Quote from Reappearing Church

I have been reading Reappearing Church by Mark Sayers, pastor and cultural commentator.  I suppose only time will tell how accurate and prophetic they are, but as one who lives in a westernised culture much of his analysis rings true to my observations and experience.  The vast information available on the internet and availability of customising our information streams to our personal preferences is a massive shift from years past.  The abundance of spiritual menu choices (or pseudo-spiritual content) coupled with an Uber Eats approach means we only need to feed on what interests us--not what we may need to hear.  The awesome thing is God's Word and goodness towards us remains unchanged and deeply personal.  He has the dynamic ability to speak above the noise in His still, small voice.  Mark Sayers wrote this in Reappearing Church on the prevalence of consumerism in culture and how it can affect our approach to following Jesus and ministry:

Many of us may balk at forms of cultural Christianity that mix nationalism or ethnic identity and faith, yet we miss how we have been shaped by our own dominant culture, the culture of consumerism.  Consumer culture is placeless, yet pervasive.  It is the water in which we swim.  Consumer Christianity is a form of cultural Christianity that compromises the cross with self rather than flag, mixing the worship of God with the worship of options, personal autonomy, low commitment, and opinion over responsibility.

Consumer culture tells us we can do it all, yet we become paralysed by endless options.  FOMO, the fear of missing out, according to Author Patrick McGinnis, is now accompanied by FOBO, the fear of better options:  'I noticed that my classmates and I were always optimising.  We hedged, lived in a world of maybes and were paralysed at the prospect of actually committing to something, out of fear that we might be choosing something that wasn't the absolutely perfect option.'  McGinnis reports that the fear of better options leads ultimately to the fear of doing anything.  Unlimited options and the search for lifestyle perfection leaves us paralysed...

Consumer culture creates in us a mentality of toxic entitlement--the sense that we can have it all, but without struggle or cost.  This mentality of entitlement eventually will infect our faith...The Christian caught in consumer Christianity shifts blame for their lack of growth to God, their leaders, the church, their friends, spouse, or family, insulating themselves against renewal. We fool ourselves that someone else will solve the problem of our lack of discipleship.

The good news is that we are reaching the limits of a consumer culture without limits.  The possibility of living out of the passive posture of consumerism is passing as its negative effects are felt.  churches and faith built on consumerism don't last beyond a generation. (Sayers, Mark. Reappearing Church: the Hope for Renewal in the Rise of Our Post-Christian Culture. Moody Publishers, 2019.)

Even when we are paralysed by the abundance of options in our consumer culture, remember how men demonstrated their faith by bringing their paralysed friend to Jesus who healed Him.  No culture, society, scheme of Satan, or folly of man provides an obstacle God has not overcome.  Self-righteous Saul was breathing out threats and murder against Christ when he was floored by an unexpected, uninvited Saviour Jesus Christ who revealed Himself to Him.  Every believer once dead in trespasses and sin has been raised to new life by the power of Jesus Christ by grace through faith.  Warren Wiersbe wisely said, "Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory."  God provides more than possibilities but great and precious promises!  In a Christian culture which attempts to isolate itself from God, it is comforting to know the battle is the LORD's who works miraculous wonders.

Jesus is the Worthy One

This past week I traveled to New Zealand with a fellow pastor who flies much more than me.  Because of the millions of miles he has logged he has earned status I have not:  free entrance to the Air New Zealand lounge and the ability to bring a guest.  On my own I would be denied access to the comfort of the lounge:  comfortable seats, free food and drink, well-maintained toilets, and internet access.  Bronze status certainly doesn't provide the benefits diamond or gold status does!

I admit that when I follow my friend into the lounge, there is a sneaking feeling of unworthiness because I haven't earned or paid for the right to enter on my own.  What I was struck with today is in a similar sense I will only be able to enter heaven one day because of what Jesus has done.  It is because He has paid for us and is good and gracious to invite us we can become children of God and gain access into the presence of God.  We are all unworthy, but it is our worthy LORD and Saviour who has made us accepted in the beloved.

Instead of feeling guilty we are in ourselves unworthy, how much better it is for us to express our thanks and gratefulness to God for all He has accomplished on our behalf.  It denies our God glory for us to be self-focused when Jesus denied Himself to save us by grace through faith.  We are easily self-conscious, but we ought to humble ourselves so Jesus Christ might be glorified.  We can even be bold in belonging because Jesus has purchased us with His own blood.  Embarrassment and shame evaporates in the presence of our almighty King and any who might criticise us because we don't measure up.

The Prime Mover

I benefited greatly from a message I heard last night on the value of a healthy mind.  The speaker defined the mind as the "prime mover" in our lives, like the engine of a train.  Pastor Steve Jones said, "The mind will always take us somewhere."  Our train of thought does not stop in the mind but greatly impacts our desires and actions.  Just like a moving engine pulls or pushes additional carriages in whatever direction it drives them, our bodies follow the leading of our minds.  If our minds are in the gutter, we will act out on our sinful impulses.  On the other hand when our minds esteem God and His Word we will walk in godliness.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-8:  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."  Just like God gives us the ability to decide what we will eat and drink and how much, we are given the ability to choose to focus our thoughts on what is right.  When our train of thought is sinful it always leads to a destination of sinful conduct, by the power of Jesus Christ we can derail that train, taking those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  But much of the time once the engine starts moving in a sinful direction we habitually stoke the engines red hot with worry, selfishness, and lust.

Pastor Steve provided a negative and positive example of how the mind impacted the behaviour of people in scripture.  David has a man after God's own heart but he was not immune to sinful thoughts in his mind that moved him to choose sinful conduct.  When David saw Bathsheba from his rooftop, his prime mover started pulling his train of thought in an adulterous direction:  he decided to inquire concerning her, decided to send messengers to bring her to the palace, and ultimately slept with her.  Sinful thoughts led to sinful actions.  The life of Daniel provides an example of how good thoughts kept him from sin.  He was offered the luxurious foods of the king, but Daniel had already purposed to not defile himself with the king's food.  In his mind he had already established what was right, that the king's food was not kosher, and because his mind was made up the power of temptation was disarmed.

Before our train of thought heads nowhere good, let us purpose to heed the exhortation of God's Word to cease from anxious thoughts and pray with thanksgiving, making our requests to God.  Our flesh is at the mercy of our feelings and circumstances, but when we are obedient to trust God and direct our focus on Him He will guard our minds and hearts through Jesus.  Praise the LORD He has provided no shortage of true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy things to consider because He is all these things and more.  More than "bad thought avoidance" we are to head in the opposite direction by derailing anxious or sinful thoughts and by fixing our minds on God with thanksgiving and praise.

Hope In Jesus

It is ironic how men who have been created can presume to know better than God.  Having been given the ability to think and reason we can utilise this capacity to stand in judgment of the righteous Judge of all the earth.  When Jesus told Peter (who believed Jesus was the promised Messiah) He would be arrested, crucified, and rise on the third day Peter rebuked Him.  Had Jesus listened to Peter God's plan for eternal salvation of Jew and Gentile would have been undermined.  Praise God He is not a man that He should lie or change, and we benefit beyond measure when we humble ourselves before God as Sovereign.

After Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, two disciples sadly departed from Jerusalem.  Though Jesus was alive and well they were disillusioned and shattered.  Jesus joined the despondent travellers and began a conversation with them about the reason behind their sadness.  They explained the things which occurred in Jerusalem in Luke 24:19-21:  "...The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. ²¹ But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened."  These travellers were despondent because their expectations had been dashed, yet their ambitions were hopelessly short-sighted compared to what Jesus actually accomplished.

The questioning travellers on the road to Emmaus hoped or expected Jesus to redeem Israel, and perhaps they imagined it would be through military conquest.  But the Kingdom of God is infinitely greater than a geographic location or a particular group of people for a season:  Jesus had already paid the price to atone for the sins of the world and accomplish a miraculous victory and deliverance for all people who trust in Him.  These disciples were grieved by the very means God intended to save them.  How foolish their hopes were!  How arbitrary and short sighted!  They were robbed of the joy of the LORD and the expectation of salvation because their plans were not God's way.  Jesus proclaimed in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."  Jesus would redeem Israel and whosoever would trust in Him in His way and in His gracious time.

The next time your hopes are dashed and you are left wondering, expect God is working on something good beyond your wildest expectations.  The hope of these travellers was in the wrong thing:  they hoped for deliverance through Jesus rather than trusting in Jesus Himself come what may.  Their hopes were pinned on their circumstances changing but Jesus did more than they could have dreamed in redeeming condemned souls from hell and providing eternal life.  Three days had passed from the unspeakable tragedy of Christ's death, and Jesus graciously walked with them in spite of their confusion and doubts.  Isn't God good to do exceedingly beyond what we can ask or think?  Jesus Christ is more than we could ever hope for.