For those who have hung around with me for a while you might know that my favourite gospel is that of John, as I love his passion for the centrality of Christ as being the key focus for his life. I am continually gob smacked that people say they are Christian but seem to sideline Jesus?

John draws a line in the sand very early in his writings by naming three moments in history that are - for him anyway – key to the whole of history. We have this tiny, at times even insipid and apologetic faith, and yet John throws it right out there! Three points:
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‘In the beginning was the Word’ – ‘Word’ is capitalised here as John equates Jesus with God and puts him at the very head of the whole creation story. The word that spoke creation into being was Jesus!
• ‘And the Word became flesh and lived among us’ – There came a moment in history when God chose to intervene. We have unconsciously made a thick barrier between things of the Spirit and things of earth. The Celtic faith speaks about thin places. They believe that the veil between earth and heaven is thin. Sometimes so thin that God breaks through.
• ‘From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace’ – We should not dash past these words. John is saying that the life of this Jesus has profound and long lasting – eternal - consequences. What began as a partnership at creation continues, as we who say we are followers of Jesus, take up the participation and the ongoing renewal of creation, from generation to generation.

As I can recall saying to someone years ago now as we discussed what it means it to be a Christian – ‘Is that big enough for you?’ People are not put off Christianity by Jesus. They are convinced that it is small and of no consequence by Christians – his followers – those who bear his name.

Just what did the apostle Paul mean when he said:

‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through Go.’. Galatians 4:4-7

I often think that we are forcing / allowing our children to grow up too quickly these days. What is true in a worldly sense is also true in a spiritual sense. It doesn’t matter how old we are as long as we understand that we must hold within us an understanding that we are children of God. Our problem can be that we actually think that we are wiser than we are and try to act like spiritual adults. It seems to me that the best place to stay is in the mind of a child.

There was a guy in the Bible who thought that he was all grown up and wise and he asked his dad for the inheritance long before his dad died, and long before he was ready for it. Dad let him go. Sometimes all you can do is just let ‘em go? This man finished up feeding pigs and considering joining them for lunch when he became a child again:

‘But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands." 'So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.’

I love the church. Not the one that is but the one that might be. Sadly it is too big for many people and we default to a safe and manageable faith. Me? I remain a dreamer.

It is a challenge being a prophetic voice. Calling people to change and recognising that while many might be interested in listening to the theory, reality is that we usually don’t! That is why the role of prophet can be a very hard, challenging and fairly often a disappointing one.

As one of those who have moments of knowing how old Isaiah, Jeremiah and friends must have felt ages back, I have been able to build in a kind of defence mechanism that allows me to – most of the time – remain standing.

By nature I am not an optimist. Indeed I tend toward being something of a melancholy type. I would not put myself at the pessimist end of the scale but consider myself more of a realist. However, I have developed over the years a mind set that sees a glass as being half full rather than half empty.

I have a friend who calls me the king of spin! I think that it is meant as a compliment and I certainly take it that way. There are more than enough available to tell you what is wrong and that this or that won’t work, so I choose to talk things up rather than down. I get encouragement out of quite small things that others may not see as significant. I would rather give permission and help pick up the pieces later than withhold it and crush someone’s spirit.

My model of course is Jesus. Not the kid’s picture book type guy that way too many adults believe in today; but the REAL one you find in even a passing consideration of the Scriptures. Years ago the American poet Robert Frost (1874-1963) wrote:

‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.’

F. Scott Peck wrote a brilliant book called ‘The Road Less Travelled.’ Of course Jesus took that road long before either Mr Frost or Mr Peck.

Jesus saw hope in those whom others ignored and oppressed. He spoke of faith as being like that of a child. The disciples were concerned about keeping things tight around the Jesus ‘gang’ while Jesus had more of a ‘let things happen and we will see’ type of ministry. When his disciples came back from a successful time of ministry Jesus talked it up even more by saying, ‘I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.’

Jesus had a habit of changing people’s names! He met a guy called Simon and nicknamed him Rocky, long before Sly Stallone! Simon was a bit of an impulsive guy; but Jesus saw a boulder in there somewhere, so dubbed him ‘Cephas’ – or Peter - translated ‘The Rock. The brothers James and John he called ‘Boanerges’ – sons of Thunder! The Rock went on to become the first and possibly greatest apostle. One of those Sons of Thunder was an early martyr when King Herod put James to death by the sword and John had such a fire burning for Christ that no one could put it out. Even as an old man they had to deport him to the Island of Patmos, where he wrote the last book of the Bible!

It wasn’t all wins for Jesus. As the reality of his claims began to bite many took a step back: ‘Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.’ John 6:66 Of course we all know the Judas story at the end and Peter’s time of denial. In fact at the cross it seems that only John had seen the journey through. Even then Jesus couldn’t help himself and made sure that his mother was taken care of and asked forgiveness of those who had brought him to this place. It’s called grace and I love it!

Years ago I was at a church in Kyabram, Victoria and the preacher spoke from Jeremiah 20. One verse galvanised me and has been my prophetic inspiration ever since:

‘If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.’ Jeremiah 20:9

This occurred not long after I chose to take the road less travelled and for me it has made all the difference.