There he was – gone!

No, I don’t mean Markus, I mean our kingdom hero for last week – Enoch.

One day more that 5000 years ago he disappeared and somehow people knew that God had taken him. The Bible does not explain how they knew. Plenty of other people certainly went missing in those days, so why is Enoch’s case special?

The Bible tells us that the other descendents of Adam “lived” a certain number of years and then “died”. Of Enoch we read in direct parallel to the words “lived” and “died” – “walked with God” and “God took him”.

There was no doubt in the minds of people who knew Enoch that he had a special relationship with God. There was thus no doubt that when he disappeared he went to be with God. Whether or not anyone saw him go we are not told.

In the book of Enoch (listen to my sermon for details about that) we are told:

“And it came to pass after this that his name during his lifetime was raised aloft to that Son of Man and to the Lord of Spirits from amongst those who dwell on the earth. And he was raised aloft on the chariots of the spirit and his name vanished among them.” Enoch 70v1,2.

So by 100 BC the Jewish tradition was that Enoch was taken in a similar way to Elijah, 2 Kings chapter 2. Whether it happened that way or not we cannot be sure because the Book of Enoch is not in the Bible.

What will people say about us at our funerals? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they said “He or she walked with God, right till their last breath”.

Some Christians are so focused on the “rapture” (1 Thess. 4 and 1 Cor. 15), and yes, it will be wonderful if we go to be with Jesus without dying, though remember that even if we die first we still share in the rapture (that was Paul’s point in 1 Thess. 4v13-18). But the rapture is not so important as the question “Did we walk with God before we died (or were raptured)?”

To walk with God now means to have faith in him, because without faith no one can please God, (Heb.11v6) and to walk by the Spirit, which means to focus on the things that please the Spirit (Rom.8v4-9,14), depend on his power for living (Rom.8v10-13) and let him produce his fruit in our lives (Gal.5v22-25).

Based on 43 years as a disciple of Jesus I can assure you that the only way to live the Christian life is through the Spirit. It is not through just coming to meetings, or copying Christian friends or even trying to follow the Bible (good though all of these things are). Once we have had our relationship with God restored through faith in Jesus our Savior, it is only through the Spirit that we can then walk with God. Are you walking by the Spirit each day and all day? Why not start now?

God wants us all to be kingdom heroes who will walk with him in these confusing and, at times, frightening days. He wants his kingdom to come on earth and our task is to prepare the way. Let’s do it!

Graham Turner

New Wine tastes fine!

There were four from our small group at the New Wine happening this year. Our group started as a result of a prophecy we received at a New Wine event last year, so it was great to see fruit.

We met several other past or present members of our church during the days from Wednesday to Sunday. Ville and Johanna Männistö from India appeared in one seminar we attended. Tomi and Anna-Stiina Vaahtera and family were there. It was great to be blessed by the wonderful gift Tomi has as he led worship in the morning sessions.

The whole Vuorinen family was there and Hannu preached a powerful sermon on Saturday evening about the temptations we need to overcome if we are to live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Petra was one of the leaders of the youth program and she was bubbling with enthusiasm as she told what God had been doing amongst the youth.

There were two visiting speakers. Miles Toulmin the assistant vicar from Holy Trinity Brompton spoke in the evening meetings challenging us to go forward in our faith and to spread the kingdom. HTB has not only given birth to the Alpha course but has planted 12 new churches in the London area. Miles also told about their pastorate system, which has strengthened their small group work by providing middle-sized groups in which people can meet others and find small groups. Our “Kasvetaan yhdessä” group this autumn will follow similar principles.

Michael Yaron from Israel shared his experience of planting a church there. This has grown to 100 members with 17 languages. Imagine the challenges they have to overcome! You can support this church by giving to the the Suomen Vapaakirkko Israel work.

The afternoon seminars provided practical teaching on many aspects of the work of the Kingdom of God. For me the Healing on the Streets ministry Helsinki Vineyard church is engaged in was exciting and challenging. Ari Puonti, their pastor, told how they go to the streets of Helsinki and offer to pray for healing for the people who pass by. The response is generally positive and some people get healed and through that get interested in Jesus the healer. Ari took a group of 40 to Jämsä tori to “practice”. I wonder when we will do this in Turku tori?

New Wine recordings can be obtained from www.puheet.fi. I recommend checking out if there is something God wants you to order and listen to.

The concluding praise celebration included testimonies of what people had experienced of God’s work during the week, great praise music from the combined youth and adult bands and the roar of thunder. It was dramatic and felt that God was speaking his approval of our praise for his goodness. Your Kingdom come, Lord.

Graham

P.S. If you would like to add your name to a petition (address) Kristina and I are circulating, asking the Finnish government not to support the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state in the United Nations in September, but to insist on a negotiated settlement, please email me (gturner@netti.fi) and we will send you a copy to add your name to and forward to others if you want.