Surviving the Winter: I Am the Way the Truth and the Life

 

Outline of Online Service 30^th August 2020

Surviving the Winter: Metaphors of Jesus Christ - The Way, the Truth and the Life John 14:6

Psalm 119:33-40 – The Lord is My Way

Hymn 129:  A Way of Life

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     God is I AM:  Exodus 3:1-8, 11-17

·     The Offered Lifestyle:  Deut. 30:1-6, 15-20

·     Jesus said I am The Way, the Truth and the Life:  John 14:1-7

·     The Author and Finisher:  Hebrews 12:1-3, 18-29

Hymn 20:  Listen for God’s Voice

·        When God called Moses to deliver Israel from bondage (winter) He said He was I AM that I am –a Being without limitation – Everything!

·        God showed Israel a Way, through revealing His Truth, that would lead to Life, but it was not in their hearts to obey Him (Deut 30:14)

·        Jesus Christ made 7 “I am” statements (metaphors) in the Gospel of John

·        He showed us the Way we should follow in our daily lives, the Truths we should think, and the purpose of our Life in this world

·        Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant (Heb 12:24) and shows us how to draw closer to God through our hearts being right with Him

·     Let us each ask God to cleanse our hearts, and to follow Him wholly in spirit and soul and body as we wait for the Promised return of Jesus Christ

Hymn 51:  The Spirit of Truth

Doxology

 

Surviving the Winter: The Light of the World

Outline of Online Service 9^th August 2020

Surviving the Winter: Metaphors of Jesus Christ - The Light of the World John 8:12

Psalm 27:1-5, 13-14 – The Lord is My Light

Hymn 35:  Pictures Filled with Light

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     A Light to Lead His People:  Exodus 13:17-22

·     A Hidden Light Within:  Judges 7:1-3, 7-8, 16-23

·     The Light of Life:  Luke 11:33-36

·     Jesus Christ - the Light of the World:  John 8:12-20

·     Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God:  2 Cor 4:1-7

Hymn 81:  Light Illuminates Understanding

·        When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt He led them by a cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire for a light by night

·        Jesus Christ proclaimed that He was the Light of the World and if we follow Him, He will show us the way out of “winter” and lead us to things of God

·     As God let the Light shine out of darkness on the First Day, in this Day He will give us understanding of His Plan to deliver us from evil

·     Like Gideon’s pitchers, Paul confirmed that we have the potential to have this light (God’s Spirit) within our “earthen vessels” (our bodies) and be preserved in spirit and soul and body until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hymn 79:  The Light of Life

Doxology

Surviving the Winter: I am the Vine

Outline of Online Service 26^th July 2020

Surviving the Winter: I am the Vine  John 15:5

 

Choruses :         How Great is Our God

There is a Redeemer

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     Israel - The Noble Vine   Jeremiah 2: 5-25

 

·     Jesus Christ - The True Vine   John 15: 1-17

 

Hymn 47:  Abide in My Love

·  Jesus used many agricultural metaphors about sheep and shepherds, vineyards and vine dressers.

·  What can we learn about grafting?

·  The nation of Israel being 'planted' as a noble vine - What happened?

·  In this metaphor Jesus said He is “the true vine” – how do we become His branches?

·   The Israelites of old did not 'abide' in the vine. How can we 'abide' in Him and what does it mean?  

Hymn 96:  Great Shepherd of Thine Israel

Surviving the Winter: Jesus Christ the Bread of Life

Outline of Online Service 12^th July 2020

Surviving the Winter: The Bread of Life  John 6:48

Psalm 111:1-6 – He gives Food to them that Fear Him

Hymn 100: Christ Jesus – the Living Bread

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     Manna from Heaven:  Exodus 16:2-4, 11-15, 35

·     Elisha’s Food Miracle:  2 Kings 4:38-44

·     Jesus Feeds the Multitude:  John 6:1-14

·     The Bread of Life:  John 6:30-35, 43-51

Hymn 142:  Manna to the Hungry Soul

·        We need food for sustenance, even more so in the Winter!

·        God will provide the needs for our “daily bread” as He did in both the Old and New Testament times

·        However, we also need “spiritual bread” to develop our faith in God, and to maintain our desire to follow Him

·     In a metaphor Jesus said He is “the Bread of Life” – if we believe in Him and follow Him in our everyday life, we eat of this Bread

·     Jesus went on to confirm that, not as the Israelites of old who ate the manna and later died, “he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever”

·        Let us seek to be of those who will eat of this Bread, and being alive at the return of Jesus Christ to this earth, will live for ever, and be changed from mortal to immortal beings.

Hymn 32 – Tune 34:  The Sweet Taste of God’s Word

Doxology

Surviving the Winter: The Water of Life

Outline of Online Service 14^th June 2020

Surviving the Winter: The Water of Life  John 4:14

Psalm 1:1-6 – Water for the Godly

Hymn 68: Come to the Living Water

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     Water from the Rock:  Numbers 20:2-13

·     The Living Water:  Isaiah 55:1-5

·     The Spiritual Rock:  1 Corinthians 10:1-5

·     Jesus at the Well:  John 4:1-14

·     The Water of Life:  Revelation 22:1-6

Hymn 21 – Tune 6: Seek Refreshing Water

·        When Israel were thirsty in the Wilderness God provided them with water from a Rock

·     Paul explained that the Rock was a figure of Christ, God’s Spirit, which always guides and guards those who trust in Him

·     The Bible contains many references to the metaphor of water being God’s Spirit to sustain His people as they wait for His promises to be fulfilled

·        Jesus said that this Spirit would produce a well of life within believers

·        Now we drink and thirst again, but there is the promise that we will never thirst again - by being physically born of God and changed from mortal to immortal beings at Jesus Christ’s return 

Hymn 51:  The Spirit of Truth… is Come!

Doxology

The Promise of the Father: Power from God

Outline of Online Service 24^th May 2020

The Promise of the Father: Power from God John 14:26

Psalm 95:1-11 – Give Praises to God

Hymn 115:  God’s Love Conquers All….

The Lord’s Prayer   (Luke 11:2-4)

Bible Readings:

·     The Long Way Round:  Deuteronomy 1:1-3, 9-14

·     God’s Spirit Poured Out:  Numbers 11:24-30

·     The Holy Ghost Promised:  John 14:15-17, 22-31

·     Jerusalem for Whitsuntide!  Acts 20:13-16

Hymn 117: God Brings the Victory

·        Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years to undertake an eleven-day journey because they did not put their confidence in God

·     God’s Spirit rested on the Seventy Elders in a similar way to the Pentecost outpouring, but they did not receive the blessing because of the hardness of their hearts (Psalm 95:9-11)

·     Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Ghost to prepare the hearts of His people to want to be obedient to God’s commandments

·        As Whitsuntide approaches let each of us seek for the Power of Christ and the Holy Ghost to direct our hearts to seek to keep His Words

·        We believe we are living in the time when the promises of Jesus Christ’s return will be fulfilled, and those who are obediently waiting can hold the hope to be preserved in spirit and soul and body and be changed from mortal beings to put on immortality at that time. 

Hymn 90:  Living the Life

Doxology

The Journey: Passover to Penetecost or Easter to Whitsuntide

Outline of Online Service 26^th April 2020

The Journey: Passover to Pentecost or Easter to Whitsuntide Acts 3:21

Psalm 130 – Hope, and Wait for the Lord

Solo Item - with Guitar

Hymn 104:  God is Our Refuge….

The Lord’s Prayer from Luke 11:2-4

Bible Readings:

·     The Journey with Israel:  Exodus 13:17-22; 14:5-9, 13-20; 16:11-15; 19:1-6

·     Journey with the Risen Saviour:  Mark 16:9-20

·     The Journey Today:  Acts 3:18-21

Hymn 34: Walking with Jesus Christ

·        A lot happened to Israel in the first 50 days following the Passover, when they left Egypt, including:

§  They were led by a cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night, crossed the Red Sea on dry land, were fed by manna from heaven, were given water from a rock, God made a covenant with them to be His peculiar people, and they received the Ten Commandments around the “Day of Pentecost” (50^th day)

·     When journeying with Jesus, Easter was at Passover and Whitsuntide at Pentecost

·     Over this period, between the crucifixion and the “coming of the promise”, the Disciples moved from despair to power

·        As we travel from Easter to Whitsuntide let each of us seek to God to prepare us to be worthy of His promise of forgiveness, but also to send us the Power, through Christ and the Holy Ghost, to receive redemption of spirit and soul and body, and be kept alive until the return of Jesus Christ. 

Hymn 96:  Keep Going to the End!

Doxology