June Series 2015 | the church and the next generationPastor Clement Akran, Healingsprings fellowship

What is God’s plan for faith succession?

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Psalm 78:5-8He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel,which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children;6 that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn,and rise up and tell them to their children,7 so that they should set their hope in God,and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;8 and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation,a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Malachi 2:15You were united to your wife by the Lord. In God’s wise plan, when you married, the two of you became one person in his sight. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. Therefore, guard your passions! Keep faith with the wife of your youth.

My thesis – how well are we doing?Based on research, spiritual discernment and anecdotal data, this generation can be epitomised to the life of Samson: unlimited power and narcissism - Let me unpack it…

Judges 13 – a visitation from God 13 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren, having borne no children. 3 And the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Although you are barren, having borne no children, you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Now be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, or to eat anything unclean, 5 for you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor is to come on his head, for the boy shall be a nazirite to God from birth. It is he who shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

…Judges 13:24-25 – his birth24 The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him. 25 The spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 14:1-3 – his life (narcissism)1. Once Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman. 2 Then he came up, and told his father and mother, “I saw a Philistine woman at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among your kin, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, because she pleases me.”

…Judges 16:1 Once Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to her.Judges 16:4After this he fell in love with a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. - He led a purposeless life- As a result, the grace at his disposal was overshadowed by his passion

for the gifts/blessings at the expense of the Giver – Yahweh.

…‘He who has a why to live, can bear almost any how.’ - Friedrich Nietzsche (German philosopher, cultural critic, poet,

composer, and Latin and Greek scholar)

- What is the purpose [the why] of the church?- Service to God, and to humanity (salt and light)

- The church was not designed to provide us comfort:‘People plan for happiness, but they are shaped by suffering’ – David Brooks

How did we get here?Matthew 13:25-3024 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

A Christian model – the Macedonian church2 Corinthians 8:1-7 – selflessness 8 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2 for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4 begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5 and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us.

they demonstrated…Character through:• love, suffering, vocation, self policing, commitment to an: organisation,

institution or causeExemplified in the life of:• Job• Noah • Abraham • Joseph• Moses: 40 years in the wilderness• David• Jesus: through incarnation, rejection, hardship, pain, suffering, death

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For character provides:• Stability – demonstrated in tranquillity and contentment• Self respect - demonstrated in defeating yourself, awareness

of you weaknesses…

- Proverbs 16:32: ‘Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.’

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Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope.

Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore, we must be saved by faith.

Nothing we do, however virtuous, could be accomplished alone; therefore, we must be saved by love.

No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our own standpoint; therefore, we must be saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness. The Irony of American History - Reinhold Niebuhr (1952)

What do we do? Knowledge should lead to actionsKings Hezekiah 16 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD: 17 Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the LORD.18 Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 19 Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” (2 Kings 20:16-19)

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 4: 7 - 14

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, 8 and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

…10 But Judah said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, “From all the places where they live they will come up against us.” 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”

Finally, Samuel 1 Samuel 12:23 (NRSV)Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

So, my submission…'While Jesus is the last interpreter of the Holy Writ, duty binds the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit; to expand on His teachings in every generation with a view to inspire fresh expressions.

Coupled with prayers, this all important task should be the primary vocation of all, most notably: leaders, thinkers, theologians and pastors.'

- Clement Akran

Prayer points:1. Pray for a personal revelation of Jesus Christ2. Pray that you become homesick like Daniel3. Pray for a sense of purpose4. Pray that destiny will find you5. Pray for a life of love and selflessness6. Pray for a life of service7. Pray that your life will draw people to Christ

June Series 2015 | the church and the next generationPastor Clement Akran, Healingsprings fellowship