Roger Aubrey

King of Kings

'You are a King, then!' said Pilate. Jesus answered, 'You are right in saying that I am a King'. (John 18:37)

When we are born again by the Holy Spirit we are born into the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom has a King - Jesus; he is the very real King of this very real Kingdom. King Jesus is full of love, mercy, grace and compassion; but as the King of the Kingdom he also makes incredible demands on the subjects of his Kingdom...

Change is here

This post first appeared last December; it was entitled Being in the Kingdom Means Change. I'm running it again today because change has finally come. Dianne has finally made me change my wonderful, comfortable, only slightly worn deck shoes that I wear in the house. Last Saturday she put her foot down (!) and said that they had to go. She pulled out of the closet another pair of deck shoes and said these would be my house pair from now on. I ask you: after all I've been through this year. Now those old friends have departed to shoe heaven (actually they're in the closet on their way to the bin). Now I have to get used to new friends; one day I'll be feeling the same about them.

Anyway, spare a thought for my feet as you read Being in the Kingdom Means Change....

Skeptics on the Road to Damascus

Here's an interesting article from Christian History magazine for all you history buffs. It's written by my friend and former colleague, Dr Timothy Larsen. Tim is now associate professor of theology at Wheaton College, Illinois; his article is about the many 19th century leading intellectuals who once lost their faith and ended up recovering it.

Living the Legacy of Faith

...who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. (Hebrews 11:33-35)

A real, vibrant, living faith in a living God enables us to do the most amazing exploits. It really does empower us to overcome every obstacle and enemy of our faith. There is nothing that faith can't achieve (within the nature of God); it really is the controlling force of so much. Faith even has the power to create. Yet, paradoxically, faith in God also brings difficulties, sometimes severe ones...

Lack of Faith Displeases Jesus

Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. (Mark 16:14)

In the past, whenever I used to read this passage, I was taken aback by Jesus' attitude to the disciples when he first appeared to them after his resurrection. But now I realise why he had to speak to them like this...

You're not going out dressed like that

Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 13:14)

Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

'You're not going out dressed like that!' How many times have we as parents said that to our children? (I can remember my parents saying it to me - just about). It's the middle of winter, pouring with rain, bitterly cold and all they have on is a pair of jeans, a T shirt and a lightweight top that wouldn't protect against the slightest puff of wind. Recently, Dianne has begun to look at my house shoes again (see 7 December 2004: Being in the Kingdom Means Change); the other night she even said, 'You can't walk around the house dressed like that'.

Or imagine going to a wedding in your scruffiest, dirtiest clothes - the ones you wear to paint the house, do the gardening, clear the garage in? We have to wear the right clothes for the right occasions...

Jesus & The Word

This morning I was teaching at School of the Word here in Cardiff (among other things I am the Principal of the School). They are a wonderful group of students - eager, well behaved, zealous, inquisitive...(I think that will impress them, because I know some of them read this blog).

Anyway, this morning we were studying the Authority of the Word of God and especially Jesus' relationship with the Old Testament...

Paul - The Slave Apostle

Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God...(Romans 1:1)

In his opening sentence to the believers in Rome Paul tells his readers much about him. The order in which he introduces himself is very important...

The Surpassing Value of Knowing Jesus

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness/value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them human excrement, that I may gain Christ...(Philippians 3:8)

Imagine for a moment that your house caught fire. What would you try and rescue? The cat? The kids? Jewellery? Family photos? It's likely that you'd go for what you value the most; the rest you could live without.

That's what Paul is talking about in this passage of scripture...

The Mystery of God is Christ

...know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge...[let] no-one deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. (Colossians 2:3-4)

I was reflecting and meditating on this scripture the other day and was struck by the strength of Paul's language in expressing his purpose in bringing the Colossians to maturity. They were plagued by what we call today the Colossian heresy...