Surprise endings ...

Do you like surprises? I am in two minds, some surprises are nice - like when the children invite us over or when we can unexpectedly get together. Others are not so good - like cars breaking down or pipes suddenly bursting.

This Sunday in church part way through the sermon, there was a loud bang, the air shook and so did the building, definitely a shock - was it the second coming? No, unless we were being left behind or something. Was it part of the building falling? No, no sign of dust, large pieces of masonry dropping on us. Turns out it was an Air Force jet generating a sonic boom having been sent to intercept an airliner that the air traffic people had lost touch with. I suspect the arrival of a jet must have been a bit of a shock for them.

Jesus told a mixed group of religious leaders and onlookers that their idea of heaven and hell was skewed, that they were in for a shock when the time came as to who would be in Heaven and who would end up in Hell. Just in case we are in any doubt, Jesus also points out that words are not enough, the truth of our faith is borne out in how we act towards each other. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and saviour it is always a life changing experience, our lives, our attitudes, our thoughts and so our actions will change to be more like His.

The shock will be that for far too many, Jesus is going to be saying "I never knew you" on the day of judgement.

Attractive lives

A while ago I heard a song which suggested that perhaps the best thing we could do as Christians was to get out of God's way and let God do the reaching others thing. Well I guess we have all come across the heavy handed if well meaning "evangelist" sailing in with all guns blazing and large bible to hand just in case, so I understand the sentiment. However I don't think scripture gives us that option.

Col 1:10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

And if we need a real pointer from Jesus - Matthew 28:18-20 should be enough.

Jesus tells us in the parable of the lamp on a stand, that what is in each Christian is not for hiding but should be seen by all - why would you turn a light on than cover the bulb up so that all is dark again? But even a little light can turn  darkness  to light. 

Christians are called to live lives that shine out to others, not because we are perfect but because we are trying to be better, trying to allow the things of our faith to grow and blossom in our lives and so be something beautiful to others.

 

Have you noticed recently the blossom on the trees for those few fleeting days? It draws attention, its beautiful and picturesque.  It draws attention not because it shouts out or gets in the way but because in achieving its purpose, to attract insects to allow pollination, it attracts us. So each Christian and each Christian church should attract not because it shouts the loudest, or because its music or drama is the best, but because by being what Jesus asks us to be - the beauty of that life will draw attention and so attract others.

Thats what we are seeing at our church, people coming, staying and becoming part of our community not because we are the best church, the most modern or the most culturally clued in. No I think its because we are simply trying to be all that Christ has asked of us, selfless, loving, kind, generous .... Like the blossom on the trees we attract because being a Christian is like a light on a stand, it does not go unnoticed and God will draw people to those who do their best to live for him.

  

Responsible for our walk

In church life I have heard people ask to be told what to do, as if its good that the church leaders take responsibility for them, their decisions and the results of those decisions. Its also fair to say that in some churches the leaders prefer to tell the church what to do and in others it is what is expected.

I am reading a book at present by Graham Cooke and Gary Goodell, Permission Granted (to do the church differently in the 21st Century), based on the work of the Third Day church movement. They say ...

"People must learn how to police their own lives well. A lot of leadership time can be wasted on policing things for others that they are not doing for themselves."


and

"The only acceptable control in church life is the fruit of self control that comes out of our ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit".

As disciples of Christ we are going nowhere fast if we expect our church leaders to police our lives and give a step by step guide to what to do and what not to do. Our church leaders are not infallible.

What do you do when it seems your spiritual life is in a rut and going nowhere or worse still is heading off the cliff and looks like its about to be wrecked? Look for a new church, a new experience, that's a common one in my experience. But I wonder if you ask yourself - am I responsible for this? Were the choices I made or am making the cause? If we don't take personal responsibility for our lives and especially for our faith lives, we cannot expect to grow.

Yes, I know there are always good reasons not to find time to pray, wait on God, read the bible, go to church, attend a home group, cell group or bible study group - but then ask what things do I do regularly that I would not miss? Watching sport, going to the pub (bar), playing sport, playing computer games, meeting folks at the coffee shop ... I am sure that the list is big.

If being a disciple of Christ is important and we want to make godly choices in our lives - we need to invest in our future at least as much as drinking coffee, watching sport ... etc.

If you love me you do as I have told you ... Jesus told us and how do we know that a person is obeying Christ? Their life speaks it out in the things they do - which is why James tells his readers than the truth of someones faith is born out in the way they live.

I am a hill walker and I know that preparation is the key to enjoying this and being safe. In effect the key to making the right choices as situations present themselves. Learning to use maps and compasses, learning what to take as back up, learning to read the weather signs.

As Christians the same is required - preparing ourselves to make choices by filling our hearts and minds with the things of God, the bible, fellowship with other Christians, godly council from others - but ultimately making our own decisions based on good preparation and taking responsibility for them.

 

Stillness in a frantic world

From my experience of business and from what I hear more recently, earning a living is a pretty frantic way of life. Many commute by train, plane or road, spending extra hours on the laptop, pad or mobile to catch up, stay in touch or feel needed. It seems to me being still simply does not figure in the modern way of life. Its all about getting the most we can out of every moment - every input, every piece of information, every experience ...

A business friend recently sent me some pictures of me in my early days in my last business role, at my desk, around me were the trappings of that life - phones, computers, I had several, whiteboard with time plans and schedules, to do lists and stick-it notes with yet more info. The other, sorting out an issue in one of the data centres, usually a rush on round the north circular (if rush was possible on that road). Every moment of my time was spoken for. There is a great danger in church life that we too nearly emulate the culture that we live among. Busy, busy, busy. Rating our achievements by the number of events, number of meetings or number of services we manage to put on or attend. Every moment accounted for!

In our church we have been looking at Nehemiah since Christmas, the start of his venture for God was started in prayer, took months of prayer and fasting to mature and continued in prayer and seeking God. A look at Jesus' ministry shows us that he too took time out to pray and be still.

The psalmist knew a good thing - "Be still and know that I am God", when all around is in turmoil - when the world is being shaken and troubled - God remains the same, the one we can look to and in whom peace and stillness may be found.

With a little stretch I can imagine Jesus, calling to us in the same way that he spoke to the waves that frightened those in the boat with them - disturbing their peace.

"Quiet!, be still"

Stillness in a frantic world is more important than ever in our churches - it cannot simply be about doing as much as we can, organising as much as we can, showing how hard we are working. It is, I think,  about hearing God like Nehemiah and investing time in quietly listening, focusing in on God. The key is that we have choices about how we live, how frantically or calmly we live and who pulls our strings.
Even as the waves and wind obeyed Jesus and were still, perhaps we need to take note of him and be still more often.

Heart broken people

The book of Nehemiah is a challenge in many senses, its a challenge to those who would profit from the poverty of others, its a challenge to those who don't allow their faith to affect how they live, its a challenge to those who cause trouble for or among God's people.

As I have been preparing sermons from the book another thing struck me, Nehemiah is a man who spends a lot of time seeking God because his heart has been broken by the state of God's city and people. First he hears of the state of Jerusalem after the return of the Israelites from exile (ch1), then risks his life because of that (ch2). When trouble flares its to God he turns looking to honour God. Chapter 5 finds him angry at the state of the people and what they are doing to each other, because it reflects on God's honour.

In an age of rapidly changing press stories and where we are bombed out with pictures of underprivileged nations, starving children, war and destruction, it is all too easy to remain unaffected by these things. Nehemiah was cup bearer to the king, an important official, he did not need to be concerned with Jerusalem but he was. He did not need to be concerned with the people in Jerusalem once he arrived, so long as they built the wall, he could have had his own supplies by right. He chose to be concerned to sort things out and chose not to exercise his rights.

God's honour was Nehemiah's main concern, today we can so easily accept things as they are, accept the social norms that are pushed onto God's people by society and government. I guess the big question for Christians is Will we be concerned about God's honour in these things or will we let it pass us by while we get on with our lives? Can we allow ourselves to be broken hearted for the things that break God's? It takes people who are heart broken by what they see and hear, heart broken enough to, like Nehemiah, make themselves heard, who stand up for truth, morality, justice, mercy.

A song we have been using in church recently echo's this with the words ...

"Break my heart for what break yours, everything I am for your Kingdom's cause ..."

Are we broken hearted? There is a price to being heart broken for God, What's on God's heart may well be in opposition to what our culture or the country we live in wants to do. Nehemiah left the security of his position (offered his life), faced opposition and trouble (stood firm) but through relying on God, saw the result of God's call on his life (God's work completed).