"The Higher Road; Dealing With Conflicts"

Pastor Andrew Lim

19th December 2010

1 Corinthians 6:1-11: If one of you has a dispute with a fellow-Christian, how dare he go before heathen judges instead of letting God's people settle the matter? Don't you know that God's people will judge the world? Well, then, if you are to judge the world, aren't you capable of judging small matters? Do you not know that we shall judge the angels? How much more, then, the things of this life! If such matters come up, are you going to take them to be settled by people who have no standing in the church? Shame on you!

Surely there is at least one wise person in your fellowship who can settle a dispute between fellow-Christians. Instead, one Christian goes to court against another and lest unbelievers judge the case!
The very fact that you have legal disputes among yourselves shows that you have failed completely. Would it not be better for you to be wronged? would it not be better for you to be robbed?

Instead, you yourselves wrong one another and rob one another, even your own brothers! Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God's Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves-- none of these will possess God's Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

*Each of us are called to take the higher road
*Not only are we to do good to others but to be good
*We must act sacrificially and that is the higher road
*We all have different conflicts with work, relationships, even in church
*To solve conflicts, we should just avoid it but we are called to take the higher road
*Tho this may sound logical, is it what God wants?
*The opposite of conflict is peace
*There is so many conflicts in church in the New Testament
*Romans 16:17: I urge you, my brothers; watch our for those who cause divisions and upset people's faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them!

* In every conflict Paul encountered, he did not address the issue because he focused on reconciliation. The bigger picture of love and unity

*v7-8 The very fact that you have legal disputes among yourselves shows that you have failed completely. Would it not be better for you to be wronged? would it not be better for you to be robbed? Instead, you yourselves wrong one another and rob one another, even your own brothers!

*It is already an utter failure if the conflict remains unresolved or when we focus on our own justice, we think we are always right
*We should solve the conflicts we have with each other before going to other people for help

*Matthew 5:38: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too.

*One party must try to go to the higher road, to allow them to slap the other cheek, then conflicts can be solved.
*If both Christians can't solve a conflict, our faith has gone fundamentally wrong
*Jesus did not retaliate but suffered in Christ
*It is better to take the higher road than be a negative witness for Christ
*What about justice?

*Romans 12:19: Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, "I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord."


*It is not our job to seek vengence
*God will avenge in His timing
*If we turn the other cheek out of love, we will do so cheerfully, lovingly and there will be no room for inner conflicts.

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

The Greatest Gift Yet To Be Opened?

Pastor Ricky Ho

2 Corinthians 9:15: Let us thank God for his priceless gift!

12.12.2010

*Christmas is a time of giving
*One gift that fits all is Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour
*The Gift we all need, the most valuable gift of all, is that baby in the manger
*We shouldn't just give leftover gifts to the needy
*Christmas is a time to remember this indescribable gift
*The giver is important to thank God with
*The Christmas story tells of God's gift of his son to save all people from sin and lostness fits all, for all need to be saved
*This one gift fits all because:
1. This is God's gift
2. This Gift is glorious
3. This Gift is generous

1. *Scripture- God is mentioned almost a dozen times as the wellspring form whom all our ability to provide, to give thanks, and to be generous comes.
*We have at our disposal all of God's power
*Let us remember the quality of the true gift and the true meaning of Christmas
*In God's eternal plan, there is faith, repentance, salvation, eternal life, and the presence of the Holy Spirit

2. Greek word translated 'indescribable' can be translated as meaning unspeakable or inexpressible
*In everything we do, we thank God
*God, in Christ, did something beyond human comprehension and understanding or ability to express
*His Gift is beyond the capacity of human words to describe or express
*God can use ordinary men as an instrument for the glory of God

3. Men can be so cruel without the grace of God but Jesus Christ compressed all our sins to the cross
*God is marvelous
*It is a gift that could originate only in the mind of God
*God's gift is completely out of his grace and is given without regard to the receiver's worth
v15: Let us thank God for his priceless gift!

*John 3:16: For God so love the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life.

* We should relate this relevant verse everyone remembers
*God is not deaf. God knows the no of hairs in our heads, every minute detail and yet, he gave us his own gift.
*It is a gift of eternal value and is absolutely unobtainable under any circumstances except by freely receiving it from God by his grace.
*This gift is the amazing grace of God

Conclusion
*Many of us have been receiving the gift but keeps it in the shelf
*This Christmas should be a time of reflection
*Take him in your life today
*What better season to renew our peace and love with Jesus Christ


**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

No Hesitant!

Let us walk in the light of the Lord


-Isaiah 2:5-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

You Better Watch Out...

Sun 5th December 2010

Mark Broadbent

JESUS VS SANTA

For years parents have been threatening their kids that they better be good because Santa is coming. A lot of people feel the same way about God. But what if the story was completely different? What if Jesus came for people regardless of whether they've been naughty or nice?

*Luke 2:8-14: And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."


*"Do not be afraid." Whatever that is making you fear, sin in the past or the present, we got to take it away because God is not coming for your sin.
*You can't be the person you want to be or be the person that other people wants us to be
*God is just not a number of infinite forgiving person but he gave us a SAVIOUR
*We are uncondemnable
*He is not just a life coach but a Saviour that saved us
*We have to self-check whether is it us getting the glory or is God getting the deserved glory
*Our relationship is evaluated with how much we need him rather than how much we serve him
*People do what they want to do
*If we need God's grace, all we need is need, all we need is nothing
*The Christian life is not only to be good but to develop a relationship with Jesus
*We need Jesus to come into our lives and be transformed.

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Come

Jesus taught them saying, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."


-Matthew 11:28-30-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Shaken NOT!

Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.


-Psalm 125:1-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Jesus Taught

Jesus taught his disciples saying, "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."


-Matthew 21:22-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

The Lord Alone

In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.


-Isaiah 45:24-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Jesus Sent Them Out On Short-Term Missions

Andrew Mayne

28 November 2010

Luke 9:1-6: When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: "Take nothing for the journey- no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.


Reasons for mission
*The reason we are still called for mission is that God knew about viral long before You Tube was invented
*If you want something to be long term, we need to invest deeply into that
*Everyone goes through a first time and Jesus gets it
*He can do anything at its best. He could talk about God because He knows God so well, He is God
*Sharing of Jesus cannot just remain in Him so He takes the risk, we are the risk. So he send the 12.

John 14:12: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.


*Prayer of God is filled with grace, unfailing love, and peace
*The peace they can find if they put their trust in Jesus
*Every time we take Jesus in our context, many people will get to know Jesus
*We will see greater things when we invest our lives to people

1. Mission is God's Plan
*The good news to save and seek the lost
*God uses ordinary people to take the challenge

2. Mission is not something we graduate from but its a commitment, a journey


3. Mission is about messy people who offers grace and mercy to messy people
*Most of us are messy people. We realize that God's love is sufficient
*Most of us stay within the comfort zone. Mission is about going out of our comfort zone to bring people to know Jesus

Tools Of Mission
*The power we have in mission is the message, not the props
*Jesus told them not to take anything and go preach because to take something can be a distraction
*Marketing asks us to get a crappy product and promote it in a way that is good and beneficial for you
*Jesus said "We don't need props, just the message"
*We as the church will never succeed if we try and grow bigger, broader and more impressive
*It will succeed when it shows more compassion, less discrimination, gives generously, loves more, forgives better, less exclusive and many more because that is the message of the kingdom, that is what God want us to do
*We should give our best
*Grace does not make sense when we feel we are suppose to pay back
*There should be the willingness of people to share and the willingness to open and hear the message

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Before You Could Open Your Mouth...

"Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear, " declares the LORD.


-Isaiah 65:24-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Refresh My Heart

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint," says the Lord.


-Jeremiah 31:25-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Afraid?

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.


-Psalm 118:6-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Say with Confidence!

So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"


-Hebrews 13:6-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Its All Up To You

I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted, O Lord.


-Job 42:2-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Jesus Intentionally Did Life With Them

John Sweetman

21st November 2010

Question 1 : What was Jesus doing with his mates?
Question 2: What did he want to prove or what message did he want to pass?

Luke 5:27-32
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Luke 6:1-5
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions. Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."

1. Pick up ears of corn to eat
2. There is flexibility and change

Luke 7:11-17
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out--the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her, When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I saw to you, get up!" The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
They were filled with awe and praised God."A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

1. He was wondering in Nain
2. Showing the power and magnitude of God

Luke 8:1-3
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

*Jesus did not invest in guys alone but women too
*Women were buying food but tagging along with Jesus as well

Luke 8:22-25
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."

1. Sail in the sea
2. Learning partly who Jesus is and the importance of faith

Luke 9:10-11
When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

1. Encourage, spend time with his disciples
2. It is important to get away but when theres a need, we need to attend to it

Luke 9:18-22
One when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."
"But what about you?" he asked, "Who do you say I am?"
Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone, And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day raised to life."

1. Praying with his disciples
2. Explaining his purpose, the gospel which they will get later after Jesus is crucified

Jesus did life with his disciples
-spent time with them
-talked to them
-encouraged them
-believe in them
-discipled them
-showed them
-challenged them
-supported them
-helped them

What God did with His disciples was very usual- we spend time and groom each other

What makes doing life with others difficult?
-Spending time
-Teaching
-Encouraging
-Believing in
-Disciplining
-Showing
-Challenging
-Supporting

We have now live independent, private lives

The Big 3 Challenges
1. Privacy
*We are so busy doing things
*What did Jesus do when the Sun sets?
They hang out, sharing, talking with each other

2. Pressure


3. Face of change
*If we keep doing the same things, we will look to our elders (who are the most experienced)
*If we change and keep up with the workd, we will look to the youth who are always updated
*We do stuff, learn from them

Rapid pace of change
*If we don't do life together (individualism), does it really matter?

The Consequences
-Lack of accountability
*which can be dangerous
-Lack of character
*we learn character by sharing lives with people
-Lack of growth 
*Spiritual
-Lack of security 
*We have a lot of questions about ourselves.
*This proves that we need God but God is remote so we need someone to reassure us.
-Lack of understanding
-Lack of wisdom
-Lack of knowing grace
*We experience grace with those around us

*We need to be intentional to make friends and keep connected

The Call
-Find spiritual friends 
*Honest and real to discuss
-Disciple
*We need to do share our lives with other people and teach other people
-Be Discipled
*People younger or older that has been into a deeper journey to advice and support
*To give a little bit of wisdom
*Find some deep spiritual to help us

The foundation was His message, doing in the lives of his disciples
*We need to invest our life with others



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Where are the Leaders?

Ps Wilson

Hope Brisbane

21st November 2010

*Judges 6:11-17: The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."
"But sir," Gideon replied, "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, "Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel our of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
"But Lord, " Gideon said, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that is it really you talking to me.


*We need to know other cultures to connect with them
*We need leaders to step up and grow
*The key or solution is the church
*God was looking for a deliverer - Gideon

1. Challenge of the Survivor (v11)
*Why is Gideon threshing wheat in the winepress to keep him from the Midianites?
*Do we feel that sometimes we do things just to get through the day? That was Gideon.
*The last thing on our mind is to take on more leadership roles
*When everyone wants to survive, there will be no leaders
*If we do things the same way, nothing is going to change
*Nothing will be done if we just talk about it

Ways to help us rise up!
2. The Power of New Perspectives (v12-16)
*Our perspective is so important. The word of God changes our perspective
*If we don't believe, we don't claim
*Many Christians don't know the benefits of Christianity
*God wants us to understand what he really wants
*What we fail to believe is often what we fail to have

Our Perspective of God (v13,16)
*Luke 12:6-7: Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

*Matthew 9:36: When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

*God speak to Gideon and change his perspective

Our Own Perspective (v14,16)
*Many lives are simply stuck in the land of survival simply because of a poor self image
*People often remain in poverty and disempowerment, not because they lack opportunities but because they lack the right perspective
*The word of God can help them gain a good perspective of themselves
*Judges 6:12: When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."


3. The Effect of Divine Encounter (v16-17)
Fresh Purpose (v16)
*Something was happening to Gideon
*He did not say "not me" (to reject) but he said "wait"
*If we don't allow God's perspective to touch our perspective, there will be no change
*Gideon's perspective began to change
*Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

*God wants to reprogram our old stories which says we can't do certain things

Fresh Favour (v17)
*We think we can rise up because God is not there, but God is here
*We should rise up in all forms for our churches, communities and reach a legacy.



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Commitment

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.


-Proverbs 16:3-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

-Philippians 4:4-9-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Day and Night Watcher

The Lord watches over you--
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, 
nor the moon by nigt.
The Lord will keep you from all harm--
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.


-Psalm 121:5-8-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Jesus Taught Them To Spend Time With God

Sunday November 14

Dan Harding

*Christians think that prayer is very natural, but most of us has a time in our life where you read in the bible that prayer is very easy and directional and we can grow with God through prayer. But...it is not that easy
*Some of us hear directly from God and answered prayers
*Some of us will grow stronger in our relationship with God
*We think that prayer is easy but we have exams to study, kids filling your time, we are exhausted and busy!
*Praying and spending time with God just doesn't fit in our lives
*Most of us are just lazy
*If your struggling in fitting prayer in our everyday life, Jesus struggled more than any of us.
*He had to have a strategy to fit prayer into everyday life

*Luke 5:15: Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.


*Luke 4:42: At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.


*Luke 6:12: One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spend the night praying to God.


*Luke 21:37: Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives.


*Luke 22:39: Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.


*Luke 9:10: When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.


*Luke 9:18: Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"


*You need to withdraw from everyday life because it is getting out of control
*Jesus taught the disciples that to connect with God in prayer, they needed to disconnect with everyday life
*Our connections with our everyday life was so different with the connections of God

*When your worrying about finances instead of praying to God
*When your worried about doing everything perfectly when we can rely on God
*When were so into church matters where we could rely on the God who started it
*When were so worried more about the sin where we have a God to forgive us

Some ideas- keys to disconnect from the world
1. Obey the Sabbath - have a day off -meditate the bible, sing songs, cruise into creations and praise God
2. Have a treat - a week, a day, a whole weekend to set aside to speak and listen to God
3. To buy time -when you have no time, buy some time o spend time, buy a coffee or meal and just pray
4. Change your schedule - you could wake up earlier, spend 5-15 minutes in God and prayer. Limit 5 minutes from exercise, develop habits after a fun, sleep
5. Have a journal
6. Written Prayers 
* Luke 11: Jesus' Teaching on Prayer


*Do something that we could grow closer to God
*"The more you do it, the more you enjoy it!"

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Jesus Called Them to Step Up and Lead

Sunday 7th November 2010

John Sweetman

*Andrew & Peter, John & James are fisherman
*It was their livelihood and passion

*Luke 5:1-11: One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Genesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began o break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

*Some of us might have been Christians in a short time but we won't leave our family, jobs, passion to follow Jesus like them
*Matthew, Mark and Luke are very similar gospels
*John is different- he fills the gaps explaining before this event

*John 1:35- there were 2 disciples
*John 1:40-Andrew, Simon Peter's brother was one of the two
*John 1:42-he brought him to Jesus

*What is their call? Not only to be followers of Christ

*Luke 5:10-11: and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

*It would be a call of vocational leadership but it was a call to spiritual leadership, to become fishes of people.

Spiritual Leadership
1. leave vocation - vocation would hold them back of spiritual leadership
Isaiah 58 True Fasting


2. through vocation- might be difficult, might be in the politics, make a difference for God, teach in bible school, healing people by being a doctor.
*However, these are not spiritual leadership, just influencing role
*You work for money to fulfill your needs
*eg: Paul was a tent-maker so that he don't have to ask people for money
*When he pursues spiritual leadership, there won't be people subordinating him 
*It is not what we have to do, do we apply for all of these?

1. What is the fish all about?
*He might follow Jesus after a bad day in catching fish but he did the opposite
*It might be a trick
*But the real reason might be in Peter's reaction
*He knew it was fabulous controlling the world so much that He says to go away but Jesus ask Peter to come and follow him
*The call is offered by grace
*When we are unable and have no ability to do it, thats where we got it
*Jesus doesn't want superstars or the best
*Jesus can't use them because they will do things for themselves instead of God.

Luke 5:10- What did he mean by that?
*God calls us to various vocations
*Our jobs are significant for God to use us
*"The Light shines best in the darkness"
*Some vocation might be in the family or to help build the kingdom of God
*The call to the disciples is people

2. The call is to people
*Jeremiah 3:15: Then I will ive you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

*The whole idea of sheperding is functional for God's work
*Sheep are dumb animals
*It is therefore not an easy job to handle sheep= people

2. What happens from here?
*It eventually becomes their story after 2 and a half years but what happens in between?
*All the time their learning, reflecting with Jesus
*They are called to spiritual leadership but before that, the call of training


3. The call involves training
*If we want to lead people, we must know the Bible
*It is a growing process

4. The call will cost
*They didn't know anything besides fishing but they end up as leaders of the church.
*If we have the feeling that we are calling to take spiritual responsibility
1. Talk to spiritual leaders
2. Keep praying- a focus
3. Looking for training and experiences- serve more (it is a grace call!:)

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

The Potter and The Clay

O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Free delivery!

A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.

Psalm 34:19

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Cast away

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.


-Psalm 55:22-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Fly birdie fly

He gives strength to the weary 
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.


-Isaiah 40:29-31-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Double Trouble

Jesus replied, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."


-John 16:33-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

-Exodus 14:13-14-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Disciple: How Jesus Turned 12 Ordinary People Into Missionaries of God's Grace: Jesus Called Them To Forsake All

Sunday 31st October

 A 5-week Journey Through The Gospel Of Luke

Mark Broadbent

*You can be very capable in one area and completely incapable in another
*We are very good in knowing Christianity
*Disciple: a follower of Christ
*People think that if we are a Christian means we go to church but actually Christian means follower of Christ, another word for disciple
*Luke 9:57-62:
The Cost of Following Jesus
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
Jesus replied, "No one who put his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

*Jesus is not looking for fans but followers
*He says "This is going to cost a lot" -"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
*Luke 14:25-34: Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciples. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
"Suppose one of you want to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, "This fellow began to build and was not able to finish."
"Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten  thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?



1. What about Grace?
*It is not because you are consistent, that your life was enough but that God gives a free gift
*This is what we believe in a church
*No hint to boast about the Gospel
*What we do cost nothing but God says it costs everything
*We are the ones being unworthy but in trusting God, you get the free gift of eternal life
*God's personal ambition is to transform us to be born again
*If you are the same always, this is not Christianity
*2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!


2. Can you lose your salvation? or get kicked out of heaven
*Luke 9:62: Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

*If you do not have faith to believe Jesus Christ died for you, you are not saved.
*You cant do enough sins to get kick out of heaven
*What saves you is faith, trusting completely in Jesus Christ
*2 Timothy 2:11-13: 
Here is a trustworthy saying;
If we died with him, we will also live with him;
If we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

*Is it possible to disown Jesus when you are a Christian?
*If we disown Jesus, we are not Christians
*He lives in you, you are secure not because of your performance
*You cannot be a fan of Christ. This is an or or nothing deal. You either jump in or out of Jesus
*There is a huge difference between believing in the distance and trusting your life to Jesus

3. What does this mean for my family?
*Luke 9:59-60: He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

*Luke 14:25-26: Large crowd were travelling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes, even his own life- he cannot be my disciples.

*It is alright to put God 1st and parents 2nd
*You might be torn pleasing our spouse of God
*But we worship God and thus, need to put God 1st
*The call is to put God in the center of the universe and please Him
*If your relationship is base on a promise, it will be secure
*Our relationship with God is base of God's promise
*We have a God who is committed to you for eternity
*This relationship will be the most rich filled with deep intimacy in times of trouble, peace, joy, love and filled with the life of Jesus Christ
*The purpose of live and joy is in Jesus Christ
*The invitation is will you forget yourself and take up the new life?
*You don't have to get your life sorted out, we would never get it sorted out but we should concentrate more on putting God 1st.




**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

SHARE!

A person who is enthusiastic on keeping the two greatest commandment

Deuteronomy 11:13: So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today- to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Matthew 22:39: And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.

will have these characteristics:)

S - Sow the seed into new believers
H - Harvest the field of new believers treated like young infants
A - Assimilate them
R - Recruit them into the kingdom of God
E - Expand the kingdom of God =)

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Teaching

These commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way of life.


-Proverbs 6:23-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

The Right Path

Teach me your way, O Lord;
lead me in a straight path


-Psalm 27:11-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

You Rock!

O Lord, since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name
lead and guide me.


-Psalm 31:3-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Status Update

Sunday 24th September 2010

Mark Broadbent

*So many people go to church with a shopping list in hand
*Many that are persecuted don't come with a shopping list but they come to have a need to be united
*It is not about what you like or don't like about the church but to celebrate what God has done
*Nehemiah 8:1: When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled as one man in the square to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

*Nehemiah 8:3: He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

*Nehemiah 8:9-10: Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep."For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength"


*God change the heart of the King and gave him the resources to rebuild the walls
*They realize God has been at their shelf. They were mourning for sin while they listened to the word of God
*They knew it was a special day. God ordained that day as the celebration of trumpets
*Leviticus 23:23-24: The Lord said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites; 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts.

*We have time to mourn but also a time to celebrate
*We should practice the celebration of discipline
*The best thing is that God asks us to do something without expecting anything highly of us and He doesn't just tell us to do something and leave us to do it, He goes together with us!:D

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Words of Wisdom

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.


-1 Peter 4:11-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Children of God

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 


-1 John 3:10-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Habakkuk Chapter 3

John Sweetman

17th October 2010

1. He Prays
*Habakkuk 3:1-2
A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet. On shigionoth.
Lord, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.

*When God doesn't answer, we stop praying but Habakkuk didn't
*When kids are having struggles, mom's would care much about it. It is the same with God
*God cares for you more deeply in these times
*Thats why we need to continue praying because He is nearer than you can even imagine
*We all have problems but God is there

2. He remembers
*Habakkuk 3:3-8:
God came from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
His glory covered the heavens
and his praise filled the earth
His splendor was like the sunrise;
rays flashed from his hand,
where his power was hidden.
Plague went before him;
pestilence followed his steps.
He stood, and shook the earth;
he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
and the age-old hills collapsed.
His ways are eternal. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress,
the dwellings of Midian in anguish.
Were you angry with the rivers, O Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode with your horses
and your victorious chariots?

*Israel slaves of Egypt --> Passover --> took over Canaan
*Habakkuk 3:9-14
You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.

Sun and moon stood still in the heavens
at the glint of your flying arrows,
at the lightning of your flashing spear.
In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one,
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
you stripped him from head to foot.
With his own spear you pierced his head
when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
the wretched who were in hiding.

*Memory is very important
*Some people commit suicide because they are trap in the present and finds no way
*Habakkuk remembered the past events.

Remembering
a. In your own life
*When you're struggling and no answer is given, remember in your history what God has done for you whether in big or small ways.
b. In the lives of others
*Encouraging what God does in the lives of others
eg: videos
c. In scripture
*Refer back to the bible because it tells how God worked
*We participate in communion to remember what Jesus has done
1. He died on the cross- this assures us that Jesus loves us
2. Resurrection - No power could stop him. We have hope to be saved
3. He rejoices
*Habakkuk 3:17-18:
Through the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

*Habakkuk is looking ahead when they take over Babylon, how terrible it would be when everything wipes out but "he will still be joyful in God his Saviour"
*As we pray and talk to Jesus, we can trust Jesus that He will bring us through
*Anxiety in relationships, family rejecting Jesus, bored of jobs. Habakkuk felt God should do other things better as well.
*Habakkuk 3:19:
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

*There is nothing wrong getting disappointed but in the middle remember, pray and rejoice so that we could dance with the deers:)



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Habakkuk Chapter 2

Sunday 10th October 2010

Dan Harding

When God lets you down
*Habakkuk 1:1-4
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.
How long, O Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

*Habakkuk 1:5-7
Look at the nations and watch
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwelling places not their own.
They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.

*The Good=Habakkuk
*The Bad/Ugly= Babylonians

*Are you really who you are?
*Habakkuk 2:1
I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

*He ask God "What's going on?"
*Habakkuk is far from resolve
*He will decide what He think he hears. He is not sure if God is a good God
*It is the same feeling that some of us has
*Habakkuk 2:2-3
Then the Lord replied:
"Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald may run with it.
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false,
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come and will not delay.

*If you feel God is abandoning you and He ask you to wait, what would you react?
*Habakkuk claims he's the good guy and ask God something but instead, he is suppose to wait
*The key verse for Habakkuk's story is
Habakkuk 2:4
"See, he is puffed up;
his desires are not upright
but the righteous will live by his faith-

*The righteous is accepted by God
*Habakkuk sees the bad, good and ugly but God sees the pride in one's own righteousness and faith in his mercy
*People in relationships or jobs have a sense of entitlement. They think they deserve more than what their going through but God says otherwise
*You will either think you are so good that you do not deserve this or you are so unworthy that God does not need to help you

"If you believe that God ought to bless you and help you because you have worked so hard to obey him and be a good person, then Jesus may be your helper, your example, even your inspiration but God is not your Saviour but you are your own Saviour"
-Tim Keller-

*Daniel 9:4-5
I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
"O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.

*Daniel 9:17-19
"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give eat, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

The Difference
My Righteousness
-Faithful
-Obedient
-'Pure'

God's mercy
-Gracious
-Long suffering
-Compassionate

*God explains that it is not that Habakkuk is good but that God is merciful
*We cannot checklist or to do good to be in God's family
*We have to be born into the family
*The only way to be accepted by God is to be trusting in his mercy
*Galatians 3:10-13 (quoted by Habakkuk 2:4)
All who rely on observing he law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of he Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written:"Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

*Christ takes the punishment for us and that is the only way we can be accepted
*Many people get this wrong



**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Peace

Great peace have they who love God's law,
and nothing can make them stumble.


-Psalm 119:165-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Hopeless?

Though things may seem hopeless, "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful"


-1 Corinthians 1:9-


No trial is so great that God cannot deliver us. No pain is so great that he does not bring us comfort. And no situation is ever without God's presence: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"


-Isaiah 41:10-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

S.O.S

For I am the Lord, your God.
who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.


-Isaiah 41:13-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Habakkuk Chapter 1

Mark Broadbent

3 October 2010

*There are times we have been disappointed with God
*No matter how much work you put in, you do not get the grades you want
*Some of us pray so much for the person to be healed but no miracle comes and that person leaves earth
*You feel God has let you down
*Some of us want to be married and thought he/she was the one but it did not work out

*Habakkuk 1:1-4: 
The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received

How long, O Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.



*About a guy brutally honest with how he feels
*He is crying out on behalf of others about violence, death
*There is story after story crying out for personal needs but not this story

*Habakkuk 1:5
"Look at the nations and watch-
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going got do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.

*He has waited for an answer but now he is getting exited because God answered him

*Habakkuk 1:6
I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwelling places not their own.

*This is not the answer Habakkuk was expecting
*God said that there are more violent people around and He will ask them to wipe all the violence and injustice Habakkuk was crying about

What do you do when God does not answer what you want?
*We might be spiritually exhausted and walk away
*Why should we hang in there when we got every reason to walk out?

1. The Coke Machine
*Sometimes you get 'fanta' instead of 'coke' or even worse, nothing
*It does not matter how frustrated, confused, inconsistent you are by the coke machine. The coke machine is the only thing that can give you coke
*We should ask God to be the God of your life
*When we hang on, we would get an answer that is confusing but he is the only one that can give you an answer
*You would never see God working in your life if you run away from him

2. Loving Father
*God is way better than a coke machine
*He is personal, he knows your heart and every problem in your life

*Luke 11:11-13: 
"Which is you father, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? if you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven five the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

*Your heavenly father is way better than any earthly Father around
*God is always consistent and personal in our lives

3. My Place in God's Story
*Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.


*God will put all the devastating and evil things and leverage it for our own good
*He uses our own evil, broken lives and transform them and find place in His Story to fulfill his purposes like redeeming people
*For people struggling with singleness, when we are single, we can focus better on God
*When we are married, we have to focus on both spouse and God

"Following God is about trading a starring role in a tiny story for any role in the biggest, most incredible story of all time"
-Louie Giglio-

*No matter how disappointing you can be, He will use our story to be involve in a bigger story of His
*Joseph forgave his brothers because he knew God intended this to happen for his own good and purpose.
*Satan is doing everything he can to make you give up
*So never give up!

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Death

For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So. whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.


-Romans 14:7-8-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

We can do a part!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.


-2 Corinthians 1:3-4-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Comfort

My comfort in my suffering is this: 
Your promise preserves my life, O Lord.


-Psalm 119:50-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Why?

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
My Savior and my God.


-Psalm 42:11-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Introduction to the book of Habakuk

Why is the book of Habakuk worth to read?

When God lets you down
1. Spiritual Growth
*We need to recognize its gonna take time
*We have to study at your own time

2. Permission to be authentic
*None of us are perfect
*The Fray- 'You found me' -song about God
*Sounds blapshemous
*Habakuk 1:2: How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?
*Habakuk 1:4: Therefore the law is paralized,
and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
*Habakuk 1:13: Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous" Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more rightous than themselves?


3. Help you go the distance
*Everytime we face trouble, we ask why is there suffering when we don't deal with it
*How can you endure suffering without losing faith
*1 Peter 1:6-7: In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

*When suffering, we run away from God
*Instead, we should run to him and push to him
*1 Thessalonians 1:6: You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.


4. Help you connect with unbelievers
*Unbelievers come with doubts and questions
*We need to be able to engage and explore with them
*One reason we are scared to share our faith is because we don't know answers to questions they ask
*The best part? We don't have to answer
*Just share the journey and ask questions by just having faith

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Nobody Stands Alone

Dan Harding

19 September 2010

*The richer we are, we exclude people
*We tend to want to be in the in-group that we exclude other people

Objections
1. We love people
2. We like to hang around, its a great community
*A great community does not mean we voluntarily exclude people

Patterns from exclusion to inclusion
*Because God tends to include people that we attempt to exclude

1. Deuteronomy 10:17-19: For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.

*Would you care and include people who are easily excluded?

2. City of Refuge
Joshua 20:1-6: Then the Lord said to Joshua: "Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection from the avenger of blood. "When he flees to one of these cities, he is to stand in the entrance of the city gate and state his case before the elders of that city. Then they are to admit him into their city and give him a place to live with them. If the avenger of blood pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused, because he killed his neighbor unintentionally and without malice aforethought. He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled."

*Whoever wanted to avenge the blood of those who accidentally committed sin may run away to the city of refuge

3. Matthew 1:1-5: A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,
Perez the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab,
Amminadab the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse.

*Tamar, Rahab and Ruth are women
*God loves women but they always put men in the role of leadership
Ruth- A Moabite, enemy of the Jews
Rahab- prostitude
Tamar- did incest, scandolous
*We don't have to be perfect to be included in God's family

Acts 11:1-18: The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."
Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven b its four corners, and it came down to where I was. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. Then i heard a voice telling me, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'
"I replied, 'Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.'
"The voice spoke from heaven a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'
This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again.
Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man's house. He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, 'Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'
"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?"
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying. "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentances unto life."

*dream
*This story is about religious people. Many think only religious people can be in the in-group
*Circumcision party that excluded people are the ones God wants
*Is it worth sharing to people that are not involve
*We might blindly exclude people
*It is not only the nice Godly thing to do but that God wants to include these people

Thing we can include people
1. Hobbies we have in common
2. All of us have homes- powerful environment to include people
3. Holidays-invite people for a week

*God longs for people to include them in His heart
*Whom is God calling you to include?
*Communion is a symbolic way to include people in God's kingdom

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Alone?

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on
the palm of my hands


-Isaiah 49:15-16-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Great is He

God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 


-1 John 3:20-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

The Perils of Looking Back

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."


-Luke 9:62-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Then...

Jesus said, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

-Matthew 28:20-


**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Troubled?

"He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation," says the Lord.


-Psalm 91:15-16-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

Separation NOT

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?..
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


-Romans 8:35-39-

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**

How can God allow Suffering?

Mark Broadbent
12 September 2010

*Most of us have experiences that are inconvenient but not to an extent of suffering
*Most of us don't really know what it's like to suffer
*We are living in quiet a comfortable life
*We need to acknowledge this although we encounter lots of problems

1. Getting rid of God doesn't get rid of suffering
*The problem still remain
*Most people are only focusing on one part; Christianity
*They look at the problem of evil and world and asks if Christianity solves their problem
*But if we compare Christianity with Atheism, we must ask ourselves how well does Atheism solve suffering
*It's not wise to just focus on one world view but instead, think which one makes more sense
*It could be that none of the beliefs is satisfying us
*Instead, we should ask this question;
"If we get rid of god, what do we do with suffering tomorrow?"

2. How can God allow suffering?
a) God never intended for there to be suffering
*Not good for man to be alone. So God created a partner for Adam-There was no suffering involved
*God intended pure bliss, no pain, jealousy, emptiness and not a hint of suffering

Matthew 6:9-10: 
"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed by your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.


b) Suffering entered the world because of sin
*Adam and Eve realized they were naked and covered themselves. Thats where suffering came in.

Romans 5:12: Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.


c) God can use suffering for good
*Suffering can be use to make people stronger and contented
*Nobody has ever gone something great without undergoing suffering
*Suffering can be use for something good

Romans 12:2-8: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let his use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.


d) Jesus suffered more than anyone
*He tasted his our medicine for us

Isaiah: 53:3-5: 
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

e) There will be no suffering in heaven
Revelation 21:3-4: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with me, and he will live 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 eyss. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."


*This world is the worse that life will ever get. Thats for those who put their faith in Jesus.

The Prob? THIS DOESNT ACTUALLY HELP
*For a person undergoing suffering, those explanations aren't helpful at all.

Mark 15:34: And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi Eloi, lama sabachthani"- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"


*Our sin was placed on Jesus and God turned his back against his son
*He is God. He would know that someone has to come to be the mediator of God and men and knew that someone had to bear our sin before the world began but why did Jesus cry out "My Lord, my Lord, WHY did you forsake me?"
*Is it because suffering has no solution?
*Is is because it is our nature to ask why in the midst of suffering
*He knows how it feels
*He won't give you the answer but he has gone through the feeling of suffering

3. We are called to enter into suffering not to avoid it.
*There are people that won't serve and give because of too many worldly priorities but claim to be a Christian because he believes in God
*Commitment requires sacrifice and he would not want to go through it
*Meant to live an easy life
*People would say life would be easy with Jesus

The PROB?
*He has no idea in Christianity, this is just part of church culture
*Being a non Christian, we can invest out time, energy into anywhere we want
*We may use that to minimize suffering
*But being a Christian, we should enter into the world of suffering, to enter and experience those who are suffering together
*To be the body of Christ and fulfill the mission in this world
*Can't just read a couple pages of the gospel and be a Christian

Matthew 16:21-26: From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Stan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?


*Peter have been bought to the perception that Jesus came to let us live an easy life
*Many people have been in the church for so many years but drop out sooner or later
*Many have never take up the invitation of taking their own cross, dieing in the past life and being reborn again
*We wouldn't let our present life and enter the new life not free of suffering but of which matters to Christ, which is to enter the life of suffering and minister in the life of others.
*It is a free gift that we enter a door not to a playground but a door of suffering
*Is this something that you are having trouble with?

**Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path**