28th January 2018 - Simon Benham Don’t hold back – Matthew 25 v 14-30

28th January 2018 - Simon Benham

Don’t hold back –  Matthew 25 v 14-30

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We can learn four principles about how God wants us to interact with him.

1.      We all have bags of gold! We have gold in our lives. This parable is known as the parable of the talents but in ‘talents’ means money/gold. Hence we should look at this parable from a physical and skill basis. We all have abilities whether physical, creative, mental abilities, we have different passions, different holy discontents (injustice in the world that spurs us), different finances, possessions, time, influence, past experiences, qualifications, languages, ethnicity, jobs.... that are all part of the gold that God has placed in us. We need to believe that God have given each of us unique skills and life experiences and situations to be used for Him and by Him.  Our unique situation allows us to uniquely contribute to life. However we need to stop comparing ourselves to others. Use what God has given us as individuals.

2.      Faithfulness. We think of the word ‘faithfulness’ it as being loyal. However God sees it as doing the best with what He has given you as an individual. He wants you to be faithful with the use of the ‘gold’ that God has sown into you.

3.      Fruitfulness and willingness to take a risk. We should not be afraid of God but should fear Him. Being afraid means we won’t step out, but God actually is cheering you on and He wants you to succeed. He is encouraging you on even when you stumble.

4.      If we are faithful with what we have, there is a reward. The servants got a commendation of ‘well done good and faithful servant’. Then God gives more. He says ‘come and shared His happiness’

Simon interviews Shona and Darren: They have both taken the steps to stretch out and be used by God:

Darren introduced himself and how he set up ‘Who lets the dads out!’ which provides a space for dads, grandfathers etc to bring children and have bonding time. Darren originally started organising walks at the Lookout and Dinton Pastures.  After hearing about what was starting, the council made contact to showing interest.  After many discussions, from April 2018 Bracknell children centres will now be sending someone each month to help out.  Darren is also planning on having an Alpha table in September to invite the dads to…. it’s the next step. Darren felt that with God he has the confidence to step out of his boat.

When the group started last tear there were 14 dads and now there are 24 dads so it is growing. The council are really supportive of the group and are advertising it.

Shona is a trained barrister, however after working as a solicitor and then giving up work when she had kids. Shona started a part time masters in criminology in 2010, however one of her children became sick and had to delay the course by a year. During her studies Shona had a God light bulb moment regarding the impact on children when their parents are sent to prison. This became her passion. She continued her studies and studied for a  PhD at the Centre of Criminology in Oxford. God was completely in it.

Her studies were hard work and it was draining interviewing children and judges. Following her research,  Shona has generated videos for sentencing professionals about what happens to children. This is now going to be issued to Probation Officer’s, judges and criminal advocates. She is also going to be on woman’s hour. Shona reports that she felt she was dreaming big, but God dreams are bigger.

Be faithful because God will come through.  God wants us all to be audacious

Questions:

1-      When reading Matthew 25 14-30 which of the servants do you associate with? the one who doubles their Gold or the one or hides it in the ground

2-      Chat amongst the group about the Gold that God has given you

3-      Discuss in your group what is stopping you using the Gold that god has given you

4-      What can you do to start using your Gold?

5-      Pray together that you can use the Gold that God has given you

21st January 2018 - You are First I am Secnd - Simon Benham

You are first, I am second (Simon Benham)

Being popular

Simon mentioned the TV series “Black Mirror” which is set in a dystopian society where each person has a popularity rating over their heads for all to see, and life revolves around increasing your rating.  It is a world driven by fame and popularity.

Our world increasingly looks like this.  We can start judging our value and worth by comparing ourselves to other people.

Confusing fruitfulness with popularity

Jesus’ plan for each of us is that we would be fruitful (Matt 25 v 14-30), and to have big dreams, but there is a danger that we confuse fruitfulness with popularity.

We see this desire for popularity throughout the human story.  God preferred Abel’s offering over Cain’s.  Cain wanted to be first, to be the most important, and was jealous of Abel and murdered him (Gen 4 v 8).  Even Jesus’s disciples argued over who was the greatest and most important (Mark 9 v 34).

Fruitfulness does not necessarily bring fame

We can think that if we really do what God wants we will be famous and popular.  God does sometimes take people from obscurity to fame, for example Gideon or Esther.  But fruitfulness does not necessarily look like that.  Fame and popularity can ruin us.  Most of us will live lives of relative obscurity, but that does not mean fruitlessness.

I am second to Jesus

Jonathan was the son of King Saul, Israel’s first king.  He was the prince, heir to the throne.  However, Jonathan realised that God had rejected Saul, and had chosen David to become king.  Jonathan did not fight this, but said to David “You shall be king over Israel, and I will be second to you” (1 Sam 23 v 17).

We need to be happy to be second to Jesus.  David is a picture of Christ, the anointed and God appointed King, and like Jonathan we must choose to be second to Him, to lay down everything we have, and make him our Lord. 

Taking risks because He is first

Knowing Jesus is first and in control frees us to be take risks for God.

Jonathan and his armour bearer chose to attack a Philistine outpost based on a ‘perhaps’.  Jonathan said “Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf” (1 Sam 14 v 6).  As a result, God broke in and the entire Philistine army was routed.

We need to act on the strength of a ‘perhaps’.  Let’s be willing to try things, as they depend on Him, not us.  Just ‘may be’ God will break in when we pray for the sick, when we speak to someone about Jesus, or when we show kindness.

I am second to others

Jonathan served David.  The most fruitful things in our lives will not be things that we do, but people’s lives that we influence for God.

We are not in competition with any other Christian. We are part of the success of others in our church.

As parents, foster parents, or adopting parents, our children have the potential to be our greatest fruit.  Similarly serving our kids or youth in church can be the most fruitful thing we do.  Giving our money to the church also enables us to touch lives.

Even Jesus put others first, by laying aside his power and majesty and choosing to serve us (Phil 2 v 3-8).  We must follow His example.

Application Questions

1.  If you use social media, what was your most ever “liked” post?  If you don’t use social media, tell others about a time you felt very popular.

2. Read 1 Sam 23 v 14-18 together.  Simon exhorted us to make Jesus our Lord, and say out loud the words of Jonathan “You shall be king … I will be second” (1 Sam 23 v 17).

Encourage each person in the group, one at a time, to say these words out loud and pray a simple but serious prayer committing to lay down their will, put Jesus first and do whatever he says.

3. Simon also said that, like Jonathan and Jesus, we must choose to be second to others.  We do this by loving and serving them.

Can you think of a time when you felt in competition with other Christians, or overlooked by a leader?  Were you able to find strength in God and choose to accept being second?

4. Simon said that knowing Jesus is in control frees us to be take risks for God, and to be like Jonathan who said “Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf” (1 Sam 14 v 6).  What situation are you facing where you need to step out on a ‘perhaps’? Pray for each other to be bold and step out in these situations.

14th January 2018 – Don’t Hold Back Week 2 – Simon Benham

Simon Benham – 14^th January 2018

Don’t Hold Back – Isaiah 54:2-3

Introduction

In Isaiah 54 V2:

“Enlarge the place of your tent,

stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;

lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.

For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

your descendants will dispossess nations

and settle in their desolate cities.”

The second of Isaiah 54 v2, there is a promise of what God will do: That we will spread out and that the children of God will flourish and multiply, and that life will come and infect the whole of society.

However, before that promise, God has some expectations of us:

There are things that we need to do:

Enlarge – make bigger –

Stretch - Take some risks

Lengthen - the rope

Strengthen – drive the stakes deeper

God wants the church to have a big vision and a church that is not afraid to step into the vision.

Matthew 20 v 29-34:

As Jesus and the disciples were leaving the place, 2 blind men were sitting on the road side. They called out to Jesus to be healed. After a short conversation Jesus touched their eyes and immediately they received sight.

The end of the story is great: The blind men could see. We should be believing that God is still in the business of healing and wants to do this today.

However, the focus of the discussions today relate to the In the middle of the story where Jesus asked a question: ‘What do you want me to do?’. It’s not that He doesn’t know the answer. He asks  so that our hearts are revealed. He wanted to know the heart of the blind men….’let us see again’ is what the blind men answered.

Sometimes we ask God to do the little things- the reasonable things, the small things. However we should be focusing on the big things and be expectant.

Simon quoted from Erwin McMannus –‘The truth is that many of us ask very little of God because we think little of God. We protect God from our prayers so as not to embarrass him if the prayers aren’t answered. Is it possible that our prayers are too small for God.  Are we the limiting factor?’

God wants to encourage us to dream big. That we attempt big things for God. He is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the beginning and can do all things. Let us be the big dreamers. Prepare to ask for something huge.

We want to have a big vision for God. We need to do this a s a community and individually.

If we live BIG lives and believing big things – we need to align our heart with Gods heart. Like the blind men. They wanted to be healed and Jesus wanted to heal them. The crowd were the ones saying that the men should be quiet.

We need to be a people that wants what God wants.

There isn’t an easy fix to make this happen. There isn’t a ‘magic prayer or a pill’. God only shapes our hearts and desires when we connect with him and spend time together. As you spend time with Him you become like Him.

We are in society where there is a culture of a busy environment that tries to stop us connect with people and God. We need to slow down, live a different pace to everyone else. The blind men couldn’t rush from place to place. Maybe the blind men had time to know Gods heart. They may have heard of the other healings  and pondered on Jesus healing them aswell.

We need to stop and spend time with Jesus.

Technology really gets in the way – Smartphones next to your bed: twitter / Facebook/news etc. Before you know you have lost half an hour. Stop having your phone by your bed and used an alarm clock instead. What would your life look like if your first connection each day was with Jesus.

This isn’t about how much time you spend: A woman recently had 3 minutes with God who spoke to her and changed the direction of the family. It is about making the effort to connect with God.

Simon encouraged us to pray the Lords Prayer. Stop after each phrase. For example, study the first word ‘Father’ – a God who is for me, who has good plans for me, has a relationship with me, then move onto ‘our’ we are a community, brothers and sisters. Work your way through the prayer. The phrase ‘your will be done’. Not my will but Gods will….. the things in my life how do these relate to Gods will in my life. If I get on board with Gods will – they will be answered.

Psalm 27 – says ‘delight yourself in the Lord and he will give your desires of your heart’. Because His desires will be yours.

Simon encourages us to:

Dream Big. Not little dreams. Not things that we can fix but things that you can’t do. That unless God turns up it won’t happen. Dream big as a community, for His glory. Let’s dream that God will fill big churches. Pray that God breaks in in ……. God for the impossible

As a church we dreamed big for baptisms last year. We dreamed for 100 and 115 were baptised.

Live Big: If you don’t live big and take action the dreams will not unfold. God requires us to step out. Some will work others won’t.  The blind men shouted at the top of the voices to call Jesus. When told off they shouted louder. We live in the nation of the tallest poppy syndrome. We cut people down when they step out. Let’s not do that. God will use as you as you act big in the big dream.

Pray Big: Big dreams will only come about with God. If it’s not big, God isn’t needed. We need to cry out and God will step in. Without Jesus there is no breakthrough. The type that only He can bring.

Referring back to the blind men, they had perseverance. They shouted when were told to be quiet.

When they prayed the prayer the first time. Nothing happened. In fact, they were abused by the crowd. They could have been quiet, but they shouted louder ‘Lord have mercy on us’. We need to keep crying out the same. Jesus came to them and asked them what they want Him to do. Their third prayer was ‘to see’. Their answer revealed the heart of the men. Rather than their eloquence.

Don’t hold back. Step out. Don’t limit God. Expand your vision and spend time with God. So that our will expands with His will.

Challenges:

·         What will you do differently this week?

·         What do you need to discipline yourself in this week?

·         What are your dreaming big for? Is it aligned with Gods vision? Have you given up on God?

7th Jan 2018 - Isaiah 54 - Week 1 - Don't hold back -Isaiah 54 vs 2-3 - Simon Benham

Sunday 7th January 2018 - Simon Benham

Don't hold back -Isaiah 54 vs 2-3

‘“Enlarge the place of your tent,

stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;

lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.

For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

your descendants will dispossess nations

and settle in their desolate cities.”

Introduction

Simon commenced by reminding us of the need to make space and to slow down to hear God this year.

Isaiah

 The verses above need to be in the context of the first the ten verses of Isaiah 54.

The bible has the Old Testament and New Testament. Of the prophets Isiah was the most influential and the book of Isiah is the second most quoted book in the New Testament.

In this book we get the ‘whole story’ the God is telling us. It covers:

Creation: telling us that we are not a fluke or an accident. The message from creation tells us that every human is created for God and by God to live a life with purpose and meaning. We were all created for a relationship with God.

The Fall: The second part of the Isiah story is the fall and leads to and pain and suffering. Our rebellion against God.

Rescue: The third part is the rescue. God came in human flesh to pay the price of our rebellion and sin. The aim being to get us back to being a friend of God, a child of the King. For heaven to come to earth

Restoration: The final part of the story is restoration, where Jesus Christ paid the price on the cross. There is still some work to be done, however we are part of God’s rescue plan for this world.

The above four phrases covered are the meta narrative; the over arching main points of Gods story. We need to understand how we fit in the mini narrative: our part of the gospel.

Interesting Fact: There are 66 chapter in Isaiah. The first 39 cover judgement and last 27 chapters cover compassion. There are 39 books in the old testament and 27 books in the new testament.

Isaiah 54

Isaiah 53 talks about the suffering and that Jesus has died for our sin.

In Isaiah 54, it is the moment when Jesus has come into the world and the blockade of sin is suddenly removed.  The opportunities occur.

It starts by telling the barren woman to burst into song and shout for joy, because Jesus Christ is coming. He is telling a woman who has bore no children that she will have an  overflow of supernatural children. It is telling her to get excited, even though she cannot see it in the natural.

V 2 goes onto encourage us to get ready, to enlarge the place of your tent. To not hold back. To strengthen your stakes. He is telling us to get ready. He is using the analogy of tents as there were a tent dwelling people.

God is saying they need a bigger tent, they need to stretch the material wider. They need to get ready before the supernatural children arrive.

We are in the same place. We as a church need to expect great things from God. We need to expect the overflow of the harvest. However we also need to prepare.

Simon encouraged us to attempt great things for God and to expect great things of God. As a church and as individuals we need to

Enlarge -make more space for more people. 30 years ago we build Bracknell as needed more space. Now we fill this space

To stretch - take risk attempt things that seem far. Go beyond what is the norm.

Lengthen -spear out into Sandhurst . 120 people in Sandhurst Christmas morn. New to Windsor we are lengthening

Strengthen - go deeper. Small tents little legs. Circus tents big pegs.. we need to start by going deeper with him.

Conclusion

We need to go deeper in God as a church and as individuals in 2018. We need to make time and slow down so that we can make time to be with Jesus.

What is our part.? Initially we all individual need to go deeper in Him. In John we are reminded to ‘Remain in Him and you will bear fruit’. We need to be connected to Jesus, as everything flows from Him.

If at the end of 2018 you r closer to God, that's a successful year. Know him better at the end of the year. Slow down to be with him.

Simon also encouraged us to examine 2017 so that we can learn and move on. He challenged us to take time out this week to:

Replay 2017. Examine 2017 and look at what occurred in your life. What happened in 2017? Who did I meet? What did I feel? Where did I go? Reflect and take time out. Look through your diary if you can’t remember.

Rejoice: Looking at what you did and where and who you met?  Examine where God moved in your life? Give thanks for those things? What were your answers to prayer? Where did God break into your situation?

Repent: for what you did wrong. Things that you said or didn't should have said? Examine who hurt us and forgive them? Who do you need to ask for forgiveness from?

Resolve Look at 2017 and see how you can do things differently in 2018. Learn from the past and change for the future. Enlarge ad strengthen in 2018.

Challenge and Questions

Simon challenged us to be closer to Him. What do you need to do be closer to him?

What causes us to be so busy and what do we need to do to slow down?

Do you make time out for God regularly? If so, what benefits does it bring. If not, what hinders you from doing this?

What are your commitments to God this year? What do you need to do differently?