Lent2023 day 42

 I was re-watching Downton Abbey the other day. The episode where Lady Mary has her baby and her husband Matthew comes to the hospital to meet his newborn son for the first time. There is a sweet and touching scene where he holds the baby and kisses his wife, telling her he has never been more in love with her.  The world is full of love and promise.  He leaves to go back to Downton and tell the family the wonderful news.  His car comes off the road and he is killed.  The last scene is of Mary and the baby in the hospital  sublimely happy, unaware of the tragedy that has just befallen them.  The audience knows something momentous that the characters do not.

For some reason this got me thinking about Easter. And the fact that we know the end of a story that the world is still playing out.  Although ultimately there's a happy ending for some, the fact is that not everyone will be saved.  There's an ongoing debate about hell - and I confess to falling on the side of hell being a real place where people will spend an eternity knowing that there is a good and loving God but knowing they cant be embraced by Him or enter into His glory.  I've said elsewhere that I believe Jesus comes to everyone who is dying, so I hope we are all pleasantly surprised by the number of people who are there by the skin of their teeth.  The Bible tells us we will be judged as by fire. Those of us who have spent a lifetime allowing Jesus to deal with the dross in our lives will pass through that fire relatively unscathed. We have accepted Jesus's sacrifice as atonement for our sins. Those who accept Jesus with their dying breath will have to go through the fire of judgement all in one go. And it might not be pleasant.  But at least it will purify and save them for eternity.  Those who know who Jesus is and what He offers but choose to reject Him will have to spend eternity with the consequences of their choices. That's my understanding so far.  Im very willing to understand more about our eternal destinies.

It has struck me recently that we don't talk much about hell. But I don't think Easter makes much sense if hell doesn't exist.  If there is no such thing as the possibility of eternal separation from God (hell) then Jesus didn't have to die.  Or, if its sin that separates then one could argue that He died once, for all, and that means that the whole of mankind has therefore been forgiven and everyone, past ,present and future gets an automatic free pass to heaven.  But that would just give mankind a licence to sin and do whatever we want to each other and to the planet and it has never been in Gods nature to dismiss sin because He knows it is so bad for us and destroys relationship with Him which is what He has been after all along.

So..... the world sits in the maternity ward looking at all the wonderful things it has birthed and feeling confident and happy that it is in control of its own  destiny unaware that a car crash of sin and separation from God is about to land a sucker-punch of judgement on it.  We, the saints of God, know the plot twist and can see what is about to happen. Unlike whilst watching television, we can actually change the story for those around us. We can warn, explain, pray and testify. We can help people to write a different ending to their own story - and ending which culminates in the words ' well done good and faithful servant' rather than ' I never knew you, depart from me '.  It has always been and continues to be the greatest challenge to us all.


My personal idea of hell, separation from God and cold coffee 😂


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lent 2023 day 41

Image
 After nearly 40 years of being a Christian its not too often these days that I hear something in a sermon Ive never heard before. But yesterday I did. So, apologies to readers from MCC but Im pinching this directly from Rory Blake-Knox because I thought it was fascinating. Ezekiel chapter 10 tells of the departure of the glory of God from the temple in Jerusalem. God had had enough of the idolatry and disobedience of His people so He decided to remove His presence from the place He had been dwelling with His people since Moses built the tabernacle and later Solomon constructed the mighty temple.   The exit route is detailed by Ezekiel.  First the glory leaves the Holy of Holies and moves to the threshold. God then leaves the temple and moves to the east gate of the city The east gate is probably the one referred to as "the gates of righteousness" and "the gate of the LORD" in Psalm 118:19-20 and the "everlasting doors" in Psalm 24:7, 9. It is called the ...
Read more

Lent 2023 day 44

Image
 Yesterday  I asked why you read this blog. Your answers were interesting. One thing that made me think was the fact that you know me and know my history and church background and therefore can trust my motivation and my thinking even if you dont always agree with what I say. This is REALLY important.  And I suggest that as these days unfold we are going to need to be increasingly careful about who we listen to and make sure that we really do know and trust those we follow, receive from and submit to.  Whilst there is a danger that this can make us closed to ideas from outwith our immediate circle of influence, God will make sure we hear what we need to hear and learn what we need to learn.  Discernment is paramount as we know that in the last days the deceiver will be out in force ever-so-slightly distorting and twisting the truth so that it sounds plausible but leads to blindness not sight.   I think that one of the reasons I don't listen to, watch o...
Read more

Lent 2023 day 45

Image
 I had the loveliest day yesterday. Church laid on afternoon tea, free for anyone in the village or church who wanted to come and about 40 people, mainly elderly ladies came along to enjoy fine china, linen tablecloths and loads of delicious food.  As I stood in the kitchen looking through the serving hatch at the bustle and fellowship and feasting that was going on I felt two things.   1) I was struck by the honour it was to serve these older ladies (hardly any of whom I know) with tea and buns.  This is what Jesus would have been doing today if He'd been here on earth.  Its simple, there are no strings attached. The only agenda is to be a blessing.  Most of these ladies dont come to our church but they increasingly come to events we put on. And so we are building community. 2) I was incredibly proud of us as a church  ( and Rory our pastor in particular) for the heart and service and sense of fun.  We are good news in our little location....
Read more