Impractical Christianity

"Am I God?"

2 Kings 5.7

I recently preached on 2 Kings 5 and experienced the common frustration of having so much more to lay before the congregation than I had time for. One thing in particular was the response of the Israelite king to the king of Aram's request that he should help Naaman (the Aramean commander) get healing from his leprosy.

Aram was the enemy of Israel and was enjoying a period of success in its battles against God people, so when the king of Israel receives the request he becomes very anxious indeed. He is anxious because he thinks that healing someone from leprosy is the equivalent of raising someone from the dead. As a result he thinks that the king of is using the letter as a 'cunning plan' to engineer a pretext for attacking Israel, "See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me" v.7. Perhaps he can imagine the response of the king of Aram, "That terrible king of Israel - he insulted the great nation of Aram, by not healing my commander, so we must attack."

At one level you can understand his fears - even the tearing of the clothes. What is strange though is that he so nearly gets the right answer. His first question, when he receives the request is: "Am I God?" His answer to the question though is despair. So close, yet so far. His real answer should have been, "Am I God? No, but I know the one who is." In fact this is in effect Elisha's point v.8.

So what blinded the king? I think it is because he was so practical. It's a common fault of the Old Testament kings: David counting his army; Jeroboam building a more convenient worship centre, so that his people will not defect to the Southern kingdom; Ahaz seeking alliances with other nations rather than Yahweh. This king, so wrapped up in the geopolitics of the region that he does not lift his eyes to heaven.

Sometimes you see this in the church family. There is a command from God's word, which seems incredibly challenging, so we will say, "Oh, but we need to be practical". Someone will suggest that we give more of our money away, but we will say, "Oh, but we need to be practical". Some new venture will arise that seems too hard for us, so we will say, "Oh, but we need to be practical". After a while we stop needing God at all, because we are so good at being practical. But then something hits us, like a hurricane on a still day, and our practical strength is no good. Then we will find ourselves tearing our clothes out, because it is no longer our habit to do the impractical thing of trusting in the Living God.

Towers and Sacrifices

'Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish'

Luke 13.3+5

As part of the year long discipleship course I run, we are doing the challenge of reading through the New Testament during the time of the course.

Today we hit Luke 13.1-9, which is a really striking passage about suffering, death and fruitfulness. It is a particularly good passage for making clear that there isn't a straightforward link between sin and suffering. Whilst suffering as a whole is a consequence of our fundamental rebellion against God, the link between our individual suffering and sin is much more complex. 

Jesus makes that explicit here. It wasn't that the Galileans who were executed and whose bodies were desecrated, deserved that end because they had committed some heinous sin which the other Galileans hadn't. Jesus explicitly denies this. His point is that the suffering that leads to death is to act as a warning that our days are numbered; we have only so long to be fruitful, before we too will be cut down and it will be too late (the point of the fig tree parable). But what does it mean to be fruitful - it is to repent. That is our challenge - have we repented, are we sharing the gospel with those who lives are a ticking clock?

As a side note, it is interesting that Jesus doesn't then set out an explanation for suffering (how we might wish he had), but he does set out what we should learn from it. It appears that Jesus is not so concerned that we should grow in understanding of why things happen, but that we should learn how to live in the light of those sufferings. This is the difference between understanding and wisdom 

Open Doors

 ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, 

whatever you did for one of the least 

of these brothers and sisters of mine, 

you did for me.”

Matthew 25.40

For me, probably the best part of the building project that my church is undertaking, is the commitment of a part of the money raised to support the work of Open Doors. Read the wonderful account of Deborah here: Deborah Shettima

An Apologetic starting point

Not so great

"Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?"

Isaiah 2.22

We have had a series in our evening service called, "I can't believe because". I have been looking at 3 topics - I can't believe because...

• ...God doesn't make sense
• ...of suffering
• ...you can't prove it

As I have been considering each one, I have been struck by a crucial starting point - namely how significant we are compared to God. In the whole debate about the existence of God and our experience of this world, we must deal with this question and I think that it is a potential point of agreement between the Christian and the sceptic. Namely that, once we entertain the possibility of God's existence, it seems to me that he must be infinitely greater than we are and that we could have no logical expectation that he would take notice or care for us. (I am not saying that he doesn't care for us, but that we wouldn't expect that he would)

The Psalmist says, "What is man that you are mindful of him" - with all of our discoveries about the vast scale of the universe, we should be more aware of this than ever. One illogicality of our present culture and intellectual world is that we seem to be more convinced of our significance than ever - and that causes some problems when it comes to thinking about God and us.

As I was playing around with this idea, it started to have a bigger impact on my understanding of the questions above. It doesn't conclusively deal with them, but it does change their character.

So, God doesn't make sense, but suddenly I realise that it is illogical to think that he would. This is not to say that God would contradict himself, but that complete answers to some (indeed any) questions might simply be beyond my capability. I might be able to apprehend something of the answer without completely comprehending it.

With suffering and a God of love, it struck me that we assume that God should love us, but we don't wonder at the fact that he would even notice us, let alone make it his business to care for us in any way at all. This doesn't solve the problem, because God has chosen to love us and we can analyse that, but I think that it should cause us to pause in our expectations of what that would look like. Once are expectations are realistic, we will marvel more at what he has done.

With proof, one of our stumbling blocks is often that we think that God should prove himself to us and so we get cross when we feel that he isn't giving us the proof we need or require. But this reverses what we have accepted at the beginning, because it puts us in the middle of the universe and God needing to meet our needs.

I think that this expectation that God owes us anything might be illogical, more seriously it is blasphemous.

If you want to hear more of the talks (including a really good one by our Assistant Minister) three of them are available here from this Sunday: I can't believe... talks

42 - the meaning of life

Ecclesiastes

At TimeOut (when our evening service looks at a big topic), we looked at how the book of Ecclesiastes considers the big question of purpose in existence. The Preacher at the centre of the book asks the question - what if this is all that there is? I've loved this book of the Bible as I have studied it - it has been the most intellectually challenging thing I have read in a long time and it is wonderfully encouraging.

If you want to hear more about this the following resources might be useful:

The song by Thrice - Window

The excellent book, "Why everything matters" by Philip Ryken. There is also a series of talks by him downloadable if you click here.

You could listen to the song by Thrice - "Window"

Finally you could listen to my talk here.

Count your blessings

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4.6-7

This week our oldest church member was taken to Glory. Her name was Flo and she was 102 (and threequarters!) Unfortunately I only knew Flo for a twentieth of her life, I wish I had had more time. On her 100th birthday she gave us a lovely gift, she sand the song "Count your blessings" to us.

I looked up the lyrics of the hymn today and they speak of a biblical truth which I think is the key to spiritual and emotional wholeness in Jesus. Here they are:

1	When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
	Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one,     And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
2	Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will be singing as the days go by.
3	When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold. Count your many blessings, money cannot buy Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.
4	So amid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Or listen to it here"Count your blessings"

Hallowed by your name

Many names

"Therefore God raised him to the highest place and gave him 

the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, 

every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth

 and every tongue confess,

 that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"

Philippians 2.9-11

Yesterday, I spoke in the sermon about how someone's name in the Bible is much more significant than it is in our culture in England. It speaks of the person - who they are, what their significance is. To speak of someone's name is to be speaking of the whole person. Perhaps the closest we get to this in our culture is the prominence of brand names.

The Bible is even stronger on saying that God's name speaks powerfully of who he is. So powerfully in fact that to speak of God's name is to speak of God; to honour or hallow his name is to honour or hallow him. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, one name isn't enough to capture everything about God. So here are some more to help in our prayer:

Yahweh - I AM     

This is the most important name and was the one which God revealed as his personal name to Moses. It simply means "I AM" and so tells us that God is completely different from us. He is the one who is unchanging - who isn't controlled by anything else. That also means that he is faithful - no one and nothing can stop him. Most of all, it tells us that he keeps his promise of salvation to his people, come what may.

Yahweh Jireh - The Lord Provides

This name speaks of how everything comes from him and that is why we hallow his name - give thanks to him for everything we have. It is also why we come to him for our daily bread. There is though a very particular meaning of this name. Yahweh Jireh appears once in the Bible (Genesis 22.14) and it is when God provides a lamb as a sacrifice in the place of Isaac. So above all else Jireh reminds us that he provided a sacrifice to take our place (his own Son - Jesus

Yahweh Shalom - The Lord is Peace

This is from the story of Gideon and reminds us that God rescues his people from those who would rob them of peace and brings them to a place where they know peace. It reminds that 'Hallowed by your name' includes praying that his people will be rescued from persecution and trouble.

There are many other names, but what is most striking is that they all come to a head in Jesus - he fulfils every one. So 'Hallowed by your name' is also a prayer that Jesus will receive the honour he deserves. It is a prayer that what is prophesied in Philippians 2 will be seen more and more now.

Our Father in Heaven Pt. 4

A great helper

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. 

And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'...

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God"

Romans 8.15,26,-27

There is a danger with the Lord's prayer, that it can fell a bit like a manual that Jesus has given us - and now it is up to us. As a result, it can go the way of most suggestions of how we could do prayer. It first leads to new hope of a turn around in our prayer, then it leads to enthusiasm and excitement as it actually seems to work, finally it ends in disillusionment as our prayer returns to its default position of 'a bit rubbish'

The Lord's prayer isn't like that, and that is all wrapped up in that word 'Abba, Father'. As we read through the whole New Testament, we discover that the fact that we can call God Abba, is not just because we been given permission to do so, but also the ability to do so. The fact that I can pray "Father" and it be more than merely words, but actually the expression of a real relationship is because my heavenly Father has given me his Spirit.

Paul talks about this in Romans 8.15 and then goes on to explain the amazing implications in vv.26-27. When I pray two things can be true. On the one hand my prayers can appear a bit rubbish - halting, not very impressive, unable to put into words what I want to say and obsessed with my own agenda. That is because I am often halting, not very impressive, not very good at expressing myself and obsessed with my own agenda. But on the other hand my prays are eloquent beyond words and focused on what is on God's heart, because his Spirit is praying within me. So whilst I will often feel that my prayers vary between not very good and even worse - the reality is that I am involved in a consistently wonderful communication between the Spirit and the Father. That is quite some encouragement.

"Holy Spirit, thank you that you are within me, speaking to the Father through me, enabling me to say, 'Abba'. Praying in accordance with the Father's will even when I am not sure what to pray for, assuring me that I really am his precious child. Spirit, I am not going to get everything in this prayer right, but please pray with me now. 
Abba in heaven, thank you that you have chosen and adopted me as your child. Thank you that..."

Our Father in Heaven pt.3

Tenderness

"As a father has compassion on his children, 

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him."

Psalm 103.13

This is an amazing verse in the Bible. It really needs to be read with the verse before. In v.12 David sings, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him." It is a comparison that invites us to think on a (as my family say) mahusive scale (mahusive is a great word combining massive and huge). David challenges us to think of the greatest difference in height (in fact an infinite distance) and then says, 'that is how much God loves us.'

Then v.13 dramatically shifts from the immense to the personal and uses the analogy of a good father and his children. David's song invites us in our prayer to think of a father looking at his children and f   eeling love, care, tenderness and protection towards his children. It's that moment when you look at someone and almost physically feel your heart being pulled on a cord towards them. And what is more, though it is felt strongly when the one we love is facing success and happiness, it is felt more strongly still when they are beset by troubles and fears.

As you pray, "Father in heaven" - that is how God looks on you - with compassion.

But how do I know that this verse is for me. How do I know that I am one of his children. Verses 12-13 tell us. We know that he loves us and looks on us with compassion because we have chosen to fear him. But that fear can't be like the fear of losing your job or the abusive enemy or most of all death. This fear is found in the middle of vast and personal love. This fear is the act of total surrender to limitless love. It is frightening, because in becoming a Christian we surrender control of our lives, but it is wonderful because it is surrender to unimaginable love.

"Loving Father, I cannot get my head around the fact that though you are the creator and sustainer of everything that exists, yet you look on me, impossibly insignificant, and feel compassion."

Our Father in Heaven pt.2

Adopted child

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under law (us), that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"

Galatians 4.4-6

The fact that we can pray 'Our Father' is phenomenal. It is only possible because Jesus came to earth, died for us and then rose triumphant. His death meant that you and I can be adopted into God's family. When we pray 'Father', it is worth dwelling on what it cost Jesus to win us the right to use it to talk to God. It was not cheap.

"Loving Father, thank you for my big brother Jesus. Thank you Jesus, that you died so that I might call your Father, my Father. Thank you that you took the full crushing weight of my sin; the rejection of your Father that I deserved. Thank you that because of you I belong to your family, that though others might make me feel rubbish, though my own thoughts might tell me that I am hopeless - the truth is that I belong to your family, I am the chosen and adopted child of your family. I thank you that I can now enter into your Father's throne room in prayer, though I cannot see it. I can walk up to the throne of the Living God, who rules in majesty and I can now say to him 'Abba, Father, Dad'"

Our Father in Heaven pt.1

God Almighty, not God All-matey

Yesterday, we continued our series on the Lord's Prayer and heard from God's word about how remembering who we are praying to is the single most important aspect of prayer, transforming it from struggle to delight.

Jesus tells us to start our prayers by holding together two key things about God as we pray - that he is both the Almighty God and he is our Father. We will, though, only really understand the wonder of calling God father when we first understand how remarkable it is that the creator of the universe should even notice us, let alone call us his children. 

Why not try today to focus on how great and mighty and awesome God is (and then tomorrow focus on how wonderful it is that he is our father.) Spend 5-10 minutes at the start of your prayer time thinking about how awesome he is. Start by reading Isaiah 6.1-7 and try to imagine what it would have been like to be in Isaiah's shoes. What would it look like, what would it take to have had Isaiah's reaction? Perhaps you could think and pray about God's:

• Greatness - thinking about the universe is a good way into this
• Power - thinking about the most powerful things that we know (storms, weapons etc.) and then praising God that he is so infinitely more powerful
• Goodness - think about and praise God that he never does anything wrong.

"Creator God, you are so amazing, you created the whole universe (especially...). I exist because you made me, I am still alive because you keep on giving me life. Almighty God, I praise you because you are so powerful. Compared to you the most powerful things in this world - whether armies, companies or even just my boss - are nothing. Nothing and no-one can stop you. Holy God, you are so perfect. You always do what is right and wrongdoing and evil are obliterated in your presence...."