Listening to sermons

There are a lot of words or phrases that Christians regularly use but sometimes we don't feel complete at ease with them. For example, a Christian might say that he/she 'enjoyed' listening to a particular sermon, but he/she will then feel the need to explain what they meant by 'enjoyed'.

Another word that might be used after listening to sermons is 'challenging'. After a particularly powerful message the Christian might say "that was challenging". But again this is an awkward expression because we don't want to just stay in the 'challenged' state; we want to be changed by the Word of God.

Recently, a word that has been commonly used is 'helpful'. The Christian may say they found the sermon 'helpful' or that it was a 'helpful' message or "there were some really helpful bits in that message". I have found using this word easier than the others because it is a blanket expression; it covers most of the things you might want to say about the 'good parts' of a sermon. If there were bits of a sermon that you found particularly challenging or that caused you to rejoice or to consider afresh some point of doctrine or the beauty or majesty or holiness of the Lord for example you could say you found it 'helpful'. Of course it would be much better to be specific and to say what was helpful or how it was helpful. This could be very profitable to both the person commenting on the sermon and the person listening.

But is that really fellowship?

I mention this because I have been to the Aberystwyth conference again this summer. I have now been to six Aber conferences (2002 -2007). At the conference and in other Christian events and circles people talk about sermons being 'helpful'. In my experience I have sadly been in attendance for some incredibly boring sermons (and believe me I take no delight in calling a sermon boring) but then I have spoken to people afterwards and they have found the same sermons helpful. Over time I grew to accept that some people might find sermons helpful that I found dreadful and, this year, stopped worrying about it as much. This acceptance has made for much more amiable conversations about sermons as together my friends and I pick out what was 'helpful' about the message.

However, I am starting to worry about this again. In church on Wednesday I can't remember exactly what prompted it but we went off on a bit of a tangent about these issues. We were wondering and discussing whether there is a greater issue/problem here. The discussion was very encouraging for me because I had been thinking about these things but was also very confused about them.

So, what is this greater issue/problem?

At the conference, the chairman will always say how blessed we have been to hear 'God speaking' to us or he will say that we 'trust that God will be speaking to us today', etc. Surely this is what we must be truly expecting. Surely this is what we want? So, if God is speaking to us - what is He saying? That is the big issue. If God is speaking to us surely we can't just come away and say "that was helpful". Looking at Scripture, when God speaks he is clearly saying something. What is God saying to the Reformed Evangelical churches in Wales today? True fellowship would be about what God is saying and not what we found 'helpful'.

It is my great fear and concern that by and large the people of God in Wales (and the UK?) are not expecting God to say anything at all. The people of God are expecting to learn something that is helpful. It is pitiful.

We need God to speak. We need to expect God to speak.

The solution to our problem starts with the individual. I need God to speak. I need to expect God to speak. But I get so disappointed and discouraged by the lack of desire in my heart and the hearts of almost every other Christian I meet for God to speak to us individually and collectively.

And very few people agree with me.

Assurance

I receive a daily Christian Quote of the Day from christianquote.com and most often they are very insightful, challenging and/or helpful. The Topic for Today was Assurance and the quote was...

Whom God legally saves, He experimentally saves; whom He justifies, them He also sanctifies. Where the righteousness of Christ is imputed to an individual, a principle of holiness is imparted to him; the former can only be ascertained by the latter. It is impossible to obtain a Scriptural knowledge that the merits of Christ's finished work are reckoned to my account, except by proving that the efficacy of the Holy Spirit's work is evident in my soul.

Pink, A. W.

I have heard a lot of quotes like these and read lots of Bible passages that teach the same kind of thing recently. It's very challenging. Nobody in a backslidden state can have any assurance.

Short Term Memories

Following on from my post yesterday where I had two points involving the same word...

1) I have been enjoying listening to Chris Rice's album "Short Term Memories" since I was sent it by Furious Records years ago. I listened to a lot of it again today. I have decided I am going to name my Christian radio show on Radio Tircoed after one of the tracks, "Smellin' Coffee", coz it's all about waking up to the joy of knowing God's mercies. One of my favourite songs on the album is called Clumsy. Here are the lyrics:
You think I’d have it down by now
Been practicin’ for thirty years
I should have walked a thousand miles
So what am I still doin’ here
Reachin’ out for that same old piece of forbidden fruit
I slip and fall and I knock my halo loose
Somebody tell me what’s a boy supposed to do?

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

I’m gonna get it right this time
I’ll be strong and I’ll make You proud
I’ve prayed that prayer a thousand times
But the rooster crows and my tears roll down (again)
Then You remind me You made me from the dust
And I can never, no never, be good enough
And that You’re not gonna let that come between us

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

From where I stand
Your holiness is up so high I can never reach it
My only hope is to fall on Jesus

I get so clumsy
I get so foolish
I get so stupid
And then I feel so useless
But You’re sayin’ You love me
And You’re still gonna hold me
And that You wanna be near me
‘Cause You’re makin’ me holy
You’re still makin’ me holy, yeah

It's a very positive song. I feel you can listen to it and take God's holiness very seriously and remember His great love and mercy at the same time too. Chris Rice's music is very honest and very easy to relate to.

2) Pete preached in Townhill tonight on things we must be reminded of as Christians because of our Short Term Memories. He was preaching on 2 Peter 1 vs 12-15:

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

We must remember our status in Christ as Christians, what we have been saved from, the realities of heaven and hell and the reality of God in our lives.

Press on

Tattoo

My Dad was watching the Edinburgh Tattoo on the tele today. What an impressive spectacle. I had it on in the background whilst I idled the afternoon away on facebook of course.

So why am I mentioning this? Two reasons...

1) I haven't blogged since January. And that's pants.

2) I got a tattoo in the summer and I thought I would tell you about it.

I was in Croatia for a lovely 5 day camping holiday this summer. Whilst there, my friends, Alison and Rach, and I decided that by the end of the week we would get some henna tattoos. We had seen them being done down by the seafront and thought it would be a laugh. I have included a photo of the tat for you to see (ignore the double chin, I am on a mission to remove that starting Monday). So it was a small strange flame like symbol which cost only £3 and would apparently only last a couple weeks. However, about a week and 3 days later the tattoo started to go bad. My skin decided it was not fond of henna at all. It looked disgusting. My friend Sian, a nurse, told me to keep it covered and taped with one of those square bandage things but put lots of vaseline on first. It took another week and a half before it started to scab over. My skin really does not like this henna stuff. I am now hoping that it will disappear soon. It would be nice to be able to go swimming again (especially seeing as I am on the aforementioned mission).

So if you ask me about tattoos then I will say 'the Edinburgh Tattoo? Fine. a Henna tattoo? No thank you'