Part 23 – What Is Church?
We are living at a time in history where it seems that anything that is of long standing tradition is being called into question. Renewed calls go forth on every side, calling for change. Out with the old and in with the new is the resounding voice of this post-modern generation. Whether it’s marriage; the family home; politics or education; that which once served our forefathers well for centuries and in some cases, from the dawn of time, is being re-examined in light of the new-fangled philosophies being offered by the so-called experts. Sadly, as one looks to the Church, it too follows suit with this itching craving for that which is new. In a period where Church attendance in the West is in decline and atheism and secularism is on the rise, fighting for its “perceived” survival, the Church believes that unless it becomes relevant to this “youth” driven generation, then it will disappear from society and die of old age (literally). In an effort to try and retain the young people who are leaving the Church in their droves, the Church feels pressured to rediscover itself and if need be, reinvent itself to meet the needs of a changing population. Everything from “who” constitutes the Church to the “way” we ought to do Church is on the table for consideration. High-tech marketing research companies are being employed to find out what the local communities want from their local Church in the hope that Church attendance might be boosted and the needs of the community met. Fun days replete with BBQ and games; a nursery for the toddlers; a coffee shop; sports events and a whole host of other amusements ranging from Bingo to Yoga; all now are high on the priority list of what is deemed to make a “successful” Church. In a vastly changing tolerant society, it is felt that the Church’s decline is owing to the fact that the Church has lost touch with the people. However, upon closer inspection, we shall see that losing touch with people is not the root of the Church’s problem so much as it is that the Church has lost touch with God.
In this twenty-third teaching part, we shall explore from Holy Scripture “who” and “what” the Church is.
Download teaching notes (pdf)
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bethesdashalom/23_What_Is_Church.pdf
Psalm 27:13-14
There’s a testimony to be had in the midst of trial and sufferings that attests wholeheartedly to the faithfulness of a God who honours His Word!! “...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. (Heb. 13:5-6). This is the testimony of David, you can’t argue with it!! But for some of us perhaps, if we’re being perfectly honest with ourselves and more importantly, if we’re being honest before God, we have to confess that this is not our present testimony. We cannot confidently say as the writer of Hebrews; “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear…” The plain truth of the matter is that we are fearful and do not know in our current experience, the authenticity of David’s testimony and on account of this, instead of these words bringing peace and comfort to your soul, the words of the Psalmist are a source of agitation to you. The great challenge for the Christian in the midst of any hardship is to bring into living experience, that which is written!!! There is an experience to be had Brethren that can only be laid hold of by faith. Will we not put our trust in the Lord, that in our present day, we might live to see the goodness of God in the land of the living?
Ephesians 5:1-17
It appears that sermons on sin are about as popular as snails on toast! Yet Brethren, it ought not to be; a simple shift in geographical locale make’s a world of difference. You see...snails for the French are what Yorkshire Puddings are for us Brits; they love the former and we love the latter. Had we been bought up in the suburbs of Lyon or Paris, then we too most likely would have been eating those slippery fellows and loving every minute of it! The place of our birth matters!! What used to be our finest delicacy by reason of us being born into this world, is now our most detested by reason of us being born-again. That which we once detested, we now love. Light and darkness; good and evil; righteousness and sin. Sin ought to be for the Christian what snails are to the Brits; disgusting, vulgar; sickening!!
As Christians, we cannot have it both ways; either we are Christians given to holiness or sinners given to sin!! This idea that a Christian is a sinning Saint in limbo cannot be found in the New Testament and is a great deception that has served to comfort many a professor of religion in their sin and give impetus for them to continue in this way untroubled. However, when one opens the New Testament, such faulty reasoning is blown to smithereens and the safety net of false hope is cut down. Will we not face this verse honestly and ask ourselves this questions; what door of sin have we left open in our lives? What besetting sin are we still making allowances for?
Part 22 – How do I Evangelise?
When we say that we are Christian, more often than not we attach a number of adjectives in front of the word in order to try to bring greater clarity as to the type of Christian we mean. Such adjectives include ‘born-again’ and ‘Bible-believing’. There is a third adjective that we also commonly use and that is ‘Evangelical’. When we use the term ‘Evangelical’, what we’re saying is this; we believe wholeheartedly in the saving power of the gospel and therefore seek actively to proclaim that gospel to a lost and dying world. The word ‘evangelical’, comes from the Greek word “euaggelion” which means a good message; good news, hence the word ‘gospel’ which in Greek is the word “euaggelion”.
Despite the pressures being laden upon us by the P.C. agenda of our day; we are not to shrink back from the mandate of proclaiming the good news of the gospel, set against the backdrop of the ruin and sinfulness of man. Admittedly, this is not a popular message in our post-modern society which detests absolutes. Yet, it is not bigoted to state that Jesus is the only way to the Father, nor is it unloving to tell men that unless they turn from their sin in repentance, casting themselves upon the mercy of the Saviour they will be eternally damned. If these things are true, which God affirms they are; then it is out of love that we are moved by the Holy Spirit to tell a lost humanity of the love of God towards them in sending His Son to be crucified for their sins and raising Him from the dead that they might be saved from the wrath come and have eternal life. May God help us in this weighty endeavour and lead us in this great calling to be Christ’s ambassadors!
Download teaching notes (pdf)
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bethesdashalom/22_How_Do_I_Evangelise.pdf
Philippians 2:1-11
In the opening of what has been termed, the second general epistle of Peter; Peter the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, writes exhorting the Body of Christ, calling them unto a faith that is practical!! The great challenge that comes to mind at recurring intervals in my life is this; how much of what I walked in yesterday, am I still walking in today? Or upon reflection in looking back, can I pinpoint a period of time when my faith was stronger; my love more earnest; my life more pure; my mind more singularly focussed? I don’t know about you, but there’s one thing that terrifies me, and it’s this...to live on the back of a reputation that is no longer an actuality in my present life!! Is my faith living today? Is my love fervent and burning today? Am I walking in forgiveness today? Am I winning in the battle against sin and temptation today? Am reflecting the mind and character of Christ today?
Brethren, we cannot rest in yesterday’s victories; today is a new day and another new day called tomorrow dawns upon us!! The crowning jewel in the fruit that ought to be found in us and abounding is that of love!! God help us to this end, that we might consider one another.
Testimony of a Former Jehovah's Witness
Jason Wright is pastor of Bourne Evangelical Church. In this testimony, Jason shares how he was marvelously saved out of the Watch Tower Society aka Jehovah's Witnesses. For ten years, Jason and his family were dedicated and committed members of Jehovah's organisation and gave everything to faithfully serve what they believed to be the true religion on earth. With the promise of Armageddon imminent, there was no time to waste. However, as time proceeded, Jason and his wife Jenny, became disillusioned and sought answers. As Jason searched the Scriptures, it pleased the Father to reveal His Son and after a long struggle, Jason and his wife came to find the true Jesus and left the Jehovah's Witnesses losing everything.
May God see fit to bless many as Jason and Jenny share their story.
Testimony of a Former Jehovah's Witness
Jason Wright is pastor of Bourne Evangelical Church. In this testimony, Jason shares how he was marvelously saved out of the Watch Tower Society aka Jehovah's Witnesses. For ten years, Jason and his family were dedicated and committed members of Jehovah's organisation and gave everything to faithfully serve what they believed to be the true religion on earth. With the promise of Armageddon imminent, there was no time to waste. However, as time proceeded, Jason and his wife Jenny, became disillusioned and sought answers. As Jason searched the Scriptures, it pleased the Father to reveal His Son and after a long struggle, Jason and his wife came to find the true Jesus and left the Jehovah's Witnesses losing everything.
May God see fit to bless many as Jason and Jenny share their story.
Part 21 – What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
There is perhaps no other subject matter that has made for greater debate amongst Evangelicals and about which more varied opinions have been held, than the topic at hand in this 21st teaching part. For some, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues; for others, it is a second work of sanctification whereby one now receives the power to ‘live’ a holy life. Some would argue that this supernatural phenomenon ceased in the first century and therefore, although this experience is recorded in the book of Acts, it is no longer one that can be experienced today. One group argues that the baptism of Holy Spirit is not an experience subsequent to salvation but is rather synonymous with receiving the Holy Spirit at conversion. Another group argues that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience that is distinguishable and distinct from salvation, coming after the initial experience of being born-again. What are we to make of all these contravening statements? Where is one to go to try to clear things up and to shed light on this important topic? Thank God that as Christians, we do not have to resort to speculation, we have the Word of God upon which any experience might firmly be placed. However, being able to look at the Bible objectively can be very difficult, not least if one belongs to a denomination that has a party line that must not be crossed.
In this teaching, we shall seek as best as possible to lay aside preconceived ideas and in so doing, come to the Bible afresh in order to obtain answers to the question at hand, ‘What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?’
Download teaching notes (pdf)
http://traffic.libsyn.com/bethesdashalom/21_What_Is_the_Baptism_of_the_Holy_Spirit.pdf
Ephesians 3:20-21
The Church of Jesus Christ in every age and in every generation is called to be salt and light to a perishing world! When it ceases in its function to be either one, by default it has disqualified itself from heralding a gospel that has failed in the first instance to transform the lives of those who profess it!! When the people of God give the green light to what God calls filthy and wicked, then there’s only one place for such to be thrown; out onto the walkways to be trodden under foot of men!!
What temperature are you displaying amidst the current tide of immorality that has swept into our nation? Has your lamp has gone out? Have you ceased to register to a fallen world a standard which decries its moral depravity? God is wanting to raise a standard but, it is going to cost you everything to stand in these last days!! A half-heartedness, one foot in, and one-foot out approach will never do!! God is bringing His people to a simple decision; it’s all or nothing!!!
John 4:39-42
Within the Evangelical Church, I tend to find one of two extremes often at play; on one extreme there are those who abandon theology in pursuit of experience and at the other extreme, those who abandon experience in the pursuit of theology. Both extremes, I believe to be in error! To have an experience of God, without the solid theological ground upon which to rest it, is highly subjective and for that cause potentially very dangerous. We are exhorted, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 Jn. 4:1). Yet, on the other hand, to have a theological foundation that does not allow for God to be really experienced is to grieve the Holy Spirit and to deny Him His rightful place in our midst; “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings” (1 Thess. 5:19-20).
This sermon is a challenge and an exhortation, calling God’s people to a true and authentic Biblical experience. The simple fact of the matter is, our God is a God of personal experience!! I understand full-well that such a phrase throws up so much baggage in light of the abuses at the extreme ends of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movements, but that doesn’t negate the truth of Scripture!! Emotionally driven, hyper-experienced based Christianity must be avoided at all costs; but equally, so must also, dry/dead religion. Without a doubt, theology matters!! But once the solid ground of theology has been laid, it must then prepare the way for a personal experience of Jesus Christ.