The Gospel Prism

During the course of the past week I had the joy of taking the school assembly at Yelvertoft Primary School.  The visitor assemblies this term are based upon the Acts of the Apostles.  Each week we have a Bible passage and a theme that can be picked up by the school.  This week is was Peter’s vision of unclean food and the theme was prejudice.  The invitation to go to the home of Cornelius was every bit as unusual for Peter as had been the invitation to partake of ‘unclean’ food.  I think it is probable that he might not have gone had he not had first had the vision followed by God’s instructions.  The record of Acts presents Peter previously preaching only to Jews and the heart of his message to them is that Jesus is the Messiah affirmed by his resurrection from the dead.  The challenge of a different cultural context Peter seems to modify his message.  Now there is no obvious reference to Jesus as the Messiah, but as Lord of all, judge of all and the one throw whom everyone who believes can find forgiveness.  Perhaps most radical of all is his opening statement that "God does not show favouritism but accepts men from every nation..."

The children had a clear understanding of the dangers of ungodly prejudice.  As the talk concluded I encouraged the children to turn to one another a declare "You're special because God loves you".  Then after the closing prayer they pointed to all the teachers and proclaimed the same with great enthusiasm to them.  Afterwards I had a queue of children who wanted to talk with me.  The last two came with a gold star that they had just made, which they gave to me.  I asked them why and was told it was because I was special too!

Of course I had only been able to give them one aspect of the gospel, just as Peter's sermons on the day of Pentecost and at Cornelius' house had.  Once at a communion service when children were present we sang a hymn full of Old Testament sacrifice language.  I knew it was over their heads and prayed for guidance.  Immediately I saw a way in as there had been an oil tanker disaster not long before.  The children had all seen the pictures on TV and explained to me that  because of the accident many birds died.  Some were rescued because people went to save them.  They also explained that in order to clean the filth of oil from the birds and set them free the people ended up getting the mess on themselves.

The gospel is too great, too marvellous and too mysterious for anyone to fully comprehend it let alone to find the words necessary to communicate it.  All we get is a glimpse of the light as if it were split into elements like light passing through a prism is split into seven colours that themselves merge to form other colours.  The best form of evangelism is not some ability that seeks to communicate head knowledge of theology but that lets the bit that has shone into our hearts shine out to others.  That might be as simple as the realisation that Jesus died because he loves us.  At the same time, what we share should always be culturally relevant to those to whom we are talking.

Items for Praise and Prayer

• Thank God for the opportunities to share the word of God with people through the past week and pray that it will bring a harvest in due season.
• Thank God for the ability to complete the written material now sent to the university in Germany.
• Thank God for income received this week for Sunrise Ministries that keeps our rural mission work going.
• Please pray for guidance about Renny (see last week's blog).
• Please continue to pray for the Lord to raise up men and women of vision and commitment to help carry forward the work of the Rural Evangelism Network and Rural Mission Solutions.
• Please pray for a good attendance at the Congregational Federation's Leaders Conference (straight after Easter) in which I have some input this year.
• Please pray for our work in Yelvertoft (Sunday morning and Thursday morning this week)
• Please pray for a school assembly in Lubenham (Monday)
• Please pray for the work in Gartree Prison (Tuesday afternoon)

The ministry at the home of Cornelius was interrupted as the Holy Spirit came to those who listened.  Please pray that we too might experience God at work as we seek to be obedient to his call and guidance.

Thank you.

Barry