MESSAGES
May 2019
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Fear Not
The Present Reality of God's Kingdom
Leston Blackburn, May 5th
David Gleaves, May 12th
Isaiah 41:10-13 (ESV) – “10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” What comforting words these are – even to us today. Can you think of a time in your life, a situation where these words came to mind and brought great comfort and renewed hope to you? can. Of course, we can read these words often without understanding the original story in which they were first given. These inspiring verses come from the book of Isaiah, the forty-first chapter. It was written at a time of great national upheaval. In fact, verse one speaks of a time of great judgment. But just as God brought hope and healing to what appeared to be an insurmountable situation, so He still does the same in the lives of millions today. Join as us we explore this wonderful reality.
Life in Christ is not merely about being rescued from this place (earth) and taken to a better place (heaven). This is not what life in the Spirit was designed to be. Just as God moved from tent to temple in the Old Testament, so a new reality has been forged through Christ which gives life in the Spirit meaning here and now.
Join David as he explores this fascinating topic, concluding that the Gospel is not a lifeboat to save us, but more like a landing craft to storm the beaches. The kingdom of God is not merely a future promise, but a present reality.
The Purpose of Eternal Life
The Centrality of Love
Leston Blackburn, May 19th
Leston Blackburn, May 26th
We glimpse for the very first time, eternal life through the life and ministry of Christ on earth. If you want to know what eternal life looks like, what Father God promises to restore to us, look at Jesus! But why? To what end? What is the primary purpose of doing this? Why does Jesus bring the possibility of eternal life back to humankind? Some could say that the main purpose of eternal life is salvation. God wants us saved from eternal separation and brought into heaven, into the fullness of His kingdom. But salvation is actually so much more than that. Others would say that the purpose of eternal life is to take death out of the equation. And indeed, even though we still die physically, the Bible teaches that we do continue to live eternally. But eternal life is not merely an insurance policy for a new kind of life that begins after death.So what then is the main purpose, then, of eternal life?
True Christianity, as modelled by Christ, when lived out by His people, is contagious. It is God’s leaven leavening the whole lump, one house at a time.John’s epistle is a wonderful case in point. He captures what Jesus taught and what Paul so eloquently elaborated on, when he writes about the love of God being the measure of true Christianity, especially when it is put on display for all to see through the simple acts of love and kindness evidenced in the lives of His children.
The apostle John speaks about the centrality of love. He makes it patently clear that love is essential – it is both the outflow and overflow of a life immersed in God. Love, John says, true God-love, IS the measure of authentic Christianity.
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