Come and See: Learning at the Feet of the Master

Ed Kimball was a Sunday School teacher. He was rather timid too. For a year a young man who worked in a shoe shop had attended his class every Sunday. Ed felt prompted to visit the guy at work. But as he approached the shop, he decided to come back another time. He was halfway down the street before he found the courage to go back and talk to the young man. Ed found him in the back of the store, wrapping shoes. He heard himself say, “I wanted to let you know how much Christ loves you.” Ed didn’t know the young man had recently become so earnest to improve himself, he had signed a pledge with God in his own blood. The Lord brought his Sunday School teacher to talk to him at just the right time. Dwight listened to the good news, bowed his head in the back of shoe shop and received Christ. He later wrote: “I was in a new world. The birds sang sweeter. The sun shone brighter. I’d never known such peace.” After moving to Chicago to be a salesman, like his teacher, Dwight also became a Sunday School teacher. He organized a Sunday School, recruiting both the students and the teachers. God so blessed his efforts that D. L. Moody, as he became known, left the business world to work full time for the Lord. By the time his life work was over, he had made such an impact on both America and England that he was described as: “the greatest evangelist of the 19th century.”  All because a timid Sunday School teacher named Ed Kimball stepped out in faith. Nothing unusual in that. This is the way God has been building his church for 2000 years, one person at a time. It began with the very first followers of Jesus.

Lets look at what happened in John 1. As we sit at the feet of the Master, notice three parts:

Andrew tells Peter and they follow Jesus (John 1:35-42)
Philip tells Nathaniel and they follow Jesus (John 1:43-49)
Jesus confirms their faith and promises more (John 1:50-51)

In each encounter we discover more about Jesus. In each we discover how to share Jesus with others.  Continue reading →

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!

The events of today, some 2000 years ago, set Christianity apart from every other religion in the world. All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of the four that are based on historical personalities rather than philosophies, Christianity in unique. In 1900 B.C. Judaism’s Father Abraham died. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died. On June 6, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. In 33 A.D. Jesus died but came back to life appearing to over 500 people over a period of 40 days.

Yes, the world of the disciples that first Easter morning was anything but joyful. They had been confused by the Last Supper, fearful at Jesus arrest, shocked at his torture, shattered by his trial, traumatised by his crucifixion and in deep shock at his death. That Jesus had predicted it all didn’t make it any easier to bear. Everything so far that weekend had gone wrong – everything spoke of defeat, death and despair. But it wasn’t the end of the story. Matthew records what happened early on that first Sunday morning.

The final chapter in Matthew’s Gospel is a record of victory.  And the amazing thing is that today we celebrate more than the amazing historical event of Jesus resurrection. We celebrate our participation in that victory. Notice the stages in the experience of the believers.


 

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The Cross of Good Friday in Isaiah 53

Written around 700 years before Christ, the Book of Isaiah is quoted more times in the New Testament than any other book of the Hebrew Scriptures. 754 of Isaiah’s 1292 verses are predictive. That means 59% of Isaiah is prophecy.  Isaiah contains 11 direct prophecies concerning Jesus and it is cited or alluded to in at least 50 NT passages. Why?

Lets find out. With the eyes of faith we see Isaiah 53 so explicitly refers to the Lord Jesus it doesn’t need much by way of explanation. Indeed it became so obvious that Isaiah was referring to Jesus after he was crucified and rose again from the dead, that, as the Church separated from the Synagogue, Isaiah 53 was no longer read as part of the Jewish lectionary of readings for the year.  There are five stanzas to this passage, each of three verses, and it begins in chapter 52:13. (Remember the chapter divisions and verse numbering was added in Medieval times and are not there in the original).

1. The Predicted Saviour: The Servant’s Role (52:13-15)
2. The Rejected Saviour: The Servant’s Life (53:1-3)
3. The Representative Saviour: The Servant’s Suffering (53:4-6)
4. The Crucified Saviour: The Servant’s Death (53:7-9)
5. The Glorious Saviour: The Servant’s Resurrection (53:10-12)

 

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Imagine a Church where…

Christ Church Annual Church Meeting: 1st April 2012

May I invite you to put your hand up. Now please take it down if you joined Christ Church in 2012. Welcome to Christ Church! Put your hand down if you joined in 2011. Thank you. 2010? 2009? 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997? You were here when Joanna and I arrived. Well done. For those who were here cast your mind back. For those who have joined since, imagine…

Imagine. Imagine if you walked into Christ Church on Sunday 1st April 1997 what would you have experienced? First of all, you would have entered via the long corridor and in through the tower doors. If the weather had been warm you might even have entered by the tower steps. The white divider would have been closed and the seats would have been in rows facing the chancel. The curtain and cross covered the Ten Commandments and Lords Prayer. The Communion Table was in the middle of the podium with two seats on either side. A wooden lectern stood in front of the table and behind a communion rail. To the right in the transept you would have seen a robed choir and to the left our organist playing. You would have found a Morning Prayer order of service card and hymn book in the pocket in front of you as well as a Bible. There was a large kneeler on a rack under the seat in front of you. And I would have been wearing a clerical collar and robes.

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Love is a Fragile Trust

Yesterday our daughter Katie married Stephen Anderson at St John’s Church, Guildford. She was about 3 years old when we moved there 26 years ago, so it was like going home. It was a lovely occasion. Thank you for your prayers.

When you know someone, their photos are three dimensional. When you don’t know them, photos are simply two dimensional. The Bible can be a little like that. We tend to read history like this story of David and Michal in the flat – two dimensional. It’s easy to forget that these were real people just like you and I, with real emotions, real hopes and aspirations for their marriage. As I was thinking about their relationship the thought occurred to me – what if – what if for just 20 minutes we could become contemporaries with King David and Princess Michal, what would it be like? What if we could meet? What if they asked us for advice on their marriage, what would you say? What would they say about our rather casual approach to marriage and divorce? What questions would you ask them? What questions might they ask us? What advice would you give them? What difference could it have made to their marriage and future? If David had not run away from his father in law, would Michal have been forced to remarry? If Michal had fled with David would David have taken other wives? Would they have spent seven years apart? Would Michal have remained childless?

Would David have been tempted by Bathsheba? Would he have plotted to murder her husband Uriah? Would their reunion have been such an unhappy occasion?

We don’t know. We do know God’s word is here to instruct us. We have God’s word on relationships. We can therefore learn from every encounter, from every relationship and judge it by the makers instructions. We do know that like David and Michal we have choices that affect our futures. Although we may not be able to change our circumstances, any more than they could, we can change how we respond to our circumstances.

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When the Angels Fell Silent

Two thousand years ago Jerusalem was under a siege. One man set out on a lonely road to do something about it. Only 14 miles long. A day’s journey, up-hill, Jericho to Jerusalem. A one way ticket. Jesus is out in front leading the way, setting the pace.

“They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:32-34)

If you want to know someone’s heart, observe their final journey. As Jesus and his disciples enter Bethany just over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem, the props and players for Friday’s drama are already in position. Six inch iron nails lie in a bucket. A wooden cross-beam leans against a wall.

Thorn branches dangle from a trellis. Pilate is having sleepless nights. A centurion is signing in for the week’s duty, awaiting the next round of crucifixions. Players and props. Only this isn’t a play. It is a divine plan. A plan begun even before Adam drew his first breath. The journey to Jerusalem didn’t begin in Jericho. It didn’t begin in Galilee, Nazareth or Bethlehem.

The journey to the cross began long before. At the sound of the first bite of the apple in the garden, Jesus was leaving for Calvary. Jesus is on a journey. His final journey. The angels are holding their breath. For hinged on this week is the door of eternity. Let’s walk with Him. Let’s see how Jesus spent his final days. Let’s see what mattered to God. If you would know Christ, ponder His final days. The Apostles give over between one quarter and a third of their gospels to tell what happened that final week. Jesus knew the finality of Friday.  He had read the last chapter before it was written. He heard the final chorus before it was sung. As a result we have here distilled truths, deliberate deeds. Each step calculated. Every act premeditated.

Knowing Jesus had just one more week with His disciples, what did he tell them? Knowing this would be his last visit to the Temple, how did he act? Enter holy week and observe. Feel His passion. Laughing as children sing. Weeping as Jerusalem ignores. Scorning as priests accuse. Pleading as disciples snore. Feel His passion. Sense His power. Blind eyes… seeing. Fruitless tree… withering. Money changers… scampering. Religious leaders… cowering. Cross … beckoning. Tomb… opening. Feel his passion. Sense his power. Hear his promise. For God has come to take you home. Let’s follow Jesus this week on His final journey. For by observing His, we may learn to be ready to make ours. Today we begin with Palm Sunday.

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Contagious Relational Evangelism

In 1943, Li Airui found himself  imprisoned by the Japanese in the Weihsien internment camp in Shandong, Northern China. Li quickly emerged as a leader among the 1800 internees. Life in the camp was hard, under a brutal regime. Some oil company executives, managed to bribe the guards into receiving extra rations and luxuries. Li shamed them into sharing these with the other prisoners.  Without the benefit of equipment or supplies, Li taught science to the children in a makeshift school. He led Bible studies, taught Sunday school and cared for the sick and elderly. Li organized games to promote fitness and boost morale. That is perhaps not surprising because Li was the first Chinese ever to win a gold medal in the Olympics.

We know him better as the “Flying Scotsman”. But Eric Liddell was actually born in Tientsin, in northern China, in 1902. Li Airui was his Chinese name. Appropriate since he spent most of his life serving the people of China.  As an undergraduate at Edinburgh University he won seven caps in rugby for Scotland in the 1922 and 1923 Five Nations championships. He gave up rugby to concentrate on becoming a 100-meter sprinter. When he was criticized for spending so much time training instead of becoming a missionary, he replied “God made me for running. He made me fast. And when I run I feel pleasure. To give it up would be to hold God in contempt.”

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Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Statement and Manifesto

A major breakthrough in the evangelical world took place in Bethlehem through a gathering of over 600 international and local Christians, including renowned evangelical leaders. Organized by Bethlehem Bible College, the conference, under the banner “Christ at the Checkpoint,” addressed the issue of how to find hope in the midst of conflict. The conference exceeded all expectations.

For the first time, a broad spectrum of evangelical believers met literally at the “checkpoint,” and engaged biblically on issues that have historically divided them. Subjects included, Christian Zionism, Islamism, justice, nonviolence, and reconciliation. These themes were intended to create an ongoing forum for Christian peacemaking within the context of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. These issues were discussed in the form of inspirational messages, Bible study, interactive workshops, panels and site visits.

Defying the temptation to despair, Palestinian Christians demonstrated renewed hope to continue to stand against the injustice of occupation nonviolently and forms of Christian Zionism that marginalize them. They also acknowledged the right of the State of Israel to exist within secure borders.

Speakers included John Ortberg, Bishara Awad, Chris Wright, Doug Birdsall, David Kim, Tony Campolo, Lynne Hybels, Munther Isaac, Shane Claiborne, Joel Hunter, Ron Sider, Salim Munayer and Colin Chapman. Participants from 20 nations and a sizeable delegation of university students including Wheaton College and Eastern University, were moved by the testimony of Palestinian men and women who shared the pain and suffering they experience on a daily basis caused primarily by the continuing occupation.

A unique aspect of the conference was the presence and presentations by members of the Messianic community including Richard Harvey, Evan Thomas and Wayne Hilsden, who provided an integral contribution to the dialogue.

Conference organizers challenged the evangelical community to cease looking at the Middle East through the lens of “end times” prophecy and instead rallied them to join in following Jesus in the prophetic pursuance of justice, peace and reconciliation.

Conference Organizers:

John Angle, Alex Awad, Bishara Awad, Sami Awad, Steve Haas, Munther Isaac, Yohanna Katanacho, Manfred Kohl, Salim Munayer, Jack Sara, Stephen Sizer

The Christ at the Checkpoint Manifesto

1. The Kingdom of God has come. Evangelicals must reclaim the prophetic role in bringing peace, justice and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel.

2. Reconciliation recognizes God’s image in one another.

3. Racial ethnicity alone does not guarantee the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant.

4. The Church in the land of the Holy One, has born witness to Christ since the days of Pentecost. It must be empowered to continue to be light and salt in the region, if there is to be hope in the midst of conflict.

5. Any exclusive claim to land of the Bible in the name of God is not in line with the teaching of Scripture.

6. All forms of violence must be refuted unequivocally.

7. Palestinian Christians must not lose the capacity to self-criticism if they wish to remain prophetic.

8. There are real injustices taking place in the Palestinian territories and the suffering of the Palestinian people can no longer be ignored. Any solution must respect the equity and rights of Israel and Palestinian communities.

9. For Palestinian Christians, the occupation is the core issue of the conflict.

10. Any challenge of the injustices taking place in the Holy Land must be done in Christian love. Criticism of Israel and the occupation cannot be confused with anti-Semitism and the delegitimization of the State of Israel.

11. Respectful dialogue between Palestinian and Messianic believers must continue. Though we may disagree on secondary matters of theology, the Gospel of Jesus and his ethical teaching take precedence.

12. Christians must understand the global context for the rise of extremist Islam. We challenge stereotyping of all faith forms that betray God’s commandment to love our neighbors and enemies.

The Statement and Manifesto were presented to the conference participants on the last day but were only agreed on and endorsed by the Conference Organizers.

Conference Organizers:

John Angle, Alex Awad, Bishara Awad, Sami Awad, Steve Haas, Munther Isaac, Yohanna Katanacho, Manfred Kohl, Salim Munayer, Jack Sara, Stephen Sizer

Voluntary Sacrificial Giving

How much is a mother worth these days? According to a new survey by Salary.com, a division of human resources consultant Kenexa, at commercial rates, moms should be receiving £73,000 per year for their work. In the tenth annual ‘Mom Salary Survey’, researchers examined 6,616 mothers and put a value their work by breaking down motherly duties into 10 separate titles: These were Day Care Teacher, CEO, Psychologist, Cook, Housekeeper, Laundry Machine Operator, Computer Operator, Facilities Manager, Janitor and Taxi Driver. In 2011 stay-at-home moms’ were estimated to be worth £73,000 (a base salary of £23,000 plus £50,000 in overtime).

Evilee Ebb, general manager of Salary.com said: “The breadth of Mom’s responsibilities is beyond what most workers could ever experience day-to-day. Imagine if you had to attract and retain a candidate to fill this role?” According to the survey, the typical stay-at-home mom works 97 hours a week, 13 hours as a day-care teacher; 4 hours as household CEO; 8 hours as a psychologist; 14 hours as a chef; 15 as a housekeeper; 7 hours doing laundry; 9 hours as a computer operator; 11 hours as a facilities manager; 8 hours as a janitor and 8 hours driving the family taxi. Fulfilling these 10 roles, working nearly a 100-hour work-week voluntarily, moms are surely the most valuable workers in the country. So, husbands and children, lets acknowledge the voluntary sacrificial giving of our mothers present today. Thank you!

These Sunday mornings leading up to Easter we have been considering how to fulfill our 2020 Vision. Today, appropriately, we are thinking about voluntary sacrificial giving.
Giving voluntarily, willingly, joyfully, freely, sacrificially.
I want us to see, that our attitude to money shapes not only our legacy but ultimately our destiny. In these verses from Matthew 6 before us today Jesus paints two portraits.  There are two alternative treasures: Matthew 6:19-21 (on earth and in heaven). There are two opposite spiritual conditions : Matthew 6:22-23 (light and darkness). There are two mutually exclusive masters : Matthew 6:24. (God and Money). Jesus wants us to choose well and enjoy a long life. Jesus wants us to be stress free and live at peace with ourselves. Jesus wants us to live in harmony with our God and with one another. To help us choose wisely he asks us three questions.

1. Where is your security? A Question of Treasure (6:19-21)

2. What is your ambition? A Question of Vision (6:22-23)

3. Who are you serving? A Question of Loyalty (6:24)

1. Where is your Security? A Question of Treasure

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Jesus is comparing the relative durability of two treasures. It should be easy to choose which to store up, he implies. Treasures on earth are temporary and therefore insecure. Treasures in heaven are permanent and therefore secure. Now please understand Jesus was not forbidding.

1.1 Private Property

There is no ban on possessions in themselves. Scripture no where forbids private property. (see Acts 5:4)

1.2 Insurance Policies

“Saving for a rainy day” is not forbidden either. Life assurance policies are simply a kind of saving by self imposed compulsion. Scripture praises the ant for storing in the summer the food it will need in the winter, (Proverbs 6:6). Paul declares the believer who makes no provision for his family is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8).

1.3 Material Blessing

Thirdly, we are not to despise, but rather appreciate the good things God gives us to enjoy. “Everything God has created is good” says Paul. (1 Timothy 4:3-4, 6:17).  So, Jesus does not have in mind possessions, making provision for the future, or enjoying the gifts of a good Creator. What is Jesus talking about?

1.4 Selfish Accumulation

Notice the text says, “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth.”  Jesus is not saying forbidding sensible provision for the future, but being self-centred, greedy and wanting more. Jesus is not criticizing being provident but being covetous.

Earthly treasure, Jesus reminds us, grows rusty and moth-eaten, and thieves will break in to steal. (6:19). We may try and protect our treasures with insecticides, mouse traps, rustproof paint, padlocks, CCTV, burglar alarms and offshore bank accounts.
But even if these measures succeed we are still vulnerable to inflation, devaluation, taxation and disintegration. Even if our treasures carry life-time warranties and unconditional guarantees, or we have them buried with us, we cannot take them with us into eternity. If we want to have treasure in heaven – we have to send it on ahead. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven” urges Jesus. What is this “treasure” in heaven? Jesus doesn’t explain, but it must have to do with earthly activity which lasts for eternity. There are many ways to make deposits in our heavenly bank account.

Deposit 1: Worship

Bill Hybel says, “One joy-filled investment plan is the commitment to be a regular and passionate worshiper. Worship is never wasteful in the eyes of God. Every act of private and corporate worship is a deposit in your heavenly bank account.” Would you buy a used car with no service history? Bit of a risk isn’t it?

While you might gamble with a car is it worth gambling with your life? Ignore the recommended service history and you are heading for trouble. A breakdown is never convenient. Your body is no different. The Bible tells us the correct service interval to ensure a long and healthy life is what? Every seven days.

If you want treasure in heaven, make the minimum weekly deposits. Worship is one way of making a deposit for eternity.

Deposit 2: Christ-like Character

”The Bible clearly teaches us that if we want to lay up treasure in heaven, one of the best investment strategies is personal character development.” The apostle Peter put it like this:

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8-9)

Christ-like character is the only thing we take with us to heaven, and those who come to know Jesus through us.

Deposit 3: Sacrificial Giving

Every time we sacrifice, we add treasure in heaven. The Bible says there is a record kept of our deeds.

“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”  “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13).

Ultimately acts of voluntary sacrificial giving, especially to believers, are made to our Saviour. Remember Jesus’ parable. “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40). Voluntary sacrificial giving. If you want to see your treasure in heaven you need to send it on ahead.

As a church family, we depend entirely on the voluntary sacrificial giving of our church members to enable us to fulfill our vision.

In particular, we depend on the voluntary sacrificial giving of some church members more than others. If you consider your self a member of Christ Church and do not at present give regularly and sacrificially to the Lord’s work, I urge you to do so. We want you to share in fulfilling our vision and receive a blessing too. Where is your security? The Question of Treasure.

2. What is your Ambition? The Question of Vision

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)

Jesus turns from the comparative durability of the two treasures to the comparative benefit derived from two conditions. For the way we view life will determine what we treasure.  The contrast here is now between someone who is blind and someone who can see. Almost everything we do depends on our ability to see. We need to see in order to walk or run, drive a car, cross a road, cook, paint. The eye illuminates what the body does through its hands and feet. In the Bible, the eye is frequently synonymous with the heart, our motivation, our desire. Just as the eye gives light to the body, so a Christ-centred heart throws light on everything we do. A money-focused life on the other hand leads only to fear and darkness, of introspective self-centredness. Howard Hughes who died a recluse once said, “I’m not a paranoid deranged millionaire. I’m a billionaire.” What do you want to be known for in this life? Greed or generosity?  A light or a warning to others?

Where is your security? The Question of Treasure.
What is your Ambition? The Question of Vision
It is all summed up in the last question.

3. Who are you Serving? The Question of Loyalty

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24)

Jesus now explains that behind the choice between two treasures (where we store them) and two visions (where we fix our eyes), there lies the still more basic choice between two masters (whom we are serving).  It is a choice between God and money, between the Creator himself and any object of our own creation. We cannot serve both. Notice Jesus repeats himself in verse 6:24. When I was a teenager, one summer, I had two part time jobs on the go at the same time. I worked in a fish and chip shop at night, and a garage as a petrol pump attendant during the day. Neither knew of the existence of the other. It worked out fine. Until that is, the August Bank Holiday Monday.

Both employers assumed I would work all day and neither was happy to learn I was working for someone else. I had to choose. It may be possible to work for two employers, but no slave can be the property of two owners. For single ownership and fully devoted service are the essence of the role.

A question of treasure, a question of vision, a question of loyalty. When the choice is seen for what it really is – a choice between Creator and creature, between worship and idolatry – between the intrinsic worth of knowing and being known by the Living God, and the intrinsic worthlessness of being known for our love of money, it seems inconceivable that anybody could make the wrong choice. Yet many do.  As Bob Dylan put it – “You’re going to have to serve somebody” In fact we already are. It’s simply a question of….

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Lets pray.