"The Olivet Discourse" (Mark 13)

In Mark the ‘Olivet Discourse’ (Mk 13) comes after the ‘Parable of the Tenants’ and after Jesus confront the ‘teachers of the law’ in the temple courts. Watch the story being told and then read the comments below.

One of Jesus’ disciples draws his attention to the ‘massive stones’ that made up the temple.  Jesus says that every stone of those ‘great buildings’ would be thrown down. The temple was one of the most impressive structures in the Ancient world. So when Jesus said it would be totally demolished the disciples were amazed. So they ask Jesus when ‘these things’ would happen and what would be ‘the sign’ it was about to be fulfilled (Mk 13:1-2). Jesus explains the coming destruction of the Temple—and what would happen to his disciples in days leading up to it.   

Jesus warns them that many deceivers would come. There would be political upheavals, earthquakes and famines but these were ‘birth pains’. The disciples would be handed over to local councils, flogged in the synagogues and have to testify before governors and kings. First the gospel would be preached to all nations (See Acts 2:5, Rom.1:8, Col. 1:6, 23). They would be hated for being Christians. All of this happened in history under the Roman Emperor Nero. One can read about how horrendous the days of the Jerusalem War were in the Jewish historian Josephus. People starved, fought over their food supply and even ate their own babies.  

In verse 14 Jesus tells them to flee Judea when they see the ‘abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it doesn’t belong. Remember Jesus is addressing the destruction of the temple. If this was about the end of the world, what would be the sense of fleeing? In Luke it talks about foreign armies surrounding Jerusalem which happened in ad 70 (Luke 21:20-21). The ‘desolating abomination’ in Daniel is about armies invading Jerusalem and the cessation of the sacrifices (Daniel 11:31, 12:11). These verses pointed to Antiochus IV and the events of the ‘Maccabean Revolt’. Here Jesus refers back to them to explain what was coming within a generation. When his disciples saw this ‘sign’ they were to flee Judea.

Jesus says that, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavens will be shaken.’ They would see the ‘Son of Man’ coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Then he would send his messengers to the ends of the earth to gather his elect. Jesus said that all ‘these things’ would happened to his contemporary generation and he confirmed this by saying that his ‘words would never pass away’.

According to Josephus the Romans completely destroyed the temple in AD 70 and not one stone was left on another. The Romans crucified thousands and over a million people died. In fact more Jews were killed in the infighting of the various Jewish factions than by the Romans. Mark speaks of the Temple’s demise in the language that Isaiah used to describe the fall of Babylon and Edom (Isaiah 13:10, 34:4). These events happened in real history in the past though the ‘cosmic upheaval’ described didn’t happen literally. The sun grows dark, the moon no longer shines and the stars fall from the sky (Mark 13:24-25). Israel refused to follow Jesus and chose a path of revolutionary violence against Rome only to be destroyed.

Jesus quotes Daniel 7:13, “They will see “the son of man coming on clouds with great power and glory”.  Here the ‘the son of man’ enters into the presence of the ‘ancient of days’ and sits at God’s right (Mark 12:35-37, Psalm 110). The fig tree in leaf signals the arrival of summer. Jesus was encouraging his disciples to watch for the approaching Roman armies (Luke 21:20). In the parable of the wicked tenants the vineyard owner brings destruction upon the generation that rejected his son. Mark 13 ends with the command to ‘keep awake and watch’ which is equally applicable for us today. We must be alert because the judgment upon the Temple is a foretaste of the judgment coming upon the world at Christ’s second coming. But it is not our business to look for signs. We are to stay awake and make disciples while we wait for our Lord’s return (Matthew 24:39, 48-50, 25:1-13, 14-30).

The Parable of the Wicked Tenants.

This parable is found between the story of Jesus clearing the Temple (Mk 11) and his foretelling of the destruction of the Temple (Mk 13). In the parable a man plants a vineyard rents it to tenants and sends various servants to collect some of the fruit, but the servants are treated harshly. Watch the story being told and then read the comments below. 

Jesus tells a parable using a story from Isaiah 5 where God plants Israel like a vineyard, watches over it, hoping to find good grapes. Israel goes bad, despite God’s care so Israel goes into Exile. Jesus tells the same story but in Jesus’ story God patiently sends Israel His servants, the prophets, over and over again. Finally God sends his last messenger, His beloved son, but the rebellious tenants killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.

In Jesus’ parable a man plants a vineyard, puts a fence around it, digs a pit for the wine-press and builds a tower. He leases the vineyard to tenants and goes away. The tenants, Israel, were the stewards of God’s vineyard.  At harvest the owner sends a servant, His prophet (Amos 3:7), to collect some of the fruit. The tenants beat the servant sending him away empty-handed. The vineyard owner (God) sent another servant (a prophet) to the tenants (Israel) but they hit him in the head and treated him shamefully. Another servant was sent who the tenants killed. Many other servants were sent, some were beaten others were killed. 

The vineyard owner sent his final servant, His own beloved son. The God sends his beloved son, Jesus, thinking the tenants (Israel) will respect his son. But the tenants killed the heir thinking the inheritance would be theirs. The killed the vineyard owner’s son and threw him out of the vineyard. Israel,  God sends his final prophet, Jesus, who was announced at in his baptism and confirmed at the transfiguration to be God’s son. In defiance of God’s express purpose, they killed God’s final messenger. 

The parable asks, ‘what will the owner of the vineyard do?’ The owner (God) will come and destroy those tenants (AD 70) and give the vineyard to others. Jesus makes this clear by quoting scripture: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” The psalmist foretold that God would send his final messenger who by being killed would became the ‘cornerstone’. This was God’s plan foretold in scripture and fulfilled in Jesus and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Jesus entered Jerusalem to the singing of Psalm 118 just a few days before. This psalm also mentions the rejected stone which became the cornerstone (118:22, 26). The chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law wanted to arrest Jesus but they feared the crowds. Moreover, they knew that Jesus had told the parable against them, so they left. Jesus would be rejected by ‘builders’ so that this story leads from Jesus’ clearing of the Temple to his arrest and execution. The builders would reject the stone, and the stone would become the capstone and this was God’s plan all along to redeem the world. 

An Empty Tomb & the Emmaus Road.

Luke 24 has a long middle story (the Emmaus Road) with a story of about the women and the Apostles before and after it.

 

1. The Women and the Empty Tomb.
The death of a messianic hopeful leading a kingdom of God on a Roman cross meant the end of the movement. This is ‘what happened’ in over a dozen such first century movements. But this opening story reveals that the cross was not the end of Jesus.   

But this was difficult for the disciples to believe, even though they were told over and over again. The two angels tell the women how Jesus had told them that he would be delivered over to sinful men, be crucified and then rise from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:6-7). Jesus had told his disciples that he must die and rise again on numerous occasions (Mark 8:31, 9:9, 10:33-34)  Jesus ‘told them so’ but his disciples simply did not hear what Jesus was trying to tell them.

For most Jews in Jesus’ day ‘the resurrection’ was something that God would do for all the ‘righteous’ at the ‘last day’ (John 11:23-24). So it wasn’t just a lack of faith that kept them believing what Jesus had said. One isolated individual being resurrected to a new bodily life, while the rest of the world continued as is was not in their thinking.

The women carried spices to the tomb expecting to find the dead body of Jesus (Luke 24:1). The Apostles didn't expect Jesus to die or rise again from the dead. When the women told the Apostles that they found the tomb empty and how the angels said Jesus was alive their words seemed like nonsense (Luke 24:11-12). Such a wild story might be expected from women overwhelmed with grief over the death of a loved one.

That this was hard for the women and the Apostles to believe actually makes this story more believable. In the ancient world women were not considered credible witnesses. Also the story portrays the apostles not as models of faith; but full of doubt and unbelief. You see this is not the kind of account someone would make up if they were trying to start a religion.

Like many moderns, the Apostles found the story of the empty tomb and the testimony of the angels that Jesus had risen from the dead to be nonsense. They knew just as much as people today know that ‘dead people stay dead’. They were not inclined to believe it even though Jesus ‘told them in advance!’ Let’s be clear, the gospel of the ‘resurrected Messiah’ is not something man would make up (Gal. 1:11). The empty tomb and the testimony of the angels is the beginning of the good news that turns the over wise tragic death of Jesus on a Roman cross. But it was good news that none of Jesus’ disciples expected!

 

2. The Emmaus Road and the Resurrected Christ.

The first account reveals that the story of Jesus isn't over. The Emmaus road story unfolds what happened and shows how what happened to Jesus opens all of scripture.  

Jesus comes up beside Cleopas and his companion on the Emmaus road but we are told that they were kept from recognizing Jesus. Jesus asks what they were discussing, and they stop with their faces downcast (LK 24:16-17). They can’t recognize Jesus and they can’t believe that he doesn’t know what had happened to the prophet they hoped would redeem Israel. They longed for someone to lead Israel in a New Exodus out from under Roman oppression like Israel had been ‘redeemed’ from Egyptian slavery. They wanted Jesus to liberate Israel from Rome but Rome crucified Jesus. In their thinking Jesus should have defeated the Romans, not die on a cross! That’s why they were so downcast

They failed to recognize Jesus along the Emmaus road at least in part because they couldn’t understand why the Christ would be crucified. They couldn’t see past the cross to the resurrection because they didn’t understand their own need for the cross. Jesus leads a new Exodus but the slave-masters who have enslaved us all are sin and death. Jesus came to deal with their real problem which was not merely the Romans outside them but the sin that was in them. A crucified Messiah is a failed Messiah; the resurrection changed everything!

Jesus explained how all scripture spoke about him, but not just in a few isolated texts. Jesus is the ‘seed of the woman’ that would crush the serpent (Gen.3). Jesus is the seed of Abraham through whom God would bless the world (Gen.12). Jesus is the priest forever after the order of ‘Melchizedek’ (Gen.14, Heb.7). Jesus is the prophet like Moses who we must listen to (Dt.18). Jesus is the Passover lamb who takes away the sins of the world (Ex.12). Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins that that the entire Mosaic sacrificial system pointed to. Jesus is the one who came not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Jesus is the Son of David who would have God as his father and reign over God’s kingdom forever (2 Sam.7). Jesus is the temple that Solomon’s temple pointed to and the one who said ‘destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days’ referring to his body. Jesus is the one who was declared with power to be the ‘son of God’ by his resurrection of the dead.

Jesus explains how his death and resurrection unfolds and fulfills the whole Biblical Story. The crucifixion tells me that Jesus’ death made satisfaction for all the sins of all God’s people, and the resurrection was the beginning of God’s new creation. As the ‘very image of God’ Jesus is the second Adam who, even now, is filling the world with redeemed images.   All the promises of God are ‘Yes and Amen’ in Jesus and the resurrection means that Jesus really is the ‘Messiah of Israel’ and the ascension means Jesus is the world’s TRUE Lord.

We need the ‘resurrected Lord Jesus’ to open the scriptures and unlock the Biblical story. This story encourages us to know the story to know Jesus and to know Jesus in the ‘breaking of the bread’. We must pray that Jesus would open our ‘foolish and slow to believe’ hearts and open the story to us so that our hearts will the burn within us (LK 24:32). 

Happy Easter 2015!
Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Jesus Calms the Storm and the Demoniac.

We previously saw how Jesus was anointed by God's Spirit as Israel's true and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to overcome the temptations of Satan(Matthew 4, Luke 4). After this Jesus begins to form a 'new people of God' around himself (Mark 1, 3). The next two stories that we'll look at highlight Jesus' unique power and authority. 1) Watch and or Listen to the Story. Repeat as necessary, then 2) read the commentary below.

 

Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35–41)

Behind this story are echoes of older stories. God formed the world out of the chaotic sea and later lead Israel through the sea out of Egypt. In this story we see the power that made the world at work through Jesus. Jesus and his disciples seek to cross the lake, but a sudden storm starts filling their boat with water. This storm was so severe that these experienced fishermen were sure they would die. They misinterpreted Jesus’ ability to rest in the storm and rebuked Jesus for not caring about them.

Jesus rebukes the storm and everything becomes completely calm. After rebuking the storm, Jesus rebukes his disciples for being afraid and not trusting him. They wait until they’re about sink before the cry out to Jesus for help. Then they accuse Jesus of not caring about them. They were afraid of dying but after the wind and waves obey Jesus they’re terrified. The disciples look at each other wondering who is this that the ‘wind and waves’ obey. Don’t be surprised if Jesus reveal himself to you through a storm and challenges you to trust him.

Jesus Calms the Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20) 

On the other side of the lake is a man with an evil spirit who lived among the tombs. The spirit gave him great strength so that he could even break chains. The spirit gave him power but tormented him so that he cried out and cut himself with stones. Jesus commands the spirit give its name which the spirit says is ‘legion’ for they are many. They beg Jesus not to send them out of the area but to permit them to go into a herd of 2000 pigs on a nearby hillside. Jesus permits them so the demons enter the pigs only to lead the herd into the lake to drown.

The people come out and see Jesus with the man who had been demon possessed dressed and in his right mind. The people are afraid and they plead with Jesus to leave their area. The man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Jesus. Yet, Jesus wants the man to go to his family and tell what the Lord had done for him and how he had received mercy. The man obeyed Jesus and went into the towns and told people about Jesus and when the people saw him and heard what had happened they were amazed. In these stories Jesus exercises his authority over the physical world and the unseen spiritual world by the power of his word.

Stay Well,
Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Prayer Requests:
1) Please pray for the 'International Students Ministry' at Christ Church Stellenbosch. We pray that those attending our Thursday afternoon gathering will reach out and invite friends.

2) For connecting with international students through hospitality (having them over for dinner) to deepen friendships and show Christ’s love.

3) The 'School of Storying' planned for Malawi has been moved to next year 2016. Pray that we can find the right accommodations and the best possible participants for the 5 week training.

4) We praise God for some very generous individuals and for our main partnering churches. Please pray for consistent giving and that God will grow and bless our partnering churches.

5) We have decided against making a trip to South Sudan. Pray for our friend Darien that he will be encouraged in his work to train Anglican Pastors in that troubled country. He is very experienced and familiar with traveling throughout Africa but he and the Pastors he is seeking to train need our prayers.

Jesus Calls a 'New People'!

Dear Friends and Family, 

We previously looked at the story of Jesus' baptism when Jesus was anointed by God's Spirit and the heavenly voice confirmed that Jesus was Israel's true king (Matthew 3, Luke 3). After this Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan in the desert to face the equivalent of Israel’s forty years in the wilderness (Matthew 4, Luke 4). Jesus succeeds where both Israel and Adam had failed. Now we look at two stories where we see Jesus beginning to gather a 'new people of God' around himself (Mark 1, 3). 
 

  1) Watch and or Listen to the Story. Repeat as necessary.

 

Then 2) read the Commentary below.

 

Jesus Calls His First Disciples (Mark 1:14–20) Audio

 

John came in the spirit and power of Elijah and was the one Isaiah foretold would call people to prepare for the ‘coming of the Lord’. John, however, was imprisoned and later martyred for his efforts. After John’s arrest, Jesus went into Galilee announcing the ‘good news’ that the ‘kingdom of God’ was near. The time for God to restore His reign had come and people should ‘repent and believe’. They were to ‘give up their sins’ and embrace Jesus and his way of being king.

Jesus calls to two brothers, Peter and Andrew, who were fishing by the lake. At once they leave their nets to follow Jesus. Continuing on, Jesus calls two more brothers, James and John. They leave their father, Zebedee, in their fishing boat with the hired men to follow Jesus. James and John give up their predictable lives running their family fishing business to follow Jesus.

When called by Jesus these men respond by leaving what they knew to follow Jesus into what God only knew. This reminds us of God calling Abraham to ‘leave his country, his father’s house and go to a land the Lord would show him. This wasn't easy for Abraham or for Peter, Andrew, James and John, and it isn't any easier for those who hear Jesus calling them today. 

Jesus Calls His Twelve Apostles. (Mark 3:13–19) Audio.

Jesus went up a mountainside away from the authorities to call those he wanted and they came to him. By choosing twelve in a nation built on twelve patriarchs Jesus was clearly gathering a new people of God to launch his restoration movement. Away from the religious authorities who opposed him, Jesus appointed his twelve apostles. He called them to be with him, to preach the kingdom and to exercise Jesus’ authority over demons.

Jesus chose a diverse group to be his twelve apostles. The list begins with two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John the sons of Zebedee (who Jesus called ‘Sons of Thunder’ Lk 9:54)’. He chose Philip who was from Peter's hometown. He also chose Bartholomew (likely Nathanael John 1:44-45), Thomas, James (the son of Alphaeus) and Thaddaeus. Jesus chose Matthew, a tax-collector, and he also chose Simon the Zealot, a revolutionary. Lastly, Jesus chose Judas Iscariot who would betray him but, this was God’s plan and would serve God’s kingdom purpose.  

With many thanks in Him,

Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Prayer Requests:

1) Please pray for the 'International Students Ministry' at Christ Church Stellenbosch. We would like our Thursday afternoon gathering to be a place where international students feel welcome and where they can rediscover the ‘Story of Jesus’ by hearing and discussing stories from the gospels.  

2) Please pray for the health and growth of our 'story group' in Kayamandi. Kayamandi is a township in Stellenbosch where lower income South Africans and immigrants from other African countries live. Pray for regular attenders to be consistent and for God to raise up leaders who can eventually lead their own story groups.  

3) For connecting with international students through hospitality (having them over for dinner) to deepen friendships and show Christ’s love.

4) That we can organize a 'School of Storying' in Malawi. We have reached a kind of roadblock to holding the SOS in Malawi but we would like the training to take place in God’s timing as God wills. Pray that we can find the right accommodations for the 5 week training at the right price.

5) We praise God for some very generous individuals and for our main partnering churches. Please pray for consistent giving and for three new partnering churches.

6) We have a friend who is asking that I (Jay) go with him to go South Sudan for two weeks to train Anglican Pastors. He is very experienced and familiar with traveling throughout Africa but we also have relatives that don’t like the idea of going to such a troubled country.

 

 

 

 

'Gathering of Internationals' @ Univeristy of Stellenboch (SA).

Dear Friends,

Please pray for us! This Thursday, the 12th of February, we plan to launch the first in a series of lunchtime gatherings for 'International Students' at the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa). We are seeking to create an environment where 'Internationals Students' can rediscover the 'Story of Jesus' by hearing and discussing stories from the gospels.

Thanks (Zikomo),

Rev. Jay, Laura, Clara, Lauren and Katherine Stoms.

 



 

'The Temptation of Jesus'

Dear friends,
The 'Temptation of Jesus' is the next story from the life of Jesus that we are going over in our story group in Kayamandi (SA).  In some Christian circles this story is associated with Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting that serves as the first day of Lent. Lent originated as a memorial of Jesus' fasting 40 days in the desert and some Christians observe it in preparation for Easter. The Biblical story of the 'Temptation of Jesus' is found in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Audio
.

1) Watch and or Listen to the Story. Repeat as necessary. Then 2) read the Commentary below.

After his baptism, Jesus faced the devil who sought to bring Jesus’ identity into question (Mt.4:3).  God had said, ‘You are my beloved son!’ But Satan essentially said, ‘if you’re God’s son, why are you starving in this desert? Why wait on God? Turn these stones to bread and meet your own needs.’ Jesus answers the devil by submitting to God and His word (Mt. 4:4, Dt.8:3). Then Satan said, ‘if you’re God’s son, God’s king, then prove that God is with you. Jump from this temple for God will send His angels to lift you up (Mt.4:6, Ps.91:11-12).’ Again, Jesus submits to God and His word by trusting and not testing God (Dt.6:16, Ex.17).

Finally, Satan basically said, ‘if you want to be king of all the earth then take the easy way out? Why deny yourself and submit to God? I can give you all the kingdoms of this world if you will bow and worship me (Mt.4:9).’ Again, Jesus submits to God’s word which says to serve and worship God and him only. Then Satan left Jesus and God sent his angels to ‘lift Jesus up’ (Mt.4:11). Jesus, unlike Adam and Israel before him, was wholeheartedly committed to go God’s ways, as God’s true king.

After being baptized in the Jordan, Jesus went into the wilderness to face the equivalent of Israel’s forty years in the desert. Jesus would replay Israel’s story and succeed where both Israel and Adam had failed. The devil tempted Jesus, but God tested Jesus’ resolve to rely on God and His word. He defended himself using scripture from the story of Israel in the wilderness (See Dt.8:2-3). Jesus endured Satan’s temptations, in order to faithfully carry out God’s calling to redeem Israel and the world.

Our God tells those who trust Jesus that we are God’s children (Jn.1:12). Yet, our adversary tempts us to turn us away from serving God and His purposes. While our Father tests us that we may learn to depend on God and His word (Jms.1:2-3, 12). So if you have heard God affirm that you are His child then be assured that the devil will bring your identity ‘in Christ’ into question and will entice you to go your own way and take the easy way out. Knowing this, we must use the same defence as the son of God and use the truth of God to expose the lies of Satan. So keep you’re your eyes on Jesus and rely on God and His word!

Psalm 91:11–14 (NIV84) ¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; ¹² they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. ¹³ You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. ¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

Tsalani bwino (stay well),
Rev. Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms
Tsalani bwino (stay well),

Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Prayer Requests:

1) For the 'International Students Ministry' at Christ Church Stellenbosch.

2) That we can organize a 'School of Storying' in Malawi for June/July 2015.

3) Pray that we can pick up three new partnering churches.

4) For a 'good deal' as we seek to purchase a vehicle.

5) For longer term accommodations for our family in Stellenbosch.

6) That the health and growth of our 'story group' in Kayamandi.

7) Starting a series of luncheons for International students where we would story through the life of Jesus.   

8) About possibly going to South Sudan for two weeks to train Anglican Pastors.

.

John's Baptism and Jesus' Baptism.

Dear Friends and Family,
Here is the story of the John's baptism and that of the baptism of Jesus mostly from what happened after the 'Birth of Jesus' from Luke 3 and Matthew 3.   Audio file

1) Watch and Listen to the Story. Then 2) Read the Commentary (below). 

God had been silent over the period between the testaments, but now the ‘Word of God’ came to John in the desert by the Jordan River (Lk.3:2).  Israel had wandered through the desert after the exodus from Egypt until they crossed the Jordan to enter the ‘Promised Land’. The imagery here is that of a ‘New Exodus’. John preached ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ in preparation for the ‘coming one’ who would rescue God’s people (Lk.3:2-3, Mt.3:2-3).

Isaiah foretold that John would call people to make ‘straight paths’ and construct a highway for the ‘coming Lord’ (Isa.40:3-4, 11). Valleys would ‘be raised’ and mountains ‘made low’ and Sovereign Lord would return like a shepherd to gather his lambs and lead them close to his heart. Malachi had said that the Lord would send Elijah before that ‘coming day’ to turn the hearts of the people (Mal.4:5-6). Now John very intentionally dressed the part and played the role of Elijah (Mt.3:4, 2 Kgs.1:8).

People came from throughout Judea to confess their sins and to identify with John’s ‘repentant and expectant’ community. Yet, when the ‘religious leaders’ came to where John was baptizing, John denounced them as ‘snakes’ needing to flee the coming wrath (Mt.3:7-8, 11, Lk.3:8, 16). According to John they needed to ‘produce fruit’ consistent with genuine repentance. So John pointed to the more powerful one, Jesus, who would pour out God’s Spirit and bring the fire of God’s judgment.

Jesus came to the Jordan identifying with those needing the forgiveness of sins.  John needed to be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus considered it proper for him to identify with the ‘repentant community’. Jesus was acting on behalf of God’s people as their representative and God was preparing Jesus for his role as Messiah (Mt.3:13-15, Lk.3:21-22).  Jesus was anointed by John in a similar fashion to the way Samuel anointed David as Israel’s future king (1 Sam.16:13). The Spirit came down on ‘King Jesus’ and the heavenly voice confirmed Jesus’ identity, “This is my beloved Son” (Mt.3:16-17).

Tsalani bwino (stay well),

Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Prayer Requests:

1) For the 'International Students Ministry' at Christ Church Stellenbosch.

2) That we can organize a 'School of Storying' in Malawi for June/July 2015.

3) Pray that we can pick up three new partnering churches.

4) For a 'good deal' as we seek to purchase a vehicle.

5) For longer term accommodations for our family in Stellenbosch.

6) That the health and growth of our 'story group' in Kayamandi.

7) Starting a series of luncheons for International students where we would story through the life of Jesus.   

8) About possibly going to South Sudan for two weeks to train Anglican Pastors.

"Celebrating '11th Wedding Anniversary' in Africa"

Dear Friends and Family,

Laura and I just celebrated our 11^th wedding anniversary in beautiful South Africa where we actually spent our honeymoon. Truly, the “lines have fallen for us in pleasant places; indeed, we have a beautiful inheritance” (Psalm 16:6).

Looking back reminds us of the words of a dear Pastor who while introducing us to his church said, “The Stoms’ greatest accomplishment is their three daughters, Clara, Katherine and Lauren.” Truer words have not been spoken and they remind us of God’s unmerited ‘super-abounding grace’ to us. 

I once endured a lecture on the 20 (maybe 10 but it seemed like 20) things churches expect from their missionaries. I felt like a failure until I was reminded of all the people who have been endeared to us through our three daughters. Clara had an entropic eyelid that had to be sown and Katherine was born with a growth that had to be removed surgically. Those were trying times, but through them so many people were united to us in prayer. I don’t recommend this as a marketing strategy, but it’s a continual reminder that God’s “ways and thoughts are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9).”

Our first story group!

I recently preached a sermon on how God taught Peter His ‘True Grace’ (1 Peter 5:12) at Christ Church Stellenbosch. In it I told the story of Peter denying Christ three times and explained how God used ‘trials and failure’ in Peter’s life. Over and over again, in various circumstances, we have found God teaching us our need to ‘trust and pray’. Having said this, we are asking that you pray as we launch both a ‘story group’ in Kayamandi (informal settlement) and hold a series of ‘brown bag lunches’ with international students where we plan to story through the ‘Life of Jesus’.   

Thanks (Zikomo),
Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms
Cheers!

Prayer Requests:
1) For Laura as she home-schools our girls.
2) That our girls make new friends here in South Africa.
3) For the 'International Students Ministry' at Christ Church Stellenbosch. 
4) That we can organize a 'School of Storying' in Malawi for June/July 2015.
5) Pray that we can pick up three new partnering churches.
6) For a 'good deal' as we seek to purchase a vehicle.
7) For longer term accommodations for our family  in Stellenbosch.
8) That we successfully  launch a 'story group' in Kayamandi.
9) About possibly going to South Sudan for two weeks to train Anglican Pastors.
 

After Jesus was Born.

Dear Friends and Family,
Here is the story of what happened after the 'Birth of Jesus' from Matthew 2.

1) Watch and Listen to the Story. Then 2) Read the Commentary (below). 

This story contrasts Herod, the king appointed by Rome, and Jesus, the king anointed by God. After Jesus’ birth, Magi came to Jerusalem in search of the ‘one who had been born king of the Jews’. It was Jesus, not Herod, who was ‘born king of the Jews’. Herod was a descendant of Esau (not Jacob) and he was no ‘shepherd to Israel’. News of ‘one born king of the Jews’ disturbed Herod for it meant that Herod had a genuine rival.

Herod knew the Christ would be ‘born king of the Jews’, but didn’t know where the Christ was to be born. The chief priests and the teachers of the law knew where the Christ was to be born, but they didn’t know he had already been born. The Magi knew that the ‘king of the Jews’ had been born, but they needed the scripture to know where he was born.

Herod called the Magi to find out when to the star had appeared and sent them to Bethlehem to find the child. Herod claimed to want to worship the Christ but he really wanted him dead. Herod had killed his wife and three sons whom he suspected of plotting his overthrow. He was so threatened by the Christ-child that he would kill all the boys two years old and under born in and around Bethlehem in order to eliminate his rival.  

The star led the Magi to the Christ-child who they bowed before in worship. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with costly gifts. Afterwards, they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. So they avoided Herod to protect the child aligning themselves with the ‘one born king of the Jews’. Then God sent an angel to warn Joseph to escape to Egypt for Herod was seeking to kill the child.

Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt and become refugees in exile. Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1 which refers to Israel’s Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 4:22). Yet, Matthew applies this to Jesus; who re-enacts and completes Israel’s story. Then Matthew says the slaughter of Bethlehem’s children fulfills Jeremiah 31:15. Jeremiah 31 is about God renewing His covenant and restoring His people but it will not come without much weeping and sorrow.

Jesus is a threat to those seeking to build their own empires at the expense of others. Consequently, the shadow of death followed Jesus all his life. But Jesus didn’t come into this fallen world to live a life of ease. Through his suffering and his sin atoning death he would bring God's 'New Exodus' and accomplish God's salvation. The 'Magi' make it clear that Jesus is Israel's Messiah and the Lord of all the earth (Psalm 72:8,11; Isaiah 11:9-10).

Have a 'Great New Year (2015)',
Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms