My 24th week at college

Welcome back! Yes you did read right - I have missed out 3 weeks...I hope to post them retrospectively - but given my track record I might have to admit defeat.

So what have we been up to?

Synoptic gospels
First things first, "gospel" means "good news" for those that don't know and the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are three gospels that are similar and can be put together to make a single story (ie form a synopsis).

So the real question is why are some stories in different orders? Is the bible wrong? This was fab looking at this - basically the gospels were a totally new genre of literature at the time (and are certainly different to modern day writing) - they are not biographies but rather written sermons - hence the stories of Jesus' life are used as illustrations to preach different sermons by the different authors. This is also part of the problem of people just reading the stories as they are not the point...fascinating!

So we were looking at the story about Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee in Matthew 8:23-27 uses it to show the cost of following him out into the unknown (hence all the previous stories about the cost of following Jesus), whereas Mark 4:35-41 uses it in the context of showing that Jesus is King (as parables about the kingdom, then calming the storm - so king over nature, then king over demons, then over the sick and then over death).

He finished off with a challenge to preach the whole gospel - not just give John's gospel of being born again and whoever believes in Jesus will be saved but, say, Mark's gospel of "repent" and "take up your cross and follow me". We need all of them to get the full picture.

New (well new to me) scooter
Well with one month left on the MOT before a need to spend a lot of money to get it through (and that's without resolving the ongoing starter problems) I went hunting last weekend and test driving various 125cc scooters and finally bought a secondhand Honda FES125 - here's a picture of someone else's red one:



Serving and stuff
Our group cooked the meal for the college this week (Lasagne and apple crumble - no not mixed together! )

Yet another quiz at tumbling bay for the residents.  You can tell they've got used to us by the way they told me straight that they didn't want another logic round as it hurt their heads...

Reflections
After doing something that I wasn't proud of, I was wrestling with God on the way to college - I wanted to repent and be right with God but "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" just wasn't cutting the mustard - whilst it's true I wasn't finding freedom in it - so I was asking for the "right" words to say to help bring real change in my life and in desperation I asked "what do you want God" and I felt the answer come back "I want you".

Man! I'd got so caught up in "doing" stuff for God!  Is it that sometimes I feel unworthy so I try to do "good" stuff that He'd like?  But He actually likes me and He wants me - not my stuff!  The right thing to offer is me!  Doh!

My 20th week at college

Well started the week with putting petrol in our diesel car...which was £300 worth of trouble. that Jennie (my wife) forgave me really highlighted how petty I have been in the past with forgiving her (very small) monetary errors...

Minor prophets
This week were looked very briefly at each of the minor prophets in the bible: Jonah, Obadiah, Zechariah, Micah, Joel, ...

Have to confess I don't remember too much as I was not entirely present in my head.

Tony Gray who led the sessions felt He had a word from God for me (bear in mind as a visiting speaker he knew nothing of my past four weeks of hell):

"God is honing you through hardship to form a sharp tool in His hand"

Conference
The last weekend before reading week was the "European Leaders Conference" which we were able to attend and hear some great speakers...and we got a great rate as we were helping out - and how? Well the group I was in was cleaning the toilets.

We had John Kirkby from Christians against Poverty telling a bit of his life story of how he became bankrupt and divorced and couldn't afford to look after his children. How he has been called to create a Christian debt counselling charity. Who help people with budgeting and take on the big firms and get them to stop charging interest and provide an affordable payment so people can get out of debt and seeing lives set free from oppression. Inspiring! I so want to use my maths in this - and I think our sister church is setting up an office in Witney...watch this space.

We also had Baroness Cox speaking on her work with The Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART). I have to confess I'd never heard her speak or heard much of what she does - but I was overwhelmed. She might talk a bit posh - but her heart and her actions were so down to earth. She showed us photos of her work, sneaking across borders to reach people who are oppressed and persecuted where the major aid agencies don't go because it's too dangerous and also who don't make the headlines. I had no idea about some of the injustices going on even in Europe. I have so much respect for her and hope to be able to support this group in whatever little way I can. Her finishing quote:

I cannot do everything, but I will not do nothing.

Preach it!

Also had Krish Kandiah talking about proclaiming the gospel and the way he seeks to make a difference in his community by, for example, reaching out to Muslim refugees who are ostracised from the Muslim community because they are the minority group. And Glen Middleton who is an very brash American who, I have to confess, made me cringe about how, for example, he would walk into funerals to tell people about Jesus . But in the last 10 minutes I saw his heart as he spoke of how he works amongst prostitutes bringing God's love and acceptance to them (even fostering their children at their request) I realised that this man is totally sold out on bringing hope to people in hopeless situations. Even though my Britishness finds the things he does outrageous I can't deny the effect God has had on people who were destitute before they met our God. Much to think on...

And the toilets? Well I have to say it was a pleasure - it was probably this service that helped me see beyond my small life. God is so good. And doing things His way brings so much more joy than my way...you'd think I would've learnt by now...