{"id":3524,"date":"2015-09-15T00:11:47","date_gmt":"2015-09-15T07:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3524"},"modified":"2015-09-16T07:40:31","modified_gmt":"2015-09-16T14:40:31","slug":"915-how-to-respond-to-a-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/09\/15\/915-how-to-respond-to-a-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"9\/15: How to Respond to a Crisis (\u8bd7107:23-32 \u52a02:1-10 \u8d5b36:1-37:38)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf:\u00a0\u8bd7107:23-32 \u52a02:1-10 \u8d5b36:1-37:38<\/h2>\n

How to Respond to a Crisis<\/h2>\n
\n

President J. F. Kennedy once remarked that \u2018when written in Chinese, the word \u201ccrisis\u201d is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.\u2019 Every crisis is, at the same time, an opportunity.<\/p>\n

All of us have problems. Many of us will face crises. How do we respond to a time of trouble, danger or great difficulty? What do we do about a crisis in our personal lives? How do we respond to a crisis in the church or in our nation? What do we do when we are \u2018at [our] wits\u2019 end\u2019<\/em>? (Psalm 107:27). What do we do when the \u2018truth of the gospel<\/em>\u2019 is at stake? (Galatians 2:5). How do we respond to \u2018a black day<\/em>\u2019 in our lives? (Isaiah 37:3, MSG).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

1. Cry out to the Lord in prayer<\/h2>\n

Psalm 107:23-32<\/a>There may be times in your life when you face major storms. A \u2018tempest\u2019 seems to blow and the waves are \u2018lifted high\u2019 (v.25). Your courage melts away (v.26b) and you reach your wits\u2019 end (vv.26\u201327). You hit a crisis and cannot work out how to get out of it.<\/p>\n

This psalm tells us how to respond. The people:<\/p>\n

\u2018called out to God in [their] desperate condition;
\nhe got [them] out in the nick of time (v.28 MSG).<\/p>\n

As R. T. Kendall says, \u2018God is never late, never early. He is always on time!\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018He stilled the storm to a whisper;
\nthe waves of the sea were hushed
\n\u2026 he guided them to their desired haven\u2019 (vv.29\u201330b).<\/p>\n

When God answers your cry for help don\u2019t forget to thank him:<\/p>\n

\u2018So thank God for his marvellous love,
\nfor his miracle mercy to the children he loves\u2019 (vv.31\u201332, MSG).<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you for the many times you have heard me and rescued me when I cried out to you in my distress. Lord, I cry out to you today for help in my own life and for the church in this country.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

2. Use skill, diplomacy and courage<\/h2>\n

Galatians 2:1-10<\/a>As we saw yesterday, sometimes we may be tempted to look down on other parts of the church, other denominations or other Christians and wish they were more like us! If only they did things more like us they would be \u2018proper\u2019 Christians or \u2018better\u2019 Christians! In thinking like this we are, in effect, denying that faith in Jesus is enough.<\/p>\n

This is what was happening to the churches in Galatia. They were being told that their faith in Jesus was not enough. If they wanted to be \u2018real\u2019 Christians, they needed to be circumcised.<\/p>\n

The early church was facing a potential crisis, and the apostle Paul had to use every ounce of his skill, diplomacy and courage to avoid a damaging division and split in the church.<\/p>\n

Paul wants to make clear that he acted under the guidance and activity of the Holy Spirit: \u2018I went in response to a revelation\u2019 (v.2). Paul was convinced of the validity of the gospel he preached, but was also concerned for unity: \u2018I did this in private with the leaders\u2026 so that our concern would not become a controversial public issue<\/em>\u2019 (v.2, MSG).<\/p>\n

He took with him two friends: Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas was a Jew and Titus was a Greek (an uncircumcised Gentile). For a first-century Jew there were two kinds of people in the world: Jewish and Greek (circumcised and uncircumcised). Circumcision was a sign that marked out a Jew, in accordance with God\u2019s command in Genesis 17:9\u201314. It signified God\u2019s covenant with his chosen people.<\/p>\n

Yet, Paul chose Titus as one of his companions. \u2018Significantly, Titus, non-Jewish though he was, was not required to be circumcised\u2019 (Galatians 2:3, MSG). Paul\u2019s point in the section that follows is that the Jerusalem apostles (James, Peter and John) agreed that the good news of Jesus Christ was for everyone: Jew and Gentile, circumcised and uncircumcised.<\/p>\n

Paul was forced to defend the \u2018freedom we have in Christ Jesus\u2019 (v.4). True freedom is only found through faith in Christ. The necessity of circumcision for justification before God would \u2018make us slaves\u2019 (v.4).<\/p>\n

If they had yielded to the demands for circumcision of Gentile converts, they would have denied the very essence of the gospel. The purpose of this letter was to explain \u2018the truth <\/em>of the gospel\u2019 (v.5). Paul wanted to demonstrate that Jesus\u2019 life, death and resurrection had fulfilled all <\/em>the requirements of the law of Moses.<\/p>\n

The meeting in Jerusalem was to resolve the circumcision question. The ruling reached was one of the most important ever made in the history of Christianity. The decision here prevented a ruinous division within the church.<\/p>\n

Not only was the issue resolved, but also the gospel preached by Peter and Paul was firmly established as being one and the same <\/em>(v.6). The leaders in Jerusalem recognised that Paul\u2019s apostleship bore all the marks of God-given authority.<\/p>\n

Peter and the others accepted Paul and agreed a division of responsibility \u2013 Paul for the non-Jews and Peter for the Jews. The same gospel would be brought to two different spheres by different people. They shook hands on it as a sign that the agreement would be honoured (vv.7\u20139). This was a monumental moment for the early church.<\/p>\n

It is important to note that the parties had a sensible and detailed discussion about their differences. Paul refused to be overawed, although those he met were \u2018reputed to be pillars\u2019 (v.9). This was, after all, quite a group to take on! James had presumably already become leader of the Jerusalem church. Peter and John were both members of Jesus\u2019 inner circle.<\/p>\n

A pleasing agreement was reached. Paul seems to have acted with respect and courtesy despite being a determined man conscious of a special task. He would not allow opposition from without, nor discouragement from within, to stop him from doing what he felt called to do.<\/p>\n

The only condition that the Jerusalem leaders stipulated caused no problem for Paul: \u2018to remember the poor\u2019 (v.10). The church must always prioritise the poor and disadvantaged in society.<\/p>\n

Lord, as the church faces theological debates and a potential crisis of disunity, give us the skill, diplomacy and courage that the apostle Paul had. Help us, like Paul, to embrace the entire church of Jesus Christ, and not add our own ideas and human requirements to what is needed to be a Christian.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3. Bring to the Lord the \u2018impossible\u2019 situation<\/h2>\n

Isaiah 36:1-37:38<\/a>Have you ever been taunted or mocked for your faith in God? \u2018Do you really think that God is with you?\u2019 they say. \u2018Isn\u2019t it just your imaginary friend?\u2019; \u2018Do you really think that trusting in God is going to do you any good?\u2019 This is the way God\u2019s people have been taunted throughout history.<\/p>\n

Israel faced a crisis that seemed an impossible situation. This is such an important incident in Israel\u2019s history that it appears three times in the Bible (see 2 Kings 18, 2 Chronicles 32). Sennacherib, King of Assyria, was attacking Jerusalem with a huge army. His minions weretaunting <\/em>the people, \u2018On what are you basing this confidence of yours?\u2019 (Isaiah 36:4). They were being taunted and ridiculed for their faith in God.<\/p>\n

It must have been a terrifying situation \u2013 no one else had ever been delivered out of the \u2018hand of the king of Assyria\u2019 (v.18). But they did not answer the taunting. Sometimes the best response to criticism is keeping a dignified silence: \u2018But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, \u201cDo not answer him.\u201d\u2019 (v.21).<\/p>\n

King Hezekiah responded to the crisis by tearing his clothes, putting on sackcloth and going into the temple of the Lord (37:1). He sent for the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah said, \u2018This is a black day. We\u2019re in crisis<\/em>\u2019 (v.3, MSG). Hezekiah asked Isaiah to pray (v.4).<\/p>\n

Isaiah responded by saying that God\u2019s message was: \u2018Don\u2019t be upset by what you\u2019ve heard… I personally will take care of him\u2019 (vv.6\u20137, MSG).<\/p>\n

When Hezekiah received a threatening letter, he went up to the house of the Lord, spread it out before the Lord<\/em> and prayed: \u2018O Lord Almighty\u2026 you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God\u2026 Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God\u2019 (vv.14\u201320).<\/p>\n

Isaiah sent him a message, \u2018This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me<\/em>\u2026 I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!\u2019 (vv.21,35)<\/p>\n

God heard the prayer of Hezekiah and Isaiah and he rescued and delivered his people (vv.36\u201338).<\/p>\n

Lord, the name of Jesus is no longer honoured in our society. Would you pour out a spirit of prayer and supplication on your people so that we may turn to you in prayer. Hear our prayer and deliver us in this time of crisis.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n
\n

Galatians 2:10<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.\u2019<\/p>\n

I am eager to remember the poor too, but occasionally I feel too overwhelmed, or too preoccupied or disillusioned by someone taking me for a ride. I need not to be put off, but to keep remembering.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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