Disappointing People to The Glory of God

Saying the word ‘no’ can be a problem for lots of us.  The phone request, the email, the text message and the person who grabs your arm as you leave the meeting because they want you to join their team, attend their event, help with a project they’re planning or see if you’re free in the next week for a coffee and chat.  Immediately we feel bad because we realise refusing this person is going to make them disappointed and so rather than reply negatively we bow to the demand, attend the event, turn up at the meeting or arrange a coffee that we’d really rather not drink!  We fool ourselves into thinking that saying yes all the time is the “Christian thing to do” and that we’re being very selfish when we say no to the requests.

This is wrong.  There, I’ve said it.  Saying yes to all these requests is not a selfless thing to do it’s a selfish thing to do.  We say yes because we don’t want to disappoint people.  I agree to do stuff so that other people will like me.  Our motivation for agreeing to requests is often rooted in a desire to have other people think highly of us.  In the Sermon on The Mount  [that we’ve been looking at in Carnmoney recently]  Jesus instructs His followers not to be preoccupied with what people think of them.  He makes it clear that the life motivated by pride is rewarded by people but the life motivated by humility is rewarded by heaven.  Martin Lloyd Jones puts it like this

There is no reward from God for those who seek it from men.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:1 Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

For God’s glory and your own joy – feel free to say ‘no’

You can listen to the full message on Matthew 6 by clicking here

Exclusive Offer

Everybody loves an exclusive offer.  There’s something attractive about knowing you can’t get this kind of deal anywhere else.  Over the Christmas season lots of places have been trying to tempt us with an exclusive deal.  I’ve been considering this for a while and discovered that companies, magazines, websites and TV adverts are making an offer to us that they cannot deliver on.

In Subway recently I read this slogan on the T-Shirt of the person serving me “however you feel, whatever you want – we’ve got a sub for that.” No big deal you might think.  Just another marketing slogan from a fast food chain.  Actually I don’t think so.  This is a gospel message, a false gospel message.  It’s kind of like an alternative to the 23rd Psalm.

The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. – see how Subway turns itself into a kind of god who can give us ‘whatever we want’? Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –  see how Subway turns itself into a kind of god who is there for us ‘however we feel’?  The problem is Subway cannot deliver on the promise.  A sandwich can’t make any preparations for our future beyond this life on earth but the One True God can!  Jesus makes the important exclusive offer in our lives.  We need a Shepherd not a sandwich!

Jesus is the Only One who satisfies the eternal hunger in our lives (John 6:35)

Jesus is the Only One who enables us to face every circumstance (Philippians 4:11-13 & 4:19)

Jesus is the Only One who prepares an eternal home for us. (John 14:6)

Jesus is the Only One whose name brings salvation. (Acts 4:12)

Paul Baloche sings

Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
‘Cause nothing has the power to save but Your Name

The real exclusive offer of Christmas is found in the Bible “turn to me and be saved all you ends of the earth – for I am God and there is no other!”

That’s all for now – I’m off for a footlong steak and cheese…

Life’s A Breeze: Part 1

Stuart Baggs is an absolute legend. Self-awareness is not a quality he possesses.  He has a youthful optimism that more than borders on the delusional and he’s pure quality entertainment.  “Everything I touch turns to sold” he said in one of his more humble moments on this season’s hit series, The Apprentice.  Very rarely do you encounter such a blatant caricature but when you do it is absolutely arresting to watch.  I’ve found myself cringing behind the cushion on our sofa as he defends himself before Lord Sugar in the boardroom. The facial expressions and reactions of the other contestants seem to have no impact upon Baggs ‘The Brand’  He’s in a total bubble of self-confidence and optimism that makes David Brent look shy and retiring!  The only sad thing is that this series will come to an end, allowing only personal acquaintances, family and work colleagues to be able to witness the life of the man who is Stuart Baggs.

His optimism about life is a far cry from the perspective of the author of Ecclesiastes (a book I’ve been studying/teaching for the last month or two.)  In this brutally honest book of the bible I’ve been reminded that under the sun – everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  The author has pursued a variety of paths in life and all of them have left him feeling dissatisfied.  Study and wisdom; laughter and pleasure; building and work; sex and relationships; popularity and significance – all of these things were pursued fully but ended up leaving a sour taste in the author’s mouth.  A repeated phrase that comes at the end of every new pursuit or path is ‘this too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.’  There’s a blunt, down-to-earth reality about this book that is too often lacking in the Christian community.  It’s not a negative book, it’s not an abstract book, it’s a ‘how things really are’ book.  For many people life has become like chasing the wind.  Life is just out of reach.  Life has become impossible.  Life is all over the place and doesn’t seem to have any source or destination.  Thankfully, while the book raises these questions it doesn’t leave us believing that this is the only perspective on life.

We are urged in the final chapter (and throughout the book) to lift our eyes from ‘under the sun’.  We need to look above the created world, above the sun, moon, stars, jobs, possessions, people and projects.  We need to lift our eyes above creation to the Creator.  He made us and place eternity in our hearts. He is an eternal God and He designed us for relationship with Himself.  When we swallow a temporary pain-killer for an eternal ache the pain will soon surface.  JI Packer says in his classic book Knowing God ‘there is in Christ a balm for every wound.’

It won’t be long before the bubble bursts for Stuart Baggs, the midas touch will evaporate and Lord Sugar may utter the famous words “You’re Fired.”  How will Baggs react?  What will he do next?  The author of Ecclesiastes will point him in the direction of his Creator and encourage him to find life in the only One who can offer it.