We hope these episodes have been helpful for you, and if you have missed any, please do catch up! As ever, we really appreciate any help in getting the word out about the podcast – sharing links, liking, subscribing, etc., is all really helpful. If you particularly like an episode, please do let others know about it on social media – thank you in advance!
Our brother Charlie Kirk was assassinated because his love for Christ, for his country, and for others drove him to speak. He spoke openly and gave the microphone to whoever wanted to disagree with him. He was imperfect, of course, but he was gracious, kind, informed and increasingly influential.
I’ve watched him for years, and have watched his testimony become clearer during that time. Last Wednesday morning, I watched a couple of clips as I often do. In one of them, Charlie spoke so clearly of his love for Jesus. I thanked God that my brother was reaching so many with such a clear testimony. On Wednesday evening, Jesus welcomed him home.
Here are my thoughts about some of the things people are saying, in no particular order:
“It hurts“. I’ve seen many people expressing on social media, or to me personally, how much this hurts. People are saying they have never felt grief over the death of a public figure like they have this past week. Me too. God doesn’t expect us to respond to something like this with stoic resolve. If I saw a family member shot and brutally killed, it would stir all sorts of emotions. I did see that last week. I can’t unsee it. And it hurts. Let’s not hide our emotions; I’m sure that is not going to help. Obviously, we need to be wise with the swirling anger and rage that can be mixed in with the sorrow and grief, but pretending it doesn’t affect us would be a weird response under any circumstance. Let yourself grieve.
“Did I agree with everything he said?” Can I politely ask, what if I did? Why do we have to caveat anything and everything we say that might seem remotely political? Why do we often hesitate to speak up when others hold different opinions and might be upset? Self-censorship is becoming a crippling feature of society. I loved how joyfully confident Charlie was in the truth and, therefore, how little he needed to be defensive if someone disagreed with him or criticised him. I want to be more like that.
(Just for clarity, I do not agree with things taken out of context and attributed to him to smear him. Also, I have not checked his view on every issue, so I do not know if I agree with him on everything or not. My point is, what if I did? Are we allowed to have opinions? Or is it only permitted if we share those opinions deemed acceptable by the media?)
“The killer was just one mentally unstable person.” Thankfully, the murder of public figures is not an everyday occurrence in our society. It is in some places. It could become more common in the West. However, the problem may not be restricted to one lone gunman. This killer seems to have been radicalised by the same education system and cultural media that have obviously influenced countless thousands, judging by the disgusting reactions to Charlie’s death from so many. Why are we shocked when so many celebrate such a heinous act, or call for more of the same? Are our memories so short? It wasn’t long ago that significant numbers of people on social media, on mainstream media, and for some, in person, were wishing death on those people who chose not to take a certain medical intervention. Condoning or celebrating death based on opinions is a disgusting development of our time, but it didn’t start in the last week.
“Words are violence.” Actually, no, violence is violence. The prevailing ideology which says that words are violence directly feeds into this kind of atrocity. If words are violence, then physical violence can be justified as an act of self-defence. Feed that “words are violence” mindset with a constant stream of terrible slurs and lies, and there will be someone ready to perpetrate an evil act of violence. After all, the public are being repeatedly told of the danger to democracy posed by people like Charlie because they are __________ (you can guess the labels.) I think Charlie said something like, “The most important thing is to tell people about Jesus, and the second most important thing is to fight for the freedom to do the first most important thing.” We live in a society that is hurtling towards the loss of free speech, and I am perplexed that so many people seem so unconcerned about that, or think it is just a political matter that can be left for others to defend.
“This is all just about politics.” True, Charlie was an outspoken supporter of values that meant broad alignment with one side of the political divide, and he actively worked to campaign for one presidential candidate. Sadly, I don’t think people in Britain understand the American political scene, and many only see the twisted impression promoted by the British media. Nevertheless, we cannot keep acting as if politics and faith are totally distinct. Politics is not just made up of parties. It is also made up of issues: issues that impact the lives of people, issues that relate to morality, issues that matter to us as Jesus followers. I am not suggesting politics is the answer. No, Jesus is the answer. But many of the issues really matter, and we cannot, we must not, keep abdicating our responsibility to speak out about those issues appropriately.
Too many Christians act as if they are “above politics”, and they simply want to focus on the gospel. But for some, the driving motivation seems to be fear of ruffling the feathers of those who may disagree. I see that fear impulse in myself, too. Yes, let’s preach the gospel; it is the only hope for our world. But self-censoring out of fear is not the faith-filled approach to the life that we are called to as followers of Jesus. You don’t have to become a party-affiliated influencer, but let’s have the courage to speak about what is true, what is right, and what is good. Politics matters because people matter. We, of all people, should be ready to speak, precisely because we believe that people matter.
So we have a choice. Either we continue to shy away from anything that could be considered political, or we face the fact that there is an existential battle raging in our society that is much bigger than traditional left vs right policy squabbles. It is a spiritually charged battle of ideologies. It is about unaccountable control versus freedom. It is about death versus life. It is a clash of worldviews. We need to speak about issues that matter, even if we get labelled with a political slur (either way). No party will ever represent key biblical values perfectly, but can we stop hiding our heads in the sand and acting like we are somehow “above all that stuff?” We cannot be “above” freedom of speech, or morality and the redefinition of crime, or sexual ethics, or the protection of children, or assisted suicide, or abortion, or war, or terrorism, or compassion, or any number of other issues. Values drive agendas, which in turn drive policies, legislation, and ultimately, change, affecting people’s lives for better or worse. Some political issues are directly related to our Christian values, and so we must speak up.
“Charlie shouldn’t have been so outspoken.” Why? First, a lot of people are taking the British media slurs of “hateful”, “racist”, etc. as if they are accurate. Watch Charlie for yourself, don’t trust the BBC, Sky News, ITV, etc. Second, realise that if you or I were significant enough for the media to go after us, they would probably use some of the same derogatory labels for you and me. Unfair? That’s precisely my point. Third, many people, especially young people, admired Charlie for his courage in speaking out. Was it the silence of many church leaders on “controversial” issues that made so many young people flock to Charlie as a mentor from a distance? We would do well to consider that possibility and examine ourselves. I am doing that myself. Let’s not fall into the trap of fear. Speaking truth and the gospel may cost any of us our lives, but we should speak it anyway. With grace, of course. With kindness, absolutely. Christlike? Without a doubt. But silence, fear, and trying to be acceptable to a fallen world is not the Jesus way.
“If you live by the sword…” Can we be clear, please? Charlie lived “with two microphones” – he let people disagree, he listened to people, he encouraged dialogue, and he believed in open debate. He put people who disagreed with him at the front of the line. He spoke as a Christian, and he was killed for it. He didn’t live by the sword.
“There is hate speech and violence on both sides.” Can we find bad examples of individuals on all sides of political divides? Of course. Are there good-willed people on all sides of political issues? Absolutely. But this “both sides” line is a misleading and disingenuous summary. Compare and contrast the response to Charlie’s murder and other high-profile deaths. Where is the looting, the rioting, the destruction, etc.? Do we see Christians or political conservatives celebrating the deaths of others, or even worse, calling for the killing of more people they disagree with? No, we don’t. The way of Jesus is profoundly different. We are called to love our enemies and not to return evil for evil. Ideologies differ, and it shows. Let’s stop pretending every ideology is the same.
“He has been silenced.” No, he hasn’t. He has been amplified and multiplied. Charlie’s death is only going to raise up thousands of others like him who are ready to be courageous and speak for Christ and for the truth. God is going to build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
“What will the impact be?” We cannot know yet. I’ve seen people posting videos saying that they’ve been fearful in the past, but now they want to start speaking the truth, sharing their faith, and so on. I’ve seen people writing about buying their first Bible and beginning to read it. I’ve seen people asking where to go to church. When the five missionaries were martyred in Ecuador in 1956, nobody could have known the multiplication in missionary sending that would follow that atrocity. Perhaps Charlie Kirk’s death will turn out to be a turning point in history, too. Actually, not perhaps, but definitely. God knows what He is doing, even when evil seems to get the upper hand. He is building his church, and we know the end of the story. Somehow, in the midst of grief, indifference, and even evil celebration, God is working out His purposes, and we will eventually see that God does all things well.
“Things feel different.” My brother was assassinated, and I know many are feeling it deeply. However we’ve been impacted, may it make us all different. Perhaps more courageous, gracious, informed, and deeply committed to Jesus, to truth, to communication and to conversation. If speaking costs you your life on earth, is it worth it? I’m sure Charlie would say absolutely, Jesus is worth it.
______________________________________________
We sang these words on Sunday, words I am sure Charlie would have sung wholeheartedly:
The last couple of months have been busy, to say the least. A conference with Josiah Venture in Czech Republic, the European Leadership Forum in Poland, two family weddings, two baptism services in the midst of a busy season at church – these all added up to not sharing much on this site. So, it is time for a catch-up on the podcast. What has been happening since the last post that was linked to an episode?
Mike and I discussed the various kinds of interruptions that can add some intricate dynamics to a preaching event. We also talked through the most basic sermon preparation process. While there is plenty of potential for complexity in the area of sermon preparation, we wanted to make sure the basic process is clear.
Along the way, we also had a couple of episodes hearing from Si Munsie of Life Church, Southampton. (Click here for part 1 on preaching to real people, and here for part 2 where we think about past employment and preaching.) And this week, we have part 1 of my interview with Andy Paterson, currently pastoring in Hong Kong – a fascinating conversation with a very experienced pastor-preacher! We have some great interviews lined up in the next months too.
So my apologies for being quieter on here and social media in recent weeks. We really do appreciate every encouraging comment, both in person and online. If you are able to subscribe on YouTube and in whatever podcast platform you use (eg Spotify or Apple), that really does help. Also, every like, comment, share, etc., is massively appreciated. Thank you for helping to get this podcast off the ground!
The book of James is a fascinatingly practical epistle. Some have called it the Sermon on the Mount in letter form. On the one hand, we shouldn’t expect anything less than practical from the son of a carpenter. On the other hand, we don’t want to miss the profound theological thrust of the letter.
After addressing issues of suffering, true religion, favouritism, the use of the tongue, and the right kind of wisdom, we arrive at James chapter 4. Now, James drills below the practical matters of the letter. Yes, there is a gap between conduct and confession, which seems to bother James. We could frame this as a gap between past habits and new identity, but James presents a more significant gap that we must face.
In James 4:1-3, he goes below the surface to explain what is going on and what is going wrong with his readers. Why do they have conflict? Very simply, it is because of the passions that bubble away inside them. Their conflict comes from their wants, like shoppers fighting to get bargains at the opening of a sale, like children fighting over the happy meals in McDonald’s, or even like chicks pushing to be in prime position to receive the worm from the mother that is bringing food into the nest . . . we clash, because we want.
It is encouraging to see James give a glimpse of the heart of our Father. We only need to ask since he is willing to feed us. So, the problem is inside each one of us – our selfish desires cause havoc in our lives.
What is the solution? Our world and Western tradition tend to tell us that self-control is the solution to our passions. Yes, we have an engine that moves us along, but we need to get a grip on the steering wheel and take control of ourselves. Interestingly, James does not instruct his readers to get a grip. Instead, he gives them a glimpse of what is happening inside God.
In James 4:4-6, we see inside God’s heart. What do we find? We see his jealousy over his people; he calls them “adulteresses.” James is not focusing on the women of the church; he is focusing on the people of the church, who are the bride of Christ. As the bride of Christ, we are flirting with the world. And God’s heart is grieved. It is jealously yearning for us to come back to him.
Here is the real gap that we need to face. Not just the gap between our conduct and our confession, nor even the gap between our past habits and our new identity. It is the growing gap between our hearts and his. Where there is unfaithfulness, God yearns for us to return. Where there is drift, God yearns for us to come close.
James 4 is like God has sat us down in a chair and confronted us with our drift. “What is going on?” We seem to be far from him. We seem to be motivated by other things. It may be overt unfaithfulness, or it may be signs of drift. It may be something that is not bad in itself, but it has become more important than him. Our career, bank balance, hobbies, favourite sports team. Just as we see in Hebrews 12:1-2, there is sin that entangles and everything that hinders—bad things, “good things,” but alternatives to him.
So, how do we respond when God lovingly confronts us for the drift in our spiritual marriage? If we stick out our chests and get defensive, claiming the right to define our spiritual health on our terms, then we reek of pride. God opposes the proud (James 4:6), but will we humbly admit the drift?
In James 4:7-10, we have the wonderful invitation. If we humble ourselves, submit to God, and resist the devil, we can draw near to God. We deserve his rejection, but that was also true before the cross. God loves us and gave Jesus to win our hearts to him. And as we drift, he continues to love us and waits with arms open to welcome us back to him. There may need to be mourning and grief over our unfaithfulness. Turning to our heavenly bridegroom should break our hearts as we see our waywardness and drift. But as we resist the devil and repent, turning back to our bridegroom, we will find that he also draws near to us.
The most critical gap in Christianity is the gap that can develop between our hearts and his. He may take James 4, sit us down in a chair, and confront us with our adulterous drift. But he does so lovingly, longingly yearning for our hearts to draw near to him. And as we do, he will draw near to us.
Please check out the new Biblical Preaching Podcast – in this episode, Peter Mead and Mike Chalmers discuss the four most important questions for all in ministry:
The essential nature of all trade is that of an exchange. I will give my ten sheep in exchange for your one donkey. Or, in more recent history, I will provide a certain number of currency units for the service you are offering. Life is full of exchanges.
One of the most potent images of the gospel is known as the great exchange. Martin Luther described the wonder of our salvation using the biblical image of a great marriage. Jesus is the great King, full of life, grace, and salvation. We are at the opposite extreme: full of death, sins, and damnation. But when faith comes between us, a most glorious marriage occurs. He takes all that is ours on himself, and we get all that is his as if it were our own. What an exchange!
The most foundational exchange in Christianity is Christ’s life for ours. He is the God-given substitute, taking our place and facing the just punishment for sin. His death gives us life. His life replaces our death. In John 3, for instance, we see Jesus helping the impressive Nicodemus to see that all his achievements and standing meant nothing before God. As remarkable as he was in human terms, he was still spiritually dead and needed to be born from above. How could that happen? Just like the Israelites needed to look at the brass serpent in Numbers 21:6-9, so would the Son of Man be lifted up in death, and those who believed in him, who looked to him, would live.
But there are more exchanges to be found in the Gospel of John. Consider the ongoing transformation that occurs as someone follows Jesus and serves him. For instance, John the Baptist knew who Jesus was, pointed others to him, and served him faithfully. At the end of John 3, we see some of John’s disciples bemoaning that the crowds had shifted from John to Jesus. Indeed, for a life defined by the ministry of baptizing, it must have been disappointing to see the flood of people dwindle to a trickle. Not for John. He knew that his role was that of best man at a wedding, but the groom was Jesus. The bride going to Jesus only made John immensely happy (see John 3:29). So John uttered the beautiful words: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) This is the gradual exchange of self for Christ that happens as we follow our Saviour.
We can see the self-for-Christ exchange contrasted at the start of John 12. There, Mary is so captivated by Jesus that she pours an immensely valuable perfume onto his feet. Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot, captured not by Christ but by his greed, can only express his dismay at the missed opportunity for further theft. (See John 12:1-8.) Mary was the picture of a disciple who knew Jesus’ giving and worshipped Jesus by selflessly giving everything in return. Judas was the picture of someone exposed to Jesus but still gripped by the magnetic pull of self. Following Jesus should shift us increasingly from the lure of self to the wonder of Christ.
And then we see Jesus with his disciples in the upper room. In a world filled with hate, Jesus demonstrates a better way. The radical way of selfless love stands in sharp contrast to the way of our world. Today, as then, selfless love is repulsive to a world gripped by sin (Judas must have been struggling in that upper room until he left), but it is also strikingly attractive. People in a culture of hate need to see true love. How will they see it? Only if the faithful followers of Jesus are marked with his defining characteristic. (See John 13:35.)
Having exchanged death for life, self for Christ, and hate for love, the followers of Jesus are invited to also exchange comfort for calling. In John 21, we see Jesus gently remind his disciples that he called them to fish for men, to feed the sheep, and to follow him even to their death – whatever that would involve.
To be a disciple of Jesus asks much of us, but we cannot fully describe how much we receive in the process. Giving up death, self, hate, and comfort is not easy. But receiving life, Christ, love, and a calling is truly other-worldly and glorious. Praise God that he is the God of exchange – an exchange that cost him everything, that gives us everything, and that changes everything!
The new Biblical Preaching Podcast is here for you. Check out Jonathan Thomas talking about revival, and please subscribe to Cor Deo on YouTube so that you can see each new episode as it is released. (You can also follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify, etc.)
There are some strange stories of people imitating other people. For instance, in 1951, the Canadian Naval Ship the Cayuga was engaged in the Korean War. It took onboard three Korean fighters who needed immediate surgery. The ship’s surgeon, Dr Joseph Cyr, went ahead and removed a bullet from the chest of one man, amputated the foot of another, etc. He performed sixteen operations onboard and surgeries on shore in Korea. But that man was not Dr Joseph Cyr. With no training in surgery, Fred Demara had “borrowed” Cyr’s credentials to get into the Canadian Navy. He had also imitated his way into being a Psychology Professor, a university administrator, a prison warden, and a Trappist monk. It truly is a bizarre story.
And yet, perhaps it is even more bizarre that the Apostle Paul instructed the Ephesian believers to “be imitators of God” (See Ephesians 5:1). There are a handful of places where believers are urged to imitate Paul or even to imitate Christ (e.g. 1 Corinthians 11:1). Still, the instruction to “imitate God” is unique to this verse. Let’s probe Paul’s point.
What is Paul’s instruction? “Therefore, be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1). Paul is not suggesting that we pretend to be God or that we in any way usurp God’s position. For humans to invite worship, to function as if they are the central character in the universe, or to give the impression of being all-knowing, and so on, would be spiritual treason. God is God, and I am not.
On the other hand, we are very much expected to reflect the good character of God in every area of life. For instance, in the verses before and after Ephesians 5:1, we see instruction as honest, gracious, self-controlled, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, self-sacrificing, holy, and pure – all beautiful aspects of God’s perfections. (See Ephesians 4:25-5:4).
It would be fair to say that whatever is good about God’s character would be good to emulate and imitate, as long as we never blur the Creator and creature distinction. It would also be fair to notice that since the Fall of Genesis 3, humans have been much more inclined to get these categories reversed. How many people act as if they are the centre of the universe, worthy of worship, all-knowing, and in control, but lack the kind of goodness we have just described? The Fall absolutely messed us up!
Why should we imitate God?Because we are “children” (Ephesians 5:1). Whether it is fair or not, people observe children and evaluate the parents. Sometimes, a critical evaluation may be justified; other times, an outsider will have no idea of how much the parent is achieving considering the child’s circumstances. For those of us who are parents, we know how much we feel the watching eyes of others, so we hope our children will behave well in public situations.
As unfair as it may feel to us to have people evaluating us based on our children, how much more unfair is that for God? Imagine having your reputation and perception determined by representatives like you and me. After all, we are all flawed and broken people. Image bearers of God, of course, but so far from divine perfection!
And yet, the watching continues. People who never think about theological matters are watching you and me and assuming things about our God. This watching is not only from those outside the church but also from inside. Believers watch and learn from one another. I can think of people I have watched and from whom I learned something of God’s forgiveness, or God’s generosity, or God’s humility, or God’s redemptive power. The church is a living theological case study!
But how can we imitate God? The idea that we can and should imitate God’s character can feel overwhelming. How is it possible? Are we supposed to self-generate a super-human effort and achieve the impossible by sheer willpower? Notice the other word in the verse: “as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1). This imitation instruction is not based on the burden of striving effort. Instead, it is to be fueled by the joy of a loving relationship. Being saved and brought into God’s family means we are beloved children.
The word “beloved” makes it clear that we are not “tolerated” children, or “technically” children, or even “one of millions of children.” The word “beloved” gives a sense of the lavishing of all the parental love poured out on a uniquely favoured, even an only, child. More significantly, it is the same idea used of God’s unique Son, Jesus. Remember the baptism declaration, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:17).
There are multiple layers in the idea of being a child of God. Just as we have three types of paternity tests used among humans, the same idea works for us as believers. There is the legal reality of being lovingly adopted into God’s family (e.g. Ephesians 1:5-6). An adopted child has the paper evidence of the adoption certificate. Then there is the DNA test proving something of a parent in a child. For believers, we have the Spirit of God living within us (e.g. Ephesians 1:13-14). And thirdly, there is the resemblance test. When we see a baby, some people will immediately pronounce that the baby has his father’s nose, eyes, or whatever. That is the DNA showing through immediately. But Ephesians 5:1 is calling us to a more developed character likeness. Just as a child in a loving relationship will grow to resemble the character of the loving parent, so it can be with us.
As we seek to lead other believers into greater God-likeness, we would do well to pause and reflect on this one word. Do I believe I am “beloved” of God? It is easy to say it, but then live as if I am merely tolerated. And yet, what rocket fuel for transformation there is in being loved by God, even as He loves the Son (see John 17:23, for instance).
In response to Ephesians 5:1, let us pray a simple prayer that has massive implications in our lives and those we influence. “My loving Father, what do you want to work on in me so I may look more like you?”
The Biblical Preaching Podcast is your conversation about preaching that shares God’s heart! Please find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, other podcast directories, and on YouTube. We would love to have your help in spreading the word – thank you in advance for every like, comment, share, follow and positive review!
I am very pleased to announce that my new book, The New Birth, has now also been released in the USA.
If you would like a copy of the book and will see me in person during January/February, please ask. (I will be in Oregon, St Louis and Chicago.) To order the book from my affiliate link in the USA – click here. (To order the book from my affiliate link in the UK/Europe – click here.)
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the book! (Please comment on this post if you’ve read the book already, but I would also greatly appreciate any positive reviews on 10ofthose, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.)
Endorsements
“Peter Mead presents this essential doctrine in a way that warm, clear, rich, and readable. The book is accessible and engaging, and the addition of stories and reflection questions at the end of each chapter enables us to consider and imagine the way that the truth of the gospel can and should shape our lives. This is a lovely and helpful book—a great introduction to those new to or exploring faith, and a refreshing encouragement to those who have been Christians for a while.”
Ellidh Cook, Student Worker at All Souls Langham Place, London
“This tiny book conveys a huge reality: that Jesus came to raise spiritually dead people into abundant life! Peter Mead’s insights into the new birth that Jesus offers are both pastorally wise and profoundly helpful.”
Philip Miller, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church, Chicago
“When I became a Christian, I didn’t really grasp what had happened. It was an infinitely bigger deal than I realised-it was (and is) beyond my wildest dreams. Peter has given us an excellent primer into this huge adventure. This lovely, heart-warming book opens up the foundational truth of the new birth. As with the rest of the Essentials series, it is short and simple, yet full of deep and delightful teaching.”
Jonathan Thomas, pastor, author & broadcaster
“I found Peter Mead’s The New Birth contribution to the Essentials’ series most helpful, because it weaves together our story with the big story of Scripture through the lens of the work of the Holy Spirit. Taking as its anchor point Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, it wonderfully explains the theology and the felt experience of Christian conversion, and all along there are thrilling stories of how the Spirit transformed the likes of Spurgeon, Whitefield, C.S. Lewis, and modern men and women.”
As Christmas approaches, plans are coming together—not only for family gatherings but also for church events. Last year, our church put on a Christmas musical, which involved lots of cast, support crew, set building, costume making, songwriting, etc. This year, we are keeping it simple with just a couple of carol services. Whether we “go big” or “keep it simple,” there is one important ingredient that must not be forgotten.
It is so easy to have everyone frantically pulling together a Christmas production and then have nobody remembering to bring the baby for the manger. In the same way, it is easy to be busy with Christmas plans, even Christmas preaching, and fail to keep the focus on the baby at the centre of the story.
If Jesus is forgotten for a nativity scene, then someone will be quickly despatched to go and pick up a baby doll before anyone notices. But what happens if we lose Jesus from our Christmas, and even from our Christianity?
If the theme is Christmas, but Christ is missing, then there will be lots of peace on earth and goodwill to all men, but no basis for such a message of hope. And if the focus is more general, then a Christianity without Jesus will descend into moral tirades and an attempt to police either church or society. There can be no real Christianity without Christ.
And yet, it keeps on happening. How often is the gospel presented as a moral and legal logical presentation? “You have been bad, judgment is coming, God can help you get fixed, and there are some other benefits too…” It might involve some presentation of truth, but the heart of the message is missing.
John Piper wrote these words in God is the Gospel:
“The critical question for our generation – and for every generation – is this: If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?”
We have briefly considered Christmas, and Christianity in general, as well as our evangelism. But what about on a personal level? When Jesus is missing, we will tend to see God as distant and become increasingly self-focused. This does not necessarily mean we will become rebellious and overtly sinful. We might just become religious and self-righteous. Whether in compliance or rebellion, we will become much more behavioural in our focus.
Without Jesus, we will start to see our Bibles as instruction manuals, more than God’s self-revelation. For instance, in John 5, Jesus is rebuking the religious leaders for diligently studying their Bibles and yet missing him completely. They would study and recite the Hebrew Scriptures, but they were blind to the self-revelation of God that should have had them excited at the arrival of Jesus. Sadly, their study spectacles only allowed them to see the dazzling lights of self-glorification, and they missed the main focus of the Scriptures who now stood in front of them.
When we let Jesus drift out of the spotlight in our Christianity, we will lose that vital sense of the relationship with God that Jesus came to establish. Instead of gazing on Jesus and being transformed (2 Corinthians 3:18), we will see only ourselves and drift toward self-glorifying, or self-loathing, or we will become self-appointed evaluators of others and start to inflict unhelpful pressure on others.
There is a world of difference between Christianity with Jesus at the centre, and religion with me at the centre. Actually, there is an eternity of difference.
As we come to another Christmas, let’s be sure to pause and allow our hearts to be wowed by the wonder of it all. Charles Wesley’s hymn says this: “In vain the first-born seraph tries, to sound the depths of love divine!” If angels are amazed, surely we should slow down and make sure we are too. Can we ever fully grasp the wonder of Christmas? Wesley’s words again, “Veiled in flesh, the godhead see, hail the incarnate deity, pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!”
Before the year is done, take a moment to stop and take stock. Jesus has to be the centre of everything, not only at Christmas, but in all of Christianity. He is much too precious to lose!
What is the greatest commitment we see in our world today? Is it the commitment of a classical musician, or a sports professional? They say it takes 10,000 hours of practice to really master any skill. Apparently, it takes nine to twelve months of specialist training to be ready to attempt to climb Mt Everest. While the idea of commitment may be dismissed by so many in our society, there are still countless people dedicating themselves to various pursuits.
In Matthew 8:18-22, Jesus speaks about commitment at an extraordinary level. After three chapters of the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), Matthew seems to be shifting to an all-action presentation of Jesus performing healing miracles. He heals the leper, the centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother-in-law. It feels like we have left the teaching block behind and settled down for an action-adventure section of the Gospel. But then we come to these few verses and two powerful sayings of Jesus about commitment.
Essentially, Jesus declares that to follow him means to belong nowhere and the demand is to follow now.
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Matthew 8:18-20
Belong Nowhere! – The scribe sounded so committed. He would follow Jesus anywhere! But Jesus pointed to the rhythm of creaturely life. A fox? It gets up and puts in a night shift touring its territory, marking the boundaries, catching a vole or two, enjoying some worms and bugs, even feasting on some berries if the opportunity arises. Then, when its work is done, it returns to its hole and lays down its head to sleep. Work done, it heads for home.
Just to reinforce the point, Jesus mentions birds too. They wake up nice and early, some get in a singing practice before dawn, then head out and fly the skies looking for food. Some catch flies mid-air, others swoop down for voles and mice, while others prefer seeds and worms. Then, when their work is done, they return to their nest and lay down their heads to sleep. Work done, they head for home.
Every creature is the same. Including humans. Wake up, work, head home, and sleep. But not Jesus. His work never seemed to be done. When he finished healing Peter’s mother-in-law, then many more were brought to him late into the evening. When he headed out early to a deserted place, he sometimes found crowds looking to get more from him there too. And Jesus was not home. We never read of him heading back to Nazareth for a home-cooked meal with mother Mary.
To follow Jesus is not about a shift and then back to base for some relaxation and creaturely comforts. To follow Jesus means to belong nowhere in this world. It means we are not really at home in our home town, nor if we move to the other side of the world in missionary service. If we follow Jesus, then our citizenship is in heaven, and our home town is still in the future (Philippians 3:18-21; Hebrews 11:13-16).
These are challenging words, especially if we have grown too much at home in this world.
Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:21-22
Follow Now! – The disciple’s request seems reasonable. Surely, Jesus is not against family funerals, is he? I don’t believe he is. The point here is a striking one. Nothing can come before following him. Not a funeral that is scheduled for next week, nor a Jewish reburial in a few months, or even an anticipated death in order to collect an inheritance (all are explanations given for this cryptic moment in the text). As Jesus said elsewhere, if we are to follow him, then we must first hate everything we hold dear. Jesus wants his followers to honor their parents and so hatred seems extreme, but that is the point. There can be nothing that comes first.
How often we can fall into the same problem? Not so much with funerals, but with other things. “I will be completely committed to Jesus, but first I . . . “ What? What comes first? Career first? Promotion first? Payrise and then folks will see my dedication to Jesus? Or maybe family first? Once married, once there are children, once they are grown, then the commitment will show? Of what about fun first? So many say they will live a little and be committed to Jesus when only a little life is left in this world. Bucket lists get elevated to the level of an idol as Jesus is left to wait his turn.
No. To follow Jesus at all means that we need to follow him now. Not later. Not after. Now.
Reasonable Demand? – How can Jesus be so demanding and expect us to belong nowhere and follow now? The demand is so extreme. But the key is to look at who is saying the words.
Jesus had no home in this world. He left his eternal home and entered into this world in the most humble of circumstances. He was born in a peasant town and laid in a manger. He was an infant refugee in Egypt, then grew up in Nazareth – a place with a rubbish reputation. Nazareth was a rest stop on the way to somewhere better. And then, once he launched into his ministry years, he had no home of his own in this world.
Jesus’ work never seemed to be done. He had nowhere to lay his head, not only because of a lack of address, but also because his work demanded so much. There was always another person to heal, another demon to cast out, another crowd to feed, another dispute among the disciples to unpick, another conflicted conversation to navigate. His work, his mission demanded so much. Actually, it demanded everything.
As we read through the Gospels we find that Jesus did eventually lay down his head. When was that? It was in John 19:30, when his mission was accomplished, when he cried out “It is finished!” and then lay down his head and gave up his spirit.
The reason that we should take Jesus’ demand so seriously is because his mission cost him everything. Since he gave his all for us, his call is for us to give everything in response. Belong nowhere in this world, and follow now. Nothing else would make sense in light of who said it.
I have noticed something strange. Many Christians will acknowledge the existence and the general agenda of Satan. They will affirm that he is alive and active on planet Earth. Yes, they recognize that he hates God and God’s people. Yes, he hates truth and wants to steal, kill and destroy. Yes, he wants to tempt us into rebellion, crush us under guilt, and destroy all that is good, beautiful and anything that has even the faintest reflection of God’s character.
And yet, oddly, as quickly as those affirmations are made, that awareness seems to evaporate just as quickly. For many Christians, the devil appears to be a very limited antagonist. He might get some vague credit (for want of a better term) for any temptation we consciously notice. Still, he gets specific credit for very little activity.
For example, suppose the subject of the occult is raised with the related concepts of devil worship, seances, fortune telling, etc. Many will shudder and point to the enemy’s works in that case. But is that the whole story? Is Satan just tempting us as individuals and running a relatively obscure dark religious operation?
Let’s take a few moments to review some essential biblical background.
Origins of Satan – The name Satan means adversary and came to be applied to the greatest adversary of all – the devil. It is a well-earned label!
What we know of his origins is described primarily in Ezekiel 28:11-19, where it is clear that prideful arrogance was the key driver of his original fall from perfection. Since his fall, his primary domain has been Earth and Sheol. We see him cursed by God in Genesis 3 – the one whose goal was to be the most high became the most low, eating dirt close to the underworld.
Influence in the world – The big question in this post essentially relates to his influence. According to 1 John 5:19, the whole world is under the control of the evil one. He is called the ‘prince of this world’ on several occasions (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). He influences through lies, especially the original lie that we humans can be like God, and he masquerades as an angel of light, deceiving people (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 11:14). There are plenty of people whose spiritual father is the devil, and it is possible to identify them by their actions and their lack of love (John 8:44; Matthew 13:36-40; Acts 13:10; Ephesians 2:2; 1 John 3:10)
Influence over nations – He rules the nations and tried to strike a deal with Jesus in exchange for Jesus bowing down to him. Still, Jesus did not affirm his ultimate ownership of the nations and did not bow down. Jesus knew and trusted that, at the right time, the Father would give the nations to him. (See Matthew 4:10.) Jesus confronted the power of evil by casting out demons from people. It is evident that Satan commands the realms of darkness (see 1 John 3:8). What Jesus began in his ministry, he is continuing – building his church and the “gates of hell” continue to be unable to resist the onslaught. Satan is on the defensive.
Influence in the Church – Paul wrote to the Romans, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20). Yet, it would be naïve to assume that Satan does not influence the church. While our minds might go to Judas Iscariot, whom Satan influenced (John 13:2) and then entered (John 13:27), we do not need to live in fear of being taken over by the evil one. We belong to God, who is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). However, we should recognize that discord, anger, unforgiveness and resentment can provide an opportunity to the devil, and we should actively resist him (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9).
Our hope as the spiritual warrages – Because of Jesus’ victory over the rulers and authorities on the cross (see Colossians 2:13-15), Satan’s power of death is now broken (see Hebrews 2:14-15). We now know that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54). And yet, the one who comes only to steal and kill and destroy does not give up easily (John 10:10). His ultimate downfall is already determined; he will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). In the meantime, he fights on. Indeed, as his time gets short, we might expect him to offer a big final push, but we know the end of the story.
The hole in our spiritual warfare – So, what is missing in our understanding of the spiritual battle that we are in? Satan exists and is active on earth. Yes, he does tempt us and would delight to see us derailed by sin and defiled by discord. And yes, the occult does exist, and some people are drawn into religious acts of pure evil. But at the start of this post, I suggested our view of Satan may be too small. Is Satan just tempting us as individuals and running a relatively obscure dark religious operation?
To be candid, I have been struck by how much we are inclined to bury our heads in the sand regarding evil in this world. “Oh yes,” people will affirm, “Satan is real, and we are in a spiritual battle.” But mention some specific aspects of society and watch the response change:
Could there be evil at work in news reporting designed to shape our thinking? “No way, we can trust the news media.”
Might the enemy be shaping education to harm children?
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
What about medical professionals who seem driven by something other than ‘first do no harm?’
“Of course not! The doctors I know are good people.”
What about government decisions that seem to benefit them but harm people and cost lives?
“Absolutely not! They have our best interests at heart.”
What about unelected and unaccountable groups of the hyper-rich and influential seeking to gain control over ordinary people?
“If such groups exist, then I’m sure they mean well.”
What about influential people who have publicly declared the global population needs to be reduced by whatever means?
“Of course not; they only want to help the poor!”
What about the entertainment industry that so fills our consciousness?
“Oh, but I like him, she’s my favourite, etc.”
It does not mean much to acknowledge that Satan is real and active if we then immediately deny that he could be at work in almost every layer of human authority and influence. And I would suggest we are utterly naïve if we don’t believe that the prevailing paradigm of our day, with its “lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God”, is influenced by Satan. (See 2 Corinthians 10:3-6)
In the past, Christians seemed ready to recognize the malevolence of hedonism or materialism as it confronted our worldview in the so-called “Christian West” or the evils of totalitarian regimes in the East. But today, too many Christians seem happy to play along with and believe the best about media-driven narratives concerning identity politics, critical theories, social justice, weather worship, globalist agendas, neo-communist ideologies, uncontrolled immigration and encroaching violent religion. Are we sure that we should ‘believe the best’ and ‘affirm the good’ in all the ideas swirling around and in all the layers of authority setting themselves up over us?
Perhaps it is time for us to fix our eyes on Jesus and recognize that we are genuine outsiders in this world and that we will be hated by it. And yet we are here as ambassadors to represent God’s truth, to share the hope of Jesus, to stand for what is right and to not love our lives even unto death. Let’s stop smiling at the devil as if he is an insignificant foe. Let us instead armour up, stand firm, be ready to speak, be prayerful as if we are in a war (for we are), and when we have done everything we can, to stand.
Biblical Preaching 