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Series Contents
Series Theme:  "Bits & Pieces"
Contents:

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Short teaching:

1. The Household of God

2. Grace versus Law

3. Recognising Bad Thinking

4. Watch Out! - a story about faith

5. Life is for Living

6. Thinking about Fellowship

 

b) Q&A teaching:

7. Beginners' Bible Basics

8. Questions about 'Life'

 

c) Longer Teaching:

9. Taking Control of your Life

10. The Dynamics of Giving

11. The Christian Faith

12. Thoughts about Church Life

13. Equipped to Witness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Short teaching:

1. The Household of God

2. Grace versus Law

3. Recognising Bad Thinking

4. Watch Out! - a story about faith

5. Life is for Living

6. Thinking about Fellowship

 

b) Q&A teaching:

7. Beginners' Bible Basics

8. Questions about 'Life'

 

c) Longer Teaching:

9. Taking Control of your Life

10. The Dynamics of Giving

11. The Christian Faith

12. Thoughts about Church Life

13. Equipped to Witness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Short teaching:

1. The Household of God

2. Grace versus Law

3. Recognising Bad Thinking

4. Watch Out! - a story about faith

5. Life is for Living

6. Thinking about Fellowship

 

b) Q&A teaching:

7. Beginners' Bible Basics

8. Questions about 'Life'

 

c) Longer Teaching:

9. Taking Control of your Life

10. The Dynamics of Giving

11. The Christian Faith

12. Thoughts about Church Life

13. Equipped to Witness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a) Short teaching:

1. The Household of God

2. Grace versus Law

3. Recognising Bad Thinking

4. Watch Out! - a story about faith

5. Life is for Living

6. Thinking about Fellowship

 

b) Q&A teaching:

7. Beginners' Bible Basics

8. Questions about 'Life'

 

c) Longer Teaching:

9. Taking Control of your Life

10. The Dynamics of Giving

11. The Christian Faith

12. Thoughts about Church Life

13. Equipped to Witness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:   Misc. Teaching

        

Please click on any of the titles on the side bar

    

a) Short Teaching

 

 

      

1. The Household of God

   

Written for a time of a church anniversary, it is good to remind ourselves of something of what the Bible says about the church.

1 Tim 3:15 God's household , which is the church of the living God” .

  

Eph 2:19-22 “you are

•  members of God's household….

•  being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit”.

  

Very often when we think about ‘church' we think of buildings or organisations, but the picture given in these verses is of the church being the family of God – that's what ‘household' here means.

     

Consider aspects of ‘family'

•  you don't choose your family, you're born into it
•  family is about parents and children
•  we may have the same parents but we are still unique individuals
•  ultimately family is all about relationships.

As God's family

•  we all have the same Father – God Himself (Jn 1:13 )
•  we all have the same Saviour – Jesus
•  we all have the same life energy – the Holy Spirit
•  we are all equally important (see 1 Cor 12 – the body picture)
•  we all reveal God (see above, the dwelling picture)
•  we are all gifted differently by God (see Rom 12)

C.S.Lewis in Mere Christianity wrote the following:

God can show Himself as He really is only to real men. And that means not simply to men who are individually good, but to men who are united together in a body, loving one another, helping one another, showing Him to one another. For that is what God meant humanity to be like; like players in one band, or organs in one body.”

Someone else wrote: “It's good being part of God's family because it's one of His primary means of changing us into Jesus' likeness.”

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2. Grace versus Law

        

As an introduction to bring a refocusing of our faith, you may like to think through the following:

   

  Two Covenants – Two Approaches

  

In the Old Testament God gave Moses the Law at Mount Sinai. This law covered an individual's walk with God, the way people would relate to one another in the community of God's people, and how they would, as a community relate to God. This Law came as part of a covenant (agreement) with God: if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” (Ex 19:5). Thus keeping the rules was the way the people kept their side of the covenant agreement.

  

Later, God spoke through Jeremiah: The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah …I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jer 31:31,33) In other words, God was going to do something whereby the emphasis changed from outward actions to inward reality. They would, in reality, be God's people by what they were on the inside, not by simply keeping the rules.

  

The New Covenant – a covenant of Grace

Jesus ushered in the new way from God, whereby we were saved simply by believing Jesus. When we come to that point of belief and surrender to him, God does an inner transforming work in us by His Spirit. From then on, the focus of the Christian life is not keeping the rules but receiving and responding to the love of God. Grace is all about simply receiving God's free gift of love.

So why rules, why ‘commands'?

In the New Testament, rules are no longer the driving or motivating force to prove our relationship with God. Yes, New Testament instructions still lay out guidelines for how to live according to God's design for His people, but they are no longer a measure of salvation but a means to living out the Christian life. They are no longer our slave-driver but are now our servant to help us through life. They now become safety checks to counter the enemy's activity in trying to lead us away from God's design for us. Because Satan still tries to resurrect sin in us, the rules, commands or instructions, act as a check against his deceptive tactics that seek our destruction. Grace is all about receiving God's love, experienced through His guidance, His provision and His protection, that He brings through His Spirit and by His word. Thus we are blessed.

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3. Recognising Bad Thinking

   

Here in a simple Introduction to ways the world uses to ‘rubbish' the Gospel that we bring, seeking to impose a spiritual inferiority complex on us. Here are six ways:

       

1. Refusing to Think

- so often unbelievers come out with trite excuses for not believing, that actually just indicate that they haven't really thought about the Gospel, or even what they are using as an excuse!

       

2. Arguing against what isn't

- beware the person who rubbishes a form of Christianity that is only in their mind and nothing like the real thing!

        

3. Arguing from Extremes

- beware the person who uses religious extremists as examples of Christianity to show why it shouldn't be believed. Talk about the middle ground of real faith.

      

4. Arguing for Materialistic Thinking

- this person denies there is anything other than material, i.e. spirit doesn't exist so God can't exist – until they are facing death.

- why is it that large percentages of the world have always had religious belief, why is belief in the spiritual and supernatural alive and well today – including in scientists?

       

5. Arguing that all religions and cultures are the same

- the implication is that Christianity is the same as any other faith

- point out the religion that burns wives on their husband's pyre.

- point out the unique claims of Christianity – that Jesus is God's Son who came from heaven, did - miracles, died and rose from the dead and ascended to heaven and is God's only means of salvation!

   

6. Arguing that all behaviours are equal

- thus Christian morality is intolerance – it is wrong to decry certain lifestyles

- who is to say what is right or wrong – only God is a reasonable arbiter, everything else is man's ideas

- the world does believe that certain behaviours are wrong (e.g. murder), it's just where you draw the line (or don't!)

Be clear in you mind how people argue and think today

 

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4. Watch Out

        

A short story about faith, and being used by God.

   

     

Martin put the Bible Notes down. He felt challenged. So he prayed, “Lord, I really do want to be used by you. Please give me opportunities today. Amen.” Heaven seemed silent so he got up and went downstairs.

Carrie was making breakfast. A peck on the cheek across the kitchen table. He sat down and poured out a generous helping of Muesli and milk. Minor chit chat, and then, “Darling, before you go to work in a minute could you tighten up that nut on the washing machine hose to stop it leaking. I can't use it while it's like that.”

“Yes, sure, fine, no problem,” he mumbled through a mouthful of cereal. He skimmed the paper, looked at the clock, dived for the bathroom, rapidly brushed his teeth, flew back downstairs, grabbed his coat and made for the door, pausing only to give his wife a quick peck on the cheek. “Did you manage the washing….” but he was gone.

Running up the station approach to catch his train, he found his way barred by an old woman who had just dropped her case and handbag. Without a thought Martin grabbed up the handbag and handed it to her, then dashed on to the platform. A few seconds later the train arrived and Martin boarded with the rest of the commuters. As he glanced out the window he saw an old lady coming away from the ticket counter. “Silly old thing,” he thought, she ought to have left more time to catch the train,” and turned to his paper again.

Work that morning was not very satisfactory. Benson at the next desk kept on asking for advice. Trying to get on and write a report himself, Martin found the constant distractions unhelpful. After the fifth interruption he burst out, “For goodness sake, Trevor, sort it out yourself; I've got my own stuff to get done by next week.” Trevor subsided into an uncomfortable silence.

At lunch-time his colleague declined an offer to go out to lunch together, “No, I'm sorry I'm going to have to work through to get this sorted.” Martin was not impressed. “Shame, I wanted to tell him about church yesterday, but that's his loss!” he thought.

That night, in the bathroom of all places, Martin found an angel. “Had a good day?” the shining being asked. Martin, never having encountered an angel before, only just managed to stutter, “Er… no, not really.”

The angel looked surprised. “Really? After we answered your prayer so thoroughly today?”

Martin looked bewildered. “You did?”

The angel smiled, “Of course. You wanted opportunities to bless people so we gave you the washing machine, the old lady and your colleague at work. Did you take them?”

Martin said nothing and the angel vanished. “Perhaps tomorrow,” he thought.

 

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5. 'Life' is for Living

        

As a means of continuing to refocus of our faith, we provide the following resources:

  

In the Bible, ‘life' mostly refers to the period of existence that we have on this earth.

  

However,  sometimes it means the very life energy that comes from God that makes us living human beings, and then through Christ, what makes us Christians.

  

   

a) All ‘life' is God-imparted – life is living energy – it is what every living thing has:

     

Gen 1:30 all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground--everything that has the breath of life in it….

      

Gen 2:7 God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Heb. – spirit), and the man became a living being.

     

1 Kings 17:21,22 "O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!" The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived.

     

Isa 42:5 the LORD … who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it….

     

Ezek 37:5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life . (breath = wind or spirit)

         

Acts 17:25 he himself gives all men life and breath….

  

   

b) ‘Life' (living energy) comes from God Himself, because He is life:

  

Jn 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.

  

Jn 1:4 In him was life , and that life was the light of men.

  

1 Jn 1:1,2 this we proclaim concerning the Word of life . The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it…..

  

    

c) Yet there is ‘life' beyond merely physical life – Jesus came to bring it – ‘spiritual' living energy:

  

Jn 6:53 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

  

Jn 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life , even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.

  

Jn 6:57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

  

Jn 10:10 I have come that they may have life , and have it to the full.

  

Jn 20:31 these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

  

Rom 5:18 the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men ( those who will receive him ).

  

Rom 8:11 if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

   

2 Cor 3:6 for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life .

  

Eph 4:17,18 the Gentiles … are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God.

  

1 Jn 5:11,12 this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life ; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life .

  

   

d) Conclusions

  

1. ‘Life' is living energy.

2. God is ‘Spirit' – personal living energy.

3. He is the originator of ALL life.

4. He energises all living creatures. This is what we call life.

5. Yet there is also a further dimension of ‘life' that is more than physical energy – it is spiritual living energy, the very life of God.

6. THIS energy is imparted to us by God when we turn to Him and become Christians. It is what makes us ‘spiritually alive'.

7. Without this spiritual energy (His Spirit) we are spiritually dead, i.e. we have no real sense of God or of spiritual things.

8. It is this energy that brings change in us and enables us to serve Him.

 

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6. Thinking about Fellowship

        

Because it is so vital to the life of any church, here are some simple thoughts about this important subject

    

   

1. Basics

•  Fellowship starts with “I think you're great.”

•  we recognise how God sees us

•  Fellowship is about, “I'm there for you.”

•  we are there to support one another

•  Fellowship is about, “Let's do God's will together.”

•  letting God lead us is what creates our unity

•  Fellowship is, “That's my brother!” (or sister)

•  being aware of ‘family'

‘Fellowship' is about togetherness – heart, mind and purpose.

 

2. The Benefits of ‘Fellowship'

  

We almost take for granted that this experience we call fellowship – this coming together in heart, mind and spirit – is a good thing, a thing that blesses us and leaves us feeling good.

It is good because this is how God has designed ‘church' to be and He wants us to live with a sense of goodness, a sense of being loved, and a sense of security, and those things really only come when we experience ‘fellowship'. Thus it is important that we really think about this experience of church life.

3. The Absence of ‘Fellowship'

Let's put it as simply as we can: ‘fellowship' is the experience of two Christians meeting together and there being a unity of heart, mind and spirit.

The first obvious thing to note about this is that people who isolate themselves from others can never have this experience and miss out.

The second thing to note, is that if we don't have those same four ‘points of contact' noted in the 'Basics' above, we cannot have this experience. For example:

a) “I think you're great.”

If you don't feel like this about other Christians then it is probable that you are holding yourself back because of what you feel about yourself, and that stops ‘fellowship'.

b) “I'm there for you.”

Similarly, if you feel inadequate as a Christian, you will not be able to be there for your brothers and sisters and you will be limited in any experience of fellowship.

c) “Let's do God's will together.”

Again, if you have never come to that point of surrender in your walk with God, so that your primary goal is to do God's will, then this too will hinder the experience of ‘fellowship'.

d) “That's my bother and sister.”

Failure to recognise that we are all part of one big family, will also, of course, limit what we feel about one another.

  

4. Partial Fellowship

Of course it's never quite as clear cut as we've been considering it. The reality is that we fellowship with some people and not with others. Some people we find we relate to and so, yes, we do encounter them heart to heart, mind to mind, and spirit to spirit.

The sad thing is that we don't fellowship with everyone. But we find that some people seem easier to relate to and so we feel secure with them and we can let our barriers down with them. Some of us perhaps find it almost impossible to lower our barriers with anyone and so we've got a long way to go, but most of us fellowship with somebody, different people with different people, that we relate to.

Shouldn't we be able to fellowship with everyone? Well yes, but it's a growth thing as we grow in confidence with different people. The important thing is that perhaps our circle of people to whom we relate grows bigger in the church. That's what we can be aiming for with God's help.