Sunday 7 June
Thank you for clicking on the link to read the message below. I pray you will be blessed by it.
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Our readings this morning
John 6:37-39 New International Version (NIV)
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
John 10:25-30 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,
but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one.”
Revelation 3:20 New International Version (NIV)
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Message: -
I showed a video during the service earlier that depicted a camera zooming out from a young woman lying on the grass. It zoomed out all the way to the edge of the universe before zooming back in again. It is quite incredible however; I have to say “no one” other than God and “no thing” has ever been so far out into space to see the images in the video. It is pure CGI, Computer-generated imagery, but, and here is that big but again, it is a perfectly valid attempt by humans to show the extent and the intricacies that exist in God’s creation.
There are big bits of stuff out there – stars and planets, small bits of stuff too – meteors, space dust and even light from the stars that is made up of billions of photons. God knows each and every particle where they are and where they are going.
Closer to home, Jesus was a carpenter, he worked with wood and he made furniture and other things. He also made a mess with off cuts of timber, wood shavings and sawdust and it is still the same today. Visit any carpenter’s workshop and there is dust everywhere.
The video also focuses in on the young woman lying on the grass, just as God focuses in on us. Hence our first reading where Jesus tells us it is his intention to save us all. He makes no distinction between any of us.
It is a sad fact that, some people believe they aren’t worth very much. For some low self-esteem can be a cause for depression. The television is telling us the importance of “speaking out”, of doing our bit in combating mental health issues. People find it so easy to see others as being worth so much more than themselves. So many folks believe others can be beautiful but not themselves, similarly others can be lovable but not themselves.
Let me tell you about one man’s history. Juan- Carlos was from South America. He wasn’t just taking one year out but a few years out and was travelling the world with a bicycle and all his worldly goods in a Bergan and two pannier bags. He was a joiner and wood carver, and probably still is, I hope. In order to live, he would do carvings for folks or minor repairs. He arrived in Gorebridge pushing his bicycle having had an accident where he badly burned his ankle. It was so bad he couldn’t cycle. Going to the manse he was allowed to set up his bed in one of the small halls and provided with a large piece of wood which he carved by way of payment for his keep. In amongst the mess of shavings and dust he created the most beautiful carving.
I wonder if we apply the range of self-esteem and confidence levels that typify people to the wood in that room, would you be the carving, bold and beautiful, the chippings, substantial in their own right, or would you be the fine dust from the finishing sanding?
If we can accept God sees the whole of creation and can see the individual parts of the stuff he used to make all things, then we have to accept he sees not just the wood carving but he knows in intimate detail the size, shape and texture of every particle of dust. He knows exactly where it was in the original piece of the wood. He knows when the tree grew it and the conditions that made it what it is.
If he takes the time to care for the wood in such a way, how much more will he give time to you!
Every aspect of your life this far, what things in your life have shaped you into who you are, He knows your heart and your circumstances.
Is Christ speaking to you in our reading from John 10:25, where Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe".
Is Christ standing at your door knocking or is he in your dining room taking supper with you? As we heard in Revelation 3:20 are you firm in your faith believing God sees you, knows you, loves you and calls you his child? Do you call him ABBA, your daddy when you pray? He longs for a relationship that is that close with you.
Is your faith a bit shaky? Doubting whether God sees you or chooses to ignore you? Then I pray you can see Revelation 3:20 is for you!
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me".
What a glorious day that will be, sitting at table with Jesus.
That is His promise to you!