11 responses so far ↓

• 1 Ryan // Nov 6, 2007 at 1:40 pm

  The idea of ‘belonging to each other’ is a pretty foreign one to us - I guess I get tricked into thinking individualism is real freedom - the idea of belonging to a group of people seems like a burden and a loss of freedom. But of course, in gathering us together as his people, to live lives of love and service, God’s given us a great gift. I was really challenged in yesterday’s talk to love and value the people in my church.

• 2 Wade // Nov 8, 2007 at 1:05 pm

  A clear and challenging talk to place real value and time in building relationships. I’m looking for suggestions how this might be worked out in the real world.

  A common excuse that people have is they are too busy to devote much more time to church apart from small group and Sunday church. Sometimes people say that because they waste a lot of time in front of the tube, but there are also people who have to work long hours and battle fatigue - what advice do you have for people in that position? What are some realistic steps for busy people to put service into action in their lives?

• 3 Pete // Nov 8, 2007 at 2:14 pm

  It’s true that lots of people work really hard. But I think it’s equally true that even hard workers waste time. In fact, you gotta be careful that even your hard work is not itself a waste of time.

  I love 1 Corinthians 15:58 - “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” In context, our labour in the Lord is that which has an eternal consequence. Paul has just been reminding the Corinthians that the resurrection provides the meaning and significance to life that death tries to take away. Death is the ultimate absurdity - it robs life of all meaning. Therefore resurrection - life beyond our inevitable death - is the only thing that makes our labour of any value.

  So that’s the question we need to address: how much of our busyness is going to have an impact into eternity? The key is understanding that real life is all about relationships. It’s who we are in relationships that can count even after death. If we speak words full of grace and seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6), if we reflect Jesus’ generous welcome in our dealings with the people we work with and if we are ready to “give the reason for the hope that we have” (1 Peter 3:15) then look out! - Lives will be transformed.

  In terms of making time for our church family, I think we’ve gotta be creative and remember that every word we speak/type/text/pray has the potential to build a brother or sister up - to remind them of who they are in Christ and to spur them on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

  So my dear fellow, be of good cheer and play the man!

  Tally Ho!

• 4 Peter Yock // Nov 8, 2007 at 5:46 pm

  As someone who works full-time I find the ‘fatigue factor’ one of the biggest struggles to get past when it comes to ministry. It’s hard to love and serve and listen to and make sacrifices for other people when you’re just plain tired.

  But Jesus comes to mind. I think of the time when his family called him a madman for not resting even long enough to eat, but continuing selflessly to serve the crowd on his doorstep (Mark 3:20-21).

  I think of Paul too, and his attitude towards the (incredibly frustrating!) Corinthians: “So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.” (2 Cor. 12: 15).

  And I think of the truth that “the time is short…For this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:29,31).

  These things are a rebuke to me - to many of us I’m sure - and I’ve started to pray that, rather than sitting on the couch and feeling justified in my tiredness, I’d have the same attitute as Paul: a willingness to spend myself, and to be spent, for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus.

• 5 Ian, Matt S, Matt E, Brett and Mark // Nov 13, 2007 at 8:33 pm

  Hi all,

  this question comes a week late but in last week’s Bible study, in Romans ch 12 vs 6 a question was raised about the difference between prophesy and teaching. Could you please post a comment about the difference between the two and some good passages that’ll help us understand prophesy better.

  Thanks.

• 6 Steve Cree // Nov 14, 2007 at 7:54 am

  Hey lads - thanks for this question. It’s a question that really deserves a more detailed response than I can give here (and that we will come to in more depth next year, God-willing, when we work through 1 Corinthians). But I’ll throw a few thoughts out there for now.

  Exact definitions of ‘teaching’ and especially of ‘prophecy’ are hard to pin down, and different views abound. No doubt there’s a degree of overlap between the two gifts as well. The key passage for an understanding of new testament prophecy is 1 Corinthians 12-14. If I were to venture some sort of distinction of prophecy from teaching for our context, it would be to think of teaching as EXPLANATION of the Scriptures, and prophecy as APPLICATION of the Scriptures (which needs to be weighed carefully [1 Cor 14:29], in a way that isn’t said of teaching - although of course even teaching needs to be discerned). While Paul envisages a smaller group gifted in authoratative teaching roles, he encourages all believers to prophesy (1 Cor 14:1).

  The heart of this prophesying appears not to be prediction of the future (in the way we might think of Old Testament prophecy), but application of the gospel to the present for edification of the church (1 Cor 14:3, 24-25, 30).

  Here’s a thought - we know from Revelation that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:10): so Old Testament prophecy is largely predictive - looking ahead to the coming of Jesus , but New Testament prophecy actually sets its gaze back to the cross (as well as the future hope it gives us), applied to our lives in the present, so that we might know and worship God through Jesus. Prophecy is all about Jesus.

  So notice in 1 Corinthians 12-14 Paul wants everyone to prophesy because it will not only edify believers but (as opposed to tongues), but will cause the unbeliever to acknowledge his sin and worship God (1 Cor 14:24-25). So I take it this prophesying must be gospel-soaked. It also is contrasted with tongues for its clarity - it’s not complex spiritual talk but clear gospel talk. My bottom line is that prophesy is as prophesy does: if you’re speaking words about Jesus that help believers be edified and unbelievers turn to God - you’re probably prophesying!

  So, when we chat at supper after hearing a Bible Talk, or discuss a Bible passage in our small groups, when someone says: “I think being living sacrifices means we should spend less money on junk food and more on gospel giving…” perhaps that is a word of prophecy that should be weighed - and then either rejected or accepted as not just a ‘nice idea’ but the Spirit working among us to convict us of the truth of Jesus’ Lordship in real ways.

  Have a close look through Paul’s advice in 1 Cor 12-14. Although you won’t emerge with clear definitions, you will hear the challenge to focus on Jesus not yourself and edification of others not yourself. And if you lock in those attitudes and start speaking - prophecy will be the result! Praise God!

• 7 Pete // Nov 14, 2007 at 2:39 pm

  I always had a feeling Forrest Gump could be a prophet

• 8 Mitch // Nov 15, 2007 at 5:02 pm

  This is a late question as well from our bible study group last week… In vers3 you referred to a ‘faith measure’ as opposed to a works measure and so we think of ourselves in accordance with the fact that faith not works saves us. What does it mean then in verse 6 to use a gift ‘in proportion to your faith’???
  Thanks.

• 9 Steve Cree // Nov 15, 2007 at 6:29 pm

  Thanks Mitch - good question. The Greek word behind the word “proportion” here is ‘analogia’ (think ‘analogy’ or ’standard’). It is the only instance of the word in the New Testament. So it’s not easy to find parrallels for comparison or help with interpretation. What is significant to me is that literally the verse reads “in proportion with THE faith” not “…HIS faith”. This suggest that analogia in vs6 holds the same sort of meaning I suggested “measure” has in verse 3 - it’s not a QUANTITY thing (subjective within us the individual believer) - but a QUALITY thing (objective - in terms of faith being the standard we measure all things by). So… not only should faith (not works) be the measure of how see ourselves (vs3), it is also the standard by which prophecy should be tested (vs6) … i.e. does this prophecy uphold the message of salvation by faith in Jesus?

• 10 Mitch // Nov 16, 2007 at 4:06 pm

  Thank you for your well thought out answer… the detail of explaining the greek gives it like heaps of cred. It is much appreciated.

• 11 Ian, Matt S, Matt E, Brett and Mark // Nov 27, 2007 at 6:00 pm

  Sorry this has taken so long… but thanks Steve for your answer. It has been very helpful.

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