Malcolm Cox

A sermon for the Watford church of Christ

Our special International Sunday service was marked with singing and praying in different languages as well as some fun involving food colouring, blowup globes and empty pill casings.

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Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

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“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Today we look at Chapter 5: The still small voice and its rivals, 86

 

 

• “But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:9 NIV11)

Next week we will go on to look at chapter 6 of the book which is titled “The word of God and the rule of God”.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction:

- A never-solved challenge from the first century till now

- In our family of churches unity was simple

- Now it is much more complex

1. The Significance (of Unity)

Jesus - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34–35 NIV11)

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:22–23 NIV11)

The world will not know that we are his disciples unless we are unified, unless we love deeply

“In the church, we divide easily because we love shallowly.” Francis Chan, ‘Until Unity’.

Paul - “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2 NIV11)

Early church - “When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.” (Acts 15:4 NIV11)

2. The Tensions (around Unity)

Do we have to agree? Depends on how define ‘unity’: relational, not organisational - Jn 13, 17. 

“Many times huge divisions come between people who can sign the same doctrinal statement but can’t agree on the same methodology.” Francis Chan, ‘Until Unity’

Agree on what?

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV11)

That Christ is your leader.

“make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2 NIV11)

A Christ-like love. A Christ-like humility.

If we focus on unity will we neglect the mission?

Depends on how define ‘mission’

Part of mission is revealing God’s heart to world

That’s a heart of love unified with brothers and sisters - a family-community

If not our experience we can only offer facts to the world - not heart

If heart right, evangelistic aspect of mission will be more effective

3. The Answer (to Unity)

Define unity & mission 

Attempt unity - “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18 NIV11)

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9 NIV11)

Do not be a disunity detective

Put unity before programs, plans, plantings

We talk of paradigms, programs and plantings but unity is more important

Why is unity more important? Because we cannot be unified without humility and love.

Paradigms can be conceived of, programs can be designed, and plantings can be sent out without humility or love.

The world is not short on church plantings, church programs, and discussions about the perfect church paradigm.

The world is short on humility and love.

“Many of our problems could be reconciled if we discussed our concerns on our knees before a Holy God. We can’t allow the Enemy or our enemies to interrupt our praise. Worship is our path to unity.” Francis Chan, “Until Unity”

I have nothing against paradigms, programs of plantings. I would not argue that Jesus had no plan when he came to earth. But, what I would argue, and I believe the Scriptures present, is that the plan is, when carefully considered in the light of scripture, almost hidden, almost invisible, certainly inferred rather than laid out in a "here's how to do it" manner. Instead, the Scriptures clearly present the heart of God in Jesus. And what do we learn about gods heart? Is it a heart primarily concerned about paradigms, programs and plantings? No. It is a heart concerned with reconciliation, grace, love, family, forgiveness, harmony, oneness, healing.

Where is our focus?

“Imagine what it could be like if, rather than viewing themselves as the defenders of truth, Christian leaders lived like it was their God-given duty to defend the unity of the Church.” ibid.

 How much energy do we put in to evangelism, planning church services and organising the organisation compared to how much energy we put into developing harmonious, family, loving unity? Especially when that unity has gone wrong. It is clear the apostle Paul had a huge heart for saving those that are lost, but, his letters are not about that. They are about issues that have disrupted Congregational harmony, and harmony between congregations.

Conclusion

God’s heart - our heart

Your thoughts? Experiences?

Ideas and Questions for Reflection: 

- How do you understand unity?

- How do you understand mission?

- What is your best advice to maintain unity?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

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God bless, Malcolm

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.””

(1 Peter 1:22–25 NIV11)

QUESTION: What is the difference between love and deep love?

“Our church is not the group of people who show up Sunday morning to attend a weekly religious event. The real church is the people who are emotionally connected by their mutual and stated love for Christ and by their commitment to each other because of Christ.” 

In this interactive lesson, we explored how we deepen our fellowship in a way modelled after the way Christ loved his disciples (John 13:34-35).

What do you think are the most significant issues that help us to love one another deeply from the heart?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Today we look at Chapter 4.

Jesus could not be forced into doing ‘religious stunts’. Even something directly done by God does not necessarily convince, Luke 16:31.

““He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”” (Luke 16:31 NIV11) 

‘If a man (says Jesus) cannot be humane with the Old Testament in his hand and Lazarus on his doorstep, nothing - neither a visitant from the other world nor a revelation of the horrors of hell – will teach him otherwise. Such requests for signs are pure invasions." Hunter ‘Interpreting the parables’, 84

Knowing God helps us to recognise his word, but also what is congruent with his nature. This comes about largely through knowing his teachings.

Truth number one: God would

Not only is God capable, but he is humble. Of course he would speak to us ordinary people. The incarnation of Jesus proves that.

Truth number two: God does

Perhaps we are convinced he doesn't now because we are not in tune with him. Mark 4:23-24

“If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.” (Mark 4:23–24 NIV11)

Another reason could be that we're not ready. Ready to listen, ready to obey, change. The Lord's prayer, for example is about God's will being done.

We don't hear his voice because we don't expect it.

Truth number three: God certainly can

Scientism is sceptical about the ability of God to speak

Some assume that if he exists he is utterly beyond this material world. It looks like it runs without him anyway.

This is to assume God works the way we do, that he is in someway limited to interacting with immateriality.

He is near us, Acts 17:27-28, just not necessarily in the way that we think 

 “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” (Acts 17:27–28 NIV11)

Archbishop William Temple:

“We do not know what Matter is when we look at Matter alone; only when Spirit dwells in Matter and uses it as a tool do we learn the capacities of Matter. The sensitiveness of eye and ear, the delicacy of the artist's touch, are achievements which we could never anticipate from the study of the lifeless. So, too, we do not know what Humanity really is, or of what achievements it is capable, until Divinity indwells in it. ... We must not form a conception of Humanity and either ask if Christ is Human or insist on reducing Him to the limits of our conception; we must ask, "What is Humanity?" and look at Christ to find the answer. We only know what Matter is when Spirit dwells in it; we only know what Man is when God dwells in him.”

Truth number four: and God should!

I wonder if church leaders like myself do not teach more on this because we're afraid if every member of our congregation should start to hear from God. Would we be able to control the chaos?!

He asks the question whether we want living stones or dead stones, “you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,” (1 Peter 2:5 NIV11)

Do you want to be a sheep dog or a Shepherd?

We are called to lead, not control

If we leaders control the flock, it is unlikely they will hear from God. They may think it's unnecessary and delegate it to us!

There are risks in a congregation if people learn to listen to God. We may have disagreements. We will need to grow in discernment.

When contemplating whether we've heard the voice of God we can consider whether it fits with his word, fits with circumstances, and other people who may know something of the situation. 

Next week we will go on to look at chapter 5 of the book which is titled “The still small voice and its rivals”.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

I enjoy finding connections between the Old and New Covenants. Today I want to try one out on you. You can tell me if I am seeing something that is not there, or whether it is legitimate.

Fellowship is under pressure

    * COVID

        * 2 years of our lives have been spent largely not in one another’s company

        * Allows for reduced vulnerability

        * We are truly viscerally vulnerable when together in a way that is not mirrored online. 

        * One of the beauties of in-person fellowship is the inability of the fellowshipers to control their fellowship. Someone will interrupt, someone will want to talk to us that we'd rather avoid, a topic will be broached we'd rather not discuss. 

    * Social Media

        * The Separation of Church and Status, Brett McCracken, Princeton Theological Review, Vol XVII, No 2, (2010) pp. 21-34.

            * McCracken is pretty scathing about the ability of social media to generate meaningful connections. He says, 'What else can this be but a performance, an exercise of power wherein we can regulate and micromanage our very specifically staged social spheres?' 25 

* It was’ Fellowship Sunday’ last week in the Watford church of Christ

* Some teaching, a fellowship exercise and conclusion

Fellowship is not a New Testament idea

The Israelites brought fellowship offerings to the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 20:24). This Hebrew word - shelem - comes up over 80 times in the Old Testament. It means ‘peace offering’ and its purpose was thanksgiving, vow fulfilment or as a freewill offering, Lev 7:11–18.  

The fellowship offering was shared. 

God received the best

Leviticus 3:3–5 

The priests received their share as food

Leviticus 7:31–34

The people ate the rest

Leviticus 10:14 NIV11

- “Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God.” (Deuteronomy 27:7 NIV11)

1. God ate

2. His priests ate

3. His people ate

1. Prompted by thankfulness to God

2. Personal sacrifice

3. Everyone present participated

4. Everyone present benefitted

Perhaps this is a good model for our New Testament fellowship. 

1. Out of gratitude to God for our salvation and new identity in his family

2. We make a sacrifice of money, time and energy to come together which

3. Honours God

4. Blesses others

5. Strengthen us

Encouraging the generating of genuine loving encounters as part of the collective worship experience is a tough thing to 'organise'. However, some of the issues that can take a congregation in the right direction would include:

* The leadership setting the example

* Services not so long everyone wants to escape as quickly as possible afterwards

    * Some of our people have non-Christian spouses at home

* Teaching on the value of fellowship and the how-to's for those who are socially challenged

* Where possible arranging the space and seating to facilitate connection

* Creating interactive aspects to the worship events such that individual participation is encouraged and collective expressions of faith are possible

* Find ways for people of different backgrounds and ages to serve together

As Max Lucado puts it,

“Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When you interlock your understanding with mine, and we share our discoveries, when we mix, mingle, confess, and pray, Christ speaks.”  ‘Fearless’, p144

Ideas and Questions for Reflection: 

- What does ‘fellowship’ mean to you?

- Why do you ‘fellowship’ at congregational gatherings?

- If God could help you to fellowship more meaningfully, what would you ask him for?

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

God bless, Malcolm

The latest in my occasional series as I process my feelings and thinking since the death of my mother last year. Today I reflect on why I visit the grave. The reason? Of course it’s love. Obvious? I guess so. But meaningful and refreshing.

Remember, “Weeping may remain for a night, but joy cometh in the morning“ Psalm 30

Apologies for the wind noise by the way, but I didn’t have my fancy microphone with me.

Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God; Dallas Willard

Today we look at Chapter 3.

Never alone

    * Loneliness a great curse

        * Loneliness is "the leprosy of the modern world." 45

    * Rom 8:35-39 God's great commitment to us never being alone

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35–39 NIV11)

* Immanuel - God with us - fully committed

        * ““The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).” (Matthew 1:23 NIV11-GK)

 * “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NIV11-GK)

   * The giver and his gifts

        * "Our contentment lies not in his presents but in the presence of the one whose presents they are." 45

        * We have been made with the capacity and the need to enjoy God. His greatest gift is himself.

        * "God is also with us in a conversational relationship: he speaks with us individually as it is appropriate – which is only to be expected between persons who know one another, care about each other and are engaged in common enterprises." 51

        * Working together with God means that we are aware of what he is focused on, and that guides us

        * When we work on his work we work with him as a friend, then we know his mind, his heart, his priorities

        * Summed up by Galatians 2:19-20.

            * ““For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:19–20 NIV11-GK)

    * Mistaken interpretations 57

        * God will tell me what to do minute by minute

            * "There is no evidence in the life of Peter or Paul, for example, that they were constantly receiving communication from God."

            * Even Jesus was not following the dictates of garden detail moment by moment. He knew the will of his father encouraged it out.

            * Perhaps God speaks ultimately to people who are mature. A young Christian would not be able to handle it

        * The it's-all-in-the-Bible view

            * There are many commands and helpful principles, but not everything in life is covered by the Bible

            * "Our reverence for and faith in the Bible must not be allowed to blind us to the need for personal divine instruction within the principles of the Bible yet beyond the details of what it explicitly says." 59

Next week we will go on to look at chapter 4 of the book which is titled “Our communicating Cosmos".

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

The song: Jesus is gonna fix it – Matt Genese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAy0RR4D0YA

The book: Christian Worship and Technological Change: Susan J. White

Media Saturation

* How is media influencing our congregational worship, teaching and preaching?

* Competing ‘authorities’ have multiplied in advertising and compete for our trust.

* What is ‘good’, ‘healthy’, ‘effective’?

* Broadcast services have led to greater predictability in worship. Standardisation is what viewers like – a formula that works for them and they know to expect and trust.

* Megachurches have much in common: ‘strong authoritarian leadership, a predictable (if not invariable) pattern…’ 117

* High technical standards, predictability, easy to follow, clear strong leadership.

* Nothing new, but now more pervasive than ever because of media saturation.

* Media has tried to convince us there is a ‘fix’ for every problem.

* Has this influenced how people, and leaders think about worship?

Fixing it

* Is our worship attempting to solve a problem, heal an ill, answer a question?

* Are we in danger of providing worship that fixes people quickly, easily and without effort?

* “For most participants, worship is judged by its ability to uplift, inspire, and console.” 118

* Instead of revealing God

* How might this have influenced our teaching and preaching?

How to

* How many “How to…” lessons did Jesus teach?

* ““This, then, is how you should pray:” (Matthew 6:9 NIV11)

* But it is not a formula

* How many “How to…” lessons have you taught recently?

* ‘How to’ helps us to know what we are trying to achieve

* But must be about the development of Christian character

* And God as the focus

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community.

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/).

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review.

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

Mike Desouza was our visiting speaker today. He spoke movingly on the significance of God's remembering of us.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm