Monday 14 February

Exodus 15:1-16:36

The instructions about mann are the first time that the concept of the Sabbath is described to the Israelites.  Following on as they do from the highly-specific instructions about celebrating the passover (which we read 2 days ago) we see Moses beginning to construct a highly prescribed and highly symbolic pattern of life for the people of God.  I suspect that such activity today would quickly be labelled legalism but I really don’t think that is what is going on here.  I think one of the best ways of understanding it is to say that the Israelites lived rather than read their theological learning.  Their daily life was so inextricably tied up with their doctrines about God that anyone in the community could look at their monthly calendar and understand who it was that was looking out for them, what sort of character he had and what kind of behaviour he expected from his people.  So, Sabbath showed that it was actually Yahweh, and not their own or their family’s hard work, that caused them to have food on the table; that Yahweh was a God who knew and cared for every individual equally; and that he wanted his people to live in daily dependance on him.   This was a super-strong corporate impulse to resist self-reliance and individualism and to make faith in God an experienced reality.  I believe that faith as an experienced reality is something that God and the world is crying out for the church to recapture; maybe similar rigid theological practices could aid us in reaching that goal?

Matthew 28:1-20

Wow! It’s actually such an abrupt ending to the gospel that you feel like you are dropping off a cliff.  We only just got our heads round the fact that Jesus died and then, before we have time to take our bearings, he lightning bolts a couple of soldiers, cheekily greets the women while they are sprinting down a track, issues the great commission and, well... that’s it!  I guess Matthew feels like he can cut things off so quickly because his case has already been made and the application points are self-evident; if Jesus has actually been raised then the whole world must be told about it.  He hasn’t really explained what it means to make disciples, other than to do what Jesus did - find people working away at their jobs and call them into being fishers of men - and he has barely name-checked either the Holy Spirit or baptism throughout the whole of his volume.  But I love the fact that Matthew doesn’t take the time to fully explore these issues here.  It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to take the edge off people just getting on and making disciples.  And that urgent, never-look-to-the-side edge is one that I am desperate to capture.  I’m desperate to blitz my community with invitations to follow Jesus.  I just want to go and call people into the service of the king, never mind about all the ins and outs of what that may look like. After all, the only things that really matter are that Jesus is the one with all the authority in all the universe and he is with me every moment of every day until he decides to bring my life, or this age, to its end. 

Psalm 21:8-13

I was wondering what I should write in Lesley’s valentines card but, having just read this wonderful love-song to Jesus, I can think of nothing better than just copying one of its beautifully romantic epithets - “Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes”...