Tuesday 18 September 2018

The Old Testament Echoed the Real

Straight after Jesus came down off the mount after teaching His disciples in an event whose echo sounded all the way back in time to Moses on the mount giving the commandments, Jesus enacted His greater-than-Moses authority by first of all doing for a child of Abraham what the Law could not do - healed him of his leprosy - and in a way which didn't break the Law (because He said to him 'Go show yourself to the priests and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses has commanded'); then secondly He did a miracle for a Gentile, and not just any Gentile, but a delegate of Caesar at that! on the basis of faith - in a move which pointed-forward to the the fact that Gentiles, even the 'worst' of them, would soon be embraced into Abraham's blessing simply on the basis of faith (not by becoming Proselytes to Judaism). And the remark is made that such faith as the Centurion's had not even been seen in Israel - hinting that Gentiles (who were without the law) could meet the conditions for receiving Abraham's promise while not all Jews would (despite having the law). 

'Evening Calm' by Josephine Jenyns 1974

"Evening Calm" by Josephine Jenyns 1974
Oil on canvas board 

Monday 10 September 2018

Where Does Your Tone Come From?

I often think it's almost possible to guess where an American preacher comes from - whether a former Confederate State or a Union State - just by his 'tone' - even without knowing where he lives.

Some preachers in some denominations preach with the tone of a remnant-people under siege. 

While many members of another denomination have the demeanour of people who almost feel that their denomination 'is' the establishment. 

All of this is steeped in history! 

Then there are also national-traits which can make their way into members of a denomination even in other countries. 

Whether it's the trait of methodical sociableness; or of often feeling a doctrinal 'kampf' in one's breast; or something else. 

When really our example in the gospel is none other than the Lord JESUS. If we allow ourselves to be always guided by His indwelling Holy Spirit, we'll stay true.

Praise & Worship During the Latter Rain/Charismatic/River Movements

For what it's worth, I thought I'd Post a brief description of what my impression as a 12yr old boy was, of what praise & worship was often like in the 1970s. Maybe it'll prompt Comment.
This was in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley. Sunday afternoon.
The service officially started at 3pm. But eager crowds arrived early, faces radiant. Many people had driven from other cities. Hardly able to contain their joy, the whole congregation began singing impromptu, up to 20-minutes or more before starting-time.
Then at 3 a song-leader dutifully stood to the podium, with a look on his face like he was interrupting something. To officially open the meeting and start leading songs seemed superfluous - because the wave which had already begun sweeping the congregation just continued. Singing and dancing!
In-between songs, the congregation spontaneously sang in harmony in the spirit. Everyone could hear the whole congregation singing. Something divine seemed to swirl and fill the air all the way up to the ceiling. The whole congregation's voices ebbed and flowed together like one man.
Then the atmosphere became like settling heavy due. Someone spoke in tongues. Another interpreted. Someone else prophesied.
The pastor/evangelist invited people forward to form a prayer-line and laid hands on the sick, even before preaching. Many fell to the floor. A demon came out of someone.
People were on the edge of their seat during the sermon. People got saved! All types.
Tables were set up after the 3pm service and everyone shared meals. And stayed for the night service at 6. You wanted to be the last to leave.
During the week you found yourself singing the songs you'd heard at church. By yourself. With friends. In homes. In the car. At the beach. On the mountain top. All the words, all the way through. Without needing to look at the words.
You couldn't wait 'til next Sunday, and you invited as many people as you could.
New churches were planted all over.
And as thrilling as the move of the Spirit was during praise & worship in those days, there was still a longing for something more. We often wondered why the announcements should be allowed to interrupt the flow of the 'more' which we felt the Holy Spirit was just about to do during a service. So we looked forward to a coming day of even more manifestation.
And in the mid-1990s it did not disappoint. The river flowed! Whole congregations were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit even without calling them forward, without anyone even laying hands on them! People getting filled and speaking with tongues. Seeing visions. Remaining on the floor for what seemed ages. Having to be carried home. Deliverance started happening again.
Not only did the announcements no longer interrupt, but even the music was overpowered by the 'more' which Jesus was present to do. Not even praise & worship got in the way of the visitation of the Holy Spirit.
And we thought all that was normal - as just how it should be.

Tuesday 4 September 2018

Jesus, the Sadducees and Resurrection

The Sadducees seemed to believe that the soul was extinguished upon death. So when Jesus said what He said about God being the God not of the dead but of the living, that mightn't have been to redefine the resurrection as the existence of the soul after death - it might have just been to make the point that the soul continues to exist after death (while the resurrection retains its definition as the the resurrection of the body, not upon death but on the last day).