Enjoying Jesus

ENJOYING JESUS

by Tim Chester

Back Cover:

What does it look like to enjoy a real, living relationship with Jesus Christ here and now?

We know Jesus has saved us. We know we need to trust him. But too often there's little sense of a lived experience of him - of enjoying him and being a joy to him, of loving him and being loved by him, of interacting with him as we walk through each day.

If following Jesus has become more about duty than delight or if you'd simply love a Christian life that feels deeper and more alive, then this book will show you how to enjoy Jesus' presence and friendship in every moment of life.

The opening chapter describes Mike and Emma's Tuesday afternoon. It starts with a reflection of the impact of Sunday morning's sermon but now 2 days later things are so different ....

On Sunday morning both Mike and Emma react differently to the pastor's sermon - as Emma looks at Mike she realises his heart has been touched as well as her own. The pastor has just preached on God's love to us in Christ Jesus. Christ is worthy and we are worthy in Christ. Emma feels as if all her insecurities are wrapped about with the righteousness of Christ. (How often does this not happen - we feel the impact of a sermon on Sunday morning and it fills us with such amazing feelings of knowing we are part of God's family and have a God who really loves us.)

We then move to Tuesday afternoon. Emma is collecting her children at the school playground. Her feelings of inadequacy as a wife and mother are apparent. She juggles work and church commitments as well as school pick-ups feeling the guilt of not quite being good enough at any of it. (How this resonates with me as the reader)

Meanwhile Mike is keeping his head down at work. It turns out that a new employee is a Christian and everyone is mocking him. They realise that this person is like Mike, a Christian. They ask Mike if he will be joining them at their usual Friday night drinking session knowing too well he won't. You can feel the loneliness for Mike as he gets on with his work. It is hard being the only Christian in his huge department. (This really came home to me - I too have experienced those same feelings as Mike has. It is difficult when social events are planned in an office and you know that all too often they turn into an excuse for drinking alcohol which I don't participate in on principle. It can feel extremely lonely when you see attitudes portrayed that are polar opposite to your own and even when you are 'abused' and mocked at for being a Christian.)

As Mike makes his way home he thinks about the loss of his fourth child born with a malformed heart and who died at 3 months old. This happened 2 years previously and at the time people were so kind and thoughtful but then they moved on as they had their own lives to live. Mike understands that. Eventually even he and Emma had stopped talking about their daughter Rosie. Mike still grieves for her and still feels her loss. He is conscious that if he brought it up again it would make Emma cry. So Mike nurses his grief alone. (As I read this I reflected on my own life and times when people had helped me through my cancer diagnosis. They were so kind and thoughtful but life moves on as they say and it is hard to process your thoughts about the situation. I am not grieving like Mike but you can be left with so many unanswered questions and thoughts as well as concerns for the future - what if I take a second diagnosis, what then?)

Emma has not forgotten Rosie's death. As she stands waiting and anxiously hurrying her children to the car she realises that fear seems to have taken over her life. Every sniffle sets her heart racing. Every journey is spent on high alert. Mike on his journey home is acutely aware of his situation - listening in on conversations makes him long for a hug or a smile. (How much I feel empathy for this couple - neither wants to open up to each other, scared of how the other will react and yet they need help!)

In between making the tea and watching the children, Emma sits down to prepare her Sunday School class. She feels the weight of her responsibilties between home life, work and church commitments. Teaching Sunday School feels like a burden - another demand in her demanding life. (This took me back to when I juggled home and church life - it was a real struggle as I taught Sunday School before the church service, then played the organ during the service - preparation for both took some considerable time each week as I worked outside the home as well. Now I am very reluctant to get involved in any sort of commitment like that again knowing what it means and how it affected me emotionally as well as physically.)

As Mike nears home he thinks about his work and it is clear he is not happy when he thinks about how one day seems to evolve into another. He thinks about getting home and the time he will spend with the children. He also remembers that tonight is the church prayer meeting. He longs to have an excuse not to attend and plans a possible way out - maybe he should skip it tonight or better still offer to babysit so Emma could go. (I have been in Mike's situation too - knowing I should attend and support the church prayer time but some nights just longing to have an excuse to not attending. Why is that?)

As Emma continues her preparation for the Sunday School class she starts worrying about different things - global warming, rising crime, online bullying. She prays asking the Lord to help her not worry so much. She thinks of all the new challenges her own children will face as they grow up. She realises that she has difficulty praying about her worries and ends up worrying more. (How easy it is to let our minds wander - this is one reason why I started prayer journaling because I can commit everything to God and know that he is listening and understands. It may not solve all the problems but it gives me a greater sense of peace.)

As Mike travels home he picks up a discarded newspaper and starts to scan the headlines. War. Famine, Corruption. It is all very gloomy as usual. He starts to read a human trafficking story and thinks of his own daughter Poppy. As he does so he becomes very angry but realises the problems are overwhelming. (How true - we can listen to news reports on social media and television and long for justice but are scared at the same time for our own families.)

Emma's mind is flitting from her preparation to Mike at work to Rosie and back again. She cannot even begin to pray properly.

Mike puts the newspaper down. Reading is only making him feel depressed that the world seems to be moving further and further away from God. Christian values that were once mainstream are now considered the height of prejudice. He thinks about the conversation in the office when his colleagues laughed at his faith. He had been thinking of inviting a couple of them to next month's guest service. But what is the point? No-one's going to come. (How many times have I not been in a similar situation - I would love to invite people to church but then wonder why should I bother when they make it so obvious they would not come.)

Emma starts to scroll through her social media feeds. She sees various friends in different situations and it is hard not to feel a bit jealous. (How many times have I not done the same, every single day!)

As Mike walks home from the train station he tries to tell himself to think happy thoughts but as he does so his heart sinks. What is there to look forward to?

Enjoying life with Jesus had felt so real on Sunday morning. But 2 days on and already Jesus feels far away. What does it look like to enjoy Jesus on a Tuesday afternoon? Sound familiar? It does for many. We return to that Tuesday afternoon to show what Enjoying Jesus really means in every aspect of Mike and Emma's life.

I have included the full details of this scenario as it helps when reading the book - we are brought back to Mike and Emma constantly throughout the book as Tim Chester addresses the issues each of them experience and relate to. It is only as you start reading a couple of chapters that you become aware of how the book addresses them. This book is so relatable because as the reader I am very aware of similar thoughts, feelings and experiences like Mike and Emma.

Introduction: Enjoying Jesus Today

"Jesus can just become a mechanism that God uses to save people. Too often there's little sense of a lived experience of Jesus - of being loved by him, of interacting with him day by day."

What does it mean to have a real, living relationship with Jesus?

This book is built around 2 core ideas:

1. What Jesus was like when on earth is what Jesus is like now in heaven.

2. While Jesus is in his body is in heaven, Jesus is also present on earth through the Holy Spirit.

We need to establish something important about the dynamics of a relationship with Jesus.

First our union with Jesus does not depend on us. Our relationship with Jesus is created by Jesus through the Holy Spirit - it starts with him and not with us. We didn't go searching for Jesus; he came to earth to redeem his bride and now he sends his Spirit to win our hearts. We're united to Christ through faith, but even this faith is Christ's gift to us - Ephesians 2 verses 8 to 10, which he delivers wrapped up in the regenerating work of the Spirit - John 3 verses 3 to 8. So our relationship with Jesus is founded on Christ himself.

But second, our on-going experience of that union is affected by our actions. When we resist Christ or ignore him, our sense of being connected to him weakens. When we respond to him in faith and love, then our sense of connection deepens. We are saved by Jesus into a two-way relationship with Jesus.

Each chapter finishes with Action and Reflection. For instance chapter 1 asks the reader to think of a Gospel story; it could be one you've read recently or one you've heard preached. Or think of a Gospel story that matches your current circumstances. Reflect on the attitude of Jesus to his people in the story. Then reflect on his attitude to you today.

Reflection asks you to think of 3 questions:

How would you describe your relationship with Jesus?

Think back over the past couple of days; in what ways have you related with Jesus?

Do you have a favourite story from the Gospels? What is it about the story that appeals to you?

There are 14 chapters in this book:

Enjoying the presence of Jesus
Enjoying the compassion of Jesus
Enjoying the shelter of Jesus
Enjoying the touch of Jesus
Enjoying the vitality of Jesus
Enjoying the glory of Jesus
Enjoying the delight of Jesus
Enjoying the voice of Jesus
Enjoying the connection of Jesus
Enjoying the anger of Jesus
Enjoying the intercession of Jesus
Enjoying the reign of Jesus
Enjoying the wealth of Jesus
Waiting for the appearing of Jesus.

Chapter 1 - Enjoying the Presence of Jesus

When you go to church on a Sunday morning do you look around to see who's there? Is there someone you don't recognise - a newcomer perhaps? Then do you look to see who's not there? Is someone unexpectedly missing? Are they ill? Are they struggling? Do they need some help?

One person who we never see sitting in the congregation is Jesus. Perhaps that doesn't surprise you. But remember ... it's his church. But your church and my church is Jesus' church. So why does he never walk through the door?

The bible shows us that meeting Jesus in person makes a massive difference. His presence changes everything.

Gospel Story: Levi (Matthew) inviting Jesus into his home – Luke 5 verses 27 to 32

Levi is a tax collector and when he comes to faith in Christ he wants to hold a party for Jesus in his home. He invites all his friends – they are social outcasts at the time. Jews who collected money for the occupying Roman governors. Levi was a collaborator, a traitor to his people. An enemy of God – at one time but now a friend of Jesus. The party becomes a powerful demonstration of what Jesus is all about. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor” Jesus says “but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (verse 31) For Levi, the presence of Jesus is life-changing: he later becomes an apostle and a gospel writer.

In chapter 19 we meet another tax collector – Zacchaeus. Jesus also comes into his home and the effect on Zacchaeus is transformative.

He becomes a new man, giving away half his possessions to the poor and reimbursing anyone he has cheated. “Today salvation has come to this house” Jesus declares. Salvation has come home because Jesus has come home. Jesus was accused of being “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”. It is an accusation that Luke’s gospel seems more keen to confirm than deny!

“In Luke’s gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal.” Robert Karris

Jesus eats and drinks with sinners as a sign of friendship and love. He makes his home among them.

That was then but what about now?

There is no point in inviting Jesus to your next party – where would you send the invitation? And yet his eagerness to enjoy our hospitality hasn’t changed. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” (Hebrews 13 verse 8). But how can Jesus be at home with his people now?

Look at John 14 verses 15 to 23. In verse 19 Jesus says “The world will not see me any more”. Then in verse 28 he tells his disciples he is going away – “I am going to the Father”. Here he is talking about his ascension to his Father in heaven. Peter writes in chapter 1 verse 8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him.” We believe in Jesus but we cannot see him. How can I know where Jesus is when I need him now? Jesus exists beyond the reach of our 5 senses. He is notable by his absence.

Except Jesus not only says he is leaving his disciples but he also tells them he’s coming. In verse 23 of John 14 he promises to make his home with those who love him, just as surely as he went to the home of Levi and Zacchaeus. But how is that possible? How can he be both absent and present? How can he say, “I am going away and I am coming back to you?” The answer is that while Jesus is physically absent, he is spiritually present. The word “spiritually” doesn’t mean in a ghost-like way – Jesus is not an apparition that appears on dark nights. “Spiritually” simply means through the Spirit.

In John 14 verses 16 and 17 Jesus says that the Father will give us an “advocate” to help us and be with us always. “Advocate” is a big word. It gathers up meaning that includes strengthener, witness, helper and comforter. But the key thing is that the Spirit is “another advocate”. That is because Jesus has been the first advocate. He’s been the one to whom the disciples looked for support and comfort.

Imagine the scene – the disciples panic when the Pharisees ask them a tough question – Jesus is already beside them ready to answer – Luke 5 verse 30 and 31.

Or think of how utterly defeated they felt when they could not heal the demon possessed child brought to them – Jesus arrived on the scene and sorted it out – Luke 9 verses 37 to 42.

With Jesus beside them everything would be OK. Now he is about to leave and looking around the room for Jesus is not going to work any more. Yet Jesus promises “I will not leave you as orphans” (John 14 verse 18). Jesus is not leaving them on their own. He’s going to provide another comforter – the Holy Spirit.

But Jesus told them he would come to them. Jesus is leaving them and Jesus is coming to them. Here we meet the beautiful mystery of the God who is three Persons sharing one divine nature. Jesus and the Spirit are one being with the Father. The Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. So the Spirit makes Jesus himself present, even when Jesus is physically absent. The Spirit is not just Christ’s representative, like an ambassador or a spokesperson. The Spirit doesn’t simply pass on messages, like a postman delivering mail. When the Spirit is present, Jesus himself is really and truly present because Jesus and the Spirit are one, sharing one being with the Father. When you encounter the Spirit, you encounter Jesus. You have a real and genuine experience of Jesus himself. This is what Jesus means when he says that he and the Father will come to us and make their home with us – verse 23. The Father sends the Holy Spirit to mediate Jesus’ presence to us. To make his home in us – to enable us to experience his welcome, comfort, joy, strength and help.

Jesus is absent in body, but Jesus is present through the Spirit – right here, right now.

In John 16 verses 6 and 7 we read “You are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” Jesus was going away so that the Holy Spirit could be with us, and that is what’s best for us. Can that be right? Imagine if Jesus hadn’t ascended into heaven. Imagine instead that Jesus continued to live on earth with an imperishable body. What a boost to our evangelism that would be! Although there were plenty of people who witnessed the miracles of Jesus during his time on earth and remained violently opposed to him. Don’t forget – they ended up crucifying him! The real problem is not a lack of evidence but a lack of love and submission – John 14 verse 24. That’s one reason why Jesus has sent the Spirit: to convict people of the truth – chapter 16 verses 8 to 11.

But what about us? Why is it for our good that Jesus returned to his Father and sent the Spirit instead? The answer is that we get to experience Jesus in a wider, deeper and longer way.

Jesus by his Holy Spirit can be present everywhere. That means, instead of having to make do with one appearance every 250,000 years Jesus turns up at your church every time you meet. That is exactly what Jesus promised: “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18 verse 20). Through the Holy Spirit, the presence of Jesus is wider that it ever was on earth, spreading out across the globe. When Jesus attended Levi’s party, he went to one home. But through the Holy Spirit, he’s present in every home that welcomes him.

Not only is his presence wider; it’s also deeper. Jesus said “On that day you will realise that I am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14 verse 20) Jesus is not only with us by his Spirit but in us. He offers a deeper presence and a deeper intimacy – more profound that anything people experienced when he was on earth.

After his resurrection, Jesus met Mary Magdalene outside the tomb. When she recognised him, it seems she grabbed hold of him. She’d thought she’d lost him and she wasn’t going to let that happen again! But Jesus said “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (John 20 verse 17) Don’t hold on to my physical body, Jesus was saying. Let me return to my Father and then, through the Spirit, you will know my Father as your Father – my God as your God. Mary wants to touch the body of Jesus, but Jesus wants to touch her heart. And your heart too.

Jesus is not simply present for a brief visit. At some point Levi had to thank Jesus for coming and see him on his way – but not for us. Jesus takes up residence in our hearts. He moves in and starts renovating the place, cleaning up the grime of sin and redecorating it with virtue. He makes our hearts his home. He promises not simply a pleasant evening ending with a goodbye. His promise is “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28 verse 20). Through the Spirit, the presence of Jesus is wider, deeper and longer.

What is Jesus doing right now? He’s making his home with us. Just as 2000 years ago he welcomed sinners, he still welcomes sinners like us into his presence by his Spirit. How do we respond?

Holding on to the promise - Jesus doesn't always feel present. We can't physically sense his nearness like the disciples did. So especially in difficult times, we may need to hold on to his presence by faith, trusting that he's with us even when it doesn't feel like it. Indeed, the times when we feel most abandoned may be the times when he empathizes with us the most. Jesus himself cried in his darkest hour “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15 verse 34). The incredible truth is that Jesus knows what it is to feel abandoned, even by God. He more than anyone, is able to sympathise with us in those moments when we feel all alone. And so in faith we can reach out to him through his promise and declare “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” (Psalm 23 verse 4)

Making Jesus feel at home – Jesus said “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14 verse 23). The Lord Jesus promises to make his home with us, but we're to respond with love and obedience. We respond to his love with our love and the way we love him is by keeping his commands. If we don't love Jesus enough to obey him, if we ignore his presence and neglect his commands, then he won't feel welcome and we'll not enjoy his presence. Jesus will be the stranger sitting in the corner. But Jesus promises that when we turn to him in love and obedience, he and the Father make their home in our hearts. It's not that we can earn our salvation. Jesus doesn't come to us because of our good works. But our experience and enjoyment of his presence is linked to our actions. All you need to do is turn. Take steps towards him in love and obedience and he'll make his home with you and transform your heart - just as he did with Levi and Zacchaeus.

Praying for a sense of Jesus' love - prayer is an opportunity to slow down, be still and attune yourself to the presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Jesus is within you and he's there because he wants to be - because he loves you and because he wants to assure you of his love. Most of us are not used to being still, and our lives are filled with noise and distraction. So sensing the spiritual presence of Jesus is not straight forward. This is why Paul prays that God would “strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3 verse 16). Only with the Spirit’s help will Christ “dwell in your hearts through faith” (verse 17). Make it your aim simply to be there, spending time in his presence. Jesus is absent in body so we wouldn’t normally expect any bodily sensations associated with his presence. Spiritual experiences are going to feel elusive to earthbound people. But that doesn’t mean they’re impossible or unreal. By faith we can know he’s with us. Being deliberatively attentive to the presence of Jesus - whether you feel him there or not - will be a blessing. Hear the invitation of Jesus to 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.” (Revelation 3 verse 20)

Mike imagines Jesus is there in the office with him, seated at the next desk. Or surrounding him like some kind of force field. No Mike is not alone. "You joining me on Sunday" he calls over. His colleagues look puzzled. "At church". They laugh but Mike doesn't mind.

As I read this chapter I realised that God by his Holy Spirit is with me wherever I am. I found Tim Chester’s explanation of God the Holy Spirit so enlightening and it made me understand so much more of how God makes himself real to me each day. Yes I may have practised the presence of Christ in my life but I wouldn’t say I have fully understood it. Using the analogy of Jesus visiting Levi’s home and later Zacchaeus’ home has made me realise that I need to bring Jesus into my situation more. And then bringing it back to make it real in Mike’s situation also re-emphasised that Jesus is with us wherever we are – so comforting particularly when we feel mocked or lonely at work. Jesus understands what we go through in life and I think sometimes we miss that point. We need to realise afresh that Jesus is with us more – as someone said to me once – Jesus is at your elbow every minute of every day.

CHAPTER 2 - ENJOYING THE COMPASSION OF JESUS

God has forgiven us, redeemed us and justified us through Christ. But is that enough?

Chapter 7 verses 11 to 17 - Jesus looks with compassion

Jesus and his disciples were entering a town called Nain. He had a crowd of people tagging along behind him. Then as they approached the town gate, they met a funeral procession coming in the opposite direction. "A large crowd" says Luke, collided with "a large crowd". You can imagine the chaos.

In the middle of the melee was a widow, about to bury her only son. First she'd lost her husband and now her son. Widows in the bible are often synonymous with vulnerability. In a male-dominated society, they had no one to protect them or care for them. So on top of her grief, she would have been filled with worry for her future.

Can you imagine the disciples feeling frustrated when they see the mourners coming out of Nain, thinking, "This'll mean a late lunch." Everyone is trying to nudge and nurdle their way through the crowd - but not Jesus. Jesus isn't thinking of his lunch, nor is he intent on pushing through the crowd, his attention is on the one in distress. "When the Lord saw her his heart went out to her and he said 'don't cry'". Jesus didn't have to consider what might be the right thing to do. He saw her and felt for her. It's an instinctive response that reflects his deep compassion.

The same word is used in Matthew's Gospel to describe the response of Jesus to crowds of people. "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9 verse 36; 14 verse 1). "Had compassion" translates the same root word as "his heart went out". Each time, the compassion of Jesus is linked to his sight - he sees the widow and his heart goes out to her; he sees the crowd, and he's filled with compassion. The gaze of Jesus is a compassionate gaze.

There's no censure in his gaze. When he says "don't cry", he's not telling the widow off for grieving or lacking faith. It's not a version of "pull yourself together". These are words of consolation. Then Jesus reaches out and brings the young man back to life. In a beautiful phrase, Luke adds, "and Jesus gave him back to his mother". The young man was stolen from his mother by death. But then Jesus redeemed him from death and gifted him back to his mother.

That was then. What about now?

Nothing has changed. Jesus has the same compassionate gaze yesterday and today and for ever. When he looks down from heaven, he sees you in your need and looks on you with love. Jesus may be absent in body, but through the Spirit, he's present in his compassion. Look at Hebrews 4 verse 14 to 5 verse 10.

Jesus is "a great high priest who has ascended into heaven". And yet, despite being in heaven, he's still able "to feel sympathy for our weaknesses". That's because he was "tempted in every way, just as we are".

It's important to see the logic of the argument. The reason why Jesus is able to sympathise is that he himself endured the same kinds of problems we face. Hebrews tells us that the Old Testament priests had to be from the people to represent the people. So if Jesus was going to be our ultimate high priest, then he had to become human so he could be "from the people". He had to take on the full experience of being human with all its limitations, temptations and trials. He had to become "subject to weakness". He had to go through what we go through.

Consider what Jesus endured during his life on earth ... His parentage was questioned. He suffered exhaustion and hunger. He was misunderstood by family and friends. He was despised and rejected. He was even accused of being in league with the devil. He was betrayed by a friend, abandoned by his followers, tried in an unjust court, tortured by the state, and ultimately executed as a criminal.

But the ability of Jesus to sympathise goes beyond what he himself suffered. After all, there were many things he didn't experience. He didn't experience married life. But he can still empathise with people who face these different struggles.

Jesus has imagination just like any human being, only more so. Our imagination gets twisted by our selfishness; we don't think about others as much we should because we're too busy thinking about ourselves. But Jesus always puts others first and therefore, more than anyone, he's able to think as others. He's able to transpose his experience as a human being and place himself in our shoes. Jesus' love is so great that he can readily transpose his experience onto our experience. And as he does so, his heart goes out to us.

In Hebrews 5 verse 9 Jesus was "made perfect" through what he suffered. It's not that Jesus was imperfect and had to be put right. It means he became fully equipped to do the job that God had given him, and that job is being a sympathetic high priest. Jesus could only become an effective priest by becoming human and experiencing life on earth as a human being. As God, Jesus was and is eternally love. But now his love is combined with empathy - he knows what it's like to be you.

"The Lord has compassion" on us because "he remembers that we are dust". Psalm 103 verses 13 and 14. It's an allusion to the creation of Adam, when God formed his body from the dust. It speaks of our fragility and limitations as human beings. Jesus too, remembers we are dust. But Jesus not only remembers we are dust; he has a body that is made of the same substance as ours. We rightly emphasise that the resurrection was a bodily resurrection. It wasn't that the consciousness of Jesus lived on in some vague way. The resurrected Jesus is fully human. But we need to remember too, that his ascension was bodily as well. So Jesus still has a human body. He is still made from dust - just like you.

The result, says Hebrews 5 verse 2 is that "he is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray since he himself is subject to weakness." The writer is talking about the Old Testament priests but he is using them to show us what Jesus is like. When Jesus himself describes his attitude towards weary sinners, he says "I am gentle and humble in heart" (Matthew 11 verse 29). He has stooped down low to our level and handles our battered souls with gentleness. Gentleness is what's in his heart and so gentleness is what spills out when he sees you in need.

2 or 3 objections come to mind - factors that might appear to limit the ability of Jesus to sympathise with us.

1. Jesus is not too far away to understand

The first is that Jesus has now "ascended into heaven" (Hebrews 4 verse 14) putting him a long way from the troubles of earth. He's safe and cosy up there.

This objection would carry weight if Jesus had a poor memory, but Jesus now has a "spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15 verses 44 and 45), which is not subject to fading recollections. So his memory of being tempted is as vivid today in heaven as his experience of being tempted was on earth. Jesus is the God-man. In a mysterious way, he experiences time as a human being while existing outside of time as God So perhaps, as the God-man, his experience of being human on earth is constantly in the present tense.

The ascension widens his compassion rather than limits it. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is able to be present with all his people. In the town of Nain he looked on one woman with compassion. Now in heaven he looks on all his people simultaneously and his heart goes out to us all. To you, to me. Right here, right now.

2. Jesus is not too powerful to understand

"He did not sin" (Hebrews 4 verse 15). So perhaps he didn't experience temptation as a real possibility in the way we do.

But think of it like this - there's an easy way to make temptation go away, and thats to give in to sin. Of course, deeper pains follow from that, but in the short term it relieves the pressure. Jesus never took that option. Especially in Gethsemane (in which Hebrew alludes in chapter 5 verse 7), the pressure mounted and mounted, and he said no. The strain intensified still further until he was "overwhelmed with sorrow" and "his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." But still he said "your will be done" (Matthew 26 verses 38 and 39; Luke 22 verses 41 to 44). No one has been tempted to the extent that Jesus was.

Jesus could not sin because he is God and God cannot sin. But Jesus did not sin because as a human being he resisted temptation in the power of the Spirit. Though as God Jesus could not sin, as a human being he did not sin because he resisted temptation in full to the end. In other words, his divinity did not prevent him experiencing temptation in full as a human being.

All our temptations are encompassed within what he endured.

3. Jesus is not too good to understand

What about the mess of sin and the weight of guilt? How can the Righteous One - the one who did not sin - know what it is to be guilty?

Jesus did experience the mess of sin and the weight of guilt It wasn't the weight of his own sin; it was the weight of our sin and my sin. It's not just that he had a similar experience of guilt to the guilt you feel. He had a direct experience of your guilt because it was your sin that he bore on the cross. He understands your sin better than you do.

"He was crushed for our iniquities" Isaiah 53 verse 5

Jesus not only has compassion on us in our suffering; he also has compassion on us in our sinning. It's easy to think that, yes, when I suffer, Jesus has compassion on me. But it's different when I sin. When I sin I think he's frustrated with me or angry with me. You might suppose that Jesus would see you when you sin and turns away in disgust. But no, he holds his gaze - his compassionate gaze - and looks on you with love.

What was the attitude of Jesus when he saw us in our sin before he became a man on earth? The answer is love. We know he looked on us with love because it was that love which brought him down to earth. His incarnation is the proof of his love. Jesus saw our plight, rolled up his sleeves, as it were, and got struck in.

And what was the attitude of Jesus when he saw people in their sin while on earth? The answer is love. We know he loved us because he went to the cross. The cross is the proof of his love. He saw our plight and took that plight on himself in our place.

So what is Jesus' attitude now when he sees his people in their sin? The answer hasn't changed! It's still love. He's looking on us with compassion and sympathising with us in our weakness. His heart goes out to us. He moves towards us through the Holy Spirit. He speaks words of reassurance through his word. Repeatedly. Day by day. Sin by sin.

How do we respond?

"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4 verse 16. Approaching with confidence is the logical response to the compassion of Jesus. "Therefore since we have a great high priest" begins verse 14 - a high priest who is able to sympathise with us - let us approach God.

If we think of Jesus as aloof - if we think he had it easy or that he'll be stern- then we'll keep our distance. We won't have the confidence to open up and express our true feelings to him. But, if you have a true picture of Jesus as he is - full of compassion and able to sympathise - then you will be able to approach him with joy. You will enjoy confiding in him as a trusted friend. You can open your heart to him because you know his heart will go out to meet yours.

Mike and Emma's Tuesday Afternoon

When Mike leaves the office to walk to the station, his thoughts go - as they often do - to his deeper loneliness. He thinks of Rosie, their fourth child, who was born with a malformed heart and died at 3 months old. 2 years ago, people had been so kind and thoughtful, but then they'd moved on - they had their own lives to live. Mike understands that. Eventually even he and Emma had stopped talking about Rosie. What was there to say? But he still grieves for Rosie - still feels her loss. If he brought it up, it would only make Em start crying again. So he nurses his grief alone.

"Where's Jesus in this?" he thinks. There are so many questions and so few answers. But when Mike thinks about Jesus, he thinks of all that he suffered on the cross. He remembers something his pastor had said at the time: "Jesus isn't in a hurry; you don't have to pull yourself together for Jesus." "Jesus hasn't moved on" thinks Mike. "He still feels compassion towards me." "Thank you Jesus" he says. "Thank you".

Action

Whenever you struggle or sin this week, think of Jesus looking at you with his compassionate gaze. Don't let feelings of guilt make you postpone turning to him in prayer; instead run to him for grace.

CHAPTER 3 - ENJOYING THE SHELTER OF JESUS

What does it mean to enjoy Jesus when you're overwhelmed by fear?

Luke 8 verses 22 to 25 - Jesus shelters his disciples

At first, the disciples thought the wind wouldn't amount to much. No cause for concern - not when you're being piloted by professionals. But then the waves started crashing over the sides, and before long the boat was "being swamped and they were in great danger". Andrew, Peter, James and John were all fishermen who had regularly sailed these waters.

Meanwhile Jesus is asleep. Perhaps it is a sign of his exhaustion or perhaps it is a sign of a calm confidence. It's the disciples who wake him up: "Master, Master, we're going to drown". There's no "might" or "maybe" in what they say. They're convinced that they're minutes from a watery grave. But Jesus speaks, and the wind and waves obey him. All the energy in the waves dissipates in an instant. "The storm subside and all was calm."

The word of Jesus to the storm is described as a rebuke: "he ... rebuked the wind and the raging waters". Then as they reflect on what just happened, the disciples use a related word: "he commands even the winds and the water". Both "rebuke" and "command" indicate authority. The wind and waves obey Jesus because he's their boss. Perhaps the one thing the disciples get right in this story is calling Jesus "Master". Jesus is the master of the disciples but it turns out he's also the master of the weather.

This makes Jesus a useful man to have around in a crisis! It turns out that being in the boat with Jesus was the safest place to be, even in the midst of a storm. Jesus is a refuge for his people.

The more you protect yourself from relationships, the more you diminish yourself and the lonelier you become. Yet if you trust people then sooner or later someone will let you down. The healthiest of people can be hit by injury or receive a life-changing diagnosis. Even if you avoid all of these things, none of us can avoid the reality of death.

Our attempts to manage our world are very limited. We are not in control and we can't eliminate risk. But into our world of threat steps Jesus. In the stilling of the storm, we've seen the authority of Jesus over the natural world. In his gospel, Luke follows this up with 3 more stories that spotlight the authority of Jesus over the spirit world, over sickness and ultimately even over death.

But that was then. What about now?

Ephesians 1 verses 17 to 23. Paul prays that his readers might have a sense of the hope and power we have in Christ. That power is resurrection power - the same power that wrenched the lifeless body of Christ from the grip of the grave. God, as it were, reached down and pulled Jesus from the tomb and then lifted him up into the heavens, seating Jesus "at his right hand in the heavenly realms". We sometimes speak of someone as a right-hand man or woman, it's the person we rely on to get things done. In the bible, to be at the "right hand" is to be in a position of authority Jesus is "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come". It is a picture of complete authority (Colossians 2 verse 10; 1 Peter 3 verses 21 and 22)

Jesus has authority over all of space and time. In terms of space, every power in every place is under his control. The language of powers and dominions in Ephesians 1 verse 21 is used both of the spiritual world and of earthly powers. The apostle Peter says Jesus "has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand - with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him" (1 Peter 3 verse 22).

We see the proof of this in Luke's next story, after they've sailed through the storm (Luke 8 verses 26 to 39). Jesus meets a demon--possessed man who has repeatedly resisted attempts to restrain him. Yet when he sees Jesus, the man falls at Jesus; feet. The demons who control the man beg Jesus to let them enter a nearby herd of pigs and Jesus gives them his "permission". All the language ("commanded", "order", "permission") highlights the authority of Jesus. This man from across the lake is somebody that no one can control, but Jesus calms him with a word. It's not even a contest that Jesus eventually wins - Jesus is in complete control from the beginning. Just as a demon-possessed man fell at the feet of Jesus when Jesus was on earth (verse 28), by exalting Jesus in heaven, God has placed all demonic powers under his feet (Ephesians 1 verse 22).

The authority of Jesus is also complete in terms of time. In verse 21, Paul says that Jesus has authority now ("in the present age") and for ever ("in the one to come") Jesus has authority right here, right now. Of course, as we look out over our world, this isn't always apparent (Hebrews 2 verses 8 and 9). His name is mocked, his people are persecuted and his rule is ignored, but that's not because Jesus lacks the power to enforce his reign. It's because Jesus is patient; he's giving people time to repent before he reimposes God's rule.

Paul reiterates the totality of Christ's authority in the next verse in Ephesians: "and God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything" (Ephesians 1 verse 22). "All things" and "everything" are the same word: all things are under him, and he is over all things. Of course, the Son of God has had complete power throughout time and beyond time. But the authority Jesus has now received is not simply the authority he already had. 2 things have changed.

First, Jesus now has a body. The one on the throne is the one who took on human flesh. The Son of God has always had authority, but now the Son of David, the god-man, has been acclaimed as God's King. A human being sits on the throne of heaven.

Second, Jesus now has a body in another sense. Paul says that God "appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body" (verse 22 to 23). Jesus took on human flesh that he might be united to the humanity of his people. The church is his body - a picture that speaks of the intimacy of our union with him. it's not just any human being who sits on the throne of heaven; it's our head, our Saviour, the husband of the church. Later in Ephesians Paul says, "No one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church" (chapter 5 verse 29). People instinctively know how to care for their bodies - taking a drink when they're thirsty or putting on an extra layer when they're cold. In a similar way, Jesus knows how to look after his body, the church.

Paul isn't simply extolling the well-deserved authority that Jesus has now been given. No, he says that this authority has been given to Jesus for us. The word "appointed" is literally "given". God "gave him as head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1 verse 22). The authority of Jesus is God's gift not simply to Jesus but to his people.

The point is that right now Jesus is using his God-given authority for the sake of the church. For your sake. His power is given to protect his people, to govern his people and to further the mission he's entrusted to us. What is Jesus doing now? He's shaping the affairs of humanity to further our cause. He is guiding and governing the church to safeguard our faithfulness.

What do we see when we look at the church? In some parts of the world she is persecuted and oppressed; at other times she is beset by scandals or divisions. But Christ is on the throne and he's working his purposes out. He's promised to build his church (Matthew 16 verse 18) and he has the authority to keep that promise. there may be times when Christ humbles his church, whether at a national or local level. Such times should lead us to repentance and a renewed dependence on our Head. But we can be sure that every day Jesus is shaping events and directing his Spirit "for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Ephesians 1 verses 22 and 23).

Hard times will come. But Jesus can and will use everything that happens for our good. He can and will protect us from spiritual harm. He can and will lead us home to a new creation where all things will be made new.

This is how we find joy in Jesus in our times of fear; beyond the chaos and confusion, we lift the eyes of faith to see the Lord Jesus all-powerful on the throne. "Since, then you have been raised with Christ" says Colossians 3 verse 1, "set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." When we look to Jesus, we see God's King and God's son. We see the one in whom we are safe. We see a King who unites great compassion with great power.

The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that, even in the valley of the shadow of death, our good Shepherd is with us and will lead us home (Psalm 23 verses 4 to 6). Life can feel like walking through a dark, entangled forest. Along the way you may gash your knees on boulders or be scratched by thorn bushes. Menacing noises echo around you. The darkness thickens until in death all light is extinguished. But Jesus has walked the path ahead of you, and his resurrection is the guarantee that you will make it. You can enjoy the shelter and protection of Jesus Christ. You are surrounded by his care:

- Jesus is ahead of you: "He leads me beside quiet waters" (verse 2)

- Jesus is alongside you: "You are with me" (verse 4)

- Jesus is behind you: "Surely your goodness and love will follow me" (verse 6)

How do we respond?

We have to choose faith over fear. That's the choice we see throughout the 4 stories in Luke 8. In the storm Jesus says to the disciples "Where is your faith?" (verse 25). The implication is that with faith they could have remained calm, knowing they would enjoy the shelter of Jesus.

The point of these stories is not to show that all the storms in our lives will be calmed. Luke writes to people facing hardship, persecution, struggle and threat. But we have a King with great compassion and great power. The message is "Don't be afraid; just believe" (verse 50). Today the word "just" is often a synonym for "easily". "You just need to do this" implies that something is easy. This is not what Jesus means. This is not an impatient rebuke. it's an invitation. Here "just" means "solely". The message of Jesus is not "Believe and prove yourself" or "Believe and take control" or "Believe and pull yourself together". The message of Jesus is Just believe. That's it. Nothing else. It's an invitation to you to collapse into the arms of Jesus. There's nothing else we need to do. Perhaps there's nothing else we can do. It's an invitation to say, "I can't cope, I can't solve this, I can't do this, I can't calm the chaos of my life, I can't control my inner demons. But Jesus is my King and he is in control."

This doesn't mean bad things will never happen to us. This earth is not yet redeemed - it's still a world full of threat. So what does safety in Jesus mean in a broken world?

1. Jesus will be with you by his Spirit when you go through hardship or loss. Speaking through Isaiah 43 verse 2, Jesus says to us "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you ... When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned." Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego experienced that in a physical way when they were thrown into the furnace by Nebuchadnezzar and a fourth man appeared with them looking like "a son of the gods" (Daniel 3 verse 25). We can experience this by faith.

2. Jesus will use everything for your good. Remember Jesus has been given all authority "for the church" (Ephesians 1 verse 22). Jesus has authority to fulfil his purposes in you and through you. That doesn't mean you have to decode his providence - that's not your job. Your job is to trust him. "Don't be afraid; just believe" (Luke 8 verse 50).

3. Jesus will bring you safely home to glory. Jesus says "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 6 verse 39). Jesus says to you today, I shall not lose you.

Storms are real. Sickness is real. Death is real. And so fear is real. It's not an illusion. But there are bigger realities. Jesus our King reigns in heaven. He's the King of compassion and power. And he is real. His power is real. His future is real. One day this world will be transformed. The realities of suffering and death will dissolve and fade. What endures is Jesus. What endure is his love. What endures are the words of Jesus: "My child get up" (Luke 8 verse 54). It's not a promise that every child will be healed on this earth. But it is a promise that very child of God will hear those words on the final day "My child, get up". We will rise to a new world. Jesus is the pioneer of our faith - he has died, and he has risen and so we will too. This is not a projection of our longings. This reality was seen and touched and heard in the person of Jesus.

What does it look like to respond with faith to the power of Jesus and enjoy the refuge he offers? Nothing can happen to me which is not part of his purposes - and in everything that does happen, he is with me. I enjoy the safety of knowing that the person by my side is the King on the throne.

Mike and Emma's Tuesday afternoon

Sam and Jamie are their usual selves as they burst from the classroom. Like dogs let off a leash, they race around the playground. Emma wishes she could put them on leashes as she steers them towards the car - ever since Rosie's death, she's been so much more fearful for her children. Every sniffle sets her heart racing. Every journey is spent on high alert. She leaps forward to stop Sam careering into the road. Eventually, Sam and Jamie climb into the car. Safe and sound. What about Poppy? Where is she? 20 meters behind. Poppy dawdles along, oblivious to her mum's panic, fiddling with a leaf.

Emma sits in the car with the 3 kids trapped in. She pauses before turning on the ignition and closes her eyes. She can never guarantee her children's safety, and trying to do so is exhausting, but she knows Jesus is in control. She thinks of their car as a ship kept safe in a storm by the presence of Jesus. "Still the storm in my heart" she prays.

"You ok Mum? says Sam. Emma opens her eyes. "Yes I am" she says with resolution. "Jesus is looking after us all. Let's go." She turns on the ignition, looks over her shoulder and pulls away.

Action

Any time you feel anxious this week, take a few minutes to consciously make Jesus your happy place. You might want to imagine him as a shelter in the storm or wrapping his arms around you.

CHAPTER 4 - ENJOYING THE TOUCH OF JESUS

Where is Jesus today when you need comfort and reassurance?

Luke 8 verses 40 to 48

Jesus is heading to someone's house with a crowd of people in tow. In the melee, someone touches him (verse 44). Of course, everyone is jostling, bumping into one another. But this is different. So Jesus brings the whole chaotic procession to a halt. "Who touched me?" he asks (verse 45). It seems like a mad question. "The people are crowding and pressing against you" says Peter (verse 45). Everyone is touching Jesus, though everyone denies it (verse 45).

Finally, the culprit emerges from the crowd: a woman who has suffered from continual bleeding for 12 years. "No one could heal her" comments Dr Luke (verse 43). But Jesus has healed her instantly through a mere touch (verse 47).

The woman falls at the feet of Jesus, trembling in fear. But Jesus hasn't singled her out for a rebuke. Quite the opposite. He says to her "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." (verse 48). The healing touch is reinforced with the reassurance of his words.

We all know the power of touch. We use touch to signal acceptance and affection.

The touch of Jesus works even more powerfully in the way. When a notoriously sinful woman gatecrashes a posh party in Luke 7 verses 36 to 50, she wets the feet of Jesus with her tears, wipes them with her hair and anoints them with oil. The implication is clear: a good man would reject the touch of this bad woman. But Jesus lets her touch him. He receives her touch as the sign of a grateful heart that has received grace. he says to her, "Your faith has saved you: go in peace." (verse 50). The word translated "saved" is the same Greek word that is translated "healed" in Luke 8 verse 48. To both the gatecrashing woman and the bleeding woman, Jesus' words and tangibility communicate peace. Even after his resurrection Jesus allows the touching of his resurrection body to reassure his folloers. "Look at my hands and my feet. it is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have my flesh and bones as you see I have." (chapter 24 verse 39).

But Jesus' willingness to be touched does more than signal acceptance, important as that is. Contact with him restores what is broken. In Luke 6 verse 19 "the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all". He brings life to a widow's dead son with a touch and a word (chapter 7 verse 14). Later he will heal a man's ear by touching it (chapter 22 verse 51). If you charge an object with electricity, then power jumps across when that object is touched - like the electrical rail on a railway track. It's as if Jesus is so charged with saving power that merely coming into contact with him releases a bolt of energy to heal.

Sometimes the touch of Jesus does both: it brings healing and shows acceptance. A leper once came to Jesus. "Lord, if you are willing" he said "you can make me clean" (chapter 5 verse 12). The leper doesn't doubt the power of Jesus. What's open to question in his mind is whether Jesus is willing to help. Lepers were ceremonially unclean and were therefore ostracised - forced to live as outcasts on marginal land. That's because if you touched a leper, then you also became unclean - their exclusion was contagious. So what will Jesus do? Will he heal at a distance (as he does in chapter 7 verses 1 to 10)? No, "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing" he said "Be clean!" (chapter 5 verse 13). In this beautiful moment, it's important that the leper is touched - not just so that he can be healed but so that he can know the welcome of Jesus. With one touch, Jesus remedies both the man's illness and his exclusion. The contagion flows in the other direction; instead of Jesus becoming unclean, the leper is cleansed and accepted.

It's the same with the bleeding woman. Under Jewish law a woman was unclean during her menstrual period and to touch a menstruating woman made you unclean. This woman has some kind of haemorrhaging that means she's continually bleeding, as if she has a permanent period. That means she's been unclean - and therefore socially excluded - for 12 years. Imagine living like that. Imagine having to say all the time, "Don't touch me. I'm unclean." And then she plucks up the courage to touch Jesus. That's why she's afraid when Jesus demands to know who's touched him. By coming up behind him and touching his cloak, she should have made Jesus unclean. In her culture, it would have been seen as an aggressive act. Except that, instead of Jesus becoming unclean, she becomes clean. And instead of being offended, Jesus gently acknowledges her suffering and her belief: "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." (chapter 8 verse 48).

So the touch and tangibility of Jesus does 2 things:

it embodies acceptance
it imparts cleansing

That was then. What about now? Where is Jesus today when you need a reassuring touch?

One answer is that Jesus has ascended to heaven on our behalf. He's there for you. The Israelites had to be ceremonially cleansed through the blood of a sacrifice before they could come before God in the temple. The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus has entered heaven "to appear for us in God's presence" (Hebrews 9 verse 24). As a result "the blood of Christ" can "cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death" (verse 14) "By one sacrifice (Jesus) has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy" (chapter 10 verse 14). "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame" (Romans 10 verse 11).

The blood of Jesus makes us cleansed and accepted into God's presence. So now let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10 verse 22). Jesus is not out of the picture. He's in heaven on your behalf. His wounded hands and side are the sign that you are clean and that you belong with God. Today Jesus says, Come to me and have your conscience cleansed from the guilt of the things you have done and from the shame of the things done to you. Be sure of your welcome.Come in faith and "go in peace."

But are we left with words alone? How can I enjoy the reassuring touch of Jesus today?

On the night before he died, Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples. "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer" he tells them (Luke 22 verse 15). These words point to the meaning of the meal. The Passover meal marked the liberation of God's people from slavery in Egypt. That act of liberation was a picture of the bigger, deeper liberation from the enslavement of sin and death that Jesus would accomplish through his death. But these words also point to the goal of this meal. God liberated his people Egypt so that they might be free to worship him. And Jesus liberates us from sin so we might be free to enjoy him. Jesus longs to be with us, to meet with us around the table to love us and to receive our love in return. This, too, is enacted in the Last Supper. "I am coming you as one who serves" he says to his disciples (verse 27). Jesus is present at the table to serve his people and enjoy his people.

That was then. What about now? The answer is that the Last Supper was not a one-off event. "Do this in remembrance of me" says Jesus (verse 19). The Last Supper has become the Lord's Supper: the meal we share with jesus week by week. Jesus still serves this people in the Lord's Supper, and he still longs to meet us there That's why one of the terms we use to describe the Lord's Supper is "communion"; we meet round the table to enjoy communion with Jesus.

Consider how Paul describes the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 10 verses 14 to 22.

The cup is a "participation" in the blood of Jesus, and the bread is a "participation" in his body. "Participation" could also be translated communion This is relational act we commune with Jesus. Paul speaks of the place where we eat as "the Lord's table". Jesus hosts this meal just as he hosted the Last Supper. "Jesus ate with sinners and he still does" says author David Gibson. "Every time we share bread and wine together around his table we remember the astonishing wonder that the Master of the house eats and drinks with the servants of the house, and that he laid down his life for us and calls us his friends." Jesus serves us by offering his body and blood in bread and wine. He assures us that we're loved and welcomed. He offers life and healing to nourish our souls and bind up our wounds.

Paul's wider concern in this section of 1 Corinthians is that his readers shouldn't participate in pagan ceremonies. In chapter 8 he has said it's ok to eat meat previously offered to idols because it's just meat (though his main concern is that we shouldn't compromise the conscience of other believers through our freedom in this area). But here in chapter 10, he warns against involvement in pagan worship. There's a difference between eating meat that's previously been offered to idols and participating in the ceremony in which that meat is offered. To participate in that meal is to participate with demons (1 Corinthians 10 verse 20).

But notice how Paul makes this appeal: "You cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons" (verse 21). Paul makes a parallel between these 2 meals - the pagan ceremony and the Lord's Supper. They have some things in common. Both involve food that in the end is just food. The meat is just meat, and the bread and wine are just bread and wine. But place this food in the context of worship - whether pagan or Christian worship - and it communicates spiritual realities. In the case of pagan worship, eating the meat involves participating with demons. In the case of the Lord's Supper eating the bread and drinking the wine involve participating in Christ. A real connection to Christ takes place.

This is what makes Christian involvement in pagan ceremonies so offensive. "Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy?" says Paul (verse 22). You can't unite yourself to demons and at the same time unite yourself to Christ in the Lord's Supper. It's a terrible act of adultery. You're cheating on the Lord Jesus - provoking his jealousy.

It's a sobering warning of course. But it's also an exciting truth. The argument only works if Christ is really present with us in the Lord's Supper - if receiving bread and wine is a real act of communion with Jesus.

How does this communion happen? It's not that the bread and wine transform into the physical body and blood of Christ (as the theory of transubstantiation claims). The meat offered to idols is just meat that can be freely eaten later by Christians (chapter 8 verse 4 to 6) In the same way, the bread and wine remains bread and wine. But in the context of faith, of worship, of God's word, the bread and wine communicate the comforting presence of Christ.

How? Through the Holy Spirit. Christ is physically absent: His body has ascended into heaven, and there it remains - a true human body, rooted to one particular location. But Christ comes to us through the Holy Spirit. The English Reformer Thomas Cranmer says that the physical body of Jesus sits at the right hand of his Father, " ... and yet is he by faith spiritually present with us, and is our spiritual food and nourishment, and sits in the midst of all who gather together in his name." Jesus is spiritually present by the Holy Spirit. "The meeting place where the Lord's Supper is administered is at that moment none other than a portal of heaven" says the 17th century Dutch Reformer Wilhelmus a Brakel. "Heaven opens itself in such a place, and the rays of divine glory and race descend to that place, filling it with the very presence of God."

There's a sense of course in which Christ is present with us all the time. But he's especially present at the Lord's Supper. That's because he has given us bread and wine as physical tokens of his spiritual presence.

This is where we come back to the touch of Jesus. The bread and wine are not things you think or say. They're physical substances you touch and taste. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus reaches out through the bread and wine to touch us. And through that touch, he embodies acceptance and imparts cleansing. he communicates his love to us afresh. He reassures us of our forgiveness. He sustains our fragile, faltering faith. He himself feeds us with himself to satisfy our spiritual hunger. John Calvin says "We see only bead and wine, yes we do not doubt that (Christ) accomplishes spiritually in our souls all that he demonstrates to us outwardly through these visible signs, namely, that he is the heavenly bread that feeds and nourishes us for eternal life."

The physicality of bread and wine are important. Jesus' spiritual presence can feel a bit abstract. So he communicates his spiritual presence through physical substances. The difference is that the Holy Spirit makes this more than a mere token. The Spirit of Christ - the Spirit who is one being with Christ - makes Christ himself present with us: not physically but truly. The Spirit uses the bread and wine to communicate the presence and love of Jesus to his weary, wounded people. The communion service really is the touch of Jesus.

There's nothing lacking in God's promises, says Calvin. it doesn't need any further confirmation. But "our faith is slight and feeble ... it trembles, wavers and totters". So Christ "in his infinite kindness" has given us physical bread and wine as "a mirror of spiritual blessings". Through the bread and wine, concludes Calvin, God "attests his good will and love toward us more expressly than by word." The promise of forgiveness that we receive in the words of the gospel is the same promise we receive in the bread and wine of communion Sinclair Ferguson says "We do not get a different or a better Christ in the sacraments than e do in the Word ... But we may get the same Christ better, with a firmer grasp of his grace through seeing, touching, feeling and tasting as well as hearing." Christ touches us through bread and wine to comfort and cleanse - just as he did for the bleeding woman.

How do we respond? We come to the Lord's Supper and receive the bread and wine as the touch of Christ. That's it. This is not about what we do. All we do it receive what Jesus has done and what he's doing in us now. We receive him; he himself is the gift. He offers us his presence, promise and love in bread and wine. We respond by enjoying Jesus as he gives himself to us in these physical tokens.

You may find it helpful to receive the bread and wine as if Christ himself were placing them in your hands or on your tongue. Your minister will introduce the bread and wine with words that reassure you of God's forgiveness and welcome. But the minister is Christ's spokesperson. So hear those words as the words of Jesus himself, spoken personally to you. Christ speaks these words to meet your need in the moment - to address your brokenness, guilt, doubts, fear or shame. Then someone in your church will serve you in bread and wine. They're Christ's agent too. So receive the bread and wine as if Jesus himself were handing it to you. Receive it as his touch, as if he were reaching out a hand to reassure you of his presence.

Christ is wrapping his arms around us t treasure us of his love - even when we for unworthy. He's expressing his acceptance - even when we've let him down. Through faith, Jesus brings joy to our sorrow, and through faith, the bread and wine bring Jesus to us.

Mike and Emma's Tuesday Afternoon

Mike stands in the train carriage peering through heads to see out of the window. What a grey day. Mike feels in need of a hug. Or just a smile. A couple of teenagers chat animatedly about their shopping trip,oblivious to everyone else, and the regular commuters all do their best to ignore each other, as usual.

Mike thinks back to the celebration of communion on Sunday morning. Jesus might not be able to give Mike a hug, but he had given him bread and wine. it had been such a comfort to remember what Jesus had gone through for him It's a comfort now. Jesus is on his side.

Action

Next time you take communion, receive the bread and wine from Jesus as his loving embrace.

CHAPTER 5 - ENJOYING THE VITALITY OF JESUS

Has your Christian service begun to feel like a burden? Does your spiritual life just seem a bit flat at times? Maybe you feel weary of the demands of obedience. Perhaps you long for a few weeks off the church roster. You feel you need a pick-me-up - some kind of tonic to sprinkle a bit of sparkle back into your walk with God. Perhaps it's time to reconnect with Jesus and enjoy the life and vitality he gives.

Luke 8 verses 40 to 56

When Jesus was touched by the woman with continual bleeding, he was on the way to the home of Jairus, a synagogue ruler whose daughter was gravely ill. Imagine how Jairus felt as Jesus stopped to talk with the woman. Jairus doesn't feel able to hurry Jesus along and yet every second of delay is agony. Then the news comes that Jairus has been dreading: "your daughter is dead" says a messenger from his house. "Don't bother the teacher anymore" (Luke 8 verse 49). While the girl was alive Jesus might have been able to heal her; but with her death that opportunity has passed.

Except that Jesus intervenes before Jairus can speak. "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed" (verse 50). Healed from death? Is that possible? By the time they arrive at the house, the professional mourners are in full voice, lamenting the passing of a young child. But Jesus tells them to stop: "She is not dead but asleep" (verse 52). The mourners laugh at this; there's no way this girl is still alive.

But then Jesus takes the girl "by the hand" and says "my child, get up!" (verse 54). When Jesus said the girl was sleeping he wasn't claiming a misdiagnosis: he was proclaiming his life-giving power. Augustine of Hippo says "no one can as easily awaken another in bed, as Christ can in the tomb". It's not that the girl briefly opens her eyes, before slipping back into a coma. Doctor Luke tells us "At once she stood up" (verse 55). You know children are really ill when they're floppy and quiet and refuse food. And you know they're getting better when they're active, grumbling and hungry. I don't know whether this girl was grumpy, but she was certainly active and hungry!

When the woman with continual bleeding reached out to touch Jesus, life and power flowed from him to bring healing. But the dead girl couldn't reach out to Jesus, so Jesus reached out to her. He took her by the hand, and life flowed from him into her dead body. It was as if he was connecting himself to her with jump-leads (jumper cables). A moment later her dead body burst into life again. The life force of Jesus was so potent that it jump-started the girl back to life. It was as if Jesus was a human defibrillator.

On earth, Jesus was a life-giving person speaking life-giving words. Can he do the same now? The answer is that Jesus promised he would give us eternal life in the future and renew our spiritual life here and now. He first does that at the beginning of our spiritual lives when he grants new birth, but renewal doesn't stop there. Jesus continues to energise us, both to enjoy our relationship with him and serve him in the world. How does this work? Jesus tells us more in John's Gospel:

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit - fruit that will last - and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: love each other.

John 15 verses 1 to 17

If our connection to Jesus energises our Christian lives, how are we connected to Jesus?

First , we are covenantally connected to Jesus. A covenant is like a contract, but a covenant is a specific type of contract - one that creates a new relationship. A marriage for example, is a covenant. Getting married transforms the relationship between a man and a woman so that they become husband and wife. In the same way, Christians are covenantally connected to Jesus. It's a covenant secured by faith and sealed in baptism. And that covenant creates a new relationship: we're his people, and he's our Lord; we're his bride and he's our Husband; we're his body and he's our Head. This connection is the bedrock of our Christian lives. Our feelings may go up or down. Our circumstances may be happy or sad. Our obedience may be firm or shaky. But our covenant connection to Jesus remains the same. It's the solid rock that anchors us in all the turmoil of life. It's founded on his promises and confirmed in our baptism.

But this covenant connection is more than just a legal agreement. It brings us into a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus. In the movies, a wedding ceremony is often the end of the story. The bride and groom kiss, and the credits roll. But in real life, the wedding is just the beginning. In a similar way, becoming a Christian brings us into a covenant relationship with Jesus, but thats just the start; now we embark on life together - a life of ever-deepening intimacy.

Or think of it like this; we all know people who we find energising or inspiring to be around. Perhaps they're a tutor who fires our imagination, a friend who cheers us up when were feeling down, or a teammate who inspires us towards excellence. Our relationship with Jesus works like this. We feel energised when we spend time in his presence. He encourages our flagging hearts. He fires our imagination. He inspires us to follow him.

Jesus says "You are my friends, if you do what I command" (John 1 verse 14). "I no longer call you servants" he adds, "because a servant does not know his master's business" (verse 15). Servants simply do as they're told without any grasp of the bigger picture, so their actions lack any sense of purpose - and that's not very motivating. But we get to enjoy friendship with Jesus. "I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (verse 15). Jesus paints for us a vision of the beautiful life to which he calls us, and that inspires our obedience. He paints a vision of the transformative mission into which he enlists us, and that energises our service. He paints a vision of a new community to which he joins us and that fuels our love.

The image of a vine and its branches in John 15 has an implication that takes our relationship with Jesus even further: we are organically connected to Jesus. A branch has life because it's connected to the stem of the vine. In the same way we have spiritual life because we're connected to Jesus. His life flows to us just as life-giving sap flows from a stem to a branch. And the result is fruit. We become fruitful people as we receive life from Jesus. Indeed, being connected to Jesus in this way is the only way to produce real and lasting spiritual fruit. "If you remain in me and I in you" says Jesus in verse 5, "you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

The reason why we can be organically connected to Jesus in this way is because we're spiritually connected to Jesus. Older writers used the term "mystical union" to describe this connection. It's language that's drawn from Ephesians 5 verse 32, where Paul says the connection between Christ and the church is "a profound mystery". Mystical here doesn't mean a special experience for a spiritual elite. It's mystical in the sense of being beyond any natural explanation. It's more than a natural process like being inspired by a friend (though it includes that). This life-giving connection is a supernatural act - even though it happens day by day. The Holy Spirit connects Jesus and his church, spanning heaven and earth in the process, so that vitality flows to us from Jesus.

This energy that flows to us from Jesus is resurrection life. One day Jesus will raise us up to eternal life; but already we share in his risen life. Paul prays that we might recognise God's incomparably great power for us who believe". Then he adds, "That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead" (Ephesians 1 verses 19 and 20). According to theologian Richard Gaffin, the life-giving work of Christ that takes place now through the Spirit "is nothing less than a work of resurrection - no less real, no less miraculous, no less eschatological than the future, bodily resurrection of the believer at Christ's return."

The Holy spirit plugs us into the electrical grid of God's resurrection power. Every time you want to face a setback but keep going - that power is at work. We often experience this power as tension because it pulls us away from the appeal of sin or lethargy. But it's the power of God. Its difference from electricity is that the power of God is a person.

Jesus says, "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself" (John 5 verse 26). Jesus is, as it were, a bottomless reservoir of life. Or you might think of him as an infinite battery pack. Jesus has "life in himself". That is he generates his own life. He doesn't need to recharge his batteries. So he's able to give life to others, and to keep on giving us life. "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life" says Jesus "even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it" (verse 21). That means physical resurrection life in the future, but it also means we can enjoy spiritual life now.

Moreover, Jesus is a life-giving being who speaks life-giving words. "The words I have spoken to you" he told his disciples "are full of the Spirit and life" (chapter 6 verse 63). when Jesus spoke to Jairus' daughter, "her spirit returned and at once she stood up" (Luke 8 verse 55). When we are deflated or defeated, hearing the words of Jesus can lift our spirits. When we run out of steam or collapse in despair, reconnecting to Jesus can cause us to stand again.

"Have you ever tried to perform any spiritual act apart from the divine power? What a dull, dead affair it becomes. What a mechanical thing prayer is without the Spirit of God. It is a parrot's noise, and nothing more; a weariness, a slavish drudgery. But everything changes when we reconnect to Christ. How sweet it is to pray when the Spirit gives us feeling, anointing, access with boldness, pleading power, faith, expectancy and full fellowship." C H Spurgeon

When Paul describes his ministry to the Colossians he adds "To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1 verse 29). What is it that sustains Paul's service? What enables him to strenuously contend when things are tough? It's nothing in himself, but instead it's the powerful energy that Jesus gives him. And there is a supernatural joy to this energy. Paul tells us that even though he suffers in his labouring, he is able to "rejoice" not only despite his sufferings but 'in' them (verse 24). When we're energised by our connection to Christ his vitality is powerful enough to joyfully sustain strenuous service.

So it's our connection to Jesus that revitalises us. How do we respond? Jesus himself says, "Remain in me, as I also remain in you" (John 15 verse 4). Again in verse 9 he says "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."

Throughout your day you might sacrificially love someone in need; show forbearance when a colleague mocks your faith (again); exercise great patience under the provocation of your toddler's tantrum or your teenager's drama; or pluck up the courage to tell a neighbour about Jesus. No wonder that by the end of the day you're running low on energy. What do you need to do? You connect to a power source; you plug into your relationship with Jesus so you can recharge.

What does it look like in practice to do this? Well, it's not that different from remaining connected to any other friend.

Sometimes you may lose touch with an old friend. Neither of you has taken the initiative to write or call, and so over time you've drifted apart. The solution is to reconnect, to get in touch, to communicate. It's the same with Jesus. We remain connected to Jesus by keeping in touch - listening to him speak to us through his word and talking to him in prayer. Jesus says, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you" (verse 7). We don't need to sit around waiting for a direct message from Jesus. We already have his words in the bible. If the words of scripture remain in us, or we remain in the words of Scripture, then Jesus will speak to us through those words. Then we respond in prayer, asking Jesus to help us to serve him and remain faithful to him.

We mustn't view the word and prayer as mechanical activities. Unlike the electricity that charges our phones Jesus is not some impersonal energy source. We don't receive 20 units of spiritual power because we've spent 20 minutes reading our bibles. We're energised by the word and prayer as and when we view these as ways of relationally reconnecting to Jesus - of renewing, sustaining and deepening our relationship with him. So come to his word expecting to hear the voice of Jesus. Ask him to speak to your soul through the Holy Spirit. And then respond to that word as you might respond to a friend.

There's another important difference between charging a phone and being empowered by Jesus: you can't charge your phone without a physical power source to connect to. But your connection Jesus is not limited to intentional times in prayer or gathering with God's people. You can connect to Jesus anywhere and at any time throughout the day. On the bus you can remember the things he's said to you. During a meeting you can know he is present with you. At your desk you can tell him about your day. In a crisis you can look to him for strength.

Sometimes friendships fracture when 2 people argue. Or friendships can wither as your priorities diverge. Perhaps you spend less time together because you struggle to find common interests. This can be a danger in our relationship with Jesus. Jesus says, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love" (verse 10). if you feel disconnected from Jesus, it might be because you're not obeying his commands. You and he are not in step anymore: like 2 friends who went for a walk together but, somewhere along the line, chose to take different paths. The answer is to turn back to Jesus in repentance. To stay connected, we need to do this day by day consistently coming back into step with Jesus. We may hesitate because we fear his displeasure. But Jesus is never slow to reconnect with repentant sinners! Remember, he has compassion on you, even in your sin.

Verse 10 is a lovely promise "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love". As we live in obedience to Jesus, albeit imperfectly, Jesus says that's when we'll experience his love. We can enjoy the vitality of a living connection with him. He says "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete" (verse 11). Jesus offers us a life of joy. Indeed, he offers to share his joy with us.

So if your Christian service feels like a burden or you feel weary of the demands of obedience, it's time to reconnect with Jesus. Let him revitalise your spiritual life and perhaps you'll rediscover something of his joy.

Mike and Emma's Tuesday afternoon

Back at home the boys are watching television and Poppy's playing in her room. So Emma sits down to prep her Sunday-school class. It's got to be done today because she'll be working the next 2 days which means "the big juggle", as she calls it, only gets harder. She sighs "Why did I agree to do this?" she thinks. "It's not as if I've got nothing to do." At first, she'd been glad to help out. But now it just feels like a burden - another demand in her demanding life.

Why had she said yes? Well, there was a part of her that wanted to be seen to be pulling her weight at church. But there had also been a desire to serve Jesus. She wanted her children and other children to know that they could have a friendship with the Son of God. She thinks of Jesus welcoming little children and blessing them, despite others dismissing htm. "You are amazing" she says out loud. And serving an amazing Saviour is an amazing thing to do. She grabs her scissors and begins cutting out the craft activity.

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Each day this week begin your quiet time by thinking of it as catching up with a dear friend.

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