Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 28 March, 2012
During the 40 days or so leading up to Easter, Lots of Christians around the world observe Lent. Lent finishes this Saturday, sometimes called Easter Eve. Traditionally the purpose of Lent was to prepare oneself for Easter. Today, most of those who observe Lent, at least in the West, give up some types of food or other luxuries
Someone once described Lent as “A roller-coaster ride - A slow, steady, difficult climb to Palm Sunday, followed by the jubilation of the crowds, then plummeting to the depths of Good Friday, before finally returning home at Easter, elated and changed by the ride”!
While I’m not sure how apt a description that is of Lent, it certainly captures something of the tumultuous events of the week leading up to the very first Easter. On the Sunday before Passover, the day we celebrate today as Palm Sunday, Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem as a king. He entered the city riding a donkey, just as God had promised Israel that her king would come. The crowds welcome him as the Messiah, God’s chosen king, shouting “Hosanna! … Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 19 April, 2011
In chapter 28 of Matthew’s account of Jesus’ life we meet two agnostics; two women both 
named Mary who came to Jesus’ tomb after his resurrection. To say there were agnostic might seem a little strange, since we know that they were Jesus’ followers and when we talk about agnostics, we normally mean people who aren’t followers of Jesus.
But the word “agnostic” simply means “not knowing” or “without knowledge.” Think of other words where the prefix “a-“ means not, words like “amoral” or “atypical” and “gnostic" comes from “gnosis” the Greek word for knowledge – think prognosis or diagnosis. So to be agnostic is simply to be someone who lacks knowledge.
And maybe this Easter you feel that you fall into that category. You just don’t know.
You don’t know who Jesus is.
You don’t know where to go to find Jesus, or to find out about Jesus.
You don’t know who God is or what God wants from you or even if he’s even there at all.
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 15 April, 2011
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! 
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt,
the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9
This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, on which Christians remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem in anticipation of his crucifixion. The gospel authors all explain for us how Jesus fulfilled these words from the prophet Zechariah, in riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey.
From the time of the exile around 586 BC, God’s people had had no king. The emperors of Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome had been particularly keen for this to remain the case - think of the crowd’s threat to Pilate at Jesus’ trial, “anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar” (John 19:12). Nevertheless, despite having no king for the centuries after the exile and return, Judah (as the nation came to be called) were still God’s people and their king would come.
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 6 December, 2010
I’m not very good at waiting. Just ask my wife! For her, anticipation and expectation are among the most enjoyable pleasures of life. For me, anticipation is simply a fancy word for frustration!
I can remember though, as a young child, the anticipation and expectation that grew as Christmas approached. There was a “feeling” that Christmas was coming, good things were approaching and though I could not yet see them, I knew they were coming and I waited with bated breath.
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2
Posted by: Clayton Fopp
on 30 November, 2010
Centuries before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah the prophet spoke these words:
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed”
Isaiah 40:3-5
