A Day Like Any Other….?

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 31/Jan/2021]

It was probably just another day, a day like any other, at least that’s what Joseph must have felt that morning as he got ready to go and supervise things at Pharaoh’s grain market. He certainly wasn’t expecting to hear his native tongue being spoken and when he looked up, he certainly wasn’t expecting to see his brothers.

It was probably just another day, one like any other, when Moses led the sheep up the mountain, heard a crackling noise, looked and saw a bush on fire… except the bush didn’t burn down! He then heard a voice telling him he was standing on holy ground….. His life was never the same after that.

It was probably just another day, one like most others, when a young Hebrew girl, going about her business encountered an angel named Gabriel. Her life was never the same after that.

It was probably just another day, one like any other, when a young man named Saul started off on his way to round up more of the followers of this dead Rabbi. Then as he passed the sign saying ‘Damascus this way’, he wondered what that bright light that had suddenly appeared was…… His life was never the same after that.

For me, I can’t remember what I did that particular morning just over 30 years ago; you could say it was a day like any other, but I agreed to go to an evening church service I had been invited to. Odd, because at that time, I didn’t do church. I went, however, perhaps out of politeness, or perhaps because I was fed up of being asked so often and had run out of reasons not to go. I can’t remember what the sermon was, but after it was over, I walked up to the altar and said God, “If what you are offering is true, please show me and help me to follow you as I can’t do it in my own strength and I’m tired of running“. My life has never been the same since then.

I don’t know what you are going through (aside from a worldwide pandemic), don’t know what challenges you have, don’t know how tired you might feel, but one day, a day like any other, you might hear God’s call. On that day, rather than be speechless, you could paraphrase Samuel and say “Speak Lord, I’m listening”, and then trust Him as he takes you on life’s journey. Believe me, your life will never be the same after that. Remember, it is likely to start off as a day like any other day.

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Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

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Contributor: David Makanjuola
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What Have You Achieved?

[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections published by Horley Baptist Church during February 2021]

We were on child-minding duty recently. Young David had a break from his online lessons and started to play one of his video games. It seems that he has had rather too much practice and he moved through the game too rapidly for me to follow. However, I did catch sight of a dialogue box with a message that started a chain of thought.

Achievements cannot be credited in this world.

From what I understood, it seemed that the accumulated achievements of one phase of the game would open a way to access another higher level but, having done that, the player started the next phase with no extra benefits. Is there a parallel with those who hope their achievements in this life will give them access to heaven?
Monastery Gate, Putna

The story is told of a man who approached the gate of Heaven with two heavy suitcases. “You can’t bring them in here” said the gatekeeper. The man replied “But they represent my life’s achievements, they’re worth a fortune!” The gatekeeper opened the suitcases and saw that they were filled with gold bars. He turned to the man and asked “Why have you brought more paving slabs?”

Achievements cannot be credited in this world.

Is there any merit in amassing credits or storing up treasure if you are not going to be able to benefit from them? This does not mean that our achievements during our time in this world are worthless; rather that we cannot take them with us when we move on. Throughout history we can see people whose achievements have been of great benefit to those who followed them but, in a paraphrase of Job’s observation, they came into the world empty-handed and they left empty-handed.

The apostle Paul wrote to his protege Timothy:

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” [1 Timothy 6 v17-18 NIVUK]

Philanthropy depends on there being a surplus of income over expenditure but philanthropy itself is not a ticket to Heaven. Such blessings as we have have been lent to us by God and we do well to remember that, in his parables, Jesus addressed some of the harshest criticism to those who did nothing with the talents that had been entrusted to them.

This raises the question of “What motivates our achievements?” It is not good works that achieve eternal life but rather eternal life that promotes good works. A better answer comes from the grand master of motivational speaking, Jesus himself, in his Sermon on the Mount:

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 5 v16 NIVUK]

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

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Is Love Just a Feeling?

[Transcript of a midweek message published by Horley Baptist Church on YouTube[1], January 2021]

The movies tell us that love is a feeling worth giving up everything for, but what happens when the feelings die? Is love just a feeling or is it much more than that?

Would you say you are a romantic? Maybe you’re the sort of person that loves those romantic movies – you know the ones, they all seem to be the same. You have two unlikely people who come together and fall in love and, despite what the world throws at them, and usually despite some sort of misunderstanding, the feelings of love overcomes all and by the end of the film they’re together because the love, that feeling of love is worth more than anything else. It’s worth more than anything the world could possibly offer as an alternative.

[00:58] Maybe you’ve experienced that kind of love. Maybe you are experiencing that kind of love, that kind of heady feeling, that madness when your love for the other person is more important than anything else. You just can’t think of anything else but, whereas in those films the film ends at the moment when the love is fully realized, in life life carries on and we live our lives. We get married, we carry on and the habits of life get in the way, the routines of life, and maybe that feeling of love starts to fade away. Maybe you wake up one morning, you think ‘do I even love that person any more?’ and unfortunately those feelings of love can be replaced with feelings of annoyance and even anger. Perhaps that’s why so many marriages fail. It makes you question the wisdom of marriage and monogamy.

[02:22] Now the Bible says that God is love. If you wanted to define God with one word then that word would be ‘love’ and we as human beings know love because we’re children of God, because we are made in the image of God. But if love is fickle and temporary then what does that say about God and what does that say about us?

[02:53] When I was growing up one of my favourite bands was “Massive Attack”. In one of their songs the lyrics went ‘Love is a verb, love is a doing word’ and maybe that one sentence gives us a clue. It gives us an understanding of why we’ve got love so wrong in our movies and unfortunately in our lives as well. That love is about action, it’s about doing things, it’s about demonstrating our love, and I don’t mean that by buying flowers or a box of chocolates. I mean love is truly love when it is enacted, when it is experienced beyond a feeling, when you do something for someone even when you don’t want to, even when you don’t feel like it, even when it makes things hard, because actually you recognize that love is about doing. It’s about action, it’s about demonstration. It isn’t about feelings.

[04:17] I believe that’s what Jesus demonstrated in his life and his ministry, love in action, and I think that says something really important about God. God isn’t fickle, God isn’t temporary. Actually God is permanent, God is unchanging and God loves us beyond anything that we could possibly earn ourselves. In fact the Bible says that God demonstrated his love for us by sending Jesus to the cross himself, sacrificed for those he loved. That’s a real challenge I think to us, particularly as when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is he said “well it’s basically love God, love others and love ourselves”. Not a fickle and temporary love but a love demonstrated by what we do.

Well, thank you so much for watching this midweek message. Do subscribe to our YouTube channel and do share it on Facebook. That would be really appreciated.
Just to say that our midweek messages are linked to our Sunday sermons and you can actually access those on our Horley Baptist YouTube channel. We’re actually finishing our series ‘living like Jesus’ this coming Sunday and we’re going to try something new on Sunday evening at 8pm on Facebook on the Horley Baptist Church Facebook page. We’re going to have a live discussion with Chris Tilling from St Mellitus college and Daz Jones from Horley Baptist Church about the sermon series, about those things that we’ve learned, those things that have challenged us, and we’re just going to take things a little bit deeper so do join us for that. Do watch live at 8pm on Sunday the 31st of January, that’s this coming Sunday.
Thank you for tuning in and do remember to subscribe. ’bye

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[1] YouTube link: Is Love Just a Feeling?
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Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
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Contributor: Martin Shorey
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Well, What Happened Next?

[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections prepared for Horley Baptist Church during January 2021]
Woman at Well
In a recent reflection we looked at the report of the conversation that Jesus had at a well outside the Samaritan village of Sychar. The account focuses on the change in the woman as she talks with Jesus, and the reaction of her fellow villagers. However, there is a footnote to that story that is liable to be overlooked. John 4 v40 tells us that the villagers urged him to stay with them for a further two days.

Were the disciples happy with this breach of protocol, consorting with the despised foreigners? We are not told but we can be sure that if the Jewish leaders had known they would have had apoplexy. They were offended when they saw Jesus dining with tax-collectors and sinners; to stay in a Samaritan village would render them speechless!

Do we harbour any secret thoughts about who Jesus should be seen with? Are there situations into which we are content to let Jesus go, just so long as he doesn’t expect us to accompany him?

The outcome of this sojourn in Sychar is that “many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony”. Did they all live happily ever-after? As a community of new believers they would have a lot to learn; new ways of interacting with each other, new ways of worship. Like new believers today, they would not have become mature disciples immediately but we can be confident that the Holy Spirit would have started to work amongst them.

The change in the village would not have gone unnoticed in the surrounding area so did Sychar become the hub of a new evangelistic outreach? Certain Eastern Orthodox traditions maintain that the woman herself was baptised and took the name Photini, meaning ‘enlightened’. It is suggested that she became a successful gospel preacher and was later martyred for her faith.

In the Biblical book of Acts the narrative returns to Samaria:

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said … they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.
[Acts 8 v5-6, 12]

Later we see that Peter and John went to Samaria, to teach the new believers and to preach in many Samaritan villages. Is it too far-fetched to suggest that the positive reception that Philip, Peter and John received was, at least in part, due to the previous witness of a woman from Sychar?

It all began with a simple request for a drink of water. Do you know someone who is thirsty?

‘Woman at the Well’, Carl Heinrich Bloch c1872, Public Domain.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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Does more stuff make a better life?

[Transcript of a midweek message published by Horley Baptist Church on YouTube[1], January 2021]

Capitalism is driven by consumerism, and it has made western countries rich and comfortable. But in our want-consumed lives, where the goal is to own more stuff, have we lost peace and replaced it with worry?

Anyone that knows me will know that I’m really into my cars. In fact, I need to keep buying a new car every few years. Once I’ve got a new car I’m already thinking about what the next car is going to be. There’s always something better out there. When I look at the car I can’t go for the previous model, I’ve got to have the latest model with all the latest gadgets, the things I’ve just got to have in order for it to be the perfect car.

Maybe for you it’s not cars but perhaps for you it’s other things that you just need to have: clothes, shoes, gym membership, all things that we’re persuaded by the media and by advertisers that we have to have in order to make our lives better. Now this is what is known as consumerism and it’s what drives our economy. We are a must a mass consumption economy. In fact, in post-war America in the 1950s the government encouraged people to buy things. Good Americans, good citizens were those that bought lots and lots of things because when people buy things that drives our our capitalist economy, it makes us a richer wealthier country and it works. That’s exactly what it does and in the west most of our countries are affluent because of capitalist and consumerism ideals.

But I’m wondering that in our pursuit of wealth and comfort that we’ve actually lost something. I mean, before capitalism we didn’t have individualism, at least not as we define it now, and we didn’t have careers except when it came to race horses and yet that’s what drives our economy. What drives capitalism and consumerism is the individual and our need to fund our comfortable lifestyles.

I find that actually what it does do is fill our lives with worry – worry that we are keeping up with the Joneses, worry that we’re missing out, worry that if we don’t buy that new pair of shoes or eat that particular food then our life isn’t going to be as good as it could be. So we form careers, we pursue the best life in the support and then we worry that we haven’t got enough money or maybe we’ve borrowed money to buy more stuff. We worry that we’re not going to be able to pay it back and then we worry that our children aren’t going to have enough stuff or have a good enough quality of living. Our life is just full of worry mounting up when really we’re wondering why we’re not enjoying the comfortable lifestyle that we have.

There’s another thing about worry: worry makes us introspective, it makes us more concerned about our own problems and our own issues, and because of that we fail to look up and see the difficulties that other people find themselves in and we fail to see the suffering of people around us. We’re less generous because if we’re generous we haven’t got as much to keep for ourselves, we haven’t got enough money to spend on ourselves. Philanthropy has reduced significantly in the last 100 years. The latest generation, they’re the generation least likely to give money to church because they need that money to fund their lifestyles, to remain comfortable and to have all those things that society says that they need to have.

Surely there’s a better way isn’t there? Is there a way to escape this sinkhole of worry in our lives? Is there a way to live our lives where we’re not consumed with what we have or haven’t got, where we’re not constantly worrying about the things that we’re missing out on? A way where we’re not in competition with other people and we’re not pushing ourselves, driving ourselves so we can have a better and more comfortable life. Surely there’s got to be a better way – is there?

Thank you so much for watching our midweek message. If you want to find out more about this, if you want to go a bit deeper, if you want to find out what the Bible has to say about worry and possessions then do join us for our Sunday service where Rob Bell will be talking to us about trust and simplicity, and what Jesus said about it and how he lived. So do join us this Sunday on our YouTube channel to find out more about that. ‘bye!

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[1] YouTube link: Does more stuff make a better life?
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Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
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Contributor: Martin Shorey
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It’s a Disruption!

[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 24/Jan/2021]

Martin recently explored the difference between an interruption and a disruption, his main point being that a disruption does not permit a return to ‘normal’. When things have changed so much that only a ‘reset’, a paradigm shift in our thinking leading to a radically new way of doing things, will enable us to move forward.

The story of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 really made me think! The people had become so proud of their own achievements that they began to build a city and a tower to “make a name for ourselves, otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” [Genesis 11 v 4]

Years ago many of us read a book called ‘Out of the Saltshaker’. Using Jesus’s own words in Matthew 5, we found ourselves challenged, commanded, to be salt in the world – enhancing the flavour of people’s lives and keeping what’s good from spoiling. But what strikes me is the possibility that one of the reasons Jesus may be allowing this pandemic to roll on is that we, his partners in Kingdom work, need to finally and irreversibly get rid of our ‘in the salt cellar’ mentality, and allow ourselves to be scattered.

If, as I wrote a few months ago, the fields really are white, ready for a huge harvest, can we expect to bring it in by doing things the way we’ve always done them? I feel as though I’m always playing the same note on my fiddle. Maybe the Holy Spirit is far ahead of me. Maybe I’m in for a surprise when I see more clearly what He has done and is doing!

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Contributor: Dennis Ginter
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