23rd June 2025

23rd June 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Philippians 2:14-18 focus v14)


Message (Alan Burke) 


I know some people who should be made to work at in customer service so they have to have to listen to some of the gurning that they give from other people aimed at them and see how they feel. Actually that might be a really bad idea because they might be able to learn some even more hurtful and deeming skills in complaining to other people. Sadly there are some people who just open their mouths and it’s like a stream of vile and some of them don’t even realise they are doing it, it is just who they are and you mightn’t want to slap them you want to high five their face. I probably shouldn’t admit this but I’ve offered more than a few people like this a tissue so that they can dry their eyes. There was a day that I could have offered them a 20p so they could have phoned someone who cared but when was the last time any of us used a phone box!? 


If you’re reading I suspect that you’re not one of those people who are a complainer or an arguer but I’ve over the years met far far far to many in congregations who are tolerated and excused. Now don’t get me wrong if someone has a genuine complaint that the minister is watching 12 hours of Netflix a day, or the organist and one of the choir members are committing adultery well then that is valid. But believers in the church are to conduct themselves as the people of God. After all there is supposed to be unit and humility in the lives of believers as we look to Christ Jesus and what he has done for us.


What makes this all the more striking is the word that Paul uses which the NIV translates as complaining, it is the word grumbling which in the Greek New Testament is uses the same word in Exodus 15 when we are told that the people grumbled against Moses asking what were they to drink, also in Exodus 16 where the whole community then grumbled against Moses and Aaron and how the Lord heard the grumbling of the people and how their grumbling was against him (Ex 15:24, 16:2,7,12. See also 17:3, Num 11:1, 14:2). 


Paul is alluding to the example of the Israelites, the church in Philippi wants are not to live like that generation in the wilderness, they are not to complain, they are not to grumble or argue. In 1 Corinthians Paul used the example of the Israelites in the wilderness to speak to the church that was plagued with dissension and grumbling (1 Cor 10:1-13). Here is the thing, in the wilderness who did the people grumble about, who were they gurning about? It’s not a trick question, they were gurning about Moses and Aaron but ultimately their issue was the Lord. You may not like this but the Lord sets leaders over us, elders. Just as Moses and Aaron were set over the people of God in the wilderness, there were elders who were set over the church in Philippi they are set over you by the Lord God. 


Elders are not like your MP and I marvel at how many people don’t seem to get this, people act like that they can go to the Elder and complain and they will put the minister right but your minister who is an elder, one among a plurality of elders in a Kirk Session is there to lead you and to watch over your soul. They lead the church and if you’re spending your time complaining that you don’t like what they do, how they lead there is either one of two scenarios at play, either a. you are 100% right and your complaining is spot on or b. you are rejecting those whom the Lord have set to rule over you and you are rejecting the Lord and obviously since you’re never wrong it’s scenario b. If that’s true for the best of everyone look for somewhere else to worship but maybe we should all take a look at ourselves and maybe it could be scenario a. If that is the case repent for we are to be a people who do everything without complaining and arguing so that we may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q10 How did God create man?
A. God created man male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.
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