Funny thing happened Sunday. I had the great privilege and joy of sharing a gospel message with my church yesterday and people responded! The surprise and joy that was on my face as hands went up was obviously noticeable because one of the members of our church had a major laugh at my expense after the service having observed my face at the time. (Hey I had told everyone to close their eyes, so why was he looking anyway…mmm?)
It was tremendous! I used a pretty unimportant text as far as the gospel goes—Not!! I used that glorious declaration of Paul’s in the letter to the Romans in verses 16 & 17 of the first chapter, which is the quintessential statement of this mighty book. Some of you may know the cataclysmic effect that this had on the pioneers of the reformation, but if not, here is the marked effect it had on Martin Luther
“At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, "In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed by the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, "He who through faith is righteous shall live." Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates. There a totally other face of the entire Scripture showed itself to me. Thereupon I ran through the Scriptures from memory. I also found in other terms an analogy, as, the work of God, that is, what God does in us, the power of God, with which he makes us strong, the wisdom of God, with which he makes us wise, the strength of God, the salvation of God, the glory of God.
And I extolled my sweetest word with a love as great as the hatred with which I had before hated the word "righteousness of God." Thus that place in Paul was for me truly the gate to paradise.”
Paul says that in The Gospel there is power and all I can do is affirm this truth. This great power was unveiled yesterday before my eyes as broken, lost, darkened hearts were gloriously brought into restoration, joy and new life simply because this message has in itself a miraculous affectation upon the human heart that can only be accepted as a mysterious work of God.
Let us be like this great apostle and not be ashamed of this life-transforming message!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Thursday, November 15, 2007
How To Look Good Naked
Sorry about the title of this one folks. For some of you who may not know, this is a show on Channel 4 here in the UK; one which believe it or not my wife convinced me to watch last night. The irony was that I had really hoped to prepare a bit for a sermon for this Sunday (with the obvious hope that God would use these efforts to maybe touch people's lives positively) and was unable to do so as I gave in to my wife's pleas to watch this not so positive show with her.
Aside from taking a good length of time to discern the gender, or genderal preference of the guy who hosts the show, I did get struck by some thoughts (by the way do not try this at home as I am certain you are not mean to think at all during these 'reality shows') as I watched.
The lady who was convinced to eventually pose naked, as well as going through a massive wardrobe upheaval etc. was a middle aged woman who did not look at all bad. But, due to her own thoughts about her appearance, her self-convincing certainty that she was too ugly to be loved, too ugly to be seen by her husband, this woman had not slept in the same bed with her husband 'since I can remember!' In fact, she confessed at the end of the show that divorce papers were in the house because their relationship had become virtually non-existent.
There are numerous tragedies here. Firstly, she could be so affected by a looks-obsessed culture and her not 'meeting the globally desired mark' that she felt unlovable. Secondly, as a result of the first tragedy, the glorious gift that is marriage was once again destined to be torn apart.
We live in a strange time friends. I think that as Christians we have to be ever aware of how to remain distinct from our culture and yet not removed from it. Romans 12 comes to mind where Paul evokes us to a spiritual 'metamorphosis' by a transformation of our minds through conformity to the work of the Holy Spirit within us and not a conforming to the world by the work of a commercially driven media!! Let Him lead you, let Him transform you, the freedom is glorious.
Aside from taking a good length of time to discern the gender, or genderal preference of the guy who hosts the show, I did get struck by some thoughts (by the way do not try this at home as I am certain you are not mean to think at all during these 'reality shows') as I watched.
The lady who was convinced to eventually pose naked, as well as going through a massive wardrobe upheaval etc. was a middle aged woman who did not look at all bad. But, due to her own thoughts about her appearance, her self-convincing certainty that she was too ugly to be loved, too ugly to be seen by her husband, this woman had not slept in the same bed with her husband 'since I can remember!' In fact, she confessed at the end of the show that divorce papers were in the house because their relationship had become virtually non-existent.
There are numerous tragedies here. Firstly, she could be so affected by a looks-obsessed culture and her not 'meeting the globally desired mark' that she felt unlovable. Secondly, as a result of the first tragedy, the glorious gift that is marriage was once again destined to be torn apart.
We live in a strange time friends. I think that as Christians we have to be ever aware of how to remain distinct from our culture and yet not removed from it. Romans 12 comes to mind where Paul evokes us to a spiritual 'metamorphosis' by a transformation of our minds through conformity to the work of the Holy Spirit within us and not a conforming to the world by the work of a commercially driven media!! Let Him lead you, let Him transform you, the freedom is glorious.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Revelation in Contradiction
I do not think I could put across in any one blog how important reading is. It may be one of the major methods the Lord has used to categorically change my life. I was a late bloomer on this as well...only started at about 21 to really start opening up the multi-layered, multi-generational, multi-faceted world of reading. So to put it bluntly to anyone who may be considering it: READ!!!!
I say this because I want to quickly share a quote from a book I am reading currently. A book that I think is proving more insightful and influential in my thinking than any other book I have read in a couple of years or so. Not in every way possible, primarily in how it is causing me to think upon what is the title of the book 'THE CRUCIFIED GOD!' Well let me just share it shall I? (Here the author is discussing the cross when seen through a dialectical principle of knowledge (things revealed in their opposites))...
'Applied to Christian theology, this means that God is only revealed as 'God' in His opposite: godlessness and abandonment by God. In concrete terms God is revealed in the cross of Christ who was abandoned by God. His grace is revealed in sinners. His righteousness is revealed in the unrighteous and in those without rights, and His gracious election in the damned.The epistemological principle of the theology of the cross can only be this dialectical principle: the deity of God revealed in the paradox of the cross. This makes it easier to understand what Jesus did: it was not the devout, but the sinners, and not the righteous but the unrighteous who recognized him, because in them he revealed the divine righteousness of grace, and the kingdom. He revealed His identity amongst those who had lost their identity, amongst the lepers, sick, rejected and despised, nad was recognized as the Son of Man amongst those who had been deprived of their humanity.'- Jurgen Moltmann
I would never in all of my life been able to articulate this marvelous thought because I am just a little simple, but this is glorious. Ruminate upon it, let it cause you to want to be Christlike. Love the unlovely, fix your affections on this one THE CHRIST!
I say this because I want to quickly share a quote from a book I am reading currently. A book that I think is proving more insightful and influential in my thinking than any other book I have read in a couple of years or so. Not in every way possible, primarily in how it is causing me to think upon what is the title of the book 'THE CRUCIFIED GOD!' Well let me just share it shall I? (Here the author is discussing the cross when seen through a dialectical principle of knowledge (things revealed in their opposites))...
'Applied to Christian theology, this means that God is only revealed as 'God' in His opposite: godlessness and abandonment by God. In concrete terms God is revealed in the cross of Christ who was abandoned by God. His grace is revealed in sinners. His righteousness is revealed in the unrighteous and in those without rights, and His gracious election in the damned.The epistemological principle of the theology of the cross can only be this dialectical principle: the deity of God revealed in the paradox of the cross. This makes it easier to understand what Jesus did: it was not the devout, but the sinners, and not the righteous but the unrighteous who recognized him, because in them he revealed the divine righteousness of grace, and the kingdom. He revealed His identity amongst those who had lost their identity, amongst the lepers, sick, rejected and despised, nad was recognized as the Son of Man amongst those who had been deprived of their humanity.'- Jurgen Moltmann
I would never in all of my life been able to articulate this marvelous thought because I am just a little simple, but this is glorious. Ruminate upon it, let it cause you to want to be Christlike. Love the unlovely, fix your affections on this one THE CHRIST!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Both Wrong, No Fight, Nice!!
My wife and I had one of those amazing moments in our marriage today as we crossed an important bridge (note pun later) in our relationship. It involved a journey, a coffee and the dreaded plastic.
First things first I have to share the hilarity of our journey. In London there is a road called the M25 which is the major road that orbits (no you Americans not like a satellite) the city of London. To get from where I live to the place we went today, IKEA, (wifey, Malachi and I) you have to cross a toll bridge that spans the Thames, this costs £1.
All good to get across but upon my attempt to purchase the coffee I had ordered the dratted plastic would not splurge out the cash. Yip, we did not have another penny on us. Coffee in hand, 15 miles from home, and not even a pound to get us back. SHOCK HORROR!! Here was the problem, a 'card' was in the front of the car that I presumed to be mine, and the wife asked if I had my card to which I nonchalantly replied of course. Of course the card was not mine, it was my wife's which naturally is left in the back pocket of her jeans all the time, gets bent and therefore does not work.
Well, here it was the perfect opportunity to literally destroy each other for our foolishness and our lack of consideration, inability to communicate and so on. But just then I realized we were both so very much in the wrong that to point fingers would have been extremely foolish and actually highly hypocritical. Naturally, if I had been just a little less wrong, well hell would have broken loose.
There it was I for once saw the plank in my own eye and did not try to highlight the speck (ok plank as well) in Kiralie's.
O what a happier day for it (by the way the card ended up working in an ATM) a day filled with joy which could have been distinctly different.
Count to ten peeps! See the plank, humble yourself, the outcome is far better.
First things first I have to share the hilarity of our journey. In London there is a road called the M25 which is the major road that orbits (no you Americans not like a satellite) the city of London. To get from where I live to the place we went today, IKEA, (wifey, Malachi and I) you have to cross a toll bridge that spans the Thames, this costs £1.
All good to get across but upon my attempt to purchase the coffee I had ordered the dratted plastic would not splurge out the cash. Yip, we did not have another penny on us. Coffee in hand, 15 miles from home, and not even a pound to get us back. SHOCK HORROR!! Here was the problem, a 'card' was in the front of the car that I presumed to be mine, and the wife asked if I had my card to which I nonchalantly replied of course. Of course the card was not mine, it was my wife's which naturally is left in the back pocket of her jeans all the time, gets bent and therefore does not work.
Well, here it was the perfect opportunity to literally destroy each other for our foolishness and our lack of consideration, inability to communicate and so on. But just then I realized we were both so very much in the wrong that to point fingers would have been extremely foolish and actually highly hypocritical. Naturally, if I had been just a little less wrong, well hell would have broken loose.
There it was I for once saw the plank in my own eye and did not try to highlight the speck (ok plank as well) in Kiralie's.
O what a happier day for it (by the way the card ended up working in an ATM) a day filled with joy which could have been distinctly different.
Count to ten peeps! See the plank, humble yourself, the outcome is far better.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Does 'Nice' mean Lukewarm?
In the middle of what may have been a migraine, although knowing me it wasn’t as I freak out at any type of headache, I began to reflect on something that disturbed me. Thinking about it now some of my thoughts may have actually led to the migraine as a sort of judgment for crossing lines with my ideas of people. That which disturbed me: ‘Nice’ Christians.
These are those people who would most certainly claim a relationship with Jesus and who probably have a remarkable attendance record at all sorts of Christian events. In fact, there is no horrific sin (you know all the nasty ones like smoking, wearing short tops and stuff that we are disgusted by) like involvement in massive sexual orgies that you could level against them. They smile beautifully talk all the good talk and just seem to offer a presence in any meeting but very little else.
Yet, there is so much about this version of Christianity that is starting to grate me the more I think of it. I am not sure why but the sanitization of their faith seems to be a primary factor. There is very little, if no, cost to their following Jesus, and there is certainly no chance of their Christianity interfering in their perfectly planned journey to settled middle-class life. You know what I mean: Two salaries, two cars, two kids, two stupid mortgages, need I go on? Well I wonder if this was ever meant to be the Christian hope, and salvation that Christ gave up all to buy at the price of His own life for us. Not likely!
When Jesus commands John to write to the angel of the church in Laodicea He highlights this concept of being ‘neither hot nor cold’ otherwise known as lukewarmness. I, like many others I hope (although thinking as a Christian is becoming increasingly unpopular so maybe not), think upon what Jesus has against this church. Equally, I wonder if there is any chance of an accusation like that being brought against me, or people that I know. Could this have anything to say to ‘nice’ Christianity? Is a sanitized faith a lukewarm faith? Is being nice what Christ died for? Is nice Christianity a Christianity that would make any person looking in on this whole faith thing of ours want to take a second look?
These are those people who would most certainly claim a relationship with Jesus and who probably have a remarkable attendance record at all sorts of Christian events. In fact, there is no horrific sin (you know all the nasty ones like smoking, wearing short tops and stuff that we are disgusted by) like involvement in massive sexual orgies that you could level against them. They smile beautifully talk all the good talk and just seem to offer a presence in any meeting but very little else.
Yet, there is so much about this version of Christianity that is starting to grate me the more I think of it. I am not sure why but the sanitization of their faith seems to be a primary factor. There is very little, if no, cost to their following Jesus, and there is certainly no chance of their Christianity interfering in their perfectly planned journey to settled middle-class life. You know what I mean: Two salaries, two cars, two kids, two stupid mortgages, need I go on? Well I wonder if this was ever meant to be the Christian hope, and salvation that Christ gave up all to buy at the price of His own life for us. Not likely!
When Jesus commands John to write to the angel of the church in Laodicea He highlights this concept of being ‘neither hot nor cold’ otherwise known as lukewarmness. I, like many others I hope (although thinking as a Christian is becoming increasingly unpopular so maybe not), think upon what Jesus has against this church. Equally, I wonder if there is any chance of an accusation like that being brought against me, or people that I know. Could this have anything to say to ‘nice’ Christianity? Is a sanitized faith a lukewarm faith? Is being nice what Christ died for? Is nice Christianity a Christianity that would make any person looking in on this whole faith thing of ours want to take a second look?
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