This last Sunday we were studying the next section in John's gospel. We looked at two things, firstly John the Baptist's attiude that of Jesus becoming greater and him becoming less. John is content with the role that he has been given, He says I am not the Christ, I am the messenger, I am not the bridgegroom, I am the freind who serves and waits on the bridegroom. It is Jesus who is great and I am to become less. The question I posed on Sunday was whether we were content with the roles that God has given, content with the way in which God has called us to serve or whether we were secretly hankering after a greater role, a role with greater prestige, greater standing in the community. Furthermore were were we serving for our glory or to make Jesus great. John the Baptist's example is one we should certainly follow - to be those who are content with the role God has given us and to do all things for the glory of Jesus not ourselves.
The second point we looked at was why Jesus must become greater and we noted five things (listen to the sermon to see them all!). Ultimately though we saw, that he must become greater because Jesus is the only one who can give life, Jesus is the only one who can truly testify about God because He is the only one from above. Thus John concludes with the statement "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him. Thus Jesus must become greater because it is only belief in him and him alone not John the Baptist, not us, that will grant someone eternal life. That is why we must become less and he MUST become greater. Who is it you are believing in? One who can give eternal life?
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Thursday, 18 November 2010
Do non-Christians go to hell?
Is what Steve Chalke says here correct? I agree with a lot of what he says, but look carefully at paragraph 8. Do you have to consciously acknowledge Jesus is Lord and Saviour to be saved?
http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/asksteve/DononChristiansgotohell.aspx
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http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/asksteve/DononChristiansgotohell.aspx
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Click here to listen or save
Click here to listen or save
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Freedom of Private Worship or Freedom to Proclaim
What do you think about the article here from CCFON?
Is it an exaggeration to say we are losing the ability to freely proclaim?
What should be do about it?
Follow this link
http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/religious-freedom/proclaiming-jesus-roof-tops
Is it an exaggeration to say we are losing the ability to freely proclaim?
What should be do about it?
Follow this link
http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/religious-freedom/proclaiming-jesus-roof-tops
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
New name for HHEFC? Updated with more suggestions
We at Haywards Heath Evangelical Free Church (HHEFC) are wondering whether a new name to coincide with our new building would be helpful. To be an improvement on what we have already the new name would need to be memorable, distinctive, shorter and easier to use; and be a more generally understood definition of what we are and where we are.
It should not be misleading, arrogant (e.g Haywards Heath Real Church), or an obvious barrier to new people attending.
Below are a few suggestions for names, updated with all your suggestions so far. You are most welcome to comment favourably or otherwise, and add suggestions of your own and we'll see where this leads.
Location based
New England Road Church
New England Road Community Church
New England Church
We welcome comments in the box below. Select the pull down "comment as" menu and you can choose to comment giving a name, or you can comment anonymously if you prefer.
Graham Nicholls
It should not be misleading, arrogant (e.g Haywards Heath Real Church), or an obvious barrier to new people attending.
Below are a few suggestions for names, updated with all your suggestions so far. You are most welcome to comment favourably or otherwise, and add suggestions of your own and we'll see where this leads.
Location based
Bentswood Church
Bentswood Community ChurchBentswood Evangelical Church
Community Church of Christ
Heyworth (Community) Church
Heath Evangelical Church
Mayflower Church or Mayflower Christian ChurchNew England Road Church
New England Road Community Church
New England Road Evangelical
New England Community ChurchNew England Church
Bible theme/idea/person
(The) Pilgrim(s) Church
Cornerstone
Saltworkz (Community) Church
The ArkChrist Church
Graham Nicholls
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
John 3 For God so loved...
Nicodemus was a powerful, intelligent and religious man. He came to talk with Jesus.
Jesus tells him immediately that he had to be born again. This was almost too much for Nicodemus. He couldn't get his head around the idea of becoming a baby again. But Jesus was talking about spiritual birth. When you start again with a new life. When you wake up and see that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour.
Jesus goes on to say that he is going to be crucified so that this new life can begin.
The reason God is doing this is simple and profound. In one of the most famous verses in the Bible we're told that God loved the world. He loved a world of people who oppose him. He loved people like you and me. In fact, he loved them so much that he gave up the most precious thing - his Son.
But there's another love in John 3. The love of darkness. Most people don't want to believe in Jesus. It's not for intellectual reasons. The explanation of the Bible is pretty reasonable. The proofs that Jesus rose from the dead are convincing. People don't really reject Christianity for those reasons, but for moral reasons. It's because people will not like admitting that they are wrong and God is right and that they need to have the death of Jesus for them to make them clean and right with God.
What about you? Do you love light or darkness?
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
Jesus tells him immediately that he had to be born again. This was almost too much for Nicodemus. He couldn't get his head around the idea of becoming a baby again. But Jesus was talking about spiritual birth. When you start again with a new life. When you wake up and see that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour.
Jesus goes on to say that he is going to be crucified so that this new life can begin.
The reason God is doing this is simple and profound. In one of the most famous verses in the Bible we're told that God loved the world. He loved a world of people who oppose him. He loved people like you and me. In fact, he loved them so much that he gave up the most precious thing - his Son.
But there's another love in John 3. The love of darkness. Most people don't want to believe in Jesus. It's not for intellectual reasons. The explanation of the Bible is pretty reasonable. The proofs that Jesus rose from the dead are convincing. People don't really reject Christianity for those reasons, but for moral reasons. It's because people will not like admitting that they are wrong and God is right and that they need to have the death of Jesus for them to make them clean and right with God.
What about you? Do you love light or darkness?
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
John 2:12-25 Who do you think you are?
Some people when they hear the things Christians claim, respond by asking "who do you think you are?"
Do Christians have the right to make statements about what is, what should be and what will be?
It's a question of authority, and in the end it's a question of the authority of the leader of Christianity - Jesus Christ. Does he have the right to say how things are, how they should be and how they will be?
In this text the Jews were indignant when Jesus threw all the traders out of the temple. They demanded that he did a miracle to prove he had the authority to decide what should happen in the temple courts.
Jesus reply was about the fact that his bodily temple would be destroyed and three days later it would be raised. He would be killed but he would return to life. That's the ultimate proof you need that
Jesus has the authority.
That's why you need to listen to him.
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
Do Christians have the right to make statements about what is, what should be and what will be?
It's a question of authority, and in the end it's a question of the authority of the leader of Christianity - Jesus Christ. Does he have the right to say how things are, how they should be and how they will be?
In this text the Jews were indignant when Jesus threw all the traders out of the temple. They demanded that he did a miracle to prove he had the authority to decide what should happen in the temple courts.
Jesus reply was about the fact that his bodily temple would be destroyed and three days later it would be raised. He would be killed but he would return to life. That's the ultimate proof you need that
Jesus has the authority.
That's why you need to listen to him.
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
Monday, 18 October 2010
John 2:1-11 First Sign
John, the gospel writer carefully selects 7 signs to tell us about in his book. What we might call 7 miracles.
The first sign was Jesus turning water into wine. Although of course it shows us that Jesus has the power of God, there is more to it than that. It is a signpost about his mission. The wine he creates is a sign a sign of the change to a new order – from religion, from legalism to trust in the transforming power of Jesus.
We need the Power of Jesus. He has the power to transform lives just as he can transform water to wine.
Jesus can replace religion that could never really make us clean with something so much better, like the new wine replaces the tasteless water.
He does what we have failed to do. Just like the groom failed in his duty to provide wine, we have failed to be what we should be for God. But Jesus makes up for our faults.
The consequence is that we can now celebrate, just as we do at weddings. Part of that celebration can happen now, but we wait for the great celebration when Jesus returns and ushers in the new kingdom.
His disciples put their faith in him: will you?
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
The first sign was Jesus turning water into wine. Although of course it shows us that Jesus has the power of God, there is more to it than that. It is a signpost about his mission. The wine he creates is a sign a sign of the change to a new order – from religion, from legalism to trust in the transforming power of Jesus.
We need the Power of Jesus. He has the power to transform lives just as he can transform water to wine.
Jesus can replace religion that could never really make us clean with something so much better, like the new wine replaces the tasteless water.
He does what we have failed to do. Just like the groom failed in his duty to provide wine, we have failed to be what we should be for God. But Jesus makes up for our faults.
The consequence is that we can now celebrate, just as we do at weddings. Part of that celebration can happen now, but we wait for the great celebration when Jesus returns and ushers in the new kingdom.
His disciples put their faith in him: will you?
To listen to sermons in the John series click here
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