Sermon Notes:
JOY - Sun Dec 15, 2019.
Some people make life look easy. It’s as though they can breeze through, and everything falls into place.
In reality, life is a struggle. Frequently painful. Often disappointing. Predictions of the future, apocalyptic.
Happiness is often the goal: (from ‘Happiness Hunter’ web site)
What about JOY?
Grounded in God: “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation” Psalm 95:1
“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs “ Psalm 100:2
“Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy” Psalm 98:8
“Rejoice in the Lord always” Philippians 4:4
Produced by the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22,23
“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit “ 1 Thessalonians 1:6
“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” Acts 13:52
Sustained despite circumstance:
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” Psalm 126:5
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
“In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” 2 Corinthians 8:2
Focused for future fulfilment:
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10
+ How may we be filled with God’s joy today?
+ How may we live with joy in daily life, whatever our circumstance?
Hope in Anxious Times Recognising the goodness of God when the future looks grim.
Joel 2:23-32
St Andrew’s Somerville
27.10.2019
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TODAY: Environmental chaos: protests, strikes; droughts and wild fires; dire predictions of a world which won’t be able to feed us.
How do we respond?
Are we seeing the spread of fear and anxiety?
Where do we see God’s goodness and hope in the midst of this?
The Old Testament prophet Joel— prophesied at a time of devastating drought and famine. A locust plague was devouring the land. Leaving nothing behind.
Joel sees this as a summons to repent, to return to the Lord. The locusts are the Lord's army, performing the Lord's work to bring people back to their senses.
What might be some parallels that we see between our day and Joel’s day?
How might we have neglected the Lord and His ways?
Yet beyond this, Joel speaks the promise of what God will do for the land in time to come: (see over)
- The autumn and spring rains - the productivity and bounty which comes from the earth. “He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before” (verse 23)
We live in a world of supermarkets—we become disconnected from the earth and the sources of food production.
“Give us this day our daily bread” - prayer of dependence
- The restoration of the lost years v 25 “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten”
A God of restoration. God seeks to restore the lost, the broken. In Jesus he restored peoples’ sight or their health. Ultimately his restoration invades the earth itself (Revelation 22).
- The pouring out of the Spirit. (verses 28-32) Quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The flourishing would not just be in the land but in the people. The empowering and equipping of people to serve God and carry forward His mission to renew the earth.
How might we work with God to see the flourishing of both earth and people in our time? What could He be saying to you?
The possibility of salvation opens up for all - (verse 32)all who call on the Lords name.
Where are you seeing the goodness of God right now?
How might we partner with Him to bring hope in anxious times?
Fathers Day 2019
Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
Advice for dads from the book of Proverbs 3:1-12
St Andrew’s Somerville 01.09.19
- My son, do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart, 2. for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.
These verses presume that a father will take initiative to pass on to their children the things that are most important about life.
- Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and humankind.
‘Love and faithfulness’ - two qualities which are essential to living life well. These are to be absorbed deeply into the practice of daily living, written in the fabric of our being—the heart. Children can begin to absorb these from an early age.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6. in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Trust is core in life. And being trustworthy. The solid foundation for this is trust in God Himself. Human wisdom can only be truly founded on divine revelation. Here is why children, and adults, need their minds shaped by the story of Scripture and the life of and teachings of Jesus.
- Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord and shun evil. 8. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.
Humility is a further characteristic that is essential to living God’s way. Pride and arrogance lead to downfall, humility is healthy for daily life, indeed, even for physical well-being. How might dads help their children learn humility?
- Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10. then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Learning to manage finances is an essential life skill. The principle of giving first to God is well-established in Scripture. It is an act of trust in the One who supplies all our needs. “Give, and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38). It is a wonderful principle to learn early in life.
- My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12. because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
These verses are picked up and quoted by the writer of Hebrews in the New Testament (12:5,6). Discipline is essential to becoming self-disciplined. Life cannot be lived well without appropriate boundaries. Parents who are prepared to uphold the boundaries they establish for their children will see their children flourish.
Pentecost— Breath. Life. Fire.
Acts 2:1-21
June 9, 2019.
Breath is essential to life. When we breathe, we inhale oxygen to sustain and replenish our bodies.
The Holy Spirit is God’s breath, breathed into the first humans (Genesis 2:7), and breathed into us today.
As Jesus leaves, so the Holy Spirit comes....”unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you” (John 16:7)
As Jesus promised his disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans” (John 15:18).
In Pentecost we see:
THE FULFILMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES.
“In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all people...” (v 17, with quotation from prophet Joel).
Pentecost was always part of the plan. It is no accident, afterthought or spontaneous event. It is a further step in the unfolding of God’s plan of global redemption, Genesis to Revelation.
The presence of God could now be with each person, wherever they dwell upon the earth.
THE POWER OF GOD FOR EVERYONE.
See where the people came from (verses 8-11): all over the ancient world—Africa, Asia, Europe, as well as the Middle East.
Joel’s prophecy highlights the everyone: men and women, young and old, servants as well as sons and daughters. And it will all lead to people calling on the name of the Lord (v 21).
This is why mission is at the heart of who we are and what we do. What we have is for others, not to keep for ourselves.
How can we express this here in Somerville/Tyabb? Who is the ‘everyone’ God may be placing on your heart?
AN ACCESSIBLE GOD.
“we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues” (verse11).
The cross cultural challenge. Human cultures and languages vary enormously, but God seeks to communicate with people ‘in their own tongues’, in ways they can relate to and understand.
Hence the effort that goes in to translating scripture into other languages.
How can we ‘translate’ the gospel into the thought forms of people in our own culture today?
Prayer: for renewal and refreshment, for ourselves and others.
Palm Sunday
April 14, 2019
The attraction of power.
Kings (or Queens) are invested with power.
Power is attractive. The ability to control or organize others according to our wishes. Or according to our own version of what is best for them. Power so easily corrupts and blinds people to human need.
In Jesus we have:
THE TRIUMPHANT KING:
He comes into Jerusalem acclaimed. People throw down their cloaks to honour him and guard his path. Palm branches are waved (though not mentioned in Luke’s account!). He truly is the king and the Lord.
It matters not who wields earthly power: we have a supreme king. Our allegiance to earthly rulers is secondary to our allegiance to Him.
When you have no king before which to bow, we all become kings and queens with no higher authority than ourselves.
THE HUMBLE KING
Jesus reverses the power dynamic. He does not seek self-protection or preservation. He offers a new form of kingship, for a kingdom built in the heart, rather than a kingdom based on control.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8
It’s on this foundation that we are to live new lives which demonstrate the following: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others”. (Philippians 2:3,4)
We live not by the values of the world but the values of the kingdom.
The church is a signpost. Life this way. New kingdom over here.
It is not about us, or pointing to ourselves. It’s an invitation to others to be part of a journey, even as those first disciples followed Jesus. So, too, we follow this humble king.
What is the nature of true humility? In what ways may humility be misunderstood as weakness?
THE REJECTED KING
“If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace” (Luke 19:42).
Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem. They rejected him, and they rejected the path of peace. Hence Jerusalem was headed for further suffering.
In what sense does the rejection of Jesus impact people today in terms of the quest for peace?
What does it mean for you to welcome Jesus?
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Esther – ‘for such a time as this’.
Esther 4:9-17
Sunday March 24, 2019
St Andrew’s Somerville
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What’s the most socially turbulent time you’ve lived through?
What was required for you and others to survive that period? What did you discover about yourself?
The Story of Esther
Esther was a Jewish girl in Persia, some centuries before Christ. She was brought into the king’s harem, and the king decided she was his favourite. The Jews had an adversary called Haman, who was a chief assistant to the king, and who had trumped up charges to have them destroyed.
Esther’s cousin and guardian, Mordecai, alerted her to the situation and asked her to petition the king. He said she had been placed in this special position “for such a time as this”.
Esther invited Mordecai and the Jewish community to fast and pray for three days before she petitioned the king. For anyone who approached the king without being summoned, including the queen, they risked forfeiting their lives. But the stakes were high, and Esther famously says, “if I perish, I perish”.
The book of Esther raises the subject of how we interconnect with the world of power and politics, a world which is often hostile to God’s ways and God’s people. What does it mean to be faithful to walking the way of Jesus?
Some biblical principles:
- We are to pray for political leaders, we are to seek the best for the communities of which we are a part, whatever the culture, the location, the period of history. 1 Peter 2:13-17
- We are to stand for truth and justice, even when it is costly or even if it puts the church, or Christianity, in a bad light (as has happened recently). So, we welcome it when evil is brought into the light. John 3:19-21
- We are to understand that God often uses secular rulers, without them realizing it, as with the king in this instance. Isaiah 45:1 – also King Cyrus, of Persia, who allowed the Israelites to return from exile
- We are to affirm our primary identity as members of the body of Christ, as followers of Jesus Christ, whatever any ruler may think or say. There is a long tradition of Christian martyrdom, and it is still going on today. John 16:2
- Ultimate triumph—the book of Esther points forward to Christ’s unlikely triumph over the evil one.
ESTHER’S STORY – OUR STORY
Esther made a stand. Where do you need to make a stand?
In what ways are you prepared for future social turbulence or unrest?
How can we support and encourage one another in serving God at ‘such a time as this’?
Rahab
The power of helping
Sunday March 10
St Andrew’s Somerville
Joshua 2:1-24
When have you needed help? What’s been a critical time for you when a helping hand made all the difference?
From Moses, the biblical story moves to Joshua and the entrance of God’s people into the land of promise.
An unlikely key player in this was Rahab, the prostitute, who provided inside information about Jericho. She was a helper.
Rahab throws her future in with God’s people.
Rahab recognises the distinctiveness of the God of Israel: “for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below” (verse 11). She saw what others in Jericho didn’t.
Rahab chooses to be part of what God is doing in and through the Israelites, rather than the nation to which she belonged.
To throw our lot in with God’s people is a huge decision we make in life. Today we call God’s people ‘the church’.
Just as Christ rose from the grave, and weakness became strength, so the church may seem weak, but ultimately shares God’s victory.
What does it mean for you to belong to the church today?
Rahab is a helper. Discover the power of helping.
The scarlet cord—an invitation to shelter, a symbol of helping. Rahab was to leave the scarlet cord in her window, that she and her family might be spared when Jericho fell.
Our helping is grounded in God our Helper
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1,2
Consumers or Contributors?
Our society trains us to be consumers, in the endless search for self-fulfilment.
We are trained to look for ‘what we can get’ rather than ‘what we can give’.
How might we become ‘helpers’, in such a way that it becomes our natural orientation, not something which is a special effort or requires special thanks?
## This is the process of spiritual transformation that God is at work to do in our hearts.
What are/could be those spiritual practices which nurture your love for God and others?
‘I CAN’
The “Building Our Future Together” process (commenced last year) invited us all to be helpers.
It recognises that we can all do something, no matter how big or small.
For us as a church, what does it mean to develop a culture of helping? Where we say ‘WE CAN’ as opportunities open up to us?
Rahab’s Story/Our Story
Jesus says, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37). Look for those opportunities to help. Use the question, “How can I help?”
In this will God transform us.
Noah: a boat-builder where there is no water!
Genesis 6:9-22
St Andrews Somerville
Feb 17, 2019.
Remembering Black Saturday, ten years ago. Devastation can come in different forms, fire, flood, or the impact of war.
Here we have the story of a massive flood. The story of Noah provides a turning point. After Adam, sin and evil spread. By the time of Noah “the earth was corrupt and full of violence” (6:11). Earlier we are told, “every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” (6:5).
Two clear themes emerge:
- Evil is powerful, real and pervasive. Evil demands control and conformity, and entrenches power among the few, to the cost of the many. It comes in many forms, though is often hard to spot.
- God will judge evil. God doesn’t turn a blind eye, or minimise it. He judges evil, and the ‘evil one’ behind it. By so doing, God assures us that evil, no matter how powerful, will ultimately not have the final word.
NOAH—goes against the flow
There is one person who has not signed up for the violence of his day. That person is Noah. He is one man apart. One man who actually seeks to honour God (verse 9). One man, or woman, is enough. God can salvage the situation and give a fresh start.
So Noah can be rescued. But he has to do something. God does not send him a helicopter. He has to build a boat. A special kind of boat, an ark. It will be a place of refuge and of life. Noah, and his family, will come through the death that would otherwise engulf them.
Noah obeys. The power of radical obedience. Noah acted, “when warned about things not yet seen” (Hebrews 11:7). Obedience to God may often look like craziness to others.
What does radical obedience look like for you?
God’s plan to rescue humanity.
Noah and his family are rescued through the floodwaters. Noah and his family came through the waters of death, and were brought to dry ground. This points us to the work of Christ, and symbolised in baptism.
We saw last week that Adam’s rebellion brought death, but Christ’s obedience brought life. Here again, the events of Noah connect to God’s ultimate plan to rescue and to save.
The ark today—hop on board!
Consider:
In what sense might the church, functioning well, be something of an ‘ark’ in our world today?
What might it look like for us at St Andrew’s to create a community that truly provides this?
Stronger Together—the power of mutual encouragement.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Nov 18, 2018.
People desire to be ‘fully alive’. To have a sense of something bigger than themselves. This may be ‘spiritual’, or may be some other way of pursuing a sense of experiential fulfilment.
One psychologist expressed it in this way. Hierarchy of human needs (a famous graph by Maslow): we move from meeting basic (physiological) needs through to pursuing a greater sense of who we are and why we are here.
How do you see people looking for meaning today?
As Christians we have a special pathway to divine presence and fulfilment.
Hebrews tells us that Jesus has fulfilled our need for ACCESS to God (eg Heb 9:12): Therefore “we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus...” (v 19)
In view of this reality, we are urged do four things:
Note: we do these not just individually, but also together. We are stronger together.
- Let us draw near to God....(v22). This is why we gather to worship. It is one vital way in which we draw near to God. How might we encourage one another in being faithful in worship?
- Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess (v23). Faith can be eroded, by cultural trends and influences. We can drift into other paths. How might we encourage one another to hold fast to faith and truth?
- Let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds (v24). Love and good deeds don’t come easily. How might we spur one another? How might we work together in teams to live this out?
- Let us not give up meeting together...but encouraging one another...” (v25). It can seem like we are too busy to meet with others. The wisdom of this passage is that we need to actually meet with others, in person. Where do you meet with others? How might we encourage one another in small groups and other meeting places?
Finding Contentment
Sun October 7, 2018
St Andrew’s Somerville
Romans 13:8-10
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor “ (Deut 5:21)
Coveting looks with envy on what belongs to others. It feeds our desire for more.
An on-going cycle of desire:
Desires become our needs; our needs become our rights; our rights become our demands; our demands become our obsessions; our obsessions fuel further desires.
Where do we look for contentment?
Is meditation the answer? Is contentment a goal to be pursued for its own sake or a by-product of something more?
Covetousness and greed drive human behaviour.
Compare 1 Kings 21, the story of Naboth’s vineyard & King Ahab
Developing hearts of contentment:
Having God-shaped priorities. “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given you as well” (Matthew 6:33)
1 Timothy 6:6-10
Recognise the needs of your neighbour. “Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another” Romans 13:8
How can we foster a sense of neighbours and neighbourhood? How can the church be a good neighbour?
Be givers. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” John 15:13
The one exception! being discontented with injustice, poverty, and spiritual neglect.
Homecoming
- the return of the prodigal
Luke 15:11-32
St Andrew’s Somerville 2nd September 2018
This classic parable is the tale of a gracious and loving father. And two sons.
Number Two Son (the younger)
The younger son brings shame and dishonour on his family when he asks for his inheritance. It is as though he wished his father dead.
In wasting the money (‘prodigal’ means wasteful) he becomes friendless and destitute. He hungers among the pigs, the lowest of states for any Jewish man.
Where can he turn? After this total disgrace, there is no way he could return home. He is an outcast, a forgotten nobody, reaping what his deeds have sown. Or is he?
Could there be a chance of becoming a servant, a basic labourer? He remembers the servants in his father’s household, and wonders.
“When he came to his senses” (v17). His new thinking begins to lead to new action.
He rehearses what he will say to his father. He recognises he has sinned against God as well as family. Yet he finds the courage to head for home.
Yet the father who let him go, who let him have his way, is ready for when the change happens. He runs to welcome. This son, who was once lost is found, who was once dead is alive. “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10)
Number One Son—the elder
This parable is about the elder as much as the younger. He refuses to celebrate his brother’s return. It’s unfair. He is hard done by. He’s been dutiful and hard-working yet not received such celebrations.
The elder son represents the Pharisees, who were appalled by the way Jesus welcomed ‘sinners’ and ate with them (15:2).
They could not bring themselves to welcome those freely forgiven. For them, forgiveness was earned, salvation a work. They thought of themselves as better than others.
How does the father respond?
He invites the elder son into the party. It will be up to him whether or not he accepts the invitation, but it is there.
The Father
Perhaps, most of all, this parable is about the father. The father is a picture of God, wanting people to be restored, wanting there to be members of one family. Whether the rebellious son or the self-righteous son, both must ultimately tread the one path.
If we humble ourselves and turn to God, whoever we are, He will welcome us.
Which of the sons do we connect most with in this parable? What does it look like for us to humble ourselves and come to him?
Fathers today
The work of fathering continues today.
What might it look like? How can we reflect the love of the father in this story?
Finding Refreshment in a Frantic World
Ten Steps to the Good Life: Step 4
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
St Andrew’s 5th August, 2018
An image of modern living: have you ever felt like this hamster, trapped in an ever-spinning wheel from which there is no rest?
We live in a rest-less world, rather than a rest-full world.
“Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God....” (Deut 5:12)
God rested from His labours on the seventh day. He tells us we need to do the same.
The trouble with constant work and busyness:
- Constant work destroys life. It reduces us to instruments of production, like the Israelites in Egypt (Exodus 5) who were under continual pressure to meet their quota. It fractures community.
- Constant work is grounded in anxiety as to whether we will be provided for. Compare the provision of God (Matthew 6:25-33)
- Constant work feeds the desire for more and more (greed). How much is enough?
The blessing of Sabbath rest:
- It is a day of freedom. The Israelites were delivered from the bondage of constant work in the exodus from Egypt. The Sabbath frees us from the expectation to be always doing something. So....spend time doing something that refreshes you, a long walk in a forest or on the beach or with a book or.....
- It’s a day for community. The whole household, including the animals, ceased their labour! So....spend time with others, friends, neighbours, family, let there be laughter and celebration of God’s gift of life.....
- It’s a day for divine connection. When Moses asked Pharaoh to release the people, he said it was so they could go to the desert to worship (Exodus 5:1). So....prioritise gathering with your community of faith, expressing love for God and devotion to His work in the world.
The first three commandments are nurtured by Sabbath rest—no gods before him, not bowing to the idols of wealth and power, not misusing his name. The Sabbath rest then undergirds the following six, which highlight our love of neighbour.
Jesus says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28) —our Sabbath rest leads to Jesus Himself, who is Lord of the Sabbath.
Putting God first – July 22 @ St Andrew's
Deuteronomy 5:8-10
Step 2 of Ten Steps to the Good Life.
Have you ever been lost? Have you ever been into a maze and didn’t know which way to turn?
It can be very confusing. And scary.
We can also be lost in knowing what to think about life, about what matters, about who we are or what to worship. There are an overwhelming number of voices coming at us.
Commandment 2 tells us not to make idols out of the things that exist around us.
In summary it is saying we are to worship the Creator, not part of the creation. If we don’t worship the former, we will worship the latter.
We modern, secular westerners wouldn’t worship idols would we? We don’t believe in the old ancient gods of the past, do we? Well let’s consider four of those ancient gods:
- Mars—the Roman god of war. In what sense might we worship war or power or control today? Consider the extent of the global arms industry.
- Mammon—the glorification of wealth. Greed and devotion to wealth accumulation continues to drive human endeavour, being ‘idolised’ as the secret of happiness.
- Aphrodite—the goddess of erotic love. Consider the influence of pornography, the global abuse of women and children.
- Gaia—the earth goddess. She is being repackaged anew that we might foster a spiritual oneness with the earth.
Conclusion: we are as committed to idolatry as peoples of ancient times. These are idols because they take God’s good gifts: influence, resources, sex, and our natural world, and twist and distort them. They don’t lead to the good life. When they become first, they dehumanise us.
What other idols do you see today?
In Paul’s response to the idols of ancient Athens: Acts 17:24-28, he takes them back to the God who created everything and by whom all things exist. This is the One who is worthy of worship, and there is no image which can depict him.
The commandment adds further reasons for putting Him first:
- He is a jealous God. Jealous here means protective and desirous for our welfare, as parents may be jealous for their children, or a husband and wife for one another.
- Worshipping idols has consequences—which pass down “to the third and fourth generation” (verse 9). Idols hold us in bondage. When we worship idols, kids suffer.
- Worshipping God, putting Him first, also has consequences -“showing love to a thousand generations” (verse 10).
What does putting first things first look like for you?
What are the implications for the way we teach our children?
How can we recognise idolatry in our own lives, and how might the Holy Spirit help us to resist?
Living in Community
Mark 3:20-35
June 10 @ St Andrew’s
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (verses 24,25).
From last week, ‘jars of clay’ - reflections on human weakness, or ‘vulnerability’. Paul says, “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Context of today’s passage:
Growing opposition to the ministry of Jesus. His teaching and actions threatened the status quo. His Sabbath healings stirred the wrath of his opponents (Mark 3:6).
The teachers of the law come down from Jerusalem and declare that Jesus power is evil (verse 22). This is the ‘unforgiveable sin’ against the Holy Spirit (verse 29) - attributing to God what has come from the evil one himself (and is only unforgiveable for as long as that stance is maintained!).
Jesus indicates (by speaking of a house divided):
God is a God who fosters community:
The temptations to break unity are supernatural in an evil sense: Satan is an evil power who fosters division and accusation.
How do you see evil b at work in human affairs today? How might this interplay with human frailty or with totalitarian systems that would impose unity? How can unity and freedom work together?
Jesus sets up a new community:
- Jesus came to bind up the ‘strong man’ (Satan, verse 27). Jesus is plundering Satan’s house by setting people free from their diseases and bondages.
- Jesus came to broaden our understanding of FAMILY as the expression of God’s work across all people groups.
- Community is bigger than our earthly family. Jesus’ family has become disturbed about reports they are hearing and seek to ’take charge’ of him (verses 21, 31)
- Community represents a new kind of family: “whoever does God’s will is my brother, my sister, my mother” (verse 35)
What might be the tension points between earthly family and heavenly family?
How might we be committed to both? How might we interweave the two?
Furthermore,
Community, not conformity. We don’t all have to be the same, or think the same, or act the same. Though we are all called to follow Jesus the same! Jesus had a broad range of disciples, even among the twelve he appointed (verses 13-18).
He still does.
Coming alive to God
John 3:1-8
@ St Andrew’s, May 27, 2018
There is great excitement when a child is born. A new personality begins to make his or her mark, and changes forever the life of parents and others. It is to be celebrated.
Jesus says coming to life spiritually is also necessary. It is like being born for the second time. And it is also to be celebrated!
The Setting.
A man named Nicodemus, part of the Jewish ruling body, is curious about Jesus. He would like to know more, yet doesn’t know how to go about it.
He ventures out ‘at night’ to see Jesus for Himself.
Note: The value of curiosity!
exploring who Jesus is can seem like a crazy thing to do; you can be mocked for it; in many places it can also be a dangerous thing to do!
Nicodemus is curious: he recognises that Jesus is someone special—”no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (v 2).
Curiosity can lead to the discovery of new information.
How might we foster curiosity among others?
New information can call for new response and action.
That’s how it was for Nicodemus.
Jesus says to him directly, “no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again” (v 3).
Nicodemus is confused. He is thinking in literal terms. Physical birth can only happen once!
Yet Jesus has something else in mind. There is a spiritual birth.
Birth is what happens to you. You cannot orchestrate your own birth. But you can welcome it when it happens.
Jesus says it is the role of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to be the agent of this birth.
It is God Himself who brings us to birth—the first time, and the second time!
Welcoming the new birth.
This new information for Nicodemus left him with much to ponder.
This wasn’t about ‘following religion’ or ‘following rules’ (as was the Jewish heritage Nicodemus was familiar with), it was an invitation to embrace a new identity and a new reality, in Christ.
Baptism is a tangible sign of this new life: “we were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4).
The invitation.
The invitation remains. It’s an invitation to believe and receive.
Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me” (Revelation 3:20)
This is the gateway to life in the kingdom, to eternal life. There is no other way.
God of Fresh Starts
Acts 3:12-20 & Luke 19:1-10
St Andrew’s, April 15, ‘18.
Acts 3:19, in the light of the resurrection life of Jesus, invites us to repent, so that ‘times of refreshing’ may come from the Lord.
A PATTERN:
RESURRECTION >>> REPENTANCE >>> REFRESHING
The resurrection brings in a whole new age. Through the death and resurrection of Christ we live in the new world now. With new possibilities. Reality is not defined by, or confined to, what is reported by various media outlets, or the opinions of hosts or commentators. Resurrection defines the new reality in which we live. We are resurrection people.
To repent is to turn from self, and all that goes with it (pride, arrogance, idolatry, addiction, independence, wilfulness, deception, dishonesty, greed, manipulation.....all that is destroying us anyway!),
and turn to the living God.
Who is the living God?
The Jewish declaration (called ‘shema’): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4,5).
This recognised that, in contrast to the manifold gods of the time, there was no true God but the One revealed through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and who entered covenant with Israel at Mt Sinai.
This is the God who sent Jesus among us.
How does this pattern get reflected in the life of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)?
This is the famous story of a short man who had to climb a tree to see Jesus, when Jesus was passing through Jericho.
Zacchaeus was ostracised from the social life of his community. He had lots of money but no friends.
Jesus went to Zacchaeus house for a meal. Something happened around that table which transformed the life of this man. He repented. How do we know? Because we see a whole new attitude of generosity and restitution (verse 8).
Jesus declares that salvation has come to this house. Zacchaeus had a whole fresh start, times of refreshing.
In what way have you experienced a fresh start?
What is the toughest thing about having to repent?
How might God be calling you to live right now?
Living with Devotion
Psalm 119:1-24
March 18, 2018 @ St Andrew’s
We live in the age of distraction:
So much happening. So many choices. Our eyes wander. Our mind drifts. We are pulled from pillar to post.
Yet God has something more. He has called us to a loving intimacy with Him. Compare Mary anointing the feet of Jesus, John 12:1-4.
To live with devotion is to fix our gaze, rather than looking everywhere.. “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:2)
“...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Compare the blinkers on a race horse: “The primary reason is to keep the horse focused on the path ahead of him and limit his peripheral vision to avoid distractions”. We all need blinkers!
Psalm 119 invites us in, to transform our hearts with love. Love for God. Love for the word. Love for Jesus.
Three elements:
- 1. Recognising God's way is best for us (verses 1-8) This is not self-evident. Many people would say God’s ways are no longer relevant. What would you say to this? To recognise God’s way leads to obedience, to keeping His ways
- 2. Hiding the word in our hearts (verses 9-16). This section explores how the word gets into our hearts: by living in its ways (v 9); retelling it with our lips (v 13); rejoicing in it (v 14); and meditating on it (v 15).
In what ways do you find God’s word becomes part of you? Is there some way you can express from the ways listed above?
- Opening our eyes to see wonderful things
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (verse 18).
To see, our eyes need to be open. This Psalm encourages our focus on God’s word, ‘the law’. We will not see the wonders of what His word contains unless we ‘look’ with eyes wide open.
Response: What’s one extra way you could show devotion to God this week?
—- visit someone who needs it; memorise a verse of scripture to be hidden in your heart; skip a meal to remember to pray for a special need; make a special donation for mission or need; give thanks for particular blessings from God; share your testimony of God with a friend; other....
Living With Wonder - Psalm 8 - Sunday 18 February
“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
What’s the most wonder-full thing you have seen or experienced in your life?
Where do you most clearly see God’s glory?
Psalm 8 invites us to wonder.
Similar words to ‘Wonder’: Marvel. Sublime. Delightful. Awe-inspiring. Glorious. Magnificent. Fabulous. Amazing.
What words do you use to describe wonder?
Psalm 8 invites us to see God’s fingerprints, His handiwork, in the world around us.
Many people think that everything is here by a cosmic accident or freak of nature. What do you think? Where does the evidence point?
According to this Psalm, there are two ways in which God’s glory is revealed:
1. The nature of creation itself. “The moon and the stars which you have set in place”.
People in ancient times marvelled at ‘the heavens’ and the four seasons by which they lived and food was produced.
Sometimes this led to idolatry, the worship of these created things. By contrast, the Bible recognises our God as the creator God, that as wonderful as these things may be, they reflect the glory of the One who made them.
THE CHILDREN: This God is praised even by children and infants (verse 2), and that such praise was in some way powerful in countering the powers of darkness.
Jesus makes reference to this verse on Palm Sunday, when the children were declaring his praises (Matthew 21:16). They were not to be silenced.
How might we foster the praise of children today?
How might praise for God counter the work of evil?
2. The nature of human beings themselves. “you have crowned them with glory and honour”
This special nature of humanity is reinforced by the wonder of God coming among us in the flesh:
“he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness...” (Philippians 2:5-11).
Human life is affirmed and embraced as God’s supreme act. To these human beings is entrusted the care and responsibility for the rest of God’s earth: “you put everything under their feet” (verse 6).
What might be one way you could affirm the value of humanity at this time?
What might be one way you could care for God’s creation?
Sunday November 26
St Andrew’s Day
Who was Andrew? - The Link Man
What we know:
- One of the twelve.
- A fisherman.
- Formerly a disciple of John the Baptist.
- The brother of (Simon) Peter.
The gospel of John suggests one thing: he was good at linking people with Jesus.
There are three examples:
- “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).And he brought him to Jesus.” (John 1:40-42).
It is Andrew who links his own brother, Peter, with Jesus. What a lovely glimpse of brotherly love and influence!
- “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish” (John 6:8,9).
This is the occasion of the feeding of the 5,000. Where can food be found? Well, Andrew has been observant. He sees a boy who has his own lunch. Perhaps he had talked to him and asked if he was willing to share it. Even though it appeared very inadequate for the needs, he links this boy, and his lunch, with Jesus, and a great miracle results.
It’s interesting how Andrew played a positive role in feeding lots of people that day. I wonder how we can make those links and connections that enable gifts to be offered and people to be fed?
- “Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival.They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus”. (John 12:20-22)
Once more we see Andrew as a link in a chain. On this occasion, some Greek people (who were Gentiles/non Jews, from the Greece/Turkey region of today), were curious about Jesus. Philip tells Andrew (did he want Andrew’s help and support as a good link man?) and in turn they take the request to Jesus.
Although we know little of Andrew, what we do know paints quite a picture. He connected and linked people. He opened pathways for people to encounter Jesus. He was faithful in doing so, time and again.
As the church of St Andrew, I wonder what this means for our life and mission?
How might we be ‘link people’?
How can we invite people into some experience of Jesus Christ and the community of His people?
Sunday November 19 :
'The Quest' is our theme for Sunday congregations, exploring the quest we all have as people, to know who we are and why we are here. Thankfully, it can be a quest which leads us to real answers.
Sunday October 29: Today’s church, tomorrow’s world.
Big topic at our congregations this Sunday:
The future of the church will determine the future of the world, for God is at work through the church, His people, to bring new life and hope to all people everywhere.
We will remembering the plight of many Christian peoples around the world and the work done by Barnabas Fund to encourage prayer and practical help.
We welcome you at either our 8.30 or 10.30 congregations.
New shoots: signs of growing in God.
St Andrew’s Somerville, Oct 22, 2017
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
How are you feeling?
That’s the question we often use.
Indeed, much of life today highlights how we feel and what we experience as what really counts.
Yet feelings and experiences are not all there is. Often they are fleeting or even illusory.
What better signposts than feelings might there be that we are on the right road, the road of following Christ?
Paul explores this question as he writes to this new church, the Thessalonians, whom he says are “IN God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 1).
When Paul considers these believers from Thessalonica, he doesn’t inquire as to their feelings, rather, he recognises three ways in which their faith is evidenced in practice. He gives thanks for (verses 2,3):
- “Your work produced by faith”
- “your labour prompted by love”
- “Your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ”
Note how faith, love and hope have led to the outcomes of work, labour and endurance.
Context of Thessalonians:
This church was birthed in the midst of suffering and trial. Acts 17:1-9 shows the extent of opposition, with city-wide riots and Paul and Silas escaping by night.
The gospel came to the Thessalonians, “not simply with words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction” (verse 5), for they welcomed the message “in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit (verse 6).
“Deep conviction” - a vital ingredient, knowing the truth of what you believe, whatever the circumstances or current feelings.
The Thessalonians were not ‘fair-weather’ followers, they were tough.
How about us?
Are we happy to follow Christ when all is going well?
What about during difficult times?
The Power of Mentoring
The Thessalonians became ‘imitators’ of Paul and of the Lord (v6), and in so doing, became a ‘model’ (or ‘example’) to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia (verse 7, that is, largely the area we call Greece today).
We need both—there are others we need to follow (imitate), and we need to become someone that others can follow (model).
How might we also mentor one another?
Reflect: If someone followed you around everywhere for a whole week, what kind of picture of the Christian life would they have?
Vital Church series, week 3, Sunday 24th September
Equipping for Service
This week we considered what it means to serve. The call of Jesus is not to be passive or apathetic, but active and involved. All of us have something to share, gifts and talents to be used to bring blessing to others. It doesn't matter who we are, all we need is a willing heart.
Vital Church series, week 2, Sunday 17th September
Keeping Faith Fresh
Ephesians 1:15-22
Belief systems in today’s world are very contested.
The most powerful belief system is CONSUMERISM: we were made to consume things! In that consumption is life– whatever we want, whenever we want it!
That’s a very powerful belief system. It can lead us to think we don’t need to worry about God, unless we need him!
The world disciples us and our children into consumerism, and does and does so very powerfully.
So, in the light of this,
* How can we go the distance as followers of Christ?
* How can we keep loving God passionately?
* How can we survive the afflictions and distractions of life and keep our faith fresh?
Story: the big sequoia & foot traffic!
Vital churches are built on lively and vibrant personal faith in the living God.
This is the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians, for whom he gives thanks….
* that they may have the Spirit of wisdom and revelation;
* that they may know God better;
* that they may know the hope of their calling;
* that they may know the riches of their inheritance, and the incomparably great power available to them (1:15-19).
In other words, he wants them to be strong and vital in faith for both the present and the future, to know our God better, more deeply, than they do now.
How can we do this? How can we help our children to do this? How can we build depth and strength of faith in ourselves and others?
My appeal is this:
Read your Bible. Get it off the shelf and find a way to get it into daily usage. The Bible is our food. Feed yourself. Feed yourself with the rich food that the Bible offers. No other food will sustain you.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”.
There are plenty of reasons we give for not reading it: it’s hard to read; I don’t have time; I don’t know where to start; I find it hard to understand; I’ve read it once before, the dog chewed it, etc, etc,
The benefits of regular Bible reading.
- It shapes our minds with a diet of truth;
- It helps us discern wisdom and make wise decisions;
- It helps us see through the deceptive belief systems of the world;
- It helps shape us in right behaviour;
- It keeps us focused on what matters most;
- It helps protect us from the evil one;
- It builds character, strengthens marriage bonds, nurtures a strong sense of identity;
- It strengthens us in the face of trials, persecutions and suffering.
And, it keeps our faith fresh!
So, how might we build the habits and disciplines that will make us strong and keep us strong?
What will this look like for you?
Sunday 10th September - first week of 'Vital Church' series
Today’s focus is on the fundamental unity of the church in Jesus Christ, where we are called to love one another as Christ has loved us. That’s not wishy washy, that’s sacrificial and costly love. How that looks in practice is for us to work out.
Ephesians 4 gives us a window into what that looks like.
Community is built on healthy relationships (verses 1-3)
Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. We are urged to live this way, for it is not always easy or natural, even though we have the Holy Spirit. Here Paul gives a number of characteristics:
“The five foundation stones of Christian unity” (John Stott):
Humble and gentle, patient, bearing with one another, in love. There are five characteristics mentioned in that one verse. Let’s focus on them briefly.
Community is grounded in the oneness of God Himself (verses 4-6)
- Embraces the totality of life – “over all and through all and in all” (v^)
- “there CAN only be one Christian family, only one Christian faith, hope and baptism, and only one Christian body, because there is only one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (John Stott)
The future is dependent upon our capacity to rediscover Christian community. Our society has fragmented, yet people are looking for community in all sorts of places. The hotel over the road, shopping centres, libraries, sporting clubs, etc, but there is no substitute to the community of Jesus Christ, which alone is eternal.