On Sunday we started a new series in Luke's gospel and I've not been this excited about a new series for a while.
It's partly getting back to some systematic exposition where the bible really sets the agenda, where we don't pick and choose the bits we want to expound - we just do the next bit (pastorally that's really helpful because you avoid people saying: "Ahhh, you picked that text because of what I told you last week" - "No, actually it's just the next bit....but funny how God knows you're life....!")
It's also because I know we need to look closely at Jesus so that we might be certain of what we're being called to....which interestingly is the exact same reason that Luke says he's writing his book. He wants Theophilus to be sure that following Jesus is worth all that's it's inevitably going to cost a man of his stature and position. Luke says "I've investigated, I've looked carefully, I've interviewed people I've not just relied on others, I've done the leg work myself, and I've done it so that you can know that Jesus is worth everything." We owe Luke a tremendous amount . This humble, self effacing , intelligent, thorough man has contributed more to the New Testament than any one else (knocking out even more text than Paul!)
I'm excited! Looking forward to part 2 this w/e.
To listen to last Sunday click here: http://lymingtonbaptist.org/sermons.html
Here are some of the points raised and the questions we asked ourselves:
In pain but not in despair (5-7) what’s ultimate for you?
God sees and hears… (8-17) where are you struggling to believe?
I am Old……...I am Gabriel (18-19) I am_________ I am Jesus
God disciplines His children (20-22) how is God trying to get your attention?
God removes our disgrace (23-25) will you reach out to Him in faith?
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Wednesday 7 September 2011
The Goodness of God in a Fallen World
My new coffee grinder (of the burr variety) arrived this afternoon....God is good!
Let Jesus Argue With Your Soul About Being Anxious
This piece from John Piper is, I think, really encouraging. Most of us worry, some of us worry a lot....
It echoes Lloyd Jones (and indeed the Psalmists) who call us to "preach to our souls". Lloyd Jones said that we spend far too much time listening to ourselves and not enough time talking to ourselves!
We should be slow to treat Jesus as if he doesn’t know what he is doing. He is not naïve in the way he deals with our anxiety. In Matthew 6:25-34 he tells us three times not to be anxious (vv. 25, 31, 34) and gives us eight reasons not to be anxious.
Evidently he thinks this will help. So don’t call it simplistic. Call it grace. Believe him. Take every reason and preach it to your soul as true. Say,
Soul, this is true. Jesus Christ says so. Trust him. He died for you. He loves you. He created you. He knows you. No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as he does. Listen to him. Let these reasons sink in. Bank on them. Now, let’s get up and do what we need to do. Be gone anxiety.
Here’s a summary of what he said:
• Life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25).
• God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are (Matthew 6:26).
• It's pointless. It adds not one hour to your life (Matthew 6:27).
• If God clothes ephemeral grass, he will clothe eternal you (Matthew 6:28-30).
• Unbelievers are anxious about stuff. And you are not an unbeliever(Matthew 6:32a).
• Your father (!) knows that you need all these things you're anxious about (Matthew 6:32b).
• When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you.
• Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow's trouble stays there (Matthew 6:34).
It echoes Lloyd Jones (and indeed the Psalmists) who call us to "preach to our souls". Lloyd Jones said that we spend far too much time listening to ourselves and not enough time talking to ourselves!
We should be slow to treat Jesus as if he doesn’t know what he is doing. He is not naïve in the way he deals with our anxiety. In Matthew 6:25-34 he tells us three times not to be anxious (vv. 25, 31, 34) and gives us eight reasons not to be anxious.
Evidently he thinks this will help. So don’t call it simplistic. Call it grace. Believe him. Take every reason and preach it to your soul as true. Say,
Soul, this is true. Jesus Christ says so. Trust him. He died for you. He loves you. He created you. He knows you. No one — no counselor, no pastor, no friend — knows as much about you as he does. Listen to him. Let these reasons sink in. Bank on them. Now, let’s get up and do what we need to do. Be gone anxiety.
Here’s a summary of what he said:
• Life is more than food and the body more than clothing (Matthew 6:25).
• God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are (Matthew 6:26).
• It's pointless. It adds not one hour to your life (Matthew 6:27).
• If God clothes ephemeral grass, he will clothe eternal you (Matthew 6:28-30).
• Unbelievers are anxious about stuff. And you are not an unbeliever(Matthew 6:32a).
• Your father (!) knows that you need all these things you're anxious about (Matthew 6:32b).
• When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you.
• Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow's trouble stays there (Matthew 6:34).
Wednesday 31 August 2011
Do I Really Love Jesus?
Do you ever wonder whether you really love Jesus?
To be honest I don't (wonder that is); I kind of just assume that I do.
But there's a problem here....presuming my standing before God is very dangerous. The Scriptures teach that we should make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10) and that we should examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith (2 Cor.13:5). We should be asking ourselves some critical questions. Not questions about whether we're trying hard enough, for it's all by grace, but questions about whether we're truly walking in faith and repentance or whether we are in fact just relying on something we said or did more years ago than we care to remember.
J. C. Ryle (Anglican Bishop, 1816-1900) gives us some pointers as to how what genuine love for Christ looks like. He writes:
If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name or his appearance or his character or his opinions or his tastes or his position or his occupation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report which others make of him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to please him. We are glad to consult his tastes and opinions, to act upon his advice and do the things which he approves... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like his friends. We are favorably inclined to them, even before we know them. We are drawn to them by the common tie of common love to one and the same person... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we are jealous about his name and honor. We do not like to hear him spoken against, without speaking up for him and defending him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to talk to him. We tell him all our thoughts, and pour out all our heart to him. We find no difficulty in discovering subjects of conversation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
Finally, if we love a person, we like to be always with him. Thinking and hearing and reading and occasionally talking are all well in their way. But when we really love people we want something more... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
Holiness, (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press,) 247-249.
So what if that's not us and we want it to be? The path of "trying harder, getting up earlier, doing more" is legalism and death. What we need to do instead is to see Jesus in the pages of the Bible - see his worth, his work, his provision, his grace. We need to see him through hearing the Word with faith (1 Sam. 3:21, Gal. 3:3-5).
In short we need to bring the gospel to bear on our paucity of love and see God work in our hearts. And he will!
To be honest I don't (wonder that is); I kind of just assume that I do.
But there's a problem here....presuming my standing before God is very dangerous. The Scriptures teach that we should make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10) and that we should examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith (2 Cor.13:5). We should be asking ourselves some critical questions. Not questions about whether we're trying hard enough, for it's all by grace, but questions about whether we're truly walking in faith and repentance or whether we are in fact just relying on something we said or did more years ago than we care to remember.
J. C. Ryle (Anglican Bishop, 1816-1900) gives us some pointers as to how what genuine love for Christ looks like. He writes:
If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name or his appearance or his character or his opinions or his tastes or his position or his occupation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report which others make of him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to please him. We are glad to consult his tastes and opinions, to act upon his advice and do the things which he approves... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like his friends. We are favorably inclined to them, even before we know them. We are drawn to them by the common tie of common love to one and the same person... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we are jealous about his name and honor. We do not like to hear him spoken against, without speaking up for him and defending him... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
If we love a person, we like to talk to him. We tell him all our thoughts, and pour out all our heart to him. We find no difficulty in discovering subjects of conversation... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
Finally, if we love a person, we like to be always with him. Thinking and hearing and reading and occasionally talking are all well in their way. But when we really love people we want something more... Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ!
Holiness, (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press,) 247-249.
So what if that's not us and we want it to be? The path of "trying harder, getting up earlier, doing more" is legalism and death. What we need to do instead is to see Jesus in the pages of the Bible - see his worth, his work, his provision, his grace. We need to see him through hearing the Word with faith (1 Sam. 3:21, Gal. 3:3-5).
In short we need to bring the gospel to bear on our paucity of love and see God work in our hearts. And he will!
Friday 26 August 2011
Our Toxic Culture
I thought this letter from Steve Clifford, head of the Evangelical Alliance, was worth quoting in full. There certainly is a vacuum of ideas and I really don't think those at the helm in the UK have any sense of which way to go when it comes to the societal challenges we face. We really are in uncharted waters and huge rocks lurk just beneath the surface. Maybe the Church could step up and.....be the Church.....
A letter to members of the Evangelical Alliance concerning the recent riots in the UK, 18 August 2011
Although it seems that everything that can be shaken is being shaken, there is a danger that within a few weeks life will have moved on, the images will have faded, we’ll be back to ‘business as usual’ and nothing will have changed.
But we have to change. It is now obvious that our society is just not working and our national culture is toxic. Our house is built on sand - we have no place for God, no space for values or virtues, and a social environment in which it’s really hard to talk about right and wrong.
In the wake of some of the worst and most widespread social disorder that this country has experienced, the analysis is already taking an obvious focus. Things like family breakdown, the loss of fatherhood, lack of discipline in schools, the collapse of a sense of common good, the rise of individualism and human rights culture have long been highlighted by many Christian commentators – but have largely fallen on deaf ears. However, what has been described by one commentator as ”the all-too-predictable outcome of a three-decade liberal experiment which tore up virtually every basic social value” may now provide Christians with a renewed voice and a more attentive audience.
The truth is that, as a nation, we have created new gods, with materialism and consumerism now defining our social relations. The ‘stuff’ we acquire - designer clothes, the latest flat screen TV, car or mobile phone – shouts out ‘this is who I am’. We worship at the temple of our shopping centres, our credit cards paying homage to consumer gods. So why, in a society that tells its young to ‘get rich quick or die trying’, were we surprised when some of our number went shopping without cash or a card? Anaesthetised by an over-reaching welfare state and incentivised by an insatiable free-market, many of our young people are spiritually impoverished. Drugs, cheap booze and celebrity culture fuel this. Lacking respect for others and for themselves, some have simply opted out, seeing society as something that happens for other people, but not for them.
Where was the voice making it clear that these attitudes were ‘wrong’? It seems that the institutional shaking has exposed a crisis of public leadership. Complicit through a lack of moral leadership, and ill-equipped by the unworkable ideals of secularism, our politicians are now struggling for answers.
We need genuine social cohesion, a willingness to invest in the small and trust in community, allowing faith communities and those who act like them to do what they know best, build relationships, support and care. But how do we get past the liberal elitism and political correctness which has all too often suffocated living communities.
First, we need to vocally reject the economic liberalism of the right and the cultural liberalism of the left, and affirm the need for a renewal of Christian principles in public life. As the fallen idols of the state and market continue to wreak havoc in materially and spiritually impoverished communities across the UK, it is vitally important that Christians turn up the volume in the national debate.
In his recent address to the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast in the Palace of Westminster, director of the Message Trust Andy Hawthorne OBE gave numerous examples of young lives transformed by the gospel. Stating that “The Bible works … and Jesus really is the solution to our countries problems”, he challenged our leaders to understand the truth that ‘as the Church goes, so the nation goes’. This is our challenge.
With calm having returned to our streets (if only for the present), as the analysis and reflection begins, Christians need to play their part in finding ways of helping families to prosper. It’s the building block of a stable society. The 21st century family comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, but we all know that a committed relationship for life between a man and a woman has to be the best place for children to prosper. Let’s call for government to look again at employment, tax and education. As a nation, how can we support the family and make it a bit easier to be a parent? If we don’t, the gang will take its place, providing support, respect and a place for belonging.
And we have to look again at education. We are all thankful that there are some great schools out there, with wonderful teachers doing brilliant work. But sadly there are still failing schools, and in our larger inner city education centres where discipline is almost impossible, we have seen expectations crash and the prospects for employment diminish.
Our toxic culture of failed families, failed education and failed employment, has created a significant underclass in all of our major cities.
As Christians we need to be reminding ourselves and our neighbours that those we saw on the streets are our young people, our young adults. Although they were a minority, they are still part of our communities and we have a responsibility to see change - for them but also for the well being of our communities as a whole.
Throughout the unrest, we saw both the worst and the best of how we are living together. It was great on Tuesday morning to wake up and see that alongside images of burning buildings, wrecked cars and exhausted police officers, there were an army of broom carrying local residents refusing to give up their streets to the rioters. This was an image of hope, and it gave an insight into the often untold story of the Church at work in the UK. We were among the street cleaners, and we were also opening up our buildings, providing refreshments for emergency services, collecting clothes, basic supplies, offering advice on insurance claims and re-housing those who have lost everything. Many church leaders provided genuine local leadership in the crisis, and Christians across the country visited neighbours, the elderly and vulnerable – and Street Pastors have been out every night of the last week. And of course there’s the secret weapon – the Church was praying, and how they were praying; with so many large meetings, small meetings and public vigils. I’m convinced we saw God answering prayer. Who knows what would have occurred if God’s people had not been asking?
So where to from here? In the vacuum of ideas, this is a time of unprecedented
opportunities. We have to see change and the Church, God’s people – rightly positioned – are the catalyst for such change in our nation. This is not a time for fear but for hope.
Here are a few practical steps we can take immediately to detoxify our culture with salt and light…
• Take action – get involved in (or start) church projects for renewing our battered and neglected communities
• Continue to pray for healing in our communities – for peace and security. And pray
for wisdom for our local and national political leaders
• Contact your local MP or councillor, and graciously express the need for a renewal of biblical principles in social policy decisions – citing examples of Christian action
• Contact the local and national media, and graciously express the need for a renewal
of biblical principles in public life – citing examples of Christian action
• Look at how you and your church can get involved in shaping politics and
government by visiting www.susa.info
Steve Clifford
General Director
Evangelical Alliance
A letter to members of the Evangelical Alliance concerning the recent riots in the UK, 18 August 2011
Although it seems that everything that can be shaken is being shaken, there is a danger that within a few weeks life will have moved on, the images will have faded, we’ll be back to ‘business as usual’ and nothing will have changed.
But we have to change. It is now obvious that our society is just not working and our national culture is toxic. Our house is built on sand - we have no place for God, no space for values or virtues, and a social environment in which it’s really hard to talk about right and wrong.
In the wake of some of the worst and most widespread social disorder that this country has experienced, the analysis is already taking an obvious focus. Things like family breakdown, the loss of fatherhood, lack of discipline in schools, the collapse of a sense of common good, the rise of individualism and human rights culture have long been highlighted by many Christian commentators – but have largely fallen on deaf ears. However, what has been described by one commentator as ”the all-too-predictable outcome of a three-decade liberal experiment which tore up virtually every basic social value” may now provide Christians with a renewed voice and a more attentive audience.
The truth is that, as a nation, we have created new gods, with materialism and consumerism now defining our social relations. The ‘stuff’ we acquire - designer clothes, the latest flat screen TV, car or mobile phone – shouts out ‘this is who I am’. We worship at the temple of our shopping centres, our credit cards paying homage to consumer gods. So why, in a society that tells its young to ‘get rich quick or die trying’, were we surprised when some of our number went shopping without cash or a card? Anaesthetised by an over-reaching welfare state and incentivised by an insatiable free-market, many of our young people are spiritually impoverished. Drugs, cheap booze and celebrity culture fuel this. Lacking respect for others and for themselves, some have simply opted out, seeing society as something that happens for other people, but not for them.
Where was the voice making it clear that these attitudes were ‘wrong’? It seems that the institutional shaking has exposed a crisis of public leadership. Complicit through a lack of moral leadership, and ill-equipped by the unworkable ideals of secularism, our politicians are now struggling for answers.
We need genuine social cohesion, a willingness to invest in the small and trust in community, allowing faith communities and those who act like them to do what they know best, build relationships, support and care. But how do we get past the liberal elitism and political correctness which has all too often suffocated living communities.
First, we need to vocally reject the economic liberalism of the right and the cultural liberalism of the left, and affirm the need for a renewal of Christian principles in public life. As the fallen idols of the state and market continue to wreak havoc in materially and spiritually impoverished communities across the UK, it is vitally important that Christians turn up the volume in the national debate.
In his recent address to the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast in the Palace of Westminster, director of the Message Trust Andy Hawthorne OBE gave numerous examples of young lives transformed by the gospel. Stating that “The Bible works … and Jesus really is the solution to our countries problems”, he challenged our leaders to understand the truth that ‘as the Church goes, so the nation goes’. This is our challenge.
With calm having returned to our streets (if only for the present), as the analysis and reflection begins, Christians need to play their part in finding ways of helping families to prosper. It’s the building block of a stable society. The 21st century family comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, but we all know that a committed relationship for life between a man and a woman has to be the best place for children to prosper. Let’s call for government to look again at employment, tax and education. As a nation, how can we support the family and make it a bit easier to be a parent? If we don’t, the gang will take its place, providing support, respect and a place for belonging.
And we have to look again at education. We are all thankful that there are some great schools out there, with wonderful teachers doing brilliant work. But sadly there are still failing schools, and in our larger inner city education centres where discipline is almost impossible, we have seen expectations crash and the prospects for employment diminish.
Our toxic culture of failed families, failed education and failed employment, has created a significant underclass in all of our major cities.
As Christians we need to be reminding ourselves and our neighbours that those we saw on the streets are our young people, our young adults. Although they were a minority, they are still part of our communities and we have a responsibility to see change - for them but also for the well being of our communities as a whole.
Throughout the unrest, we saw both the worst and the best of how we are living together. It was great on Tuesday morning to wake up and see that alongside images of burning buildings, wrecked cars and exhausted police officers, there were an army of broom carrying local residents refusing to give up their streets to the rioters. This was an image of hope, and it gave an insight into the often untold story of the Church at work in the UK. We were among the street cleaners, and we were also opening up our buildings, providing refreshments for emergency services, collecting clothes, basic supplies, offering advice on insurance claims and re-housing those who have lost everything. Many church leaders provided genuine local leadership in the crisis, and Christians across the country visited neighbours, the elderly and vulnerable – and Street Pastors have been out every night of the last week. And of course there’s the secret weapon – the Church was praying, and how they were praying; with so many large meetings, small meetings and public vigils. I’m convinced we saw God answering prayer. Who knows what would have occurred if God’s people had not been asking?
So where to from here? In the vacuum of ideas, this is a time of unprecedented
opportunities. We have to see change and the Church, God’s people – rightly positioned – are the catalyst for such change in our nation. This is not a time for fear but for hope.
Here are a few practical steps we can take immediately to detoxify our culture with salt and light…
• Take action – get involved in (or start) church projects for renewing our battered and neglected communities
• Continue to pray for healing in our communities – for peace and security. And pray
for wisdom for our local and national political leaders
• Contact your local MP or councillor, and graciously express the need for a renewal of biblical principles in social policy decisions – citing examples of Christian action
• Contact the local and national media, and graciously express the need for a renewal
of biblical principles in public life – citing examples of Christian action
• Look at how you and your church can get involved in shaping politics and
government by visiting www.susa.info
Steve Clifford
General Director
Evangelical Alliance
Wednesday 24 August 2011
Remembering Our Leaders - John Stott
I heard the news that John Stott had died from the Bishop of Mubende whilst in Uganda. We were out in the middle of goodness knows where and he'd just led (and our family had just sat through) a four and a half hour church service. We'd had some lunch (a story in itself) and I was asking him who had influenced him in his spiritual journey. And then he told me about the great man's death a couple of days previously.
I was pleased for Dr Stott, he was 90 and was now with his Lord but sad for the rest of us who will miss his huge contribution. And his contribution was ongoing - his last book was written when he was 88!
I only heard him speak once (and it wasn't all that great to be honest) and I've only read a few of his 50 books but his impact on me has been massive. This is in large measure due to the fact that without him the whole Christian landscape that we enjoy today would be so much the poorer. So many of those who have helped me in my Christian walk and ministry have been mentored and shaped by him.
He fought battles that we don't have to fight anymore. Battles over the scholarly integrity of the Bible; he led the way in showing that our Scriptures are academically coherent and reliable. Battles over the relationship between evangelism and social action; no longer do we see them as separate - it's just a non issue now but back in the day if you cared for the poor you were considered to be a liberal. Battles over whether or not Christians should be involved in political and social issues; he said that of course we should in fact, he told us, to have the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
John Stott helped me to understand the Bible and to love clear doctrine. His commentaries are phenomenally helpful. He also modelled to me a commitment to unity and to working well with others. When we're so quick to fragment and divide this has been a gift to the Church.
With the Langham Partnership he did more than just talk about the need to support majority world church leaders he got on and did it.
And there's loads more that could be said.... This link will take you to the EA's tribute that's worth a read.
http://bit.ly/r4inLC
Let's not idolise those who help us but rather honour them in ways that honour Him. Kind of like Hebrews 13:7 says.
I was pleased for Dr Stott, he was 90 and was now with his Lord but sad for the rest of us who will miss his huge contribution. And his contribution was ongoing - his last book was written when he was 88!
I only heard him speak once (and it wasn't all that great to be honest) and I've only read a few of his 50 books but his impact on me has been massive. This is in large measure due to the fact that without him the whole Christian landscape that we enjoy today would be so much the poorer. So many of those who have helped me in my Christian walk and ministry have been mentored and shaped by him.
He fought battles that we don't have to fight anymore. Battles over the scholarly integrity of the Bible; he led the way in showing that our Scriptures are academically coherent and reliable. Battles over the relationship between evangelism and social action; no longer do we see them as separate - it's just a non issue now but back in the day if you cared for the poor you were considered to be a liberal. Battles over whether or not Christians should be involved in political and social issues; he said that of course we should in fact, he told us, to have the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other.
John Stott helped me to understand the Bible and to love clear doctrine. His commentaries are phenomenally helpful. He also modelled to me a commitment to unity and to working well with others. When we're so quick to fragment and divide this has been a gift to the Church.
With the Langham Partnership he did more than just talk about the need to support majority world church leaders he got on and did it.
And there's loads more that could be said.... This link will take you to the EA's tribute that's worth a read.
http://bit.ly/r4inLC
Let's not idolise those who help us but rather honour them in ways that honour Him. Kind of like Hebrews 13:7 says.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
What "John" Did
I came across this in the LICC magazine recently and I share it here with permission.
It looks like something bad is about to happen. How does the disciple respond? Mark Greene meets a man with bottle and spirit…
‘John’ works for a drinks company – not a soft drinks company, but a hard drinks company. He’s a Christian, and convinced that God called him into the job. One day, ‘John’ finds himself on a business trip in the Far East. One of the ways that business is done in the Far East is to go out drinking together at the end of the day. John has rules about this. He goes with the team and he doesn’t get drunk. Now, in the Far East, the kinds of places executives go drinking almost always feature beautiful hostesses. Some are there to serve drinks, and some offer rather more. John has rules about the kinds of places he goes to. And he sticks to them.
One evening, his team is out with some suppliers and John realises that one of his colleagues has taken a real shine to one of the hostesses who is particularly luminous. As the evening proceeds John grows more and more concerned that his colleague, a married man, will proposition her. But what can he do? The place is buzzing, there are suppliers and colleagues and the hostesses… but his heart ached and he fervently prays: ‘Lord’.
A little later, John finds himself in the facilities. By coincidence, perhaps, his colleague is the only other person there. So, as they are facilitating, John turns to him and says: ‘Are you having a good evening? I can see you have some decisions ahead of you. As your friend, I would encourage you to make sure that the decisions you make tonight are the same as those you’d make tomorrow.’
Now, that is some sentence. And although John is a bright, articulate man, he’s in no doubt that it came from the Spirit (Mark 13:11).
Ten minutes later the colleague left the club with the hostess in tow. John’s heart ached more. A little later, John left the club and went back to his hotel room and got down on his knees by his bed and prayed and prayed. A couple of days later it became clear that his colleague had in fact propositioned the girl…
However, she had told John’s colleague that she wasn’t that kind of hostess, but asked if he’d be interested in a long term relationship. He then stayed up until 3.00am talking to her, much of it about her sorrow because her boyfriend had left her.
Now there’s a thing. The man who wanted to use this woman as a prostitute becomes her pastor. And maybe he learned more about how wrong his impulse to sleep with her was by having propositioned her than if he had simply left the bar at 11.30 pm. He learned that a hostess in a bar can have a life beyond that bar, that a hostess in a bar could be a woman with a heart that’s tender, a heart that can be broken, a woman with hopes and dreams for her own life…
But what about John?
Now there’s someone who loves their colleague/neighbour as a whole human being. And is confident that God’s ways are good for other people, and cares enough to intervene. There’s someone who believes in prayer, who knows how to call out to God in the maelstrom just as Jehoshaphat did in the middle of the battle (I kings 22:31-33) when there is nothing he can do himself. There’s someone who is confident in God to act – even if he can’t think how. There’s someone who also knows how to pray in the quiet place. There’s someone who asked others to pray for that trip before he went, someone who has involved the people of God in a frontline of mission that they themselves will probably never be in.
Bottle, spirit, prayer and the support of God’s people – it’s a mighty potent cocktail.
Sunday 10 July 2011
Ephesisans 1:15-19a
Learning to Pray from Paul
In church we're continuing to learn about prayer from Paul. How did he talk to his Father in heaven? What were his priorities? Here we see him telling the Christians in Ephesus that he was giving thanks for them and praying for them.
You can listen to tpart 7 of the prayer series by clicking here:
http://lymingtonbaptist.org/mp3s/Prayer%20pt%207.mp3
V15 Ever since I heard about your faith. What is he actually giving thanks for when he says their “faith”? What’s he really getting at?
And your love for all the saints. Why is this such a big deal? So what that they love one another? (Jn 13:35)
V17 May the Holy Spirit enable you to have insight, discernment, wisdom and revelation (this after all is part of the Spirit’s “job description”) so that you can know God better. Of all the things that Paul could pray for this 1st Century church (leadership development, “Alpha”, illness, government/cultural oppression, finance…) why is Paul praying that they know God better? Knowing God is fundamental to living well. We fail to live well in God’s world, we end up turning from him and his authority – we sin – because we don’t trust God and we don’t trust him because we don’t know him. If we knew him, really knew him, we would trust him and if we trusted him we would not turn from him. We would therefore live a life worthy of our calling, we would glorify him and enjoy him forever. Take some time to explore the link between knowing God/trusting him and not sinning. What do you learn?
V18 I also pray that at the centre of you’re being you know:
The hope: biblical hope is a promise of God not yet realized. Paul prays that the Ephesians would know their sure and certain future hope in Christ. He prays that they would realize that this life is not all that there is. This life is but a mist (Jas. 4:14), a vapor and we need to see things in the light of eternity. “We reflect too little on the future and almost never on eternity” (DA Carson). What is the nature of this hope? How do we experience it now and how will we experience it in the future?
The inheritance: God’s inheritance; the inheritance he possesses or bestows. “His”, along with v11, 14b indicates the former. Paul prays that they know that they are God’s chosen people, belonging tohim, cherished, dearly loved and precious. What difference would it make to our daily lives if we really knew that we were God’s precious inheritance? How would that change our reaction to events and our hopes and aspirations?
The power: power for the Christian is not power to be a winner, always on the front foot, always achieving with no set backs. Power for the Christian is about being able to endure, to keep looking to the Cross, to continue to trust knowing God’s goodness, joy, peace, sufficiency even when circumstances might be adverse. True gospel power is displayed most significantly in weakness. What does the display of God’s power look like in our lives? How would this power it manifest itself in those times when we face adversity and in those times when things are going especially well?
How would it be if we prayed for ourselves and others that we would know God better, the hope we have in him, the security we have because we are his inheritance and his great power that is available to us. Let us pray these things – for ourselves and for one another!
Learning to Pray from Paul
In church we're continuing to learn about prayer from Paul. How did he talk to his Father in heaven? What were his priorities? Here we see him telling the Christians in Ephesus that he was giving thanks for them and praying for them.
You can listen to tpart 7 of the prayer series by clicking here:
http://lymingtonbaptist.org/mp3s/Prayer%20pt%207.mp3
V15 Ever since I heard about your faith. What is he actually giving thanks for when he says their “faith”? What’s he really getting at?
And your love for all the saints. Why is this such a big deal? So what that they love one another? (Jn 13:35)
V17 May the Holy Spirit enable you to have insight, discernment, wisdom and revelation (this after all is part of the Spirit’s “job description”) so that you can know God better. Of all the things that Paul could pray for this 1st Century church (leadership development, “Alpha”, illness, government/cultural oppression, finance…) why is Paul praying that they know God better? Knowing God is fundamental to living well. We fail to live well in God’s world, we end up turning from him and his authority – we sin – because we don’t trust God and we don’t trust him because we don’t know him. If we knew him, really knew him, we would trust him and if we trusted him we would not turn from him. We would therefore live a life worthy of our calling, we would glorify him and enjoy him forever. Take some time to explore the link between knowing God/trusting him and not sinning. What do you learn?
V18 I also pray that at the centre of you’re being you know:
The hope: biblical hope is a promise of God not yet realized. Paul prays that the Ephesians would know their sure and certain future hope in Christ. He prays that they would realize that this life is not all that there is. This life is but a mist (Jas. 4:14), a vapor and we need to see things in the light of eternity. “We reflect too little on the future and almost never on eternity” (DA Carson). What is the nature of this hope? How do we experience it now and how will we experience it in the future?
The inheritance: God’s inheritance; the inheritance he possesses or bestows. “His”, along with v11, 14b indicates the former. Paul prays that they know that they are God’s chosen people, belonging tohim, cherished, dearly loved and precious. What difference would it make to our daily lives if we really knew that we were God’s precious inheritance? How would that change our reaction to events and our hopes and aspirations?
The power: power for the Christian is not power to be a winner, always on the front foot, always achieving with no set backs. Power for the Christian is about being able to endure, to keep looking to the Cross, to continue to trust knowing God’s goodness, joy, peace, sufficiency even when circumstances might be adverse. True gospel power is displayed most significantly in weakness. What does the display of God’s power look like in our lives? How would this power it manifest itself in those times when we face adversity and in those times when things are going especially well?
How would it be if we prayed for ourselves and others that we would know God better, the hope we have in him, the security we have because we are his inheritance and his great power that is available to us. Let us pray these things – for ourselves and for one another!
Thursday 7 July 2011
Jesus is the True and Better
I had a meeting with our "Live Kidz" leaders (7-10 year olds - the children that is) this week and I was talking about how it's important to point children to Jesus in all the teaching that's given. The need is particularly acute with the Older Testament because it's harder to see how this fits into the gospel of Christ. The danger is that we can end up moralising ("David was brave so we should be brave, Samson slept around and gave away secrets vital to national security and...we mustn't do that.....etc").
But how do you do that in a way that displays Christ in all his atoning work, and interprets the text without allegorizing, stretching the meaning, or distorting the context. Not easy but Tim Keller does it well and hence my big plug to the leaders to become well acquainted with the The Jesus Storybook Bible (which contains much of his teaching).
When writing a follow up email to those leaders I included an extract from some classic Keller teaching which gives some good, clear examples of what it is that we need to be doing. I've pasted it in below, I think it's great:
“Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:27)
Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us (1 Corinthians 15).
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out for our acquittal, not our condemnation (Hebrews 12:24).
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void “not knowing wither he went!” to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. While God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love, from me,” now we can say to God, “Now we know that you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from me.”
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant (Hebrews 3).
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends (Job 42).
Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb – innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He is the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the Lamb, the Light, the Bread.
The Bible is not about you — it is about him.
But how do you do that in a way that displays Christ in all his atoning work, and interprets the text without allegorizing, stretching the meaning, or distorting the context. Not easy but Tim Keller does it well and hence my big plug to the leaders to become well acquainted with the The Jesus Storybook Bible (which contains much of his teaching).
When writing a follow up email to those leaders I included an extract from some classic Keller teaching which gives some good, clear examples of what it is that we need to be doing. I've pasted it in below, I think it's great:
“Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:27)
Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us (1 Corinthians 15).
Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out for our acquittal, not our condemnation (Hebrews 12:24).
Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void “not knowing wither he went!” to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. While God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love, from me,” now we can say to God, “Now we know that you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from me.”
Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.
Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.
Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant (Hebrews 3).
Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.
Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends (Job 42).
Jesus is the true and better David, whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.
Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb – innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He is the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the Lamb, the Light, the Bread.
The Bible is not about you — it is about him.
Indeed it is!
Monday 20 June 2011
Off to the Smoke
I leave tomorrow for three days in the Smoke, the Big City....Town!
I'm going to be in London for this year’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly, a conference for Pastors. Last year’s key note speaker was John Piper which obviously I couldn’t miss (!) and this year it’s Tim Keller so I’m going again!
The first time I heard Keller, which was at the EMA conference probably some five year’s ago, it changed my life – I’d never heard the gospel explained in the way he unpacked it. It really was a defining moment.
I’m really looking forward to getting some great input and the opportunity to catch up with some old friends. Follow this link to read more about the conference including subject matter and speakers: http://ema2011.proctrust.org.uk/the-details
I'm going to be in London for this year’s Evangelical Ministry Assembly, a conference for Pastors. Last year’s key note speaker was John Piper which obviously I couldn’t miss (!) and this year it’s Tim Keller so I’m going again!
The first time I heard Keller, which was at the EMA conference probably some five year’s ago, it changed my life – I’d never heard the gospel explained in the way he unpacked it. It really was a defining moment.
I’m really looking forward to getting some great input and the opportunity to catch up with some old friends. Follow this link to read more about the conference including subject matter and speakers: http://ema2011.proctrust.org.uk/the-details
Friday 10 June 2011
Hearing with Faith on Sunday
By Jonathan Parnell:
Charles Spurgeon writes...
The real reason why God's people do not feed under a gospel ministry, is, because they have not faith. If you believed, if you did but hear one promise, that would be enough; if you only heard one good thing from the pulpit here would be food for your soul, for it is not the quantity we hear, but the quantity we believe, that does us good—it is that which we receive into our hearts with true and lively faith, that is our profit (excerpted from "The Sin of Unbelief").
The massive consumerism of our age has taught us to be critical. We are constantly confronted with options—from allergy medicines to zero-calorie soft drinks. We examine and test and compare, ultimately landing on the preference of our personal market. This isn't necessarily bad, except that we often fail to check this mindset at the door of the Church's corporate gatherings.
Everything about the worship service can become a target set before the scope of our critical eyes. And we dismiss those things that fail to meet the status of our personal market, complaining as if it were a bad cup of coffee. The real problem—you know, of course—is not the details of corporate worship. It's us. It's what Spurgeon says: we lack faith.
Whether we benefit from the worship service depends on if we "receive into our hearts with a true and lively faith" the things that are spoken, sung, and preached. Take Spurgeon's words to heart and pray for the Spirit's help. May you gather this weekend in faith, eager to hear from God.
Charles Spurgeon writes...
The real reason why God's people do not feed under a gospel ministry, is, because they have not faith. If you believed, if you did but hear one promise, that would be enough; if you only heard one good thing from the pulpit here would be food for your soul, for it is not the quantity we hear, but the quantity we believe, that does us good—it is that which we receive into our hearts with true and lively faith, that is our profit (excerpted from "The Sin of Unbelief").
The massive consumerism of our age has taught us to be critical. We are constantly confronted with options—from allergy medicines to zero-calorie soft drinks. We examine and test and compare, ultimately landing on the preference of our personal market. This isn't necessarily bad, except that we often fail to check this mindset at the door of the Church's corporate gatherings.
Everything about the worship service can become a target set before the scope of our critical eyes. And we dismiss those things that fail to meet the status of our personal market, complaining as if it were a bad cup of coffee. The real problem—you know, of course—is not the details of corporate worship. It's us. It's what Spurgeon says: we lack faith.
Whether we benefit from the worship service depends on if we "receive into our hearts with a true and lively faith" the things that are spoken, sung, and preached. Take Spurgeon's words to heart and pray for the Spirit's help. May you gather this weekend in faith, eager to hear from God.
Tuesday 7 June 2011
A Bit of Motivation
Last night I cajoled two of my children into going to an event at Testwood Baptist Church. There are very few things I lean on the kids to do.....ok.....there's quite a few but it doesn't feel like a lot of things to me....and this event was one of them. It wasn't a church service or religious gathering in any way. It was something quite different and I really wanted them to be there.
It was an evening with professional explorer and adventurer Debra Searle. She's basically a freelance motivational speaker hired by the blue-chips to wow their staff teams and fire them up for taking the next hill. Anyway these two kids needed, in my humble opinion, some motivation and inspiration. We weren't disappointed!
Crumbs! This woman's amazing!!
Debra, a non rower and her 6'5'' professional rower husband wanted to row across the Atlantic. No small task. They planned it for a couple of years and then went for it. on the first night he realises that he's actually got a phobia of open water! Can you believe it.....they'd only ever trained in Poole Harbour!
Anyway after a week he's a wreck and needs to be taken off the boast because he's having panic attacks and the whole thing. Another week later a rescue boat finally comes and picks him up but she decides to stay. She wants to carry on by herself. Long story short, three and a half months later she makes it to Barbados.
Unflipping believable!!
She survives storms, sharks, whales, tankers.... a non-rower rows across the Atlantic in three and a half months!
There were loads of neatly packaged lessons that can be taken out of this achievement (in addition to the old "you can do anything if you put your mind to it" which is so totally ridiculous that it's not even worth bothering to critique) but the thing that I took away was the incredible resilience of the human spirit. The ability to keep going. To not stop. To absorb pain, crushing loneliness, massive disappointment. Just incredible.
That's it really. I was just blown away.
It was an evening with professional explorer and adventurer Debra Searle. She's basically a freelance motivational speaker hired by the blue-chips to wow their staff teams and fire them up for taking the next hill. Anyway these two kids needed, in my humble opinion, some motivation and inspiration. We weren't disappointed!
Crumbs! This woman's amazing!!
Debra, a non rower and her 6'5'' professional rower husband wanted to row across the Atlantic. No small task. They planned it for a couple of years and then went for it. on the first night he realises that he's actually got a phobia of open water! Can you believe it.....they'd only ever trained in Poole Harbour!
Anyway after a week he's a wreck and needs to be taken off the boast because he's having panic attacks and the whole thing. Another week later a rescue boat finally comes and picks him up but she decides to stay. She wants to carry on by herself. Long story short, three and a half months later she makes it to Barbados.
Unflipping believable!!
She survives storms, sharks, whales, tankers.... a non-rower rows across the Atlantic in three and a half months!
There were loads of neatly packaged lessons that can be taken out of this achievement (in addition to the old "you can do anything if you put your mind to it" which is so totally ridiculous that it's not even worth bothering to critique) but the thing that I took away was the incredible resilience of the human spirit. The ability to keep going. To not stop. To absorb pain, crushing loneliness, massive disappointment. Just incredible.
That's it really. I was just blown away.
Thursday 2 June 2011
The Problem of Forgiveness
I came across this from CS Lewis about forgiveness. I think he says it pretty well.....hard though....
….you must make every effort to kill every taste of resentment in your own heart—every wish to humiliate or hurt him or to pay him out. The difference between this situation and the one in such you are asking God’s forgiveness is this. In our own case we accept excuses too easily; in other people’s we do not accept them easily enough.
As regards my own sin it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men’s sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought.
But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine percent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one percent guilt which is left over. To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian character; it is only fairness. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.
This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night ‘forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.’ We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says.
C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory p181-183
….you must make every effort to kill every taste of resentment in your own heart—every wish to humiliate or hurt him or to pay him out. The difference between this situation and the one in such you are asking God’s forgiveness is this. In our own case we accept excuses too easily; in other people’s we do not accept them easily enough.
As regards my own sin it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are not really so good as I think; as regards other men’s sins against me it is a safe bet (though not a certainty) that the excuses are better than I think. One must therefore begin by attending to everything which may show that the other man was not so much to blame as we thought.
But even if he is absolutely fully to blame we still have to forgive him; and even if ninety-nine percent of his apparent guilt can be explained away by really good excuses, the problem of forgiveness begins with the one percent guilt which is left over. To excuse what can really produce good excuses is not Christian character; it is only fairness. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.
This is hard. It is perhaps not so hard to forgive a single great injury. But to forgive the incessant provocations of daily life—to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son—how can we do it? Only, I think, by remembering where we stand, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night ‘forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us.’ We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse it is to refuse God’s mercy for ourselves. There is no hint of exceptions and God means what He says.
C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory p181-183
Monday 23 May 2011
It's Been a While.....
Well it really has been a while.
I've still been keeping attentive to God and his work or at least....I've been having a pretty good go. It's just that....well.....blogging's not been right up there on my list of stuff to do.
The last eight weeks have been the most exhilarating, crushing, sweet, devastating, rewarding and depressing weeks of my life. It's been extraordinary.
Some of the stuff, like fostering and catastrophic hard drive failures will probably be written about. Other stuff won't be, at least, not for a while.
I can tell you this though. Spurgeon was right to say that the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which we can rest our head to sleep.
I've still been keeping attentive to God and his work or at least....I've been having a pretty good go. It's just that....well.....blogging's not been right up there on my list of stuff to do.
The last eight weeks have been the most exhilarating, crushing, sweet, devastating, rewarding and depressing weeks of my life. It's been extraordinary.
Some of the stuff, like fostering and catastrophic hard drive failures will probably be written about. Other stuff won't be, at least, not for a while.
I can tell you this though. Spurgeon was right to say that the doctrine of the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which we can rest our head to sleep.
Wednesday 6 April 2011
A Reality Check on Using Gifts
The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness by Tim Chester is one of the most refreshingly helpful books I've read I a very long time. I love the bit where he challenges the consumerist approach that is characteristic of much contemporary church ministry, an approach that says, amongst other things, that we need only serve in accordance with our gifting: Jonathan is a Christian worker who has complained of feeling tired and overworked ever since I have known him. I tried working through his priorities with him, but it made no difference. He recently took a 3-month sabbatical because he was worn out. At the end he was still complaining about feeling tired. Now he wants to ‘operate in his gifting’. And, funnily enough, his gifting doesn’t include administration of paperwork. He only wants to do what enjoys. Anything else makes him weary. But that’s the way life is! Sometimes work is energising and exciting. But everyone has irksome responsibilities that make them feel weary. Indeed, for m ost people in the world, their work is mainly drudgery. It is arrogant and selfish to suppose we have a right to do only what energises you when most people spend their lives on factory production lines or bent over in fields. We can’t design perfect working lives because we don’t yet live in a perfect world. Jonathan doesn’t need another sabbatical or a new job. He needs to learn self-control and self-denial. Paul talks about spiritual gifts so we value the diversity in the church. He doesn’t tell individual Christians to identify their gifting and stick to it. He tells Christians to be servants, looking to the interests of others and modelling ourselves on the self-giving of the Cross.
Thursday 31 March 2011
How the Gospel Enables Us to Forgive
In his book Married for God Christopher Ash comments on a favourite parable of mine, the Unmerciful Servant.
The point of the story is not to say to us “You really must forgive one another: forgiveness is very important”. That is true, but would not actually help. When, especially in a marriage, the hurt is done it is very hard to forgive and just being told to forgive just doesn’t work.
No, the point of the story is that you and I need to understand the astronomical debt we have been forgiven if we are disciples of Christ. And once we begin to grasp this truth the gates of our hearts are opened so that we can forgive even very serious debts owed to us.
God works in us to enable us to forgive. Once we really know the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers, there is in our hearts a new dynamic. Grace pours into our hearts, and that same grace can pour out from our hearts to our husbands and wives to forgive, to heal, to reconcile, to follow hurts with welcome and conflict with tenderness.
The Gospel is not about moralising. It is about encountering transformative grace and allowing that to change us and, in so doing, change others.
The point of the story is not to say to us “You really must forgive one another: forgiveness is very important”. That is true, but would not actually help. When, especially in a marriage, the hurt is done it is very hard to forgive and just being told to forgive just doesn’t work.
No, the point of the story is that you and I need to understand the astronomical debt we have been forgiven if we are disciples of Christ. And once we begin to grasp this truth the gates of our hearts are opened so that we can forgive even very serious debts owed to us.
God works in us to enable us to forgive. Once we really know the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers, there is in our hearts a new dynamic. Grace pours into our hearts, and that same grace can pour out from our hearts to our husbands and wives to forgive, to heal, to reconcile, to follow hurts with welcome and conflict with tenderness.
The Gospel is not about moralising. It is about encountering transformative grace and allowing that to change us and, in so doing, change others.
Monday 14 March 2011
10 Ways a Christian Should Respond to the Earthquake in Japan
This post from Adrian Warnock is, as usual, helpful and insightful - at least to me (an important caveat!). It's not the last word but a good place to start. Anything that helps us to do some serious reflection on such a major tragedy must be good.
As Japan braces itself for a possible further serious earthquake, and deals with the consequences of such massive devastation caused by the last one, not to mention the risk of a major nuclear incident, how should Christians respond? Please understand that none of this is intended to claim that we have all the answers to such a disaster. In fact, like Job’s friends’ initial response, often the best thing we can do is say absolutely nothing, and share people’s pain.
I write this article with many unanswered questions. But, unlike those who allow suffering to drive them away from God, I am convinced that only God makes sense of suffering. For if the Japanese who died really were just the random fruit of evolution, why should it matter to us if they died? But if each of them are made in the image of their creator, and lovingly crafted together in their mother’s womb, our inherent feeling that suffering is NOT welcome in this world makes perfect sense. God loves every human being, they are precious to him.
1 We should not be surprised. We like to imagine that we are safe in the world. The truth is that, like what may well be tens of thousands of Japanese who have drowned, we will all die one day. Whenever that day comes, it will feel to us just as sudden, just as unwanted, and just as shocking. But despite our trying to pretend otherwise, we are not immortal, and there is no guarantee that we will live to a ripe old age (Hebrews 9:27).
2 We should be humbled before the awesome power of “Nature,” which is actually the creation of a sovereign and awesome God whose power is greater than 10,000 tsunamis (Job 38:1-41). These scenes quite rightly should take our breath away, and make us realize how foolish our pride truly is. We came from the dust and will one day return to that same dust.
3 We should not assume that the end is at hand. Yes, there do seem to be a lot of natural disasters lately. Yes, Jesus did predict such things. But he also told us not to be alarmed, and there have been many such natural disasters over the centuries. We do not know when Christ will return, but have a task to do in “speeding” his coming. (Mark 13:7-8, 2 Peter 3:12)
4 We should not assume that the end is not at hand. A disaster like this should remind us that Jesus said he will come like a thief in the night when we are least expecting it. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8)
5 We should not specifically blame the Japanese. There is a tendency to quickly jump to judgment in some evangelical circles. Perhaps this is because we secretly believe that because of our so-called righteous living we have made a deal with God that will protect us in this world from early death and other disasters. If we can therefore persuade ourselves that the Japanese somehow brought this on themselves, our delusion remains intact. The Bible knows nothing of such thinking, at least in the vast majority of occasions. There are a few biblical situations where natural disasters were the specific judgment of God. But these were rare, and God always ensured people knew about it by a proclamation from his infallible prophets. What seems to be far more common is the idea that God sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45), and that accidents do not tell us that their victims were more sinful than us, but that we all deserve death just the same (Luke 13:1-5). See for example these two quotes:
“As I look for a moment upon the poor mangled bodies of those who have been so suddenly slain, my eyes find tears, but my heart does not boast, nor my lips accuse — far from me be the boastful cry, “God, I thank thee that I am not as these men are!” Nay, nay, nay, it is not the spirit of Christ, nor the spirit of Christianity. While we can thank God that we are preserved, yet we can say, “It is of thy mercy that we are not consumed,” and we must ascribe it to his grace, and to his grace alone. But we cannot suppose that there was any betterness in us, why we should be kept alive with death so near.” Charles H. Spurgeon, vol. 7, Sermon 408.
“You see what a horrible end those people came to; they didn’t think it was going to happen. O they knew they were going to die someday; but they didn’t know what that would mean. The horror of their end took them by surprise. Well unless you repent, that is the way it is going to be for you. Your end will be far more horrible than you think it is. You will not be ready for it. It will surprise you terribly. In that sense you will LIKEWISE perish.” John Piper
6 We should not blame God, but we should pray. We believe in a Sovereign God. But we must not make him out to be the author of sin (James 1:13). God knew the earthquake was coming (Isaiah 46:9-10), could have stopped it and didn’t, and as per Romans 8:28 will work this out like everything else for his glory and for the good of those who love him. He will also use it to awaken fear in hearts, so that the gospel can then bring peace and salvation (Luke 13:1-5). But that is a very different thing from making God the pleased creator of this event. Some assume that choosing not to stop something is the same as initiating that event. I do not believe that is so. We must not curse God, or charge him with wrongdoing (Job 1:22). But we must pray and ask God to limit the pain these terrible events have caused, and to use them that many might turn to him.
7 We should understand that suffering is in the world because of sin in a general sense. Death entered the world because of human sin. (Romans 5:12) Because our forefather sinned, and because we go on sinning, the world has been subjected to a law of decay (Romans 8:20-24). We live in a fallen world. In a fallen world many things are broken and do not work as God intended them to originally. Thus humankind’s sin, rather than Japanese sin is responsible for this disaster.
8 We must not assume that the devil “won” this time God was not asleep. Satan, is indeed described as the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and is therefore in some senses responsible for disasters. However, he does not have a free hand. He is prowling around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But, as in the case of Job, God is perfectly capable of preventing his actions, and does indeed put a limit on them. If Satan was free to do whatever he wanted in this world, we can rest assured there would be far more disaster than there is now. He is after all a murderer (John 8:44). We are right to be angry at the effects of all this death and destruction that he causes, but not right to ascribe to him more power than we ought! Anger is in short a natural response to such suffering, but should not be directed at God.
9 We should look forward to the day when there will be no more pain The very fact that suffering feels so wrong should point us to the fact it was not part of God’s original plan, nor is it part of his glorious fulfillment. One day there will be no more sea to destroy lives and separate loved-ones. (Revelation 21:3-4). What a glorious day, we should long for it more and more as our TV sets bring such devastation into our living rooms.
10 We should share the glorious gospel of Jesus that brings us hope and work to relieve suffering. The temporary nature of life, should prompt us if we have any compassion at all to be looking for opportunities to talk of our savior. In addition, and as a vital part of our outreach, some of us should consider giving to the specific relief funds being set up to help Japan. But all of us should look for ways to relive suffering far from where we live, but also on our doorstep. We are called to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10) and demonstrate the love of Jesus with the word of the gospel, and the deed of alleviating pain. We cannot and should not turn aside like the good priest, but instead should spend ourselves as the good Samaritan did, all the time pointing to the one who with limitless resources gave himself that we might all live.
Thanks Adrian - appreciate your input.
As Japan braces itself for a possible further serious earthquake, and deals with the consequences of such massive devastation caused by the last one, not to mention the risk of a major nuclear incident, how should Christians respond? Please understand that none of this is intended to claim that we have all the answers to such a disaster. In fact, like Job’s friends’ initial response, often the best thing we can do is say absolutely nothing, and share people’s pain.
I write this article with many unanswered questions. But, unlike those who allow suffering to drive them away from God, I am convinced that only God makes sense of suffering. For if the Japanese who died really were just the random fruit of evolution, why should it matter to us if they died? But if each of them are made in the image of their creator, and lovingly crafted together in their mother’s womb, our inherent feeling that suffering is NOT welcome in this world makes perfect sense. God loves every human being, they are precious to him.
1 We should not be surprised. We like to imagine that we are safe in the world. The truth is that, like what may well be tens of thousands of Japanese who have drowned, we will all die one day. Whenever that day comes, it will feel to us just as sudden, just as unwanted, and just as shocking. But despite our trying to pretend otherwise, we are not immortal, and there is no guarantee that we will live to a ripe old age (Hebrews 9:27).
2 We should be humbled before the awesome power of “Nature,” which is actually the creation of a sovereign and awesome God whose power is greater than 10,000 tsunamis (Job 38:1-41). These scenes quite rightly should take our breath away, and make us realize how foolish our pride truly is. We came from the dust and will one day return to that same dust.
3 We should not assume that the end is at hand. Yes, there do seem to be a lot of natural disasters lately. Yes, Jesus did predict such things. But he also told us not to be alarmed, and there have been many such natural disasters over the centuries. We do not know when Christ will return, but have a task to do in “speeding” his coming. (Mark 13:7-8, 2 Peter 3:12)
4 We should not assume that the end is not at hand. A disaster like this should remind us that Jesus said he will come like a thief in the night when we are least expecting it. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-8)
5 We should not specifically blame the Japanese. There is a tendency to quickly jump to judgment in some evangelical circles. Perhaps this is because we secretly believe that because of our so-called righteous living we have made a deal with God that will protect us in this world from early death and other disasters. If we can therefore persuade ourselves that the Japanese somehow brought this on themselves, our delusion remains intact. The Bible knows nothing of such thinking, at least in the vast majority of occasions. There are a few biblical situations where natural disasters were the specific judgment of God. But these were rare, and God always ensured people knew about it by a proclamation from his infallible prophets. What seems to be far more common is the idea that God sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45), and that accidents do not tell us that their victims were more sinful than us, but that we all deserve death just the same (Luke 13:1-5). See for example these two quotes:
“As I look for a moment upon the poor mangled bodies of those who have been so suddenly slain, my eyes find tears, but my heart does not boast, nor my lips accuse — far from me be the boastful cry, “God, I thank thee that I am not as these men are!” Nay, nay, nay, it is not the spirit of Christ, nor the spirit of Christianity. While we can thank God that we are preserved, yet we can say, “It is of thy mercy that we are not consumed,” and we must ascribe it to his grace, and to his grace alone. But we cannot suppose that there was any betterness in us, why we should be kept alive with death so near.” Charles H. Spurgeon, vol. 7, Sermon 408.
“You see what a horrible end those people came to; they didn’t think it was going to happen. O they knew they were going to die someday; but they didn’t know what that would mean. The horror of their end took them by surprise. Well unless you repent, that is the way it is going to be for you. Your end will be far more horrible than you think it is. You will not be ready for it. It will surprise you terribly. In that sense you will LIKEWISE perish.” John Piper
6 We should not blame God, but we should pray. We believe in a Sovereign God. But we must not make him out to be the author of sin (James 1:13). God knew the earthquake was coming (Isaiah 46:9-10), could have stopped it and didn’t, and as per Romans 8:28 will work this out like everything else for his glory and for the good of those who love him. He will also use it to awaken fear in hearts, so that the gospel can then bring peace and salvation (Luke 13:1-5). But that is a very different thing from making God the pleased creator of this event. Some assume that choosing not to stop something is the same as initiating that event. I do not believe that is so. We must not curse God, or charge him with wrongdoing (Job 1:22). But we must pray and ask God to limit the pain these terrible events have caused, and to use them that many might turn to him.
7 We should understand that suffering is in the world because of sin in a general sense. Death entered the world because of human sin. (Romans 5:12) Because our forefather sinned, and because we go on sinning, the world has been subjected to a law of decay (Romans 8:20-24). We live in a fallen world. In a fallen world many things are broken and do not work as God intended them to originally. Thus humankind’s sin, rather than Japanese sin is responsible for this disaster.
8 We must not assume that the devil “won” this time God was not asleep. Satan, is indeed described as the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and is therefore in some senses responsible for disasters. However, he does not have a free hand. He is prowling around seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). But, as in the case of Job, God is perfectly capable of preventing his actions, and does indeed put a limit on them. If Satan was free to do whatever he wanted in this world, we can rest assured there would be far more disaster than there is now. He is after all a murderer (John 8:44). We are right to be angry at the effects of all this death and destruction that he causes, but not right to ascribe to him more power than we ought! Anger is in short a natural response to such suffering, but should not be directed at God.
9 We should look forward to the day when there will be no more pain The very fact that suffering feels so wrong should point us to the fact it was not part of God’s original plan, nor is it part of his glorious fulfillment. One day there will be no more sea to destroy lives and separate loved-ones. (Revelation 21:3-4). What a glorious day, we should long for it more and more as our TV sets bring such devastation into our living rooms.
10 We should share the glorious gospel of Jesus that brings us hope and work to relieve suffering. The temporary nature of life, should prompt us if we have any compassion at all to be looking for opportunities to talk of our savior. In addition, and as a vital part of our outreach, some of us should consider giving to the specific relief funds being set up to help Japan. But all of us should look for ways to relive suffering far from where we live, but also on our doorstep. We are called to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10) and demonstrate the love of Jesus with the word of the gospel, and the deed of alleviating pain. We cannot and should not turn aside like the good priest, but instead should spend ourselves as the good Samaritan did, all the time pointing to the one who with limitless resources gave himself that we might all live.
Thanks Adrian - appreciate your input.
Saturday 12 March 2011
Deceit, Religion, Murder, Adultery and a Sunday School Teacher
A friend of mine sent me this link to the Radio 4 Today programme for yesterday. It raises all kinds of questions about our capacity for duplicity even in the midst of (accountable?) Christian community. I found what the criminologist said about compartmentalism very interesting.
Public image v private reality....
Scroll forward to the "1 hour 23 minutes" point.
http://bbc.in/fhabG4
Public image v private reality....
Scroll forward to the "1 hour 23 minutes" point.
http://bbc.in/fhabG4
Friday 11 March 2011
"Yes....no....I don't know!"
"Can a man who is warm understand a man who is freezing?" (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
I read this quote in "The Week" and it's really messing with me. I mean I just can't shake it off. I think it's supposed to say something about how we relate to others and maybe the Incarnation but I don't know what.....
I read this quote in "The Week" and it's really messing with me. I mean I just can't shake it off. I think it's supposed to say something about how we relate to others and maybe the Incarnation but I don't know what.....
Saturday 12 February 2011
Why your church doesn’t feel like family
This is vintage Mark Driscoll....
Do you ever feel like you're a bit neglected at church, like you're not quite at ease, like it's not really connecting with you, like it's not....well....family? Watch this clip and prepare to be challenged about your attitude towards and expectations of church. What will it take for church to be like family.....
http://tiny.cc/icw68
Do you ever feel like you're a bit neglected at church, like you're not quite at ease, like it's not really connecting with you, like it's not....well....family? Watch this clip and prepare to be challenged about your attitude towards and expectations of church. What will it take for church to be like family.....
http://tiny.cc/icw68
Thursday 10 February 2011
Large Sails and Little Ballast
Large spiritual passion with small doctrinal understanding is large sails and tall masts on a tiny boat in high winds. It will dart wildly over the surface for a hundred yards. Then one wave, or one crosswind, will bring it all crashing into the unforgiving sea.
Give as much attention to enlarging the depth of your ballast as you do to the height of your sails.
Of course, if you are a sixty-ton flat-surfaced barge, with a broken engine, pray for God to give you sails and wind. (John Piper)
Give as much attention to enlarging the depth of your ballast as you do to the height of your sails.
Of course, if you are a sixty-ton flat-surfaced barge, with a broken engine, pray for God to give you sails and wind. (John Piper)
Tuesday 8 February 2011
This is Your Moment!
My family went to listen to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra on Saturday night. We'd got the best seats in the house, it was the business! We’d never seen anything like it - truly awesome. But, we soooooooo nearly missed it.....
There I am, it's midday and I’m going through the in-tray trying to figure out what bits of household admin need to be actioned and what can be left for another week. Then I come across these tickets......the tickets I’d bought six months ago for a BSO concert at the Pavilion. Long-story-short, I had to do a bit of a selling job to convince everyone that this would, in fact, be a great thing to do even though one of them had booked to go on a sleep over that night (Louise was disappointed but she’ll get to do it again).
So we get there and the whole thing is astonishing. So much of it was captivating but one thing totally caught my attention; the percussionists (of which there were half a dozen.) I couldn’t help but do something of a time-and-motion study to work out whether all of them were, actually, needed on stage at the same time. I came to realise though that there were certain times when you definitely did need them all, even if it was for but a brief moment.
There was this one guy who had what looked like a child’s rattle with bells on and every now and then he'd pick it up and give it a little shake; if you’d blinked you’d have miss it. That was it, his moment! He might have pinged the triangle as well at one point but this was basically it; the rattle and the triangle.
The interesting thing was that this was why he was on the stage in his tail suit dressed all dressed up to the nines. This was his moment. If he wasn’t aware, if he wasn’t concentrating he’d have missed it. The conductor points at him with his little pointy-stick thing ("baton") to draw him in but he needed to be watching. "This is it buddy, this is your moment, you're on. Do your thing. Here it is!" And he did do his thing. And then it was over.
The Bible says that our one and only life is but a vapour, it’s but a mist (James 4:14) and it also says we’re God's masterpiece, created to do (or to perform) good works (Ephesians 2:10). And so in our one and only life, for which there is no dress rehearsal, it’s our moment, it's our turn. God is pointing to us and He’s calling us to look to Him, to trust Him, to find our satisfaction and joy in him.
The whole of our life is like the percussion player with the little rattle and in the light of eternity it’s even shorter than his momentary interjection. The whole of heaven is on the edge of its seat, leaning forward with bated breath saying "Do your thing, this is it, this is your moment, trust Him, look to Him, seek Him". And every time we do, every time we choose to believe the truth about the Lord Jesus, that He loves us, that He's enough for us, that our joy can found in Him...then this wonderful masterpiece is shown and the composer’s work is shown in all its glory and fullness and all those listening think "Wow, that composer’s amazing!"
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
There I am, it's midday and I’m going through the in-tray trying to figure out what bits of household admin need to be actioned and what can be left for another week. Then I come across these tickets......the tickets I’d bought six months ago for a BSO concert at the Pavilion. Long-story-short, I had to do a bit of a selling job to convince everyone that this would, in fact, be a great thing to do even though one of them had booked to go on a sleep over that night (Louise was disappointed but she’ll get to do it again).
So we get there and the whole thing is astonishing. So much of it was captivating but one thing totally caught my attention; the percussionists (of which there were half a dozen.) I couldn’t help but do something of a time-and-motion study to work out whether all of them were, actually, needed on stage at the same time. I came to realise though that there were certain times when you definitely did need them all, even if it was for but a brief moment.
There was this one guy who had what looked like a child’s rattle with bells on and every now and then he'd pick it up and give it a little shake; if you’d blinked you’d have miss it. That was it, his moment! He might have pinged the triangle as well at one point but this was basically it; the rattle and the triangle.
The interesting thing was that this was why he was on the stage in his tail suit dressed all dressed up to the nines. This was his moment. If he wasn’t aware, if he wasn’t concentrating he’d have missed it. The conductor points at him with his little pointy-stick thing ("baton") to draw him in but he needed to be watching. "This is it buddy, this is your moment, you're on. Do your thing. Here it is!" And he did do his thing. And then it was over.
The Bible says that our one and only life is but a vapour, it’s but a mist (James 4:14) and it also says we’re God's masterpiece, created to do (or to perform) good works (Ephesians 2:10). And so in our one and only life, for which there is no dress rehearsal, it’s our moment, it's our turn. God is pointing to us and He’s calling us to look to Him, to trust Him, to find our satisfaction and joy in him.
The whole of our life is like the percussion player with the little rattle and in the light of eternity it’s even shorter than his momentary interjection. The whole of heaven is on the edge of its seat, leaning forward with bated breath saying "Do your thing, this is it, this is your moment, trust Him, look to Him, seek Him". And every time we do, every time we choose to believe the truth about the Lord Jesus, that He loves us, that He's enough for us, that our joy can found in Him...then this wonderful masterpiece is shown and the composer’s work is shown in all its glory and fullness and all those listening think "Wow, that composer’s amazing!"
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Thursday 27 January 2011
Call It What You Will
I love this.....forwarded by my friend Tim, a Calvinist pastor in the Arminian Salvation Army (now that's a tough gig!)
We are Christians. Radical, full-blooded, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting, God-centered, mission-advancing, soul-winning, church-loving, holiness-pursing, sovereignty-savoring, grace-besotted, broken-hearted, happy followers of the omnipotent, crucified Christ. At least that’s our imperfect commitment.
In other words, we are Calvinists.
But that label is not nearly as useful as telling people what you actually believe! So forget the label, if it helps, and tell them clearly, without evasion or ambiguity, what you believe about salvation. If they say, “Are you a Calvinist?” say, “You decide. Here is what I believe . . .”
I believe I am so spiritually corrupt and prideful and rebellious that I would never have come to faith in Jesus without God’s merciful, sovereign victory over the last vestiges of my rebellion. (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 3:1–4; Romans 8:7).
I believe that God chose me to be his child before the foundation of the world, on the basis of nothing in me, foreknown or otherwise. (Ephesians 1:4–6; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29–30; 11:5–7)
I believe Christ died as a substitute for sinners to provide a bona fide offer of salvation to all people, and that he had an invincible design in his death to obtain his chosen bride, namely, the assembly of all believers, whose names were eternally written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. (John 3:16; John 10:15; Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 13:8)
When I was dead in my trespasses, and blind to the beauty of Christ, God made me alive, opened the eyes of my heart, granted me to believe, and united me to Jesus, with all the benefits of forgiveness and justification and eternal life. (Ephesians 2:4–5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:29; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9)
I am eternally secure not mainly because of anything I did in the past, but decisively because God is faithful to complete the work he began—to sustain my faith, and to keep me from apostasy, and to hold me back from sin that leads to death. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:25; John 10:28–29; 1 John 5:16)
Call it what you will, this is my life. I believe it because I see it in the Bible. And because I have experienced it. Everlasting praise to the greatness of the glory of the grace of God!
We are Christians. Radical, full-blooded, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting, God-centered, mission-advancing, soul-winning, church-loving, holiness-pursing, sovereignty-savoring, grace-besotted, broken-hearted, happy followers of the omnipotent, crucified Christ. At least that’s our imperfect commitment.
In other words, we are Calvinists.
But that label is not nearly as useful as telling people what you actually believe! So forget the label, if it helps, and tell them clearly, without evasion or ambiguity, what you believe about salvation. If they say, “Are you a Calvinist?” say, “You decide. Here is what I believe . . .”
I believe I am so spiritually corrupt and prideful and rebellious that I would never have come to faith in Jesus without God’s merciful, sovereign victory over the last vestiges of my rebellion. (1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 3:1–4; Romans 8:7).
I believe that God chose me to be his child before the foundation of the world, on the basis of nothing in me, foreknown or otherwise. (Ephesians 1:4–6; Acts 13:48; Romans 8:29–30; 11:5–7)
I believe Christ died as a substitute for sinners to provide a bona fide offer of salvation to all people, and that he had an invincible design in his death to obtain his chosen bride, namely, the assembly of all believers, whose names were eternally written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. (John 3:16; John 10:15; Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 13:8)
When I was dead in my trespasses, and blind to the beauty of Christ, God made me alive, opened the eyes of my heart, granted me to believe, and united me to Jesus, with all the benefits of forgiveness and justification and eternal life. (Ephesians 2:4–5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:29; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 16:14; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 3:9)
I am eternally secure not mainly because of anything I did in the past, but decisively because God is faithful to complete the work he began—to sustain my faith, and to keep me from apostasy, and to hold me back from sin that leads to death. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 1:25; John 10:28–29; 1 John 5:16)
Call it what you will, this is my life. I believe it because I see it in the Bible. And because I have experienced it. Everlasting praise to the greatness of the glory of the grace of God!
Wednesday 26 January 2011
Accountability is Overated
Accountability is overrated. It really is.
I used to bang on about how the antidote to all manner of vices was to have people around us. Don't be isolated. Have friends. Meet with them often. Talk about what's going on in your life.
Now I see things differently.
Over the last few years pretty much all the people I've known who have found themselves in, well, let's just say "trouble" (and I've known a lot of people in this category) have been those who would be described as being in "accountable relationships".
So, my conclusion....having "accountability" doesn't work. People still make ridiculous choices that shipwreck their lives and those of others. It doesn't work.
At least, it doesn't work the way we naively thought it would.
The fact is that we're only as accountable as we want to be.
We can share "what's going on for us" and still not say what's really going on. We can ask one another how things are and simply assume that the asking of the question is sufficient knowing that if we leave it at just "asking", others will do the same for us. Don't really ask, don't really tell.
I mean, let me ask you: When was the last time you took a risk in the information you disclosed to someone you would say you were "accountable to"? Or do you always play it safe, not risking yourself or the relationship? If you're not....chances are you're playing at accountability. And it's a dangerous game. You look like your back is covered but in reality it's totally exposed.
It might be worth doing some reflection on this.
Who do we have in our lives who we know, love and trust (and who know, love and trust us enough) to say the things we desperately need to hear? To what extent are we deepening, and investing in these relationships by an ever-more bold (brave, daring, audacious, courageous) disclosure of our shadow-side?
I used to bang on about how the antidote to all manner of vices was to have people around us. Don't be isolated. Have friends. Meet with them often. Talk about what's going on in your life.
Now I see things differently.
Over the last few years pretty much all the people I've known who have found themselves in, well, let's just say "trouble" (and I've known a lot of people in this category) have been those who would be described as being in "accountable relationships".
So, my conclusion....having "accountability" doesn't work. People still make ridiculous choices that shipwreck their lives and those of others. It doesn't work.
At least, it doesn't work the way we naively thought it would.
The fact is that we're only as accountable as we want to be.
We can share "what's going on for us" and still not say what's really going on. We can ask one another how things are and simply assume that the asking of the question is sufficient knowing that if we leave it at just "asking", others will do the same for us. Don't really ask, don't really tell.
I mean, let me ask you: When was the last time you took a risk in the information you disclosed to someone you would say you were "accountable to"? Or do you always play it safe, not risking yourself or the relationship? If you're not....chances are you're playing at accountability. And it's a dangerous game. You look like your back is covered but in reality it's totally exposed.
It might be worth doing some reflection on this.
Who do we have in our lives who we know, love and trust (and who know, love and trust us enough) to say the things we desperately need to hear? To what extent are we deepening, and investing in these relationships by an ever-more bold (brave, daring, audacious, courageous) disclosure of our shadow-side?
Monday 17 January 2011
PR for God?
It's been a challenging two weeks. Chris' sudden and unexpected death has dominated most of my awake hours...and a few of the others.
I really liked him.
He was my friend.
That doesn't always follow when you're a pastor. (Sorry for the shock that might be for some.) He used to phone me up and ask how I was doing. He prayed for me on the phone. He lent me gardening tools and was gracious when I broke his chainsaw. Come to think of it I still have his petrol strimmer in my garage....
And then there are the questions....and I have so many questions. I say that even as a convinced Calvinist who gets excited, comforted and challenged by stuff like unconditional election and irresistible grace. I say that too as one who doesn't think God owes him anything and certainly not explanations. But I do wonder where he was when Chris most needed him.
I wonder too how to speak about the wonderful God we worship, the Jesus who can meet our deepest needs etc etc, to men and women who at the best of times consider the whole thing to be a load of old nonsense for themselves ("but if it works for you.....oh......it didn't work for you....".) Not easy.
I've felt, wrongly I know, but I have felt like God's PR guy in this, a kind of Max Clifford, who's got to spin the story of how God fell asleep on the job. I guess I'm feeling it becasue the Chris thing has come hard on the heels of a few other issues around the place that have made Jesus and his sufficiency look, well, sub-optimal to say the least.
I don't need to justify God but I sure as heck would like Him to present himself a bit better.
I really liked him.
He was my friend.
That doesn't always follow when you're a pastor. (Sorry for the shock that might be for some.) He used to phone me up and ask how I was doing. He prayed for me on the phone. He lent me gardening tools and was gracious when I broke his chainsaw. Come to think of it I still have his petrol strimmer in my garage....
And then there are the questions....and I have so many questions. I say that even as a convinced Calvinist who gets excited, comforted and challenged by stuff like unconditional election and irresistible grace. I say that too as one who doesn't think God owes him anything and certainly not explanations. But I do wonder where he was when Chris most needed him.
I wonder too how to speak about the wonderful God we worship, the Jesus who can meet our deepest needs etc etc, to men and women who at the best of times consider the whole thing to be a load of old nonsense for themselves ("but if it works for you.....oh......it didn't work for you....".) Not easy.
I've felt, wrongly I know, but I have felt like God's PR guy in this, a kind of Max Clifford, who's got to spin the story of how God fell asleep on the job. I guess I'm feeling it becasue the Chris thing has come hard on the heels of a few other issues around the place that have made Jesus and his sufficiency look, well, sub-optimal to say the least.
I don't need to justify God but I sure as heck would like Him to present himself a bit better.
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