Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.
John 4:23 (NIV)

Balance is such an important part of successful living. Whether it’s about eating a healthy diet; or juggling career and family commitments; or making sure we don’t overspend, we need to have balance. Without it, we run the risk of being physically unfit; spending too much time at our work; or getting into serious financial debt. Balance keeps everything in its proper place. Whenever we live imbalanced lives, something – or someone – always suffers.

Balance is also necessary in worship. Probably the most direct comment about the importance of balanced worship comes from Jesus when he talks about worshipping God in spirit and truth (John 4:23, 24). If we are committed to biblical truth only at an intellectual level, and don’t allow our spirits to be changed by that truth, then our worship will be out of balance. Similarly, if our spirits are touched by our worship experiences, but biblical truth is of secondary importance to us in the process, we are again out of balance. What we need is worship that is both true and touches our spirits. The Bible tells us that God is actually looking for people who will worship him like that. He is more concerned with who we worship than with where we worship. Do you want to be one of these people? If so, you might find the following suggestions helpful.

Worship in spirit: this includes responding to what we experience of God – not just with our intellects, but with our bodies and emotions as well. Several verses in Psalm 63 highlight various responses that might be included as we worship God in spirit. Here are some of the words the psalmist uses in his worship: “earnestly”; “thirsts”; “longs”; “praise”; “lifting up hands”; “clings”; “rejoice”. How many of these feature regularly in our worship? Do we worship God passionately or mechanically? Does our worship impact the way we live from day to day? Do we regularly take time out to worship privately as well as with other followers of Christ? Is our worship of God a Sunday thing or a full-time thing? How we answer these questions might reveal quite a lot about whether or not we are worshipping in spirit. 

Worship in truth: this includes responding to what we know about God and involves having a correct appreciation of who he is. There are many passages in the bible that tell us what God is like and we know that these descriptions of him are true. For example, he is almighty, compassionate, faithful, holy, merciful, and sovereign . Try focusing on these, and other, characteristics of God as you worship. Another way that might help you worship in truth is to familiarise yourself with some of the commands and promises given in the Bible and incorporate them into your worship. An example might be Deuteronomy 31:6, where we’re told that our God goes with us and will never leave nor forsake us. That is a very comforting truth to hold on to and, as a result, we can consciously worship God as the One whom we can rely on completely. Another example might be Matthew 11:28, where Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to him for rest. When we think we’ve reached the end of our rope, this verse reminds us that we can approach him in worship as the God who restores our soul. Try identifying additional bible verses that will deepen your understanding of what God is like.

Worshipping in spirit and truth is a question of balance. Once we start worshipping in truth (responding to what we know about God) we mustn’t forget to also worship in spirit (responding to what we experience of God). I want my worship of God to be wholehearted and genuine – how about you?

Have you ever asked yourself the question, "Who am I?"  If so, you're not alone!  Many people are searching for their identity and are tired of the yo-yo life where changing circumstances sometimes mean they feel good about themselves one moment  and then feel pretty worthless the next.  They long to have something solid and enduring on which to base their identity.   

I've recently begun an audio series at my church called "Who Do You Think You Are?" which is about discovering our identity in Jesus Christ.  In part one, I lay the foundation for subsequent messages by looking at how the image of God originally became disfigured in human beings, was then revealed in Jesus Christ, and is now being restored in his followers. 

If you have half-an-hour to spare, you might want to check out the message here.  Part two will follow in a few weeks' time... 

Have a great weekend.  You are loved with an everlasting love by an everlasting God!  

Our church has a wonderful problem.   Our building is too small to accommodate all the various activities that take place there on Sundays and throughout the week.  The response has been to extend our existing building and the great news is that work has now started!  

I thought you might like to see a photo of a new sign that's just appeared outside the church.  The church is situated in a residential area, so the sign will be read by many passing by.  Union Grove is also on a bus route, so who knows how many people will see the sign and pay us a visit or log on to our website! 

As a congregation, we're all very excited about the building work in progress, reminding us that we too are works in progress, being conformed more and more to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ as we follow him day by day. 

Look out for the photo of the finished build in a few months' time!

Munich's Frauenkirche

A couple of weeks before Christmas, my daughter and I treated ourselves to a weekend in Munich, Germany. We visited the various market stalls set up in the heart of the city and enjoyed warm, carmelized almonds from hand-held paper cones. Scrumptious! In addition to doing a little shopping, we took some photographs of various interesting buildings. One of the most magnificent is the Frauenkirche, Munich’s imposing cathedral. Its twin towers, with their round green spires or “bonnets”, are worth a second look. As we fixed our eyes – and our cameras – on this soaring duo, I was struck by three things… their height, their beauty, and the fact that they had been amazingly reconstructed following severe bomb damage during the Second World War. Although it might not be immediately obvious, I could see a connection with our Lord Jesus Christ on all three counts. Let’s go…

Height: We don’t know how tall (or short) Jesus was because the Bible doesn’t tell us. There’s no point, therefore, in speculating about this. However, there is a sense in which we can link Jesus and height. When he was predicting his death, one of the things he said was, “… when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). When Jesus died, his cross wasn’t laid out flat on the ground. It was erected in an upright position and would have been clearly visible to all onlookers. As a result of being “lifted up on the cross”, Jesus became the sin-bearer for everyone who believes in him. Since that time, all kinds of people have been drawn to Jesus, the perfect Son of God, and have found complete forgiveness from every kind of wrongdoing.

Beauty: Ever wondered what Jesus looked like? His eyes, his mouth, his hair? Again, the Bible gives us no specific details about his appearance. At one point, though, we read that “there was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him” (Isaiah 53:2b, NLT). In other words, there was nothing physically outstanding about him. But the psalmist talks in Psalm 27:4 about gazing upon “the beauty of the LORD” (NIV). Some versions translate this as his “splendour” or “perfections”. This goes beyond mere physical appearance. In the completeness of his character, our God is indeed beautiful. How long has it been since you spent time just focusing on His beauty?

Reconstruction: The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were horrified when He said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19, NIV). Jesus was referring, not to the temple in Jerusalem, but to his own body. For three days following his crucifixion, Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. Then he was raised to life, never to die again. Physical resurrection had taken place and Jesus’ body was reconstructed! In some ways, it was the same body but, in other ways, it was different. And because Jesus’ body was reconstructed, we have the sure hope that, one day, ours will be too. Tired of your present body? Don’t despair – you’ll soon have a new one!

If you ever come across a picture of Munich’s Frauenkirche, let its height, beauty and reconstruction remind you to fix your eyes on Jesus… 
 

My calendar says that today is the Winter Solstice. The what? The shortest day. Actually, I think it should be called the longest night. Go to work in the dark. Come home in the dark. Lights on in the house or office for most of the day. Not my favourite time of year. One thing I do like, though, is going out in the dark for a walk with our dog, Rowan. Where we live there are no street lights and some nights it is REALLY dark. And in the dark even the slightest light is dazzling.

One night not so long ago James was out walking when a text message came in to his phone. He quickly read it and tried to reply. Next thing - WHAM! He felt something crashing into his face. At first he thought he had been struck in the face by a mugger and then he realized he was in a ditch with his head in a barbed wire fence! James thought he had been walking in a straight line but the light from the display on his phone had dazzled him and he’d gone off the road. If you think I’m making it up, James still has the scars on his face to prove that when flesh meets barbed wire, the wire wins!

The Christmas story is very much a story of dazzling light shining in darkness. Long before Jesus Christ was born, Isaiah prophesied that the people who walked in spiritual darkness would see a great light. My favourite Christmas bible reading is John 1. John gives an unconventional slant to the Christmas story, expressing it in cosmic terms with Christ as the Eternal Word making a gigantic step down to be born as a baby and live on earth among people. The theme of Christ as the light of the world is a prominent one in John’s Gospel and his letters. John 1:5 (NLT) says that “the light shines through the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.” Dazzling light shining in the darkness. Dazzling light dispelling the darkness. Dazzling light conquering the darkness. The shepherds were literally dazzled as the glory of God shone around them. The wise men were drawn, fascinated, to the place where Jesus was, guided by the light of both a star and prophecy. The shining of the light of Christ’s coming dazzled and disorientated Herod the king and his advisers and they ended up in a ditch of hostility and apathy. This dazzling light of Christ’s presence cannot be extinguished, and as His followers, it is our privilege to let that light shine as we exalt him in our daily living.

Another possible translation of John 1:5 is “the darkness has not understood it” (NIV). Have you ever had the experience of someone just not getting it, no matter how clearly you explain it? Don’t be surprised if when you proclaim Christ this Christmas some people are like “so what?” or “duh?” A danger for us is to feel we have failed if some people don’t get what we’re saying. Sure, it’s up to us to communicate the truth of Christ’s coming to people as clearly and accurately as we possibly can, but only His Spirit can turn the lights on in the minds of our hearers. Let’s do what we can, but leave the Spirit to do what we cannot do – change people.

Happy Christmas! May the light of Christ dazzle you and draw you to Him in wonder, love and praise!

P.S. Remember not to text when you’re out in the dark!