Join the Team!

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He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Mark 3:14-15

Here at Crossring, we have a clear mission; we want to build a community around scripture.  We want to encourage people to write articles reflecting on scripture, and to discuss them.  We want to provide scripturally focused sketches for our visitors to use in churches and youth groups.  In order to do this, we have a team of people who work together to fulfil specific areas within our ministry.  We recognise that it would be impossible for any one – or even two – of us to create this website together, so we have a clear division of labour.  In this way, we hope to be able to grow and develop the website in a way that would not otherwise be possible.

Teams are vital for success.  It is so much easier to achieve anything if you work with other people.  Even Jesus recognised this.  He was the Son of God and could have achieved absolutely anything, but instead he recognised that a team would be useful if his earthly ministry was going to have the success he wanted.  For this reason, we see in this verse that Jesus appointed twelve people, called by name, in order to support him in his ministry.  He wanted these twelve men to go out and preach the gospel; twelve preachers is surely better than one.  He also tasked them with driving out demons.  Interestingly, however, he also has another reason for calling the twelve apostles; like all humans, Jesus needed company, and gathered these men around him to be with him, to be his friends and his confidantes.

Jesus calls us all to be with him.  He wants a friendship with each and every one of us.  He is waiting for us to respond to his call.  He might call you to teach or to drive out demons, but he might not; he might have other things in mind for you.  Do reflect today, though, whether you have responded to Jesus’ call of friendship, and consider what role Jesus has given you in his team.

The Godfather: Review

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The Godfather: Review

Ian and I saw the digitally remastered version of The Godfather at the cinema on Monday evening.  Having heard so much about it, and heard that this is supposed to be the second greatest film of all time, I had high hopes.  Unfortunately, I don’t think the film lived up to them.

The first observation to make is that The Godfather is long.  Extremely long.  It comes in at over three hours, and obviously has aspirations to be some kind of epic.  The story covers a period of some ten years, again indicating some kind of epic aspirations.  It simply didn’t cut the mustard in my view, however.  Maybe I’m just used to more modern, fast paced films, but the whole thing just seemed rather plodding and drawn out to me.

The film opens at the wedding of the daughter of Don Vito Corleone’s daughter.  Known to many as ‘Godfather’, Don Corleone oversees a ‘family business’.  (Interestingly, the word ‘mafia’ is never mentioned in the film).  Corleone’s lot get into a spot of bother when they refuse to embrace the narcotics trade; they viewed drink and gambling as tolerable vices, but were concerned that they would lose their hard-won political influence if they got involved with the drugs trade.

After his refusal to financially support another mafia boss who wants to enter the drugs trade, Vito is gunned down by the rival gang.  He is critically injured, but eventually pulls through.  Whilst he is recouperating, his son, Sonny, takes over the family business.  He attempts to deal with the rival gang, but is subsequently shot himself as he speeds off to deal with his sister’s abusive husband.

Michael, the youngest son, then takes over the family business.  Out of loyalty to his father, he seeks to develop the business, specifically through the acquisition of a casino in Las Vegas.  He is also strongly motivated by a desire for revenge; Michael, the former soldier and only college educated member of the Corleone clan, had previously distanced himself from the business, preferring to make an honest living.  He is drawn into the violence by the shooting of his father and murder of his brother, however.  His involvement seems to be more for vengeance than anything else.  He has his revenge whilst he is at his niece’s christening, for whom he is godfather – which seemed a little clumsy to me.

The idea that a person’s good intentions to avoid evil and corruption can be overturned through a desire for revenge due to the tight bonds of family was, for me, the most poignant element of the film.  For the most part, however, The Godfather struck me as over long and with little clarity of plot.  The whole storyline based in Sicily, where Michael was hiding after murdering a police chief, seemed largely superfluous.  There seemed to be very little direction in the film, and I failed to spot any real reason for the story’s existence.

I can certainly see how the film has inspired subsequent films, and has had an impact on how we perceive the mafia, but I doubt I shall watch it again; I was largely disappointed.

The Crowds Flock to Christ

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Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

Mark 3:7-8

Celebrity seems to be a major feature of western society these days; so many children want to grow up to be famous, with no idea of what they’re going to be famous for.  Here in Britain we have a strange relationship with our celebrities.  On the one hand, we worship them like twenty-first century Gods, following every detail of their lives.  As soon as they put a foot wrong, though, or become too famous, or too rich, we delight in tearing them down again.

When I was working in London, David Blaine shut himself in a Perspex box just down the river from my school.  Blaine had been used to the adoration of American fans, yet when he reached England, people were more interested in jeering at him and throwing things at his box.  All very peculiar!

Jesus quickly became a celebrity.  Here we are, only up to the third chapter of Mark’s fast-moving gospel, and we see him being followed by huge crowds of people who had come to see this incredible man.  News of Jesus’ teaching, his healing, and his miracles had spread far and wide, and people were traveling great distances to see him for themselves.  Here was someone who seemed to deserve his celebrity; he was doing impressive things!

Jesus certainly created quite a stir in the first century AD, yet his fame has spread for more than 2,000 years, so that people are still eager to listen to what he has to say, and to learn more about his miracles.  Are you amongst that number?  Are you desperate to meet Jesus for yourself?  Keep with us on the Mark Marathon – we’ll encounter Jesus together!

The rulers gather against Christ

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The rulers gather against Christ

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”

Psalm 2:2-3

It’s horrible when people gang up against you.  In a previous workplace, a female friend of mine was given promotion ahead of some older colleagues.  Many felt that she had been promoted simply because she was young and female, and would be an attractive front to the organisation.  Having worked closely with her, however, I knew this not to be the case – she was extremely good at her job, had held a senior post in another organisation, and thoroughly deserved her promotion.  This didn’t stop quite a number of members of staff being quite vicious in their condemnation of her appointment.  Some even went so far as telling the management that they were wrong to have promoted my friend.

In our current Mark Marathon passage, Jesus once again finds that he has got on the wrong side of the Pharisees when he heals someone with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which they believe to be against the law.  The Pharisees then went to speak to the Herodians, the supporters of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, and they plotted together against Jesus, trying to figure out how best to destroy him.

In today’s passage, we can see an Old Testament mirror of these developments in Mark’s gospel; the rulers of the earth plotting against God’s anointed one, which, in the case of Mark’s gospel is the Christ, the Messiah, Jesus.  Yet we are warned here that if earthly rulers rebel against the anointed one, Jesus, then they rebel against God himself, a sure sign of sin, which is punishable by eternal death.  There is a clear warning here – it is a very bad idea to rebel against Jesus.

We must take every opportunity open to us to stand up for Jesus.  We must not tolerate rebellion against him.  We must ensure that rulers around the world allow Christians to practice their faith free from persecution.  Why not pray today for all those Christians who are persecuted by their governments for their faith, and also that people might be liberated from such governments?

Espresso Tales: Review

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Espresso Tales: Review

I’ve just finished reading ‘Espresso Tales’, by Alexander McCall Smith, the second of his 44 Scotland Street. Once again, it was an immensely joyous experience.

44 Scotland Street is a large house in Edinburgh, which has been divided into flats. In the ground floor flat live Stuart and Irene and their six year old son Bertie. Above them lives Domenica, a single woman of a certain age. Next to her live Bruce and his flatmate Pat, two twenty-somethings just starting to find their place in the world.

Espresso Tales picks up more or less where the first novel in the series, 44 Scotland Street, leaves off. During the course of the book, we share in the excitement and disappointment of the residents of 44 Scotland Street. We also spend time with their various acquaintances, including gallery owner, Matthew, and his wealthy father, Gordon; artist Angus Lordie and his winking dog, Cyril; Bertie’s therapist, Dr. Fairbairn; and a personal favourite of mine, café owner, avid reader and intellectual, Big Lou.

Little of real excitement happens in Espresso Tales; there are no high speed car chases, no shoot outs, and the only case of mistaken identity arises over a Volvo estate. In fact, very little happens at all. Yet this is one of the reasons why the book is so enjoyable. With his great skill at drawing characters, McCall Smith tells the story of the ordinary lives of these ordinary residents of Scotland. In line with most people’s lives, they do not experience high adventure, but McCall Smith tells his story in such a warm manner that the reader nevertheless becomes engrossed in the ordinaryness of the story. The reader grows to love all of the characters, even those like Bruce who clearly have objectionable character traits. They are normal people, just like us.

Throughout the book, McCall Smith weaves in philosophical ideas and thought provoking scenarios which both challenge and educate the reader. It is done in such a discrete way, however, that you’re almost oblivious to it. McCall Smith is, in this sense, a truly great teacher.

McCall Smith’s writing is permeated throughout with his characteristic gentle wit; Espresso Tales is rarely laugh out loud funny, but will certainly inspire more than the occasional chuckle.

Espresso Tales, like 44 Scotland Street before it, is also imbued throughout with McCall Smith’s obvious love for his hometown, Edinburgh. Edinburgh is, perhaps, the real star of the story, and one gets a clear picture of the beauty and friendliness of Scotland’s capital. One even meets some key members of Scottish society, including no less a person than the First Minister himself, be comes to Bertie’s rescue when he finds himself alone on a busy street!

I really enjoyed Espresso Tales, a very warm and thoughtful book, and look forward to reading more of the adventures of the residents of 44 Scotland Street, who almost feel like my friends.

I would have no hesitation at all in recommending this book!

Healing on the Sabbath

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Healing on the Sabbath

Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

Mark 3:4

My route to work takes me along several small country lanes.  At one point, there is a very difficult crossroads; all the roads passing through it are very busy, and often it can take a while to cross.  Tempers can get a little frayed sometimes, as people are generally in a rush to get to work.  One day last week, I encountered a large, black BMW.  The driver was getting extremely angry, and sounded his horn whenever anyone in front of him let a car through the crossroads.  I then followed him down the road leading to my school, and he drove practically fixed to the bumper of the car in front, desperately looking for an opportunity to overtake.

Also last week, I was driving down a fairly busy road, and a large white van was driving, some would say fairly recklessly.  As it approached, however, rather than getting angry, people pulled over and let it pass.  Why?  Because it was an ambulance.  Both vehicles, the black BMW and the ambulance were driving over the speed limit, and yet one was considered to be permissible.

In our current Mark Marathon passage, Jesus once again gets in trouble with the Pharisees, this time for healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which the Pharisees considered to be work.  Jesus, however, rebukes them.  He is doing good on the Sabbath, yet they are complaining that he is breaking the law.  He questions whether it would be better as far as Jewish law was concerned for someone to harm another person.  Jesus has the ability to heal this man.  If he does not, because he observes the Sabbath in the way the Pharisees expect him to, he would effectively harm the man, since he would be destined to live for the rest of his days with his withered hand.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that he has not come to abolish the law, but to fulfil it.  He is the reason for the law.  He shows us here that our priority should be to display the love of God to all those around us.  He shows his love to this man by healing him, even if in the eyes of the Pharisees he is a law breaker.

Let us try and display the love of Christ to all those we meet today.

The Lord of the Sabbath

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The Lord of the Sabbath

So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.

Mark 2:28

Power is a funny thing.  As someone who works in middle management, I sometimes feel that I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.  I have to take responsibility for my department, but at the same time there are occasions when senior management want me to do things differently.  Equally, sometimes I have what I consider to be good ideas, but when I put them forward, they usually get rejected, since I am thinking beyond the level of my authority.  The one who has the authority in my school is the Headmaster.  You could say that he is the Lord of our school.  He can implement any idea he wants, and run the school pretty much how he wants.

In our Mark Marathon article, Jesus is criticized for allowing his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath.  His response is that he, the Son of Man, is Lord even of the Sabbath.  He has authority over the Sabbath.  This would stand to reason, since he was there when God the Father created Heaven and Earth.  He was there when God created the Sabbath.  Who is better placed to judge what is and isn’t allowed on the Sabbath than Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath?

As we go through Mark’s Gospel together, we will discover that Jesus has authority over all manner of things, precisely because of his unique position as a member of the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  The question is – is he your Lord?  Do you show him respect?  Do you pay him homage?

The Challenge of Christ

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The Challenge of Christ

Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.

Mark 3:2

I used to work as a manager in one of the UK’s most prestigious retailers.  Some days I really enjoyed working there – I liked meeting the public, and my staff were a great bunch.  I often felt, however, that the senior management in my store had it in for me.  My boss made it absolutely clear to me that she didn’t like me when I first met her – an opinion formed solely on the basis of my CV and the paper work from my interview and assessment centre.  Consequently, I felt that she and a couple of her friends in senior management were constantly watching me, desperate for me to make a mistake so that they make life difficult for me.  It wasn’t a happy environment to work in, and I was relieved when we finally parted company.

By the time we get to chapter three in Mark’s gospel, Jesus is quite well known to the Pharisees.  They have taken an instant dislike to him, since he challenges their perceptions of the world, their faith, and their God.  They have built up a picture of God that they are happy with, and Jesus, with his tendency to heal people, expel demons, preach and allow his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath, is not what they expect of their Messiah.  Consequently, they are watching him even closer than ever.  They are waiting for him to flout Jewish law so that they can come down on him hard, and get rid of this uncomfortable figure.

Jesus continues to challenge us today with the demands that he makes on our lives.  Will you listen carefully to Jesus, study his words, observe his reactions, and accept the challenge he gives you?  Or will you, like the Pharisees, look for any possible reason to reject him, and keep him out of your life?

Mercy over tradition

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Mercy over tradition

So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away.

1 Samuel 21:6

Sometimes, we can get a bit hung up on ritual and tradition.  All societies have their traditions, which people try and adhere to for whatever reason – normally because they are tradition.  In my view, that makes tradition a self-perpetuating loop – we end up doing something because we’ve always done it that way, and so, in the name of tradition, we continue to do it that way.  Tradition becomes our overriding concern.  Tevye, in the musical Fiddler on the Roof, tells how the people of his village always cover their heads and wear a little prayer shawl to show their constant devotion to God.  When asked how this tradition started, he admits that he doesn’t know!  He goes on to say that because of their traditions, though, everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.

Jesus, in our current Mark Marathon article, is castigated by the Pharisees when his disciples pick some grain to eat on the Sabbath, which they believe is against the rules.  Jesus, however, is not so hung up on this rule – he tells how David, when he was hungry and in need, ate consecrated bread, which was only lawful for priests to eat.  David is shown mercy by Abiathar, the high priest, who gives him the bread to eat, which was, strictly speaking, against the rules.  Abiathar recognizes, though, that there are times when some rules can be bent, and when presented with a man in need of food, he recognizes the importance of mercy over tradition.  Providing a man with food to eat is more important to him than keeping the consecrated bread sacred.

The fact that Jesus cites this story when confronted by the Pharisees shows that he supports Abiathar’s decision.  For Jesus, too, showing mercy to those in need is of prime importance.

Let us try and be merciful to all those whom we meet today

The importance of rest

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The importance of rest

“Six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the ploughing season and harvest you must rest.”

Exodus 34:21

Sometimes there have been times when I have had to work for a period of over a week without a break.  For the last two years, I worked as a Resident Tutor in a boarding house at a school, which meant that I was effectively on duty twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  Sometimes there would be occasions when I would have to work through the whole weekend without any time off at all.  It was physically and mentally exhausting, and I was certainly not at my best at work, and when I finally got some time off, all I wanted to do was sleep!

In our current Mark Marathon, Jesus incurs the wrath of the Pharisees for letting his disciples pick some grain.  They seem to equate this with work, which, they believe, is forbidden on the Sabbath.  Over the centuries, however, they have got very legalistic about this, drawing up a long list of things that must not be done on the Sabbath.

Jesus tells them, however, that the Sabbath was created for man, not man created for the Sabbath.  This is groundbreaking stuff, since it suggests that keeping the Sabbath, in fact, is not a legalistic ritual, but is something that God ordained for the benefit of mankind.

Clearly God wants what is best for his people.  He wants us to have a day off once a week to relax and refrain from work.  I know from my own experience how not taking time out can affect a person!  He also, as Matthew reminds us in his article, wants us to think about God and his act of creation, and to spend some time responding to this.

When one looks behind the rituals constructed by man, one finds a deeply loving God – a God who made us, loves us, and wants us to respect both ourselves and him.  Isn’t that fantastic!