The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel Youth

['I remember reading an article in The Big Issue (the magazine sold by, and in aid of, the homeless) called ‘Single Lives’. It pointed out that most people’s image of loneliness in London is of a frail old lady stuck on the twenty-fourth floor of a block of flats. In reality, it could equally be a young, fashionably dressed guy trying desperately to make conversation with a girl standing next to him in a crowded bar. Being surrounded by so many people only compounds the feeling of isolation.\nMother Teresa said, ‘Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted are the greatest poverty.’ Loneliness is one of the greatest problems facing humanity today.\n‘The solitary human being is a contradiction in terms,’ writes Desmond Tutu. He continues, ‘We are made for complementarity. We are created for a delicate network of relationships, of interdependence with our fellow human beings... We belong in one family – God’s family, the human family... the greatest good is communal harmony.’\nGod does not intend for you to be lonely and isolated. Loneliness has been described as ‘a homesickness for God’. God created you for community – calling you into a loving relationship with him and with other human beings.', None]

I remember reading an article in The Big Issue (the magazine sold by, and in aid of, the homeless) called ‘Single Lives’. It pointed out that most people’s image of loneliness in London is of a frail old lady stuck on the twenty-fourth floor of a block of flats. In reality, it could equally be a young, fashionably dressed guy trying desperately to make conversation with a girl standing next to him in a crowded bar. Being surrounded by so many people only compounds the feeling of isolation.

Mother Teresa said, ‘Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted are the greatest poverty.’ Loneliness is one of the greatest problems facing humanity today.

‘The solitary human being is a contradiction in terms,’ writes Desmond Tutu. He continues, ‘We are made for complementarity. We are created for a delicate network of relationships, of interdependence with our fellow human beings... We belong in one family – God’s family, the human family... the greatest good is communal harmony.’

God does not intend for you to be lonely and isolated. Loneliness has been described as ‘a homesickness for God’. God created you for community – calling you into a loving relationship with him and with other human beings.

['During the American Civil War, as a result of a family tragedy, a soldier was granted permission to seek a hearing from the President. He wanted to request exemption from military service. However, when he arrived at the White House, he was refused entry and sent away. He went and sat in a nearby park.\nA young boy came across him and remarked how unhappy he looked. The soldier found himself telling the young boy everything. Eventually the boy said, ‘Come with me.’ He led the dejected soldier back to the White House. They went around the back, none of the guards stopped them. Even the generals and high-ranking government officials stood to attention and let them pass through.\nThe soldier was amazed. Finally, they came to the presidential office. Without knocking, the young boy opened the door and walked straight in. Abraham Lincoln, standing there, turned from his conversation with the Secretary of State and said, ‘What can I do for you, Tad?’\nTad said, ‘Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you.’\nIn this possibly fictional story, the soldier had access to the President ‘through the son’. According to the New Testament, in an even more amazing way, in truth, you, certainly, have access to God ‘through the son’ – Jesus.\nMany people pray, but not all prayer is Christian. Christian prayer is distinctive – it is Trinitarian. St Paul writes, ‘Through him [Jesus] we have access to the Father by one Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:18).\nThis is why prayer is such an immense privilege. You are able to speak to God, the creator of the universe, as your Father. You come to him through Jesus, the man who is God, our Lord, brother and friend. Your prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, who lives within your heart.', None]

During the American Civil War, as a result of a family tragedy, a soldier was granted permission to seek a hearing from the President. He wanted to request exemption from military service. However, when he arrived at the White House, he was refused entry and sent away. He went and sat in a nearby park.

A young boy came across him and remarked how unhappy he looked. The soldier found himself telling the young boy everything. Eventually the boy said, ‘Come with me.’ He led the dejected soldier back to the White House. They went around the back, none of the guards stopped them. Even the generals and high-ranking government officials stood to attention and let them pass through.

The soldier was amazed. Finally, they came to the presidential office. Without knocking, the young boy opened the door and walked straight in. Abraham Lincoln, standing there, turned from his conversation with the Secretary of State and said, ‘What can I do for you, Tad?’

Tad said, ‘Dad, this soldier needs to talk to you.’

In this possibly fictional story, the soldier had access to the President ‘through the son’. According to the New Testament, in an even more amazing way, in truth, you, certainly, have access to God ‘through the son’ – Jesus.

Many people pray, but not all prayer is Christian. Christian prayer is distinctive – it is Trinitarian. St Paul writes, ‘Through him [Jesus] we have access to the Father by one Spirit’ (Ephesians 2:18).

This is why prayer is such an immense privilege. You are able to speak to God, the creator of the universe, as your Father. You come to him through Jesus, the man who is God, our Lord, brother and friend. Your prayers are inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, who lives within your heart.

['Billy Bray, born in 1794, was a miner from Cornwall. He was an alcoholic. He was always getting involved with fights and arguments at home. At the age of twenty-nine he encountered Jesus. He went home and told his wife, ‘You will never see me drunk again, by the help of the Lord.’ She never did.\nHis words, his tone of voice and his looks all had magnetic power. It was as if he was charged with divine electricity. Crowds of miners would come and hear him preach. Many were converted and there were some remarkable healings. He loved the Bible and said, ‘The promises of God are just as good as ready money any day.’\nGod is the God of promise. Faith involves trusting the promises of God. God makes a promise; faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly waits for it.', None]

Billy Bray, born in 1794, was a miner from Cornwall. He was an alcoholic. He was always getting involved with fights and arguments at home. At the age of twenty-nine he encountered Jesus. He went home and told his wife, ‘You will never see me drunk again, by the help of the Lord.’ She never did.

His words, his tone of voice and his looks all had magnetic power. It was as if he was charged with divine electricity. Crowds of miners would come and hear him preach. Many were converted and there were some remarkable healings. He loved the Bible and said, ‘The promises of God are just as good as ready money any day.’

God is the God of promise. Faith involves trusting the promises of God. God makes a promise; faith believes it, hope anticipates it, patience quietly waits for it.

['These days, practically everything you buy seems to carry some kind of warning on it. Some of these warnings can seem a little ridiculous. For example:\nSainsbury’s peanuts: ‘Warning – Contains nuts’\nNytol Nighttime Sleep-Aid: ‘Warning – May cause drowsiness’\nOn a household DIY drill: ‘Not intended for use as dentist drill’\nBecause so many warnings seem almost absurd, the danger is that we ignore them. But not all warnings are so ridiculous.\nA foggy day, on 13 March 1991, led to one of Britain’s worst road accidents. Ten people died and twenty-five people were injured in a disaster on the M4 motorway. In the midst of the accident one man was hailed as a hero. Alan Bateman climbed out of his damaged car and ran along the central reservation to try to warn oncoming vehicles of the wreckage ahead. Not all appreciated the warnings. Some drivers sounded their horns at him and drove on towards the crash.\nAlan’s warnings to the other drivers were not only heroic; they were an act of love. Jesus himself often warned of dangers ahead (see for example Matthew 7:13,19,26–27). Jesus knew that in the long run it is more loving to warn people by telling them the truth.\nGod loves you. He does not want you to get hurt. There are many warnings in the Bible and they all stem from God’s love for you.', None]

These days, practically everything you buy seems to carry some kind of warning on it. Some of these warnings can seem a little ridiculous. For example:

Sainsbury’s peanuts: ‘Warning – Contains nuts’

Nytol Nighttime Sleep-Aid: ‘Warning – May cause drowsiness’

On a household DIY drill: ‘Not intended for use as dentist drill’

Because so many warnings seem almost absurd, the danger is that we ignore them. But not all warnings are so ridiculous.

A foggy day, on 13 March 1991, led to one of Britain’s worst road accidents. Ten people died and twenty-five people were injured in a disaster on the M4 motorway. In the midst of the accident one man was hailed as a hero. Alan Bateman climbed out of his damaged car and ran along the central reservation to try to warn oncoming vehicles of the wreckage ahead. Not all appreciated the warnings. Some drivers sounded their horns at him and drove on towards the crash.

Alan’s warnings to the other drivers were not only heroic; they were an act of love. Jesus himself often warned of dangers ahead (see for example Matthew 7:13,19,26–27). Jesus knew that in the long run it is more loving to warn people by telling them the truth.

God loves you. He does not want you to get hurt. There are many warnings in the Bible and they all stem from God’s love for you.

The more I study it, the more I love it. The Book of Hebrews appears to be addressed to Jewish Christians. It is written in a way that seems strange to our modern ears – the language is steeped in the Old Testament. It deals with this vital question: How can you approach God?

The author’s answer is: through Jesus, our Great High Priest. The high priesthood of Jesus is the pinnacle of the letter. It is the only New Testament document that expressly calls Jesus a Priest. The priestly work of Jesus is hinted at elsewhere, for example, the ‘high priestly’ prayer of Jesus in John’s Gospel (John 17) and the ‘beloved disciple’s’ description of Jesus as ‘advocate with the Father’ (1 John 2:1). But it is here in the book of Hebrews that the theme is taken up and expounded.

['The more I study it, the more I love it. The Book of Hebrews appears to be addressed to Jewish Christians. It is written in a way that seems strange to our modern ears – the language is steeped in the Old Testament. It deals with this vital question: How can you approach God?\nThe author’s answer is: through Jesus, our Great High Priest. The high priesthood of Jesus is the pinnacle of the letter. It is the only New Testament document that expressly calls Jesus a Priest. The priestly work of Jesus is hinted at elsewhere, for example, the ‘high priestly’ prayer of Jesus in John’s Gospel (John 17) and the ‘beloved disciple’s’ description of Jesus as ‘advocate with the Father’ (1 John 2:1). But it is here in the book of Hebrews that the theme is taken up and expounded.', None]