1 Kings 12:25-14:20
“Here are your gods, O Israel” is a phrase we’ve heard before. It echoes Aaron’s moronic declaration while Moses was up Sinai getting the 10 commandments. Without wanting to sound too freaky-freaky I think it is probably the common refrain of the enemy of the Kingdom. I think Satan’s favourite ploy is to divert our worship, our virtuous desires and hopes, towards something other than the Lord. Through the mouth of Rehoboam he appeals to the people of Israel to choose something that is convenient over and above something that is obedient. People’s desire for convenience is used as a spanner to loosen their tightness to the Lord. Surely God would want life to be easy for us wouldn’t he? Surely he couldn’t expect us to trek all the way down to the south of the country just to make sacrifices to him? It has a very similar feel to the serpent’s “Did God really say...”. Making decisions based on what is convenient is not a great way for us to live. It can lead us to golden calfs and asherah poles and the establishment of high places. Jesus’ didn’t suggest to us that this would be convenient. He said that we have to lose our lives for his sake, to carry our cross, to die to ourselves. But we don’t do this alone. We don’t rely on our own strength to resist the overture of this voice. It is Christ in us who strengthens us. It is the Spirit who convicts us of sin, assures us of our forgiveness and leads us into all truth. Here is your God, O Israel. Here he is inside of you. Here he is in the Word. Here he is in the church. He is not particularly convenient but he can say a whole lot more than ‘moo’.
Acts 16:1-15
Why did Paul circumcise Timothy? It’s a fascinating question, especially considering all that he went on and on about at the Council of Jerusalem. My take on it is that it was all part of Paul’s absolute conviction that diversity must be retained in the church. It would be as much of a travesty to force a jew to leave his cultural heritage as it would be to force a gentile to leave his. Salvation depends on nothing less or nothing more than receiving the forgiveness and grace that Jesus offers through his cross and resurrection. Jesus didn’t come to call people into a single Christian culture but into his family. And even more than I enjoy the different personalities of my boys, God delights in the great array of colours and practices and personalities of his children. I think we get this in the Vineyard. I love the fact that we try not to sweat the small stuff. I love the way we try to welcome people from all backgrounds and with a whole range of theological emphases. We don’t compromise on the core beliefs - we won’t tolerate inflation to the Trinity as John Mumford so wonderfully puts it - but on a lot of the other things we try to listen to one another and learn from one another, being content to hold different views as we all move ever closer to Jesus. I’m convinced that brings great pleasure to Jesus. I’m convinced that he is urging us to do more of it.
Psalm 78:1-8
What a great thing it is that the Vineyard Kids team are doing.
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