From the Chaplain

In Years Five and Six, students have been looking at Paul and how Jesus changed him.  Paul lived around the time of Jesus, but actually never met him.  Paul was a Pharisee and was very much concerned with obeying the 613 religious rules that the Jewish people had.  Paul did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, he thought he was a troublemaker and set out to persecute anyone who followed Jesus.  He got them thrown into jail and often beaten.

One day, Paul was walking along, and Jesus spoke to him from heaven, through a bright light in the sky.  He asked Paul why he was persecuting him and his people.  Paul was then blinded for three days.  After this Paul realised how wrong he had been and decided to make up for it.  For the rest of his life, Paul went on mission trips around the world to tell people about Jesus.  His life was turned around by Jesus.  He was no longer chained by rules and trying to be good or trying to buy his way to heaven.  He had seen Jesus’ grace and mercy and wanted to tell others about how free they, too, could feel.  Paul was so sure who Jesus was, that he died a martyr in Rome.

Many people today feel changed by Jesus.  As Bono, the lead singer from U2 once said, ‘Jesus went around saying he was the Messiah. That's why he was crucified. He was crucified because he said he was the Son of God. So, he either, in my view, was the Son of God or he was nuts. And I find it hard to accept that millions and millions of lives, half the Earth, for 2,000 years have felt their lives touched and inspired by some nutter. I just... I don't believe it.’

Jesus is able to change our lives and give us, freedom from shame, a sense of purpose and hope for the future.  2 Corinthians 5:17–Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Mrs Naomi Cooper | Chaplain