just wondering

...if there is any connection between the triple-groaning of Romans 8 (creation; Christians; the Spirit) and the pains of childbearing of Genesis 3:16? If there was, maybe one could throw 1 Timothy 2:15 into the mix too. Clearly a job for someone more capable than me!

Days

These are the days
you never saw;
sun rises, sun sets
just as before,
but you have been laid
to rest,
never to rise
in a morning of time,
never to set
when a day is done.

These are the days
we never thought
you would
never
see.













In Memoriam: George Myerscough
(20th January 1920 - 30th November 2005)

Behind the question

In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus tells of two recent events in which people have suffered - first at the hands of murderous Pilate, secondly in the collapse of a tower in Siloam. In speaking of those events, Jesus asks the question, Were those who died worse sinners than other people?

There is an assumption behind the question that is clearly shared by both Jesus and his hearers: God is somehow involved in both situations, for the question of judgement revolves around him. Jesus knew, and his contemporaries knew, that judgement rests in the hand of God alone. If these acts were by way of judgement (and the text begs the response 'yes, in some way'), then God is involved.

The key issue for Jesus' hearers, made plain by Jesus himself, is whether they will learn and repent. It is the same issue that arises in Rev. 9:20f.

The same issues are not absent from life in this world today.

Wright on...

"If Jesus is...the lens through which you glimpse the beauty of God, you will discover what it means to worship, because you will discover what it means to be loved." Tom Wright, For All God's Worth, p.10

Esteeming our friends

Sometimes it can be hard for missionaries and other Christian workers to speak about their work because they fear being 'put on a pedestal', albeit unwittingly. People can speak about them in such glowing terms - "I could never do what you do!"; "You've given so much to the Lord" - that they feel slightly embarrassed, because their own estimate of themselves and their work is far more realistic. They know that, at the end of the day, whatever they have given to the Lord, they are, at best, 'unprofitable servants'. They are conscious that so much more could have been done and done better.

This can easily lead to another problem, however. Knowing that commending someone for their service may embarrass them or, worse still, may puff them up with pride, nothing is said at all. That can leave a person feeling discouraged, taken for granted and unvalued.

Is there a better way? Reading the New Testament, it seems there must be, because there we find people being commended for their service in a way that is open and natural. Just look for example at Romans 16 where Paul mentions a whole host of individuals, many of whom would no doubt have been present when the letter was read to the church: "Mary...worked very hard for you; Andronicus and Junius...are outstanding among the apostles; Apelles, tested and approved in Christ".

From those examples, it's quite clear that to commend others we don't need to become skilled diplomats, able to find just the right form of words to cover every angle. You know the sort of thing, 'Thank you for what you've done...I mean, what the Lord has done through you'. It doesn't read like that, does it? Paul just says what he thinks, with warmth and honesty. He's not in the business of flattery but is simply acknowledging what is good and blessed.

How could he and others be so straightforward? We seem at times to be very different, with so many hang-ups! Maybe it was because they were resting in a relationship with the Lord which was patently secure because it was so obviously based on his grace alone. When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:10 of his having "worked harder than all" the other apostles, it could seem as though he was boasting. Rather, he's simply making an honest assessment, yet without any pride on his part for he immediately adds "Yet not I but the grace of God that was with me".

When we grasp that we are loved by God not because of who we are or what we do but simply because of his grace, then we are freed to serve him and others without being hungry for praise that will dispel our insecurity and compensate for a lack of assurance. And within the security of God's love we discover how to praise others too, esteeming them highly in the Lord and valuing what they do for him. Our words of thanks and praise will neither embarrass nor exalt because they will carry the savour of the amazing grace of God.

More Jonah

Jonah. Somehow he seems to have ended up a bit of a hero but in truth he was much more a villain. Called to preach a message of judgement, he ran for cover - not out of cowardice but out of callousness. He wasn't scared by what the Ninevites might do to him but by what they might do with God's Word - believe it, repent and live. So he did a bunk.

We know the story very well. Jonah, the once-faithful prophet runs at the sound of God's voice and manages to sleep soundly when that same voice booms in the storm at sea. Hardened in his sin, he is even shown up by pagan sailors who have more sense of God than he seems to have. Finally, he owns up to his sin and is cast overboard. Chased and chastened.

It seems like he learns his lesson. Inside the great fish, sent by God not to punish but to deliver him, he prays with a full heart, acknowledging that "salvation comes from the Lord". And when he lands on shore, he responds with obedience when God's Word comes to him a second time and makes his way to Nineveh. Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all.

But wait. The job's not done yet. He goes to Nineveh, speaks God's Word and, instead of having him for dinner, they proclaim a fast and repent of their sins. A cause for great rejoicing - but not for this still-wayward prophet. He was where he should be in terms of geography but he is still miles away in terms of compassion and mercy. Instead he is wrapped up in his own small world of bitter complaint and anger against God. A real villain - still.

But are we really that different? Maybe not. We too easily run, too quickly argue, too often sulk. We may pray for opportunities to witness but are we really looking for them? Do we marginalise some people as being somehow unworthy of the gospel because of their blatant sin? Are we expecting the Lord to march to our tune instead of being captive to his will and purpose? I hang my head.

The book ends without really ending - and that is entirely intentional. How did he respond to the Lord's last word to him, which so powerfully disclosed the Lord's merciful heart? We aren't told. The really crucial thing now is not Jonah but us, the readers, us, the church. The book challenges our complacency, our bigotry, our lack of genuine love. "Look at the world, pleads the author, at God's world. See it through God's eyes. And let your new vision overcome your natural bitterness, your hardness of soul. Let the divine compassion flood your own hearts." (Leslie Allen)

Gone fishin'

It’s a striking scene – a miraculous catch of fish is followed by an unequivocal call: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt. 4:18-22; cf. Luke 5:1-11). Of course, there are aspects of the calling of the 12 disciples that are unique to them – in their role as authoritative eye-witnesses of the life and teaching of Jesus and his death, resurrection and ascension, they would have no successors. But it is also true that every disciple can learn much from this deeply moving scene.

The call to follow is entirely gracious. In Luke’s account, Simon Peter is acutely conscious of his sin and shame – he is so utterly unworthy of the One who stands before him. Yet the One before whom he bows speaks words which comfort, “Don’t be afraid”, and words which commission, “From now on you will catch men”. Being conscious of our sin and of the many ways in which we have failed our Lord and are still so unlike him does not disqualify us from following him. He speaks to dispel our fear and to call us into fresh service in his name.

The order here is interesting – it was in following that they were to become. They were to follow Jesus and learn from him. They needed to stay close and hang on his every word; they needed to make sure they paid the closest attention as they witnessed the powerful in-breaking of the Kingdom of God and were caught up in its progress. But whilst the responsibility to follow closely rests with the one called, the formation of that person is in the hands of the one who calls: “I will make you…”.

There is set in motion here a process that would lead into genuine maturity under the tutelage of the Saviour. But their discipleship was not simply an end in itself. Jesus calls them so that they might call others; he would make them able to disciple others, to be “fishers of men”. From the calling of Abraham onwards, through the election of Israel, the call of God was never simply for the sake of the one called but for the sake of the nations. The same is true of the church; Jesus said, “I have chosen you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit” (Jn. 15:16) – not simply the fruit of renewed lives but seeing the gospel reach and renew others too.

Discipleship is never simply about the maturing of individuals in isolation from the great task of mission. Rather, it is with mission as integral and essential, and at the very core of what it means to be a disciple.

And the call to follow and to become was given and heard in the context of an ordinary day, in the midst of ordinary lives. No doubt mission gatherings and conferences play a part in focussing thoughts and prayers and have often been used by the Lord to awaken a fresh sense of call. But we should also expect to become aware of the Lord calling us, and experience his forming of us, in the everyday events of life.

In that context, Jesus’ choice of metaphors here is interesting. In the New Testament, a whole variety of images are used to describe gospel workers – athletes, farmers, builders, shepherds, soldiers, parents, ambassadors; the list is very extensive. Here, Jesus calls fishermen to become…fishermen. What they had been would be taken up and become a part of what they would be. And still today he takes us where we are, as we are, in order to form and use us for his glory in the lives of others as we obey his call to follow him. Could anything be more thrilling?

How the Gospel helps us to Plan and Pray (Romans 15:23-33)

1. Planning
Studded throughout Paul’s letters are indications of the plans he made regarding his gospel work. The details he records are very interesting, not least because they show the impact the gospel has on our planning.

i) Practical – Hoping for their help when on his way to Spain; on his way to Jerusalem with monetary help from Macedonia and Achaia. Both are very practical details; the finer details do matter and there is a time & a place to sort then out (nb: seems Paul had no qualms in asking for material help, both for others and himself).

But notice that these practical details are determined by the gospel itself. It is because there is a message to share that Paul needs to be helped on his way; it is because the gospel creates a new family of God and unites Jew and Gentile that there needs to be practical and genuine expression of that new unity.

ii) Purposeful – Paul’s plans are very purposeful: he knows where he wants to go and why – “there is no more place for me to work in these regions”. Couldn’t he have found a pastorate somewhere and settled down? Of course! But his purpose is to extend the work, not to settle down.

Some (many?) must settle into a longer-term pattern of ministry but our mentality (whatever our particular Christian service might be) must always be expansive, because the gospel demands it, the very character and heart of God demands it. And if our mentality is expansive, it will, of necessity, affect our planning.

2. Praying
But if the gospel affects and determines our planning, the same is true about our praying. Planning and praying are to go hand in hand, whatever our temperament may be, and both are entailments of the gospel itself. The same gospel that impels us to plan also impels us to pray.

i) Joining the struggle – Paul here describes such prayer as joining with him in his struggle. We may find prayer hard and there may be many reasons for that but part of the reason is that it is a sharing in the reality of the spiritual warfare that is at the heart of the gospel. When the gospel is preached and lived, a cosmic struggle is joined. We may – we will – find it hard going but the call is to join the struggle.

ii) Two-fold struggle – But what is noticeable here is that the struggle operates on two fronts. Paul asks for prayer that he will be rescued from unbelievers; a quite natural request and a very realistic one, since wherever he went Paul encountered trouble.

That’s the nature of the gospel and the battle we’re involved in. The world as a whole is not ambivalent to the gospel; it is hostile to it, since the natural mind is hostile to God. The need for the same prayer still exists today; the struggle hasn’t changed.

But the second area of struggle is less expected yet still as much in need of prayer. Paul asks that his service will be acceptable to the saints in Jerusalem. The reasons aren’t hard to work out – such a gift, from Gentiles to Jews, might offend some people’s sensibilities and some proud hearts might need to be humbled.

Whatever the particular details, this request reminds us that because the gospel creates one new family we need to pray that the life of that new family will honour and reflect the nature of the one who has brought it into being. Still today there is a need to pray that suspicion will be removed and genuine love fostered among all God’s people, in whatever situations.

The gospel itself demands we plan as Paul did and pray as he requested. Methinks there is some work to be done.

So - why Spain?

That would be a very good question for potential missionaries (well, at least for those thinking of going to Spain). Might we be permitted to ask the same question of the Apostle Paul whose desire to travel to Spain is clearly stated in Romans 15:23ff?

What was driving his desire - the simple fact that the gospel had not yet reached those regions? No doubt. That the people there were in thrall to idols as much as any other nation and needed to hear the gospel of God’s grace? Of course. Yet it would be wrong to imagine that Paul’s plans sprang from a disinterested pragmatism – they were the distilled passion of a man eager to see Jesus honoured as Lord and for the nations to know the blessings of his reign. If Jesus has not been preached in Spain, Paul will go there to make him known.

But it may well be that Paul’s decision to go to Spain was not simply that it was the first – or even the best – place he came upon where the gospel was unknown. He made plain in Romans that his gospel centres on the reality that Jesus is Lord, that “our God reigns”; in that light, Paul may have felt his desire to go to Spain was scripturally mandated by Psalm 72, the great celebration of the Messiah’s reign and the blessing of the nations in him.

Psalm 72:10 tells us that “the kings…of distant shores will bring tribute to him” and Spain was, indeed, relatively distant. But it may be even more specific than that: verse 10, in full, speaks of “The kings of Tarshish”. Where was Tarshish? The question has not been settled with complete certainty but, in all likelihood, it was a reference to Spain.

Paul longed to bring people to the obedience of faith to King Jesus. Psalm 72 says that the kings of Spain will be among them – and Paul takes note and makes his plans to go there – yes, because it is unreached but also because he wants with all his heart to fulfil the mandate of his Lord.

But all the evidence (or perhaps the lack of it) suggests that Paul never in fact got there. The desire to go was right and good; it was both sensible and scriptural. Yet in the purposes of God it seems Paul was not the one to take the gospel there. So was his desire misplaced and his efforts wasted?

Not in God’s hands, for the desire to go to Spain and the need to pass through Rome called forth the letter to the Romans, a letter that has been used by God at critical times in the church’s history and has been a blessing to untold numbers through the centuries.

Your desire may be to go where the gospel is not known; you may even feel that the call to go is scripturally mandated – and yet the way has not opened up. Were you wrong to have that desire? Was your reading of scripture mistaken? Not necessarily; but the Lord of the harvest works out his plans as he sees fit. And he will not waste that desire – it may have resulted in fervent prayer for places you might never have prayed for; your evident concern for those who have never heard may have deeply moved others who now serve the Lord in just such a place; your discussions with others about your sense of call may have caused them to lay aside their factionalism in order to focus more clearly on the gospel.

Who knows how the Lord may have used what was a right desire and one based squarely upon scripture? What we can be sure of is that he will have used it – and your story is not done with yet; so “never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Rom. 12:11,12).