I
Cor. 16:9 "For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and
there are many adversaries."
May 11,
2008
Pentecost
Let us
celebrate the Holy Spirit's work on the 1st Pentecost as well as now.
Centrifugal
or Centripetal?
Introduction
In
the March report to the Mission Board I included part of a report that
Ziegenbalg and Gruendler sent back to their board from India
dated Nov.
15, 1713. In this report point number seven was:
We
are not satisfied with an outward change of religion. We insist on complete
transformation of the heart in obedience to faith. Therefore we are not
interested in increasing the number of converts. Rather, we make sure that
those who become Lutherans grow in active knowledge of the truth, holy
life, and real Christianity.
This
is of course true Lutheran practice and draws from the Scriptures when
Paul for instance tells the Ephesian elders, “I did not shrink from declaring
to you the whole counsel of God.” Acts 20:27
On
the ‘numbers’ angle the missionaries were reacting to practices of others
of just giving a minimum of teaching to get converts in. The backdrop though
of where these men were reminds us that they were interested in ‘numbers’
in a proper sense. They came all the way from Germany
to India
to extend the kingdom of God which meant conversions. We also today have
to be careful that we do not get sidelined or distracted due to a reaction
to improprieties of other churches in their practices, whether it be giving
a bare minimum of instruction or of compromising teachings in instruction.
There
is a difference between a church which was centrifugal in its outlook or
centripetal. The basic dictionary definitions help to explain. Centripetal
means “to move toward a center…developing inward toward the center.” Centripetal
force is “the force tending to pull a thing inward when it is rotating
rapidly around a center.” On the other hand centrifugal is “moving or tending
to move away from a center.” And centrifugal
force is the “force tending to pull a thing outward…” A master’s
degree is certainly not necessary to allow one tosee that
the radical difference between these two expressions also has application
to the church. We are involved in ‘pulling outward.’
The
Scriptural and Historical Thrust
As
a matter of fact, the wholesome thrust of the church is centrifugal, if
we would be faithful to our Lord’s instructions repeated at the conclusion
of all four Gospels.
Mt. 28:19
“Go…all nations.”
Mk. 16:15
“Go into all the world…to the whole creation.”
Lk. 24:47
“…to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.”
Jn. 20:21
“…As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
The
apostles certainly realized the thrust of the Lord’s Words. The record
in Scripture and from tradition tells us they ‘went.’ And as we view the
centrifugal force the center of Jerusalem
was replaced by (Syrian) Antioch, which in turn was replaced by Ephesus.
And so it went.
The
Value of One Soul
In
Lk. 15:10
we read, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over
one sinner who repents.” This interestingly is told at the end of the parables
about going out to seek the lost sheep and searching diligently for the
lost coin. In Acts 8:26f. think of the effort over that one Ethiopian and
how the evangelist was sent to him. On the isle of Cyprus
that one man Sergius Paulus occupied Paul’s efforts in depth. Acts 13:2f.When
we consider a group, it is best to view that as a composite of individuals
each of whom needs attention and prayer.
Acts
– Centrifugal and Numbers Wise
At
the same time as Acts exhibits the church in its centrifugal force, there
is also the concern about numbers in the record. Just take a casual stroll
with me as we consider what Luke records numbers wise.
2:41 “So
those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day
about 3000 souls.”
4:4 “But
many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came
to about 5000.”
5:14 “And
more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men
and women.”
6:7 “And
the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly
in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” And contextually
the other two of the three book marks would also indicated growth in numbers. 12:24, 19:20
This
idea about pulling outward we see also numbers wise.
8:6 “And
the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip…” And
this was in that vile Samaria.
When the apostles hear that Samaria had received the Word, Peter and John
are dispatched there.
10:27
“And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered”
Into the house of an unclean, Cornelius,
Peter’s goes and a harvest of souls is reaped.
11:24,26
“…And a large company was added to the Lord.” “For a whole year they met
with the church, and taught a large company of people…” This at Antioch
in Syriawas
due to forward looking men from Cyprus
and Cyrene who went to Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus. 11:20
Paul’s
journeys were in ever widening circles not just to cover more geography,
rather to reach more people.
--14:1
At Iconium a great company believed.
--14:21
At Derbe they had made many disciples.
--16:5
The churches were strengthened and increased in numbers daily.
--17:4
At Thessalonica a great many of the devout Greeks believed.
Rome/
Spain…Africa/India
When
Paul says that he must also see Rome,
Acts 19:21,
it was not as some tourist, but as an ambassador to bring the Good News
for conversions. When he writes the Romans about his ambition to go on
to Spain
it was not for some leisurely retirement in the Andalusian sun. His words,
“thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has
already been named…” Rom. 15:20
“I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain…”
v. 24 The whole thrust outward of going to the other end of the Mediterranean
was to preach that the Spirit might convert where there had not been conversions
before. Numbers wise.
Well
now, what about our situation?
Muslim,
Masai, Ndoroboin Africa are“out” there like the
Samaritans, Gentiles and Greeks were in the Acts record. The same holds
true of the tribals and unscheduled castes in India.
The
CLC mission board increasingly, due to numbers dealt with overseas, faces
increased demand on that part of its budget dealing with foreign work,
or to put it another way, the centrifugal work. And when it comes to further
insight into ourwork, the thrust propounded to all is the
centrifugal force of the Gospel.Go especially to the village
where there is no Christian church. Go into areas where Christ is not named,
the Spains of our day.
Here
are a couple axioms for thought and prayer.
·The
church is a living organism (metaphor).Corroboratingly, if
it is living, it is growing.
·The
church is dynamic or a dynamism. Recapituate what happens to the gates
of hell, the devil’s obstructions on this earth.
Conclusion
And
finally when it does come to numbers wise in the centrifugal force of the
church listen to the sparkling fresh Word on that.
It is
our Savior God “WHO DESIRES ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE TRUTH.” 1 Tim. 2:4 That is rather big in numbers, eh?
In Peter’s
second letter, in which he warns of the judgment, he also reminds us how
God wants none lost in the shuffle and that the crowd is a composite of
individuals. He “IS FORBEARING TOWARD YOU, NOT WISHING THAT ANY SHOULD
PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD REACH REPENTANCE.” 2 Pet. 3:9
For
your prayerful reading in celebration of Pentecost
2008
B.A.S.I.C.
NEWSLETTER # 121 I Cor. 16:9
"For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many
adversaries."
May 30, 2008
Pastor Nathanael
Mayhew
Beginning this year
Pastor Mayhew will replace Pastor Koenig in the visitations to East Africa.
I was glad to be able to work with our brethren in East Africa and pray
that Pastor Mayhew will be given by our Lord the wisdom and strength to
carry on this joyful task. The mission board's decision on this has obvious
benefits to our brothers in East Africa. Pastor Mayhew is considerably
younger than I am and will certainly have the stamina to speed on with
the Gospel. 2 Thess. 3:1 He will also devote his time completely to this
work in East Africa, while I had to divide my attention between India and
Africa. I am sure as time passes we will see other blessings come forth
from this change also. Pastor Mayhew will represent the mission board to
our sister churches and seek to visit and work at least one month each
year. A meeting will be held in June by the mission board on the East African
work with Pastor Mayhew. If any of the brothers in Kenya and Tanzania have
questions now in preparation for this meeting, they should be addressed
to Pastor Mayhew. He also now begins as the correspondent for: Etago CLC,
Nairobi CLC, LCEA, CLCEA. God bless His work and crown all our efforts
with success. His email is ndmayhew@juno.com
Bible Challenges-continued Quiz Book by F.H.Moehlmann
Quiz: WHY (The answers are below)
1. Why did Jesus no longer appear in public
after He had raised Lazarus?
2. Why did the Wise Men not return to
their homeland by the way of Jerusalem?
3. Why did the Roman captain send Paul
from Jerusalem to Caesarea?
4. Why are Christ's true followers hated
by all men?
5. Why did Jesus not perform many wonders
in His hometown?
6. Why did Herodias feel so bitter toward
John the Baptist?
7. Why did Peter begin to sink when he
attempted to walk on the water?
8. Why did Jesus refuse to send the multitude
away hungry?
9. Why did Jesus severely rebuke Peter
after He had announced His death?
10.Why did Jesus on one occasion big Peter
go fishing by himself?
11.Why did Jewish elders beg Jesus to
heal a centurion's sick servant?
12.Why did the Roman solder not break
the legs of Jesus on the cross?
13.Why did the Jews persecute Jesus and
seek to kill Him?
14.Why did Jesus big Zacchaeus to come
down out of the tree?
15.Why did the Jewish leaders refuse to
enter Pilate's judgment hall?
Ah, the Ladies God
Bless 'Em - Ann Hasseltine Judson (Part 2 of 4)
Some years ago several of us had the opportunity
to go on a mission trips with Pastor Bohde in Thailand. In addition to
going over to China we went to a refugee camp of the Karen tribe who came
across from Burma to Thailand. There are maybe 1.2 million Karen in Burma(Myanmar)
and 300,000 in Thailand. If you mention the name of Adoniram Judson to
these Karen, they will likely know it. The large number of Karen who are
Baptists today dates back to Judson's work in the early 1800's. Adoniram
Judson was the first American foreign missionary. And accompanying him
was Ann Hasseltine Judson(1789-1826).
A good wife who can find? She is far more
precious than jewels. Solomon knew what he was putting down in Proverbs
what with his problems with women. Adnoniram Judson found the good wife
in Ann.
Adoniram Judson wrote to his father-in-law
in asking for the hand of his daughter, "I have now to ask whether
you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her
no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure to a heathen
land and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary
life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean,
to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India, to every kind
of want and distress, to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps
a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left
His heavenly home and died for her and for you?" This all happened to her
except the violent death, though death was relatively at an early age,
37.
Ann wanted to marry a missionary and she
did. Even though she was from a well-to-do family in high society, she
wanted to help to spread the precious Good News of the Savior to foreign
lands. In 1812 when war was coming to America they left as emissaries of
the Prince of Peace to the Far East. Finally, they began work in Burma.
She formed a society of women which met on Sunday and prayed and read Scripture.
Among her literary work she produced a catechism. Having learned the Burmese
and Siamese languages with her husband she was a valuable assistant in
translation. Among the various ways in which she showed her love for the
Burmese was in teaching a girls' school. She saw these children and women
as ones who needed the Shepherd's guidance.
The most trying time for her was not just
the cholera, smallpox, spotted fever and liver problems. It was when her
husband was imprisoned at the outbreak of war between Burma and the
British. Though they were Americans they were treated as spies for the
British. As her husband went off to prison for 18 months all furniture
and clothes was taken from their house. Guards were posted at her house
treating her roughly. As our Lord has beckoned us to take up our cross
and follow Him, she did. The very poignant picture we have of her is going
to the prison and pleading for her husband over and over. She would come
with her baby in arms and with an adopted native child at her side. The
prison did not provide food, so she had to get that and bring it to him.
The Burmese moved Judson and she had to trek after him many miles to another
prison.
She wrote, "How dark, how intricate the
providence which now surrounds us! Yet it becomes us to be still and know
that He is God who has thus ordered our circumstances." This is what we
call faith. She stood by her man through these long months until his release.
When her husband was imprisoned, she not
only helped him but her loving concern went to other prisoners. One wrote
the following, “Mrs. Judson was the author of those eloquent and forcible
appeals to the government, which prepared them by degrees for submission
to terms of peace …. And while on this subject, the overflowings of grateful
feelings, on behalf of myself and fellow prisoners, compel me to add a
tribute of public thanks to that amiable and humane female, who, though
living at a distance of two miles from our prison, without any means of
conveyance, and very feeble in health, forgot her own comfort and infirmity,
and almost every day visited us, sought out and administered to our wants
and contributed in every way to alleviate our misery.”
She went to be with the Lord not too long
after the prison time of her husband. The world looks at a woman like this
with shaking heads and wonders what makes her tick. We know. She knew her
Savior and His great love. The anniversary of her birth is approaching,
October 24th. Why not take a little time on that day and thank God for
faithful women like Ann and pray He raises up more. And when next
you hear about the Myanmar military junta persecuting the Buddhist priests,
remember in your prayers the Karen Christians who are also persecuted.
As they did it to the wood when it was green so when it is dry.
Quiz- Answers to Why
l. Because Jewish leaders had planned to
kill Him. John 11:45-54.
2. Because warned by God. Matt.
2:9-12.
3. Because Jews sought to destroy Him.
Acts 23:12-24.
4. On His account. Matt. 10:16-22.
5. Because of the want of faith.
Matt. 13:58.
6. Because John had told Herod it was
unlawful for him to live with her. Mark 6:17-19.
7. Because of little faith. Matt.
14:30,31.
8. Afraid they would faint on the way.
Matt. 15:32.
9. Because he savored not the things of
God. Matt. 16:21-23.
10.To get money with which to pay taxes.
Matt. 24:27.
11.Because he loved their nation and had
built a synagog. Luke 7:1-5.
12.Saw He was already dead, prophecy fulfilled.
John 19:31-37.
13.Because He had healed on the Sabbath
and called God His Father. John 5:15-18.
14.Because He wanted to stay at his house.
Luke 19:5.
15.To avoid being ceremonially defiled.
John 18:28.