What if Jesus meant it? (Part 3)
Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount with the simplest of commands – don’t just listen to all this, live it out!
Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount with the simplest of commands – don’t just listen to all this, live it out!
It’s hard being right all the time!
What if we could take the burden of judging others off our shoulders.
What if we believed that they don’t have to answer to us?
What if we practised grace a bit more?
Would that mean we would become gullible or lose discernment?
Can you be discerning and not judge?
Prophecy is for the sake of others. It’s a clear reminder that we listen to God because we are part of a community that we care for.
Hearing from God is not a personal luxury – it’s a church necessity.
They came looking for a king. But they had no idea what sort of king he would be – or indeed the type of leadership/service he would ask of his followers.
The people are gathering ready for their return to Jerusalem. However they can’t commence their journey until everything, or maybe more appropriately everyone, is in place.
We’ve spent a good deal of time looking at how we offer hospitality to one another, but what does it look like to offer hospitality to those people we find difficult to deal with?
How can we change the story?
Paul and Silas continue on the mission to Philippi, but very soon life becomes increasingly difficult.
What can we learn from their story, about continuing in missional activity, when life gets difficult?
After his conversion Saul arrives back in Jerusalem, but not to the welcome he had hoped for.
The disciples there are fearful of Saul and his intentions. Saul needs someone to be his advocate and stand with him.
Barnabas is just the man for the job…
The religious folks resisted what was happening, and charge Stephen with going against the temple and the law. Stephen re-tells their own history to them, showing that God has always operated outside of the temple, Jerusalem and Israel. God was with his people, and at work, in all the difficult places.
God is in the business of doing new things. We are on a journey with him. In difficult times, times of change, times of uncertainty, we follow Jesus.
Sometimes in order to pick up new things, we have to lay other things down.
The temptation to compare yourself with someone else has always been part of a diverse church community. Thankfully Paul reminds us that God sees us all in the same way; simply as his children and that means we are free to be ourselves.
Ananias was a simple man, living an ordinary life, when God asked him to take a risk. What might God be asking of us in order to impact the lives of those around us?
How can we better sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit and be ready to give the unexpected answer?
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