Song, Spirit and Joy

I have just finished reading John Pollock's biographies of John Wesley and John Newton (Kingsway Publications), an inspiring read but I was particularly touched, among other things, by the hymns in these accounts. Others have made the valid point that some contemporary hymns/songs lack the doctrinal weight of these old hymns.

However, my object is to draw attention to the importance of singing in church. While singing is not all there is to worship, singing is notable as it sets Christians apart -interestingly, our society loves being entertained by singers but is not so keen on singing itself. This fact has been attributed to present Western joylessness- because singing is an expression of Holy Spirit joy. The Spirit and singing are strongly related in Eph 5:18-20 and the undercurrent of joy is not hard to detect in this same passage.

Once I went with a group of Christians to a Anglican service/church influenced by the Toronto Blessing. Although I had been raised in the Pentecostal tradition, I was in a bad state emotionally/spiritually that evening and somewhat resistant about attending the service. However, being an Anglican setting, the service was quiet and dignified which suited me.

Then during the singing I felt my spirit gently touched and lifted up. A burden rolled away during the singing. I was also prayed for later but "nothing" else happened as such; it had already happened!

Joyfully, I walked free for 2-1/2 weeks following that service of the besetting depression and anxiety that I had been suffering from.

Although my condition is now under the control of medication, depression and anxiety still afflict me from time to time. Yet, again and again, I have experienced that lifting up of my Spirit when the people of God sing the songs of Zion. Doubtless, praising God in song is something from which the demons harassing us flee.

Fight The Good Fight

Send "Fight the good fight with all thy might" Ringtone to your Cell Fight the good fight with all thy might! Christ is thy strength, and Christ thy right; Lay hold on life, and it shall be Thy joy and crown eternally. Run the straight race through God's good grace, Lift up thine eyes, and seek His face; Life with its way before us lies, Christ is the path, and Christ the prize. Cast care aside, lean on thy Guide; His boundless mercy will provide; Trust, and thy trusting soul shall prove Christ is its life, and Christ its love. Faint not nor fear, His arms are near, He changeth not, and thou art dear; Only believe, and thou shalt see That Christ is all in all to thee.end "Fight the good fight with all thy might" Ringtone to your Cell This old hymn was used at the Sunday morning service on June 28th as one of the readings came from St Paul's stirring farewell to Timothy summed up in his testimony that Paul had "fought the good fight". (It was a St Peter's day being celebrated but St Paul provided an appropriate companion-saint while bearing in mind that all the redeemed in Christ are saints.) The old hymns are quick to remind us that life is a fight, a struggle against "the world, the flesh and the devil". We often forget this today and when trouble afflicts us we wonder why when we have done this faithfully and that industriously, why it is that we are afflicted. However, it has always been so with Christians. The old saints knew that nothing we can do acts as a talisman or charm to ward off evil. All the evil that befalls urges us to flee to Christ as in the third and fourth stanzas above (which almost brought me to tears on Sunday).

Growing Faith

The Markan pericope found in 4.35-41 can be viewed as a story about the issue of faith. Probably that's the way it should be seen given that the disciples lack of faith is what Jesus focussed immediately upon after he stilled the waters and winds. But what is this lack of faith about?

The disciples had seen Jesus do some mighty miracles and so they had faith in him to do such things. But their faith was being tested in a new arena, the arena in which some of them earned their living fishing, in the area of what is called "nature". Their fear took the form of chiding the sleeping Jesus with failing to show any care towards the danger of their perishing by drowning. They failed to understand that if Jesus was with them then nothing ultimately bad could befall them. The boat may even founder but they would be "saved" because he was their salvation.

I choose to believe that as these disciples experienced Jesus as Lord of wind, water and storm, their faith in him also expanded. I also believe that as we walk with him on our journey, our faith will be expanded as we go through the various stations of life with their ever-increasing difficulties. Every trial is an opportunity for greater growth in God.

Resurrection Stories of Faith?

Many believe that the resurrection accounts are merely "stories of faith". These phrase could simply mean that the gospel writers guided by the Spirit (2Tim 3:16) selected from the extant tradition elements that suited their particular purpose for writing. Furthermore, that the stories they present, view events from the perspective of faith (rather than simply recounting a historical record alone). These evangelists are believers and speak in terms of belief.

However, the above phrase may have a meaning that is unacceptable to me at least. While I accept that differences are found among the accounts of the resurrection appearances, I don't accept that these differences mean that we can treat these versions as reducible to the whims and fancies of human writers. The scriptures are completely trustworthy in what they intend which is to make us "wise unto salvation" (2 Tim 3.15).

One feature that NT Wright presented http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/aprilweb-only/114-42.0.html as earning special attention re the Resurrection accounts is the absence of scripture verses. (I've never noticed this feature before!) Up until the resurrection stage in the unfolding of the story of Jesus, OT scriptures are directly quoted or alluded to throughout the records. But, once we get to the resurrection accounts, nothing.

And why might that be? St Paul did not have any trouble citing OT parallels for the resurrection but the gospel writers are silent. One possible reason is that the gospel writers are drawing on an old, oral tradition that has no explanation for the resurrection. It is beyond the experience of the Jewish disciples.

Of course, the Jews knew about people being raised from the dead but Jesus' resurrection is not mere resuscitation. He is not an animated corpse who will die again in due course. Although, He is a real living person, He is a person whom the disciples recognise but not always easily. He also passes through locked doors as well and can come and go to heaven.

Wright therefore concluded that what we get in the gospels is the resurrection unedited and without gloss. Sure, minor differences occur among the evangelists but the core the story is the same: Jesus dies, is buried in an unused sepulchre which is guarded by Roman decree but on the third day Jesus' body is nowhere to be found. He then begins to appear to individuals and to groups who are in the main slow to believe that this is Jesus their Master.

All these accounts are more than individual stories of faith; they are versions emerging from a community of faith, which is convinced that it has seen the Risen Lord.

Christ GodForsaken?

All my life I have heard how Jesus was the Godforsaken One. And again, recently, a leader in a service said, that God the Father "turned His face away from the Son on the cross". But is that true? Was there some split in the Trinity that resulted in one Member turning away from another because of our sin?

The best treatment I have read on this matter is found at http://answers.org/theology/forsaken.html.

One of the excellent points made by this author is that these words are the opening words of the Messianic Psalm 22. When so quoted, the terms of the whole of the psalm is being evoked. These words are the cry of the dying Messiah whose agony is fulfilling the terms of the psalm. Even His accusers are part of that fulfilment when they wag their heads and mock him, "He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if He desires him" (Ps 22:6-8; Matt 27:43).

Note too the reaction of the onlookers to his quoting of these verses from Ps 22. "This man is calling Elijah" who mock Jesus as if he is calling on Elijah. (Eli and Elijah may sound similar coming from the lips of a crucified man.) Importantly, they don't conclude that Jesus is admitting he is Godforsaken. And then Jesus dies.

What happens then is that the Temple's curtain is torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shakes, rocks are split and saints are raised to life!! All these are signs of redemptive judgment on the old order and patently confirm Jesus as the Messianic King of a New Order.

WHEN I SURVEY

At Belgrave Heights Convention on Good Friday, I was standing depressed in the morning service when the congregation sang, "When I survey the wondrous Cross" to a haunting melody. This band of evangelical Christians sang this hymn with such feeling and gusto that, caught up by the Spirit, I raised my hands.

Now the raising of hands is relatively rare at this place and being a staid Anglican, I don't raise my hands often either but on this occasion I felt compelled. The tears pattered on my cheeks and my body shook; then I felt released. I have felt this type of release before but not for some time.

The teaching given was excellent. I was challenged by it and probably enjoyed that more because of the healing work that had been done in my heart and soul. God had met me in this situation and relieved me from a pain that had been dogging me for some time. All glory to Him.