Pure Water - the Water of Life

 

Outline of Service 30^th November 2025

Food and Health:  Pure Water – the Water of Life

… a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Hymn 68:  Drink of the Sweet River

 The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 1 – A Source of Water  (Catherine)

 Bible Readings:

·       Come All That Thirst:  Isaiah 55:1-5 – (Cheryl)

·       Water for Life: Isaiah 44:1-8 – (Betty)

·       Water From the Rock:  Numbers 20:2-13 – (David)

·       The Water of Life: Revelation 22:1-6, 17 – (Heather)

·       A Well Within: John 4:7-15, 7:37-43 – (Roslyn)

Summary of Readings

§   We all know that water is essential for life, and that after drinking we thirst again, and need to drink again

§   We need water “on the outside” to provide food to eat to keep us alive, but also “on the inside” to sustain our bodies

§   Isaiah explains that God provides all the water, and that the need for water is like the need of His Spirit to keep us alive – both outward and inward

§   Jesus Christ continued this analogy and explained that He was the water of life

§   The Bible promises that those who drink this water inwardly – and not just have it falling on them outwardly – have the hope to receive life of spirit and soul and body at His return.

 

Hymn 21 – Tune 13:  Thirsting for God in the Wilderness

Message

Hymn 51:  Drinking From the Spring

 

Doxology

Seeing God Around Us - Physic al Immortality

 

Outline of Service 23^rd November 2025

Food and Health:  Physical Immortality

- Numbers 13:30

 Hymn 125:  Lord, Send Thy Power and Thy Spirit

 

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 27:1-9 – Fear Not and Trust in God

 

Bible Readings:

·       The Command and the Curse: Genesis 2:15-18, 3:14-21

·       God’s Plan:  2 Esdras 7:46-59

·       Promised Release from Death:  Psalm 102:18-24

·       The Continuing Dilemma: Romans 7:7-25

·       Ultimate Fulfillment: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

 

Summary of Readings

§   Modern science tells us that our bodies are not built to last forever, and we would be lucky to expect our lifespan to exceed 140 years

§   But the Bible says that God created man to be physically and spiritually eternal, but physical death came as a consequence of the Fall

§   Paul talks of the struggle between the mind and the flesh

§   We believe that the Bible contains promises of eternal life of spirit, soul and body to those who are truly obedient to God’s commandments

§   This will be fulfilled when Jesus Christ returns, and the dead in Christ shall rise (incorruptible), and those who are alive and obedient to God will be changed from mortal to put on immortality.

 

Hymn 79:  The Light of Life

Message

Hymn 3:  God’s Great Events

 

Doxology

Numbers in the Bible - The Number Twelve

 

Seeing God Around Us:  The Number Twelve

Let us go up at once, and possess it  - Numbers 13:30

 Hymn 106: Worship God Together

 The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 95  – Sing Praises to the Lord

 Bible Readings:

·       The Twelve Tribes of Israel:  Genesis 42:25-35

·       The Apostles Sent Out:  Matthew 10:1-15

·       The Ultimate Combination of Twelves: Revelation 21:9-21

·       Spying Out the Land: Numbers 13:1-3, 17-20, 26-33

Summary of Readings

§   We all know of the number 12 – 12 months in a year, 12 Elements of Nature, and the age of 12 recognises a move from childhood to the Teenage stage of life

§   In the Bible 12 signifies completeness, God’s Power, and Divine Authority

§   Significant 12’s in the Bible include:

§   the12 Tribes of Israel,

§  the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and

§  the Twelve Foundations, Walls and Gates of the New Jerusalem

§   Twelve is used to signifies the perfection of The City, and also the completeness (perfection) of individuals when the 12 times 12,000 – 144,000 – will be perfected, and changed from mortal beings, to put on immortality

§   Just as the 12 spies were sent to spy out the Land, our spirits too have been sent to this “land” (world - and given a soul and body), to see if we will choose to let God conquer the evil within us, and not be influenced by worldly thinking

§   Is your attitude like the 10 who said this would be too hard, or like the 2 who wanted to accept God’s Promise to do this for them.

 

Hymn 73 – Tune 72:  Twelves in The City

Message

Hymn 132- Tune 66:  Dwelling In God’s City

Doxology

God is Light: Brighter Than the Sun

 

Outline of Service 28^th September 2025

God Is Light:  Brighter Than The Sun

… but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

Isaiah 60:19

 Hymn 123: A Fountain of Light

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 119:105-112 – God’s Word is Light

 Bible Readings:

·       Lamps, Lights, and Lighthouses:  Isaiah 60:1-5, 19-22

·       Light of Seven Perfect Days: Isaiah 30:18-26

·       Light Obscures Darkness:  John 1:1-18, 29-34

·       God Is The Light: Revelation 1:20, 4:5, 21:22-27

Summary of Readings

§   The Sun is the brightest object in our sky, but there are brighter objects in the Universe – just as God’s understanding is infinitely greater than we can imagine

§   The Moon gives off a bright light at night, but it is a reflection of light from the Sun – it does not have its own source of energy

§   A lamp shows us the way for our feet, a light shows us the way ahead, and a lighthouse shows us where to head towards – or where not to go – but If up close the light from the Lighthouse would blind us, we could not “comprehend” it!

§   Just as light puts out darkness, so evil cannot exist in God’s Presence; so whilst we can approach God spiritually in our present state, we would not be able to exist physically in His Presence

§   The light of the Moon is like salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, Christ’s righteousness is reflected in us , but the light of the Sun is like true obedience to God

§   Those within whom God physically removes the evil will be able to receive the light of life - full preservation of spirit and soul and body – and be able to stand physically as well as spiritually in God’s Presence, when Jesus Christ returns.

Hymn 9 – Tune 6:  The Plan, and Coming Changes

Message

Hymn 81:  A Light in the Darkness

Doxology

Lesser Known Places: The Lord's Vineyard

 

The Lord’s Vineyard

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel. Isaiah 5:7

 Hymn 104: God Is Our Refuge

 The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 1:1-6 – A Fruitful Plant

 Bible Readings:

·       The Lord’s Vineyard:  Isaiah 5:1-10

·       The Ravaged Vineyard: Psalm 80:8-19

·       The Restored Vineyard:  Isaiah 27:1-6

·       A Parable About The Lord’s Vineyard: Luke 20:9-19

·       The Hired Labourers:  Matthew 20:1-16

Summary of Readings

§   The Bible contains an analogy about Israel being God’s Vineyard, which is recorded in Isaiah chapter 5

§   The Psalmist describes in Psalm 80 how Israel has disregarded God, and the Vineyard has been ruined

§   Jesus tells a parable about how the Jews had disregarded the words of the Prophets about the Vineyard, and now want to kill the Owner’s Son

§   Jesus also told another parable about how all the workers in the vineyard will get the same wages --the salvation of their soul in the resurrection - no matter when or how long they had worked

§   God has promised to restore His Vineyard, and to bring forth good fruit in the lives of those who trust in Him, the 144,000 who will sit with the Lamb on Mount Zion, when Jesus Christ returns.-

Hymn 26:  All Things Made Anew

Message

Hymn 96:  Great Shepherd – Lead Us!

Doxology

Lesser Known Bible Places: Shiloh

 

Shiloh

and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Genesis 49:10

 Hymn 123: The Old Prophetic Fire

 The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

 Psalm 119:129-136: God Provides and Cares  

 Bible Readings:

·       The Tabernacle at Shiloh:  1 Samuel 1:1-11, 24

·       The Ark Taken from the Tabernacle: 1 Samuel 4:1-11; Jer 7:12

·       David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem: 2 Samuel 6:12-17

·       Jeroboam Moves Worship to Bethel: 1 Kings 11:34-6; 12:19-20, 25-33

·       Judah’s Blessing:  Genesis 49:8-12

·       The Tabernacle Returns:  Revelation 21:1-5

Summary of Readings

§   At the end of the journey through the Wilderness, Israel erected the Tabernacle at a place called Shiloh – today we are not sure where that actually was

§   The Tabernacle was where God met with His people, and the Ark of the Covenant was kept there; people came there to meet with God

§   After a defeat by the Philistines, the Israelites decided to take the Ark to war with them, as they thought that would give them God’s Power in their battles

§   Subsequently the Ark never returned to the Tabernacle, and historically we understand that later the city Shiloh was destroyed

§   When Jeroboam came to power as King over Israel – the Ten Tribe Kingdom – he chose to set up false gods at Bethel – not at Shiloh - for the people to worship

§   We read in Revelation that “the Tabernacle of God” will come down from Heaven at the time of the end, a figure of a “return to Shiloh”

§   As God’s name was put on Jerusalem (Galatians 4:26), so too we believe God’s Name is associated with Shiloh – the fulness of His Power that will be given to Israel

§   Israel (the people) will be gathered by “Shiloh”, and Shiloh will work a work of obedience in the 144,00, and they will be changed from mortal to immortal beings, and will enter God’s Kingdom without going through physical death.    

Hymn 66:  Here Is Shiloh – Long Expected  

Message

Hymn 83: The Redeemer Shall Come

Doxology

Ebed-melech

 

Outline of Service 27^th July 2025

Ebed-Melech

I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 39:17

 Hymn 105: Let us Thank and Praise God Together

The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 40:1-5:  Praise, Trust and Wait

 Bible Readings:

·       Ebed-Melech Saves Jeremiah:  Jeremiah 38:7-28; 39:15-18

·       Peter Delivered by an Angel:  Acts 12:1-10

·       Unwitting Helpers:  Matthew 25:31-46

 Summary of Readings

§   Jeremiah proclaimed God’s Word, but the Nobles of the Land did not like it, so they put him in a pit with “miry clay” at the bottom

§   Ebed-Melech was a “foreigner”, working in the King’s Court, who went to the King and pleaded for justice on Jeremiah’s behalf and was allowed to deliver Jeremiah out of the pit

§   God rewarded Ebed-Melech for his courage, faith and commitment to justice

§   Similarly, an Angel was sent by God to deliver Peter out of prison under exceptional circumstances

§   We today are in a pit designed by Satan to draw us away from God, but we seek to God to “deliver us from evil” and set our feet on the Rock (Christ)  

§   Jesus Christ will return to this earth and those who have been “released from the pit” will enter into God’s Kingdom with either a resurrected spiritual body, or through being preserved wholly in spirit and soul and body

§   Let us Praise God for the Promises He has made for those that obey Him.

 Hymn 115:  Trust in God’s Deliverance  

 Message

Hymn 51: Liberty Through Truth in Christ Jesus

Doxology