Look at the ripples.
What will grab your heart.
Last week we thought a little about the year ahead and some things we could do in order to front up to that year with some resolve and Spiritual direction that would help us not whittle away the year in trivialities and defeat.
This week I want to continue in the forward looking attitude and to encourage you and myself to consider what is out christian purpose for this New Year.
The passage I want to use as a kinda base scripture is Galations chapter 5 verse 1. a passage that we referred to last week.
GAL 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
This passage is a measuring tape for us that we can line up against our lives and work out just what it is we are operating out of. This is important because your life and mine will impact on the lives of others, the world around us and heaven itself one way or another.
Question is what are we going to see in the rear view mirror when we leave 2002 behind.
Let me read for you a story:-
My modern car, automatic and a little lacking in size laboured up the last hill that led into Woolten. As it grunted over the last windy rise Woolten became visible. It lay as it always had nestled into an unlikely ridge that snaked it’s way across the otherwise smooth valley whose arteries gave Woolten life and meaning. I paused at the lookout as I always did fascinated by the memories this panorama always evoked in me. There was the orange roof of the Mill a new smokestack glistening in the summer sun - there was the sequia tree that marked our street and over there was Coal pit pond landscaped now and turned into a park.
Whenever I saw coalpit pond I couldn’t help but think of Hugh Woodhouse - Hugh was middleaged when I was a child and my parents had warned me about him.
He wasn’t bright - but he wasn’t silly either. sort of simply sensible but many of the unkind people had called him mad.
Hugh Woodhouse. I could see him now on an afternoon standing on the edge of coalpit pond with it’s, then ugly reflections of discarded furniture and cars and rubble that made up the town rubbish dump in those days. Those ugly reflections would be there for a moment., then gone, as Hugh would throw a rock into the middle of the pond. Hugh would stand there and say " Look at the ripples" gradually the ugly reflections would reappear and then Joe would throw another rock and would say "Look at the ripples - look at the ripples" and a contended smile would spread across his face like I had never seen in anyone else - then or since.
Hugh did three things that we knew of - he went to church - always - never missed - in fact it was after a sermon by Reverend Glass that Hugh had started throwing stones in Coalpit pond -
It was a sermon on God’s love and ever since Hugh had gone to coal pit pond - everyone laughed at him and some even jeered as he rode his ancient black Raleigh bike down Dury lane that led to Coal pit road . Some children even threw rocks at Joe and shouted look at the ripples and then ran away.
The other thing that Hugh did was he bought groceries - he didn’t have much money because he worked as a sweeper at the mill and didn’t earn much.
After his Mother died he lived alone and had to fend for himself Some of the groceries he bought, he used himself, but not much, most he wrapped in brown paper parcels wrapped up with selotape or string - He would slip little bits of weetbix packet into these parcels on which he had written in big block letters little bible verses or sayings like "God loves you" - or "Jesus loves the little children" - instead of signing these cards he always wrote in small letters "look at the ripples". On the days he did this Hugh would put the parcels on the carrier of his bike at twilight - after the pubs were closed - They closed earlier in those days, and he would set off. He seemed to instinctively know where to go - he would place one at the door of a struggling widow - another at the door of a large family and yet another at the door of a family recently bankrupted because of bad times - over the years that is all Hugh did just those three things threw stones in the pond - went to church and delivered his parcels.
What he did never seemed to be noticed - the town partly tolerated, partly despised and partly admired Hugh.
A glance at my watch jarred me into action aqnd sent me racing down the hill to the waiting town.
Here at the newly developed coal pit pond was the Mayor and gathered friends of Hugh Woodhouse.
Among them was a leading research scientist a succesful businessman a Pastor, a missionary and of course the Mayor himself - they were there to open the developments ot what had been coal pit pond.
The new park was to be called Hugh Woodhouse park and all of these dignitaries one way or another had been inspired and helped by Hugh Woodhouse and his parcels.
Some had grasped the Bible verses and had gone on to spread the love that Hugh had planted in their hearts.
All of them agreed that what began with a simple man and his parcels on an old black bike had spread with ever increasing ripp[les in love.
When the mayor pulled back the curtain that covered the bronze plaque - engraved on it would be -
Hugh Woodhouse park
Look at the Ripples.
Impossible story?
I don’t think so.
The question is what kind of ripples will our lives produce this year.
Jesus once said:- LK 6:43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Out of the overflow of his heart the mouth speaks.
The visibility of christ in your life and mine then depends greatly on what is in your heart. or to go back to the passage I read from Galations:-
GAL 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
There are three things then that we can gain from this passage that Paul exposes that we need to both learn and do so that we are ripple making Christians.
They all start with the letter P.
The first is Possession - what we possess in Christ.
When Jesus died on the cross the very last words he uttered - were "It is finished."
What is finished - bondage to sin - bondage to fears - threats and the ways of this world - when we accept Christ as Lord and saviour we have an eternal inheritance.
One of the great twentieth century attempts to oust the Kingdom of God from planet earth was the all encompassing communist regime of Soviet Russia.
Christians either melted into insignificance or were refined by the fire of incredible suffering and persecution.
Timofei R, an elderly lay preacher whose wrinkled face records the suffering of those years, explains, "When we had problems and persecutions, we knew it was because the officials of the kingdom of earth could not see the Kingdom of God. They could not understand that we believers live in two worlds!"
GAL 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
Jesus: LK 4:16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
LK 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
LK 4:19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."
LK 4:20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
One of the ripples that Jesus has given you is an incredible freedom - as you comprehend that freedom and truly live in it you to cannot help but send ripples of a spiritually seismic scale into this world.
Sadly too many chrsitians fail to understand the forgiveness they have in Christ and the freedom that they have in Jesus.
If you want to have a wonderful demonstration of living in freedom look at the life of Jesus.
Discus s- his commitment to the poor the lost to preaching the Kingdom and his ability to suffer in following God.
In a seminary missions class, Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life. For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work. J.B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians l: 19-20, "How tremendous is the connection with God, his life and power flow through us.
c P is persistence - Stand Firm says our word
1. Know that our freedom in Christ is given not for selfish reasons, but to through love to serve one another. Paul had to remind the carnal Galatians of this fact when he wrote, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
2. Thank God for the freeing power of Christ’s atoning blood to cleanse us from our sin, guilt and the consequences of our iniquities. Showing vocal appreciation to the Lord in prayer and song has a way of reminding us of our riches in Christ. Too many times we forget the great resources that we have in Christ and fail to facilitate the freedoms we possess. (Col. 2:13-15)
Focus your attention on God’s purposes, plans and processes rather
than on your own interests. When we are focusing our thoughts on things above in actively contributing to the advancement of His church we are able to let go of many non-essential concerns. (Col. 3:1-4)
Tell others how the Lord has freed you from compulsive behavior,
attitudes and thoughts through the meditation on the scriptures. God’s
word has a way of freeing our thoughts from inconsequential thoughts.
Paul wrote, "Scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and
training in righteousness so that the person of God could be equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16,17)
Utilize the fact that you are no longer a prisoner to selfish desires.
Many people are slaves to their own sinful desires and are not even aware of it. Paul reminded the Roman believers. "Do not yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but yield (make a mental choice) yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments of righteousness." (Romans 6:13,14) Everyone has to serve somebody. Choose to serve God instead of yourself. Serving the Lord allows us the freedom to be empowered with His supernatural strength!
Appropriate the fact that Christ has freed you from fear. Paul wrote,
"God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, love and discipline."
(2 Tim. 1:7) God wants us to live lives that are not fearful of anything but Him. "David wrote, "Fear the Lord you His saints, for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions lack and suffer hunger, but they who seek the Lord will not be in want of any good thing.". Teach others the truths of God’s word. Jesus said, "You will know the truth (really experience it as a lifestyle) and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31,32) The more you apply God’s word the more He will reveal the insights of His greater will for your life. The more you obey the more God will reveal!. Only allow God to judge you. Do not give in to the temptation to judge yourself or allow others to judge you by their standards. Paul said, "I do not allow others to judge me and I do not even judge myself." Remember that God’s evaluations, judgments and assessments are the only ones that matter. Thank God for the new freedoms He gives you moment by moment through the Spirit. Look forward to the new ways everyday that He will open up doors of opportunity to expand His kingdom and . Ask others to pray for you that you may maximize your contributions to the cause of Christ for eternity. Solicit peoples’ prayer support in overcoming the forces of our sinful evil nature, the evil influences of this world and the demonic forces that seek to kill, slaughter and destroy. The prayer of righteousness people will avail much. (James 5:16) Thank God for the freedom that His promises provide in assuring us that we will have everything we need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19) Paul did not spend much time worrying where his next provisions would come from because he was freed from worry through great faith in God’s wonderful promises. He focused on all that what good instead what was missing or bad. Thank God for the new heart, mind, and spiritual gifts that He has given each of you. Many people are not utilizing their free gifts in Christ because they have not learned to be faithful in little things. (Luke 16:10) As you are faithful to use the free gifts He has entrusted to you, others will be given. Remember that freely you have received therefore you should freely give. Do not try to extract reward or compensation for your service realizing that everything good you have was given to you freely by God. Do not think that you will be happy until you get what you want. Count your blessings.. Thank God for the freedom from the fear of hell, death and eternal separation from God because of your faith in His payement for the forgiveness of your sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us from our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness ( sins of omission, sins of commission, sins of disposition - wrong attitudes, sins of predisposition - wrong assumptions or prejudices). Thank God that He has disarmed the powers of darkness and exposed them for the whimps that they really are. Live a life that is evidence of Christ’s power over carnal influences that tempt others to sin. Show yourself to be an example of Godliness in faith, love, hope, joy, righteousness, patience, and service. (2 Tim. 3:10) Live a life that is not held hostage to anyone, any possession or any human limitation. Christ’s freedom has allowed us to live super-cultural lives that transcend the restrictions that most people are enslaved to all their lives. 17. Do not let others discourage you with their own problems. Remember that you are responsible for obeying God in the areas that He has directed you to do. Try not to assume other peoples’ responsibilities or problems. 2 Peter 2:19 " For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." (NIV) I heard the story of how elephants are brought into captivity. Have you ever been to a circus and seen a giant elephant with a small rope around its ankle? Did you ever stop to think, hey, wait a minute? Physically speaking, there is no way that small little rope can hold back that giant elephant! And did you ever wonder how it happened that a giant elephant could be held in place by something that does not have the power to contain him. Here’s how it works. When trainers begin taming a baby elephant, they place a heavy chain around its ankle and stake the chain into the ground. Day after day, hour after hour, the baby elephant struggles to escape. But his efforts are in vain. He simply cannot break free from the grips of that powerful chain. Eventually he surrenders. He resolves in his mind that there is no possible way he can escape that chain. So he relinquishes forever the struggle to be free. Then when he has given up trying, his masters replace that giant chain with the small little rope. If the elephant ever opened his eyes to the truth, he could break free at any moment. All it would take is one try, but since the elephant doesn’t know that, he doesn’t take a step in the right direction of freedom. And so it happens that ten, twenty, thirty years later, the giant elephant remains held in bondage by something that really has no power to control him, except the power he chooses to give it. Ps. 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the sinner or sit in the seat of the mocker. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yield its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."
Ps. 119:165 "Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble."
· Don’t worry about tomorrow.
· Don’t worry about a week.
· Don’t worry about a month.
· Don’t worry about a year.
· Concentrate on today.
Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
