What Will Happen to Those Who Never Hear About Jesus?

One of the big questions people often ask is what about people who die having never heard the gospel? What will happen to them? We understand easily enough from Scripture that 1) those who accept Christ as their Saviour receive the Holy Spirit and are given the free gift of eternal life, and that 2) those who consciously reject his gift of grace forfeit the gift of salvation and face an eternity separated from God.  

We may not like it. We may worry about friends and family who think they are fine without God. We may even wonder why a good God would not give a second chance after death – but we understand deep down that there is something terribly wrong about forcing people to accept a gift they don’t want. Hebrews 9.27 says that people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment so it seems clear that we all have to make a decision about Jesus in this life.

But what about people who never hear about Jesus and are therefore not even aware that there is a decision to make? What about people in far off lands where the gospel has yet to penetrate, or countries where there is another majority religion? Or even in some western countries where the church is so unrecognisable from the Book of Acts that people never see an authentic Christian community and therefore never take a second look? Will God treat them as if they have rejected the gospel? Or will he treat them as if they have accepted it? Universalists say that God will just save everyone in the end but there is nothing in the Bible at all to back that up so it seems a bit like wishful thinking.

It’s a hot potato whose temperature is increased by the fact that the Bible doesn’t really seem to say in clear terms what will happen to people who die having never heard about Jesus. Undeniably, different Christians, even ones who accept the authority of Scripture, hold different views.

Some point to Jesus being the one and only way to God (Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me, John 14.6) and they take that to mean that anyone who has not made a conscious profession of faith in Jesus cannot be saved. Acts 17.30-31 is another passage some people quote to support this point of view. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.

To the charge that this seems a bit unfair, people will often point to Romans 1.18-20 which says that everyone can understand enough about God through creation and their conscience to know exactly what they are rejecting, so they cannot plead ignorance. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

But others tentatively disagree. They say that, although Jesus is always the means of salvation, maybe people can be saved by what he did on the cross - even though they don’t necessarily know or understand everything about it. They say that God’s justice will take into account how clear their understanding was about what God was offering them in Christ. So God will judge them according to the light they had because he is absolutely fair.

They accept that the New Testament says that we are saved by faith, not by works. But they say, “What about Romans 2.6-8? God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. “Doesn’t this Scripture suggest,” they ask, “that there are people whose good lives show that the Lord illuminated their hearts with some kind of simple faith even if they never actually heard the gospel as such?

As I said above, the Bible’s authors do not spend a lot of time discussing this question. It may be a big interest for us but it was not for them. Overwhelmingly, their emphasis is on us preaching the gospel so that everyone can hear about Jesus and have a chance to respond to it personally, not wonder how people might fare if we just stay at home and talk hypothetically about theology! That’s why one of the best answers to this question “What about those who have never heard?” is “Who do you know who hasn’t heard about Jesus - and what are you going to do about it? 

In Genesis 18.25 Abraham pleads with God to save the city of Sodom from the judgment he had threatened because of the great and grievous evil they had committed. Abraham appeals to God to show mercy, (which he does), and Abraham says to himself, Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? It’s a rhetorical question so the obvious affirmative answer is not written down - but it’s a question worth reflecting on as we think about this question. Can we trust our wise, all-powerful, all-knowing creator God, who knows the secret of every heart, to do the right thing on the Day of Judgment? Will not the Judge of all the earth do the right thing?

I hope we have seen enough of God in our own lives to be able to say, “Yes, we can trust him. He will do right.” He is righteous in all his ways (Psalm 145.17). He is good. His love endures forever (Psalm 136.1). And he will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity. (Psalm 98.9).

Testing in the Wilderness (Luke 4.1-14)

Introduction

I was reading a book by David Pawson this week called Completing Luther’s Reformation. And, in that book, there were two anecdotes that really struck me.

The first was about a Hell’s Angel known to him who lived in his town.

He was into drugs and motorbikes and antisocial behaviour – and he had an image of Satan tattooed on his chest. Well, he was converted to Christ.

He knew he should be baptized, but he avoided it because he noticed how your shirt goes transparent when you come up out of the water and he didn’t want anybody to see his tattoo of the devil.

So, despite people encouraging him to be baptized, he kept putting it off. Finally, he got hold of a plastic surgeon in his local hospital and he asked if there was any way the tattoo could be removed.

The surgeon said, “Yes, there are two ways. The first is to burn it off, which is very painful and which will leave a big scar. The second is to take a skin graft from your thigh and transplant it on your chest. But it costs a lot of money, you can’t get it on the NHS and you’ll have to wait months.”

The guy said, “I can’t wait, and I haven’t got the money anyway.” So, he asked a friend to baptise him in a garden swimming pool surrounded by other Christian friends.

He went down into the water to bury his past and to wash away his sins, and when he came up out of the water the tattoo had completely and miraculously gone.

The second story was about a friend of his from London. At school he had been good friends with another boy, but after school they lost touch as often happens.

After leaving school, David Pawson's friend became a Christian and eventually a pastor. The other young man got into drugs and crime and his life began to spiral out of control.

Finally, he became suicidal and decided to end it all. Then he remembered his friend from school. He thought, “I wonder where he is now. Maybe he could help me.”

This was before the days of Facebook and he didn’t know how to trace him, so he went to a spiritist medium and said, “Could you help me locate my friend from school?”

She went into a trance and said, “I can describe for you the house he lives in.” She said, “It’s opposite a big park with trees,” and she gave detail after detail. She said, “I can’t give you the exact address but it’s in North London somewhere.”

Then she said, “I’ve got bad news for you. He died a few years ago.” She even gave him the date of death. But out of curiosity he set off anyway and spent weeks looking around North London parks with trees. He finally found a house exactly as the medium had described in the trance.

He knocked at the door and his old friend from school answered it! They talked for a long while, the pastor led him to the Lord and his life began to turn around.

But he said to his pastor friend, “The medium told me you were dead. She even gave me the date of your death.” So the pastor laughed and asked, “Oh really? What date did I die?” He gave it to him. He said, “That was the very day I was baptized.” Buried with Christ in baptism…

Two amazing stories. And I thought I’d share them with you today because they make a bridge between what Phil was saying last Sunday, about baptism, and today’s passage which is Jesus' battle with the devil in the wilderness. We’re in Luke chapter 4.

There’s something about being baptized in water that the devil doesn’t like because it gives you a decisive edge in the spiritual battle.

So following last week’s passage about Jesus’ baptism, after a little parenthesis on his family tree, the very next verse finds Jesus leaving the Jordan and heading into the desert for 40 days of rigorous self-denial, prayer and fasting. Are you up for that?

Matthew says, after Jesus’ baptism, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” Mark says it happened “at once”.

Jesus has just been overwhelmed by an outpouring of affection and approval as the Father’s dearly loved only Son at his baptism. He is in a good place. All is well.

Most of you have been there before - or somewhere near it. Your conversion, a glimpse of heaven in worship, your baptism, witnessing an amazing healing, maybe a special night at Stoneleigh or Spring Harvest or something...
It’s great when that happens. But life is not like that all the time. It isn’t for us and it wasn’t for Jesus either.

Let’s read what happens next…

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Prayer…

If you are going though a season of testing or if you struggle constantly with temptation it doesn’t mean you are a spiritual minnow or that God doesn’t love you.

Terry Virgo says, “Rainbows never appear on clear days. Often you get a clearer view of God’s wonderful covenant faithfulness when you're going through one of  life’s storms.”

Temptation is a gymnasium. God allows it in your life because he wants to build up your spiritual muscle.

1) Satan attacks when we are at our most vulnerable (v1-4)

Jesus has not eaten for 40 days. Then Luke adds, with a bit of understatement, “he was hungry.” Jesus is at this time physically spent.

He is suffering from the severe heat by day and the extreme cold by night. Depending on what time of year it was, at midday the temperature could have climbed up to 40° and by midnight it would have dropped to about 4° - colder than a fridge.

Mark’s Gospel mentions that Jesus was with the wild animals. The desert of Judea is a harsh landscape with scorpions, snakes, wolves, jackals and the like.

If Jesus were to write a Trip Advisor review of his 40 day break in the desert it would read like a holiday from hell.
Hotel basic. Food minimal. Air con non-existant. Pests everywhere. Really annoying fellow guest.

Notice that Satan chooses to attack at the moment when Jesus is most vulnerable. Not at the spiritual high of his baptism. He bides his time and holds his fire, waiting for the moment when you are tired, or sick, or alone, or discouraged.

Satan will come to you, just like he came to Jesus, when you are most exposed and he will bait his hook with whatever is attractive to you.

Temptation is bait on a hook. The Devil’s goal is to offer you whatever short-term pleasure draws you to bite his grubby old hook, so he can reel you in towards death. Because sin leads to death.

Satan is like a crooked used car dealer. And he's good at his job. He won’t show you the rust under the chassis. He’ll say, “See how comfortable those leather seats are.” The devil is a salesman; he could sell shaving cream to the Taliban.

So he doesn’t say to Jesus, “Let me be lord of your life and tell you what to do.” He knows Jesus will tell him to get lost so he tries something a bit more subtle. “If you are the Son of God, you can just tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus hasn’t eaten for over a month. He looks at a pile of sand-coloured pebbles in the heathaze and notices how much they look just like freshly baked rolls. He can smell the baker’s shop in Nazareth.
This is how the devil tempts us.

Satan doesn’t say, “Have some unhappiness in your marriage relationship” because you will just think “no thanks.”
He’ll say, “Why not have some fun on this porn site. Nobody’s watching.”

He won’t say, “Why don’t you waste all your money and run up massive debts” because that’s not attractive to anyone.

He’ll say, “Let’s spend an evening gambling. Think of the exhilaration, think of the buzz. It’s your night, I can feel it.”
He won’t say, “I’ll help you become a selfish and lonely person that no one likes” because who wants that?

Instead, he’ll say, “Don’t strain yourself serving and loving others; put your feet up and live a life of ease. Look after number one, you're worth it.”

As so often, Satan plays with doubt. “If you are the Son of God…” With you and me it’s, “If you were a true Christian would you really think what you just thought?” Or, “Do you honestly think God loves you as much as he loves everyone else?” Or, “Surely someone who was genuinely saved would have more faith than you have by now…” Tell him to go to hell!

If you have asked Christ to be your Lord and Saviour, the matter is settled.
You are chosen before the creation of the world, a child of God, born from above, adopted and loved by your heavenly Father, you are the apple of his eye, an inheritor of the kingdom of God, your sin is paid for in full, completely forgiven. Your filthy rags have gone and you are clothed with the righteousness of Christ, with every spiritual blessing in heaven at your disposal. That is what God’s word says about you.

Revelation 12.10 calls Satan “the accuser.” Because he is.

But Jesus is absolutely clear about your spiritual status. This is what he says in John 5.24; “I’m telling you the truth, those who hear my word and believe him who sent me have eternal life and will not be condemned; they have crossed over from death to life.” It couldn’t be clearer.

Jesus is not going to let Satan call the tune for the sake of a bite to eat. “No, Satan, the Bible says, man shall not live by bread alone.” Go away.

2) He wants our worship (v5-8)

So the devil attacks us when we are most defenceless. Next, in v5-8, we get an insight of his ultimate ambition. 

What does Satan really want? Ultimately, he wants the whole world to fall down before him in worship.

In v5 he tries to sell Jesus a vain, egotistical dream. He shows Jesus all the glories of the earth; the pyramids of Upper Egypt, the Palace of Versailles, the Pentagon, the Great Wall of China, Sydney Opera House, Hollywood, the Kremlin in Moscow, the Taj Mahal, Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome and a thousand other marvels. There’s the bait dangling on the end of his hook.

John Piper says, “Prosperity cannot be a proof of God’s favour, since it is what the devil promises to those who worship him.”

It’s the  prosperity gospel. “All of this can be yours,” he says. “Name it and claim it. You can be rich beyond your wildest dreams. Just sign here,” says Satan, as he dangles the keys.

Jesus doesn’t take the bait. Because when you check the fine print it says, “The legal owner of all these kingdoms will bow down at Satan’s feet and worship him.”

Do you have desires and aspirations? I hope you do. But don’t let your dreams and ambitions remove God from first place in your life.

Jesus again counters Satan’s offer with scripture. It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

I was watching an interview with Bible scholar Wayne Grudem recently where he talked about a friend of his called Vern Poythress.

I first met Vern Poythress he said, at Harvard University where he was a first year PhD student in mathematics. He had done his undergraduate degree at Caltech where he was first in his class academically. I saw him reviewing with a note card on a Bible passage; he would read, look up and look away and then look down and move the note card down - he was reviewing what he had memorised in scripture. I said to him “have you memorised very much of the Bible?” He said, ‘some.’ I said, ‘how much?’ And he said, ‘Well, the Gospel of John.’ I said, ‘Anything else?’ ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘Romans to 3 John.’” He had memorised all the New Testament epistles and an entire Gospel by his early- to mid-twenties.

I’m never going to memorise that much and I don’t expect you will, but to commit a few key, strategic Bible verses to memory is such a lethal weapon against Satan in times of temptation.

3) He diverts us from our calling (v9-13)

Finally in v9-13 we see that Satan doesn’t give up if he fails the first or second time.

Like those velociraptors in Jurassic Park who repeatedly spring out at the electrified bars on their cage, on the off chance they’ll find a weakness, the devil keeps chipping away at our defences.

“If you are the Son of God…” he says in v9. There he goes again!

Because he knows that some of us, if we listen to the same half truth over and over again, if it’s relentless, it will grind down our resistance and will end up accepting it, just for a quiet life.

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from the highest point of the temple.”
For the devil’s next trick he gets out his pocket NIV.

Satan knows that a verse out of Psalm 91 can sound quite convincing. “He will tell his angels to catch you so you won’t so much as stub your toe.”

Taking verses in Ecclesiastes out of context, I could preach pessimism, existentialism, cynicism, scepticism, alcoholism, sexism and even atheism.

But if you read the Bible systematically, rather than a verse here and a verse there, you will not be fooled by the devil’s lightweight Bible studies.

Satan is trying to deflect Jesus from his mission. Jesus could have his name in lights and be a great circus act. He can have celebrity and fame.

If Satan can get Jesus doing trick for his adoring public, maybe he’ll forget his mission to take up his cross, and suffer, and be rejected and die to take away the sins of the world.

Satan wants to get you off track from your destiny too. God has good plans for you, but Satan wants to lure you into useless vanity projects instead.

Here’s the bait dangling before you. Bite the hook and you’ll go nowhere with God and waste the gifts he has given you.

Ending

If only years of Christian living somehow made temptation easier to overcome.

Unfortunately, in my experience anyway, it doesn’t. But temptation is not sin as long as you resist it.

There’s a story about a married Christian businessman who is driving to a three-day marketing conference and he is car sharing, at his company’s request, with a pretty young colleague.

Halfway there, she says to him that she finds him attractive. A bit later, her hand accidentally on purpose brushes his knee. He says nothing, and carries on driving until he gets to a service station. He stops, saying he needs to fill up the car and make a quick phone call.

10 minutes later, they’re back on the road and she asks if the call was urgent. “Oh yes!” he replies, “very urgent. I had to call my pastor. I said ‘pray for me brother because there's a woman in my car who is trying to seduce me’!” The atmosphere changes in an instant.

Let me end with some practical application.

Jesus arrives the desert, v1 tells us, “full of the Holy Spirit.” In v14 Jesus leaves the desert, after all those temptations, not battered and exhausted, but in the power of the Spirit, strong and victorious.

What's the best way to resist and overcome temptation? Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

That’s why Galatians 5.16 says, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Let’s stand to pray...

Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 1st August 2021

Honour One Another Above Yourselves (Philippians 2.3-11)

Introduction

If you were expecting Michael to preach this morning, I’m sorry for the disappointment. He was due to speak, and had prepared his talk, but he went down with a summer cold at the end of the week and yesterday morning he texted me to ask if I could stand in.

So I’d like to start with a little disclaimer. This talk has not benefitted from the amount of preparation I would have otherwise devoted to it. Just managing expectations…

Also, it contains some of what would have been Michael’s sermon, but it has some of my own material in it as well.

If you begin to wonder which bits are his and which are mine, the easiest way to work it out is that the really good bits are mine and the substandard bits are his!

Please don’t take that remark seriously by the way! It’s probably the other way round in truth.

Actually, it sort of introduces the theme which is the last in this ‘one another’ sermon series. I’ll come back to that in a moment.

But before I do that, I want to say that I hope that you have heard God speak to you through this series over the last few weeks.

If you remember, we spent some time walking through the letter of James back in the spring with its focus on not just saying we have faith but acting it out in our daily lives. That is key.

And looking at these one anothers was designed to add a bit of flesh to the bones of what we were challenged by in the Letter of James.

Let me ask you, as we start, what do you think a community of people devoted to authentically living out faith in Jesus should look like?

What we’ve seen over the last few weeks is that it looks like people who love one another, who forgive one another, who serve one another, and who connect, or do life with one another.

In Romans 12.10 it says, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” 

Let me pray... 

Ego and Humility

I want to begin by playing a little interactive game. I hope that’s OK.

I’m going to read out seven quotes and you have to say by raising a hand if you think the quote is from former U.S. president Donald Trump or football manager Jose Mourinho. If you are not interested in football, Jose Mourinho does not carry a reputation for humility and meekness.

• The point is you can never be too greedy. (DT)
• The beauty of me is that I'm very rich. (DT)
• Maybe he should have an IQ test, or go to a mental hospital or something. (JM)
• My IQ is one of the highest and you all know it. Please don't feel so stupid or insecure; it's not your fault. (DT)
• I think I'm actually humble. I think I'm much more humble than you would understand. (DT)
• God, and after God, me. (JM)
• God must really think I’m a great guy. He must think that, because otherwise he would not have given me so much. (JM)

Well! The ego has landed… Two men there who really rate themselves and their opinion.

But we live in a world where everyone has an opinion.

And now, with social media, everyone has a platform to put that opinion out there regardless of whether it’s factually accurate or whether it’s hurtful to those who read it. 

We also live in a world that celebrates the relentless pursuit of fame and success.  The TV show The Apprentice, is perhaps the purest expression of this naked ambition.

The latest advert for this present series features a contestant on the show, who says, “I have two goals in life; more money and more power, and nothing is going to get in my way.” It doesn’t matter if it means walking over others and disposing of them.

Every obstacle to the goal of wealth and power must be ruthlessly eliminated.

Friends, family, faith – it is all unimportant. I will promote myself and my interests even if it means destroying someone else. It’s dog eat dog.

Obviously, that’s extreme, which is why it’s on TV, but survival of the fittest is the way of the world.

Going Low to Soar High

And it's against this backdrop that the church stands out as a radical, counter-cultural, revolutionary movement.

God wants a community of people who esteem and honour one another above themselves.

Perhaps the passage that says this most powerfully is Philippians 2.3-11 which I’ll read in a moment but before I do, are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll tell you a story.

The Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, used to tell the tale of a young prince who longed for a future wife and queen.

One day, on an errand for his father, he passed through a poor neighbourhood of a certain town and noticed there a young peasant girl whose beauty, fairness and purity stole his heart.

Several times the prince returned to that town in the hope of catching a glimpse of this young maiden.

Without ever having said a word to her, he found himself falling irresistibly in love with her.

Day and night his thoughts were consumed by this question; how could he propose to her? He could, of course, as the king's son simply order her to marry him.

But with a forced marriage he would never be sure that her love for him was genuine. He wasn't interested in a trophy queen. It had to be true love or nothing.

At last, he came up with a plan. He threw off his royal robes, removed his jewelled ring and disguised himself as a peasant.

He moved into the poorest part of town and lived with the local people. He adopted their accent, shared their simple food and worked hard for a modest wage.

In truth, it was more than a disguise; it was a new identity.

He lived this way for three years, hoping he would get just one chance to meet the young woman of his dreams.

Finally, they met, and to his great disappointment, it was not love at first sight on her part.

So, he courted her, and charmed her and amused her and was attentive to her. Gradually won her heart. Slowly, she grew to love him deeply and all because he had first loved her.

It’s a charming ‘happily-ever-after fairy story, and Kierkegaard used to tell it to bring out the flavours and emotions of Philippians 2.3-11. Here’s what it says… 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 

who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 

Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus, just like that young prince, emptied himself, became flesh and blood, and embraced the role of a simple domestic servant.

He was laid in a borrowed manger, he preached on a borrowed boat, he rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, and he was buried in a borrowed tomb.

And now we're told, “In humility, value others above yourselves. In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind that Jesus had.”

That's the path that God has mapped out for every Christian. It's a life totally turned away from the all-consuming pursuit of me.

It's quite surprising how many popular Christian book titles are about finding true happiness here on earth, achieving personal success or fulfilling your potential.

Here are a few popular titles I noticed as I browsed online yesterday.

• “20 Ways to Make Every Day Better.”
• “You Are Stronger Than You Think: Discover the Power to Overcome Your Obstacles.”
• “Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day.”
• “Destined for the Top: Overcoming the Issues That May Hold You Down.”
• “Powerful Attitudes for a Successful Life.”

I haven’t read any of them and they might be much better than their titles suggest. But it just doesn’t sound much like Jesus to me.

Jesus asks, “What good is it for you to gain the whole world, [meaning personal fulfilment, success, wealth, happiness, comfort…] and yet lose your very self?”

He says, “Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

He says, “The first shall be last.” “It is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” How would that go down on The Apprentice?

Verse 3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others above yourselves.”

The apostle Paul started out by describing himself as ‘the least of the apostles’ (1 Corinthians 15:9). This was one of his earlier letters. Later on, he called himself ‘less than the least of all God's people’ (Ephesians 3:8). Finally, in one of his last letters, he described himself as ‘the worst of sinners’! (1 Timothy 1:16).

It is not that he got worse and worse; it is simply that, as he became more and more filled with the Holy Spirit, he became less and less full of himself.

“In humility, consider others above yourselves” he says.

I’ve noticed that humble people are pleased when others around them do well. They are free to be happy for them. They don’t compare themselves to high performers and worry that they don’t measure up. They tend to be secure.

If v3 urges us to be humble, like Jesus, v4 says to be generous, like Jesus. Not looking to your own interests, it says, but each of you to the interests of the others.

According to Nicky Gumbel among the key words in the Bible (and I haven’t checked his maths): 'Believe' is used 272 times. 'Pray' ... 371 times. 'Love' ... 714 times. 'Give' ... 2,162 times.

When I was a boy, the kids in my school playground who shared their sweets were not only the most popular, unsurprisingly, they were also, curiously, the most cheerful. Was it the same in your school? Giving people tend to be joyful souls.

The social psychologist Oliver James wrote a book a few years ago called Affluenza. And in it he said that 50% of people with incomes over £35,000 feel they can’t afford to buy everything they need.

And in fact research shows that whatever your income and however much is in your bank account people will always think that they need about a third more income to live the way they think they should.

Mammon always says, “You haven’t got enough to give away. Keep it. Store it up.” But God says, “Do not look to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

The more you sow into others' lives, the more you will reap in your own.

Verses 5-8 are up there with the most profound scriptures in the New Testament. They focus on Christ's perfect obedience and lowly status which led him to his ugly, harrowing death. But straight afterwards, v9 begins “Therefore God exalted him.”

So Christ's majestic glory is a direct consequence of his lowly emptying of himself and taking the form of a servant.

This is why “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, before which every knee should bow...” And Paul says, our attitude should mirror that.

No act of kindness you do, no loving word you speak, no extra mile you walk, no generous gift you offer, no unnoticed menial job you accept, no hour of prayer you set aside is ever insignificant in God's purposes.

The world says, look after your own interests - pursue money. Jay Gould, the American multi-millionaire businessman and investor said on his death bed, “I suppose, that I am the unhappiest and least satisfied man on earth.”

The world says, look after your own interests - pursue pleasure. The libertine Lord Byron was legendary for his excesses in wine, women and song. But in his later years he admitted, “Cirrhosis, syphilis and regret are mine alone”.

The world says, look after your own interests - pursue power.

In the Louvre Museum in Paris there is a painting by Charles Le Brun called Alexander Entering Babylon. There he is, this invincible Alexander the Great riding into another conquered city to a hero’s welcome.

He stands, majestic, in a gold and ivory chariot, pulled by two elephants captured from the Babylonians. Alexander is crowned with laurel leaves, he points authoritatively with his left hand, and holds a golden sceptre in his right. Trumpeters go ahead of him announcing his arrival. Beside him, three men carry a large golden vase, the spoils of war.

Everything about this painting exalts this man as impressive and powerful. Alexander is known as "the Great" because of his spectacular success as a military commander.

He never lost a single battle, despite the fact that his armed forces were typically outnumbered. Academies throughout the world still teach his military tactics today.

It is said that Alexander would send heralds into conquered cities before him proclaiming, “I, Alexander, have conquered the world. Now I will conquer the stars.” Legend says that he wept in his tent after entering India at age 29, because there was no land left to conquer.

But all human glory is pathetic compared to Christ's. No one compares to our Lord and Saviour!

We love the excellence of his glory, but all the more because it is mingled with his humility. We love his lion-like majesty, but all the more because of his lamb-like meekness. We love his sovereignty over all things, but all the more because it is clothed in obedience and submission. 

We love the way he stumped the Pharisees with his wisdom, but all the more because children loved his simplicity. We love his power and authority to calm storms with a word, all the more because he refused to use that power to come down from the cross.

Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, of a fever - probably malaria. All that pomp and glory and human grandeur taken down in just a few days by a humble mosquito… While Jesus still leads the biggest movement earth has ever seen and it is still growing every day.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

Ending

I want to finish this talk and this series, with a challenge that makes this personal and real for you.

And I’m going to paraphrase what it says in Philippians here and invite you to personalise it by filling in the blanks with the name of someone who you find difficult.

This person could be part of this church, your spouse, a parent, a child, a sibling, another relative, a friend, your boss, an employee, or a co-worker.

Have a think about someone you find difficult... And now let’s make this a solemn commitment before God.

Following the Christ's example, and by the Holy Spirit’s enablement, I will reject self-seeking glory and vain pride, and I will strive to humbly regard _____________ as more important than myself. Rather than constantly looking out for my own interests, I will also look out for the interests of ____________

Sermon preached at King's Church Darlington, 4 July 2021.

 

Names

It think it’s unlikely that you have heard of Eric Bishop, Thomas Mapother, Mark Sinclair, Krishna Pandit Bhanji, Caryn Johnson, Paul Hewson, Robyn Fenty, Katheryn Hudson or Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

But if I told you that they are better known as actors Jamie Foxx, Tom Cruise, Vin Diesel, Ben Kingsley and Whoopie Goldberg, musicians Bono, Rihanna and Katy Perry, and footballer Pelé my guess is that you will have a much better idea of who I’m talking about.

Names can be important signposts of who we are – or want to be. Reg Dwight certainly doesn’t quite have the glitter and pizzazz of Elton John and Stevie Wonder sounds rather more wonderful than his real name of Steveland Judkins. 

You might perhaps be known by a different name than the first one recorded on your birth certificate; perhaps a contraction, a second name or a nickname. My father was called Michael but all his friends knew him as Mike. My mother is Sylvia but she much prefers to be called Sally. At school to my friends, I was only ever 'Lambo'.

In the Bible, names are even more important than in 21st Century show business and entertainment. They do not project a false or preferred public image so much as encapsulate someone’s real character and personality. This is particularly true of God himself who pins names to himself to tell us what he is like. He is Yahweh Yireh – my provider, Yahweh Nissi – my banner, Yahweh Rapha – my healer, Yahweh Tsidkenu – my righteousness, Yahweh Shalom – my peace and Yahweh Shamma – the Lord who is always there. Jesus means ‘The Lord Saves.’ This explains why Joseph was told to name him thus; it wasn’t because Mary and Joseph liked the name but “because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1.21).

This is also why there are so many name changes in the pages of Scripture. Sarai becomes Sarah and Abram becomes Abraham when they go from being unable to conceive to becoming a mother and father. Jacob becomes Israel after the pivotal episode in his life when he wrestled an angel after his dream of a ladder reaching to heaven. Gideon became Jerub-Baal after he demolished his family’s idolatrous altar.

To the forlorn and utterly despairing people of God banished and humiliated in exile, God spoke these words in Isaiah 64: “You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, [meaning ‘my delight is in her’] and your land Beulah [meaning ‘married’]; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married.

Jesus renamed Simon (reed) Peter (rock) to signify his change from being weedy and unreliable to being solid and fearless. Joseph was given the name Barnabas (meaning son of encouragement) because of his constantly positive, uplifting personality. Saul (Jewish) became Paul (Latin) on his first missionary journey as his unique calling as Apostle to the Gentiles came into ever-sharper focus.

It is a great pity that we sometimes allow things that we did long ago or that have happened to us in our lives to end up somehow classifying us. Someone who has battled with addiction to drink is labelled an alcoholic. Someone who has struggled with addiction to drugs is branded a junkie. Someone whose marriage irretrievably broke down in pain and acrimony is categorised as a divorcee. Someone with a prison record, however long they have been reformed, is marked as an ex-con.

But, as Christians, none of this constitutes our core identity which is in Christ and in Christ alone. Are you letting something from your past - or present – not just describe you but define you? Do you wear, as a badge of identity, the label “I’m disabled”, “I’m unhappily married”, “I’m unemployed”, “I’m a widow”, “I’m old”, “I’m… whatever”?

In Christ, our status and core identity has changed forever. Every one of us who believe in Jesus as our Saviour and Lord can - and certainly should - consider ourselves chosen from all eternity, loved, the apple of his eye, born again and adopted into a new family, ransomed at huge cost, forgiven everything, restored, made holy, declared righteous, blessed with every spiritual blessing, seated in heavenly places with Christ, and with the guaranteed inheritance of having our names indelibly etched into the Book of Life.

This is how God defines us. This is who God says we are. In the post-Christian West, the fashion these days is for self-definition and self-identification, and anyone who dares to question someone's claimed identity in public, even when it is patently nonsensical, can expect to lose their job and/or spend a day in court. To challenge someone who says "I identify as..." is to transgress a new, unwritten blasphemy law. But, if you are a Christian, never mind who you say you are. Never mind who anyone else says you are. You are who God says you are.

Photo credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.

Prayer Ministry Training (Matthew 3-9)

Part 1 - Basics

1.1 What is prayer ministry?

Prayer ministry is praying with somebody in the power of the Spirit. Our pastoral wisdom, experience, knowhow or maturity of character are not key factors in prayer ministry. John Wimber used to say after years of emphasising those things that one day he felt God say to him, “I’ve seen your ministry, John; now I want to show you mine.” Reflecting on his extraordinary spiritual gift of praying for healing and equipping others to do the same, he went on to define prayer ministry as “meeting the needs of others with God's resources.”

1.2 Why do we do prayer ministry?

We want to help people meet with God and know they’re loved; loved by him and loved in the family of the church.

1.3 What is the biblical basis for prayer ministry?

In the New Testament, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is one of the main purposes for the church gathering together (alongside worship and teaching). 1 Corinthians 12-14 describes a congregation meeting together, bringing spiritual gifts for mutual edification, in an atmosphere of love.

The New Testament contains 94 verses of exhortation containing the words ‘one another’ including pray for one another (James 5.16), encourage and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5.11), speak truth to one another (Ephesians 4.25), bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6.2), wash one another’s feet (John 13.14), serve one another (Galatians 5.13), comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4.18) and love one another (John 13:34). 

1.4 How does it work?

It is important to remember that we cannot manufacture a meeting with God, but we can facilitate it. Provided we ask with good motives and with faith, the Bible teaches that God always does something, and it's always good.

 

Part 2 - How Did Jesus Minister? (Matthew 3-9)

2.1 Why Jesus?

If we want to learn to do prayer ministry well, the best place to start – the only place to start – is by looking at Jesus. Best practice in prayer ministry is doing what Jesus did, saying what he said, thinking what he thought. This is following Jesus. This is why he said, “Learn from me” (Matthew 11.29).

2.2 Commissioning (Matthew 3.13-17)

It is important to start where Jesus started. In Matthew 3.13-17 the Holy Spirit falls and rests on him. Jesus waits for the Father's anointing before he does anything. He did no public ministry at all as until after he was commissioned. We can likewise only minister effectively if we are ourselves are filled with the Holy Spirit.

Note also that Jesus soaked in his Father’s approval and affection at the start of his public ministry. Likewise, we minister most effectively and safely from a place of knowing we are loved children of God, secure in our spiritual identity, and having no anxiety or need to prove anything to anyone.

2.3 Preparation (Matthew 4.1-11)

Jesus spent time alone with his Father in prayer and fasting. The Reformer Martin Luther once said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of his willingness.” Research in the UK revealed that there is an almost exact correlation between the amount of prayer mobilised for Alpha and the number of guests who attend. We will see more in prayer ministry over time if we ourselves come prayerfully prepared.

2.4 Modelling (Matthew 4.23-25)

Then, after calling the 12, Jesus models it. Jesus very rarely ministered alone; he could have done, but instead he deliberately invited others into his world to watch and learn; proclaiming good news, teaching and healing.

Notice that Matthew specifically says that Jesus had authority in His teaching (7.29), and authority in His healing (9.7). He then gave this same authority to the 12 and 72 to minister in his name (Luke 9.1 and Luke 10.19) and he gives the same authority today to his church.

Let’s travel with Jesus now in Matthew 8 and 9 to watch how the Master does it.

2.5 The man with leprosy (Matthew 8.1-4)

What do we learn from this story? We learn that Jesus is always willing to heal. 

We cannot promise that everyone will be healed when we pray. We mustn’t over-promise, but we mustn’t under-promise either. What we can say from Matthew 8.3 is that Jesus is willing.

When I worked in Paris, we had had the privilege of welcoming onto our Alpha course two women with fertility problems. One had been trying unsuccessfully for a baby for 14 years. Even hormone treatment and artificial insemination were useless. When she got to 40 the doctors told her it was hopeless and that she should forget it. The following year, another woman couldn’t have children because of an abortion earlier in life and something had gone wrong – and now she couldn’t conceive. Both had gone through painful break-ups in relationships. Both came to new faith in Christ at Alpha. Both had an overwhelming experience on the Holy Spirit ‘away day’ halfway through the course. Both became pregnant within days of giving their lives to Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit. And both gave birth to healthy babies (one boy and one girl) the following August. Jesus wills to bring healing.

2.6 The centurion and his servant (Matthew 8.5-13)

What do we learn from this story? We learn that Jesus has what it takes to bring transformation. 

He is not only willing but also able because he has authority over all things.

One of the church fathers Origen (3rd Century), reflecting on the life of the New Testament church said this: “Ordinary Christians in the early church cast out demons merely by prayer and by simple commands which the plainest person can use because, for the most part, it is uneducated people who perform this work… It does not require the power and wisdom of those who are good at arguing or who are most educated in matters of faith.” (Origen, from ‘Against Celsius’).

I suppose the most amazing healing miracle I’ve personally witnessed is in the life of a cockney friend of mine called Arthur, who went to be with the Lord about 10 years ago. But about 30 years before that he was healed of spondylosis. This is a painful osteoarthritis of the spine resulting from the fusing together of the vertebral discs. Arthur used to be bent over in constant discomfort and was only able to move slowly and laboriously. He was prayed for one day in the name of Jesus and he was instantly healed. Kathie and I are witnesses of the before and after. When I went to see him, he looked at me with a big grin and said “Watch this.” Then he ran up and down the stairs of his house shouting “Look, I’ve been ‘ealed; Jesus ‘as ‘ealed me!” It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Mike Pilavachi of Soul Survivor encourages us by saying, “Don't tell God how big the problem is; tell the problem how big God is.”

2.7 Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8.14-17)

What do we learn from this story? We learn that touch can be important. 

Jesus took her by the hand. He didn’t have to, but he did.

Wayne Grudem, in his Systematic Theology, says this: “A survey of the New Testament may surprise many modern Christians (as it did to me) when they see how frequently the laying on of hands and other kinds of physical touch are seen to function as a “means of grace” in the ministry of Jesus and the early church. It seems that the laying on of hands was by far the most common method that Jesus used to pray for people. When crowds came bringing people “with various diseases” to him “he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them” (Luke 4.40). Other passages specifically describe Jesus is placing his hands on people to heal them (Matthew 8.3, Mark 1.41, Mark 6.5, Mark 8.23, Luke 5.13, Luke 13.13).”

So the laying on of hands is very biblical. We’ll discuss the practicalities later but for now, we’ll just say be gentle, respectful and sensitive. If you don’t know the person you are praying for well, ask permission. Sometimes, it's at the moment of laying on hands that a prophetic word comes. Sometimes the power of God flows at that moment.

I remember once praying with a woman for a young woman who had recently come to faith. She was wanting to be filled with the Holy Spirit and we asked God for her but saw nothing. We waited… but again nothing seemed to be occurring and she seemed slightly disappointed. Then my prayer partner gently laid a hand on her shoulder and suddenly there was a release; she was visibly moved with shaking, heavier breathing, a flushed complexion and tears of joy. The laying on of hands seemed to remove some kind of blockage.

2.8 Stilling the storm (Matthew 8.23-27)

What do we learn from this story? This is not a story about prayer or healing but we do learn that important lesson that with Jesus we have nothing to fear. 

Stepping out in faith can be a bit scary, especially when we are new to it. We can certainly feel out of our comfort zone. We can even doubt if Jesus is really there with us and worry that everything will go badly wrong. “Why are you afraid?” asks Jesus. Remember, it’s not about us and our ability. It’s about Him and his ability. 

2.9 The Gadarene demoniac (Matthew 8.28-34)

All that bacon! Seriously, what do we learn from this story? We learn that not everyone likes the ministry of the Holy Spirit! 

Not everyone welcomes it, even people in the church. “This is uncomfortable, please go away” say the local people.

I received a text message from a friend in a church I used to be part of. I’ll change a few details to protect confidentialities but it says, “Hi John, I wanted to let you know about some really encouraging news about ‘Fred Smith’. He had been really ill, much worse than before, and not able to do much, having lots of treatment. [Before, he had been quite seriously ill, including a heart attack and cancer]. ‘Jane Brown’ and I prayed for him outside, (Covid restrictions dictated) about four weeks ago and the Holy Spirit came on him and he was shaking and he recognised something amazing was happening. I love the way God works, I looked at the big rubbish bin not far from us and smiled, God works in the most unexpected places! Since then, Fred has been really joyfully tearful all the time, asking about how to move forward with God now he has experienced this. He has had a check-up since and they were very encouraged at the fact he was so well.

I share this because ‘Fred Smith’ was, in all the time I knew him, never a man to welcome the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He would always steer well clear which is perhaps connected to his background in freemasonry. But never be put off by people who disparage or resist the ministry of the Spirit.

Also, it’s worth mentioning that a herd of pigs is not a picture of ship-shape immaculate church. Remember, things can get a bit messy. Again, John Wimber said it memorably: “Church isn't about being neat and tidy; that’s what the graveyard is for. Life is oftentimes found in mess. The nursery is messy and noisy but that’s where all the life is!"

2.10 The paralysed man (Matthew 9.1-8)

What do we learn from this story? We learn that forgiveness may have to come before healing. 

Sometimes you might have to lead an unbeliever to faith in Christ first if necessary. More people get healed when you pray for the sick than when you don’t. And more people give their lives to Christ when you invite them to than when you don’t.

Actually, bitterness and lack of forgiveness for whatever reason can be a real obstacle to receiving from God. If you find that a person you are praying for is unwilling to forgive someone deal with it gently and graciously but do try and encourage them to overcome their reluctance to do so.

I once prayed with a woman for another woman who was a visitor to church. As we were praying for her, I began to sense that there was an issue of forgiveness with her sister. So I said, “This may be a bit of a strange question, but do you have a sister who wronged you and whom you need to forgive?” Immediately, the woman tensed up and looked angry. “I’ll never forgive that woman” she said. We tried to be understanding and showed her from scripture how powerful forgiveness can be but, whatever the issue was, she was unwilling to let it go and our prayers for healing were apparently ineffective.

2.11 The woman with issue of blood and dead girl (Matthew 9.18-26)

What do we learn from this story? We learn two things. Firstly, from the story of the woman with the issue of blood, ministering can be draining. 

Power went out of Jesus and he often sought time alone with his Father to replenish his spiritual strength. We should likewise not try and save the world by ministering to others at an unsustainable rhythm. Build a team that enables everyone to have a Sunday off. Make time for rest and sleep.

Secondly, from the story of Jarus’ daughter, sometimes we need to shut out distractions. 

Jesus tells the noisy crowd and people playing pipes to go away. Prayer ministry requires a gentle and calm atmosphere in which we can give those who ask for it our full attention - and we should insist on it.

2.12 The blind and mute (Matthew 9.27-34)

What do we learn from this story? We learn that testimony builds a culture of faith and expectation. 

This is why we have included so many stories from our own lives this evening. We need to talk about what God is doing amongst us, not about what God is not doing amongst us! Hearing that Jesus has done wonders in someone’s life, others ask that He will do it for them.

Earlier this year, I heard an amazing testimony about Rachel Hickson (some of you may know her as Alan and Eileen Vincent’s daughter) who opened the post one day and found an extraordinary letter from someone she had only met once - and very briefly. Here is what the letter basically said, “Dear Rachel, you came and spoke at my church on Mothering Sunday last year. At the end of your talk, you invited people to the front for prayer, in particular women who were unable to conceive and carry children. I was in the ladies’ at the time but a friend of mine ran out and said to me ‘Come back in, there’s an appeal for women who long to conceive but have so far not been able to.’ So I left the ladies’ and walked to the front where the prayer ministry team was praying for those who had come forward. It was you came to me and as you did, you simply looked at me and said, ‘The Lord is giving you two zebras.’ Then you moved on to the next person. I have no idea whether you know what you were saying or if you have any memory of it. But what you need to know is this. I am a white woman, but my marriage is of mixed ethnicity. My husband and I have been trying for years but we have been unable to have children. Every day, we’ve been praying that God will give us ‘little zebras’.” That was their love name for the mixed-race children that they longed for. Then she said, “I enclose a photograph of the twins that were born nine months after you spoke that word. Rachel remembered that moment very well and had, at the time, no idea what that was about.

Doesn’t that encourage your faith? Of course it does! This is why Psalm 107.2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story - those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.”

Part 3 – Putting Theory into Practice

The model we advocate here is designed to be as simple and flexible as possible, whilst at the same time keeping important safeguards in place.

3.1. As far as possible, let men pray for men and women with women.

3.2. A great question to open with is ‘What do you want Jesus to do for you today?’ (see Mark 10.51)

• It focuses attention on Jesus’ ministry, not ours (what do you want Jesus…).
• It emphasises our need to receive, not earn (to do for you).
• It narrows down what might be a long list of needs to a bite-sized request (today).

3.3. People almost always pray with their eyes closed, but you can miss so much if you don’t keep your eyes open!

3.4. Invite the Holy Spirit to come (see Ezekiel 37.9-10, Acts 8.14-17).

Why do we pray ‘come, Holy Spirit?’ Isn’t the Holy Spirit everywhere? Of course, he is God and is therefore always omnipresent. But at times in Scripture, he comes in power in a particularly tangible way. See 2 Chronicles 7.1-3 and Acts 2.1-4. Often, he comes as we call upon him. He loves us to call on Him. Remember that the Holy Spirit can be grieved, so asking him to manifest his presence and power demonstrates our willingness for him to do His work. We’re saying ‘You’re welcome.’

3.5. Don’t rush. Wait and watch. Jesus’ model - ‘I do only what I see the Father doing.’ (John 5.19). 

3.6. Don’t multiply words; listen. Jesus said, ‘I say just what the Father has told me to say.’ (John 12.50).

3.7. Bless what you see the Holy Spirit is doing and ask for more. ‘He is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us’ (Ephesians 3.20).

3.8. If you feel prompted, bring spiritual gifts; tongues, interpretation, words of knowledge and wisdom, prophecy, discernment of spirits… (1 Corinthians 12.7-11).

3.9. Affirm the person you have ministered to, and give them encouragement to come back at any time. 

Training Sessions at King's Church Darlington, 21 and 24 June 2021