Meeting leading

This morning my lovely church (the Plant), gave me the opportunity to lead the church meeting. The job involves welcoming everyone to church, leading in prayer, and introducing the speaker. I've included my notes from the introduction beneath; all comments would be gratefully received!

Hello, and welcome to the Plant on this summer morning. Later today, we’ll be hearing the last Bible talk from our series on the book of Exodus. I don’t know about you, but I’ve found this series for the Old Testament pretty challenging over the last term.

To do a little recap, we started back in Exodus 25 with God’s telling Moses of the intricate description of how the Israelites should worship God, the specifications of the tabernacle and actions of the Priest. We even hear in Exodus 29 how God will dwell among the people of Israel, and will be their God. However when Moses returned to his people to tell them this, he was greeted by them worshipping a statue of a golden calf... Not a good response to a holy and almighty God! The relationship was strained – could God really return to his people after such blatant and willing disobedience? After much interceding from Moses, the relationship is given another opportunity, and the people given another chance to worship God. This time the people willingly contribute to the work of God, and his tabernacle is finally completed to the letter. Our voyage through Exodus will culminate today in chapter 40, when we hear Phil speaking on God’s presence coming to his people.

So, that was a quick recap on what we’ve covered so far – what a choppy story!

Whilst the last week probably hasn’t been quite so adventurous, I imagine we’ve all had some interesting and challenging experiences. I hope for some of us, things may have gone pretty well; maybe the end of exams, the chance for a bit of sun, start of the world cup... However I’m sure that there have also been times for each of us over the past week that haven’t been so great.

Regardless of how the last few days have gone, we all know that we haven’t sought to serve God as we should have done, and like the Israelites chosen to instead to put our time and effort into worshipping other things with our lives.

However unlike the people of Israel in the book of Exodus, we don’t need a temple anymore. God the son came and gave himself up for us, handling the punishment for our rebellion, putting us right with God.

It’s so easy as Christians, to forget how great this message really is, and the enormous implications of it for each us. A little later today, we’re going to remember this awesome sacrifice through the Lord’s supper. However, before we do this, I thought it would be good to come to God in prayer, firstly to thank him for what he’s taught us through the book of Exodus, and secondly, to thank him for the most amazing grace, seen in Jesus. I’ll start each with a short prayer, after this, please do add to them with own prayers, either out-loud or in you heart, thanking the Lord for what he has taught us and done for us.

Thanks for reading this far! Later this week I'm giving a talk on Mark 1:9-15, as part of a preaching workshop organised by my church. Again this should hopefully appear on-line shortly afterwards.

Wishing you all a most pleasant week.

Good morning, just spent a pretty awesome fifteen minutes spent watching the beneath, (direct link here).

Evolution?

Just read an interesting article on mutations and evolution from the website of Russia's Pravda newspaper. Yesterday whilst jogging, my mind wondered on to the area of how genetic mutations could be progressive. The thought pattern went a bit like this:

1. Mutations in the genetic code are completely random
2. The majority of these decrease/increase a current function in a pathological manner
3. How could this or the comparatively few 'improvement mutations' lead to progression in a species?
   

Anyhow, the link to the article from Pravda can be found here. I appreciate that the article has been simplified (as indeed most articles are in the media), and more depth on his thoughts would be helpful. All non-sensational comments would be appreciated.

being sanctified

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." Philippians 3:12

That very statement is key to endurance and joy "Christ Jesus has made me his own". All my reaching and yearning and striving is not to belong to Christ (which has already happened), but to complete what is lacking in my likeness to him.

"For by a single offering [namely himself] he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified" Hebrews 10:14


Passage taken from 'The Passion of Jesus Christ' (pages 48-49) by John Piper

MP Expenses

Looks like another round of revelations regarding the British Members of Parliament (MPs) expenses has just been released. I don't think I've seen such united disgust at a particular issue (possibly ever) within my countrymen. Whilst I can see that this is indeed a grievous scandal within Westminster, I fear that the MPs were sadly acting as a microcosmic reflection of our society. I know of a lot of people who'll willingly take 'cash in hand' for a piece of work or stretch their company expenses claims that bit further, seeking every possible tax loophole to gain the greatest personal economic benefit and pay the minimum amount in tax. I find it saddening that people and such damning in their judgements of others, yet hesitant to evaluate or be accountable for their own actions.

Being a poor student I can perhaps escape most of the financial aspects of hypocrisy, however I know to my shame I too often take the personal moral high ground over others in my thoughts and actions, wittingly or unwittingly seeking to furnish my own interests. Reading the letter to the Romans this week has thankfully humbled me in this...

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. Now we know that God's judgement against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgement will be revealed.

Romans chapter 2 verses 1-5

Why does God allow natural disasters?

At the heart of Haiti's humanitarian crisis is an age old question for many religious people - how can God allow such terrible things to happen? Philosopher David Bain examines the arguments... (full article here)

Thought I'd write a comment on the BBC website to the article above. Am intrigued to see whether they publish it... Will say in the comments shortly!

Natural disasters remind us how little power humanity really has.

The Bible tells us that whilst God does love humanity, humanity doesn't want to live under its creator. It rebels and seeks to serve its own desires, with itself as it's 'own master'. If God is what defines good, for him to be perfectly just and thus judge over the world, he has to punish what is has departed from good. The New Testament says that the Ten Commandments serve not as a benchmark to show us how good we are, but as a means of showing us that no one has fulfilled all that defines someone as good. No person is perfect, living up to God's standards - we've all done things wrong and thus fallen tragically short. When we see the horrors of a natural disaster we see that this is not how the world is meant to be. Not only do they highlight our fallibility, but they show us that actually no matter how hard we try, we can't rule this world separate from God. Jesus said that he came into the world to take the punishment for mankind's rebellion from God, a sacrifice in place of us that took place through his crucifixion. The message of biblical Christianity is too turn back to God from serving ourselves as lords (to repent), and to live lives under God, to the praise of his name, in light of the freedom and restored relationship that he has bought for us.

The book of revelation (final book of the Bible) depicts a kingdom post-judgement. There the relationship between God and humanity has been restored, and as a result natural disasters are no more.

The Cambridge Seven

The Cambridge Seven is a biography focussing on the lives of seven ordinary men, who came together after their studies at Cambridge during the late 1800s. Their progressive coming to and growth in their faith of the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal saviour, led to the increasing sentiment within each of them that this was a message which couldn't simply be kept to those with repeated opportunities to hear it i.e. those within the fair British isles - China was their destination to be. The book shows each individual's journey towards this decision, and the many challenges and huge sacrifices put before them to be conformed more into His likeness, giving up all within them to Him, trusting in him fully and serving the kingdom of God with all that they have. These personal recollections are an awe-inspiring and tremendous challenge to the all too often feeble faith that I possess. The sacrifices joyfully made, and the love for and rejoicing in time spent praying to and reading the word of God, and their eagerness and sincere desire to talk to others about their personal relationships with God, has earnestly encouraged and inspired me, to want to live in light of a Saviour and Lord most worthy.

A good read indeed! [ 8.3/10 ]