Scripture Reflections

Did you see Jesus on Sunday? 
 
As a church, in our various groups, we’re reading through Revelation, where John tells us what he saw and heard while “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Rev 1:10). We should not expect to experience the anointing of the Spirit like John did as one who was chosen to write words of Scripture, but as we read in 1 Corinthians 1:30: “You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” If we, like John, are in Jesus, are we not also caught up in the Spirit on every Lord’s day, into the presence of Jesus, sitting at the right hand of the Father? 
 
When I’m putting our youngest two boys to bed, the most interesting conversations often happen. The other day Calum, the five year-old, asked me, “Where is Jesus in church?” Their experience of church is a bit odd, having grown up meeting for church in our living room, but they know, in a way I sometimes struggle to, that it is truly church, just like when we were able to meet with you all during the summer. But where is Jesus in all this? 
 
In the Gospel reading this week, we went with Jesus up on the mountain and, with his disciples, received his words: “Blessed are…” Jesus gave us a picture of the good life, the life of one who like the blessed man of Psalm 1 is “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither.” But he did not only give us a picture of the good life; he, the Blessed Man, lived the good life and died as the perfect sacrifice so that you and I can be in him. And what made his life good? Comfort, security, loving and understanding family and friends, riches and influence? Of course not! When we consider Jesus’ life, the goodness we see is in him, not in his circumstances. Jesus made his life good by giving it to his Father: on the cross we see him poor in spirit, mourning, meek (gentle, repaying evil with good), hungry and thirsty—for righteousness, not for sour wine!—merciful, pure in heart, the true peacemaker, persecuted for righteousness’ sake, reviled and persecuted with all kinds of evil uttered against him: enduring the shame for the joy set before him. This is the one:
 
Who pardons your sin
And heals every sickness
And out of the pit redeems your life
And crowns you with his love and compassion
And satisfies your soul with good.
 
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean:
His blood availed for me.
 
When John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, he tells us he heard a voice behind him, and he turned to see the voice that was speaking to him (Rev 1:10 and 12). May we also turn, and see Jesus, and seeing him, be made more like him.
 
Hannah