The sermon for August 30th 2020 is now available on the New Life web-site.
In this sermon, which is based on Matthew 4:1-11, I talk about Temptation.
Click here to listen in your browser, or here to download the mp3
Month: August 2020
AND STILL THEY DO NOTHING
A great post this morning in Real Christianity
Reflection on Romans 11:25-36
Scripture
For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
Observation
Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will only last until the full number of Gentiles have been saved. They are now enemies of the Gospel, but God still loves them.
Once we Gentles were rebels against God. Now the Israelites are the rebels, while God’s mercy has come to the Gentiles.
God’s riches and wisdom are beyond our understanding. Everything comes from Him and exists by His power.
Application
God’s gifts and His call can never be withdrawn. That is an awesome promise.
An evangelist who fell away from the Lord became a motivational speaker and a sales consultant. These have the same skills set as his ministry. Eventually he was restored to ministry and continues in his gifting. God’s gift was never withdrawn, despite the man’s sin and rebelliousness.
I have known several people who made a commitment to follow Jesus when they were children. They later stopped walking with the Lord. Then, decades later, they once again responded to the call on their lives. It seems that God honours decisions made by children and works hard to bring them back to Himself.
We can turn our backs on the Lord and know that whatever gifts and calls He has given us will not be taken away. However, this is not something we should assume. It is far better and more joyful to keep on walking in obedience to the Lord.
I find it encouraging also to recall this when I am struggling in my ministry. When it seems that the promises of God are as distant as they were 20 years ago, I need to recall that God’s promises don’t change and there is no Plan B. The call, the gift, the promises will not be withdrawn.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, that even when we are not faithful to you, you remain faithful to us. Amen.
Spiritual Gifts- Interpretation of Tongues
The gift of interpretation of tongues is closely connected with the gift of speaking in tongues. Obviously where there is no message in tongues, no interpretation is needed.
When the twin gifts of tongues and interpretation work together they form a kind of prophecy.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gives guidelines about the use of tongues in a public meeting. His aim is to ensure that there is some sort of order in the proceedings, but above all that people are edified by what goes on.
He says that anybody who prays in tongues should pray for the ability to interpret what has been said (14:13). This seems like a good procedure to follow. A message in tongues is of little value in itself, and if God is speaking to me in tongues I should ask Him also to speak to me in English.
Paul also suggests that the number of tongues speakers should be limited to two or three, speaking one at a time. Each message must be interpreted, and if there is no one present to give the interpretation, then the the tongues speakers must remain silent (14:27-28). This may suggest that there were people who were known to exercise this gift, and if they were for some reason not present at the meeting the protocol was that if you had no interpretation with the tongue then you had to remain silent.
I have had a number of experiences of this gift in action, both as an interpreter of my own tongue and as an interpreter of someone else’s message. It is a strange experience for me, as my ears hear one set of words while my brain hears, more or less simultaneously a different set of words.
One of the strangest experiences of this gift happened at a Uniting Church Synod meeting. These meetings are not known for the use of spiritual gifts. At the start of each morning session that year, a member of an ethnic group within the denomination was invited to pray in their native tongue with an interpreter giving an English translation afterwards. On one particular morning, a South Korean pastor led the prayer, and as he started praying the Lord gave me a very clear interpretation, a strong prophetic word. The translation that was given was different to the words that I heard. Did I stand up and give the spiritual interpretation? No, it seemed inappropriate on that occasion.
This brings me to the final thought in this series on spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit never forces us to say or do anything. All of these gifts are subject to the judgement of the people involved. You don’t have to blurt out every word of knowledge, you don’t have to pray for every dead person to be raised. The operation of the gifts is according to the faith and the judgement of the person.
Reflection on Romans 11:11-24
Scripture
Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe towards those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.
Observation
God’s people, the Jews, did not stumble and fall beyond recovery. God made salvation available to the Gentiles, wanting the Jews to be jealous and claim the blessing too.
Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy. But some of the branches of the family tree were not holy, so they were broken off. Then God grafted in the Gentiles in their place.
We should not become proud about this. If we should stop being obedient to Christ, we too could be broken off the tree.
Application
One of the problems with grace is that we can turn it into a kind of easy salvation: Just say the prayer and you are in.
But this is not how God works. He removed from His family tree those Jews who refused to obey Him. He will do the same to those of us Gentiles who refuse to obey Him.
We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for good works. In other words, my faith in Jesus should result in a life that, over time, becomes like Him. I turn away from sin and selfishness, towards a life of love and kindness.
To claim to be a christian while engaging in sin is nonsense. To go to church and continue to be untouched by holiness is hypocrisy.
Paul is clear that this kind of action will not be blessed by God. He is kind to those who accept His grace, but severe to those who refuse to obey Him.
Prayer
Lord, I don’t like to think of your judgement. Please help me to be obedient to you. May your Holy Spirit so transform me that I become like you. Amen.
Ephesians 3:7
Here is my commentary on Ephesians 3:7. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au
Ephesians 3:7
“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me by the working of his power.”
The gospel is the amazingly good news that God is saving, or at least wants to save, every person whether Jew or gentile through the promise in Christ Jesus; God’s grace is available to all.
Paul was made a minister of this gospel. He was moulded into the ministry by God, who took all of Paul’s learning and knowledge of scripture, and turned him into a powerful apostle, teacher, and evangelist.
The word for minister here means a servant, not a slave. The word is diakonos from which we get the word deacon. It can mean and attendant or minister. Paul here is saying that his calling is to serve the gospel. The gospel is like a master, a force that directs his life .
In other places, Paul describes himself as a slave to Christ. A slave suggest someone who is owned, generally for any purpose the owner might desire. The implication of the word diakonos, though, is that there is a specific purpose, a calling that is on Paul’s life. He could not be used for any other purpose then to preach the gospel, because that is his life’s sole reason for existence.
Paul was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace.
The grace of God is a many-faceted thing. We most often think of God’s grace in the context of salvation. We are not saved by anything that we can do, nor by good deeds, nor by animal sacrifices, nor by acts of heroism. It is only because God, in his love for us, gives us the gift of forgiveness that we are saved.
God’s grace is experienced in other ways also. The gift of life itself comes from God. The provision of our daily food, shelter, and clothing is by grace, even when we have a job that provides these things .
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are graces that enable us to serve God and his people. The word for gift in the various New Testament passages that describe spiritual gifts is itself derived from the word grace. This is why John Wimber preferred the word gracelet to the word gift – it places the attention on the giver not the receiver of the gift.
The grace of God was responsible for the gift which was given to Paul. Paul is at pains to express a sense here that whatever he might do as the minister of the gospel, it is all through the gift of God. It is not his innate talent. He might be the smartest person in the room, but it is God who has done this, not Paul.
All of this was given by the working of God’s power.
God’s power (dunamis) is the same power that created the universe in six days, which raised Christ from the dead, and which turned Paul from persecutor of Christ’s followers into an apostle of Christ .
God’s power brings the non-existent into existence. He spoke and it happened.
God’s power restored life – resurrection life- into Christ’s body. This same power will raise all of his followers from death also. God’s power is life giving power.
The same power took hold of a violent and zealous man, and transformed him into a tireless minister of grace. Under the law, Paul sought to bring death, but under God’s grace he seeks to bring life.
This power of God is restless, hovering over all of creation. The wind is often used as an analogy for God’s power. It is always moving. It brings movement and excitement. It cannot always be recognised, but its effects are plain.
The working of God’s power produced the gift of God’s grace in Paul. The word for working is the word from which we get energy. God’s energising power was poured into Paul to enable him to fulfil this ministry to which he was called .
God’s power is not a self-referring thing like a bright light. God’s power brings change by working in people’s lives. This energy fills us, changes us, enables us, transforms us. It is like a flow of electricity through a person’s spirit .
Key points in this verse:
- Paul was made a minister of the gospel
- The gospel is about God’s grace
- Paul had a specific calling or a role to be filled.
- God’s grace is experienced in many different ways
- Paul’s gift or calling was given by the working of God’s power
Spiritual Gifts- Speaking in Tongues
This is described in the text as “speaking in different kinds of tongues.” It can be defined as speaking aloud words in a language that the speaker has never learned in the normal natural way.
There are three different expressions of “speaking in tongues” described in Scripture.
Firstly, tongues is the initial sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This is the manifestation described in Acts 2:6, where a bunch of uneducated Galileans praise God in languages which they did not know, but which turned out to be understandable by the cosmopolitan crowd which gathered outside. When Peter goes to Cornelius’s house, all who hear Peter’s message receive the Holy Spirit, “for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.” (Acts 10:46)
Secondly, tongues is given as a special prayer language which allows us to pray directly from our spirit to God’s Spirit. Romans 8:26-27 describes the Spirit interceding for us “in groans that words cannot express.” 1 Corinthians 14:14 says, “If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays.” Sometimes we don’t know how to pray in a situation, but the Holy Spirit can still use our prayers, especially if we pray in tongues.
Thirdly, an expression in tongues can be given publicly, that is, in a gathering. Here the tongues can be combined with an interpretation to function as prophecy. Sometimes someone who brings such an expression, may in fact be speaking a human language which they do not know but is known to a person in the congregation (similar to the experience in Ats 2). In that case, then the purpose is to carry an extra authenticity, particularly if the language is known only to a very few people.
Often, a group will start to all speak in tongues at once. This might be in response to a call for prayer, or it might just be a spontaneous response to a powerful worship time. Of all the gifts of the Spirit, tongues seems to be particularly resistant to being kept in a box.
Because the public use of the gift of tongues can be seen as chaotic or hard to understand, Paul gives some specific teaching about the use of this gift in 1 Corinthians 14. It should be understood that this chapter is about use of gifts in gatherings and not about the private use of tongues. Every gift is used at the discretion of the believer and should be used to build everybody up, and especially to glorify the name of Jesus.
Reflection on Romans 11:1-10
Scripture
It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel have remained faithful because of God’s grace – his undeserved kindness in choosing them.
Observation
God has not rejected the people of Israel. It is like the time of Elijah when the prophet thought he was the only one left in Israel who was faithful to the Lord. The Lord showed him there were 7000 people who had not worshipped Baal.
Most of the Jewish people are seeking salvation through good works, Paul says, but some, though a minority, have received God’s grace and have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
Application
God has never completely abandoned His people- either Israel nor the church. There has always been a remnant, a small group of people who remain faithful to Him regardless.
This is true of the Jewish people. Although most have rejected their Messiah, Jesus, some have responded to the Good News.
It is also true in the church. Sometimes whole denominations have departed from Biblical truth to pursue the ways of the world. And yet, a faithful few remain, witnessing to the power of salvation.
Whole nations are turning their backs on the christian faith which established their culture and which united the nation. While the mainstream might have moved on, a remnant remains faithful to Jesus Christ.
So I remain hopeful for Australia and for the denomination I left over twenty years ago. Jesus is still building His church, and He is still Lord of the nations.
Prayer
Lord, even when all seems dark, you are the light of the world. I pray for revival in my town and in my nation. Lord, turn the hearts of people back to you. Amen.
Last Week’s Sermon
Caldron Pool: ‘Staggering’ Numbers of People Have Turned To God During the Pandemic, Researchers Say
From caldronpool.com
Numbers of people from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have been reassessing their lives, turning to God, and praying more during the coronavirus pandemic, recent surveys have revealed.
Numbers of people from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have been reassessing their lives, turning to God, and praying more during the coronavirus pandemic, recent surveys have revealed.
In Australia, researchers have found individuals have been praying more during the COVID-19 crisis, suggesting the pandemic has led many to reassess their priorities in life, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Of 1002 people surveyed in July, more than 35% said they were praying more, 41% said they were thinking about God more than they had before, and up to 25% said they were reading the Bible more than they used to.
Almost half of the participants said they thought more about mortality and the meaning of life.
Social researcher Mark McCrindle told the SMH: “The research is showing that this COVID situation has rattled Australians and got them thinking about the big purpose of life. It’s got them re-prioritising their life.”
In March, a US-based national survey revealed that almost half of Americans believe the virus is a “wake-up call” from God.
The poll, which was commissioned by the Joshua Fund, an Israel-based evangelical organisation, found over 43% of Americans believe the global coronavirus pandemic and economic meltdown is a sign of coming judgement and/or a wake-up call for us to turn back to faith in God.
Of the respondents, 25% of self-identified non-Christians agreed.
Almost 22% of all non-Christians responding to the poll admitted that the crisis has caused them to start reading the Bible and listening to Bible teaching and sermons online, while more than 29% of the respondents also believe the crisis reveals that “we are living in what the Bible calls the last days.”
The Pew Research Center released similar findings after surveying 11,537 Americans between March 19 and 24. According to the report, “more than half of all U.S. adults (55%) say they have prayed for an end to the spread of coronavirus.”
“Large majorities of Americans who pray daily (86%) and of U.S. Christians (73%) have taken to prayer during the outbreak — but so have some who say they seldom or never pray and people who say they do not belong to any religion (15% and 24%, respectively),” Pew Research reported.
Meanwhile, in the UK, a survey revealed a ‘staggering‘ number of 18-24 year old’s have been turning to God during the pandemic.
The survey, conducted by Savanta ComRes, interviewed 2,244 UK adults aged 18-plus. The findings revealed 45% of 18 to 34-year-olds and 49% of 25 to 34-year-olds prayed more during the month of July. That figure rose to 55% in the month of August.
According to the Telegraph, Google data reveals the pandemic has prompted a surge of interest in God, with a 50% increase in searches for prayer.
In March 2020, the share of Google searches for prayer surged to the highest level ever recorded, surpassing all other major events that otherwise call for prayer, including Christmas and Easter.
Josh Williamson, pastor at Newquay Baptist Church said: “As the old saying goes, ‘there are no atheists in foxholes,’ and it also seems that is the case when a pandemic causes people to examine their own mortality.
“I’m not surprised that people are thinking about God as the reality of death looms large; deep down in all of us is the knowledge that God exists, but what happens is that people push down that knowledge by ignoring what is plainly known,” he said.
“A crisis has a way of bringing that knowledge back to the surface.”
New Life Narrabri 