Messiah

25 The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’ (John 4:25)

I like to watch Science Fiction films and have been waiting for the latest film based on a book called “Dune” by Frank Herbert which I must have read in the 1970’s although I was rather put off it by the 1984 film which changed much of the main thrust of the book.

In my view the book is a “Messiah”, or “Saviour” story. Where one person is prophesied to be coming to save the people from their plight. The difference between a Messiah and a Hero is that only one person can fulfil the role, rather than any number of superheroes, spies, or detectives.

Obviously, my reason for liking this genre of film is that it is basically a retelling of the Bible story, where the Old Testament sets the scene, the failures and disasters in the world, and the need for the Messiah, and then predicts his coming (300 different prophecies). Then the changeover point comes, and Jesus is born at Bethlehem to a poor family, and the Messiah starts to be recognised. In the Gospel, Jesus doesn’t save the world for years, he needs to be known, and start to teach about God and be recognised, before actually doing what he came to do. On Good Friday He gave His life, that we might live. It is such a huge story that we spend all year in Church expanding what it means.

If it doesn’t resonate with you as the most important thing in the world, dare I suggest you haven’t yet worked it out for yourself?

All of us have fallen from God’s standards, and most of us have fallen even by our own standards. You need to know the Messiah so that you might feel the forgiveness of God and start the abundant life God wants for you.

Many of our readers have abuse in their past. People have let us down, proved themselves unworthy of our trust, some have gone out of their way to cause us pain. All of us need to know the healing of God, to know he can help us to recover and rebuild, to feel safe and able to belong once again.

Some have found themselves causing the hurt, and need God’s help in learning to stop, and to find God’s way forward. Church is one of the few places where we do not exclude guilty people. But what we have painfully learned is that we can’t just forgive and forget. God ensures justice, but also forgives, and we are constrained to protect the vulnerable. This is why safeguarding is so important in Church. To show God’s love to all those who come, while protecting the vulnerable and putting restrictions on those who have abused others.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will be resigning because he didn’t do all that he could have done to protect others. Some of our Church members find it hard to have to keep redoing their safeguarding training, but this whole episode shows us just how important this training is. Then we too, can look after the sheep of his sheepfold.

Do pray for the Saviour’s power in your own life, and ask this Christmas, that the Messiah will visit your life.

14 ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (John 10)

Brian Leathers (November 2024)