Nick May spoke this week about “Redemption Remembered”. He highlighted three sections of Psalm 44:
Due to a technical hitch in the recording, this podcast starts a few minutes into Nick’s talk, while he is covering his first point, “Recalling the past”.
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Reference: Psalm 44, Romans 8 v 35-39
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Reference: John 13 v 34-35
Notes from sermon preached 23 August 2009 – “A Community of Love”
Today we are considering church as a community of people love each other – a community of love: John 13 v. 34-35.
The three most common words used to describe love in the Greek language are “eros” (romantic and sexual love), “phileo” (brotherly love, friendship) and “agape” ( the word used to describe the giving, sacrifical love that God modelled for us in Jesus) The command to men to love their wives in Ephesians 5 v 25, the command in John 13 to love one another and the statement that God is love in 1 John all use the word “agape”. So when we are talking about love today we are talking about the need to show to one another the same sacrifical love that God showed when he sent His Son, and that Jesus showed when he willingly went to the cross. What a challenge!
In John 13 v 34-35 Jesus shows us that it is by the way we demonstrate love to one another that others will know that we belong to Jesus. Similarly, the famous passage about love in 1 Corinthians shows that whatever we do for God, unless love is that driving force behind it, it is all for nothing.
So what does a community of love look like? How do we put this caring sacrifical love into action? Five points for our consideration:
a) Serving – Jesus points us in John 13 to the need to serve one another by taking the lowest place of all. Do we see that amongst us?
b) Encouraging. Hebrews 10 v 24-25 shows that one of our main reasons for meeting together is to encourage one another. How do we respond to the challenge to look to encourage each other constantly. Does our conversation reflect the command from Ephesians to speak “only what is helpful for building one another up , according to their need”? (Ephesians 4 v.29)
c) Hospitality – not a strong point for the average Englishman. But God wants us to be constantly looking for ways to share what we have with others. How do we respond to the challenge to “offer one another hospitality without grumbling”? (1 Peter 4 v.9)
d) Praying –love always looks to do what it can for someone else. There is nothing you can do that is more important for someone else than to pray for them.
e) Reaching Out – the second greatest commandment is to “love you neighbour as yourself”. We will then seek ways to do the very best we can for all people. There is nothing greater that you can do for anyone than to give him to opportunity to respond to the love of Jesus.
The challenge from John 13 v. 34-35 comes ringing down the years to us. To love one another “as I have loved you” represents a huge challenge to every believer. Similarly the beautiful story of Ruth gives us an example for us all to follow. Ruth’s loyalty and commitment to Naomi is among the most beautiful statements of love ever made.(Ruth 1 v.16-17) Are we , like Ruth, those who genuinely give undying love to those around us?
Although all this seems impossible to all of us to live up to, the great news is that God has put his love in our hearts; (Romans 5 v.5). Let’s allow His Spirit to fill us and to enable us to live the kind of lives that he wants. Then all people will know that we belong to Jesus.
A PCF Production brought to you in association with Newday 09, with thanks to New Frontiers.
Producer: Gez Jones; Assistant Producer: Joe Wanklyn; Catering Manager: Helen Mac with a short curly friend; Transport and Props Manager: Duncan Williams; Assistant Producers : Matt Mac, Dan Miles. Lizzie White appears by kind permission of New Frontiers and the Pink Ladies.
Starring: (in no particular order) Dan, Andrew, Sarah, Emma, Thomas, Beth, Bradley, Ben, Goodall, Joe, Tom, Josh.
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Notes from Sermon preached 9 August 2009 – “A Disciple-making Community”
Today we are considering church as a community of people who obey the command of Jesus to make disciples. Our text is Matthew 28 v 16-20.
Jesus calls a conference at some point between the resurrection and the ascension. Not a major conference with audio visual gadgetry, but a simple conference on a lonely mountain top with Jesus and his 11 remaining disciples. What characterised this conference?
The venue: Galilee: this is highly significant because the command to go to the nations was given not at Jerusalem, but in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Obeying Jesus: the disciples went to the place where Jesus had told them to go. If we want to know what Jesus wants us to do, it will be as we do what he has already asked us to do.
Seeing Jesus: the disciples saw Jesus – isn’t that the desire of our hearts – to see Him more and more and for Him to have the first place in our lives?
Worshipping Jesus: here, for the first time in the new testament, Jesus is offered by his disciples ( and accepts from them) the worship that belongs to God alone. The Book of Revelation which gives us a glimpse into heaven is filled with worship of the Lamb. What place does worship have in our lives and in our church?
Doubting Jesus: it seems a strange thing to say, but we are told that “Some doubted”. And today we have to admit that our faith is not perfect. Like any failing, doubt can be overcome by the word (Romans 10 v 17) and by obedience (John 7 v 17)
The Commission is given to go to all nations and to:
Evangelise – every man woman and child needs to hear the message of salvation so that they can turn to God and be saved. So are the bringers of that message. God has no plan B.
Establish – the command is not simply to bring them to Jesus – we are then commanded to baptise them and to teach them to obey all that Jesus has commended us.
Equip – the world needs men and woman who are God’s disciple – makers, men and woman who know how to obey the great commission. As our friend Paul Dando puts it: the task is to turn heathens into missionaries!
This passage comes at a crucial point in the ministry of Jesus. He has spent three years training the twelve to be his disciple-makers. At this point the baton is passed to them. The eternal destiny of the world is in their hands.
Down the generations it also comes to us… have we heard and responded to the call to be involved in the great task of the ages?
So: where will you go to fulfil the command of Jesus to make disciples?
The commission is so great and so far-reaching that no one would seriously contemplate taking it on unless Jesus was with us. And yet this is the commitment that he has given to us: “Surely I am with you”. The one who said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” also said “ I am with you always”. What more could we ask for?
As Brother Andrew said:
“ Not one word has been withdrawn by the One who gave us the great commission. It is still the supreme task of the church. God’s blessing is and will be with anyone who makes this his main task for the rest of his life”