From Passover to Pentecost

This blog has been brewing for while in my mind but I am sitting down now to start sharing it.

Jewish Festivals, unlike Christian ones, are mandated in the Scriptures. That said, Christian festivals often have their parallels in the Jewish Calendar.

Holy Week, for Christians is closely associated with and has its theological roots in Passover.

Pentecost, is rooted in the Jewish Feast of Weeks, Shavuot.

Like Passover, Holy Week is an eight day feast, that is comprised of:

• Palm Sunday - Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. Crowds were welcoming him with branches and laying cloths in the road as they would for a coming king, and they shouted out "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
• Maundy Thursday - Jesus celebrates the Passover with his disciples in an upper room. Jesus washes the feet of His disciples, showing humility, he talks to them at length about what is about to happen to him over the next few days, and then he shares the Passover, picking on just two of the aspects, the bread and the wine, and giving them new significance of His Flesh and His Blood, broken and poured out for the forgiveness of sins and instructing the disciples to do this often, remembering His Body broken for us and His blood poured out for our Salvation. Christians still do this. After this Jesus went out to the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed. He was betrayed by Judas, and arrested.
• Good Friday - Seems a very ironic name for the day on which they crucified Jesus after three false and illlegal trials and terrible torture. He was crucified on a cross, between two thieves. He died, and was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. A great tomb, and a squadron of soldiers guarded the tomb.
• Easter Sunday - Early on the Sunday morning, some women went down to the tomb to tend to the body according to the custom, but they did not find the body. The tomb was empty and it was announced that Jesus had risen from the dead. Jesus appeared in many different places and ways over that day and the next 40 days to show that He truly was alive.

Jesus went through this so that we, everyone who believes and puts their trust and follows Him, can be saved from the slavery/bondage of sin and to gain a victory over death.

Passover (Pesach) is feast that commemorates and celebrates the liberation of the Jewish people from bondage of slavery in Egypt. Jews celebrate this with a number of customs which I won't go into here, but one important custom and probably central to the Passover celebration, is the Passover meal that is celebrated on the first day of the feast. It is a meal that is more than merely eating and drinking, but conversation too. During the meal, which is comprised of 

• A lamb bone
• A roasted egg
• A green vegetable to dip in salt water
• Bitter herbs made from horseradish
• Charoset (a paste of chopped apples, walnuts and wine) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/judaism/passover.shtml] 

a scripted dialogue takes place between the head of the family, usually the father, and a youth, usually a son, where the son asks why they do certain things and the father tells them the story of the Passover. This way, the REMEMBERANCE of what took place is passed on from one generation to the next. It is significant tht Jesus, at His last Passover told us to do this (eat the bread and drink the wine) in REMEMBRANCE of Him.

Like Holy Week, The Feast of Passover is an eight day feast, the first and last days of the feast and the day that happens to fall on the actual Sabbath are the most important days of the festival.

Fifty days after the start of Passover is the Feast of Weeks (Hereafter referred to by its Hebrew name Shavuot to distinguish it from the Christian Feast of Pentecost).

• Shavuot commemorates the BIRTH OF JUDAISM when God gave them the Ten Commandments. 
• Pentecost is when we remember the BIRTH OF THE CHURCH when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the 120 disciples. The people started prophesying and preaching and by the end of the day 3000 people had joined become Christians. Pentecost is from the Greek word for Fiftieth.(It was the Fiftieth day of the Omer - and the gift that God gave us was His Holy Spirit.

I entitled this blog "From Passover to Pentecost"

Well in one sense it is about the Very first Passover when the Children of Israel left Egypt to the First Pentecost where the Church was born, but I actually chose the heading because it speaks of the intervening period between Passover and Shavuot.and the significance of that time. According to Jewish tradition, they "Count the Omer" - Here is a better explanation of this:Judaism 101: The Counting of the Omer

In a nutshell, God, in Lev. 23:15 commanded that the days between Passover and Shavuot be counted. It reminds the people doing this that there is a link between what happened in the Passover - Jews getting their liberty from Slavery of Egypt to Shavuot, Jews receiving God's law. I think that we as Christians should also see the link between our Passover - Holy Week, to Pentecost - God giving us His Holy Spirit, to live in us and guide us.

For Jews, the Counting of the Omer, is more than merely, Echad, Shtayim, Shalosh... (1, 2, 3) It's a time to reflect on Who God is and who we are. There are seven "devine attributes, which, since we humans are created in God's Image have seven corresponding "emotional attributes" - or perhaps that should be aspirations, because I cannot claim to attain these but certainlt aspire to them.

WEEK	Devine Attribute	Human Emotional Attribute
1.	Chessed - Love	Kindness/Lovinng Kindness
2.	Gevurah - Strength	Restraint/Justice and Discipline
3.	Tifferet - Beauty	Harmony, Compassion
4.	Netzach - Victory	Humility, Endurance
5.	Hod - Splendour	Ambition, Humility
6.	Yesod - Foundation	Connection, Bonding
7.	Malchut - Sovereinty	Receptiveness, leadership

The above human attributes are taken from two different lists with alternate translations.
 

Forming a kind of Matrix, on each of the Seven days of the the seven weeks - representing 49 days, the Jews reflect on the personal attributes in this way: First day - Kindness in Kindness Second Day - Discipline in Kindness, etc.

That is for Forty nine days - what of Day Fifty? Well on the Fiftieth Day - Matan Torah - giving (gift) of the Torah.

To quote the Judaism 101 article
The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavu'ot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah. It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah.

In the Christian tradition there is nothing specific between Holy Week and Pentecost, but some traditions have a period known as Lent which like Sefirat Omer is a period for deep spiritual reflection and may involve a fasting usually of a particular type of food or drink, or it may be a pleasurable pastime. Lent starts 40 days before Easter and finishes on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. It starts on what is known as Ash Wednesday. Despite the different timings between the two religions, the similarities are worth noting too. Many churches run special programmes personal Spiritual reflection, etc. It is not as regimented as it is in Judaism, but I do believe that Christians could do well to take a leaf out of Jewish people's books and take time out of every year to give themselves a spiritual check-up. I noted that during the counting of the Omer, there is no let up of this reflection on the Sabbath, no suggestion anywhere on any of the website I looked up that they do not "Count the Omer" - including the reflection on some aspect of it. Likewise, in our walk with God, we should be persistent, keep at it, no matter what. Yes we may be tired, yes, things might threaten to throw us off track, but as far as what God is dealing with in our lives, we should keep going. Have you had to undergo physiotherapy for anything? I had to go to physio for a dodgy ankle, and the rhysio prescribed stretching exercises to be repeated several times a day. Failure on my part meant that the problem was not going to get better. Was it painful - yes, it had to be. But it had to be.

James 4:8

Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Just as there is a link in Judaism between Passover and Shavuot - so  in Christianity - there is  link between Jesus and Resurrection and Pentecost - The day of the Gift of His Spirit.

Feasts are for remembrance - mostly they are remembering the positive things
Freedom from slavery in Egypt
Freedom from the slavery of sin
Receiving the Gift of God's Law
Receiving the Gift of God's Spirit.
The defeat of the Egyptian oppressors in the Red Sea.
The defeat of death itself as Jesus rose from the dead.

But those positives also indicate negatives that we need to reflect on.
Slavery 
Sin

God's Law reflects that God has a purpose and plan for our lives. It is not merely a list of dos and don'ts. However much we'd like to live in complete obedience to every precept laid out in Scripture - there is only One who has that, and that is Jesus, and we must depend on Him, and on the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. The Jews did not suddenly start obeying God's law perfectly, indeed the Old testament is full of stories of how they missed it. If we are going to come anywhere near living towards God's purpose, like the Jews needed the law, we need God's Spirit, which He gives to anyone who asks. 

Luke 11:11-13

11“You fathers—if your children ask^e for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

I hope this blog blesses you in your reading as much as it has blessed me in writing it. Feel free to comment. 

 

Sheltered Childhood

When I was three
My world was free,
Exactly as it should be
Life was so happy and carefree
I had no worries, no frets
I was oblivious to any threats

I was watched and protected everywhere
I didn’t know about the dangers out there.
Fun and games were my agenda.
With Bob, James and Brenda
I was safe and sound;
I could play around.

From my beautiful home,
I had no need to roam,
I had food to nourish
Loving parents who cherish,
And a garden to play in, to my heart’s content,
And servants to mind me wherever I went.

By Mum and Dad, I was well looked after
Life was full of fun and laughter
Life was easier
in old Rhodesia
For the lucky few
(with a lighter hue)

Don’t misunderstand,
Life was indeed grand
It is right that we should not expose
Little ones to dangers or foes
Don’t get me wrong
I'm not complaining in this song.

Life in the bubble was perfect and great
With plenty of friends, I experienced no hate.
Then we grew up and the bubble was burst
It was more uncomfortable then than it was at first,
Instead of ‘the ideal’
We saw something more real.
Now older,
                 and wiser

The land was accursed with bloodshed, and hatred, and war,
Cruelty, abuse, racism and more.

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I came across the picture on Facebook. It is a lovely heartwarming picture, but the context is important. It was taken in a Zimbabwean (or more accurately for the time, Rhodesian) city. You will note that the policeman is Black and the children are White. The comments under the picture were all about how wonderful life was back then and there was implied criticism that life is not wonderful now (which it isn't.) The thing is, the commenters were not necessarily as objective as they thought they were, because they were like those little children in the picture. White children in Rhodesia, like myself, (in general) had a cossetted and privileged existence. Yes there were poor Whites and some privileged Black children, but at that time, despite being a minority, because they were the "ruling class" - they were better off economically than the indigenous people, and the bulk of the government resources were channeled towards the Whites. The perception of the police was not the same for White children as it was for Black children who may well have witnessed policemen beating their parents with a sjambok and who possibly feared the police. I am writing about Rhodesia because that was my experience, but the same can be said of many people from privileged backgrounds who look back at the past with rose-tinted glasses and talk about the "good old days". I think many of us have selective memories that repress the negative and compare our present circumstances unfavourably with how things "used to be". However, this poem, is an effort to say, yes, life may have been good for you back then, but for many, life was NOT good.

You will note that the first five verses have 3 rhyming couplets, but the last verse has nine, less tidy lines.



PLAYING THE ROLE OR BEING REAL

Our first film-group movie of the academic year - was Vertigo by Hitchcock. The discussion that arose out of it, was, to what extent do we find ourselves "playing a role" so as to fit in with what people expect us to be.

When I got home, BBC Radio 4 had a programme called "Philosophers Arms" - and they discussed the  Fakes.

Do we find ourselves "saying cheese" a lot? I'm not talking about being photographed, so much feeling the need to smile though on the inside we are wanting to weep? Why do we do that? Any thoughts?

If we find ourselves "saying cheese" a lot, is there any point in being "in Church?" Can't we worship God as much in the garden (or the golf course, or the fishing pier, your particular favourite spot), if not more, than you can in Church? Is not part of Church, Koinonia - fellowship?

κοινωνία, κοινωνίας, ἡ (κοινωνός), fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, contact; in the N. T. as in classical Greek. http://concordances.org/greek/2842.htm

If there is too much cheese in your life? what is the remedy?

Spring Morning by Ruth

Maruge - Freedom Fighter

Maruge - Freedom Fighter

Maruge was a man of great courage and determination

Fighting in his life for two kinds of liberation

Against the British he took a stand, and

Fought for the freedom of his land

Then many years later, in his old age,

He commenced the battle of the page.

A call came over the radio, "Education for All"

Eighty-Four year old Maruge reported for school

The teachers and officials were greatly perplexed

Why the old man did not go home and relax.

"Go home Bwana, your chance you've missed"

But the hunger for knowledge made Maruge persist

By sheer determination Maruge won his place

in the First Grade to start the education race.

Alongside combatants a twelfth of his age

The war against illiteracy they began to wage

The struggle for letters is not easily overcome

Mastered by repetition like the beating of the drum

The war was long over, The British had gone

For Maruge, true freedom was not yet won.

He was not there yet but it was within sight

All he needed was learn to write.

His teacher was patient, his teacher was kind,

As for the others, they were just blind.

As in every war, the enemy we need to know,

Bureaucracy, prejudice and misunderstanding were Jericho.

Education Officials and parents said it was wrong,

In the primary school, they said Maruge did not belong.

They tried to remove him by threats and innuendo,

Intimidation and transfer to make the head teacher say, "No"

Mzee Kimani Nganga Maruge may have been the student,

He also helped the children as the teacher's new assistant,
We can learn from him to value education
The privilege of gaining a qualification
Difficulties and obstacles may impede our progress;
They must not stop us. Our aim is SUCCESS.

Nevertheless - II

I lived in fear that I would not be good enough.
I dearly loved Jesus but did He really love me?
I was strongly convinced that I didn't measure up;
That I did not make the grade.

Nevertheless, I had no reason to fear because
Jesus DID love me and loves me more than I can say...

School was a torment, I was teased and called 'weird'
I couldn't play rugby - the sport of men
For cricket you need co-ords - I didn't have them.
I was small. I was weak. I didn't 'pull the girls'
I simply was not like other boys.

Nevertheless, in Jesus, my 'wierdness' was what made me unique
Far from being the OUTCAST who didn't conform
God made me this way, before I was born.

Scared to death that someone would find out
My terrible secret, my great shame;
Paralysed by fear that I'd be exposed,
Carrying on a respectable façade
All the while feeling like a complete charade.

Nevertheless, God "from whom no secrets are hid and all desires known" -
Still loves me with an EVERLASTING and UNCONDITIONAL love.

Over these many years I was at war with myself
Two sides of me - pulling me apart
Theology and experience being at such odds:
"Why, if God loves me doesn't He take it away.
I really really wanted to be rid of the 'gay'

It took a long time and I was clearly wrong
About my perception of God and His love for me
I'd become legalistic and homophobic
In jumping to conclusions about what God thought
about me - I came to the brink of drifting away!

Nevertheless, in my moment of need,
God loved me and reached out to say,
"I'm here John and I love you
JUST AS YOU ARE,
Be at peace my son
I love you and I've called you and it's time to move on
I want you to serve me and be part of my plan!"

(C) 2012 - JF.

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I wrote this today while at a Christian conference. I hope it blesses you. It is called Nevertheless - for an obvious reason. The II is because I previously wrote a poem (almost 8 years ago) with this title.

It speaks about my journey with regard to my sexuality - coming to terms with the fact that I was gay and the ramifications for someone who "dearly loved Jesus" and thought being gay was a GREAT SHAME.

The words "From whom no secrets are hid and all desires known" are taken from the Common Book of Prayer - though, in writing it down I reversed the phrases as I discovered it actually says "To whom all desires are known and no secrets are hid." Same words, different order.

I have appreciated the many encouraging words from friends who have written to me about my poem. I'm aware that what I say here clashes with the interpretation of some in regard to this subject - I can only say, this is where I am - you are free to disagree with me - but please just take this poem as my understanding and it is my experience and I believe the experience of many other gay Christians. If it were not for what I talk about in that last verse about God reaching out to me in my moment of need - I can truly say I may well have given up on life altogether.

If you are thinking of writing to tell me I am wrong, I will politely say that you will be wasting your time -
"Whose report do you believe - I believe the report of the LORD!" That is - what I have heard from Him.

PENTECOST 2012

I went with my friends Fred and Marilyn Brown to Earl's Court Conference Centre to join in the PENTECOST 2012 celebration - a combined effort of three major city churches - namely HTB, Hillsong and Jesus House. There was good praise and worship, The lights gave the auditorium a disco feel. Pastor of the Jesus House preached a message basing it on the story of Nehemiah hearing of how Jerusalem was destroyed and deciding to return to there and rebuild the walls. I am not going to comment on that message as such, but during the evening, the first two stanzas of the following poem came to mind and I wrote them down. The rest of the poem I wrote while I lay a-coughing in my bed!

PENTECOST 2012

Spirit pouring out on many heads.
Thousands gathered - arms upraised.
Bouncing with delight that Jesus is their King.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

Binds that ensnare and bring people down
Blind alleys and false promises that lead people astray
But he came to snap the ropes of those tied up
And search out and rescue those who are lost.

Bombed and destroyed, everything exploded,
Buildings devastated and in wrack and ruin
Broken and d bashed and beyond repair
Like the Twin Towers of Manhatten
On Nine Eleven.

Jesus is the prince of Peace - "a peace the world doesn't know"
He does not rebuild - following another's design;
he Builds - removing the rubble and refuse that remained
Erecting an ediface that brings glory to His name.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

Everyday, upon our screens, the appeal is made for money
To help the children of Africa,
as an emaciated figure of little child stares out with huge pleading eyes.
Meanwhile we read that the richest folk are getting richer by the hour.
This is injustice and makes me MAD.
It fires me up and makes me SAD.
Christ is our nourishment - He feeds us well.
Not only does he feed us, he shares the meal.

It's not only the LACK of food that makes people sick,
But the wrong food or an over-abundance of it.
While in poorer lands, like the Sudan, famine decimates and destroys,
In the wealthy world of the West, It's Diabetes.
Whether it is too little, too much or the wrong sort,
people are being killed by the very thing that's supposed to bring life.
Be not become drunk with wine - that leads to debauchery,
but be being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Liberation to those who are bound
Nutrition for those who are malnourished
Sweet words of encouragement for those who are defeated
this was the cause for which He came

When we ran the race, but not fast enough,
When tried our best, but our best was simply not enough
Despite our best efforts, that job that we prized, is no longer ours
That marriage we treasured has been ripped to shreds,
In desperate times, with competition stiff,
We can bend over backwards and try every door,
And we realise that we are poor,
It's easy to become discouraged and fall in heap and want to give up.
"Failure" we hear them say:
"You're no use to us - go away!"

But all is not lost, and just when you think you are all alone,
The One made you says,
"Come to me and I will give you rest
I know you - I made you - I understand every sinew of your being."
After a while, when you regain your strength,
Jesus says to you,
"I know the plans I have for you
Plans to prosper you, not to harm you
Plans to give you a hope and a future."

Pentecost is the Church's birthday!
The Holy Spirit of God came to dwell with us all,
He did not stay in the luxury of Heaven 
But moves amongst us herein our daily lives.
Jesus came with a purpose to rescue mankind
This He did with a flourish, though Calvary's cross,
The Holy Spirit He sent, our companion and guide!

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(C) 2012 John Fairlamb

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