Spectrum turns 20

Spectrum Arts celebrates its 20th Birthday

Gill Esam, founder and Group Leader explains:

In 2006 we had a LCBC church weekend away where the speaker Andrew Baughen challenged us to find ways of engaging with our communities by exploring and using God given gifts. He explained that we needed a bridge to bring those outside the church community into the church building and to engage with people in activities we mutually enjoy and to build up relationships.

During the weekend I had been painting with a small group of like-minded people and wondered if God was speaking to me through this. I had been a teacher and always enjoyed art but didn’t feel I had any special expertise. Was God asking me to use this interest and my desire to reach out to people with the gospel? More...

Reading the Bible Together in June

Finding Jesus in the books of Ruth and Esther

This month in Reading the Bible Together we are looking at two short Old Testament books where answering the question ‘What did you learn about Jesus?’ may not be as straight forward as some of the previous books such as Paul’s epistles and the gospel of Matthew. As well as being the only books in the Bible named after women, they are also similar in that they are books where God does not appear present (God is not even mentioned at all in Esther) but is still at work for the good of his people. Both books also reveal something about the character of Jesus to help us to understand him better and encourage us and give us hope when times feel hopeless.

The kinsman redeemer

The book of Ruth starts with tragedy, a terrible example of evangelism and a vulnerable outsider, Ruth, who sees hope for herself in Naomi’s God, even as she is urged by Naomi not to follow her back to Israel (Ruth 1:16).

Ruth meets Boaz, who honours her and protects her, even as an outsider, and buys her out of her situation and into the family of God’s people. He does this even though he doesn’t have to. This is a great picture of Jesus, who does the same and chooses to buy us back at an infinitely greater cost than what Boaz gave for Ruth because of how great God’s love is for us. (For you know that it was not perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19)

For us, made outsiders by our sin, we can have hope with Jesus as our kinsman redeemer.

The one who can approach the throne

In the book of Esther, we see God’s people at risk of genocide and being wiped out completely. Mordecai, a godly man, learns of the conspiracy of Haman to destroy the Jewish people and knows the only person who can plead with the Persian king on behalf of the Jews is his cousin Esther, the queen. Esther was the most beautiful of all the women in the land, she was perfect in the king’s eyes. Because of this only she was able to stand in front of the throne without being summoned by the king, and for him hold out his sceptre to her without her being put to death and have her petition heard (Esther 4:11, 5:1-3). In the same way Jesus pleads on our behalf.

This characteristic of Jesus being an advocate for his people before the Father is also found elsewhere in the Bible such as in Job (Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend. Job 16:19- 21) and 1 John (But if anyone does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1)

A few simple questions you may find helpful

• What does this passage show me about God’s character?

• What does it show about human sin, weakness, or need?

• Is there a promise, rescue, substitute, blessing, or judgement that points forward to Jesus?

• How does this passage help me trust God’s promises more deeply?

An encouragement

When we read Ruth and especially Esther, we can see a world where God is not honoured by the majority. In Ruth there is a family that chooses to leave the unity of God’s people and live among non-believers when times get hard. In Esther the people are exiled, and God’s name is not spoken while evil men are out to destroy them. For those who read the previous book Genesis you will remember Joseph’s last words to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen 50:20). Be encouraged then as you read that even when times are hard and it feels like God is not there, know he is always in control and always working for the good of his people.

Our Local Foodbank

Thame foodbank collection points:
in the LCBC concourse,
Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Thame Town Hall

Most urgently needed items:

Breakfast cereals
Tinned meat
Tinned tuna
Tinned soup
Tinned rice pudding
Tinned custard
Pasta sauce
Deodorant