Andy Roland

Who is Jesus? The Messiah, the Anointed One, God’s Beloved. Why? Perhaps because he came not to complete the old chapter of Israel but to start a whole new chapter?

What is Jesus’ calling? Perhaps to give Israel a final chance to surrender radically to God?

And our calling? To stay faithful to Jesus (not necessarily to church tradition).

Who is Jesus? The Messiah, the Anointed One, God’s Beloved. Why? Perhaps because he came not to complete the old chapter of Israel but to start a whole new chapter?

What is Jesus’ calling? Perhaps to give Israel a final chance to surrender radically to God?

And our calling? To stay faithful to Jesus (not necessarily to church tradition).

For me the key phrase was “your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed..”

Note, not a word of negativity.

For me there are two lessons:

Don’t store stuff, and
Be generous

Like riding a bicycle, you have to keep your eyes on the goal if you’re going to stay upright. So you’ve got to get rid of any kind of resentment, however justified, if you are going to walk through life with God.

We don’t have to make sense of the beatitudes. We just have to sit under them.
But note that the first four relate to people who suffer, paralleling Luke 6. The second four speak of those who work to bring in the kingdom – the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, those who stand up for righteousness and so are persecuted.

I think I am all four. Sometimes I wilfully disregard the call of God on my life. Sometimes I get enthusiastic or make good resolutions but they generally don’t last more than two days. Sometimes my mind is consumed by worry or planning. But sometimes I am able to say or write something which actually helps someone.

I never noticed before the intimate way Jesus spoke to the paralysed man, “Son ….” Moving.

My former vicar in Streatham preached about the call of Levi. He said, that was also a healing.