Tag: Love

Episode NT25 – Lazarus

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – New Testament

Based on John chapter 11

Lazarus

DISCIPLE ANDREW ‘When the messenger arrived he had a serious look on his face and we could tell his message was urgent. Going straight to Jesus he said, ‘This message is from Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, who live in Bethany which is in Judea. They say, ‘Lord, the one you love is very sick.’’

‘We’d experienced a lot of trouble from the religious leaders in the area of Judea, even so, we expected Jesus to tell us to pack up and go to there. Instead, He told us, ‘Lazarus’s sickness won’t end in death. It has happened for the glory of God. And I, the Son of God will receive glory from this.’’

‘Even though we knew how much Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, we didn’t go to them straight away, instead we stayed where we were for another two days! We were all on edge, having had such a call for help and not having done anything. But when, after two days, Jesus told us that we were now going to Judea, we started to feel nervous! ‘Teacher,’ we said. ‘Are you sure about this? Only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you and now you want to go back again?’

‘’Our dear friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,’ Jesus told us, ‘and now it’s time for me to go and wake him up.’’

‘‘But Lord,’ we said. ‘If he’s having a good sleep then surely he’s getting better?’

‘Then Jesus spoke to us plainly. ‘Lazarus is dead. And I’m pleased I wasn’t there for your sakes, because this is going to give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come on, let’s go.’’

‘Even if we’d left as soon as the messenger had come we’d never have made it in time to help Lazarus. When we arrived, we discovered that he’d been dead and in his grave for four days already! There were lots of people there from Jerusalem, which was only a couple of miles away, who’d come to comfort Martha and Mary in their loss. We stayed a little outside Bethany, but when Martha heard that Jesus had arrived she came out to meet Him.’

‘’Lord,’ Martha cried when she saw Jesus. ‘If only you’d been here, then my brother wouldn’t have died! But even now I know that God will give you anything you ask of Him.’’

‘Jesus looked at her and said, ‘Your brother will rise again.’’

‘’Yes, I know he’ll rise when everyone does on the day of resurrection,’ Martha replied.’’

‘’I am the resurrection and the life,’ Jesus told Martha. ‘Everyone who believes in me, even though like all people they will die, yet also they will live again. Because, if they believe in me they are given eternal life and so will never perish. Do you believe this Martha?’ He asked.’

‘’Yes Lord,’ she told Him. ‘I’ve always believed that you’re the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who’s come into the world from God.’ After she’d said this she went back to Mary and calling her aside she said, ‘The Teacher’s here and He wants to see you.’ So, as quickly as she could, Mary came to where we were staying.’

‘In fact, Mary left to come and see Jesus so fast that all the mourners in the house thought she must be rushing off to the grave to weep for Lazarus there, so they followed her. When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at His feet saying, ‘Lord, if only you’d been here, then my brother wouldn’t have died.’’

‘When Jesus saw Mary’s weeping and the wailing of the other people who’d followed her, and saw how painful and evil death was – He was deeply moved in His soul – and outraged in His spirit at death itself. ‘Where have you put him?’ He asked.’

‘‘Lord, come and see,’ they told Him. And Jesus wept. (P) Some of the people standing there saw Him and said, ‘Look how much He loved Lazarus,’ while others shook their heads and said, ‘This is the same man who restores sight to the blind. So why couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?’’

‘Once again Jesus was overcome with a deep outrage in His spirit at the evilness of death. Then coming to the grave, which was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance, Jesus ordered, ‘Roll that stone aside.’’

‘‘But Lord,’ Martha said. ‘It’s been four days since we put him in there! By now there’s going to be a terrible stink from the rotting body!’’

‘‘Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believed?’ Jesus said, turning to Martha. After He’d said this, a small group of us rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed. ‘Father, thank you that you hear me. I know you always hear me, but I have said this for the benefit of these people standing here that they may believe that you sent me.’ Then in a loud voice He said, ‘Lazarus, come out!’’ (PAUSE)

‘To be honest with you I can’t really remember how he came out of the tomb because he was all wrapped in grave clothes up with his hands and feet bound and another cloth around his head. But, as I watched the impossible happening before my eyes, I realised Jesus was speaking again, calling out to us, His disciples. ‘Untie him,’ He said, ‘take off those grave clothes and set him free.’ And so we did, and there underneath it all was the same Lazarus we’d always known!’ (P)

‘The strange thing was, it was this mighty miracle that finally turned the chief Priests and the Pharisees against Jesus. Because, while some of the people with us believed in Jesus when they saw Lazarus raised back to life after four whole days in the grave, others ran off to tell the Pharisees what Jesus had done.’

‘At once a high council meeting was called. And the topic of conversation? Jesus!’

‘’What are we going to do?’ one of them asked. ‘This man Jesus certainly performs many miraculous signs. But if we leave Him to it, then what? The whole nation’ll end up following Him and then the Romans will come to put the whole thing down and at the same time take away our power – and destroy the temple!’’

‘’It was Caiaphas the high priest who spoke next. ‘You know nothing!’ he said. ‘Don’t you realise that it’s better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish?’ (P) Those words were given to Caiaphas from God – it was a prediction that Jesus’ death wouldn’t just be for Israel, but for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.’

‘That was the moment when the leaders began to plot Jesus’ death. And as a result, Jesus stopped His public ministry and left Jerusalem to go and stay in the village of Ephraim with us, His disciples – until the right time to show Himself came.’

 

Episode 16 – The deceiver is deceived

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – Old Testament

Based on Genesis chapter 29 verses 1 – 30

The deceiver is deceived!

‘When I arrived in the lands of the east, God was good to me and took me straight to my uncle’s house. It happened like this. I’d seen some sheep waiting in a field by a well to be watered, and when I spoke to the shepherds, they told me that the young shepherdess coming towards us was none other than my uncle’s daughter, Rachel!’

‘Well, when I heard this I ran over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and began watering my uncle’s sheep. Then, because I couldn’t hold my emotions back any longer I kissed Rachel with tears rolling down my cheeks.’

‘And when I told her that I was Jacob, her cousin, Rachel ran home to tell her father Laban, who came rushing out to greet me and take me to his home.’ (PAUSE)

‘After about a month, Laban began to realise that I wasn’t in any hurry to go back home, not with Esau wanting to murder me! So he said to me, ‘Look Jacob, you shouldn’t be working for me for nothing just because we’re family. How much should I pay you?’’

‘Well, Laban had two daughters. His oldest daughter, Leah, had pretty eyes, but his youngest daughter Rachel, whom I’d met the day I arrived, was beautiful in every way – in fact, I’d fallen head over heals in love with her… so I said to Laban. Would it be ok if I were to work seven years for you, and then take Rachel, your youngest daughter, as my wife?’

‘Yes I’d have thought so,’ said Laban. ‘I’d rather you took her for your wife than she married someone outside the family.’

‘I was overjoyed! (P) You’d have thought the time’d drag, but it didn’t. I loved Rachel so much that the seven years seemed just like a few days to me. And then the time was up! So I went to see Laban, excited at the idea of soon being married to Rachel. I’d fulfilled my part of the bargain. So I said to Laban, ‘Now, please bring Rachel to me so that we can be married.’’

‘The news of the wedding soon spread around the neighbourhood and Laban invited all the men to come along and celebrate our wedding. It was almost too good to be true! And then, late at night, long after the sun had set and we’d been celebrating for a long time, Laban brought the bride to me. She wore a veil, and in the darkness, the two of us went to our tent to celebrate our marriage together. (P) I guess I should’ve seen the signs. Maybe I’d drunk a little too much? Maybe I should’ve wondered why she said nothing as we went to our tent together in the darkness of that night.’

‘But I’ll never forget the following morning for as long as I live. For as the sun started to rise, and I turned to say good morning to my dear bride, there beside me wasn’t Rachel who I’d thought I’d married – but Leah her older sister! I’d been deceived!’

‘I couldn’t believe my eyes! For seven years I’d worked heart and soul for Laban for the joy of knowing that at the end of it all Rachel would be my bride. (P) My shock soon turned to anger and I stormed into Laban’s house!’

‘‘What kind of trick is this?’ I screamed. ‘I worked seven years for Rachel not Leah! How could you do this to me?’’

‘‘Calm down, calm down!’ said Laban. ‘Look, it’s just not done to marry off the youngest daughter before her older sister. (P) Anyway, in these parts, it’s perfectly acceptable for a man to have more than one wife. So, wait the week of the bridal celebrations and then you can marry Rachel as well – as long as you’re happy to work for another seven years to pay for her of course?’’ (PAUSE)

‘I was in love. I’d been cruelly tricked – perhaps no more cruelly than I’d tricked others in the past – but I just couldn’t let Rachel go. So a week later, I also married Rachel. Which was very hard on Leah, because she knew I loved Rachel far more than I loved her.’

‘As I look’ – a song

This felt like the right place to share.

Simon Faulks and I were at Moorlands College together way back when… And during that time we wrote and performed some songs together. Well, during this time of lockdown and restriction, we’ve reconnected to see if we can’t do some level of music from our separate locations and this is the first song.

It’s called ‘As I Look’ and imagines looking up at Jesus on the cross and catching His eye… I hope you enjoy it. More will follow – like it or not!

Oh, and if you want to understand the name ‘spellt ronge’ you’ll need to look at the website Simon has set up for the music as it helps explain it all! https://spellt-ronge.notashamed.co.uk/’

Episode 1 – Creation, How it all began

tale2tell original Bible Stories series – Old Testament

Based on Genesis chapters 1 & 2

How it all began

Have you ever wondered how the world was created? I have. And even though some clever people say one thing and other clever people say something else, the truth is I don’t know, no one does. Because you see, I wasn’t there, no one was! I wasn’t watching over the Creator’s shoulder as He took – absolutely nothing and turned it into something! Or when at a word, He started the sun blazing in all its glory. 

He didn’t ask for my advice when he formed the world and separated the land and sea, or when He hurried the stars on their journey into deepest darkest space. 

He didn’t discuss with me how tall the cedar tree should be, and how many leaves the clover should have. Or what colour and scent the flowers of the valleys and mountains should be. Or where the animals and birds should live. Or even how many insects there should be in a single tree.

How He did it all, I don’t really know. But what I do know is that God planned it. This didn’t just happen, it wasn’t some terrible experiment that went tragically wrong! No, God meant to create the world and all that’s in it.

Also, I know that God made it to show us how great He is, so that when you look at a giant snow covered mountain, or the wing of a tiny fly, you can see the Creator’s hand at work and praise Him.

And I know this as well, God planned all this to show us how much He loves us! That He can take care of all our needs so that all we should do is learn to trust Him.

But imagine if you were there when the world was first created and it was just a ball floating in space – covered in raging seas. Then at a word from the Creator the seas start to go down and the sky appears as that thin blue halo surrounding the world, that can be seen in pictures taken from outer space.

And then another day and God speaks again and the water goes down further and dry ground appears. Imagine if you were walking on that dry ground. Oh yes, the winds might be howling and the seas raging, but this is a lifeless world, there’s no life yet! Then, at a word from the Creator, trees start racing up towards the sky, to see which will be the tallest, the strongest and the broadest. And all around you bushes and plants start to appear, and green races out to cover every square centimetre of this New World that the Lord has created. And then, the air’s suddenly filled with a wonderful fragrance as the flowers start to appear in all their glory, as if saying ‘Thank You’ to the Creator for the new life they’ve been given.

That night you sleep well on a bed of soft moss, and the next morning as you get up – you hear the Creator’s voice yet again. And suddenly you have to cover your eyes for a huge ball of light has appeared in the sky. Oh yes, there was light before but now the Lord has made the sun and it’s blazing down with warmth and light. And the flowers and the leaves all turn to face it and rejoice in its warmth.

And that night as you sleep, you sleep under a new moon, a brand new moon as it softly shimmers down in all its glory. While the stars laugh and twinkle in the sky as if marvelling at the wonderful things God has done.

The next morning you get up and taste some of the new fruit that’s appeared on the trees and bushes. And as you taste the fruit you hear the Creator’s voice again. As He stops speaking its like ten thousand times ten thousand tiny voices all start singing at once – the Lord has created birds! And they’re trying out their voices as if praising the Creator for the new life that they’ve been given, and then they try out their wings, soaring into the sky. A silent world and a still world has become one full of noise and motion.

As you watch the birds flying all around, you make your way down to the sea. And as you walk along the shore you see schools of fish nibbling at seaweed. And there, just beyond the shallows –you see a giant black object below the waves, making its way to deeper waters. The Lord God has created the fish and the creatures of the sea.

The next morning you’re woken early as the birds welcome the sun and the new day. And as you get up to have some fruit and explore some more, you hear the Creator’s voice. At first it’s not altogether obvious what’s happening, until a bit later you feel something rubbing against you leg. As you look down, you freeze in terror! For right there beside you is an enormous tiger, sniffing at your leg and trying to work out what you are. (P) But it’s ok, for now- tigers aren’t dangerous because nothing bad has entered this world yet. Anyway, before long the tiger loses interest and wanders off into the forest. And as you watch him leave you feel something tapping at the top of your head. As you turn around to see what it is, to your horror you find yourself staring into the face of a giant bull elephant! You’re standing right between his enormous tusks! And his trunk is playing with the wiry stuff on the top of your head, your hair, trying to work out if it can be eaten! Thankfully, after a few nasty tugs, it soon decides it can’t be eaten and as silently as it came, it disappears off into the forest. And then as you look around you see some hedgehogs snuffling in the bushes near by, and there in the distance you see some deer and gazelle moving majestically away. The Creator’s at work and you want to see it. So you work your way through the forest trying to find the clearing where God is at work.

After a long search, you eventually find the place where God Himself is in His act of creation. You’ve arrived just in time to see Him starting on His last creature.

There’re still a few animals around, a little puppy that seems soo happy with everything it looks like its tail’s about to wag off! But he soon disappears into the forest to investigate all the wonderful new smells. And as the Creator works, soon the horses and giraffes realise that this new animal is going to be altogether smaller than them, and they lift their noses in a very superior manor and wander off into the forest. So it’s only you and the monkeys left watching the Creator at work. And then something urgent seems to demand the monkeys’ attention high up in the trees above, and they run off screaming and shouting and chasing one another. Until it’s only you left – watching the Creator take incredible care as He makes this last creature.

Now this creature is to be altogether different from all the others – for it’s to be like God Himself. Oh yes, it still has legs and needs food and it’s going to live and work in this world that God’s made. But it’s to be able to think and reason and work things out like God. God’s going to give it a job, it’s going to have to look after this world and take care of it in a way that’ll make God happy. But most of all, this creature and its children are being made to have a loving relationship with God Himself. God the Creator will be their father, and they will be His children. And to show this, the Creator, God Himself, blows the breath of life into the nostrils of the first man and he comes to life.

The Creator’s looking across at you and smiling, it’s time for you to go. But don’t worry, the Creators’ not going to leave, He didn’t create this world like a big clock that He wound up and left to run down! No, He’s going to stay involved all the way through. He’s going to plant a garden for the man to live and work in. And before long He’s going to make a wife for the man, and they’ll have children.

No, don’t worry, God’s still involved in His creation – and He always will be. He’s made it and He loves it. He’s made you and He loves you too.

A Prayer for Power – Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3: 14-21

While this isn’t a story, I hope you’ll find it helpful as we think about all God wants to do in us and for us. This podcast looks at Paul’s prayer for POWER and tried to understand what that POWER was for and how it is supposed to function in our lives. It is one of the greatest prayers in the Bible and one that when answered will bring great glory to God while at the same time changing us completely. Have a listen and see what you think.