Lincoln

Productive Labour for Christ

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

While the apostle Paul was imprisoned by house arrest, and chained to a Roman soldier 24/7, he mentioned in his letter to the church at Philippi, what I suspect was an unexpected subject – labour. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me (Philippians 1:22). Paul, not knowing if his imprisonment would conclude with execution, slavery, or release, understood his situation from God’s perspective. Viewing imprisonment as productive labour lifted Paul’s expectations with an optimism that set him free in Christ while chained. What a blessed man he was!

Paul more than understood the painful seriousness of his situation. He was not delusional! Rather, his strong hope in God elevated him above seeking escape as he aligned his heart attitude towards imprisonment with Christ’s attitude and motivation. This allowed Paul to experience the satisfaction of understanding his purpose for being where he was and with whom he was.

Of course, it helped that Paul was imprisoned due to his outspoken faith in Jesus Christ. This meant there were no actual crimes conflicting his conscience. Make no mistake, Paul was tired, beaten, and experiencing the severe pains of persecution, human betrayal, and Roman brutality! Yet, he saw only 2 options. 1) Roman execution which would release him to the bliss of being with Christ in heaven, or 2) using his circumstances as effective tools for the benefit of nonbelievers within his imprisonment and believers outside of his imprisonment. So Paul says, Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith (Php 1:25).

Even though incarcerated, and preferring release from Roman cruelty, Paul had remarkable clarity with contentment about God’s purpose for him. He embraced the realisation that it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake (Php 1:29). This Christ centered acceptance of suffering set his spirit free to labour for spiritual productivity in the lives of those surrounding him. And we see the fruitful outcome of Paul’s labour for Christ while under house arrest. He goes on to explain, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ (Php 1:12-13).

Paul was provided, by God and Rome, with a captive audience to the gospel, through the guards taking 8 hourly shifts in being chained to this Christian gospel mouthpiece. While this was spectacular, Paul’s jailed labour efforts produced fruit further abroad, in an unexpected group of transforming evangelistic recipients. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear (Php 1:14).

As believers visited Paul, possibly taking the occasional nonbeliever with them, and no doubt talking, praying, and discussing God’s Word, the life changing power of Jesus Christ was hatched by the Holy Spirit within them. The Roman guards were imprisoned more than Paul was, unavoidably confronted by the truths of Jesus, through both their captive and his visitors. But the visitors were also encapsulated within this God ordained peculiar environment. I seriously doubt any visitor would leave the same as they had arrived. May the Lord enable us to view the entrapping circumstances of our lives as God appointed opportunities for productive labour of love for Christ’s glory and other’s blessing.

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Urging within friendships

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Friendships possess the greatest potential for joy and satisfaction! Sadly, they also have great potential to bring the worst of pain. Therefore, it’s important for everyone, especially Christians, to be attentive in the matter of how we interact in our friendships. Over the years of reading God’s Word, I have grown to understand that the apostles go to great lengths instructing believers on the many and varied facets of friendships, in fact, in all relationships.

As the apostle Paul began writing his closing benediction for his first letter to the Thessalonian Christians, he includes a critically important plea for all believers to value others. From chapter 5, verse 12 through to verse 20, Paul gives 17 “to do’s” for all believers to give attention to. When put in practice, these “to do’s” produce healthy relationships and a strong testimony of the church for Jesus Christ. In verse 14, he gives a 4 pronged instruction where we all qualify in at least 1 facet, if not more. Likewise, all our friends will fit into at least 1 of these characteristics.

Here they are; we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all (1 Thessalonians 5:14). No human is ever completely outside of these parameters, often kept secret, but none-the-less present. Paul urged his readers to pay attention to these inescapable components of life and friendships. Not only was this a strong exhortation, but one that in the original language demanded believers “to call near” those who are idle, fainthearted, or weak. And Paul understood that to get near to friends with these dispositions would require patience. In other words, humility, while recognising our own vulnerabilities in these same areas.

Paul writes with the affection of a spiritual brother to his siblings in Christ. He’s experienced enough of life and the transforming gospel to recognise our human nature which lingers within our flesh following salvation. Therefore, he is not shy in calling believers to act with the grace of Christ in persevering patiently with one another for mutual strength, unity, and joy.

We are to admonish, to encourage, and to help. While none of us are ever beyond needing at least 1 of these verbs to be actioned towards us, Paul calls each of us to intentionally be doing these to others. This is not passive, nor does it allow for personal preference to justify neglect in these matters. Just as Christ patiently works in each of our lives to sanctify us, so our patient investment in others’ lives forms a critical part of our own sanctification. When we neglect others who are finding Christian life difficult, we neglect our own development of Christlike character.

I have often found in my life, that in admonishing, encouraging, and helping others, I receive all 3 in return. Which is precisely the blessing Paul expected. He wrote this to the believers in Rome, for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you – that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine (Romans 1:11-12). And again, let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19).

Applying admonition, encouragement, and help, requires only a little thought and grace, as to how to step into others’ lives without being a bully. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone, but we do want to uplift and refresh others, so that they know you care, just as Christ cares for them. This will joyfully honour the Lord, strengthen the church, and amplify the testimony of Christ to the world.

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Seeking Christ

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

Without doubt, the apostles lived a level of closeness with the Lord that most of us can only aspire to. Having lived with Jesus, witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, then participating in the events of Pentecost, certainly provided memorable inspiration and intimacy we can only imagine. Even though Paul came to believe in Christ later than the other apostles, he repeatedly exhorts all believers to pursue an intentional and focused relationship with the glorified Christ.

One such exhortation comes in Colossians 3:1-2, If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

For many, this is practically difficult because of the busyness and demands of life. Daily schedules can become so full with what we consider the necessities of life, that our thoughts are consumed with earthly pursuits. In and of themselves, many of our daily demands are not wrong, and they require our best attention so we can honour the Lord. I don’t think Paul was speaking down to busy Christians when he gave this instruction. Rather, I am convinced Paul was offering a practical means by which busy believers can enrich their walk of faith.

Paul first reminds us that resulting from salvation, because of spiritually being raised with Christ to a new and regenerated life, Christians will desire to have their default thoughts redirected to Jesus. Throughout the engaging events of each day, believers will desire to have their instinctive thoughts gravitate towards Christ.

Next, notice that to seek the things that are above is synonymous with set your minds on things that are above. It is Christ’s present place of residence that draws our attention to His glorious reign, and the hope of His soon victorious return to catch up His church. Growing a picture of Christ seated at the right hand of God builds the clarity of who Jesus is, of His victorious resurrection, and His authoritative governance over His Kingdom.

Paul again reminds us in Ephesians 1:20-21, that God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. The supremacy of Jesus’ exulted reign and soon return is worthy of us training our thoughts and planning our routines for worship in its various momentary forms.

There are many ways we can do this, and in some cases, technology can assist by using reminders on our devices. Developing routine visual and audible triggers, possibly landmarks for specific prayer subjects in your travels, is important. Scheduling brief spiritual moments is critical, such as sticky notes in obvious places, Scripture attached to inescapable locations. Listening to worship or biblical teaching while travelling. Committed, regular participation in your local church activities. Daily reading Scripture, plus biblically worthy books or notes, even while waiting for appointments. Anything that gets our attention to pause momentarily with thought and prayer to the glorified Jesus.

Developing the habit of brief prayer following conversations with people is an excellent discipline. This could be as short as a 2 second acknowledgement of Christ’s providence, a word of thanks, or a request. In that moment, our thoughts are  locked on Christ. This is Paul’s point, in these numerous moments of each day, set your minds on things that are above.

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Turning to God

By / The Pastor's Pen / 3 minutes of reading

The prophet Ezekiel lived amongst the treachery and idolatry of Jewish society held captive by the Babylonian empire. In Ezekiel’s time and place, people’s attitude towards God was basically the same as that which exists globally throughout all ages. An attitude that normalizes cheap words and accepts faithlessness. As in almost all periods of history, Ezekiel’s world could not have cared less about God. Selfishness, greed, and man-centered thinking was reflected through disrespect for eternal matters, with divine judgement considered irrelevant when compared to the pursuit of present pleasure.

You see, fatalistic thinking assumes, within the struggles of life, there exists no hope of anything better. Therefore, pessimism justifies almost anything in pursuit of comfort and pleasure at the exclusion of God. Into this sinfully hedonistic and politically tumultuous setting, God spoke through Ezekiel with an uncommon message of hope that clearly expressed His gracious heart. When a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die (Ezekiel 18:27-28).

In today’s language, we call this repentance. It occurs when someone is awakened to the seriousness of life’s choices and begins considering life from God’s perspective. Behaviour that had, up to this time in their life, been considered normal and acceptable, is examined within the Lord’s guidelines of holiness. Now they realise that which was previously acceptable, is sinful, and violates God’s law. This is a huge shift in thinking and perspective. To recategorise our life in this way requires massive consideration and is momentous.

Here, we see another layer of God’s grace, as He responds to the sinner with compassion. Ezekiel announced the Lord’s premeditated grace towards spiritually rebellious people, so they may know in advance, as an invitation, that when turning to God, forgiveness and acceptance exists. The Lord spoke the same message in essence through the prophet Isaiah. God stated that He was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am…” (Isaiah 65:1).

Consideration is the starting point, and its purpose is to lead the sinner to a specific set of actions which turns away from wickedness and heads to the Lord. Consideration acknowledges wickedness before a gloriously good God, starting with acknowledging there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20. Cf. Romans 3:23). But consideration does not stay there long, as it moves towards the assurance that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Turning away from the old life comes with the promise of salvation and eternal life. No longer are the previous offensive sins focused on, but God’s life giving goodness becomes the central attention grabber. Paul puts it this way; you were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault (Colossians 1:21-22 NLT). God’s grace remains the most transformative infusion of heavenly love and truth into our lives through faith in Jesus Christ. May we rejoice today as we consider His grace.

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