Wednesday 30 June 2010

Church is hard.


This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people.

C.S. LEWIS.

I don't know about anyone else but I find Church to be really hard sometimes. I guess the biggest problem for me is that we are all a bunch of sinners just thrown together almost and trying to worship God together. On the one hand I find that it is quite easy to fit in. I have read the Bible and by the blessing of God understand a fair bit of it. After a while you become expert in the Christian language and can say all the right things at the right time. The problem is with that is that you can hide behind it and pretend to be something you are not. You see a part of me really wants to be seen to be Holy. I can present a good image when I really try to.
The problem with that is that it almost seems like I am putting on a mask and playing a role. In my private life I am not anywhere near as Holy as I would like to think I am. If you do not believe this just ask my Wife. It is only possible to be so Holy at Church. Living it 24 hours a day is much harder especially with four children. The Bible would make it clear what I am. A hypocrite.
But that is what I find most difficult about church. I am a normal human being. In this I am not trying to belittle my sin bit just stating that I think we all struggle to be completely open and honest about who we are. I believe we deceive ourselves and often cut ourselves more slack than we do other people. I believe that often when we see others sinning it is really hard not to be slightly on our high horse and say " I can't believe they did that!" The truth is though that we are all sinners that are saved by Grace. What I do not understand in my life is why I am trying to make myself Holy, The only way I am Holy is by accepting Gods free gift. You know the one I mean. That Christ died so that I could be clothed in his Holiness and Righteousness and he would take my sin and disgrace to the cross and take the punishment for my actions.
When I meet up with the sinners that populate my Church( and every other Church for that matter!) I should remember that fact. I am only part of God's army because of what he has done not what I have achieved. Lets be honest if it is about what I have done then I am bound for Hell!

Quote of the Day.

"If the devil were wise enough and would stand by in silence and let the Gospel be preached, he would suffer less harm. For when there is no battle for the Gospel it rusts and it finds no cause and no occasion to show its vigor and power. Therefore, nothing better can befall the Gospel than that the world should fight it with force and cunning."


Martin Luther

Thursday 24 June 2010

A Christian ablaze.



 "Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn."


Charles Wesley.



Tuesday 22 June 2010

Courage to speak out.

Acts 5. 
29Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

(For background you can find the whole of Acts 5 to read here.)


This is part of the text that was preached at my home church this Sunday. I have not listened to the sermon yet as it was my turn to look after my two year old this week so consequently was out the back playing with cars.

But when this was read it makes me think of another moment in Peters life which I will reproduce below and draw comparison to what goes on above.

Matthew 26.


Peter Disowns Jesus




 69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. 70But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

 71Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth."
 72He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!"
 73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away."
 74Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"
   Immediately a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.

It is just a simple point that I want to make but very important I believe.
Here is Peter not long before the events at the top denying Jesus to a bunch of no ones. A servant girl in a court yard asks him and he says he never new Jesus.
Yet here he is standing before the Sanhedrin and being questioned by the High Priest and he says:
29Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.

Wow that's a bit of a difference. He wilts before a servant girl but stands up before the High priest and tells him you murdered Jesus who is the messiah!
When we ask where our courage should come from when standing up for Jesus it is important to note where the Apostles got courage from. This is in the days when the Holy Spirit has  just been sent. That is one reason that Peter had the courage. The other is he believed in a risen Christ and wanted nothing more than to do what his saviour required of him. So ask yourself the question. Do I have the Holy Spirit in my life?
If the answer to that is yes then am I witnessing? Do I have the courage to tell people about my saviour? If the answer to those is yes then I have no problem. If the answer is no then I am not letting the Holy Spirit have the kind of influence on my life that he should. If I did then the one thing that I would want most is to do the will of God. I would be telling everyone.

Quote of the Day.

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.

G.K.Chesterton.

Monday 21 June 2010

Quote of the Day.

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for."


Charles .H. Spurgeon

My Jesus.




Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!

Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like you Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!

Saturday 19 June 2010

Intimacy

We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but when it comes to the point, we are not prepared to pay the price involved. 

J. Oswald Saunders 

Copying Christ.

Philippians 2

Imitating Christ's Humility
 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 
6Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 
7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature
 of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 
8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!
 
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
      and gave him the name that is above every name,
 
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
      to the glory of God the Father.
Shining as Stars
 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
 14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

I have said before about what I am looking for from my Bible reading. The question that is endless to me as a Christian is what now? I have become a Christian and accepted Christ's wonderful gift of salvation. I am now one of his followers and want to know what now? I have Heaven to look forward to when I die or Christ comes again but the bit in between, my life, is still before me. When reading the Bible it becomes plain that this is not the end of the story. I am very aware that I am a sinner. I am aware that I will sin again. The Bible is quite clear that I am supposed to try to be better and the passage above is one I have read a few times because it speaks to me about how I should be living (even though I struggle).

1) We are not alone.
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Who are we to be like minded with? Its our brothers and sisters in Christ. Yes that does mean we should be working together with each other. We are not facing this alone against the enemy. We should be working together for the same purpose. As Paul would put it to run the race to the finish. So what does that mean practically? Well it means we have people to go to, talk to, be accountable to and they be accountable to us. It means we are a family facing things together not individuals going it alone. Church is vitally important not just for the songs, prayer and a bit of preaching. We have people to talk to, to share the truth about how we are getting on and to support each other when we need it most.

2) Copy Christ.

 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 
6Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 
7but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature
 of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 
8And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
         even death on a cross!
 
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
      and gave him the name that is above every name,
 
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
      in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
      to the glory of God the Father.

It is not like we do not have a good example. I remember the bracelets that were very cheesy that asked WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? While the world would find it easy to mock the idea our best example is Jesus. He is the only one who has managed to live a sinless life. He is the only one who we can base our lives on as he is the only one who lived it.
But the thing that we are most to copy is Christ's humility. Humility is not something we are good at really is it. We want to be noticed and to be praised by men. Christ is the best example because what he cared about was his Fathers will. Because of this God exalts him. It makes me ask the question who do I want to be impressed with me? If it is man then that is temporary and will pass and may even lead to Hell. If it is God I want to impress then I will humble myself as Christ did. I will care not about the praise of men but care so much more about what God thinks of me. If I did that truly every day and lived purely for God and humbled myself to his will what a difference this would truly make.

3) Shining like stars.

14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

I will admit that I do not like the bit about not complaining. I am human and when something is not to my liking a good whinge is often the way I go.
But the thing I notice is the part that says that we can be "blameless and pure" and "shine like stars". By following Jesus example in humility by stopping arguing and complaining that we will be noticed. We will shine like stars. I don't know about you but I am really sick of the fact that to be honest people only know I am a Christian because I say it. I need to live as a Christian so that people can see Jesus through me. Oh Lord help me to be humble and follow Jesus example. Help me to shine like the stars so that my life will be pleasing to you and let me, because of this, show my non Christian friends a good example of the difference Christ makes in my life.

Thursday 17 June 2010

Quote of the Day.

Let us hear what the Bible says and what we as Christians are called to hear together: By grace you have been saved."


Karl Barth.

Why is the Gospel not simple?

Romans 10

 1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Salvation Is for Everyone
 5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,   “The message is very close at hand;
      it is on your lips and in your heart.”

   And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”


The more I read about Christianity from a number of different places the more cross I become. It seems to be that people seem to want to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy debating things that although they matter are inconsequential to the main point of being a follower of Jesus. One of these subjects is the battle between Calvinism and Arminianism. I read one such example on the Desiring God blog the link is below :
http://blog.beliefnet.com/jesuscreed/2007/11/letter-about-those-pesky-calvi.html



Now I am not the right one to have a theological debate with Calvinists or anyone who has a different viewpoint. I have read the theories and would identify myself as a Calvinist however I do not for one minute think that I know everything about the wonderful acts God performs in my salvation. Election, predestination, limited atonement are all things that are very interesting to study and nice to try and understand. But the thing I do not comprehend is how some people seem to think that if you do not believe exactly as they believe then you are not really saved.
Am I wrong in my belief that at the end of the day they are not actually that important? Whether God uses one method or another method for my Salvation seems like semantics to me. What matters more is that I am saved surely.  Surely the Gospel is really quite simple. I am a sinner. I think we can all agree on that one if you don't believe that I am sure in further discussion that I can convince you. 
I cannot put things right myself. Its obvious to me that looking at God's law in its entirety that I cannot live up to that standard.
God is a righteous judge. We will be judged. We can argue about this but as our creator God has a right to judge us for the way we live.
The punishment is Hell. Not popular to talk about but if I have to face the consequences for my sin then I am going to Hell.
Jesus came down to earth to offer us a way out. Jesus died to take our place so our sin could be dealt with and we could have relationship with God. Because of this we go to Heaven and not Hell.
We only have to accept Jesus offer. It is not about us being good, getting good or staying good. Its all about Jesus.
So what do we have to do?
Romans 10 verse 9-10 tell us the truth:
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.


Don't know about you but that seems simple to me. So why do we seek to make the Gospel that is simple to be so difficult. When Karl Barth was asked what was the greatest theological truth he had learned his answer was "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
We have a simple Gospel to proclaim to a World that needs God's grace. Does anything matter more than this?

Tuesday 15 June 2010

Who did Jesus come for?

Luke 19

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
 9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."


I read this story to my children tonight and a thought struck me. Just who is it that God is interested in? What I mean by this is when we evangelise who are we looking for to evangelise? Its an interesting thing to look at because we all have an idea as to who Jesus wants us to evangelise. Our parents are a good start. Our loved ones and family, yep we definitely want them in the kingdom. But come on who else is there that we think we should be witnessing to?
Well how about this how about we go the red light district and witness to all the prostitutes? How about the drug addicts that would be fun. How about prisoners in jail for murder,rape, wife beating, paedophilia and other crimes we find reprehensible.
I don't like writing this but Jesus is quite categoric in what his mission is. He has come to save the lost. I have been struggling for a while with a thought that I don't really like very much.
Jesus came to save everyone, anyone and lets be candid here there is no sin too big that separates us from the salvation that Christ can offer us as a free gift. I personally do not like the idea that Jesus love can be for anyone and everyone. You see certain crimes I believe that deserve no mercy from God but this is where I have a problem. I believe in a heirachy of sin. There are certain crimes worse than others. The thing is that God does not from my study of the Bible operate in the same way. Sin is Sin. It does not matter that I have not committed any major crimes such as the ones listed above. I am a sinner who deserves to be judged and spend eternity in Hell. I need to get this straight in my mind because it is important. I am no better than the prostitute, wife beater or rapist. I am a sinner. I need Jesus. Now having found Jesus(or him finding me more like!) I have no right to decide who does or does not deserve to have the message of Jesus. Jesus came to save the lost. I am lost but now because of Jesus I am found. Look around you at this world and work out just who is it that needs the love of Jesus.

His Son for me.

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church's pastor once again slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit, and gave a very brief introduction of his childhood friend. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit to speak.
"A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast," he began, "when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright, and the three were swept into the ocean."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story. He continued,
"Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life... to which boy he would throw the other end of the line. He only had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and he also knew that his son's friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves. As the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' he threw the line to his son's friend. By the time he pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beyond the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."
By this time, the two teenagers were sitting straighter in the pew, waiting for the next words to come out of the old man's mouth.
"The father," he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus, and he could not bear the thought of his son's friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore, he sacrificed his son. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us."
With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side.
"That was a nice story," politely started one of the boys, "but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."

"Well, you've got a point there," the old man replied, glancing down at his worn Bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, and he once again looked up at the boys and said, "It sure isn't very realistic, is it? But I'm standing here today to tell you that THAT story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me. You see... I was the son's friend."