Embedded Files
I want to share with you this morning, some of the learning from the bible study we are currently running and encourage you to think about taking part in the future
So lets begin with a prayer
Father God, I stand here this morning to share whats on my heart for your church here in Mirepoix and pray that this reflects whats on your heart too.
I pray that your Spirit will open our ears and our hearts to Your word, and give us wisdom to know how to respond.
We pray in Jesus mighty name
Amen
This is our third bible study this year,
Firstly we studied ‘Who Is This Jesus’ – using video material set in the Holy Land
Secondly The Apostles Creed, which came about through the discussions in our first study – we recite this creed every Sunday but do we truly understand and agree with what we read out? We decided to find out!
Thirdly Natural Evangelism, our current study, we have a group of 11 people, this also came about through discussions from the Creed study, highlighting how many of us struggled with the concept of evangelising, or witnessing as we like to call it.
I have so enjoyed preparing, planning and organising, delivering and learning alongside others and through God’s word in these studies, great fellowship and a real buzz is being seen in this study and we’re only half-way through!
It was written by JJohn – a well-respected and quite dynamic Evangelist who preaches across the globe!
JJohn – began his Christian ministry studying Theology at St. John’s College in Nottingham before his first appointment to St Nicholas Anglican church, in Nottingham as an Evangelist.
He’s a truly gifted evangelist and he has shared his expertise and written the study guide we are currently following each week.
He also wrote the booklet we used when we watched the film Chariots of Fire at the cinema
I think it would be good perhaps to share a couple of short videos he created to accompany this study guide – we can arrange this by email I’m sure!
In our first session, we used the reading this morning - Pauls first letter to the Ephesians which includes the great themes of God’s work in the church and the community of believers
Believers are chosen by God, and they are chosen before they have done anything or have been anything for God.
The reasons for God choosing us are not random. Although they are past our finding out, our knowing and understanding why!
Such amazing grace! That saved a wretch; like me! I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
We were predestined to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself: This is the Father’s destiny for His chosen – that they would enjoy being adopted as sons. To enjoy a warm, confident relationship with the Father through the Son.
(V7-8) The work of God the Son. In Him we have redemption through His blood. Jesus does not redeem us by His sinless life or His moral example, but only by His dying in our place
In v(19b-21) we heard a description of the great power of God that Paul wants the Ephesians to know. He writes that the power that works in us is the same mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him at His right hand: It is the mighty power that raised Jesus to heaven after His resurrection,
This great resurrection power placed Jesus above all things. Now all things are under His feet. It set Jesus as the head over all things, including us, the church. The church, which is His body: with Jesus as the head, and us, the community of Christians who make up the body.
In our first session we also looked at the Great Commission – one of our bible reading from last week - Matthew 28:19-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We are all called to witness for Jesus, to share the good news about what Jesus has done for us
So, After all He has done for us, surely thats not too much to ask?
Its harder to do this if we don’t fully grasp this good news ourselves – hence the reason for our bible study, meeting together to share God’s word, learn from one of the greatest evangelists of today, and build confidence within ourselves to help to grow both this church and to grow God’s kingdom!
We asked ourselves why we don’t easily witness to others? Perhaps feeling inadequate, fear of rejection, losing our reputation!
But the reasons why we SHOULD witness, far outweigh these fears!
Firstly because of the Compassion of Christ – if we truly love God, we will love other people, to share and not keep the good news to ourselves,
Secondly because of the Conviction of Christ – Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 “I will build my church” and he went throuogh all the towns and villages teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming this good news of the kingdom.
Thirdly because of the Completion of Christs Kingdom or The completion of God's plan
Matthew 24:14 ‘This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come’
Its not saying there will be world conversion, but there will be world evengelism!
In our second session we flooked at What actually is the good news of Christianity?
We discovered how important it is that we can explain the message clearly and understandably! No religious jargon necessary! So, first and foremost we need to know that WE understand the message ourselves!
We focussed on something called ‘The Four D’s’
DESIGN - God formed us – he designed us – God created us in his own image
DISORDER - Gods good creation did not stay that way for long – Adam and Eve chose to rebel against God’s one prohibition – their disobedience resulted in them suffering the consequences and we live with those consequences today!
DELIVERENCE - Christ transforms us through Deliverence – delivering us from disorder and death through Christ’s blood, shed on the cross, his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven declares his victory over sin and death
Finally, DECISION – our decision. Scripture informs us and gives each of us a decision to make:
To Believe in Jesus Christ and his message
To receive Jesus into our life by God’s Holy Spirit
To follow Jesus in every area of our life – to fill our hearts with Jesus!
So How do you go about filling your heart with Jesus?
Through walking with him.
Truly knowing someone comes from a relationship, relationships are built by sharing time together – not just for an hour on Sunday morning, but in shared bible studies and prayer groups, learning together, praying together for the areas where we need His Spirit to work
Matthew 12:34 “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” –
If we fill ourselves with Jesus we will likely find ourselves speaking about him to others very naturally,
We also touched on the Creed to remind us of what we believe
We found how the church spent several hundred years debating the key elements of doctrine – this was to AVOID FALSE TEACHING and heresy!
Finally in AD 325 the church leaders agreed on a statement of faith – or statement of belief, known as the Nicene Creed – which celebrates its 1700th birthday this year in the Anglican church! It was the first creed to gain universal authority across different Christian churches
Co-incidentally, the same year we decided to study the Creed – the Apostles Creed that we use in our service, which is a shortened version
In our third session we followed on from believing, to HOW we need to walk deeply with Jesus to enable our witnessing to happen naturally, hearts full of the love of Christ, helping to fulfil that ‘D’ for decision
In John 4:in the story of the woman at the well, we read that after her conversation with Jesus she responded with her heart – she could not help but tell people about Jesus, about the good news
in v39 of John 4 it tells us ‘Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony
We need to get alongside people, listening to them, talking to them and finding out about them
We don’t have to inflict our beliefs on people, or preach a sermon to them, we have conversations and by really listening we can see how we can help them, eventually share our own testimony
Our faith shouldn’t need to be private, we shouldn’t be embarrassed about it,
The growth of believers is really happening back in England and here in France in the Catholic church
HTB Anglican church, home to the writer of the Alpha Course, Nicky Gumble have young people queuing up to get into church!
They have 6 church sites across South London, with ten services across each Sunday and for special times like Christmas, New Year, Easter, they have to ask people to book and reserve places, there is so much demand!
So where and how might we begin to witness to others?
Where? In OUR Jerusalem!
Family and close friends, people who live around us, neighbours, and those we share similar interests with – book clubs, yoga groups, walking groups, drinking coffee!
It’s with people we have relationships with, people we care about, enjoy spending time with – how can we care about someone and not share the most important fact in our lives?
How many of your relatives, friends, neighbours or work colleagues know about the treasure WE possess?
I have been so blessed with the people I meet every day through the Café, its such an opportunity to get alongside people, to talk, to listen, to offer support, some whom are now part of this church. I met David and Maureen Pounds probably 7 years ago as customers, then as people here at church, then as friends
David passed away on Thursday after a number of months in hospital, it was such a privilege to feel able to visit him as he was gradually coming to the end of his life, and now to support Maureen as she struggles to cope with the grief and loss. I’ve never actually had to cope with the death of a close loved one, but I don’t feel out of my depth, surprisingly to me, because Jesus love just compels me to get in and be Jesus for Maureen! God’s Spirit gives us the right words to say!
My prayer and my hope is that I can help her to know Jesus just as David did so that she can have that same knowledge for her future
So How do we witness to others? By personal invitation!
Some statistics we discovered in our last session –
1% come because they were visited by Christians
6% of people come to church because they see some publicity
77% - yes 77% come because friends or relatives invited them!
The question was posed by JJohn – Have you contributed to this statistic?
We are currently organising the production of some printed invitations, for everyone to be able to use to give to people we know – as a way to help us to invite people personally to our services
Don’t let us think that there are such big barriers that we can’t talk about our faith
Jesus showed us time and again that barriers are not as big as we think
Back again to John 4 and the woman at the well – Jesus broke down 4 barriers
1. A moral barrier – she had committed adultery by taking several husbands
2. A social barrier – he was a man and she was a woman
3. A racial barrier – she was a Samaritan and he was a Jew – two groups who despised each other!
4. A religious barrier – Jews and Samaritans didn’t mix on religious grounds
Jesus spoke with her about her need for water for her thirst and then about the living water available to her
As she responded to Jesus with her heart, she couldn’t help but tell others the good news, saying in John 4:29
Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?
This made me think I could easily say to someone ‘Come hear about someone who gets me through the real tough times in my life – and believe me I’m facing tough times at the moment, as a few of us are!
We have a few opportunities coming up in the next two months which we can all use to take a step of faith
We have our carol service on 14th December and we are also aiming to begin monthly coffee mornings – full details to be shared in the not too distant future
Another How? Get involved in bible studies. It would be wonderful to run this study again for those who really want to respond to God’s call – to develop the confidence, the courage, to communicate the message of the gospel. to pray together as a church for those people we want to see get to know God, his love and His peace
Lets pray
Gracious God, send your Holy Spirit upon us and set our hearts ablaze with love for you, help us to be confident with the wonderful news that our friends, family and acquaintances need to hear
Because knowing you Jesus, there is no greater thing!
Lord in Your mercy – hear our prayer - Amen
Page updated
Report abuse