10/01/06

The prophetic voice

"I shall be buried for a time, hidden away in obscurity; then suddenly I shall flame out, do my work. and be gone".

That prophecy was only partially fulfilled. Called 'the evangelical prophet' Oswald Chambers was not known beyond those associated with him during his short life. He died in Egypt in 1917 at the age of 43, and for some years the Christian world at large knew nothing of him. He wrote only one book Baffled to Fight  Better". He conducted no great evangelistic rally. For the most part he was content to share his insights with but few. Oswald Chambers soon became a well-known name throughout the Christian world. Far from being obscure his teaching has revealed him to be one whose insights into the Word of God, and his ability to relate them to human need has made his name known to generations of believers.

It was in the early fifties of the last century, I had the privilege of knowing his widow. Mrs. Chambers then lived in Muswell Hill, a near suburb of North London to the one where I pastored the Baptist Church. On one occasion she invited me to her home. It was then she showed me into a room, the walls of which were bookshelves. They contained many of the studies her husband had given to small groups of service men, when he was serving as a YMCA chaplain in Egypt. She graciously let me have my pick. Without his wife's skill, his name might well be unknown. She took down in shorthand all that she heard him deliver. Years later she transcribed her notes and they found their way into the Christian world. Few believers would not be familiar with "My Utmost for His highest" first published in 1935. How true were his words.  "I shall flame out" yet not gone, for his words continue to shine.

Douglas Downes, summing up the ministry of Oswald Chambers said, "There is no appeal to the emotions, no cant religious phrases, no anecdotes, just a flow of clear convincing reasoning  - stark sincerity, speaking with the authority of deep personal experience". It does not remind me of much contemporary preaching. What do we know of this man of God who left such a remarkable legacy?

Oswald Chambers was born in 1874 in Aberdeen where his father was the pastor  of Crown Terrace Baptist Church. He was raised as an Irvingite (see foot note as to the Irvingites) When his family moved to London, he heard Spurgeon preach,  and was baptised. He had been educated at  Kensington Art School, and later at Edinburgh University. it was at this time he felt called to the ministry, and entered Dunoon Training College,Scotland and was soon teaching Philosophy He travelled overseas, and on one of his trips to America he met and married Gertrude Hobbs, a court stenographer. In 1911, he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London. With the first world war, he applied for chaplaincy work, and was sent to Egypt as a YMCA chaplain. During the years of their marriage his wife took down his messages in shorthand. It was some years later that she was encouraged to transcribe her notes, and from these his books were produced.

He died in November 1917 as the result of a ruptured appendix.  He suffered extreme  pain for three days before seeking medical attention, refusing to take a bed needed by wounded soldiers.

One wonders about the influence of a life lived for the most part  away from the usual Christian scene.  Oswald Chambers was content to share his insights in the word of God with but few. Apart from one book, he never contemplated publication. His Bible studies were given to small groups. Had it not been for the skill of his wife, few would have heard his name. He used the opportunities which came to him, and sought that Christ would be honoured whether he ministered to few or to many.  He is a perfect example of what someone once said, "You can do a great deal for God, if you don't mind who gets the credit". Most of us want to be noticed and applauded.

The Irvingites were the followers of Rev. Edward Irving - 1792-1834 - a former Scottish Presbyterian. They came to be known as the Catholic Apostolic Church. They gave emphasis to the abiding gifts of the Spirit, which to some extent may be discovered in Oswald Chambers' writings. There is no evidence that he had any continuing fellowship with them. There are still  Catholic Apostolic Churches , mainly in North America.

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A Century of Witness

Since sharing something of what the last century has been like in the history of the Northcote Church, I have thought a great deal as to what was responsible for the changes the years have made in the life of that one church. They are typical of so many. However, I have been endeavouring to find a reason for the decline that followed the early years of expansion in the membership and the endeavours they made in the presentation of the Gospel. They will eventually be added to what I have already summarised below under A Century of Witness. The membership did try to find reasons, such as the war, and the advent of the motor car. I think they were  missing the real reasons. You will discover what I had in mind if you read what follows A Century of Witness.

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With aid of a wheel chair for Mona, and the generous help of a friend who acted as chauffer and general assistant, we were able  to attend the Centenary Service on Sunday 21 May of the Northcote Baptist Church. For some 8 years I had been given the privilege of preaching at the church on Sunday mornings. That ended when I became a nonagenarian. The church was packed for the celebration of a century of witness with seats down the aisles. The celebrations continued through the following Sunday. I have been asking myself as to what  exactly the 'witness' was?

Undoubtedly it was to the early vision of those who saw the spiritual needs of the distinct and formed a fellowship which was to be constituted a Baptist Church, as part of the Victorian Baptist  Union of Victoria. When the present church was opened in 1909, the membership was 44, the Sunday School had 160 scholars  with 16 teachers. The Christian Endeavour numbered 40. The next 15 years were marked by growth, By 1924 the membership was 211: church organizations were flourishing, especially the Christian Endeavour. The Sunday School was one of the largest among the Baptists of Victoria, That the witness had been effective there seems little doubt. The witness did not end with the Northcote fellowship. In the years 1911 -1929, the members were engaged in extension and five new churches were planted, for the most part 'owing to representations by the Northcote Church'.

But all was not well. Whereas the first 15 years had been marked by growth, the period to the end of the twenties saw a dramatic decline. Membership was falling, and attempts were made to increase the congregations.  It is interesting to witness the nature of the attempts.  Regular socials were to be held  with no sermon. Musical and elocutionary talent was to be used in an attempt to brighten up the Sunday evening services. That these measures did not succeed can be seen in the falling membership -  down to  63 by 1952  - and the smaller numbers attending Christian Endeavour. Searching for answers  members at the Annual General Meeting saw as factors, the war years, the advent of the motor car -  although it can be doubted that many Northcote Church families had a car - the growing number of other churches and the watering down of the strong Bible-believing stance once held by Baptists.

It seems that the warnings sounded by the church secretary  a few years earlier had not been heeded. He is quoted as saying at the Annual meeting in 1946, "I feel that in evangelization we do not compare favourably today with earlier days. Perhaps we have been so busy about the work of the church that we have lost the main issue, the real purpose of the Church's existence - winning precious souls for the Master's kingdom. During the past year, we have gained two members and lost six."

However,  there is another side that needs to be emphasised,  and that is what has emerged in the past 30 years. The witness has been directed to the new Australians - Greek, Italian, Samoan, and more recently Chinese.

It was during the pastorate of Rev. Ken Wade a small number of Chinese students came to the Church to improve their English and also deepen their  knowledge of the Christian faith.  Colin Lynch, the church secretary  organized a basic English class  prior to the morning service. Rev. Ken Wade set up an interpretation system to help them understand the morning service. At the end of 1990 the church invited Christopher  Zhang and George Guo to live in the church flat and coordinate the growth of the Chinese Fellowship. It grew rapidly in numbers and by 1995 had between 40 and 50 attending. Further growth saw the need of being a constituted a Baptist Church and as such was welcomed into the Victorian Baptist Union in October 2001.  The Chinese have had frequent Baptismal services and an increase in membership. They celebrated their 10th anniversary in July 2003. when the church was full, with a membership of 100. The two groups continue to work toward merging into a united multicultural church. As Rev. Joseph Chang says  'We are looking forward to joining the rich heritage of the Northcote Baptist Church in the near future. All the signs are that a strong, united, vibrant and evangelical fellowship will  emerge and see repeated the story that marked the first fifteen years since the Northcote Baptist Church was born - the centenary of which has just been celebrated.

There must be a lesson in all this. Jesus said, "You shall be witnesses unto Me", and when that has been the paramount aim, then the blessing of God rests upon the endeavours.

I intend to examine  the century of witness at Northcote in the context of what was happening in the church in general through the last century. Seen in this light there was nothing unusual in what took place in the life of the Northcote Baptist Church.  I will continue this during the next few days.

As I promised I am looking again at the Northcote Baptist Church and endeavouring to understand the reasons for the early remarkable growth, and then the decline that set in about 25 years later. The members pointed to the effects of the war and  the advent of the motor car. They did add 'a watering down of the strong Bible-believing stance once held by Baptists'. Were they correct? If so, how did this come to pass? Since it is my conviction that Northcote was not alone in what they were experiencing, one has to go back to consider what was taking place in the Baptist Church in England, and the extent to which it was affecting the Baptist Church in Australia.

The Baptists during the second half of the nineteenth century had seen strong growth. There was an evangelical thrust which saw churches planted. Take the influence of Spurgeon as an example. He was responsible for the founding and nurturing of 100 churches. I pastored a church nurtured by Spurgeon. He took time and effort to make the journey across London to Southgate, on the northern fringes of London, to preach at the little church. He gave personally 200 pounds - a considerable sum in those days - to the church. But Spurgeon sensed there were dangers, particularly from liberal theology which was beginning to infiltrate the church. He wanted a Statement of Faith that made the position of the Baptist Union absolutely clear. Through the 1887's he asked for this, but the Union was not disposed to agree. In the end Spurgeon seceded from the Union. What the issue at stake, as far as Spurgeon was concerned was the inroads liberal theology was making. This was the climate in the closing decades of the nineteenth century. The colleges were affected by the new teaching and it was not long before men trained in these colleges were in the pulpits.

When the their membership declined and they sought for answers, the members at Nothcote did state their conviction that there had been a watering watering down of the strong Bible-believing stance once held by the Baptists. If they were correct where must the blame be placed?

This may sound too simplistic, but it is my belief that there is a connection. When the pulpit speaks with an uncertain voice, is it to be wondered at that the influence of the church as an evangelistic enterprise is diminished.  History will demonstrate that the name of Spurgeon is known throughout the Christian world. Those who sought to persuade him to lay aside his request for a statement of faith that would safeguard the church are unknown today. Spurgeon's sermons are still being read and preached. The institutions he was responsible for - Spurgeon's College, the Orphanage, and the Colportage Association are present day testimonies of his abiding influence. The forefront of the Tabernacle at the Elephant and Castle in London still stands as a reminder of the influence of its famous preacher. The main part of the building was destroyed by bombs during the war. The Gospel he  preached is still being effectively declared.

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A long Walk to be baptized

I was thumbing through some old photographs recently. One caused me to look more carefully. It was an old black and white photograph over 60 years old. I had not taken the photograph, it was due to the kindness of another who handed it to me. It was the kind produced by the old Brownie box camera. Photographs were not very numerous in those days. It was during the war. Film was almost impossible to come by. We had two little children and we wanted - as parents do -  to have some photographic reminder of their infant days. I had a camera but no film. I saw a camera advertised in the local newspaper and decided to answer the advertisement and secure the camera. But why another camera? This one was for sale with two rolls of film. Imagine our pleasure in possessing two rolls of film! Twenty four snap happy opportunities. Black and white, but then there was nothing else. Imagine our delight. Now the latest digital camera is the tool of parents, and they are not limited to twenty pictures. They never know how fortunate they are. But what has that to do with baptism? Let me explain.

The photograph showed a group of the members of the church of which I was the pastor in Nottingham. There was a also a group of the village church members  present. It must have been one of those occasions when a city church would visit a small country church for fellowship, The little church we were visiting was in the village of Gamston. Did I say 'in the village? It was down a side street where it would not be conspicuous in the days when the Baptists might be persecuted. Running past the chapel was a tributary of the river Trent, the river Idle. That is where the baptism took place -  publicly in a river. But what was special about this one? it was the river in which Dan Taylor had been baptised.

How many Baptists have ever heard of Dan Taylor?  If you wish let me tell you about this remarkable man.

He was born in Yorkshire in 1838. At the age of five he went with his father to be a coal miner, and had no schooling until he was 20. Converted at the age of 15, he joined the Methodists, and began visiting the sick and leading prayer meetings. He was encouraged to preach and gave his first sermon in a house in Halifax. The Methodists sought to have him become a regular Methodist preacher. However, he was not in agreement with their doctrines, and found fellowship with a few friends in Heptonstall, a village near Halifax, where he was able to preach. In 1762 he left coal mining and began to educate himself.  His study of the Bible caused him to see the need of Believer's baptism, but the only Baptists nearby were strongly Calvinistic, and he believed that Christ died for all men. Having heard that there were Baptists of his persuasion in Lincolnshire he walked 120 miles to Gamston where there was a little Baptist Church. He was baptised in the river which ran beside the chapel. Returning to Yorkshire he  organised there a General Baptist Church - the only one at that time in Yorkshire. Soon after he was ordained. Sensing that there was a lack of evangelical zeal among the Baptist churches he knew, he organised what became known as The Assembly of the Free Grace General Baptists, later known as the New Connection. Henry Vedder in his Short History of the Baptists says;

The New Connection was due almost entirely to Dan Taylor. he was the life and soul of the movement. His body seemed incapable of fatigue and his labours were Herculean. His mind was naturally vigorous and he found means to cultivate its powers and make himself a fairly educated man... He led in the establishment of the fund for the education of ministers. In 1796 he was principal of a Baptist college established for that purpose. He travelled up and down England, traversing it is said twenty-five thousand miles, mostly on foot. He preached constantly; a sermon every night and three on a Sunday. On special occasions he preached several times a day. Even the labours of John Wesley are equalled, if not surpassed, by this record.

All this without a laptop or a mobile. No church office or secretary. One is tempted to say They don't make them like that these days.

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Easter 2006

There will be a renewed emphasis in thousands of pulpits on the Easter Message during the Easter period. Through what is preached we can only speculate as to the results. But we can be sure about this,  that  "Faith comes through preaching and hearing by the word of God". But we cannot be certain that what is preached is true to the Word of God, or even that it will be based on that Word. There will be the usual references to the need of peace, and the oft repeated platitudes as to why we should love one another. No doubt the answer to terrorism will have a place, but it will be accompanied by calls for tolerance and understanding. Nothing new, and nothing positive as to ways whereby these conditions may be brought about.

I have reflected on the changes I have seen over nearly seventy years of preaching. There was a day early in the last century when people had some understanding of the message of the Bible. The family bible was a feature of many a home. Grace was said before meals, and Sunday Schools flourished. Gospel services were well attended and one could preach in the knowledge that many references from Scripture would be understood. That is no longer the case. And preaching in an effort to combat this ignorance has descended into social comment, and the aim to be relevant. There has been produced a generation almost biblically ignorant. I wonder as to the grasp many regular attenders at our services - I speak as a nonconformist - have of the content of scripture. I feel it would not be too great.

I have asked myself why? What part did I play in all this? Each evening -  now we have time and circumstances that make it possible - I have been going through the bible and trying to explain  the text to my wife. We are midway through the Acts of the  Apostles, and we come to incidents of which she has no knowledge. Reading of Peter at Joppa and staying with Simon the tanner, and stressing the significance of this in the experience of Peter, she confessed that she had never heard it. Similarly when commenting on the generosity of the Christians at Antioch following the prediction by Agabus of famine especially in Jerusalem,  the Christians at Antioch organised relief for their needy brethren in Judea,  Mona commented "Isn't it all up-to-date'. But why had she no knowledge of these incidents? She had listened to my messages for over 60 years. Where had I failed?  Of course, I have recourse to the fact that she is suffering from dementia and that would be the  reason. But this argument is defeated when she does recall incidents like the healing of the cripple at the Gate Beautiful and the ministry of Dorcas .To my shame I had to admit I had never given a series of Sunday morning messages on Acts. Countless series on the books of the Bible, or the themes of these books: the lives of the great characters of the Bible: Moses, Abraham, David, Elijah, Elisha and the messages of the Minor prophets had all been covered. Similarly with the New Testament: The lives of the apostles, the Seven I AM's from John, the Seven churches  in the Revelation and many of the letters of Paul. Peter, James and John. But not the Acts of the Apostles! Why  had I been so negligent? Not that I had neglected  to preach from the book, but it had never been the subject of a series. Perhaps the length did not help. I have found that congregations are unable to take more than 12-15 messages at the most, and then want a break.

 Martyn Lloyd Jones might spend a month on one verse, but I am not not a Martyn Lloyd Jones. Perhaps I did not make them interesting enough. I do not know. What I am increasingly convinced about is that the average church goer has little if any knowledge of what we consider the essentials of our Faith.  It calls for a new emphasis on expository  preaching. But we are producing few preachers who, for the most part are capable of this kind of preaching, some it seems do not see the importance of it. I may have the urge to follow this in more detail....

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I must add that I do not preach from notes. Once I have settled on an outline of the message, I rely on memory to bring to mind what I have considered during earlier reflection Nevertheless, the following notes provide the substance of what was said - illustrations are omitted.

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Notes of a message delivered at the Strathalan Baptist Community.

Different Perspectives

It all depends on the way you look at it. But there is another side to the matter.  How often such statements have to be considered when looking at a situation. It is particularly true of the circumstances we meet along the pilgrim way.

It has been said that it is not our circumstances that matter, but the way we react to them.

Let me take you to two examples, one may be spoken of as the negative reaction, the other the positive.

THE NEGATIVE ONE

There was a day in the life of the patriarch Jacob when it seemed his world had been blown apart. During a time of severe famine, which affected the whole of the eastern Mediterranean, he had heard that there ‘was corn in Egypt’. Mentioning this to his sons, he observed that they ‘looked on one another’. The strange look that passed between them was caused by the word Egypt. When, on one occasion they had been tending their flocks in Canaan, their return had been delayed so that Jacob sent his son Joseph to locate them. Seeing ‘this dreamer’ approaching they had in mind to kill him. One of them, Judas, had other ideas. A slave caravan was passing on its way to Egypt. “Why not sell him,” he suggested to the others, and for 20 pieces of silver Joseph was sold. To cover their deed they killed a kid and smeared the cloak Joseph had been wearing with blood. Jacob needed no more evidence for him to arrive at the conclusion his sons intended.

This deed many years before, was conjured up in their minds when Jacob mentioned ‘corn in Egypt’. The visit to Egypt did not turn out as they had expected. Joseph, now governor of Egypt recognised them. They did not know him and since he spoke to them through an interpreter he was aware of what they said to one another. He accused them of being spies, which they denied saying that they were the sons of one man in Canaan, and there was another brother with their father. He decided to test them, his purpose being to see ‘this other brother’ – Benjami - and to keep one, Simeon, as a hostage. It was this situation they had to explain to Jacob on their return. His reaction is in the words,

“all these things are against me” Genesis 42,36.

“Joseph is not”. Jacob accepted the logic of that. How wrong he was.

“Simeon is not” Simeon was hostage to a brother’s love not rotting in an Egyptian prison.

“Will you take Benjamin away?” It was not cruel fingers that were reaching out for Benjamin. Joseph and Benjamin were sons of the woman Jacob really loved – Sarah. That was what motivated Joseph. Benjamin was a blood brother.

Jacob could come to no other conclusion. In the end he was compelled by circumstances to let Benjamin go. Yet circumstances were engineered to prove that Jacob was wrong.

The hymn writer has stressed the fact that we often do misunderstand when he urges us to;

“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense.

          But trust him for His grace,

Behind a frowning providence

           He hides a smiling face.”

When things are tough and we think that circumstances are against us, we need to postpone judgment. Time may well demonstrate that we were misreading our circumstances.

 THE POSITIVE REACTION

When Paul delivered his final address to the elders of the church at Ephesus when he met them at Miletus, he could say

“None of these things move me”

The apostle was referring to the things he had suffered, particularly at the hands of his countrymen. The orthodox Jews never fully accepted that the Good News should be taken to the Gentiles. Not that their opposition lessened his desires for them. He was deeply concerned for their spiritual good. Indeed he says,” I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” Romans 9,2-3

When he says ‘none of these things move me,” he is speaking about his determination to be God’s messenger to the Gentiles, no matter what the cost. At the time he was confronted by Christ at Damascus that was the mission he was given, “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake, Acts 9,15-16. Paul was under no illusion as to what was involved in that call. Yet he was determined to accomplish it, even unto death.

We so easily give up. Our Christian testimony is sometimes overwhelmed or compromised  by disappointment, difficulties and our desire for an easy road. What the world would have lost in terms of the alleviation of suffering;  the trials of the slaves; the cry of the orphan, and the task of taking the Gospel to others, if men and women down the centuries had allowed circumstances to deflect them from their God-given ministry.  In spite of suffering and opposition,  they have had the same attitude as Paul and have said, “None of these things move me.”

Doubtless we will never find ourselves at either extreme of the two instances mentioned. However, whatever our circumstances it gives courage and assurance if we can say "But all things work together for good to them that love God, and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8,28.

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David honours a promise

2 Samuel chapter 9

When David was secure as ruler of the kingdom, he recalls a promise he had made many years before: the promise was to show kindness to any of the house of Saul. It was made to Jonathan when David's life was threatened by the envy of Saul. Due to Jonathan's friendship  David was able to flee to safety. Before doing so, he had entered into a covenant with Jonathan that he would secure the safety of any of Jonathan's family. The terms of that covenant are given in 1 Samuel 20, 14-16.

1, It was kindness to a most unlikely person

When The Philistines defeated Israel,  three of Saul's  sons including Jonathan,  were killed, and Saul fell on his own sword. As news of the defeat was relayed to  the house of Saul, a servant endeavoured to take Jonathan's son to a place of safety. In her haste she dropped him, and he was crippled in both feet. For years he had been in exile at Lodebar, a place of no pasture on the east of Jordan.  It may have been an act of kindness on the part of David to locate Mephibosheth, yet an extremely risky one, if Mephibosheth became the magnet for a group ready to press his claims to the throne.

Such considerations did not enter David's thinking. He was determined to honour the promise made to Jonathan many years before. It reminds us that "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us." In seeking the lost God always takes the initiative. Jesus said, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost",  We, like Mephibosheth are crippled exiles until the kindness of God reaches out to us.

2. It was kindness based on an Unconditional Promise.

David recalled the covenant into which he had entered with Jonathan, and was determined to honour it - if there was any survivor of the house of Saul. Ziba, a servant of Saul's house, knew that there was a son of Jonathan still alive, and is able to give David the information as to his whereabouts. David is now in a position to fulfil the terms of the covenant he had made with Jonathan. God, in His unmerited kindness toward us, summons us. For the sake of His Son, He wishes to grant to us His great and precious promises - most of all Himself. "For God so love that He gave...His son" -  He could not do more.

 3. It was kindness to an Unexpected Privilege

What Mephibosheth expected is made clear by the fact that he prostrated himself before David -referring to himself as 'a dead dog'. Doubtless, he expected the worst. Imagine his surprise when he is told that all his former possessions have been restored, and he will "eat at the king's table continually". That phrase "at the king's table" is like a refrain in chapter 9. David was not in the business of doing things by halves. When we are summoned by God's grace to accept of His promises, everything is restored. It is a truth expressed by Charles Wesley in his hymn O for a thousand tongues to sing,  but often omitted from today's hymn books. Perhaps the editors feel that the allusions to Adam would be lost on most congregations. The verse reads:

    Where he displays his healing power
        Death and the curse are known no more. 
   In him the tribes of Adam boast
       More blessings than their father lost

When God fulfils his promises to those who receive them, he gives freely and generously.

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