Friendship


"Dedication.  Loyalty.  Friendship.  The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character."

Questions to consider...
1. Who are your friends?  Why are they your friends?
2. Are there people you wouldn't be friends with?  Why?
3. How dedicated and loyal are you to your friends?
4. How do you respond when your friends let you down?
5. How do you respond when you let your friends down?

A Bible verse to consider...
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.  (John 15:12-15)  

A prayer...
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us people that we can love and be friends to.  Thank you for the way you showed love for us by laying down your life so we could be forgiven and friends with you.  Please help us to consider this for ourselves and how we can love people in the same way.  Amen.  

Ready to fall


"Every action has a reaction.  We've got one planet.  One chance."

Questions to consider...
1. How do you feel about the way we're treating the planet?
2. How does the way we treat the planet directly impact on human beings?
3. How do your actions have reactions in other parts of the world?
4. Why should we care about environmental issues?
5. What can we do to help on a daily basis?

 A Bible verse to consider...
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,    the world, and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)

A prayer...
Creator God, please help us to be good stewards of the creation that you have entrusted to our care and to consider how our actions have reactions in other parts of the world and ont he people who live there.  Amen. 

Teachers


Teachers sometimes surprise us!

 Questions to consider...
1. Who are your favourite teachers and why?
2. Why do you think your teachers do their jobs?  Is it just for the money?
3. Why are you in school?  Obviously attending school is a legal requirement for you but why do you do the things you do in school?  Why do you behave the way you do?  Why do you work the way you do?  Why are YOU here?
4. When Einstein was in school, his mother would ask him each day, "Did you ask any good questions today?"  Do you ask good questions in school?  How would this help your learning?
5. What's the point of learning anything ever?

A Bible verse to consider...
Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
    she raises her voice in the public square; 
on top of the wall she cries out,
    at the city gate she makes her speech:
‘How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
    How long will mockers delight in mockery
    and fools hate knowledge? 
Repent at my rebuke!
    Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
    I will make known to you my teachings. (Proverbs 1:20-23)

A prayer...
Lord, thank you for giving us the ability to think, learn and grow wise so we can make good decisions in life.  Please help us to make the most of every opportunity to do this more and to respect and help our teachers.  Amen.

Nail


We all have problems.  How do we deal with them?

Questions to consider...
1. What kind of problems do you face?
2. How do you deal with your problems?
3. Who do you ask for help when you need it?
4. What problems are difficult to acknowledge?
5. How do our problems compare with problems people face in other parts of the world?

 A Bible verse to consider...
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

A prayer...
Lord, please help us to courageously acknowledge the problems we have in our lives so that we can bring them to you and to others for help.  Please also help us to comfort and help others with their problems so they can know your comfort too.  Amen. 

Man cold


Are men really different from women?  The Bible says God created men and women in his image and likeness with great dignity, value and worth.

Questions to consider...
1. How different are men and women?  How are they different?
2. Are there things that women are generally better at than men?
3. Are there things that men are generally better at than women?
4. Are men and women equal?
5. Are men and women treated equally today?

A Bible verse to consider...
So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) 

A prayer...
Father God, thank you for the way in which you created human beings in your image and likeness, equally and with great dignity, value and worth.  Thank you too for the differences between men and women.  Thank you that we need each other.  Please help us to see all people the way you see them and to see ourselves the way you see us.  Amen.

Moments


Life is a series of moments.  Moments matter.  Life matters.  Why?

 Questions to consider...
1. What is your life all about? 
2. What are you trying to achieve?
3. What was Jesus' life all about? 
4. What was he trying to achieve?
5. What does it really mean to live life to the full?

A Bible verse to consider...
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

A prayer...
Father, thank you for the gift of life.  Please help us to think carefully about why we're here and what we're living for.  Help us also to consider who Jesus is, why he lived, died and rose again and what it really means to live life to the full by being knowing God personally. Amen.

Symmetry


Life has its fair share of opposites... Happiness and Despair.  Rich and Poor.  Popular and Alone.  Birth and Death.

 Questions to consider...
1. How do you feel about your life?  What's good?  What's bad?
2. How do you feel about yourself?  What's good?  What's bad?
3. What's your favourite memory?  What's your least favourite memory?
4. How do you feel about death?  Are you scared of it or can you face it with confidence?
5. What do you think lies beyond death?  Why?

 A Bible verse to consider...
Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.' (John 11:25)

A prayer...
God, thank you for giving us life and many good things that we enjoy.  But Lord, we also have to go through many painful things and we hate suffering.  We also must face the inevitable fact of death.  Please help us to consider our response to what Jesus said about himself and death and what he did about it too.  Amen.

Porn


Online pornography makes around £6.6m per hour. 
That's £58,183,920,000 a year! 
The average age of first exposure to pornography is 11 years old.
80% of 15-17-year-olds have had multiple hardcore exposures.

 Questions to consider...
1. Why do you think people look at pornography?  Why is it so popular?
2. How do you feel about how much money is made from pornography?
3. Do you think there's anything wrong with pornography?  Why?
4. How realistic is it to never look at pornography these days?
5. How does pornography change people?
  
A Bible verse to consider...  
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: will you defile yourselves the way your ancestors did and lust after their vile images? (Ezekiel 20:30)

A prayer...
Father God, please help us to think carefully about what we allow ourselves to see and what images we allow into our minds so that we can be free from perversion, addiction and lust.  Amen!

Polar Bear - Jessica



Polar Bear is one of the best spoken word artists in the UK.  In this piece, he talks about young love, being a son, being a man and being a dad.

Questions to consider...
  1. Which part of this piece stands out to you and why?
  2. What are you most grateful for from those who raised you?
  3. What are you least grateful for from those who raised you?
  4. What do you hope for in your ideal future?
  5. What kind of adult will you be?  If you marry, what kind of husband or wife will you be?  If you have kids, what kind of dad or mum will you be?
A Bible verse to consider...
Start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

A prayer...
God, some of us are benefiting from a great legacy because of the people who have raised us. Please help us to be grateful and to copy their good example.  But for some of us it's harder to be grateful for the way we've been raised and we want to begin a new legacy.  Please give us wisdom and courage.  Jesus, please forgive us and please show us and help us how to live well!  Amen.

Saw


Can you believe what you just SAW?

Questions to consider...
  1. Do you think this video is real or a fake?  Why?
  2. How do you figure out what's true?
  3. What is truth?  Does it matter?
  4. How do you figure out what's true about Jesus?  Does it matter?
  5. If God is real how could we ever figure him out unless he showed us?
A Bible verse to consider...
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

A prayer...
Lord Jesus, you claimed to be the truth and the only way to God.  Please help us to investigate and to know if it's real or fake and to be sure either way for good reasons.  Amen!  

Mind Control Fungus


This fungus infects the minds of insects and then kills them! 

Questions to consider...
  1. What things influence people's thinking positively?
  2. What things influence people's thinking negatively? 
  3. Do you think human beings have a thinking problem?  Why/why not?
  4. Why are human beings continually capable of great selfishness, destruction and apathy?
  5. If humans have a "Mind Control Fungus", what is it?  And what's the solution?
A Bible verse to consider...
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

A prayer...
God, please help us with our thinking and show us where are minds are healthy and where they are sick with sin and selfishness.  Please show us how you can forgive us and heal us through Jesus.  Amen!

Sex


Let's go crazy crazy crazy till we see the sun
I know we only met but let's pretend it's love
And never never never stop for anyone
Tonight we're gonna get some and live while we're young!

 Questions to consider...
  1. Do you love or hate One Direction?  Why?
  2. What are they singing about?  Love or sex?
  3. What would you say to a friend who wanted to have sex with someone they only just met?
  4. What does it really mean to live while you're young?  
  5. How important is getting sex?
A (slightly racier than usual) Bible verse to consider...
He Speaks:
My darling, you are lovely,
so very lovely—
    your eyes are those of a dove.

She Speaks:
My love, you are handsome,
    truly handsome—
the fresh green grass
    will be our wedding bed.

A prayer...
Lord, please help us to live while we're young and to really get the very best from the amazing gift of sex that you have given to us.  Amen!

God


Theist - Someone who believes in God
Atheist - Someone who doesn't
Agnostic - Someone who isn't sure

Questions to consider...
  1. Do you believe in God?  Are you a theist, atheist or agnostic?  Why?
  2. What things convince people that God is real?
  3. What things cause people to doubt that God is real?
  4. Can you believe in God and Science?
  5. How can you spontaneously get something from absolutely nothing without God?
A Bible verse to consider...
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

A prayer...
God, please help us to consider the question of your existence, to see the truth and to respond wholeheartedly to it.  Amen.

Anywhere but here


My friend Jamie Gould is a Christian and wrote this song called 'Anywhere but here'.  It's got some brilliant words...

I put up a front to protect my back but the truth is I'm just scared

They say, "Follow your heart, son and you will find gold."
But what if gold ain't what I'm looking for?
For my heart's lied to me so many times before

 Questions to consider...
  1. How real are you with other people?  Do they know the real you or are there things about your heart that you would never want them to know?
  2. Has your heart lied to you before?  If so, how?
  3. What's wrong with following your heart or doing whatever you feel is right?
  4. Someone once said, "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart."  Do you agree?  Why/why not?
  5. What hope is there for human beings whose hearts lie to them and lead them astray?
A Bible verse to consider...
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

A prayer...
Lord Jesus, please help us to see the limitations of doing whatever we want and thank you that if we trust and follow you we can have forgiveness, a new heart and new desires.  Amen!

Mez

Mez was a guy I studied Theology with.  Here's his story.

 Questions to consider (just do the first one if you're short on time)...
  1. What do you think of Mez's story?
  2. Mez's background includes abuse, drug addiction and crime.  After his friend was murdered, he wondered, "What's the point of life?"  What do YOU think it is?
  3. What was Mez's first impression and reaction to the Christians he played football with?
  4. Why do you think 2 of these Christians traveled over 300 miles to visit Mez in prison?
  5. Today Mez is married with two children and leads a church in Scotland.  How do you explain this transformation?
A Bible verse to consider...
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:12-14)

 A prayer...
God, please help us to consider Mez's story and the miraculous transformation you brought about in his life through Jesus.  Whatever our feelings about Christians, please help us to consider Jesus, how he saves and changes people's lives and how we might need saving and changing too.  Amen.

Skater



Brian had wealth, fame and everything he wanted... but he also had a failed marriage, anger issues and ended up wanting to kill himself... until he cried out to God for help!  

Questions to consider...
  1. What do you think of Brian's story?  Which bits stand out to you and why?
  2. Why do you think Brian was so desperately unhappy?  Is divorce really that bad?  What's your experience of this?
  3. How does an angry, rich, self-centred pro-skateboader become a Christian who talks about Jesus all the time?
  4. Brian says you get to know Jesus by crying out to him.  What do you think he means?  Have you ever done this?
  5. Did you pray the prayer at the end of the video?  If so, what's just happened?  If not, what would it take for you to want to pray a prayer like this?
A Bible verse to consider... 
If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

A prayer...
God, please help us to know what we're living for and to know what's truly important.  Protect us from just cruising through life doing what everybody expects us to do.  Protect us from where that ultimately leads.  Please show us what difference it makes to know Jesus and to trust and follow him.  Amen.

Head

Brian "Head" Welch.  Former Korn guitarist.


Brian has changed.  He says it's because of Jesus.  What do you think?

 Questions to consider (just do the first one if you're short on time)...
  1. What do you think of Brian's story?  How do you account for the changes in his life?
  2. What was Brian's life all about before he met Jesus?  How fulfilling was it?
  3. Why did Brian's friend tell him about Jesus and why did Brian decide to become a Christian?
  4. What happened when Brian asked God to take his drugs away? 
  5. What could happen if you encountered Jesus like Brian did?
A Bible verse to consider...
[Jesus said] 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28)

A prayer...
God, please us us to think about what we're living for and how fulfilling it is without knowing your love through Jesus.  Help us consider Brian's story of the miraculous changes Jesus brought into his life and to ask all the questions we need to so we might come to know you for ourselves.  Amen.

Penn

Penn Jillette is a famous magician and atheist...


Penn is clearly struck by the courage and decency of this Christian friend.  He says, "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?  I mean, if I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe it and that truck was bearing down on you, there's a certain point where I'd tackle you and this is more important than that."  Wow.

 Questions to consider...
  1. Why should Christians tell people about Jesus?
  2. Do you know any Christians?  Have they told you about Jesus?  If not, why do you think they haven't?  If they have, why do you think they did?
  3. What do you think about Christians telling you about Jesus?  And if they haven't, how could you help them tell you what they believe?
  4. If you're a Christian, do you tell people about Jesus or keep it to yourself?  Why?
  5. If you had the cure for cancer, would you tell anyone?   Why/why not?
A Bible verse to consider...
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ (Romans 10:14-15)

A prayer...
God, please help us to understand how important it is and how right it is that Christians try to tell people about Jesus.  If we're Christians, please give us the courage to share Jesus, the wisdom to know what questions to ask and the sensitivity to know when to just listen to people.  If we're not Christians, please help us to appreciate the efforts Christians make to share Jesus with us, even if they do it badly and help us to ask questions so we can know exactly what they're on about.  Amen.

Gospel


This is what Christians believe.  They trust and follow Jesus for forgiveness, friendship with God, life to the full and life forever.

 Questions to consider...
  1. Are we made by God or products of random natural processes?  What make you so sure?
  2. What is wrong with us and how do we fix it?  Is it impossible?
  3. Who is Jesus claim to be and why did he die?  What if it's true?
  4. What does Jesus offer those who trust and follow him?  What's the alternative?
  5. 'Gospel' means 'good news'.  Why should Christianity be good news for everyone?
A Bible verse to consider...
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

A prayer...
God, please help us to consider the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to see the limitations of trying to completely fix ourselves.  Thank you for offering us forgiveness, friendship with you, life to the full and life forever.  Please help us find out if it's really true!  Amen. 

Broken


Why can't everything go right for us like in the video?  Real life is full of frustration, struggle, mistakes, accidents and things that get on our nerves.  Some say it's just the way it is and we just have to deal with it.  Others say it's not the way it should be and there's something wrong with the world and with us.  What do you think?

 Questions to consider...
  1. What kind of things frustrate you on a regular basis?  Why do you think these things happen?
  2. Is the world broken?  Are people broken?  Or do we just have to deal with it and not complain?
  3. Do you try and fix things that frustrate people?  Why/why not?  And what does this say about your answer to question 2?
  4. What do you do when things go right for you?  Are you lucky or grateful?  And what's the difference anyway?
  5. If God is perfect, why might he allow bad things to happen to "good" people?
A Bible verse to consider...
For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:20-21)

A prayer...
Father, please help us to see how broken our world is and give us the courage to admit the ways in which we are broken too.  Please help us to see why you have allowed things to break and give us the courage to come to you for forgiveness, rescue and help through Jesus.  Amen.

OTW Hot Potato Questions

For what it's worth, here's my answers to the questions we had at OTW recently.  I'm going to try and keep it short and simple and include questions to consider too...

WHY DOES GOD?
1. How can natural disasters be explained?
Sin (Genesis 3:17-19).  Our world is broken.  Sometimes it kills people.  It's not the way it should be.  It's not the way it was (Genesis 1:31).  And because of Jesus, it's not the way it will be (Romans 8:20-21).  What signs can you see that the world is designed well but somehow broken?

2. Why do people feel so low that they commit suicide?
Many reasons and our first response should be to listen and understand as much as we can cope with.  We should also know our limits and get the support we need so it's not all on us.  And I know this will sound too easy but knowing Jesus makes all the difference (Philippians 4:12-13, Philippians 1:21, Romans 8:38-39). How do YOU cope and what hope do YOU have when everything else falls apart?

3. Why does God allow young children to die of diseases? 
It seems particularly harsh of God that he would let young children die.  Young children are completely innocent, right?  Wrong.  Only God is good (Revelation 15:4).  We are all bad (Isaiah 64:6).  Sinful from birth (Psalm 51:5).  We deserve death and anything good we get from God is grace (Romans 6:23) and he offers us everything (Ephesians 1:3-14)!  Why should we help young children trust and follow Jesus? 

4. Why do disasters happen to the poorest people, then the people who are more well off don’t try and help?
We're selfish (James 4:17).  We should do more (James 2:14-17).  What are you doing consistently to help the poor?      

5. Why do people get punished by others, e.g. children by parents? 
I can't answer for all parents (they vary a lot!) but for me as a dad, discipline is all about the gospel.  I want to help my children tell the truth about what they've done wrong (every time) and say sorry for it (every time).  And then I want them to know that I forgive them (every time) and will love and help them forever.  I'm learning how to be a father to my kids the same way God is Father to me so that they will come to know him as their Father too (Ephesians 6:4).  Who is a good example to you of what great parenting looks like and how do they do Ephesians 6:4? 

6. Why did God create chickens? 
To show us his love (Matthew 23:37) and because they're yummy! 
 
RELATIONSHIPS
7. What shouldn’t you do in a relationship?
Loads!  And if you want to learn more about how to build a strong relationship that lasts, have a look at 2 together! 

8. Is it OK to be in a relationship at this age? 
At 14-18? Sure, but you should ask the following questions...
- Are we putting Jesus first? (Mark 12:30, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 1 Corinthians 7:32)
- Are our parents ok with it? (Exodus 20:12)
- Are we starting something we can't (or don't intend to) finish? (Luke 14:28-30)

9. Why can't Christians have sex before marriage? Just because you're married doesn't mean you're committed. 
It's about commitment before intimacy (Genesis 2:24).  You're right about some marriages not being committed but they're BAD marriages!  Real marriage is about making promises and keeping them (Promises Promises, Mark 10:1-12)! What do you think the best sex is and how can you get it?

10. Why are gay people not accepted by Christians? 
Christians should love and accept ALL people but not agree with ALL that they do.  Paul specifically mentions gay lust and sex as being sinful (Romans 1:21-27).  This is frequently misquoted and misunderstood by Christians and non-Christians alike.  Some will say God hates gay people and it's wrong to be gay but that's not what it says here.  Others say love is love and God's fine with gay relationships provided they're loving but that's not what it says either.  Paul is explaining that one way in which people sin sexually is to actively desire and have sex with the same gender.  This doesn't mean it's wrong to be gay but it is wrong to choose to sin sexually and to spend time thinking about sinning sexually and this is just one of the ways people do that.  It's unnatural and falls short of the best God intends for us.  God hates it and gets angry because he loves the people he has made and he wants us all to know him.  What do YOU do when people you love do stuff you hate?
 
BELIEVING OR NOT BELIEVING
11. How do we know it’s true? 
There's lots of reasons I'm sure about Jesus but here's just a few to start with...
1. The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead really helps me be sure.  
2. Plus everything he's done and continues to do in my life that's incredibly difficult to explain unless Jesus is alive and at work in me and my family.  
3. Another thing that helps me be sure the good news of Jesus is true is that it's so weird.  All other religions and belief systems are about trying harder and doing better.  Jesus gives us forgiveness, righteousness and peace with God as a gift (Romans 6:23). No human mind has ever come up with anything like it... because it was God's idea!  Forgiveness is our only hope.  We can't fix ourselves.  Jesus offers us exactly what we need, exactly what no-one else has thought of and the evidence backs it up too.  "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand.  All other ground is shifting sand." John 6:67-68.  How sure are you about Jesus and why?
 
12. Does God forgive all sins? 
Yes for those who trust Jesus (1 John 1:9).  What hope do we have unless God can forgive?
 
13. What is the meaning of life?  
It's all about Jesus.  Only about Jesus.  Always about Jesus.  Colossians 1:16.  What actual purpose or meaning could life have without God?

14. What happens when you die if Jesus hasn’t come yet?
One of two things...
1. If you trust and follow Jesus, your sin is all on him and you go to be with God forever (Romans 8:1-2).
2. If you don't trust and follow Jesus, your sin is on you and you're separated from God forever.  John 3:18.  How could you face Jesus unless you're forgiven?
 
LIVING AS A CHRISTIAN
15. How can I be sure I’m saved when I know I’ve accepted Jesus but don’t feel like he’s got me and will never let me go? Is it just a case of having more faith? 
Yes.  You can trust the promises of Jesus.  Feelings are important but they don't determine what's true.  Jesus really has got you and he really won't ever let you go (John 6:39).  Keep listening to Jesus by reading the Bible, keep talking to him in prayer and get stuck into church to be encouraged and encourage others! How does your faith in the facts affect how you feel?

16. Why is church the hardest place to be sometimes? 
I think the main reason is that it's full of people!  People are sinful.  Christians aren't Christians because they're better than everyone else.  They're forgiven and God's still working on them to make them more like him.  That means we'll wind each other up from time to time and that's part of the opportunity for us to grow together!  God is committed to his family.  He was prepared to die for them.  If we've been saved by Jesus, we're family and we should love the family, be committed to the family and serve the family, even when it's hard (1 Corinthians 12:12-21).  How can you love and commit to your church family more?

17. If heaven is somewhere else, can we give up on this place? (Too little ambition?) If heaven will be here on earth, can we make it so? (Too much ambition?)
This is my question.  It's become popular to suggest that heaven is not somewhere else but here.  I think this is because we want Christians to care for the environment and not just give up on this place because God's given us a ticket out of here to the new one.  Fair enough.  Christians should care for this place.  We were made to share God's loving rule over it (Genesis 1:26-27).  But I still believe heaven will be somewhere else.  Revelation talks about a new heaven (new sky) and a new earth (new land) and the old one passing away (Revelation 21:1-5).   I know it can be read two ways but the plainest way is to assume it's a new place.  And even if it's not, we don't need to insist that it's not just to have a reason for Christians to care for this place.  As I've said, it's partly why we were made.  By insisting that heaven will be located here on earth, I think we may end up giving people the wrong impression that they can care for this place enough that one day it will actually become heaven.  This is wrong.  We don't make heaven.  God does.  (John 14:1-4).  What will heaven be like if there's no sin?

Romans 16 - Signing off but not checking out!

Paul finishes his letter with a few personal shout outs and each one is someone we can learn from by their example.

Romans 16

Some were mature missionaries who risked it all...
Priscilla and Aquilla (v3-4), Andronicus and Junia (v7), Urbanus (v9).

Some were steadfast servants who worked incredibly hard... 
Phoebe (v1-2), Mary (v6), Apelles (v10), Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis (v12).

Some were faithful friends who were near and dear...
Epentus (v5), Ampliatus (v8), Stachys (v9), Rufus and his mother (v13) and to a lesser extent - the household of Aristobulus (v10), Herodion and the household of Narcissus (v11), Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas (v14), Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas (v15).

In verses 16-20 Paul reminds the church in Rome once more that they're part of a massive family that God has saved through Jesus.  They should be wary of anyone who calls themselves a Christian and tries to divide God's family.   Paul says one day Satan will be crushed by God once and for all but until then he recommends three things that will help them stay united as God's people: 
1. Continued obedience to Jesus... above anyone else who has different ideas.
2. Wisdom about what is good... so they're always learning to serve and share Jesus more.
3. Innocence about what is evil... so they're not learning new ways to sin and be distracted.

 Paul finishes by sending greetings from the people he's serving with right now and then gives all the glory to Jesus.  It's all about Jesus, only about Jesus and always about Jesus from start to finish.  Jesus is the 'mystery hidden from long ages past' (v25), 'now revealed and made known'... 'so that all Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith' (v26).  God is doing it and he's the only one who's truly wise.

 Paul wants everyone who's not yet a Christian to trust and follow Jesus, receive forgiveness and friendship with God, life to the full and life forever.

Paul wants Christians everywhere to be missionaries who risk it all, steadfast servants who work incredibly hard and faithful friends who are near and dear.

I think Romans challenges us if we're Christians to have a plan for massive church growth!  The church is not a cosy club for Christians to enjoy themselves.  The church exists for its non-members and Christians should always be praying, planning, loving and living for more and more and more people to know Jesus.  We should ask ourselves questions like: 'How many friends would I like to see become Christians this year?' and 'What plans do we have for our local church to double in number and keep doubling?'  Jesus is still alive!  Lost people are still lost!  The life-saving good news is still life-saving good news!  What are we doing about it?

Romans blog

Romans 15:14-33 - First things first

Paul has confidence in the family of God to help lead and teach one another in the power of the Holy Spirit (v14). Jesus doesn't need Paul to write but he wants him to and that's why he has.

Romans 15:14-33

Paul says he has written some tough stuff in this letter to the church in Rome about how God loves the Gentiles and not just the Jews.  He's been brutally clear at several points that being in God's family is not about circumcision, keeping the law or being a physical descendent of Abraham but it's about trusting and following Jesus, whatever your human heritage.  It's not about the family into which you were born.  It's about being born again through Jesus into the family of God.

Paul's written rather than visited Rome because he's busy telling the Gentiles about Jesus.  He's prioritising.  Paul's ambitions match God's gracious call on his life to do this (v15-16) and he attributes the success of his actions to Jesus too (v18).  Could we say the same of our ambitions and actions?

It's not that Paul doesn't love the church in Rome.  They're family and he plans to visit them soon to enjoy their company and get help for his work. He's got one more job to do first and having read this letter, it should come as no surprise that he's making a priority of delivering a financial gift from Gentile Christians to Jewish Christians.  He knows he's doing the right thing and he trusts that Jesus will help them understand.

He asks them to struggle in prayer with him for his work.  This is so important.  If we're serving Jesus, we all need people who love us enough to pray for us a lot!  And we need to invest ourselves in prayer for people we know who are serving Jesus too.  Not rushed prayer.  That's not struggling.  Unhurried, proper conversation with God about people we love and for their work to be used by Jesus to bring more people into God's family.

He finishes by saying how much he's really looking forward to seeing them.  He's been slogging but he hopes to receive refreshment and rest from them when he visits.  All Christians need this too.  Brothers and sisters who do them good and help them rest.

Romans blog