What I see as a real problem is the infant God syndrome. It is the way, when Jesus is mentioned at Christmas; he is constantly presented as a ‘babe in a manger’.  It is as if he never grew up! It is as if he is just a cute religious motif for the season. Please don’t get me wrong, it is not that I don’t believe that Jesus was born to the unwed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, announced by angels, visited by shepherds.  Those facts are part of the historical record about Jesus[1].  Of course I believe it all happened.  The problem is this: while we focus our attention on the vulnerable infant in the manger, we miss the incredible significance of his birth.  The celebration of ‘Christmas’ becomes a homely festival, instead of the anniversary of a world changing event when the Creator stepped into His Creation to become its Redeemer. Could you imagine taming the anniversary of 9/11 and turning it into a sentimental commercial and gastronomic celebration?

When Jesus was born God set in action his plan to redeem and restore the world and the people he had made from scratch.  Now, God didn’t do what he could have done: He didn’t arrive with troops to round up the guilty parties, to administer justice and clean up the mess humankind had made[2]. Instead, he showed his true character: humble, loving and generous beyond compare.  Instead, He chose to take the consequences of humanity’s rebellion on Himself, in the person of Jesus.  By doing that, he saved people, wherever possible, from the certain, and indescribable horror of coming face to face with the unique and pure power of God, an encounter we could not survive. Jesus, both man and God, became the human shield for us – at one time both suffering for us, protecting us. Jesus was certainly born: he was only briefly the infant God, but he grew up more than we can grasp – he was born to die in our place, redeeming us and our world.

[2] Jesus made it clear that he could have taken this course of action, but choice not to do that was consistent with God’s word.

Often the funeral of the person who doesn’t know Jesus is a heavy with sadness that a life has ended and there is nothing left but memories.  So, the response of those who are grieving is to look for evidence, in the life of the person, that they had lived a ‘good’ life. The nature of the ‘good’ life is spoken of in many and various ways: was a good person, enjoyed life, was kind, lived life to the full ... etc..

The funeral of a person who does know Jesus, whilst it may contain some searching for evidence of the ‘good’ life, is at heart very different.  Although there is the sadness and grieving that comes with the separation of bereavement, there is also confidence and hope.

The search for the ‘good’ in a person is part of an unconscious desire (although sometimes it might be intentional) to make sense of the life that has ended.

Sometimes, when we talk about the resurrection of Jesus we take the same approach.  God raised Jesus back to life to prove that he was a good Son – we look back on the life of Jesus described in the Gospels, we see how Jesus was faithful to His Father, how he did and said so many good things, and we come to the conclusion that the Father made Jesus alive again, because Jesus was a good man.  But, in the Bible, God gives us a number of different reasons for Jesus being raised from death.

Jesus, himself, tells us (as he told his disciples on the night before he was killed) that he was going to his Father to prepare a place for his disciples, and that he would come back to take them there (John 13.36-14.7). He spoke clearly about returning.  Later that evening we learn, through his prayer, that his concern is for everyone who believes him through the message of disciples (John 17.20).  Jesus saw his death and his resurrection as necessary parts of bringing his friends home to his Father’s house.  If he didn’t die, and if he wasn’t raised, then none of what he had promised would happen.

Some days earlier, when Jesus was speaking with the bereaved sister of Lazarus, he announced to her that he, Jesus, is the resurrection and the life.  So, resurrection was not just a thing that would happen to Jesus, it is much more than that: Jesus is the resurrection.  Resurrection only happens because of Jesus.  Without Jesus there can be no resurrection; without Jesus there is no resurrection. We like to think that Jesus is love, but we should also remember that Jesus is the resurrection.

In our society that chooses to reject God, there is no expectation of resurrection. To have life after death would imply that there is some sort of unfinished business: some business that cannot be completed or resolved in this life.  Life after death suggests that there is more to life than what we see, smell, touch, feel, and taste.

Paul, the man who vigorously opposed Jesus, the man who Jesus challenged and turned around, adds to our understanding of the importance of the resurrection in many ways. When he was explaining his message to the ruling council of Athens, the Council of the Aeropagus, in around 49-50AD, Paul gave another reason for the resurrection of Jesus.  This reason also looks forward to a resurrection of all people – even those who don’t believe in God!

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance[1], but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this by raising him from the dead.”  Acts 17.30,31 (NIV)

Since the resurrection of Jesus is proof that the world will be judged, we will do well to be prepared for that judgement day by turning to the risen Lord Jesus, accepting his offer of safe passage, and trusting him to take us to his Father’s home as his friends.

Why resurrection? The resurrection of Jesus is yet another mark of God’s goodness mercy shown to a rebellious world, as the Almighty calls us back to engage with him as his people.  If we trust the one who is “the resurrection”, we can look forward to our own resurrection with confidence. If we continue to reject Jesus, resurrection is a prospect to awful to imagine, but it remains a real and present danger.

When I hear about the way God has blessed other fellowships with growth and baptism of new (on old) believers, I wonder if I should push for a greater level of commitment from people in our church.

But, when I read the Scriptures with the people God has gathered here in Sassafras, when we gather around God’s word and grapple with what he is saying I am challenged even more. On Sundays as we read through the book of Acts, and each Tuesday night at the Prayer and Bible group as we reading Paul’s letter to God’s people in Ephesus, I am challenged more and more by what God has done through Christ Jesus, and what he continues to do in his people here. It is so easy to have our heads turned by what is reported from other places, and to lose sight of what God is doing amongst us. It is so easy to start wondering what I can do, and forget to consider what God has done and what He is continuing to do. But, when God’s word is opened with His people, I am challenged to look to our risen Lord Jesus Christ, to see what he is doing in the lives of His people who he has redeemed with his own blood.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (New English Translation)

However, when Jesus told his disciples not to stop the children from being brought to him, he said that “the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”. (Luke 18)

But what did he mean?  Why does the kingdom of God belong to children and people who are “like” children?  And, what is it about “children” that makes them so worthy of the kingdom?

If we look at what was happening when Jesus said this we can get a few clues.  In Luke 17 we find the Pharisees asking Jesus about when the kingdom of God would come.  First, Jesus pointed out that the coming of the Kingdom of God would not be predictable or obvious.  Then, he made it clear that the coming of the Kingdom was linked to judgement as well as God’s undeserved goodness and mercy.  Second, Jesus pointed out that the Kingdom of God was already in their midst.  This was a reference to the fact that He was with them.   He connected himself to the judgement through the rejection and suffering he would experience.

Jesus continued to build a picture of what the Kingdom of God is like, and who is fit for the Kingdom. Trying to save ourselves will not work (17.33). God is more willing to give justice than we are to ask for it (!) so we should not lose heart, but keep praying (18.1-7). Then Jesus contrasted the Pharisee and tax-collector.  The tax-collector was a despised person because he did the dirty work of the Roman overlords.  They were not known for being particularly honest or fair about doing it! The Pharisee was so concerned to avoid doing wrong that he became obsessed with being super good.  Jesus shocks his hearers by stating that “bad” man who asks for mercy is in a better position before God than the “super good” man who rests on his own goodness.

Then, after the incident with the children a rich ruler who, like the Pharisee in the parable, has done everything right came to Jesus to ask what more he must do to ensure he would enter the Kingdom of God.

Often people are tempted to believe that Kingdom of God belongs to children because they are innocent or intrinsically good.  But, Jesus dismissed that notion with the parable about the Pharisee and the tax-collector.  Our own goodness will not make us right with God.  To underline that Jesus rejects the lifelong good-living of the rich ruler.  Good living will not get the ruler into heaven by his own efforts either.  And, he cannot buy his way into the God’s Kingdom.  His wealth has got in the way.  He has to get rid of it all!

So, what about the children receiving the Kingdom of God?  If it is not because they are intrinsically good, or “innocent”, then why does the Kingdom of God belong to such as these?  In each case the men who are not worthy have assumed that their behaviour and their achievements have made them fit for the Kingdom.  A child has come naked into the world (Ecclesiastes 5.15).  A child has nothing to commend him or her, no achievement, no attachment to wealth or status.  So, a child must rely entirely on the mercy of God to enter the Kingdom of God.  But, we must also be careful to note all that Jesus says here.  He is using the children as examples: he doesn’t say that the Kingdom belongs to children, but that the Kingdom is received by such as these.  No personal achievement, no wealth, no status can get anyone into God’s Kingdom.

The rich ruler cannot even contemplate entering the Kingdom of God while he puts his trust in all his wealth.  The Pharisee cannot even contemplate entering the Kingdom of God if he behaves as if he has a right of entry.  His arrogance before God excludes him just as effectively as the rich man’s attachment to his wealth.

We cannot buy our way into the God’s Kingdom by our achievements or good works.  The only way into the Kingdom is through a humble trust in Jesus to take us to His Father.  People who are welcomed into God’s kingdom are people who Jesus has saved through his own suffering and death; people who the Father has given new life along with His precious Son, Jesus.

First, we must remember that death is offensive to God. He didn’t want death in His wonderful world.  (When God finished His work of creating He saw that the world was very good. (Genesis 1.31))  That is why the Lord warned and commanded Adam not to eat from that one tree.  But, Adam did eat, and death was the result; not immediately humankind was not wiped out immediately, but a long slow death entered the world.  Death became part of living.  We are always surrounded by death and decay.

At the other end of the Bible (Revelation 21) God tells us that there will be a time when there is no more death. This still doesn’t tell us why death of God’s people is precious – but, it points us in the right direction. You see, before there could be no more death, God had to deal with death, He had to destroy its power over life.

When He sent Jesus to call people back to Himself, the Almighty God showed that death can be conquered.  The Son of God was killed, but God raised Him back to life.  When He did this, the Lord God showed that He can, and He has, beaten death. But it was costly to beat death. Our Heavenly Father allowed His own Son to taste death for us. In order to destroy the power of death, Jesus died for us. That is one reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

Breaking the power of death cost God the life of His only Son.  Every death of one of God’s people is a reminder of the heavy price God paid to save people from death.

Now, there is a bit of a myth, no, it is more than myth – it is just a falsehood that has grown up about how a person gets to be one of God’s people.

Some folks think that you have got to be good to get into heaven. But, that is not true.  Jesus made it clear that He didn’t come to the religious people who thought they were good enough for heaven.  He didn’t come to people who thought they were OK! We see this again and again in the Gospels. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37, Matthew 22, Mark 12), Jesus said “Woe” to those people who thought they had the right to get into heaven because they thought they were good enough (Matthew 23).  No, Jesus came to rescue people who were trapped, people who were stuck in a world that is falling apart because people have chosen to turn away from the Lord God. From the time of Adam’s first act of “self determination” when he chose against God and for himself the whole world has been groaning because death entered the world (Romans 8.18-23).

But, people still die.

Does that mean that Jesus failed?

No; not at all.

When Jesus was raised from death to life He showed that death is not the end. He showed that there is a way through death to new life; and, Jesus himself is the way (John 11.23-27; 14.1-6).  Now, that is another reason why the death of His people is precious in the sight of the Lord.

When God’s people die, they are still with Him, death is not the end. When God raised Jesus from the dead He changed death. It is no longer the end; it is now a new beginning – where Jesus leads the way home to His Father.  And, His Heavenly Father is waiting for all those people He is calling back to himself.