Daniel 3: Courage under fire

Is there anything you’d RISK YOUR LIFE for? Your children or friends caught in a rip? Your house threatened by bushfire? The adrenalin rush of rock climbing, bungee jumping or hang-gliding? What about loyalty to God? A commitment to standing up for Jesus? A refusal to accept or conform to evil?

In 1999 teenaged gunmen were moving through Columbine High School, Colorado, shooting their schoolmates. In the library, 18 yr old Val Schnurr was hiding under a table with her friends as Dylan Kleebold moved through the room shooting whoever he saw. Val was hit 8 times in her chest, arm and abdomen. She fell out from under the table onto her knees, and cried out, “Oh my God, oh my God, don’t let me die!” Dylan Kleebold walked up to her, and asked her, as he reloaded his gun, “Do you BELIEVE in God?”

Imagine if that was you. What would you say? I’d like to THINK I’d say, “Yes.” Val answered, Yes. And GOD answered her prayer that day. The shooter walked off, and Val DIDN’T die. Would you risk your life to stand up for God?

That was the choice that faced our three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Forced to take a tough stand for God. A decision that really WAS a matter of life and death. In the last chapter Nebuchadnezzar had his dream about a big statue. In THIS chapter, he actually decides to BUILD a statue. But instead of only the HEAD being gold, he makes THE WHOLE THING gold.

We don’t actually know what it was an image OF. It doesn’t SAY it was of the king. Best guess it was the god Nabu. It’s 90 ft high and 9 feet wide. Which certainly sounds impressive. Until you THINK about it. Ten times taller than wide. That’s like a 30cm ruler. Or a pen. Pretty tall and skinny, really. You’d imagine it would be unsteady, and easily toppled. So, it makes you wonder how powerful a god it really represents, if a strong wind can blow it over!

Nebuchadnezzar assembles all the government officials for the dedication ceremony (v3). People from all sorts of nations and languages. His plan is to get everyone to pledge their allegiance. A public display of loyalty. With the goal to strengthen the unity of his empire. As soon as the music sounds, v5, they’re all to fall down and worship the image of gold Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Anyone who DOESN’T is to be thrown into a blazing furnace. WHATEVER the image was, it REPRESENTED the king’s AUTHORITY. To REFUSE was TREASON.

So all the public servants come together, v3. They’re all standing there when the band starts to play. And then v7 says that when the music begins EVERYONE fell down and worshipped the image of gold. “All the peoples, nations and men of every language.” Which is exactly what the King had PLANNED. But, v8, there’s a complication.

8 At this time some astrologers came forward and DENOUNCED THE JEWS.

And they remind the king of his decree, v9, that

“everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace.

And, v12, they identify Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Who pay no attention to the king’s command. And don’t serve his gods, or worship his image. There’s missing detail here. Did our three friends attend the ceremony, but just not bow down when the music started? (Were they the only ones left standing?) Or did they just not bother turning up at all? (Perhaps the astrologers were marking the rolls, and noticed they were absent?) We’re not sure. But notice the astrologers’ motivation? They DENOUNCED THE JEWS, who were set over the affairs of Babylon. It’s JEALOUSY, or AMBITION, or perhaps RACISM. Rather than any particular loyalty to the king.

V13, the king’s FURIOUS. And when our three friends are brought before him, he gives them one more chance to conform. V14.

“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

It’s the same goal as chapter 1. Conformity. Fitting in with everyone else. Allegiance to the ONE MASTER. But the METHOD has changed. In chapter 1 it was more subtle – education and language and food from the king’s table. Positive instead of negative. Reward instead of punishment. But now, it’s much more obvious and brutal. “Do what everyone else does, or ELSE YOU DIE!”

Before we move on to look at how our heroes respond. Just notice a few things: I think we’re meant to LAUGH at Nebuchadnezzar, and all the officials. Perhaps the most obvious technique is THE REPETITION. Both of the list of OFFICIALS (twice), and the list of INSTRUMENTS (four times). It just sounds completely unnecessary to our ears. The effect is that the Babylonians seem like mindless robots who react instinctively to the noise of the instruments. (Like Pavlov’s dog, who salivated at the sound of the bell, because it connected it to the arrival of food)

And the description of the king isn’t very flattering EITHER. He has to be reminded of his own decree in v9. And then, v15, he repeats the same list of instruments like a parrot. As if he hasn’t got an independent thought. Every idea he has comes from someone else.

Then there’s his foolish boast. He overestimates his own power, and underestimates God’s. V15, if they fail to fall down and worship the image, they’ll be thrown into the blazing furnace.

Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

He says it as if it’s OBVIOUS. But we know better. It’s a FOOLISH CHALLENGE TO GOD. What god can possibly do anything about A BLAZING FURNACE? He’s about to find out!

But the three Jews won’t bend. They reply (v16). Their lives are at risk, but their trust in God is solid.

“O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Notice what their faith looks like. Not that God will certainly save them from the fire. But that God is ABLE to save them. And they’re not going to change their minds even if they DO die in the furnace. I think we forget that part. That they don’t know the end of the story. (WE know how it turns out, so their decision doesn’t seem so brave. All they have to worry about are bruises from the soldiers, or rope burn from their restraints.) But I think, as they answer the king, they don’t expect to survive. I think they EXPECT TO DIE. (After all, no one’s ever survived a furnace BEFORE.) And they’re showing their trust in God by refusing to back down. They’re not trusting a particular OUTCOME, but they’re trusting the God who DECIDES the outcome.

Which isn’t the way SOME people understand prayer. They think that if you prayed for something and didn’t get it. It must be because you didn’t have enough faith. You didn’t CLAIM it. “Didn’t get healed? Didn’t get that job? Your kids haven’t become Christians? It must be because you don’t have enough faith.” But that’s not the way the Bible describes it. Faith when you pray isn’t believing REALLY, REALLY HARD that you’ll get a certain answer. That’s MAGIC, or SUPERSTITION. Faith in prayer is confident reliance on the GOD of prayer. Yes, he’s a God who CAN do anything. But who might NOT. He’s not a genie in a bottle who’s bound to do what we want, as long as we use the right formula. He’s our infinitely wise, infinitely LOVING, infinitely POWERFUL heavenly Father, WHO CAN DO ANYTHING. But who only gives us what’s GOOD for us. And who knows better than WE do. He doesn’t expect us to know how everything will turn out. Just to TRUST the One who DOES.

Which is what the three young Israelites do. Nebuchadnezzar’s FURIOUS, v19. And orders the furnace made SEVEN TIMES HOTTER. (He’s ridiculous. As if a NORMAL furnace isn’t hot enough to kill them.) His strongest soldiers bind them, lead them to the top of the furnace. And are, themselves, burned alive, v22. V23, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego fall into the blazing furnace. They wouldn’t fall down before the statue. So instead, they fall into the furnace. All because they refuse to deny God. What will God do? What will become of them?

From v24, we now view the action through the eyes of the king. He’s staring into the flames. He leaps to his feet and asks his attendants. “Weren’t there THREE men we threw into the fire?” They reply, “Certainly, O king.” V25. “Then why can I see FOUR men walking around in the fire? Unbound and unharmed. And the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

So Nebuchadnezzar approaches the mouth of the furnace, presumably from a safe distance, and calls for the three to come out. And when they do, the officials see, v27, that they’re completely unharmed.

the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Completely protected and unharmed! How will the king react? Will he insist on finding some OTHER way to punish them, since THIS way hasn’t worked? No! Even FOOLS, crazy megalomaniacs, can learn some lessons! V28 is the HIGH POINT of the chapter.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

He recognises the mysterious fourth man who was walking around in the fire as AN ANGEL of GOD. A SAVIOUR. And he recognises the faith and courage of the three men. And it seems like he recognises THE POWER AND REALITY OF THEIR GOD. Maybe he’s not such a fool after all! But no, he comes crashing back to earth in v29.

29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

He sees that no god can save like the God of Israel. (Which is quite a turn around from v15, when he boldly questions what god could possibly save them from his furnace!) And yet, he feels he has to DEFEND God, by punishing his enemies. God’s proven himself more powerful than Nebuchadnezzar imagined. He certainly doesn’t need help to protect his reputation! And then, in contrast to God’s CRITICS, v30,

the king PROMOTED Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon

Their opponents had hoped to see them knocked DOWN. But instead, they’re lifted UP.

Which is where our story ends for today. Our three friends have been in terrible trouble. But they’ve trusted God. And God’s RESCUED them. MIRACULOUSLY. But that’s not the lesson FOR US. Because God doesn’t promise that when we stand up for him, it will always turn out like this. Chances are when you make a tough stand for God, you’re going to SUFFER in some way.

In fact, Jesus PROMISED it. In John 15:20 he says

“No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute YOU ALSO.”

If you’re a servant of Jesus, then EXPECT it! History tells us that, more often than not, when God’s people have been in situations like this, they’ve DIED. The cruel, God-hating oppressor HAS WON. Sorry. Maybe that’s not what you wanted to hear!

But here’s the point. God calls for uncompromising loyalty to him ANYWAY. He calls us to have the same attitude as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in v17.

17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is ABLE to save us from it, and he WILL rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does NOT, we want you to know, O king, that WE WILL NOT SERVE YOUR GODS or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

God CAN save us. Only God knows if he WILL. But even if he doesn’t save us ON EARTH – even if we DIE– then if we belong to Jesus, we’re saved from something much worse than a furnace. God saves us FOR ETERNITY. From his judgment and eternal separation from him. A salvation like THAT is worth EVERYTHING it costs us NOW. A GOD like that is worth our uncompromising loyalty. As we stand up for what’s right. As we refuse to fit in with the values and ethics of our modern culture.

For our three friends, being faithful to God in a foreign country meant REFUSING TO WORSHIP OTHER GODS. It would have been SO EASY to just go along with everyone else. To take the path of least resistance. And just drop to their knees, but not worship with their hearts. But they kept God’s commands. They refused to break the first two commandments. To have no other gods, and to not make and worship idols.

And why’s that significant? Because the whole reason Israel’s in Babylon in the FIRST place is because they BROKE those laws. They worshipped the gods of the nations. REFUSED to be different. And became just like the nations around them. And God PUNISHED them. Sent them into exile. DISCIPLINED them. BROKE them. So they’d learn to worship him ALONE. And Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are learning that lesson.

Would you have the courage to stand up for God the way Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did? To refuse to fit in? If you’re not so sure, then let me suggest THREE ENCOURAGEMENTS TO MOTIVATE YOU. To strengthen your resolve. And fuel your courage.

1. Love God more than idols

First, love God more than the idols. He is INFINITELY more attractive, and lovely, and valuable than the idols that demand our loyalty. Our culture values, and IDOLISES, so many things that compete with God for our attention and worship. It values leisure and pleasure and money and comfort and fame and independence and family and safety. Good things that can easily became the MAIN thing.

When you’re tempted to bow down, or conform your life, to those things. Remember that Jesus is SO MUCH better than these things. And life with him is SO MUCH RICHER and DEEPER and more SATISFYING. This is what he offered the Samaritan woman at the well, in John 4, when he said, v14

whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Life in Jesus is a bottomless well. You can dive into it every day, and find new joys to delight and satisfy you. Life you don’t deserve. And can’t earn. Secure, certain, and purposeful. Why would you risk that for any other sort of life? Read God’s Word to you daily, and prayerfully ask him to SHOW you his goodness. Then REJOICE in those things. And THANK him. And tell him WHY you love him. Listen to Paul’s testimony about the choice he made. Philippians 3. Firstly, what his idols USED to be, v4:

If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

Then, how they now compare to Jesus.

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and BE FOUND IN HIM, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ

That’s the encouragement we need to resist the pull of the idols that surround us. Make much of Jesus. Love God more than the idols.

• God promises to be WITH us. Ps 23, Mt 28.20

Second encouragement to stand firm: God promises to be WITH us. God’s angel was with our friends in the fire. And he protected them. In Psalm 23 David recognises, v4,

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOU ARE WITH ME; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

We will still go through the dark valley. And death will still threaten us. But God is WITH us.

And in Matthew 28 Jesus commands his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples and baptise and teach people. A mission worth giving your LIFE to. And then he gives this wonderful promise. Not that everything will always be easy and comfortable. But

Surely I am WITH you / ALWAYS, to the VERY END OF THE AGE.

So stand up for him.

• Jesus has overcome the world.

Third encouragement: Jesus has overcome the world. Despite appearances, Jesus has won. He’s defeated Satan, and sin and death. He’s defeated the earthly powers that resist him. It may seem like the idols are huge and powerful. It may SEEM like we’re on the losing side. That Christians are weak, and the world is strong. But things aren’t always what they seem.

Spoiler alert! Jesus wins! It might not look like it at the moment, but it’s TRUE. In John 16:33, just before he goes to the cross, Jesus gives his disciples a WARNING, an ENCOURAGEMENT, and A PROMISE.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 1:1-18: The Word was God

A DESIRE TO KNOW GOD. It’s something shared by people across all ages and cultures and religions and philosophies. (A common feeling that there’s something, or someone, outside the world we know – beyond what we can recognise with our senses. And a longing to EXPERIENCE that.)

Of course, there are many different opinions about WHAT GOD IS LIKE. And how you can KNOW him. Through following rituals, or keeping a moral code. By offering sacrifices. Or spiritual experiences like meditation or silence or contemplation or prayer. In other religions, taking drugs or having sex or even fighting battles are ways to access the spiritual world. All of these are humanity’s efforts to approach God.

But what sets Christianity apart is that God has approached US. He’s communicated with us. And come close. And so we can KNOW him. And so, we can live the life he’s DESIGNED for us. With purpose and contentment. Without the uncertainty or confusion or mistakes.

That’s the message of John’s Gospel. And especially the introduction – verses 1 to 18 of chapter 1. (We’re going to spend the next three weeks thinking about these verses.)

We’re introduced to someone who’s not named. All we know is his TITLE. “THE WORD.” It’s a title like KING, or JUDGE, or DOCTOR. But it’s MORE than that. It’s A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HE DOES. So it’s more like a superhero name. “The Flash” obviously he’s QUICK. The Hulk – he’s BIG. And “Spiderman”  – he does whatever a spider can. And The Word… COMMUNICATES. THE WORD moves from the SENDER to the RECEIVER, and REVEALS SOMETHING about the sender. By the time we get down to v17 we realise it’s JESUS. And while the other gospels gradually reveal that Jesus has come from God, John tells us the secret from the very first sentence. Look at v1.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Such simple words. But they describe profound mysteries. First, where did the Word COME FROM? Everything has a beginning. Except for GOD. And, it seems, except for THE WORD. In the beginning the word… JUST WAS. He’s ETERNAL. He wasn’t MADE, he didn’t appear, or was born. He just WAS. You might hear people say, “I was there when they opened the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or the Opera House, or when man first walked on the moon in 1969.” It shows you’ve been around for a while. Well, how about, “I was there when Sydney Harbour was first carved out of the earth.” And “I was there when the moon and all the stars were put in place.” That’s Jesus. He’s ALWAYS BEEN.

Second mystery. What’s the Word’s relationship to God? On the one hand, the Word was WITH God – beside, facing, or near God. But ALSO, the Word WAS God. (Of one SUBSTANCE). It seems impossible. A contradiction. Somehow, the Word is both SEPARATE from God, and the SAME as God. It’s not EXPLAINED. It’s just STATED. Then v3 adds some MORE information.

3 THROUGH him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

He’s an agent of creation. God made everything THROUGH him. BY MEANS of him. Later generations will put together all the clues from across the Bible. And name this relationship THE TRINITY. That God is one God, but three PERSONS. Or identities. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person is FULLY God, not LESS than God. Together they make ONE God, not three. God is THREE in ONE. That comes LATER. But at THIS point that reality is described simply as “the Word was WITH God. And the Word WAS God. And God made all things THROUGH the Word.”

At which point Jewish readers would be reminded of Genesis chapter 1. Where in the beginning God SPOKE and things CAME INTO EXISTENCE. “God said Let there be LIGHT. And THERE WAS.” God’s word had HIS POWER TO CREATE. His word is both PART of him, and SEPARATE from him. And is the AGENT of creation.

I think that’s why John chose the title THE WORD. Because it’s a metaphor, a picture, that shows the relationship between Jesus and God. In some ways SEPARATE, and in other ways THE SAME.

Verses 1-3 describe what happens OUTSIDE of history. Or at the START of history. But from v4 we learn what happens IN HISTORY. How The Word RELATES to the world he helped create. V4 says

4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

He didn’t just START the world – he SUSTAINS it. He’s it’s ongoing source of LIFE. And he shines LIGHT on the world. Which is about providing goodness and guidance and life.

But here’s the complication: v5. The world is DARK. And it doesn’t RECEIVE, or UNDERSTAND, or WELCOME the light. There’s some sort of rejection, or opposition. It’s all fairly abstract and distant. It’s hard to understand exactly what’s being described. But it gets more concrete and personal as we keep reading. Jump down to v9.

9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word came into the world. SOME people recognised him, but MOST DIDN’T. They SHOULD have. After all the world had been made THROUGH him. He was RESPONSIBLE for it – it BELONGED to him. But those who DID recognise him. Who WELCOMED him. He authorised them to become children of God. As someone closely connected to God, he WELCOMED them into a close connection to God TOO.

Then we come to v14. Which is really the HIGHLIGHT of this section. And it describes most clearly how we can see and know God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word wrapped himself in skin, bones, hair and blood. Complete with tears and sweat. Sneezes and skinned knees. Willingly chose the limitations of a frail human body. God, the Creator of the universe, has stepped out of heaven, and into his story. The infinite, eternal Spirit bound himself to time and space. Lowered himself to our level. We call it THE INCARNATION. Which just means “became flesh”. God became man.

It’s almost too incredible to imagine. Or understand. But for those of you who know your Old Testament, there’s a number of HINTS here in v14. Hints that can help us begin to understand this mind-blowing truth. There are echoes of God appearing among his people in the Exodus. As they left Egypt and walked through the wilderness. The word for DWELT is related to “TABERNACLE” – the tent Moses built for God. And to “see his glory” is what the Israelites did, when GOD’S glory appeared, like a cloud or a pillar of fire, over the tent. But Jesus is God’s ultimate, complete, absolute GLORY. His visible self-revelation. And Jesus being FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH echoes God’s description of himself to Moses on Mount Sinai that he’s ABOUNDING IN LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS.

All those events, as wonderful as they were, are just pointers and appetisers for the ULTIMATE appearing of God among his people. When Jesus pitches his tent. Not among one nation in a desert. But among one HUMANITY on a whole PLANET. And reveals himself as God’s glory for people to see. When the Creator, who stands apart from his creation, stepped INTO it, so we can KNOW him.

Alfred Hitchcock is famous for making brilliant movies. He’s ALSO famous for making small appearances in his own movies. Cameos. For a brief second, he’d step out from behind the camera to be PART OF THE STORY he was telling. The Creator steps into his creation. His fans love to study his movies to identify him. *Missing a bus during the opening credits of “North by North West”.  *Sitting next to Cary Grant on a bus in “To Catch a Thief”. *Sitting with a child on his lap in a hotel foyer in “Torn Curtain”. *He’s even the “Before” and “after” photos in a weight loss ad in a newspaper. 37 appearances identified so far in nearly 50 years of movies. The creator enters his creation. Which is what JESUS did.

For Alfred Hitchcock, it’s cute. And it happened MANY TIMES. But it’s largely IRRELEVANT TO THE STORY. But when GOD did it, in the person of Jesus, he did it ONCE ONLY, and it CHANGED THE FACE OF HUMAN HISTORY.

That’s v14. It INTRODUCES the idea that God walked among us, so we could see him and know him. And as we keep reading, we find plenty of evidence that JESUS HIMSELF understands that he’s God, come in the flesh.

In Ch 3 v12, talking to Nicodemus, he says

12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except THE ONE WHO CAME FROM HEAVEN-the Son of Man.

That’s Jesus. The WORD, who COMES FROM HEAVEN, and communicates heavenly things. A similar idea is in John 6:46

46 No one has seen the Father except THE ONE WHO IS FROM GOD; only he has SEEN THE FATHER.

Because he COMES from God, he’s the only one who’s SEEN him. In 8:58, Jesus reveals something of his understanding of being ETERNALLY with the Father.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

Always existing. Always with God. But more than that, the only one who can INTRODUCE people to God. 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

But he’s more than a prophet who’s seen and known God. Or a priest who stands in between God and man. He’s somehow EQUAL with God. To see JESUS is to see GOD. In 14:9 he says

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father

And similarly, to KNOW Jesus, is to know GOD. 8:19 “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

And probably the clearest of all. Jn 10:30 “The Father and I are one.”

And by the time we get to Ch 20 v28, Thomas sees the resurrected Jesus, and exclaims, “My Lord and my God.” And Jesus ACCEPTS the worship. He bows before GOD IN THE FLESH.

Jesus is fully God, AND fully man. More than God INDWELLING a good man. More than God LOOKING LIKE a man. But God BECOMING a man. Jesus, both God AND man.

Let’s finish our quick tour of John’s Gospel by returning to the opening section. And chapter 1 v16-18.

16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, , who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.

If there was ANYONE who was thought to have seen God – it was Moses. At Mt Sinai God put him in the cleft of a rock, and then passed by, so Moses saw his glory. And we’re told that Moses spoke with God face-to-face. And when he came down from the mountain, his face SHONE, so the people couldn’t look at him. But EVEN MOSES never saw God. But WE’RE EVEN MORE PRIVILEGED THAN MOSES. Because God has come near. God the one and only, or only begotten, who is at the Father’s side. (that’s Jesus) has MADE HIM KNOWN. He’s EXPLAINED, or given a detailed report about, HIM. A personal explanation. V16 says from his fullness we’ve all received one blessing after another. Or GRACE PILED ON TOP OF GRACE.

We’ve received MORE GRACE than Moses. Because we can meet JESUS. He’s God the one and only Son. We can KNOW GOD through him. Know him, see him, experience him, understand him BETTER THAN MOSES DID.

So what?

So what should we do in response? Because you HAVE to do SOMETHING with an act like that. To do NOTHING is an insult. It diminishes its importance.

1. Accept

First. ACCEPT. God’s reached out to you. He’s COME NEAR. Accept the approach. Many people DON’T. (V5 says that the darkness has NOT UNDERSTOOD the light. V10 says that the world did not RECOGNISE the light. V11 says his own people did not RECEIVE him.) Don’t let that be you.

Instead, v12 says to RECEIVE him. BELIEVE IN HIS NAME. Become a child of God. And, v14, SEE HIS GLORY. And, v16, RECEIVE HIS BLESSINGS. And, v18, KNOW THE FATHER. If you’ve already DONE that. What ELSE?

2. Be comforted.

Second, BE COMFORTED. Because Jesus is fully MAN, it means he fully understands you. And because he’s fully God, he’s got the power to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Hebrews 4:15 says

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY, JUST AS WE ARE-yet was without sin.

Be comforted because Jesus understands the human condition MORE than you. He experienced far greater temptation than you, but never gave in. He knows what you go through. And he presents that experience to his Father, with SYMPATHY for us.

3. Be confident

Which means, thirdly, that we should BE CONFIDENT. Hebrews 4:16 continues.

16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with CONFIDENCE, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We can trust that we’ll be treated favourably by the Father, because the Son is saying to him, “I understand. I know. Show them mercy and grace.”

4. Reflect the incarnation.

Fourthly, we respond to the incarnation by SHARING IN THE INCARNATION. By following the example of Jesus in the way we minister to others. Jesus was not aloof. He gave up everything. He got his hands dirty. He didn’t just SPEAK FROM HEAVEN. He lived AMONG us. And he calls us to do the same.

In Mark 10:43-45 he says

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your SERVANT, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be SLAVE OF ALL. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

And in John 13, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and said,

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Incarnational ministry means getting your hands dirty. Sharing your LIFE with people. Becoming LIKE them. Are you looking to SERVE? Or are you expecting to BE served? Respond to the incarnation by being a servant to all like Jesus.

Jesus is the GLORY of God – his visible presence. If you’ve SEEN the glory of God in Jesus, then he calls you to BE the glory. To be the visible presence of God in the world. In John 15 Jesus promises the disciples

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 THIS IS TO MY FATHER’S GLORY, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

In the beginning was the WORD and the word was WITH GOD and the Word WAS God. The Word became FLESH and DWELT among us. We’ve seen God’s glory.

Accept it. Be comforted by it. Be CONFIDENT in it. And REFLECT it. So that OTHERS would do the same.

Galatians 5:25-6:18 Spiritual Christians

It seems that Australia’s getting LESS RELIGIOUS. (fewer people have an outward practice of religion). But there’s an argument we’re becoming MORE SPIRITUAL. A 2017 McCrindle study on Faith and Belief in Australia identified a growing number of people who identify themselves as SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS (14% of those surveyed).

As an example, a few years ago I caught up with a former school student of mine. (We re-connected on Facebook). When Michael found out I was a Christian minister, rather than a teacher, he said this about himself: “I’m, kind of, against organised religion, because I think it’s based on fear and guilt. And it’s the opposite of the true love and freedom that’s God. But I’m SPIRITUAL, I guess!” (I suspect you may have friends who describe themselves in a similar way)

But what does it mean to be SPIRITUAL? The same McCrindle study found that, out of those “spiritual but not religious” people, 36% believe there is an ultimate meaning and purpose in life. 26% believe in an inward journey to discover the inner person, and 22% hold a mixture of spiritual beliefs from major religions.

What does it mean to be spiritual? My guess is there are almost as many answers to that question as there are people. Part of the attraction, I suspect, is that being “spiritual” means you get to choose the bits you like, and reject those you don’t. All sorts of answers. And that’s before you start asking what CHRISTIANS mean by SPIRITUAL.

Some Christians will say being SPIRITUAL is about using impressive spiritual GIFTS. Like speaking in tongues, or healing. Or someone who receives VISIONS or PROPHECIES, or words of knowledge.

Others will say being SPIRITUAL is about enjoying spiritual EXPERIENCES. Like joyful, emotional WORSHIP. Or even traditional, reverent and contemplative experiences. With candles, choirs, incense. Or individually, it’s about experiences of meditation, fasting and prayer.

But what does the BIBLE say?

Spiritual Christians

Here in the last chapter of the letter to the Galatians, we learn that A SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN looks VERY DIFFERENT from those things. A SPIRITUAL Christian is someone who allows God’s HOLY SPIRIT to guide them in the everyday, ordinary decisions of life. Someone who’s making TOUGH CHOICES to SERVE OTHER PEOPLE in LOVE because that’s what Jesus would do. Who carries people’s burdens. And it’s got very little to do with AN EXPERIENCE at ALL.

Keep in step with the Spirit (5:25)

Over the last five chapters we’ve soured through the heights of wonderful theology. Majestic, glorious truths about how we can’t save ourselves by law-keeping. But that GOD saves us, all of grace, as we trust the work of Jesus in our place. If you’re a Christian, then the wonderful news is that God makes you one of his children, and pours his Holy Spirit into your heart, giving you life and freedom, hope and an inheritance. Guiding and strengthening you. Growing FRUIT in your life, like love and joy and kindness. So much for us to rejoice in!

And near the end of chapter 5 (v25) we come to a conclusion: Since we live by the Spirit, (or since we’ve been MADE ALIVE by the Spirit). Let us KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT. (Or FOLLOW the Spirit, or CONFORM to the Spirit.) If you’re a Christian, then you’re SPIRITUAL because God’s Spirit lives in you. He’s made you SPIRITUALLY alive. A SPIRITUAL Christian allows himself to be guided by God’s Spirit. Listening to him, Conforming to his character.

So that’s the GOAL. Be SPIRITUAL – Let God’s Spirit SHAPE you. Let him grow FRUIT in you. And change the way you love people. Let him give you courage, and humility, and generosity, and perseverance.

From the heights of theology, Paul finishes his letter, from v26 of chapter 5, by GROUNDING IT IN PRACTICAL DETAIL. Down to the mess of ordinary relationships. (What it LOOKS LIKE to keep in step with God’s Spirit.)

Small heads (5:26)

So what’s a spiritual Christian? First, they’ll have SMALL HEADS. They’ll be HUMBLE rather than PROUD. V26

“Let us not become CONCEITED, provoking and envying one another.”

The word for “conceited” literally means “empty of glory.” It’s PRIDE, but without any BASIS. Conceit begins with A DEEP INSECURITY – a feeling of a lack of worth. And it leads to people having to PROVE themselves. To COMPARE themselves to OTHERS. When they feel they compare WELL, they’ll PROVOKE others. (Challenge them. Put them down. Point out their short-comings.) And when they don’t compare well with others, they’ll ENVY them. They’ll want what others have. So both superiority and inferiority are just different expressions of CONCEIT, or FALSE pride. Both are about trying to GAIN WORTH at the expense of others.

And the law-keeping religion of the false teachers just fits conceited people PERFECTLY . It’s an easy measuring stick of performance. Either to beat others with. Or to trap you in guilt, anxiety and envy when you can’t keep up with others.

In contrast, truly spiritual people will be marked by A LACK OF ARROGANCE AND EMPTY PRIDE. Because they know they deserve NOTHING from God. And that anything good in them is all from God’s Spirit. They’re SAVED by grace, and SHAPED by grace. So they’re truly humble. Before GOD, and before OTHERS. So they can treat people with MERCY and acceptance, instead of judgmentalism and conceit.

Have broad shoulders and soft hands (6:1-2)

And, into chapter 6, that attitude of humility will LOOK LIKE SOMETHING in the way spiritual Christians treat others. v1.

6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are SPIRITUAL should RESTORE HIM GENTLY.

You know, I reckon the HARDEST THING about being a leader in a church is knowing how to deal with a Christian who’s LIVING THE WRONG WAY. Who’s continuing in SIN. It’s EASIER to say nothing. To pretend it’s between him and God. You’re less likely to make a mess of things – to risk the relationship – if you just say NOTHING.

But Paul says SPIRITUAL Christians aren’t to do that. (Christians who are keeping in step with God’s Spirit). When they see a brother or sister who’s trapped in a sin, they RESTORE them GENTLY.

The word for RESTORE is used for setting broken bones, or for mending nets. It’s about straightening up. About bringing back to full health. Turning them around/ to head in the right direction.

And do it GENTLY. With HUMILITY. Without JUDGMENT. Recognising that WE’RE ALL WORKS IN PROGRESS. They’ll have SOFT HANDS.

And notice the warning? “But watch yourself, or you also might be tempted.” Which COULD mean, tempted to commit the same sin. But I think it’s more likely a warning that you’re not tempted to JUDGE. Or DISMISS, or COMPARE, or become CONCEITED. Look at how it continues in v3.

3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5 for each one should carry his own load.

Thinking you’re something when you’re nothing IS CONCEIT. And pointing out someone’s ELSE’S sins can just GROW that.

BUSY-BODIES, LEGALISTS, or THE INSECURE can point out other’s faults. Not because they want to restore people gently. But because it makes them feel BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES.

Instead, spiritual Christians will test THEIR OWN actions. Take a good look at their own life, and their motivations for correcting others. They won’t compare themselves to anyone else. They’ll worry about their OWN life first, rather than jumping in to fix someone ELSE. They’ll carry their OWN load when it comes to giving an account to God. And not try to improve God’s impression of them by comparison to anyone ELSE.

The Spiritual Christian will carry their OWN load, but will also be willing to carry OTHER’S. Motivated by what’s best for THEM. Out of LOVE. See it there in v2?

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

(The law of Christ. Is the law of LOVE. To love your neighbour AS YOURSELF (that’s chapter 5 v14)).

To gently correct someone is to SHARE HIS BURDEN. It’s a burden because THEY NEED HELP. They’re CAUGHT in a sin. And it’s a burden because it’s RISKY. You risk hurting feelings. RISK a broken relationship. RISK making things WORSE. But you DO it because they LOVE them, and want what’s BEST for them.

It takes a special person to do that. A SPIRITUAL person. Someone with BROAD SHOULDERS to bear other’s burdens. But also TENDER TOUCH – soft hands – so they can restore people GENTLY.

Spiritual Christians have small heads, broad shoulders and soft hands.

How are we DOING at that? The first step is to be BEARING each others burdens. Are we DOING that? Are we involved enough with each other to KNOW what the burdens are? Home Groups, and showing hospitality are two great ways to LEARN about our burdens. (Just spending TIME with each other.) And to learn to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. And to EXPRESS that love.

And then, how are we going at correcting each other GENTLY? It takes time and effort and an emotional commitment to do that GENTLY. To ask questions. To understand someone’s situation. To get to know their challenges before you jump to conclusions. And support and follow-up and pray. Easier just to talk ABOUT them, rather than TO them. Or to send a quick email, or a text message.

Have open wallets (6:6)

Next up Paul says Spiritual Christians have OPEN WALLETS. At least that’s what I think he’s getting at in v6.

6 Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.

The principle is that those who TEACH and LEAD and LOOK AFTER a church have the right to be FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED by that church. That’s the way it works here at Ashfield. Members give money to support me. And that means I can give my whole week to be doing those things. To teaching and leading and looking after. It’s a great privilege and something I’m very thankful to God for.

But I’m also thankful for OTHER good things you all share with me. Cards or emails. Or even just good news that you share with me, or encouragements. Or what you’re LEARNING, and how you’re GROWING. I feel very blessed.

But there’s a temptation that goes with it. The temptation for ME is to HOLD BACK on saying the CHALLENGING things, the TOUGH WORDS. To hold back on CORRECTING people. Because if you don’t LIKE IT, you might stop GIVING. And if you stop GIVING, I’ll be out of a job!

And I guess there’s a temptation for YOU WHO GIVE. That if you don’t like what your teacher says, or don’t agree with some decision that the leadership’s made. Then you STOP GIVING. Or you stop ATTENDING. Or stop CONTRIBUTING in OTHER WAYS. Or start spreading discontent and rumours. You express your opinion by withdrawing your support.

So don’t make it personal. Don’t get offended, and withhold your support as a way of getting back at your leaders. Instead, Paul says, when you’re INSTRUCTED in God’s Word, SHARE ALL GOOD THINGS with the instructor. SUPPORT him. Because he’s showing you what GOD says. It’s not just HIS opinion. And he’s correcting and training you because he LOVES you. FOR YOUR GOOD. Even if it’s hard to hear.

So there are TWO sides to correcting and restoring each other. And SPIRITUAL Christians will have the right attitude on BOTH sides. If you’re DOING the correcting. Do it GENTLY, in LOVE, without PRIDE. And if you’re BEING corrected, don’t take offense, and stop supporting your leader, who’s only working for your GOOD.

Have good endurance (6:7-10)

The LAST thing that describes a spiritual Christian is that he’ll have GOOD ENDURANCE. There in v8.

The one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 LET US NOT BECOME WEARY in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Sow the good deeds that please the Spirit – that’s what SPIRITUAL Christians do. And KEEP doing good. Don’t get tired. Don’t run out of steam. Don’t come up with excuses. “But no one seems to notice. But I’ve been doing it for 10 years I deserve a break. But I’m not seeing any DIFFERENCE – any FRUIT.”

Instead Paul says Don’t become WEARY. God’s promise is that we WILL reap a harvest if we don’t give up. We WILL see fruit. We WILL see what eternal difference we’ve made if we stick at it. It’s a good way to think about our good deeds – that it’s like PLANTING. Gardening isn’t like carpentry. You build a table or a wall. But you can’t build a tomato plant. You can plant the seed, but you can’t make it grow. You can’t produce tomatoes. Once you plant the seed, it’s, mostly, out of your hands. Same with our good deeds. The spiritual Christian sows good deeds that please God’s Spirit. Then it’s God’s Spirit who’ll grow their influence. Who’ll grow joy and peace and contentment in YOU. And who’ll grow faith and maturity in the people you HELP.

It’s THAT FRUIT that explains the order of priority in v10.

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to ALL people, ESPECIALLY to those who belong to the family of believers

That’s what SPIRITUAL Christians do. They’ll look to do good to EVERYONE they meet. Work colleagues, neighbours, friends. But ESPECIALLY to their CHURCH FAMILY. Because that’s who you’ve got a responsibility for – they’re FAMILY. And because THAT’S who God’s Spirit is WORKING in. And GROWING FRUIT in. Fruit that you’ve CONTRIBUTED to/ by the good works you SOW.

So STICK AT IT. Don’t give up. Work at doing good even when you don’t see any difference. Even when no one notices. Even when you’re not rewarded. Because a fruitful garden TAKES TIME.

From v11, Paul begins wrapping up. He summarises his main message. Just in case we’d forgotten. V12-13. Don’t have anything to do with the false teachers who want you to be circumcised. They’re motives are BAD. They just want to MAKE IT EASIER for themselves. And to BOAST about their SUCCESS.

And look at v15. Coming back to the idea of GROWTH AND FRUIT.

15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is A NEW CREATION.

God’s at work in you, through his Spirit. You’ve been made ALIVE by his Spirit, and his Spirit is producing FRUIT in your life. And he’s producing a spiritual harvest among you as you all SOW GOOD DEEDS to please the Spirit.

He’s GROWING A NEW CREATION. In each of us individually. But also in as AS A CHURCH. What God is doing in US is a TASTE. An ENTRÉE into what he’ll do with THE WHOLE WORLD. When he brings in his NEW CREATION. A new heaven a new earth. When he brings an end to sin, and suffering and death and pain. And replaces them with purity and joy and unity and goodness and perfection. And he’s beginning that work IN US.

And SPIRITUAL Christians are those who are keeping in step with God’s Spirit, Choosing to LOVE. Choosing to generously look to the needs of others. And carry their loads. Of turning away from PRIDE, and choosing to sow good deeds. And to keep on doing it.

May we be people LIKE THAT. People with small heads, broad shoulders, soft hands, open wallets and good endurance.

Galatians 5: Effective religion

Everyone’s interested in how to be more EFFECTIVE in life – more successful and useful. How to be more efficient and organised AT WORK. Or how to be a better parent. Or a better gardener. How to get fit, or lose weight, or repair a bike, or knit a jumper. “HOW TO” Ted talks receive millions of views. And YouTube is, arguably, more popular for TEACHING us things than for ENTERTAINING us.

And then there’s RELIGION. One definition of religion is that it’s a quest for how to please God, or live a moral life, or gain eternal life, or paradise. Is there a technique, or a power, or a motivation that’s effective for doing THAT?

And for those of us who are Christian, it’s a great question to ask, TOO. How can I live the Christian life the way God wants? With purpose and satisfaction? With victory over sin? Where does the power, or the motivation, come from/ to live that life/ reliably and successfully, and consistently? What’s the secret to EFFECTIVE RELIGION?

And the answer might surprise you. Because Biblical Christianity is different from EVERY OTHER RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY in answering that question. Every other religion says you have to THINK or DO certain things to be effective. (Keep certain rules. Wear certain clothes. Eat certain things. Imitate certain people. Live a certain lifestyle.) Do THOSE things and you’ll be achieve your goals. God will NOTICE, and REWARD you. You’ll be EFFECTIVE, COMPETENT, SUCCESSFUL. (Christopher Watkin, in his book Biblical Critical Theory, calls it n-shaped religion. You do something for God, and he responds by doing something for you).

For the last four chapters of Galatians Paul’s been arguing with Jewish false teachers, who are SAYING EXACTLY THAT. They say the way to be right with God, and to be BLESSED, is to keep the Jewish law, as collected in the Scriptures. Especially circumcision, and food laws and the Ten Commandments. And Paul’s argument is IT DOESN’T WORK. It’s not effective AT ALL. Because you have to keep ALL of the law. ALL the TIME. And NO ONE can do that.

The ALTERNATIVE is simply to trust God’s promise. Through the obedience of his Son, he promises to make people right with him, simply through FAITH. He promises to BLESS them, and make them SONS. And give them the inheritance of his Holy Spirit. And everything you do is in grateful RESPONSE to that. That’s Biblical Christianity. (It’s u-shaped religion. Begins with GOD, and we do something in return). That’s the way the Galatian church BEGAN. But they’ve been influenced by these false teachers. And they’re at risk of giving up their FREEDOM, and going back to SLAVERY. (Giving up what’s EFFECTIVE, and replacing it with something WORTHLESS.)

And here at the start of chapter 5 Paul warns them again. V1

5:1 It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set us free. STAND FIRM, THEN, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by A YOKE OF SLAVERY.

Don’t give in. Don’t go back. V2.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of NO VALUE to you at all.

If you let go of Jesus, and start trusting your law-keeping, then he’ll be of no ADVANTAGE to you. He won’t be EFFECTIVE. Or v4.

4 You who are trying to be justified BY LAW have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

When you try to save yourself, or trust what you do, you’re saying that Jesus’ death and resurrection aren’t needed. You’ve chosen a DIFFERENT method.

But that method’s INEFFECTIVE. Instead, here’s what’s EFFECTIVE. (What WORKS.) v5

5 But BY FAITH we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.

God’s PROMISED us a final declaration of being right with him. On judgment day. And we TRUST that promise, while we confidently wait for it. Then, v6, the comparison. (What DOESN’T work. And what WORKS).

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision HAS ANY VALUE. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

That word translated “has any value” means “is EFFECTIVE.” In other places it’s about ABILITY or STRENGTH. Circumcision doesn’t WORK. It won’t win blessing from God, or a heavenly reward. And neither will uncircumcision. NO human effort will. No other religious or moral action will work. The only thing that IS effective/ is to be IN Christ Jesus – to HAVE FAITH. And then for that faith to produce action. To SHOW itself in LOVE – to be EXPRESSED through love. That’s love for God and love for others. Action that flows from TRUSTING God.

We’re not only JUSTIFIED by faith. We WAIT by faith, v5. And we LOVE by faith, v6. That’s the only EFFECTIVE religion.

(Verses 7 to 12 have more warnings about not listening to the false teachers. And a fairly brutal wish about their final punishment, v12). But then, from v13, he returns to the idea of FREEDOM, which he introduced in v1. And he CLARIFIES it. Perhaps he’s answering arguments from the false teachers. They’re saying, “Freedom’s DANGEROUS. If there are no consequences or punishments, then people will do whatever they want. It doesn’t really WORK. Freedom’s NOT effective at producing godliness.” They argue that u-shaped religion won’t produce effective ethical change. You need an external motivator. Only n-shaped religion WORKS. They’re saying, “If you want to produce obedience, you have to ENFORCE it. With the STICK of punishment, or the CARROT of REWARD.”

And they argue/ that’s the basic problem with Paul’s position. If forgiveness is God’s free gift, then what’s to stop people just doing whatever they feel like, asking forgiveness, wiping everything clean, so they can start living for themselves ALL OVER AGAIN?

Freedom to love

Look how Paul answers that, from v13.

13 You, my brothers, were CALLED to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; RATHER, SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE.

TRUE religion begins with God’s initiative. He CALLS you. Then you RESPOND. He calls you to be FREE. That’s what you were DESIGNED for. (To choose right instead of wrong, and then to have the power and motivation to actually DO it.) It’s NOT a calling that indulges, or gives in, to the sinful nature. He’s got a much higher expectation of you. He’s called us to SERVE one another in LOVE. You’ve been set free to LOVE. That’s your CALLING.

It’s a little like JAZZ. Jazz music is about FREEDOM. There’s not really any music written down. Perhaps a few chords, and the melody line. And, from the outside, it looks like you basically just play WHATEVER YOU WANT. But that’s a misunderstanding. If everybody did THAT, it would sound TERRIBLE. In jazz there are BOUNDARIES. RULES. Rules about CHORDS, and rhythm, and who takes turns to play solos. And who plays loud, and who plays soft. And it’s as the jazz player plays within those rules. That she works out how to play in a way that FITS. That BLENDS, that HARMONISES. The jazz player’s been SET FREE to FIT IN with OTHERS. That’s FREEDOM. That’s what makes beautiful music the way it was DESIGNED. When you keep to the rules of JAZZ, the music sounds FANTASTIC. It’s free and it’s wild and it’s joyful and it’s beautiful. And it’s the same with the Christian life. You’ve been set free. So SERVE ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE.

The word for serve is SLAVERY – the same as in v1. Which is quite ironic really. You’ve been set FREE alright, free to be a SLAVE TO OTHERS. (To put THEIR needs before your own.) That’s what TRUE LOVE is – choosing to put SOMEONE ELSE’S good above YOURS.

And notice the order? The LOGIC? It’s AFTER you’ve been set free that you serve others in LOVE. (You don’t SERVE to FREE yourself.) It’s u-shaped religion, not n-shaped.

That’s the RIGHT way to use the Old Testament Scriptures. To guide you about how to RESPOND to God’s gift. Not how to EARN it. Which is where MOST people go wrong. Look how Paul continues, v14.

14 The entire LAW is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 

That what God’s CALLED you to. His initiative, your RESPONSE. A summary of every law about how you treated people: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (AS MUCH as you love yourself). If you love your neighbour, you won’t STEAL from him. Or LIE to him. Or be ANGRY with him. And so on.

That’s what you’ve been CALLED TO. And been set free FOR. And how your FAITH will WORK ITSELF OUT. It all BEGINS with God’s gift. And that TURNS YOUR MOTIVES AROUND. From EARNING/ to RESPONDING. Which is an incredibly FREEING, and EFFECTIVE motivation.

Freedom of the Spirit

Up to this point, it seem like the tools for an effective Christian life have come from WITHIN OURSELVES. (Stand firm. Eagerly await by faith. Express faith through love. Serve in love). But that’s only PART of the answer. The problem is that, BY OURSELVES, we can NEVER succeed. We can never have the character, or will-power or self-control to live effective Christian lives. We don’t just need MOTIVATION, we need POWER.

And Paul says the answer, v16, is to LIVE BY THE SPIRIT. He’s our HIDDEN RESOURCE. (We’ve seen, back in ch 4 v6, how God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And v5 hints at it – but by faith we eagerly await THROUGH THE SPIRIT the righteousness we hope for). Look at v16.

16 So I say, LIVE BY THE SPIRIT, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

It’s literally WALK by the Spirit, or in the Spirit. Walk through life following Jesus, doing things GUIDED by his Spirit, STRENGTHENED by his Spirit. (Live with priorities shaped by him, thoughts flavoured by him, a character moulded on him.) WALK IN THE Spirit. And you won’t gratify the desires of your OLD nature.

The civil war

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But we all know it’s not as simple as it sounds. It’s A BATTLE. Every day. There’s a CIVIL WAR inside every Christian. Whether you’ve been saved for a DAY, or a DECADE. 50 weeks, or 50 years. V17

17 For the SINFUL NATURE desires what is contrary to the SPIRIT, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in CONFLICT with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Every one of us, if we’re a Christian, has to cope with a series of constant battles. Skirmishes on a range of different fronts. Dozens of times every day. There’s our NATURAL self that wants to choose the selfish, self-satisfying, self-honouring thing. The thing that will PLEASE us, or make us more comfortable, or make us feel better, or more important, or more respected. But on the other hand, God’s Spirit’s working in us, gradually renovating us, changing our thoughts, shaping our motives, our words, our responses, our desires.

And, at every choice, there’s A BATTLE. (What do I THINK? Where do I LOOK? What do I SAY? How do I RESPOND? What will I CHOOSE?) Will I follow my NATURAL human inclination? Or God’s Spirit? Will I choose to LOVE my neighbour as myself? Or will I choose to love MYSELF, at his expense? One follows the Spirit. The other follows the NATURAL self – the OLD nature.

BEFORE you were a Christian, it was always the NATURAL self that won. It was no contest. Slavery to sin. Always choosing SELF. But now, because of the SPIRIT, there’s FREEDOM. V18.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law

Christians are FREE because they NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT. To choose to listen to the Spirit. To walk after him. BECAUSE they HAVE God’s Spirit. HE is the POWER to be effective. To choose LOVE. To put others first. To break habits. To develop self-control. To put the OLD nature to DEATH.

Paul moves on to describing the two sides of the battle. What your life will look like if you continually choose ONE SIDE over ANOTHER. V19. If you keep choosing to do what comes NATURALLY, here’s what you can expect.

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

All sorts of things you wouldn’t expect a Christian to go anywhere NEAR. Like sexual immorality, witchcraft, and orgies. But right there amongst them are less OBVIOUS sins. The sorts of things we CAN find hard to conquer. Like discord and dissensions and factions. That’s TAKING SIDES. Deciding ONE person’s better than ANOTHER.

And then doing things that make it worse. That put one person AGAINST the other. Gossip. Spreading rumours. Refusing to forgive. Preferring to talk ABOUT someone than TO someone. Not being willing to apologise, to clear up misunderstandings. To mend fences, or build bridges. That’s what our OLD nature says. Rather than follow the Spirit. And treat people with LOVE.

Or what about ENVY. That’s a sneaky one isn’t it? Or SELFISH AMBITION. Right in the middle of doing something GOOD and God-honouring, you’ll find MIXED MOTIVES. You’ll realise you’re seeking APPROVAL and ADMIRATION. Or you’re dreaming about that promotion, the power and influence. It’s a constant battle. To do what comes NATURALLY. Or to follow the Spirit.

Paul’s warning is that people who continually allow the NATURAL, SINFUL nature to WIN that battle. Show they’re not really God’s AT ALL. V21.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Is that YOU?

But when you DO walk by the Spirit, then here are the qualities you can expect to see in your life. Like summer passionfruit on the vine. V22.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

Just like FRUIT, the growth is GRADUAL. The changes people will notice as they think about what you USED to be like. This time last MONTH, or last YEAR.

These qualities aren’t about your personality. (Some of us are NATURALLY more joyful than others, or have greater self-control.) This is about GOD’S work in you. FRUIT is SINGULAR. When the Spirit’s growing these qualities, they develop TOGETHER. ALL of them coming from God’s Spirit. When you find that you’re able to be kind, or patient, or gentle when it doesn’t come NATURALLY, then give thanks to GOD. Because it’s the work of his Spirit!

EFFECTIVE growth in character. EFFECTIVE religion. Comes in RESPONSE to God’s grace. AS we WALK IN THE Spirit.

Acts of the sinful nature, or fruit of the Spirit. That’s the battle. That’s the two sides. The battle will continue until the day you die. Don’t think you’ll ever outgrow it, or move beyond it. It doesn’t stop when you finish school. Or serve in a ministry role. Or marry. Or retire. Or when you graduate Bible college.

But don’t be discouraged if you find that you fall back into the sorts of things you used to do. As long as you don’t want to STAY there. If they’re not what you WANT – if they’re not where you want to REMAIN- then, in a way, that’s GOOD NEWS. Because it means the BATTLE CONTINUES. You’re not who you want to be. And God IS at work in you, moulding you into the likeness of Jesus.

And Paul finishes two final motivations. One negative. One positive. To help us in that struggle. First, when you became a Christian, you CRUCIFIED you’re sinful nature, your old character. V24. It’s stuck up on a cross. Dead. Powerless. Out of date. Cursed. So LEAVE it stuck there. The problem is we like to pull it back down every so often. To reminisce. To longingly play with it. To bring back LUST every so often, or JEALOUSY, or AMBITION. Because we think it will SATISFY us. Give us something God WON’T. But it’s DEAD. It’s POWERLESS. So LEAVE it hanging there. Turn your BACK on it. And walk away.

That’s the NEGATIVE advice. Here’s the positive. V25.

25 Since we LIVE by the Spirit, let us KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT.

Since you’ve been MADE ALIVE by God’s Spirit, keep in STEP with him. He BEGAN the journey, trust him to COMPLETE it. Keep in step with him. Like soldiers marching in formation. Keeping in rhythm. Or following a dance partner. Moving across the floor as if you’re ONE. Or one cyclist following along behind another at the same speed, pulled along in her slipstream.

Make God’s priorities YOUR priorities. His ways of thinking, his words, his program. Make them YOURS. KEEP in STEP with the Spirit. So you can express your faith in LOVE.

Luke 1:1-25: How can I be sure?

How can I be SURE? That’s the question being answered today. Specifically, to do with God answering prayer, and keeping his PROMISES. Can I TRUST him? It’s a question we often ask in OTHER areas of life. How can I be sure that website’s GENUINE? Is the weather forecast accurate? Is my doctor’s diagnosis CORRECT? Is my mechanic COMPETENT? Or TRUTHFUL? We want RELIABLE INFORMATION to make decisions. Because there’s often a lot at STAKE.

But far more important than all of these questions is whether GOD’s telling the truth. Can we be sure of what he says, in the Bible, about Jesus, and about death and judgment, and heaven and hell? Because it’s not just our possessions, or our money, or our health that we’re risking. But ETERNITY.

Now, perhaps you’re here today, and you’re not yet a Christian. Perhaps you’re still investigating, or still deciding. We’re glad you’re here! And we hope you’ll KEEP asking those questions. Today’s an ESPECIALLY good day for you to be here. Because it’s such an important question: How can you be sure?

But even if you ARE a Christian. (And that’s MOST of us.) It’s important that we TRUST GOD’S PROMISES. Because, every day, we make decisions based on how reliable we think God is. Costly obedience. Courage to step out in faith. Tough choices to put ONE thing first, rather than SOMETHING ELSE. WILL HE provide a way out of temptation? WILL HE never let me go? WILL he work all things for good? And what we’ll learn from these first verses of Luke is that God is ALWAYS trustworthy. He ALWAYS hears our prayers. He’ll NEVER let you down. And he wants us to KNOW that. So we’ll TRUST him.

How can I be SURE? That’s why Luke wrote his biography of Jesus. He wasn’t the FIRST to record the history. In fact, v1, MANY had already done just that. But, v3, Luke CAREFULLY INVESTIGATES. EVERYTHING. FROM THE BEGINNING. And then he writes AN ORDERLY ACCOUNT. His sources are accurate. His research is thorough. His writing is organised and systematic. And he does it all for Theophilus. Who was probably his PATRON. Who commissioned him to write it. Or at least SUPPORTED HIM FINANCIALLY while he wrote.

And what’s his GOAL? What does he hope Theophilus will GAIN from it? V4

so that you may KNOW THE CERTAINTY of the things you have been taught.

So that he’ll be SURE of what he’s believing in. Which isn’t the way people normally think about religious faith. They think you just have to believe DESPITE the evidence. That you don’t use your BRAIN. Don’t THINK. Just have FAITH.

But Christian faith is based on EVIDENCE. Examining the evidence, using your brain. And then making an informed decision. What’s THE MOST REASONABLE EXPLANATION for the evidence?. Christian faith is more like a judge examining the evidence in a trial, than a child believing in the tooth fairy. Jesus telling doubting Thomas to put his fingers into the holes in Jesus’ hands. Or Jesus healing the crippled man to PROVE he had authority to forgive sons.

God wants us to have a SOLID FOUNDATION for what we believe. Supported faith, not blind faith. Which is reassuring, isn’t it? Because there’ll be plenty of pressure to DOUBT, or GIVE UP, or BELIEVE SOMETHING ELSE.

And so we see from v5 the FRUIT of Luke’s careful research. The date marker is the time of King Herod of Judea. That’s Herod the Great, and he ruled, under Rome’s delegated authority, from 37BC to 4BC.

Herod might have been GREAT, but he very quickly steps out of the story. Half a verse is all the space he’s given. Of much more interest is Jesus. And how he fits into the big story of ISRAEL.

But Luke doesn’t BEGIN with Jesus. Or even John the Baptist. But with John’s FATHER, Zechariah. Second half of v5, Zechariah’s A PRIEST. And he and his wife Elizabeth are both descended from AARON, the original high priest. MOSES’ brother. Straight away, we’re thinking about the long history of God PROVIDING LEADERS TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE.

And Zechariah and Elizabeth weren’t just well-BORN, but they LIVED GOOD LIVES as well. Look at v6.

Both of them were UPRIGHT in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.

Blameless. But. … Here’s the complication. Verse 7.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

No kids. And there are two obstacles. Elizabeth is barren. AND they’re both old. So they’re not hopeful. They gave the baby clothes away YEARS ago. Converted the baby’s room into a guest bedroom. And it would have caused them plenty of heartache–even SHAME. Because, apart from missing out on the joy of kids, most people said being childless meant God was PUNISHING you.

And we’re reminded of OTHER childless couples from Israel’s history. Especially Abraham and Sarai, who were ALSO old. Then their son, Isaac, and his wife Rebekah. Then THEIR son, Jacob, and his wife Rachel. And also Hannah, who was barren, but gave birth to the prophet Samuel. But in EVERY CASE, God stepped in to ACT. He was faithful, and answered their prayers. And they had children.

But that’s all background – setting the scene. Because the action begins in v8. Zechariah’s on duty at the temple. It’s his shift. He’d been picked to burn the incense at the time of prayer. And as the smoke rises to heaven, so do the prayers of the people. He’s alone inside the holy place, and everyone else is outside. V10

“all the assembled worshippers were praying outside.”

Then all of a sudden, v11, he’s NOT alone. An ANGEL’S standing right there ON THE RIGHT SIDE of the altar. (A detail only an eyewitness would know. A detail that shows Luke researched THOROUGHLY. Checked his facts. Perhaps even spoke to Zechariah HIMSELF.) And when Zechariah sees the angel, he’s gripped with fear. (Which is pretty standard any time anyone sees an angel.) But the angel says, v13, Don’t be afraid! And then adds

Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

Now, we didn’t even know he’d BEEN praying. But if it’s the time of prayer, then it’s not surprising. But WHAT was he praying? It COULD have been for a baby. But I actually think from his reaction LATER, down in v18, that he’d STOPPED praying for a child. Perhaps DECADES ago. He’d GIVEN UP. So what was he praying? Perhaps the same thing as the people outside. They could have been praying about all sorts of things. But I think Luke mentions v10 – all the people outside praying – because he wants us thinking about A NATION’S prayers.

Israel was a nation UNDER OPPRESSION. This wasn’t their land. It was Roman. And Herod their King wasn’t even Jewish. A Roman appointment. Who’d come to power through treachery and bloodshed. And even the TEMPLE THEY PRAYED IN was built by Herod. Every time they came to pray they were REMINDED of their oppression. They were in the Promised Land, but it wasn’t theirs. Gentiles RULED them. Gentiles made the DECISIONS. Gentiles were growing rich by the fruit of their soil. And the sweat of their brow. So perhaps the prayers being offered that day were some of these: “When O Lord? When will you act? Where’s your Messiah? Rescue us from evil men!”

For example, over in chapter 2 we meet SIMEON, v25 of chapter 2, who was WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL. And Anna, v38, who meets the baby Jesus, and spoke about him to ALL WHO WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REDEMPTION OF JERUSALEM.

You see, THOSE are the prayers the people are praying. And THOSE are the prayers God’s answering. When the angel announces that JOHN will be born. Because John’s the start of God’s rescue plans. The starting pistol for the race. The support band before the headline act. He’s PREPARING THE WAY FOR JESUS.

The angel continues. V14.

14 He will be a joy and delight to you,

Which you’d expect for an old childless couple who’d give up hope. But not just Zechariah and Elizabeth…

and MANY will rejoice because of his birth,

Why would many rejoice at the birth of a baby? Because John was destined to be more than your average baby. Verse 15.

15 for he will be GREAT in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT EVEN FROM BIRTH.

Just like God’s great heroes of the past. Used by God for his purposes. EQUIPPED by God with his Holy Spirit. Like the judges, and prophets, and priests, and kings. He’ll be FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Perhaps even like SAMSON. Never taking wine. A MIGHTY man to rescue Israel from her enemies.

But it’s not a rescue with swords and spears. It’s REPENTANCE John will be fighting for. Look at verse 16.

Many of the people of Israel will he BRING BACK TO THE LORD THEIR GOD.

He’s getting people ready for the Lord. God is COMING. And John’s job is to make sure people are looking in the right direction when he gets there. Because they’ve had a long history of running the OTHER WAY. AWAY from God. In fact, that’s what WE ALL need to do with God. Turn back to him. Stop running AWAY from him. Ignoring him. And living as if WE were in charge. And let God be God. That’s what God’s calling YOU to do today.

The angel continues.

{17} And he will go on BEFORE the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN AND THE DISOBEDIENT TO THE WISDOM OF THE RIGHTEOUS–TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD.”

Which is quoting Malachi chapter 4. Almost the last verses of the Old Testament. Four hundred years old. A promise that God would send someone LIKE Elijah – another desert-dwelling, courageous, radical, proclaimer of God’s message – to come BEFORE the Lord arrives. And PREPARE people for him. Ready to welcome him.

Four hundred years is a long time to wait. Between God’s PROMISE, and him KEEPING his promise. A long time for Israel to KEEP PRAYING, and KEEP TRUSTING! How long have YOU been praying for your heart’s desire? For a baby, or a partner, or healing, or the salvation of a friend or family member? Ten years? Twenty? How about FOUR HUNDRED? But God ALWAYS keeps his promises. And FINALLY, he’s answered prayer, and Elizabeth will have a son. It’s AMAZING NEWS.

Well, how does Zechariah respond? Poor old Zechariah. It’s probably a bit much to take in. Verse 18.

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be SURE of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

There it is. The question LUKE’S interested in. “How can I be SURE?” It seems TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. The facts just seem to CONTRADICT it. I need some EXTRA EVIDENCE. Do you ever PRAY for something? And then are SURPRISED when God ANSWERS it? I’ve done that. Perhaps doesn’t say much for how much FAITH I had. But it DOES show that God isn’t STOPPED by our lack of faith.

So how does the angel answer Zechariah’s question? (His request for more evidence?) V19.

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel (which means MIGHTY MAN of God). I STAND IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, AND I HAVE BEEN SENT TO SPEAK TO YOU AND TO TELL YOU THIS GOOD NEWS.

In other words, “What do you MEAN, ‘How can I be sure??!!’ LOOK at me! I’m delivering it straight from God himself. Isn’t that EVIDENCE ENOUGH!” And then there are CONSEQUENCES for his lack of faith. V20

{20} And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Even though he’d kept all the commandments blamelessly. He didn’t TRUST God’s promise. And sure enough, when he comes out to greet the people, he can’t speak a word. V22. And we’ll see next week, by comparison, how MARY reacts when SHE receives similar news. She asks, v34, “How will this be?” (A similar question). But there’s still FAITH behind it. Because once it’s explained to her, she says (V38), “May it be to me as you have said.” In other words, That’s good enough for me. Bring it on! One NEGATIVE example about being sure, and one POSITIVE example.

And so Zechariah goes home. And sure enough, soon after, Elizabeth falls pregnant. SHE’S in no doubt about who gets the credit. Verse 25.

“THE LORD has done this for me,” she said. “In these days HE HAS SHOWN HIS FAVOUR and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

He’s been considerate by TAKING AWAY HER DISGRACE. Childlessness was shameful. And now, finally, God’s removed Elizabeth’s shame. And replaced it with A PREGNANCY. You’ll have to wait ‘til next week to find out how Elizabeth’s story finishes. But (spoiler alert) there’s not a lot of suspense. Because God ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES.

And God taking away her disgrace reminds us of ANOTHER promise God made. Not for a disgraced wife, but a disgraced NATION. Elizabeth is A MODEL IN MINIATURE for what God is doing FOR ISRAEL. In Isaiah 54 God is comforting Israel in exile. He’ll restore her, like a barren woman who gives birth. And her land will be filled with people again.

1 “Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy… 3 For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. 4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. 5 For your Maker is your husband–     the Lord Almighty is his name–the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer… 8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.

God did this for Elizabeth. And he did it for Israel. And it’s all THROUGH JESUS.

And he’s doing it FOR HIS CHURCH. He’s faithful in saving his people, taking away their disgrace. and building his kingdom. He’s faithful in keeping his promises and answering our prayers. Even if, sometimes, we don’t really BELIEVE it.

Almost two years ago we started a consultation process with Reach Australia. They suggested that we set a target for how many people we wanted God to convert each year. And then, to put plans in place to help that happen. And so, we started to PRAY. But to be honest, I’m not sure I really BELIEVED that God would DO it.

But God is DOING it. New people are visiting church every week. And being intentionally welcomed and connected. And we’re running Christianity Explored courses. And people are making commitments, and becoming Christians. And joining the church.

And we SHOULDN’T be surprised, should we? Because God’s ALWAYS kept his promises, and answered the prayers of his people.

Be SURE of it!