A problem that won’t go away needs a solution which isn’t temporary. Obvious perhaps, but a look at our world shows that human beings haven’t been able to provide permanent solutions to many problems.
As parts of East Africa and Yemen face a new food crisis, I’ve been struck by the fact that we’ve been here before. Some of you may remember the crisis in Ethiopia in the eighties – this is the earliest example of real poverty I can recollect. And yet, more than thirty years on, here we are again.
In our current Lent groups we’ve been looking at the Old Testament sacrifices and have noticed how these sacrifices were offered over and over again, showing that sin is one of those problems that just won’t go away. And yet, Easter reminds us of the one sacrifice Jesus made that actually gets the job done for all time, and never needs repeating.
In Hebrews 9: 28 we read that ‘Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’ (NRSV).
As we approach Easter, thank God that when He acts to save, He doesn’t do half measures.
Yours in Christ
Chris Collins
Vicar’s Comment April 2017
A problem that won’t go away needs a solution which isn’t temporary. Obvious perhaps, but a look at our world shows that human beings haven’t been able to provide permanent solutions to many problems.
As parts of East Africa and Yemen face a new food crisis, I’ve been struck by the fact that we’ve been here before. Some of you may remember the crisis in Ethiopia in the eighties – this is the earliest example of real poverty I can recollect. And yet, more than thirty years on, here we are again.
In our current Lent groups we’ve been looking at the Old Testament sacrifices and have noticed how these sacrifices were offered over and over again, showing that sin is one of those problems that just won’t go away. And yet, Easter reminds us of the one sacrifice Jesus made that actually gets the job done for all time, and never needs repeating.
In Hebrews 9: 28 we read that ‘Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him’ (NRSV).
As we approach Easter, thank God that when He acts to save, He doesn’t do half measures.
Yours in Christ
Chris Collins