183. Rock Goes The Gospel - New Order "Blue Monday"

When New Order began recording its second album, Power, Corruption & Lies — a landmark album of danceable, post-punk music — late in 1982, it wasn't a band but a mere shadow of Joy Division. Ian Curtis, the Manchester group's singer and songwriter, had hanged himself in May 1980. The remaining members — guitarist Bernard Albrecht, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris — had taken a new name, added Gillian Gilbert on guitar and keyboards and gone back into the studio with Joy Division producer Martin Hannett.  Movement, New Order's 1981 debut, "owed more to Joy Division than to New Order," Stephen Morris says. The album was recorded "in a situation of complete turmoil," according to Albrecht, the band's reluctant new singer and lyricist. "We were all wondering what to do next." New Order followed Movement with a few singles, including "Temptation," a transitional song that incorporated a solid dance beat. On Power, Corruption & Lies — originally released by the British Factory Records in 1983 and reissued in this country on Qwest/Warner Bros. two years later — the band members produced themselves, upgrading from home-built synthesizers and sequencers to state-of-the-art models in the process. "We got the machines two weeks before we went into the studio, and we didn't really know how to work them," Morris says.  "Blue Monday," the first single from those sessions, was "an exercise in learning how to use sequencers," says Morris. "We were trying to create a sort of Frankenstein-monster song, where you just press a button and the song comes out." Released in March 1983, "Blue Monday" is one of the best-selling twelve-inch singles in British history. (It was later included on cassette and CD versions of Power, Corruption & Lies but not the LP.)

How does it feel
To treat me like you do
When you've laid laid your hands upon me
And told me who you are

I thought I was mistaken
I thought I heard your words
Tell me how do I feel
Tell me now how do I feel

Those who came before me
Lived through their vocations
From the past until completion
They will turn away no more

And I still find it so hard
To say what I need to say
But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me
Just how I should feel today

I see a ship in the harbour
I can and shall obey
But if it wasn't for your misfortunes
I'd be a heavenly person today

And I thought I was mistaken
And I thought I heard you speak
Tell me how do I feel
Tell me now how should I feel

Now I stand here waiting

I thought I told you to leave me
While I walked down to the beach
Tell me how does it feel
When your heart grows cold
(grows cold, grows cold, grows cold) 

It's like the song was written for the moment when Jesus is walking on the beach with peter in John 21: It's a song that reflects the passage in John 21 so well. It's a song about a relationship turned sour and trying to find the way back. It's a song that echoes with the music of reconciliation. The lines in the lyrics that point to speaking and words, could be written for Jesus part in John 21: The fact that the last stansa of the New Order lyrics place the scene on a beach lends to our thinking. This morning from the passage we will explore what happens on the beach between Jesus and Peter.

The one thing I am sure we all have in common is this: We have all been hurt by someone. It may have been a long time ago or it may have been yesterday. It may have been little or big, but we all carry scars that have come from relationships. That's what makes this encounter in John 21 so interesting. When Jesus was denied by Peter three times, it must have left scars. Peter had made big boasts. He was the one who said, "though everyone else may turn away from you . . . I never will." But when it can to the moment of truth Peter not only denied his Lord, he did it strongly. It must have hurt.  We watch with interest as Jesus deals with the wayward disciple. And as we watch and listen we see some things we must not forget.

There are a lot of responses that Jesus could have had to Peter. He could have responded to him like we would have. He could have treated him with silence. He could have given him the cold shoulder. He could have made it crystal clear that He was angry at Peter and let him suffer. He could have "punished" Peter. Every time Peter made a promise Jesus could have raised an eyebrow as if to say, "we should believe you?" Jesus could have said, "You know Peter, I usually would have asked you to do this but . . . I just don't trust you anymore." He could have brought up the denial in every conversation. You know, "remember that night when Peter denied me . . . ?" He could have excluded Peter from the things he invited others to do. He could have found subtle and not so subtle ways to punish this disciple. And if He ran out of ideas . . . he could have asked us! :-)  But this is not what Jesus chooses to do. Instead Jesus gets to the heart of the issue. He wants Peter to grow from the experience, not be shackled with it. What Jesus does is let Peter know that He believes in him and still trusts him. Jesus forgives Peter. He doesn't say the words . . . but sometimes those exact words are unnecessary. Isn't it true that sometimes in marriage a hug says, "I'm sorry" or "I forgive you" better than words? Sometimes an invitation to dinner, a phone call where you say, "I've missed talking with you!" convey your heart better than words. Jesus set Peter free.  I meet lots of people who are tied in knots with resentment and bitterness. Something happened in the past and they have not forgotten. In fact, the pain of the event is only surpassed by the pain of the memory. Every one of us has people who have hurt us.  Every one of us has a Peter in our lives. The question is: what are we going to do about it?

I suspect some of you are already building walls of resistance because you can see where I am going. Please, don't shut me out . . . and the truth of Scripture. The Lord does not deny the reality of our pain but He does want us to handle it properly. Jesus has told us that a person who is unwilling to forgive shows that they do not appreciate what they have been forgiven. Jesus tells the parable of the man who was forgiven a great debt but then went and threw a man who owed him a much lesser debt in jail. This is condemned. (Matthew 18:22) Jesus argues that we have been forgiven a much greater wrong than any wrong someone could do to us. Knowing what it is to receive mercy, we should be willing to extend it. If we are unwilling to extend forgiveness it only goes to show we did not appreciate what we have received.  We are also told that a person who is unwilling to forgive is usurping God's Authority. In Romans 12:9 we read, "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord."

Commenting on this passage, author Philip Yancey writes,

"In the final analysis, forgiveness is an act of faith. By forgiving another, I am trusting that God is a better justice-maker than I am. By forgiving, I release my own right to get even and leave all issues of fairness for God to work out. I leave in God's hands the scales that must balance justice and mercy." [What's So Amazing About Grace?]

When we refuse to forgive someone, we show that we don't really trust God. You see that God does not deny the reality of our pain. He understands it. And He asks us to leave the pain and the repercussions to Him. Jesus says, that if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven. Now these words are certainly difficult. We do not earn salvation by what we do. This is not an "arrangement" with the Almighty. I think Max Lucado might have something when he said,

"In any given Christian community there are two groups: those who are contagious in their joy and those who are cranky in their faith. They've accepted Christ and are seeking him, but their balloon has no helium. One is grateful, but the other is grumpy. Both are saved. Both are heaven bound. But one sees the rainbow and the other sees the rain.  Could this principle explain the difference? Could it be that they are experiencing the same joy they have given their offenders? One says, "I forgive you," and feels forgiven. The other says, "I'm ticked off," and lives ticked off at the world." (The Great House of God p. 126)

An unwillingness to forgive is sinful and foolish. You may think that you are making the one who hurt you pay . . . but have you noticed that it's you in the cell?

There is a second thing we learn from this account. We see here a question that keeps us focused. Jesus asks Peter the same question three times. It is likely that the number was intentional since Peter had denied the Lord three times. And you have probably heard that there are two different words for love used in this passage. Jesus uses the stronger one and Peter uses the weaker one. I'm not sure what we are to make of this. Is it that Peter did not love Jesus deeply, or was it that Peter was unwilling to make any more big boasts? I think it may be the later.  The first question is: "Do you love me more than these?" I think Jesus was asking Peter if he still thought his love was superior to that of the other disciples. Notice that Peter is unwilling to make any such claim now. I think this shows that Peter had become more humble. This is a good thing.  But I also think there may be another reason why Jesus asked this question three times. It sometimes takes asking a question many times before someone hears the real question. Have you ever said to someone, "How are you?" and gotten a superficial, "I'm fine." Then you follow up and ask "How ARE you? And then the person responds with a more complete answer. They might say, "well, my family is struggling . . ." and then one more time you ask, "How are YOU?" Then and only then do you seem to get an answer to the real question. Then the person confesses that they are lonely or frightened or sick. We might have to tell somebody we love them several times before they believe us. I think Jesus wanted to make sure that Peter HEARD the question. We need to make sure that we hear it too.

Do you see, this question shows us that Jesus is not seeking religion . . . he is seeking a relationship? Jesus doesn't ask, "Do you love the church?" or "Do you love the people who go to church with you?" He does not say, "Do you love the way faith helps you in life?" He asks, "Do you love ME?"  The story is told of the deep love and devotion French soldiers had for their leader, Napoleon. He noted that it was not at all unusual for a mortally wounded soldier to raise himself on one elbow and give a final cheer to his revered General. And if by chance the dying man saw Napoleon nearby, he would, with his final breath, shout, "Vive Emprereu!" Perhaps one of the most eloquent expressions of all, however, came from the lips of a soldier who had been shot in the chest. As the surgeon was attempting to remove the bullet, the suffering man was heard to whisper, "If you go much deeper, Doctor, you'll come to the Emperor" . . . He had him on his heart.

Do you understand how differently we would live our lives if we kept this question foremost in our heart? When someone hurts us, we wonder if they really love us. 

Let Charles Spurgeon make the application,

When we were speaking with an angry word and with a sullen look, could not thy Lord have touched you, and said, "Do you love me?" When you were doing such-and-such a thing, which you knew in your conscience was not according to his command, might he not have said, "Do you love me?" Can you not remember the murmuring word you spoke because something had gone wrong with you in business this week, and you were speaking ill of the God of providence for it? Oh, might not the loving Savior, with pity in his languid eye, have said to you, "Why, do you talk like this? Do you love me?" Oh, do you not think within yourselves, "can I love him when I have broken so many of his commandments! Have I reflected his glorious image to the world as I should have done? Have I not wasted many hours within this week that I might have spent in winning souls to him? Have I not thrown away many precious moments in light and frivolous conversation which I might have spent in earnest prayer? How many sins have I winked at? How many crimes have I covered over? How have I made my Savior's heart to bleed? How have I done dishonor to his cause? How have I in some degree disgraced my heart's profession of love to him? Oh, ask these questions of thyself, beloved, and say, "Is this kindness to your Friend?"

When our love for the Lord is true, we live differently. Many today are wearing bracelets that say WWJD and it stands for "What Would Jesus Do?" It is meant to challenge us to respond to situations not as instinct dictates, but in a manner similar to what our Savior would do. It would be just as appropriate to wear a band that had DYLM on it. "Do You Love Me?" It's not only a GOOD question. It is the PRIMARY question.

We can't leave the text until we notice one more thing. We notice that Jesus gives Peter a job to do. Our Lord does not only forgive Peter, but he puts him back on the right course. He does this by spelling out for Peter what it is that He wants him to do. He wants him to feed and care for the sheep.  In a sense, we all share in that same responsibility. All of us are involved in caring for the flock of God. It is certainly true that there is a potent message for everyone in a teaching position . . . especially Pastors. Jesus does not call us to entertain the sheep, administrate the sheep, develop support groups for the sheep, or make the sheep feel better about themselves. We are to FEED the sheep. They are God's sheep . . . not ours. We are not building our Kingdom, or our Church, but we are to build the Household of God! That reminder alone will stop much of the pettiness that divides us. The sheep are not all the same. He calls some lambs and others sheep. As we care for each other, we must understand that each person is unique and different. Our methods, words and actions must be tailored to the situation. Some people can handle a big steak. Others need a bottle. Still others need that strained stuff. We are not only to feed them, but care for them. It's not enough to simply recite Bible verses to each other. I don't know a lot about livestock. But I do know this: there is more to taking care of those animals than just putting out feed and water. They need help when having their calves. They need medical help when they are sick. They need warmth when it is bitterly cold. They need attention when it is terribly hot. They need protection from predators. It's not enough for us to "go through the motions" we must get involved with each other if we are going to help each other grow.

One final thought. Jesus tells Peter that He knows that he will indeed be faithful. He knows that someday Peter is going to give his life out of love for the Saviour. Indeed, Jesus DOES know that Peter loves him. But don't miss what comes next. Peter, sees John following behind them and asks "What is going to happen to him?". Jesus responds: "if I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."  Why is that significant? Jesus is telling Peter that the issue is not John, but it's him. And so it is with you today. The issue is not those who hurt you. It's you. Will you forgive? The issue is not whether the other guy loves Christ. The question is, "Do YOU love Him?" It's not whether others are doing their job but whether you are. This is a message that is meant to be taken personally.  So with this in mind, we finish this morning devotion with these questions: is there someone that you need to forgive today? Do you need to make a visit, call someone, extend a warm embrace to someone you have been odds with for too long? Are you willing to trust God and love God enough to let go of the bitterness and resentment?  Have you gotten sidetracked? Have you forgotten that the question is not about your experience but your heart? Will you examine your heart today and ask, "Do I Love Jesus?" Don't be hasty with the answer. Ask the question several times. Make sure you understand the depth of its meaning. Have you spent all your time playing with the sheep when you were supposed to be feeding them? Is your Christianity anchored in substance or superficiality?

182 Rock Goes The Gospel - Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen in Love With Someone"

This Punk classic was inspired by some dialogue ("Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have") in the film Guys & Dolls. The band's songwriter Pete Shelley described how he came to write this song in the Guardian newspaper February 24, 2006: "The song dates back to November 1977. We were on a roll. It was only 6 months since we'd finished the first album. Up in Manchester this was what we used to dream of... a whirlwind of tours, interviews, TV. We were living the life. One night in Edinburgh we were in a guest house TV lounge watching the musical Guys and Dolls. This line leaped out - "Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have?" The next day the van stopped outside a post office and I wrote the lyrics there. I did have a certain person in mind, but I'll save that for my kiss'n'tell. The music just seemed to follow, fully formed." In 1987 when Fine Young Cannibals covered this, their more laid back, soulful version peaked at #9 in the UK. They recorded the song after being asked by the director Jonathan Demme to provide him with a song for his upcoming film Something Wild. It is featured on the film's soundtrack released as "Ever Fallen in Love." (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England, for all above) In an interview with Uncut magazine, Shelley recalled: "The opening line was originally 'You piss on my natural emotions,' but because 'Orgasm Addict' hadn't been getting radio play because of it's title, I needed something a bit subtler. So I came up with 'spurn.' It had the same sort of disregard, but wasn't so likely to offend!" In the same Uncut interview the song's producer Martin Rushent recalled: "Pete played me 'Ever Fallen In Love…' for the first time and my jaw hit the floor. I felt it was the strongest song that they had written-clever, witty lyrics, great hooklines. I suggested backing vocals-to highlight the chorus and make it even more powerful. No one could hit the high part-so I did it. I'd sung in bands in my youth and I also worked as a backing singer."

You spurn my natural emotions.
you make me feel like dirt, and it hurts.
And if I start a commotion,
I run the risk of losing you and that's worse.

Ever fallen in love with somoene
Ever fallen in love, in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with?

I can't see much of a future
Unless we find out what's to blame, what a shame.
And we won't be together much longer
Unless we realize that we are the same.

Ever fallen in love with somoene
Ever fallen in love, in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with?

You discern my natural emotions
you make me feel like dirt, and it hurts.
And if I start a commotion,
I'll only end up losin' you and that's worse.

Ever fallen in love with somoene
Ever fallen in love, in love with someone
Ever fallen in love
In love with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with? 

This Buzzcocks song is essentially about inequality. The song speaks of non reciprocal love that there is not much of a future in. There is a line in the song "you make me feel like dirt, and it hurts" this is unequal. this is a relationship going nowhere. The scripture reading this morning is about the opposite of what we find in the song. Galatians 3:23-20 is about the residual value in a people groups. the passage is about everyone who is part of the family of God. None are superior and none inferior to each other. There is balance everyone is equal. This passage is the focus for us this morning,

Despite any thoughts to the contrary, I’m a rule lover. I like rules. When done right rules make sense and they keep order. If something is dropped it will fall to the ground. We call this law gravity. It is what holds us here on earth. This is a black and white sign that tell us what to do and if we don’t follow those rules or laws we get in trouble. The one on M62 says 70 on it. The one right in front of the church says 20 on it. Some of these signs are followed others think they are merely suggestions. Rules are set up to keep order. Without them things would slip into chaos. Yet something in our human nature speaks to us and we desire to break these rules too. I mean who really goes 70 on the M62. We would rather decide for ourselves. You can tell people don’t follow this rule because at the sight of a police car everyone steps on the brakes. Even if you are going the speed limit everyone steps on the brakes. That is because for a split second you remember this is a rule you usually don’t follow and to be rather safe than sorry you step on the brakes. Law enforcement knows this and that is why we see those random unmarked police cars out. Just the idea of getting caught not following the rules makes us slow down.

We as humans also make up rules to protect ourselves. God told Adam "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Then God created Eve and when Eve was asked by the serpent about this rule she tells it, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” Did you hear the difference? At some point between Adam telling Eve the rule and Eve telling the serpent the rule, something was added. The first humans added the part about not even touching the fruit. God didn’t say they couldn’t touch it, just that you couldn’t eat it. But to make things safer Adam and Eve decided that not touching it would be the best way live with this rule. We don’t do that in the modern world do we?

Today we are reading someone else’s post. Paul had sent a letter to the Galatians to help with some issues that were arising in that part of the world. The Galatian churches were probably located in Asia Minor, or what we call the country of Turkey today. Paul had preached there and things went well. Then after Paul left some other teachers came up there and start to stir the pot. The Galatians were used to worshiping pagan gods. The teachers were telling them that to make the transition from pagan gods to Jesus Christ they had to become Jewish first. They were telling them that they had to be circumcised and it looks like follow the entire Jewish law. Now if you want to know what the entire Jewish law is, simply read the first five books of the Bible and that will fill you in. There were lots of laws and laws about the laws. Some of them sound very weird to us, but you have to remember these were laws for an ancient nation of people. Many of them were simple survival techniques. Not eating certain types of animals or shellfish gave them the ability to survive as a people. But there are some crazy ones out there like in Leviticus 19:19 which says, “nor shall you put on a garment made of two different materials.” Does this mean that God is against a nice cotton/poly blend?

During these debates in the Galatian Churches Paul writes to them to ease their minds and correct their theology. Galatians 3:28 is the high point of the letter. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul is informing the Galatians that because of Christ, we are no longer held under the law. Now before you get carried away and speed off in a 30 some at 70 miles an hour yelling, Jesus said I can speed, let’s get some things strait. The Law, God’s Law, the Law found in the Torah or the first five books of the Bible, was there to justify people to God. It was there to teach a nation how to be God’s nation for the world, a beacon of light we could look at as an example and follow. The law told people how to treat one another and how to order our lives. We should worship God, and only God. We should listen to our parents and not lie, murder, steal, cheat or wish we had our neighbor’s stuff. These are great things a nation should do. But Jesus Christ has come and set us free from that. Now we are justified in faith instead of the law.

Let me unpack that a little. To be justified means to be made right. In this case we are talking about being made right before God. When we seek justice we are hoping to get something in return for someone doing something bad for us. God is seeking justice for what we do against him. We call this sin. Because we are sinful creatures we cannot be close to a sinless God without being made right, or justified. The law was set up to help people not sin and the sacrifices they made each year at the temple enabled them to be justified in God’s eyes. But Paul is saying here that it no longer applies to us because of Jesus Christ. Christ came, died our death, and rose again. Because of this our sins are erased and it is only because of Jesus that we can be in the presence of God once again. We are justified now through our faith in Jesus, not a law that we follow. Jesus was the sacrifice that makes up for everything that we do which goes against God’s nature, all of our sins. What these other teachers were trying to do in the Galatian Churches were make the people Jewish before they could become Christian and Paul tells them this is not the case. Instead what they were doing was forcing the law upon them and pushing them away. That what too many laws and rules do, they handcuff people down and restrict instead of free. The Law was initially set up to train Israel to be ready for the Messiah but when the Messiah showed up eh found the law was being used to restrict people’s access to God’s grace. So he yelled at the religious leaders, healed people on the Sabbath and shook the foundation of the what it meant to believe in God.

Today we do the same thing as those who imposed the law during Jesus’ time. We tell people what they are to do and what they cannot do. We limit people’s interaction with God because we think we have some sort of say. Only a generation ago many churches, limited who could be behind the pulpit. It took us hundreds of years to remember Paul says in Christ there is neither male nor female. A generation or two before that, we wrestled, and at some level still do today, with the fact that Paul reminds us there is neither slave nor free.  Jesus makes it impossible to follow the law and points this out constantly. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us that if “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away.” As I am looking around I can tell we all have our eyes, so Jesus must have been kidding right? A rich young ruler comes up and confesses to Jesus that he follows the law but asks what else he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor. The man simply walks away from Jesus with his head down. Jesus knows that deep down it is impossible for us to follow the law to the tee. We are humans and we are going to fail. This is the reason he came, so that we won’t be pushed away but welcomed into the fold.

We forget this as churches though. We forget that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” When we look around our world we don’t see everyone clothed in Christ. We don’t see God’s children. What we see are the differences instead. He is black. She doesn’t speak English. He is gay. She is liar. He is too rich etc.........We place labels on people which keeps them at arm’s reach and at a safe distance away from us while all the time people are looking to find "belonging"

The word "belonging" has a couple of meanings. We have belongings, which mean that this word means someone’s possessions. Belonging also means acceptance. Belonging means you are welcomed for who you are. As Christians through faith we belong to Christ. We are excepted for who we are, Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, black or white, brown or yellow, English speaking or from another nation, European, African, or Middle Eastern. We all belong to God. We need to live in a way that makes this known to the world. We have to live this out by seeing people as clothed in Christ. When we do this race, class, gender and so on all dissolve and all you have left is a Child of God who is valued and accepted.  This is surely what the song"Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't've fallen in love with? is about. Equality and Values. This is what the song stretched out for.

181. Rock Goes The Gospel - The Sex Pistols "Anarchy In The UK"

For a record that changed the course of musical history, "Anarchy In The UK" achieved the very modest chart position of 38. For that, we can thank EMI’s panicked reaction to the public notoriety that punk was whipping up: they pulled the record and binned the band. Musically this single remains a landmark and the first in The Sex Pistols’ immortal quartet of 45s, followed by God Save The Queen, Pretty Vacant and Holidays In The Sun. The bubbling stew of provocative ideas in the song were supplied by Malcolm McLaren, Vivienne Westwood and graphic artist Jamie Reid, brilliantly distilled by Rotten and sound-tracked with violent panache by Matlock, Cook and Jones and the producer Chris Thomas. And yet, if there is a craving for mayhem at the core of Anarchy In The UK, nobody involved in the project foresaw the scale of pandemonium it unleashed. As the debut release by British punk’s unquestioned figureheads, "Anarchy In The UK" opened deep divisions in the land. What’s surprising in retrospect is how traditional its rock’n’roll values were: the Pistols were Mott The Hoople with a haircut. The true revolution here was one of attitude. The day this record came out, you were either with the Resistance or the collaborators. "Anarchy in the UK" Was released on the Sex Pistols debut album that was released the same year.

Right! now
ha ha ha ha ha...

I am an antichrist
I am an anarchist
Don't know what I want
But I know how to get it
I wanna destroy passerby

'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
No dogsbody

Anarchy for the UK
It's coming sometime and maybe
I give a wrong time stop at traffic line
Your future dream is a sharpie's scheme

'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
In the city

How many ways to get what you want
I use the best
I use the rest
I use the N.M.E
I use Anarchy

'Cause I wanna be Anarchy
It's the only way to be

Is this the M.P.L.A or
Is this the U.D.A or
Is this the I.R.A
I thought it was the UK
Or just another country
Another council tenancy

I wanna be Anarchy
And I wanna be Anarchy
(Oh what a name)
And I wanna be anarchist
I get pissed, destroy!  

John Lydon told Mojo magazine July 2008 about writing this song: "It flowed quite naturally to me. These are just long, long-term motivations that are there and you can't, can't, can't ever underestimate the sheer driving energy poverty will bring you. Being denied everything and access to everything. Government, schools, the lot, tell you that you don't count. You are scum. Go with flow or else. That's an incredible driving energy, to be better than their estimation of you." To be better than peoples estimation of you. The song has a reaching quality, it bursts at the seams with drive and forward trajection, its the kind of song that does not settle for anything less, "Anarchy in the UK" holds out for freedom, holds out for loosing the chains of oppression and the ushering in of a new era, a new way, a new vision of the way life could be. This is the Gospel of John Lydon. This kind of talk is what Jesus was sharing with his disciples in Matthew 28. In Mark's gospel and chapter 16:15 we also find the commission. Luke the great doctor of the New Testament also gives comment to it in Luke 24:47-48. John also has a way of stressing the same thing in John 20:21. Jesus' words in the gospels were just as revolutionary as Anarchy in the UK. He was encouraging a new vision, a new dimension of life, a new people, and a new world. With all the feeling and drive that Johnny Rotten sings about.

The command to make disciples of all nations — "The Great Commission" passages are frequently summoned to give value to countless discipleship and evangelism programs, ideas and practices, often ignoring the real wealth of the texts. It's as if we expect that planting the Great Commission flag at end of a sentence will immediately get us to the summit of our mission agendas.  One way to remedy this poverty of our interpretation is by reading the Great Commission in light of other biblical commissions. Depending on how we count them we there are at least five commissions, one in the Old Testament and four in the New. The four commissions in the NT are actually variations of the same mandate (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:48-49/Acts 1:8; John 20:21), each issued by Jesus, emphasising a slightly different aspect of what it means to be a disciple. It's the NT Commission that will occupy our time this morning. The operative verbs in these NT commissions are: make disciples, preach, witness, and send. They are gospel-driven commands. The OT commission, frequently referred to as the creation or cultural mandate, was issued by God before the Fall of humanity, emphasizing creative activity with the following verbs: be fruitful, multiply, rule, and subdue (Gen 1.27-28).

A surface reading of these Old and New Testament texts places them at odds with one another. In Genesis it would seem that the purpose of humanity is to produce people and culture, whereas the Gospels appear to advocate pulling away from people and culture. As a result, many have chosen one reading over the other, soul-winning or culture-making, disciple-making or social action. These readings call for reinterpretation, one that that allows both Genesis and the Gospels to speak. In fact, reading the gospel commissions in light of a cultural focus will reveal a multi-layered, missional mandate. Moving beyond proof texts and into the wealth of the biblical commissions, this morning we will reflect on the differences between the texts. This will require confrontation with the Bible's demands to make culture and disciples, to care for creation and be agents of new creation. As a result, there is a challenge to understand and embrace discipleship as more that "spiritual disciplines" or an evangelistic program. We will see that Scripture calls us to missional discipleship, a following after Jesus that requires transformational engagement not just with souls but with creation and culture.

The Gospel of Matthew: Totally Distinctive - Bottom Up.
Part of what makes the Great Commission great is its scope. When Jesus said: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" he was directing a primarily Jewish audience towards a multi-ethnic mission. The commission is not calling Christians to Christianise nation-states, but to evangelise ethnic groups. We get the word, "ethnic" from the Greek word for nations, which refers to non-Jewish ethnic groups. Christ does not advocate Christendom, a top-down political Christianity. Instead, in affirmation of the cultural mandate, he calls his followers to transmit a bottom-up, indigenous Christianity, to all peoples in all cultures.  The command is to make disciples of all nations not from all nations. The Great Commission is not about soul-extraction, to remove people from their culture, but instead, to make disciples within their cultural context. Conversion to Christ does not produce a bland universal citizenship: it produces distinctive discipleship, as diverse and variegated as human life itself. Christ in redeeming humanity brings, by the process of discipleship, all the richness of humanity's infinitude of cultures and subcultures into the variegated splendor of the Full Grown Humanity to which the apostolic literature points (Eph 4.8-13). What we should strive for is distinctive discipleship, discipleship that uniquely expresses personal faith in our cultural context. Disciples in urban Leeds will look different than disciples in rural Africa. These differences allow for a flourishing of the gospel that contributes to the many-splendored new humanity of Christ.  According to the Gospel of Matthew, distinctive disciples are those who who, in following Jesus, refuse a one-sided, soul-centered gospel, and instead live out faith in context. The distinctive disciple retains the image of Adam — a culture maker — while growing in the image of Christ and becoming a disciple-maker.

The Gospel of Mark:  Completely Worldly - Back on Track.
Mark's commission reads: "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" Where Matthew emphasises the action of making distinctive disciples, Mark stresses the importance of preaching to all creation. When Jesus used the word "preach" he did not mean converse. The Greek word for preach always carries a sense of urgency and gravity, as though what is to be proclaimed is of great importance. (A drive like in the song "Anarchy in the UK" In this case, it is the gospel that is of utmost importance. This gospel is a worldly gospel — a message that is culturally relevant and creation renewing.  The Greek word for "creation" can be used both broadly and narrowly, referring to the cosmos or to people. Here it should be taken broadly, referring to the world, its peoples and its cultures. Preaching the gospel of Christ has cosmic implications. So it is with Paul: "this gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister" (Col. 1:23). Paul perceives himself as an announcer of a worldly Christ-centered gospel, that through Jesus all things are reconciled to himself, whether on earth or in heaven (Col. 1:20). Paul preaches with Mark's great commission emphasis — preaching for the redemption of all creation.  While this worldly gospel saves, it also condemns. In Mark, Jesus explains that not all will believe this grand Story or receive its great Saviour: "Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mk. 16:16). Mark's commission reveals the divisive nature of the gospel. For some it brings life; for others it brings death, but all are to be given the opportunity to be written into the story of God's redemption of all creation.  As with Matthew, the scope of God's redemptive action is important. From the beginning, God's design for creation was for it to flourish and become inhabitable. Outside of Eden, the earth was uninhabitable. Humanity was charged with the task of caring for the earth and creating culture, making the uninhabitable habitable.  Adam failed to trust God with this task and sought to rule not only over creation, but also over God. As a result, the creation project was subjected to sin and calamity (Rom. 8:20). Israel would follow in Adam's footsteps. Then came Jesus. Jesus preached a worldly gospel, a restorative message that put the creation project back on track. His glorified, resurrection body is clearly proof of the new creation to come.  Just prior to ascending to heaven, Jesus told those who believe that they will be given power to heal the sick, restore the demon-possessed, and to speak new languages (Mk. 16:17-18). This worldly gospel is for the redemption and renewal of the earth, the body, the heart, the mind, and the cultures of the world. It is a saving message that rescues people from their unbelief, not their world, and reconciles their alienation from one another, their world, and their Creator.  According to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus died to bring life to all creation, to restore the environment, renew cultures and remake peoples, spiritually and physically. We are called to preach a worldly gospel.

The Gospel of Luke: Radical Resurrection - Fleshy Jesus
Luke's commission also emphasises preaching the gospel: "repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:47-48). In particular, we are called to preach "repentance and forgiveness of sins." A social gospel will not suffice. Christ calls us to repent — to turn our heart allegiances away from all things other, and to receive forgiveness for betraying our Creator. But a forgiven and repentant person is not idle; they are compelled to witness — to tell the story of their transformation. Where Matthew and Mark respectively emphasise distinctive discipleship and preaching a worldly gospel, Luke calls us to witness — to tell our distinct gospel stories. No two stories are alike, but all share the same Saviour. What does it mean to be "witnesses of all these things"? Well, at the very least it means sharing Jesus' self-sacrificing offer of forgiveness, but that is just one thing. What of the other things?
We are to tell of Jesus' death, but we are also to tell of his resurrection.  Consider the context of Luke's commission. The eleven disciples were discussing the reliability of Jesus sightings, when suddenly Christ appeared in the room. Thinking he was a ghost, they were filled with fright. Jesus responded: "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (24:39). To make his point, Jesus proved he had a body by eating some fish and chips. In flesh and bone, Jesus charges his follower to be witnesses of his resurrection. The problem with many of our stories is that they contain all spirit and very little flesh. We communicate our mystical encounters with God, our mountain top experiences with Jesus, and our superhuman victories over sin. Many people see right through our spiritual stories, precisely because our witness is too good to be true. We fail to mention our bad, unless it is in the past, failing further to witness of resurrection, in the present. People want to touch redemption, which means they need to see resurrection power in our personal struggles.  Jesus' body was resurrected as an expression of God's commitment to creation (1 Cor. 15). God does not jettison the body for the soul. His gospel of redemption is for the whole world, beginning with real "skin and bone" people. His resurrection is a bright reminder of new creation in the midst of bleak darkness, of tangible transformation in gross dilapidation. (This is what Rotten is kicking against in the song) The stories we tell should boast of Jesus' death and resurrection, of his forgiveness of sin and of his restoration of sinners — reconciled families and marriages, restored and housed homeless, renewed life and so on.  According to the Gospel of Luke, we are to be witnesses of death and resurrection, to live and recount the stories of a resurrected, fleshly Jesus who lives in the midst of broken humanity offering healing and hope.

The Gospel of John: Humble Incarnation - Heartbeat, down and dirty.
John's commission is short and sweet: "As the Father sent me, I am also sending you" (John 20:21). Whereas the previous gospel writers emphasised Jesus' command to make distinctive disciples, preach a worldly gospel, and witness a fleshly Jesus, John stresses Jesus sending his disciples. As the text continues, Jesus makes plain that the disciples are sent as a forgiving community, offering the grace they have received from him to others.  We are either goers, senders, or disobedient, but according to Jesus we are all the sent. Missionary activity is not the exclusive task of people who sell all their possessions and move overseas. All followers of Jesus are called to live as missionaries in their culture. If we are all sent into our cultures as distinctive disciples to share a worldly gospel about a fleshly Christ, how then are we to live as the sent? Jesus said, "As the Father sent me, I am also sending you." Our paradigm for living a sent life, a missionary life, is the sending of the Son by the Father.  When the Father sent the Son, Jesus left the glory of his trinitarian abode and became a helpless infant in the care of humans he created. This required an accommodating humility. Jesus grew up and became a first century, toga-wearing, sandal-sporting, temple-frequenting Jew. He accommodated first century Jewish culture. So, within reason we should take on the trappings of our culture in order to relate the gospel. This can entail wearing broken-in jeans, togas, hand-made sandals or a suit and tie, or a cut off and riding a motorbike. However, our accommodation is not purely cultural; it is missional. It leads us to immerse ourselves into the humanity of our neighbourhoods and cities and sub-cultures in order relate the gospel to people and their needs. Being a local missionary requires more than relevant attire; it demands humility of heart to listen to the stories of others, to empathise with their frustration, suffering, and brokenness and to redemptively retell their stories through the gospel. To be sent by God is to follow the example of the incarnation, to engage others with hope and a humble heart. In John's commission - accommodating humility is accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is not too holy for distinctive discipleship. After sending his disciples, Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). The power of missional living does not spring from cultural savvy or social sensitivity; it requires the otherworldly, utterly personal power of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit of God can make men new.  According to the Gospel of John, we have been sent as missionaries to humbly demonstrate and culturally accommodate the gospel of Christ through the power of the Spirit. In being sent, we do not abandon the cultural commission, but instead, unite it with our redemptive mission.

The Gospel of Genesis: Creation at the lost and found.

The "good news" of Genesis 1-2 is that God created all things to be enjoyed, managed, cultivated, and recreated by humanity. The gospel of Genesis 3 is that, though Adam rejected God, God did not reject Adam. Still possessing the creation mandate, Adam was expelled from Eden, but clothed with the hope of a new creation (Gen 3:15, 21).  The creation mandate charges us to be fruitful and multiply, to rule and subdue the earth. This fruitful multiplication continues both physically and spiritually through the reproducing ministry of missional disciples, who increase in number and good works (Acts 6:7; Col. 1:6, 10). These good works include ruling and subduing creation through the careful, creative arrangement of the elements of the earth into art, technology, infrastructure etc. for the flourishing of humanity. The basis for our cultural activity is found in Genesis.  Retaining the cultural impulse of Genesis, the Gospels call us to a missional discipleship that entails creation care, cultural engagement, social action, and gospel proclamation. Missional disciples will not content themselves by preaching a culturally irrelevant, creation indifferent, resurrection neglecting message. Instead, they redemptively engage peoples and cultures through Christ for the renewal of his creation.

Final Thoughts
By digging deeper into the great commissions, we have unearthed a wealth of cultural and theological insight. This re-reading of familiar biblical texts has shown us that God in Christ has called us not to mere soul-winning, but to distinctive discipleship, to heralding a worldly gospel of a fleshly Christ who humbly accommodates human culture and understands the human condition. These commissions call us to missional discipleship — to redemptive engagement with all peoples and cultures. To a way of life that kicks against anything else and trail blazes a new way, a new heart, a new kingdom, a new people and a new world. Surely this is what "Anarchy in the UK" is stretching out for, this is not a stain glass gold fish bowl approach but one that calls for dirty engagement. These it seems to me are the long term motivations that Johnny Rotten is aiming for, albeit he communicates this in a different language,but the truth and reality is the same. - A changed world.

180.Rock Goes The Gospel - Stiff Little Fingers "Alternative Ulster"

'Alternative Ulster', is song that hit the punk scene in 1978. Performed by Stiff Little Fingers and appears on the album Inflammable Material and written during the Troubles and is a rejection of the tribal and sectarian labels hung upon the people of Ulster from birth. 'Alternative Ulster', found it's self at number 11 in the charts in 1978. With all the troubles in Northern Ireland there was a rising tide of people and politics looking for an alternative way of being and living. the single cover was provocative a single soldier with a gun hiding behind a pillar and child on top of it laughing. Very provocative indeed.

Nothin' for us in Belfast
The Pound's so old it's a pity
OK, there's the trident in Bangor
Then walk back to the city
We ain't got nothin' but they don't really care
They don't even know you know
Just want our money
And we can take it or leave it
What we need

An Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it it's yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter you native land

Take a look where you're livin'
You got the Army on your street
And the R-U-C dog of repression
Is barking at your feet
Is this the kind of place you want to live?
Is this where you want to be?
Is this the only life we're gonna have?
What we need is

An Alternative Ulster
Grab it and change it it's yours
Get an Alternative Ulster
Ignore the bores and their laws
Get an Alternative Ulster
Be an anti security force
Alter your native Ulster
Alter you native land

They say they've got control of you
But that's not true you know
They say they're a part of you
And that's a lie you know
They say you will never be
Free free free

Get an
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster
Alternative Ulster

There was a real sense in which this song was representative of people who dreamed and hoped for something else in Northern Ireland. An alternative to what they had gone through in the latest troubles there since the 1960's this was a deep seated hope or desperation and drove people to anger. Some chose the way out through paramilitary involvement and others through politics or both. the ballot box and the gun was a way to reseal that hope, one way among other ways. To others it was music that people turned to, music spawned groups like U2, The Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers. SLF were formed in Belfast at the height of the troubles. The scripture passage this morning also has the hope of a better world. The refection this morning is an in-depth look at the subject of "Pursuing The Kingdom of God"

Introduction

There are so many things that we can strive to receive or become during our lifetime. Some pursue a certain level of education. Others pursue such things as promotions, higher salaries, a spouse, wealth and prosperity. Are these worth pursuing? What if we spend our whole life pursuing something only to find out that they meant nothing really? Such is the case from the Bible's perspective, especially in the book of Ecclesiastes. I'm sure you have heard stories of rich people that are still lonely and depressed. Not that riches make you that way but riches are not the panacea for such. Wealth, prosperity, prestige, and power are not worth much at all from a heavenly perspective. What then should we pursue and what truly is meaningful or ultimately worth pursuit? Is there any one thing that we can pursue that would truly make a difference in our life. I believe that the answer to this question is a hearty yes. We are going to examine a valid answer to the above questions. We are going to examine the priority of the Kingdom of God in our lives and what that means from a grand perspective.   We know from glancing at the scripture that Jesus says to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and we will acquire all these things. However, do you really understand what this scripture is telling you? What is the Kingdom of God? What does He mean by "first?" What is righteousness? What things is Jesus talking about? Let's go deeper into this scripture to uncover its simple yet very powerful revelation. Notice right away that this passage of scripture begins with the word "But". This implies a relationship to previous scriptures that are part of the entire discussion or teaching. Whenever you read a scripture that begins with a conjunction (for example the words and, therefore, then, and but) or is a conjunction in some way (For example the phrase "afterwards he said") , then you should read further backwards in the scripture so that you can get a complete picture of what the author was trying to relay to you. This is the process of acquiring the proper context of the scripture so that you can obtain the correct meaning of the scripture.

The Context
The word "But" implies a conjunction of the current verse and previous scriptures. Our task is to therefore acquire the proper context of the current verse by means of examining Jesus' entire current teaching or discussion. If we do not review the entire discussion then we are prone to develop an understanding of the scripture that was not intended due to lack of sufficient information.  You can obtain the proper context be going back to verse nineteen (Matthew 6:19). Here Jesus begins (or seems to begin) a discussion on the importance or priority of godly things as opposed to worldly things in the context of basic life on this earth. It also describes the two basic objects of pursuit, namely things of the world or things pertaining to heaven (God's Kingdom). Please note that the word "heaven" in these verses is not particularly referring to the place Christians go after they die (leave the earth) and spend eternity with God. It is more referring to a realm and not a specific place. This realm is the realm of God's existence, which is spiritual and not physical. Therefore, I could generalize Matthew 6:19 - 6:34 as a discussion or teaching on ultimate human pursuit (worldly versus godly) and the priority in one's life.  Human pursuit derives from those things that we consider valuable or of great priority (treasures). If we value more than anything the things on the earth then we will tend to pursue those things above all else. If we consider godly things (heavenly) more priceless then anything else then we will tend to pursue those. This is also consistent with the entire discussion presented in Matthew Chapter six.  For example, if your motivation is for worldly recognition then your prayers in public will be geared for notability instead of sincerity. That is, your prayers will be designed to get you noticed instead of accomplishing a desired result according to God's will. Similarly, if you treasure the recognition of people above godly things then your giving to the poor will be a righteous act in itself, but the overall activity is not due to the care you have for the recipient. Rather, your activity of giving is motivated by your desire to be noticed and you use giving as a means to accomplish it.  So again, in general, I would say that the context of the subject scripture is that of pursuit, which derives from true inner motivations or desires of the heart.

Seek First
Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom of God. To truly establish the message or teaching of Jesus Christ, we should really be sure that we are defining terms in the same way that the writer of the particular scripture would have intended. It is sometimes too easy to forget that these scriptures where written roughly two thousand years ago and therefore terms and phrases might not have been understood in the same way that we would understand it. In addition, the translators of these scriptures would have used words that do not have the same meaning or understanding today as they did then.  Verse thirty-two for example  Matthew 6:32 (NKJV) "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." Notice the use of the word seek in this verse. However, the underlying Greek word is actually different than the word used in verse thirty-three. Let's look at the underlying Greek just for reference. The Greek word that was translated into the word seek in verse 32 is epize teo . This word means to search (inquire) for; intensively to demand, to crave. Note also that the context of its usage suggests something worldly that is craved. Examples of this would be riches, prestige, or some other object of infatuation. It could also apply to basic needs that we have, which we crave for. Also, since Jesus states that the Gentiles epize teo (seek) and that the word Gentile basically means without God relative to the Jewish people, then this seeking activity is not heavenly oriented at all but is instead confined to the things that this world has to offer. The word "gentile" also came to be known as referring to someone that was not a Jew. So we might infer that those that are not of God only have worldly things to pursue, which would lead to a life of worry and little hope.  The Greek word that was translated into seek in verse 33 is ze teo . This word means to seek (figuratively or literally), specifically to worship God. The word, when compared to another Greek word for seek, implies searching for something that is hidden. This is consistent with Jesus' teachings in His parables as well as the parables themselves. So first Jesus said to seek God in a manner that is not merely for information or for personal gain and enjoyment. Jesus, by usage of the Greek word, refers to a spiritual activity (worship) in seeking for God. The seeking that Jesus is therefore describing is one that is heavenly oriented and not just confined to the world (earth). The word first is translated from the Greek word pro ton and it means firstly (in time, place, order, or importance):-before, at the beginning, chiefly. This word implies importance or priority and not merely first in a series, which would lead to ritualism and therefore true meaningless of the worship of God.  So these two words, "seek first", instructs us to make the Kingdom of God a priority in our lives. It heightens the importance and place of worship in our efforts to live godly lives on this earth. So make the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (God's system and rightness) the number one priority in your life. Again, this doesn't mean that you should pray before doing anything else as a rule because that is ritualism and not true worship. It means that the things of God are most important to you and that you are pursuing those godly things.

God's Kingdom
What is the Kingdom of God? The word kingdom means a realm over which someone rules or the rule itself. It could also refer to a particular place of rule. In any case, the Kingdom of God refers to the realm of God over which God rules. This realm is more than a place because Jesus said that God's Kingdom was at hand in his preaching. So God's Kingdom is also a system of operation or a mode. His Kingdom is the realm over which God's Way is the mode of operation. God's Modis Operandi This is why the world is contrary to the ways of God because the world uses a different system. The Kingdom of God is the rule of God where His ways are in operation. I should point out that the New Testament contains two very similar phrases. It contains the phrase "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of Heaven." These two phrases mean exactly the same thing. Jesus spoke Aramaic. However, when the disciples wrote down his "sayings" they translated it into Greek. Many times the underlying Greek phrase or word was translated to "Kingdom of God." However, Matthew chose to translate the same Aramaic word into the Greek "Kingdom of heaven." So they are the same word (what Jesus said) but rendered differently in the Greek.

God's Righteousness
The Holman Bible Dictionary defines righteousness as follows.
"The actions and positive results of a sound relationship within a local community or between God and a person or His people. Translators have employed "righteousness" in rendering several biblical words into English: sedaqah, sedeq, in Hebrew; and dikaiosune and euthutes in Greek. "Righteousness" in the original languages denotes far more than in English usage; indeed, biblical righteousness is generally at odds with current English usage. We understand righteousness to mean "uprightness" in the sense of "adherence or conformity to an established norm." In biblical usage righteousness is rooted in covenants and relationships. For biblical authors, righteousness is the fulfillment of the terms of a covenant between God and humanity or between humans in the full range of human relationships."

This is a very important distinction. We tend to base our understanding of righteousness on the concept of following the rules (the ten commandments for example). However, true righteousness is more than that.  Let's concentrate on Isaiah 64:6 here. He says that all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags! However, I know that my righteousness is through Christ. That's right! The thing is that the two words are different. The word righteousnesses mean acts of righteousness and is not referring to righteousness itself. Righteousnesses merely refers to the things that righteous people do due to their righteousness and unrighteous people do in order to appear righteous or good (or merely to follow the rules). For example, evil people can do something that is considered good but that doesn't make the evil person good. They simply did a good work or deed. So when considering righteousness, remember to relate it to your relationship with God and not with "godly" rules. Rules and regulations will take you away from God but a closer relationship with God will enable you and cause you to tend to do things God's way, according to His Kingdom. So God's righteousness refers to His Way, which is bound to us by relationship and not merely following the rules or adhering to rituals (as in the Old Testament for the most part). This differs from the basic religious (man-made) realm where rules are the key of operation. Religion requires adherence to law and not establishment of relationship with God.

Things Added
Jesus goes on to say that if we seek first God's Kingdom and Way, then all of our needs will be provided. This is taken from the context established by the previous few verses where Jesus discusses the need for clothing, shelter, and food. How is this so? Remember that seeking God's Kingdom refers to worship and the pursuit of God's way (through that worship). It also implies a personal relationship with God through true righteousness. So it would only seem reasonable to believe that God would take care of His own people. If we pursue God then we will understand more of how his Kingdom operates and therefore operate according to His Way. This will definitely mean that our basic needs would be met because God is not out to destroy us. Also, note that we are not pursuing these things in the absolute sense. Yes we need food and shelter for example, but we have the knowledge and confidence that our loving Father will provide these things to His children.

A Glimpse at Faith
This also involves faith, which a detailed discussion of such is beyond the scope of this devotion today. We see that faith in God is more than to know the rules. It too is founded in our relationship with Him through Christ. Our faith in God is founded on the results of obedience to Him. We do what God says, experience the results of such and therefore depend on Him in the future. We then come to know the trustworthiness of God and will do what He says to us in His Word.

A Good Illustration
Consider the following verse of scripture.  Matthew 7:7 (NKJV) "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you".  Let's focus our attention on the "seek" portion of this scripture. The word "seek" here is the same word that was used in Matthew 6:33. It refers more than just to inquire for knowledge or information. It involves more than just a pursuit to get. It involves relationship based on the context of the Greek word used. It relates to worship of God (as understood by the Jewish people at the time). So seeking is done through worship. Now get this. Worship is the expression of the worthiness or importance of God. It is our response to the perception of the presence of God and how He is worthy of our adoration or worship. To worship God is to recognise the great importance of God to your life and that recognition is expressed in a form of worship.  So seeking or the Greek ze teo is more than a intellectual activity to acquire something that is tied to this world. Seeking and therefore seeking God's Kingdom is an act from the heart because you realize the importance or value (if I can say it that way) of God and His Way. You understand the priority of Christ and the Kingdom of God. Nothing else really matters in the overall scope of things because anything tied to this earth are temporal (and therefore ultimately an illusion) and anything tied to heaven (God's realm) is eternal. Where are your treasures? Are you treasures on the earth or are they in heaven? Therefore, what are you seeking? Heavenly things that will last forever or earthly things that will eventually pass away.

Conclusion
What is the most important thing to you? What do you ultimately seek for? The answers to these questions should be God's Kingdom and His righteousness. Above all, we should pursue those things that are of God because only those things are eternal and therefore truly meaningful. You may not feel like it and the things of this world may appear to give you greater satisfaction and enjoyment. Or in the case of the song "Alternative Ulster" you are drawn to a hope that is worth searching for. Pursue God and His Kingdom as the number one priority and all of the things that pertain to life will be added to you. It is meaningless to pursue those things that are tied solely to the earth.  So pursue God and you will find Him and the abundant life he offers you. Make the things of God (including God) of great importance to you. How? It starts with a decision and renewal of the way you think  Begin to train yourself to go after God instead of things as the ultimate goal of your life. Learn to experience God and he will show himself faithful and of far greater value to you than anything else that this world has to offer. Seek God and His Kingdom first and all of your needs will be met. Remember that seeking God involves relationship and not merely the acquisition of information. Therefore, get to know your heavenly Father as a means of seeking Him and His Way and make that the greatest priority of your life by your decision as opposed to your feelings.