Hunger for Games…or Righteousness?

The Hunger Games has been a smash hit at the box office (a movie based on part one of a novel trilogy).  To keep alert to what my daughter says all her school friends (and many millions more) are talking about, I decided to have a read.

The book is extremely suspenseful, so much so that I refused to sleep one night until I finished off the last 150 pages.  The plot seems like a blend of The Most Dangerous Game meets Lord of the Flies.

Rather than utopia, The Hunger Games describes a dystopia in the near future, where depravity is expressed at a new level:  taking the gladiators of the Roman Colosseum and applying the cruelty to teenagers, as they battle to death for the entertainment of the citizens.

Many citizens are starving, hungry.  And in the arena of the games, hunger for food drives some on; hunger for victory (by killing everyone else) drives others.

The book of Proverbs reminds us that hunger drives us to some noble things, like work:

              “The labourer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.” (Prov 16:26)

And as I read the horrors in The Hunger Games, and reflected on our culture’s fascination with it, I started wondering afresh, “Where are those who – as Jesus put it – ‘Hunger and thirst for righteousness’?”

The Hunger Games is so intriguing, yet so disturbing.  It raises good and necessary questions about evil and the extent of humanity’s depravity, as well as questions about our deep search for…

The Holiness and Wrath of God

In our evening services we have been teaching through the Minor Prophets.

These are a neglected part of the word of God – and perhaps one of the reasons they are so neglected is that they very clearly present the holiness and the wrath of God.

The book of Nahum begins like this:

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

That is a confronting truth to begin a book with. Nineveh had said they repented – but their actions showed otherwise and now God was going to act.

It is with good reason that we love to hear about the love of God, the grace of God and the long-suffering of God.

But God is also holy and this means that his wrath falls on sinners.

It is often said that God hates sin but loves sinners. It is true that because of His common grace there is an element of God’s love that is directed to all men. But, in terms of His hatred of sin and judgment – the Scriptures are clear – if a sinner remains unrepentant – and is outside of Christ – then they will receive the full fury of God’s wrath.

Psalm 5 is a well known Psalm. But most seem to only know the first three verses. Here is verse 5:

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

Other Psalms are similar. Psalm 11:5:

Carry On! (“These Things Entrust to Faithful Men”)

I mentor a few Bible College students in our fellowship, so I spent my afternoon yesterday at a local Bible College, meeting and discussing this year’s mentoring requirements.

I am really glad for such requirements!  Ministry, and therefore Bible College, is not simply about information but people.  People serving people to encourage “growth in the grace & knowledge of Jesus”.  Not just knowledge!  Grace and knowledge.  Practical godliness, not mental puffiness.

The saying is common:  the death of the Church is always only one generation away.  The faith must be handed down.

Paul wrote to Timothy,

“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.  (2 Tim 2:2)

The faith must be “entrusted” to others.  Trust implies trustworthiness!  Trustworthiness on both ends…not merely a trustworthy trainee (disciple), but also a trustworthy trainer (discipler).  This means the faith must not be simply instructed, but lived out!

This is why in his very next breath, in verse 3, Paul tells Timothy the Trainer,

“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 

And elsewhere, Paul writes (with a crucial qualifier):

“Imitate me as I imitate Christ” (1 Cor 11:1)

This is the beauty of God’s design! – it includes integrity not just informationcharacter not just curriculum.

So I am truly thankful for God’s call to mentoring, and for Bible Colleges that require it.  Mentoring keeps not only the trainee “on his toes”, but also the trainer (me)!

Both sides grow in the process, in conformity to His glorious…

Tangalooma Thinking

My family just got back from four nights at Tangalooma – on Moreton Island off the coast of Brisbane.

Walking on the beach – looking at the azure sea – a few thoughts came into my mind.

I commented to my son that seeing the glory of God’s creation in all its majesty is the time I feel closest to God. I wondered how those who do not hold to creation imagine such beauty and the capacity to enjoy it comes from.

Then my mind began to wander. If I had pursued money and career – I might have been able to afford a home on the beach. For me that would be as close to paradise as it gets. But then I thought – no – for all its beauty – beaches and oceans and sunsets merely reflect the full glory of God that awaits us in heaven. A beach house can be enjoyed for years or decades. Heaven – a splendour beyond anything in this world – is ours for all eternity.

So I satisfied myself enjoying this taste of heaven – and looking forward even more to the real deal. How incredible heaven will be.

May we all long for heaven and live knowing it is the destiny for all who love Christ.

“What God has joined together….”

I officiated a wedding this past Saturday – a glorious & beautiful ceremony in God’s eyes!  But what made it beautiful in His eyes?

As the part of the ceremony arrived when I declared the definition of marriage in Australia (which a celebrant is legally required to do), I could not help but think of the current controversy swelling in Parliament on the definition of marriage.  Here is what I declared, the ‘law of the land’ as it currently stands:

“Marriage is the union of one man and one woman – to the exclusion of all others – voluntarily entered into for life.”

A brilliant definition, actually!

Yet a storm is brewing, as history is set to be revised Down Under, while Parliament soon votes on “gay marriage” – two words never meant to go together.  What is God’s problem with ‘redefining’ marriage to include homosexual couples?  The problem is at least 2-fold:

First, homosexuality undermines God’s creation ordinance, that we magnify His image in the world.  Look at the very first command God gave to humanity:

“God created man in His own image, male and female He created them.  And God blessed them and said “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:26-27)

It goes without saying that homosexual couples cannot ‘be fruitful and multiply.’  But beyond lack of raw reproductive ability, homosexual relationships mar God’s very image:  ”God created man in His own imagemale and female He created them”.  The way that a husband and wife relate (not just reproduce) has something to do…

Savouring the Word

I wish I had a dollar for every time someone has said to me: I got nothing out of the Bible today.

They might be talking about their quiet time – they might be talking about the sermon.

Regardless, that is a tragedy.

The Bible is one of the greatest gifts we have.

The Bible is our guide for this life. Psalm 119:105 says:

Your word is a lamp to my feet

And a light to my path.

2 Timothy 3:16–17:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

And those who know this – treasure this truth.

God breathed out His Word so we might know about Him and ourselves and salvation. It is precious. It is the only thing that will outlast this dying world.

Prophets gave their lives to write the Word.

Churches gave their lives to preserve it.

Men like Tyndale gave their lives to translate it.

And now we have the Word in readable, accurate, accessible Bibles.

This weekend, you have heard how reliable the Bible you have in your hands is.

But unless you open it and read it and meditate on it and apply it – it might as well be Grimm’s fairytales.

The tragedy is – that God has given us the most precious thing any one of us owns – He inspired it, preserved its transmission, gave us gifted men to translate it and print it – And we don’t’ take full advantage…

Jonah and 9/11

On this 10th anniversary of 9/11, our feelings are quite naturally torn.

We are created in God’s image, so evil & injustice are abhorrent to us

[at least, when evil is done to us!  Ironically, when we personally do evil, we want mercy & forgiviness; but when evil is done to us, we cry out for justice!  We are all self-centred hypocrites in this regard!]

What about when mercy is shown to us, as with the prophet Jonah?

This past Sunday (the 9/11 anniversary), we considered the book of Jonah and it’s surprising message:  God’s missionary heart for a rebellious world.

Disobedient Jewish Jonah was shown great mercy from God;

Disobedient Gentile Nineveh was shown great mercy from God.

What was Jonah’s attitude about the opportunity to share God’s news to terrorists of a foreign land?

What should our attitude as Christians be today, as we remember 9/11?

What is God’s attitude?  What is the “lost message” of Jonah?

Read (or listen to) last Sunday’s sermon – Jonah and 9/11 – and find the surprising, even confronting, but certainly world-transforming answers!

May God shine His Light to the world through us, recipients of His unfathomable mercy in Christ, the Light of the World,

Pastor Dave

No Condemnation!

As I preached on Romans 8 – I was struck by just how incredible the words – no condemnation – are. After several chapters describing how condemnation came to all men – how there is no escape – how the Law cannot help – finally Paul gives the great news.

For those in Christ – there is now no condemnation. And it is entirely due to the work of Christ on the Cross.

These words should drive us to want to please the One who saved us. The One who calls us to be holy.

These words should drive us to plead with family and friends and relatives who are under the sentence of condemnation. If they are not in Christ – they are lost forever.

These words should cause us to live lives of rejoicing and confident expectation of an eternity with Christ.

It is unlikely that we will ever hear any words that match these for their glory – for those in Christ – there is no condemnation.

Righteousness – I Need It!

In order have Peace with God (Reconciliation), we first need to be Right with God (Justification).  But how can sinners, like me, be right/justified before a righteous God?   The book of Romans – which we have been studying as a church – unpacks the supremely “good news” that the that the Righteousness of God is not only His “Benchmark” (His “standard” of justice which we utterly fail to meet!), but also His “Bestowal” – His own righteousness granted as a gift, an undeserved act of grace, in Jesus Christ!

The thesis of Paul’s letter to the Romans:

The gospel is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes – the Jew first, then the Greek!  In [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (1:16-17)

What precisely this means is of utmost importance, for Christian living now (“live by faith”, v.17) as well as forever (“the power of God for salvation”, v.16).

Professor Douglas Moo has written at least 3 commentaries on the book of Romans, and has a well-balanced view of Paul’s letter to the Romans and of justification.  Prof. Moo will be giving a public lecture on “Justification in the Crosshairs”, discussing what we can learn from contemporary perspectives on Paul’s letter, as well as what are non-negotiable and unchanging gospel truths largely lost in the middle ages but rediscovered in the Reformation.

To register for this not-to-be-missed public lecture at the Queensland Theological College,…

Living in a sexualised world

It is becoming harder and harder to protect our children – and indeed ourselves – in this age when sexuality is so openly flaunted.

The recent furore over the way billboards in our city are promoting “safe sex” among homosexual men has reminded us of the way the world flaunts immoral sexuality and promotes it as normal.

An article in the Herald Sun newspaper (“Australian fashion experts concerned as teenagers undress to impress” 03/06/2011) highlighted the problem of sexualising our youth when even fashion experts such as the editor of Vogue, Kirstie Clements said it “appeared many teenagers were making a concerted effort to look trashy and wear little to no clothing” and fashion commentator Zoe Foster said “the tight, skimpy trend was being influenced by reality TV stars such as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton, celebrities who have become fashion idols by pairing super-short dresses with stripper-style platform heels.”

It is these images of ‘normality’ we have to fight.

With TV, internet, magazine, movies, computer games and other media promoting a sexualised lifestyle as the norm – Christians have to work very hard to protect our children from the influence of the world.

We have to declare to the world and to our children that this is not normal.

We have to teach them to monitor what they allow into their minds. Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy…