Archive for September, 2008

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saul (the pharisee) & stephen (the martyr)


2008
09.26

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The bible often gives focus to contrasting characters;

Cain & Abel, Abraham & Lott, David & Saul etc…. Here in Acts 7-8 we have another fascinating contrast, Saul and Stephen.

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.
Acts 7 v 60 – 8 v 1

Both are young, passionately committed, men seeking to serve the Lord.

They are both marked by different approaches to God. Saul by the law, Stephen by grace. If ever there was an example of law leading to death and grace to life, outside of the cross, here it is.

On the surface these two men should have been friends, both worshiped the same God, both seeking to advance the cause of God. Yet the gulf between them is vast.

Paul tells us about his credentials as a Pharisee

circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
Philippians 3 5-6

Jesus saved a particular disgust for the Pharisees. He gives His reasons for this

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
Matthew 23 v 13

Saul displayed this kind of religious evil as he stood giving approval to Stephen’s murder. Religion without grace is death, it is just a series of rules actually designed to keep men and women away from God. When the church becomes nothing more than a religious club we should all be fearful.

The Pharisees hated Jesus and his followers because they showed that God’s desire was to dwell with people, ordinary, everyday people. This rendered the livelihoods of the Pharisees meaningless. When the temple curtain was torn in two, demonstrating that God and man could now dwell together, the law became obsolete. It still is.

Stephen was a man full of grace, wisdom and power (Acts 6 v 8). His life and death were a demonstration that the gulf between God and man has been dealt with. He reflected Jesus own example as He faced his accusers, he looked to win them but offered no resistance in is own defense.

My observation is that we each have some of Saul’s attitude and some of Stephen’s in us.

We need to keep watch over our own attitudes and motives the consequences are as dramatic as life and death.

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without excuse


2008
09.24

Posted in creation, family, worship | No Comments »

Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis

On Sunday afternoon I went fishing with my sons to Lyme Regis. Sitting on the harbour wall looking at the stunning view I got to thinking about God’s creative brilliance.

The apostle Paul tells us;

since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1 v 20

The point Paul is making is that any attempt to explain the universe which does so without any reference to God is to deliberately deny the obvious.

King David writes;

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard. [a]
Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.
Psalm 19 1-6

Our western 21st century, western culture is staggeringly arrogant. We assume we know better than all generations before us and all cultures poorer than ours.

I continually hear spokespersons form the scientific community ridiculing Christianity as ridiculous, foolishness.

The fascinating observation is that this community is doing exactly what the Christian establishment did to them in the 15th-16th century. Ridicule, ostracize and dismiss. It would seem that while advances in scientific discovery (which are all reasons to stand in awe and worship) continue there has been no change in the heart of man.

Jesus alone addresses men’s hearts. If there was no ‘creation’ there can be no ‘new creation’ no salvation and no changed heart. The skies, however, really do proclaim the work of HIS hands!!

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a new blog


2008
09.23

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Posted in church, evangelism, preaching, theology | No Comments »

Lex Loizides has started a blog!!

Lex is an evangelist and elder at Jubilee Community Church in Cape Town, South Africa. He speaks widely amongst our family of churches in Newfrontiers as well as leading the Front Edge initiatives, around the world.

He is writing here under the sub-heading ‘highlights from church history’ and not only is he very well researched but you’ll finish reading encouraged to share your faith, preach the gospel and change the world.

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the love of money


2008
09.19

Posted in church, money, worship | 1 Comment »

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6 v 10

Probably one of the most miss-quoted verses in the Bible. Many quote this simply as ‘money is the root of all evil’ which clearly communicates a very different meaning.

Money provokes strong emotions, it is usually questions about money that initiate the longest and most detailed discussion in church life.

But there is something way beyond this understandable concern that Paul is referring to here. Genuine love is one of the most powerful forces/emotions in the universe.

  • love affects the whole life of the lover
  • love leads to great personal sacrifice
  • love forsakes all others
  • love consumes the lover’s emotions
  • love engages the will, controls actions and consumes

To direct all this energy at money, says Paul, can only lead to trouble.

We live in a culture which has consitently and persistantly put it’s faith in Money. We trust it to provide for our needs, expect it to lavishly appease our wants. We rest assured that it will cushion us against the unknown and firmly rely on it to watch over us in old age.

The trouble comes when we worship money it’s self forgetting who it is that graciously gives us all things. There is a scene in ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ where Bilbo finally gives up the ring to Frodo. The struggle to keep it causes his whole demeanor to be distorted, just for a moment he looks and sounds like the tragic Gollum who is doomed to an eternity seeking out his ‘precious’. It is this kind of frightening transformation that the love of money effects.

There is nothing evil about money, rich people are not intrinsically selfish or uncaring, poor people are not – by any virtue of their poverty – more holy than anyone else.

Money needs to serve us and be used in the service of God – recent events prove that it is foolish to put faith in finance. As people loose their homes and livelihoods are bartered back and forth based on romour and ‘market confidence’ this timeless verse from Paul to his young friend should be posted over the doorways of investment banks and stock market floors around the world.

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do everything without complaining or arguing


2008
09.10

Posted in moaning, theology, worship | No Comments »

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[c] 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.

Philippians 2 14-17

We are living in increasingly challenging times.

As a natural optimist I tend to balk even at that statement, but it is obvious (even to me) that it is undeniably true. The challenge for Christians is how we deal with it. Currently the national pass-time seems to be progressing on two miserable fronts. Spending half our time looking for someone to blame and the other half in a state of, self-induced, panic.

I’ve just embarked on a study of ‘eschatology’ (the doctrine of the end times) and guess what? Jesus wins!!!

This might seem to some a dreadfully simplistic statement, and so it may be. It is also undeniably ‘the truth’ and a magnificently healthy perspective. I perspective Paul expects the Philippians to have.

As Christians we have been given ‘the word of life’ to hold out to a panicking world. The gospel in it’s brilliance, simplicity and power changes everything. We need to live, truly, in the light of the gospel. Letting it’s light illuminate our thoughts and decisions, temper our conversations and rule our emotions.

The counter to Paul’s entreaty not to complain or argue is found in verse 18

Be glad and rejoice with me

This will mark us out from the crowd, in and of it’s self is hugely attractive. It glorifies God and makes people happy.