After a weekend spent looking at silk flowers for weddings and other preparations for weddings, it was quite ironic to find Dave’s sermon this morning was on the topic of ‘the man without wedding clothes’, looking at Matt 22:1-14! God’s word is given to us to warn, teach, encourage and train us in righteousness, but so often, we find we listen half-heartedly, not really applying His word to our own lives. Jesus told this parable towards the end of his life, once again addressing the Pharisees with their acute sense of self-confidence and self-righteousness and showing how we are entirely dependent on God’s mercy and favour.

Wedding banquets are celebrations, times of rejoicing. In order for us to have this kind of joy in our everyday lives, we need to clothe ourselves with the wedding clothes God provides. The king invited everyone, even those who would not normally expect to receive such an invitation, and provided clothing for all who were invited. God provides robes of righteousness and garments of salvation for us to wear, but the invitation in itself is not enough. We have to actually put these garments on and wear faith if we are to be received into the celebration!

In order to live with the kind of joy which characterises such celebrations, we need to apply Paul’s teaching from Phil 4:4-9. We have to rejoice in the Lord always because we know He is near to us, no matter how we feel. We have to let go of anxiety and fear, asking God for the help we need, being thankful for His presence with us and allowing the peace of God to shine in our lives. Next, we have to set our minds on all that is good, pure and wholesome, concentrating on all that is positive in God. Finally, Paul urged the Philippians to put into practice all they had seen in him. Having good role models is essential; we have to fill our lives with good things and follow good examples in order to experience the fullness of life and joy which God promises.

Last night’s prayer meeting looked at bringing people into the light of Christ through our prayers. Jesus is the Light of the world who has come into our world and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5, John 8:12) As Matt Redman’s ‘Light of the World’ makes clear, we need Jesus to shine His light on us and to illuminate the darkness:

As we pray for people and situations which are beyond our ability to change, we need to bring them to the light of Christ and then be prepared to leave them there. Sometimes we ‘worry our prayers’, constantly begging God to move. Persistence in prayer is obviously a good thing, but there are times when this is simply a disguise for a lack of faith and trust.

Waiting is an essential, but disliked, part of prayer! In Luke 15, Jesus talks about things that are lost. In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd is pro-active, leaving the 99 sheep in the pen and searching for the one lost sheep. In the parable of the lost coin, the woman is pro-active, sweeping every corner of the room until she finds her lost coin. In the parable of the lost son, however, the father waits. He is looking for the son’s return; he is watching and waiting (and I’m quite sure he was praying!), but he is not active in the same way. Eugene Peterson says ‘something other than aggressive energy is required. Something no less energetic, yet passive – passive energy. There are situations in which our passivities take precedence over our activities.’ (‘The Word Made Flesh’, P 94)

Many of us do not like this waiting aspect of prayer. (If we are honest, most of us don’t like any form of waiting at all!) But ‘waiting provides the time and space for others to get in on salvation. Waiting calls a time-out, puts us on the sidelines for a while so that we don’t interfere with essential kingdom-of-God operations that we don’t even know are going on. Not-doing involves a means of detaching my ego, my still immature understanding of the way God works comprehensively but without forcing his way, without coercion.  The restraint of passivity allows for the quiet, mostly invisible complexities and intricacies that are characteristic of the Holy Spirit as he does his work in us, in the church and in the world for whom Christ died.’ (ibid. P 94-95)

Most of us believe that we need to do more for God. I’m not so sure that is the case. ‘The primary concern of the spiritual life isn’t what we do for God but what God does for us’, Eugene Peterson remarks in his commentary on David. (‘Leap Over A Wall’, P 99) He later goes on to say ‘‘Biblical not-doing is neither sloth nor stoicism: it’s a strategy. When David sat down before God, it was prayer. It was entering into the presence of God, becoming aware of God’s word, trading in his plans for God’s plans, letting his enthusiasm for being a King with the authority and strength to do something for God be replaced with the willingness to become a King who could represent truly the sovereignty of God, the high King.’ (ibid. P 163-164)

Perhaps the reason that the prayer meeting is attended by the lowest number of people in most churches is that we are not ready to sit down before God, bringing people into the Light, because we do not see that as active enough. We need a complete re-moulding of our understanding of activity and a whole-hearted trust in the efficacy of prayer. Only God can save, heal, restore, turn situations around. There are plenty of things we can do (love, serve, feed the poor, forgive, clean the toilets, make the teas and coffees), but we need to be prepared to allow God to do the things only He can do, without interfering, without nagging, without despairing. He will not forget. He is not slow as we understand slowness. He is gracious, loving and working His ways out all the time.

Many of us hold strange views on prayer. We are perhaps used to hearing ‘model prayers’ spoken in church, prayers full of eloquent language and lofty sentiments, and as a result of this, we may feel that our prayers are somehow inferior. We may feel we have to polish our language or refine our phraseology in order to be heard by God. Often, this results not in more prayer (based on the adage that ‘practice makes perfect‘) but less. No matter how much we pray, we feel inadequate.

Then we read the book of Psalms, the Biblical handbook on prayer, and we are taken by surprise. To be sure, there are prayers which are lofty and noble, full of dazzling imagery and equally wonderful simplicity. But interspersed with all these prayers are the ‘imprecatory psalms’ (Ps 5, 10, 17, 35, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, 140) which seethe with anger and are full of prayers that rail against enemies, calling down curses from heaven.

When life is comfortable and easy, we feel disquiet at these psalms. What are they doing in the Bible?! The raw emotion, the passion, the fury, the outrage, the sheer violence of these prayers takes us by surprise. It’s difficult to imagine these prayers being intoned in the strange voice often heard in church services, that sing-song tone which renders all meaning squeezed out of words. These prayers are furious tirades, passionate pleas for justice, heartfelt cries from the depth of people’s beings.

But when we  find ourselves in such situations – facing injustice, people who plot against us, called to cope with atrocities that are beyond our comprehension – these prayers suddenly take on a whole new meaning. They ‘articulate our own disquiet when we are caught in the agony and emotional upheaval of life’s incongruities and injustices.’ (Bible Gateway commentary.) They help us to see that we can bring every emotion before God, holding nothing back. They show us the very personal and real nature of prayer: not something to be polished or practised, but the heart’s cry to a loving God. ‘These prayers awaken the conscience to the human cry for redress, the cosmic demand for moral order and justice. They can lead one to feel as deeply as one ought the horrendous insult to Yahweh and his creation perpetrated by those who lie and cheat and kill and abuse and blaspheme. Made callous by exposure to continual evil, one may lose the sense of outrage these evils deserve, whether done to us or to others or to God. These prayers awaken that outrage, which is to be offered to God and which motivates to redemptive action.’ (Bible Gateway commentary)

Jesus did indeed urge us to pray for our enemies, not against them. (Matt 5:44) Where we start in prayer is not usually, however, where we end up. We may start with anger, outrage, fury, bitterness and hatred. But as we pray, letting go of those emotions, releasing them to God, we are ‘led through the desire for vengeance to the prayer for blessing and redemption to which we are called.’ 

Trusting in God when nothing makes sense, when life is spinning out of control as far as we can see, when we are wounded and hurt is not easy. But we take heart from these psalms which teach us that prayer involves ‘raw honesty and detailed thoroughness.’ (Eugene Peterson’s introduction to the Psalms) Don’t wait for perfect situations to pray. Pray whatever the situation. (1 Thess 5:17)

Do we have to shun technology and grow long beards (like the Amish) in order to be distinctively Christian? Is there a particular way to look that will tell others we belong to Christ? Everyday distinctiveness is not really visible from the outside necessarily, but Christians are distinctive when they:

1. give their full attention to God, listening for His voice
2. live in obedient response to God’s voice
3. live with integrity, being true to who they are and being transformed into who God wants them to be
4. love unconditionally
5. forgive freely
6. promote justice
7. care for the poor and needy
8. live at peace with people

1. Giving God our full attention

A Christian’s chief distinctiveness, the thing that sets us apart from the pattern of the world, is that we are living in a relationship with God and He has our first attention. Paul says ‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.’ (Col 3:1-2) God is the One who makes us distinctive, because the rest of the world is not living in relationship with God and so the mere fact that we are talking with God and listening to Him makes us different. Everything starts with God. It flows from that personal relationship with God.

2. Living in obedience to God

We are commanded to ‘develop a life of holy obedience instead of letting the crowd drag [us] into a sloppy indolence.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Run With the Horses’, P 140) Every time we hear God’s voice and respond to it in obedience, we are going to be distinctive. Obedience is one of the chief hallmarks of the Christian. Jesus told us ‘If you love me, keep my commands.’ (John 14:15) God demands holiness and purity from His children: ‘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 Pet 1:15-16) We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29) and have to be persist in obedience (Gal 6:9).

3. Live with integrity

We are all unique individuals; God wants us to to live out our distinctive God-given identity and to be shaped into the person He has made us to be. We need to recognise that unity is not the same as uniformity and there is room for individuality within the church. God wants us to be ourselves and pursue the dreams He gives us, not comparing ourselves with others all the time or trying to follow fashion but living with integrity.

4. Love unconditionally

God calls us to love unconditionally as He does, not just loving those who are lovable or who like us! (Matt 5:43-47) This extends to the isolated colleague everyone else shuns or the people no one else wants to know. Love is the hallmark of the Christian. (1 Cor 13:1-8)

5. Forgive freely

Jesus taught us to forgive freely for we have been freely forgiven. (Matt 6:12) Those who display forgiveness (eg Gordon Wilson, who forgave those who murdered his daughter in the Enniskillen bombing in 1987 or  Alice Greaves, who forgave the murderers of her organist husband, saying she prayed ‘God’s great mercy will inspire them to true repentance’) demonstrate to us the power of forgiveness, which is totally alien to the world’s tendency to hold grudges and to bear malice. If we have received God’s mercy and forgiveness for ourselves, how dare we withhold them from anyone else? Paul says ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ (Eph 4:32)

6. Promote Justice

Deut 32:4 tells us all God’s ways are just and that He is a ‘faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.’ Because God is just, He cares about justice and therefore He wants us to care too. Deut 16:20 tells us ‘Follow justice and justice alone’; the queen of Sheba told Solomon that God had appointed him king ‘to maintain justice and righteousness.’ (1 Kings 10:8) Christians have frequently been at the forefront of society, promoting justice because they know God’s heart for this.

7. Care for the poor and needy

James 2:1-4 reminds us that we should show no favouritism towards the rich, but must care for people without discrimination. Christians need to be those who care for the poor and needy. Helping the food bank in Goldthorpe is one way we can do this. What others can we find?

8. Live at peace

Jesus told us ‘blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God.’ (Matt 5:9) One of the distinctive features of a Christian will be a desire to live at peace with others and to make peace. Rom 12:18 says ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.’ Clearly, this is not always possible, for others may be antagonistic towards us, but as far as our attitudes are concerned, we need to be people who aim to live at peace with others and who strive ‘to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ (Eph 4:3) In Mark’s gospel, Jesus says,  ‘Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.’ (Mark 9:50) As Christians, we have been given peace by Jesus (John 14:27, John 16:33) and because of this long to share ‘the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.’ (Acts 10:36) Part of the transforming effect of God’s Holy Spirit is to bring forth the fruit of peace in our lives (Gal 5:22-23) and to allow us to live in peace. (2 Cor 13:11)

What does a Christian look like?

It would be wonderful if you could look at people and instantly see who was a Christian and who wasn’t! Life is not quite that simple, however. Jesus told a parable about wheat and weeds which reminds us that in this life, it can be hard to distinguish between true believers and those who may look the real thing but who are not. (Matt 13:24-30, 1 John.) Nonetheless, there are distinguishing features of Christians, ‘the marks of Jesus’ (Gal 6:17) which need to be evident in our lives if we are to be effective salt and light in our everyday living.

In order to be distinctive, however, we must ensure we do not conform to the patterns of the world but are transformed by the renewing of our minds. (Rom 12:2) Other versions paraphrase this verse:

• Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. (Rom 12:2, The Message)
• Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within. (Rom 12:2, J. B. Phillips)
• Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. (Rom 12:2, CEV)
• Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude] (Rom 12:2, Amplified Bible)
• Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. (Rom 12:2, The Living Bible)

The pattern of the world we are not to emulate is not simply cultural customs (such as eating raw fish like the Japanese or wearing Lederhosen like the Austrians!)

Rather, it is the worldview, prompted by the devil (Eph 2:1-2; Eph 6:11-12), which says ‘We don’t need God. We can manage without Him, thanks very much.’ This may be the majority view in the Western world, but just because it is the majority view does not make it right. Peer pressure can be extremely insidious and forceful (especially in our formative years), but we need to understand that taking a stand for Christ means swimming against the tide and has consequences (see Mark 8:38).

Being transformed works ‘from the inside out‘, as we allow God’s Word to dwell in us and shape us. Jeremiah 35 tells us a parable, how Jeremiah invited a group of people called the Rekabites to come and drink wine. Their obedience to their forefather’s commands meant they refused the request and their distinctiveness became a parable to Israel to live ‘not on the basis of what was current with the crowd but on the basis of what had been commanded by their ancestors.’ (Eugene Peterson, ‘Run With the Horses’, P 138) We too are commanded to live in distinctive obedience to God, being ‘salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth’ and being ‘light, bringing out the God-colours in the world.’

Mark’s sermon on Joseph emphasised that God’s purpose is for the world to come to know Him. Everything which happens to us in life works together for good, with God’s aim being that the world should be saved. A song we sang during the service yesterday morning focuses on this purpose: