Each issue of the new digital version of Equipper has several articles linked in the right-hand column of each page. Here are the articles in the current (March) issue—click on the link to read each one:
Perhaps you’ll chuckle when I tell you that Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, by the rock group Chicago, is my favorite Easter song. Though it’s not about Jesus’ resurrection, it does raise questions about time that my dear friend John McKenna addressed in a conversation we had some time ago in which he made this mind-boggling statement: The resurrection and ascension of Jesus changed all time!That idea had not occurred to me before, and I still grapple with it. But after more talks with John and a good bit of reading, I want to share with you in this letter some thoughts about Easter from a cosmic perspective.
What is time?
Newton
The question What is time? has perplexed theologians, philosophers and scientists for millennia as they wondered what kind of “thing” time actually is. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1726) thought of it as an independent thing flowing forward without relationship to any eternal thing. According to his view, time has no beginning or end, and in that way is absolute, like God (who is thought of as existing eternally along with space and time, and perhaps even contained within space and time).
Leibnitz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz (1646-1716) challenged Newton’s conception of time, offering instead a relational view that sees time as coming from a succession of events in the universe. According to that view, it is absurd to conceive of time as existing independently of those events.
Einstein
Two hundred years later, Albert Einstein (1879-1955), in his special theory of relativity, proposed a way of thinking about time that disagreed with Newton and agreed, in part, with Leibnitz. According to Einstein, rather than being distinct and separate, space and time are connected in a “space-time continuum” in which objects in motion experience time at a slower rate than those at rest. For example, a person moving through space-time experiences it differently at varying points, with time appearing to move more slowly near a massive object in space because space is curved or warped by the object’s mass. Einstein’s theory has been proven accurate by atomic clock experiments. When an atomic clock sent into space and returns, it is “off” from the time of a similar clock that had remained stationary.
Hawking
In A Brief History of Time, physicist Stephen Hawking (b. 1942) notes that space-time began at a moment called the “singularity” (others call it the “big bang”). Though the concept of a big bang is compatible with the Bible’s creation accounts, Hawking avoids any idea that a supernatural agent (god) is needed to bring about the singularity, postulating instead a “multiverse” that gave rise to our universe. Though this concept cannot be tested or falsified (it is pure philosophical speculation), the idea of a multiverse is popular among atheistic scientists to avoid theistic explanations for the big bang.
It strikes me as ironic that atheists claim God’s existence unprovable, while adopting a hypothesis that, being unprovable, has no scientific value. There are no experiments that could be run to prove or disprove the existence of a multiverse. To run such experiments one would have to exist outside our universe in one of the alternative ones where there would be entirely different physics, chemistry, space and time, etc. than ours—one where humans could not exist or run experiments like the ones we do in our universe.
The God we worship is not a created “thing” and thus not subject to the limits of his creation. Biblical and theological language indicates this by speaking of God as being the Creator of everything that exists that is not God. Only God is self-existent and all else is dependent upon God for existence, and that includes space and time, since they are not God and God is not space and time. Both space and time are part of God’s creation over which he is sovereign and from which he is independent. God cannot be “contained” by anything he has created, including space and time. To think otherwise would be to blur the distinction between creator and creation.
What is eternity?
A common mistake is to think of eternity in terms of created time—viewing eternity as sequential moments that stretch back into the past and forward into the future. Thinking of eternity in terms of created time is simply wrong. It’s also wrong to think of God as if he were a creature who has been around for a very long time. The Bible speaks of God and eternity in ways that transcend created time. God exists over, above and outside created time. He is not contained by created time, nor is he contained by eternity (since eternity is not finite in any sense, and thus has no boundaries). I know that these ideas about time, eternity and God are difficult for us to grasp, because it’s hard for us to think timelessly, however we must not think of God in ways that do not apply to him.
How is God related to time?
Having noted the difference between time and eternity, we can now consider God’s relationship with created time. We can grasp more fully the concept of God’s sovereignty over time by considering the implications of Jesus’ death and resurrection within time. Knowing that Jesus conquered death, opening the door for us to eternal life with God, we are able to grasp the stunning truth that Jesus’ resurrection broke the normal bounds of time as we know it. With the death and resurrection of Jesus, all time was changed, as God’s relationship with humanity changed forever human destiny. With that change came a resultant change in the relationship between created time (our time) and God.
Barth
This truth was grasped by theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968), who realized that Jesus (who was and is both divine and human), through his death and resurrection brought eternity into deepest connection with temporality. Through his life, death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus forged a new relationship of God with humanity, which involves a new relationship of God with time.
As God’s eternal Son, the pre-incarnate Jesus preexisted the creation of time. Coming from outside created time, he entered into it, becoming the contemporary of all humanity, taking on life as a mortal (subject to death) human. As Jesus revealed to the apostle John, he is the one “who was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8). But he also is the one who, assuming a mortal nature, died in our place and on our behalf, and then was raised to eternal life (immortality) in our place and on our behalf (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). In him our mortal human nature is raised up to share in his immortality, that is, in his eternal relationship with the Father and the Spirit.
Torrance
T. F. Torrance (1913-2007) also wrote about this truth, noting that God, through the incarnation of the eternal Son of God, entered our time and space, assumed our fallen human nature, and within our temporal reality lived, suffered, died, was raised and then ascended to bring us through death to eternal life in fellowship and communion with the eternal God.
During the 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, we see evidence of the astounding transformation that Jesus accomplished in his saving work on our behalf. During that time (now possessing a resurrected human body), Jesus, more clearly than before, manifested to his disciples the difference made by the new relationship between God and humanity that had been forged in him. Though Peter, James and John had glimpsed something of Jesus’ full glory at the transfiguration, now all his disciples beheld it as Jesus appeared and disappeared before and among them. It became evident to them that Jesus had authority over space and time as well as over life and death. Jesus’ earthly work involved a transfiguration of the relationship between God and humanity that, necessarily, involved the transformation of the temporal and spatial relations in which human life exists (without that life ceasing to be creaturely human life).
Our place, with Christ, in time and eternity
The Resurrection of Christ by Noel Caypel (public domain via Wikimedia Commons)
In his post-resurrection appearances among his followers, we get a glimpse in Jesus of the stunning reality that the boundary of physical time had been breached and God’s eternity had entered space and time, making a way for us to relate to that which transcends space and time. In other words, the new life in Christ moves us beyond our past and present, propelling us into the future as Jesus takes us with him in his ascension. According to Paul in Ephesians 2:6, even now, we are “seated…in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
As Barth noted, though we live in time (experiencing it moment-by-moment in linear fashion), in Jesus, we also live outside of time. In his ascension Jesus took us with him into the future. As he said on the cross, “It is finished.” From the standpoint of the present, we see our existence in time as our past, our present and our future. And, of course, we aren’t always sure of the future because, from the perspective of our experience, we realize we cannot secure our own existence in time, which is beyond our control. But hear this good news: Time is never beyond God’s control! He gave us life both in space-time and also outside that dimension—a life we refer to as “eternal life.” Yes, we live and die our temporal lives, but the gospel declares that we’ve already been given a share in God’s own eternal life. To paraphrase Paul (who had to invent new words to convey this astounding truth), we “co-die” with Christ, we are “co-raised” with Christ, and so we now “co-live” with Christ (Romans 6:5-14; Romans 8:11-17; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17).
Our relationship with God never stops and cannot be interrupted or destroyed by space and time. That’s good news because we can then understand that death does not disrupt our relationship with God. The profound story of Easter is that our physical death is no longer our ultimate, final frontier—God in his sovereignty has, in Christ, taken us beyond that frontier. Easter is the definitive demonstration of God’s power over death. In his resurrection, Jesus destroyed the sting of death, showing us that death is only the end of the temporal; it does not alter the eternal.
As you go through Holy Week, please join with me in praying that more people will come to understand and experience the power of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. Though materialists view the resurrection as impossible, we know that Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension happened in the reality of our space and time. Easter celebrates a history-making, time-altering reality.
Celebrating the wild ride with Jesus through space and time into eternity, Joseph Tkach
We were delighted to learn of recent baptisms in the GCI congregations that meet in the towns of Tilburg and Tiel in the Netherlands. Here are pictures:
Dishon Mills, who pastors GCI congregations in the Boston, Massachusetts area, will be having oral surgery on April 13 to address a growth in the bone below the gum line that is pushing on a wisdom tooth and thus weakening the jaw and causing a good deal of pain.
If the surgery goes well, he will resume his duties a day or two after surgery and resume a normal diet in 4-6 weeks. However, there are three potential complications: 1) the surgery could sever the nerve leaving him with permanent numbness in part of his lip (highly possible); 2) his jawbone could break, resulting in his jaw needing to be wired shut for 4-6 weeks (possible); and 3) the cyst could contain cancer cells necessitating multiple dramatic surgeries (unlikely).
Dishon is trusting God for the outcome, and asks for prayer that the surgery and recovery will proceed without complications.
Cards may be sent to: Dishon Mills 2 Junior Terrace Randolph, MA 02368-5137
The calling to serve the body of Christ as a pastor brings with it a call to high ethical standards that flow from the New Testament exhortations to pastors/elders/overseers—see, for example, 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.
It is common (and appropriate) for Christian institutions and denominations to follow these biblical instructions in publishing a code of ethics for elders. The National Association of Evangelicals has done so in a code of ethics for pastors (http://nae.net/code-of-ethics-for-pastors/) as has Grace Communion International in a code of ethics for elders (http://www.gci.org/church/ministry/codeethics).
Candidates for ordination as elders and for appointment as pastors, pastoral team members and fellowship group facilitators within GCI in the U.S. complete an application that includes affirmation that their behavior aligns with and will continue to align with GCI’s code of ethics for elders.
Our thanks to these men and women for their commitment to live and minister in this way. In doing so, they lead us by example in the way of Jesus. Let us all pray for them in this great responsibility.
About 200 people representing all age-groups attended the GenMin Converge East conference on March 4-6 near Columbus, Ohio. For information about the event, including pictures, click here. Plenary speakers included CAD Director Greg Williams, Pastor Timothy Brassell, GenMin Coordinator Anthony Mullins, Elizabeth Mullins and National Ministry Development Coordinator Jeff McSwain.
Below is a video of Jeff’s presentation, which summarized the theological basis for Celebrate the Grip, the theme for this year’s Converge conferences and the teaching curriculum for GenMin’s 2016 camps.
For information about Converge West to be held in April in Southern California, click here.
We are pleased to announce the birth of Samuel Douglas Elliott, son of GCI Pastor Dennis Elliott and his wife Diana. The couple serve together in pastoring the Hickory, North Carolina, church and in directing GenMin’s The Rock summer camp. Born on February 25, Samuel weighed in at 6 pounds 3½ ounces, 18½ inches long. Everyone is doing well.
It was a sunny day in winter—the kind you wish for in Chicago where I grew up. I was about four years old at the time and my mom decided I should put on short pants and go outside to play.
As a kid, I hated short pants and so I argued and protested, telling my mother, “I won’t wear those pants!” But she was in charge, so I ended up wearing the short pants, but refused to go outside and play. That didn’t go off too well either! I don’t remember the details except that, in anger, I told her I didn’t love her and was going to run away from home. I ended up hiding in our garage until almost dinnertime and then decided I’d better go back inside before my dad got home. I recall that when I went back in, my mom said she had prayed for me to not get too lost and to come home. And then she told me that she loved me, even though I might not love her. By the time my dad got home from work and dinner was served, the whole incident was forgotten. Recently, I mentioned it to my mom and she had no recollection of the incident, though she quickly added that she still loves me.
My mom’s assurance of love warmed my heart. Though I never doubted her love, just hearing those words was affirming and made me stop and think of all the things she has done for me over the years. I can honestly say I love my mom because she first loved me. She loved me before I was born. I’m also reminded that I was loved even before she loved me.
It is Finished by Liz Lemon Swindle (used with artist’s permission)
God reassures us that he has loved each of us from “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4 NKJV). From the beginning, his plan focused on his Son becoming for us “the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8 NKJV). In reconciling love, Jesus Christ would be our “suffering Servant.” Note Isaiah’s prophecy:
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:3-11 ESV)
All this was because of God’s love for humanity—a parental love that, determined before the world’s foundation, was revealed conclusively at the cross of Christ. Note T.F. Torrance’s comment:
This is what we believe to be the significance of the cross of Christ—in him we believe that God himself has come into the midst of our human agony and our abominable wickedness and violence in order to take all our guilt and its just judgment on himself. That is for us the meaning of the cross. If I did not believe in the cross, I could not believe in God. The cross means that while there is no explanation of evil, God himself has come into the midst of it in order to take it upon himself, to triumph over it and deliver us from it. (Preaching Christ Today, p. 28)
There is no greater love, and I know you join with me in proclaiming, Praise God!
Good Friday will soon be here. This important day in the Christian calendar (March 25 this year) reminds us of the depth of God’s love. For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. Jesus so loved the world that he went to the cross bearing all our sin and the suffering, pain and alienation that goes with it. He went to such depths to conquer death itself and the power of evil that holds us in its grip.
Good Friday reminds us that Jesus’ death is good news for all—even for those who try to hide and run away from God, like I hid from my mom. I was a dumb little kid who tried to ignore and discount my mom’s love. I didn’t get what I wanted so I lashed out in anger and pretended she didn’t love me. It’s sad how many adults are just as foolish in pretending that God doesn’t love them. But like my mom, God loves us in spite of our foolishness. Even when we say “no” to God, he says “yes” to us. And he calls out to us all to come back to him and live in daily fellowship and communion with him as our Lord and Savior, the very source of our life.
What God has done for the whole world cannot be fully grasped in the feeble words of this short message. But what he did for us on the cross is the perfect demonstration of costly, reconciling love. On Good Friday, Jesus “tasted death” on our behalf, in order to permit us to participate in his glorious triumph. And he forgives and loves all people—even those who claim to despise him. Good Friday reminds us that we love God because he first loved us, demonstrating his love conclusively in the cross. His love is not just for those who believe—it is for all people, for all are his beloved children. I pray that this Good Friday we all will understand more deeply the truth and power of that love.
Inspired by God’s love, Joseph Tkach
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Here are some articles you might find useful in your preparations for Holy Week:
This update is from GCI-Philippines National Director Eugene Guzon who returned recently from a trip to the Arab state of Dubai where we have several GCI members.
Left to right: Cecilia, Eugene and JB
I traveled to Dubai with Jean Baptiste Sibomana (JB), an African national who is from Burundi. JB had spent several years in the Philippines completing a Masters in Divinity degree. He then returned to Burundi where he helped plant several churches. In 2014 he returned to the Philippines to start work on a doctorate. JB and his family have been attending GCI’s Crossway Fellowship in Manila where he started giving messages and is involved in the parenting ministry at our Christian school.
We spent ten days together in the Persian Gulf area visiting members in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We’re happy that our members in that region are recovering from a church split that occurred two years ago. New people have begun to attend—some are from GCI Philippines working in Dubai.
One of our Filipino missionaries, Cecilia Bangay, has been in Dubai since November. She joined us in conducting a spiritual formation retreat with about 25 members. She hopes to find a job so she can remain in Dubai helping minister to our members. With her help, we now have three small groups operating. We believe these groups are the best way to serve the needs of the members and to reach out to others who are predominantly overseas workers and professionals.
During my visit, U.S. music minister Ross Jutsum joined us for a night of worship and fellowship that included Filipinos, one from England, and several from nations in Africa (including Uganda, Ghana and Burundi), along with some new contacts from Dubai. This multi-ethnic group is now meeting to study the book of John as we work to disciple people in the way of Jesus.
Dishon Mills, who pastors GCI congregations in the Boston, Massachusetts area, will be having oral surgery on April 13 to address a growth in the bone below the gum line that is pushing on a wisdom tooth and thus weakening the jaw and causing a good deal of pain.
About 200 people representing all age-groups attended the GenMin Converge East conference on March 4-6 near Columbus, Ohio. For information about the event, including pictures, 
One of our Filipino missionaries, Cecilia Bangay, has been in Dubai since November. She joined us in conducting a spiritual formation retreat with about 25 members. She hopes to find a job so she can remain in Dubai helping minister to our members. With her help, we now have three small groups operating. We believe these groups are the best way to serve the needs of the members and to reach out to others who are predominantly overseas workers and professionals.