Psalm 5 - Our Life of Prayer

Preface

Psalm 5 has much to say about prayer, but not just about specific occasions of prayer – also about a life of prayer. This psalm speaks about our connectedness to God, and the conversations and thought processes with have as we commune with God. There are also some interesting contrasts that we can look at … to see what these might be saying to us. Prayer is not really an event; it is more a way of being (in relationship with God). Prayer is interactive (a dialogue), and is also (or should be) deeply reflective.

Watching (v.1-3)

(a)  REQUEST (v.1-2)

The psalm begins with a fairly standard request for God to hear our cries for help. Prayer is often generated in times of despair or need; and here the psalmist (David) could be dealing with significant hurt. Maybe, normally, our prayers should begin with a little praise and thanksgiving; however, when confronted by difficult circumstances, it is understandable that we get straight to the point. God already knows how we feel about him, where our heart lies, and is ready to hear our words no matter how raw. Having said this, we see that David (the psalmist) does address God as both “King”, and also his personal “God” (v.2b). “King” designates someone with authority and power over world events, while “my God” designates someone with a deep personal interest and relationship with the one praying. Thus, David is directing his words, not just out there into thin air, but directly to God (“for to you I pray” – v.2c); and this is a God who can make a difference, both in large (organisational) ways, and also in small (personal) ways. The difference between prayer and positive thinking, is in whom our words are directed! Our prayers are targeted at a God who is relational, responsive, effective, and who has purposes to perform.

(b) ASSURANCE (v.3)

Verse 3 reflects an assurance that God indeed hears the psalmist’s prayer. This prayer was offered in the morning, which is always a good time to dedicate the day ahead and its likely challenges. Having heard David’s prayer, it is assured that God will be on the ball … acting, helping, guiding, delivering! So the psalmist can “watch”! The NIV translates here, “In the morning I lay my requests before you, and wait in expectation”. When we have prayed, we can look out for what will happen – how God will answer our prayers. We should pray with expectation, and then keep our eyes and ears open (for every sign of God’s activity), to show that indeed we have prayed with the sort of faith that knows God is alive and around (seeking to bless us and grow us). The Jerusalem Bible translated here, “At dawn I hold myself in readiness for you, I watch for you”. We have prayed … so something will happen; though God’s answer may NOT be what we expect, or even desire, but it will be what is in our best interests. It is fair to say, however, that there may need to be some passage of time before we fully see the wisdom of God’s answer. Do we perhaps become a little fixated on a certain way of thinking, and thus miss God’s even more creative and growthful answer?!?

Looking in the Mirror (v.4-6)

(a)  BLOCKAGES

As we get to verse 4, we might think, at first look, that the psalmist’s mind is now directed towards others, those who have proven to be anti-God, or those who have given David a hard time personally. And when we get to verse 6, we see a particularly harsh attitude to those who have exhibited the most destructive behaviour. And this is where the psalmist has probably started. Don’t we, when things go wrong, first look toward others, and perhaps even begin to point the finger. It couldn’t have been us, it must have been them! There is plenty of evil for us to remark on, but how does that help us or help our prayers? This can actually tend to take our mind away from God, and reduce our capacity to pray. Whenever we go down this track of trying to allocate blame, we must quickly realise that we should hold up the mirror to ourselves. Yes, what we may find there in the mirror may be far less problematical than what we see in the world; however, what we see in the mirror is at least in our power to fix. It’s not all black and white – not all the “righteous” versus the “wicked” … it’s not all as cut and dried as that – lines are easily blurred or crossed.

(b) REPENTANCE

Them, them , them … but what about me! Look at their unrepentance … what about my unrepentance!! The apostle Paul spoke about this in terms of his best intentions compared to the way things often turned out: “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15b). So, part of prayer is constant repentance … confession and repentance. We hold up the mirror to ourselves, and with a little God-prompting, see what there is in the reflection requiring change. A lack of repentance is a blockage to praying in the first place, but also brings a blockage to being able to receive and accept answers to our prayers. Confession happens because of regret. Repentance happens because we are committed to change. However, listen to a comment from Richard Rohr about repentance … and see if it resonates. It seems [that] humans would sooner die than change or admit that they are mistaken (“Breathing Under Water”). How is change difficult for us? We might just allow Psalm 5 to speak to us, before we continue in our life of prayer. Is there anything about our interpersonal behaviour, our attitudes to others, or our level of honesty that needs to be addressed?!?

Worship (v.7-8)

(a)  GRACE

So, we have held up the mirror, and as a result, have detached ourselves from any addiction to sin. Repentance brings forgiveness, healing and transformation. This brings a full appreciation of God’s abundant and steadfast love. We have received grace; not through any merit of our own, but purely because of how God feels about us. We now feel more part of God’s family … we are truly God’s children, because we are on the road of growing into our Heavenly Father’s image. We naturally want to respond, and worship of God is the most natural and appropriate of ways to respond. This is what the psalmist is doing at verse 7. We also become more free to interact with others in places of worship – this is because we have become more ourselves … some of the heavy burdens and negative accessories we have been carrying have been removed. Together we celebrate the awesomeness of God. And together we “bow down” in unrestrained prayer … seeking God for all God is worth.

(b) GUIDANCE

This leads on to verse 8. We still need guidance if we are to survive, let alone thrive, in life. So many choices to make! Such complexity!! There will continue to be threats to our well-being; and various forks in the road and possible diversions. There are so many conflicting, confusing and critical voices to cloud the issues. Some people will want to pull us down, or divert us to where they would be comfortable with us. But we are Jesus people! And God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. God has a role for us to perform within his united Kingdom. So it is to His ”righteousness” that we need to defer (v.8a). This means that we seek God’s character in our lives; that we live in ways consistent with the way Jesus lived. This means that we need good discernment in all sorts of moral and ethical calls. It means we look to get the priorities straight. This also means that we may have to stand out in unpopular counter-cultural ways. This may mean attaching ourselves to causes outside our comfort zones.

Negating Undue Influence (v.9-10)

ANOTHER CONTRAST

Again a contrast enters this psalm at verse 9 – those who use their mouths to bring down and destroy. What people must have been saying about this psalmist (David) … to bring this response!! Such destructive words come from dark hearts – we might almost say ‘dead hearts’ … as their “throats” are referred to as “open graves”. And some people just say words to get what they want, and lack any sense of sincerity. Verses 9-10 make me think of three things … three responses in terms of my relationship with God:

(i)                THAT MIRROR AGAIN – again that mirror looms large, this time specifically about my use of words. Can I enter a ‘discouragement free zone’ with my speech? We should all be finding active ways in which to encourage one another. To ‘encourage’ literally means ‘give courage to’ … this is something we can provide for all those we encounter (right across the community).

(ii)              MY HEART – we cannot afford to let bitterness define us or take us over. Many times we have been hurt, and sometimes the perpetrators are nowhere near sorry; but we still need to let go and forgive – or bitterness will just eat us up. I don’t think there is any greater hindrance to good decision-making than bitterness. At least the psalmist (David) here, in verse 10, seems to be leaving any judgement on their oppressor to God (although there does seem to be some advice being given nonetheless). The psalmist may eventually be shocked, as we are shocked, when God gives our so-called ‘enemy’ another chance. We gain nothing by hoping for the worst for someone else! When we feel underappreciated, unfairly criticised or personally attacked, we need to be acutely aware that God loves us, accepts us and values us highly.

(iii)            UNDUE INFLUENCE – we have to guard against subtle and quiet accommodation to undue influence. Sometimes things that are popular remain problematical. There are many people who start on the way of Jesus, but soon fall away. There are many reasons for this. Perhaps the bill of goods they were sold was unrealistic – they were promised that if they came to Jesus then everything would be easy and all their problems would instantly go away. This, of course, is NOT a proper representation of the Gospel. Perhaps someone failed to encourage, nurture and support such a person in their new faith. But, perhaps other activities or endeavours just held much more excitement. We, for our part, have to resist any influence that would tend to upset our equilibrium in God.

Joy & Blessing (v.11-12)

(a)  TRUE FREEDOM

This psalm concludes in a very positive vein. The mirror has done its job. Having prayed, watched and worshipped, having repented and dispensed with bitterness, we can live with joy and in total freedom (refer verse 11a). Things can turn around for the better. God can bring beauty out of what seemed to be ashes. Yesterday’s problems can be today’s success stories. We know that today’s uncertainty can be tomorrow’s tale of growth. Our songs of joy and thanksgiving loom loud and sincere. We sense God’s arms around us each moment of each day.

(b) BLESSING

Right living, as we talked about before, brings its own reward. There is a sense of blessing on our daily journey, because, despite various mistakes and set-backs, we are living within God’s will and purposes … living into God’s mission and future. This is a life that can make a difference – God’s favour travels with us and shines through us.

Prologue

So let’s pray with assurance and watch with expectancy. As we continue to pray let’s allow the mirror before us, not to convict us mortally, but rather to lead us into restorative action. Then we can worship in spirit and in truth, enthusiastically in the company of our sisters and brothers in God’s family. We can strengthen one another to be less prone to bitterness and less subject to undue influence. As we grow under the discipline of Jesus, let us express joy; and the freedom in which we live should there for all to see and appreciate.

God will give me beauty for ashes,

a joyous blessing instead of mourning,

festive praise instead of despair.

In our righteousness, we will be like great trees

that the Lord has planted for his own glory. Amen.

(based on Isaiah 61:3 from NLT)

"A Point of Difference" (Matthew 6:25-34)

1.     Preface

We saw last week from Acts 16, that as we are worshipping and living out our lives, people are listening and observing. In that Acts 16 (v.16-34) passage, this turned out very well, for the Philippian “jailor” and all his household came to believe in Jesus, were baptised, and began on the road of discipleship. What marked Paul and Silas out for this Philippian “jailor” was the fact that they could worship God under such terrible conditions and personal injustice. And when given the chance to escape, they preferred to stay behind and look after the well-being of their “jailor”.

So when people are listening and watching today’s Jesus followers, what might they notice that would make a difference? We have recently talked about the fact that we care about other people’s troubles on both small and large scales – this could be one point of difference. This passage from Matthew chapter 6 (and its companion passage in Luke 12), suggest another point of difference that could be remarked upon!?! This passage compares an ideal for God’s people as against what people without faith might do; let’s refer to verse 32a {where Matthew has “Gentiles”, Luke has “the nations of the world”; both actually referring to those who do not believe in God – the ‘unbelieving world’}.

2.     Worry

What do people worry about??

·        Terrorism, ill-health, (lack of) money, etc etc

·        Jesus alluded to food, drink, clothing; these probably being examples of the smaller distractions, or things we should simply trust God about (while considering the bigger things). We can of course worry because it seems we have too little, but we can also worry because we have too much (and we want to be sure to keep it). I sense as I begin to read through these verses, that Jesus is seeking to direct our thoughts away from food and clothes {the externals} to more central matters. And the bigger the concern, the less likely it is to be in our control; so the less need to worry.

·        Jesus, then, concludes with sort of a ‘blanket ban’ on worrying – “do not worry about tomorrow”. This is not because there isn’t anything important to think about or do, but quite the opposite … each day will bring its trials. Rather, we do not worry, because we should trust in God. This is why the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ includes: “Give us this day our daily bread”, which could better be translated, “Give us today just enough bread for today” … implying that we trust you (our God) for tomorrow’s bread. Planning, to a sensible degree, is good; worry is not. Having worthwhile goals and making various preparations is good, worrying about these is not. Worrying about things that just may never happen is particularly valueless.

·        The fact that worry is counter-productive and wasteful is famously addressed in verse 27: And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life. We know that undue worry actually has potential to shorten life.

·        What is worry? Worry is where the mind dwells continually on troubles or deep concerns about the future (seemingly without resolutions). For instance, I myself might worry about how a particular relationship that sits a bit tenuously might turn out. Or I might worry whether I will be up to a particular challenge that lies ahead. Worry has also been defined as a “small trickle of fear that meanders through the mind, until it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained”. In other words, worry can start small, but left unchallenged, can take over our lives. We can get bogged down in worry; and worry can mean we have no peace of mind. Worry can lose us a lot of sleep and badly affect our health. Worry can rob us of joy. The Greek word translated “worry” here, suggests being distracted and divided in mind, or to be going round and round a problem without any solution. When we worry, this brings the tendency to take things back into our own hands, thus forgetting about or denying faith in a God who travels with us and carries our concerns. Worry takes us down the awkward path of aloneness.

·        Jesus compares the possible behaviour of human beings to “birds of the air” and to “lilies of the field”. Birds don’t sow or reap to make sure they are going to eat; nor having discovered food, do they store it up in warehouses to use later or sell to another bird. This is just not their mindset or what they are about. They just rely on the processes of nature; or as Jesus puts it, their “heavenly Father feeds them”. Obviously we need food to survive … I believe it ranks third after air and water for human survival. So this is about our mindset – if we get overly fixated on something, this tends to lead to worry. Likewise, I don’t suggest anybody comes to church naked next Sunday because the pastor said clothing was unimportant. The “lilies of the field” grow well and look good because God made them that way – there is no need for elaborate attempts at improving what God has made. The “lilies neither toil nor spin” … I think Jesus here, well ahead of modern psychology, has alluded to the fact that over-striving, over-activity, a work-addiction or performance orientation is all unhealthy. What we need to receive is … grace! This means, that despite ourselves, God loves us, accepts us and values us – enough to forgive us through Jesus. No more effort required!! Richard Rohr writes that, “Without grace, everything human declines and devolves into smallness, hurt and blame”.

·        This is NOT to say that we all remain passive; far from it. However, this is saying that we should act, minister to one another, and live … out of a fullness that comes from trusting God and knowing God’s love; rather than acting out of an emptiness that needs to constantly strive for God’s love and approval.

·        And where we are concerned for something big, say the environment, or some area of injustice, then rather than worry, we understand that there are others who are also concerned and active in this area; and also that God is the most concerned of all, and anything positive we can do will be done, not on our own, but in partnership with God. Out of the abundance God has given us, we can feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, and put clothes on the back of the homeless.

But we still tend to worry. I DO!! What can we do about this?? We can’t just sit back and accept that we are a worrier. Jesus was a kind and compassionate person – still is of course! However, quite often Jesus had very direct words to say … and if we read this passage carefully and pause, we can pick-up the directness or even abruptness. Do you see something like that here in this passage?? Look at verse 30 … towards the end. “… you of little faith”! Wack!! This is almost a jibe! So, if we still tend to worry, we need to build our faith.

3.     Building Faith

How do we build our faith?

·        Remember and reflect on what God has done for us in the past.

·        Pray, believing that God has our best interests at heart {refer to verse 32b following verse 32a – God well knows (better than we do ourselves) what will sustain us, progress us down the journey, and enrich our life. Lay it on the line with God how we really feel, tell it all to God; yet while doing so, be expectant (and grateful) that God will undoubtedly bring us some new perspective and insight, and sometimes also changed circumstances.

·        Share in fellowship with believers, and talk about our struggles and where God might be in this – listening carefully for the intuitive and encouraging input of trusted others.

·        Read the Bible … and seek help with understanding it.

4.     The Kingdom of God

I have mentioned the more central things or the deeper things of life. What are these?? Verse 33a. The Kingdom of God, right and just living i.e. helping to build a God awareness (in a positive way) that others might be attracted towards. This is where everything happens within a trust relationship with God. The Kingdom of God is where God is known and honoured. Worry would tend to steal the space needed to engage with this.

Luke takes this further, as Luke would, by including other statements of Jesus. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys (Luke 12:33).

This is about not becoming too materially-orientated, not becoming obsessed by things, not allowing material things to possess us, to rid ourselves of things that get in the way of central matters, to hang on to material things only lightly. We do not worry about things that have only temporary value to us.

We are also to be generous. Like the “birds of the air”, we don’t store away produce in barns while others miss out. And we value things of true value, in an eternal sense – heavenly investments, if you like. Right and just living is not just about good morality, but equally about good ethics, i.e. how our behaviour, e.g. our consumer choices, affect others.

"Opportunities open" (Acts 16:16-34)

1.     Preface

God can open opportunities through which faith can be shared and people can respond.

What might help such opportunities occur? How have you seen such opportunities open?

2.     Historical Incident

Paul and Silas find themselves in prison. They were there because they had been accused of causing a disturbance, something the control-freak Romans didn’t like. Paul had exorcised, from a certain girl, some form of ‘demonic spirit’ that had her involved in “fortune-telling”. She was doing this for money … money that went to those who ‘owned her’ (she was referred to as a “slave girl”). So Paul had no doubt cost this slave girl’s “owners” quite a bit of money. And they were furious, and were not going to take this lying down. They wanted to get the crowd on side to force the Roman authorities to take the strongest possible action against Paul; beware people who are separated from their money. They callously fed into the anti-Jewish sentiment that existed in Philippi, as well as the Roman objection to alternative religions (refer verses 20-21). Opposition built, and the Roman magistrates acted without any trial. Paul and Silas were stripped and beaten with rods – what was described as a “severe flogging” (v.23). Then they were thrown into maximum security prison. Their feet were fastened into wooden stocks with chains that would have connected to the wall (minimising movement). Such was the treatment of prisoners at the time, there would have been no reason to provide any point of relief at all … in the cause of making escape impossible.

So naturally Paul and Silas cursed in outrage, groaned in pain, and bitterly complained. No … it seems they didn’t at all (v.25)! Paul and Silas, it is reported, were “praying and singing hymns to God”. Remarkable! This was a totally unjust imprisonment, not to mention the degrading and inhuman cruelty that preceded it. If they had been given a chance to defend themselves, it would have been revealed that Paul and Silas were actually Roman citizens, and thus should never have been treated like this. And all Paul had basically done was intervene for someone was being badly exploited. They could have been praying for their release, and that would have been fair enough, but the context, and just the feel of this passage, suggest to me, that they were simply worshipping God.

This would have included trusting God for the outcome of this imprisonment. It might have seemed untimely, but perhaps there was some reason behind it. Their prayers I reckon were more likely to be selfless, hoping that God could bring some good out of this difficult situation. This seems to be confirmed by the actions Paul and Silas took later in staying put and not escaping; which also leads us to sense that there was some level of expectation in them that God would indeed do something. Certainly God’s answer was most to do with the opportunity to witness to faith. Singing hymns, as they were, would have provided a visible positive take on what was seemingly a bad situation.

What do you also notice in verse 25?? There were others prisoners also locked up here; and as Paul and Silas worshipped God, they were “listening to them”. And obviously they were impressed – maybe, blown-away, gobsmacked … for later they did not flee when they had the chance either! And I think that, on the basis of what follows, the prison guard was listening too! When we are worshipping (in the sense of living out our spiritual lives with sincerity and integrity), people are likely listening and observing.

Then there was what is described as an “earthquake”, but may have just been a strong earth tremor that often beset this area. Either way, it was enough to shake up the prison, open up the doors, and break chains away from walls. Certainly mass escape became both possible and likely!! When the shaking stopped, the prison guard … the “jailor” … immediately thought the worst (read verse 27). He might have already been feeling the heavy responsibility of his situation, and knew well the Roman custom – that he would suffer an extreme penalty if he failed in his job. He was on the edge, himself shaken, in an extreme emotional state, and prepared to take drastic action.

Quite often human beings have to reach the brink, before they think about the most important questions in life!

Lo and behold … Paul, Silas and other prisoners were all still there! The “jailor” heard Paul remarkably call out, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here”. How did Paul know, people ask, there in the dark, that the “jailor” was ready to take such drastic action? Some say that there just must have been some semblance of light for Paul to see by. But don’t you think this is one of those moments where God speaks to our spirit about something we would otherwise be unaware of. This is like when we get that clear thought that we should contact someone or go somewhere. And it is not until we ring or arrive that we find out why – that in fact is was crucial.

Now put yourself in the jailor’s shoes. Given high responsibility, seemingly failed (although it wasn’t really in his control), prepared to end his own life … only to find that his prisoners, who surely in any normal circumstances would have been long-gone out the door, were still right there. A situation, that has seriously gone pear-shaped, still bears the possibility of survival. Yet how? This is like life that starts to expire under severe difficulty, yet there comes the possibility of rescue. This all happens in the context of the “jailor” having heard Paul and Silas spend all night worshipping God, despite their sense of injustice, extreme discomfort, possibly enduring significant suffering.

The “jailor” fell down trembling before Paul and Silas in relief, respect (and possibly in hope). Was the answer to life’s central problems to be found through these guys? The singing, the praying, the earthquake, the prisoners non-escape, the calmness of these men (Paul & Silas) – all together this was quite unusual … were these servants of God? Paul and Silas had not been worried about ‘saving’ themselves … they seemed to have a higher agenda. The “jailor” took Paul and Silas outside, perhaps indicating that he felt that they shouldn’t have been in prison in the first place … these two men surely couldn’t have hurt anybody or caused any real concern!

The “jailor” asks respectfully (in verse 30), “What must I do to be saved”? The “earthquake” didn’t kill him, and he was already spared the wrath of his employers – what was he asking? All his needs, which centred in his spiritual needs, must have suddenly been exposed. Paul had “saved’ that girl the previous day from her demon-possessed servitude. Was this his moment – had all this been orchestrated to his benefit. This “jailor” man wanted to be whole – he wanted ‘salvation’!

God had created an opportunity though which Paul and Silas could bear witness to their faith to a man on the edge. A question was asked, and we hear the direct and clear answer (refer verse 31). For most people in that day, and in this day, such a statement would need to be expanded on and explained. Who is Jesus? Religious sounding concepts would have to be broken down to real personal experiences. How does salvation work in everyday life? This is what Paul and Silas were able to do, so that this “jailor” could easily understand (v.32). Here I quote from I. Howard Marshall (emphasis added):

            We may note … that it is not enough simply to face people with gospel proof-texts; there is normally need for careful instruction adapted to their particular situation, and for personal pastoral care, if the task of evangelism is to be successful and lasting in its effects.

We note with awe the salvation of this man’s “whole household”. We would perhaps interpret this to mean that the impact on the “jailor” was so great and so complete, that naturally this would pass into a positive response from all his family members. And in these times a person’s household was broader than we might think now. It included any slaves, friends or associates that often frequented this home. This jailor’s new faith spread deeply into the local community. And we immediately see evidence of a new discipleship in this “jailor” – first washing the wounds of Paul and Silas (showing the mercy of Christ), and then being baptised (confirming absolute faith in Christ). Then followed hospitality in his [nearby] home (exhibiting the welcome of Christ), and what seems to be a bit of a worship service (participating in the community of Christ where there was corporate joy in knowing God).

3.     Contemporary Learnings

(a)  Worshipful Attitude – in good times and in bad times

Salvation shows itself to be real in all circumstances. Joy in the Lord in the midst of suffering reveals the power of true salvation. As the prophet Isaiah put it, our “gloom [shall] be like the noonday” (58:10d). This is our witness to the one true God who alone is the way of salvation.

People are listening to our 24/7 worship. When having coffee and conversation are we talking positively (not running people down); are we generally thinking expectantly and hopefully (not being overly negative and allowing things to appear wholly hopeless)?!?

(b) Caring Spirit – in prayer and action

When the opportunity came, Paul and Silas gave high attention to the possibility of someone having his needs met and coming to know Jesus. What Paul and Silas managed to achieve here, summed up the four aspects of witnessing we looked at last week – desiring (example), discerning (why the earth tremor?), inviting (“believe in the Lord Jesus”), and demonstrating (non-escape & biblical explanation).

(c)  Clear Testimony – both in the basics and in personal tones

They went to the jailor’s home – into his zone, and spent time discussing what it means to follow Jesus.

4.     Today’s Opportunity

The “jailor” and his household responded heartily to the example of faith put forward by Paul and Silas. When the path of salvation through Jesus was explained in ways that could be readily understood, they committed, and were baptised. They then immediately started on the road of discipleship (including ministries of care, hospitality and worship).

"Come & See" (John 1:43-51)

1.     Preface

Perhaps we need to be thinking more about those in the community that currently have no place of worship and don’t know Jesus.

2.     Historical Context

Jesus was out and about seeking followers. And Philip was one who followed instinctively. Some people take a while, having heard about Jesus, to make a decision. Not Philip it seems. Philip was obviously ready … he’d been prepared somehow; it was only necessary for Jesus to seek Philip out, and, in a sense, claim his future, by saying “Follow me”. We, no doubt, see God’s Spirit at work in this; but there is probably more to be seen. We might see some of the ‘back story’ explained in verse 44: Philip was from the same town (Bethsaida) as were the fisherman brothers Andrew and Peter (who had previously become Jesus’ followers). As we go back in John’s Gospel, we see that before Andrew became a disciple of Jesus he had been a follower of John the Baptist; and John the Baptist had been speaking about the One was who coming, greater than he, who would be the Messiah. So it could be that first Andrew, then Simon Peter as well, were talking up Jesus all around Bethsaida. And this word spread to Philip. There could be such a great and immediate response from Philip because the word about Jesus had already been spreading well throughout his home town. First Andrew, then Peter, now Philip – who next?

Let’s talk up Jesus! But, how do we best do this? We have recently spoken of the modern 'Pentecost languages' that effectively cross boundaries. The languages of love, compassion, hope and integrity. Let’s continue with the text.

No sooner had Philip begun to follow Jesus, than he thought of another, no doubt a friend, who should also follow Jesus. This friend was named Nathanael. Clearly the easiest place to start talking up Jesus is with those that we know, and with those who know us. Or, is that always the case? Why wouldn’t it be the case?? What gets in the way sometimes … we might wonder? Well probably this should be the case … sharing Jesus with those closest to us!! The simple statement “Philip found Nathanael” (v.45) suggests to me that Philip instinctively acted on his real care and concern for Nathanael (and wanted to introduce him to Jesus).

Philip starts with where Nathanael was at. Nathanael was obviously a well-taught Jew who knew the expectations held in the Hebrew Scriptures toward the coming of a Messiah. Some commentators suggest that the later reference to Nathanael being seen sitting under a fig tree (v.48), suggests that he was praying or meditating on the scriptures, and thus was a seeker ready for the right invitation. If this is true, then certainly Philip was ‘right on the ball’! How many people I wonder, are just waiting for a credible and sincere invitation?!?

The new revelation for Nathanael was that the Messiah had come, and, perhaps outrageously at first hearing, he was identified as a carpenter’s son from Nazareth. This particular town Nazareth did not have a good reputation, and might’ve been, in most people’s minds, the last place to have been the Messiah’s hometown. So this news was viewed with a little cynicism, maybe also a bit of suspicion. Was he being spun a tale? Sometimes people just can’t get past the ‘conventional wisdom’, and see things differently. Perhaps the great city of Jerusalem would have been more likely. But not only was Jesus born in humble circumstances in Bethlehem, but he had been brought up in the working class of Nazareth.

We encounter cynicism and suspicion at times – fair enough, we shouldn’t be defensive about this. Sometimes we have to clear up other people’s misconceptions about Jesus, whatever they might be. I hasten to say that we would want to do this gently! Our mindset would be to clear up certain misconceptions … to make Jesus more understood and more accessible to people. For example, we don’t have to attain to any level of acceptability to be welcomed by Jesus – just come as we are, and let Jesus do the rest. We can see this in the ‘works in progress’ that Jesus took on as disciples.

Nathanael had assumed certain things about the Messiah, maybe such things had been rammed down his throat for years; which may have made Nathanael less likely to appreciate Jesus. Nathanael may have expected more of a regal king type figure, but then had to get his head around Jesus being a real everyday human being. But this has to be balanced, and later Nathanael would experience the other side of Jesus – an all-seeing, all-knowing Divine God. Ultimately Nathanael would say, “Teacher, you are the Son of God … You are the king of Israel” (v.49)

How did Nathanael get here?? What was the turning point??? Philip gave Nathanael a point-by-point intellectual argument!?! NO HE DIDN’T!!! Philip’s response to Nathanael’s initial confusion was “Come and See” (v.46)! And it was to “come and see” that Nathanael responded positively … in the next verse we see Nathanael heading in the direction of Jesus.

In the case of Philip and Nathanael, this “come and see” was a direct introduction … an introduction from which a relationship could begin to develop. As Philip directed Nathanael toward Jesus, Jesus was already on the march toward Nathanael. And what did Jesus say? Did Jesus say anything about Nathanael’s shortcomings … did Jesus remark on Nathanael’s negativity toward Nazareth?? Jesus actually picked up on the most positive aspect of Nathanael’s life that he could (refer verse 47). Jesus truly encourages Nathanael toward faith. Nathanael was already a truthful and genuine person (“in whom there is no deceit” – v.47) … all he really lacked was a relationship with Jesus. There are so many good people who simply lack a relationship with Jesus to make them fully whole. On the other hand, we know there are many strugglers who need a whole of lot of help, but their greatest need still remains … a relationship with Jesus.

How then can our conversations direct people toward Jesus?

Just as Philip started his witnessing with where Nathanael was at – pointing towards the source of his traditional spiritual hope, Jesus started their relationship by pointing towards Nathanael’s area of strength. So, this suggests to us again about starting where other people are at … engaging with how they are experiencing life and how they are responding to life’s happenings.

We know that bringing people to Jesus is something we can trust – we can trust that Jesus will work with people in exactly the way they need to be. So where we have engaged with others and opportunities present themselves, and there are most likely more opportunities than we at first recognise, our response can be like Philip’s … “Come and see”. But, in these days where Jesus is not physically present, we have to ask, ‘Come where’ and ‘See what’?? We’ll return to this.

3.     Contemporary Context

This passage, through the ministry of Philip and Jesus, and the response of Nathanael, gives us some indicators concerning our public witness to the good news of Jesus. Any thoughts on this so far??? What would be important to remember?

(a)  Desiring – wanting to tell. Do we want to share about Jesus? When opportunities arise for us to speak, this would largely be about what Jesus has done for us … in a real and personal sense, more so than just doctrine. Are there people who we really want to introduce to Jesus? If we find this difficult, might it be because we are not at the moment open for Jesus doing new things in our lives … thus we haven’t much of great worth to share about!?! Effective sharing comes through the stories of what God is doing for us right now!

Philip having experienced Jesus as the Messiah immediately wanted to tell Nathanael about this. The “we have found him … [speaking of Jesus]” in verse 45 suggests to me that Philip was excited, full of faith, and confident in his discovery; which led him to an almost instinctive or spontaneous desire to share with others. This might have come over as the greatest discovery Philip had ever made, which of course it was!

NB. We should practice telling our stories of God’s various blessings with each other, which strengthens and reassures us in the desire to tell these to others.

(b) Discerning – knowing what to say. Are we listening well enough to both God and our friends, that we know what to say to them, to effectively lead them towards Jesus? Are we prayerful about this?? To effectively share such good news as Jesus is, we have to listen well and know where we can make the connections in terms of where another person is at. The key discerning question to prayerfully consider is: ‘Where are they at’?

Philip understood Nathanael’s theological mindset and background beliefs, so that he started at exactly the right place (verse 45).

Jesus started his interchange with Nathanael warmly with encouragement, which creatively opened up the possibility for further conversation (verse 47). This links with what I said recently about ‘good news’ needing to be received as ‘good news’ for it to have the desired effect. Judgment, condemnation or superiority will likely have directly the opposite effect. Jesus restricted his condemnation to the ineffective ‘religious elite’, rather than the general populace.

(c)  Inviting – this is the “Come and see” thing. But, come where; see what? Any ideas? What have you done that has worked well??

Come where? Anywhere that will take a person forward on a journey of faith. Could be church, or a small group – formal or informal, or an activity. Could be simple hospitality. Could be the local café. Could be down the path of practical help. Could be sharing in another person’s burdens, or advocating for them through a particular trial … ‘standing in the breach’. It could be standing up to be counted – making a difference on a bigger scale … ‘repairing the streets’?

How can people practically make a difference for Jesus, say, in their place of work or recreation?

Could just simply be an invitation into sharing life with us, so that over time the Jesus in us will be revealed.

[We are quite programmed to this “Come and see” idea. We get a new house, a new car, a new guitar, a new puppy, a new baby … “come and see”! So it shouldn’t be too hard to let this flow into our new spiritual discoveries.]

(d) Demonstrating – this is more the “see” bit … see what?

See what? Jesus in us, and in the way we live our lives. Seeing how people care. See how people gather together in Jesus’ name, support one another and achieve together all sorts of good community-building objectives. Ultimately seeing that God is alive and active … living in the hearts of people, and drawing close to all those who are suffering.

When Nathanael came into Jesus’ company he began to experience someone who loved him dearly, knew him well, with the potential of experiencing even more remarkable things. This, for Nathanael, was worth attaching himself to. Hopefully people might see something in us worth investigating!?!

I think the ‘seeing’ will happen gradually over time for most people. This ‘seeing’ is a process – that starts with acceptance and belonging … being welcomed and included; then becoming … gradually becoming the person each person was created to be; and ultimately believing … believing who Jesus is in total, and accepting Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Part of the ‘seeing’ is in the ‘showing’ or ‘demonstrating’, people being reflections of the Jesus that is seen in the Gospels.

4. Prologue

The ultimate goal of witnessing (to our faith), is that people, our friends and neighbours, our colleagues and acquaintances, also become disciples of Jesus. These new disciples then become partners with Jesus in the ongoing quest for more disciples.

"The Language of Integrity" (Isaiah 58:6-12)

1.     Introduction

Last week we celebrated Pentecost, and considered what the Pentecost text in Acts chapter 2 might mean for us today. You’ll remember that the ‘believers’ were able to communicate the good news of Jesus in languages that they had not previously known or learnt. These languages allowed the good news of Jesus to cross cultural boundaries to a broader audience. We talked about the different boundaries that exist today: non-belief, antagonism, bad experiences and deep hurts; some people not having even heard of Jesus or seen a credible witness to him. And we also talked about the sort of ‘language’ which would help us connect, relate and share the good news today. We mentioned the language of love, the language of compassion, and the language of hope.

There is another ‘language’ too … that is tied up in today’s reading from Isaiah 58. We can well reflect back on the ancient prophet Isaiah, because Jesus himself often fulfilled and typified these writings. When Jesus wants to explain the nature of his mission and ministry (to those gathered in the synagogue in Luke 4), he partly quotes from this passage (v.6). Isaiah often pointed out how God’s people were going wrong, and the poor affect this was having in the general community. So where many people think that the church has let them down, or worse, has hurt them, then we have to listen to these words of Isaiah (and apply them to our particular context). I think that this text should both challenge and inspire us to speak the ‘language’ of integrity.

2.     Proper Fasting

Isaiah refers here to “fasts”, and choosing the right sort of “fast”. A “fast” is generally seen as a commitment to a sacrifice of some kind, i.e. doing without, usually food, in connection with prayer, mourning or repentance, and in the quest for God’s blessing. However such “fasts” could, and often did, become mere religious rituals (where people would “fast” just for the sake of it or to be seen “fasting”). Jesus himself criticised the boastful nature of some of those who were “fasting”, who were only seeking to draw attention to themselves. In this way, “fasting” was no longer connected to the broader issues of life, and to morals and ethics, and thus was seen to be empty and wasted. So Isaiah connects the act of “fasting” to the unchallenged existence of injustice. One cannot make a big thing of their “fasting” (or their spiritual commitment) if it is not connected to the alleviation of people’s struggles.

True fasting and genuine repentance should be connected with turning away from self-indulgence and greed. Isaiah saw people, in this case employers, pretending to spiritually “fast”, while ignoring the exploitation of workers; earlier in chapter 58 we read “Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day, and oppress all your workers” (Is.58:3b). Such lack of integrity, and lack of credibility, will not please God, and will not win any fans. There is a big difference between ‘ritual fasting’ or going through habitual religious motions, to true and complete repentance that leads on to practical fruit. How often has the church self-righteously worried about the specks in the eyes of others while missing the logs in their own eyes.

If, however, on the other hand, our “fasting”, i.e. our sense of commitment and relationship to God, leads us to help those who are struggling, then look at the potential! Structure: verses 6-7 and then 9b-10a speak of the practical activity that comes out of a commitment to God, while verses 8-9a  and then 10b-12 speak of the results. There is a clear connection between our actions in response to need … and the credibility of our witness to Jesus.

It is verse 12 that most excites me! This is another “Pentecost” possibility – seeing the old “ruins” being rebuilt into something that counts, building up a “foundation” for future generations, being the “repairer of the breach” and the “restorer of streets” (v.12). We shall come back to this.

There are other great benefits listed first! As we “fast” i.e. wait upon God and properly set priorities, then:

·        our light shall break forth out of the darkness like the dawn;

·        even our more difficult times will shine out because of the way we handle them (“your gloom will be like the noonday” – v.10b);

·        our capacity for healing and durability shall quickly spring up – first, our own healing (The Lord will “make your bones strong” – v.11); and secondly our capacity to offer pathways of healing and durability to others;

·        it will be obvious that we are following a gracious giving God (“your vindicator shall go before you”), and the shadow that we cast or the reflection that we offer … will be the glory of the Lord (v.8);

·        when we are dry or thirsty, we shall become “like a watered garden” … blossoming, flourishing (v.11) – streams of ‘living water’ refresh parched and fragile places;

·        also, there will be various obvious and ground-breaking answers to our prayers – God will be clearly present with us guiding us (v.9,11). Our prayers, coupled with the right heart responses that back them up, will surely be effective. There will be something of a free-flowing relationship with God (Motyer). If … if … if!

3.     The Language of Integrity

If … if … if!! If we respond holistically!!!

‘Loosing’ the “bonds of injustice” … is really about responding to things that just are NOT right. Light can only shine where ‘evil’ is renounced! For example:

·        there are more people in slavery in the world today than ever before; there are political prisoners – in jail for simply having a different opinion; there are those under religious persecution; there are those living in refugee camps and detention centres who are ‘stateless’ and no one wants them; there are those living under incredible poverty;

·        there are the hungry who need to be fed; the poor who need clothes; there are the homeless who need to be welcomed, given accommodation and hospitality, offered a home and family (bit of a challenge the way this is put – v.7 … “bring the homeless poor into your house”);

·        also, there are our own family members who need us – v.7 … “and not to hide yourself from your own kin”, and in some cases families need to be reunited;

·        and, there is also something here about creating the environment in which quality relationships can be built (v.9b) – this involves desisting from “pointing the finger” and “speaking evil”. “Pointing the finger” in judgment, and being critical of others, is usually based around self-interest, and lifting up ourselves over others. This discouragement can be the beginning of a new oppression for others, as they start to suffer under the weight of such negative assessments. This is NOT consistent with the grace that we should be known for. James puts it this way, “From the same mouth come[s] blessing and cursing … this ought not to be so” (3:10)!

“The standard you walk past, is the standard you accept.” (This quote from a message from the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, to the Australian Army following the announcement on Thursday, 13 June 2013 of civilian police and defence investigations into allegations of unacceptable behaviour by Army members.)

This is also about fighting entrenched injustice – like William Wilberforce did in the case of slavery, and Martin Luther King in the case of racism and civil rights, Nelson Mandela with apartheid; like Mother Teresa did for the starving of Calcutta, and Malcolm Fraser with Vietnamese refugees. Many other examples.

We need to be thinking about foreign aid, about closing the gap in terms of aboriginal disadvantage, about what needs to change to address family violence. You could easily add to this.

4.     An Outstanding Vision (v.12)

It is in verse 12 that we see grand new possibilities built out of the ‘language’ of integrity. This is so important when we see people having such a struggle with life. To have a church community which is widely known as a place where help (of various natures) can be found is something to aspire to.

(a)  Whenever the ancient people of Israel were defeated by foreign enemies, their physical and spiritual home in Jerusalem was often ransacked and destroyed. Whenever they returned from a period of exile, they had the opportunity of rebuilding both their material and spiritual lives. Old “ruins” could be rebuilt. No matter how bad things get for people, there is always a chance for a re-birth. All the learnings from the past are compiled into a structure that will count for much in the future. Where people are released from what has held them back, there can be bright new horizons.

(b) This then leads to a good, solid and healthy “foundation” being built for future generations. Everything we do in this church will either build a good foundation for the future, or not!

(c)  The ‘language of integrity’ not only can heal the past and build for the future, but it can significantly impact on the present, e.g. being a “repairer of the breach”. A “breach” is some sort of separation or breakdown – a breakdown of relationship or structure or sense of well-being … some form of human brokenness. To be able to have some role in repairing what has been previously broken is a great ministry. There is that saying about ‘stepping into the breach’; this is giving help in a crisis (where others are lacking the required resources).

(d) And being the “restorer of streets”, not only suggests a positive impact on various individual homes, but also bringing healing to relationships between neighbours, and right throughout segments of the community. This involves being good listeners, interpreters, integrators, reconcilers and relational bridge-builders. This is indeed being the light that shines like the brilliantly lit city built up high on a hill (Matthew 5:14).

5.     Conclusion

I’m not sure what gets you down most as you travel through your weekly lives, or what you are most passionate about. But one thing I know for sure – we can be part of God’s solution. Let’s make sure our “fast” is one that takes into account all of God’s creation, and all of the grace and healing that God wants to bring to everyone around us.