[Friday's Devotional] - Privilege

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.  1 Peter 1:10-12 [NIV]

Whenever I get a new book I do something really pedantic. I read the contents, preface and the foreword. I love historical novels, so I’ll read the cast of characters at the front (the more characters in a novel the better!).  And I’ll read the dedication. Often the author says for whom the book is written.  Authors can remain strangely anonymous in their books, and so it’s a tantalising glimpse at someone I’m eager to find out more about.

Imagine opening a book, even the world’s most popular book, and seeing in the dedication at the front your own name. For my friend… With affection. Now as Christians of course we know that the Bible was inspired by the Spirit for us.  It’s God’s communication to us. We know it’s written for us and speaks to us. But the amazing truth comes to light in these verses that the authors of the Old Testament by the Spirit knew that they weren’t writing for themselves, but for a generation to come, “you”.

As those who have trusted in Jesus we are in the position of the greatest privilege. Our world suffers from over-entitlement – a lot of people think they have a right to more than they do! The cult of celebrity (even, or especially, of Christian celebrity) grows the desire we have to be special out of control. The truth is that we are special, entirely unique and loved by God, but also absolutely normal and ordinary, just one of 7 billion. The Bible teaches us not to think of ourselves more highly than we should (Romans 12:3), while also recognising that we are in the position of the most enormous privilege. God’s entire plan for human history is being fulfilled in our lives. Our coming to faith, our receiving new life is part of “the glories that would follow” the suffering of the Messiah (v.11).  All the prophets looked for this (v.10-11), the angels long to understand it (v.12), but it is us who experience God’s desire for the human race – knowing himself through Jesus’ cross and resurrection.

Read the passage again.  Slowly.  What else is God saying to you through these words?

Thank God for the position of privilege you find yourself in.  Ask that you would enjoy it today.

Maybe you’ve enjoyed the slow, sipping, savouring read of 1 Peter 1:1-12 during this week.  You may want to take this method of reading with you to other parts of the Bible. Ask God to keep your palate fresh every day, and enjoy the flavours!!

Olly Mears

[Thursday's Devotional] - Love

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9 [NIV]

Isn’t it one of the strangest things about the Christian faith that our lives find meaning in revolving around someone we’ve never actually seen!  Virtually all our earthly relationships are aided by sight.  Being able to see who you’re talking to is what makes Skype so popular. But the one who has our affections most of all is someone we can’t see.  Relating to Jesus is done by faith.  Loving and believing in Jesus go hand in hand (v.8).

“You love him.” (v.8) Love is the hallmark of Christians.  This love is worked out in many ways – loving those in the Christian community, loving people around us, loving ourselves appropriately.  Because we’re made in the image of God, all humans are capable of this love for each other.  As we’re renewed and are becoming like God by the work of his Holy Spirit, love is something that should be anticipated in the life of Christians to an even greater extent.  But this love for Jesus is something else; it is absolutely unique to Christians.  In asking where we are at in our journeys as Christians it is always worth asking ourselves this: Do I love Jesus?  And do I love him more this week/month/year than the last?  Growing love is a sign of the Spirit’s work in our lives.

How do you express your love for Jesus? American psychologist Gary Chapman coined the expression “love languages” to describe how humans communicate their love.  The five he describes are quality time, gifts, words of affirmation, physical touch and acts of service.  The basic concept is that you most easily receive love in ways that you are most likely to express it.  Wonderfully, whatever our make-up and personality, each of the “love languages” is applicable to our relationship with Jesus.  We can love him with our time, with our gifts, with words of praise, with physical expressions of worship, and with acts of service to others in his name.  We do it because we love him, and he knows and receives it as love.  What comes most easily to you?  It’s ok for this to be a default.  But think about which is less easy for you too.  You might find it easy to serve, but actually telling Jesus that you love him is a struggle.  Ask the Spirit to help you step out in new ways of expressing your love for Jesus.  You might find that you know his love in a fresh way in return, the experience of which leads to “inexpressible and glorious joy.” (v.8) There’s nothing like the joy of being in love, and knowing that one day you will see your Lover.

Read the passage again. Slowly. What else is God saying to you through these words?

Take time to express your love for Jesus as you pray now. Allow yourself to sense his joy.

Olly Mears

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Suffering

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  1 Peter 1:6-7 [NIV]

One Wednesday morning some years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Christians who were suffering for their faith.  Two were young lads in their teens.  At their baptism they had been disowned, some family members seeking their deaths. They had lost everything and were mostly living in hiding in a strange city.  But they glowed.  They shone with the joy and love of Jesus.  They were seeing others come to faith.  Like Peter’s readers they were finding cause to “greatly rejoice”, even in especially trying times.

Peter understands that the experience of suffering does something to our faith. Suffering in the life of a Christian is never pointless, never purposeless, though we may never understand it completely.  Suffering tests and proves faith (v.7).  If you’re buying a car you take it for a test drive.  If you’re a teacher who wants to know what your pupils are capable of you test them.  The testing circumstances of Peter’s readers have been grievous, but they have tested and proved their faith.  They are shown to be “the real deal”.  Jesus teaches something similar in the parable of the sower when he says that the seed on rocky soil has no root, when the sun blazes – or trouble and persecution come – the plant withers because it has no root (Mark 4:5-6, 16-17).  Surviving in suffering means that you have roots.

Once more Peter gives his readers an eternal perspective.  Their faith that has been tested and proved genuine will result in “praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Heaven will resound with the praise of Jesus.  But he will also look to praise those who have been faithful to him.  And knowing that truth was maybe why those young lads who had suffered so much were glowing that day. I think they knew the approval of Jesus.

Read the passage again. Slowly. What else is God showing you through these words?

Pray for those suffering for their faith today.  Pray for those you know who are suffering in other circumstances.  Ask that their faith would be shown to be genuine.  And ask that yours would be too.

Olly Mears

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Gifted

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 [NIV]

Ask God to speak to you then read these three verses through first quickly, then a second time slowly and carefully.

How many gifts have you received that you still treasure?  A gift of food won’t last long.  At the very least it will be eaten!  Give clothing and it wears out, or is soon out of fashion.  Maybe the gifts that we treasure most are things that we have inherited. On my desk is a nineteenth-century spinning top made out of whale bone.  It was my grandfather’s. My vigorous spinning of it when I was younger means that the shaft is now broken off.  But it still sits on my desk.  Inherited jewellery, furniture, finances, even small seemingly insignificant things are treasured.  The gifts we inherit remind us of the giver.  They are precious.

Wonderfully, Peter writes in this passage that as the people of God we receive both gifts and an inheritance!  What we receive comes from God’s mercy (v.3), we don’t deserve anything but he is lavish with us just the same.  The gifts which Peter speaks of are new birth and a living hope (v.3).  The resurrection of Jesus (v.3) means that we are given not just a new start, but a whole new life!  And because Jesus lives forever so this new life will last forever. We are guaranteed to get there because for the rest of our lives we will be shielded by God’s power (v.5) – he will keep us.

And so we have a real, concrete, living hope – death, our world’s greatest fear, is suddenly the door to heaven.  And that is where we get the inheritance of the kingdom, reigning with God and being in his presence.  We inherit because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. 

Our lives here are governed by the law of diminishing returns. The more you have of something the less satisfying it is. Order a pepperoni pizza from Domino’s. You’re ravenous and the first piece is just amazing and dripping with flavour. The second piece is great, the third is good, and the fourth is cooling but nice.  You can’t remember the fifth and sixth, but the seventh was definitely cold and a struggle. The eighth lies uneaten in the box.  But in heaven this is reversed.  We will be satisfied in God, tasting the delights that he has for us forever, the experience of his love becoming infinitely sweeter and more glorious forever.  What he has for us can never “perish, spoil or fade.”  Little wonder Peter begins with praise (v.3), but a great wonder that I look for ultimate satisfaction in the fading gifts of this life, rather than enjoying and anticipating the gifts of God!

Read the passage again. Slowly. What else is God showing you through these words?

Thank God for your inheritance. Ask that you would anticipate it, beginning to taste it, today.

Olly Mears

[Monday's Devotional] - Chosen

Ask God to speak to you as you read these verses first quickly, then a second time slowly and carefully:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1-2 [NIV]

A Ugandan pastor once said that the Bible can either be “quaffed like beer or sipped like wine”.  Sometimes it’s great to read big chunks of the Bible, it’s filling and satisfying.  It’s equally helpful, at times, just to take a couple of verses and sip, savour and meditate on them, exploring the complex flavour and the sheer joy of having those tastes on your palate. So this week we’re looking at just twelve verses of 1 Peter 1. We are sipping and savouring - I think you may find that it’s a rare vintage!

Peter writes to Christians, scattered over Turkey, due to persecution. He calls them exiles – people far away from home, who don’t belong. We too, live in a society and culture which rejects the claims of Jesus, and so by implication rejects us. Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? That you’re going against the flow?  You’re not alone. And there is good news.

Peter wants his readers to understand their plight through a particular lens. They are chosen.  He says this twice, using the words “God’s elect” and those “who have been chosen”.  God’s choosing is in many ways a mystery, but the purpose of God telling Israel in the Old Testament, Jesus telling his disciples in the Gospels, and the apostles telling Christians in their letters that they were chosen was because there is nothing more encouraging. It’s the wonder of every teenager finding out that the person they’ve fancied for ages likes them back.  It’s the joy of the person who gets a job at their dream firm that they thought was out of their reach. “YOU want ME!?”  Except this is infinitely more wonderful.  God tells us we are chosen because he wants us to be deeply encouraged.  You are chosen. He wanted you to live life as it was intended – in obedience to Jesus (v.2), and for that to happen Jesus died – you are made clean through his blood (v.2).

And so Peter can say, even in the trying circumstance of his readers, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” God’s free love to you, and his total peace to you, lavishly.  Maybe if today I knew that I was chosen then I might experience God’s free love and his peace.

Read the passage again.  Slowly. What else is God showing you through these words? Thank God that he chose you.

Olly Mears

[Friday's Devotional] - Preach it! A single aim

“My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”  Acts 20:24 [NIV]

If you have time today, read Acts 20:13-38

Our last sermon that we’re looking at is Paul’s message to the elders of the Ephesian church.  Whereas the last four have been sermons aimed at people who didn’t yet believe, this is a talk aimed at a group of Christian leaders from the city of Ephesus.  Paul hadn’t given a great deal of time and effort to the church in Ephesus, he had seen it established and begin to flourish in spite of persecution. He is on his way to Jerusalem and has a stop at the port of Miletus which is near Ephesus, sending word to the Ephesian leaders to visit him for a last meeting.

It’s an emotional occasion, but what is more apparent than anything is Paul’s single-minded passion for fulfilling the calling that Jesus had given him.  He describes his ministry of preaching and teaching, seeing people come to faith and building up new believers (v18-21), he tells them of his fears for the future (v22-23), but what is most important to him is that he finishes the task that Jesus gave him of  speaking of God’s grace (v24).  He calls the leaders to be faithful to the task given to them: to be vigilant in keeping watch over the church, shepherding it like a flock (v28).

What task have you been called to? We each have a part to play in “testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (v24), but what does that look like specifically for you?  What task has God given you in your work or in your family?  What task has he called you to in the life of the local church?  You may be at a place where you sense a call to a new task, or that one is nearing completion.  You may be confused about what God has asked you to do – maybe he’s asking you to do what is already in front of you.  Maybe this week spent looking at sermons has given you a new hunger to communicate the good news – pray that God would help you and give you opportunities.  But whatever it is let’s pray that we would do it with a single-minded passion like Paul’s.

Reflection: Paul’s calling was costly, involving suffering and hardships.  Is there cost involved in the task to which God has called you? How is God asking you to deal with that cost?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you have called me to know you and serve you.  Give me strength in the tasks in front of me, and a single-minded passion for you.  Thank you that you are the God of all grace, and that you have been gracious with me.  Help me be gracious with others in turn today. Amen.

Olly Mears

[Thursday's Devotional] - Preach it! His Offspring

“As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts 17:28 [NIV]

The last three sermons from the Book of Acts that we have looked at have been to people who already had a belief in the God of Israel.  Peter and Paul were preaching to Jewish people who were already deeply immersed in Scripture and worshipped God.  What they were bringing to them was the news about Jesus the Messiah.  In a sense they had only one hurdle to cross in coming to faith.  But what would the good news about Jesus look like for people who had no understanding of the one true God?  Paul is in Athens, speaking to Greeks who are deeply religious, but have no concept of the God of Israel, let alone Jesus – they are even further removed from faith. How would he help them across those hurdles? What would he say? If you have time, read Acts 17:22-34 now.

Wonderfully, Paul starts from the precise place his listeners are at.  He speaks of what he has observed of Greek religion.  He tells them why this is flawed in terms that they could understand – some Greek philosophy was tending towards thinking that a creator God couldn’t possibly inhabit temples and as the source of life didn’t need offerings from people (v24-25).  He quotes two philosophers in saying that all human life has its source and being in God, and that we are each “his offspring.” (v28).  Only having spoken directly into their situation, using language they could understand does he then speaks about Jesus (v31).

Think about people around you.  Maybe in your work place, or your family.  In our post-Christian culture so many people that we know are like the Greeks of Athens, several steps removed from faith.  In Church we are so often inhabiting a culture that isn’t theirs, using language that they don’t understand, and talking about a God who is a stranger to them.  But this truth remains: those people are his offspring. God made them and loves them, he has called them to live in this time and place (v26-27), and when God’s people go to them and use language and concepts that they can understand even people who seem far away will come to faith (v34).  

Reflection: Who is the person around you who seems furthest removed from knowing God? What are the barriers that they would have to cross in order to come to faith?  How can you cross those barriers to go to them?  Pray that the barriers would be broken down and that person would come to believe.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that each person on this planet is made and loved by you. Fill my heart with your love for the people of this world. Help your people everywhere, and especially in Rugby, to go to people, to understand the culture around us, and speak into it a message of life and hope. And, Lord, send me. Amen.

Olly Mears

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Preach it! Forgiveness and Freedom

“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.”  Acts 13:38 [NIV]

Do read Acts 13:26-43 – or if you’ve time read the whole chapter, it’s exciting stuff!

I wonder if you’ve ever been in a situation where you’ve wronged someone and known it. You deliberately did something that you knew would hurt them and that knowledge burdens you.  You desperately think of ways in which you could make it up to them.  But then they offer you their forgiveness. “What you did was wrong, but I’m not going to hold it against you.”  And suddenly the burden is lifted.  Being forgiven is the most wonderful thing.

In this sermon we’re hearing a message from the apostle Paul.  He’s preaching to Jews in a place called Antioch in Pisidia.  As with our last two sermons, Paul again wants to stress the historical fact of Jesus.  God’s Messiah has come, was killed, but has been raised to life. The punch-line today though is this: because of Jesus our sins are forgiven.  Paul says that this was “a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.” (v39).  The Jewish sacrificial system was God’s good way for his people to relate to him, but it could only go so far. It pointed people to the ultimate sacrifice that would be made by Jesus.

“Through him everyone is set free from every sin…” (v39).  Every sin. Sometimes we can go on in our Christian life struggling with a particular sin.  We try and cover it up, but know it’s there.  Or a new sin that’s never been a temptation to us before suddenly begins to trip us up.  Paul’s message is one of hope for us. Jesus offers us both forgiveness and freedom – a new start and power to live a new way.  The first thing we need to do is get real about where we’re falling.  It might help to talk and pray with a Christian friend we trust.  Offer yourself to God as you are, name your sin to him, receive his forgiveness, pray for the power of the Spirit to strengthen you to live a new life, and live that out with other Christians around you.

Reflection: Paul speaks of forgiveness and freedom every sin. Is there something in your life that you’ve felt God couldn’t forgive? There is forgiveness for every sin.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for me.  Thank you that you forgive every sin. Lord, may I live in the freedom that you’ve won for me today.  Strengthen my brothers and sisters so that together we would all live in the freedom you give.  Amen.

Olly Mears

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Preach it! Times of challenge and refreshing

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”  Acts 3:19 [NIV]

If you have time today, do read Acts 3:11-26.

The people of Jerusalem were utterly amazed. They were seeing with their own eyes a man who had been unable to walk since the day he was born not only walking, but jumping around the temple.  A crowd gathered, and as the man caught his breath and leant onto Peter and John, Peter has some explaining to do.  Isn’t it interesting that Peter’s words are again a response to people’s amazement as they see God do something wonderful?  Let’s pray that God so works through us that people are amazed and ask for an explanation!

Peter again points people to the risen Jesus.  He is the reason that the man has been healed.  The problem was that the people listening to Peter were the very same people who had rejected Jesus.  Peter is bold, directly accusing his listeners of involvement in the death of Jesus: “You handed him over… you disowned him… You killed the author of life…” (v13-15). These are strong, even painful words.

But this challenge is a moment of opportunity for the people of Jerusalem. In recognising who Jesus is and what they did to him this is a chance to “Repent…and turn to God, that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (v19). God’s intention is to refresh and bless his people. In fact he wants to bless all nations on the earth (v25), beginning with Peter’s hearers (v26).

This is God’s plan. He has sent Jesus his Messiah to bless every person on planet earth. But in order to give his blessing, in order to refresh us, first God needs to challenge us so that we turn back to him.  God speaks into the ways in which we shut him out of our lives, and that is uncomfortable.  But the challenge to us is always given in order to bring about refreshing.

Reflection: In what ways has God challenged you recently?  What did you do with that challenge?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that even when I reject you, you are so faithful to me. Lord, may I be open to your challenge to me, and so receive the blessing of a deeper relationship with you.  May your blessing extend through me to others today.  Amen.

Olly Mears

[Monday's Devotional] - Preach it! It's all about Jesus

“God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Acts 2:36b [NIV]

Before we begin, if you have time, do read Acts 2:14-41.

Something Hannah and I do frequently is download sermons from different churches online. It’s a real blessing to hear different people from all over the world teaching God’s word and preaching the good news about Jesus.  As I listen I am encouraged, challenged and equipped for living for Jesus today.  But what would it be like to listen in to a talk from one of the apostles?  How about downloading something from the early church?  What an opportunity!  That’s what we’ll be doing this week as we look at five of the sermons recorded in the book of Acts.

This first is from the day of Pentecost.  A crowd has gathered around the first believers as, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they have spilled out onto the streets from the upper room.  Peter has what seems a tough task on his hands.  His message has to explain to the people around him what on earth has happened.  Why the noise, the tongues and celebrations?  For Peter the answer is simple: “It’s all about Jesus,” he says.

Peter tells them about Jesus’ ministry (v22), his trial and death (v.23) and his resurrection (v.24). In case his listeners wondered how on earth that could happen, Peter goes on to show from the Psalms that David prophesied the resurrection of the Messiah. “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses,” he says (v32).  Now that Jesus is raised to the right hand of God he has “poured out” the promised Holy Spirit (v33).

It’s all about Jesus.  He’s the only one who can give us a new life since he has been raised to life himself.  It’s all about Jesus.  He is the heart and essence of our faith: we will never get further or better than the truths that Peter proclaims of the historical events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  It’s all about Jesus.  “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (v36) – he’s the one Israel had yearned for, the world’s only Master and Saviour. It’s all about Jesus.

Reflection: Think about what Jesus has done for you.  Visit again his cross and the empty tomb.  Know again that he gives you his life by his Spirit.  What was the people’s response to Jesus that day?  What response does Jesus ask of you?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I worship you for who you are. Thank you that you truly came, that you died and rose again for me, and now give me your life through the Holy Spirit. May I live in his power today. Amen.

Olly Mears