Selwyn introduces the next surprise – the Christian Church. This surprise is perhaps best summarised by Galations 3:26-28, as mentioned in today’s study; “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The original Jewish covernant became a new covernant, represent by the Church – the ‘Body of Christ’, in which both Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) have equal membership.

As Selwyn says: ‘In relation to the world we still retain our national and sexual identities, of course, but in relation to the Church those identities no longer exist. Tom Rees, … described the Church as ‘the divine masterpiece. It is. Through it God accomplishes His highest purposes.’

Do you have any views on this particular ‘surprise’?

 

Today, Selwyn ends his discussion on the joy that comes from a relationship with God.

He says: “We began this section by making the point that one of the great surprises people get when they become Christians is to discover that their hearts are full of a deep and lasting joy. … Sadly , many of us are sceptical about God’s statements and have to experience what He says before we believe Him. … We are made for joy, and if our lives are characterised by gloom there is something wrong. Joy is being blocked.”

I think that every Christian needs to look into the mirror of honesty, now and then, and ask themself, ‘Do people see my joy that I hold in my heart, or do I hide it behind a brick wall of serious, doom and gloom?’ We are called to allow our faith to shine, like a lighthouse on top of a hill, for all to see. If we are not ashamed of our faith in Jesus then why don’t we do it?

In the ‘further study’ section -  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 is recommended reading, verses 16-18 are, as follows: ‘Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’ I found that one of the important points which these verses contain, is ‘to give thanks in all circumstances’ – perhaps a thankful heart is also a joyful heart – do you agree?

Yet, it is the verses of John 15 (as mentioned by Selwyn today), which really capture the essence of joy that we experience when we walk hand-in-hand with Jesus.

John 15:9-12 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

If you do not have joy in your heart which can be seen by others and is expressed in your face then perhaps you are not obeying His command to ‘love each other’ – what do you think?

 

 

Selwyn starts today’s study with a question: “Will we ever get a satisfactory answer to the question as to how the infectious faith of Jesus became associated with gloom and stern faces and chronic boredom? It is surely one of the most tragic misrepresentations of the truth.”

Possibly, there are a number of answers to this question. As Selwyn says later; ‘Certainly there are some miserable Christians but they didn’t get their misery from their Christian faith.’ There are, I think, a number of ‘cultural Christians’ – those people who have been bought up in the Christian tradition and go to church out of habit – for them, church is a religious/social club. Usually, they think they have made a commitment to God but can’t remember the details as to exactly when they entered into a personal relationship with Jesus. In a way, they are operating on their own strength and are at risk of not receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit – especially when it comes to joy.

There is also another group, those Christians who once had a wonderful relationship with God but have since fallen back into sinful habits. These people could be more miserable than most, but as David shares with us in Psalm 51 – there is a way forward if we find ourselves in this position – that is to honestly admit our faults – and take action to change our sinful ways.

Just read the words of this Psalm and listen to them with all the strength your heart can muster: Psalm 51: 3-12,

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Can you think of any other answers (some of the above came from a discussion I had with my wife, Neroli; on her views as to why there are miserable ‘Christians’)?

In summary, if you don’t feel ‘the joy of your salvation’, then pray to God and ask Him to show you what the reason is – Jesus loves you – and, He will always answer such a prayer.

 

Selwyn continues to look at the joy of Christ and why many who claim to follow Him don’t express this joy.

The issue he is addressing is that because some Christians don’t show this joy then many non-Christians imagine the Christian life to be filled with gloom.

He rightly says: ‘It is perfectly legimate to show sorrow, to cry, and to feel hurt when life is painful and full of trouble. Our faith as Christians does not insulate us from feeings of hurt, grief and sorrow.’

The Spirit of Jesus living in us will provide ‘an underlying sense that in the final anaysis all will be well. Joy didn’t keep the apostle Paul from being knocked down, but it did keep him from being knocked out.’

The scripture verses set down for reading and meditation are good, I really like verses 8 and 9 (2 Corinthians, Chapter 4); “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.”

It’s important that we know that we all can survive life’s trials in the same way as Paul because we have the same Jesus to help us. I think it also helps to keep our minds focused on the goal of our salvation. Paul says later, in verses 16 to 18, more about this: ‘Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.’

Notice that Paul recognises that he is experiencing ‘troubles’, he is not denying the reality of the beatings and other difficulties that has happened. Paul is putting them into a proper perspective  – (very) short term pain for eternal joy. Jesus is providing Paul and us with a foretaste of the joy of heaven. If you feel only a little of this joy of loving Jesus then pray for more, as it is written in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; they who seek finds; and to those who knock, the door will be opened.”  It’s no good just wishing things would be different – some action is required on our part – we need to ask, seek or knock – do you agree?

Selwyn introduces today’s study, as follows: ‘Uncomfortable though it may be for us to consider, we Christians have to face the fact that many of us are not always good examples of the faith we profess.’ He goes on to say that many of us remain selfish, proud, restless, fearful, worried and still harbour resentment and bitterness.

He goes on to ask: ‘What does our Christianity do for us? … Does our behaviour contradict the very truths we are trying to get across to others? If Christians are, by definition, people in whom Christ lives, then should we not be showing more evidence that the risen Christ is alive in us?’

These are good questions – what’s your initial response to such self-examination?

The main verse for reading and meditation is worth thinking about, Matthew 5:16 ‘ … let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father …’; at the Bible Study I was at last night we also looked at this Chapter of Matthew – and we discussed the various reasons why people don’t shine the light of Jesus before others. I think that in the Western world many have lost the ability to share with others their feelings on the ‘influences’ which are at work in our lives – many may lack the strength to allow themselves to become vulerable to scrutiny that may lead to criticism.

The other (unfortunate) discussion we had last night occurred when one person said they thought that there was too much emphasis on Jesus in sermons, to the detriment of the Father and the Holy Spirit. I myself, could not understand why he emotionally expressed so much concern about this -  because, depending on the context, often all three persons of the Trinity are mentioned in our local church services; and, after all, we are Christ – ians.

The following Scripture came to mind, when I left the study: John 14:6 ‘Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”‘

How can you, in a loving way, talk to someone who is very emotional about an issue but at the same time you would like to express a different view; and not end up having a shouting competition? The question is, should you let a contentious issue go unchallenged, for the sake of keeping the peace – is that a good example of Christian love?

 

Selwyn opens today’s study with: ‘At present we are considering why it is that so many think becoming a Christian involves giving up most of the enjoyable things of life.’

He later says: ‘How then, we ask, has this widely-held illusion come about that entering into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is to experience less of life rather than more?’, then Selwyn open ups an important debate: ‘Many of us followers of Christ have, somehow or other, given the impression that the Chrsitian is anything but full and joyful. Far too often our general attitude suggests that Christianity is a heavy load which we are carrying rather than a living faith which carries us.’

This is an area which has also puzzled me – why is it, that so many people at a church service, look like they are going through some form of penance rather than experiencing the joy of worshipping God? Is it, that many are not true members of Jesus’ flock – are they trying to please God by their own efforts rather than relying on the power of the Holy Spirit? When, I’m surrounded by a sea of ‘joyful’ indifference at church, it becomes very difficult to remain in such an environment. How do you survive such times?

Selwyn continues to spend some more time ‘on the thought that one of the great surprises new Christians experience is that they are filled with a deep and lasting joy.’

He makes a useful distinction between joy and happiness. “This joy, of course, is different from happiness. Hapiness is dependent on circumstances. If what happens, happens happily then we are happy. But joy is different. Joy is that deep and enduring sense that all is well, even when circumstances are against us.”

Peter’s letter (in regard to the Scripture set down for today’s reading and meditation) is well worth another read if you have not recently looked at it.

Some parts of the first chapter are excellent, for example (I’ve highlighed the bits I like the most): “Though you have not seen Him (Jesus) , you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’  (1 Peter 1:8-16)

The key points for me, which cause my spirit to leap with joy, are:

• Jesus’ suffering, paying the penality for everyone’s sins – was predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament.
• His sacrifice was successful – when we believe in Jesus, our relationship with God is restored.
• We are assured of the ‘salvation of our souls’.
• We respond to this amazing grace, flowing to us from  Jesus, by self-controlled actions.
• We are called to live ‘holy’ lives, with the help of His Holy Spirit.

What did you find in today’s study which ‘spoke’ to you?