Feb 22, 2011

so, I guess this 'gospel' thing is pretty urgent then..


I've tried to write this twice before and keep on losing it, by pressing some weird combination of keys. Third time we may be successful.


Death comes seldom to NZ. Particularly seldom in large doses.

How do we respond?

How ought we?

Ought we: "Remember the value of family"? "Reassess our priorities"? "Live life to the full"? "Try to draw meaning out of chaos"? "Ignore it all"? "Make the best out of a bad situation"? "

You tell me, if you'd like.

Personally, I remember the gospel is important, it is a matter of life and death and it is not something to save for a rainy day as once it has started to rain, it is too late for some. There is a real answer to death; not one created by humanity, but one, the only one, given by God. It is the cross, it is Jesus Christ - it is the gospel.

It's worth thinking about; for without it, well, perhaps you begin to realise what a world without genuine Good News looks like.


Feb 10, 2011

Introvert at the Top?

Introverts can lead.

I think.

Preferable to have someone in charge who's thought about stuff and perhaps who doesn't say everything at once, or exhaust the depths of their intellect in casual conversation.

Go here for some further comments, found thanks to an article on Compass.org.nz
It concerns leadership in churches; but perhaps the thoughts have wider application.

Feb 7, 2011

something worth saying

One day soon I hope to spend some time reading classic sermons. There is wisdom there.

Here is one example - the entire excerpt, from Robert Hawker, is quite short and worth reading, here. I found it when quickly searching a point of doctrine I'd taken for granted in my own talk/sermon yesterday.

Precious, precious Redeemer! was it thus thou didst offer thy soul an offering for sin? Was there no method, in all the stores of Omnipotency, for satisfying divine justice, but by thy holy, harmless, undefiled body dying the violent, cursed, painful death of the cross? Oh by the crimson fountain of thy blood, which issued from thy pierced side, enable me to sit down, day by day, until I find my whole nature crucified with thee in all its affections and lusts. Let there be somewhat, dearest Lord, of an holy conformity between my Lord and me; and if Jesus died for sin; may my soul die to sin; that by mortifying the deeds of the body I may live; and by carrying about with me always the dying of the Lord Jesus, the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in my mortal body.

Amen.

Feb 6, 2011

Let our powers combine - ..., he's our hero ...

I've been trying to research conservatism - and I found this fair point and challenge:

when bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle - Edmund Burke, classic conservative thinker

from (according to Wikipedia) Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents