"Life in the Spirit" part 2 (Romans 8:26-39)

1.       Prayer & Provision (v.26-30)

Last week we talked about the freedom God had offered us through the sacrificial death of Jesus. As we identify with Jesus in his death and resurrection, and as we walk in the Holy Spirit, we are drawn into the family of God, where we are described as co-heirs with Jesus. All good news, very good news; but then comes the obligations. This all means that we are participating in God’s mission in the world, to work towards the redemption of all humanity and all of creation.

And this will involve suffering, for two reasons. Firstly, we are likely to experience opposition to our faith. Those around us are likely to be uneasy and disturbed by the fact that we can so confidently put our trust in Jesus. In many cases they will not have the background information necessary to understand our faith, and so they may remain at “arms length” from us. Does this mean that we hide or underplay our commitment to Jesus? I hope not! Some will be threatened by our ethical and moral positions that mean that we don’t just go along with the crowd or the cultural norms. We might be talked about behind our back; but that’s alright – as long as our light is shining!!

Then we also suffer because of the darkness that exists in this fallen world, involving behaviour that hurts and distresses even the innocent. And then we suffer too in solidarity with all the suffering encountered by others (in this disrupted and unjust world), like those in Norway and Somalia – we feel grief and discontentment (for the situation they are in).

So no wonder we are drawn into prayer. And no wonder at times we just can’t put into words what we are feeling and thinking. The pain is too great and the problem seems so large. There are longings and aspirations too deep for words (F F Bruce). We don’t know what to ask for, and we don’t know what might be the will of God for resolving our situation (P T O’Brien, G R Osborne).

Yet the desire to pray is already a prayer. For the desire to pray is an invitation for God to commune with us in our feeling and in our thinking. God’s Spirit draws deep and speaks within us ... in encouraging and uplifting ways. God’s mind mingles with our mind. God also agonises with us over the matters that worry us. We can then realise that no matter how troubled we are, our faith in God can see us through, for God is surely with us.

Abraham Lincoln wrote: “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day.”

Through the presence of God’s Spirit within us, God knows exactly what we feel and think; those wordless sighs are well interpreted. The Divine Spirit within us appeals to the Divine God above us (A M Hunter, C H Dodd). So in the presence of suffering, both ours and others, God hears and understands all our thoughts and concerns, as well as the needs that lie behind the tears and our cries for help. With this reassurance, words often do come eventually, and such words, being inspired by God’s Spirit, can also become a great encouragement to others.

This all reminds us to be open to how God will answer our prayers, and that God’s response may be very different to what we first imagined (of course, not only different, but better). And when we hear a “no”, this should be seen as God’s big “yes” ... in terms of our real need and the big picture of our lives. That God would say “no” proves his faithfulness to our best interests.

In this very dynamic of faith-filled communication (called prayer), we experience things turning toward the “good”. This may mean at certain times that circumstances change for the better; and we would naturally be happy and thankful for that. Yet we have to be careful not to take this often quoted verse (Romans 8:28) out of context. In context, what verse 28 really means, is that God has been allowed, at our invitation, to work within all the complexity of what is going on for us, and bring about “good”. It’s not that everything that will happen now is “good” in itself, far from it, rather, it’s that God can turn things toward the “good”.

In the context of this faith-filled prayer relationship, no matter what circumstances exist, we will become better people, that “good” will be done in us! This means that we will become more like God would have us be, we will become more like we were created to be – we will become “conformed to the image of [God’s] Son! God will actively work with what is happening in and around us for the “good” development of our character and future ministry.

The NRSV translates verse 28 as: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God...”, which is a fair translation of the Greek text, except that it has led to ideas of simple fate or karma, where people think things will just turn out the way they are meant to in the end no matter what. Yet the context of prayer here demands that we see God as the one who is bringing things together, not fate. God is the active force involved! Yet, I have to quickly add that, we are not just passive recipients here, but rather heavily involved seekers of God’s intervention – where we actively desire this “good” being brought out through our prayers.

So we often read the better translation: “We know that God works together all things for good for those who love God...”, or, “We know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God...”, or, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love God...”. The main point here is that it is God who is taking the action, and it is us who are seeking it!! This is co-operative and effective prayer. And when all this occurs we will likely begin to recognise the value to us of the experiences we have endured.

And as I said earlier, the chief end of this prayer is, as is stated in verse 29, that we will become “conformed to the image of [Jesus]”. What God is doing in response to our human difficulties and our resultant prayers, is working towards us becoming more like Jesus. This is so that the family of God (in which Jesus is the “firstborn”) becomes, very obviously, a bigger family day by day.

For from day one, the beginning of the creation of humankind in God’s likeness, and from when God deduced the way of salvation (in the face of humanity’s rebellion and lostness), it was always going to be God’s purpose for us, to not just stagger or crawl into the back door of his kingdom, but to embrace the concept of becoming like Jesus, to be fully re-made in God’s image (refer Genesis 1:26a). This was God’s grand vision for his people. And, challengingly, this is also an unconditional requirement for the true Christian!!

I know that I look a lot like my eldest brother, and not much like my middle brother. This often depends on which parent we physically take after more. I also have some similar behavioural traits to both my brothers. [Although being the youngest, there is one way in which I’m certainly superior to both my brothers ... I barrack for Carlton!] In the family, we are adopted into, the family of God, we have to allow for some re-creation and renovation, so that we can become like our older brother Jesus.

As we sincerely pray, sometimes wordlessly, God will work all things together for “good”. It is most comforting to know that the Originator of the awesome creation we live within, wants to be very personally involved within the details of our lives; there being no situation, however desperate, in which God cannot be found (C H Dodd)!

2.       Victorious Living (v.31-39)

God’s love is invincible and unbreakable! God’s faithfulness to us is complete. The resources we have in God are actually so vast, that any opposition is well and truly outnumbered! “If God is for us, [then] who [or what] is [left] against us”? We have the resources of prayer, and an indwelling Spirit, and a transforming dynamic is happening for us. And we can certainly wholly and completely put our trust in God because ... would the One who did not even hold back his Son from dying for us, ever sell us short!?! We will receive everything we need to become like Jesus and fulfil God’s purpose. God is totally committed to us.

Mud might be thrown, but ultimately, where it matters, it won’t stick! God will come to vindicate members of his family. God is our champion defender, and our older brother Jesus will stand up for us in the schoolyard. When we become isolated in our human weakness, and fingers are pointed at us ... what about him, what about her ... Jesus will say, “that is my brother, that is my sister, they are my kin”! “How can that be?”, some detractors might say. Then Jesus will say, “When I offered them a free gift of grace, these ones humbly accepted”! When we look like a failure, Jesus intercedes and says, “it’s okay ... I know him, or I know her – and I know what they are in the process of becoming”!

There is nothing on earth that can separate us from God’s love (unless we allow it to). There is nothing that life can throw at us that can ever remove us from the arms of Jesus (against our will). Not persecution, not violence, not pain, not any sort of hardship. In fact, it could be that we even experience more of God’s love simply because we sense God’s presence in the midst of our struggle. We would surely learn new values. When I have been down and disconsolate, it is the knowledge of God’s call on my life that has kept my head above water, and a strong sense of God’s love that has catapulted me forward.

The psalmist (from Psalm 44), who Paul quotes in verse 36, felt oppressed from every side, despite being an innocent and faithful worshipper of God. And Paul knew how that psalmist felt, as his own life was under constant threat. Yet Paul had learned that the events of earth could not take God away from him; indeed, they may just bring Paul a closer and more intimate appreciation of God’s glory. We just have to be prepared to stand on these assurances. We just have to persist through times of trouble. We just have to become convinced, like Paul was, that we are secure in Jesus. Can we all look back to a time in our lives when we suddenly discovered how God had worked at something troubling in our lives toward the “good”?

Now I would have to say that sometimes we don’t help ourselves very much. We could say that we leave too much to God, just like the rest of the Carlton players leave too much to Chris Judd to do. Raelene and I watched a film during the week where the mother of the family went on strike at Christmas because yet again everything had been left for her to do. There are things that we should take to heart, just so things might roll along a little smoother. Paul mentions some negative forces that can impact us through verses 38 and 39, and for sure we will make God’s job less complicated, and life easier for those around us, if we fully appreciate some of the threat here.

Certainly implied here are the powers both spiritual and earthly that will tend to take us down. Ultimately these cannot separate us from God’s love, as I’ve already alluded to, but we would be much better off if we dealt proactively with any pressure on us. There are certain attractions in the world (mainly material and sexual), there is the weakness of our own flesh, and there is the scheming opposition of ‘the devil’. At times this trio of realities may seem hugely problematical, but we have another trio on our side – ‘the Trinity’ (David Coffey). There will also be people who set out to control us, to make us a prisoner to their desires, to make themselves our ‘god’, and thus rob us of our freedom in Christ. And we need to say a big “no” to that! The employer who wants to own us, or the family member who wants to manipulate our priorities, have to be resisted.

And we need to also claim the victory over ‘Satan’ that Jesus won for us on the cross, without giving any ground that could be reclaimed. When temptation strikes, call on God’s strength through which you can stand firm. Billy Graham tells of the little girl who says that whenever the devil comes knocking with temptation, she sends Jesus to the door. The book of James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (4:7b), then goes on, “Draw near to God, and [God] will draw near to you” (4:8a). And 1 John says, “for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (4:4b). Jesus himself, when tempted a third time by ‘Satan’ in the wilderness, this time with ‘Satan’ wanting Jesus to worship him, replies, “Away with you, Satan; for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’.” That was enough of a statement to get rid of ‘Satan’ (Matthew 4:10-11).

There are certain places we don’t go, and certain things we just don’t get involved in. Want some examples: séances, tarot cards, so-called “mediums” and the like. I think we best avoid Halloween altogether. We certainly don’t get involved with anything that is spiritually dark. We don’t want to open up vulnerabilities to attack. Let God guide your pathways. Live in the light. Our life is lived with the Holy Spirit and no other spirit. Just as Jesus said, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”. As we take this journey, we might come to recognise some of the ‘close shaves’ we had or the disasters we narrowly avoided.

And so we can be “more than conquerors” (v.37), which could be translated “super-conquerors”. This is because, in God’s love, and in God’s provision, we have been able to subdue the negative, defeat various attacks, and gain a masters degree in discipline. This is overcoming and “conquering”, but why “more than conquerors”, why “super-conquerors”? This is because we have been able, not only to survive, but to learn and grow and thrive and reach our potential ... and become more like Jesus! The siren goes ... the scoreboard says that we are at least one point in front ... we are declared victors (hopefully we are more like 100 points in front)!

God has already invested so much in us, he is not going to easily let us slip from his grasp. Ultimately it will never be our resources that will be sufficient to survive the journey, for we will surely need God’s resources through which to endure and become “conformed to the image of God’s Son”. Yet we can (I’m sure) co-operate with God towards the “good”. So let us be prayerful and invite God to work all things together for “good” in our lives. Amen!

"Life in the Spirit" part 1 (Romans 8:1-25)

1.       Freedom (v.1-4)

God created the world to share his grace. This wonderful offering of God’s grace would necessarily bring obligations for human beings to live their lives in a Godly way. Yet, basically from day one, human beings have sought to do things their own way; and in so doing have brought great distress upon themselves, others, and the whole of the world environment. We look outside our door and we see all sorts of violence, pain and disorder. We look inside our own hearts, and we see things that are too dark to easily to admit to.

God tried many times to set his people back on the right path and re-establish close ties with them. There were laws given to assist in the promotion of authentic life, but these could not adequately deal with the accumulating misuse of human freewill. Ultimately, what we really needed was a Saviour. So God sent his Son Jesus, an eternal member of the Holy Trinity, to earth, in human form, to live a human life, yet a Spirit-inspired perfect life, to give us a vision of what living according to God’s ways looked like.

But still, how would we ever (as broken humanity) be able to address this (holy) vision. What we needed was the weight of guilt and sin to be lifted off us, so that we could start afresh. Sin could never be trivialised or just simply forgotten, for it has too many dark and evil outcomes connected to it. So Jesus took all of that sin and guilt and shame upon his shoulders, bore the weight of it all, and took it to his grave. Then, in the power of God, he rose in victory, calling all those who wanted forgiveness into a new experience of life.

As we admit our misdeeds, and identify with Jesus’ act of sacrifice on our behalf on the cross, and sincerely commit ourselves to a process of change, then we are set free! “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” “No condemnation” ... what does this mean?? If a person is found guilty of a crime, they are “condemned” to suffer a penalty determined by the lawful authorities. Therefore “no condemnation” would indicate escaping or being absolved from that penalty.

For those considered “in Christ Jesus”, this means that we no longer live under the judgement of sin; but rather live in the realm of ongoing forgiveness. We have received complete forgiveness for the past, and have daily access to further forgiveness as necessary. Ultimate death has been replaced by eternal life. God sees what we are becoming, and this is such a positive thing, that he quickly forgives and forgets our daily transgressions as we confess them.

Of course, this does not mean that we abuse such generosity (by acting however we like according to the ‘old nature’), for if we did, that would certainly bring great doubt upon our sincerity. But it does mean that we can live with a certain freedom and joyousness, knowing that Jesus walks beside us, not as our judge, but as our friend. So the biggest thrill we can get out of their being “no condemnation” for us, is the removal of any fear that is attached to the outcome of our lives.

We are God’s people, for God has declared it so! We no longer are measured according to any impersonal code, but rather have the very Spirit of God as our travelling companion. We are freed from the horrible negativity that often surrounds us; we don’t need to feel a failure or defeated because Jesus has given us victory. What a completely different dynamic that is! Unfortunately though, many people who want to be Christians just don’t grab a hold of this freedom tightly enough, and look like they still live under “condemnation”.

Yet for those of us who do grab this salvation with both hands, whenever we fall short, as we often do, we can be immediately put back on track, having learned a great lesson in the process. Whenever life gets really hard, we can know that (our loving Creator) God is present in our pain, confusion and hardship, and will stay there for as long as it takes.

In a former life we have been ‘slaves’ to sin, just like the ancient people of Israel were slaves in Egypt. There was no way out (or so it was thought), and that was all we knew. But now God has liberated us into a new form of being, where we are completely aligned with God’s mission of grace in the world. I started by saying that God created us in the first place to share his grace with us; now that we have experienced that grace for ourselves, we are God’s grace-bearers to the rest of the world.

2.       Focus (v.5-13)

This passage in Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 8, does suggest that our new found ‘freedom’ needs to find some focus. We need to find out what are the “things of the Spirit” that we need to set our minds on (as opposed to the “things of the flesh” that we leave behind). That’s essentially what I talked about last week from Colossians 3.

The “things of the flesh” are those things that are based on our own ego and self-interest (and in some cases, greed), and neglect the needs of others and the priorities of God. We need to resist the ‘natural impulses’ in favour of more wholesome attributes, through the power of God’s spirit within us.

We can see from Romans 8 verse 5 ... that where our thoughts are, and where our minds are at – that is where our life will head. So we have to have our minds “set” on the important spiritual dynamics of life (and the ways of God) if our life, in all its component parts, is going to go in the right direction.

So no matter if we’re talking about what career to pursue, or what relationships to nurture, or what house to buy, or how we spend our social time, or what book to read, or even what to eat, we need first to have our mind set on God’s Spiritual leadership if any of these things are going to work out properly.

It is the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, that sweeps into our life when we accept Jesus as ‘Saviour’, being available as our new reference point in life. The Holy Spirit is not an occasional visitor but a settled permanent presence (David Coffey). This is the same Holy Spirit which ‘descended’ upon Jesus at his baptism empowering his great ministry, and dramatically turned up on the Day of Pentecost revolutionising the life of the first disciples.

The Holy Spirit will aid our understanding of God’s Word (the Bible), so we can adequately apply it to all the dimensions of our life. More and more our instincts turn to where the Spirit of God is leading us. And when feeling challenged about necessary change or a new area of service, through the presence of God’s Spirit, we can say affirmatively – “yes ... I can do that”!

It will actually be our right living (“righteousness” – v.10) that will prove that the Spirit of God is residing in us. We will be known for who we follow through the evidence of the ‘fruit’ of our lives. This is despite continuing to make mistakes, because of the way that we actually deal with such setbacks: i.e. we don’t deny or lie about our faults, we don’t try to shift the blame or deny responsibility, we don’t seek to avoid necessary legal consequences; and in all cases we ‘own up’ and apologise to all offended parties.

And we more frequently experience inner peace, because the decisions that need to be made become so much clearer and less complex, as competing elements are brought under a basic singular focus = what does God want me to do!

3.       Family of God (v.14-17)

The closeness that God seeks in his relationship with us is seen in verses 14 to 17. The forgiveness and freedom we have, combined with the necessary focus on the leading of God’s Spirit, means that we can be termed God’s children.

In one sense all people are God’s people, because they exist through God’s original initiation of life. And God continues to love all people, despite the fact that they are often ungrateful and unresponsive. But in a very important contrary sense, we can only really be God’s children through a personal decision to identify with God and accept what Jesus has done for us.

In so doing, we are “adopted” into God’s family ... we become sons and daughters of God. Under Roman law, when an adoption took place, all the adopted child’s previous obligations were completely broken off, and that child became fully responsible to his new parents (L Richards). So again, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”; “Blessed are the merciful” etc (Matthew 5:9,7). It will be acting like children of God that will prove that we are indeed children of God.

Children of God will become more and more like Jesus, and at the same time, become more and more like each of us was designed to be. Thus we are more alive than ever before. It’s a great and wonderful thing to be chosen to join a family. As we have already said, God initiates the invitation through Jesus, and we get to accept the offer. Then we learn to appreciate the depth of God’s love for us, and respond with adoration and thankfulness.

“Abba Father” or “Daddy” is the most intimate way of responding to God. We can embrace this level of trust and intimacy with God; at the same time understanding that we are communing with the ‘Creator’ and ‘Sustainer’ of the universe. This is not a fearful relationship, like in the case of a slave and their owner. And this is not a distant hands-off relationship, like it is with an absent human father. Rather, this is a mutually loving, close-by, hands-on relationship.

We “adopted” children are deemed just as welcome and just as rightfully present as Jesus himself is in God’s home. Through this, we are recipients of all the resources we could possibly need to live life to the fullest, and then subsequently gain entry into God’s eternal home.   

4.       Future Glory (v.17-25)

Well that sounded really good, being a co-heir with Jesus of all God’s blessings; but being that joined or familiar with Jesus may also have other implications. Quickly Paul moves in verse 17 from his joyful statement of family connectivity with God to a condition statement beginning with “if”. This doesn’t sound so good ... “if, in fact, we suffer with [Christ] so that we may also be glorified with him”.

In other words ... as Jesus’ own path to glory was through suffering, so must ours (if we are to be co-heirs). To fully identify with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and thereby receive our forgiveness, may mean copping some suffering of our own through the process of following Jesus on earth. This is certainly what happened with the early disciples. This is certainly what happened for Paul. This is certainly what is happening around the world today in various countries where Jesus followers are being persecuted because of their faith.

Apart from this, life itself, as it is lived in a fallen world, where there is much strife and feelings of hopelessness, can bring much suffering. The death of an innocent child through a drunk or speeding driver. The struggle of a beloved relative with cancer. The loss of a job. Indeed, the whole of creation is suffering because humanity has neglected its (God-given) responsibility (Genesis 1:28) to care for it; and the accumulation of humanity’s greed has done great damage to the earth. The destruction of forests. Animal cruelty. Pollution.

Yet all this suffering will not last. We just have to endure; not denying God, but continuing to point to the hope that is found in God. God loves us and is available to us and will hold us in his arms. This is the hope that is so evident to us, but not generally seen by others. It will be our endurance and patience through hard times that will help to prepare for the revealing of God’s glory. And such suffering will provide the context through which God’s Spirit will reform us into the image of Jesus.

In time, according to Paul, God, in his own wise way, will bring all of his re-creative love to bear on his earth, and liberate it from all the evil that has been imposed on it; and then we will rejoice with all our hearts. In the meantime, we will rightly remain dissatisfied and incomplete (C H Dodd), and thus work and pray for better outcomes. Richard B Hays suggests that God’s children will stand in solidarity with the pain of an unredeemed creation.

So, we have to take every opportunity to put right some of the wrongs and injustices we meet – things that have oppressed people and destroyed living environments. It is patiently and creatively living through hard times, together with taking action against unjust practices, that will share God’s glory in a suffering world. The transformation of people into true children of God through God’s Spirit will no doubt have a positive effect on the total human environment.

"Heaven's life on earth" (Colossians 3:1-17)

I know that it is sometimes inconvenient and annoying to hear this, but becoming a Christian (i.e. becoming a Jesus follower) requires us to allow for changes in our lives. Now notice I said “allow” for changes. I could have said ‘make’ changes, but this unbalances the dynamic for change too far our way, as if we were the only one involved. Our living God actually facilitates the necessary change as part of our ongoing relationship.

We know, and God knows, how hard it is to change; and the further we are along the journey of life, the harder any substantial change becomes. So, it is actually God who makes such change possible – our role is to “allow” for that change to happen i.e. not block it, or resist it, or oppose it. Maintaining and developing the health of our relationship with God is the path to becoming the person we were created to become.

Now we are not talking about change for change sake, or superficial meaningless change; and we’re certainly not talking about appearance management. Rather the Bible talks about significant deep-reaching change, that potentially makes a tremendous difference in our own living patterns, and, as a by-product, the living conditions of others.

Whereas our close connection to God has been broken through sin, God will be at work restoring our lost image (A G Patzia). The Jesus follower has begun a process by accepting the forgiveness offered by Jesus on the cross and being raised into new life in Jesus. The process, like symbolised in baptism, is a dying to self-interest, and a rising to a God-centred future. This involves leaving behind the things that work against God’s purposes (sometimes referred to as the things of the world), and replacing them with characteristics that are of more “heavenly” origin. It will God’s own attributes that God will implant in us.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that we ever become distant from real everyday life on earth – it simply means we are no longer owned or controlled by the “world”. And, it is through a thorough understanding and application of the things that are “above”, that we gain a more Godly perspective and clearer discernment concerning the value of those things we encounter on earth.

I love that phrase in verse 3, “your life is hidden with Christ in God”. We still look human, we still have flesh and blood, skin and bones; and without a close inspection we may not appear any different; yet we truly belong to Jesus and have the Spirit of God residing within us. And when the light of Jesus is seen in us, shining through us, then we can be seen to be more than just skin and bone – we are indeed a child of God. Our ambitions and whole outlook are focussed on Jesus. And so we live now as we expect to live in heaven, because we already live in Christ whose home is heaven. As we have Jesus in the most central part of our lives, we are fully at home in God. And so this text is almost saying to us, ‘become who you are’!!

I don’t know what you were thinking as Colossians chapter 3 was read ... sometimes when we’ve heard all this before, such scriptures can lose some of their power and influence. But this passage highlights that, as part of our experience of being raised to new life in Christ, there are some behaviour patterns to be dropped off, and other attributes to be adopted in their place. Having received salvation, our standard on earth is actually the standard of heaven!

Accepting Jesus to avoid the penalty attached to sin is just a small part of the Christian gospel. Taking up the cause of living out the life of heaven here on earth is the largest and longest part, and also tests the sincerity of any (one-off) commitment or decision we make.

Now the things we have to deal with may not be the same as the ones listed for the Colossian church to deal with, but the principle of taking off soiled clothes and replacing them with clean ones remains. Some of us might think that we will need less new clothes than others, but in reality, when God replaces self at the centre of our life, then it might be surprising to see what all of what needs to be sent off to the op shop and replaced.

We are told in verse 5 to “put to death” whatever is in us that is “earthly”. To “put to death” is to utterly eradicate, to wipe them out never to be seen again! N T Wright says that we must “cut of [the] lines of supply” when faced with serious temptation. In verse 8 the words used are “get rid of”. So this is not like trying to just paint over the rust on your car, and expecting that to work; rather it is stripping the duco right back, getting rid of all the rust particles, and working up from there.

This “putting to death” and “getting rid of” need to be decisive, with the mindset of not going back; and there is a tenseness toward urgency in this text. Also, this is not merely a promise (or type of new year’s resolution) to behave differently, but real determined action toward change now. For what is “earthly” are the things that doom a person and a society, but from which we can be set free.

Things that are termed “earthly” are those things that are opposed to God’s ways and undermine healthy life. The world’s ways of thinking and doing things can be very magnetic, and of course sometimes we are very subtly drawn in. But when such soiled clothes are thrown on the floor or, as I have learned to do from when I got married, put in the washing basket, why would you pick these dirty clothes back up and put them on, when there are clean ones available in the wardrobe.

Colossians 3 goes on to list various possibilities, that are obviously not out of the question, because they had to be mentioned to the Colossian church. There are firstly the four-fold sexual sins, which deal with not only the actual behaviour, but also the deep-seated motivations that lie behind such behaviour. Here there is unrestrained self-centredness, immorality, infidelity, disloyalty, unfaithfulness to vows that have been made, and the depreciation of the value of others – both in thought and in deed; together with the resultant contamination of character. Inclinations in this area need to be immediately “put to death”.

Then there is “greed”, which means “to crave more” or “desire what you don’t have”, which therefore could easily be associated with the sexual sins, but also seen in more broad terms. “Greed” is singled out and highlighted as idolatry because it means that certain personal desires are central in a person’s life, displacing God from that position which only God should have. “Greed” also accepts that others deserve less, that other people are only there to be used, that everything exists for personal exploitation; “greed” in fact entirely disregards the rights of others (C Vaughan). These are serious matters, for they bring the threat of self-destruction, or as G Campbell Morgan puts it, “these ... activities always react upon the soul to its own undoing”.

Then follows a list of other anti-social sins, behaviour that destroys relationships: persistent unrestrained anger that is allowed to act out in destructive ways and desire harm to come to certain people; using language that abuses others, puts others down, or spreads untruths about them, thus bringing great hurt. Our own insecurities are let loose to oppress and dominate others (turning us into bullies).

And as verse 11 seems to be pointing out, difference is never an excuse for anti-social behaviour! Obviously the Colossian church needed to be reminded that all people in God’s eyes were equal, all created in God’s image, and all people were equally being invited into God’s family. So no matter what national or cultural background, no matter how bad a person has been in the past, no matter what end of the economic scale they come from, Jesus seeks to unify them together in the new life of faith. This will likely be the diverse and complimentary community that best forms the context for living out the new life in Christ and all its positive qualities.

What is it I need to “put to death”, to be “rid of”? Will I determine to do that now, knowing that I already have God’s help in being successful? And what other help am I going to seek?

Now there is some room for some new attributes! And they are so radically different from the ones dispensed with ... they are worlds apart (N T Wright)! The former way fragmented human community, the new way enhances and integrates human community. The former way showed a preoccupation with self, the new way has the well-being of others as its prime goal (A G Patzia).

The fact that God has loved us and accepted us, makes it so natural that we would respond by being open to new levels of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience toward others. This involves a deep sensitivity to the needs and sorrows of those around us. If we refuse to be “rid of” those “earthly” behaviours, then we just lack the capacity to embrace these more “heavenly” qualities; yet in this world there is so much need for the new nature to shine through.

This list of new qualities are very relational and social – replacing the anti-social vices referred to earlier. Our relationship to God as a “chosen one”, holy and beloved, needs to be seen and expressed in the public sphere, through practical responses to those who are last, least, lame and lost (R W Wall). Wherever one looks, one sees Jesus ... in the ignored elderly person, in the wayward teenager, in the lost child, in the struggling neighbour! To be fully human is to find, in the service of God, an integration of thought and action ... of belief and behaviour (N T Wright).

The list goes on: forbearance (which takes us into the area of creatively relating with more difficult people, making some concessions); forgiveness (which takes us into the area of reconciling with people who have offended us); and love (which of course binds all good human community together). And the list also includes thankfulness, which causes us to think about the many blessings we have enjoyed, especially in comparison to so many others; the most important of these being our faith – which we have received through the opportunity of hearing and appreciating the good news of Jesus (that so many others have not yet had the benefit of hearing). We should also express gratitude to all those who help us along.

What will most appropriately replace the anger and frustration that often rages, is the “peace of Christ”. This is both the “peace” that Jesus has within his own being (and that exists within the Trinity), as well as the “peace” that Jesus is able to give us as part of our salvation experience. This “peace” settles us down, both individually and collectively, in an unwavering trust in God, that overrides any negativity that comes to us. This “peace” brings an inner harmony and addresses our daily fears. This “peace” allows for the settling of disagreements and for new forms of unified cooperation.

What new garment do I need to “clothe” myself with? Will I determine to allow God to develop this quality within me now?

Our life, our new life, then ‘breaks out’ in so many exciting ways. Verses 16 and 17 give a vision of the life of heaven being lived out on earth. The “word of Christ” or the ‘good news of Jesus’ or the ‘teachings of Jesus’ are held deep within us, are allowed to impact us often, and are on the tip of our tongue. We are able to easily dialogue with one another about God’s Word, and through this people gain important new insight. We are easily able to respond to what is happening in the world through the lens of God’s Word.

And we naturally lift our voices in heartfelt worship. Our whole life is dedicated to honouring the name of Jesus. To “do everything in the name of Jesus”, is to represent Jesus in all that we do. It also means claiming Jesus’ presence and strength in all that we do. This is a life that points toward a God of incredible grace. The ultimate life is the one through which Jesus is showing himself to the world (L O Richards).

The Colossian church were faced with certain soiled clothes to dispense with and certain styles of new clothes to wear. While certain areas were listed, more could have been said. We might have come up with our own list of old and new. But the end result of this process of ‘killing off’ the old and ‘adopting’ the new leads to the vision of verse 17 – that everything we say and do honours the name of Jesus. Wow! That’s a big ask! And sure, we won’t absolutely achieve this any day soon. But this certainly defines the journey.

Sometimes we too readily make excuses for ourselves, along the lines of our own weak humanity, or the overwhelming influence of the culture we live in; while failing to understand God’s ability to work effectively in our lives. Worse, some people think that they do not need to change anything (when surely if we look at Jesus, we could never really feel content). Sometimes we give up because we think the ‘bar’ (as in the high-jump ‘bar’) has been set way too high for us to ever reach, failing to realise that we are always going to be ‘works in progress’ and only in heaven ‘finished articles’.

On the other hand, sometimes we are trying too hard in our own limited strength to make change, and ignoring God’s availability to enact change in us if we just simply allowed that to happen. If we trust that Jesus is able to save us, then we must be able to trust that God can transform us so that we can live the life of heaven on earth. For Jesus has already won the ultimate battle over evil and invites us to access his victory dance.

This is all part of our lives properly reflecting the One in whom we believe. If our value system accepts that the central ethic in life is to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbour, then it should follow that we embrace whatever change is necessary that works towards that end. In Christ, we not only are forgiven and redeemed by God, but are also transformed into new persons, capable of knowing and doing the will of God (R W Wall). To concentrate ourselves around the character of Jesus, on that unique blend of love and strength (revealed in the gospels), is to begin on earth to reflect the very life of heaven (N T Wright).

"Eternal Life Now!" (John 3:1-21)

1. Darkness and Light

John chapter 3 commences with a religious leader named Nicodemus approaching Jesus with an enquiring mind. Now, the religious leaders were, generally speaking, lining up in opposition to Jesus, for Jesus had already upset the applecart of their privileged and influential position, and shown much greater God-like characteristics than they ever had. Yet, here was one “Pharisee” who had been impressed enough by Jesus to approach him seeking a bit of an explanation.

Now, most interesting is the reference to Nicodemus approaching Jesus “by night”. In John’s Gospel there is a lot of light and darkness imagery – there is the constant theme of Jesus as the light entering into the darkness in the world. For Nicodemus to approach Jesus at night, is to suggest that, despite all his religious background and upright life, Nicodemus is actually in the dark when it comes to spiritual matters. “Night” or ‘darkness’ represent the absence of God, while ‘light’ represents God’s presence.

It is possible for a person to believe in the existence of God, and even in the worthiness of God’s law, but still remain in the dark. Why is this so??
· They lack a personal relationship with their Creator!
· They lack full understanding of who Jesus is!
· They lack the experience of being forgiven and being “born from above” or “born again”!
· They lack a proper understanding of what it means to be a Jesus follower!
· They lack being ‘spiritually switched on’!

Having met Jesus though, if Nicodemus is actually willing, Jesus will take him on a journey out of darkness and into the glorious light.

As we will discuss shortly, living in the light provides evidence (or proof) of one’s sincerity as far as receiving salvation is concerned, and allows one to enjoy the experience of “eternal life” here and now. For as we saw last week (from Revelation 7), the worshipful experience of heaven will be wonderful – yet we should be seeking that level of connection with God here and now on earth ... as a sort of apprenticeship for what will follow. If we are not emotionally and spiritually and cognitively and physically and socially tied into the worship and service of God now, how will we ever be ready later on?!?

The transition to “eternal life” does not happen at death, it happens here. Later, having served our apprenticeship, we receive our papers, and become fully qualified. And as we read in John’s Gospel, gaining entry to “eternal life” happens through being “born from above” or “born again” or “born anew” on earth.

2. What Nicodemus needs

Before we talk about what being “born from above” or “born again” means, let’s go back and consider Nicodemus’ enquiring statement in verse 2, and how this leads to Jesus’ response in verse 3. Nicodemus’ enquiry centred around Jesus being an inspired teacher, prophet and miracle worker sent by God – a bit of an intellectual question concerning events and facts. Jesus could have agreed with this statement because for the most part it was true or at least going in the right direction. But what it lacked was an acknowledgement of how this would affect Nicodemus personally ... that the coming of Jesus actually addressed Nicodemus’ own personal need. So this is precisely where Jesus headed with his response > as a result of Jesus’ coming, Nicodemus would need to put aside his past and be “born again”. Intellectual agreement with a set of propositions wouldn’t do it ... only a personally transforming experience would (do it)!

This did get Nicodemus’ attention, because we read he then tried to understand what this “born from above” thing was about. Jesus answer in a nutshell revealed that those who wanted to receive salvation and participate in the Kingdom of God needed to experience a rebirth, that is, a new start in life, a fresh experience of birth, generated by the Holy Spirit. So as we talked about two weeks ago, following repentance and receiving God’s forgiveness, we become a Jesus follower empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Whereas our first birth came about through physical means, this time we are “born again from above” (God bringing this recreation about). At some stage of life following on after our natural birth into a human identity, we have another experience of birth where God’s Spirit engages with and transforms our human spirit. Everyone needs to come to that place where they lay their lives open to the Spirit of God ... so that the Divine can break into the human.

Nicodemus’ question in verse 4 is quite interesting, because you would have thought that he would already have known that the answer to such a proposition was obvious, that there must be another explanation. It has been suggested that what this question really indicates is that Nicodemus was actually reflecting his doubts that anyone so set in their ways (as perhaps Nicodemus himself was) could ever change as radically as Jesus was indicating – i.e. a totally new life orientation. The impossibility of such change seems to be reflected again by Nicodemus in verse 9: “How can these things be”?

But it is possible, and it has happened ... millions of times! As we know well from John 3:16, this has all occurred out of the love that God has for the whole world (and each one of us). And we know from the surrounding verses that this love of God played out through the sacrificial willingness of Jesus to be “lifted up” onto a cross. And also we know that this all opens up to us the dynamic of “eternal life”.

All what I have said so far today leads to where my interest really lies at the moment. In what ways can we experience “eternal life” now?
· Through worship
· Through participation in Jesus-centred community (where all the gifts of the Spirit are shared in the common good)
· Through mutual encouragement and support
· Through service to God in serving our neighbour
· Through witnessing to our friendship with Jesus (however you want to put that)
· Through alleviating abuse, injustice and poverty
· Through expressing joy, purpose, hope and peace (as we make a difference for others).

Sure various cracks appear (in our lives) from time to time and rough edges do emerge under pressure, yet while we are still open to God-induced change, such cracks can be filled and rough-edges smoothed over. We still have our fickle freewill to deal with, complicated by pressures and temptations, which sometimes sees us going backwards, or at least our progress being thwarted ... and this is what I’ll deal with next week. Suffice to say at the moment, that this fresh birth experience has the potential of overcoming all past experience of failure and defeat and remaking all that has been previously broken.

3. Discipleship and Non-discipleship

Now we know that the world is a troubling place full of darkness which plays out in many negative ways. Yet the spirit in which Jesus came into the world and died for the world was NOT a spirit of condemnation or judgement, but rather a pure offering of love ... “God so loved the world...”. So this is the blueprint for us as well – a positive offering of God’s love to the world around us. It is then a matter of how people respond to this that determines their destiny.

But how can they respond warmly and positively if they are not told and shown in appropriate and credible ways. There is a sad description of the rejection of Jesus contained in verses 19-20; but I wonder whether the scandal here is more about the negligence of the potential bearers of the “light” ... whether they were active enough or credible enough (after all there is nothing deficient about God’s love).

The concept of people being condemned by their own inaction and thereby perishing should really convict us. For people to “perish”, means that they have wasted away their life, become dead spiritually, and then been lost to God eternally! In God’s love, Jesus came and died so that this would not happen!!

I’m currently reading a book by David Platt (an American) entitled “Radical”. In the early part of this book he talks about the ‘cost of non-discipleship’. Now we have heard all about the ‘cost of discipleship’ – that whole take up your cross and follow Jesus thing ... needing to lose our life if we are to find it ... and that’s all true. But for someone like me who understands all that fully, even if I continue to battle to live it out, to read the ‘cost of non-discipleship’ is still very confronting. ‘Discipleship’, simply put, is following Jesus. ‘Non-discipleship’, then, is the failure to follow Jesus when given the opportunity. Any ideas what this author lists as the ‘cost of non-discipleship’??
· That billions of people will die without hearing about Jesus
· That millions of people will live in poverty and under oppression when they should not have needed to.

It is a very interesting assumption for this author to make, that if people were wholly committed to following Jesus, then poverty would be significantly alleviated. But he’s right; for adopting the priorities of Jesus and his Kingdom would naturally lead in this direction.

In reassuring, encouraging and challenging the early church concerning their responsibility to the world, Peter wrote: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). These are concepts Peter has drawn from God’s Old Testament relationship with Israel and reapplied to the church of Jesus who are now God’s representatives on earth.

Our “eternal life” experience, which has already begun, is the most wonderful and purposeful way of life; in fact it is the only way through which God’s original plan for life can be found.