As a church we can have all the right words; stand for all the right things; have a perfect understanding of the gospel; preach the most powerful sermons; but if we don’t have love we’re only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If we believe in a rule-based system, then these rules only serve to condemn us. They don’t show how good we’ve been, they only highlight our failures. Rules, or the law, can only condemn.
John tells us that it was because of God’s love that he sent his Son into the world not to condemn it but to save it through him. This salvation is not earned but freely given through faith in Jesus Christ… ‘that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’ (John 3:16)
This morning's service continues are series asking some of the questions people have about God. This morning we ask do all religions lead to God?
We will read John 14:1-6 as we try to answer this, showing why it is important for us that Jesus is only way, the truth and the life.
Suffering is just as much a part of the Christian life as the promise of new life. Jesus himself had to endure suffering to pass into new life. We do well not to forget the cross came before the resurrection. But there is a resurrection, there is an end; but as James tells us we must first endure and persevere.
This morning as we gather around the Lord’s table, albeit in a different way to normal, we are confronted with our hope in the foreign land in which we live. As we peel back the top of our bread and wine this morning we see more than just food and water, we see an expression of the promise that God has made to each one of us who has come to trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We see the debt of our sin paid and the way open to a new temple where God reigns and we are invited to join him.
Bible Text: Acts 20:17-31 | Speaker: Rev David Brown, Rev David Clarke, Rev Knox Jones, Rev Trevor McCormick | Series: Ordination
This story is full of what people could see and how it affected them. The pharisees jealous of the numbers Jesus was attracting, the woman who saw the differences between Jews and Samaritans, the disciples who saw something out of the ordinary. Compare all this to what Jesus saw.
If we as Christians are to withstand the elements of life, then our roots need to go deeper. We are incredibly good at developing shallow roots. We get involved in lots of activities, we cover a lot of ground in church, we are busy, loyal, dedicated people. There is a lot of surface activity but not very much depth.
Paul writing to the Ephesians tells them that he prayed for their roots. He said this in 3:17 ‘May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love.’ (nlt) The question tonight is how do we develop deep roots?
This vision was a reminder that God had not forgotten his people or decided to withhold his mercy. It was a promise that one day there would be a life outside of exile. It’s worth noting that in this vision Ezekiel is being shown a life centred around God, life which is watered by the streams that flow through the temple, life that comes from God.
This is the hope in which we come to God this morning, hope that regardless of who we are, or what’s going in in our lives, and I know for some of us life’s hard. Covid worries, job worries, family worries. I’ve talked to people who’ve told me they never imagined life would be like this. The hope of Ezekiel is the promise of a new life, a new heaven, a new earth. It is the hope of a new beginning when we come to Christ because we know the mess of the past will be left behind.
Our minister Stuart is off on holiday - he will be back next Sunday - we hope you enjoy the moderators service which was recorded last weekend.