Obedience to Christ: A Call to Transformation

Posted on by korgrocker

“As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”
2 Corinthians 9:13-15 NLT

Being obedient to the Good News of Christ, at first sight, would seem to refer to responding to the Gospel message of salvation. We come to the Cross with our burden of sin, and leave it there as we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus and His power to forgive us. It is where our faith buds and blossoms, as we adopt the righteousness of Jesus as a cloak, leaving us free to come into God’s presence, enabling us to call Him Abba, Father. It is a wonderful occasion as we commence our journey to glory, working out our salvation as He leads us day by day. But it is there that we discover repentance from sin requires a life change. So many of our old ways have to change. No longer can we practice the lifestyle that had us bound in a life of sin. Our worldview has to change. Our relationships have to change. And our response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit’s nudges within us takes us along a road totally different to the one we were on before. And a new thought starts to form in our minds as we realise that being obedient to Christ is more than camping at the Cross; it involves being proactive in a life of service and selflessness.

We pilgrims came to such a place when we submitted our lives to Jesus. It was there when we learned to say “Yes, Lord” rather than “No, I’ll go my own way”. It was there that we discovered what “dying to self” really meant. Jesus “… said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me”” (Luke 9:23). But here is a puzzle. What did Jesus mean about taking up our crosses? Thankfully, Paul gave us the answer in Galatians 2:20, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Paul again wrote about what cross-living really means in Romans 12:1-2, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. The impact of Jesus’ message was that following Him means that we cannot follow our own selfish, and often evil, desires. We have to nail all of that to a cross and leave it there. We then live our lives by being obedient to Christ. The reality for believers everywhere is that we cannot have one foot in the world and the other in God’s Kingdom. It is one or the other. A person who flip-flops between the two must have been at the back of James’ mind when he wrote, “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do” (James 1:6-8). Jesus also had some hard words for the Laodicean church. He said, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16). 

Back in Corinth, Paul commended the church there for being “obedient to the Good News of Christ” by giving an offering to help the poor in Judea. How is that connected to the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus alone? As we have seen previously, the response to the Gospel leads to a life of love and service to God, in which obedience is key. Their old selves must have been trying their best to reduce the amounts they gave, or to conveniently lead them to other business outside the church on the day the offering was taken. But Paul then referred to another Kingdom word – grace. If God had been so gracious to them by forgiving them for their sins, how could they not extend that grace to other brothers and sisters in need? 

Today we pilgrims are living a new life devoted to God in love and obedience. Our lives are all about love, trust, and faith, all tangible and real elements of the Christian life. From the perspective of our old, selfish, and Godless ways, much of what God asks us to do makes no sense at all. But in our new Kingdom life, where we live by the Spirit, the old ways don’t apply. Instead, we once again say “Yes Lord”, no ifs or buts, and just do what He has asked us to do. What else can we do in response to such love and grace?

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your grace and love, so freely and lavishly given to us. We worship You today. Amen.

Joyful Generosity: A Biblical Perspective

Posted on by korgrocker

“As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:9-12 NLT

The poor people in Jerusalem and the surrounding area were in need, and the offering to be collected from the Corinthians, and added to that from the Macedonians, was going to make a big difference to their lives. It would enable them to get back on their feet and provide freedom from the worry about where the next meal was going to come from. Famine is a terrible condition. It was then and still is now, and according to the latest estimates, in 2024, 673 million people (1 in 11 globally) went hungry. The statistics are even more alarming because the world generates sufficient food to feed everyone, and we have the bizarre situation that in the affluent West, people are having to receive injections and pills to counter the effects of overeating, and in the least affluent parts, people are starving. In many parts of the world, conflict is the main cause, affecting over 20 countries. But there are other factors include corruption and failure of the aid programmes. 

However, imagine the joy, back in Judea, when the offering eventuallt arrives, taken there by the trustworthy men of integrity from Macedonia. There was in place in Jerusalem an aid programme, administered by faithful and trustworthy men, as we read in Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food”. To make sure there was fairness for all, the Apostles said to the church, “… select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility” (Acts 6:3). Regarding the Judean offering, and although I have no information to support this, I’m sure to start with the poor and needy would have been given food parcels, purchased from the funds received, but there would then have been a process where the farmers would have received seed supplies for planting, giving them a crop for the following growing season. 

The thanks of the Judeans would have been joyful, an understatement, I’m sure. Paul wrote, “the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God”. The cynics perhaps claim that the offering had nothing to do with God and instead was just an offering collected from a few individual churches. But God was in the giving because 2 Corinthians 9:10 reads, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you”. Christians then and now know that their food supply is due to God’s grace, which we call “common grace,” because God has fed the world regardless of whether or not people believe in Him. The fact that people go hungry is because of sinful practices in the supply chain, and judgement will apply one day. 

We pilgrims have much to thank God for, and not just for the food on our tables. It is sometimes a good practice to sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the things that God has done for us. In my devotions, I remember the big things that God has done in my life, but there are many small things as well. In Deuteronomy 4:9 we read, “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren”. Even today, the Jewish people widely practice the Passover meal, known as a Seder. It is one of the most observed Jewish holidays, held on the first night of Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Families gather to read the Haggadah, eat matzah (unleavened bread), and consume symbolic foods. But the Exodus took place thousands of years ago, yet is still rememberd and celebrated.

There are many Scriptures that encourage God’s people to offer their praise, worship and thanks, and all with a spirit of joy. The first two verses of Psalm 100 are, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy”. Or the first two verses of Psalm 95, “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him”. Psalm 9:1-2, “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvellous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High”. And from the New Testament, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:4, 6). 

In these war-torn days, buffeted by rises in the costs of living, being worried for the future of our families, it is easy to start sliding down the slippery slope into a world of despondency and hopelessness. It is a place where we find many of our fellow citizens, those who don’t know Jesus. Just walk along any High Street and see the looks on people’s faces, frozen and etched with the lines of misery. But we have within us the joy of the Lord, and we know what He has done for us. More than that, we don’t keep it bottled up within us, and we share that joy with others, bringing God’s light into their darkness. Whenever we can. At every opportunity. We have the words of eternal life, words that will bring joy and hope into any miserable and hopeless situation. Come on, folks. If we don’t tell people about God and all that He has done for us, who will? 

Dear Heavenly Father. You are the Source of joy, and the Light that illuminates this dark world. Please help us to act as reflectors of Your light, so that others will come to know You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Power of Generous Giving in Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT

The ultra-cautious among our society struggle with the idea of giving money away. Or there are the miserly and mean people, hoarders who feel the same. It is easy for them to get into the mindset of putting the blame for a person’s or a family’s poverty onto them for not having done something that they should have done. In Charles Dickens’ famous book, “Scrooge”, he was once approached by charity collectors, asking for a donation for the poor and destitute, to which he asked several questions: “Are there no prisons?” “And the Union workhouses? “The treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” His final callous refusal to donate any money was accompanied by, “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population”. Thankfully, today, people like Scrooge do not represent the majority of the British public, with nearly £14 billion given to charitable causes in the last year of records, 2023. There’s more, because “stuff” donated to charity shops raises a net profit for the charities they represent of a further £300-£400 million or more. Not everyone, of course, is in a position to give to charities, but those who do give generously, it seems. 

Begging has become something of a blight in Britain’s High Streets, and the difficulty for those willing to give them something is discerning who is in genuine need and who isn’t. The same discernment is required when giving to charitable organisations, as some are more efficient, with lower overheads, than others, but reputable charities publish the proportion of donations that end up funding the good cause. 

So, after having written all that, we turn to Paul’s helpful advice regarding financial giving. The first thing that strikes us is that God is in the giving. So when faced with a need, the first thing a believer must do is to pray about whether it is a need they need to support, and, if so, how much should be given. Some years ago, I can remember attending a series of Christian camps, where there was no charge made, but the administration was to be supported by a donation from those attending. Year after year the financial needs of running the camp were met, as God spoke clearly to the people who attended, people who were obedient in giving what God had told them to give. In Galatians 5:25, Paul wrote, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives”. 

In God’s economy, there is an association between the amount given and God’s provision for the giver. 2 Corinthians 9:10, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you”. Believers who are generous in their giving find that they still have sufficient resources to continue their lives. Paul also wrote, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully”” (2 Corinthians 9:7). God’s provision will not necessarily involve a manna situation where God’s benevolence is graciously resourced from heaven itself. He will use believers to bless others in dire need, and be a blessing to the givers in the process. This was the case with the Macedonian and Corinthian believers collecting an offering for the poor in Judea.

“God is the one who provides seed
for the farmer and then bread to eat“

There has been much abuse by unscrupulous individuals and organisations who promote what has come to be known as the “Prosperity Gospel”. This is a belief among some Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always God’s will for faithful believers. It emphasises that positive confession, faith, and donations (seed-faith) lead to material wealth and health as divine favour, often focusing on “living your best life now”. However, the prosperity gospel is widely criticised by mainstream Christians and other denominations as a “false gospel” because it contradicts the Bible’s teachings and focuses on material possessions rather than spiritual growth. It also ends up exploiting people who are poor. In that respect, I remember one elderly lady in my church who had only a small pension to live on, yet was caught up in giving money she didn’t have to an American evangelical organisation that promised her much in return.

Occasionally, an appeal is made from the pulpit of our churches for a special need, such as for a missionary or an overseas project. There may also be needs closer to home, and I remember, at a Christian conference a couple of years ago, how a member of the worship team confessed to being in a dire financial situation, which prompted an outpouring of generosity, with the stage being covered in banknotes after the meeting. We pilgrims must always be ready to provide financially for those in God’s family who are in need. And we give cheerfully, knowing that God is in the giving. 

Is there anyone today who we know is in need? Then pray to God for guidance and provide for the need as He directs.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your provision for our needs and pray that we can supply money for the needs of others, in our families and fellowships. Please lead us we pray. Amen

Understanding Paul’s Call for Integrity in Promises

Posted on by korgrocker

“But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.”
2 Corinthians 9:3-5 NLT

Taking these verses out of context may give the impression that Paul sent the bailiffs to collect the Corinthian offering for the poor in Jerusalem. But the last part of verse 5 reads, “But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly”. Paul just seems to be putting a little pressure on in case what they had said wasn’t what they had meant. Were they in danger of backtracking on a promise made previously? Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 9 with some instructions about voluntary giving that have helped countless Christians ever since, but more on that later.

Paul was obviously a little unsure about the state of readiness with the Corinthian offering. It was one that they had apparently promised to collect, because we read in a previous verse, “For I know how eager you are to help”. In fact, Paul was sure that they had been ready to send in their offering a year before. Perhaps because of the communications problems and the distances involved, Paul seemed to have a little niggle of doubt in the back of his mind. Paul had spent most of the previous chapter in 2 Corinthians also writing about this offering, but the situation was coming to fruition, and a party of “brothers”, fronted up by Titus, carrying Paul’s letter, were on their way to collect it.

Had the Corinthians made a promise to collect an offering, or was it just something they had discussed as a possibility, without any firm commitment? That they were going to make a collection did not seem to be in any doubt, so I suspect that there was a promise involved. Paul was just including a reminder that it was time to start the journey to Jerusalem with what had been collected, in case there were any stragglers still to give, and fulfil their part of the promise. 

The Bible says much about making promises, because they reflect a person’s character. We all know about disappointments that come from believing a promise that doesn’t materialise. A father might promise his child that a certain present will be in their Christmas stocking, only for the child to find that he didn’t keep his promise. So, Scriptures emphasise the importance of integrity, caution, and reliability when making promises. Apparently, in Jesus’ day, vows or promises were made by referring to something sacred to lend them weight. Jesus taught about this in Matthew 5. In fact, Jesus said that we shouldn’t make any vows at all in these verses, finishing the example He gave with “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). James repeated this instruction, “But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned” (James 5:12). From these verses we gain the picture that promises should be made with care, and, once made, the promise is an important part of a person’s integrity, and to break a promise goes against what God desires. The one legacy of making promises in a public setting can be found in our law courts, where witnesses are asked to swear an oath with their hand on a Bible or another holy book. But Jesus taught that a person’s character should be so reliable that elaborate oaths are unnecessary.

God’s faithfulness is beyond dispute, and He always keeps His promises. In Numbers 23:19, we read, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Joshua had no doubts about God’s integrity, as we read in Joshua 23:14, “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!” As we read through the Bible, we find, time and again, that God’s promises come true. The greatest of them all was the coming of Jesus, and Jeremiah prophesied, ““For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety”” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Whenever we find a verse that includes “Says the Lord” we sit up and take note, because what God says will come to pass.

We pilgrims must be a people of integrity. There is no other way. He or she “breaks a promise” must never appear as a statement in a pilgrim’s list of character attributes. And whenever we find ourselves in a situation that calls for a promise, we make it with care and integrity, carefully considering the consequences. 

Dear Heavenly Father. You have made us in Your image and because You have never broken a promise, then neither must we. We pray for Your help when faced with situations requiring a promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Understanding Boasting in the Context of Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem. For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.”
2 Corinthians 9:1-2 NLT

I’ve written about boasting before, but from a different angle to Paul’s words today, where Paul is boasting about the Corinthians’ willingness to send an offering to Jerusalem. The believers in Jerusalem were in dire straits, recovering from a severe famine a year or two before. The problem with famines amongst people who rely on crops they produce to stay alive is that they end up having to eat the very seeds needed for next year’s crop. So the impact of a famine lasts for years unless they receive assistance. It was essential that believers suffering in another part of the world were helped by believers elsewhere, those who had survived the famine and who had the means to help them. The situation in Judea must have been difficult, because the news of the situation had spread to the Macedonian churches as well. But such was the bond of love between the believers everywhere that there was a general willingness across the churches to help, and this was what Paul was boasting about.

In 1 Corinthians 9:15, Paul was boasting about his willingness to preach the Good News without charge. He wrote, “Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge”. In 1 Corinthians 1:31, Paul, quoting Jeremiah, wrote, “Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord””. Jeremiah recorded an important message from the Lord, which reads, “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). In the light of this Scripture, was Paul’s boasting about the Corinthians ability to give a bit misplaced? I think not, because the offering for the believers in Judea was all part of the mission of the early church, as it put into action the words of Jesus, “love your neighbour as yourself”. To back up Jeremiah’s prophecy we find Psalm 20:7, “Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God”. The name of the Lord is an ultimate source of authority, because anything done in His name will happen. 

“Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God”

Towards the end of Romans, Paul was boasting again. He wrote, “Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them” (Romans 15:18). Regardless of all his achievements, his privations, his ministries, the miles he had travelled, the number of churches he had established and so on, Paul was only prepared to boast about what Christ had “done through [him], bringing the Gentiles to God”. It wasn’t through his efforts, he said, but through the power of the Gospel, the message he preached. 

Boasting is a very worldly characteristic, because it is associated with the braggart with a new car, or a family with a new house. Perhaps they have booked a holiday somewhere expensive, or they have met someone they, and the society around them, feel is important, like the King or a well-known actor. Boasting is associated with people who, by their own efforts (and usually a huge bank loan), feel they have the right to brag about their achievements and their possessions. But none of it will find them a path into Heaven, and one day they will face into the reality that the life after the grave has no need for a Porsche or expensive jewellery. 

Do we pilgrims have anything to boast about? Somehow, it’s not possible to boast about our faith, and not just because those worldly people around us perceive it to be a weakness. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means”. So why would we want to boast about such a thing, because most of our hearers would consider it foolishness? We can do nothing to earn our salvation. Through faith in Jesus, we accept the free gift of God, His salvation. The very essence of our faith is God. It’s all about Him and what He has done for us, and not about us at all. In Philippians 2:3 we read, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves”. Humility is the way forward for Christians. We have an inner strength that comes from knowing that God loves us personally and individually. And because of that we don’t have to puff ourselves up in front of our peers. We don’t have to make inflated claims about our worth, to try and make those around us look up to us. The Lord Himself will lift us up at the right time. We read in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour”.

Living in God’s Kingdom is a counter-cultural way of life. The world’s values don’t exist in God’s Kingdom, and worldly boasting is one of them. But we can boast about the virtues of God’s Kingdom, and especially about all that Jesus has done for us. If that involved working for God, as with the offering being collected, then we will boast about it, because in the process, all the glory and all the praise and all the honour go to God Himself. 

Dear Father God. We humbly give You our thanks for all the things You have done for us. Our efforts have been and will be an apt response to Your presence in our lives and the lives of fellow believers. Thank You. Amen.

Being Sent Out: Embracing the Great Commission

Posted on by korgrocker

“We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you. If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honour to Christ. So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.”
2 Corinthians 8:22-24 NLT

So there was quite a party of brothers engaged in transporting the offering, which included the contributions from the Macedonian churches. Titus and another unnamed brother went to Corinth to add what the congregation there wanted to contribute, and with them were some other brothers from Macedonia. These were Godly men, devoted to bringing “honour to Christ”. But there was one feature about them that was easy to miss – these men had been “sent by the churches”. We know nothing at all about these men, but they were most probably fully committed believers, so intent on doing God’s work that they, like Paul, had nothing and relied on the generosity of other believers whom they met on their journeys. Communications were hazardous in those days, with roads unpoliced and people travelling on them at risk of attack from bandits and robbers. Sea journeys were equally dangerous because of weather issues and other dangers – Paul himself said that he had been shipwrecked three times (2 Corinthians 11:25). But these “sent out” ones were willing to risk anything because they were focused on their mission, which was to accompany Titus and his associate and ensure the offerings made were still fully intact by the time they reached Jerusalem. 

Being “sent out” is a fundamental part of what it means to be a Christian. We all know the Great Commission, which we can read in Matthew 28:18-20, “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age””. This was an unequivocal command from Jesus, one that applies not just to the disciples alive at the time, but one that has rippled down the centuries since, with men and women journeying to places that need to hear the Gospel, and where churches and fellowships need to be established. People like David Livingston and Mary Slessor come to mind from the nineteenth century. From the twentieth century, we remember missionaries such as Jim Elliot and Amy Carmichael. More recently, I was on the mailing list of a young woman who lived and worked in Lebanon, as she shared Jesus’ message of hope with Muslim families there. Closer to home, a couple I know are waiting for an opportunity to return to Bethlehem, where they were involved with a charity bringing God’s love to people there. These are all faithful believers who have responded positively to God’s call.

In the Gospels, we read of several occasions when Jesus “sent out” His disciples to do God’s work. In Matthew 10:5-8, we read, “Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!” A bit later, we read about the seventy-two disciples, sent out in pairs. Luke 10:1-3, “The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves”. At the end of their mission, we read, “When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”” (Luke 10:17). 

But it wasn’t just the New Testament believers who were “sent out”. In one of my favourite passages, we read about Isaiah, who had such a profound vision of the Lord in the Temple that he exclaimed, “… It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies” (Isaiah 6:5). That was a commissioning and life-changing moment for Isaiah, because he went on to answer a question from the Lord. “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me”” (Isaiah 6:8). Later on, he wrote “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7). Isaiah’s life was dedicated to being “sent out” and because of it he ultimately suffered a violent death. Being “sent out” will often have unwelcome consequences, but Jesus warned His disciples about that. He said, “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me” (Matthew 10:16-18). 

Paul was a “sent out” man who devoted his whole life, following his Damascus Road conversion, to fulfilling the Great Commission. In his letter to the Romans, he wrote about the message of salvation, which we can read in Romans 10:8-9, “In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. But then he asked the question, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”” (Romans 10:14-15). 

Have we pilgrims got “beautiful feet”? Or are we prone to resting them too much, hoping someone else will be sent out? It’s a difficult question, because we often have to juggle the demands of our workaday lives with our Christian service. But when we do get the opportunities, we share the wonderful Good News about Jesus, planting seeds and reaping the fruit. And as we go, our feet increase in beauty, enhanced by the message that they bear.

Dear Father God. Please bring our way opportunities to share Your Word with those who are ready and waiting to hear it. We have been sent to share our testimonies and the message of Christ in our desperately needy world. Thank You for the privilege. Amen.

Honour and Righteousness

Posted on by korgrocker

“What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.”
2 Corinthians 8:19-21 NIVUK

Chapter 8 of 2 Corinthians starts with an account of the generosity of the Macedonian churches (Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea) in raising funds to help the poor in Judea, who were still suffering from the effects of a famine. Paul wrote, “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. …” (2 Corinthians 8:1-3). Paul continued with an appeal for the Corinthians to add their offering to that already collected, and to help with this, Titus was sent with some other brothers to act as a public statement of trust so that the money would arrive at its destination untouched. Paul reminded the Corinthians that the offering was administered “in order to honour the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help”. 

Honour, trust and righteousness are key words in our verses today, and they should feature in all dealings in churches where money is involved. We should also add the word “integrity” because that reflects the character of the people involved in its administration. Sadly, today, an occasional news story emerges that exposes a misdemeanour. There was an occasion some years ago in a UK church, when the church secretary, who occasionally dipped into the offering placed in a safe overnight, was confronted by one of the leaders who had suspicions about what was going on. The money wasn’t usually counted before it was placed in the safe, but one day the leaders did count it and discovered that some of it had gone missing the next day, after the secretary had arrived at work. Thankfully, the leadership handled the situation very sensitively, the money was repaid, and the situation was resolved in a Godly way with restoration for the person concerned. But back with the Corinthians, Paul wanted to avoid any criticism of how the gift was administered, so he put in place men of honour and righteousness to do the necessary.

There is a connection between righteousness and honour, as we read in Proverbs 21:21, “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honour”. But underpinning all Scriptures about integrity is the principle of stewardship, and this applies to everything that God has given us, our time, our talents or our treasure. Always under constant review are the ways we apply the whole of ourselves, in whatever we are doing, such that in it we honour God. Jesus taught a parable that we can read in Matthew 25. It starts, “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone” (Matthew 25:14).  His three servants had differing abilities, so he gave five bags of silver to one, two bags to another and one bag to the last. We note that this parable was about the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s Kingdom, and in some translations, the reference is to talents, which expands on the meaning of the resource being allocated. But in the parable, we read on and find that the first two servants put the money to work and doubled its value through wise and sound investments. Sadly, the last servant just hid his bag of silver, and, although it was intact, it achieved nothing for the benefit of his master. The first two servants heard that wonderful accolade from their master, we read, “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’” (Matthew 25:21). But the last servant wasted his opportunity and ultimately ended up in “ … outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. 

We pilgrims need to be careful to use what God has given us in a way that honours Him, regardless of the resource. It could be the way we use our time: perhaps we should ask ourselves, “Is what we are devoting our time to producing a return for God?” Similarly, with our talents, the ability gifts God has given us. We may have the gift of encouragement: Romans 12:8a, “If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. …”. There are many more gifts God has provided but we don’t ever want to be accused of not using them. And of course, there is our money. Some people have a philanthropic ministry funded by their wealth, but at the other end of the spectrum, we read about the Temple offering from a poor woman. “Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has”” (Luke 21:2-4). But we must take note that we each have a “bag of silver” to invest in God’s Kingdom. 

Honouring God and living in righteousness are fundamental characteristics of all pilgrims living in God’s Kingdom.

Dear Heavenly Father. Difficult words and thoughts today, but we pray for Your help because we get so easily sidetracked. Please forgive us for the ways we have failed You in the use of our gifts, and we pray for opportunities to use them as You intended. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

The Importance of Integrity in Christian Service

Posted on by korgrocker

“But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have. Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you. We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News. He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem—a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.”
2 Corinthians 8:16-19 NLT

Paul was a man of integrity, regardless of what others said about him. On occasion, he was forced to say something in his defence, as we read in 2 Corinthians 1:17, “You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”? The attacks on Paul largely came from opponents in Corinth, Jewish leaders who disagreed with his teachings on the law and about Jesus. But integrity would have been integral to Paul’s character, and he surrounded himself with other men of integrity, such as Titus. Paul wrote with gratitude about Titus, whose heart, we are told, was stirred not by obligation, but by genuine care. Alongside him was another believer, also entrusted with handling the offering being collected for God’s people. This wasn’t just administration; it was a ministry built on integrity, accountability, and shared purpose. It was essential to make the point that in a world where corruption was common, here were men of integrity who could be trusted to take the whole offering to Jerusalem without dipping into it on the way, or even doing a runner somewhere with the whole amount in their pockets. It’s easy to think of integrity as a “practical” issue rather than a spiritual one—but Paul sees no separation. Anything to do with handling money, working with others, and being accountable is not just an organisational concern—they are acts of worship. These men knew that when they served God, how they did it reflected the God they represented.

In a world today, where trust is a fragile characteristic, there are some messages to believers everywhere from our verses today. Take Titus, for example. He wasn’t pressured to go to Corinth. He was eager, we read, and he had the same enthusiasm as Paul did. All believers are in some form of service in their fellowships and churches, and in the church I attend, there are opportunities for service all the time, not just on a Sunday. Do we do these acts of service willingly with integrity and caring? These characteristics are the bedrock of any fellowship and fulfil our Christian obligations to one another. The men travelling with Paul had reputations for doing what was right. Trust is built over time through a consistent character. Today, this means being honest with finances, following through on commitments, and, in all of it, acting with transparency. We must realise that our everyday choices are shaping our witness. As a friend of mine once said, our attitude determines our altitude.

Another message from this passage today involves how we deal with resources, either our own, our church’s, our employer’s, or even our family’s. From our verses today, we read that the brothers’ actions were “a service that glorifies the Lord”. That is the ultimate motivation. Whether we’re serving in church, volunteering in our communities, or working in our jobs, or whatever we are doing, we are representing Jesus, doing all to His glory.

One characteristic that shines in all that Paul said was faithfulness. This, we know, is a fruit of the Spirit, and is something that Jesus encourages in all of us. Solomon wrote about it, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them round your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). 

God’s work is not only advanced by great preaching or bold vision, but by ordinary believers who can be trusted with responsibility. Think about faithfulness in the small things, integrity in the unseen moments and willingness to do the everyday tasks. These are the building blocks of a life that honours God.

Dear Heavenly Father. We understand the importance of personal integrity, because it honours You. Let us never forget that. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Biblical Principles of Sharing Resources in Modern Times

Posted on by korgrocker

“Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”
2 Corinthians 8:14-15 NLT

Paul quoted a Scripture from the days of Manna, that whole food supplied by God for the Israelite nation while they were in the desert, transitioning from Egypt to their Promised Land. Manna was indeed a whole food because it not only contained all the carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins necessary for life, but was also available for forty years to a whole nation of somewhere between two and five million people. This could have amounted to up to 150 billion meals! We remember the two occasions when Jesus miraculously fed a crowd who had come to hear him in a remote place: on one occasion, five thousand men, and on the other, four thousand. But wasn’t the Manna time an even greater blessing from God? In the Exodus account, we read about the instructions that Moses gave to the Israelites when they discovered the “flaky substance as fine as frost” covering the ground outside their tents. Moses said to them, “These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent” (Exodus 16:16). This was one occasion when the Israelites were obedient, and the next two verses read, “So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed”. The miracle didn’t end with the supply of manna. It continued with the distribution of the food to all the people. 

In our verses today from 2 Corinthians. Paul also said if all the churches he had established shared all their resources, then “things will be equal”. That is a noble principle, but one that does not sit easily in today’s society. Today, people are driven by selfish desires, and only the affluent West can claim to have the choice and sufficiency of food to match those desires. In some ways, the sin of selfishness is compounded by people using fat-reducing drugs to offset the effects of eating too many and too much of the wrong foods. Imagine a society where supermarkets are replaced by distribution points where people collect a bag of food each day, no more and no less. In that society (Utopian?), there would be enough food available to feed the world. But sin would soon take over, and a black market would emerge. I’m sure there are politicians and activists in the UK today, religious or not, who would enthusiastically embrace such a society. 

“five barley loaves and two fish“

But we pilgrims live in this kingdom of sin, although we are citizens of God’s Kingdom, and we share God’s love and grace with those around us, perhaps by demonstrating the same unselfish behaviour as the young boy with a packed lunch. John 6:8-9, “Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” There was a season in our lives when the church my wife and I attended always seemed to have visitors on a Sunday, and more often than not, we ended up needing extra places at the dinner table. There were many times we prayed over what seemed to be a pathetically small joint of meat, only to find that there was more than enough. God will supply what we need as we reach out to Him in faith. 

We find that some people in our societies need a meal and lack the resources to provide for themselves. There are a number of reasons why this should be the case, some self-inflicted, but regardless of the reasons, we believers must share God’s love and compassion, doing what we can to help them. When my daughter was very ill in hospital, my wife sometimes lacked the time to make meals, but there were two neighbours who occasionally blessed us with a meal, and one lady even helped with our washing and ironing. We will always be grateful for what they did. Some Christians also help at food banks, often run by churches, which are always stocked with food to help the unfortunate. A local church also allows homeless people to sleep in their building overnight, supplying a breakfast the next morning if necessary. We live in a different society from the first-century communities and cities in the Biblical countries that Paul would have known, but the principles that Paul wrote about still apply. Once again, we remember that we are “salt and light” in places where God has planted us. We mustn’t turn our backs on opportunities to bless someone.

Dear Father God. Thank You for the resources that You have provided for us. Please lead us to needy people whom You want to bless. In Jesus’name. Amen.

Promoting Equality Through Christian Compassion

Posted on by korgrocker

Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.”
2 Corinthians 8:12-14 NLT

In this passage of Scripture devoted to encouraging the Corinthians to provide of their resources to help the poor elsewhere, we come across this verse (13) that seems to promote the thought that the burden of living should be shared across the churches. In those days there was no government funding to support those in need, and, quite rightly in my opinion, the churches were encouraged to fill the gap. After a major famine in Judea, people who were unaffected elsewhere made a positive move to help their fellow believers in need. This philosophy of shared resources was there right at the beginning of the early church, as we read in Acts 4:32, “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had”. Two verses on, we read, “There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them”. But all was not problem-free, as we read in Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food”. There was obviously in place an early version of a “social security” system amongst Christians, and this principle spread across the early church. 

However, the question remains about the extent to which this process should be implemented. In Galatians 6:2, Paul wrote, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ”. This is something we do with our fellow believers because all of us sometimes face an emergency, financial or otherwise, and need help. So we are called to help each other by sharing the burden. But in Galatians 6:5 we read, “for each one should carry their own load”. Loads and burdens. We should discern the difference when we meet with people, believers or not. To illustrate the difference, I recently met a young man begging outside my local supermarket. He was stopping passers-by to ask for help with something to eat. In conversation, I discovered that he had missed two appointments at the DSS and that his benefits had been stopped as a result. He had the responsibility to carry his “load” in that particular phase of his life, by attending the DSS appointments. But his particular “burden” that day was to find some food, which I was happy to help with. A hard-hearted person might have walked away at this point, leaving him, in their opinion, to the results of his own stupidity, but that is where Christian compassion, helping others less fortunate than ourselves, kicks in. I have been in churches where the leadership has provided funds to help a congregant with a pressing need, such as an unexpected bill for which they had no resources. That was a “burden” we were happy to assist with. Separately, their “load” was already catered for by their own efforts.

In 2 Corinthians 8:13, we read, “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality”. Paul believed that there should be fairness among the Christian community. It didn’t make sense to him that some believers should live on the verge of starvation while others lived to excess. But isn’t that the case globally in the 21st Century? People living in the West have plenty, whereas those living in more deprived areas of the world are always close to starvation. The frustration is that there is sufficient food in the world to feed everyone, but due to distribution inefficiencies and corruption in various governments, people go hungry.

Christian giving is meant to foster fairness and equality, not to create hardship for the giver to ease others’ needs. Paul clarifies that the goal is balancing abundance and need among believers, rather than causing poverty for one group while relieving another. To a large extent, that process has been taken over by our societies with the government of the day taxing those who live in abundance so that the money raised can be given to those living in poverty. Unfortunately, such systems can fail, and there are still people in the UK who rely on food banks and other support because they are unable to supply their basic needs, even with government help.

The word “equality” also applies outside this context of financial giving. Equality in society means ensuring every individual has equal rights, dignity, and access to opportunities, free from discrimination based on factors like race, gender, or religion. Key aspects include fair legal treatment, economic equity, access to education, and healthcare. Greater equality leads to healthier, more stable societies. But such a support system doesn’t come cheap, and the tax burden has been steadily increasing and is expected to reach 38% of the UK GDP by the end of this decade. In the first century, society was much simpler, and the Christian ethos of sharing possessions did much to promote the Gospel and establish the church, in a harsh world where the “haves” survived and often the “have-nots” didn’t. 

We pilgrims are part of a worldwide faith that reaches into just about every society on this planet. But we are also part of a community of friends and family that need help from our resources from time to time. And I’m sure that we do help where we can. And so we must be available to those we know, always willing to share what we have, be it money, love, grace, or whatever. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). True equality only comes in the way we treat others. God shows no favourites, and we all stand equal before Him. James 2:1, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism”. So in our churches and fellowships, we remember that we are all equal before God’s throne, freed from any thoughts of inferiority or superiority. 

Dear Heavenly Father. Please help us, we pray, to reach out and be available to those fellow members in society who are in need, so that we can bring Your love and the resources You have graciously provided for us to help them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.