Posted by: pastorapbell | December 28, 2010

as learn from the great shepherd and bishop of our souls

If Jesus is the good shepherd, then it stands to reason that there are bad shepherds. The good shepherd has the interests of the sheep at heart, whereas the bad shepherd has his own interest at heart. The good shepherd has integrity, character and compassion. The bad shepherd operates in an underhand way, is sneaky and has no discernment. The good shepherd is open, transparent and accommodating. The bad shepherd is secretive, opaque and disconcerting. So Jesus said: “I will lay down my life for the sheep, I will lay it down not because of compulsion or force but because of love.”  Jesus is teaching us kingdom principles here. To gain abundant life you have to lose the vices you brought to the table as a ‘bad shepherd’. The obtain authority you have to learn to serve. To gain trust you have to become trustworthy. The walk in integrity you have to be true to yourself, repentant when and not if you make a mistake and be in constant communication with the great shepherd and bishop of our souls (1Peter 2:25).

So today how do I become a good shepherd? Answer, by spending time with the great shepherd and his father! Read Psalm 23, ‘the Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, the leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul’…..

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 26, 2010

as we celebrate Boxing Day!

It is believed that Boxing Day originated during the Victorian era when tradesmen received their Christmas box for the services they had given during the year. During the exchanges Jesus had with the Pharisees and the Scribed as recorded by John, their intention was to put Jesus in a box. You can’t do miracles, healings and deliverances on our holy days? Opening the eyes of the blind and allowing the lame to walk on the Sabbath was not allowed however, selling turtle doves and pigeons was. Jesus opened the eyes of a man born blind in John 9:1-41 who ended up being ostracised from their synagogue. Three times (v. 11, v.24, v.27) they questioned him about how he received his sight and three times he told them, “Jesus put some mud on my eyes, told me to go and wash in a particular pool, I did and my eyes were opened.”

Let us make a resolution. For the coming year; either get out of the box or take Jesus out of the box. God wants to let us know that our boxing days are over!

As the New Year approaches let us receive the comments from the Pharisees, Give glory to God, v.24. This was a term originally used by Joshua to Achan (Joshua 7:19) to tell the truth. Be true to yourself and put away the box today.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 25, 2010

as we ask the question who is this Jesus?

he conquered death

He was born in a stable and placed in a manger, which is an animal feeding through. At his birth

died a criminals death

 magi’s travelled over a thousand miles to bow down and worship him and offer him gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. He did not have plush ‘rag-pile’ carpet to walk on but he is the only one to have walked on water. He did not invite all the dignitaries to dinner but fed 5000 people in one sitting with five loaves and two fishes. He never wrote a book but tomes have been written about him. Jesus is God wrapped up in flesh, he is the mighty God, the king of kings, the man who was born to die and died so that you and I can have life after death!  Hallelujah what a saviour.

Have a great day as the lord Jesus is born in your life!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 24, 2010

as we listen to witnesses about Jesus

Whilst Jesus taught his followers about righteous judgement the righteous majority lambasted him about his origins. 

The King has come

They knew he was born to a young unmarried mother. Therefore he was illegitimate and not worthy to be heard. They also knew that his father was Joseph the carpenter and did not recognise that God had anointed him to speak and act on his behalf. In John 8:12-59 Jesus makes some amazing statements that has stood the test of time and bears witness to him. Firstly he claims to be the light of the world (v.12), and states that anyone who has this light will never walk in darkness. Secondly, he states that whoever the Son sets free is free indeed (v.36). And finally he claims that before Abraham was he is not was! (v.58). Note the use of the present tense regarding the statement about Abraham. And today Jesus is still the light of the world; he still is the liberator of those held captive by Satan’s lies and he still is the I AM.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings Risen with healing in His wings, Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth, Hark! The herald angels sing “Glory to the newborn King! Have a great Christmas as we welcome the king into our lives and become witnesses to him.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 23, 2010

as the king demonstrates his righteous judgement

to stone or not to stone!

Having presented Jesus as the prophet who is telling people about the new things that God is doing among them, and as the king of the universe who has total command over all the elements, we are now introduced to Jesus the priest who executes the law of God. The religious people were determined to catch Jesus out and get him to act as they did and make rash decisions. However, Jesus knew their tactics and was always ready for them. Imagine the scene, it is early in the morning and Jesus is in the temple teaching the people when these religious people, called Scribes and Pharisees brings a young woman who they had just dragged out of bed before Jesus and claims that they had caught her in the very act of adultery! (John 8:4). Imagine that, stalking a woman and then pouncing on her while she was in bed! Amazing! But let us asks these Scribes and Pharisees a question. Doesn’t the sin of adultery take two to commit? Then where is the man? Read john 8:1-11.

So they bring this woman before Jesus and declare what the crime and the punishment should be. Adultery =stoning, period no compromise.

Jesus takes his time and then produces a statement that has resonated throughout the whole of human history. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (v.7). This one line has pricked the hearts of countless men and women for centuries.  How do you formulate your judgement and who authorises you to condemn?

Jesus as the righteous judge comes to liberate us from the worldly punitive system. He judges by appealing to our consciences.  Do you make no mistakes? Can you be so righteous as to look down on those who are in sin?

Jesus teaches us his followers to appeal to each other’s consciences and be prepared for reconciliation rather than condemnation. However there is a caveat, the sinner is given a second chance and encouraged not to sin again. Notice, Jesus did not say don’t get caught again, but sin no more! Today many Christians are saying so long as I don’t get caught it is OK. Jesus is saying SIN NO MORE. Develop a spirit of repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation and allow the word to be your judge.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 22, 2010

as we worship the king!

As Jesus came to prominence many people believed in him and many doubted him. The majority of those who

wise men are still seeking Jesus

believed in him were the poorer people who followed him because they had nowhere else to go. The Sanhedrin and the chattering classes did not know what to do about Jesus since according to their theology the Messiah they were looking for would not come from Galilee, moreover from the outpost of Nazareth. So there was confusion among the theologians of the day. They instructed their followers and they plotted to remove Jesus from the scene (John 7:45-52).

 As we reflect on this let us fast forward two thousand years form Jesus’ time. The majority of those who believe in Jesus today are still the poorer classes who have no one else to turn to but God. Many theologians of the day are bringing confusion rather than clarity to people. Jesus is no longer the unique only son of the living God who came to save sinners from their sin, but is presented as one of the ways people could get to God. In many schools, children are not taught pray or to have services that lift up the name of Jesus. Christmas is about eating and drinking and having a good time rather than a time of praise and thanks giving to God the father for sending God the son.  

So we are not much different from our first century counterparts. What do we do with Jesus? Is he a great prophet like Mohammed? Or is he like the Buddha as one who renounces riches to live a life of poverty? Or is he like Zoroaster the Persian God?

The bible foretells of Jesus when it states:-  “And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:6b-7NIV).  

As Christmas comes make Jesus the centre of it all, and bow down and worship him like all wise men do!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 21, 2010

as we break open the bubbly at Xmas

Read John 7:25-39. Jesus was not averse to keeping traditions however he was not bound by traditions and was prepared to reinterpret them for his cultural setting.  So Jesus goes up to the festival of tabernacles and teaches in their synagogue so much so that his teaching astounded them. Jesus knew that the religious bigots wanted to kill him so he posed them a question. Since it is not lawful to work on the Sabbath or the heal someone why do you then circumcise people? Obviously they could not answer him so they decided to kill him, although the majority of people in the crowd regarded him as the messiah.  Jesus was trying to take his hearers beyond their traditional barriers to believe in a God who could reinterpret the law for the current generation. The most striking thing that john recorded was that of Jesus promising his followers the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This is the final piece to break down their tradition. The promise of the Spirit will cause the follower of Jesus to transcend tradition in a way that enables them to enter into a true and fulfilling relationship with Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we get closer to the day that we celebrate his birth be prepared to allow his Spirit to quench your thirst and don’t be bound by tradition.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 20, 2010

as we realise that ‘familiarity’ breeds contempt!

Although Jesus came from a large family, his brothers and sisters did not believe in him (John 7:1-9). They heard and some saw the miracles he performed but they never truly understood who is really was or his mission to humanity. They are recorded as encouraging him to go public so that people could see his works if he was really who his followers said he was.  To them, Jesus was a small town boy who had attracted interest from many people, particularly those in the fishing villages surrounding Capernaum. So his brothers advised him to go and exhibit himself in the big city so that others could see him perform.  Jesus refused their offer and told them that timing was the most important thing for him.

For all of us today, timing is a vital ingredient. For us to fulfil our potential and achieve the greatness that God has in store for us we need to operate in his time. Unlike Sarah, Abraham’s wife, Jesus never operated out of step with God the father. He was therefore able to fulfil his task and to declare from the cross, it is finished, man’s redemption is complete!

As we prepare to embrace the New Year, let us stay in step with God and learn not to run ahead of him. When your time comes you will know and so will others!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 19, 2010

as we make up our minds to follow the one with the X-Factor!

At the end of John chapter 6 many of the people who followed Jesus decided to go their own way. John alludes to the fact that Jesus’ teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood was a step too far for those who left. Although John explains that Jesus is not talking about them literally eating his flesh and drinking his blood, many people still decided that once the fish and bread had finished it was time to find a new guru. Today there are still many people following Jesus for what they can get rather that for who he is. And as Jesus challenged his first century follower, so he challenges us. Why are you following me? Is it because you know that I am the bread of life? Or is it because I have supplied all your needs and healed you body?

Like Peter, we must categorically say “Lord you have the words of eternal life and you are the Holy one from God! So who else can we go to!

The innocence of the Christ-child, God wrapped up in flesh, will soon be forgotten as Jesus becomes the ultimate sacrifice for all the wrongs we have done, all the wrongs we do and all those we will do in the future. For those of us who know him and are members of his kingdom, he is the only one with the X-factor this Xmas!

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Posted by: pastorapbell | December 17, 2010

as John demonstrates to us that Jesus not only does miracles with loaves and fishes, he is also in control of nature!

After feeding five over thousand people with just a few fish and five loaves of bread John reports another astonishing feat. The disciples set out to cross the lake in their boat. About three miles out it seems that a storm started that threatened to capsize the boat. Suddenly out of the storm Jesus comes and they are ushered to the shore (John 6:16-21). Luke records that Jesus was sleeping in their boat when a great storm challenged them. Jesus was unfazed by the storm, woke up a spoke to it (Luke 8:22-25). It would appear that John is saying that Jesus will reign over every situation we face irrespective of its source. He met the physical needs of the people who followed him, he controlled the natural elements that threatened their lives and he can order their spiritual lenses. And those who were possessed with evil spirits he cleansed.

This is truly the actions of God. And should we try to compare Jesus with other religious leaders, John emphatically gives us more reason why there is no comparison. 

Jesus is the true bread that came from heaven (v.35) and it is only in him that an individual can get true life. Outside of him the search continues.

Today, because Jesus knows what our needs are, allow him to supply them and also allow him to calm the storms in our lives!

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