Against the Catholics
- If you’ve accepted Jesus, then you don’t pray to the saints.
- If you’ve accepted Jesus, then you won’t call your vicar ‘priest’.
- If you’ve accepted Jesus, then you won’t call any table ‘altar’.
The revolutionaries become the establishment
In the movie Rock Star Mark Wahlberg plays Izzy, the lead of a tribute band, who gets a lucky break to front the real band that he worships.
Towards the end there is a scene between Mark and Timothy Spall. Spall play Mats -the Steel Dragon Road Manager. He tells the story of how he first got involved. He had a lovely wife, and good life, but he ‘could already see the rest of his life mapped out’. He didn’t want it and so went to the loo and never came back.
In the story of Mats’ rebellion Izzy finds an obvious parallel. The rock and roll lifestyle seemed like the rebellion, but he can see his life mapped out ahead of him. The revolutionaries become the establishment and a new rebellion is required.
During the next gig Izzy pulls up a new kid on stage to take his place and then goes to the toilet, never to return.
No myth is filled with such life
When asked whether he accepts the historical existence of Jesus, Einstein replied,
“Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. “His personality pulsates in every word,” he added. “No myth is filled with such life.”
Doubt Night
I sponsored a “Doubt Night.” I said, “I want to talk about my own doubts about God, Jesus, the Bible, salvation, faith. And if you have some, bring them. Write them down and pass them forward, we’ll read them and we’ll see what happens.” We had a huge box—you would not believe—and I just started going through them, reading them and discussing them. It was so awesome.
A lot of pastors, if they did a doubt night, would be speaking to where their people actually live. I actually think people who have been Christians the longest often have the biggest doubts, because they’ve been living it, and yet there are still things unresolved. And that’s okay.
This is central to what it means to be a person of faith. A question implies there are things I don’t know. So bringing questions and doubts are a form of respect for God.
Rob Bell is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, Grand Rapids
1 Timothy 5.17
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honour, especially those who labour in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The labourer deserves his wages.” Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.
118 Bible Verses
Perhaps 118 should take notice of these, when answering ‘the meaning of life’.
John 1:18 - No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
Romans 1:18 - The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
1 Corinthians 1:18 - For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
What a powerful summary of the meaning of life:
Revelation 1:18 - I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
118 118
So 118 118 have branched out and are now answering any question. I texted them two of the questions that I found on their advertising.
Who am I?
If you’re a boy, your name could be Jack, Thomas, Oliver, Joshua or Harry. If you’re a girl, your name could be Grace, Ruby, Olivia, Emily or Jessica.
What a dissatisfying answer! But then again the question is a silly one to offer to answer. Unless of course you’ve read your Bible.
118 should answer,
“You are a creation of a wonderful, powerful, just and loving God. You are made in his image. You fill only find your true identity in relation to Him.
But like humans you rebel against your perfect maker and spoil his image in you. You are lost, drifting from your true identity.
But you are loved by your creator, who has sacrificed himself that you may be restored. And more, that you might be with him forever.
What is the meaning of life?
The meaning of life is many things to many people, amongst them are happiness, love, wisdom, understanding & 42. It’s also a film by the Monty Python Team?
118 should answer,
You are part of the human race, put on this world to rule it as God’s deputy. You are made to reflect and spread the glory of God and to do that in relation to him as your maker.
But since our rebellion you have been lost and purposeless, seeking after empty promise and self-fulfilment. You will only find your purpose in him.
But God has acted in history to bring everything back into order. Jesus Christ - the God-man, sacrificed himself, and the world will find its purpose under him.
You are sustained by the loving creator of the world that you might admit your wrongs and turn back.
You will only find your purpose under the Lord Jesus Christ, who will one day return to restore justice, order and purpose.
Who am I?
Who am I? Perhaps this is the only question life really throws at us. Maybe all our scientific endeavours are, one way or another, directed at it. Maybe cosmologists trying to understand the origin of the universe, biologists working on evolution or psychologists studying behaviour are driven by the same desire to know.
Sue Blackmore is a freelance writer, lecturer and broadcaster, and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of the West of England, Bristol.
Find out more here.
Tube Evangelism
People need to hear about Jesus. And the tube seems like a great place to start. Lot’s of people, bored, waiting. They’ll read anything.
I believe the Word of God has power to save, but does printing it on advertising boards help? I’d love to meet someone for whom an ad like this made all the difference.
I sent them an email and said:
I’m a Christian and am passionate about reaching the lost…I wonder if you could let me know how people respond. Do you get many visitors to your website? Do many people testify that they have turned to Christ through your ministry? I’d love to know.
I’ll let you know if I get a response.
One click away
I got this email. “Happy and Healthy. It’s simple.” It claims to explain how you can be cured of all illness. Who does this work on? Who clicks on the link? And what do they get if you do? People are always looking for a quick fix. Perhaps even a website that will fix everything.
But although the source of the claim is ridiculous, the claim itself isn’t. Jesus claims to be the solution to every problem. One day he will return to usher in the new creation, where there will be no suffering, no sickness, no pain. Not one click away, but not far.
Motivation
I so often hear about living as a Christian as a witness.
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
But this is not the primary reason to love one another. Surely the first motivation to do the right thing is that it is the right thing! God knows best, he has made it clear how we should live.
Sin mars both our desire and ability to do good. Jesus died that we might be set free from the power of sin and washed us from the guilt of sin (1 John 1:7). We died to the old self and live for Christ, in Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4.22). Live up to your calling (2 Peter 1.10). Live up to your identity (2 Corinthians 5.17). Live up to your salvation (Philippians 2.12). Live up to the truth.
9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. (1 John 2)
Jesus is the risen and ascended Lord of the Universe. He has all authority in heaven and earth. He rules and will one day return. He said,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13.34)
It’s not about how others see us - if that is our motivation it will so easily lead to hypocrisy. It’s about obeying the Lord Jesus.
Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe lead singer of REM
“We are floudering more -culturally, politically, spiritually-than I can imaginge anoyone has been in several centuries. It’s hard to imagine that so many people are confused about who they are, what their dreams, hope, and aspirations and desires are-and who’s pulling the strings.”
In Rolling Stone Jan 6 2000
Fight Club
Tyler Durden Fight Club
“We are the middle children of history-no purpose or place. We have no great war, no great depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars. But we won’t. We’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off.”
Gardening
Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were gardeners. And we’re called to follow in their footsteps.
What a great calling!
To take the wonderful world that God has made and help it grow. Not to put something in, but to draw something out. To care for tender young shoots until they become strong. To encourage growth in the right direction. To cut things back when they grow too fast. To bring great fruitfulness.
It strikes me that gardening is the task we’re all involved in.
- Artists, taking the stuff of the world and making things beautiful. Whether it’s paint, clay or words, the task is the same. Working what God has given and making the most of it.
- Bankers, using what God has given and making it fruitful. Not creating money out of nothing, but developing potential.
- Parents, they don’t give the child life, but work with what God has given. Tending and encouraging the weak. Helping their children stick to the boundaries. Helping their children become the people that God has made them.
- Church pastors, preaching so that people might realise what God wants them to be, that they might be truly human. Encouraging a church to make each member the best they can be.
Sure, we can mess up. Either by accident or deliberate error. We can accidentally damage something beautiful. We can grow poison rather than fruit. We can take what God has given and misuse it.
But God has made us for a purpose. To be people who reflect his wonderful character. Why would we want anything different.
Sabbath
Is there a link a wonder between the failure of the Keep Sunday Special campaign and the breakdown of community in the UK?
In Israel all work, unnecessary travel and even some food preparation was not allowed on the Sabbath. In Britain today people travel - get away for the day, go shopping, generally just ‘go out’.
Doesn’t seem to help the family so much, does it?