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Yountville Community Church
Choosing Joy3. Connected in Christ Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorPhilippians 2:1-11 19 February 2023In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. Linus asks, "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?"Lucy says, "These five fingers. Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.""Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"~Today we are thinking about the idea of unity as a church. Not unity so that we can form a weapon, but unity so that together we can achieve great things.However unity is not always easy. Its something we need constant help with. So why dont we pray that God would show us the pathway to unity as we open his Word right now.Our heavenly Father, please speak to us today. Speak to our minds and hearts, and teach us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Unite us in Christ, and in spirit for your glory. In Jesus name we pray. AmenWell we are in the middle of our February series from the book of Philippians, all about Choosing Joy.And in our passage today, Paul speaks about something that would make his joy complete. So why dont we jump into the passage.1. IfYou might not know it, but before I was a minister, I was a school teacher and I taught languages. I taught French and German. And when I read the passage for today, I was reminded of a something that that we used to do in German class. It was a grammar exercise to practice a special verb form [called the Conjunctive].But the exercise went like this. It was all about ifthen sentences.If I had a car, then I would drive to the beach.You try one out- If I had a million dollars to spend today, then I would- If I had a plane ticket to anywhere in the world, then I would...- If I could do one part of my life over, then I wouldOur passage today begins with an if and then. If you have this attitude then your actions should be like this.Its a continuation of the last idea from the previous chapter. Paul said (as the church) we should conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. And now he continues to explain what a life worthy of the gospel looks like.1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:1-4)So we have the if and then. Actually four ifsFirst if: if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ.The first idea is if you have been united with Christ: that is if you've put your faith in Jesus, if you have become one with Jesus, that's another way to talk about faith or trust. Paul is talking about people who have given their entire lives over to Jesus, put all their eggs in one basket with Jesus. And he says if that one-ness with Christ has brought you any encouragement, thenSecond if: If you have any comfort from Jesus love.That is, if you've understood Jesus love for you. His forgiveness, his mercy, his grace, his restoration of your relationship with God. If that love of Jesus brings you comfort, thenThird if: [Paul says] if you have any common sharing in the SpiritI think this means if you have received the Holy Spirit.BTW we believe that we receive the Holy Spirit when we receive Christ. The Spirit is how God makes his dwelling place in our heart. He takes us residence in us and does his work of changing us and shaping us and sanctifying us from within.And the Holy Spirit is not something that comes and goes from our lives, like it did in OT times for example with King Saul. No, Jesus promised that after his ascension he would pour out the gift of the Holy Spirit on believers, so that he would be with us always, to the end of the age. In Ephesians 1, Paul describes the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. When we trust in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit. (Thats a little theology of the Holy Spirit for you!)So Paul says: if you have the Holy Spirit in you and if you've shared in that I think what hes getting at here is if you're genuinely a Christian. If you're united with Christ, if you understand his love, if it brings you comfort, if you share in the Holy Spirit. Then the fourth if: he says if you have tenderness and compassionThis word tenderness, its a word meaning something you feel deep down inside. So if you feel the gospel deep down inside, if it has churned you up and changed you and made you something new And if its made you look at the world differently, if its given you compassion for others, and a burden that they would come to know Jesus the same way that you doThose are all the ifs.So I think Paul is really saying: If you have been affected by Jesus. If you have been affected by the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, by the Gospel of Jesus. If you are genuinely a Christian.Verse two. He says then2. ThenHe says, then Make my joy complete.Remember, this whole book has been about joy. Paul talks about rejoicing in all kinds of circumstances. He says [to the church] if you do this one thing, you can make my joy completePaul is in prison. He is in chains for Christ. So what would make Paul happy? What would make his joy complete?We imagine the answer might be for Paul to be set free. Or for him to be honored as the pioneering missionary of the whole church. We imagine Pauls joy might be made complete by him being able to continue on his journey throughout the Mediterranean sharing Jesus with people everywhere.But actually the answer is something different. Look at v2:2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Philippians 2:2)Paul is saying that nothing would make him more happy than to see the church united.What does church unity look like for Paul?First, he says we ought to be like-minded. Like-minded means having our focus on the same thing.[Now churches can focus on all kinds of things social justice, human rights, politics, a particular aspect of doctrine]And all of those focuses may be important, but they are not the focus that Paul has in mind. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:2 that he resolves to know nothing [] except Jesus Christ and him crucified. That is, Pauls focus is on Jesus.And so here at Yountville Community Church our focus is on Jesus. As a church, Jesus is our main focus, and understanding all of the riches of the gospel in Jesus Christ: his life, his death, his resurrection. The new life that he gives us during this lifetime, and the eternal life that we have when he brings us into his glory.Now that doesnt mean we never think about anything else. But the way we think about those peripheral issues (social justice, politics etc) they will always be shaped and informed by the gospel. The gospel of Jesus will always be the thing that shapes and organizes our direction as a church. It will always be the thing that that centers and focuses our thinking.So number one, have the same focus.Number two, he says, having the same love.What kind of love ought we to have as the church? Love that is the same as God's love. Love that is other-centered, love that honors others, love that is merciful and grace-filled and forgiving. Love that is perfect.Paul wants us to have the same kind of love as God, the same kind of love that Jesus displayed in his life and death. That kind of love ought to characterize the church. We should be known for it. The world should be surprised by it, just how different we are in the way that we love. Wouldnt that be an amazing reputation to have a church that is so loving that you cant fault themSo loving the way God loves us. Thats having the same love.Next, he says, being one in spirit and of one mind.Do you remember back in chapter 1, there were people in the church who were preaching Christ out of rivalry and envy. They were divided over some petty quarrel. But here Paul says, I want you to be united in spirit and in mind. He wants them to find a fundamental one-ness, a togetherness, a unity that is founded not on a cause, but a unity that is founded in Christ.And theyre to let nothing undermine that unity.Which leads us into v3. After all those positive instructions, we now see the attitude that threatens to undermine their unity.3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4)About 15 years ago I had a mentor, an older Christian guy, probably 10 years older than me, their kids were a bit older than ours. They were a godly couple a few steps further on in the game of life than us.Anyway he gave me some marriage advice once. He said, When your marriage is in a good place, it's a good time to talk about things that maybe you could improve. Don't do it when you're in a bad place. Dont do it when youre fighting. Thats the wrong time to ask for a list of ways you can improve. But when youre in a good place, ask your partner: what is one thing that I could do to improve?Jo and I were in a good place, so I asked her. She thought about it for a while, and she said: Youre selfish.She was right. Of course she was right. And it was actually a really godly and wise answer.And so I started to pray, how can I be the opposite of selfish? How can I work on my selfishness so that I don't think about myself as much in the marriage and instead focus on Jo and the kids? And what does that look like in my attitudes and my actions?It was actually a wonderful thing. I know it sounds harsh at the beginning, but when you're in a good and trusting place you can hear the negatives and work on improving them.Paul is doing that same thing with the church in Philippi. He says if you are in a good place with Jesus, then here are some aspects of your character that you can work on. This would be good for you.He wants the church (v3) to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Instead he wants us to think about others, to value others above ourselves.With that attitude, we would ask ourselves: what would serve other people in this church? How do I serve others? How do I lift up others? How do I encourage and love and help?Thats the opposite of doing things out of vain conceit. Vanity and conceit would say: Im the most important person in the room because I wear the jacket and stand at the front. Or Im more important than someone else because I lead a ministry, or serve on a particular roster. Or Im more important because of the kind of lifestyle I live compared to others.Its so easy to slip into the comparison game, isnt it?But comparison is the currency of vanity and conceit. Nothing good comes of vanity and conceit.Instead, Paul calls for humility and valuing others above ourselves.He says dont do anything out of selfish ambition.Ambition is one of those human traits that brings out the best and the worst in us, doesnt it? Ambition says: I want to be the most important person in the room. I need to show that I'm the most important person in the room.That's how I grew up, by the way. I grew up with ambition as the only goal in life, ambition leading to money and power. And even after 30 years following Jesus, I still find that attitude welling up in myself regularly.How do you choose not selfish ambition, but ambition for Jesus? For me, its an attitude that says: I want to see Jesus honored in the Napa Valley and beyond, not Dan Bidwell. I want to grow a church, but not so that Dan Bidwell looks famous, but so that Jesus looks famous. Not so that they say, wow, you should see that preacher at that church. No, I want them to say: when you go to that church, you'll have a sense of Christ and his presence and his power and his authority. The preacher is just a messenger, a delivery boy. The real message is Jesus. Jesus is the hero of that church.You see, when we keep Jesus at the center, our egos fade into the background. The church isnt about us, its about him. Its not about a pecking order of importance, or a game of social networking where we trade on our godliness and jockey for position. Following Jesus is about taking up our cross and following him, denying ourselves and giving everything we have to grow his kingdom. Were not here to be served or set on a pedestal. Were here to roll up our sleeves and join in the work of making disciples.Because thats what Jesus did.And that leads us into big idea number three. The reason why we ought to conduct ourselves in this kind of matter.3. The Reason WhyThe reason that we ought to be humble servants is because that was what Jesus was like.In v5, Paul says:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)What was Jesus mindset? Its there in vv6-11.6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; (Philippians 2:6)Of all people, Jesus could have claimed self-importance. This verse tells us that he was in his very nature God. Jesus was not just a human. He was fully God, and equal with God as we read in the second line of that poem. In the book of Colossians it tells us that Jesus was there at the beginning, and all things were created by him and for him.Jesus is in very nature God. And yet he didnt play that card. He didnt hold on tightly to that status, as something that could be used to his own advantage. Actually he used it for a far greater purpose. Look at v7:7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:7)Jesus voluntarily stepped down from the throne of heaven to be born as a human, and one born in very humble circumstances at that. Jesus was born to a teen mom, his dad was a carpenter. He was born in a barn not a palace. He didnt wear robes. He was never honored in his lifetime as a king, unless you count the crown of thorns that the soldiers put on Jesus head as they crucified himThats what it looked like for Jesus to make himself nothing. To take on the nature of a servant. To choose humility for the sake of others. For our sakeLook at v8:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)In his humility, Jesus was so obedient to his plan to save us that he allowed himself to be killed for our sakes.I just finished reading Matthews gospel, and at the moment of Jesus arrest, he says:53 Don't you know that I could ask my Father, and he would at once send me more than twelve armies of angels? (Matthew 26:53 CEV)Jesus didnt have to die. He could have called for rescue. But he didnt.He chose to lay down his life for us. He became obedient to death, on a cross. Jesus didnt consider his life worth more than ours. He put us firstJesus often said that the first shall be last, and the last shall be first.Jesus put himself last, for the salvation of all who would put their trust in him.But thats not where the story ends. Look at v9:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)Jesus put himself last, but God honored Jesus by exalting him to the highest place. He gave Jesus a name that is above every name King, President, Prime Minister, Pope, CEO, celebrity Jesus name is exalted far above all of those names. His honor and his power exceed them all.And even though those are the names that are exalted in our society, a day is coming when all those other names will be shown as nothing. And Jesus Christ will be revealed as the name above all namesAnd on that day, at the name of Jesus every knee will bow to him. Whether they want to or not. Every creature on earth and in heaven and under the earth, every human, every angel. Jesus will be the undisputed sovereign over all, and all creation will bow to him.And similarly on that day every tongue will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord.I said last week that sometimes we think that the culture is winning the war against the church, and that the church is at risk from cultural influences. Philippians 2 reminds us that the culture will not prevail against Christ, or his church. It may look like we are losing the battle, but Christ has won the war.And it will be very clear one day.And so our work as the church is to continue living lives worthy of the gospel. Having the same mindset as Christ, the same humility, the same love, the same mission and goal. To bring Jesus Christ into every relationship and every situation so that wherever we go, more and more people hear about the lordship of Jesus Christ, and his love and mercy towards us.Why dont we pray about that now.Heavenly Father, we thank you for this word. We pray that we would live lives worthy of you. Thank you that in Christ you unite us with him. Fill us with love, fill us with compassion. Fill us with tenderness. Fill us with minds that seek to glorify Jesus in all that we do. Help us not to be vain or selfish or conceited. Help us not to treat others as less than ourselves, but help us to serve the interests of others above ourselves. We thank you that we follow a humble servant in Christ. May this church be also characterized by humility, so that as we share the hope of Jesus in the Napa Valley and beyond, many people would say: in that church you can meet Jesus, to the glory of God the Father. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Choosing Joy2. Courage in Christ Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorPhilippians 1:18-30 12 February 2023It was 480BC. Leonidas, King of Sparta, was preparing to make a stand with his Greek troops against the Persian army, when an envoy arrived from the Persian King. The man urged on Leonidas the futility of trying to resist the advance of the huge Persian army."Our archers are so numerous," said the envoy, "that the flight of their arrows darkens the sun.""So much the better," replied Leonidas, "for we shall fight them in the shade."Leonidas made his stand, and died with his 300 troops.~This morning we are thinking about courage, and the courage it takes to be a Christian in the world today.But I picked this opening illustration because there is something besides courage in what Leonidas said. Its his ability to look at a situation and see a different outcome, a different perspective. He finds the silver lining in spite of circumstances.In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul exhibits the same attitude. Writing from prison, he sees the bigger picture in the face of his own suffering. He chooses joy in every circumstance.And I want us to learn that same lesson. So why dont we pray that God would help us choose joy today.Heavenly Father, will you speak to us today as we open your word? Will you guide us in what you want us to hear? Will you give us the courage in your promises? And we pray this in Jesus name. Amen.All through February we are dipping into Philippians 1-2, and thinking through the theme of Choosing Joy.And it comes up right in our first verse today Philippians 1:18Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and Gods provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (Philippians 1:18-19)What had happened to Paul?Weve skipped over a few verses in the interest of time. But in those verses, Paul makes it clear that he is in prison. And particularly he is in chains for Christ (v13).His imprisonment is because of his work of sharing Jesus.1. Courage Under Fire.When you look at the life of Paul, there were numerous occasions where his ministry left him in prison, beaten, flogged, mobbed and run out of town. And this imprisonment he writes about in Philippians was probably the 2 years he spent under guard waiting to see the Roman Emperor (Acts 28:28), although its not certain.What is certain is that this imprisonment was designed to prevent Paul from continuing his work of sharing the gospel.But rather than shutting down the gospel, it actually served to advance the gospel. Paul writes in v12:12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.Pauls accusers wanted to shut down the gospel. But actually all they did was to inflame the gospel, and to embolden Gods people to proclaim the gospel without fear.I just want to reflect on this for a moment. We often hear this rhetoric about our nation (and I say this respectfully): the idea that we were founded on Christian principles, and the government was Christian, and wouldn't it be great if we were a Christian nation again.The reality is, we've had that Christian nation for a very long time and we've seen the trajectory of Christians in the country do this (dropping). What you see in countries where there's persecution against the church, the number of Christians usually does this (rising).There's something about comfort and peace, and prosperity and full refrigerators and access to good doctors, that means most people end up forgetting about their faith. It becomes just a small part of their life because you don't need to rely on God everyday when your refrigerator is full and you can go to the doctor when you need to.But when people are telling you: you must not bow down, you must not speak the name of Christ, you must not pray That doesn't shut Christians down. It actually emboldens them more and more.When Paul was in prison, all of the guards became aware of the reason. That he was in chains for Christ. And just like the Philippian jailer, I think some of them would have come to faith. And then there were other believers in Rome. Rather than becoming afraid and stifling their faith or hiding it, instead they owned their faith publicly more and more as they watched the example Paul set.When you when you look at the countries around the world where Christians are persecuted the most, they are also the places where the gospel is growing the most. So it's a little lesson for us here. We shouldn't shy away from persecution and actually we should take Pauls lesson and be bold to speak about Christ.At the moment in America (and this will be the same when I go back to Australia) we're often worried about what people will think if I tell them that I'm a Christian. We worry that it might interrupt our friendship or our working relationship. And so we shy away from speaking, possibly more for our own embarrassment than anything else.What would the Napa Valley look like if we were more like Paul? If we owned our faith more publicly, if we shared the hope we have in Jesus (with love and grace of course). What would it look like if the whole Napa Valley heard about the extraordinary faith of this little church in the vale?Thats the first big idea. Courage under fire.2. Confidence in the OutcomeSo Paul is in prison because of his public faith. Hes been locked up because of his prominent voice. And he might have seen that as the end of his public ministry, the end of his effectiveness. But Paul sees the silver liningLook at v18 again:Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and Gods provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (Philippians 1:18-19)Isn't that extraordinary? Paul has been delivered into the hands of his enemies, like Christ was delivered into the hands of his enemies. Paul has been delivered into prison. Yet Paul trusts and believes that Jesus will use the situation for his deliverance.Deliverance is the same word as salvation in the original language.So Paul trusts and believes that Jesus will use the situation for his deliverance. I don't know if Paul means his physical deliverance out of jail. Or if it means his ultimate spiritual deliverance into the Kingdom of God.Paul faces the reality that this persecution could result in his death.We don't face that kind of religious persecution here in America. And God willing, we probably wont in any of our lifetimes, as far as we can tell.But for those who are persecuted and really facing death, there is often that choice. Renounce Christ or be killed. Renounce Christ, or be imprisoned.I had a friend in Bible college who grew up in Sydney, the child of Vietnamese refugees. He grew up in a Muslim area of Sydney. He went to school with all Muslim kids and he loved Muslim people and he desired to share Christ with him. So coming out of Bible College he signed up to the Missionary Service and he said: I want to go to an Arabic speaking nation, I want to share Christ with Muslims.And so for the first six years out of Bible college, my friend and his wife and their kids went to serve in a closed, Islamic country. We werent allowed to know what country they were in, or share their names or photos on any prayer lists. They had to delete all their online history so that they couldnt be identified as Christians or missionaries, because they chose to go to a country where it was illegal to share the gospel. In fact anybody in that country who renounced Islam and became a Christian could be prosecuted by the government. And many of them were thrown out of their families, and some were even killed.So my friend went as a as a language student learning Arabic. And he learned Arabic and he talked about Jesus. He was part of an underground church and his his family were very courageous.One time my friend was taken by the secret police. They took him from a public street and they led him with a blindfold and put him in a room and kept him for over 24 hours. His wife and kids didn't know where he was. He was detained and questioned. And finally after a bit over 24 hours, they let him go, with no charges against him. The Lord delivered him. The missionary company took them out of the country fairly quickly after that, I think within a few weeks or a month, and then moved to another country where it was a little easier for him to be a Christian.But I thought about my friend, how brave they were to go and do that. For them there is something about Jesus, something that made them say: Jesus is worth the cost. And whatever happens to me, this will turn out for my deliverance.And in fact, my friend knew that it would turn out for the deliverance of those who heard about Christ's salvation for them, those who he shared with.In verse 20, Paul says.20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20-21)Paul is so certain about what's happening here, he says it actually doesn't matter if I live or die. Because if I live, I get to keep talking about Christ. And if I die, I gain everything. Paul is confident in the outcome, either way.I have a sad story about verse 21. When I was a young adult, I was part of a very big youth group and so a lot of us ended up in leadership. There were these two guys who were also leaders in the youth group, a year younger than me. We used to surf together. They were best friends, inseparable.Anyway they both got tattoos on their lower back. It was the 90s! So they both got tattoos right above the boardshorts.One of them had to live as Christ. And the other one got to die is gain.I was saddened a few years ago to see on Facebook one of the two. He's in his 40s now, a business guy, and he does a lot of ocean swimming. And he posted a photo with his ocean swimming team, and I could see that the tattoo was gone.When he was 21, he had tattooed in in bold letters To live as Christ. By his 40s, that tattoo was gone. Perhaps he still with Christ, but I don't think so from everything I've seen. So for him, to live was not really Christ. Perhaps it was never more than skin deep...Paul, though, is convinced.When you read vv22-26 he does a little pros and cons list about whether its better to die and be with Christ, or to continue living and sharing Christ, even if it means suffering in the short term. He chooses to go on (v25) because he knows it will mean the joy of faith for those he serves with the gospel.Its quite an attitude, isnt it. Whether he lives or dies, nothing will stop Paul from living for Christ. Paul was confident in the outcome, and it emboldened him to live with one goal only.What are you living for?3. Conduct Worthy of ChristI originally entitled this section imitating Paul, but actually we probably wont ever find ourselves under the same intense persecution that Paul faced. And it was the same for the Philippian church. The persecution we face is much more low level, and it plays out in the little decisions, the little moments of courage we need when were tempted to make Jesus less important than he really is to us. Thats the real danger for us. Downplaying Jesus, and downplaying our faith.In the military, perhaps theyd call that conduct unbecoming, that is behavior that doesnt honor the beliefs you stand for.And so Paul suggests the opposite conduct becoming or conduct worthy of Christ. Look at v2727 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.What does it mean to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ? We're going to see Paul get a bit more specific about this next week in chapter two. But in chapter 1, Paul gives us three ideas.27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence(Paul still hopes they'll be able to come and see them. Or if he just hears about them in his absence, he says:I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. (Philippians 1:27-28)So three ideasOne: standing firm in one spirit.There's a beautiful unity of the Church. When we are in Christ, Christ unites us into his body. He makes us one people with one goal and one destination.And Paul wants the church there in Philippi to remain united. He wants them to remain united, and to let nothing split them apart.Earlier in the chapter Paul says that that some people in the Roman church were preaching out of rivalry and envy, trying to make things worse for Paul. [A strange idea trying to make things harder for another gospel preacher] Why would they do that? Paul says: Were all working for the same goal, were all working for Christ. Were all united in Christ. So lets keep working towards the same goals for Christ. Stand firm in one spirit.And then idea number two: striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.Our whole project as a church is to strive together for the faith of the gospel.That is, I guess, to live out what Christ wants us to live out, to live faithful lives in him, to come and confess our sins at the foot of the cross. To baptize and make disciples. Paul reminds us to stand firm in the main thing. The main thing is the gospel, the Gospel project of sharing the hope of Jesus, into all the places that God had planted them.Just keep sharing the gospel and keep growing in the gospel. That's what he wants Paul wants them [and us] to do.And he says if you do that, you don't need to be frightened of those who oppose you (idea three).It's interesting, you know, being afraid of the world. Being afraid of the culture, being afraid of what's happening in the universities, being afraid of what's happening in public schools. Being afraid of what people might talk about.I don't think that ever stopped Paul. I don't think it ever stopped Jesus.Jesus spoke the truth in the middle of opposition, and they led him to his death for it, but he triumphed over the grave. Paul was probably led to his death for the same thing, and countless Christians have been.But who is going to win the culture war? It's not the culture. Jesus will win the war. His Kingdom will be All in all. That's why we pray your Kingdom come on Earth as it is in heaven.I mean, I would love to see God's Kingdom extended amongst us, I'd love to see churches everywhere like little beacons of light and hope in a world that's dark. And I trust it will happen. Im confident in the outcome if we remain faithful to the task.Jesus will win. Don't you worry about that. Don't you worry about the culture. Jesus will win.Our task is to keep focusing on Christ, to keep living for Christ.And Paul says if we do that, we dont need to be frightened. Jesus said: dont be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul.Paul is telling us the same. Dont be afraid of what the world might say. Stand up for your faith in Jesus.Because when you act like that in front of them, halfway through verse 28,This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be savedand that by God. (Philippians 1:28)I used to play this position in rugby where I was the one who caught those long kicks. The restart. The opposition kicker would kick the ball really high, and my job was to catch it while all of these big guys tried to kill me. The opposition forwards would chase down the kick, running right at me.Typically they were big guys. I was a little bit skinnier at the time and if the kicker timed it just right, I would catch the ball just milliseconds before 2 or 3 guys would flatten me.And Id lie at the bottom of this pile underneath these very large men. And I did my best to always smile. Hi, guys. How you doing?They hated it. They wanted to kill me and destroy me and take me out of the game, and this is a sign to them that I'm not going to be destroyed. I will smile as you pile on top of me and I'll hold the ball and I'm not going to let that thing go.It was so good, it was brilliant. And it's a sign to them that they can't touch you. They can't touch you.And when we do that in the world, you know, as we speak Christ (not with anger, not with poison or venom) When we speak Christ with love and grace and inclusivity. When we speak Christ in a way that that commends him, its a sign to those who are persecuting you, that actually they're not going to win. They're going to be the ones who destroyed, not you.The Gospel will never be destroyed. Jesus project will never fail.And look at verse 29.This is one of the hardest parts about living in a modern western, progressive culture, where we expect that things will always be good, all of the time. Verse 29.29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him (Philippians 1:29)In this Christian life, even though we're blessed by God and we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms, and even though we experience all kind of material blessings, it has also been appointed for us to suffer on behalf of the gospel.We should not be surprised when suffering comes on account of the gospel. This is not suffering due to life circumstances. Paul is talking about the suffering that comes as a result of following Jesus.He says if you want to follow Jesus, don't be surprised when you suffer because of it.Jesus said in John 15:A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:20)We shouldn't be surprised as Christians when we face persecutions of all kinds. But we know that Jesus will not be defeated. He will win. And even if they defeat us in the small moments, we do it with a smile, as a sign to them that that will be destroyed, not us.You can take away my physical body, but you can't take away my eternal life. Nothing can do that. To live as Christ and to die is gain.What a wonderful message that we can take into life. No matter what happens, we trust that Christ will have the victory in this life and in the life to come. No matter what may happen to us in these frail and failing bodies, we'll be raised victorious with Christ.So take courage in Christ.Let me pray for us. (As Jesus taught his disciples to pray)Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name.Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours.Now and forever. Amen
Choosing Joy1. Confident in Christ Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorPhilippians 1:1-11 5 February 2023I want to start with this book. The five love languages by Gary Chapman.Chapman identifies five kind of primary ways that we share love with others, as well as how we prefer to receive love. Those are our love languages. And the premise of the book is that we can learn to love our husband or wife or kids better if we learn their love language.As I said, Chapman identifies five primary love languages.Number one is words of affirmation. Some of us love to hear words that just fill us up. That that's what fills our love tank. If words of affirmation is your love language, you probably like to send handwritten letters and cards to people, you like to find moments to speak words of encouragement and praise into their ear. You love to tell people how special they are to you. And you wish people would say that to you more.The second is quality time. So the way that you feel loved or the way that you express your love is that you want to spend lots of time with a person. That might be cuddling on the couch or going for a walk together and or sometimes it's just seeing one another and so quality time that's #2#3 is giving gifts. If this is your love language, the act of either giving or receiving gifts makes you feel loved and so you'll know if you're one of those people. We've got some wonderful people at church whose love language is gifts, and every couple of months we find a gift basket on our doorstep and it's just so lovely.#4 is acts of service. That means doing things that show that you love a person. So for some of us, when we clean up the kitchen its not just practical it's actually how we show love. You might know someone who is always willing to show up, always willing to lend a hand, always willing to jump in. Chances are their love language is acts of service.#5 is physical touch. Some of us love to be touched to be hugged. Intimacy and physical closeness is our love language. Cuddles, kisses, snuggling thats what makes you feel loved.So five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.You might like to reflect on your love language, perhaps its something to talk about later with family or friends.The reason I bring up the 5 Love languages is that the Apostle Paul speaks his love language in his letters. Paul loved to write words that pointed people to Christ, words to encourage them in faith, and words to keep them going even when he couldnt be there.So over the next 4 weeks, were going to listen to Paul, as he wrote to the church in Philippi. A church that he had planted, and a church that he loved.So why dont we pray that God would speak to us through Pauls words to the Philippian church?Our heavenly Father, we pray that you would speak to us today, through Pauls letter to the church at Philippi. Teach us how to have great confidence in you, and in the work you have begun in us through Jesus Christ. We pray in his saving name, Amen.The book of Philippians is a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi.SAncient Philippi was a city in Greece, part of the European mainland. Macedonia today. In the 1st century BC it was the scene of the Battle of Philippi, where Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius who had assassinated Julius Caesar (Shakespeare Et tu Brutus!)Philippi was a miniature Rome the architecture and city layout was designed to be like Rome. It carried all the same privileges as if it was Italian soil. A strategic place to plant a church, and thats what Paul did.You can read about it in Acts 16. Paul and Timothy only stayed in Philippi a few days, but it was enough for a church to start. Paul had gone to a place of prayer, and was sharing about Jesus with a group of women. The first to believe was Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth an expensive product. Acts 16:4 describes her conversion like this:The Lord opened her heart to respond to Pauls message. (Acts 16:14)Sometimes its that simple. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Pauls message. And so she got baptized along with the members of her household, and invited Paul and his companions stayed at her house. (Acts 16:12-15)That was the start of the Philippian church. One person who heard and believed. Im guessing in each of our households, there was someone who heard and believed, and thats why youre here today. Praise God for the way that he opens hearts, and starts a new work in peoples lives. Weve seen that at Yountville Community Church over the last couple of years since we replanted this church. People hearing, and believing as God opens their hearts. I pray that we witness that more and more as we share the hope of Jesus in the Napa Valley and beyond.But Paul wasnt able to stay very long with the Philippian church. Just a few days. And so he writes this letter to encourage them to continue in the faith.So lets dive into it at v1:Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all Gods holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.1. Servants and SaintsBack in NT times, the person writing the letter would put their name at the beginning, not the end. So this letter is from Paul and Timothy. Timothy was Pauls protg a young man who was Greek, and so the perfect person to help Paul plant churches in Greece.Note what Paul says about himself in the first line. Despite Pauls leading role in the evangelism of Asia and Europe, even though he was a church planter and pioneer, Paul thinks of himself humbly as a servant. Paul and Timothy were servants of Jesus Christ, just like Jesus himself was a servant. Jesus said he did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom. (Mark 10:45) As Christians, were also called to follow Jesus and Paul in thinking of ourselves as servants.The letter is addressed to Gods holy people in Christ Jesus in Philippi. (Some of the other Bible versions here say to all the saints. Its the same word in the original language.)I know there are some connotations with the word saints we often think of saints as people who have performed a miracle, or people who have excelled in the Christian faith. But Paul reminds us here that in Christ Jesus when our faith is in Jesus actually we are all saints. We are all made holy (or sanctified), because of what Christ did on the cross to bring forgiveness.I think thats why Paul also starts his letters with a reminder of the grace and peace (v2) that we have through God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is Gods riches at Christs expense. Grace means a new story for us, apart from our sin.And Paul begins all his letters with a reminder of the new story and the new life and the new calling that weve been set apart for when we put our trust in Jesus.Sometimes its worth reminding ourselves of the same. What would be different about your life if you started to think of yourself as one of the saints.And what would be different if you thought of yourself as a servant, just like Paul, and just like JesusSo thats the first big idea. Servants and Saints.For the second big idea we have a little guessing gameIf I say Butch Cassidy, you say and the Sundance Kid.I say Bonnie, you say ClydeI say Fred Astaire and you say Ginger Rogers.One for the ballet fans: I say Margot Fonteyn, you say Rudolf NureyevOne for the Gen X-ers: I say Han Solo, you say Princess Leia.One for the Millennials: I say Beyonce, you say Jay Z.What was the point of that little game? They were all famous partnerships.Paul says, when he thinks of the church in Philippi, he is overjoyed at their partnership in the gospel.2. Partners in the gospel3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6)I said before that one of Pauls love languages was writing words of affirmation. We see here that another of his love languages was prayer.When Paul thinks of the church in Philippi, he thanks God for them every time he remembers them in prayer. You get the impression that he prays for them a lot. And he prays for them, because he loves them. In v7 he says:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart (Philippians 1:7)and in v8:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:8)Paul loves the church deeply. He loves what God is doing in their midst, and what God is doing in their individual lives. The days Paul spent in Philippi were not just a long weekend for the apostle. They were the beginning of a significant and ongoing pastoral relationship. Paul loves this church and the people in it with a deep affection that causes him joy.Did you see that in v4? In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joyJoy is a recurrent theme in the book of Philippians. I think in fact the word joy or rejoicing occurs 27 times in these 4 chapters. For Paul, the gospel at work in people is a great cause for joy. A great cause for the heart to celebrate. Paul overflows with joy and thankfulness, even when his own circumstances were less than ideal.We see a hint of what was happening for Paul in v7. We read there that Paul is in chains. Further on in chapter 1 he says it even more clearly. Paul is writing this letter from prison, most likely during his 2 years of imprisonment in Rome that we read about in Acts 28:30-31. Possibly not long before he was martyred by Emperor Nero in 60something ADSo Paul is writing from prison, and well see next week that he considers his death to be near.Despite those circumstances, Paul makes it his choice to choose joy. And to choose to be thankful. And to choose to pray.So come back to v3. Paul thanks God every time he remembers the Philippians. (v4) He always prays with joy. Why?Because of their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.The Christian faith is not just a receiving faith. It is not a passive faith. It is not like a membership you sign off on once, and then forget about. Its a partnership. Where Christ acts as an agent of change in our lives, and then he uses us as agents of change for others.Think about the partnership for a moment.- Jesus comes sharing the good news about the kingdom of heaven.- He recruits 12 disciples who help him with the mission.- After his resurrection, Jesus commissions all his followers to go and make disciples of all nations- And so Peter does that first, planting the church in Jerusalem.- Then Paul goes and plant little baby churches all over Asia and Europe, little churches that will grow and replicate the same mission.The principle we see here is that God uses his church (the people in the church!) to share the message of Jesus with the world. We are partners in Jesus plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. The Christian faith isnt passive. Its an invitation to join in the gospel partnership that Jesus began 2000 years ago.And so Paul prays for the church in Philippi, full of joy and thankfulness because (v5)5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now (Philippians 1:5).Can I say, Im so thankful for your partnership in the gospel?Ever since I first heard about this little church in the Napa Valley, one of the things that has struck me is the way you have embraced the mission of sharing the hope of Jesus in the Napa Valley and beyond.You are a church that has partnered in the gospel. With me, and with the Leadership Team, and with one another to grow the church to where we are today. Youve partnered with Jesus in the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations.And I know that because I first visited 4 years ago, most of you were not part of Yountville Community Church. But even with a building under reconstruction, and a global pandemic, God used our humble efforts to bring people into the church.Think about how you started to come to Yountville Community Church. Perhaps youre one of the originals, but we all started here at some time. Perhaps you joined us during COVID. Perhaps you saw us online. Perhaps one of your friends or neighbors told you about the church. Perhaps youve been the friend or the neighbor who has invited others. Ive watched it happen time and time again.Thats how we partner in the gospel. We share the precious message of Jesus through friendship and conversation with those we care for.Thank you for your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. Im confident that this is just the beginning for you and for this church.3. Confident in ChristIve told you before about a friend who I knew back in Sydney when I was working at an inner city church. He was a former drug addict, or probably a current drug addict who had struggled with homelessness and mental illness for years. He was also a Christian man with a beautiful faith, which we talked about a lot. But he was also profoundly damaged.I was walking with him one day and there was a little blister pack of pills on the ground, maybe just one or two pills. And without missing a beat in the conversation, he picked it up and popped the pills and kept walking. He didnt even look to see what they were. It was just second nature to him. See pills, take themDespite my horror, it occurred to me that we are all a lot like my friend. We are each a mix of beautiful faith and perplexing addiction to the sins that harms us. We cant help ourselves. We are faithful and flawed at the same time.And some days, our failures and flaws can rob us of confidence.But Paul reminds us of a beautiful, gospel truth. Its there in v6:[He prays for them] 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)If your faith is in Jesus Christ, you can be confident that God will finish the work that he started in you. It might feel slow, and you might feel like you fail more than you succeed. But Gods not done with you yet. What God starts, he finishes. And you can be confident of that.Theologians call this the doctrine of perseverance. The idea that Jesus will never let you go, he will never let you slip, he will never fail to finish the good work that he began in you. (John 6:39)And Paul could speak like that because the church in Philippi wasnt Pauls church. It was Jesus church. The church didnt need Paul to carry their faith through to completion. That was something that Jesus would do in their lives.And Im confident that God will do that here as well. Im confident that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion, until the day of Christ.And so on the days when it feels like you are failing, remind yourself: his grace is sufficient for me. When your sin is overwhelming, come to the cross and give it all to Jesus. You can be confident that when you do that, he is at work in you, correcting and rebuking and refining and sanctifying you, little by little, as he moves you ever closer to glory.4. Bearing FruitIve told you before that I plant fruit trees wherever I go, because I think fruit is the perfect metaphor for a growing Christian life.During the summer of 2020, I discovered a fig tree just near church on the Hopper Creek bridge. And so I took some cuttings, and I put them in a bag with sphagnum moss and kept them moist, and after about 3 or 4 weeks these tiny roots started to grow. I planted those delicate cuttings into little pots of seedling mix, I put them in a warm place and I kept the moisture just right. And over the next few months they grew leaves and even tiny baby fruits. After a year I planted them out into bigger pots, and then after another year I got the gardeners to plant my little fig into the ground at the back of the kids playground, just beside the shed here at the church. And it is growing And in a few years time, it will have delicious figs growing on it that youll be able to taste and enjoy.The Christian life is a little bit like growing a fig from cuttings. It can take time to see real changes. But under the right conditions, it will grow, bit by bit, until the fruit is evident to all.And so what does Christian growth look like? What should we be praying for, and what fruit should we be cultivating? Paul answers that for us in vv9-11.9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christto the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)First, Paul prays for their love.One of the biggest distinctives of Christians ought to be our love. Our love for God, our love for one another, even love for our enemies. Were going to think more about what love looks like in the coming weeks, but for now it might be helpful to reflect at home this week: how am I going with love? With loving others, with loving God, with loving when things are difficult? How is the gospel shaping me in love?Next, Paul prays that their love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.I pray a prayer for our church every week that we would be a church with a hunger for the scriptures, a hunger for the Bible, and a hunger to grow in our knowledge of God and his word. Not so that we can be puffed up, but so that the Scriptures shape our conversation and our prayers and our community. When we are soaked in the scriptures, then they help us to know how to act in certain situations, how to manage conflict, how to speak into life issues. This kind of knowledge helps us to discern what is best, and teaches us how to live obedient lives that honor Jesus. So keep reading your Bibles, join a Small Group, join Alpha, take every chance to grow in knowledge.Third, Paul prays that they would bear fruit. That they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. Im sure this is the same concept as the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.What brings me joy is that I see all those fruits of the Spirit evident here in the church. God is at work in you, and Im confident that he will complete the work that he has begun in you. Because he begun that work long before I got here, and hell continue it long after Im gone. But He will be the constant. He will be the one that grows you. Paul plants a seed, and Apollos waters it, but God makes it grow. And thats what is happening here. Im so thankful I got to be one of the gardeners in your life. But God makes it grow, and he will be the one to make this church grow.Shall we pray?
21 Days of Focus: Restoring Rhythm4. Restoring Sabbath Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor 29 January 2023One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had."I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did.""But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest."~Sometimes you have to slow down in order to speed upFor the last 3 weeks weve been talking about Restoring Rhythm finding balance in a busy world. The idea is to take this first month of the year to focus our hearts and minds on Christ, and how we plan to grow in faith in the coming year.Weve thought about busyness, and the relationship of busyness to work and our identity. And last week we started to get practical about how to create pockets of rest in the busyness. Today I want to talk about how to build bigger periods of rest into our regular rhythms, so that we can be sustained for the long haul.So why dont we pray that God would teach us today:Our heavenly Father, you know the best way for us to live in the world, because you created us and you love us. Will you speak to us today, and teach us how to find rest and balance and relationship with you. Help us to restore rhythms of lifegiving rest and worship in our lives. In Jesus name we pray. AmenThe older I get, the more I realise the years pass quickly. I find myself asking: Have I done everything I wanted to do? Did I take the time I needed with my kids? Have I made the most of life, or has life pulled me along like a riptide pulls you out into the ocean?Henry David Thoreau (American poet and philosopher) decided that he didnt want to be pulled along with the tide. He wanted to live deliberately.I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.Henry David Thoreau, WaldenNo matter what stage of life we are in, we can choose to live deliberately. And the talk today is all about being deliberate in how we live our lives towards God.[Recap: last week we started working our way through 4 spiritual disciplines that we can learn from Jesus. First was Silence and Solitude withdrawing to find time with God.]The second spiritual discipline is Sabbath.What is sabbath?The idea of Sabbath comes from the very first chapter of the Bible, from the creation story. Youll remember that in the first 5 days God created all the heavens and earth and filled them with all kinds of life. Then on the 6th day, God created humans, and they are the pinnacle of creation. Created in Gods image, and tasked with ruling over creation.But creation doesnt end on Day 6. God balances his working with a day of rest, a day that he declares to be holy, set apart, consecratedLook at Genesis 2:2-32 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:2-3)That day of rest becomes a powerful symbol that teaches us two things. It teaches us first about the pattern of work and rest that God has woven into the fabric of creation. Second it teaches us about the ultimate destiny of creationSo on that first idea: God works, then he rests. He weaves that pattern of work and rest into the fabric of creation. And as the OT progresses, he commands his people to weave that pattern into their own lives. He commands his people to keep the Sabbath. (Exodus 20:8-11)And its to be a sabbath for everybody who lives under Gods blessing and provision: for servants, and slaves and foreign workers, even for the animals. God would also teach his people to let the fields lie fallow every 7 years, in order to be replenished. (Exodus 23; Leviticus 25)This pattern of 6 and 1 is woven into the fabric of creation for our good.When Jesus came along, he made a point about restoring the goodness of the sabbath, instead of the legalistic thing it had become. Jesus brought healing and wholeness to the sick on the sabbath, pointing forward to the New Creation when this sabbath rest will be made complete.The writer of Hebrews says:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters Gods rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9-10)Theologian R.C. Sproul explains this idea of the sabbath rest that is still to come.God extends His holiness to a day; sanctifies, consecrates, a Sabbath day. Why? If we trace that concept throughout all of the Bible, we see that the goal of the Christian life is to enter finally into His rest, to enter into the perpetual Sabbath. The goal of creation is Sabbath rest and holiness.If the goal of creation is for us to rest in God, then the Sabbath reminds us on a weekly basis to return to our created purpose. It reminds us that we are more than our work. Its a weekly invitation to rest in God, and to trust in his provision.(Now I know that some of us will be having a reaction now against the idea of sabbath, because of the legalism around sabbath in the New Testament, and the legalism that many churches and denominations have put around the sabbath. And I get that in Christ we are freed from the OT Law, and so the weekly command to sabbath is no longer a binding commandment.)But heres the thing. God built sabbath into the fabric of creation. And he built it into the weekly pattern of his people because it is for our good. The sabbath is wisdom, as much as it is law, because we need to be reminded to stop!Jesus said: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)God has instituted this weekly rest for us! It is a gift, not a curse. Its a blessing that perhaps weve ignored as a reaction against legalism. And to our detriment.Pasto A.J. Swoboda wrote:[The Sabbath] has been largely forgotten by the church, which has uncritically mimicked the rhythms of the industrial and success-obsessed West. The result? Our road-weary, exhausted churches have largely failed to integrate Sabbath into their lives as vital elements of Christian discipleship. It is not as though we do not love God we love God deeply. We just do not know how to sit with God anymore.[The result] We have become perhaps the most emotionally exhausted, psychologically overworked, spiritually malnourished people in history.I think Swoboda has a point. Our lives so often mimick the rhythms of the society we live in. We may not look much different to our non-Christian neighbors, with the exception that we fit God into the spare moments of our weekly rhythms. Our days off look just like theirs, our aspirations look just like theirs. And our burdens weigh us down, just like theirs.But Jesus wants us to find rest from that exhausting treadmill.~So what does the Sabbath rest teach us?Gods pattern of 6/1 helps us trust that we will have enough, even if we stop working.It should be easy enough to trust God in this for one day (although there are weeks when I find that hard There seems to be so much to do that it feels irresponsible to stop. And there might be short seasons of life when thats true, but what if thats every week? How long do you think you can last like that? If thats your life, you are headed for burnout)So there is something about this weekly rest, this one day per week where we down tools and say, I can trust that Gods got it. I can rest and trust that he will help me get this done when I go back on Monday, or whenever you go back.But that takes trust, right? A little bit of trust that God asks us to have every week. Because in the end, we need to trust God for something much bigger. We need to trust him in the face of our death. We need to trust him when it comes to our sin. We need to trust him with our eternity. So what are we saying to God if we cant trust him for just one day?Gods pattern of 6/1 helps us to trust that we will have enough, even if we stop working for a day.But God would test his people to trust him for a lot longer than a day God would ask his people to take an entire Sabbath year once every seven years (Leviticus 25)The sabbath year meant relying entirely on God to feed you for 2 years out of every 7 The Sabbath year was to teach Gods people that our livelihood is not something we make from our hard work.We dont eat because weve earned.We eat because God feeds us.OUR MISTAKE: We equate work with wages the harder we work the more we deserve.But the Sabbath year shows us that everything we have comes from God as a gift.And our work contributes to the good of all Gods creatures the poor, the alien, and the person who cant work.And it makes sense, as followers of Jesus, doesnt it? When we think about salvation, we know that work is not linked with reward. We trust that our salvation is through nothing that we have done, only because of what Jesus has done. We are like the poor in the year of Sabbath we eat what we could never afford to buy, and were fed but not because we deserve it. We live only because God is good to us, because of Gods gracious provision.And so when we think about our work, and the crazy patterns we sometimes keep, its worth asking yourself:Where do you place your hope and trust for day-to-day life? Can you trust God enough to stop working and take the rest that God has given for your refreshment?Equipment for RestSabbath comes from the Hebrew word shabbat which means literally to stop or to cease.The OT command was that Gods people would stop and rest for one day every week, just like God stopped and rested after the six days of creation.And so I want us to reconsider the idea of doing just that. Stopping for a day to rest from our work, to enjoy God, and to enjoy the good gifts he has given us our family, our relationships, the possessions that we already have.Have you ever noticed the pull of Home Depot on your day off? I often think: Ill go down there and buy this thing that will make my life more complete. Or well walk into Acres and its the same desire. Do you ever feel the same pull?One of the blessings of the Sabbath is to- stop working- stop worrying,- and to stop wanting.- Sabbath is about resting body, mind and spirit, and delighting in everything God has given you, and worshiping him.What might that look like in practice?For some people its a literal 24 hour period. A decision to stop, and to focus on what really matters.Author and podcaster Jeff Bethke says for his family, Sabbath is the high point of the week. He says its like Christmas the same excitement, the same priority, the same sense of something special. Its part of their family life where they build traditions, its communal and its celebratory.Hes a pastor and he works Sundays, so his family have chosen Friday night to Saturday night for their sabbath.Thats modelled after the Jewish idea that the day starts at sundown. In practice it means they start their family sabbath with a meal together. They light a candle, say a prayer, they eat and read a Bible passage together. The next day they sleep in, they enjoy time together, they eat, and they rest. They choose not to do household chores or run errands. They leave them for later.A key part of their day is building worship into their schedule time to read Scripture, time to read Christian books, time to pray alone and with one another. Time to listen to music that fills them up. Time to talk about their life and faith. Thats discipling one another, right?My family has been working on this. Jeff Bethke has little children, mine are young adults. Your family situation might be something completely different again, but here is what weve come up with in my family.We reflected back on our church experience during COVID, and it was actually a really great time of fellowship and discipleship for our family. We would all sit down and watch church online together, and then wed share what we learned from the sermon and wed pray about it. It was really great!As a ministry family, we dont get to go to church together in that same way. Charlotte and Jamie run our Kids program here at church, and I preach. But we wanted to bring that discipleship back into our sabbath, and so now most weeks we get home from church here and we watch a church in Texas. We sing along with their worship, we listen to the sermon, we discuss what weve learned and we pray. Its been great!We dont get to it every week, but its a pattern that we are building into our family life.Whats a pattern you could build into your family life that brings the best of sabbath into your week?Again, this is not about being legalistic. This is about learning to cultivate and carve out significant time for God, learning to say no to the busyness, and yes to nurturing your most vital relationships.I have seven suggestions, in no particular order, that might help you find sabbath.1. Prioritize coming along to church each week, if thats not currently a priority. Why? Because God has saved us into his family, the church, and we are meant to be part of a community that disciples one another. Theres no such thing as a solo Christian. Coming to church helps us to remind ourselves that we have put our faith in Jesus as our number one priority. And its an encouragement to everyone else who is trying to do the same.2. Make a decision to slow down. We spend so much of the week driven by schedules, and appointments and deadlines. Part of the joy of sabbath is to say no to busyness, and to make time for relationships. That might mean lingering over coffee after church, rather than rushing off to the next appointment. It might mean having a long lunch as a family, or with church friends. If you dont have time to cook beforehand, cook together and eat later. We have friends whove never had a dishwasher, because they believe the best conversations happen when youre washing up together. Its a family affair.3. Enjoy what you already have. In John Mark Comers book, he looks at the life of Jesus and he notices the simplicity in the way that Jesus lived. For his 3 years of public ministry, Jesus lived a very simple life, sharing meals with others, unweighed down by material possessions. What could we learn from that simple way of life? As I already mentioned, one way is to enjoy the possessions we already have. Read a book that is on your shelf. Cook with ingredients that are in your cupboard. Enjoy the simple pleasure of tending the garden, or going for a walk. At least for one day a week, reject the culture of consumption and embrace contentment.4. Rest. Give yourself permission to rest, even if its just for this one day a week. This is one I need to listen to. All week long I work with to-do lists and tasks and projects and deadlines, and its so easy to bring that same thinking into my sabbath. I have a day off so I want to get lots of things done! But the sabbath reminds us that it isnt good for us to keep up that frenetic pace seven days a week. God made sabbath for us, to teach us that we need rest. And its ok to rest. So perhaps rest looks like leaving some chores undone. Perhaps it looks like taking an afternoon nap, or going to bed early. Perhaps it looks like enjoying an afternoon at the cinema or on the couch. And giving yourself permission to believe that its not wasted time.5. Unplug from technology. This is the idea of taking a digital sabbath. Technology, especially our phones, can be incredibly distracting, and we find our attention regularly being drawn towards them, thousands of times a day according to one statistic. That means on a day when our attention should be with our family, and spent in worship, instead our attention is drawn away towards our email, or our work, or the news, or whatever your particular digital distraction is. But unplugging means we deliberately put that distraction away. We decide to be present with our family, and present in worship. We decide not to react to every notification that comes. Instead we make a choice to live deliberately, in the moment, distracted only by the people in front of us and their needs and concerns.6. Make it holy. God blessed the seventh day and he made it holy. How can you make your sabbath more than just a day off? How can you make it holy? How will you bring an element of worship and discipleship into this day of rest? I know it will be different for each of you, but how can you add just a little bit more? How will you go just a little bit deeper with Jesus? How will you find a little bit more vulnerability in your prayer life? A little bit more heart in your worship? How will you let the Sunday message influence you beyond this hour? How will you make this day holy?7. Start where you are, not where you feel you should be. The idea of taking 24 hours of sabbath might be a long way from where your life is right now. But that doesnt mean you shouldnt try. Start small, and build up. What would it look like to turn this hour in church into a half day of rest? What might it look like to find a regular time with your family to share a meal and to remember Gods goodness? Start small and see where God takes you. Because he made the sabbath for you. Its all about restoring life-giving rhythm into your life. Its part of how Jesus brings you restJesus said:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. (Matthew 11:28-29)Shall we pray?
21 Days of Focus: Restoring Rhythm3. Equipment: Silence and Solitude Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor 22 January 2023Intro: SirensI was thinking this week about Homers Odyssey. The Odyssey, written in the 8th century BC is the tale of Odysseus, a hero whose journey home from the Trojan War takes him on seafaring adventure through exotic lands, enduring terrible storms and horrifying monsters.Ive always loved the story of Odysseus and the Sirens.In Greek mythology, Sirens were mermaid-like creatures who sang mesmerizingly beautiful songs that would lure passing sailors to their deaths. As they sang, sailors couldn't help but fling themselves over the sides of the ship and swim toward the enchanting voices, but they would soon find themselves impaled, dying on the jagged rocks on the edges of the islands.Odysseus had been warned [by the goddess Circe] about the sirens, but he wanted to hear their song. So Odysseus ordered his crew to bind him to the mast of the ship with ropes. He had his crew plug their ears with beeswax so they would be deaf to the deadly, siren song.As the ship approached the place where the sirens were, Odysseus could hear the magical song of the sirens as it floated over the water. His heart was enchanted.Odysseus strained against the ropes, desperately trying to free himself. Bewitched by their song, to Odysseus the sirens looked as beautiful as Helen of Troy.But the crew saw something very different. With their ears blocked, they see the sirens for what they really were hungry monsters with vicious, crooked claws, seeking to devour and destroy.And so they rowed and rowed away from the island, until the siren song was only an echo of an echo. And Odysseus came to his senses and was saved~Perhaps its only once you get away from the siren song, that you realize the danger you were inTodays Bible passage is all about getting away from the siren song, getting away from the noise, so that we can hear Gods voice.So why dont we pray that (even now) God would silence the distractions and speak to us.Our heavenly Father, in a world with many distractions, would you silence the noise right now. Would you silence our hearts and minds so that we can hear you speak. Will you teach us how to find our rest in you. In Jesus name we pray. AmenWell you have joined us in the middle of our January 21 Days of Focus. Its all about starting our year right, resetting our hearts and habits so that we can serve Jesus well in the coming year.Our special theme is Restoring Rhythm: how to find balance in a busy world.The modern pace of life often pushes faith to the fringes, and so we have been thinking about how to bring a balance between work and rest and faith.Because in Jesus, balance is possible. Jesus promises rest to the weary, as well as life to the full. You can have both.But to find that balance, we need to look to Jesus. We need to come to him and look at his life and learn from the way that he went through the world, how he interacted with people. Its in observing Jesus that we learn not just the truth, but the way and the life.For the next two weeks, I want to get really practical.Because if God has been convicting you to make a change, then we need to go home with some tools in our toolkit so that we can make modifications to our life.So the question is: how do we bring that balance of work and rest into the every day? How can we live looking forward to the sabbath rest, while working every day to the glory of the Lord?The good news is that Jesus gives us tools. Or as F. Dale Bruner put it in that quote I shared last week, Jesus gives us equipment. Jesus teaches us a balance and a way of carrying life that will give us more rest than the way we have been living.Theres a book that is brilliant on this topic. John Mark Comers The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is all about the authors own journey from hurry to rest and balance.Comer is the pastor of a large church in Portland, with small kids, and he realized that in the busyness of life, he had stalled out on his growth as a Christian. Something about the pace of his life meant that his vital relationship with Christ was being squeezed out between everything he had on his plate.I dont want to give too many spoilers in case you read the book. But as is the case in Jesus teaching, sometimes we need major surgery to repair the issues of our hearts.Anyway, this book is great, and he also did a podcast with Jeff Bethke who has written a similar book. (Podcast is called Fight Hurry, End Hustle)If youre not a reader, the podcast is really easy to listen to. We listened to it with our kids on a road-trip and it generated a really healthy discussion about discipleship and priorities for us as a family.So a great resource.I am going to borrow unapologetically from John Mark Comers work on this what he calls his Four Spiritual Rules, or four spiritual practices that we can identify in Jesus life:1. Silence and Solitude2. Sabbath3. Simplicity4. Slowing DownToday were just going to talk about Silence and Solitude. Well get to the others in the next few weeks.1. Noise and SilenceHave you ever noticed how much noise we encounter every day?Theres the physical noise of modern life.We wake up to an alarm. We get into our noisy cars. We go to work where there are noisy people, noisy tools, noisy phones ringing. We might go to a park or a coffee shop to get away from the noise, but in the background there are always planes and sirens and car stereos. Modern life is just noisy in a physical sense!But then theres the digital noise, what some people call information overload.Every day we are bombarded by little packets of information, thousands of them. Each one designed to grab your attention, even if just for a moment. Billboards. Advertising. News headlines. Even the brands on our cars and clothes are designed to grab our attention.Then there is the internet, email, instant messaging. The newspaper on your iPad. Wordle. The NYT crossword.Then theres the cell phone with its Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, whatever the latest app is that your kids dont want you to join. Calling us to stop and scroll a minute. Calling out to us, like a siren song luring us onto the rocks of digital distractionYou know what Im talking about, right? That lure to get out your phone every time you have a moment to spare. In the line at the coffee shop, when youre stopped at the traffic lights, even when youre in the bathroom. The noise is constantly there, calling out to you at a subconscious level.It's so pervasive that we never notice it until we try to find a moment of silence, like when we stop to prayHave you ever felt that inability to silence the noise in your head?When the kids were little, we loved to vacation at this beach town in Australia called Surfers Paradise. There were theme parks and beaches and it was one of those family vacations that became a bit of a tradition in the family.One of our traditions was going into a video game arcade called TimeZone. And you could pay like $30 to play unlimited games for an hour. And so we would play airhockey, and the video games, and pinball. And the whole time there are lights flashing and noises playing and there are neon lights and the hour just flashes by in a moment.And then you walk outside and that noise is still going on inside your head. That overstimulation and that sensory overload takes a few hours to come down from.Thats our brains everyday. Were constantly overstimulated. And you only notice it when you step outside and try to find a moment of silence. The brain struggles to stand still.I notice it when I stop to pray.And thats where we need to look to Jesus first spiritual practice. Silence and solitude.Think about Jesus, who was surrounded everyday by crowds clamoring for his attention. Pushing up against him, wanting to be healed, or fed, or taught.Thats exactly what was happening in Mark chapter 1.32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34)And this is just the beginning of Jesus ministry. By the next chapter of Marks gospel, the crowds had gathered in such large numbers that people couldnt even get close to the door of the room where Jesus was. Remember those four men who dug their way through the roof to bring their paralysed friend to Jesus. By chapter 3 Jesus and his disciples cant even eat, the crowds are so large. Luke tells us that Jesus had to get a boat so that he could preach to the crowds. Jesus was in demand at ever moment. Reminds me of when the kids were very little. They demand your attention every waking moment.That was Jesus public life for 3 years.But Jesus balanced those public demands with a very deliberate practice in private.Look at Mark 1:35. From the very beginning of Jesus ministry, this is how he found balance.35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.Luke 5:16 says Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.For Jesus, it was important to find time away from the noise to pray. To be with his father. To switch off the other stimuli, and to devote his attention to his relationship with God. He nourished his own faith, so that he could nourish others.A bit like the oxygen mask on a plane. Parents are meant to put on their own mask first, because you cant help somebody else if youre suffocating.And so Jesus took time regularly to breathe, and to replenish his spiritual life in private.And there are three principles we learn from this practice of Jesus (all start with W to help us remember).1. Withdrawing. It is very hard to find silence when we are in the middle of the noise. We need to create some kind of separation in order to carve out space for contemplative time with God. For Jesus, this meant deliberately withdrawing, stepping out, creating space between himself and his every day routine.2. Second, Wilderness. Jesus chose to go to desolate places. Another way to translate the original word is to say he went out to the wilderness, or to the desert. Jesus deliberately chose places where there was nobody else, so that he could find solitude and alone time with God.3. Third, Worship. This withdrawing to the wilderness was not just about finding me-time. Jesus wasnt taking a day off to recover, although thats not a bad thing. This was a deliberate withdrawal in order to replenish his soul by spending life-giving time in prayer. In conversation with God. Listening for Gods voice in the quietness of his heart.2. Withdrawing, Wilderness and Worship.So for us, how do we put those principles into practice?I think the simplest way is by having a quiet time with the Lord on a regular basis. From the time I became a Christian at age 16, I was taught about this idea of having a quiet time with the Lord every day. Time to read the Bible, and to pray in response. Largely thats something Ive done every day for the last 15 years, and it is a habit that Ive built into my day. I read the Bible as the first thing I do every day (right after I make coffee).And the reason I do it first thing is partly out of convenience. I dont have to think, I dont have to schedule it in, I dont have to interrupt appointments to make it happen. I just get my coffee and read my Bible. And it becomes muscle memory, or routine. Its like showering I shower every day. It would be strange not to shower. And it would be strange not to read Gods word. Its how I start the day.But theres another reason I do my quiet time first thing in the morning. If I pick up Gods word as the first thing I do everyday, then his is the first voice I hear. Gods word and his wisdom speak to my heart before the noise of the day starts. Before I think about the concerns of work, or my schedule, I let God shape my plans and my priorities as he speaks to me through the Bible. As his Spirit teaches and rebukes and corrects and trains me in righteousness.I need that before the voices of the world clamor for my attention.Because as soon as you let them, they will call you onto the rocksI have to be careful of that, because I use my phone for my quiet times. There are some fantastic devotional resources, and tools that help me to be accountable to my daily habit of reading. (Bible in One Year with Nicky Gumbel highly recommend!)I also use a Prayer app which helps me pray through a set of topics that Ive committed to pray about. Ive set it up so that its slightly different everyday. That means for me that it doesnt feel mechanical. But actually as I come back to the same prayers each week, there is a beautiful familiarity and a development in the way I pray the same prayers. It prompts me to remember how God is answering my prayers. It prompts me to pray deeper into each topic. It actually helps to keep me focused.But then there is a danger in doing your quiet time on the phone. Theres always the lure of digital distraction. I have to commit to mentally focusing on Gods word, and deliberately waiting until later to check my email and read the paper.If that doesnt work, then another strategy is to deliberately switch your phone off during your quiet time, or put it in another room. Turn off the television, turn off the radio, turn off the music or the podcast and create a real space for silence.I think thats part of why Jesus went to wilderness places. It creates a physical separation from the everyday. And even though theres no such thing as true silence, it gave Jesus space from the other voices clamoring for his attention.And so perhaps we should think about the wilderness places in our life. What might it look like to go somewhere different, somewhere outside of your regular environment, to devote time to the Lord? Perhaps it means taking your Bible up to Lake Hennessy, or to a park bench overlooking the vineyards.Or perhaps you dont need to go that far. Perhaps theres a place at home, or in your garden that can become your wilderness place.In my office, I have an armchair where I go to do my reading. I do that because it creates a distinct physical, separate place away from my desk and computer. And that physical separation helps me create a mental separation between the spaces.My computer is where emails come, and the phone rings, where a thousand tasks await. But three feet away in my reading chair, no technology is allowed, just books and my Bible. Its become a little wilderness place for me, even in the midst of the busyness.And the more Ive used the reading chair like that, the more Ive been able to mentally transition to a place of silence when I sit down there. It has this calming effect on me, where the noises of the world fade in readiness for God to speak.Its also a place where I find prayer comes easily. I actually kneel to pray, not because its more holy, but because the physical posture helps me transition my mind from busy work to the work of prayer.Its a little bit like the practice of mindfulness, which teaches you to transition your racing mind to a place of calm. The practice of withdrawing and communing with God teaches your heart and mind to trust in him. And it gets better the more you do it.F Dale Bruner said that Jesus gives us equipment, a balance and a way of carrying life that will give us more rest than the way we have been living.Silence and solitude is one of those pieces of equipment. Withdrawing from the everyday, finding silence and solitude with God in the wilderness places of your life, and worshiping.How will you find silence and solitude this week?
21 Days of Focus: Restoring Rhythm2. Work, Rest and Restoring Identity Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor 15 January 2023Intro: Whats in the box?A member of church gave me this book early last year. Half Time by Bob Buford. A book by a Christian business man about how to make the most of the second half of your life.Bob Buford was a TV station owner from the early days of television. He was wildly successful from a business perspective. But somewhere around the middle of his life, he got to a point in his career where he asked himself: Is this all there is?And so in the book, he describes this pivotal conversation with his business mentor. His mentor, Mike Kami, had been a strategic planner with IBM and Xerox in the early days, and went to consult at Coca Cola a heavy hitter. And an atheist.And Buford finds himself asking his mentor: (quote on handout)What should I do? How could I be most useful? Where should I invest my own talents, time and treasure? What are the values that give purpose to my life? What is the overarching vision that shapes me? Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? How do I get there?In this blizzard of wonderment, Mike Kami asked me a simple and penetrating question: Whats in the box?If you had to decide THE one thing thats the most important part of your life, the one non-negotiable, the puzzle piece that everything else is built off, the thing that defines and motivates you, what would it be? Whats in the box?Thats what were going to be thinking about today as we open the Bible. So why dont we pray and ask God to give us wisdom.Our heavenly Father, we pray today that you would give us clarity and focus as we think about what the most important thing in our life is. Give us wisdom as we read your word, and keep transforming us into the image of Christ. In his life-giving name we pray, Amen.Well we are in the middle of our 21 Days of Focus something we do every January to help us refocus our faith at the beginning of the New Year.This year were calling the series Restoring Rhythm how to find balance in a busy world.We started last week with the premise that, as a society, we have a busyness problem.Two cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman have labeled our busyness problem as "hurry sickness." They noticed their patients in this continuous struggle [] to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time."Taken to the extreme, hurry sickness can cause real health issues. But most of us dont even notice it happening to us, because busyness is such a normal part of modern life. Its the air we breathe.But its not how life is meant to be. Jesus said:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. (Matthew 11:28-29)Commentator F. Dale Bruner said that the rest Jesus is offering us is not a vacation or a mattress to lie down on. Jesus offers us equipment, a new way to carry life so that our work and our rest are part of a life-giving rhythm.So today I want to share the first piece of equipment that Jesus gives to help us restore rhythm, and to find balance in a busy world.And that equipment is to restore our understanding of work, rest and identity (because theyre all tied up together).1. Order and DisorderTo restore a right understanding of work, rest and identity, we need to go back to Creation.At creation, God made humans in his image. And he gave us a role to play bringing order to creation.God gave Adam and Eve a job: to rule over creation; to subdue it; and to fill it. They were to bring shape and creativity to the world. This is the original pattern for work. Work was good and purposeful and life-affirming. That was day 6 of creation.Then on Day 7 God rested from his work of creation. And he commanded all of creation to do likewise.Gods deliberate act of stopping, and resting, shows us that in his world, there is balance between work and rest. Both work and rest are part of the goodness of creation. Work is good. And rest is good. Together work and rest are how Gods people are to experience the fullness of life and purpose in Gods good creation.But once we get to chapter 3 of Genesis, we see a big disruption when sin enters the world, a big upheaval.Sin takes the good order of creation and turns it into disorder.That leaves us experiencing a disordered pattern of work and rest. Work is often fraught, and rest is not so restful.This is the result of the curse in Genesis 3:God says because of sin, we will have thorns and thistles in our work. Work will not always be life-giving and purpose-affirming. It will not always be good. Our work life may be filled with trouble.Thats not the only trouble that comes as a result of the curse.- Sin creates trouble in good things such as parenting and childbirth.- Sin creates trouble in human relationships. The man and the woman now fight with one another, and that spreads into every human relationship.Sin brings upheaval to the good order of creation; and everything good is brought into disorder. Sins corruption makes its way into every corner of creation, every corner of society. And ultimately, into every corner of our own hearts and desires and dreams.This is an important theological idea to understand. Because sometimes we dont recognize the disorder. The messiness just seems normal to us. Weve grown up with it and its just what we expect from the world.Like the two fish who were swimming in the ocean. And one fish says to the other, The waters lovely today! And the other fish says, Whats water?Sometimes we get so used to the way things are, that we forget that things are not the way they are supposed to be.Disorder is not how our lives are meant to be.And thats where the Christian message is such good news. The gospel of Jesus is all about restoring order to a world disordered by sin. Its all about undoing the curse of sin, and helping us to recover the purpose we were created for.So thats the first big point: we need to recognize the disorder that sin brings to life, so that we can start to allow Jesus to re-order us2. Disordered IdentityTheres a new documentary on Netflix about the lives of tennis players. The first episode is all about Nick Kyrgios, an Australian player who has been hailed the greatest talent of his generation. Hes one of only a handful of players to have beaten the Big 3 Federer, Djokovic and Nadal and he beat each of them the first time they played together. Kyrgios is a major talent, but he has never really achieved at the highest levels. Hes just too volatile.So you watch Kyrgios play, and sometimes he plays with absolute confidence, hits trick shots, get the crowd behind him. Kyrgios is one of the best players in the world when hes on. But then other times its like somebody flicks a switch, and he gets inside his own head. He starts to yell and curse and he implodes.Its like his whole identity depends on whether he is winning or losing.I think we often share that same disordered thinking when it comes to our identity. Particularly because our identity is often tied to our work.Our society often equates a persons work with their value or status as a person. The higher paying the job, the higher the prestige and personal value we assign to that person. Or the more public a role, the more kudos and status they receive.It also means that we assign less value to those in lowlier paid positions. We assign them less value as humans because in our society, personal value is tied up with work. And so is our identity.When we meet someone for the first time, we ask them: What do you do for a living? And whether we mean to or not, we assign them value as a person based on how they respond. We equate their identity with what they do.And we do the same for ourselves. When our identity is tied up with our work, then its good when were winning. But what if were not? What happens when we retire? If our identity is tied up with our work, then its like we lose a part of our identity, or were somehow lesser of a person.I talked about this on Tuesday at our Hymns and Communion service, the idea that when we retire, the world often looks at us differently because they dont know who we used to be. They dont know what we used to do. They dont see the former football player, the former head of a department, the former mom to six children. Nobody sees that. They just see a person of advancing years, and sadly, we assign them less value as people because they no longer have a job.Do you see the disorder with that way of thinking?It has implications for the way we think about people with dementia, or diminished mental abilities. We bind personal value and identity to the ability to produce.No wonder we have hurry sickness. No wonder we cant rest. Because if we stop, then what happens to our identity? What happens to our value as a person?This is the water we swim in everyday, but were like the fish that has never heard of water. So often we dont even recognize the disordered way of thinking that is so normalized in our world...3. Restoring IdentitySo how do we fix our disordered thinking? How do we restore the right understanding of our identity, so that we can restore healthy rhythms of work and rest?I think thats the yoke that Jesus offers tools to retrain our thinking so that we see the world through his eyes.The answer starts in creation.First we need to remind ourselves that our identity is not derived from our work, but from our status as a beloved child of God. The creation story reminds us that we are each created in the image of God. And that means our innate value and worth as a person is not derived from what we produce in this world, but who produced us. We are loved because of who God made us, not what we have made of ourselves.And when we look at how Jesus treated the people he met, we see that principle in practice. Jesus loved everybody who came to him: the rich and the poor, women and children, the sick, the disabled, the outcast. Jesus offered them all equal dignity, regardless of social status. Their worth in his eyes had nothing to do with their earthly achievements.And the same is true when it comes to salvation. We are not saved because of our work, or our righteous acts, or the roles we played in a church. Salvation is the gift of God! And it is due solely to his love for us, and his merciful grace to pardon our sins through faith in Christ.We can learn a lot by looking at the way Jesus went about in the world. Like I said last week, Jesus is not just the truth, but the way and the life. We need to learn from him.Because Christ comes to restore order to a world disordered by sin. He comes to restore right thinking, and to renew our whole approach to the world as he removes the distorting effects of sin from our lives. He comes to make us a new creation, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17.If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)When our kids were little, we used to take them to a park that had funny mirrors. You know the sort of mirrors that make you look tall, or short, or fat, or skinny. Theyre great fun. But theyre all a distortion of reality.But when Christ recreates us, its like looking in a regular mirror for the first time. We start to see (understand/realize) that all the other mirrors were distorted, they all emphasized the wrong things, they all gave us the wrong perspective on the world. But now in Christ you can see clearly for the first time.And thats one of the ways that Jesus brings us rest. By giving us a renewed mind, and restored thinking (1 Corinthians 2:16). When we are weary of all the comparison, when were burdened from the pressure of the performance treadmill, when were exhausted from trying to create our own identity and legacy through our achievements, Jesus says: Come to me and Ill show you a better way. Come and Ill show you a new way to work and rest that is life-giving, and purposeful.I find it very freeing when the Apostle Paul says essentially that it doesnt matter what we do in life. What matters is how we do it:Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)Paul wants us to do whatever we do for the glory of Jesus. In Ephesians, he tells us that we have been created in Christ to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.God is part of your story, and whatever season of life you are in, you can work (and rest) to the glory of Jesus. You can do whatever your work is in a way that serves Jesus, and honors him. Whether youre in a corporate job, or in a hospital, whether youre retired or looking after a home, the way you work helps to bring Gods kingdom in whatever realm God has placed you in.~Come back to Bob Buford, the TV exec from the beginning of the sermon. He finds himself in this conversation with his atheist business mentor. Hes midway through a very successful career, but wondering how to make the most of the rest of his life.What should I do? How could I be most useful? Where should I invest my own talents, time and treasure? What are the values that give purpose to my life? What is the overarching vision that shapes me? Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? How do I get there?In this blizzard of wonderment, Mike Kami asked me a simple and penetrating question: Whats in the box?What is the most important thing in your life? What is it that drives your identity, your hopes, your dreams? Where do you find meaning and purpose in life? And how do you know youve succeeded at life? Whats in the box?For Buford, he decided that he wanted to put Jesus in the box at the center of his life. He had a moment of clarity where he realized that all the business success, it meant nothing if it pushed Jesus into the background, if it pushed Jesus out of his life altogether.He had a moment of clarity that changed everything.What about you? What is in the box?
21 Days of Focus: Restoring Rhythm2. Work, Rest and Restoring Identity Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor 15 January 2023Intro: Whats in the box?A member of church gave me this book early last year. Half Time by Bob Buford. A book by a Christian business man about how to make the most of the second half of your life.Bob Buford was a TV station owner from the early days of television. He was wildly successful from a business perspective. But somewhere around the middle of his life, he got to a point in his career where he asked himself: Is this all there is?And so in the book, he describes this pivotal conversation with his business mentor. His mentor, Mike Kami, had been a strategic planner with IBM and Xerox in the early days, and went to consult at Coca Cola a heavy hitter. And an atheist.And Buford finds himself asking his mentor: (quote on handout)What should I do? How could I be most useful? Where should I invest my own talents, time and treasure? What are the values that give purpose to my life? What is the overarching vision that shapes me? Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? How do I get there?In this blizzard of wonderment, Mike Kami asked me a simple and penetrating question: Whats in the box?If you had to decide THE one thing thats the most important part of your life, the one non-negotiable, the puzzle piece that everything else is built off, the thing that defines and motivates you, what would it be? Whats in the box?Thats what were going to be thinking about today as we open the Bible. So why dont we pray and ask God to give us wisdom.Our heavenly Father, we pray today that you would give us clarity and focus as we think about what the most important thing in our life is. Give us wisdom as we read your word, and keep transforming us into the image of Christ. In his life-giving name we pray, Amen.Well we are in the middle of our 21 Days of Focus something we do every January to help us refocus our faith at the beginning of the New Year.This year were calling the series Restoring Rhythm how to find balance in a busy world.We started last week with the premise that, as a society, we have a busyness problem.Two cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman have labeled our busyness problem as "hurry sickness." They noticed their patients in this continuous struggle [] to accomplish or achieve more and more things or participate in more and more events in less and less time."Taken to the extreme, hurry sickness can cause real health issues. But most of us dont even notice it happening to us, because busyness is such a normal part of modern life. Its the air we breathe.But its not how life is meant to be. Jesus said:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. (Matthew 11:28-29)Commentator F. Dale Bruner said that the rest Jesus is offering us is not a vacation or a mattress to lie down on. Jesus offers us equipment, a new way to carry life so that our work and our rest are part of a life-giving rhythm.So today I want to share the first piece of equipment that Jesus gives to help us restore rhythm, and to find balance in a busy world.And that equipment is to restore our understanding of work, rest and identity (because theyre all tied up together).1. Order and DisorderTo restore a right understanding of work, rest and identity, we need to go back to Creation.At creation, God made humans in his image. And he gave us a role to play bringing order to creation.God gave Adam and Eve a job: to rule over creation; to subdue it; and to fill it. They were to bring shape and creativity to the world. This is the original pattern for work. Work was good and purposeful and life-affirming. That was day 6 of creation.Then on Day 7 God rested from his work of creation. And he commanded all of creation to do likewise.Gods deliberate act of stopping, and resting, shows us that in his world, there is balance between work and rest. Both work and rest are part of the goodness of creation. Work is good. And rest is good. Together work and rest are how Gods people are to experience the fullness of life and purpose in Gods good creation.But once we get to chapter 3 of Genesis, we see a big disruption when sin enters the world, a big upheaval.Sin takes the good order of creation and turns it into disorder.That leaves us experiencing a disordered pattern of work and rest. Work is often fraught, and rest is not so restful.This is the result of the curse in Genesis 3:God says because of sin, we will have thorns and thistles in our work. Work will not always be life-giving and purpose-affirming. It will not always be good. Our work life may be filled with trouble.Thats not the only trouble that comes as a result of the curse.- Sin creates trouble in good things such as parenting and childbirth.- Sin creates trouble in human relationships. The man and the woman now fight with one another, and that spreads into every human relationship.Sin brings upheaval to the good order of creation; and everything good is brought into disorder. Sins corruption makes its way into every corner of creation, every corner of society. And ultimately, into every corner of our own hearts and desires and dreams.This is an important theological idea to understand. Because sometimes we dont recognize the disorder. The messiness just seems normal to us. Weve grown up with it and its just what we expect from the world.Like the two fish who were swimming in the ocean. And one fish says to the other, The waters lovely today! And the other fish says, Whats water?Sometimes we get so used to the way things are, that we forget that things are not the way they are supposed to be.Disorder is not how our lives are meant to be.And thats where the Christian message is such good news. The gospel of Jesus is all about restoring order to a world disordered by sin. Its all about undoing the curse of sin, and helping us to recover the purpose we were created for.So thats the first big point: we need to recognize the disorder that sin brings to life, so that we can start to allow Jesus to re-order us2. Disordered IdentityTheres a new documentary on Netflix about the lives of tennis players. The first episode is all about Nick Kyrgios, an Australian player who has been hailed the greatest talent of his generation. Hes one of only a handful of players to have beaten the Big 3 Federer, Djokovic and Nadal and he beat each of them the first time they played together. Kyrgios is a major talent, but he has never really achieved at the highest levels. Hes just too volatile.So you watch Kyrgios play, and sometimes he plays with absolute confidence, hits trick shots, get the crowd behind him. Kyrgios is one of the best players in the world when hes on. But then other times its like somebody flicks a switch, and he gets inside his own head. He starts to yell and curse and he implodes.Its like his whole identity depends on whether he is winning or losing.I think we often share that same disordered thinking when it comes to our identity. Particularly because our identity is often tied to our work.Our society often equates a persons work with their value or status as a person. The higher paying the job, the higher the prestige and personal value we assign to that person. Or the more public a role, the more kudos and status they receive.It also means that we assign less value to those in lowlier paid positions. We assign them less value as humans because in our society, personal value is tied up with work. And so is our identity.When we meet someone for the first time, we ask them: What do you do for a living? And whether we mean to or not, we assign them value as a person based on how they respond. We equate their identity with what they do.And we do the same for ourselves. When our identity is tied up with our work, then its good when were winning. But what if were not? What happens when we retire? If our identity is tied up with our work, then its like we lose a part of our identity, or were somehow lesser of a person.I talked about this on Tuesday at our Hymns and Communion service, the idea that when we retire, the world often looks at us differently because they dont know who we used to be. They dont know what we used to do. They dont see the former football player, the former head of a department, the former mom to six children. Nobody sees that. They just see a person of advancing years, and sadly, we assign them less value as people because they no longer have a job.Do you see the disorder with that way of thinking?It has implications for the way we think about people with dementia, or diminished mental abilities. We bind personal value and identity to the ability to produce.No wonder we have hurry sickness. No wonder we cant rest. Because if we stop, then what happens to our identity? What happens to our value as a person?This is the water we swim in everyday, but were like the fish that has never heard of water. So often we dont even recognize the disordered way of thinking that is so normalized in our world...3. Restoring IdentitySo how do we fix our disordered thinking? How do we restore the right understanding of our identity, so that we can restore healthy rhythms of work and rest?I think thats the yoke that Jesus offers tools to retrain our thinking so that we see the world through his eyes.The answer starts in creation.First we need to remind ourselves that our identity is not derived from our work, but from our status as a beloved child of God. The creation story reminds us that we are each created in the image of God. And that means our innate value and worth as a person is not derived from what we produce in this world, but who produced us. We are loved because of who God made us, not what we have made of ourselves.And when we look at how Jesus treated the people he met, we see that principle in practice. Jesus loved everybody who came to him: the rich and the poor, women and children, the sick, the disabled, the outcast. Jesus offered them all equal dignity, regardless of social status. Their worth in his eyes had nothing to do with their earthly achievements.And the same is true when it comes to salvation. We are not saved because of our work, or our righteous acts, or the roles we played in a church. Salvation is the gift of God! And it is due solely to his love for us, and his merciful grace to pardon our sins through faith in Christ.We can learn a lot by looking at the way Jesus went about in the world. Like I said last week, Jesus is not just the truth, but the way and the life. We need to learn from him.Because Christ comes to restore order to a world disordered by sin. He comes to restore right thinking, and to renew our whole approach to the world as he removes the distorting effects of sin from our lives. He comes to make us a new creation, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17.If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)When our kids were little, we used to take them to a park that had funny mirrors. You know the sort of mirrors that make you look tall, or short, or fat, or skinny. Theyre great fun. But theyre all a distortion of reality.But when Christ recreates us, its like looking in a regular mirror for the first time. We start to see (understand/realize) that all the other mirrors were distorted, they all emphasized the wrong things, they all gave us the wrong perspective on the world. But now in Christ you can see clearly for the first time.And thats one of the ways that Jesus brings us rest. By giving us a renewed mind, and restored thinking (1 Corinthians 2:16). When we are weary of all the comparison, when were burdened from the pressure of the performance treadmill, when were exhausted from trying to create our own identity and legacy through our achievements, Jesus says: Come to me and Ill show you a better way. Come and Ill show you a new way to work and rest that is life-giving, and purposeful.I find it very freeing when the Apostle Paul says essentially that it doesnt matter what we do in life. What matters is how we do it:Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)Paul wants us to do whatever we do for the glory of Jesus. In Ephesians, he tells us that we have been created in Christ to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.God is part of your story, and whatever season of life you are in, you can work (and rest) to the glory of Jesus. You can do whatever your work is in a way that serves Jesus, and honors him. Whether youre in a corporate job, or in a hospital, whether youre retired or looking after a home, the way you work helps to bring Gods kingdom in whatever realm God has placed you in.~Come back to Bob Buford, the TV exec from the beginning of the sermon. He finds himself in this conversation with his atheist business mentor. Hes midway through a very successful career, but wondering how to make the most of the rest of his life.What should I do? How could I be most useful? Where should I invest my own talents, time and treasure? What are the values that give purpose to my life? What is the overarching vision that shapes me? Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? How do I get there?In this blizzard of wonderment, Mike Kami asked me a simple and penetrating question: Whats in the box?What is the most important thing in your life? What is it that drives your identity, your hopes, your dreams? Where do you find meaning and purpose in life? And how do you know youve succeeded at life? Whats in the box?For Buford, he decided that he wanted to put Jesus in the box at the center of his life. He had a moment of clarity where he realized that all the business success, it meant nothing if it pushed Jesus into the background, if it pushed Jesus out of his life altogether.He had a moment of clarity that changed everything.What about you? What is in the box?
New Years Day 2023Zacchaeus: A New Start Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorLuke 19:1-10 1 January 2023Well good morning and Happy New Year!I always like to start my New Years sermon with a list of the top New Years Resolutions. According to one survey , the top New Years resolutions for Americans are:#1 exercise more#2 eat healthier#3 lose weight#4 save more money#5 spend more time with family and friendsHighly ranked spend less time on social media (Speak more about that during January as we take the month to re-focus on God at the beginning of a new year)I was at an exercise class a few days before Christmas and the instructor said: Remember, come January 1, this place will be packed. Dont be put off, most people will be gone again by the start of FebruaryWe love to make resolutions, but its hard to stick to them.So I found a different list of resolutions. On a website for a company that sells mattresses. (puffy.com). Here is Puffys list of 7 New Year Resolutions You Can Actually Accomplish In 20237. Do One New Thing A MonthNew Year resolutions often crash and burn because they try to tackle too much too fast. Set a goal once a month to do something youve never done before. That could mean eating at a new restaurant, gardening, or learning to salsa. However small or big, its still something to look back on at the end of the year.6. Save A Small Percentage Of Your Paycheck5. Do Your Bit For The EnvironmentTake baby steps. Carry a reusable tote bag to the supermarket (Im still trying!)4. Be Kind To Yourself And OthersA small act of kindness will suffice. Text a friend you havent heard from in a while. Call your parents. Cook a meal for your partner. Treat yourself to a cupcake from your favorite bakery. Allow yourself to take a whole day off and do what you want to do.3. Change Up Your LookTake a few inches off your hair, try a new hair color, get a tattoo, or simply switch up your personal style. Make 2023 the year you decide to embrace bold colors, mix patterns, and find the courage to wear outfits youve always wanted to but never thought you could pull off.2. Try A New Recipe Each Week(This one actually sounds exhausting to me!)1. Get More SleepWhile it sounds easy enough to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night, not a lot of people do. God has made us for Work and Rest, and were going to talk about this more as the month goes onBut there you go. 7 resolutions you can actually accomplish in 2023. (Some I really like!)What about your spiritual goals for 2023?My question to you as your pastor is: What do you hope God will do in you in 2023? Where do you want this journey to take you? What are your spiritual New Years resolutions?Because were not just here for our weekly shot of religion. Were here for transformation. The kind of transformation that happens when people meet Jesus.So thats what were going to see in our Bible passage today a transformation story, with three take away lessons that we can build into our own faith story for 2023.So lets pray that God would start that transformation work in us (even now!) as we open his word.Our heavenly Father, will you speak to us through the Bible as we open it now. Will you use it to sharpen us, and focus us, so that we become more and more like Jesus every day. In his mighty name we pray. Amen1. Seeking JesusIf you grew up in Sunday School, then you might know the story of Zaccheaus already. What does the song tell us?Zacchaeus was a wee little manAnd a wee little man was heHe climbed up in a sycamore treeFor the Lord he wanted to seeIf Zacchaeus was remembered for anything, it was that he was short! But possibly not the shortest man in the Bible. In the running for the shortest man you have Nehemiah (knee-high-mia). Jobs friend Bildad the Shuhite (shoe-height). But the winner is Simon Peter who fell asleep on his watch.Now if we ever have Church Camp, youll know the answer to at least one of the Saturday night trivia questions ;-)But lets get back to Zacchaeus. There was more to Zacchaeus than his height. Look at Luke 19 starting at v1:Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. (Luke 19:1-3)Zacchaeus was a tax collector. In fact, a chief tax collector for the Roman Empire.At the time of our Bible passage, the Romans had conquered most of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Egypt, modern day Turkey and Syria, and of course Israel where Jesus lived. Rome had army garrisons throughout their territories, but they also used local governments to keep the people in check. One way of doing that is through taxation.In New Testament times, tax collectors were seen as collaborators because they worked for the Romans to collect taxes from their own people. They were also known for adding a little bit on for themselves quite liberally. And so not only were they collaborators but crooks. And Zacchaeus was a chief collaborator, I mean, tax collector. It tells us in v2 he was very wealthy.Im sure the townsfolk knew who Zacchaeus was.In fact in v5, they call him a sinner.But Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Or more accurately (v3) he wanted to see who Jesus was.By the time this encounter happened, Jesus had been traveling and teaching for almost 3 years. Doing miracles, healing the sick, preaching wisdom that no-one had ever heard before. He had been transforming lives and communities and Zacchaeus wanted to see it for himself.Perhaps Zacchaeus was looking for his own transformation story.Are you looking for a transformation story?Perhaps, like Zacchaeus, youve heard these stories about Jesus, but you just dont know what to make of them. Youre not sure if they could be true in your life. Does Jesus really heal the sick? Does he really cure addiction? Does he really bring forgiveness where there is only pain? Could it really be true?Zaccheaus decides to find out for himself (v4)4 [Zacchaeus] ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. (Luke 19:4)I am guessing it was highly undignified for Zacchaeus to climb that tree. Probably he didnt think anybody would see him, because they would all be focused on Jesus. But how else was he to see Jesus? He couldnt be lifted on somebodys shoulders like a child. That would be even more humiliating. So he climbs the tree. He does what it takes to see Jesus for himself.And thats our first big idea for today Seeking Jesus. If you want to know who Jesus is, you cant just stand back and wait. You need to go after him. You need to climb the metaphorical tree. You need to do whatever it takes so that you can be sure, one way or the other.And it might raise some eyebrows. When you decide to start coming to church regularly. Or you decide to join a course to learn more about Jesus. Your family or your friends might look at you a bit funny if you start reading the Bible. Why would you do that? they might say.But take a lesson from Zacchaeus. Transformation starts by seeking Jesus, making a deliberate decision to seek after Jesus. What steps will you take in 2023?2. Welcoming JesusIve told you before about one of our favorite ever television series at our house the Long Way Round. Two celebrities Ewan MacGregor and Charley Boorman ride motorcycles 19,000 miles from London to New York.Route: London through Europe, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia, across the Pacific to Alaska, then down through Canada and America. 106 days.One of the parts I remember the most is when they were invited to stay with locals. Not set up, just people who invited them to stay in their homes, gave them beds when they were tired, shared their food with them. And made them feel welcome. Complete strangers, invited into their private world for just a momentHave you ever had an experience like that?It happened to Zacchaeus.Remember Zacchaeus is up in the tree, (v5):5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. (Luke 19:5-6)Jesus invites himself over to Zacchaeus house.In my mind, Id be wondering if the house was neat enough to invite a celebrity in. Zacchaeus was wealthy he probably had a lovely home. But Jesus didnt go to peoples houses to admire their dcor. Jesus went to do business with peoples souls. Think about the other examples when you get home later on. Whenever we find out that Jesus is in a certain persons home, there is always a lesson to be learned. Something of significance always happensAnd this time the business is transformation.Zacchaeus is ready, I think, for whatever Jesus has for him. Look at the urgency in v5-6. Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. So he came down at once.This was Zacchaeus one chance to meet with Jesus. His one chance for a face-to-face with the greatest teacher of all time. This was his moment. And he took it.It may be that today is your moment. Jesus is rounding the corner and looking right at you and saying, You and I need to sit down. Today. We need to talk.You might be like Zacchaeus. You might have done things that Jesus wouldnt approve of. But that doesnt stop Jesus. (He will get to those things, BTW, but they are never an obstacle to starting the conversation.) He just wants the chance to talk to you, face to face, heart to heart.Your job is to let him in. To welcome him. To welcome him into your private world and to let him speak truth into your life. That can be terrifying, especially if youre the sort of person who never lets anyone get close.Nobody ever said transformation is easy. But its life-changingPAUSE/FOOT OFFZoom out again to the people around Zacchaeus. Did you notice the reaction of the townsfolk when they heard Jesus say he would go to Zacchaeus house? (v7)7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, He has gone to be the guest of a sinner. (Luke 19:7)Culturally, it was totally against the Jewish religious teachings for a Rabbi or a teacher to associate with a known sinner. Religion was for the righteous, and the righteous were to keep themselves separate from anything that might bring them into unrighteousness. Makes sense right?But Jesus wasnt like other religious teachers.Jesus didnt seek out the self-righteous. He was looking for people ready for a heart changeBut the watching world can be pretty judgmental.You picked that guy, Jesus? You picked the sinner? You think you can make a change in his life? Look at him. Look at her. Theyre hopeless.Worse is when the attack comes as muttering.When a person starts to change their life to include Jesus, other people often start muttering. She is going to church now? After what she did? He is going to church? You know what hes done, dont you?Sometimes it will be work colleagues who start muttering. Or family members. Or friends. Sadly even sometimes the people sitting in the pews who sow the seeds of doubtDont listen to them. (Dont be those people either BTW! IT was probably the religious who were the ones muttering in the story)When a person first starts to welcome Jesus into their life, it can be a fragile moment. They might be inviting Jesus into a marriage. Into an engagement. Into a family system. Into a lifestyle and worldview that theyve spent their whole life living in. Accepting Jesus will take adjustment. And sometimes big adjustments.But nobody ever said transformation is easy. But if Jesus is who he says he is, then there is no better pathway to go down in life.So welcome Jesus. Invite him into your personal world, ask him to speak to your values and your beliefs and your hopes and your dreams. He cant do that if you shut him out.And church, we need to help people to welcome Jesus into their lives. We need to be advocates of Jesus and supporters when people take little steps in faith. We also need to keep letting Jesus into our lives! Sometimes those of us who have been Christians the longest are the most complacent. Dont settle for mediocrity. Let Jesus in this year, and welcome him into your secret places in 2023.3. Changing because of JesusDo you really believe people can change?When I was a High School Senior, I was part of the ROTC and we were out on a 24hr exercise one of those exercises where teams had to move around checkpoints without getting captured. Escape and Evasion they call it. Anyway I had a support role and so I was on a checkpoint overnight from 8pm 8am. The guy they paired me up with was also in my grade. Scott. Not somebody I had ever talked to much, even though we caught the same train for 6 years together, we had been in lots of the same classes, we had taken gym together. The difference was, he was on the rowing squad and he played football, whereas I was in the choir and spent my weekends rockclimbing. He was popular and I was a little alternative. The only interactions I remember having with him, he perpetuated the stereotype of the jock.So when I found out it was Scott, I wasnt looking forward to spending 12 hours with him. Our conversation started nervously. He was much more quiet than I imagined. He told me the reason he was on the checkpoint is that hed had a life-changing illness chronic fatigue syndrome which had robbed him of his athletic dreams. He now struggled with daily activities, concentrating, school work which he wasnt great at to begin with. But hed also had another life-changing event. Hed become a Christian.So had I, I told him. You? he said. I thought youd be way too cool to become a Christian. I had thought the same of him.Turns out you never know who will welcome Jesus into their life. We cant make presumptions that this person or that person is too cool for Jesus. Or too rich for Jesus. Or too [fill in the blank] for Jesus.You see, when people meet Jesus, they can really change. I spoke to Scott again at our 20 or 25 year anniversary and he was still struggling with health but living life to the full with Jesus. Jesus rewrote his story, just like he rewrote mine.And he can rewrite your story too, if you let him.Do you know that expression, a leopard can never change its spots. It actually comes from the Bible (Jeremiah 13). And we use that expression to say that people never change. We cant really expect change, or growth, or transformation. We get stuck in our old ways. You cant teach an old dog new tricks. Change is just not realistic after a certain point.To some extent thats true.When God speaks those words in Jeremiah, hes talking about his people when they were stuck in sin. They had rebelled against him and they had become accustomed to doing evil (Jeremiah 13:23).That was Zacchaeus story, wasnt it? He had been stuck in the sin of stealing from his own people.But look at what changes when Zacchaeus meets Jesus. (v8)8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. (Luke 19:8)Zacchaeus turns his life around. He finds mercy and forgiveness from Jesus. Gods grace to cover his sins. And thats the catalyst for change.Zacchaeus decides to make amends. He determines to stop sinning. Because Jesus brings transformation to his life. The leopard can change his spots.And thats part of the hope of Jesus that we share here every week. Jesus can make a real difference in your life, and in the life of the community around us.Im guessing it wasnt easy for Zacchaeus to turn his life around in an instant. In the chapter before this, Jesus had said how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:24). But here we see Zacchaeus do that very thing.Jesus declares in v9:Today salvation has come to this house, [] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.Jesus doesnt come to save those who are already saved. He comes to save those who have lost their way. Those who are stuck in sin. Those who are slaves to whatever it is that drives them.Jesus comes into the lives of the lost to help them find the way again. Jesus transforms lives. In a process that begins when we seek him, and welcome him in, and say yes to his new pattern for our lives. And that process isnt completed in a day, same as going to the gym once doesnt give you a perfect physique. But as we live with Jesus, as we let his word shape us, as we let his Holy Spirit teach and correct and train us in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16) we will see transformation in our own lives. We are conformed, or molded, into the image of Jesus, it says in Romans 8:29. (The Bible calls this sanctification a sermon for another day!)And so thats the third big idea from the passage today. Changing because of Jesus.This year, we can each expect to change because of Jesus. We can expect transformation in our own lives, as we follow Jesus faithfully. And we can expect to see transformation in the lives of those around us, as we bring that new Christlikeness into every relationship.The New Year is always an opportunity to make a change. To make a new start. What will your new start be in 2023?
Gifts of Christmas4. Gold: The Gift of a King Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor Christmas Week 2022All this December we have been thinking about the gifts of Christmas. It got me thinking about some of the best gifts Ive received over the years.- Walkie talkies- Skateboards- Body boards (Christmas is in summertime in Australia, and we lived near the beach!) In fact lots of surf wear, swimsuits, towels, snorkels, fins etc. Water babies!My kids are 20 and 18 now, and of course Christmas gifts change as kids get older. The value of the gifts goes up, and usually were told what to buy (and what not to buy).I love the idea of surprising the kids, or my wife, with an outrageous gift. Have you seen those holiday ads from car dealers, the ones where a couple will surprise one another with a brand new car, without ever telling the other person. Has anybody ever had that happen to them?Perhaps my most valuable Christmas gift ever was finding out that my wife, Joanna, was pregnant with our first child. Such an exciting Christmas gift! Jo remembers the gift of morning sicknessAs I said, all through December weve been thinking about the Gifts of Christmas, particularly the gift that the wise men brought to the baby Jesus.Gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gifts that were of great value. But also gifts that had spiritual significance. They each point to a deeper truth about Jesus which would be revealed as he grew from Jesus the baby into Jesus the savior.And today we come to our last gift the gift of Gold.So why dont we ask God to speak to us and teach us as we open the Bible over the next few minutes.Heavenly Father, as we open your Bible today/tonight, will you teach us about who Jesus is? Will you reveal him to us, as you revealed him to the wise men on that first Christmas? Will you show us Jesus the king, and will you help us to respond to him in worship? We pray this in Jesus mighty name. Amen1. Revealing The KingAs you may have guessed, I was not born in the US. I was born in Australia, and one of the stranger things about Australia is that we still belong to the British Commonwealth. So we still technically have the King of England as our head of state. (Feels strange to say The King after saying The Queen all my life!).One of the big questions as the Queen got older and older was, who would become the next King of England?Prince Charles was always the number 1 in line for the throne, but some people wondered if he would accept the role.Next in line is Prince William, who for a long time was one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet. When I became a school teacher in 1998, Prince Wills (as he was known) was 18, and I remember the girls hoping they would meet him and fall in love and marry a prince (because thats the dream, right?). Its also a regular theme in Christmas Hallmark movies Why the lesson about the British royal family?This year with the passing of the Queen, a new king was revealed King Charles III. And the coronation was this spectacle to behold uniforms and pageantry and ceremony and horses and chariots and crowds of people lining the streets, as the new King took the throne.Because thats what we expect when the new king is revealed.And thats why the story of Jesus birth is so unusual, so unexpected, so unceremonious.Rather than a royal birth in a palace, surrounded by attendants and servants, instead Jesus is born in a stable, surrounded by animals. In fact it probably wasnt even a stable or a barn, but a cave where the animals sheltered. Jesus wasnt dressed in royal robes and laid in an ornate cradle instead he was wrapped in strips of cloth and laid in a manger, a feeding trough for cattle and donkeys. There was nothing to say that this birth was special if anything it looks the opposite. A desperate young mother and her husband with no family support, maybe because theyd heard that the baby wasnt Josephs.I suspect thats what the scene looked like to the innkeeper who let them stay in his barn.But thats not how God saw the birth of Jesus. He sends a legion of angels who fill the skies, singing Glory To God in the Highest. He places a star in the sky over Bethlehem, a sign to those who recognize it, a neon light to say here is the king!Its funny who recognized the star, and what it meant.Gods people had been waiting for hundreds of years for their king to be born. The one we read about in Isaiahs prophecy from 700 years before:6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called:Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)(BTW did you know if you go to In N Out burger, and you look under the bottom of the soda cups, this verse reference is written there Isaiah 9:6!!)Gods people were waiting for this Prince. But even those who studied the Scriptures faithfully didnt recognize what was happening in Bethlehem. Probably because it didnt look like what they thought it would look like. They wanted a royal birth, and a royal announcement, and a royal family, and instead Jesus was born to a carpenter and his virgin brideBut the Wise Men, they recognized what was happening. I said a few weeks ago that we dont know much about the wise men. They were from the east, probably Persia, certainly from a different religious background than Jesus we believe they were astrologers who worshiped the stars as well as studied them.But from hundreds of miles away, from a different culture, from a different religion, they followed the star and came to understand that it revealed the birth of a king.When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and said, Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. Matthew 2:1-2 (CEVI love the wise men. Because they remind me that you dont have to grow up with a Christian background to be able to see the truth about Jesus. Somehow God made it clear to them that Jesus is very special. Dont be fooled by the manger. Dont be fooled by the humble circumstances. Jesus is quite extraordinary. He is a king like no other.So what should you do when you meet the king?2. Responding to the KingA few years ago back in Sydney, I took the family to the Broadway musical of The Lion King. Who has seen it?Ill never forget the opening scene. Its sunrise on the African savannah and as the light slowly fills the room, animals appear on stage (well, actors dressed in animal costumes). There are bird puppets flying overhead inside the theater, and then giraffes walk down through the audience onto stage actors on stilts standing 15 feet tall. I actually got a bit emotional when we saw it, because it is so visually overwhelmingBut then the focus switches to Pride Rock, where the baby lion Simba is revealed, the baby who will one day become king. And thats when the iconic scene happens - Rafiki the baboon holds Simba up, presenting him to all the animals. (Sing?) All the animals hoot and holler and then one by one, they bend their knees, and kneel down to honor their future kingThats what the Wise Men did to Jesus. Did you see it there in Matthew 2:2?They asked: Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him..And this is where our third gift comes in. Gold. Gold is a gift fit for a king. And even though Jesus is born in a manger, the Wise Men recognize him for who he is. A King who deserves our worship. A King who deserves our best. A King who deserves our honor and our praise and our allegiance.Look at what God says about Jesus. (Turn to the back page of your handout)In Ephesians 2, it says this about Jesus:21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything elsenot only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all thingsEphesians 1:21-22 (NLT)If you believe what the Bible says about Jesus, he is not some historical figure from 2000 years ago. One day Jesus will be revealed as the King over every other power and authority in the universe. Far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else. Not only in this world, bit the world to come. Because God has put all things under the authority of Christ.Make no mistake. One day we will all see Jesus revealed like this. The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. In majesty and power and authority. Not a Christmas tradition, but the living and reigning ruler of all. The ruler of you, and me.And on that day, something else will be revealed. Where you stand with the King. Or more to the point, whether you have bowed down before the King. Whether you have worshiped him. Whether you have given him your bestPhilippians 2:9-10 says:Then God gave Christ the highest placeand honored his name above all others.10 So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down,those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.Philippians 2:9-10 (CEV)I love Christmas, and I love the decorating and the gifts, and the family traditions. But dont let that get in the way of the real reason for celebrating this year. Jesus, the King has been born. Jesus, who brings forgiveness, and healing into our lives. Jesus who brings the end of hostility between us and God. Jesus who makes an end to suffering and death. Jesus who can bring us into eternal life and happiness. That is the gift in the manger. The gold of Christmas is Jesus the King.And he deserves your worship. Your very best. Not just in the holiday season, but every day.I know we already sung O Holy Night, but I just love that line: Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices.This Christmas, will you fall on your knees for Jesus? Will you worship him and honor him with all that you are and all that you have?Shall we pray?
Gifts of Christmas3. Myrrh: The Gift of a Lamb Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorIsaiah 53:3-7 18 December 2022My wife, Joanna, was at her work Christmas party this week, and they each had to bring a gift for the White Elephant game, that game where you open a present but the next person can steal it if they like it more than their present. Anyway almost half the gifts were scented candles, so there was a lot of negotiating about who wanted French Oak, and White Bergamot, and Carmel Spice.So as we start, a question for the people sitting around you. If you could only burn one scented candle for the rest of your life what would it be?~I bring up scented candles because the Christmas gift were talking about today had one use as a perfume.Over these three weeks leading into Christmas, we are thinking about the gifts that the Wise Men brought Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. And particularly the significance of the gift, beyond just being valuable and useful.Last week we talked about frankincense, which was a gift pointing to Jesus as the High Priest.Today we are going to talk about the gift of myrrh.So what do you do with a gift of myrrh? What was myrrh was used for?It's unusual one again. Myrrh is actually quite similar to frankincense. It's another aromatic resin. Like frankincense, myrrh comes from a tree that grows in the Arabian Peninsula. It grows on a bush with lots of thorns and they cut the bark and the sap comes out and they use that to make the myrrh.In the ancient world it was used as an antiseptic, and even today apparently myrrh is used in some mouthwash and toothpaste. It's also used as a light analgesic to relieve pain from small injuries, or mixed into a topical skin product that you can rub on bruises and sore muscles.The word in the original language means bitter. Compared to a frankincense which has a very sweet smell, apparently myrrh smells kind of woody and earthy but a little bit medicinal. But it was also used as a perfume. And as you read through the Bible, myrrh is mentioned 17 times, about 10 of those references are in the Song of Songs where myrrh is described almost like an aphrodisiac.But when you come to the crucifixion scene of Jesus, myrrh is referred to twice for a different purpose.Look Mark 15:22-2422 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of the skull). 23 Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified him. (Mark 15:22-24)They were offering Jesus this wine mixed with myrrh as a kind of pain reliever to help him with the pain before they crucified him. But Jesus wouldn't take it. We assume that Jesus wanted to be completely lucid as he went to his death.And then after his death we see myrrh again in John chapter 19 at verse 3838 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilates permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.(John 19:38-42)Myrrh plays this big role in the crucifixion scene of Jesus. And so when we think about the significance of this gift to the baby Jesus, the gift of myrrh actually points forward to the end of his life.There's a kind of tragic irony that this gift given to Jesus at birth becomes the same thing that he's wrapped in in his death. One commentator wrote: the die is cast early in Jesus life, pointing ahead to an early death.So why do I bring this up as a Christmas sermon? I've been asking myself the same thing. Well partly because the wise men brought this as a gift to Jesus. And partly because we cant separate Jesus the baby from Jesus the savior. I think God intended this gift to remind us that the die was cast but not by the Wise Mens gifts. The die was cast by God, in a plan that was announced some 700 years before the birth of Jesus.And so Ive called the sermon today: the gift of a lamb, based in Isaiah 53:6.6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)But why dont we pray that God would teach us now, as we open the Bible.Heavenly Father, will you speak to us today as we open your word. Will you teach us about your son Jesus, and his significance in our lives. Will you grow us in faith, trust and obedience to him. In Jesus name we pray. Amen1. The Gift of a LambI want to start by talking about sheep. As an Australian I grew up seeing sheep in fields. Thats because Australia has almost 3 sheep for every human. 25 million people, 70 million sheep. (Only 5 million sheep in the US explains the price of lamb!)Sheep are not very clever. Sheep are one of the only animals that need a shepherd. Most animals can manage themselves in the fields but sheep need protection. The mainly stick together in a flock, but occasionally a sheep will wander off on its own (just like in the Bible stories). Even when sheep are together, if wolves come, or if a bear comes, or if a lion comes, the sheep just huddle together and hope that they are not the one who gets eaten. And thats why they need a shepherd.Sheep are not very clever. There was a story from 2005 somewhere in Turkey where 1500 sheep wandered off a cliff together. Only 400 died because the first 400 made a big pillow for the other sheep.Back in Australia we have friends who are sheep farmers. One day we were on their farm, driving through the fields, and we approached the dam (which I think you call a pond or water reservoir). Anyway it was a very dry year and most of the water had evaporated out of the dam so there was thick mud. And there's this sheep up to his neck in mud, completely stuck. There's no way he could move and so my friend takes off his boots and he just had to wade in and drag his sheep out to safety. Thats what shepherds will do for the sake of the sheep. They go to rescue the one, because they're all valuable.So sheep get themselves into trouble. And Isaiah 53 six says we are all like sheep. We all wander off. We all go astray. We to go our own way. We turn to whatever we feel like doing. And just like sheep end up in danger, we end up in danger.We're endangered by what we do, and where we walk, and where we go, when we wander away from God.But the problem is we're different from sheep. Unlike sheep, were not stupid or innocent in our wandering. This is made very clear in verse 6, where it says our wandering results in iniquity.Iniquity is one of those strange words from the Bible. It means something like gross injustice or wickedness. So our wandering is not trivial. Its actually something that's very offensive to God. Another definition of iniquity is something that is disrespectful. Our wandering away from God is disrespectful to him. We talked about that last week as sin. And so God tells us in Isaiah 53:6 that we wander away from Him into gross injustice, wickedness, and sin that leaves us open to death.But here's the gift in v7:And the Lord has laid on himThe iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:7)God lays our iniquity, he lays our wickedness, he lays our sin and he lays our wandering unto Jesus.And a couple of verses later in v10 it will say that the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, and in v12 that he bears our sin.Thats why we keep the cross in the church all year long. This feels like an Easter sermon but the cross reminds us that Jesus death is the reason that we're forgiven, and the cross is where Jesus takes on our sin.In 2 Corinthians 5:21 it saysGod made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)There's this great exchange that happens. Jesus takes on our sin so that we can become righteousness.Isaiah describes how it happens in verses 5 to 7. BTW remember this is a prophecy that was written 700 years before the birth of Jesus.Look at vv5-7: it saysHe was pierced for our transgressionsDo you remember when Jesus had died on the cross, the soldiers pierced his side with a spear.He was crushed for iniquitiesI think of the way the soldiers beat Jesus, how they mocked him, how they scourged him with whipsAnd the punishment that brought us peace was upon himJesus allowed himself to be punished. Punished in our place. He was wounded:And by his wounds we are healed. And then if you have a look at verse 7:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth;he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.Jesus goes to the cross like a lamb, and we're like sheep and wander away. So Jesus becomes a sheep for us.We wander, and he becomes a sheep, he becomes a lamb in our place.Last week we saw that Jesus was the high priest. This week we've seen that Jesus is not only the high priest but also the sacrificial lamb.At the beginning of John's gospel, when John the Baptist sees Jesus in chapter 1, he says:Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)And again were reminded of the Passover when God asked his people to kill a lamb and paint the blood on the doors. This lamb that would mean that God's wrath would pass over his people, that Gods wrath is averted, that God's judgment won't fall on us. The lamb protects Gods people.So thats why our first gift is the gift of a lamb. The myrrh reminds us that Jesus will die for us, so that we can be saved.2. The Gift of PeaceHere's the bigger gift. Maybe not the bigger gift, but here's the gift that you get to open today. And its the gift of peace.You know the holiday season is meant to be a season of love and joy and hope and peace; and that everything is supposed to be merry and bright, and holly and jolly.But the older that we get, the more we realize that Christmas is not always holly and jolly. It's not always full of love and joy and peace and hope. Sometimes it feels the opposite. It might be filled with sorrow or hurt or turmoil or despair or hopelessness.For some of us this might be one of the first Christmases after a loved one has passed. Or it might be a number of years, but still the holidays remind you of what you're missing. For some it's divorce. For some it's estrangement with your kids. For others it's illness or mental health.The holidays often bring back the feeling that something is missing, and that it is not all love and joy and peace and hope and holly and jolly and happy and merry. And you're not alone. If you feel that, you're not alone. Actually Jesus understands your pain. And Jesus understands your pain because (and this I think was what was missing in the sermon last week) because when Jesus comes to earth, he is God in human flesh. God the son steps down out of heaven, and he steps into our world, and he steps into our pain, and he steps into our suffering, and he bears our suffering. Have a look at v4 there in Isaiah 53:Surely he took up our painAnd bore our suffering (Isaiah 53:4)Jesus takes up our pain and he bears our suffering. He entered into our pain so that he could deal with the root source of our pain. He came to deal with sin.So many people think that sin is not very important. But sin is the root cause of all of the pain and all of the sorrow and all of the suffering that we experience on earth. It's the root cause of death. Sin is behind it all. Sin is like a decay that goes all the way through creation, and until it's dealt with, we'll always have sorrow and suffering and pain. We'll have moments of peace and joy and hope and love, but it will always tempered with moments of pain.But Jesus deals with this problem of sin by taking the only course of treatment that can deal with sin. Jesus takes all of the pain, and takes all of the suffering, and he takes all of its effects and he takes them upon himself until sin is exhausted, until there's no more power of sin and Jesus lays dead. He dies from bearing sin. It kills him.And then hes embalmed in the spice that was the same gift that he received as a baby.I think this was a film, the director would do a flashback to the motif of myrrh, and you would go oh wow I see what happened. Theres a tragic irony in the myrrh.But the biggest surprise, of course, is that Jesus death isnt a tragedy. His death isnt the end of the story. Because we know that three days later Jesus rises to life and the grave clothes are abandoned and the myrrh is left behind because they arent needed in a world where Jesus is. Jesus rising to life shows that the grave is no longer the ending of the story. It tells us that in a world with Jesus, pain won't always have the last word in your life, and suffering won't always have the last word because on the cross Jesus says it is finished. It's finished.Sin is dealt with and we can find peace.Look at v5The punishment that brought us peace was on himAnd by his wounds we are healedBecause of Jesus death we find peace. Not World Peace or the absence of all conflict. Not that kind of peace, not yet anyway. What we find is deep peace with God, knowing that our sins are dealt with, that we'll be with him forever.And by his wounds we find healing. We find healing and forgiveness and the promise of justice. That the things that have hurt us will one day be dealt with. And for the hurts that we have caused others, his promise is that we will find forgiveness, and that peace will be restored one dayI love that promise going into the holiday season when so many of our relationships are wounded in one way or another. Jesus promises peace, perhaps not perfectly in this lifetime, but in his kingdom which lasts forever.In that world, there will there be no more suffering and no more tears and no more death and no more pain because the old order has passed away, because Jesus dealt with it as the lamb.And that means right now in the midst of our pain and in the midst of our suffering, we don't need to suffer without purpose. We don't need to suffer without hope. In fact we can look forward to the end of it, to something better. And in the middle of our pain and our suffering, even as it happens, we can point ourselves to Jesus, and we can point others to Jesus, to the hope of healing and peace.The gift of a lamb really changes our story. It means that even if you're having a difficult year, Christmas can be full of peace and healing and hope.And that's the hope that we find in the gift of myrrh. We find a lamb who dies a sacrificial death on our behalf, so that we can find peace and healing.Shall we pray?Heavenly father we thank you for this message of healing and hope thank you for the gift of the lamb and this little spice called myrrh that points us to Jesus death and resurrection. We pray that you would fill our hearts with resurrection hope, that you would be with us in our suffering and in our sorrow. We pray that you would bring us joy and healing and peace. We pray that we would be able to point others to Jesus and to healing and hope in him as well. We ask you to be with those who are missing a loved one this year, with those who are facing family troubles, with all who are suffering from illness and loneliness. Help us to bring healing and peace into those situations, wherever we might find ourselves this Christmas.And Father, we pray for all our Christmas services: for the concert tonight, for the traditional service on Tuesday, for our Christmas Eve services and our Christmas Day service. We pray that you would fill this house with people who need to hear about the hope of Jesus. We ask you to provide everything we need, so that in all things we bring glory to the Lamb, Jesus our savior.Jesus, we praise you, and we honor you, and we thank you for your gifts to us, at Christmas and everyday.In your saving name we pray. Amen
Gifts of Christmas2. Frankincense: The Gift of Understanding Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorIsaiah 40:3-5; Mark 1:1-8, 14-15 Sunday 11 December, 2022In a small Southern town, the children in Sunday school were drawing pictures of the nativity. As the teacher went around, she complimented the children on their pictures of Mary, and Joseph and the baby Jesus. As she got to little Timmy, she noticed something unusual about his picture. The wise men were wearing firemens helmets.She said to Timmy: Timmy, I love your picture. But why are the wisemen wearing firemens helmets?Little Timmy says: Because, Miss, you told us that the wise men came from afar!~Well we are continuing today in our sermon series called Gifts of Christmas. Last week we began with the gift of preparation. And today we jump into the gifts that the Wise Men brought to Jesus, and from now until Christmas well look at one of those gifts each week.Gold, frankincense and myrrh.These were incredibly valuable gifts, but also very practical. Gold is money, and frankincense and myrrh had many uses in the ancient world.But these gifts were not just valuable and practical. Each gift actually foreshadows something of what Jesus would become, some of the aspects of Jesus character that would be revealed as he grew into the savior of the world.So those are the gifts were looking into over the next few weeks. Why dont we pray that God would reveal those insights to us now as we open the Scriptures?Heavenly Father, we thank you for Christmas and the gift of a little baby who would bring forgiveness and life to the world. Will you reveal to us the gift that it is to have Jesus in our life. We pray in his name, Amen.So I have a couple of little facts about the wise men before we continue. We often call them the three wise men, because of the three gifts they brought to Jesus (gold, frankincense, and wait theres myrrh). But actually the Bible doesnt say how many wise men there were it just says in Matthew 2 (on your handouts)1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. (Matthew 2:1-2)We actually dont know much about the magi. The word magi has the same root as our word magic, so it could refer to magicians or sorcerers. However in this case, it probably refers to those wise in interpreting the stars. Modern academic consensus is that the magi were astrologers from Persia (modern-day Iran).Early Christian tradition said that they were kings (carol: We three kings from orient are bearing gifts weve traveled so far) They were given names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. It was speculated that they might have been the kings of Persia, and then later that they were kings representing Europe, Asia and Africa.But that is all speculation. We just have what is recorded for us here in Matthew 2, and so we have to live with the mystery. I read somewhere that wise men and women are still seeking Jesus. I like that.So, onto our gift for today. Frankincense.What is frankincense?Frankincense is the resin from a species of tree that grows on the Arabian Peninsula, and the Horn of Africa. The sap dries out into a resin, and the resin is very fragrant, very aromatic. The resin was added to essential oils, and became a very expensive perfume. The ancient Egyptians used frankincense as one of the embalming ingredients when a person died. It was used in the preparation of mummies. It also had many other uses. Here are some other uses I read online:Antiseptic; astringent; carminative; diuretic; digestive; sedative; and vulnerary therapeutic properties.In some parts of the world frankincense is still used to treat diabetes, and asthma, and blood disorders. A very useful product.But there's a second use for frankincense and I think this is what points to Jesus.In God's temple, the priests would burn frankincense or incense or as part of the priests duties. They would burn incense and the smoke would rise, and as it rose it represents the prayers of the people going up to God as a fragrant offering that he would accept that their prayers in faith. So frankincense is a kind of representative idea. The gift of frankincense foreshadows the fact that Jesus would be the high priest over all of God's people.1. The Gift of a High PriestSo why do we need a High Priest?This comes back to the Old Testament. We need to understand priests and what they did.In the Old Testament the priest had two functions and basically what they did is they represented the people to God. They did that by presenting sacrifices to God on the behalf of the people, so that God would forgive them. And they prayed on behalf of the people, interceding for them, raising prayers for the people so that God would accept them. The priest was an intermediary between the people and God.Now why do we need a priest?The reason is that sinful people can't approach a holy God and hope to survive. God in His Holiness, God in his purity, God in his goodness, God in all of the radiance of his pure holiness can't stand anything to come into his presence that is impure or unclean or sinful. And so sinful people can't approach God on their own. If we did we would die.(Do you remember that image in Isaiah 6 where Isaiah sees God on his throne, in all his holiness, and Isaiah falls down on his knees and says: I am ruined, Im a man of unclean lips and Im a sinful man, and my eyes have seen the King Isaiah was in the presence of the Holy God and he thought he would die until God sends the angel to cleanse him by touching a burning coal to his mouth)You see, sinful people cant come into the presence of God, otherwise we would die. And this is a difficult concept for the world to understand. Because we think of sin as something trivial, something a bit old fashioned, just an idea to scare kids into behaving.A bit like Santa Claus making a list and checking it twice. Sin is just there to find out if were naughty or nice.Speaking of which, have you heard about Elf on a Shelf? (Check if there are kids in the room) We didnt have this when my kids were growing up, perhaps its something that Santa launched more recently. But basically the Elf on a Shelf is there to keep an eye on the kids behavior and sends a daily report to the North Pole. The elves move around each night as well, and sometimes play tricks on the kidsSo we often see sin as something trivial.But when we look at the Old Testament temple, we see that sin is anything but trivial. Sin is so serious that it required the sacrifice of an animal. It required the shedding of blood in order for sinful people to be able to approach the holy God. It required death as an atonement for sin. An innocent animal would die in place of the guilty person. It worked like this. A person would bring an animal to the temple, which was kind of a representative of themselves. They would pay for the animal, they would bring it to the priest and the priest would slaughter the animal, and he would sprinkle the blood around. There was something in the temple called the mercy seat. And the priest would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat and it represented God accepting the sacrifice of the animals blood, the sacrifice on the persons behalf so that they could receive mercy and forgiveness. And then the priest would light the frankincense and pray for the people. And those prayers would go up in faith and trust that God would offer his forgiveness.Thats how the Old Testament sacrificial system worked. And it reminds us that sin is anything but trivial. Sin requires death. God is so holy and sin is so bad, that God requires death in order for sin to be atoned for.You might be asking where is the gift in all of this gore?Well the gift is that God doesn't want us to die. God didn't create us so that he could punish us. He didnt create us so that he could kill us. He didnt create us in order to say well you've been terrible, you're bad. That's not it at all. God created us, and he loves us, and he wants us to be able to approach him and be confident and know that were loved. Thats what the whole story of the Bible is about God overcoming our sin problem so that we can return to him.Have a look at the Hebrews 10 reading:10 For Gods will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. (Hebrews 10:10)So God actually wants us to be holy, and he will be the one who provides the sacrifice in Jesus Christ. Jesus body will be the sacrifice for us and it's not a sacrifice that has to happen again and again. It is once for all, once for all time.And this also marks a change to the old covenant. Under the Old Covenant, in Old Testament times, people had to keep coming back to the temple and they had to keep buying animals and to keep bringing sacrifices and to keep the to keep killing things. It's kind of an abhorrent idea, isn't it? I mean it's very bloody, they splashed the blood around, and it's a very vivid illustration of the punishment for sin. But that was the old covenant and so read on.BTW Ive chosen the New Living Translation for this reading today because it really helps to bring the idea through clearly. Other translations wont say under the old covenant but it gives the context for v11.11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. (Hebrews 10:11)In the Old Testament the sacrifices were never finished. You had to keep coming back year after year, sacrificing animal after animal. Because it says there that old system could never take away sins. Elsewhere in Hebrews it says the blood of bulls and goats can never atone for human sin. But look at v12:12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time.Jesus doesnt offer the blood of an animal. He offers his own blood. And that one sacrifice is good for all time. It is enough. His blood alone can pay for our sin. Jesus alone can make us right with God.And that is our first gift for today the gift of Jesus as High Priest, who lays down his life for us.2. The Gift of UnderstandingBritish statesman and financier Cecil Rhodes was famous for endowing the Rhodes Scholarship, a prestigious scholarship to the University of Oxford. He was also renowned as a stickler for correct dress.One night a young man was invited to dine with Rhodes, and he arrived by train and had to go directly to Rhodes's home in his travel-stained clothes. Once he arrived he was embarrassed to find the other guests already assembled, wearing full evening dress. After what seemed a long time Rhodes appeared, in a shabby old blue suit. Later the young man learned that his host had been dressed in evening clothes, but put on the old suit when he heard of his young guest's dilemma.Cecil Rhodes had empathy, didnt he? He had empathy for the young mans situation. He didnt want him to be exposed and publicly shamed.And thats the second gift we receive when Jesus is our high priest. Just like Cecil Rhodes had empathy for that young man, Jesus has empathy for us. And he doesnt want us to be exposed and publicly shamed.Look at Hebrews chapter 4:13. Because it exposes a truth about sin and a truth about us that would potentially bring us to public shame:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. (Hebrews 4:13)Its not the Elf on the Shelf that we need to worry about. Its God. Because he sees everything about us. And one day well be held to account for everything weve done. Every sin. Every unkind word. Every hurtful deed. The things weve done and failed to do. He sees them all.And on the day of judgment, for those exposed in sin it will be far more uncomfortable than turning up to a party in the wrong clothes.But heres the thing. Jesus doesnt want us to be left exposed. He doesnt want us to be publicly humiliated. He wont stand and point a finger in judgment, because he knows what it is like to be us.Have a look at v15:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)In chapter 5 of Hebrews, it tells us about the High Priests back in the Old Testament temple. It says that the High Priest is able to treat us gently when we go astray, because he knows what it is to be subject to weakness. Hes human, just like us. I think thats why Im not a fire and brimstone preacher I couldnt imagine speaking words of judgment when I know that I deserve the very same judgment. Im subject to weakness, and I know how hard it is to live a life obedient to God.And so does Jesus. Thats what it says there in Hebrews 4:15. Jesus knows what it is like to be human, to be tempted. He understands the pull of all those things that we know arent good for us. He understands us in our weakness.With Jesus, we sometimes think of Jesus turning up on earth as the Son of God, completely impervious to all the temptations that we face. Like the Terminator, this robotic, unfeeling, unmoveable cyborg. But that wasnt Jesus at all. Jesus knows what its like to be us. He gets us. He gets you.Whatever your go-to sin is, Jesus felt all the same inducements to sin. He felt all the same pressures, all the same triggers, all the same temptations.And thats why he treats us gently. He doesnt stand back in his priestly robes shaking his finger. No, he has walked a mile in our shoes and he knows what its like to be us.Jesus understands us. Jesus isnt surprised by our weakness. He embraced it, and he overcame it.And thats why we dont need to fear God. We dont need to fear judgment, if Jesus is our High Priest. Read from v15 with me again:15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:15-16)When Jesus is our High Priest, we can come to God boldly. We can approach his throne, not with trembling, but with confidence because of Gods grace. Do you see it there twice?16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.Just like Jesus understands us, God understands us. And he treats us gently. He offers grace, not judgment. Mercy, not condemnation, to all who are friends with Jesus.And that leads us to our third gift when we have Jesus as our high priest. The third gift is a new understanding of our relationship with God.3. The Gift of GraceWhen I was in High School, the Deputy Principal was the school disciplinarian. If he called your name, you knew you were in trouble. And I found myself on the wrong side of his discipline once when I was in my first year or two at the school.But as a senior, it was a great joy to see another side to that teacher. The gruff exterior disappeared completely when he took over our homeroom when our regular homeroom teacher fell ill. And it turned out this disciplinarian figure was actually very friendly, very kind, very humorous and he became a huge support to me in a difficult time of my life.Sometimes we get the entirely wrong impression of a person, and it only changes when you get to know them personally that you find out the truth.And thats what Jesus wants us to understand. God is not an angry judge. Hes a loving advocate. Hes not a disciplinarian, he is a grace-filled friend. And when we know God like that, our whole relationship changes. From fear to freedom. From terror to trust. From exposure to embrace.And if you understand God like that, thats a true gift. A gift I hope youll unwrap this Christmas.Shall we pray?~Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of Jesus, the gift of a high priest who understands, the gift of a high priest who brings forgiveness. We pray that we would be able to approach you with confidence and boldness. We know that we have sinned and we confess the things that we've done that are unpleasing, and we plead for you to forgive us by the blood of Christ. We thank you for your promise that you will forgive. Help us to live that truth. Help us not to feel shame anymore, but to come to you with confidence, and more than that, Lord, help us to live a new life to the glory of Christ alone. Amen
Gifts of Christmas1. The Gift of Preparation Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorIsaiah 40:3-5; Mark 1:1-8, 14-15 Tuesday 29 November, 2022How many observe Christs birthday! How few, His precepts! O! tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.- Benjamin Franklin -If we get too caught up in the traditions, expectations, gifts and good cheer of Christmas, we could well be missing the reason for the season and begin to worship the very things that point towards Christ, not Christ himself- Illuminate Advent -I want to start the sermon today by saying that Ive had a breakthrough this year. An achievement in my level of adulting. I confessed in my Christmas eve sermon last year that I had not done any Christmas shopping until a few days before Christmas. This year there will be no confession. I started my Christmas shopping early!There are two kinds of Christmas shoppers, according to statistics. There are those who start early. 28.8% of Americans start their Christmas shopping in November. (Im proud to say that was me this year Courtesy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I bought one gift for one of my children. It arrived and hopefully come Christmas well remember that we purchased this little gift!)So 28% of us start our Christmas shopping in November.And then there are those of us who leave our Christmas shopping until the week before Christmas. Can you guess how many Americans leave their shopping until the last minute? 62% of us! (Im sure thats when Ill end up doing the rest of my shopping)And then there are the brave 7% who wait until Christmas Eve.~Christmas is one of those times of the year that takes lots of preparation. Aside from the gift shopping, theres the Christmas tree, and the decorations, maybe the Christmas lights on your house. And then there are the family logistics. Where are you spending Christmas day? Who is cooking? What are you cooking? Perhaps the kids are flying in from interstate. Or your parents. Then you have to work out whos staying at your house. Do you have enough towels, and sheets? There can so much to prepare!But thats the nature of the season. Thats advent for you. Advent is the season of getting ready, the season of waiting. A season that is focused on the arrival of that special day, the arrival of your guests, the arrival of your family, the arrival of a time of celebration.And so today, I want to focus on the gift of preparation. The gift of getting yourself ready for the special season thats coming. And not just the gift of preparing for your family celebration, but the gift of preparing for the arrival of Jesus. Because (of course) there is no Christmas without Jesus.So why dont we pray that God would help us to be prepared for everything that advent brings?Our heavenly Father, will you speak to us today as we open the Bible? Will you teach our hearts to be prepared for the arrival of Jesus? Will you open us up to his presence in our lives, and will you help us to make room for Jesus this Christmas? Speak to us now, in Jesus name. AmenWell, I can hardly believe its December already. But I am excited. The Board and I have spent months planning and praying and preparing all of the events that we have on the church calendar this holiday season! We want Christmas to be a time of celebration for us as a church, a time of celebrating Jesus and the gift he is to us.But we also want our friends and neighbors to join the celebration.And so weve carefully curated our Christmas program so that youll feel confident to invite your loved ones to any of the events on offer, as well as any of our regular Sunday services. Our mission as a church is to share the hope of Jesus in the Napa Valley and beyond. So thanks for being part of the mission I love what God is doing already through you and your prayers. So keep praying, keep inviting, and well trust God with the rest!Now lets get into the Bible.December is traditionally known as advent. The four Sundays leading up to Christmas are all about getting ready for the advent, or the arrival of Jesus.And to help us get ready this year, well be thinking about four different Gifts of Christmas. Thats what were calling our Advent series Gifts of Christmas. Gifts that will keep our focus on the reason for the season. Gifts that will point us to Jesus.And todays gift is The Gift of Preparation.1. Preparing for gloryBefore I went into the ministry, I was a school teacher for a number of years. And I remember one year we got news that the school would receive a very important visitor the Governor General, who is the most senior government officer, even above the Prime Minister. The GG is the Queens representative in the Australian parliament.Anyway the Governor General was scheduled to visit our school to present a prestigious award to a student. It was only a 15 minute visit, but the protocol for those 15 minutes amounted to almost three months of work for the staff member who coordinated the visit.She had to provide plans and drawings and maps that showed where the town car would park, where the exits and fire escapes were situated. She had to measure the number of steps the GG would take from his car to the Theatre where the presentation would take place. She had to provide guest lists and seating charts and the names of dignitaries for the reception line. The school had to provide round the clock extra security in the days leading up to the visit, and then we had federal agents on site sweeping the buildings and grounds.We were all ready and then at the last minute the GG got called away to State business, and somebody far less recognizable came to do the job.It was months of preparation for the arrival of a dignitary.For Gods people, it was years of preparation, years of waiting for the arrival of not just a human dignitary, but one shrouded in the glory of the Lord himself.Look at Isaiah 40 with me:3 A voice of one calling:In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 40:3-5)Isaiah was writing some 700 years before the birth of Jesus, at a time when half of Gods people were in exile. Sent out of the promised land because of their sinful disregard for the Lord.But even in the midst of their sin, God sent the prophet Isaiah to speak these words of comfort to his people in their distress.(v3) Prepare the way for the Lord. Make a highway in the desert because the king is coming.You can imagine what it would have been like when the Assyrian armies had turned up to capture the northern tribes of Israel. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers marching in step through the desert, the clouds of dust rising as the columns advanced, their footsteps the rhythmical drumbeat of impending doom.Those ancient armies were terrifying.But this prophecy speaks of an even greater king, an even greater victory to come. So earth-shattering that the landscape is literally rearranged, with the mountains sinking and the valleys rising so that all the earth becomes like a plain.And (v5) that is when the glory of the Lord will be revealed and all the people will see it together.Can you imagine how good it must have been to hear that prophecy while Gods people were still in exile? This wont last forever, is what it promises. Prepare the way for the king. Prepare for the day he returns. Prepare for his glorious return. A day when all the people, everyone in the whole world, will see the King unveiled in glory and power and majestyAre you good at waiting? Im not very good at waiting. When I was a kid, I was always the one who would lift up the gifts under the Christmas tree, and shake them and try to guess what they were. When I was about 10, I actually woke up in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve and snuck downstairs and unwrapped one of my presents. I remember it was a tennis racket and I probably could have guessed what it was just from the shape. But you dont think about that when youre 10.Waiting for Christmas is not that hard, because you can count down the days. But what about waiting when you dont know the end date?For Gods people, they had these words of Isaiah with them for almost 700 years before they came to fulfilment. And those 700 years werent always easy. More armies came, more people were taken into exile, the temple was destroyed and then the voice of God was silent for almost 400 yearsYou might be going through a period of waiting right now, and you dont know when it will end. Perhaps youre waiting for God to show up but you havent heard his voice. Perhaps youre waiting for his glory to be revealed but right now all you see is immoveable mountains and the deepest of valleysPart of preparing is waiting.But when God speaks, he will always do what he said he was going to do.Even if it feels like youve been waiting forever Gods glory will appear.2. Prepare your heartsAt the start of 2015 I ran the furthest I have ever run. Just over 21km, 13.1 miles, the same distance as a half marathon. You might guess from my physique that I am not naturally gifted for running. Im gifted at eating, but running I have to work at that.Anyway I ran those 13.1 miles as part of my training for a half Ironman triathlon just a few weeks later, when I would have to run the same distance after a 1.2mi swim and 56mi bike ride.The race was great I finished, I didnt set any records but it was a good personal achievement. And I even did a bit better the next year.But so much of triathlon is about preparing your heart. You spend months working on the capacity of your heart to pump blood around the body. If you havent trained enough, on race day you are found out. There is nowhere to hide when you have to keep pushing for hours and hours. The state of your heart is revealed when race day arrives.And the same will happen on the day the glory of the Lord appears for all to see. The state of our hearts will be revealed on that day, and there will be nowhere to hide.So lets go back 2000 years, to the voice of one calling in the wilderness. Another prophet, this time the cousin of Jesus himself. Born just months apart, their mothers had both been visited by angels who told them about the role they would play in fulfilling Isaiahs prophecies. John the Baptist would become the voice calling in the wilderness, the messenger announcing the arrival of LordThe beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way3 a voice of one calling in the wilderness,Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:1-5)Johns ministry was not about preparing a highway for the Lord. It was about preparing hearts for the Lord.His whole message was about checking the state of your heart.You see, the arrival of the glory of the Lord means we need to get our hearts right. [PAUSE] No sinful heart can stand before the holiness of the Lord. We must check our hearts before we meet God. (And Im going to talk more about how Jesus helps with that when we open next weeks gift)But for now, look at Johns preaching. He preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.Repentance. The key to repentance is turning our hearts back to God.The trajectory of sin leads us away from God, but repentance leads us back to him.And we see that repentance in the people who flocked to John the Baptist (v5).People from all over Judea and Jerusalem went out to John, confessing their sins, and getting baptized this symbol of being cleansed, and reborn, and rededicating their lives to God.John was asking people to prepare their hearts for the glory that was to be revealedAnd he speaks the same message to us today. Isaiah, John the Baptist, and Jesus too, theyre all speaking the same message to us today.Listen to Jesus first sermon, in Mark 1:14-15 (on your handout)14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news! (Mark 1:14-15)Jesus wants us to prepare our hearts, because the kingdom of God is near. He wants us to repent, to turn back to God.And I love how Jesus finishes. Its not just repent. Its not just fire and brimstone. Jesus says you can believe the good news, which is that when you repent, God will bring forgiveness into your life. God will make your heart ready for his kingdom. This is good news for everybody who believes it.Do you believe it? Have you had that John the Baptist moment where you. Confessed your sins, and repented and dedicated your life to God. Perhaps it was the day you were baptized, maybe youve never been baptized. We would love to help you make that public commitment, if its something that the Holy Spirit is leading you to do.Perhaps a small step is to take communion today, maybe for the first time. A little step to say, Jesus I want to trust in you, I want to eat at your table in the kingdom, I want you to deal with my sin.Perhaps youre not ready for that I encourage you to stay on the journey. Come and get a coffee with me and tell me your concerns. Or sign up for our 3 week course in January called Explore. A place to keep thinking through what this good news of Jesus is all about. You can find more information on our website under Ministries and Explore Groups.But we all need to prepare our hearts for God.3. Let every heart prepare him roomAt my house weve been listening to Christmas music since October. And one of my favorite songs is Joy To The World. (Great new version by Phil Wickham well be singing next week in church).The line that sticks with me from Joy To The World is there on your sheets:Joy to the world, the Lord is comeLet Earth receive her KingLet every heart prepare Him roomLet every heart prepare him room.I love that idea of making space for Jesus in our hearts. Its such a practical image. Preparing room for Jesus is like preparing for the arrival of a special guest. We get things ready, and we tidy up for them, just like we do at Christmas for our families and friends. How much more should we get ready for Jesus!Let every heart prepare him room.So here are my three practical tips for making room for Jesus in your heart this holiday season.1. Make room for Jesus during the preparation.As you think about all the things you need to prepare for the holidays, put Jesus on the list. Literally, if youre a list person, put him on the list, so that you deliberately plan to give thought to Jesus this month. Its so easy to let Jesus slip off the radar when youre busy shopping and cleaning, so youll need to be deliberate.- You could look for an advent devotional. There are some great books you can buy, or devotionals you can read online. Ive just finished one called Illuminate Advent it was 10 days about making sure your Christmas shines a light on Jesus, not just on the festivities.- You could buy or make an advent calendar, with a Bible verse a day.- You could read all the nativity stories in the Bible again.Whatever you do, the idea is to be deliberate. You literally have to make room for Jesus in your mental preparation, otherwise it will never happen. And that would be a missed opportunity.2. Make room for Jesus during the busy seasonDecember is one of the busiest months in the calendar for most of us. And we often find ourselves pushed and pulled with all the demands on our time and attention. And again, it can be easy to say: Ill get back to Jesus when the craziness of Christmas dies down. Ill have more time for him in the New Year.Do you know what? In reality it never gets less busy. There will always be demands on our time and attention, and so we need to be deliberate every day to make room for Jesus. And this season of all seasons this holiday that is all about the birth of the king and the arrival of Gods glory, this should be the one that makes us focus on the reason for the busyness.So how do we make room for Jesus during the busy season? I think we need to make a commitment to continuing the spiritual practices that we do throughout the year. Keep coming to church. Keep reading your Bible in the morning. Dont let Jesus get pushed out by other demands.3. The hardest one of all: make room for Jesus in your family traditions.I want to say this carefully, because I know from personal experience how hard it can be to be a Christian when your extended family doesnt share the same understanding of faith. It is difficult, and I get that.But heres what Id like to challenge you with. Id encourage you to consider how you can gently and respectfully make room for Jesus in your family traditions. Because when you gently and respectfully bring it up with your family, youll be making a powerful statement about your own hearts conviction, and the importance of Jesus in your life.How might that conversation go?- Maybe its asking if it would be alright to say grace at the Christmas table. Broach it with your kids, or your parents before the day, so that they are prepared. And if you get to pray, keep it short and sweet and filled with love and grace and mercy.- What about going to church at Christmas? Mom and I would love for you to come to church with us at Christmas, but we understand if youre not comfortable with that. But were planning to go, and the service is only an hour, so we hope you can respect our wishes.- And if they dont want to pray or come to church, then you should respect their wishes also. That shouldnt stop you praying for them privately, that maybe next year they would be more openAt the end of the day, we do all this because we know that one day Jesus will return.Hell come back in person. Because Jesus is not just a story or a tradition. Hes a king who will bring Gods kingdom on the day when his glory appears. And you dont want to be caught unprepared
30 Days of Thankfulness4. An Invitation the Feast Dan Bidwell, Senior PastorIsaiah 25:6-8; Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-7 Sunday 20 November, 2022Intro: Whats your favorite Thanksgiving dish?I tried a dish Id never tried before dressing. Its stuffing that was never stuffed inside the turkey. Pretty great!Thanksgiving is a time where we look forward to a feast with our family and friends. A time of wonderful warmth and enjoyment and love.And our Bible passage today is also about looking forward to a feast a feast that God is preparing for all those who are his family and friends. A feast that lasts not just for a day, but for all eternity.A feast we dont want to miss.So why dont we pray and ask God to teach us about this feast.Our heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the joy of feasting with our family and friends this past week. But we long to know more about the heavenly banquet, and your invitation to feast with you forever. Will you teach us now as we open Bible. In Jesus name we pray. Amen1. Anticipating the FeastThis is the last day of our 30 Days of Thankfulness. All month here at church we have been focusing on growing in gratitude, by practicing thankfulness daily.Many of us have been doing daily devotions with our 30 Days of Thankfulness prayer guide. Im still working through it, but I wanted to skip ahead to the last page because its about being thankful for how the story ends. Listen to what it says:Sometimes it may look like the enemy is winning. But we know the Truth. We have read the ending of the Book of Truth. The Truth is that when its all said and done, God will prevail. There will be a day when theres no more pain, sorrow, suffering, and all thats wrong will be made right.Our Bible passage today was written at a time when it seemed like the enemy was winning.Isaiah was written somewhere between 700 and 740BC, when the northern tribes of God's people had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians. They had been taken away from the promised land, and kind of taken away from God. God was punishing them for their sinfulness. And so in Isaiah, Gods people are hoping for restoration and they're anticipating a rescue from God.And so God gives the prophet Isaiah the words that we just read, a promise of restoration.Imagine that you you're taken away from your people, and you're taken away from your home. And God says I'm preparing something for you. Im preparing a banquet. I'm preparing a feast. I'm preparing a party or a celebration.It's a celebration of coming home (verse 6):On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,a banquet of aged wine the best of meats and the finest of wines. (Isaiah 25:6)It sounds like a good party doesn't it? When he says the finest of wines I'm sure it will be a Napa cab, and who knows maybe a French champagne? And the finest of meats. Perhaps a Turkey. Or lambDo you know when I was growing up in Australia lamb was so cheap that we used to eat it every night of the week. We were so bored of it. Oh, were having lamb chops again??? Can you imagine?This feast that God is preparing this feast, this celebration it marks the end of trouble for God's people. And his rescue. Its God bringing his people back, bringing his people home and bringing them back into his family.So I have a question do you think this is a literal feast or is it a metaphor? When we look at the Old Testament we see all kinds of different real feasts. God's people in the Old Testament had seven different feast that they enjoyed every year the feast of Tabernacles, the feast of weeks, Passover (there was four more that I can't remember). But seven times a year Gods people stopped to feast and to remember that God feeds them. God fed them in the desert and God feeds them every day. There's something about feasting and eating that reminds us of family and celebration. And so perhaps in heaven there will be a literal feast every dayBack in Australia Jo's grandmother lived at a house by the beach. And in the house next door there was a Polynesian family (Tongan or Samoan?). Anyway every Christmas they would have a feast, and this feast basically lasted three or four or five days. All day and late into the night, there would be people sitting out in the yard (Christmas is in the middle of our summertime). Somebody would play guitar and other people would be singing. They would cook meat and fish in the ground like a luau. People would come and go there was singing and praying and laughing and it lasted days. It was a wonderful feast with the family gathered all together.And I think heaven might be like that.It was the same in Jesus story when the prodigal son returned home. Do you remember what the father did? They killed the prize calf and they had a feast. They celebrated the return of their son who was lost and was now home.Feasting literally is a wonderful metaphor for being invited home and being returned and welcomed. Our family was invited to a feast this week in St Helena. We were invited into somebodys family Thanksgiving meal. Its such a tangible expression of being included, and lovedSo come back to the Bible passage in Isaiah 25. Is this a literal feast or is there something more going on?Actually when you look at vv7-8 there is something metaphorical about this feast. In v7 God says:7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,the sheet that covers all nations; (Isaiah 25:7)God is talking about death. He's going to destroy death on the mountain. Part of this celebration is not just a return from exile but it's the end of suffering. And it's the end of death and it's the end of sorrow. Verse 88 he will swallow up death forever.The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces;he will remove his peoples disgrace from all the earth.The Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 25:8)Isn't that wonderful? The Lord has spoken When God says something is going to happen, it does.Isaiah 25 is a word of prophecy a promise of God about something that is yet to come. And if youve read the end of the Bible, Revelation 21 paints a very similar picture of the end of all things. Where the new heavens and the new earth come down and God is with his people and he wipes away every tear. And there'll be no more death and no more mourning and no more crying and no more pain because the old order has passed away and the new has come.This is an eternal promise. And so the feast in Isaiah points forward to the celebration of the end of all that is bad in this world, and signals the beginning of an eternity of only goodness. Isn't that wonderful?2. Responding to the FastSo how do you respond to Gods invitation to the feast?Do you remember being a kid and at school and somebody has a birthday party. And they hand out invitations. Do they still do that or do the moms just text? In the olden days you used to get a paper invitation.It was so exciting. Everybody in the class got an invitation (except sometimes they didn't - that causes trouble!)But in Gods kingdom everybody gets an invitation. God says, I want to invite everybody to the celebration. He doesn't go around the classroom and say, Not you. Actually he invites everybody to this big party - the party that lasts forever, the celebration for all eternity.Have a look at a verse 6. It says there:6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,At the time that God wrote this, he had his special people, his chosen people, the Israelites. But actually this promise is not just for his chosen people, it's a promise for everybody.And anybody who answers this invitation can come to the party.Wouldn't you want to go to this party? You wouldn't want to miss it, would you?So come to the Isaiah 55 reading. How do we respond to God's invitation to come to the party? God says:1 Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live.I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.God issues this invitation, and to come to the party you dont have to buy a ticket. It's not a party where you have to pay your way in. He actually offers it to people who are thirsty and hungry, people have no money, people who have nothing to bring, and nothing to offer. They're not friends with God because of anything good they've done. He just loves them as they are, and he says: I want you to come to my partyWhen we come back to Matthews gospel next year, our very first chapter when we come back in Matthew 22 is this story of a wedding feast. The groom invites people but lots of them say, well I've been too busy I can't come. And so the groom sends his servants out onto the street and says we've got all this beautiful food I want everybody to come. And there's still room so he sends his servants out again and more and more people come into the feast.You see, God wants us to come and all he says is just come if you're thirsty. Come if you're hungry. You don't need to have money, I just want you at my party. You don't need to bring a present, you don't need to pay me back. Just comeSo how do we respond to Gods invitation?Look at all of the verbs in vv1-3:- V1 Come; buy; eatIt's kind of strange to buy when you don't have money, isn't it. But it's almost like a free shop. God wants to give you everything. This is Gods grace in action!And then in v2:- listenWe need to listen to God to respond to him. Then he says in v3give ear and come to meGive ear means listen. And then he says it againlisten that you may liveWhen we come to God, when we listen to God, the result is that we find life. Eternal life. We get life that is true life. And I don't think it's just life into eternity, I think it's life right now. We don't have to wait until eternity to receive these blessings. We get them now. We get to live.And again have a look at v1. This is a promise for all people. Come all you who are thirsty.This is a message for all people everywhere, not just special people sitting in the church today. It's not just a message for people who identify as Christian.You know sometimes you look around and think, Oh well that person they wouldn't be interested in Jesus because they have a different cultural background, or a different religious background, or a different socioeconomic background. And so I don't need to share Jesus with them. That's not true at all!This invitation is for all people! This is a message for all people to come to God, to find life. And it's free and it's good and it's not just about food but it's about truly living and enjoying life the way that God made us to live. In the way that God intended it to be, to be with him around his table sharing at the feast.And do you know, for 2000 years people everywhere have been responding to this invitation.In Matthew 8, Jesus said:11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11)Jesus promises this wonderful party with people coming from everywhere, from all over the earth and every culture and every religion when they find their hope in HimBut I do need to mention a caveat at this point. Even though Gods invitation is an invitation to all people, there is something very exclusive about what God is offering.To find this life that God offers, you need to come to him. You need to choose him, rather than trying to find life and satisfaction elsewhere. Look at v2:2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. (Isaiah 55:2-3)This is a hard word in a pluralistic world. Id love to say all roads lead to Rome, and all religions end in the same place. But thats not what the God of the Bible says. Here in Isaiah 55, God says you have to come to him if you want to find life. Jesus made it even more explicit when he said:I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)We need to know Jesus if we want to respond to the invitation. Thats why we spend so much of our energy learning about Jesus here at church every Sunday. Hes the key. Hes the way we find life. And forgiveness. And all of Gods gracious blessings We need to come to him.3. Enjoying the FeastSo how do we enjoy the feast every day?I think it's a shame that we wait until Thanksgiving to eat turkey. I imagine you can probably buy turkey all year round, but we just don't and maybe it wouldn't be special if we did.But we don't need to wait until Thanksgiving, or we don't need to wait until Christmas, to enjoy God. We don't need to wait until we die to enjoy God. And in fact we shouldn't.Do you remember that fantastic movie with Robin Williams The Dead Poets Society? If you need to cry today you should watch that film. Its this beautifully directed film about a group of boys at a private Academy in their senior year of school. Set in the 1960s. And they have this teacher who inspires them (Robin Williams) to make the most of every day. Carpe Diem. Seize the day. Dont put off till tomorrow what you can do today.And so with God, we don't want to put it off until tomorrow. We don't want to put it off until after we're busy or after the holidays or after I've got over this medical issue. We don't want to put off enjoying God. We want to do it everyday.Have a look what it says at the end of Isaiah 55 in verse 6. It's just like the Dead Poets Society. I think they might have copied from the Bible.6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.Seek the Lord while he may be found Now is the time for people to find God. And actually this is the easiest time of year to help people find God. Because Christmas is the easiest time to talk about Jesus. We've got all these wonderful events at church that will gently put Jesus and the holidays together for our family and friends. And this is not just a plug for our events, this is how we help you invite people to the feast.You know when you get invited to dinner at somebody's house, it's very special. It indicates something about your relationship. It is an honor, in some ways, to be invited into someones home.I think when we invite people to church, we want it to feel the same as inviting them to a feast. You might need to actually invite them to a feast first. You might need to invite them to your home for a meal to show them that you love them and that you want them to be part of your family. But eventually that will also mean inviting them to share in your bigger family, this family here at church which is Jesus family.Because you dont want your friends to miss the party.When I was a kid, we missed a birthday party once. We received the invitation, and we RSVPd. We bought a present. But it got to Saturday afternoon and somehow with 4 kids at home we forgot to go to the party. We missed it. And I was so upset.When it comes to Gods party, you dont want to miss the invitation. You dont want to miss the RSVP date, you dont want to forget that this feast is coming.You want to seek the Lord while he may be found, and we want to help our friends seek the Lord while he may be found. We don't want to wait until they die before taking the chance to have that conversation with them. Don't wait until it's too late because there's a beautiful feast for everybody who responds. And God wants us to help invite people to his big feast.Let's pray.Heavenly father we thank you for the feast that we enjoyed on Thursday and we thank you for the feast that we'll enjoy in heaven forever and ever. Help us enjoy you today to have life to the full. And we pray that we might enjoy life with you forever. And father please, please will you help us to invite people to the feast of Jesus Christ, the feast where there is pardon where the disgrace that we had from our sin is washed away. Where people who have nothing to bring, nothing to offer, no money to buy salvation find forgiveness in your Son. We pray Father that you would help us to invite them to come with empty hands and to enjoy your gracious provision. We pray this in Jesus name, Amen
30 Days of Thankfulness3. Thankful for what we have Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor Deuteronomy 6:4-12; Hebrews 13:5 Sunday 20 November, 2022 I was looking for something in my desk drawer this week when I found this a wad of cash from different countries Ive travelled to. Theres money from Fiji, and the United Arab Emirates, and Tanzania. But this stack means the most to me. Its from Rwanda. Right before I moved here to become your pastor, I had the privilege of traveling back and forth to Rwanda for 2 weeks each year, teaching a theology certificate course to pastors and church workers, most of whom had no formal theological education. It was a super rewarding experience. But one of the things Im reminded of when I hold this stack of 1000 RWF notes, is how cheap everything feels when youre in a country like that. You can buy a coffee for 1,500RWF ($1.50), or a burger and fries for $4. A meal at this amazing rooftop bar in the city is $8. And at the best restaurant in Kigali, dinner and drinks still comes out less than $35pp. Like I said, it feels cheap compared to here. Until you realize what the average Rwandan earns. Some earn as little as 1000RWF, or USD$1 a day. So my spare change is worth a days work for someone else. If you tipped $1 on your coffee order, it would be like giving a $100 tip to the person receiving it. To put it in perspective, at the end of my last visit to Rwanda, we were having a celebration dinner, and one of my students leaned over the table to ask me a question privately. She said: Is it true in your country, that you have a machine that washes the clothes. Yes, I said. And do you have one? Can you imagine a world without a washing machine? How much longer it would take to do everyday tasks? That was the world that many of my students were living in. Still are living in, I would think. To somebody in Rwanda, if you own a washing machine, that makes you an incredibly wealthy person.
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Do you own a washing machine? A dishwasher? By some standards, that makes you an incredibly wealthy person... But thats not how we measure wealth, is it?In the Western mindset, wealth is abundance. Excess. Luxury. Opulence. With that definition, not many of us would class ourselves as wealthy. But as we enter into Thanksgiving week, I want to challenge that definition of wealth. I want us to understand how much we truly have, so that we can be thankful for it. And more to the point, to be thankful to the one who gave it to us. So why dont we pray that the Giver of all things would speak to us now as we open his word. Our heavenly Father, you are the giver of all things. Will you teach us now as we open the Bible. Teach us how to view our wealth, and how to be truly thankful. Challenge us and change us, we ask. In Jesus name. Amen Well, we are in the middle of our 30 Days of Thankfulness. This series is all about deepening our gratitude in daily ways. To help, we have our 30 Days of Thankfulness prayer guide (which you can download or pick up a paper copy on the welcome desk). Im on Day 18 which is Thank God for the Bible. It says: We are so blessed to have access to [Gods] word, to be able to own it, house it in our homes and in our hearts, to read it and experience its life-giving power. It is the guide by which we are to live [...] Thank God that you have access to God-breathed, supernatural knowledge through his Holy Word. Here at Yountville Community Church, we are thankful for the Bible! And every Sunday at church, we read the Bible carefully to hear what God says to us in it. And so today as we think about being thankful, I want to base what I say on what God says. This is his wisdom, shared with us, because he loves us. So Ive entitled this sermon: Thankful for what we have. Premise: Redefining Wealth Lets start by coming back to our definition of wealth. Like I said a moment ago, in the Western mindset, we think of wealth as abundance, excess, luxury and opulence. And not many of us live that lifestyle, at least not all the time, and so we dont think of ourselves as wealthy.
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But what if we defined wealth in a different way. What if wealth was about having enough...? David Kotter in his book For the Least of These: A Biblical Answer to Poverty defines wealth like this:
Wealth ... will be defined as a suitable accumulation of resources and possessions of value. Under this simple definition, one is wealthy to the extent that one has sufficient food of good quality, clothing appropriate to keeping cool or warm, and shelter for protection from the elements. In a modern economy, this definition is often extended to include access to safe and reliable transportation and communication that enables one to work. Wealth includes adequate physical possessions to live and flourish as a human being created in the image of God, and it also requires a specific heart attitude toward the purpose of possessions. (David Kotter, For the Least of These: A Biblical Answer to Poverty)
If we start with a different definition of wealth, that wealth is about having enough, then by that definition, all of us here are wealthy. Is your home secure and dry? Do you have food in the pantry? Were you able to get here today? Then you are wealthy. I am wealthy. And the first step to being thankful for what we have is acknowledging that we are wealthy. We might not have everything we want, but we have a lot to be thankful for... So thats the premise I want to begin with: we need to redefine wealth. We need to see what we have with fresh eyes, and understand that we have great wealth. 1. Remember where our wealth comes from In an old episode of the Simpsons, Bart is asked to say grace. He says:Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing. Amen. The watching adults gasp. Mr Burns chuckles and says, Only an innocent child could get away with such blasphemy. God bless them all. But Barts caustic honesty is funny because, as comedy so often does, it pierces through the veneer of polite sentiment and says aloud what many of the watching adults are actually thinking anyway.We did go to work. We did earn the money. We did pay for this stuff ourselves. So why all the thanksgiving to a God we cant see?1 1 The Generosity Project, p21
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The Bibles answer is that the God we cant see created everything we can see. And touch and hear and feel, including us. He created it all. In Psalm 50:12, God says:the world is mine, and all that is in it. (Psalm 50:12) Everything that is in the world belongs to God. And the Bible goes on to say that he is the one who feeds, and sustains us. He is the one who gives us everything we have. In James 1:17, it says: 7 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father... (James 1:17) In the OT, Gods people had to learn that lesson in a very tangible way. When they were too afraid to enter the Promised Land, God caused his people to wander in the desert for 40 years. But every day he fed them, causing mana to fall down like dew from the sky a good and perfect gift from above. And do you remember that he gave them just enough for one day a time, so that they would remember who it was that fed them... Do you know who feeds you, day to day? Who gives you your daily bread? Who gives you every breath you take? Who sustains you and keeps you and watches over you while you sleep? When we think about what we have, we need to remember where it came from. It comes from our Father in heaven. And our Father says its especially important to remember that truth, when we have more than just our daily bread. And thats where our Deuteronomy reading comes into play. One of the big storylines of the OT is Gods promise to bring his people into a land they could call their own. The Promised Land, the land that God originally promised to Abraham. And hundreds of years later, Gods people would finally enter that Promised Land a land flowing with milk and honey, this place that symbolized Gods blessing and Gods provision and Gods generosity towards his people. He was going to make them rich.But listen to the warning he gives them in Deuteronomy 6 (reading from v10): 10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give youa land with large, flourishing cities you did not
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houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not
build,dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plantthen when you eat and are
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be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt,
satisfied,out of the land of slavery. (Deuteronomy 6:10-12)
Can you imagine that Gods people get to move into this country where they get to enjoy the fruits of somebody elses work. They move into houses they did not build, they get to drink from wells they didnt dig, eat from orchards they didnt plant. They receive this inheritance that comes from the hard work of someone else. Actually it comes from God. And God warns them not to forget him when they receive their inheritance! When he blesses them with all kinds of wealth, they must be careful not to forget him. PAUSE What if the wealth we have is just like the wealth they had? What if we have what we have because God has chosen to bring us into the place where we find ourselves? What if our success is not just the product of our own hard work. Its also because God chose to bless you in the ways that he has. We are living on the tail-end of the greatest wealth-generating period in history. Since WWII, Baby Now I know youve worked hard for what you earned, but every other generation in history also worked hard. You just happened to live through a period of unprecedented economic growth. Have you stopped to remember where that extraordinary growth comes from? Have you thanked God for including you in the greatest wealth-generating period in history? And have you thought about how you might give back some of the wealth that he has given you? 2. The art of contentment John D. Rockefeller, arguably the worlds richest person in the early 1900s, was asked by a reporter how much money is enough. He replied, Just a little bit more! Just a little bit more... 2 https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhall/2019/11/11/the-greatest-wealth-transfer-in-history-whats-happening-and- what-are-the-implications/
2 Boomers (those born between 1944 and 1964) this is your generation, isnt it?
the US (and Australia too) have seen decades of prosperity and economic growth.
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At our house, we love renovation TV. Theres this couple out of Utah who just design amazing homes (Studio McGee). And then theres Chip and Jo from Waco, Texas who bring this farmhouse chic to everything they do. And theyre Christians too, so we like them even more for that. We love watching those shows. But Ive realized they arent necessarily good for us. Because renovation TV is built on the premise of just a little bit more... Just a little bit more decoration, and youll be a happier person. Just little bit more kitchen, and youll have a better family life. Just a little bit more, and your life will be fulfilled... Just a little bit more... But how much more will be enough? A survey of regular churchgoers in the USA found that almost 90% say greed is a sin; only 20% say they were ever taught that wanting a lot of money is wrong; and almost 80% wish they had 3 Now theres nothing wrong with having money. We are embodied creatures, we have physical needs for food and shelter, and the way we meet those needs in this world is usually through the exchange of work for money so that we can buy what we need. Anthropology Economy 101. The danger is when our desire for money becomes greed.Perhaps the richest man who ever lived, King Solomon, wrote this in his book Ecclesiastes: Whoever loves money never has enough;whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. (Ecclesiastes 5:10) Solomon was just like Rockefeller. The danger is that no matter how much we have, its never enough... And the Bible warns us that this never enough attitude can have destructive consequences in our lives. The Apostle Paul writes:9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and 10
more money than they do.Seems 80% of us share the spirit of John D. Rockefeller. Just a little bit more...
harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6-10) 3 Brian Rosner, Beyond Greed, p18
For the love of money is
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This is strong language, isnt it?
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Temptation
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A trap
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Foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin
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Destruction
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A root of evil
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Wandering away from the faith
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Causing all kinds of grief If this was an ad for medication on the television, there is no way you would ask your doctor to prescribe you the love of money. The love of money wont bring happiness. It will kill you! We only need to look at crippling debt, and crippling work hours that plunge individuals into ruin. Then there are the industries that prey on the financially vulnerable, modern slavery and human trafficking, which are financially motivated and nothing short of evil. And then there are Christians who get so focused on work and financial success that they let their faith go along the way... One compromise after another until one day they wake up and God isnt even in the picture anymore. Thats if they even notice that God was missing. Jesus said we can only worship one thing well either choose God, or money. Gordon Gecko was wrong. Greed is not good. Greed is a killer.And so whats the antidote?The answer is: Contentment. Have a look at Hebrews 13:5 with me: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)Did you see that right in the middle? Be content with what you have... Theologian Dr Brian Rosner in his book Beyond Greed says:
be content with what you have: these six words form one of the most difficult commands in the Bible, especially in our day of ingrained consumerism and unquestioned materialism. The worlds approach to contentment is by way of addition. 4 Brian Rosner, Beyond Greed, p90
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The worlds approach to contentment is by way of addition. Getting more things. But God says be content with what you have. Look at what you have and be happy. I was thinking about how to do this practically for myself. I dont know about you, but I look around my home and Im often thinking what I would change. Or fix. What if instead we looked around our home and picked up one of our possessions and just enjoyed it. Or thanked God for it? What if you got in your car and played I Spy with all the things that bring you joy? People often ask me what I miss about Australia. I miss living near the ocean. Somebody who was over at our house recently said, when you drive through the vineyards, thats your ocean. Do you see how just a little mental adjustment can shift your attitude? You could buy a gratitude journal and spend a few minutes each day writing down all the things youre thankful for. You could make a habit of sharing something youre grateful for before dinner each day make your grace a real thanksgiving. And then when it comes to contentment, I really think we have to break the stranglehold of consumerism. The idea that more will make me happier: it never does. It just leaves us wanting more. And so perhaps we choose to live with less. We simplify. If you dont spend enough time on your boat to justify the expense, perhaps you could live without it. If you dont get to the gym or the country club often enough, is it worth keeping the membership? Do you really need a new car, or new golf clubs, or new shoes? Or could you find contentment with what you have already? And this brings me to the last idea. 3. Enjoy the One who gives you wealth Weve been thinking about how to be thankful for what we have. So we started with the premise that we all enjoy considerable wealth, just by virtue of having enough to live comfortably. Then we were reminded that all we have is the gift of God. He has given us everything we have, and so we ought not forget him, especially when we find ourselves very well off. Because greed is destructive. And so instead we need to cultivate contentment. But heres the catch. God wants us to enjoy the things that he gives us. And to find contentment in them. But he doesnt just want to watch on from a distance. God wants to be part of our lives. We shouldnt just enjoy the gifts God gives us we should enjoy the Giver as well! Years ago, a friend at church gave me his guitar. We played in a band together, and I had a guitar that wasnt that great. And when Tom bought a beautiful new guitar, he gave me his old
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one. I love that guitar. Its a great instrument. And when I play it, I often remember who it came from. And the generosity of Tom to pass it on to me. The guitar is kind of a symbol of our friendship. The gift and the giver are tied together. And thats the conclusion that Solomon came to. If were to be content with what we have, if were to enjoy what we have, we have to enjoy it with the Giver. 24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own 25
toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, enjoyment? (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)
for without him, who can eat or find
This Thanksgiving, where will you find your enjoyment? Shall we pray?
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30 Days of Thankfulness2. Thankful for Who We Are Dan Bidwell, Senior Pastor Psalm 100 Sunday 13 November, 2022 In last weeks sermon, I spoke about a song that goes: I Raise A Hallelujah. Its such a good song, that Ive had it going around in my head for about a week now. Around and around. You know what they call that? When a song goes round and round in your head and you cant seem to shake it off? An earworm. Its like the song burrows its way into your brain, and you cant get rid of it. I did a little Googling and I found out it was the Germans who first coined the phrase earworm about a 100 years ago. Scientists have a much more boring word to describe the phenomenon Involuntary Musical Imagery. Apparently all kinds of things can trigger an earworm. A particular word, a phrase, hearing some notes from the song, or even feeling an emotion that you associate with the song. They trigger a memory in your brain, without you even thinking about it voluntarily. They call that involuntary cognition. Thats your science lesson for the morning. Apparently it happens more with people who are musically inclined. I think Im musically inclined, because ever since I was a kid I remember humming tunes. Its pretty cute when little children hum out loud, or sing songs to themselves. They have this unself-conscious way of doing it, they dont care if anyone is listening, they are probably not even aware of it. Its just their little hearts expressing the joy that music can bring, as they sing their happy song. I remember some time not long into elementary school, where I was told that its not really OK to sing out loud in public. I dont remember who said it maybe another kid, maybe the teacher, or it might have been my mom wanting to protect me. From that moment on, I learned to hide my happy song, at least on the outside... But on the inside? I think thats what my earworms are. My happy song.
Whats your happy song? What is the song that plays inside your head when things are going well? What fills you with joy and brings singing to your heart? Perhaps not literal singing, but that same kind of unrestrained joy that little children have? What makes your heart sing? That is what were thinking about as we open the Bible today, so why dont we pray that God would teach our hearts to sing. Our heavenly Father, we thank you for speaking to us in the Bible, for revealing truth to us, for teaching us. Will you do that today will you speak and reveal truth and teach us to take joy in you, as you remind us of who we are in Christ. We pray in his saving name, Amen So all this month we are working on the practice of thankfulness growing in gratitude as we deliberately focus ourselves on all the things that we have to be thankful for. Were calling it 30 Days of Thankfulness, and to help we have our 30 Days of Thankfulness Prayer Guide. (Observation from today) 1. ShoutingForJoy Our family is a rollercoaster family. Ever since the kids were little, weve loved going to theme parks to ride the rollercoasters, as well as all the other rides. The bigger and the faster, the better. It wasnt always that way. One of our children was a bit nervous about rollercoasters when they were really little. But with time, theyve both ended up as thrill-seekers. One of the things I love the most about going to the theme park with my family is that they love to scream on the rides. All of them. There is a ride called the Tower of Terror back in Australia.
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Feet dangling, high up in the air, waiting for them to drop you...
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Screams! When my family screams, theyre the kind of screams that make people turn their heads and look up to smile, because they know were having such a great time! You can hear it. The screams of terror arent really screams of terror. (Well kind of...) Theyre also shouts of joy. Psalm 100 begins with a shout of joy. The kind of noise that makes you look over, and pay attention:
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. When I read this, it sounds like the beginning of a song which lots of Psalms were, of course. But the words arent just hollow. The songwriter, the Psalmist, is actually painting a picture of an alternate reality. A reality where all the earth, every creature, pours out a song to the Lord. A song of joy. A song of gladness. A song of worship. - A picture of heaven: (Revelation 5:13) 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! This is an image of all the earth worshiping around the throne of Jesus. (Repeated in Rev 7, 14). A picture not of an alternate reality, but an eternal reality.One day, all of the earth and everything in it will shout for joy to the Lord. And if you are friends with Jesus, that is the eternal reality for you. What does joy in the Lord look like for you right now? How does your life sing a song of praise and worship to the Lord? What makes your heart sing? 2. IdentityWho we are I was a child of the 80s, and one of the best parts about the 80s were the mustaches. The best mustache of course belonged to Tom Selleck from Magnum PI. My dad also had the most amazing mustache in the 80s. Just like Magnum PI. And so I decided when I grow up, I am going to grow a mustache just like Magnum PI and just like my dad. Because thats what real men do. Thats part of the identity of a real man. Sadly the Lord has not blessed me with a Magnum PI mustache. Or at least not the last time I tried, about 15 years ago. And so Ive had to deal with not achieving the identity that I thought I would. Im not who I thought I would be when I grew up. Now of course Im joking around. But actually, when you think about what you wanted to be when you grew up, have you achieved everything you thought you would? Have you become
the person you wanted to be? Have you done all the things you wanted to do? Have you grown into the identity that you pictured as a child? Because the reality is, many of us dont become the person we wanted to become. We might not have the life we expected to have. We might not have the job we expected to have. We might not have the family we expected to have. We might have made mistakes that we didnt want to make. And we fall short of the identity that we created in our minds. We might even be disappointed with who weve become. What has formed your identity? What makes you who you are at your core? But Psalm 100 reminds us that our identity is not caught up in our achievements, or our life choices. Psalm 100 reminds us that our identity is formed in our relationship to God. 3 Know that the Lord is God.It is he who made us, and we are his;we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3) Psalm 100 teaches us that no matter what our life has brought us, we have an identity that is unshakeable. Unchangeable. We belong to God... we are his So today as we focus ourselves on thankfulness, I want us to thank God for who he has made us to be. I want us to be thankful to God for the identity that he has given us. I want us to: 3 Know that the Lord is God.It is he who made us, and we are his;we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. So to help us be reminded of the depth of these words, I have four (or five?) Bible verses that remind us of how important we are in Gods eyes. (i) First, the idea that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Who knows where that Bible verse is from? Psalm 139. Psalm 139 talks about the way that God was intricately involved in creating you to be the way that you are, even before you were born. 13 For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mothers womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book (Psalm 139:13-16) Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows everything about us. Because he made us. Down to weaving together your genetics in your mothers womb. Bringing cells together to create you made in his image, made as Gods handiwork. Knit together by him, just the way he wanted to make you. You are a perfect creation of God.
Isnt that something? God himself made you, and he knows you. You are his. You were created with intention, and you were created for a purpose. (ii) And thats where we come to our second Bible verse. Colossians 1:16 tells us that all things were created by Jesus and for him. 16 For in him [v13 says that this is talking about the Son Jesus] all things werecreated: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16) That means when God saw your unformed body, when he knit you together in your mothers womb, he did it for a purpose. He made you for Jesus. In fact Jesus himself had a part in your creation, as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all worked together to bring creation into being. They did that for each of us, just like in the beginning. And if we were made through Jesus and for Jesus, then it means our life will find its ultimate meaning only when we know Jesus. Do you know Jesus? He knows you... PAUSE Most of the world doesnt know Jesus. Most people live their lives without reference to God. They dont know that God created them for a purpose. And so they try to find their purpose in other things, in other achievements, in other relationships. I think thats where our identity gets so messed up. We compare ourselves with others, and there is always someone richer, or smarter, more beautiful, more accomplished than us. The identity game is a trap you can never win... But when we find our identity in Jesus, we find out that no matter who we are, no matter what weve achieved, we are deeply loved. (iii) Thats the third idea that we are deeply loved.
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The first Bible verse I ever learned was John 3:16. Do you know how it goes? 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God loves us... And he loves us so much that even our sin wont get in the way of his fierce love for us. God loves us so much that he gave his only Son to deal with our sin, so that we wouldnt have to deal with the consequences of our sin in ourselves. Jesus died to make us right with God. And thats what Colossians 1 goes on to say, a few verses after the part we read before. You see we were created for Jesus, but our sin led to separation from God. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. (Colossians 1:21) God takes our sin seriously. He calls it evil behavior. And it alienates us from God. But did you see what v22 says? 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christs physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation... (Colossians 1:22) We have been reconciled to God by Christs physical body. When Jesus died, he died so that we could be presented to God: holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation... (Colossians 1:22) Can you imagine what it must feel like to find out that you are holy in the sight of God? Without blemish and free from accusation? Weve all done thing we wish we didnt do. There are sins Ive committed that I wish I didnt do. And it might feel like our sins are hanging over us, and that God is waiting to punish us for them... What would it be like to know that you are holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation... There is a true story of a priest in the Philippines, a much-loved man of God who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no peace, no sense of God's forgiveness.
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In his parish was a woman who deeply loved God and who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest, however, was skeptical. To test her he said, "The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary." The woman agreed. A few days later the priest asked., "Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?" "Yes, he did," she replied."And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?" "Yes," she replied"Well, what did he say?""He said, 'I don't remember'" Jesus doesnt see us as the sum total of our mistakes. He doesnt hold up a record of our sin, and wave it in our face. No, instead he says, I love you. And because of the cross, I see you as holy, without blemish and free from accusation... That is your identity in Christ, if you belong to him.To go back to the words of Psalm 100, we belong to God. We are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.And thats why Jesus said in John 10:14... 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Fatherand I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15) Do you know the good shepherd? The one who has laid down his life for the sheep? Because he knows you. And he loves you. And he wants you to be secure in that identity, no matter who you are, no matter what youve done. And so that just leaves the question of how we respond to Jesus.
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- EnterwithThanksgiving Our son Jamie volunteers down at Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch. He goes down everyday to feed the pigs and the goats and the sheep. He loves it, and he especially loves how the goats and the pigs know who he is. Theyre smart animals, and they know that he is going to feed them. And they know hes going to scratch their ears and look after them. Last week two of the goats got out of the pen. They climbed out, I think. Anyway these goats escape and they go off to explore the farm. And so my Jamie has to catch them. How do you catch a runaway goat? You get his favorite food. And you lure him back until you can catch him. Sure enough, Jamie gets a little bowl full of goat food. These little pellets that they love. And he calls the goats and they see the food and they come running to Jamie. He opens the gate and the goats go back into the pen. Because they know who feeds them. They know who looks after them. And thats how Psalm 100 finishes. With Gods people, the sheep of his pasture entering his gates with thanksgiving. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgivingand his courts with praise;give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5) When we know Gods voice, and when we recognize his goodness, we will want to come back to him. Well want to enter into his presence to say thank you to him. Well want to enter into his presence to praise him. Thats what we do every Sunday here at church. We run with joy into the presence of God. We worship him with gladness (v1-2). We enjoy God with our church family, as we pray and sing together, as we hear Gods promises spoken through the pages of the Bible, as we remember Jesus sacrifice for us, as we pray for his kingdom to come. Coming to church is actually (in a little way) a preview of that day when all of Gods creatures will shout for joy to the Lord. This is a preview of whats to come for all of eternity. Because the Lord is good. And his love endures forever (v5). That word for love in v5, its that Hebrew word hesed. It means faithful love. Gods enduring, faithful, unchangeable, never-stopping, never giving up love. Love that doesnt quit. Gods love is forever. And his faithfulness continues through all generations.
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And thats why we need to keep singing the song of Gods love in our lives. We need to keep entering his courts with thanksgiving, and praising his name because thats how the next generation will hear about what Jesus has done. When God makes our heart sing, people sit up and take notice. So what makes your heart sing? And what song are you singing to the next generation? Shall we pray?
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Psalm 13 intersects with the experience many of us have had with sorrow, mental anguish and depression. But it reminds us that even in the darkness, a light of hope shines through.
When we see God up close , his majesty is a mixture of magnificence and terror. But Psalm 8 reminds us that God is not unapproachable. Join Pastor Dan Bidwell for a message about the dignity that God bestows upon his children in Christ Jesus.
What is leading you? And is it leading you down the right path? Join Pastor Dan Bidwell as he tackes this important question at the heart of Psalm 5.
We all have songs that form the soundtrack to our life: songs that bring back significant memories, songs that lift us when we are down, songs that inspire us, songs that move us. And for Jesus, those songs were the Psalms. What can we learn from the soundtrack to Jesus' life?
Prodigal means extravagant, lavish, unrestrained, excessive; carelessly wasteful. In this story, a ungrateful son lives a prodigal lifestyle after he takes his inheritance. But the end of the story leaves us asking: who is the real prodigal?
In our final encounter today, were going to look into the future, to see an encounter with Jesus that every person who ever lived will someday have. An encounter that will have eternal consequences. An encounter we dont want to get wrong.
A criminal meets Jesus in his dying moments, and receives a welcome that noe of us deserve.
This encounter is a little different.It is an encounter between Jesus and the devil; anencounter where the devil tempts, or tests Jesus; and an encounter that reveals an importanttruth about character Jesus character, and our own character in the face of temptation.
When a sinful woman has an encounter with Jesus and finds forgiveness, it leads us to ask: have we found the same?
When a wedding runs out of wine, Jesus performs a sign that points to more than just a wedding toast.
In this special Mother's Day message, Jesus reminds us not to get distracted from the most important thing - spending time with him.
When Jesus asks for a drink at a well, a Samaritan woman learns a lesson about the only water that can truly satisfy.
In this first 'encounter with Jesus', Mary Magdalen encounters the possibility of life beyond death.
When we go to the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the cross through the eyes of Jesus, and we glimpse the plan of God beginning to be revealed. We get an insight into the very character of God, his love and justice working together in a real and powerfully emotional way. And we see ourselves reflected in the weakness of the disciples. In this week before Easter, allow Jesus to show you his love in the Garden and the Cross.
The longer Ive been a Christian, the more I realise that plenty of us still ask this question regularly: How can I be sure if Im saved? How can I be sure Im going to heaven?
Join Pastor Dan Bidwell for the second part in our Wisdom series, exploring wisdom as presented in the New Testament.
Join Pastor Dan Bidwell for the first part in our Wisdom series, exploring wisdom as presented in the Old Testament.
Join guest preacher Pastor Jim Jessup for a message about trusting God in all of life's circumstances. Based on Daniel 3:17-18
Join guest preacher Mark Mitchell from the Bay Area School Of Ministry as he opens up one of the trickier proverbs. You'll be surprised how much we can learn from the small things.
In today's passage, Jesus describes his kingdom as the most vaulable treasure we could ever find. Join Pastor Dan Bidwell as we continue our series from Matthew 13-16 called Hidden Treasures.
Why does evil persist in our world? In the midst of his kingdom parables, Jesus reminds us that there will be many who oppose his authority. But that will not always be the case...
In our new series, we are searching for the hidden treasure in Jesus' parables - truth that is right in front of our eyes, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear...
We all have a longing to know what happens when we die. Jesus' resurrection teaches us that our future is secure when we put our trust in him, even in the face of death.
The journey through life is rarely smooth, even when we are working for the Lord. How do we deal with discouragements that come our way? Join us as we learn from the return God's people to Jerusalem after the Exile.
What do we learn from Jesus about the storms of life? Join Kids Minister Charlotte for this week's Bible story.
As we prepare to return to church after a long period of separation, we learn from the experience of Gods Old Testament people when they returned to the promised land after 70 years of exile.
In today's Bible story we learn about the way God cares for the little things, and how he cares for us! Based in Luke 12:22-31
In our new sermon series, we consider how to return to church after the disruptions of recent times, starting with wisdom from the Teacher in Ecclesiastes.
In the final talk of our Summer Loving series, we learn about the spiritual gift that shapes us in every area of our lives.
The Holy Spirit distributes different gifts to every Christian for the building up of the church. But we can make the mistake of prioritizing some gifts over others, creating differences, division and difficulties. So how do we get spiritual gifts right? Join Senior Pastor Dan Bidwell as he opens 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 in the next talk in our Summer Loving series.
Join Kids Minister Charlotte for a special story book about Jesus making death come untrue...
The next in our Summer Lovin' series, Love Gifts helps us think about the importance of spiritual gifts for building up the church.
What does the perfect church look like? Or at least a good church? Join us as we learn the fundamentals of church from the very first gathering of Christians.
In this final section of Titus, Paul teaches that the healthy church must get its focus right, avoiding everything which distracts from the mission.
Join Kids Minister Charlotte as she searches for the hidden treasure meaning of Jesus' parable of salt and light.
The Christian life is not about self-help and trying to be good. Instead God brings change at the deepest level when we put our trust in Jesus. Transformed by a generous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the church reflects the goodness of God to the world.
This section of Titus reminds us that we live between two significant historical events - the appearance of Jesus in the past and the return of Jesus in the future. Join us for a message about the grace and glory of God that is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
Kids Minister Charlotte explains the kidden treasure meaning of Jesus' parable of the lost sheep.
Join Charlotte as she finds the hidden treasure meaning of Jesus' parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids.
In this Psalm, King David teaches us how to entrust our lives to God, whatever path our life might take.
What is the most amazing treasure you could imagine? Jesus teaches us the answer in this parable from Matthew 13:44-46.
In Paul's blueprint for a healthy church, he describes the importance of intergenerational relationships. We enjoy mutual encouragement as each demographic grows in faith, knowledge and godliness.
As Paul lays out his blueprint for a healthy church, he stresses the importance of godly leaders. For Paul, leadership in the church is not about setting up the right structures. Its more about finding the right people. Paul is much more concerned with godly character than leadership skills and competence. Paul says we ought to look for people of godly character who will lead the church in godliness (Titus 1:1).
Kids Minister Charlotte explains the hidden treasure meaning of Jesus' parable of the mustard seed.
What makes for a healthy church? In this introductory section ofhis letter to Titus, Paul reveals three core values for Christ-centered churches: servant-heartedness, godliness and hope.
When a healing triggers a confrontation between Jesus and his opponents, Jesus asks where our allegiances lie.
Join Charlotte as she explains the parable of the sower and the seeds. Which soil are you?
In our new teaching series, Kids Minister Charlotte takes us on a treasure hunt to find the hidden meaning of Jesus' parables. What is the foundation of your life?
Have you ever had one of those moments when you realize that youve been concentrating on the details so much, that youve missed the bigger picture? Jesus challenges those who get so caught up with religion that they lose sight of God.
Are you feeling weary and burdened? Do you long for rest? Join us for an Easter service designed to help you find rest as you reconnect with God. Will you come to Jesus this Easter?
Join Charlotte for a special story about the first Easter. And watch to the end for a surprise...
The last piece of armor is the power of prayer! We can talk to God any time, and prayer helps us to be filled with peace.
The Old Testament era ended with great expectations of what the Messiah would be and do. And despite all the amazing deeds that Jesus did, he teaches us that our expectations are too low - the kingdom of heaven and all it promises is even greater than we can imagine. Our partial understanding will one day be complete, when Jesus returns and the kingdom is revealed in full.
With the sword of the Spirit, which is the Bible, we can keep the truth before us always and fight against sin.
As Jesus sends his disciples out with the message of the kingdom, he reminds them that opposition is never far away. In Matthew 10:16-42, Jesus teaches his disciples how to be prepared for opposition and persecution, because we follow the same pathway as our crucified saviour. And yet the paradox is that by losing our lives for Jesus' sake, only then do we truly. find life.
Find out all about the Helmet of Salvation as Charlotte continues with our Armor of God series from Ephesians 6.
Jesus teaches his disciples to look at the world differently - to see the harvest and to understand our role as workers in his harvest field.
C.S. Lewis said "You never know how much you really believe anything until [it] becomes a matter of life and death." In our Bible passages today, we are confronted with the question of whether we can trust Jesus in the face of our own death.
These special shoes help us to be ready to share the good news of Jesus wherever they take us! Join Kids Minister Charlotte for the next episode in our Armor of God series.
When we understand the heart of Jesus' mission, we understand the heart of the church's mission.
What does it mean to follow Jesus? In the three stories from today's passage, we learn that following Jesus may not always be what we expected.
Put on the armor of God with Kids Minister Charlotte, we learn how the Holy Spirit equips us for a life of godliness.
What is authority, where does it come from, and what does it look like when Jesus exercises authority? Join us for the next episode in our series from Matthew 8-12.
Join Kids Minister Charlotte as we learn about the Armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18.