Well then, part II of my catch up… it’s still about spiritual things, because that is what has been on my mind for the last couple of days. I go to Manna Christian Fellowship, in Maidstone. I have been going there literally all my life… Mum and Dad met there, and have been there for well over 30 years, and I have now been there myself for over 28 years!
For the past few years I have been helping in leadership, I went from being a key-helper at house-group, to being a co-leader… but now house-group has come to an end for the time being, and I am now helping to run an Alpha course, in the role of a group leader talking to those attending and trying to answer their questions during discussion time.
I have not always found it easy to be a leader, it is not something that come naturally to me, and I feel that I lack the confidence that is needed to be in that position. But that is not what I wanted to share… it just sort of came out!
What I wanted to share was the teaching that we relieved at our Church Leaders away-day yesterday… we had Stuart Bell, from Lincoln New Life Church come to speak to us, and his ministry really blessed my heart. Stuart spoke about being Heaven Sent. And he had6 main points…
1. Jesus was sent to express the Fathers’ heart of love. Everything that Jesus said or did was an expression of the love that God wanted to show the world… we should have that as a foundation of our Christian lives, a desire to show Gods love to the world.
2. Jesus was sent to announce the message of the kingdom of God. When Jesus announced the Kingdom, people were healed and demons were cast out, miracles happened. We should also announce the Kingdom of God.
3. Jesus was sent to start a community. Jesus called the disciples to him and formed a relationship with them through spending time together and teaching them. He did not; as we so often want to do, immediately reach out to thousands at a time with a huge gospel seminar… he selected 12 ordinary men and spent time with them. Jesus says in John chapter 17 verse 9 “I pray for them, I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me for they are yours”. This is not to say that Jesus had no concern for the world, of course he did, but he was concerned at this moment in time with those close to him. He also chose a mixed array of men to form his community. He chose four fishermen, a hated tax collector, a zealot belonging to a violent religious sect, “sons of thunder” (hot-headed men, who argued first and discussed never), James – known as James the Less, Thomas – a pessimistic depressive, and of course Judas who was to betray him in the end. Yet Jesus built a community from these men, they grew and changed, built into the foundation of the Church, their lives changed completely. Jesus still uses ordinary people, people who are not “in it for the glory” but who want to give God the glory.
4. Jesus was sent to serve the people. The people of the time (especially the church leaders) did not expect the messiah, when he came, to be a suffering servant, rather he though he would be one to be served, even the Old Testament prophets spoke of a humble servant. Isaiah chapter 42 verse 1 speaks of the “servant of the Lord”. We are sent, as the Father sent the Son, to serve, to lay down our lives as an investment in compassion for others.
5. Jesus was sent to all the nations. In Luke chapter 4 verses 14 to 30, Jesus reads from a scripture prophesying his own coming. Yet as he carries on teaching he tells the synagogue about the reason for his coming; to share God’s love with all, and tells stories about two Gentiles. This made the Levites angry; they had assumed that the messiah would come for them. They did not understand that God’s love is unbounded. We should show God’s love, regardless of who a person is, or where they are from… because God loves them just as much as he loves me.
6. Jesus was sent in the power of the Holy Spirit. In John chapter 20 verse 22; Jesus breathed on the disciples, and prayed that they would received the Holy Spirit. We need the energy, life and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. If we lose the power of the Spiritual Gifts, we loose the power of God.
As Jesus was sent, so we are sent.
The main thing that i learnt from this message was that i don't need to be special to do God's work... he chose ordinary people... just like me!
Posted by BowlesCR at March 12, 2006 10:10 PM