Impossible

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:25-26

In any other realm but faith, people are congratulated for believing in the impossible. If there weren't people who believed in the impossible, we would not have computers, mobile phones, flight, put a man on the moon, you name it. But if you say Jesus came back from the dead to give us eternal life, most people will think you're a simpleton who believes in fairy stories!

A lot of people think the Bible is a very negative book, full of outdated laws and unfair punishments. They think that even if God exists, it is impossible to live the way he wants us to and want nothing to do with religion.

Yes, I agree it is impossible but they didn't read it to the end. The books of the law are only the first 5 of the 66 which describe the impossible problem. That's less than 10% of the story!

The remaining 90% of the Bible is full of positive accounts of people triumphing in all kinds of impossible situations. It's a very inspirational book with a dramatic conclusion and I'm sure that's the reason it's the World's best seller. People don't always realise the Bible is a great story - the story of Jesus Christ who is God the Saviour coming to save mankind from destruction. Whatever impossible situation you may face in your life, you can find hope at every twist and turn. Even the atheist knows that the most likely survivor in a disaster is the one who maintains hope, a positive outlook. But if you go just one step further and believe, you will have not only hope but courage. You won't be clutching at straws in the worst of situations. Read it to your kids when they are young so they understand the whole story and they will grow up fearless.

In some parts of the story, the skeptic could argue that the people emerged as winners because of their own strength or skill, that even though they credited God, it was actually them that did it.

For example David defeating Goliath. Small shepherd boy against Giant elite soldier. The odds were overwhelming that Goliath would win but there is always a small chance of an underdog victory in any battle... and David was a crack shot. Goliath severely underestimated him and everyone knows pride goes before a fall.

I randomly picked 5 places where the chance of victory was ZERO. If I could have gone into William Hill and placed a bet on each of these situations, I'd be a very rich man and Mr Hill would be bust : ) The situation was impossible and the victory could not be explained by man's efforts;

1. The Israelites escaping through the parting of the Red Sea
2. Jonah saved from in the Big Fish
3. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego rescued from within the furnace
4. The feeding of the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish
5. The raising of Lazarus from the dead

It would be interesting to compare your list of 5! If I look at these ones through Heaven's eyes and had to pick the one that really stands out to me, it's the one from near the middle of the Bible, the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

In all the other 4, God told the listener what was going to happen in advance. Since God cannot lie and is in control of every situation, the outcome was certain. It didn't matter that the situation was impossible, God was going to bring about what he said so there was no need for doubt and fear. Have you got a promise like that from God? The situation is impossible but from Heaven's perspective it's already done.

But for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego there was no word from God. They knew that if they refused to obey the King's law to worship the statue, they would be thrown into the furnace, the most painful of deaths.

I remember seeing a documentary a few years ago called 180. People were given a moral dilemma scenario in Nazi Germany where they could save their own life if they would shoot a group of Jews. When faced with the harsh reality of their own imminent death, half said they would shoot the innocent to save themselves.

It would have been very easy for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to bow down and worship the statue to save their own lives, but they refused and fearlessly told the King that even if God would not save them from the fire, they would never do as the King said.

This provoked the King to such anger that the blood in his face was so strong that it darkened with rage. When you take the biblical stance against the culture you may well provoke a response like that. Would you be prepared to lose your life for someone you believe in? With these times we are living in it may not be long before we're presented with a choice like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Sound impossible? Don't you believe it!

So the soldiers bound Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and threw them into the furnace which was 7 times hotter than usual (at least 1500°C then). You may think that was a long time ago and was what ancient "civilisation" did to people, but modern civilisation did the same thing to the Jews in WWII.

So far it's just another history lesson then suddenly it crosses into the realms of the impossible...

1. To Nebuchadnezzar's astonishment, he saw 4 men walking around in the flames unbound.
2. The 4th looked like a god. Some say the 4th was an angel, some even say it was Jesus.
3. When Nebuchadnezzar called them out neither they nor their clothes were harmed and they didn't even smell of smoke.

You can try for a scientific explanation, write it off as a magicians trick and even deny that it is an historical account even though Nebuchadnezzar is a historical figure...

But make an honest comparison to a story from the same era like Greek mythology. Is it myth or mystery?

“But Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal it up so that it will not be understood until the end times, when travel and education shall be vastly increased!” Daniel 12:4

The world is changing rapidly in a way that it could never have done before the internet. The Daniel prophecies have long been known but now they are being understood by our generation. We are living in those times which Paul wrote to Timothy about

"You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian." 2 Timothy 3:1

This message has evolved a little from where it started. As I was preparing by checking the facts about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego on Google, I could not find the evidence I wanted. More evidence will exist, I just didn't have enough time to find it all, or perhaps it hasn't even been discovered yet. Wikipedia told me that scholars say the Book of Daniel is a legend but I'm convinced it's true.

When Jesus gave his end of the world sermon in Matthew 24, he referred to the Daniel prophecy regarding the abomination in the temple as a trigger point for worldwide persecution immediately before his return. If Jesus taught literal meaning from Daniel, how much can we trust the expertise of these modern scholars? They look like unbelievers masquerading as men of God.

Certainly the writer of Hebrews believed the story was true when he makes reference to men and women of faith in Chapter 11.
33 By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.

I am sure the only real reason scholars think it is a legend is because the story describes things that are impossible scientifically speaking. If their microscopic faith is enough for them to enter Heaven, it's going to be highly embarrassing for them when some of these great Bible characters step forward to tell their stories in full detail on the big screen : )

We have to prepare to keep our faith strong because this generation is casting a lot of doubt our way. Science, which is like a god to the world says everything must be explained by evidence leaving no room for doubt and faith. Yet Christians will always be people of faith because without faith it is impossible to please God.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15

Have you thought about why you believe? It can be hard to put in words why you love someone but it's good to do that : )

I don't believe in vain and neither do you.
I believe that there is no such thing as impossible.
I believe because I trust the men who wrote it. These men in the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were taken from their homes and their names changed to be Babylonian gods instead of their Hebrew names which had a one true God meaning.
I believe that suffering has a way of making you honest.
I believe because the men who wrote it had nothing to gain in this world.
I believe because so many prophecies on Daniel (and 100's of others in the Bible) have already come true far more accurately than Nostradamus.
I believe because it is written in a way that has a ring of truth.
I believe in God because it makes sense of the world and the human condition.
I believe because life is so complex in it's design, it's beauty and it's goodness.
I believe because the Gospel is holy being both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
I believe because without God there is no hope or meaning in this world.
I believe because the evidence for God is overwhelming. Life and the Universe/The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ /Prophecy/Dreams/Miracles/Life after death accounts/Sin, death and the existence of evil/The Bible/Love and Justice/Spirit world /Language/The pattern of history/Mankind search for meaning/Testimony/Guilt... do you want me to continue?

I believe because good is greater than evil. Love is greater than hate. Peace surpasses understanding. Death has lost its sting.

An invitation to believe the Gospel is an invitation to believe the impossible. This tiny flame will soon ignite the fire that burns so fiercely and never goes out!

I arrived at the end of this passage with the feeling that there is a gulf that cannot be stepped over with science or evidence from history. It was impossible to cross to the other side unless something was there to take me over. Many people will arrive at the end of their lives like that with no hope to get across. There is no other means than by faith in Jesus. The gulf is bridged by faith. Yes we believe in the impossible but we take the leap of faith to find something solid underfoot.

Two Cents Worth

Having proposed an alternative way for the Church's property to be put to good use, and saving a fortune in maintenance costs, I would like to look at one of those fundamental parts of the Church service - the Offering.

Frankly the offering in it's existing form is not serving the original intention and is providing ammunition for the non-believers to fire at the Church. Our media regularly report on churches which have an overemphasis on tithing. In some cases the people giving cannot afford to give as much as they are encouraged to.

The faithful are told that "You cannot out give God". This is based on the fact that Jesus taught "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full--pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." Jesus also said that "purity is best demonstrated by generosity" and "blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God". These are all wonderful promises of God! But God is not a pokie machine. He will do exactly what he says but in whichever way he chooses and a money return is one of many options.

Jesus made the observation that it is not the amount of money that is given but in relation to how much the person has. In the case of the widow who gave two copper coins, it was all she had. Jesus commended her for her devotion to God.

Being human our giving can also be selfishly motivated and a poor excuse for not helping when encountering someone in immediate need. The Pharisees came under heavy fire from Jesus many times for this, for example in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan was the unexpected hero in the story because he showed love and generosity towards someone who by race was his enemy.

The offering is meant to be a joyful time in the Church service. God loves to see people giving generously with a joyful heart.

I would like to suggest that it is the system that we are using that is in error. It puts unfair pressure on the poorest in our congregations, leads to false motives, joylessness, pride and even stinginess. Like that, it brings no pleasure to God at all, is upside down and needs to be overturned like the tables in the Temple for the exact same reason.

Please read Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and compare it to the current way we do the offering in Church i.e.

1. The offering plate being passed around and/or
2. Something resembling a piggy bank located near the entrance/exit so you feel bad or proud twice or even three times in one service (if 1. is also applicable).

The only similarity is the frequently touted "10%" as the law on how much to give. I remember someone asking me once "Is that 10% of your Gross Income or Net?" and then he followed it up with "Do you want Gross or Net Blessings Brother?". Pack your bags, we're going on a Guilt Trip!

Part of the error seems to be that we have mixed up the tithe and the offering. The tithe was from the harvest so an annual event. If the land was shared, everyone contributed and so the poor still got a fair share of the remaining 90%. In the case of a single wealthy landowner, the responsibility of tithing would fall on them and not on the poor at all. 

If we followed the Lord's original instruction on the tithe, we would have;

1. A full banquet once per year in Summer or Early Autumn
2. The absolute best quality food and drink including the finest wines
3. Far too much food for the regular congregation so we would have to invite our neighbours, friends, family and possibly to their great surprise and God's delight - our enemies.
4. Leftovers to distribute : )
5. Every third year a distribution of the entire tithe to the wider community and particularly those on the fringe of society like the foreigners, widows and the orphans. 
6. A Community event for everyone to get really excited about.

Do you think the Media would criticise the Church for that? Well probably but... do you think the Public would be interested in the message of a Church like that? I think so!

All of this would practically demonstrate to them that the Lord is, despite what they've heard, extremely loving and generous towards everyone. This prepares people to receive the Gospel which has the true riches, liberty and love that they are thirsting for the Church to show them : )

PS

I'm not saying to abandon the offering completely. That is still necessary because the church workers (usually the pastor) need an income to do their work and it is right for the congregation to support them. In fact the Bible says a worker is worthy of their wage! 

I'm also not saying to get rid of all Church buildings because some of them are very beautiful and the result of hundreds of years of devoted construction and as with art, can inspire people to recognise there is a greater world to hope for. I'm just asking, do we need all of them, can they be put to better use in these end times we are living in?

In a smaller church gathering in a home, the expenses would be a lot less, especially if everyone uses the gifts that God has given them : )

Monopopopodopolous

We used to play Monopoly when we were young. I don't know about your family, but games of Monopoly always ended in a fight, wild accusations at the banker, the loser storming out, money tossed, board and pieces up in the air. The following week, all would be forgiven and the pantomime would start all over again.

Those Parker Brothers sure knew a thing or two about life ; ) Monopoly is all about property ownership. The more property you own, the more expensive they are, the more rent you can collect, the greater your chance of winning. Everyone has bought into this concept to the detriment of our society. A friend told me that properties in London are now being bought for their capital gain alone and not even rented out leading to a housing crisis.

As in Monopoly, our house could be exchanged for debt up to the value of the house, however the title would then pass from us to the bank.

Which brings me back to my last posting. Greece has a mountain of debt and cannot repay it. The EU creditor is unwilling to write off any of the debt. It is an impossible situation hence the crisis. If it was any other kind of disaster, aid would be pouring in from all over the World. But in this case, no one it seems, wants to help. The Greeks are feeling pretty unloved right now.

As we all know, the wealth in our World is disproportionately appropriated. A lot of it is locked up in property or in businesses. Since an asset can be exchanged for debt, does anyone love and trust Greece to give up their assets in exchange for the Greek debts? So far no one has put their hand up.

Is this the right moment in history for the Church to step in and rescue a nation? Every Christian regularly gives to the work of the Church and to people in need but even so, the Church itself is extremely wealthy in regards to the buildings it owns. Do we need all of these Church buildings? We can meet in people's homes. In fact the Church is the people not the buildings!

The Church doesn't need to be rich to spread the Gospel. Jesus didn't even have his own bed let alone a home!

Are there any Churches who are willing to gift some or all of their buildings to Greece and start meeting in homes instead? Mr Tsipras refused the blessing of the Church at his inauguration, however we can bless him anyway : ) If we would do that, we may win back a brother!

Puzzle

Can you solve the Hong Kong elementary school admission test for six-year-olds, who are required to solve it within 20 seconds? The kids find it easy, the adults have a lot of trouble!

As adults we live in a very complicated world. Our problems seem so big and unsolvable. We Read About It in the newspaper and we cannot agree on a solution.

Take the fierce debate in Europe about what should happen to Greece with their mountain of debt (€320b). If things keep going the way they are, there will be a war soon.

The biblical principal of debt cancellation after a period of time needs serious consideration. It's in the Lord's Prayer ("forgive us our debts as we forgive those who have debts against us") and the parable of the unforgiving servant but it also makes economic sense in a world that over time develops extreme wealth and poverty at the same time. Surely this is not right and everyone knows it!

There needs to be a check in place that prevents this from happening. Take the time to read Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 14:22-15:11. You may not agree with it all but you will see the Lord's generosity is towards everyone. He is very concerned for those who are living on the fringe whether they may be a single person, a family, a community or a nation.

What needs to happen to resolve the Greek crisis is very simple. The debt must be forgiven so that Greece may start again. There must be no strings attached. Ironically, this is what happened to Germany after the end of World War II.

Of course the adult me says why would anyone take such a big loss and why would anyone want to loan money to Greece after that? But the biblical principle is they should! The Lord is very forgiving and generous towards us so we must also be!

Think it through for yourself and decide whether it could work. Better still, ask a child how to solve the Greek crisis : )