Monthly Archives: December 2013

Times & seasons

‘Concerning the times and seasons …’ introduces 1 Thessalonians 5. People often explain this about being about Jesus’ return. Or about the end of all things. That is, it’s about a future time, not the present time.

I think that’s right enough to be OK, but just wrong enough to miss something very helpful.

Instead, 1 Thessalonians 5:1 makes us consider all times and seasons. Since preaching on this last weekend I’ve figured out a better way to summarise this (it’s common enough to find the perfect sermon phrase on the Monday after preaching). Here’s my summary:

The day of the Lord defines all other days.

In other words, the ‘times and seasons’ include today, and tomorrow, and every day until that coming day when the Lord will appear. And it defines every day after that as well!

Jesus certainly will return (like a thief in the night, verse 2). His return is called ‘the day of the Lord’. Since ‘the day of the Lord’ lies ahead of us, we know where the world now stands: in night. Since ‘the day of the Lord‘ lies ahead of us, we know about the Lord’s people: we are children of the day (verse 5).

Understanding this leads to powerful changes in life: we don’t live for the night; we stay awake and alert; we encourage each other to press on; we grasp our secure hope; etc. And this all flows from understanding the times: that the day of the Lord defines all other days.

The church in fiction: Home

Here’s a beautiful description of church from Home, a novel by Marilynne Robinson. I love the ways this combines the local and personal (that building and that preacher) with the unchanging doctrines of Christ.

For her, church was an airy white room with tall windows looking out on God’s good world, with God’s good sunlight pouring in through those windows and falling across the pulpit where her father stood, straight and strong, parsing the broken heart of humanity and praising the loving heart of Christ. That was church.

Quick review: connect

Connect: How to Double Your Number of Volunteers by Nelson Searcy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The major encouragement I found with this book is a simple point: Christian service is a wonderful and good thing, therefore helping more people serve more is also a wonderful way to help their growth in godliness.

It’s not a drag to serve, or ask people to serve. There’s no need to apologise for providing opportunity, not for expecting believers to contribute. We follow the Lord who came to serve, and who taught that the greatest among us will be the least.

This is a reminder I needed.

Searcy’s book is largely practical in outlook. It is a ‘how to’ as promised by the subtitle. He has some theological and biblical material – and helpfully insists that the starting point is to clarify our theology of ministry. But most of the book is about systems, and tips on using those systems.

He writes of getting people to make the first step of service, of the need for clear expectations, of ‘ladders’ of service from the simple to the most dedicated, of celebration and thankfulness, and of many other practicalities.

The systems might work in your church setting, or they might not quite fit. In either case, reading Searcy’s principles and practice should help you reflect productively on your local situation.

Sometimes I found the practical bent unduly influenced the theological reflections. For instance, Searcy noted that human bodies have systems, that people are made in God’s image, and therefore God loves systems. This is backwards Bible-reading (humans image God therefore God images humans).

So don’t be naive about the theological rationale offered – a true warning for any writing! – but benefit from Searcy’s love of getting people involved in humbly serving the Suffering Servant.

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