4 min
Quiet Time Coaching Episode 518 | New Creation Series — Part 10 | “New Creation - New Learning” | Malcolm Cox Malcolm Cox
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- Christianity
Quiet Time Coaching Episode 518 | New Creation Series — Part 10 | “New Creation - New Learning” | Malcolm Cox
Introduction
A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’. Today, the connection between being a new creation and learning.
Learning to Learn
I was very impatient when learning to drive. I wanted to take as few lessons as possible. Partly because I wanted to drive without somebody else in the car (in my space!), and partly because I was an impoverished student at the time. After I passed my test I enjoyed driving solo. However, I had no conception of how much more there still was to learn about driving. The first evidence of that was when I ran out of petrol on the M20 while driving my then girlfriend to Dover Castle (Penny eventually forgave me!).
To follow Jesus is to take on the identity of a life-long learner. However much we learn about him this side of glory, we have only touched the edge of all that we could learn. A disciple - the word mathetes means student - is someone who grows more and more into the likeness of Jesus (2 Cor 3.18). Our current church theme is ‘a new creation’ (2 Cor 5.17), and part of being a new creation is learning all of what that means. How does this happen and why is it important?
The right goal
What is the goal of the Christian life? The goal is not to get to heaven. That might sound strange, so let me explain. The goal is to know God. Last Sunday I saw an advertising board alongside the M25 which asked the question, “Where will you spend eternity?”. I appreciate that someone is trying to help people make a decision to seek God, but it's the wrong question. The right question is, "Who will you spend eternity with?” God is about relationship, not destination.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3
2. The right person
Therefore, we want to learn about God so that we can be love and enjoy him. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
How do we do this? By learning as much as possible about our hero, Jesus.
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9
A passionate desire to know Jesus is what motivated the Apostle Paul to write,
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14 NIV11)
Paul most certainly wanted to be ‘in heaven’, but it's because of who will be there. What is your goal as a Christian, as a disciple? Is it to stay in God's good books? Is it hoping that he will keep you healthy and all the people you care about will be saved? Or is it to be like Jesus and spend eternity with him? Our goal has a big influence on our learning because it shapes what kind of learning we embrace or reject.
3. The right attitude
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Phil 4.11-12
Was Jesus discontent while on this earth? Not at all — unless you count the discontent he felt about the spiritual pride of some of the Pharisees! Jesus exhibited remarkable contentment despite being tired, hungry, thirsty and homeless (Luke 9.58). Paul learne
Quiet Time Coaching Episode 518 | New Creation Series — Part 10 | “New Creation - New Learning” | Malcolm Cox
Introduction
A new creation! I'm Malcolm Cox. Welcome to this series on ‘A new creation’. Today, the connection between being a new creation and learning.
Learning to Learn
I was very impatient when learning to drive. I wanted to take as few lessons as possible. Partly because I wanted to drive without somebody else in the car (in my space!), and partly because I was an impoverished student at the time. After I passed my test I enjoyed driving solo. However, I had no conception of how much more there still was to learn about driving. The first evidence of that was when I ran out of petrol on the M20 while driving my then girlfriend to Dover Castle (Penny eventually forgave me!).
To follow Jesus is to take on the identity of a life-long learner. However much we learn about him this side of glory, we have only touched the edge of all that we could learn. A disciple - the word mathetes means student - is someone who grows more and more into the likeness of Jesus (2 Cor 3.18). Our current church theme is ‘a new creation’ (2 Cor 5.17), and part of being a new creation is learning all of what that means. How does this happen and why is it important?
The right goal
What is the goal of the Christian life? The goal is not to get to heaven. That might sound strange, so let me explain. The goal is to know God. Last Sunday I saw an advertising board alongside the M25 which asked the question, “Where will you spend eternity?”. I appreciate that someone is trying to help people make a decision to seek God, but it's the wrong question. The right question is, "Who will you spend eternity with?” God is about relationship, not destination.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3
2. The right person
Therefore, we want to learn about God so that we can be love and enjoy him. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
How do we do this? By learning as much as possible about our hero, Jesus.
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9
A passionate desire to know Jesus is what motivated the Apostle Paul to write,
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:10-14 NIV11)
Paul most certainly wanted to be ‘in heaven’, but it's because of who will be there. What is your goal as a Christian, as a disciple? Is it to stay in God's good books? Is it hoping that he will keep you healthy and all the people you care about will be saved? Or is it to be like Jesus and spend eternity with him? Our goal has a big influence on our learning because it shapes what kind of learning we embrace or reject.
3. The right attitude
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Phil 4.11-12
Was Jesus discontent while on this earth? Not at all — unless you count the discontent he felt about the spiritual pride of some of the Pharisees! Jesus exhibited remarkable contentment despite being tired, hungry, thirsty and homeless (Luke 9.58). Paul learne
4 min