I was talking with someone in our church last week who has cancer. It's lying quite low, not terribly advanced...but it's there....and it shouldn't be.
It was noticeable that they didn't seem terribly troubled and were seemingly relaxed about the forthcoming oncology appointment. I pushed and poked around a little, as you do as a Pastor, trying to discover more about where this peace was coming from. I asked at one point whether there was any trace of anxiety at all. "None at all", came the reply.
"And why do you think that is?" After all, no matter how confident we are in God, no matter what wonderful track record we have of His sufficient grace, we wouldn't begrudge someone a smidgen of worry, would we.
"Because either, way I win."
You cant argue with that.
Not when the Apostle Paul said much the same (Phil. 1:21).
And this person meant it. They really did.
Very humbling. A testimony to God's grace indeed.
Monday, 30 January 2012
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Be Yourself
I was talking with someone the day before yesterday about the need we all have to be the people God has made us to be. There are certain roles we have to fulfill but within that we need to be true to ourselves....that sort of conversation.
The next day I came across this extract from one of CH Spurgeon's lectures (another Spurgeon quote I'm afraid!) that both encouraged and challenged me. (Usual caveats about culturally-bound sexist language apply)
There is not only a work ordained for each man, but each man is fitted for his work. Men are not cast in moulds by the thousand; we are each one distinct from his fellow. When each of us was made, the mould was broken;—a very satisfactory circumstance in the case of some men, and I greatly question whether it is not an advantage, in the case of us all.
If we are, however, vessels for the Master's use, we ought to have no choice about what vessel we may be. There was a cup which stood upon the communion table when our Lord ate that passover which He had so desired to eat with His disciples before He suffered; and, assuredly, that cup was honored when it was put to His lips, and then passed to the apostles. Who would not be like that cup? But there was a basin also which the Master took, into which He poured water, and washed the disciples' feet.
I protest that I have no choice whether to be the chalice or the basin. Fain would I be whichever the Lord wills so long as He will but use me. But this is plain,—the cup would have made a very insufficient basin, and the basin would have been a very improper cup for the communion feast. So you, my brother, may be the cup, and I will be the basin; but let the cup be a cup, and the basin a basin, and each one of us just what he is fitted to be. Be yourself, dear brother, for, if you are not yourself, you cannot be anybody else; and so, you see, you must be nobody.
How you prevent this becoming a liscence for being obnoxious....I am what I am.....this is me/my style/my personality...... I don't know. Still - worth reflecting on.
The next day I came across this extract from one of CH Spurgeon's lectures (another Spurgeon quote I'm afraid!) that both encouraged and challenged me. (Usual caveats about culturally-bound sexist language apply)
There is not only a work ordained for each man, but each man is fitted for his work. Men are not cast in moulds by the thousand; we are each one distinct from his fellow. When each of us was made, the mould was broken;—a very satisfactory circumstance in the case of some men, and I greatly question whether it is not an advantage, in the case of us all.
If we are, however, vessels for the Master's use, we ought to have no choice about what vessel we may be. There was a cup which stood upon the communion table when our Lord ate that passover which He had so desired to eat with His disciples before He suffered; and, assuredly, that cup was honored when it was put to His lips, and then passed to the apostles. Who would not be like that cup? But there was a basin also which the Master took, into which He poured water, and washed the disciples' feet.
I protest that I have no choice whether to be the chalice or the basin. Fain would I be whichever the Lord wills so long as He will but use me. But this is plain,—the cup would have made a very insufficient basin, and the basin would have been a very improper cup for the communion feast. So you, my brother, may be the cup, and I will be the basin; but let the cup be a cup, and the basin a basin, and each one of us just what he is fitted to be. Be yourself, dear brother, for, if you are not yourself, you cannot be anybody else; and so, you see, you must be nobody.
How you prevent this becoming a liscence for being obnoxious....I am what I am.....this is me/my style/my personality...... I don't know. Still - worth reflecting on.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
A New Year Thought
It's a been a while.....
I thought I'd break this extended blog fast with a quote from Spurgeon that has encouraged me at the begining of the New Year.
I've always got mixed feelings about NY because you look ahead and you just have no idea what's going to happen. Will I be celebrating and rejoicing or weeping and mourning? You just don't know! It's a good thing we don't know what lies ahead....had I known what was ahead last year I....well I've no idea, let's just say that it's a pretty good thing I was clueless!
But God knows, He really does, and that truth is indeed the pillow upon which I rest my ahead.
Anyway here's CHS:
But here is the joy, here is the peace of Christians, that our salvation is a finished one!
We have not a farthing to pay to complete the ransom of our souls.
We have not a stitch to set to finish the robe of our salvation.
We have not an act to perform, a prayer to offer, a tear to weep, a thought to think in order to finish the work of our redemption!
I know that all these things shall be worked in us and, that by the Spirit of God we shall be made to do them — but all that shall not be with any view to the completion of our salvation — that was finished in the Person of the bleeding Lamb of Calvary! . . .
Either Christ completed all that was necessary for your salvation, or he did not!
If he did finish it, then rest in him and be glad, and say, "I am secure forever because my salvation is finished. I have nothing to do but to live to the honor of him who has completely saved me by his Grace, his blood, his righteousness.
I thought I'd break this extended blog fast with a quote from Spurgeon that has encouraged me at the begining of the New Year.
I've always got mixed feelings about NY because you look ahead and you just have no idea what's going to happen. Will I be celebrating and rejoicing or weeping and mourning? You just don't know! It's a good thing we don't know what lies ahead....had I known what was ahead last year I....well I've no idea, let's just say that it's a pretty good thing I was clueless!
But God knows, He really does, and that truth is indeed the pillow upon which I rest my ahead.
Anyway here's CHS:
But here is the joy, here is the peace of Christians, that our salvation is a finished one!
We have not a farthing to pay to complete the ransom of our souls.
We have not a stitch to set to finish the robe of our salvation.
We have not an act to perform, a prayer to offer, a tear to weep, a thought to think in order to finish the work of our redemption!
I know that all these things shall be worked in us and, that by the Spirit of God we shall be made to do them — but all that shall not be with any view to the completion of our salvation — that was finished in the Person of the bleeding Lamb of Calvary! . . .
Either Christ completed all that was necessary for your salvation, or he did not!
If he did finish it, then rest in him and be glad, and say, "I am secure forever because my salvation is finished. I have nothing to do but to live to the honor of him who has completely saved me by his Grace, his blood, his righteousness.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Looking with Luke
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?
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?
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!
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