What Can I Give? 02.01.11 Wayne Austin

Reading: 1 John 4:7-5:5

Intro re exchanging gifts with each other - a big part of Christmas. Last Sunday night someone on TV prompted the thought for me - isn't it strange that we celebrate the birthday of Jesus by giving each other presents? Imagine how you would feel on your birthday, that instead of people giving you presents they gave them to each other. It does seem a funny way of celebrating the birthday of the most special person ever to have lived on earth - by not giving him a present. Of course Jesus isn't here in physical form to be able to actually give him a gift like we have to others over Christmas. So how can we really acknowledge the birthday of Jesus in a meaningful way that will truly give him the joy and pleasure we experience on our birthday.

What can we give him that is even remotely appropriate to recognize who he is? He was not just a good man who went around performing miracles. People still talk about him 2000 years after his death whether they believe in him or not. He is so much more.

Jesus is our Saviour and Lord. He is the one who said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" - "No one comes to the Father except through me." He is the only hope we have for life eternal - a life that will know no more suffering or sorrow - only joy.

What can we possibly give someone so deserving? What do you give to someone for whom material possessions count for absolutely nothing, yet who is the one who deserves the best gift we could possibly give? Jesus who gave his life so that we can live life in abundance and have the opportunity of doing that for eternity with him? What can we possibly give?

For such love there is only one gift worthy………

It is our utter and complete devotion to worshiping him. Jesus was very clear on this. He said -

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matt.22:37-38 NIV).

There is a song we sometimes sing that leaves us in no doubt of what our gift should be. The last two verses are………

See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were an offering far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

What does that mean for us? Demands my soul, my life, my all? Is this saying we are to give all we have to Jesus - to give our lives? Well - yes it is actually. Jesus said………"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Does this literally mean dying for someone else - like Jesus died for us? Well of course it has been known for people to sacrifice their life to save someone else. We remember the man who went to protect a stranger in Auckland 2 years ago – a modern day Good Samaritan - but who was stabbed to death in his effort to save someone else.

I can still remember hearing as a boy about 5 missionaries who were murdered by the Auca Indians in Ecuador. The news shocked not only the Christian community but the whole world. Why did it happen? I don't know the real answer. What I do know is that the wife and children of one of the martyrs went back to that community later to tell them of the love and forgiveness of Jesus. As a result a strong Christian community grew among the Auca Indians - including those who had carried out the murders.

Is this what Paul was meaning when he said………."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. (Rom.12:1)

Well - no it's not necessarily what he meant. I don't think it is the way Jesus was saying we should give up our lives in worship. He came to show us a new way - to give us a new commandment that showed us a new way of living out the original 10 commandments. "A new Commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this will all men know you are my disciples, if you love one another."

LOVE is the key. Lets look at our epistle reading again - 1 John 4:9-12. It's all about love. John says everyone who loves has been born of God. Everyone? Well it is what constitutes love that makes the difference. We are talking here about a love that is not just a feeling. It is a love that is a deliberate choice and action. It is a love that has its source in God. 1 John 4:8 says God IS love. That is the difference. That has been the revelation for me over the past 5 or 6 years - the revelation of God's love in my heart. He is love. I know it isn't just a feeling - I would fail time and again if it depended purely on how I felt at a particular time. But when it is of God, it causes us to have a different attitude to others. We still have work to do on this - constantly - but God's love does make the difference.

When Jesus said - "greater love has no one than this, that they give up their life for their friends" he was meaning to forget about yourself. Don't get so obsessed with your own life that your needs are all you are really concerned about. It means to put others first. Go out of your way to help those in need. We need to give our lives in love in response to the fact that Christ first loved us and gave his life for us. When we do it out of love for him, as in our epistle reading, if we say we love God the only way for us to show this love for him is by loving others. John said in his epistle - 1 John 4:20 almost brutally - that we can’t love God if we don’t love those around us.

But if we do so with the right attitude we are doing it for God. Read Matt.25:37-40. That I believe is the gift that will give Jesus and his Father by far the most pleasure. That we reflect his love to others by giving our life up for others - in love.

I have been speaking about the gift Christ's followers should be considering giving to him this season and not only this special season, but as an ongoing commitment to him. However, before you even get to that point - there is a very special gift Jesus most longs for………that is your heart.

Jesus came to earth as a baby as we have just celebrated. He spent 30 years living a normal life of the times so he could experience all that we do today and so be able to understand and sympathise and empathise with us. He was also preparing for the ultimate purpose God sent him to earth - to die for our sins and to give every person the opportunity to receive eternal life. Jesus even wanted to get out of it, the thought was so painful. But he was willing to do what His Father wanted. And so he did die for our sins. He did rise from the dead. And he did ascend to heaven to be living with his father now.

Surely the greatest gift we can offer him in return is to accept him into our life - and to offer our life completely to him.

The Bible says all we have to do for this to happen is to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is the Son of God, and we will have that promise of eternal life with him. It really is that simple.

As we reflect on Christmas and perhaps think now about the gift we could have given to Jesus on his birthday. As we enter into a New Year I wonder if that gift, the one truly worthy of giving to Christ - I wonder if that shouldn't give the over-riding shape to any New Year resolution or determination concerning our vocation.

Every one of us has a vocation. A vocation is defined as a regular occupation, it is what we do - it is a calling. The greatest calling on our life is to worship God - it is our vocation. So whether we are at school - in a professional career - a homemaker - or retired - we all have this particular call on our lives. And no matter where that vocation or calling is, it must be our first and foremost consideration.

We often separate our Christian lives from our regular vocational lives don't we. That is one of the reasons we started the PALS ministry to business people - to encourage Christians to live out their faith in their busy business worlds and not separate work from worship. So even if you don't make New Year resolutions we still need make a determination to give Jesus that very special gift - our life, whether for the first time or as that commitment of love to him forever so that we consciously seek to live a life that is pleasing to him wherever we are.

Are you willing to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God - and so let him be your Saviour?

Or if you have committed your life to Christ are you willing to truly make him Lord of your life? To be fully obedient to him - to love others - with the love that flows from him.

Are you willing to make one of these commitments - not just because it is the time of year when we do these things, but because God's love compels you to do so? If you are - you will give Jesus the greatest gift he deserves.

I encourage you to reflect on this and determine to make an appropriate commitment to live your life fully for Christ. It really is the least you can give as your gift to Jesus.

God's Best 21.11.10 Ephesians 4:1-16

Wayne Austin

Intro – people have been through tough times this year – and of course good times. I have been asking you of recent weeks - "what is God doing in your life?" How has he changed your life during this time? Has he revealed anything new to you? As we as a church have waited to see who it is that God has to lead us - are we getting impatient? Or have we faithfully been praying for that person and for God's will to be done?

Interregnums while we wait for a new priest are I am sure for a good purpose. Waiting is never easy, and in waiting we can get impatient or discouraged. But we can also take an attitude to really seek God and learn to trust him fully, depend on him, and deepen our relationship with him. What has God taught you during these past 9 months of the interregnum? Some I know have definitely grown in their faith because they have truly been seeking God through personal reading of the Bible more regularly - as Roger encouraged us to do in his Wine Press comment today. And intentionally through dedicated personal time in prayer - whether brought about because of difficult times in their lives - or maybe because of genuinely seeking God's will for our church and his provision of new leadership. Some people have taken personal responsibility for their faith development I know.

For me, I am very grateful for the opportunity given me to serve in this role during the interregnum. 15 months ago I had never remotely considered the possibility of being involved in such a role. From a personal point of view it has proved to be a very valuable time of discovery and confirmation for me of what my calling in ordination truly is – and what it isn’t - as I have truly had to depend on God for his guidance, and his enabling. Without that I could not have coped.

Five years ago I was in the middle of studying a paper through Laidlaw College on Discipleship. I had one of those "God moments" when the Lord clearly spoke to me making something jump out at me from the text. It was a definition of a pastor……”A pastor is someone who cares for God's people and equips them to do the work of Christian service.” That struck an immediate chord with me. I knew immediately it was what God wanted of me. As a result of that simple definition of a pastor I started exploring the possibility of ordination, praying, speaking with respected confidents, undergoing thorough interviews, study and training. I was ordained in 2007. But that wasn't the end of the training. God's preparation is for a lifetime and over the time since that has continued - sometimes very painfully. And the training will continue I know. The bible tells us we are a work in progress - gradually being transformed day by day to be more and more like Christ. And it is only he who can achieve that in us - by the Holy Spirit changing us from within.

That definition of a pastor comes really from that passage in Ephesians 4. The word equip in Greek is 'katartismos' - which means "the furnishing of." If we moved into an empty house at least we would have a roof over our heads to give us shelter, but for it to be fully functional and useful for the purpose it was designed it needs to be furnished. The same applies for us as Christians. Our purpose as a follower of Christ is more than just sitting back knowing we are promised eternal life as a member of God's family - that assurance we have as soon as we accept Jesus into our life. No it is much more! It is be equipped to obey Christ's command to go and make disciples - to continue his work here on earth.

We equip, or furnish, God's people by teaching God's word and applying it to daily life, helping people discover their gifts, and giving them opportunities to put those gifts to work. Just the way Jesus trained and equipped his disciples. It is a bit like the coach of a sports team or a conductor of an orchestra - it is helping every member to play a useful and fulfilling part. For the Christian it is in the ministry of Christ.

I am blessed that I have had that calling affirmed for me during my time in this role. This time last year I was at a retreat day at Waikanae and at lunchtime one of the other participants put a scrap of paper on front of me. He didn't know me very well at all - yet he had a word of knowledge for me. I have since learned that he does have this gift and others have had similar experiences with him. This word was just written on this scrap of paper. But this word of knowledge confirmed some 4 years after receiving that prompt to explore ordination what my calling really was. God speaks to us in various ways – we have to be alert to those “God moments”. I never ever did feel called to be a parish priest. God is faithful and patient and gracious though. He wants the best for me - and he has plans for me. But for that to happen there is a certain way we have to behave - with the attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:5-8).

Some of the words written on that scrap of paper last November said……"Hold lightly to the trappings of role but rather establish a common heart and mind to serve one another.” And “It's time - God's time, not simply your time. Honour God and see God at work.” The message for me was - that we need to be humble like Christ and to do things his way. Not get ahead of him because he really does know the path we are to take, and when to take it.

What God has shown he has for me to do - and the different ways he has shown me that - he also wants to show you - that he has something very special - the very best for you too.

So please continually seek God - through personal reading of the Bible and intentionally in dedicated personal time in prayer. Knock on doors - be willing to have them shut on you - but God will lead you through the right one - in his time - not yours.

Waiting - what is it for? I believe it is to build up our faith and trust and reliance on him. Otherwise it could be all about what we do - not about what God is doing in and through us.

The other aspect of my time in this role that I feel is very helpful to have learned is this - no one person can do everything. Well we all know that don't we? Well do we - truly?

What I am about to share should not be taken in any way that I have any inside knowledge on what stage the nominators are at in their search for a new vicar. I can assure you I know absolutely no more than you do. But having spent 9 months in the vicar type role I feel I do have some insights that I should share that will be helpful to our understanding when that new Vicar does come.

At our parish consultation 9 months ago we came up with a wish list for our new Vicar.

· Ability and desire to equip and encourage the body to fulfil their giftings

· Vibrant and energetic person of God with integrity and authenticity

· Faith and vision to lead and grow our church moving forward

· Spirit-filled, Bible-based passionate leader

· Willing and able to inspire and empower others to pursue their gifts

· To fulfill Christ’s mission within the church and in the community

· Faithful to God

· Serving, loving, joyful to all generations

· Feel a call to Churton Park

· An emphasis on mission

· A strong leader who can delegate and equip us – the flock

· Missional focus

· Equipping leadership

· Spirit-led

Whew! One of the consultants that day said in a quiet aside to me “Jesus could even struggle with that lot!” Well we know Jesus wouldn't struggle- but he is the only person who wouldn't.

In our reading from Ephesians Paul spelled out what we often refer to as the five fold ministries - "It was he (Christ) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers."

I can see in that list above, that we expected all those 5 ministries of our new vicar! That is an unrealistic and unfair expectation of course. Fortunately our nominators rationalised the expectations somewhat to this - as published in the Wine Press a few weeks ago. It is to be a person who:

· demonstrates a passionate love for God and His Word in order to show His love for others

· builds relationships with others in order to share faith

· is Spirit led in their walk with God and in the encouragement of others

· can equip and empower others to influence the community

I am sure we wouldn't disagree with any of this - and it is very much in line with what Paul says is the purpose for those specifically called to such roles in that Ephesians 4 passage.

But don't we so often have huge expectations of our Vicar?

For some it is very important that he or she is a dynamic preacher (sometimes referred to as prophesy) so they have a persuasiveness and power in speech.

But then it is absolutely vital they care for the flock too as a pastor isn’t it? To have someone who has the gift of watching over a group of people and growing them in their spiritual and personal lives by nurturing and guiding them with wise counsel. Well - we all want that don't we - to be loved and cared for?

And if they happened to be an evangelist and draws the people into church with an unstoppable passion that enables them to regularly lead others to Christ - well isn't that their job?

And taking initiative to reach into the community - taking an apostolic role to pioneer new territory to make major in-roads with the Gospel message. Well isn't that what we stated we want our church to focus on in our parish consultation - to reach out into the community?

And of course it is absolutely essential they are great teachers to be able to expound the truths of God’s Word to build up the Body of Christ. Well that is vital too! Non-negotiable!

And all that is not taking into account what has truly surprised me this year - that a great amount of your vicar's time will be taken up in just day to day administration and the organisation of simply running the church. Now I really believe this is a ridiculous aspect of the life of your ordained leader - that they spend years being trained theologically only to spend a disproportionate amount of their time behind a desk. Crazy - when their calling will have been from those 5 fold ministries we have just looked at. I believe that has to be changed somehow.

And so I want to encourage you that when a new permanent Vicar is appointed – please be understanding of what the role does and doesn't include, and your expectations of the person. Make sure they are supported and encouraged and given time to live a balanced life.

That is where we have a vital role to play - you and me.

It obvious the vicar cannot do it all. We must support the person - be encouraging - and be willing to be obedient to God's call on your life and how he wants you to serve him.

John F Kennedy, ex president of the USA, was a great orator who made many stirring speeches. One included these famous lines - "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world ask not what America will do for you. Ask what together we can do for the freedom of mankind."

I take the liberty to paraphrase these lines for our application………

“And so my fellow members of Churton Park Anglican Church, ask not what your new Vicar can do for you. Ask what you can do for him or her.”

‘My fellow members of Churton Park Anglican Church, ask not what our church is doing to reach out into the community. Ask what you individually - and we together - can do to connect people and Christ.”

I encourage you - seek God's best for you - and be what he wants you to be.

Fresh Frontiers 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 10th October 2010

There is a bridge somewhere in Central America that was originally built to span over a significant river. Today after floods widened the river, the bridge sits on solid land with the river flowing either side of it. It is literally a bridge to nowhere - isolated from any usefulness. I wonder - is this a picture of the church today? Who are we trying to reach? Has our reason for being in existence changed? Are we cut off from being effective - not doing what we were originally designed to do - like this bridge - because the circumstances around us have changed?

I heard recently of a vicar who was trained under the old C of E model of the church in the middle of a village. Everyone came to the church - it was the centre of the village literally and socially. Mission wasn't actually necessary - people just came because it was the way of life. It was the thing you did. The vicar was looked up to and whose advice was sought and respected. He basically was there to do births, marriages, and funerals and weekly services - of course. Now as he heads toward the later stages of his ordained ministry he has realized that model has changed and the church MUST change too - in order to carry out the work of God - mission. Because you see…………MISSION STARTS WITH GOD.

At our clergy conference in July the keynote speaker made this statement………

'Mission has its origin in God. God is a missionary God, a God who crosses frontiers towards the world. In creation God was already the God of mission, with his Word and his Spirit as missionaries. God likewise sent his incarnate Son into the world.'

God created the world and its people for relationship - with each other - and with him. And when these broke down he sent Jesus into the world to restore those relationships. When you think about it, through OT times and through the ages, God has gone to extraordinary lengths to do this. So God has always been about mission - connecting people with each other and with himself - to spread his love. David Bosch says -

'Mission has its origin in the heart of God. God is a fountain of sending love. This is the deepest source of mission. It is impossible to penetrate deeper still: there is mission because God loves people.'

Love originates from God. He is the source of love, so love is at the heart of everything about God. That is his purpose for us and all he does. John 3:16 is the constant reminder of this - greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. God was prepared to go to that extraordinary length in order to reconcile the relationship between him and us.

Our mission statement for our church here is "Connecting People and Christ to bring healing, hope, and life." It is our stated intent, and desire that everyone comes into a loving personal relationship with God. That personal relationship is SO important. That it isn't just an intellectual connection with God - a trying to understand what God is all about. But it is a relationship of the heart - of our innermost being - that you just know you have a special connection with him - like you do in any other love relationship - it is almost un-definable - but it is so very real to those in the relationship. So what does mission mean for us as God's church?

I have a couple of quotes that will help us understand what it is. Think about them………

1. ‘The Church of God does not have a mission but the God of mission has a Church.’ (Tim Dearborn.)

Doesn't that actually make it easier for us? Because it is saying we are simply part of what God wants to do anyway. In fact without us, how would he carry out his mission?! God has us, as his church, to do mission. It is what he expects of us. What a privilege that God trusts us to do his mission for him!!! We shouldn't even be debating or discussing this. It should just be who we are as a church. Instead of thinking about organising programmes or activities to take care of ourselves we must be going about mission.

2. 'There is church because there is mission, not vice versa.' (David Bosch)

So are we doing it right? Is our focus truly missional? If we were intentional about this, the result would be that God's Kingdom would grow in the hearts and minds of his people that would translate into caring for each other and loving each other as a natural Spiritual outworking of this. The Great Commission was given by Jesus to his disciples that they should GO and make disciples themselves - and THEN baptise - or welcome them into the family of God, his church. It wasn't the other way around. We are commanded to go and make disciples. Jesus was very clear and definite about this.

Peter tells us in his first epistle that the church consists of the followers of Christ. It is those people. It is not a building. It is the people of God.

In the passage Vickie read this morning Paul is saying

1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23

n 19 I have made myself a slave to all so that I might win more of them.

n 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew,

n 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law

n 22 I have become all things to all people

n 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel

It is obvious to me how important it is to relate well to people in THEIR setting - not in ours. And the reason?

'As far as possible he (Paul) has deliberately identified himself with those whom he has sought to win for the gospel.' Morna Hooker

Why would he do that? Remember Paul as Saul set out to destroy the Christians, so now why would he go out of his way to deliberately identify with them? He says -

‘I do it all for the sake of the gospel.’ 1 Cor. 9:23. It was purely to spread the good news of Jesus.

Paul's missionary methods were very straight forward and simple - as you would expect of Paul - he was very direct………

‘What Paul describes is the self identification of Christ with men and women which, in turn, results in their sharing in what he is.’ Morna Hooker

So Paul is encouraging the Christians in Corinth to identify themselves with Christ - not just to meet our own needs - to acknowledge him as not only Saviour - but also as Lord - and so to imitate him in his attitudes and methods and way of living. Paul says -

‘Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.’ (1 Cor.11:1) Firstly as………

A slave

Remember Jesus said - "I came not to be served but to serve." Then how can we do anything but do likewise? Paul also said he became as one………

Outside the Law

This doesn't mean that we are above the law of the land and that we can do anything we like. It means we need to be above the pharisaical attitude of sticking to the extreme letter of the law - of traditions - of ritual - of religiosity. Instead we need to be living a life of love and servant hood as Jesus modeled.

Last weekend I met Dave. He has a ministry to bikkies. He has placed himself in the world of the bikkies, but not of it. Why? To win them for Christ. He is definitely not of the traditional priest mould. He has long hair, a bushy drooping moustache, and a God Squad patch on his T shirt. But he was a person who deeply impressed me with his love for and his commitment to be mission for his Lord and Saviour. Religiosity doesn't enter his mindset. And yet those people he has this contact with regard him as their priest even though he isn't ordained as one, such is the recognition of something very different about him for them. That something they probably aren't able to yet recognize as being "Christ in Dave." Yet in his way, Dave is able to provide that connection between the bikkies and Christ.

To connect people and Christ is what God needs his church for to carry out his mission.

BUT contrary to what we often think - it isn't actually OUR mission. Clark Pinnock has said God’s work is………

‘Mission is a Spirit event – it is God’s mission, not ours. It is not a duty following the work of Christ but is itself God’s work.'

That is very important to recognize. We mustn't get involved in God's mission out of a sense of duty. Each one of us has a particular corner of God's mission field that he has prepared us to serve him in. Seeing he has prepared us for it specifically we must be careful we find that corner he has for us by recognizing: our passion for where we are to serve; our calling from God; and our gifting.

About 3 years ago a passage from 2 Timothy 1:6-9 made a huge impact on me. We mustn't do something out of a feeling of duty because as Paul says in this passage we have each been given a gift to use for God and a spirit of power (the power of the Holy Spirit). We are called to live a holy life. God requires us first and foremost to live a life of godly character (fruit of the Spirit) even before a life of service. So we seek to live out our faith when and where purely because of God's grace and purpose for us. This takes away the burden of striving because God has prepared everything for us and will enable us. All we have to do is be available. God will do the rest.

There are many fresh frontiers of ministry - they are anywhere God places you. Anything goes really. We just have to put aside that traditional church model and thinking. Church isn't just here on a Sunday - in a building - with a Vicar. The model is changing from just meeting our own needs - to GO, as Jesus told us to do, to meet the needs of others where they are most comfortable and love being.

Not every one of us has a calling to a specific ministry/outreach area. In our church we have people involved in ministry to the Elderly, DrugArm, the Indian community, Arohata, and so on, for example. Those could develop into new ways of being church - fresh frontiers of mission. AND………not everyone is called to be in the frontline. But those ministries cannot function without support bases - of prayer - encouragement - resourcing - and so on. But we must be involved because without everyone of us, God's mission cannot be fulfilled.

Our involvement at the very least must be in our families, to our neighbours, in our workplace, wherever we are called to live. It is non-negotiable. If we profess that Jesus is Lord, we have that call on our lives to be God's mission in our particular worlds.

In finishing, I challenge you to consider these questions:

Are we as this church here in Churton Park - like the bridge - cut off from the people God wants us to connect with? If we are, what are we prepared to do about it?

Are we willing to be courageous like the early pioneers - to press forward into fresh frontiers - to take a risk for Christ?

Or will we stay like that bridge - built for a specific purpose even though circumstances have changed, but people no longer COME to us.

Will we instead GO to them?

I really pray that we will.