Phews 14: Monday, July 16, 2001.

MEANINGLESS RELIGION:
I preached yesterday (15/7/01) from Ecclesiastes 5:1-7. I had 4 points that I wanted to share with you all.

1) Religion can only be meaningful if it is directed towards the true God. This is implicit in verse 1.

2) Religion that comes to God to give rather than receive is meaningless. This is what is meant by the sacrifice of fools in verse 1. God does not need us, we need God this is foundational to the gospel, and yet so many christians live their lives with a mindset of giving back to God (attempting to repay the debt). We should always come to God seeking to be healed, and strengthened by Him. It is we who are impoverished.

3) Religion that makes false promises is meaningless (the vow of fools). Making promises to God that either we cannot keep, or do not intend to keep trivialises God. It treats Him like a man, and raises our intentions above His.

4) Meaningful religion arises only out of awe for who God is. Proverbs phrases it (multiple times) like this. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom". Only if we perceive God as infinitely greater, more powerful, more significant, more wise, more pure, more righteous... than us can we begin to have a meaningful religion. Everthing else is like chasing after the wind.

Phews 16: Tue, 31 Jul 2001.

WHAT A MESS:
I led church on Sunday night. The sermon was from Ezekiel 33 talking about our responsibility to warn the lost. I closed the service with Philippians 2:14-16a. When I got home, on quite a high after the joy of worship with God's people, I was confronted by this headline in the Sunday paper, '70 girls attacked by rape gangs'. With horror I read about the violent attacks on these young girls. The words of Philippians rang in my head, "...a crooked and depraved generation..."
In an instant I stood face to face with the ugliness of our world. I realised again how much I hate what this place has become, I hate man and his sin. I felt nauseas knowing that the ugliness before me was less about what was outside as about what lay within. I cried for those girls and their families, I cried for those evil boys, and I cried for me. May God come quickly and consume our unrighteousness... come make me anew.

Phews 11: Wed, 30 May 2001.

THE PRIORITY TO REST>

The sabbath is a difficult concept under the new covenant. Clearly Jesus rebuked the legalism of the pharisees regarding the 'holy day', but it cannot be said that He removed the sabbath concept. In fact, He upheld the importance of the sabbath by claiming that it was made for man, and that He as the Son of Man was Lord of the sabbath.
So where does this leave us? I think it leaves us with christians with a priority to uphold the spirit of the sabbath as it is made for our good, as part of our appropriate operating system, so to speak.
So we return to the creation narrative in Genesis, when God rested on the seventh day. Was God tired? It would be hard to sustain such an argument in the light of the power he has just exercised. No, it seems that His 'rest' - when He reflects on the goodness of His action and rejoices in the work of His hands - is in fact the consummation of His act. The seventh day completes the creation narrative, it is not post-narrative. God rejoices and is satisfied. It is somewhat like a siesta after a great meal... it completes that which is good making it very good.
May we make it a priority to seek joy and satisfaction in the work of God in us by resting and reflecting. How you apply that is your responsibility before God, but I would note that one of the historical applications of this is the church service.

Phews 5: Sun, 22 Apr 2001.

SECULARIST CHRISTIANITY:
Tonight, April 18 2001, the Paul Colman Trio performs at Burwood girls highschool. They are an awesome band, and one of the best live performances going around. Interestingly, however, they were advertised with the following line,
"Bring your non-christian friends to the PCT so that they'll be able to see that Christian music is cool, and Christians can have a great time too."
I'd like to point out some basic errors in thought in such an ad. Thoughts which I think are the basis of a philosophical fallacy I call Secularist Christianity.
1) Are we to think that one of the major factors preventing young people from becoming Christians is that the feel that they can't be cool and Christian? If so, I challenge you with the biblical notion of spriritual blindness. Young people fundamentally aren't Christian because they can not see their need for salvation as sinners under the wrath of God. May we thus confront them with the truth of their dire situation.
2) If we simply show them that they can be cool as a Christian, are we not putting Christianity on the same level as any other group of people? Do we not just assure them that they will not be different from everyone else, so not to worry? If so, is that not fundamentally opposed to the bible which calls us to be 'Aliens' in this world?
3) Is it not logical to conclude that by advertising in this way we are showing that as young Christians we are ourselves afraid of being rejected by the world? Is this not, however, what we are told the world will do to followers of Christ?
Many more thoughts could follow, but that will do... Responses?

Phews 3: Wed, 04 Apr 2001.

REAL POWER!
Sometimes I feel a complete inability to reach out to my non-christian friends with the gospel. Often I am just overwhelmed by the knowledge that they have set ideas about the world, a defined lifestyle and established priorities. I wonder whether it is possible that anything could change their hearts. I run out of arguments, they get angry or offended... After one such week, my bible study group highlighted this verse, "...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you
will be my witnesses..." (Acts 1:8). When it comes down to it, I just need to remind myself of who has sent me, and who it is that goes with me. Will not the Almighty achieve his aims?

Phews 10: Fri, 25 May 2001.

DISLOCATED CHRISTIANITY
One word has been on my mind over the last few weeks. That word is integrity. The dictionary definition of integrity consists of three parts:
1. possession of firm principles: the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards.
2. completeness: the state of being complete or undivided.
3. wholeness: the state of being sound or undamaged.

I have tried to spend time examining the integrity of my own faith... Is there a unity between my belief and my life? Is there a unity between my internal life and my external life? Is there a wholeness in the application of my faith to my life? Is there a unity in my view of Jesus as my saviour as well as Jesus the Lord? Am I a man of integrity and am I pursuing integrity in all my words, thoughts and deeds?
In medicine, a disclocation is the the displacement of a body part, especially of a bone, from its usual fitting in a joint. I wonder whether, due to a lack of integrity, I am causing a dislocation in the body of Christ, not only impairing the function of one limb, but the function of the whole...

Phews 12: Fri, 08 Jun 2001.

PASSING AWAY:
A guy from my year at school was killed in a car accident a week ago. I, along with 90 others from the year attended his funeral service on wednesday. It was one of the saddest experiences of my short life. I watched the tears of a family whose hopes and dreams are shattered. I watched the disillusionment in the eyes of my peers. A life tragically ended, and a church full of people left without answers.
I found myself trying to rationalise this situation, to understand what was happening, what had happened. At the same time I was wary of the error of Job's companions, being too quick to express false wisdom. Where are you God?
Later, by grace, I was reminded of Jesus answer to similar questions when quizzed by His peers. He reminded them of their sinfulness and the necessity to repent. For we are sinful people, living in a fallen world and these are signs that it is passing away. Oh, how I am reminded when I think of those tears in the Trinity chapel last wednesday, or when I think of the hundreds of children who will die of starvation by the time my head touches the pillow tonight, or when I think of a nation thrown into turmoil by the malicious killing of its royal family... or when I think of the pain I cause my friends and family, the harshness of my tongue and the evil in my heart. May God have mercy on us all, in Him alone will I hope.

Phews 7: Fri, 04 May 2001.

I was reminded by Scott that I used to publish a newsletter called 'Phews-Phil's news'. I have another mate, shamus, who has collected up a number of the Phews editions. So, indebted to these brothers, I give you some classic Phews.

IDOLATORY>>
I wondered to myself the other day what was it in my life that could potentially become an idol. As I pondered it got me thinking about what people my age pursue, in general, most in life. I think the great idol of our time is Lifestyle. What I mean by that is a combination of money, possessions, satisfaction, food, health, friends etc. I think that people these days don't want to be filthy rich, or have a huge house, or drive a $100,000 car, or have the most friends or... They want some comfortable combination of the lot. Thus some people may live in a shack to satisfy their desired lifestyle, some may forego a car so that they can eat at restaurants every week, or others may forego possessions so that they can afford to travel... I think that this is an insidious idol because we can convince ourselves that we are not being extravagant, or we can focus on things we are giving up to make ourselves feel righteous, while at the same time still pursuing our lifestyle with incredible commitment. Any thoughts?