Better late than never! Church was amazing on Sunday, two great services. Paul Benger brought an excellent message in the morning entitled, ‘Finding Joy Together’.
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near
Philippians 2:18 – So you too should be glad and rejoice with me
Philippians is a book full of ‘joy’, the word joy and rejoice appears seven times. It’s a letter from Paul written to a people who not in the prefect of circumstances but a people under Roman rule.
This is a letter of encouragement and partnership. ‘Share my joy…we’re in this together!’
People in life are desperate to find joy.
Philippians 1:3-7 – I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me
So much of modern life revolves around ‘ME’. Today’s gadgets, iPhone, iPod and social networking sites, facebook, twitter - they connect us together ‘virtually’. When we connect together for real (the church) is where life flows. Iron sharpens iron.
We make a way for one another, we spur one another on. There is no way I would be the person I am today without others. Those that challenge me, encourage me and spur me on.
Joy is not just for my personal circumstances but in community, together. Joy is found in partnership together not in isolation.
Philippians 2:2 – then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose
Strife is a joy killer. But joy is made complete when we are together, one mind, one purpose, thinking the same way (we don’t have to always agree on everything!)
One spirit, great attitudes towards one another, generous hearts…we’re in this together building a great church with Jesus!
Three ways of finding joy ‘together’…
1) We find joy together when we partner with God’s vision
Many churches are dead because they are divided. We’re in this together not separate groups doing their own thing.
We find joy when we are in partnership together. Each of us playing our part…we’re in this together. This us our culture, as that grows our joy will grow!
‘The purpose of our salvation is for God to lavish his grace on us and spend forever doing it’ (John Piper) - This is true, what is also true…
‘The purpose of our salvation is to position and equip us to partner with God in His redemptive rescue mission for the planet’. (Paul Benger)
We celebrate with one another, lifting people’s lives!
2) We find joy together when we find confidence in God’s purpose
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
Confident! This was not written to individuals it was written to the church. At CLC we’re confident that He who began a good work…he’ll finish what he has started.
There are seasons in our lives and in the life of the church. Whatever season we are in let us not be laid low by S.A.D. (seasonal affected disorder). God wants us confident in any season we find ourselves in.
Joy is in our church. We’re not a SAD church!
3) We find joy together when we share together in God’s grace
Philippians 1:7 – It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me
We know the grace of God together; we share in it together and not just as individuals.
God is for us…we’re sharing the grace the favour of God together! I’m not good on my own left to my own devices. The church does me good!
We find joy together when share the grace of God together.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
To Boldly Go
Church was excellent this morning. Andy Marsh was speaking for the first time at CLC and brought a great message entitled ‘To Boldly Go’.
John 4:1-42 (The Message)
Jesus was travelling from Jerusalem to Galilee. He took the shortest route and went through Samaria. The Jews would have normally taken the long route around Samaria to get to Galilee.
What was wrong with Samaria? The Jews and Samaritans did not get on. The Jews despised the Samaritans, looked down at them because they were of mixed race.
Why go through Samaria? He was taking the shortest route to save time. He may have been taking the safest route to avoid the Jewish leaders who were looking to oppose him. The main reason though is that Jesus was on a mission, today was the day he would meet with the Samaritan woman at the well.
What was the reason for John recording this event? 4 reasons,
- The importance of the route Jesus had chosen
- The personal message that Jesus had for the Samaritan woman
- The consequences of this message
- The importance of this meeting in contrast to his meeting with Nicodemus in the previous chapter
What so special about this meeting? Jesus was meeting with a woman, culturally not the done thing. She was not just any woman though, she was going to the well at noon the heat of the day and she was alone (the norm would be that the women would all go together to draw water). Maybe this was because of her reputation. She may have been an outcast, alienated from her people as well as the Jews.
Why did Jesus want to speak to her? It was her appointment with the Lord. Jesus wanted to meet her need. He had compassion for her. He has compassion for you also no matter who you are or what your past is.
Here Jesus met with a woman, of a hated mix race, of questionable morals and in a public place. A woman with no self-worth, no love, and yet she was about to have a life changing experience and not just her but her whole village as well!
She found hope and a future. Her past and her present were not going to determine her future as she surrendered her life to Jesus. This was true for her and it is true for you today!
What happened in the meeting? We see her needs both spiritual and physical were identified by Jesus and met. Her physical need was to get water and Jesus knew there was something more. He used other needs to meet the real need!
Jesus knew the issues he knew everything about her. Never worry about not being good enough…Jesus knows all about you and wants you to have a ‘full’ relationship with him. Let us not allow barriers to go up to prevent that happening.
The woman tried to avoid the issue at first by talking about religion. Don’t let us get distracted by religion.
Then came the revelation of who Jesus was. John 4:25-26 - The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
Then the acceptance of who he was. She accepts him for who he is. She receives the ‘free gift’ of salvation, so often we can have difficulty valuing something that is free.
The extremes - Jesus is for all! He meets with Nicodemus, the religious ruler in the previous chapter, and then with the Samaritan woman shortly afterwards.
God finds us worthy whoever we are. He seeks us out. He wants a relationship with us…not religion.
Jesus saw the value on her life even though she couldn’t. Grace says…you count, you matter, you important!
The consequences of the meeting
John 4:39-42 – Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."
She went from her meeting with Jesus and back into her town…many believed because of what she said. What an incredible change must have happened in her life. They were amazed at her transformation!
We need to recognise the compassion Jesus showed to the Samaritan woman and to many others.
‘Evangelism with out Compassion is just Expansionism’ – Jeff Lucas
We make a difference in people’s lives as we show love and compassion. Never despise the small things that we do for people…we may not realise it straight away but those small things will make a huge impact in their future!
John 4:1-42 (The Message)
Jesus was travelling from Jerusalem to Galilee. He took the shortest route and went through Samaria. The Jews would have normally taken the long route around Samaria to get to Galilee.
What was wrong with Samaria? The Jews and Samaritans did not get on. The Jews despised the Samaritans, looked down at them because they were of mixed race.
Why go through Samaria? He was taking the shortest route to save time. He may have been taking the safest route to avoid the Jewish leaders who were looking to oppose him. The main reason though is that Jesus was on a mission, today was the day he would meet with the Samaritan woman at the well.
What was the reason for John recording this event? 4 reasons,
- The importance of the route Jesus had chosen
- The personal message that Jesus had for the Samaritan woman
- The consequences of this message
- The importance of this meeting in contrast to his meeting with Nicodemus in the previous chapter
What so special about this meeting? Jesus was meeting with a woman, culturally not the done thing. She was not just any woman though, she was going to the well at noon the heat of the day and she was alone (the norm would be that the women would all go together to draw water). Maybe this was because of her reputation. She may have been an outcast, alienated from her people as well as the Jews.
Why did Jesus want to speak to her? It was her appointment with the Lord. Jesus wanted to meet her need. He had compassion for her. He has compassion for you also no matter who you are or what your past is.
Here Jesus met with a woman, of a hated mix race, of questionable morals and in a public place. A woman with no self-worth, no love, and yet she was about to have a life changing experience and not just her but her whole village as well!
She found hope and a future. Her past and her present were not going to determine her future as she surrendered her life to Jesus. This was true for her and it is true for you today!
What happened in the meeting? We see her needs both spiritual and physical were identified by Jesus and met. Her physical need was to get water and Jesus knew there was something more. He used other needs to meet the real need!
Jesus knew the issues he knew everything about her. Never worry about not being good enough…Jesus knows all about you and wants you to have a ‘full’ relationship with him. Let us not allow barriers to go up to prevent that happening.
The woman tried to avoid the issue at first by talking about religion. Don’t let us get distracted by religion.
Then came the revelation of who Jesus was. John 4:25-26 - The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
Then the acceptance of who he was. She accepts him for who he is. She receives the ‘free gift’ of salvation, so often we can have difficulty valuing something that is free.
The extremes - Jesus is for all! He meets with Nicodemus, the religious ruler in the previous chapter, and then with the Samaritan woman shortly afterwards.
God finds us worthy whoever we are. He seeks us out. He wants a relationship with us…not religion.
Jesus saw the value on her life even though she couldn’t. Grace says…you count, you matter, you important!
The consequences of the meeting
John 4:39-42 – Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world."
She went from her meeting with Jesus and back into her town…many believed because of what she said. What an incredible change must have happened in her life. They were amazed at her transformation!
We need to recognise the compassion Jesus showed to the Samaritan woman and to many others.
‘Evangelism with out Compassion is just Expansionism’ – Jeff Lucas
We make a difference in people’s lives as we show love and compassion. Never despise the small things that we do for people…we may not realise it straight away but those small things will make a huge impact in their future!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Missions Sunday
Great time in church today. It was our Missions Sunday where we shared about our Missions giving in the past year and also presented the church with our commitment to missions giving over the next year.
It was great to have our friends with us from City Hearts House (Sheffield) and Betel.
We also continue to support the Ground Level Network Overseas Missions, Links International and Compassion.
We also heard a great message from Duane White (Beyond These Shores) about what it is to have a Missions Addiction! To be addicted to Jesus and His Cause.
Three things that will be effected by our Missions Addiction...
It will change your speech.
How we pray, how we communicate with others. Make us more outward thinking...it's not about 'me'.
It will change where you Go!
What moves you? What gets you going? We will be compelled by the Holy Spirit to go. Get a vision for the world.
It will change what you do with your money.
Refocuses our thinking when it comes to how we give, where we give etc. See opportunities and take them!
It was great to have our friends with us from City Hearts House (Sheffield) and Betel.
We also continue to support the Ground Level Network Overseas Missions, Links International and Compassion.
We also heard a great message from Duane White (Beyond These Shores) about what it is to have a Missions Addiction! To be addicted to Jesus and His Cause.
Three things that will be effected by our Missions Addiction...
It will change your speech.
How we pray, how we communicate with others. Make us more outward thinking...it's not about 'me'.
It will change where you Go!
What moves you? What gets you going? We will be compelled by the Holy Spirit to go. Get a vision for the world.
It will change what you do with your money.
Refocuses our thinking when it comes to how we give, where we give etc. See opportunities and take them!
Sunday, March 08, 2009
God in HD - The Scandalous Love of God
Paul Benger completed our series “God in HD” today in church with an excellent message entitled The Scandalous Love of God.
Hebrews 1:3 – The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven
When we look at Jesus we see what God is like. Jesus reveals God in high definition.
We’ve seen in the news recently about the scandal of ex RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin and the pension he is to receive - £693,000 per annum despite RBS poor performance…£25 billion deficit.
There is an even bigger scandal than that…Jesus is involved and we are involved. Our debt was much bigger than £25 billion! God stepped in and didn’t leave us in a position where we couldn’t pay. Through Jesus Christ his son he gave us life…eternal life…forgiveness…this was the scandal of the cross.
Romans 5:7-8 – Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
This was the price that was paid to purchase our lives so that we could live the life we were meant to live. It cost the Father his only son.
God saw you and me…he saw a future, he saw a hope…he gave his life so that we might live.
This is the Grace of God giving us what we don’t deserve. We think about this everyday that we are living the life we don’t deserve…the gift of eternal life.
We’ve had a debt wiped out, one we could never pay.
The cross of Jesus was the scandal. In his last few days he says these words,
John 12:27-28 – “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again”
He doesn’t draw back from his calling. Showing us the love of God…the scandal…God in high definition as clear as you can get it.
“You loved a people undeserving”
1 John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
Three qualities of this Scandalous Love of God…
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘undeserved’
We could never earn God’s love. Imagine a father saying to his child, “manage to keep all of these rules then I will love you”. He just loves his children anyway! No matter what we do God keeps on loving us.
Our love is so often ‘conditional’, and yet God loves us ‘unconditionally’. Don’t spend energy and effort to earn God’s love…he wants to show us the futility of trying to earn his love. This doesn’t eliminate hard work…but accept his love and don’t try to earn it.
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s a gift!
Remember the Samaritan woman at the well. She was ‘undeserving’ and she knew it…she must have told it so many times. Yet Jesus comes and says to her, ‘Ask me and I will give you living water’.
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unchanging’
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
He didn’t wait until we deserved it…he just loved us! He doesn’t change now that we know him. It isn’t God who opts-out, we’re the ones that opt-out.
We waver, we change…God’s love never changes. The glory of God can be seen in your life as you accept his unchanging love for you and be all you were meant to be!
Malachi 3:6 – I the LORD do not change
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unrestricted’
It can be difficult as a parent to know what to do in bringing our children up. When to step in and help or when to let them grow and find things out for themselves.
Because of God’s unrestricted love for us…
Romans 8:31-39
If God is for us who can be against us?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Let us stop condemning ourselves and carrying the weight around with us.
We are more than conquerors through him who loved us!
Nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus - There is no ceiling to what God wants to do in our lives…He’s lifting it off of you!
We can struggle with this truth about the grace of God. The love of God reaches the places where we think it never will.
Jesus spoke to the criminal on the cross beside him, ‘today you will be with me in paradise!’
His love can reach us at any time, any point, any place…it is never too late.
1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed
Hebrews 1:3 – The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven
When we look at Jesus we see what God is like. Jesus reveals God in high definition.
We’ve seen in the news recently about the scandal of ex RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin and the pension he is to receive - £693,000 per annum despite RBS poor performance…£25 billion deficit.
There is an even bigger scandal than that…Jesus is involved and we are involved. Our debt was much bigger than £25 billion! God stepped in and didn’t leave us in a position where we couldn’t pay. Through Jesus Christ his son he gave us life…eternal life…forgiveness…this was the scandal of the cross.
Romans 5:7-8 – Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
This was the price that was paid to purchase our lives so that we could live the life we were meant to live. It cost the Father his only son.
God saw you and me…he saw a future, he saw a hope…he gave his life so that we might live.
This is the Grace of God giving us what we don’t deserve. We think about this everyday that we are living the life we don’t deserve…the gift of eternal life.
We’ve had a debt wiped out, one we could never pay.
The cross of Jesus was the scandal. In his last few days he says these words,
John 12:27-28 – “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again”
He doesn’t draw back from his calling. Showing us the love of God…the scandal…God in high definition as clear as you can get it.
“You loved a people undeserving”
1 John 4:10 – This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
Three qualities of this Scandalous Love of God…
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘undeserved’
We could never earn God’s love. Imagine a father saying to his child, “manage to keep all of these rules then I will love you”. He just loves his children anyway! No matter what we do God keeps on loving us.
Our love is so often ‘conditional’, and yet God loves us ‘unconditionally’. Don’t spend energy and effort to earn God’s love…he wants to show us the futility of trying to earn his love. This doesn’t eliminate hard work…but accept his love and don’t try to earn it.
Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It’s a gift!
Remember the Samaritan woman at the well. She was ‘undeserving’ and she knew it…she must have told it so many times. Yet Jesus comes and says to her, ‘Ask me and I will give you living water’.
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unchanging’
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
He didn’t wait until we deserved it…he just loved us! He doesn’t change now that we know him. It isn’t God who opts-out, we’re the ones that opt-out.
We waver, we change…God’s love never changes. The glory of God can be seen in your life as you accept his unchanging love for you and be all you were meant to be!
Malachi 3:6 – I the LORD do not change
God’s love is scandalous because it is ‘unrestricted’
It can be difficult as a parent to know what to do in bringing our children up. When to step in and help or when to let them grow and find things out for themselves.
Because of God’s unrestricted love for us…
Romans 8:31-39
If God is for us who can be against us?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Let us stop condemning ourselves and carrying the weight around with us.
We are more than conquerors through him who loved us!
Nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus - There is no ceiling to what God wants to do in our lives…He’s lifting it off of you!
We can struggle with this truth about the grace of God. The love of God reaches the places where we think it never will.
Jesus spoke to the criminal on the cross beside him, ‘today you will be with me in paradise!’
His love can reach us at any time, any point, any place…it is never too late.
1 Peter 2:24 - He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed
Sunday, March 01, 2009
God in HD - Messiah
We continued this excellent series “God in HD” today in church. Mark Wilkins brought a great message on Jesus being the Messiah.
‘I believe in God revealed in Jesus of Nazareth’ – Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham
Messiah = Anointed One = Christ
Judaism believed that the Messiah would be the coming king to liberate Israel and rebuild the temple. They believed he would be a military leader to free them of their occupiers. Yet it was Jesus Christ stood before them who was their Messiah.
Matthew 5:17-18 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”
Luke 24:25-27 - He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Within the Old Testament there is 322 verses about the coming Messiah. Isaiah wrote 700 years BC about the kind of Messiah he would be.
Isaiah 53:4-7 - Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
They believed that the Romans were their true oppressors and that the Messiah would liberated them from them. Yet Jesus revealed the true oppressor was their sin and that is what he wanted to free them from.
Romans 8:2-5 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Sin is the oppressor and Jesus the Messiah comes to save us from our sin. God’s heart has always been to intervene and save his people. We see throughout the Old and New Testaments…this has always been his plan. Today people can still miss that. That Christ wants to save us from our sin, we may feel we’re not good enough, and yet Jesus has made a way. A way possible for us to have a relationship with God, to find freedom in Christ!
What motivated the Apostle Paul? Romans 9:2-4 - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises
It grieved Paul immensely…for the people to know Christ and the freedom he gave. It weighed heavy upon him.
We’re so grateful for what God has done for us and yet it breaks our heart to see those around us in need of a Saviour. Just like the Apostle Paul, let us get close to God’s heart and be broken for those around us.
Ephesians 5:1 – Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
Imitate God - Capture his heart for the people who are lost and far from him.
God has saved us, to be all that he wants us to be today…and not just the future. Salvation is not just getting your ticket out of here! He wants us to be all that Jesus was to people.
Matthew 20:1-16
The Parable of the workers in the vineyard…
- It’s never too late
- Even the unwanted are welcome
- The reward is the same
- It’s never about work
- Be gracious (don’t write people off who God hasn’t)
The Messiah…God’s heart is to save people whoever they are…even if they are 5 o’clock people. Let us have the same heart for people.
‘I believe in God revealed in Jesus of Nazareth’ – Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham
Messiah = Anointed One = Christ
Judaism believed that the Messiah would be the coming king to liberate Israel and rebuild the temple. They believed he would be a military leader to free them of their occupiers. Yet it was Jesus Christ stood before them who was their Messiah.
Matthew 5:17-18 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”
Luke 24:25-27 - He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Within the Old Testament there is 322 verses about the coming Messiah. Isaiah wrote 700 years BC about the kind of Messiah he would be.
Isaiah 53:4-7 - Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
They believed that the Romans were their true oppressors and that the Messiah would liberated them from them. Yet Jesus revealed the true oppressor was their sin and that is what he wanted to free them from.
Romans 8:2-5 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
Sin is the oppressor and Jesus the Messiah comes to save us from our sin. God’s heart has always been to intervene and save his people. We see throughout the Old and New Testaments…this has always been his plan. Today people can still miss that. That Christ wants to save us from our sin, we may feel we’re not good enough, and yet Jesus has made a way. A way possible for us to have a relationship with God, to find freedom in Christ!
What motivated the Apostle Paul? Romans 9:2-4 - I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises
It grieved Paul immensely…for the people to know Christ and the freedom he gave. It weighed heavy upon him.
We’re so grateful for what God has done for us and yet it breaks our heart to see those around us in need of a Saviour. Just like the Apostle Paul, let us get close to God’s heart and be broken for those around us.
Ephesians 5:1 – Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children
Imitate God - Capture his heart for the people who are lost and far from him.
God has saved us, to be all that he wants us to be today…and not just the future. Salvation is not just getting your ticket out of here! He wants us to be all that Jesus was to people.
Matthew 20:1-16
The Parable of the workers in the vineyard…
- It’s never too late
- Even the unwanted are welcome
- The reward is the same
- It’s never about work
- Be gracious (don’t write people off who God hasn’t)
The Messiah…God’s heart is to save people whoever they are…even if they are 5 o’clock people. Let us have the same heart for people.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
God in HD - God Hates Religion
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
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 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!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Here I Am
Great time in church today. Nathan Benger brought an excellent message entitled ‘Here I Am!’
Hebrews 10:5-7 – Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.'
Let us make ourselves available for God. Remember these things…
No…there isn’t anything I cannot do!
Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible with God
God can do anything in our lives. Do it for God! All things are possible with God whatever obstacles we face or troubles…God is bigger…God is stronger!
Matthew 19:26 – Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible
No matter what we do for God we can accomplish all things!
Footballer’s testimony…“At the age of eighteen, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church”
Believe that by putting our faith in God we can accomplish so much. We can impact our town as a body of people, our homes, streets and workplaces. ‘Light gathered on Sunday and light scattered during the week’.
Our faith flourishes through obedience. Jesus is our ultimate example in this…he was obedient to death!
Romans 16:26 – But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
Great things can happen through obedience to our faith.
Yes…to making myself heard
We have people around us who we can have an impact upon and make the name of Jesus known to them. Through friendship and being there for them in times of need etc.
Mark 16:15 – He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation
Our aim is to go into our world and preach the good news and be good news! There are many ways in which we can do this.
We are here for our world, whoever they are and whatever they’ve done. Jesus is our great example for this. Don’t hide away from people…make yourself available and be heard!
Yes…to stepping up and saying ‘Here I am!’
Going to church is great food for our lives and helps us in having the maximum impact on our world.
Let us the same attitude of Jesus as mentioned Hebrews 10, ‘I have to come to do your will O God!’
Jesus knew the impact this would have on the world…it did then and still has today. Lives are being changed and will be changed.
Do we need to say today, ‘Here I am!’?
Hebrews 10:5-7 – Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, 'Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.'
Let us make ourselves available for God. Remember these things…
No…there isn’t anything I cannot do!
Luke 1:37 – For nothing is impossible with God
God can do anything in our lives. Do it for God! All things are possible with God whatever obstacles we face or troubles…God is bigger…God is stronger!
Matthew 19:26 – Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible
No matter what we do for God we can accomplish all things!
Footballer’s testimony…“At the age of eighteen, Kaká suffered a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably made a full recovery. He attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church”
Believe that by putting our faith in God we can accomplish so much. We can impact our town as a body of people, our homes, streets and workplaces. ‘Light gathered on Sunday and light scattered during the week’.
Our faith flourishes through obedience. Jesus is our ultimate example in this…he was obedient to death!
Romans 16:26 – But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.
Great things can happen through obedience to our faith.
Yes…to making myself heard
We have people around us who we can have an impact upon and make the name of Jesus known to them. Through friendship and being there for them in times of need etc.
Mark 16:15 – He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation
Our aim is to go into our world and preach the good news and be good news! There are many ways in which we can do this.
We are here for our world, whoever they are and whatever they’ve done. Jesus is our great example for this. Don’t hide away from people…make yourself available and be heard!
Yes…to stepping up and saying ‘Here I am!’
Going to church is great food for our lives and helps us in having the maximum impact on our world.
Let us the same attitude of Jesus as mentioned Hebrews 10, ‘I have to come to do your will O God!’
Jesus knew the impact this would have on the world…it did then and still has today. Lives are being changed and will be changed.
Do we need to say today, ‘Here I am!’?
Sunday, January 18, 2009
A House of Prayer
Another great message from Paul Benger this morning as we continued our ‘House’ series. His message was called ‘A House of Prayer’.
Having a powerful and effective prayer life is not just about praying more.
We can find ourselves feeling guilty because we say to ourselves ‘we should pray more’. It can become a burden and we feel rubbish because we don’t feel we’re fulfilling our prayer potential. And yet a powerful and effective prayer life is available for all of God’s people. We can have great prayer lives!
We know that God’s power at work is a result of our prayers. When we look back at our prayer history we see mixed results, some answered and some not.
Jesus wants his house to be a house of prayer.
Mark 11:15-18 – On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' " The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
Jesus did this because he had a passion for God’s House. Why did this event have so much impact?
Jesus touched and challenged their morals….their motives. The sacred cow, money, ‘we don’t talk about those things’…and yet Jesus did!
Jesus touched the multitudes…the whole crowd. They were amazed by Jesus’ teaching and turned from their ways in an instance.
Jesus had and still has a passion for his house…and for it to be a house of prayer.
Christian Life Church is a house of prayer. But it’s not just the prayer we organise but your prayer and my prayer.
Let’s see our prayer life gain momentum. Like the car, which uses more fuel to get off the drive than it does when travelling at 60mph. It’s when we have that kind of stop/start prayer life we find it a struggle. Pray whenever and wherever you can.
Luke 1:1-13
Jesus wants to teach us how to pray. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray…not to manage, not to lead. They recognised the power that was at work because of Jesus’ prayer life.
We are reliant on prayer to see God’s power at work in us and in our world.
‘Nothing happens except in answer to prayer’ – John Wesley
When we pray the activity of God increases
PRAYING BECAUSE OF DESIRE
The disciples had a desire to pray. God has put that in all of us…a desire for intimacy with God. ‘Our Father…’ – our identity as children of God…we believe this is our standing with God as we come to him in prayer.
Prayer releases the activity of God…’Your Kingdom come’ – peoples lives set free…miracles…people coming to faith. Let’s pray!
PRAYING BECAUSE OF THE WILL OF GOD
‘Your Kingdom come Your will be done’- his will is in his word. Let us pray that his will be done.
Luke 11:11-13 - Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
When we ask we receive more of God’s spirit. Have a confidence in the will of God for our lives and the lives of people. When God says it He means it! He desires his will to be done. He is not willing that any should perish. Let our prayers be bolder! Let us be a house of prayer.
PRAYING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
Our desire is to see a house of magnificence, a glorious house! That our God will be known, everything about him. His fame and not ours, his name and not ours. He is glorified when he is seen in us and in his house.
God is glorified in a house of prayer.
PRAYING PERSISTENTLY
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Sometimes we’ve just got to keep praying…because we know what we are asking for is God’s will.
Kick start our prayer lives. Pray a little…often, whenever and wherever we can.
Having a powerful and effective prayer life is not just about praying more.
We can find ourselves feeling guilty because we say to ourselves ‘we should pray more’. It can become a burden and we feel rubbish because we don’t feel we’re fulfilling our prayer potential. And yet a powerful and effective prayer life is available for all of God’s people. We can have great prayer lives!
We know that God’s power at work is a result of our prayers. When we look back at our prayer history we see mixed results, some answered and some not.
Jesus wants his house to be a house of prayer.
Mark 11:15-18 – On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.' " The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
Jesus did this because he had a passion for God’s House. Why did this event have so much impact?
Jesus touched and challenged their morals….their motives. The sacred cow, money, ‘we don’t talk about those things’…and yet Jesus did!
Jesus touched the multitudes…the whole crowd. They were amazed by Jesus’ teaching and turned from their ways in an instance.
Jesus had and still has a passion for his house…and for it to be a house of prayer.
Christian Life Church is a house of prayer. But it’s not just the prayer we organise but your prayer and my prayer.
Let’s see our prayer life gain momentum. Like the car, which uses more fuel to get off the drive than it does when travelling at 60mph. It’s when we have that kind of stop/start prayer life we find it a struggle. Pray whenever and wherever you can.
Luke 1:1-13
Jesus wants to teach us how to pray. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray…not to manage, not to lead. They recognised the power that was at work because of Jesus’ prayer life.
We are reliant on prayer to see God’s power at work in us and in our world.
‘Nothing happens except in answer to prayer’ – John Wesley
When we pray the activity of God increases
PRAYING BECAUSE OF DESIRE
The disciples had a desire to pray. God has put that in all of us…a desire for intimacy with God. ‘Our Father…’ – our identity as children of God…we believe this is our standing with God as we come to him in prayer.
Prayer releases the activity of God…’Your Kingdom come’ – peoples lives set free…miracles…people coming to faith. Let’s pray!
PRAYING BECAUSE OF THE WILL OF GOD
‘Your Kingdom come Your will be done’- his will is in his word. Let us pray that his will be done.
Luke 11:11-13 - Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
When we ask we receive more of God’s spirit. Have a confidence in the will of God for our lives and the lives of people. When God says it He means it! He desires his will to be done. He is not willing that any should perish. Let our prayers be bolder! Let us be a house of prayer.
PRAYING FOR THE GLORY OF GOD
Our desire is to see a house of magnificence, a glorious house! That our God will be known, everything about him. His fame and not ours, his name and not ours. He is glorified when he is seen in us and in his house.
God is glorified in a house of prayer.
PRAYING PERSISTENTLY
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Sometimes we’ve just got to keep praying…because we know what we are asking for is God’s will.
Kick start our prayer lives. Pray a little…often, whenever and wherever we can.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Full House
Today in church Paul Benger continued our great series ‘House’ with an excellent message called ‘Full House’.
1 Chronicles 22:5-7
It’s on God’s heart to build a great and magnificent House…let this be in hearts also.
God gives us a passion for his house. Sometimes we can get disillusioned with church. God wants to put a passion for his house inside of us.
We’re going to see a great move of God in our lifetime and across our area. Christian Life Church is going to be a great part of God’s glorious house!
Revival is when God moves and touches the lives of great numbers of people and we see God’s house impacting and influencing the lives of many.
We can and will see the passion for his house being passed through the generations…it won’t remain with the one generation.
How do you picture the House of God? Nothing is too good for God! Some say ‘don’t get too fanatical about Church’…but how can we get too fanatical about God’s house, how can we get too passionate about building the house of God…reaching people and seeing lives transformed! You can’t get too passionate about that!
When we talk about the house of God we’re not just talking about buildings…but the things that we own should reflect His goodness. We should give him the best that we can! This is his house…his eyes are on it and his heart is in it.
FULL OF PEOPLE
God wants to see his house FULL. To see a throng of people.
Luke 14:11-24
As disciples Jesus is teaching us that He doesn’t come second. In this text even though we know that everybody loves a party, a banquet…the people were apathetic.
But we believe when God moves the people will say ‘Yes!’ His house is going to be ‘full’ and will be a magnificent house.
We know that it’s about people and not about numbers…but we read in the book of Acts that thousands of people were added to the church. We’re reaching the multitudes, the throngs of people. Every person is a life that God wants to touch…and for us to reach.
The church is meant to be BIG – SMALL…congregation of the multitude and the smaller connect groups.
Psalm 35:18 – I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you
We need to get used to crowds on earth because Heaven is going to be busy!
Today’s average church attendance in the UK is about 45…we need to think bigger!
Psalm 42:4 – These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
A festive throng…a celebration! Crowds of worshippers. Wherever Jesus went there was a crowd, and he also met with the ONE. The church should be the same.
Can we see a vision of something great, something magnificent…a full house. The expansion of God’s Kingdom overtaking our lives!
John 1:43-47 – The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
Can anything good come from Chesterfield? In 2009 Jesus will find somebody through you. His house is meant to be full of people.
FULL OF GOD HIMSELF
Ephesians 1:22-23 – And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
People are meant to encounter God in the House and in our week as we go out into our world. They’re meant to encounter something of the character of God, his heart and attitude. Through the church, through you and me, they encounter God’s colours – faith, hope and love.
When we encounter the fullness of God in his house we can’t stay miserable, we can’t stay afraid, we can’t stay worried!
In the midst of God’s presence, in his house amongst his people…there is no end to God. He wants his house to reflect him.
FULL OF FOOD
Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it
It’s about God’s house being full of blessing that there’s not enough room for it! He fills it with food as give…he fills it with ministries, friendships, relationships, connections.
People are starving and God wants to fill them through us…through the House of God being full to overflowing!
The church is the environment where God speaks and lives are fed with ‘soul food’.
Matthew 4:4 – Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
People will find good things in the House of God that will feed their lives with something that truly satisfies.
Even if we have failed we will find a way back because God’s grace is available to all.
People need to be in his house because they will find food for the soul.
Let us seek to bring others to Christ…‘raise the risk’…ask the question, ‘will you come to church with me?’ Pray for friends and family to come.
1 Chronicles 22:5-7
It’s on God’s heart to build a great and magnificent House…let this be in hearts also.
God gives us a passion for his house. Sometimes we can get disillusioned with church. God wants to put a passion for his house inside of us.
We’re going to see a great move of God in our lifetime and across our area. Christian Life Church is going to be a great part of God’s glorious house!
Revival is when God moves and touches the lives of great numbers of people and we see God’s house impacting and influencing the lives of many.
We can and will see the passion for his house being passed through the generations…it won’t remain with the one generation.
How do you picture the House of God? Nothing is too good for God! Some say ‘don’t get too fanatical about Church’…but how can we get too fanatical about God’s house, how can we get too passionate about building the house of God…reaching people and seeing lives transformed! You can’t get too passionate about that!
When we talk about the house of God we’re not just talking about buildings…but the things that we own should reflect His goodness. We should give him the best that we can! This is his house…his eyes are on it and his heart is in it.
FULL OF PEOPLE
God wants to see his house FULL. To see a throng of people.
Luke 14:11-24
As disciples Jesus is teaching us that He doesn’t come second. In this text even though we know that everybody loves a party, a banquet…the people were apathetic.
But we believe when God moves the people will say ‘Yes!’ His house is going to be ‘full’ and will be a magnificent house.
We know that it’s about people and not about numbers…but we read in the book of Acts that thousands of people were added to the church. We’re reaching the multitudes, the throngs of people. Every person is a life that God wants to touch…and for us to reach.
The church is meant to be BIG – SMALL…congregation of the multitude and the smaller connect groups.
Psalm 35:18 – I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you
We need to get used to crowds on earth because Heaven is going to be busy!
Today’s average church attendance in the UK is about 45…we need to think bigger!
Psalm 42:4 – These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
A festive throng…a celebration! Crowds of worshippers. Wherever Jesus went there was a crowd, and he also met with the ONE. The church should be the same.
Can we see a vision of something great, something magnificent…a full house. The expansion of God’s Kingdom overtaking our lives!
John 1:43-47 – The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."
Can anything good come from Chesterfield? In 2009 Jesus will find somebody through you. His house is meant to be full of people.
FULL OF GOD HIMSELF
Ephesians 1:22-23 – And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
People are meant to encounter God in the House and in our week as we go out into our world. They’re meant to encounter something of the character of God, his heart and attitude. Through the church, through you and me, they encounter God’s colours – faith, hope and love.
When we encounter the fullness of God in his house we can’t stay miserable, we can’t stay afraid, we can’t stay worried!
In the midst of God’s presence, in his house amongst his people…there is no end to God. He wants his house to reflect him.
FULL OF FOOD
Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it
It’s about God’s house being full of blessing that there’s not enough room for it! He fills it with food as give…he fills it with ministries, friendships, relationships, connections.
People are starving and God wants to fill them through us…through the House of God being full to overflowing!
The church is the environment where God speaks and lives are fed with ‘soul food’.
Matthew 4:4 – Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
People will find good things in the House of God that will feed their lives with something that truly satisfies.
Even if we have failed we will find a way back because God’s grace is available to all.
People need to be in his house because they will find food for the soul.
Let us seek to bring others to Christ…‘raise the risk’…ask the question, ‘will you come to church with me?’ Pray for friends and family to come.
Monday, January 05, 2009
A Heart for the House
Great message in church yesterday. As part of our new series called ‘House’ Gavin Lloyd and Paul Benger started it off with a message called ‘A Heart for the House’.
God’s heart is for his house!
1 Chronicles 22:5-7
David declares his heart for the House of God – ‘I had it in my heart to build a house for the name of the Lord my God’.
Another King of Israel, Asa, also had a heart for the House of God.
1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
He was fully committed, dedicated he had a heart for God and a heart for the house of God.
We can build something great when we have a people who have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God!
As we read scripture it becomes more and more evident that the House of God was in God’s heart as well.
1 Kings 8:17-18 – "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.
There are those who say they are for the Kingdom of God but they’re not really into ‘the church’. But you can’t separate the two, the Kingdom of God from the church of Jesus Christ.
We need to understand the power of God that’s at work when we gather together around the name of Jesus!
1 Kings 9:3-4 – The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
If we want to get under God’s gaze and into his will, into his heart…where do we need to be – in the House of God!
“His eyes are on it and his heart is in it!” – The Message
Don’t underestimate the love that God has for his church. I believe we truly connect with God when our heart is in His House.
God’s heart is for the house – a house of magnificence and splendour and fame!
Psalm 42:4 - These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
This was no run-down, boring, irrelevant place…this was the House of God! Exciting, pulsating, happening place…a place of magnificence and splendour!
Let’s get a heart for the house of God…remembering that this is place where God has his eyes on it and his heart in it!
1 Timothy 3:15 - The church is God’s household…it’s his Family - The church of the LIVING God. God is alive today!
Why should we have a Heart for the House of God? Because Christ loved the Church!
Ephesians 5:25,27 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless
His desire is for a radiant Church! A glorious church! Never settle for anything less!
I believe being a Christian means commitment to ‘the cause’ of Christ. ‘I will build my church…’
John 2:17 - "Zeal for your house will consume me."
We need to recognise that to have a heart for God we need to have a heart for the House of God as well. We’re committed to the Family of God, to see it prosper, to see it flourish, to see people’s lives flourish.
The church as a force…an immovable force…mobilised force – reaching, teaching, helping, feeding, giving, loving. It still thrives today…a resilient church! The Church of Jesus Christ is ALIVE!
Jesus is building His Church! God loves His Church – His eyes are on it and His heart is in it!
Don’t under estimate the House of God…it’s powerful place to be! Don’t let our hearts slip…and be moved away from the House of God. When we need to always remember – His eyes are on the House of God and his heart is in the House of God! Let us always have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God.
Our gifts will excel when they are used in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12 – So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church
So much of your natural ability/talent when committed to having a heart for the house will be maximised!
Jesus loved the church and gave his life for her. He loved her that much! Don’t try loving God without loving His Church. A heart for God is a heart for God's House.
God’s heart is for his house!
1 Chronicles 22:5-7
David declares his heart for the House of God – ‘I had it in my heart to build a house for the name of the Lord my God’.
Another King of Israel, Asa, also had a heart for the House of God.
1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. He brought into the temple of the LORD the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
He was fully committed, dedicated he had a heart for God and a heart for the house of God.
We can build something great when we have a people who have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God!
As we read scripture it becomes more and more evident that the House of God was in God’s heart as well.
1 Kings 8:17-18 – "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.
There are those who say they are for the Kingdom of God but they’re not really into ‘the church’. But you can’t separate the two, the Kingdom of God from the church of Jesus Christ.
We need to understand the power of God that’s at work when we gather together around the name of Jesus!
1 Kings 9:3-4 – The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
If we want to get under God’s gaze and into his will, into his heart…where do we need to be – in the House of God!
“His eyes are on it and his heart is in it!” – The Message
Don’t underestimate the love that God has for his church. I believe we truly connect with God when our heart is in His House.
God’s heart is for the house – a house of magnificence and splendour and fame!
Psalm 42:4 - These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
This was no run-down, boring, irrelevant place…this was the House of God! Exciting, pulsating, happening place…a place of magnificence and splendour!
Let’s get a heart for the house of God…remembering that this is place where God has his eyes on it and his heart in it!
1 Timothy 3:15 - The church is God’s household…it’s his Family - The church of the LIVING God. God is alive today!
Why should we have a Heart for the House of God? Because Christ loved the Church!
Ephesians 5:25,27 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless
His desire is for a radiant Church! A glorious church! Never settle for anything less!
I believe being a Christian means commitment to ‘the cause’ of Christ. ‘I will build my church…’
John 2:17 - "Zeal for your house will consume me."
We need to recognise that to have a heart for God we need to have a heart for the House of God as well. We’re committed to the Family of God, to see it prosper, to see it flourish, to see people’s lives flourish.
The church as a force…an immovable force…mobilised force – reaching, teaching, helping, feeding, giving, loving. It still thrives today…a resilient church! The Church of Jesus Christ is ALIVE!
Jesus is building His Church! God loves His Church – His eyes are on it and His heart is in it!
Don’t under estimate the House of God…it’s powerful place to be! Don’t let our hearts slip…and be moved away from the House of God. When we need to always remember – His eyes are on the House of God and his heart is in the House of God! Let us always have a heart for God and a heart for the House of God.
Our gifts will excel when they are used in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12 – So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church
So much of your natural ability/talent when committed to having a heart for the house will be maximised!
Jesus loved the church and gave his life for her. He loved her that much! Don’t try loving God without loving His Church. A heart for God is a heart for God's House.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Hope
This morning at Christian Life Church…an excellent finish to a great 2008! Jeannie Benger spoke on ‘Hope’.
Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see
1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
So often people live without hope, going through the motions of life from day to day. As another Christmas finishes we can feel flat and without hope.
Our message today is that ‘you can have hope in your life’. Through Jesus Christ we can have a hope in him that will last forever – eternal hope!
God wants to bring us hope today and wants us to be the kind of people who bring hope into other people’s lives.
There may be a number of reasons why people lose hope…dashed dreams, let down by others, they put their hope in the wrong things, impatience.
Isaiah 40:31 - They that put their hope in the Lord will renew their strength
People can live self-centred lives…‘it’s all about me’. Let us not focus on what we can get but on what we can give. Acts 20:35 – 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
For 2009 let us bring hope to the world we are a part of.
Our focus is on three areas when it comes to Hope…
YOU – You bring hope into the world
You effect your environment. Proverbs 12:25 – An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up
You have something great to offer. Take time to encourage others. Speak life into people’s lives not negativity. Your life is a lot bigger than you think it is. You effect more people than you realise. When people are in a crisis you can be word of God that they need to hear. We need to sow into people’s live seed that will reap a great harvest.
As we face challenges in our lives we need to surround ourselves with positive faith-filled words. We also need positive people around us so we need to choose wisely who we spend time with.
Be a problem solver and also have people around you who will focus on the solution and not the problem.
Be a ‘good report’ for the people in your world.
JESUS – He is the hope of the World
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full
In a world that appears to be losing hope, Jesus has come to bring us hope.
Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Or hope unrealised. Hope it’s always been there, we just need to have a revelation of that. There is hope…his name is Jesus! No one is excluded they just don’t realise this yet.
We have good news to tell the world. John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
God loved and He gave! He loved all those around, no one is excluded this is an inclusive Gospel.
THE CHURCH – Hope for our communities
1 Chronicles 22:5 – David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.
As the church we make a difference in our world. We have a mandate to build a magnificent church. A place of HOPE where needs are met, lives are lifted and healed. There are the little things that we do that make a difference in our community. Little things that mean big things to people! Let us continue to be a generous people to our community.
Remember, the best is yet to come…we are going to reach more people than ever before and to see their lives being touched and given ‘hope’.
Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see
1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
So often people live without hope, going through the motions of life from day to day. As another Christmas finishes we can feel flat and without hope.
Our message today is that ‘you can have hope in your life’. Through Jesus Christ we can have a hope in him that will last forever – eternal hope!
God wants to bring us hope today and wants us to be the kind of people who bring hope into other people’s lives.
There may be a number of reasons why people lose hope…dashed dreams, let down by others, they put their hope in the wrong things, impatience.
Isaiah 40:31 - They that put their hope in the Lord will renew their strength
People can live self-centred lives…‘it’s all about me’. Let us not focus on what we can get but on what we can give. Acts 20:35 – 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
For 2009 let us bring hope to the world we are a part of.
Our focus is on three areas when it comes to Hope…
YOU – You bring hope into the world
You effect your environment. Proverbs 12:25 – An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up
You have something great to offer. Take time to encourage others. Speak life into people’s lives not negativity. Your life is a lot bigger than you think it is. You effect more people than you realise. When people are in a crisis you can be word of God that they need to hear. We need to sow into people’s live seed that will reap a great harvest.
As we face challenges in our lives we need to surround ourselves with positive faith-filled words. We also need positive people around us so we need to choose wisely who we spend time with.
Be a problem solver and also have people around you who will focus on the solution and not the problem.
Be a ‘good report’ for the people in your world.
JESUS – He is the hope of the World
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full
In a world that appears to be losing hope, Jesus has come to bring us hope.
Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life
Or hope unrealised. Hope it’s always been there, we just need to have a revelation of that. There is hope…his name is Jesus! No one is excluded they just don’t realise this yet.
We have good news to tell the world. John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
God loved and He gave! He loved all those around, no one is excluded this is an inclusive Gospel.
THE CHURCH – Hope for our communities
1 Chronicles 22:5 – David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.
As the church we make a difference in our world. We have a mandate to build a magnificent church. A place of HOPE where needs are met, lives are lifted and healed. There are the little things that we do that make a difference in our community. Little things that mean big things to people! Let us continue to be a generous people to our community.
Remember, the best is yet to come…we are going to reach more people than ever before and to see their lives being touched and given ‘hope’.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
And Peter
We had a great time in church today, it was our prize giving service. Paul Benger spoke an excellent message entitled ‘And Peter’.
What a great character Peter was! Someone who would swing from being brilliant to someone not so good. He left his nets, as a fisherman, and followed Jesus. He said that he would never forsake Jesus and then denied him three times.
Mark 16:1-7
Have you ever felt excluded? On the edge of things? (When the teams were being picked as a child you never got chosen)
Greatest feeling we can ever have has humans is the fear of being ignored or excluded.
How did Peter feel at this time?
Disappointed in himself – (we’re usually our own greatest critics) He must have felt at a really low point as he relived the events in his head, going off like bombs in his thoughts. I’m sure he would have said to himself, ‘I’ll just go back fishing’.
Disappointed in Jesus – He thought Jesus was going to be King and that his Kingdom would rule over the authorities of the day. Peter had not realised that Jesus would be King and his Kingdom would rule in the lives of people as they accepted him as their Lord and Saviour.
Peter must have felt like a loser and excluded because he’d denied Jesus.
But these verses say ‘Go and tell the disciples and Peter' - he was not excluded!
What did Peter need?
1) He needed to hear the words “And Peter”. He needed to know that his name was still known by God. We need to know today that we are still included, we’re not disqualified by our past, present circumstances.
God knows your name and you matter to God. Not excluded, the things we think disqualify us actually qualify us to received God’s amazing grace!
2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
He needed to know the grace of God was there for him. That he mattered to God. You do too!
2) To be a disciple – that he was sill counted as a follower of Christ. He’d still been the one to leave his nets and follow Jesus. He was not disqualified from being a disciple.
3) He had to have something to live for. He was an all or nothing guy. ‘Your name is Peter and upon this rock…’. He still had something to live for.
Luke 24:12 – Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Peter ran! He was still passionate for the cause of Christ. He wasn’t going to end his days as ‘just’ a fisherman. Don’t let us be ‘just’ whatever we’re called to do. Let us live for the glory of God!
How was Peter restored?
1) Over a fire! It was over a fire when Peter first blew it…when he denied Jesus three times.
John 21:9-12 – When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord
Jesus was cooking breakfast. Peter fell over a fire and was restored over a fire.
We can have disappointments in our lives but Jesus is cooking breakfast for us saying, ‘let’s get going again!’ You are the light of the world.
2) With a call – ‘Peter if you love me…feed my sheep’. Missional call is still on for Peter and it is still on for us!
Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known
What a great character Peter was! Someone who would swing from being brilliant to someone not so good. He left his nets, as a fisherman, and followed Jesus. He said that he would never forsake Jesus and then denied him three times.
Mark 16:1-7
Have you ever felt excluded? On the edge of things? (When the teams were being picked as a child you never got chosen)
Greatest feeling we can ever have has humans is the fear of being ignored or excluded.
How did Peter feel at this time?
Disappointed in himself – (we’re usually our own greatest critics) He must have felt at a really low point as he relived the events in his head, going off like bombs in his thoughts. I’m sure he would have said to himself, ‘I’ll just go back fishing’.
Disappointed in Jesus – He thought Jesus was going to be King and that his Kingdom would rule over the authorities of the day. Peter had not realised that Jesus would be King and his Kingdom would rule in the lives of people as they accepted him as their Lord and Saviour.
Peter must have felt like a loser and excluded because he’d denied Jesus.
But these verses say ‘Go and tell the disciples and Peter' - he was not excluded!
What did Peter need?
1) He needed to hear the words “And Peter”. He needed to know that his name was still known by God. We need to know today that we are still included, we’re not disqualified by our past, present circumstances.
God knows your name and you matter to God. Not excluded, the things we think disqualify us actually qualify us to received God’s amazing grace!
2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
He needed to know the grace of God was there for him. That he mattered to God. You do too!
2) To be a disciple – that he was sill counted as a follower of Christ. He’d still been the one to leave his nets and follow Jesus. He was not disqualified from being a disciple.
3) He had to have something to live for. He was an all or nothing guy. ‘Your name is Peter and upon this rock…’. He still had something to live for.
Luke 24:12 – Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Peter ran! He was still passionate for the cause of Christ. He wasn’t going to end his days as ‘just’ a fisherman. Don’t let us be ‘just’ whatever we’re called to do. Let us live for the glory of God!
How was Peter restored?
1) Over a fire! It was over a fire when Peter first blew it…when he denied Jesus three times.
John 21:9-12 – When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught." Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord
Jesus was cooking breakfast. Peter fell over a fire and was restored over a fire.
We can have disappointments in our lives but Jesus is cooking breakfast for us saying, ‘let’s get going again!’ You are the light of the world.
2) With a call – ‘Peter if you love me…feed my sheep’. Missional call is still on for Peter and it is still on for us!
Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known
Sunday, December 07, 2008
If – Big Change
Mark Wilkins finished off this excellent series this morning. His message was all about ‘Big Change’.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Turn and seek God’s face, to bring about change in our lives. As we ‘turn’ to God and seek his face he will do!
Our first turning, big change, is when we first give our lives to God. We become a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
We’ve begun a completely new journey to the one we were on. We get on a different set of tracks. The biggest single change we can make in our lives is to turn and follow Jesus Christ.
But even when we become a new creation our changing doesn’t end there. On his journey we are continually growing and changing.
Romans 12:2-3 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you
Renewing your mind is dynamic…it means constant change and growth. The Apostle Paul is speaking to Christians here (church in Rome) to transform their thinking and renew their minds.
Our culture that we become part of can change us…we are called to change the culture around us in our world…our town, area, the lives of people.
God has done it in you and he wants to do it in the lives of other people around you. He does it through us.
We’re meant to grow, to move from milk to meat, from being children to adults.
As we grow we’re meant to mature (not meaning getting old) but becoming more like Christ.
How do we ensure that we are constantly growing and maturing?
Let us be humble, that what we have and who we are is from God. His grace at work in our lives. Everything that we do is for him and not for ourselves.
Romans 12:3 – For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you
Paul is talking about humility, just like our main verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Humble =Turn
Pray = Seek my Face
It is all about His cause and not our cause. His will and not our will. Living for him and allowing him to change us, mould us.
2 things that stop us from changing things in our lives…
Competing Commitments - sinful old self against new created self. A good example of this is the rich young man in Mark 10:17-25. Why couldn’t this young man turn around and change his ways?…because of competing commitments.
We can have competing commitments competing against our desire to follow God and his ways.
Underlying False Assumptions – Holding on to something that we believe to be true that is not true. Some examples…
John 1:46 - "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
False assumptions that our location holds us back from believing that God will do something incredible in our lives.
John 4:9 - The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?"
False assumptions that our race holds us back.
John 5:7 – "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
‘This is how it has always been’. False assumptions that our history (past) holds us back.
John 5:9 - and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
False assumptions that religion holds us back.
Let us not hold false assumptions about ourselves and situations that make us believe that God won’t do it. When He will and when He wants to!
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Turn and seek God’s face, to bring about change in our lives. As we ‘turn’ to God and seek his face he will do!
Our first turning, big change, is when we first give our lives to God. We become a new creation.
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
We’ve begun a completely new journey to the one we were on. We get on a different set of tracks. The biggest single change we can make in our lives is to turn and follow Jesus Christ.
But even when we become a new creation our changing doesn’t end there. On his journey we are continually growing and changing.
Romans 12:2-3 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you
Renewing your mind is dynamic…it means constant change and growth. The Apostle Paul is speaking to Christians here (church in Rome) to transform their thinking and renew their minds.
Our culture that we become part of can change us…we are called to change the culture around us in our world…our town, area, the lives of people.
God has done it in you and he wants to do it in the lives of other people around you. He does it through us.
We’re meant to grow, to move from milk to meat, from being children to adults.
As we grow we’re meant to mature (not meaning getting old) but becoming more like Christ.
How do we ensure that we are constantly growing and maturing?
Let us be humble, that what we have and who we are is from God. His grace at work in our lives. Everything that we do is for him and not for ourselves.
Romans 12:3 – For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you
Paul is talking about humility, just like our main verse from 2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Humble =Turn
Pray = Seek my Face
It is all about His cause and not our cause. His will and not our will. Living for him and allowing him to change us, mould us.
2 things that stop us from changing things in our lives…
Competing Commitments - sinful old self against new created self. A good example of this is the rich young man in Mark 10:17-25. Why couldn’t this young man turn around and change his ways?…because of competing commitments.
We can have competing commitments competing against our desire to follow God and his ways.
Underlying False Assumptions – Holding on to something that we believe to be true that is not true. Some examples…
John 1:46 - "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
False assumptions that our location holds us back from believing that God will do something incredible in our lives.
John 4:9 - The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?"
False assumptions that our race holds us back.
John 5:7 – "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."
‘This is how it has always been’. False assumptions that our history (past) holds us back.
John 5:9 - and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
False assumptions that religion holds us back.
Let us not hold false assumptions about ourselves and situations that make us believe that God won’t do it. When He will and when He wants to!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
If - Called by My Name
Paul Benger continued our excellent series ‘If’ this morning. He brought a great message about what it means to be ‘called by God’s name’.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Little steps can make big changes in our lives. God is a builder and often does small incremental things in our lives. We need to respond to those little things and not just wait for the big things to happen.
Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life
Success is not what we have but who we are in Christ and what we do for him. He is a big God who will do incredible things in our lives. Right-size our God so that we can right size our own lives.
What if? If we are called by his name…God is big enough to meet all our needs, to lift people’s lives, to set them free!
‘Names’ mean things. Names mean a lot us when we name our children. They mean a lot to us when we purchase items. Names that mean reliability etc.
God has revealed things to us through his name, and we are called by that name. The name that means strength, faithfulness and reliability.
Some of the names of God…
Elohim – the plural from EL meaning strong, mighty one. Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
He is the strong creator. He makes a way when there is no way! Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe
El Shaddai – God Almighty
El Elyon – The Most High God, stresses his strength, sovereignty and supremacy.
El Olam – Everlasting God
Yahweh – ‘I am’, or ‘I will be what I will be’
Yahweh Jireh – The Lord will provide
Yahweh Nissi – The Lord is my banner, victory
Yahweh Shalom – The Lord is my peace
Yahweh Sabbaoth – the Lord of hosts
Yahweh Maccaddeshcem – the Lord is my sanctifier
Yahweh Ro’i – the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
Yahweh Tsidkenu – The Lord our righteousness
Yahweh Shammah – the Lord is there (God with us!)
He reveals who he is to us, his might and power so that we can live by his name!
3 questions that God asks us so that we know we are called by his name…
What is in your hand?
Exodus 3:11 – But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
We haven’t got to try and be like someone else. Be faithful with what God has put in your hand.
Genesis 26:1-12 – Isaac sowed in the land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold!
Sow what is in your hand and you will be blessed! Our confidence is in God and his character. Let us use what God has put in our hand.
What is in your house?
2 Kings 4:2 - Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."
Her problem was her need, she was in debt. Yet she was able to us what she had and see incredible miraculous blessing! God wants to build our lives and he uses what we have. Take up the challenge to build your house.
What is in our house…our church? God wants to see us building it together. He will reveal more to us the more we build. Let us build this house. We have a big God who has given us a big vision.
What is in your heart?
He loves our hearts. He looked at David and saw his heart not his outward appearance.
Have we got a heart for our church to prosper? To see lives healed and set free, for people to come to Christ.
Do you have a heart to see your marriage blessed, relationships made stronger?
We can sometimes act against what is in our hearts.
Let us allow God to help us use what is in our hands, house and heart…to fulfil what God has called us to!
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
Little steps can make big changes in our lives. God is a builder and often does small incremental things in our lives. We need to respond to those little things and not just wait for the big things to happen.
Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life
Success is not what we have but who we are in Christ and what we do for him. He is a big God who will do incredible things in our lives. Right-size our God so that we can right size our own lives.
What if? If we are called by his name…God is big enough to meet all our needs, to lift people’s lives, to set them free!
‘Names’ mean things. Names mean a lot us when we name our children. They mean a lot to us when we purchase items. Names that mean reliability etc.
God has revealed things to us through his name, and we are called by that name. The name that means strength, faithfulness and reliability.
Some of the names of God…
Elohim – the plural from EL meaning strong, mighty one. Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
He is the strong creator. He makes a way when there is no way! Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe
El Shaddai – God Almighty
El Elyon – The Most High God, stresses his strength, sovereignty and supremacy.
El Olam – Everlasting God
Yahweh – ‘I am’, or ‘I will be what I will be’
Yahweh Jireh – The Lord will provide
Yahweh Nissi – The Lord is my banner, victory
Yahweh Shalom – The Lord is my peace
Yahweh Sabbaoth – the Lord of hosts
Yahweh Maccaddeshcem – the Lord is my sanctifier
Yahweh Ro’i – the Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
Yahweh Tsidkenu – The Lord our righteousness
Yahweh Shammah – the Lord is there (God with us!)
He reveals who he is to us, his might and power so that we can live by his name!
3 questions that God asks us so that we know we are called by his name…
What is in your hand?
Exodus 3:11 – But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
We haven’t got to try and be like someone else. Be faithful with what God has put in your hand.
Genesis 26:1-12 – Isaac sowed in the land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold!
Sow what is in your hand and you will be blessed! Our confidence is in God and his character. Let us use what God has put in our hand.
What is in your house?
2 Kings 4:2 - Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."
Her problem was her need, she was in debt. Yet she was able to us what she had and see incredible miraculous blessing! God wants to build our lives and he uses what we have. Take up the challenge to build your house.
What is in our house…our church? God wants to see us building it together. He will reveal more to us the more we build. Let us build this house. We have a big God who has given us a big vision.
What is in your heart?
He loves our hearts. He looked at David and saw his heart not his outward appearance.
Have we got a heart for our church to prosper? To see lives healed and set free, for people to come to Christ.
Do you have a heart to see your marriage blessed, relationships made stronger?
We can sometimes act against what is in our hearts.
Let us allow God to help us use what is in our hands, house and heart…to fulfil what God has called us to!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
If - Big People
We’re in an excellent series at church at the moment called “If”. Paul Benger brought the second part this morning all about being ‘big people’.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
God wants to do so much in our lives; he puts the ONUS on us to respond to him. ONUS (On us) – meaning load/burden. The onus is on us today to not only believe that God will do but to also take the steps of faith to see it come about. Let us carry the thought that we do make a difference! Don’t view onus as a negative thing.
We are Big People because we are His People!
Who do you think you are?
Ever tried to go back and discover your ancestry? It’s not wrong to research your ancestry, but letting your ancestry influence or determine your life now and your future is wrong.
1 Timothy 1:13-14 – As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith.
Don’t get tied down by your history, instead give yourself to God’s work by faith.
Titus 3:9 – But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless
You are not the product of your ancestry. Your life is not determined by their actions. Don’t miss out on what God has for you because we blame our past.
Proverbs 23:7 – For as he thinks in his heart, so is he
What do you think about you?
You are not the product of your history
Your life is not determined by your postcode or where you were born.
Grab hold of God’s work/will for your life by faith…whatever your past whatever your background. You can still live in a small place but have a big impact!
We can be in God’s household but still not grab hold of all that he has for us!
Appreciate who you are in Christ individually and as a church.
You are a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
You are not reformed
You are not rehabilitated
You are not re-educated
You are not re-programmed
You’ve been re-created...made anew! This allows us to now live for Christ. With different passion, different culture, new love, new purity.
Our postcode has changed…Heaven is our home! Transferred from kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light!
Yes our bodies still wrestle between old thinking and new thinking. Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
God will grow us bigger as we realise who we are in Christ. God has taken this life and made it new…re-created in Christ. “taken this old skin and made it new again!”
Let us be a bigger person!
We are the people of God
He will do for our neighbours what he has done for us. The onus on us, the people of God, to believe that and to take action!
Acts 2:42 – They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer
His people are ‘devoted’ people
His people are ‘preachers’ – God is a preacher! “Light be” and light was. In the beginning there also came another preacher to deceive and to cause man to fall. There are many preachers today vying for our attention to distract us from what God is saying.
His people are in fellowship
His people break bread
His people pray
2 Chronicles 7:14 – Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land
God wants to do so much in our lives; he puts the ONUS on us to respond to him. ONUS (On us) – meaning load/burden. The onus is on us today to not only believe that God will do but to also take the steps of faith to see it come about. Let us carry the thought that we do make a difference! Don’t view onus as a negative thing.
We are Big People because we are His People!
Who do you think you are?
Ever tried to go back and discover your ancestry? It’s not wrong to research your ancestry, but letting your ancestry influence or determine your life now and your future is wrong.
1 Timothy 1:13-14 – As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith.
Don’t get tied down by your history, instead give yourself to God’s work by faith.
Titus 3:9 – But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless
You are not the product of your ancestry. Your life is not determined by their actions. Don’t miss out on what God has for you because we blame our past.
Proverbs 23:7 – For as he thinks in his heart, so is he
What do you think about you?
You are not the product of your history
Your life is not determined by your postcode or where you were born.
Grab hold of God’s work/will for your life by faith…whatever your past whatever your background. You can still live in a small place but have a big impact!
We can be in God’s household but still not grab hold of all that he has for us!
Appreciate who you are in Christ individually and as a church.
You are a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
You are not reformed
You are not rehabilitated
You are not re-educated
You are not re-programmed
You’ve been re-created...made anew! This allows us to now live for Christ. With different passion, different culture, new love, new purity.
Our postcode has changed…Heaven is our home! Transferred from kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light!
Yes our bodies still wrestle between old thinking and new thinking. Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
God will grow us bigger as we realise who we are in Christ. God has taken this life and made it new…re-created in Christ. “taken this old skin and made it new again!”
Let us be a bigger person!
We are the people of God
He will do for our neighbours what he has done for us. The onus on us, the people of God, to believe that and to take action!
Acts 2:42 – They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer
His people are ‘devoted’ people
His people are ‘preachers’ – God is a preacher! “Light be” and light was. In the beginning there also came another preacher to deceive and to cause man to fall. There are many preachers today vying for our attention to distract us from what God is saying.
His people are in fellowship
His people break bread
His people pray
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
No Condemnation
At our evening service over the weekend Mark Wilkins spoke on the subject of ‘No Condemnation’ in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Condemnation – critiscm that can stay with us forever. Condemned Buildings – that are not safe, useless, dangerous. Food – gone bad, poisonous.
We’re no longer in that place of condemnation because of God’s grace. However some people still live in that place, they can wear it as a badge. But GRACE is the interrupter of our lives, changes how we feel about ourselves.
Grace interrupts and changes the rules. You can change your situation – you are good enough.
Here are several things that should be interrupted by grace...
1) Burden Carrying
When issues have already been dealt with, healed, complete, finished, because of what Christ has done – don’t pick those things up again.
Put down the burdens and let grace interrupt!
2) Shame
Ashamed of who we are, of what we’ve done. But God has set you free. He’s not ashamed of you, he’s exactly the opposite.
Shame can be taken from us as we allow his grace to interrupt our lives.
Woman caught in adultery – Jesus interrupts her life with grace. He removed the shame. She was forgiven.
3) Having a ‘work-like’ theology
When we’re constantly working to please God. Striving to make him love us more. We’ve forgotten what grace is all about.
Grace is not a loophole in your relationship with God. It’s the only way! Yes work for God, but from the position of Grace. Relational.
Grace is not just a one-off but a constant daily thing.
Some symptoms of us allowing these three areas to govern our lives...
We fail to show grace to others – we find ourselves condemning other people.
They sap our ability, our energy and life. We become harder, less giving, less fun. Cold and religious. We feel like we’ve lost control, no longer in charge of our lives.
There is another way to live, where we’ve stopped thinking we’re no longer fit for purpose.
We are loved. Inhabited by the Holy Spirit. God lives in us.
Romans 8:2 - because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death
The opposite of being condemned and feeling condemned – we now have a life-giving spirit. Not striving in our own strength. Able to boast about what God has done for us. We give life to others as a result of this. We remain teachable – we learn and grow.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace
Let the Holy Spirit control our lives – not allowing sin to reign. Let him be our compass. So when we stray from the map He guides us back onto the right track.
How do we ensure we live an uncondemned life? Knowing grace on a daily basis.
Be constantly thinking of grace. Grace is at the forefront of the Apostle Paul’s thoughts. “Grace and Peace to You…” - Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3, Philippians 1:2
Grace was his starting point, his default position. Grace was the reason for everything he did. Made it his mission to share the good news of God’s grace.
Let all of our words and actions be shaped by grace.
This is our life assignment, to live in his grace and to share this with others – the reason for being.
What would a review of our grace life reveal? Our grace map?
Let his grace be visible in our lives and in every area. Let it be the forefront of our lives, our mission in life. As we live lives full of grace we will bear good fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
Romans 8:1 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Condemnation – critiscm that can stay with us forever. Condemned Buildings – that are not safe, useless, dangerous. Food – gone bad, poisonous.
We’re no longer in that place of condemnation because of God’s grace. However some people still live in that place, they can wear it as a badge. But GRACE is the interrupter of our lives, changes how we feel about ourselves.
Grace interrupts and changes the rules. You can change your situation – you are good enough.
Here are several things that should be interrupted by grace...
1) Burden Carrying
When issues have already been dealt with, healed, complete, finished, because of what Christ has done – don’t pick those things up again.
Put down the burdens and let grace interrupt!
2) Shame
Ashamed of who we are, of what we’ve done. But God has set you free. He’s not ashamed of you, he’s exactly the opposite.
Shame can be taken from us as we allow his grace to interrupt our lives.
Woman caught in adultery – Jesus interrupts her life with grace. He removed the shame. She was forgiven.
3) Having a ‘work-like’ theology
When we’re constantly working to please God. Striving to make him love us more. We’ve forgotten what grace is all about.
Grace is not a loophole in your relationship with God. It’s the only way! Yes work for God, but from the position of Grace. Relational.
Grace is not just a one-off but a constant daily thing.
Some symptoms of us allowing these three areas to govern our lives...
We fail to show grace to others – we find ourselves condemning other people.
They sap our ability, our energy and life. We become harder, less giving, less fun. Cold and religious. We feel like we’ve lost control, no longer in charge of our lives.
There is another way to live, where we’ve stopped thinking we’re no longer fit for purpose.
We are loved. Inhabited by the Holy Spirit. God lives in us.
Romans 8:2 - because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death
The opposite of being condemned and feeling condemned – we now have a life-giving spirit. Not striving in our own strength. Able to boast about what God has done for us. We give life to others as a result of this. We remain teachable – we learn and grow.
Romans 8:6 - The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace
Let the Holy Spirit control our lives – not allowing sin to reign. Let him be our compass. So when we stray from the map He guides us back onto the right track.
How do we ensure we live an uncondemned life? Knowing grace on a daily basis.
Be constantly thinking of grace. Grace is at the forefront of the Apostle Paul’s thoughts. “Grace and Peace to You…” - Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3, Philippians 1:2
Grace was his starting point, his default position. Grace was the reason for everything he did. Made it his mission to share the good news of God’s grace.
Let all of our words and actions be shaped by grace.
This is our life assignment, to live in his grace and to share this with others – the reason for being.
What would a review of our grace life reveal? Our grace map?
Let his grace be visible in our lives and in every area. Let it be the forefront of our lives, our mission in life. As we live lives full of grace we will bear good fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law
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