unnecessary motivation

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

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.

buy it here

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.

1. How were you received by Jesus?
2. What was given that you might be included in Jesus great victory?
3. He has made a family of you who were is enemies.
4. He chooses to remember your sins no more.
5. He redeems your foolishness and rewards you for His faithfulness.

Go and do the same - unity will follow you wherever you go.

The new web site Newfrontiers Church Planting outlines a strategic plan to plant in the UK. Can I take this opportunity and encourage you to read and engage with this excellent vision.

Books are for life not just for Christmas

Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

John 5 v 17

I wonder if you have ever considered the question, What is God doing?

I have recently been reading the story of Joseph which begins in Genesis 39. This must have been a question Joseph struggled to answer.

Joseph was consistently faithful and hard-working, he didn’t fall to temptation or become distracted by the trappings of success, yet on at least two occasions it seemed God had utterly abandoned him.

The temptation is the same for us, we can often feel “God has stopped working”. Joseph could have reacted to that thought and abandoned his faith, made the most of the situation and sinned.

But God was busy!! Busy working out plans to save nations!! Plans that Joseph knew nothing about but plans in which he would play a key role.

Remember ‘My Father is at his work’ is always true whether we understand his workings or not. The fate of nations may rest on our engagement with Him.

God is busy working throughout time and eternity. Be alert and full of faith

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

1 John 3:16

I had the privilege of attending the Newfrontiers prayer & fasting event this last week. There is always such a sense of God speaking during these times (Approximately 700 pastors praying and fasting for two days). With the opportunity to hear news from the UK and around the world comes many jaw-dropping moments, my jaw dropped as news of church plants in many capital cities around the world were announced. Many of these are capitals that Christians might consider no-go areas because of their commitment to other religions.

As the news was shared about one such city those who had been to visit (the small group of Christians who are already there) told of how they had, of nesessity discussed what their approach would be to their own safty. They had options; to remain indoors and unseen, to travel only with a recognised driver/body guard or the approach they actually took which was to move about freely and stand with the local chrstians as much as possible.

Their conclusion to act like this was based on the verse we started with, and these are their words.

‘We’ve not been called to save our lives but to lay them down’

This is, of course, following Jesus great example.

1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, [1] Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 13 1-3

Barnabas and Saul carried considerable anointing from God. Try and imagine having them in your church, the son of encouragement and the great apostle. These men would transfrom any community they were part of.

Yet here, this church is willing to send them off on mission.

I DON’T THINK THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY

The questions I have for those Christians in Antioch are; How did you do it? & Why did you do it?

I think the answers must be found in the gospel it’s-self

We are generally very happy to enjoy the benefits of the gospel

• Forgiveness
• Freedom from guilt
• The Holy Spirit
• The promise of eternal life

What is noticeable of these Christians is that they were not only enjoying the benefits of the gospel but they  also allowed the gospel to shape them. In this case they were prepared to send their best.

This is a reflection of the Father’s willingness to send the best of heaven, the Son of His love.

They sent Paul and Barnabas knowing they had received the best from God. This shaping by the gospel is essential as we seek maturity of faith.