When God is angry ...

When God is angry with us, it is always because of God's own deep concern for our long-term welfare and also the long-term welfare of the community which we inhabit! Let us thus confess, be liberated, and then experience change.

Having Purpose - instead of despair, complacency or nostalgia (Philippians 3:10-14)

Paul’s purpose statement (v.10):

·         I want to know Christ

·         And the power of his resurrection

·         And the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death

Paul’s goal (v.11):

If somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead, i.e. the completion of his salvation.

So we have an acknowledgement that the Christian Jesus-following life is a journey. This journey starts with the grace that has been prepared for us in God’s heart, then really kicks off with our first statement of repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Saviour, then progresses through our learning and changing and our participation in God’s mission, until it is fulfilled when our earthly life comes to an end and we move into the presence of God eternally. We would be foolish to take any of this for granted – certainly Paul didn’t take anything for granted. This is not to say that we are judged in any way by our works, rather to say (with James and with Paul), that we need to continually show that our faith and salvation is real and alive. So Paul pressed on, with all he was worth, toward the goal of the heavenly call of God (v.14).

It is one thing according to Paul (v.12b) for Christ Jesus to have made Paul or anyone his own, but another thing for he or anyone else to make Christ Jesus our own. This is a two-way street! Christ Jesus claims us, but we still need, in all the realities and activities of life, to claim him. Paul was acknowledging that he still had a way to go in fully knowing Jesus, and the power of his resurrection, and to be able to say that he shared the sufferings of Jesus to the point of death. Paul was a work in progress!!

One of the ways Paul pursued his purpose and goal is mentioned in verse 13b – “… but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”. This means at least three things are ruled out:

(i)                  DESPAIR … Firstly, we don’t dwell in the mistakes and failures of the past. We accept forgiveness, and learn all we can in terms of not repeating such mistakes, and move forward WITHOUT the weight of these on us any longer. Past sins should not absorb our thinking. Such burdens will slow us down, impede our progress, and dent our helpfulness to others; and there is no need for us to be carrying them. Forgive yourself as God has forgiven you! To dwell on the past is to waste Jesus’ work on the cross!!! I’ve made mistakes in the past – letting people down, failing to witness with integrity, serving my own ends; but I’ve had to let these go in the wonder of God’s forgiveness. Of course having made a few mistakes along the way, allows us to empathise with other people, understand the difficulty of their journey, and perhaps to be able to gently offer some learned wisdom.

(ii)                COMPLACENCY … Secondly, we don’t go back to those activities that we have found to be personally destructive, unhelpful to others, and generally contrary to our growth. We don’t even go back to those activities that on the surface may have seemed successful, yet were not in line with God’s purposes. We completely apply to our purpose of knowing Christ … and this defines what we choose to do.

(iii)               NOSTALGIA … Thirdly, and somewhat differently, we shouldn’t adopt a nostalgic view of life, where everything was better in previous times, and if only things were like that again. We mightn’t like the change that has happened around us, but this is the new reality in which we have to live out our faith. If we can’t turn back the hands of time, then we better apply ourselves to the realities of the present and future.

So we return to Paul’s purpose statement (v.10):

·         I want to know Christ = to know Christ is to enter into a relationship with him and to get to know him who he is. This is the mind and the heart, the thinking and the feeling … all this embracing Jesus. This involves trawling through the Gospel narratives and really soaking in who Jesus was (and is). This involves considering what Jesus might say and do in the situations we find ourselves in. Can we see things as Jesus sees them? To truly know Jesus is also to love Jesus. All of who Jesus is should make a difference to who we are and who we are becoming.

·         And the power of his resurrection = to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection is a massive statement! This is about new life being injected into us. This is about our actions being effective … very effective. And this is also about all the results of our actions in life corresponding to the example of Jesus. So this is all about living out the life of Jesus in all of our daily interactions. And this sort of life-orientation should be easily identifiable as having some extraordinary source behind it. Would our neighbour say of us … ‘Now there is a person of humility, peace and purpose’ … ‘What goes there’! Do other people experience the life of Jesus when they encounter me? The prior question has to be, ‘Do I experience the living resurrected Jesus myself’? And collectively speaking, with the “power of Jesus’ resurrection” on-side, surely we could become a transformed community that transforms neighbourhoods.

·         And the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death = a seemingly awkward transition – yet all part of the same package! This ‘becoming like Jesus in his death’ has become a literal outcome for many people including Paul; yet it is true that most of us won’t have to literally die because of our faith. This statement actually means far more. This is following the Jesus way wherever it takes us; this is taking up our own cross and following Jesus; this is taking up the same sort of mindset, attitudes, priorities and activities that caused Jesus to be taken to a cross; this is taking up Jesus’ causes on earth despite the risks; this is the humble road of self-sacrifice (or self-giving love); and, this is to be willing to die for the cause if necessary [in the firm knowledge of being subsequently raised up].

So where is Jesus now? Think of our life as a plane flying through the skies. Where is Jesus? Outside the plane (completely out of view)? In a passenger seat (just being taken along for a ride)? Acting as a steward (just serving our needs)? In the co-pilot’s seat (who just takes over now and then when he’s needed)? In the pilot’s seat (in full control)? What about the auto-pilot switch (where the plane just flies itself) – do we tend to prefer that?

Where does Jesus need to be so that our plane doesn’t crash?

Finding our purpose actually makes our life more manageable and simpler. We are less easily distracted, a better decision-maker, and naturally don’t dabble in worthless or wasteful pursuits. 

"Peace for discord" - Philippians 4:4-9

Last week we talked about humility and concluded with the reason why this is so important. We read, Philippians 2:14-15 … Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.  So, it is important to have humility so that we might “shine like stars” in the midst of a “crooked and perverse generation”. But humility is of course not the only quality that shines out through the darkness.

Another way we can “shine like stars” is to live in a peaceful way. This is referred to in these verses as follows: Do all things without murmuring and arguing. Now who of us doesn’t do a little bit of murmuring under their breath, and some arguing, even if it is restrained or contained?! Well, its natural and its human!! I think that these words of Paul are fundamentally directed toward our interpersonal relationships, our basic lifestyle attitudes and behaviour, and how we react when things don’t go our way. People without a divine God-like reference point in their lives react one way, but those with Jesus as their Lord should react in a different, more beneficial, way.

In Ephesians 4:26, written sometime later, reads: Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the devil. This text acknowledges the human propensity toward anger, but warns against letting it [anger] have its way. It also points out the major problem that is unleashed if anger is not controlled. Along the same line, Jesus suggests that anger is the route that leads to murder and therefore is under judgement (Matthew 5:21-22). The antidote to such feelings of anger, as we shall consider more later, is a determination toward reconciliation with any estranged brother or sister or neighbour.

Our reading from Philippians 4:4-9 includes various attributes of the Jesus-follower, which might all be a part of living a peaceful life, i.e. joy, gentleness, lack of worry, and prayer combined with thankfulness. There are also ideas here that the person living in peace will have a good thought life: these people will think primarily about what is true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise. Thinking like this, of course, leads to acting in line with such thought processes … our actions following our inner attitudes and motivations. Then, also, the person of peace will follow good examples; like Paul, and Jesus, and others you could think of yourself who have taught you well and provided a good example to follow. Living in peace encapsulates all of these great attributes listed in this passage.

But all of this starts not in just trying to improve ourselves in our own efforts, for Paul uses the term “peace with God”. True peaceful living starts with gaining such a peace with God that other levels of peace then become possible. How do we ultimately gain peace with God?? By accepting God’s gift of grace and his offer of forgiveness. Then we no more feel that we have to make things up to God, or that we will never be good or clean enough to be happy in life. God’s forgiveness means that we are no longer captive to guilt, or even worse, to shame. Guilt says, we have done wrong. Shame says, we are wrong (or, defective). God says, through his grace, expressed ultimately by Jesus on the cross (taking our guilt and shame upon himself), that God will set us free from all this … and that ultimately we can live in a state of peace.

This leads to being at peace within ourselves. Thomas Kelly, the Quaker philosopher, said that inside each person there should be a quiet centre that nothing can disturb – well that’s certainly something to aspire to!! The Christian mystics talked about the throne of God existing in the innermost part of our heart … yeah! … which no storm nor temptation could disturb! Okay, peace with God leads to peace within ourselves … and what else??? Peace with other people!

Whereas we might have had problems in our relationships with other people around us, because ultimately of how we have felt about ourselves, that is no longer the case! We can now become reconciled with people more easily. The forgiveness we have received makes it easier for us to forgive – well it better!! Feeling better about ourselves makes us more harmonious people. Paul also famously wrote to the Roman church these words (12:18) … if it is possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. Or as NLT translates, to take away any feelings of non-responsibility: Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

What else happens, when the peace we have with God has led to peace within, and then in turn peace with our family and neighbours?? We become less satisfied with any lack of peace, or if you like, more dissatisfied with conflict! There is the wise saying: “May the peace of Christ disturb us all”! We are not just receivers of the gift of peace, but also under the calling to be peacemakers. Jesus stated that one of the attitudes of a follower of his went like this … Blessed are the peacemakers, for they [and only they] will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9). But this takes us into difficult and heady areas. John Dickson and Greg Clarke share a helpful conversation (in the "Life of Jesus" DVD series) about where our responsibilities lay in the complexity of this. Various world conflicts are not all our problem, but are partly our problem … or shall we say challenge.

Of course, the lack of progress toward peace in many areas can turn back in on us, so that we feel frustrated, impotent, angry and anything but peaceful. Prayer is an important tool here, as well as gaining perspective on what it is that we can personally and corporately make a positive difference in. And in this – the God of peace will be with us … guarding our hearts and minds! So now, how would you describe living at peace with God (in all its facets)???

"Humility for complexity" - Philippians 2:1-15

According to Paul (Philippians 2:5), we should have the same mind as Jesus did. This means to adopt the same thought patterns, attitudes and values as Jesus. Now this doesn’t just come naturally or by accident. Paul phrases it this way (as translated in NRSV), “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus”. We have to allow for this … we have to decide for this! This is helped through having a relationship with Jesus, yet we can easily get complacent and drift. We have to choose that it will be this mind of Jesus that we opt for, as against other alternatives.

What might those other alternatives be?? The unhindered flow of our own minds!?! Some other person of influence!?! A desire for power!?! Jesus himself had to resist the temptation to shift from God’s path in a similar way to how we can be tempted to shift from following Jesus. Luke relates one of these temptations in this way (4:5-8):

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered him, "It is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him".

No, Jesus said – I have a different ministry in mind, which will truly unveil what God is really like. It will not be based on power and coercion, but rather on love and service. The church has often tried to wield [or, “exploit”, as in v.6] power, and in so doing has lost the trust of people … well of course it has! The church has often tried to hang on to power after trust has been lost, and in so doing, losing all relevance and usefulness!

Paul calls us to humility, where we step aside (or, repent) from selfish ambition and self-centredness, and genuinely care for the needs of others. Jesus is initially cast in these verses (refer v. 7) in terms of the lowest possible human status – a “slave”, and then is accepting of the sort of death a criminal or non-descript person would expect – crucifixion (“death on a cross” v.8). Then of course we read the wonderful resolution of the life and identity and status of Jesus in verse 9-11 – resurrection and exaltation. But verse 9 begins with, “therefore…”. It was the former that allowed for the latter. If we are to be respected, trusted and appreciated as Jesus-followers, then first we need to be people of love and service. It is only the humble that can be lifted up; everybody else may be heading for a fall!

We could turn this around another way, for our own encouragement. If the people of God, like us, are called to be people of love and service, then we have one who has gone before us who can fully embrace us in the difficulty and complexity we encounter in life. No one in the Bible said the Christian life would be easy – in fact quite the opposite was often said. The way of mission was always expected to be hard. The only thing close to suggesting ease, was when Jesus was allowed to take up part of our load – “Come to me … Take my yoke upon you … and you will find rest” (Matthew 11:28-9).

And this is where we find the encouragement, encapsulated in Hebrews 4:15-16 … For we do not have a high priest [Jesus] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. In a sense, we’re not asked to go anywhere where Jesus hasn’t already been, or live in a way that Jesus has not already lived.

What does humility (in terms of v.3, and v.7) mean??? How does humility hit the road … in the way we live, and the way we look? Being open, responsive to new (even unexpected) possibilities, ready to learn, prepared to listen, teachable, welcoming, making room for others, more prone toward reconciliation and acceptance than bitterness and exclusion, generosity. We can easily see that coming into synergy or collaboration with the mind of Jesus, soon translates into the field of our activity.

In verses 12-13 we see a delicate balance … a partnership if you like. We ourselves are working out our salvation with fear and trembling – meaning: continually seeking to understand and apply what this great gift of grace means to us in everyday living (with a decent and appropriate level of seriousness). In this way we see our salvation as tangible, real, operational and effective. At the same time, God is on our side; but more than that … God is working away in us through the Holy Spirit, so that we form the will to love and serve, and then discover the way to love and serve.

Humble people don’t seek superiority, nor ‘lord it’ over others, nor continually find fault, nor label others. Humility comes from an understanding of our mutual dependence upon God for grace. And humility is formed through living in the complexity side-by-side with Jesus! Why is all this so important? We should read on another couple of verses (Phil.2:14-15) … so that we might “shine like stars” in the midst of a “crooked and perverse generation”.

"Living for Christ" - a brief study of Philippians chapter 1

The verse that really caught my attention and challenged me this week is Philippians 1:20 … Paul speaking (from prison) …

It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death.

Then the next verse reads …

For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.

Living for Christ … living for Jesus … living in such a way that Christ is exalted … what does that mean (on a day-by-day basis)?

For this, I think, is the unique reason why we gather together – to learn (together) how to live for Jesus.

We should first put these verses in context. Let us go back to the start of this letter.

Philippians 1:1-2

Paul had earlier founded and planted the church in Philippi, and now was taking the chance, despite being in prison elsewhere, to write a letter to those who were part of this church – for their enrichment and encouragement and discipleship.

Two words are used in the first verse of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, that first describes Paul and Timothy’s relationship with Jesus, and then secondly describes all of our relationship with Jesus. The words are doulos – translated “servant or slave”, and hagios – generally translated “saint or holy one”, but really meaning more “set apart one” … i.e. the one who is set apart (for a purpose). These are serious words! To call themselves “servants”, indicates that Paul and Timothy had voluntarily renounced their right to live according to their own inclinations, so that they could follow precisely and utterly in the Jesus way, just as if they had no real choice in the matter. This requires great humility, that allows a person to be an instrument in the hands of the Great Musician. To refer to the members of the church in Philippi as “saints” indicates that Paul considered that these Philippians were likewise “set apart” … “separated” from evil and “set apart” for God’s purposes above all else. This is not an elevated human holier-than-thou type implied goodness, but a specific relational connection to Christ Jesus – “saints in Christ Jesus”. This offers a good context for what follows.

Philippians 1:3-8

Then, Paul went on to commend the church in Philippi for their effort in sharing the Gospel. This was a cause of thankfulness and joy for Paul (v.3-5). Not only this, but Paul reflected that because the church in Philippi was so committed to the sharing of the Gospel, together with their concern and care for Paul himself, that this would lead to their own maturity (refer verse 6).

Philippians 1:9-11

As we read verses 9 to 11, we sense that these words are not a prayer based on wishful thinking, but rather are a prayerful blessing that contained a confident expectation of what was certain (if the church in Philippi continued in the way they had begun). These are indeed great expectations! Part of this ultimate maturity was the dynamic of “having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ …”. What does that mean?? Right living made possible through the grace of God in the work of Jesus purposefully expressed in the successful (i.e. “harvest”) sharing of the Gospel.

Philippians 1:12-14

Paul goes on to reflect that his own sharing of the Gospel, under great difficulty, had led to some great outcomes, both inside and outside the prison that he was in (v.12-14). Paul’s imprisonment actually opened the doors of opportunity. This is a lesson to us that the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus should not be restricted to only when things are going well. In fact, finding authentic ways to share the Gospel under suffering is actually far more powerful and effective than when life is easy. Yes times can be tough, but we are seeing how God is embracing our suffering, and how God is gently nurturing our way through and forward, and how we may come out better people. Old time commentator G Campbell Morgan talks about adverse conditions being made allies of the soul (and ministers of victory) in the hands of God.

Also, Paul’s sharing of the message of Jesus under duress had emboldened others to do the same. We are to be that sort of community … a community that emboldens each other (through both encouragement and example). In verses 15-18, Paul reflects on some of the motivations behind sharing Christ, which are not always pure; then returns to his major theme.

Philippians 1:18-26

Paul, especially under hardship, wants Christ to be “exalted” (v.20) … which means to be ‘magnified, lifted up, revered, honoured, praised, worshipped’. When people look at him, and how he’s handling life (especially life at its hardest), Paul wants people to see Jesus. Wherever he is, and whoever he is with, Paul wants to make Jesus visible. Even though death would bring Paul out of his torment and into his eternal reward, Paul acknowledges that striving hard through life has with it God’s ultimate purpose – termed “fruitful labour” in verse 22 (i.e. ministry, missionary activity). We should note that Paul will not “exalt” Jesus himself (in his own courage), but that, through how Paul handles certain circumstances, Jesus will be “exalted” – meaning the Spirit of God will be at work in this and be bringing about the good results.

Yet the person involved needs to be willing. And given the depth of pressure Paul is under, it’s still a determination that he needs to consciously and publicly make. Understanding that to die while already knowing Jesus is a gain … in that he will then be with Jesus (v.21), Paul had to decide that it was still worth striving to survive. This is a mindset thing – for it is important how we view our situation if we are going to get through it in the way that we can and should. It’s worth reflecting on verses 23 & 24 where the options are laid out. But by the time Paul expresses himself the way he does in verse 24, he has really gained perspective and confronted himself with the only position that he can really take – to persevere, and make Jesus known … for the sake of others. Thus negative circumstances have been turned into opportunities of ministry.

Decision made … read verses 25 & 26! So ‘living for Jesus’ rises above all circumstances – negative or positive. ‘Living for Jesus’ declares a sort of independence from situational circumstances. This is how there can be a joy, that is not easily understood for those trapped in their lost-ness, yet is nonetheless noticed.

Philippians 1:27-30

Paul goes on to point out to the church in Philippi, that this ‘living for Christ’ is not something that is just done individually, but also should be done collectively with joint effort and teamwork (v.27-28). The collective ‘body of Christ’ stands firm in the unity of the Spirit of God, and strives to offer a ministry side-by-side in a single-minded faith response to the Gospel of Jesus. This is not to say that everyone necessarily thinks the same, but rather that they creatively bring their diverse thinking together into a cohesive collective whole. Such a church body will not be intimidated, diverted, distracted or disrupted by any opponents of any description. This will be a great testimony to the seriousness and authenticity of the church’s cause.

After all, while certain historians can be dubious about the actual evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, they remain significantly impressed and swayed by the surety and active commitment displayed by those who did obviously believe in resurrection of Jesus (right to the extent of enduring persecution and even dying for this cause) … those who were involved in the rapid growth of the first century Christian movement. In this way, according to Paul (v.29), suffering in the name of Jesus is part of the deal of faith and of being God’s children – part of the extension of God’s Kingdom.

[Where we feel nervous about sharing Jesus’ suffering like Paul was, we know that Jesus also shares our suffering. Paul knew this, because on the day of his conversion on the Damascus Road, when Jesus was holding him accountable for persecuting Christians, Jesus said to Paul … “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5).]

If we truly want to live for Christ, then I think that we have to know Christ, and the best thing we can be spending our time on is talking about and learning about Jesus. This is how we truly discover who we are and why we are here.

Prayer:

Lord God,

Forgive us for making life all about what we expect;

And guide us in learning to live for Christ,

Whatever circumstances come upon us.

Amen!

The process of discipleship, toward the reality of living for Jesus, has been expressed this way:

Jesus, take me as I am,

I can come no other way.

Take me deeper into You,

Make my flesh life melt away.

Make me like a precious stone,

Crystal clear and finely honed,

Life of Jesus shining through,

Giving glory back to You.

(Words by Dave Bryant)

Church essentials (Acts 2:42-47) - a discussion outline

In trying to be the church, we should always be thinking about what that essentially means.

What are the essential factors in being church?

We are privileged to have a record of the functioning of the first-century church.

These are the dynamics that occurred following the coming of the Spirit to the first followers of Jesus.

What do you notice of significance in Acts 2:42-47?

There was a devotion (v.42) to certain activity … four areas:

·         Apostles’ teaching – the apostles were the ones who were founding these early communities of faith … bringing together new converts, and not only giving them an environment or physical context in which to gather and worship, but also the teaching they would need to grow and flourish. Such teaching would no doubt include the well-known stories about Jesus’ actions and words, but also (on the basis of the sort of preaching Peter did) include explanations of how this new faith in Jesus fitted with and developed the traditional religion of the Jewish people. As people newly connected with these Jesus-following groups, it was important that they knew and understood the full depth of what it was they were attaching themselves to. And following the mass baptisms of these exciting days, there would be the need for good solid teaching, if these new adherents were going to be able to find their way forward in the faith.

·         Fellowship – koinonia – which was far more than sharing a cuppa after services … this was about deep sharing, close relationship, real caring  and spiritual communion. The depth of such connectedness is emphasised in verses 44-45 … the culture was strongly one of sharing and providing for the poor. See also Acts 4:32-37. Personal possessions were not regarded as private possessions. What was created here was a significant arena of support and strength-building – where there was a truthful sharing of joys and sorrows, and concerted help with life’s disappointments. There would have been an openness, honesty and vulnerability (like for example expressed in James 5:16).

·         Hospitality – i.e. the Breaking of bread – this is the sharing of meals in one another’s homes … which was, culturally speaking, the most intimate and friendly of activity. Given what we read in other places (e.g. 1 Corinthians 11), it is likely that such gatherings also included a remembrance of the Lord’s Supper. So, this models both our hospitality toward one another, and also God’s hospitality toward all of us. Such hospitality would have crossed through societal barriers like ethnicity and economic status, and creatively embraced difference and diversity.

·         Prayer – which shows more than anything else that any such gatherings are primarily focussed on God.

There was a great vibe happening, where early Jesus-following communities had the “goodwill of all the people”, and their number was continually increasing (v.47). There seems to be at least three other areas leading to this:

·         Wonders and signs – whatever the apostles were doing was creating an atmosphere of “awe” (v.43). “Signs” point beyond themselves, and “wonders” are unusual and unexpected … in a good way! As Jesus had predicted, his disciples were able to do some of the things he had been doing in terms of revealing the glory of God. Generally speaking, it seems that the way these Jesus-following communities were living out their belief in the resurrected Jesus, especially in terms of turning the social order upside down, was having a very positive impact. And so these “signs and wonders” were likely not just supernatural occurrences, but also rare occurrences i.e. expressions of generosity, unity, neighbour care and joy. People who had once been selfish, were now sharing with one another on an unprecedented scale! If people could act in this remarkable way amongst one another, and that this generous dynamic spread out to the whole local community, then God must truly be at work. See also Acts 4:33 – “With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all”. CJH Wright – “Luke has already made it clear that the social and economic concern of the church for the needy was itself connected to the teaching of the apostles, and that the rapid growth of the church was the result of both the teaching and evangelism of the apostles and the quality of love and care within the community of Jesus-followers” (“The Mission of God’s People”, p.214-5).

·         Consistent daily living (v.46) – as well as fulfilling their traditional temple duties, the early Jesus-followers also met with each other on a daily basis throughout the streets and lanes. They gathered daily in various homes near where they lived and shared in the teaching, fellowship, hospitality and prayer that we’ve talked about earlier. This would obviously be important for a fledgling and persecuted minority, but would no doubt have also had great vitality and excitement attached to it. The sort of sincerity, faithfulness, commitment and sacrifice involved in this was really impressive, and along with their socially responsible and ethical attitudes, thus built this aforementioned “goodwill”.

·         Praise of God (v.47a) – pointing towards someone greater than had been generally experienced, and filling the local environment with great seeds of hope (in the face of hopelessness and broken dreams).

So do we follow this pattern exactly today?

Perhaps we at the very least should look at the basic principles carefully and see them as essentials.

According to RB Hays we are given here something that “calls us to consider how in our own communities we might live analogously” (Moral Vision of the NT, p.302)”. So, how do we effectively live out who we are becoming in Jesus?

What are the most important elements that we read about in Acts 2??

How do we go about embracing these???

[And if we get this right, then those who think about us in later generations, may be caused to say, “and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33b).]

Neighbour love (Mark 12:28-34)

I read this week that we need to love the “lost” as much as we love God!

This doesn’t mean of course that we love God less … to pull this love down to the level of our comfort of loving other people!

It must mean pulling up our level of love toward other people!!

We don’t want to use the term “lost” in a superior or arrogant or prideful way. It’s just that people can and do struggle without knowledge of and relationship with their Creator. A sense of “lost-ness” is bound to appear eventually.

This leads my thinking to the famous passage at Mark 12:28-34 (also in Matthew 22 & Luke 10).

Interesting points:

Ø  The question asked of Jesus by the seeker scribe seems to want to point to just one commandment or principle, but Jesus is quick to add the second ‘neighbour love’ commandment to the first, as though they are an inseparable double commandment – sharply Jesus says, “the second is this …” (v.31). Then we read Jesus saying, “There is no other commandment greater than these” – obviously meaning “these” taken together!

Ø  This particular scribe does not argue this point with Jesus, but rather, and maybe a bit unexpectedly, says, “You are right” (v.32)! So this gives me encouragement that when a point is made that makes so much sense as Jesus did here, and when it is so grounded in good ethical thinking, that it becomes really impressive and insightful and impacting, and even ultimately transforming. Oh to speak the truth so clearly and helpfully as Jesus does! Because this seeker scribe has come on board with this teaching, he is now viewed by Jesus in a very favourable light – “You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (v.34).

Ø  To add ‘neighbour love’ to one’s love toward God, gives significant understanding to the sort of love God requires (especially in the light of the coming of Jesus into the world). A focus on love of neighbour stands well and truly above any old religious “whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” (v.33). For these tended to be just external or outer pretences and attempted showings of holiness far in excess of what was truly happening inside of people in terms of their real level of love toward God. A person can easily maintain a deep selfishness on the inside while pretending to be so virtuous on the outside. These so-called “sacrifices” had become so regimented and trivial as to mean nothing! Offering certain “sacrifices” or an external show of holiness became comfortable habits rather than leading to a more faithful life. And often they were pointed to in an attempt to lift status, when really they were signs of hypocrisy. Jesus pointed to this in terms of prayer and fasting in Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. Interesting that these verses are positioned right before and after the sharing of the ‘Lord’s Prayer’!

So where will the rubber hit the road?

‘Neighbour love’, defined through mercy and compassion, stands superior to any type of empty religious gesture. Some eight centuries before Jesus, the biblical prophet Hosea had already spoken about this, but maybe to largely deaf ears … “For I desire [i.e. God desires] steadfast love and not sacrifice; the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

And we know that while “love thy neighbour” was often interpreted and applied in a very limited or narrow way, in Luke’s Gospel Jesus broadened the definition of neighbour right out to include traditional ‘enemies’ (Luke 10:29-37).

What does it mean to love anyway?? Whether this is toward God or anyone else?

Ø    To appreciate, delight in, hold dear, be inclined towards; to be committed and devoted to; to honour and respect.

We know this ‘neighbour love’, and by connection, this love for God, has to be a tangible active love. The sort of desires for good outcomes that we have for ourselves are likewise hoped for and expressed towards others (whether or not we have yet experienced them for ourselves). This is what it means to “love your neighbour as yourself” (v.31). You want it to happen for yourself, so you likewise want it to happen for others. This determines our attitudes and motivations in prayer and in action. {If we happen to be in a place where we don’t think much of ourselves, that is when we need to remind ourselves of how much God loves and values us … look at the cross, and then see this as applying to everyone else as well.} Other people’s needs are no less than our own. “If we love our neighbours as we love ourselves, we shall want for them the treatment we should want for ourselves, were we in their place” (Mitton). This would then lead on to a consideration of how others are treated by certain government policies or indeed lack of policies (and what we may need to do about this on behalf of them).

The ‘Welcome to Australia’ prayer (from the ‘Welcome Centre’ based in Adelaide) captures all this beautifully –

May all that we have in common quiet the fear of our differences.

May our generosity overwhelm our greed; may selfish ambition give way to selfless service. 

May an addiction to compassion replace our commitment to cruelty. 

May all people know they are valued beyond measure through our words, our attitude, our actions and our legislation.

May Australia become all that it can be - welcoming, humanising and dignifying to all people without prejudice - and may each of us commit to living the change we'd like to see in the world this year.

Some brief thoughts about being a neighbour:

Ø  Not bemoaning lack of interest in our ‘agenda’, but showing greater interest in their lives, situations and needs. After all, many people have rejected what they have observed of Christianity rather than what Christianity actually should be. We have to offer some new living perspectives … not based on judgmental and critical attitudes, but rather on grace.

Ø  Not being exclusive or trying to do things in isolation, but finding ways of partnering or working with others on common interests – asking ourselves the questions … how can we help, and what can our unique contribution be. This includes an allowance for mutuality – allowing others to help us.

Ø  If the challenge seems too large, and the broadened definition of “neighbour” too big, then we may have to break this down to those we already know, and those that we naturally see and interact with, and the issues that concern them. There will still be enough of those that we find it hard to see eye-to-eye with, to place a test upon our sincerity of loving God!