WOW Word 02 - Peace!

Alfie the WOWChurch cat brings you

a short teaching from the Bible about Peace!

All part of Partakers WOWDisciple!

The world we live in, wants peace! The world is unified around the concept of peace! However, the peace the world wants requires the manipulation of circumstances. God's peace, and peace with God, however, comes regardless of circumstances.

We look in this video at the following things!

• How can we define true Peace?
• Look at a short history of Peace!
• Look at peace with God, other people and with ourselves!
• How do we maintain peace within?

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In Memory

Come and spend 2 minutes in Memory of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes murdered on Tuesday 18th December while on duty...

May they rest in peace and rise in glory...

May the families and friends receive the peace, counsel, comfort and consolation of God...

Lord in your mercy,

hear our prayers and cries of our hearts...

Amen

You can read about them by clicking on the image below...

(Image copyright to BBC)

Sermon - Romans 1-3

A God of Salvation

Romans 1:16-17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed-a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 3:21-24

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Introduction

Paul in this letter is writing to Roman believers a synopsis of his beliefs, and to church leaders in Jerusalem where he would have to make an adequate explanation of himself. The language and concepts shared in these passages are that the Gospel of God is that salvation is for all who believe; righteousness of God; universality of both salvation and judgment; and that salvation and righteousness are available through faith. The adversative "But" in Romans 3:21 heralds the solution, but the text in between these verses highlights humanity's unrighteousness and need of God's righteousness.

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1. The Problem

"All have sinned" (Romans.3:23). Our inherent sinful nature of unrighteousness comes to all mankind from the first rebellion against God by Adam. To be with God eternally we need to be declared righteous, for unrighteousness cannot enter the holy and righteous presence of God. So for humanity, created in God's image (Genesis.1:26) to re-enter God's presence, each person needs to be declared righteous and thereby justified. Justification is the transformation from a condemned criminal to that of an heir awaiting a majestic legacy. If God doesn't punish unrighteousness, then God would have to destroy not only us, but also Himself. Holiness is an absolute attribute of God, which requires the punishment of any impurity or unrighteousness (that is sin), and if unrighteousness remained unpunished, God would cease to be God and we would cease to be human. Ergo, since the first rebellion God has had a Gospel plan to restore righteousness to man.

2. Initial Questions

2a. What is the Gospel plan?

The Gospel is one, which Paul is separated to according to his own words in Romans.1:1. Paul announces it is the power of God for the salvation of all in Romans 1:16. The Gospel is the good news that God has provided the means for rebellious humanity to be rescued from His wrath and judgment. The Gospel is a two-fold message: it is deliverance from the final judgment resulting from God's anger against sin and a crediting of righteousness upon sinful man. Not only will humanity be saved, but has been saved. This Gospel creates faith (Romans.1:16-17); brings life (Romans.1:16) and judgment (Romans.2:16)

2b. What is wrath?

When we think of wrath, it is usually of an uncontrollable rage or temper tantrum. God's wrath does not portray the human weaknesses of vindictiveness, or an uncontrolled pique. We can dismiss such ideas, since due to His forbearance, God's anger and judgment has been smouldering since the first rebellion of Adam and Eve. God's wrath invokes justice (Romans.2:5).

2c. What is righteousness?

There are three meanings to this key phrase of Paul's: "righteousness of God". Firstly, righteousness is an immutable characteristic of God, in that whether it is a righteousness that judges or a righteousness that saves, it is still God's righteousness. Secondly, that His righteousness demands God actively keeps the promises He has made. Thirdly, that His righteousness makes us righteous. So, who needs this righteousness?

3. God's Judgment

When we describe God's judgment, similarly there are three aspects to it, all of which give a total and clear picture. For God's judgment to only have one or two of these characteristics, would mean it was not the judgment of a holy God. God's judgment is inescapable, righteous and impartial.

3a. Inescapable

We are inherently self-righteously hypercritical of others. Paul tells us that this makes us hypocritical and we have no right to stand in condemnation over people, as what is common in all humanity is a universal sinfulness or separation from God (Romans.2:1). We set unachievable high standards for others and yet remarkably low standard for ourselves.

3b. Righteous

God will judge according to what each person has done (Romans.2:6). While we may be justified and declared righteous by faith, we will be judged based on the works we do, to earn rewards. Our faith is to be supported by good works (Galatians.5:6; James.2:18). Paul here shows two destinies. Eternal life, glory, honour, peace and immortality for those who enduringly desire to perform good works (Romans.2:7,10). Juxtaposed to this are the self-indulgent and disobedient who shall incur God's indignation, wrath and righteous judgment (Romans.2:8-9).

3c. Impartial

God shows no favouritism (Romans.2:11), so whether Jew or Gentile, both can be saved and be declared righteous. God is eternally just and righteous. It is a reflection of His mercy, that nobody can claim God is unfair.

4. All have sinned and need God's righteousness

4a. The Gentile is in need

Gentiles, non-Jews, require this righteousness of God. Unrighteousness is universally endemic as all humankind has rebelled, "fallen short of God's glory" (Romans.3:23) which has been passed down since the original sin in Genesis. Whilst God has given the Jew the Law, how has God revealed Himself to the Gentile? He has revealed Himself and His invisible attributes, fully to all humanity through their individual conscience (Romans.1:19) and His creation (Romans.1:20). In Christ, God has now revealed Himself fully in visible form (Colossians.1:15-17) so that humanity has even less of an excuse not to worship God, follow Him and be obedient to Him. Whether it is through ignorance they did not glorify Him (Romans.1:21); through foolish wisdom (Romans.1:22) or self-indulgence (Romans.1:25); God allowed man free will and gave them over to their desires (Romans.1:26, 28). This is viewed in non-heterosexual practices (Romans.1:26-27) being viewed as an abasement and denial of God. It is noticeable also through idolatrous attitudes and actions. Humanity began as creations' pinnacle but ended up beneath creation when man started worshipping creation instead of the Creator (Romans.1:23). Gentiles are without excuse (Romans.1:20) and their actions decree their eternal destiny. Having suppressed God, God thereby debased man's mind to all kinds of wickedness (Romans.1:28) so that humankinds temporal pleasure may be appeased, and of which, are still in evidence today.

4b. The Jew is in need

Jews had the Law and boasted in it (Romans.2:23). However, possession of the Law was of no consequence to God and Paul claims it is practicing the Law, which matters. Their religion was an external action but not an internal attitude. Jesus' regular denunciation of the Pharisees reflects this. Adultery, robbery and idolatry (Romans.2:21) were perfectly possible for a Jew to commit secretly according to the Sermon on the Mount. Instead of being God's light to the nations, Jews were dishonouring God (Romans.2:24; Isaiah.52:5). Packer in his book "Knowing God" reflects: "The Law cannot save us, for its only effect is to stimulate sin and shows us how far short we fall from God's righteousness."

If not the Law, then surely through circumcision a Jew will be declared righteous! After all, the circumcision is the mark of God's covenant with Israel (Genesis.17). Again, Paul says no. Circumcision avails nothing if the Law is not kept (Romans.2:25). An uncircumcised Gentile who keeps the law is more acceptable to God than a circumcised Jew who breaks the Law. A Jew is one who inwardly experiences God, not one who exhibits external worship alone (Romans.2:28-29).

Paul continues. All humanity has rebelled against God, both Jew and Gentile. Paul cites Old Testament verses to back his claims that all men are unrighteous before God's wrath (Romans.3:10-18). There are no excuses. Just like the excuses we come up for when caught speeding in our cars.

5. Salvation for all

5a. Revealed for all who believe by faith

All people are under God's wrath and are therefore condemned. This wrath, Carson writes is brough forth by universal human wickedness". We are in need both of rescue and to be justified before God. Paul, continuing with the adversative "But now" (Romans.3:21), explains that God has also provided us with a righteousness that is available immediately so that we may be saved from His wrath. The Law as we have seen condemns any who do not keep it. Yet combined with the Prophets, the Law bears witness to this righteousness. How do we achieve this justification? Faith, succinctly described by JI Packer in "Knowing God", reminds us, "is a self-abandoning trust in the person and work of Jesus." By exhibiting faith in Jesus, as it is due to him, we have been declared righteous and have a legal status of being justified, if we choose it. Can we earn it? We have seen how both Gentile and Jew have failed in trying to achieve salvation (Romans.3:23). Nevertheless, we need to believe in order to receive the righteousness we have asked for. This grace (Romans.3:24) declares believers "righteous at the beginning of their course, not at the end of it". This gift, which is free, enables believers to be justified through the act of redemption (Romans.3:24).

5b. God's Wrath Propitiated through Redemption.

Redemption implies ransom. It is the purchase of a slave, simply to set that slave free. It involves a ransom payment. God's grace pays God's justice on our behalf so that righteousness can be declared. God's grace is the origin of our justification. This redemption, results from God the Father presenting Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to appease His wrath. Our redemption involved the death of Jesus as our payment. God's righteous wrath now averted and appeased through this act of propitiation, means we are therefore liberated as a demonstration of His righteousness (Romans.3:25-26). All humanity are slaves or prisoners to sin (Romans.3:9), and it is from this slavery the Gospel declares we have been delivered. The full consequences of this redemption will not be experienced until we have overcome and persevered to gain our eternal inheritance (Romans.8:23-25).

Conclusion

Is there any difference today? People are still blasé and ignorant of God, having suppressed the truth. People still declare that the existance of God cannot be proven by rational science and advanced knowledge. People are still both hypercritical of others and therefore hypocrites. It is to this world, we are to apply our theology. This gospel of salvation, which justifies us in order to declare us righteous, thus sparing us from God's condemnatory wrath, is the one we are to use to spread the good news, that God's righteousness is free by faith, to all who humble themselves, admit their guilt and ‘lost-ness' and ask God for forgiveness.

For those who would already call themselves a Christian, you are to tell others about this salvation and you are to serve Him, where ever you are and where ever you go! Jesus is the one you are following and its on His terms alone that you are His disciple. If you view Him as a superhero, somebody who you call upon only when you need something or even as your boyfriend, then beware: Jesus will not be mocked - He wants all aspects of your life to be submitted to Him!

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who defied Hitler, wrote these words "When Jesus Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Jesus Christ, nor is it hero worship, but intimacy with Christ." Want to be intimate with Jesus Christ? Worship him alone and exhibit your faith to all you come into contact with! Too often Christians and churches side with the rights of the powerful and elite, while forgetting the poor, oppressed and marginalised. Too often Christians and churches neglect to feed the hungry, seek justice for the oppressed and help the poor. There are enough Christians and churches in the UK to make significant positive change to their local communities. Too often Christians sit around on their backsides discussing good theology while in that same community people die of loneliness & neglect.

You say you have faith in Jesus Christ and are dedicated to Him! Good! Then show it and this community will be transformed to the glory and praise of Jesus Christ! Go tell somebody this good news of Jesus Christ. Won't you go tell somebody this very day, this week, this message of salvation? Salvation, as a free gift and available to all who ask, because nobody can earn it or buy it. The price has already been paid - by Jesus Christ alone on a Roman cross two thousand years ago. If you ever hear people say Dave Roberts has died, tell them that is false. Tell them Dave Roberts is now more alive than ever before.

For those who would not yet call themselves Christian, you need to bow your knee before Almighty God. If you want to turn to God there is no need for delay. He is ready and willing to take you as His own right now. You only have to ask Him to forgive you and to give you help on the journey ahead. It is a partnership between God and yourself. When you place your faith in Jesus, becoming utterly dependent upon Him, you turn to God. You don't need to do or change anything to become a follower of Jesus!

However once you have made that decision, you leave behind your spiritual isolation and rebellion against Him. As you live each day, becoming more involved with Jesus day by day, you will find yourself changing. You will stop doing those things that separated you from Him. You will find yourself doing things that please Jesus and develop your relationship with Him. God asks that you accept his guidance and management of your life. His point of view and His strength become your point of view and your source of strength. You turn your mind, will and heart to Him for all you do.

If you want to become a Christian there are three simple steps to follow. Firstly, admit that you have done wrong against God and His ways. Secondly, believe and trust in Jesus. Call on Him, receive, trust, obey and worship Him, recognizing Him for who He is and what He has done. Lastly, confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Once sin has been confessed, and Jesus is believed in and trusted as Saviour, then you are a Christian. Now you are ready as Peter writes in the Bible, "to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." ⁷ Welcome to the family of God. God has chosen you; Jesus has paid for you and has put His mark within you through His Spirit. Come and talk to one of us after our final hymn! Lets pray.

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Tale of 4 People...

 

Which of these four people,

 are you most like?

Let me tell you a story... A story of four people, all of whom, would say they were Christians but in reality, only one of the them is a genuine Disciple of Jesus Christ!

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WOW Word - Sanctified

...you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

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Prayer of Anger

A Prayer of Anger - Psalm 94

(Reposted on July 25, 2012 - in memory and response to the events and aftermath of the killings in Aurora, Colorado on July 20th, 2012 . A lot of people are still seemingly angry...)

I believe that I would be right in saying that most of us here have prayed. Whether in joy and happiness; or in sadness and grief; in need or in want; in praise or in worship or in confessing sin, or in other ways we have prayed. But how many of us have prayed in anger, following the example of the writer of Psalm 94. Have any of us prayed out of anger to a God who is a judge? Have we cried out in anger to a God who punishes evil? By anger I do not mean that short burst of temper when something happens to us against our will. The kind of anger that rises when somebody does something against you, and you retaliate against them.

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No, the type of anger I am talking about is the anger we should feel inside us that occurs when we see injustice being done; when we see sin being done to assist in the systematic abuse of other people. The sort of anger that the church should have felt in Germany during the 2nd World War when the creatures of the Nazi regime held mock trials of so-called criminals such people as Dietrich Bonhoeffer for opposing the ungodly views of the state.

The type of anger we should feel when we face today on our television screens when we see the pictures of the innocent victims of war in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Iraq or any region where people abuse people for the sake of their own power and glory. The sort of anger that should make us cry tears of sadness and humility when faced with the utter poverty of the families living on the streets in the cities of the world such as New Delhi, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paolo. George Bernard Shaw once described poverty as the greatest of crimes. That deep seated anger that should be amongst us as Christians when we see the oppressed and the poor being used and abused by those who are in positions of power to help them. We are all quite comfortable with the God of Psalm 93, the God of majesty, strength and magnificence who is from everlasting to everlasting. The God who is mightier than the greatest seas! The God whose glorious holiness covers his house eternally! 

Yet something, somehow, makes us uncomfortable about praying to God for justice. Perhaps our view of God is too small. For sure our God is a God of mercy but he is also a God of justice. Our God is a God of love, but He is also a God of wrath. His written word affirms all these things. So the writer of the Psalm calls and prays to God for justice to be done. That He, the judging God might be glorified. Has the writer made this up? No, because God has described Himself as Judge and Avenger (Genesis 18:25; Deut 32:35). How many of us here, have prayed for justice to be done? Perhaps we should pray on occasion for burden of injustice to be lifted off the poor and oppressed peoples of this world. But, before we go any further on this thought, let us consider together 3 things about Psalm 94.

1. Whom is the writer praying to (Vs. 1-3)?

The obvious answer to this question is God. But what sort of God is He? Let's look at all the various descriptions given to us about God in this Psalm. A God who avenges (v. 1). To avenge is to seek revenge on behalf of somebody else. Here God is asked to avenge for the poor and innocent against the wicked and guilty people A God who judges (v. 2). To judge is to decide which is right and which is wrong. Here God is asked to judge the wicked and guilty people for their wrong doing. A God who created and creates (v. 9), disciplines (vs. 10, 12); teaches (vs. 10, 12). A God who knows all things (v. 11) through omniscience. A God who relieves (vs. 13), assists (vs. 14, 17, 18), loves (vs. 18) and supports (vs. 18). He is a God who consoles (vs. 19), and who is incorruptible (vs. 20). A God who is strong and dependable (vs. 22) and a God who is a refuge (vs. 22). But he is also a God who repays and destroys (vs. 23) evil men for their wickedness. Is your vision of God still too small?

2. Why is the writer praying (Vs. 4-7)?

The writer js praying because he has seen the wickedness of mankind and has a deep inner anger against the brutality and evil deeds of the wicked. These people may not be foreigners, since many Jewish leaders were also brutal, for example the evil King Manasseh or the cynics of Isaiah (Is. 5: 18ff). What sort of things are these evil people doing, and what sort of people are they? Arrogant and boastful (vs. 4), crushing (vs, 5), oppressing (vs. 5), slaying widows and foreigners (vs. 6) murdering orphans (vs. 6).

The people who do this sort of thing are the object of the writer's anger. They are not only content to do evil deeds, but also add hard speeches, boasting, threatening and insulting the saints of God. The insults are used so often that they become a natural part of the language. That is the idea behind the phrase "pour out" in vs. 4. Words often wound more than swords, they are as hard to the heart as stones are to the flesh; and they are poured out by the ungodly against the godly. According to verse 4, they even talk to themselves, and of themselves, in spiritual arrogance, as if they were doing some good deed in crushing the poor and killing the widows, orphans and foreigners. Their error is that they believe that God cannot see their doings, and even if He could see, He wouldn't do anything about it any way. 

These evil people, who grind the people of God with oppression, crush them with contempt claim that God cannot see them, and so therefore reason that there is nothing to stop them from doing their evil works. There is no limit to the pride and arrogance of these wicked people, as they have lost their senses (vs. 8 ) and lost all common sense. It is natural for them to boast, just as it is natural for godly men to practice humility. The God of Jacob heard him and led him throughout his life and said concerning Jacob "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm", yet these proud and arrogant people proclaim boldly that God neither sees nor knows what we do.

It is true that those whom God will destroy, He leaves to the madness of their corrupt hearts. What is God going to do? In verse 14, is the answer to verse 5. The Lord has not rejected his own people. He has not forsaken those who are his. To do this, would go against God's very nature. As his inheritance, God has marked out all those who are his saints. God takes a peculiar interest in their well being and delights in them; He has an eternal covenant with them. I will be your God, and you will be my people. Will God not defend his people? In verse 14, we have the answer!! The Lord will not withdraw His love or leave people totally on their own against the evil persecutors. For a little while, He may leave them with the design to benefit them, yet he will never utterly destroy them. He will discipline His people, but never destroy them.

In vs. 15, the great Judge will come, the reign of righteousness will begin, justice will be done and then all the godly will rejoice. The vehicle of right will be driven down the streets of evil, and all those upright in heart will follow it in joyous procession. Are we as the people of God today, following the path of righteousness or are we trampling somehow on the poor and oppressed? Are we keeping silent when we should be speaking out? Some governments of this world, have for sometime been using their power to oppress, but the cry of this prayer will bring back righteousness to the throne of government, and then every upright heart will proclaim loudly with joy!

3. What is the writer praying (vs.8-23)

a) Help!!!! (vs 16-19). The writer is praying for God to judge injustice, and avenge the oppressed (vs. 2). But not only that, as he is also crying out for help (vs. 16). Who is going to rise up against the evildoers? He obviously needs help, and his friends are not there for him, so he calls out to God for help, The soul is safest and at rest, after calling all others to assist and no one comes, when total trust for help is upon God. Today the church sees error and evil coming into her, and faithful godly leaders seem to be a minimum, and fewer still are bold enough to stand up and defy the enemies of truth. Our great hope is that the God of the Bible is with us, and He will call out his champions to defend Him. 

Are you one of God's champions? Is your foot slipping, are you feeling weak at this moment in time and need help? Take courage, we feel our weakness, and see our danger, and in fear and trembling we cry out. Our inbred sin is dragging us down and we need help. God, in His supreme mercy and love, helps us and our joy is that His mercy endures forever, and is always available to help us in times of danger to support us. From my sinful and proud thoughts, my thoughts of sorrow, my cares, my conflicts, I will hurry to the Lord. This is a cry of the writer, yet are we the same? The Lord alone is consoling, and yet not only consoling but delighting in me. How sweet are the comforts of God the Comforter, the Holy Spirit? Who without feeling joy, can think about eternal love, trustworthy promises, the coming to earth of the Redeemer in Jesus Christ, the risen Saviour and his next coming again. The little world within us, that is full of confusion and strife becomes calm when we rely upon Jesus to say "Peace be with you!"

b) Can a corrupt throne be allied with you? God enters into no promises with those governments who are corrupt, and He gives no help to unrighteous laws. No assistance does He give. They might legalize robbery and violence and then say in defense, it is the law of the land, yet it is still evil and wicked. No injustice is permanent, for God will not set His seal upon it, nor have any fellowship with it, and therefore one day it will fall. An example of this was the slaughter of the Jews during the 2nd World War. The German church in general, allied itself along with the laws and decrees of Hitler, and changed its theology to that of white supremacy. We all know that the plans of the Nazis failed. Or take for example South Africa, which up until recently had a policy of separating whites and others. For a long time the mainstream Church held as its theology that this was true. Since then, the walls of apartheid have fallen, and the church has confessed this sin to God. 

No evil regime lasts very long. The unrighteous join together, in order to attack the righteous. The guilty join each other to attack the innocent. No crime is too great for them. Yet there is good news. Let the ungodly join together, the Psalmist is not afraid, but sweetly sings that the rock upon which he stands his the Jehovah God, Yahweh who is his fortress and refuge. Firm is the rock of God's love, and in Him we go for shelter. He is indeed a tremendous lover.

As if in answer to his own question of verse 16, "Who will rise up for me against the wicked and evildoers", the final verse gives us an answer. The natural result of oppression, against the innocent, the poor, or the righteous is the total destruction of the ungodly. The great God who is judge, will repay their sins, and destroy their wickedness. While the bread and food they have stolen is in their mouth, God's wrath will slay them. God himself, visibly and noticeably, visits them and reveals His own power to them. To go over what we have seen so far. Firstly we have seen that God can be and indeed is both a lover and judge. Secondly we have seen the type of people that the writer faced in his battle against evil. He constantly called upon them to wake up and see sense, and repent of their sins before God destroys them. Thirdly we have seen that we should by faith, read the present in the light of the future, and end the song with a powerfully strong note.

So now what can we say in conclusion.

Firstly, our vision of God should not be too small. We need to acknowledge him as a great lover, but also as a terrifying Judge. Remember, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). To quote John Stott - "God is not at odds with himself, however much it may appear to us that he is. He is 'the God of Peace', of inner tranquility not turmoil. True we may find it difficult to hold in our minds simultaneously the images of God as the Judge who must punish evil-doers and of the Lover who must find a way to forgive them. Yet he is both, and at the same time."

Secondly, can we rightly pray, in the light of the New Testament, for the vengeance of God to come down against the ungodly? No, we cannot, for then we would be no better than those who do not know Him. The vengeance of God has already come down upon one man. One day his judgment will fall, and it is from this terrible event that this man is our deliverer. This man, the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross, for you and me and all our enemies, took upon Himself the full vengeance of God. He took the anger of God upon himself, so that no-one may face the judgment of God without first having the opportunity to turn to Jesus in repentance of sins. We should be praying for the governments of this world that abuse the widows, orphans and innocents of today, that they will see their errors and turn away from them. And not only that, we should pray that the members of these governments will turn to God in awe and wonder to worship Him. One day all men and women will be called upon before God to give an account of themselves to Him. If they do not know this Jesus as their Saviour, then God will cast them from His holy presence. We should also pray that godly men and women will become members of the governments of the world to help protect the innocent and the righteous, that leaders will be raised up, who know God personally to stop the abuse of the innocent.

Thirdly, even in the face of abuse and persecution, we should turn to the living God for comfort and help in our circumstances. Too often we rely on ourselves or others for strength in times of trouble. It is God alone who can help us, and it is God alone who will destroy the evil in the world. The judgment of evil, according to Psalms, is a time for universal rejoicing. Ps. 67:4; 96:12-13; Ps. 35:24. Let us rejoice together when good overcomes evil in this world. Finally, let us pray and cry out in anger against the suffering and evil in this world. And not only pray about it, but do something about it. We, as Christians, should be as light and salt to the world of darkness and evil. What will you and I do about being light and salt to a world where the innocent suffer, the widows and orphans are abandoned and murdered?

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Guidelines for a community in Digital Space

Guidelines

for a Community

in Digital Space

 

Community connections require guidelines...

This is a sample set of guidelines for churches or christian groups thinking of setting up a community online.

Any community, regardless of size, needs guidelines. Every community down through the ages has had them in one form or another. The same thing applies for those communities operating within Digital Space, particularly those covering a global geographical base. For any community located within Digital Space, there needs to be guidelines for both administrators and users. Without any guidelines, there would be anarchy in some form, even within communities setup by Christians. Here is a sample of what a set of guidelines could look like for use by a Christian community.

Guidelines for this community

It is our hope that this forum/community will be a place where we can serve, worship and discuss the Almighty God we love and serve, who is revealed in the Bible. As part of that, we are here to mutually encourage and enjoy the company of others on this site. This community hopefully will also act as both a hub and a haven.

Whilst being human, we acknowledge that over certain issues, there will be disagreements. We also acknowledge, that sometimes different people's personalities will clash. So, bearing this in mind, we ask that in all things you would remember that Jesus is to have the supremacy over all things. This is worked out in practice by loving God and loving each other. The moderators and administrators of this site will only intervene if absolutely necessary. If you need advice about how to handle a particular event on this forum, then please do send one of them a Private Message. It will be treated confidentially.

Yourself: Do try to be the same person in here as you would be with those offline. To do otherwise would be hypocrisy. You are also only allowed to have one identity, so please do not sign up pretending to be somebody else. That is deceitful and abusive. The only people allowed two identities are those who are administrators and they are clearly defined.

Privacy: What is said on this site, by any person, must remain on this site. Please do not copy or divulge information about another person anywhere else, without the express permission of that person. To do so, would be tantamount to gossiping.

Dialogue: People's opinions are just that: theirs! We come from different church traditions and denominations, and this is a great place to show that whilst we may differ in some areas, we are also united in acknowledging Jesus Christ who was fully God and fully human, and that He died, rose again and ascended to the right hand of the Father, so that all people everywhere may gain salvation.

Finally, this is not a conclusive list of guidelines for all scenarios of all time but rather a means of starting out as community.

What do you think? Let me know! Have a question? Ask away! We are all here to mutually encourage and help each other, as we await that glorious day when our Saviour returns...

Virtual Church 02 - Virtual Reality

Partake Virtual Church 02 – Virtual Reality

G’day and welcome to Partake Ministries. We continue our investigation into Virtual Church, and this week, briefly introduce Virtual Reality.

Since the advent of the Internet in 1957 and the subsequent arrival of the home Personal Computer and the World Wide Web (WWW), people have been using these tools for a myriad of reasons including research, education and communication.

With this increase of communication, it was not long until Internet communities were formed. These communities could be broken down into three kinds: subjective (people gathering with similar interests); objective (a gathering of people affected by similar interests); and defining authority (people gathering whose identity was formed by allegiance to a common authority). However, some critics dismiss the concept due to it being by definition, word-based and full of self-interest. Others argue that they can become closed and subjective. However, that is true of any kind of community – virtual or not. Juxtaposed to these concepts is the knowledge that technology is advancing with greater methods of interaction becoming available and global barriers collapsing which make communication and understanding between global citizens possible.

With these virtual communities came the world of ‘Virtual Reality’, to coexist with physical reality (all the properties of fundamental physics).

Virtual Reality, according to The New Penguin English Dictionary is “a computer-simulated environment with which a person can interact almost as if it were part of the real world.” This Internet, or Virtual Reality, is a model of social interaction, whereby time, space and body are transcended in which to form relationships. However, these relationships are not limited to the virtual world, but have some links to the world offline, in so far as they cannot be precisely divorced from each other due to the import of offline interest to a Virtual Reality. In doing this, people of similar interests, or enquiring after spiritual matters, are able to bring offline interests to the world of Virtual Reality. It is here that a virtual church can thrive, educate, inform and satisfy.

As the Church continues through the twenty-first century, and as technology marches inexorably onwards, a new kind of church has been birthed. This is a church that does not meet in a specific locale, but gathers in Virtual Reality. So - in our next study, we shall explore if God can interact with humans in a Virtual Reality Environment.

Thank you.

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Virtual Church 01 - Introduction

Partake Virtual Church 01 – Introduction

G’day and welcome to Partake Ministries. In this series, we will be investigating an exciting new kind of church. As the Church enters the twenty-first century, and as technology marches inexorably onwards, a new kind of church has been birthed. This is a church that does not meet in a specific locale, but gathers in what is called “Virtual Reality”.

Questions we will ask in this series are:

• What is Virtual Reality?


• Can God really interact within a Virtual Reality Environment?


• What is a Virtual Church?


• How does a Virtual Church function?


• What are the liabilities and virtues of a Virtual Church?


• Is this type of church part of the historical church?


• How can this technology be used so that Christians can be discipled in the twenty-first century and beyond?

Virtual Church is only just beginning in real terms and within the 2000 years of Church History. As technologies evolve and their use becomes ever increasingly widespread, the Church of Jesus Christ needs to adapt consistently, in order that it remains ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic’ body, constantly engaging in fellowship, worship, mission and bible teaching. By enabling those who are unable to get to traditional forms of church, whether for physical, psychological or geographical reasons, the Church needs to be open to all. Enabling isolated churches, isolated Christian communities and isolated individuals to meet in a Virtual Church, will lead to Jesus Christ who is the head of the church, being glorified. The Virtual Church will not supplant traditional local churches, but will rather harmonize with it. However, if a person can get to a traditional local church, then they probably should attend that church and be involved there as well as a Virtual Church. The Virtual Church is one part of the “one, holy catholic and apostolic church”. An exciting future lies ahead for the Universal Church, to which we continue to cry together “Come Lord Jesus Come”.

In the next of this series, we will look at a brief introduction to Virtual Reality. Thank you.

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At Ease by Milly Stegall George

I trust in hands I can not see
At first it wasn't easily
But with time and age I grew
To give my worries unto You
For in my hands I can't rely
My best of efforts is to try
But when I yield myself to you
You know exactly what to do
You exact Your will for me
And then my soul can rest at ease.

Sermon - Life Under the Apple Tree

Life Under the Apple Tree

(Song of Solomon 2:3-14)

Introduction

Please do open your bibles to the Song of Solomon! It can be found on page 679 in the Church Bibles. I of course don't know when you last read it, heard a talk about it or if you have ever read it or heard a talk about it! So, if you are in that category, it's a new thing for you! In my preparation, as I talked to other Christians about this book, I have found that some people are aghast at some of the very frank and provocative language used! But this should not stop us from reading it, studying it and learning from it. It is, after all, part of the Bible and therefore part of God's Written Word. Jesus Himself and the Disciples would have read this book at Passover time. It is a book that tells of the love of a woman (the Beloved) for a man, the man probably being Solomon. Different translations have different places where the beloved, the lover and others are actually speaking. But for ease of use tonight, we will use the guidelines of the church bibles, the New International Version. The Jews called it the Greatest Song of All Songs. Martin Luther called it the noblest of all songs! It is poetry that is full of love, romance and some say eroticism. Greater than Shakespeare's sonnets if you can believe that! Tonight, we are delving only into Chapter 2.

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Historically this book has been interpreted in 3 ways Firstly as a treatise on the joys of biblical sexual love; Secondly as an allegory for God's love for His people Israel; These two interpretations have great merit! However, some of you may be sad to know and others very happy to know, that I am going to concentrate principally on a third way that encompasses those two and that is seeing it as a picture of the immense love that exists between Jesus Christ for His church and its people, where the bridegroom is Jesus and His bride is the church. Paul highlights this relationship in his letter to the Ephesians. Before I forget, I should say that I am also aware of another difficulty, and that is that British men and Australian men have one thing in common - we are not very good at saying or doing things to do with love! We find it embarrassing and cumbersome. I don't know about South Africans or other nationalities though! So, hopefully with the help of the Holy Spirit, this may also make us become better men as well as feeding our minds and hearts about the love that exists between Jesus and the church!

The Beloved's Portrait of the Lover

(Song of Solomon 2:3-6)

This is the beloved's portrait of her lover, the bridegroom. He is an apple tree! Wives, have you ever called your husband an apple tree! And of course He is an apple tree, because this lover, this bridegroom provides her with shelter, protection and food. And she enjoys it. Delighting in being strengthened, refreshed and being in love. As he embraces her, she feels his compassion, his warmth, his love for her and his strength. How does that talk of Jesus and his love for the church, His people, His bride?

Jesus is the Bread of life

Three times in John 6, Jesus refers to Himself as the living bread. By this He meant that He was the only one who could satiate the appetite and yearning of every person's spirit. For those He was speaking to, bread was a basic staple food for living, just as it is for millions of people today. Jesus indicates when saying He is the bread of life, that He will supply all needs! Just as He said to the woman at the well in John 4v4, that whoever drinks His living water shall never again go spiritually thirsty. When Jesus referred to the manna in the desert (John 6v49) he talked of it being merely temporary, despite being a gift from God. He, however, as the true bread of life gives permanent satisfaction and life everlasting to all those who believe and follow Him (John 6v51)! But this bread He offers, has to be eaten; it has to be taken up by the person wanting spiritual life! If you are seeking spiritual nourishment, then ask! Have you eaten of this bread?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

Jesus is the great protector, the great Shepherd. It is through Jesus and Jesus Christ alone, that salvation and spiritual protection and is found and through Him alone as the door or the gate, that people are led safely and soundly into spiritual freedom, spiritual light and spiritual sustenance. Unlike others who come only to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus offers spiritual safety & nourishment. Jesus protects those whom He loves and who loves Him! Jesus does not just offer a way out, but also a way in! The security offered by Jesus is because He is always in close proximity to those who follow Him. Jesus calls all those who follow Him by name (John 10v3) and they know each other. Jesus is the great shepherd only through the sacrifice he must make for His sheep. Here Jesus is looking ahead to the sacrifice He makes on the Cross. The cross is referred to in the New Testament as the tree on which Jesus hung. His protective and nourishing love for all of humanity compels Him to make the ultimate sacrifice of His death on the tree. Just as all shepherds will endanger themselves for the protection and safety of their sheep, so too did Jesus endure the pain and suffering of the Cross, so that people can be led into the eternal safety of God's kingdom. It is in this role of shepherd, that Jesus exhibits true leadership, which is self-less and sacrificial.

I saw this week an example of a shepherd protecting his flock. It was up near Crowe and I was driving back from Burley, and there were a flock of sheep on one side of the road and the shepherd on the other. He was on a bicycle and the sheep were looking at him for directions! His sheep knew him and were looking to him and he was protecting them from being run over by a maniac in a green Fiesta! Are you looking to the great shepherd, Jesus Christ for safety, protection and guidance?

These are just two examples of Jesus himself saying He protects, nourishes, gives shelter and loves. Many more examples can be found in the Gospels. Just as there is only one lover for this woman, there is only one Saviour for the world. Jesus does not say I am a true vine; a way, a truth and a life. He does not say I am a door to life, just as He does not say I am a shepherd, a door, a light or a bread of life. No - Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the only life. Jesus is the one great shepherd and the only door to life. Jesus is the only light of the world and the only true bread of life. Jesus is the apple tree, and calls everyone to partake of the nourishment and shelter only He can provide.

The Beloved Encourages Others about the Lover

(Song of Solomon 2:7-9)

Read verses 7-9 Here now, the beloved addresses her friends and other people, not be impatient! These women were being persuaded by the beloved not to engage in sexual love until their marriage! Who were they? We don't know! But we do know from the rest of Scripture that sexual love is only for those in a committed monogamous marriage between a man and a woman. Sexual union, between a man and a woman in a committed married relationship, is a picture of the union of God and His people - that's why adultery and sexual immorality is also idolatry. Then the Beloved calls out "Listen! Look" Here he comes! She is expecting him to arrive at any time! The Beloved is waiting for her lover! She has a glimpse of Him but is waiting for His bodily presence with her. Is this not a picture of us, as the church awaiting Jesus Christ to come again? Before Jesus ascended into the clouds, He said He would be coming again! Not as a little baby next time, but coming from the clouds in great glory, honour, jubilation and exaltation! Nobody knows when that will be! There are hints in the Bible, but they are only hints! We are to wait expectantly and to live lives that are worthy of Him now, as we partake of righteousness and wait for Jesus to come again.

When ever Youngmi and I go together to London, we meet up with old friends. Last time, it was a blast! We had a banquet, and there were 9 adults and 6 kids in our favourite Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown. We have all known each other for over 14 years now. One person wasn't there though. When we were walking and talker later on, two of my friends, individually of each other, told me about John. John has recently remarried and he and his new wife have been trying for the last few years for a baby. They showed me the messages they have received from him. It transpires he is giving up God, as he calls it, over this issue of not having the baby. My friends asked my advice. I said, to keep on encouraging, letting John know that while he may have let go of Jesus, Jesus has not let go of him or his wife. I also suggested that there are probably deeper issues as well, that John is not talking about. So my friends are going to continue encouraging John and uplifting him in prayer to the One who won't let go.

So be encouraged! Don't give up! Encourage others who may be struggling. See and remember what the Lover is like! Be encouraged! Keep going! As Christians, if you are one here tonight, you are to bear fruit by remaining close to Jesus, as He is the vine and we are the branches. And why are we as Christians to bear fruit? As a means of bringing glory to God the Father (John 15v8). Be encouraged and be encouragers of others.

Lover is like no other and wants to hear your voice.

(Song of Solomon 2:10-15)

The beloved speaks of the lover's voice. (Read v10-13) Then finally we hear the voice of the lover! (Read v14-15) Ever felt like God is far away? Well you aren't alone! It is an experience that is common to all Christians, at some point or another. I know I have experienced that in the past. But I also know from personal experience, that Jesus always comes through in difficult times. Although He may not come in the time I think He should come, because He knows when I need Him most. This woman, the beloved, is so expectant of the Lover's arrival she can hear his voice, his tender words! He is calling her to Himself!

Jesus Christ is also calling you, to Himself! He wants you to be a partaker of the good news about Him. He wants you to be part of His family, the church. He is ever calling, ever beckoning people to enter into relationship with Him. His love for the church is indicative of verse 13, where he calls the beloved His beautiful bride. That is the church - warts and all - is His bride! By faith, He will see you through - Remember in the Gospels, when the disciples were in the storm and Jesus came to them walking on the water. Remember Jesus saying "Come" and Peter went to Him. This must have encouraged the other disciples, for upon seeing Jesus' power they worshipped him. Whatever troubles you are undergoing are temporary, and Jesus will see you through.

Jesus is praying for you, will come to you, grow you and help you through troubles. By being obedient to God, you are encouraging others by showing your salvation and showing that faith is not blind, but active! Jesus wants to hear your voice talking to him... Not just for half hour in the morning but all day long. We are to yearn to talk to Him and for Him to talk to us. Prayer is a 24 hour communication exercise. Prayer, according to the Church Father Augustine, is a constant yearning for assistance and strengthening of desire towards the ultimate goal - eternal happiness and worship and knowledge of God. God Himself assists as we pray: by correcting and strengthening the yearnings. Prayers express desires and thoughts in a contributory way to the journey we are on. That means tell Jesus how you are feeling, both in the good and the hard times. Tell Him of your wants, your needs and all your cares.. Let His arms surround you! To him your voice is sweet and dulcet. Your face to Him is a delight. Seek him! Ask him! Talk to him! This is how you are spiritually energized! When you talk to God, you strengthen your relationship with Him! When you and I ask others to pray for us, Church unity is strengthened!

Recap!

So, how do we recapitulate. In this chapter, we firstly saw together the Beloved's portrait of the lover and how He feeds, nourishes protects and shelters her. We see this as an encompassing picture of Jesus and His love for His people, the Church. Then we saw how the Beloved lady encouraged others to wait and see this tremendous Lover. That is why we encourage one another and spur one another on as we see the day approaching when our bridegroom, Jesus Christ comes again in glory! Then lastly we saw how the bridegroom loves to hear the voice of the Beloved and gaze into her face. Jesus Christ, the great lover and bridegroom, loves to hear our voices as we express our love, gratitude, cares, worries and feelings to Him.

Conclusion

And what, in conclusion, do we do with all this? Jesus is the only nourisher, protector and feeder. Jesus Christ, the apple tree, provides for all your needs, your nourishment, gives you strength, protects and comforts. I don't know what situation you are in at the moment. This credit crunch, this economic crisis is affecting everybody. I guess there are probably three kinds of people here tonight.

Firstly, there will be those who do not know this Jesus Christ personally. Please, do not leave here tonight without asking one of the leaders or your friends here, about how you can get to know more about this Jesus. The time is short, the waiting for Jesus to come again grows ever shorter, and when He does come again, the time will be too late to change your mind.

Secondly, if you are in need of some love, some protection, some nourishment, then don't leave without having prayed with somebody or letting one of the leaders know of your needs. As Jesus Himself said, "Ask, Seek and Knock!" Jesus Christ is making intercessions for you, as He knows. He feels your cares and your worries, and knows what you are going through.

Finally, if you are not in either of those situations yourself, you will know somebody who is. Therefore go and encourage those you know who are struggling and are in need of protection and comfort. This week, go and tell the good news of Jesus Christ to somebody who doesn't know Jesus personally.

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Ruth's Obedience

The Obedience Of Ruth

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Ruth 1v16-18 - ¹⁶ But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." ¹⁸ When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

There are perhaps two reasons why we study about people in the Bible - to learn how not to do some things like being deceitful, and how to do the right things like this mornings example of Ruth. So this morning we are going to look together at the book of Ruth and discover who Ruth was, what is her story and how we can learn from her as we seek to live a godly and righteous life in Britain in 2009. Tonight we will be looking at the character of Rachel and how she fits into salvation history and how we can learn lessons from her. But on with this morning and Ruth!

Perhaps the key verses for the book of Ruth, which would help us summarise this short story are as we read in Ruth 1v15-18:

The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself. Shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless.

4 Aspects of Ruth's Obedience

1. WOW! obedience.

2. Witness in obedience.

3. Wholeness of obedience.

4. Worship by Obedience.

Conclusion

Let us ask God to work in us, changing our weak attempts at obedience into acts of divine worship. We find delight in serving the Lord, instead of indulging in resentment over sinful leaders. The result will be inner freedom and release from bitterness, and also a powerful story to those in authority and to onlookers as well. Just as too Ruth's obedience of Naomi, moved Boaz and all Bethlehem, the Holy Spirit will enable us move others (Colossians 3:23-24). While we obey others we can joyfully remember that it is God alone who is worthy of complete obedience. When our confidence in Him is reflected in our submission to others we become living stories to our trust in God's perfect plan. If we follow the example of Ruth, perhaps someone will notice our stories and find the witness, the wholeness, and the worship in our lives of obedience and praise God because of us. And, remember this from 1 Samuel 15v22 "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."

So go from here and be obedient to our awesome and holy God! Through obedience to Him as revealed in Scripture, you will be growing and changing into the very likeness of Jesus Christ whom you follow. Through obedience, you will be able to enduring and be persistent in your Christian lifestyle and evangelism. So much so, that people will ask you for the reason for the hope you have and portray.

Finally, you may well be here tonight but are not yet a follower of Jesus Christ. If that is indeed you, please do not leave here tonight without making yourself known to one of the leaders, or to me, and we will gladly talk more about this Jesus to you.

Thank you.

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