Part of Bigger Story
Last weekend I went for my pre-ordination retreat and was involved in a communion service at Rangiatea church in Otaki. This is the area where the gospel first came to the lower North Island through a CMS missionary called Octavius Hadfield who became the Bishop of Wellington from 1870 to 1893 and then Primate of NZ from 1890 to 1893.
Being there, connected me with our story of the gospel in our part of New Zealand. Indeed our church is a Holy patch in the Wellington Diocese along with 60+ others! It is immensely encouraging to know we are part of something so much bigger.
Yesterday for me I was ordained into the church. Others have gone before me and others will go after me until the trumpet sounds! I am part of something a lot larger and so of course is CPAC. During these times of change, there can be fear and doubt about what God is doing and that is healthy, but when we fix our gaze on Jesus, we see his wider plan for our lives and for our church. I want to say thank you to CPAC for all the support for me in my ordination and also to encourage us to trust God and believe he is all who he says he is. I invite you to meditate on these words from a song called ‘Give Us Your Courage:
“I'm not backing down
I will stand my ground
Lifting high the name of Jesus
Holding out Your light
To a world in need
Living out the love of Jesus” (Tim Hughes, 2009)
Jesus is with us, as aremany who have gone before, those who sit next to us this morning and those who are yet to walk this path! Know that we are part of God’s story at CPAC, making Jesus visible!
From Rev Pete!
As I sat in St Pauls Cathedral yesterday for Pete’s ordination I was impacted by the sense of awe in, and about, the place. Such buildings were constructed to intentionally reflect the glory and majesty and grandeur of God!
I clearly sensed God reminding me of His grandeur and mightiness, and that we (Christians) needed to right size God – he is far, far bigger, and much more powerful than we could ever imagine!
I also sensed God saying that it didn’t really matter where, or in what way/style, we worshipped Him, whether it be in a Cathedral or in a school hall or in a paddock, or as Pentecostals or Anglicans or Methodists or Baptists or Sallys or Catholics etc.
He was much, much, much bigger than all of those denominations and places.
Our inter-denominational and our in-denominational bickering is a nonsense!
What really matters to God is one’s heart response to Him, and that when our heart is right before Him then He will begin to transform us in a way that will bring real strength and authority to His church, a united church, a growing and impactful Kingdom
I believe it’s about being “sold out for Jesus”.
Being “sold out for Jesus” requires us to have our hearts aligned to God’s heart.
Such a heart condition helps us become totally dependent on God, trusting, obeying and following God even though we may not know exactly where we are going!
Pete has been on an amazing journey since coming to NZ only 3 or so years ago, and now he’s ordained!
He’s “sold out for Jesus”! out
Wayne too, is “sold out for Jesus”.
Wayne was ordained recently (2 years ago).
Five years ago he gave up his very successful building construction business.
This meant a dramatically reduced income – well, no income really – except for a part time job along the way but that was for only a limited time.
He felt God’s call on his life and he wanted to pursue that call whole heartedly.
Being “sold out for Jesus” means taking what we believe in, very seriously.
A top 100m athlete… he/she spends years training and preparing for something that will take only about 10 seconds to do – that’s crazy, that’s being sold out for running!
If an athlete is that serious about running 10 seconds then how much more do we need to be serious about preparing ourselves for a life of eternity!!!
As people who are “sold out for Jesus”. we must be prepared to do the best we can in this life.
This means we cannot be casual Christians….
Read Colossians 3:1-17
Is there any such thing as a Casual Christian? by Darren Smith.
Below is a comment by Darren Smith who is the founder of Streetscape Ministries, a ministry to the homeless seeing miracles on the streets in Galveston, Texas. Be prepared to be challenged
Darren writes:
“Is there any such thing as a casual Christian?
I have heard this term a lot in recent times and to tell you the truth it makes me sick.
But, as I have thought about this subject and spent time looking around at the body as a whole, I venture to say for the most part it is true of most of the church today.
Before you get angry and stop reading, please hear me out.
How many believers do you know that are really sold out for Christ?
When I say this I mean that Christ is the central focus of their life.
I mean a person that has died to self and relies on Christ for his or her substance, willing to sacrifice even to the point of their well being, to serve the Lord.
I want to ask some very hard questions.
How much of your time do you give to the Lord?
Do you spend more time on you than you do on the Lord?
More on entertainment or hobbies than service to the Lord?
Many times people say to us,
“We would love to come and help you guys in the street but we are just so
busy we simply cannot find the time.”
I wonder if they ever stop to think that WE have to sacrifice and make time ourselves.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, the Lord blesses us and I wouldn't be anywhere else, but it requires sacrifice for us to be here as well.
I want you to see that if you are willing to serve God, without expecting anything in return, God will bless you anyway.
We have people all the time say,
"I have never seen God's power and grace in my life."
Many of these people have been in church all their life, yet have never ministered to anyone.
Another response we get is,
"I'm not called to do that type of ministry."
I believe we are all called to take the Gospel to the world, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to take care of the widows and orphans. “ (unquote)
[ I, Danny, would want to add –
- What world, or what circles, do you move in where God can use you to pro-actively demonstrate in your lifestyle, the principles and the values of the gospel?
- Who are the ‘hungry people’ you know in whom you can impart God’s healing, hope, and life, so that by your example, they will come to know that they cannot live on bread alone but must live, daily, on every Word that comes from the mouth of God? (Matthew 4:4)
- Who are the people that you can clothe with an attitude of warmth and generosity, and care?
- Who are the people that you can support who live lonely, sad lives? Who are the ones to whom you can offer a hand of friendship and a word of encouragement? ]
Darren writes:
“To be able to put off these things places you in the casual realm.
Many will go to church once a week and then go right out and serve themselves all week without doing anything for the Lord.
Saying, "I didn't have time", will not help them when they stand before the Lord.
What makes this so sad is that many of them will never hear a message on repentance and total commitment to the Lord because this type message is not popular in the modern church.
It doesn't fill the offering plate or the seats.
Instead we hear funny stories and jokes from the pulpit as well as humanistic teaching on self-help and prosperity.
This system has created the casual Christian which is no Christian at all.
So many have been converted to a false religion of self and greed and what is worse, they think they are fine because everyone they know is a casual Christian as well.
When they come in contact with a sold out believer, it makes them uncomfortable.
When they hear a repentance message they label it extreme and harsh.
These same casual Christians see the world going to hell around them and are not affected at all.
The thought of sacrifice is foreign to them.
Material wealth is equated with blessings from the Lord - after all, many pulpits teach this for self enrichment - so in their mind it's OK.
The reason I write this is for an awakening.
We all must look into our heart and see if we are sold out to the Lord.
We all have areas we can improve and should!
We must get this type of word out and the body must mobilize for the battle.
We all will have to sacrifice.
But we were not put here to live our best life now - our best life is yet to come when the Lord returns.
I know what I have said is very convicting and challenging, but it must be said.
We must repent and give our whole life to the Lord and that means everything,
all of us, everything we are, and all we could ever become - we must give it all to the Lord.
So I ask you again, is there any such thing as a casual Christian, or maybe more important, are you a casual Christian?” (unquote)
