Visit another church for a change

We have been privileged over the years to visit different churches in three continents from those who meet under palm branches in Uganda to slick mega churches in the States. We’ve been to seemingly insignificant, tiny churches to the big churches of the famous.

This weekend we visited another church, new to us, in a town north of Boston in USA. It was a wonderful expression of the local Body of Christ faithfully meeting and worshipping together, learning from the Word and with a great desire to see souls saved both at home and abroad.

I love the sheer diversity of the Body of Christ which should not depress or discourage us.  Rather it should be a source of encouragement. Unfortunately too often though this diversity opens up opportunities for division.  But God loves diversity. 

Every one of the 7.3 billion people on the planet is unique. There is no one like them and never has been and never will.  Creation is an endless tableau of diversity with an eye watering collection of animals, birds, insects, fish, reptiles and bugs from the massive to the tiny in every colour and shape imaginable.  From the largest elephant to the amoeba the Creator’s love for things that are different, unique and incredible is absolutely mind blowing.

I don’t believe that God is shocked or disappointed by the different churches but what he does require of his people is to love one another despite our differences.

Jesus said ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ John 13: 35

The problem seems to be that instead of celebrating the different emphases and ways of worship, there is a tendency to criticize the differences.  No church has the monopoly on the truth and the right way to do things and no church is perfect because it is full of imperfect people. Even with those whose theology we may fundamentally disagree with and maybe with good reason they do not deserve vitriol or Crusader or Inquisition style condemnation. People will not change because the truth is screamed at them. They will change and respond to the truth shared in love. They may also have some things to teach others. 

I think one of the most encouraging things over the last 10 years has been a genuine desire by Christians to work with those from different denominations and movements to see the Kingdom advance. You see we are not called to build the church. That is Jesus’s job (Matthew 16: 18). What we should be doing is going out into all the world with the Gospel to make disciples and see the Kingdom of God grow and flourish.

History itself is a good indicator that when churches lay aside their differences and work together with this aim, the Kingdom goes forward and the world is impacted by the Gospel and the unity that the Church shows.

Visiting other churches is a wonderful way to broaden our horizons.  I am not talking about church hopping with no commitment to a local church but an occasional visit to another church whether locally or further afield. It helps us see the bigger picture. It stops any sense of isolation and especially pride that our way is the best way. It helps us value and appreciate others and forges relationships that build unity.

If you haven’t visited another church in a while, why not give it a go? 

God's unconditional love

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  John 11: 5

Jesus looked at him and loved him. Mark 10: 41

And standing here beneath the shadow of the cross.

I'm overwhelmed that I keep finding open arms.  Kari Jobe ‘What love is this?’

I am sure we all know that Jesus’ love is unconditional but this truth seems always easier to grasp when we are doing well and got our act together. But when we fail, when we show the wrong attitude or when we just plain mess up God’s unconditional love seems to melt away.

Nothing, of course, is further from the truth as these two little Bible verses show. We are all familiar with the story of Mary and Martha with Martha doing her diligent, older sister hospitality and Mary just sitting at Jesus’ feet.  When Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to help, this was the tender answer: ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’

You see Mary was not just sitting at Jesus’ feet idly doing nothing.  She was being taught.  Her posture was one of pupil learning from her master. This was the better thing. Martha may have got it ‘wrong’ but Jesus loved Martha as we later see. He also loved her brother Lazarus and Mary but her name as the older sister came first.  In that culture, at that time Lazarus would have been the first name and then Martha. Even though Martha had not chosen the better way like her sister Mary, Jesus loved her. He loved her diligence, her servant hood, her desire to make people feel welcome and he loved her.

The second verse comes in the account of the rich young ruler or rich man who came to Jesus to ask him what he must do to gain eternal life. Jesus asked him if he kept the commandments and he said he did. Then Jesus looked at him and loved him. He saw to the heart of the matter, his wealth was a stumbling block to his relationship with God. Jesus told the young man to get sell his possessions and give his money to the poor. This was not a universal command to everyone. It was Jesus’s solution to this young man’s problems. 

Despite having this hindrance of wealth, Jesus loved him.  Like Martha he tried so hard and wanted the right thing.  Both his wealth and Martha’s desire for good hospitality were blocking their relationship with the Father.  Jesus in love showed them the better way, for Martha it was that sitting at his feet learning was even more important than serving. For the rich man it was getting rid of his wealth as it was a stumbling block.

When we get it wrong, when we miss it, Jesus will look at us and love us and then show us the better way.  In the shadow of the cross Jesus’s welcoming arms are always open.

The power of One

When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man – and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. Mark 5: 15 – 17

The reaction of the local people to the casting out of the legion of demons from the demon possessed man is very interesting.  When they came and found the man ‘dressed and in his right mind’ they were not astonished or amazed but afraid.  This was not the normal reaction of the crowd when Jesus performed miracles. That was usually one of wonder and praise to God.  These people were afraid and when they saw what had happened to their pigs, they ‘pleaded’ with Jesus to leave.

They did have a bit of a point though. 2000 pigs had just gone helter skelter over the cliff and their livelihood with it. To lose 2000 porkers at one time would have been quite a blow to quite a few people, probably Gentiles, as they were the ones who kept pigs, the ultimate unclean animals.

Their only thought was the loss of their pigs in the lake. Jesus’ thought had been the delivering of a wretched demon-possessed man. In the big picture, his was the greater need. Jesus always went for the one, the individual. He told the parable of the lost sheep, where the shepherd left the 99 to go and look for the one.  Jesus wanted to know who had touched his garment in a heaving crowd of humanity when the lady plagued by bleeding reached out for her miracle.

Jesus’ concern for the individual is a wonderful encouragement for us as well. Sometimes, it can feel as if we are not making any difference in this world. There are so many needs and our contribution is so small.

Have you heard the story of a boy on a beach the day after a terrible storm?  The beach was covered in starfish, washed up by the storm, and one by one the boy was throwing them back into the sea. An old man came along and laughed at the boy, telling him that he was not making much difference throwing them one by one back into the ocean. The boy picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea and replied, ‘Well it made a difference to that one.’ He understood the need of the individual. 

I have been reading a book by a missionary to Burundi, one of the most heart breaking countries on earth, torn for years by civil war, brutality, terrible poverty and disease. One day when visiting South Africa the missionary and a friend took an orphan, dying of AIDS, on a long journey to fulfill a wish to swim in the ocean. He loved it but soon after he died. Was it worth it the missionary wondered?

You bet it was.  ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25: 40.  We may not be able to fix the world’s problems but we can make a significant difference to the life of an individual.  We can sponsor a child, we can give to charity, we can pray for individuals and churches.

If everyone did that, we may find that some of the world’s problems, especially abject poverty, surely this generation’s greatest disgrace, would be lessened.

Faith in action

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven Matthew 5: 16

Recently my attention was drawn at a church prayer meeting to an unusual piece of equipment being used by a musician. It looked like a small industrial chimney, black and standing two metres tall and it was obviously something to do with sound.  Then I noticed the word Bose on it. Immediately I knew it must be a speaker but the word Bose means a lot more than just a sound system. It means a quality sound system.

We carry the name Jesus which means we are not just Christians, it should also mean we are people of quality. People who can be depended on, are reliable, honest, trustworthy, men and women of integrity. Christians should also be people of good works.  

We know that good works do not save us. Only Jesus’ work on the cross saves us and we receive it by grace. Nothing we can do can earn it. It is a gift from God.  However as James says:  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds James 2: 17 – 18

Jesus certainly showed his faith by his deeds. When the religious leaders of his day wanted to stone him he asked them which miracle they were stoning him for. They replied they wanted to stone him for claiming to be the Son of God. In response he told them that even if they did not believe his words, they should believe he was God’s Son because of the miracles or good works that he did.  He did the works of his Father which were works of great compassion and kindness.  (John 10: 37)

David Cameron in an Easter message in 2015 said, ‘The Church … is doing great works across the country. When people are homeless, the Church is there with hot meals and shelter. When people are addicted or in debt, suffering or grieving the Church is there. Across Britain Christians don’t just talk about loving thy neighbour, they live it out in faith schools and prisons and in community groups.’

This is a testimony we should be proud of.  We should be the leading philanthropists of our day but more than that; we should be miracle workers.  The days of miracles are not over, they should be increasing as each one of us reaches out in faith to God so blind eyes see, the lame walk, the sick are healed and the dead raised.   Jesus said we would do even greater works than he did. 

When Jesus preached the Gospel about the kingdom, he often preceded this with miracles.  In the same way as we reach out to our communities with love and practical works of kindness as well as supernatural miracles, we build a platform upon which the Gospel easily glides.  People believed in Jesus, not just because of what he said but what he did.  In the same way, people will come to faith, the greatest miracle of all, as we reach out to them with good deeds.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds Hebrews 10: 24