SOME READINGS TO ILLUSTRATE THE CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS TRADITION.
1. Jesus is 'Love'.
Who was Jesus Christ? Two Greek names: Jesus was the Greek name for a Jew called Joshua, a carpenter who lived in Palestine two thousand years ago; Christ is Greek for the Jewish word 'Messiah', which in English means 'Saviour'. Christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God, who took human form and died the agonising death of crucifixion, in order to 'save' all mankind from the results of its sins. All we have to do to be 'saved', which means to go to heaven and receive everlasting life, is to believe in Jesus - that is to have Christian faith - and the measure of our belief in Him is how we lead our lives. The basic principle of Christian living is 'Love'. Jesus told us to "Love Your Neighbour as Yourself." What sort of love is this? What is Christian love? One of the most famous of Jesus' early followers, Paul, sets this out in one of his letters to early Christian churches:
[I CORINTHIANS, Chapter 13. vv. 1-8.]
(1) "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and do not have love, I am (like) sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. (2) And, if I have (the gift of) prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and, if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and do not have love, I am nothing. (3) And, if I should give away all my belongings (to feed the poor), and, if I should hand over my body, so that I am burned, but do not have love, I derive no benefit at all.
(4) Love is long-suffering (and) is kind; love is not envious, it does not brag, is not puffed up, (5) does not behave indecently, does not seek its own (interests), does not become provoked, does not keep a record of wrongs. (6) It does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; (7) it bears all (things), believes all (things), hopes all (things), endures all (things).
(8) Love never fails."
2. Christian love.
This love that Paul was writing about is not romantic love, but a deep care and concern for our fellow human beings, sometimes called 'charity'. It's a self-sacrificing love. You give of yourself to your neighbour. What is the most you can do for your neighbour? Die for him! Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than he lays down his life for his friend". Jesus illustrated this willingness to die for his friends in a 'parable'. A parable is a story with a deeper meaning contained or hidden within it. Jesus tended to explain how people should live by means of these parables. They are very powerful. This one is called the 'Parable of the Good Shepherd'.
[JOHN, Chapter 10. vv. 1-15.]
1) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that does not enter into the sheep-fold through the door, but climbs up by another way, that (man) is a thief and a robber; 2) but he that enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3) The door-keeper opens (it) to him, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4) When he brings out all his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice; 5) but a stranger they will by no means follow, because they do not recognise the voice of strangers." 6) Jesus told them this parable; but they did not understand what (the things) which he was saying to them meant.
7) So again, Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8) All those who have come instead of me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9) I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and find pasture. 10) The thief does not come, except to steal and to destroy; I have come that they might have life, and (that) they might have (it) in abundance.
11) "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; 12) but the hired man, who is not the shepherd, and whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and abandons the sheep and flees - and the wolf catches them and scatters (them) - 13) because he is a hired man and does not care about the sheep. 14) I am the good shepherd, and I know my (sheep), and my (sheep) know me, 15) just as the Father knows me and I know my Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."
3. How Christians should live.
Jesus was truly a man who lived for others, and, as we know, he did eventually have to lay down his life for his friends - whom Christians believe means all of us. How in practice should Christians live, if they are to love their neighbours as themselves? Paul sets this out in a famous passage.
[ROMANS, Chapter 12.]
(1) "Therefore, I beseech you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (as) a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to god, and your sacred service as a spiritual (person); (2) and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove (to yourself) what (is) the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
(3) So, through the grace that has been given to me, I say to every (man) who is among you not to think more highly (of himself) than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has distributed to each (man) the measure of faith. (4) For, as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, (5) so we, (although) many, are one body in Christ, and our parts (are joined) one to another. (6) But, having different gifts according to the grace that has been given to us, whether prophecy, (let us prophesy) in accordance with the proportion of our faith, (7) or ministry, (let us concentrate) on our ministry, or teaching, on our teaching, (8) or he who exhorts, on his exhortation, he that gives, (let him do it) with generosity, he who is put in charge, (let him act) with zeal, (and) he that provides charity, (let him do so) with cheerfulness.
(9) (Let) love (be) without pretence. Abhor what is evil, and cling to what is good; (10) (be) clearly devoted to one another in brotherly love, set an example in (showing) honour to each other, (11) do not be half-hearted in your diligence, (but) be fervent in spirit, (while) serving the Lord, (12) rejoicing in hope, enduring in tribulation, persisting steadfastly in prayer, (13) providing for the needs of the saints, (and) given to hospitality. (14) Bless those who persecute (you), bless (them) and do not curse (them). (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (16) Be of the same mind towards one another, do not concern yourselves with exalted things, but condescend to those of low estate. Do not be wise in your own (conceits).
(17) Return evil for evil to no one; have regard for (what is) noble in the presence of all men; (18) if possible, (and in so far as it depends) on you, live in peace with all men. (19) Do not seek vengeance yourselves, my beloved, but give place to (God's) wrath, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" (vid. Deuteronomy 32.35), says the Lord. (20) But, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for (by) doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head" (vid. Proverbs 25.21-22). (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
4. The futility of worldly success.
What gets in our way when Christians try to live their lives in this way? A desire for worldly success and wealth! Jesus warns us about the danger, the futility, of just seeking wealth in another famous parable, called the 'Parable of the Rich Fool', at the end of which he tells Christians to trust in God, not money. He says that earthly wealth is really worthless, since it is only be acquiring riches in the sight of God that we can enter heaven.
[LUKE, Chapter 12. vv. 13-31.]
13) "Then, one of the crowd said to him: "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." 14) But he said to him: "Man, who made me judge (vid. Exodus 2.14) or arbitrator over you?" 15) Then he said to them: "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things that belong to him." 16) Then, he spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. 17) And he pondered within himself, saying: "What shall I do, because I have nowhere to store my crops?" so he said: "This will I do; I will pull down my barns and build greater (ones), and there I will store all the grain and my goods; 19) and I will say to my soul: "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take it easy, eat, drink (and) be merry. 20) But he said to him: "(You) fool, this night they are demanding your soul from you; to whom, then, will (those things) belong which you have prepared? 21) So (is) he (who) lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God."
22) Then, he said to his disciples: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you should eat, nor about your body, what you should put on! 23) For life is more than food, and the body (is more) than clothing. 24) Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storeroom nor barn, yet God feeds them; how much more are you worth than birds! 25) Which (one) of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his height? 26) So, if you cannot do the smallest (thing), why worry about the rest? 27) Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory (vid. 1 Kings 10.4-7; 2 Chronicles 9.3-6) was arrayed like one of these. 28) But, if God so clothes the grass, (which) today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more (will he clothe) you, (O you) of little faith! 29) Now, seek not what you should eat and what you should drink, and do not be anxious, 30) for the nations of the world are seeking after all of these (things), but your father knows that you have need of them; 31) but seek his kingdom and these (things) will be given to you."
5. Trust in God.
Christians believe that they can trust totally in Jesus and God, His Father. This can be illustrated by a short final extract from an unknown modern Christian writer. It's called 'Footprints (in the Sand)'.
['FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND'.]
"One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand - one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The Lord replied: "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
P.S. The article above stems from some papers recently discovered by Sabidius' colleague and coadjutor, Andrew Panton (see the 'Prolegomenon' at the beginning of this blog). These readings, and the attached commentary, were offered by him to the Christian Society at Burnham Grammar School, Bucks, where he taught History from 1968 to 1970. However, the four biblical readings above are now all taken from Sabidius' translations which have been published on this blog.
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