"He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word and give them authority to banish demons. These are the Twelve:...." Mark 3:14
I've read this passage on a few occasions but I will still never win a Bible trivia contest that asks me to names the 12 apostles. I cannot even remember the names of people I see every week. I still require several minutes to bring the names to mind, or have someone prompt me!
In this list of names it is those with a low profile that I can never remember. Simon Peter is well known as is Judas Iscariot. But then there is Bartholomew and Thaddeus, hardly household names.
Jesus chose these people. It's interesting that he didn't choose an all star cast. I guess you could say he went into the game with a fiery fast bowler, a spinner, a flashy batsman and a couple of dour middle order batsmen plus some line and length bowlers (Oh, and one match fixer!).
I don't need to be flashy to be chosen by God. If it's good enough for some apostles chosen by Jesus to be dour, low profile, yet important members of his team, then it's good enough for me too.
Thank you for having faith in me God.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
We still have to do our part
'Don't give up, Paul. You're going to stand before Caesar yet—and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.' Acts 27:24
Paul must have thought he was doomed. The ship he was on had been in the middle of a massive storm. He said it had been many days since they had seen sun or stars and "we lost all hope of rescue." Then an angel visited and told him they would all be saved but they would still be shipwrecked on some island or other.
I would probably be tempted to just sit back, do nothing and wait until the ship hit rocks or the shore, since God had said all would be saved. But not Paul. He still did the stuff that you would normally do if survival was uncertain. He got the soldiers to intervene when some of the crew tried to jump ship. He insisted on everyone eating breakfast so that they would have strength for the rescue. And grain was dumped overboard to lighten the ship prior to running for shore.
Why bother when God had already assured them of survival? Why worry if half the crew jumped ship or the ship was sitting too low in the water to run safely to land?
When God assures us that something good is going to happen or he is going to rescue us from a tight spot, it doesn't mean we sit down, put our feet up and let God do all the work. We still need to work as though the result is still in doubt.
The Bible is full of promises, not the least of which is that if we put our faith and trust in Jesus then our future beyond this life is assured. But do we put our feet up and relax because God has promised us an eternity with him? Certainly not. The story today is a reminder to me that trusting God for his provision in my life is not an invitation to bludge but is, instead, an invitation to roll up the sleeves and be an active part of the fulfilment of his promises.
Paul must have thought he was doomed. The ship he was on had been in the middle of a massive storm. He said it had been many days since they had seen sun or stars and "we lost all hope of rescue." Then an angel visited and told him they would all be saved but they would still be shipwrecked on some island or other.
I would probably be tempted to just sit back, do nothing and wait until the ship hit rocks or the shore, since God had said all would be saved. But not Paul. He still did the stuff that you would normally do if survival was uncertain. He got the soldiers to intervene when some of the crew tried to jump ship. He insisted on everyone eating breakfast so that they would have strength for the rescue. And grain was dumped overboard to lighten the ship prior to running for shore.
Why bother when God had already assured them of survival? Why worry if half the crew jumped ship or the ship was sitting too low in the water to run safely to land?
When God assures us that something good is going to happen or he is going to rescue us from a tight spot, it doesn't mean we sit down, put our feet up and let God do all the work. We still need to work as though the result is still in doubt.
The Bible is full of promises, not the least of which is that if we put our faith and trust in Jesus then our future beyond this life is assured. But do we put our feet up and relax because God has promised us an eternity with him? Certainly not. The story today is a reminder to me that trusting God for his provision in my life is not an invitation to bludge but is, instead, an invitation to roll up the sleeves and be an active part of the fulfilment of his promises.
Monday, October 25, 2010
It's not always black and white
"Their message to Paul, from insight given by the Spirit, was "Don't go to Jerusalem."" Acts 21:4
"The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that?"" Acts 21:13
So, who was correct - the believers in Tyre who claimed insight from the Spirit, or Paul who saw the visit to Jerusalem as obedience to the Master? Surely they can't both be right.
When Paul got to Jerusalem it appeared to me that he compromised the Christian message a bit by buying peace with the locals rather than being strong on the view that Christians were no longer slaves to the law and the old Jewish ways.
Later still, when the Roman captain, determined to get to the bottom of the riot involving Paul ordered a meeting with Paul and the Jewish leaders. Paul, knowing the hatred that existed between the Pharisees & Sadducees, deliberately and somewhat mischievously, drew them into a factional argument which ended up with them at each others' throats. Was that a Christian thing to do? Would we see it as right for someone today to deliberately orchestrate conflict between Catholics and Protestants?
Life is complex and decision making isn't always black and white in spite of our Christian values and beliefs. There are many shades of grey as seen in Paul's circumstances and choices in just 3 chapters of Acts.
Having people in your life whose wisdom you trust is important. But it's also vitally important to be close enough to God to recognise his voice when complex decision making is required.
"The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can't you see that?"" Acts 21:13
So, who was correct - the believers in Tyre who claimed insight from the Spirit, or Paul who saw the visit to Jerusalem as obedience to the Master? Surely they can't both be right.
When Paul got to Jerusalem it appeared to me that he compromised the Christian message a bit by buying peace with the locals rather than being strong on the view that Christians were no longer slaves to the law and the old Jewish ways.
Later still, when the Roman captain, determined to get to the bottom of the riot involving Paul ordered a meeting with Paul and the Jewish leaders. Paul, knowing the hatred that existed between the Pharisees & Sadducees, deliberately and somewhat mischievously, drew them into a factional argument which ended up with them at each others' throats. Was that a Christian thing to do? Would we see it as right for someone today to deliberately orchestrate conflict between Catholics and Protestants?
Life is complex and decision making isn't always black and white in spite of our Christian values and beliefs. There are many shades of grey as seen in Paul's circumstances and choices in just 3 chapters of Acts.
Having people in your life whose wisdom you trust is important. But it's also vitally important to be close enough to God to recognise his voice when complex decision making is required.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Ridiculing without mercy
""I'm ridiculed by my friends:
'So that's the man who had conversations with God!'
Ridiculed without mercy:
'Look at the man who never did wrong!'" Job 12:4
In these chapters of Job it's often easy to agree with Zophar and others who came to Job and offered their wisdom. They spoke truth. It made sense. Sam Kekovich would tell us that we know it makes sense! But there is something not quite right here.
Job responded by saying that he was ridiculed by his friends; ridiculed without mercy. We could question whether these people were actually his friends in the first place. But the phrase 'without mercy' jumps out at me. How often do we make judgement on people when we haven't walked a mile or two in their moccasins? Do we then ridicule them without mercy by telling them what they don't need to hear from us instead of trying to understand their pain in some way?
Lord help me not to be too legalistic in my judgement of people; to have more patience and compassion, and most of all, not to ridicule people without mercy.
'So that's the man who had conversations with God!'
Ridiculed without mercy:
'Look at the man who never did wrong!'" Job 12:4
In these chapters of Job it's often easy to agree with Zophar and others who came to Job and offered their wisdom. They spoke truth. It made sense. Sam Kekovich would tell us that we know it makes sense! But there is something not quite right here.
Job responded by saying that he was ridiculed by his friends; ridiculed without mercy. We could question whether these people were actually his friends in the first place. But the phrase 'without mercy' jumps out at me. How often do we make judgement on people when we haven't walked a mile or two in their moccasins? Do we then ridicule them without mercy by telling them what they don't need to hear from us instead of trying to understand their pain in some way?
Lord help me not to be too legalistic in my judgement of people; to have more patience and compassion, and most of all, not to ridicule people without mercy.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Environment = Attitude
I have just had an interesting reminder about how important it is to develop a positive and affirming workplace/church. I wandered up the street to a shop where a couple of items had arrived that I had had on order. Behind the counter was a young lady that I recognised from another shop just across the road. Apparently she works at both places.
The interesting thing was that the lady I met today was bright, happy, vivacious, engaging etc. The lady I see at the other establishment is surly, unhappy and detached. It's almost a Jekyll & Hyde situation.
The bright, happy version works in a shop that has a history of great, personal service. The surly, unhappy version works at a place that isn't known for the quality of its service or the value it places on its customers.
It isn't often that you get to see such a comparison because the same person doesn't work in two different places. In this instance there was an opportunity to compare apples with apples so to speak. And what a difference. I would suggest it all comes down to the difference between the two work environments.
We don't always have an opportunity to signficantly influence the culture of the place where we work or worship and that can be frustrating. But, nevertheless, we can do our part to be a positive, affirming type of person who makes a difference to those around us.
If we happen to be in a leadership position we have a huge opportunity (and responsibility) to build a great culture that makes people feel valued and makes our environment a really attractive one to be a part of. And for a church that is crucial.
The interesting thing was that the lady I met today was bright, happy, vivacious, engaging etc. The lady I see at the other establishment is surly, unhappy and detached. It's almost a Jekyll & Hyde situation.
The bright, happy version works in a shop that has a history of great, personal service. The surly, unhappy version works at a place that isn't known for the quality of its service or the value it places on its customers.
It isn't often that you get to see such a comparison because the same person doesn't work in two different places. In this instance there was an opportunity to compare apples with apples so to speak. And what a difference. I would suggest it all comes down to the difference between the two work environments.
We don't always have an opportunity to signficantly influence the culture of the place where we work or worship and that can be frustrating. But, nevertheless, we can do our part to be a positive, affirming type of person who makes a difference to those around us.
If we happen to be in a leadership position we have a huge opportunity (and responsibility) to build a great culture that makes people feel valued and makes our environment a really attractive one to be a part of. And for a church that is crucial.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Being handpicked
"Not everyone saw him—he wasn't put on public display. Witnesses had been carefully handpicked by God beforehand—us!" Acts 10:41
Peter was talking about the resurrected Christ. Not everyone saw him - only those who had been handpicked by God.
I suppose it's entirely up to God to choose whoever he wants for whatever task has to be done. And only God really knows why he does it and how those people will react. Why did God choose Saul? Why didn't he choose Stalin, after all he persecuted believers too?
As far as the resurrection was concerned I wonder what the criteria was for those handpicked. Maybe they were the ones who were most loyal to Jesus. Maybe they were those who deep down still believed. Maybe they were chosen because they were open to God and willing to do what God wanted to do through them.
And what about those who were not handpicked? Could it have been that they were cynical and negative people, maybe openly antagonistic to God? Were they the type to jump ship at the first sign of trouble?
The wonderful thing about Acts is seeing what can happen when people are open to the Holy Spirit in their lives - not allowing generations of rules and negativism ruin their relationship with God.
God, may your Holy Spirit work miracles through me. May I be open to what you want to do through me and if that happens to be something which challenges my world view please help me to have the courage to plough ahead anyway.
Peter was talking about the resurrected Christ. Not everyone saw him - only those who had been handpicked by God.
I suppose it's entirely up to God to choose whoever he wants for whatever task has to be done. And only God really knows why he does it and how those people will react. Why did God choose Saul? Why didn't he choose Stalin, after all he persecuted believers too?
As far as the resurrection was concerned I wonder what the criteria was for those handpicked. Maybe they were the ones who were most loyal to Jesus. Maybe they were those who deep down still believed. Maybe they were chosen because they were open to God and willing to do what God wanted to do through them.
And what about those who were not handpicked? Could it have been that they were cynical and negative people, maybe openly antagonistic to God? Were they the type to jump ship at the first sign of trouble?
The wonderful thing about Acts is seeing what can happen when people are open to the Holy Spirit in their lives - not allowing generations of rules and negativism ruin their relationship with God.
God, may your Holy Spirit work miracles through me. May I be open to what you want to do through me and if that happens to be something which challenges my world view please help me to have the courage to plough ahead anyway.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Grace & forgiveness
"So Ananias went and found the house, placed his hands on blind Saul, and said, "Brother Saul, the Master sent me, the same Jesus you saw on your way here. He sent me so you could see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."" Acts 9:17
Ananias called Saul, 'Brother'. That is amazing. Saul had wreaked havoc on the church and persecuted so many souls that, for Ananias to called him 'Brother', is remarkable.
Yes, Jesus had given him the 'Don't argue', but it is still one thing for Ananias to go and lay hands on Saul as commanded, but another thing altogether to call him a brother.
When we are in the business of serving Jesus we are brothers and sisters irrespective of our past. There are few more pointed examples in history of this than that of Ananias and Saul. It called for Ananias to forgive immediately, without having any evidence of contrition from Saul, the sins that Saul had committed against the church, as heinous as they had been.
Forgiveness is not hard until a great crime has been committed against us. Under those circumstances forgiveness really becomes evidence of God's grace.
Lord, help me to have a forgiving heart, one that is an example of the power of your grace.
Ananias called Saul, 'Brother'. That is amazing. Saul had wreaked havoc on the church and persecuted so many souls that, for Ananias to called him 'Brother', is remarkable.
Yes, Jesus had given him the 'Don't argue', but it is still one thing for Ananias to go and lay hands on Saul as commanded, but another thing altogether to call him a brother.
When we are in the business of serving Jesus we are brothers and sisters irrespective of our past. There are few more pointed examples in history of this than that of Ananias and Saul. It called for Ananias to forgive immediately, without having any evidence of contrition from Saul, the sins that Saul had committed against the church, as heinous as they had been.
Forgiveness is not hard until a great crime has been committed against us. Under those circumstances forgiveness really becomes evidence of God's grace.
Lord, help me to have a forgiving heart, one that is an example of the power of your grace.
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