Bulletin 279 – The Importance of Love

I was about to give an Alpha talk at the Council House in Nottingham for the Business Alpha Course a few years ago. As I walked into the palatial surroundings I walked past a cabinet filled with silverware. How did I know it was genuine silver? Simple – the items all had a hallmark. How do you know a person is a genuine Christian? Simple – they have a hallmark.

I’ve met many Christian people in my time, some quiet and unobtrusive, some loud and ‘in-your-face’. All profess in their way their Christian faith and yet in a few cases I was left wondering how deep that faith actually penetrated. Perhaps I shouldn’t judge, afterall only God knows the secrets of our hearts. However, St. Paul urges us to look out for genuine love. In one of the most famous passages on love, he writes …

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

These are challenging words. Have you met ‘noisy gongs’ and ‘clanging cymbals’? Are there times when you have been one? This passage is pivoted neatly between two chapters which speak about spiritual gifts (and their abuse). I believe it is no accident that Paul inserts these words here because he saw a church (Corinth) displaying all the outward signs of Christianity and yet missing out on the vital ingredient which proves that they are the genuine article.

Paul then goes on to define the ‘hallmark’ of a true Christian…

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

So, how does your church stand up to Paul’s test? We can be incredibly busy in church and yet miss out on the real task of spreading God’s love. We might paraphrase Paul’s opening verses like this…

If we organise Harvest Suppers, Alpha Courses and Coffee Mornings until we are blue in the face but have not love we are a machine or programme-driven church. If our services are full of charismatic fervour with speaking in tongues, prophecies and prayer ministry but have not love, they mean nothing. If our people tithe and are always attending church meetings but have not love, they gain nothing.

Whenever I visit a church, I look not for quantity but quality. And, of course the quality which is most important – the hallmark so to speak – is love. In a passage in his famous letter to Rome Paul writes these simple words, ‘Let love be genuine’ (Romans 12:9). This section is entitled in the Revised Standard Version ‘Marks of a True Christian’.

And so, in all our dealings, all our church meetings, all our events we need to stand back and conduct a detailed evaluation. Are they empowered by love, the hallmark of true Christianity? It’s all too easy to get into the mode of keeping things going or going through the motions and lose the essential ingredient which makes it all meaningful.

Dorothy Law Nolte wrote a famous poem entitled ‘Learning for Life’ in which she talks about the ingredients of bad and good parenting…

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world. (abridged)

Bulletin 278 – Crisis of Faith

I know a preacher who believes that life is futile. He believes that God sits idly by as bad people prosper and good people suffer. He believes that everyone, irrespective of how good or bad they have been will end up in the same place. He has no comprehension of a life after death and a reward for people of faith. He believes that the best recipe for a happy life here on earth is to eat, drink and be merry. Now if you had the choice, would you go to his service or would you cast him off as 'less than Christian' and boycott him?

It may surprise you to know that the person I am talking about has found a voice in the greatest book ever written. His views have been read by and even heralded by some the most prominent people across the globe. 'Who is he?' You might well ask. Well his name is Koheleth.

Those in the know will recognise this name as the Hebrew word for teacher or preacher and his work can be found nestled in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The book in question is none other than Ecclesiastes. Many have asked how a book of such pessimism, scepticism about God's justice and belief in the futility of life can ever find its way into the Bible. It is enough to send people scampering after 2 Timothy 3:16 and asking that it be rewritten to say 'All scripture is inspired by God, except the book of Ecclesiastes'. But there it is - have a read - see what you make of it.

The wisdom literature of the Old Testament is an odd mixture. Some of it may have been borrowed from neighbouring civilisations and therefore may not have the veneer of the authentic faith of its fellow books. However, before we write it off completely, let's reflect on its merits.

I actually like to read this book and gain a great deal from its contents. It is by no means the only writing in the Old Testament that makes you question your faith. Take for instance Psalm 73 where the writer admits to nearly losing his faith altogether because of the seeming injustices of the world.

Psalm 73:1-3 God is truly good to Israel, to those who have pure hearts. But I had almost stopped believing; I had almost lost my faith because I was jealous of proud people. I saw wicked people doing well. (NCV)

Or look at Psalm 88 where the writer finds himself totally abandoned by God and suffering untold misery and unlike many other similar Psalms, does not end on a high note.

Psalm 88:16-18 You have been angry with me, and your terrors have destroyed me. They surround me daily like a flood; they are all around me. You have taken away my loved ones and friends. Darkness is my only friend. (NCV)

So why do I like Ecclesiastes? Simple - because it's real - it's honest - it tells it like it really is - it starts where most people today are at. Even the most prominent of Christians, like Mother Teresa, asked questions of this kind about the world, life and God. No evangelist worth their salt has failed to address the problems raised by this book. No one can lead another to faith without at some stage dealing honestly with these big questions of life.

However, the book itself gives a totally inadequate picture of life and is clearly written by someone who has yet to find what he is looking for. Christianity points to someone who has wrestled with the issues raised by Koheleth, found himself abandoned by God, rejected by his own people, deserted by his closest friends, suffered the worst pain imaginable - and yet remained faithful to the end and bore no malice. Christianity offers meaning and purpose in life and a certain hope of life everlasting. Christianity reveals an aspect of God's nature which is sadly missing in many other traditions - GRACE.

If only Koheleth had seen what we have seen and experienced the eternal Spirit of God in his life. However, if that had been true, we would have missed out on this amazing book. If you're brave enough, take a look at the gloomy conclusions that Koheleth raises in the book of Ecclesiastes and ask yourself - 'how would I answer him?'

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Questions of Life (based on the NIV):

Chapter 1:2 – Everything is meaningless

Chapter 1:8 – All things are wearisome

Chapter 1:10 – There is nothing new

Chapter 1:11 – No one will be remembered

Chapter 1:17 – The pursuit of wisdom is futile (chasing after the wind)

Chapter 2:4-11 – The undertaking of great projects and the pursuit of gratification is meaningless.

Chapter 2:14,15 – The wise and the foolish experience the same fate – so why choose wisdom?

Chapter 2:17-21 – All our work is futile

Bulletin 277 – Leadership

In the famous passage from Mark’s Gospel chapter 5 verses 21-43 (also found in Luke 8:40-56), we see a picture of Jesus which gives a clear understanding of what leadership should look like in the church. Jesus had returned in a boat with his disciples and was immediately confronted by a great crowd of people. However, there were two people in dire need of his ministry. Firstly Jairus, the synagogue leader and secondly the woman who had suffered from bleeding for 12 years. The manner in which Jesus deals with each gives us a rare glimpse of his personality, thinking and mission. Here are 7 attributes of good leaders taken from this passage.

1. Good leaders have clear objectives
Jairus was not exactly an ally of Jesus. Many times, Jesus crossed swords with the religious elite and treated them sternly because of their legalism and determination to silence him and cripple his ministry. However, none of this dampened his desire to fulfil his mission (Luke 4:18-19). Jairus’ daughter was clearly close to death (v23). Jesus’ mission was to bring life and that was what he intended to do here. We also see his determination when the woman interrupts the journey to Jairus’ house (v30). Again he clearly sees an opportunity to fulfill his mission and will not be stopped from completing his task. I wonder how many times in our churches we simply go through the motions without reflecting on our real goal of offering new life to people.

2. Good leaders are not deterred by opposition
On two occasions, Jesus could have called off his work. Firstly, when he asked, ‘who touched me?’, his disciples ridiculed his question on account of the great crowd and the hopelessness of trying to find the culprit (v31). But Jesus persisted and successfully completed his mission. Also, having healed the woman, Jesus continues with Jairus only to be confronted with mourners announcing Jairus’ daughter’s death (v35). Again, this did not stop Jesus from completing his mission and he urged, in the face of seemingly impossible odds, that people demonstrate faith (v36). How easily do we withdraw from situations because of the seemingly impossible task before us?

3. Good leaders show compassion to all
Jairus, a religious leader and the woman, a social outcast because of her condition, could both have dampened Jesus’ compassion. But no, Jesus was focused and even those who we might put at the bottom of our ‘to-do’ list, aroused genuine compassion in Jesus’ heart. It was that compassion which energised and focused his ministry. This teaches us that sometimes the most unlikely people are the ones we need to devote our time to – not just those we get on well with.

4. Good leaders show due sensitivity
‘Gentle Jesus meek and mild’ go the words of a children’s hymn. Many would dismiss this as sentimental nonsense and with good reason. When he had to be, Jesus was firm. But also he showed immense sensitivity. To the mourners who brought the bad news about Jairus’ daughter, he told them firmly to shut up. In contrast we see those tender moments. After healing the woman, he spoke such gentle and affirming words, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you, go in peace…’ (v34). When approaching Jairus’ house, he did not want to create too much fuss or intrude on their private grief and so he only took his 3 key disciples, Peter, James and John into the house (v37). Standing beside the little girl, he took her by the hand and spoke gently to her (v41). Having raised Jairus’ daught to full health, he did not simply depart but showed sensitivity to her physical needs and urged that she be fed (v43). Sometimes we mistakenly think that leaders need to be powerful, assertive and strict. Jesus shows here the importance of a balanced approach and the power of gentleness.

5. Good leaders value their followers and model good practise
It can be tempting for leaders to ‘go it alone’ on the grounds that if you want something doing well, do it yourself. However, Jesus insisted on taking Peter, James and John with him (v37) into the house of Jairus. In spite of their lack of faith, Jesus did all he could with his disciples. He mentored them and His intention was clearly to train them in the ministry which he was passing on to them in due course (Matthew 28:18,19). He wanted them to see how it was to be done and left them with the best possible example. As leaders, do we give sufficient attention to the need for modelling good practice? Would we like people to do things the way we do them?

6. Good leaders show patience
Yes, I know it’s a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23) but it can sometimes be in short supply. But just look how Jesus, when being pressed and hurried by Jairus to heal his daughter, took time out for an outcast woman (vv 30-32). Sometimes we are so focused on the task in hand that intrusions don’t get a look in. Not so for Jesus – and that’s good to know each time we pray for help. Do you ever feel that your leaders don’t have time for you or that you are too unimportant. Do you see them as people with full diaries and important decisions to make that you don’t feel inclined to interrupt them for fear of receiving a harsh rebuke?

7. Good leaders believe in themselves and their ability to succeed
I was at a gathering of Christian leaders recently and some of them said how reluctant they are to offer healing to people who ask for it. Jesus had no such doubt - he knew his mission. He knew God was with him and his faith was unshakable. Good leaders are the same. They understand that they are in place because of God’s calling and trust his equipping to carry out their ministry.

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Of course, there is one other thing to say about good leaders. They need our support and prayer. We can be very quick to criticise leaders when things go wrong but they are only human like us and deserve our support.