The third and fourth century Christians entered into an age of peace from persecution and the church began to develop in structure, in number, and in theology. We will be discussing how doctrine from the past has impacted the church in the present.
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Christmas Eve, I had a miscarriage.
Roy and I were looking forward to having another baby, and we were excited to find out in November that I was expecting. For a month, I bubbled with inward glee that it was perfect timing, since I wanted Micah and the younger one to be 2 years apart. A few of my close friends were also due around that time, so I was imagining play dates at the zoo and shared moments of maternal musings.
But Christmas Eve, the doctor confirmed that I had a miscarriage. I was devastated. Even though it was only the first trimester (1 in 4 pregnancies terminate in the first trimester, the doctor told me tritely), I had grown fond of my unborn child and already had a bub name picked out for her (I was convinced it was a girl). I had so many plans and expectations for 2015.
Thankfully, my family visited over the Christmas holidays, so in our travels to Sydney, Ballarat, and the Great Ocean Road, I didn’t have a chance to dwell on my disappointments. But when they left and month after month I wasn’t pregnant, I had many serious conversations with God.
“God, You gave us Micah at the perfect time, so I know You know best. But…. But Lord, I really want another baby… I really want to have another baby soon. I trust You, but … it’s still hard.”
The prayers helped, and I came to accept that the Life-Giver had me in His hands.
A week ago, when I suddenly collapsed in pain, unable to breathe, I knew something was seriously wrong. We ended up at the hospital the next day, and to our utter amazement heard the doctor say, “You have gallstones lodged in your bile duct, causing inflammation of your liver. Let’s do the surgery tomorrow.”
As they were wheeling me to the theatre, and the ceiling panels were passing by, I kept thinking, “I’m so glad I’m not pregnant…. I’m so glad I have medicare… I’m so glad I came to the hospital.” Five hours later, I woke up groggy and in pain, but still grateful that the surgery had gone well.
I don’t believe God caused my miscarriage. Pain and death are the results of living in a sinful world. But I do believe God heard my prayer for His will to be done in my life, and that He did not give me a baby while my body was not ready to host another living being. I also believe that this surgery is a gift, an opportunity to slow down and do what I’ve wanted to do for months – read the books piled next to the bed, do my US taxes, have longer FaceTime with my family, and catch the rhythm of grace – that breath in of God’s promises, that breath out of praise:
In His time, In His Time
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord please show me every day
As You’re teaching me Your way
That You do just what You say
In Your time.
In Your time, In Your Time
You make all things beautiful in Your time.
Lord my life to You I bring
May each song I have to sing
Be to you a lovely thing
In Your time.
– Diane Ball
He makes all things beautiful in His time. He makes all things beautiful in His hands.
The second century Christians had the challenge of connecting with and witnessing to people who held vastly different worldviews How did they face this challenge and what can we learn from them?
Download the Discussion Questions here.
Our guest speaker this Saturday is James Tham, the pastor of the Singapore Adventist Community Church. James graduated with a Master of Divinity from Andrews Theological Seminary and will be speaking this Saturday about the history of the Advent movement.
Download the Discussion Questions here.
We are finishing our series through the Book of Acts. The closing chapters of this book teach us some important lessons about making it through challenges of Christianity. Come hear about how Paul finishes his journey in the book of Acts.
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When Paul was in Athens, he shared a Christ-centred worldview that challenged the Greco-Roman worldviews of epicureanism, stoicism, and paganism. What was his message, and is it still relevant in today’s world? And do all religious journeys lead to the same end?
Download the Discussion Questions here.
Micah has learned how to say “no.” Before, he used to just shake his head or push away whatever he didn’t want, but now he says “no” quite emphatically, and with great pleasure.
When the little word immediately gets the results that he wants, he smiles and savours the power of that word.
“Please come down,” I ask, and he looks straight in my eyes and says, “No.”
“Time for bed!” Grandpa announces, and Micah clings to his toys and says, “No.”
“Let’s change your nappy!” Roy suggests, and Micah runs away, looking back long enough to say, “No.”
Sometimes, we tell him he has no choice and carry him, kicking and crying, to the bed or change table. But sometimes, we have to honour this growing independence.
After all, he is his own person, and there are some things we cannot force. If he doesn’t want to eat, we cannot wrench his clenched teeth apart without causing him to choke on the food. If he doesn’t want to read a book, we cannot anchor him to our laps.
So we coax, plead, and bribe him to get into the pram, to eat his veggies, and to tuck his inner wrestler away as we change his nappy. Sometimes, there are tears (on both sides). Sometimes, there is just frustrated resignation (on both sides).
And at the end of a long day, I ask God, “How do you do it? How do you have the patience to give us free will? How do you have the self-control to watch us delight in selfish, short-sighted decisions? How can you trust us and give us such benefit of the doubt?”
For I often say “no” to God. And I enjoy it. And when He coaxes, pleads, and bribes me with promises and rewards, like a child, I think I am in control. And when I don’t get my way, I throw as good as tantrum as any toddler.
But He still gives me the power to say “no.”
And it’s through that realisation, that God suffers long on my behalf, that I am learning the power of saying “no” –
No to my own timelines and plans, no to my own desires, and no to the lies inside my head.
There’s a song that I love; the lyrics say:
I was just a child, when I felt the Savior leading
I was drawn to what I could not understand
And for the cause of Christ, I have spent my days believing
That what He’d have me be, who I am
As I’ve come to see the weaker side of me
I realize His grace is what I’ll need
When sin demanded justice for my soul
[Chorus]
Mercy said no
I’m not going to let you go
I’m not going to let you slip away
You don’t have to be afraid
Mercy said no
Sin will never take control
Life and death stood face to face
Darkness tried to steal my heart away
Thank You Jesus, Mercy said no
For God so loved the world, that He sent His son to save us
From the cross He built a bridge to set us free
Oh, but deep within our hearts, there is still a war that rages
And makes a sacrifice so hard to see
As midnight fell upon the crucifixion day
The light of hope seemed oh so far away
As evil tried to stop redemption’s flow
[Chorus]
And now when heaven looks at me
It’s through the blood of Jesus
Reminding me of one day long ago
[Chorus]
That is the power of “no.”
An imprisoned man forgoes a chance to escape to save the life of a prison guard. A tortured man dies to save the life of his torturer. A prisoner of war releases his worst abuser from punishment. Why did these individuals choose self-sacrifice over justice, retribution, or self-preservation?
Download the Discussion Questions here.
I turned 24 today. That is, as a Christian. I was baptised on Saturday, 2 March 1991, in a very cold tank whose hot water function had unfortunately broken that day. As I entered that baptismal fount, shivering, I remember the pastor gently taking my hand and confiding to me, “It’s cold, isn’t it? I’m cold, too.” Then he baptised me in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and I began my personal relationship with God in a more intentional way than before.
Every year, I celebrate this anniversary and reflect back on how God has led me. I also spend the day asking myself some serious questions – “Have I grown in the past year? Am I more like Jesus? Do I understand God better? How can I grow closer to Him in the new year? How can I serve Him better?”
At the end of the day, I am drawn back to my knees as I confess that I am still so far from being like Jesus. However, I also thank God from the bottom of my heart that yes, I do understand Him better. In the past year, He has shown me new sides of His character.
For example, I have seen Him as a Patient Father. Being a parent of a toddler, I am constantly second-guessing myself and my son – am I disciplining him correctly? Does he even understand me? Am I consistent? Am I too lenient? When I find myself getting frustrated with Micah’s frustration, I wonder how God can be so patient with me. He does not demand full comprehension nor compliance. He simply models what I should do and loves me through it, encouraging or challenging me as needed. I am daily amazed at how much He trusts me – even though I have proven myself untrustworthy. He always believes in me and works with my potential.
In the past year, He has also taught me to rest in Him. Sometimes I can get so wrapped in doing things that I forget to simply abide in Him and enjoy His presence:
“Many, even in their seasons of devotion, fail of receiving the blessing of real communion with God. They are in too great haste. With hurried steps they press through the circle of Christ’s loving presence, pausing perhaps a moment within the sacred precincts, but not waiting for counsel. They have no time to remain with the divine Teacher. With their burdens they return to their work. These workers can never attain the highest success until they learn the secret of strength. They must give themselves time to think, to pray, to wait upon God for a renewal of physical, mental, and spiritual power. They need the uplifting influence of His Spirit. Receiving this, they will be quickened by fresh life. The wearied frame and tired brain will be refreshed, the burdened heart will be lightened. Not a pause for a moment in His presence, but personal contact with Christ, to sit down in companionship with Him–this is our need. Happy will it be for the children of our homes and the students of our schools when parents and teachers shall learn in their own lives the precious experience pictured in these words from the Song of Songs:
“As the apple tree among the trees of the wood,
So is my Beloved among the sons.
I sat down under His shadow with great delight,
And His fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house,
And His banner over me was love.” Canticles 2:3, 4.
In the new year, I want His banner of love waving over me with great delight. I want to simply enjoy the fact that He is near and that He is good.
In the new year, I also want to recommit to being on God’s side – a young African pastor from Zimbabwe made the following statement that I find very inspiring:
I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power, my die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me-my banner will be clear.
I want my banner to be clear, and I want it to be His, not my own insignia of self-motivated second-guessing.
I want to celebrate my spiritual birthday by lifting up this praise:
I have not much to offer You
Not near what You deserve
But still I come because Your cross
Has placed in me my worthOh, Christ my King of sympathy
Whose wounds secure my peace
Your grace extends to call me friend
Your mercy sets me freeAnd I know I’m weak, I know I’m unworthy
To call upon Your name
But because of grace, because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamedI can’t explain this kind of love
I’m humbled and amazed
That You’d come down from heavens heights
And greet me face to faceAnd I know I’m weak, I know I’m unworthy
To call upon Your name
But because of grace, because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamedHere I am at Your feet
In my brokenness complete
Here I am at Your feet
In my brokenness complete…At Your feet
Complete– Jon & Tim Neufeld; Douglas Mckelvey
Thank you, Father, for giving me another year to stand in the power of Your grace.
The early church experienced persecution. Instead of it leading to fear, it led to deeper fidelity. What was the common denominator that made the early Christian believers bold in their witness of Christ?
Download the Discussion Questions here.
