Kids in music ministry

A friend of mine recently asked whether I thought it was OK for primary aged children to minister to other children by playing in a worship band. Here are my thoughts.

My own experience is that I started playing in church bands at about age 14. To be perfectly honest, I really wasn't much good... some would probably argue that I'm still not! Initially I started out singing (actually, now that I think about it, I actually started out managing the overheads!) and over time began playing guitar and then piano.

Being asked to be involved meant a great deal to me, and music was a great source of self-esteem for me. I loved to be a part of a team, to be contributing towards the workings of the church.

Less positive, however, I started to develop strange ideas about being valued for what I did, rather than who I was. This meant that I felt threatened by better musicians, unwanted when I wasn't asked to contribute, and unable to focus on God when I was 'sitting in a pew'. I think my understanding of worship was somewhat stunted because I was all too aware of the mundane aspects of praising God in song, and so frequently distracted from what I was really doing. I was too busy worrying about what serving others in that way to understand that God wanted me focused on him first and foremost.

Personally, I am inclined to err on the side of caution. I believe that, in most cases, the risks - or, more accurately, the consequences - outweigh the benefits. As with most 'rules', however, there are likely to be exceptional kids for whom the above risks are demonstrably minimal.

Your mileage may vary ;-)

Natural Law

Men became scientific because they expected Law in Nature, and they expected Law in Nature because they believed in a Legislator.

- C. S. Lewis, Miracles (Harper Collins, 2002) p. 169

The secret garden

You are a garden locked up...

- Song of Songs 4:12a

Chris Bowater writes:

I love gardens. I hate gardening... I enjoy walking though the great parks found in cities but take greater pleasure in discovering the creativity and colour of a private garden. Here, a labour of love, years of careful attention can be viewed.

How often our walk with God is on the terms of giving him access to the public gardens of our lives. Content that he is seen to be with us in the carefully selected and prepared open forums, the public meetings and ministry, the vast gardens of the outer life. All the time he longs to have access to the private place, the secret garden. He knows that the worth of our public agendas is always in relation to the openness of the hidden life. What we are at home is what we really are. What we are in the secrets of our hearts and desires is what we really are. The master longs to be given entrance, not that he might criticize or condemn but that he might begin to renew and rebuild. More than that, he does not always want to share us with everyone else. He wants us to himself, to talk, to listen, to share or quite simply, just be there.

- Chris Bowater, "Creative Worship" in Housegroups - the leaders' survival guide (Crossway books, 2001) pp. 84-85

Authority

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.

- Numbers 20:2-13

Recently, when I read this passage, I initially found it difficult to understand what Moses did wrong here. Why was God punishing him? Didn't he do what he was told? However, going back and reading over it again, more closely this time, I realised that, yes, he did what he was told but he also did more than he was told. Compare the LORD's instruction - "Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water." (8) - with what he did - Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. (11) As Walvoord and Zuck write:

The Lord told Moses only to speak to the rock for its flow must not be attributed to his own efforts but to the Lord's miraculous provision. Moses, however, at the breaking point of his endurance and patience... drew attention to his own authority as covenant mediator by striking the rock twice with his staff.

- Walvoord and Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary - Old Testament (Cook, 2004) p. 238.

Consider again Moses words. "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" (10, emphasis mine). Where God instructed them to act in such a way as to demonstrate his holiness, they instead proclaimed their authority. God brought the waters nonetheless, but he punished Moses and Aaron, saying, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy... you will not bring this community into the land I give them." (12)

Mark records the way that Jesus also commanded his disciples about a message they were to share and acts they were to perform:

13Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14He appointed twelve — designating them apostles — that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15and to have authority to drive out demons. 16These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); 18Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

- Mark 3:13-19

This is the first reference in Mark's Gospel to 'apostles'. The image is of "a person of merit sent as an envoy or on behalf of a master in an administrative role." (Mounce, Mounce's Expository Dictionary, Zondervan 2006, p. 26) A modern equivalent might be our governor-general, who is given authority to speak in the Queen's name, and to act on the Queen's behalf. Yet his authority is within strict limits: he can only proclaim what the Queen authorises him to proclaim; he can only act as the Queen permits him to. This is because the actions of the governor-general, as her representative, directly reflect on the Queen herself. You can be very sure that, with this in mind, the Queen is very careful in her selection of who will represent her.

Well, Jesus is no less careful. Luke records that he spent the night praying to God. (Luke 6:12) before choosing them to be with him and sending them out to preach and to have authority over demons (Mark 3:14-15). When he actually sends them out in Mark 6, he has very explicit instructions about how they are to behave (see Mark 6:7-13), which they obeyed. Although Mark doesn't explicitly record any instruction about what they were to say, we read that they went out and preached that people should repent (Mark 6:12) - no doubt the very message that they had heard Jesus delivering day in, day out during the time that they were with him (Mark 3:14).

For that matter, Jesus himself was an apostle, or representative, of God. Jesus says of himself, "What I have heard from him [the father] I tell the world." and that he does nothing on his own but speaks just what the Father has taught him (John 8:26, 28). Even though he was in very nature God, nevertheless he gave up equality with God to take the very nature of a servant (Philippians 2:6,7). He spoke not with his own authority, but rather with that of the one who sent him.

But here's the kicker... since God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (Phil 2:9), Jesus says "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:18-20). So we are Jesus' representatives, his apostles. Jesus has taught us how to behave through his teachings and example. We have been given a message - it is spelled out in the Bible. We have been given authority to proclaim the gospel, but our authority to speak in God's name is limited to that message. If we are proclaiming a message other than that given to us in God's word, we are proclaiming a gospel other than the one preached to us, and are in danger of being eternally condemned (Galatians 1:8). Not without reason does John proclaim:

18I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 19And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

- Revelation 22:18-19

Review: Every Young Man's Battle

Temptation. Lust. Masturbation. Sensuality. Sex.

A code of silence has grown up in the church around these issues - many hoping that if we don't talk about them, they will just go away. And yet men of all ages continue to struggle to attain the standard of Ephesians 5:3 - "there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality". How is this possible in an age where we are constantly bombarded by sexual images that open the door to temptation - TV, magazines, music, the Internet?

Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker shatter this code of silence in the "Every Man" series. The latest installment, Every Young Man's Battle, addresses "the challenge every man faces... the fight every man can win" from the point of view of single Christian men. (The original book in the series, Every Man's Battle, is more geared towards married men) It explores how our thought lives control our actions, and are in turn controlled by what we allow in.

I found one of the most potent images was one of doing battle with a sumo wrestler. In one corner is Mr Sex Drive - fed up on "a billion meals of lust and fantasy". In the other corner... you. Things don't look good - he's many times bigger than you, and consistently, effortlessly, sends you flying out of the ring. The book goes on to explain that the only way to overcome is to "Starve the sumo". By cutting out the sumo's food - sexy movies, TV, music, websites etc. - you can reduce his power over you, even the odds in those contests in the ring.

Every Young Man's Battle is a highly practical book, and "will show you how to train your eyes and your mind, how to clean up you thought life, and how to develop a realistic battle plan for remaining pure in today's sexually soaked culture". Personally, I found it very encouraging for two reasons: a) I'm not the only one who struggles (nor are you!), and b) the battle can be won! I highly recommend Every Young Man's Battle to any man who is committed to sexual purity God's way, and would be happy to lend my copy to anyone who wants to have a read.

Why Life Group?? Part 3 - Service

Over the last 2 studies we have looked at the ways in which Life Groups seek to meet the needs of their members. As Christians, however, we are called not only to be recipients of God's love, but to share it in turn with others. Being a part of a Life Group is a great way to do this as a part of a team. This service can be directed in four general directions: each other; the church; the community; and the world. Let's look at each of these in turn.

Each other
We have already started to look at this, under the heading of pastoral care, from Acts 2:42-47. Specifically we looked at some of the ways in which Life Groups can meet needs for teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer. One thing we didn't consider there, but which is raised in the same passage, is the area of material needs.

Read again from Acts 2:42-47

• What do vv. 44-45 tell us about the way the believers dealt with material needs?
  
• Do you think that this means that we should give up our own possessions to live communally? Why? Why not? If not, what principles can we learn from their example?
  
• How, and to what extent, will you enact those principles in your Life Group? Be specific.

The church
Life Groups occur in the context of a larger community - id - which itself is a part of an entity larger again - St John's. As we have just read, the early church gave to anyone as he had need (v. 45).

• What are some of the needs you are aware of in id? In the church?
  
• What will your Life Group do to meet those needs? Try and be specific. What are you willing to commit to? Some suggestions might be: joining the cleaning/mowing roster; praying for/assisting with a particular event, such as the church weekend away in April, or the id ski trip; running a BBQ at G7... and I'm sure you can think of many, many more.

The community
One of the most important obligations we have as Christians is towards "all the lost and lonely people / Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me" (Casting Crowns, Does Anybody Hear Her?). There can be no more important need than that of knowing Jesus as Saviour and Lord. And yet the old saying is surely true: people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

Jesus knew this. Wherever he went, he not only preached, but he healed the sick, cast out demons, showed compassion to the poor and needy.

Our community today is no different - there are still people in need, sick, lonely or poor. And whilst God might not be calling us to minister to them in the same miraculous ways that Jesus did (he just might, too!), still we are expected to do what we can. Jesus says, "'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matt 25:40).

• What are some of the needs you know of in the Sutherland community?
  
• What will your Life Group do to meet those needs? Try and be specific. Here are some examples: commit to donating blood at least twice this year; help with the Sutherland to Surf fun run; assist with the John Franklin Christmas Lunch... again, I'm sure you can think of many more!

The world
As in our community, so in the world! Jesus gives us a picture of this: "'You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 1:8b). If he were to speak those words to us today they might go something like this, "You will be my witnesses in Sydney, in all Australia and New Zealand, and to the ends of the earth."

• What are some of the areas of the world that are in need?
  
• What can you do to help? Try and be specific. Here are some examples: sponsor a child through World Vision (or other); buy a "really useful gift"; or choose a missionary that you can pray for/correspond with throughout the year.

Whatever you do need not be a massive thing. Some people keep waiting and waiting, trying to decide what the most effective thing for them to contribute to is. I don't believe God looks at it that way - he wants us to do something about poverty, injustice, disease today. Don't bother looking for the best option - choose one and do that!

To change the world,
It starts with one step.
However small,
First step is hardest of all.

- Dave Matthews Band, You Might Die Trying

Some prayer suggestions

• Look back over the list of ways your Life Group can share God's love. Pray that God will help you to translate them from good intentions into actions that will change the world!

Why Life Group?? Part 2 - Teaching

Last time, we looked at Acts 2:42-47, and discovered four of the key characteristics of a Christian community - of which we want our Life Groups to be prime examples. Those characteristics were teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer. Of these, we looked at the last three, but didn't go into the teaching side of things. Well, the time has now come for us to do so!

One of the key characteristics of a healthy church is that it is a learning church. The same is true of a Life Group. History has shown that unless we are growing in our faith, we are shrinking in it - there is no such thing as holding steady. If we are not allowing God's Word to shape our lives we will inevitably drift out of shape.

In this study, we are going to look at some of the ways in which we learn about God, ourselves, our faith and our world, and how they may specifically be applied in Life Groups.

Scripture
The primary witness that we have to God is the Bible. It is God's Word, revealed to us, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man (or woman!) of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17).

As we saw last time, the early church devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching (Acts 2:42), most of which is now recorded in what we call the New Testament. Similarly, the church at Berea were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures, what we would call the Old Testament, every day to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11).

Clearly, then, Scripture is a very important part of our growth as Christians, and should be a part of our meetings together (including Life Groups!) But what is the best way of doing this?

Reading: The most obvious way of including Scripture is to read it! This doesn't have to be out loud, although I sometimes find that we remember more of what we hear (or hear and read) than of what we just read.

• How do you absorb Scripture best? By hearing it? Reading it? Both? Try and agree as a group what the best way for your group is. This doesn't mean you have to do that every time, but it is good to understand what the group's preferences are.
  
• Are you comfortable reading aloud? If not, that's OK! One of the great things about being in a Life Group is that everyone can use their strengths to assist others, and can in turn be assisted. Share your preference with the group and allow them to bless you!

Preaching: Whilst generally (in my experience) the least effective in a Life Group context, preaching can often provide great insight into particular Scriptures, or can draw together multiple Scriptures to give you an overall picture on a given topic. In essence, the preacher does much of the hard work to understand the Scriptures and their background in their context, and then to provide a bridge between you and them. A good preacher will leave you with both an insight into what the inspired author meant to convey to his immediate audience, as well as some ideas about what God intends you to learn from it today.

• What do you think about including sermons (written, audio or video) as a regular (or irregular!) part of your Life Group?
  
• Are there any particular messages that you have seen/heard/read that you would like to share with the group?

Bible Study: Bible Study is the most common way in which Scripture is included in a small group like a Life Group, and yet can be one of the most difficult to do consistently well. A large part of this is that Bible studies come in many shapes and sizes. Much like sermons, some focus on one particular scripture, others focus on a particular topic and survey multiple scriptures and how they apply to the topic (much like this study!). In general, though, a Bible study should encourage you to examine the Scriptures to see what is true, as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). In my opinion, the best studies (again, like sermons) are those that a) allow for good discussion and b) challenge you to apply Scripture directly into your own life.

• What do you expect from a good Bible Study?
  
• Are there particular areas of Scripture that you would like to study?

One of the big advantages of a Life Group Bible Study over a sermon is the opportunity for interaction. If you don't understand something, say so! Someone else in the group may be having the same difficulty, or alternately might have a great insight to share, a blessing which you might miss out on if you don't say anything. Again, your group is there to support you, and you to support them. Together we can learn heaps more than we can alone.

This leads into another area in which Scripture can be included in Life Groups.

Experience: Whilst Scripture must be the primary witness and authority for a Christian, sometimes it is helpful to share from our own experiences of how Scriptures have been, or could have been, applied in our own experience. This can help other people understand the scripture, be convinced of its relevance, or be encouraged to apply it in their own lives.

Other sources of teaching
Clearly the Bible is our most important source of teaching/learning. Sometimes, however, it is useful to turn to other sources for inspiration and instruction. A couple of possible options:

• Books: Books can be a great way to explore a particular topic. Usually this works best if everyone has access to a copy of the book, and can read in between meetings, although it is sometimes possible for the leader to read and summarise as necessary.
  
• Music: Like the Psalms, some music (or at least some lyrics) can be a fun and challenging way to explore life issues. e.g. a careful study of some of U2's lyrics can offer a great launching pad for discussion.
  
• Movies/TV: Similarly some movies can stimulate thought. e.g. I know of a church that did a series of studies based on the titles of James Bond movies.
  
• Courses: Throughout the course of the year there will be opportunities for training in various areas provided by the church. You may also be aware of other courses that your group could use/be involved in. Examples might include the Alpha course, various evangelism courses etc.

These are a few ideas that I have used, seen used or heard about being used, but I'm sure you can think of some of your own.

• Can you think of any other sources of teaching?
  
• Are there any of the above sources that you would like to explore? Do you have any specific books, music, movies etc. that you would like to study?
  
• Are there any courses that you are aware of that you would like to be involved in as a part of your Life Group?

Let me just say again that Scripture is our primary influence, and our sole authority, so even if you do decide to use one (or some) of the things above, you should make sure that you are referring back to the Bible.

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I hope that, from this, you see that there are many ways in which we can learn about God, ourselves, our faith and our world - there is no excuse for being bored!

Some prayer suggestions

• Pray for your group, that the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom to understand and apply God's Word.
  
• Pray for your leader(s) that they can be teachers who are faithful to God's calling.
  
• Pray for me as I work with your leader(s) in preparing/locating the right teaching resources.

Why Life Group?? Part 1 - Pastoral Care

The following bible study was written for our id Life Groups.

Pastoral Care is a fancy church term that just means looking after one another. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). When we meet in a Life Group, our primary aim is to care for one another: to look out for one another's needs; to offer a helping hand or a listening ear; to share in each other's joys, frustrations and griefs; and to encourage one another in our walk with God.

Read Acts 2:42-47.

• What are some of the needs that that community had? How were they met?
  

Teaching
We will explore this more thoroughly in the next study, but for now it is important to note that the community of believers in Acts 2 devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching (v.42). The word of God was at the heart of all that they did together.

Fellowship
One of the key differences between a Life Group and a church congregation is intimacy. Whilst the 7pm congregation numbers up to 100 people per week, Life Groups will typically only be about 6 people. This makes it much easier to get to know one another well, to partner with one another and to be aware of each others' needs in a Life Group. So when Acts 2 says they devoted themselves... to the fellowship (v. 42), I believe that this means that they met together in small groups - both in the temple courts and in their homes (v. 46).

The word used here for fellowship literally means 'sharing'. Luke uses it here to talk about sharing in the community of faith, and the sharing of possessions. Paul also uses the same word to talk about the relationship that we as Christians share with Christ (1 Cor 1:9), the fellowship of the Spirit (2 Cor 13:14) and the 'partnership' between Paul and the Philippians in spreading the gospel (Phil 1:5).

• What things do you, as a group, already have in common?
  
• What things do you choose to have in common? Are you prepared to commit to that choice? e.g. We commit to honestly share when we are struggling with temptation, or We agree that each week we will read the Bible on our own and share something that we have learner. Or perhaps even something as simple as We will make sure that we rock up on time!
  

The neighbourhood bar is possibly the best counterfeit there is to the fellowship Christ wants to give his church. It's an imitation, dispensing liquor instead of grace, escape rather than reality, but it is a permissive, accepting, and inclusive fellowship. It is unshockable. It is democratic. You can tell people secrets and they usually don't tell others or even want to. The bar flourishes not because most people are alcoholics, but because God has put into the human heart the desire to know and be known, to love and be loved, and so many seek a counterfeit at the price of a few beers.

With all my heart I believe that Christ wants his church to be unshockable, democratic, permissive - a fellowship where people can come in and say, “I'm sunk!” “I'm beat!” “I've had it!” Alcoholics Anonymous has this quality. Our churches too often miss it.”

- Keith Miller and Bruce Larson, Edge of Adventure

• What are some of the things that can get in the way of fellowship with each other? How are you going to recognise and respond to these things before they happen?
  

Worship
Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.(Acts 2:46-47). At first seeing the breaking of bread sandwiched (sorry, no pun intended) between meeting in the the temple courts (for formal worship services) and praising God seems a bit strange, until you realise that the breaking of bread was also a means of worship and praising God. Jesus said “For where two or three come together, there am I with them.” (Matt 18:20). Don't underestimate the power of having a meal together in the name of Jesus - he says that when you do he's gonna rock up too! More than that, however, Luke seems to be referring to the celebration of what we today would call communion - breaking bread and drinking wine in remembrance of Jesus, as he commanded (see Matt 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25 and Luke 22:17-20).

• Do you believe worship should be a part of your Life Group? If so, how will you express it? How often?
  

Prayer
They devoted themselves... to prayer. (Acts 2:42) Prayer is at the heart of all that we do as Christians - it is the key component of all of the things we have talked about so far (teaching, fellowship and worship) as it is what ties us in to God.

Read Acts 12:1-18.

He went to the house of Mary... where many people had gathered and were praying. (v. 12) You can bet your bottom dollar that the people gathered there were praying for Peter. Witness the power of a small group (the 1st Century Life Group!) praying!!

• How important should prayer be in your Life Group? What form should it take? How will you let each other know what to pray for? Will you limit your prayer to times when you are together, or also when you are on your own?
  

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As you can see, Luke describes a community with a common purpose (meeting each others' needs) expressed in four ways (teaching, fellowship, worship and prayer). And the end result of these things? Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles...And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:43,47b).


Some prayer suggestions

• Pray that God will show you how to be a group that meets each others' needs.
  
• Pray for the year ahead.
  
• Pray for each other.
  

Prayer

Prayer is surrender - surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boat hook from a boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.

- E. Stanley Jones, A Song of Ascents (Quoted in Swindoll's Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes, Thomas Nelson 1998, p.453)

Life saving

Here's a modern day parable from Charles Swindoll:

On a dangerous seacoast notorious for shipwrecks, there was a crude little lifesaving station. Actually, the station was merely a hut with only one boat. But the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the turbulent sea. With little thought for themselves, they would go out day and night tirelessly searching for those in danger as well as the lost. Many, many lives were saved by this brave band of men who faithfully worked as a team in and out of the lifesaving station. By and by, it became a famous place.

Some of those who had been saved as well as others along the seacoast wanted to become associated with this little station. They were willing to give their time and energy and money in support of its objectives. New boats were purchased. New crews were trained. The station that was once obscure and crude and virtually insignificant began to grow.

Some of its members were unhappy that the hut was so unattractive and poorly equipped. They felt a more comfortable place should be provided. Therefore emergency cots were replaced with lovely furniture. Rough, hand-made equipment was discarded, and sophisticated, classy systems were installed. The hut, of course, had to be torn down to make room for all the additional equipment, furniture, systems and appointments.

By its completion, the lifesaving station had become a popular gathering place, and its objectives began to shift. It was now used as sort of a clubhouse, an attractive building for public gatherings. Saving lives and feeding the hungry and strenthening the fearful and calming the disturbed rarely occurred by now.

Fewer members were now interested in braving the sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired professional lifeboat crews to do the work. The original goal of the station wasn't altogether forgotten, however. The lifesaving motifs still prevailed in the club's decorations. In fact, there was a liturgical lifeboat preservers in the "Room of Sweet Memories" with soft, indirect lighting, which helped hide the layer of dust upon the once-used vessel.

About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast and the boat crews brought in loads of cold, wet, and half-drowned people. They were dirty. Some were terribly sick and lonely. Others were black and they were "different" from the majority of the club members. The beautiful new club suddenly became messy and cluttered. A special committee saw to it that a shower house was immediately built "outside" and "away from" the club so victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up "before" coming inside the club.

At the next meeting there were strong words and angry feelings, which resulted in a division among the members. Most of the people wanted to stop the club's lifesaving activities altogether and place all involvements with shipwreck victims somewhere else. "It's too unpleasant," they said. "It's a hindrance to our social life. It's opening the doors to folks who are not 'our kind'."

Well, as you would expect, some still insisted upon saving lives, that this was their primary objective. Their only reason for existence was ministering to "anyone" needing help regardless of their club's beauty or size or decorations. Well, they were voted down and they were told if they still wanted to be involved in saving lives of various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast! And so they did.

As years passed, the new station experienced the same old changes. It evolved into just another club. And yet another lifesaving station was begun. History continued to repeat itself. And if you visit that coats today, you'll find a large number of exclusive, impressive clubs along the shoreline owned and operated by slick professionals who have lost all involvement with the saving of lives.

Shipwrecks still occur in those waters, you understand, but now most of the victims are not saved. Every day they perish at sea, and so few seem to care... so very few.

- Charles Swindoll, Swindoll's Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotation (Thomas Nelson, 1998) pp. 89-91

Despised Samaritans

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[c]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[d]"

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

- Luke 10:25-37

This is arguably one of Jesus' most famous parables. Certainly it has provided fodder for many a Sunday School lesson, and been used to prick the consciences of great and small alike.

Sadly for us, however, 2000 years have taken the edge off somewhat. Because we read in the context of 21st Century Australia, we lose much of the impact that Jesus intended when he addressed this parable to the expert in the law.

The parable starts out innocently (if somewhat unfortunately for the poor traveller of course) enough - a man travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho gets mugged. Along comes a priest, and the teacher of the law no doubt thought, "Good, he will help." Upon hearing that he doesn't however, he may have tried to justify this in his own mind - priests are, after all, prohibited from defiling themselves.

Next comes a Levite, surely a good and righteous man, who will help out a countryman in need... but no.

You can see how Jesus has carefully and cleverly set the scene and built expectation. Perhaps the Pharisee was even harbouring thoughts that the next passerby, who will surely help, might himself be a Pharisee. And yet, when Jesus delivers his punch-line, it is a despised Samaritan who shows the others up for their selfishness.

Josephus, the 1st Century A.D. Jewish historian records some of the background of the tension between the Jews and the Samaritans:

But now the [Samaritans]... each of them, according to their nations, which were in number five, brought their own gods into Samaria, and by worshiping them, as was the custom of their own countries, they provoked Almighty God to be angry and displeased at them, for a plague seized them by which they were destroyed; and when they found no cure for their miseries, they learned by the oracle that they ought to worship Almighty God, as the method for their deliverance. So they sent ambassadors to the king of Assyria, and desired him to send them some of those priests of the Israelites whom he had taken captive. And when he thereupon sent them, and the people were by them taught the laws and the holy worship of God, they worshiped him in a respectful manner, and the plague ceased immediately; and indeed they continue to make use of the very same customs to this very time , and are called in the Hebrew tongue Cutheans; but in the Greek Samaritans. And when they see the Jews in prosperity, they pretend that they are changed, and allied to them, and call them kinsmen, as though they were derived from Joseph, and had by that means an original alliance with them: but when they see them falling into a low condition, they say they are no way related to them, and that the Jews have no right to expect any kindness or marks of kindred from them, but they declare that they are sojourners, that come from other countries.

- Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews IX.xiv.3 (ed. William Whiston)

So you see the Jews and the Samaritans didn't get on terribly well. So far as most Jews (almost certainly including the expert in the law of Luke 10) were concerned, Samaritans were the proverbial 'fair-weather sailors'. They were more than happy to profess themselves as Jews when the going was easy, but when things were going against the Jews they were far from prepared to join in those sufferings. A modern day analogy might be a New Zealander moving to Australia, and supporting the Wallabies (or any other Australian team) so long as they are winning, but then throwing their lot over to the All Blacks (or equivalent) when they are on top.

It's hard to imagine a group in our society quite so despised as the Samaritans in 1st Century Judea, but if you'll bear with me I'll have a go at re-telling this parable in a modern context:

A family found themselves broken down on the side of the road. The kids were running amok, mum sitting despondantly in the gutter with her head in her hands, dad a picture of frustration, alternating between trying to get through the billowing smoke to the dysfunctional automobile, and desperately trying to flag down any and all passers-by.

Along comes a bishop on the way to church. Running through his sermon notes in his mind, he at first barely registers the family and their predicament. When he does, however, he chooses to ignore them in favour of punctuality where he is going - after all, he has people depending on him, and someone else will no doubt be along in due course.

And someone does. Following close on the bishop's heels is the president of the local Rotary Club. He too, though, has an appointment to keep, and pointedly keeps his eyes on the road.

Then an English cricketer appears on the scene...

For further reading, see the following:

• 2 Kings 17:24ff
  
• Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, IX.xiv
  
• John Stott, "Philip the evangelist" in The Message of Acts, pp. 147ff