16th July 2017 - Revelation 2 – Letter to Ephesus - Ben Pocock

16^th July 2017

Revelation 2 – Letter to Ephesus

Ben Pocock

 

 

Ben first explained that we are currently in a series on the book of revelation, last week Simon Benham explored Revelation 1, and over the next few weeks we will be looking at the 7 letters to the 7 churches which are covered in Chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation.

 

The book of revelation points and looks towards Jesus. Over the next 7-8 weeks we will be looking at these Letters and looking at:

 

• What did Jesus want to say to these churches 2000 years ago?
• What does Jesus want to say to us, Kerith Community Church now?
• What does Jesus want to say to us individually today?

 

Ben explained that over the course of the last 11 years – His relationship with Heather has gone through different seasons, from their dating time when they lived in Yorkshire and Exeter, when Heather moved to Finland and now as a Married couple and most recently with the new addition of a baby. Over the course of the past 11 years they have been through many seasons, and sometimes intentionally and sometimes not intentionally they have had to relook at their relationship and what it looks like, how do they continually love one another in the new seasons.  The same goes for the way we connect to Jesus, our relationship with Him.

 

The Letter we are looking at today sees a church in a season of a relationship that isn’t where it could or should be.

 

The place we are looking at today is in a place called Ephesus.

 

LETTER TO EPHESUS

• By the coast,
• One of the largest cities in Asia-Minor
• 250,000 population
• At an intersection of major trade routes.
• Had a harbour, became a commercial centre, trade, business.
• One of the ‘jewels on the belt of the Roman lands in the Mediterranean’.
• Cultural centre too.
• Temple of Artemis (Temple of Diana) – one of the wonders of the world.
• One of the most urban centres in the Roman Empire.

 

It was a place of influence. A city of influence. Culturally, religiously, in business.

 

This is a letter ‘to the influencers’

 

 

 

 

 

The average church size in the UK is 75 – Kerith is much bigger. Cathy Madavan has said of Kerith “Our church is a church of influence. ‘this is not normal’

We are an influential church, we are influential individuals. This is to us.

 

Almost all of the 7 letters have a similar structure,

 

USUAL STRUCTURE

 

1. Image of Jesus
2. Positive encouragement, something that they are doing well.
3. Area of correction to face.
4. A warning and a promise from God.

 

 

IMAGE OF JESUS

 

7 stars in his hand – 7 stars are angels the letters are written to.

7 golden lampstands – represent each of the recipients of these letters.

 

We learn that GOD IS WITH US. WALKING AMONG US.

THIS IS HIS CHURCH!

 

Ben said that this demonstrated the Sovereignty and Authority of Christ

 

‘He is the Head of the body, the Church’, ‘in Him all things hold together’.

Jesus said

“I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH AND THE

GATES OF HELL WON’T PREVAIL AGAINST IT”

 

The church is not Simon’s, its not the Trustees its HIS Church – it takes responsibility away from us and gives us Peace.

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

“I know your deeds, your hard work. Your perseverance” – DESPITE PERSECUTION

 

Christ sees your deeds, your commitment and consistency.

 

Let’s recognise that this community known as church takes hard work

Work itself is not wrong – working hard is honoured by Christ here.

 

Let’s not live in unreality that community shouldn’t take work or perseverance. It does.

 

DESPITE what happens to you.

DESPITE trials, persecution, keep going. Have an unswerving FAITH.

 

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT CONTINUES

 

I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. “

 

Paul wrote

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

 

Christ honours those who stay true to the Word. Jesus came in TRUTH and grace. Hold onto that truth.

Jesus said “I am THE way, THE truth, THE life, no one comes to the father except through me.” Let’s not dilute that, let’s not ignore that.

 

As a church we want to be like a PEACH – ultimately sold at the core.

 

CORRECTION

 

In the striving for doing the work of God, the Ephesians lost the main point – LOVE.

 

This refers to both their love for God, and their love for others.

When giving ‘next steps’, Jesus said ‘repent and DO the things you DID at first’ So we see that this love they have left aside and abandoned, is impacting their behaviour too.

 

Jesus said the two most important commandments, “love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbour as you love yourself.”

 

Paul wrote about LOVE in another letter. 1 Corinthians

Explains what love is and what it looks like.

Then comments ‘these 3 things remain, FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.

 

Ephesian Church had FAITH and HOPE it seems! But lacked Love.

The greatest of the 3? Love.

 

They had become ‘EMPTY SHELLS’.

 

Signs you may be losing your first love.

Feeling short with people? Bitter towards anyone?

Impatient with individuals?

Avoiding certain people or groups?

Wanting to distance yourself from people?

Delegating any relational responsibilities to others?

You’re doing FOR God takes up more of your time and thinking than conversations with him.

Your ministry is causing increasing stress and any anxiety.

Strong desire to isolate yourself and remove yourself from situations where you may be required to reflect on your life/ministry/relationship with God.

 

Jesus says REPENT – turn from it and come back to what you first did.

• Relationships look different over time – but LOVE should continue.
• What was your attention on when you had that love?
• What was your focus?
• How did you invest in LOVE with PEOPLE and JESUS?

 

Go back to basics – who is Jesus and what has He done for you?

 

 

WARNING & PROMISE

 

Ultimately Jesus tells the church that they will lose their LIGHT if they don’t return.

 

As a church, if we don’t LOVE, we will lose our light, our impact.

Go to Ephesus today – you will struggle to find a church.

 

BUT

 

‘To the one who is victorious’- battle language!

We are in a spiritual battle – for our minds, for our attention.

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.

Keep pursuing LOVE.

Keep moving and acting in LOVE.

When you have an opportunity to LOVE, do it.

Be interrupted in your life by ACTS OF LOVE.

 

“have the right to eat from the tree of life”.

 

Temple of Artemis had a tree in it, when criminals would go to this tree they would be safe from being arrested – a safe haven, an asylum for them.

 

Christ here says ‘THE’ tree of life. Coming before Christ and remaining in Him you would eat from the tree of life, not temporary asylum. Not some fleeting safe house, but permanent, eternal life.

 

As I think of that – reminded of Christ’s love for me. His desire for me, his attention on me. I’m reminded of the times in my life where I have come back to Him, and fallen back in love with Christ.

 

Questions for Small Groups

 

• Ben talked about going “back to basics” who is Jesus and what has He done for you?

 

• Share with each other where you feel you are at with your love for God – do you feel you have lost your first love?

 

• Do you find yourself short with people, impatient – how do you conquer these feelings? What can you do to change these attitudes?

 

• How do you “find” your first love – what practical things can you do? – share with each other ideas you can do habitually so that you keep your or find your first love again

 

 

9th July 2017 Revelation Chapter One (Simon Benham)

Simon started a new series on Revelation, preaching from chapter one.

Turn Up the Volume of the Word of God

At the REAL conference, Simon heard one of the speakers say “Turn up the volume of the Word of God in your life.”   We hear so many voices (e.g. social media, TV, friends, family) that we can struggle to hear God’s voice.  Dial up the volume of God’s voice by giving more attention to reading the Word of God.

Overview of Revelation

The book of Revelation is a revelation from Jesus, and of Jesus.  It was written to the church that was being persecuted.  It is a book of strange imagery, but the overall message is that “Jesus wins”!

It was written by John (one of Jesus’ twelve disciples) in A.D. 96.  John was in exile on the prison island of Patmos.

Receiving Blessing from God’s Word

Verse 3 promises a blessing to those to read the Bible out loud, and a blessing to those who take it to heart (i.e. apply it).

The most powerful way to see change in your life is to read God’s word daily and apply it. Don’t worry about what you don’t understand, but apply what you do understand.

(The church stood and read the whole of Revelation chapter 1)

Revelation of Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb

The other disciples had by this time been martyred, so of all the people alive in the world at this point, John was the one person who already had the most revelation of Jesus.  Yet he still needed more revelation of Jesus.  The same is true of us; no matter how much we already know of Jesus, we need more revelation of Him.

John had known Jesus primarily as the lamb of God, who in humility and suffering willingly died to take away the sins of the world. But now the church was being persecuted and murdered (Caesar Nero used to coat Christians in tar and burn them to light his garden parties, and Caesar Domitian was the first emperor to officially title himself as ‘God the Lord’ and expect worship from all).  John and the church needed revelation of Jesus the Lion, who has all authority and power and is ultimately victorious.

Imagery in Revelation One

1.        Seven golden lampstands (v12)

These represent the seven churches (v21).  The number seven in the Bible reflects completeness (e.g. 7 days of creation), and so in this imagery represents the whole church.

Jesus is pictured walking amongst the churches.  He places great value on the church, His bride, not just on the individual.  Church should not just be one thing amongst others that competes for our time.  Meeting together as the church each week should be our priority.

2.       Jesus has robes down to his feet and a golden sash (v14)

Robes and sashes are associated with authority, honour, victory, kings and queens and priests.  Jesus is showing himself as the king of kings and the great high priest.

All earthy authorities, and every human being will one day bow down before Jesus and acknowledge Him as Lord (Is 45 v 23, Rom 14 v 11).

3.       Jesus has hair as white as wool or snow (v14)

The Bible says that ‘Grey hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life’ (Prov 16 v 31 NLT).  With age comes wisdom, insight and knowledge.

Jesus has all wisdom, insight and knowledge, and gives it to all who ask (Jam 1 v 5).

4.       Jesus has eyes like fire (v14)

Fire speaks of God’s purifying, penetrating sight.  ‘Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account’ (Heb 4 v 13).

Jesus’s eyes see everything that happens in our life.  He sees injustice, and the day will come when He will bring people to account.  We cannot hide anything from God, although we sometimes act as if we can.

5.       Jesus has feet of burnished bronze (v14)

Burnished bronze is bronze glowing in a furnace.  Imagine stamping around with feet of flaming metal – everything you trample is turned to ash.

Malachi prophesies: ‘” Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant 

and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.  But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act.”’ (Mal 4 v 1-4).

The day is coming when Jesus with judge all unrighteousness.

6.       Jesus has a voice like the sound of rushing waters (v15)

Standing at the foot of Niagara Falls, the noise is overwhelming.  You cannot hear anything else.  This is how the voice of Jesus will be over all the earth.

7.       Jesus holds seven stars in his right hand (v16)

These represent the messengers to or leaders of the church.

8.       Out of Jesus’ mouth is a double-edged sword (v16)

The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Heb 4 v 12).  The word of God has such power.

9.       Jesus’ face shines like the sun in all its brilliance (v16)

John had seen the face of Jesus since like this once before, with Peter and James. ‘There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light’ (Mat 17 v 2).

This is Jesus revealing His true nature; His glory, majesty and wonder.

We all need a bigger revelation of who Jesus is, that we also would reflect His glory to those around us.

Questions

Ice breaker: After John saw Jesus, he fell at his feet as though dead.  Have you ever been shocked or speechless about something positive that you have experienced in life?

1.    Simon mentioned ‘turning up the volume of the Word of God’ in our lives (see above), and reading the Bible aloud and applying it to our lives.  How loud do you feel the volume of the Word of God is in your ears?

2.    How can you turn up that volume?

3.    Simon said that just before John’s revelation, he was the one person alive at that time with the most revelation of Jesus, yet he still needed more.  How do you think you would change if you had more revelation of Jesus?

4.    Review the 9 pieces of imagery about Jesus above.  Which one speaks to you most and why?

2nd July 2017 - Inspiring the Body of Christ - Joy Blundell

Joy Blundell

2nd July 2017

Inspiring the Body of Christ

Today’ preach is a ‘big picture’ narrative which takes in the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  Its purpose is to inspire and encourage people to worship God 24/7, through all that they do in their lives.  People who:

·         Pursue knowledge and wisdom and make it available to others

·         Reflect the hospitable heart of God in their welcome to others

·         Demonstrate the order and security of God as the organise and direct others

·         Pioneer and take risks with new ideas to benefit others

These people are our neighbours - look around with new eyes and recognise them!

Creation – the big picture

Take a moment to think - why did Jesus die?

If you answered, “to save us from our sins” then you’re right – we were all fallen, in need of fixing and forgiveness, redemption and renewal.  But there’s more; before the fall came creation, and that’s where we need to start, celebrating what is good before dealing with the fall.

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

Gen2^4-14

The Bible starts with a wedding between Adam and Eve, and ends with a wedding between Christ and His church.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Rev 21^1-4

Revelation goes on to describe how ‘the nations’ bring wedding gifts to the occasion.

God’s plan for us

Genesis teaches us that God’s creation was good but incomplete, and humans were appointed as co-creators to fill the earth. There are families to be born, kingdoms established, cities built, dances ballads and sculptures to be composed, knowledge to be discovered.  When Genesis speak of a garden to be cultivated, the word cultivated is the root of the word culture, and that is what God called mankind to. God looks to us to bring our creativity to his world – as a manifestation of our worship.

Four rivers flow out from the garden of Eden.  Using these in an attempt to pin the geography of the garden misses the point – the real meaning is to be found in their names.

·         Pishon means increase.  Yes, we are called to increase our numbers, but also to increase who we are and our presence in the earth – so that God may – Increase his presence in us.  Joy and her husband Paul have reflected on the prayer of Jabez (to enlarge/increase his territory) and applied it to their own lives:

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

1 Chron 4¹⁰

One of the lessons God has taught them is that In order to increase you need to decrease – laying some things down so that you can pick up others.

·         Gihon means gushing, flowing. It represents abundance, fullness; the same word is used in Psalm 23⁵ “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”  God wants us to do more that survive, He wants us to thrive, and as we do so the things flowing out of our life are bound to impact on the world within us. 

·         Hidakel (the Hebrew name for the Tigris) means swift, darting; it’s a word picture of an arrow in full flight, like the film sequence in “Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves”.  We’re designed to have purpose, intentions, goals, to actively bring the kingdom of God into this world.  It calls for decision - this is what God called me to, I’m going to go for it.  It’s a discussion Joy and Paul have every year – what are we dreaming for, what are we pointing our lives towards this year?

·         Euphrates: sweet-fragranced, and fruitful.  We’re called to sweeten the lives of others, as in Matthew 5¹⁶: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds [sweetness] and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Those four rivers speak of God’s intention for his creation, and for our part in it – to increase, to live with intention, to aim for a goal, and to exhibit ‘sweetness’.

Then there was the Fall - disobedience, disconnection, and failure.  Jesus came to came to redeem God’s creation in its entirety (Colossians 1^19-20: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”).  Matthew 28^16-20, sometimes called the Great Commission, is not just a call to spread the good news – it should be seen in the context of creation as a reawakening of the Genesis mandate.  In Jesus, we become again the people we were meant to be.  In effect Jesus says, “Go into the world and write your place so that people can thrive and the world may come to life again.”

In the words of a Dutch theologian and Prime Minster, Abraham Kuyper: “ … there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!”.  We are the image bearers of that vision.  It is a difficult task in a fallen world – but God will prevail.  Revelation 8 and 9, which speak of ‘woes’ inflicted on an unbelieving world, describes a painful ‘regime change’, a reordering of power over the world which reaches its fulfilment in Revelation 21.  At that time, there is no more pain.

Questions

Joy and her husband Paul once sat down to imagine what “no more pain” would look like for Lincoln:

·         No more depression

·         No more broken bottles in the park

·         No more foodbanks

·         No more racism

·         No more racism.

What do you think “no more pain” would mean for Bracknell?

What can you do tomorrow, as an act of worship to breathe life into that dream? To influence children, buildings, ideas, plans for the future, businesses?

Because of Jesus we were reconnected to our original purpose. Our challenge is to find others we trust to share our aspirations with, and together to encourage each other to bring more of heaven to earth; our worship.

25th June 2017 – Don’t be God - Liam Parker

25^th June 2017 – Don’t be God

Preacher: Liam Parker

Scripture: Proverbs 3 v 5-8: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on you own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

Liam described that he has two older brothers. He enjoyed being part of a band of brothers. The best thing was during celebrations: when they got presents, Liam said he also got the present as he could use their presents! When his middle brother got a Man Utd football, they played with it for a short time but his brother soon picked it up to clean it as it got slightly muddy. He was restricting the use of the football, even though that was what it was intended for.

During problems in our life we try and fix the problems. We try and control what happens to us and feel it is our responsibility to get rid of the trouble.

Liam reminds us ‘not be God’, even though we are representing Him, praying with Him and talking to Him etc. We are not Him. Don’t be God and don’t try and fix the things. He has to be in control.

Remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways….His thoughts are higher than our thoughts……

When God is working to a different time scale than ours, we need to recognise it. Gods timings are different to ours. His ways are higher than our ways.

When those difficult times come, we easily go back to our ways and we start to take control of our of lives.

Don’t be God in fighting our sin. (Sin =When we do something out side of the will of God.)

Sin will cost you more than you want to pay and will keep you longer than you want to be. Sin has a habit of spiralling out of control. Sin has a way of creeping around your whole life. It always come back to get you. It spreads and spirals throughout all our life.

1 John 3 describes sin as being ‘lawlessness’. It attacks all if you let it take over. It has no end. It will continue to grow and grow.

Our human temptation is that we feel we have to do something about it, we have to pray harder and we have to fight our own sin. However, we cannot fight sin. We are no match for the power of sin. Sin will always win.

Don’t fight by yourself. In Proverbs 3 it states, ‘Fear the Lord and shun evil’. To shun evil means to avoid or to ignore or reject. Don’t even get involved with it. Don’t fight it. Stand back from it. We need to have a healthy respect of God’s presence and therefore we ‘want’ to do as HE says. We should fear the Lord. What He says goes.

Jude describes Arch Angel Michael who stood and declared that the fight is not with him but with God. We need to do that. We need to give it to God. Just give your life to God and trust in Him. Fear God and turn away from evil and fleshly desires. Only with God can it occur.

In all your ways acknowledge Him.

Questions:

1) in proverbs it says “shun evil” share with the group how you can “shun evil” – such as not watching certain programs, not to go to certain places? -

2) Are there areas in your life where you need to give it to God – if you are able to- share with the group some of your struggles you are facing – be open and honest with your small group

3) we keep hearing the word

18th June 2017 - Ben Oliver - Being a Father

Ben Oliver

18th June 2017

Being a Father

New Dads gain a lot of new jobs:

·         nappy changing,

·         wrestling with multi-function travel buggies

·         bedtime stories

·         … and much more besides!

Dads – some day all this nappy changing will just be a memory, but you’ll never stop being a father. More - it may be that for you, being a father is something wider than caring just for your biological children, because all can be fathers in Christ:

I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.  Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.  Therefore I urge you to imitate me.  For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

1 Cor 4:14-17

These words were written by the apostle Paul – a man who had a radical conversion to Christ, one that set him on a path to become a spiritual father to many.  Timothy was more that his apprentice; to Paul, he was a spiritual son.

That opportunity, to be a spiritual father, is open to us today.  But there’s a commitment you need to make to step up to that responsibility.  Its like walking out of hospital with a new baby, feeling very inadequate – but knowing “No-one else is going to step up, I need to do this”.

We undoubtedly had imperfect teachers (our own fathers), and we are undoubtedly underqualified – but God has asked to step up.  What does it take to be a great father?

Here are some ways.

Start by being God’s son

You can’t represent Him if you don’t know Him.  There’s gospel news here, good news – because anyone can do this, anytime!  Take the story of the prodigal son that Jesus once told.

The prodigal son – the younger son of a wealthy farmer – was a wastrel who had worked his way through his father’s money, reached rock bottom and started to dig.  Realising this, he made ready to go home and prepared a speech, to beg a place as a servant.  Reaching home, he starts to deliver his speech, but before he gets to the ‘servant’ offer, his father embraces him and throws a feast in his honour. 

Jesus audience would have been non-plussed at this point.  They were expecting something else, perhaps to hear of the son’s punishment for the offence he had caused his family.  Their attitude is represented in the story by a judgemental older son who cannot bring himself to join in the celebration for the son who was lost and is now found. 

Jesus’ deeper point is that both these sons are lost – they both need the father’s forgiveness.  Jesus came to bring that forgiveness, achieved through his death on the cross. Today, God is saying to all of us ‘come home’ – and through Jesus we can.

A Father’s identity is bound up in who he is, not what he does

Ben once had a conversation with his daughter that went a bit like this:

“Dad. How come you know the answer to everything?”

“Because I’m the best!”

“No Dad, its God first, then superman, then you.”

We Dads tend to be performance-based – but if you’re defined by your successes, then you are defined by failures too.  “The Big Ego Trip” – a book by Christian psychologist Glynn Harrison - argues that this leads to a roller-coaster identity crisis and is a big cause of mental health issues for men. 

God does not work your value out that way.  You have value not because you’re a big deal, but because God is a big deal, and he’s chosen you. Your identity doesn’t depend on good exam results, or on the opinion others have of you, or any of the other ways we use to judge our worth by our performance.

Fathers’ coach, they don’t complain. 

Watching football from the side-lines, when your child’s team loses every game all season long, tends to provoke a response, as Ben know from first-hand experience!  When you respond, you have a choice of coaching or complaining.

·         If you complain, pointing out failure, it makes your child less likely to try again for fear of being criticised.

·         But if you coach, they know you’re with them, and it encourages them to get back into the game and improve.

The apostle Paul demonstrates this so well; he wrote 2 letters to Timothy, full of coaching tips for the situation Timothy was facing:

“Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well”

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.”

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity”

Questions:

God desires every father to step up and be a coach in the lives of his child, biological or spiritual.  Where do you stand?

·         Are you a Timothy needing a father to mentor you?

·         Are you being stirred to be a father in God’s kingdom/ Read y to step up?

The film “Courageous” tells the story of how, when a tragedy strikes close to home, four police officers struggle with their faith and their roles as husbands and fathers, and together they make a decision that will change all of their lives.  Along the way it sets out a ‘code of conduct’ – things like:

·         Model how to talk with integrity

·         Teach others with respect

·         Call out behaviour where necessary

·         Realise that the job and hobbies have no eternal value, but the souls of your children do.

·         Determine where ever possible to mentor those in need; to guide, direct, and to break destructive habits

Will you stand up and take that challenge?

11th June 2017 - Stuart Bell - Building the House of the Lord

11^th June 2017

Stuart Bell

 

Building the house of the lord

Ephesians – church seen in different kinds of ways:

• As a Family

So we find church is a family – god is father – we are brothers and sisters

• As a body

Also you see church as a body – we are all part of body

• Husband & Wife

Also picture in Ephesians as husband and wife – bride of Christ

• As a temple

Also image of temple – of the holy spirit – living stones

Jews would see a temple as something to go to – if you wanted to meet with god – you would go to the temple – Solomon’s temple – Herods temple

Right back in Genesis there is a hint in Chapter 28 vs 13 that the Church is more than just a place to go there is a Heaven & Earth interaction – gate of heaven –

2 cornth 6 vs 16 – WE are temple of the holy spirit – when we gather together

• As an Army

Should be missional -taking territory – church as the army

What is the house of God meant to look like:

Mark Chap 11 Vs 15.

Jesus goes to the temple – but when he gets there – he’s not pleased, people of God in his day were very much like the people in Jeramiah prophesy – then he quotes Isaiah 56 – what the house of the IS meant to be.

Two prophesies

Jerimiah chapter 7:

As he locks at the people of God – they are coming to the temple but their lives do not align with what people of God should be like:

 

 

 

 

 

• Change your ways and deal with each other justly
• Den of robbers to you that I have been watching
• People drifted from the faith again

Jesus then Quotes from Isaiah 56

• House of prayer

Jerimiah filled with people thinking they are safe in the temple – but Jesus says misfits are welcome – a house of prayer

what does it mean to be building the house of prayer? 

does it mean building should be open more for prayer

Jesus taught them a patterned prayer and Stuart went on to look at the Lords Prayer and used it to describe the shape of a church:

7 things from the lord prayer that gives us an opening to :

1. A place of unity (psalm 133 – how good and how pleasant)
2. A place where God is honoured and worshiped
3. A place where Gods will is done and his kingdom comes
4. A place where daily needs are met
5. A place where love and forgiveness flows
6. A place of safety & protection
7. A place of glorious destiny

Exhibit these wonderful aspects of what a house of the lord looks like – Great images of what we are

QUESTIONS:

Look at these 7 things listed above – are we reflecting these things:

1. In our Church?
2. In our Homes?
3. In our lives?

Be honest with each other and pray that God will help you in areas

4th June 2017 - Diversity - Simon Benham

Simon Benham

4th June 2017

Diversity

We started with a colour-blindness test on-screen, and a range of answers; some passed, some failed! But the real question is, “Is God colour-blind?”

We know God is a diverse God in His own character (Gen 1:26 “Let us make mankind in our image …”), and in the way he created us (Gen 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”).

Diversity was present through gender, then later in nations; and today we would recognise diversity in many other ways; skin colour, culture, personality, age, education, and wealth amongst others.

Today is Pentecost, and the story of Pentecost is in many ways a statement on diversity:

“‘In the last days, God says,

    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

    your young men will see visions,

    your old men will dream dreams.

Even on my servants, both men and women,

    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,

    and they will prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18)

We see that God pours outs his gifts on all, and loves all; grace is available for all. 

Yet God is also sensitive to the differences between us. Looking just a few verses earlier, we have:

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:4-11)

God could have enabled each person present to hear the message in one common language, but instead He chose that each should hear in their own language. God aims for unity, but not uniformity, and so we too should celebrate the diversity amongst us.

At the end of the Bible there is another great statement on diversity:

 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)

Every nation, every tribe – together in their diversity.

 <Sarah Harvey and Sola joined Simon at the front in a question and answer session>

Q1. What stops you celebrating diversity?

Sarah  I was uncomfortable when I was first at Kerith – I didn’t know who I was, and didn’t want to step out of my ‘safe box’, because I was afraid of what others would think.  It took time to learn that Kerith just wanted me to be myself.

Sola – you’d think it would be colour, clothes, or background – but I agree with Sarah – it’s mostly ‘me’.  Learn to accept your own uniqueness, don’t measure against others.

Q2. How do we make the most of this?

Sarah – We can see all the differences in the crowd of Acts 2 – and the result was that 3000 were added to the church that day. More diversity makes us more effective as a people; in evangelising, and in community – a richer ministry.

Sola – 1 Cor 14:10 speaks of “many languages, none without meaning”.  From that I understand that our differences mean that people can be drawn to us because no matter who comes to Kerith, there will be common experiences they share with someone, which helps connections to be made.

Q3. What do you think we should do more of?

Sola – As we’ve just said, we need you [looking at the congregation]. The world is looking for what we have in the church, it just needs each one of us to show up as ‘us’ – in Christ.

Sarah – Identity a powerful part of diversity – you can’t show up if you don’t know what to show up as.

Q4. What encouragement can you give to those here?

Simon – Just show up as you are, without masks.  It may be hard in the mass of Sunday congregation, but small groups offer that chance to be ‘you’ and to accepted as yourself.

Sola – I would encourage us to look for connections beyond colour, beyond rich and poor, beyond ‘people like us’.  In one of his books Bill Hybels encourages us to ‘walk across the room’.

Rather than questions, todays preach leaves us with a challenge – quite simply, to put Bill Hybel’s encouragement into practice. 

Over the week, find opportunities to “walk across the room” and speak to a stranger within the Kerith community – and when you speak, discover a few things you have in common, and make time to pray for each other.