Category Archives: Christianity

Arts, Christianity, Culture

Jesus sets high standards for Christian discipleship

SACRIFICIAL COMMITMENT

Luke 9 – a narrative

ENERGETIC companies sometimes advertise themselves as those who work harder than their competitors. They see it as having a competitive edge to gain an advantage.  

Jesus’ disciples are not to be competitive over achievements and status (vv 46-50). They do, however, face a stiff challenge to work harder and go further than anyone in a non-Christian frame of mind would normally consider possible or desirable.

This chapter stresses sacrificial commitment. The twelve are to travel light on their mission (vv 3,4; cf. 58). The poor cannot receive the gospel as good news from people who roll up in stretch limos. The disciples must take on the principle of incarnation which Jesus had embraced.

His call to everyone to “take up the cross daily” (23-26) is the offer of a one-way ticket. There’s no return to the old ways of life (vv 24,25). Paradoxically, we will lose our spiritual well-being (and by extension our general well-being) by clinging to the old life of self-interest. It is a clear message for all to understand.

That is hard. It is to resist the spiritual and emotional equivalent of the physical survival instinct which fights for life when faced with the prospect of extreme danger to life or of imminent or impending death. Committing oneself to Christ is not the same as choosing between equally valid options of joining a golf club or squash club. It’s more like choosing to work for a pittance in a Third World country rather than stay at home and become unhealthy and being unconcerned with anything of a healthy lifestyle.  

The recently bereaved man (vv 59,60) and the one who wanted to say goodbye (vv 61,62) may have been approaching discipleship equivocally. Jews were always respectful of the deceased and supportive of families. Jesus would not have been harsh and callous. He simply stressed that his mission takes priority over everything, however valid the argument might be.

Most of us want to have our cake and eat it, which isn’t possible in Christian discipleship. Later, Luke repeats the challenge, unique in the Gospels, to count the cost before following Jesus (14:25-35). The evangelist’s message here is of the high standards Jesus has set for Christian discipleship.

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Arts, Christianity, Culture

Biblical exposition of friendship

FELLOWSHIP

1 Samuel 20-23

A narrative: True friends are closer than brothers

FRIENDSHIP is difficult to handle. In our intensely self-centred and suspicious culture, we trust few people fully and close relationships outside of partnerships invite sneers or allegations of sexual impropriety.

It is one facet of human life in which the ancients, even the Victorians, outscore us. Close friendship and the affection that goes with it was accepted as normal and healthy and did not require sexual expression. The book of Proverbs extols its virtues. For example, 27:10.

In the twelfth century AD, an Abbot of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire described friendship as a “foretaste of Heaven where no one hides his thoughts or disguises his affection”. Those were the words of Abbot Aeldred. David and Jonathan were friends like that.

Crown prince Jonathan, heir to the throne (14:49) was a strong and brave man (14:1). After David’s giant killing episode, they became such firm friends that Jonathan gave David the emblems of his authority (18:1-4).

In the unenviable choice between his father and his friend, Jonathan supported David against the patent injustice of Saul (19:1,4) and in an episode full of cloak-and-dagger secrecy warned David to flee (ch 20). Although parted, their bond remained secure (23:15-18) which must have been dangerous for Jonathan.

Theirs is not the only biblical example of friendship, but it is one of the most detailed. It leaves modern casual acquaintances standing. There can be no Christian fellowship without friendship. None. If we desire closer Christian community, it will have to start with personal friendship.


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Arts, Christianity, Religion, Society

What is the ‘Sabbath rest’?

HEBREWS

open-bible-on-stand-3-chris-hearn

I’ve turned to Hebrews today (Hebrews 3,4) which poses the question, “What is the ‘Sabbath rest’”?

One writer has defined the ‘Sabbath rest’ as God’s purposeful, creative activity and the satisfaction which belongs to it’. This helpfully prevents the concept from becoming ‘quietist’ or merely vague. It is not a spiritual experience of ‘blessedness’ nor a state of inactivity or a description of Christ’s kingdom.

Jesus offered ‘rest’ to people willing to take his ‘burden’ of obedience and discipleship which is lighter than all attempts at self-fulfilment based on human work or leisure alone (Matthew 11:29). Lighter too than all forms of religion that prescribe labour to gain God’s favour: these only generate anxiety. Rest here is like John’s concept of ‘eternal life’, a relationship with God where we enjoy his renewing love.

The author’s aim is to encourage perseverance, rather than describe an experience or state of faith. His readers are tempted to ‘go back to Egypt’ – their old ways of Judaism. He wants them to remain faithful to Christ as supreme Lord.

He uses Hebrew ‘typology’, taking an Old Testament incident as a model of something else. It is an illustration, not an exhaustive exposition of ‘rest’ as defined above. The Israelites’ ‘rest’ in the promised land was incomplete; its full expression would be found in Christ.

Just as the Israelites disobeyed God and a generation died before the nation entered Canaan, so people today can say they follow Christ, yet disobey him and forfeit any claim to eternal life. They say ‘Lord, Lord’ but do not obey him (Matthew 7:21-23). Positively, God’s ‘rest’ therefore becomes:

. believing his promises, obeying his truth and living his way;

. receiving and using his gifts in order to serve him;

. enjoying the assurance of his love and confidence in his sovereignty which is ‘peace’.

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