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Author: Jim Cantelon

December 5, 2019

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Casual Commentary.

Jesus Ancestors (1:1-17) – Part 1

Nobody enjoys reading genealogies. That is, unless you’re a genealogist! The Bible has several, and most of us when confronted by one tend to roll our eyes and press the delete button. It seems irrelevant.

But in Jesus’ day, genealogies were taken with great seriousness. A genealogy was see as a “pedigree”. It proved “purity” of lineage. Jesus’ culture, of course, was Jewish and  no one could call himself/herself a “Jew” if there was any foreign blood in their veins. The “Chosen People” had “chosen DNA”. They were exclusive.

What’s more, with the critical component of religious observance in Jewish culture, those who served them spiritually, the priests, had to have an unbroken lineage right back to the first priest, Moses’ brother Aaron. And the priest’s wife had to have “pure Jewish blood” at least five generations back. The priests had to prove their acceptability as God’s servants by this exacting physical and spiritual rigour. Nothing else would do. Indeed, Jerusalem’s ruling council of seventy elders, the “Sandhedrin”, made sure of it. They kept and assiduously checked the genealogical records.

There was no “gray area” when it came to being a Jew. Interestingly, in modern Israel there is a very strict adherence to pedigree in the Ministry of Immigration. If you arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with papers proving your Jewish heritage, you are given citizenship immediately… It was founded as a Jewish state and Israel works hard at keeping the “bloodlines” pure. But, no papers – no citizenship. Case closed. Appeal as much as you have energy for, to the Ministries of Immigration and Interior, but you’ll lose. A pedigree is a pedigree.

November 30, 2019

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

I was studying a Greek textbook recently in researching Luke’s second volume, the book of Acts. I came across something I’d written in the margin of one of the pages- “Too much certainty can be a bad thing. There must be an element of mystery, a touch of the unknown, in all truth”.
I was thinking at the time of several people I have interacted with in my 50 years in the ministry. People who “know everything for sure”, and have the accompanying spiritual arrogance to prove it. Little wonder they are quickly dismissed by pure-hearted seekers after God.
Anyone with basic bible knowledge remembers that  even the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, acknowledged that the Lord dwells in”the thick darkness”(1Kings 8:12). There is more about Him that we don’t know than what we do know.
Personally I value the humility and faithful spiritual plodding of the pilgrim who is continually learning. Faith, after all, is a journey, not a destination.

November 18, 2019

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

Blaise Pascal’s “Pensees” is a proven classic. Even though he died at an early age his wisdom far exceeded his years. In the introduction to his “Thoughts” he wrote,”Before we examine the evidence of the truth of Christianity, I need to point out an inconsistency of those who are careless about the truth. Yet it is vital to them, for it intimately affects their lives. Of all their miscalculations, this is what most blatantly shows up their blind folly. It is this: This present life is momentary, but the state of death is eternal. How terribly important it is, then, to live in the light of the eternal, since it ultimately affects all that we do or think!”

This truth struck me this week as an old friend told me he had just been diagnosed with cancer. All the dramas, stresses, and events of his past were suddenly eclipsed by the shadow of death. Our conversation was anything but small talk. We were gripped by the emergence of the far horizon.

Sooner or later we all will face our mortality. How important then that we “seize the day” and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to “the Giver of Life”.

Read Matthew 8

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Key Verse: Matthew 8:34 “And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.”

The driving out of the demons from the two demon possessed men in the region of the Gadarenes has always received a lot of comment, because it’s so spectacular. You know the story well. Jesus casts the demons into a local herd of pigs who then rush down into the Sea of Galilee and drown. But there are two things which stand out in this account.

First, the response of the demoniacs was, “What do you want with us, Son of God?” You wouldn’t expect Jewish people to be confessing that Jesus is the Son of God. Much less would you expect demonic spirits to be confessing that Jesus is the Son of God. And yes they knew exactly what was going on. They knew who Jesus was and that something remarkable had happened in history, in God becoming flesh and dwelling among men. They don’t pull any punches. They know exactly who Jesus is and they tell it like it is. Jesus is the the Son of God. This is not the last instance where demonic spirits refer to Jesus as He really is. They live in the spirit realm and they have eyes to see what we here in space and time do not see. So we should take note of their insight, even though they tremble at the very thought of who Jesus is.

The second thing about the story is that the whole town, when they found out what had happened, went out to meet Jesus. You’d expect that they’d be so impressed with what He’d done that they would call on Him for salvation. No, rather surprisingly, they said ‘get out of here, please’. They pleaded with Him to leave their region. We have no account here of great evangelism or a turning to God. They just wanted to get Jesus out of there, fast. So here you demonic spirits confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus getting rid of them. And you have human spirits trying to get rid of Jesus.

Figure that one out!

Read Matthew 6

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:9 “This is how you should pray…”

Jesus teaches us how to pray and I’ve often noted how simple this prayer is and how complex most of our praying seems to be in comparison. Like the pagan, Jesus says, we sometimes think we’ll be heard for our much speaking, for our babbling, for our repetitions. They use many words, as He says in verse 7; not so with Jesus. He wants us to be short with our words and direct. So He gives a prayer lesson.

Just a few observations: First of all, the focus is our Father in heaven, which is the way it must always be in prayer. Before we start asking God for things we’ve got to take time to remind ourselves of who He is and focus on His holiness and majestic transcendence. “Hallowed by Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” The focus is on Him, His name, HIs kingdom, and His will. As we concentrate first and foremost on Him, anything else that may follow in our prayer takes on a fresh and balanced perspective.

Sometimes our prayers are a knee-jerk reaction to a negative or urgent stimulus. And we “rush in” to tell God what He’s got to do, and what we want, and how important it is He do it now.

Well, if you’ll take time to focus in on Him, first of all, and see yourself in the context of His holiness, His plan for the kingdom and His will for your life, then some of these other urgencies become tempered and balanced. After this, you can focus on yourself. “Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” We stress our physical and spiritual needs, our relationship needs and ultimately our eternal destiny needs. We must always remember in prayer that we are headed for an eternal kingdom–this very kingdom of heaven that Jesus makes the centre of His ministry. Thus, as we pray, we always begin with God Himself, focussing in on Him, praising Him, thanking Him, worshipping Him. And in that context, imploring Him to meet us at our point of need.

November 4, 2019

Written by Jim Cantelon on . Posted in Blog.

 

I’m an inveterate reader. Always have been. My mom taught me phonics when I was four years old so I was already reading
“Dick and Jane” before grade one. I can’t get enough of good books. Usually I read four or five books at a time. Keeps my mind in gear.

One of those is a re-read: “The Mind on Fire”, an anthology of the writings of the profound French writer Blaise Pascal. In the introduction, Os Guinness writes,
“ Health has replaced both heaven and ethics. Athleticism is the new form of asceticism. Positive thinking is prized above reflection and meditation. Human experience with all its rich, tragic, and ironic complexities is scaled down to the glow of physical well-being. And self-knowledge and self-mastery are promised us through dieting and exercise…In short a sickness of our age is that we have fit bodies but flaccid minds and vacant souls.”

Guinness is an astute observer. Even though he wrote this before the social invasion of the internet and smart phone he was onto something. We humans have a tendency to flock, following the trends of our society uncritically.
Maybe this is why Jesus referred to us as “sheep”.

Pascal was a thinker. He appeals to me (and you?) because he kept his brain in gear. This doesn’t mean his deep faith in Christ was merely rational, but it does mean that his faith was informed by engaging his mind with the scriptures. I try to do the same. This is why the Bible is my most re-read book.