Office

We’ve been following the Old Testament highlights and today we’ve come to Elijah, the Lionel messi of the prophets.

We looked at Elijah 17 1:24 and Tim asked us to consider the questions, Do you have enough? What have you consumed bought stored or thrown away in the last week?

This story is a see saw between nothing and everything. Elijah is introduced as a Tishbite, not a prophet. He is a servant of God and his character builds through the story. We’ve enjoyed hot weather recently  but we didn’t run out of water, we weren’t in a life and death situation. There are places in the world where this is a daily or annual fear. Are there times of drought in our lives, where we struggle to find what we need to survive?

This story here of Elijah is made up of 3 episodes.

Episode 1 finds Elijah camping by the dry cut off ravine, and being looked after well  by God. How many of his contemporaries would have had bread and meat morning and night delivered by “RavenEats”, problematic unclean birds. When he runs out of water Elijah doesn’t go to the nearby river Jordan which never dries up.

Elijah is obedient and stays by the Stream that Dries Up which lives up to it’s name and does just that.

Sometimes things dry up they go flat. What did Elijah do? He didn’t go back, he moved on to a new place, God taught him something new. Even Elijah, this big spiritual superstar found himself in a dry place.

Fed by unclean ravens and fed well.

Episode 2, despite what God told Elijah the widow doesn’t seem to be aware of the commend of God to feed Elijah. She had absolutely nothing other that the last meal for her and her son that they are going to eat they lie down to die.

Easy for someone else to sayas Elijah does “don’t be afraid”. Elijah isn’t the one running out of food watching their son waste away. What business has the man of God asking her for bread. The language she uses is the language of scarcity. Death is waiting at the door for this family, actively knocking to get in.

Yet Elijah brings good news of Promise, of Abundance.

Jesus does the same feeding the five thousand. This is the Old Testament pre echo . Elijah moves here from being a passive recipient to an active collaborator of God. There are times in our lives when we receive all abundance from God.

But god wants us to be coworkers and collaborators in his work. acting out the words of God, on a Friday at Filling Station or any day of the week.

Episode 3, despite the inexhaustible supplies, the widow’s son dies. Despite the abundance, death visits this scene. The widow blames Elijah, Elijah blames God and then confronts God and asks for the son to be restored. Here Elijah becomes a Man of God for the widow. God listened to Elijah! To listen in Hebrew is usually equivalent to obeying. It’s the opposite way round here. Elijah asked of God.

Joshua chapter 10 was a similar day.

Elijah stands in the gap between those in need and God , God calls us to be people who stand in that gap. Elijah reminds us to move on from meeting our own needs to be those who collaborate and stand beside God to help the wider world.

Elijah steps in in behalf of God and prays and the prayer is answered.

How do we earn the title People of God. We live in material abundance, with more than we need. Will we be the unlikely prophet of God’s Abundance.

When Elijah says “Do not be afraid” he’s not talking to the people of Israel, he’s talking to an outsider, a stranger. Are the ravens the means by which God gets his message here to Elijah.

Will we hide in the  ghetto or will we be the ones to hear and take heart. No need to fear the neighbour, close the border, build the wall. Are you sitting by a dry brook?

Pray, stand in the gap,

Elijah listens to God and acts. Let that be our response as well.

Tim, Amanda and Eleanor provided music . Tim brought us the Word today and even suggested homework of reading the whole of 1 Samuel chapter 17.

Last time we, were looking at Ruth and before that Gideon. Today we are looking at King Saul and the relationship of Samuel and David. Saul was a test of people demanding a king rather than judges. Saul was the obvious choice, and annointed by God. But as Tim eloquently pointed out, Saul was a complete muppet though.

He lost his crown because he wouldn’t follow God;s wishes. Yet despite their conflict it is very clear that Samuel still grieves for his lost friend. Perhaps he feels some responsibility for the mess Saul created. God tells him to get over it and appoint a new king. How far should Christians collaborate with those who do not share their views, when should we confront others?

Samuel had to choose. His choice wasn’t the obvious choice. Tim shared his own family history on this point. Tim’s grandad was only 4’11’ too small for the army yet he ended up with a vital role in keeping the bombers in the air. This was because he was just the right size to fix the inner wings of bombers. A lot of the best footballers are of average height, singers like Susan Boyle teach us not to judge by appearance.

This story shows that we might fail to see potential in others. This is like a traditional joke, three men walked into a camp… the Lord said do not consider the appearance or the height, the intelligence, the attractiveness and wealth, the athlete , the lord rejects and overturns the cultural norms and picks the youngest the weakest. God chooses him over his seven siblings. Bet that made him popular with his brothers . The Lord does not see as mortals see. Isiaih says of him we held him in low esteem.

The story works two ways . Look beyond the obvious, the gifted and apply the David tests.

God chooses the unexpected. The kingdom of God simply needs those people whose heart is turned to God.

David was first introduced to us at the end of the story of Ruth. He had no idea what would happen when he went to check on his brothers on the battlefield.

The job was risky but the reward was great , the eldest couldn’t hide his jealousy. David is not deterred in any way by his brothers reaction.

None wanted to take on Goliath. David counters Goliath’s taunts by telling him he has killed lions to protect his flock.

David was used to insults . David had a simple secret weapon. He believed Goliath was no match for his, David’s god. We often see this an an underdog story. But it’s Goliath who is the underdog. Goliath fails to realise he is up against God,. David finds his confidence in the living God. We probably like this story because we’ve been the underdog, or we face a Goliath challenge. We learn in our ordinary days to face our problems, and it is this protection in our ordinary days that protects us. No giant is too big. Note that, No giant is too big. We are not insignificant and we need to learn confidence in our shepherding in the day to day routine keeping our sheep safe. Tim finished by praying Help us to see people as you see them and when giants come, help us to place our confidence in you, our trust in you and to rely on your protection.

Tim preached on Ephesians 4 1:16. Each part of the Christian body does its work.

Tim wondered if we’d ever thought about what being grown up looks like, taking the bike stabilisers off, or is the when we leave home, or when you start cooking for yourself.

Paul turns this on its head. He states that God is bringing all things together under Christ his son.

Paul asks us to consider the response we are to make to this. He urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we received.

He points out it comes as God’s gift to us. Paul reminds us it is God who has called us, not as a calling to an occupation but to a life that is possible in God’s grace.

Paul is blown away by us becoming part of God’s plan for the world reconciling all things to himself. The grace of God is in line for all his creation.

It is unsurprising to hear that the worthy life also encompasses the unity of the church. That’s gods plan.

Paul calls us to maintain or guard the unity of the spirit. Tim asked are there times we struggle to maintain that unity, not just in the church but with our other denominations and brothers and sisters in Christ. The unity of the church is all to Paul, as he writes to lots of different churches.

Paul talks about one body, one hope, one lord Jesus ,one faith, one baptism.

Tim highlights the danger for us in falling into the trap that we sometimes think our way is the only way.

Paul says no, all of you, despite your differences, all your differences of understanding, you’re all one all part of the one Church. Never been more important than now to believe in the oneness of the body of Christ.

Paul gets all trinitarian here. We are called to nurture and care for it. Guards outside Buckingham palace are focussed on the job they are given. Even if they don’t appear to be paying much attention they are and they move into action at perceived threats. We need to have the same focus. We need to treat each other with love patience, humility, gentleness.

We are always in a rush, but thankfully God isn’t . He wants that unity and for us to bear with each other. After all it is God that has given us the diversity we have. The new testament is full of Paul writing to lots of different types of churches. There is no one type or model of new testament church. We all need to stop seeing diverse churches as a problem and more as God’s gift.

Those who are different they are a gift, they might teach us something.

What can other churches teach us? Tim shared that he loves going to Catholic Churches , the moments of drama and silence. Tim invited us to imagine going to an African church and they’re dancing and make us look miserable, differences are not a problem they help us to speak truth in love.

Be wary though, this verse has been much misused, beware condescension. God’s calling for the unity of the church and all it’s diversity are all affirmed here.

When we experienced division in the church we probably getting what we deserved, we need to learn to value difference. V13 talks about us still growing in maturity. Thankfully we’re not doing this in our own strength . We need to grow more in Christ as we experience things. It’s God’s gift as we grow together. It’s in all that we do and experience as a church.

Tim closed by quoting Martin Luther “This life, therefore, is not godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not now what we shall be, but we are on the way. The process is not yet finished, but it is actively going on. This is not the goal, but it is the right road. At present, everything does not gleam and sparkle, but everything is being cleansed.“

Today’s service was led by the Hyde siblings. We were blessed to have Jonny, Jacob and Eleanor all in one place given all of the calls and commitments on their time. Eleanor brought us one the BMS videos and preached around Galatians 4:19.

Paul talks about labouring for Christ . Eleanor shared that the Action team taught her to be flexible and to labour and persevere for Christ. What surprised her and her friends in the Action teams was the return to  the UK rather than the overseas elements. Travelling around and living with strangers and out of suitcases. She pointed out that in the last year she has now lived in 3 countries. Guinea England and Scotland. She gave as a small example the constant adventure of trying explore new kitchen cupboards in every host home on her travels.

She outlined the 3 constants, their team, their shared mission and God.

Their friend Tom taught them the Better in your courts song that we tried today in church. Jesus is our home is a key message in the song. Paul talks about it being really hard to tell people about Jesus, and his suffering is hard but nothing compares to Jesus .

Eleanor had gained a real insight into how tough and challenging it is for BMS families. She now realised how difficult it is to grow up as missionary kids. The annual pack up and tour around the UK is a real challenge.

One constant is that we go where we are called to go wherever he may send us.

A lot of American charities won’t go to North Korea but BMS have sent even more people to take God’s word there.

Eleanor also shared the BMS video Life’s First Cry showing how workers were helping to meet a fundamentally basic need for babies to born safely.  In Afghan BMS workers have brought hope to fearful women.

We have an amazing privelege to share Jesus with people. We are blessed to have a church full of healthy, lively children who come to our safe place and join in our worship. Any of the Afghan parents, having lost all their children in child birth or infancy,  would rejoice with us in the lives of our own young people.

https://www.bmsworldmission.org/lifesfirstcry/