To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. - Isa 61:3 (NLT) Matt 9:15 says,“When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but not now. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!” Jesus was telling some guys who were caught up in religion (people who relied on fulfilling 'the law' to please God) that the old ways of finding God weren’t necessary anymore. He likened it to going to a wedding and weeping and mourning for the Bridegroom. I was a wedding singer (yep...you can picture me just like Adam Sandler with an 80’s haircut) for about 9 years and I saw a lot of crying at the ones I played at… but it was never ‘sad’ crying. They were mostly tears of joy, and by the end of the night they would almost always turn into laughter and fun; singing, dancing and joy! A new life for the happy couple was just beginning and it was an occasion to celebrate. Through Jesus, God was doing something completely new. He was signalling a new beginning for every person on the planet. The old ways of animal sacrifice and obedience to the law in order to have relationship with him were being transformed into a 'once for all’ event. The old life was not just the old way of doing things (law and sacrifice) but also the old way of living. Rather than constantly being at arms length with God (by sin-nature - the old way) and trying to work your way into his favour, Jesus tells us that we are already ‘in’. There’s no need to work for it or prove it anymore - we just need to believe it and walk it out. The New Way. 2 Corinthians 5 says it so well; “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.” This ‘new life’ is cause for celebration. Living on the outer at arms length with God, separated, is hard and heartbreaking work. You’re always wondering “Am I good enough?” and living in fear that you won’t be. But when you’re close, when you realise that you are accepted in the beloved, his love moves in and casts out all fear. No need for anxiety. No need to maintain or prove your position. He turns our mourning and desperation into beauty and blessing. That's not to say that we won’t encounter hardships and tragedy along The Way. It means that through whatever we face, he is right there with us weaving his strength and peace into our lives through each and every circumstance and situation we face along The Way. Grace and love in abundance. So through all things he crowns us with beauty and strengthens us to lift our heads. Every moment is a new moment, a marriage between you and the divine, a crowning of beauty and an opportunity to sink the roots of our life deep into his love.
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. - Isa 61:3 (NLT) Matt 9:15 says,“When you’re celebrating a wedding, you don’t skimp on the cake and wine. You feast. Later you may need to pull in your belt, but not now. No one throws cold water on a friendly bonfire. This is Kingdom Come!” Jesus was telling some guys who were caught up in religion (people who relied on fulfilling 'the law' to please God) that the old ways of finding God weren’t necessary anymore. He likened it to going to a wedding and weeping and mourning for the Bridegroom. I was a wedding singer (yep...you can picture me just like Adam Sandler with an 80’s haircut) for about 9 years and I saw a lot of crying at the ones I played at… but it was never ‘sad’ crying. They were mostly tears of joy, and by the end of the night they would almost always turn into laughter and fun; singing, dancing and joy! A new life for the happy couple was just beginning and it was an occasion to celebrate. Through Jesus, God was doing something completely new. He was signalling a new beginning for every person on the planet. The old ways of animal sacrifice and obedience to the law in order to have relationship with him were being transformed into a 'once for all’ event. The old life was not just the old way of doing things (law and sacrifice) but also the old way of living. Rather than constantly being at arms length with God (by sin-nature - the old way) and trying to work your way into his favour, Jesus tells us that we are already ‘in’. There’s no need to work for it or prove it anymore - we just need to believe it and walk it out. The New Way. 2 Corinthians 5 says it so well; “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.” This ‘new life’ is cause for celebration. Living on the outer at arms length with God, separated, is hard and heartbreaking work. You’re always wondering “Am I good enough?” and living in fear that you won’t be. But when you’re close, when you realise that you are accepted in the beloved, his love moves in and casts out all fear. No need for anxiety. No need to maintain or prove your position. He turns our mourning and desperation into beauty and blessing. That's not to say that we won’t encounter hardships and tragedy along The Way. It means that through whatever we face, he is right there with us weaving his strength and peace into our lives through each and every circumstance and situation we face along The Way. Grace and love in abundance. So through all things he crowns us with beauty and strengthens us to lift our heads. Every moment is a new moment, a marriage between you and the divine, a crowning of beauty and an opportunity to sink the roots of our life deep into his love.
In John 16, Jesus explains to his disciples that they will face trials and troubles. They’ll be persecuted and maybe killed all in the name of God. It’s an interesting situation. A man who it was ‘assumed’ would bring physical peace and order to the world, offered none of that. Instead, Jesus explains throughout the Gospels time and again that we will experience troubles and trials. We cannot be immune to the things that have grown wild in this sin-polluted world. The point is not, and has never been, a trouble, conflict-free life. Yet, we fight trouble and conflict like it is the enemy. We get so easily distracted by the differences we find in each other and focus all our energies on proving people wrong, fighting their lifestyles and choices, arguing and fuelling hatred into the world. Trying to come out on top. Win. Dominate. (Anyone who commits a crime needs to be made accountable for their actions, I’m not saying we turn a blind eye to evils’ perpetrated). There are spiritual undertones to everything we face. Evil is present in people because evil is present. Love is present in people because love created all things in existence - the essence of the Divine, of Jesus, is love, and he is in and through all things. The word overcome means “to carry off a victory; to be victorious.” (Strongs Concordance). Like we said earlier, it was assumed that the Messiah would be a warrior, someone who would vanquish the enemies of their nation and restore them and their political and national power. Jesus had a different kind of victory in mind. He didn’t vanquish Rome; he didn’t obliterate the ‘enemies’ of Judaism, or kill to conquer... He carried out victory through personal sacrifice. When he died, when his blood soaked down the cross, and his body was buried in the earth, he was once again joined to the very fabric of creation. Heaven and earth became one, joined by sacrifice, sealed in blood, never to be separated again. Col 1:19-20 says, “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” He didn’t overcome the world by dominating and killing others, rather he died in order that we might come alive, that we might wake up and see him in his fullness, become aware of the Divine permeating the natural and his presence as thick and near and close as our own blood pumping through our veins. He has overcome the clutches of darkness in our world through resurrection. Life. love. Not separating heaven and earth, but divinely joining it and waking us up to the grand mystery that is right before us and within us each and every day. When you see evil around you, TAKE HEART - Take a hold of your heart, steal yourself away from anxiety and despair, fear and hate, and choose LOVE. Awaken faith. Fight evil not by standing against each other, vanquishing and dominating and dividing, but by standing in love beside one another. Urging others to wake up and come alive to the grace and hope of Jesus. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Paul, Eph 5:14 (NIV).
In John 16, Jesus explains to his disciples that they will face trials and troubles. They’ll be persecuted and maybe killed all in the name of God. It’s an interesting situation. A man who it was ‘assumed’ would bring physical peace and order to the world, offered none of that. Instead, Jesus explains throughout the Gospels time and again that we will experience troubles and trials. We cannot be immune to the things that have grown wild in this sin-polluted world. The point is not, and has never been, a trouble, conflict-free life. Yet, we fight trouble and conflict like it is the enemy. We get so easily distracted by the differences we find in each other and focus all our energies on proving people wrong, fighting their lifestyles and choices, arguing and fuelling hatred into the world. Trying to come out on top. Win. Dominate. (Anyone who commits a crime needs to be made accountable for their actions, I’m not saying we turn a blind eye to evils’ perpetrated). There are spiritual undertones to everything we face. Evil is present in people because evil is present. Love is present in people because love created all things in existence - the essence of the Divine, of Jesus, is love, and he is in and through all things. The word overcome means “to carry off a victory; to be victorious.” (Strongs Concordance). Like we said earlier, it was assumed that the Messiah would be a warrior, someone who would vanquish the enemies of their nation and restore them and their political and national power. Jesus had a different kind of victory in mind. He didn’t vanquish Rome; he didn’t obliterate the ‘enemies’ of Judaism, or kill to conquer... He carried out victory through personal sacrifice. When he died, when his blood soaked down the cross, and his body was buried in the earth, he was once again joined to the very fabric of creation. Heaven and earth became one, joined by sacrifice, sealed in blood, never to be separated again. Col 1:19-20 says, “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” He didn’t overcome the world by dominating and killing others, rather he died in order that we might come alive, that we might wake up and see him in his fullness, become aware of the Divine permeating the natural and his presence as thick and near and close as our own blood pumping through our veins. He has overcome the clutches of darkness in our world through resurrection. Life. love. Not separating heaven and earth, but divinely joining it and waking us up to the grand mystery that is right before us and within us each and every day. When you see evil around you, TAKE HEART - Take a hold of your heart, steal yourself away from anxiety and despair, fear and hate, and choose LOVE. Awaken faith. Fight evil not by standing against each other, vanquishing and dominating and dividing, but by standing in love beside one another. Urging others to wake up and come alive to the grace and hope of Jesus. “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Paul, Eph 5:14 (NIV).
The message entrusted to the disciples by Jesus was not one of judgement, it was not about the anger or expectations of God… NO! The message they were to carry in their hearts and speak with their words and lives was one of hope - God is light. They were to awaken others with the dawning light of God's love. Light is his essence, his voice, his nature - bright, radiant, warm, rejuvenating, illuminating light. In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light…” Before he created anything else, he established light in the world - a true reflection and extension of himself. Scientists refer to light as both obvious and mysterious - we can see it clearly but its ways and behaviour have an unsearchable depth. Whenever they think they’ve got light figured out, light beautifully surprises them. Through the ages, many well-respected scientists have had many different, and often opposing, theories about light (selah) - from Pythagoras to Maxwell, to Newton, to Einstein and many in-between. Here are a couple of things we know for sure: Light is the fastest ’thing’ in the universe and travels at a speed of 186000 miles per second, which means that every second it travels almost 8 times around the world. (God is light… and he is all around us). For plants to not just grow, but maintain optimum nutrition and mineral content, they need the light from the sun to shine upon them. (It’s in Christ that we live and move and have our being). Light is not singular in colour but is made up of all existing colours. All colours, not missing one, when joined and stirred together, when they hold each other and mingle, they make the colour of light. (For God so loved ALL the world… that he gave his only son…) Jesus - the light and hope of the world. By whom we see, we know, we grow, we commune and are strengthened. He fills our hearts with his light so that we don’t have to work to get under it - we carry it with us wherever we go. The source of light is all around is, under, above us, through and in us. Jesus. As with scientists on the subject of light, we pray that you encounter the obvious and mysterious ways of Christ and that you will always and ever be beautifully surprised by his grace and love.
The message entrusted to the disciples by Jesus was not one of judgement, it was not about the anger or expectations of God… NO! The message they were to carry in their hearts and speak with their words and lives was one of hope - God is light. They were to awaken others with the dawning light of God's love. Light is his essence, his voice, his nature - bright, radiant, warm, rejuvenating, illuminating light. In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light…” Before he created anything else, he established light in the world - a true reflection and extension of himself. Scientists refer to light as both obvious and mysterious - we can see it clearly but its ways and behaviour have an unsearchable depth. Whenever they think they’ve got light figured out, light beautifully surprises them. Through the ages, many well-respected scientists have had many different, and often opposing, theories about light (selah) - from Pythagoras to Maxwell, to Newton, to Einstein and many in-between. Here are a couple of things we know for sure: Light is the fastest ’thing’ in the universe and travels at a speed of 186000 miles per second, which means that every second it travels almost 8 times around the world. (God is light… and he is all around us). For plants to not just grow, but maintain optimum nutrition and mineral content, they need the light from the sun to shine upon them. (It’s in Christ that we live and move and have our being). Light is not singular in colour but is made up of all existing colours. All colours, not missing one, when joined and stirred together, when they hold each other and mingle, they make the colour of light. (For God so loved ALL the world… that he gave his only son…) Jesus - the light and hope of the world. By whom we see, we know, we grow, we commune and are strengthened. He fills our hearts with his light so that we don’t have to work to get under it - we carry it with us wherever we go. The source of light is all around is, under, above us, through and in us. Jesus. As with scientists on the subject of light, we pray that you encounter the obvious and mysterious ways of Christ and that you will always and ever be beautifully surprised by his grace and love.
In Tolkiens “The Lord of the Rings,” Smeagol is possessed by an obsession for his “precious,” a powerful ring that captured his attention while still a hobbit. But as he gave himself over to this ring, it began to change him; his appetites, his longings and his priorities. After a time, he was no longer recognisable as a hobbit but had transformed into Gollum, whose sole passion and obsession was finding this ring and having it in his possession. It had gotten to his heart and tainted his life bit by bit until he overflowed with nothing but its pursuit. What you plant in your heart grows. It's much like planting a garden in that sunny spot in the backyard. If you plant roses, you’ll grow roses. If you plant pumpkin seeds, you’ll grow about a tonne of pumpkin. You’ll never get sunflowers from thorn bushes or capsicums from weeds; you grow what you plant. If you can’t remember what you’ve planted into the ground, come harvest you’ll know by the fruit of the plant that has grown from that seed. Your words - not just what you say but how you say them - are the fruit of what you’ve allowed to take root in your heart. The health of what you plant is dependant on the soil; watering it, feeding it, turning it over... nurture, sustenance and sunlight. How do you nurture your heart? Do you ignore it? Abuse it? Are you constantly feeding it negativity, self-doubt and self-hatred? Watering it with gossip and darkness? Just as Smeagol allowed the power of the ring to plant itself deep within his heart and eventually to overflow from his life, whatever you devote your attention and time to, take on board and store in your heart, will be revealed by your words and tone. If you need a change, start what you plant in your heart. Throw away the seeds of hatred and bitterness. Those plants bubble up and out of your mouth with taunts and judgements. Plant instead seeds of hope, seeds of blessing and love. These plants grow into words of compassion and kindness. Feed yourself faith and grace and love. These tiny little seeds grow into the most beautiful, lush and strong trees in the garden of your life. Take note of what comes out of your mouth today… maybe it will lead you to dig up that old garden bed, reach for some new seeds and plant to change the landscape of your life.
In Tolkiens “The Lord of the Rings,” Smeagol is possessed by an obsession for his “precious,” a powerful ring that captured his attention while still a hobbit. But as he gave himself over to this ring, it began to change him; his appetites, his longings and his priorities. After a time, he was no longer recognisable as a hobbit but had transformed into Gollum, whose sole passion and obsession was finding this ring and having it in his possession. It had gotten to his heart and tainted his life bit by bit until he overflowed with nothing but its pursuit. What you plant in your heart grows. It's much like planting a garden in that sunny spot in the backyard. If you plant roses, you’ll grow roses. If you plant pumpkin seeds, you’ll grow about a tonne of pumpkin. You’ll never get sunflowers from thorn bushes or capsicums from weeds; you grow what you plant. If you can’t remember what you’ve planted into the ground, come harvest you’ll know by the fruit of the plant that has grown from that seed. Your words - not just what you say but how you say them - are the fruit of what you’ve allowed to take root in your heart. The health of what you plant is dependant on the soil; watering it, feeding it, turning it over... nurture, sustenance and sunlight. How do you nurture your heart? Do you ignore it? Abuse it? Are you constantly feeding it negativity, self-doubt and self-hatred? Watering it with gossip and darkness? Just as Smeagol allowed the power of the ring to plant itself deep within his heart and eventually to overflow from his life, whatever you devote your attention and time to, take on board and store in your heart, will be revealed by your words and tone. If you need a change, start what you plant in your heart. Throw away the seeds of hatred and bitterness. Those plants bubble up and out of your mouth with taunts and judgements. Plant instead seeds of hope, seeds of blessing and love. These plants grow into words of compassion and kindness. Feed yourself faith and grace and love. These tiny little seeds grow into the most beautiful, lush and strong trees in the garden of your life. Take note of what comes out of your mouth today… maybe it will lead you to dig up that old garden bed, reach for some new seeds and plant to change the landscape of your life.
Part Two Moses sang songs of praise and thanksgiving after the Israelites had crossed safely through the Red Sea with the Egyptian army vanquished behind them. It was the beginning of a great pilgrimage... one of the heart more than geography. The Exodus story is an incredible journey of hope and rescue - the culmination of challenging years. Imagine the thoughts and beliefs that the Israelites would have had about themselves and their status upon the earth brought on by years of slavery and hardship... Yet even so, an undeniable thirst and hope for more stirred just below the surface of the enslaved people. Those days after leaving Egypt so miraculously were indeed filled with God’s might on display... Pillars of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the decimation of the Egyptian army... God was leading them into freedom, and yes, to The Promised Land. But more than that, he was leading their hearts to hope, to freedom and life. Although there was a geographical plan and an intended homeland for the Israelites to settle in, God had a journey for their hearts also. These people were curled over and wound tight by generations worth of oppression. Beaten, abused, their children killed and elders abandoned... The events leading up to the Exodus began to awaken hope within them. Slowly, as God led them by his might, their lives began to unfold and stretch out into a hope and freedom they had only dreamed of. And this unfolding took time. It was a journey in and of itself. When we read that the Israelites began to panic when the Egyptian army turns up, we (the readers) judge them harshly; “Where is their faith?" But think about the mind spin they were going through... and remember that change takes time. It's easy from our perspective and knowledge of the story to judge their reactions, but I wonder what many of us would have done if we were there with them? Moses reminded them “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation. He will provide for you today... The Lord will fight for you...” God was leading their hearts on a journey of belief and hope... As he will with you. The Exodus story isn’t just their story, it's ours too. As we awaken to the love of God, he leads us as only he can out of a life bent over, wound up and broken, into his freedom. Allow him to stretch out your heart with faith, hope and love... and lead you inwardly on the journey of grace and change.
Part Two Moses sang songs of praise and thanksgiving after the Israelites had crossed safely through the Red Sea with the Egyptian army vanquished behind them. It was the beginning of a great pilgrimage... one of the heart more than geography. The Exodus story is an incredible journey of hope and rescue - the culmination of challenging years. Imagine the thoughts and beliefs that the Israelites would have had about themselves and their status upon the earth brought on by years of slavery and hardship... Yet even so, an undeniable thirst and hope for more stirred just below the surface of the enslaved people. Those days after leaving Egypt so miraculously were indeed filled with God’s might on display... Pillars of cloud and fire, the parting of the Red Sea, the decimation of the Egyptian army... God was leading them into freedom, and yes, to The Promised Land. But more than that, he was leading their hearts to hope, to freedom and life. Although there was a geographical plan and an intended homeland for the Israelites to settle in, God had a journey for their hearts also. These people were curled over and wound tight by generations worth of oppression. Beaten, abused, their children killed and elders abandoned... The events leading up to the Exodus began to awaken hope within them. Slowly, as God led them by his might, their lives began to unfold and stretch out into a hope and freedom they had only dreamed of. And this unfolding took time. It was a journey in and of itself. When we read that the Israelites began to panic when the Egyptian army turns up, we (the readers) judge them harshly; “Where is their faith?" But think about the mind spin they were going through... and remember that change takes time. It's easy from our perspective and knowledge of the story to judge their reactions, but I wonder what many of us would have done if we were there with them? Moses reminded them “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation. He will provide for you today... The Lord will fight for you...” God was leading their hearts on a journey of belief and hope... As he will with you. The Exodus story isn’t just their story, it's ours too. As we awaken to the love of God, he leads us as only he can out of a life bent over, wound up and broken, into his freedom. Allow him to stretch out your heart with faith, hope and love... and lead you inwardly on the journey of grace and change.
Part One I left the complaining and crying of the people and walked toward the shore. In the early evening, the light flickered on the water in silvers and teals. Transfixed by the dancing colours, my mind wandered through the events of the last few hours. Our ex-masters had come for us... After all they’d suffered over the last few weeks, I wasn’t sure they would give chase... But now the only thing that separated us from them was a thick cloud. The wailing from the camp drifted on the wind down to my secluded haven... We were good at complaining. We complained about the food, about the conditions, our captors, our country, our God, each other... we were masters of complaints. Children of heartache. Yet, I yearn for more. All those years enslaved, labouring under the hot sun, blisters covering my hands, my feet swollen and rough, my heart longed for more... like a homesickness for a far off land, one I had never seen. This sickness lured bitterness to my soul, toying with it... begging me to give up and accept my status in the world. Slave. Worthless. Expendable. Like so many of my countrymen, this bitterness tried to overwhelm me, dry me out like that the desert that surrounded us in that city of brick and sun. I’ve been thirsty my whole life. But hope... hope. It’s always played around the edges of my mind. It’s whispered dreams and promises that someday something ‘more’ will happen. The God of our people would rescue us from our oppressors just as He had rescued Joseph all those years ago... The wind grew stronger around me. The light no longer danced, but pulsated off the water and jolted me from my thoughts. As I stood, the wind heightened even more. It became a shout, then a howl, blowing upon the water with such ferocity that I did not hear my name being called... It seemed that the water was being pushed back by the wind. The gale licked it up like a starving desert wanderer... It was then that I felt him at my side, I turned... Bathed in the firelight, Caleb’s face was red and wild, his beard and hair crazy in the wind. “Joshua, Moses is calling...” A knowing rose within me that ‘the something more’ - the promises whispered through stories of old by the ghosts of hope - would be found beyond this body of water that was being torn in two right before my eyes. To be continued.
Part One I left the complaining and crying of the people and walked toward the shore. In the early evening, the light flickered on the water in silvers and teals. Transfixed by the dancing colours, my mind wandered through the events of the last few hours. Our ex-masters had come for us... After all they’d suffered over the last few weeks, I wasn’t sure they would give chase... But now the only thing that separated us from them was a thick cloud. The wailing from the camp drifted on the wind down to my secluded haven... We were good at complaining. We complained about the food, about the conditions, our captors, our country, our God, each other... we were masters of complaints. Children of heartache. Yet, I yearn for more. All those years enslaved, labouring under the hot sun, blisters covering my hands, my feet swollen and rough, my heart longed for more... like a homesickness for a far off land, one I had never seen. This sickness lured bitterness to my soul, toying with it... begging me to give up and accept my status in the world. Slave. Worthless. Expendable. Like so many of my countrymen, this bitterness tried to overwhelm me, dry me out like that the desert that surrounded us in that city of brick and sun. I’ve been thirsty my whole life. But hope... hope. It’s always played around the edges of my mind. It’s whispered dreams and promises that someday something ‘more’ will happen. The God of our people would rescue us from our oppressors just as He had rescued Joseph all those years ago... The wind grew stronger around me. The light no longer danced, but pulsated off the water and jolted me from my thoughts. As I stood, the wind heightened even more. It became a shout, then a howl, blowing upon the water with such ferocity that I did not hear my name being called... It seemed that the water was being pushed back by the wind. The gale licked it up like a starving desert wanderer... It was then that I felt him at my side, I turned... Bathed in the firelight, Caleb’s face was red and wild, his beard and hair crazy in the wind. “Joshua, Moses is calling...” A knowing rose within me that ‘the something more’ - the promises whispered through stories of old by the ghosts of hope - would be found beyond this body of water that was being torn in two right before my eyes. To be continued.
PEACE ON EARTH - Part 1 Peace? On earth? Good News for all? A Saviour is born? A baby? When the Angel appeared to the Shepherds in the field that night, Judea had been living under Roman occupation for more than 60 years. Caesar had gained control of most of the known world from England to India. In every town he entered, in every Roman conquered province, the people were commanded to bow before Ceasar and declare him: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” If you denied Ceasar his praise, you were nailed to two pieces of wood that formed a horrific torture device designed to kill you publicly and slowly, clearly dominated by the Roman King you refused to worship. It was called crucifixion. In 41BCE, The Ceasar was officially declared to be the Divine incarnate; a God amongst humans. Ceasar’s son was called, “The Son of God.” There was an inscription found dated back to 9BCE that said: "The Birthday of Ceasar has been for the whole world the beginning of 'The Good News.’” In 4BCE, the Judean town Emmaus was burned to the ground, and two thousand people were slaughtered. This was gospel good news according to Ceasar: peace for a select few by sword and blood and domination. Long before the Angels appeared in that field and Jesus was birthed from the womb of a Jewish woman, Ceasar was called a God among men, the saviour of the world; he demanded to be worship and called his son the son of God. His Gospel was that the whole world would be Roman. So, when Angels declared that a (different) saviour had been born and that through him, everybody everywhere would find peace, it would have rocked their worlds on every single level. This declaration wasn’t just a few lines that would inspire some Christmas Carols and movies in times to come; it had incredible political, social, and personal implications for those who had experienced the Gospel of Ceasar. How would peace come? Through forgiveness, service, talking, reconciling… speaking truth to power and outright refusing to let domination and control guide choices, and rejecting the temptation to control others through violence and manipulation. It’s about choosing to see the Divine thread in everyone, everywhere. Peace is fierce, humble and inclusive all at the same time. “In Hebrew, peace, shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself.” Wrote Frederick Buchner. “For Jesus, peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love." This Second week of Advent, we’ve partnered with TEAR Australia to share some stories and ideas about how peace can be inaugurated and curated in our lives and world… How we can subvert the dominant paradigm of consumption, control, poverty, and oppression. How we can be 'peace on earth.' Peace needs our hands, hearts, and skins in the game. TEAR is truly an incredible collective of individuals. TEAR is a Christian aid and development organisation seeking God’s vision of a just and compassionate world. They focus in on places of great need, partnering with local Christian organisations to end poverty, challenge inequality and build sustainable communities. Together, we can act with courage, tackling injustice in order that all may experience fullness of life. Every year, my kids pick out gifts to give our friends from TEAR's Useful Gifts catalogue, and it's amazing to see their young hearts start to grasp the reality of our world, and the possibility of what their engagement and contribution can do - how they can be agents of peace in a conflicted world.
PEACE ON EARTH - Part 1 Peace? On earth? Good News for all? A Saviour is born? A baby? When the Angel appeared to the Shepherds in the field that night, Judea had been living under Roman occupation for more than 60 years. Caesar had gained control of most of the known world from England to India. In every town he entered, in every Roman conquered province, the people were commanded to bow before Ceasar and declare him: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” If you denied Ceasar his praise, you were nailed to two pieces of wood that formed a horrific torture device designed to kill you publicly and slowly, clearly dominated by the Roman King you refused to worship. It was called crucifixion. In 41BCE, The Ceasar was officially declared to be the Divine incarnate; a God amongst humans. Ceasar’s son was called, “The Son of God.” There was an inscription found dated back to 9BCE that said: "The Birthday of Ceasar has been for the whole world the beginning of 'The Good News.’” In 4BCE, the Judean town Emmaus was burned to the ground, and two thousand people were slaughtered. This was gospel good news according to Ceasar: peace for a select few by sword and blood and domination. Long before the Angels appeared in that field and Jesus was birthed from the womb of a Jewish woman, Ceasar was called a God among men, the saviour of the world; he demanded to be worship and called his son the son of God. His Gospel was that the whole world would be Roman. So, when Angels declared that a (different) saviour had been born and that through him, everybody everywhere would find peace, it would have rocked their worlds on every single level. This declaration wasn’t just a few lines that would inspire some Christmas Carols and movies in times to come; it had incredible political, social, and personal implications for those who had experienced the Gospel of Ceasar. How would peace come? Through forgiveness, service, talking, reconciling… speaking truth to power and outright refusing to let domination and control guide choices, and rejecting the temptation to control others through violence and manipulation. It’s about choosing to see the Divine thread in everyone, everywhere. Peace is fierce, humble and inclusive all at the same time. “In Hebrew, peace, shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself.” Wrote Frederick Buchner. “For Jesus, peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love." This Second week of Advent, we’ve partnered with TEAR Australia to share some stories and ideas about how peace can be inaugurated and curated in our lives and world… How we can subvert the dominant paradigm of consumption, control, poverty, and oppression. How we can be 'peace on earth.' Peace needs our hands, hearts, and skins in the game. TEAR is truly an incredible collective of individuals. TEAR is a Christian aid and development organisation seeking God’s vision of a just and compassionate world. They focus in on places of great need, partnering with local Christian organisations to end poverty, challenge inequality and build sustainable communities. Together, we can act with courage, tackling injustice in order that all may experience fullness of life. Every year, my kids pick out gifts to give our friends from TEAR's Useful Gifts catalogue, and it's amazing to see their young hearts start to grasp the reality of our world, and the possibility of what their engagement and contribution can do - how they can be agents of peace in a conflicted world.