Out on the Hills

A shepherds soliloquy
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I don't suppose I'll be here to see His day arrive
No.. He's still a lad at the moment..
But He's out there.. growing...waiting, getting ready..

Ha! You don't know who I'm talking about do you ?
No.. Well, let me start at the beginning then.

We'd just moved up from the south, as we did every year for the winter.
We'd pasture the sheep in the hill country, just South of Jerusalem.
Near Bethlehem actually .. you know ? where King David came from.

It always made us smile, there we were with sheep near the ancient home of our greatest King, he was a shepherd too - did you know that ? But not like us mind you. No. He had home, family, brothers 'n that. We seem to manage without them mostly..

In fact, it was always a trial for us - those winter months. For most of the year we worked way off on the edge of the wilderness. Just us and the sheep. A simple sort of existence really, with no-one to bother us. But up there near the city.. well thing always got more complicated.

We were.. well ARE never trusted by the folks who live there. They say we're light fingered 'n such, that we get mine and thine mixed up sometimes.... 'n I suppose there -is- some truth in that.. Mind you I always try to return what I borrow.....

And then folk up there are always say we cant be 'real Jews', because we can't get to the synagogue very often, or even to the feasts sometimes. That always stuck in my craw. My father used to tell me how YHWH was Lord of -all- His people, how he loved -all- of them, even when they were far away.... that His eye was always on them and that His great heart of compassion was always tuned towards them ..... I 'spose some have forgotten that... I've got used to being one where my occupation meant you must be irreligious, or whose word was 'a shepherds oath' and a by-word for 'untrustworthy', but for everyone, especially the Pharisees and the rest to say the YHWH couldn't be 'with us'.......well (mutters darkly)

But I'm getting off the point aren't I ?

Yes.. Where were we ?.. back outside Bethlehem. .. yes...
That year was worse than any we'd ever seen. For while we were never welcome in the town, we could at least buy bread, and a skin of wine, but that year we couldn't get anything from anyone ! And why ? Because there wasn't anything left !! The town was overrun with visitors, not just a few, but people from all over Israel. Hundreds of 'em. You couldn't buy bread, or flour, wine was unobtainable, hay or oats for animals was priced well out of our purses. You see, the Romans had organised one of their 'censuses'; anyone whose family was from those parts had returned to Bethlehem and the place was bursting at the seams because of it.

We went into town a couple of times, realised it was wasted effort, and stayed on the hills.

And that is where we were that night.

We'd lit a fire, much like every other night, and we sat around with our backs towards it, eyes towards the flock. I'd fallen asleep, but several others were awake, just in case a local tried to come and 'borrow' a sheep to feed the unexpected visitors. But we weren't expecting any trouble.

And then suddenly, the sky, it was full of light, and then the ground around us was alight too.... not like summer daytime, but like someone had lit all the candles in the world at the same time as was holding up in front of us.. I woke up, of course, we all turned and looked, someone jumped to his feet, but a second later sank down onto his knees. I remember starting to think 'what's the matter with him?...' when I found the same powerful urge come over me too. I was suddenly filled with acute shame, though I couldn't say what for, and a feeling of embarrassment and dirtiness cut right through me, just as though someone had read my minds most repulsive secrets but worse..... And as we lay there, it may have been for seconds or minutes, I felt every part of my body shaking in fear and remorse, if it were possible to feel both things so strongly at the same time.

But strange as it may seem, I kept looking towards the light, and there in front of us now stood a man, but not a man. The light was surrounding him, but not coming from him; it seemed the light was source of our acute discomfort. Then he spoke to us.

“Peace !, don't be afraid”, he said. “I am bringing you good news. News of great joy that will be for all the people. Today, in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

Then he paused, as if awaiting a response from us. Well my tongue seemed like lead, and my mouth may have moved a bit, but I couldn't get a sound out, and neither did anyone else. I'm sure I saw the visitor's eye brow rise just a little at our complete lack of response, so He continued

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Well if that sounds like a traumatic experience; to be greeted by an Angel on a dark hillside in winter, and to experience just a glimpse of what must have been the Glory of YHWH, ... well worse was to come !. For no sooner had he told us about the sign, than from out of nowhere he was joined by a vast army of what were plainly YHWH's angels. They were dressed as if for battle, but it wasn't their appearance that was the most striking thing, but their song...

For they all began to sing, the most exquisite and beautiful sound I have ever heard. Like human voices, yes, but sweeter and richer, deeper and higher, with notes that pieced you with their perfection, and made you heart feel as if it should burst. But even more wonderful was what they sang, or almost 'proclaimed' defying anyone or anything to challenge its truth :

"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.

The words echoed back and forth, and with each restatement, I was willing them to sing that again, and sing that again, tell me that again.

Then they stopped. The song faded to silence and the angelic army swiftly slipped away from sight; last of all to go was our original visitor who was now smiling at us.

Well, we all started talking at once. We had our tongues back, and our legs too ! We were all on our feet, "Let's go to Bethlehem" we said, "and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about". So we did just that, leaving the flock to care for itself, we were rushing and tumbling down the hillside towards the darkened town and the promised Christ. Looking back, I don't know how we thought we'd find him, or how many strangers we'd have to wake until we found 'the one', but it didn't happen like that. We ran to the little square in the centre of the town, paused for breath, and there we noticed a lamplight showing through a half open door. For some reason, we went straight over to the building, paused again for a moment, then swung the door wide a stepped inside.

There wasn't much to see inside. A couple of older ladies, a dog lying on the floor near the door, one or two bits of rough furniture, some sacks of something... and a man, and a young woman, and a feeding trough. They all turned and looked towards. Written over each face was 'what do you want ?', (and I expect we looked an odd sight !). But before anyone could speak from out of the trough came a little cry - that of tiny infant. Immediately, just as on the hillside, all our legs turned to water and we sank to the ground. As the eldest, I began to explain how we'd been visited by and Angel of the Lord, and how he'd told us how 'a saviour who is Christ the Lord' has been born here in this town, and how we were to find him.....

"Please tell us, when was he born ?" I asked,
"Tonight, In the first watch" replied the man.
"that was When the Angel appeared to us......and so What will you call him?"
Now the you girl spoke up. "forgive me for speaking, but, An angel appeared to me also, and to Joseph here", and she smiled at him.
"Yes", Joseph spoke again, "yes, I, ..we, .., We will be naming him Jesus"....

The word, the name, it seemed to hang in the air ...A saviour, A saviour, Jesus, the old name for YHWH saves !

Well to cut a long story short, the town got little rest that night, late though it was, we told everyone who'd listen what had happened, and what YHWH had revealed to us. So it was many hours later that we were back sitting on our hillside with a new dawn braking slowly in the east. Nobody spoke much, until eventually someone said, "You know, I think the world has just changed".

I'm tired of beating the Air

Beating the Air is a good picture of utterly pointless activity. It has the appearance of action and effort and of being something productive, yet nothing results. Recently, I've come to suspect that beating the air is a good picture of what we're doing when we pray. Or rather, that's what it seems like when we meet together to pray. Maybe your prayer gatherings are different, but in my neck of the woods we seem too ready to lower our sights to the minutiae of everyday life, to focus on problems and pitfalls, anticipated and imagined difficulties, while being somehow reluctant to raise our focus upwards to the one to whom and with whom we speak, and to grasp the higher themes of what we are about as God's people.

That being the case, I drew up a list of things I felt we could focus on in place of the endless detail or vague generalities. (Its not that I'm against detail or even generalities, but those are the easy targets, they are comfortable to our old sinful natures because they don't take us too close to God, His character and will, or make us take much notice of our own coldness and heart-failures)

It went like this :

Real Conversions - Ie. tangible heart-change, not merely statistically significant hovering around church people

Real Joy & Delight in the Gospel (in old and new believers) - Ie. either this is the word of life, a matter of life and death, or we're playing games

Deepening faith (confidence) in God (his character and heart) - evidenced in a change from 'maybe' thinking to 'expectant' thinking

Real Shoulders to the Work - evidenced in hands on deck when there is a real need

Real Compassion for our lost neighbours/friends/relatives/loved ones - manifested in prayers, intercession, even tears for the lost (why should there be only one person who's voice cracks when praying for those she loves ?)

Embracing the folly of the Gospel - evidenced in our willingness to be 'fools' for Christ as we invite folks to hear the message

Embracing "Ourselves as your servants for Jesus's sake" - evidenced as we give ourselves to those coming to faith that they might grow in the knowledge of Christ, Ie, no fly in fly out speaking the gospel into peoples lives

Wrestling - evidenced as we square up to the enemy's grip on the unsaved, the world's darkness, and the necessity of God sovereignly shedding light and giving new birth

Forgiveness, mutual love & respect - evidenced as we refuse to let our sin, folly, daft ideas, mistakes and misunderstandings muddy our relationships or mar our fellowship (horizontally or vertically!)


As soon as I'd finished the list, an esteemed colleague reminded me that I'd forgotten one or two of the most important things. God's Glory, and Paul's frequent prayer that we might know Christ better. It was obvious really - they should have been 1st and 2nd. So much for my spirituality and insight !

Funny how the really important often drowns under one's own well meaning ideas.

Point of Ayr

From time to time you stumble upon hidden gems, places where you expected nothing, but found great beauty. Such a place is the North West most corner of Wales. The Point of Ayr. Vast beaches, empty space, acres of sky, dunes, and sighing grasses.

Ah yes, and did I mention, Kites ....

Space to FLY !

The 1st Century in the 21st Century.

The speaker stood on a makeshift platform barely twelve inches above his roaring, boisterous audience. "Who is a Prophet ?" he called out. Back came the reply : "Mohamed !, Jesus !, Marx !" . "Well I'll tell you", he continued, "Only Someone who knows the name of God can be a prophet of God", "Liar !" they shouted back in response. "Look, see, the Muslim's are afraid of hearing who is a prophet. That's why they want to drown me out". The crowed roared "Yes" and "No!", and "Jesus" with gusto. "Look, nowhere in the Q'ran does Mohamed use the real personal name of God", "Liar" they shouted again, followed by "Allah, Allah, Allah". "No Allah is not God's name, it simply means 'the God', that's not Gods personal name. Only in the Bible do we read prophets using God's personal name". "Liar!" they shouted again. Then he turned to crowd and called "What is God's real name ?" "Yahweh! Yahweh! Yahweh!" they chanted back.

And so it went on, with claim and assertion, banter, interruption, questions, chanting, good humour. Suddenly from in the crowd a woman in a headscarf reached out and touched the speaker. He stoped, looked directly at her. "Don't touch me, I am a Christian. You, a Muslim woman, you cannot touch me" Her Face fell. "Hey, don't look angry, relax, you don't have to be angry, we can relax here. Smile.. yeah that's better, you look much prettier when you smile" She turned away confused, disarmed by the speakers manner.

Speaker's Corner, Hyde Park, London. A unique place.

They noted that these men had been with Jesus.

Not long after Pentecost the Apostles were hauled up before the authorities of their day to account for their preaching in the name of Jesus and the emergence of the early Christian Church in Jerusalem.  They had just healed a man, and had been speaking to the crowds explaining how it was through Jesus that they had performed the miracle. Having been imprisoned overnight, and having had opportunity to make a defence of their actions, their accusers were led to the following observation "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus...".

So they recognised that these men had been with Jesus. What did that signify and what did they mean by that statement of the obvious ?  Were they referring to the fact that Peter and John had come up to the capital with Jesus ?  That was true.  Or that they were among the vast numbers who had followed him around Galilee ?  That was true as well.  Or maybe that they had been around Jesus just before his arrest and subsequent trial ?  That also was correct.  But none of those was what the Sanhedrin were referring to.

Unschooled, ordinary men had been transformed by three years of following their Rabbi, the Rabbi, day and night, 24x7.

Now, they behaved remarkably like him.  They did what he did.  They spoke about what he spoke about.  They went where he went.  They were opposed as he was opposed.  His mission was now their mission.

Today, when we interpret and apply this passage, we usually 'spiritualise' it. Since we can't spend time with a physically present Jesus, we say something along the lines of ah ! we too must spend time with Jesus, therefore we must pray more, dwell in him more, commune with him more and so on, and in that way we will be 'transformed' as were Peter and John.  Now all those are good and right, and we should indeed spend more time with our saviour.  But is it reasonable to make that application from this passage, even as a secondary point ?   Possibly, but it depends on whether we place the emphasis on 'communion', or on 'transformation', or both.  If we focus on transformation we will need to pull in the wider NT teaching on holiness or growth in godliness, otherwise we sell our hearers/readers short.

The Sanhedrin were pointing to men transformed by three years of 24x7 following.  So we need to ask, what is the NT equivalent for the generation who had not personally met Jesus, how did they become like Peter and John ? How did Paul and Luke, Apollos and Epahroditus become like the Jesus they had never physically met ?  And as we answer that question we may be able to answer what or where is the 2009 equivalent of 24x7 following and transformation ?

At cost, subsidised, or 'with profits' ?

At the weekend, we got to see this. The Logos Hope. Having heard about the Logos ships down the decades, and having been told that morning that one was in town (or more correctly in the harbour), I found myself driving to the Cardiff waterfront with no little anticipation. To see, in the flesh so to speak, an item of evangelistic legend, would be an opportunity not to be missed - after all they don't visit the UK very often, preferring instead to take the good news of Jesus to places with less 'chance' of hearing about Him, or so I imagine.

The ship was in the inner basin, just by the lightship restaurant. Big signs on the superstructure welcomed all aboard for no cost, and thus encouraged, we too mounted the gangplank to see what lay inside. On the main visitor deck, we found a large bookshop, a cafe, an excellent exhibition about the ship and its recent visits, and a briefing area for those who wanted the full tour (cost 2 (or 3) pounds), which alas we didn't have time for. But it was the bookshop that surprised me. It was billed by the smiling crew members as 'educational', which when translated meant it comprised about 60% christian books, 10% christian music CDs, 20% kids stuff, and the balance being general interest. There was nothing from UK publishers that I spotted, and UK authors were only represented via US publishers. The CDs were American, and the general interest stuff was anodyne in the extreme, and also American. But none of that was particularly noteworthy in itself, Logos has, after all, O.M. behind it, and that is American. No, what stuck me was the cost. Or rather, the lack of it. Bibles on sale for a few pounds, books that cost nine or twelve pounds in the UK on sale for 2.50 or 3.50. And those were not odd 'bargains', everything was priced at the same level.

So I asked myself, and I ask you gentle reader, is the UK Christian book buying public being ripped off ? Or was it all heavily subsidised ?

Whatever the answer, next time you see a Logos ship in your harbour, if you need a good book or three, step on board.

Q. What came before the font and the baptismal pool ?

Answer : One of these.  Its a 4th century Romano-British font-pool-baptistry thing.  Over a thousand miles to the North-West of Rome, a christian church situated in the port settlement of Richborough in Kent built this baptistry in their church located inside the walls of the Roman Fort.  It is big enough for one person to stand in, but not two.  It is floor or ground standing, and its shape and construction suggests that it was not much taller than this when complete, thus an adult standing in it would be thigh-deep in water were it to be completely filled.  However, it has no drain or signs of plumbing of the types associated with Roman buildings.  Which would suggest that it was either left filled, filled when needed, or not filled but used as a basin or recepticle for poured water.

Wall paintings from elsewhere in the empire show baptismal candidates having water poured over them while standing in a large bowl or hollow structure, and given its modest size and dimensions,  that would be a plausible way of using the Richborough Baptistry.  If that is the way it was used, it would add weight to the suggestion that mandating full immersion is a later innovation added to the basic act of baptism, and not an idea felt necessary by those nearer to the New Testament than we.

Rome in Wiltshire

The design of Bowood House in Wiltshire is based on the 4th century Palace of Diocletian in modern Split, Croatia. Robert Adam, the architect of Bowood, had surveyed and publicised the Roman Emperor's 'retirement' palace, which during the centuries before his survey had effectively become lost. Adam recorded the survey in his book "Ruins of the palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia", published in 1764. Today, inside the public entrance, one of Adam's elevations is on display to illustrate how closely he followed the original.

Of course, the modern Bowood House is considerably smaller than Diocletian's huge complex with its accommodation for a small garrison, its numerous servants and private access to the sea. Nevertheless, Bowood still give one a feeling for the elegance of Classical Architecture, albeit mediated through 18th century eyes.

Our 'Chief of Men' 70013

This was the scene as Oliver Cromwell passed through the crowds on their way to the Thorpe Park busses.  No one looked, nobody noticed, nobody paused to see what had sounded a steam whistle.  Only the old beardies on the footbridge, and I on a deserted up platform watched as Brunswick Green and Maroon slid past.  And in those few moments, we experienced a satisfaction deeper than all the the rides in all the theme parks in the world could offer.

A good start to a Bank Holiday Weekend I think.

Should you get yourself a Mentor ?

Mentor. Its one of the words of our age.  Mentoring surfaces in management training seminars, leadership development courses, business books and periodicals, and there is even an academic journal dedicated to it ('The Mentor'  http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ ) .  It is 'out there', and it is inside Christendom and inside Evangelicalism as well.  But what is it ?

Within Christian circles, some would say its a relationship that is primarily about accountability. Suggesting that a relationship between peers or near peers is agreed where one holds the other to certain standards, and together they work on the 'getting there' required to meet the standard.  Others have suggested that its focus is mainly on skills transfer or the development of existing skills or giftings.  Thus in their conception, the more experienced assists the less experienced until the later reaches a certain standard of performance.  But are those examples of Mentoring ?  They certainly meet the dictionary definition (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=mentor) of a 'wise counsellor' assisting another, so I suppose they're adequate conceptions.  But I think they don't go quite far enough.

I think the New Testament provides a more thorough and a more powerful pattern than our modern Mentor concept, useful though it is.  Consider the relationship between St Paul and Timothy.  Timothy was what we would call Paul's protoge; already a believer, he was 'discovered' by Paul as he passed through ancient Lystra, and accompanied Paul on his second major missionary journey (as recounted by St Luke in Acts 16ff).  He was present with Paul at the founding of several churches, including Corinth and Philippi, and was sent back to the later as Paul's combined messenger and ambassador during one of Paul's imprisonments (perhaps in Rome ~61AD), and finally at the end of Paul's life, he was entrusted with the care of the important but troubled church at Ephesus.

Writing to the believers at Philippi, Paul makes some illuminating comments about Timothy at the mid-point of their relationship.  "I have no one [else] like him", "as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel", and commenting on Timothy's abilities he says "[he] takes a genuine interest in your welfare", and "you know that Timothy has proved himself".  He describes Timothy as being like a son, working with the great Apostle. That would suggest Timothy learned in a familial relationship made possible by their receipt of adoption into the same family (the family of God), but worked out in the unique dynamics of elder to younger while both are engaged in a common task, that of the work of the gospel.  It sounds a little like an apprenticeship, but it has the elements of son, father and brother, and little of the master craftsman and his ignorant apprentice.  And whereas the son to father description suggest an adult child relationship, this is an adult adult relationship.  It is the adult familial context for learning that is the unique element of this New Testament 'Mentoring' that Timothy receives.

Paul has worked with Timothy, he has seen his progress, he has been there to guide and correct, and he knows the heart of the man and his worth.  At the same time the Apostle is also a brother and fellow saint, and a fellow sinner.  Timothy has been able to see Paul in triumph and adversity, in prayer, and in despair, in prison, and at liberty, preaching to thousands perhaps, and reduced to talking to his jailer. And Timothy has learned alongside Paul what it means to follow Christ and be conformed to his image, even of His sufferings.  And that is something not learned from books, or lectures, its learned from life lived with Christ followers, followers like Paul, or Silas, or Barnabus, or Peter or the other men an women who invite us to learn from them in the pages of the New testament.

So, get yourself a Mentor by all means, but make sure it is a New Testament one.

How much junk can a GSX-R1000 carry ?

Luggage. Usually, its more elegant than this. Perched where a pillion should go, we had an Oxford Tank Pack containing 3 x pairs of socks, two t-shirts, boxers, dress shirt, two piece suit, laptop, psu, two locks, security chain, spare carbon-fibre exhaust, prop stand base, large bike cover, half a dozen cable ties, mobo, a pair of trainers, a pair of shoes, and a couple of yards of blue nylon twine.

Impressive eh ?

I was there ! (but it was a long time ago)

I was present to hear what I believe was his last public sermon.  I've preached just once from that same pulpit.  I know of him, but never knew him.  Those I've known that did know him revered him and valued his counsel greatly.  In his later years, to agree with him was to assert ones own orthodoxy, and to disagree caused eyebrows to rise.

Who am I talking about ?  I'm talking about 'the Doctor', Dr Martyn LLoyd-Jones.

And now I find I am using his volume of sermons on Philippians I&II, entitled The Life of Joy. Clearly, the cover designer was engaging in a little gentle irony.  The stern-faced man in the top corner cannot possibly be living a Life of Joy can he ?  Pity.  The testimony of those who knew him well, and that of his biographer Iain Murray, would indicate that while the Doctor had gravitas, he also had plenty of Joy too.  Poor choice there Mr Cover Designer.

Look not only to your own interests.

I've been asked to preach another sermon.  Nothing surprising there I suppose, but the passage is a little more difficult than usual.  Its from Paul's letter to the Philippians, Chapter 2 and the last dozen verses.  Paul is telling his Philippian readers that fairly soon he will be sending his trusted friend Timothy to see them, so that he (Paul) may have first hand news of how they're getting along, and be encouraged thereby.  But first, immediately, Paul is sending back their own man Epaphroditus, (probably the one who carried Paul's letter to the Philippians), because Epaphroditus, in Paul's words "longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill". 

But Paul doesn't then move on to other topics, rather, he urges them to welcome Epahroditus and adds a remarkable commendation; "Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ".

Imagine being commended by perhaps the greatest hero of the Christian Faith. Imagine having the approval of the mighty Apostle and have him say of you 'honor men like him'.  But Paul is only doing what Jesus did.  Jesus called his disciples 'friends', and when he spoke of Saints long dead, he didn't call them by their failures, indeed he doesn't really name their failures, for example Jonah is not called Jonah the Nationalist or Jonah the Racist, but Jonah's preaching is compared to the Saviour's own preaching.

So one question is, how do we view one another ?  Do we see each other's labour for Christ, or do we see each others faults and failures, and build hierarchies of value among the people of God ?

And of course, Paul's commendation of Timothy and Epaphroditus serves to illustrate not only their relationship with the Apostle and the esteem he held them in, but exemplifies the principle he has laid out earlier in the letter ; "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..."

Now, to preach that without sinking into mere 'thou shalt' moralising, that is my difficulty.

What we found at Rye, Sussex

Neglected, abandoned, controversial in its day and uncared for now, outside Rye the half a million bricks of Tower Nr. 28 stand guard against an enemy who never came.  That the enemy stayed away was because this was then the 'last word' in deterrence.  For in about 1810 when it was erected, a Martello Tower was a defense so powerful that no enemy ever sailed within range of its roof mounted artillery. Such was the power of the Martello.

Today, only the town yoof and the occasional antiquarian ventures inside to disturb the resident doves and pigeons.  Thoughtfully though, should you be inclined so to follow them, someone has left a makeshift ladder below the single entrance, just for the benefit of those who might come after.  Inside the floors are long gone, but the massive brick central column remains, and the roof above stands solid against the weather.

I think this piece of Britain's Napoleonic defences needs a little sympathetic restoration.