Church notes - November 2019

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3rd November
Romans 5:8

Ecclesiates 5:8 - 20
True happyness does not depend on stuff. Instead it depends on the Creator of the stuff.

Communion
1 Corinthians 10:14 - 17
This too talks about unity

Sermon
1 Corinthians 12:12 - 27
Doesn't happen in a physical body. But does happen in the body of the Church.
Filled with different people. The only thing in common is Christ.

Romans 12:5

Can we have this sense of community?
Each member belongs to all the others.

Matthew 5:23, 24

1) No Individual Christian Can Function Effectively By Themselves
vs 15
We shouldn't stop being part of the body because we have unrealistic views of our position within it.

Ephesians 4:15, 16

2) No Member of Christ's body should not feel that he or she is more important than any other member.

3) We all have a mutal dependence on Jesus Christ.

We are all the same in the eyes of God. Deeply flawed and yet, precious.

4) Christians should work hard at creating unity in the body of Christ.
(Not a rigid hierachy; but diverse communities working together, with prayer and discernment, in Him.)


10th November
Psalm 95

Does anything we do matter?
Ecclesiastes 9
God knows everything,
Because of Jesus God will remember not our sins, but every obedient choice we make.
We need to choose to obey Him.
It is because of what God has already done.

Ephesians 2:11 - 22

Community of people living together.

Tabernacle




Dealing with sin is dirty work.

Hebrews 10:19 - 25
The animal sacrifice is no longer required. Jesus has done it for us permanently. We have a task of encouraging each other in fellowship.
The Glory of God is revealed in us.

1 Corinthians 3:9 - 16

God's people are a holy people.
We don't have to be careful of a building, rather we need to be careful of a community.
Alienation of Jews and Gentiles, but Jesus has brought them together in Him. By the Cross the emity has been destroyed. Alienation replaced by reconciliation.
Those who don't know Christ - don't have hope. They are far off from God.

vs 13
Through Christ we're brought near.
vs 14

The community, rather than a building, is God's temple. We are living stone. The integrity of the community depends on us working together.

The local church is the hope of the world.
But if not, where would it be found?


17th November
1 Peter 2:4 - 10

Ecclesiastes 9:13 - 10:20

Communion Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMFgBYaEd3o

1 Peter 2:9 - 10

Identity, Self Esteem, Accepting yourself.
The Church - under attack by the media
- Perceived as either neutral or dangerous.
God's view of you is different to that of the world.
An amazing picture of your identity.

We are the people of God.

Hosea 1
Gomer's Infidelity mirrored Israel's unfaithfulness.
vs6 -8
A tragic view

1 Peter 2:9, 10
We no longer need a priest. We are the priests. We are the bridge to the lost. Do we need new words to articulate the Gospel to them?

We need to articulate the message of God's love for people.
Holy - set apart. We are set apart for God and His purposes.
We belong to God exclusively.

But you are:
A chosen people.
A Royal Preisthood.
A Holy Nation
A people belonging to God.

vs 9b
To declare the praises of God.

Prayer - For all to have a sense of affirmation of who they are in Christ.

Not singular - We are a people of God.


24th November
Fear
- Phobias

Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14

Fear God
A reverant fear
A powerful and loving King who takes away all other fear. The One who rescues us from His deserving wrath.

Baptist Care - Helping the community and bringing the lost to Christ.
Testimony - Of a single mother who found a job at Baptist Care, and then Christ!

Matthew 25:31 - 40

Fear - not obeying God.

John 18:15 - 18
John 18: 25 - 27

Betrayal. Peter refused to stand with Jesus.

Aren't you one of this man's disciples?
- No! I am not!
- I am not!
- I don't know what you're talking about!

Peter realised what he had done.
Matthew 26:69 - 75 - He went and cried, and cried and cried.

Mark 14:66 - 72 - He collapsed in tears

Luke 22:54 - 62 - Peter went outside and wept bitterly.

Jesus beautifully forgives Peter and and restores the relationship.

John 21:15 - 19
A parallel. Three times, Peter denied Jesus. Three times, he affirmed that he loved Jesus.
We need to recognise and repent of the sins in our lives.
Our sense of failure and shame can be forgiven.
Forgiveness - Once again trusted by God in the place where you disgraced Him.

Peter faithfully Jesus the rest of his life.

No matter what you failures, shame and regrets, you can be forgiven, restored and follow Jesus into eternity.