It is difficult living in a world with multiple authorities. It is not only a matter of who to obey, but also who to trust. Many of us have learnt that most human authorities are unreliable, so we have learnt to rely on ourselves as well. But this learned behaviour tends to interfere with our trust and following of Christ.
Many Christians (and churches) combine reliance on Jesus with reliance on themselves. But in practice it either turns Jesus into a helper not a Lord or imagines us as a kind of self-managed helper to God. It is quite difficult to be merely a servant. Merely a learner-apprentice (what the word disciple means).
| "The Coming of Christ the King" is available as a downloadable pdf file, ready to be printed as a small booklet. Click here to view, right click to save to your computer |
These Advent studies follow the key ideas in Jesus’ explanation of his life and mission that he gave his disciples after his resurrection (Luke 24). They will help us see how the coming of Christ the King was foretold in the Old Testament and its fulfillment explained in the New Testament.
These studies start the week before Advent so as to include Christ the King Sunday.
Read more: The Coming of Christ the King: Advent Studies 2009
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. Ps145.15,16
Giving! It must be one of the most sensitive issues in church life. Appeals for money can stir up congregations like an intruder in an ant nest. "The church is always after money," some say. Even the core members can start feeling defensive when money is the topic. But discussions about giving do not have to start arguments. They could start a revival. Christian giving is a blessing.
Giving is one of God's favourite subjects. It is also an exciting subject. There are riches in this subject that are much greater than money. Giving takes us to the heart of being a Christian. It also brings us up against a very powerful idol.
[This sermon is also available in MP3 format here.]
I want to ask a question about one of the things that is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15.13-14.
“If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain." NRSV
What is so important about the resurrection that without it the message is useless or vain? Why is it, that if the resurrection did not happen, the gospel is of no use whatsoever? Why is the resurrection the central thing?
The so called “Triumphal Entry” of Jesus into Jerusalem has become a famous story – re-enacted each Palm Sunday with much noise and celebration. But it has also become self-contained. A kind of isolated episode not really connected with anything.
One of the reasons is that it appears to be a kind of anti-climax. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem after all the fanfare, and then looks around and goes back to Bethany. He doesn’t do anything when he gets there. And even the next day there is no great event. He has a little demo in the Temple and stops proceedings for a while, but nothing changes and then he goes back to Bethany again.
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"Growing Churches & Multiplying Disciples in the Mega-City" is available as a downloadable pdf file, ready to be printed as a small booklet. Click here to view, right click to save to your computer |
One of the questions I have often pondered is how the church can grow in a mega-city? There are plenty of people for sure. In some ways the modern city is like the first city of refuge, Babel, in that it is a place where people congregate for their security and livelihood. But mega-cities are at the same time scattered places. Distance, the tyranny of traffic, the isolation of high rise apartments, and the ubiquitous security defences tend to separate rather then bring people together.
How could the church grow in such an environment? With difficulty, is the short answer. The external and internal constraints are great. But before I get too far ahead of myself, some will ask why does the church need to grow? And which church are we talking about?
Read more: Growing Churches & Multiplying Disciples in the Mega-City
How does one help a beggar? Bartimaeus for example, or Lazarus who lay at the rich man’s gate? Lazarus (Lk16) could have been easy to help – he just wanted some food. And maybe some medicines. Usually beggars want money – to buy food to keep alive.
Those of us who have never been a beggar or had much to do with beggars can have a romantic picture of them. The modern picture is not very nice. Protection rackets, gang organised begging, turf wars, quite apart from the intervention of any authorities, are part of the reality in the developing world.
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