Church notes - September 2020
6th September
What do you miss about Church?
But we can still be Church.
We can still love God and still love others.
1 John 4:21
Lets be people who love others like God loves us.
Psalm 68:1 - 6
Acts 24 - 26
1 Peter 3:15
We need to be prepard to defend our faith. To testify our faith in Jesus.
Paul's three trials before Felix, Festus and Agrippa.
Paul was still in prison because of the danger from the Jewish authorities. This is similar to injustices people face today because of their faith in Jesus.
Acts 25:18
Testify to to the good news of God's grace.
The Gospel testifies to God's love.
But Paul and Acts overall doesn't talk about God's love. Paul concentrates not on love, but on the Resurrection.
Acts 24: 15, 20, 21
Acts 25: 18, 19
Acts 26: 15 - 19
Resurrection
The Resurrection is the foundation of what we believe. Without the Resurrection, the Christian faith falls apart, it has no hope.
Acts 26:12 - 24
The Resurrected Lord Jesus
The Resurrection must lead to repentance.
vs 19
A wonderful hope. A glorious unstoppable hope.
Acts 26:15 - 18
Jesus gives purpose, hope and salvation. He overcomes the power of Satan.
The hope comes from the Resurrection.
Jesus' love is ongoing.
This is a hope we should proclaim.
13th September
Kids Church
When has someone told you about the future and you just aren't sure whether to believe it?
1 John 5:13
The Bible tells us the good news, so that we have hope as we follow Jesus.
'Virtual' - Not quite the real thing, but almost.
Acts 27:1 - 28:16
Paul's Voyage to Rome
https://www.conformingtojesus.com/images/webpages/pauls_voyage_to_rome_map1.jpg
Mediterranean cruise gone wrong
Theologian tells experienced sailors how to do their job.
Acts 1:8
Observations of a seasoned missionary.
Paul was passionate about serving God.
He was determined to finish well.
Finish well.
Older People
How can you ensure you finish well?
Who can you be encouraging in the faith?
Younger people
Who would you like to cheer you on, encourage you in your faith?
20th September
John's last Kid's Church
Hebrews 12:1, 2
Fixing our eyes on Jesus
Numbers 6:22 - 27
Psalm 147
Acts 28:17 - 31
vs 30, 31
Paul was preaching in Rome without hinderance.
The continuing acts of the Risen Jesus. It was just the beginning of the spread of the Gospel around the world.
To be continued...
Paul's actions are to be our actions.
What are we to continue doing?
vs 31
Proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about Jesus, who He is and about the Cruxifiction and Resurrection.
Acts 6:7
Acts 9:31
Acts 12:24
Acts 16:5
Acts 19:20
(In context with surrounding passages. Despite tribulations, difficulties, persecution, the Gospel was spreading).
Motivation for spreading the Gospel.
Teaching about Jesus with boldness and without hinderance.
Boldness
Seizing every opportunity to talk about Jesus. Talking with clarity about Jesus.
Unhindered.
Gr. akolutos.
Paul may have been under house arrest, but his teaching of the Gospel continued.
2 Timothy 2:8, 9
God's word is not chained!
Unhindered
- By persecution
- By COVID
- By Pride
27th September
Psalm 150
Jeremiah 29:11
Ephesians 5:22 - 32
Gr. Ekklesia
A gathering of citzens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly.
In a Christian sense
An assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting.
Acts 19
Ekklesia is used for the people involved in the riot.
A poll in America. 32% have stopped attending Church during COVID.
It is a lot easier to stop showing up to a place than it is to disconnect from a group of people who intimately know, love and support each other. - Andy Stanley
Christ and Church.
We can be so caught up in doing church that we can forget to be Church.
Psalm 34:3
Our role is to tell the world about the Name. About what Jesus did.
Preaching - Highlighting something from the Bible that points out what needs to change in our lives for us to be more like Jesus.
Encouraging each other in our faith.
2 Timothy 1:7 - 8
We are the body of Christ
The living building.
If you say 'I love Jesus, but not other Christians' you need to examine your thinking.
Romans 7:15
Paul said that he wasn't perfect, but a hypocrite who needed Jesus.
We need to know Him intimately. A close and meaningful relationship.
Jesus went to the Cross because He took the punishment for us, so that we will be seen as pure and blemish free.