Today at church we baptised seven new Christians. One of them had been a Moslem.
When a Moslem becomes interested in Christianity, their family will do everything in their power to dissuade this interest. But when that person gets baptised as a Christian, their family know that the battle is lost, and in some cases will even seek to kill their relative for becoming a Christian. So, for a Moslem to choose to be baptised as a Christian can literally be to sign their own death warrant.
As Christians we can take baptism much too casually, for we know that, of itself, it does not make someone a Christian. For this young man there was nothing casual about it!
And, actually, nor should there be for any of us, as it signifies that we have put to death our ‘old life’, and risen to 'new life' in Jesus Christ.
Sunday 26 April 2015
Friday 3 April 2015
Mistaking the real danger
Today the news headlines round much of the world proclaim: '147 killed at Kenyan university'. The dead were mostly students at a university in Garissa, Kenya. They died at the hands of gunmen who reportedly selected Christians to kill.
As I am a Christian and live on the campus of another university in Kenya, albeit many miles from Garissa, it is understandable that people who know me worry about my safety at times like this.
Such news reminds us - if we need reminding - of the dangers of the world in which we live.
Although such news is both shocking and tragic, I believe that we mistake where the greatest danger lies, fearing bullets and bombs, but being oblivious to the much greater dangers that affect our eternal destiny.
Do not get me wrong, I do not seek to die at the hands of any gunman, and will review again my already tight security. However, as I believe God called me to live and work here, I have no intention of moving to somewhere that might look more secure, if by so doing I am being disobedient to my God.
Today also happens to be Good Friday, the day on which Christians remember that Jesus was killed in the most gruesome manner possible, in order to take the punishment for the sin of mankind. But I look forward to two days’ time, when we will celebrate Easter - Jesus’ resurrection! - and so know that his promise of eternal life to all who will accept him as Lord is true.
It was Jesus who said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10v28)
I am much more secure here, doing the work that God has given me to do, than living in some quiet corner of the world just minding my own business.
As I am a Christian and live on the campus of another university in Kenya, albeit many miles from Garissa, it is understandable that people who know me worry about my safety at times like this.
Such news reminds us - if we need reminding - of the dangers of the world in which we live.
Although such news is both shocking and tragic, I believe that we mistake where the greatest danger lies, fearing bullets and bombs, but being oblivious to the much greater dangers that affect our eternal destiny.
Do not get me wrong, I do not seek to die at the hands of any gunman, and will review again my already tight security. However, as I believe God called me to live and work here, I have no intention of moving to somewhere that might look more secure, if by so doing I am being disobedient to my God.
Today also happens to be Good Friday, the day on which Christians remember that Jesus was killed in the most gruesome manner possible, in order to take the punishment for the sin of mankind. But I look forward to two days’ time, when we will celebrate Easter - Jesus’ resurrection! - and so know that his promise of eternal life to all who will accept him as Lord is true.
It was Jesus who said, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10v28)
I am much more secure here, doing the work that God has given me to do, than living in some quiet corner of the world just minding my own business.
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