Archive for December, 2011

What language will we speak in Heaven?

by Hugh on December 17, 2011 in Faith with 9 Comments

Now you may think that this is a pointless question. Some hypothetical conversation that we couldn’t possibly know the answer to… But the New Creation is clearly a place where there is praising, worship and relationship with God and one another. If Jesus’ resurrection body is anything to go by then we will surely be able to speak to one another – either with common language or common understanding.

But here’s the point, and why it’s a very relevant question. What if you’re deaf? Continue reading →

Christopher Hitchens

by Hugh on December 16, 2011 in Current Affairs with No comments

This post is a tribute to the late, great Christopher Hitchens who died today aged 62.

I guess for me I first came across Hitchens through programmes like Question Time. His outspoken support for the Iraq war made him stand out on most panels. Whatever you thought about his views at least they were his, he never trotted out any party line, he was a model in free thought and speech. He was a master in this arena, who could debate with the best and always come out on top, a brilliant word-smith and provocateur. Continue reading →

Islamisation – the price of Democracy?

by Hugh on December 14, 2011 in Current Affairs with No comments

What price is worth paying for Democracy?

Large defence budgets? UK troops killed in foreign lands? The inevitable civil wars? These seem a high cost enough, considering it’s not exactly a political system that we’re all entirely thrilled with!

But what if the cost was religious freedom? You don’t have to be religious to believe in religious freedom, in fact in most places where there’s little freedom of religion there’s no room for Atheism either… you’ll have to go Communist for that. Continue reading →

Healing – but when?

by Hugh on December 13, 2011 in Faith with No comments

This Sunday I preached at a local church on Isaiah 35. There’s loads of imagery of restoration, healing, salvation in there. I tried to explain a three stage fulfillment of these verses, namely;

Historical – in Isaiah’s day
Christological – in Jesus’ day
Eschatological – on the final day

Plus, the tension we live in now. Experienceing some fulfilment now through Christ but how ultimately these verses aren’t fulfiled till the New Heavens and the New Earth. Anyway, a lady in the congregation who was big into healing asked me:

…if we believe are sins are forgiven now, why should we not think we are healed now (with a view to Isaiah 53:5)? Continue reading →

Advent – (Dis)Grace

by Hugh on December 12, 2011 in Faith with No comments

Here’s Advent thought number 2. It’s that time of year when we head back to the first few chapters of the gospels to remind ourselves of the Christmas story. Enter Zechariah and Elizabeth, they really kick the ball rolling with Christmas, although sadly often missing from your average Nativity play.

It’s a shame really. They’re model believers – Luke 1:6 tells us that they’re ‘upright in God’s sight’ and ‘observe all God’s laws blamelessly’. On top of that they’ve been waiting and praying patiently, praying for a child and for the child who will come to save (Luke 1:13), in the end their prayers are answered, and both come, one after the other. Continue reading →

Advent – No Fear

by Hugh on December 11, 2011 in Faith with No comments

It’s that time of year. Preparing for Christmas at church… “this must be your busiest time of year” says the barber, and well meaning relatives. Well probably not, but there’s certainly lots going on in Advent.

A time to focus on Jesus’ coming, and his coming again. I wanted to try a post a few Adventy and Christmasy bits over the next two weeks. Here’s the first…

It’s one of the consistent messages of the Christmas angels… “fear not”… in his Advent hymn ‘Come thou long expected Jesus’, Charles Wesley calls us to sing… “From our fears and sin release us”… Continue reading →

Christ in the Old Testament

by Hugh on December 5, 2011 in Faith with 1 Comment

Sometimes looking for Jesus in the Old Testament feels a bit like looking through a ‘Where’s Wally’ book. Turn each page and if you look hard you’ll see Jesus. It seems a bit of a trite approach to the Old Testament… Hermeneutics for dummies… and leaping to Jesus. Looks like a rabbit, sounds like a rabbit… but it must be Jesus…

Now I’m not sure that’s a wrong approach. The New Testament often uses pictures from the Old Testament to point to Jesus… and Jesus is indeed in ALL the Scriptures (Luke 24:27). Take Deuteronomy for example… Jesus is… Continue reading →