James’s Blog: A Happy New Christmas.

James’s Blog:  A Happy New Christmas.

It’s another Christmas. I begin to suffer from festive deja vu around now. I walk through town, past the same pop-up stalls and window displays that I saw last year. I sit in front of the TV, wrapping presents, trying to remember if I did exactly this same thing last year, Read more

James’s Blog: Now That’s What James Calls Worship #3.

James’s Blog:  Now That’s What James Calls Worship #3.

The album version of this track isn’t available on YouTube (not in the UK, at least) so I’m having to post a live version taken from a festival, which is somewhat at odds with what the song means for me, as I’ll go on to explain.

Anyway, the band is Selfmindead and the song is called ‘Always’. Read more

James’s Blog: You are Contagious.

James’s Blog: You are Contagious.

I’m going to take a blog break for a couple of weeks over the summer, starting after this post. This is the first break I’ve taken since I started in 2015, so I don’t feel guilty at all. I’m going to leave you with a thought, something you can mull over while I’m off-line, and then we’ll pick up with business as usual in a couple of weeks. OK? Good.

The thought is this: you are contagious.

Don’t worry. So am I. Read more

James’s Blog: “Peace Be With You.”

James’s Blog:  “Peace Be With You.”

(Once again our church sent out some daily reflections over the Easter period.  Below is the short piece that I wrote for Easter Sunday.)

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Luke 24:36

Sometimes I just don’t get Jesus. I mean, there the disciples are, having a conversation (and they were hidden away, so it was a private conversation), when all of a sudden Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you.” I mean, I was always taught that it was rude to interrupt, but Jesus doesn’t seem to care. He intrudes and cuts them off in the middle of their discussion to offer them something that they hadn’t even asked for, like one of those annoying cold calls in the middle of dinner.

If Jesus really wanted to help, surely he would have gone out and about in Jerusalem and made sure that everyone saw him. Maybe he could have walked up to Herod’s palace, or Pilate’s residence, and knocked on the door with his nail-pieced hand and given them a telling-off. Then everyone would know that the disciples were right, and they wouldn’t have to hide any more, and everyone would want to listen to what they had to say.

Instead, he arrives when they are least expecting it, and gives them – of all things – peace. Peace is all right, I suppose, but what good is peace when everyone thinks you’re a heretic and wants you arrested? What good is peace when your whole world has been turned upside down, and you’re about to undertake the most incredible and demanding adventure you’ve ever known? And when Peter and the other disciples stood there, in the future years, awaiting their own violent deaths because they had followed Jesus, do you think that they stood there and said, “Thank goodness that at least I have peace.”?

I mean, is that the best thing that you can think of? The thing that you would want? For Jesus to intrude unexpectedly in the middle of your doubts and questions and struggles and say, “My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”? Is that really what the resurrection story is about? Is that really what we’re supposed to do with Easter during the rest of the year?

Yes. Yes, it is. “In this world you will have trouble,” said Jesus, “but take heart, for I have overcome the world.” Because of Easter, Jesus is able to interrupt any struggle, any difficulty, any challenge and bring peace. You might prefer him to take away your problems, but he never promised that. Instead, he brings something better. Peace in the midst of problems. We need Jesus to intrude and offer us this peace, because there’s nowhere else that it can be found.

James’s Blog: Dude, Where’s My Peace?

James’s Blog:  Dude, Where’s My Peace?

It’s been a hectic week.  It’s not just been the build up to Christmas, though that doesn’t help, but Ruth has also had an operation which has put her out of action, so it’s been a one-man show round here for the past few days (she’s doing well, by the way).  I’ve also been very conscious of the fact that I need to come up with a blog post.  Read more

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