02/10/2024
Hello Everyone
This service took place on 15/9/24 and was opened in prayer followed by Psalm 136.
Jon began with his all age spot and entitled it ‘Jesus, the Sticky Note Story Teller’. Most of us use sticky notes at home to remind us to do things, and Jesus reminds us to do things throughout the Bible by using a lot of parables. These simple stories help us to remember them. Jon asked us to memorise a list of objects he read out and after a few minutes of distraction, he asked us to recall them. Jon showed us how, by linking them together into a picture, it was easier for us to remember them. He demonstrated that it is easier for some to remember a story through pictures and we must remember this when bringing the Gospel to people- we need to share it in ways that are easier for them to understand.
The main sermon was given by our visiting preacher Steve who along with his wife Wendy are friends of Val & Jon. Steve works around the country as a ‘church planter’.
Readings Eph 3:7-13
7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
& Eph 4: 7-13 (this is not a typo error)
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people."
9 (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Have confidence in the Gospel and believe that God has filled you with the Holy Spirit- you will be given the toolkit to do whatever is needed. God wants His Church to grow. Steve’s favourite verse is
Romans 15: 20
‘My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else’ NLT
Church planting is the single most effective form of evangelism but you must overcome cynicism and lack of action to do something. We need to keep moving, keep active and take the risk. When God says ‘here is an opportunity’ are you going to take it? Cynicism and inaction can be the biggest hindrances in growing a church. Ephesians 3 tells us that if we are going to grow the church and see the Gospel spread, we need to have a renewed confidence in it. It is something that we not only receive, but that we need to
share it with others so that they can receive it.
Romans 1 & Matthew 16:18
Looking at the church of today, it is easy to get discouraged. There is compromise and half –heartedness where abuse & scandal give the Bible a bad name. Headlines say that church numbers are declining, but there are 1600 new churches planted every week somewhere around the world. The number of Christian churches in Africa and Asia is exploding. The world missionary movement is bigger than it has ever been. The number of Evangelical, Pentecostal and charismatic churches are growing in the UK. Do not believe the negative headlines. One hundred years ago, half of the world did not have access to the Gospel- today that number is down to 28%. In the west, the devil has caused us to lose confidence. We are told the lie that people do not want to hear the Gospel but people ARE hungry and thirsty for something beyond the rat-race and social media.
In Ephesians 6, Paul talks about spiritual warfare but by praying ‘in the spirit’, we have the ultimate weapon! Paul asks them to pray not only for the Lord’s people but also for him, so that he may declare the gospel fearlessly. He believed that if he preached the gospel, people would be saved. The problem it seems, therefore, is with us- we have lost the confidence in the Gospel.
In Acts 1: 6- 8 Jesus tells the Disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. We often pray asking God to do things for us but we have to do the work- we are His witnesses. We have the tools, the weapons, the training and the Gospel- we need to get on with it! Get on with spreading the Word!
When you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit, take action on it.
People are hungry for the Gospel. Have confidence in the church. God’s eternal purpose was always, that through the church, eternal wisdom and purpose should be known. God is going to see the biggest transformation that anyone could see. Church is about being involved in the life and mission of the people in our village. Worship is about exalting Jesus and taking him out into the world. It is about saying ‘wherever I am, I am still going to honour God and witness for Him’. It is not about how we are feeling. We are on the frontline and God is a mobile, missionary God. We have made everything static but He is on the move. We need to support each other so that we can go out into the world. The church has to learn what it means to grow small. We need to be relational and accountable to each other, so that we can go out. Serving means where you are on the frontline- wherever you have people who do not yet know Christ. Pastors are called to support US in our ministries- not necessarily us to support THEM. The ministry is not done by the minister- no- it is about equipping the congregation to go out onto their frontlines. Our frontline is anywhere we find ourselves. God uses people who just give that little thing they don’t think they have but it is important to act when prompted. He uses the seeds you sew in remarkable ways. Have confidence and don’t let cynicism and inaction stop you from doing what you are called to do.
Finally, God brings coincidences together and among the many stories which Steve told us, were two particularly remarkable ones. I recount them as follows to the best of my memory-
The first story tells of a minister who, whilst on his way to an important meeting, had to drive across a bridge. As he was driving along he saw a man who looked as if he was about to jump off and people seemed to be ignoring him or just walking past. He knew that he should stop but didn’t really have time so carried on. On his return journey the desperate man was still there on the bridge. Although still in a hurry, the minister could no longer ignore the prompting he was getting to stop and talk to him. He spoke to the man and explaining that he could not talk for long, wrote down the name of his church on a piece of paper and gave it to him. He asked that the man not do anything silly today but instead to come to his church the following weekend. The man on the bridge did not come to the church and the minister thought no more of it. Months later, the same minister, was invited to attend a baptism. The young man being baptised, stood and gave his testimony where he told of how he had been so desperate to have stood on a bridge and had been preparing to jump. A minister had stopped, spoken to him and urging him to come to his church had given him his church address, before driving off. This church was too far for the young man to get to, so instead he had walked into this church, accepted Jesus and was now being baptised. The minister, hearing this, stood and said ‘I am that minister!’
The second story is something in which Steve plays a very small part. Many years ago he and three other fellow students were involved in Christian outreach by helping out with something called ‘The Kaleidoscope Project’ which was a new experiment where he**in addicts were prescribed methadone to help get them off the class A drug. Having spent some time there, they were asked by their supervisor for some feedback on how they felt their experience had been. The three men felt that the experience had been a total waste of time and were completely negative about the whole thing, where as the one female in the group had a completely different perspective. She told them that after they had all left, she had stayed on and chatted to a female addict. Inviting the addict to get a coffee, they then chatted in her car for a bit because it was raining. She asked if she could pray for the addict and as she did so she started to pray in tongues because she couldn’t think of anything else to say. The young addict got a bit freaked and quickly left the vehicle. Fast forward many, many years and Steve is on holiday in Jerusalem on a tour with his wife. They visit a local UNESCO attraction of caves up in the rocks (I am sorry that I did not catch the name of this location) and whilst in there having a rest, one of the people with them, a female minister from another church,suggests that they all share their stories of how they got involved in their work. She starts sharing her story of how many, many years previously, she being a he**in addict, had been referred to the Kaleidoscope project. On one visit, a Christian student had bothered to spend some time with her, inviting her for a coffee. While the two of them sat in her car to get out of the rain, they had talked and the girl had prayed for the addict. This had planted a seed which led to her not only becoming clean from he**in, but also to becoming a minister herself, and she would be forever grateful for that encounter, although she had no idea who that Christian student was. Steve was able to tell this minister who the girl in the car was and consequently, put the two in touch with each other. Interestingly, the girl who was the student could not really remember the addict with whom she had prayed and spent some time with all those years before, BUT the addict had never forgotten her. Was this pure coincidence or God’s perfect timing? We never know where we are planting seeds.
Songs Come People of the Risen King Amazing Grace ( My Chains are Gone) My Lighthouse Beautiful Saviour (Stuart Townend) I Will Raise a Hallelujah
Many Blessings
Jill
