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January 2008
Insight is a monthly contribution on remarkable topics dedicated for thoughts, reflection and prayers. Please feel free to contribute to this page what you would like to share with others.
Vision
Philippians 4:13
'I can do everything through him who gives me the strength.'
Dear friends, welcome to our Insights 2008.
Picture the scene. It's the final of the 4 x 400 metres relay in the Olympic games 2007. We're cheering our team as each of them runs their lap, pushing themselves to the very limit. The baton is handed on smoothly each time, and the exhusted runners stumble from the track to watch their team-mates complete their laps. At the finishing line, they are cheering on the last runner as loudly as we are in the stands... and we have done it! All that hard work has been worth it. Our team has won. An outstanding team effort, against all the odds. And now it's time for the medal ceremony, and all four of them are on the podium. Our flag is raised, our anthem is played, 'Joy to the world.....' and our whole fellowship celebrates.
There is something of a relay race in Paul's statement in Philippians (4:13) 'I can do everything through him who gives me the strength.'. Paul was contented in the race in the mission-shaped church he founded in Philippi because he could see his life and role in God's mission from God's point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do to handle the baton of his mission to his brothers and sisters at Philippi smoothly for the relay to continue. Not what he felt he should have. Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him. He had detached himself from the non-essentials so that he could concentrate on the mission-shaped church Jesus called him to share.
In this final passage of Philippians, short as it is, Paul sums up the whole purpose of his mission-shaped church.
The people who listen to him, the ones who welcomed the good news Paul shared, receive a reward: a prophet's reward, or the reward of the righteous. A prophet's reward is to see his prophecy come true as noted in (Jeremiah 28:5-9) while the reward of the righteous, as noted in the Beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:6) is peace and joy. This then is the ultimate purpose of a mission-shaped church of Christ.
For those who are listening will know that Paul's words come from God and that they too will be welcomed to do everything through Jesus Christ who gives them the strength.
God's people and the whole company of saints will celebrate the victory that Jesus has already won for us.
There is a sequence here, almost like the handing on of a baton in a relay race. God reveals his Word of love in Jesus, who passes the word to the disciples, and the disciples hand it on to people like Paul, John, Peter, to you and me who listen to them and welcome the good news into our hearts.
There is some difference, of course, between the model of the relay race and the reality of missionshaped church and evangelism.
When we hand on the baton of God's love, we don't lose touch with it ourselves! Love, especially the love of God, is something, which can be kept and passed on. And any believer in Christ as Lord and King will tell you, those who listen will often hand it back, polished and shining, as a gift to enrich the believer's own life. This is the ethos of a missionshaped church for 21st century.
The relay race of revelation is one, which goes on and on, round and round the track of this life here at St. Matthew's church and around the world.
God's love flows through Jesus, through the action of the Holy Spirit, through the Church, through us as individual Christians, into the lives of those who hear about it for the first time.... And back to God in our worship.
We are caught up in the dynamic, which is at the heart of God the Trinity: love in action. This is our vision for 2008. Philippians 4:13 'I can do everything (in our mission-shaped church) through him who gives me the strength.
We are the disciples; we are the runners. The baton passed to us from 2007 to 2008 is so good that we want everyone here at St. Matthew's and everywhere to have a chance to hold it! Like dedicated athletes, we are not coerced into this race, but enter it. And the reward for this race, not earned but freely given by God, is eternal life.
Like Paul and the original disciples, we are called to spread the good news of the mission-shaped church, the good news of God's love and forgiveness. What a privilege, what a responsibility! But talking about it isn't enough! it needs to be put into practice, like the disciples healing the sick. In our fellowship here at St. Matthew's we need to remember that Jesus didn't just preach about the mission-shaped church; he opened the door to it. Here, in Jesus, is the word of God, love in action. Pass it on in the New Year 2008.
In our mission-shaped church vision 2008 we need to remember what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. What has the Lord done for you in the past years?
Remember that Philippians is Paul's joy message and testimony about a mission-shaped church founded in about 60 AD. The church in Philippi had been a great encouragement to Paul, so he wrote them a personal expression of his love and affection. They had brought him great joy. Philippians is also a joyful letter because it emphasizes the real joy of mission-shaped church of its founder Paul.
Although Paul was writing from prison, joy is a dominant theme in this letter. The secret of this joy is grounded in his relationship with Jesus Christ.
People today desperately want to be happy but are tossed and turned by daily successes, failures, and inconveniences. Christians are to be joyful in every circumstance even when things are going badly, even when we feel like complaining, even when no one else is joyful. Christ still reigns, and we still know him, so we can rejoice at all times.
Let's pray that in our mission-shaped church 2008, we will trust the Holy Spirit to use us to fulfil God's will in his mission here at St Matthew's church.
Our Vision for 2008
Philippians 4:13
'I can do everything through him who gives me strength.'
- Every Day with Jesus in a mission-shaped church
- Daily prayer and reading of the Bible
- Regular worship together
- Receiving of Holy Communion
- Praise of God and listening to God.
Disciple people of all ages in a Mission-shaped church
- Providing ways for people to explore the Christian faith in a missionshaped church
- Make commitments to our Lord Jesus Christ in Baptism and confirmation in a mission-shaped church
- Encouraging development of gifts, abilities, and vocations so that people grow to maturity in a mission-shaped church.
Support Christian families in discipling Children and young people to be followers of Jesus Christ in a mission-shaped church.
Prayer For The Month
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you do hear our prayers and are always seeking to bring healing and peace to your people. Help us to seek with you and to be part of your response to our prayers which we offer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
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