for us – Paul taught, “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances,” 1 Thess 5:16. This is not just a positivity technique, but it changes the wiring of those who turn their gratitude godward.
• Self-control and perseverance help us thrive – Deferred gratification is taught consistently in the bible – heaven is the believer’s true home. And, whilst it’s not just “pie in the sky when you die” (because there’s also “cake on the plate while you wait”!), nevertheless, we look forward to arriving at our final destination in God.
• Forgiveness is foundational – How counter intuitive is Jesus’ prayer: “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us” (Luke 11:4). But those who forgive, again and again, realise that in so doing, they are releasing themselves from bitterness, anger and revenge.

Now, of course, this is not all that there is to say about the enormous benefits of Christian faith, and a Christian outlook on the world (not least assurance of a future eternal peace and life with the God who made us!). But I have found that Rebecca MacLaughlin’s challenging book gives me pause for thought. As the Western World is rapidly disassociating itself from its Judea-Christian heritage, we would do well to first ask where else we might get a culture which is purposeful and good for all?

As ever, we’re delighted to see you at Christ Church and any of the events in the community.

simon.vibert@cc-vw.org

“There’s more to rest than sleep”

I have a little mantra: “there’s more to rest than sleep.” Sleep is important of course – and most of us probably don’t sleep enough (and I am not just talking about during my sermons 😉). Matthew Walker’s excellent book “Why we Sleep” tells us a lot about the goodness and necessity of sleep.

However, we need more than sleep; we need rest. This is partly about disconnecting from busyness, from stress, and from our devices (and desires?!); we need quiet, unhurried eating and talking, as well as adventure and bodily stimulation.

A lot of this is captured in the theological principle of “Sabbath.” At the end of the creation of the world God entered into rest. It was not a “day off” but a period of enjoying the fruit of the good world He had made. He commands us to do the same. And this is in anticipation of finally entering into our heavenly rest.

The fourth commandment mandates a “Sabbath” which in Exodus 20:8-11 is about following the creation pattern of “6 days labour; 1 day rest.” In Deuteronomy 5:12-15 it is described as a “holy day” (from which we get the word “holiday”), set aside to remember God’s saving act of redemption: to gather together and worship Him. So Sabbath is about both a day set aside for corporate worship, and a day in which to enjoy the world God has made.

There’s much more to say on this topic (e.g in my “Stress. The Path to Peace”) – but for now – go and get some rest!

Can you explain the Trinity in under 1,000 words?

As the Christian Year progresses, there are equally important celebrations, although not all are acknowledged in such a big way:

Ascension Day (18^th April) occurs 40 days after Jesus’ resurrection; Acts 1:3 records Jesus ascending into heaven, promising that He would come back one day (the Last Day).

Pentecost Sunday (also known as Whitsunday) is 28^th May (Pentecost means “fifty” and is 50 days after Easter), this day commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples in Jerusalem, and the start of the multiplying Church.

Trinity Sunday is the following week, 4^th June. Here, the Church remembers that God is one God, who is made known in three persons (Tri-unity). Although it might not feature so highly in Church calendars, remembering the Trinity is essential to understand what Christianity is all about.

The Christian prayer known as the Grace

We often use this prayer at the end of our Sunday meetings:

“May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and evermore. Amen.”

The words come from the end of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:14).

I confess to being rather confused as a child: I had an image of God the Father and God the Son sitting around heaven on the “furniture” of the Holy Spirit!

It was quite a while before I realized how significant it is that the Bible tells of God’s “tri-unity”: the Son, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

1)  Without Jesus, God would be remote and unknowable

Notice the order: Son (“the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ”); Father (“the love of God”); and the Holy Spirit.

Imagine two fish asking whether there is any life outside of water. The only fish to leave the ocean are attached to (my) fishing hook. They could speculate endlessly about their friend’s departure, but as none of them came back they, they are left in ignorance.

If all we could do is speculate what God is like, then your guess is as good as mine… But Christians believe that Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth in order to tell us what God is like.

And, more, He came to make it possible for us to be “right” with God, having our sins forgiven, and welcomed into God’s family. Hence, at Sunday School, we were taught that GRACE means: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

2)  The God revealed by the Father, through the Son, is a God of Love

John 3:16, the most famous verse in the Bible, tells us about God the Father and God the Son:

“God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Sometimes people misconceive this picture of God. “Poor old God, he must be lonely up there in heaven; to fill the gap he decided to make some spiritual children in the form of Christians.” But that would make God dependent upon His creation for his own happiness – and thus, he could not be thought of as being God!

The great theologian Augustine, once and for all answered that question, in part by understanding what John 3:16 says:

God is the Father – the One who Loves;

God is the Son – the Beloved;

God is the Spirit – the one who communicates the love between the two.

As John says elsewhere “God is love” (1 John 4:8). At the very heart of God is love; given, received and communicated.

3)  Through the Holy Spirit unity is achieved

What of the “furniture” of the Holy Spirit? Well, no, but “Fellowship” is a much-misunderstood word too.

Fellowship means, “Participation; union; communion.”

It has a vertical dimension – peace with God through Christ;

It has a horizontal dimension – peace with one another through unity in Christ.

So, understanding God as Trinity really matters:-

* Grace for your guilt, because of Jesus;

* Love for your isolation, because of our Father in heaven;

* Fellowship in a new family, through the Spirit, and with brothers and sisters in Christ.

You might not have thought about it before, but appreciating God as Trinity is at the very heart of the Christian faith!

Whilst these few words are not exhaustive on the topic, I do hope that they help you in your understanding and appreciation of God, three-in-one.

As always, we are always glad to meet you and chat through any of these things, so please don’t hesitate to be in touch, and hope to see you soon.

Simon Vibert

Simon.vibert@cc-vw.org

Expectant for Revival?

Over the next few months at www.cc-vw.org we are going to be considering the theme of “Revival”: Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? (Psalm 85:6) What do we mean when we talk about “revival”?

What it isn’t… An evangelistic meeting, a long prayer meeting or praise time. It is common in some circles to have “revival meetings” but this is to misunderstand the term. What it is… It is a sovereign profound work of God. We can pray for it, and live in expectation that it will happen, but it is God’s work, and not an “event” we organise. It usually is accompanied by deep repentance and prayer; people coming to saving faith; as well as bold and generous acts of dedication to God.

If we can’t control it, why do we plan for it? Over the next several months we are seeking to be faithful, doing what Churches have done many times in the past: to seek God earnestly, and to plead with Him to be merciful and gracious to his Church and this land. We look out over our nation and we see so much want and need:

– A new King on the throne – who, by all accounts, seems not to follow the faith of his mother. Let’s pray for the King! – A church which is holding very loosely to the teaching of Scripture, and seems to take its cues from the world rather than the word. Let’s pray for the Church! – A nation – indeed the whole western world – which has forgotten its strong Christian heritage and is in so many ways rootless when it comes to morality and direction. Let’s pray for the nation!

Revival is God’s sovereign work, but the evidence of God at work is that he enlivens his people and calls them to pray. We are to be like Jacob, in the rather mysterious wrestling match with “the man”, an Angel of God, in Genesis 32. Jacob said: “I will not let you go unless you bless me,” v.26b. Let’s do the same! What should I do? Do join us for our Sunday morning sermon series on this topic. We meet to pray regularly – at the 07:30 Tuesday prayer meeting; in Connect Groups each week; and particularly at the half night of prayer Saturday 3rd June, 18:00-midnight. Also, we will send out regular prayer updates via the WhatsApp prayer group – drop me a note if you want to join this group.

Let’s pray for God to do great things among us during this season! Oswald Smith articulates it well: “Conversion is the operation of the Holy Spirit, and prayer is the power that secures that operation. Souls are not saved by man but by God, and since He works in answer to prayer, we have no choice but to follow the Divine plan. Prayer moves the Arm that moves the world.”

Writing about Writing

Exodus

As I compose my monthly article, I am just about to send off the manuscript for my latest book. Congregation members have been patient and encouraging, allowing me to talk regularly about the book of Exodus (2^nd book in our Bibles). In fact, there are 27 talks on our YouTube channel if you are interested!

Exodus 20 contains “The 10 Commandments.” The principle “lex talionis” has shaped legal systems around the world, even up to today. It is based around the famous “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Exodus 21:24) which is the demand for equitable and fair treatment for crime.

But more than a collection of laws, the book of Exodus is the historic account of the Israelite’s escape from slavery in Egypt (probably under Ramesses II, in about C13 before Christ). The judgement of the plagues, the Passover (which is used to explain why Jesus is described as “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” – John 1:29), the crossing of the “Reed Sea”, the 40 year wandering in the wilderness, finally to arrive at the edge of the land of Canaan. It is the epochal foundation of Jewish and Christian history and has still inspired modern animations such as “The Prince of Egypt” and so on.

Moses

As I finish off this manuscript, though, I have particularly been thinking about Moses. He was the reluctant, but highly effective leader of Israel, along with his side kick, Aaron. Moses was a flawed man: he wasn’t too keen on the job in the first place and recounted all his foibles and weaknesses (see Exodus 3-4). He was frequently exasperated by the people who were put in his care.

bestie

But, nevertheless, Moses was arguably the greatest leader of all time. Standing up to the tyrant Pharoah and bringing the people of God (albeit circuitously) to the land God has promised. Anywhere between 25,000 and 2 million people (depending on which scholar you believe!).

If nothing else, he stands out as a man who was unwaveringly committed to the welfare of his people. And, for the long haul. As D.L Moody once put it:

“Moses spent his first 40 years thinking he was somebody. He spent his second 40 years thinking he was a nobody. He spent his third 40 years discovering what God can do with a nobody.”

Leadership & Integrity

All our Prime Ministers and Presidents fancy themselves as leaders. But as we repeatedly see, very few end their leadership well, and many ignominiously drop out before really achieving much.

Our current Prime minister has repeatedly vowed to restore Integrity to the Conservative Party. Above everything else, Moses is a model of integrity in leadership.

A friend of mine, Jonathan lamb, a great writer and speaker, has written a challenging book entitled “Integrity. Leading with God watching” – it is well worth a read. In particular, I leave you with this challenging thought, which could be spoken about Moses, the Apostle Paul, Church leaders and Government leaders today:

“… the same credibility gap exists in church life as in the worlds of politics and business. The need to live with integrity arises from the fact that we are called by a faithful God. His character is one of steadfast love and faithfulness, grace and truth, love and light. If we have come to know him, then we are called to express those same qualities, to walk in a way worthy of that calling, to live in conformity with his character.”

For good reason, the Apostle Paul encourages us to pray for all leaders:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2).

With best wishes and prayers

Simon and Carrie Vibert

New Year…. New you?

New Year, New You?

Yes, I know it’s nearly February! But did you make any resolutions…. So how are they now?

I hope that I have got some good news for you: you and I are not slaves to the media hype and the relentless commercialism that surrounds us. You will find the best “you” when you reorient yourself around God.

Someone joked with me – On Christmas Eve I suddenly remembered I hadn’t bought a Christmas Card for my boss – but I was already too late, he had to make do with Valentine’s Card.

I also sort-of liked the line “Life is like a game of Monopoly: acquire, acquire, acquire, then at game over everything goes in the box.”

It all goes past so fast: so how can I make the best of this year?

Here is a little charter for the rest of 2023 – I hope it helps?

• Love IS all you need. Not the slushy Valentines Day mush. But rugged, sacrificing, self-giving love. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (John 4:10). As Jesus said: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34).
• KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Decluttering is big business and contains laudable instincts. Marie Kondo is very compelling! But it also includes being Greener, Cleaner and Simpler, surely? We need to learn the art of enjoying, and being satisfied, with what we have.
• Rest. For me this is simple: God has made us for a rhythm of “6 & 1”. “Six day’s labour” – not just what you might be paid for, but also errands, chores, family care etc. and “One day’s rest” – a time to physically, emotionally and spiritually recharge and refocus – recalibration for a new week. Simple in outline but needs reworking for each week.

• Pray. The following is based on a Jesuit Prayer and summarises things rather well, I think:

“Dear Lord, please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value, without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humour;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come.”

• Centre yourself around God – and everything else will be looked after! Well, I am the Vicar, you would expect me to say this, right?! In a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus warns against rushing after food, drink, and clothing, He summarised it all with these words:

“…seek first {God’s} kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33f.)

Perhaps this little reset will help? A new you for the next year…