Jun 25 2015
The Need to Be Real
John 1: 43-50 Jesus appreciates the realness in Nathanael
“Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” This is what Jesus said the first time he met Nathanael (John 1:47). I can imagine Peter, Phillip and Andrew nodding in affirmation. They knew Nathanael well and did not contest the statement. Nor did Nathanael, in fact he acknowledged it by asking “How do you know me?” Of course Jesus knew by supernatural insight. But I don’t want to focus on how Jesus knew; I want to focus on what Jesus actually said. It’s huge! If you know Jesus’ history you will know that he often accused the Jews, especially their leaders, of being false. He called them ‘whitewashed tombs’ (beautiful on the outside – dead on the inside), ‘hypocrites,’ ‘a brood of vipers.’ So to describe Nathanael as “a true Israelite in whom there is nothing false” was no small thing! More
Jan 11 2016
Forgiving Serious Offences
In 1984 Ruth Pelke was stabbed to death by four teenage girls. She was was a 78 year old Bible teacher. The four girls were arrested. Three got long prison sentences. But the ringleader Paula Cooper got death. At the time this felt right to Bill Pelke, Ruth’s grandson. But 18 months later he changed his mind. He had seen the tears of Paula’s grandfather when her sentence was read out. It made no sense that after one family had suffered so much, another should begin to suffer too. More than this, Bill said he knew that Ruth would not have wanted it.
Bill began to look for ways to turn things around. He started by meeting Paula face to face. He hugged her and forgave her.
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