You May As Well Submit: Di Oliver

 Zephaniah 3:14-end, Luke 3:7-18

Good Christian Men rejoice
with heart and soul and voice
Give ye heed to what you hear
News! News! Jesus Christ is born today
He hath ope’d the heavenly door
Now ye need not fear the grave
Christ was born to save
Christ was born to save

So what’s the good news about Christmas?
Jesus: born a baby, dies a saviour, rises as Lord
So where do we get stuck?

• If we don’t actually get the good news for ourselves we don’t stand a chance of portraying it right
• If we do get the good news for ourselves why are we so rubbish at telling others

Johns message is one of repentance in our actions: don't just say sorry – do sorry.

• Selfless living
• Generous living
• Sinless living

And it seems to me that we often start here and stop here.
We teach our kids: be kind, be helpful, be truthful
schools have standards of behaviour, communities have laws of behaviour

John the Baptist says how it should be: generosity, equity, respect
But John doesn’t stop there

The law is not enough

the task is mission impossible

– the most important bit comes next
One more powerful will come – he will baptize (= saturate ) you with the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit refines and enables

Why do we fall into the trap of preaching good behaviour? I suspect it’s partly because unfortunately that’s what we’re suckered into trying to do ourselves:

People / Christians wrestle with God

• some because they don’t want to go on his mission
• some because they have intellectual issues - e.g. They don’t get how God seemingly allows tragedy
• lots who actually wrestle with God wrestle with the idea of grace – they won’t accept it! They believe they must earn or bargain a route to heaven by their good works by sharing clothes, food, money and honesty. They have to deserve it.
  
  They will not accept Gods Grace (when God gives us the things we don’t deserve).
  Such people need to prove their worth to God and wrestle, unlike Jacob who wrestled with God until he got his undeserved blessing, we are more likely to say,

“I’ll not let you bless me – let me go”

If that’s you – you know what? This morning you may as well submit! He's not going to let go!

Christ in the manger, came because only by his grace can you be forgiven and become acceptable to him

"I submit to Christ"
- by his grace you become free
- by his power you will begin to do things his way

It’s not

do and then get grace

It’s

get grace and doing will flow

The Zephaniah reading from the Old Testament is full of hope

I want us to learn vs 17 by heart:
"The Lord your God is with you,
    he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
    he will quiet you with his love,
    he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Hold onto that amazing idea: God is singing over you!

Final thought:

Once we, each of us, submit to Christ then we stand a chance of explaining to others

Most people out there have a sense of right and wrong; they know they’re not all right but they have no wish to be condemned especially by a church who tell them the advent message of John the Baptist and forget the Christmas birth of Jesus and his Easter death and resurrection.

They fear God watching them and condemning them; They try to do some worthy things so that in emergencies they have enough credit with God to bargain for his intervention when family are ill or friends are in danger. 

People out there think of God rather like Santa Clause – someone who knows if they are naughty or nice!

"He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been good or bad
So be good for goodness sake."

There are masses of colleagues, family, friends, neighbours who, like the population of Jesus’ time, need to hear the good news of Christmas

Watch this: http://vimeo.com/10ofthose/santa

Hands, Knees and .....

Isaiah 35  All Saints Allesley 18-12-12

Isaiah 1-39 is written to warn of a coming disastrous judgement by God on His people.

What do the people of God need help with as they wait for the coming kingdom?

How are they to maintain hope? Can you empathise?

The Abilities Hands are fantastic – how we manipulate our environment. How we care for ourselves – washing, clothing, pushing buttons, eating, defending. How we care for others – helping, greeting, supporting, caressing.

Knees are stupendous – how we stay mobile and responsive. Standing, walking, jumping, climbing, dancing. Adapting to shifting decks and uneven roads. Being flexible and responsive.

Hearts can't be beaten – pumping oxygen and other life sustaining elements to keep our bodies alive and healthy. But also a seat of our emotional life – love, compassion, passion, motivation. In scripture it is also the seat of rational thought.

The Problems

Feeble Hands – Its hard if you develop carpel tunnel syndrome, if you are affected by organo-phosphates: your small motor actions are debilitated. Getting dressed. Jar opening. Cooking. Caring. All become difficult or impossible. Even wrapping your hands in thick gloves for protection limits function. Are your hands feeble?

Weak Knees – A "weak-kneed" person is one lacking in moral fibre. If your knees are dodgy you will be less able to cope with rough ground. Having sat down its hard to get up again leading to  – inertia – playing safe – inflexibility- unresponsiveness – avoiding challenges...

Fearful Hearts – hearts are not just not just emotion but intellect – fearfulnesss leads to us being overwhelmed by self concern – its all about “me” - a tendency towards pessimism – demotivation – disengagement.

The Help

How do wedo what Isaiah was charged to do?

Strengthen feeble Hands: Get people to take the gloves off, get your hands dirty, get to grips with reality, feel your way in, risk damage. Cut your decorative nails. Don't see yourself as insulated by city walls, tradition, family connection, priest or temple. If your spiritual life limited to a set pattern of church services be more intentional and adventurous in prayer, in fellowship, in serving.

Steady weak  knees: Use sticks, proper exercise, enough rest. If your knees are clogged with debris from previous trauma or arthritis you may need atheroscopic flushing or even a complete replacement. In other words: use the support network that is there for you already: Cell – church fellowship – prayer board – healing team – bible note. They can all be sticks to support us in our weakness. Sometimes its getting up off your settee and doing things so you don't seize up. For others its about knowing that we need to get on the settee more and rest to renew strength. Yes for many of us we do need remedial work. Our flexibility is hampered with the debris of previous unresolved hurts and failures. Bitterness and resentment are like bits of torn cartilage or arthritic swellings that painfully restrict our movement. Confession, repentance & forgiveness can flush these out. Or we may need the deeper surgery of conversion.

Encourage fearful hearts: Look what can be achieved. Look what God has already done. “Whatsoever things are good.....think on these things” advises St.Paul. Remember the cloud of witnesses on your side. Watch your “diet” , balance the secularist agenda of the media with Christian input. Look out for opportunities to celebrate what God is doing: youth prayers, CHIPS visit, APCM, Archbishop, wider church.

CONCLUSION: It's not just about feeling guilty. It's not just about telling ourselves “Shape up!”. We need to know that God calls us and the He will enable us. We may have to wait (The exiles waited a generation) but God's promise is sure.When you are going through it - remember that He goes through it with you.

Are you perfect? 

What do you want God to do for your feeble hands, weak knees, fearful heart?

All Saints Word: Advent - Jim Currin

Advent 2012 Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36

Have you done any work on their ancestry? Did you find any skeletons in the cupboard?

 

My mother is a ‘silver surfer’ and produced a great big file, on both sides of the family, that goes back several generations. So I now know that: In Leicester, my great, great Grandfather on my mother’s side (William Jennings) is buried among the great 100 in the Welford Rd cemetery. On the day we visited we could hear the crowd roar at Leicester City Football club, just down the road, fitting as William Jennings was the founder and first director of Leicester City Football Club.

Currins have a history of being Irish including , a canal navvy and a disputed descendant of King Edward III.

Ancestry is important – it says who we are. It can make things difficult if you don’t know, especially at Christmas.

Read Luke 1, to see the ancestry of Jesus

Where does it connect with the reading from Jeremiah?

Jeremiah was called aged 20. he was a prophet for 40 years. Not sure if he was paid, probably didn’t make any profit as a prophet! If you wanted to be rich as a prophet you made sure that you prophesied positive things for the wealthy and powerful. Oh, Jeremiah! You wouldn't have lasted long on “The Apprentice”.

According to worldly values of achievement and wealth Jeremiah is a failure.

40 years God’s spokesman in Judah, but when he spoke no-one listened. Imprisoned in ch 37; down a cistern ch 38; taken off to Egypt ch 43. Rejected by neighbours 11:19; and by family 12:6; opposed by false prophets 20:1,2 and ch 28; abandoned by friends 20:10, and his audience 26:8; and finally by the kings 36:23.

If we ask about how accurate his prophecy was he was a success.

His words about an ‘army invading from the north’ is attested by history. Read the account of the fall of Jerusalem in ch 52. His prophesy about the Branch of David as the ‘Lord our righteousness’ came true with the coming of Christ.

And by God’s values of faith and obedience Jeremiah was also success!

He was given an unpopular message and he didn’t understand what he was talking about! God did, but he didn’t, just had to be obedient. Jeremiah didn't ask “Will the be popular?”, “Will this be heard?” “Will this be effective?”. He just spoke out.

What does he speak out? He talks about:

a) David’s line – still important for the people of God in Israel. All are ‘sons of Abraham’, but you are special if you can trace your ancestry to David’s line – Read what the angel says in Mt 1:20 re Joseph.

b) The ‘Righteous branch’ of David, and compares the worldly King with a Godly King. Worldy King David had his failures – to get Bathsheba he murdered her husband Uriah and mounted a cover up, lying and using war as a smokescreen. If they had had phones in those days he would have hacked them.

c) The Godly King (Jesus.) The passage in Jeremiah, almost same as Jeremiah 23: 5 – refers to perfect King of David's line who will reign wisely – and what was engraved on the cross of Jesus?– King of the Jews.

Advent is all about the coming kingdom of God in Christ, the righteous branch of David. Spiritual king. Spiritual kingdom. God’s kingdom. We are called to help to re-establish God’s rule where we are today. We pray, ‘Your kingdom come’ asking for that to be real, ‘on earth’ as in Heaven.

It is Advent: the King is Coming! It is a season for reflection, prayer ,reading and fasting. But its not just about a personal inner spiritual cleanliness. 

For Christians, peace in the Middle East isn’t just about people getting on together, it is also about a right interpretation of the words of the law and the prophets – and God’s rule where all repent and acknowledge him. We should engage with this situation now.

Loving your neighbour isn’t just about being nice to people like Jesus said, it is also about the most important value of the kingdom, and first fruit of the spirit ‘love joy peace’. We should engage with these situations now.

Respecting people of other creeds, colour and nationality, isn’t just about trying to get on together and appreciating each others gifts, it’s also about the kingdom value where there is neither male not female, Jew or greek, slave for free. We should engage with these situations now.

Creating community in the village of Allesley isn’t just about making it a nice place so we keep our house prices high, and school reputation good, it is also about God, Father son and Holy Spirit being three in one – community is at the heart of God. We should engage with these situations now.

Work, rest and play are not just what we need to pay the mortgage, put our feet up, and enjoy ourselves, it is the pattern established by God at the beginning of creation – if you like the start of his kingdom. Some of us need to work harder and others rest more. We should engage with these situations now.

Coming to church isn’t just about enjoying the worship or keeping a heritage, it is about trying to live out the kingdom of God together, here , meeting to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We should engage with these situations now.

Reading the Bible isn’t just about beautiful poetry and an amazing account of the history of the world, it is also an description of God’s kingdom rule, illustrating who did and who didn’t put God first – and the consequences as Jeremiah prophesied. And this is to help us to engage with the coming of the Kingdom of God for which we pray.

So, you see, the Kingdom of God isn’t just about church and religion its about everything. Concern for the Ice cap and rain forest, isn’t just about climate change and earth resources, it is also about God’s world and our stewardship of his creation as a place for all God’s creatures to live. 

The Leveson enquiry isn’t just about catching up with criminal activity, it is about the seeking God’s kingdom values of truth and justice 

The Foodbank isn’t just way of helping the poor and the dispossessed, it is also about sharing our wealth and valuing the other person who can also be part of God’s kingdom.

That is our ancestry, our DNA. It is a great challenge – but a great encouragement. When you wonder if we are really up to this, remember: 

It's in our blood. 

Capt Jim Currin C.A. 

All Saints Word - The End?

All Saints Word - The End?

Mark 13:1-8

1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”
5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

The Message of Judgement – v1-2

The things that we have come to put our trust in. The Temple, The Historic Church of Christendom. Our wealth. Our civilization. Our technology. Our military might. These Jesus teaches, are fragile despite appearances. But who can hear this message?

Story 1: Canon Clitheroe – vicar of Holy Trinity Coventry in the lead up to WW2 had a conviction that the Gas Warfare which was so feared by the authorities that they spent a fortune issuing masks to every man women child and baby, would not happen. Those who knew that there were vast stores of Gas ready to pour down were sure because we had them. Canon Clitheroe campaigned locally and nationally. He wrote to the papers. Her wrote the government. He predicted that the need was to defend against incendiary attack – fire. He wanted fire watches to be set up on every building. He wanted water tanks and pumps installed everywhere. He was a nutter. Right up until the Blitz started. No one wanted to hear his message of destruction.

Still today “The End is Nigh” is the stuff of lampoon and comedy. What does the church do with a message that no one wants to hear?

The Desire for Knowledge – v3-4

“When?” ask the disciples. They want to know. Knowledge is power. Such knowledge can identify you as one of the in-crowd. “We know something you don't know!”, Then, even if your warnings are rejected, you can feel vindicated. “Don't say I didn't warn you!” Some churches major on “the end times” for this reason. Premillennialist, postmillennialist, amillennialist sects filled with zeal still strive. Whoosh – straight over everyone's heads.

Story 2: In Bletchly Park a dedicated and incredibly able team of mathematicians had managed to decode the enemy's supposedly unbreakable transmission codes. They knew their plans. They knew about the Coventry Blitz of 14 Nov by 14 Oct. But they couldn't intervene. They couldn't let the enemy know that the code had been broken. Coventry was unprepared. That was the price. The warning message could not be shared. Those people had to live with the pain and guilt. That was the price too.

The only truth to hold onto is that Jesus says that no one knows – not even Him. So you don't need to know. Its better that you don't. Death is not the stuff of mission – life is.

The Birth Pangs - v5-8

Jesus offer the disciples the picture of those huge, beautiful stones that speak of the permanence and the power of their religion being destroyed, pulled down to lie scattered on the earth. And its not scaremongering. The message is – its no big deal. There will be a breakdown of the national and political system. There will be natural disasters. Everything that people put their trust in will fail them. But its not the end. Its not a threat. When a mother to be prepares for birth, when she labour pains start, of course they are all consuming. But above all the focus is on – the baby! Is the baby OK? How near is the Baby? What on earth am I going to do with a Baby! So Jesus calls these upheavals “birth pains”. The question we are pointed to is “What is coming to life here?”

Picture 3: On the morning of 15^th November, not 50 years later, not 5 years later, not 5 days later, but there standing among the shock and stench of the shattered city. With those beautiful big stones of the Cathedral still smouldering around his feet. With Canon Clitheroe looking down from the roof of Holy Trinity where his fire guards and his water tank had succeeded in preserving his church. As the Bishop of Coventry in his cellar shelter was beginning to think that retaliation in kind might be justified, As the message of support from the representatives of the suffering city of London “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” was being sent. One man, inspired by the Holy Spirit, was able to see what might be being born. From the smouldering ruins he wrote the words “Father Forgive”. And Coventry's ministry of reconciliation – small, squashed, helpless and feebly crying out; was born.

The church's place is to be in the wreckage. This is where the new age breaks through. This is where new life can come. This is where the kingdom of Heaven can be born now.

God forgive us when there are wars and rumours of wars, and we debate endlessly whether women can be Bishops. God forgive us when there are earthquakes and we tear ourselves apart over whether people with a different sexual orientation can be real Christians. God forgive us when we are so preoccupied with the birth pangs that we fail to see and to nurture the baby, that new life, which is being born.

All Saints Word - Loving Relationships

Loving Relationships.

7#8 8 Qualities of Healthy Growing Churches

John 13:33-36
What is this Quality? A community where people are committed to welcoming, serving, caring for, and forgiving others. Growing churches also tend to have a lot of laughter in them.

Welcoming: Loving is inclusive and creative. It spreads.

Serving: Loving is putting someone else's good first – and delighting in that.

Caring: Loving is having empathy with other people and acting on that impulse.

Forgiving: Loving places the highest value on maintaining, developing, restoring relationship.

How is it shown in Jesus?

Jesus welcomes all sorts of people. Fishermen, women, tax collectors, lepers, sinners, Romans. Jesus risked surprising and offending the people he had just won over.

Jesus came to serve Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Philippians 2:6 etc.

Jesus had empathy. He was often “filled with compassion” Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 20:34. He cared about people's present needs and their eternal destiny.

Jesus forgave those who, through weakness, let him down. John 21:16. He forgave those who opposed him through ignorance, Luke 23:34. He preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all.

How is it shown in NT church?
Welcome? One of the first things that happens to the new church is the Pentecostal multilingual outpouring. Everyone could hear “in our own language” Acts 2:8. Persecution led them to Judea and Samaria. Ethiopian eunuchs were not turned away. Samaritans and Greeks were converted. This thing was spreading. To the ends of the earth. There were lots of difficult discussions about who could be “in”. Just Jews? Just Men? Just free people? People who ate meat? People who didn't? Rich people? Poor people? Priests, Tanners, Soldiers, Jailers. There were differences, arguments, fallings out, but they were urged to make “every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”. Rom 14:9

“Loving Relationship” in NT church embraced serving one another. People complained. It was “unfair”. Acts 6:1 They split into groups. They followed different leaders. But they did it together. And when the chips were down they chipped in to care for one another. Those new gentile churches gave sacrificially through Paul to care for those at HQ who had probably looked down on them 1 Corinthians 16:1. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

How is it shown in our church & in me?

Most churches think that they are strong in the area of “loving relationships”. I hope they are. But how do you really know? Maybe its OK for me and for my groups of friends. But do I always gravitate to the same people? Am I actually looking to welcome new friends? I remember being castigated by a visiting Guest Service speaker in a large, lively, charismatic church after our “inspiring” forty five minutes of worship songs which followed the gathering when hugging and kissing was much in evidence among the congregation. We had failed to see that our rather self-congratulatory activities were excluding our guests rather than inspiring them. We were not there to serve - we were meeting our own needs. And its not just about guests. Someone said that a crowd can be the loneliest place to be. How do we care for the person who is sitting by us right now? A Hug? A Kiss? Talk to them? Smile? Give them space? Forgive them? Offer them your last Rollo? Are they “high maintenance” or “low maintenance” people? Find out.

John 13 34 “A new command I give you: love one another.” is Jesus' command. Not suggestion, not aspiration, not advice, not an impossible ideal. A command. So it cannot be primarily emotional or instinctive. It must be a choice. An act of your will. If we welcome people, try to serve them, care for them we will make a pigs ear of it quite often. But if we are operating from love, secure in the knowledge that Jesus loves us unalterably, unconditionally, eternally – that will be a source of laughter and fun because you know you are among friends who will forgive your bumbling.

J.F.D.I. Is a mnemonic from a management course.

You can appropriate it if you like.

J.F.D.I. Jesus Faithfully Did It therefore you J.F.D.I Just Faithfully Do It.

Loving relationships?

“A new command I give you: love one another.”

All Saints Word - Loving Relationships

Loving Relationships.

7#8 8 Qualities of Healthy Growing Churches

John 13:33-36
What is this Quality? A community where people are committed to welcoming, serving, caring for, and forgiving others. Growing churches also tend to have a lot of laughter in them.

Welcoming: Loving is inclusive and creative. It spreads.

Serving: Loving is putting someone else's good first – and delighting in that.

Caring: Loving is having empathy with other people and acting on that impulse.

Forgiving: Loving places the highest value on maintaining, developing, restoring relationship.

How is it shown in Jesus?

Jesus welcomes all sorts of people. Fishermen, women, tax collectors, lepers, sinners, Romans. Jesus risked surprising and offending the people he had just won over.

Jesus came to serve Matthew 20:28 “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Philippians 2:6 etc.

Jesus had empathy. He was often “filled with compassion” Matthew 9:36, Matthew 14:14, Matthew 20:34. He cared about people's present needs and their eternal destiny.

Jesus forgave those who, through weakness, let him down. John 21:16. He forgave those who opposed him through ignorance, Luke 23:34. He preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all.

How is it shown in NT church?
Welcome? One of the first things that happens to the new church is the Pentecostal multilingual outpouring. Everyone could hear “in our own language” Acts 2:8. Persecution led them to Judea and Samaria. Ethiopian eunuchs were not turned away. Samaritans and Greeks were converted. This thing was spreading. To the ends of the earth. There were lots of difficult discussions about who could be “in”. Just Jews? Just Men? Just free people? People who ate meat? People who didn't? Rich people? Poor people? Priests, Tanners, Soldiers, Jailers. There were differences, arguments, fallings out, but they were urged to make “every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”. Rom 14:9

“Loving Relationship” in NT church embraced serving one another. People complained. It was “unfair”. Acts 6:1 They split into groups. They followed different leaders. But they did it together. And when the chips were down they chipped in to care for one another. Those new gentile churches gave sacrificially through Paul to care for those at HQ who had probably looked down on them 1 Corinthians 16:1. Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

How is it shown in our church & in me?

Most churches think that they are strong in the area of “loving relationships”. I hope they are. But how do you really know? Maybe its OK for me and for my groups of friends. But do I always gravitate to the same people? Am I actually looking to welcome new friends? I remember being castigated by a visiting Guest Service speaker in a large, lively, charismatic church after our “inspiring” forty five minutes of worship songs which followed the gathering when hugging and kissing was much in evidence among the congregation. We had failed to see that our rather self-congratulatory activities were excluding our guests rather than inspiring them. We were not there to serve - we were meeting our own needs. And its not just about guests. Someone said that a crowd can be the loneliest place to be. How do we care for the person who is sitting by us right now? A Hug? A Kiss? Talk to them? Smile? Give them space? Forgive them? Offer them your last Rollo? Are they “high maintenance” or “low maintenance” people? Find out.

John 13 34 “A new command I give you: love one another.” is Jesus' command. Not suggestion, not aspiration, not advice, not an impossible ideal. A command. So it cannot be primarily emotional or instinctive. It must be a choice. An act of your will. If we welcome people, try to serve them, care for them we will make a pigs ear of it quite often. But if we are operating from love, secure in the knowledge that Jesus loves us unalterably, unconditionally, eternally – that will be a source of laughter and fun because you know you are among friends who will forgive your bumbling.

J.F.D.I. Is a mnemonic from a management course.

You can appropriate it if you like.

J.F.D.I. Jesus Faithfully Did It therefore you J.F.D.I Just Faithfully Do It.

Loving relationships?

“A new command I give you: love one another.”

All Saints Word: Need Oriented Outreach

Need-orientated outreach.
7#8 of 8 Qualities of Healthy Growing Church

What is this Quality? Outreach which has a priority of discovering the practical needs in the communities served by our church, and meeting those needs as an integral part of our overall outreach.

How is it shown in Jesus?

Matt 25:40 “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Jesus says that the defining judgement between sheep and goats will be based on how we responded to people in need.

Jesus meets people's needs – he doesn't use them as a tactic to get his teaching across. A friend of mine was on the Walk of 1000 Men – a mission initiative the got 1000 men to walk the Pennine Way and evangelise people they met along the way, in the pub, wherever. He went into a rather rowdy bar with some tough characters and, being rather shy, he sat in the corner with a lonely looking bloke and tried to get a conversation going. News of their presence had obviously got around for he was hailed scornfully by one of the drinkers “Oh, there you go – they always go after the weak ones! Why didn't you come and talk to us?” Good question! Jesus stepped up to heal the man with the withered arm in the synagogue on a Sabbath and got into trouble – because the man needed it. Jesus accepted the lepers' challenge to heal them – and risked being made unclean – because they needed it. Jesus gave his life up for us on the cross – because we needed it. He ate with sinners. He drank with publicans. He visited tax collectors – because they needed it. Jesus even got into rows and arguments with the righteous people – because they needed it. The hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill and the criminal are all recommended to us by Jesus. His outreach was to those in need. Mark 2:17
“...Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’ “

How is it shown in the NT Church?

Acts 2:47 “.... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” we read – and one of the signs of health in this growing church was that of Acts 2:45 “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need”. Of course the NT church had an expectation of the imminent return of Jesus. They sat very lightly to earthly things. I wonder how hampered we are by our material and financial well-being as we try to live out a Christlike life? The rich young man was sad when he was challenged on this. Matt 19:24.

The history of the church is very mixed. There have been times of great spiritual weakness and corruption – but also times of great service to humanity. Education, medicine, freedom, care of orphans and outcasts have often been hallmarks of the work of committed Christians. Many of out most worthy charitable organisations are, or began, as Christian responses to those in need. And when the established churches seemed to turn their backs on new challenges there were Christians who stepped into the breach for slaves, lepers, immigrants, children, prisoners, the poor and the needy.

How is it shown in our Church and in me? Are we still fired up by the need around us? Am I? Over the last 10 years we have shown this heart in our adoption of World Vision projects, raising tens of thousands of pounds for the needy overseas. We have embraced the food bank and take a good quantity each week to the needs in our city. We have opened “Friendship” and a “Bereavement” groups as well as Toddler groups. These are local needs which we have identified. But what about those needs that are hidden from us? What are the needs in your street? Are we sure that we know the real needs of those whom we are called to live and work and share the gospel with? Are we too often under financial pressure, time pressure, pressure pressure – which preoccupies us and numbs us to what is there all around us?

Jesus says: Matt 25:40 “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” How owuld your world change if you really saw Jesus in the needs around you?

Three rusty nails - Roger McGough

Mother, there's a strange man
Waiting at the door
With a familiar sort of face
You feel you've seen before.

Says his name is Jesus
Can we spare a couple of bob
Says he's been made redundant
And now can't find a job.

Yes I think he is a foreigner
Egyptian or a Jew
Oh aye, and that reminds me
He'd like some water too.

Well shall I give him what he wants
Or send him on his way?
O.K. I'll give him 5p
Say that's all we've got today.

And I'll forget about the water
I suppose it's a bit unfair
But honest, he's filthy dirty
All beard and straggly hair.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Mother, he asked about the water
I said the tank had burst
Anyway I gave him the coppers
That seemed to quench his thirst.

He said it was little things like that
That kept him on the rails
Then he gave me his autographed picture
And these three rusty nails.

---

Roger McGough (born 1937) England
from: http://brucespoems.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/three-rusty-nails-roger-mcgough.html

All Saints Word: Holistic Small Groups

1. 

   Holistic Small Groups. Commitment to small communities (6-12 people) within the larger community, which act like 'mini-church', where closer relationships can be formed, and where worship, prayer, pastoral support, ongoing discipleship, Bible application and outreach take place in a smaller setting.

What is this Quality?

That old model of church as petrol station where you go to get filled up with the Spirit to last you through the week is seriously flawed. The Spirit of God is “living water” as Jesus says – a spring within you. John 7:38. The common life of the Spirit is not something that happens in the Temple or Church Service – its what happens when you met together afterwards, at home, in the week. “Where two or three gather together” says Jesus

Holistic = whole. The real deal. The whole nine yards. The full monty. Hook, line and sinker. A small group who look after one another is good. A small group who study the bible together is good. A small group who support a missionary project is good. A small group who meet to pray is good. But they are not holistic. Holistic means that everything a church does on Sundays – the small group does when it meets in the week. And sometimes even more.

How is it shown in Jesus?

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” says Jesus. We tend to use this as a comforting excuse when not many people have turned up. But what if Jesus actually means that the small number is ideal for really meeting with Jesus? Jesus chose 12 from the hundreds of followers. Jesus chose 3 from the 12 for particularly focussed experiences. Most of Jesus' teaching – leaving aside the feeding of the 5000 and possibly the beatitudes – seems to have occurred in small groups of believers, enquirers or even opponents. It is there, where real face to face encounters can happen, that His truth is proclaimed. Sometimes is safer to hide in a big crowd. Cathedral, Festival, Conference or even Songs of Praise on the TV. There we can ride on the back of other people's enthusiasm, skill or relationship with Jesus. But Jesus turns to us as he did to Simon Peter at Caesarea Philip and asks “And what about you?” Matthew 16:15.

How is it shown in the NT Church?

In Acts we have the earliest description of Church life. Where are the signs of health here?

Look what they value most. Teaching – Fellowship – Breaking of Bread – Prayer – Signs & Wonders – Common life – Care for needy – Temple worship – Home groups – praise - good reputation. And that leads to growth. Look at the description. Can you spot the “8 quality areas” in them?

Here is a church who take their worship and fellowship outside the walls of the temple. They're all on facebook! They are all in Cell! The early church is structured around meeting in one another's homes. As persecution rose – so they were disseminated among the whole region.

How is it shown in our Church and in me?

We have adopted the structure of Cell church. This is where our primary pastoral care, discipleship training, outreach, community action are focussed. Of course, not everyone wants to be as involved as this. It is not compulsory. You may choose to opt out of these things. But you will be missing out on all that a small group can offer. Why small groups? More personal. More significant. More rooted in your life. More accessible to your friends. Our Cells have a set of values summed up in the acronym: CREED = Complete collaboration, real relationships, everyday encounter with Jesus, effective evangelism, and developing discipleship. These are values best pursued together.

Western religion has tended to deteriorate into the sphere of private, individual, personal opinion. It has been usurped by the rich and powerful and used as an “opiate” as Marx put it to defend the status quo. George Herbert's “rich man in his castle, poor man at his gate” has been used as the philosophy behind all sorts of chauvinism from race & class to one family being churchwarden for generations. This not the faith of Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:44-47: “44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Ask yourself: Does that sound like me?

 

Don't be apart - be a part!

All Saints Word - Joshua 5 Cell Outline

Joshua 5:13-6:20, Matt 11:20-end

14-10-12

Welcome: There are two responses to conflict. “Fight” or “Flight”. Which is your usual response? Do you shout and scream, or do you run away and sulk? Or do you avoid it like the plague?

Worship: Sing “Fight the Good Fight” &/or Compile a list of things to pray “for” and a list of things to pray “against” .

Word: Read Joshua 5:13-6:20,

If you are going into a fight....

1. Make sure that you are on God's side.
   We are quite keen to defend ourselves. When is the last time you stuck up for yourself?We are attracted by the glamour of intervening on behalf of someone else. Remember the film “Beethoven”? The bullies confront the weedy boy who tries to stand up to them and is amazed that the turn pale and run away – not realising that his huge dog has crept up and is baring its fangs behind his shoulder. When did you last intervene on someone else's behalf. Read Proverbs 26:17. What does that say to you?Too often we fail to ask if this is God's fight or ours. We may be in the wrong fight. We may be misunderstanding his aims. Joshua asks naively “Whose side are you on” . Why is that a wrong question? Do you ever ask it?
   
   
2. Make Worship your first action
   Look back in Joshua 4. What is the first thing Joshua got the tribes to do in this promised land? Worship is when we put God in His rightful place in the hierarchy of our plans. Before we do or say anything we proclaim, to ourselves first”Praise the Lord, O my soul” says the psalmist, that He is God and Lord of All.
   What is the thing Joshua is instructed to do in Joshua 5? Taking off your shoes is a sign of acknowledgement of the presence of God who makes all things Holy. It's called “theophany” when God shows up. How do we/you respond when God shows up in your life? (This will be different for everyone, share your experiences).
   
   
3. Make obedience your golden rule
   Worship and obedience are married. Brides “obey” - grooms “worship” - at least they did in the old service, today its optional.. At the side of many church alters there is often the Ten Commandments. Why?
   Look at Joshua and make a list of the odd things that Joshua does in obedience.When Joshua is given a list of “silly things to do” by the Lord – he does them. Not because he understands the purpose or the method. But because he was told and he is putting his trust into action. What place does common sense have in God's service? What's the daftest thing you have done for God? What happened?
   
   

Work:
If you are not going into a fight....

1. Why not? Can you not see that evil still wages war on God's creation?
2. Why not? Do you find yourself naturally springing into worship? Who is stopping you?
3. Why not? Jesus says “Follow me!”, “Fight the Good Fight with All your Might” we sing.
   
   Share together the things you will be fighting against at work or home this week. Agree together on something to so that will make a difference. Pray for one another.

All Saints Word - Inspiring Worship

Inspiring worship. 

Worship (whatever the style) which inspires people, enabling them to connect with God in a way which energises and sustains them, and which is such a positive experience that it is a highlight of their week to which they want to bring others along. #5/8 "8 Qualities if Healthy Growing Churches"

What is this quality?
 Psalm 65, Mat 26:14-30

So you come to church. You sing a bit. You pray a bit. You might have trhe notices. Well, as Morecambe and Wise would say: “What do you think of it so far?” - (the old people will get that one). Am I feeling inspired yet?

We live in a consumer society. We educate ourselves – and our children – to be discerning and to make good choices. We know how to evaluate and select what will meet our needs from the plethora of options available. We want to get the best out of everything. We have a theological view of the world that says “all things were created by us and for us”. So, when we consider worship, churches, cell groups, websites, that is often the approach we take. Lets make it better. If this is not doing it for me. Choose something else. There are good and bad things in this.

Good: We won't be satisfied with humdrum, routine or sloppy, insincere worship. We will expect worship to touch our emotions and our spirits. We will want to be drawn closer in worship to an experience of the spirit of the risen Jesus.

Bad: We will tend to see worship as something we consume. More like a football team to support or a theatrical or musical entertainment. Or maybe like a flu relief tablet which needs to deal with our aches and pains, dry up our tears and give us a bit of a lift as well.

How is Worship to be “inspiring”? 2 Tim 3:16 says “All scripture is inspired by God” - or “God-breathed”. Inspiring means being breathed into by God. Does that happen? How could it happen more?

How is it shown in Jesus?: 
Do we see this in Jesus? Would Jesus do St. Matthew Passion? Would Jesus do Soul Survivor or Spring Harvest Big Top? What do we see in Jesus' worship? Look at Matthew 18

• Worship that springs out of God's mission purpose – the last supper as model worship v17
• Worship that embraces human failure – betrayal and denial are included v 21
• Worship that focuses on Jesus' sacrificial actions – Bread & Wine represent His offering for us v27
• Worship that is life offered to the Father –  they and a hymn and wenbt out to the Garden. "Not my will but yours be done" v30

How is it shown in the NT Church?: 
We don't get a service sheet from the NT church. They started in the synagogue – and got ejected. They met at the riverside, in homes as they were arrested in the temple, underground and in locked rooms for fear of the oppressors. They were engaged in mission. They broke bread, shared the gifts of the Spirit in prophecy and tongues and teaching. They were eclectic, ecclesiastic, gathered people of God. Buildings were not involved. The people meeting together to meet with their God. And God showed up.

How is it shown in us?: 
Is that what we are doing? Its not so much about wonderfully professional presentation or content. Compare the old backs to the wall Coventry City FC at crumbling Highfield Rd where fans, manager, team were united in adversity with the lifeless echoing splendid Ricoh where everyone moans. Does our worship spring out of what God is calling us to do together? Does our worship help us to face up to our human failures? Does it rely on what Jesus has done for us? Does it enable us to offer our lives in God's service? Are we the people of God gathered together to meet with Him today?Does God still show up?

What about "me"?
You know how it is when you are invited to a wedding when you are hard up? If you don't know them very well. If you don't know what present you could get that would be acceptable without wasting any of your hard earned cash, you send a polite excuse. They won't miss you anyway. But if you are invited to your best friends wedding you know that they want you to be there. The present is immaterial (and therefore, as a bonus, cheap!). You wouldn't miss it for the world. That's inspiring worship. There has to be something in you that can be drawn out by what we do in church together. Worship can't put it in. But it can let it out.

What lets it out best for you?
What could you do that would help those around you? 

Robin Trew
Rector
Allesley 7-10-2012

All Saints Word - Functional Structures

Functional Structures. "Organisational and leadership structures which enable all of the above to happen rather than obstruct it! Structures which are flexible enough to change when necessary."  #8/8 Qualities of Healthy Growing Churches

What is this Quality?
Read Exodus 18:13-27, Mark 2:18-22 
In Exodus 18 the scenario makes us ask; if every complaint has to go through Moses – who will be listening to God? Who will be leading the people to the promised land? It's a recipe for disaster. Moses father in law says “Get a functional structure” - use empowering leadership – gift oriented ministry – etc. If its not working – fix it.

How is it shown in Jesus?

Jesus: “New wine into new wine skins” Mark 2

Jesus honoured the law: “not one jot or tittle” would be written off.

But Jesus would not comply with the status quo interpretation of the law. His disciples ate grain on the sabbath, why? Because they were hungry. His disciples ate and drank with sinners. Why? Because they needed to call sinners to repentance. He healed on the sabbath. Why? Because the man's arm was withered and the kingdom would not stand aside. The old wineskin of “the law” was not wrong, just inadequate to contain what God was doing “now”.

The “structure” was OK for the old covenant, the old age. Righteousness rewarded. Sinfulness punished. It was clear and simple. You knew where you were. Rich? You must have been good. Suffering – you must have done something wrong. It's the old wineskin.

But the new wine says “forgiveness”, “redemption”, “renewal of mind”, “cleansed”. It goes from lame to walking, from blind to seeing, from deaf to hearing. It allows people to break out of the stranglehold of sin and begin again. It is like new wine – still fermenting, bubbling with life, growing, maturing, reacting, fizzing – the old structures can't cope with it. Bang! Temple sacrifice is redundant when the Lamb of God appears. Who needs Sabbath observance when Jesus says “I will give you rest”. Who needs the temple's holy stones when Jesus makes us “living stones”.

How is it shown in NT Church?

The church was “aided” by persecution – the diaspora spread the infection of the gospel throughout the known world. It went ahead of the structures. “We must elect someone to replace Judas” to cope with these 120 perhaps? - bang!  3000 in a day! We must tell them to behave like Jews – bang! Gentiles are speaking in tongues. Ever spent a day building an elaboate waterworks on the beach only to find that the stream bipasses you and finds a better way to the sea- or the tide sweeps in and laughs?

Paul and the council at Jerusalem. Like sandbags against the tide. The church and the judaisers. Like herding cats. The Roman empire and the army of martyrs – like trying to hold sand. And later – the corrupt Christendom can't hold back the reformers zeal. The dour puritans can't contain the Anglo Catholic revival. The Church of England can't quench Methodism. The stolid evangelicals and dead formal religionists can't squash the charismatic revivals.

But we have tried – and tried – and tried again.

We want it to stay the same! We like “old”. We like power! Thank God we failed!

How is it shown in our Church?

What “old wineskins” do we have that are stifling healthy growth?

Exclusive rules for a Church wedding? Gift of Grace denied on grounds of age, race, sex, intelligence?.

Baptism welcome -  superstitions, new birth obscured.

Things need PCC approval? Licensing/Ordination? Time-serving? Exclusive Teams?

Paper based systems? Technophobia?

Giving our “change”? Generosilty stifled.

What are our non-functioning structures? What are yours?

If its broke - fix it!