Luke 9.51-62
Intro
• Key moment in Luke – cf military receiving orders to pack up & board transport to war zone – reality dawns, adrenalin flows, heart beats quicker…
• Alan Jones “when the flag drops, the bulls**t stops”
• At these moments questions are raised about our real values, our beliefs, our courage and our commitment.
• These kind of Qs are raised by Jesus here. Begins (51) when J sensed his time had come and “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Ends with J saying “No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” In between, tough Qs are raised for J’s disciples and other people.
• These questions should challenge us too.
Context
• Jesus has been preparing for this turning point through Ch9
• Predictions of his rejection and suffering (22, 44)
• Radical commitment required of followers (23-25)
• BUT his words weren’t understood by disciples. Were they just dull?
• How strange/unexpected his words after Peter’s insight that J was Messiah
• No Jew expected Messiah to suffer. J’s combination of 2 separate streams of OT prophecy was totally unexpected
• They probably just ignored J’s statements with a nervous laugh – as if he were an eccentric inventor with a wild idea for a flying machine. As J prepared himself to strap on his wings and stride to the cliff edge, disciples concerned themselves, as Christians often do, with questions of membership and status amongst his followers!
• The Qs Jesus wanted to pose his followers and potential followers were aimed at 2 groups:- those who refuse to follow and those who say they will follow.
Those who refuse to follow
• Represented by Samaritan villagers. Refuse to receive J (let alone follow) because he is heading for Jerusalem
• Their hearts are locked into old tribal enmeties and religious pride
• Jerusalem must not be valued above their own religious sites (cf John 4)
• Hand of friendship will not be accepted from one of the old enemy race
• NOTICE it is not just Samaritans who are locked into old ways:- there is a lesson for James and John as they suggest calling down fire from heaven to
•
• destroy God’s enemies (as Elijah did). Jesus rebukes them (55). This is not the way for his disciples…
• Jesus will not join in the old vendetta, he will not curse his enemies…
• Instead he will love them, responding to their hatred by continuing his journey all the way to the cross, on which he will die for their sins and ours.
• Those who refuse to follow are like the seed which fell on the path and was snatched away by the devil (8.12)
Those who say they will follow
Jesus gives three examples:
1. A willing volunteer who says he will follow J wherever he goes (57). The offer seems sincere but J perceives this man has no idea about the discomfort and hardship disciples have to endure (58).
• Following J is an adventure, but there is no 5 star accommodation.
• Committed in word but not in heart, this kind of follower will not be able to survive the time of trial (like the seed which fell on rock (8.13).
• Disciples who want to follow Jesus in comfort are of no use.
2. A second man called by Jesus agrees to follow after burying his Father (59) i.e. in his own time.
• It is unlikely that the Father has already died, or he’d already have been mourning and making arrangements.
• The man is probably saying I can’t make more of a commitment until my family responsibilities have eased and I have more free time.
• Most of us have these kind of commitments – to grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren etc – they ebb and flow at different stages in our lives. It is important to honour these relationship commitments (Exodus 20.12)…
• BUT Jesus would challenge them where they are used as an excuse for avoiding wholehearted commitment to God (like the seed that fell amongst thorns, whose fruitfulness was choked by the worries and pleasures of the world 8.14) e.g. my decision to move here, against my parents’ wishes!
• A true disciple will live in a way which serves God and proclaims the gospel, whatever other responsibilities he or she has.
3. Another potential disciple displays his lack of commitment, asking permission to go back and say goodbye to his family before he will follow.
•
•
• He wants to follow on his own terms but Jesus wants followers who will keep their eyes fixed on him, not keep looking back to people or things they have left behind.
• (As Paul argues throughout Galatians – today’s reading Gal 5.13-15).
Time for a reality check?
• Luke 9.51 a “reality check” for the disciples
• They’d begun to enjoy status of being his close companions. He’d shared his amazing powers with them & they were wondering which of them would be “top cat” & who they would allow to join the gang.
• Suddenly the strange things he’d said about suffering and dying became more pressing as he turned towards Jerusalem.
• He became less comfortable to be with and they were pulled in two directions – BACK to the familiar, comfortable, safe – FORWARD to a strange, rocky road with Jesus striding ahead, calling them to follow.
…for us too!
• We face similar choices and are also pulled in two directions:-
• Where are you on your journey?
• What pressures are pulling you away from real commitment to following Jesus?
• Are you refusing to follow, insisting on hanging onto the familiar, the comfortable?
• Or are you committed to following Jesus in your words but not your actions?
• Is your heart “good soil” for God’s word and are you being as fruitful as he wants you?
• Wherever we are on the road, Jesus is ahead of us, calling us to follow him.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Suffering, Punishment and the Cross
There's a fascinating dialogue going on over at Derek Flood's blog arising from a recent article Derek posted called "a non-penal understanding of Isa 53". Others including theologian Andrew Perriman have got involved and the latest posting "Penal substitution and the OT narrative of judgement", with comments following, broadens the discussion somewhat. Big issues which trouble us all are in view here - the relationship between sin and suffering, the meaning of the cross etc. I haven't felt brave enough to join in with these heavyweights but I'm enjoying listening in. Why not take a look??
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Bible Study - Galatians 3.23-end
Bible Study – Galatians 3.23-end
Q1 What can you remember about the circumstances which led to Paul writing this
letter? Who were his opponents?
First, let’s look at verses 23 to 25:-
Q2 According to Paul, why was the Law necessary?
Q3 Why is the Law no longer necessary? What has changed?
Q4 What does the phrase “justified by faith” mean to you?
Now we turn to verses 26 to 29:-
Q5 How do we become children of God and what does this mean for us?
Q6 In what ways is the idea of clothing ourselves with Christ helpful? How might this
thought help us in our relationships with God and with other people?
Q7 How revolutionary is Paul’s teaching in verse 28, bearing in mind the kind of society
he lived in? How challenging is this verse to both Church and society today?
Q8 What difference should verse 29 make to our lives as Christians? Does this idea
discourage evangelism? Why should we want to share our inheritance with anyone else?
Finally, a couple of general questions:-
Q9 What are the advantages and disadvantages of a rules-based religion? What is the
alternative and which approach did Jesus teach?
Q10 In what ways do you feel challenged to deepen your relationship with God?
Q1 What can you remember about the circumstances which led to Paul writing this
letter? Who were his opponents?
First, let’s look at verses 23 to 25:-
Q2 According to Paul, why was the Law necessary?
Q3 Why is the Law no longer necessary? What has changed?
Q4 What does the phrase “justified by faith” mean to you?
Now we turn to verses 26 to 29:-
Q5 How do we become children of God and what does this mean for us?
Q6 In what ways is the idea of clothing ourselves with Christ helpful? How might this
thought help us in our relationships with God and with other people?
Q7 How revolutionary is Paul’s teaching in verse 28, bearing in mind the kind of society
he lived in? How challenging is this verse to both Church and society today?
Q8 What difference should verse 29 make to our lives as Christians? Does this idea
discourage evangelism? Why should we want to share our inheritance with anyone else?
Finally, a couple of general questions:-
Q9 What are the advantages and disadvantages of a rules-based religion? What is the
alternative and which approach did Jesus teach?
Q10 In what ways do you feel challenged to deepen your relationship with God?
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sermon - Galatians 3.23 to end
Galatians 3.23-end
Galatians is Paul’s angry letter against the Legalists who had followed him into various
churches he had started in Galatia and who were determined to corrupt the gospel of
grace into a system of rules.
This is a very human tendency. Just last week we were speaking to a friend who was
left by medical staff bleeding from a head injury until all the necessary paperwork
had been completed. Presumably these medics were people who had a vocation to care
for the sick, but form-filling and following rules had become the priority for them.
The Legalists in Paul’s day were saying “having faith is all very well but in order to be
one of God’s people you have to follow all the rules of the Law of Moses.” In today’s
reading Paul answers them in two ways.
1. He tells them what the Law was for (v23-24)
As Paul sees it, the Law was basically a NANNY, employed to look after God’s children
until they could look after themselves. The Message Bible puts it like this:
The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children
to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will
really get to the place they set out for.
We see this a lot in Barcelona. (Some of you may know people who employ nannies,
others work as nannies! ) The Law worked well in this nanny role for a while but it was never intended by God to be permanent; just as parents don’t plan for their children to have a nanny for their whole lives!
God always planned for a time that the Law would not be required, because his people
would be able to respond freely to him in faith. The prophet Jeremiah predicted this
change in these words:
“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,”
declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Jeremiah 31.33
This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came, as Paul writes;
So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.(v24)
2. He tells them the Law is no longer required (v25-27)
Now, says Paul, everything has changed. The Law-Nanny has done its job and is no
longer required...
Paul reminds his readers that a completely new way of life has begun with their
Christian baptism. The Message again expresses this well:
But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct
relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh
start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe – Christ’s life, the
fulfillment of God’s original purpose.
Let’s unpack that a little.
Part of the meaning of becoming a Christian and being
baptized is being washed clean and having a fresh start, but it doesn’t end there.
The most important thing is that because of Jesus we are in a new relationship with
God, free of guilt and fear, with the status of sons and daughters. Every family needs rules, but it is loving relationships which keep families together, help them get through crises and enable each family member to flourish.
Going back to a rule-based religion would be as ridiculous as an adult dressing as a
baby…
It would be like bringing back the nanny to look after our grown-up children and tell
them what to do all the time. This may be what some people want, but it is not the
way to live a mature and effective adult life and it is not what God wants for us as
Christians.
Rather than baby clothes, Paul reminds Christians that at their baptism they were
clothed with Christ. This is an interesting metaphor because our clothing has a
number of functions:-
• It can protect us from the weather
• It can cover our unattractive parts
• It can make a statement about us (who we are/what we stand for)
Our relationship with God in Christ is like clothing because it protects us and not only covers but corrects our faults. It should also be visible to others, so that when people look at us they see the likeness of Jesus and are drawn to him.
Now I know I am a fashion icon and everybody tries to look like me :) – but I’m not
talking about the way we look! I’m talking about the way we speak, behave, treat
people; our goal should always be to be Christlike – and we need help to attain that
with any degree of consistency.
We also need courage because not everybody cheers when they see a Christian and
the life of a child of God isn’t easier than other ways of life.
3. Life in God’s family
The key for Christians is to live as members of God’s family. Paul ends this chapter
with a strong and clear statement about the equality of God’s children. It is a verse
which has often been ignored by the Church down the ages, but Paul (who often gets
quoted out of context as being against the equality of women) could hardly make
himself any clearer:
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal.
All are equal; all are in the same relationship with Jesus; all are equally heirs of God’s promises to Abraham, the prototype man of faith.
A large part of the old religious Law was about excluding non-Jews and about keeping
slaves and women in their place. Paul insists those days are over, but unfortunately
the Church has not been at all consistent in putting his teaching into practice. The
current argument about whether or not women can be bishops illustrates this, but we
also need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves some hard questions…
• Do we treat everyone as equal, as brothers and sisters in Christ? Or are we
like George Orwell’s Animal Farm , where all the animals were equal but some
were more equal than others?
• What about our Christian “clothing”? When people see us do they see Jesus?
When they encounter us do they encounter the love and truth and
unselfishness of Christ?
• How can we as a Church fellowship become more consistent as ambassadors of
Christ, without lapsing into the kind of rules-based religion which Paul hated
but which can so easily take over?
I think these are important questions and I don’t have
all the answers. Let’s end with a short time of silence
and a prayer…
Galatians is Paul’s angry letter against the Legalists who had followed him into various
churches he had started in Galatia and who were determined to corrupt the gospel of
grace into a system of rules.
This is a very human tendency. Just last week we were speaking to a friend who was
left by medical staff bleeding from a head injury until all the necessary paperwork
had been completed. Presumably these medics were people who had a vocation to care
for the sick, but form-filling and following rules had become the priority for them.
The Legalists in Paul’s day were saying “having faith is all very well but in order to be
one of God’s people you have to follow all the rules of the Law of Moses.” In today’s
reading Paul answers them in two ways.
1. He tells them what the Law was for (v23-24)
As Paul sees it, the Law was basically a NANNY, employed to look after God’s children
until they could look after themselves. The Message Bible puts it like this:
The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children
to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will
really get to the place they set out for.
We see this a lot in Barcelona. (Some of you may know people who employ nannies,
others work as nannies! ) The Law worked well in this nanny role for a while but it was never intended by God to be permanent; just as parents don’t plan for their children to have a nanny for their whole lives!
God always planned for a time that the Law would not be required, because his people
would be able to respond freely to him in faith. The prophet Jeremiah predicted this
change in these words:
“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,”
declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Jeremiah 31.33
This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus came, as Paul writes;
So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.(v24)
2. He tells them the Law is no longer required (v25-27)
Now, says Paul, everything has changed. The Law-Nanny has done its job and is no
longer required...
Paul reminds his readers that a completely new way of life has begun with their
Christian baptism. The Message again expresses this well:
But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct
relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh
start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe – Christ’s life, the
fulfillment of God’s original purpose.
Let’s unpack that a little.
Part of the meaning of becoming a Christian and being
baptized is being washed clean and having a fresh start, but it doesn’t end there.
The most important thing is that because of Jesus we are in a new relationship with
God, free of guilt and fear, with the status of sons and daughters. Every family needs rules, but it is loving relationships which keep families together, help them get through crises and enable each family member to flourish.
Going back to a rule-based religion would be as ridiculous as an adult dressing as a
baby…
It would be like bringing back the nanny to look after our grown-up children and tell
them what to do all the time. This may be what some people want, but it is not the
way to live a mature and effective adult life and it is not what God wants for us as
Christians.
Rather than baby clothes, Paul reminds Christians that at their baptism they were
clothed with Christ. This is an interesting metaphor because our clothing has a
number of functions:-
• It can protect us from the weather
• It can cover our unattractive parts
• It can make a statement about us (who we are/what we stand for)
Our relationship with God in Christ is like clothing because it protects us and not only covers but corrects our faults. It should also be visible to others, so that when people look at us they see the likeness of Jesus and are drawn to him.
Now I know I am a fashion icon and everybody tries to look like me :) – but I’m not
talking about the way we look! I’m talking about the way we speak, behave, treat
people; our goal should always be to be Christlike – and we need help to attain that
with any degree of consistency.
We also need courage because not everybody cheers when they see a Christian and
the life of a child of God isn’t easier than other ways of life.
3. Life in God’s family
The key for Christians is to live as members of God’s family. Paul ends this chapter
with a strong and clear statement about the equality of God’s children. It is a verse
which has often been ignored by the Church down the ages, but Paul (who often gets
quoted out of context as being against the equality of women) could hardly make
himself any clearer:
In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal.
All are equal; all are in the same relationship with Jesus; all are equally heirs of God’s promises to Abraham, the prototype man of faith.
A large part of the old religious Law was about excluding non-Jews and about keeping
slaves and women in their place. Paul insists those days are over, but unfortunately
the Church has not been at all consistent in putting his teaching into practice. The
current argument about whether or not women can be bishops illustrates this, but we
also need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves some hard questions…
• Do we treat everyone as equal, as brothers and sisters in Christ? Or are we
like George Orwell’s Animal Farm , where all the animals were equal but some
were more equal than others?
• What about our Christian “clothing”? When people see us do they see Jesus?
When they encounter us do they encounter the love and truth and
unselfishness of Christ?
• How can we as a Church fellowship become more consistent as ambassadors of
Christ, without lapsing into the kind of rules-based religion which Paul hated
but which can so easily take over?
I think these are important questions and I don’t have
all the answers. Let’s end with a short time of silence
and a prayer…
Bible study - 2 Samuel 11 and 12 - David's sin
Bible Study – 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12
Q1 What do you remember of David’s background and his story so far? Is it surprising
that such a man could have such a major moral lapse?
Q2 How does 11.1 prepare the reader for what follows?
Q3 In 11.2-5, what do we learn about temptation and sin?
Q4 In 11.6-13, compare the behaviour of David and Uriah. How could David act in this
way? Did he think his behaviour was hidden from God?
Q5 11.14-27 How do you judge David in this section? Did Joab and Bathsheba have
any responsibility in Uriah’s death? Could they have acted differently?
Notice the ominous ending of Chapter 11!
Q6 Does it matter if some of the things we have done displease God? How should we
deal with this?
Q7 12.1-4 In what way was Nathan well chosen for this task? What qualities does he
appear to have and why does he use a story?
Q8 12.5-13 Compare David’s reactions at the beginning and end of this section. What
do we learn from God’s words through Nathan?
Q9 Why is it easier to see the faults of others than our own faults (compare Matthew
7.1-5)? How can we guard against this tendency?
Q10 What do we learn about sin, repentance and consequences from the rest of the
story (v13-25)? Is the writer recording God’s actual judgement against David, or using the
benefit of hindsight?
Q1 What do you remember of David’s background and his story so far? Is it surprising
that such a man could have such a major moral lapse?
Q2 How does 11.1 prepare the reader for what follows?
Q3 In 11.2-5, what do we learn about temptation and sin?
Q4 In 11.6-13, compare the behaviour of David and Uriah. How could David act in this
way? Did he think his behaviour was hidden from God?
Q5 11.14-27 How do you judge David in this section? Did Joab and Bathsheba have
any responsibility in Uriah’s death? Could they have acted differently?
Notice the ominous ending of Chapter 11!
Q6 Does it matter if some of the things we have done displease God? How should we
deal with this?
Q7 12.1-4 In what way was Nathan well chosen for this task? What qualities does he
appear to have and why does he use a story?
Q8 12.5-13 Compare David’s reactions at the beginning and end of this section. What
do we learn from God’s words through Nathan?
Q9 Why is it easier to see the faults of others than our own faults (compare Matthew
7.1-5)? How can we guard against this tendency?
Q10 What do we learn about sin, repentance and consequences from the rest of the
story (v13-25)? Is the writer recording God’s actual judgement against David, or using the
benefit of hindsight?
Monday, June 7, 2010
Bible Study - Galatians 1.11-end
Bible Study – Galatians 1.11-end
First have a look at 1.6-10 which shows how angry Paul is and sums up his reason for writing Galatians.
Q1 Does the harsh tone of Paul’s words surprise you?
Paul’s letter to the Galatians may be the oldest book in the New Testament (about 49AD). It is an angry yet eloquent response to some teachers who had followed him into the Galatian Churches (probably Lystra, Derbe and Iconium etc). They were teaching that faith in Jesus is not enough, believers also have to become Jewish and follow all the Jewish laws and rituals.
Now read verses 11 to 17.
Q2 What claims does Paul make about his version of the gospel and his appointment as an apostle? How well do his claims fit with what we read in Acts 9, Acts 22 and Acts 26?
Q3 Paul writes that God had set him apart and called him from birth. How is it that he became a persecutor of the first Christians?
Q4 Paul emphasizes the pure and true SOURCE of his authority and message. Today we have access to more information than any other people in history. How reliable are our sources? How well equipped are we to evaluate the information we receive?
Q5 Paul states his vocation very simply and clearly (v15-16). Can we do the same for ourselves individually and as a Church?
Now read verses 18 to 24.
Q6 What do you think might have been discussed during Paul’s 2 week stay with Peter? What might each have been able to learn from the other? (Note that Paul had already been a Christian missionary for three years).
Q7 The dramatic conversion of their former enemy caused the Judean Christians to praise God (v22-24). What is our attitude to our enemies? How are we praying for them? (see also Luke 6.27-28).
Throughout Galatians Paul argues passionately for a gospel of grace and freedom, against a legalistic gospel of control and rules…
Q8 Should our preaching and evangelism today have the same emphasis as Paul’s? Are there dangers in this?
Q9 Paul also emphasized Christian moral standards, directed by love and obedience to the Holy Spirit. How can we promote these values without slipping into legalism?
First have a look at 1.6-10 which shows how angry Paul is and sums up his reason for writing Galatians.
Q1 Does the harsh tone of Paul’s words surprise you?
Paul’s letter to the Galatians may be the oldest book in the New Testament (about 49AD). It is an angry yet eloquent response to some teachers who had followed him into the Galatian Churches (probably Lystra, Derbe and Iconium etc). They were teaching that faith in Jesus is not enough, believers also have to become Jewish and follow all the Jewish laws and rituals.
Now read verses 11 to 17.
Q2 What claims does Paul make about his version of the gospel and his appointment as an apostle? How well do his claims fit with what we read in Acts 9, Acts 22 and Acts 26?
Q3 Paul writes that God had set him apart and called him from birth. How is it that he became a persecutor of the first Christians?
Q4 Paul emphasizes the pure and true SOURCE of his authority and message. Today we have access to more information than any other people in history. How reliable are our sources? How well equipped are we to evaluate the information we receive?
Q5 Paul states his vocation very simply and clearly (v15-16). Can we do the same for ourselves individually and as a Church?
Now read verses 18 to 24.
Q6 What do you think might have been discussed during Paul’s 2 week stay with Peter? What might each have been able to learn from the other? (Note that Paul had already been a Christian missionary for three years).
Q7 The dramatic conversion of their former enemy caused the Judean Christians to praise God (v22-24). What is our attitude to our enemies? How are we praying for them? (see also Luke 6.27-28).
Throughout Galatians Paul argues passionately for a gospel of grace and freedom, against a legalistic gospel of control and rules…
Q8 Should our preaching and evangelism today have the same emphasis as Paul’s? Are there dangers in this?
Q9 Paul also emphasized Christian moral standards, directed by love and obedience to the Holy Spirit. How can we promote these values without slipping into legalism?
Sermon Galatians 1.11-end
Galatians 1.11-end
• GAL is a very personal and fiery letter by Paul to some of the churches he had planted in the region of Galatia
• He’s vigorously defending his ministry and his message against ‘judaizers’ who were discrediting him, perverting the gospel and undoing his good work.
• Paul’s gospel is of grace and freedom through faith – theirs is a legalistic, works religion which, for Paul is the antithesis of the gospel
• Paul writes a lot about Christian behaviour/works – but these must be a consequence of salvation and a product or fruit of submission to the Holy Spirit – anything else is worthless
• In this section of ch1, the main points are (a) the source of P’s gospel and his apostleship, (b) the nature of his special mission and (c) the recognition of Paul by the church
The Source
• The source of something is important e.g. bottled water… real or artificial fruit juice…financial advice or a news report
• It seems Paul’s critics taught that he was inferior to the original apostles because his authority was only delegated from them and it was from them that he must have learnt the gospel – before watering it down to suit his Gentile friends
• Their opposition was almost certainly rooted in a desire for power and control
• Paul insists in the strongest terms that the gospel was revealed directly to him by Jesus – not learnt from any human being (v11-12). This fits with the record in Acts
• Equally his appointment as an apostle came directly from God (v15-16). In fact Paul admits to being such a vicious opponent of Christianity that only the direct intervention of God could have changed him (v13-14)
• Paul says that he had already been engaged in his apostolic ministry for three years before going to Jerusalem to meet Peter
• The TRUE SOURCE of any teaching which claims to come from God is vital. Time proved Paul and not his critics correct.
• We need to check the source of all that we are taught – I certainly invite you to do that with everything I teach you. Check it against scripture, church tradition and what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. If I’m giving you a message from God – do it! If not, challenge me (nicely!)
• Going back to a controlling, works religion has happened again and again through history. We need to hear Paul and get back to the gospel of grace and freedom – not impose new forms of slavery on people
The Mission (v16)
• Mission is not an optional extra, it is our reason for existing
• (Paul’s mission is “simply” this – to proclaim Jesus amongst the Gentiles)
• (Paul believes God set him apart for this mission before he was born and then called him by grace, i.e. in a way that was totally undeserved)
• (Paul wholeheartedly worked at this mission for the rest of his life)
• We – individually and as a church also need to be absolutely clear about our special calling and wholeheartedly pursue it
• Paul could sum his up in just a few words cf St G Purpose statement. Is this complete and adequate? What about each of us individually?
• What kind of an example do you give? Are you unclear or shy about your faith?
• SHAPE as a way we can help you discover your unique calling
Recognition (v22-24)
• We all crave recognition sometimes – a weakness, pride?? (give a personal example)
• Sometimes there is a general recognition that someone is inspired as an agent of change at a key moment in history, e.g. Mandela? Gandhi?
• It was like this with Paul. The dramatic change in him from foe to friend was a powerful testimony e.g. if Richard Dawkins converted?!? What a great story that would be, but some Christians would be suspicious or jealous…
• Paul seeks recognition, not for pride but so that God’s work through him will not be undone. Paul sees clearly that God intends to save everyone and he is angry that others are slamming shut the door he has opened.
• GAL is a very personal and fiery letter by Paul to some of the churches he had planted in the region of Galatia
• He’s vigorously defending his ministry and his message against ‘judaizers’ who were discrediting him, perverting the gospel and undoing his good work.
• Paul’s gospel is of grace and freedom through faith – theirs is a legalistic, works religion which, for Paul is the antithesis of the gospel
• Paul writes a lot about Christian behaviour/works – but these must be a consequence of salvation and a product or fruit of submission to the Holy Spirit – anything else is worthless
• In this section of ch1, the main points are (a) the source of P’s gospel and his apostleship, (b) the nature of his special mission and (c) the recognition of Paul by the church
The Source
• The source of something is important e.g. bottled water… real or artificial fruit juice…financial advice or a news report
• It seems Paul’s critics taught that he was inferior to the original apostles because his authority was only delegated from them and it was from them that he must have learnt the gospel – before watering it down to suit his Gentile friends
• Their opposition was almost certainly rooted in a desire for power and control
• Paul insists in the strongest terms that the gospel was revealed directly to him by Jesus – not learnt from any human being (v11-12). This fits with the record in Acts
• Equally his appointment as an apostle came directly from God (v15-16). In fact Paul admits to being such a vicious opponent of Christianity that only the direct intervention of God could have changed him (v13-14)
• Paul says that he had already been engaged in his apostolic ministry for three years before going to Jerusalem to meet Peter
• The TRUE SOURCE of any teaching which claims to come from God is vital. Time proved Paul and not his critics correct.
• We need to check the source of all that we are taught – I certainly invite you to do that with everything I teach you. Check it against scripture, church tradition and what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. If I’m giving you a message from God – do it! If not, challenge me (nicely!)
• Going back to a controlling, works religion has happened again and again through history. We need to hear Paul and get back to the gospel of grace and freedom – not impose new forms of slavery on people
The Mission (v16)
• Mission is not an optional extra, it is our reason for existing
• (Paul’s mission is “simply” this – to proclaim Jesus amongst the Gentiles)
• (Paul believes God set him apart for this mission before he was born and then called him by grace, i.e. in a way that was totally undeserved)
• (Paul wholeheartedly worked at this mission for the rest of his life)
• We – individually and as a church also need to be absolutely clear about our special calling and wholeheartedly pursue it
• Paul could sum his up in just a few words cf St G Purpose statement. Is this complete and adequate? What about each of us individually?
• What kind of an example do you give? Are you unclear or shy about your faith?
• SHAPE as a way we can help you discover your unique calling
Recognition (v22-24)
• We all crave recognition sometimes – a weakness, pride?? (give a personal example)
• Sometimes there is a general recognition that someone is inspired as an agent of change at a key moment in history, e.g. Mandela? Gandhi?
• It was like this with Paul. The dramatic change in him from foe to friend was a powerful testimony e.g. if Richard Dawkins converted?!? What a great story that would be, but some Christians would be suspicious or jealous…
• Paul seeks recognition, not for pride but so that God’s work through him will not be undone. Paul sees clearly that God intends to save everyone and he is angry that others are slamming shut the door he has opened.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Bible Study - Romans 5.1-5
Bible Study – The Trinity – Romans 5.1-5
Q1 How many times do you think the word Trinity is mentioned in the Bible?
Q2 In your experience, does the idea of the Trinity make things clearer or cause confusion? How does our insistence on this doctrine affect our dialogue with people of other faiths, for instance Jews or Muslims?
Q3 Do you have a favourite Bible passage about the Trinity? Why do you find it helpful or inspiring?
Now, read Romans 5.1-5 and try to summarise its meaning in your own words.
Q4 What do these verses say about (a) the equality of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and (b) their different roles in the salvation story?
Q5 How helpful do you find the word ‘access’ (verse 2) in understanding what has been achieved for us?
Q6 How does our human suffering relate to the sufferings of Jesus? See verses 3 to 5 and compare with Hebrews 2.10ff.
Q7 What positive fruit from suffering have you seen in your own life or in the life of someone else?
Q8 How might you use these verses to explain the good news of the gospel to someone who doesn’t yet believe? What other passages of scripture might you refer to in order to complete the story?
Q9 Do we ordinary Christians have an important role in bringing other people to faith, or should we just leave it to the Holy Spirit?
Q10 “If worship is God-centred and God is the Trinity then worship should be Trinity-centred” (Robin Parry in Worshipping Trinity Paternoster 2005). Do you agree with this statement? How well do you think our worship services express and explain our belief in the Trinity?
Q1 How many times do you think the word Trinity is mentioned in the Bible?
Q2 In your experience, does the idea of the Trinity make things clearer or cause confusion? How does our insistence on this doctrine affect our dialogue with people of other faiths, for instance Jews or Muslims?
Q3 Do you have a favourite Bible passage about the Trinity? Why do you find it helpful or inspiring?
Now, read Romans 5.1-5 and try to summarise its meaning in your own words.
Q4 What do these verses say about (a) the equality of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and (b) their different roles in the salvation story?
Q5 How helpful do you find the word ‘access’ (verse 2) in understanding what has been achieved for us?
Q6 How does our human suffering relate to the sufferings of Jesus? See verses 3 to 5 and compare with Hebrews 2.10ff.
Q7 What positive fruit from suffering have you seen in your own life or in the life of someone else?
Q8 How might you use these verses to explain the good news of the gospel to someone who doesn’t yet believe? What other passages of scripture might you refer to in order to complete the story?
Q9 Do we ordinary Christians have an important role in bringing other people to faith, or should we just leave it to the Holy Spirit?
Q10 “If worship is God-centred and God is the Trinity then worship should be Trinity-centred” (Robin Parry in Worshipping Trinity Paternoster 2005). Do you agree with this statement? How well do you think our worship services express and explain our belief in the Trinity?
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Trinity All-Age Sermon
Trinity Sunday, 30.5.2010
Romans 5.1-5
Pre-sermon activities:-
• Hands up if you are (or have recently been) a mum, a brother, a church council member, a teacher, a driver, a patient, etc
• Suitcase articles – Passport, T10, My Baptism certificate + one random object?
• Trinity Sunday! Romans 5.1-5 a suitably dense/complicated piece of scripture.
• I was trying to read it this week as a non Christian might - how alien this kind of language is to neighbours outside the Church. “Justification by faith” … “standing in grace” … “rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God” … “rejoicing in our sufferings” … “having love poured into us by the Holy Spirit”.
• These phrases are all made up of English words, but would mean little to most people. It might as well be written in Greek – which of course the original was!
Actually the main point of the reading is quite simple, summed up in the word ACCESS.
Examples of what access means:-
• The Access card
• Access education
• Access all areas press pass
• Access for wheelchair users
• Who is most important/famous person in Spain? Do you have access?
According to our reading, the TRINITY means we all have ACCESS to God – wow!
Actually says access by faith into this grace in which we stand.
“Standing in grace” is a bit like this – two captains picking teams for football in the playground. Great to be picked but feels awful if you’re not – God’s team is different because nobody is last to be chosen, everybody is equally loved and valued!
How do we gain access into this grace (God’s team)? By FAITH…
Faith involves a DECISION to trust someone completely which involves some risk in order to gain amazing benefits and possibilities… like getting married (eg Billie and I … we talked, planned, dreamed for ages and eventually took the step of faith. Same with God – until we take that step of faith we don’t discover how great being in God’s team is!)
The amazing possibility of being in God’s grace, part of God’s team, is that even bad experiences become positive. Our lives have purpose and meaning and the potential for showing the love and power of God to the world.
(Children now hand round three green leaves with pens for everyone to write their names on – during this I briefly explain the Trinity in my own words!!)
Back to our opening “hands up” exercise – we are all “different people” in the different roles we play, but there ought to be consistency and integrity between the way I live as say a husband, an office worker, a friend…
The three persons of God are absolutely consistent and integrated – and all are involved in giving us access to God’s family, God’s team.
NB being in God’s “team” is not just a matter of standing around looking good in the right uniform; its about playing for God, working for God, pursuing God’s goals.
Finally, I assemble the shamrock leaves onto the stem/way in which is FAITH.
End with a prayer based on Romans 5.1-5
Romans 5.1-5
Pre-sermon activities:-
• Hands up if you are (or have recently been) a mum, a brother, a church council member, a teacher, a driver, a patient, etc
• Suitcase articles – Passport, T10, My Baptism certificate + one random object?
• Trinity Sunday! Romans 5.1-5 a suitably dense/complicated piece of scripture.
• I was trying to read it this week as a non Christian might - how alien this kind of language is to neighbours outside the Church. “Justification by faith” … “standing in grace” … “rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God” … “rejoicing in our sufferings” … “having love poured into us by the Holy Spirit”.
• These phrases are all made up of English words, but would mean little to most people. It might as well be written in Greek – which of course the original was!
Actually the main point of the reading is quite simple, summed up in the word ACCESS.
Examples of what access means:-
• The Access card
• Access education
• Access all areas press pass
• Access for wheelchair users
• Who is most important/famous person in Spain? Do you have access?
According to our reading, the TRINITY means we all have ACCESS to God – wow!
Actually says access by faith into this grace in which we stand.
“Standing in grace” is a bit like this – two captains picking teams for football in the playground. Great to be picked but feels awful if you’re not – God’s team is different because nobody is last to be chosen, everybody is equally loved and valued!
How do we gain access into this grace (God’s team)? By FAITH…
Faith involves a DECISION to trust someone completely which involves some risk in order to gain amazing benefits and possibilities… like getting married (eg Billie and I … we talked, planned, dreamed for ages and eventually took the step of faith. Same with God – until we take that step of faith we don’t discover how great being in God’s team is!)
The amazing possibility of being in God’s grace, part of God’s team, is that even bad experiences become positive. Our lives have purpose and meaning and the potential for showing the love and power of God to the world.
(Children now hand round three green leaves with pens for everyone to write their names on – during this I briefly explain the Trinity in my own words!!)
Back to our opening “hands up” exercise – we are all “different people” in the different roles we play, but there ought to be consistency and integrity between the way I live as say a husband, an office worker, a friend…
The three persons of God are absolutely consistent and integrated – and all are involved in giving us access to God’s family, God’s team.
NB being in God’s “team” is not just a matter of standing around looking good in the right uniform; its about playing for God, working for God, pursuing God’s goals.
Finally, I assemble the shamrock leaves onto the stem/way in which is FAITH.
End with a prayer based on Romans 5.1-5
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