Church notes - February 2023
5th
Ephesians 6:10 - 26
Communion
Mark 14:22 - 26
Sermon
1 Peter 1:1 - 16
vs 8, 9
What is the basis of this inexpressable joy?
What brings you joy?
John 21:15 - 19
Jesus reinstates Peter after he had denied Him three times.
vs 6 Trails and temptations
vs 1
God's elect. Those God has chosen. Strangers to the World because they are of heaven.
vs 2
God has been faithful to His people throughout history.
Colossians 3:1 - 4
vs 3
The Resurrection of Jesus
This is the guarantee that the dead will be raised to Eternal life.
Guarded by God's power.
vs 6
Praise and honour to God.
vs 13
There is great joy in the trial.
Pray for the opportunity for our faith to be proven genuine.
12th
1 John 1:1 - 4
Persecution
Acts 8:1 - 3
Three issues John wrote about
Declining Committment
Conforming to the World's Standards
Compromising
A downward spiral
If we don't commit, we can't get anything out of it.
'Christians have been complacent. As a whole we are taking a material view of life, leaving little room for spiritual insights or religious life' - George Cranswick, 1923
vs 1
Genesis 1:1
John 1:1
In the beginning.
Jesus was from the beginning.
The Word Logos
Jesus is physical - John was a witness to this reality. He was qualified to testify on it.
A heresy spread around at the time: That God wouldn't appear physically. That the body was unworthy.
A modern heresy: That Jesus was just a man.
The Truth: Jesus was fully God and fully Man, and therefore He is qualified to be our Saviour.
vs 3 - 4
Fellowship
A great hunger of the human heart.
Koinonia
1 John 1:6, 7
Those who walked away weren't living a Christian life.
What is true Christian fellowship.
It begins with our relationship with God.
vs 4
Joy
Make our joy in our Christian walk complete.
'Joy is the gigantic secret of the Christian' - GK Chesterton
19th
Psalm 27
1 John 1:5 - 2:2
Cognitive bias - People can overestimate their own abilities.
Three things
vs 1:6 - 9
We need to live out the truth of the Gospel.
vs 15
God is light. He reveals what is true. What our heart is like.
Psalm 119:105
vs 1:6
Being in fellowship with God should change our life.
The sin is dealt with.
vs 1:9
If we confess our sins, He will forgive us of them.
Inviting the light to search our hearts.
Confession: agreeing with God about our sins.
vs 1:9
If we deny sin we lie and are in denial about them.
Education doesn't guarantee moral behaviour.
Moral standards exist.
vs 2:1, 2
Jesus is our advocate to the Father.
When we fail - we need to confess the sin.
Jesus is our atoning sacrifice.
26th
James 1:2 - 4
Luke 18:1-8
1 John 1:3: - 11
We whould walk in a sincre way.
vs 3 - 6
Put our faith in Him.
But we meed to walk in obedience. Our behaviour needs to reflect His teachings. Walk a life of love. Live like Jesus.
Ephesians 5:25
Live our lives for the LORD daily.
But not in a legalistic way. Nor in a self-righteous way.
vs 7, 8
The Old Command
Love your neighbour as yourself.
Jesus loved by self sacrifice.
Jesus said 'Love your enemies'. This is the opposite of today's Cancel Culture.
Agape - The love giving. God sees how we are and loves us anyway.
Philia - Brotherly/Friendly love
Eros - Sensual love (Not used in the New Testament)
We need to act lovingly.
John 13:34
vs 9 - 11
The relationship between us and other believers is very important.
The only way of growth is through forgiveness.
Romans 14:13 - 18
The most important thing is not being right, but being in a healthy relationship with other Christians.
Everyday walk.
It calls us to:
Obey
Love not Hate
- We need to be mindful of what we say.
Be willing to forgive
Matthew 6:14, 15
Philippians 4:8, 9