Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Nov 29 2019 - Zechariah 10 – God's care for Judah

Zechariah chapters 10 and 11 belong together and form one extended discourse.

Chapter 10 begins by asserting that it is the Lord, not some other local god such as Baal, who sends the rains that make the land fertile. Those who look to idols and who listen to idol worshipers are like sheep without a shepherd. They wander aimlessly, without direction and without help.

The Lord is angry with those leaders who have led his people away from him. I am sure that you have heard the saying, "If you want a job done properly, do it yourself." Maybe it's one you have used many times, or maybe it is one that has been thrown as an accusation against you. This, in effect is what the Lord says. He is going to give these useless shepherds the sack and is going to take over the task himself to ensure that it is done properly: "the Lord Almighty will care for his flock, the people of Judah" (v. 3).

There had been good leadership of God's people while the temple was being rebuilt, but it had not always been so. Previous leaders, kings, false prophets and priests had led the people into idolatry that had resulted in the exile. Zechariah looks beyond the days of Zerubbabel and Joshua to times when the people might again be led away into idolatry. In the face of such threats he brings God's word of promise that he will shepherd his flock himself. He will strengthen them so that they have the power to stand against all those who threaten them. He will provide them with leaders raised up from the people of Judah: the "cornerstone" – the foundation and reference point for the life of his people; the "tent peg" – that which gives stability to the whole structure and keeps it secure against the winds that might blow it away; the "battle-bow" – that which defends God's people from attack and sends their enemies fleeing away (v. 4).

The Lord promises:

I will strengthen Judah and save the tribes of Joseph.
I will restore them because I have compassion on them. (v. 6)

He will gather his scattered people who have been like sheep without a shepherd and bring them back to himself that they might "live securely" under his protection.

Again we see that this prophecy finds its ultimate fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ. Zechariah 9 promised that Zion's King, or Messiah, will come bringing salvation to his people (9:9-10). Jesus is the Messiah; he is the Lord come to shepherd his people. He had compassion on the crowds because he saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd. During his earthly ministry he told his disciples to go "to the lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 10:6), but after his resurrection he told them to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. With Jesus' coming, a faithful and powerful leader has been raised up from Judah through whom salvation and restoration is not restricted to one small corner of the world but embraces the whole world – and, indeed, the whole cosmos.

And we too have been enrolled in the Messiah's great task of bringing the world back to God. We need to ensure that leaders among the people of God in our day reflect the heart and conduct of the Lord Jesus (see 1 Peter 5:1-4): showing compassion for the people of God rather than exploiting them; gathering people into the fellowship of God's people rather than scattering them. The Lord wants the lavish and joyful banquet of his kingdom to be full to bursting (see Luke 14:23 and compare Zechariah 10:10).

Father God, once again we give you thanks for our Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for us and who, by his risen power, guides us and protects us in the fellowship of his people. Help us by your Spirit to be like him – to have compassion on those who are lost and in need and to lead them to the one who will be the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls.

Nov 29 2020 - John 20:1-31 – Seeing and believing

Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them on the evening of that first Easter day. He just could not believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw it for himself. The following week, when Jesus again appeared to them, Thomas was present and immediately confessed, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus responds by saying, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who believe without seeing” (John 20:29).

It’s tempting to take this last phrase of the Lord Jesus as a definition of true faith – faith believes without evidence. This certainly is what many would affirm concerning our faith – Mark Twain famously quipped that faith is believing what you know is not true! But such a view of faith fails to pay attention to how John’s Gospel continues. Immediately after this pronouncement of blessing by Jesus upon those who have not seen yet believe, John adds his own comment to the effect that the risen Jesus appeared on other occasions among the disciples and performed signs among them that are not recorded in his book. Nevertheless, “These things are recorded in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through faith you may have eternal life in his name” (20:30-31). John does not expect us to believe without evidence. He records the things that the first disciples and eyewitnesses had seen and heard so that we, through their testimony, might believe in Jesus and share in his resurrection life.

But this is no bookish faith – like believing that Henry the eighth had six wives because we have done the necessary historical research (or at least read books by, or seen programmes written by, those who have done such research). Christian faith is not less than that kind of believing, but it is far more. It is a passionate conviction that Jesus is the Christ; he is the Saviour of the world and Lord of all. It is a passionate commitment to him.

That passionate commitment springs from the fact that we know him. When Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene on that first resurrection morning she wanted to cling on to him so that he would never be taken away from her again. But Jesus tells her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’" (20:17).

The relationship which Jesus, the Son, enjoyed with the Father from all eternity, has become an open relationship – one that we enjoy with him. By the presence and testimony of the Spirit we have intimations of this reality now; we shall know it in all its fullness hereafter.

When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of that first Easter day, John records that he told them, “Just as the Father sent me, so I am now sending you.” Then he breathed on the disciples saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (20:21-22). They are to continue Jesus’ work, testifying to him and to his kingdom and calling people to repentance and faith. But they do not do this work alone, for the Spirit works in them, through them and with them. He also bears testimony to who Jesus is, what he has done and to his resurrection power and the arrival of his kingdom. It is the Spirit, not the disciples, who will bring people to faith.

And so it continues, generation after generation: word and Spirit together bear witness to Jesus, and the followers of Jesus continue his work as they bear testimony to him in word and through the power of transformed lives. We speak of what we know and we speak that others also may believe and know that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Risen Saviour, empower me by your Spirit to bear witness to you in word and in how I live. May my faith be more than mere words. May it be the fire of your Spirit within me, consuming me and energising me in the work of your kingdom.

Peter Misselbrook