Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24: v 45-47
Easter Greetings
As we approach Easter, I was sent a reflection by Jeff Fountain who is the facilitator of the ForMission College MA in Missional Leadership campus in Amsterdam. Jeff writes:
“What is the connecting thread through these stories and actions? Surely it is the fate of Israel and of the Jews who had not recognised the day of their visitation. Consider:
- The cleansing of the temple – a house of prayer for all peoples turned into a commercial market-place – represented judgement on a people who had forgotten why they had been chosen: to be a light to the Gentiles.
- The fig tree was cursed for being fruitless. What fruit should Israel have borne?
- Who was the younger son who agreed to do the father’s will, but didn’t – the Jews? and the older son who initially refused but ended up obeying – the Gentiles?
- The wedding feast tells of the invited guests (Jews) who were too busy to come; the outcasts (read Gentiles) were then invited in.
The key passage seems to be the story of the wicked tenants (21:33-46), who kill the owner’s messengers and then his own son, expecting to inherit the property themselves. Jesus asks the crowd to judge: “What will the owner do to those tenants?” They all know the right answer: “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give the owner his produce.”
“Exactly!” Jesus in effect replies. He then adds: “(Therefore) the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.”
A cross made of driftwood by Andy Nicholls at Trevone Bay, Cornwall
Saddest verse
Remarkably, Jesus is not here preoccupied with his encroaching personal suffering. Rather he is focused on the missed opportunity for his own people and the tragic consequences.
So, what does this have to do with us in Europe today?
The current tide of nationalism can tempt us to repeat Israel’s tragic failure: ethno-centricity. Instead of embracing God’s purposes for all peoples, Israel focused on being the Chosen. They forgot what they had been chosen for: to bless all the peoples of the world and be a light to the peoples. Too often they adopted an ‘Israel first’ policy.
In chapter 24, Jesus describes the Great Commission in terms of the good news of God’s reign being shared among all peoples of the world. Even the disciples didn’t grasp this at first. When Jesus appeared to them after the Resurrection, they asked in effect, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will make Israel great?’ (Acts 1:6).
Here is a warning for us all when we are tempted to embrace religious nationalism and keep our distance from strangers ‘to preserve our Christian heritage’. The gospel is inclusive, intended for all peoples. We are better people when we commit to the welfare of others, that is to ‘loving our neighbours’. Especially in this time of global crisis, we need to seek the common good.
May Holy Week remind us that the future of the church is multi-cultural, embracing every nation, tribe, people and language.”
Thanks, Jeff, for these great thoughts and a very blessed Easter tide to all of you. – Martin Robinson
Contacting FCC churches
Newsletter
While the lock down lasts, we will be sending this simple newsletter to all the churches and ministers in the FCC family once a week. We hope you find it helpful. If you know of someone who is not receiving it and you want them to be added to the list, please be in touch. Feel free to ask us to send it to other key leaders in your congregation.
Phone Calls
We also intend to phone every church / minister/ church leader every three weeks during the period. If you don’t hear from us over the next few weeks, maybe we don’t have your correct phone number. If you think we are passing you by, please text your contact details to 07774126394.
Resources at this difficult time
The BBC has reported that internet interest in Christianity has increased by 140% since the lockdown. God TV reports it has seen traffic on its site increase from 1 million to 15 million over the last few weeks.
Live-streaming is exploding – vast numbers of services and prayer related events are being held online and there is a great flourishing of creativity. Platforms such as Zoom, FacebookLive for Churches, Churchservices.tv and YouTube are being used and many churches are seeing sharp increases in attendance figures. The common hashtag is #WithYouInSpirit.
Evangelical Alliance has an excellent resource page, Top tips for doing church digitally for churches during the Coronavirus. Baptists Together have produced a guide for church leaders new to online streaming. The Methodist Church has a set of useful resources including ‘an at-home service if you can’t get to a funeral’ and ‘doing your own live-streaming’. The United Reformed Church has an excellent set of downloadable information guides on how to record a podcast and how to use the most common social media platforms.
Together Apart is a new hub for rural churches supporting people in rural areas during the pandemic, with a range of resources including farming and agriculture support, practical resources, guidance and advice, plus resources for children and families.
For further help and information contact Lynda Robinson by email: