by David Brown
As Churchgoers, can we miss the point about faith? And can we misunderstand how prayer fits in? Jesus was sometimes quite strong about such hazards. We read in Matt 6.1,2 “Beware of practising your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” It seems we must understand at a deep level what righteousness means, and how we should then live? For today’s culture makes success seem rather important: success in our education maybe, success in our work, and achievements in Christian work or in raising our family?
Jesus’s own lifestyle is surely a good place to start. For He demonstrated a vivid lifestyle from heaven; as a peasant carpenter, born without status, power or privilege, contrasting strongly with lifestyles seen today in eminent people.
Yet here’s a problem, for His life, viewed this way, was a total failure. Whilst travelling around, attracting new followers, a time came when ‘many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.’ (John 6.66). His ministry was then decisively wrecked by evil people who ‘stitched him up’ to die a public and cruel criminal’s death. His disciples (apart from Judas Iscariot) became ‘apostles’ to continue his work. The evidence shows that the religious leaders of his day had become deeply corrupt. As well as murdering Jesus, this religious ‘establishment’ used continuing violence, trying to silence these Christian men and women. Jesus’s own brother James was thrown down from a high tower, and none of the rest of them died in their own beds. A technique seemingly followed by Putin today.
A theme emerges, often unnoticed, that God chooses to deal through failure rather more than success, as the world sees it.
I must admit to being rather slow to understand and accept such important truths about the Christian life. And slow to see that the Christian faith is not primarily a matter of morality and the effort needed to achieve it. Morality may be a consequence of following Jesus, but it shouldn’t be an aim. When Jesus was asked by a lawyer what he had to do to inherit eternal life, he answered “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” (Luke 10:27-28). Whilst given a hugely demanding answer, the lawyer surprisingly picked up on the neighbour point rather than the larger point Jesus was making.
Then, there’s the whole subject of prayer. I have too readily seen it as a way of bringing my own ideas to fruition—rather like using prayer as a religious ‘slot machine’. God simply doesn’t depend on his followers to try to exercise a sort of control in this way. In his humility, Jesus showed a completely different pattern, saying: ‘I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.’ (John 6:38). So, our top priority is to listen out for his voice to first discover what He wants of us.
It’s a good point about failure. Failure is poorly understood in the U.K. (perhaps less so in the U.S.) and particularly so in the Church. I should add that I’m no fan of failing either but I am beginning to grasp the way God uses it, and am becoming less critical of myself and others when we don’t succeed.
I agree, that is a good point – not to be afraid of failure.
To me there are points in my life when I make myself pause and listen to the ‘still small voice of calm’. After that through prayer comes the bravery to trust.
Facing a new year can be entirely routine or completely strange. Being with or without family at this season can focus our minds on how little we can change particularly about people and our relationships with them, both historic and potential. Then there is only God. There are times when only a miracle would work.
The rest of the time I do believe there is a routine of active living for each of us to be done. Not a giving up, as this is fruitless, but a steady application of whatever we have in the service of living. Some of it may seem trivial, but it may even be a divine drudgery. Doing is easier than being, but the latter is still important.
In the parables of talents, they were about using what we’ve already got, as far as I can see. When I’ve done this I’ve lived well, even when it’s just dusting that shelf. A good new year to everyone here!
And to you. It’s hard to do the divine drudgery if your whole world is endless drudgery and nothing else, though.
Hi
Just to say that I think there were some lovely little points there, especially about Jesus working through failure.
And I’ve never really thought about the idea that morality is a consequence rather than the aim of following Jesus. In fact, it had never crossed my mind!
I’ve struggled for many years with a feeling of failure in my life – not just connected to the church but generally – and I think I even had an overdeveloped sense of failure when I was even a teenager. While I think that is not purely down to the church, I don’t think it’s really helped me with it. Let’s face it, I’ve heard the phrase “successful ministry” about a particular leader or church much too often. It assumes that the whole point is to be successful, let alone having a clearly defined notion of success.
That, coupled with notions of a “victorious Christian life” (which, at the risk of crudity, seems to be defined by not drinking, lack of sexual immorality, praying 15 minutes a day etc), I’m not surprised I struggle with it.
Thanks for this helpful post!
Hi. I think there’s a lot of us like you here!
Simon Peter, arguably one of the greatest disciples, made a bit of a horlicks of great deal of what he touched. Yet our Lord named him Rock probably knowing all that was going to happen, but doing it anyway. I find Peter more relatable for it. Christ chose him, and built His church upon his shoulders. Christ was doing the building.
And around this time of year, I was reflecting on the choice of shepherds to receive the angelic tidings. Ordinary blokes, hard working, but who knew about caring for things. Not executive types really.
I think He loves us anyway, loves our heart. I agree with Athena.
I have been laid low by flu, so behind on contributions and emails. Hope to be back to normal by the end of the week!
That’s tough for you Stephen. Sorry. Best wishes for a speedy recovery
Sorry to hear that. Take the time you need. And Happy New Year to you and Frances.
Thank you David Brown. Thoughtful post. I have failed at pretty much everything I have tried to do in my life, but in contrast the areas where I was uninterested and made little effort have gone surprisingly well. I find this fact hard to live with, but I make myself apply 1 Thess 5:17 ‘give thanks whatever happens’, and trust that the diasapointing life experiences I have had may soften me in helping others with their tough paths.
Ouch. Feeling that must hurt. I’m sure it isn’t true. Being a friend, for example, hard to measure, but vital. Keep at it.
Sorry you have been ill Stephen. Keep as warm and comfortable as you can and hope you get well soon.
Thank you for all your responses, and particularly Stephen for providing and overseeing such a valuable site.
I have become increasingly concerned at the bullying of clergy through irregular use of the CDM. This present blog emerged from my wondering – ‘how can this be?’ I wonder if wrong ambition for ‘success’ by overseers is a major reason. If someone is under-perfoming in their role, they need love and encouragement, not ‘pummelling’.
I think the deployment of Jesus’s disciples was astonishing. He just said ‘go’ and they went. He taught more by example than with words. I’m also struck by the scarcity of ‘planning’ in Jesus’s and the apostolic life-styles. Paul’s missionary journeys were shaped more by shipwrecks and mob-eviction from towns and cities than anything resembling ‘planning’, it seems.
Very good, David. Being led by the Spirit always was a good idea. He often has unexpected ways of leading us, I find.
Thanks!