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Ambassador Bible Institute

Stress and Immanuel

Here, at last, is the Power Point presentation from my sermon on stress yesterday, and I apologize that it has taken me some time to work out the bugs and get it working. It is a big file, and so it will take a moment or two to download, so be patient.

Click here for Stress PowerPoint

Clear the Stage - Ross King

Fat Glory

The chapter that Pastor Ray will be preaching on this weekend contains one of my favorite verses of the Bible, viz., 2Cor 4.17.

For our light and momentary affliction is achieving for us and eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all.

Ernest Hemingway, the great American literary minimalist, once said, "the beauty in the movement of an iceberg is that 90% moves beneath the surface." For 2Cor 4.17 that is particularly true, there is quite a lot moving beneath the surface, and when rightly considered it reveals an unspeakable beauty. I'd like to share a bit of why this is the case and why I love this verse so much. 

The Hebrew word for “glory,” “kabod,” in the Old Testament is an exceedingly interesting one. In Semitic languages of which Hebrew is one, most nouns are built upon a verbal root or idea, and by simply changing the pronunciation or vowels of a noun, verbs are formed. For example, the noun “farmer” in a Semitic language would arise out of the verbal idea “one who farms.” Along these lines, it is interesting that the verbal nuance under-girding the word “glory” in Hebrew is “to be heavy,” and this is applied in three different ways.

At first blush the state of “being heavy” does not seem to have much to do with “glory,” until you realize that in the ancient Near East the only people who were “heavy” in a physical sense were those who could eat more calories than they would burn off working in the fields or being a servant. So, as is still the cultural script in some cultures today, the only people who were “heavy” were the nobles or elite of the society who had plenty to eat and then did not have to turn around and work it off.

While it is true that the literal use of the verb “kabad” means “to be heavy” (see 1Sam 4.18 & 2Sam 14.26) by far its most frequent use in the Old Testament is in its abstract or metaphoric sense. It is not hard to see the development from those who are “heavy” in a physical sense, to those who are “heavy” or “weighty” due to their place in society, the influence they wield, or the wealth they possess. It is in this way, that God is said to be “heavy” or to have “glory” in the Bible. He is the most important, influential, and deserving of the most honor and respect. His reputation is so significant, so awe-inspiring, that His glory is visible to some Biblical characters like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the high priest in the temple.

What I find extraordinary is that the semantic idea or root meaning of “glory” in the Bible, that is, “to be heavy,” is not always used in a positive light. The motif of “heaviness” is also applied to severity and harshness. This usage is found littered throughout Pharaoh’s treatment of the Israelites whom he held in bondage (Exo 7.14; 8.15; 28; 9.7, 34; 10.1; 1Sam 6:6). Also in the sense of severity, “heaviness” is applied to hard work (Exo 5.9), servitude (1Ki 12.10), warfare (Jud 20.34), and pestilence (Ge 41.31), and in 1Ki 12.4 Jeroboam and the assembly of Israel complain to Rehoboam about the “heavy yoke” which his fathers (David and Solomon) imposed upon them.

So often the writings of Paul are scrutinized by scholars and theologians because his prose is so complex, his argumentation so well structured. However, it is important to always remember that Paul was a Pharisee (Phil 3.5-6) and Jew above all else, a fact which the religious philosophers and theologians can sometimes forget. It is verses like 2Cor 4.17 which show just how much he remained in touch with his Jewish roots.

When Paul talks about an “eternal weight of glory” he is using a play on words, purposely mixing the various nuances of the ideas of “heaviness” and “glory” as encountered in the Old Testament. Paul knew his Hebrew well and this verse shows that he is not above using it to form witty puns for his audience. What’s more is that he calls those stresses and burdens one has to endure on earth a “momentary, light affliction.” I don’t know about you but some of the things I’ve had to wrestle through in my own life did not seem “momentary” nor “light.” But Paul’s point is clear in that no matter what you are going through here on earth, the promise of heaven and the inheritance waiting for us there makes everything one could possibly experience on earth a “momentary, light affliction” by comparison.

I share these thoughts about these two verses because they have given and continue to give me great encouragement and comfort when times get rough. I hope and pray that they will be the same for you.

Why the Rage?

Psalm 2

Why do the nations rage

         And the peoples devising a vain thing?

    2The kings of the earth take their stand

         And the rulers take counsel together

         Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

    3"Let us tear their fetters apart

         And cast away their cords from us!"

    4He who sits in the heavens laughs,

         The Lord scoffs at them.

    5Then He will speak to them in His anger

         And terrify them in His fury, saying,

    6"But as for Me, I have installed My King

         Upon Zion, My holy mountain."

    7"I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:

         He said to Me, 'You are My Son,

         Today I have begotten You.

    8'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,

         And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.

    9'You shall break them with a rod of iron,

         You shall shatter them like earthenware.'"

    10Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;

         Take warning, O judges of the earth.

    11Worship the LORD with reverence

         And rejoice with trembling.

    12Kiss the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,

         For His wrath may soon be kindled

         How blessed are all who take refuge in Him

The Indigenous Pilgrim Principle

For a theological consideration of the Christian's role in politics both in HTML and downloadable Word document, click here.

Halloween: To Be or Not to Be?

Linguists and anthropologists have developed a phrase used to describe the social and cultural significance lying behind various cultural forms which they have dubbed, 'cultural scripts.' These are those unspoken assumptions that are attached to a great many things in society. 

Talk alcohol as an example. Alcohol carries very different cultural scripts in the UK than in the US. In America, there is a bit of a negative stigma associated with alcohol, and indeed some church communities are very against its use. However, in the UK alcohol does not carry such a cultural script. In England, alcoholic beverages are just that, beverages. It is not at all uncommon for alcohol to be served at elementary and college functions, and even my very conservative church in the UK would serve wine along with coffee and tea at the end of service.

At Ambassador church for instance, we would never dream of serving wine at the close of one of our services due to the very different cultural script associated with alcohol in the UK and the US.

Now take Halloween. I know of many Christians who are opposed to doing anything on Halloween – they don’t allow their children to dress up, keep their house black and do not answer their door for Trick or Treaters. Their reasoning behind such a decision is that Halloween had its roots in pagan and occultist practices not fit for a Christian. My argument would be that the cultural script for Halloween changed from a pagan holiday to an American fun holiday centuries ago. In celebrating Halloween one is not giving credit to evil or the occult in my opinion due to the fact that the cultural scripts associated with the holiday no longer include the many dark aspects it may have once had.

We must ask ourselves, what is it that you are communicating about Jesus and the Church if you use Halloween as an instrument to protest paganism and the occult? Is that the message you are intending?

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial.  “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. -- 1 Cor 10.23

The British

No matter what they are talking about, the British always sound so smart no matter how mundane the subject matter may be. Here is a great example which had me laughing out loud. Try to listen to as much as you can for it gets better the longer you listen.

Food never sounded so good.

Affliction -- The (Best) Case for Christ

2Cor 1.8-11

In this passage, Paul tells of a ‘great pressure, far beyond [his] ability to endure, so that [he] despaired even of life’ (2Cor 1.8). An interesting bit of trivia about this verse is that the Greek word Paul uses to describe his ‘despair’ is an exceedingly rare word, used only one other time in the New Testament (interestingly enough, also in 2Cor), and it speaks of an oppression or dire situation without escape or devoid of any chance of survival. Whatever happened to Paul during his ‘affliction in Asia’ was certainly a crisis of the highest order, one in which Paul did not think that he would survive. In other words, some serious stuff.

Paul goes on to talk about the power that rescued him from his dire situation is the same power of the resurrection – if God is powerful enough to conquer death, surely He can save you from whatever situation you find yourself in.

As significant as that fact is, what struck me in this passage was actually verse 11:

‘...as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.’

Paul suggests that in praying for him, the Corinthians were therefore able to share in his joy of deliverance. Said another way, the news of Paul’s deliverance, while certainly good news to Paul, was also a cause for celebration to the wider church audience at Corinth for they were able to see God’s faithfulness in action.

This verse just jumped out at me because I think that it illustrates a fundamental principle about humanity.

If I could write an axiom for human nature based upon this verse and the reality of what I’ve experienced in my own life, it would go something like this:

>>The evidence of God’s work in one’s life is the most powerful and effective apologetic for the existence of God.<<

Nowhere did I see the truth of this statement more acutely than during my time at Oxford. Oxford was a place filled with very smart people. If I could use a Scripture to summarize my feeling there it would be Prov 17.28:

‘Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.’

That was me. Whenever I was in a dinner or a meeting with a bunch of brilliant scientists or writers, I would just keep my mouth shut, then no one would know how stupid I was!

Seriously though, one of the great things about a place like Oxford is the opportunity you have to rub elbows and engage many of the world’s best thinkers. You live life with these people, are neighbors with them, and our kids would play together. One gets the opportunity to have a full curriculum of learning simply by going over to your neighbor’s house for dinner.

As much as I was impressed by the level of knowledge people displayed within their own respective fields of study, I was even more amazed at how much the chemists, physicists, and poets I knew were well-steeped in issues relating to faith, the Bible, and spirituality in general. Just about everyone I had encountered at Oxford was extremely well-read and conversant in all things spiritual, and as soon as they found out my field of study, they had surprisingly deep questions and touched on many important issues.

One profound thing that that experience taught me was how useless many of our ‘arguments’ for our positions are at times. I remember one particular evening when I had dinner with a professor of evolutionary biology and genetics, a colleague of the infamous Prof Richard Dawkins. Try talking to him about Creationism and the beginning of the world! I have read books on science and creation and how to argue holes in the theory of evolution and so on, but these are useless against someone like that -- like trying to fight a tank with a straw and spit balls.

One of the most important things I learned at Oxford was that there is no rebuttal for a changed life. There is always going to be someone smarter or more well-read then you, one who can argue or cajole better than you, and one who is more articulate and convincing with their logic. It is just fact.

Paul in 2Cor 1.11 reminded me of this fact. Paul told of his deliverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances, and this caused others to rejoice.

No matter how smart or well educated someone is, they still need God and deep down, they know it. When they see us and our changed life, the joy we exhibit through tough times, the love we show those in need, the conviction we have toward Truth, this is tremendously influential.

I spoke to chemist who at one time was an avowed atheist. He knew all the ‘proofs’ for the existence of God and so on, but when it came down to it, he watched the Christians at Oxford, and finally said, ‘I want what they have.’ He is now a professor of theology at Oxford and a very godly man.

There are two main points to come out of this. The first is that people are watching and they are deciding what to do about God by what you are doing on a daily basis. Your slick arguments won't do nearly as much as the display of your life lived radically for Christ will.

The other thing that is important is not to be afraid to tell your story. Like Paul, we all experience disappointments, challenges, and despair, ‘even to the point of death.’ (2Cor 1.8) Often we are embarrassed or afraid to share such experiences, but these are the very things that can be so effective in sharing the love of Christ. Paul was afflicted and God rescued him. This caused great joy to the Christians.

People are watching and listening more than you know.

Jessica is such a great example to me in this. I'm the one doing a doctorate in Biblical studies and always have my nose in a book. She is the one making banana bread for people just because, saying 'hello' and looking our waiter in the eyes when giving a sincere 'thank you,' and just talking to others about life.

I'll let you all guess which one of us made the bigger impact for Christ (hint: it had nothing to do with Hebrew).

Comfort - So What?

I have just loved our study on 2 Corinthians that Pastor Ray has been doing the over past number of weeks. This has been a book near and dear to my heart during the past year and one in which I’ve spent a lot of time in study and devotion. When I was first offered the Inreach position at Ambassador, one of the things I did as a part of seeking the Lord on His direction was to read through 2 Corinthians. I wish I could say that there was some super spiritual impetus behind this move, but in reality, it was the only book of the Bible in which I knew of the word ‘ambassador’ and so I thought I would give it a good read (see 2Cor 5.20). Now, as it did then, the Lord is using this book in a profound way in my own life. As such, I thought I might share some of these reflections with all of you.

2Cor 1.1-7

In the opening part of 2 Corinthians we learned of the nature of God’s involvement in affliction and suffering, viz., God comforts us in times of trouble not for own sakes exclusively, but rather so that we can in turn provide comfort to others.

One of the most profound questions that the Christian ever has to confront, and for that matter, the most profound question the Church has ever had to confront, is the relationship between a good God and the suffering of humanity. God may be good, but is He powerful enough to do anything about suffering? If He is, then why doesn’t He? Furthermore, if God is indeed powerful enough to do something about suffering and doesn’t, how does that make Him good?

What so amazes me about the Bible is how often  it touches upon the great questions of the faith but not always in a way that we would like it to! Such is the case in 2Cor 1.1-7. The question of the cause of or reason for suffering never comes up in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, instead Paul addresses the issue from an anthropological (related to man) rather than theological vista. This may frustrate those who ponder the deeper questions of life, yet provide a profound perspective missing from most discussions on suffering.

In so doing I feel that Paul is putting his finger directly onto something that so plagues the human condition. We tend to view everything through a ‘me focused’ or ‘man-centric’ lens while the Bible seems to always point in another direction. Our initial impulse when faced with suffering is to look in the mirror, while the Bible so often urges our eyes to go outward and upward, rather than inward.

When encountering affliction, our response is often ‘Why me?’ or ‘How am I going to get out of this mess?’ and our prayers are typically, ‘God relieve me of this discomfort.’

It is striking to witness Paul’s orientation toward suffering. Comfort is given by God not for our own sake and relief, but rather so that we can comfort others. What a radical concept. Many times, when discerning Biblical Truth, we arrive at a Truth, but then stop before the so what kicks in.

Some examples:

‘All Scripture is God-breathed,’ says 2 Tim 3.16, ‘so that the man of God may be adequately equipped for every good work.’

>  Scripture is indeed inspired, but for the purpose of inciting us toward good works.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. So that  you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12.2

>  Our non-conformity to the world is not so we can become separate little huddles of holiness. Our coming out from the world is for the purpose of knowing the mind of God.

So the point is this, when I am faced with affliction, I do indeed look to the ‘God of all comfort’ (2Cor 1.3) for help, and I am right in doing so because it is a wonderful thing that our God is loving and ready to comfort.

However, I too often stop there, I don’t get to the so what. God’s comfort is not given for my well-being, happiness, or security. It is so that I can and know how to comfort others. It should naturally follow that when I see someone in need, I comfort because I have been comforted.

I now need to think about my response to affliction in an entirely different way -- to stop worrying about the how and why of suffering but rather the so what.

Why a Blog?

My heart's desire as the pastor of Inreach at Ambassador Church is to help people fall deeper in love with God and His people by inciting a passionate love for the Scriptures and a lust for a life lived for more than this world.

C. S. Lewis once said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

This is my hope and prayer for everyone at Ambassador -- that we all might view the world and our lives through a wholly Christian and Biblical lens -- independent of one's vocation, ethnicity, culture, political affiliation, marital status, bank account, or religious history. I desire that we all become thoroughly "Christian" in every nook and cranny of our lives.

My hope is that this blog will provide a tool to help in this desire as I share with you all how God is working in my own life, especially through the Scriptures of Pastor Ray's Sunday sermons as well as my various thoughts and reflections on a whole host of other issues. In addition to that, I will from time to time post various resources for download as well as links that I think may add to what is going on in the small group ministry at Ambassador.

As we all live extremely busy and varied lives, I invite you to interact with anything I've posted and in so doing create a virtual place on the web where our people can dialogue and grow deeper toward maturity in our walk with Christ.