In the Gospel of Luke we hear the words of the Rabbi from Nazareth , Jesus spoke the prophecy of Isaiah and in doing so began His ministry which lead to the cross, resurrection and the beginning of the Christian Church. These words are
‘ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord ‘
Without the Resurrection, Christianity does not exist.1550 years later the Church of England was birthed by a Monarch who wanted his own way to divorce and remarry. In the Daily Telegraph today we read of that same Church losing its purpose. Its leader Justin Welby is not doing Well, more intent on matters eco , environmental and fiscal. With its £15 billion under management the Church has lost its safe keeping of the flock and more focussed on the safeguarding with particular angle of protecting its flock from its leaders.
Welby plays to Woke now keen to repatriate compensation to the slaves of 300 years old out of which the Church built its fortune. Today it’s African congregation make up the bulk of its Church and what a blessing these people are. The Gospel is the good news and it’s designed to help especially the poor in pocket and spirit that there is eternal life to come free from the woes of now life. Jesus came to heal the brokenhearted and to set the captives free. He came to heal and give sight to the blind visually and in spirit.
The real Church concerns itself with all these aspects but is the job being done , are they fit for purpose. In there it fails and in failing the Church shrinks in number and importance. Why look back 300 years when we can look forward, why have so much wealth under management when it can build homes for those captives who roam the streets . Healing can come through freedom financially and to have your own front door is a human right. The UK prisons are full to capacity is there not a better way to re-educate people in community work rather than locked away 23 hours a day. These captives can be set free. Ultimately we are all passing through , stewards at best and yes the environment is important but not to the detriment of our spiritual eco system.
The doyens of the Church were Peter and Paul. Peter an uneducated fisherman come brilliant leader who denied Christ three times. Paul an educated academic who never met Christ in the flesh but wrote most of the New Testament Gospel. Their different gifts combined but there were no asset managers or eco activists needs for matters spiritual. Welby has led the Church off piste and devalued the message that the gospel can bring. We need revival and it will come , we need to practice what was preached and not preach that which is politically correct. Popularity is momentarily yet truth is legacy and to dovetail what Jesus said is the secret to success individually, in community and globally . At cross purpose the Church becomes a social club with dwindling numbers and messy messaging. Let’s hear what Jesus had to say not the self appointed non anointed.
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