 DO THIS NUMBER ONE
Baptism is a one-time event. It’s a way of declaring publicly that the person being baptised is now welcome in the community of faith. Based on the grace and the love of God, they are part of us.
When Jesus was growing up, the practice of baptism was already around. If a Gentile decided to become a part of the Jewish community, that conversion could be expressed through the act of baptism. It was a way of saying, "This person, who has been an outsider, is now part of the family."
Jesus commanded his followers to do the same. His final command in the gospel of Matthew is to be baptised.
The offer of forgiveness and new life in this world and forever in the next is given only by the grace of God, only through what Jesus did for us on the cross. We receive it by trusting him. We have to respond, but there is nothing magic about the water itself. [...Full item]
If the gospel is essentially a theory of the atonement and if you accept this theory of the atonement, your sins are forgiven and when you die you will be received into heaven, there is no basis for discipleship.
By disciple I mean someone who is learning from Jesus how to lead their life as he would lead their life if he were in their place. The New Testament defines a disciple as someone who is with Jesus learning how to be more like him.
But the gospel focuses on the kingdom, that we are invited to live in the kingdom of God then the basis for discipleship becomes clear.
The new birth is the entrance into the kingdom of God. Forgiveness from sins is essential – but it is not the whole package. One of the main barriers to proper discipleship is that people see the teachings of Christ as laws that they have to obey. They are not.
They are expressions of the life that [...Full item]
The key prayer of the Christian Church, taught by the Lord Jesus says:
Our Father, who art in Heaven Hallowed be Your Name Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
But what does it mean for God’s Kingdom to come on earth?
There is a very real sense that we often forget about the Kingdom and concentrate on the visible church as an institution. The ‘church’ is the thing that is respects more tangible and visible. The local church, which tends to dominate our horizons, is in fact a representation of a much richer and bigger concept: the rule of God in our lives and our witness to the world. The church is important as the body of believers, but it is the concept of Kingdom living that is of greater importance. We need to keep that wider perspective before us if the local manifestation is to be true to its purpose.
So, as we start this series on the Kingdom, it [...Full item]
A covenant is "an agreement or mutual obligation, contracted deliberately and with solemnity"
1. Covenant People
But there is a problem with that definition, when it comes to God’s making a covenant with man. In that case the terms of the covenant are not mutually decided on. God does not negotiate with anyone as to the degree of their allegiance to him. He comes to us and offers a covenant relationship with the terms already decided.
Psalm 111:9 says,
"He has commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and terrible is his name."
Judges 2:20 says,
"This nation has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers."
So there is mutual obligation, but not mutual determination of what those obligations are. God comes to the covenant knowing what is best for us and we come trusting and obeying or not at all. In a covenant between God and man, God sets the obligations, not man. But the glory of God’s covenants with man [...Full item]
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:20–21
This passage links Jesus’ eternal existence, his incarnation as a baby, his death as the awesome price paid for our deliverance from futile, sinful living, his resurrection, and the difference he make for our eternity. It is the whole of the Christian story summed up in two sentences!
1. However you dress it up: Jesus Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world.
God the Father knew and loved God the Son, Jesus Christ, before the universe was created. In other words the one who shed his blood to pay the ransom for our rescue from futile living was no ordinary man and the plan to pay the ransom was no afterthought to creation. God knew Jesus and God knew his [...Full item]
Brief sermon notes this week because I didn’t really use any when I preached on Sunday!
1. How do we fight?
We take our stand, we put on the armour, we pray, we preach the word, we seek to reverse the devil’s destruction by praying for healing and those struggling with demonic attack.
So, in Ephesians 6, finally Paul speaks of the only offensive piece of armour – the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
Hebrews puts it like this:
“For the word of God is living 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.” Hebrews 4:12
2. What do we fight with?
We don’t fight with fists because we are not fighting flesh and blood. We fight with the spiritual sword, the sword of the Spirit.
1. Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17): Kay Arthur argues that this is not ‘logos’ (the [...Full item]
After World War I, the French Minister of War André Maginot, had built a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, along its borders with Germany and Italy. The German line was called after Maginot
Military experts extolled the Maginot Line as a work of genius, believing it would prevent any further invasions from the east (notably, from Germany).
It was strategically ineffective, as the Germans indeed invaded Belgium, defeated the French army, flanked the Maginot Line, through the Ardennes forest and via the Low countries, completely sweeping by the line and conquering France in days.
The term “Maginot Line” has come to mean a strategy or object that people put hope into but fails miserably. It is also the best known symbol of the adage that "generals always fight the last war, especially if they have won it".
So how do we defend ourselves without building a Maginot Line?
Ephesians 6:10-18 makes this very clear. We must ‘Put on the [...Full item]
Introduction
1. Met a witch this week
2. Read a story this week of Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani never practiced the Muslim faith and converted to Christianity at age 19, becoming a pastor later. But the courts say that since his mother and father were practicing Muslims, he must recant his Christian faith or die. So far, in three court appearances, he has refused to do so – risking execution at any moment. The Iranian Supreme Court often acts quickly in administering the death penalty.
According to a report, when asked by judges to “repent,” Yousef replied: “Repent, What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?”
The judges replied: “To the religion of your ancestors – Islam.” To which Yousef replied: “I cannot.”
Our culture is obsessed with two realities. Hollywood is intrigued by the idea of invisible spiritual powers. Many examples could be brought to the surface, but an example would be “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” When a younger girl called [...Full item]
Ruth 4
Sometimes you got to take care of a little business before you can go on your honeymoon.
1. Marriage – who is the first priority?
When you are in love and you want to marry, invariably, almost without exception, there will be an enormous obstacle between you and marriage I believe God does that this for two reasons.
1. It allows the matter to be settled in the heart, of how devoted he truly is to that woman. How much is she willing to sacrifice?
2. It then reveals the depth of the commitment.
Now, Boaz, which means strong man, mighty man, had gone up to the gates. So, he leaves his harvest in the field, ten years of famine, he leaves his huge economic opportunity to run into town to marry Ruth, because she is his first priority. She looked adorable and he wanted to get married immediately. He’s in a hurry, that’s the point.
The gate is where business is transacted and social [...Full item]
Ruth 3
“It just so happens, by God’s providence, she ends up in the field of a man named Boaz,” who just happens to love God, who just happens to have a job, who just happens to be single, who happens to see her, who happens to initiate a conversation, blesses her, prays for her, feeds her, gives her a great job, gives her a very generous gift for her and her mother-in-law. He looks like the perfect husband.
1. Soap
This is like every good novel and television show and movie where these people are friends, and they should fall in love, and they never quite get there.
She goes to her job, working for him every day for six or seven weeks, and they never have a second date. He doesn’t call. He doesn’t follow up. Nothing. She’s left hanging. What got off to this great, romantic, sparks flying, “Could this be the one?” All of a sudden, nothing. Like the average guy. [...Full item]
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Published on: 19 February 2012 at 10:30am.