Articles Number Five
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians echo throughout this edition of ARTICLES - as Christians our worldview is shaped by the cross. We may feel that the opposition we face by holding on to this message is something new, but the Apostle Paul was preparing the first Christians for the same kind of hostility. In this edition we look at youth violence, medical ethics, sexuality, money and workplace witness. Each issue is explosive, and we are thankful to the writers for their prayerful approach to each topic. None of these articles are the final word, but they hold up the issue to the cross and look to the wisdom of God, no matter how far it is from the wisdom of the world. So please read, pray and talk about these ARTICLES - and as you do, remember our brothers and sisters in Corinth, and our brothers and sisters across the world today. As we contend for the Gospel, and contend for the truth, remember that it was God himself who chose the things the world thinks are foolish to shame the wise. And God himself chose the things that are weak to shame the strong. God chose the things that people hate, the things they think are nothing, at all - and He used them to bring to nothing things that seem so much.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians echo throughout this edition of ARTICLES - as Christians our worldview is shaped by the cross. We may feel that the opposition we face by holding on to this message is something new, but the Apostle Paul was preparing the first Christians for the same kind of hostility.
In this edition we look at youth violence, medical ethics, sexuality, money and workplace witness. Each issue is explosive, and we are thankful to the writers for their prayerful approach to each topic. None of these articles are the final word, but they hold up the issue to the cross and look to the wisdom of God, no matter how far it is from the wisdom of the world.
So please read, pray and talk about these ARTICLES - and as you do, remember our brothers and sisters in Corinth, and our brothers and sisters across the world today. As we contend for the Gospel, and contend for the truth, remember that it was God himself who chose the things the world thinks are foolish to shame the wise. And God himself chose the things that are weak to shame the strong. God chose the things that people hate, the things they think are nothing, at all - and He used them to bring to nothing things that seem so much.
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CHRIST BECAME<br />
ONE OF US<br />
In all these aspects of satisfying God’s<br />
holiness there’s a glorious exchange -<br />
a simple swap: Christ became one of<br />
us in order to swap places with us. He<br />
was treated as if he were us, suffering<br />
on the cross the punishment of pain,<br />
shame and hell we deserve so that<br />
we can be treated as if we were him,<br />
acceptable in heaven as God’s holy<br />
children.<br />
Let me illustrate with the extraordinary<br />
heroism of Bill Deacon, the winchman<br />
of an Air-Sea Rescue helicopter<br />
operating out of Bristow in the Shetland<br />
Islands, northeast of the Scottish<br />
mainland. In November 1997, the Green<br />
Lily cargo vessel was grounded on<br />
rocks and breaking up in mountainous<br />
waves. The lifeboats could no longer<br />
get to the stricken vessel to save the<br />
crew trapped on board. Bill Deacon<br />
realised the only hope of saving<br />
the men was to descend from the<br />
helicopter himself onto the ship. Once<br />
on the deck, in cyclonic conditions,<br />
he attached each of the ten crew to<br />
his winch and, in his place, they were<br />
raised to safety in the helicopter.<br />
But as the last man was rescued,<br />
Bill Deacon himself was swept<br />
off the ship by a wave and his<br />
body washed up a few days later.<br />
He was posthumously awarded<br />
the George Cross for his courage.<br />
In the same way, Christ came down from<br />
heaven to rescue his people in peril.<br />
Why would he do such a crazy thing?<br />
Because, despite everything, he loves<br />
us! He LOVES you and he LOVES me. For<br />
God to allow such a sacrifice is grace,<br />
for God to provide such a sacrifice is<br />
amazing grace, but for God to become<br />
such a sacrifice is grace beyond our<br />
wildest dreams.<br />
As Christians we are seeking to love<br />
the people of London in every way<br />
we can - resisting injustice, prejudice<br />
and ecological irresponsibility; seeking<br />
relief for victims of knife crime, poverty,<br />
homelessness, trafficking and mental<br />
illness; contending for freedom of<br />
speech, protection of the unborn and<br />
the reformation of denominations. But<br />
we know that the most precious gift we<br />
have for London is the gospel of “Christ<br />
crucified” - the power of God to save<br />
sinners from the horrors of hell for the<br />
happiness of heaven forever.<br />
RICHARD COEKIN<br />
is CEO of Co-Mission and Senior<br />
Pastor of Dundonald Church, Raynes<br />
Park. This article is adapted from<br />
Richard’s opening talk at REVIVE 2019.<br />
Listen to it on the Co-Mission podcast.<br />
co-mission.org/podcast<br />
IN ORDER TO<br />
SWAP PLACES<br />
WITH US<br />
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