Time

I write this on the evening the clocks are due to change. I always remember which way it goes by means of the old saying, “Spring forward, Fall back“. In the Spring the clocks go forward one hour; in the Fall, or Autumn, they go back an hour and many of us feel the benefit: we gain an hour of precious night‘s sleep.

Our earthbound human race is one that is trapped in time. This is very significant because we have a God who is outside time. That much is made clear in the book of Revelation, which I am preaching about in our Sunday services at the moment. God in Christ is the First and the Last, and the Living One – the Alpha and Omega or, in modern lettering, the A and the Z. Past, present and future are all alike before God’s gaze at any one time.

If we thought about it, we would love to be able to step outside of time. Time can be a very frustrating commodity. It may hang heavy for us. On the other hand, it may move too fast for us. We often wish there were 25 hours in the day and eight days in the week because our work is never done.

It seems to me that one of the advantages that Jesus left to one side when He came from heaven to this earth was the advantage of being outside of time. As a citizen of earth He learned the frustrations that are second nature to us. He was no doubt anxious to get going on the mission God His Father had given Him to do – though he had to wait for the right time to embark upon it. Towards the end of His earthly ministry, He had to wait day after agonising day anticipating the unspeakable horror of the coming crucifixion.

And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:37-39 ESV

I can spot just two consolations for our Saviour in the midst of this long-drawn-out agony. One is that He would never be seen to become aged and lose His vigour (in human terms). In a few weeks’ time we shall hear the Ode to the Fallen, the young victims of two world wars, read out:

They grow not old, as we who are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

But infinitely greater for our Saviour would be the fact that He could shout at the very end, “It is finished” - “Mission accomplished”. The salvation of millions who have put their trust in Him was sealed and delivered by those two words. It would have been worth every tormenting minute as far as Jesus was concerned. If you make Him your trust, that’s one more soul added to the worth of it. Eternity will not be long enough to contain the joy.

Forecasting the Weather

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed. Matthew 16:1-4 ESV
 
Weather apps are very popular on smartphones. There are many to choose from and I have quite a selection on my equipment. I often act as though that entitles me to be an instant expert, somebody who can accurately predict the weather for whatever events people are concerned about. To my frustration, I end up finding that everybody seems to know what the weather is going to do except me!

The apps let me down constantly. I ditch them in disgust and then put them back in case I was a little too hasty. In fact I have discovered that the forecast details can be taken in several different ways, and I am going on a course to try to understand how to interpret them more accurately.

Our Bible reading refers to a piece of weather lore that has been tried and tested over the course of many centuries. “Red sky at night – shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning – shepherd’s warning.” Scientists have demonstrated that the old proverb can be backed up scientifically.

The Jewish experts in the law clearly knew about this saying and used it effectively. However, they were much less spot-on when it came to interpreting the signs of the times. In Jesus, God’s activity was manifest right in front of them and they just could not see it.
Jesus perceived that it was not out of stupidity or lack of imagination that they failed to see the obvious. It was simply because they were perverse and didn’t want to see. 

They have their counterparts today who simply will not accept clear, evident facts because of fear and prejudice. They have a vested interest in promoting lies and fantasies. They are unwilling to accept the truth because it will expose their weaknesses and make them look stupid.

Some may imagine I am referring to those who don’t accept evolution or climate change. In fact I am thinking of quite different groups: those who are in denial about the abuse of vulnerable people in our society; those who refuse to see evil in the culture of some minority groups because they are afraid of the charge of discrimination.

Jesus told the Jewish leaders that, if they would only let the facts speak for themselves, they would accept that He was God’s Messiah. I am willing to do that. Are you?