The South West Newfrontiers churches have just returned from the Together in the South West bible weekend. David Devenish spoke 3 times on The Big Story. He did a supreme job of showing that God’s intention for the world has been consistent from the beginning. To dwell with a holy people who will love and enjoy him in holiness.
Penstowe manor holiday park provided an excellent venue for 450 of us who gathered for the weekend.
Not, as I think was intended by this video, ‘HOW SMALL ARE YOU?!!” Rather ‘HOW BIG IS GOD?!!”
Jenson Button wins in Monaco 2009
This week I had the privilege of addressing our town council. My slot came directly after a presentation to a number of high school students who were being awarded for a variety of achievements.
Having planned to speak on the title of this post I quickly adjusted my introduction.
I recently watched Jenson Button running through the streets of Monaco, celebrating another GP victory. I also witnessed the historic French Open win for Roger Federer. As we get older success becomes harder to measure, I have noticed that people stopped giving me certificates some years ago.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
1 Corinthians 9 v 24-25
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus also had a measure of success which lead him all the way to the cross.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12 v 2
So what is this that Paul is encouraging us to strain for and that motivated Jesus?
It is the joy of doing God’s will. This demonstrated most completely by Jesus in the sacrificial service of others.
This then is success.
When motivated by these things I am freed; from the need to please others, from the tyranny of the urgent, from a worldly desire to be noticed or to dominate my peers.
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!!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nehemiah said, “… Do not grieve…. for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8 v 10
For some looking into churches like ours the criticism is levelled that we are ‘happy – clappy’ or for the slightly more cerebral ‘triumphalist’ in our expressions of faith. My initial reaction is usually that if the alternative is to be ‘unhappy-silent’ and ‘defeatest’ then I’ll choose the former. I suspect, however, that underlying the criticism is a plea for a more balanced approach which takes into account the harsh realities of 21st century life.
I think the problem is actually more to do with theology, faith and tradition.
Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones famously said ‘doubt comes when we listen to ourselves rather than speak to ourselves’. Our minds are engaged in a perpetual dialogue with the environment around us. Family, friends, colleagues, the news, constant media, advertising……the list goes on, all incessantly speak to us. Add to this the workings of our own minds and we find ourselves occupied in a constant, bewildering conversation.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10 v 5
Paul reminds us that we need to challenge this onslaught with God’s words, the truth! If what we see, hear and think doesn’t line-up with the truth we should ruthlessly deal with it. As I sometimes say ‘Throw the rubbish out!’
This is the essence of faith, to choose to believe God rather than trust in myself. It does, of course, require God’s help but the experience of walking 35 years with God tells me this is not in short supply.
The wonder of the Gospel is that the biggest problems of life and eternity, the greatest challenges for purpose and meaning are settled through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This doesn’t mean that life isn’t challenging and sometimes perplexing but it does mean that no-matter what there is always truth to rejoice in. Focusing on this in worship, as a friend of mine says, ‘re-sizes my world in the light of Jesus’. This is the reason to worship in a way that is happy and possibly clappy.
Traditionally church buildings are quiet, almost silent places – people have wrongly associated this silence with holiness. It’s a bit startling when churches are loud and happy. Society doesn’t like it when this mould is broken. I suspect heaven will be both very loud and very happy!
