The story is told of Charles Spurgeon visiting a family.  There was in that household a domestic servant – paid salary – who had recently been converted.  As a faithful pastor, Spurgeon began to enquire as to the girl’s spiritual state.  What reason did she have to be confident that she had not only professed a nominal faith in Jesus, but she was truly now born again?  “Well,” the reply is said to have come, “now I clean under the rugs.” 

Christian life is for the whole of life! 

Perhaps few principles are less frequently articulated, and more in need of being communicated, than that Christ is all in all, and that the freeing rule of Jesus applies equally to the world of work.  Consider: most people in most churches spend most of their time not in a worship service.  Consider: how much of what we teach during a worship service actually applies to a) cleaning floors; b) making multi-million dollar deals; c) raising children; d) trying to cope with an annoying boss; or e) figuring out how to fire graciously an underperforming, lazy, or immoral employee? 

I suspect the answer is “precious little.” 

But this is not just a matter of appropriate proportionality when it comes to the teaching that we give and receive in the context of the church, and how much of that applies to the “real world” (whatever that is).  This is – even MORE importantly – about the great debate going on under the surface of our society today about the relationship between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” or what has been called the 99% and the 1%.  What place in this world is there for profit?  Or, to put it another way, if there were no profit, how could there be provision? 

Answer: Colossians 3:22-4.1, which we will be studying on Sunday! 

In the context of Colossians, Paul is applying the truth of Jesus’ freeing rule (“Christ is all in all!”) to every area of life, including the area of slaves and masters.  In Christ there is no slave nor free; we are all one in him.  This principle undermines the institution of slavery in church history (William Wilberforce!) and redefines the power relationships at work so that every single one of us – boss, and wage slave – are working for Jesus as our Master. 

That’s truly radical, it changes everything. Come and find out why the Occupy movement is half-right, and why it is half-wrong (at least). 

Sunday morning, College Church – where the gospel is proclaimed, lived and practiced Sunday and from Monday all the way to the next Sunday.

On Sunday, May 20, at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., we continue in our series “The Bible Explained” with Work from Colossians 3:22-4:1.

The Workshop on Biblical Exposition is taking place at College Church this week. Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St. Ebbe’s Church in Oxford, England, and author of God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible, is one of our lead instructors as we focus on Old Testament narrative.

On Thursday evening, May 10, from 7:30-8:30 p.m., Vaughan Roberts will also be giving a special lecture on the theme of “kingdom” in the Bible. This event is free and open to the public and will be in Commons Hall at College Church.

Then on Sunday morning at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. at College Church, Vaughan will preach from Psalm 27 on “Trusting and Treasuring Christ.” We are delighted to have him with us this week at College Church and invite you to join us.

On Sunday, May 6, at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., we continue in our series “The Bible Explained” with the Church from Acts 2:42-47.

On Sunday, April 29, at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., we continue in our series “The Bible Explained” with Redemption from Romans 8.

On Sunday, April 22, at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., we continue in our series “The Bible Explained” with the Fall from Genesis 3.

I have just returned from the latest “Together for the Gospel” (T4G) conference in Louisville, Kentucky. We took about six or seven of our team down this year and used it as an opportunity to catch up with some ministry partners, listen to teaching, and spend time building connections within the team. The theme for this year’s conference was the “underestimated” gospel. I came away with the perspective that solid foundation leads to dynamic fruit. For those of us who love metaphors, you will know that that is a mixed metaphor: still, the principle that firm commitment to theological (sometimes unfashionable) truth is the way to see fruit was evident and much on display. 

Lane Dennis, President of Crossway, shared about the impact of their ministry with his remarkable example of winsome, godly, seasoned kindness. Mark Dever warned us compellingly of the dangers of an unregenerate membership. David Platt preached passionately – an overused word but in his case distinctly appropriate – of the sovereignty of God as the foundation for a commitment to global mission from Revelation 5. Ligon Duncan wisely encouraged the pastors with the example of Elijah. CJ Mahaney likewise offered convincing encouragement for pastors in danger of losing heart. All in all, not to mention the other great preachers like Thabiti Anyabwile, our team came away edified, encouraged, and with food for thought as well as timely reminders.

T4G looks in dynamic health. And I suspect a large portion of that is to do with its commitment to (unfashionable) theological truth. The good doctor (Lloyd-Jones) got a mention as one who without his ministry conferences like this might not under God’s sovereignty be thriving. There were English representatives at breakout sessions: Pete Williams and Simon Gathercole helping many people retain a firm, academically credible grasp of Scripture’s integrity. At another breakout session Jeff Purswell walked us through the pastor and the Spirit with a careful and steady exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14.

For those of you unable to travel to the next T4G, or the excellent Gospel Coalition coming up next year, there are multiple resources on web pages that can be perused. And we can go to our equivalent ministries – Simeon Trust and the like – with a determination to stick to the solid foundation for the vision of dynamic fruit. Ultimately, and most importantly, that of honoring Jesus Christ above all.

This Sunday, April 15, at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., we begin a new 7-week series called “The Bible Explained.” We will look at some of the large themes of the Bible to get an overview of the Bible. This first week, we will be looking at Creation from Genesis 1-2.

Suffering is hateful. Bloody. Nasty. Indiscriminate. Horrible.

Just ask Job if you don’t believe me. For all the books out there on suffering — and there are many — it is a topic that will not go away because the easy answers do not work.

Typical evangelical answers to suffering fall into two categories. First, there is the empathy category. In this approach our goal is not to provide an answer but to provide a shoulder. We ‘come alongside’. We listen. We mourn with those who mourn, etc.

The other category, though, is the answer category. Here, perhaps not at the moment of suffering, answers of various kinds are attempted. If you want an insight into just how difficult this topic is compare C.S. Lewis’s brilliant The Problem of Evil with his later (and more personal) A Grief Observed.

The storms

The reason why I am thinking about suffering, and revisiting its answer, is because of all the mundane, regular, hideous, horrible, disgusting, inexplicable suffering that hits the news in America — as anywhere else. Storms recently, with a baby and her whole family picked up out of nowhere deposited miles away, with all the family dead, but the child surviving (just). You want to make meaning out of that? Be my guest.

Romans 8 is the typical answer. God works all things together for those who love him. Yes. Somehow God uses dark with the light to produce a result beyond all brilliance. The cross itself teaches this: the most despicable, disgusting, degraded, evil act in the course of all human history; and at the same time it is the very centre of mercy, love, compassion, grace and salvation for all God’s people.

Yes, I know the answers. The religious mindset says about suffering: ‘Why is this happening to me? I deserve better’. The gospel mindset says: ‘I deserve nothing but hell. Anything good I receive is pure mercy. And I am grateful’.

These are, indeed, the answers. Until that is you counsel an abuse victim. Who smiles at you through her Christian tear-stained eyes when you attempt to comfort her. She knows the answers too.

Job

I suspect, then, that at some point in life we all end up somewhere in the discourse in Job. He questions. He rails. He provokes. He shocks. And at the end of it all he is provided not with an answer but with an encounter. An encounter with God himself. I suppose our prayer should be that when we revisit suffering we would in the end revisit God.

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*The above article was written for Evangelicals Now and published in their news publication for April 2012.

We invite you to join us at College Church this coming week for our Easter services.

Sunday, April 1, Palm Sunday:

At 8:00, 9:30 and 11:00 a.m., we will look at John 12:12-19 in a message entitled “Donkey King.”

At 6:00 p.m. during our evening service, the choir will present portions from Handel’s Messiah, Parts 2 and 3.

Friday, April 6, Good Friday:

At 6:00 and 8:00 p.m., we will look at John 19:28-30 in a message entitled “The Last Good Friday.”

Sunday, April 8, Easter morning:

We will have four morning services at 6:30, 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m.  Bring friends and join us Easter for “Faith Without Prejudice” from John 20:1-10.