Thinking Thursday: God's Poem

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Christians are God’s “workmanship.” The Greek word is poiema, from which we get our word “poem.” It means “a work of art, a masterpiece.” In Christ, you receive God’s grace and become his work of art.

Michelangelo’s paintings and sculptures testify to his creative genius. Shakespeare’s plays make us mindful of the work of a master. Mozart’s music proclaims the inspired talent of an incomparable composer.

Paul is saying, “Look around. Consider the Christians you know. Think about the difference God has made in their lives. Each life points to the creative genius of God. He has taken wrecked, broken, distorted, misguided lives and made them works of art.”

We are God’s workmanship. Poems, communicating his grace, mercy, and love. Paintings, designed to capture on the canvas of daily living the very essence of life.

God's poem? That's what he has in mind for you! 

[The above was posted on 14th July 2009 by Rusty Peterman on his Jesus Apprentice Blog.  As we look back over the last year it would be good to reflect on how God is shaping our lives. Merry Christmas.]

Thinking Thursday: Persistence

Those who follow my Scribbling Saturday blog posts or follow me on Facebook will know that I just finished NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a challenge to write 50,000 words in one month. I succeeded in writing 39,000 words, which was quite an achievement, and 7,000 up on last year.

The question is whether I am going to take the practice of daily writing and make it a habit in my normal life.

I think of NaNoWriMo as being like a Christian Bible Week or weekend celebration. You suspend some of your normal daily practices and have an intense time of learning and spiritual  experiences. The trouble is, when normal life resumes, the great things from the time out get soon forgotten.

How long do the things from the Sunday sermon stay with you once the week starts?  Will you put things in place in your life so that you can keep on doing the good things, the inspirational things, the things that change your life?

Thinking Thursday: WGIHE Preaching

The college near where I live is now called Swansea Metropolitan University. A long time ago it was known as West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education, shortened to WGIHE, and pronounced by its students as 'wiggy.' One day during a free period, some students sat round and decided to think up alternative meanings for WGIHE. It was decided that the best one was 'We Give Indians Happy Experiences', particularly because of the foreign students. To generalise it, you could say 'We Give Individuals Happy Experiences.'

What has this got to do with Christianity? Well, over the years, I came to use that phrase to myself to describe the way that some people preach. When we go to church, ideally we should be informed, challenged and warned, as well as encouraged and uplifted. Sometimes pastors find it easier to only preach the uplifting stuff.

So often I have heard sermons full of anecdotes, with little or no reference to scripture. The aim of the sermon seems to be 'this person had this great experience, and you can have it too.' Anecdotes are great as illustrations to support a sermon based on scripture. Without scripture, they are empty promises. The message that 'God loves you and has a plan for your life', seems to have risen in prominence in recent years. None of this is actually false, but the way it is put over, and the lack of deeper teaching, makes it very unbalanced.

The Christian life is not all about happy experiences. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33). If Christians are not taught how to handle adversity, but expect only good things, it can break their faith when something goes wrong. Jesus goes on to say, "But take heart! I have overcome the world."

There is even greater danger when these messages are preached to non-Christians. Becoming a Christian is not like joining a social club, where we choose to join because we like the people and the activities on offer. God's 'plan' for our lives begins with repentance, and if the bad news of sin is not preached, how will people know they need a saviour?

A favourite scripture used by the 'WGIHE' preachers is Jeremiah 29:11 '"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."' Firstly, this was written to the elders, priests, and other people in exile from Jerusalem (see Jer.29:1), so this verse is not for use among those who do not already belong to God. Secondly, all of God's promises to Israel were dependent on their faithfulness. I have heard this scripture used to lift the hearts of non-Christians and unrepentant Christians, and it is a false hope.

The Christian life has many happy experiences, some of them, perversely, in the midst of trouble. So it is important that we teach the whole gospel, so that we are all fully equipped to deal with life and to serve with faith. "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Eph.4:15).

Thinking Thursday: Blessed Are The Meek

Gentle Jesus meek and mild
But was it a meek man who threw the traders out of the temple?

Was it showing meekness to compare the Pharisees with whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones?

Was it demonstrating submissiveness to break the law by forgiving sins, gathering food on the Sabbath, or mingling with sinners?

Was it meek to fight injustice, to stand up for the poor and disenfranchised?

Yet.

He was meek when they abused him, when they whipped him, when they led him to the cross. At this, the greatest injustice in history, the one man who had a right to say, ‘No, stop, this isn’t fair,’ took the punishment.

Not my will but yours

A rallying call to God’s children.

The meek fight battles for those who can’t

stand side by side with the outcast

wash the feet of the dirty

shed tears for the fatherless

defend the unlovely

care for the lost.

The meek are not downtrodden but strong

Not submissive but clear of vision

Not passive but passionate

The meek don’t take unfairness lying down

But take their stand with

Gentle Jesus meek and mild

[Liz Hinds April 2011]

Thinking Thursday: The Parable of the Sower and the Christian Life

My Pastor preached a sermon on the Parable of the Sower, and applied it to those of us who are already Christians, rather than the usual application for evangelism. I personally found it a wake-up call.

At the end of Matthew chapter 12, Jesus says, "For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Since chapter 13 starts with "That same day" it is possible that he was still speaking of those who do his Father's will. In any case, the lessons we can draw by applying it to ourselves are valid and worthwhile.

The sower sows the seed, and it falls on four different kinds of ground. If we consider the ground to be us, this shows us the importance of our response to what we hear. What is your response to the sermons you hear on Sundays and the scripture you read during the week?

The Path

Matt.13:3,4,19
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them… When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

Do we feel that we have heard it all before and take no notice? Especially if the passage under discussion is a familiar one (like the parable of the sower). Or we are distracted, and not paying attention. I realised that many times I read my scriptures in a rush to get on and do other things. Our heart becomes hard, like well-trodden earth. The word is heard but the heart does not respond.

The Rocks

Matt.13:5,6,20,21
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away… As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

We lead such busy lives that we don't take the time to ponder on the word and let it take root. We receive the word with joy on Sunday but lose it on Monday, when we have to think about work and school and housework. There is no chance for the word to be established in our lives. It does not root in our heart and transform us.

The Thorns

Matt.13:7,22
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them… As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

What we allow to grow up around us, in our cares in the world can choke our growth as Christians. Our experience on Sunday depends on what we do on Saturday. Maybe we need to get to bed earlier in order to be fresh on Sunday morning. The word and our devotional life do not have a high enough priority in our life, and get crowded out by all the other things we try to do.

The Good Soil

Matt.13:8,23
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty… As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

The word bears fruit when it is understood. Notice there is no criticism of the smaller yields, only rejoicing that there is fruit. However much fruit you can bear, if you are receiving the word and letting it root in you, it is enough. So this is how we should receive the word:

1. Listen. Pay attention. Make sure you know what is being said (or read).

2. Sift. Work out how the word applies to you and how you should respond.

3. Act. As the word transforms us, our lives change, and will also impact the lives of others.


Matt.7:20
Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.
Matt.13:18
Hear then the parable of the sower.

[based on a sermon by Pastor Pete Orphan, Pantygwydr Baptist Church]

Thinking Thursday: Wall Jumping

Have you ever seen a father stand his young child on a wall, then step back and open his arms? Without hesitation, the child jumps off the wall, and the father catches them. They squeal with the scariness and the joy of it.

Why do they jump so readily? Because they know and trust their father that if he asks them to do it, it will be safe. He will always catch them and never let them fall.

When God calls us to do something, why are we so scared? Because, unlike the child, we don’t know the Father well enough to trust Him.

Thinking Thursday: The Plank

Luke 6:41-42
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Jesus was pointing out that we need to put our own lives in order before we try to advise anyone else. But I want to use another meaning of the word 'plank' to give us a similar warning, related to a desire to witness to the cults.

In the early days of political electioneering, the candidate would go to a public place, find two boxes or chairs, and place a plank across them to stand on. From there he was able to address the crowd and explain his policies. From this, the expression arose that the ‘plank’ of a candidate was the main principle he stood for.

What is your ‘plank’? What do you stand for? It is admirable to desire to help people deceived by the cults, but it is essential that you make certain that you understand the truth first. Are you standing on the wrong ‘plank’? Do you need to get yourself right before you seek to help others? Indeed, many of us do not tell people we are Christians because we feel unequipped to answer their questions. So we need to strengthen our 'plank'.

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Feed on the Word of God so that the truth takes root in your heart. Strengthen the ‘plank’ you stand on. Then you will be equipped to serve God in reaching out.

Thinking Thursday: Humility

I realised today that God has stripped me of anything which caused pride: singing, dancing, sign language, public speaking. I retired from work, so the whole prestige I got, all the gratitude from people I helped, and the pride in being the breadwinner, is gone as well.

I was already aware of the new qualities I have found through my stroke: perseverance, persistence, determination, even some patience. But he has brought me humility too. I have grieved for these things, but now I can see the blessing.

In addition, my stroke has also enabled me to get away from a stressful job, has given us funds for the mortgage, and has given me more time for writing and study.

Proverbs 15:33b … humility comes before honour.

We have felt lately that God has brought to an end one phase of our lives and will bring us into another.

Proverbs 19:21-22 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that will prevail.

I wonder what the Lord has for us?

Thinking Thursday: Pedometer

Health experts say we should walk ten thousand steps a day to be fit, so I bought a pedometer. You wear it clipped to your waist and it counts your steps. It is clever enough to know the difference between times you jiggle it doing other things and what are real steps. Then it works out how far you have walked, how many calories you have burned, and how much time you have spent walking.


I was quite shocked at the end of the first day to find that although I had walked over four thousand steps, I had only spent 22 minutes walking – out of a whole day! We take many steps in little ways, but need to spend dedicated time going for a walk to get anything like the right number of steps.


It is the same with prayer. If our thoughts turn to God occasionally during the day, we may feel that we have spent quite some time with Him. But if we had a spiritual pedometer – how much time would it actually add up to?


Just like incidental walking, there is scriptural encouragement to pray all the time, whatever we are doing. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess.5:17), and this links to what he wrote to the Corinthians: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor.10:31). But Jesus himself said, "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret." (Matt.6:6)


Just as it is vital to your health to do some dedicated walking, it is vital to your spiritual health to do some dedicated praying. What are the results of your spiritual pedometer?

Thinking Thursday: Jesus as Lord

Matt.27:57-66
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.


The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise.' Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Jesus is buried in a rich man's tomb and the women note where it is. There is no sign of any of Jesus' followers believing that he would rise again as he'd previously told them. But, strangely, it is his enemies who remember this story and act to ensure that their victory over Jesus is fully secure.

Matt.28:1-10
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

The women went to the tomb to anoint the body with spices as would have been the custom. They had to wait for the Sabbath (Saturday) to pass first so that they weren't doing 'work' on that day. They were going to minister to Jesus' dead body, so they would be filled with grief.

Though Matthew doesn't say so, the earthquake and the rolling back of the stone happened before the women got there, not at the same time. The guards may have already collapsed before they arrived. What a scene met their eyes! And then the angel appeared.

They should not have been surprised, because Jesus had told them, but they didn't believe it until it happened. It is interesting that they were told to tell the disciples, because in Jewish law women were inferior witnesses. How their feelings changed! Grief, then fear, then astonishment, then joy and worship.

Matt.28:11-15
While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

The guards and the chief priests and elders respond to the angel's appearance very differently to the women. This is just what they were trying to prevent, and even though an angel appears, instead of realising the truth, they are only concerned about themselves. People still use this version of the story when talking about the resurrection today, even though it is not true. It is a convenient way to avoid having to consider the implications of the resurrection being fact.

Matt.28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Because of Jesus' resurrection he now has full authority, and he sends the disciples out to spread the Gospel, but promises they will not go alone.

It is important for our faith that Jesus rose from the dead. His crucifixion is not enough:

1 Cor.15:12-21, 56-57
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man also has come also the resurrection of the dead. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul draws out the consequence of Jesus' resurrection in 1 Cor.15:58:
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
This verse can help us as we seek to obey the command of Jesus in the last two verses of Matthew's Gospel, because it gives us the assurance that by his resurrection, all his promises to us are validated.


[Based on Pantygwydr Baptist Church's Lent Studies]

Other posts in this series:
Jesus as Leader
Jesus as Divine
Jesus the Man
Jesus as Teacher
Jesus and Us
Jesus as Messiah
Jesus as Saviour
Jesus as Lord

Thinking Thursday: Looking For Loopholes

Peter asked Jesus, "How many times must I forgive?" (Matt.18:21), and the rich young man, who asked Jesus how to get eternal life, went away sadly, because he had hoped that Jesus would say something easier (Matt.19:16-22).

In 1 Sam.15:1-26 Saul was told by God to attack the Amalekites and destroy everything. But Saul spared Agag the king and the best animals. When Samuel confronted him, he first of all said that the sheep and cattle had been spared by the soldiers for sacrifice, and insisted he had done what he had been told to do. Even when he admitted his error, he tried to blame the people.

In Acts 5:1-11 Ananias & Sapphira made a promise and then looked for a way out. And in Matt.23:1-4 Jesus condemned the Pharisees because: “They do not practice what they preach.”

In all these cases people were looking for loopholes so they did not have to obey. In work I sometimes had to type legal notices – they have to be very carefully worded to make sure they cover every possibility. Legal documents would not have to be so complicated if people kept the law without looking for loopholes.

Salvation is free, but it really costs us everything. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul and mind (Matt.22:37). When it comes to the gospel, do we live the letter of the law, or the spirit of the law? Are we wholehearted, or looking for loopholes?

It is the same in marriage. Marriage is not just a contract, it involves commitment and love. Love doesn’t need rules and guidelines. Love responds instinctively and gives everything. Our relationship with God is like a marriage. After all, God has given us everything. Paul tells us that God has given us “every spiritual blessing”, he talks of “his glorious grace which he has freely given us”, and “the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us” (Eph.1:3-8). How generous God is! God doesn’t look for loopholes.

Thinking Thursday: Jesus as Teacher

Matt.5:17-20
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.


Jesus emphasises that he has come to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them. With his radical teaching, people could begin to think that he wanted to do away with what we know as the Old Testament, so he made sure that they understood what he was saying. The Old Testament wasn't just a list of arbitrary rules, but was also intended to be a way of God's people living a life radically different from the surrounding nations.

The Pharisees were a group of people who thought it was extremely important to keep God's law, and they were right. Most of their teaching was centred on how to do that, but they had focussed their energy in their actions rather than their hearts. When Jesus said that our righteousness should exceed that of the Pharisees, he was deliberately provoking his hearers to think about it in a different way.

Jesus fulfilled the law in two ways: he is the only person who ever lived who was without sin, so he kept the law fully, but also he was the person that the law was pointing to, so the law was fulfilled in him. Since the Pharisees were known for their painstaking keeping of the law, the idea that we could surpass them is impossible. So what did Jesus mean? Since he fulfilled the law, the only way for us to be more righteous would be in Christ. When we come to Jesus as our Saviour, we receive his righteousness.

Jesus was continually challenging people to rethink their assumptions. For example, over Sabbath observance.
Matt.12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."



The priests had to work on the Sabbath, offering the sacrifices, twice as many as a normal day. But they were serving God. David was chosen by God, and Jesus is the Son of God. These things are more important.


Matt.12:9-14
He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" – so that they might accuse him. He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.


The Pharisees hemmed every law about with details, and Jesus walked straight through them. It looked as if he was breaking the Sabbath by working, but it cannot be wrong to heal on any day.

So Jesus taught not new things, but new ways of thinking about old things. We need to open our minds to see what he really meant. His teachings were designed to provoke people into reconsidering their ideas, but many people, especially the Pharisees, were not open and resented his ideas. We need to allow Jesus to challenge our thinking today.

[Based on a sermon and Bible study by Pastor Tendai Mbasera]

Other posts in this series:

Jesus as Leader
Jesus as Divine
Jesus the Man
Jesus as Teacher
Jesus and Us
Jesus as Messiah
Jesus as Saviour
Jesus as Lord

Outside the City

Today is Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem and was welcomed with great rejoicing by the people. This same people, just 5 days later, called for his death.

 

The past is Jerusalem. The future is our hearts.

 

We have built cities in our hearts, where we feel safe. In the city is where Jesus was rejected. He died outside the city.

 

Jesus wants to destroy our cities, our security, and meet us outside where we die to our spiritual Jerusalems and put Jesus in his right place in our hearts.

 

[Based on a sermon]

Thinking Thursday: Jesus as Leader

Matt.4:12-18
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Jesus crossed into Galilee, which fulfilled another Old Testament prophecy, and he began his ministry by preaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And he showed this straight away by healing all manner of diseases and afflictions. Only the power of God can do these things, so God's kingdom is near.
Matt.4:23-25
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Once his ministry had begun, he called disciples to follow him and learn from him.
Matt.4:18-22
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James and John. This was not 'out of the blue' as John tells us that they had met Jesus before (John 1:35-42). Maybe they had been discussing him, and that is why they were so ready to follow him. The coming of the kingdom was too important to refuse. Instead of catching fish, they were going to help Jesus to bring in people to the kingdom.
Matt.9:9-10
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.
This is Matthew's own account of Jesus calling him. Matthew was a tax collector, hated because they worked for the Romans, but also because they took extra money for themselves. It shows the effect that Jesus had on some people, that even someone so 'sinful' as Matthew could not only be called but moved to follow. This reassures us that the kingdom is for everyone.
Discipleship for the first disciples meant leaving what they were doing and following Jesus physically. We all have to sacrifice things in our lives in order to follow him today. In my own life, I believed I was part of the truth already, but had to let go of that and accept that I was deceived, in order to embrace Jesus. It meant not only giving up my activities and involvement in another church but also giving up all my friends.

Matt.10:1-8
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.


Jesus called twelve men to be his disciples, or pupils. From what we read in the Bible few or none of these people were candidates to be part of the new kingdom of heaven according to worldly judgement. They were all weak and made mistakes. But this should be an encouragement to us, because however weak or sinful we are, Jesus will accept us if we follow him.

And following Jesus is what discipleship is about. Once a person has made a commitment and is saved, often they are welcomed to the church and expected to get on with it. But we need to disciple new converts, to teach them how to be a Christian from day to day, how to 'work out our salvation' (Philip.2:12). In our churches we must follow Jesus' example to lead new Christians in discipleship.

[Based on sermon and Bible study from Pastor Pete Orphan]

Other posts in this series:

Jesus as Leader
Jesus as Divine
Jesus the Man
Jesus as Teacher
Jesus and Us
Jesus as Messiah
Jesus as Saviour
Jesus as Lord

Thinking Thursday: Preparing The Ground

Jesus told the parable of the sower, and explained that it illustrated people's different responses to the word of the gospel, and it is often used in evangelism training to prepare people for the kind of responses they might get. But what about preparing the people we talk to, or preparing us to deal with them better?

Matt.13:3-9
And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear."

When a gardener plans a garden they take into consideration the type of soil, the situation in sun or shade, the nutrients, and many other things. You would not throw seeds on the ground, the rocks, and the path and just expect them to grow. You would examine the ground and prepare it first. Each different type of ground needs different preparation, and there are things we can do to prepare people to improve the chances of a good response to the gospel.

Let us look at each type of response and see how we could prepare the ground to make it more fertile:

v.19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
We are all called to share the good news, but how well do we prepare? When someone asks a question, have we thought out how we would present the gospel and deal with common questions? Or do we muddle through, and risk leaving the person not understanding?

v.20-21 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
When new people come to church, seeking or having just accepted the gospel, what support mechanisms do we have in place to help them? Being saved does not immediately change your personality, your circumstances, or your friends and relations. How can we help them when they are ridiculed for their new faith, their new standards? How can we help them make new friends when the old ones desert them or are left behind? Becoming a Christian is more than a change of mind, it is a change of attitude, behaviour, lifestyle – it can be quite a shock. How can we help them to stick with it?

v.22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
How can we help anyone in the church who has financial or other problems, especially those who are new? Christians are not immune, yet the 'cares of the world' may be the reason they came seeking a better life in the first place. They need to be shown that Jesus gives you a new heart, a new attitude, a new inner strength to deal with these things, but he doesn't take them away. It is so important to build our church members into mature Christians, not just to get people saved and assume they are all right from there on.

v.23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
We must prepare ourselves to understand the word and be fruitful, but also to think through how we will help others to come to maturity too. Then much more of the gospel seed will have the chance to grow in those around us.

Social and Spiritual Revival

On Sunday evening I was at the Swansea Hope celebration in Pantygwydr Baptist Church, and the speaker (whose name I unfortunately didn't get) gave a spirited message on something that has been on his heart for some time. He has been sharing ir with the leaders, who invited him to share with the gathered church. Here are the brief notes I took. I hope they are enough for you to catch the vision too.

We had been hearing about all the programmes of social action which Swansea Hope is involved in. The speaker referred to these.

Matt.25:34-40 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

How blessed the people are who are involved in all the Hope programmes. Jesus is preparing something special for you in his kingdom. The great caring heart of the church is evident. The Christian Church is reaching out into the community. We want to know the blessing of God, to rest on the activities, to see a social as well as a spiritual revival.

John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
We can do all we can to help people but each of them also has a spiritual need. We don't want to help them physically and have them end up in hell. "I offered Christ to the people" – John Wesley. Jesus should be the centre of our lives. We should be pointing people to him.

Matt.18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
One of the most powerful statements in the Bible. Not just to encourage us in poorly attended services. Jesus will be there to touch lives. The spiritual challenge we are facing is to lift up Jesus so visitors will meet him.
How important is it that we meet with Jesus in our meetings?
What do we know about the manifest presence of Jesus? Manifest = proof.
When people enter our churches they should say "God is in this place."
There needs to be a fusing together of the social and the spiritual.

Thinking Thursday: Adventures of a New Creature

I remember vividly when it happened. It was electric. The feeling was amazing, and maybe, looking back, that wasn't such a good thing after all. The newness is a written promise you can lay hold on. It doesn't depend on feelings. It happens, no matter how you feel. But it's hard to believe in if you don't feel anything, if there's no experience.

The trouble is, I had spent 18 years depending on feelings to tell me the truth. And my newness, in that respect, fitted the old pattern, even though so much of the rest had been broken and discarded. Bit by bit, it all got dealt with, but the feelings were always there. I knew God was listening to my prayers, because I felt it. I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and I felt moved to worship. So what about the promises when there are no feelings?

But now I am getting ahead of myself. Adventures have to have a beginning.

My adventures really began a long time before the newness, with a major wrong turning. All of us first become seekers when the need for God awakens. And I don't think we ever really stop. With God, there is always more to know. Unfortunately, when we begin we are usually ill-equipped. We know little or nothing about God and His ways, and often what we do know is inaccurate, distorted, or just wrong.

So how do we judge what we find in our seeking? It is easy to lay down criteria with hindsight, and some new creatures get quite arrogant when speaking to people, especially those who have gone astray, as if the answer is obvious.

So what do you do with the basic understanding that Christians pray to God, read the Bible, go to church, and live good lives? As an outsider how are you to know that these things are the fruit of something deeper, life changing? So when you find an answer to your seeking that fills all these and more, that teaches you faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and obedience, how are you to judge? You have found the answer, haven't you? I thought I had, but what I had found was allegiance to an organisation and a life of outward show of obedience. I was not a new creature, and didn't even know that I needed to be. A major wrong turning.

The eventual good that came out of this was a good knowledge of the Bible and enough understanding of what I was taught to recognise the flaws in it when I finally found the truth. The bad that came out of it was the reliance on feelings.

I was taught that God answers prayers by giving you a warm feeling inside. This personal revelation is stronger than any other evidence you may be presented with. We all know how unreliable feelings are, and how they can be manufactured by circumstances. But when you pray, and that feeling comes, just as you were promised, it is like your own personal miracle, and you're hooked. From there on, whatever people may say against your beliefs, whatever evidence they may present to you, you have your own personal witness - your testimony - which transcends it all. To you, your faith is unshakeable. To those in the light, the shutters are down.

My shutters finally crumbled after admitting that my faith wasn't working and that God would not condemn me for asking honest questions if my heart was towards Him. My renewed seeking led me to realise there was something missing in my life, and to recognise someone who had it. That someone was a new creature who showed me the way.

And so I became a new creature, and the real adventure began. But like the false adventure, it began with a feeling. God is wonderful, God is good, and He blesses us with His Spirit and touches our lives in ways we can sense, especially when we are very new creatures. But the Enemy is always there, seeking to twist and corrupt everything. And sometimes it only takes a very small lever to move a very big rock.

As time went by and I learned more of the truth, all the old teachings and ideas were recognised for what they were. I learned the truth of the promises in the Bible, and that they didn't depend on circumstances or feelings. But that theory was blunted in the practical application because the feelings were always there. And feelings are so deep, so hidden, that nobody realised the problem. Radical measures were needed.

My life encountered a crisis. Instinctively, I turned to God. 'Tell me what to do.' Nothing. 'Show me the way.' Nothing. 'At least give me some comfort.' No word, no sign, no feeling. Nothing. Instant despair. What about the promises in the Bible? No help - no feelings. I prayed every way I knew, tried to find ways to please God so that He would respond. I went through the whole spectrum of emotions: despair, guilt, frustration, anger, bitterness, desperation. Lots of feelings, but all the wrong ones.

Through it all, my life continued. The crisis had to be dealt with. Some things were resolved, some got worse, new problems arose. On several occasions, circumstances worked to my good, the right people appeared at the right time with the right answers. But this could not be God, because I felt nothing. One always had a good feeling when God touched your life. It all had to be coincidence.

The pain went deep. How could He desert me when I needed Him the most? He had promised never to leave me, but He had, because the feelings had gone. This was the darkest part of the adventure, and it seemed to last for ever.

Thankfully, it did come to an end. The crisis was resolved, much was learned, much growing done. Even the feelings came back. But it took a long time to understand why they had gone. And they only returned after I had laid hold of the written promises and believed them anyway, with no proof. With hindsight, I could see where God's hand had been at work during the dark times, but His methods had been new to me, and I had not recognised them.

The adventure continues, but on a much firmer footing. Feelings are undependable. But when a promise is in writing, it is unshakeable. It never occurred to me before that God's plan is always moving on, but He is under no obligation to explain it to us, or our part in it. He has said He will never leave us, and He never does, even when we can't feel it. It is a great strength to me now to look forward to the rest of the adventure on that basis.

Thinking Thursday: Man Makes God in his Own Image

In the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series, one of the books tells of an expedition to see God’s last message to his creation. It is carved into the side of a mountain, and the way up to the viewing platform is quite a trek. Eventually our heroes make it, and as they move along the walkway they come round the curve of the mountain and the message comes into view. It says “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

The story makes a great joke, and takes the unexpected turn that readers of Douglas Adams’ books have come to expect. But the sad thing is that the message makes sense to a lot of people.

Modern society has been called the ‘Me’ generation – everything in life is viewed from the selfish perspective. “What can I get out of it?” “How do I feel about it?” So it is quite believable that if there is a God, and if he created everything for us, that he would be sorry if he didn’t quite come up to our expectations. Man is king, and everything must serve him.

What a challenge, then, to communicate to this generation the mightiness of God and the need to serve Him and bow to Him.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 'For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.'

Thinking Thursday: What does the Christian Church have to offer?

A lot has been said and written about reaching the members of Christian cults for Jesus. Organisations like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and the Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs). There is a lot of advice available on how to reach them with the gospel. But we also need to talk about the importance of not just getting someone out of a cult, but into the kingdom.

In light of this, I want to consider: What does the Christian Church have to offer a cult member, like a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness? The glib, spiritual answer is the true gospel, salvation, a personal relationship with God, assurance, and so on. But what about in everyday life? What do we have to offer them physically, socially and emotionally?

It is very easy to operate only on a spiritual level and think that making a commitment to Jesus will make everything right. But what happens when you compare “Pie in the sky when you die” with “Cake on a plate while you wait”? People respond more to what they can see and relate to now than to promises about a distant future. Peter said “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15). Many of us are prepared, but nobody asks the question.

I find myself convicted by this too. How often does anyone notice that I’m different because I’m a Christian?

What do people see when they come to church? This applies to everyone, but those coming from a Christian counterfeit background have some pretty good things to compare us to. The Mormon Church puts great emphasis on families and social events. There are organisations for members of all ages, dinners, dances, picnics, and festivals for drama, dance, speech and sport. There is always something going on and lots of ways to get to know people. They are experts at ‘friendship evangelism’. Because they offer a ‘calling’ to a large number of members - even if it is to collect the hymn books - everyone feels important and needed. There are opportunities for many members to give talks and presentations, which develops their confidence, and Sunday School classes for adults, which increases their knowledge and understanding of their faith. Jehovah’s Witnesses attend 5 church meetings a week, where they study their publications, learn more about their faith, and practice their doorstep approaches. The importance of spreading the gospel round the doors is continually emphasised, and everyone is encouraged to take part. Because they are marginalised, they draw close together to support one another against what they see to be persecution.

Then, one day, someone realises that what they have given their life to is not the true gospel after all. They have been deceived, and if they want to come into the truth, they have to give up not just false beliefs, but their friends and their whole lifestyle. They look to the Christians to replace that, and because we have the ‘truth’ they expect it to be better than what they had before. What do they find?

A few years ago I was in the difficult position of having left one church and not yet settled on a new one. But it gave me the opportunity to visit churches as an outsider. I deliberately did not introduce myself or make the first move. I walked in, sat by myself, and waited to see what happened. Praise God, I never went home without someone making me feel welcome. But there is more to it than that. It is a sobering exercise to go to a style of Christian church that you are unfamiliar with and see how you cope when you don’t know what to do in the service.

If you have ever changed churches within the Christian spectrum you will know it takes time to adjust. The new church does things differently, maybe has different priorities. Hardest of all are the unwritten rules - “The way we do things here”. You can unsuspectingly fall foul of all sorts of conventions and taboos.

I remember one church where the minister got up one Sunday morning after a lively hymn and told the congregation that he didn’t want them to clap because he thought it detracted from the spiritual atmosphere. In prayer meetings, some churches encourage everyone to join in the prayers by saying “Yes, Lord!”, “Amen!” and other affirmative phrases while someone is praying. In other places this is considered as interrupting and irreverent. Unlike the principles of salvation, no-one can sit you down and explain the rules, because most people don’t think of them that way, or even at all. They have just absorbed them instinctively in order to fit in. And you can feel very uncomfortable until you do the same.

Now add to that the baggage that ex-cult members bring with them. Most cults teach wrong things about what Christians believe, so they will be confused. They will get their previous beliefs mixed up with their new ones, and not always be able to see why some of them were wrong. I remember one lady who came out of the Mormon Church and went on an Alpha course. She caused so much disruption asking questions the leaders could not answer and bringing up things that no-one had ever thought of, that they eventually asked her not to attend again. It may have saved confusion for the other people on the course, and saved embarrassment for the leaders, but she just felt rejected and lost.

Because they are new Christians, they are not able to serve in any teaching role, like Sunday School, and there may not be many other opportunities to serve. Suddenly, they are useless. They have left behind all their friends and all the organisations they used to go to. Suddenly, they don’t know anyone and have nowhere to go. Their lives, once so rich and full, are now empty. Sunday may be wonderful, but the week is long from one Sunday to another. When I left the Mormon Church I had recently been president of the women’s group and was frequently in the pulpit preaching. I joined a church that had no women’s group and didn’t allow women to preach.

Another difficulty is that, sadly, there are many Christian Churches today that are struggling with internal problems. Members gossip, criticise, and get into cliques. How can they recommend the gospel to others? Other churches are good places to be, but have no evangelism. Someone once said that the church is the only organisation formed principally for the benefit of non members.

Many churches do have a program for evangelism, but no follow-through. Teaching someone the gospel and bringing them to the point where they make a commitment is not enough. Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). Disciples are not converts. Discipling takes time and effort. Converts need to be befriended, taught, nurtured, and made to feel needed and important.

Years ago I spent time with Premmies and Moonies, and what drew me to both these groups was their love and care for one another. I truly felt they would do anything for me and would share their last meal.

Well, enough of being negative. I hope that as you have thought about your church you have been able to tick off the things they do right. But maybe not. Consider what your church will do with people who come to them, seeking the truth, or answers to life’s questions, or maybe having already made a step of faith. Will you say “welcome” and then expect them to fit in? Let me make some suggestions:

• Have ‘Welcomers’ on the door, or nearby, who can watch out for new people and make them feel welcome. This is a delicate task, for they must not be ‘pushy’, just friendly. It is sometimes nice to have someone to sit with you and help you to feel at ease in a strange place - even if you are a long-standing Christian!
• Have an introductory course which new people can attend, led by those who are skilled at explaining the gospel and relating to people.
• Have a ‘Christian Living’ course for new Christians or those who want to get back to basics. Lots of people never get further than their initial commitment - they don’t know what to do next. The course can include explanations of ‘the way we do things here’ as well as guidance on prayer, worship, Bible study, and service. It is also useful to ask every new member to attend, no matter how long they have been a Christian - it means they get to consider what the church believes and how they do things and make sure they will fit in.
• Have a team of people willing to fellowship newcomers. This works for friendship evangelism as well as for helping new people to feel part of the church. This does not require great skills, just a willingness to chat on the phone, go for coffee, help with chores/babysitting/shopping. Any serious questions can be referred to those skilled in apologetics or counselling - which brings me to my next point..
• All members should be encouraged to understand the basics of the faith and be able to explain it and defend it. But there should be those who are better able to answer the ‘thorny’ questions or the ‘difficult customers’. There also needs to be a counselling resource - if not in the church, then outside it - where those with deep needs can find help.
• House groups or special interest groups are a good way to introduce new people to some members they can get to know better. This will make them feel at home sooner. They should also be a forum for growth for all members.

It is all very well to say the church ought to do something. One pastor used to say “Church is the people of God, gathered around the Word of God, ready to do the will of God.” So that means you, and it means me. What can you as an individual do to help new people? You can be a ‘welcomer’ in church, a friendshipper out of church. How well do you know the members of your church, so that you can spot someone new? And how many times do they come before you have the courage to talk to them? It is a skill that can be learned - and think of the friends you will make as you practice! You can encourage your house group to attract new people. You could even volunteer to run an introductory course or a ‘Christian Living’ course!

The true gospel is “Cake on a plate while you wait” AS WELL AS “Pie in the sky when you die.” When our churches cater for people’s needs, then we will be able to answer the question about the hope that we have (1 Peter 3:15), because people will see and ask.

Thinking Thursday: Doing Silly Things

In the Bible there are lots of places where people were asked to do things that didn't make sense. Sometimes they seemed to be really silly. Look at these:

Numbers 21:6-9
The Israelites were bitten by venomous snakes and God told Moses to make a bronze snake – those who looked at it lived, those who thought it was silly, died.

2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman was the commander of the king of Aram's army, and he had leprosy. Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan River seven times to be cured. He thought it was silly, but when his servant persuaded him to do it, he was healed.

John 3:1-21
Nicodemus was told by Jesus he had to be born again. He thought it was silly and Jesus had to gently explain it to him.

Why didn't God explain, or make it simpler? I think there are two reasons.
Isaiah 55:8-9 "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
We cannot always expect to understand God's plans, we have to trust him that he knows what he is doing. But the second reason comes from this. We have to humble ourselves to his will. I think sometimes God asks us to do something that doesn't make sense so we can show him we will be obedient, no matter what.

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.
When we seek to serve God we often expect Him to call us to something extreme or difficult. God doesn’t always want missionaries to China – sometimes He just wants you to talk to your neighbour. What is God asking you to do that seems too silly?