I’m rather challenged at present by what Bunyan had to say about church.  Bunyan spent about a third of his life in prison for his faith.  Writing from prison in 1662, he says of prayer and worship:

There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer.  It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven.  It is that language wherein a creature holds correspondence with his Creator; and wherein the soul of a saint gets near to God, is entertained with great delight, and, as it were, dwells with his heavenly Father.

 

God, when manifest in the flesh, hath given us a solemn, sweeping declaration, embracing all prayer — private, social, and public — at all times and seasons, from the creation to the final consummation of all things — “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH” (John 4:24).

And later he says that there is no man nor church in the world that can come to God in worship, but by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. “Without the Spirit, [even if] we had a thousand Common Prayer Books, we do not know how we should pray … One word spoken in faith, is better than a thousand prayers, as men call them, written and read, in a formal, cold, lukewarm way. ”  Or he puts it, “When you pray, rather let your heart be without words that your words without heart”.

Worship, he argues, is meaningless if the worshipper knows nothing of the dynamic inner work of the Spirit. Christians will always be non-conformists because they will always be open to the Spirit and the breaking in of the kingdom of God.

God’s people are, as it hath always been, looked upon to be a turbulent, seditious, and factious people (Ezra 4:12-16).

“A turbulent, seditious, and factious people”.  Love it!

John Bunyan on Prayer: Peace Makers, Christ’s Peace, Church Discipline

I came across this cracking little book at the Baptist Assembly.  Although it had nothing to do with the Assembly, other than being sold on the bookstall.

I read it in pretty well one sitting.  It’s full of very wise advice on simply having a happier life.  Published by CWR, the Perrott’s are Christian counsellors and there’s plenty of biblically wisdom on tap.  But they invite those who do not share their faith to still join them in considering values which make for wholeness. It would be a good read for those with a sufficiently open mind to consider that Christians could indeed have learnt a few things about happiness which are worth sharing.

There a no magic ‘ten easy steps to happiness’ here, no quick fixes or short cuts.  Dreams need discipline, contentment comes through character and it is meaning that makes life worthwhile. Happiness is a serious business! Some people have everything yet are miserable; others have little or nothing but are full of life and vitality.

The Perrotts argue that happiness (or unhappiness) is largely a choice. I think they are probably right.  Seek happiness for itself and it will escape.  Aim for other, better, higher things and happiness is likely to follow.

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Understanding the Body 101
What is the body of Christ?

• A common expression
• Not ‘like’, but are (v27, 5.30-31)!
• Made up of unique members (v14)

How to join it?

• Given one Spirit (v13)
• Participate in baptism and communion (v13)

Diversity – The inferiority debate
The complaint (v15-16)
The answer

1. Variety is essential (v17, v19-20, 1 Cor 1:5-7)
2. God chooses to do it that way (v18)

Pride – The spiritual wet blanket
The arrogant believer (v21)
The humble reply

1. The “better” need the “lesser” (v22)
2. The “presentable” need the less “presentable” (v23f; Mark 10:42-45; 1 Cor 4:9; Col 1:24)

Unity – You, me, the church and its superglue

• The body needs the superglue of love (v25-26; 1 Cor 13; 1 Cor 3:1-2)
• The body needs many ministries (v28)
    People/Activities
    Congregational ministries
    Translocal ministries
• The body needs you to desire the greater gifts (v31)

An issue is the development of a charismatic gift into  a ministry.

1. All believers are ministers (Mk, 10.45; 1 Cor 12.5-7; Acts 6.1)

Most people thinking of the term minister, think of someone who is in the ministry, a ‘minister of religion”. We speak of going into the ministry as an honour and leaving the ministry as a shame. Terms like ‘Reverend’ reflect a super-spirituality. Michael Green in Called to Serve says, “[terms like] Reverend, Venerable, Very Reverend, Most Reverend are a hindrance to ministry. They build a wall with others. They can make a hearer just a little proud, a little pleased, a little further removed.”

In the New Testament, the term ministry does exist. It translates the word diakonia, and can be also translated as servant or deacon.

There is a spirit of diakonia (ministry) in Mark 10.45 and the manner of diakonia is seen in 1 Cor 12.5-7. There are many activities associated with diakonia:

1. Apostolic ministry (diakonia) : Acts 1.17 which Judas shared with the other apostles.
2. Food distribution: Acts 6.1.
3. Waiting at table: Acts 6.2
4. Ministry of the word: Acts 6.1
5. Mission (diakonia) of Barnabus and Paul: Acts 12.25.
6. Help or assistance (diakonia) which Paul sent to Macedonia: Acfcs 19.22. Also 2 Tim 1.18, Col 4.7.
7. Evangelism: Acts 20.24, the task (diakonia) which Paul had been given, for example testifying and evangelism. Also 2 Cor 6.3.
8. Overall Ministry: Acts 21.19, Paul is reporting what God had done through his ministry (diakonia). Also in 2 Tim 4.11.
9. Administration: Roms 12.7, 2 Cor 3.5
10. Service: Rms 13.4, 1 Cor 12.5, Col 1.7
11. Devotion: Rev 2.19
12. In 1 Cor 12.7 charismata is translated ministry.

Ministry is what all Christians do. Eph 4.12 talks of the responsibilities of some people to prepare saints (Christians) for works of ministry or service (diakonia). All are ministers.

2.  A spiritual gift may develop into an area of recognised ministry

A spiritual gift is a significant ability given to each believer by the Holy Spirit.  This “significant ability” exceeds the normal ability level of others in the church.  It has been referred to as a “supernatural ability” in contrast to the natural talents we and others may have in many different areas.   A well established and publically acknowledged gift can be known as a ministry.  For example, a pastoral gift which is nurtured and exercised may result in a pastoral ministry.   

Both natural talents and spiritual gifts can be used for the glory of God, but spiritual gifts are unique by their powerful nature and in their dedication to the service of the Lord. Sometimes the term ‘ministry’ is used of a powerful and consistently used spiritual gift.

Therefore spiritual gifts should be discovered, developed, and used freely and willingly. We were given these gifts by God’s grace, and our use of them should be just as gracious.

Pray for guidance: Prayer is essential if you wish to become serious about discovering and using your gift to fulfil God’s purposes. Continually pray for guidance and strength in the use of your gift and ask God to open your eyes to the needs of others that your gift might help.

Accept the gift: Believe that you are gifted (1 Pet. 4:10), and give thanks to God for your gift.

Learn about the gift: Study scriptural passages on gifts in general as well as specific gifts you believe you have been given. Gain a good understanding of your gift by discovering the characteristics of people who have this gift and the ways the gift can be exercised. Seek out and speak with other Christians who have the same gift, and find out what they have done with it. If there are conferences or workshops that would help you develop your gift, try to attend.

Offer yourself to God: Make a commitment to do whatever God asks of you, and trust in him to give you what you need for the task. Do what you are gifted by God to do and avoid the things which you are not!

Seek confirmation: Do other Christians who know you recognise particular giftedness within you? Ask friends and family and especially from people who seem to have the same gift. Do they see this gift in you? The support of a small Christian group can be very helpful.

Try out your gift: Test the waters as soon as you can! Volunteer in places where you can use your gift. Expect to sacrifice personally in the service of the Lord, and do not be afraid. Having and using a spiritual gift in no way shields us from trouble, but it does give us assurance that God’s at work in our lives.

Expect to make a difference: If you have accurately identified the spiritual gift, use of it will produce fruit. Continue working to develop your gift, and the blessings will become apparent to all. If your service has been ineffective,

then seek anew to find your gifts.

Cell outline
Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians has a comprehensive discussion of spiritual gifts, however, spiritual gifts are mentioned in at least six other places, so clearly God wants each of us to know and use our special, spiritual gifts. (Exodus 31:3, Romans 12:6, 1 Cor 1:7, 1 Cor 14:1-2, Eph 4:11-12, 1 Tim 1:6-7, Heb 2:4)

1. In verse 13, the word “baptised” does not refer to a traditional water baptism. What could it mean here? And what does it help is to understand about unity in the body of Christ?

2. The first section (roughly verses 14 to 20) and second section (verses 21 to 26)could be addressed to two different audiences. How would you describe each audience?

3. Have you ever felt like an unneeded or unimportant part of a group or team? What did you do about it? How does this passage help you to see yourself?

4. Conversely, if you are in a position of importance and feel needed, what should you do? (1 Peter 5:1-3, Hebrews 10:24-25)?

5. How could you illustrate the truth of verse 26 from your own experience ? From our experience at GBC?

6. Some Bible translators show the gifts in verse 28 as being in an order:
    first are apostles,
    second are prophets,
    third are teachers,
    then those who do miracles,
    those who have the gift of healing,
    those who can help others,
    those who have the gift of leadership (or administration),
    those who speak in unknown languages.

Two questions: a) do you think this list (or the one in verses 8-10) is meant to be exhaustive or all-inclusive? b) Is there any significance in the ordering, i.e., first, second, etc.? If so, what?

Going deeper:

1. If we view the body parts as the Spiritual Gifts, are there any the body can do without?

2. What Spiritual Gifts do you feel Paul was saying needed to be treated with “special modesty?”  Why?

3. Who “baptises” us into the body of Christ?  How? When?

Witness

1. By drawing on your experience of the use of gifts at church, what lesson do you take away for you to use in your home, volunteering or work situation?

In small groups, we thought about what a successful Young Person looks like?

Then we thought about what makes a good parent. We used a list of characteristics chosen by young people.  You could use the same list with your teenager and see which they pick out as the most important.

We recommended “Whatever!: A Down-to-Earth Guide to Parenting Teenagers” by Gill Hines and Alison Baverstock. 

John’s Enjoyment Countdown

10. Enjoy your own integrity

The more internally consistent your life is, the less your teenager will find to complain about.  Their parents being the same at home as in public is important to a young person.   It may, of course, be more of a case of “specks and logs” when it comes to teenagers criticising their parents, but the less specks we have the happier they will be.  And living with our own integrity is a singularly pleasurable way to live anyway.

9. Enjoy creating a safe space for them with appropriate relationships
Creating safe spaces for our children is second nature when they are young.  When they are older the space may be different but we can enjoy providing them with the appropriate new safe places they need to continue to grow.  Similarly, we can enjoy ensuring that the relationships of love they form with others are appropriate for their age and maturity. 

8. Enjoy being patient

We often need to have a strong word with our teenager about behaviour or language or dress or timekeeping or whatever.  Bad behaviour isn’t just “a phase”.  We have a responsibility to build them up to behave as adults.  But waiting for an appropriate moment to talk allows our anger to subside.  And of course talking before the event is a better option still.

7. Enjoy negotiating with them
As adults we negotiate all the time.  It’s a key skill.  Often our best decisions come from the give and take of negotiating. Use the same skill with a teenagers and it could be enjoyable. It will certainly help them to see that freedoms and privileges are the flipside of accountability and responsibility.  Say “yes” as much as you can, so that “no” has got significance. 

6. Enjoy learning from them

Teenagers may not know much but they do know somethings.  Letting them teach you something helps with their self worth and confidence. Things which you may well know but possibly not.  You most probably do know best, but the best things we have learn come from our own experience rather than being told.  

5. Enjoy being flexible

Being flexible is a characteristic we value in adults.  Teenagers can be distant/close/happy/sad/hands-on/hands-off/child-like/grown-up all in a matter of minutes.  Being flexible with them just eases the pressure.

4. Enjoy time with them

Teenagers rumble quickly when they are only getting quality time.  A few minutes here and there simply doesn’t wash with them.  It’s a fallacy that quality makes up for quantity.  Enjoy giving them all the time they need.  Become their chauffer and, in a Christian context, get them to as many Christian events as you can afford.

3. Enjoy being a fan

Young people need encouragement and affirmation.  Be their fan. Cheer for them. Believe in them.  Focus in on the good things.  Spot the highs and get through the lows.  Go the extra mile.

2. Enjoy listening to them

Teenagers will talk, but usually on their terms.  Teenagers often don’t like eye to eye contact.  Try sitting along side them – perhaps in the car.  Enjoy it when they do talk.  They may well talk some more.  Saying sorry to them can help.

1. Enjoy loving them unconditionally

That’s how God deals with us.  Unconditional love is not the same as unconcerned love.  But it does mean that you teenager knows that whatever choices they make, whatever scraps they get into, however much you agree or disagree with their lifestyle, you will still love them.  Your expressions of love ought not to be tied to performance and achievement but to their status as a gift from God to you.  Enjoy loving them unconditionally, just as God loves you. 

Karen’s Top Tips

Pray for them
Get support
Be the adult

And our final readings

My child, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.  Prov 2.1-5

Parents, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Eph 6.4

As writers such as Jack Deere have argued, this is a position with no biblical foundation. He shows that miracles authentic the character of Jesus (John 3.2; 9:32-33; etc.) and the message of Jesus (Mk 16.20) but have nothing to say about the apostles! His argument makes convincing reading in Surprised by the Power of the Spirit.

It also has a problem with the historical record. That record shows clearly that the early church was quite active in the charismatic gifts at least through 200 AD. There was a decline in the 3rd century, and then again became active.

The early church experienced martyrdom and persecution, resisted Gnostics and Arians and doctrinal disputes, and established which of the books we accept as the New Testament canon.  Tertullian scoffed at those who tried to translate the gospel into the categories of Greek philosophy. Origen of Alexandria nearly single-handedly invented the systematic study of the Bible.  Irenaeus defended the faith against a host of heresies and spoke of the Work of Christ in illuminating new ways.  Cyprian insisted on the unity of the church and its necessity for salvation.

And this same early church and same church fathers from the 100s to well beyond the 200s AD  — Tertullian, Cyprian, Irenaeus, and many more — experienced and wrote about miracles of healing, prophecy, and exorcism as everyday occurrences in the church.

Tertullian is typical when he says “God everywhere manifests signs of his own power—to his own people for their comfort, to strangers for a testimony unto them” (Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul).

In other words, the early Christian church was a charismatic church. A community of Christians in the 100s and 200s continued to experience the charismata, the spiritual gifts, described by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians.

The influential bishop of Carthage, Cyprian, for example, says:

In Christianity there is conferred (upon pure chastity, upon a pure mind, upon pure speech) the gift of healing the sick by rendering poisonous potions harmless, by restoring the deranged to health, and thus purifying them from ignominious pains, by commanding peace for the hostile, rest for the violent, and gentleness for the unruly, by forcing—under stress of threats and invective—a confession from unclean and roving spirits who have come to dwell within mankind, by roughly ordering them out, and stretching them out with struggles, howls, and groans, as their sufferings on the rack, by lashing them with scourges, and burning them with fire. This is what goes on, though no one sees it; the punishments are hidden, but the penalty is open. Thus what we have already begun to be, that is, the Spirit we have received, comes into its kingdom.

Harnack’s list

The 19th-century church historian Adolf Harnack, in his Mission and Expansion of Christianity, categorises the charismatic activities of the 2nd- and 3rd-century church —and the list is impressive:

(1) God speaks to the missionaries in visions, dreams, and ecstasy, revealing to them affairs of moment and also trifles, controlling their plans, pointing out the roads on which they are to travel, the cities where they are to stay, and the persons whom they are to visit. Visions occur especially after a martyrdom, the dead martyr appearing to his friends during the weeks that immediately follow his death, as in the case of Potamiaena (Eus., H.E., vi. 5), or of Cyprian, or of many others.

It was by means of dreams that Arnobius (Jerome, Chron., p. 326) and others were converted. Even in the middle of the third century, the two great bishops Dionysius and Cyprian’ were both visionaries. . . .

 

(2) At the missionary addresses of the apostles or evangelist, or at the services of the churches which they founded, sudden movements of rapture are experienced, many of them being simultaneous seizures; these are either full of terror and dismay, convulsing the whole spiritual life, or exultant outbursts of a joy that sees heaven opened to its eyes. The simple question, “What must I do to be saved?” also bursts upon the mind with an elemental force.

 

(3) Some are inspired who have power to clothe their experience in words-prophets to explain the past, to interpret and to fathom the present, and to foretell the future. Their prophecies relate to the general course of history, but also to the fortunes of individuals, to what individuals are to do or leave undone.

 

(4) Brethren are inspired with the impulse to improvise prayers and hymns and psalms.

 

(5) Others are so filled with the Spirit that they lose consciousness and break out in stammering speech and cries, or in unintelligible utterances—which can be interpreted, however, by those who have the gift.

 

(6) Into the hands of others, again, the Spirit slips a pen, either in an

ecstasy or in exalted moments of spiritual tension; they not merely speak but write as they are bidden.

 

(7) Sick persons are brought and healed by the missionaries, or by brethren who have been but recently awakened; wild paroxysms of terror before God’s presence are also soothed, and in the name of Jesus demons are cast out.

 

(8) The Spirit impels men to an immense variety of extraordinary actions—to symbolic actions which are meant to reveal some mystery or to give some directions for life, as well as to deeds of heroism.

 

(9) Some perceive the presence of the Spirit with every sense; they see its brilliant light, they hear its voice, they smell the fragrance of immortality and taste its sweetness. Nay more; they see celestial persons with their own eyes, see them and also hear them; they peer into what is hidden or distant or to come; they are even rapt into the world to come, into heaven itself, where they listen to “words that cannot be uttered.”

One of the best more academic articles on the subject is by Nigel Scotland: http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/pdf/ejt/signs_scotland.pdf

This is the beginning of a series which will take us through to the start of the school summer holidays! So you don’t have to discover everything about “Spiritual Gifts and Graces” in this first week! In particular, towards the end of the series we will explore how to discover our own gifts, ministries, passions and styles. However, we need to ground all of that in the word of God.

Gifts and Graces 101

• These ‘spiritual gifts’ need to be understood (1 Cor 2.14f; Rom 8.16)
     In 1st century Corinth  
     In 21st century Godmanchester
• These are gifts from and about the Lord
  (Col 2.15; 1 John 2.22, 4.2-3)

Gifts + Service + Work = ?

Bittlinger says that charisma in the NT is the ‘concrete realisation of drive grace’.  Whether an ordinary or extraordinary function, charisma serves to build up the body of Christ.

In a rare Greek translation of the OT, charisma occurs just once: May your unfailing love be with us.  But this was more usually rendered as by the word for compassion or pity. Giving the AV translation of:  Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us.  Otherwise the term is virtually unknown.  Even in the NT, charisma only appears in connection with twenty gifts from administration to prophecy, healing to celibacy.  There is no systematic classification of charisma in the NT.

Almost any attempt to categorise charismata tells us more about the interpreter than the Biblical truth.  The previous attempts at distinguishing between natural gifts and supernatural ones, or between continuing ones and those limited to an apostolic age, fail in the face of church history, theology and even science.

Two misunderstandings are worth tackling which .  One is that charismata are in some way sensational – the province of the enthusiast or fanatic.  This understanding fails to take seriously the natural of humanity. Indeed humans are debased if they are only a lifeless instrument, an automaton,  powerlessly acting out the service of God.  The NT is clear that there is no distinction between so-called natural and supernatural gifts.  That’s why the lists are all mixed up!  The administration of money is just as much a charisma as speaking in tongues and the work of service just as much a charisma as a prophetic utterance.

But it is equally foolish to suggest that whatever a Christian does, then that is the exercise of a charisma.  That makes charisma everything and nothing.  It opens the door to limiting, say, healing to only being the study of medicine.  Similarly, formal appointment to a task does not of its self impart a charismatic gift. Formal recognition of a ministry should take place after it has be demonstrated as a person’s gift.

This activist understanding of gifts also fails to acknowledge our humanity.  We are fallen people, and the ‘old Adam’ will appear! For this reason, we exercise our gifts in the context of faith: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you (Rms 12.3)”.

Having rejected charisma as solely sensational or universally dull, we need a better working explanation.  Bittlinger suggests:

A charisma is a gracious manifestation of the Holy Spirit, working in and through, but going beyond, the believer’s natural ability for the common good of the people of God.

So we can say that God creates us unique.  Therefore he implants concrete and unique gifts in us by his Spirit.  Through these gifts God himself can work in our Christian community and into our world.  When we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, we are freed to discover the unique way that God can use us.  It also means that we will be continually aware of our own inadequacy and therefore dependence on God.

• GIFTS: Charismata (v4)
  Gifts of grace are given to everyone in the church
  (Eph 4:18)
• Service: Diakonia (v5)
  Given for service of everyone (2 Tim 1:6)
• Workings: Energemata (v6)
  Given to be used and seen to be used (1 Cor 15:28)
  I want to expand the point here.  If we live a narrow life, it is very likely the exercise of, say, a prophetic gift will be similarly narrow. On the other hand if our horizons are wide, taking in the whole of life, then our prophetic words will reach widely too.  
  “A committed and dedicated involvement within a definite realm or with a particular person is a prerequisite for charisma to reach that ream or person”.  
• Common good
  (v7; 1 Cor 14:26; Eph 4:11-16)

Gifts and the Giver

John 3:5-6; Romans 8:9; 1 Cor 12.11; 2 Cor 1:22

Cell Outline

If you have time before your cell group read through 1 Corinthians 12­-14.

1. Read 1 Corinthians 11. How are chapters 11 and 12 linked? What similarities are there with previous issues addressed?

2. What do you think they said or asked Paul in their letter which provokes the reply in chapters 11 and 12?

3. Read 12:1­-11. If verse 3 is not to be taken literally, then what is it saying?

4. Could there be a reason why particular gifts are mentioned in verses 8­10, and others are not?

5. What are your personal tendencies and temptations in how you view different spiritual gifts?

6. What consequences might these have for our attitude to other Christians?

7. What would make it easier for you to exercise the gifts in verses 8-10 in your cell group meetings?

Going deeper:

1. Which idols were you influenced by before you became a Christian? How has the Holy Spirit set you free from them?

2. Is declaring “Jesus is Lord” the sole criteria for deciding if someone is speaking under the Spirit’s guidance? Or are there other things you take into account (v3)

3. Why might there be a Trinitarian structure in verses 4­-6? What can we learn from this?

Witness

1. How might you use the gifts, service and workings described in verses 8-10 for the “common good” of your work colleagues, neighbours or family?

At first I was unable to create a carriage return! Even typing the source code </p><p> made no difference at all.  [Shift]+[Enter] worked fine to create <br>.  After a lot of Googling, I discovered what was wrong.  Not obvious and not well documented.  My css template had this code in it:

.post-body p {
/* Fix bug in IE5/Win with italics in posts */
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
padding: 1px 0px 1px 0px;
display: inline; /* to fix floating-ads wrapping problem in IE */
height: 1%;
overflow: visible;
}

Since no-one uses IE5 any longer (!), it was safe to take that code out, and Live Writer now works perfectly.

Rachel thought it was awesome! She says “The creative metaphoric visuals that were used in the service and how so many age groups involved.”  Not actually a sentence but a great sentiment. 

My Sarah, who knows about these things, said that I should:

• keep it short!!! 45-55mins I think is definitely enough!
• do something with food. Talk to whoever is normally in charge of this and come up with Easter treat- is worth spending money on especially if you’re going to have visitors- it looks good to them! We did Hot Cross Buns!
• Think about what’s happening on Good Friday- do you want to link it/ carry something on.  We did a great collective reading to start which got everyone in the post-Good Friday but not-yet Easter Sunday mood.
• Have something they can make- when they come in.  We made a giant paper chain which we then tore up at the end when se sang “My chains fell off”.
• When thinking about prayer think CREATIVE eg ACTIVE eg KINESTHETIC eg GOOD FOR BOYS.  We got stones and people wrote or drew on them their name and those they were praying for.  Then at the end we made a prayer cairn.
• When thinking about talk/input/ think SHORT and VISUAL and INTERACTIVE.  Our teenagers did six tiny sketches and I spoke very briefly between each one.
• Don’t fill with too many things- you don’t need a drama, and a dance, and a powerpoint video, and a talk etc. We did a drama/talk, plus the chains and the stones and communion and the youth band and the children’s band. Opps too much.

(Quietly)
What a mess!
What a mess!
After a day of horror,
and blasphemy, and death, now this:
a tomb that’s empty.

(Sadly)
We lost you on Friday,
and now we’ve lost you again.
We could eventually cope with death,
but empty tombs?
We’ve lost you once more.

There is no rejoicing here, just confusion.

Confusion after the trials, and the long dying, and confusion now:
no body,
no grave to go to,
no place to weep.

We’ve lost a friend,
and we don’t know where he is.
He died on Friday,
and now?

(Slowly)
Well, now there is not even that,
not even a death,
just a vacant,
empty,
hollow tomb.

And that leaves us…??

(Resolutely!)
Well, that leaves us in fear.
Dare we believe the rumours?
Dare we be the first to trust
what no one has ever dared to trust
before?

(Resolutely!)
Dare we believe his predictions
that love returns?

(Building up)
‘Only by seeing his hands,’ says Thomas.
‘Only by holding him,’ says his mother.
‘Only by feeding his lambs’ says Peter.

‘Only by eating with him,’
say his disciples.
‘Only by anointing his feet,’
says Mary of Bethany.
‘Only by calling him Lord,’ says Mary of Magdala.

(Astonished)
But who is that?
eating with us in the room?
going ahead to Galilee?
Walking on the road,
sitting?
cooking on the beach?
Standing?
waiting in the garden?

My Lord, and my God.

When we are despairing;

when the world is full of grief;

when we see no way ahead,

and hope has gone away:

Roll back the stone.

Although we fear change;

although we are not ready;

although we’d rather weep

and run away:

Roll back the stone.

Because we’re coming with the women;

because we hope where hope is vain:

because you call us from the grave

and show the way:

Roll back the stone.