New sermon series for the summer

Morning Series - ‘Vision into practice’

We believe that, having had time over the past year to listen to God, and discern His voice, He has given us a new vision; ‘to be a church called to be His people, to worship, service and grow, and to see lives of all ages continually transformed through the power of the Holy Spirit’. We now need to put God’s vision for His people into practice.  We need to learn how to live out this vision every day, everywhere!

For this reason I believe it is vital to work out together how, in partnership, we activate God’s vision into action; and so over the next few months we will be taking each strand of the vision, and learning how each one of us is being called to play our part.

I have been reading an excellent book on ‘all member ministry’ called ‘The Trellis and the Vine’, and it emphasises and reminds the reader that partnership in the Gospel is the normal Christian life! The authors suggest that the ‘Gospel itself demands that we stand with our leaders in profound unity, teamwork and solidarity – not because of their personalities or gifts, but because of our common partnership in the gospel of Jesus Christ. There aren’t two classes of Christians – the partners and the spectators. We are all in it together’. 

This means that, as committed Christians, we are signing up for active involvement – for being partners together in a great enterprise: going out to share the good news of Jesus Christ in our local community and wider world!

Evening Series – Isaiah – The Suffering Servant

In the past few months, in the evenings, we have been looking at ‘Living in the world but not of the world’ as we have journeyed through 1 Peter - a letter of exhortation, and encouragement, written to Christians in Asia Minor who were suffering for their faith.

As we look at how God may be calling us to put our Vision into practice in the morning sermon series – it has been suggested that we focus on some chapters of Isaiah in the evening.  I believe that this will complement our teaching in the morning, and continue to help us work out how we live in the world, but not of the world.  

That is exactly what the work and call of a prophet was, and still is today. Their role was, and is, to speak for God, confronting the people and their leaders with God’s commands and promises.  Because of their confrontational stance and the continuing tendency of people then, and still today, to disobey God’s will and way, prophets can find themselves alienated by others who prefer to conform to the way of the world, rather than to submit to God’s rule and reign.

I hope and pray that as we look at what it means to serve and suffer as a disciple of Christ – looking at the Suffering servant in Isaiah, it will equip us also to put our vision into action as we worship, serve and grow, and see lives of all ages transformed and healed through the power of the Holy Spirit.

You can download the pdf with all the details here.