Connecting with Culture
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We’re in the most uncertain times for a generation. Economic and existential threats loom over our world. Locked down, forced to self-isolate, told to avoid all non-essential travel. Anxiety is tangible.
Coronavirus may spread quickly, but fear is much more contagious.
So, how do we live for and like Jesus when our livelihoods, and potentially even our very lives, are at risk?
1 Peter 1:3 talks of a ‘new birth into a living hope’. These words, originally written to a struggling people facing all kinds of trials, still encourage us today. The reality of Christ’s ultimate victory over death and disease is our source of hope, empowering us to live distinctively. As light in darkness: joyful in suffering, calm in the storm.
Followers of Jesus have a heritage of doing this. In response to plagues in the Roman Empire, the early church selflessly cared for the sick and dying. They had no fear of death, because they knew where their eternal hope lay. More recently, Christians in China risked their lives to hand out facemasks to strangers. We’re called to minister gospel-shaped hope that demonstrates Christ’s incarnational presence.
But how?
The natural temptation is to become self-centred. Panic buy. Stockpile. Look out for yourself and your family.
And it’s good to care for close relatives, especially those at risk. But in Luke 10, Jesus calls us further, to love our neighbour, whoever they may be.
Where those near us are forced inside, we can be first to offer support (if we’re able). Ready to post encouragements through doors, call the lonely, collect shopping. Physically distanced, yes. But socially, never closer.
Compassion doesn’t stockpile for itself, but ensures stocks are piled high in local Foodbanks by putting items in supermarket collection points. Now schools and workplaces are shut, there are more mouths to feed and less money to feed them with. We can join mutual aid groups, volunteer for the NHS, or give financially to care for the most vulnerable.
But the motive? Love, not worry. To what extent do our lives testify that the Prince of Peace is sovereign? As Christians, we have access to a hope that nothing else in this world can bring. In a scared world, supernatural shalom is a great gift. Are we offering it?
Let’s pray we would be the church that Christ calls us to be, joining his mission to bring heaven to earth. Choosing peace over panic. Hope over hysteria. Faith over fear.
And, in our response, may the God who rules over all be glorified.
Matt Jolley
Research Assistant, LICC
Never miss a thing!
Matt
Great article giving the history of how the church has responded. One Roman writer complained that the church took care of the non members better than the Roman Civic authorities. Certainly in London the churches have set up support teams a week ahead of most local authorities. I am over 70 and our adult post grad student daughter who lives with us is self isolating to protect us. Church friends have kindly shopped for us and leave it on the door step – a bit like the plague village of Eyam but instead of giving them silver coins soaked in vinegar we make a bank transfer and so far CV-19 does not spread that way. I am by coincidence researching the church in Tudor England for an article. In 1520 they had the ‘sweating sickness’ see Wkkipedia article- it killed thousands who buried in mass graves in what is now Islington. Pray God that does not happen this time
Thank you so much for your encouragement- love this church family
Good one, thanks
I always look forward to and benefit from these messages, never more so than in this current situation. They encourage peace faith and hope. Thank you.
Thanks, Matt. I resonate with, “Compassion does not stockpile for itself…”
Matt, all good stuff, the context for all gospel ministry but the church also has a responsibility to call people to turn and return to God and Jesus in particular. That begins with the prayers of believers 1 lamenting a Godless culture whose socio-sexual culture is headed away from a Christian framework 2 asking God to use our precarious circumstances to turn the hearts of people back to the Lord 3 praying that for our Christian leaders who have national platforms and all who preach / teach on the net, to speak winsomely but truthfully into our situation to offer hope particularly to those who begin to seek afresh 4 asking God to raise up men and women with a prophetic gift to speak fearlessly and truthfully into the challenges in front of us. It’s quite an agenda but I hear very little prayer like this.