EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY

I have two life prayers. One of them is, “Lord help me to hear Your voice!” As with most of my interactions with the Creator of the Universe, His answers come in surprising forms. Having just returned from several weeks annual leave, I had more than my usual time to think and pray. There were several reasons why I needed to do this, but the main one was – I am deeply concerned about the Church in Tasmania. There are many churches in our beautiful State. We are blessed to have some exemplary followers of Christ in some very strategic positions of influence in Academia, Commerce, Politics, Media, and the Arts. But my heart is heavy with a strong sense that we are not yet where we need to be and that Tasmania is yet to see the kind of church that Christ intends for our State. With all this on my heart, I wanted to use my annual leave to ask the Creator of molecules to speak to me about this.

¶ Once God has spoken;
twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God, and that to You,
O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
according to his work.
Psalm 62:11-12

A THEOLOGY OF THE ORDINARY

Kim and I used to live near an Airforce Base on the outskirts of Melbourne. We had pilots and RAAF support crew attend the church where we served. We became quite acquainted with one former fighter-pilot who was a highly skilled professional military aviator. He was required to undertake continual professional development and repeated evaluations in order to maintain his flying credentials. He could do what very few could. What he did everyday was extraordinary.  

Very few of us would even know how to get into an F/A 18A Super Hornet, let alone get it to 25,000 feet and Mach III! It takes extraordinary ability to do so – which only a relative handful of elite pilots can do. For the rest of us ordinary folk, we can admire these pilots, but not realistically aspire to do what they do (unless we had several years of intense training!). But we can all aspire to do what is ordinary. Perhaps this is why soccer draws more crowds than Air Races.  

¶ For consider your calling, brothers:
not many of you were wise according to worldly standards,
not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
First Corinthians 1:26

The most ordinary things in life are the most popular. These ordinary things are the things that anybody can do. This is why games like soccer are so popular because anybody can kick a ball. (I was reminded of this when watching Ebony as a 14 year old play in a girls’ soccer team.) Soccer doesn’t really need anything fancy. That’s why it’s played on the streets of Barcelona, the plains of the Kalahari, and the pack-ice of Greenland. Its elements are few: a pitch, goals, and a ball. Its rules are simple: don’t touch the ball with your hands; keep the ball within the pitch; don’t try and kick a goal when one of your team-mates are closer to the goal than you.

As simple as soccer and other ‘ordinary’ games are, there are some players of these sports who have developed into extraordinary players. For example, not many can do what Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo can do. He plays for Rëâl Madrid and earns $29,500,000 a year. While any of us can kick a roundish air-filled piece of leather, not many of us can bend it like Beckham!

A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
Proverbs 10:4

The most popular activities in life are all ‘ordinary’. The most popular TV shows are all about ordinary things – cooking, home renovations, fishing, and the like – even the recent royal wedding was really about two people doing something that any ordinary couple could do. The most popular YouTube clips celebrate the ordinary – tickling kittens, singing a song, opening a box. The most popular blogs discuss ordinary subjects – clothes, cooking, parenting, make-up. 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Colossians 3:17

It seems that God delights in using ordinary. There is something very noble about the ordinary. Under the Older Covenant, the Creator of water decreed that certain people should be set aside to do work that was not ordinary. When performing their duties, they were not to wear ordinary clothes. These were the priests. But under the Newer Covenant, the prophet Zechariah declared that God would take the ordinary – like, pots and pans used in the kitchen for making family meals – and make them reminders of His holiness. 

¶ And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.
Zechariah 14:20-21

A THEOLOGY OF THE EXTRAORDINARY

The Creator of pumpkins also delights in transforming the ordinary into something, or someone, extraordinary. Not that the ordinary is replaced with the extraordinary, because the ordinary is done with a certain excellence. For example, Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt and had some very ordinary tasks to do. But God put a desire in Joseph’s heart to do more than the minimum.

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
Genesis 39:2-4

The same could be said of Daniel. He was deported to Babylon when his home town of Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar’s army. Even as a young man he had a mind that everything he did was an act of worship to God which led him to try harder at everything he did so that he could honour the Creator of lions.

Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
Daniel 6:3

Those who draw near to God begin to have a desire to honour God with all of their ordinary activities. They begin to see that even the ordinary things they do which are common to us all – cooking, cleaning, serving – can be done in a way that goes beyond the usual minimum effort. 

Do you see a man skillful in his work?He will stand before kings;he will not stand before obscure men.
Proverbs 22:29

The things we do as a church are all ordinary: talking, sharing, eating, praying, teaching, caring. The things we do when we meet as a church are also ordinary: singing, speaking, praying, reading, serving, feeding. The place we meet together in on a Sunday is also ordinary: walls, floor, ceiling, roof, sound system, video screen. The people who minister within our church and on a Sunday are all ordinary. But while I was taking some annual leave I was introduced to some people who also did ordinary things – cook, bake, serve – but didn’t just offer the minimum. These people each wondered how they could do their ordinary things better. Let me introduce you to one of these people. His name is Jordi. He was born in Spain. Before he was born, his parents bought a little run down café in Girona. His two older brothers developed a love for cooking and became chefs. When they took over the family business they transformed the café into a restaurant and renamed it, El Celler de Can Roca. It has been awarded 3 Michelin Stars. Jordi didn’t care for cooking, the restaurant, or even work for that matter, but his much older brothers always assumed that he too would work in the family business. As a teenager, Jordi began waitering in the restaurant after school. He loved going to parties and nightclubs but soon realised that being waiter was a lot more work than he had bargained for – especially when it was the waiters who were the last to leave because they had to clean up the restaurant after it closed. As he was cleaning up, he noticed that the chefs were the first staff to leave the restaurant. This is when he told his brothers that he wanted to be a chef (not because he had any interest in cooking, but so that he could knock-off work earlier!). 

Jordi’s brothers decided to give him a go in the kitchen. Their relationship with their little brother (there was a 14 year age difference) was always strained. Jordi was born with an unusually large nose. He was picked on at school and at home for the size of his nose. As a young adult, he contracted laryngitis which left his voice-box permanently damaged. He can now only speak in a whisper. His brothers became increasingly frustrated with Jordi after they put him in the kitchen. His work was poor. He would sometimes leave without finishing a customer’s order. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t get their nightclubbing little brother to show any care about cooking or the restaurant. The English Pastry Chef at the restaurant asked if he could apprentice Jordi. The brothers agreed. His apprenticing of Jordi was harsh. Jordi wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. He soon discovered that this Pasty (Dessert) Chef really cared about what he was doing. After a months of working alongside this chef Jordi began to change. He began to care. He began to see that dessert making wasn’t just about food. Then the unimaginable happened! The English Pastry Chef was involved in a terrible accident where he broke both legs, his arms, and his back! That night Jordi had to make the desserts. By his own admission, what he serves customers that night was terrible. He was embarrassed. What eventuated was a quest by Jordi to learn everything he could about ice-cream. He took this knowledge and began experimenting with dishes. The result? Forty-year-old Jordi Roca is now the best Pastry Chef in the world having been awarded the international honour in 2014.

What Jordi Roca does with desserts is remarkable. It is literally, extraordinary. As I watched Jordi’s story I couldn’t help but realise that God was answering my prayer for insight. If someone could care that much about desserts, how much more should we care about the glory of God revealed through His church? What we do as followers of Christ can also become extraordinary – not that what we do is extraordinary – but the way we do the ordinary can become extraordinary. It doesn’t involve much. It’s just a matter of going beyond the minimum. It simply reflects care, and, ultimately, worship of God. Tasmania is yet to experience such a church where a group of ordinary people like us do ordinary things with extraordinary care and effort. Would you please pray for me to have the wisdom, strength, and ability to lead such a church here in Legana?

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men
Colossians 3:23

Pastor Andrew

Do Your Best

Do Your Best

It’s almost unbelievable who Christ entrusted with His mission to save the world! This motley bunch of original disciples were the most unlikely candidates for being the founding agents of global redemption. Yet they did it! And along the way, they stumbled, faltered, and probably let Christ down. But they did it! And this should give us, who stumble and falter, great hope, that Christ knows what He’s doing when He chose us! 

There are some churches around the world that are world’s best practice. Their music is world-class. Their ‘customer’ service is second to none. Their preachers are more inspirational than the best TED talkers. Their facilities are better than the best Westfield shopping centre. They hold international conferences which attract thousands of delegates. As far as churches go, these are the best. But they only comprise less than 1% of all churches around the world. For the rest of us in the 99% of churches around the world, we may not be among the best, but we are generally comprised of those who are doing their best. And it seems that Jesus is still entrusting His mission to people like us – people who stumble and falter.

At Legana we are blessed. We recently opened our new worship centre. Many people have told us that it is among the best in our State. It is a beautiful centre with plenty of room for growth. But it can cause us confuse being the best with doing our best. And this is one of the greatest dangers any church can face because it can lead to an overwhelming sense failure and even despair.

Paul’s Last Letter

The last letter the Apostle Paul wrote, that we know of, was his Second Epistle to Timothy. In it, he uses the expression “do your best” three times to his young protégé.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Second Timothy 2:15

Being the best requires making comparisons. Doing your best simply means working with your availability, abilities, training, experience, and use of available resources. Sometimes each of these qualifiers (time, talent, training, experience, and resources) are limited. In the 99% of local churches scattered around the world, there are usually 20% of the people doing 80% of the work. I wonder if this is because the 80% who sit back don’t feel good enough to be able to serve? Paul’s injunction to young Timothy was to do your best to present yourself to God as a pastor of God’s people whose primary task was teach the Word of God to his congregation. When we do our best, we have need to be ashamed. 

Shortly after I began pastoring Legana I was nearly overcome with a sense of inadequacy as a preacher. Each Sunday morning before I went to church I would go on a prayer walk and cry out to God for His help. I asked and asked and asked that He might use me more effectively to teach His Word. I begged Him to make me into the kind of preacher who cared deeply for those I ministered to. I pleaded with Him to mould me into a persuasive preacher to rescue those who were wrestling with doubts and to enable me to deliver the antidote to doubt – the truth – in the power of the Holy Spirit. I sought Him for the insight to be able to convince the hardest sceptics and cynics to turn to Christ based on the evidence for the God of the Bible (shortly after this praying I was to discover F.W. Boreham). I have continued to surrender to Him prayerfully asking that He would help me to grow as a pastor, a preacher and a teacher – and I would value your occasional prayer for this as well. I have tried to do my best.

“That’s all any of us can do – our best.”

We may never be the best at anything, but we can do our best in everything. This is why, must to the surprise of many, I’m relatively relaxed about how we are doing as a church. We have an extraordinary percentage of our church who serve and give support. I am deeply grateful for everyone who volunteers to help in the various things that need doing in our church. I am grateful for you who offer yourselves to the Lord and prayerfully ask God to help you to do your best in however you serve. I have noticed that many of our young people have been doing this and have volunteered to help out in various roles. What I am also noticing is that there must be people asking God to help them to do their best. Because, when I began to earnestly seek God those few years back to help me to do my best as a preacher I became hungrier to learn and to grow. My openness to instruction and training increased. And I am seeing a similar thing happen among many in our church.

¶ Do your best to come to me soon.
Second Timothy 4:9 (Also see v.21)

The Best Is Sometimes Just Being There

Paul’s plea for Timothy to come to him (in prison) soon is heart-warming. Paul goes on in this epistle to reveal that he knew he was about to die soon. Indeed, he would. Toward the end of 64AD, shortly after the Apostle Peter was crucified by order of Caesar Nero, the Apostle Paul would be beheaded by order of the same tyrant who executed Peter. His plea to Timothy reminds us that while we can each do our best, sometimes we can be the difference in someone’s life. At this lonely time for Paul, he longed to see Timothy, his son in the faith (1Tim. 1:2). None of us should dismiss the encouragement we are by just being there. Paul longed for Timothy to just be there with him in this trying hour. Coming to worship on Sundays, even if you don’t serve as a volunteer, is being an encouragement to others. Do your best to come to worship on Sundays.

Give Christ Your Best Shot

The beautiful thing about Church is that it is comprised mostly of people who are not the best and we know it. But with the help of the Holy Spirit we are each learning to improve and to spur one another on to even greater effectiveness for Christ. So don’t worry if you’re not as good as someone else, or that many others are better than you at whatever, just keep giving Christ your best shot. And somehow, I suspect, that just as He established the church with faltering, frail, and stumbling servants, He will probably culminate His church’s closing efforts with similarly weak and faltering servants like you and me.

    

Pastor Andrew.

SOME OF THE BEST GIFTS

Some of the best gifts I've ever received have been ones I never wanted! I'm a gadget guy. So when I receive a gift that has no "on" button, I'm quietly confused. But I have to admit that all of the best gifts I have ever received have not been gadgets! Take the present that David Outhred gave Kim and me for our wedding. It was earthenware, pink, and went in a bathroom. It held tooth-brushes and tooth-paste...we used that gift for the first 15 years of our marriage! Then recently, Lynne Parry gave me a small, hand-made, wooden box. I had no idea what it was. But I now use this box nearly everyday! Some of the greatest, most practical, helpful, gifts in life come camouflaged with apparent ordinaryness. There is a profound life lesson here.

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them...
Romans 12:6a

At our home group the other week, we asked the ice-breaker question: If you could have two super-hero powers, which two would you choose? Those in our group mentioned- flying, x-ray vision, mind-reading, auto-repair, super-fast, hyper-learning-capabilities, super-strength, and so on. Disappointingly, God doesn't offer us any of these super-hero powers in the list of gift categories in the Bible. I also wonder if we sometimes regard the gifts that God has given each of us as if they were of no value - in much the same way I responded to my earthenware and wooden box?

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
First Corinthians 7:7

I suspect that the list of 'spiritual' gifts in the New Testament are not exhaustive. That is, of the gifts mentioned in Romans 12, First Corinthians 12, and First Peter 4, I strongly suspect that God has not limited the type of gifts He gives to His children just to those mentioned in these lists. Thus, God may give someone a unique gift. It may look like a glazed pink, earthenware thingy with holes in it, or a thin, teak coloured, hinged, wooden box. And like these sort of gifts, over time you grow to deeply appreciate them - or at least you should appreciate them. I have met people who are clearly gifted - but they didn't recognise it! They do not recognise the incredible value of their 'spiritual' gift. Compared to the publicly acclaimed gifts, they feel their abilities are not even gifts - they are merely the result of training or experience. But which gift isn't developed by the God ordained means of training and experience?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17

I admire people who are great gift givers. I don't know how they do it (maybe they hav a gift for it?). They don't need to spend a lot of money to get someone a really valuable present. But imagine how they feel when the recipient of their much-thought-out gift seems to reject the gift they have been given. I wonder how God feels when His children also almost seem to despise His gifts to them? Have you met someone gifted with compassion but it was packaged in making teas and coffees (or baking, or cooking a meal, or baby-sitting)? Have you ever met someone who was gifted at organising but their gift was the package for preparing rosters, keeping records, buying supplies, putting up posters, setting out chairs, being on committees?

There are some people who cherish their God-given gifts. These are the people who gladly use them. The don't despise them. They are content with them. They regard the exercise of their gifts as a privilege. Therefore, while they appreciate it when they get it, they don't depend on the applause / acclaim / acknowledgements, of others for the significance of their gift.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
First Peter 4:10 ¶

God gives particular gifts for very good reasons. More often than not, we may never know exactly what those reasons are. But because we know God, we know that He only gives gifts strategically. For example, I suspect that those with the gift of giving may have an extraordinary ability to make money. But I similarly suspect that if they fail to recognise this as an essential part of their God-given gift, they may think that their money is merely the means for them to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Inevitably, such a squandered gift leads to anguish and frustration - not comfortable contentment! The one with the gift of stewardship (managing things) may rise in the ranks of their company or organisation. They may never realise that their God-given gifts have been strategically bestowed upon them to help further the Church's potential to fulfil the Great Commission.

Do you know what gift/s God has given you? Have you embraced this gift? Are you using your gifts in the way the above Bible verses prescribe? God has an amazing (perhaps, uncanny) ability to place His children in the exact place where our particular gift is needed. The Apostle Paul discusses this in his famous chapter on how the body of Christ is fitted together with people who have different gifts. He reminds us that some gifts are prominent while most gifts are not. He helps us to see that each person's gift is needed and valuable. It reminds me of the story of King David leaving the baggage behind with those who were too tired to go on. After completing his rescue mission with his weary warriors, his men were reluctant to share their spoils with those who had remained back with the baggage.

And David said to his men, "Every man strap on his sword!" And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.
Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike."
First Samuel 25:13, 30:24

Our church will only grow to our potential when we each contribute and pool our gifts. Those with the gift of faith tell us that they see our church much larger than what it is now. Those with the gift of encouragement remind us of this. Whatever your gift from God, it is strategically vital for God's purposes at this time that you gladly use it and surrender it back to God. Please, I beg you, do not feel that your contribution doesn't matter - or worse still - is not needed! We needed ushers who have a deep sense of their God-given gifts - and who recognise that by simply showing someone (who is struggling to see where they can sit) to where there are seats available, they may have just made it possible for a soul to come to Christ! We need intercessors to get to work. We need leaders to lead. We need those with the gift of music to play. We need those with the gift of serving to serve as if they were serving Jesus Himself. And then we each need to gain from the gifts of our brothers and sisters and pool our gifts back into our church so that we make the gear-change from being a good church to becoming a great church! By doing so, you will be playing your part in our team and literally making a difference for eternity in the lives of those yet to come to know Christ.

Ps. Andrew