New life in Christ for every Christian is a Spirit-animated life. It is no longer just a biochemical reaction, no longer just to consume. It is filled with God given purpose, and God given enabling and ability to strive towards that purpose.
The important words are often the little words. In Paul's letter it is quite clear that each one has a part to play. The Spirit gifting is not just for a select few or for some keenies, but for every believer. The parts will of course be different, and operate to varying degrees, but all have a role nonetheless.
The other important phrase in this passage is for the common good. The Spirit enables for God's purposes that build up everyone and reach out. As a church we want to take this God given life out across the city - God will do this by His Spirit working in each and every one of us.
You may feel God cannot possibly work through them, perhaps looking at how you have messed up so much in the past. Yet it is not about you, nor your mess. God has already come down in Jesus Christ to put that right, allowing the people of the day to consume and discard him, but in so doing setting down life as we know it. God raised this Jesus to new life: a Spirit-animated life which we can all now participate in.
Our past mistakes, the brokenness and fractures that result from them are all taken on that same cross. If we are prepared to let him, that old way of life can be washed away, drowned, lost for good. It is replaced by new life, with the Spirit working in us, giving us a whole new perspective, a purpose. Not just for us to feel better about ourselves, but to help restore a hurting world.
Sunday, 1 June 2014
Sunday, 25 May 2014
Love - 1 Cor 13
The way of Christ is the way of love, and is the 'most excellent way'. It lays down human strength and power. It waits for God to raise up.
Human strength will bash its way through, drawing attention to itself, boasting and being proud. It will pick on weaknesses, re-surfacing past incidents in the other and capitalising on opportunity to do the other down. It will quickly and easily flare up, horns ready to be locked in combat.
Even apparently helping and serving others can carry these traits of human strength, undermining the very thing being offered. With such traits operating underneath the way of love is not seen.
Yet with all our pretence laid down, with kindness patiently holding out for the best in others, looking for truth, hoping and persevering for what surely 'can be' with God, the way of love becomes visible. God and the love that He had for the world that caused Him to come down, to die, to be raised to new life, is brought into view through our own actions.
This way of love is the most excellent way. It does not fail.
Human strength will bash its way through, drawing attention to itself, boasting and being proud. It will pick on weaknesses, re-surfacing past incidents in the other and capitalising on opportunity to do the other down. It will quickly and easily flare up, horns ready to be locked in combat.
Even apparently helping and serving others can carry these traits of human strength, undermining the very thing being offered. With such traits operating underneath the way of love is not seen.
Yet with all our pretence laid down, with kindness patiently holding out for the best in others, looking for truth, hoping and persevering for what surely 'can be' with God, the way of love becomes visible. God and the love that He had for the world that caused Him to come down, to die, to be raised to new life, is brought into view through our own actions.
This way of love is the most excellent way. It does not fail.
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Wisdom of Christ - Teaching Resources
Here is the full resource pack of teaching resources on Love, Spiritual Gifts, Leadership, Giving and New Life New Lifestyle that were used with this the Wisdom of Christ Part II message.
Wisdom of Christ - Part 2 - 2 Cor 1:3 - 11
Last week we considered the incredible power dynamic that God uses: laying down power in human terms - going even to death on a cross - for God to raise up again. This confounding principle runs through both letters and is seen here in the first chapter of the second letter, only this time seemingly in Paul's own life.
Paul talks of sharing in the sufferings of Christ for the benefit of the Corinthian Christians and others, and yet also the comfort from God. Paul is no stranger to hardship. Later in the letter he will spill out a whole list of times, many of which taking him close to death.
Yet each time God brought him through, and Paul is convinced that it all has a purpose: to show the world the power of God. Paul is a living parable, a story-told-through-life, telling the story of power-laid-down-for-God-to-raise over and over. This is for the benefit of others, so that they may come to believe. They can then share in the sufferings too, i.e. also become living parables.
So the Key Qn introduced last week remains pertinent. If we are not prepared to lay things down, even through suffering, we will not be able to live the story, and thus not tell the story.
This is why this principle underpins every aspect of teaching we can get from these important letters. Whether it is love, spiritual gifts, giving, leadership, or living the 'new life' in Christ, all of it is informed by this same principle of life laid down for God to raise. For it is in this principle that the power of God is revealed, i.e. the ability to 'get things right' in all the various departments of Christian life.
Paul talks of sharing in the sufferings of Christ for the benefit of the Corinthian Christians and others, and yet also the comfort from God. Paul is no stranger to hardship. Later in the letter he will spill out a whole list of times, many of which taking him close to death.
Yet each time God brought him through, and Paul is convinced that it all has a purpose: to show the world the power of God. Paul is a living parable, a story-told-through-life, telling the story of power-laid-down-for-God-to-raise over and over. This is for the benefit of others, so that they may come to believe. They can then share in the sufferings too, i.e. also become living parables.
So the Key Qn introduced last week remains pertinent. If we are not prepared to lay things down, even through suffering, we will not be able to live the story, and thus not tell the story.
This is why this principle underpins every aspect of teaching we can get from these important letters. Whether it is love, spiritual gifts, giving, leadership, or living the 'new life' in Christ, all of it is informed by this same principle of life laid down for God to raise. For it is in this principle that the power of God is revealed, i.e. the ability to 'get things right' in all the various departments of Christian life.
Sunday, 11 May 2014
The Wisdom of Christ - Part 1 1 Cor 1:18-2:5 and 2 Cor 10:1-18
The King of Denmark stands out in World War II as one who quietly defied the Germans, by riding un-guarded through Copenhagen each day, and by suggesting that should the Jews be required to wear badges then all Danish people should wear the same badge too. This was simple non-violent opposition, laying down power.
This and other examples echo the principle Paul writes of in Corinthians: that God came down and allowed himself to be taken to death, even death on a cross, to be raised again by God alone. This is the power of God - totally different to the power of the world.
Its a nonsense message for most ('foolishness' 1:18). For Greeks and Jews alike it just didn't compute. Today, for Secularists and Muslims to name a few, it also simply does not add up. Yet this is the power of God all the same. So much so that Paul resolved to nothing but this power (2:2). He didn't need clever words, just this basic power (2:4-5).
We too must return to this principle in our churches. Like us the Corinthian church had various issues - the pair of letters makes this clear! Yet see Paul's approach - in the 2nd letter he appeals with the 'meekness and gentleness of Christ' (10:1). He will not use the world's ways, but instead looks again to the power of God, i.e. the power of Christ crucified-yet-raised (10:3-4).
Rather than wading in with fists, law-suits, tribunals, or plain institutional authority, he lays his apostleship on the line, seemingly prepared to give it all up ... in the hope that the church members can be 'built up' rather than torn down (10:8). Don't forget Paul had every right to lay into them, but instead he lays down his right to power.
We must surely do this too. Its not about appearances (10:7), or cleverness. In fact as per the 1st letter chapter 1 God is pleased to use the 'lowly, despised' for His work (1:26,28). So no matter how uneducated, how messed up you feel, you have a role to play. God laid down everything for you, so that you can be raised with Him in His purposes. Hence the key question:
Key Qn: [UP] Where is God calling you to lay things down and trust Him?
Key Challenge: Offer to pray for someone, knowing the power is from God
Let us resolve to know nothing but God's power made available through Christ crucified and then raised. Paul urged the Corinthians to be a spent people, lives laid down for others. Let us be the same for Ely and whoever we meet. As we encounter people, we do not bring our CV, our cleverness, our strength ... but our own experience of the risen Christ. We can offer this for people, praying in their situation to know this same power - the power of the Spirit made available when human power is laid down.
This and other examples echo the principle Paul writes of in Corinthians: that God came down and allowed himself to be taken to death, even death on a cross, to be raised again by God alone. This is the power of God - totally different to the power of the world.
Its a nonsense message for most ('foolishness' 1:18). For Greeks and Jews alike it just didn't compute. Today, for Secularists and Muslims to name a few, it also simply does not add up. Yet this is the power of God all the same. So much so that Paul resolved to nothing but this power (2:2). He didn't need clever words, just this basic power (2:4-5).
We too must return to this principle in our churches. Like us the Corinthian church had various issues - the pair of letters makes this clear! Yet see Paul's approach - in the 2nd letter he appeals with the 'meekness and gentleness of Christ' (10:1). He will not use the world's ways, but instead looks again to the power of God, i.e. the power of Christ crucified-yet-raised (10:3-4).
Rather than wading in with fists, law-suits, tribunals, or plain institutional authority, he lays his apostleship on the line, seemingly prepared to give it all up ... in the hope that the church members can be 'built up' rather than torn down (10:8). Don't forget Paul had every right to lay into them, but instead he lays down his right to power.
We must surely do this too. Its not about appearances (10:7), or cleverness. In fact as per the 1st letter chapter 1 God is pleased to use the 'lowly, despised' for His work (1:26,28). So no matter how uneducated, how messed up you feel, you have a role to play. God laid down everything for you, so that you can be raised with Him in His purposes. Hence the key question:
Key Qn: [UP] Where is God calling you to lay things down and trust Him?
Key Challenge: Offer to pray for someone, knowing the power is from God
Let us resolve to know nothing but God's power made available through Christ crucified and then raised. Paul urged the Corinthians to be a spent people, lives laid down for others. Let us be the same for Ely and whoever we meet. As we encounter people, we do not bring our CV, our cleverness, our strength ... but our own experience of the risen Christ. We can offer this for people, praying in their situation to know this same power - the power of the Spirit made available when human power is laid down.
[UP] Where is God calling you to lay things down and trust Him?
Key Challenge: Offer to pray for someone, knowing the power is from God
Monday, 28 April 2014
New Series for this Term
Studying in 1 and 2 Corinthians: "Key Values - Learning from Paul's dialogue with the Corinthian Christians"
Read two chapters a week starting this weekend - through 1 Corinthians first and then the 2nd letter. With a couple of break weeks you will be done by the end of August.
The teaching will be picking themes, which draw from both letters together.
Read two chapters a week starting this weekend - through 1 Corinthians first and then the 2nd letter. With a couple of break weeks you will be done by the end of August.
The teaching will be picking themes, which draw from both letters together.
Sunday, 27 April 2014
Pots of Joy - Luke 24
Easter encapsulates the full range of emotions. For example see things from the viewpoint of Mary (mother of Jesus) - the pain and anguish of seeing her son killed, the confusion of his claims seeming to have come to nothing. Then she is met with an awesome sight on the Sunday morning, finding the tomb without the body yet a radiant angel telling her 'He is not dead, but alive!'. With tears of confusion and yet joy she tries to tell the others that Jesus is alive.
Our culture offers us many things or experiences that claim to give us joy. What in reality brings absolute joy? Is it that bigger house, the new car, the promotion?
The irony in the gospels is that the reality of Jesus being alive was right there in front of them, yet at first they completely missed it! Jesus stood in front of the Mary Magdalene, walked with the pair on the Emmaus road and then stood in a room among the disciples.
Yet when the reality hit the over-riding emotion for all of them is joy. Not a momentary joy, not something that they just consumed and was then gone - but a joy that would last.
The Emmaus road pair realised that their 'hearts burned with joy' because Jesus had been with them. Thats a joy that their hearts could pump through their veins, filling their whole being so that whatever bad times may come (and they surely did) they could now respond differently, bearing the joy of the risen Lord.
Many since have had the same experience - Wesley famously wrote in his journal that his 'heart was strangely warmed'. This is not a consumer experience, but a life-changing lasting reality.
We become infectious when we let that over-spill. Who needs a script when we are simply filled head to toe so it just oozes out of us? Our current key question and challenge are:
Key Challenge: Use the Try Praying booklet and then give it away
If the reality of Jesus being alive has been injected into our hearts, if the indescribable joy that goes with this truth is flowing through our veins, then we should find ourselves naturally shining, able to tell the story, and encourage others to meet the risen Lord for themselves.
Our culture offers us many things or experiences that claim to give us joy. What in reality brings absolute joy? Is it that bigger house, the new car, the promotion?
The irony in the gospels is that the reality of Jesus being alive was right there in front of them, yet at first they completely missed it! Jesus stood in front of the Mary Magdalene, walked with the pair on the Emmaus road and then stood in a room among the disciples.
Yet when the reality hit the over-riding emotion for all of them is joy. Not a momentary joy, not something that they just consumed and was then gone - but a joy that would last.
The Emmaus road pair realised that their 'hearts burned with joy' because Jesus had been with them. Thats a joy that their hearts could pump through their veins, filling their whole being so that whatever bad times may come (and they surely did) they could now respond differently, bearing the joy of the risen Lord.
Many since have had the same experience - Wesley famously wrote in his journal that his 'heart was strangely warmed'. This is not a consumer experience, but a life-changing lasting reality.
We become infectious when we let that over-spill. Who needs a script when we are simply filled head to toe so it just oozes out of us? Our current key question and challenge are:
[OUT] How can you share the story of Jesus' death & resurrection with others?
If the reality of Jesus being alive has been injected into our hearts, if the indescribable joy that goes with this truth is flowing through our veins, then we should find ourselves naturally shining, able to tell the story, and encourage others to meet the risen Lord for themselves.
Sunday, 20 April 2014
[OUT] How can you share the story of Jesus' death & resurrection with others?
Key Challenge: Use the Try Praying booklet and then give it away!
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Be Prepared - Luke 12:35 - 48
We all make special preparations for an important visitor, getting everything ready and in order ... hopefully with time to spare so that when the doorbell rings we can show our guests straight in.
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