Here’s a summary of last week’s ‘So What’ from Jeremiah 45.

God’s word to Baruch was: In a time of national and spiritual disaster, Baruch’s priorities were wrong; it was wrong of him to seek great things for himself.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:26 that life isn’t about the accumulation of abundance – about grasping for gain.

1 John 5:13 tells us that God’s people have been given the priceless gift of eternal life.

This means we don’t have to strive for gain or personal ambition in life; we’ve been given something so much greater.  If God has my back (like He had Baruch’s – Jer 45:5) it means I can freely give myself to Him and others.

So who or what am I ambitious for?

In Matthew 6 Jesus says to be ambitious for God and His kingdom – to seek first to see His kingdom growing.

This is especially needed in the face of coming disaster; 2 Peter 3:9 tells us a day of judgement is coming – which spells disaster for anyone not on the side of the Judge (through the Saviourship of Jesus).

In the face of this coming disaster, will you seek to build up your or some other human’s ‘kingdom’, or will you be ambitious to build God’s – to see more people finding refuge in Him?

• Aug 29 – Mission in the Marketplace (Acts 17:16-34)
• Sep 05 – Confronting the Idols (Acts 19:8-41)
• Sep 12 – Paul’s Perfect Storm (Acts 27)
• Sep 19 – Adventures in Malta (Acts 28:1-10)

Following Mike’s sermons, we’ll then be moving on to 1 Timothy, which I will be preaching through (God willing).

The title of this series is ‘Putting your household in order’, and this comes from 1 Timothy 3:14-15, which says:

“I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth”.

The following is the sermon plan for this series:

Hopefully there will be a 1 Timothy reading plan produced in the next few weeks, so that you can read through the letter at home and thus grasp the message of 1 Timothy even more.

Thanks for your generosity; $176 was raised, and combined with excess dinner money accumulated over previous weeks, we’ll be able to give at least $200 to World Vision’s Pakistan floods appeal. If you’d like to read more about what World Vision is doing to help, or donate online if you didn’t manage to on Sunday, here’s the place to go.

Praise God for the many organisations (like World Vision, TEAR, Open Doors, GFA) – especially the many founded by Christians – that make it possible for us to be involved in giving aid to those who most need it.

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:36-37

…but as we pointed out at CG, it wasn’t that the Old Covenant was a bad system in itself. God doesn’t institute bad systems; He’s not a bully for introducing something that He knew would ultimately ‘fail’. But it was a system that He knew wouldn’t be able to work perfectly because it was a Covenant made between Him (a perfect God with perfect standards of holiness) and a broken, sinful, and thus unreliable people. Namely, from Exodus 19:5, Israel was supposed to obey God fully and keep (or obey) His covenant – the process of which was fully described in the Old Testament moral, political, and ceremonial laws. If (or rather when) the people didn’t obey, they were to apply the procedures of the sacrificial system – as an animal died and its blood was shed on their behalf, the people acknowledged that the due penalty of their sin against God was the separation of death, but that an animal was taking this punishment upon itself in their place. A lot of sin was committed, and so a lot of animals died*.

But there was a bunch of other stuff – as we learned from the (translated!) Latin summary phrases in Sunday’s sermon, a fallen humanity is not able to not sin. So there remained this separation, this relational distance between a sinful people and an awe-fully holy God as they struggled to obey, yet kept failing. A new system was needed – one that didn’t depend on sinful people to ensure its success, yet one that didn’t compromise this awe-full holiness of God’s. What? How??

Enter the New Covenant.

Imagine if there were someone who could perfectly keep the human side of the Covenant, and then ‘lend’ this perfect obedience to the rest of humanity? And imagine if there were a blood sacrifice with blood so ‘potent’ it was sufficient to cover all sin for all time – so the animal sacrifices could stop? And imagine if there were a life of infinite worth that if sacrificed, would be sufficient to take the separation of death-punishment for all other lives?

Enter Jesus.

- the perfect Adam, and the perfect Lamb – the human who because of the infinite worth of his divine life, could represent all humans: as he both perfectly obeyed the perfect standards of God, AND as he offered himself as the perfect and final ‘animal’ sacrifice to completely take the punishment due all humans for all their sin.

So if he kept Covenant perfectly, and if God allowed this Covenant-keeping perfection to belong to sinful me, then … wow! Imagine all the benefits that would be mine! (Actually you don’t have to imagine – Hebrews 10:11-25 is a good start, and then you could read the rest of the New Testament to round it off!)

So this is why I get excited thinking about the New Covenant, and how it’s better – not at all because I’m better or more sophisticated than an Old Testament Israelite, but because a Better Person has kept it perfectly for me. And God by His stupendous grace, somehow sees fit to allow Jesus’ perfect Covenant-keeping righteousness to be MINE – so that God sees me as if I’d never sinned, and is changing and empowering me so that I sin less with time, and will one day perfect me so I can’t sin at all. Plus I get to have GOD as my friend, not a distant Creator or angry Lord, but as loving heavenly Father, and Jesus as my brother.

I’ve gone on for several paragraphs now, but I hope you’ve seen why this stuff makes me excited. It’s the Gospel – the heart of the Good News we believe as Christians – that God should be so good to me by including me in this New Covenant is too wonderful for words. I hope it makes you rejoice too, and if you haven’t yet experienced it for yourself, I hope it makes you want to. Find out how here.

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*Gory? yup. But a primitive system of blood and death by an anthropologically immature people that later became outmoded as they developed a more sophisticated religion? (this is how some schools of thought would describe it) no. Yes, this might seem to be a plausible explanation, but a careful reading of the whole Bible helps clarify why the system changed – and it isn’t due to a group of people becoming more sophisticated. Actually, keep reading above for the Bible’s explanation.

….

There’s a few ideas or things you may have been taught about giving along the course of your Christian life. One might be the concept of‘ Tithing’, which has its origins in the Old Testament Law given to God’s people (the Israelites) through Moses. Tithing was where God’s people gave 10% of everything they owned (whether money, crops, animals, cloth etc) to God by giving it for the use of the priestly Levite tribe. The male Levites’ job as Priests in God’s Temple disallowed them from working at anything else to earn money or possessions, so they needed these to be given to them. In God’s magnificent, logical, and orderly wisdom, He arranged that the Levites’ daily needs should be provided for by the other 11 tribes’ tithes.

So what about us in the New Testament? Is tithing (giving 10% of our money, goods, and possessions) still the way to go?

The question behind the question here is to what extent are New Testament believers bound to obey the Old Testament Law? This is a huge question with a big answer that’s hard to reduce into a few paragraphs. But I’ll try!

Historically, there are two positions that give the extreme answers to this question – ie. ‘not at all’ (Dispensationalism) and ‘fully’ (Theonomy). And here I’ll do some quoting from the contemporary Old Testament scholar, Tremper Longman III (!):

One finds a tendency in dispensationalist writing to distinguish between the OT as a time when God worked through law and the NT as a period of grace. … [Schofield's] view … cannot help but lead to a minimalisation of the law, a disregard for the OT law as such. It does not, as Bruce Waltke points out, take into account Paul’s assertion that the law is “holy and right and good” (Rom 7:12).

… On the other hand, the school of thought that goes by the name theonomy … argues that the OT laws and penalties are still in effect today. … In brief, theonomy’s approach to the law is to take Jesus’ words seriously, dogmatically, and literally. … Strict continuity is assumed between the Old and New Testaments. Theonomists believe that it is the job of government to enforce OT law, which thereby becomes a blueprint for contemporary society.

[Making Sense of the Old Testament: Three Crucial Questions, Tremper Longman III, p105-106]

Longman’s (and our) view is that there are distinct points of Continuity AND Discontinuity between Old and New Testaments. So, when it comes to NT believers’ obedience to the Law (or not), we have to understand what these points are. Here’s where this post could seriously blow out so at risk of being too brief, this is a summary based on Longman’s [p108-123] -

All OT Case Law (laws that concern specific situations) is an outflow, or application of the Ten Commandments to the specific situations of the Old Testament people of God.

Jesus himself upheld (and extended the scope and application of) the Ten Commandments in his teaching, so we must uphold them.

Jesus also perfectly summarised the essence of the Ten Commandments (and their accompanying case laws) in the two greatest commandments in Mark 12:29-31 -

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The relevant ‘case law’ (or application of the Ten / two Greatest Commandments to our specific situations) inevitably looks hugely different for us (Christians in the 21st Century) compared with the OT / God’s nation of Israel before Christ.

The New Testament provides ‘case law’ for New Testament believers, exemplified in Jesus’ and the apostles’ teaching about what pleases God.

Instead of obeying the case law of the OT, we obey the ‘case law’ (or commands) of the NT, both of which are expressions / applications of the Ten Commandments / two Greatest Commandments contextualised for the stage of redemption-history at hand.

Neither the Israelites nor we can obey God’s commands to earn salvation. Rather we obey Him to please Him because He has saved us.

So, back to tithing! Do we give 10%, more, or less?

The NT ‘case law’ on giving doesn’t specify percentages, but rather, attitude. Paul teaches Jesus’ followers (that’s us!) to give generously. To illustrate this he gave the Macedonian Christians props for urgently pleading with the apostles for the privilege of giving! He motivated generosity on the basis of Jesus’ generous giving to us. And he taught that God both enables and affirms our generosity when it’s enacted for Him. (read it all in 2 Corinthians 8-9)

Back to the 10%. We personally think there’s lots of merit for letting 10% be a minimum figure rather than a maximum. If the NT teaching is ‘generosity’, then the whole point is that we seek to out-give ourselves, rather than scrimp! But having said this, because 10% is not a NT command, NT believers have freedom in Christ to give less – particularly if and when circumstances necessitate it. (Beware using this as a cop-out though!)

I’ll finish with a fantastic summary borrowed from David Cook at BLT in January 2008.

In the Old Testament, it was 1 in 12 (tribes who were consecrated to serve God as His priests). In the New Testament, it is 12 in 12. As Christians, we are ALL made holy to serve God as His priests (mediators) to the non-Christian world, as a constant, never-retired-from vocation.

In the Old Testament, it was 1 in 7 (days consecrated as holy to the Lord to remember and honour Him). In the New Testament, it is 7 in 7. All our days and times are His; we remember, serve, and honour Him with all of what we do on all our days – both at work and at rest.

In the Old Testament, it was 10% (of money and possessions given back to God). In the New Testament, it is 100%. All of our money and possessions belong to God; we are merely stewards of His resources. We are to use ALL of it to serve and glorify Him; all of it is holy and to be used in God-honouring ways – whether given in offering, given away to the poor, invested for His kingdom – not ours! – or spent in enjoying His Creation-gifts with thankfulness.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

Anyway, enough junior and senior physics stuck with me that I’m now able to make some useful sense of it in an ‘all of life’ context, and that’s pretty cool. Take for example, Newton’s second law of motion, F=ma, and how I reckon it can help us understand our discipleship.

F=ma in words is Force = mass * acceleration. Simply (or simplistically) put for our purposes, if an object has a force applied to it in a certain direction at a certain rate of acceleration, it will move. But having said that, the force needs to be great enough to overcome the inertia possessed by the mass / object otherwise it will stay put (think of a little kid trying to push his big father off a chair). Also, the direction of application of F and a can be negative or positive (or come from any direction) – that is, you can make the object move backwards or forwards depending where you push or pull it from.

How does all this help us understand discipleship?! Well Steve and I were just praying through the orange bookmark with all 5:17ers’ names on it, and I was having a ponder about where we’re all at in terms of our following Jesus. In a sense, we’re all ‘masses’ that need a Force applied to us in a certain direction, and we’re all moving at different rates of acceleration. Some of us have greater inertia than others and thus need more Force applied, and some of us are moving backwards and need a good dose of Force applied in the opposite direction. Some of us are stuck, because equal and opposite Forces have been applied such that we’re not moving at all.

To change the physics equation a bit, discipleship (like an apple that falls out of a tree) needs intentional momentum and positive trajectory. God wants us to grow! He wants us to move forward in following Christ, and preferably not at a snail’s pace.

I guess the implications are: if we’re serious about growing, we need to recognise what Forces are being applied to our lives, and in what directions. Are we exposing ourselves to positive-direction ones, and are we growing proportionally? If not, is the Force too small (eg. not enough Bible input or prayer or submission to God’s Spirit or fellowship and accountability) or is the inertia of the mass too big (eg. am I too stubborn, proud, blind, hardened, or foolish to submit myself to the Force God wants to apply?)

Paul the Apostle had a great formula for Christian growth – Romans 12:1-2 -

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The world applies a negative conforming Force to us and we need to resist it, and instead submit ourselves to the transforming, renewing Forces of God’s word and Spirit. How are you going at this?

Here’s another equation you might like to turn into prayer for yourself and our church family. You might have come across it elsewhere.

Growth in Christ = F * A * T = Faithful * Available * Teachable

May God make 5:17ers self-consciously, prayerfully, and humbly F*A*T – so that the Forces He applies to us will result in His glory, our good, and a huge, positive impact on our world.

Forgive us, Father, for our indifference to the coming of your Son. We have not kept our lamps of expectation burning or bought the oil of eagerness in hope for the Bridegroom to return. We have bought a field and gone to look at it. We have bought oxen and spent time ooing and aahing over their height and weight. We have married a wife and desired her more than the coming of your Son. O Lord, forgive us. We are sorry for the dishonour that our wandering affections show to you and your servant, Jesus.

But Lord, we are eager to change. And we come to you for help. Incline our hearts to Christ. Open our eyes to the glory of Christ. Make the appearing of our great God and Saviour a ‘blessed hope’ in our hearts – a happy hope, a satisfying hope. Break our addiction to this world. Cause us to set our minds on things that are above where Christ is seated at your right hand. Work in us the command of Peter to ‘hope fully in the grace of God that is coming at the revelation of Jesus Christ’. Free us from the anxieties that come from too much dependence on earthly circumstances. Form us into a radical band of risk-takers in the cause of love because we know that this mortal flesh will put on immortality and this body of lowliness will be transformed into a body like Christ’s glorious body.

We love you, Father. We love your Son’s appearing. Grant us to live out this hope in the freedom of self-sacrifice to the glory of your great grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Piper’s prayers are soul-nourishing.

Coming up on the CMS calendar is this event – which we’d encourage non-CG-South 5:17ers to get along to if you can – for thought-provoking help in understanding Islam and Muslims in Australia, plus a yum home-cooked dinner!

Find out more about Journey In Mission here.

This last slide acts as a summary of the whole OT based on the framework introduced above. (click on it to see a bigger version of it)

If you’d like to read more about Goldsworthy’s Framework, look for The Goldsworthy Trilogy (Gospel and Kingdom, Gospel and Wisdom, The Gospel in Revelation) or According to Plan.

It’s easy for perfectionist-types to conceive of their sin as being frustrating lapses in their attempts to attain a perfect standard (which they delude themselves about actually being able to keep). Sin for perfectionists is against an impersonal standard, and against their better ability to achieve it. Repeated sin perpetuates the perfectionist’s prideful frustration.

It’s easy for self-pitying types to conceive of their sin as being yet another pitiful lapse, in keeping with all their other pitiful lapses to be a better person. Sin confirms them in their mindset that ‘the only thing keeping you from achieving your dreams is your negative attitude’. Sin for self-pitying types is also against an impersonal standard, and against their chronic inability to achieve it. Repeated sin perpetuates the self-pitier’s self-ward misery.

In both cases, there’s a terrible delusion at work – not that a perfect standard of morality doesn’t exist, but that it’s (supposed to be) achievable by us apart from Jesus achieving it for us.

But there’s also the key delusion that sin is merely against a standard rather than against a person. In actual fact, our sin is grievous not because it reflects our lack of self-betterment, but because it’s an expression of our rebellion against God. There’s a Person on the other end of our sin who is personally grieved by it.

If the perfectionist or the self-pitier would see their sin as being against a person, they would have the right biblical and relational motivation and empowerment to fight it – because not only does that Person care deeply about hating and fighting sin, He alone is able (and willing) to empower this fight to enable consistent victory. No longer then will the impersonal standard mock the hapless sinner, because the aggrieved Person doesn’t stop at being grieved, but offers the repentant sinner grace – grace to see and hate their sin rightly, and grace to overcome it.

It might be scarier to acknowledge that we sin against a Person rather than a standard, but it’s infinitely better for us. Because what an incredible God we serve (and sin against! :S) – who not only knows and grieves our weakness but is faithful and just (and unbelievably gracious) to forgive us our sin, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and to renew our very hearts and desires to love and obey Him.