The Need and Provision for Reconciliation

 

Outline of Online Service 13^th December 2020

The Need and Provision for Reconciliation

 

Hymn 142:  Forgiveness, Healing and Restoration

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 130: Plenteous Redemption

Bible Readings:

·       Sacrifice Required for Disobedience:  Ezekiel 33:10-16

·       To Obey is Better than Sacrifice:  1 Samuel 15:1-25

·       Sin Exposed by the Law:  Romans 5:12-14, 7:7-10

·       The Perfect Sacrifice:  Hebrews 10:1-7

Hymn 101:  Pardoned Sin

·        As Bible Believers we accept the concept of an absolute right and wrong as outlined in the Scriptures; sin is transgression of God’s Law

·        Right is always right, and wrong is always wrong; right is never wrong and wrong is never right

·        In the Old Testament there was an elaborate process for sacrifices which were to be made for reconciliation with God because of disobedience

·        In the New Testament, Jesus came and became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world

·        Building on a foundation of reconciliation, obedience could transcend the need for forgiveness – but this is the standard of perfection

·        God has promised Power to remove the evil and overcome sin in a group of people in preparation for the Second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth.

Hymn 59:  Universal Reconciliation

Doxology

Enjoying Spring: Righteousness and Praise

 

Outline of Online Service 8^th November 2020

Enjoying Spring: Righteousness and Praise Isa. 61:11

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Hymn 119:  Join in Praising God

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 111: The Greatness of God

Bible Readings:

·       God Chooses Israel:  Exodus 19:1-9

·       A Seed Grows to Maturity:  Isaiah 61:1-11

·       The Fruit of Righteousness:  Luke 4:14-21

·       A Song of Praise:  Rev 14:1-5; 15:1-4

Hymn 96:  God Nurtures Israel

In Enjoying Spring we have:

o   Considered parallels between growing plants successfully and each of us growing in our Christian lives

o   We have seen that God’s Plan for this World is like a plant growing to maturity

·        In this session we look at how God chose Israel to be a special people, and planted seeds of hope which will mature in a relationship with Him 

·        In Jesus’ Sermon we see how God chooses different ways to show His might, compassion and love to the World at different times

·        God’s Power came on Jesus to extend salvation to all, but there is still a unique blessing to be fulfilled in Israel 

·        A remnant of the descendants of Israel will feel a call to obey God’s Laws and Commandments (righteousness), and in these Latter Days Praise Him as they wait to enter the Promised Land  - the life of spirit and soul and body - to be fulfilled at the return of Jesus Christ.

Hymn 20:  God’s Continuing Covenant with Israel

Doxology

Enjoying Spring: The Growth Process Mark 4:8

 

Outline of Online Service 4^th October 2020

Enjoying Spring: The Growth Process Mark 4:28

Hymn 102:  Joy from Thy Presence

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 92: Give Thanks to the Lord

Bible Readings:

·       The Vineyard of Wild Grapes:  Isaiah 5:1-7

·       God’s Plants in His Vineyard:  Isaiah 27:1-9

·       A Growth Path:  2 Peter 1:1-12

·       The Growing Seed:  Mark 4:26-34

Hymn 34:  Growth from Within

·        In Enjoying Spring so far we have considered:

o   God has ordained times and seasons – including the flowers of Spring

o   Even in Winter God allows us visions of His coming Kingdom

o   For plants to thrive they must be in the right environment

o   If plants are to sustain growth they must be planted in good soil, indicative of good personal character

·        This session looks at the growth process itself – showing that each plant requires ongoing attention

·        The Old Testament readings detail God’s Vineyard – even His plants will grow wild if they do not continue in His ways

·        Peter gives us some advice on a growth path (sanctification) which calls for watering, fertilisation, pruning and a close relationship with the Carer

·        Jesus spoke in parables; we too are seeking to learn about developing a relationship with God through comparison to a growing plant  

·        May each of us strive to be of “the planting of the Lord” (Isa 61:3) as we seek to be preserved in spirit and soul and body as we await His return

·     Hymn 3:  The Vision of Maturity

Doxology

Enjoying Spring: The Winter is Past

 

Outline of Online Service 13^th September 2020

Enjoying Spring: The Winter is Past Song of Sol 2:11

Hymn 106:  God’s Truth Endures

The Lord’s Prayer  (Luke 11:2-4)

Psalm 111: God’s Great Works

Bible Readings:

·       Spring has Arrived!  Song of Solomon 2:8-17

·       Times and Seasons:  Exodus 23:12-22

Feasts for Seasons – Presentation

·       Developing a Relationship with God:  Matt 24:1-3, 15-22

·       Looking Ahead:  Phil 3:13-21

Hymn 125:  God Fills Our Emptiness

·        Metaphorically Winter represents the period of Satan’s reign on earth, and during this season, whilst we have evil within us, nothing good grows!

·        As we enter Spring, again metaphorically, we are starting to be able to understand spiritual things, and the life that God offers

·        As Spring commences we will all have noticed the signs of life, the plants budding and starting to shoot and bloom in the world around us, so too as we start to think about things of God, our minds will start to be renewed

·        God has clearly set an example in the seasons from which we can see how He also works in each of our lives

·        We do not want to still be in Winter (subject to the evil) when Jesus Christ returns, but seek for the evil to have been removed from within our bodies so that we can receive the fulness of life as set out in the Scriptures

·     May God give us a portion of His Spirit to begin to understand, and to believe in Him and start to grow the fruit of obedience to God in our lives

Hymn 6:  The Promised Treasures

Doxology

 

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