Resurrection Reckoning

We were thinking this morning about the implications of the resurrection, as we saw Jesus prove and stress his physical resurrection from the dead proving beyond doubt that he was the Messiah and the risen Saviour.  Here are some of those implications fleshed out a bit more:

1. Death is defeated.  We live in a society which is afraid of death, that hides it away, that doesn't speak of it that views it as the ultimate injustice.  But Jesus resurrection proves that he has defeated death itself and sin.

2. Death doesn't end our hopes.  We know that death is not the end so we are not terrified of death itself.  We don't live aware of the clock ticking in the background.  It means we can face death differently, we can face terminal illness differently and we can grieve distinctively - without hope as opposed to without it.

3. Living differently now.  The world adopts the mantra Paul describes 'We eat and and drink because tomorrow we die'.  The world pursues experience, relationships, anything it can get its hands on now because death means we won't be able to enjoy to have those things.  So we must cram everything into now, everything else must serve the ultimate aim of enjoying those things while I can.  But Jesus resurrection changes that for the disciple.  Death is not the end just the means of ushering us into our Father's presence, and one day we will enjoy the new physical creation perfected and perfectly in relationship with God.  All the things the world strives so desperately to cram in now we will have all eternity to experience perfectly. 

That liberates us from pursuing those things so single mindedly now.  In liberates us to build the kingdom now rather than pursuing these things the world says we must have or experience before we die.  That has to effect how we spend our money, how we give our time and our effort.  It liberates us to be lavish in kingdom living now.  We no longer spend our money to have the things the world says we must have, our spending goals reflect our kingdom perspective.  The same goes for our time and effort.

4. The physical world is good.  Sometimes we can give the impression that the spiritual is good and the physical bad the physical resurrection utterly repudiates this, Jesus is resurrected physically, his body can be touched and felt and can eat - yet it is transformed so that it is fitted to be in God's presence.  Our future is a physically resurrected body.    In Gen 1 the world God makes reflects his glory and is physical, the future when God recreates is physical and Jesus resurrection is physical.  the physical world is not sinful because it is physical, it is sinful because of sin.  We are to live joyfully for God's glory physically, actively, redeeming the time God has given us and mediating his rule and gospel now as we make Jesus known.

Time+commitment=value

We make time for the things which we really value.

Its a fundamental principle of life. It is seen in our relationships; if someone really values a friendship they will make time to phone or go out with, or talk to that person. They will sacrifice something else because they place a greater value on the friend they want to spend time with.

We make time for what we really value.

It applies to our commitment to other believers (which is what church is). If we really value other believers in our church and our growing gospel relationships with them then we will not let other things get in the way of being with those other believers. The work presentation can be done on an evening, or the children's party invitation declined, or the Champions League game recorded or the highlights watched later.

We make time for what we value.

It applies to our day, we know our day needs to be gospel centred, that our living needs to flow out of cross centred hearts and minds. But our priorities often betray that this is little more than something we pay lip service to or nod to. In order to ensure that we remain cross centred we need to commit to building habits and routines around the gospel. To reading it thinking about it, discussing it, inviting others to apply it to us and so on...

Every time we say we don't have time because of... what we are actually saying is this other thing matters more to me than the gospel, it comes higher up my priority list. We need to sit down and take stock of our priorities.

We make time for what we really value. What does my time say about what I value?

Rethinking the "Quiet Time"

I'm sure you've heard the term, but what does it mean. It is one of those pieces of Christian Jargon that it is assumed everyone understands the moment it is spoken. But what is it and is it sufficient?

The idea behind that of the quiet time is of setting apart time out from the business of the world and every day to study listen to God by studying what he has said in the Bible and by praying to him. My worry with the term is that it seems a little passive. In Psalm 1 the Psalmist says the righteous, those blessed with relationship with God by grace, delight in and meditate on God's law. That means they treasure it, they explore it, they mine it for the truths it contains and then think those truths through and apply it to their daily living. That is in no way passive!

It also takes longer than 5 mins. It is not hurried. What we value in our society is not measured by the money we lavish on something but the time we devote to it. We are, or so we are told, money rich but time poor. The irony is that we are being told that when we are possibly the most leisured generation ever! It's just that we cram our time with leisure activities, the TV or other entertainments.

What I treasure will be shown by how much time I give to it. Will I treasure God's words to me?

A growing trend?

I'm reading Bill Hybels Just walk across the Room: Simple steps pointing people to faith. It is well worth a read and encourages us to simply engage and care for people in need of the gospel.

However, he makes an observation which I find greatly worrying. His observation is that the longer people are Christians the fewer evangelistic conversations they engage in and the fewer friends they have to share their faith with. We may have contacts but we stop building friendships with those who do not share our faith. This means that actually we are opting out of the great commission.

It is worth us asking some questions of ourselves: How many friends do I have with whom I could share the gospel right now? How many friends do I have who do not share my belief in Jesus as Saviour and Lord? How many friendships am I actively building? What is stopping me investing time in these relationships? How can I change that? Am I bothered enough about the lost to want to change?

Measuring commitment

How do we measure commitment?

I worry sometimes when the Pharisee in me comes out, I want to see people at this or that meeting as a sign of their commitment to things. I always find that Jesus challenge is by contrast to send people out to do what they do in a committed way. So rather than having such a busy calendar with 'church' stuff Jesus equips and sends out. So the disciples are sent out, those Jesus heals are then sent back to their homes to tell others and so on.

Paul seems to do like wise telling the Thessalonians off not for not spending enough time in committee or church meetings but for giving up work. I have to learn to measure commitment by determination to take the gospel into everyday life, to live every moment worthy of the gospel in front of a watching world, not to be at prayer meeting, home group, leading youth work, a missionary meeting, and two services on a Sunday. That is religion and legalism, and we are saved to go into our world and be grace to people.

That is not say we are not to meet up and pray and support one another, that is vital, but the question is one of balance. Have I got the balance right? Does my diary reveal a right balance or an imbalance? Does it reveal a missional Jesus follower or a religious fanatic?