unnecessary motivation
Archive for December, 2008
don’t be distracted by the crunch
2008
12.24
12.24
This year we have witnessed the death of a God. Not a particularly common event as it happens.
On our arrival back from South Africa in 2003 we were stunned by how the UK and presumably the US as well had become addicted to money. Every other advert on the TV was offering jaw-dropping sums for loan. Even more sickening was the appearance of a whole range of TV shows offering to sell your family heirloom’s for ‘cash’. It seemed to us that the whole country had been reduced to it’s base value in pounds and pence. Even people’s homes were no longer homes but cash-cows to be milked to death for money. The God of money or Mammon as the bible calls it was alive, well and ‘kicking ass’ in the western world.
2008 saw this god die. This is the fate of all gods, who are no gods at all.
The issue I want you to think about today is that with the death of this god our attention can be drawn away form the real issues facing humanity.
People (outside of Christ) are in far deeper trouble than a credit crunch, however severe. If you don’t think this statement is true you don’t understand the gospel!
We have a once-in-a-life-time opportunity to restore the church and build the Kingdom of God, serving both our own generation and many to come. To be side-tracked at this point, to be consumed by our inability to be consumers would be a foolish error.
Our commission and our great God are alive and ready for action. Be a good soldier and fight!!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
more books
2008
12.12
12.12
With everyone trying to match the right present with the right person I thought I’d step in and help by recommending a book for Christmas.
Tim Keller’s excellent new book ‘The Prodigal God’ is, and I don’t say this lightly, probably the best book I have read this year. He looks at the parable of the lost son and considers that both sons in the story were equally lost. The younger lost, in the traditional sense, the older son lost in the religious, Pharisaical sense.
Note that it was the older brother that didn’t appear at the feast at the end of the story..
Buy the book, give it as a gift, read it yourself.
unity & diversity
2008
12.05
12.05
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4 1-6
The gospel, when preached properly, attracts people from all walks of life. It crosses national and cultural boarders with ease, it is unhindered by economic downturns or tremendous wealth. It, therefore, causes us, who are deeply influenced by all these things, real and pressing problems.
We like people who are ‘like us’, we are naturally suspicious of people who are not ‘like us’. In my experience the band of people we might consider to actually be ‘like us’, is very narrow indeed.
Jesus had no problem loving and leading all kinds of diverse characters. Think, for a moment, about His disciples. Matthew was a tax collector, Simon was a zealot. These two groups not only wouldn’t have mixed, they hated each other, passionately. Yet there they are both following Jesus.
Paul recognises this and calls on Christians to be united.
be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
Ephesians 4 v 3
The NIV renders this verse ‘make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit’
We are also given instructions as to how this might be achieved.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love
Ephesians 4 v 1
To maintain unity in the midst of diversity what is required is that we clothe ourselves with humility and gentleness. We go back to our own salvation to find what is required in our relationship with others.
- How were you received by Jesus?
- What was given that you might be included in Jesus great victory?
- He has made a family of you who were is enemies.
- He chooses to remember your sins no more.
- He redeems your foolishness and rewards you for His faithfulness.
Go and do the same – unity will follow you wherever you go.