Ecclesiastes 5: Approaching God

We are told to guard our steps when we go to the house of God, which means 'to consider our approach' - we are to notice that the fools rush in and we are to approach different. We learn three things about approaching rightly.

(1) Come with humility and teach-ability – ready to listen and not offer sacrifices (vs1)

Offering sacrifices was at the heart of Old Testament Worship, but these sacrifices had lost their meaning. They were empty rituals without any reality, the worshipper was doing it out of habit or peer pressure or ritual, they didn’t even ‘know what they do wrong’ - there is no examining of the heart. Entering the presence of God is no easy thing and if you got your approach wrong it meant death (as numerous OT stories show us). He is a holy God and a consuming fire, not to be treated lightly. David sums up what approach we should take in Psalm 51.16-17 and Isaiah as well in Isaiah 66.2. We need to get a vision for the holiness of God to make sure we don’t approach with empty rituals and no heart change. God wants us to come humbly, ready to listen and to learn before we offer any sacrifices.

(2) Come with silence and restraint – ready to stand in awe and not speak (vs2-3)

A quick mouth reflects a hasty heart. Job gets a vision of God’s greatness (Job 38-42) and it leaves him in silence - Job 40.3-5. Iain Proven tells us why silence is so important…

      “Noise deafens us to reality. Silent reflection – deliberate inactivity – is necessary
        if we are to regain perspective and remember who God really is…we need to
        hear again the words “do not come any closer…take off your sandals, for the
        place where you are standing is holy ground (Ex 3.5), and to hear it,
        we need to stop talking”

(3) Come with Integrity and Sincerity – ready to live a consistent life and not make foolish vows (vs4-6)

The writer moves from sacrifices to words to vows (the three main forms of worship in the Old Testament). He echos the words of Jesus in Matthew 5.33-37 & Matthew 5.8-9. Hypocrisy stinks. God doesn’t want rash promises but he wants us to quietly align our hearts and our lives with his purpose and plans. He takes no pleasure in fools who rush in and then back-track. What God really wants is not your empty words and vows, but for you to quietly and respectfully decide in your heart to change the course of your life to one of integrity and sincerity and consistency RECOGNISING that won’t happen overnight with some rash promises but come through prayer, conversation, consideration and deliberate changes in life-choices and life-values!

CONCLUSION - STAND IN AWE OF GOD! (vs7)

Stop talking. Stop dreaming. Stop making sacrifices. Stop making Vows. STAND IN AWE OF GOD! You know worship has reached a climax when there is silence and awe before God!

QUESTION - but because of Jesus we can now approach God boldy and call him Father? Correct, Hallelujah, Yes and Amen. See Hebrews 10.19-25. But notice verse 26-30 and ore importantly notice Hebrews 12.28-29

      Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
      let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
      for our “God is a consuming fire.”

God hasn’t changed, he is still a consuming fire. However our mediator changed (Heberws 12.24) and he pays the price for our sin so we can enter boldly. HOWEVER, that should only imspire more reverence and awe, as well as thanksgiving. Yes we can call God Abba Father but in John 17 Jesus calls him Holy Father and Righteous Father (vs11 and vs25). We must hold the tension of both the holiness of God and the love of God, the wrath of God and the tenderness of God, the transcendence of God and closeness of God. Tim Keller wrote an interesting book review of The Shack (http://redeemercitytocity.com/blog/view.jsp?Blog_param=114) which highlights the importance of this tension and how CS Lewis captured it brilliantly in the character Aslan who “was not safe but he was good.”

Application and Reflection

(1) From Ecclesiastes 5.1-7, in what ways does the writer reflect on fake, false or empty worship? How can we approach wrongly?

(2) Why does getting a right vision of God help us approach God rightly? Which aspects of God’s character do we find we ignore and why?

(3) What were the 3 ways OT people worshipped God? How do we worship him today (privately and corporately) and how can we fall into the same dangers? In what ways is it easy for our worship to be empty or hypocritical?

(4) How can we make sure we keep a correct vision of who God is and therefore relate to him rightly?

(5) How do we hold the tension of God being a loving father and a consuming fire? How do we do both Hebrews 10.19 and Hebrews 12.28-29?

(6) Which aspect of God do you need to re-discover?

(7) What questions are you left with?

(8) Use Job 38-42 or Isaiah 40.13ff to worship God and stand in awe of his holiness and greatness whilst thanking him that he is close and intimate.

(9) Use Psalm 51.17-18 and Isaiah 66.2 to respond in prayer

ECCLESIASTES: BRINGING MEANING TO LIFE.  CHAPTER 4

What does the book of Ecclesiastes say about friendships and community? Chapter 4 pulls no punches and offers an interesting twist at the end.

As Christians, the reason we love friendship is that God is a relational God.  Father, Son and Spirit are three but one.  In perfect relationship and unity with one another for eternity.
So - God didn’t make us because he was lonely.  Rather the bible says God made man and women in his image.  Part of this is that we were built for friendship and love. 

The first thing that wasn’t good in the bible was that man was alone. Why wasn’t it good? Because it didn’t show to world how good community was.  Sounds perfect –and it was, but Genesis says that Sin enters into human history when mankind rebels against their friend, God.  Through sinning against God they separated themselves from God and each other.  Results were the anxiety, mistrust, hurt, separation we can all feel in our relationships.  As a result, even though all people want to commit to each other, no matter how hard they try, sin is still at the root of the problem.  Do you agree?

The evidence would suggest society is moving from community to isolation at an alarming rate.  We looked at some statistics from Putnam’s book ‘Bowling Alone’ that support this idea.  So what are the root causes of this sort of life?  Ecclesiastes 4 helps us understand this:

Verses 1-3:  He is saying in verse 2 & 3, the injustice and oppression is so bad in our culture that the dead are better off than the living and the unborn are better off than the dead. Wow! Depressing!
But what about the root causes of isolation?

1) Jealousy:
4 And I saw that all labour and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbour. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
One reason we live detached lives is because we are jealous.  We are lonely because we don’t like being around people who have stuff we don’t have.  Jealous of their lives.  We can’t rejoice with them.  Singles jealous of married?  Married jealous of singles.  We try to outclass each other with our Jobs, salaries, cars, children and phones. You and I know this rivalry wrecks our relationships.
We work and work to do better and gain nothing.

Then again, verse 8 “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.”  Working hard and being fuelled by envy ultimately gets you nowhere.

2) Laziness:
5 “The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.”
Foolish people do nothing, except fold their arms.  Have you noticed - Apathetic people don’t have friendships? If you can’t be bothered, if you say no too often, people stop calling.

3) Workaholism:
6 “Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.”
This is telling you to live a two handed life. Work in one hand and rest in the other.  If you have just work in both hands – tired, weary, sick, lower quality and health.  But combined with rest, you can fully enjoy God’s provision. 

So if that’s the diagnosis of our lack of community (jealousy, laziness and workaholism)
what is the answer, the solution?

verse 9 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work”
two are better than one.  It’s called synergy? – produce more than sum of individual parts.  Community is meant to be about synergy – where you serve each other – share skills and stuff. 
At Mosaic - 3 places to belong.
• accountability
• mission groups
• Sundays

i) Friends offer help
10 “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
If you got into a car crash or house burnt down, who would help?
Who would visit the hospital, cook some meals, send a card, buy you a coffee and offer to babysit?  Hope a friend would? 

ii) Friends offer strength
11 “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?”
The imagery here is from travellers who would have to sleep rough.  Share body heat by lying down next to each other. Our application would be about personal weaknesses being strengthened by friends who bring balance.

iii) Friends offer safety
12 “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
The question is – ‘whose got your back?’  We all face trials and tests of our faith. If you have no one to walk through these dark times with you, life will seem utterly impossible.

Summary:
So, society is becoming more and more lonely and isolated because of jealousy, laziness and workaholism.  But God provides a solution through friendship.  Friends that offer help, strength and safety.
But that is only part of the answer. Listen to how the author finishes.
13 “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

He is saying:  Imagine a scenario where people are upset with the school their kids go to, or hospital they’ve stayed in or roads they’ve driven over.  Who gets the blame?  Whoever is in charge (king).  If things are really bad, you want someone new to step in. Perhaps some younger blood to take charge.  But when that revolution happens, things don’t really change do they? 

So, what it is saying is that we often blame others for the wrong in the world, but ultimately this is a fruitless exercise.  Why?  Because the real problem lies within.  It’s an Internal problem not an external one.  This is the bibles assessment of mankind. We can’t blame others, for the problem lies within. This means we can’t fix our brokenness and loneliness ourselves and even our friends can’t fix us either because the same problem lies within them. 

This is why Christians believe that Jesus Christ entered our world 2000 years ago.
We believe Jesus is the true friend who heals us and helps us.

Questions:
1) Talk about how you see society becoming more individualistic and isolated.
2) How does that affect you in everyday life?
3) Go through the three reasons for the societal breakdown offered by Eccl 4.
Jealousy, Laziness and Workaholism.  Do any of these things apply to your life?  Talk about them, can you you think of anything else in the bible that explains why society doesn’t work sometimes?
4) Do you rest properly?  What do you like to do?
5) Are you under pressure at work? does this take up more time than it should?
6) In your experience, is two better than one?
7) Friends are meant to help.  What does this look like in your mission group?
8) Friends provide strength.  Ho could you strengthen each other.  Why not take some time in the group to encourage one another.
9) Friends offer safety. How could you do this in your group?
10) Read John 15, what does this passage tell you about friendship with Christ? Can you think of other passages that talk about this?
11) How does knowing Jesus help you become a better friend?
12) How does Jesus heal you from Jealousy, Laziness and Workaholism?

ECCLESIASTES: BRINGING MEANING TO LIFE.  CHAPTER 3

Given that time passes so quickly, how do you make the most of this life? 3 things from this passage: 1) life never stops 2) life never satisfies 3) life is a gift

1) Life never stops:
Time and timing are important.  These verses highlight the various seasons we have in life.  It says some will be planting (starting new things) other will be uprooting (getting ready to leave or finishing).  Others will be casting the net wide while others will be focussed on bringing everything close. For some in the world it is a time for war.  For others they are doing anything they can to bring peace.
What time is it for you right now?

2) Life never satisfies:
Even though this repetitive view on life is a wonder, it also has a darker, more disturbing side.  For the next verse asks a rhetorical question (verse 9) “What does the worker gain from his toil?”
He is asking a massive question which some of you may ask from time to time.  Is there any point to all this?  Do we gain anything from toiling away in this life? Y’see if there isn’t any point to life then you will feel trapped in a never ending system that you have no control over and that is often messy and difficult.  This means ultimately we dance to someone else’s tune and our choices aren’t really that free? 

This contributes to the writers sense of depression and cynicism about life - Life is like a chasing of the wind. You never catch it, never grab it, always slips through the fingers so ultimately it’s hopeless. 
Surprisingly, this is how the bible describes life.  Genesis 1-3 describes the beginning of time.  Reveals a world that was perfect, seasons passed and God and man enjoyed the passing of time together.  But mankind decided they wanted to go it alone and destroyed the perfect relationship with God and time.  As that broke down, so did the rest of life.

3) Life is a gift.
The most common way people deal with this is by living for the moment and making the best out of life. ‘Seize the day’.  Make the most of every moment.  Sounds good advice but it is not what our writer says to do. 
Look at verses 10-11 “I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
He says, I know what is the answer (the burden God has laid on men).  God is responsible for the good you see around you (he has made everything beautiful in it’s time) but he has also put something in everyone man and women that cries out that there is more to life than just life (he has set eternity in the hearts of men). 

Great truth is this - That life itself was not meant to fulfil us but rather point to someone else.  A greater person.  Life’s temporary, every changing nature points to one who is constant and never changing.  And too focus just on the gift of life is to ruin the gift and miss the giver. It’s as if the writer suddenly makes sense of it all, the cloud lifts and he shouts: “12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God.”  He says we can only truly enjoy the best bits of life is we realise it is a gift.  And the best thing about the gift is the giver.

Do you know the test that shows you whether or not you understand what this writer is saying?  Who do you thank for this life we have? 

For Christians, it is God’s Son, Jesus Christ that we thank for bringing meaning to this life.  The bible says he helped created the earth, that he helps maintain this world.  He was so committed to it’s inhabitants that he became one of them, a man.  He lived a life of thankfulness to his Father. Jesus knew that we would be jaded, cynical, trapped if we didn’t turn to him.  Life would be a burden.  Time would tick on.

Today, why don’t you return to the God of all time.  Humble yourself.  And say thank you.

Eccl 8:12 “Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God.”

Questions:
1) What times is it for you or don’t you know? Describe the season of life you are in using the verses above.
2) Explain in your own words the writers attitude to this life (use Eccl 1 to help you).
3) Do you agree that this is the bible’s assessment of the world?  Perhaps read Romans 1 and discuss it together.
4) The writers way to deal with life’s difficulties and hardships is to remember that life is a gift and points to a life giver (remember the illustration of the engagement ring).  Discuss this together.  Where in life does the gift become the focus of our attention?
5) How practically do we live this out together?
6) How do you live a thankful life?  How do things like fasting, worship, prayer, generosity help foster a lifestyle of thanksgiving.

Newfrontiers International News - June 2011

An update of what's happening in Newfrontiers around the world. Please use it to pray for the work in these countries.

Canada

Rhys and Sara Scott are moving from Christchurch London to Vancouver to lead a church planting team into that great metropolitan city. Rhys tells us more about their plans.

Central Asia

Central Asia has a long and tumultuous history. It seems that God has opened a window of opportunity for the gospel in the region. Find out more about Newfrontiers activities there.

Cyprus

With much unrest in surrounding nations, Cyprus has a steady flow of migrants.  Find out how Grace Church in Larnaca is taking the opportunity to minister to these newcomers.

West Africa

Newfrontiers churches in West Africa continue to grow in faith and work to establish vibrant New Testament churches that demonstrate Kingdom values. Read reports from Eglise Cite d’Adoration in Cotonou, Benin, Riches of Grace Church in Lagos, Nigeria and Cite de l’a Gloire in Lome, Togo.

If you would like to receive regular updates from Newfrontiers e-news, sign up here.

1 Peter Chapter 4 - Suffering

Frank Mayfield focussed on three aspects of suffering from 1 Peter 4: Expect suffering, Embrace suffering, Enjoy the fruit of Suffering

Context: Peter writes in AD64, just around the time that the emperor Nero had blamed the great fire of Rome on the Christians and had begun a barbaric persecution of them. They were sewn into the skins of wild beast and made to crawl around the amphitheatres and be set upon by lions, he lit up his garden parties with dozens of burning Christians and crucified them in their hundreds. Can you imagine the word of this treatment sending shockwaves through the Christian world at that time? As those rumours were going round Peter’s letter was also being circulated, warning and encouraging the Christians to live for Christ and bear up under suffering.
We live in a different culture, we live in a country where we enjoy real freedom as Christians and we do not have to fear our legal status let alone our lives. But does that mean we don’t suffer? Of course not, we still suffer and Peter’s letter speaks to us 2000 years on just like it did the Early church.

1. Expect suffering:
V 12, Do not be surprised! We will suffer, it’s a given. How? Standing up for sex before marriage, claiming Christianity has ultimate truth will become more and more un popular and we will take flack for choosing to live in deprived communities and our children going to tough schools.
V3-4 says that they heap abuse because WE ARE DIFFERENT. We suffer because we stick out like a sore thumb, and I’d like to gently challenge you that if you don’t experience ANY suffering in your Christian life then maybe people don’t know that you love Jesus and want to worship him with everything you’ve got.
WHY EXPECT IT? Jesus suffered, and he is our model then we should suffer also. MATT 10 v 21-25… we are no better than our master Jesus.

2. Embrace suffering.
V13: But Rejoice, Rejoice that you are doing what Jesus asks of you, you are carrying your cross, rejoice that you are showing the hallmarks of a Son or Daughter of God. Rejoice that God delights in your faithfulness.
V15: Make sure you don’t deserve it! Make sure we are suffering for being Christ like, not for sinning! Don’t excuse people’s offence at your rash tongue or your awkwardness and say your suffering for Jesus.
V16: Do not be ashamed. How hard this is! I remember being grilled on my faith as a boy and being so ashamed of Jesus wishing he wasn’t so controversial! It’s always the easy option to be ashamed and feel sorry for yourself, to do this is to rob Jesus of glory, if we act like he’s a secret we’re too afraid to show anyone then what does that say about him? Let’s wear Jesus proudly, like the badge on a football shirt!
V 17: We’re suffering in community with God’s household, were together in it! Share your burdens with the family of God. Know that “judgement” means refining here NOT punishment. God is refining us to make us more like him.
V19: Continue to do good. Don’t let suffering cause you to sin, don’t bite back and get even, don’t get angry and bitter and adopt all the ungodly practices you see in those who persecute you.
HOW DO WE DO ALL OF THIS? IT SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE…..... WELL IT IS!
THAT’S WHY WE NEED THE LORD JESUS!
HE is our PERFECT SUBSTITUTE: He suffered in every way and yet was without sin and he went to cross to pay for all the times we would suffer and Sin. ALL the punishment has been taken; we stand holy and radiant in God’s sight. So if you just feel you’ve sinned yourself out of God’s family on account of suffering then you couldn’t be more wrong. HE LOVES YOU!
HE is our PERFECT EXAMPLE: he can’t just be an example because that’s crushing (like usain bolt being an example of how to run the 100m) he is a SUBSTITUTE first and then a Example.
We should look to Christ for our model in suffering, follow in his footsteps….

Lastly V 14 WE HAVE GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT TO CHANGE, EMPOWER AND ENCOURAGE….

3) Enjoy the fruit of suffering:
Both now: v 14 (we are blessed) we can see the good that God has done in our past suffering (SHARE PERSONAL E.G.)
LATER: V 13 (When his glory is revealed and we are in the procession with the risen Jesus!)
AND FOR ETERNITY: v 17-18: We will one day be judged and because of Jesus we will be judged not guilty and enjoy eternal in the radiant splendour of heaven with God as our father, king, ruler…

Ian Galloway - Being in Christ (Baptism, Faith and Obedience)

Who knows their grandmother’s date of birth? Who knows their mobile phone number? Who knows their bank card pin number? The more important the information is to us the more likely we are to know it. The more often we use something the more likely we are to know it. Importance helps us to remember. Familiarity helps us to remember. Today I want to help you get familiar with something very important: where you are in Christ.

Do you know where you are as a Christian? I realise that you may be here today and you haven’t yet become a Christian. Living in Britain doesn’t make you a Christian (I was born and raised in England, but I didn’t become a Christian until I was nineteen). Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian (I’ve been going to church twice on Sunday since before I was born, but it took nineteen years before I gave my life to Jesus). Having relatives who believe in Jesus doesn’t make you a Christian (I’m descended from a French Hugenot who had to flee to England because of his Christian faith, but that did not make me a Christian). I want to explain how you can become a Christian at the end of my talk today and give you an opportunity to say yes to Jesus and become a Christian. First I want to talk about what a Christian is, and particularly where a Christian is.

It sounds strange at first. Do you know where you are as a Christian? And I don’t mean how far you have progressed in your spiritual journey. I mean do you know where you are? Do you know where you are located? Do you know where you are sitting? Do you know where you are living?
To help explain the question I am asking and help answer it let’s read some verses from the bible in the book of Romans 6. Romans is a letter written to a church a bit like ours in a big city. It is written by a first century Christian leader called Paul.

ROM 6.3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Don’t you know, he says, don’t you know? Don’t you know where you are? All of us who were baptised in Christ Jesus were baptised into his death. When Paul uses the word baptism here, he isn’t just thinking about a baptism service and people getting wet. That is included, but he is thinking deeper and bigger! Let’s dig a bit deeper. We need to start with baptism.
The first question to ask is what is baptism? What does it mean? It is a funny word in English. It is not a word we use normally. Unfortunately it has become a rather religious word. The bible wasn’t written in English it written in Greek.

They wrote the word baptiso. It was a very common word. It was a normal word. It means to dip, to immerse to soak or to plunge. That’s why in our church when we baptise we set up this plunge pool. It isn’t very big and it isn’t very deep. And if I am looking after the baptisms and they don’t go fully under, I make them do it again. We may as well do what the word means.
Why get baptised? What is that all about? The best way of describing it is that baptism is an act of obedience that flows from a living faith. Let me explain that. It is actually very like a wedding.

Normally in western culture, you don’t get married to find love. You get married because you have (In many cultures it is quite normal to have arranged marriages, but my understanding is that although your parents may help you find a wife or a husband much more than they do in the west, they still want you to love each other before you get married). Getting married flows from something much deeper – a love for each other and desire to share that love for the whole of life.  Getting baptised is the same. Getting baptised flows from something much deeper - having a living relationship of faith and trust in Jesus. To get married you need to have love. To get baptised you need to have faith

But faith, like love, is not merely a confession. It isn’t something you just say. If I say to Heather I love you and do nothing, I don’t really love her. I can say I love her all I want, but if I don’t do anything to express that love, it isn’t love. It’s just words (making the bed). If I say I believe in Jesus, but do nothing, I don’t really believe in Jesus at all. Faith connects to action or it isn’t really faith. Because faith in Jesus and trusting in Jesus means coming to him and recognising him as he really is.

These are some of the things the bible says about who Jesus is:
REV 19:16 King of Kings and Lord of Lords
PHP 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
  and gave him the name that is above every name,
COL 1.17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
MATT 28.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
The bible describes Jesus in these cosmic terms: Lord, King, above all things, in charge, ruler, having all authority. That is just one of the extraordinary aspects of the bible story. That Israel’s Messiah turned out to also be ruler of all. If you truly believe that this is Jesus, then the only right response is to submit completely to him and to do what he wants. Faith in Jesus leads to obedience to him (My story – swearing, Pam’s story, Mick’s story).

Now we can understand where baptism fits in. Baptism in water is one such, very public, act of obedience that comes from faith in Jesus. It is a way of getting a practical handle on your faith. It is a way of expressing that faith, just as me making the bed is a way of expressing my love. If we look at the next bit of that scripture in Matthew:
MATT 28.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Our faith in the authority of Jesus leads us to obey Jesus and being plunged in the water is one of the first expressions of this new obedience.
But Paul’s thinking doesn’t stop there. Baptism is because of faith. Baptism points to the existence of faith. But you know what, faith isn’t the endpoint. Faith isn’t the goal. Faith is the entry into something much greater. We need to dig a bit deeper.

We saw from that passage we read that Paul describes baptism as being into Christ Jesus, into his death.
ROM 6.3 ‘Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death?’
To get baptised you have to get into the water. But he says you are also he says getting into something else. You are getting into Christ.
To understand this we have to remind ourselves that baptism is a very Jewish idea. Baptism basically means getting a complete wash. When a Jewish priest went into God’s presence in the temple he had to get baptised, he had to wash all over. When there was a new king of Israel he had to get baptised. At the time of Jesus, if a Gentile converted to Judaism they were circumcised (if they were male) and baptised. To the Jewish mind, getting baptised conveyed several ideas:
• Being cleansed and made acceptable to God so you could enter his presence
• Being joined into God’s people
• Entering into the covenant promises of God’s love
• Starting a new life
Baptism was really all about entering in. The priest entered in to God’s presence. The king entered into his reign. The new Gentile believer entered into the covenant, and became loved by God and became one of God’s people and in Jewish thinking they started a new life. What Paul does is he takes all these ideas and he puts Jesus in the middle of them.
You are baptised not just in the water. You are baptised into Christ. You have been joined to him. In Christ you enter God’s presence. In Christ you are now joined to God’s people. In Christ you have entered in to the covenant promise of God’s love. In Christ you have started a new life.

It is a very like boarding an aeroplane. The act of going up the steps and sitting in your seat and being in the plane means you get the benefit of all the plane does just by sitting there inside it.
This is right at the heart of Paul’s thinking.

Let’s read on in Romans:
RO 6:3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
RO 6:5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
RO 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

What is really startling from that reading is how often Paul repeats the idea of being in Christ. He actually says it nine times:

1. Baptised into Christ
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus

2. Baptised into his death
3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

3. Buried with him
4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death

4. Just as Christ… we too live
5 just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5. United with him in his death
6 If we have been united with him like this in his death

6. United with him in his resurrection
7 we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

7. Crucified with him
8 For we know that our old self was crucified with him

8. Died with Christ
9 Now if we died with Christ,

9. We will live with him
10 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
This whole idea of being in Christ is the very centre and heart of what Paul is trying to communicate. Let me put it another way. Baptism is the handle on the door of faith that takes you into Christ (enact going out of the room).
Where are you? In Christ. Everything that is true about Christ is now true about you. A Christian is someone who has entered in to all that Christ has accomplished and all that Christ is.
What does that mean?
Well it means a great number of things, all of them good, but to finish I want to focus on just one which is that when we are in Christ we are dead to sin.
ROM 6.6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Jesus died a brutal shameful shocking painful death on the cross. To the Roman authorities they were just getting rid of a little political difficulty. To the Jewish religious authorities they were getting rid of a rival and a threat to their power. But to God he was doing something much bigger that no-one realised at the time. He was getting rid of sin.
Sin is more than some things you have done wrong. Sin is also a power. It is an oppressive power that rules us. If you look honestly inside yourself you will be forced to admit that even knowing the right thing to do does not mean that you will actually do it. Because sin is a power at work deep within us (enact being caught and overpowered by sin).
What Paul says is that when Christ died he took that power on. And it looked like it had won. Friday night. Saturday night. But then Sunday morning. Christ rises from death, the power of sin is utterly broken.
Where are you? You are in Christ? Everything that is true about him is true about you. What has happened to you? You have died in him. He died. You die in him. You don’t have to die to be dead to sin. Being in Christ means you are. What has happened to you? The power of sin has been utterly broken. Eternal life has already begun in you:
Rom 6.10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus lives. He was gloriously raised. He lives eternally. When God did that the future was brought back into the past. The new age began. The resurrection that the Jews mostly were expecting, but expecting at the end, began in Christ. God has begun the way things are going to be.
In eternity is there going to be any sin? That reality has started now in Christ. In eternity is there going to be any death? That reality has started now in Christ. Eternal life has begun. The power of death has been swallowed up. In eternity is everything living for God? That has begun now in Christ.
Eternal life is a life without sin, it is a life without death, without end, it is a life lived for God. That is what God has given you in Christ. You are alive in Christ. You live in him. The way things are going to be has already come to life in you.
We don’t try to live up to the life of Jesus. We live out the life of Jesus.
God gave Israel the law. The problem with the law was not the law, it was Israel. They could not live up to it. When it first arrived in Moses hands as he came down mountain they were already breaking it. The law said don’t have any idols and they already had one. The law says have no other gods but me and they already had.
Israel lived in this terrible tension with the law. They knew what God wanted and indeed agreed with it in their heart and mind. But they could not live up to it. What the law did was to reveal the problem of sin. Actually the law did not solve the problem of sin, it made the problem of sin worse.
What Paul says here is in Christ the problem has been sorted. The power of sin has been broken and new life has come. New creation life has come. Resurrection life has come. The way things are going to be has started now in Christ and therefore in you. We are not people who are trying to live up to a standard we can’t attain. We are people who have been brought to life and are now living that out from within.

Questions:
1) Ask who has been baptised in the group -why did they do it, what was it like?
2) Why is baptism important for Paul in this passage.  what does it show? where does it take you?
3) Does anyone in the group want to get baptised? what are their reservations and questions?
4) Talk about the benefits of being in Christ.  Talk about the illustration of getting on a plane.
5) Ian asks us “Where are you? In Christ.” This means everything that is true about Christ is now true about you. A Christian is someone who has entered in to all that Christ has accomplished and all that Christ is.
What does that mean? what does that look like?  How does that effect our everyday lives?
6) Ian talked about Christ’s victory over sin.  How do we live in the good of this?  How do we claim Christ’s victory for ourselves?

1 Peter 3.1-7 - Clarifications regarding the words ‘submission’ and ‘weaker’

Introduction: the issues at stake

It was a great privilege to have James Barnet with us last Sunday and for him to preach so well for us from 1 Peter 3.1-7. However, by his own admission, he said he was going to ‘park’ the controversial words of ‘submission’ and ‘weaker’ that Peter uses. Since male-female equality is such an important value in our culture today, and these words on first hearing seem so derogatory and negative, we thought that it would be good to clarify what these words mean and briefly outline our understanding and practice at Mosaic.

Please note that this will only be a brief outline of the issues so please do come and chat to us if you would like to discuss things further. We are very aware that for many girls this can be a very sensitive issue so we want to provide plenty of opportunity for discussion.

So what can we say?

(1) The controversy depends on your cultural viewpoint

The context within which Peter writes is a patriarchal culture (1st century Asia Minor – see 1 Peter 1.1) so these words would not have been controversial to those listening then. It was common practice that women would submit to men and be seen as weaker (in fact, they would have been seen as inferior in value – hence why baby girls were often thrown out a birth by the Romans). Although these words seems controversial to us today, they would not have been controversial to them. The context might well have been similar to Afghanistan today (we are not saying this is good, but it was Peter’s world).

In fact, Peter’s hearer would have found what he said quite controversial because he gives the women so much dignity, worth and value. Firstly, by encouraging them in their decision to stand firm in their faith even though their husbands had not become Christians (vs1). This was radical and very counter-cultural as women would never have acted independently from their husbands, especially when it came to religion. However Peter underlines that primarily a women’s first allegiance is to Christ and then their husband. Secondly, he refers to women as heirs with their husbands ‘of the gracious gift of life’ (vs7) giving them totally equal status and value before God. Both these would have been very counter-cultural and subversive in the culture that Peter writes.

Why is all this important? For two reasons; firstly we must always remember that we come scripture with our own cultural ‘lens’ and viewpoint and we must not make the mistake of changing the meaning of scripture to fit our cultural sensibilities. Ultimately we must let ourselves and our culture be challenged by God’s word (just as Peter was challenging his). Secondly because Peter was writing in a specific context and answering specific questions (much as we are trying to do now) to understand the passage, and the seemingly harsh words, we must ‘get inside their world as see it from their point of view.’ When we do both of these things we realize that (a) the words submission and weaker were not controversial and (b) the controversy would have been in the exact opposite direction as it is today.

(2) The ‘big idea’ of the passage: to win over the husbands

One of the most important principles for interpreting scripture is to get the ‘big idea’ (what was the authors intent?) – to separate the wood from the trees so to speak. If we miss the big idea and the overall purpose of the passage, we’ll misunderstand the detail.

So what is the purpose of the passage? Well according to Peter it is so that husbands may be ‘won over’ (vs1). How should a Christian wife live and act when she is married to a non-Christian husband (presumably they had got married and then she had been converted but he hadn’t)? She is to live and to act in such a way that ‘wins him over’ – that makes the gospel credible and attractive (see Titus 2.10). It seems that the women were acting independently of their husbands and in an inappropriate way. The mention of hair-braiding, fine clothes and jewelry which made them outwardly very attractive (vs3) would have been sexually alluring and would not have honored their husbands, and was certainly not reverent and pure (vs2). This would be the same today if a wife today went out wearing sexually provocative clothes to grab the attention of other men. This was not only totally inappropriate, but it would have been seen as defiant of a husband’s headship and undermined the gospel. So how should wives live and act? In a way that communicates respect and honour for their husbands and supports their headship. In a way that ‘win’s them over’ to Christ not in a way that turns them off their wives ‘new found religion.’

Now that we have those two important points in place, let’s move on to the controversial words submission, headship and weaker.

(3) The controversial words: submission and weaker

Let’s start with the word weaker as this is easy to clear up. Peter does not explain in what way that wives are weaker but his readers obviously knew, without batting an eye-lid, what he was talking about. However they understood it, his desire was that husbands should not abuse their ‘stronger’ position – they are to treat their wives with respect and as equals before God (vs7). To abuse their strength is to go against everything Christ taught (Mark 10.43-45). If they do abuse their strength it will hinder their prayers (i.e have a dramatically detrimental affect on their personal relationship with God). I see three possible options

(a) Physically weaker. This would be the most obvious reading of the text. Most husbands are physically stronger than their wives and they are not to abuse this.

(b) Socially and economically weaker. Women in those days would not have any status or voice in society and on the whole would not have earned a wage. As I have said, the culture saw them as inferior, something Peter undermines. Peter does not want Christian husbands to abuse the status that their culture gives them but not their wives. They are to respect them as equals.

(c) Intellectually weaker. On the whole women would not have been as well educated as men, something that men could easily abuse and lead to a lack of respect for their wives. This is not the way amongst Christian husbands.

Whatever the sense Peter has in mind when he uses the word ‘weaker’ (and maybe it is a combination of them) the point is that in some respect the husband is stronger and needs to recognize this fact in his life with his wife, so that he does not exploit this disparity in strength, instead he is to treat her as an equal – as a ‘fellow heir of the grace of life.’ Husbands are to serve and respect their wives, not to exert their strength. As with all those in a position of power in the bible, people must use their strength to serve not to assert (Philippians 2.5-11 and John 13 being the prime examples of this).

What about the world Submission? We live in a time that generally despises authority and being ‘under authority’ so naturally many of us get hot under the collar when we hear that we must submit. However we must understand what the word means in it’s biblical context. Firstly, notice how Peter starts with the phrase “in the same way’ (vs1). In the same way as what? Well if you look back into chapter 2, in the same way as Christ (chapter 2.23-25)! To submit is to follow the example of Christ who submitted both to God’s will and to the unjust rulers who killed him (he did not retaliate). To submit is to follow Christ. And this helps us understand that submission is not a term of weakness but strength. It was due to his incredible strength and courage that he was able to go to the cross and submit himself to God and the authorities. In fact, the wives are told to ‘not give way to fear’ (vs6) so submission in no way means they are not exert greater strength in the face of danger.

So submission isn’t a sign of weakness and inferiority but a sign of strength, confidence and godliness. Jesus is the model of what a submitted person looks like. He is not a doormat, he was an example of life lived to the full. The Greek word for submission here is ‘Hupotasso’ and means to ‘stand up under’. To stand is very important (not lie down and be walked over). But it’s to stand up ‘under’- which suggests the wife is supporting the husband from underneath. Just as the architecture of a bridge has to strong to support the road that goes over the top so a wife will help, support and strengthen her husband in many ways. A wife hopefully will not fight for the control of the marriage, although she will challenge her husband - sometimes very strongly.

This brings us on to the idea of headship – Peter sees husbands as the head of the marriage. What does this mean? Well John Stott suggests that maybe a maybe a more helpful word today instead of headship (which can imply authority in a negative way) is the word responsibility, as headship is to do with care rather than control. The purpose of husband being the head is to produce beauty in the wife. As we have already said, headship (or responsibility) is really about service and taking the initiative to see that your marriage flourishes (in this case, the husband must not abuse his strength but respect his wife). Again, just as we define submission by Christ’s example so we define headship by his example (Ephesians 5.21-24) – he takes the initiative to lay his life down to make his bride (the church) beautiful. So, as is often thought, the husband’s headship does not mean he necessarily gets the final say in a disagreement – he necessarily lays down his life for his wife, which may mean giving up his preference/choice!

Finally, headship and submission, in no way mean that women are inferior to men since Christ submitted to his father but was equal with his father (John 5.18 & 5.30). There is differentiation in role but equality in essence. Different roles in marriage do not mean difference in value and worth. Our value and worth come from being made equally in God’s image and being equal in our standing before him (Galatians 3.28). However our different roles reveal how we are made in the image of our triune God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal in value and worth yet have different roles.

As may already be evident, this picture of marriage as men and women being equal in value but having complementary roles is very different from societies view on marriage. As Christians we see marriage as more than a relationship between a man and a woman and context for family but a picture of Christ and the church which enables us to understand the character of God more fully (Ephesians 5.21-32). At the heart of Christian marriage is self-sacrificial love, the giving up of oneself on behalf of the other. We often have a very ‘me-centered’ approach to marriage which is totally contrary to Jesus’ idea of marriage.

Conclusion: Let the conversation continue

As stated in the introduction, this is only a ‘starter for 10’ regarding the issues that Peter raises. However we hope what we have written brings some clarity, particularly regarding what Peter means (and what he does not mean) when he uses the words ‘submission’ and ‘weaker.’ However we appreciate that many of you may still feel dissatisfied, maybe even angry or hurt, so we want to provide plenty of space for the ‘conversation to continue.’

If you have any further questions or would like to talk through the issues then please do come and talk to us. You can either approach your Mission Group Leader or you would be welcome to chat with Matt Hatch, Steve Vaughan, Keith Nicols, Hannah Pearson, Hannah O’Shea, Pip Hatch or Leanne Vaughan. So please do come and approach us.

We can also suggest further reading if you would like to investigate further. A great place to start is John Stott’s Issue’s facing Christians today, chapter 12: Women, Men and God.

God bless
Steve Vaughan and Hannah Pearson

Newfrontiers International News

An update of what's happening in Newfrontiers around the world. Please use it to pray for the work in these countries.

The Balkans

Currently there are about 30 churches, church plants and developing relationships with new or existing churches in seven Balkan nations. Martin Dunsford tells us more.

Mexico

Douglas Bell reports on a gathering of 70 leaders, a youth event of over 100 young people and the start of Foundations for Farming in Mexico!

New Zealand

Following the devastation of the recent earthquake and continuing aftershocks in Christchurch, Operation Comfort was started to bring the warmth of a human touch to those affected. Ken Shelley tells us more.

North Africa

Despite the upheaval experienced in the region and opposition to the gospel, a small group of believers in a tourist city continues to grow in faith.  Elsewhere a church planting team in a large city with no known Christians continues to build friendships ready to share their faith. Find out more.

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