{"id":3433,"date":"2020-11-29T15:40:28","date_gmt":"2020-11-29T15:40:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/?p=3433"},"modified":"2020-11-29T15:40:30","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T15:40:30","slug":"peace-is-an-invitation-to-abide-luke-21-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/2020\/11\/29\/peace-is-an-invitation-to-abide-luke-21-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Peace is an Invitation to Abide &#8211; Luke 2:1-14"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_26623\"  width=\"640\" height=\"360\"  data-origwidth=\"640\" data-origheight=\"360\"  data-relstop=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4ZOP4bab_rg?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&modestbranding=0&rel=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not a Christmas beard its a covid beard<br>trying to keep it under control is not easy\u00a0<br>someone commented on it to me the other day &#8211; \u2018You need to do some manscaping!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I just smiled but I thought \u2018they don\u2019t know that doesn\u2019t mean what they think it means!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now please don\u2019t google it right now!!!!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s my fear today as we begin Advent &#8211; \u2018you don\u2019t know that doesn\u2019t mean what you think it means!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My fear is that the title of todays message has a similar feel you know that this doesn\u2019t mean what you think it means.&nbsp; Perhaps all the words cause confusion. Advent Peace Abide, hopefully we are clear on invitation.&nbsp; The only thing I will say on that is please accept the invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advent means the arrival\u00a0<br>it is used to prepare for the arrival of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But all too often Advent and Christmas don\u2019t mean what you think they mean<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it the Arrival of the King of Kings?<br>or the Arrival of a baby born in squalor?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The whole drama has been sentimentalised and sanitised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Luke 2:1-2 &#8211; This roots the event of Advent in history but much more than this it roots Advent in the purpose of God for all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s set a context<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>44 BC Julias Caesar rules<br>those in the senate fear he has become too powerful so they have him murdered<br>before he was murdered he adopted his grand nephew Octavian<br>Octavian adopted his adopted father\u2019s name and set out to avenge his adopted fathers death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then held games in order to honour his adopted father<br>at the time a comet was seen in the sky<br>this is seen as a sign that Julias Ceaser was a God<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Octavian comes to be seen as the Son of God &#8211; seen on the coins found from the time<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He gets the name Augustus &#8211; \u2018the illustrious one\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is by seeing off all those that opposed him that he brings a period of PEACE in Rome &#8211; the \u2018pax romana\u2019&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Octavian is seen as the Saviour and the bringer of PEACE, even referred to as the one who had taken away the people\u2019s sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the birth date of Caesar Augustus is celebrated as the good news for the whole world<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this peace was through enforcement the slaughter of anyone who rebels against the empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The people witnessing the story written by Luke are not the privileged few who are enjoying the peace rather they are ones being oppressed so that the few could enjoy the peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The background of the arrival of Jesus announced here has a backdrop of the pax romana, that a saviour will come who will bring real peace but the background is a Peace brought about and maintained by force<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am sure most of you have experienced this Christmas&nbsp; scene &#8211; driving to grandparents with kids fighting in the back of the car &#8211; either you have been the parents or you have been one of the kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t stop that and sit quietly for the rest of the journey then we will turn around and go home and you will not get presents from Grandma and Grandpa!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course that gets them to be quiet and you have a peaceful journey but its a peace brought about by threat.\u00a0 that\u2019s pax romana!  Peace as long as threat remains<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this context Angels announce GOOD NEWS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Saviour.  A Sign &#8211; not a comet in the sky but a baby<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Isaiah 9:6-7<br><em>For to us a child is born,<\/em><br><em>to us a son is given,<\/em><br><em>and the government will be on his shoulders.<\/em><br><em>And he will be called<\/em><br><em>Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,<\/em><br><em>Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.<\/em><br><em>Of the increase of his government and peace<\/em><br><em>there will be no end.<\/em><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus is LORD is a declaration over against Caesar as lord<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus as Lord is the bringer of Perfect PEACE rather than partial peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The outcome is contrary to what would be expected &#8211; a very different kind of peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hebrew idea of Peace &#8211; Shalom &#8211; complete wellbeing and wholeness<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God has come near once again &#8211; Immanuel &#8211; God with us<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God with us in the midst of upheaval and turmoil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Advent is the Arrival of very different ruler<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is the bringer of Peace but brings it in a different way and it is a different Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what of this Invitation to ABIDE?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most&nbsp; of you would have heard me preach and teach about Abiding before.&nbsp; I will have referred to John 15&nbsp; \u2018If you remain \/ abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will have seen me use the semi circle, a shape that a pendulum makes as it swings to and fro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is about Being and Doing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Covenant \/ Kingdom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be with me \/ Do the things I do<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relationship \u2013 I will be your God and you will be my people<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Activity \u2013 being a part of the purposes and plans of the living God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jesus says <\/strong>if you<strong> \u2018Remain in Me\u2019<\/strong> and my words remain in you ask and it will be given 15:7&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We Abide in Jesus and the test that we are Abiding is that we are hearing His voice and as we hear His voice, His voice creates faith because faith comes by hearing the word (Rom 10 :17).&nbsp; And faith is what we activate to see what it is that God wants to do through us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Abiding time the Word that produces faith that gives us confidence to seek what God wants in our life and we discover a love that captures our heart and is expressed in love to one another &#8211; By this all men will know that you are my disciples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An important part of understanding this is Work and Rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Day 6 God plays with mud and ribs and creates Adam and Eve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Says \u2018Be fruitful and Work\u2019&nbsp; Then gives them a day off. It is the first thing they do, they rest then work<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are created and called to Work from Rest not to Rest from Work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are created to do mission from Abiding&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest reason why we do not produce much mission fruit is because we are not beginning in that place of remaining \/ ABIDING in Him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is God saying to us about this changing world? How will we hear his voice? &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being one with God and doing the things he does. \u2013acting on his behalf.&nbsp; Living as Jesus lived, loving as Jesus loved, doing as Jesus did.&nbsp; They are the two great themes of the Bible expressed as Covenant and Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We now have his identity, so we can access exactly what Jesus accessed when we use his name.&nbsp; <em>\u2018If you ask for anything in my name the Father will give it to you\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The picture is one of fruitfulness and there is a process to go through in order to be fruitful, that ensures fruitfulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Everyone wants to be fruitful. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus says you are fruitful by remaining \/ abiding in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus suggests that this abiding experience occurs through pruning. V2-4<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it\u2019s not a slot machine relationship it is a covenant relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In preparing this I became aware that this principle relates to the peace Christ came to establish in this world<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I shouldn\u2019t be surprised because I have said many times before that these two great themes are found throughout the Bible<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Covenant and Kingdom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rest and Work<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being and Doing<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peace and ? ah careful here<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is Peace and Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>but it is inner Peace and outer Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peace and Order in our Soul and Peace and Order in the world<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personal Peace and Social Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instruments of Peace so that we can bring peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you desire Peace in the world, if you desire the fruit of Peace then first you need to find Peace by Abiding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our world is riven through with activism and the Christian world with religious activism. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are called to win the world for Christ but first we are called to Abide in Christ. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are called to seek Justice but first we are called to Abide in God of Justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We would love to have the power to change things but power is a dangerous thing and so first we must Abide with the powerful Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We want Peace &#8211; &#8211; &#8211; But first we must Abide with the Prince of Peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doesn\u2019t want our sacrifice he wants us Ps 40<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advent is an invitation to ABIDE<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How much time do we spend sunbathing in God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>silence listen&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply using &#8216;Jesus&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lectio Divina using read reflect respond rest<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need to spend longer with Jesus&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BUT \u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Problem if we just make it an internal peace where you enjoy God while all the world is burning around you<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>personal peace while there is so much injustice and suffering is another kind of \u2018pax romana\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why I was concerned that<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2018you don\u2019t know that doesn\u2019t mean what you think it means!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather it has to be where all that is broken is mended<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eph2 &#8211; He has broken the divided wall of hostility<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peace beyond us that brings wholeness<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>it rights wrongs<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>it brings dignity<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>it is a Kingdom narrative<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caesar does not get the final word on what peace is<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incarnation is our model for Abiding &#8211; Christ Abided in the world&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is incomplete to stop short with only a personal experience of Peace but it is also incomplete to only be pursuing wider social Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need inner Peace as well as social Peace else we will live with inner turmoil<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you go for social peace without inner peace you can end up angry twisted and bitter<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have met many activists whose marriages are falling apart<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>who have so much unresolved brokenness<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>people who chase after social justice and are cruel to their wives and kids and parents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I understand the feeling \u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2018Why don\u2019t you care about this as much as I do?\u2019 &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But you can get angry in your activity<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing so much good but so much personal brokenness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Others are stuck in personal peace you feel complete but you fail to recognise that you are called to be a bringer of peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>take your head out of the sand<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2018happy place, happy place\u2019 &#8211; Radio DJ Jordan North \u2018I\u2019m a celebrity get me out of here\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bringer of peace in<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>families<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>friends<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>race<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>economy<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>justice<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>politics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sue is going to sing the Carol \u2018O Holy night\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Long lay the world in sin and error pining,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8216;Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Truly He taught us to love one another;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>His law is Love and His gospel is Peace;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Chains shall he break, for the slave is our brother,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>And in his name all oppression shall cease,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sweet hymns of joy in grateful Chorus raise we;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Let all within us praise his Holy name!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The coming of the birth of Jesus brings inner Peace and Peace beyond the breaking of chains<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where does the pendulum need to swing for you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>not a pendulum of peace and lack of peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>it is a pendulum of inner peace and social peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peace in your soul and peace in the world<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peace be with you&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>can be corny<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>we can\u2019t greet one another with the peace but can we desire it<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for yourselves<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for one another<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for this nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Group Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Incarnation is our model for Abiding &#8211; Christ Abided in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He Abides with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He Abides with those who have no one to abide with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Loving the unlovely and unlovable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In what ways are we guilty of being exclusively committed?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who do Abide with and with whom do we avoid Abiding?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can we Abide more deeply in Christ?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do we Abide more effectively in the world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the Incarnation is a template for mission, how do we engage at Christmas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do we Restore the Awe of Christmas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can we cultivate a fresh longing and hope for Jesus and His Peace?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If that is our Being, our Abiding, then comes the Doing, our Mission and the fruit of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In what ways and we go to the world with a message of peace rather than thinking they will come to us looking for it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pray for Peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for yourselves<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for one another<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for this nation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>for the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is not a Christmas beard its a covid beardtrying to keep it under control is not easy\u00a0someone commented on it to me the other day &#8211; \u2018You need to do some manscaping!\u2019 I just smiled but I thought \u2018they &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/2020\/11\/29\/peace-is-an-invitation-to-abide-luke-21-14\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3433","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-video-message"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3433"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3434,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3433\/revisions\/3434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/stanwellroadbaptist.org.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}