We continued our God in HD series this morning in church. Paul Benger spoke a great message about the fact that ‘God Hates Religion’.
Hebrews 1:1-3
To know what God is like we’ve got to look at Jesus. He is the exact representation of God.
As we read scripture we can see that God loves people, even religious people – but he hates religion.
As we read the Gospels we see the stark reality of Jesus’ relationship with the religious people, the Pharisees.
Matthew 23:1-4 – Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
“Faith” and not “keeping rules” is the only righteousness that works. Jesus on a number of occasions challenged this about the religious leaders. Accused them of being blind, in fact ‘the blind leading the blind’. Their approach was legalistic and they would prefer to see the sick stay sick rather than see them healed on the Sabbath.
Matthew 15:8-9 – 'These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.
Why does this matter? It is easy to step from relationship into religion. It is easy to step from humility and step into pride…to trust in our own strength.
Jesus doesn’t want to make you religious. He longs for a personal relationship…it’s all about Him and not about our good works.
Religion doesn’t work and ends in despair. Religion and faith can look very similar. What are we trusting to save us? To rely on and to follow.
We can either fall into despair or we fall into pride. We try hard in our own strength to please God. Yet we need to rely on the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit and all that he has done. He paid the price for our sin. Relax and rely on him and his strength.
2 Corinthians 3:6 – He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The letter kills. It kills the activity of the Holy Spirit in your life. When we step into religion our actions can look like they’re God honouring and yet our heart is far from him.
God hates religion and loves relationship. Religion kills and snuffs out the life of the Spirit. Do we want the life and activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives?
Three things that come from a relationship with Jesus Christ and not born out of religion…
1) Humility
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
1 Timothy 1:15-16 – Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Jesus goes to sinners and they acknowledge they’re sinners. He goes to the religious people and they try to kill him.
Humility recognises the need for a Saviour, the need for a Lord, a King, a Shepherd. We need Him. Make him your Lord and Saviour.
Humility is not beating yourself up. Religion does this, i.e. the more we suffer the more closer to God we will be.
Relationship says no matter how much I beat myself up I can’t get closer to God. Jesus was beaten so that we can now be close to God…he was even crucified for us.
Don’t live like slaves but live like sons! Religion never leads to humility. God wants to do so much in us and through us. We can’t do it in our own we need Him…that’s humility.
2) Confidence
Religion destroys confidence. We can live with a Godly confidence as a child of God. Imagine what confidence we can live with as God as our father.
Hebrews 4:16 – Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Philippians 1:6 – being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Are you confident that God is going to do a good work in you? Christian Life Church is a church dedicated to building champions, over-achievers.
See breakthrough in areas of your life, confident that God is at work in you. He will use you and yet religion wants to stop that.
Humans intrinsically believe in ‘progress’. We were made to believe in progress, Hope – the best is yet to come!
We were made to know significance and value. We were made in God’s image – don’t get your value from your works (religion)…get it from God’s value on you! (relationship)
3) Joy
Religion doesn’t get Joy. Fun and freedom in Christ! Love God, love people and love life!
Joy is not dependent on our circumstances…on everything going well. Joy is what is going off on the inside, our relationship with Jesus, effecting my outside world.
Nehemiah 8:10 – …for the joy of the LORD is your strength
Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
God in HD - Servant King
We began our new series this morning, God in HD, looking at who Jesus is. I spoke on the subject of Jesus our Servant King.
Philippians 2:1-11
If we are to be like Jesus, somehow we have to "let go of things" so they will lose their hold on us!
Jesus is the “Servant King” - a paradox or oxymoron? An apparent contradiction but in it there contains a great truth!
Matthew 16:25 - For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it
And Here in Philippians 2 - There is an exalted way that leads downward and a humble way that leads to exaltation.
Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many
Jesus Christ also came to give his life so that we might live. As The Message puts it, Jesus came, “to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.”
Jesus not only came to serve…he came to be the Suffering Servant. Jesus is not only the Suffering Servant…he is sovereign! The Paradox!
Jesus is never out of control of events and their consequences. The Son of God has power over sickness, disease and death, and the cross does not take him by surprise!
The cross is not a moment of failure for Jesus, but the defining event of his sovereignty. Even that level of hatred and suffering does not diminish the power of a Saviour who came to serve and give his life so that you and I might live!
Mark 10:43-45 - 'Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'
Jesus is the ultimate example of service, and he died on our behalf. This, indeed, is the great paradox of the gospel: By giving up our lives in service to our Lord and Master, we gain eternal life through him.
One of the things it seems that Jesus is always doing is this, he radically redefines our understanding of something. His definitions of such things as success, power, leadership, service is the very opposite of how it is defined in our society.
John 13:1-17
What if Jesus had said, ‘I have washed your feet – now it is your turn to wash my feet’.
There would have been a race to get the basin and the towel. They would have been pushing each other out of the way. But that is not what Jesus says – his response is that we have to do to one another what he has done for us.
(15) I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
STEPPING INTO SERVANTHOOD REDEFINES POWER
Luke 22:24 - “A dispute arose among the disciples as to which of them was considered to be the greatest.”
The entire life of Jesus redefined power – in fact this was in his character and his attitude even before he came to earth.
Isaiah 52:13 & 53
These verses introduces us to Jesus some 600 years before Bethlehem and it invites us to meet him as the servant king. Servant and King moulded into one. This title is designed to introduce Jesus to us – to set the stage for his life.
The final demonstration of his servant life was when he went to die on the cross, as he laid aside his robe so he also laid aside his life.
In our society power usually comes from the top down. But in the Kingdom of God – true spiritual power starts with a basin and a towel.
STEPPING INTO SERVANTHOOD REMOVES PRIDE
Pride can damage the soul. It is at the heart of so many of the problems we have and the silly games we play with each other.
This incident in John 13 gives us tremendous insight into the human heart. It teaches us that there are two different kinds of pride.
1. There is the pride that will not give
None of the disciples would get up…then Jesus gets up to serve. There is a special grace needed which is the grace to give – and to serve graciously.
2. There is the pride that will not receive
Peter’s initial outburst to Jesus was that he would not let Jesus wash his feet. That was a different kind of pride – it is the pride that will not receive. It also denies community because it does not allow someone else to give.
STEPPING SERVANTHOOD RE-ALIGNS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POSITION
When we use the gifts God has given us for his glory – we are serving. We do not own our gifts – we are simply stewards of them.
Servanthood is integral to God’s plan - “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
He became a servant to serve God’s plan so we could grasp the understanding of who God was and what he wanted to do. Jesus exemplifies the heart of a servant and places a premium on others.
Church was never meant to be a spectator sport – but an arena for all of God’s people to serve in works of service! Church becomes the place where we come and serve. How do we serve?
John 10:11-13 makes these amazing comments about Jesus, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”
True Servanthood is serving the purpose of God serving others with the love of Christ – whatever your hand finds to do – do it with all your might.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Vision Sunday
An important day for us at CLC…Vision Sunday 2009. Paul Benger shared with us the vision for 2009 and beyond.
Jeremiah 29:4-11 - This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This word from God was given to a people in exile…don’t shrink back, keep getting bigger!
In the current climate we must be wise but let it not stop us from growing and increasing. Don’t let that spirit of shutdown/lockdown come into the church.
Proverbs 29:18 – If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed
Or…Where there is no vision, the people perish!
What are we believing to do? To build a world class church. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’. It’s not going to be shabby, back street out of the way. It’s going to be world class, impacting and influencing our world for the good!
‘The local church is the hope of the world’ – Bill Hybels
We’re here to fulfil the purpose and will of God. We’re here for the glory of God and not our egos.
Psalm 139:16 – All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be
Everyone born has a divine imprint, a destiny to follow Christ. This should motivate us to be the church that reveals this truth to our world, through our words and actions.
Videoblog 7 Feb 09 from paul benger on Vimeo.
“We are seeking to build a world class church” - 5 things we can be world class at…
Sunday Services
Services that honour God…that build connection with people and God. Teaching that is biblical and inspiring, changing lives.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to fill up our morning and evening services?
Connect Groups
Connect groups, like a net of light, across the Chesterfield and surrounding area.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to launch 2 new connect groups?
Children and Youth
Our children and youth ministries continue to grow. Bump (creche), Powerhouse (5-11), Base (11-18)
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see 5 new families and 25 new young people?
Mission
‘Reach Trust’ – continue and develop missional community activities.
Mission Sunday – where we will share and plan for the next of mission giving here and beyond.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see £8000 given to missions?
Leaders
We need to develop leaders to continue to grow as a church. The key to moving forward.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see our leadership capacity grow throughout the church?
Prayer underpins all of the above. It runs through everything that we do!
Jeremiah 29:4-11 - This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them," declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This word from God was given to a people in exile…don’t shrink back, keep getting bigger!
In the current climate we must be wise but let it not stop us from growing and increasing. Don’t let that spirit of shutdown/lockdown come into the church.
Proverbs 29:18 – If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed
Or…Where there is no vision, the people perish!
What are we believing to do? To build a world class church. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’. It’s not going to be shabby, back street out of the way. It’s going to be world class, impacting and influencing our world for the good!
‘The local church is the hope of the world’ – Bill Hybels
We’re here to fulfil the purpose and will of God. We’re here for the glory of God and not our egos.
Psalm 139:16 – All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be
Everyone born has a divine imprint, a destiny to follow Christ. This should motivate us to be the church that reveals this truth to our world, through our words and actions.
Videoblog 7 Feb 09 from paul benger on Vimeo.
“We are seeking to build a world class church” - 5 things we can be world class at…
Sunday Services
Services that honour God…that build connection with people and God. Teaching that is biblical and inspiring, changing lives.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to fill up our morning and evening services?
Connect Groups
Connect groups, like a net of light, across the Chesterfield and surrounding area.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to launch 2 new connect groups?
Children and Youth
Our children and youth ministries continue to grow. Bump (creche), Powerhouse (5-11), Base (11-18)
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see 5 new families and 25 new young people?
Mission
‘Reach Trust’ – continue and develop missional community activities.
Mission Sunday – where we will share and plan for the next of mission giving here and beyond.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see £8000 given to missions?
Leaders
We need to develop leaders to continue to grow as a church. The key to moving forward.
What if in 2009 we could believe and pray to see our leadership capacity grow throughout the church?
Prayer underpins all of the above. It runs through everything that we do!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
A House of Encouragement
Paul Benger completed this great series ‘House’ this morning with an excellent message entitled ‘A House of Encouragement’.
Building a house of encouragement is no fluke. To have a culture of encouragement in the house of God is intentional. It connects people with the power and the presence of God. We want people to feel better when they leave church!
If we are not careful vision can leak from our lives, the same can happen in the house of God when it comes to encouragement. We should remain stirred up when it comes to the gifts of God, let us be challenged.
Praise and worship should connect us to God and encouragement is the nature of God…putting courage into people. It’s what God does and it’s what we do!
Five important things concerning Encouragement…
1) ENCOURAGEMENT LISTENS
Psalm 10:17 – You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry
People feel that they are not listened to at times. ‘Nobody is listening to a word I say!’ God listens. Let us never be a people who don’t listen. We can develop selective listening if we are not careful!
God listens to our cries. We want to be a church that listens to the cries of people, not the whining or the whinging and complaining but the cries from the people who are hurting.
We don’t want to have ‘attention deficit’ when it comes to people.
Psalm 34:15,17 – The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles
We need to hear the cries of people, to be a house of encouragement, and not a place of whinging, whining, negativity but a place of faith. Don’t listen to the wrong voices.
2) ENCOURAGEMENT INSPIRES
Titus 1:9 – He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it
It’s great when something or someone inspires us to do something. Church leaders, through doctrine, should encourage and inspire people…not beat people up, tear down etc.
Teaching should encourage.
Proverbs 10:21 – The lips of the righteous nourish many
Good doctrine nourishes and inspires. Human nature defaults to the negative. But God is good; the bible teaches us this. God teachers inspire us where we are. Don’t ask for the ‘deep theology’ get inspired by the word you need for today!
We can have a ‘baton down the hatches’ mentality until Jesus comes…the spirit of recession. Let us not let that kind of thinking come into the church!
Psalm 85:12 – The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest
There are better days to come!
3) ENCOURAGEMENT GATHERS
There are people who never go to ‘Discouragementville’, people who are real encouragers!
Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching
Be gathered and encouraged! Don’t stay at home. The more we’re gathered the more we need to gather. We need praise and worship that lifts us and the word of God that inspires us and encourages to get up and live faith filled lives!
This is a House of Encouragement!
Acts 13:14-15 – From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak
Paul takes the opportunity to speak encouragement. In verse 26 he declares that salvation has come. Later on he declares that ‘Jesus is alive!’ This is our message today and every week…not just at Easter!
Later on in Acts 13:42,44, they were invited back to speak again and the whole city gathered! Encouragement gathers!
It’s so much easier to get discouraged when we stay at home…home alone!
4) ENCOURAGEMENT GIVES
Deuteronomy 3:28 – But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."
Moses was told that he was not going to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land but Joshua. Moses wanted to do it…dreamed of this moment most of his life. And yet it was Joshua who took them in.
Moses wanted to die in faith…to keep on dreaming. Let us have that kind of heart and attitude. Even if we don’t get to live out our dream of what God has put inside of us…others will! We want to see the ‘Joshua’s’ being raised up in church.
‘Successful people make quality decisions and then spend their life managing those decisions’ (John Maxwell)
Feelings can manage our decisions when decisions should manage our feelings. Make a decision to be a people of encouragement. Encouragement sees the potential in people…let us look at how we can put courage in people.
5) ENCOURAGEMENT STREGTHENS
Make it your default position to be an encourager of people.
1 Corinthians 14:3 – But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort
Acts 15:32 – Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers
Our God is the lifter of our heads. Godly encouragement is more than a slogan…it actually gets the job done!
Jeremiah 29:10-11 – This is what the LORD says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
God is encouraging his people. In verses 8-9 he tells them not to listen to those he hasn’t sent, those who deceive. Listen to me God says, to my promises. In verses 5-7 he encourages them to build – build houses, plant crops, be fruitful!
Listen to God’s plan for your lives…be encouraged!
Let this be a House of Encouragement!
Building a house of encouragement is no fluke. To have a culture of encouragement in the house of God is intentional. It connects people with the power and the presence of God. We want people to feel better when they leave church!
If we are not careful vision can leak from our lives, the same can happen in the house of God when it comes to encouragement. We should remain stirred up when it comes to the gifts of God, let us be challenged.
Praise and worship should connect us to God and encouragement is the nature of God…putting courage into people. It’s what God does and it’s what we do!
Five important things concerning Encouragement…
1) ENCOURAGEMENT LISTENS
Psalm 10:17 – You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry
People feel that they are not listened to at times. ‘Nobody is listening to a word I say!’ God listens. Let us never be a people who don’t listen. We can develop selective listening if we are not careful!
God listens to our cries. We want to be a church that listens to the cries of people, not the whining or the whinging and complaining but the cries from the people who are hurting.
We don’t want to have ‘attention deficit’ when it comes to people.
Psalm 34:15,17 – The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles
We need to hear the cries of people, to be a house of encouragement, and not a place of whinging, whining, negativity but a place of faith. Don’t listen to the wrong voices.
2) ENCOURAGEMENT INSPIRES
Titus 1:9 – He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it
It’s great when something or someone inspires us to do something. Church leaders, through doctrine, should encourage and inspire people…not beat people up, tear down etc.
Teaching should encourage.
Proverbs 10:21 – The lips of the righteous nourish many
Good doctrine nourishes and inspires. Human nature defaults to the negative. But God is good; the bible teaches us this. God teachers inspire us where we are. Don’t ask for the ‘deep theology’ get inspired by the word you need for today!
We can have a ‘baton down the hatches’ mentality until Jesus comes…the spirit of recession. Let us not let that kind of thinking come into the church!
Psalm 85:12 – The LORD will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest
There are better days to come!
3) ENCOURAGEMENT GATHERS
There are people who never go to ‘Discouragementville’, people who are real encouragers!
Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching
Be gathered and encouraged! Don’t stay at home. The more we’re gathered the more we need to gather. We need praise and worship that lifts us and the word of God that inspires us and encourages to get up and live faith filled lives!
This is a House of Encouragement!
Acts 13:14-15 – From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak
Paul takes the opportunity to speak encouragement. In verse 26 he declares that salvation has come. Later on he declares that ‘Jesus is alive!’ This is our message today and every week…not just at Easter!
Later on in Acts 13:42,44, they were invited back to speak again and the whole city gathered! Encouragement gathers!
It’s so much easier to get discouraged when we stay at home…home alone!
4) ENCOURAGEMENT GIVES
Deuteronomy 3:28 – But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see."
Moses was told that he was not going to take the children of Israel into the Promised Land but Joshua. Moses wanted to do it…dreamed of this moment most of his life. And yet it was Joshua who took them in.
Moses wanted to die in faith…to keep on dreaming. Let us have that kind of heart and attitude. Even if we don’t get to live out our dream of what God has put inside of us…others will! We want to see the ‘Joshua’s’ being raised up in church.
‘Successful people make quality decisions and then spend their life managing those decisions’ (John Maxwell)
Feelings can manage our decisions when decisions should manage our feelings. Make a decision to be a people of encouragement. Encouragement sees the potential in people…let us look at how we can put courage in people.
5) ENCOURAGEMENT STREGTHENS
Make it your default position to be an encourager of people.
1 Corinthians 14:3 – But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort
Acts 15:32 – Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers
Our God is the lifter of our heads. Godly encouragement is more than a slogan…it actually gets the job done!
Jeremiah 29:10-11 – This is what the LORD says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
God is encouraging his people. In verses 8-9 he tells them not to listen to those he hasn’t sent, those who deceive. Listen to me God says, to my promises. In verses 5-7 he encourages them to build – build houses, plant crops, be fruitful!
Listen to God’s plan for your lives…be encouraged!
Let this be a House of Encouragement!
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