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ISSUE5.1- SPRING 1998 1 Editorial Contents 1 Editorial 4 In HonouroftheSon Eugene Peterson W hen I heard that Bill methereforesharealittleofwhatIhave 10 Trainthe Child Hybels of Willowcreek learned over the years about barriers AnnieTorrance fame was to be to congregational growth in our conducting two conferences in churches today. 15 OfAssuranceofGrace Edinburghover thewinter 1997/98, I andSalvation Confusion resolved to attend and hearfor myself Jarnes Philip what he had to say. Iwasglad Iwent, We ought to be able to take it as notleast because itgaveme an insight axiomatic for our readers that 20 A Re..examinationofthe into the earnestdesire ofhundreds of expository preaching is absolutely Role ofPrayingSocieties ministers to learn something to their central in building a congregation. in ScottishChurch Life advantage. Toputitanotherway,Iwas Unfortunately, there is much ShirleyA. Fraser astonished at how many ministers confusion in some minds about the attended both ofthe dayconferences, true nature of expository preaching. 24 MedicalAspects to self-evidentlyin the hopesofbeinglet Far too many pulpits continue to be HomosexualOrientation: intosomeofthesecretswhichholdthe characterisedbyexpositionswhichare A ChristianResponse keyto theWillowcreek'miracle', little more than explanations of the Or CalumMacKellar Idon'twantto offeranythinglike a text. Such(usually tedious)displays of critique of Willowcreek in this pulpit exegesis are not real preaching 28 Evangelism in Pastoral editorial,butIwillallowmyselfjusttwo atall. Themessage mustbe appliedto Work comments on what I heard. First, mind, but also to will and emotions. Peter White Hybels is undoubtedly a brilliant Bridgesmustbebuiltbetweenthe'then communicator-an hour and a half and there' ofthetext-whatit meant 32 AnnAlIenmeets seemed like a mere fifteen minutes. and the 'here and now' of late 20th.. Elaine Ouncan Second, what he was communicating centurydaily living-whatit means. It ought to be well known and.accepted isthisrelevant,vitalapplicationwhich 35 BookReviews byeveryministerand congregationin istoo oftenmissing. the land. His two day seminars on However, with that understanding leadership were of the basic stuff of ofexpositorypreaching,we insistthat Christianministry, (Ishould perhaps the centrality of the proclamation of add thatat neither conference did he the Gospel and the whole counsel of make more than passing reference to God cannot and must not be theWillowcreekmodelofchurchlife.) questioned. Imentionthisbecauseitseems clear Modernity to methattheeditorialofajournalon Christian ministry can hardly ignore Theprofoundtragedyofmuchchurch the hunger of so many hundreds to life today is that many congregations learnaboutmodelsofchurchlife. Let havebecome'citiesofrefuge'forthose 2 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCHAND MINISTRY seekingtoescapepost..modernity."Our attitude. It is that God is a God of Third Edition. 1973, and gaveawayall societyis nowcharacterised bya 'pick change. The Hebrew slaves in Egypt the 1927 books.) A neutral change 'n mix' attitude to life. The younger becarne desert nomads in Sinai, who might be to move the congregational generations no longer want to make thenbecame hill farmers in Palestine, notices to the middle of the service firm, faithful commitments to any of whothenbuiltcitiesandlivedinstone instead of having thern at the the traditional institutions-whether houses. They first worshipped in a beginning. trade unions, political parties, rotary moveable 'tent' sanctuary, but it was Generally speaking, dying clubs, church membership or even replaced by Solomon's temple whose congregations refuse to make good marriage. They want 'to feel glory became legendary. Were these changes. They hold on to vain comfortable' (detestable phrase')with not major changes planned and traditionswhichare leadingtheminto whattheychoose to do. inspiredbyGod? anadvancedstage ofdecay. These are Already in its death..throes, The Christian faith is based on a the venerable institutions whose modernirv was characterised by well.. new life, asecond birth, in which the primaryfocus isto maintain things as organised institutions. That is one old passes awayand the new becomes theyare, astheyhavebeen,andasthey reasonwhy the average age ofchurch.. reality. Believers are exhorted evermoreshallbe. 'This isthewaywe goers is so high. Daily life is now constantly to be putting off the old do it here,' is the oft repeated refrain confusing and disturbing for the natureand puttingonthenew asthey at committee meetings. Theybecome are renewed continually in the spirit old curiosity shops, visited either by oftheirminds. Surely,weofallpeople touristsandantiquariansorelsebyno oughtto be able to copewiththenew. oneat all. too many cling to traditions OurGodistheEternalContemporary. But dying congregations can also Yet too many cling to traditions makebad changes in frantic effortsto which have nothing to do which have nothing to do with the findsornesolutionto theirmalaise. A with the essence ofthe essence ofthe Gospel or the church's church in Ottawa tried this, so they life. FarmoreofourChristianitythan must try it too. Someone on holiday Gospel or the church's life werealisebelongstoculturalaccretions in Floridasawanewwayofcelebrating which have little or no warrant in communion,so theymusttry thatout Scripture. It takes a few months in a aswell. A recentbookrecommended totallydifferentculturesuchasthatof experitnentingwith eveningservices elderly-whatistheworldcomingto? India to realise that westernism is by it's worth a try since only a handful so the orderly, familiar churchservice no means synonytnous with attend oureveningservice anyway. with its hymn..prayer sandwich offers Christianity. Tight..ropewalkers comfort and a safe haven from the Thosewhoarethoroughlygrounded threateningwavesandsurgingcurrents in the pureWord ofGod ought to be Most pastors know the problem of oftheseas ofpost-modernity. able to make the distinction between trying to maintain abroad consensus At a recent elders' training changes thatare bad, changes thatare inthecongregation. Therefugeesfrom conference, the attitude of many of good and changes that are neutral. A post..modernitystillhave realspiritual those nurtured under modernity was moment'sreflectionwillsoonproduce needsand do need asenseofsecurity. forcefully expressed by one man who examples ofall three. A bad change, On the other hand, parents with rose tosayhis piece: 'Inourchurchwe forexample,wouldbetointroduceinto growingfamiliesareeagerfor'body..life' have thefinestoftraditionswhichit is publicworshiparegularreadingfrom in the church that will relate the ourdutyto defendatallcosts.' Hewas a contemporary philosopher. (I know Christian faith to daily living in the telling his fellow..elders that his achurchwherethatwasdonel) Agood world of today's teenagers. Keeping congregation was his 'city of refuge' change might be to move from the one's balance in such a situation from the uncertainties of a changing 1899 Church Hymnary to the 1927 demands wisdom, discernment and world. Revised Church Hymnaryl (I know a gracious leadership. congregation which in 1974 did just It is not easy to show the Changeanddecay that when the local crematorium traditionalistsin ourranksthatcertain Ihave ahuge problemwiththatman's invested in the new Church Hyrnnary progressive changes are completely in ISSUE5.1- SPRING 1998 3 harmony with the Bible's teaching. also suspect that he would wantsome 'family matters' as they occur. The Neitherisiteasyto teachyoungpeople pretty sweeping changes in the marriage of a member, a golden that sorne things going on in a institutionalmodelasit presentsitself wedding, thedeathofalovedone,the neighbouring congregation are in toomanyofourcongregations. Our gift ofa child-these and otherevents unhelpfulandtobeavoidedatallcosts. latechairrnan.WilliamStill,sawclearly can be incorporated into the service Parents cansometimes lose asense of three decades ago that a sense of along with many other informal proportion in their desire to see 'belonging'wasvital toacongregation's touches which create that sense of changesthatmightpossiblykeep their well..being. Thus he stripped out the 'togetherness' so vital for any 'family'. children interested! We have to keep pewsin thechurchbuilding,replacing Ministersandpastorsmustconsciously in perspective the Gospel truth that them with chairs, to enable his work at moulding the fellowship into there is much in our Christian faith memberstorelatetoeachotheronthe aclose..knitfamilywheremutualloving which cuts straight through our horizontal level as well as relating to care is always evident. 'Others will modern culture and that those who God in theverticalin worship. know you are my disciples when you would follow Christ must learn loveone another.' Courageousdiscernment obedience to himand be prepared for A final word. While one is bound painfulsacrifice. DonaldCarsonhas declaredthatpost.. to marve] at the heroism of the modernityisthegreatestrevolutionin musicianswhocontinuedtoplayasthe A senseofbelonging the western world since the Are there changes which post.. enlightenment. We cannot hide our modernity has brought and to which heads in the sand. Without Christian leaders should rightly be compromising one iota ofthe Bible's d~ngcongregadonshold responding? Onevery obviouschange message, leaders in the church must on to vain traditions which is the new emphasis on 'where I have the courage and discernment to belong'. A few decades ago, people declarethewholecounselofGod in a are leading them into an choseachurchonlyforwhatittaught. cultural context where the fading advanced stageofdecay No longer isthatso. The typicalpost.. vestiges of modernirv will neither modern person wants also to belong. obscure the grace ofGod nor distract Theinstitutionalmodel-withitswell.. from the glory ofChrist. organised, traditional service where If that means gutting Victorian people sit in neat, inflexible rows as churchhalls, laying carpets, providing Titanic sank in those icy waters, I they attend a tightly controlled order seating in armchairs, providing myselfwouldprefertobe amongthose of proceedings dominated by one somethingto eatand usingaguitarto manning the lifeboats and helping to person-can fail completely to bring lead the worship instead of a pipe transferasmanyaspossibletoanother thatall importantsense ofbelonging. organ-so be it. If the Word is being shipthatwasnotsinking. Thechurch Far more attractive to the 'post.. faithfully taught and if lives are being againstwhichthegates ofhellwill not modern' is the house..church model, transformed, surelyourLord isseeing prevail doesn't necessarily have a where those who gather sit in an the travail of his soul and being denominational tag fixed to it; nor a informal circle, share a meal together satisfied. 19th..century culture; nor need it be and quickly bond into a close family Those who have the responsibility singing 18th..century hymns. Rather group where every member has an toleadtheworshipofGod'speoplecan will it be marked byholinessofliving, accepted place. do agreatdealto encourageandfoster faithfulbiblicalteachingandapassion Which of the two models answers the sense that those gathered are a for God which expresses itself in most nearly to the impression of the family, Onedoesnotneedto descend sharingChrist'sloveinawaythatdraws early church given in the Acts and into the banality of joke..cracking or others to him. Epistles? I suspect that Paulwith his sillyoff...the...cuff remarkswhichdetract background of the synagogue as well from the solemnity and reverence of Endnote as his missionary church planting of DivineService. Rathertheleadermust For an explanation of Postmodcrnitv see Dominic Smart's two articles in the· new fellowships which n~et in homes Qe acutely conscious that this is a RuthcrionlJournalofChurch & Ministry, would be able to relate to both. ButI 'family gathering', and treat seriously Vols4.1and4.2, Spring& Winter 1997. 4 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOF CHURCHAND MINISTRY ono o on The second in a series ofthree articles on the Trinity Eugene Peterson w.: Christianscome to...dayissuesthatfaceusasindividuals, all its parts and relationships. And a togetherforworship,they congregations and denominations most useful and practical work it has meet in honour of the from the timewegetoutofbed in the been. At a most practical level it FatherandtheSonandtheHolySpirit, morninguntilwefallasleep at night. prevents us from getting involved in they meet in honour of the Holy And here's the reason: God the highly religious but soul..destroying Trinity. Butwe believers do not meet FatherrevealshimselfinJesus theSon waysofgoingaboutthings. to discusstheTrinity-anexercise that bytheHolySpirit;inJesusandonly in The first thing it does ispreventus often turns into a dazzling display of Jesus, we know God as he reveals frorn reducing God to sornething intellectual acrobatics for a few and himselfas Lord and Saviour. But the simple that we can, as we say, 'get a turnstherestofusintospectators. No, meaningofJesusistheFather;andthe handle on'-reducingGod to whatwe we meet to honour the Holy Trinity, means bywhich we knowJesus isthe needat themomentor seeasusefulin which in the Christian faith means Holy Spirit. Ourlivesare determined the presentcrisis. The minutewe'get adoring with the intent of and find their meaning in this ahandleonGod'wefindthatwehave participating. revelation. EverythingGodisanddoes hold, not ofGod, but an idol. There Trinityissometimessupposedto be and everything we are and do, isalwaysmoretoGodandhiswaysthat the most abstruse and intellectual of personally and corporately, is we know or need. Trinity is our best church doctrines, the most removed accounted for bythis revelation. defence againstreductionism. from what we are wont to call 'real The concept of Trinity is the ThesecondpracticalityoftheTrinity living'. But in fact it is the most church's attempt to preserve and isthatitdemonstratesthatGod exists practical,havingtodo withalltheday.. protect God's revelation of himselfin in personalrelationshipand therefore ISSUE5.1-SPRING 1998 5 can only be known in personal mostly humanlife: everybaby borna never learned to use my fists. I had relationship. WecannotknowGodin fresh witness to a mystery that ever been prepared for the widerworld of any other way than the way in which eludesusbutnever,ifwetake thetime neighbourhoodandschoolbylearning he revealshitnself, thatis,relationallv. for it, fails to put us on our knees in 'Bless those who persecute you' and God cannotbe known as true idea or adoration. Every time a baby isborn 'Turn the othercheek.' I don't know a righteous cause or Cl private ourlivesopenupwith more life.When howCecilZacharyknewthataboutme, experience. We cannot know God Jesus was born God's life was some sixth sense that bullies have, I simplybythinkinghard ofhim, or by proclaimedand preached in ourlives. suppose,buthepickedmeforhissport. working hard for him, or by shutting But we are not"on our knees in Mostafternoonsafterschoolhewould ourselves up i~l a room free of all adorationverylongbeforewefind that catch me and beat me up. He also distractions and meditating on him. everythingisnotwonderful. Thelovely found out that Iwas a Christian and Godexistsinpersonalrelationshipand baby, our primaryand mostemphatic taunted me with that-called me a he can only be known as he is experience of the Father's work of Jesus..sissy. I would try to find personally, relationallv. TheTrinityis creating of life, cries, gets sick, alternative wayshome, buthe stalked our best defence against de.. interrupts our sleep, invades our me and caughtme. personalisingGod. comfortableroutines. Andthenbegins I loved goingto school, learningso The Trinity is of particular use to to grow and turns into a disobedient, much, finding friends, adoring my Christians in times ofconfusion. In defiantbrat: he refuses to eat whatwe desperate times we are tempted to go prepared for supper; she leaves her for the quickanswer and the efficient room a mess, It's not long before we solution. The quick answer isalmost are having headaches and sleepless bloodspurted from his always an oversimplified answer, nights over this child that just a few leaving out all the complexities of daysagowewerecuddlinginourarms. nose, alovely crimson actual truth; the efficient solution is Iftheworldissowonderful, iflifeis on the snow almostalwaysadepersonalisedsolution so amazing, why all this trouble, this for persons take a lot of time and mess?Wepickup this lovelyappleand endless trouble. Trinity keeps us in biteintoit,andthenfind thatthere is touch with the immense largeness of aworm in the apple. We have moved God and the immediate personalness from creationwhichevokesadoration ofGod. HonouringtheFatherand the to historywhichrequires salvation. teacher. The classroom was a Son and the Holy Spirit is the most I had a delayed but abrupt wonderful place. But soon after the importantthingwecando to keepour introductiontotheworldofhistory. I dismissal bell I had to face Cecil lives large and personal during these grewup inaChristianhomewithgood Zachary and getmydaily beating. times when the devil is using every parents. Iwas told the story ofJesus Afterseveral months ofthis-itwas strategy he cancome up with to make andinstructed in the rightwayto live. March and the winter snow was still ussmalland mean. I was loved and treated well. In my on the ground but melting-Cecil memoryitwasafairapproximationof caught up with me one evening as a ••••• the garden of Eden-a good and bunch of us were walking home and Honouringthe Son wonderfulcreation. Life. took me on. Something happened And then Iwentoffto school and withinme, itwastotallyuncalculated. discovered history-thattheworldwas For just a moment the Bible verses ExploringtheNeighbourhood in a bad way. This knowledge carne disappeared from my consciousness ofHistory into my life in the person of Cecil and I grabbed him. To my surprise, In honouring the Father we look Zachary. Cecilwastheschoolbullyand and his, I realised that Iwas stronger around the neighbourhood and are byaboutmythirddayinthefirstgrade than him. I wrestled him to the struck by sheer profusion of life-the hediscovered meand mademehisyear ground, sat on his chest and pinned life ofa rose in blossom, a red..tailed long project! I had been taught in hisarms withmyknees. Therehewas, hawk in flight, acat on the prowl, but SundaySchoolnottofight andsohad helpless underlne. Itwastoo good to 6 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCHANDMINISTRY be true. Ihithim in the facewith my provides the fundamental datum that itself, in the life abundant all around fists. It felt good and Ihithimagain somethingisn'tworkingthewayitwas us. bloodspurted from his nose, a lovely intended, and thatwehaveeveryright Jesus suffered and died. Thatisthe crimsononthesnow. Bythis timeall to expectsomethingotherand better. plotthat provides thestructureofthe the other children were cheering, gospelstory. Our four gospelwriters, ••••• egging lne on. I said to Cecil, 'Say each in his own way,write thestoryof "Uncle." Hewouldn'tsayit. Ihithim The Kerygma of History Jesus' passion-his suffering and again. More blood. More cheering. death-andprovideitwithan extended And then my Christian training introduction. The passionstorytakes TheDeathofJesus reasserted itself. Isaid, 'Say,"Ibelieve place in oneweek, butitisgivenspace in Jesus Christ as my Lord and We have seen that the birth ofJesus faroutofproportionto itschronology. Saviour.": And he said it. provides our entrance into the reality Matthewgivesaquarterofhis pagesto CecilZacharywasmyfirstChristian andmeaningofcreation. Heshowsus thepassion;Markathird;Luke afifth; convert. that the creation is something to be and John almost one half. It was to Cecil Zachary was also my lived, not looked at, and the way he tell this story, Jesus' suffering and introduction to history. Creation is did itbecomes thewaywedo it. death, that the evangelistswrote their wonderful,butHistoryisamess. God In a parallelway,the deathofJesus gospels. Each gospel writer does the providesourentranceintothemessof extendedintroductionin his ownway, history-this round of newspaper butwhenitcomes tothiscorematerial, headlines, failed plans, disappointed they all write it prettymuch thesame relations,politicaldespair,murderand way. This isimportant, sufferingand mayhem, accidentandsickness. Jesus deathrepeatedfour times-weneed to moralism uses God in order shows usthathistory,this lnesswefind knowthatthishappenedandhow and not to need God anylonger ourselvesin,issomethingtobeentered whyithappened. Farmoreextensively and embraced, not studied and than in any other part ofthe story of analysed, andthewayhedid itbecomes Jesus,wearesuppliedwithdetails. We thewaywedo it. .are intended to get in on this and we ThedeathofJesusisthecentrepiece need to knowexactly whatit isweare for encountering this fundamental gettingin on. made everything good, but early on violation of life, this sacrilege visited Thepivotaltextin StJohn'sGospel menandwomenbeganmakingamess oncreation. Webegintodealwiththe (whichopenswithJesus'birth,stating of it and haven't quit. Being a 'what's wrong' with the world at the thattheeternalWordbecameflesh) is Christian means discovering the place where the Gospel deals with it: at the near centre. Jesus has just wonderandbeautyoflife;italsomeans Jesus dead andburied. ignored the request of some visiting beingdiscoveredbyCecilZacharyand The death of Jesus confirms and Greek tourists for"an interview and findingthatnoteveryonethinksmylife validates our experience that there is, announces his death: 'Unlessakernel isso wonderful. We are plunged into in fact, somethingterriblywrong, and ofwheatfalls to the ground and dies, pain and disappointment and that thiswrong isnotsimply a logical it remains onlyasingleseed. Butifit suffering. Sometimes it recedes for working out, cause..effect, of the way dies, it produces many seeds' (12:24). awhile, other times it threatens to thingsare. Jesus, bornofavirgin,dies He then says, and this is the pivotal overwheltn us. on a cross-there is no logic, physical sentencetothe storyofsalvation,'Now Thefinalverdictonallthisisdeathe orspiritual,betweenthosetwoclauses. my heart istroubled, and whatshall I We die. And,strangely,virtuallyevery Jesus suffering, recorded in his say? "Father,saveme from thishour?" death, even ofthe very old, feels like lamentsandtears anddeath,therefore No, it was for this very reason Icame an intrusion,andmoreorlesssurprises becomesthegospeltextforfindingour to this hour. Father, glorify your us. Tears and lament bear witness to placeinhistory-thishistorythatseems name!' (12:27..28) Jesus stands at the ourbasicsense thatthis iswrong, and to be so muchatvariancewithwhatis brink ofdeath; there isstill time and that we don't like it one bit. Death given and promised in the creation opportunity to pull back, avoid the ISSUE5.1- SPRING 1998 7 abyss, side-step the suffering. He constructing a way of life that is safe structingawayoflife in which I have considersit;shouldhe prayforadivine and secure. We have a lot of no need of a saving God. Moralism last minute reprieve from death? No, information on how to live rightly works off of a base of human ability he prays instead, 'Father, glorify thy before God. TheTenCommandments andarrangeslifeinsuchawaythatmy , name. provide the classic structure for living good behaviour will guarantee The word "glorifv' catches our thewaywe are supposed to live. And protection from punishment or attention. Itseemed tofit theaccount wehaveconsiderablestoresofwisdom disaster. Moralism works from of his birth when John wrote, lwe accumulated through the Christian strength,notweakness. Moralismuses beheldhisglory...' Butthis isgoingto centuries on how to conductourlives God(ortherevelationofGod)inorder involveaterribledeath-glory? We are decentlyand prayeffectively. We have not to need God any longer. Moral alerted to look for the God in an heavy commitments to teaching our codes are used as stepping stones to unexpected way, the goodness and children and others 'line upon line, independencefrom God. salvation of God spilling out of an precept upon precept' what God Moralism works from the outside: unlikelycontainer. And thatisin fact requires ofus. it imposes right behaviour on oneself whathappens: thisdeathbecomesthe When things gowrong, whether at or others. There is no freedom in it, centre of our understanding and home or in society, in church or in and no joy. Moralism isa moral grid experience ofsalvation-the help we government, it is often easy to find a thatissetonlife-Iknowexactlywhere need to get through what has gone moral reason: disobedience or wrongin and around us. ignorance of the biblical OurScripturesare full ofthisdeath commandmentsisobviouslyattheroot 'language: the passionstoriesspillover ofalotofwhatiswrongwiththeworld. sacrifice neverseems to into the epistles and the apocalypse. If we can only educate our people in We aresomehowor othergoingtodie. right thinking and right behaviour, show up on anyone's There is no avoiding this: this is thingswould improvedramatically. Mvets-Briggs profile fundamental, Paul contractsthewhole All"this istrue enough. scheme ofGod's working in our lives But the moment this becomes our to thisandonlythis: 'Jesus Christand basic orientationto dealingwithwhat himcrucified' (1Cor.2:2). is wrong with the world, we have turnedourbacksonthecrossofChrist, ••••• onJesus asourSaviour. Themoment Ifit or don'tfit, whatactionsare right Dishonouringthe Son this becomes our way of life we and which are wrong. And once I dishonourtheSon. knowthat, whatelse isthere? Ieither I am going to use this moralism to do it or don't. Simple. Moralism designatethisdishonouring. Butnote And ofcourse, oncewe embarkon But however much we admire Jesus, the word carefully. The root of it is this coursethereisno longerany need andhowevermanyhymnswewriteand moral, aglorious and necessaryword. for Jesus and his cross except in a singaboutthedeathofJesus, however Morality isbutltinto reality as deeply symbolicway. Ifwhat'sWrongwiththe manyyearswerepeatthecycleofLent and inescapablyasatoms and protons world is simply getting everyone and HolyWeek in our churches, this andneutrons. We are moralbeingsto involved in good behaviour, we don't death talk doesn't go down well with the core-theuniverse ismoral. Right need salvation anymore, we need us. We can'tavoid it in ourpreaching andwrongand the freedom involved education and training, political andhymnodyandcalendars,butwedo in choosing between them are reforms and a cultural renaissance, manageto find waysto dodgeit in the embedded in the creation. It matters lnore informationand more power. waywe live. And every timewe avoid what is done, said, believed, even Theword sacrifice isused over and itwedishonour theSon. thought. Moralityisfundamentaland over in ourScripturesandtheologyto The most common way we in the non..negotiable. definewhattookplace onthe cross of Christiancommunityhaveofavoiding But moralism is something quite Jesus. Theword gets its contentfrom or marginalizing [esus" death is by different. Moralism means con.. centuriesofHebrewpractice. Sacrifice 8 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCHANDMINISTRY begins with material: we bring dishonour the Son. God reveals forsomethingtodo. WelookforSOIne something to the altar representative himself in the death of Jesus as tools or strategies or programmes to of our lives; and we bring our best embracing all that has gone wrong in reformandrenovateandrenew. In the flour, grain, lambs, goats, bulls, life and by means of that sacrificial process oflookingaround we happen incense,etc. Onceplacedonthealtar death, saves the world and along the to look at Jesus. He is the One who it is no longer ours, we release waygets us involved in the salvation. was sent to save the world frorn ownership. We bringourbesttoGod, Buttherearepeoplewhowanttostand destructionanddoom. TheChristian butwebringitbecauseourbesthasn't alooffrom themess and cleanit up at churchisagreed thathistorypivots on beengoodenough;weare sinnersand arms length by hiring SOIne teachers him. In Jesus and onlyin Jesus isthe need help. We give ourselves and posting some regulations salvationoftheworld. (represented in our offerings) to God 'moralist' is our shorthand term for We watch him with heightened to seewhathewilldo with us. Thisis them. interest:whatexactlydidhe do? Well, thebestwecoulddo-wearereadynow ••••• he sacrificed his life on the cross of for whatGodwill do. A priest, acting Calvary. Ourgospelwitnessesmake it on behalf of God, then burns the Cultivatingthe Honour clear that his deathwas no accidental offering and it is transformed before of Godthe Son miscarriageofRomanjustice,no cruel our eyes into fragrance and smoke, Greek tragic fate that inexorably The Christian community is never overtookhim. Jesus embraceditashis going to give up teaching moral vocation, telling his disciples well behaviour, giving instruction in the beforehand:'theSonofMancame not Self-promotion and self-help commandments of Moses and the to be served but to serve, and to give imperatives of Jesus and the hislifearansomfor many'(Mk.10:45). ways ofsalvation do exhortations of Paul. But however He preparedthemandusmeticulously nothingbutspiral us important they are, they are not the ashe approached thehighmomentof centre. We cultivate the honour of sacrifice, three times tellingthem that further into the abyss God theSonbyfollowingJesus to the he was goingto sufferand be rejected cross. .and be killed (Mk.8:31, 9:31, 10:34). The one word that expresses this 'What shall I say-Father-save mostsuccinctlyis'sacrifice'.Whenwe me?..now glorify thy name.' He also visiblyascendingtoGod. Death,giving are faced with the enormous wrong saidhewouldriseagain,butthatwould up control and ownership, becomes thatisin theworldaroundandwithin come later. thestuffoftransformation. Thepriest us we respond by cultivating a life of ThreetimesJesus plainlytold them declares an acceptable offering-our sacrifice. whathe wasdoing. At thelast minute livesaccepted,forgiven andpleasingto For a people like us, trained in a healsoprayedthreetimes totheFather God. God uses thestuffofoursins to culture of getting things done to provideanotherwayofsalvationfor save us from our sins. And 'Jesus (pragmatism) and taking care of theworld. Buttherewasno otherway. becamesin for us.' ourselves (individualism), this doesn't 'This is the way;walk ye in it!' And We considered in the first article seematallobvious,butneitherdoes it when through that night of how easy and common it is to seemattractive. Thereisnothingabout Gethsemaneprayer...itbecameasclear dishonour the Father. God reveals a life of sacrifice that appeals to our to himashe hadalreadymadeitto his himselfin the birthofJesus to affirm well..intentioned desire to make a disciples, that there were .no lifeand all thatisinvolved in life,and difference in the wrong..doing in the alternatives, he agreed to givehimself get us involved in it. But there are world and to make things better for as the sacrifice for 'us and for our peoplewho onlywant to pick out the neighboursand ourselves. salvation'. He gave himself as the convenientpartsanddiscardtherest Whenwerealise howbadthingsare sacrifice that would set the world's 'gnostic' is our shorthand term for in this God..blessed world, we quite wrongs right. them. naturally want to pitch in and help St Paul, the definitive preacherand It is also COIUInon and easy to clean up the mess. W~ look around interpreterofJesus,knewno otherway. ISSUE5.1- SPRING 1998 9 He tookthe cross ofChristasthe text the abyss. There is no other waybut becomeformedsacrificially. Justasthe for his lifeand ministry. 'I decided to sacrifice. Annie Dillard, one of our Lord'sDayprovidesaregularprotected knownothingamongyou exceptJesus unconventional but most passionate time for cultivating the attentiveness Christand himcrucified' (1Cor.2:2). theologians, isblunt in herverdict: 'a and adoration that honours God the As he looked over his life life without sacrifice is abomination.' Father, the Lord's Supper is our retrospectively, while writing to the (Holy the Firm,p.72) primarysettingfor cultivatingalifeof Philippians, he was content to stay in I am not calling into question sacrifice and hospitality in honour of the same track, 'sharinginhis[Christ's] anyone'ssincerityinthis business. But God the Son. The intent is that sufferingbybecoming like him in his Iam remindingyou thatwe have two everythingin ourlivesthattakes place death' (Phil.3:10). thousandyearsofhistorydocumenting as we leave the Lord's Table will be Itwasprecisely thisvocationthathe the failure ofgood intentions in the informed and shaped by what takes invited his disciples to take up: 'ifany work ofsalvation. There is only one place at the Table. There is a saying wanttobecomemyfollowers, letthem gospelwaytodothis-toliveasacrificial amongcooks andgourmets,'Whatyou deny themselves, and take up their lifein Jesus' nalne. eatiswhatyouare.' Thatisnevermore cross and follow me' (Mk.8:34). Thetroublewithawordlikesacrifice true than when we receive the life of I don't know of any part of the isthatissoeasilyblursintogeneralities. Jesusinthebreadandwine oftheHoly Christiangospel that ismore difficult It is a grand word and quickly Supper. to move from the pages of sacred smothered in the welter oftelephone Scripture and our honoured volumes calls, committee meetings, job oftheology into the assumptions and assignments, political urgencies. But we allhave daily opportunities practices of our everyday Christian thereisawaytokeepitinfocus,simple lives.Veryfewamonguswoulddissent and accessible, and that way is to be on both the giving fromwhatJesus said,whatPaul wrote, hospitality. whatCalvinpreached,andyet-and yet Hospitalityisthegospelwayto keep and receiving ends ofa when it comes down to actual assent, sacrifice local and immediate. a meal sacrificiallife we more often than not find another prepared and served to family and way. We begin our morning prayers guests is a giving up of ourselves for withJesus, 'Father,withyou all things another. We all have daily are possible; removethis cupfromme: opportunitiestobe onboththegiving yet...'(Mk.l4:36). Andour'yet...'trails and receivingends ofasacrificial life, off and instead of completing Jesus' to see how it works, to observe the prayer ('notwhatIwantbutwhatyou emotions and effects. Isn't it quite want') we begin entertaining other significanthowmuchofJesus'ministry possibilities. If all things are possible is revealed to us in the context of a forthe Father,perhapsthereisanother meal? Preparingandcooking,serving way to do something about what is and eating a meal are activities that wrong with the world, another way underlie participation in the work of other than a sacrificial lifebywhich I salvation. can help out and make things better. The form the church uses to In the jargon of the day, we pray cultivatethislifeofsacrificeamongus 'sacrificeisnotoneofmygifts-Iwant is Holy Cornmunion: a meal to serve God with my strength, with (hospitalityl) which draws us into the mygiftedness.' It's astrangething,but sacrifice of Christ and nurtures a sacrifice never seems to show up on sacrificiallifeamongus. At theLord's anyone's Myers..Briggs profile. Table we are at the place ofsacrifice, Buttheself-promotionandself..help Jesus' sacrifice. We deliberately set waysofsalvation,sopopularamongus, ourselvesobedientlyandexpectantlyin do nothing but spiral us.further into God's presence in orderthatour lives 10 THERUTHERFORDJOURNALOFCHURCHANDMINISTRY e The second in a series of articles taken from a book originally written in 1956 by Annie Torrance 1] 0 sincereChristianstheactof call and trust, there are greatrewards, All Christianparentsare his under.. becomingparentsisnotunlike joysand compensations. shepherds and are entrusted by the being commissioned in the This can be especially the case Chief Shepherd with the lambs-elus army,fortheyarecalledintotheservice during the pre..school years and it is lambs. Therefore the parents mustbe oftheKing ofkings and his Kingdom. here that we have wonderful vigilant too. We are reminded that The privilege oftraining, guidingand opportunities in helping to shape the there issuch a thing as the wolf who bringing little children to him is not mental outlook that does so much to seeks todestroybothsheepandlambs, just 'child's play', and is certainly no form the character ofthe child. More scattering them as far away from the lighttask. Thereisno'offduty' in this than is generally realised they can be Shepherd as possible. No matter how service. It isa round..the..clock workof taughtin theseformativeyearsinways muchwemay try to forget sin, and try twenty..four hours, for the lUOSt part. which will make life easier for the to ignore it and turn ourbacks on its It is indeed comparable to the call to children later on. Doubtless many of undesirablereality,neverthelessitisapt be aforeignmissionary.TheGospelis us look back with regret to those to dog our steps, subtly and invisibly to be lived and made known, if there preciousyearsandwonder ifwemade no doubt, but showing itself in are to be results. It requires great thebestuse of them. unexpected quarters-and little sacrificeanddevotedservice.TheLord children are notimmune. Entrustedwithhis lambs did notsay'goandplayinmyvineyard', Thelessonofobedience but'goandlabourin myvineyard'.No Thesimileofashepherdandhissheep, workfor Godcaneverbeentirelyeasy, used so much byGod to enable us to One ofthe earliestlessons everychild for before longin onewayor another, understand heavenly things, is surely shouldbe taught isthatofobedience. weshallrealise that there isan enemy one of the loveliest and most It was God's first lesson to our first who will try to work havoc wherever appropriate.Howstupidaflockofsheep parents.Obediencewastobethe prime he finds an opportunity. can be!Ifone takes fright they alltake lawbywhichfellowshipwithGodand fright, and fall into a panic, running the supreme happiness of mankind Forminga child'scharacter here and there, tumbling over each were to be maintained, while It is helpful to recognise that the other, none knowing the cause. What disobedience meant the loss and the vocation of parenthood is not to be one does they all do. They need a Fallofman. Itwasthefirst lessonand regardedasalesserCalltoservice than shepherd. So it iswith us. We are all it isthelast. Disobedience isrebellion thattootherspheresofChristianwork, likesheep; 'wehaveallgone astray'.But againstGod andhis laws.Itistheroot and that it means much to God and the Chief Shepherd has made ample ofallsin. his heavenly Kingdorn, and to provision. Howcomfortingtousallthat This lesson of obedience well mankind. For those who accept the he stillsays,'1am the Good Shepherd learned is the secret of a happy trainingandthegiftofachildasGod's and givemy lifefor the sheep.' Christianlife,anditisno lessthesecret