Curtain: Poirot's last case

I meant to comment on the final TV version of the Hercule Poirot books with David Suchet in the lead role. As it happens we only looked at the opening moments, but I know the basic story anyway. The intriguing thing is that the ‘murderer’ in this case is actually not the person who commits any act leading to death. In fact, the ‘murderer’ is a clever man who insinuates ideas into the minds of others. How far that might be possible in the real world, and how you would deal with such a person who only plays on the anger and desires of others without actually mentioning murder to them, are moot points. But I think Agatha Christie had real insight when she wrote this book. What especially intrigues me is that this is surely one of the ways in which the devil works. I am not thinking particularly of murder here, but of all the subtle temptations he suggests and the way he plays on our own weak points. How this actually takes place I cannot say, but I have no doubt that we have a wily enemy who is able to stir up and play upon our own temperaments and weaknesses. In the name of Christ we are to refuse his suggestions and put him behind us, looking in faith to the Saviour.

Book of the Year

As Christmas approaches some newspapers are recommending various ‘books of the year’, depending on what subject is one’s interest. My book of the year has to be Garry Williams ‘Silent Witnesses’ (Banner of Truth). A selection of addresses and essays on ‘theology, life, and the church from Christians of the past’ it is diverse, instructive, encouraging and orthodox.

This year sees the centenary of the Spanish Gospel Mission. It began with the labours of Percy Buffard. My parents went to Spain with the SGM in 1932 and returned after the Second World War to resume in 1947. Centred on Valdepeňas about two thirds down the peninsula, more or less equidistant from the Mediterranean and Portugal the work has always been fairly small. Most of the workers have always been Spaniards, which is as it should be. It is now really a partnership between Christians from Britain and Spain. The number of evangelicals in Spain is a very small proportion of the population. May it please the Lord to prosper the work of the Gospel in that country. There is a day of thanksgiving a week today in Valdepeňas.

What is the greatest need of the churches in our country as we approach a new year? Revival.

Some random thoughts

There is much in the news, and about the world that we live in, to cause the Christian to feel despondent. Crimes and evils are constantly brought before us and the shift in our society to an utterly godless outlook and the behaviours that spring from this can easily seem to overwhelm us. Christian periodicals sometimes seem to dwell overmuch on the gloom of the present day and even prayer meetings can be burden rather than an inspiration when there is too much bemoaning of the state of our country. For this reason I have it in mind, when I next preach, to take as my text John 16:33: ‘These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’. Peace and good cheer through Christ and his work – that’s more like it!

In November’s Grace magazine the – alas – contentious subject of the Lord’s Day is dealt with from several different viewpoints. What surprises me is that no-one seems to realise that the fourth commandment arising from the divine creation pattern of Genesis 1 to 2:3 is the only basis that there is for a seven-day week. Ancient societies had a variety of ‘weeks’ and the anti-Christian revolutionaries in France and Russia both attempted to do away with the seven day week, though neither alternative lasted long. It is baffling to me that some evangelical Christians – of all people – are now effectively doing the same thing, though I don’t think they realise it. Surely God’s creative pattern should apply to the whole created earth and not just to1400 years or so of Israel’s history. With the spread of the Christian faith the seven-day week also spread far and wide, with all the benefits it brings when it is appreciated and kept appropriately.

I have been reading ‘Engaging with Keller’ (EP), as I have to review it. At first I found the last chapter ‘Looking for communion in all the wrong places: Keller and the doctrine of the church’ of little interest or significance to an Independent like me. And then I began to think of developments in this country like the rise of Gospel Partnerships, the promotion of ‘missional churches’, and all the confusion which comes from churches of this, that and the other flavour being planted here, there and everywhere without any thought of other churches that might already exist. I suddenly realised that it is actually raises one of the most urgent issues of our day.

A Small Correction

As I suspected I had got the words wrong of the song I referred to in my last post. I was muddled up between I come to the garden alone, sung, in this case, by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and I walked into the garden, sung by The Mellomen. I discovered (the right word!) this by getting out my box of ‘Fifties’ 78s. There is a reason why I have a fairly large number of gospel songs of the period. When I was at RAF St Eval during National Service, the first programme on Sundays on the Tannoy system that went to all the billets began like this: ‘Good morning; it’s nine o’clock on Sunday morning. Time once more for The Old Rugged Cross’ and an orchestral version of the tune to that hymn gradually increased in volume during the announcement. Throughout the time that I was there the SASRA group continued with this half-hour programme. I have to confess it was mainly music, gospel songs and hymns, but there was usually a reading from the Bible and a tract would be read also at some point. Perhaps surprisingly the programme was very popular, often no.2 in the week, and a few times hitting the top spot. Obviously we had to rely on providing our own records and as I was often involved I bought more than perhaps I would otherwise have done. I wonder if some real good was done by the programme. Oh, and here is the first verse and chorus:

I come to the garden alone

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses:

And he walks with me and he talks with me

And he tells me I am his own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known

A few thoughts

It has been a beautiful day today. This afternoon the sun was shining brightly, and although there was a brisk north-easterly wind it was not too cold for a steady walk. The trees have not yet turned colour to any great extent, the grass still looks fresh and green and there was a brightness and clarity about the landscape – vivid green fields, newly trimmed hedges, the hills dark against a blue sky, even the whirling turbines on the hillside didn’t look too out of place. God’s creation is full of beauty and interest and is much more evocative, soothing or stimulating than any TV set.

I have recently been reading Garry Williams’ Silent Witnesses and greatly enjoying it. One place struck me as rather odd. In talking about styles of worship he refers to those who are apparently stuck in the 1950’s. But the services of the early 1950’s were very generally characterised by choirs, solos and testimonies, especially in evening gospel services. That decade was then considerably enlivened by the influence of Youth for Christ and the Billy Graham crusades. It was in the 1950’s that some of us, myself included, reacted against what was perceived to be a rather superficial and perhaps man-centred approach to worship, with often somewhat of a dash of sentimentality: ‘I walked in the garden alone, while the dew was still on the roses…’ or words to that effect. No, we shouldn’t try to ape the ‘50’s’, or any other period of time. We must be guided by the precepts and principles of the Word of God.

Last weekend Grace Baptist Church, Lancaster, remembered with gratitude to God twenty-five years of Pastor Phil Arthur’s ministry and thirty-one years of the church’s existence. It was a day to be remembered and, as someone who ministered in Lancaster to a group of Christians prior to the founding of the church, I think I can say that God has been glorified and his name honoured through the witness and work of the church.

Bright Christian Students!

I also want to commend this new book for those starting university life. It is a little while now since I read it, and I have since given my copy away to a student, but I found this excellent. Let us hope and pray that this new academic year may see many bright Christian students who shine as lights for Jesus Christ!

Bleesed are those who keep his commandments

It is some months since I last posted anything on this blog. There are various reasons for this, I think. Perhaps laziness has something to do with it, but a measure of ill-health for a while and other concerns have kept me away from making any comments. I think, also, the considerable emotional impact of the parliamentary vote to redefine marriage affected me deeply, as I know it did others of my age. This morning, in reading through the Psalms, I came to Psalm 119 and read the first two sections. I draw attention to two verses: ‘You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently’ (v.4) and, ‘I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways’ (v.15). Righteousness involves keeping God’s commandments diligently, but in the world as it is, and with our hearts as they are, it is vital to fix our eyes on God’s ways. There is so much else to see, so much else to catch our attention and to draw us away from our God, but ‘I will not forget your word’ (v.16).

A few recent books

Just a few comments on three recent books that I have been reading. The first is 'Christians in a Politically Correct World' by John Benton (EP). This is an important and very necessary book at this time. I would have liked a little more said in some chapters, but perhaps it is better not to try to be too exhaustive. It  makes a good companion to Don Carson's 'The Intolerance of Tolerance' (IVP). The second book is 'Evolution: Good Science?' by Dominic Smart (Day One). Dominic came to our church a couple of months ago on behalf of Creation Ministries. I had not heard of him previously and when I saw this book I decided to buy it. I guess it covers subjects that are found in other books, but I have enjoyed reading it. I was interested to notice that he is an engineer and has worked in the aeronautical and automotive industries. So he is not just a theoretician, but active in applied science. I am not saying that theoretical science is unimportant or second-rate, but I am more interested in someone who has actually to make things work as well as doing theoretical investigation. Finally, the book pictured above. It is a long time since I read the two volumes of Murray's biography of Dr Lloyd-Jones and so I can't remember enough to know how much new material or alterations are found in this book, though some things have struck me as new. It is still a fairly hefty read, but I am enjoying it very much. I hope this volume will have many new readers and that it will attract those who are unlikely ever to purchase the earlier volumes. How much modern Christians need to understand the priorities that are found in this book, not just to understand the Doctor, but to realise the needs of the present day. In view of other books that have come out on the Lloyd-Jones this is just what the doctor ordered!

Wise words from Thomas Goodwin

I have by long experience observed many holy and precious souls, who have clearly and wholly given up themselves to Christ, to be saved by him his own way, and who at their first conversion (as also at times of desertion) have made an entire and immediate close with Christ alone for justification, who yet in the ordinary course and way of their spirits have been too much carried away with the rudiments of Christ in their own hearts, and not after Christ himself; the stream of their more constant thoughts and deepest intentions running in the channel of reflecting upon, and searching into the gracious dispositions of their own hearts, so to bring down, or to raise up (as the apostle's words are), and so get a sight of Christ by them. Whereas, Christ himself is 'nigh them' ( as the apostle speaks), if they would but nakedly look upon himself through thoughts of pure and single faith.

Hermeneutics

At the 1998 BEC (now Affinity) Study Conference on Hermeneutics I gave a paper on 20th century hermeneutics, with Feminist Hermeneutics as a case study. This can now be seen on 'Writings and Ramblings'.

Grace Baptist Assembly 2013

This is a view of the 2013 Grace Baptist Assembly held at The Hayes, Swanwick , April 30th to May 2nd. This was a very good assembly, I believe. My responsibility was to give an address on The Gospel and the Homosexual. You can find this on my other blog, Writings and Ramblings.

The Life of John Calvin

This is an excellent introduction to the life of Calvin, very worth while reading even if you have read other books. Originally articles that appeared in the Irish Evangelical magazine - and more recently in the Banner of Truth magazine - written by W.J. Grier. I first met Mr Grier in Belfast at a wedding in 1960. While over in Northern Ireland I preached in several of what were then called the Irish Evangelical churches. Mr Grier was a man of outstanding graciousness and fidelity to the Reformed faith. He preached one of the most outstanding sermons ever heard at the Leicester Ministers' Conference, the subject was Heaven. I went to one of the early conferences in the '60's, when we met in College Hall and most present were much older men, mostly from Scotland. As I went to the very first session I met Mr Grier, he greeted me warmly and then asked me if I would open in prayer when we began! I was terrified, but did not feel I could refuse, so I did so with some fear and trembling. This book is a fitting tribute and legacy to a very fine Christian.

Ther Funeral of Dr Ralph Martin

Peter Day of Southport kindly sent me a CD of the funeral service for Dr Ralph Martin, which I greatly appreciated and found very moving. The hymns and readings had been chosen by Ralph: two hymns – ‘Sweet is the work, my God, my King’ and ‘Now the day is over’. Unsurprisingly one of the readings was Philippians 2:5-11. I looked to see if I still have the printed copy of his thesis on that passage, Carmen Christi, but I couldn’t find it; when I retired I got rid of quite a number of books and I guess that must have been one of them. Apparently one of his sayings was, ‘A sermon doesn’t have to be eternal to be immortal’! True enough!

One book of his which I still have is The Spirit and the Congregation on 1 Corinthians 12-15. I can’t remember now all it says but I know I found it very helpful in one or two places. In the book of studies entitled Christ the Lord, presented to Donald Guthrie on his retirement, Ralph wrote on the New Testament hymns. As he draws towards his conclusion he says: ‘This way of viewing the relation of Christology to Jesus’ work suggests that it was in worship that the decisive step was made of setting the exalted Christ on a level with God as the recipient of the church’s praise. Hymnology and Christology thus merged in the worship of our Lord, soon to be hailed after the close of the New Testament canon as worthy of hymns “as to God” (Pliny’s report of Bithynian Christians at Sunday worship, AD112).’

Habemus Papam

'For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through who, are all things and through whom we exist.'

Bearing with one another

In preparing an address to be given at the Grace Assembly I have been struck by the opening section of Colossians 3 down as far as v.14. In particular I want to comment on these words 'bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you forgive.' It seems to me that words like these are often almost completely overlooked. The context speaks of putting to death all the evils to which even as believers we can be far too prone. But even as we (or some of us!) try to do this there will always be problems and tensions that arise within the church - after all we are not in heaven yet. The only way we can deal with one another's failings is by forbearance and forgiveness. And our mutal sanctification is forwarded by bearing with each other, forgiving each other and together putting to death the things that are wrong and following after those things that are good and right. Yet instead of helping each other as this passage indicates we get exasperated with the faults of our fellow believers, we refuse to forgive, we easily take umbrage and fellowship breaks down. Pride and self so easily spoil our love and the life of the church.

I have not been so well over the past few months, hence no posts. However, following a visit to a cardiologist it seems that there is nothing to worry about. On Wednesday of this week there was an article in the Daily Telegraph about Branse Burbridge. He was well known as a worker with Scripture Union many years ago, but most of us had no idea of his wartime heroics. Though originally a pacifist, when he heard of Nazi atrocities he joined the RAF in 1941 and became a Mosquito pilot. He shot down 21 planes and 3 Doodlebugs, gaining half a dozen medals. He used to aim at the enemy planes' engines in order to give the crew a chance to parachute. Sadly he has Alzheimer's disease now and his medals are up for sale to pay for his care. I also heard that Dr Ralph Martin died on Monday last. He came to London Bible College in 1959 from West Street Baptist Church, Dunstable. He was primarily a New Testament scholar and was not so comfortable teaching Dogmatics, as he did at LBC. Having ministered in Dunstable myself I know of those who were converted during his ministry there; one having now retired after years in the ministry himself.

A sermon for the year end

I have posted on Writings and Ramblings a sermon I preached on the last Sunday in 2012. It is in extended note form, rather than word for word as it was given.