David Bahn - Reflections

Our mission may not be as momentous as Joshua's or as critical as Paul's. But our calling is every bit as important. We must sometimes take courage in big or small mission efforts. We can do so - assured of Jesus' presence, strength, and promise - whether we appropriate God's promise to Joshua or Jesus' promise to us all: I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Thank God we can cling to the hope of the resurrection and rejoice in the Holy Spirit's presence and blessings in our lives - and look toward the day when all God's holy angels will gather us into the eternal bliss of the life of the world to come.

What's it all about Alfie is a song connected to the movie, Alphie. Alphie is a young, womanising man leading a self-centred life, focused on his own enjoyment until events force him to question his uncaring behaviour, his loneliness, and his priorities. The song asks some good questions, but not the ultimate one.

It's all about Jesus, Alphie. It's all about Jesus, and Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth.

I wonder what kinds of pettiness and maneuvering Jesus has gotten around in order to bring the gospel message to you and to me. Thank God he was absolutely committed to doing so.

I wish we never had to engage in political debates, or that such debates remained civil. But there is nothing new under the sun. God is never surprised by it. He is not powerless in the face of the most blatant attack on Jesus or his Church. There is another thing to remember in the face of the most vivid displays of godlessness and immorality. God is on his throne. There will be a day of reckoning. Jesus will receive his due honor by all. The ancient truth of God's glorious grace is never old news - even though it is from the foundations of creation. God's mercies are new every morning. Great is his faithfulness. That's the kind of nothing new I want to recall every day.

The fullness of our conversion is to receive forgiveness, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and live under Christ’s reign and rule now and forever. We’ll never do this fully and perfectly. But that is still the call. And as we turn again and again to Jesus for forgiveness, confessing him as Lord, we are set again on the path of obedient love and faithful living. All by his grace. All by the Holy Spirit’s power. All for the glory of Jesus’ name.

Many years ago a pastor shared with me what I used as the title for this post: The world begins at the end of your skin. In other words, you don't have to go far to engage in God's mission. It might be across town. Or even another state. But mission trips can also take us to downtown Houston. Your neighbor may be in a place that allows you to bring the love of Christ and the news of his reign and rule to her. Your husband may need the assurance of Christ's forgiveness.

A Harvard MBA student once described the mission of a prominent church as being that of turning pagans into missionaries. Paul wasn’t a pagan. But in some ways he was worse. He had been a sworn enemy of the Christian faith. What turned him around? What made the difference in his life? What was he seeking to display?

Now these three remain, faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.

We who have been baptized have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and connected with Jesus' death and resurrection. Our salvation has been secured. Thanks be to God!

Paul used his identity to defend himself in the face of those who were accusing him of desecrating the temple. We best claim our identity to remind ourselves of who we are and whose we are, and to offer to others a grace-filled way for others to think of us, and to point them to Jesus.