St James Church
Church Rd
Brownhills
West Midlands WS8 6AB
Tel 01543 372187
St James Church
Brownhills with Ogley Hay
Diocese of Lichfield
Dave’s word for February 2012
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3v16
This is probably one of the best known and loved passages from the Bible.. It reveals the extent of how much God loves and cares for us, that He was willing to enter our world of sin, live as one of us and deal with our sin by dying on the cross. Yet to what extent do we take for granted God’s love, or have simply lost the extent and passion of God’s love by down playing our sin and making God out to be no more than a cuddly, grand father figure?.
Reading more of John’s Gospel, in fact most of the Bible, reveals how bad our sin is, especially set alongside how glorious and perfect God is. War, greed, corruption, lying, racism, crime and intolerance blight all human relationships. The news is full of problems we face and no one is immune from blame, as Paul says in Romans 3v23, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”
Sin ruins not just the relationship between people, but most importantly it destroys it with God. The only way to deal with sin once and for all was the cross upon which Jesus died, and by doing so He opened the way for us to be reconciled with God and with one another.
This action on the cross demonstrates the depth and breath of God’s love. This is not weak, wish washy love, but real tough and sacrificial love. A love that is prepared to act to take the punishment for the sins of others, so that a new way to God can be made available.
To benefit from this act of love we need to do no more than accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour; we can’t earn, merit or buy this love. Just accept it in the power of the Holy Spirit and allow Jesus to renew and transform our lives from within.
It is through this that others may come to know and accept this wonderful love from God. Lives that are full of the Spirit, being daily renewed and transformed will be a wonderful witness to those around us. Think of those who have gone before us and their witness, especially to us, and determine to do likewise.
The world needs hope. We have this hope living and active within us; hope from God. The light of Christ. Let’s allow this light to shine within us and upon those we meet.
In the name of Christ,
Dave Bishop.