Amanda preached on John 9. So here we have a man born for his time.
Despite the views of the religious leaders at the time Jesus said that his parents had not sinned. The man was born for Jesus to heal. Born so God’s power could be glorified through Jesus. We don’t know their names but that they were a family of faith, attending synagogue and following God.
The blind man could see the Messiah when the religious leaders could not. He wasn’t afraid like his parents were. He wasn’t afraid because he was gaining more than he lost. He was healed.
Yet again the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus. He made clay and then he healed. Two things they saw as work.
But Jesus was doing what God called him to do. Both physical and spiritual sight were restored.
Amanda used the analogy of an artist looking through a frame or lens to see the picture in front of them. She asked what do we see in front of us. She remined us that what we see depends on the lens or filter we look through. Our own beleifs and values colour the picture in front of us.
She reminded us in Ephesians 5 8-14 that light makes everything is visible. Nothing can be hidden from God. There’s no time to be idle. The only time we are guaranteed is the here and now. Spend your time wisely. Live wisely. Your words have to be correct. You need to be ready to give an answer regarding the hope that you have in Jesus.
Amanda shared that she had a challenge to answer 3 questions in 140 words…. Don’t people realise how much she has to say. But the point of the exercise is that you may only have a minute to share something so have you got the words already prepared?
Do you know what your answer will be?
Night is coming when no one can work. He is coming and that is time we will all have to stand before Almighty God.
We will be filled with reverent fear but we know that God loves us.
Amanda shared the story of the writer of Blessed Assurance, Fanny Crosby, who was blind from birth yet thanks to support from her mother and grandmother was able to write over 8,000 hymns under a variety of names.
Conferences, workshops and courses
Most of of us do not need the Bible to tell us we are sinners
Yvette preached on Romans 5 12-19, Zephaniah 3:17 and Romans 5 1-11. Adam set the pattern of sin, and robbed us of eternal life. Jesus came to restore that gift. One man’s actions tore the temple curtain, and got rid of the barrier between us and God.
Adam and Eve listened to the wrong voice. They forgot to ask..”Did God really say that to us?” .
We need to recognise the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Jesus went to the cross knowing not everyone would believe, not everyone would follow. Yet He still went to the cross and poured out His love for us.
We can never earn salvation, that is a free gift from God. All we have to do is invite him in. When we follow Jesus sin no longer has a handle on us. His sacrifice cleansed us and put us on heaven’s VIP list.
Adam and Eve chose to sin. Jesus chose God’s way, he resisted the devils tempting in the desert. His actions broke the chains of sin.
Adam and Eve brought death and sin. Jesus obedience and sacrifice brought freedom and salvation. Jesus befriended the friendless. The woman at the well, the tax collector, the leper, and all those considered uncleaned.
The Holy Spirit is there to guide us. Every small good and kind action makes a difference. We are called to be disciples, we can change our churches, our communities, our futures.
Romans 5 17 really sets the scene. We don’t need to wait for Jesus’ return, our time is now.
We need to introduce people to Jesus. We are children of God and ours sins and failings are paid by Jesus sacrifice on the cross.
If God can forgive us, then we should be able to forgive ourselves as well.
Some times the wrong voice comes from the people around us. Yvette listed some of the labels that she was given by others, some hurtful and mean but also some that she carries with pride. She is a child of God with hope in Jesus.
We will share in the glory of God because God’s love has been poured into us and we are reconciled to God.
We can stand in Grace before the throne of God and say I am a child of God.
Zephaniah 3 17 shows God’s rejoicing over us.
Adam and Eve listened to the wrong voice. They forgot to ask..”Did God really say that to us?” .
We need to recognise the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Jesus went to the cross knowing not everyone would believe, not everyone would follow. Yet He still went to the cross and poured out His love for us.
We can never earn salvation, that is a free gift from God. All we have to do is invite him in. When we follow Jesus sin no longer has a handle on us. His sacrifice cleansed us and put us on heaven’s VIP list.
Adam and Eve chose to sin. Jesus chose God’s way, he resisted the devils tempting in the desert. His actions broke the chains of sin.
Adam and Eve brought death and sin. Jesus obedience and sacrifice brought freedom and salvation. Jesus befriended the friendless. The woman at the well, the tax collector, the leper, and all those considered uncleaned.
The Holy Spirit is there to guide us. Every small good and kind action makes a difference. We are called to be disciples, we can change our churches, our communities, our futures.
Romans 5 17 really sets the scene. We don’t need to wait for Jesus’ return, our time is now.
We need to introduce people to Jesus. We are children of God and ours sins and failings are paid by Jesus sacrifice on the cross.
If God can forgive us, then we should be able to forgive ourselves as well.
Some times the wrong voice comes from the people around us. Yvette listed some of the labels that she was given by others, some hurtful and mean but also some that she carries with pride. She is a child of God with hope in Jesus.
We will share in the glory of God because God’s love has been poured into us and we are reconciled to God.
We can stand in Grace before the throne of God and say I am a child of God.
Zephaniah 3 17 shows God’s rejoicing over us.
John 3 1-17 : From Darkness to Light
Mark in bringing the word to us today had to break this down. Everyone wants to receive answers, to feel God near them. But we don’t know how.
Nicodemus comes curiously, at night in secret. He should have known the answer, but he didn’t.
Nicodemus comes at night in fear, fear of being wrong, fear of being identified.
But night time is often where we all have questions.
Nicodemus came from light into darkness.
Jesus turns no one away.
Mark shared his own experience. In his first time in church he sat through the service in a spirit of disbelief. But when he got home he was challenged by God for treating his word and house with contempt…. And now he’s up here preaching.
Nicodemus starts with flattery. Nico wants information, Jesus offers transformation and miracles.
You don’t need new rules a new system a new spiritual upgrade.
You need a new life. A caterpillar does not become a butterfly through hard work but through transformation.
Jesus uses the unseen wind as an example. We can’t see it but we know it is there.
The passage gives 4 promises:
God loved
God gave
We believe
We live
Eternal life is not just the future, it begins now. A gift needs to be received.
Nicodemus appears two more times, defending Jesus and helping bury Jesus.
Transformation takes time. Nicodemus needed new birth.
Walk in the spirit, shine in the darkness, share the Gospel
You don’t need to share everything. You just need to look at the one who was lifted up. Put Jesus first, step from shadows into light.
Are you in the Garden?
Amanda preached on the garden of Eden outlining the fall from grace of Adam and Eve. She asked us the question “How are we tempted, how are we influenced?”
She quoted a Christian rapper who’s lyrics talk about forced to put on a mask to get through the day.
We need to stand up for what we believe to be right. We should not bow down to external pressure from our employers or from influencers. The serpent was the earliest wrong influencer, twisting words and omitting the key message. “Don’t touch the tree in the middle, the tree of life”
Amanda recounted the situation where she sold a car, and then passed the money to the church. there was a moment of temptation to keep the money but the promise needed to be kept.
Amanda outlined that we need to tell people when we are struggling. Sometime temptation to cover up something can be compelling but reaching out gets help from teachers, or from others around us.
Matty had outlined the parable of the prodigal son earlier in the service. Amanda used the example of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, saying that even though his brother the King has been adamant that the law has to follow it’s proper course, she is also sure the King will be praying for his brother and all those affected.
Social media has a lot influence.. But different countries are starting to realise that young people need protection from false information, from manipulation and lack of protection from accessing inappropriate materials.
How can we resist these temptations? How do we protect our young people? \how do we use Scripture in an appropriate way?
Matthew 24:24 warns against false prophets. We need to test everything. Terry had given an example of AI offering something as an absolute fact, and it was only when the finding were challenged that AI admitted it had mixed up the records of 3 different people.
Similarly 2 Timothy 3 !:5 warns of terrible times in the last days.
Remember god forgives us and rewards us through his resurrection power.
She quoted a Christian rapper who’s lyrics talk about forced to put on a mask to get through the day.
We need to stand up for what we believe to be right. We should not bow down to external pressure from our employers or from influencers. The serpent was the earliest wrong influencer, twisting words and omitting the key message. “Don’t touch the tree in the middle, the tree of life”
Amanda recounted the situation where she sold a car, and then passed the money to the church. there was a moment of temptation to keep the money but the promise needed to be kept.
Amanda outlined that we need to tell people when we are struggling. Sometime temptation to cover up something can be compelling but reaching out gets help from teachers, or from others around us.
Matty had outlined the parable of the prodigal son earlier in the service. Amanda used the example of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, saying that even though his brother the King has been adamant that the law has to follow it’s proper course, she is also sure the King will be praying for his brother and all those affected.
Social media has a lot influence.. But different countries are starting to realise that young people need protection from false information, from manipulation and lack of protection from accessing inappropriate materials.
How can we resist these temptations? How do we protect our young people? \how do we use Scripture in an appropriate way?
Matthew 24:24 warns against false prophets. We need to test everything. Terry had given an example of AI offering something as an absolute fact, and it was only when the finding were challenged that AI admitted it had mixed up the records of 3 different people.
Similarly 2 Timothy 3 !:5 warns of terrible times in the last days.
Remember god forgives us and rewards us through his resurrection power.
Are you refreshed?
As we reflect on our week of fasting and prayer, we think about what God has done in the lives of family and friends.
Conversations before bed leave a changing impression on an atheist.
Conversations around a dining table help provide an insight into how the Kumi project may grow and develop.
Whoever we encounter is someone Jesus has put in front of us for a reason. Do we have the faith to step out and follow God’s plans?
How is God moving in your lives?
Are you following His instructions?