Tawa Baptist

Honesty

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:20; 19:15-19

Video Link: https://youtu.be/_3dB1FprMWo

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Honesty promotes justice in the court room
  • Honesty promotes trust in the neighbourhood
  • Honesty promotes humility in the heart  
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Let’s begin with a simple multi-choice question. When was the first time you can remember telling a lie? Were you: A. under the age of 10; B. over the age of 10; C. I have never told a lie; Or D. I can’t remember, it was too long ago.  

I expect most people would answer either A. under 10 or D. I can’t remember. If you answered C. (that you have never told a lie) then you are either Jesus or you are telling a porky. Lying is probably the easiest, most inclusive, all-age sin there is. Almost anyone can lie. And, eventually, everyone does.

Today we continue our series in Deuteronomy. We are up to that part (in chapter 5) where Moses reiterates the ten commandments of Yahweh. This morning our focus is the command, ‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour’, in verse 20.

The general aim with this commandment is to be honest and tell the truth. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom:

In the context of the ten commandments, you shall not give false testimony is primarily about not lying in a court of law. Or not perverting the course of justice in other words.   

For society to function in a peaceful way there needs to be justice. And justice depends on people being honest and telling the truth. In the ancient world they didn’t have forensic science like we do. They weren’t able to check for finger prints or DNA and so eye witnesses were essential for providing evidence.

In Deuteronomy 19, verse 15, we read…

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

The requirement for two or three witnesses (whose testimonies agree) provided a safe guard against miscarriages of justice. However, this safeguard was not full proof. It was still possible for two or three dishonest people to conspire against an innocent third party. And so Deuteronomy 19 goes on to say…

16 If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime, 17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. 18 The judges must make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite, 19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party. 

We see a number of examples of false witnesses in the Scriptures. One such example is found in the book of Esther.

There we read how Haman trumped up false charges against Mordecai. Haman was so confident of his plot he constructed gallows in anticipation of Mordecai being found guilty. As it transpired, Haman’s false testimony was uncovered and Haman himself was hung on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

Perhaps the most famous example of people bearing false witness though was at the trial of Jesus. In Matthew 26 we read…

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any [who could agree], though many false witnesses came forward.

Ironically, Jesus was put to death for giving truthful testimony about himself. When the high priest asked Jesus if he was the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus replied, “Yes, it is as you say.” No one in that court believed him, despite the evidence of his miracles, his fulfilment of Scripture and his followers.    

Okay, time for another multi-choice question. You don’t have to put your hand up for this one by the way. Simply consider what you might do. Here’s the scenario…

Your best friend was involved in a car crash but fled the scene before the police arrived so they could not test his blood for alcohol. You were seen with your friend at the pub the night of the crash but you were not in the car at the time. You are required to take the stand in court as a witness.

The prosecution asks if you saw your friend drinking the night of the crash. You answer ‘yes’. Then they ask you, how much was he drinking? You know that it was enough to put him over the limit but you don’t want to make things worse for your best mate. How do you answer?

Do you: A. tell the whole truth, it was four jugs of beer and two shots of tequila; B. fudge the truth to cover for him, it was only half a pint of beer; C. Lie by saying you can’t remember; Or D. remain silent and refuse to answer.

In this scenario you are not being tempted to get someone into trouble for something they haven’t done. You are being tempted to withhold the truth in order to protect a friend who is clearly in the wrong. Is it okay to do that?

Well, no. When Deuteronomy 5, verse 20, talks about giving ‘false’ testimony, the word false, means empty testimony. As Daniel Block explains, the concern is testimony that does not move the case forward, that hedges the truth or detracts from the pursuit of justice with misleading or trivial responses. [1]

In the context of a courtroom, the purpose with the command to not give false testimony is to ensure justice is done. Fudging the truth or leaving out crucial facts or pretending you can’t remember or saying nothing, are not allowed if those strategies derail the course of justice.

Okay, so we’ve talked about not giving false testimony in the context of formal legal proceedings. What about outside of a court of law. How does the command to not give false testimony apply in the neighbourhood? And by the neighbourhood we mean in the home, at school, in the work place, in your street, and so on.    

Honesty promotes trust in the neighbourhood:

In Leviticus 19 we read: Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.

And, jumping ahead to the New Testament, in Ephesians 4 we read: Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour… 

These verses are talking about being honest in our everyday relationships with the people in our neighbourhood. If the primary purpose of being honest in a court of law is to promote justice, then the primary purpose in being honest with our neighbours is to promote trust.

The air in the atmosphere we breathe is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases. As much as we need oxygen to survive, too much oxygen is harmful. In fact, breathing pure oxygen will kill you.

Honesty is like oxygen to the atmosphere of our relationships. We need honesty in our relationships. Honesty keeps trust alive. But too much honesty will kill the relationship. Honesty needs to be tempered with the nitrogen of discretion.

Discretion is not lying. Discretion is choosing when to speak and when to hold your tongue for the sake of the relationship; for the sake of trust.

For example, if you meet a friend at a café and as part of the conversation say, very loudly so everyone can hear, ‘how are your hemorrhoids?’ Or, ‘your breath smells really bad’. Or, ‘that dress makes you look fat’ Or, something else that might be honest but also embarrassing for them, then you will undermine trust and kill the friendship. There is such a thing as being too honest.

Being honest doesn’t give us a license to disclose other people’s business. In the context of the neighbourhood, honesty needs to be tempered with discretion, otherwise no one will trust you.

Imagine you are waiting by the coffee cart on the Main Road here in Tawa when one of the cool kids, someone quite successful and generally liked by everyone, starts talking with you while you are waiting for your morning fix. The conversation begins innocently enough but then takes a turn for the worse.

This popular person, who you admire, starts talking about another person’s failure behind their back. There may be some foundation to what they are saying but it is not entirely true and it certainly is not kind, much less anyone else’s business. How do you respond?

Do you: A. collude with them by agreeing; B. listen and say nothing; C. call them out (and correct them); or D. subtly change the topic of conversation.     

I guess most of us would like to think we had the courage to call them out and correct them, even though that might make us the target of their gossip with someone else. But I imagine most (if not all) of us have employed all four strategies at one point or another.

In 1st Corinthians 13, Paul describes the most excellent way, saying…

5 Love does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, 

Honesty can be a brutal thing, if it is not motivated by love. We may harm others with our words and then justify ourselves by saying, ‘I was just keeping it real’ or ‘I was only being honest’.  Yes, love rejoices with the truth. But that does not mean love is insensitive or that it takes pleasure in seeing people hurt.

The truth is too big for any of us to know. We don’t have the full picture and so we need to be honest with ourselves and admit the limits of our understanding. Our words need to be motivated by love and humility. We must be careful not to dishonour others with our words. We need to protect the reputation of others.

As a teacher, Robyn sometimes has kids coming to her telling tales. She poked her tongue out at me. Or he peed in the pool. There may be some truth to these tales but there isn’t much love.

Robyn has an acrostic she uses with the kids in her class. It spells the word THINK. (I’ve shared this with you before.) She tells her kids to THINK before they speak. Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? And is it Kind? If it is true, helpful, inspiring, necessary and kind then it is worth saying.  

The apostle Paul summed it up in Ephesians 4 when he said…

Say only the good things people need to hear, that will really help them.

When our words are honest and kind, we foster trust in our relationships. Trust is the foundation really. Without trust there is nothing to build on and the neighbourhood collapses.

These days our neighbourhood is not just a physical place. Many of us also inhabit a virtual online neighbourhood. We live in the information age. There is so much data at our finger tips, on the internet. Unfortunately, not all of it is true. The recent pandemic has revealed the power of misinformation to mislead people and undermine trust.  

Jesus teaches us to be discerning in what we accept as true and what we filter out as false. In Matthew 7, Jesus says…

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 

Jesus wants us to be discerning about what we accept as true because buying into a lie makes it harder to trust and easier to become cynical.

Okay, so we are talking about the importance of being honest. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

Honesty promotes humility in the heart:

Jesus had quite a bit to say about keeping our heart honest. Jesus was particularly tough on religious hypocrisy. A hypocrite is an actor, someone who gets by in life by pretending to be something they are not. Listen to some of the things Jesus said to the religious leaders’ faces, from the gospel of Luke…

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 

41 But… be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

46“And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

An ignorant person might hear those words and think, Jesus is taking a shot at all professional clergy. But he’s not. Anyone can be a Pharisee. You don’t even have to be a believer to be like the religious leaders Jesus is describing here. Those words fit for anyone who is dishonest with themselves.  

Imagine you are in church singing a worship song. You are finding the song difficult to sing. Not because the music is complicated but because the words are pricking your conscience. All to Jesus, I surrender, all to thee I freely give. I will ever love and trust you, in your presence daily live. I surrender all…

You know in your heart that you are failing to live up to those words. It’s not that you have a sensitive conscience. In fact, your conscience hardly ever bothers you, which (truth be told) is how you like it.

But the Spirit is present, this particular day, and you know Jesus is putting his finger on something in your life, something you would rather not face. Perhaps some dodgey dealings at work or school. Or maybe you are cheating on your boyfriend or being violent with your wife or neglecting your children. 

Whatever it is, do you: A. ignore your conscience and sing louder; B. lip sync without actually singing the words; C. stop coming to church altogether; or D. put things right and return to church the next Sunday to sing with a clear conscience.

Hopefully we would all do D. put things right and sing with a clear conscience. Having said that, I’m all too aware that sometimes we human beings are tempted to use religion as a cloak of invisibility, to hide what’s really going on in our personal lives.

Now, I’m not suggesting we stop singing worship songs in church every time we do something wrong. If we did that, no one would ever be able to sing.

The point is we need to be honest with ourselves and with God. Other people can’t see into our hearts but God can. There is no fooling him. We don’t have to be perfect to call ourselves a Christian but nor can we fake it.

When we mess up we need to confess our wrong doing to the Lord, do what we can to put it right and continue following Jesus in faith, trusting ourselves to God’s grace, without pride or pretence. 

One of the ways we keep our heart honest is through the spiritual discipline of self-examination and confession. Confession is when you tell God (aloud) what you have done wrong. When confession is done well, it releases us from guilt and enables to walk humbly with God.

Trouble is, we don’t always do confession well. We may spend too much time examining our heart and become too critical of ourselves, not allowing any room for grace. Or we might go to the other extreme and charge through life without any self-awareness, leaving a trail of hurt people in our wake.     

When I was a teenager, I remember attending a church service. The guest speaker was talking about the value of confessing our sins to each other. Not wanting to be hypocrites, and perhaps also wanting to unburden their conscience, a number of people got up and confessed their deepest darkest secrets to the whole congregation.

In hindsight, I don’t think that was a good idea. While there is a place for accountability, perhaps with a mentor or in small groups, it doesn’t really work in a bigger gathering. Some people over shared and others didn’t share anything. The whole exercise just made people feel awkward or misunderstood and consequently more disconnected, which defeats the purpose of church.

Confession works best when done in the same context in which we committed the wrong doing. For example, if you lie to a colleague, one on one, then you put that right by confessing the truth to that colleague, one on one. You don’t need to tell the whole church what you did.

However, if you stand up in a church meeting and say something false or hurtful, then you put that right by admitting your mistake in a church meeting. Confession works best when done in the same context in which we committed the wrong doing.    

Conclusion:

We’ve talked this morning about the importance of honesty. Honesty promotes justice in the courtroom, it promotes trust in the neighbourhood and being honest with ourselves promotes humility in the heart.

But are there any circumstances when it is okay to lie? Well, if the purpose in being honest is to promote justice, trust and humility, then we may be forced to lie if telling the truth would undermine justice, trust and humility.

One last multi-choice question to illustrate what I mean. Imagine you live under a ruthless dictatorship, one in which the authorities are hell bent of eradicating anyone with red hair. The ruler of the country has lost his mind. People with even a hint of ginger in their beard are being hunted down and sent into exile on Stewart Island to shuck oysters.

The law is completely ridiculous. Having red hair is not a moral issue. There is no justice in this decree. It undermines human dignity, destroys trust and promotes bigotry and prejudice.

Do you: A. set up a secret hair salon in your basement to dye people’s hair black; B. Dye your own hair red in solidarity; C. lie to the authorities to protect your red headed neighbours; or D. report people with red hair to the police.

I think, in an extreme situation like that, lying to the authorities is (paradoxically) a more honest option than reporting red heads to the police.

(My apologies to people with red hair and anyone living on Stewart Island. I mean no disrespect. I’m 98% sure this scenario would never happen.)

Let us pray…

Father God, we thank you for Jesus who shows us what it means to hold grace and truth together. Help us to be honest with you, honest with our neighbours and honest with ourselves. May justice be upheld in our courts of law. May trust be strengthened in our neighbourhoods and may we walk humbly with you. Through Jesus we pray. 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?

  • When was the first time you can remember telling a lie? What happened? How did you feel? Were you able to put it right?
  • Why is it important to be honest? What does honesty promote? 
  • Can you recall a time when someone lied to you? What happened? How did you feel? Was your ability to trust affected? If so, how? 
  • How might we handle a situation in which someone talks negatively to us about someone else behind their back? How do we maintain trust?
  • Is it ever okay to lie? If so, under what circumstances? What principles can we use to guide us?
  • How might we keep ourselves honest? What does healthy confession look like in practice? Make some time this week to examine your heart, confess your short fallings to God and make things right with others if necessary.

[1] Daniel Block, NIVAC Deuteronomy, pages 166-167.

Tawa Baptist

Gracious Spirit

Scriptures: John 1:17, John 8:1-11, Proverbs 4:23, Luke 9:51-56, John 16:5-16, 1st Peter 1:13-15

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Grace & truth
  • Tenderness & Might
  • Holiness & sanctification
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Some of you may have paddled kayaks or gone rafting on rivers. You will know how powerful a river is. A river is life giving, flexible and patient. Water always finds a way.  

In years gone by rivers were a means of transport, a highway of sorts. Boats would travel from place to place up and down rivers because the forest was too thick or the terrain was too rugged. When you travel on a river you need to respect the current; to cooperate with the flow of it. If you just drift and let the river take you, it won’t be long before you find yourself in trouble.

In some ways the Holy Spirit is a bit like a river. He is both powerful and life giving. Just as a river can carry us along to our destination, so too the Holy Spirit helps us in our journey of faith. However, we can’t afford to simply drift and let the river do all the work. We have to cooperate with the Spirit by reading the changing eddy lines and putting in some effort to guide our soul in the right direction.

Today we continue our ‘Anthems’ series. In this series we are looking at the lyrics of one hymn or Christian worship song each week to see how that song informs our thinking about God and how it connects with Scripture and the heritage of our faith.

This morning, because it is Pentecost Sunday, we are looking at the song Gracious Spirit, dwell with me. As the name suggests, Gracious Spirit is a song about the Holy Spirit. In particular, it is a prayer about cooperating with the ebb and flow of the Holy Spirit in the journey of becoming more like Christ.

Gracious Spirit, dwell with me was written by Thomas Lynch, a Nineteenth Century London church minister. Although Thomas’ congregations were relatively small his reach was larger. The quality of his preaching attracted theological students and thoughtful people who had an influence on others.

He died in 1871 at the age of 52. His last words were: “Now I am going to begin to live.”   

There are 5 verses to Thomas Lynch’s song, each of which focus on a different facet of the Holy Spirit’s character. Verse 1 focuses on grace, verse 2 on truth, verse 3 on tenderness, verse 4 on might and verse 5 on holiness. (Verse 3 is not included in the Baptist Hymnal, so you may not be familiar with that one.)

These five facets are not the only characteristics of the Spirit; they are simply the ones Thomas Lynch thought were appropriate for the people of his day. All five facets align with the character of Christ.

What we notice is that the first two verses, about grace & truth, form a natural pair as do the second two verses, about tenderness and might. While the last verse, about holiness, offers a kind of summary or conclusion. 

Grace & truth:

In the opening chapter of his gospel, John writes: For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

This tells us the Spirit of Jesus is a Spirit of grace and truth, in contrast to the law of Moses which has to do with obligation and guilt.

Grace, as we know, means gift. To receive grace is to be given something good, something beautiful that we don’t deserve. Grace is unmerited favour. Truth is the natural companion of grace. We tend to think of truth as the correct or right information and, while it is that, it’s more than that. Truth is lasting or eternal. Truth is a power, something that sets people free. Truth is also a person. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life.” Jesus, in himself, embodies grace and truth together. He doesn’t separate them.        

The truth & grace of Jesus is like a surgeon’s scalpel. A scalpel may hurt but it also heals at the same time. All truth and no grace is like a hammer; it causes pain without healing. Likewise, all grace and no truth is like putting a band aid on an infected wound. It may be well intentioned but it doesn’t actually deal with the cause of the problem.

Everything Jesus did combined grace and truth. The grace & truth of Jesus, in contrast to the obligation & guilt of the law of Moses, is seen clearly in John chapter 8.

One morning, around dawn, Jesus was teaching in the temple courts. People were gathered around him listening when the teachers of the law and the Pharisees presented a woman caught in adultery. Straight away we wonder where the man is? According to the law of Moses he had to face up to what he had done as well. Sadly, the religious leaders’ intention was not gracious or true. Their purpose was to try and trap Jesus.

They made the woman stand before everyone and said to Jesus, ‘The law of Moses commanded us to stone such women. What do you say?’

They think they have Jesus between a rock and a hard place. If Jesus says, “stone her”, then he would be in trouble with the Romans because Jews had to submit Roman law. But if he says, “don’t stone her”, he would lose face with the people for contradicting the law of Moses.

Jesus doesn’t answer straight away. He bends down and starts writing on the ground with his finger. We are not sure exactly why Jesus did this. Perhaps he was being kind and giving his enemies a chance to walk away; de-escalating the situation in other words. But it’s also an act of grace for the woman. By writing on the ground he was drawing attention away from the woman and onto himself. I imagine the woman felt overwhelming shame and the last thing she wanted was a lot of men looking at her.

The experts in the law don’t take the hint. They keep questioning Jesus. So Jesus straightens up and says to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

This sentence embodies both grace and truth. Jesus had the power to expose the secret sins of his enemies – that is to major on truth without grace – but he doesn’t. Instead Jesus makes a skilful incision with his scalpel of grace and truth to release the infection and cleanse the wound.

One by one the truth dawns on each person there – the truth about themselves. As they remember their own sins, their conscience is moved. They drop their stones and walk away.

Eventually it’s just Jesus and the woman left standing there. Once again Jesus speaks words of grace and truth saying to the woman,

“Where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go and leave your life of sin.”  

Grace and truth you see. Jesus does not condemn the woman. He gives her a second chance. But nor does he condone her sin. He puts her on the right path.

Verse 1 of the song reads…

Gracious Spirit, dwell with me: I myself would gracious be;
And, with words that help and heal, would Thy life in mine reveal;
And, with actions bold and meek, would for Christ my Saviour speak.

Meek is a word which describes strength with gentleness. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is great power under control. Jesus demonstrated meekness in his handling of the crowd who wanted to stone the woman. He could have smashed his enemies but he doesn’t. Instead he does the more difficult thing of respecting his enemies and helping them from within. 

Verse 2 of the song, the companion to verse 1, reads…

Truthful Spirit, dwell with me: I myself would truthful be;
And with wisdom kind and clear let Thy life in mine appear;
And with actions brotherly speak my Lord’s sincerity.

Again we see the kind and clear wisdom of Jesus in his response to the woman in John 8. I am in awe of Jesus’ grace and truth. His calmness in highly pressured situations. His ability to know clearly what to do and the courage to carry it through without doing violence. We need the help of the Spirit to be like Jesus. Thomas Lynch’s song repeatedly asks the Spirit to dwell with us so that we would think and act in Christ-like ways. 

We started this message by comparing the Holy Spirit to a river. The Spirit is also like the wind.

As Christians we are on a journey – it is the journey of becoming more like Christ. This journey is epic, like travelling from one continent to another. It is too far to swim. We need help. If faith in Jesus is the boat for getting us to the land of Jesus, then the Holy Spirit is the wind in our sails. But we have to cooperate with the Spirit. We have to pay attention to the way the wind is blowing and trim our sails to catch it. While the journey to becoming more like Christ doesn’t depend on us entirely there is some concentration and effort required on our part.

Tenderness & might:

Just as verses 1 & 2 of the song are companion verses, so too verses 3 & 4 go together. The Spirit of Jesus is both tender and mighty. Tenderness and might don’t look like they fit at first glance but, in Jesus, these qualities are a perfect match.  

Verse 3 reads…

Tender Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would tender be;
Shut my heart up like a flower at temptation’s darksome hour,
Open it when shines the sun, and his love by fragrance own.

This verse of the song reminds us that the way to be tender and gentle is to guard our heart. Proverbs 4:23 reads,

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well spring of life.”

We guard our hearts by keeping temptation out and letting the light of God’s goodness and love in.

The importance of the human heart is found throughout Scripture. The prophets warned against having a hard heart and looked forward to the time when God would give people a heart transplant: removing their heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh, a soft and tender heart toward him. It is the Spirit of Jesus who softens our heart. It is grace & truth that makes us tender on the inside, at our core.

If you burn your dinner while cooking it, you might end up with some crusty stubborn charred food stuck to the bottom of the pot. You can try and clean this quickly with steel wool and harsh scrubbing. Or you can let the pot soak in water and detergent overnight. It takes longer soaking it but the hard stuck on food softens in the process and comes off easier. God’s Spirit is tender, not rough. He often takes the slow, gentle approach with us, letting us soak for a while to soften up our burnt crusty stubborn bits. 

A tender heart is a necessary companion to mightiness and power.

Verse 4 of the song reads…

Mighty Spirit, dwell with me! I myself would mighty be,
Mighty so as to prevail where unaided man must fail,
Ever by a mighty hope pressing on and bearing up.

The Spirit of Jesus is tender and gentle but tenderness should not be mistaken for timidity or lack of courage. The might of Jesus redefines strength and courage. We’ve already heard about Jesus’ courage in facing an angry crowd in John 8 but there were many other times when Jesus’ might prevailed in non-violent ways. The might (or power) of Jesus is the strength to love one’s enemies and the grace to forgive. In Luke 9 we read… 

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

This story shows us Jesus’ might in keeping a tender heart. The Samaritans and Jews were arch enemies. Generally speaking, they hated each other. But that did not stop Jesus from reaching out to them. Jesus’ heart was tender toward them.

On this particular occasion one Samaritan village refused hospitality to Jesus and his disciples. Not all Samaritan villages treated Jesus in this way. Some welcomed Jesus.[1] The wonderful thing about Jesus is that he didn’t let rejection harden his heart. Jesus could have reacted in anger and called down fire from heaven to destroy them but he doesn’t. Instead he guards his heart, keeping it tender. That village rejected Jesus in ignorance and Jesus graciously moved on to the next village, without making a fuss. Can you see how Jesus’ might and tenderness go together? It requires real strength to be gentle and not take revenge.

Returning to verse 4 of the song, we see another aspect of might – the might of hope. The last line reads: Ever by a mighty hope pressing on and bearing up.

The idea here is that of patient endurance and tenacity. As I said before, it is a long road to become like Christ. It is the Spirit who inspires the hope we need to go the distance and not give up.  

The Biblical images for the Holy Spirit, of wind and water, are helpful but they only give us pieces of the picture. Wind and water are powerful but they are not personal. We need to remember the Holy Spirit is a person. Wind and water cannot inspire hope in quite the same way a person can.

In John 16, the night before he died, Jesus explained to his disciples how the Holy Spirit would come to help them. Jesus described the Holy Spirit in personal terms as a Counsellor or an Advocate. The Greek word used here to describe the Holy Spirit is ‘paraclete’, which literally means ‘one who comes alongside’. Verse 13 of John 16 reads: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth… and he will tell you what is to come.”

I find it helpful to think of the Holy Spirit as a coach. If you’ve ever been part of a sports team you probably had a coach. A good coach comes alongside the players to inspire hope. A good coach gives the players a picture of future success. A good coach encourages and guides the players by speaking the truth to them in a way they can accept. A good coach listens and understands and motivates and gets the best out of their team by helping them to work together.

If we think of the church as a sports team, then the Holy Spirit is the coach. He comes alongside us to help us become more like Jesus.          

Holiness & sanctification:

And so we come to the last verse of the song…

Holy Spirit, dwell with me: I myself would holy be;
Separate from sin, I would choose and cherish all things good;
And whatever I can be, give to Him who gave me Thee.

To be holy primarily means to be set apart for a special purpose. You might have a tea set or silverware that you set apart for special occasions. You don’t use it every day. That is holy in a sense.

The defibrillator on the wall outside the church office is holy – it is set apart for a special purpose but at the same time it is accessible to the community.

A surgeon’s scalpel is holy – it is sterilised and set apart for one purpose only, operating on people.

Your dinner table is holy – it is set apart for serving food. You don’t sit on a table because bottoms shouldn’t go where food goes.

Likewise, your toothbrush is holy. You don’t use your toothbrush for cleaning the toilet. Your toothbrush is set apart for cleaning your teeth.    

Holiness also has to do with wholeness and integrity and good morality. As followers of Jesus we are set apart for God’s special purpose. That includes being set apart from sin but not set apart from the world. We are in the world to point people to Jesus and indeed to reveal Jesus.

In 1st Peter, chapter 1 we read…

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

The process of becoming holy, like Jesus, is called sanctification. The task of the Holy Spirit is to effect in us what God commands. [2] Our task is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in the process of becoming holy.

So how do we become holy? How are we sanctified? The French Jesuit priest, Jean-Pierre de Caussade has some helpful things to say in this regard. [3] Jean-Pierre lived during the 17th & 18th Centuries. He basically said we are sanctified by doing the will of God, that is, by obedience to the Spirit of Jesus. This does not mean blindly following a set program of spiritual exercises. Rather it means being sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit and doing what the Spirit directs us to do in the present moment. Much like cooperating with the current of a river or trimming our sails to catch the shifting wind or taking the specific advice of a sports coach.   

For example, if the Spirit is prompting us to be still in silence, then sanctification (being made holy) happens as we do that. If we try to read Scripture or pray out loud when the Spirit is telling us to meditate quietly, then our soul will emerge troubled. There is nothing wrong with reading Scripture and praying out loud of course. At certain times (when the Spirit directs) this is what we need to do. But it is not always the right thing to do. “All we need to know is how to recognise his will in the present moment.” [4]

And I guess that’s where it gets tricky. It takes time and experience to learn sensitivity to the Spirit. Sensing the Spirit’s movement is like communication in marriage. The longer you are married the better able you are to sense what your husband or wife is thinking. Or it’s like batting in cricket. You need to give yourself a few overs to get your eye in and feel how the pitch is playing.

The point is we are sanctified, we are made holy like Jesus, as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows us intimately and he knows what is best for us. We need to trust him and flow with him.

Conclusion:

Not sure about you but it often feels like I have a long way to go to become like Jesus. Progress seems incrementally slow. It doesn’t help to think too much about the gap. It is helpful to remember that sanctification is a process and it doesn’t depend entirely on us. We don’t need to worry about our past mistakes or the distance yet to travel. The past and the future are in God’s hands.

Our part is to obey the Spirit in the present moment. So ask yourself: what is the Holy Spirit wanting me to do right now?

Is it to sit still and rest?

Is it to pour out your heart in words and tears before the Lord?

Is it to take a walk outside?

Is it to ring someone who needs to hear a friendly voice?

Is it to listen to your husband or wife?

Or is it something else?

Let us pray. (You could pray this prayer responsively if you like)

Lord Jesus, you are generous. Help us to enjoy your kindness and pay it forward.

Gracious Spirit, dwell with me.

Lord Jesus, you are wise. Help us to be honest with ourselves and to listen.

Truthful Spirit, dwell with me.

Lord Jesus, you are gentle. Help us to guard our hearts and let you in.

Tender Spirit, dwell with me.

Lord Jesus, you are courageous. Help us to harness hope and go the distance.

Mighty Spirit, dwell with me.

Lord Jesus, you are enough. Help us to serve your purpose in the present moment, with love.

Holy Spirit, dwell with me. Amen.

Let’s stand and sing, Gracious Spirit, dwell with me. Make this your prayer…  

1. GRACIOUS Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would gracious be;
And, with words that help and heal,
Would Thy life in mine reveal;
And, with actions bold and meek,
Would for Christ my Saviour speak.

2. Truthful Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would truthful be;
And with wisdom kind and clear
Let Thy life in mine appear;
And with actions brotherly
Speak my Lord’s sincerity.

3. Tender Spirit, dwell with me!
I myself would tender be;
Shut my heart up like a flower
At temptation’s darksome hour,
Open it when shines the sun,
And his love by fragrance own.

4. Mighty Spirit, dwell with me!
I myself would mighty be,
Mighty so as to prevail
Where unaided man must fail,
Ever by a mighty hope
Pressing on and bearing up.

5. Holy Spirit, dwell with me:
I myself would holy be;
Separate from sin, I would
Choose and cherish all things good;
And whatever I can be,
Give to Him who gave me Thee.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

Listen to the song ‘Gracious Spirit, dwell with me’.  What are you in touch with as you listen to this song? (What connections, memories or feelings does the song evoke for you?) 

Have you ever gone swimming or kayaking or rafting on a river? What do you remember about your experience of the river? In what ways is the Holy Spirit like a river?

How is the grace & truth of Jesus evident in John 8:1-11? Can you think of any other gospel stories that show Jesus’ grace & truth working together? 

Have you ever been sailing or flown a kite? What do you remember about your experience of the wind? In what ways is the Holy Spirit like the wind?

Why is it important to guard your heart? How might we guard our heart from evil, while still allowing the goodness and love of God in?

How do Jesus’ tenderness and might combine in Luke 9:51-55?  Can you think of any other gospel stories that show Jesus’ tenderness & might working together?

Have you ever had a sports coach? What does a good coach do? In what ways is the Holy Spirit like a good coach?

What is sanctification? How did Jean-Pierre de Caussade believe we are made holy? How might we recognize the will of God’s Spirit in the present moment?

Take some time each day this week to ask yourself: ‘What is the Spirit wanting me to do right now?’

[1] See for example John 4.

[2] Refer Stanley Grenz, ‘Theology for the Community of God’, page 442.

[3] Refer ‘Devotional Classics’, edited by R.J. Foster & J.B. Smith, page 230-233.

[4] Ibid, page 231.

Tawa Baptist

Energy Part 2 – The Soul’s Energy

Scripture: 1st Kings 19:10-18

Title: Energy – Part 2 (Energy for the soul)

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Treat the cause and the symptoms
  • Recovering the soul’s energy
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Today we continue our series on well-being and care of the soul, using the acronym: HEALING.

–         Each letter represents a word which, when properly applied, is life giving to the human soul…

–         Hope Energy Appreciation Lament Inter-dependence Nurture & Giving

–         Last Sunday we heard about the body’s energy

–         Today our message focuses on the soul’s energy

When we talk about energy, as it relates to people, we mean the strength, vitality or power required for activity.

–         Energy is one of the resources we need to function and get things done.

–         Depression is a state of very low energy or exhaustion.

To help us explore this subject of the soul’s energy we will continue looking at an episode in the life of Elijah – from 1st Kings, chapter 19

–         Elijah was one of the great prophets of Israel

–         In 1st Kings 19 Elijah is on the run for his life after defeating the prophets of Baal. He is at a very low ebb – physically & emotionally exhausted

–         Last Sunday we heard how an angel restored Elijah’s physical strength with food and sleep. This morning we pick up the story from verse 10…

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.

Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal, and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

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

Last week I talked about the body’s energy and the importance of maintaining healthy rhythms and balance with our sleeping and eating

–         This morning our focus is the soul’s energy

–         By the soul’s energy I mean things that feed our mind, emotions & spirit

–         This is not to say that the body & soul are separate or unrelated

–         To the contrary there is a close relationship between our body & soul so that what happens to our soul can affect our body and vice versa

–         Nevertheless, the soul needs different things from the body – we cannot live by bread alone

 

Treat the cause and the symptoms:

If we think of our whole person like a tree, then the roots are sort of like the soul, while the branches are like the body

–         Meaning or purpose is like the soil which feeds the roots of our soul and enables our whole life (body & soul) to stand

–         Just as you can’t see the roots of a tree because they are underground, so too you can’t see your soul in a physical sense, but you can see the effects of the soul – you can see the fruit in other words

–         The fruit represents the health (or sickness) of the body & soul

–         The fruit of the tree is only a symptom, not the cause

–         For example the fruit might be pain or it might be joy

–         It might be cynicism or it might be faith

–         So often when the fruit in our life is unpalatable, or not enjoyable, we treat the symptom with a pain killer, while ignoring the root or the underlying cause

 

To illustrate the importance of treating the cause, as well as the symptoms, let me give you some scenarios. Here’s the first one…

–         You are at sea in your boat and it starts to leak. Land is 5 days away and your radio is broken so you can’t call for help. What do you do? Do you..

–         A.) Ignore the leak and carry on?

–         B.) Empty the water out by hand?

–         C.) Patch the leak?

–         D.) Both B & C – patch the leak and empty the water out?

–         Yes, I reckon D is the best answer – deal with the cause (which is the hole) and the symptom (which is water in the boat)

 

Here’s another scenario…

–         You break your leg falling out of a tree – what do you do? Do you…

–         A.) Take a painkiller?

–         B.) Go to hospital to get treatment for your leg?

–         C.) Both A & B

–         D.) Harden up and climb back into the tree?

–         Yes, I reckon C is the best answer – deal with the cause (which is the broken leg) and the symptom (which is the pain)

 

One more scenario…

–         Your body breaks out in hives because you’ve been eating too many apples – what do you do? Do you…

–         A.) Eat more apples to condition your body against hives?

–         B.) Keep eating apples and take an antihistamine?

–         C.) Stop eating apples and take an antihistamine?

–         D.) Blame God for the suffering he has caused by making apples?

–         I reckon C is the best answer. If you keep eating apples while taking an antihistamine you might deal with the symptoms but you’ll never address the cause of the problem

 

Recovering the soul’s energy:

As we heard last week Elijah was in a state of abject despair – he was so down he had asked God to take away his life but God refused to euthanize Elijah

–         Instead the Lord began to restore Elijah by providing him with food and rest

–         But Elijah knows the problem runs a lot deeper than being physically tired & hungry

–         Once he has recovered his physical strength Elijah is able to address the needs of his soul (the root cause of his despair) and he does this by going on a spiritual retreat – by walking off into the wilderness to meet with God at Mount Horeb

 

Put yourself in Elijah’s shoes for a moment – 40 days on your own, walking through the wilderness – what is that doing to Elijah’s soul?

 

Well, for starters, we know that physical exercise and spending time in nature is actually good for the human soul in that it renews our perspective

–         When we are walking in the mountains or by the ocean or looking at the stars at night we are reminded that it’s not all about me

–         We are part of a something much larger than us and our problems

Of course, Elijah probably walked through nature a lot – so he wouldn’t have been as disconnected from God’s creation as a modern city dweller might be

–         So simply walking through the wilderness wasn’t going to be enough to sort out Elijah’s soul – he needed something more than that

 

The psychologist Carl Jung had a theory that we each have a number of sides to our personality – including an extroverted side and an introverted side

–         However, we usually have a preference for either one or the other – sort of like we have two hands with a preference for using either our right or our left

Introversion and extroversion is about where we get our mental or emotional energy from – it’s about what recharges us and what drains us

–         Introverts usually recharge their batteries by spending time alone or with just one or two other people

–         Going to a party where there are lots of people and lots of small talk is exhausting to an introvert

–         Extroverts are the other way inclined – they love lots of activities and lots of people around – being on their own is usually exhausting for them

–         Introverts prefer to process their thoughts internally before speaking

–         Whereas extroverts prefer to think out loud – they speak in draft

One of the things we need to do to take care of our soul is understand whether we have a preference for extroversion or introversion and make sure we manage our life in such a way that our soul gets the balance it needs

–         So, if you discover that you are an extrovert then having a job where you get to interact with other people a fair bit will be good for you

–         Whereas a job where you are alone a lot probably isn’t such a good match

–         Or if you discover that you are an introvert then after a busy week at work you will need to plan your weekend with some quiet time in it

–         Or if you are at a party and you need a break from people you might go and do the dishes – because that’s less tiring than talking

This introversion / extroversion stuff is something I’ve found to be true and helpful in my own experience

 

I asked the question before, what would it have done to Elijah’s soul to be on his own for 40 days in the wilderness?

–         Well, it probably depends on whether he was an extrovert or an introvert

–         I don’t know if Jung’s theory applied in the ancient world but if it did then I suspect Elijah was an introvert and the time alone (after the conflict with the priests of Baal) would have been what his soul needed

–         Too much time on the front line facing your enemies is exhausting for anyone, whether you’re introverted or extroverted – Elijah needed some respite from the battle, which his spiritual retreat would have provided

–         Time alone would have also given Elijah opportunity to process his thoughts, internally, so he knew what he wanted to say to God

–         However, too much time alone isn’t good for your soul either, even if you are an introvert – everyone needs social connection and community

 

When he finally reaches Horeb Elijah finds a cave to shelter in for the night and God gets him talking (presumably Elijah hadn’t talked to anyone for 40 days)

–         God asks Elijah, ‘What are you doing here?’ and when Elijah speaks, the Lord listens patiently

–         To some degree listening releases people from the burdens & pain they carry and in this way helps to restore energy to the soul

–         Listening well is a fine art – it requires both grace & truth

–         On the one hand Elijah needed God to listen in a way that made him feel safe – without judgement or criticism

–         At the same time he also needed God to gently challenge what is false

You see, each of us is telling ourselves a story – we are playing a script over and over in our mind to help make sense of our lives

–         It’s like breathing – we usually do it without thinking about it

–         The story we tell ourselves is like the soil in which we are planted – it feeds our soul with meaning & purpose

–         We need to be careful that the story we are telling ourselves is true

–         If we tell ourselves things that are not true then the roots of our soul are feeding on what is false and the tree of our life becomes sick

For example, when a child is mistreated by the adults in their life they will often tell themselves that it is their fault – that they somehow deserved this

–         No one else would say it was their fault, but that’s the story they tell themselves to help make sense of what has happened to them

–         Adults are supposed to care for me but they haven’t in this situation

–         Adults are always right therefore I must be wrong

When the child grows up they usually carry that story into adulthood

–         They think they are responsible for all the bad things that happen to them

–         They develop a sense that they are not worth much and they don’t take care of themselves very well

–         Not everyone who is mistreated responds in this way but many do

 

So what story is Elijah telling himself? In verse 10 Elijah says to the Lord…

“I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

On the face of it, it would appear that what Elijah is telling himself is true

–         It is true the authorities are trying to kill Elijah

–         And it’s true that Elijah has been very zealous for the Lord

–         He has dedicated his whole life to serving the God of hosts

–         He has put all his eggs in one basket

–         He doesn’t have a plan B or a retirement fund

However, when we dig beneath the surface we see that much of the story Elijah is telling himself is not true

–         The sub text to Elijah’s story goes like this…

–         ‘I am alone in this task – it all depends on me and I have failed

–         My mission was to turn the hearts of the people back to God

–         To make people aware of their sin and lead them to repentance

–         But no one has heeded my call, therefore my life’s work has been for nothing – my life is meaningless

–         Because it all depends on me and because I have failed, Israel has no future and I have no future – so there’s no point in carrying on’

–         This is the story that Elijah’s soul has been feeding on for months, maybe years – no wonder the fruit of his life is pain & despair

–         No wonder he wants it to end

What Elijah needs is a new story – one that is true and good for his soul

–         So that’s what God gives him

Elijah’s story excludes God – Elijah’s story imagines that evil has won and that God is powerless to do anything about it

–         Consequently God reminds Elijah of his power & presence. From vs 11…

Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.

The wind, the earthquake and the fire are all powerful forms of energy

–         In the past God had made his presence manifest to his servants through earthquake, wind & fire – but not this time

–         God does not come to Elijah in force as we might expect

–         No – the Lord comes to Elijah in sheer silence

–         God’s presence, in verse 12, can also be translated as a gentle whisper or a still small voice – I guess God’s presence can’t be easily defined

Perhaps the point is: Elijah had expected God to behave in a certain way but when the Lord didn’t behave as Elijah expected Elijah lost hope

–         However, just because God doesn’t turn up in the way we expect doesn’t mean he is absent or powerless

–         No one expected the Son of God to turn up as a baby born in a manger and yet that is how God chose to reveal his presence to humankind

–         In vulnerability and innocence

 

Now you would think after that incredible display of God’s power & presence the problem’s with Elijah’s soul and story would all be sorted

–         But that was not the case – Elijah is not changed by the presence of God

–         When the Lord asks Elijah a second time, ‘What are you doing here?’

–         Elijah answers exactly as he did before – he is still telling himself the same story: that he is alone and that it all depends on him and he has failed so there’s no future for him, no point in carrying on

Sometimes God’s presence is not enough – sometimes we need human presence as well

–         In Genesis 2 when Adam was alone in the Garden of Eden, the Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”  

 

To help Elijah realise he is not alone and it doesn’t all depend on him the Lord instructs Elijah to anoint two kings (Hazael & Jehu) and an apprentice prophet (Elisha) to carry on his work

–         Jehu will deal with the bad guys that escape the sword of Hazael and Elisha will mop up the ones who escape the sword of Jehu

–         In other words, Elijah it’s not over yet, your enemies won’t win in the end

–         Nor does it all depend on you – my purpose will be achieved through a team effort.

–         Therefore you have not failed in your mission – you are vindicated

–         Your life has not been a waste. Your work is meaningful

–         What’s more, you are not a victim – you are a survivor

Finally the Lord says to Elijah, there are 7,000 others who have remained faithful to me. In other words, Elijah you are not alone as you suppose

–         God has the last word

–         Elijah now has a new story to tell himself, one that is true

 

Conclusion:

You know, when I think about the way God restored Elijah’s energy I’m aware that the Lord used a number of different strategies

–         He didn’t just give Elijah a pill and send him on his way

First the Lord gave Elijah food and rest – to restore his physical energy

–         Then the Lord restored Elijah’s soul by giving him time apart from his enemies – too much conflict is bad for the soul

–         Next the Lord listened to Elijah – in order to hear the story Elijah was telling himself, sort of like counselling I suppose

–         Then the Lord gave Elijah a new story, one that was true and life giving to his soul

–         God did this by revealing his power & presence to Elijah

–         And by showing him a future in which all of Elijah’s enemies were removed and he was not alone

–         The work continued with Elisha and a faithful remnant of 7000 souls

 

What story are you telling yourself?

–         Is it one in which you are a victim and God is powerless to do anything?

–         Is it one in which you end up alone because you think no one likes you?

–         Is it one in which the bad stuff that happens is always your fault – that you don’t deserve to be treated with respect?

–         Is it one in which you will only be accepted if you pretend to be someone you are not?

–         Is it one in which there is no redemption, no forgiveness, no future if you fail or make a mistake?

–         It is one in which everything depends on you?

–         They are just some of the false story lines (lies) we tell ourselves

–         We have to tell ourselves the truth – our soul depends on it

 

Two things you can do to weigh your story to see if you are telling yourself the truth or not

–         The first thing is: read the Bible on your own and in conversation with other Christians and as you read ask God to reveal the truth he wants you to know and to dismantle the lies you have come to believe

–         The second thing is: Find a good counsellor – someone who will listen to you with grace & truth – someone you feel safe with, who will gently challenge what is false in your story and affirm what is true

Jesus said, it’s the truth that sets us free

 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

1.)    What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon?

2.)    Where does the soul’s energy come from? (What feeds your soul?)

3.)    What do you think 40 days alone, walking through the wilderness, would do to Elijah’s soul?

4.)    Would you say you were an extrovert or an introvert?

–         What energises you?

–         What drains you?

–         Is your life organised in a way that gives your soul the balance it needs?

–         If not, what might need to change for that to happen?

5.)    What does it mean to listen well (with grace & truth)?

–         How might we be a safe listener?

–         When listening to others how might we gently challenge what is false?

–         How might we affirm what is true?

6.)    What is the underlying cause of Elijah’s despair?

–         (That is: What is wrong with the story he is telling himself?)

–         How does God give Elijah a new story?

7.)    What story are you telling yourself?

–         How might you verify what is true in your story and identify what is false?

8.)    Take some time this week to reflect on the meaning of verses 11-12, in its various translations. (E.g. sheer silence, still small voice, gentle whisper…)

–         What is God saying to you in these verses?

 

Tawa Baptist

Paul & Timothy

Scripture: 1st Timothy 4:6-16

 

Title: Paul & Timothy

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Paul’s belief in Timothy
  • Paul’s guidance for Timothy
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

I have here a guitar with six strings

–         For the strings to work (to make a sound) they need to be held in tension

–         To create the tension one end of the string is firmly tied to the main body of the guitar while the other end of the string is attached to a tuning peg

–         This end is fixed – it doesn’t change

–         This end can and does change

–         With just the right amount of tension the string sounds the right note

–         If there is no tension at all then there’s no sound

–         But with too much tension the string is out of tune and at risk of breaking

 

Today we continue our series on inter-generational relationships in the Bible

–         That is, relationships between people of different ages or generations

–         The focus of this morning’s message is the mentoring relationship between the apostle Paul and his protégé Timothy

–         Mentoring relationships are a bit like guitar strings

–         With mentoring we need to hold two things in tension: belief & guidance

–         On the one hand we need to have a rock solid belief or trust in the other person – that’s like this end of the string which doesn’t change

–         At the same time we need room to make adjustments by giving & receiving guidance – that’s like this end where the string is tuned

–         Belief and guidance – two things held in tension – both needed to keep the relationship in tune

 

As a father in the faith (a mentor) to Timothy, Paul believed strongly in Timothy – he trusted him with significant responsibility and difficult tasks

–         But Paul’s trust wasn’t abdication

–         He didn’t blindly leave Timothy to his own devices

–         Rather Paul trusted his young protégé and gave him guidance

–         First let’s consider Paul’s belief in Timothy

 

Paul’s belief in Timothy:

In thinking about this idea of believing in people let me tell you a personal story

–         When I was in my late 20’s I attended a Baptist church in Tauranga

–         Little by little the leadership of the church trusted me with responsibilities

–         After a while I became a house group leader

–         Then one day the pastor asked me to preach on a Sunday morning

–         Afterwards he gave me some guidance – 54 minutes is too long for a sermon (apparently I’m not that interesting to listen to)

–         But the pastor believed in me enough to ask again and next time I followed his guidance and made the message shorter

 

My faith really grew in that church because people older than me believed in me and they cared enough to give me guidance and feedback

 

After watching me in action for a couple of years the pastor of the church told me he believed I had a call to pastoral ministry

–         Some others said the same thing around the same time so we went to Carey College to get more guidance, which is how we ended up here

 

The basic point I’m trying to make is that when you are mentoring people you need to believe in them and provide them with guidance

–         It doesn’t work to do one without the other

–         Belief & guidance go together

 

To expound that point a little more…

–         You don’t just tell people you believe in them – you show them by trusting them with real responsibility

 

This is how it was with Paul & Timothy

–         Paul demonstrated his belief in Timothy both with words of prophecy and with actions – that is, by trusting Timothy with real responsibility

 

To give you some context, Paul’s first missionary journey took him through Timothy’s home town of Lystra

–         We can’t be sure but it is possible (perhaps even likely) that Paul led Timothy to Christian faith during that visit

–         What we do know for certain is that Paul enlisted Timothy’s help on his second missionary journey. In Acts 16 we read…

 

Paul travelled on to Derbe and Lystra, where a Christian named Timothy lived. His mother, who was also a Christian, was Jewish, but his father was a Greek. All the believers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of Timothy. Paul wanted to take Timothy along with him…

 

It appears that Timothy’s mother was a Christian but his dad wasn’t

–         This meant Timothy had a difficult choice to make

–         In becoming a Christian he was aligning himself with Jesus

–         The risk was that he might alienate his father in the process

–         Nevertheless Timothy took the risk

 

It also appears Timothy had some special quality to him because all the believers spoke well of him

–         Most likely Timothy had showed promise as a preacher and had an easy personality so he got on well with people generally

 

Evidently Paul saw something in him too because he invited Timothy to accompany him on his second missionary journey

–         Paul was a clever guy – perhaps he saw Timothy’s mixed parentage (half Jewish / half Greek) as making him an ideal candidate for mission work

–         Timothy would be able to act as a bridge between Jews and Gentiles

–         In any case the fact that Paul was keen to recruit Timothy is saying something because Paul wasn’t easily impressed

 

At the end of Acts 15 we read how Paul wouldn’t take John Mark (the writer of the gospel of Mark) with him because Mark didn’t go the distance on their first mission trip

–         Essentially Paul didn’t believe in Mark but he did believe in Timothy

–         And he demonstrated that belief with words & actions – he spoke words of prophecy over Timothy and he asked Timothy to join them

–         (The words of prophecy aren’t mentioned in Acts but Paul does remind Timothy of them years later in both his letters to Timothy [1])

 

The life of a Christian missionary in the first century was pretty dangerous – there was a good chance of being whipped, thrown in prison or even killed

–         Timothy, for his part, responded to Paul’s belief in him by taking the risk and submitting to Paul’s guidance

–         Timothy was most likely in his late teens or early 20’s at this stage, which makes Paul’s belief in Timothy even more remarkable in that cultural context where the younger you were the less respect you got, generally

 

Timothy accompanied Paul & Silas to Macedonia

–         The next time we hear about Timothy is in Acts 17

–         After arriving in Berea there is trouble and Paul has to leave but Silas & Timothy stay behind in what is a hostile situation – most likely to instruct the new believers in the faith

–         By leaving Timothy in Berea Paul is demonstrating his belief in Timothy

–         Eventually Timothy & Silas catch up with Paul in Corinth

 

Over time Timothy becomes Paul’s right hand man – he is to Paul what Joshua was to Moses

–         Paul continues to show he believes in Timothy by sending the young protégé as his representative to teach and encourage some of the churches Paul had planted on his various missionary journeys

 

For example, while Paul was in Athens, he sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to establish them in their faith and encourage them through teaching & preaching [2]

–         Although the Thessalonian believers received Timothy positively the city of Thessalonica was not a friendly place

–         The young church was experiencing persecution there – but Paul had confidence in Timothy that he could handle the challenge

–         Timothy would have needed to be a calm presence, providing comfort and strength to the believers there

 

Sometime later, while Paul was establishing the church in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, he sent Timothy to the Corinthian church

–         This was also a challenging assignment for Timothy but in a different way to Thessalonica

–         The Corinthian believers had got off track by listening to false teachers and following bad theology

–         Paul sent Timothy into that situation to correct dodgy doctrine and immoral behaviour

–         Paul writes about Timothy’s purpose in his letter to the Corinthians saying…

Therefore I sent Timothy to you, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church [3]

 

Here we catch a glimpse of the closeness there is between Timothy & Paul

–         Paul loves Timothy like a son and Timothy knows Paul’s ways like a son knows a father

 

Timothy is often portrayed by preachers as a bit timid, a bit sickly and not particularly robust, always in need of encouragement

–         But there isn’t much Biblical evidence for this stereotyping of Timothy

–         In actual fact the New Testament shows us that Timothy was faithful, resilient and steadfast under pressure

–         You don’t send someone you love into difficult situations if you don’t think they can handle it

–         What’s more you don’t keep going back into hard places if you are timid

 

Paul believed in Timothy but it wasn’t blind belief – it came with guidance

 

Paul’s guidance for Timothy:

Earlier I told you a personal story of my pastor believing in me – that was when I was in my late 20’s

–         Let me tell you another personal story of something that happened when I was about 10 years younger than that – this story is a little bit different

 

So there I was, 18 and full of confidence, sitting in church with my best friend when the director for Youth For Christ (YFC) came up to my friend and asked him if he would like to be a youth leader

–         My friend wasn’t really that keen – he said he’d think about it which meant ‘probably not’

–         The funny thing was the director didn’t ask me – even though I was sitting right there beside him when he asked my friend

–         Not sure why that was – I suppose it’s because he didn’t really believe I’d be suitable – he was probably right

–         But that didn’t stop me from saying, “I’ll do it”

–         I could tell by the way he stumbled over his words that he wasn’t expecting me to volunteer like that

–         Clearly I wasn’t his first choice but he must have been desperate because he agreed to take me on, with guidance

 

Now in that little story I brought belief while the director brought the guidance

–         I believed in the mission of YFC, I believed in the director and I believed in myself, even if no one else did

–         I worked with YFC for a number of years part time and did eventually earn the director’s trust – we got on well together

–         However, a big part of earning his trust was my willingness to follow his guidance

 

Towards the end of Paul’s life, while he was in prison, he sent Timothy to the church in Ephesus, once again as his representative to sort out some issues there

–         It was while Timothy was in Ephesus that Paul wrote two personal letters to him, which we know as 1st & 2nd Timothy

–         Among other things these letters contained some guidance for Timothy

 

Please turn with me to 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 6 – page 262 toward the back of your pew Bibles

–         This is one of those passages where Paul gives Timothy guidance 

–         By this stage Timothy has worked with Paul for something like 13 to 15 years (thereabouts)

–         Which means Timothy would have been in his late 20’s or early 30’s

–         One of the things we notice about Paul’s guidance is that isn’t coercive

–         Paul doesn’t force his way with Timothy

–         Rather he offers Timothy the benefit of his experience & example, then allows Timothy room to choose for himself

–         From 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 6 we read…

 

6 If you give these instructions to the believers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, as you feed yourself spiritually on the words of faith and of the true teaching which you have followed. 7 But keep away from those godless legends, which are not worth telling. Keep yourself in training for a godly life. 8 Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. 9 This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed. 10 We struggle and work hard, because we have placed our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all and especially of those who believe.

 

11 Give them these instructions and these teachings. 12 Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but be an example for the believers in your speech, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity. 13 Until I come, give your time and effort to the public reading of the Scriptures and to preaching and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you, which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all. 16 Watch yourself and watch your teaching. Keep on doing these things, because if you do, you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

 

Quite often when professional sports people are interviewed on TV prior to a big match they get asked a question which is a bit provocative or controversial and you hear them respond by saying something like…

–         “We’re not thinking about that. That’s outside of our control. We’re focusing on what we can control.”

–         The idea is, there’s no point in worrying about what other people are thinking or saying because you can’t do anything about that

–         The best you can do is control yourself and so that’s what you give your time and thought to

–         Making your tackles, reducing handling errors and giving clean passes

–         They’re the sorts of things you focus on because they are the things you can control – they’re also the sorts of things that silence your critics

 

As I said before Timothy was sent to the Ephesian church to sort out some problems there

–         False teachers had been spreading various heresies among the Ephesian believers and it was Timothy’s job to remind people of the truth

–         Paul wanted Timothy to stand for the truth

–         This meant Timothy was facing opposition from the false teachers

–         So people were thinking and saying all sorts of things that weren’t true both about God and Timothy

–         Paul’s advice (his guidance) for Timothy was don’t worry about what other people are thinking and saying – you can’t control that

–         Focus instead on what you can control

 

Don’t get caught up in pointless arguments over words and myths – instead read the Scriptures publicly and preach from them

–         Because by preaching from the Scriptures you make truth clear, giving people a pathway out of the confusion created by the false teachers

 

Don’t let people look down on you because you are younger than them but instead be an example to them

–         In other words, don’t worry about what other people think of you

–         Let your actions speak for you

–         Or as Ghandi famously said, “Be the change you want to see”

–         Because it’s your example which will silence your critics

 

As William Mounce observes…

–         “Many of the characteristics that Paul encourages Timothy to follow stand in contrast to the opponents’ characteristics

–         Timothy is to be an example in speech (the opponents are babblers)

–         Timothy is to be an example in conduct (the opponents have brought the church into disrepute)

–         Timothy is to be an example in love (which the opponents have abandoned)

–         Timothy is to be an example in faith (which the opponents have ship wrecked)

–         And Timothy is to be an example in purity (which the opponents have stained)” [4]

 

In short Paul tells Timothy to persevere in the truth because the truth will always prevail in the end, while that which is false cannot last

–         And the way to persevere in the truth is to watch yourself & watch your teaching

–         In other words, take care of your own relationship with Jesus first and practice what you preach

–         Don’t worry about what your opponents are saying or doing – it’s not your job to control them

–         Just focus on what you’re doing – keep your eye on the ball

 

It’s like when you’re driving a car – you need to be aware of other traffic but not distracted by it

–         Keep your eyes on the road – look where you’re going, otherwise you’ll go where you’re looking

–         If someone else is driving dangerously, give them a wide birth – you concentrate on driving safely

–         It’s the same principle for Timothy at Ephesus

 

So that’s a sample of Paul’s guidance for Timothy

–         In many ways its great advice for us too

 

Maybe you’re at work surrounded by people behaving badly

–         You can’t control them but you can control yourself

–         Be different from them (that’s what it means to be salt & light)

 

Or perhaps you have a husband or a wife or children or parents or friends who don’t share your belief in Jesus

–         That can be quite lonely at times

–         You might get on well enough but there is still a level of intimacy that you can’t share with them

–         Timothy understood what it was like to have a father who didn’t believe

–         We can’t control what other people think or believe

–         What we can do is pray for them, talk about Jesus and be an example in speech, conduct, love, faith & purity

 

Conclusion:

As I said last week, one of our values here at Tawa Baptist is passing on our faith to the next generation

–         We want to see others continue to walk in trust with Jesus

–         One of the ways people learn faith is by having someone show faith in them – it’s in being trusted that we learn to trust

–         It’s when we realise that God believes in us that we are able to believe in Christ

 

The other thing we do in passing on our faith is we provide guidance

–         Guidance is not coercion, it’s not force

–         Guidance is offering the benefit of our experience and example in a way that leaves the other person free to choose

–         Jesus is the source of our guidance – he’s our prime example

–         But he’s not just a historical example – Jesus continues to guide people today by giving his Spirit to those who believe

 

Let me leave you with two questions…

 

Do you know that God believes in you?

–         He believes in you so much that he sent his only Son, in trust, that you would accept him

 

If you do know that, and you have accepted Jesus, then what guidance are you giving others by your own example?

 

Reflection questions:

 

1.)    What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon?

 

2.)    Can you think of a time when someone believed in you?

–         How did their belief affect you? What difference did it make to you?

 

3.)    Is there someone younger (in the faith) than you that you believe in?

–         How can you demonstrate through your actions that you believe in them?

 

4.)    How did Paul demonstrate his belief in Timothy?

–         How did Timothy respond to Paul’s belief in him?

 

5.)    Putting aside the stereotype we often get of Timothy (as shy, timid, sickly, etc.) what picture does the New Testament actually give us of Timothy?

 

6.)    What do we notice about the nature of Paul’s guidance?

 

7.)    What advice (guidance) did Paul give Timothy in his letter? (from 1st Timothy 4:6-16)

–         How might we apply Paul’s advice to our own lives and situations?

 

8.)    What guidance have you found most helpful in your walk of faith?

–         What guidance are you giving others by your own example?

 

9.)    Do you know that God believes in you?

 

 

https://soundcloud.com/tawabaptist/3-sep-2017-paul-timothy

[1] 1st Timothy 4:14 and 2nd Timothy 1:6

[2] 1st Thessalonians 3:1-3

[3] 1st Corinthians 4:17

[4][4] William Mounce, Word Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, page 245.

Tawa Baptist

People are treasure

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

 

Title: People are treasure

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The role of doubt
  • Jesus and Saul
  • Ananias and Saul
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

There is a legend told of the wives of Weinsberg

–         The Duke of Weinsberg possessed an immense fortune in gold, silver and fine jewels, which he kept in his castle

 

The Duke had a falling out with King Konrad (the sovereign of the realm)

–         And so Konrad gathered his army and laid siege to Weinsberg demanding the Duke’s fortress, the massive fortune and the lives of the men within

 

Although the King had allowed for the safe release of all women and children, the wives of Weinsberg refused to leave without having one of their own conditions met

–         They requested that they be allowed to leave at sunrise the next day with whatever they could carry on their backs

 

Thinking the women couldn’t possibly make a dent in the massive fortune, the king decided to grant their request.

–         After all, he would be hailed as a generous and merciful king and most of the Duke’s vast fortune would still be left for him

 

But the king got more than he bargained for

–         The next morning at sunrise, as the women walked out, the entire army was stunned to silence as they saw each wife carrying her husband on her back – the wives valued their husbands more highly than silver or gold

 

Deeply moved by their love, King Konrad kept his word and no lives were lost that day.

–         People are the real treasure

 

Today is the second of three Sundays when we promote Tranzsend’s prayer and self-denial campaign

–         Tranzsend supports and resources NZ Baptist missionaries serving overseas

–         The theme for this year’s self-denial campaign is treasures handed down

–         Jesus is the greatest treasure God gave the world

–         That God gave His only Son to save us shows that people are treasure

 

Please turn with me to Acts chapter 9 – page 161 toward the back of your pew Bibles

–         Last week we heard how Jesus valued an outsider – the Ethiopian eunuch

–         Today we hear how Jesus treats one of his enemies as a valued treasure

–         From Acts chapter 9, verses 1-19 we read…

In the meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers of the Lord. He went to the High Priest 2 and asked for letters of introduction to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women, and bring them back to Jerusalem.

3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said. 6 “But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped, not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes, but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was not able to see, and during that time he did not eat or drink anything.

10 There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him, “Ananias!”

“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord said to him, “Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, 12 and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.”

13 Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.”

15 The Lord said to him, “Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. 16 And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.”

17 So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul was, and placed his hands on him. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was baptized; 19 and after he had eaten, his strength came back.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this reading for us

The role of doubt:

In Jane Austin’s novel Pride & Prejudice there is a great deal of tension between the two main characters, Miss Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy

 

Elizabeth has strong feelings of affection for Mr Darcy but she is not willing to admit them – she is blinded by her prejudice

–         Elizabeth wrongly assumes that Mr Darcy has a bad character and her prejudice creates this armour, this defence, this shell around her

 

Mr Darcy also has strong feelings of affection for Elizabeth, which he is well aware of – unfortunately his pride gets in the way

–         He thinks himself so far above Elizabeth Bennett that he is not free to express his feelings without contempt

 

Prejudice blinds and pride binds

 

Acts 9 begins by telling us that Saul (a devout Jewish Pharisee) was on his way to Damascus to arrest the followers of Jesus and bring them back to Jerusalem

–         The same Saul who watched with approval as Stephen was murdered now fanatically persecutes the followers of Jesus himself

–         Saul was a religious extremist – a fanatic

 

The psychologist Carl Jung once wrote…

–         Fanaticism is only found in individuals who are compensating for secret doubts  [1]

–         In other words, the less convinced we are of our own position on a matter, the more strongly we are inclined to defend it

–         Our pride and prejudice acts as a shield against the truth which our secret doubts point to

 

Now some people think doubt is a bad thing and certainly too much doubt can be a bad thing

–         If we doubt ourselves all the time then we lose all confidence and find ourselves living in constant anxiety

–         But we still need some doubt

–         Doubt causes the carpenter to measure twice and cut once

–         Doubt causes the scientist to find a proof for her theories

–         Doubt causes the Christian to seek the Lord’s will in prayer and in studying the Scriptures

 

Doubt is not the same thing as fear

–         Too much doubt can lead to fear but a little bit of doubt handled in the right way can lead us closer to the truth

 

Doubt is a bit like salt

–         Too much salt and the meal is ruined

–         But just the right amount of salt brings out the flavour (or the truth)

 

Jesus said to his followers – you are the salt of the earth

–         I wonder if one of the things he meant by that was…

–         Live your life in such a distinctively good way that it causes those who don’t yet know Christ to doubt their own beliefs

–         Those seeds of doubt may start people on a journey of seeking Jesus

 

Doubt is not necessarily the enemy

–         Doubt is what motivates us to check our facts and find out the truth

–         The apparent absence of doubt suggests a proud and arrogant heart

–         While a little bit of doubt indicates humility

 

The people who built the Titanic could have done with acknowledging their secret doubts – it would have saved many lives

–         Instead they over compensated by arrogantly claiming their ship was unsinkable

 

The reason there was so much tension between Mr Darcy & Elizabeth Bennett was because they were both un-willing to acknowledge their doubts

–         Perhaps the reason Saul was so obsessed with persecuting the followers of Jesus was because deep down he had his doubts about being a Pharisee

–         Underneath it all Saul suspected that Stephen was right about Jesus

–         But Saul’s pride bound him and his prejudice blinded him

 

It appears that Stephen’s witness to the risen Jesus strengthened by his example in asking God to forgive his murderers, affected Saul profoundly

–         Stephen’s martyrdom really got under Saul’s skin and made him less certain about his previously held beliefs

 

Jesus & Saul:

In contrast to Saul’s pride & prejudice we see Jesus’ grace & truth

–         The gospel of John tells us, the Spirit of Jesus is a Spirit of grace & truth

–         Jesus embodies grace and truth – he weaves the two together

 

By appearing to Saul on the road to Damascus and asking, “…why do you persecute me?” Jesus is confronting Saul with the truth, in a gracious way

–         The most obvious truth here is that Jesus is not dead, he is risen – which makes it clear that Jesus is the Messiah of God and consequently the followers of Jesus are right, while Saul is wrong

–         All at once Saul’s pride & prejudice is undone

 

Another difficult truth for Saul to face here is that by giving Jesus’ followers a hard time Saul was actually persecuting Jesus himself, God’s Messiah

–         The followers of Jesus really are the body of Christ

–         When we suffer, Jesus suffers

–         And when we are kind to other believers, Jesus feels that kindness too

–         What was it Jesus said?

–         “What you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me?”     

–         People are the real treasure

 

That Saul was wrong and that he had been persecuting God’s Messiah were painful truths to face

–         A third (more comforting) truth for Saul is that Jesus values him enough to intervene to save him

–         Jesus does not destroy Saul, even though Saul has been seeking to destroy him

–         Jesus does not threaten Saul with punishment, even though Saul has been persecuting him

–         Nor does Jesus ignore Saul

–         Instead, Jesus seeks to restore right relationship by being truthful about how Saul’s actions are affecting him

 

Jesus sees the potential (the treasure) in Saul and offers him a way out of his fanaticism

–         There’s no force or fear or coercion from Jesus at all

–         It’s like Jesus is simply giving Saul the information he needs and then trusting Saul, freeing him, to choose for himself

 

In his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis writes about his own conversion, saying…

“I became aware that I was holding something at bay, or shutting something out. Or, if you like, that I was wearing some stiff clothing, like corsets, or even a suit of armour, as if I were a lobster. I felt myself being… given a free choice. I could open the door or keep it shut; I could unbuckle the armour or keep it on. Neither choice was presented as a duty; no threat or promise was attached to either… I was moved by no desires or fears. In a sense I was not moved by anything. I chose to open, to unbuckle, to loosen the rein. I say ‘I chose’, yet it did not seem possible to do the opposite. …I was aware of no motives. …I am more inclined to think this came nearer to being a perfectly free act than most I have ever done.”  [2]

 

I understand Lewis to be saying here that he turned toward God freely

–         He was not motivated by the fear of hell or the promise of heaven

–         He simply surrendered his armour, let down his defences and opened himself in trust to the truth and grace of God

 

In verse 6 Jesus gives Saul a choice wrapped up in the command…

–         “…get up and go into the city where you will be told what you must do”

–         By obeying Jesus’ command Saul shows that he believes Jesus to be raised from the dead

–         But as Saul gets up to leave he discovers that he cannot see

–         The fact that Saul was blinded points to the objective reality of the experience – Saul could not discount what happened to him – it was real

 

Verse 9 tells us that Saul was blind for three days, during which time he did not eat or drink anything

–         A total fast like this was both a sign of repentance and an act of humility in seeking God

 

Ananias & Saul:

People are treasure – that’s a statement which implies grace and truth at the same time

 

Paul Windsor, who was the principal of Carey College when we were training for ministry, had a grace & truth graph he liked to show us – sort of like this one

 

On this graph we have four quadrants as indicated by the colours yellow, blue, red and green (This being an election year I need to stress that these colours do not represent political parties – I’m not telling you who to vote for)

The yellow quadrant represents those who are low on truth and low on grace

–         Before his encounter with the risen Jesus, Saul was most likely in the yellow quadrant – full of pride and prejudice, low on grace & truth

–         Nationalism thrives in the yellow quadrant

 

The blue quadrant represents those who are high on truth & low on grace

–         They might hold the Bible in high regard and have strict moral standards but have little tolerance for those who don’t share their point of view

 

The red quadrant is those who are high on grace and low on truth

–         The reds are sort of the opposite of the blues – the reds are light on judgement and repentance, high on forgiveness and mercy

 

While the green quadrant represents those who are high on truth and grace

–         Those in the green believe that God offers salvation to everyone, although not everyone accepts it

–         God is able to forgive even the worst of sinners but His forgiveness is not automatic or unconditional – God’s offer of salvation requires a response from us

–         Forgiveness and salvation are conditional on faith, repentance and us forgiving others. As Jesus taught us to pray:

–         ‘Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us’

 

Jesus exemplifies perfect grace & truth together so you want to be in the green quadrant if you can

–         Ananias was in the green quadrant too – he embodies Jesus’ grace and truth together

 

Ananias also shows us a healthy way to handle our doubts

–         When the Lord Jesus asks Ananias to place his hands on Saul so he may see again, Ananias is a bit reluctant at first

–         He expresses his doubts in Jesus’ request saying…

–         “Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem…”

–         And you want me to welcome him and heal him?

 

Jesus doesn’t reprimand Ananias for airing his doubts

–         Jesus is big enough to handle our doubts and he understands Ananias’ concerns: Ananias is measuring twice before he proceeds – he is making sure he understands correctly

 

If (or when) we have doubts about something we are generally best to lay those doubts before the Lord in prayer

–         Be honest with God about what we are thinking and feeling

–         Ask God to show us where the doubt is coming from

–         Is this an unholy doubt put in our mind by the evil one to mislead us

–         Or has God put the doubt there as a caution in our spirit so that we check our facts and measure twice to avoid error

–         Either way when we are honest with God about our doubts, asking Him to clarify His will in the situation, our pride & prejudice is undone and we open ourselves to grace and truth – fanaticism doesn’t get a toe hold

 

When handled in a good way doubt actually leads us closer to the truth

–         The outcome of being honest with Jesus about his doubts is that Ananias learns more of God’s plan for Saul. Jesus responds saying…

–         Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to the Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel. And I myself will show him all that he must suffer for my sake.

 

Having dealt with his doubts in an open and healthy way Ananias is now free to approach Saul without prejudice

–         And so Ananias steps out in faith and obedience to Jesus

–         He goes to Saul, lays his hands on him and says: “Brother Saul”

–         There is so much grace and truth in those words

–         ‘Brother Saul’ communicates to Saul that he is forgiven and accepted as one of the family – he is welcomed into the Christian community

–         Saul has done nothing to deserve this acceptance but grace isn’t getting what we deserve – grace is getting what we need

 

As Ananias spoke something like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes and he was able to see again

–         It’s like Jesus has freed Saul from his armour and answered his doubts

–         After that Saul wasted no time in being baptised

 

Conclusion:

Let me tell you a story about a boy we will call Jim…

–         Jim was a quiet kid – not shy exactly, more of a deep thinker

–         He attended a Primary school where people from the local church came once a week for half an hour to talk about God and the Bible

–         In many ways it was an easy half hour – you listened to a story, answered some questions if you felt like it and did an arts and crafts type activity

–         Religious Education (or RE for short) they called it

–         Way better than long division

 

Jim’s RE teacher (Mrs McFarlane) was really nice – always remembered people’s names, always talked about her three kids, Ruby, Hope and Josh and sometimes gave them home baking

 

One evening over dinner Jim (who was about 9 years old by this stage) asked his parents why they didn’t go to church

–         “We don’t believe in God” was the reply his dad gave. His mum didn’t say anything

 

This made Jim wonder whether the Bible stories he had heard in RE were true or made up

–         He figured his dad must know best and decided that he wouldn’t believe in God either

 

One Wednesday, just after the RE lesson had finished, Jim approached Mrs McFarlane and said to her, “I don’t believe in God”

–         The classroom teacher (Mr Dench) was clearly embarrassed that Jim had said this and gave him a stern, disapproving look – as if to say, “Jim, that’s rude – you should apologise.”

 

But Mrs McFarlane just smiled and said…

–         “It’s okay. Tell me James, why do you say that?”

–         “I’m not sure exactly. Dad says that God is just pretend, like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. And you were talking about being honest today so I thought I should tell you the truth.”

–         “I see”, Mrs McFarlane replied. “Well James, you don’t have to make up your mind about God just yet. You may feel differently when you are older. In the meantime I want you to know that you are welcome to continue attending my RE class if you want to. God still believes in you even if you don’t believe in him. He is big enough to handle your doubts”

 

Since it was morning break Jim left it at that and went outside to play with his mates

 

For a long time he didn’t give his conversation with Mrs McFarlane a second thought, although he did still attend her RE classes – she made a nice brownie

 

Ten years passed. Jim was 19 now and attending University

–         He had his restricted license and was driving home in the dark one night when he lost control on a corner and collected a cyclist

–         Jim was okay but the young guy on the bike was in a bad way

–         Although Jim had never been to church his parents had still raised him to do the right thing and so he never even thought about doing a runner

–         He called 111 on his cell-phone and asked for an ambulance

–         Then he waited with the cyclist until help came

 

For some reason (he wasn’t sure why) Jim remembered Mrs McFarlane’s RE class and that conversation he had with her 10 years ago where he had said he didn’t believe in God and she had said, “God still believes in you. He’s big enough to handle your doubts.”

–         In that moment, while he looked at the injuries he had caused, it didn’t make sense to not believe in God

–         He found himself saying under his breath, “God, if you are there and you really do believe in me then please make this right – let him live.”

 

Jim was a long time being interviewed by the police – they weren’t in any hurry to process him. They were being careful to do everything by the book so he wouldn’t get away with it

–         Jim kept wanting to know how the cyclist was but no one would tell him

 

When Jim got home his dad was livid – there was no grace with his dad, just plenty of hard truths

–         Jim didn’t have anything to say – he knew he was in deep trouble

–         He just stayed in his room for three days without checking Facebook once

 

Eventually the police came round and sat him down in the living room with his parents

–         The cyclist was going to live and (much to the constable’s disgust) the boy’s do-gooder parents had asked them to go easy on Jim

–         Jim would lose his licence for a while but he wouldn’t do jail time

 

Jim was relieved. He didn’t get the punishment he knew he deserved – he got the grace he needed

 

Jim asked the police for the cyclist’s name so he could visit him in hospital to say ‘sorry’ but the police wanted to check with the family first

–         A few days later they phoned back. His name was Josh – Josh McFarlane

–         Jim felt like he had been punched in the chest – could it be?

 

He took the shuttle from Kenepuru to Wellington hospital telling himself he wouldn’t stay long – just long enough to apologise and leave

–         But when he got there Josh was sleeping, so Jim sat in the chair & waited

–         Half an hour passed before Jim felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and a soft voice in his ear saying, “James, my friend. I’m so pleased you came.”

–         It was his RE teacher, Mrs McFarlane, Josh’s mum

–         There was no recrimination, no judgment, no condemnation

–         Just a kind smile and a warm hug to answer his doubts about God

 

Let us pray…

 

[1] Quoted in John Stott’s commentary on Acts, page 172.

[2] Quoted in John Stott’s commentary on Acts, page 173.

Tawa Baptist

For Peace

Scripture: Psalm 120

 

Title: For Peace

 

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Distress
  • Decision
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction:

A number of you would have travelled away for the holidays – perhaps spending many hours in the car on the way

–         One of the things that helps on a long road trip is having some music to listen to

–         When our kids were younger we listened to a lot of High 5 and Wiggles music. Now though it’s more like Ed Sheeran and Adele

 

In ancient Israel people tended to go on road trips each year to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the three main religious festivals

–         They didn’t have CD players or MP3’s on their donkeys back then but they did have a special collection of 15 songs they would sing on the road

–         They called this album the Songs of Ascents – which we know as Psalms 120 to 134

 

The word ‘Ascent’ has to do with moving upward

–         The temple in Jerusalem was on a hill – so the pilgrims were physically ascending (or moving upwards) as they made their way to the temple

–         And, at the same time, they were drawing closer to God

 

In April this year we will celebrate Easter

–         Easter is the main festival for Christians , alongside Christmas and Pentecost

–         The plan, over the next couple of months, is to explore these Songs of Ascents as we journey toward Easter, beginning this morning with psalm 120. From the NIV we read…

 

I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues. What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.

 

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. 

 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate this psalm for us

 

There’s a great clip in the film Jerry McGuire where Jerry is on a road trip searching for the perfect song

–         Eventually he finds Tom Petty’s song, Free Falling

 

In the context of the movie Jerry was a sports agent

–         His job was to manage sporting stars – getting them lucrative contracts and endorsement deals

–         But Jerry became tired of the falseness and deceit in his line of work – he felt jaded

–         One night he has an epiphany and writes a new mission statement for the company – essentially…

–         Fewer clients, less money, better quality relationships, really caring for the people we represent

–         And he called his mission statement: The things we think but do not say

 

Jerry was being honest with those around him

–         Unfortunately they weren’t so honest with him

–         To his face they were nice enough but behind his back they plotted to get rid of him

–         Eventually he was fired and they stole all his clients, all but one

 

The scene we just saw came after Jerry had been fired and as he was starting out again from scratch

–         For Jerry McGuire Tom Petty’s Free Falling was (ironically) a kind of song of Ascents

–         It was about being set free and rising above

 

The writer of Psalm 120 reminds me a little bit of Jerry McGuire

–         Like Jerry he is lied about and deceived by his neighbours

–         And like Jerry he doesn’t follow their lead

–         He deals straight and stands apart from them

 

Distress:

Psalm 120 begins in a very personal way

–         The pilgrim says, “I call on the Lord in my distress…”

 

The word for distress here carries the idea (in Hebrew) of being in a narrow or confined space – the psalmist feels trapped [1]

–         In particular he is trapped by the lying lips and deceitful words of those around him

–         He can’t trust those around him because they are out to ruin his good name

 

Jesus faced this very thing from time to time in his interaction with the Pharisees

–         In Matthew 22 we read how the Pharisees sent some of their own to try and trap Jesus by asking him a question

–         They said, “Teacher, we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God’s will for man, without worrying about what people think, because you pay no attention to man’s status. Tell us then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor or not?”

 

Notice the sucker punch

–         They start off all nice, with flattery, but it’s a trick

–         They think they’ve got him with their question

–         If Jesus says, ‘No it’s not lawful to pay taxes to Caesar’, they can accuse him to the Roman authorities

–         And if Jesus says, ‘Yes it is lawful to pay taxes’, they can accuse him of supporting the enemy – being a traitor to Israel

 

Jesus doesn’t allow them to trap him with their deceitful tongues

–         He says to their face, “You hypocrites”

–         A hypocrite (in this context) is an actor – someone who wears a mask and pretends to be something they are not

–         “Why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin for paying the tax”

–         They brought him a coin

–         “Whose face and name are these?”

–         “The Emperor’s” they answered

–         So Jesus said to them, “Well then, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God”

 

In other words, it’s not either / or – it’s both / and

–         Pay your taxes and worship God

 

Returning to Psalm 120, the psalmist says, “I call on the Lord…

 

What’s interesting here is that when the psalmist is deceived, lied to and slandered he doesn’t respond by lying or deceiving or spreading nasty rumours about his antagonists

–         No. He calls on the Lord

–         He takes the problem to God

–         He says, “Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and deceitful tongues”

–         He doesn’t descend to the level of his enemies

–         He ascends (or lifts his heart & mind up) to the Lord

 

The point I want to highlight here is that even though the psalmist feels trapped he still has some freedom

–         He can’t control what those around him say or do

–         But he can control his response to his enemies

–         While it is true that their words are putting him in a bind he still has options – he doesn’t have to behave in the same way they do

–         Like Jerry McGuire he has the freedom to do something different

 

The point of application for us is that, with God, we always have the freedom of another option

–         No matter how trapped we might feel, when we look to God, he is able to create a way out so that we don’t become like those who mean us harm

 

Okay, so even though he feels trapped the psalmist still exercises what freedom he has by calling on the Lord, and the Lord answers him

–         Isn’t that intriguing

–         What does it mean that ‘the Lord answers him?’

–         The psalmist doesn’t say explicitly how the Lord answers – that is left to us to read between the lines

–         (Although this psalm is relatively short there is quite a bit left unsaid between the lines)

–         It is unlikely that the psalmist heard an audible voice talking to him

–         It is more probable that the psalmist found God’s answer in the Scriptures

–         By reflecting on the Law of Moses and the story of Israel

 

The psalmist is Jewish – he knows from reading the Hebrew Bible that God is just. The Lord is for truth and he won’t let liars get away with it

–         In the end God will see that the truth comes out and justice is done

–         What’s more the Lord is able to use these circumstances for good

 

Although God doesn’t get a speaking part in this psalm we can figure out God’s answer from what follows in verses 3-4, where the psalmist says…

–         What will he do to you, and what more besides, O deceitful tongue? He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom tree.

 

Now we might think, that doesn’t sound very nice or gracious

–         Well, we need to remember that these words are poetry

–         So sharp arrows and burning coals are metaphors for the damage that lying words can do

 

Words, when they are misused, are like arrows

–         They can really get under our skin and wound us

–         Slander or lying words are also a bit like burning coals

–         A burning coal sets fire to most things it touches

–         Gossip spreads like wild fire, destroying a person’s reputation, ruining trust

–         What’s more, a burn isn’t a short sharp pain – it is a long lingering pain, which if not treated properly can become infected

 

The psalmist’s enemies have slandered him

–         They have shot his reputation to pieces and burned his trust

–         So the psalmist takes comfort in the knowledge that God will punish those deceitful tongues, like for like

 

What about forgiveness though?

–         Isn’t that what Jesus preached?

–         Yes – Jesus did preach forgiveness

–         But, if we are honest with ourselves, forgiveness is not usually automatic

–         Forgiveness is normally a process, for us

 

You see, if we suffer injustice then what we are left with is anger

–         Forgiveness is the process of letting go of that anger

–         Rather than trying to get even himself the psalmist calls on the Lord and (reading between the lines) the Lord’s implied response appears to be…

–         ‘Leave it with me. I will deal with these deceitful tongues’

–         Knowing that God will punish his adversaries sets the psalmist free

–         It enables him to let go of his anger and move on

–         He doesn’t need to take revenge because God is going to do that

 

Therefore what we get in verses 3 & 4 is the road to forgiveness or the means of forgiveness

–         So if you have been wronged by someone and they are unrepentant so you are angry with them – struggling to forgive – then one strategy for dealing with your anger is to imagine God’s punishment for them

–         However, this is more of a last resort strategy where the injustice is big

–         A better strategy for letting go of your anger at being hurt is to remember your own wrong doing and the grace you have received

–         There’s nothing like remembering our own guilt for taking the wind out of the sails of our anger

 

Decision:

In the first half of the psalm (verses 1-4) we hear about the psalmist’s distress

–         Now, in the second half (having processed his anger) the psalmist moves from distress to decision – a decision for peace

 

In our church library at the moment we have a new book called Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan

–         You may have read the book review that Elaine wrote about it

–         Saving My Assassin is the autobiography of a Romanian attorney who lived through the communist regime in that country during the 1960’s, 70’s and 80s’

–         Virginia Prodan reminded me of the author of psalm 120

 

In her book Virginia writes: “During the totalitarian regime of Nicolae Ceausescu, the most brutal and repressive regime… Communist Romania was a land of lies. Religion was tolerated only to keep up outside appearances, and internal dissidence was not permitted. Ceausescu’s goal was to demolish the churches…” [2]

 

Like the psalmist Virginia Prodan was surrounded by lying lips and deceitful tongues – communist Romania was not a place of truth or trust

–         As an attorney she found herself frustrated by the lack of justice and was on the brink of giving up her career in law

 

This is probably quite difficult for many of us here in NZ to imagine

–         According to a recent international survey, NZ is the least corrupt country in the world at the moment – not that we are perfect [3]

 

In any case Virginia went in search of the truth and was invited to a Baptist church where she heard the words of John 14:6 for the first time

–         This is where Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life” No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

Virginia found Christ and became a lawyer who successfully defended Christians whose crimes against the state included possessing a Bible, showing the Jesus film in their homes and holding prayer meetings and Bible studies

–         For this she was kidnapped, tortured, beaten and nearly killed

–         The mistreatment she suffered was perhaps worse than the distress described by the writer of psalm 120 who says in verses 5-7…

 

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war. 

 

The idea of peace is central to these verses and indeed is at the core or the heart of the psalmist’s identity

–         When the psalmist says there, “I am a man of peace” he means peace is my middle name – I embody peace – I live sleep and breathe it

 

The Hebrew concept of peace or shalom isn’t just the absence of conflict

–         It is the presence of health and prosperity and right relationship in community with others. It is abundant life

–         In order to have this kind of peace one must first have justice

–         By saying he is a man of peace but his adversaries hate peace, the psalmist is essentially saying…

–         ‘I seek truth & justice, while those around me are corrupt’

 

Meshech and Kedar are a long way apart geographically speaking

–         Meshech is in the far north of that part of the world while Kedar is in the south east

–         Again the reference is poetic, symbolising the Gentile (or non-Jewish) world in which Israel is dispersed [4]

–         Basically the psalmist is living away from home among a people who are hostile to him

–         The implication (reading between the lines) is that wherever they go in the world the Jews have enemies

 

The psalmist’s cry, “Woe to me…” seems to be a cry of desperation

–         As a man of peace he walks a narrow path

–         On the one hand he doesn’t want to compromise his beliefs and values in order to fit in with those around him

–         Because he knows that would be like selling his soul – being untrue to himself and there’s no peace in that

–         By the same token he doesn’t want to always be in conflict with those around him because there’s no peace in that either, it’s just exhausting

–         So, “Woe to me” means, ‘How I am supposed to maintain my integrity?’

–         How am I supposed to be a man of peace in such a hostile environment?

–         I try to get along with them, but when I speak they are for war

 

The psalmist really is between a rock and hard place

–         And so he reaches a decision saying, “Too long have I lived among those who hate peace…”

–         The implication here is that he has to get away, at least for a little while

–         If he doesn’t have a break from this he risks losing himself

 

Like the psalmist, Virginia Prodan was a woman of peace – meaning she stood for truth and justice

–         Sadly, the land in which she lived (communist Romania) was for war

–         Meaning it was corrupt and hostile to Christian believers

–         It came to the point where Virginia could no longer stay in Romania

–         Eventually she was offered asylum in America where she now practices as a human rights lawyer in Dallas, Texas.

 

Some things just don’t go together

–         This is a picture of two animals (an ox and a donkey) unequally yoked

–         Incompatible

 

What the psalmist realises by the end of his song is that he can’t be friends with everyone – he is incompatible with those around him

–         Sometimes as Christians we might feel like we have to try and be everyone’s friend – that we must offer our trust to everyone

–         I don’t think that’s very wise – you can’t be everyone’s friend

–         Don’t throw your pearls before swine

–         Don’t give your trust to those who are not worthy of it

–         Freedom is found in Christ, not in trying to please people

 

When people deal falsely with you then do what you need to do to forgive them

–         Find a way to let the anger go, for your own sake

–         But forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to be yoked to them as their friend forever

–         Be smart – look for peace

–         Build friendships with those you can trust

 

The psalmist’s journey begins with distress and discontent

–         But his distress is the catalyst for his ascent

–         It clarifies things for him – leading him to the realisation that he cannot be yoked to those who want war (when he embodies peace)

–         And so he makes a decision to leave that place, for his own survival

–         Although Psalm 120 doesn’t explicitly say where the psalmist intends to go we know from the songs that follow that he is headed for the temple in Jerusalem where he can be free to be the man of peace he is

 

Like the psalmist we are a people of peace

–         But in this world the path of peace is sometimes narrow and difficult

–         On the one had we don’t want to compromise who we are in order to fit in with those around us

–         But at the same time we don’t want to be in constant conflict with those around us either

 

Our temple (our place of pilgrimage) is not in Jerusalem

–         Our temple is the body of Christ – his church

–         Wherever 2 or 3 of Jesus’ followers are gathered together, that’s our temple – that’s one reason why we gather here each Sunday

–         To remember who we are in Christ

–         To gain the strength and perspective we need to walk the narrow path of peace.

 

Perhaps the question for us is: what do we need to do (both personally and corporately) to remain a people of peace? (To stand for truth, to seek justice)

 

Conclusion:

You wouldn’t think it at first but Psalm 120 touches on some pretty significant issues, when we scratch beneath the surface

–         Lies and truth

–         Betrayal and trust

–         Anger and forgiveness

–         War and peace

–         Feeling trapped and finding freedom

–         Being stuck in a rut and going on a journey

 

Let’s stand and sing…

 

♫       Guide me O Thou Great Jehovah

 

This is a song about going on a journey

[1] Refer Josh Moody, ‘Journey to Joy’, page 19.

[2] Virginia Prodan, “Saving My Assassin”, page 3.

[3] As reported on TVNZ’s “One News” during the past week

[4] Refer Derek Kidner, Psalm 73-150, page 466.

Tawa Baptist

Pray

Scripture: 1st Kings 17:8-24

Title: Pray

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Prayer is listening in faith
  • Prayer is asking in hope
  • Prayer is confessing in truth
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Today is the first of three Sundays when we focus on the work of Tranzsend and our NZ Baptist missionaries serving overseas

 

The framework for the three weeks of the campaign is…

  • Week 1 – Pray (Inoi)
  • Week 2 – Shine (Tiaho), and
  • Week 3 – Thank (Mihi)

 

The Scripture story Tranzsend suggest for, this, the first week of the appeal is…

  • 1st Kings chapters 17 & 18 – which focuses on the story of Elijah and the drought in Israel

 

Elijah was one of the great prophets of the Old Testament

  • He lived at the time when Ahab was king of Israel
  • Ahab was the worst king in the entire history of the nation
  • Ahab married Jezebel and together they committed all sorts of evil
  • In particular Ahab encouraged the Hebrew people to turn away from the one true living God, by building a temple for Baal worship

 

In the ancient world Baal was thought by some to be the god of fertility and rain

  • So pagans who wanted a good harvest or rain to water their crops would offer sacrifices to Baal in order to appease him and find favour with him
  • Baal worshippers did all sorts of cruel things including child sacrifice

 

God was not happy with this and wanted to show the people that Baal worship was a lie, so the Lord sent Elijah to tell king Ahab there would be no rain for a few years

  • By stopping the rain God intended to show the people Baal was false
  • Of course, without any rain, the crops failed and there was a terrible famine throughout the region

 

Please turn with me to 1st Kings 17, verse 8 – page 357 toward the front of your pew Bibles

  • At this point in the story the drought & famine have been in progress for some time and people are really feeling the pinch
  • From 1st Kings, chapter 17, verse 8 we read…

 

8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Now go to the town of Zarephath, near Sidon, and stay there. I have commanded a widow who lives there to feed you.” 10 So Elijah went to Zarephath, and as he came to the town gate, he saw a widow gathering firewood. “Please bring me a drink of water,” he said to her. 11 And as she was going to get it, he called out, “And please bring me some bread, too.”

 

12 She answered, “By the living Lord your God I swear that I don’t have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour in a bowl and a bit of olive oil in a jar. I came here to gather some firewood to take back home and prepare what little I have for my son and me. That will be our last meal, and then we will starve to death.”

 

13 “Don’t worry,” Elijah said to her. “Go on and prepare your meal. But first make a small loaf from what you have and bring it to me, and then prepare the rest for you and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar run out of oil before the day that I, the Lord, send rain.’”

 

15 The widow went and did as Elijah had told her, and all of them had enough food for many days. 16 As the Lord had promised through Elijah, the bowl did not run out of flour nor did the jar run out of oil.

 

17 Some time later the widow’s son got sick; he got worse and worse, and finally he died. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, why did you do this to me? Did you come here to remind God of my sins and so cause my son’s death?”

 

19 “Give the boy to me,” Elijah said. He took the boy from her arms, carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying, and laid him on the bed. 20 Then he prayed aloud, “O Lord my God, why have you done such a terrible thing to this widow? She has been kind enough to take care of me, and now you kill her son!” 21 Then Elijah stretched himself out on the boy three times and prayed, “O Lord my God, restore this child to life!” 22 The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the child started breathing again and revived.

 

23 Elijah took the boy back downstairs to his mother and said to her, “Look, your son is alive!”

24 She answered, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the Lord really speaks through you!”

 

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

 

In this passage we see how prayer is listening in faith

  • Asking in hope, and
  • Confessing in truth

 

Prayer is listening in faith:

First let’s consider prayer as listening in faith

  • Listening is about paying attention
  • Being aware of what’s going on around you
  • Taking heed of what God is saying and doing, so that we can respond in obedience to God – so we can work in harmony with Him

 

The story is told of a man who had lost his job and was unemployed [1]

  • Not being able to find work he was facing a personal famine of sorts

 

One cold winter’s night as he was driving home he noticed an old lady stranded on the side of the road – he could see she had a flat tyre and needed help

  • So he pulled over in his Holden Belmont, parked behind her Mercedes Benz and got out

Even with the smile on his face the woman felt anxious and vulnerable

  • It was a quiet road and no one had been past in the last hour
  • The man looked a bit rough – he was missing a tooth and he hadn’t shaved in a few days

 

He could see the woman was cold and frightened, so he tried to make her feel more comfortable…

  • “I’m here to help you. You look freezing. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Sam.”
  • The woman decided to trust Sam – she sat in her car and popped the boot open, so he could get the spare tyre out

 

Sam soon had the tyre changed

  • Feeling relieved the lady offered to pay him
  • But Sam just smiled and said, “You don’t owe me a thing. This is what it means to be human – to help people”

 

Humbled by Sam’s kindness she thanked him, got back in her car & drove away

  • A few miles down the road the lady saw a small café
  • Feeling hungry she went in for a coffee and a bite to eat

 

The waitress had a sweet smile even after being on her feet all day and being 8 months pregnant

  • She went out of her way for the old lady, moving the heater closer for her to sit beside

 

As the old lady drank her coffee she remembered Sam’s kindness to her

  • She wanted to help someone too
  • Not wanting to embarrass the waitress the old lady wrote a note on a paper serviette, “Someone once helped me out the way I’m helping you.”
  • When the waitress returned to the table the old lady had left her a $100

 

Later that night when the waitress got home from work and climbed into bed, she thought about the money and what the lady had written

  • How could she have known how much she and her husband needed it?
  • With the baby due next month it was going to be hard
  • She knew how worried her husband was since he had lost his job
  • As he lay sleeping beside her she kissed him softly and whispered…
  • “It’s going to be okay. I love you Sam.”

 

Prayer is listening in faith

 

Our reading from 1st Kings earlier began with Elijah listening to God in faith

  • God told Elijah to go to the town of Zarephath, near Sidon, and stay with a widow there
  • I’m not sure exactly how Elijah heard God but I’m pretty sure it would have taken a fair bit of faith for him do what God said

 

Zarephath was not part of Israel

  • This means Elijah had to leave his home country
  • In a very real way this was cross-cultural mission – representing God in a culture which was not his own

 

The other thing about Zarephath is that it was near where Jezebel came from

  • Jezebel, the queen married to Ahab, was Elijah’s nemesis
  • God was sending Elijah into enemy territory – but Elijah listened in faith and obeyed God

 

Our Tranzsend missionaries serve God overseas in a cross-cultural context

  • And like Elijah they are often called to live with and amongst people like the widow of Zarephath
  • People who are poor and vulnerable and barely scrapping to get by

 

Just as Elijah listened in faith to God, so too the widow of Zarephath listened in faith to Elijah

  • When Elijah asked for bread and water she said…
  • “All I have is a handful of flour and a drop of olive oil… That will be our last meal and then we will starve to death”
  • But Elijah said to her…
  • “Don’t worry… The bowl will not run out of flour or the jar run out of oil before the day that the Lord sends rain.”

 

Despite the fact she and her son faced starvation, the widow listened in faith and prepared some bread for Elijah

  • That’s some faith – sharing your last meal with a complete stranger
  • But this act of faith saved the woman
  • She discovered the flour and oil did not run out and there was always enough for the three of them

 

Tranzsend call their campaign Self Denial

  • The implication being that we deny ourselves something in order to identify with the poor and support the work of overseas mission
  • We appreciate that everyone is in a different position financially
  • Some people are able to give more than others – that’s okay
  • From a human perspective the amount you give does matter
  • But from God’s perspective the faith and love with which it is given matters more

 

People should decide how much to give after listening to God in faith

  • So I encourage you to try and hear God on this
  • Is there something you could give up (like a daily cup of coffee or some other treat) in order to put the money toward the Self Denial appeal
  • Or do you have a stash of loose coins sitting in your car that you could clear out to give to Tranzsend at the end of the month
  • Or is God saying, “Be more generous than that. Give a day’s pay”

 

I’m not here to tell you how much to give – that’s between you and God

  • What I can say is that when we give as God directs, like the widow of Zarephath, we find that our needs are met

 

Prayer is listening in faith, and prayer is asking in hope

 

Prayer is asking in hope:

Things seemed to be going along okay for the widow and her son until sometime later the boy fell ill

  • He got worse and worse until finally he died

 

I can only imagine how hard it would be to lose a child

  • But for this poor widow it was worse
  • She had already lost her husband
  • And her only son was her whole life – her present and her future

 

At this point the widow says to Elijah…

  • “Man of God, why did you do this to me? Did you come here to remind God of my sins and so cause my son’s death?”
  • Ouch – these are the words of a mother in pain
  • The woman blames everyone – she blames Elijah, God and herself
  • She thinks God is punishing her for her sins

 

The widow’s words reveal a lot about what she believes

  • She had been brought up to think like a pagan
  • A pagan lives in fear of the gods
  • A pagan thinks, ‘If something bad happens to me it’s my fault and I’m being punished’
  • That was part of the lie and the evil of Baal worship

 

Sometimes we can believe the lie that God doesn’t like us

  • We may suffer some misfortune and wonder…
  • ‘What have I done wrong this time? Is God punishing me?’
  • We may have this concept of God as a harsh judge and cold executioner
  • And while the Lord is judge of all the earth, He is not harsh or detached
  • God is more like a loving Father and a caring coach – he likes us
  • God is not our critic – He doesn’t want us to fail
  • God is our strength and our support – He wants us to prevail
  • Whatever might happen to us – God still loves us
  • So when things go wrong we have hope – we can ask God for a solution

 

The widow wasn’t feeling God’s love though – she was feeling judgment

  • Elijah knows that her perception of God is out of balance and he goes about giving her a new (more accurate) concept of God

 

Because Elijah has hope – he takes the boy in his arms, carries him upstairs and asks God for a solution. Crying out with heartfelt emotion he says…

  • “O Lord my God, have you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die? Let this boy’s life return to him.”

 

The Good News version, which you have in your pews, has Elijah saying to the Lord, “…why have you done such a terrible thing to this widow?”

  • I think that translation may have taken a few liberties with the original text – it almost sounds like Elijah is accusing God
  • Rather Elijah asks God respectfully “…have you brought tragedy on this widow?…”, as if to say…
  • ‘I don’t believe it is your will for this widow to suffer like this’

 

Elijah can’t tell God what to do – but he can ask God in hope – and when he does the Lord restores the boy’s life

 

Prayer is listening in faith, asking in hope and confessing in truth

 

Prayer is confessing in truth:

The famous Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon once said…

 

“True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length.”

 

On seeing her son restored to life the widow confesses in truth, saying…

  • “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord really speaks through you”

 

What we notice here is that the widow’s confession of truth is hard won

  • It’s not just loosely patched on the outside – she owns it on the inside
  • The crucible of loss & despair gives weight & substance to her confession

 

In John 17, Jesus talks about how his disciples have been sanctified by the truth

  • To be sanctified is to be made holy, purified, cleansed
  • In a way this woman has been sanctified by the truth
  • Not only has Elijah been proved a bona fide prophet of God
  • The widow has also come to know, through personal experience, that Yahweh is Lord of life and death – Baal is just an imposter
  • And knowing that truth sets her free from the fear of Baal

 

What God did for the widow of Zarephath is kind of a story in miniature (a living parable) of what he was doing for Israel through the drought

  • Israel had to go through the crucible of the famine to realise the truth that Yahweh is the Lord of life & death and Baal is just a fraud
  • It’s the truth that sets people free
  • It’s the truth that sanctifies us
  • But getting the truth through a hard heart takes tough love
  • And Ahab, it seems, had the hardest of hearts

 

In his book The Ragamuffin Gospel Brennan Manning (a recovering alcoholic) tells the true story of a group therapy session he participated in once [2]

  • It was April 1975 and there were 25 chemically dependent men in this rehab facility for drug addicts and alcoholics

 

The leader of the group was a skilled therapist by the name of Sean Murphy-O’Connor

  • Sean told one of the patients, Max, to sit in the hot seat in the centre of the group
  • Max was a nominal Christian, married with 5 children and the owner of a successful company
  • He was wealthy, affable and gifted with remarkable poise – it was hard to rattle him

 

Sean, the group leader, started bluntly…

  • “How long have you been drinking like a pig, Max?”
  • Max winced, “That’s a bit unfair”
  • “We’ll see”, replied Sean. “How much do you drink each day?”
  • “Two drinks before lunch, two after work, two before dinner and two before bed”
  • “So that’s a total of 8 drinks a day, Max?” Sean inquired
  • “Yes, not a drop more and not a drop less”

 

“You’re lying”, Sean replied

  • Max didn’t like Sean’s tone and insisted that his word was his bond but Sean wasn’t buying it
  • “Get me a phone” said Sean
  • A phone was brought in and Sean consulted a memo pad for a number
  • The phone was on speaker so everyone in the room could hear

 

Sean dialled Max’s local and spoke to Hank Shea the bartender

  • After introducing himself Sean asked Hank if he knew Max
  • “Yea, I know Max well”, Hank replied, “He has his standard six martinis every afternoon”
  • Max leapt to his feet and unleashed a stream of profanities that would make a stevedore blush
  • Then, after regaining his composure, he sat down again

 

One of the addicts in the group, a guy named Fred, spoke up…

  • “Have you ever been unkind to one of your kids, Max?”
  • “Glad you brought that up Fred. I have a fantastic rapport with my four boys. Last year I took them on a fishing expedition to the Rockies, a great time. Two of my sons graduated from Harvard you know…”
  • “I didn’t ask you that Max. At least once in his life every father has been unkind to one of his kids… Now give us a specific example.”

 

There was a long pause while Max tried hard to think

  • “Well, I was a little thoughtless with my 9 year old daughter last Christmas Eve”
  • “What happened?”
  • “I don’t remember exactly. I just get this heavy feeling whenever I think about it”
  • “Where did it happen? What were the circumstances?”
  • “Now wait one minute!” I told you I don’t remember.”

 

Sean dialled Max’s home number to speak with his wife

  • “Sean Murphy-O’Connor here ma’am. We’re in a group therapy session and your husband just told us he was unkind to your daughter last Christmas Eve. Can you give me the details please?”

 

A soft voice filled the room.

  • “Yes, I can tell you the whole thing. Our daughter Debbie wanted a pair of shoes for her Christmas present.
  • On the afternoon of December 24th my husband drove her downtown, gave her $60 and told her to buy the best pair of shoes in the store.
  • That is exactly what she did
  • When she climbed back in the car, she kissed her father on the cheek and said he was the best daddy in the whole world
  • Max was preening himself like a peacock and decided to celebrate on the way home
  • He stopped at the Cork n’ Bottle and told her he would be right out
  • It was a clear, extremely cold day, so Max left the motor running and locked both doors of the car from the outside so no one could get in
  • It was a little after three in the afternoon…”

 

Max’s wife began to cry.

  • “My husband met some old Army buddies in the tavern… He lost track of time and didn’t make it out of the Cork n’ Bottle until midnight
  • He was drunk
  • The motor had stopped running and the car windows were frozen shut
  • Debbie was badly frostbitten on both ears and on her fingers.
  • When we got her to the hospital, the doctors had to amputate her thumb and forefinger.”

 

On hearing his wife speak the reality of what he had done Max collapsed on the floor and sobbed hysterically – undone by the truth about himself

 

Max was a liar: his lie consisted in appearing to be something he was not – a social drinker

  • Truth for him meant acknowledging that he was an alcoholic and his drinking was hurting those closest to him

 

Like Max, king Ahab and much of Israel were lying to themselves – appearing to be something they were not – righteous

  • Truth for them meant acknowledging that their religion was false and that their worship of Baal was hurting those closest to them
  • God had to turn the rain off to get the message through
  • Israel had to go through a crucible of loss and despair to realise the truth – to be able to pray in truth

 

It’s the truth which sets us free – the truth that sanctifies us

  • I’m not sure what your truth is
  • Maybe you’re not an alcoholic, maybe you are a workaholic
  • Or maybe you’re addicted to something else
  • We all have a tendency to lie to ourselves in some way
  • The point is: prayer requires us to be honest with God
  • But before we can be honest with Him we need to be honest with ourselves
  • Prayer isn’t just reciting a few words from a book
  • Prayer is confessing in truth
  • Being real and owning what we say before God, personally

Conclusion:

They call it the Tranzsend Prayer and Self Denial campaign, because prayer is essential to mission – without prayer there is no mission

  • Prayer means listening in faith
  • Asking in hope, and
  • Confessing in truth

[1] This story is adapted from the story, By the way, my name is Joe, in “Stories for a Man’s Heart, compiled by Al and Alice Gray, pages 17-18.

[2] Refer pages 123-130 of Brennan Manning’s book, ‘The Ragamuffin Gospel’.