Walking in step

Seeking to be an authentic community of disciples, becoming more like Jesus - walking in step with God, alongside each other and seeing lives transformed

Last Friday, in our series of weekly posts exploring our Vision here at CBC, we looked at the idea of walking - that our faith is a journey. Obviously we start where we are, but this is not where we expect to end up. This week I want to think specifically about what it means to be walking in step with God. If you've missed any of the previous posts click on the relevant link above or use the 'Vision' label below to read the whole series. 

As we think about this theme of walking in step with God there are two important ideas that I want us to explore. There is the encouragement that comes from knowing that God is with us as we are on this journey. But the 'in step' part also comes with a challenge to obedience - to be in step with God, rather than out of step.

At the end of last year as we went through the process of discerning God's vision for us, one of the themes that came through repeatedly was a desire to do what God wants. To be obedient to his will. We're happy to stop stuff that we're already doing, or start new stuff up that we're not doing, we're not afraid of change - but what's of overriding importance is 'are we doing what God wants?'

The first occurrence of the word 'walk/ed/ing' in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:8 where we see that one of the consequences of human sin is a break in the relationship between God and people, and that we are no longer free to walk with God. The image created, and then broken, in the first chapters of Genesis is one in which our relationship with God is compared to talking with a friend as you walk through a garden or along a beach in the cool of the evening. But human sin broke that relationship.

If you've been following the Read Scripture plan and watching the videos then you will know that one of the themes of Leviticus and Numbers is ensuring that the camp of Israel is ritually pure so that God can once again dwell with his people. This is a theme that is picked up in the New Testament. The people of God are made pure through Jesus' death. But there is the command for God's people to keep themselves pure so that God is able to live with them and walk among them (e.g. 2 Corinthians 6:16-17).

The desire to walk in step with God is a challenge to daily obedience. To die to self and be obedient to what God's Spirit is saying to us. Yes, it is true, that we often don't get it right, and therefore we daily rely on God's forgiveness - but God's forgiveness is not an excuse to live as you want rather than as God wants. If you want to follow this theme further then I recommend a Bible word search - looking at the word 'walk' in the New Testament. Here are a few to get you going:

• Galatians 5:16 - read on to the end of the chapter.
• Ephesians 5:2 - again continue reading.
• 1 John 1:6-7
• 2 John 6

As well as the call to obedience the idea of walking with God provides us with the encouragement that whatever we are going through - God is with us. Perhaps one of the best known passages of the Old Testament echoes this theme: 'Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me' (Psalm 23:4).

This is certainly my personal experience. The times I have felt closest to God have been the toughest and hardest times in my life.

This gives us confidence, as a church, as we face the future. Because whilst we may not know where God is leading, and we don't know what difficulties and challenges lie ahead - we do know that God has promised that he will be with us, and therefore we do not need to be afraid.

A Risky Business

A couple of Sundays ago was Pentecost - the day when Christians celebrate God sending the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Acts 2. This reading was a part of our E100 Bible reading programme a few weeks ago, and was followed by two weeks in the book of Acts reading stories of persecution, evangelism, church planting and church growth, wrestling with issues, escape from prison...

They were indeed exciting times - and I wonder if we ever read Acts and wish things were just a little more exciting these days. But surely they could be. Could we even say that they should be. The Spirit that came upon the disciples in Acts 2 is the same Spirit that God promises to believers today.

I was listening to a long term missionary speaking on Sunday evening. One of the things he said in response to a question asked about why mission organisations are seeing a drop in long term mission personnel is that we, as Christians in the west, have become comfortable and risk averse.

Part of being risk averse is that we never willingly put ourselves anywhere near a situation where we are going to be out of our depth or beyond our resources.

The trouble is that those are the very places where our faith will be strengthened, and we will have to rely on God rather than on ourselves. Those are the places where we will see the Spirit at work, because we can't do it for ourselves. Those are the exciting places.

We don't need to join a long term mission team canoeing up the Amazon to put ourselves beyond our own resources. If you're a Christian reading this then I'm sure there is something that comes to mind when asked the question, what is it that God is asking you to do - that you haven't done yet?

Bad King Ahab

I'm in danger once again of getting too far behind with my blog...

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of being in church and not preaching, as we continue our series 'From Empire to Exile' looking at a whole sweep of Old Testament history covering 930BC - 586BC. Seeing how someone else tackles a passage reminds me again that the Bible is so rich - no matter how many times we read a passage God is always to bring out something new, fresh and relevant.

Ahab was a bad king - you can read all about it in 1 Kings 16:29 through to his death in 1 Kings 22:40. But one particular challenge from Ahab's life is drawn out of 1 Kings 20:42. King Ahab had defeated his enemy Ben-Hadad, with God's help, but rather than see the victory through to the right conclusion Ahab makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad and lets him go.

Whilst our immediate response might be that this is the right, loving, gracious, merciful, forgiving thing to do - God's comment is 'You have set free a man I had determined should die'.

How on earth can this be of any relevance to us in 2010?

In Colossians 3:5 we are instructed, as followers of Jesus, to put to death anything that belongs to the earthly nature. Instead we are to set our minds on Christ and to be obedient to his will. But I wonder how many of the things listed in Colossians 3 or elsewhere in the New Testament, that we are supposed to have put to death, have we actually 'made a treaty with'. We've allowed them into the chariot to ride along with us. But God reminds us that there are things in our characters that we need to put to death - to get rid of - to have no part of.

Just do it

Almost a month since I last wrote anything so about time I put fingers to keyboard. Our morning series looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) has continued with sessions looking at prayer, worry, money, judgement and hypocrisy since my last blog. Yesterday we finished the series looking at Jesus' challenge that it is not simply enough to listen to his teaching, or to read it. What matters is that it is put into practice.

Jesus warns about those who look the part (wolves in sheep's clothing, 7:15-20), about those who speak the part (Lord, lord, 7:21) and about those who act the part (prophesy, casting out demons, performing miracles, 7:22-23). He warns us about the dangers of being led astray by those who are not the genuine article. He also issues us with a challenge - do I simply look the part, speak the part, act the part - what's actually going on inside? What's going on with my motives and my attitudes? Why do I do the things I do?

The Sermon on the Mount contains some really challenging teaching because much of it deals with our attitudes and motives as well as our actions (see for example 5:21-32). There is the command to love our enemies. There is the truth that you can only serve God or money - you can't serve both. There is the challenge about who we trust in - and if I trust in God why do I worry so much?

And Jesus concludes with the parable (a story with a point) of the two builders (7:24-27). One builds on rock and his house survives the storm. The other builds on sand and his house falls down. We all know that building a house on sand is not a sensible idea if we want the house to last any time at all. Jesus compares this second (foolish) builder with the person who hears Jesus' teaching and doesn't put it into practice.

Count the Cost

A disciple is a learner, a follower, someone who is committed to being just like their teacher. This is the first century context into which Jesus begins to call his disciples in Luke 5. And one of Luke's themes on discipleship is the need to count the cost - if you are committed to following Jesus, to starting a lifelong journey in which you will become more like Jesus along the way, then there will be a cost.

In Luke 5:1-11 we see Jesus call Simon Peter to be a disciple. What are some of the marks of a disciple of Jesus?

1) Obedience
In verse 5 Simon Peter basically says to Jesus, this is a totally mad idea, it's going to be a waste of time...but because you say so I will do it. Often when Jesus asks us to do something our response is 'that's never going to work', 'how can I possibly do that', 'isn't there someone else you could send'... But for the disciple however we may start that sentence, the ending always has to be, 'but because you say so, I will do it'.

2) Repentance
In the first century only the best students got to be called as disciples of the Rabbis. But not so for Jesus. The only requirement to start this journey is a humble heart that recognises our rebellion against God, that we are not worthy; and an acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord - from now on he calls the shots.

3) Leave everything and follow
There is a cost to following Jesus. For Simon Peter it was to leave his job, his boat, his family, and a huge pile of fish. Being a disciple will cost. Sometimes it will be our reputation that takes a hit as we deliberately associate with those who everyone else at work shuns; there will be a time commitment as we seek to spend time in prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other Christians; there will be a financial cost as we give to the work of God in the local church, and throughout the wider world; there will be a cost as we get involved in service, using the gifts and the abilities that God has given to us.

Luke wants us to count the cost before committing to this journey, but we can be assured that for those who seek to follow Jesus, the benefits will far outweigh the sacrifices we make along the way.

Spiritual Warfare

How do you respond to the words 'spiritual warfare'? Some may have never heard the term before and therefore respond 'you what?' Others may think that the term has something to do with the devil and with evil spirits, but their worldview, or their culture, have no room for such things - the whole spiritual dimension has been done away with in the face of science and technology. Others may see that evil spirits have a very real part in day to day life, and as a consequence live in fear. Or maybe their understanding of these things is more cultural than biblical.

In Ephesians 6:10-20 Paul writes his famous passage about the Armour of God. These verses alert us to the fact that there is a spiritual dimension (Paul uses the term, 'in the heavenly realms' throughout Ephesians) and what takes place in the heavenly realms impacts our physical, material lives and vice versa. Although I have explained it like that we should try and get away from this idea of the physical and the spiritual - as if they are two separate things - instead see that they cannot be separated out and should all be viewed together as the present reality.

For some people these are verses that come into their own when Christians find themselves in obvious 'spiritual conflict' situations - for example, going to visit a person who is heavily involved in the occult. But for the rest of the time they are not really that significant.

But it is important to recognise that these verses have a context - the rest of Ephesians. And there is nothing new here. Instead we should see this as a summing up of all that has gone before. Paul has been describing what it means to live a life that is consistent with the amazing calling that we have as Christians. And that's a tall order - one we certainly need God's help with if we are to stand firm. So what are the spiritual battles in our lives? Whenever we know what God wants us to do - we are faced with a choice - to do it or not. At that moment of choice we are in the heat of the battle.

Someone has said something about me at work - do I counter with more gossip, do I seek to defend my reputation, am I humble and gentle and keep silent, and consciously choose to forgive them? Do I consistently work overtime at the office, or do I make sure I am regularly at home to see my children before they go to bed? Am I the best employee I can be or do I go along with everyone else when they slack off when the boss is out of the office?

There are of course times when spiritual attack will be obvious but much of the time it is much more subtle - all those times we have a decision to make. I know what God expects - am I going to be obedient?

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