Rocky Road Epistles Chapter 10
Rocky Road Epistle for Sunday 24th May 2020Chapter 10One question I keep asking or hearing is “How Long?”
At the moment I do not know the answers, but we must keep praying and looking to God. Pam mentioned a story that Thora Hird once told on “Praise Be” on BBC1. It was about a little girl saying her prayers: “God bless Mummy, God bless Daddy, God bless my brother Tommy, God bless Granny - and God look after yourself, ‘cos if anything happens to you, we’ve had it!” From Ascension Day (Thursday 21st May) to Pentecost (Sunday 31st May) Churches Together challenge Christians to pray for 5 friends who do not yet know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Choose five people you will pray for over these 10 days and write their names down onto a list. If you’re not sure who to pray for, ask God to guide you as you choose. Once you have settled on 5 names, commit to praying for them regularly, one possible prayer is the following: Loving Father, Finance
Passage for next week’s reflection is Acts 2 v.1-13 Reflection from LauraBased on the passage for this week Acts 1 v.1-11 The question “How Long?” is very similar to one that children ask on a journey, and you may well have asked yourself; “are we nearly there yet?” We like to know when we will arrive and when things will be sorted out. The question “How Long?” is found in the Bible, particularly in the Psalms. For example How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13 v.1) Or Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalm 90 v.13-14) The first chapter in the book of Acts starts with a brief recap of Luke’s gospel about Jesus, his life on earth, his death and resurrection. It then goes on to the account of the Holy Spirit coming, the church being born and spreading out from Jerusalem. In today’s reading we have the question “How Long?”, though not in the same words. Jesus had been telling His disciples to wait in Jerusalem and that, in a few days’ time, they would receive the promised Holy Spirit. The disciples asked Jesus “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1 v.6). In other words, “How Long” until your Kingdom comes on earth? Are we nearly there yet? Will you establish your Kingdom when the Spirit comes upon us? Jesus does not give a time scale, instead he pointed out that it was not the disciples’ problem (v.7). They did not need to know as all times and dates are in the hands of God the Father. In Mark’s gospel we read these words of Jesus (speaking about his second coming to earth as King) “No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It's like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. (Mark 13 v.32-34). Matthew, in his gospel, has this comment "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. (Matthew 24 v.45-46). In our passage Jesus told the disciples to trust in God for the future and that until he returned, they had work to do in the present. The promised Holy Spirit would come and give them the power to spread the gospel throughout the world. As Jesus ascended into heaven, he was taken up before their eyes (v.9) and a cloud hid him from their sight. They would not physically see Jesus again while they lived on earth. No wonder they stood looking upward, possibly trying to catch one more glimpse or perhaps feeling left on their own or just wondering if this really was the end of one chapter and the start of the next. Two angels appeared with a question for the disciples “Why are you standing here looking into the sky?” (v.11). The angels confirmed that one day Jesus will return. The disciples could not just stand around waiting, they had work to do. Through their work, their praying, their witnessing and showing God’s love to the world you and I are now disciples. We have come to know and to serve the living God, we know the Father’s love, the Son’s saving mercy and the Spirit’s enabling and equipping. We have work to do - called to be witnesses just as the first disciples were. There is a danger that we get stuck in worrying about “How Long Lord?”. We need to move onto a better question, something like “here I am Lord, what do you want me to pray and do?” I’m encouraged by these words of Hudson Taylor that “God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” PrayersA Prayer of Thanksgiving for the Ascension Risen and ascended Lord, But you have taught us deeper truth: A prayer for the global pandemic from the Christian Aid Website ‘Love…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Loving God, Instil in our shaken souls May your love that never ends Songs for SundayRejoice! the Lord is King. Lift up your heart, lift up your voice. Jesus the Saviour reigns, His kingdom cannot fail: He sits at God's right hand 5) Rejoice in glorious hope. We soon shall hear the archangel's voice; Charles Wesley © CCLI #5638 Our eyes have seen the glory Glory, glory, hallelujah, He came to earth at Christmas The good news of His kingdom His kingdom is a family Roland Meredith © CCLI #5638 Reminders
Bible Study on Wednesday May 27th at 7.30pmAll are welcome to join in and if you do not have internet you can join us over the phone. We are taking a gentle stroll through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The passage for 27th May is Philippians 2 v.12-18, I am aware that some of you will receive this epistle after that date, but you can still look at the passage yourself. If you have a phone and want to join in the Bible Study - then you can.
If you prefer to do this Bible Study at home, then ask yourself the following? 4 whats
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Thanks to our treasurer John Farey who is keeping an eye on this for us. Some of you have asked us about RRBC’s situation. We are fine at the moment; I do not need to be furloughed! But our thanks go to those of you who donate regularly through your bank. I know some of you use the envelopes which are likely to be piling up, if you want to send a cheque for the contents plus the envelopes themselves to John he is happy to deal with them. We have also had several donations to cover the postage costs of sending out the chapter epistles – many thanks to those of you who have given money for this.
