Recipe for Being Friends with Jesus

For many of us, people know about us by the company we keep and the time we spend eating and drinking with family/friends/neighbours.  Although it's still two months away, you may already have begun thinking about who will cook/host/travel/etc on Christmas Day!  In Jesus' day, meals were important, and some had great significance - for example the Seder meal with which Jewish people commemorated the Passover (and still do).

 At St John's we are currently doing a series on some of the best-known meals that Jesus shared with people, and the conversations, surprises and controversy which often followed. I recently found myself thinking about a meal which Jesus had with the tax collector Matthew.  In those days, tax collectors often had booths alongside major roads and were widely regarded as collaborators with the occupying Romans - very unpopular and not the sort of people for a respectable Israelite to hang out with.  So, when Jesus called Matthew to be one of his first disciples, it was no surprise that some people thought this was outrageous (see Matthew chapter 9 if you'd like to learn more).

 I sometimes meet people today who think they're somehow 'unworthy' to be friends and followers of Jesus.  Maybe you feel like this yourself?  If so, I want to encourage you that he's always pleased when people follow him.  Just think about the cross - he cares for you that much.

What's your priority in Life?

I sometimes reflect on what is my 'core business' and I keep coming back to our parish mission statement: 'Knowing and sharing the love of Jesus'.  Sometimes this is through words (e.g. teaching the Bible) and sometimes it's through actions (e.g. my next activity after typing this is the regular 'drop in' evening at St John's for some disadvantaged members of the local community). 

 When I first became a vicar 21 years ago, my wife commented on the variety inherent in the role, wisely saying, "You won't get bored in this job".  This morning began with a school assembly and ended with a seniors' lunch club, and now I'm writing this blog, so some very different groups have been on my radar today.  The common thread in all of this is Jesus, as He is at the core of who a Christian is.  He is relevant for people of all ages and in all aspects of work, rest and play.

 I wonder what you would say is your own core business - your first priority in life and the thing that makes you 'you'.   Perhaps it's a role in your family, perhaps it's something about your work (paid or unpaid), perhaps it's a personal characteristic, or maybe something deeper like a faith or view of the world.  Amid all the busy-ness of life and the things clamouring for attention, I hope that you'll take time to ponder your own core business, letting God work in you and through you as you do.

These are a few of our Favourite Foods...

My wife Becky and I recently attended a marriage enrichment event which was both fun and helpful.  The first day began with an icebreaker of the 'Mr & Mrs' type, asking one partner something about the other one.  One of the questions was 'What is the one food that (s)he could not do without?'.  Becky's answer for me was simple - bread.  One of my many bad habits is eating chunks of a loaf (without butter, jam or anything).  You would probably not be impressed by my diet!

At St John's we recently had a series on some of the things Jesus said about himself, focusing on him calling himself 'The Bread of life'.  It's interesting that he didn't say 'The caviar of life' or 'The sweetest delicacy of life' but rather something providing everyday nourishment, that everyone who heard him was familiar with and could relate to.

Even the best or most expensive meal will leave people hungry the next day next day, needing to eat again.  But strangely, Jesus spoke about how 'feeding' on him satisfies our hunger permanently (see John chapter 6 to learn more).  Of course, he wasn't talking about just physical food but rather something deeper, which satisfies us, whether our stomachs are full or empty.  I hope that you will draw nourishment from the best food of all.

Christianity Explored

In life, important lessons are often learned from mistakes.  I expect you have your own personal examples of lessons learned from mistakes, which is why phrases like 'trial and error' are part of our everyday language.

 St John's is currently working through the book of Ecclesiastes, part of the 'wisdom literature' in the Old Testament.  Much of this is 'the teacher' reflecting on lessons learned from searching in the wrong places for meaning and significance.  He emphasises three areas of life, which are surprisingly relevant today too:

• Pleasure: many people spend a lot of time/money/energy seeking pleasure in various forms.  'The teacher' even had a harem and denied himself nothing, but found that he was 'chasing after the wind';

• Wisdom: sometimes we think knowledge and wisdom are the answers to life's big questions, but education isn't wisdom and the wise like the foolish endure the ups and downs of life and will eventually die;

• Hard work: work is a good thing, and part of God's plan for people, but toil can never produce or reveal the real meaning of life.

So much for looking in the wrong places!  What's the right place?  You won't be surprised to hear me answer 'God'.  If you'd like to investigate why Christians think so, I invite you to call me and maybe sign up for our next 'Christianity Explored' course, starting early in October.

Rev David Price (01202 740235)

The Guide Book for Life

Our recent family holiday was in Keswick in Cumbria.  It's a great place, alongside Derwent Water and surrounded by the four highest peaks in England.  For Christians, it has special significance, hosting the Keswick Convention each summer since 1875, offering a special event in a wonderful location.

Like thousands of walkers, I have come to rely on the trustworthy guides of the Lake District painstakingly compiled and expertly drawn by Alfred Wainwright.  When mist or cloud covers the ground, his trusty guides have led so many people safely to their intended destination.  But a few years ago, I climbed a mountain in Scotland with a guidebook that contained an error.  It was a traumatic episode which thankfully ended safely but I never got to the top of that mountain.

For me the most important 'guidebook' in life is the Bible.  For many centuries, it has proved its worth as a guide through the ups and downs of life.  I became a Christian after being given a New Testament and encountering Jesus in its pages, discovering along the way how inspired and authoritative it is.  As I reflect on guides for life, there's nothing to match it.