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Online Church Cannot Replicate the Physical Church

Chude Obuaya
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Online Church Cannot Replicate the Physical Church

No matter how convenient online church is, there is so much more to gain by being part of a local physical assembly.

On the 19th of March 2020, the World Health Organisation announced that the Covid-19 outbreak had become a pandemic. Consequently, governments across the globe incorporated lockdowns into their guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. For many of us, it was the first time we had seen churches being forced to close. With the pandemic now over, the online church has remained. However, should it stay and could it replace the physical church?

The accessibility of church

A huge benefit of not being able to meet physically is that many churches have developed an online platform which allows them to stream services online. This online streaming platform allows churches to remain connected with their congregation and their wider community. This is a major blessing and should not be undermined. Given that many churches still can’t meet physically, having an online presence allows for community, albeit online. Data suggests that heading into Easter 2020 churches experienced greater online attendance. Yet, by June 2020 71% of pastors report attendance to have either plateaued or decreased (See The ChurchPulse Weekly Podcast). Whilst there are a plethora of hypotheses as to why online attendance has decreased, I’ll focus on just one – the local gathering of the body was always meant to be physical.

We must meet in person

The word ekklesia is the Greek word translated as the church. It has two derived meanings from scripture. The old testament defines the ekklesia as the general assembly of Jewish people, particularly for a religious purpose (Deuteronomy 9:10, 18:16) and in the new testament the ekklesia defines the gathering of those who place their faith in Christ (Matthew 16:18), Christians who gather in a particular region (Acts 5:11) or of a congregational meeting in a particular place e.g. a house (Romans 16:5). What we glean from the last of these definitions is that the local church is a physical gathering.

Much of the new testament are letters written to churches, with the authors expressing the desire for the church to meet physically (Acts 2:46, 20:7; Romans 1:11) . Communicating by letter wasn’t enough then, and meeting online won’t be enough now. The Greek word for ‘one another’ occurs about 100 times in the new testament, with approximately 59 of these commands being how believers are to relate to one another. These commands, such as bearing with one another, are difficult to do online. Remember obedience to commands is not merely doing them with your hands, but also doing them with your heart. This is what Christ teaches us during the sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). It’s easier to be kind to someone that you can’t see physically, can you extend that same kindness when you see that annoying brother face to face? Meeting physically creates an environment for interaction that can’t be replicated online.

Now, I’m sure there are those who will point out that in 10 AD, for example, there was no online option available. But that doesn’t mean that people weren’t growing apathetic towards meeting physically. The book of Hebrews has multiple themes but one that is particularly pertinent for our times is persevering in faith. Notably, the writer of Hebrews links our fellowship with other believers in our local church as an important weapon in our arsenal to persevere in faith.

22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:22-25)

Do you notice how many personal pronouns are in these verses? None. The writer of Hebrews continuously links the vitality of our faith within a church community. Meaning our growth in faith, in hope and in love is fundamentally tied to Christians globally and more specifically Christians locally. When we neglect or undermine the physical gathering of the body we are missing out on the encouragement that scripture declares meeting physically provides.

Rethinking Church

Nathan Nwanji wrote an excellent article on church history and how we as believers have an ancient faith. Whilst we certainly experience a variety of different challenges as time evolves, there isn’t anything new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Covid-19 isn’t the first plague that the Church has had to deal with and if Jesus tarries it won’t be the last. How we continue to respond to post the pandemic will be critical. There is indeed much to think about allegiance to God, obeying our government, loving our neighbour, accessibility to church etc. Whilst there is some freedom in how accessible we can make church what we cannot allow is this notion that the online church can replace the local church. According to the scriptures, there is too much at stake to even consider that possibility.


The Great Commission is Our Great Concern

Chude Obuaya
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The Great Commission is Our Great Concern
Prefer to listen? Listen here!

“He is no fool who loses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose” -Jim Elliot. This now-famous quote was written on October 28, 1949, in a journal. During a time of deep intimacy with God, these words flowed from a then 21-year-old whose greatest passion was to see lost men and women receive Christ. The great commission was Jim Elliot’s greatest concern. Is it ours?

What is the great commission?

Before Jesus’ ascension to heaven, He commissioned (formally chose) His followers to make disciples of all nations throughout the world (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18). Before this, Jesus states that upon his resurrection all authority has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9-11). Therefore, His charge to His disciples then, and by extension His disciples now, isn’t a suggestion but a command. Jesus lived, died and rose for sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and now He commands us to go into all the world and tell everyone about it. So then why does data suggest that evangelistic efforts in the West are decreasing?

Am I concerned?

There have been plenty of conversations both on- and offline that have discussed the current and previous evangelistic efforts and their relative successes or failures. Some have suggested that we should move away from street evangelism and more towards ‘living out the gospel’. Whilst I understand the sentiment, I think this type of thinking has created a false dichotomy between preaching and living out the gospel. Also, data suggests that we aren’t preaching or living the Gospel enough with the number of people unreached (see Joshua Project & State of Theology).

Romans 10 gives us a fascinating insight into concern for others, preaching, and living the Gospel. Paul begins the chapter by expressing his heart’s desire was to see his kinsmen saved (Romans 10:1), is this yours? He goes on to state that it’s possible to be zealous about God and yet not know Him (Romans 10:2-3), do you know people like this? Paul declares that true righteousness is through faith in Jesus, the culmination of the law (Romans 10:4-8), and this authentic faith confesses true things about Jesus, namely his death and resurrection, with the mouth and heart that believes in it(Romans 10:9-13); have you done this? Finally, this confession of faith and belief in the heart comes from hearing the word of God. How can people hear unless someone speaks? But how can these people speak if they haven’t been sent? So, who has done the sending? Jesus. (Romans 10:14-17; cf. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18). The question that remains then is why aren’t we going if we have been sent?

Get Going

So how can we make the great commission the great concern of our souls? I think we can find the answer in Romans 10:17 and Colossians 3:16. We need ears to hear the truth, we need mouths to speak the truth, and we need faith to believe the truth. When all these elements combine what will develop is a deeper affection for Jesus and the people He created in His image. There will be no deep desire to do the great commission if our affection for Jesus is low. Jesus makes it clear if we love Him, we will obey Him (John 14:15). What we don’t need to do is to create undiscipled Pharisees that treat evangelism as some sort of numbers game. Neither should we create apathetic Christians who use the sovereignty of God as an excuse to be inactive. What we do need is a high view of Jesus and the Gospel He proclaimed so that more people can be grafted into the Beloved by the power of God.

What is at Stake?

The Gospel is the good news that God, through Jesus, has come to reconcile the cosmos unto Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). Why did God need to do this? Because since sin entered the world there is now hostility between God and His creation (Romans 8:18-22; Ephesians 2:3). As a result of sin, humans are under the wrath of God (Ezekiel 7:8; Romans 1:18, 5:1) and this world is passing away (Revelation 21:1; 2 Peter 3:10). But God is redemptive. He has a people that He is redeeming for Himself and He calls those people to go into all the world (cosmos) and make disciples. There is a world out there that needs to hear the Gospel that doesn’t just save them from the wrath of God but more than that makes them children of God. Being silent about the Gospel has less to do with preference about the methodology of evangelism and more about our heart posture towards Jesus and sinners. If we really believe what the Gospel promises, then how can we be silent?

The Same Faith as Jim Elliot

For those of us who bear the name of Christ, the great commission must be our great concern. If we want the same faith as Jim Elliot, a man who was so consumed by sinners hearing and receiving the gospel, that it governed how he lived, then we must be consumed by God’s word as he was. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) and when this faith fills your heart, hope and love will follow (Romans 5:4). This is what we need for the great commission to be our great concern.

Jesus The Bread Of Life

On Mission
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Jesus The Bread Of Life

Q. Who was the fastest runner in the race? A. Adam, because he was first in the human race.

Jesus, when speaking to the masses always liked to use metaphors that were familiar to His listeners. He would talk about the sun and the rain to explain God’s grace upon all mankind. He would talk about planting seeds or going fishing to explain the importance of reaching others with the truth of the Gospel. He spoke of a farmer, a king, a merchant, a vineyard, a pearl, a lamp, a son, a wedding, a treasure in a field… things that common men and women knew. Well, maybe not so much the treasure in the field but don’t give up hope… keep looking!

When we come to the I AM’s of Jesus we find they are no different and today’s subject is one that is very common to all of us. It is a particular tasty topic and that is bread! It is one close to my heart… quite literally. It is just a little bit south in my stomach. But before you start licking your lips it needs to be said that we will be focusing on the spiritual bread.

Discussion

  • What is your favourite parable in the bible and why?
  • What is the most confusing parable in the bible?

Unity and Grace

Today, we are in John chapter 6  and the whole chapter is about food really. While we won’t read it, the context of Jesus’ statement that He is the bread of life came one day after He performed the miracle with the bread and fish. Can you remember that?

There Jesus gave thanks to the Father and fed the great crowd on just 5 barley loaves and two small fish. You will hopefully remember that the bread and fish were multiplied so that everyone had enough. It didn’t matter if there were 200 or 200,000 people that turned up. There was always going to be more than enough for all. Even this is teaching us about the Lord Jesus who as the bread of life is multiplied to all.

The numbers are also instructive – 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. In the Bible, the number 2 speaks of unity and 5 is the number of grace. When we come into unity with the Lord and experience His grace we are filled and have more than enough. So it is in this context that Jesus declares that He is the bread of life. Let’s read:

John 6:22-35 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. (23) Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.  (24) Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. (25) When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” (26)  Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. (27) Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him, God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (28) Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (29) Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” So they asked him, “What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? (31)  Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” (32) Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  (34) Sir, they said, “from now on give us this bread.” (35)  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 

Discussion

  • What is our reflection from this passage?
  • What is surprising to us about this passage?

So why use the metaphor of bread? – Historial Lense

Let’s begin just looking at bread in the natural for a moment. Mankind has been baking loaves for thousands of years. The simple loaf feeds the poorest and the most well off amongst us. Where ever you go on this planet, bread, whether it is a bagel, a baguette or banana bread, is being consumed every day. And from a quick survey of the Bible, we see that it has been that way right from the very beginning. The first mention of bread goes right back to the fall of mankind:

Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

The essential character of bread is also seen right smack bang in the middle of something as important as the Lord’s Prayer where Jesus taught His disciples to pray:‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ (Matthew 6:11)

It is used because it symbolises the essential sustenance of what we need, naturally speaking. This is how it has been seen and used throughout secular history as well. For example In Roman times, the leaders spoke of controlling the masses through ‘bread and circuses’. That is, they saw that if the masses had full bellies and were entertained, that is essentially all they cared for and they would look past all the corruption in the Roman leadership.

Bread being an essential requirement to life is also seen in its connection with another essential element – money. ‘Bread’ or ‘dough’ is another name for money. The one who earns a wage for the family is called the ‘breadwinner’.

They have the means to put bread on the table. In cockney rhyme ‘bread and honey’ is the name for money.2 So we have seen that bread goes back in time as far as the very Garden of Eden itself. It is common to the richest and poorest alike. It transcends cultures and nations. As a staple food, it often symbolises all that we need physically in the Bible. Hopefully, a few more light bulbs are going off as to why Jesus said I AM the bread of life! As bread feeds the whole world in a physical, natural sense, Jesus feeds and nourishes us spiritually.

The heart and desire of mankind

So did the people in Jesus’ day recognise how essential Jesus was to their very lives?

John 6:26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Jesus said that the crowds followed not because of His words, not because of His miracles but because they got a free feed. That is the picture of fallen mankind right there. It is a picture of a creation whose connection with its Creator has been broken… snapped.

What does it care about? It cares about the natural not the spiritual. It cares about the temporal, not the eternal. It cares about a full belly, not a clean heart. Jesus knew this – He knew what was in the heart of man as He created them and had been dealing with them for thousands of years. The natural man is not interested in the spiritual. It can be quite frustrating when you are trying to give them real eternal food and they see no worth in it. If they have their food, their entertainment, their bread and circuses, that is enough.

Now I was like that too for a long time but thankfully I came to the point, in my first year at University, where I wanted to know why I was here. I wanted to know the One that created me. I wanted to know that my sins were forgiven. I wanted to know what was actually important in life. And quite frankly, I wanted to know where I was going when I died! Jesus said you are following me not because of any spiritual need or sight that you have seen but because you got received full bellies. One. Sad. Commentary. On. Mankind. Why are you following Jesus? Is it for Him? Because that is what He offers

Discussion

  • Have you seen this in action?
  • People coming after Jesus for the wrong reason?
  • Why and how does this happen?

The challenge of mankind


John 6:27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Here is the challenge of the Lord to go beyond what natural man craves and lives for. It is the same type of challenge that the prophet Isaiah spoke to his people saying: 

‘Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (3) Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. ‘ (Isaiah 55:2-3)

You can hear God pleading with the people!

The challenge is what do you live for?

Is it just for that which is temporal?

Is it just for that which doesn’t ultimately satisfy?

Jesus said there is a food that endures to eternal life. There is a bread that truly satisfies in this life and in the next. Mankind spends so much time and energy trying to obtain temporal things which don’t satisfy.

You can buy a bed, but you can’t buy rest. You can buy books, but not wisdom. You can buy entertainment, but not joy. Leisure, but not peace. Insurance, but not security or safety. You can buy your way to the top, but you can’t buy salvation. 

True rest, peace, joy, security and salvation are found only in the One who is rest, who is joy, who is peace, who is salvation. Have you found that?

How is Jesus as the Bread of Life pictured in the Old Testament?

This picture of Jesus as the bread of life is pictured in the Old Testament (because New Testament truth concerning Jesus is always pictured in some form in the Old). The Jews listening to Jesus touched on one example:

John 6:31-33 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” (32) Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.

In the Old Testament God fed the children of Israel with a type of bread as they went through the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. It was called ‘manna’ and it pictured in a small way the true bread that was coming. What do we know about the manna?

Some questions -So the question is, what are you feeding on? 

What do you try to sustain yourself with?

If you are a born again Christian then you are a heavenly person. And a heavenly person needs to be sustained by heavenly things! God gives us many things to enjoy on this planet but devoid of Him they ultimately become meaningless. A.B Simpson hammers it home when he writes  

‘The reason why multitudes of Christians are famished and feeble is because they are trying to live upon the husks or the fruits of this world. They are longing for the flesh pots of Egypt or the quails of lust and are weary of the simple bread of God. They feed on man’s philosophies, materialism, the sensationalism of the novel… or the husks of the market and stock exchange, instead of the pure, sweet, sustaining word of God.’ 

I AM the bread of life


John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 

What a big call this is! Notice Jesus doesn’t say ‘I will give you the bread of life’ or ‘I’ll show you the bread of life’ or ‘I will help you find the bread of life’. No, I AM the bread of life! If you feed on me you will never be hungry or thirsty again!

BBC –  ‘It would be folly for a sinful man to utter the words of verse 35. No mere man can satisfy his own hunger or thirst, much less satisfy the spiritual appetite of the whole world!’  

Who else would say that they themselves are what everybody needs! Has anyone ever spoken like this before? Did Buddha or Confucius or Muhammad? They would point to someone or something else. Jesus pointed to Himself. I AM what you need! And yet He actually is the bread of life. He was born into this world to meet the spiritual need that fallen humanity has.

In fact, His very birthplace is significant in this regard. Where was Jesus born? His birth fulfilled the great prophecy in Micah:

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem in the Hebrew means ‘House of Bread’. The house of bread would bring forth its greatest ever, never to be repeated, loaf.

And look closer at the claim He makes – ‘He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty’.  He isn’t talking about natural thirst and hunger obviously but the deepest longings of human needs. They will be completely met. What are humanities deepest needs? It has said that our deepest needs are based on Identity, acceptance, security and purpose.3

How Do I Hear God’s Voice When I’m Making Big Decisions in Life?

Rebecca Dada
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How Do I Hear God’s Voice When I’m Making Big Decisions in Life?
Prefer to listen? Listen here!

When we become Christians one of the several challenges we face is; figuring out what God’s will is when we’re making decisions in life. How can we seek God’s voice and know the plans he wants us to make?

Many of us will go through the experience of having to make what seems like life-altering decisions. We will have to decide which University to go to, which career path to follow, or even who to marry. In fact, every single day we go through a process of making countless minute choices, that at times can also feel life-altering. When faced with such decisions, we are often left with the question; ‘what is God’s will?’

Whilst at university, I was faced with this exact conundrum. I had to make a decision that could shape the rest of my life. In the moment, I was worried that making the wrong decision could possibly be contrary to God’s will for me. At that time, it was vital for me to hear God correctly, otherwise, I would be at risk of disobeying him. The decision? Well, the age-old decision of every soon to be graduate, which job to apply for.

I spent some time “listening out” for God’s voice, looking for a sign, waiting for the correct path to be revealed to me. Eventually, I thought I got what I wanted. I felt as though I heard God tell me “Apply for this job, you’ll get it”. Excitedly, I applied with all the confidence and all the faith in the world just to find out a few months later that I didn’t get the job. You can imagine the disappointment that overcame me. Of course, I was disappointed that I didn’t get the job but I was even more disappointed I had “heard God wrong”. This led me down a journey of questioning and rediscovering how God speaks to us as Christians. I wanted to learn how I could be certain when God is speaking to me.

Don’t Look Up, Look Down

I discovered that, the surest way to know God is speaking is by opening the Bible. One of my favourite quotes is one by Justin Peters that says, “If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read your Bible out loud”. I love this quote because it simplifies the idea of “hearing the voice of God” and makes it accessible. The wonder of hearing God speak personally to us is no longer reserved for a few but has been given to all through the Bible.

Oh, how precious is the Bible. It is the very word of God. In it God speaks in the twenty-first century.

John Piper

When we read the Bible, we are not just opening some old relic that has been passed down from generation to generation. Instead, we are reading the inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16)  that is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word in scripture is not dormant, dead or to be skimmed over. God’s word, is a source of life (Psalm 119:93); God’s word, when hidden in our hearts has the power to keep us from sinning (Psalm 119:11); God’s word, provides illumination and guidance, giving us the wisdom we need to journey through life (Psalm 119:105).

The Bible does not just contain the words that God has said, they also contain the words that God is saying. So when you are faced with a decision to make and you ask yourself what is God saying, don’t look up into the sky, look down on to the pages of the Bible.

Complete And Equipped For Every Good Work

The Bible may not tell us the specifics of which University to go to, which career path to follow or who to marry but the Bible always equips us to make godly decisions. In 2 Timothy 3 Paul speaks about how these inspired words of scripture do just that.

16All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Every good work! Not some, not a few but EVERY, including making decisions that glorify God. Where we can occasionally absolve ourselves of the responsibility of making decisions by saying “I’m waiting for God to speak”, the Bible tells us that God has already spoken the words that will equip us to make these decisions that we shy away from.

God’s will for His children has been revealed through Scripture. It is our duty then to devote ourselves to a life of studying these scriptures so that we may understand the will of God and ultimately make decisions that will bring glory to him.

The beginning of the year is the time where many make plans for the next chapter of life. Some of us are still yet to make these plans, waiting for God to speak before we commit to anything. Well, guess what, that closed Bible sitting on your bookshelf contains the very words of God you long to hear. Open it and enjoy the wonder of God speaking to you.

How To Trust God in Times of Hardship

Maressa Mortimer
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How To Trust God in Times of Hardship

“Oh, I trust him, it’s just that…” Sounds familiar? Trust seems such a basic thing, and in a way it is. How many of us expect the glass of water we dropped to hit the ceiling? Why not? Why do we trust ‘natural laws’? (As an aside, they’re not natural laws, they’re God holding this world in His Hands). So how can we have this same kind of unshakeable faith when it comes to trusting God?

Trust like a Child

One of the things I learned is the importance of the first few weeks and months in a baby’s life. You know, those weeks when they simply, sleep, cry, feed, need cleaning up, and sleep again? Yes, those weeks. Those weeks are essential. And then the early toddler years, where they drop a toy from their highchair, and you pick it up, only for them to drop it again. And again…and again… It’s essential. You see, it builds trust, it builds a picture of this world and it’s ‘natural’ laws. It shows them your trustworthiness, and how they are loved and cared for by you. This means that when they’re older, asking for a snack, you tell them, “Not now,” and they trust you. When you tell them you’ll be waiting at the school gates in the afternoon, they nod and smile, for they trust you.

Trust like a child

We might get tired of the same old games, but children need those games. It is how they learn. When they are little, they simply trust us, but they trust us in small things, asking for small matters. We can be like that too when we first come to know Christ. We have so many needs, so many requests, and big dreams. We can see ourselves turning the hearts of millions of men and women. Like children, thinking they’ll grow up into hero firefighters. And you know, we might, just like our children might become heroes, saving people’s lives. That might not be God’s plan for our lives though, just like our child might become a humble secretary in a humble company, showing kindness, faithfulness trustworthiness and grace to all they work for. We might be called to serve God in small matters, as it’s not the size of the job that matters. Over and over Paul points out that we were adopted, not to conquer worlds, but to the praise of His glory. Do we trust God with the outcome of our lives? Do we feel, like adopted children often do, that we have to earn our rights to belong, to be part of a family? Do we feel we have to prove to God that He made a good choice when He placed us in His family? Or do we trust Him when he says in verse 5 that He predestined us unto adoption according to the good pleasure of His will?

When we’re faithless, God is faithful

When children are adopted, trust is a massive issue. Watching my children, I learned more about being adopted into God’s family. When my children see me dishing out food, they trust me to feed them. When it’s lunchtime, and I’m finishing another task, they are very anxious. Have I forgotten? When I tell them that no, they can’t have chocolate as I’m dishing up dinner, they cry, Nobody loves me, I never get what I want! Aren’t we like that too? When we pray, we acknowledge that we trust God as our Heavenly Father, but we’re anxious, because our prayer doesn’t seem answered, and we expected the answer to arrive Tuesday, and now it’s Thursday already. Has God forgotten us? How often do we find bitter thoughts come into our minds because the answer we were given didn’t match our finite ideas?

We clipped a family photograph onto our children’s bag when they went to school and nursery. That photo had our family on there, as a token of their belonging. We would point at the picture and explain that we would pick them up, we would never forget them, never desert them. After all, we were a family, and the picture was proof of that, like a seal. Paul mentions a similar thing in Ephesians 1:13. We heard, believed and trusted, and we were given the Holy Spirit as a seal, to remind us and assure us of our inheritance in Heaven. The Spirit points us to the Word of God and reminds us of our salvation and the fact that we’re in Christ. My children doubt us, they wonder if we will be there at the end of the day. They look at the photo, and there might be a bit more hope in their hearts… What happens when we look at God’s promises? Do we trust His Word explicitly, or do we say, Well, I can’t imagine a Holy God wanting someone like me in His family?

Why you (yes, you) should care about Church History

Nathan Nwanji
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Why you (yes, you) should care about Church History
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We live in a culture that does not really appreciate history and the people who came before us. We look back at them as primitive, savages and unenlightened people who did not know as much as “we” do today. We use phrases like “it’s 2020”, “you’re stuck in the past”, “are you really going to let a book that’s 2000 years old shape your life?”, etc. Even in our consumerist habits, we’re geared towards wanting what’s new, the new iPhone, the new PS5, the new car, the new trainers, etc. Our desire for new things is endless even when the old and present is perfectly functioning and more than capable of doing its job. It’s a symptom of the wider culture around us but this way of thinking has made major inroads into the life of the church. It may not take the same shape as it does in the world but many Christians in churches today neglect the Christian voices of the past in search of that “new” and “fresh” revelation.

What hath Athanasius to do with how I think about the incarnation of Christ? Or Augustine to do with my view on the interaction between the Christian life and the public sphere? What hath Thomas Aquinas to say about faith and reason? Or Martin Luther on Justification by Faith Alone in Christ Alone? What hath John Calvin to do with my view of Divine Providence? Or Benjamin Keach on how to use creative writing to communicate the Gospel message? Or … I think you get the drift. Why should Christians today pay more attention to the voices of the saints who came before them?

An Old Gospel

Firstly, the Christian faith is not one of innovation, but it is a faith that is passed down from generation to generation. The reason why we are Christians today is because twelve disciples took the Gospel of Jesus Christ which they heard first from our Lord and Saviour himself and proclaimed it to the nations. In 2 Timothy 1:5, we see Paul commending the sincere faith of Timothy first found in his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. In Titus 1:5 we see Paul instructing Titus to elect elders in the churches of Crete to shepherd and teach the flock sound doctrine. Also, in Acts 18:27-28, we see Apollos powerfully declaring that Jesus was the Christ. In all these examples, we see the good news being passed from one person to another. The person who shared the gospel which you came to believe is the last link of a long chain of witnesses of the gospel message. You are not the first Christian and you will not be the last.

An Old Gospel

Christ has been building His Church

Secondly, Jesus Christ declared in Matthew 16:18, “… I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Also, he said in John 14:16, “… I will ask the Father and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”. This means for the past 2000 years the Spirit has been with the church, guiding her by illuminating the Scriptures in the hearts and minds of believers. From the Roman Persecutions of the Early Church right through to the persecutions faced by Christians around the world today, Christ has been building his church and the gates of Hades have not prevailed.  The church that was birthed in the New Testament didn’t skip over nearly 2000 years of history and land in the 21st Century. No, Christ has had witnesses in every generation.

A hedge against heresy

At times when it looked like the church would be overrun with error the Spirit of God used fallible Christians like you and I, to articulate the truths of the Scriptures once again in the face of heresy. You have men like Athanasius who championed the deity of Christ when men sought to relegate Christ to an exalted creature, or Augustine who emphatically declared the necessity of the grace of God to respond to the gospel in opposition to the view fallen people were able to respond to the gospel unaided by divine grace. Or Martin Luther who helped restore the doctrine of Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as opposed to Rome’s view of justification by faith and meritorious works.

As faithful believers who affirm the doctrine of Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), we confess the Holy Scriptures to be the only sufficient, certain and infallible rule of all saving, knowledge, faith and obedience. Therefore, acknowledging the fallibility of men, we are to weigh the opinions of Christian writers of the past (and our own) under the supreme judge that we are to determine matters of truth by, the Holy Scriptures. Here is an example of that in practice from the 16th Century French Reformed Church having already affirmed the doctrine of Sola Scriptura in Article V:

“These Holy Scriptures teach us that in this one sole and simple divine essence, whom we have confessed [God], there are three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father, first cause, principle, and origin of all things. The Son, his Word and eternal wisdom. The Holy Spirit, his virtue, power, and efficacy. The Son is begotten from eternity by the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeding eternally from them both; the three persons not confused, but distinct, and yet not separate, but of the same essence, equal in eternity and power. And in this, we confess that which hath been established by the ancient councils, and we detest all sects and heresies which were rejected by the holy doctors, such as St. Hilary, St. Athanasius, St. Ambrose, and St. Cyril.”

Article VI – French Gallican Confession of Faith (1559)

As the Preacher of Ecclesiastes says, “there is nothing new under the sun”. A lot of the false teaching we see today are old heresies dressed up in new garbs. Some of these teachings have been dealt with by the church in the past and we will do well to gain from their insights and wisdom.

Creative ways to share the Gospel

The church has always affirmed the truths of the Scriptures in creeds, confessions and catechisms. However, every generation has been faced with how to engage the world around them with the unchanging message of the Gospel. Three powerful 17th-century examples are John Bunyan, Benjamin Keach and Henry Jessey. These pastors were not shy to use creative literature to faithfully communicate the unchanging Gospel to their audience. John Bunyan is well known for his allegorical novel called “Pilgrim’s Progress”, which possibly sold 100,000 copies in its first 15 years. Benjamin Keach also authored an allegorical novel called “The Travels of True Godliness” which taught about the Christian Journey. Henry Jessey wrote “A Catechism for Babes or Little Ones”. He saw the need for the Gospel to be communicated in the simplest of ways for the youngest of listeners. God used men who were faithful in their message yet presented it in a unique way for the edification of their listeners. Who knew Christian creatives could learn a thing or two from church history?

Creative ways to share the Gospel

Much more can be said about why we should pay more attention to the Christian voices of the past. Whilst we can learn from their victories, we can also be humbled as we read of their flaws. Thank God we are part of a body made up of believers scattered throughout history; we are truly “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses”. May we be those who acknowledge his glorious work throughout the history of his church and may we powerfully proclaim the truth of his word for the benefit of those around us, for generations of Christians to come whilst standing on the shoulders of the giants who came before us, to the glory of our God. Amen.

Jesus our City of Refuge

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Jesus our City of Refuge

Joke: Q: How do groups of angels greet each other? A: Halo, halo, halo.

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)

 There has been tension in the Middle East (ok, that’s not new) with a key Iranian military General killed, a passenger plane shot down and over 20 missiles fired at an American base. World War 3 was trending on twitter! This is part of what the Bible calls ‘Wars and rumours of wars’. As I write the numbers of those infected with the ‘corona-virus’ is sky-rocketing. Poor old Australia have horrific and devastating fires. And when it hasn’t been fires it’s been hail storms. And when it hasn’t been hail storms it’s been flooding. And when it wasn’t flooding it’s been dust storms. The Bible calls these things ‘birth pains’.

Discussion

  • How would we describe 2020?
  • What were some of the most unbelievable things that happened last year?

This message is not however about those things. It is about Jesus as our place of refuge. With all that is happening people rightfully get concerned and many look for a place of safety. God, through His word, has shown where we are to look to find safety, refuge, meaning and hope. And He tells all of mankind to flee to that place and stay there. He has said this in many varied ways but one way that I have been looking at recently is pictured in the Old Testament concept of the ‘Cities of refuge’. No doubt you have heard of these but maybe, just maybe, you may not have taken the time to think about what God is trying to teach mankind through them. If that’s you, well, how fortunate you are because there are some important gems hidden within these cities!1 So we’ll look at:

The historical background (Joshua 20)

Let’s first look at a passage of scripture that gives an overview of these cities of refuge and discuss how they were used historically.

Jos 20:1-9 Then the LORD said to Joshua: (2) Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, (3) so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. (4) When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them. (5) If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. (6) He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled.” (7) So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. (8) On the east side of the Jordan of Jericho they designated Bezer in the desert on the plateau in the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead in the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan in the tribe of Manasseh. (9) Any of the Israelites or any alien living among them who killed someone accidentally could flee to these designated cities and not be killed by the avenger of blood prior to standing trial before the assembly.

We see that God instructed Joshua, as he had Moses before him, to setup six cities throughout the land of Israel that would have a special status as a ‘city of refuge’. So what does that mean? Well, in those days Israel lived under the law which incorporated the concept of ‘an eye for an eye’. If you murdered someone, then you would be put to death… plain and simple. But even if you killed someone accidentally the closest relative of the slain person could come for your life. The ‘closest relative’ in this case was known ‘as the avenger of blood’. They would come for justice over the shed blood of their brother or close relative.

So let’s say I’m building a wall and I unintentionally dislodge some large stones which come down, hitting a man and killing him instantly. What do I do? Run. Fast. I need to get to a city of refuge where I can be safe and have my case heard. Or maybe I’m chopping down trees and, having not really maintained my tools, my axe head flies off, striking a man and killing him. I need to get to the city of refuge. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I have added a painting to the right.2 Here you can see one fleeing into the gates of the city of refuge with the avenger of blood, drawn sword in hand, hot on his heels. But the elder or priest of the city is there to meet the one fleeing and say ‘not one step further’ to the one in pursuit. Our accidental man-slayer has made it! He’s safe!

Cities of Refuge – The spiritual picture 

Now all of this is also a picture of the provision ‘in Christ Jesus’ for the sinner who, whether they know it or not, needs a place of refuge. Each city of refuge speaks of Christ in some way. We will look at that but for now let’s first look at some general points from the passage in Joshua.

  • Firstly we see that these places of refuge were from God. He initiated them. He wanted them. Right from the first sin of Adam and Eve God has always been the One who has sought to provide a place of shelter and security for the sinner. Now whether they would take that place is another matter, but the heart of God has always for the sinner to find safety and forgiveness.
  • God placed them so you could make it. From the map on the right we can see that God wasn’t trying to make it hard to reach these cities. You didn’t have to run the entire length of Israel. Yes, you had to make an effort, but it was within reach for those that saw the seriousness of their need to flee. Some cities were in the north; some in the south. Three cities were placed on each side of the river Jordan. So if you were in Judah, you could flee to Hebron. If you were in East Manasseh you could flee to Golan. There was a place that was accessible 3. It’s the same today. A man doesn’t have to flee physically today to find a spiritual place. But they do have to come, in humility and faith in their hearts, to the King of Kings and ask for His refuge. And Christ is not far from those that come in such a way!
  • Note also that it was for everyone. Young, old, male, female, slave, free, Israelite, Gentile. Vs 9 says ‘These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood.’ This is one of those ‘whosoever’ verses. The greatest is John 3:16  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (Joh 3:16)  Whosoever… rich, poor, Jew, Gentile, male, female, king or peasant. The invitation is available to all and all should take advantage of it!
  • When the High Priest died, the perpetrator of the crime could go free and had no fear. ‘The Talmud argues that the death of the high priest formed an atonement.’4 The Jewish Rabbis of old argued that because of the righteousness of the High Priest, his death could act like an atonement that caused those who had fled into a city of refuge to go free. The High Priest’s death atoned for their mistake the said. And how correct they were without seeing what God was pointing to! They saw that but failed to see that the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, is the real One whose death would set us free!
  • It is worth noting that in this passage all of it pictures Christ in some way (apart from one person) – The innocent one killed is a picture of Jesus for he did no wrong. The city of refuge that provides shelter and safety for the one fleeing pictures Christ. The High Priest as previously mentioned pictures Christ in that His death sets those in the city free! Even the avenger of blood is a type of Christ for at the second coming Jesus comes with justice and in righteousness He judges and wages war. He is the avenger of blood for those that have not sought refuge.

There is only one in this picture that is not a type of Christ and that is the one who has committed the crime and is fleeing. That is a picture of you.

Those who will not flee

So what of those who decide not to flee? They have unintentionally killed a man but decide to just stay where they are. What becomes of them? In these cases there was no safety outside of these cities. If the nearest kinsman was upset and out for blood then justice was coming. Would it be today? Tomorrow? In a week? Next year? Who could tell? But the avenger of blood was coming at some stage and the perpetrator was simply living on borrowed time. What a horrible position to be in.

I remember when I first saw this for my own life. As I read the Bible for the first time in my first year of University I saw that I was in trouble. Big trouble. I saw the need to flee. Not ‘flee’ as in leave the city I was in (though as a city it did give some strong reasons to do that as well!) But like Christian in Pilgrims Progress I saw I was living, spiritually speaking, in the City of Destruction and if I stayed there what would become of me? I might be ok for a day, a week, a year… who knows. But I saw I was living on borrowed time and that I needed to find a place of safety and forgiveness in Christ if I was ever to have rest. It took me 6 months of reading the Bible and agonizing over what I need to do… but I got there. Some people never come to see this. Most don’t. They continue to live like they have forever. They live like the avenger of blood won’t ever come. When is he coming? Who can tell? But justice is coming and no one knows how long they have got.

So what does the Bible say of those that have a place of safety but do not use it? It calls them fools. There is an interesting example of this during the days of King David. As a quick background, after the death of King Saul, David was anointed King but the house of David and the house of Saul continued to battle. David’s general was Joab and Saul’s was a man called Abner. Joab’s brother Asahel (who was said to be as fleet footed as a wild gazelle) chased Abner and wouldn’t turn aside even though Abner told him to several times. In the end Abner, in self-defense, killed Asahel. Joab of course, wants revenge. And so we read:

Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother. (2Sa 3:27)

And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies? (2Sa 3:33)

David was sad for Abner’s death but he said that he died as a fool. Why would he say that? What was Abner’s foolishness? Well, it is hidden within the text in 2 Sam 3:27. The writer of the passage makes note that Abner was in Hebron. As we have seen above, Hebron was a city of refuge. You couldn’t just go in there and kill someone. So Joab tricks Abner to come to the gate of the city. Outside, Abner is not safe and there he dies at the hand of Joab. Abner’s foolishness was in knowing where the place of safety was but in not staying there. He died as a fool as do many others who have heard of their need to flee to Christ but choose not to.

Conclusion

Have you not fled to Jesus yet? Then see the precarious position of your life! The avenger of blood is coming. God loves you but He is also a God of justice and He cannot leave sin unpunished. Someone must take that punishment. If you will not flee to Christ for refuge then you will pay for your own sin. Be wise, not foolish, and flee to Christ!

Have you fled to Christ for refuge? Then rejoice in all that He is for you and tell and help others! Have strong encouragement as the word says is proper for those that have fled for refuge in Christ:

Heb 6:17-18 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Think also of your role, as a Priest before God, to help others find the way. Remove obstacles where you can. Point the right direction for those wanting to flee. This is right and proper for those that know the way.

Why Every Christian Should Desire To Be Unimpressive

Deborah Asamoah
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Why Every Christian Should Desire To Be Unimpressive
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Pause for a moment. Close your eyes. Imagine yourself as being average. Easily forgotten. Unimpressive. I bet the idea of it makes you squirm so much that you can barely sit with such a thought, can you? In a culture that esteems recognition, what should notoriety mean for us as Christians and how do we reckon with the reality of being unimpressive?

This morning, I stared at my dead cactae in the corner of my room. I watched its contorted frame, bent, lifeless, lacklustre. What was more apparent to me was its irreversible state. There was nothing that could bring my plant back to its former glory. More vividly, I was reminded of my own mortality. My yearning to be recognised and acknowledged was all contained inside this flesh which would, sooner or later, become like my cactae, withered, lifeless, it’s glory forgotten.

For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.

1 Peter 1:24

Where do you find your worth?

Joseph Solomon, a Christian artist, begins his podcast Flights and Feelings with a powerful statement: ‘Chances are you won’t live a life impressive enough to be remembered in stone.’ 

Nowadays it seems as though being remembered is our never-ending goal. We must either be well-known or known well. We will only ever feel as though we have something valuable to say unless there are enough people listening to us while we say it. We feel as though we won’t be making enough impact unless there are many people watching us while we do it. Social media validates this insecurity. Numbers don’t lie – figures, engagement, analytics have become the bedrock of our worthiness. Fame, recognition, notoriety are synonymous with capital and wealth. We always feel like we need it, and we never feel as though we have enough. Our culture feeds this insatiable longing. More ways for us to build our platform. More ways for us to be seen, have an online presence and become well-known for our efforts. More ways for us to become disillusioned with wanting to be impressive and build a legacy that will ensure we won’t be forgotten.

But you will be forgotten. Your work, achievements, your contribution to the world whether public or private will be ‘covered by the dust, hidden by moths.’ If leaving a legacy of art, social impact or cultural change is meaningless vanity (Ecc 4:4), why do we still pursue it all the more? Solomon describes it as a strange almost twisted pursuit of own immortalisation. We seek to have our deeds and achievements outlive us in a way that once we die, our name immortally remains. Jesus objects to the idea, deeming these attempts as being futile;

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John 12:25

Be forgotten so that Christ is remembered

The idea that a man or woman would deem himself or herself as worthy of being eternally remembered, so much so that he or she spends every waking hour of their brief life holding their flame to the light for everyone to see, is absurd. So absurd because that very flame will be so soon blown out just as quickly as it was lit. As absurd as recklessly losing one’s life despite carefully and lovingly holding it so dear.

The point is, we must be willing to be forgotten so that Christ is remembered. We must desire to be unimpressive if it means that Christ is highly regarded. We must be prepared to hate our own lives and deny ourselves of our desires and longings to recognised and approved of, so that we can enjoy being eternally approved by the One in whom our lives are hidden, until He appears.

The moment our thirst for recognition supersedes our desire of making Christ known in our world today, we will have lost the true meaning of immortality. We will have traded the gift of life eternal in Christ for a few cheap moments of the world’s attention guised in false eternity.

Can I speak things into existence?

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Can I speak things into existence?

When God created the heavens and the earth he did so by speaking,  but has God passed this same power and authority to you and I allowing us to speak things into existence? 

Join the discussion online by using the hashtag #ThePulsePodcast. 

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Should Christians take the COVID-19 Vaccine?

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Should Christians take the COVID-19 Vaccine?

With the emergence of vaccines to combat the spread of the virus, many questions have been raised about the ethics, testing and development of the vaccine. As conspiracy theories are on the rise, what does the Bible say about whether Christians should take the vaccine?  

Join the discussion online by using the hashtag #ThePulsePodcast. 

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