Ardingly Congregational Church

Family Fun Get-Together (starting 6 Feb)

2010-01-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our FAMILY FUN GET-TOGETHER, starting Saturday 6 February at 10:00am. Ardingly Chapel is hosting a monthly Family Fun Get-Together, and you are most welcome! We're inviting local families to come along to enjoy food and fellowship, do some meaningful things with our kids, including games and crafts, and share family values in relaxed and hopefully mutually fruitful ways.

Holocaust Memorial Service (31 January 3pm)

2010-01-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our Holocaust (Shoah) Memorial Service on Sunday 31 January at 3pm. As part of the service a special guest will share about his families misfortune in World War II. The son of a French Jew who almost lost everything... (more information)

Visit our Website

2010-01-21T13:59:00.000-08:00

Please visit our website to get more information - thanks!

Christmas Party @ the Chapel (20 Dec 10am)

2009-12-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

WELCOME TO OUR EXCITING CHRISTMAS PARTY!

For more information please see our website: www.ardinglychapel.co.uk

Whether God exists: energy is eternal

2009-11-05T11:56:00.001-08:00

'Your Love never fails' by Chris Quilala/Jesus Culture

2009-10-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

'You're not Shaken' by Phil Stacey

2009-09-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

NEW WEBSITE!

2009-07-23T01:48:00.000-07:00

We have a new website : www.ArdinglyChapel.co.uk - check it out!

Martin Luther King Jr

2009-07-23T01:42:00.000-07:00

The Power to Empowerment by John Maxwell

2009-06-29T04:37:00.001-07:00

The ability to empower others is one of the keys to personal and professional success. John Craig said, "No matter how much work you can do, no matter how engaging your personality may be, you will not advance far in business if you cannot work through others." When you become an empowerer, you certainly work with and through people, but you also do much more. Simply defined, empowering is giving your influence to others for the purpose of personal and organizational growth [emphasis mine]. It's seeing others' potential, then sharing yourself--your influence, position, power, and opportunities--with others with the purpose of investing in the lives of others so that they can function at their best. The act of empowering others changes lives, and one of the greatest things about it is that it's a win-win for you and the people you empower. If you empower others by giving them your authority, it has the same effect as sharing information. YOu haven't lost anything. You've increased the ability of others without decreasing yourself.

NEW WEBSITE!

2009-06-10T08:25:00.001-07:00

Please visit our new website: www.ArdinglyChapel.co.uk

Easter Breakfast Service

2009-04-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Dear Readers,

we had a great Easter Breakfast Service - good food, a lot of fun, cool puppets, and a clear message on the meaning of Easter - it's all about Jesus and God's love through Him to all of humanity. He became a human being, lived the most exemplary life, yet died as a thief for the purpose of giving Himself as a sacrifice for all of humanity. His death on the Cross was an atoning sacrifice in order for God to forgive our sins and reconcile us back to Him. It's like someone going to prison for you although you committed the crime. All of us fall short of God's standards and have sinned, yet that's not the end of it all - no, Jesus paid the price for our redemption and salvation. This great love has changed my life as nothing else in this world.

Concert with John Perry and Eddie McManus!

2009-03-31T02:34:00.000-07:00

The concert with John Perry and Eddie McManus was a blast - it was great! We had to temporarily rename the Chapel as 'Rock n' Roll Chapel'...! Yes, it was fun. The wide range of songs - from Beatles to Evlis, from Elton John to John Perry's - was enriching. We hope to stage a 50s and 60s party in the Autumn - so keep following our annoucements here or by our leaflets through your door...

Oh yes, we also raised over 130 pounds this month towards the Playground Extension project! Cool stuff, thanks for coming and helping - God bless!

Concert with Noel Richards

2009-02-26T12:19:00.000-08:00

We had a fantastic evening with Noel Richards, his wife Tricia, and their friend Pastor Wanye Drain (USA). Not only did we hear good music and inspiring songs, God's presence was among us and the people I spoke to were richly blessed - just what they needed!

We greatly respect Noel, Tricia and Wayne for coming even to such a small gathering like ours. Noel played massive concerts like at the Wembley and the Olympia Stadium in Berlin, travels the world, and has been releasing CDs for over 25 years - and yet they can come to a small gathering in Ardingly. My wife said, 'They are really godly people'; she was ever so impressed with them. A big thank-you to you three, you made our evening encouraging and refreshing! Come again... soon!

Shalom,
Gordon

The Faithfulness of God

2009-01-30T23:23:00.000-08:00

'Faithfulness' - does it mean much these days? Dog-owners certainly understand faithfulness, for dogs are faithful and loyal (most of them, at least). Hence the saying, 'The more I get to know people, the more I appreciate my dog.'

But what about people's faithfulness? The great increase of marriage and family breakdowns has certainly placed a black mark on the word and virtue of faithfulness. Many people are disappointed, let down, and some even unwilling to trust others because of their lack of faithfulness. This has caused serious breakdowns in society, for trust is its very foundation. But when people cannot be trusted because they are not faithful, then everyone will suffer.

What I propose here is that if we understand God's faithfulness and experience it in our lives, we'll be able to treat others in that manner and hence be a part of those people who seek to reestablish trust with others through faithfulness and with it build a better society.

The Faithfulness of God

We shall look at three aspects here: first, that faithfulness is a divine attribute - God is faithful - and how this will reflect on us who experience it; second, we shall take a brief look at God's faithfulness to His people throughout the centuries and who people reflected on that; thirdly, perhaps most relevant to many, we shall elaborate on God's faithfulness in difficulties - where is God when the going gets tough?

(1) Faithfulness is a divine attribute (1 Corinthians 1:4-9; Revelation 19:11)

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth that God has blessed them with many gifts and abilities; yet these are for the edification of the church, and they serve to prepare God's people for the Return of Jesus Christ to the earth when He will judge the living and the dead. In order for believers to be ready, Paul stresses a major divine attribute - faithfulness. Jesus will help believers to be established for the Day of Judgement, when all human beings must give an account on how they lived their lives; as believers we are called to be 'blameless,' that is pure, upright, and righteous (v 8). In order for that to take place, Paul states that 'God is faithful' (v 9), and because of His faithfulness we are called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus. It is this very fellowship - and only this fellowship - that we will enable us to live a life of purity and holiness and hence be blameless on Judgement Day.

Jesus Himself is called 'Faithful and True' (Revelation 19:11); John elsewhere quoted Jesus' words that He is the truth (John 14:6) - He is truthful and hence faithful. In fellowship with a faithful person - especially when that Person is faithfulness in perfection - it will affect our own capacity for faithfulness, and 'rub off' on us to be faithful towards others.

(2) God's faithfulness towards His people (Deuteronomy 7:6-15; Isaiah 49:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; Philippians 1:6; 1 John 1:9)

Moses explained to Israel that God loves them and therefore chose them. God delivered them from slavery, and this He did because He is faithful - or, in Moses words, 'the faithful God' (Deuteronomy 7:9). A similar thought is found in Isaiah 49:7 - The Lord is faithful and therefore will help the despised ones.

Similar to the above comments on 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks about God's faithfulness to the church at Thessalonica (5:23-24). The emphasis again is for God's people to be blameless on Judgement Day, and that will be possible through God's faithfulness; He will faithfully take care of those who want to live holy and became blameless - He will work in us to accomplish this end. Note that it is the God of peace who do His good work in us! The same thought is found in Philippians 1:6, where Paul proclaims that He who started a good work in believers will finish it; the faithfulness of God is implied, of course.

John, in his first letter, speaks of God's faithfulness in relation to our sins - He is faithful and just to forgive those who confess their sins (1 John 1:9). No matter what we might have done, Jesus' sacrifice is able to atone for our sins and failures towards God. He doesn't want to judge and condemn people; no, He wants to forgive and heal them! God is like the good Dad who, when the son burned down the neighbour's storehouse, he took responsibility for it and restored everything. You might be in a position where you feel that you've let God down; but I have good news for you - He will forgive you through Jesus whenever you come to Him and confess and repent. You don't have to feel guilty for the rest of your life - God forgives and forgets, and will, in future, help you not to sin... at least, willfully.

(3) God is faithful in difficulties (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Peter 4:19; Psalm 62:8)

This is a crucial issue for many people - where is God when things go bad? Well, firstly we must make clear that people who don't care about God but then turn on Him when things go bad, have really not understood much. Why would your neighbour suddenly help you if you have been treating him badly and cheated on him? Well, the good news is, God is willing to forget all that when people turn to Him with a sincere heart. The Bible talks of God's protection for those who love and follow Him, although He does, of course, in some way care for all of humanity. Yet because He doesn't force Himself on anyone and most people choose to reject God, people are left to fight through life by themselves, and that human power is often far too weak to withstand the troubles of life. But whenever people turn to God and ask for His protection, He will surly help!

Having said that, there are times when even for believers God's protection seems weak. But there are clear biblical answers for that: tough times will produce tough people. By that I don't mean hardened, but mature: people who can face troubles in a good and positive way, and then be abl to help others. No one will listen to your advice until they know you know what you're talking about. Someone said, 'People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!' Paul gives us some clarifty on the issue:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB)

There are troubles ahead; let's face it, things go wrong at times, even for the innocent (or sometimes especially for the innocent...). Tell Jesus about it - He suffered a criminal's death although He didn't do anything wrong! Peter talks about this (1 Peter 4:12-19), and concludes that God is a faithful Creator and will see us through it! It is because of God's faithfulness that we'll come out on the other side and be better and more mature people if we handle tough times in a right way. Some start to blame God and accuse Him of all kinds of nonsense, but those who understand that we live in a sinful world, know that 'bad things happen to good people'; but they also know that God has a way out for us to escape troubles!

Finally, the Psalmist gives us some great advice as to how to handle such times:

Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8 (NASB)

We must trust God at all times - good times or bad times. This gives us a stable foundation in life. We might not always understand all the things that are going on around us - or in us, at times - but we can trust God to be in charge still! At the same time, faith is not mechanical but relational: the psalmist wants us to pour out our hearts before God. It's so important that we pray and share what's going on inside of us, for keeping it all in our hearts can have bad effects. We need to share our troubles with God - pouring out our hearts, at times with tears, will greatly help us deal with tough situations. But we can't just melt down in tears, we need to trust God in all circumstances, at all times, as the Psalm instructs us. With a good balance between the two we'll be fine!

If you learn to take hard times with maturity, you'll be fine and grow in your character! Remember this: 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going.' Keep the words of the Bible close to your heart - it is the God of peace who will see you through, the faithful God!

Shalom,
Gordon

The Goodness of God

2009-01-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

In a world where so much injustice prevails, where so many suffer in various ways, and where any despair in hopelessness, is it at all appropriate to speak of the goodness of God? Well, yes it is, for understanding the goodness of God will make a lot, if not all, the difference that we need to not only cope with the 'bad stuff' in life and on earth, but also to cause change towards something better - and most of us agree that things must improve.

Our verse of the month is an example of a situation that was seemingly bad, yet in which God showed both His goodness and faithfulness to His people. They were captives in a foreign land, yet God blessed them, took care of them, and His people prospered. Many Jews would soon become prominent people in society and important contributors to its development and well-being. Whenever we face difficulties we need, as His people, to trust God that He will work out His good plans for us.

The Goodness of God

What Scripture teaches without a shadow of doubt is that God is good. He is inherently good; it is His very nature. He does not choose to be good, He simply is good. Let's look at three points to illustrate this fact.

(1) God's Goodness in Creation (Genesis 1:1-31; Romans 1:20)

God created good things - H whenever He saw what He had made, His 'comment' - or evaluation - was, 'it is good.' In fact, at the very end when He look at all that He had made, he said, 'it is very good'! God created good things because He is good; what He does flows from Who He is - good. God delighted in His Creation and was ever so pleased to entrust it to human beings. It's a bit like Christmas: good parents like to not only give good gifts to their kids, but they also delight in doing so and want their children to enjoy them.

What is also important to note in the biblical Creation account is that God created with design and purpose - and He did that because He is good. Of course, there are many in our 'modern world' who want to deny Creation (by God or by Intelligent Design), yet where has this led us? We became monkeys and the world meaningless. Personally, I cannot believe that this wonderful nature and all life originated from nothing, a bang, without a first cause, and that life is simply materialistic. I cannot believe that all of this has come to past by coincidence. What I can, however, easily believe is that there is an ultimate Being who is able to created, One who is 'the first mover,' One who is beyond this world and human ability, and hence able to do what the Bible ascribes to God - that's easy to believe if one has understood the God of the Bible (we'll talk more about Creation next month, especially since it's Darwin's 200th Birthday..)

What the Bible makes clear is that Creation reflects God, that He created beautifully because it is His beautiful nature to do so. In doing so, the Apostle Paul tells us that Creation reveals God's invisible attribute, His eternal power, and His divine nature (Romans 1:20). What is reflects the One who made it. Let me illustrate: few if any of us have ever seen the founder and producers of Vauxhall or VW, yet we know they exist from the product the make - cars... there is a Creator and He is good, as reflected in nature.

(2) God's Goodness in Israel's History (Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 1:25; 6:24; 26:11; Psalm 73:1; 84:11)

Throughout the history of God's people, He shown Himself to be good. In fact, the very calling of Israel through Abram is based on the fact that God has good plans for His people - that is, He blesses them and wants them to be a blessing. Goodness is something to be shared - just like good food tastes better with good friends, so does divine blessing.

We further read that God gave Israel a 'good land.' He gave them good commandments because observing them is good and will cause blessing to His people. It is good to live by God's commandments, for they are holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12, 14). God's goodness to His people was so overwhelming that the Psalmist proclaimed, 'Surely God is good to Israel!' (Psalm 73:1). Further, it is evident - and exciting! - that God will not withhold any good thing from those whose hearts are pure, that is, those who are upright and honest (Psalm 84:11). God wants to bless, God wants to shows His endless goodness, yet who will accept and receive? It is up to you, as God will never force things up you - it is your choice to receive!

(3) God's Goodness in Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16-21; Romans 8:32; 2 Corinthians 9:8)

Finally, God shows His endless love in giving His Son, Jesus. He died a criminal's death eventhough He was innocent. He did this in order to redeem humanity - in down-to-earth English: get us back to God and sort out our lives. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

He [God] who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

This is a remarkable exclamation! Through Jesus God has given us all things - all things, hence, He does not withhold goodness from humanity once they turn to God by putting their faith and trust in Jesus. Elsewhere Paul wrote that '...God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abudance for every good deed' (2 Corinthians 9:8). God is a rich Provider, so that (1) we will have enough and can enjoy life and (2) that we will be able to give to others and be an instrument of God's blessing to those in need. God wants His goodness to shine through His people - so let's do it!

Shalom,
Gordon

Is God in Recession?

2009-01-14T03:35:00.000-08:00

Good Plans?

In a world that faces terrible crises of different natures, can we speak of good plans by a God that presumably is still in charge? Yes we can! Scripture assures us that God is good and that He therefore has good plans for humanity despite the latter messing up things big time. A long time ago a Hebrew prophet spoke the following words on God's behalf.

For I know what I have planned for you,' says the LORD. 'I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'

Jeremiah 29:11 (NET)

The circumstances around this statement are very interesting, for it was a time of great difficulty. God's people had lost their place in their land due to sin and their unwillingness to repent and turn to God; hence, they were deported after Jerusalem had been conquered and the Temple destroyed in 586 BCE - it was a tremendous tragedy in Israel's history, yet within it God still upheld His promises and brought them back from captivity to restoration. No matter how we fail, God always has His god plans in mind and seeks to fulfill them for us. Because God is good, His plans are good! So, let's ask the question then, Is God in Recession?

Is God in Recession?

The question proposed is, Is Almighty God, the Creator, the only self-sufficient Being, negatively affected by the current global financial crisis as many people are? Has God become limited in His ability to bless people and provide for them because money is more scarce than a year ago?

While hundreds of people are losing their jobs in Britain (and elsewhere) and many have their homes repossessed, some may start to wonder, Where is God in all this? While we can affirm that God is not in recession, He certainly is in the recession, that is, God is ever-present to care for people who trust Him despite external difficulties and the realities of life. He's a supernatural God who can provide despite recession and crises in our world.

The closest biblical parallel to a modern financial crisis is a time of famine. While people in East Africa are faced with a real famine - or one may think back to the potato famine in Ireland which took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people - Western Europeans today are not very familiar with the reality of a famine. Those who lived through WWII would tell us that there were food rations for several years in Britain after 1945. Yet today many are affected by a lack of money, and in a society where many live on credit, this is devastating. We should ask, What does the Bible have to say about these issues?

First of all, Scripture is clear that we should not be indebted to anyone (Romans 13:8). It is clear to everyone that a major reason for Britain's crisis is that credit was given out too easily and people lived far above their means. Again, Scripture instructs us to live modestly, that is, not beyond our means, to be content with what we have, and not to fall into the snare of seeking riches and wealth without limits - the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6). The Word of God (the Bible) always instructs us to live wisely, so it is certainly evident that to live within one's means is wise, especially in, but better yet before, a time of recession.

The Famine in Joseph's Time (Genesis 41:1-31)

Joseph lived in Egypt, in fact, he was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers. One night the Pharaoh had a dream which neither he or his magicians could understand or interpret. He saw seven fat cows coming up from the Nile, followed by seven gaunt cows who ate them up. For Joseph the issue was clear: the seven fat cows represented seven good years of harvest, while the gaunt cows represented seven years of severe famine; a famine was coming, and in order to avoid certain death, the people had to store up in the good times for the bad times. This seems to be common sense, yet who could foresee a famine - or, in modern times, a recession? What this life-saving event tells us is that God has foresight and provision even in times of famine!

A Famine in Roman Times (Acts 11:27-30)

In the Book of Acts we read of a famine during the reign of Claudius (mid-50s CE). Here we see how the believers, before the famine struck the Roman Empire, gathered means to care for the poor. God cares for people through others. It speaks of sharing our means within the church.

The Reassuring Words of Jesus about God's Provision (Matthew 6:19-34)

Lastly, let us remember the powerful words of Jesus Himself when He spoke of God's provision for those who trust God and seek to understand and do His will. Since God cares for His Creation, He will certainly care for His children. Only bad, selfish fathers would spend all their money on their hobbies and none on the children. In Jesus Christ, God has given everything to humanity, His most precious, and with Jesus Christ He is giving us all things (Romans 8:32) - there is nothing God would withhold from us that is within His will!

Dear Reader, rest assured that God understands your situation, but better yet, has a good and practical solution to your problems. Ardingly Congregational Church will gladly assist you in her best possible ways if you need help or want to talk about God - or anything for that matter. While we are limited, God isn't, and He can do the things that are impossible with humans. God bless you as you trust Him for His generous provision!

Shalom,
Gordon & Family

Christmas Breakfast & the New Year

2008-12-30T09:20:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at our first Christmas Breakfast Service on 21 December. The Chapel was full and the age-range was wide... a great big thank-you to all helpers and all visitors, especially those visitors from Ardingly - it was great to have you with us and we hope to get to know you better!

Our January theme is: God's Good Plans for the New Year. Come and join us Sundays at 4:30 pm, where we share God's Word, sing songs of worship, pray, and enjoy fellowship after each meeting with tea, coffee, and cakes. We hope to welcome you soon!

If there's anything our church might be able to help you with, please do not hesitate to contact us - we're here to serve and bless Ardingly's people. We wish you all the very best for the New Year. Remember this: God has good plans for you!

Shalom,
Gordon & Veny with Elizabeth and Christine

God became a Human Being: The Birth of the Saviour

2008-12-06T22:53:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time! But certainly, this means different things to different people. For many it means consumerism unlike any time of the year; for others it means nothing whatsoever; yet others believe that this time refers to the most important events in world history as it looks back to the birth of the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. Truly, for believers, it is all 'joy to the world'!

We shall look at the biblical picture given to us by those who knew Jesus in person and reported to later generations of what had taken place and its theological meaning and social implications. If one believes the Bible's reports, this event has nothing to do with all the consumerism we see in many Western countries; it even isn't just about going to church once a year or singing Christmas carols by candle light - however nice that is! The true meaning of Christmas is that God's Son became a human being and was the Saviour of the world. No one can deny that the world we live in is in need of 'salvation' - whatever one may think of how and where salvation is necessary. Be it with global warming or global financial crises, God is still holding His arms of love to a world that has long rejected Him. What Jesus came to accomplish is still valid today - and better yet, it is accessible today! Let's find out more...

God became a Human Being: The Birth of the Saviour

Today we shall compare Matthew's and John's opening chapter to their gospels. While Matthew focuses on the 'family tree' of the Saviour, John gives us a more theological outlook and interpretation of what happened when God's Son was born, that is, when God became a human being. Certainly, to some religions it sounds absurd that God would become human - is this at all possible? The biblical answer is 'yes'! However amazing this may sound, however impossible some may perceive it, almost 2'000 years ago the most remarkable human being walked the earth. Not only Martin Luther King Jr and the like considered Jesus to be the most extraordinary person ever, even imporant figures from other religious beliefs considered Him thus: Mohandas Gandih is but one of them - note that he would have become a Christian if it wasn't for some abuse he had suffered under the terrible apartheid system (segregation).

What Matthew, one of Jesus' own disciples and eyewitnesses, tells us, it that Jesus is firmly rooted in Jewish history as the son of David and son of Abraham (Mt 1:1). This is significant as Jesus is depicted as the Jewish Messiah in fulfilment of prophetic Scriptures, that is, people who through an inspirtation of God were able to accurately predict certain things about the future. Although people had - and still have! - different ideas about 'Messiah,' Matthew tells us why and in what way Jesus was the Messiah (note his emphasis on Jesus being the Messiah, or Christ: 1:16, 17, 18; 2:4).

The most remarkable event in chapter 1 is the birth of 'a child' by a virgin. The conception by God's Spirit is the divine mark on that child; He is more than any other human being born of a women - He is God Himself, manifested in human flesh (Mt 1:18-20). The significance of the name is then pointed out in relation to His purpose: '... you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins' (v 21). Our English word for 'Jesus' comes from the Greek (Iesous), yet its Hebrew original was Yeshua. This is a very powerful name as it means 'Yahweh is salvation.' This salvation, as proclaimed by the angel, was from 'their sins.' In today's society people don't like to speak of 'sin' or 'judgement'; while everyone wants more justice, God's righteousness is being marginalized. Yet, in fact, God's righteousness is the very attribute that will cause more justice in the earth. It is sin that lies at the root of all evil and misery in our world. It's people doing what suits them without taking much - or no - note of others' well-being; it's people rejecting God's divine and just laws, exchanging them for their own, being 'a law unto themselves.' Here lies the problem, and it is here that God steps in to bring a divine and eternal solution. 'He will save His people from theirs sins' - that's the good news!

In John's Gospel we find less of an historical account, but much more a theological one. Jesus is the 'logos,' that is, the Word. The logos concept in Greek thought was a powerful one as it denoted a universal reason by which the world operated. Logos has a wide semantic range, and basically means word, discourse, study, doctrine. Words like biology comes from the Greek words bios (life) and logos: hence, the study of life. Linking jesus with the divine logos was a very powerful way to speak of His divinity, yet when that logos became flesh (Jn 1:14), that was unheard of. The incarnation (i.e., 'becoming flesh') of God is truly remarkable. It speaks of His intimate compassion with humanity; it speaks of His care and love, as He does not leave them in their misery but cares for them; it speaks of His being present among His people, that is, He wants to be part of life, but even more so provide solutions to people's problems. Jesus is 'Immanuel,' that is, 'God with us' (Mt 1:23).

God is not far removed; He is not unknown or unknowable (as some mistakenly claim). Christmas is all about this loving, caring God, who takes part of human life in an intimate way - He became a human being, lived among people, suffered, and, above all, provided an eternal salvation from sin and its terrible consequences (more about that on Easter...) The true meaning of Christmas, therefore, is to celebrate the birth of the Son of God who became a human being in order to be humanity's Saviour. He is within reach for all who call on His name. John states that, although some rejected Him, '... as mans as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,' that is, 'those who believe in His name' (Jn 1:12). To receive Jesus is to believe in Him; this in turn leads to a relationship with God, peace of heart and mind, and an eternal provision of all we need in this life and in the life to come. Truly, in Jesus God is with us!

May I encourage you this Christmas to consider the true meaning that the Bible provides for us? Jesus is your loving Saviour; He became a human being and can therefore understand your struggle, but, better yet, help you through it! If you need to speak about this, please contact a miniter or Christian you trust, and you are, of course, very welcome to contact us here in Ardingly. Remember the following this Christmas: God loves you, wants to care for you, and above all wants you to become His child by placing your faith in Jesus the Saviour of the world.

Shalom,
Gordon

The Value of Human Life

2008-11-14T03:50:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we discussed the value of human life. This is especially relevant during our time of remembrance - millions of human lives were lost during the World Wars, each one of them precious in God's sight. Although most people love to live - and know deep in their hearts that we exist to live life to the full - one wonders why there is so much killing and bloodshed. The concept of a 'war to end all wars' proved to be an illusion, if not for Europe, then for many other parts of the world. The wars since WWII were too numerous to mention, and still today conflicts savage regions, and even whole nations, while women, children, and the elderly are the most innocent and vulnerable victims. As we remember the wars, should we not be moved to make more effort towards peace? Jesus said, 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God' (Mt 5:9). So what does the Bible have to say about the value of human life?

The Bible on The Value of Human Life

The Bible presents God as Creator, an infinite Being who created a beautiful, functioning, and harmonious world - when He saw what He created, He said, 'it is very good' (Genesis 1:31). Yet a pure and innocent Creation was spoiled by sin, the very force of evil that still drives humans today to commit terrible acts against fellow humans. Throughout biblical history sin is the very evil responsible for tragedy, misery, and suffering. Sin is that which is going against God's good will. The abuse of human freedom - a God-given freedom - so often leads to war, misery, and suffering. Ever since the Fall of the first human beings humanity has suffered because of the devastating and destructive effects of sin.

We live in a society where people do no longer want to talk about such uneasy themes as mentioned above. We rather talk about 'nobody is perfect,' or simply 'human weakness.' The problem is, that if we fail to be honest about our condition, the right and appropriate cure cannot set it. Before a medical doctor prescribes medicine he or she must accurately analyse and address the problem. It would surely be unreasonable to try to deny cancer in one's body if treatment can still cure it!?

We need to ask ourselves, How can a mother allow her baby to be beaten - and worse, beaten to death? What value do these people ascribe to human life? How can a mother - or anybody - stab her - or any other - children to death? What value do these people ascribe to human life? We need to ask ourselves, What value do I ascribe to human life? If someone can kill with - or without - second thought, what value is there to human life? Are we simply the useless, meaningless product of evolution? Yet what if we are created by God? What value does that give us? Scripture makes clear that murder is unacceptable to God because humans were created in His image, like God (Genesis 9:6). Whether one believes in Creation by God or not, what is important here is that the Bible ascribes infinte value to human life!

While WWII, for example, was, from an Allied point of view a necessary war - however sad to say that is - most other wars are simply down to human greed (lust) for power and wealth (Hitler's unquenchable lust for power was, of course, at the root of WWII). In response to that: 'The love of money is the root of all evil' (1Ti 6:10), and 'bad company corrupts good morals' (1Co 15:33). There are numerous passages of Scripture that refute lust for money and the misuse of power, as God wants a just and honest world. Yet the world seems to be everything God doesn't want it to be. It is a strange - and unreasonable - contradiction in human thought, that people don't care about God, want to abolish everything religious in public, and reject biblical values, yet when things go bad the same people blame God! So does He exist after all? Is He simply a 'convenient scapegoat'? Well, scapegoat He was, yet whether the truth thereof is that convenient is a matter of personal response.

Jesus Christ died the death of a criminal though he was innocent. Against the backdrop of Jewish Temple worship, Jesus died like a sacrificial lamb to atone for human sin. And beyond that, He was a scapgoat, that is, the One who carried the sins of the world. It is in this act of God's love through which He caused a perfect and eternal salvation for all of humanity - British or Polish, Hindu or Muslim, African or Asian, police man or bus driver, banker or bankrupt - that God displayed what value He ascribes to human life: infinte value. He would have His Son died to save humanity, rather than to spare His Son and see humanity suffer eternal damnation. It is the love of God that does care for human life - if only people allow Him to. Why blame God for a tragedy if He was rejected und unwanted in the first place? Why not start a fresh life with God through Jesus in which you come to understand that your life is of infinte value to God, that He does care for you, and that He will provide and protect you - despite any circumstances you might face. Join us on Sundays, if you can, and we'll talk about it. You can also contact us by phone or eMail - at your service in God's love.

Shalom,
Gordon

Prayer According to God's Will

2008-10-21T02:22:00.000-07:00

Many people pray, usually only for their own needs and only when they feel they suddenly need God, yet are quick to abandon Him when things go well again. Biblical prayer has a different emphasis - a much better and more consistent results! God is actually seeking a relationship of intimacy and daily fellowship; He is not only one to get us out of trouble, but seeks to be our daily companion in every-day situations. Prayer is more than asking God, or saying a few words in a church meeting once in a while. Prayer is a lifestyle of communication and communion with God. We shall look at a very important issue when it comes to prayer, one that will guarantee answers to prayer no matter how difficult our circumstances may be.

Prayer (Part 2): Prayer According to God's Will (Mt 6:5-13; 1Jn 5:14-15)

Jesus not only lived a life of prayer, He also taught His disciples how to pray. While many people know - and perhaps weekly repeat - the Lord's Prayer, we shall take a closer look that the preceding words of Jesus, for they give us the basis for the prayer.

The first thing Jesus establishes when it comes to prayer is that our attitude must be totally devoid of hypocrisy and our motive must be pure. We should not make a show, bragging about in our prayer, nor shall we pray in order to impress others (see Mt 6:5). Rather, we shall pray alone before God (v 6). God always sees the secrets of our hearts, so He knows our motives. Praying in secret is praying for God alone. We can't make a big show if we're all alone, unless we seek to fool ourselves in making a big show for ourselves in prayer! It is a relationship of intimate communion and something very personal. Jesus does, of course, not speak against public prayer, only against public prayer with hypocritical motives, that is, such as seeking to impress others rather than having intimacy with God.

The next issue is that prayer is not a matter of babbling many words, or have some kind of magic formula which guarantees answers (see v 7). Rather, and these words are the very basis of all prayer, 'your Father [i.e., God] knows what you need before you ask Him' (v 8). These words immediately precede the 'Lord's Prayer' and form the very foundation for it - God knows what we need, hence, we don't need to approach Him as if He didn't know or didn't care. So, whenever we come before God, we approach Him on this basis: He knows what we need before we pray! There is such relief in knowing that God knows and that God cares. No need to worry then, He's in control of our lives and circumstances!

The words that follow are some of the most well-known words from the Bible, but let's look at them again (we shall never presume that we know all things about a biblical texts just because we know its words!):

V 9: 'Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your Name'

Many Hebrew prayers open with these words; synagogue prayers read, 'Magnified and sanctified be his great name throughout the world...' (David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1992, pg 32). Hence, we see the Jewishness of Jesus' model prayer. The first priority is God as Father and that His name be exalted, glorified, and magnified. While many church prayers only centre around selfish desires and our needs, Jesus teaches us to prayer with God as our centre of prayer. In a society where the word 'father' means little to many abandoned kids, or, even worse, recalls a negative image, it is often hard for people to correctly grasp the right pricture Jesus is communicating. In His understanding, God is a loving, caring Father who is there for His children (unlike many fathers today). hence, the Father-image is often the exact opposite of what children experience a father to be. If you had a bad dad, think of God as exactly the opposite!

V 10: 'Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven'

These words reinforce the above statement: it is not primarily about us, but about God. For the true disciple God's kingdom and will come first, knowing that as we seek first God's kingdom, all things we need will be provided for by God (Mt 6:33); hence, nothing to worry when our priorities are right! Whenever God's will is done, His Kingdom (His rule as King) comes upon us. In heaven, God rules sovereignly, yet on earth human free will often causes havoc and misery. God, on the other hand, seeks to bless us, care for us, and help us make right decisions, that is, decisions according to His will. As Creator he knows what is best for us, just as the maker of a car or tool knows best how we are to use it. If we use some item in a wrong way, it will be damaged (e.g., if you want to crush stones in a kitchen mixer... you can imagine the result, right?) God is full of love and compassion, as well as powerful to provide good things for us. He is a perfect and as a gentle Father He seeks to instruct us in our daily lives in order for us to have a good life, a life of meaning, purpose, and fulfilment!

V 11: 'Give us this day our daily bread'

God cares for us on a daily basis. In our Western society such a prayer line seems superfluous, yet in many parts of the world, this is ever so relevant. With the present credit cruntch, many low-income families feel the effects strongly, yet this prayer line will assure us that God will take care of us no matter what the financial markets say.

V 12: 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors'

This is a very powerful statement, one which many seek to twist and avoid. As all previous lines, we must take these words literal, too. God forgives us our sins, but we must forgive others in the same way. Modern research could establish that unforgivenss is often a cause for cancer or other sicknesses. Forgivess releases not only our debtor, but also our own soul from any feeling of resentment or bitterness. We just forgive and forget, and with it let any injustice go - this will be of tremendous blessing for ourselves, for bitterness and even hatred against others will be avoided. It is cometimes very tough, for something inside of us wants justice! Well, so does God, but He wants us to trust Him, for He is not primarily into judging and punishing people, but rather to bless them and change them. Martin Luther King is a prime example that this kind of approach works in real life and that it has tremendous effect on others. If people realise what they are forgiven of, it usually has a good effect on them. Some will, of course, use your goodness, yet this is not our concern - we need to forgive and make sure we're right with God. He will take care of the situation. If you doubt this, try it first and see for yourself!

V 13: 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us rom the evil one'

We shall pray that God will keep us from temptation. james instructs us that it is our selfish and fleshly desires that lead us into temptation, never God (Jms 1:13-16). God is for us and seeks to prevent damage that we inflict on ourselves through chosing to sin. Sin always has negative and destructive consequences, and it is thus thatr God seeks to protect us from its destructive forces and terrible consequences.

Hence, we have seen what prayer is according to Jesus, that is, prayer according to God's will. Jesus' closest disciple, John, has very plain and clear words when it comes to prayer according to God's will. Let's take a look at them:

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. nd if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him (1Jn 5:14-15)

These words are plain and simple to understand: prayer must be according to God's will, and if they are, God will hear and answer. Simple! Jesus, in John's Gospel (note the source of the above words), made it clear that if (condition) His words abide in us, our prayer will be effective, since it will be according to His will, as His words reveal God's will. The 'binding and loosing' and the prayer of agreement Jesus spoke about in Matthew 18:18-19, is really about people making decisions based on God's word. In the synangogue practice of the time, the leaders sought God's will in His Word in order to make a decision on a certain matter the Bible didn't directly state (a modern example would be smoking: the Bible doesn't forbid smoking, yet, of course, smoking was invented much later; we know from other passages of Scripture that we should not allow ourselves to be addicted to anything, hence smoking isn't right, let alone bad for our health!) So, if people on earth, find agreement according to God's will and pray accordingly, the answer is certain!

May God helps us to understand His will in His word, and may we learn more and more to pray according to His will - and if we do so, He will hear us and answer our prayer positively!

Shalom,
Gordon

The Prayer of Desperation and Dedication

2008-10-16T03:23:00.000-07:00

Prayer can change things! Many people pray in many different ways - but the results also vary. The question is who we pray to and how we do it. That is, not so much the external form, but rather the content and our personal attitude and faith are crucial. Christians and Jews pray to the God of the Bible whom they believe is a God who answers the prayers of His people because He loves them, knows their needs, and is able to act on their behalf.

We shall look at different prayers in the Bible in order to learn how to pray in order to get our prayers answered. This series may not follow through non-stop, but will, most likely, be 'interrupted' with other sermons on different issues. So, keep visiting our blog in order to read our teachings and news.

God is the Lord of the Harvest - not the Lord of the Rings - and we need to pray for Him to send out workers into His Harvest (Mt 9:35-39). The 'harvest' here does, of course, not refer to crops and fruit, but to people who are in desperate need of God, healing, health, and shalom (well-being, wholeness). Jesus had a deep compassion for all the suffering - and still has - and wants this divine compassion to be established in those workers He can send out. The importance of prayer cannot be overemphasised - so let's get right into it...

Prayer (Part 1): The Prayer of Desperation and Dedication

There are three prayers we want to look at, and all three have at least two elements in common: desperation and dedication. When hard times come to people, there are usually two different responses: some curse God, accuse Him for their trouble, and start to hate Him, while others humble themselves in child-like trust, cry to Him in desperation, and as they dedicate their lives and the answer to their prayer to God, He acts on their behalf in an amazing way - a way impossible for humans to act.

Jacob (Genesis 28; 32)

Jacob is a very interesting character, but space does, unfortunately, not allow us to cover his whole story. What is perhaps the most interesting in his life's development is that God changed him in an instructive process. He became a man of humility and one who would endure suffering a wrong innocently. It was as he was 'tricked' himself that he realised that what he had done to his brother was rather tricky. The story is complex and we can't explain all matters, but what is evident in his prayer-encounter with the Angel of God is that he was desperate. His own brother sought to kill him (although it was primarily Esau's, not Jacob's (!), fault that the older had lost his birth right (because he sold it, not valuing it for what it was). The situation is tense: Esau is seeking to kill Jacob. This was for real, and Jacob knew it. What did he do? Well, he prayed in desperation and God saved his life through a miraculous change of heart in Esau. What is also important to observe is that Jacob had dedicated his life and 10% of all his wealth and income unto God (28:20-22). Hence, it was a prayer of desperation and dedication. He had fully given himself to God and His purposes for his life, and once he prayed in a desperate situation, God did miracles for him! That is the power of such a prayer.

Hannah (1 Samuel 1)

A similar pattern is seen in Hannah's prayer. He was barren, which was, of course, a big shame in the culture of the day (as it is in many cultures today). The other wife of her husband would provoke her in no soft manners; Hannah's heart was broken and her soul crushed. Her husband's material gifts would not make up for the child she so desperately wanted. What did she do? Accuse God? No way; that would be outrageous! It would also be foolish, because only God can make a barren woman have a child! There are seven barren women in Scripture; six of them prayed to God (or were prayed for) and God have them children. Prayer does work! My wife and I ourselves had prayed for four barren women in Bulgaria, and all of them have a child now (or perhaps more...!?) We prayed to the God of the Bible, the God of gods and Lord of life, who can do miracles beyond human powers or imagination.

Hannah was desperate, but what is equally important, she dedicated her son - if God was to give her one - unto the Lord. It was a prayer of dedication, and that is key in this passage: her prayer was one according to the will of God, one of humility, one of selflessness. She did not ask great things for herself, but wanted God's purposes to flourish. If we remember Solomon's initial prayer, we find similar elements: he didn't want the riches, but rather the wisdom to fulfill his leadership role on behalf of the people. It is this kind of heart that God responds to and rewards. Hannah's son became such an important figure, notably because he anointed Israel's greatest king - David.

Jesus (Mt 26:36-46)

We cannot omitt Jesus' prayer of dedication in his greatest hour of prayer-struggle: He knew He would be executed in the most brutal manner, yet still He didn't ask God to take Him out of suffering and trouble, but empower Him to go through it, and come out victorious. In fact, all that mattered for Jesus was the will of God. Previously He had stated that it was even His food (nourishment) to do the will of God (Jn 4:34). This is amazing - He lived only to do God's will! At the cross, in His hours of greatest suffering, He even prayed for the forgiveness of those who mistreated Him - only a humble, all-loving being can do that. Martin Luther King Jr. followed in Jesus' footseps and achieved amazing things. Jesus achieved the greates thing ever: an eternal salvation for human beings who come to God through faith in Jesus Christ and what He had accomplished at the cross.

This is the good news: Jesus Christ died in order to save sinners. There is no person too sinful for God not to accept him, forgive him, and restore him to a life of health, holiness, and purpose. God is a good God who loves people and seeks to answer their prayers. As we come to Him in humility and faith, as we pray in desperation (if that is our situation) and dedication (which we should always do), God will respond and act.

This Sunday we shall continue with this theme and look at prayer according to the will of God - such prayers are never denied!

God bless you as you seek Him and prayer to Him!

Shalom,
Gordon

Discipleship (Part 4): Abiding in Christ and His Word

2008-10-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

Finally we had our last sermon in our series on discipleship. Why is this series important? Well, as a church we seek biblical faith and conduct, and discipleship is the essence of being a believer in and follower of Christ. The label 'Christian' means so many thing to so many people, so much so that many don't know what it actually is supposed to mean. We have here sought to define genuine discipleship (though the study is, of course, not all-comprehensive) which defines that part of a genuine Christian life. We shall dive into the teachings of Jesus more thoroughly in the future for right doctrine and faith are very important as they determine how we live. Church history is full of doctrinal disputes, something Paul warned would cause damage. This we seek to avoid, yet nevertheless, correct biblical doctrine must be upheld - even in our post-modern and relativistic world! More about that later... Please do enjoy the following notes and seriously consider your own life if you claim to be a Christian: is Jesus your Lord and Saviour? Did you set right priorities? Are you seeking God's will? Have you given yourself to Jesus? These are the crucial questions for those who profess to be Christian. It is one thing to know something about God, yet blessing only comes if we put into action what we know and believe (see Jn 13:17)!

Discipleship (Part 4): Abiding in Christ and His Word

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. (John 15:7-8 NASB)

This text sets the tone for our sermon. The disciple is to bear 'much fruit,' a figurative speech to indicate that there must be results that show genuine faith and dedication to Christ. A tree that does not bear fruit is a waste of space, as we all know. No one can sell leaves on the market; only fruit counts! Abiding in Christ and His Word is the very key presented by Jesus for those who want to be effective for God and 'bear much fruit' for His glory. The disciple does not live to glorify himself or herself - totally contrary to today's philosophies of life - but rather seeks to glorify God through a genuinely godly life.

In the preceding words, Jesus used a powerful illustration to make His message understood. Please keep in mind that the culture of the day was very familiar with agriculture, hence the vine and vinedresser language made perfect sense. John 15:1-6 reads as follows (NASB):

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

There is a lot to be taken from these words. For one, Jesus is pointing to Israel as the vine planted by God, yet in times of rebellion and sin, she did not bear fruit in accordance with God's labour on behalf of His beloved people (see Isa 5). Jesus is genuinely Jewish and genuinely committed to God and His will - He expresses genunine godliness, and had borne fruit that glorified the Father; now He was to demand it from His followers for whom He had laboured (in discipleship, teaching, and care). The illustration is simple: a fruitless branch takes up unnecessary space and enegry from other branches in a tree, hence it is to be removed. It is a sobering passage, especially for 'Christians' living in compromise and sin. Abiding in Christ, on the other hand, gives us the necessary strength to live godly lives, be effective for God, and thus glorify the Father. A branch draws its life from from the tree; the stem upholds the branch (cf. Ro 11).

It is a fact that is sometimes hard to grasp, but truely without and apart from Christ humans cannot do anything that is worth eternity. It is only through Christ that we can serve God in an acceptable way. It is a glorious life, abiding in Christ, for it takes pressure of the disciple for fruit grows naturally on a healthy and connected branch! It is a life of grace where we do not have to strive to please God or live this life in our own strength. So many people are overtired and overburdened, but if they would only 'let go and let God' things would be much easier. Yes, I know, it is a process and a struggle to learn being dependant on God - I've been there! It is not easy to accept this overwhelming love and acceptance of God - it is almost too good to be true - I know, I've been there. In a cruel world in which people are ever to selfish, the unconditional and selfless love of God is just amazing! We we get to know God, we will be able to more and more 'let go and let God'; He wants to be our everything because in this way all of His goodness and abundant life can come to us. It is a peace so out of this world, or, as Paul says, and peace that is beyond our understanding or explication... Peace that the world cannot give, peace that is nowhere else to be found, peace that is deep, lasting, and eternal.

If we take a look at Jesus' own life, we will discover that He Himself had lived in this intimacy with the Father, and it was that deep relationship of trust that enabled Him to do what He did. Let me put it under three headings:

Jesus lived in total surrender, dependence, and obedience to God (e.g., Jn 5:19, 30; 6:38). It is amazing how Jesus Himself lived by abiding in the Father, even to such an extent that He could claim that He and the Father were one (Jn 10:30, 38; cf. 14:6-14).
Jesus lived in a prayerful relationship with God (Lk 5:16; Mt 14:23). Though He was fully God, Jesus, in His humanity, lived a lifestyle of prayer. This is yet another sign of Him relying on God for guidance and strength.
Jesus loived by God's Word and Spirit (Lk 4:1, 4, 8, 12, 14ff). Jesus was a Man of the Spirit, and that is what 'Christ' means: the Anointed One, the Messiah (Hebrew: Mashiach). In spiritual warfare, Jesus was victorious by sticking to God's Word - He was a Man of the Word.

These characteristics form a basis for a godly and effective life of a disciple who seeks to bear much fruit for God make his or her life count! May we more and more seek such a life the Master Himself lived and learn to bear much fruit in a dedicated life to Jesus, our 'Vine,' as we abiding Him as 'branches.'

Shalom,
Gordon

Discipleship (Part 3): Giving Your All for Jesus

2008-09-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

We are in our series on discipleship, that is, what did Jesus do concerning discipleship and how did He instruct His first leaders to build His Church. Jesus commanded His leaders - then and now - to make disciples and teach people to observe all He has instructed (Mt 28:18-20). I am sorry to say, but churches who do not disciple believers are failing to do what we are ought to do. So, let's get straight into the teaching, shall we?

Discipleship (Part 3): Giving Your All for Jesus

Our main text is from Luke 14:25-35, here are verses 25-27:

Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" (NASB).

Jesus was very popular in His day and 'large crowds' followed Him. Yet, following Jesus is not a fashion or just another hobby, it's something that involves more. The use of the verb 'hate' seems puzzling. Yet it is simeply a Semitic idiom to mean 'love less.' Matthew records the less tough Greek translation of the original Aramaic or Hebrew Jesus spoke.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Mt 10:37 NASB).

New Testament scholar I. Howard Marshall confirms that Jesus used a Semitic idiom which means 'to love less,' and stresses the fact that it is not a 'psychological hate,' but rather the notion of 'renunciation' (Marshall, The Gospel of Luke [NIGTC]. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978, pg. 592). So, what is Jesus saying? The disciple (follower) of Jesus must have right priorities - He must come before all else. These strong words stand in no contradiction to the command 'honour your father and mother' (Ex 20:12), a command which Jesus affirmed (Lk 18:20). Rather, it simply speaks - in strong language which stresses the importance of what He is saying - that our Lord and Saviour, our God and King, must be first in all things. There's a simple way of putting it: JOY stands for, Jesus first, Others second, You last. The life of true joy is not one of utter selfishness and hedonism, but one of service and selfless love. Many non-Christians and people from other religions understand that too: selfishness doesn't pay off, and there is satisfaction in serving others and doing good things. Jesus' teaching was rather radical - if one does good deeds, others should not even know about it (Mt 6). This is very different to certain fund-raising where people brag with their big donations in front of others. Real giving is selfless and comes from a love for the people not love for self!

Carrying the cross is yet more strong terminology Jesus used to explain what discipleship - or followship - with Him meant. To carry the cross in the first century simply meant to be willing to go to one's own execution. This speaks of selfless sacrifice if necessary, just as Jesus demonstrated. In fact, greater love has no one than the one who gives his or her life for another person (cf. Jn 15:13). For Jesus, this meant dying for the ungodly and sunful (see Rom 5). The true disciple is one who does not seek his or her onw pleasure and comfort first, but seeks to serve others and live a meaningful life in service to others within God's purposes. One finds enormous fulfilment and reward in doing that. This is not to say that we shall never go on holiday or go out for lunch - such are extreme and unhealthy interpretations. In verse 33 (as elsewhere) Jesus makes clear that a disciple must be willing to give up things if they hinder our followship of Jesus. Marshall explains the following: 'To come to Jesus is the initial step in response to his call... It has to be complemented by coming after...Jesus' (592). Hence, discipleship requries total commitment. The follower of Jesus finds the true meaning and purpose in life by doing God's will, and is hence willing to forsake all others - this is what true marriage is, or should be, all about. The genuine wife or husband have no loves, forsake all others, in order to give oneself fully to one's spouse - that is true love. In the same way, the true believer has no other gods - spiritual or material - than the true God, the God of the Bible.

One of the greatest men of the 20th century said that, 'If you've got nothing worth dying for, you're got nothing worth living for.' His name was Martin Luther King jr., and if we think of his struggle for human rights and the dangers he risked, once can understand his statement. Today people commit suicide because they have nothing to live for - they have not found true meaning and purpose of in life. That is ever so sad (and my own past has witnessed several suicides in my circle of friends), but there is a genuine remedy: life with and for Jesus makes not only sense, but gives meaning, and brings satisfaction, in fact, it is one life worth giving your everything for! There are hundreds of thousands of people who give up all kinds of 'good things' in order to follow Jesus - some have been rich people who suddenly start giving away money to the poor, others have been famous actors, musicians, or sports(wo)men, who understood that living for others is more important than living for one self. Such teaching and change goes contrary to a world of increasing selfishness, but testimony after testimony shows that it truly works.

But what comes next in Jesus' discourse on discipleship is sobering: people are to count the cost (vv 28ff). In other words, it is no good starting out as a disciple and than turning back from it. Unfortunately that has happened all too often, and it is these people who are making faith in God a laughingstock - unfortunately! However, we are to look to the good examples if we really want to know what it's all about. In verse 33 Jesus sums up that willingness to give material things is a necessity in the life of followship after Jesus - one cannot hold on to things that hinder discipleship. In fact, that would be putting those things above God and it would hence become an idol (something that is more important than God). One can see from these words that discipleship is something serious. In his famous book on The Cost of Discipleship (London: Simon & Schuster, 1995 [original: SCM, 1959]), Dietrich Bonhoeffer makes things plain: 'cheap grace' is a no go. It is wrong for people to pretend to be Christians without genuine repentance and faith. It is these kind of fake Christians that make the Church and God look like fools. Bonhoeffer was a genuine disciple of Christ - and he truly paid the ultimate price! True grace is costly in that it is the hidden treasure in the field, a treasure worth more than anoything else, for which one is willing to give up everything else. It is like finding the wife or husband, and forsaking all others. Being a Christians just for the sake of God's blessings is like marrying a person for his or her money - how fake and ridicilous, isn't it?!

What follows underlines the message again: salt, a preservative and flavouring ingredient, is only good if it fulfills its function and purpose (vv 34-35). Hence, as J. Blanchard put it, 'The best thing, when not used in the right way, becomes the most loathsome.' Be it high-paid football players who under perform, employees who don't do their jobs properly, or whatever else, one has to live up to his or her function and purpose. The same is true for the disciple of Jesus. We shall not be like those who forsake Jesus when the going gets though (Jn 6:60-63, 66-69). In fact, the tough get going when the going gets tough - it is these people we can become through discipleship: remember Peter! Thr true follower of Jesus has understood that He has the words of eternal life and is the Messiah, the Saviour, and true Life!

God bless you with all you need to follow Jesus and make your life count.

Shalom,
Gordon

Discipleship (Part 2): Right Priorities

2008-09-15T23:06:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we had another good meeting, seeking God, praying for Ardingly, and continuing our series on discipleship. Jesus taught that God is a rich and abundant Provider, One who will gives us what we need in life if our priorities are right. In a world of crisis, not least in the financial area, God will prove Himself caring for those who love Him and live for Him wholeheartedly.

Discipleship (Part 2): Right Priorities

But seek first His [God's] Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33 [NASB])

What is the Kingdom of God? And, what are 'all these things' Jesus referred to? Well, the context will explain it. If we go back and start to read from verse 19 onwards, we'll find out. Jesus is teaching concerning right living, and here in particular when it comes to our priorities in the area of finance. In other words, where is our focus and were do we place our trust? Is it worldly riches and job securities or do we have heavenly priorities and trust in God? Storing up treasures in heaven is a way of speaking about seeking God and His purposes, and not following the selfish ways of people around us. The believer in God has a distinguished lifestyle, in that God and His will are the highest priority in life. If one contemplates on world history, the conclusion is drawn fast: human selfishness and quest for wealth and power corrupt and are the number one causes for war, injustice, and misery. Many mistakenly think that religion is the main cause for war, but that is certainly wrong. Although religion played a major role in medieval politics, it was the abuse of religion and most of all the quest for power that was the driving force behind decisions and their consequences. What is important to Jesus - who, too, by the way, spoke out against the misuse of religion - is that His followers have their priorities right and understand that religion is a matter of heart attitude with corresponding action (cf. Mt 6:1-18 where He taught on piety). It goes on as the next set of verses (vv 22-24) make clear.

This may be a vexing passage, but once Hebrew idioms are understood, it makes perfect sense. A 'bad eye' speaks of greed; a 'good eye' of generosity - these are Hebrew idioms. Proverbs 22:9 literally reads that a the one with a good eye is blessed for he has given bread to the poor. It is simply an idiom for generosity, as is already implied in several modern English translations (e.g., NASB, NIV, NET). So, if a person is generous that generosity of heart - often emphasised by Jesus - will cause 'light' - that which is good - to take effect in the whole person (the bad stuff comes from greed - and, again, world history - not to speak of modern history! - proves this beyond dispute: where there is money there is greed, and where there is greed there is corruption and injustince). The whole context of these verses further underlie the fact that Jesus speaks about money and our heart attitude towards it. One cannot be divided in this matter: we have to either serve and trust God or seek after wealth (v 24). Now, it has often been wrongly understood that Christians should be poor. We can, however, understand from Scripture that it is not wrong to be rich as long as one is not greedy and uses his or her wealth to do good things (see 1Ti 6). It is the love of money and selfish quest for riches that corrupts. The Bible is clear that hard work will be rewarded and that God blesses the righteous, even with money and riches - the difference is, they come from God and are gained in a correct manner and a right attitude (e.g., Prov 10:22; 14:23-24). So, a rich and generous person will be blessed and is, at the same time, a blessing for others - that's how it's supposed to be!

Hence, as one is generous, no worries need to accompany our daily lives. Jesus draws on illustrations from nature - the lillies and birds - to show how God is the Provider over all of His Creation. Worrying doesn't help - it never does; it fact, it makes things worse! So, stop worrying and start trusting God. The believer who seeks first God's kingdom, that is, His rule and will, and His righteousness, that is, the purity of heart with corresponding fruit (cf. vv1-18), has nothing to worry as God will richly provide (v 33). In fact, God does - of course - know that we need shelter, clothing, food, ect., and will provide all things richly (cf. Phil 4:19; 1Ti 6:17). 'All these things' does, therefore, speak of God's provision as a loving Father who knows what we need. It is here that our trust (faith) in God will keep us calm and secure, nevermind the outward circumstances. But, and the condition is crucial, it is for those who have right priorities and live for God wholeheartedly. God is a merciful Provider for all those who call on Him; He has given so much even for people who don't care for God at all (cf. Mt 5:45), so how much more for those who love Him and seek a righteous lifestyle? Nothing to fear, nothing to worry for those who have right priorities and live for God wholeheartedly.

Shalom,
Gordon

Discipleship (Part 1): Lord and Saviour

2008-09-09T05:11:00.000-07:00

We had a good first service together on Sunday - bless you all for coming! Here are some notes from the teaching part of the service (plus additions); I hope it'll edify you! If you're not a Christian, please read the whole article even if some of the 'stuff' here seems at first unfamiliar - it will all become clear at the end. Please leave a feedback if you may. God bless you!

Discipleship (Part 1): Lord and Saviour

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He commissioned the remaining eleven disciples to go and 'make disciples' (Mt 28:16-20). The 'Eleven' had become apostles through the training provided by Jesus; they had been disciples (so usually referred to in the Gospels, with a few exceptions only), yet grew to be apostles in their leadership position of the Church (they are called 'apostles' in Acts). The commission is not to make 'church-goers,' nor even to simply preach the Gospel; the commission is to make disciples (a verb which, in the original Greek text, is in the imperative form, hence a command). Disciples are made in two ways: (1) by baptising believers, which is not simply the immersion into water, but a life-transformation into the image of God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit (a ritual without faith and inner experience is empty; baptism would then be a bath, nothing more). The other component in this text is that disciples are made (2) by teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded (Greek grammar: both 'baptising' and 'teaching' are participles, which form two sub-clauses and explain the main verb, 'make disciples'). It is not simply teaching some doctrine, but teaching people in such a way that they learn to live by the ways and Word of God. In a similar way Moses was to teach God's people the statutes and words of God in order for them 'to perform' them (Dt 4:1). Hence, the exhortation by James, 'be doers of the Word not hearers only,' for such deceive themselves (Jas 1:22). Why would they deceive themselves? Because they think they are living the life by simply hearing the Word of God, but are not aware of actually failing to obey. People know about forgiving others - and nod when they hear it preached - but actually don't do it when it comes to a situation that demands forgiveness. That is one reason why some non-Christians think all 'church folk' are hypocrites; well, fact is that many 'church folk' have failed, but worst of all, have failed in recognising their own mistakes without apology or change. It is only human to fail - and to 'blow it' sometimes - but as one seeks to learn and repent of one's sins and failures, God grants total forgiveness no matter what had happened (people are very seldom as forgiving...)

So, what is a 'disciple'? Dr Brad H Young, a leading scholar in the field of the Jewish background to the Gospels and the New Testament as a whole, informs us that 'Jesus' teaching techniques have deep roots in the rich soils of Jewish education and Torah training.' He explains that a 'disciple' in Hebrew is a talmid, that is, a '"learner," one who is open to change and is actively seeking to learn how to live life to its fullest potential in the kingdom of heaven' (see Meet the Rabbis: Rabbinic Thought and the Teachings of Jesus. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2007. pages 29-30). Hence, a disciple is a student or learner, one who follows a teacher or master. He or she is so by choice and trust in the master, just as a martial arts student is submitted to his or her master in order to learn and be trained with the aim of becoming like the master. As believers in Jesus Christ we are called to be followers of Him and have Him as our Lord and Teacher, not only our Saviour.

Another very important passage when it comes to discipleship is found in Luke 6. Jesus had chosen twelve of His many disciples to become apostles after a night of prayer (Lk 6:12-16), and then began to teach (vv 17ff). In verse 46 we come acorss a very striking question:

'Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not what I say?'

In other words, why would you call your superior at work 'Boss' but constantly do your own thing? If you were a hairdresser, why would you call your boss 'Boss' and then colour someone's hair blue when he told you to colour it blonde? If you're a surgeon, why would you operate on someone's leg if the arm needs 'fixing'? It's simply: calling Jesus 'Lord' without obedience is a contradiction in itself. Calling one self a Christian without seeking to obey God's Word is a no-go. Jesus explains why in the following illustration - which is, to be sure, not simply a nice Sunday-school story...: there are two kinds of hearers: (1) there are those who hear the words and do them, and (2) there are those who hear but don't obey (vv 47ff). Both hear, but only one group obeys - and that is the crucial difference! The obedient is building his life on a solid foundation - obeying God's Word through Jesus - while the other is building on sand; storms come to both, but only one survives. This illustration hits home: we all know that life has its many storms (i.e., the economy is not always stable, jobs not always secure, investments are at risk, etc), and sometimes it hits people very hard. The question is, What solution do we have for these situations? How can we handle them without 'going to the dogs' ourselves? The Bible guarantees a blessed life despite life's storms. That doesn't not mean that Christians will never face trouble - the opposite is true; in fact, persecution, hardships, etc is part of the true Christian life. The crucial difference, however, is that the obedient followers of Jesus will always have hope that will carry them through mentally and emotionally, they will always know that God is still in control and makes all things work together for good, and they will always be able to trust God even if they don't fully understand all of life's mysteries. It is better to suffer temporarily with trust in God, then to suffer without any hope. Troubles and hardship for God's people are temporary, while people without God's protection often suffer irrepairable loss and damage - it is ever so sad to learn of such cases, but the world ain't a Sunday pick-nick. There are bad people who mean harm; there is a devil who seeks to harm people for no reason. Yet Scripture makes clear that God has always a way out of trouble. Think of Daniel's friends in the furnace of fire: God didn't save them from the fire, He saved them in it. Even God's Son Jesus had to suffer the crucifixion, but that was not 'the last word'; no, the resurrection was, and with it perfect salvation for whoever believes in the Messiah of God was made available.

It is, however, very clear, that Jesus must be both Lord and Saviour, not Saviour only. A person doesn't become a Christian by attending church, just as working in a car factory doesn't make one into a car. Each individual must find his or her personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Through that relationship with God one will discover that religion is not a burden but a joy and relief. It is amazing how God can transform a life and make something beautiful out of something ugly. Just think of a butterfly - and what it was before! My life has been like that: I was depressed, frustrated, and despair in a life without God despite growing up in one of the richest countries in the world. In fact, Switerland has one of the highest suicide rates in the world (so does Australia). Isn't that surprising? You see, there is more to life than what money can buy. True deep and inner peace comes only through peace with God through Jesus Christ; in fact, Jesus is our peace (Eph 2:14; cf. Ro 5:1ff). He is the One who can reconcile us with God and with ourself. As many teenagers (but also adults), I didn't like myself too much, until I came to understand that God created me and loved me - that knowledge changed my life in a tremenduous way. I don't have to look like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp in order to be confident; I don't have to have millions of pounds in order to be happy; I don't need to be the centre of attention at all parties and weddings in order to feel important and special. No, God has made each person a unique, special, and precious individual. All negative self-image disappears once a person discovers the unique, personal, and deep love of God. All searching for the meaning of life comes to an end once meaning and purpose is found in God. In fact, God so loved human beings that He gave His Son to die for our sins - it was the only way to reconcile us with Him on that intimate level. It is the love of God that makes people realize that a life of obedience is truly meaningful, purposeful, and satisfying. We do no longer need to sing, 'I can't get no satisfaction,' as it is found in the peace and love of God through Jesus Christ.

Shalom,
Gordon

Induction Service of New Minister

2008-09-06T13:42:00.001-07:00

Dear All,

it has been a lovely afternoon in beautiful but rainy Ardingly for our induction to the ministry at Ardingly Congregational Church. We'd like to extend our warmest thanks to everyone who came and all those who worked so hard for it - well done! Special thanks to the leaders and church members of Southwick Christian Community Church, as well as John and Sally Crutchley (John is the vicar at Ardingly's Anglican Church), Mark Evans (Congregational Federation), and Alistair Scott (Pastor in Oxted). It was lovely to see ministers and believers from different churches come together in support of our tiny work which we seek to extend in the years to come. 'Two are better than one,' the Scriptures teach us (Eccl 4:9), so working together with a fine attitude of mutual respect despite our uniquenesses and differences will make the impact of the Church much stronger.

Just this week I was speaking to a nice lady, who is a kindergarden teacher, about the loss of values in our society today which is the main reason why things have been deteriorating so much in recent years. To teach children, the youth, and even adults decent values for a healthy community is but one of many important reasons why the Church and its biblical values are so crucial in society and its influence must regain strength unless we want things to become worse. During the Welsh Revival in the early 1900s, alcoholism and crime has virtually been extinguished due to people turning to God and embracing His ways of living which proved to be such a blessing for people: fathers would spend their money on their families rather than wasting it all on drinking and gambling - now that is something worth pursuing!

God wants His Church to be a blessing and positive influence for all people and peoples, and that is exactly what Ardingly Congregational Church is all about. Vicar John Cruchtley's fine affirmation of partnership in the village for God's purposes has been a tremenduous encouragement for my wife and me today, and we are very much looking forward to seeing its fulfillment - thank you, John and Sally! May the good Lord bless your labour and sacrifice.

So, we're happy to be here and are looking forward to fulfilling our part in God's plans for this village and area. May the love and truth of God penetrate our lives, families, villages, and nation!

Shalom,
Gordon & Family

ACC's New Minister and His Family

2008-08-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

Ardingly Congregational Church (ACC) would like to present its new Minister and his family.

As from the 1 September Gordon Merk will lead the work in the beautiful village of Ardingly, West Sussex. Gordon has a Swiss Dad and an English Mum, and grew up in Switzerland until he moved to Bulgaria in 2002, where he married Veneta a year later. Veny (short for Veneta) is Bulgarian, and has served together with Gordon in the itinerant ministry as well as social and welfare outreaches to the needy and suffering of Bulgaria and Romania. Together they have two daughters, Elizabeth Valentina (2 years) and Christine Esther (4 months). They have just moved from Sweden to the UK, and feel very fortunate and happy to be here. They are very impressed with the people's friendliness - a hallmark of British culture - and have started to feel at home here, not only because of nice neighbours around 'The Manse,' but also because of the lovely people of Southwick Christian Community Church, which oversees the Congregational Church in Ardingly.

Gordon and Veny wish to be a blessing to the people of Ardingly and its surrounding villages and towns, and will seek to serve the needs of people and share God's love and good news as opportunity arises. There is a small number of Christians who are part of the church already, who will be taken care of by the new family. Gordon and Veny have both a strong testimony of how they came to faith in Jesus Christ, and how He has changed their lives in a wonderful way.

Gordon holds a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) degree in Theology; in Switzerland he was first educated as a draughtsman, while he also worked with handicapped adults for almost two years - a work he loves very much! Veny is a primary school teacher (B.A.) and holds an M.A. in Family Consulation (i.e., counselling), and started her M.A. on School Administration. She has worked in outreaches to drug-addicted people in Sofia, Bulgaria, and has done research on orphans and abandoned children in her home country.

Welcome!

2008-08-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

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