Part 3 of a series of mini articles on Co-Mission

The Strategy of Co-Mission

The mission of the Co-Mission Initiative is ‘growing disciples for Christ - in London for the World’

Our strategy outlines how we intend to get there. The Bible reveals five themes of strategy or method for making disciples for Christ. We hold these in common with our partner congregations of the Co-Mission Initiative.

Under this point we’re thinking about how we’re going to achieve our aim. We have a five-fold strategy.

1. We want to build the church [Ephesians 4]

Much of what we’re involved in at CCB is aimed at equipping one another for different types of ministry that will grow our church family towards unity, maturity and stability. In Ephesians 4 the apostle Paul makes it clear that the job of the staff is to help everyone develop their abilities. This means everyone’s gifts and ministry are needed and greatly valued. We’re thrilled to welcome Dr Gavin McGrath and his family to CCB. We’re excited at what we might all learn from a man of great wisdom, experience and ability. But building the church is not about employing staff but equipping one another to use the gifts that God has given us. And so our extensive small groups programme is crucial. The Women’s Bible Study, the Home Group and ‘Knowing God’ are aimed at helping one another to mature in our Christian life.

2. We want to seek the lost [Luke 19]

We need to follow Jesus in seeking to save unbelievers from hell for heaven bearing the cost ourselves. All of us need to be involved in what Richard Coekin has described as ‘enterprising evangelistic activity’. We need to recognise that our evangelistic lives will look different and we’ll be equipped by God to be stronger in some areas than in others. Evangelism is rarely a case of one-size fits all and so our evangelistic programme of events is varied. Christianity Explored will run every term and Rosslyn and I will host and run those. The massively successful quiz nights will continue in local hostelries around Balham! We’ll continue to have guest services at which the talk is especially helpful for first time visitors to engage with Christian things. New for this year are the regular ‘Thank God’ meetings for All Age Church. On significant dates in the calendar we’ll take the opportunity to invite friends to church. The meeting will include a longer children’s slot and a shorter sermon addressing the issue of the day. This year, in partnership with churches in the Wimbledon area, we’re also involved with the Eternity mission with Rico Tice.  

3. We want to provide the gospel workers [Matthew 9]

Jesus saw the crowds and said they were lost sheep without a Good Shepherd. He concluded that the world is desperately in need of more gospel-workers. He urged the church to pray for them. So we pray and urge everyone to maximise their own gospel witness where they live and work. Our Apprenticeship Scheme remains an exciting aspect of our church life raising a new generation of gospel-workers for Christ. It’s been a privilege for us to be involved in providing gospel workers for the wider church. Rat Adjes is about to start as a Curate in South Africa, Pete Matthew is in his second year at Oak Hill Theological College, Ben Woodd has just started his first year and Ed Drew is the Co-Mission Children’s worker. It’s terrific to have Sean Savides starting as an apprentice this year. We’re committed to finding and persuading people who possess both the gifts and the inclination to go into full time paid gospel ministry from within our own congregations. But it’s not just apprentices that become gospel workers. Our hope is that we’ll all be better equipped for gospel ministry through courses like ‘Prepared to Serve’ which will now be under Gavin’s leadership. This year also sees the launch of a new one-year course to run alongside ‘Knowing God’ called ‘Ministry Matters’. It’s intended for people in their first couple of years with us and it’s designed to introduce them to theology and to help them to be involved in ministry at CCB.

4. We want to multiply congregations [1 Corinthians 3]

As we plant and water the seed of the gospel God has been busy growing new congregations and ministries throughout South-West London. Under God CCB has seen very encouraging growth over the past four years. There’s no reason why as we continue in faithfulness to our gospel task we might not be in a position to contemplate a plant in the next few years. It remains our intention to grow new congregations in order to reach this city. But our plans are no firmer than that. However in the meantime we’re going to wholeheartedly support Gavin and the establishment of a new congregation in South West London as soon as we can launch a church from our partnership with Co-Mission network of churches.

5. We want to reform the city [Luke 11]

In partnership with other churches throughout London we intend to do our bit in changing the capital. We won’t pretend to have made much progress. But we’re involved in the South East Gospel Partnership that exists to encourage and support local churches in gospel ministry. We’re involved in Reform, a political group preserving the influence of evangelical or biblical ministry within the Church of England. And we’re keen supporters of the London Men’s and Women’s Conventions. We’re part of the Church of England. No structure is perfect and that’s becoming more and more obvious in our own denomination. Many parts of the Church of England have departed from the truth of the gospel. But the foundation documents remain solid. There are sound ministries scattered throughout it. We can remain involved in our denomination as long as we continue to contend with those who seek to reinvent the faith. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again. As long as we do that we will emerge with our integrity intact.

Conclusion

Richard Coekin summarised our strategy in this way,

‘Building the church with mutual ministries, Seeking the lost with bold evangelism, Providing the gospel-workers with prayerful encouragement, Multiplying the congregations with enterprising church-planting and Reforming the City in partnership with others - we have a clear biblical strategy for growing disciples of all nations - in London for the world. There is progression through them and we couldn’t pretend to have made much progress into the fifth theme, but we’re work in progress and we have a great God. If, by his grace we can build up our church family, we shall be able to seek the lost well, then provide well-trained gospel workers for churches and ministries far and wide, then enabling the multiplication of churches and ministries and ultimately contribute to reforming the city we live in’.

For an audio download of this talk go to http://www.christchurchbalham.org.uk/ccb/sermons.php

From time to time I find myself watching ‘Never Mind the Buzzcocks’, the TV music quiz. I know, I know, I need to get out more and it’s not the most wholesome viewing at times. But one of the rounds involves the contestants trying to identify the real band member from a line up of five similar looking people. It’s harder than it sounds. They don’t pick current stars. The production company go for ageing ‘has beens’ or faceless one hit wonders. BUt it’s really an exercise in trying to distinguish the authentic from the fake.

Jesus does just that in (31). In (30) John told us that many had believed in Jesus. But now Jesus began to sift the authentic from the fake. It’s as though Jesus puts everyone into a huge sieve and as he speaks he shakes us up and one by one the people who disagree fall through so that only those who are his remain. I know that’s not the way a sieve works but you get the picture! That happened as he mentioned three things that the world finds unacceptable. Only those who hold to Jesus’ teaching and are genuinely his disciples will agree with what he said.

• If we find ourselves in agreement with what Jesus says then we’re very likely one of his disciples.
• If we find ourselves taking issue with what Jesus says we’re very likely not one of his disciples.

It may be that he has exposed our phoney faith.

We’re continuing our year long enterprise, called the John Project, of trying to learn deeply from one big book of the Bible. John is a brilliant book for us because it exposes us to Jesus so that we might exercise faith, or trust, in him. That’s crucial whether we’d already describe ourselves as one of his followers or that’s a decision we’re still in the process of making.

• In chapter 7 we came to events centred on the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles.
• Chapter 8 continues the heated debate provoked by Jesus’ claim to be the light for the world.

In looking at this passage we’re trying to analyse an argument, which can be difficult. Sometimes it’s hard to follow the thread because the speaker keeps changing. But in this case it’s made easier since the argument occurs between two parties. It’s between Jesus and his opponents. The three issues at stake in this argument are liberty, paternity and authority.

• Liberty concerns whether they were free,
• Paternity concerns who was their father and
• Authority concerns who they were talking to Let’s take those in turn.

1. They were unwilling to accept that they were slaves to sin (31-36)

The argument started on the subject of liberty. The issue was freedom. Jesus’ opponents were convinced that they were free because they were descendants of Abraham. Jesus thought otherwise. Let’s pick it up in (31).

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus explained that genuine believers hold to his teaching. Authentic faith perseveres in believing and obeying what Jesus taught. The benefit of belief is that Jesus’ followers enjoy not enslavement but freedom. That freedom comes through knowing the truth. The truth is the truth as it’s revealed by Jesus. It’s the gospel that concerns him. And knowing the gospel will set us free.

a. In response they claimed never to have been enslaved

33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

It was incomprehensible to them that Israelites, God’s historic people, should need freedom. They had a very selective memory of Israel’s history. It’s hard to think of a major world empire that hadn’t enslaved this nation at some stage! But the point is that, as Abraham’s descendants and God’s favoured nation, they considered themselves automatically exempt from trouble. In their opinion, they had no need for the freedom Jesus offered. It becomes clear that in their unwillingness to hold to Jesus’ teaching these disciples demonstrate that they are anything but genuine.

b. So Jesus then made it clear what type of slavery he had in mind

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.

The slavery Jesus had in mind was a spiritual enslavement to sinful rebellion against God demonstrated in a refusal to let Him direct what we think and what we do. I think there are two ideas here. The fact that we sin identifies our slavery. If we sin we’re slaves and so we need to be freed. But also the practice of sin enslaves us. Our habitual devotion to sin reinforces our habitual devotion to sin! We can’t break free from our sinful habits.

c. But Jesus as the Son promised to set slaves free

35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Unlike a son a slave has no permanent place in the family. Jesus, as the true Son of God the Father, can liberate slaves. The freedom that he brings is both a freedom from sin’s penalty and sin’s practice. Belief in the gospel releases us from sin’s penalty, which is God’s judgement so we have nothing to fear from God’s accounting. And belief in the gospel frees us from sin’s practice so that sin isn’t the only lifestyle available to us. Of course both aspects of the promise are completely fulfilled in the New Creation. We’re not completely free from sin’s presence at this stage since we still have a sinful nature. But we do enjoy the ability to say no to sin at this stage.

Jesus’ analysis, not only of his opponents but of us all, is that we’re enslaved to sin. At one stage we were addicted to rebellion against him. For some of us that is an addiction that’s been overcome by the gospel. For others of us it’s a destructive addiction that we need to face up to and be freed from. If we’re prepared to stop for a moment we know that to be true. When was the last time you had a sin free day? You haven’t have you? We can’t stop sinning. And like everything that we practice we get better and better at it. We know that practice makes perfect. The more we do something the better we get and the more automatic it becomes.

Jonny Wilkinson, possibly the world’s finest ever rugby kicker has a metronomic approach because it’s a well rehearsed routine forged on the practice ground. I used to do the same thing. I had a bag of 10 rugby balls and would go out for hours on end. Then I got a life. Or was it a wife. Perhaps they were the same thing for me!

Sin has become a habit and we’re very skilled at it. Jesus promised to liberate us from this simply through belief in his gospel.

2. They were unwilling to accept that they were children of the devil (37-47)

The argument now moved onto the subject of paternity. The issue at stake was who their father was. They were convinced they belonged to Abraham and God. Jesus thought otherwise. Let’s pick it up in (37)

a. Where they claimed Abraham was their father

37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.”

Jesus addressed the issue of their spiritual heritage because they tied their freedom to their descent from Abraham. He was happy to accept that they shared Abraham’s blood but not his faith. He hinted that their paternity was to be located elsewhere. Jesus’ opponents protested that Abraham was their father. But Jesus contested that their behaviour was diametrically opposed to how Abraham behaved. He believed God’s word, they were rejecting it. And so they must have had another father.

b. They then claimed God was their father

[41] They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

Jesus’ opponents alluded to the irregularities surrounding Jesus’ birth and then claimed God as their father. But if they really were God’s children then they’d love His Son because it’d be like loving one of the family. They couldn’t understand what Jesus said but not because he was a poor communicator but because they would not hear his word. It was a wilful rejection of his voice as an authority on these issues.

c. And so Jesus claimed the devil was their father

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Jesus argued that they belonged to the devil. Can you imagine that scene? I’m amazed they didn’t pick up stones to throw at him at this point! Jesus said that the evidence for their demonic heritage was that their shared the devil’s ambitions. Like father like son. First, he was a murderer and like him they wanted to deprive people of life by killing the Son. Secondly, he was a liar and like him they wanted to distort the truth by denying the Jesus’ identity as the Son.

Competitiveness is the issue in our family at the moment. Everything is something to be won. Whether it’s finishing breakfast cereal, draughts or night time milk everything is a race. When he doesn’t win we get strops, tears and major tantrums. Those of you who know our family well know that this is a trait that he’s learnt from his father. Poor bloke he can’t help but take after his father!

Jesus explained that there are only two fathers in the world. There’s God and the devil. We either belong to one or the other. Let me ask you who your father is. If God is our father are we showing the family likeness? Do we look like our father? But if the devil is our father, are we comfortable with that? We’re deprived of the spiritual life that the Son alone can give us. We’ve distorted the truth about who he is. Jesus says that your life is characterised by death and deceit. Is that an existence you’re prepared to accept?

3. They were unwilling to accept they were talking with God (48-59)

The argument now moved on to the subject of authority. Jesus’ opponents thought he was a demon possessed, self deluded, foreigner. Jesus thought otherwise. Let’s pick it up in (48)

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

They’d clearly failed with the theological argument and so they resorted to abuse.

a. Jesus honoured his father

49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

But Jesus’ behaviour though was not the result of demon possession but a determination to obey his father who had sent him to reveal the truth. By refusing to respond appropriately to this revealed truth they had failed to honour the Son and the Father who sent him. They, like us will be judged for that. Nevertheless, Jesus offered them life through his word. This is the freedom that he was walking about earlier. Belief in his gospel word brings freedom from sin’s penalty, which is death.

52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?”

With some degree of logic Jesus’ opponents pointed out that both Abraham and the prophets had obeyed God’s word and nevertheless had died. They concluded that for Jesus to claim that his word was capable of providing resurrection life was so utterly preposterous that only demonic possession could account for such self deluded nonsense!

b. But Jesus refuted the accusation of self promotion

54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.

There was substance to Jesus’ claims. They weren’t merely empty rhetoric. He really is the Son of the Father. For him to deny that would be to deceive people and he could not do that. This wasn’t a case of Jesus talking himself up.

c. Then with breathtaking audacity Jesus claimed pre-existence

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Abraham received the gospel promise of the future Kingdom of God. He joyfully anticipated the time in which those promises would be fulfilled. Jesus said that he looked forward to the day of his arrival. Jesus’ opponents pointed out the obvious fact that there was a discrepancy in age. Jesus’ answer is incredible, ‘before Abraham was, I am’. His point was not that he was Abraham’s contemporary but that he was Abraham’s God. The words ‘I am’ are the words God used to reveal himself to Moses in Exodus and Jesus now takes them to his lips. He was fully aware of what he is claiming. Though it may not be immediately clear to us what Jesus meant, his opponents got the gist. They thought it was blasphemous and prepared to kill him.

I went with a couple of atheistic friends this week to a debate between a Christian and an atheist about the existence of God. The Christian case, in my opinion, was compelling and unanswered. The single strongest strand of evidence for God’s existence is the evidence provided by Jesus of Nazareth. But just as in Jesus’ exchange with his opponents they weren’t persuaded.

They came face to face with God and denied it. But Jesus didn’t stop being God simply because they didn’t agree. It is objectively true that he is God regardless of our subjective opinions.

Conclusion

There were three issues over which Jesus and his opponents differed. They are three issues that reveal whether we’re a true disciple of Jesus and hold to his teaching or whether we’re not.

• Jesus’ opponents thought that as Abraham’s descendants they were free but Jesus taught that they were enslaved to sin.

• Jesus’ opponents thought that they could claim Abraham and God as their father but Jesus taught that they belonged to the devil.

• Jesus’ opponents thought that they were talking to someone who’d got too big for his boots but Jesus taught that they were speaking with the eternal God in human flesh.

They’re not minor points of disagreement. As a result of their discussion there was no common ground. Why is that? There are hints throughout the passage.

• 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you
• 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
• 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

How will it be possible for these people to have their minds changed? For the answer to that conundrum we’ll need to come back to hear John 9 and the description of Jesus’ sight giving ministry.

Nigel Styles, the Minister in charge of the new Independent Anglican church plant, Emmanuel Church, Bramcote Nottingham has written an article explaining why they’ll be using the ESV. Find it here http://www.emmanuelonline.org.uk/why-we-use-the-esv/#more-99

An extended children’s slot for All Age Meeting ‘Thank God for … Mums’

Who can tell me what connects these people? [Pictures of people in the congregation followed by a picture of their Mum]

The answer is that they’re pictures of children with their Mums.

In fact, most of us here has a Mum or is a Mum.

Who knows why I’m talking about these things?

Today is a special day on which our society has decided to remember Mums in particular. It used to be called Mothering Sunday but nowadays it’s known as Mother’s Day.

The Bible doesn’t say anything about only remembering our Mums one day a year. I guess we ought to do it every day. But today is a special opportunity for us to say thank you to our Mums and to God for our Mums.

I thought it would be good to see what God says about Mums in the Bible. He invented Mums, they were his idea. God says that Mums are great for 3 reasons

1. Mums are great because they love us

In Titus 2 the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy who was running the church and he told him to remind the older women in the church to help the young Mums to love their children. Mums are supposed to love their children.

To love someone means to put someone else’s needs before our own. When a friend comes to your house and you let them have your toys you’re showing that you love them.

[Get one of the kids to bring in a favourite toy and lend it to someone else]

Our Mums love us because they spend the whole time making sure that we’ve got everything that we need. 

• They buy us food and then cook it, they buy us the right sort of clothes so when it’s cold we can be warm.
• Some of them have jobs so that they can send us to nice schools, go on great holidays and live in houses with space.
• They spend time with us reading books, helping us with our homework and driving us places so that we can do things.

They’re busy making sure that we’ve got everything that we need and they do that because they love us.

2. Mums are great because they train us

In Proverbs 29 the wise man who wrote these sensible things down said that it’s a bad thing if a Mother doesn’t train her children. Mums are suppsoed to train their children.

To train someone means to help someone become better at something. When you go to the park to play rugby with Dad he’ll train you.

[Practice kicking the ball with one of the kids and helping them to do it better]

Our Mums train us in the way that we behave.

• They teach us what God would like us to do and then they help us to do it.
• They encourage us when we’re doing the right thing and say things like ‘well done’ and ‘good girl’.
• And they discipline us when we’re doing the wrong thing and do things like sending us to the naughty step or smacking us.

None of us likes being told off but our Mums do it because God wants them to train us to be better at pleasing him.

3. Mums are great because they comfort us

In Isaiah 66 God says he’s a bit like a Mum because just like them he comforts his people. To comfort someone means to take care of someone else.

[Ask someone to come and unwrap a tightly packed piece of paper. The price of paper is the outline of a pair of arms stuck together to make a ‘hug’]

• Our Mums comfort us when we’re sad perhaps because we’ve fallen off the climbing frame and hurt ourselves.
• They comfort us when we’re lonely perhaps because people have been horrible to us at school.
• They comfort us when we’re not very well or we wake up in the middle of the night. So what does all this mean?

If we’re small children it means that we need our Mums more than we realise. If we’re grown ups it means that we owe them more than we realise. So let’s thank God for our Mums by praying.  

Dear God Thank you for inventing Mums. Thank you that they love us very much. Thank you that they teach us what you want us to do and they help us to do it. Thank you that they care for us when we’re sad. Amen

And let’s thank our Mums with these gifts. [Get the children to come to the front and give out posies of flowers]