Reading in Ecclesiastes

My daily bible study these days is caught up in the reading the book of Ecclesiastes along with Eaton’s commentary in the Tyndale series. When one reads the book, the first impression is “So depressing.” Ecclesiastes is known for its pessimism about life and justice. And to read it in bits and pieces, that first impression is accurate.

But going deeper into the book, there is one foundational distinction that needs to be made. Life is pessimistic, to be sure …”under the sun.” And life under the sun is deliberately contrasted with life in God. The Preacher, in his writing of Ecclesiastes, makes it clear what sort of life we are to lead. Once we have the knowledge that God is master of all things, then everything we do is to done with joy and contentment.

Will bad things happen? Sure. Will sin go unpunished? Sure. Will the wicked prosper? Sure. But Ecclesiastes lets us know that these are not the permanent things of life. What those who believe in God are called to do is thank God for the gifts of food and drink, companionship and love, and live in the knowledge that God has got this.

I take it to heart that we are called to live joyful and contented lives. But that is difficult for us. I want to say that it is difficult in ministry these days. Dwindling congregations, dwindling influence, dwindling resources. Congregations that exist just for the sake of existing. A spiritual thirst that seeks not to be quenched. Prayers for revival and renewal going unanswered. Long days and longer nights wodering about the church of tomorrow. Needs to be met, but how? 

St. Paul, in Philippians, knew what it was to be in need. He was in prison, apart from the churches and mission he loved so much. He faced persecution and violence that are a far cry from the middle class church issues we face. But what does he write, 

“…I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” 

Philippians 4:11-13 ESV

And this is the message of Ecclesiastes to the one living in faith. Under the sun, everything fails. Greed…fails. Lust…fails. Power…fails. Health…fails. Each of these idols just tries to perpetuate itself. Always looking for more and greater things. I want more money. I want greater pleasure. I want to be skinnier. All of these ultimately lead nowhere except the grave, and you can’t take it with you. 

The Preacher in Ecclesiastes, as Paul in Philippians, says “Be content in what God has given you.” And when the pessimism and darkness comes, as it will, read and re-read what Paul writes in Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

SDG

Rev.  Michael

The Example of Thomas Chalmers. From Unsaved to Saved…in the pastorate.

Thomas Chalmers was a brilliant man. He had studied mathematics at St. Andrew’s, and was ordained as a minister to the small village of Kilmany, with the intention of continuing his work as a professor at the university. As one biographer puts it, “He thought that a parish minister could do all that was necessary for his people, and have plenty of time over for quite other affairs.” His ministry consisted of moral lectures masquerading as sermons, and he had little regard for any sort of evangelical theology.  Then he took ill and found that his only hope rested in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thomas Chalmers

From that moment he embarked on a new life. He recovered from his illness. Then, his sermons changed. His priorities changed. He was focused on the work of God in Jesus Christ. He fought the moderates in his denomination which a fervour that eventually led to a split. In 1843, 450 ministers walked out of the General Assembly, leaving behind salaries and positions, and formed the Free Church of Scotland. They lost all their church property, yet by Chalmers death in 1847 had built 700 churches and 400 manses.

This is quite a legacy for a pastor who embarked on ministry as a diversion from his academic career. We may think that an unconverted pastor is a rarity. But history is filled with examples of those who are stirred to the heart in the midst of their ministry.

I am one such example. I tell the story of my movement to salvation in the testimony linked below. My knowledge of salvation was not a thunderbolt out of the blue. It was a gradual crumbling of the wall around my heart. It was a stunning realization that the books on my library shelf and the diplomas on my study wall meant nothing apart from the saving power of Christ’s blood.

I offered this testimony at Hartland Wesleyan Church in June. I discuss what it means to move from unsaved to saved in the pastorate, and what it means to be a saved pastor in a mainline denomination. 

Link to Testimony June 29

What I Believe

What follows is a statement of belief that I created when I applied to my current church in New Brunswick. I publish it in response to my dear colleague Richard Bott's question "What do you believe?"

Statement of Belief

My faith begins in the person of Jesus Christ. He is my Saviour, my Guide, my Master and my Lord. I believe he is the Son of God, and that his life on earth was for the benefit of humanity. I believe he was raised from the dead on the third day, thus providing the first fruits for those who would follow. But Jesus is more than a series of theological propositions. Through the Holy Spirit, he becomes real to each Christian. That has been my own personal experience. The reality of Jesus in my life is far greater than any words that I have spoken about him, or any description I have read about him. And being welcomed into that fellowship with Jesus by God is an integral part of our Christian journey.

I believe in Scripture as the Word of God. I recognize the human component within its pages, and that it contains various forms of literature. But within the narrative, the history, the metaphor and the poetry, God speaks in a real and propositional way to his people. I believe Scripture to be the guiding rule in both faith and life. The Bible does not contain truths...the Bible is truth.

It is these two foundations, Jesus Christ and Scripture, which lead to the basis of all my proclamation as a preacher of the Church: the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross encompasses the holiness of God, the sinfulness of humanity, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the ultimate defeat of the enemies of God’s people. The cross is the lens that focuses all other aspects of my theology.

The church then becomes the group of believers who stand in the shadow of the cross, recognizing their sin, and knowing the power of the God who has saved them in Jesus Christ. The church is the body over which God rejoices and exults, and is thus guided by his Holy Spirit to achieve good works in the world around us.

These are the basic points of my belief system. My beliefs are those of the historic creeds of the faith, Apostles and Nicene, and are consistent with the revelation of God in Holy Scripture.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Strange Place for a Prayer Meeting (but not really)

We gathered in the school’s cafetorium. Pastors and members from seven area churches, Baptist, Wesleyan, Pentecostal, United, gathered for the third year in a row during Teacher Appreciation Week. Mid-week gatherings were cancelled. The crowd was mostly older, but filled with a sense of purpose. That purpose: to pray. Pray for the teachers, and staff at the local school. Pray for the students that use this building day after day. To pray for protection…for wisdom…for discernment…for guidance.

We opened by singing “Holy Spirit, you are welcome here.” And as the words of that song echoed in that space, the Holy Spirit was welcomed. As we prayed out loud our thanksgivings and praises, the Holy Spirit was there. As we gathered in small groups to pray for the staff, I sensed the overwhelming privilege we have to be able to approach a holy God, to seek his presence and seek his answer for us. To sit, eyes closed, hearing the muffled prayers, the interjected “Amens” and “Yes, Lords” was to know and recognize what God can do apart from our denominational label, apart from our theological distinctives. God was mighty in that room. We departed with a song of praise on our lips, and the love of the body of Christ in our hearts.

Holy Spirit, be welcome here, and everywhere.