Photo by...Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash
A student survey conducted at one of our local schools determined that young people see the church as being full of old people and pews. And they think that the pews have to go. There’s some good news in that survey, they didn’t say the old people should go, only the pews.
Think for a moment: How does their perception match reality?
We might immediately begin to defend the pews. They've been good enough for generations. They keep us awake. They haven’t killed anyone.
Or we might be offended that they’ve labelled us as old. We might argue that we’re not nearly as old as our grandparents were at the same age.
We might want to join James and John to ask Jesus whether we should call down fire from heaven and destroy them.
But before we get too defensive, these young people are crying out for the church to recognise and value them. They don’t think the church cares about them, they don’t think we care. They think the church is only interested in the people who’re already involved, which to them means old people.
I wonder whether they’re any different to those of any age who aren’t connected to our churches. Would the whole ‘unchurched’ and 'previously-churched’ community agree that we don’t care. Would they contend that we’re only interested in ourselves.
If we’re so busy polishing and defending our pews then they have to go. If there’s anything in our church that uses up our time at the expense of living our lives for Jesus then it has to go.
Even more urgently we have to go. Not leave the church, the community of God’s people, but go with the good news that because God loves and cares for every single person in this world so do we.
“As you go”, Jesus says, “make disciples of all nations.” Jesus cares about this because he has ‘skin-in-the-game’. He died for each and every one we encounter as we go about our lives.
How do we, as individuals and a church, need to change so that no one in our community will feel that we don’t care about them?
God’s majesty displayed
by Tania Nelson
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might (Psalm 145:10,11).
Read Psalm 145:8–14
I love being in nature: beach walks and the sound of the waves breaking, recognising birds in the trees as I wander through my neighbourhood and discovering streams and wildlife on bush walks. I’m drawn to impressive mountain views and delicate native wildflowers. When I’m driving, I love seeing a rainbow, and I find sunlight radiating through storm clouds awe-inspiring. I certainly believe that creation speaks of God’s glory and might.
Perhaps David, too, was moved by ‘the glorious splendour of [God’s] majesty’ when he wrote this beautiful song of praise. Do yourself a favour and read all of Psalm 145!
Apparently, the psalm is an acrostic poem, with each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. We lose that beauty in our English translation, but we don’t lose the joy that is conveyed in this song of praise.
David speaks of God’s graciousness, compassion, goodness, might, glory, trustworthiness, nearness, watchfulness and more. David reminds us that the ‘Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made’ (Psalm 145:9).
When we reflect on the expanse of the universe and the creativity of our God who created such beauty, and then consider that God knows us and God loves us individually, well, that’s truly awe-inspiring and worthy of praise.
Lord of power and might, I praise you for you are good! The splendour of creation declares your glory. You are compassionate and gracious. You are faithful and rich in love. Let every creature praise your holy name forever and ever. Amen.
Tania is the ministry lead at Mawson Lakes Community Church in suburban Adelaide and is a pastoral ministry student at Australian Lutheran College. Tania loves taking beach walks with her husband, David, spending time with her family and friends, and reading. Sometimes she is blessed to experience all three of these joys at her family shack on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.
The gift of the Spirit
by Tania Nelson
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: he has given us of his Spirit (1 John 4:13).
Read 1 John 4:7–21
Today’s Bible reading is an exhortation to ‘love one another, for love comes from God’ (1 John 4:7a). I don’t know about you, but I don’t always feel loving. There are times I avoid people, times when I speak hastily and inappropriately, times when I’m impatient and unkind (actually lots of times when I’m impatient … yes, something I need to work on!). I suspect you, too, have times when that loving feeling is not at the forefront.
However, while loving may not always come naturally, we know that God has given us the Holy Spirit. We can lean on the Spirit for help.
God sent Christ’s Spirit to the disciples at Pentecost, and the crowd heard the disciples preach in their own languages. God gave the Spirit to the 3,000 believers who were baptised that day. God’s Spirit came to you and me in our baptism.
Martin Luther said in his explanation of the third article of the Apostles’ Creed (the article that begins ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit …’):
I believe that I cannot, by my own understanding or strength, believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.
Daily in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins – mine and those of all believers. On the Last Day, the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life.
God’s Spirit is still calling, gathering, enlightening and making us holy. Come, Holy Spirit, and help us to love.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving me your Spirit. Thank you, Jesus, for dying and rising to life for me. Thank you, Spirit of God, for calling me, gathering me into your church, instructing me and making me holy. Amen.
Tania is the ministry lead at Mawson Lakes Community Church in suburban Adelaide and is a pastoral ministry student at Australian Lutheran College. Tania loves taking beach walks with her husband, David, spending time with her family and friends, and reading. Sometimes she is blessed to experience all three of these joys at her family shack on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.
Actions speak loudly
by Tania Nelson
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18).
Read 1 John 3:11–18
St John’s plea for the children of God to show God’s love through ‘actions and in truth’ reminds me of the words of St Teresa of Avila, who said, ‘We must all try to be preachers by our deeds.’ It also reminds me of the quote, which some have attributed to St Francis of Assisi: ‘Preach the gospel at all times and, when necessary, use words.’ Today’s Bible reading is a helpful reminder that our actions may speak louder than our words.
How do we preach the good news – God’s incredible love for all – by our actions? I think the fruit of the Spirit is a good place to start. When we display love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23), our actions speak loudly.
A friend of mine once said that Christians make the best friends. I pray that this is truly the case! What he meant, I gather, is that Christians can be honest, loyal, trustworthy and accepting of others in their friendships. A challenge for all of us is to love our enemies as we love our friends!
Thanks be to God that he has the final word when I don’t always display the kind of actions and love that I wish to. St John summed up the good news of God’s love for us when he wrote, ‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.’ Amen to that!
Spirit of God, fill my heart with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, so that Jesus is known through my actions and in truth. Amen.
Tania is the ministry lead at Mawson Lakes Community Church in suburban Adelaide and is a pastoral ministry student at Australian Lutheran College. Tania loves taking beach walks with her husband, David, spending time with her family and friends, and reading. Sometimes she is blessed to experience all three of these joys at her family shack on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.