Tawa Baptist

Present

Scriptures: Psalm 46 & Mark 4:35-41

Video Link: https://youtu.be/5qVW-vn7Gm8

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • God in the chaos
  • God in the city
  • God among the nations
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone. How is this lockdown going for you?

I imagine some of you will be busier than ever and others may have a bit more time on your hands. Maybe you have had the opportunity to play some board games, like Scrabble. Scrabble is a bit like life in that you never know what letters you are going to get.

Imagine you are starting the game with these seven letters? T R S E E P N

This is a fortunate start because you have some vowels. You could spell the word PRESENT.

It is most fortunate indeed that we are able to spell the word ‘PRESENT’. That fits quite nicely with our message today. This week we focus on Psalm 46, one of the songs of the Sons of Korah. In a nut shell, Psalm 46 is an affirmation that God is present.  Let’s read Psalm 46 together now…

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Psalm 46 is punctuated with reminders that the Lord Almighty is with us. God is present. God is present in the chaos. God is present in the city. And God is present among the nations. 

God is present in the chaos:

Now as providence would have it, the next player in our game of Scrabble has these letters: STUREJF. What word can we make with this lot?

One of the cool things about Scrabble is that you can use the letters the other players provide. This enables you to spell words you might not otherwise be able to spell. As keen Christians you will automatically notice the letter J and think, ‘I wonder if we can spell JESUS’.

And yes, with the letters we have, we could spell JESUS, if we use the S in PRESENT. However, under the traditional rules of Scrabble, you are not allowed to use people’s names, so we will have to think of another word.   

STUREJF enables us to spell rust. But with the T on the end of PRESENT we can spell TRUST. Verses 1-3 of Psalm 46 sound a note of defiant trust.

Psalm 46 starts, in verse 1, with God. God comes first.

Verses 2-3 describe primordial chaos, with the earth giving way and the mountains falling into the sea. Earthquakes and storms and floods basically. But before the chaos, there is God.

Verse 1 says that God is our refuge and strength. A refuge is a shelter or a sanctuary, a safe place. God is our safe place. As our refuge God protects us from the chaos out there in the world.  

God is also our strength. While refuge has to do with protection from external threats, strength has to do with our inner person. Strength is about mental and emotional resilience or fortitude.

Or to think of it another way, to say that God is our refuge is to say that we are within God, like being in a life boat or in a safe house or in a fortress. And to say that God is our strength is to say God is within us; in our heart and mind.

In John 14:20 Jesus talked about being in God and God being in us through him, when he said to his disciples: “On that day you will realise that I am in the Father and you are in me, and I am in you.”

To be a Christian is to be ‘in Christ’, which means Jesus is our refuge, our strong tower. To be a Christian also means having Christ live in us, in our heart and mind; which means Jesus is our inner strength, like the reinforcing steel in concrete, or better still, like the backbone in your body holding everything together but at the same time allowing flexibility. 

Because God is ever-present in the chaos and the storm, we do not need to be afraid. The opposite of fear is trust. Trust is the foundation of life really. Trust gives us something firm to stand on. When our trust (our foundation) is in God, then we have nothing to fear because our foundation cannot be moved.

Refuge and strength flow out of trust. We can use the R in TRUST to spell REFUGE and the S to spell STRENGTH.

The idea of the earth giving way and the mountains falling into the sea is quite real for us today. This generation is all too aware of global warming and the effects of climate change. We see images of flooding and earthquakes and tsunamis and hurricanes and forest fires almost every week on the news.

Our hope of a better future is under constant bombardment.

In Psalm 46 the Sons of Korah stir us to defy despair and, through trust in God, find refuge and strength and security. Yes, evil threatens. But ultimately God is in control. God is present in the chaos and God is present in the city.

God is present in the city:

Returning to our game of Scrabble; if you want bonus points, you need to get a triple word score. We happen to have an H right beside a triple word score. What can we do with the letters WITRINQ?

Well, we know we can’t do anything with the Q because you usually need a U if you want to make a word with a Q. But we could spell WITHIN. That would give us 48 points. Smashing it. 

From verse 4 of Psalm 46 we read how God is present in the city…

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

The city in view here is Jerusalem. For the Jews of ancient times God dwelt within the city, because the Lord Almighty had his temple there. The holy place is another way of talking about the temple. This picks up the theme of God being present with his people.

That phrase where it says, God will help her at break of day, is a reference to the city under siege. In ancient times enemy armies would attack and besiege a city at dawn, at day break. This enabled the enemy soldiers to get close to the walls while it was still dark.

At break of day reminds us of the dawn raids in New Zealand during the 1970’s. I imagine the Pasifika community felt under siege at that time.  

The Sons of Korah and the other worshippers look to God for help in the time of a siege, rather than military might.

According to Wikipedia, Jerusalem has been attacked 52 times and besieged 23 times during its long history. It was destroyed twice, and both times rebuilt.

But Psalm 46 isn’t primarily about the earthly Jerusalem. Psalm 46 is really more about the heavenly Jerusalem. The eternal city of God that can never be conquered or destroyed.

The river whose streams make glad the city of God reminds us of the pool of Siloam, which is a gentle flowing stream supplying Jerusalem with water during a time of siege.

Taking a less literal (more poetic) view, the river of God’s city is a metaphor for God’s provision and blessing. Christians may see here a connection with the Holy Spirit who gives life and cleansing to God’s people.

In Revelation 22, at the end of the Bible, we read about the heavenly Jerusalem;

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 

And how the nations of the world need that healing.

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

This refrain is repeated, like the chorus of the song, in verses 7 & 11. Martin Luther, the great reformer of the 16th Century, found inspiration for his hymn, A mighty fortress is our God, from this line and indeed from the whole of Psalm 46.

A fortress speaks again of refuge, protection and security from external threats.

The expression, God of Jacob, is perhaps a subtle way of reminding the worshippers of God’s grace throughout their nation’s history. God is with his people in the city of Jerusalem, not because of any virtue on their part, but because He is gracious and kind.  

We might not have cities with walls, like they did in ancient times, but we do understand what it is to be under siege.

The Covid virus besieges us in a number of ways. Our movement and contact with others is restricted, with good reason. Not only that but some may feel besieged with unpleasant thoughts and feelings.

By comparison with the rest of the world though, we (in NZ) are pretty well off really. God has been with New Zealand in this siege, not because we are more deserving than other countries but simply because the Lord is gracious.  

We have watched in sadness this week while events have unfolded in and around Kabul airport, as people try to flee Afghanistan. We pray for God to be present in the chaos of that city. We pray too for the Lord Almighty to be present among the nations, as world leaders seek to help the vulnerable. 

God is present among the nations:

Sometimes the letters you get, in Scrabble, enable you to make more than one word. With the letters SLVEACE, for example, we can make ACE, LEASE, LEAVE and SLAVE. And if we use the some of the letters already on the board from the word PRESENT, we have even more options.

When I have the choice I prefer to go with the word which is more edifying and that will open up more options on the board, even it doesn’t get me as many points.

I could make the word SLAVE, which would give me 18 points because it is a double word score. Or, if I borrow a letter from the word PRESENT (already on the board) I could make PEACE, which only gives me 11 points.

But I prefer peace to slavery and so I choose peace.    

Peace is what we long for. Peace in our inner being, peace in our personal relationships and peace in our international relations.    

Verses 8-10 of Psalm 46 tell us that God alone has the power to end war and bring peace…

Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

Then in verse 10 the Lord God Himself speaks…

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

More often than not we read only half of what God says here. We focus on the first part where the Lord says, “Be still and know that I am God”, and we stop there. We (in the West) tend to think this means quieting our mind, being personally still (on the inside) and meditating on God.

That is certainly an important part of the meaning here. Most of us could well do with more stillness and less busy-ness in our lives. Lockdown is a kind of forced stillness. If only we could lean into a slower pace and give more mental space to God. 

But there’s more at stake here than our personal stillness. The second part of what God says in verse 10 is: “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

This phrase, in the context of verses 8-9, makes it clear that the stillness in view here is more than inner peace. It is international, global peace. Peace among the nations.  

Earlier in the service we heard a reading from Mark 4 retelling how Jesus calmed the storm on the lake. God’s word, “Be still” (in Psalm 46), is actually a command to end war and violence, much like Jesus’ word, “Be still”, in Mark 4, was a command for the wind and waves to stop.  

The Bible teaches that justice is the prerequisite to peace and wisdom is the prerequisite to justice. There is no real peace without wise justice. What happened with the bombings in Kabul a few days ago was not wise or just.

To exalt the Lord is to lift up his wisdom and justice, to follow His way. Jesus shows us the way of God. When God is exalted among the nations there is peace.

Sometimes in the game of Scrabble you get letters which are hard to use, like an X or a Q. It always feels satisfying when you can put these less common letters to good use.

See what happens when you choose peace instead of slavery. You allow room to use your X to spell EXALTED and your Q to spell QUIET. And you are able to sneak in a BE STILL also.

Conclusion:

When we look at all that is going on in the world today; extreme weather events, a global pandemic, the rise of extremism and acts of terror, wars and rumours of wars, we may feel like the disciples in the storm in Mark 4, overwhelmed, confused and anxious.

We need to remember that, just as Jesus was present in the boat with his disciples in that storm, so too God is present with us in every circumstance we face in this world (whether good or bad).

And just as Jesus was able to calm the storm on the lake with one word, so too God is able to change things very quickly when He decides.

Psalm 46 shows us how to look at the reality of this world through the lens of eternity. The violence and turmoil of this world will not last forever. Ultimately God’s peace will reign. God’s plan is to establish heaven on earth. The best is yet to come.

Therefore, we do not need to be afraid. We can trust God for he is our refuge and our strength. God is present among the nations. God is present in this city of Wellington and God is present in the chaos; present to restore order. Best of all, through the Spirit of Jesus, God is present within your very soul.   

Let us pray…

Mighty God, loving Father, help us to understand that, through Jesus, we are in you and you are in us. Keep us mindful of the fact that our life depends on you and that nothing can separate us from your love, therefore we do not need to be afraid. May you be exalted in all the earth. May your wise justice be lifted up that peace would reign. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Look after yourself and look after each other.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Do you have a favourite board game? What is it and why?
  • What does it mean that God is our refuge? What does it mean that God is our strength? How are these terms similar? How are they different?
  •  In what ways does Psalm 46 speak to the situation of our world today? Is God saying anything to you personally through this psalm?
  • Why is the term ‘break of day’ significant?
  • What might the river of the city of God refer to, both literally and poetically? What light does Revelation 22 shed on the river of God’s city?
  •  Discuss / reflect on verse 10 of Psalm 46. What does this verse mean to you? What does it mean in the context of the psalm? (E.g. what does “Be still” mean? How is God exalted in all the earth?)
  • Take some time to reflect on the ways God is present for you? Give thanks to him for this.
Tawa Baptist

May the mind of Christ

Scriptures: Romans 12:2, Luke 10:25-37, Philippians 2:2-5, Ephesians 3:19, Colossians 3:15-16, Hebrews 12:1-3 and 1 Peter 2:12.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/JwJZhHPMdsY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Monday & Tuesday – verses 1-2
  • Wednesday & Thursday – verses 3-4
  • Friday & Saturday – verses 5-6
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Last year we preached an anthems series, looking at some much loved worship songs of the Christian faith. Today we put our hair series on pause to focus on the hymn, May the mind of Christ my Saviour.

This song was written by Kate Wilkinson sometime prior to 1912. Kate was born in England in August 1859 and died in December 1928. So Kate was probably in her late 40’s or early 50’s when she wrote May the mind of Christ my Saviour. Her song is just over 100 years old.  

Kate Wilkinson was a keen Christian and worked with young women in West London. I suppose she was sort of like a 24-7 youth worker. Kate was actively involved with the Keswick Convention, also known as the Deeper Life movement. Apparently Kate was quite intentional about personal discipleship and public faith. 

The Baptist Hymnal shows five verses of the song May the mind of Christ my Saviour but there were originally six verses, one for each day of the week (Monday to Saturday).

The original idea was to cultivate one’s faith throughout the whole week by making one verse a focus of meditation each day. We could think of each of the six verses of the song as six days of re-creation.

Monday & Tuesday – Verses 1-2:

Verses one & two, which would be contemplated on a Monday and Tuesday respectively, read…

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling all I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph only through His power.

One of the song’s themes, evident in these verses, is the importance of one’s inner life. By ‘inner life’ we mean what goes on in our heart, mind and imagination. Making sure we get our thinking patterns, our attitudes and feelings in line with Christ. If we get our inner life on track, then this will naturally result in actions which are life-giving both for ourselves and others.

Kate Wilkinson believed in transformation from the inside out. Like the apostle Paul says in Romans 12: Be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Or said another way, discipleship (learning to be like Christ) involves consciously thinking: what would Jesus do in this situation?  

Picture your mind as a garden. The thoughts you cultivate produce fruit in the form of words, feelings and actions. If we cultivate bad thoughts, if we focus on things that are not edifying, or if we give in too easily to thinking the worst all the time, then this will shape what we say and how we conduct ourselves.

For example, if we imagine that nobody likes us and that someone out there in the world wants to do us harm, then we will probably feel quite fearful a lot of the time. If we have to leave the house, then we might avoid eye contact with people and not talk to them. We will miss the friendly wave and the kind smile of the people around us. Life will start to feel pretty grim.

Of course, we don’t know what we don’t know. We may be stuck in a negative and false pattern of thinking because that’s all we know. Jesus gives us a better model for being human. As we think about Jesus, as we populate our mind and imagination with the stories and teachings of Jesus, we cultivate words and deeds which are Christ-like.     

So, if we catch ourselves beginning to imagine that someone wants to do us harm, then we stop that negative thought by taking time to reflect on what Jesus has to say about this. We might consider the parable of the good Samaritan and actually imagine ourselves in the story.

Through Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan we are able to face our fear in a safe way. Someone does get beaten up in the story. Sometimes bad things happen to people. So we need to be careful. Don’t walk down a dark alley. Don’t swim with sharks. Don’t put yourself in harm’s way. But even when we are being careful, bad things can still happen. Fortunately, that’s not where the story ends.

Two out three people walk past the wounded man on the side of the road but one stops to help. Think about that for a moment. One person is all that is needed to redeem a bad situation. One person can undo harm and bring healing. One person can inspire others to hope and good deeds. One person can make a world of difference, even when the world seems indifferent. You might be that one person.  

The masterful thing about the way Jesus’ story works in our imagination is that the one who stopped to help was the one we would least expect to stop and help. The hero of the story is a Samaritan. Someone different to us. Someone we would normally avoid. Someone we would ordinarily think of as dangerous. 

In this way the parable undermines our worst fear and challenges our prejudice. Because it is the one who we thought was the most dangerous who shows the most kindness.

The parable also invites us to be the good Samaritan, to not think of ourselves as the victim but rather to imagine ourselves as the hero, the one who redeems.

Thinking of the original context, Jesus told this parable in response to a question about loving your neighbour. When our mind-set changes from being afraid of our neighbour to loving our neighbour, a whole new world of possibility opens up. So rather than avoiding eye contact and not talking to people, we walk around with our eyes open looking for some small way to help.   

The point is, when we let the word of God take root in our hearts and minds, the Spirit of Jesus grows something good in the soil of our imagination to produce words and actions that are life giving to ourselves and others.

The opening line of the song, May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day, finds its inspiration from Philippians 2, where Paul writes…

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Those of us from a European background may be more inclined to interpret this phrase individually or personally, as Kate Wilkinson appears to. And while it can be embraced by individuals, as I’ve just illustrated, Paul’s original meaning was more social and relational.

Paul’s concern is not merely with the inner [mind set and] attitudes of individual believers, but with the concrete expressions of their attitudes in their day-to-day encounters with each other. [1] 

In other words, the collective values and culture of our faith community should be characterised by Christ’s way of thinking. When a group of individuals are of one mind, all contemplating the example of Jesus together, the benefit is multiplied. 

In Philippians 2 Paul writes: make my joy complete: be of one mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.

Paul’s words here describe a Christ-like way of being in community with other believers. This is what it looks like to have the mind of Christ live in us (plural).

The line in verse 1 of Kate Wilkinson’s hymn where it says, by his love and power controlling all I do or say, also connects with Galatians 2 where Paul writes: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.

The idea is that Christian believers are the body of Christ. Jesus is the head or the brain of the church and we are his arms and legs, his hands and feet. Just as the brain controls the body’s movement and action, so too we (the church) want Christ to control our movements and actions.

It’s not that Jesus overpowers our free will. We are not robots. Rather we find our meaning and purpose as instruments of Christ. Just as a pen finds its purpose in the hands of a gifted writer or a bat fulfils its purpose in the hands of a talented cricketer, so too we fulfil our purpose when guided by Jesus. It is when we cooperate with God’s Spirit that we bring glory to Him.

Verse 2 of the song, which talks about the word of God dwelling richly in my heart from hour to hour, comes from Colossians 3:16 where Paul writes…

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God.

Having the mind of Christ live in us and letting the word of God dwell in our hearts are really two ways of saying the same thing. We cannot live a Godly life in our own strength.

Wednesday & Thursday – verses 3 & 4:

Moving on to verse 3 of the song, which we might contemplate on a Wednesday, Kate writes…  

May the peace of God my Father rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.

This verse finds its inspiration from Colossians 3:15 where Paul says…

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body…

Or as the Amplified Bible puts it: Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers].

Knowing that God is our Father gives us peace in our inner being. When we have to make decisions then we let the peace of Christ guide us. Kate Wilkinson has interpreted Colossians 3:15 from a personal perspective. So, if we have a bad feeling or a caution in our spirit about doing such and such a thing, then we must listen to our conscience and not do it.

However, in the original context of Colossians 3, Paul is talking more about having a collective sense of peace within the faith community. So we get peace, not by making decisions in isolation, but by talking about things with other believers and making decisions that take care of our relationships.

For example, the decision to undertake seismic strengthening works on our church buildings was not made by any one individual. Rather, the Deacons and pastors talked about it together, we did the due diligence and then brought the decision to the wider congregation. We proceeded with strengthening works because we all had a peace that this was the right thing to do for the well-being of all.

In many ways peace, both personally and collectively, is the foundation for making good decisions and helping others. If we are clear about why we are doing something and we feel good about it, then the lake of our soul can be still and calm to comfort those who are sick and sorrowing.

Verse 4 of the hymn, which Kate Wilkinson would have us think about on a Thursday, reads…

May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing, this is victory.

The love of Jesus is as abundant as the sea. We can’t exhaust the love of Christ.

To be filled with the love of Jesus is to be filled with God Himself. In Ephesians 3 Paul talks about knowing the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The knowledge of Christ’s love is an experiential knowledge, not just an abstract academic knowledge. The best (and possibly only) way to learn to love others is by receiving love ourselves. We can’t give what we don’t have.   

To exalt Christ means to recognise that Jesus is Lord and to give him number one place in our lives. But those two words, self abasing, are problematic. Self abasing means belittling or degrading yourself. To abase oneself is to behave in a way that makes one seem lower or less deserving of respect. To abase yourself is to pull the rug out from under your own feet. It is remove the foundation on which you stand.

Perhaps Kate Wilkinson was trying to find a way of picking up on what Paul says in Philippians 2 about thinking of others as better than yourself? If so, then I don’t agree with her interpretation of Paul’s thought here.            

To think of others as better than yourself does not mean comparing yourself to others and deciding that, in your estimation, they are better or more valuable than you. That can’t be right. Jesus said don’t judge others.

In the context of Philippians 2, to think of others as better than yourself, means caring for others in your community of faith and putting their needs ahead of your own.[2] Letting others go first, in other words. Putting the needs of others before your own is not the same as being self abasing.   

It could be that Kate Wilkinson had the words of Jesus in mind, about denying yourself and picking up your cross, when she penned the phrase self abasing? But that doesn’t really fit either. The self-denial Jesus had in mind was about putting aside what we want in order to obey God in faith. Denying yourself for the sake of God’s purpose does not imply belittling yourself. Obeying God is the most valuable and honourable thing you can do with your life.

Exalting Christ does not require us to belittle ourselves. Jesus’ exaltation does not depend on us. Self abasement is not victory.

Part of our purpose in this life is to become aware of our true self, that is, the person God created us to be. Your true self is not the same as the persona that you project in public. To be your true self you have to take off your masks.

Your true self is your soul, the essence of your being, where the image of God is found. We must never say or do anything to diminish our true self because that is like defacing the image of God.

Far from belittling yourself, God wants you to accept your true self and to share yourself with others. When we do that people catch a glimpse of the image of God reflected in the lake of our soul and the Lord is glorified.

Rather than singing Christ exalting, self abasing, I would prefer we sang something like, Christ exalting, self controlling or Christ exalting, self giving orbetter still, Christ exalting, soul affirming, because that is victory.   

Friday & Saturday – verses 5 & 6:

We now turn to verses 5 & 6, our meditations for Friday and Saturday.

Verse 5 reads… 

May I run the race before me, strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus as I onward go.

It seems that Kate Wilkinson was reflecting on Hebrews 12 when she wrote verse 5 of her song. In Hebrews 12:1-3 we read…

Therefore… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The Christian faith is a marathon, not a sprint. And the running of that marathon is across country with many obstacles. It’s not always a flat and even track.

The key to going the distance is keeping our eyes on Jesus. Some years ago during a Baptismal service I talked about sunflowers. Sunflowers are helio-tropic. That means the flower actually turns to face the sun and tracks the sunlight across the sky. So, when you see a field of sunflowers, they will normally all be facing the same way, towards the sun.

As followers of Jesus we are to be Christo-tropic. Just as sunflowers track the sun across the sky, so too we thrive as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, God’s Son, the author and perfecter of our faith.

In a practical sense we keep our eyes on Jesus by maintaining a regular devotional life and by staying in relationship with other Christian believers. Going a bit deeper than that though, we maintain our devotional life and our community life by staying in touch with our need for God. The poor in spirit are blessed because they know their need for God.  

The final verse of Kate Wilkinson’s song reads…

May His beauty rest upon me, as I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel, seeing only Him.

For some reason this verse is not published in the Baptist hymnal, which is a shame for it makes plain the purpose of the song.  

The channel, in the last line of the song there, refers to us. Anyone who passes on the love and truth of Jesus is his channel. Just as a tap acts as a channel for water, so too we (the followers of Jesus) are to act as a channel for God’s grace in Christ. That means it’s not about us. It’s about Him.   

In 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 12, the apostle writes: Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

We looked at this verse last year. The main point here, and with verse 6 of Kate’s hymn, is that we are to be a winsome witness. To be winsome is to be attractive or charming or appealing in a fresh and innocent way. Winsomeness describes the beauty of Christ which we want to rest upon us.

Winsomeness is not loud or self-conscious. Winsomeness is pure and authentic. Winsomeness can be easily overlooked because it is not self-promoting. It is beautiful to those who have the eyes to see it.

When Naomi left Moab to return to Bethlehem and Ruth said to her, ‘Wherever you go I will go there with you’, that was winsome.

When Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, in John 8, ‘Is there no one left to condemn you… Then neither do I condemn you’, that was winsome.

When the father, in Luke 15, welcomed his prodigal son home with genuine joy and warmth, that was winsome.

When the Samaritan, in Luke 10, tenderly dressed the wounds of the stranger left for dead on the side of the road, that was winsome.

When Jesus wept outside the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus, in John 11, that was winsome.

When Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the angel Gabriel, ‘I am the Lord’s servant; let it be with me according to your word’, that was winsome.

When Captain America, in the Marvel movie, Civil War, turned the other cheek as his old friend Bucky (the Winter Soldier) kept hitting him, that was winsome.

When Jesus said from the cross, ‘Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do’, that was winsome.  

I could go on but you get the point. We are to be a winsome witness to the world. Our deeds are to be attractive, appealing, fresh and innocent. Who knows, by God’s grace we might win some for Christ.  

Conclusion:

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for your son Jesus who shows us the way to be human.

May you fill us with the Spirit of Jesus, that our thought patterns and our imagination, our words and our actions would be shaped to fit the contours of your will. 

Give us the grace of discovering and accepting our true self, that we may better reflect your image to those around us. May we never diminish ourselves or others but rather bear witness to the risen and exalted Christ.

Clothe us with the winsomeness of Jesus. Make us a channel of your justice and peace, your love and truth, your commitment and compassion, that we would glorify you and be a blessing to your world.

We pray these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord and friend. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • How is your inner life at the moment? What path is your imagination taking you down? What might Jesus have to say about this?
  • Discuss / reflect on Philippians 2:2-5. What did Paul mean when he said, ‘consider others better than yourselves?’ How might this find expression in our relationships with others?
  • What does it mean to let the peace of Christ guide our decisions? Why is peace an important guide?
  • Why is the phrase self abasing problematic? What might be a better phrase to use here?
  • What can we do to keep our eyes on Jesus?
  • Can you think of any examples of winsomeness, either from the Bible or from your own experience?  
  • You might like to contemplate a verse of the song each day this week and write down any thoughts that nourish your soul.     

Hymn Lyrics

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour, live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling all I do and say.

May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph only through His power.

May the peace of God my Father rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.

May the love of Jesus fill me as the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing, this is victory.

May I run the race before me, strong and brave to face the foe,
Looking only unto Jesus as I onward go.

May His beauty rest upon me, as I seek the lost to win,
And may they forget the channel, seeing only Him.

[1] Refer Frank Thielman’s NIVAC on Philippians, page 115. 

[2] Refer Gordon Fee’s commentary on Philippians, page 88.

Tawa Baptist

Absalom

Scriptures: Second Samuel 15-18, Psalms 3 & 63

Video Link: https://youtu.be/rIG7o5p1DRg

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Absalom’s plot
  • David’s retreat
  • The Lord’s hand
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

On the wall here is a painting of Narcissus. In Greek mythology, Narcissus was distinguished for his beauty. A prophet told Narcissus’ mother that her son would live a long life provided he never recognised himself.

Sadly, Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in the waters of a spring and that was the beginning of the end for him. The flower that bears his name sprang up where he died.  

These days the term narcissism is used to describe someone who has an excessive amount of self-esteem or who admires themselves too much.

A couple of months ago we started a sermon series on hair and hairy people in the Bible. We heard about Esau, Samson and Samuel. Then we took a few weeks break to focus on other things. Today we return to our hair series by looking at Absalom, the third son of king David. Absalom was a narcissist. He fancied himself a little too much.

For those who are familiar with the Marvel universe, Samson is like the Hulk, Samuel is like a hairy Vision and Absalom is like Loki. In case you don’t know, Loki is a prince of Asgard and the brother of Thor. Loki is charming, good looking and intelligent but also a master manipulator and a deceiver. Wherever he goes destruction and grief follow. Absalom (like Loki) is vain and narcissistic; always looking for a way to promote himself.

Absalom’s plot:

This is how Second Samuel 14:25-26 describes Absalom…   

There was no one in Israel as famous for his good looks as Absalom; he had no defect from head to toe. His hair was very thick, and he had to cut it once a year, when it grew too long and heavy. It would weigh about five pounds according to the royal standard of weights.

I don’t know anyone who goes to the trouble of weighing their hair, but apparently Absalom did.

Please turn with me to Second Samuel chapter 15, page 315 toward the front of your pew Bibles. Although Absalom’s story starts in Second Samuel 13, we are picking up the narrative from chapter 15, where Absalom plots to steal the throne from his father David. From chapter 15, verse 1, we read…

After this, Absalom provided a chariot and horses for himself, and an escort of fifty men. 2 He would get up early and go and stand by the road at the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. And after the man had told him what tribe he was from, 3 Absalom would say, “Look, the law is on your side, but there is no representative of the king to hear your case.” 4 And he would add, “How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 When the man would approach Absalom to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6 Absalom did this with every Israelite who came to the king for judgment, and so he won their loyalty.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

This passage gives us a picture of Absalom’s character. Absalom fancies himself as king. Even though he is next in line to inherit the throne anyway, Absalom is not willing to wait for his father to die. Like the prodigal son, in Jesus’ parable, Absalom wants his inheritance now.

Not only does Absalom dishonour his father in the worst possible way, he fails to consider God in this situation. He can’t. His ego has left no room for God.

In ancient Israel it was the king’s job to dispense justice and settle disputes. Was king David doing this adequately? Some people did not think so. Absalom used this to his advantage, offering himself as an alternative candidate for king.

They say in politics, ‘perception is reality’. Absalom goes out of his way to cultivate a favourable perception of himself at the expense of his father.

Absalom implies that David is failing in his administration of justice. He sympathizes with the people without actually doing anything constructive to help them. It is all smoke and mirrors.

Absalom is completely beguiled by his own image. He works hard at stealing the people’s hearts for four years. Then, using the cloak of worship to hide his true motives, Absalom asks David’s permission to go to Hebron to make some sacrifices. Offering sacrifices is supposed to be about expressing love for God. But Absalom is in love with himself. God is not on his radar.

On his way to Hebron, Absalom sends messengers throughout the towns of Israel to proclaim he is king. Then Absalom sends for Ahithophel, one of the king’s advisors. Up to that point Ahithophel had served David. He was highly regarded for his wise advice. But Ahithophel switched allegiances and backed Absalom. 

David’s retreat:

When king David learned that public perception was against him and the loyalty of the people was with Absalom, David left the palace in Jerusalem with his family and his officials.

Verse 30 of Second Samuel 15 says that David went up the Mount of Olives weeping; he was barefoot and had his head covered as a sign of grief. This reminds us of Jesus on the Mount of Olives, weeping and praying in great anguish the night of his betrayal and arrest. But while David was leaving Jerusalem to save his life, Jesus came to Jerusalem to die.

It is a strange thing that when life is relatively easy for David, he tends to make poor choices and show a lack of moral fibre. It was when he was comfortably installed in his palace that David committed adultery with Bathsheba and plotted to have Uriah killed in battle.

But when life is tough and David is forced out of his comfort zone and into the wilderness, this seems to bring the best out of him. Some of David’s best poetry was written when he was on the run, first from king Saul and then later from and his son Absalom.

It is thought that David wrote Psalm 63 while in the wilderness because of Absalom. In verse 1 of Psalm 63 David says: “O God, you are my God, and I long for you. My whole being desires you; like a dry, worn-out, and waterless land, my soul is thirsty for you.” Unlike Absalom, who was proud and yearned for power and applause, David longs for the Lord his God.

Likewise, David was at his most gracious when people were treating him with gross injustice. Like a light that shines brightest when the night is darkest, so too David’s goodness is most evident when the odds are stacked against him.

As David leaves Jerusalem, grief stricken, he has a series of encounters with various individuals and each encounter reveals David’s generosity of spirit, his wisdom and his faith in God.

David’s first conversation is with a man named Ittai. Ittai is a foreigner, a Gentile refugee who has only just found his place in the land of Israel. Unlike Absalom, who is completely absorbed with himself, David thinks of others. In particular, David considers for Ittai’s well-being. David does not want Ittai to become a refugee all over again, so he gives Ittai the option of leaving to save his own skin.

But Ittai binds himself to David with an oath saying, Your majesty, I swear to you in the Lord’s name that I will always go with you wherever you go, even if it means death. We are reminded of Ruth (the Moabite) who pledged her loyalty (her hesed) to Naomi.

It is somewhat ironic that foreigners, in the Bible, often have more faith in the God of Israel and his chosen king than the Lord’s own people do. We are mindful of the Roman centurion of whom Jesus said, I have not seen faith like this in all of Israel.  

The next encounter David has is with the priests, Zadok & Abiathar. They are loyal to David and have brought the Covenant box with them in support of David. The Covenant box was a symbol of God’s presence.

But David says to them, Take the Covenant box back to the city. If the Lord is pleased with me, some day he will let me come back to see it and the place where it stays. But if he isn’t pleased with me – well then, let him do to me what he wishes.

Again we see the contrast between David and Absalom here. Absalom is quite prepared to use the cloak of religion to mask his true intent and make himself look good in the eyes of others. But David will not misuse God in that way. David is well aware that he is not perfect and makes no pretence of it.

David knows that God withdrew divine support for king Saul after Saul disobeyed. David is perhaps conscious of his failing with Bathsheba and does not presume upon God’s grace. David has the faith to let God be God.

David also has the faith to believe that God is not a prisoner of the Covenant box. God is more than able to be present with David in the wilderness, with or without a religious artefact.

This is not to imply that David’s trust equates to mindless resignation. David is not being fatalistic. He’s not throwing the dice and letting luck decide. David sends the priests back to Jerusalem asking them to be his informers. So there is strategy in sending Zadok & Abiathar back with the Covenant box.

There is a saying which is attributed to Oliver Cromwell: Trust in God and keep your powder dry. The powder here is gunpowder. Trusting in God does not mean folding your hands and doing nothing. Trusting God goes hand in hand with being prepared. David trusts in God and he keeps his powder dry. David is prepared.

In Matthew 10:16, Jesus said his disciples: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.”

We see David’s wisdom and innocence in the request he makes of Hushai. Hushai is a royal advisor, similar to Ahithophel, except Hushai is loyal to David. The king tells Hushai to go to Absalom and pretend he has defected.

Once Hushai has gained Absalom’s confidence, he is to muddy the waters and mislead Absalom with advice that will give David an advantage. Hushai returns to Jerusalem just as Absalom is arriving to make himself king. Hushai proves to be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove.  

Not everyone was so friendly though. After David has travelled a bit further toward the Jordan river, he meets one of Saul’s relatives, a man named Shimei. When Shimei sees David he curses the king and starts throwing stones at him.

Shimei criticizes David saying: You took Saul’s kingdom and now the Lord is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul’s family. The Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom and you are ruined, you murderer.

In actual fact David did not murder Saul’s family and he did not take Saul’s kingdom. The kingdom belongs to God and the Lord chose David to replace Saul as king. And, even though David had more than one opportunity to kill Saul, David refused to lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed.

Although Shimei is misinformed of the details, his words do strike a chord of truth. David did effectively arrange for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, to be murdered. David is not guilty of crimes against Saul’s family but he does have blood on his hands and he knows it.

Some of David’s men wanted to cut Shimei’s head off but David would not let them.

David said to his men: “My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The Lord told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it. Perhaps the Lord will notice my miseryand give me some blessings to take the place of his curse.”         

Once again we see David’s wisdom and faith revealed under extreme pressure.

David is theological in his response and this helps him keep his perspective. My own son is trying to kill me, he says. That’s the more important issue to deal with at the moment. Shimei is the least of my worries.

David remembers the sovereignty of God. David believes that ultimately God is in control, not Shimei. Perhaps Shimei is doing God’s work. If that is the case, then David cannot argue with God. David knows he is a murderer and on some level recognises that he deserves the criticism, even if Shimei has the details wrong.

David believes that God is both just and merciful. To the extent that Shimei is too heavy handed in his abuse of David, the Lord can make that right by blessing David. David shows incredible trust in the goodness of God here.

David’s response to Shimei is wise. If he were to kill Shimei it would only prove Shimei’s point. By showing mercy to Shimei, David provides evidence that Shimei has no case.      

In his poem, The Divided World, Owen Marshal writes this wonderfully witty line: The world is divided between those who would try themselves and those who seek a less corrupt judge.

The point is, we should not judge ourselves because we have an inherent conflict of interest. We cannot be relied upon to give a fair verdict.

Absalom judged himself to be a better king than his father. David refused to judge himself. David left the matter in God’s hands, for God knows better and is completely fair in his judgements. As it turned out, God vindicated David and afterwards Shimei apologised to David.

You know, sometimes people make criticisms of us and it hurts, especially if what they are saying is not all that accurate. No one enjoys being misunderstood or misrepresented. In that situation we need to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves.

The temptation is to react in the heat of the moment. We do well to take some time to consider our response. Maybe God is trying to say something to us through that person. What is the kernel of truth in what they are saying and what is the husk that we can discard?

Perhaps, like David, the wisest thing is to say nothing. Don’t major on the minors and leave the matter in God’s hands. Or it may be better, both for your own soul and for the other person, to speak your truth and put their ignorance to the sword of reason and fact.  

So far we have heard about Absalom’s narcissistic plot and David’s wise retreat. Also woven through this narrative is the Lord’s providential hand.

God is at work to achieve his purpose quietly and unobtrusively through human beings. The war with Absalom is won as much behind the scenes as it is on the battlefield. 

The Lord’s hand:

When Absalom entered Jerusalem to take David’s throne, Hushai (David’s double agent) greeted Absalom with the words, ‘Long live the king’. This is a wonderfully ambiguous greeting. Who is Hushai referring to as king, David or Absalom?

We, the reader know that Hushai is backing David as king, but Absalom is vain enough to assume that Hushai is referring to him as king. Hushai is as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove. 

When Absalom questions Hushai’s loyalty, Hushai responds with another ambiguous remark, I am on the side of the one chosen by the Lord…

Absalom’s ego does not allow him to imagine that God would choose anyone else to be king but Absalom himself. Absalom thinks he is God’s gift.

Not long after Absalom has made himself at home in David’s palace, Ahithophel (the wise advisor who turned against David) proposed a way ahead for Absalom. From verse 1 of chapter 17 we hear Ahithophel’s plan…

“Let me choose twelve thousand men, and tonight I will set out after David. 2 I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened, and all his men will run away. I will kill only the king 3 and then bring back all his men to you, like a bride returning to her husband. You want to kill only one man;the rest of the people will be safe.”

From a strategic point of view this was actually really good advice. It is full of common sense and would probably have worked, except for the Lord’s providential hand. God had not chosen Absalom to be king. God was still with David. The Lord used Hushai (David’s plant) to throw a spanner in the works.

It appears that God robbed Absalom of common sense in this moment so that Absalom asked Hushai for a second opinion. Hushai (who was really there to help David) answered…

“The advice Ahithophel gave you this time is no good. 8 You know that your father David and his men are hard fighters and that they are as fierce as a mother bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier and does not stay with his men at night. 9 Right now he is probably hiding in a cave or some other place. As soon as David attacks your men, whoever hears about it will say that your men have been defeated. 10 Then even the bravest men, as fearless as lions, will be afraid because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a great soldier and that his men are hard fighters. 11 My advice is that you bring all the Israelites together from one end of the country to the other, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore, and that you lead them personally in battle. 12 We will find David wherever he is, and attack him before he knows what’s happening. Neither he nor any of his men will survive. 13 If he retreats into a city, our people will all bring ropes and just pull the cityinto the valley below. Not a single stone will be left there on top of the hill.”   

Hushai’s plan is not as good as Ahithophel’s clever strategy. Hushai’s plan buys David time to get organised and it puts Absalom in danger. But the grandness and glory of Hushai’s plan appeals to Absalom’s ego, so that Absalom overlooks the practical realities involved. God makes sure Absalom swallows the bait; hook, line and sinker.

Once Absalom decides to go with Hushai’s plan of attack, the priests who are loyal to David get word to their king in the wilderness, who then organises his troops in anticipation of Absalom’s onslaught.

From verse 6 of chapter 18 we read what happened…

David’s army went out into the countryside and fought the Israelites in Ephraim Forest. 7 The Israelites were defeated by David’s men; it was a terrible defeat, with twenty thousand men killed that day. 8 The fighting spread over the countryside, and more men died in the forest than were killed in battle.

David’s men were outnumbered and yet they still won. Those of you who are fans of The Lord of the Rings may remember how the trees of the forest fought with the Hobbits against the Orcs. Verse 8 tells us more men died in the forest than were killed in battle. Even the forest was on David’s side. This is another sign of the Lord’s providential hand.

This civil war was such a tragedy. It didn’t need to happen and probably wouldn’t have happened except for Absalom’s narcissism. Nevertheless, God is sovereign. Yes, he gives human beings a certain amount of freedom but that freedom always has it limits. God won’t let things get too out of control. The hand of the Lord made sure Absalom didn’t get away with the havoc he had caused.     

From verse 9 of Second Samuel 18 we read…

Suddenly Absalom met some of David’s men. Absalom was riding a mule, and as it went under a large oak tree, Absalom’s head got caught in the branches. The mule ran on and Absalom was left hanging in mid-air.

How ironic is that? Absalom’s long beautiful hair got him tangled in the branches of a tree, so that he was held in limbo, between heaven and earth. It must have been painful and terrifying for him to be held there powerless like that.

Walter Brueggemann puts it like this: Absalom is suspended between life and death, between the sentence of a rebel and the value of a son, between the severity of the king and the yearning of a father. [1]

David did not want his son harmed. As a parent you are never so vulnerable as with your kids. But when Joab (one of David’s generals) heard about it, he killed Absalom and buried him in the forest. If we want to find some redemption in this story, we have to look to the gospel of Jesus.

Conclusion:

I don’t imagine anyone here is quite as bad as Absalom was but that is only by the grace of God and a lack of opportunity. Everyone has at least a bit of Absalom in them. You might not think you do but neither did Absalom.

The truth is, each of us has rebelled against God’s chosen King, against Jesus. Each of us have taken matters into our own hands and tried to usurp God’s authority in our lives. Each of us, in this world, is suspended between eternal life and death. Each of us deserves the sentence of a traitor and yet we are valued as God’s sons and daughters.   

The gospel tells us that Jesus, God’s chosen King, died on a cross in our place, suspended between heaven and earth. And nailed to that cross was Absalom’s narcissism and ours. The good news is that through faith in Jesus’ death & resurrection we are set free from the tyranny of pride and the futility of vanity. We are set free to glorify God and enjoy him forever. 

May God satisfy the longing of your soul with his presence.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Why do you think Absalom wanted to usurp David as king of Israel? Have you ever wanted to be king?
  • How do you imagine David felt when he learned of Absalom’s plot?  Have you ever felt this way? How did you handle yourself in that situation? 
  • In what ways does David’s experience and conduct, in Second Samuel 15 & 16, remind us of Jesus?
  • What can we learn from David’s response to Shimei’s abuse? When is it right to remain silent in the face of insult (as David did) and when is it better to speak our truth?
  • What did it mean for David and his loyalists to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves? What does it mean for us today (as people loyal to Jesus) to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves?
  • In what ways do we see the Lord’s providential hand at work to ensure David remains king? In what ways are you aware of God’s hand for good in your life?
  • Take some time this week to read either Psalm 3 or Psalm 63 and reflect on these songs in light of David’s experience in the wilderness as he fled from Absalom.  What (or who) do you long for? Consider the ways God is present with and for you and give thanks to him. 

[1] Refer Walter Brueggemann’s Interpretation Commentary on First and Second Samuel, page 313. 

Tawa Baptist

Gospel Renewal

Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 12:12-13, 2nd Samuel 21, Revelation 21:1-5,

Mark 2:1-12, John 15:5, John 4:22-24, Acts 2:43-47, Matthew 5:14-16.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/WS4tjOIcTks

Structure

  • Introduction
  • Collective of faith communities
  • Bringing gospel renewal
  • In local neighbourhoods
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Did you know there are typically around 210 bones in the human body, give or take? Although babies have a few more. Most of those 200 plus bones are small, in the hands and feet. The femur (in the top part of your leg) is the largest bone in your body and the stapes (in your middle ear) is the smallest bone.

All the bones serve an important purpose. The stapes may wish it were bigger (like the femur) but if it were, we wouldn’t be able to hear properly. In 1st Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul tells us…

12 Christ is like a single body, which has many parts; it is still one body, even though it is made up of different parts. 13 In the same way, all of us, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free, have been baptized into the one body by the same Spirit, and we have all been given the one Spirit to drink.   

This morning our message focuses on the bones (or structure) of the body of Baptist churches in New Zealand.

Charles Hewlett, the national leader of the Baptist Union, describes our movement like this…

The Baptist Union is a collective of faith communities, bringing gospel renewal to people and places, in their local neighbourhoods. 

There are three main parts to that statement. So what do we mean by the first part, a collective of faith communities?

A collective of faith communities:

Well, there are currently 240 Baptist churches throughout New Zealand, and another 10 overseas. Each of these churches is different. We are genuinely diverse. The Baptist Union is not a franchise. It’s not like going to McDonalds or KFC where you know you will get the same recipe wherever you are in the country.

Some Baptist churches are more charismatic than others. Some have a focus on personal evangelism and some lean more towards social justice, while others combine both. Some churches are predominantly European while others are more ethnically diverse.   

Although Baptist churches are diverse, they are not completely independent or autonomous. Baptists believe in the principle of association and that’s where the idea of being a network or collective of churches comes in.

In addition to the Holy Spirit, there are a number of things that keep these 250 Baptist churches connected. We could call these things ‘Baptist Union glue’.

  • Baptist beliefs – DNA
  • Assembly Council / Hui – governance
  • National Resource Centre – admin support
  • Regional Associations – local support
  • NZBMS – overseas mission arm
  • Carey Baptist College – training seminary
  • Christian Savings – Baptist bank

Firstly, to be part of the Baptist Union, a local church must agree to the four main Baptist beliefs. I spoke about these a couple of months ago: freedom of conscience, congregational government, the authority of Scripture and believers’ baptism. These are the DNA of the Baptist movement.    

The Baptist Union also has a governing board called Assembly Council. Assembly Council have a policy development role and they ensure the National Resource Centre are implementing effective management procedures. 

The Assembly Council are elected at what is now called the Hui. Hui is a Maori word which means meeting or gathering. Baptist Hui is basically the AGM for the Baptist Union. Delegates from Baptist churches attend hui to network and vote and to hear a broader perspective on various issues.

In addition to the National Hui, there are also Regional Hui that happen from time to time.

One of the things that keeps coming up consistently at various Hui is the Baptist Union’s desire to relate well with Maori and to honour our commitments under the Treaty of Waitangi. There is a genuine effort to incorporate Tikanga Maori when we gather. In practical terms this means having Powhiri and Poroporoaki and other protocols.

Some people may wonder why the Treaty of Waitangi is important. Why should a document signed in 1840 still hold sway over us today? Something shared at the Regional Hui in June was helpful.

In 2nd Samuel 21 we read there was a famine in the land of Israel, for three years in a row. King David sought the Lord about this and the Lord said it was because Saul broke the Treaty with the Gibeonites. Now David did not make this Treaty with the Gibeonites, Joshua did. Nor did David break the Treaty, Saul did. And yet God still required David to keep the Treaty.

Can you see the parallel? None of us here signed the Treaty of Waitangi and most of us probably don’t feel like we (personally) broke it, but God still requires us to honour the Treaty with Maori. We seek to honour the Treaty because God is a faithful covenant keeping God and it is the right thing to do.        

The National Resource Centre, based in Auckland, is also part of the glue that holds the Baptist Union together. The National Resource Centre provides administrative support for Baptist churches around the country.

Eight Regional Associations also operate around the country, providing more grass roots support to local churches and pastors.

The New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society (NZBMS) is our overseas mission arm. We take up the annual Self Denial appeal to support our Baptist missionaries.

Carey Baptist College is our training seminary for pastors and missionaries.

And Christian Savings is like a Baptist bank. They lend money to churches for building projects.

So that gives you a bit of an overview of the bones (or structure) of the Baptist Union. That is how the collective of 250 New Zealand Baptist churches are connected.

Bringing gospel renewal:

What about the second part of that sentence describing the Baptist Union? What does it mean to bring gospel renewal to people and places? Well, this phrase is really talking about how we see our mission or our purpose in this world.

The Greek word translated as gospel literally means ‘good news’. If you see a sign saying that New World has a discount on chocolate, that is good news. That is a gospel message in the broader sense.

Of course, the gospel message in view here is not to do with chocolate but with Jesus. The Christian gospel is the good news that Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the King and he has come to save the world.

Interestingly, the Maori word for gospel is Rongo pai. Rongo means to hear or to listen and pai means good (as in ka pai). There’s a lovely poetry to it.

In the book of Revelation, chapter 21, the apostle John describes the gospel vision he received. This is the ultimate reality Jesus brings about…

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” 

In John’s vision heaven comes to earth. God himself comes to live with us.

The good news is that Jesus, the King, has come to make all things new.

During his earthly ministry Jesus indicated the newness he came to bring in many ways. Through healing people who were sick, through setting people free from evil spirits, by granting a pardon for sins, by challenging systems and institutions that had become corrupt and by giving people a new perspective on God and his Law.

In Mark chapter 2 we come across one such story of gospel renewal. Jesus was in Capernaum. So many people came to see him there wasn’t enough room in the house. Four men arrived carrying their friend on a mat. They couldn’t get through the door so they dug a hole in the roof and lowered their friend down to Jesus.

Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the man who was paralysed, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’ This was unexpected. Everyone would have been expecting Jesus to heal the man, but instead Jesus forgives the man for his sins.

Jesus’ priorities are often different from ours. Jesus’ action in declaring the man forgiven shows the importance of the unseen spiritual aspect of our lives. It is our relationship with God that needs renewal first. We need the renewal that comes from being set free from our guilt and shame.  

The teachers of the Law of Moses thought this was blasphemy. In their minds only God could forgive sins. They did not realise that Jesus is King and as King Jesus has authority to issue a royal pardon.

Jesus knew what they were thinking and, to help people understand, the Lord brought physical renewal to the man by healing him of his paralysis. The people praised God.

All this happened because of the faith and awareness of the man’s four friends. They knew where Jesus was at work in their neighbourhood and they knew the needs of their friend. They helped to bring gospel renewal to the man by bringing him to Jesus. In a sense, they made Jesus accessible.

We too have a part to play in gospel renewal. It’s not that we bring the newness ourselves. No. Jesus brings the newness. Our job is to stay close to Jesus.

As Jesus said, in John 15: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

As we do this, as we keep faith and remain in Christ, we make Jesus accessible for those who are stuck.

There are many other stories of renewal in the gospels. More than anything else though, we see the newness Jesus came to bring through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. The good news is that Jesus, our King, has conquered sin and death.  

It should be noted that while God does bring renewal through the local church, the Lord is not limited to working through the church. At a recent Regional Hui, we heard about a growth in ‘insider movements’. This is when people become followers of Jesus from inside another faith.      

For example, there are Muslims who have never met a Christian missionary who are having dreams in which Jesus appears to them. Through this profound encounter they then become followers of Jesus from within Islam.

We see an example of an insider movement in John 4, where Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well.

The relationship between Samaritans and Jews 2000 years ago was similar, in some ways, to the relationship between Muslims and Christians today. Even though Jews and Samaritans worshipped the same God, they had some differences in belief concerning where and how God should be worshipped. As a consequence, there was more than a little tension between them.

The Samaritans thought the temple should be at Mt Gerizim and the Jews thought Jerusalem was the proper site for the temple.

Jesus said, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem… 23 But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God’s Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. 24 God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

After her encounter with Jesus at the well, the Samaritan woman became an enthusiastic follower of Jesus. But in becoming a believer in Jesus she did not stop being a Samaritan. Jesus did not require her to convert to Judaism and travel to Jerusalem to worship God. She could still be a follower of Jesus and a Samaritan. (Although she probably was encouraged to tidy up her lifestyle.)

The point is, through Jesus we can worship God from anywhere. Not only that but no one is out of God’s reach. Gospel renewal is not limited to our church programmes.    

In their local neighbourhoods:

The Baptist Union is a collective of faith communities bringing gospel renewal to people and places in their local neighbourhood.

I’ve talked about being a collective of faith communities and bringing gospel renewal. What about the local neighbourhood part of that sentence?

In his book, Rural Poverty Unperceived, Robert Chambers points out that if there was a child, dressed in rags and starving, on the floor of your living room, you would take immediate action. You would feed the child, find some warm, clean clothes for the child and give them a hug. You would show practical kindness.

At the same time, we know the world is full of children who are starving and neglected, and yet we are not so quickly moved to help them. Yes, we might sponsor a child through World Vision or Tear Fund, and that is a good thing to do, but we are not affected as deeply or in the same way. The automatic payment goes out of our bank account and we hardly give it a second thought.

Why is that? Well, Robert Chambers reckons it has to do with proximity. There is a certain gravity in being close to someone in need. Proximity demands our action. Proximity does not allow us to be ambivalent or detached.      

The local neighbourhood speaks of proximity. Seeing a need in our local neighbourhood does not allow us to be ambivalent. It demands our action.

When the body of Christ’s followers are active and engaged in the local neighbourhood, Jesus is accessible.  

Gospel renewal can happen in a whole variety of ways in our neighbourhood. One way is through something called community neighbourhoods.

The name community neighbourhoods comes from South West Baptist. This is something they are doing in Christchurch. But you may have heard of the same concept by a different name. Around the world there is a movement among Christians which some call the new monasticism, others the missional church or the emerging church or radical community.

Whatever you want to call it, the idea with community neighbourhoods is that a group of Christians intentionally relocate to a particular street or neighbourhood for the purpose of relational discipleship and mission in that area. 

In practical terms, this could mean one house with a number of Christians in it who open their home to the poor for meals once a week. Or it could mean two houses, close by each other, who meet for regular rhythms of prayer and Bible study in their home. This small faith community would also work together to engage with people in their local neighbourhood.

Some of these groups might use the ‘3M’ or ‘Saturate’ discipleship material. Others might simply use the Anglican Prayer book or the lectionary. Each community neighbourhood agrees to its own ‘rule’. When we say ‘rule’ we mean an agreed pattern or lifestyle for living together in community, much like the monasteries of old.

Community neighbourhoods is really a new take on a very ancient idea. Acts 2 describes the way of life of the first Christian believers. From verse 43 we read,

43 Many miracles and wonders were being done through the apostles, and everyone was filled with awe. 44 All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. 45 They would sell their property and possessions, and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. 46 Day after day they met as a group in the Temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating with glad and humble hearts, 47 praising God, and enjoying the good will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

That passage describes a first century version of community neighbourhoods, in a pure form.

Whatever particular shape the community neighbourhood group may take, whatever ‘rule’ they may agree to, they have four main things in common… 

They are grounded in the neighbourhood. Which means people live in the neighbourhood they serve in. They don’t come in from a different suburb, do their thing and then leave again. They are grounded in that place. 

Community neighbourhood groups are committed to their faith community. I take this to mean they are committed to one another in love. So they are aiming for quality in their relationships with other believers in their faith community. By this will all people know you are my disciples, by your love for one another.

Community neighbourhood groups are focused on relational discipleship. A disciple is an apprentice or a student. And so discipleship is the process of being Jesus’ apprentice; learning how to be like Jesus in other words. The idea here is that one doesn’t learn to be like Jesus in isolation. We learn to be like Jesus in a relational way; by being part of a community of other Christ followers.

Jesus’ disciples learned how to be like Jesus by actually following him around, watching what he did and having a go at it themselves. In the Christian life understanding comes with immersion and with practice.

For example, we learn to pray not just by reading what Jesus taught about prayer, but also by listening to other Christians pray and by praying ourselves. Likewise, we learn patience by not having all our prayers answered quickly but by being made to wait sometimes. And we learn forgiveness by being part of an imperfect community of faith where we are forgiven for our mistakes & have to forgive others for theirs.

Fourthly, community neighbourhood groups are intentional about mission and they are willing to sacrifice for it. By mission we mean reaching out to your neighbours. This might start with something as simple as a conversation over the fence or knocking on their door to introduce yourself or inviting people for a meal.

In Matthew 5 Jesus says to his disciples…

14 “You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. 16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

The purpose with community neighbourhood groups is to make the church a better place. A safe place with better quality relationships, a place of reconciliation and creativity and so on. When that happens the world will look to the church as a shining example and want to become part of its authentic faith community. This is an attractional model, where church is like a light on a hill.

There are a number of faith communities operating like this in New Zealand and around the world. Some of you may have heard of Still Waters, which is connected with Wellington Central Baptist. You may also have heard of Urban Vision here in Wellington and on the Kapiti Coast. Or Iona in Scotland, Taize in France, Peace Tree in Perth and Jacob’s Well in Vancouver, to name a few.   

A number in this church are putting some of these ideas into practice already, although perhaps not to the same degree as proponents of the new monastic movement are advocating.

The amount of energy and level of commitment required to establish and sustain a community neighbourhood group is quite significant. So, if you are interested in exploring this further, perhaps it is wise to take little steps to start with.

If you want to learn more about community neighbourhoods and the new monastic movement then one place to start is by reading Jenny & Justin Duckworth’s book, Against the Tide, Towards the Kingdom.

Whatever your level of enthusiasm for this idea, each of us can borrow something helpful from the new monastic movement. When community neighbourhood groups function well, they serve as a prophetic sign of gospel renewal.

Conclusion:

In order to participate in gospel renewal, we need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Christ the King is God’s vision for humanity and for a world made new.   

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you ever broken a bone? What happened? How did you feel while recovering? Did you learn anything from the experience?
  • Why is the Treaty of Waitangi still important today?
  • Read Revelation 21:1-5a. What is this telling us about the future? Why is this good news?
  • How did Jesus bring renewal to the man who was paralysed in Mark 2? How did the man’s four friends partner with Jesus in bringing gospel renewal?
  • Reflect on / discuss the four main elements of community neighbourhood groups
  • Grounded in the neighbourhood
  • Committed to their faith community
  • Focused on relational discipleship
  • Intentional about mission (and willing to sacrifice for it)

What is your level of enthusiasm for this idea? What can you borrow and implement in your faith journey? What little (or big) steps can you take in this direction?  

  • Where is Jesus at work in your neighbourhood? Where do you see gospel renewal happening? How might God want you to engage with your local neighbourhood?
Tawa Baptist

Water

Scriptures: Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 2:38, John 7:37-39, Mark 1:8

Video Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTRtKBEhDz8

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Cleansing
  • New life
  • Holy Spirit
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Today is such a special day because two of our congregation are being baptized.

The word baptize literally means to submerge or to plunge under water. 

Baptism also refers to the Christian ritual of initiation. Baptism is not a badge that says “I’ve made it.” Rather, baptism is a beginning.

Baptism naturally involves water. Some traditions of Christian faith sprinkle or pour water over a person’s head and other traditions (like ours) immerse the person under water completely. The amount of water that is used is not the main thing. The main thing is the attitude of the person’s heart toward Jesus.

So why use water for baptizing people? Why not anoint a person with oil or wave incense around them or something else? What is the significance of water in baptism? Well, the water of baptism signifies three main things: cleansing, new life and the Holy Spirit.

Cleansing:

Water is patient. It has the ability to soften things. If you have a cooking pot or a casserole dish with stubborn baked on food and grime, then soaking that dish in water over night softens the hardened crust so that in the morning the mess washes off easily.

The water of baptism represents cleansing. When people pass through the waters of baptism we are reminded that, through faith in Jesus and repentance, we are cleansed from our sin.

In Acts 22, when the apostle Paul is giving his testimony of conversion, he recalls how Ananias told him to, ‘Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’  The name we call on in baptism is Jesus.

It’s not that the water people are baptized in has any sort of magical power. The power is in the name of Jesus and his blood shed on the cross. The water is a symbol of cleansing, cleansing from the inside out.

The human body is a sacred thing. God gave us our bodies to worship him. When we are baptized we are dedicating our bodies to God, for his purpose. Full immersion baptism is a symbol that our whole lives, all of our self, is dedicated to God.

Whatever you may have done with your body and whatever may have been done to your body by others, through faith in Jesus, it is washed away and you can have a clean conscience.    

The water of baptism signifies cleansing and therefore new life and a new start.

New life:

Water is one of the most ancient elements on earth and yet it is always renewing itself in a never ending cycle of transformation, which includes condensation (when clouds form), precipitation (when it rains) and evaporation (when water molecules rise up into the air again).

Over time this cycle of condensation, precipitation and evaporation has a purifying effect on water. Which means the water we drink from our taps is actually recycled and has probably been used by other people for drinking, washing and cooking down through the centuries. 

If you think about the history of the water in this baptistery, it could have been all round the world. Perhaps some of this water was present during the great flood of Noah’s time. Maybe some of it was parted when the people of Israel walked through the Red Sea.

It is even conceivable that a few molecules of this H2O flowed through the Jordan River when John baptized Jesus 2000 years ago (although there is no way of knowing of course).     

Water is essential to our survival. They say the human body is roughly around 60-70% water, give or take, and that we can only last about 3 or 4 days without water. Water then is life to us.

Baptism is a kind of acted out parable of the death and resurrection of Jesus. When we lay a person down in the waters of baptism we recall Jesus’ body laid in the tomb and when we raise that same person up out of the water again we remember Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.    

In Paul’s letter to the Romans 6:3-4, we read, ‘Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.’

In other words, when we are baptized we are saying good bye to our old way of life, in which we did whatever we wanted, and we are committing to a new way of life in following Jesus. 

Closely connected with this newness of life, baptism signals entry into the church universal. When someone is baptized they become part of the body of Christ and part of the family of God.

The water of baptism symbolizes cleansing, new life and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit:

It seems lately there are a lot more news reports of flooding and landslides and catastrophic weather events. We hardly need further reminders that water is powerful and can be quite dangerous, if you get on the wrong side of it.

Little wonder then that some of the main images used to describe the Holy Spirit (wind, fire and water) are all powerful forces.

The Holy Spirit is the power of God; only God’s Spirit is not a destructive or chaotic power. God’s Spirit is a creative power bringing order and making life functional.  

In preparing the way for Jesus, John the Baptist said (in Mark 1:8), I baptize you with water, but he [meaning Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

Then later, during his public ministry, Jesus said to the people: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. (John 7:37-39)

About seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter stood up and said to the crowd: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)

The waters of baptism are a reminder of the gift of God’s Holy Spirit.

Being a Christian is not easy. It can be a rough and confusing road to walk at times. But we don’t do it by ourselves or in our own strength. We follow Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit flowing within. The Holy Spirit is there to guide us into truth and give us strength and courage to obey Jesus in faith.

Conclusion:

Cleansing, new life and the gift of the Spirit. This is what the waters of baptism symbolize. 

There may be times in our lives when we hit a dead end or we may feel like we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, with nowhere to turn. Sometimes the way ahead seems impossible.

Let me say to you, water finds a way.

Whatever challenges you may face in the weeks, months and years ahead, remember that you are not alone. You are part of a world wide body of believers, the Christian church. And God gives us His Spirit. The water of God’s Spirit always finds a way, even when we think there is none.

May you be blessed and may the presence of Jesus be close and real for you always.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?

  • Have you been baptized? Describe / reflect on your experience (if you can remember).

Why do we need a ritual of initiation like baptism?

  • If you have been baptized, what does your baptism mean to you? If not, is there anything stopping you? 
  • What are some of the qualities and characteristics of water? (E.g. water is patient, powerful, ancient, etc.) What significance might these qualities imply for baptism?
  • Discuss / reflect on some of the stories from the Bible involving water. What light might these stories shed on the significance of water in baptism?
  • In what ways is the Holy Spirit like water? 
  • Can you think of a situation (either from the Bible or from your own experience) when the way ahead seemed impossible but God (by His Spirit) found a way through? What happened?