AUDIO
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Archbishop Peter Jensen's Christmas Message 2011 on the centrality of Jesus to human history
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When I was Chaplain in the Remand Centre people used to ask me what I did in there. When I reflected on what I was actually doing in this ministry I developed a standard answer, “I don’t do anything. I just watch the Holy Spirit at work.”
A bit of a flippant answer but I found that every day men would approach me with serious gospel questions; “Tell me about the resurrection”, “Why isn’t God answering my prayers?”, “How can you know God cares for you?” “My aunt says she prays for me every day. Do think it makes any difference?” Clearly God had already been working in these men’s lives long before I got there. Take the example of George.
George is from a communist country. He had never heard anything about the Christian God. George was the “sweeper” (cleaner) in a small restricted unit in this maximum security jail. I used to run chapel in the day room of this wing once a fortnight for two or three men while the other inmates were locked in their cells. George was always about, doing his work.
I noticed George getting a little closer to our Church gathering each time we met. Then one day he asked if it was OK for him to join in. As the weeks and months went by George started to join in the singing as the songs became more familiar. He opened his Bible enthusiastically for the readings and the sermon. As we were reading through John’s Gospel and eventually came to the time when Jesus was at Lazarus’ grave saying, “Lazarus, come out”, George looked up from the page with wide eyes and as the words, “the man who had died came out”, were read, George yelled with surprise and joy, “He raised him!” Then in a much lower voice he said, “I wish he had been there when I killed that girl.” The Holy Spirit was sure doing an amazing work of change in George’s life.
At the same time I realised how familiar I had become with the amazing fact that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. I saw in George an innocence, not of a horrible crime, but of trust in God. There was a freshness in George’s surprise that told me that we who are familiar with the old old story can become too familiar and lose the joy and wonder of it.
I saw in George the simple trust of a man who had never heard of Jesus, drawn to salvation by the Spirit as he heard the word of God. The Holy Spirit had grabbed George and spoken to him of forgiveness and hope, and in shear joy he yelled out at the new life Jesus had given him.
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I'll tell you something David, people like you are heroes, prison chaplaincy must be one of the hardest, challenging and at times, most depressing aspects of ministry. You would see and hear things that people like me would not even begin to imagine, all I can say to you is that I take my hat off to you and keep up your good work. all the best.
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If hero is the right word Steve, then it's easy for anyone to be one as you do nothing and just watch the Holy Spirit at work. Thanks for your comment. It's amazing when you realise that people in jail are just ordinary people. They've made mistakes. Some of them have done terrible things. But they're still fellow human beings for whom Christ died.
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Absolutely David, one of the most important things I pray about often is the very thing you mention - "But they're still fellow human beings for whom Christ died" I often pray to God that I will see everyone as individuals that Jesus loves and died for, thankfully the Holy Spirit in my life has made this a much easier prayer to pray. People like you need to be encouraged by fellow Christians, I see it as my duty to write words of encouragement.
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Thank you for sharing this fantastic story. I often find it hard to really believe the Spirit is at work, and this testimony is exactly what I need to hear.
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If you weren't in the prison David then you wouldn"t be seeing the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to meet people where they are at for this to occur.
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