Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity.  It occurs 40 days before Easter (excluding Sundays).  Ash Wednesday is observed by many Christians.

Lent had its origins in Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert, where he overcame three key areas of temptation (Matt 4:1-11): denying Himself with instant gratification, the approval of people and a shortcut to the plan of God.  John the apostle summarizsed these temptations as “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).  Jesus’ fast was in preparation of the ministry He was on earth to complete – the salvation of all.  The purpose of Lent is to fast for 40 days as preparation for Easter.  Sundays are not included because Sunday is seen as a commemoration of the Day of Christ’s resurrection and so it should be a feast day and not a fast day.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  Both of these statements are vital truths in the Christian faith in which we are reminded of our sinfulness and mortality, and thus our need to repent and get right with God before it is too late.  The simple good news is that through Jesus’ death and resurrection there is forgiveness for all sins, all guilt and all punishment.

Ash Wednesday was originally called “the day of ashes”.  It is first mentioned in the earliest copies of the Gregorian Sacramentary and probably dates back to at least the 8th Century.  One of the earliest descriptions of Ash Wednesday is found in the writings of the Anglo-Saxon abbot Aelfric (955-1020).  In his “Lives of the Saints” he writes, “We read in the books both in the Old Law and in the New that the men who repented of their sins bestrewed themselves with ashes and clothed their bodies with sackcloth.  Now let us do this little at the beginning of our Lent that we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast.”

Sackcloth and ashes (or dirt/dust) are mentioned 23 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and four times in the New Testament.  As Aelfric suggests, the pouring of ashes on one’s body (and dressing in sackcloth, a very rough material made from goats’ hair) was an ancient practice as an outer manifestation of inner repentance or mourning.  In the New Testament, Jesus mentions the practice in Matthew 11:21: “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

The practice of the Ash Wednesday tradition – or the season of Lent – is meaningless, even hypocritical, unless there is a corresponding inner repentance and change of behavior. This is made clear in Isaiah 58:5-7 when God says,

“Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”

The true fasting that God requires is that His people would go without something in order to give to others who have little or nothing.  Fasting is not just self-denial but rather a way of bringing equality into a world where the gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider.

And so with that in mind I encourage you at this time of year to remember what Jesus has done for each one of us.  He has paid the death penalty on the cross; He took the punishment for our wrongdoing upon Himself; He rose again – defeating death, giving eternal life and offering a full pardon to all who place their faith in Him.

During this 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting draw close to Jesus and look for ways in which you – by denying yourself – can bring some life and joy into the lives of others and provide for those who are doing it tough.  As Jesus said, “when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters [the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the prisoner, the foreigner] you were doing it to me!’ (Matt 25 :40)

As with many of the “Christian” festivals, Valentine’s Day probably has pagan roots deriving from Lupercalia – a very ancient rural festival, observed on February 13 through 15, to prevent evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Lupercalia included Februa, a spring cleansing ritual held on the same date, which gives the month of February its name and is probably the origin of Spring Cleaning.

Another theory of the origins of Valentine’s Day is that while the Roman Emperor Claudius II was trying to bolster his army, he forbade young men to marry.  In the spirit of love, St. Valentine defied the ban and performed secret marriages.  For his disobedience, Valentine was executed on February 14, 270AD.

Legend has it that before Valentine was executed, Claudius imprisoned him.  While in prison he fell in love with the Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius.  He is reported to have performed a miracle by healing Julia.  As a result of the miracle Julia, and the entire household, came to believe in Jesus and were baptised.  Before he was executed, he allegedly sent a letter to Julia signed “from your Valentine.”

J.C. Cooper, in The Dictionary of Christianity, writes that Saint Valentine was “a priest of Rome who was imprisoned for succoring (aiding) persecuted Christians.”  It is likely that Valentine was himself persecuted when interrogated by Emperor Claudius.  In Bede’s Martyrology, which was compiled in the 8th century, it states that Saint Valentine was persecuted as a Christian.  Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman Paganism in order to save his life.  Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Due to this, he was executed.

Pope Gelasius 1 adapted Lupercalia as a Christian feast day around 496, declaring February 14 to be St. Valentine’s Day.  It wasn’t until the 14th century however, that this Christian feast day became definitively associated with love when, in 1381, Geoffrey Chaucer, the Father of English literature, composed a poem in honour of the engagement between England’s Richard II and Anne of Bohemia.  As was the poetic tradition, Chaucer associated the occasion with a feast day – in this case it was St. Valentine’s Day.  In 1537, England’s King Henry VII officially declared February 14 the holiday of St. Valentine’s Day.

By the 18th century, gift giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine’s Day had become common in England and eventually spread to the American colonies.

Over the years February 14 has been celebrated as St. Valentine’s Day by various church denominations including Anglican, Lutheran and Roman Catholic.  However, in 1969 the Catholic Church revised its liturgical calendar, removing the feast days of saints whose historical origins were questionable. St. Valentine was one of the casualties.

Today Valentine’s Day is a time to express our love to the one most special person in our life – or the one who we would like to be the ONE!  As love is the overarching Christian theme it is appropriate for Christians to celebrate this day, but not to be limited by it.  Every day is a day to express our love for others.  I tell Christie several times a day that I love her – and she does the same. And we do our best to express our love for each other in many ways. We don’t wait for February 14th to show our love, but Valentine’s Day can be a special day to remind us of the importance of our loved ones and to give thanks for them.  Let’s not miss the opportunity.

I’ve always had a fascination for archaeology – especially when it reinforces the truth of the Bible – so a recent article in the Christian Post really caught my attention.

The article reported:  “A team of scientists and scholars claim to have discovered the world’s earliest-known version of the Gospel, dating back to the first century A.D., which was found on a sheet of papyrus used to make an ancient mummy’s mask in Egypt.”  It is thought to be a written portion of the Gospel of Mark, that possibly dates back as early as 80 A.D.

The mask was discovered by Craig Evans, a professor of New Testament studies at Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia.  He explains, “that most ancient Egyptians, that were not pharaohs nor part of ancient Egypt’s elite social class, were mummified with masks made out of used sheets of papyrus because that was the most cost efficient way for the families to preserve the bodies of their loved ones.

“Because papyrus itself was so expensive, the families often used sheets of papyrus that had already been used to write on.  Evans further explained that many pagans, who had no respect for Christians, often used Christian writings to mask their dead loved ones, because they deemed the Christian writings as “trash.”

As a new technique was discovered that allows scientists to undo the mummy masks without destroying the centuries-old ink, scientists have been able to uncover many different secular and religious documents.”

Evans explains, “It was from one of these masks that we recovered a fragment of the Gospel of Mark that is dated to around 80 A.D.  We could have a first century fragment of Mark for the first time ever.”  Also in the discovery are some first-century Christian sermons.

Presently, the oldest surviving copies of Scripture are dated to the second century, between the years 101 to 200 A.D.”

Evans said Brill Publishers would publish the documents uncovered later this year.

The exciting thing about this discovery – and many others like it – is that it backs up the credibility and reliability of the Christian faith.   As archaeologists make further discoveries, it will encourage our faith to know it rests soundly on truth that was articulated two millennia ago or even longer.  It also helps us to “defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people” (Jude 3).

I want you to imagine something.  People arrive in your country and pretend that it’s not owned by anyone.  In fact they declare it “Terra nullias” – a Latin expression from Roman law meaning “land belonging to no one.”  They then proceed to set up their own colony, laws, rights and customs giving little or no thought to you – and others living in your country – and to your laws, rights and customs.  Have you imagined what that would be like? How did it make you feel?  Outraged I hope!

Well, that’s what began to happen to the Indigenous peoples of Australia on 26 January 1788, when the first fleet arrived from Great Britain.  Twenty years later, in 1808, are the first historical records of celebration occurring on that day – the day we now “celebrate” as Australia Day.

Timing is everything

Can you imagine how the celebration of Australia Day on January 26 could be an annual event that rubs salt in the wounds of our Indigenous peoples?  Now don’t get me wrong.  I believe we should have an annual day to celebrate this wonderful country. I just don’t think January 26 – called Invasion Day by some – is the best day to celebrate.

I love this country.  I’m so glad that my parents were bold enough to make the big move here when I was 12.  We were Ten Pounds Poms!  Mum and Dad paid 20 pounds and my sister, brother and I flew free.  I will always appreciate my parents for having the courage to leave family, friends and familiarity in the UK for the great unknown of Australia.  I love this country with all its diversity, warmth and welcoming; its freedoms, generosity and compassion.  And on the subject of compassion – it would be a good move if we demonstrated a bit more of it towards the original owners of this land.

In 1788 Australia was not a “land belonging to no one.”  It was inhabited by about 700,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who were made up from between 500 and 700 tribes.  The Aboriginals tried to protest the colonisation of their land but the Europeans either drove them from their lands or killed them, sometimes both.  Due to massacres, plus the introduction of disease and alcohol, the indigenous population decreased by almost 87% by 1900.  These are hardly things worthy of celebration.

Rethinking the day

Many dates have been suggested for Australia Day as an alternative to January 26.

Federation Day, 1 January which would also coincide with the celebration of the New Year; the opening of the first Federal Parliament, 9 May; the anniversary of the 1967 referendum, 27 May, with changes made that enabled Aborigines to be accounted for under federal law, and to be included in the national census. The event was a milestone in the recognition of Indigenous rights in Australia.  February 13 has also been proposed in more recent years in response to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the stolen generation in parliament in 2008.  Another suggestion I heard recently was the Monday of the Melbourne Cup “Long weekend.”

Whatever the day I believe strongly that we need a national drive to move Australia Day away from January 26 out of love and respect for Australia’s original owners.

The shootings at Charlie Hebdo are inexcusable.  Resolving a disagreement or offence by ending the life of another is never right.  The outpouring of grief and demonstration of solidarity with the French at this time is inspiring and brings out the best in humanity – although we obviously don’t feel the same level of grief over the hundreds of people killed by Boko Haram in Nigeria this week or the 37 killed by al-Qaeda in Yemen.  But I’ll save my thoughts on that for another blog.

Not only were the terrorists who attacked Charlie Hebdo vicious, but they were also stupid.  Muslim extremists killing people over insults to their Prophet and what were they trying to achieve?  Justice for Islam?  Honour for Muhammed?  The end of Charlie Hebdo?  None of these things was achieved.  You see Charlie Hebdo was already in serious difficulty.  In fact last week they were in danger of folding.  But not now!  Before the attacks, they printed 60,000 copies of each edition.  This week they’re printing over 3 million copies in 16 different languages.  Charlie Hebdo is now a household name around the world.

In addition to that The Press and Pluralism Association donated $360,0000, ordinary citizens through crowd fundraising gave $150,000, while French Culture and Communications Minister Fleur Pel­lerin pledged $1.45 million to the magazine.  Charlie Hebdo now has more power, reach and influence than ever before and they will continue to do the same work of satirizing religions, cultures and politics.  Nothing will be out of bounds.  So, stupid terrorists, you would have been better off ignoring Charlie – just like those of other faiths did.  Sure, there may have been blogs and media articles expressing concern at the distasteful cartoons in the magazine.  Even Barrack Obama condemned them in 2012 and the French Government itself asked them to be more restrained.  But it took two Islamist extremists to make sure Charlie Hebdo now has a bright future.

In 1988 there was a Canadian-American film released called The Last Temptation of Christ.  I never saw it but I know people who did.  It was an average movie that would have been a Box Office flop except for the free publicity given it by “Concerned Christians” who protested about the perceived blasphemous themes in the film.  The movie should have been ignored.  Hollywood must have sat back and rubbed its hands together in glee as the money rolled in.  Incidents like this have occurred far too many times.

It reminds me of a quote by Elbert Hubbard: “Never explain – your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.”  In other words, there are times when ignoring something or someone is the best course of action.  Jesus did it.  Sometimes he just remained silent.  Other times he answered a question with another question.  He was never defensive, he never tried to justify himself and he certainly never resorted to violence to prove a point.  He overcame evil with good because good is more powerful than evil and he encourages us to do the same.

This morning we awake to the news of yet another terrorist attack – once again inflicted by Islamist extremists. In Paris, twelve people are dead and eight are injured (four critically) by the attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo; a weekly French satirical newspaper. The newspaper has become well known throughout the world over the years for featuring cartoons, reports, jokes and aggressive attacks on religions, politics and culture.  It seems nothing was held sacred or out of bounds.

For some English translations of their more provocative material click on this link:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/01/07/charlie_hebdo_covers_religious_satire_cartoons_translated_and_explained.html

Two thoughts immediately spring to mind when I consider the horrendous events that took place in Paris yesterday.

Firstly, how far should free speech go?  Now I’m not suggesting the extremist anti free speech of some Communist and Muslim countries. What I am asking is where does self control, respect and decency limit what we say, write and publish? If I know that saying something is going to offend or hurt someone else I practice self control out of respect for that person.  Jesus encapsulated this when He taught people to “Love your neighbour as yourself.”  The French government had requested restraint of Charlie Hebdo several years ago when it published drawings, some of which depicted Mohammad naked and in demeaning or pornographic poses.  These were met with a swift rebuke by the French government, which warned the magazine could be inflaming tensions, even as it reiterated France’s free speech protections.  Charlie Hebdo went ahead and as a result France had to increase security at its embassies across the Muslim world.  Protests occurred across the Muslim world like the violent protests that targeted the United States over an amateur video produced in California that left at least 30 people dead.  In 2005, Danish cartoons of the Prophet sparked a wave of violent protests across the Muslim world that killed at least 50 people. Many innocent people have died because of the sacred cow of freedom of speech.

This leads me to my second thought. As I’ve watched reports on various news networks it is almost laughable to watch reporters side-step the “M” word.  One reporter said it was too early to attribute this attack to any particular ideology. Really?  The assault was carried out by two masked men brandishing AK-47 Kalashnikov rifles, with at least one shouting “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is great” in Arabic.  When are the media going to rise above some distorted sense of political correctness and state the obvious? Several reporters also went to extremes to explain that Charlie Hebdo also mocked Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and various political persuasions.  And that is true.  But other religions don’t riot and shoot people.  We don’t hear about Buddhist suicide bombers.  Jews don’t put car bombs outside hotels.  Christians turn the other cheek although we are just as offended by the constant mockery and insults to our faith by the media and Hollywood.

It is true that the vast majority of Muslims are moderate, pious people who suffer more from terrorism and violence than non-Muslims. Ninety-three percent of Muslims do not support extremist views of terrorism according to a conservative Gallup poll.  But that means that 7% do.  Current estimates suggest there are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world.  That means there are about 112 million Muslims who hold extremist views – and they are obviously living among us, as has been made painfully clear by the recent events in France, Australia, Canada, America and many other nations.

So, out of love and respect for others let us limit our freedom of speech but, at the same time, let us call Islamic extremism what it is and work in unity with all peaceful people to see an end to it.

One of the most loved Christmas songs started out as an advertising promotion. In 1939 Montgomery Ward commissioned advertising executive Robert May to write a poem that their store Santa Claus could give away to children who came to visit him. The result was “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and it first appeared in a little booklet published by the department store chain. More than 2.5 million copies were handed out. And by 1946 more than 6 million copies of the poem were distributed.

Rudolph’s story was put to music in 1949 by Robert May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks. The song was first offered to Bing Crosby and then Dinah Shore.  They both turned it down.  Third choice was Gene Autry, the singing cowboy, whose recording went to No. 1 on the Billboard pop singles chart the week of Christmas 1949. Autry’s recording sold 2.5 million copies the first year, and eventually sold about 25 million, and remained the second best-selling record of all time until the 1980s.

Today “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is the highest-selling Christmas carol of all time. It’s a song that has resonated with people young and old for 65 years and is still going strong. Why has this little Christmas carol been so popular?  Apart from its very catchy tune, I believe it’s because the story is something we can all identify with.  It’s a story of grace. By grace, Santa chooses Rudolph despite the fact that he’s an outcast and reject because of his big, inconveniently shiny red nose: “All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names; They never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games.”  But then it all changed, when what was considered a defect, a weakness, and a liability became the very thing that Santa needed: “Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say: “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”  The “weakness” that was considered a problem by Rudolph and his fellow reindeer became the “strength” that Santa used to accomplish his mission.

Christmas is a time when we celebrate the birth of God in human form.  Jesus, the Son of God, was well acquainted with weakness and rejection.  He had a dubious birth – born out of wedlock, born in poor conditions as an outcast.  He knew rejection from many throughout his life – even his closest friends.  The Prophet Isaiah said this of the coming Messiah: “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

The fact that Jesus experienced these things is good news for us because we have a Saviour who “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”

This Christmas – and as we enter a New Year – remember that Jesus is the great redeemer.  His grace is unending – it even reaches to the things that we’ve considered unredeemable.  The things that we’ve considered as weaknesses, defects and liabilities he can turn around for your blessing and the benefit of others.

Terrorism is nothing new to Australia.  The first such attack took place in 1915 at Broken Hill when two men identified as being Muslims from the British Colony of India (modern day Pakistan) shot dead four people and wounded seven more, before being killed by police.  Next came the 1972 bombing of the Yugoslav General Trade Agency; the 1978 bombing of the Sydney Hilton hotel; the 1980 assassination of the Turkish Consul-General and the 1982 bombing of the Israeli Consulate and the Hakoah Club – all of these took place in Sydney.  In 1986 Melbourne became the focus of terrorism with the bombing of the Russell Street Police Station and the Turkish Consulate.  Since the 1980s we’ve largely seen terrorism as something that happens “over there”.  The Australian Federal Police (AFP) (and other security agencies) has worked tirelessly in the past decades to uncover terrorist plots against Australia.  This year, due to the rise of Islamic State, the AFP has conducted a number of raids in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane because of suspected plots for acts of terrorism.  On 23 September this year an 18-year-old man, Numan Haider, was shot and killed by police after stabbing two police officers.

This week dramatic events unfolded at the Lindt Café in Sydney, as 50-year-old self-styled sheik Man Haron Monis held 15 people hostage.  The siege ended in the early hours on Tuesday morning and resulted in the deaths of two hostages and the terrorist.  It’s unlikely that this will be the last terrorist attack on Australian soil.  So what can we learn from situations such as this?  Let me suggest a few lessons.

Lesson #1 – Tragedies bring out the best and worst of humanity

In the midst of the siege people were taking selfies and posting them on social media. Others put Sydney siege jokes on Twitter.  There were even a few people around the siege site who were voicing protest against Muslims.  This sort of behaviour shows a lack of restraint and just plain bad taste.  But there have been amazing displays of love and grace that restore one’s faith in the human race.  Concerned about reprisals against Muslims “Sir Tessa” put this on Twitter, “If you reg take the #373 bus b/w Coogee/MartinPl, wear religious attire, & don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride with you. @ me for schedule.”  The hash tag “illridewithyou” went viral trending globally on Twitter rapidly and in response Australia’s race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane said he was heartened by the campaign adding, “let’s not allow fear, hatred and division to triumph”.  More than 40 Muslim groups condemned the siege, saying in a statement that they rejected “any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being or to instill fear and terror into their hearts.”

Lesson #2 – We need to be tougher on crime.

The “Fake Sheik” Man Haron Monis first came to attention of police when he penned poisonous letters to the family of dead Australian soldiers seven years ago for which he was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and placed on a two-year good behaviour bond.  He was charged in November 2013 with being an accessory before and after the fact to the murder of his ex-wife Noleen Hayson Pal.  Ms. Pal was stabbed and set alight in a Werrington apartment block.  Most recently, he was charged with more than 50 allegations of indecent and sexual assault relating to time allegedly spent as a self-proclaimed “spiritual healer” who dealt with black magic at premises in western Sydney more than a decade ago.  Why was a man with so many convictions against him out on bail?  If our justice system were tougher the Sydney Siege never would have happened.

Lesson #3 – We must be more careful who we allow to be Australian citizens.

Monis was originally from Iran and came to Australia in the late 1990s.  He obtained political asylum in 2001.  He fled Iran because he was in fear of his life from the regime at that time.  Phillip Ruddock was immigration minister across the period in which Monis’ refugee status was being considered.  I believe strongly that we should be compassionate and welcoming to genuine asylum seekers, but we must also remain strong and vigilant with those who could be a threat to our safety and values.  Australia’s asylum-seeker system has let us down in the case on Man Haron Monis.

Lesson #4 – When trouble strikes most people become believers.

Of all the hash tags that were used during this crisis the one that resonated most with people was #prayforsydney.  I find it fascinating that in times of danger and threat to life many people become believers.  We have an instinct for something – or someone – greater than ourselves who we perceive as able to help when things appear helpless.  I believe it’s a God-given understanding that He is “our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).  People like Shane Warne, Jessica Mauboy and Cody Simpson were praying for Sydney this week.

Lesson #5 – We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next minute.

The people who went to work at the Lindt Café this week – or just went in for their morning coffee – had no idea that their life was going to change – or end. While I’m not suggesting for one minute that we live in fear, I am encouraging a life lived with our mortality in mind.  The Bible reminds us: “you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

It would do us well to learn these lessons!

This is the third and final blog in which I discuss a Christian attitude to differences in race (ethnicity), culture and religion.  When it comes to race – embrace!  When it comes to culture – embrace the good!  What about the various religions?  What should our attitude be towards people of differing belief?

Over the centuries the attitudes and actions of people of various faiths have been nothing short of atrocious towards each other – and nothing much has changed.  Today Christians are the most persecuted people in the world predominantly by communism (North Korea is the worst) and radical Islam.  According to Open Doors, “Overwhelmingly, the main engine driving persecution of Christians in 36 of the top 50 countries is Islamic extremism.”  In today’s world we see all manner of persecution enacted upon people of faith by people of faith.  Once again Acts 17 gives us some good insight into what a proper attitude should be.

In these verses Paul the apostle affirms that God is everywhere, that we are all His offspring or children (28-29) and that “he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”  The apostle quotes two famous Greek philosophers (Aratus and Epimenides) in order to point them to Jesus, the one true God.

Aratus in his work entitled Phaenomena 1-5 stated: “Let us begin with Zeus whom we mortals never leave unspoken. For every street, every market place is filled with Zeus. Even the sea and the harbors are full of his deity. Everywhere, everyone is indebted to Zeus. For we are indeed his offspring.”

Epimenides, in his work Cretica, wrote, “They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one. The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!  But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever, for in thee we live and move and have our being.”  Paul uses the poet’s words to introduce the Greeks to the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In the 6th century B.C., when the poet Epimenides lived, there was a plague which went throughout all Greece. The Greeks thought that they must have offended one of their gods, so they began offering sacrifices on altars to all their various gods. When nothing worked they figured there must be a God who they didn’t know about whom they must somehow appease.

So Epimenides came up with a plan. He released hungry sheep into the countryside and instructed men to follow the sheep to see where they would lie down. He believed that since hungry sheep would not naturally lie down but continue to graze, if the sheep were to lie down it would be a sign from God that this place was sacred. At each spot where the sheep tired and laid down the Athenians built an altar and sacrificed the sheep on it. Afterward it is believed the plague stopped which they attributed to this unknown God accepting the sacrifice.

Paul tried to convey to them that the unknown God was the true God, Jesus Christ: the God who created all things and every person.  He then goes on to give a gentle but firm rebuke of man-made religion. It is of “man’s design” and Paul refers to it as “ignorance” that God once overlooked – but no longer!  God is not looking at our religion – He’s interested in relationship.  His desire is that we would “seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”  More importantly God has already reached out to us in the tangible person of Jesus Christ.

Christians are called to a life of love and tolerance towards others.  Jesus told the story of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10) to demonstrate that his people should love, respect, and help people regardless of their race, culture or religion.  But that doesn’t mean that we agree with what others believe or do.  Christianity is not just tolerant it is also exclusive.  Jesus made it clear when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).  Acts 4:12 also states this truth plainly, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Paul makes it clear as well: “God … commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man [Jesus] he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30b-31).

The Romans thought, “All roads might lead to Rome,” but all religions don’t lead to God.  As a Christian I strongly believe that Jesus is the one and only way.  But that doesn’t stop me from being respectful, kind, helpful and loving towards those who believe differently.  So …

When it comes to race – embrace!

When it comes to culture – embrace the good!

When it comes to religion – embrace the person!

That’s what Paul did on Mars Hill in Athens as he found some common ground with these highly religious people and shared the good news with them.  It would do us well to do the same!

In my last blog I outlined what I believe is a Christian response towards people of different races.  I summarised my thoughts in the statement, “When it comes to race – embrace!”  In this blog I want to answer the question, “What is a Christian attitude toward people of other cultures?”

Acts 17 affirms not just the unity of the human race but also the diversity of ethnic cultures: “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.”  This refers to God’s original command to the first people to “be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth!”  As groups of people settled in different parts of the earth, not only did different races develop but also distinctive cultures.

“Culture” is defined as “The collection of beliefs, values and customs developed by each society and transmitted to the next generation.”  As we examine the varieties of cultures we find two things:

They’re not all bad. All people are made in the image of God and thus all people reflect that image to some extent through their culture.  Some culture is rich in beauty and goodness.  Of the many things I love about our multicultural society in Australia are all the varieties of food we enjoy from different nations.

In the book of Revelation chapter 21 the apostle John sees visions of the world to come: “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.”  The splendor and glory of the nations refers to the good things that emanate from each of them.  If culture will enrich human life and community in eternity then surely it can do the same now!  We can enhance our lives by experiencing the good in things – the tastes, the sounds, the colour – in various cultures.

The second thing we find when examining other cultures is they’re not all good.  All people are made in the image of God but that image has been marred by disobedience to God.  Because of this some aspects of various cultures are tainted and some of it is just plain evil.  An example of this is female circumcision.  The World Health Organization estimates that three million girls and women a year are at risk of mutilation (approximately 8000 girls per day). This occurs mainly in Africa and in a few countries in the Middle East, Asia and among certain ethnic groups in Central and South America.  Any aspects of a culture that lead to discrimination, alienation, poverty or a denial of basic human rights should be actively opposed.

The answer to determining whether culture is good or bad is to test it.  The Bible encourages us to “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).  So, when it comes to race – embrace!  When it comes to culture – embrace the good!

What about the various religions?  I’ll discuss that next week!

Divisions, wars and disputes often happen in our world because of differences in race, culture and religion. So what is a Christian attitude towards these things?

Acts 17 tells of Paul the apostle’s time in Athens – particularly his discussions at the Areopagus – the place in which the Areopagites, the supreme judges of Athens, assembled. It was on a hill almost in the middle of the city. Many accounts suggest that this was the most celebrated tribunal in the world. Its decisions were distinguished for justice and correctness. This court punished vices of all kinds – including idleness; they rewarded the virtuous; they were especially attentive to blasphemies against the gods; and to the performance of the sacred mysteries of religion. Paul was brought before this tribunal, being regarded as a teacher of strange gods and doctrines and introducing a new mode of worship.

Athens was a city of people from diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. When Athens was incorporated into the Roman Empire it became one of the leading cosmopolitan cities in the world. Paul referred to the Athenians as being “very religious.” This was an accurate statement according to Roman Satirist and historian, Petronius, who said it was “easier to find a god in Athens than a man.”  The city was crammed full of temples, shrines, altars, images and statues. Paul’s response to this multi-racial, multicultural and multi-religious city is a good response for any Christian facing questions or challenges over race, culture and religion today.

Paul affirmed the unity of the human race by recognizing two things: Everyone was created by one God and everyone was created from one man: “He himself gives life and breath to everything, and satisfies every need there is.”  In verse 28 Paul quotes some Greek Poets who wrote, “We are His offspring” – speaking of the entire human race. In a general sense, God is the Father of every person; since He created us we are all His offspring. That means every human being is our brother or our sister. One of my favourite writers, John Stott, put it this way: “Being equally created by Him and like Him, we have an equal right in His sight to worth and dignity, and therefore have an equal right to respect and justice.”  We would do well to remember this as we seek justice for every person, especially those who are unable to fend for themselves, like refugees and the 35 million people in modern-day slavery.

One God created everyone and everyone was created from one man! “From one man he made all the nations that they should inhabit the whole earth.”  British Anthropologist Ashley Montagu wrote, “Concerning the origin of the living varieties of Man we can say little more than that there are many reasons for believing that a single stock gave rise to all of them. All varieties of Man belong to the same species and have the same remote ancestry. This is the conclusion to which all the relevant evidence points.”  This is backed up by the fact that the four human blood types are, in every respect, the same in all human beings regardless of ethnic background.

With this in mind there is absolutely no room for racial prejudice and there is no room for generalizations about races. On this the apostle James wrote these words, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (3:9-10).

The Christian community should be a place that brings heaven to earth, where we enjoy unity together in our faith regardless of racial background with “persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

When it comes to race – embrace!

Next week we’ll discuss a Christian attitude to differences in culture and religion.

The Victorian State election is coming up on Saturday 29 November.  That gives us a month-long political campaign during which we will hear of many promises from all parties that will seek to buy our vote – all with money that we don’t have.  So, particularly as a Christian, what should I consider on polling day?

I’ve heard some well-intentioned (but misguided) Christians say that they don’t vote because they believe in leaving the choosing of a government up to God Himself.  It sounds spiritual but doesn’t take into account that God isn’t registered with the Australian Electoral Commission, and neither is Australia a Theocracy!

Listening to others you would think that God – and Christianity – is always on the side of conservative politics.  But sometimes the “Right” gets it wrong.  That doesn’t mean that Jesus would necessarily be a labor voter either – nor would He always condone voting for a Christian politician. Some politicians who’ve identified as Christian have brought embarrassment on the church and the Name of Jesus by ostracizing the broader community that God loves and Jesus gave His life for.

So, for whom should we vote on November 29?  Let me provide four guidelines for you to consider:

  1. Remember that you’re ultimately voting for your LOCAL member not the person who will become Premier.  Why not contact your local member(s) and ask them two or three questions on issues that concern you? Then vote according to your conscience.  (Mentone Baptist Church is hosting a “Meet the Candidates” evening from 7.30 on Monday 10th November).2
  2. Resist the temptation to criticize your leaders.  That doesn’t mean that we can’t disagree or engage in vigorous debate, but it does mean that we choose not to turn the debate into a personal attack.  Politicians are human beings, they are people, and they are fallible. Most of them are very good people who have a desire to make this state a better place.  The Bible instructs us to respect, pray for and challenge our leaders (see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17; Exodus 22:28; 1 Timothy 2:1-4).  When the apostle Peter told his readers to “honour the king” he was speaking of Nero.  He didn’t say they had to agree with him or even like him but they were to honour the position he held.  Let’s resist the temptation to engage in the popular Aussie pastime of pollie-bashing.
  3. Realize that Jesus came to initiate the kingdom of God. He came for much bigger purposes than Australian politics, but that doesn’t mean He is disinterested in our country. He loves Australia; He loves people, He loves His creation. The entire Bible echoes God’s love and concern for people. In Micah 6:8, the prophet reminds us of three things that God wants to see reflected in every life and thus in every nation: “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”  Social justice, mercy and humility feature highly in the will of God for humanity.  Jesus’ Golden Rule is also an important consideration, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).  So our voting should not just be about selfish concerns of personal comfort.  Our vote should support those who will reflect love and care towards the poor, the homeless, the marginalised and the oppressed.  If we were in their place how would we want others to treat us?  Who do you think has the best credentials and policies for managing the economy, developing education & health services, and caring for the environment, the disabled, single parents, the homeless and so on?  I understand that it’s hard to actually work out who will uphold these values the best but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least try.
  4. Access and complete the ABC’s Vote Compass at http://www.abc.net.au/news/vic-election-2014/vote-compass/

Vote Compass is an educational tool developed by political scientists. By answering a short series of questions you can discover how you fit in Victoria’s political landscape.  It will tell you which party is right for what is important to you.

I encourage you to prayerfully and intelligently consider your vote on November 29, and appreciate the fact that you live in a country where you get to vote. Make your vote count and show up on polling day.