Jeremiah 31.31-34
Numbers 13
It is natural at times like the turn of a new year to think about how time passes – well of course it flies!
It is 28 years since Maggie came to power. 41 since England won world cup and 7 whole years have passed since the millennium celebrations.
I remember the first one, you remember the second, and our grandchildren remember the last one!
But for them, the children / grandchildren of today looking forward to 2030 or 2044 is the same as us looking back.
But what on earth will Sutton Coldfield look like in 2030?
What will South Parade Methodist look in 25 years, 40 years time?
Of course even sooner than that, what will the Church look like this time next year? More importantly what will we look like?
It is appropriate to ask such questions for we are people called by Jesus to look ahead not just focus on the here and now. Certainly we are not supposed to focus on the past, but if we are honest many of us find it easier to look back, but that is not God’s way.
As Christians we are called to be a people on pilgrimage, a people journeying through life towards God.
Today the Holy Spirit has focused our attention on the future. Spiritually as we stand at the start of another New Year we look at the experience of God’s elect in Numbers to see what we can learn from their success and failure.
In Numbers the people are on journey which has taken them from Egypt to the brink of Canaan. The land Exodus 3:8 calls "Good and spacious (a) land flowing with milk and honey"
But fear overtook them and they so spectacularly missed out.
The text tells us the story of the 10 who looked at the future and said we can’t. It also tells of the 2 who by faith said we can.
That first problem they faced was one that we face too – fear.
What will it be like?
Will we like it?
Will we fit in?
Will this new start mean we have to change too?
Can’t we just stay the same?
But the huge problem in Numbers is not just fear. This was a content people. Like most people they were happy with familiar, what they knew. They had a deep yearning for the security of past.
Numbers 14: 3 says “Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
Now just think about how ridiculous that is, it would be better for them to live in slavery than in freedom in the future God has prepared for them. It is pitiful and stupid and yet it is how so many Christian’s and Churches live. You see it is all about change. The Israelites on this journey to the Promised Land saw the future as the enemy. I wonder do you?
Are you like 10, so content with past/present that will miss the Promised Land?
Of course the reading tells us that not only did they lack faith and the vision to see the future as their friend not foe, they did what so many Church people seem to be so expert at – they gossiped about it!
I truly believe that if there was a world championship of gossiping, Christian’s would get all the medals!
here in Numbers the people’s bad reports & gossip behind the leaders back no doubt, led to the whole people being infected with their pessimism.
In the modern day Church we need to guard against this so much too. Far too often we allow the gossip and bad witness of the few to derail what God is wanting to do now and the future. We need to stand up and say when we see this going on that it is unacceptable behaviour and needs to end.
I know few really relish change (whether they are young or old), but change is what being human is all about. Physically humanity is about experiencing new things, a drive and urge to experience and taste and savour. Now correct me if I’m wrong but those urges don’t or shouldn’t stop when we reach 50 or 60 or 70, do they?
Spiritually the same principle applies. Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:18 says "We are being transformed into His likeness with ever increasing glory". As Christians, as Church we can never stand still; it is simply not an option because once we stay in a rut we will eventually find it has become for us a grave.
Yet that is our problem in a nutshell isn’t it? The Church across our land, our own denomination indeed, has stood still and watched while the world has changed and we have seen Church after Church die. You don’t have to travel far to find a Church or Chapel that has been converted into a house, or temple or mosque. I’m told there are even Churches that have become nightclubs. Death is a very real option for the Church too.
I do wish we would realise that this has happened and is happening. The trouble is when folk seem to talk about the past they only focus on how good things used to be and not on why they ended. It is part of our history too that the ‘good old days’ saw much that used to be vibrant and on fire for God die. It doesn’t have to be that way though.
Indeed I would want to argue that it is not our heritage, Wesley for sure was not like that. He was able to understand the opportunities of the future, and see that change was exciting as well as terrifying. He must have felt the fear, but he rose to the challenge of his day and one can truly say he changed this country.
This most traditional Anglican left the security of the parish and the pulpit for the fields and open spaces. He learnt from Whitfield the art of evangelical preaching and took so many risks that we now live benefiting from. One such risk blesses us so much and has become part of what it is to be Methodist – music. He used popular working class music more associated with the pub music of day to grab people’s attentions and to help them worship.
Personally I think he would be astonished to hear us still using the same material as him, and that we find new things like modern hymns or screens so threatening. Wesley was for sure a man able to hold the past & the future together in tension. Key to his doing this was the Spirit’s infilling empowering his faith.
I believe that 100% is our need today too. If we were filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit we would be able to face the opportunities of today and tomorrow with such hope and joy instead of fear and dread.
We need to once again ask Wesley type questions about our situation. Not just where have we come from, but where are we going and how do we get there.
From the business world we can have a maintenance or expansion model. Shops like
Marks and Spencer have had to expand and develop their mission or face disaster. The successful shops are the ones that grasp this head on and let go of the maintenance model.
To just maintain what they have means that they accept that they will finally shrink and die as their customer base gets smaller and smaller.
In 2007 will we just go on repeating, always the same because it has always been so, OR will we rise to the challenge and grow, react and expand?
One route in the financial world leads to death, and it does the same in the Spiritual realm. The other route is harder in the short term but leads to life.
The same choice faces us this covenant day as did Israel in Numbers 13; the maintenance or expansion model. I wonder how many of us will make the same mistake as they did and reject God? To choose our own little vision because we are afraid that the future is our foe?
I know some of us will reject Him because that is how things work; in Numbers the ratio was 2 to 10. What will it be here? Will we reverse the Numbers ratio and see 80% follow God into a new promised land while 20% stay put and quit? Or will it be that we leave more behind?
God calls us to a faith that is living by Spirit. Faith that is based on the past, we can never forget what He has done, that would be stupid and should be impossible. But what about Gods message for today and tomorrow?
Today we make commitments to God; we promise that we will follow His way. Please make them honestly. If you don’t mean it don’t say it.
Our faith is an exciting and challenging one, but it is a faith not in buildings or people or denominations. Don’t make these vows to Sutton Coldfield Methodist or Methodism or me. Our faith, our commitment is to Christ.
God’s will for us is certain, to present Christ to this area. To be relevant and heard in this community. I pray that He would give you and me the wisdom, vision and courage we need.
The faith of a Caleb, a Joshua, a Wesley. For this communities sake.
Amen.
