Underdog Football from Manchester United

 Underdog football sums up Manchester United's abysmal performance at Old Trafford last Saturday.

In the second half the defence was poor and the attack was firing blanks. City, on the other hand , were showing their superiority and looked like the home side rather than the away side under pressure. Whether you believe that United are the devil's team or not, they played like middle table mediocrities badly in need of a radical overhaul.  

The United goalkeeper, Andre Onana, played magnificently and made some world class saves, beautiful to watch.  He is the best player in their squad on current form, though Rashford shines from time to time.

City are a quality side, which the Red Devils cannot match at all this season, perhaps for some time to come.

It is unlikely that Erik ten Hag will be there for much longer, but it's a funny old game.

Manchester United 0  Manchester 3.  

The Kingdom of Heaven, not middle class, bourgeois family values

 Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew's Gospel) and the Kingdom of God (Luke's Gospel). The Lord taught us the parables of the Kingdom. He preached repentance, for the Kingdom was at hand. He was the King, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It can be argued that the Kingdom was and is where Jesus ruled and reigned, where His authority, power and victory are established.

His Kingdom has been misunderstood, for some identified it with the Church, or Christendom, where the influence of the Church held sway. 

The correct understanding would be to say the the Kingdom of Heaven/God takes its point of departure from God, whereas the Church takes its point of departure from Christians, followers of Christ, and is therefore flawed. The Church is an imperfect human institution, although as ecclesia it is the fellowship of those called out to be God's people. Is it a hospital for sinners rather than a gymnasium or club for the spiritually elite?

Jesus did not come preaching family values, not as we currently understand them and certainly not as some experience them in tensions, conflict, disagreements, divorce, broken homes, unhealthy relationships, squabbles and frayed exchanges. They can be units of support, comfort, consolation, and caring, but how often do they come with a spiritual dimension?

When Jesus preached there was conviction, authority and truth that penetrated the heart and mind. 

Woke and pseudo theologies have presented us with a god without wrath, men without sin, and a kingdom without judgment, so that there is no need for Christ on the cross to save us.  According to this form of religion, there is no hell or any prospect of a perilous separation from God, no weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth,  no place of regret and grief for past iniquities, no punishment of the wicked. People are left to follow the broad way and rely on their own good and bad works, what they considered to be best, good intentions.  Human religion does not call for repentance, to turn away from evil, wickedness and the sin that separates us from God.

The New Testament reveals that salvation is by grace through the divine gift of faith,  and this leads to good works which God has prepared for us.  Please see Ephesians 2: 8-10.  This is the wonderful message of the Gospel, the Good News, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners, to deliver us from a lost eternity, so that we are able to come to eternal life.  This eternal life has the quality of eternity, the abundant life that God intended us to live. In Christ Jesus there is the certain hope of a glorious future, and the reality of an abundant life now.

 

Is the call of God beyond family first values?

Some churches are very keen on the family, perhaps family first, and Christian family values. The church as the family of God is promoted, endorsed and applauded in line with certain verses in the New Testament.

However, in the early Church community there were those who did not enjoy family life and comforts of a happy home life with close relatives. Some were slaves, displaced persons, refugees, members of the Jewish diaspora, people who had fled persecution and terrible hardship as strangers in a strange land.

Jesus called people to follow Him, and even forsake family, friends, financial security and an easier life. 

Can  you think of relevant Bible verses?

Think of Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler, and the man who wanted to settle his family affairs before responding to Jesus' call.  

Are Christians today in danger of elevating family values above those of the call of God in Christ Jesus?

It is an important question that needs to be considered in the light of Jesus' teaching, and of course the whole counsel of God. 

We like to talk and discuss Christian family values, in many ways, and it is good to work out what that means. But I would suggest that there are other ways, other important aspects of Christian life, such the church as a community, a partnership which invests in what is best for needy folk, a fellowship where there is caring, sharing and bearing one another's burdens, worries and cares, and of course ministering with prayers.

I  asked a Christian from South Korea, when I was a post graduate student at Oxford: what in your opinion is the difference between Christians in the UK and Christians in your country?

He replied, "Here you talk and discuss a lot. Back home we pray a lot. We pray a lot more than we talk."

And 1Corinthians 4:20 is a word, a message to me, as much as anyone!

Congratulations to Professor Hippolite Amadi

 Last month, September 2023, Hippolite Amadi who is currently Visiting Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College, University of London, won the Nigeria Prize for Science.

This prize was awarded for Professor Amadi's innovative work which led to tremendous advances in neonatal and child healthcare.

There are now neonatal research centres in Nigeria that bear Professor Amadi's name. An impressive legacy.

FIFA means finance is first aim

 Now we all know it and it is abundantly clear, FIFA mean Finace is First Aim. It's all about the money.

The Chief Executive Officer should be called Phil Aguria, lover of money. And the love of money is...

Barry George was shamefully treated

 Barry George , who was wrongfully convicted of murdering Jill Dando, suffered dreadfully in prison knowing that he was completely innocent and the evidence was handled badly.  It was a professional hit. Jill was assassinated on her doorstep in west London, shot by a gun that Barry had never fired or was trained to shoot. Barry deserves a generous ex gratia payment , though it will never remove or compensate for those years he spent wasting away in a prison cell. Disgraceful. Those who were involved and responsible for this atrocious miscarriage of justice should contribute to the payment in some way.

The Death of Michael Reid, formerly Bishop of Peniel Church

 I have recently discovered that Michael Reid, who led Peniel Church near Brentwood, died in January 2023.  He did achieve success in establishing a large church with an impressive choir, a private school (Peniel Academy), a Bible college and substantial properties around the Coxtie Green area. Unfortunately his ministry ended in disgrace and shame. His adultery was exposed and, after an independent investigation which led to the Langlois Report, horrendous evidence of harm, toxic abuse, bullying and deceit. It is true to say Reid created "havoc and pain for many."

There are many well documented victims of this abusive ministry.  It is easy to find the evidence. There are those who still carry deep mental wounds and painful psychological scars from their experiences at Peniel Church, at the end of the last century and up to his resignation in April 2008. Reid did not leave the church manse willingly. It took considerable effort to remove him. There was rejoicing when he departed. Many were glad to see him go.  

There are important lessons to learn from the Langlois Report and the whole Peniel episode so that these abuses are not repeated.