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See also previous Sundays: 18 May 11 May 27 Apr 20 Apr
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Last Sunday: 25 May 2008
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Speaker 25 May: Brian Weathers
Subject: Valuing & Protecting Our Church
Bible passage: Matthew 21:43, Hebrews 10
As Christians, we are here to value the church. If we do things with quality and excellence then others will notice. We have a responsibility to produce fruit (Matt 21:43). As the church (people), we can take the Kingdom of God out to others. This week our church has helped change the lives of some of our EDMF guests, and therefore helped change another nation.
The church has eternal value. Along the way we learn and grow together, and accept each other for both our strengths and weaknesses just as Jesus accepts us wholly and sacrificed himself for us (Hebrews 10). In our relationships with others, love and forgiveness are important (Matt 6:14-15). This can be challenging. Some relationships are awkward and need working at - meeting with people face to face and talking through issues. However, if we live by God’s word together, the Kingdom of God will be among us. When relationships are tested the church becomes stronger.
Along our journey it is important to keep a clean heart and not collect ‘excess baggage’ (Proverbs 4:23). If we live by God’s word we need not worry what our legacy will be - it will be seen in our children.
It is also our job to protect the church. Unity is the soul of fellowship, and we should strive to keep this (Ephesians 4:3). Though we are not perfect, we are called to be people of integrity. Negativity and criticism will damage and destroy the church. Also ego - those who seek to draw others to themselves. However, the church is bigger than any one of us. It has eternal value, and as such we must strive to value and protect it.
Report by Hannah Groves; photo by Tony Hall
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Below are the previous few Sundays.
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18 May
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Speaker 18 May: Gabriel Alonso
Subject: Speaking in a Language People Understand
Bible passage: John 4
Christians need to live a life and speak a language that is understandable to non-Christians. We do not want to be distant from the world, we need to be living as examples in it. Likewise, we do not want to speak a jargon-filled church language to those who do not understand it.
Even before your conversion God saw you, you weren’t hidden from God. Our lives had a sense, a direction in God even before we were saved. God is a God of eternity and not just the present or future, and as such God is the redeemer of all of your life, even your past life before you knew God. The problem is some Christians, when saved, try and change their personality and their language. God made you and many of your characteristics are because God made you that way, you should carry them into your Christian life and not try and change them. For example, when Gaby at 26 years of age became a Christian, a leader told him that he would now have to give up his music, which was nonsense, Gaby’ music is now a massive part of is ministry & witness.
God has set eternity in the hearts of men, all men, Christians and non-Christians, and as such we should be ‘real’ and try and get deep into peoples lives. In John 4 we see Jesus speaking to a Samaritan woman who had a heavy past and was frowned upon by the people around her at the time. Now Jesus did start speaking to this woman with ‘religious jargon’ (a language that only his followers / Christians would understand). But his language starts to change as he gets deeper into her life and starts to speak at her level in ways that she would understand. Jesus’ gets right to her language and her thoughts of God, and went deeper and deeper and deeper until she understood.
We don’t need to change the way we speak when we’re Christians, we are called to go and make disciples. Therefore it’s our responsibility to make sure the message is clear and understandable, without changing or watering down the message.
Report by Craig Weathers; photo by Tony Hall
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11 May
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Speaker 11 May: David Matthew
Subject: Titus – Walk the Talk
Bible passage: Titus 2:11-14
As Christians our walk (behaviour, way of life) is driven by, and should demonstrate our talk (our doctrine, what we preach). If it does, the gospel is commended; if it doesn’t, the Lord’s reputation in the eyes of outsiders is tarnished. Paul’s letter to Titus thus emphasises the importance of living a good life, one marked by good deeds.
But who says what is ‘good’? Society at large draws its standards of good and bad, right and wrong, partly from the laws of the land and partly from what society at the time considers ‘normal’. But we believers recognise God himself, the Creator and Law-giver, as the ultimate moral arbiter. It is he who gave the Ten Commandments and requires us to live his way.
When we get saved, living God’s way requires a major adjustment in our attitudes and lifestyle. God plays his part in bringing it about. He gives us his Holy Spirit to nudge us into his ways. He redeems us from that old slave-master, wickedness, so that we no longer have to jump to obey when it tells us to do wrong. And Christ is working in us to purify us. At the same time we have our own part to play in the adjustment. We have to learn to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions and choose to live the kind of life he desires: one that is ‘self-controlled, upright and godly’. And we choose to adopt a new ambition: ‘to do what is good’.
When we live this way, the truth of the gospel is made attractive to outsiders. But we ourselves also benefit physically, emotionally and socially – for example, by living by God’s standards of sexual morality we avoid the scourge of STDs and AIDS, and by ordering our financial affairs honestly we get to sleep well and avoid making enemies. God is himself good, and insofar as we, too, are good we enjoy his blessing. So let’s walk the talk!
Report by David Matthew; photo by Tony Hall
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27 April
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Speaker 27 April: Phil Jones
Subject: The Moments of Courage in Our Lives
Bible passage: 1 Chronicles 17:1-19, Romans 8
For a soldier it takes a lot of courage to go to war, but when they have to go hand to hand in battle, that’s a different kind of courage. There are moments on our journey when we get the chance to stand; they are the moments that make the difference.
In 1 Chronicles 17:1-19, we see David, a man of God, who wants to do something big for God. Yet David sees and agrees that God has a better idea. When we are stirred to do something for God, like David we should submit our ideas to others (e.g. church Elders) and expect the product of the advice to be God’s better idea. In Romans 8:5-11 we are encouraged that we can trust our instincts; our minds being controlled by the Spirit (verse 6)! But because we are human we still need to entrust our instincts to others.
We have been called according to God’s purpose (Romans 8:28) and this is the big picture for our life: like the soldier who is going to war. In verses 34-35 we see that trouble, hardship, and persecution may come and this is getting into the details of our lives - like the individual battles a soldier may encounter. We need to look at these individual moments as opportunities and deal with them.
In Matthew 10:11-20, Jesus sends out the disciples, encouraging them to be prepared to encounter times when their courage will be tested and, importantly, that the Spirit will guide their words (verse 20). We need to be ready and look for moments when we can speak God’s truth. In our individual circle of friends, we are the Kingdom of God so we need to look for opportunities to stand for what we believe in.
Remember “when I am weak, he makes me strong!”
Report by Ben Groves; photo by Tony Hall
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20 April
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Speaker 20 April: Gabriel Alonso
Subject: When does the will of God look like the will of God?
Bible passage: Malachi 3 v 16
Sometimes when we pray we may say something that is beyond us and our plans, we touch something intangible. Something we think or say may be according to God’s will. He writes it down in the ‘Book of Promises’ and starts the process. Gideon and Moses are examples of these cases. Remember that God is outside of our time, he is not in a hurry with your life, and therefore enabling the process of preparation is very important.
The way God answers is sometimes not what we expect, thus meaning we sometimes do not see it or simply choose to ignore it. David did not look like a king, he was a shepherd; he looked and smelled like a shepherd. But he was to be a king. It was not expected by his family, and especially not by David, but it was in God’s perfect plan. The same principle could be applied to our lives.
An important factor in our walk with God is to be prepared for his answer and for what he will do. Storms may come our way, and can help us to be equipped. Storms can take three forms.
- Storm of correction – When we need help and re-routing.
- Storm of perfection – Welcome these. In Matthew 14, the storm happened after the feeding of the five thousand. The lesson was given to the disciples about faith and trusting in God, the test then came in the form of the storm. Were they able to apply their lesson and trust God when they thought their lives were in danger? The test comes to perfect our learning and understanding.
- Storm of disobedience – With the example of Jonah; the storm was given to help Jonah understand that God is in control of his life.
Going through the fire and storm in preparation is essential! The will and desire for perfection is a form of our ability to be perfect. We go though the storm to become the people he wants us to be. It isn’t what happens to us, it’s the way that we deal with the things that come our way. Will you run away from the ‘training’ that God is giving you? We must go through the test to achieve the purpose.
How did God see you before the beginning of the world? We need to narrow the gap between the real you and how he saw you before the foundations of the world were set. In order to do this we must carry out his will that has been written in the ‘Book of Promises’.
The answer to prayer that you get may not be what you expect, but there is a reason for what God says. The only thing that stands between you and your potential is you. Let us be attentive to what God is saying. Be sensitive to the prompting from Him when you are speaking or praying. Then prepare yourself for God’s training and for what you can become.
If on the day you face Christ, he shows you what you are and what you could have been; will there be any difference?
Report by Fiona Martin; photo by Tony Hall
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