Mark continued his series from Hebrews 12:1-2 this morning, looking at the verse which reminds us to throw off or lay aside every weight that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles or ensnares us so that we can run with perseverance the race God has mapped out for us.

Life is rather like a race route which has been mapped out by God. It’s more of an obstacle course than a straight sprint and we need to prepare for the race diligently, not wearing a parka and snow boots for an Olympic race! Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 9:24 that there is only one winner in a race and tells Timothy that he has finished the race and kept the faith (2 Tim 4:7-8). We have to be prepared to throw off or lay aside everything that would hinder us in this race.

Sometimes, things which are not sinful in themselves can hinder or distract us. These will vary according to each person, but we have to be prepared to be ruthless about the things that weigh us down and lay them aside.

Sin so easily trips us up on this race of life. Again, the sins will be different for each individual, but no one is without sin (Rom 3:23) and we need to be vigilant in identifying the hindrances and sins which cause us to stumble. We also have to be carful not to pick these things back up once we have discarded them!

In order to be aware of the distractions and sin in our own lives, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus and look back at ourselves, for He will surely identify the stumbling-blocks for us and will also give us the means to overcome these. There is, however, an onus on us to be involved: we are the ones urged to do the discarding!

On Friday I went with a group of friends to see the new Star Trek film, ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’.

We are lifelong aficionados of Star Trek and were introducing two of our friends to the joys of this science-fiction series. In order to do this, we have been reliving previous Star Trek films, not only from the current ‘prequels’ but from the original series. As I watched Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country again (the last film featuring the cast of the original TV series), I was struck by the number of literary allusions in that film, including, of course, the title.

The title is a quote from a very famous speech in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, the famous ‘To be or not to be’ speech which goes on to say:
“But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will…” (Shakespeare, ‘Hamlet’, Act III, Sc i)

In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet is talking about death; in the Star Trek film, this phrase is used to represent the future and all that lies ahead (including a future where Klingons and humans can co-exist in peace.) But the phrase itself, ‘the undiscovered country’, struck a chord with me because of my musings about Abraham, who was called by God to set forth on a journey ‘to the land I will show you’ (Gen 12:1). Hebrews 11:8 says ‘By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.’ There is a sense of adventure and uncertainty involved in this kind of journey, which Star Trek perhaps best captures through its oft-repeated mantra (including the hotly debated split infinitive!):
‘Space: The final frontier
These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise.
Its 5 year mission
To explore strange new worlds
To seek out new life and new civilisations
To boldly go where no man has gone before.’ (quoted at the start of each TV episode of Star Trek)

As we continue our own journey of faith, let’s step forth boldly in the confidence that God is with us. We have no reason to fear and dread this journey (even the ‘undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns’, for Jesus has, by His death, navigated that journey too and is able to free all those who have been held in slavery because of their fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). We have plenty of new discoveries to make in God!

Back in November 2010 we had a family service on value and worth during which Stephen did a game called ‘Burgin’s Real Deal’, based on a popular TV programme. Prior to that, just after moving into the building on Market Street, I wrote about authentic living. The topic of being real or genuine or authentic is one that I constantly come back to. It’s so easy to ‘fake it’ in life, pretending that everything-in-the-garden-is-lovely (even if it isn’t) or just hiding behind defensive walls because we are worried that if others see the ‘real deal’ (what we are really like deep-down), they will shun us. As Kutless sing:

“It’s always easier to hide behind that
Camouflage that keeps our hearts so guarded.” (‘Identity’, Kutless)

Some of us even think that God would spurn us if He could really see our hearts and it takes a lot of persuading that actually, God does see our hearts, knows us inside out and still loves us!

“You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same.
You are amazing, God!” (‘Indescribable’, Laura Storey, Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves)

It’s always good when you find a slogan that sums up what you think. A picture may paint a thousand words, but to be honest, it’s better for our faulty memories if we can reduce that number somewhat to summarise what we believe! So here is the slogan I discovered this week. It’s in Latin, so it’s nice and pithy:

“Esse quam videri.”

Now I appreciate that not everyone understands Latin. The translation is almost as good as the original:

“To be rather than to seem to be.”

God doesn’t need us to hide behind camouflage or defences or to build walls to keep people away from seeing the real us. He encourages us to be true to who He has made us to be. He’s not the one who believes in ‘happy plastic people under shiny plastic steeples’ (‘Stained Glass Masquerade’, Casting Crowns). We don’t need ‘walls around our weakness and smiles to hide our pain.’ Christianity isn’t about pretending. It’s about reality: the reality of a God who loves people unconditionally, as they are, even when they are flawed and sinful and hurting and desperate, and the reality of becoming more like Christ on a daily basis. ‘This becoming is harder than it seems’ (‘Place In This World’, Michael W. Smith), but becoming is not about seeming. It’s about what really is.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1-2)

Children of God, that is our identity. We are loved, forgiven, accepted and washed clean. We don’t have to ‘seem to be.’ Instead, we can just be.

Stephen spoke on the subject of sanctuary last night. Sanctuary is ‘a place of refuge from pursuit, persecution or other danger’ and is also thought of as ‘a holy place, a temple.’ The roots of the word are from the Latin ‘sanctus‘, meaning holy. Over the years, sanctuary has been associated with a holy place of refuge.

In the Old Testament, God’s presence was represented by the ark of the covenant kept in the Holy of Holies in the Tent of Meeting. During the wilderness journeys, God’s presence in the form of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night hovered above the Tent as a symbol to the people of where they should be; only when the cloud or pillar of fire moved did the people move on to the next stage of their journey. Later, God’s presence became associated with other places (such as Mount Zion or the temple.)

God is the source of our refuge and help. Ps 20:2 says ‘May He send You help from the sanctuary.’ Psalm 15:1 says ‘Who may dwell in Your sanctuary?’ In Ps 114:2, we read that Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel His dominion.

People still associate God’s presence with a place (often a church building). But God’s presence has never been restricted to four walls, to one particular building. He is not restricted by any geographical constraints. Ezekiel 11:16 reminds us that God as sanctuary was present even during the exile. God is here, with us, wherever we are and wherever we go. When we leave a church building, do we leave God’s presence? Do we believe He can only work in that place?

Jesus reminded the people of the greater temple that was His very body (see John 2:19-22). The way to Christ is through His death and resurrection. The curtain was torn in two because of His sacrifice for us and opened the way for us to approach the holy presence of God. God’s presence is with us all the time. It doesn’t matter where we are. We can live in the knowledge of God with us every moment of every day and know His presence with us to guide and to help, to offer refuge and sanctuary.

Kevin spoke this morning from 1 Chronicles 28:1-12 and 20 on the sound advice given to his son, Solomon, by King David as he drew towards the end of his earthly life. He had wanted to build a temple for God but had been told through the prophet Nathan that this was not part of God’s plan for his life (see 2 Samuel 7). Now, he passes on the duty to do this to his son, Solomon, and gives him also sound advice for wise living, in the presence of all his officials. This was an important gathering, a significant meeting where a large number of people would hear important advice for living God’s way.

1. Know God
In 1 Chron 28:9, David urges Solomon to know ‘the God of my father’. He needed to have a personal knowledge of God and be acquainted with Him. The Creator God, the Eternal One, is willing to enter into a personal relationship with us. Knowledge has to be more than just head-knowledge; it has to be a life-changing knowledge. In order to know God, we need to spend time with Him in prayer and in reading the word so that we can grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

2. Serve God
We have to ‘serve God with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind.’ Solomon was the one chosen to build a dwelling-place for God. He had to learn to serve God with pure motives and with devotion (see also Ps 51:10-12). We have to be willing to do whatever God tells us; He loves a cheerful giver and a willing servant! God knows our hearts and motives; there is no way we can hide anything from Him, so our service needs to be pure and devoted.

3. Seek God
David reminds Solomon that those who seek God will find Him. Psalm 9:10 tells us ‘those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You’. Ps 34:10 tells us that ‘those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.’ We need to give God the time He deserves; seeking Him involves time and effort (think of every courting couple who seeks to spend time with each other in order to deepen that knowledge of and relationship with the beloved. Our relationship with God requires the same level of time and commitment.)

This week I received training in different learning styles. The three main learning styles identified are:

1. visual (where the primary method of learning is through seeing and reading)
2. auditory (where the primary method of learning is through listening and speaking)
3. kinesthetic (where the primary method of learning is through touching and doing)

It’s quite interesting to think about the best methods with which we learn. In church settings, we’re expected to listen to sermons, yet the auditory method of learning is not necessarily the best for everyone. Combining methods – using audio-visual techniques or getting interactive with the congregation – often helps us to engage with more people.

Visual learners do best from things which involve pictures, diagrams, demonstrations, displays, handouts, films, or flip charts. So they like to read instructions, follow recipes, write things down, highlight written notes, follow a map. Their creative interests involve writing, drawing, designing things and taking photos.

Auditory learners do best from instructions which they can hear, often repeating back things to ensure they have understood what they have heard. They like to listen to explanations, explain things verbally or talk to people to find out how to do new things. They like to tell jokes and stories, discuss and debate things, sing and create music.

Kinesthetic learners like to ‘have a go’. They will follow their instincts, try new things and enjoy getting stuck in to new activities, even if they don’t always get it right first time. They are interested in making things, dance, drama, modelling and sports.

If you’re interested in discovering which method suits you best, there is a quiz here. Some people will have a mixture of learning styles; others will favour one (no prizes for guessing my main learning style…!)

There is, of course, no ‘right’ learning style. Just as we are all individuals with different personalities, so we learn differently and that’s fine. What I do find helpful is learning how other people tick! Learning to value and explore differences is as important as learning to value and understand myself. Philippians 2:3-4 urges us to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” When we think about how others differ from us and come to respect this, we begin to value others and can help them to learn more of God in the way that they relate to the best.