Job 6

Job 6 - Daily Devotion - 18 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Yesterday we heard the first of Job’s 3 friends (Eliphaz) start to try to explain to him why he had suffered all those terrible things. That was the start of a long debate between Job and his three friends. The friends will speak in order – Eliphaz, then Bildad, then Zophar – and after each of their speeches, Job will reply.

1 Then Job responded:
2 “Oh, if only my grief could be weighed,
and my misfortune laid on the scales too!
3 But because it is heavier than the sand of the sea,
that is why my words have been wild.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
my spirit drinks their poison;
God’s sudden terrors are arrayed against me.

5 “Does the wild donkey bray when it is near grass?
Or does the ox bellow over its fodder?
6 Can food that is tasteless be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 I have refused to touch such things;
they are like loathsome food to me.

8 “Oh that my request would be realized,
and that God would grant me what I long for!
9 And that God would be willing to crush me,
that he would let loose his hand
and kill me.
10 Then I would yet have my comfort,
then I would rejoice,
in spite of pitiless pain,
for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should wait?
And what is my end,
that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength like that of stones?
Or is my flesh made of bronze?
13 Is not my power to help myself nothing,
and has not every resource been driven from me?

14 “To the one in despair, kindness should come from his friend
even if he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 My brothers have been as treacherous as a seasonal stream,
and as the riverbeds of the intermittent streams
that flow away.
16 They are dark because of ice;
snow is piled up over them.
17 When they are scorched, they dry up,
when it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 Caravans turn aside from their routes;
they go into the wasteland and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema looked intently for these streams;
the traveling merchants of Sheba hoped for them.
20 They were distressed
because each one had been so confident;
they arrived there, but were disappointed.
21 For now you have become like these streams that are no help;
you see a terror and are afraid.

22 “Have I ever said, ‘Give me something,
and from your fortune make gifts in my favor’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s power,
and from the hand of tyrants ransom me’?

24 “Teach me, and I, for my part, will be silent;
explain to me how I have been mistaken.
25 How painful are honest words!
But what does your reproof prove?
26 Do you intend to criticize mere words,
and treat the words of a despairing man as wind?
27 Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless,
and auction off your friend.

28 “Now then, be good enough to look at me;
and I will not lie to your face!
29 Relent, let there be no falsehood;
reconsider, for my righteousness is intact!
30 Is there any falsehood on my lips?
Can my mouth not discern evil things?

REFLECTIONS

One thought for today. In verse 5, Job asks, “Does the wild donkey bray when it is near grass?” The answer is: No, it will only make lots of noise when it’s hungry and can’t find food. In the same way, when someone makes lots of distressed noises about their life (like Job did in chapter 3), the most likely reason is that there really is something wrong. I found that a helpful reminder. There may be people in your life who always seem to be complaining, and it can be tempting to stop listening simply because, well, “They’re always whinging about something.” We sometimes need discernment – but more often, we need God’s persevering compassion.

Job 4-5

Job 4-5 - Daily Devotion - 17 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Yesterday we heard Job curse the day of his birth. Up to this point, his three friends who came to console him have been sitting with him silently. But now they start talking at him.

This is the start of a long argument between Job and his friends. When Job’s friends speak, you’ll notice that they say a lot of things that are true and sound biblical. But the judgments they make about Job are completely wrong.

We’re going to read two whole chapters today, to hear all of Eliphaz’s first speech.

4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “If someone should attempt a word with you,
will you be impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking?
3 Look, you have instructed many;
you have strengthened feeble hands.
4 Your words have supported those
who stumbled,
and you have strengthened the knees
that gave way.
5 But now the same thing comes to you,
and you are discouraged;
it strikes you,
and you are terrified.
6 Is not your piety your confidence,
and your blameless ways your hope?
7 Call to mind now:
Who, being innocent, ever perished?
And where were upright people ever destroyed?
8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity
and those who sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish,
and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 There is the roaring of the lion
and the growling of the young lion,
but the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey,
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was stealthily brought to me,
and my ear caught a whisper of it.
13 In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night
when a deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread gripped me and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a breath of air passes by my face;
it makes the hair of my flesh stand up.
16 It stands still,
but I cannot recognize its appearance;
an image is before my eyes,
and I hear a murmuring voice:
17 ‘Is a mortal man righteous before God?
Or a man pure before his Creator?
18 If God puts no trust in his servants
and attributes folly to his angels,
19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed like a moth?
20 They are destroyed between morning and evening;
they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their excess wealth taken away from them?
They die, yet without attaining wisdom.’

5:1 “Call now! Is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath kills the foolish person,
and anger slays the silly one.
3 I myself have seen the fool taking root,
but suddenly I cursed his place of residence.
4 His children are far from safety,
and they are crushed at the place where judgment is rendered,
nor is there anyone to deliver them.
5 The hungry eat up his harvest,
and take it even from behind the thorns,
and the thirsty pant for their wealth.
6 For evil does not come up from the dust,
nor does trouble spring up from the ground,
7 but people are born to trouble,
as surely as the sparks fly upward.

8 “But as for me, I would seek God,
and to God I would set forth my case.
9 He does great and unsearchable things,
marvelous things without number;
10 he gives rain on the earth,
and sends water on the fields;
11 he sets the lowly on high,
that those who mourn are raised to safety.
12 He frustrates the plans of the crafty
so that their hands cannot accomplish
what they had planned.
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
and the counsel of the cunning is brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
and grope about in the noontime as if it were night.
15 So he saves from the sword that comes from their mouth,
even the poor from the hand of the powerful.
16 Thus the poor have hope,
and iniquity shuts its mouth.

17 “Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects,
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he also bandages;
he strikes, but his hands also heal.
19 He will deliver you from six calamities;
yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
20 In time of famine he will redeem you from death,
and in time of war from the power of the sword.
21 You will be protected from malicious gossip
and will not be afraid of the destruction when it comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine
and need not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For you will have a pact with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 And you will know that your home will be secure,
and when you inspect your domains,
you will not be missing anything.
25 You will also know that your children will be numerous
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to your grave in a full age,
As stacks of grain are harvested in their season.
27 Look, we have investigated this, so it is true.
Hear it, and apply it for your own good.”

REFLECTIONS

In Job 5:7, Eliphaz asks: “Who, being innocent, ever perished?” In Eliphaz’s mind, the answer is, “No one, of course!” As you mull over Eliphaz’s answer to Job, remember that Jesus is the shining example of how wrong Eliphaz was.

Job 3

Job 3 - Daily Devotion - 16 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

We’re reading through the book of Job. Yesterday we finished the story of what happened to Job. Today we start a long series of speeches. Job is the first one to talk.

1 After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born. 2 Job spoke up and said:
3 “Let the day on which I was born perish,
and the night that said,
‘A man has been conceived!’
4 That day—let it be darkness;
let not God on high regard it,
nor let light shine on it!
5 Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it;
let a cloud settle on it;
let whatever blackens the day terrify it.
6 That night—let darkness seize it;
let it not be included among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months!
7 Indeed, let that night be barren;
let no shout of joy penetrate it!
8 Let those who curse the day curse it—
those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.
9 Let its morning stars be darkened;
let it wait for daylight but find none,
nor let it see the first rays of dawn,
10 because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me,
nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

11 “Why did I not die at birth,
and why did I not expire
as I came out of the womb?
12 Why did the knees welcome me,
and why were there two breasts
that I might nurse at them?
13 For now I would be lying down
and would be quiet,
I would be asleep and then at peace
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,
15 or with princes who possessed gold,
who filled their palaces with silver.
16 Or why was I not buried
like a stillborn infant,
like infants who have never seen the light?
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners relax together;
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
19 Small and great are there,
and the slave is free from his master.

20 “Why does God give light to one who is in misery,
and life to those whose soul is bitter,
21 to those who wait for death that does not come,
and search for it
more than for hidden treasures,
22 who rejoice even to jubilation,
and are exultant when they find the grave?
23 Why is light given to a man
whose way is hidden,
and whom God has hedged in?
24 For my sighing comes in place of my food,
and my groanings flow forth like water.
25 For the very thing I dreaded has happened to me,
and what I feared has come upon me.
26 I have no ease; I have no quietness;
I cannot rest; turmoil has come upon me.”

REFLECTIONS

I won’t always comment on the passage, but today I think it would be good to. Job chapter 3 is by far the darkest chapter in the book. But at the same time, it is a priceless treasure, because to every Christian believer who is suffering with depression and despair, here is a God-given assurance that your faith is real.

Job’s response to his suffering in chapters 1 and 2 was inspiring. But it might leave you thinking that if you’re a genuine Christian, no matter what you go through, it shouldn’t affect you. You should be able to say, “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed” (1:21)—and carry on with stoic calm.

But Job’s genuine, persevering faith in God included chapter 3 as well! Genuine believers in Jesus may go through times of deep depression and despair – and not because of some hidden sin, not because their faith has failed. You don’t need to make your depression worse by feeling guilty for it. Job 3 assures you that your faith in God is real and precious, even if the only words you can find right now are “why, Lord?”

In fact, Jesus himself, when he was on the cross, cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). The Bible tells us that Christians share in Christ’s sufferings (Romans 8:17). Perhaps believers who go through something like Job 3 are those who share most deeply and intimately in Christ’s suffering on the cross.

For those of us who aren’t at the very bottom just now, Romans 12:15 tells us to “weep with those who weep.” Pray for whoever you might be called to weep with at the moment—or just pray with your eyes on the cross of Jesus. And if you need to call one of the ministers or a close Christian friend, do that now.

Job 2

Job 2 - Daily Devotion - 15 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

We’re currently reading through the book of Job one chapter at a time, to go with our sermon series. Yesterday we read the first half of the story of what happened to Job – how he was a blameless and upright man, but he lost all his possessions and children. Today we hear the second part of the story.

1 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” 3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly to his integrity, so that you stirred me up to destroy him without reason.”

4 But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life. 5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

6 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.”

7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. 8 Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.

9 Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!” 10 But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him. 12 But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads. 13 Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

REFLECTIONS

Tomorrow we’ll start a long section of debates and speeches, as Job and his friends wrestle with the problem of evil and suffering. For today, I’ll give two thoughts. First, as we saw in the sermon on Sunday, Job isn’t really an ordinary person. He is the Old Testament model of an innocent, righteous person who suffered terribly. That means Job is really a faint preview of the true righteous sufferer: the Lord Jesus. Job is about the cross.

Second, as we meet Job’s three friends, it’s good to see them modelling how to comfort someone who is suffering. They are simply with Job. They don’t leave him; they sit with him in silence. It’s good to see that – because as soon as they open their mouths, their comfort turns to something much less helpful.

Job 1

Job 1 - Daily Devotion - 14 Oct 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Over the next 6 weeks, we’re going to take a break from 2 Corinthians to do something different. Yesterday in church, we started a sermon series from the book of Job. Job is a long book (42 chapters long) and we’ll only be looking in detail at a small selection chapters in our sermon series. But we also don’t want to skip over any bits of God’s Word – it’s all important. So for our devotions, we are going to read through the whole book, one chapter a day.

That means our readings will be a bit longer than normal, so most of the time I won’t say much else, except maybe to help us keep track of where we’re up to in the book and who is speaking.

Let’s get underway with chapter 1, which we heard in church yesterday – though as usual for our Daily Devotions, we’re reading from a Bible translation called the NET Bible instead of the NIV.

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household. Thus he was the greatest of all the people in the east.

4 Now his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one in turn, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.

6 Now the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord—and Satan also arrived among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord, “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.” 8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.”

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God? 10 Have you not made a hedge around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land. 11 But extend your hand and strike everything he has, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

13 Now the day came when Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them, 15 and the Sabeans swooped down and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

16 While this one was still speaking, another messenger arrived and said, “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

17 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

18 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

20 Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. 21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” 22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 - Daily Devotion - 12 Oct 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

4 Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Tina Bogg

As Paul is writing to the Corinthians, he does not want them to think that he is ministering to them by his own ability or competence. He wants them to know that he is speaking to them by the power and competence of the Holy Spirit. He has taught them about the new covenant – about God’s promise to forgive their sin through trust in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Paul has been able to teach them about this, not because he is so brilliant, but because God has given him the competence through the Spirit, and this truth gives life.

In verse 6, I think Paul is emphasizing the contrast between the new covenant, which gives life through the Spirit, and the “letter” of the old covenant law. If we try to abide by the law by our own strength, or if we think that our effort and obedience to the law will save us, we are doomed to fail. But when we trust in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, he gives us the gift of the Spirit who cleanses us from all sin and makes us God’s children.

I found this passage a bit tricky to think through its practical application, but what stood out to me was the beauty of the three persons of the Trinity working together in helping us to minister God’s Word. We have confidence in God through Christ, and our sufficiency is from God through the Spirit. Paul seems to keep himself in a right perspective before God. He remembers how small he, and so he focuses on who God is and how God does His work through us, by His Spirit not our greatness. Pray with me that we will keep focusing on how big God is as He does His work, and that as we do, God will quench our fears and worries about what to say or how to say it. Pray that he will help us to remember that His Spirit is the one who works through us to give words of life to those God has already chosen.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tina is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 - Daily Devotion - 11 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? We don’t need letters of recommendation to you or from you as some other people do, do we? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, 3 revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Merry Chau

One time my brother-in-law was at the snow, and a complete stranger asked him if his father’s name was Manh. This man had never met my brother-in-law before and knew nothing about him, yet just by seeing the similarities in their physical appearance, this man knew who his father was.

Today’s passage reminds me that we should reflect Christ to the whole world. We represent God and are a ‘letter from Christ’ (v3) by the way we show Jesus’ love and care to those around us, and by the things we say and do.  We are to shine God’s light and be His ambassadors so that when people see how we live and hear us speak of Christ, they can see something different from the rest of the world. We long and pray that they will see that God is our Father.

As I read verse 1, it also made me think of a competitive child playing a sport, and having a sports scout watching them play the game. Although there might be many people watching them play, only the scout’s opinion will matter and determine whether they make a higher team. Likewise, we live for an audience of one. Although there are many eyes on us every day and we are called to reflect Christ to them all, only God’s opinion and eyes truly matter. We love, work, and do life for His glory alone.

Let’s pray today that the Spirit of the Living God will help us be ambassadors for Christ, and that we might point people to God. Pray that God would help us to do things not to seek the approval of people, but of God alone. And like the man who saw my father-in-law reflected in my brother-in-law, pray that people would see Christ in each of us by the things we say and do, and by the way we love and care for one another.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Merry is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 2:12-17

2 Corinthians 2:12-17 - Daily Devotion - 10 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

12 Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of Christ, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me, 13 I had no relief in my spirit, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said goodbye to them and set out for Macedonia.

14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and who makes known through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. 15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing— 16 to the latter an odor from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? 17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit, but we are speaking in Christ before God as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Tim Mitry

I had to look into the background of today’s passage to understand it. In the ancient world, when a king returned home after a great military victory, he would sometimes lead captives through the city in a triumphant parade. It seems that Paul is using a word picture to describe Jesus as a victorious king, and Paul himself as someone being led in Christ’s “triumphal procession.” Paul sees himself both as belonging to Jesus the great victor, and as a conquered enemy whose now serves King Jesus by suffering and looking weak. The Christian life looks like being led in triumphal procession as a defeated foe in the service of the king.

I find that I must often remind myself of my security in God – that in Jesus I belong to him. Often I forget that being ‘in Christ’ is the greatest possible position to hold. Remembering this helps me to approach God confidently and remember the life I am called to live. But being ‘in Christ’ doesn’t make me look strong or victorious. We always serve Christ in weakness to proclaim his victory over sin and death.

Paul’s mindset in this passage is also helpful in reminding me that the sacrificial life of service I am called to live doesn’t please everybody. As we live for Christ, to some people we will be like a “fragrance of life.” But God’s Word also tells us here that others will view our living for him as “the fragrance of death”. That comforts me to persevere in Christ’s mission. I shouldn’t be surprised or discouraged when my friends mock my beliefs about marriage, honesty, or sin. I shall push on daily, In Christ. Because even when I look weak and foolish, Jesus’ plan will still be victorious.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

2 Corinthians 2:5-11

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 - Daily Devotion - 9 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

5 But if anyone has caused sadness, he has not saddened me alone, but to some extent (not to exaggerate) he has saddened all of you as well. 6 This punishment on such an individual by the majority is enough for him, 7 so that now instead you should rather forgive and comfort him. This will keep him from being overwhelmed by excessive grief to the point of despair. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this reason also I wrote you: to test you to see if you are obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him—for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).

REFLECTIONS

Written by Daniel Chew

How would you respond to a fellow believer whose sin caused serious harm to your whole church? Would you say something about it publicly? Exclude them? And if they repented—could you forgive them? Could you welcome them back with open arms, or would you try to avoid them?

These are some of the tricky issues Paul addresses in our passage today. We don’t know the exact cause of Paul and the Corinthians' sadness, but we do know that someone within the Corinthian church sinned so seriously that it hurt the community and strained Paul’s relationship with the whole church. After facing some punishment—probably being excluded from the fellowship—this person repented. Now the challenge was how the church would respond to the person’s repentance.

If the Corinthians followed the "wisdom" of modern Australian morality, they might say: "Keep excluding him! Cancel him! He wronged us, so he deserves it." That’s the problem with modern morality. It has no place for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. It doesn’t acknowledge how messy and broken we all are, nor does it like to admit that every one of us has the potential to do great harm because of our sinful hearts.

But the beauty of the gospel is that it reveals how messy we truly are, yet also teaches that God forgives us in Christ. Because of this, we can forgive others who are just as broken as we are. Paul urges the Corinthians to forgive, to reaffirm their love for this person—not keeping him distant as a threat, but welcoming him back as a brother.

Our world struggles to genuinely forgive. Don’t look to the world’s standards to learn about forgiveness—that’s exactly what Satan wants. Instead, look to how Christ has forgiven you. Is there someone you need to extend that forgiveness to today?

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel is one of our student ministers.

2 Corinthians 2:1-4

2 Corinthians 2:1-4 - Daily Devotions - 8 Oct 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 So I made up my own mind not to pay you another painful visit. 2 For if I make you sad, who would be left to make me glad but the one I caused to be sad? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, so that when I came I would not have sadness from those who ought to make me rejoice, since I am confident in you all that my joy would be yours. 4 For out of great distress and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not to make you sad, but to let you know the love that I have especially for you.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Grace Ip

In these verses, Paul talks about a very difficult letter he had written to the Corinthian church, to rebuke them for tolerating sinful behaviour and call them to repentance. We don’t have that letter – he wrote it in between the letters we know as 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. But it’s clear that Paul found it very painful to have to write those things to them. In verse 4, he tells them he wrote to them out of “great distress and anguish of heart” and “with many tears”. He did not want to grieve them or cause them hurt, but to show his deep love for them.

This verse reminds me that love sometimes requires us to say hard things. We all sometimes face similar situations in life. Whether it’s a parent disciplining a child, a friend offering honest feedback or rebuke, or a leader addressing a problem, it can be painful to speak the truth in love. It’s easy to shy away from confronting wrongdoing or addressing uncomfortable issues, because we don’t want to cause pain. Or perhaps we just want to avoid conflict at all costs. However, Paul reminds us that avoiding those difficult conversations Is actually unloving! On the positive side, when correction is motivated by love and handled with grace, it can lead to healing and growth.

Try to remember and reflect on times when someone else has lovingly corrected you. Did you find yourself resisting their correction out of pride or stubbornness, or welcoming it with thankfulness to God? How did their guidance shape you for the better?

Is there someone in your life whom God is calling you to lovingly confront or guide? Pray and ask God to help you with that:

Lord, help me to love others enough to speak truth in love and grace. Give me the wisdom and courage to speak with compassion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 1:21-24

2 Corinthians 1:21-24 - Daily Devotion - 7 Oct 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

21 But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

23 Now I appeal to God as my witness, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth. 24 I do not mean that we rule over your faith, but we are workers with you for your joy, because by faith you stand firm.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Viet Mai

Standing firm in the Christian life is never an easy task. There are so many temptations that distract us from Jesus, and we have a tendency to wander away from Jesus. But thanks be to God that he is the one who keeps us and holds onto us. Paul says that it is God who establishes us, or makes us “stand firm in Christ” (NIV).

We often think that being a Christian is like a baby monkey holding onto its mother’s back – it’s up to me to cling desperately onto Jesus with all my strength. Yet this passage tells us that the Christian life is more like a mother cat carrying its kitten. Just as the mother cat does the holding on, so God holds onto us as we continue to trust in Christ.

I pray that this truth will encourage us to keep standing firm for Jesus, knowing that God is holding on to us.

Here’s a prayer from the Anglican prayer book that expresses this trust:

“Lord, our heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God, we thank you for bringing us safely to this day. Keep us by your mighty power, and grant that we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but lead and govern us in all things, that we may always do what is righteous in your sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Viet is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 1:15-20

2 Corinthians 1:15-20 - Daily Devotion - 5 Oct 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

15 And with this confidence I intended to come to you first so that you would get a second opportunity to see us, 16 and through your help to go on into Macedonia and then from Macedonia to come back to you and be helped on our way into Judea by you. 17 Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 But as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but it has always been “Yes” in him. 20 For every one of God’s promises are “Yes” in him; therefore also through him the “Amen” is spoken, to the glory we give to God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

Have you ever told someone you were planning to see them, and then not been able to follow through with it – maybe due to some circumstance that was out of your control?  I have, and sometimes others can feel hurt as a result.  I think I once told my daughter that I might make it to her school assembly, and I wasn’t able to due to my work.  I remember her being very understanding, and agreeing that sometimes ‘work things’ just get in the way of being able to do other loving and lovely things.  But she was also hurt.

In this passage, the apostle Paul and the Corinthians have had something similar happen.  Paul had told them of his intention to visit them, but due to circumstances beyond his control, was not able to do so.  I love how what Paul says next magnifies God in light of Paul’s own inability to control events.  My 'Yes' today might not stay as a 'Yes' tomorrow – but every 'Yes' that God has ever said will continue to be 'Yes' forever in Jesus Christ.

Here's why this is so precious to me: It means whenever I read the Bible and I read about God’s promises to his people – from Genesis through to Malachi, from Matthew through to Revelation – I know that when I accepted Jesus as my Lord, I inherited all those promises. I became a recipient of them. And not only did I inherit those promises, I can trust that anything that God has promised will one day come true. That is good news to me when I'm mourning, because he promises to wipe away every tear, and that death will be no more. It is good news to me when I am in trouble, because he is the great comforter (as we have already heard in this letter) and I will be comforted.  It is good news when I see the great evils of this world, because God will judge and avenge, and he will right all the wrongs of this world fully and completely at the time of His choosing.  And even though I too will stand judged by God, it is good news for me to know that his Son Jesus has taken this punishment for me, and he promises that I will continue to walk as a free man in his everlasting kingdom. 

Which of God's promises to you in Christ will you reflect on today?

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 1:12-14

2 Corinthians 1:12-14 - Daily Devotion - 4 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

(NIV)

REFLECTIONS

Written by Lauren Sing

When was the last time you heard someone boast in something – or when did you last boast? What did they (or you) boast in? Was it about a physical attribute, like looks or strength? A skill or ability? A possession? When people boast, we rarely see it as a positive trait, because the motive is mostly to bring glory to themselves.

Here, we see Paul and Timothy “boast”, but their motive is to point the Corinthians back to God.  They discuss the way they have conducted themselves, particularly in their interactions with the church in Corinth.  They have acted with “integrity and godly sincerity”, and the reason they highlight that is to reassure the Corinthians that their motives are genuine. But what’s so interesting about this boast is that they are not pointing to their own abilities or worldly knowledge. Their goal is to point to God’s grace, and to God working through them to love and care for the Corinthians in the face of adversity.

Paul and Timothy have also been transparent and honest in their writings to the Corinthians, in contrast with those who have been spreading false teachings or trying to discredit Paul’s teaching. They hoped, through their letters, that the Corinthians could come to know the truth and good news of the gospel, so that on judgement day, they would mutually bring glory to God.

When serving others and our church, do we take pride in our worldly wisdom, or do we rely on God for his grace and provision? Our goal, as we serve, love and encourage each other, should be that these actions always give glory to God. Pray that in everything we do, we would not amplify ourselves, but point others to our loving and gracious God. Pray that we would always look to Christ as our example as we strive to serve others, so that we are sincere in our intentions and act with godly integrity.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 - Daily Devotion - 3 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living. 9 Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from so great a risk of death, and he will deliver us. We have set our hope on him that he will deliver us yet again, 11 as you also join in helping us by prayer, so that many people may give thanks to God on our behalf for the gracious gift given to us through the help of many.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

I’ve read the first chapter of 2 Corinthians many times in my life.  Most especially during the first year that I really experienced sickness which led to having chronic fatigue in my life.  But I never noticed verse 8 before until today.  In this short passage, the apostle Paul explains that he and his ministry team experienced significant hardship in their travels throughout Asia.  Throughout this hardship, even though it was like receiving a death sentence, God delivered them.  But what I didn’t notice until today was Paul’s description of their experience of that hardship. Paul describes it as a “great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired life itself”.  

I can’t say that I have felt many moments in my life like this, but one of them was in the early days of chronic fatigue. I recall an overwhelming sense of helplessness, almost like I had received a death sentence, not being able to move, let alone go for a walk. I don’t think I experienced despair, but I remember thinking that is far beyond what I was ever prepared to endure. In my helplessness, I remember being only able to call out to God, and not much more. Even though I didn’t notice it at the time, when I started to recover, looking at back, I realised that it was only in my utter helplessness that I came to truly depend on God.  Just like what Paul writes in this passage, I too share the same belief that “this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God”.  

As I reflect on this passage, and my time with sickness, I realise and thank God that he too delivered me from great peril.  But the great peril that God has delivered me from wasn't my sickness. The great peril that God has delivered me from was actually my pride.  My pride in thinking that I might work for his kingdom with my own strength, or my own smartness.  Or that somehow I could architecture my own blessings or even righteousness under my own power.  I stand today delivered from that great peril, weak and humbled, reliant on Him, and very thankful.  

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park Congregation.

2 Corinthians 1:5-7

2 Corinthians 1:5-7 - Daily Devotion - 2 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you share in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Jono Truong

Have you ever been stuck in a tough situation, feeling like there was no way out? Did it leave you feeling isolated and alone?

In today’s short passage, Paul continues speaking to the Corinthian Christians about sharing abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so that their comforts may also abound through Christ. Paul confidently highlights his firm hope: that just as the Corinthians share in his sufferings, as fellow believers, they will also share in his comfort.

This reference to suffering reminded me of 1 Peter 2:21, where Peter says, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” That is, Christ suffered, so as His followers we should expect the same. This passage was a timely reminder for me that as followers of Christ, we aren’t promised a life that is free from trouble. In fact, we are called to endure hardships that mirror the sufferings of Jesus. Naturally, I do not like suffering – it is distressing, painful and leads to uncertainty. However, this passage gives me the unwavering hope that no matter what trials come my way, my hope in Christ remains firm, because I know that just as I share in his sufferings, I will also share abundantly in the overwhelming comfort that abounds through Him.

Are you currently going through a season of suffering yourself? Or do you know someone currently going through suffering and distress? Pray today that we would remember that we are not alone in our suffering. And ask God to help you encourage a brother or sister in Christ (perhaps the person you thought of yesterday), by reminding them that we are not alone in suffering, just as we’re not alone in the abounding comfort and salvation provided through Christ.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jono is a member of our Fairfield Evening church.

2 Corinthians 1:1-4

2 Corinthians 1:1-4 - Daily Devotion - 1 October 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia. 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Yesterday we read from Acts about when Paul first took the gospel to the city of Corinth. Today I’ll fill in a bit more about Corinth and the context of this letter.

Corinth was a city in Greece (back then, it was the Roman Province of Achaia). Corinth was a city of flashy wealth and prestige, where everyone was trying to climb up the social ladder to positions of higher comfort, status and honour. From Paul’s letters to them, it seems that the Christians in the church in Corinth faced constant temptation to follow the spirit of their culture, by trying to out-do each other and worry about status and prestige in the church. That meant they were also vulnerable to false teachers who would come in presenting themselves as super-spiritual super-apostles, promising victory and success in Jesus’ name.

Paul’s relationship with the Corinthian church was sometimes rocky. We know this letter as “2 Corinthians”, but it was probably the fourth letter Paul had written them. In a previous letter (which we don’t have), he had had to sternly rebuke them for a casual attitude to sexual immorality – although by the time he wrote this letter, it seems they listened to him and repented. But things were still fairly tense. So how would Paul address this letter? Would he come in with all guns blazing, throw his authority around, and beat them into grovelling and submission?

Not at all. I love the fact that Paul starts by reminding them of the “grace and peace” that has come to them from God (v2), praising God for being the God of comfort (v3), and reassuring the Corinthian Christians about the comfort that they can receive from God (v4). In fact, Paul and his companions had been through a series of intense troubles. But Paul sees these troubles are a gift from God, because they give Paul a chance to resonate with others who are suffering and to share the comfort he has received through Christ with them.

I wonder if there’s a Christian brother or sister you know who is going through a time of trouble? If you have found comfort in your troubles from knowing Jesus, and knowing the hope that is stored up for us in heaven, could you extend that gospel comfort to them today?

This letter is going to be filled with wisdom about Christian life and ministry – and I love that it starts with weakness and vulnerability. 2 Corinthians is all about how God uses our weakness and troubles to display his power, by building a genuine fellowship of suffering believers, so that Christ might be glorified. Because the Christian life and Christian ministry are cross-shaped.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Acts 18:1-11

Acts 18:1-11 - Daily Devotion - 30 September 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Tomorrow we will be starting the letter of 2 Corinthians. Today we’ll set the context by reading the passage in Acts where Paul first brought the gospel to Corinth.

1 After this Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to depart from Rome. Paul approached them, 3 and because he worked at the same trade, he stayed with them and worked with them (for they were tentmakers by trade). 4 He addressed both Jews and Greeks in the synagogue every Sabbath, attempting to persuade them.

5 Now when Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul became wholly absorbed with proclaiming the word, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6 When they opposed him and reviled him, he protested by shaking out his clothes and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am guiltless! From now on I will go to the Gentiles!” 7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went to the house of a person named Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the president of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household, and many of the Corinthians who heard about it believed and were baptized. 9 The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent 10 because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you because I have many people in this city.” 11 So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Trung Nguyen

What stood out to me in this passage was verses 9 to 11. I’m continually amazed that Jesus knew what was happening in Paul’s life and cared for him.

In a time when Paul may have been feeling worried he might get beaten up and deflated after his own people, the Jews, rejected him, Jesus was there to comfort and encourage Paul. The Lord Jesus spoke to Paul in verse 9 and 10 in a vision and encouraged him to not be afraid and to keep speaking the truth. Jesus continued to comfort Paul by telling him of the same words he told his disciples before he ascended into heaven: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

I’m often pumped up to share the gospel when I read the accounts in Acts when Paul is so “gung-ho” with sharing the gospel and seeing his zeal and passion for the lost to repent and trust in Jesus. Part of me also feels like I can’t do what Paul does. But this passage in Acts reminds me that Paul can do all these things because Jesus is with him, just as Jesus is with us. Jesus will be with us always, to the very end of the age. It is Jesus’ mission to the world that we are invited to be a part of, and it is Jesus who will carry us through to not be afraid and to keep on speaking.

The next time we have an opportunity to speak to someone about Jesus, let’s remember that Jesus is with us, empowering us with the words to speak and encouraging us to not be afraid.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Trung is a ministry apprentice with our Fairfield morning and evening congregations.

Growing in holy living (12)

Growing in holy living (12) - Daily Devotion - 28 September 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Earlier in the month, we read this verse from Hebrews:

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

If you read that verse on its own, you might think it means, “Unless you’re good enough for heaven, you won’t get there.” Thankfully, the writer to the Hebrews has already made it crystal clear that believers in Jesus have already been madeholy and are being made holy through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (see Hebrews 10:10, 14).

That doesn’t mean our effort isn’t required. God commands us to make every effort to live out our holy position. But that doesn’t mean you need to be “good enough.” It’s another way of saying: Don’t walk away from Christ! Don’t give up the struggle. Press on towards the goal (Philippians 3:12).

The effort is hard though, isn’t it? What will keep us motivated to continue striving?

Yesterday we looked at Paul’s Christ-centred perspective in Colossians 3:1-4. In the following verses, Paul describes what striving for holy living looks like in practice. He lists aspects of our old selves that we are to put to death, and characteristics of Christ that we are to put on. You’ll recognise many of the topics we have explored:

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. … 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, (Colossians 3:5, 8-9a)

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)

But sprinkled through the passage, there are also a number of motivations for holy living. The first one is a negative motivation for putting off the acts of the earthly nature:

Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (v. 6)

This isn’t really a fear-based motivation – though the coming judgment of God is certainly a fearful prospect! But Paul’s point is that it would make absolutely no sense for us to keep throwing ourselves into the very things that are the reason for the coming judgment day.

It’s a bit like me and sun protection. My skin is sun-damaged and prone to skin cancers. I love the feeling the sun on my face – but it would be crazy for me to lie on the beach in summer with no sunscreen or protection. Sunlight on my skin is why skin cancers are coming, so why would I go back for more?

It makes just as little sense for a follower of Jesus to carelessly continue in the things that have provoked God’s righteous anger.

The rest of the motivations in the passage are all positive and grace-filled:

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (v. 9-10)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved… (v. 12a)

Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (v. 13b)

If you are committed to Jesus being your King, you are safe and secure in God’s love. He has chosen you, forgiven you, made you holy, set his love on you; and he is at work moulding your new self into his own image. Having that security is what will most help you to live for God.

Growth in holiness comes from gazing on God and his grace, and so clothing yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:14).

Let’s return one last time to the same list of practical life areas that we considered yesterday. Did you manage to choose one to work on? I’m a big fan of the general principle in life: Choose one thing to improve. It doesn’t have to be the “right” one. Don’t overthink it and don’t try to pick everything, or you’ll end up paralysed. It’s much better to work on one thing than none … so just pick one! Here they are again:

• Money, greed, and generosity

• Lying and keeping your word

• Submitting to authorities

• Anger and forgiveness

• Sexual purity and contentment

• Stealing and honesty

• Slander, gossip, and gracious words

• Coveting and contentment with what God has given you

Make a plan, put it in your diary, line up a holy-living buddy … and keep working on our three steps until they become your natural instinct: Be real with God, rest in the gospel, and resolve with God to live in devotion to him.

Because it’s all – from start to glorious finish – by his grace and power.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Growing in holy living (11)

Growing in holy living (11) - Daily Devotion - 27 September 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

For our last two devotions in our series on growing in holiness, we’re going to take a step back to see the big picture again. But at the same time, we’ll think back over the practical topics we’ve covered. Here’s a list of the areas of practical living we considered. Choose the one that stands out as the area where you most need to grow in holiness:

• Money, greed, and generosity

• Lying and keeping your word

• Submitting to authorities

• Anger and forgiveness

• Sexual purity and contentment

• Stealing and honesty

• Slander, gossip, and gracious words

• Coveting and contentment with what God has given you

As you think about those, let’s turn to Colossians 3:1-4. These verses give us such a clear and simple perspective on life as a follower of Jesus. This is the perspective on life that will help us to persevere and grow in holy living.

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

If you have turned to Jesus as your saviour and Lord, the most important thing is not what’s happening in your life here and now. It’s your past, present, and future with Jesus. I find it helpful to visualise it as “back, up, forward”:

1. When you look back, you remember that Jesus died and rose to deliver you from sin and devote you to God.

2. When you look up, you remember that your true life is safe with Jesus. He has secured an eternal inheritance for you, safely guarded in heaven.

3. When you look forward, you remember what you are eagerly waiting for: the return of Jesus in glory. When that happens, you will be raised to life and joy with him, and the only “you” left will be the new you, remade to be like Jesus.

So Paul encourages to fix both our hearts (v1) and our minds (v2) on those realities. That is, fix both your desires and your thoughts on Christ himself. Don’t get stuck focusing on what this world has to offer, or on your own troubles or failings. Work each day at developing that steady perspective of looking back, up, and forward to Jesus.

How do you do that? There are several things God has given us to help us continue clinging to his grace in Jesus. They are sometimes called “the means of grace.” We touched on one of them when we looked at the Sabbath command: gathering regularly with other believers to remind one another of the great story of salvation. That’s the story Paul has just summarised.

The two other essential means of grace are fairly obvious: filling your mind with Scripture and filling your day with prayer. We can’t gather every day, but those other tools for keeping a Christ-centred perspective are available to us every day.

So … back to the list. Decide which area of holy living you are going to prioritise over the coming weeks, or even months or years. Change can be slow, though God may also surprise you. To start with, follow our three steps:

1. Be real with God.

2. Rest in the gospel.

3. Resolve with God to live in devotion to him, by his grace and power.

After that, make a plan! What will it look like for you to work hard at growing in this? Write down your plan, or put it in your diary, or set up a regular reminder on your phone. Even better, message someone now to say, “This is what I want to work on over the next few weeks – I’m not sure how I’ll go about it yet, but can you be my holy-living buddy?” Arrange to catch up with them and talk about your plan.

In all that, one final word: Always seek to be motivated by grace, not by guilt. We all feel guilty when we fail God, even though we are objectively righteous because of Jesus. It’s probably a good thing that our sin makes us feel guilty. But guilt is a lousy motivator to change. If you expect feeling guilty to do the job, you will cling to your guilt, but it will only crush you. Resting in the gospel means, after you have confessed fully and honestly, you return to filling your mind with the grace of God in Jesus. Remember that Jesus dealt fully and finally with all your guilt. Meditate on God’s amazing love in washing you clean, delivering you and devoting you to himself – all by his grace and nothing else.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Growing in holy living (10)

Growing in holy living (10) - Daily Devotion - 26 September 2024

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Western society today seems to assume that our desires are usually good. “If you want it, it must be good.” But the Bible has a very different assessment of our condition. Ever since Genesis 3, our desires have been fundamentally disordered.

With that in mind, let’s look at the last of the Ten Commandments:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17)

Many people think that the Old Testament law was only concerned with outward obedience, and that Jesus introduced a new kind of righteousness of the heart. You can only think that if you stop before the last commandment. Most of the commandments are about what we do – “You shall not murder,” etc. But the Tenth Commandment takes us back to the source of our actions: the thoughts, attitudes, and desires of our hearts.

Jesus explained the way that sinful deeds come from sinful desires:

21 “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:21-23)

Both the Tenth Commandment and Jesus himself hold the highest possible standard up before us: God wants us to have desires and impulses that honour him and honour others. Living a life devoted to God means…

• not fantasising about another person’s spouse,

• not feeling jealous of someone because of their job or salary,

• not feeling bitter and angry because of the car or house or clothes or holidays that another person can afford that you would love to have,

• not imagining and toying with the idea of sin in your mind.

But … how do you obey that? It seems challenging, to say the least. For the Apostle Paul, the commandment “You shall not covet” was the one which convinced him that he was a sinner (see Romans 7:7-12).

Once again, the gospel is the answer. It brings us very good news about God’s grace in Jesus – good news that moves us to strive with all our might. God announced that good news long before Jesus, through the prophets. He promised that one day he would transform the corrupt and covetous hearts of his people. Through Jeremiah, God promised to put his law in our minds and write it on our hearts, because he would forgive our sins (Jeremiah 31:33-34). Through Ezekiel, God promised to give his people a new heart and a new spirit to obey him (Ezekiel 36:24-28).

Jesus is the fulfilment of those promises. If you trust in him, he really has put his law in your heart. He has given you his Spirit, who has implanted in you a new impulse to love God and love your neighbour.

You might doubt that sometimes – after all, the old, covetous “you” is still there, in your fleshly body. That’s why there is a battle inside us, and it’s why we need to strive to put to death the old. But imagine how much further away from holy living you would be if you didn’t know Christ! The fact that we do long to be rid of the desires that wage war against our souls shows that God’s Spirit is at work. And God’s grace and love in Jesus motivates us to strive, not desperately but with hope and confident assurance. In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul says.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)

In week 2, we saw that true freedom isn’t just being able to do whatever I want. It’s being able to do what God wants, by his grace and power. But we can go one better: True freedom is both wanting and doing what is good and pleasing to God. What a comfort it is to know that God is the one who is working in you to produce both wanting and the doing! So keep striving.

As we finish today: What is the positive opposite of coveting? I think the answer is: contentment! Here’s a great verse to memorise:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6)

If you belong to God through faith in Jesus; if he has claimed you for himself and made you holy; if your future is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), then you are unspeakably rich.

So today, bring the desires and impulses of your heart to God. I’m sure you know which desires in your heart most need the ongoing grace and power of God. Seek to be content by remembering that Christ is your treasure. Ask God to fill “the bottle” of your mind with Christ and his grace, and the eternal riches of knowing him.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.