God’s Great Story and You – Part 4 … What is a Christian?

April 18, 2020April 16, 2020 / Peter Mead / Leave a comment

God’s Great Story and You! is a 4-part series I wrote for LookForHope.org – a website for people looking for hope in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis. Please take a look at the site and spread the word so that others can find it. Click here for part 1, click here for part 2, click here for part 3. And here is the final part:

What is a Christian?

The name was originally an insult – a “mini-Christ.” But today the word gets used in so many ways. To really understand what a Christian is, we need to be clear what Jesus invites people to be and what he offers to people.

A follower of Jesus. Jesus invited people to become his followers. That is, to become like apprentices, following him, learning from him, copying him, becoming like him. A Christian is a follower of Jesus.

The problem is that naturally nobody really wants to give up their lives and live for Jesus. Take the example of Nicodemus in John 3. Nic was at the top of the religious, social, economic and cultural totem pole, as it were. He was highly educated, influential, wealthy and successful. But when he came to Jesus to talk about the kingdom of God, Jesus told him that they couldn’t have that conversation until Nic was born again. He literally told the teacher of Israel that he hadn’t even started living as far as God was concerned. In the same passage Jesus says that where the Spirit of God is, you can see the effects (but the implication is that Jesus saw no effects in Nicodemus!)

The bad news for every human is that we have sinned, which means we are guilty and need forgiveness. More than that, we don’t have the Spirit of God uniting us to God in the way we were designed to be connected. And there is more, our hearts are hard, cold and dead toward God.

The good news is that Jesus came to die on the cross, to rise from the dead, and to offer us the solution to these, our deepest problems. Because Jesus died and rose, we can have our sins forgiven, we can have the Spirit of God come to live within us, and we can have our hearts transformed so that we start to love God and want to live for him. When we accept the offer of forgiveness and new life from Jesus, this is called salvation, or being born again.

In light of this amazing offer, what is a Christian?

A Child of God. The Bible speaks about this new life in terms of both birth and adoption. A Christian is someone who has been both born into and adopted into God’s family. We have the Spirit of God within us, meaning that we gradually grow to resemble the character of God and look more and more like Jesus. (But we are also desperately flawed and while we may look nothing like our God at times, our status is secure with him!)

Part of the Bride of Christ. The Bible speaks of Christians as the bride of Christ. This is an amazing image in that it speaks of the closest union possible between Jesus and his followers. The millions of people who have trusted Christ and accepted his offer of forgiveness and life are not just an army of servants, but actually constitute his bride. We are united to him by his Spirit, and we are his most treasured beloved.

A Christian is someone who knows they are not good enough and that they deserve the righteous judgment of God. A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus was who he claimed to be and believes that Jesus fulfilled the mission his Father gave him when he died on the cross and rose from the dead. A Christian is a forgiven sinner, more than that, they are a child of God, part of the bride of Christ, brought into a close and personal relationship with God through Jesus.

A Christian is a follower of Jesus – someone who is both transformed and in the process of being transformed. Christians are works in progress, but works in progress with absolute confidence – not in themselves, but in what Jesus did for them that first Easter, and confident that whatever this life may throw at them, the embrace of Jesus is waiting at the end of this chapter of our story!

God’s Great Story and You – Part 3…Why Does It Matter To Me That Jesus Rose?

April 17, 2020April 16, 2020 / Peter Mead / Leave a comment

Why Does It Matter To Me That Jesus Rose?

In part 2 we saw how Jesus’ death on the cross achieved so much for us. But in order to see that his sacrifice had been accepted, that his victory had been won, that his mission had been accomplished…Jesus did not stay dead. The hero of the story walks out the tomb victorious and history has been completely changed by that fact.

After Jesus died on the cross, his followers did not assemble to plan the greatest ruse in history and spread a fake rumour about Jesus conquering death. They went into hiding as they mourned his death. They were shocked to meet him again. They didn’t see a ghost, or get a vague apparition. This was not the vain hope of Elvis fans that the king might still be alive somewhere. No, the risen Jesus purposefully met with them and rocked their worlds forever.

For instance, one of his followers, Mary Magdalene, met him on that Easter Sunday morning. She didn’t look up and recognise him until he spoke her name. That moment of recognition was powerful and deeply emotional. Then Jesus said something amazing, he told her that he would be going back to ‘‘my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Jesus always spoke of God as his Father, but this is the first time he spoke of him as ‘your Father…your God.’ Jesus’ death on the cross had achieved what it was meant to achieve, and the resurrection confirmed it … God and humans could now enjoy a reconciled relationship! (See John 20:11-18)

That evening Jesus came to ten of his disciples and filled them with joy. He told them that he would be sending them out to continue his mission from his Father. But one disciple was missing. Thomas heard their report, but he was sceptical. He wanted proof. You probably should too. After all, claims of Jesus rising from the dead are nice, but we can’t live our lives and head into eternity based on fact-less claims. The next week Jesus came to them again, this time Thomas was there. Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas for wanting proof. Instead, Jesus invited him to come forward and touch for himself. This was no ghost, no apparition, no vision. This was Jesus literally raised from the dead. We can’t touch him like that today, but we can investigate the evidence and test the fact of Jesus’ resurrection just like any other fact of history. In fact, if we do we will find the evidence is overwhelmingly in support of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. (See John 20:19-29)

Because Jesus rose from the dead, this means that the claims of Jesus, and the teachings of Christianity, are built on the foundation of a fact that can be tested. We are not asked to blindly believe in fairy stories. The Christian faith is founded on fact.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, God has confirmed that all Jesus aimed to achieve on the cross was successful. He had paid for sin and satisfied the justice of God. He made a way for humans to come to God and defeated the enemy of our souls and death itself!

Because Jesus rose from the dead, death need no longer be the end of your story. Every other religious figure could teach his followers, but all of them ended up dead and buried. Jesus rose from the dead and so is in a category of his own. If he conquered death himself, then he can conquer death for his followers too.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, it means that this life is not all there is, but also that this life really matters. Christians have been willing to not only live for Jesus, but also to die for him, knowing that there is a life to come that gives great hope in this disease-ridden and violent world. No matter what happens, nothing can take away the hope of a Christian that reaches joyfully beyond suffering and death to the hope of being home with Jesus and more fully alive than ever.

At the same time, because Jesus rose physically, it means that human life is incredibly valuable. The world is not yet made right, but we can fight for what is right and good as we wait for God to purge sin and selfishness from this world and renew the wonderful creation again!

5 Post-Lockdown Regrets

April 13, 2020 / Peter Mead / 1 Comment

The initial novelty of lockdown has worn off. Now people are settling into this new normal and understandably longing for it to end. Pastorally we are probably being drawn to people suffering with grief, loneliness, marital difficulties, financial hardship or mental health struggles. But even those who seem to be doing well need to be shepherded.

What regrets can we all anticipate already and pre-empt with changes now?

Lockdown initially stirred feelings of concern and uncertainty at levels that are rare for most of us. Some commented about how helpful this time could be, and how they don’t want to come out of lockdown without being changed in the process. Now as we settle into the rhythm of it, that internal sense of having our world shaken may start to fade.

As I spoke with a good friend yesterday, we were pondering how lockdown does not create new spiritual or emotional issues for us. It is the kind of pressure that merely reveals issues more blatantly. So now is a good time to anticipate how we will feel coming out of lockdown. Why? Because now we still have time to make adjustments.

Some will emerge grieving. The very nature of the pandemic means that many will lose loved ones during these weeks. If you have not lost anyone yet, don’t just cross your fingers and hope you won’t. As Christians we can do more than just avoid spreading the virus. Be sure to get close to the One you will need when death does strike closer to home.

Some will miss the simplicity of lockdown. I don’t think this is as simple as extroverts craving interaction while introverts love pottering around at home, although there may be some truth to be found there. So much of life is stripped away right now that some people are discovering joy in time with family, or in time spent in the garden/yard, etc. For some who emerge untouched by personal grief, the lockdown may well be remembered fondly.

But many will emerge saddened by missed opportunity. I don’t mean the missed opportunities in “normal life” that we are missing by being at home. I mean the unique opportunity this time is presenting to us, but that we may miss. How much time are we not spending travelling, commuting, running errands, watching sport, participating in activities outside of work, church ministries, etc.? And for those furloughed from work – how many hours a week does that add? When does life ever present us with extra tens of hours in a week, for week after week? How easily those cumulative hours have already filled with other things!

Here are five post-lockdown regrets to anticipate and act on now:

1. Bible time. In the busy swirl of “normal” how often do we say, “I was just too busy to read my Bible”…? Don’t emerge from lockdown saying “Actually, I regret to announce that I have discovered I just don’t have any real appetite for what God has to say.”

2. Prayer time. Again, normal life can so easily squeeze out times of extended prayer, or even any prayer at all. But with hours added to our weeks, are we finding ourselves to be Daniels normally thwarted by the modern world, or actually just not very prayerful? That too can be changed now.

3. Fears Revealed But Unaddressed. So much of “normal” life and busy activity insulates us against deeper feelings like fear – we are often simply too distracted. Don’t emerge from lockdown simply having discovered a fear of death, or of change, or of financial lack, or whatever, but without having gone to God for help to process that fear.

4. Being a Taker More Than a Giver. “Normal life” may have filled your week so full that one volunteer role at church felt like you were giving a lot. Don’t emerge from lockdown and realize that you did even less during these weeks. Inhaling multiple series of a show on Netflix is no achievement. If you only consume, it will feel empty. What can you do for others, now? Practical help? Prayerful support? Personal encouragement? Pastoral concern? (That also applies on social media – don’t just moan personally or politically, don’t simply purvey time-wasting opportunities, instead look for ways to build others up.)

5. Idols Still Standing. God has stripped away so many things that may have stood as idols in our lives, even without us realising it. Are you craving clothes shopping, or live sport, or travel, or hobbies, or socialising? Maybe this lockdown is letting us see the flashing lights of warning on our personal dashboard. When lockdown ends, will we hold these privileges with a looser grip and more gratitude toward God for every blessing? Or will we rush to bow at the feet of our dear missed idols that could and should have been smashed during this unique time?

Feel free to add more to this list of anticipated regrets we can adjust now. The bottom line is really this: Some will look back on lockdown with a deep sense of regret at having missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow closer to God.

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Here is the latest video playlist … Bible highlights from 2 Corinthians:

And a short sermon highlight that may be encouraging (originally preached several weeks before lockdown began, but increasingly relevant)…

Who Will Be There After Lockdown?

April 4, 2020 / Peter Mead / 4 Comments

We don’t know how long we will be locked down, but it will be longer than any of us would prefer. I think it is important for us to think and pray about the gaps that this unique season will create in our churches, as well as the new people that could be added.

For the first couple of weeks most churches have leapt into action learning how to livestream Sunday services and how to create some sort of face-to-face replacement for home groups. Some have thought about offering extra resources for people stuck at home. But as this situation wears on, we will become more and more aware that when we are allowed to come back together as a church, it will probably not be with the same people as before. Let’s prayerfully ponder these two lists and consider what steps we can be taking now that will change the face of our regathering:

Gaps Created

Some may be promoted to Christ’s presence. Statistics tell us that this will most likely be the vulnerable through age or underlying medical conditions, but in human terms, nobody is as safe as we used to feel. Let’s pray about how to support not only those who feel fear at this time, but also for those who may come to the end of their time here during this time, and also the families of any that are lost to this disease (or to any other cause during this time of separation).
Some may drift and grow cold. The burning coal, when separated from the other coals, will quickly cool down. Pray about how to pursue, support, encourage and maintain the connection of younger or less-well-rooted believers who are more prone to drift. We all know people who don’t have the same convictions about the need for fellowship, teaching, worship, community, etc. The casual approach may seem to work in comfortable times, but it may be seen in its true light under these pressures.
Some marriages may implode. It would be naive to think that every Christian couple are thriving under lockdown. We have a newly married couple living opposite us and it is fun to watch them learn to skate together and playing games, but this is no honeymoon for the vast majority of couples. Some are desperately struggling already and don’t have the release valve of work or time apart with friends. We have to pray about this and be proactive in supporting every couple in our churches.
Some may grow embittered or lose heart. The constant bombardment of negative news will overwhelm any of us. I pray that people in my church will see God answering prayer in specific ways, but what if some don’t? Pray for the people in your church who are more likely to dwell on the negative news than feast on the hope in God’s Word. They are extra vulnerable without church fellowship to influence them.
Some may be beaten down by circumstance or enemy attack. Remember the parable of the soils. If only everyone in our churches were good soil and now leaning into this crisis ready to bear multiplied fruit. Sadly some will find this season is the time where the heat of the day, or the seed-theft of sinister birds will undo their apparent participation in the community of God’s people. Perhaps it is helpful to reveal those who aren’t really truly receptive, but pastorally it is painful to see it happen. Let’s pray for the spiritually vulnerable and pray about how to pursue the straying sheep – whether they are already saved or not, they need Jesus.

Gaps Filled

Returning drifters need somewhere to land – There are people who used to be actively involved in the life of the church, but life took its toll and they drifted. Whatever their state was spiritually, this shaking of their world may be God’s tool to draw them to Himself. Pray about how your church can not only be church to each other during this crisis, but how can you be welcoming and inviting to others who may be looking to reintegrate into gospel community?
The lost can be found – God is an expert at winning the hearts of those who have been hard to Him. Again, pray about how your online church can reach people – not only the formal streaming (is that accessible?), but also evangelistic resources that your people can share with those who may be open in a new way. We can’t just expect people to flock to church some months down the line when our doors open again, we need to be proactively welcoming and engaging with people now. Wouldn’t it be awesome to look back on this as a season of wonderful evangelistic fruitfulness for our churches?!

Who else would you add to this list? I am not offering answers, but my prayer is that this post can help us to pray and adjust for the sake of the people in and around our churches at this time.

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This Bible highlight from last week relates to this post:

7 Ways Our World Has Changed, But God Hasn’t

April 1, 2020March 30, 2020 / Peter Mead / 2 Comments

We are gradually coming to terms with the massive changes that have gripped our world in the last few weeks. I have written about 7 temptations we will face in isolation, 7 spheres in which we should be confident in God’s Word during this time, and 7 tips for preaching online.

Now, here are 7 changes that we should pray through at this time:

1. New restrictions on travel– My calendar has suddenly cleared for several months. It used to be so easy to jump in the car and drive, or to book a flight and visit another country. Hopefully this restriction will ease in time, but let’s not simply focus on what we are missing. God remains omnipresent, even if our attempts to be omnipresent are thwarted. Maybe this change can stir us to pray more fervently for situations we would love to influence, and to be more present where God has put us (our families are our primary ministry, after all).

2. New humility in plans– Will we be able to hold that conference next year? Will we be able to fulfil that preaching commitment in October? We don’t know. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. So we ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will … do this or that.” (James 4:13-17) God knows what is coming; He always has, and we never have. Maybe this can stir a greater humility in us all, even when restrictions ease.

3. New uncertainty of life– What James writes in 4:13-17 includes reference to our lives being like a vanishing mist: “If the Lord wills, we will liveand do this or that.” When this crisis started, so much was said about only the over-70s or people with underlying health issues dying from COVID-19. Somehow many people felt relieved, until they started to think about who that might include. Now we are hearing more stories of younger, healthy people dying from it. In actuality, death has always been a real and present threat for us all, even before this crisis. And God has always been God. We may well be immortal until His work for us on earth is finished, but it probably doesn’t hurt us to feel our mortality more and to let that drive us to our knees.

4. New concerns about money– Will we be able to survive these next weeks? Will our income disappear? Will government help be enough? Will our countries recover after this? The certainty we felt financially just a few weeks ago has evaporated for many of us. Whether we have a stable salary, or live on completely unpredictable support from others, let’s remember that God is our provider. He always was, and He has not changed. Our lives may change. Our fervency in prayer may change. But remember John 21, when the disciples were getting used to the fact that everything had changed for them following the death and resurrection of the soon departing Jesus, and then Jesus cooked them a breakfast of bread and fish beside the Sea of Galilee …I provided miraculously when we fed the 5000 here, and I continue to provide for you now.

5. New recognition of need in our churches– I remember a few weeks ago when I could say, “Things are going well in our church … of course there are one or two difficult situations, but generally things are going well.” Seems like a long time ago now. Now every family unit that I think about is facing threat of death, loss of income, no work or overwhelming work, marital tensions, parenting complexities, loneliness, etc. God has always seen our need as it really is. Maybe this crisis is making vivid to us all just how needy the flock of God’s people really are. Perhaps this insight should go with us as we carry our people before God in prayer, whatever a future newfound cultural complacency may suggest. Our people need God. So we pray.

6. New feelings of restriction and inadequacy in ministry– As the five previous changes hit us, we realise not only the difficulties of those we serve, but also our own inadequacy to really help. We don’t even have regular church meetings for face-to-face fellowship and those opportunities to sense that someone isn’t doing so well. As people who minister to others, we should be feeling a profound sense of inadequacy at this time. We can’t protect anybody from the virus (although we can help by not breaking government guidelines). We can’t financially carry every situation in our church (although we are called to stand together and share what we have). We can’t do the job of doctors, nurses, vital delivery drivers, etc. (although we can support them in prayer and encouragement). We are significantly limited. But our God is not. He never was. He hasn’t changed. Our experience has just clarified to us that we are not God.

7. New awareness of gospel need all around –Remember when people were comfortable, secure, invincible, and happy in their hobbies? Now we are surrounded by people with a genuine fear of death, combined with genuine concerns about how they will provide for their families in the coming months. Our continent is humbled. And we are stuck in isolation with some restrictions on spreading the gospel. But God’s Word is not chained. Over the garden fence, through the internet, by phone call … the good news of Jesus has always flourished most in times of real struggle. God has faithfully carried His people through pestilence, plague, persecution, and war all through history. And all through history it has been the most difficult times that have led to the greatest growth in the church. It feels like we are living a key moment in history right now – may it be a key moment in the history of church growth too!

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During this Coronavirus crisis I have started making short Bible reading highlight videos. If you find these helpful, please share them with others. Thanks.