Church notes - March, April 2023
5th
Communion
Intentionally seek closer relationship with Jesus
Ephesians 2:1 - 10
Message
Missionaries - Josh and Shell Bowen - In West Timor with SIM.
Matthew 22:37 - 39
Matthew 28:18 - 20
The Greatest Commandent and the Great Commission
Be obedient to God in all you do.
Impact of projects:
Transformed families and communities.
Experience the Joy of the LORD.
Galatians 5:23
Romans 12:4 - 5
Philippians 4:4
Prayer
For the projects going forward.
For the Bowen family during their Home Assignment as they figure out what comes next.
12th
1 John 2:15 - 17
1 Corinthians 8:1 - 18
Genesis 3:1 - 10
Worldliness is what makes one look normal in any age and righteousness look odd.
Gr. Cosmos
The World. Cosmetics
Bringing into order.
The World
An organised system of human civilisation and human activity which is opposed to God.
Ephesians 2:1, 2
The rejection of Godly values.
Matthew 6:24
An organised system of evil.
It starts in the mind.
Genesis 3
Insinuating questions.
Questioning the word of God.
Gen 3:5
The world is deceptive. It makes promises it never keeps.
Many things that look like freedom are actually snares.
# 2
It was attractive.
Worldliness begins in the heart.
The Cravings in sinful men.
Preoccupations with desire.
Desires are right in the proper places.
'But the appetite becomes a tiger. when our God's laws are flouted it begins to maul us...'
'The lust of the ages, craving and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism, boasting of what he has and done, obessive with our status or importance.
We shouldn't boat about what gifts God has given us.
vs 17
Where are we investing? In this world? Or in treasures stored up in Heaven?
19th
Psalm 75:73 - 76
2 Corinthians 3:17
Communion
John 4:1 - 26
Sermon
1 John 2:18 - 29
It is always difficult to be Christian
Truth
Annointed
Remain/Continue/Abide
Belong
vs 21 - 24
The last days - between His ascension and when He will return.
Antichrist
- An idea, counterfeits, antibiblical opinion
- Against Christ
- Counterfeit experience of Jesus
- It is in this world
What difference does it make what you believe?
- It makes all the difference.
To deny Jesus is to deny God.
Gospel Box
Jesus is the Son of God.
The Bible is the Word of God.
All people are sinners - unable to help themselves.
The only way one can be saved is through faith in Christ.
Christ died as man's substitute on the cross, and rose again from the dead.
The Holy Spirit indwells true believers.
One day in the future Jesus will come again.
The key question:
Who is Jesus Christ?
1 John 4:2
True profession - acknowledge that His Son came in the flesh.
vs 23
John 14:6
Anoint
vs 26, 27
Set aside for a special task.
We have been annointed by the Holy Spirit
Remain/Continue/Abide
vs 24
The truth of Christ needs to be be etched into our minds and spirits.
1 John 1:9
Hold on to the Truth.
Whereever we look, we have hope.
'No matter in which direction a Christian looks, he finds a reason to obey God. If he looks back, he sees Calvary, where Christ died for him. If he looks within, he sees the Holy Spirit who lives within and teaches him the truth. If he looks around, he sees his Christian brethren whom he lovesl he also sees a world lost in sin, desperately needing his godly witness. And if he looks ahead, he sees the return of Christ!' - Warren Weisbe.
John 15:5
Belong.
A committment to each other
1 John 5:19
Fellowship - We have in common.
Truth - we need to embrace the truth of Christ.
Annointed - We are annointed with the Holy Spirit.
Remain - Remain in Christ and in Fellowship with fellow Christians.
Belong
Church Camp 2023
24th Friday Evening
Session 1
Genesis 18:20 - 35
Abraham interceding for Sodom.
Can you place something on your heart for your home town.
Romans 1:11, 12
Hospital
Family
Embassy
Hospital
Mark 2:15 - 17
Triage
The church is a hospital for sinners (where triage happens), not a museum for saints.
Exodus
The Israelites had left Egypt, but they were still asking for things of Egypt.
Family
Functional, or dysfunctional.
The Church is God's plan to reunite Humanity with Him as a family.
Embassy
The message of the Gospel.
Acts 1:8
Hurting --> Healthy --> Helpful
25th Saturday Morning
Sesson 2
Elijah
1 Kings 18: 23 - 29
No one answered the prophets of Baal, despite their desperation.
1 Kings 18:30 - 39
On the peak we can share the Gospel.
But what about in the valley?
1 Kings 19:1, 2
Jezebel's death threat.
1 Kings 19:3
Elijah flees
1 Kings 19:4
The low point
What can bring you to a similar situation to Elijah?
How to get out?
vs 3
Fear
'What could happen?' - Jezebel's message.
What is the 'what if?' that pushes you from the peak to the valley.
Lies, unforgiveness, the Enemy
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 23:4 - 6
David knew that he had to go through the painful times.
As the shepherd protects and guides the sheep, so God protects and guides us.
Our environment is conducive to our relationship with God.
Romans 12:2
Environments
Where do we go when we are in pain?
Relationships
Proverbs 13:20
1 Kings 19:11 - 13
God wanted to be found in a whisper.
Elijah had to draw close.
Do we have a life where we can hear the whisper of God when fear comes?
Do we have a life that practices the presence of God?
Sesson 3
The Body of Christ
Mission ready
Matthew 28:18 - 20
1 Corinthians 12:12
1 Corinthians 12:26
We are all involved in the church.
Acts 6:1 - 7
The extent of your involvement within the Body of Christ will determine the extent of your influence in the Body of Christ.
Acts 2:43 - 45
Can we intercede on behalf of our city?
26th Sunday Morning
Matthew 11:28 - 30
Zephaniah 3:11
Genesis 2:15
Humanity's purpose, to work and watch over the creation, the Garden of Eden. Toil came after the Fall.
2 Corinthians 3:16 - 18
Being aware of his hand on the peak and in the wilderness.
Jesus is not an addition. He is our substitution.
Genesis 3:8
1 Kings 9:1
Solomon had desired to build the Temple and had acheived it.
John 14:15 - 17
What does it look like to surrender yourself to His will?
Sanctification
- Being made Holy.
April 2023
2nd
Ephesians 1:3 - 10
Communion
1 Corinthians 11:22 - 27
Prayer - For the recently elected New South Wales Government.
Sermon
1 John 3:10 - 24
What does real Christianity look like?
It demonstrates rightous lives and love. vs 10 - 15
vs 11
vs 12
Don't be like Cain.
e.g. Star Wars
Anakin Skywalker had sinister evil fester inside him until he became Darth Vader.
True vs False Christianity
False Teachers wouldn't have righteous lives.
Be thankful that God is at work in your life.
Look at the fruit of a new teaching. Does it line up with the Bible?
True Christianity demonstrates true love.
vs 16
Jesus' sacrificial love.
vs 17
vs 19
e.g. Parental love. Siblings reflecting their parent's love.
Real Christianity
1) It demonstrates righteous living and love
2) It demonstrates Christlike love
3) It demonstrates obedience to God's commands and gives assurance.
Live before God with confidence.
A whole life commitment.
Imposter Syndrome
But we have assurance.
If have committed to Christ, God has admitted you into His family.
Romans 8:1
Romans 5:1
Christians can be assurred that they belong to Christ because of His final work on the Cross, and the evidence they see in their lives.
When you feel unsettled, remember what real Christianity looks like from 1 John 3 and with God's help, persevere in it unashamedly.
7th
Good Friday
Matthew 27:19 - 31
Mark 15:23 - 32
Luke 23:44 - 49
Fog of war
Jesus sent to the Cross after a series of farcical trials.
There was uncertainty and doubt
Luke 23:44, 45
Genesis 1:1
Darkness before Creation.
John 3:19 - 21
Darkness hides what is in people's hearts.
God never abandons you to your darkness.
John 1:8
It is Finished!
The fog of war continues, but
Jesus has paid our debt. He is the Light.
Never doubt that Jesus has the victory.
9th
Easter Sunday
John 17:1 - 5
1 Corinthians 15:1 - 22
Nehemiah 8:10 - 12
No matter how bad this life is, we have Eternal Life because of the Resurrection.
vs 17
Our faith is futile if the Resurrection didn't take place. It would be meaningless and fruitless.
But Christ has Risen! That is a most precious thing.
It is a life giving and life changing faith.
If He wasn't raised, we're still in our sins.
Sin is real and can't be denied.
Christ has been raised. Therefore sin has been dealt with.
vs 18
If He hadn't been raised, there is no hope.
If He has been Raised, those who have fallen asleep in Christ are Saved.
vs 19
If He has been Raised we have an obligation to spread the Gospel.
vs 20
Colossians 3:1 - 3
16th
Philippians 1:9 - 11
Isaiah 53:6 - 12
Ephesians 3:14 -21
The Church and God's Limitless Power
vs 15
He didn't want the readers to be discouraged by his imprisonment.
Temptations
- To retreat
- To react
vs 16
Be inwardly refreshed by the Spirit.
vs 17, 18
Enduring, deep rooted, established in love of Christ.
vs 19
Infinite love, infinite power.
vs 21
God is unbounded. He is unlimited.
Esther 4:13, 14
God had a plan but Esther had to interceede.
Ephesians 5:22
We look for the chances God is giving us to serve Him.
Ephesians 6:18 - 20
23rd
1 John 4
Peace and tolerance?
We believe in truth!
Your life depends upon the truth!
There is a massive difference between Christianity and other religions.
vs 1
vs 10
Jesus was the sacrifice.
God is a just God.
But we have sinned, rebelled against God.
Punishment - Death. Jesus has died in our place!
vs 14, 15
The Son of God.
John 3:16
Jesus is Special. He is Divine. He pre-existed His birth. He did not sin.
The Trinity.
Jesus is the Messiah.
Fully Human. He was tempted and suffered like us.
Hebrews 4:14 - 16
vs 2
The essential things.
vs 3
John 3:16 - 18
If you don't believe, you will be judged.
vs 7 - 9
Love
1 Corinthians 13:4 - 8
Mark 5
Jesus healed a variety of people. Our love should be characterised in a similar manner.
vs 16, 17
We have put our trust in God.
30th
John 18:26 - 29
1 John 5:1 - 5
'To believe in Christ is to believe in His deity, in the power of His death to cleanse us from all sin and to avert the righteous wrath of a Holy Lord. It means that we believe that the love of God is expressed in the fullest measure by the Cross of Christ and that eternal life is experienced only by a faith union with Him, which is the product of His grace, appropriated by faith' Evan Forman
vs 1 -3
Faith is expressed in love.
Love
- For example
-- Choosing not to bear false witness.
Obedience
- Evidence of love
Psalm 108:8
Jonah disobeyed God, but the wind and waves and the fish didn't.
Commmands being implemented in a legalistic way is burdensome and crushing.
Matthew 11:28 - 30
Victory
Overthrowing the world.
vs 4, 5
Jesus at the Cross - Victory over sin, the Devil and the world.
We need to stand in that place.
We need to live out the victory.
Galatians 2:20
Jesus has achieved the victory for us.
In Christ we are victorious.