"Good Conversations" (Colossians 4:2-6)

Introduction

These verses from Colossians are about good conversations. Because life is about relationships, it is full of conversations. If we are to make the best of the many conversations we have in a day, then we should make sure that we are having regular conversations with God – as it is God who fills us with the right sort of fuel through which we can talk effectively.

Such prayer conversations can take place anytime anywhere, however, it is important to make sure … that we are aware of God’s presence at the beginning of each day, so that we can take that assurance and knowledge of God into all the other conversations that will happen in a day. We never know when a particular conversation is going to be a life-changing matter … for another person, or even for us.

The Foundation of Prayer (v 2)

As just said, the foundational conversation we can have each day … is with God. This helps us with our perspectives on life. In praying to God, we are drawn out of any fear, or self-reliance, or any negativity … toward the God of love and grace. God is all-knowing and all-seeing, and can respond to our prayers according to a wisdom and will … far beyond our capacities.

Through our prayers, we remind ourselves that God travels with us, and that, although we will still have to face up to the challenges of the day – doors will open toward good outcomes and successful endeavours, for both ourselves and others. These good outcomes may be different to what we expected, and what we wanted, but these are the outcomes that the Kingdom of God looked forward to (for this day).

As such, we keep “alert” (like the Colossians text suggests) … “keeping alert” to how God is moving, what God is up to, how God is calling us into a partnership of mercy, how God is answering our prayers – even the prayers we haven’t quite prayed yet (because we didn’t yet have the words nor the faith). “Keeping alert” means we are not just speaking all the time, or thinking what we will pray next, but rather leaving space for listening, and also observing, offering room for God to respond and enlighten us.

Because we know that God is present and active, we don’t ever pray in vain hope, but rather with thanksgiving – because we know that this is a conversation that is being heard through the best of listening ears, and that God is thoroughly faithful to us. God is on the job, even if we haven’t quite interpreted how as yet!

Prayer for Others (v3-4)

In this prayer conversation, we are also praying for others, and especially highlighted in the text, is the one at the coalface of mission – the one who is out at the edge in their witnessing for Jesus. These are the ones who most need our prayers – the cross-cultural missionaries sharing the good news of Jesus in other countries, across a local community, and also with the person next door. This reminds us to think well beyond ourselves – that there is a spiritual move on … God is reaching out in mercy across the world, and across our community. Wherever closed doors have been encountered, we would pray for open doors to emerge.

And, the more we can engage in prayer for this movement of God’s Spirit, the more we are likely to be a part of it ourselves – to actively engage with God in His love and mercy for all humanity. Let me repeat that! The more we can engage in prayer for this movement of God’s Spirit, the more likely we are to become a part of it … and at one with it – to engage with God in His love and mercy for all humanity – rather than ever falling away into apathy, half-heartedness, or in any sense … giving in to defeat.

Two weeks ago, we talked about the tremendous success the apostle Paul had in Rome (in sharing the Gospel), despite being imprisoned and chained to a guard. Paul was successful with his Roman guards, and also as an example to the church in Philippi. I think we can gauge from the words here in Colossians, that he would attribute much of that success … to prayer.

We read these beautiful words in Isaiah chapter 50: “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word; morning by morning he wakens – wakens my ear … to listen as those who are taught” (50:4). This must be the testimony of anyone who is called to teach – that they are open and ready to be taught. We could also fairly apply this to anyone opening their mouth! 

The clarity of our presentation will directly depend upon … how close we are attending to God’s instructive words to us. Like what happened on the ‘Day of Pentecost’, when the disciples were assembled and ready to hear, and the Holy Spirit came upon them in power – we need to learn to speak in the language of those who need to hear. For this, we need God's wisdom. To this we shall return in a moment.

Integrity (v 5)

Having prayed early and throughout the day, and prepared ourselves for various interactions and conversations – our conduct, the way that we live, needs to be consistent with the desire of our prayers. This includes our ethical and moral responses to the situations around us, and also our behavioural response to any incidents that occur – especially the unexpected and unwarranted things that can happen. This is all about making it easier (and NOT harder) for someone to believe and come to know Jesus. And as verse 5 suggests, there is some urgency about getting everything in line and in harmony.

I say that the more you are known as a Jesus-person the better. But being widely recognised as a Jesus-follower bears the consequence of being held to account for one’s actions. I have NO problem with being held to a high standard … by anyone and everyone – whether or not they could meet that standard themselves! And, when I fail, I can just have the graciousness to apologise; and I do have the grace of Jesus available through which to be forgiven. Life, for the Jesus-person, is about what? Advancing the Gospel! “Making the most of the time” (v 5b) we have.

Proper Seasoning (v 6)

Having prayed for ourselves and others, with alertness and thanksgiving, keeping in mind the good passage of the Gospel message – we should consider the quality of the other conversations we have each day. Does the other person or people in our conversation come out better than when we started to talk? Do we come out of such a conversation with a sense that there was grace expressed; even that God was actively present?

Our “speech”, according to verse 6, needs to be “gracious” and “salty” (v 6).

To be “gracious” is to apply the grace we know in theory, and that is gradually changing our lives … to the very real circumstances and interactions we have each day, and also to the relationships we are seeking to build. “Graciousness” will be seen in love, compassion, encouragement, welcome, hospitality, and the value in which we hold another person. In a very personal sense, to be “gracious” … will often mean apologising and asking for forgiveness. Being “gracious” will also mean … granting forgiveness. To be “gracious” would also indicate open and honest communication, where issues that may have divided, are dealt with constructively.

To “season” conversations with “salt”, is to bring good taste, flavour and life to people; to offer words that touch the heart and make a difference; a conversation that will tend towards preserving or saving someone … where otherwise there may have been loss or ruin. This is all especially important to consider … when we are put on the spot, as we often are – when someone needs an “answer”, and when this “answer” might have monumental significance. We can leave someone stuck where they are, or perhaps, with “salt” – we can make a strong contribution to their future well-being.

Can we be wise in our words? Such wisdom comes from God, and we should be seeking this wisdom … in prayer and in the Word. Also, can we deduce the right moment to speak into someone’s life? Can we produce a good word in the right season? Are we fully prepared for that conversation … that might happen before we know it? Will we be able to happily enter into a redemptive conversation with someone – where ‘redemptive’, or ‘redeeming’, means bringing something back … to where it should be?

Proverbs 15:23 reads, “To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone, and a word in season, how good it is” (NRSV).

Or, in the NLT, “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!

Hard Conversations

This brings me to the area of “hard” conversations – those conversations we would prefer not to have, yet are needed. They are needed if others are to thrive, and needed if we are to follow our calling (of bringing grace and salt). These could be conversations around our witness to Jesus – where such conversations are hard for us, because we are uncertain of the reactions we will get – but nonetheless, we strongly sense, something has to be said! Or, these could be conversations where we have to say something strident, or something that, in our sense of discernment and wisdom … just needs to be said – because the other person is just plainly going down the wrong path.

“Salt” also prevents corruption – so, how can we (wisely and effectively) prevent corruption? This is in the area … of being our brother and our sister’s keeper – keeping them from unnecessary pain; or, more positively, aiding their spiritual growth. Hebrews 10:24 says we should “provoke” one another toward love and good deeds. We are thus looking for a reaction that results in positive change.

Therefore, given the chance, we will NOT ‘enable’ a person to keep going down the wrong track … just because it’s easier for us, and avoids conflict, or is less risky! It would be easier to just nod our head, but that is NOT salty NOR gracious. I don’t have that many regrets in my life – nothing that I lose too much sleep about – except those times when I should have said something better than I did. I should have been more willing to speak about Jesus, or I should have said something stronger than I did … to help someone else think differently (than they were).

I was struck recently, when I read an essay by the famous writer and pastor F W Boreham. He was reflecting upon Judas, and the deep dilemma he had got himself into … leading ultimately to his betrayal of Jesus, and his own personal destruction. We bemoaned with sadness last week how Judas had walked away from Jesus. In this essay, Boreham wondered what the other disciples were doing … while Judas was going down the tubes.

What did they say when Judas put too much focus on money? What did the other disciples say to him, when Judas started to look disaffected with the way things were going? When they went out on mission two-by-two, what was the disciple with Judas talking to him about? How could they let things go so far wrong for Judas? Interesting thoughts. Challenging thoughts!

Lori Stanley Roeleveld, who has written a book on this topic, writes, “I believe hard conversations are a sacred art, a calling of Christ on our lives, a kingdom-building work [that] he compels and equips us to do”. We see people who are stuck. We see people making bad decisions. We see people complacent, inactive, uncooperative or fearful. What do we say? We search for the right words through which we can intervene.

What might we have said to Judas? What could have been deemed honest and wise feedback to Judas? We might have gently suggested that he, Judas, put aside his personal expectations … for just a moment, and simply sit at Jesus’ feet … to really learn from him!

Self-examination

Now, in all of this, we have to be sure to ask ourselves, in the presence of God … is this (hard) conversation we’re thinking of … totally in the best interests of the other person, without being unduly biased by our own particular agendas? Is this (hard) conversation going to be pure in motive? Is this (hard) conversation fully grounded and timed IN LOVE? We have to attend to this, as James chapter 3 reminds us … of the power of the tongue to do evil, and how easy it is to fall in this area.

Speaking the truth must happen in love. Even hard conversations must be undertaken with this graciousness (we have spoken of), and due sensitivity, and generosity of heart. Otherwise, an argument may be won, but a person (even a friend) can be lost!! Conversation can NEVER be used as a blunt instrument. And a broad brush can NEVER be arbitrarily applied across a whole group, as if everyone was in the same boat. That would tend to unnecessarily make innocent people feel under judgment or condemnation. Everyone is unique and different … and must be respected and loved as such.

Both sides of the coin are picked up in Proverbs 12:18, which reads: “Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”. So ‘hard conversations’ require wisdom that only comes from God, and patience that only comes in full measure from the Holy Spirit. Hopefully ‘tough conversations’ can happen within supportive relationships where trust has the time to build. Reflecting back on Proverbs 15:23a – whereas we may not be thanked at the time (quite possibly the opposite), hopefully in hindsight … there will be gratitude expressed.

Conclusion

So, we have travelled full circle back to prayer – our need of prayer … to make the best of our earthly conversations. Prayer is certainly the link … that makes redemptive and life-changing conversations possible.

In referring to Jesus, Luke recorded that, “All … were amazed at the gracious words that came out of his mouth” (4:22). And, we heard last week, how Peter had concluded, through his knowledge of Jesus, that Jesus, in fact, had the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68). This means that everything that Jesus said … pointed people in the right direction, confronted their biggest needs, and brought them closer to their best experience of salvation.

Can we do the same? Think of Zacchaeus, and how Jesus brought him the most “gracious” encouragement; but also think of Peter – how Jesus needed to be direct and “salty” with him, though fair and purposeful, at that famous moment when Peter was trying to divert Jesus away from following God’s will.

Prayer

May God, as we commune with him, guide us in understanding, and bring to our mind those words that we will need to use … in all the important conversations we enter this week and next; while, at the same time, we will have the right loving attitude that fully considers the unique situation the other person is in – so that we do NOT act out of our own need, but rather truly through the beautiful mercies of our loving God. Amen!

"Misguided Expectations" (John 6:52-71)

Prelude

Why do people walk away? Why is it that even we are sometimes tempted to walk away from Jesus? I know some people get hurt. Sometimes people say they are only walking away from the church, and not God (and we can perhaps understand why) – but this can’t really be so in reality – because to follow Jesus means being a connected part of his body … the local church. People try to go it alone, but this usually leads to either failure or error … or both.

We read, “Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him” (John 6:66). We should note that, apart from Judas (who betrayed Jesus), this wasn’t members of the main “Twelve”, but still these were those who had connected with Jesus to some degree, and then changed their minds.

Why do people walk away? Why might we, under certain circumstances, walk away? I don’t think this just happens in the moment – there is a lot happening, or more so … NOT happening, in the lead-up. I want to examine what the “this” is here (v 66). Because of ‘what’ … is the question. It can’t just be disappointment – you can’t really be disappointed with Jesus, can you! That is, unless you have the wrong expectations of Jesus (to begin with)! Do we have misguided expectations around Jesus?!? Have we NOT properly considered what following Jesus actually means?

We hear the call. We sense the possibility of faith. We accept Jesus. What do we expect to happen next? What do you think you’ll get out of this? Now … that’s the wrong question – and likely leads to misguided expectations! It’s NOT so much what Jesus wants to give us, but rather what Jesus wants to BE for us!!

Introduction

[I’m just going to throw all this out there, and see how it lands for you.] As we read through the whole of John chapter 6, we sense the major problem. People were coming to Jesus simply for what they could get from him. And they weren’t easily satisfied; and they weren’t able to discern the deeper meanings of what Jesus was doing for them (and in their midst). When you are only focussed inwardly on your own needs, to the exclusion of others, you can’t see the bigger picture – it is just blocked from view.

And when you don’t get this foundation right – when you don’t get Jesus in the right perspective – when you aren’t able to see the bigger picture of God’s Kingdom reign – then anyone in this position is likely to eventually fall away … when certain circumstances arise. We must see beyond the quick fix … to a total life transformation – from the old life to the new creation. “[God] wants to penetrate the dark corners of our inner lives and deal with the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts – to transform us into a people who radiate his beauty and grace” (Nancy Guthrie).

It is NO good to want Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to apply to us, while we ignore the harder parts of his teaching. Those that walked away that day (in John’s account), would have been happy with an abstract sacrificial act that legally dismissed their sin. But they were NOT willing or able to … “eat of Jesus’ flesh and drink of his blood” (v 54) – which meant consuming all of who Jesus is, identifying fully with Jesus’ life, adopting his teaching, following him in spirit and in truth, and replicating his brand of sacrificial service. We have to pursue a relationship with the “Bread of Life” (6:35), and that in turn changes everything.

Because we love and follow Jesus above all else, even his hardest teachings become possible, even loving our enemies. I have been reading Ernest Gordon’s book “Miracle on the River Kwai”, largely about his torturous experiences in Japanese run prisoner-of-war camps, and how Gordon, upon his remarkable conversion, had to work out how he could love his enemies. How could he look at his Japanese guards in a different way (that would be more consistent with Jesus’ teaching), while many of his believing comrades were understandably struggling with this? For, to not take all of Jesus on board, including his hard teachings, would put at risk … staying true and moving forward.

Text

As I said earlier, in John 6, we see people who are never satisfied, unless their immediate physical needs are met. Having been present at the feeding of the five thousand, they still wanted more signs, leaving Jesus to conclude that they were only really interested in the bread and fish for their own immediate satisfaction (perhaps even motivated by greed for more even beyond their need). Earlier, they wanted to forcibly make Jesus king, simply for their own personal and political advantage (6:15). They had NOT moved their imagination on … from physical bread over to spiritual bread, and from Jesus the physical person, to Jesus – the Son of God.

And so, these people were caught in the trap of their misguided expectations! And, as we have said, so can people today. In this time of ultra-individualism, of what’s in it for me – if we are not careful in the way we share the Gospel, we can sort of enable (ongoing) individualism rather than challenging it. We can sort of play into … the ‘what’s in it for me’ thing … for expediency sake (to get a result), rather than painting a far more biblical and communal picture.

Left in an individualistic mindset, people expect things like: material blessing, continual proof of God being real, healing on demand, personal advantage, independence with no accountability, and an easy-ride – but these are misguided expectations, that can lead to disappointment, and in turn … to people walking away. Some motivations, then and now, have proved to be shallow.

1. People think their material situation will necessarily improve (6:26), when really it is the things of the Spirit they should be concentrating on. The bread people received when the five thousand were fed was meant to indicate that Jesus was the bread of life – eternal life – life in all its fullness. The spiritual significance of this bread needs to be properly interpreted. Even God’s radical act of grace itself, seen in Jesus dying on a cross, is NOT simply for our satisfaction. This is an act of grace that is supposed to lead to a different world, to a richer experience of community – to new creation on a grand corporate scale!

2. People think they need to see particular, more spectacular and ongoing ‘signs’ (6:30) to prove God, when we have already experienced enough blessing, and should just live by faith. Faith is not really ‘faith’, if it all has to be spelt out! The Hebrews (11:1) definition of faith is best – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. People in Jesus’ day had already seen enough ‘signs’ to ably identify that Jesus was the Son of God – they had just witnessed a small amount of fish and bread … feed at least five thousand people. What more should we need! Were they so forgetful? Were they really just plain close-minded? It’s often just a matter of opening our eyes, and looking beyond. We have already seen God operating in changed lives, and bringing diverse groups of people together … living and serving in unified ways. To need proof all the time is a misguided expectation, leading to disappointment!

3. Many only sought Jesus because he healed the sick (6:2); but Jesus always wanted to downplay this because people were NOT properly interpreting the ‘signs’. "Don't tell anyone", Jesus often said. Some people think that Jesus will always necessarily heal them physically, when clearly God only acts according to His own will – which naturally accords perfectly with his best intentions and purposes for the collective Kingdom. As elusive as this is, as hard as this is – we have to come to understand that sometimes we have to find a way through our difficulties and less-than-ideal situations, while growing closer to the One who understands perfectly what it means to suffer.

4. People think, as they did in his own time, that Jesus would change the political landscape to their own advantage, to make life easier for them; when Jesus was fully focussed on a spiritual kingdom (whereby his followers would live with integrity and the sort of heightened ethics that would make an accumulative difference for good in the face of the world as it is). This was still the thinking around the ‘Palm Sunday’ procession (Luke 19:37-38) when they were hailing a ‘king’ – yet when these misguided expectations were dashed, the conversation changed to “Crucify Him” (Luke 23:21). This is similar to those who walk away from Jesus today … sometimes with deep antipathy.

5. People think that they are basically okay and can remain independent, maybe just needing the name of Jesus, but NOT necessarily the life of Jesus. We don’t easily see the darkness of our soul, nor our need for ongoing mercy, that we are broken and lost (v 53). Some people don’t see their need of community – a new community of brothers and sisters … through which we gain encouragement, learn our purpose, utilise our gifts and reach our potential. So, when the misguided expectation of individual self-reliance fails them … people walk away!

6. People think that, having accepted Jesus, everything should be plain and easy (v 60), yet Jesus taught in parables, and demonstrated truth with ‘signs’ – demanding that we think and observe deeply, and be open and ready to allow God’s Spirit to lead our understanding. Because there were some, and one notable disciple in particular (i.e. Judas) that wanted everything wrapped up in a neat easy bundle (handed to them on a plate) – when this was NOT going to be the case (v 66) … they dropped away (like dead flies), and Judas would actually betray Jesus (v 71). That there was “complaining” or grumbling afoot (refer v 61), suggests that desertion is not far away. Perhaps the evangelists are sometimes at fault, when they make it all sound so easy (especially in the emotion of the moment), or when they emphasise the personal to the exclusion of the relational or communal.

Sad Outcomes

So, if we’re coming to Jesus for what we want, or what we’ll get out of it – we’re coming with the wrong attitude. And, we’ll likely fall away. Haven’t we seen this many times before. Someone comes into the proximity of Jesus because they want a quick fix, physical improvement, a new partner, more money, a better job – and when they don’t get it they fall away. And it’s so hard to get them back, because their mindset is just in the wrong place. Maybe they have been deceived? Maybe they have been set-up for failure … because they have been promised too much or the wrong sort of things (to begin with). Maybe … we have failed them!? We would have to confess … that sometimes our presentation of the Gospel has been too simplistic. We have to be careful what we promise!

I reflect with great sorrow on people I know who have drifted away after a promising start, knowing that humble repentance and a spiritual transformation was NOT really what they were looking for. And when placed in the context of true worship and spiritual community – there is sometimes too great a contrast to hide (and so there should be). The real and true invitation is to accept Jesus as saviour, friend and master, and then to take that back into the cut and thrust of life come what may. And that should be enough – because all our burdens, and all our sin, and all our baggage, and all our hurt … can be lifted off us … as we embrace that (beautiful) mercy coming down to us from the cross on which Jesus died.

Proper Expectations

How do we bring back those who have walked away? Often it will be an endless and fruitless task to try to repair what has been in the past. We will never be able to make up for or heal the complexity of what has gone wrong for different people – the various ways in which they have been disappointed! We need to present something new – something that is working for us (all of us) here and now. People who have walked away, need a completely new version of what it is to accept and follow Jesus – a very biblical vision, and a vision that they can readily and broadly interpret as being effective. And, we need to gently love them. 

As we talked about two weeks ago, when we pray “Give us this day our daily bread”, Jesus doesn’t actually give us physical bread – for Jesus is the bread. What is on offer is more of him. For Jesus said, “I am the bread of life – whoever comes to me will never be hungry” (John 6:35). It’s all about experiencing him, and being fully alive because we know him. And, such an act of sacrifice as Jesus brought to all humanity - brings service to the very heart of true Christianity. The only real expectation we should have is a relationship with Jesus, that grows each day, such that:

1. we are ‘shifting’; that we are gradually becoming, in following his example, more like Jesus;
2. we are becoming more able, through forgiving one another and becoming encouragers, to form the sort of relational community that God already is … and created us to be; and,
3. we are becoming effective witnesses that draw other people in … toward an authentic experience of Jesus (like we are currently experiencing).

We have choice and responsibility here. Those who are patient through difficulty, doubt, despair or derision, and who are open to see what there is to see – then the Holy Spirit will bring the understanding that is needed. A willingness to wait upon God, unlike those who were impatient for spectacular ‘signs’, displays the right motivation, and the sort of enquiring and faithful attitude that will last the distance.

In John’s Gospel, the nouns for ‘faith’ or ‘belief’ are never used; only the verb is used … ‘believe’ – suggesting something very active – ‘believing’, or as Robert Kysar puts it, “a dynamic becoming”. In this sort of relationship, where each know the other well, there is NO coming-and-going due to any displeasure, but rather a settled and resolute decision for Jesus – who is, after all, the “Holy One of God” (v 69).

Conclusion

Eternal life, especially as it is presented in John’s Gospel, is simply about doing life … with Jesus in your corner – well, actually … with Jesus in the centre of the ring. Many had sadly walked away, so Jesus, with compassion and great hope, said to his disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” (v 67). In reply, Peter was spot on, even though he didn’t know totally the depth of what he was saying.

Peter said, “You have the words of eternal life” … there is NO other place to go, and NO other person to see (v 68). It is all about hanging on to Jesus – who has the words of eternal life in every syllable he speaks and in every action he takes. And, despite Peter’s failures, in knowing this to be true – Peter was able to make it all the way. He had decided to follow Jesus – no turning back, no turning back! Amen!

"Embracing the Adventure" (Philippians 1:12-14 & Acts 28:16-31)

Prelude

We can often have a negative reaction to sharing our faith in Jesus. What will they think? Will I be rejected? Will I be embarrassed? How will I respond to their questions? Does my life stack up?

And we can react defensively when sharing faith seems to be against the tide, or seems to sit strangely within the environment we are in … perhaps being under the perceived pressure of possible personal attack. We would rather it be easier to share our faith – and sometimes we want others, including governing authorities, to make it easier for us.

To answer the first point … about any nervousness – we should be seeking to grow in such a way that we don’t have to think about sharing Jesus or witnessing to Jesus – because it just happens naturally, as a matter of course. We are so enthralled by, and committed to, Jesus, it just happens. If our testimony is accepted – fantastic! If our faith is rejected, and we have done our best in presenting Jesus in the most favourable of lights – so be it! We are NOT accountable for the results – only for sowing the seeds.

To answer the second point … about any defensiveness – the Gospel has always made greater gains in times of discomfort rather than ease, in times of persecution rather than cultural acceptance. The Gospel has tended to lose its edge when it comes into the mainstream. It easily becomes sanitised, and the radical need for repentance and being born again gets lost. The early church was successful in sharing the Gospel against the tide, as Paul points out in his letter to the Philippians.

Introduction

The possibilities of nervousness and defensiveness are addressed as we listen to Paul. Paul had complete victory over any fear or defeatism. Paul, following a radical conversion … from enemy of the Gospel to its chief proponent, became so transformed that his very life spoke about Jesus. And, as Paul attracts opposition (from those who would resist the Gospel message), he continues undeterred in effectively sharing the name of Jesus. In so doing, and in so BEING, Paul gains a whole lot of interest for the Gospel.

Paul embraces the adventure of sharing the good news about Jesus, to both Jew and Gentile, through whatever circumstances he finds himself in. Paul sees that each situation he is in, no matter how difficult, as a God-given opportunity to make some ground for the Kingdom of God. Paul’s level of faith-sharing never wavered under severe testing – it actually brought an even greater contrast to the broken ways of the world. The darker it got, the brighter Paul shone. This is why Paul NEVER lamented his circumstances.

Paul actually saw his imprisonment in Rome as a positive – Phil 1:12 – “… what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel”. We see this happen in sometimes very unexpected ways. We shall see shortly (from Acts 28 e.g. v 22), that when the Gospel was being spoken against in some quarters, this gave Paul all the more opportunity to speak for it! Circumstances should NOT be relevant – we should NOT let them define us or divert us – we just live for Jesus, come what may. And lest we think this too idealistic – this is how Paul went about it, as have many great Christian saints and martyrs over the centuries.

It’s NOT that you want persecution, or feel superior by persecution, it’s just that what comes … is what comes! We should NEVER allow nervousness or fear or defensiveness or defeatism in the door! We have the Holy Spirit!! Victory will be ours in Christ!!! The means by which we share Jesus … alter as different situations arise; and methods change (as God reveals them to us) – while the Gospel remains the most powerful message of hope in the world!

Paul’s Circumstances (Acts 28:16-31)

We should also read through the incident likely lying behind these words in Philippians (that’s in Acts 28).

Due to various agenda-ridden concerns over the direction of Paul’s message, and trumped-up charges pending against him, Paul was placed under house-arrest, and was closely guarded (lest he step out of line), likely chained by the wrist (Acts 28:16,20). Paul had NO freedom of movement. You could easily see the down-side of this. Yet there was never a sense that Paul was worried about this perceived lack of freedom. Let’s look at this another way! Paul, being restricted to home, was able to regularly receive visitors, and have people coming and going … interested as to why this man had caused such a stir. Why was this man’s message such a threat (especially to the religious and civil ruling authorities)?!

There would likely be curiosity and strong interest in Rome … why this well-reasoned man was attracting such opposition to his ideas. The fact that Paul (and his unique message) had attracted opposition, actually opened a door of opportunity! And plenty came (28:23) – just imagine the great discussions to-and-fro there would have been. And many responded to the good sense and truth in Paul’s words – there were people who were “convinced by what he had said” (28:24a). At the very least, this means some wanted to know more, and at the very best, some became ‘converts’. Some were certainly now on a good path towards faith. Yes, some didn’t believe – but that is always the case. The exciting thing is that … there were new believers.

And Paul didn’t bother defending himself, nor the “sect” as it was known, but rather just talked about Jesus and His Kingdom. No … Paul was NOT worried about his lack of freedom – for he sensed that he was where God wanted him to be. Paul’s central concern was being faithful to the Gospel – he was in chains in the service of Christ Jesus. Paul was always looking for new adventures of faith. Paul was so far out of any comfort zone – no comfort zone even existed anymore. Paul was out on a limb, and simply on fire for Jesus. Paul had been saved from his past religious slavery … simply into a love affair with Jesus! Paul would stand with Jesus, no matter what! And the faithful way in which he dealt with his unjust punishment … was very impressive indeed!

Paul’s positive attitude to his situation … spoke heaps about his relationship with Jesus!! This is a lesson to us … that the sharing of the Gospel should NOT be restricted to only when things are going well. In fact, finding authentic ways to share the Gospel message under suffering, is actually far more powerful than when life is easy. Yes, times can be tough, but we are seeing how God is entering our suffering, and how God is gently nurturing our way forward in being effective people in His service. Old time commentator G Campbell Morgan talked about how adverse conditions can be the allies of our soul (and ministers of victory) in the hands of God.

As mentioned, it is likely that Paul was chained (perhaps loosely) to a single guard … who would be on a four-hour shift. Think about this another way! This guard would be chained to Paul for a four-hour period!!! And then another guard would take over. There would be a revolving and repeating roster of guards … who would have no choice but to listen to Paul. Paul could be chained, but the Gospel COULD NOT! It was actually Paul who had the captive audience!! Paul may have looked forward to the return of particular guards who had shown some particular interest or had responded in certain ways. Paul may have also looked forward to the possibility of a new guard being assigned to him. And we are told … that this went on for at least two years (28:30).

Paul’s Results (Philippians 1:12-14)

Paul reflects on the results of this back in Philippians chapter 1 at verse 12 onwards –  “… what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, SO THAT IT HAS BECOME KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE IMPERIAL GUARD and to everyone else …”. It seems certain that, as some of the guards … Paul actually refers to “the whole imperial guard” … accepted the Gospel message, it also spread, through them, to their wider circle, and then further throughout Rome (Phil 4:22, Acts 28:28).

Such was the power of all this – so many came to understand, in the face of his persecution, that this was far from pointless, for Paul was imprisoned in the service of the Jesus of whom he spoke. And there was a further outcome, at least equally significant – in verse 14. Paul’s positive attitude and life-orientation had served to embolden all the other Christians. Whereas other believers may naturally have become discouraged by Paul’s arrest and ongoing imprisonment – the opposite had actually happened!

Just in the way the beginning of verse 12 is phrased – “I want you to know …”, suggests that Paul was wanting to clear up a possible misunderstanding. The church in Philippi may have had very negative feelings about the implication of Paul’s imprisonment for them – they could have seen this as a major setback. Yet, that is ONLY how it looked – not how it was! Paul was very keen to say that his imprisonment was NOT a reason to retreat – quite the contrary!!

There was purpose to be found behind this situation. This imprisonment had NOT been detrimental, but rather advantageous to the Gospel – NOT a disaster, but a plus! The believers in Rome were on fire for Jesus! They too (v 14), following Paul’s example, were confidently spreading the Word. Now, the believers in Philippi could do the same!

We can look at the signs … and fear and defeatism can build. Or, we can be that sort of community where we embolden each other (through encouragement and example) … in our positive life journey of living and sharing Jesus!

Conclusion

We need to allow God’s Spirit to build Jesus so strongly into us … that all fear (of other people’s contrary views) … disappears, and any defeatism (about how the world is going) … is silenced. This DOESN’T mean we become, in any way, insensitive to the great variety of stories out there, through which there is a great struggle around issues of faith. Certainly we listen first, and pray next – but we surely also keep the lines of sharing open. This simply means we fully own who we are in our own Jesus-following life … and live that out in the public gaze.

Sometimes this means coping with, and excelling through, the opposing barbs of people who are quite close to us (very close to us). This can be quite painful. Sometimes we have to keep following Jesus … when others think we are mad. In this we are in good company; for many in Jesus’ own family circle, and in his own hometown of Nazareth … thought, during the early stages of his ministry, that he was mad (Mark 3:19b-35)!

Postscript

The Book of Acts dramatically closes with this emphatic statement of the ongoing witness to Jesus. Paul spoke with “boldness”. How might we understand “boldness”? Confidently, courageously, clear, open, unobscured, thoroughly in the truth; publicly, without fear of consequences. And in this there was NO hindrance!! NO effective obstacle! This was a winning message!! The Holy Spirit was at work, such that no circumstances could repel the Gospel as it was shared with “boldness”. And, in a way, at the end of Acts, the ball has been passed to future generations of missionaries.

Where there are let-downs, failed experiments, false hopes, broken promises, and unmet expectations … everywhere – people will still respond to a positive, grace-filled, truth-filled, clear expression of good news. People are searching, and will be prepared to travel on a path paved with hope, sincerity and friendship … towards the greatest of discoveries. The Holy Spirit is working, opening doors, providing opportunities, blessing “bold” expressions of faith. Let’s fully embrace the adventure! We are all part of Acts chapter 29. And the Gospel will NOT be thwarted. Amen!

"Our Daily Bread" (Matthew 6:11)

Prelude

Last week I commenced by suggesting that we should leave our frustrations and disappointments with last year in last year. This is because there is so much to embrace this year … that will contribute to the work of art that God is seeking to paint – both in our lives individually, and in our lives together in the church. If we only look back, we don’t clearly see our way forward. As Nancy Guthrie writes, “Do you want to settle for staying where you are, or do you long for more faith adventures with God”?

Introduction

Here is my verse for the new year – hear my prayer for this new year – “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). This is part of Jesus’ model prayer, part of the answer Jesus gave when he was asked by his disciples to teach them how to pray. As such, this is NOT so much a request for actual “bread”, but more so a statement of trust that God will provide for our needs. In praying these words, we feel secure in God’s level of care for us.

Yet we don’t take this for granted – making the request, knowing that God will supply our needs, opens the path toward further expressions of gratitude. In this, as this is a daily attitude, we see each new day as an opportunity for some fresh experience of God’s goodness to us. "Give us this day our daily bread": this is the prayer of someone who wants to live simply, one day at a time, and depend upon God in the same way as Jesus depended upon God.

For those of us who have the resources to begin to think they are self-sufficient – here is a challenge. This is a prayer to help re-ground and re-focus us … in an understanding of the real source of all life’s resources; and, as we shall see, our responsibility to share them. We shall also see that the ultimate “bread” is NOT the bread we eat, but rather, actually, the words that come from the mouth of God.

Text

This verse could be translated, “Give us today our bread for tomorrow”. This reflects the Palestinian practice of baking tomorrow’s bread today, but NOT being concerned beyond that (because God will have that covered). As God has surely provided our “bread” each day, our simple request is for that to be repeated on a daily basis – no more than that! This also represents the real life precarious situation of many people in Jesus’ day, who would need to gain work … if they were going to put tomorrow’s bread on the table.

This again shows that all blessings including employment (and, in our time, social welfare) have their origin in God’s bounty. For those with 'plenty' … for those without such material concerns, with ample supplies in their pantry - Jesus criticised (on another occasion) stock-piling of goods as faithless, preferring that any excess resources were given away. [It is in this giving away of excess, that the outcome of everyone receiving their daily bread can be achieved.] This all is intended towards us building our surety in God on a day-to-day basis, rather than only calling on God when certain needs happen to occur.

God wants us to be free from worry on the one hand, and free from alternative points of reliance on the other. God wants us to be free from all complications that would block us from trusting Him, growing in relationships with others, being involved in community-building activities, and serving the needs around us. We need to develop a good and healthy balance between wise planning and trusting God (in the unknown future).

Nancy Guthrie writes, “God wants to change what we want; [God] wants to free us from the tyranny of wanting what will never completely satisfy us”. 

So, with all this in mind, how can we fairly define or understand what is meant by “bread” here?

“Bread” itself, being a staple food, represents basic everyday needs or necessities, rather than luxuries or simple desires. So we might extend the word “bread” here to also represent: shelter, basic clothing, and access to health-care, and then adequate employment, and the level of education that makes gaining work possible. Where work isn’t possible, for a variety of reasons – to other means of financial support. This definition of “bread” could extend to some access to transport – but NOT too much further.

Yet, if we think about life ‘staples’ … we could also fairly add: companionship, encouragement and friendship – being necessities to a life with well-being. Dr Allan Meyer teaches, in Careforce Lifekeys programs, that the most important things human beings need are: acceptance, value and belonging. I will soon go on myself … to include the things of the Spirit … as the most important understanding of the “bread” we need every day.

The Shared Loaf

That the prayer here is about “our” bread, again reminds us that we don’t live as disconnected individuals, but rather as families, churches and communities, where resources, especially the necessities, are (or should be) shared. God is often blamed for the starving masses, where we actually know that, in this world, there is NOT a supply problem, but rather a distribution problem. The request for “our” bread, means that we are equally concerned for everyone else’s need for particular forms of “bread”.

Spiritual Bread

What I have been leading up to, is … I think we can fairly extend “bread” here … to ‘spiritual bread’. The things of the Spirit are just as, if not more important than, physical sustenance. After all, when famished in the desert, Jesus was offered physical bread by the devil – Jesus said, “Man shall NOT live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). And when Jesus is teaching about who he is (in John’s Gospel), we hear him say, “I am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35).

So actually, God himself is the destination of our search for “bread”. It’s NOT so much that God gives bread – but that God IS the “bread”, and offers us Jesus. Jesus is WHO we need most! So now we read and pray these words a bit differently – “Give us this day our daily BREAD”!! "Give us this day our daily JESUS!! We need to be open for what God has for us today. What can we learn? How can we grow? Where can we be healed? John 6:35 … “I am the Bread of Life – whoever comes to me will never be hungry”. Lovers of good bread … may appreciate this analogy. 

“Jesus is the answer to all our needs – our calling is to know him, explore him, enjoy him, experience him, and then share him” (Frank Viola via Bob Dudley). This is all about engaging with Jesus, and engaging with everything that happens in a day … as if there is something to learn. Each day affords an experience or two that we can grow through and take forward. God is wanting to show us something.

A False Reliance

Just like we might improperly rely on that over-full pantry, we too often might rely on the things we have learnt in the past, as if there is nothing more to learn – thereby missing a whole lot of new insights. We should be on that daily routine of seeking today’s bread for tomorrow’s use! Are we only relying on old (sometimes outdated) information? This is like the food that is stored for too long, or under the wrong conditions, and it just goes off! That’s why we only want the food for the next 24 hours!

Are we only applying failed old solutions to our old and ongoing problems?! We need new solutions! Are we relying on certain old rituals or routines or retreats … that are actually powerless to work well for us today? Do we fail to interact with the new and exciting, because we are stuck in the old and worn. As Jesus says, new wine … requires new wineskins. Is the reason why we find life so challenging … is because we are seeking the answers in the wrong places?! In so doing, we would likely miss what God is saying to us today – to nourish us in light of today’s problems.

We “daily” need the truth that comes from “the mouth of God”. This might be exactly the ‘word’ we need to sustain us. Someone, especially a good trustworthy truth-teller, may have something we need to hear – maybe helping us with a ‘blind-spot’. Or, if our eyes are sufficiently open, we will likely see something that turns a particular difficult situation right around! “Give us this day our daily bread” – that which interacts with today’s problem … for tomorrow’s benefit!

The Mouth of God

God speaks most assuredly and most often through the Bible – that why is we call it God’s Word. There are so many resources for today’s living in the Bible – and God continues to speak freshly through it each day. There is much more light and truth to emerge from God’s Word … as we give ourselves to it, and spend time in it. And we don’t want to be blocked by how we have always understood a particular passage – there may just be something new to be seen and applied.

We need to dig deeply below the surface. Yet, sometimes our bible study is fairly minimalist – maybe just a dutiful surface reading – maybe only for reassurance, thereby missing the challenge or the full impact. But the answers are there to the biggest problems, counteracting some of the lies we may have previously accepted. You can actually break down the teaching of Jesus into very practical ways of going about life – giving us the basic forms and patterns for living … in the most satisfying and productive of ways.

It’s amazing how you can read a passage, even one you have read many times before, and discover a new way that it speaks, seemingly uniquely, into your life right now. Yet this opportunity is too often sadly ignored. When Jesus looked down at Jerusalem from a distance, he wept over this city, because they had ignored and missed their opportunity of feeding from the ‘Bread of Life’ (Luke 19:41-44). We can carry on endlessly talking about our problems and get nowhere, or, we can delve into the Word of God for significant life-changing answers.

Nancy Guthrie again: “Most of us come to the Word of God looking for advice to help us fix ourselves up a little, only to discover that God wants to do something far more dramatic and intense. [God] wants to penetrate the dark corners of our inner lives, and deal with the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts – to transform us into a people who radiate his beauty and grace”. {The One Year Book of Hope}.

The Bible is a living guidebook … that travels our journey with us!!! Again, because we are concerned with “our” bread, we are equally concerned for the spiritual needs and growth of those who we are in community with in the church. That is why the most important dynamic in the church is … ? … encouragement, which when combined with forgiveness, can make for a pretty special community (full of light and transformation).

Conclusion

“Give us this day our daily bread” – this means dwelling in the day with God, recognising God’s presence in certain happenings, seeing each day as a gift, and, looking to see how this day brings good fuel for the next day. Let us never get stuck!! Every day we need something new … to keep us moving forward toward healing, and maturing into the image of Jesus. God is waiting to give you what you need to enter your best future! Amen!!