23. Love Bless Do Good Romans 12.9-21
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=284}
Love Bless Do Good Romans 12.9-21
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 20 October 2013
Bible Readings: Leviticus 19.11-18; Psalm 133; Matthew 5.43-48.
How to do good to those who oppose us. How to let God grow our good behaviour.
5. Healthy Churches Need Praying Disciples Oct 20
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
5. Healthy Churches Need Praying Disciples
It has been very encouraging to notice the change in the way the Wednesday morning Reflection and Communion group pray. We have changed from having prayers said only by the minister, to an increase in prayers said by the congregation members. Different people pray for world issues, for our church and especially for people they know who are in need.
This is a good sign. Well, it is a good thing. It is an encouraging thing. Every time people pray it is encouraging. It means that they are believers. They believe that God hears their prayers. They believe that they can bring their needs to him. They believe that they can intercede for their friends – and indeed for the whole world.
Churches made up of people who pray are likely to be churches that are doing what God wants. It is hard to keep praying and not pray for God’s kingdom to come. Not to pray in line with what the Lord Jesus is doing. Sooner or later, people who pray will get in step with what God is up to.
Read more: 5. Healthy Churches Need Praying Disciples Oct 20
Notes on Luke 18.1-14 October 20
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 18.1-14 October 20
Each of these two parables includes an explanation about the meaning of the parable.
A Parable about Prayer 18.1-8
The first verse tells us what the parable is about. Disciples should always pray and not give up. This helps us understand the story that Jesus tells.
The corrupt judge gives in to the widow because she persists. He does give her justice (18.2-5). Jesus contrasts this with what God does. Will God act like the bad judge? Will he keep ignoring the cry of his people? No, says Jesus, He will act quickly to see they get justice.
What does the question in verse 8 mean? When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes will he find disciples still believing in God and asking for help? Disciples will always have trouble. The question is whether they will persist in asking God for help. Or will they lose faith and give up? Jesus says disciples should always pray and not give up. Keep on calling out to God as long as troubles last.
A Parable about Righteousness 18.9-14
22. Trying out God's will Romans 12.1-8
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Romans 2011-13
{podcast id=283}
Trying out God's will Romans 12.1-8
Sermon preached at Christ the King Willetton on Sunday 6 October 2013
Bible Readings: Deuteronomy 8.1-18; Psalm 105.1-11; Matthew 5.1-12
How to respond to God's mercies and testing out God's will with bodies offered and minds renewed.
Notes on Luke 17.11-19 October 13
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 17.11-19 October 13
There are three important things in this story.
Leprosy: In Jesus’ day, leprosy referred to a range of skin diseases. It did not necessarily refer to what we know as leprosy which is an infection that affects the nerves of the hands and feet and other parts of the body. People with leprosy were not allowed to mix with others. Healthy people were not allowed to touch them. That is why these ten men stood at a distance. This story is unusual because Jesus usually touched the lepers when he healed them. In this case he tells them to go to the priests who were the ones who could decide that they were healed. Only the priests could give them permission to return to normal society. But these ten men had to go to the priests before they were healed. In other words they had to believe Jesus. As they did as he said, that is, as they started to go to the priests, they were healed. This is another example of Jesus’ power to heal.
Giving Thanks: Only one of them came back to thank Jesus. The story suggests that he came back as soon as he saw that he was healed. Before he got to the priests. He did it immediately. He came back very excited and full of praise. Notice the way Luke describes what he did. He praised God, threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He praised God and thanked Jesus. Luke puts these two things together so that we can see how closely God and Jesus are linked. Jesus asks about the other nine men. The bible has a great deal to say about giving thanks. Humans complain a lot. But God’s people ought to give thanks all the time.
4. Healthy Churches Need Brave Disciples Oct 6
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Weekly Reflections
4. Healthy Churches Need Brave Disciples
I was going to say fearless but that may sound a bit too bold. Fear is one of the common themes in the Bible. God keeps on telling his people not to be afraid. Especially when he or one of the angels appears to people. It is not always clear whether the encouragement not to fear works. People who run into God generally seem to be terrified. Rightly so, I suppose.
Fear is also about enemies. At least about people who treat us as enemies. Don’t be afraid of them the Bible says. And don’t be afraid of what they are afraid of. Or of what they say we should be afraid of. Better to be fearing God. Or to say it Peter’s way, make sure you are very sure that the Lord is Jesus, not anyone or anything else (1 Peter 3.14). Isaiah spoke of it in terms of conspiracy theories (Isaiah 8.12). Conspiracy theories just make you afraid. We certainly don’t lack such theories. Or reports that are meant to make us afraid. The popular TV news bulletins seem to be designed that way.
Mix all that with a receding respect for Christianity, and we could become quite timid. We could see ourselves on a small diminishing island of Christian values as the tide of materialistic atheism rises to drown us. Scary indeed.
Notes on Luke 17.1-10 October 6
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- Written by: Dale
- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 17.1-10 October 6
The first two parts of this story make very great demands on disciples.
17.1-2: Don’t act in a way that causes other people to sin. Jesus thinks each disciple has a responsibility for the others. Our thoughts and actions affect other people. “These little ones” does not only mean children. It means all of the disciples, especially those who are learning from you. Jesus thinks it is a very bad thing if we cause others to sin. The consequences are very bad.
17.3-4: What should a disciple do if someone does sin? Jesus is probably talking about sins done against each other. First of all rebuke them. Challenge their behaviour and the thinking that goes with it. Urge them to return to the way of the Lord. Second, when they repent, forgive them. How many times? Seven times. This means every time. There is no limit to forgiveness.
Both these instructions are extreme. Jesus sets very high standards for disciples.
17.5-6: It is not surprising that the apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus’ answer tells them how to increase their faith: it is by exercising it. Just do what he says and their faith will get stronger. The more they live in a way that doesn’t cause people to sin, the stronger will be their faith. The more they forgive the better they will be at forgiving.
17.7-10: This story is also about faith. Faith means doing what you are told to do. It is about being faithful. The person who keeps on doing what the Master has told them to do will become strong in faith. The disciple who is strong in faith is the disciple who obeys and is faithful to the Lord. They know they are servants, and they serve faithfully.
Dale
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