Introduction

I was fortunate to be born and brought up in Scotland. A place that is full of scenic beauty and regional culture. There was a time in my youth that I remember when the topic for debate in the Scottish communities was that of language and in particular Gaelic. Even on the news at the time the Scottish politicians spoke of reviving the language of the Highlands and Islands. The common thought was that if we did not do something soon that the language of Gaelic that had been spoken for hundreds of years would be in danger of being lost to us. The same was true for Wales, Ireland and Cornwall and for other regions as well.

Even if you had not been fortunate to have been brought up in Scotland and have lived life in other places the same is true when we think of other things that have been lost to us. Recently I was speaking to a group of men who were increasingly sad about the skills that they had learned as young men which were now in danger of being lost. This is true for communities all over the United Kingdom.  We have seen the eradication over the years of big industry - The Steel industry, The Coal mining industry, Farming and other industries that brought employment to cities as well as towns being lost to us. Also the skills that those communities once had, Blacksmiths, Wheelwrights, Cabinet-makers, glass-blowers to name but a few.  Trades that once were the heart and soul of community life are being lost to us, so much so that we may never see the likes again.

It has been my experience that in the church we too are giving up on a whole language, or skills that are in real danger of being lost to us in this technological age. Even if we do not do this in a couscous way we are in danger of losing the language and good news of Jesus. Where are the words of good news in our faith communities? It appears that we no longer see the language or words of Jesus as being relevant to us in todays society or even worse that we are happy for this language to die and be lost to us. More than that at times I have had to look really hard to find Jesus in his church. He is often absent from sermons, prayers, and from the life of disciples. He is the last person sometimes you would expect to see in Sunday worship.

Have we so easily been swayed away from Jesus and his language, His ways, His good news, His Compassion, His Ethics. Have we so easily forgotten that the Christian life is about Him.  Have we given up on him and gone hunting for other messiahs?

From my own perspective it seems at times that the church has left Jesus behind and is hungry for other things. What happened to the "CHRIST"ian church. It seems that in places and in faith communities we have lost Jesus and his (Words) language amidst the other voices that grapple for our attention or ministry time.

The following word's of Jesus have a prophetic edge for our time 

Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Revelation 2:1-7 AMP  "To the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him Who holds the seven stars [which are the messengers of the seven churches] in His right hand, Who goes about among the seven golden lampstands [which are the seven churches]: 2 I know your industry and activities, laborious toil and trouble, and your patient endurance, and how you cannot tolerate wicked [men] and have tested and critically appraised those who call [themselves] apostles (special messengers of Christ) and yet are not, and have found them to be impostors and liars. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary. 4 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. 5 Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God’s will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent. 6 Yet you have this [in your favor and to your credit]: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans [what they are doing as corrupters of the people], which I Myself also detest. 7 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant to eat [of the fruit] of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

"I never knew you" and "You have abandoned and deserted me" These are haunting words. I pray that they do not come true for anyone. You can see that there is a reminder here that it is possible to do so.

I have set aside some time in my own busy life to look at the words and language of Jesus in a deeper way. Each month I will be looking at the actual word's of Jesus in the Gospels. As I have already pointed out sometimes the word's of Jesus are in danger of being lost to us. We are more concerned at best with the word's of Paul, Peter, The other apostles or our attraction is to doctrine. At worse our concern, attraction and passion is directed toward another Christian leader who we think has all the answers. Let's take the opportunity to return and re-engage with the language and words of Jesus. So that we can truly be the followers of Jesus in our time.